took leave of the queen her mother, and was got back to the palace of her
capital of Persia before she had been missed. She despatched immediately
persons to recall the officers she had sent after the king, and to tell
them she knew where his majesty was, and that they should soon see him
again. She also caused the same report to be spread throughout the city,
and governed, in concert with the prime minister and council, with the
same tranquillity as if the king had been present.
To return to king Beder, whom the princess Giahaure’s waiting-woman had
carried and left in the island before mentioned. That monarch was not a
little surprised when he found himself alone, and under the form of a
bird. He esteemed himself more unhappy, in that he knew not where he was,
nor in what part of the world the kingdom of Persia lay. But if he had
known, and sufficiently knew the force of his wings to traverse so vast
watery regions, what could he have gained by it, but the mortification to
continue still in the same ill plight, not to be accounted so much as a
man, in the lieu of being acknowledged for king of Persia? He was then in
a manner constrained to remain where he was, and live upon such
nourishment as birds of his kind were wont to have.
A few days after, a peasant, who was skilled in taking birds with nets,
chanced to come to the place where he was; when, perceiving this fine
bird, the like of which he had never seen, though he had used that sport
for a long while, he began greatly to rejoice. He employed all his art to
become master of him; and at length used such proper methods, that he
took him. Overjoyed at so great a prize, which he looked upon to be of
more worth than all the other birds he commonly took, by reason of its
being so great a rarity, he shut it up in a cage, and carried it to the
city. As soon as he was come into the market, a citizen stopped him, and
asked him how much he would have for that bird.
Instead of answering, the peasant demanded of the citizen what he would
do with him in case he should buy him. What wouldst thou have me do with
him, answered the citizen, but roast and eat him? Very well, replied the
peasant; and so, I suppose, you would think me very well paid if you
should give me the smallest piece of money for him: but know, I set a
much greater value upon him; and you should not have him for a large
piece of gold. Although I am pretty well advanced in years, I never saw
such a bird in my life. I intend to make a present to the king of him;
and I am sure he will know the worth of him better than you.
Without staying any longer in the market, the peasant went directly to
the court, and placed himself exactly before the king’s apartment. His
majesty being at a window where he could see all that passed in the
base-court, at length cast his eyes on this beautiful bird; and, being
charmed with the sight of it, he immediately sent the commander of his
eunuchs to buy it for him. The officer, going to the peasant, demanded of
him how much he would have for that bird. If it be for his majesty,
answered the peasant, I humbly beg of him to accept it of me as a
present, and I desire you to carry it to him. Hereupon the officer took
the bird, and brought it to the king, who found it so great a rarity,
that he ordered the same officer to take ten pieces of gold and carry
them to the peasant, who departed very well satisfied with the market he
had made. The king ordered the bird to be put into a magnificent cage,
and gave it corn and water in rich vessels.
His majesty being then ready to mount on horseback, had not time to
consider the bird, therefore had it brought to him as soon as he came
back. The officer brought the cage; and the king, that he might better
view the bird, took it out himself, and perched it upon his hand. Looking
earnestly upon it, he demanded of the officer if he had seen it eat. Sir,
replied the officer, your majesty may observe his eating: the drawer is
still full; and I believe he has hardly touched any of his meat; at least
I did not see him. Then the king ordered him meat of divers sorts, that
he might take what he liked best.
The table being spread, (for dinner happened to be served up just as the
king had given these orders), and the plates being placed, the bird
leaped off the king’s hand, and, clapping his wings, flew upon the table,
where he began to peck the bread and victuals after an extraordinary
rate. The king seeing this, was so surprised at it, that he immediately
sent for the queen to come and see this miracle. The person that was sent
related the matter to her majesty, and she came forthwith; but she no
sooner saw the bird, than she covered her face with her veil, and would
have retired. The king, admiring her proceedings, in that there were none
but the eunuchs of the chamber and the women that waited on her, asked
the reason of it.
Sir, answered the queen, your majesty will no longer admire at my
proceeding, when you come to know that this bird, which you take to be
such, is no bird, but a man. Madam, said the king, more astonished than
before, you are pleased to banter me, I suppose; but you shall never
persuade me that a bird can be a man. Sir, replied the queen, far be it
from me to banter your majesty; yet nothing is more certain than what I
have had the honour to tell you.
I can assure your majesty it is the king of Persia, named Beder, son of
the celebrated Gulnare, princess of one of the largest kingdoms of the
sea, nephew of Saleh, king of that kingdom, and grand-child of queen
Farasche, mother of Gulnare and Saleh; and it was the princess Giahaure,
daughter of the king of Samarcand, who thus metamorphosed him into a
bird. Moreover, that the king might no longer doubt of what she affirmed,
she told him the whole story, as how, and for what reason, the princess
Giahaure had thus revenged herself for the ill treatment which king Saleh
had used towards the king of Samarcand, her father.
The king had the less difficulty to believe this assertion of the
queen’s, in that he knew her to be a skilful sorceress, perhaps one of
the greatest in the world; and as she knew every thing which passed in
it, he was always timely informed of the designs of the kings his
neighbours against him, and so prevented them. His majesty had compassion
on the king of Persia, and therefore earnestly besought his queen to
break the enchantment, that he might return to his own form.
The queen consented to it with great willingness. Sir, said she to the
king, be pleased to take the bird into your closet, and I will show you a
thing worthy of the consideration you have for him. The bird, which had
never minded eating, by reason of his attentiveness to what the king and
queen said, would not give his majesty the trouble to take him, but
hopped into the closet before him; and the queen came in soon after, with
a pot full of water in her hand. She mumbled over the pot some words,
unknown to the king, till such time as the water began to boil; when she
took some of it in her hand, and sprinkling a little upon the bird, said,
By virtue of these holy and mysterious words I am going to pronounce, and
in the name of the Creator both of heaven and earth, who raises the dead,
and maintains the universe in its distinct state, quit that form of a
bird, and reassume that form which thou receivedst from thy Creator.
The words were scarce out of the queen’s mouth, when, instead of a bird,
the king saw a young prince of good shape, air, and mien. King Beder
immediately fell on his knees, and thanked God for the mercy that had
been bestowed upon him. Then he took the king’s hand, who helped him up,
and kissed it as a token of his acknowledgment; but the king embraced him
with a great deal of joy, and testified to him the great satisfaction he
had to see him. He would then have paid his acknowledgments to the queen,
but she was already retired to her apartment. The king made him sit at
the table with him, and after supper was over, he prayed him to relate to
him how the princess Giahaure had had the inhumanity to transform him
into a bird, so agreeable and amiable a prince as he was; and the king of
Persia immediately applied himself to satisfy him. When he had done, the
king, disdaining the proceeding of the princess, could not help blaming
her. It was commendable, said he, in the princess of Samarcand, not to be
insensible of the king her father’s ill treatment; but to carry her
vengeance so far, and especially against one that was not culpable, was
by no means to be excused, and she will never be able to justify herself.
But let us have done with this discourse, and tell me, I beseech you, in
what I can farther serve you.
Sir, answered king Beder, my obligation to your majesty has been so
great, that I ought to remain with you all my life-time to testify my
acknowledgments; but since your majesty has set no limits to your
generosity, I humbly entreat you to grant me one of your ships to
transport me to Persia, where I fear my absence, which has been but too
long, may have occasioned some disorder; and moreover, that the queen my
mother, from whom I concealed my departure, may be dead of grief, under
the uncertainty she must needs be of my life or of my death.
The king granted what he desired with all the good will imaginable, and
immediately gave orders for equipping one of his largest ships and best
sailers in all his numerous fleet. The ship was soon furnished with all
its complement of men, provisions, and ammunition; and as soon as the
wind became fair, king Beder embarked, after having taken leave of the
king, and thanked him for all his favours.
The ship sailed before the wind for ten days together, which made it
advance considerably. The eleventh day the wind changed, and becoming
very violent, there followed a furious tempest. The ship was not only
driven out of its course, but so grievously agitated, that all its masts
were thrown overboard; and driving along at the pleasure of the wind, it
at length struck against a rock and bulged.
The greatest part of the people were drowned, though some few were saved
by swimming, and others by getting on pieces of the wreck. King Beder was
one of the last; when, after having been tossed about for some time under
great uncertainty of his fate, he at length perceived himself near the
shore, and not far from a city that seemed large. He used his utmost
endeavours to reach the land, and was at length so fortunate to come so
near as to be able to touch the ground with his feet. He then immediately
abandoned his piece of wood, which had been of so great service to him;
but when he came pretty near the shore, he was greatly surprised to see
horses, camels, mules, asses, oxen, cows, bulls, and other animals,
crowding towards the shore, and putting themselves in a posture to oppose
his landing. He had all the difficulty in the world to conquer their
obstinacy, and force his way; but at length he did it, which when done,
he sheltered himself among the rocks till such time as he had recovered
his breath, and dried his clothes in the sun.
When the prince advanced to enter the city, he met with the same
opposition from these animals, who seemed to intend to make him forego
his design, and give him to understand it was dangerous to proceed.
King Beder, however, got into the city soon after, and saw many fair and
spacious streets, but was surprised to find never a man there. This made
him think it was not without a cause that so many animals had opposed his
passage. Going forward, nevertheless, he observed divers shops open,
which gave him reason to believe the place was not destitute of
inhabitants, as he imagined. He approached one of these shops, where
several sorts of fruits were exposed to sale, and saluted very
courteously an old man that was sitting there.
The old man, who was busy about something, suddenly lifted up his head,
and seeing a youth that showed some grandeur in his air, started, and
asked him whence he came, and what business had brought him hither. King
Beder satisfied him in a few words; and the old man farther asked him, if
he had met any body on the road. You are the first person I have seen,
answered the king; and I cannot comprehend how so fine and large a city
comes to be without inhabitants. Come in, sir, stay no longer on the
threshold, replied the old man, or peradventure some misfortune may
happen to you. I will satisfy your curiosity at leisure, and give you a
reason why it is necessary you should take this precaution.
King Beder would not be bid twice. He entered the shop, and sat himself
down by the old man. The old man, who had learned from him an account of
his misfortunes, knew he must needs want nourishment, therefore
immediately presented him with what was necessary to recover his spirits;
and, although king Beder was very earnest to know why he gave him that
precaution before he entered the shop, he would nevertheless not be
prevailed upon to tell him any thing till he had done eating, for fear
the sad things he had to relate might balk his appetite. In a word, when
he found he ate no longer, he said to him, You have great reason to thank
God you got hither without any ill accident. Alas! why? replied king
Beder, very much surprised and alarmed.
Because, answered he, this city is the city of enchantments, and governed
not by a king, but a queen, who is not only one of the finest women of
her sex, but likewise a dangerous sorceress. You will be convinced of
this, added he, when you come to know that these horses, mules, and other
animals that you have seen, are so many men like you and me, whom she has
transformed by her diabolical art: and for young men like you only, that
come to enter into the city, she has hired servants to stop and bring
them, either by good will or force, before her. She receives them with
all the seeming civility in the world: she caresses them, she treats and
lodges them magnificently, and gives them so many reasons to believe that
she loves them, that they think they cannot be mistaken. But she does not
suffer them to enjoy long their happiness. Not one of them but she has
transformed into some animal or bird, within the space of forty days. You
told me those animals presented themselves to oppose your landing, and
hinder your entering the city; and I must now tell you they were your
friends, and what they did was to make you comprehend the danger you were
going to expose yourself to.
This account afflicted exceedingly the young king of Persia. Alas! cried
he out aloud, to what extremities has my ill fortune reduced me! I am
hardly freed from one enchantment, which I look back upon with horror,
but I incur another much more terrible to me. This gave him occasion to
relate his story to the old man much more at length, and to acquaint him
of his birth and quality, his passion for the princess of Samarcand, and
her cruelty in changing him into a bird, the very moment he came to see
and declare his love to her.
When the prince came to that passage where he spoke of his good fortune
in finding a queen that broke the enchantment, the old man said to him,
Notwithstanding all I have told you of the magic queen being true, yet
that ought not to give you the least disquiet, since I am generally
beloved throughout the city, and am not even unknown to the queen
herself, who has no small respect for me; therefore it was your peculiar
happiness to address yourself to me rather than elsewhere. You are secure
in my house, where I advise you to continue, if you think fit; and,
provided, you do not stray from hence, I dare assure you, you will have
no just cause to complain of my breach of faith; so that you are under no
sort of constraint whatsoever.
King Beder thanked the old man for his kind reception of him, and the
protection he was pleased to afford him. Then he sat down at the entrance
into the shop, where he no sooner appeared, than his youth and good mien
drew the eyes of all that passed that way on him. Many stopped and
complimented the old man on his having so fine a slave, as they imagined
the king to be; and they could not comprehend how so beautiful a youth
could escape the queen’s knowledge. Believe not, said the old man, this
is a slave: you all know I am not rich enough to have one of this
consequence: he is my nephew, son of a brother of mine that is dead; and
as I had no children of my own, I sent for him to keep me company. They
all congratulated his good fortune, in having so fine a young man for his
relation; but withal told him, they feared the queen would take him from
him. You know her well, said they to him; and you cannot be ignorant of
the danger you expose yourself and nephew to, after all the examples you
have seen of the kind. How grieved would you be, if she should serve you
as she has done so many others!
I am obliged to you, gentlemen, replied the old man, for your good will
towards me, and I thank you for the care you seem to take of my interest;
but I shall never entertain the least thought that the queen will do me
any injury, after all the kindness she has professed for me. In case she
happens to hear of this young man, and speaks to me about him, I doubt
not but she will be contented to excuse him, as soon as she comes to know
he is my nephew.
The old man was exceedingly glad to hear the commendations they bestowed
on the young king of Persia. He was as much affected with them as if he
had been his own son; and he conceived such a kindness for him, as
augmented every day during the stay he made with him. They lived about a
month together, when king Beder, sitting at the shop-door after his
ordinary manner, queen Labe (so was this magic queen’s name) happened to
come by with great pomp. The young king no sooner perceived the guards
coming, who marched before her, than he arose, and going into the shop,
asked the old man what all that show meant. The queen is coming by,
answered he; but stand you still, and fear nothing.
The queen’s guards, clothed in purple, and well armed and mounted,
marched in four files, with their sabres drawn, to the number of a
thousand, and not one of their officers but, as they passed by the shop,
saluted the old man. Then followed a like number of eunuchs habited in
brocade silk, and better mounted, whose officers did the old man the like
honours. Next came as many young ladies on foot, equally beautiful,
richly dressed, and set off with precious stones. They marched gravely,
with half pikes in their hands; and in the midst of them appeared queen
Labe, on a horse all glittering with diamonds, with a golden saddle, and
a housing of inestimable price. All the young ladies saluted the old man
as they passed by him; and the queen, moved with the good mien of king
Beder, stopped as soon as she came over-against the shop. Abdallah, (so
was the old man’s name,) said she to him, tell me, I beseech thee, does
that beautiful and charming slave belong to thee, and is it long that
thou hast been in possession of him?
Abdallah, before he answered the queen, threw himself on the ground, and
rising again, said, Madam, he is my nephew, son of a brother I had, who
has been dead for some time. Having no children, I look upon him as my
son, and sent for him to come and comfort me, intending to leave him what
I have when I die.
Queen Labe, who had never yet seen any one that pleased her so well as
king Beder, and who began to conceive a mighty passion for him, thought
immediately of getting the old man to abandon him to her. Father, quoth
she, will not you oblige me so far as to make me a present of this young
man? Do not refuse me, I conjure you; and I swear by the fire and the
light, I will make him as great and powerful as ever private man was in
the world. Although my design be to do evil to all mankind, yet he shall
be the sole exception. I trust you will grant me what I desire, more on
account of the friendship you have for me, than the esteem you know I
have always had, and shall ever have, for your person.
Madam, replied the good Abdallah, I am infinitely obliged to your majesty
for all the kindness you have for me, and the honours you propose to do
my nephew. He is not worthy to approach so great a queen, and I humbly
beseech your majesty to excuse him.
Abdallah, replied the queen, I all along flattered myself you loved me,
and I could never have thought you would have given me so evident a token
of your slighting my request: but I swear once more by the fire and
light, and even by whatsoever is most sacred in my religion, that I will
pass on no farther until I have conquered thy obstinacy. I understand
very well what raises fears in thee; but I here promise, thou shalt never
have any occasion to repent thy having trusted me.
Old Abdallah was exceedingly grieved, in relation to king Beder and
himself, for being in a manner forced to obey the queen. Madam,
therefore, replied he, I would not willingly have your majesty have an
ill opinion of the sincere respect I have for you, but would always
contribute whatever I can to oblige you: I put an entire confidence in
your royal word, and I do not in the least doubt but you will keep it: I
only beg of your majesty to delay doing this great honour to my nephew
till you shall again pass by this way. That shall be to-morrow, quoth the
queen; and so saying, she inclined her head, as a token of her being
pleased, and so went forward towards her palace.
When queen Labe and all her attendants were out of sight, the good
Abdallah said to king Beder, Son, (for so he was wont to call him, for
fear of some time or other betraying himself in public,) it has not been
in my power, as you may have observed, to refuse the queen what she
demanded of me with so great earnestness, to the end I might not force
her to an extremity of employing her magic both against you and myself.
But I have some reason to believe she will use you well, as she promised,
on account of that particular esteem she professes for me. This you may
have seen, by the respect both she and all her court paid me. She would
be a cursed creature indeed, if she should deceive me; but in case she
should, she shall not deceive me unrevenged, for I know how to be even
with her.
All these assurances, which appeared very doubtful, were not sufficient
to support king Beder’s spirits. After all you have told me of this
queen’s wickedness, replied he, you cannot wonder if I am somewhat
fearful to approach her. I should, it may be, slight all you could tell
me of her, and suffer myself to be dazzled by the lustre of grandeur that
surrounds her, if I had not already been at the mercy of a sorceress. The
condition I was in, through the enchantment of the princess Giahaure, and
from whence I was delivered only to enter anew into another, has made me
look upon such a fate with horror. His tears hindered him from going on
any farther, and sufficiently showed with what repugnance he held himself
in a manner under a fatal necessity of being delivered to queen Labe.
Son, replied old Abdallah, do not afflict yourself; for though I must own
there is no great stress to be laid upon the oaths and promises of so
perfidious a queen, yet I must withal acquaint you, her power extends no
farther than I am pleased to permit it: she knows it full well herself;
and that is the reason, and no other, that she pays me so great respect.
I can quickly hinder her from doing you the least harm, though she should
be perfidious enough to attempt it. You may entirely depend upon me; and,
provided you follow exactly the advice I shall give you before I abandon
you to her, she shall have no more power over you than she has over me.
The magic queen did not fail to pass by the old man’s shop the next day,
with the same pomp she had done the day before; and Abdallah waited for
her with great respect. Father, cried she, stopping just against him, you
may judge of my impatience to have your nephew with me, by my punctual
coming to put you in mind of your promise: I know you are a man of your
word, and I cannot think you will break it with me.
Abdallah, who fell on his knees as soon as he saw the queen approaching,
rose up when she had done speaking; and as he would have nobody hear what
he had a mind to say to her, he advanced with great respect as far as her
horse’s head, and then said softly, Puissant queen! I am persuaded your
majesty will not be offended at my seeming unwillingness to trust my
nephew with you yesterday, since you cannot be ignorant of the reasons I
had for it; but I conjure you to lay aside the secrets of that art which
you possess in so wonderful a degree. I respect my nephew as my own son;
and your majesty would reduce me to the utmost despair, if you should
think fit to deal with him as you have done with others.