his tale to the elders, they said to Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh, “This youth
is to be pitied and haply thou wilt aid him to recover his wife and
wees.” He replied, “O my brothers, in very sooth this is a grave matter
and a perilous; and never saw I any loathe his life save this youth. You
know that the Islands of Wak are hard of access and that none may come
to them but at risk of life; and ye know also the strength of their
people and their guards. Moreover I have sworn an oath not to tread
their soil nor transgress against them in aught; so how shall this man
come at the daughter of the Great King, and who hath power to bring him
to her or help him in this matter?” Replied the other, “O Shaykh of
Shaykhs, verily this man is consumed with desire and he hath endangered
himself to bring thee a scroll from thy brother Abd al-Kaddus; wherefore
it behoveth thee to help him.” And Hasan arose and kissed Abu
al-Ruwaysh’s feet and raising the hem of his garment laid it on his
head, weeping and crying, “I beseech thee, by Allah, to reunite me with
my wife and children, though it cost me my life and my soul!” The four
elders all wept for his weeping and said to Abu al-Ruwaysh, “Deal
generously with this unhappy and show him kindness for the sake of thy
brother Abd al-Kaddus and profit by this occasion to earn reward from
Allah for helping him.” Quoth he, “This wilful youth weeteth not what he
undertaketh; but Inshallah! we will help him after the measure of our
means, nor leave aught feasible undone.” When Hasan heard the Shaykh’s
words, he rejoiced and kissed the hands of the five elders, one after
other, imploring their aidance. Thereupon Abd al-Ruwaysh took inkcase
and a sheet of paper and wrote a letter, which he sealed and gave to
Hasan, together with a pouch of perfumed leather,[116] containing
incense and fire-sticks[117] and other needs, and said to him, “Take
strictest care of this pouch, and whenas thou fallest into any strait,
burn a little of the incense therein and name my name, whereupon I will
be with thee forthright and save thee from thy stress.” Moreover, he
bade one of those present fetch him an Ifrit of the Flying Jinn; and he
did so incontinently; whereupon quoth Abu al-Ruwaysh to the fire-drake,
“What is thy name!” Replied the Ifrit, “Thy thrall is hight Dahnash bin
Faktash.” And the Shaykh said “Draw near to me!” So Dahnash drew near to
him and he put his mouth to his ear and said somewhat to him, whereat
the Ifrit shook his head and answered, “I accept, O elder of elders!”
Then said Abu al-Ruwaysh to Hasan, “Arise, O my son, mount the shoulders
of this Ifrit, Dahnash the Flyer; but, when he heaveth thee heaven-wards
and thou hearest the angels glorifying God a-welkin with ‘Subhána
’lláh,’ have a care lest thou do the like; else wilt thou perish and he
too.” Hasan replied, “I will not say a word; no, never;” and the old man
continued, “O Hasan, after faring with thee all this day, to-morrow at
peep of dawn he will set thee down in a land cleanly white, like unto
camphor, whereupon do thou walk on ten days by thyself, till thou come
to the gate of a city. Then enter and enquire for the King of the city;
and when thou comest to his presence, salute him with the salam and kiss
his hand: then give him this scroll and consider well whatso he shall
counsel thee.” Hasan replied, “Hearing and obeying,” and rose up and
mounted the Ifrit’s shoulders, whilst the elders rose and offered up
prayers for him and commended him to the care of Dahnash the Firedrake.
And when he had perched on the Flyer’s back the Ifrit soared with him to
the very confines of the sky, till he heard the angels glorifying God in
Heaven, and flew on with him a day and a night till at dawn of the next
day he set him down in a land white as camphor, and went his way,
leaving him there. When Hasan found himself in the land aforesaid with
none by his side he fared on night and day for ten days, till he came to
the gate of the city in question and entering, enquired for the King.
They directed him to him and told him that his name was King
Hassún,[118] Lord of the Land of Camphor, and that he had troops and
soldiers enough to fill the earth in its length and breadth. So he
sought audience of him and, being admitted to his presence, found him a
mighty King and kissed ground between his hands. Quoth the King, “What
is thy want?” Whereupon Hasan kissed the letter and gave it to him. The
King read it and shook his head awhile, then said to one of his
officers, “Take this youth and lodge him in the house of hospitality.”
So he took him and stablished him in the guest-house, where he tarried
three days, eating and drinking and seeing none but the eunuch who
waited on him and who entertained him with discourse and cheered him
with his company, questioning him of his case and how he came to that
city; whereupon he told him his whole story, and the perilous condition
wherein he was. On the fourth day, that eunuch carried him before the
King, who said to him, “O Hasan, thou comest to me, seeking to enter the
Islands of Wak, as the Shaykh of Shaykhs adviseth me. O my son, I would
send thee thither this very day, but that by the way are many perils and
thirsty wolds full of terrors; yet do thou have patience and naught save
fair shall befal thee for needs must I devise to bring thee to thy
desire, Inshallah! Know, O my son, that here is a mighty host,[119]
equipped with arms and steeds and warlike gear, who long to enter the
Wak Islands and lack power thereto. But, O my son, for the sake of the
Shaykh Abu al-Ruwaysh, son of Bilkis,[120] the daughter of Mu’in, I may
not send thee back to him unfulfilled of thine affair. Presently there
will come to us ships from the Islands of Wak and the first that shall
arrive I will send thee on board of her and give thee in charge to the
sailors, so they may take care of thee and carry thee to the Islands. If
any question thee of thy case and condition, answer him saying:—I am
kinsman to King Hassun, Lord of the Land of Camphor; and when the ship
shall make fast to the shore of the Islands of Wak and the master shall
bid thee land, do thou land. Now as soon as thou comest ashore, thou
wilt see a multitude of wooden settles all about the beach, of which do
thou choose thee one and crouch under it and stir not. And when dark
night sets in, thou wilt see an army of women appear and flock about the
goods landed from the ship, and one of them will sit down on the settle,
under which thou hast hidden thyself, whereupon do thou put forth thy
hand to her and take hold of her and implore her protection. And know
thou, O my son, that an she accord thee protection, thou wilt win thy
wish and regain thy wife and children; but, if she refuse to protect
thee, make thy mourning for thyself and give up all hope of life, and
make sure of death for indeed thou art a dead man. Understand, O my son,
that thou adventurest thy life and this is all I can do for thee,
and—the peace!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Hassun spake
these words to Hasan and charged him as we have related, ending with,
“This is all I can do for thee and know that except the Lord of Heaven
had aided thee, thou hadst not come hither!” The youth wept till he
swooned away, and when he recovered, he recited these two couplets:—
A term decreed my lot I ’spy; ✿ And, when its days shall end, I die.
Though lions fought with me in lair ✿ If Time be mine I’d beat them, I!
Then having ended his verse he kissed the ground before the Sovran and
said to him, “O mighty King, how many days remain till the coming of the
ships?” Replied the other, “In a month’s time they will come and will
tarry here, selling their cargason, other two months, after which they
will return to their own country; so hope not to set out save after
three whole months.” Then the King bade him return to the house of
hospitality and bade supply him with all that he needed of meat and
drink and raiment fit for Kings. Hasan abode in the guest-house a month,
at the end of which the vessels arrived and the King and the merchants
went forth to them, taking Hasan with them. Amongst them he saw a ship
with much people therein, like the shingles for number; none knew their
tale save He who created them. She was anchored in mid-harbour and had
cocks which transported her lading to the shore. So Hasan abode till the
crew had landed all the goods and sold and bought and to the time of
departure there wanted but three days; whereupon the King sent for him
and equipped him with all he required and gave him great gifts; after
which he summoned the captain of the great ship and said to him, “Take
this youth with thee in the vessel, so none may know of him save thou,
and carry him to the Islands of Wak and leave him there; and bring him
not back.” And the Rais said, “To hear is to obey: with love and
gladness!” Then quoth the King to Hasan, “Look thou tell none of those
who are with thee in the ship thine errand nor discover to them aught of
thy case; else thou art a lost man;” and quoth he, “Hearing and
obedience!” With this he farewelled the King, after he had wished him
long life and victory over his enviers and his enemies; wherefore the
King thanked him and wished him safety and the winning of his wish. Then
he committed him to the captain, who laid him in a chest which he
embarked in a dinghy, and bore him aboard, whilst the folk were busy in
breaking bulk and no man doubted but the chest contained somewhat of
merchandise. After this, the vessels set sail and fared on without
ceasing ten days, and on the eleventh day they made the land. So the
Rais set Hasan ashore and, as he walked up the beach, he saw wooden
settles[121] without number, none knew their count save Allah, even as
the King had told him. He went on, till he came to one that had no
fellow and hid under it till nightfall, when there came up a mighty many
of women, as they were locusts over-swarming the land and they marched
afoot and armed cap-à-pie in hauberks and strait-knit coats of mail
hending drawn swords in their hands, who, seeing the merchandise landed
from the ships, busied themselves therewith. Presently they sat down to
rest themselves, and one of them seated herself on the settle under
which Hasan had crouched: whereupon he took hold of the hem of her
garment and laid it on his head and throwing himself before her, fell to
kissing her hands and feet and weeping and crying, “Thy protection! thy
good-will!” Quoth she, “Ho, thou! Arise and stand up, ere any see thee
and slay thee.” So he came forth and springing up kissed her hands and
wept and said to her, “O my mistress, I am under thy protection!”;
adding, “Have ruth on one who is parted from his people and wife and
children, one who hath haste to rejoin them and one who adventureth life
and soul for their sake! Take pity on me and be assured that therefor
Paradise will be thy reward; or, an thou wilt not receive me, I beseech
thee, by Allah the Great, the Concealer, to conceal my case!” The
merchants stared to see him talking with her; and she, hearing his words
and beholding his humility, was moved to ruth for him; her heart
inclined to him and she knew that he had not ventured himself and come
to that place, save for a grave matter. So she said to him, “O my son,
be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, hearten thy heart
and take courage and return to thy hiding-place till the coming night,
and Allah shall do as He will.” Then she took leave of him and Hasan
crept under the wooden settle as before, whilst the troops lighted
flambeaux of wax mixed with aloes-wood and Nadd-perfume and crude
ambergris[122] and passed the night in sport and delight till the
morning. At daybreak, the boats returned to the shore and the merchants
busied themselves with buying and selling and the transport of the goods
and gear till nightfall, whilst Hasan lay hidden beneath the settle,
weeping-eyed and woeful-hearted, knowing not what was decreed to him in
the secret preordainment of Allah. As he was thus, behold, the
merchant-woman with whom he had taken refuge came up to him and giving
him a habergeon and a helmet, a spear, a sword and a gilded girdle, bade
him don them and seat himself on the settle after which she left him,
for fear of the troops. So he arose and donned the mail-coat and helmet
and clasped the girdle about his middle; then he slung the sword over
his shoulder till it hung under his armpit, and taking the spear in his
hand, sat down on that settle, whilst his tongue neglected not to name
Allah Almighty and call on Him for protection.——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Fifth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan
received the weapons which the merchant-woman had given to him, saying,
“Sit thee upon the settle and let none wot thy case,” he armed himself
and took his seat, whilst his tongue neglected not to name Allah
Almighty and to call upon Him for protection. And behold, there appeared
cressets and lanthorns and flambeaux and up came the army of women. So
he arose and mingling with them, became as one of them: A little before
daybreak, they set out, and Hasan with them, and fared on till they came
to their camp, where they dispersed each to her tent, and Hasan followed
one of them and lo! it was her’s for whose protection he had prayed.
When she entered, she threw down her arms and doffed her hauberk and
veil. So Hasan did the like and looking at his companion, saw her to be
a grizzled old woman, blue-eyed and big-nosed, a calamity of calamities,
the foulest of all created things, with face pock-marked and eyebrows
bald, gap-toothed and chap-fallen, with hair hoary, nose running and
mouth slavering;[123] even as saith the like of her the poet:—
In her cheek-corners nine calamities ✿ Wone, and when shown, each one
Jehannam is:
Hideous the face and favour foulest foul ✿ As cheek of hog; yea, ’tis a
cesspool phiz.
And indeed she was like, a pied snake or a scald she-wolf. Now when the
old woman looked at Hasan, she marvelled and said, “How came this one to
these lands and in which of the ships was he and how arrived he hither
in safety?” And she fell to questioning him of his case and admiring at
his arrival, whereupon he fell at her feet and rubbed his face on them
and wept till he fainted; and, when he recovered himself, he recited
these couplets:—
When will Time grant we meet, when shall we be ✿ Again united after
severance stark?
And I shall win my choicest wish and view? ✿ Blame end and Love abide
without remark?
Were Nile to flow as freely as my tears, ✿ Twould leave no region but
with water-mark:
’Twould overthrow Hijaz and Egypt-land ✿ ’Twould deluge Syria and
’twould drown Irak.
This, O my love, is caused by thy disdain, ✿ Be kind and promise meeting
fair and fain!
Then he took the crone’s skirt and laid it on his head and fell to
weeping and craving her protection. When she saw his ardency and
transport and anguish and distress, her heart softened to him and she
promised him her safeguard, saying, “Have no fear whatsoever.” Then she
questioned him of his case and he told her the manner of his coming
thither and all that had befallen him from beginning to end, whereat she
marvelled and said, “This that hath betide thee, methinks, never betided
any save thyself and except thou hadst been vouchsafed the especial
protection of Allah, thou hadst not been saved: but now, O my son, take
comfort and be of good courage; thou hast nothing more to fear, for
indeed thou hast won thy wish and attained thy desire, if it please the
Most High!” Thereat Hasan rejoiced with joy exceeding and she sent to
summon the captains of the army to her presence, and it was the last day
of the month. So they presented themselves and the old woman said to
them, “Go out and proclaim to all the troops that they come forth
to-morrow at daybreak and let none tarry behind, for whoso tarryeth
shall be slain.” They replied, “We hear and we obey,” and going forth,
made proclamation to all the host anent a review next morning, even as
she bade them, after which they returned and told her of this; whereby
Hasan knew that she was the Commander-in-chief of the army and the
Vice-regent in authority over them; and her name was Shawahí the
Fascinator, entituled Umm al-Dawáhi, or Mother of Calamities.[124] She
ceased not to bid and forbid and Hasan doffed not off his arms from his
body that day. Now when the morning broke, all the troops fared forth
from their places, but the old woman came not out with them, and as soon
as they were sped and the stead was clear of them, she said to Hasan,
“Draw near unto me, O my son[125].” So he drew near unto her and stood
between her hands. Quoth she, “Why and wherefore hast thou adventured
thyself so boldly as to enter this land, and how came thy soul to
consent to its own undoing? Tell me the truth and the whole truth and
fear aught of ill come of it, for thou hast my plighted word and I am
moved to compassion for thy case and pity thee and have taken thee under
my protection. So, if thou tell me the truth, I will help thee to win
thy wish, though it involve the undoing of souls and the destruction of
bodies; and since thou hast come to seek me, no hurt shall betide thee
from me, nor will I suffer any to have at thee with harm of all who be
in the Islands of Wak.” So he told her his tale from first to last,
acquainting her with the matter of his wife and of the birds; how he had
captured her as his prize from amongst the ten and married her and abode
with her, till she had borne him two sons, and how she had taken her
children and flown away with them, whenas she knew the way to the
feather-dress. Brief, he concealed from her no whit of his case, from
the beginning to that day. But when Shawahi heard his relation, she
shook her head and said to him, “Glory be to God who hath brought thee
hither in safety and made thee hap upon me! For, hadst thou happened on
any but myself, thou hadst lost thy life without winning thy wish; but
the truth of thine intent and thy fond affection and the excess of thy
love-longing for thy wife and yearning for thy children, these it was
that have brought thee to the attainment of thine aim. Didst thou not
love her and love her to distraction, thou hadst not thus imperilled
thyself, and Alhamdolillah—Praised be Allah—for thy safety! Wherefore it
behoveth us to do thy desire and conduce to thy quest, so thou mayst
presently attain that thou seekest, if it be the will of Almighty Allah.
But know, O my son, that thy wife is not here, but in the seventh of the
Islands of Wak and between us and it is seven months’ journey, night and
day. From here we go to an island called the Land of Birds, wherein, for
the loud crying of the birds and the flapping of their wings, one cannot
hear other speak.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Sixth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman
said to Hasan, “Indeed thy wife is in the Seventh Island,[126] the
greatest amongst the Islands of Wak and betwixt us and it is a
seven-months’ journey. From here we fare for the Land of Birds, whereon
for the force of their flying and the flapping of their wings, we cannot
hear one other speak. Over that country we journey night and day, eleven
days, after which we come forth of it to another called the Land of
Ferals where, for stress of roaring of lions and howling of wolves and
laughing of hyænas and the crying of other beasts of prey we shall hear
naught, and therein we travel twenty days’ journey. Then we issue
therefrom and come to a third country, called the Land of the Jánn,
where, for stress of the crying of the Jinn and the flaming of fires and
the flight of sparks and smoke from their mouths and the noise of their
groaning and their arrogance in blocking up the road before us, our ears
will be deafened and our eyes blinded, so that we shall neither hear nor
see, nor dare any look behind him, or he perisheth: but there horseman
boweth head on saddle-bow and raiseth it not for three days. After this,
we abut upon a mighty mountain and a running river contiguous with the
Isles of Wak, which are seven in number and the extent whereof is a
whole year’s journey for a well-girt horseman. And thou must know, O my
son, that these troops are all virgin girls, and that the ruler over us
is a woman of the Archipelago of Wak. On the bank of the river aforesaid
is another mountain, called Mount Wak, and it is thus named by reason of
a tree which beareth fruits like heads of the Sons of Adam.[127] When
the sun riseth on them, the heads cry out all, saying in their
cries:—Wak! Wak! Glory be to the Creating King, Al-Khallák! And when we
hear their crying, we know that the sun is risen. In like manner, at
sundown, the heads set up the same cry, Wak! Wak! Glory to Al-Khallak!
and so we know that the sun hath set. No man may abide with us or reach
to us or tread our earth; and betwixt us and the abiding-place of the
Queen who ruleth over us is a month’s journey from this shore, all the
lieges whereof are under her hand, as are also the tribes of the Jinn,
Marids and Satans, while of the warlocks none kenneth the number save He
who created them. Wherefore, an thou be afraid, I will send with thee
one who will convey thee to the coast and there bring one who will
embark thee on board a ship that bear thee to thine own land. But an
thou be content to tarry with us, I will not forbid thee and thou shalt
be with me in mine eye,[128] till thou win thy wish, Inshallah!” Quoth
he, “O my lady, I will never quit thee till I foregather with my wife or
lose my life!”; and quoth she, “This is a light matter; be of good
heart, for soon shalt thou come to thy desire, Allah willing; and there
is no help but that I let the Queen know of thee, that she may help thee
to attain thine aim.” Hasan blessed her and kissed her head and hands,
thanking her for her good deed and exceeding kindness and firm will.
Then he set out with her, pondering the issue of his case and the
horrors of his strangerhood; wherefore he fell a-weeping and a-wailing
and recited these couplets:—
A Zephyr bloweth from the lover’s site; ✿ And thou canst view me in the
saddest plight:
The Night of Union is as brilliant morn; ✿ And black the Severance-day
as blackest night:
Farewelling friend is sorrow sorest sore ✿ Parting from lover’s merest
undelight.
I will not blame her harshness save to her, ✿ And ’mid mankind nor
friend nor fere I sight:
How can I be consoled for loss of you? ✿ Base censor’s blame shall not
console my sprite!
O thou in charms unique, unique’s my love; ✿ O peerless thou, my heart
hath peerless might!
Who maketh semblance that he loveth you ✿ And dreadeth blame is most
blame-worthy wight.