woman asked Hasan what ailed him, he answered, “In very sooth this Queen
is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my wife.” Quoth Nur
al-Huda to the old woman, “Woe to thee, O nurse! This stranger is either
Jinn-mad or out of his mind, for he stareth me in the face with wide
eyes and saith I am his wife.” Quoth the old woman, “O Queen, indeed he
is excusable; so blame him not, for the saying saith:—For the love-sick
is no remedy and alike are the madman and he.” And Hasan wept with sore
weeping and recited these two couplets:—
I sight their track and pine for longing love; ✿ And o’er their
homesteads weep I and I yearn:
And I pray Heaven who willèd we should part, ✿ Will deign to grant us
boon of safe return.
Then said Hasan to the Queen once more, “By Allah, thou art not my wife,
but thou art the likest of all folk to her!” Hereupon Nur al-Huda
laughed till she fell backwards and rolled round on her side.[145] Then
she said to him, “O my friend, take thy time and observe me attentively:
answer me at thy leisure what I shall ask thee and put away from thee
insanity and perplexity and inadvertency for relief is at hand.”
Answered Hasan, “O mistress of Kings and asylum of all princes and
paupers, when I looked upon thee, I was distracted, seeing thee to be
either my wife or the likest of all folk to her; but now ask me whatso
thou wilt.” Quoth she, “What is it in thy wife that resembleth me?”; and
quoth he, “O my lady, all that is in thee of beauty and loveliness,
elegance and amorous grace, such as the symmetry of thy shape and the
sweetness of thy speech and the blushing of thy cheeks and the jutting
of thy breasts and so forth, all resembleth her and thou art her very
self in thy faculty of parlance and the fairness of thy favour and the
brilliancy of thy brow.[146]” When the Queen heard this, she smiled and
gloried in her beauty and loveliness and her cheeks reddened and her
eyes wantoned; then she turned to Shawahi Umm Dawahi and said to her, “O
my mother, carry him back to the place where he tarried with thee and
tend him thyself, till I examine into his affair; for, an he be indeed a
man of manliness and mindful of friendship and love and affection, it
behoveth we help him to win his wish, more by token that he hath
sojourned in our country and eaten of our victual, not to speak of the
hardships of travel he hath suffered and the travail and horrors he hath
undergone. But, when thou hast brought him to thy house, commend him to
the care of thy dependents and return to me in all haste; and Allah
Almighty willing![147] all shall be well.” Thereupon Shawahi carried him
back to her lodging and charged her handmaids and servants and suite
wait upon him and bring him all he needed nor fail in what was his due.
Then she returned to Queen Nur al-Huda, who bade her don her arms and
set out, taking with her a thousand doughty horsemen. So she obeyed and
donned her war-gear and having collected the thousand riders reported
them ready to the Queen, who bade her march upon the city of the Supreme
King, her father, there to alight at the abode of her youngest sister,
Manár al-Saná,[148] and say to her, “Clothe thy two sons in the coats of
mail which their aunt hath made them and send them to her; for she
longeth for them.” Moreover the Queen charged her keep Hasan’s affair
secret and say to Manar al-Sana, after securing her children, “Thy
sister inviteth thee to visit her.” “Then,” she continued, “bring the
children to me in haste and let her follow at her leisure. Do thou come
by a road other than her road and journey night and day and beware of
discovering this matter to any. And I swear by all manner of oaths that,
if my sister prove to be his wife and it appear that her children are
his, I will not hinder him from taking her and them and departing with
them to his own country.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Twelfth Night,
She resumed, “It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
said, I swear by Allah and by all manner of oaths that if she prove to
be his wife, I will not hinder him from taking her but will aid him
thereto and eke to departing with them to his mother-land.” And the old
woman put faith in her words, knowing not what she purposed in her mind,
for the wicked Jezebel had resolved that if she were not his wife she
would slay him; but if the children resembled him, she would believe
him. The Queen resumed, “O my mother, an my thought tell me true, my
sister Manar al-Sana is his wife, but Allah alone is All-knowing! seeing
that these traits of surpassing beauty and excelling grace, of which he
spoke, are found in none except my sisters and especially in the
youngest.” The old woman kissed her hand and returning to Hasan, told
him what the Queen had said, whereat he was like to fly for joy and
coming up to her, kissed her head. Quoth she, “O my son, kiss not my
head, but kiss me on the mouth and be this kiss by way of sweetmeat for
thy salvation.[149] Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear
and grudge not to kiss my mouth, for I and only I was the means of thy
foregathering with her. So take comfort and hearten thy heart and
broaden thy breast and gladden thy glance and console thy soul for,
Allah willing, thy desire shall be accomplished at my hand.” So saying,
she bade him farewell and departed, whilst he recited these two
couplets:—
Witnesses unto love of thee I’ve four; ✿ And wants each case two
witnesses; no more!
A heart aye fluttering, limbs that ever quake, ✿ A wasted frame and
tongue that speech forswore.
And also these two:—
Two things there be, an blood-tears thereover ✿ Wept eyes till not one
trace thou couldst discover,
Eyes ne’er could pay the tithe to them is due ✿ The prime of youth and
severance from lover.
Then the old woman armed herself and, taking with her a thousand
weaponed horsemen, set out and journeyed till she came to the island and
the city where dwelt the Lady Manar al-Sana and between which and that
of her sister Queen Nur al-Huda was three days’ journey. When Shawahi
reached the city, she went in to the Princess and saluting her, gave her
her sister’s salam and acquainted her with the Queen’s longing for her
and her children and that she reproached her for not visiting her. Quoth
Manar al-Sana, “Verily, I am beholden to my sister and have failed of my
duty to her in not visiting her, but I will do so forthright.” Then she
bade pitch her tents without the city and took with her for her sister a
suitable present of rare things. Presently, the King her father looked
out of a window of his palace, and seeing the tents pitched by the road,
asked of them, and they answered him, “The Princess Manar al-Sana hath
pitched her tents by the way-side, being minded to visit her sister
Queen Nur al-Huda.” When the King heard this, he equipped troops to
escort her to her sister and brought out to her from his treasuries meat
and drink and monies and jewels and rarities which beggar description.
Now the King had seven daughters, all sisters-german by one mother and
father except the youngest: the eldest was called Núr al-Hudà, the
second Najm al-Sabáh, the third Shams al-Zuhà, the fourth Shajarat
al-Durr, the fifth Kút al-Kulúb, the sixth Sharaf al-Banát and the
youngest Manar al-Sana, Hasan’s wife, who was their sister by the
father’s side only.[150] Anon the old woman again presented herself and
kissed ground before the Princess, who said to her, “Hast thou any need,
O my mother?” Quoth Shawahi, “Thy sister, Queen Nur al-Huda, biddeth
thee clothe thy sons in the two habergeons which she fashioned for them
and send them to her by me, and I will take them and forego thee with
them and be the harbinger of glad tidings and the announcer of thy
coming to her.” When the Princess heard these words, her colour changed
and she bowed her head a long while, after which she shook it and
looking up, said to the old woman, “O my mother, my vitals tremble and
my heart fluttereth when thou namest my children; for, from the time of
their birth none hath looked on their faces either Jinn or man, male or
female, and I am jealous for them of the zephyr when it breatheth in the
night.” Exclaimed the old woman, “What words are these, O my lady? Dost
thou fear for them from thy sister?”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Thirteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman said
to the Princess Manar al-Sana, “What words be these, O my lady? Dost
thou fear for them from thy sister? Allah safeguard thy reason! Thou
mayst not cross the Queen’s majesty in this matter, for she would be
wroth with thee. However, O my lady, the children are young, and thou
art excusable in fearing for them, for those that love well are wont to
deem ill: but, O my daughter, thou knowest my tenderness and mine
affection for thee and thy children, for indeed I reared thee before
them. I will take them in my charge and make my cheek their pillow and
open my heart and set them within, nor is it needful to charge me with
care of them in the like of this case; so be of cheerful heart and
tearless eye and send them to her, for, at the most, I shall but precede
thee with them a day or at most two days.” And she ceased not to urge
her, till she gave way, fearing her sister’s fury and unknowing what
lurked for her in the dark future, and consented to send them with the
old woman. So she called them and bathed them and equipped them and
changed their apparel. Then she clad them in the two little coats of
mail and delivered them to Shawahi, who took them and sped on with them
like a bird, by another road than that by which their mother should
travel, even as the Queen had charged her; nor did she cease to fare on
with all diligence, being fearful for them, till she came in sight of
Nur al-Huda’s city, when she crossed the river and entering the town,
carried them in to their aunt. The Queen rejoiced at their sight and
embraced them, and pressed them to her breast; after which she seated
them, one upon the right thigh and the other upon the left; and turning
round said to the old woman, “Fetch me Hasan forthright, for I have
granted him my safeguard and have spared him from my sabre and he hath
sought asylum in my house and taken up his abode in my courts, after
having endured hardships and horrors and passed through all manner
mortal risks, each terribler than other; yet hitherto is he not safe
from drinking the cup of death and from cutting off his breath.”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen
Nur al-Huda bade the old woman bring Hasan she said, “Verily he hath
endured hardships and horrors and passed through all manner mortal risks
each terribler than other; yet hitherto he is not safe from death and
from the cutting off of his breath.” Replied Shawahi, “An I bring him to
thee, wilt thou reunite him with these his children? Or, if they prove
not his, wilt thou pardon him and restore him to his own country?”
Hearing these her words the Queen waxed exceeding wroth and cried to
her, “Fie upon thee, O ill-omened old woman! How long wilt thou false us
in the matter of this strange man who hath dared to intrude himself upon
us and hath lifted our veil and pried into our conditions? Say me:
thinkest thou that he shall come to our land and look upon our faces and
betray our honour, and after return in safety to his own country and
expose our affairs to his people, wherefore our report will be bruited
abroad among all the Kings of the quarters of the earth and the
merchants will journey bearing tidings of us in all directions,
saying:—A mortal entered the Isles of Wak and traversed the Land of the
Jinn and the Lands of the Wild Beasts and the Islands of Birds and set
foot in the country of the Warlocks and the Enchanters and returned in
safety? This shall never be; no, never; and I swear by Him who made the
Heavens and builded them; yea, by Him who dispread the earth and
smoothed it, and who created all creatures and counted them, that, an
they be not his children, I will assuredly slay him and strike his neck
with mine own hand!” Then she cried out at the old woman, who fell down
for fear; and set upon her the Chamberlain and twenty Mamelukes, saying,
“Go with this crone and fetch me in haste the youth who is in her
house.” So they dragged Shawaki along, yellow with fright and with
side-muscles quivering, till they came to her house, where she went in
to Hasan, who rose to her and kissed her hands and saluted her. She
returned not his salam, but said to him, “Come; speak the Queen. Did I
not say to thee:—Return presently to thine own country and I will give
thee that to which no mortal may avail? And did I forbid thee from all
this? But thou wouldst not obey me nor listen to my words; nay, thou
rejectedst my counsel and chosest to bring destruction on me and on
thyself. Up, then, and take that which thou hast chosen; for death is
near hand. Arise: speak with yonder vile harlot[151] and tyrant that she
is!” So Hasan arose, broken-spirited, heavy-hearted, and full of fear,
and crying, “O Preserver, preserve Thou me! O my God, be gracious to me
in that which Thou hast decreed to me of Thine affliction and protect
me, O Thou the most Merciful of the Mercifuls!” Then, despairing of his
life, he followed the twenty Mamelukes, the Chamberlain and the crone to
the Queen’s presence, where he found his two sons Nasir and Mansur
sitting in her lap, whilst she played and made merry with them. As soon
as his eyes fell on them, he knew them and crying a great cry fell down
a-fainting for excess of joy at the sight of his children.——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Fifteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan’s eyes
fell upon his two sons, he knew them both and crying a great cry fell
down a-fainting. They also knew him[152] and natural affection moved
them, so that they freed themselves from the Queen’s lap and fell upon
Hasan, and Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty,) made them speak and
say to him, “O our father!” Whereupon the old woman and all who were
present wept for pity and tenderness over them and said, “Praised be
Allah, who hath reunited you with your Sire!” Presently, Hasan came to
himself and embracing his children, wept till again he swooned away, and
when he revived, he recited these verses:—
By rights of you, this heart of mine could ne’er aby ✿ Severance from
you albeit Union death imply!
Your phantom saith to me, “A-morrow we shall meet!” ✿ Shall I despite
the foe the morrow-day espy?
By rights of you I swear, my lords, that since the day ✿ Of severance
ne’er the sweets of lips enjoyèd I!
An Allah bade me perish for the love of you, ✿ Mid greatest martyrs for
your love I lief will die.
Oft a gazelle doth make my heart her browsing stead ✿ The while her form
of flesh like sleep eludes mine eye:
If in the lists of Law my bloodshed she deny, ✿ Prove it two witnesses
those cheeks of ruddy dye.
When Nur al-Huda was assured that the little ones were indeed Hasan’s
children and that her sister, the Princess Manar al-Sana, was his wife,
of whom he was come in quest, she was wroth against her with wrath
beyond measure.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Sixteenth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nur
al-Huda was certified that the little ones were Hasan’s children and
that her sister Manar al-Sana was his wife of whom he had come in quest,
she raged with exceeding rage, too great to be assuaged and screamed in
Hasan’s face and reviled him and kicked him in the breast, so that he
fell on his back in a swoon. Then she cried out at him, saying, “Arise!
fly for thy life. But that I swore that no evil should betide thee from
me, should thy tale prove true, I would slay thee with mine own hand
forthright!” And she cried out at the old woman, who fell on her face
for fear, and said to her, “By Allah, but that I am loath to break the
oath that I swore, I would put both thee and him to death after the
foulest fashion!”; presently adding, “Arise, go out from before me in
safety and return to thine own country, for I swear by my fortune, if
ever mine eye espy thee or if any bring thee in to me after this, I will
smite off thy head and that of whoso bringeth thee!” Then she cried out
to her officers, saying, “Put him out from before me!” So they thrust
him out, and when he came to himself, he recited these couplets:—
You’re far, yet to my heart you’re nearest near; ✿ Absent yet present in
my sprite you appear:
By Allah, ne’er to other I’ve inclined ✿ But tyranny of Time in patience
bear!
Nights pass while still I love you and they end, ✿ And burns my breast
with flames of fell Sa’ír[153];
I was a youth who parting for an hour ✿ Bore not, then what of months
that make a year?
Jealous am I of breeze-breath fanning thee; ✿ Yea jealous-mad of fair
soft-sided fere!
Then he once more fell down in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he
found himself without the palace whither they had dragged him on his
face; so he rose, stumbling over his skirts and hardly crediting his
escape from Nur al-Huda. Now this was grievous to Shawahi; but she dared
not remonstrate with the Queen by reason of the violence of her wrath.
And forthright Hasan went forth, distracted and knowing not whence to
come or whither to go; the world, for all its wideness, was straitened
upon him and he found none to speak a kind word with him and comfort
him, nor any to whom he might resort for counsel or to apply for refuge;
wherefore he made sure of death for that he could not journey to his own
country and knew none to travel with him, neither wist he the way
thither nor might he pass through the Wady of the Jann and the Land of
Beasts and the Islands of Birds. So giving himself up for lost he bewept
himself, till he fainted, and when he revived, he bethought him of his
children and his wife and of that might befal her with her sister,
repenting him of having come to those countries and of having hearkened
to none, and recited these couplets:—
Suffer mine eye-babes weep lost of love and tears express: ✿ Rare is my
solace and increases my distress:
The cup of Severance-chances to the dregs I’ve drained; ✿ Who is the man
to bear love-loss with manliness?
Ye spread the Carpet of Disgrace[154] betwixt us twain; ✿ Ah, when shalt
be uprolled, O Carpet of Disgrace?
I watched the while you slept; and if you deemed that I ✿ Forgot your
love I but forget forgetfulness:
Woe’s me! indeed my heart is pining for the love ✿ Of you, the only
leaches who can cure my case:
See ye not what befel me from your fell disdain? ✿ Debased am I before
the low and high no less.
I hid my love of you but longing laid it bare, ✿ And burns my heart wi’
fire of passion’s sorest stress:
Ah! deign have pity on my piteous case, for I ✿ Have kept our troth in
secresy and patent place!
Would Heaven I wot shall Time e’er deign us twain rejoin! ✿ You are my
heart’s desire, my sprite’s sole happiness:
My vitals bear the Severance-wound: would Heaven that you ✿ With tidings
from your camp would deign my soul to bless!
Then he went on, till he came without the city, where he found the
river, and walked along its bank, knowing not whither he went. Such was
Hasan’s case; but as regards his wife Manar al-Sana, as she was about to
carry out her purpose and to set out, on the second day after the
departure of the old woman with her children, behold, there came in to
her one of the chamberlains of the King her sire, and kissed ground
between his hands,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Seventeenth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Manar
al-Sana was about to set out upon the journey, behold, a chamberlain of
the King, her sire, came in to her and kissing the ground before her,
said, “O Princess, the Supreme King, thy father saluteth thee and
biddeth thee to him.” So she rose and accompanied the chamberlain to
learn what was required by her father, who seated her by his side on the
couch, and said to her, “O my daughter, know that I have this night had
a dream which maketh me fear for thee and that long sorrow will betide
thee from this thy journey.” Quoth she, “How so, O my father, and what
didst thou see in thy dream?” and quoth he, “I dreamt that I entered a
hidden hoard, wherein was great store of monies, of jewels, of jacinths
and of other riches; but ’twas as if naught pleased me of all this
treasure and jewelry save seven bezels, which were the finest things
there. I chose out one of the seven jewels, for it was the smallest,
finest and most lustrous of them and its water pleased me; so I took it
in my hand-palm and fared forth of the treasury. When I came without the
door, I opened my hand, rejoicing, and turned over the jewel, when,
behold, there swooped down on me out of the welkin a strange bird from a
far land (for it was not of the birds of our country) and, snatching it
from my hand, returned with it whence it came.[155] Whereupon sorrow and
concern and sore vexation overcame me and my exceeding chagrin so
troubled me that I awoke, mourning and lamenting for the loss of the
jewel. At once on awaking I summoned the interpreters and expounders of
dreams and declared to them my dream,[156] and they said to me:—Thou
hast seven daughters, the youngest of whom thou wilt lose, and she will
be taken from thee perforce, without thy will. Now thou, O my girl, art
the youngest and dearest of my daughters and the most affectionate of
them to me, and look’ye thou art about to journey to thy sister, and I
know not what may befal thee from her; so go thou not; but return to thy
palace.” But when the Princess heard her father’s words, her heart
fluttered and she feared for her children and bent earthwards her head
awhile: then she raised it and said to her sire, “O King, Queen Nur
al-Huda hath made ready for me an entertainment and awaiteth my coming
to her, hour by hour. These four years she hath not seen me and if I
delay to visit her, she will be wroth with me. The utmost of my stay
with her shall be a month and then I will return to thee. Besides, who
is the mortal who can travel our land and make his way to the Islands of
Wak? Who can gain access to the White Country and the Black Mountain and
come to the Land of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal, and how shall he
traverse the Island of Birds and the Wady of Wild Beasts and the Valley
of the Jann and enter our Islands? If any stranger came hither, he would
be drowned in the seas of destruction: so be of good cheer and eyes
without a tear anent my journey; for none may avail to tread our earth.”
And she ceased not to persuade him, till he deigned give her leave to
depart.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Eighteenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Princess
ceased not to persuade him till he deigned give her leave to depart, and
bade a thousand horse escort her to the river and abide there, till she
entered her sister’s city and palace and returned to them, when they
should take her and carry her back to him. Moreover, he charged her
tarry with her sister but two days and return to him in haste; and she
answered, “Hearing and obedience.” Then rising up she went forth and he
with her and farewelled her. Now his words had sunken deep into her
heart and she feared for her children; but it availeth not to fortify
herself by any device against the onset of Destiny. So she set out and
fared on diligently three days, till she came to the river and pitched
her tents on its bank. Then she crossed the stream, with some of her
counsellors, pages and suite and, going up to the city and the palace,
went in to Queen Nur al-Huda, with whom she found her children who ran
to her weeping and crying out, “O our father!” At this, the tears railed
from her eyes and she wept; then she strained them to her bosom, saying,
“What! Have you seen your sire at this time? Would the hour had never
been, in which I left him! If I knew him to be in the house of the
world, I would carry you to him.” Then she bemoaned herself and her
husband and her children weeping and reciting these couplets:—