city hight the Green City, wherein dwelt a King named Sulaymán Sháh. Now
he was a man of liberality and beneficence, of justice and integrity, of
generosity and sincerity, to whom travellers repaired from every
country, and his name was noised abroad in all regions and cities and he
reigned many a year in high worship and prosperity, save that he owned
neither wives nor children. He had a Minister who rivalled him in
goodness and generosity and it so happened that one day, he sent for him
and when he came into the presence said to him, "O my Wazir, my heart is
heavy and my patience is past and my force faileth me, for that I have
neither wife nor child. This is not the way of Kings who rule over all
men, princes and paupers; for they rejoice in leaving behind them
children and successors whereby are doubled their number and their
strength. Quoth the Prophet (whom Allah bless and keep!):—Marry ye,
increase ye, and multiply ye, that I may boast me of your superiority
over the nations on the Day of Resurrection. So what is thy rede, O
Wazir? Advise me of what course and contrivance be advisable!" When the
Minister heard these words, the tears sprang from his eyes in streams,
and he replied, "Far be it from me, O King of the Age, that I debate on
that which appertaineth to the Compassionate One! Wilt thou have me cast
into the fire by the All-powerful King's wrath and ire? Buy thee a
concubine." Rejoined the King, "Know, O Wazir, that when a sovereign
buyeth a female slave, he knoweth neither her rank nor her lineage and
thus he cannot tell if she be of simple origin that he may abstain from
her, or of gentle strain that he may be intimate in her companionship.
So, if he have commerce with her, haply she will conceive by him and her
son be a hypocrite, a man of wrath and a shedder of blood. Indeed the
like of such woman may be instanced by a salt and marshy soil, which if
one till for ever it yieldeth only worthless growth and no endurance
showeth; for it may be that her son will be obnoxious to his Lord's
anger, doing not what He biddeth him or abstaining from what He
forbiddeth him. Wherefore will I never become the cause of this through
the purchase of a concubine; and it is my desire that thou demand for me
in marriage the daughter of some one of the Kings, whose lineage is
known and whose loveliness hath renown. If thou can direct me to some
maiden of birth and piety of the daughters of Moslem Sovranty, I will
ask her in marriage and wed her in presence of witnesses, so may accrue
to me the favour of the Lord of all Creatures." Said the Wazir, "O King,
verily Allah hath fulfilled thy wish and hath brought thee to thy
desire;" presently adding, "Know, O King, it hath come to my knowledge
that King Zahr Shah,[460] Lord of the White Land, hath a daughter of
surpassing loveliness whose charms talk and tale fail to express: she
hath not her equal in this age, for she is perfect in proportion and
symmetry, black eyed as if Kohl-dyed and long locked, wee of waist and
heavy of hip. When she draweth nigh she seduceth and when she turneth
her back[461] she slayeth; she ravisheth heart and view and she looketh
even as saith of her the poet:—
A thin-waist maid who shames the willow-wand; ✿ Nor sun nor moon
can like her rising shine:
'Tis as her honey-dew of lips were blent ✿ With wine, and pearls
of teeth were bathed in wine;
Her form, like heavenly Houri's, graceful slim; ✿ Fair face; and
ruin dealt by glancing eyne:
How many a dead-done man her eyes have slain ✿ Upon her way of love
in ruin li'en:
An live I she's my death! I'll say no more ✿ But dying without her
vain were life of mine."
Now when the Wazir had made an end of describing that maiden, he said to
King Zahr Shah, "It is my counsel, O King, that thou despatch to her
father an ambassador, sagacious, experienced and trained in the ways of
the world, who shall courteously demand her in marriage for thee of her
sire; for in good sooth she hath not her equal in the far parts of the
world nor in the near." So shalt thou enjoy her lovely face in the way
of grace, and the Lord of Glory be content with thy case; for it is
reported of the Prophet (whom Allah bless and preserve!) that he said,
"There be no monkery in Al-Islam." At this the King was transported to
perfect joy; his breast was broadened and lightened; care and cark
ceased from him and he turned to the Wazir and said, "Know thou, O
Minister, that none shall fare about this affair save thou, by reason of
thy consummate intelligence and good breeding; wherefore hie thee home
and do all thou hast to do and get thee ready by the morrow and depart
and demand me in marriage this maiden, with whom thou hast occupied my
heart and thought; and return not to me but with her." Replied the
Wazir, "I hear and I obey." Then he hied to his own house and bade make
ready presents befitting Kings, of precious stones and things of price
and other matters light of load but weighty of worth, besides Rabite
steeds and coats of mail, such as David made[462] and chests of treasure
for which speech hath no measure. And the Wazir loaded the whole on
camels and mules, and set out attended by an hundred slave-girls with
flags and banners flaunting over his head. The King charged him to
return to him after a few days; and, when he was gone, Sulayman Shah lay
on coals of fire, engrossed night and day with desire; while the envoy
fared on without ceasing through gloom and light, spanning fertile field
and desert site, till but a day's march remained between him and the
city whereto he was bound. Here he sat him down on the banks of a river
and, summoning one of his confidants, bade him wend his way to King Zahr
Shah and announce his approach without delay. Quoth the messenger, "I
hear and I obey!" And he rode on in haste to that city and, as he was
about to enter therein, it so chanced that the King, who was sitting in
one of his pleasaunces before the city-gate, espied him as he was
passing the doors, and knowing him for a stranger, bade bring him before
the presence. So the messenger coming forward informed him of the
approach of the Wazir of the mighty King Sulayman Shah, Lord of the
Green Land and of the Mountains of Ispahan: whereat King Zahr Shah
rejoiced and welcomed him. Then he carried him to his palace and asked
him, "Where leavedst thou the Wazir?"; and he answered, "I left him in
early day on the banks of such a river and to-morrow he will reach thee,
Allah continue his favours to thee and have mercy upon thy parents!"
Thereupon King Zahr Shah commanded one of his Wazirs to take the better
part of his Grandees and Chamberlains and Lieutenants and Lords of the
land, and go out to meet the ambassador in honour of King Sulayman Shah;
for that his dominion extended over the country. Such was the case with
Zahr Shah; but as regards the Wazir he abode in his stead till night was
half spent[463] and then set out for the city; but when morning shone
and the sun rose upon hill and down, of a sudden he saw King Zahr Shah's
Wazir approaching him, with his Chamberlains and high Lords and Chief
Officers of the kingdom; and the two parties joined company at some
parasangs' distance from the city.[464] Thereat the Wazir made sure of
the success of his errand and saluted the escort, which ceased not
preceding him till they reached the King's palace and passed in before
him through the gate to the seventh vestibule, a place where none might
enter on horseback, for it was near to where the King sat. So the
Minister alighted and fared on a-foot till he came to a lofty saloon, at
whose upper end stood a marble couch, set with pearls and stones of
price, and having for legs four elephant's tusks. Upon it was a coverlet
of green satin purfled with red gold, and above it hung a canopy adorned
with pearls and gems, whereon sat King Zahr Shah, whilst his officers of
state stood in attendance before him. When the Wazir went in to him, he
composed his mind and, unbinding his tongue, displayed the oratory of
Wazirs and saluted the King in the language of eloquence——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-eighth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Wazir of
King Sulayman Shah entered the presence of King Zahr Shah he composed
his mind and, unbinding his tongue, displayed the oratory of Wazirs and
saluted the King in the language of eloquence and improvised these
couplets:—
He cometh robed and bending gracefully: ✿ O'er crop and cropper dews
of grace sheds he:
He charms; nor characts, spells nor gramarye ✿ May fend the glances
of those eyne from thee:
Say to the blamer, "Blame me not, for I ✿ From love of him will
never turn to flee":
My heart hath played me false while true to him, ✿ And Sleep, in
love with him, abhorreth me:
O heart! th'art not the sole who loveth him, ✿ So bide with him while
I desertion dree:
There's nought to joy mine ears with joyous sound ✿ Save praise of
King Zahr Shah in jubilee:
A King albeit thou leave thy life to win ✿ One look, that look
were all-sufficiency:
And if a pious prayer thou breathe for him, ✿ Shall join all
Faithfuls in such pious gree:
Folk of his realm! If any shirk his right ✿ For other hoping,
gross Unfaith I see.
When the Wazir had ended his poetry, King Zahr Shah bade him draw near
and honoured him with the highmost honours; then, seating him by his own
side, smiled in his face and favoured him with a gracious reply. They
ceased not on this wise till the time of the under-meal when the
attendants brought forward the tables of food in that saloon and all ate
till they were sated; after which the tables were removed and those who
were in the assembly withdrew, leaving only the chief officers. Now when
the Minister saw this, he rose to his feet and, after complimenting the
King a second time and kissing the ground before him, spake as follows,
"O mighty King and dread Lord! I have travelled hither and have visited
thee upon a matter which shall bring thee peace, profit and prosperity:
and it is this, that I come as ambassador to thee, seeking in marriage
thy daughter, the noble and illustrious maid, from Sulayman Shah, a
Prince famed for justice and integrity, sincerity and generosity, Lord
of the Green Land and of the Mountains of Ispahan, who sendeth thee of
presents a store, and gifts of price galore, ardently desiring to become
thy son-in-law. But art thou inclined to him as he to thee?" He then
kept silence, awaiting a reply. When King Zahr Shah heard these words,
he sprang to his feet and kissed the ground respectfully before the
Wazir, while the bystanders were confounded at his condescension to the
ambassador and their minds were amazed. Then he praised Him who is the
Lord of Honour and Glory and replied (and he still standing), "O mighty
Wazir and illustrious Chief; hear thou what I say! Of a truth we are to
King Sulayman Shah of the number of his subjects, and we shall be
ennobled by his alliance and we covet it ardently; for my daughter is a
handmaid of his handmaidens, and it is my dearest desire that he may
become my stay and my reliable support." Then he summoned the Kazis and
the witnesses, who should bear testimony that King Sulayman Shah had
despatched his Wazir as proxy to conclude the marriage, and that King
Zahr Shah joyfully acted and officiated for his daughter. So the Kazis
concluded the wedding-contract and offered up prayers for the happiness
and prosperity of the wedded feres; after which the Wazir arose and,
fetching the gifts and rarities and precious things, laid them all
before the King. Then Zahr Shah occupied himself anent the fitting out
of his daughter and honourably entertained the Wazir and feasted his
subjects all, great and small; and for two months they held high
festival, omitting naught that could rejoice heart and eye. Now when all
things needful for the bride were ready, the King caused the tents to be
carried out and they pitched the camp within sight of the city, where
they packed the bride's stuffs in chests and gat ready the Greek
handmaids and Turkish slave-girls, and provided the Princess with great
store of precious treasures and costly jewels. Then he had made for her
a litter of red gold, inlaid with pearls and stones of price, and set
apart two mules to carry it; a litter which was like one of the chambers
of a palace, and within which she seemed as she were of the loveliest
Houris and it became as one of the pavilions of Paradise. And after they
had made bales of the treasures and monies, and had loaded them upon the
mules and camels, King Zahr Shah went forth with her for a distance of
three parasangs; after which he bade farewell to her and the Wazir and
those with him, and returned to his home in gladness and safety.
Thereupon the Wazir, faring with the King's daughter, pushed on and
ceased not his stages over desert ways——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir fared on
with the King's daughter and ceased not forcing his stages over desert
ways and hastened his best through nights and days, till there remained
between him and his city but three marches. Thereupon he sent forward to
King Sulayman Shah one who should announce the coming of the bride. The
King rejoiced thereat and bestowed on the messenger a dress of honour;
and bade his troops march forth in grand procession to meet the Princess
and her company for due worship and honour, and don their richest
apparel with banners flying over their heads. And his orders were
obeyed. He also commanded to cry throughout the city that neither
curtained damsel nor honoured lady nor time-ruptured crone should fail
to fare forth and meet the bride. So they all went out to greet her and
the grandest of them vied in doing her service and they agreed to bring
her to the King's palace by night. Moreover, the chief officers decided
to decorate the road and to stand in espalier of double line, whilst the
bride should pass by preceded by her eunuchs and serving-women and clad
in the gear her father had given her. So when she made her appearance,
the troops surrounded her, these of the right wing and those of the
left, and the litter ceased not advancing with her till she approached
the palace; nor remained any but came forth to gaze upon the Princess.
Drums were beaten and spears were brandished and horns blared and flags
fluttered and steeds pranced for precedence and scents shed fragrance
till they reached the Palace gate and the pages entered with the litter
through the Harim-wicket. The place shone with its splendours and the
walls glittered for the glamour of its gear. Now when night came, the
eunuchs threw open the doors of the bridal-chamber and stood surrounding
the chief entrance; whereupon the bride came forward and amid her
damsels she was like the moon among stars or an union shining on a
string of lesser pearls, and she passed into the bridal closet where
they had set for her a couch of alabaster inlaid with unions and jewels.
As soon as she had taken seat there, the King came in to her and Allah
filled his heart with her love so he abated her maidenhead and ceased
from him his trouble and disquiet. He abode with her well-nigh a month
but she had conceived by him the first night; and, when the month was
ended, he went forth and sat on his sofa of state, and dispensed justice
to his subjects, till the months of her pregnancy were accomplished. On
the last day of the ninth month, towards daybreak, the Queen was seized
with the pangs of labour; so she sat down on the stool of delivery and
Allah made the travail easy to her and she gave birth to a boy child, on
whom appeared auspicious signs. When the King heard of this, he joyed
with exceeding joy and rewarded the bearer of the good tidings with much
treasure; and of his gladness he went in to the child and kissed him
between the eyes and wondered at his brilliant loveliness; for in him
was approved the saying of the poet:—
In the towering forts Allah throned him King, ✿ A lion, a star in
the skies of reign:
At his rising the spear and the throne rejoiced, ✿ The gazelle,
the ostrich, the men of main:[465]
Mount him not on the paps, for right soon he'll show ✿ That to
throne on the war-steed's loins he's fain:
And wean him from sucking of milk, for soon ✿ A sweeter drink,
the foe's blood, he'll drain.
Then the midwives took the newborn child and cut the navel-cord and
darkened his eyelids with Kohl-powder[466] and named him Táj al-Mulúk
Khárán.[467] He was suckled at the breast of fond indulgence and was
reared in the lap of happy fortune; and thus his days ceased not running
and the years passing by till he reached the age of seven. Thereupon
Sulayman Shah summoned the doctors and learned men and bade them teach
his son writing and science and belle-lettres. This they continued to do
for some years, till he had learnt what was needful; and, when the King
saw that he was well grounded in whatso he desired, he took him out of
the teachers' and professors' hands and engaged for him a skilful
master, who taught him cavalarice and knightly exercises till the boy
attained the age of fourteen; and when he fared abroad on any occasion,
all who saw him were ravished by his beauty and made him the subject of
verse; and even pious men were seduced by his brilliant loveliness.——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-tenth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, That when Taj al-Muluk
Kharan, son of Sulayman Shah, became perfect in riding-craft and
excelled all those of his time, his excessive beauty, when he fared
abroad on any occasion, caused all who saw him to be ravished and to
make him the subject of verse; and even pious men were seduced by his
brilliant loveliness. Quoth the poet of him:—
I clipt his form and wax'd drunk with his scent, ✿ Fair branch to
whom Zephyr gave nutriment:
Nor drunken as one who drinks wine, but drunk ✿ With night-draught
his lips of the honey-dew lent:
All beauty is shown in the all of him, ✿ Hence all human hearts he
in hand hath hent:
My mind, by Allah! shall ne'er unmind ✿ His love, while I wear
life's chains till spent:
If I live, in his love I'll live; if I die ✿ For pine and longing,
"O blest!" I'll cry.
When he reached the eighteenth year of his age, tender down[468]
sprouted, on his side-face fresh with youth, from a mole upon one rosy
cheek and a second beauty-spot, like a grain of ambergris, adorned the
other; and he won the wits and eyes of every wight who looked on him,
even as saith the poet:—
He is Caliph of Beauty in Yúsufs lieu, ✿ And all lovers fear when
they sight his grace:
Pause and gaze with me; on his cheek thou'lt sight ✿ The
Caliphate's banner of sable hue.[469]
And as saith another:—
Thy sight hath never seen a fairer sight, ✿ Of all things men can
in the world espy,
Than yon brown mole, that studs his bonny cheek ✿ Of rosy red
beneath that jet black eye.
And as saith another:—
I marvel seeing yon mole that serves his cheeks' bright flame ✿
Yet burneth not in fire albeit Infidel[470];
I wonder eke to see that apostolic glance, ✿ Miracle-working, though
it work by magic spell:
How fresh and bright the down that decks his cheek, and yet ✿
Bursten gall-bladders feed which e'en as waters well.
And as saith another:—
I marvel hearing people questioning of ✿ The Fount of Life and in
what land 'tis found:
I see it sprung from lips of dainty fawn, ✿ Sweet rosy mouth with
green mustachio down'd:
And wondrous wonder 'tis when Moses viewed ✿ That Fount, he rested
not from weary round.[471]
Now having developed such beauty, when he came to man's estate his
loveliness increased, and it won for him many comrades and intimates;
while every one who drew near to him wished that Taj al-Muluk Kharan
might become Sultan after his father's death, and that he himself might
be one of his Emirs. Then took he passionately to chasing and hunting
which he would hardly leave for a single hour. His father, King Sulayman
Shah, would have forbidden him the pursuit fearing for him the perils of
the waste and the wild beasts; but he paid no heed to his warning voice.
And it so chanced that once upon a time he said to his attendants "Take
ye ten days food and forage;" and, when they obeyed his bidding, he set
out with his suite for sport and disport. They rode on into the desert
and ceased not riding four days, till they came to a place where the
ground was green, and they saw in it wild beasts grazing and trees with
ripe fruit growing and springs flowing. Quoth Taj al-Muluk to his
followers, "Set up the nets here and peg them in a wide ring and let our
trysting place be at the mouth of the fence, in such a spot." So they
obeyed his words and staked out a wide circle with toils; and there
gathered together a mighty matter of all kinds of wild beasts and
gazelles, which cried out for fear of the men and threw themselves for
fright in the face of the horses. Then they loosed on to them the hounds
and lynxes[472] and hawks;[473] and they shot the quarry down with
shafts which pierced their vitals; and, by the time they came to the
further end of the net-ring, they had taken a great number of the wild
beasts, and the rest fled. Then Taj al-Muluk dismounted by the
water-side and bade the game be brought before himself, and divided it,
after he had set apart the best of the beasts for his father, King
Sulayman Shah, and despatched the game to him; and some he distributed
among the officers of his court. He passed the night in that place, and
when morning dawned there came up a caravan of merchants conveying negro
slaves and white servants, and halted by the water and the green ground.
When Taj al-Muluk saw them, he said to one of his companions, "Bring me
news of yonder men and question them why they have halted in this
place.[474]" So the messenger went up to them and addressed them, "Tell
me who ye be, and answer me an answer without delay." Replied they, "We
are merchants and have halted to rest, for that the next station is
distant and we abide here because we have confidence in King Sulayman
Shah and his son, Taj al-Muluk, and we know that all who alight in his
dominions are in peace and safety; moreover we have with us precious
stuffs which we have brought for the Prince." So the messenger returned
and told these news to the King's son who, hearing the state of the case
and what the merchants had replied, said, "If they have brought stuff on
my account I will not enter the city nor depart hence till I see it
shown to me." Then he mounted horse and rode to the caravan and his
Mamelukes followed him till he reached it. Thereupon the merchants rose
to receive him and invoked on him Divine aid and favour with continuance
of glory and virtues; after which they pitched him a pavilion of red
satin, embroidered with pearls and jewels, wherein they spread him a
kingly divan upon a silken carpet worked at the upper end with emeralds
set in gold. There Taj al-Muluk seated himself whilst his white servants
stood in attendance upon him, and sent to bid the merchants bring out
all that they had with them. Accordingly, they produced their
merchandise, and displayed the whole and he viewed it and took of it
what liked him, paying them the price. Then he looked about him at the
caravan, and remounted and was about to ride onwards, when his glance
fell on a handsome youth in fair attire, and of comely and shapely make,
with flower-white brow and moon-like face, save that his beauty was
wasted and that yellow hues had overspread his cheeks by reason of
parting from those he loved;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-eleventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Taj al-Muluk, when
he looked about him at the caravan, saw a handsome youth in neat attire
and of shapely make, with flower-like forehead and moon-like face, save
that his beauty was wasted and yellow hues had overspread his cheeks by
reason of parting from those he loved; and great was his groaning and
moaning, and the tears streamed from his eyelids as he repeated these
couplets:—