It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that there was a Fisher man well
stricken in years who had a wife and three children, and withal was of
poor condition. Now it was his custom to cast his net every day four
times, and no more. On a day he went forth about noontide to the sea
shore, where he laid down his basket; and, tucking up his shirt and
plunging into the water, made a cast with his net and waited till it
settled to the bottom. Then he gathered the cords together and haled
away at it, but found it weighty; and however much he drew it
landwards, he could not pull it up; so he carried the ends ashore and
drove a stake into the ground and made the net fast to it. Then he
stripped and dived into the water all about the net, and left not off
working hard until he had brought it up. He rejoiced thereat and,
donning his clothes, went to the net, when he found in it a dead
jackass which had torn the meshes. Now when he saw it, he exclaimed in
his grief, "There is no Majesty, and there is no Might save in Allah
the Glorious, the Great!" Then quoth he, "This is a strange manner of
daily bread;" and he began re citing in extempore verse:—
O toiler through the glooms of night in peril and in pain * Thy toiling
stint for daily bread comes not by might and main!
Seest thou not the fisher seek afloat upon the sea * His bread, while
glimmer stars of night as set in tangled skein.
Anon he plungeth in despite the buffet of the waves * The while to
sight the bellying net his eager glances strain;
Till joying at the night's success, a fish he bringeth home * Whose
gullet by the hook of Fate was caught and cut in twain.
When buys that fish of him a man who spent the hours of night *
Reckless of cold and wet and gloom in ease and comfort fain,
Laud to the Lord who gives to this, to that denies his wishes * And
dooms one toil and catch the prey and other eat the fishes.[FN#60]
Then quoth he, "Up and to it; I am sure of His beneficence,
Inshallah!" So he continued:—
When thou art seized of Evil Fate, assume * The noble soul's long
suffering: 'tis thy best:
Complain not to the creature; this be plaint * From one most Ruthful to
the ruthlessest.
The Fisherman, when he had looked at the dead ass, got it free of the
toils and wrung out and spread his net; then he plunged into the sea,
saying, "In Allah's name!" and made a cast and pulled at it, but it
grew heavy and settled down more firmly than the first time. Now he
thought that there were fish in it, and he made it fast, and doffing
his clothes went into the water, and dived and haled until he drew it
up upon dry land. Then found he in it a large earthen pitcher which was
full of sand and mud; and seeing this he was greatly troubled and began
repeating these verses[FN#61]:—
Forbear, O troubles of the world, * And pardon an ye nill forbear:
I went to seek my daily bread * I find that breadless I must fare:
For neither handcraft brings me aught * Nor Fate allots to me a share:
How many fools the Pleiads reach * While darkness whelms the wise and
ware.
So he prayed pardon of Allah and, throwing away the jar, wrung his net
and cleansed it and returned to the sea the third time to cast his net
and waited till it had sunk. Then he pulled at it and found therein
potsherds and broken glass; whereupon he began to speak these verses:—
He is to thee that daily bread thou canst nor loose nor bind * Nor pen
nor writ avail thee aught thy daily bread to find:
For joy and daily bread are what Fate deigneth to allow; * This soil is
sad and sterile ground, while that makes glad the hind.
The shafts of Time and Life bear down full many a man of worth * While
bearing up to high degree wights of ignoble mind.
So come thou, Death! for verily life is not worth a straw * When low
the falcon falls withal the mallard wings the wind:
No wonder 'tis thou seest how the great of soul and mind * Are poor,
and many a losel carle to height of luck designed.
This bird shall overfly the world from east to furthest west * And that
shall win her every wish though ne'er she leave the nest.
Then raising his eyes heavenwards he said, "O my God![FN#62] verily
Thou wottest that I cast not my net each day save four times[FN#63];
the third is done and as yet Thou hast vouchsafed me nothing. So this
time, O my God, deign give me my daily bread." Then, having called on
Allah's name,[FN#64] he again threw his net and waited its sinking and
settling; whereupon he haled at it but could not draw it in for that it
was entangled at the bottom. He cried out in his vexation "There is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah!" and he began reciting:—
Fie on this wretched world, an so it be * I must be whelmed by grief
and misery:
Tho' gladsome be man's lot when dawns the morn * He drains the cup of
woe ere eve he see:
Yet was I one of whom the world when asked * "Whose lot is happiest?"
oft would say "'Tis he!"
Thereupon he stripped and, diving down to the net, busied himself with
it till it came to land. Then he opened the meshes and found therein a
cucumber shaped jar of yellow copper,[FN#65] evidently full of
something, whose mouth was made fast with a leaden cap, stamped with
the seal ring of our Lord Sulayman son of David (Allah accept the
twain!). Seeing this the Fisherman rejoiced and said, "If I sell it in
the brass bazar 'tis worth ten golden dinars." He shook it and finding
it heavy continued, "Would to Heaven I knew what is herein. But I must
and will open it and look to its contents and store it in my bag and
sell it in the brass market." And taking out a knife he worked at the
lead till he had loosened it from the jar; then he laid the cup on the
ground and shook the vase to pour out whatever might be inside. He
found nothing in it; whereat he marvelled with an exceeding marvel. But
presently there came forth from the jar a smoke which spired
heavenwards into aether (whereat he again marvelled with mighty
marvel), and which trailed along earth's surface till presently, having
reached its full height, the thick vapour condensed, and became an
Ifrit, huge of bulk, whose crest touched the clouds while his feet were
on the ground. His head was as a dome, his hands like pitchforks, his
legs long as masts and his mouth big as a cave; his teeth were like
large stones, his nostrils ewers, his eyes two lamps and his look was
fierce and lowering. Now when the Fisherman saw the Ifrit his side
muscles quivered, his teeth chattered, his spittle dried up and he
became blind about what to do. Upon this the Ifrit looked at him and
cried, "There is no god but the God, and Sulayman is the prophet of
God;" presently adding, "O Apostle of Allah, slay me not; never again
will I gainsay thee in word nor sin against thee in deed."[FN#66] Quoth
the Fisherman, "O Marid,[FN#67] diddest thou say, Sulayman the Apostle
of Allah; and Sulayman is dead some thousand and eight hundred years
ago,[FN#68] and we are now in the last days of the world! What is thy
story, and what is thy account of thyself, and what is the cause of thy
entering into this cucurbit?" Now when the Evil Spirit heard the words
of the Fisher man, quoth he; "There is no god but the God: be of good
cheer, O Fisherman!" Quoth the Fisherman, "Why biddest thou me to be of
good cheer?" and he replied, "Because of thy having to die an ill death
in this very hour." Said the Fisherman, "Thou deservest for thy good
tidings the withdrawal of Heaven's protection, O thou distant
one![FN#69] Wherefore shouldest thou kill me and what thing have I done
to deserve death, I who freed thee from the jar, and saved thee from
the depths of the sea, and brought thee up on the dry land?" Replied
the Ifrit, "Ask of me only what mode of death thou wilt die, and by
what manner of slaughter shall I slay thee." Rejoined the Fisherman,
"What is my crime and wherefore such retribution?" Quoth the Ifrit,
"Hear my story, O Fisherman!" and he answered, "Say on, and be brief in
thy saying, for of very sooth my life breath is in my nostrils."[FN#70]
Thereupon quoth the Jinni, "Know, that I am one among the heretical
Jann and I sinned against Sulayman, David son (on the twain be peace!)
I together with the famous Sakhr al Jinni;"[FN#71] whereupon the
Prophet sent his minister, Asaf son of Barkhiya, to seize me; and this
Wazir brought me against my will and led me in bonds to him (I being
downcast despite my nose) and he placed me standing before him like a
suppliant. When Sulayman saw me, he took refuge with Allah and bade me
embrace the True Faith and obey his behests; but I refused, so sending
for this cucurbit[FN#72] he shut me up therein, and stopped it over
with lead whereon he impressed the Most High Name, and gave his orders
to the Jann who carried me off, and cast me into the midmost of the
ocean. There I abode an hundred years, during which I said in my heart,
"Whoso shall release me, him will I enrich for ever and ever." But the
full century went by and, when no one set me free, I entered upon the
second five score saying, "Whoso shall release me, for him I will open
the hoards of the earth." Still no one set me free and thus four
hundred years passed away. Then quoth I, "Whoso shall release me, for
him will I fulfil three wishes." Yet no one set me free. Thereupon I
waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and said to myself, "Whoso shall
release me from this time forth, him will I slay and I will give him
choice of what death he will die; and now, as thou hast released me, I
give thee full choice of deaths." The Fisherman, hearing the words of
the Ifrit, said, "O Allah! the wonder of it that I have not come to
free thee save in these days!" adding, "Spare my life, so Allah spare
thine; and slay me not, lest Allah set one to slay thee." Replied the
Contumacious One, "There is no help for it; die thou must; so ask me by
way of boon what manner of death thou wilt die." Albeit thus certified
the Fisherman again addressed the Ifrit saying, "Forgive me this my
death as a generous reward for having freed thee;" and the Ifrit,
"Surely I would not slay thee save on account of that same release." "O
Chief of the Ifrits," said the Fisherman, "I do thee good and thou
requitest me with evil! in very sooth the old saw lieth not when it
saith:—
We wrought them weal, they met our weal with ill; * Such, by my life!
is every bad man's labour:
To him who benefits unworthy wights * Shall hap what inapt to Ummi
Amir's neighbor.[FN#73]"
Now when the Ifrit heard these words he answered, "No more of this
talk, needs must I kill thee." Upon this the Fisherman said to himself,
"This is a Jinni; and I am a man to whom Allah hath given a passably
cunning wit, so I will now cast about to compass his destruction by my
contrivance and by mine intelligence; even as he took counsel only of
his malice and his frowardness."[FN#74] He began by asking the Ifrit,
"Hast thou indeed resolved to kill me?" and, receiving for all answer,
"Even so," he cried, "Now in the Most Great Name, graven on the seal
ring of Sulayman the Son of David (peace be with the holy twain!), an I
question thee on a certain matter wilt thou give me a true answer?" The
Ifrit replied "Yea;" but, hearing mention of the Most Great Name, his
wits were troubled and he said with trembling, "Ask and be brief."
Quoth the Fisherman, "How didst thou fit into this bottle which would
not hold thy hand; no, nor even thy foot, and how came it to be large
enough to contain the whole of thee?" Replied the Ifrit, "What! dost
not believe that I was all there?" and the Fisherman rejoined, "Nay! I
will never believe it until I see thee inside with my own eyes." And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the Fourth Night,
Her sister said to her, "Please finish us this tale, an thou be not
sleepy!" so she resumed:—It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when the Fisherman said to the Ifrit, "I will never and nowise believe
thee until I see thee inside it with mine own eyes;" the Evil Spirit on
the instant shook[FN#75] and became a vapour, which condensed, and
entered the jar little and little, till all was well inside when lo!
the Fisherman in hot haste took the leaden cap with the seal and
stoppered therewith the mouth of the jar and called out to the Ifrit,
saying, "Ask me by way of boon what death thou wilt die! By Allah, I
will throw thee into the sea[FN#76] before us and here will I build me
a lodge; and whoso cometh hither I will warn him against fishing and
will say:—In these waters abideth an Ifrit who giveth as a last favour
a choice of deaths and fashion of slaughter to the man who saveth him!"
Now when the Ifrit heard this from the Fisherman and saw him self in
limbo, he was minded to escape, but this was prevented by Solomon's
seal; so he knew that the Fisherman had cozened and outwitted him, and
he waxed lowly and submissive and began humbly to say, "I did but jest
with thee." But the other answered, "Thou liest, O vilest of the
Ifrits, and meanest and filthiest!" and he set off with the bottle for
the sea side; the Ifrit calling out "Nay! Nay!" and he calling out
"Aye! Aye !" There upon the Evil Spirit softened his voice and smoothed
his speech and abased himself, saying, "What wouldest thou do with me,
O Fisherman?" "I will throw thee back into the sea," he answered;
"where thou hast been housed and homed for a thousand and eight hundred
years; and now I will leave thee therein till Judgment day: did I not
say to thee:—Spare me and Allah shall spare thee; and slay me not lest
Allah slay thee? yet thou spurnedst my supplication and hadst no
intention save to deal ungraciously by me, and Allah hath now thrown
thee into my hands and I am cunninger than thou." Quoth the Ifrit,
"Open for me and I may bring thee weal." Quoth the Fisherman, "Thou
liest, thou accursed! my case with thee is that of the Wazir of King
Yunan with the sage Duban."[FN#77] "And who was the Wazir of King Yunan
and who was the sage Duban; and what was the story about them?" quoth
the Ifrit, whereupon the Fisherman began to tell
The Tale of the Wazir and the Sage Duban.
Know, O thou Ifrit, that in days of yore and in ages long gone before,
a King called Yunan reigned over the city of Fars of the land of the
Roum.[FN#78] He was a powerful ruler and a wealthy, who had armies and
guards and allies of all nations of men; but his body was afflicted
with a leprosy which leaches and men of science failed to heal. He
drank potions and he swallowed pow ders and he used unguents, but
naught did him good and none among the host of physicians availed to
procure him a cure. At last there came to his city a mighty healer of
men and one well stricken in years, the sage Duban hight. This man was
a reader of books, Greek, Persian, Roman, Arabian, and Syrian; and he
was skilled in astronomy and in leechcraft, the theorick as well as the
practick; he was experienced in all that healeth and that hurteth the
body; conversant with the virtues of every plant, grass and herb, and
their benefit and bane; and he understood philosophy and had compassed
the whole range of medical science and other branches of the knowledge
tree. Now this physician passed but few days in the city, ere he heard
of the King's malady and all his bodily sufferings through the leprosy
with which Allah had smitten him; and how all the doctors and wise men
had failed to heal him. Upon this he sat up through the night in deep
thought and, when broke the dawn and appeared the morn and light was
again born, and the Sun greeted the Good whose beauties the world
adorn,[FN#79] he donned his handsomest dress and going in to King
Yunan, he kissed the ground before him: then he prayed for the
endurance of his honour and prosperity in fairest language and made
himself known saying, "O King, tidings have reached I me of what befel
thee through that which is in thy person; and how the host of
physicians have proved themselves unavailing to abate it; and lo! I can
cure thee, O King; and yet will I not make thee drink of draught or
anoint thee with ointment." Now when King Yunan heard his words he said
in huge surprise, "How wilt thou do this? By Allah, if thou make me
whole I will enrich thee even to thy son's son and I will give thee
sumptuous gifts; and whatso thou wishest shall be thine and thou shalt
be to me a cup companion[FN#80] and a friend." The King then robed him
with a dress of honour and entreated him graciously and asked him,
"Canst thou indeed cure me of this complaint without drug and unguent?"
and he answered, "Yes! I will heal I thee without the pains and
penalties of medicine." The King marvelled with exceeding marvel and
said, "O physician, when shall be this whereof thou speakest, and in
how many days shall it take place? Haste thee, O my son!" He replied,"I
hear and I obey; the cure shall begin tomorrow." So saying he went
forth from the presence, and hired himself a house in the city for the
better storage of his books and scrolls, his medicines and his aromatic
roots. Then he set to work at choosing the fittest drugs and simples
and he fashioned a bat hollow within, and furnished with a handle
without, for which he made a ball; the two being prepared with
consummate art. On the next day when both were ready for use and wanted
nothing more, he went up to the King; and, kissing the ground between
his hands bade him ride forth on the parade ground[FN#81] there to play
at pall and mall. He was accompanied by his suite, Emirs and
Chamberlains, Wazirs and Lords of the realm and, ere he was seated, the
sage Duban came up to him, and handing him the bat said, "Take this
mall and grip it as I do; so! and now push for the plain and leaning
well over thy horse drive the ball with all thy might until thy palm be
moist and thy body perspire: then the medicine will penetrate through
thy palm and will permeate thy person. When thou hast done with playing
and thou feelest the effects of the medicine, return to thy palace, and
make the Ghusl-ablution[FN#82] in the Hammam bath, and lay thee down to
sleep; so shalt thou become whole; and now peace be with thee!"
Thereupon King Yunan took the bat from the Sage and grasped it firmly;
then, mounting steed, he drove the ball before him and gallopped after
it till he reached it, when he struck it with all his might, his palm
gripping the bat handle the while; and he ceased not malling the ball
till his hand waxed moist and his skin, perspiring, imbibed the
medicine from the wood. Then the sage Duban knew that the drugs had
penetrated his person and bade him return to the palace and enter the
Hammam without stay or delay; so King Yunan forthright returned and
ordered them to clear for him the bath. They did so, the carpet
spreaders making all haste, and the slaves all hurry and got ready a
change of raiment for the King. He entered the bath and made the total
ablution long and thoroughly; then donned his clothes within the Hammam
and rode therefrom to his palace where he lay him down and slept. Such
was the case with King Yunan, but as regards the sage Duban, he
returned home and slept as usual and when morning dawned he repaired to
the palace and craved audience. The King ordered him to be admitted;
then, having kissed the ground between his hands, in allusion to the
King he recited these couplets with solemn intonation:—
Happy is Eloquence when thou art named her sire * But mourns she whenas
other man the title claimed.
O Lord of fairest presence, whose illuming rays * Clear off the fogs of
doubt aye veiling deeds high famed,
Ne'er cease thy face to shine like Dawn and rise of Morn * And never
show Time's face with heat of ire inflamed!
Thy grace hath favoured us with gifts that worked such wise * As rain
clouds raining on the hills by wolds enframed:
Freely thou lavishedst thy wealth to rise on high * Till won from Time
the heights whereat thy grandeur aimed.
Now when the Sage ceased reciting, the King rose quickly to his feet
and fell on his neck; then, seating him by his side he bade dress him
in a sumptuous dress; for it had so happened that when the King left
the Hammam he looked on his body and saw no trace of leprosy: the skin
was all clean as virgin silver. He joyed thereat with exceeding joy,
his breast broadened[FN#83] with delight and he felt thoroughly happy.
Presently, when it was full day he entered his audience hall and sat
upon the throne of his kingship whereupon his Chamberlains and Grandees
flocked to the presence and with them the Sage Duban. Seeing the leach
the King rose to him in honour and seated him by his side; then the
food trays furnished with the daintiest viands were brought and the
physician ate with the King, nor did he cease companying him all that
day. Moreover, at nightfall he gave the physician Duban two thousand
gold pieces, besides the usual dress of honour and other gifts galore,
and sent him home on his own steed. After the Sage had fared forth King
Yunan again expressed his amazement at the leach's art, saying, "This
man medicined my body from without nor anointed me with aught of
ointments: by Allah, surely this is none other than consummate skill! I
am bound to honour such a man with rewards and distinction, and take
him to my companion and my friend during the remainder of my days." So
King Yunan passed the night in joy and gladness for that his body had
been made whole and had thrown off so pernicious a malady. On the
morrow the King went forth from his Serraglio and sat upon his throne,
and the Lords of Estate stood about him, and the Emirs and Wazirs sat
as was their wont on his right hand and on his left. Then he asked for
the Sage Duban, who came in and kissed the ground before him, when the
King rose to greet him and, seating him by his side, ate with him and
wished him long life. Moreover he robed him and gave him gifts, and
ceased not conversing with him until night approached. Then the King
ordered him, by way of salary, five dresses of honour and a thousand
dinars.[FN#84] The physician returned to his own house full of
gratitude to the King. Now when next morning dawned the King repaired
to his audience hall, and his Lords and Nobles surrounded him and his
Chamberlains and his Ministers, as the white encloseth the black of the
eye.[FN#85] Now the King had a Wazir among his Wazirs, unsightly to
look upon, an ill omened spectacle; sordid, ungenerous, full of envy
and evil will. When this Minister saw the King place the physician near
him and give him all these gifts, he jaloused him and planned to do him
a harm, as in the saying on such subject, "Envy lurks in every body;"
and the saying, "Oppression hideth in every heart: power revealeth it
and weakness concealeth it." Then the Minister came before the King
and, kissing the ground between his hands, said, "O King of the age and
of all time, thou in whose benefits I have grown to manhood, I have
weighty advice to offer thee, and if I withhold it I were a son of
adultery and no true born man; wherefore an thou order me to disclose
it I will so do forthwith." Quoth the King (and he was troubled at the
words of the Minister), "And what is this counsel of thine?" Quoth he,
"O glorious monarch, the wise of old have said:—Whoso regardeth not the
end, hath not Fortune to friend; and indeed I have lately seen the King
on far other than the right way; for he lavisheth largesse on his
enemy, on one whose object is the decline and fall of his kingship: to
this man he hath shown favour, honouring him with over honour and
making of him an intimate. Wherefore I fear for the King's life." The
King, who was much troubled and changed colour, asked, "Whom dost thou
suspect and anent whom doest thou hint?" and the Minister answered, "O
King, an thou be asleep, wake up! I point to the physician Duban."
Rejoined the King, "Fie upon thee! This is a true friend who is
favoured by me above all men, because he cured me with something which
I held in my hand, and he healed my leprosy which had baffled all
physicians; indeed he is one whose like may not be found in these
days—no, not in the whole world from furthest east to utmost west! And
it is of such a man thou sayest such hard sayings. Now from this day
forward I allot him a settled solde and allowances, every month a
thousand gold pieces; and, were I to share with him my realm 'twere but
a little matter. Perforce I must suspect that thou speakest on this
wise from mere envy and jealousy as they relate of the King
Sindibad."—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day, and ceased saying
her permitted say. Then quoth Dunyazad, "O my sister, how pleasant is
thy tale, and how tasteful, how sweet, and how grateful!" She replied,
"And where is this compared with what I could tell thee on the coming
night if the King deign spare my life?" Then said the King in himself,
"By Allah, I will not slay her until I hear the rest of her tale, for
truly it is wondrous." So they rested that night in mutual embrace
until the dawn. Then the King went forth to his Hall of Rule, and the
Wazir and the troops came in, and the audience chamber was thronged and
the King gave orders and judged and appointed and deposed and bade and
forbade during the rest of that day till the Court broke up, and King
Shahryar returned to his palace.
When It Was The Fifth Night,
Her sister said, "Do you finish for us thy story if thou be not
sleepy," and she resumed:—It hath reached me, O auspicious King and
mighty Monarch, that King Yunan said to his Minister, "O Wazir, thou
art one whom the evil spirit of envy hath possessed because of this
physician, and thou plottest for my putting him to death, after which I
should repent me full sorely, even as repented King Sindibad for
killing his falcon." Quoth the Wazir, Pardon me, O King of the age, how
was that?" So the King began the story of
King Sindibad and his Falcon.
It is said (but Allah is All knowing![FN#86]) that there was a King of
the Kings of Fars, who was fond of pleasuring and diversion, especially
coursing end hunting. He had reared a falcon which he carried all night
on his fist, and whenever he went a chasing he took with him this bird;
and he bade make for her a golden cuplet hung around her neck to give
her drink therefrom. One day as the King was sitting quietly in his
palace, behold, the high falconer of the household suddenly addressed
him, "O King of the age, this is indeed a day fit for birding." The
King gave orders accordingly and set out taking the hawk on fist; and
they fared merrily forwards till they made a Wady[FN#87] where they
planted a circle of nets for the chase; when lo! a gazelle came within
the toils and the King cried, "Whoso alloweth yon gazelle to spring
over his head and loseth her, that man will I surely slay." They
narrowed the nets about the gazelle when she drew near the King's
station; and, planting herself on her hind quarter, crossed her
forehand over her breast, as if about to kiss the earth before the
King. He bowed his brow low in acknowledgment to the beast; when she
bounded high over his head and took the way of the waste. Thereupon the
King turned towards his troops and seeing them winking and pointing at
him, he asked, "O Wazir, what are my men saying?" and the Minister
answered, "They say thou didst proclaim that whoso alloweth the gazelle
to spring over his head, that man shall be put to death." Quoth the
King, "Now, by the life of my head! I will follow her up till I bring
her back." So he set off gallopping on the gazelle's trail and gave not
over tracking till he reached the foot hills of a mountain chain where
the quarry made for a cave. Then the King cast off at it the falcon
which presently caught it up and, swooping down, drove her talons into
its eyes, bewildering and blinding it;[FN#88] and the King drew his
mace and struck a blow which rolled the game over. He then dismounted;
and, after cutting the antelope's throat and flaying the body, hung it
to the pommel of his saddle. Now the time was that of the siesta[FN#89]
and the wold was parched and dry, nor was any water to be found
anywhere; and the King thirsted and his horse also; so he went about
searching till he saw a tree dropping water, as it were melted butter,
from its boughs. Thereupon the King who wore gauntlets of skin to guard
him against poisons took the cup from the hawk's neck, and filling it
with the water set it before the bird, and lo! the falcon struck it
with her pounces and upset the liquid. The King filled it a second time
with the dripping drops, thinking his hawk was thirsty; but the bird
again struck at the cup with her talons and overturned it. Then the
King waxed wroth with the hawk and filling the cup a third time offered
it to his horse: but the hawk upset it with a flirt of wings. Quoth the
King, "Allah confound thee, thou unluckiest of flying things! thou
keepest me from drinking, and thou deprivest thyself also, and the
horse." So he struck the falcon with his sword and cut off her wing;
but the bird raised her head and said by signs, "Look at that which
hangeth on the tree!" The King lifted up his eyes accordingly and
caught sight of a brood of vipers, whose poison drops he mistook for
water; thereupon he repented him of having struck off his falcon's
wing, and mounting horse, fared on with the dead gazelle, till he
arrived at the camp, his starting place. He threw the quarry to the
cook saying, Take and broil it," and sat down on his chair, the falcon
being still on his fist when suddenly the bird gasped and died;
whereupon the King cried out in sorrow and remorse for having slain
that falcon which had saved his life. Now this is what occurred in the
case of King Sindibad; and I am assured that were I to do as thou
desirest I should repent even as the man who killed his parrot." Quoth
the Wazir, "And how was that?" And the King began to tell