Pray, said she to Scheich Ibrahim, let him come in, that we may look upon
them. Scheich Ibrahim, by this time, was incapable of asking this
counterfeit fisherman how or what way he came thither; but his whole
design being only to oblige the Fair Persian, with much ado he turns his
head towards the door, being quite drunk, and in a stammering tone,
calling to the caliph, whom he took to be a fisherman, Come hither, thou
nightly thief, said he, and let us see what thou hast got.
The caliph went forwards, and counterfeiting all the humours and actions
of a fisherman to a nicety, presented them with the two fishes. These are
very fine ones indeed, said the Fair Persian; and if they were well
ordered, and delicately dressed, I should be glad to eat some of them.
The lady is in the right, answered Scheich Ibrahim; but what the plague
can we do with your fish, unless it was dressed? Go, dress it thyself,
and bring it to us; thou wilt find every thing necessary for thee in my
kitchen.
The caliph went back to the grand vizier: Giafar, said he, I have been
very well received; but they want the fish to be dressed. I will take
care to dress it myself, said the grand vizier, and they shall have it in
a moment. Nay, replied the caliph, so eager am I to accomplish my design,
that I will take abundance of pains about it too; for since I have
personated the fisherman so well, sure I can play the cook for once:
besides, in my younger days, I dealt a little in cookery, and always came
off with flying colours. In saying these words, he went directly towards
Scheich Ibrahim’s lodgings, and the grand vizier and Mesrour followed
him.
All three of them presently fell to work, and though Scheich Ibrahim’s
kitchen was not very large, yet there was every thing in it that they
wanted. The fish was quickly cooked, and the caliph served it up, putting
to every one’s plate a lemon to squeeze, if they thought it proper, into
the sauce. They all ate very heartily, but especially Noureddin and the
Fair Persian; and the caliph sat down with them at the lower end of the
table.
As soon as the repast was over, Noureddin looking upon the caliph,
Fisherman, said he, never were better fish eaten, and you have done us
the greatest favour in the world. At the same time putting his hand into
his bosom, and pulling out a purse of thirty pieces of gold, the
remainder of the forty that Sangiar, gentleman-usher to the king of
Balsora, had given him just upon his departure; Here, said he to him,
take that, and if I had any more, thou shouldst have it: had I known thee
in my prosperity, I would have taken care of securing thee from ever
wanting: do not refuse the small present I make thee, but accept of it as
kindly as if it was much greater.
The caliph took the purse, and perceiving by the weightiness that it was
all gold, Sir, said he, I cannot enough thank you for your liberality,
and I think myself very fortunate in having to do with a person of your
generosity; but before I take my leave, I have a favour to ask, which I
beg you not to deny me. Yonder is a lute, which makes me believe that the
lady understands playing upon it; and if you can prevail with her to play
but one tune, I shall go away the best satisfied in the world: a lute,
sir, is an instrument I greatly admire.
Fair Persian, said Noureddin, immediately addressing himself to her, I
ask that favour of you, and I hope you will not refuse me. She took up
the lute without more entreaties, and putting it presently in tune,
played and sang with such an air as charmed the very soul of the caliph
with its harmony. Afterwards she played upon the lute without singing,
but with so much skill and softness that it transported him into an
ecstasy of joy.
When the Fair Persian had given over playing, the caliph cried out, What
a voice! What a hand! What skill is here! Was there ever finer singing,
or better playing upon the lute? Never was there any heard or seen like
it.
Noureddin, who was a person of breeding, and always returned the
compliment that was made him; Fisherman, said he, I find thou hast some
taste for music, since thou art delighted with her performance; and if
thou likest her she is thine; I make thee a present of her. At the same
time he rose up, and taking his robe, which he had laid by, was for going
away and leaving the pretended fisherman in possession of the Fair
Persian.
The Fair Persian was extremely surprised at Noureddin’s liberality; she
took hold of him, and looking very wishfully at him, Whither, sir, are
you going? said she; sit down in your place, I entreat you, and hearken
to the song I am going to sing and play. He did as she desired him, and
then the Fair Persian touching her lute, and looking upon him with tears,
sang some verses that she had made _extempore_ to reproach him with his
indifference, and the easiness as well as cruelty of resigning her to
Kerim. She only hinted, without explaining herself any farther to the
fisherman, for she was ignorant of his being the caliph, as well as
Noureddin. When she had done playing, she put the lute down by her, and
clapped a handkerchief to her face to hide the tears she could not help
shedding.
Noureddin made no answer to all these reproaches, but by his silence
seemed to declare he did not repent of what he had done. The caliph
surprised at what he had newly heard, Sir, said he, as far as I see, this
beautiful lady, that so generously you have made me a present of just
now, is your slave, and you are her master. It is very true, Kerim,
replied Noureddin, and thou wouldst be more surprised than thou art now,
should I tell thee all the misfortunes that have happened to me on her
account. Ah! I beseech you, sir, replied the caliph, still behaving
himself like a fisherman, oblige me so far as to let me hear part of your
story.
Noureddin, who had already obliged him in several things of a higher
nature than this, was so complaisant as to relate the whole story to him.
He began with his father’s buying the Fair Persian for the king of
Balsora, and omitted nothing of what he had done, or what had happened to
him, from that time to their arrival at Bagdad, and since, to that very
moment he was talking to him.
When Noureddin had ended his story, Whither are you going now? said the
caliph. Even where Heaven shall direct me, answered Noureddin. Believe
me, replied the caliph, you shall go no farther, but on the contrary,
return to Balsora: I will go and write a short letter, which you shall
give the king in my name; and you shall see upon the reading of it, he
will give you a very handsome reception, and nobody will dare to speak
against you.
Kerim, said Noureddin, what thou hast told me is very unaccountable and
singular: didst thou ever hear that a poor fisherman, as thou art, had
any correspondence with a king? Be not astonished at that, replied the
caliph; you must know then, that we both studied together under the same
masters, and were always the best friends in the world. It is true,
fortune has not been equally favourable to us both; she has made him a
king, and me but a fisherman. However, this inequality has not at all
lessened our friendship: he has often expressed a readiness and desire to
advance my fortune, but I always refused it; and am better pleased with
the satisfaction of knowing that he never will deny me whatever I ask for
the service and advantage of my friends. Let me do it then, and you shall
see the success.
Noureddin consented to what the caliph had proposed; and there being
every thing necessary for writing in the hall, the caliph wrote a letter
to the king of Balsora; at the top of which, pretty near the edge of the
paper, he placed this set form, in three small characters: ‘In the name
of the most merciful God,’ to show he would be absolutely obeyed.
THE LETTER OF CALIPH HAROUN ALRASCHID TO THE KING OF BALSORA
‘Haroun Alraschid, son of Mandi, sends this letter to Mohammed Zinchi,
his cousin, greeting. As soon as Noureddin, son to the late vizier
Khacan, the bearer, has delivered you this letter and you have read it,
pull off the royal mantle, put it on his shoulders, and place him in thy
seat: fail not. So farewell.’
The caliph folded up the letter, and sealed it, and giving it to
Noureddin, without saying any thing of what was in it, Go, said he, and
embark immediately in a vessel that is ready to go off, (as there did
constantly every day at the same hour), and you may sleep when you are
aboard.
Noureddin took the letter, and away he went with the little money he had
about him when Sangiar gave him his purse; and the Fair Persian,
distracted with grief at his departure, retired by herself to one of the
sofas, and fell a-weeping bitterly.
Noureddin was scarce gone out of the hall, when Scheich Ibrahim, who had
been silent during the transaction of this affair, looking steadfastly
upon the caliph, whom he still believed to be a fisherman: Hark you, said
he, Kerim, thou hast brought us two fishes that are worth twenty pieces
of leather or more, and thou hast got a purse and a slave: but dost thou
think to have it all for thyself? I here declare that I will go halves
with thee in the slave; and as for the purse, show me what is in the
inside: if it is silver, thou shalt have one piece for thyself; but if it
is gold, I will have it all, and in exchange, give thee some pieces of
leather I have in my pocket.
(For the better understanding of what follows, said Scheherazade,
interrupting herself here, we must observe to you, that the caliph,
before his serving up the fish, had despatched the grand vizier Giafar to
his palace, with orders to get four slaves with a rich habit, and to wait
on the other side of the pavilion till he gave a signal with his finger
against the window. The grand vizier receiving his commission, he,
Mesrour, and the four slaves, waited at the appointed place, expecting
the sign).
The caliph, still personating the fisherman, answered Scheich Ibrahim
very boldly, I know not what there is in the purse, gold or silver:
whatever it is, you shall freely go my halves; but, as to the slave, I
will have her all to myself; and if you will not accept of these
conditions, you shall have nothing at all.
Scheich Ibrahim, enraged to the last degree at this insolence,
considering him only as a fisherman, snatched up one of the china dishes,
and flung it at the caliph’s head. The caliph easily avoided the blow,
being thrown by a person in drink; but the dish striking against the
wall, was dashed into a thousand pieces. Scheich Ibrahim having missed
his aim, grew more enraged, and catching up the candle that stood upon
the table, rose from his seat, and staggering along, went down a back
pair of stairs to look for a cane.
The caliph made use of this opportunity, and striking his hands against
the window, the grand vizier, Mesrour, and the four slaves were with him
in a trice, who quickly pulled off the fisherman’s clothes, and put on
him the habit they had brought. They had not quite dressed the caliph,
(who had seated himself upon the throne that was in the hall), but they
were very busy about him, when Scheich Ibrahim, spurred on by interest,
came back, with a swinging cane in his hand, with which he designed to
pay the pretended fisherman soundly; but, instead of finding him, he saw
his clothes in the middle of the hall, and the caliph upon his throne,
with the grand vizier and Mesrour on each side of him. He stood a while
gazing upon this unexpected sight, doubting whether he was awake or
asleep. The caliph fell a-laughing at his astonishment; and, calling to
him, Scheich Ibrahim, said he, what dost thou want? whom dost thou look
after?
Scheich Ibrahim, no longer doubting that it was the caliph, immediately
threw himself at his feet, with his face to the ground: Commander of the
true believers, cried he, your vile slave has offended you; but he
implores your clemency, and asks a thousand pardons for his offence. As
soon as the slaves had made an end of dressing him, he came down from his
throne, and advancing towards him, Rise, said he; I forgive thee.
Afterwards the caliph addressed himself to the Fair Persian, who had
suspended her sorrow, as soon as she understood that the garden and
pavilion belonged to that prince, and not to Scheich Ibrahim, as he had
all along made her believe, and that it was he himself disguised in the
fisherman’s clothes. Fair Persian, said he, rise and follow me: by what
you have lately seen, you ought to know who I am, and to believe that I
am above taking any advantage of Noureddin’s humour, who, with a
generosity not to be paralleled, has made me a present of your person. I
have sent him to Balsora to be king there; and when I have despatched
some business necessary for his establishment, you shall also go thither
and be a queen. In the mean time, I am going to order an apartment for
you in my palace, where you shall be treated according to your desert.
This discourse put the Fair Persian in heart again, and comforted her
after a very sensible manner. The joy of Noureddin’s advancement, whom
she passionately loved, to so high an honour, made her sufficient amends
for her affliction. The caliph kept his promise, and recommended her to
the care of his lady Zobeide, whom he acquainted with the esteem he had
lately entertained for Noureddin.
Noureddin’s return to Balsora was more fortunate and speedier by some
days than he could have expected. Upon his arrival, without visiting any
of his friends or relations, he went directly to the palace, where the
king at that time was giving public audience. He pressed through the
crowd with the letter held up in his hand, who presently made way for him
to come forward and deliver it. The king took and opened it; and his
colour changed in reading it: he kissed it thrice, and was just about to
obey the caliph’s orders, when he bethought himself of showing it to the
vizier Saouy, Noureddin’s irreconcileable enemy.
Saouy, who had discovered Noureddin, and began to think with himself,
with a great deal of uneasiness, what might be the design of his coming,
was no less surprised than the king, at the order contained in the
letter; and being as much concerned in it, he thought upon a way that
very moment how to evade it. He pretended not to have read the letter
quite through, and therefore desired a second view of it; he turned
himself a little on one side, as if he wanted a better sight, and without
being perceived by any body, dexterously tore off the set form that
showed the caliph would be absolutely obeyed, from the top of it, and
putting it into his mouth, swallowed it down.
After this notorious piece of villany, Saouy turned to the king, and
giving him the letter, Sir, said he to him, in a low voice, what does
your majesty intend to do? What the caliph has commanded me, replied the
king. Have a care, sir, said the wicked vizier, what you do: it is true,
this is the caliph’s hand; but the set form is not to it. The king had
observed that very well, but in the confusion he was in, he thought his
eyes deceived him, when he saw it was gone.
Sir, continued the vizier, we have no reason to doubt, but that the
caliph upon the complaints he has made against your majesty and me, has
granted him this letter purely to get rid of him, not with any intention
of having the order contained in it executed. Besides, we must consider,
he has sent no express with a patent: and without that, the order is of
no force: and since a king of your majesty’s grandeur was never deposed
without that formality, let who will bring such a letter as this, it
ought not to be put in execution. Your majesty may depend upon what I
have said; and how dangerous soever the consequence of disobeying this
order may be, I will take it all upon myself.
King Zinchi, easily persuaded by this pernicious counsel, left Noureddin
entirely to the discretion of the vizier Saouy, who led him to his house
after a very insulting manner; where, after causing him to be bastinadoed
till he was almost dead, he ordered him to a prison, where he commanded
him to be put in the darkest dungeon, with a strict charge to the gaoler
to give him nothing but bread and water.
When Noureddin, sadly bruised with the strokes, came to himself, and
found what a nasty dungeon he was in, he bewailed his misfortunes after
the most pathetic manner imaginable. Ah! fisherman, cried he, how hast
thou cheated me; and how easy have I been in believing thee! Could I,
after the civility I showed thee, expect so inhuman and barbarous usage!
However, may Heaven reward thee: for I cannot persuade myself, that thy
intention was so base, and I will with patience wait the end of my
afflictions.
The poor disconsolate Noureddin remained six whole days in this miserable
condition, and Saouy did not forget that he had confined him there, but
being resolved to put him to a shameful death, and not daring to do it by
his own authority, to accomplish his villanous design, he ordered some of
his slaves to prepare some very rich presents, which he, at the head of
them, went and presented to the king, saying, Behold, sir, what the new
king hath sent you upon his accession to the crown, and begs your majesty
to accept of it.
The king taking the matter just as Saouy intended it, What! replied he,
is the wretch still living? I thought you had put him to death already.
Sir, I have no power, answered the vizier, to take any person’s life
away; that only belongs to your majesty. Go, said the king, behead him
instantly; I give you full authority. Sir, replied the vizier Saouy, I am
infinitely obliged to your majesty for the justice you do me; but, since
Noureddin has publicly affronted me, I humbly beg the favour that his
execution may be performed before the palace, and, that the criers may
publish it in every quarter of the city, that every body may be satisfied
that he has made sufficient reparation for the affront. The king granted
the request, and the criers, in performing their office, diffused a
universal sorrow through the whole city. The memory of his father’s
virtues being yet fresh among them, there was no one could hear of the
ignominious death the son was going to suffer, through the villany and
instigation of the vizier Saouy, without horror and indignation.
Saouy went in person to the prison, accompanied with twenty slaves, his
ministers of cruelty, who took Noureddin out of his dungeon, and put him
on a shabby horse without a saddle. When Noureddin saw himself in the
hands of his enemy, Thou triumphest now, said he, but thou abusest thy
power. Yet, I have still some confidence in the truth of what is written
in one of our books: ‘You judge unjustly, and in a little time you shall
be judged yourself.’ The vizier Saouy, who really triumphed in his heart,
What! insolent, said he, darest thou insult me yet? but go, I pardon
thee, and care not whatever happens to me, so I have the pleasure of
seeing thee lose thy head in the public view of all Balsora. Thou
oughtest also to remember what another of our books says: ‘What signifies
dying the next day the death of his enemy?’
The vizier, still implacable and full of malice, surrounded by one part
of his slaves in arms, ordered Noureddin to be conducted by the other
towards the palace. The people were ready to fall upon him as they went
along; and, if any body had set them the example, they would certainly
have stoned him to death. When he had brought him to the place of
suffering, which was in sight of the king’s apartment, he left him in the
executioner’s hands, and went straight to the king, who was in his closet
ready to glut his eyes with the bloody spectacle he had prepared.
The king’s guard and the vizier’s slaves, who made a circle round
Noureddin, had much ado to withstand the people, who made all the efforts
possible, but in vain, to break through them and carry him off by force.
The executioner coming up to him, Sir, said he, I hope you will forgive
me; I am but a slave, and cannot help doing my duty. If you have no
occasion for any thing, I beseech you prepare yourself, for the king is
just going to give me orders to strike the blow.
The poor unfortunate Noureddin, at that cruel moment, looked round upon
the people: Will no charitable body, cried he, bring me a little water to
quench my thirst? which immediately they did, and handed it up to him
upon the scaffold. The vizier Saouy, perceiving this delay, called out to
the executioner from the king’s closet window, where he had planted
himself, Strike, what dost thou stay for? At these barbarous and inhuman
words the whole palace echoed with loud imprecations against him; and the
king, jealous of his authority, made it appear, by ordering him to stay a
while, that he was angry at his presumption. But there was another
reason; for the king that very moment casting his eyes up into a large
street that faced him and joined to the place of execution, saw about the
middle of it a troop of horsemen coming with full speed towards the
palace. Vizier, said the king immediately, look yonder, what is the
meaning of those horsemen? Saouy, who knew not what it might be,
earnestly pressed the king to give the executioner the sign. No, replied
the king, I will first see who these horsemen are. It was the vizier
Giafar and his train, who came in person from Bagdad by the caliph’s
order.
To make the occasion of this minister’s coming to Balsora a little
plainer, we must observe, that after Noureddin’s departure with the
caliph’s letter, the caliph the next day, nor several days after, ever
thought of sending the patent that he mentioned to the Fair Persian. He
happened one day to be in the inner palace, which was the women’s, and
passing by the apartment, he heard the sound of a fine voice: he listened
to it, and he had no sooner heard the words of one complaining for the
absence of somebody, than he asked the officer of his eunuchs that
attended him, who that woman was that belonged to that apartment. The
officer told him that it was the young stranger’s slave, whom he had sent
to Balsora to be king in the room of Mohammed Zinchi.
Ah! poor Noureddin, cried the caliph presently, I had forgot thee; but
haste, said he to the officer, and bid Giafar come to me. The vizier was
with him in an instant. As soon as he came, Giafar, said he, I have
hitherto neglected sending the patent to Noureddin, which was to confirm
him king of Balsora; but we have no time now to draw up one, therefore
immediately take post-horses, and, with some of your servants, make what
haste you can to Balsora. If Noureddin is dead, and put to death by them,
order the vizier Saouy to be hanged; but, if he be living, bring him to
me with the king and the vizier.
The grand vizier staid no longer than just the time of getting on
horseback, and being attended by a great train of officers belonging to
his house, he set forward for Balsora, where he arrived after the manner,
and at the time above mentioned. As soon as he came to the palace-yard
the people cleared the way for him, crying out, A pardon for Noureddin!
and with his whole train he rode into the palace, even to the very
stairs, where he alighted.
The king of Balsora knowing him to be the caliph’s chief minister, went
to meet him, and received him at the entrance of his apartment. The first
question the vizier asked was, if Noureddin was living; and, if he was,
that he might be sent for. The king made answer, He was alive, and gave
orders to have him brought in. Accordingly he soon made his appearance as
he was, tied, and bound with cords. The grand vizier Giafar caused him to
be untied, and setting him at liberty, ordered the vizier Saouy to be
seized, and bound with the same cords.