anthems, viz. (1) Congregamini; (2) Vias tuas demonstra mihi; (3)
Dominus illuminatis; (4) Custodi linguam; (5) Unam petii a Domino; (6)
Nec adspiciat me visus, and (7) Turbatus est a furore oculus meus.
Dánis the Abbot chaunts Anima mea turbata est valdè.
Footnote 371:
A neat and characteristic touch: the wilful beauty eats and drinks
before she thinks of her lover. Alas for Masrur married.
Footnote 372:
The unfortunate Jew, who seems to have been a model husband
(Orientally speaking), would find no pity with a coffee-house audience
because he had been guilty of marrying a Moslemah. The union was null
and void therefore the deliberate murder was neither high nor petty
treason. But, The Nights, though their object is to adorn a tale,
never deliberately attempt to point a moral and this is one of their
many charms.
Footnote 373:
These lines have repeatedly occurred. I quote Mr. Payne.
Footnote 374:
_i.e._ by the usual expiation. See vol. iii. 136.
Footnote 375:
Arab. “Shammirí” = up and ready!
ALI NUR AL-DIN AND MIRIAM THE GIRDLE-GIRL.[376]
There was once in days of yore and in ages and times long gone before in
the parts of Cairo, a merchant named Táj al-Dín who was of the most
considerable of the merchants and of the chiefs of the freeborn. But he
was given to travelling everywhere and loved to fare over wild and wold,
waterless lowland and stony waste, and to journey to the isles of the
seas, in quest of dirhams and dinars: wherefore he had in his time
encountered dangers and suffered duresse of the way such as would
grizzle little children and turn their black hair grey. He was possessed
of black slaves and Mamelukes, Eunuchs and concubines, and was the
wealthiest of the merchants of his time and the goodliest of them in
speech, owning horses and mules and Bactrian camels and dromedaries;
sacks great and small of size; goods and merchandise and stuffs such as
muslins of Hums, silks and brocades of Ba’allak, cotton of Mery, stuffs
of India, gauzes of Baghdad, burnouses of Moorland and Turkish white
slaves and Abyssinian castratos and Grecian girls and Egyptian boys; and
the coverings of his bales were silk with gold purfled fair, for he was
wealthy beyond compare. Furthermore he was rare of comeliness,
accomplished in goodliness, and gracious in his kindliness, even as one
of his describers doth thus express:—
A merchant I spied whose lovers ✿ Were fighting in furious guise:
Quoth he, “Why this turmoil of people?” ✿ Quoth I, “Trader, for those
fine eyes!”
And saith another in his praise and saith well enough to accomplish the
wish of him:—
Came a merchant to pay us a visit ✿ Whose glance did my heart surprise:
Quoth he, “What surprised thee so?” ✿ Quoth I, “Trader, ’twas those fine
eyes.”
Now that merchant had a son called Ali Nur al-Din, as he were the full
moon whenas it meeteth the sight on its fourteenth night, a marvel of
beauty and loveliness, a model of form and symmetrical grace, who was
sitting one day as was his wont, in his father’s shop, selling and
buying, giving and taking when the sons of the merchants girt him around
and he was amongst them as moon among stars, with brow flower-white and
cheeks of rosy light in down the tenderest dight, and body like
alabaster-bright even as saith of him the poet:—
“Describe me!” a fair one said. ✿ Said I, “Thou ’art Beauty’s queen.”
And, speaking briefest speech, ✿ “All charms in thee are seen.”
And as saith of him one of his describers:—
His mole upon plain of cheek is like ✿ Ambergrís-crumb on marble plate,
And his glances likest the sword proclaim ✿ To all Love’s rebels “The
Lord is Great!”[377]
The young merchants invited him saying, “O my lord Nur al-Din, we wish
thee to go this day a-pleasuring with us in such a garden.” And he
answered, “Wait till I consult my parent, for I cannot go without his
consent.” As they were talking, behold, up came Taj al-Din, and his son
looked to him and said, “O father mine, the sons of the merchants have
invited me to wend a-pleasuring with them in such a garden. Dost thou
grant me leave to go?” His father replied, “Yes, O my son, fare with
them;” and gave him somewhat of money. So the young men mounted their
mules and asses and Nur al-Din mounted a she-mule and rode with them to
a garden, wherein was all that soul desireth and that eye charmeth. It
was high of walls which from broad base were seen to rise; and it had a
gateway vault-wise with a portico like a saloon and a door azure as the
skies, as it were one of the gates of Paradise: the name of the
door-keeper was Rizwán,[378] and over the gate were trained an hundred
trellises which grapes overran; and these were of various dyes, the red
like coralline, the black like the snouts of Súdán[379]-men and the
white like egg of the pigeon-hen. And in it peach and pomegranate were
shown and pear, apricot and pomegranate were grown and fruits with and
without stone hanging in clusters or alone,——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the sons
of the merchants entered the vergier, they found therein all that soul
desireth or eye charmeth, grapes of many hues grown, hanging in bunches
or alone, even as saith of them the poet:—
Grapes tasting with the taste of wine ✿ Whose coats like blackest
Raven’s shine:
Their sheen, amid the leafage shows, ✿ Like women’s fingers henna’d
fine.
And as saith another on the same theme:—
Grape-bunches likest as they sway ✿ A-stalk, my body frail and snell:
Honey and water thus in jar, ✿ When sourness past, make Hydromel.
Then they entered the arbour of the garden and saw there Rizwan the
gate-keeper sitting, as he were Rizwan the Paradise-guardian, and on the
door were written these lines:—
Garth Heaven-watered wherein clusters waved ✿ On boughs which full of
sap to bend were fain:
And, when the branches danced on Zephyr’s palm, ✿ The Pleiads shower’d
as gifts[380] fresh pearls for rain.
And within the arbour were written these two couplets:—
Come with us, friend, and enter thou ✿ This garth that cleanses rust of
grief:
Over their skirts the Zephyrs trip[381] ✿ And flowers in sleeve to laugh
are lief.[382]
So they entered and found all manner fruits in view and birds of every
kind and hue, such as ring-dove, nightingale and curlew; and the turtle
and the cushat sang their love lays on the sprays. Therein were rills
that ran with limpid wave and flowers suave; and bloom for whose perfume
we crave and it was even as saith of it the poet in these two couplets:—
The Zephyr breatheth o’er its branches, like ✿ Fair girls that trip as
in fair skirts they pace:
Its rills resemble swords in hands of knights ✿ Drawn from the scabbard
and containing-case.[383]
And again as singeth the songster:—
The streamlet swings by branchy wood and aye ✿ Joys in its breast those
beauties to display;
And Zephyr noting this, for jealousy ✿ Hastens and bends the branches
other way.
On the trees of the garden were all manner fruits, each in two
sorts, and amongst them the pomegranate, as it were a ball of
silver-dross,[384] whereof saith the poet and saith right well:—
Granados of finest skin, like the breasts ✿ Of maid firm-standing in
sight of male;
When I strip the skin, they at once display ✿ The rubies compelling all
sense to quail.
And even as quoth another bard:—
Close prest appear to him who views th’ inside ✿ Red rubies in brocaded
skirts bedight:
Granado I compare with marble dome ✿ Or virgin’s breasts delighting
every sight:
Therein is cure for every ill as e’en ✿ Left an Hadís the Prophet pure
of sprite;
And Allah (glorify His name) eke deigned ✿ A noble say in Holy Book
indite.[385]
The apples were the sugared and the musky and the Dámáni, amazing the
beholder, whereof saith Hassán the poet:—
Apple which joins hues twain, and brings to mind ✿ The cheek of lover
and beloved combined:
Two wondrous opposites on branch they show ✿ This dark[386] and that
with hue incarnadined
The twain embraced when spied the spy and turned ✿ This red, that yellow
for the shame designed.[387]
There also were apricots of various kinds, almond and camphor and Jíláni
and ’Antábi,[388] whereof saith the poet:—
And Almond-apricot suggesting swain ✿ Whose lover’s visit all his wits
hath ta’en.
Enough of love-sick lovers’ plight it shows ✿ Of face deep yellow and
heart torn in twain.[389]
And saith another and saith well:—
Look at that Apricot whose bloom contains ✿ Gardens with brightness
gladding all men’s eyne:
Like stars the blossoms sparkle when the boughs ✿ Are clad in foliage
dight with sheen and shine.
There likewise were plums and cherries and grapes, that the sick of all
diseases assain and do away giddiness and yellow choler from the brain;
and figs the branches between, vari-coloured red and green, amazing
sight and sense, even as saith the poet:—
’Tis as the Figs with clear white skins outthrown ✿ By foliaged trees,
athwart whose green they peep,
Were sons of Roum that guard the palace-roof ✿ When shades close in and
night-long ward they keep.[390]
And saith another and saith well:—
Welcome[391] the Fig! To us it comes ✿ Ordered in handsome plates they
bring:
Likest a Sufrah[392]-cloth we draw ✿ To shape of bag without a ring.
And how well saith a third:—
Give me the Fig sweet-flavoured, beauty-clad, ✿ Whose inner beauties
rival outer sheen:
And when it fruits thou tastest it to find ✿ Chamomile’s scent and
Sugar’s saccharine:
And eke it favoureth on platters poured ✿ Puff-balls of silken thread
and sendal green.
And how excellent is the saying of one of them!—
Quoth they (and I had trained my taste thereto ✿ Nor cared for other
fruits whereby they swore),
“Why lovest so the Fig?” whereto quoth I ✿ “Some men love Fig and others
Sycamore.”[393]
And are yet goodlier those of another:—
Pleaseth me more the fig than every fruit ✿ When ripe and hanging from
the sheeny bough;
Like Devotee who, when the clouds pour rain, ✿ Sheds tears and Allah’s
power doth avow.
And in that garth were also pears of various kinds Sinaïtic,[394]
Aleppine and Grecian growing in clusters and alone, parcel green and
parcel golden——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
merchants’ sons went down into the garth they saw therein all the fruits
we mentioned and found pears Sinaïtic, Aleppine and Grecian of every
hue, which here clustering there single grew, parcel green and parcel
yellow to the gazer a marvel-view, as saith of them the poet:—
With thee that Pear agree, whose hue a-morn ✿ Is hue of hapless lover
yellow pale;
Like virgin cloistered strait in strong Harím ✿ Whose face like racing
steed outstrips the veil.
And Sultani[395] peaches of shades varied, yellow and red, whereof saith
the poet:—
Like Peach in vergier growing ✿ And sheen of Andam[396] showing:
Whose balls of yellow gold, ✿ Are dyed with blood-gouts flowing.
There were also green almonds of passing sweetness, resembling the
cabbage[397] of the palm-tree, with their kernels within three tunics
lurking of the Munificent King’s handiworking, even as is said of them:—
Three coats yon freshest form endue ✿ God’s work of varied shape and
hue:
Hardness surrounds it night and day; ✿ Prisoning without a sin to rue.
And as well saith another:—
Seest not that Almond plucked by hand ✿ Of man from bough where wont to
dwell:
Peeling it shows the heart within ✿ As union-pearl in oyster-shell.
And as saith a third better than he:—
How good is Almond green I view! ✿ The smallest fills the hand of you:
Its nap is as the down upon ✿ The cheeks where yet no beardlet grew:
Its kernels in the shell are seen, ✿ Or bachelors or married two,
As pearls they were of lucent white ✿ Casèd and lapped in Jasper’s hue.
And as saith yet another and saith well:—
Mine eyes ne’er looked on aught the Almond like ✿ For charms, when
blossoms[398] in the Prime show bright:
Its head to hoariness of age inclines ✿ The while its cheek by youth’s
fresh down is dight.
And jujube-plums of various colours, grown in clusters and alone whereof
saith one, describing them:—
Look at the Lote-tree, note on boughs arrayed ✿ Like goodly apricots on
reed-strown floor,[399]
Their morning-hue to viewer’s eye is like ✿ Cascavels[400] cast of
purest golden ore.
And as saith another and saith right well:—
The Jujube-tree each Day ✿ Robeth in bright array.
As though each pome thereon ✿ Would self to sight display.
Like falcon-bell of gold ✿ Swinging from every spray.
And in that garth grew blood oranges, as they were the Khaulanján,[401]
whereof quoth the enamoured poet[402]:—
Red fruits that fill the hand, and shine with sheen ✿ Of fire, albe the
scarf-skin’s white as snow.
’Tis marvel snow on fire doth never melt ✿ And, stranger still, ne’er
burns this living lowe!
And quoth another and quoth well:—
And trees of Orange fruiting ferly fair ✿ To those who straitest have
their charms surveyed;
Like cheeks of women who their forms have decked ✿ For holiday in robes
of gold brocade.
And yet another as well:—
Like are the Orange-hills[403] when Zephyr breathes ✿ Swaying the boughs
and spray with airy grace,
Her cheeks that glow with lovely light when met ✿ At greeting-tide by
cheeks of other face.
And a fourth as fairly:—
And fairest Fawn, we said to him “Portray ✿ This garth and oranges thine
eyes survey:”
And he, “Your garden favoureth my face, ✿ Who gathereth orange gathereth
fire alwày.”
In that garden too grew citrons, in colour as virgin gold, hanging down
from on high and dangling among the branches, as they were ingots of
growing gold;[404] and saith thereof the ’namoured poet:—
Hast seen a Citron-copse so weighed adown ✿ Thou fearest bending roll
their fruit on mould;
And seemed, when Zephyr passed athwart the tree, ✿ Its branches hung
with bells of purest gold?
And shaddocks,[405] that among their boughs hung laden as though each
were the breast of a gazelle-like maiden, contenting the most longing
wight, as saith of them the poet and saith aright:—
And Shaddock mid the garden-paths, on bough ✿ Freshest like fairest
damsel met my sight;
And to the blowing of the breeze it bent ✿ Like golden ball to bat of
chrysolite.
And the lime sweet of scent, which resembleth a hen’s egg, but its
yellowness ornamenteth its ripe fruit, and its fragrance hearteneth him
who plucketh it, as saith the poet who singeth it:—
Seest not the Lemon, when it taketh form, ✿ Catch rays of light and all
to gaze constrain;
Like egg of pullet which the huckster’s hand ✿ Adorneth dyeing with the
saffron-stain?
Moreover in this garden were all manner of other fruits and
sweet-scented herbs and plants and fragrant flowers, such as jessamine
and henna and water-lilies[406] and spikenard[407] and roses of every
kind and plantain[408] and myrtle and so forth; and indeed it was
without compare, seeming as it were a piece of Paradise to whoso beheld
it. If a sick man entered it, he came forth from it like a raging lion,
and tongue availeth not to its description, by reason of that which was
therein of wonders and rarities which are not found but in Heaven: and
how should it be otherwise when its door-keeper’s name was Rizwan?
Though widely different were the stations of those twain! Now when the
sons of the merchants had walked about gazing at the garden after taking
their pleasure therein, they sat down in one of its pavilions and seated
Nur al-Din in their midst.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the sons
of the merchants sat down in the pavilion they seated Nur al-Din in
their midst on a rug of gold-purfled leather of Al-Táif,[409] leaning on
a pillow[410] of minever, stuffed with ostrich down. And they gave him a
fan of ostrich feathers, whereon were written these two couplets:—
A fan whose breath is fraught with fragrant scent; ✿ Minding of happy
days and times forspent,
Wafting at every time its perfumed air ✿ O’er face of noble youth on
honour bent.
Then they laid by their turbands and outer clothes and sat talking and
chatting and inducing one another to discourse, while they all kept
their eyes fixed on Nur al-Din and gazed on his beauteous form. After
the sitting had lasted an hour or so, up came a slave with a tray on his
head, wherein were platters of china and crystal containing viands of
all sorts (for one of the youths had so charged his people before coming
to the garden); and the meats were of whatever walketh earth or wingeth
air or swimmeth waters, such as Katá-grouse and fat quails and
pigeon-poults and mutton and chickens and the delicatest fish. So, the
tray being sat before them, they fell to and ate their fill; and when
they had made an end of eating, they rose from meat and washed their
hands with pure water and musk-scented soap, and dried them with napery
embroidered in silk and bugles; but to Nur al-Din they brought a napkin
laced with red gold whereon he wiped his hands. Then coffee[411] was
served up and each drank what he would, after which they sat talking,
till presently the garden-keeper who was young went away and returning
with a basket full of roses, said to them, “What say ye, O my masters,
to flowers?” Quoth one of them, “There is no harm in them,[412]
especially roses, which are not to be resisted.” Answered the gardener,
“’Tis well, but it is of our wont not to give roses but in exchange for
pleasant converse; so whoever would take aught thereof, let him recite
some verses suitable to the situation.” Now they were ten sons of
merchants of whom one said, “Agreed: give me thereof and I will recite
thee somewhat of verse apt to the case.” Accordingly the gardener gave
him a bunch of roses[413] which he took and at once improvised these
three couplets:—
The Rose in highest stead I rate ✿ For that her charms ne’er satiate;
All fragrant flow’rs be troops to her ✿ Their general of high estate:
Where she is not they boast and vaunt; ✿ But, when she comes, they stint
their prate.
Then the gardener gave a bunch to another and he recited these two
couplets:—
Take, O my lord, to thee the Rose ✿ Recalling scent by musk be shed.
Like virginette by lover eyed ✿ Who with her sleeves[414] enveileth
head.
Then he gave a bunch to a third who recited these two couplets:—
Choice Rose that gladdens heart to see her sight; ✿ Of Nadd recalling
fragrance exquisite.
The branchlets clip her in her leaves for joy, ✿ Like kiss of lips that
never spake in spite.
Then he gave a bunch to a fourth and he recited these two couplets:—
Seest not that rosery where Rose a-flowering displays ✿ Mounted upon her
steed of stalk those marvels manifold?
As though the bud were ruby-stone and girded all around ✿ With
chrysolite and held within a little hoard of gold.
Then he gave a posy to a fifth and he recited these two couplets:—
Wands of green chrysolite bare issue, which ✿ Were fruits like ingots of
the growing gold.[415]
And drops, a dropping from its leaves, were like ✿ The tears my
languorous eyelids railed and rolled.
Then he gave a sixth a bunch and he recited these two couplets:—
O Rose, thou rare of charms that dost contain ✿ All gifts and Allah’s
secrets singular,
Thou’rt like the loved one’s cheek where lover fond ✿ And fain of Union
sticks the gold dinár.[416]
Then he gave a bunch to a seventh and he recited these two couplets:—
To Rose quoth I, “What gars thy thorns to be put forth ✿ For all who
touch thee cruellest injury?”
Quoth she, “These flowery troops are troops of me ✿ Who be their lord
with spines for armoury.”
And he gave an eighth a bunch and he recited these two couplets:—
Allah save the Rose which yellows a-morn ✿ Florid, vivid and likest the
nugget-ore;
And bless the fair sprays that displayed such flowers ✿ And mimic suns
gold-begilded bore.
Then he gave a bunch to a ninth and he recited these two couplets:—
The bushes of golden-hued Rose excite ✿ In the love-sick lover joys
manifold:
’Tis a marvel shrub watered every day ✿ With silvern lymph and it
fruiteth gold.
Then he gave a bunch of roses to the tenth and last and he recited these
two couplets:—
Seest not how the hosts of the Rose display ✿ Red hues and yellow in
rosy field?
I compare the Rose and her arming thorn ✿ To emerald lance piercing
golden shield.
And whilst each one hent bunch in hand, the gardener brought the
wine-service and setting it before them, on a tray of porcelain
arabesqued with red gold, recited these two couplets:—
Dawn heralds day-light: so wine pass round, ✿ Old wine, fooling sage
till his wits he tyne:
Wot I not for its purest clarity ✿ An ’tis wine in cup or ’tis cup in
wine.[417]
Then the gardener filled and drank and the cup went round, till it came
to Nur al-Din’s turn, whereupon the man filled and handed it to him; but
he said, “This thing I wot it not nor have I ever drunken thereof, for
therein is great offence and the Lord of All-might hath forbidden it in
His Book.” Answered the gardener, “O my Lord Nur al-Din, an thou forbear
to drink only by reason of the sin, verily Allah (extolled and exalted
be He!) is bountiful, of sufferance great, forgiving and compassionate
and pardoneth the mortalest sins: His mercy embraceth all things,
Allah’s ruth be upon the poet who saith:—
Be as thou wilt, for Allah is bountiful ✿ And when thou sinnest feel
thou naught alarm:
But ’ware of twofold sins nor ever dare ✿ To give God partner or mankind
to harm.”
Then quoth one of the sons of the merchants, “My life on thee, O my lord
Nur al-Din, drink of this cup!” And another conjured him by the oath of
divorce and yet another stood up persistently before him, till he was
ashamed and taking the cup from the gardener, drank a draught, but spat
it out again, crying, “’Tis bitter.” Said the young gardener, “O my lord
Nur al-Din, knowest thou not that sweets taken by way of medicine are
bitter? Were this not bitter, ’twould lack of the manifold virtues it
possesseth; amongst which are that it digesteth food and disperseth cark
and care and dispelleth flatulence and clarifieth the blood and cleareth
the complexion and quickeneth the body and hearteneth the hen-hearted
and fortifieth the sexual power in man; but to name all its virtues
would be tedious.” Quoth one of the poets:—
We’ll drink and Allah pardon sinners all ✿ And cure of ills by sucking
cups I’ll find:
Nor aught the sin deceives me; yet said He ✿ “In it there be
advantage[418] to mankind.”
Then he sprang up without stay or delay and opened one of the cupboards
in the pavilion and taking out a loaf of refined sugar, broke off a
great slice which he put into Nur al-Din’s cup, saying, “O my lord, an
thou fear to drink wine, because of its bitterness, drink now, for ’tis
sweet.” So he took the cup and emptied it: whereupon one of his comrades
filled him another, saying, “O my lord Nur al-Din, I am thy slave,” and
another did the like, saying, “I am one of thy servants,” and a third
said, “For my sake!” and a fourth, “Allah upon thee, O my lord Nur
al-Din, heal my heart!” And so they ceased not plying him with wine,
each and every of the ten sons of merchants till they had made him drink
a total of ten cups. Now Nur al-Din’s body was virgin of wine-bibbing,
or never in all his life had he drunken vine-juice till that hour,
wherefore its fumes wrought in his brain and drunkenness was stark upon
him and he stood up (and indeed his tongue was thick and his speech
stammering) and said, “O company, by Allah, ye are fair and your speech
is goodly and your place pleasant; but there needeth hearing of sweet
music; for drink without melody lacks the chief of its essentiality,
even as saith the poet:—
Pass round the cup to the old and the young man, too, And take the bowl
from the hand of the shining moon,[419]
But without music, I charge you, forbear to drink; I see even horses
drink to a whistled tune.”[420]