his steed, so he mounted and rode down-stream to the drawbridge which he
crossed and presently threaded the woodland paths and passed into the
open meadow. As soon as he was clear of the trees he was aware of
horsemen which made him stand on the alert, and he bared his brand and
rode cautiously; but as they drew near and exchanged curious looks he
recognized them and behold, it was the Wazir Dandan and two of his
Emirs. When they saw him and knew him, they dismounted and saluting him,
asked the reason of his absence; whereupon he told them all that had
passed between him and Princess Abrizah from first to last. The Wazir
returned thanks to Almighty Allah for his safety and said,[213] "Let us
at once leave these lands; for the envoys who came with us are gone to
inform the King of our approach, and haply he will hasten to fall on us
and take us prisoners." So Sharrkan cried to his men to saddle and
mount, which they did and, setting out at once, they stinted not faring
till they reached the sole of the valley wherein the host lay. The
Ambassadors meanwhile had reported Sharrkan's approach to their King,
who forthright equipped a host to lay hold of him and those with him.
But Sharrkan, escorted by the Wazir Dandan and the two Emirs, had no
sooner sighted the army, than he raised the cry "March! March!" They
took horse on the instant and fared through the first day and second and
third day, nor did they cease faring for five days; at the end of which
time they alighted in a well-wooded valley, where they rested awhile.
Then they again set out and stayed not riding for five and twenty days
which placed them on the frontiers of their own country. Here, deeming
themselves safe, they halted to rest; and the country people came out to
them with guest-gifts for the men and provender and forage for the
beasts. They tarried there two days after which, as all would be making
for their homes, Sharrkan put the Wazir Dandan in command, bidding him
lead the host back to Baghdad. But he himself remained behind with an
hundred riders, till the rest of the army had made one day's march: then
he called "To horse!" and mounted with his hundred men. They rode on two
parasangs'[214] space till they arrived at a gorge between two mountains
and lo! there arose before them a dark cloud of sand and dust. So they
checked their steeds awhile till the dust opened and lifted, discovering
beneath it an hundred cavaliers, lion-faced and in mail-coats cased. As
soon as they drew within earshot of Sharrkan and his meiny they cried
out to them, saying, "By the virtue of John and Mary, we have won to our
wish! We have been following you by forced marches, night and day, till
we forewent you to this place. So dismount and lay down your arms and
yield yourselves, that we may grant you your lives." When Sharrkan heard
this, his eyes stood out from his head and his cheeks flushed red and he
said "How is it, O Nazarene dogs, ye dare enter our country and
overmarch our land? And doth not this suffice you, but ye must adventure
your selves and address us in such unseemly speech? Do you think to
escape out of our hands and return to your country?" Then he shouted to
his hundred horsemen, "Up and at these hounds, for they even you in
number!" So saying, he bared his sabre and bore down on them, he and
his, but the Franks met them with hearts firmer than rocks, and wight
clashed against wight, and knight dashed upon knight, and hot waxed the
fight, and sore was the affright, and nor parley nor cries of quarter
helped their plight; and they stinted not to charge and to smite, right
hand meeting right, nor to hack and hew with blades bright-white, till
day turned to night and gloom oppressed the sight. Then they drew apart
and Sharrkan mustered his men and found none wounded save four only, who
showed hurts but not death-hurts. Said he to them, "By Allah, my life
long have I waded in the clashing sea of fight and I have met many a
gallant sprite, but none so unfrightened of the sword that smites and
the shock of men that affrights like these valiant Knights!" "Know, O
King," said they, "that there is among them a Frankish cavalier who is
their leader and, indeed, he is a man of valour and fatal is his
spear-thrust: but, by Allah, he spares us great and small; for whoso
falls into his hands he lets him go and forbears to slay him. By Allah,
had he willed he had killed us all." Sharrkan was astounded when he
heard what the Knight had done and such high report of him, so he said,
"When the morn shall morrow, we will draw out and defy them, for we are
an hundred to their hundred; and we will seek aid against them from the
Lord of the Heavens." So they rested that night in such intent; whilst
the Franks gathered round their Captain and said, "Verily this day we
did not win our will of these;" and he replied, "At early dawn when the
morrow shall morn, we will draw out and challenge them, one after one."
They also rested in that mind, and both camps kept guard until Almighty
Allah sent the light of day-dawn. Thereupon King Sharrkan and his
hundred riders took horse and rode forth to the plain, where they found
the Franks ranged in line of battle; and Sharrkan said to his followers,
"Our foes have determined like ourselves to do their devoir; so up and
at them and lay on load." Then came forth an Herald of the Franks and
cried out, saying, "Let there be no general engagement betwixt us this
day, save by the duello, a champion of yours against a champion of
ours." Whereupon one of Sharrkan's riders dashed out from the ranks and
drave between the two lines crying, "Ho! who is for smiting? Let no
dastard engage me this day nor nidering!" Hardly had he made an end of
his vaunt, when there sallied forth to him a Frankish cavalier, armed
cap-à-pie and clad in a surcoat of gold stuff, riding on a grey-white
steed,[215] and he had no hair on his cheeks. He urged his charger on to
the midst of the battle-plain and the two fell to derring-do of cut and
thrust, but it was not long before the Frank foined the Moslem with the
lance-point; and, toppling him from his steed, took him prisoner and led
him off crestfallen. His folk rejoiced in their comrade and, forbidding
him to go out again to the field, sent forth another, to whom sallied
out another Moslem, brother to the captive, and offered him battle. The
two fell to, either against other, and fought for a little while, till
the Frank bore down upon the Moslem and, falsing him with a feint,
tumbled him by a thrust of the lance-heel from his destrier and took him
prisoner. After this fashion the Moslems ceased not dashing forwards,
one after one, and the Franks to unhorse them and take them captive,
till day departed and the night with darkness upstarted. Now they had
captured of the Moslems twenty cavaliers, and when Sharrkan saw this, it
was grievous to him and he mustered his men and said to them, "What is
this thing that hath befallen us? To-morrow, I myself will go forth to
the field and offer singular combat to their chief and learn what is the
cause of his entering our land and warn him against doing battle with
our band. If he persist, we will punish him with death, and if he prove
peaceable we will make peace with him." They nighted on this wise till
Allah Almighty caused the morn to dawn, when mounted the twain and drew
up for battle fain; and Sharrkan was going forth to the plain, but
behold, more than one half of the Franks dismounted and remained on foot
before one of them who was mounted, till they reached the midst of the
battle-plain. Sharrkan looked at that horseman and lo! he was their
chief. He was clad in a surcoat of blue satin and a close-ringed mail
shirt; his face was as the moon when it rises and no hair was upon his
cheeks. He hent in hand an Indian scymitar and he rode a sable steed
with a white blaze on brow, like a dirham; and he smote the horse with
heel till he stood almost in the midst of the field when, signing to the
Moslems, he cried out in fluent Arab speech, "Ho, Sharrkan! Ho, son of
Omar bin al-Nu'uman! Ho, thou who forcest fortalice and overthrowest
cities and countries! up and out to battle-bout, and blade single-handed
wield with one who halves with thee the field! Thou art Prince of thy
people and I am Prince of mine; and whoso overcometh his adversary, him
let the other's men obey and come under his sway." Hardly had he ended
his speech, when out came Sharrkan with a heart full of fury, and urging
his steed into the midst of the field, closed like a raging lion with
the Frank who encountered him with wariness and steadfastness and met
him with the meeting of warriors. Then they fell to foining and hewing,
and they stinted not of onset and offset, and give and take, as they
were two mountains clashing together or two seas together dashing; nor
did they cease fighting until day darkened and night starkened. Then
they drew apart and each returned to his own party; but as soon as
Sharrkan foregathered with his comrades, he said, "Never looked I on the
like of this cavalier: he hath one quality I have not yet seen in any
and this it is that, when his foemen uncovereth a place for the
death-blow, he reverseth his weapon and smiteth with the lance-heel! In
very deed I know not what will be the issue 'twixt him and me; but 'tis
my wish that we had in our host his like and the like of his men." Then
he went to his rest for the night and, when morning dawned, the Frank
came forth and rode down to the mid-field, where Sharrkan met him; and
they fell to fighting and to wheeling, left and right; and necks were
stretched out to see the sight, nor did they stint from strife and
sword-play and lunge of lance with main and might, till the day turned
to night and darkness overwhelmed the light. Then the twain drew asunder
and returned each to his own camp, where both related to their comrades
what had befallen them in the duello; and at last the Frank said to his
men, "To-morrow shall decide the matter!" So they both passed that night
restfully till dawn; and, as soon as it was day, they mounted and each
bore down on other and ceased not to fight till half the day was done.
Then the Frank bethought him of a ruse; first urging his steed with heel
and then checking him with the rein, so that he stumbled and fell with
his rider; thereupon Sharrkan threw himself on the foe, and would have
smitten him with the sword fearing lest the strife be prolonged, when
the Frank cried out to him, "O Sharrkan, champions are not wont to do
thus! This is the act of a man accustomed to be beaten by a woman."[216]
When Sharrkan heard this, he raised his eyes to the Frank's face and
gazing steadfastly at him, recognized in him Princess Abrizah with whom
that pleasant adventure had befallen him in the convent; whereupon he
cast brand from hand and, kissing the earth before her, asked her, "What
moved thee to a deed like this?"; and she answered, "I desired to prove
thy prowess afield and test thy doughtiness in tilting and jousting.
These that are with me are my handmaids, and they are all clean maids;
yet they have vanquished thy horsemen in fair press and stress of plain;
and had not my steed stumbled with me, thou shouldst have seen my might
and prowess in combat." Sharrkan smiled at her speech and said, "Praise
be to Allah for safety and for my reunion with thee, O Queen of the
age." Then she cried out to her damsels to loose the twenty captives of
Sharrkan's troop and dismount. They did as she bade and came and kissed
the earth before her and Sharrkan who said to them, "It is the like of
you that Kings keep in store for the need-hour." Then he signed to his
comrades to salute the Princess; so all alighted and kissed the earth
before her, for they knew the story. After this, the whole two hundred
took horse, and fared on night and day for six days' space, till they
drew near to Baghdad, when they halted and Sharrkan bade Abrizah and her
handmaids doff the Frankish garb that was on them——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Fifty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sharrkan bade
Princess Abrizah and her damsels doff the garb that was on them and don
the garments of daughters of Greece; and thus did they. Then he
despatched a company of his companions to Baghdad to acquaint his father
Omar bin al-Nu'uman, with his arrival and report that he was accompanied
by Princess Abrizah, daughter of King Hardub, Lord of Græcia-land. They
halted forthright in the place they had reached, and Sharrkan also
halted and all nighted there; and when Almighty Allah made morning dawn,
Sharrkan and his company and Abrizah and her company took horse and
fared on towards the city; when lo! on the way they met the Wazir
Dandan, who had come out amongst a thousand horse, to honour Abrizah and
Sharrkan, by especial commandment of King Omar Son of Al-Nu'uman. When
the two drew near, they turned towards them and kissed ground before
them; then they mounted again and escorted them into the city and went
up with them to the palace. Sharrkan walked in to his father, who rose
and embraced him and questioned him of his case. So he told him all that
Abrizah had told him, and what had passed between them and said, "She
hath parted from her sire and departed from her reign and hath chosen to
take part with us and to make her abode with us; and indeed (he said to
his father) the King of Constantinople hath plotted to do us a mischief,
because of his daughter Sophia, for that the King of Greece had made
known to him her story and the cause of her being given to thee; and he
(the Grecian King) not knowing her to be daughter of King Afridun, Lord
of Constantinople; and, had he known that, he would not have bestowed
her upon thee, but he would have restored her to her parent. And of a
verity (he continued) we were saved from these perils only by the Lady
Abrizah, and never saw we a more valiant than she." And he went on to
tell his father all that had passed from first to last of the wrestling
and the single-fighting. When King Omar heard the story of Sharrkan,
Abrizah was exalted in his eyes, and he longed to see her and question
her. Thereupon Sharrkan went out to her and said, "The King calleth for
thee;" she replied, "I hear and I obey;" and he took her and brought her
in to his father, who was seated on his throne and who, having dismissed
his high officers, was attended only by his eunuchs. The Princess
entered and kissing the ground between his hands, saluted him in choice
terms. He was amazed at her eloquent speech and thanked her for her
dealing with his son Sharrkan and bade her be seated. So she sat down
and unveiled her face;[217] and, when the King saw her beauty, his
reason fled his head and he made her draw near and showed her favour,
appointing her an especial palace for herself and her damsels, and
assigning them solde and allowances. Then began he to ask her of the
three jewels aforesaid, and she answered, "Here be they with me, O King
of the age!" So saying, she rose and going to her lodging, unpacked her
baggage and from it brought out a box and from the box a casket of gold.
She opened the casket and taking out those three jewels, kissed them and
gave them to the King. Then she went away bearing his heart with her.
After her going the King sent for his son Sharrkan and gave him one
jewel of the three, and when he enquired of the other two replied, "O my
son! I mean to give one to thy brother Zau al-Makan, and the other to
thy sister Nuzhat al-Zaman." But when Sharrkan heard that he had a
brother (for to that time he knew only of his sister) he turned to his
sire and said to him, "O King, hast thou a son other than myself?" He
answered, "Yes, and he is now six years old;" adding that his name was
Zau al-Makan and that he and Nuzhat al-Zaman were twins, born at a
birth. This news was grievous to Sharrkan, but he kept his secret and
said, "The blessing of Allah Most High be upon them!"; and he cast the
jewel from his hand and shook the dust off his clothes. Quoth the King,
"How do I see thee change thy manner when hearing of this, considering
that after me thou becomest heir of the kingdom. Of a truth the troops
have sworn to thee and the Emirs and Grandees have taken the oath of
succession to thee; and this one of the three jewels is thine." Sharrkan
bowed his head to the ground and was ashamed to bandy words with his
parent so he accepted the jewel and went away, knowing not what to do
for exceeding wrath, and stayed not walking till he had entered
Abrizah's palace. As he approached she stood up to meet him and thanked
him for what he had done and prayed for blessings on him and his sire.
Then she sat down and seated him by her side; but when he had taken his
place she saw rage in his face and questioned him, whereupon he told her
that Allah had blessed his father with two children by Sophia, a boy and
a girl, and that he had named the boy Zau al-Makan and the girl Nuzhat
al-Zaman; adding, "He hath kept the other two jewels for them and hath
given me one of thine, so I left it behind; I knew naught of Zau
al-Makan's birth till this day, and the twain are now six years old. So
when I learnt this, wrath possessed me; and I tell thee the reason of my
rage and hide nothing from thee. But now I fear lest my father take thee
to wife, for he loveth thee and I saw in him signs of desire for thee:
so what wilt thou say, if he wish this?" Quoth she, "Know, O Sharrkan,
that thy father hath no dominion over me, nor can he have me without my
consent; and if he prevail over me by force, I will take my own life. As
for the three jewels, it was not my intent that he should give any of
them to either of his children and I had no thought but that he would
lay them up in his treasury with his things of price; but now I desire
of thy favour that thou make me a present of the jewel which he gave
thee, if thou have accepted it." "Hearkening and obedience," replied
Sharrkan, and gave it to her. Then said she, "Fear nothing," and talked
with him awhile and continued, "I fear lest my father hear that I am
with you and sit not patiently under my loss, but do his endeavours to
find me; and to that end he may ally himself with King Afridun, on
account of his daughter Sophia, and both come on thee with armies and so
there befal great turmoil." When Sharrkan heard these words, he said to
her, "O my lady, if it please thee to sojourn with us, take no thought
of them; though there gather together against us all that be on land and
on sea." "'Tis well," rejoined she; "if ye entreat me fair, I will tarry
with you, and if ye deal evilly by me, I will depart from you." Then she
bade her slave-maidens bring food; so they set the tables, and Sharrkan
ate a little and went away to his own house, disturbed and perturbed.
Such was his case; but regarding the affairs of his father, Omar bin
al-Nu'uman, after dismissing his son Sharrkan he arose and, taking the
other two jewels, betook himself to the Lady Sophia, who stood up when
she saw him and remained standing till he was seated. Presently, his two
children, Zau al-Makan and Nuzhat al-Zaman, came to him and he kissed
them and hung a jewel round each one's neck, at which they rejoiced and
kissed his hands. Then went they to their mother, who joyed in their joy
and wished the King long life; so he asked her, "Why hast thou not
informed me all this time that thou art the daughter of King Afridun,
Lord of Constantinople, that I might have honoured thee still more and
enlarged thee in dignity and raised thy rank?" "O King," answered
Sophia, "and what could I desire greater or higher than this my standing
with thee, overwhelmed as I am with thy favours and thy benefits? And,
furthermore, Allah hath blessed me with two children by thee, a son and
a daughter." Her reply pleased the King and after leaving her, he set
apart for her and her children a wondrous fine palace. Moreover, he
appointed for them eunuchs and attendants and doctors of law and doctors
of philosophy and astrologers and physicians and surgeons to do them
service; and in every way he redoubled his favour and entreated them
with the best of treatment. And presently he returned to the palace of
his dominion and to his Court where he distributed justice among the
lieges. So far concerning him and Sophia and her children; but in the
matter of Abrizah the King was greatly occupied with love of her and
burnt with desire of her night and day; and every night, he would go in
to her and converse with her and pay his court to her, but she gave him
no answer, only saying, "O King of the age! I have no desire for men at
this present." When he saw her withdraw from him, his passion waxed
hotter and his longing and pining increased until, when weary of this,
he summoned his Wazir Dandan and, opening his very heart to him, told
him of his love for Princess Abrizah, daughter of Hardub, and informed
him how she refused to yield to his wishes and how desire for her was
doing him to die, for that he could get no grace of her. The Wazir,
hearing these words, said to the King, "As soon as it is dark night,
take thou a piece of Bhang the measure of a miskal, about an ounce, and
go in to her and drink somewhat of wine with her. When the hour of
ending the carousal shall draw near, fill her a last cup and dropping
therein the Bhang, give it to her to drink, and she will not reach her
sleeping-chamber ere the drug take effect on her. Then do thou go in to
her and take thy will of her; and such is my advice."[218] "Thy rede is
aright," quoth the King, and seeking his treasury, he took thence a
piece of concentrated Bhang, if an elephant smelt it he would sleep from
year to year. This he put in his bosom-pocket and waited till some
little of the night went by, when he betook himself to the palace of
Princess Abrizah, who seeing him stood up to receive him; but he bade
her sit down. So she sat down, and he sat by her, and he began to talk
with her of wine and wassail, whereupon she furnished the
carousing-table[219] and placed it before him. Then she set on the
drinking vessels and lighted the candles and ordered to bring dried
fruits and sweetmeats and all that pertaineth to drinking. So they fell
to tippling and the King ceased not to pledge her till drunkenness crept
into her head; and seeing this he took out the bit of Bhang from his
pocket and, holding it between his fingers, filled a cup with his own
hand and drank it off. Then filling a second he said, "To thy
companionship!"; and dropped the drug into her cup, she knowing naught
of it. She took it and drank it off; then she rose and went to her
sleeping-chamber. He waited for less than an hour till he was assured
that the dose had taken effect on her and had robbed her of her senses,
when he went in to her and found her thrown on her back: and she had
doffed her petticoat-trousers and the air raised the skirt of her shift
and discovered what was between her thighs. When the King saw the state
of things and found a lighted candle at her head and another at her
feet, shining upon what her thighs enshrined he took leave of his five
senses for lust and Satan seduced him and he could not master himself,
but put off his trousers and fell upon her and abated her maidenhead.
Then he rose off her and went to one of her women, by name Marjánah, and
said, "Go in to thy lady and speak with her." So she went in to her
mistress and found her lying on her back insensible, with the blood
running down to the calves of her legs, whereupon she took a kerchief
and wiped away the blood and lay by her that night. As soon as Almighty
Allah brought the dawn, the handmaid Marjanah washed her mistress's
hands and feet and brought rose-water and bathed her face and mouth with
it, whereupon she sneezed and yawned and cast up from her inside that
bit of Bhang like a bolus.[220] Then she revived and washed her hands
and mouth and said to Marjanah, "Tell me what hath befallen me." So she
told her what had passed and how she had found her, lying on her back,
with the blood running down, wherefore she knew that King Omar bin
al-Nu'uman had lain with her and had undone her and taken his will of
her. At this she grieved with exceeding grief and retired into privacy,
saying to her damsels, "Deny me to whoso would come in to me and say to
him that I am ill, till I see what Allah will do with me." Presently the
news of her sickness came to the King; so he sent her sherbets and sugar
electuaries. Some months she thus passed in solitude, during which time
the King's flame cooled and his desire for her was quenched, so that he
abstained from her. Now she had conceived by him, and when the months of
child-breeding had gone by, her pregnancy appeared and her belly
swelled, and the world was straitened upon her, so she said to her
handmaid Marjanah, "Know that it is not the folk who have wronged me,
but I who sinned against my own self[221] in that I left my father and
mother and country. Indeed, I abhor life, for my spirit is broken and
neither courage nor strength is left me. I used, when I mounted my
steed, to have the mastery of him, but now I am unable to ride. If I be
brought to bed among them I shall be dishonoured before my hand-women
and every one in the palace will know that he hath taken my maidenhead
in the way of shame; and if I return to my father, with what face shall
I meet him or with what face shall I have recourse to him? How well
quoth the poet:—
Say, what shall solace one who hath nor home nor stable stead ✿ Nor
cup-companion, nor a cup, nor place to house his head?"