A certain man and a merchant to boot had married a fair wife, a woman
of perfect beauty and grace, symmetry and loveliness, of whom he was
mad-jealous, and who contrived successfully to keep him from travel. At
last an occasion compelling him to leave her, he went to the bird
market and bought him for one hundred gold pieces a she parrot which he
set in his house to act as duenna, expecting her to acquaint him on his
return with what had passed during the whole time of his absence; for
the bird was kenning and cunning and never forgot what she had seen and
heard. Now his fair wife had fallen in love with a young Turk, [FN#91]
who used to visit her, and she feasted him by day and lay with him by
night. When the man had made his journey and won his wish he came home;
and, at once causing the Parrot be brought to him, questioned her
concerning the conduct of his consort whilst he was in foreign parts.
Quoth she, "Thy wife hath a man friend who passed every night with her
during thine absence." Thereupon the husband went to his wife in a
violent rage and bashed her with a bashing severe enough to satisfy any
body. The woman, suspecting that one of the slave girls had been
tattling to the master, called them together and questioned them upon
their oaths, when all swore that they had kept the secret, but that the
Parrot had not, adding, "And we heard her with our own ears." Upon this
the woman bade one of the girls to set a hand mill under the cage and
grind therewith and a second to sprinkle water through the cage roof
and a third to run about, right and left, flashing a mirror of bright
steel through the livelong night. Next morning when the husband
returned home after being entertained by one of his friends, he bade
bring the Parrot before him and asked what had taken place whilst he
was away. "Pardon me, O my master," quoth the bird, "I could neither
hear nor see aught by reason of the exceeding murk and the thunder and
lightning which lasted throughout the night." As it happened to be the
summer tide the master was astounded and cried, "But we are now in mid
Tammuz,[FN#92] and this is not the time for rains and storms." "Ay, by
Allah," rejoined the bird, "I saw with these eyes what my tongue hath
told thee." Upon this the man, not knowing the case nor smoking the
plot, waxed exceeding wroth; and, holding that his wife had been
wrongously accused, put forth his hand and pulling the Parrot from her
cage dashed her upon the ground with such force that he killed her on
the spot. Some days afterwards one of his slave girls confessed to him
the whole truth,[FN#93] yet would he not believe it till he saw the
young Turk, his wife's lover, coming out of her chamber, when he bared
his blade [FN#94] and slew him by a blow on the back of the neck; and
he did the same by the adulteress; and thus the twain, laden with
mortal sin, went straightways to Eternal Fire. Then the merchant knew
that the Parrot had told him the truth anent all she had seen and he
mourned grievously for her loss, when mourning availed him not. The
Minister, hearing the words of King Yunan, rejoined, 'O Monarch, high
in dignity, and what harm have I done him, or what evil have I seen
from him that I should compass his death? I would not do this thing,
save to serve thee, and soon shalt thou sight that it is right; and if
thou accept my advice thou shalt be saved, otherwise thou shalt be
destroyed even as a certain Wazir who acted treacherously by the young
Prince." Asked the King, "How was that?" and the Minister thus began
The Tale of the Prince and the Ogress.
A certain King, who had a son over much given to hunting and coursing,
ordered one of his Wazirs to be in attendance upon him whithersoever he
might wend. One day the youth set out for the chase accompanied by his
father's Minister; and, as they jogged on together, a big wild beast
came in sight. Cried the Wazir to the King's son, "Up and at yon noble
quarry!" So the Prince followed it until he was lost to every eye and
the chase got away from him in the waste; whereby he was confused and
he knew not which way to turn, when lo! a damsel appeared ahead and she
was in tears. The King's son asked, "Who art thou?" and she answered,
"I am daughter to a King among the Kings of Hind, and I was travelling
with a caravan in the desert when drowsiness overcame me, and I fell
from my beast unwittingly whereby I am cut off from my people and sore
bewildered." The Prince, hearing these words, pitied her case and,
mounting her on his horse's crupper, travelled until he passed by an
old ruin [FN#95], when the damsel said to him, "O my master, I wish to
obey a call of nature": he therefore set her down at the ruin where she
delayed so long that the King's son thought that she was only wasting
time; so he followed her without her knowledge and behold, she was a
Ghulah,[FN#96] a wicked Ogress, who was saying to her brood, "O my
children, this day I bring you a fine fat youth, [FN#97] for dinner;"
whereto they answered, "Bring him quick to us, O our mother, that we
may browse upon him our bellies full." The Prince hearing their talk,
made sure of death and his side muscles quivered in fear for his life,
so he turned away and was about to fly. The Ghulah came out and seeing
him in sore affright (for he was trembling in every limb? cried,
"Wherefore art thou afraid?" and he replied, "I have hit upon an enemy
whom I greatly fear." Asked the Ghulah, "Diddest thou not say:—I am a
King's son?" and he answered, "Even so." Then quoth she, "Why dost not
give thine enemy something of money and so satisfy him?" Quoth he, "He
will not be satisfied with my purse but only with my life, and I
mortally fear him and am a man under oppression." She replied, "If thou
be so distressed, as thou deemest, ask aid against him from Allah, who
will surely protect thee from his ill doing and from the evil whereof
thou art afraid." Then the Prince raised his eyes heavenwards and
cried, "O Thou who answerest the necessitous when he calleth upon Thee
and dispellest his distress; O my God ! grant me victory over my foe
and turn him from me, for Thou over all things art Almighty." The
Ghulah, hearing his prayer, turned away from him, and the Prince
returned to his father, and told him the tale of the Wazir; whereupon
the King summoned the Minister to his presence and then and there slew
him. Thou likewise, O King, if thou continue to trust this leach, shalt
be made to die the worst of deaths. He verily thou madest much of and
whom thou entreatedest as an intimate, will work thy destruction. Seest
thou not how he healed the disease from outside thy body by something
grasped in thy hand? Be not assured that he will not destroy thee by
something held in like manner! Replied King Yunan, "Thou hast spoken
sooth, O Wazir, it may well be as thou hintest O my well advising
Minister; and belike this Sage hath come as a spy searching to put me
to death; for assuredly if he cured me by a something held in my hand,
he can kill me by a something given me to smell." Then asked King
Yunan, "O Minister, what must be done with him?" and the Wazir
answered, "Send after him this very instant and summon him to thy
presence; and when he shall come strike him across the neck; and thus
shalt thou rid thyself of him and his wickedness, and deceive him ere
he can deceive thee." 'Thou hast again spoken sooth, O Wazir," said the
King and sent one to call the Sage who came in joyful mood for he knew
not what had appointed for him the Compassionate; as a certain poet
saith by way of illustration:—
O Thou who fearest Fate, confiding fare * Trust all to Him who built
the world and wait:
What Fate saith "Be" perforce must be, my lord! * And safe art thou
from th’ undecreed of Fate.