the unreasonable return I proposed to make him, but replied
without the least concern, "You are sensible, brother, that what
you offer me is not proportionable to the valuable favour you ask
of me. I might have chosen whether I would communicate my secret
to you or not, and have kept the treasure to myself: but what I
have told you is sufficient to shew my good intentions; it is in
my power to oblige you, and make both our fortunes. I have,
however, another proposition more just and equitable to make to
you; it lies in your own breast whether or no you will agree to
it.
"You say," continued the dervish, "that you have fourscore
camels: I am ready to conduct you to the place where the treasure
lies, and we will load them with as much jewels and gold as they
can carry, on condition that when they are so loaded you will let
me have one half, and you be contented with the other; after
which we will separate, and take our camels where we may think
fit. You see there is nothing but what is strictly equitable in
this division; for if you give me forty camels, you will procure
by my means wherewithal to purchase thousands."
I could not but agree there was a great deal of justice in what
the dervish said: but without considering what riches I should
gain in accepting of the condition he proposed, I could not
without reluctance think of parting with my forty camels,
especially when I reflected that the dervish would then be as
rich as myself. Avarice made me unmindful that I was beforehand
making an ungrateful return for a favour, purely gratuitous. But
there was no time to hesitate; I must either accept of the
proposal, or resolve to repent all my lifetime of losing, by my
own fault, an opportunity of obtaining an immense fortune. That
instant I collected all my camels, and after we had travelled
some time, we came into a valley, the pass into which was so
narrow, that two camels could not go a-breast. The two mountains
which bounded this valley formed nearly a circle, but were so
high, craggy, and steep, that there was no fear of our being seen
by any body.
When we came between these two mountains, the dervish said to me,
"Stop your camels, make them kneel that we may load them the
easier, and I will proceed to discover the treasure."
I did as the dervish directed; and going to him soon after, found
him with a match in one hand, gathering sticks to light a fire;
which he had no sooner done, than he cast some incense into it,
and pronouncing certain words which I did not understand, there
presently arose a thick cloud. He divided this cloud, when the
rock, though of a prodigious perpendicular height, opened like
two folding doors, and exposed to view a magnificent palace in
the hollow of the mountain, which I supposed to be rather the
workmanship of genii than of men; for man could hardly have
attempted such a bold and surprising work.
But this, I must tell your majesty, was an afterthought which did
not occur to me at the moment; so eager was I for the treasures
which displayed themselves to my view, that I did not even stop
to admire the magnificent columns and arcades which I saw on all
sides; and, without attention to the regularity with which the
treasures were ranged, like an eagle seizing her prey, I fell
upon the first heap of golden coin that was near me. My sacks
were all large, and with my good will I would have filled them
all; but I was obliged to proportion my burden to the strength of
my camels. The dervish did the same; but I perceived he paid more
attention to the jewels, and when he told me the reason, I
followed his example, so that we took away much more jewels than
gold. When we had filled our sacks, and loaded our camels, we had
nothing left to do but to shut up the treasure and go our way.
But before we parted, the dervish went again into the treasury,
where there were a great many wrought vessels of gold of
different forms. I observed that he took out of one of these
vessels a little box of a certain wood, which I knew not, and put
it into his breast; but first shewed me that it contained only a
kind of glutinous ointment.
The dervish used the same incantations to shut the treasury as he
had done to open it; and after he pronounced certain words, the
doors closed, and the rock seemed as solid and entire as before.
We now divided our camels. I put myself at the head of the forty
which I had reserved for myself, and the dervish placed himself
at the head of the rest which I had given him. We came out of the
valley by the way we had entered, and travelled together till we
came to the great road, where we were to part; the dervish to go
to Bussorah, and I to Bagdad. To thank him for so great a
kindness, I made use of the most expressive terms, testifying my
gratitude for the preference he had given me before all other men
in letting me have a share of such riches. We embraced each other
with great joy, and taking our leave, pursued our different
routes.
I had not gone far, following my camels, which paced quietly on
in the track I had put them into, before the demon of ingratitude
and envy took possession of my heart, and I deplored the loss of
my other forty, but much more the riches wherewith they were
loaded. "The dervish," said I to myself, "has no occasion for all
this wealth, since he is master of the treasure, and may have as
much as he pleases;" so I gave myself up to the blackest
ingratitude, and determined immediately to take the camels with
their loading from him.
To execute this design, I first stopped my own camels, then ran
after the dervish, and called to him as loud as I could, giving
him to understand that I had something material to say to him,
and made a sign to him to stop, which he accordingly did.
When I came up to him, I said, "Brother, I had no sooner parted
from you, but a thought came into my head, which neither of us
had reflected on before. You are a recluse dervish, used to live
in tranquillity, disengaged from all the cares of the world, and
intent only upon serving God. You know not, perhaps, what trouble
you have taken upon yourself, to take care of so many camels. If
you would take my advice, you would keep but thirty; you will
find them sufficiently troublesome to manage. Take my word; I
have had experience."
"I believe you are right," replied the dervish, who found he was
not able to contend with me;" I own I never thought of this. I
begin already to be uneasy at what you have stated. Choose which
ten you please, and take them, and go on in God's keeping."
I set ten apart, and after I had driven them off, I put them in
the road to follow my others. I could not have imagined that the
dervish would be so easily persuaded to part with his camels,
which increased my covetousness, and made me flatter myself, that
it would be no hard matter to get ten more: wherefore, instead of
thanking him for his present, I said to him again; "Brother, the
interest I take in your repose is so great, that I cannot resolve
to part from you without desiring you to consider once more how
difficult a thing it is to govern thirty loaded camels,
especially for you who are not used to such work: you will find
it much better to return me as many more back as you have done
already. What I tell you is not for my own sake and interest, but
to do you the greater kindness. Ease yourself then of the camels,
and leave them to me, who can manage a hundred as well as one."
My discourse had the desired effect upon the dervish, who gave
me, without any hesitation, the other ten camels; so that he had
but twenty left and I was master of sixty, and might boast of
greater riches than any sovereign princes. Any one would have
thought I should now have been content; but as a person afflicted
with a dropsy, the more he drinks the more thirsty he is, so I
became more greedy and desirous of the other twenty camels.
I redoubled my solicitations and importunities, to make the
dervish condescend to grant me ten of the twenty, which he did
with a good grace: and as to the other ten he had left, I
embraced him, kissed his feet, and caressed him, conjuring him
not to refuse me, but to complete the obligation I should ever
have to him, so that at length he crowned my joy, by giving me
them also. "Make a good use of them, brother," said the dervish,
"and remember that God can take away riches as well as give them,
if we do not assist the poor, whom he suffers to be in want, on
purpose that the rich may merit by their charity a recompense in
the other world."
My infatuation was so great that I could not profit by such
wholesome advice. I was not content, though I had my forty camels
again, and knew they were loaded with an inestimable treasure.
But a thought came into my head, that the little box of ointment
which the dervish shewed me had something in it more precious
than all the riches which I was obliged to him for: the place
from whence the dervish took it, said I to myself, and his care
to secure it, makes me believe there is something mysterious in
it. This determined me to obtain it. I had just embraced him and
bade him adieu; but as I turned about from him, I said, "What
will you do with that little box of ointment? It seems such a
trifle, it is not worth your carrying away. I entreat you to make
me a present of it; for what occasion has a dervish, as you are,
who has renounced the vanities of the world, for perfumes, or
scented ointments?"
Would to heaven he had refused me that box; but if he had, I was
stronger than he, and resolved to have taken it from him by
force; that for my complete satisfaction it might not be said he
had carried away the smallest part of the treasure.
The dervish, far from denying me, readily pulled it out of his
bosom, and presenting it to me with the best grace in the world,
said, "Here, take it, brother, and be content; if I could do more
for you, you needed but to have asked me; I should have been
ready to satisfy you."
When I had the box in my hand, I opened it, and looking at the
ointment, said to him, "Since you are so good, I am sure you will
not refuse me the favour to tell me the particular use of this
ointment."
"The use is very surprising and wonderful," replied the dervish:
"if you apply a little of it round the left eye, and upon the
lid, you will see at once all the treasures contained in the
bosom of the earth; but if you apply it to the right eye, it will
make you blind."
"I would make the experiment myself. Take the box," said I to the
dervish, "and apply some to my left eye. You understand how to do
it better than I, and I long to experience what seems so
incredible." Accordingly I shut my left eye, and the dervish took
the trouble to apply the unguent; I opened my eye, and was
convinced he had told me truth. I saw immense treasures, and such
prodigious riches, so diversified, that it is impossible for me
to give an account of them; but as I was obliged to keep my right
eye shut with my hand, and that tired me, I desired the dervish
to apply some of the pomatum to that eye.
"I am ready to do it," said the dervish; "but you must remember
what I told you, that if you put any of it upon your right eye,
you would immediately be blind; such is the virtue of the
ointment."
Far from being persuaded of the truth of what the dervish said, I
imagined, on the contrary, that there was some new mystery, which
he meant to hide from me. "Brother," replied I, smiling, "I see
plainly you wish to mislead me; it is not natural that this
ointment should have two such contrary effects."
"The matter is as I tell you," replied the dervish, taking the
name of God to bear witness; "you ought to believe me, for I
cannot disguise the truth."
I would not believe the dervish, who spoke like an honest man. My
insurmountable desire of seeing at my will all the treasures in
the world and perhaps of enjoying those treasures to the extent I
coveted, had such an effect upon me, that I could not hearken to
his remonstrances, nor be persuaded of what was however but too
true, as to my lasting misfortune I soon experienced.
I persuaded myself that if the ointment, by being applied to the
left eye, had the virtue of shewing me all the treasures of the
earth, by being applied to the right, it might have the power of
putting them in my disposal. Possessed with this thought, I
obstinately pressed the dervish to apply the ointment to my right
eye; but he as positively refused. "Brother," said he, "after l
have done you so much service, I cannot resolve to do you so
great an injury; consider with yourself what a misfortune it is
to be deprived of one's eye-sight: do not reduce me to the hard
necessity of obliging you in a thing which you will repent of all
your life."
I persisted in my obstinacy, and said to him in strong terms,
"Brother, I earnestly desire you to lay aside all your
difficulties. You have granted me most generously all that I have
asked of you hitherto, and would you have me go away dissatisfied
with you at last about a thing of so little consequence? For
God's sake grant me this last favour; whatever happens I will not
lay the blame on you, but take it upon myself alone."
The dervish made all the resistance possible, but seeing that I
was able to force him to do it, he said, "Since you will
absolutely have it so, I will satisfy you;" and thereupon he took
a little of the fatal ointment, and applied it to my right eye,
which I kept shut; but alas! when I came to open it, I could
distinguish nothing with either eye but thick darkness, and
became blind as you see me now.
"Ah! dervish," I exclaimed in agony, "what you forewarned me of
has proved but too true. Fatal curiosity," added I, "insatiable
desire of riches, into what an abyss of miseries have they cast
me! I am now sensible what a misfortune I have brought upon
myself; but you, dear brother," cried I, addressing myself to the
dervish, "who are so charitable and good, among the many
wonderful secrets you are acquainted with, have you not one to
restore to me my sight again?"
"Miserable wretch!" answered the dervish, "if you would have been
advised by me, you would have avoided this misfortune, but you
have your deserts; the blindness of your mind was the cause of
the loss of your eyes. It is true I have secrets, some of which,
during the short time we have been together, you have by my
liberality witnessed; but I have none to restore to you your
sight. Pray to God, therefore, if you believe there is one; it is
he alone that can restore it to you. He gave you riches, of which
you were unworthy, on that account takes them from you again, and
will by my hands give them to men not so ungrateful as yourself."
The dervish said no more, and I had nothing to reply. He left me
to myself overwhelmed with confusion, and plunged in
inexpressible grief. After he had collected my camels, he drove
them away, and pursued the road to Bussorah.
I cried out loudly as he was departing, and entreated him not to
leave me in that miserable condition, but to conduct me at least
to the first caravanserai; but he was deaf to my prayers and
entreaties. Thus deprived of sight and all I had in the world, I
should have died with affliction and hunger, if the next day a
caravan returning from Bussorah had not received me charitably,
and brought me back to Bagdad.
After this manner was I reduced without remedy from a condition
worthy the envy of princes for riches and magnificence, though
not for power, to beggary without resource. I had no other way to
subsist but by asking charity, which I have done till now. But to
expiate my offence against God, I enjoined myself, by way of
penance, a box on the ear from every charitable person who should
commiserate my condition.
"This, commander of the faithful, is the motive which seemed so
strange to your majesty yesterday, and for which I ought to incur
your indignation. I ask your pardon once more as your slave, and
submit to receive the chastisement I deserve. And if you
vouchsafe to pronounce any thing beyond the penance I have
imposed upon myself, I am ready to undergo it, since I am
persuaded you must think it too slight and much too little for my
crime."
The blind man having concluded his story, the caliph said, "Baba
Abdoollah, your sin has been great; but God be praised, you feel
the enormity of your guilt, and your penance proves your
repentance. You must continue it, not ceasing to ask of God
pardon in every prayer your religion obliges you to say daily:
but that you may not be prevented from your devotions by the care
of getting your living, I will settle a charity on you during
your life, of four silver dirhems a day, which my grand vizier
shall give you daily with the penance, therefore do not go away,
but wait till he has executed my orders."
At these words, Baba Abdoollah prostrated himself before the
caliph's throne, returned him thanks, and wished him all
happiness and prosperity.
The caliph, very well satisfied with the story of Baba Abdoollah
and the dervish, addressed himself to the young man who used his
mare so ill, and asked him his name; to which he replied, it was
Syed Naomaun.
"Syed Naomaun," resumed the caliph, "I have seen horses exercised
all my life, and have often exercised them myself, but never in
so barbarous a manner as you yesterday treated your mare in the
full square, to the great offence of all the spectators, who
murmured loudly at your conduct. I myself was not less
displeased, and had nearly, contrary to my intention, discovered
who I was, to have punished your cruelty. By your air and
behaviour you do not seem to be a barbarous or cruel man; and
therefore I would fain believe that you had reason for what you
did, since I am informed that this was not the first time, but
that you practise the same treatment every day. I would know what
is the cause, and sent for you for that purpose, that you should
tell me the truth, and disguise nothing from me."
Syed Naomaun understood what the caliph demanded of him. The
relation was painful to him. He changed colour several times, and
could not help shewing how greatly he was embarrassed. However,
he must resolve to tell his story; but before he spoke, he
prostrated himself before the caliph's throne, and after he rose
up, endeavoured to speak to satisfy the caliph, but was so
confounded, not so much at the presence of the caliph, as by the
nature of his relation, that he was speechless.
The caliph, notwithstanding his natural impatience to be obeyed,
shewed not the least anger at Syed Naomaun's silence: he saw
plainly, that he either had not assurance to speak before him, or
was intimidated by the tone of his voice; or, in short, that
there was something to be concealed in his story.
"Syed Naomaun," said the caliph, to encourage him, "recollect
yourself, but tell your story as if you were speaking not to me,
but to your most familiar friend. If there is any thing in your
relation which troubles you, and you think I may be offended at
it, I pardon you beforehand: therefore be not uneasy, but speak
boldly and freely, and disguise nothing."
Syed Naomaun, encouraged by these words, said, "Commander of the
faithful, whatever apprehensions a man may be under at your
majesty's presence, I am sensible those respectful sensations
would not deprive me of the use of my speech, so as to fail in my
obedience, in giving you satisfaction in any other matter but
this you now ask of me. I dare not say I am the most perfect of
men; yet I am not wicked enough to have committed, or to have had
an intention of committing any thing against the laws to fear
their severity; and yet I cannot say I am exempt from sin through
ignorance. In this case I do not say that I depend upon your
majesty's pardon, but will submit myself to your justice, and
receive the punishment I deserve. I own, that the manner in which
I have for some time treated my mare, and which your majesty has
witnessed, is strange, and sets an ill example: but I hope you
will think the motive well grounded, and that I am more worthy of
compassion than chastisement: but not to keep your majesty any
longer in suspense by a long preamble, I will tell you my story."
The Story of Syed Naomaun.
I shall not trouble your majesty with my birth, which is not
illustrious enough to merit your attention. For my situation, my
parents, by their good economy, left me enough to live on like an
honest man, free from ambition, or being burdensome to any one.
With these advantages, the only blessing I wanted to render my
happiness complete was an amiable wife, who might share them with
me; but that was a blessing it did not please God to grant me: on
the contrary, it was my misfortune to have one, who, the very
next day after our wedding, began to exercise my patience in a
manner not to be conceived by any one who has not had the same
trial.
As it is the custom for us to marry without seeing or knowing
whom we are to espouse, your majesty is sensible that a husband
has no reason to complain, when he finds that the wife who has
been chosen for him is not horribly ugly and deformed, and that
her carriage, wit, and behaviour make amends for any slight
bodily imperfections.
The first time I saw my wife with her face uncovered, after she
was brought home with the usual ceremonies to my house, I
rejoiced to find that I had not been imposed upon in the
description of her person, which pleased me, and she was
perfectly agreeable to my inclination.
The next day after our wedding, when our dinner was served up,
which consisted of several dishes, I went into the room where the
cloth was ]aid, and not finding my wife there, ordered her to be
called. After making me wait a long time, she came. I dissembled
my impatience, we sat down, and I began with the rice, which I
took up as usual.
On the other hand, my wife, instead of using her hand as
everybody does, pulled a little case out of her pocket, and took
out of it a kind of bodkin, with which she picked up the rice,
and put it into her mouth, grain by grain.
Surprised at this manner of eating, I said to her, "Ameeneh,"
(which was her name,) "are you used to eat rice so in your
family, or do you do it because you are a little eater, or would
you count the grains, that you may not eat more at one time than
another? If you do it out of frugality, or to teach me not to be
extravagant, you have no reason to fear, as I can assure you we
shall not ruin ourselves that way. We have, God be thanked!
enough to live at our ease, without depriving ourselves of
necessaries. Do not restrain yourself, my dear Ameeneh, but eat
as you see me eat." The kind manner in which I made these
remonstrances might have produced some obliging answer; but she,
without saying a word, continued to eat as she had begun. At
last, to make me the more uneasy, she ate a grain of rice at
intervals only; and instead of eating any of the other meats with
me, she only now and then put some crumbs of bread into her
mouth, but not so much as a sparrow would have pecked.
I was much provoked at her obstinacy; but yet, to indulge and
excuse her, I imagined that she had not been used to eat with
men, before whom she might perhaps have been taught to restrain
herself; but at the same time thought she carried it too far out
of pure simplicity. I fancied again that she might have
breakfasted late, or that she might have a wish to eat alone, and
more at liberty. These considerations prevented me from saying
more to her then, to ruffle her temper, by shewing any sign of
dissatisfaction. After dinner I left her, but not with an air
that shewed any displeasure.
At supper, and the next day, and every time we ate together, she
behaved herself in the same manner. I knew it was impossible for
a woman to live on so little food as she took, and that there
must be some mystery in her conduct, which I did not understand.
This made me resolve to dissemble; I appeared to take no notice
of her actions, in hopes that time would bring her to live with
me as I desired she should. But my hopes were in vain, and it was
not long before I was convinced they were so.
One night, when Ameeneh thought me fast asleep, she got out of
bed softly, dressed herself with great precaution, not to make a
noise for fear of awaking me. I could not comprehend her design,
but curiosity made me feign a sound sleep. As soon as she had
dressed herself, she went softly out of the room.
When she was gone, I arose, threw my cloak over my shoulders, and
had time enough to see from a window that looked into my court-
yard, that she opened the street-door and went out.
I immediately ran down to the door, which she had left half open,
and followed her by moonlight, till I saw her enter a burying-
ground just by our house. I got to the end of the wall, taking
care not to be seen, and looking over, saw Ameeneh with a ghoul.