"Honest man," said the calender, "do not put yourself in a

passion; we should be sorry to give you the least occasion; on

the contrary, we are ready to receive your commands." Upon which,

to put an end to the dispute, the ladies interposed, and pacified

them. When the calenders were seated, the ladies served them with

meat; and Safie, being highly pleased with them, did not let them

want for wine.

After the calenders had eaten and drunk liberally, they signified

to the ladies, that they wished to entertain them with a concert

of music, if they had any instruments in the house, and would

cause them to be brought: they willingly accepted the proposal,

and fair Safie going to fetch them, returned again in a moment,

and presented them with a flute of her own country fashion,

another of the Persian, and a tabor. Each man took the instrument

he liked, and all three together began to play a tune The ladies,

who knew the words of a merry song that suited the air, joined

the concert with their voices; but the words of the song made

them now and then stop, and fall into excessive laughter.

In the height of this diversion, when the company were in the

midst of their jollity, a knocking was heard at the gate; Safie

left off singing, and went to see who it was. The caliph Haroon

al Rusheed was frequently in the habit of walking abroad in

disguise by night, that he might discover if every thing was

quiet in the city, and see that no disorders were committed.

This night the caliph went out on his rambles, accompanied by

Jaaffier his grand vizier, and Mesrour the chief of the eunuchs

of his palace, all disguised in merchants' habits; and passing

through the street where the three ladies dwelt, he heard the

sound of music and fits of loud laughter; upon which he commanded

the vizier, to knock, as he wished to enter to ascertain the

reason. The vizier, in vain represented to him that the noise

proceeded from some women who were merry-making, that without

question their heads were warm with wine, and that it would not

be proper he should expose himself to be affronted by them:

besides, it was not yet an unlawful hour, and therefore he ought

not to disturb them in their mirth. "No matter," said the caliph,

"I command you to knock." Jaaffier complied; Safie opened the

gate, and the vizier, perceiving by the light in her hand, that

she was an incomparable beauty, with a very low salutation said,

"We are three merchants of Mossoul, who arrived here about ten

days ago with rich merchandise, which we have in a warehouse at a

caravan-serai, where we have also our lodging. We happened this

evening to be with a merchant of this city, who invited us to his

house, where we had a splendid entertainment: and the wine having

put us in good humour, he sent for a company of dancers. Night

being come on, and the music and dancers making a great noise,

the watch, passing by, caused the gate to be opened and some of

the company to be taken up; but we had the good fortune to escape

by getting over the wall. Being strangers, and somewhat overcome

with wine, we are afraid of meeting that or some other watch,

before we get home to our khan. Besides, before we can arrive

there the gates will be shut, and will not be opened till

morning: wherefore, hearing, as we passed by this way, the sound

of music, we supposed you were not yet going to rest, and made

bold to knock at your gate, to beg the favour of lodging

ourselves in the house till morning; and if you think us worthy

of your good company, we will endeavour to contribute to your

diversion to the best of our power, to make some amends for the

interruption we have given you; if not, we only beg the favour of

staying this night in your vestibule."

Whilst Jaaffier was speaking, Safie had time to observe the

vizier, and his two companions, who were said to be merchants

like himself, and told them that she was not mistress of the

house; but if they would have a minute's patience, she would

return with an answer.

Safie made the business known to her sisters, who considered for

some time what to do: but being naturally of a good disposition,

and having granted the same favour to the three calenders, they

at last consented to let them in.

The caliph, his grand vizier, and the chief of the eunuchs, being

introduced by the fair Safie, very courteously saluted the ladies

and the calenders. The ladies returned their salutations,

supposing them to be merchants. Zobeide, as the chief, addressed

them with a grave and serious countenance, which was natural to

her, and said, "You are welcome. But before I proceed farther, I

hope you will not take it ill if we desire one favour of you."

"Alas!" said the vizier, "what favour? We can refuse nothing to

such fair ladies." Zobeide continued, "It is that, while here,

you would have eyes, but no tongues; that you question us not for

the reason of any thing you may see, and speak not of any thing

that does not concern you, lest you hear what will by no means

please you."

"Madam," replied the vizier, "you shall be obeyed. We are not

censorious, nor impertinently curious; it is enough for us to

notice affairs that concern us, without meddling with what does

not belong to us." Upon this they all sat down, and the company

being united, they drank to the health of the new-comers.

While the vizier, entertained the ladies in conversation, the

caliph could not forbear admiring their extraordinary beauty,

graceful behaviour, pleasant humour, and ready wit; on the other

hand, nothing struck him with more surprise than the calenders

being all three blind of the right eye. He would gladly have

learnt the cause of this singularity; but the conditions so

lately imposed upon himself and his companions would not allow

him to speak. These circumstances, with the richness of the

furniture, the exact order of every thing, and the neatness of

the house, made him think they were in some enchanted place.

Their conversation happening to turn upon diversions, and the

different ways of making merry; the calenders arose, and danced

after their fashion, which augmented the good opinion the ladies

had conceived of them, and procured them the esteem of the caliph

and his companions.

When the three calenders had finished their dance, Zobeide arose,

and taking Amene by the hand, said, "Pray, sister, arise, for the

company will not be offended if we use our freedom, and their

presence need not hinder the performance of our customary

exercise." Amene understanding her sister's meaning, rose from

her seat, carried away the dishes, the flasks and cups, together

with the instruments which the calenders had played upon.

Safie was not idle, but swept the room, put every thing again in

its place, trimmed the lamps, and put fresh aloes and ambergris

to them; this being done, she requested the three calenders to

sit down upon the sofa at one side, and the caliph with his

companions on the other: then addressing herself to the porter,

she said, "Get up, and prepare yourself to assist us in what we

are going to do; a man like you, who is one of the family, ought

not to be idle." The porter, being somewhat recovered from his

wine, arose immediately, and having tied the sleeve of his gown

to his belt, answered, "Here am I, ready to obey your commands."

"Very well," replied Safie, "stay till you are spoken to; and you

shall not be idle long." A little time after, Amene came in with

a chair, which she placed in the middle of the room; and then

went towards a closet. Having opened the door, she beckoned to

the porter, and said, "Come hither and assist me." He obeyed, and

entered the closet, and returned immediately, leading two black

bitches, each of them secured by a collar and chain; they

appeared as if they had been severely whipped with rods, and he

brought them into the middle of the apartment.

Zobeide, rising from her seat between the calenders and the

caliph, moved very gravely towards the porter; "Come," said she,

heaving a deep sigh, "let us perform our duty:" she then tucked

up her sleeves above her elbows, and receiving a rod from Safie,

"Porter," said she, "deliver one of the bitches to my sister

Amene, and bring the other to me."

The porter did as he was commanded. Upon this the bitch that he

held in his hand began to howl, and turning towards Zobeide, held

her head up in a supplicating posture; but Zobeide, having no

regard to the sad countenance of the animal, which would have

moved pity, nor to her cries that resounded through the house,

whipped her with the rod till she was out of breath; and having

spent her strength, threw down the rod, and taking the chain from

the porter, lifted up the bitch by her paws, and looking upon her

with a sad and pitiful countenance, they both wept: after which,

Zobeide, with her handkerchief, wiped the tears from the bitch's

eye, kissed her, returned the chain to the porter, desired him to

carry her to the place whence he took her, and bring her the

other. The porter led back the whipped bitch to the closet, and

receiving the other from Amene, presented her to Zobeide, who

requested him to hold her as he had done the first, took up the

rod, and treated her after the same manner; and when she had wept

over her, she dried her eyes, kissed her, and returned her to the

porter: but Amene spared him the trouble of leading her back into

the closet, and did it herself. The three calenders, with the

caliph and his companions, were extremely surprised at this

exhibition, and could not comprehend why Zobeide, after having so

furiously beaten those two bitches, that by the moosulman

religion are reckoned unclean animals, should weep with them,

wipe off their tears, and kiss them. They muttered among

themselves, and the caliph, who, being more impatient than the

rest, longed exceedingly to be informed of the cause of so

strange a proceeding, could not forbear making signs to the

vizier to ask the question: the vizier turned his head another

way; but being pressed by repeated signs, he answered by others,

that it was not yet time for the caliph to satisfy his curiosity.

Zobeide sat still some time in the middle of the room, where she

had whipped the two bitches, to recover herself of her fatigue;

and Safie called to her, "Dear sister, will you not be pleased to

return to your place, that I may also aft my part?" "Yes,

sister," replied Zobeide; and then went, and sat down upon the

sofa, having the caliph, Jaaffier, and Mesrour, on her right

hand, and the three calenders, with the porter, on her left.

After Zobeide had taken her seat, the whole company remained

silent for some time; at last, Safie, sitting on a chair in the

middle of the room, spoke to her sister Amene, "Dear sister, I

conjure you to rise; you know what I would say." Amene rose, and

went into another closet, near to that where the bitches were,

and brought out a case covered with yellow satin, richly

embroidered with gold and green silk. She went towards Safie and

opened the case, from whence she took a lute, and presented it to

her: and after some time spent in tuning it, Safie began to play,

and accompanying the instrument with her voice, sung a song about

the torments that absence creates to lovers, with so much

sweetness, that it charmed the caliph and all the company. Having

sung with much passion and action, she said to Amene, "Pray take

it, sister, for my voice fails me; oblige the company with a

tune, and a song in my stead." "Very willingly," replied Amene,

who, taking the lute from her sister Safie, sat down in her

place.

Amene played and sung almost as long upon the same subject, but

with so much vehemence, and was so much affected, or rather

transported, by the words of the song, that her strength failed

her as she finished.

Zobeide, desirous of testifying her satisfaction, said, "Sister,

you have done wonders, and we may easily see that you feel the

grief you have expressed in so lively a manner." Amene was

prevented from answering this civility, her heart being so

sensibly touched at the moment, that she was obliged, for air, to

uncover her neck and bosom, which did not appear so fair as might

have been expected; but, on the contrary, were black and full of

scars, which surprised and affected all the spectators. However,

this gave her no ease, for she fell into a fit.

When Zobeide and Safie had run to help their sister, one of the

calenders could not forbear saying, "We had better have slept in

the streets than have come hither to behold such spectacles." The

caliph, who heard this, came to him and the other calenders, and

asked them what might be the meaning of all this? They answered,

"We know no more than you do." "What," said the caliph, "are you

not of the family? Can you not resolve us concerning the two

black bitches and the lady that fainted away, who appears to have

been so basely abused?" "Sir," said the calenders, "this is the

first time of our being in the house; we came in but a few

minutes before you."

This increased the caliph's astonishment: "Probably," said he,

"this man who is with you may know something of the matter." One

of the calenders beckoned the porter to come near; and asked him,

whether he knew why those two black bitches had been whipped, and

why Amene's bosom was so scarred. "Sir," said the porter, "I can

swear by heaven, that if you know nothing of all this, I know as

little as you do. It is true, I live in this city, but I never

was in the house until now, and if you are surprised to see me I

am as much so to find myself in your company; and that which

increases my wonder is, that I have not seen one man with these

ladies."

The caliph and his company, as well as the calenders, had

supposed the porter to be one of the family, and hoped he would

have been able to give them the information they sought; but

finding he could not, and resolving to satisfy his curiosity, the

caliph said to the rest, "We are seven men, and have but three

women to deal with; let us try if we can oblige them to explain

what we have seen, and if they refuse by fair means, we are in a

condition to compel them by force."

The grand vizier Jaaffier objected to this, and shewed the caliph

what might be the consequence. Without discovering the prince to

the calenders, he addressed him as if he had been a merchant, and

said, "Consider, I pray you, that our reputation is at stake. You

know the conditions on which these ladies consented to receive

us, and which we agreed to observe; what will they say of us if

we break them? We shall be still more to blame, if any mischief

befall us; for it is not likely that they would have extorted

such a promise from us, without knowing themselves to be in a

condition to punish us for its violation."

Here the vizier took the caliph aside, and whispered to him, "The

night will soon be at an end, and if your majesty will only be

pleased to have so much patience, I will to-morrow morning bring

these ladies before your throne, where you may be informed of all

that you desire to know." Though this advice was very judicious,

the caliph rejected it, desired the vizier to hold his tongue,

and said, he would not wait so long, but would immediately have

his curiosity satisfied.

The next business was to settle who should carry the message. The

caliph endeavoured to prevail with the calenders to speak first;

but they excused themselves, and at last they agreed that the

porter should be the man: as they were consulting how to word

this fatal question, Zobeide returned from her sister Amene, who

was recovered of her fit. She drew near them, and having

overheard them speaking pretty loud, said, "Gentlemen, what is

the subject of your conversation? What are you disputing about?"

The porter answered immediately, "Madam, these gentlemen beseech

you to inform them why you wept over your two bitches after you

had whipped them so severely, and how the bosom of that lady who

lately fainted away came to be so full of scars? These are the

questions I am ordered to ask in their name."

At these words, Zobeide put on a stern countenance, and turning

towards the caliph and the rest of the company, "Is it true,

gentlemen," said she, "that you desired him to ask me these

questions?" All of them, except the vizier Jaaffier, who spoke

not a word, answered, "Yes." On which she exclaimed, in a tone

that sufficiently expressed her resentment, "Before we granted

you the favour of receiving you into our house, and to prevent

all occasion of trouble from you, because we are alone, we

imposed the condition that you should not speak of any thing that

did not concern you, lest you might hear that which would not

please you; and yet after having received and entertained you,

you make no scruple to break your promise. It is true that our

easy temper has occasioned this, but that shall not excuse your

rudeness." As she spoke these words, she gave three stamps with

her foot, and clapping her hands as often together, cried, "Come

quickly:" upon this, a door flew open, and seven black slaves

rushed in; every one seized a man, threw him on the ground, and

dragged him into the middle of the room, brandishing a cimeter

over his head.

We may easily conceive the caliph then repented, but too late,

that he had not taken the advice of his vizier, who, with

Mesrour, the calenders and porter, was from his ill-timed

curiosity on the point of forfeiting his life. Before they would

strike the fatal blow, one of the slaves said to Zobeide, and her

sisters: "High, mighty, and adorable mistresses, do you command

us to strike off their heads?" "Stay," said Zobeide, "I must

examine them first." The frightened porter interrupted her thus:

"In the name of heaven, do not put me to death for another man's

crime. I am innocent; they are to blame." "Alas!" said he,

weeping, "how pleasantly did we pass our time! those blind

calenders are the cause of this misfortune; there is no town in

the world but suffers wherever these inauspicious fellows come.

Madam, I beg you not to destroy the innocent with the guilty, and

consider, that it is more glorious to pardon such a wretch as I

am, who have no way to help myself, than to sacrifice me to your

resentment."

Zobeide, notwithstanding her anger, could not but laugh within

herself at the porter's lamentation: but without replying to him,

she spoke a second time to the rest; "Answer me, and say who you

are, otherwise you shall not live one moment longer: I cannot

believe you to be honest men, or persons of authority or

distinction in your own countries; for if you were, you would

have been more modest and more respectful to us."

The caliph, naturally warm, was infinitely more indignant than

the rest, to find his life depending upon the command of a woman:

but he began to conceive some hopes, when he found she wished to

know who they all were; for he imagined she would not put him to

death, when informed of his quality; therefore he spoke with a

low voice to the vizier, who was near him, to declare it

speedily: but the vizier, more prudent, resolved to save his

master's honour, and not let the world know the affront he had

brought upon himself by his own imprudence; and therefore

answered, "We have what we deserve." But if he had intended to

speak as the caliph commanded him, Zobeide would not have allowed

him time: for having turned to the calenders, and seeing them all

blind with one eye, she asked if they were brothers. One of them

answered, "No, madam, no otherwise than as we are calenders; that

is to say, as we observe the same rules." "Were you born blind of

the right eye," continued she? "No, madam," answered he; "I lost

my eye in such a surprising adventure, that it would be

instructive to every body were it in writing: after that

misfortune I shaved my beard and eyebrows, and took the habit of

a calender which I now wear."

Zobeide asked the other two calenders the same question, and had

the same answers; but the last who spoke added, "Madam, to shew

you that we are no common fellows, and that you may have some

consideration for us, be pleased to know, that we are all three

sons of sultans; and though we never met together till this

evening, yet we have had time enough to make that known to one

another; and I assure you that the sultans from whom we derive

our being were famous in the world."

At this discourse Zobeide suppressed her anger, and said to the

slaves, "Give them their liberty a while, but remain where you

are. Those who tell us their history, and the occasion of their

coming, do them no hurt, let them go where they please; but do

not spare those who refuse to give us that satisfaction."

The three calendars, the caliph, the grand vizier, Jaaffier, the

eunuch Mesrour, and the porter, were all in the middle of the

hall, seated upon a carpet in the presence of the three ladies,

who reclined upon a sofa, and the slaves stood ready to do

whatever their mistresses should command.

The porter, understanding that he might extricate himself from

danger by telling his history, spoke first, and said, "Madam, you

know my history already, and the occasion of my coming hither; so

that what I have to say will be very short. My lady, your sister,

called me this morning at the place where I plyed as porter to

see if any body would employ me, that I might get my bread; I

followed her to a vintner's, then to a herb-shop, then to one

where oranges, lemons, and citrons were sold, then to a grocer's,

next to a confectioner's, and a druggist's, with my basket upon

my head as full as I was able to carry it; then I came hither,

where you had the goodness to suffer me to continue till now, a

favour that I shall never forget. This, madam, is my history."

When the porter had done, Zobeide said to him, "Depart, let us

see you here no more." "Madam," replied the porter, "I beg you to

let me stay; it would not be just, after the rest have had the

pleasure to hear my history, that I should not also have the

satisfaction of hearing theirs." And having spoken thus, he sat

down at the end of the sofa, glad at heart to have escaped the

danger that had frightened him so much. After him, one of the

three calenders directing his speech to Zobeide, as the principal

of the three ladies, began thus:

The History of the First Calender.

Madam, in order to inform you how I lost my right eye, and why I

was obliged to put myself into a calender's habit, I must tell

you, that I am a sultan's son born: my father had a brother who

reigned over a neighbouring kingdom; and the prince his son and I

were nearly of the same age.

After I had learned my exercises, the sultan my father granted me

such liberty as suited my dignity. I went regularly every year to

see my uncle, at whose court I amused myself for a month or two,

and then returned again to my father's. These journeys cemented a

firm and intimate friendship between the prince my cousin and

myself. The last time I saw him, he received me with greater

demonstrations of tenderness than he had done at any time before;

and resolving one day to give me a treat, he made great

preparations for that purpose. We continued a long time at table,

and after we had both supped; "Cousin," said he, "you will hardly

be able to guess how I have been employed since your last

departure from hence, about a year past. I have had a great many

men at work to perfect a design I have formed; I have caused an

edifice to be built, which is now finished so as to be habitable:

you will not be displeased if I shew it you. But first you are to

promise me upon oath, that you will keep my secret, according to

the confidence I repose in you."

The affection and familiarity that subsisted between us would not

allow me to refuse him any thing. I very readily took the oath

required of me: upon which he said to me, "Stay here till I

return, I will be with you in a moment; and accordingly he came

with a lady in his hand, of singular beauty, and magnificently

apparelled: he did not intimate who she was, neither did I think

it would be polite to enquire. We sat down again with this lady

at table, where we continued some time, conversing upon

indifferent subjects; and now and then filling a glass to each

other's health. After which the prince said, "Cousin, we must

lose no time; therefore pray oblige me by taking this lady along

with you, and conducting her to such a place, where you will see

a tomb newly built in form of a dome: you will easily know it;

the gate is open; enter it together, and tarry till I come, which

will be very speedily."

Being true to my oath, I made no farther enquiry, but took the

lady by the hand, and by the directions which the prince my

cousin had given me, I brought her to the place. We were scarcely

got thither, when we saw the prince following us, carrying a

pitcher of water, a hatchet, and a little bag of mortar.

The hatchet served him to break down the empty sepulchre in the

middle of the tomb; he took away the stones one after another,

and laid them in a corner; he then dug up the ground, where I saw

a trap-door under the sepulchre, which he lifted up, and

underneath perceived the head of a staircase leading into a

vault. Then my cousin, speaking to the lady, said, "Madam, it is

by this way that we are to go to the place I told you of:" upon

which the lady advanced, and went down, and the prince began to

follow; but first turning to me, said, "My dear cousin, I am

infinitely obliged to you for the trouble you have taken; I thank

you. Adieu." "Dear cousin," I cried, "what is the meaning of

this?" "Be content," replied he; "you may return the way you

came."

I could get nothing farther from him, but was obliged to take my

leave. As I returned to my uncle's palace, the vapours of the

wine got up into my head; however, I reached my apartment, and

went to bed. Next morning, when I awoke, I began to reflect upon

what had happened, and after recollecting all the circumstances

of such a singular adventure, I fancied it was nothing but a

dream. Full of these thoughts, I sent to enquire if the prince my

cousin was ready to receive a visit from me; but when they

brought word back that he did not lie in his own lodgings that

night, that they knew not what was become of him, and were in

much trouble in consequence, I conceived that the strange event

of the tomb was too true. I was sensibly afflicted, and went to

the public burying-place, where there were several tombs like

that which I had seen: I spent the day in viewing them one after

another, but could not find that I sought for, and thus I spent

four days successively in vain.

You must know, that all this while the sultan my uncle was

absent, and had been hunting for several days; I grew weary of

waiting for him, and having prayed his ministers to make my

apology at his return, left his palace, and set out towards my

father's court. I left the ministers of the sultan my uncle in

great trouble, surmising what was become of the prince: but

because of my oath to keep his secret, I durst not tell them what

I had seen.

I arrived at my father's capital, where, contrary to custom, I

found a numerous guard at the gate of the palace, who surrounded

me as I entered. I asked the reason, and the commanding officer

replied, "Prince, the army has proclaimed the grand vizier,

instead of your father, who is dead, and I take you prisoner in

the name of the new sultan." At these words the guards laid hold

of me, and carried me before the tyrant: I leave you to judge,

madam, how much I was surprised and grieved.

This rebel vizier, had long entertained a mortal hatred against

me; for this reason. When I was a stripling, I loved to shoot

with a cross-bow; and being one day upon the terrace of the

palace with my bow, a bird happening to come by, I shot but

missed him, and the ball by misfortune hit the vizier, who was

taking the air upon the terrace of his own house, and put out one

of his eyes. As soon as I understood this, I not only sent to

make my excuse to him, but did it in person: yet he never forgave

me, and, as opportunity offered, made me sensible of his

resentment. But now that he had me in his power, he expressed his

feelings; for he came to me like a madman, as soon as he saw me,

and thrusting his finger into my right eye, pulled it out, and

thus I became blind of one eye.

But the usurper's cruelty did not stop here; he ordered me to be

shut up in a machine, and commanded the executioner to carry me

into the country, to cut off my head, and leave me to be devoured

by birds of prey. The executioner conveyed me thus shut up into

the country, in order to execute the barbarous sentence; but by

my prayers and tears, I moved the man's compassion: "Go," said he

to me, "get you speedily out of the kingdom, and take heed of

returning, or you will certainly meet your own ruin, and be the

cause of mine." I thanked him for the favour he did me; and as

soon as I was left alone, comforted myself for the loss of my

eye, by considering that I had very narrowly escaped a much

greater evil.

Being in such a condition, I could not travel far at a time; I

retired to remote places during the day, and travelled as far by

night as my strength would allow me. At last I arrived in the

dominions of the sultan my uncle, and came to his capital.

I gave him a long detail of the tragical cause of my return, and

of the sad condition he saw me in. "Alas!" cried he, "was it not

enough for me to have lost my son, but must I have also news of

the death of a brother I loved so dearly, and see you reduced to

this deplorable condition?" He told me how uneasy he was that he

could hear nothing of his son, notwithstanding all the enquiry he

could make. At these words, the unfortunate father burst into

tears, and was so much afflicted, that pitying his grief, it was

impossible for me to keep the secret any longer; so that,

notwithstanding my oath to the prince my cousin, I told the

sultan all that I knew.

His majesty listened to me with some sort of comfort, and when I

had done, "Nephew," said he, "what you tell me gives me some

hope. I knew that my son ordered that tomb to be built, and I can

guess pretty nearly the place; and with the idea you still have

of it, I fancy we shall find it: but since he ordered it to be

built privately, and you took your oath to keep his secret, I am

of opinion, that we ought to go in quest of it without other

attendants." But he had another reason for keeping the matter

secret, which he did not then tell me, and an important one it

was, as you will perceive by the sequel of my story.

We disguised ourselves and went out by a door of the garden which

opened into the fields, and soon found what we sought for. I knew

the tomb, and was the more rejoiced, because I had formerly

sought it a long time in vain. We entered, and found the iron

trap pulled down at the head of the staircase; we had great

difficulty in raising it, because the prince had fastened it

inside with the water and mortar formerly mentioned, but at last

we succeeded.

The sultan my uncle descended first, I followed, and we went down

about fifty steps. When we came to the foot of the stairs, we

found a sort of antechamber, full of thick smoke of an ill scent,

which obscured the lamp, that gave a very faint light.

From this antechamber we came into another, very large, supported

by columns, and lighted by several branched candlesticks. There

was a cistern in the middle, and provisions of several sorts

stood on one side of it; but we were much surprised not to see

any person. Before us there appeared a high estrade, which we

mounted by several steps, and upon this there was a large bed,

with curtains drawn. The sultan went up, and opening the

curtains, perceived the prince his son and the lady in bed

together, but burnt and changed to cinder, as if they had been

thrown into a fire, and taken out before they were consumed.

But what surprised me most was, that though this spectacle filled

me with horror, the sultan my uncle, instead of testifying his

sorrow to see the prince his son in such a condition, spat on his

face, and exclaimed, with a disdainful air, "This is the

punishment of this world, but that of the other will last to

eternity;" and not content with this, he pulled off his sandal,

and gave the corpse of his son a blow on the cheek.

I cannot adequately express how much I was astonished when I saw

the sultan my uncle abuse his son thus after he was dead. "Sir,"

said I, "whatever grief this dismal sight has impressed upon me,

I am forced to suspend it, to enquire of your majesty what crime

the prince my cousin may have committed, that his corpse should

deserve such indignant treatment?" "Nephew," replied the sultan,

"I must tell you, that my son (who is unworthy of that name)

loved his sister from his infancy, as she did him: I did not

check their growing fondness, because I did not foresee its

pernicious consequence. This tenderness increased as they grew in

years, and to such a height, that I dreaded the end of it. At

last, I applied such remedies as were in my power: I not only

gave my son a severe reprimand in private, laying before him the

horrible nature of the passion he entertained, and the eternal

disgrace he would bring upon my family, if he persisted; but I

also represented the same to my daughter, and shut her up so

close that she could have no conversation with her brother. But

that unfortunate creature had swallowed so much of the poison,

that all the obstacles which by my prudence I could lay in the

way served only to inflame her love.

"My son being persuaded of his sister's constancy, on presence of

building a tomb, caused this subterraneous habitation to be made,

in hopes of finding one day or other an opportunity to possess

himself of that objets which was the cause of his flame, and to

bring her hither. He took advantage of my absence, to enter by

force into the place of his sister's confinement; but this was a

circumstance which my honour would not suffer me to make public.

And after so damnable an action, he came and shut himself up with

her in this place, which he has supplied, as you see, with all

sorts of provisions, that he might enjoy detestable pleasures,

which ought to be a subject of horror to all the world; but God,

who would not suffer such an abomination, has justly punished

them both." At these words, he melted into tears, and I joined

mine with his.

After a while, casting his eyes upon me, "Dear nephew," cried he,

embracing me, "if I have lost that unworthy son, I shall happily

find in you what will better supply his place." The reflections

he made on the doleful end of the prince and princess his

daughter made us both weep afresh.

We ascended the stairs again, and departed at last from that

dismal place. We let down the trap door, and covered it with

earth, and such other materials as the tomb was built of, on

purpose to hide, as much as lay in our power, so terrible an

effect of the wrath of God.

We had not been long returned to the palace, unperceived by any

one, but we heard a confused noise of trumpets, drums, and other

instruments of war. We soon understood by the thick cloud of

dust, which almost darkened the air, that it was the arrival of a

formidable army: and it proved to be the same vizier that had

dethroned my father, and usurped his place, who with a vast

number of troops was come to possess himself of that also of the

sultan my uncle.

My uncle, who then had only his usual guards about him, could not

resist so numerous an enemy; they invested the city, and the

gates being opened to them without any resistance, soon became

masters of it, and broke into the palace where my uncle defended

himself, and sold his life at a dear rate. I fought as valiantly

for a while; but seeing we were forced to submit to a superior

power, I thought on my retreat, which I had the good fortune to

effect by some back ways, and got to one of the sultan's servants

on whose fidelity I could depend.

Being thus surrounded with sorrows and persecuted by fortune, I

had recourse to a stratagem, which was the only means left me to

save my life: I caused my beard and eye-brows to be shaved, and

putting on a calender's habit, I passed, unknown by any, out of

the city; after that, by degrees, I found it easy to quit my

uncle's kingdom, by taking the bye-roads.

I avoided passing through towns, until I had reached the empire

of the mighty governor of the Moosulmauns, the glorious and

renowned caliph Haroon al Rusheed, when I thought myself out of

danger; and considering what I was to do, I resolved to come to

Bagdad, intending to throw myself at the feet of that monarch,

whose generosity is renowned throughout the world. "I shall move

him to compassion," said I to myself, "by the relation of my

uncommon misfortunes, and without doubt he will take pity on a

persecuted prince, and not suffer me to implore his assistance in

vain."

In short, after a journey of several months, I arrived yesterday

at the gate of this city, into which I entered about the dusk of

evening ; and stopping a little while to consider which way I was

to turn, another calender came up; he saluted me, and I him: "You

appear," said I, "to be a stranger, as I am." "You are not

mistaken," replied he. He had no sooner returned this answer,

than a third calender overtook us. He saluted us, and told us he

was a stranger newly come to Bagdad; so that as brethren we

joined together, resolving not to separate from one another.

It was now late, and we knew not where to seek a lodging in the

city, where we had never been before. But good fortune having

brought us to your gate, we made bold to knock, when you received

us with so much kindness, that we are incapable of rendering

suitable thanks. "This, madam," said he, "is, in obedience to

your commands, the account I was to give how I lost my right eye,

wherefore my beard and eye-brows are shaved, and how I came to be

with you at this time."

"It is enough," said Zobeide; "you may retire to what place you

think fit." The calender begged the ladies' permission to stay

till he had heard the relations of his two comrades, "Whom I

cannot," said he, "leave with honour;" and that he might also

hear those of the three other persons in company.

The story of the first calender seemed wonderful to the whole

company, but especially to the caliph, who, notwithstanding the

slaves stood by with their cimeters drawn, could not forbear

whispering to the vizier "Many stories have I heard, but never

any that equalled in surprising incident that of the calender."

Whilst he was saying this, the second calender began, addressing

himself to Zobeide.

The Story of the Second Calender.

Madam, to obey your commands, and to shew you by what strange

accident I became blind of the right eye, I must of necessity

give you the account of my life.

I was scarcely past my infancy, when the sultan my father (for

you must know I am a prince by birth) perceived that I was

endowed with good natural ability, and spared nothing proper for

improving it.

No sooner was I able to read and write, but I learned the Koraun

from beginning to end by heart, that admirable book, which

contains the foundation, the precepts, and the rules of our

religion; and that I might be thoroughly instructed in it, I read

the works of the most approved divines, by whose commentaries it

had been explained. I added to this study, that of all the

traditions collected from the mouth of our prophet, by the great

men that were contemporary with him. I was not satisfied with the

knowledge of all that had any relation to our religion, but made

also a particular search into our histories. I made myself

perfect in polite learning, in the works of poets, and

versification. I applied myself to geography, chronology, and to

speak the Arabian language in its purity; not forgetting in the

meantime all such exercises as were proper for a prince to

understand. But one thing which I was fond of, and succeeded in,

was penmanship; wherein I surpassed all the celebrated scribes of

our kingdom.

Fame did me more honour than I deserved, for she not only spread

the renown of my talents through all the dominions of the sultan

my father, but carried it as far as the empire of Hindoostan,

whose potent monarch, desirous to see me, sent an ambassador with

rich presents: my father, who rejoiced at this embassy for

several reasons, was persuaded, that nothing could be more

improving to a prince of my age than to travel and visit foreign

courts; and he wished to gain the friendship of the Indian

monarch. I departed with the ambassador, but with no great

retinue.

When we had travelled about a month, we discovered at a distance

a cloud of dust, and under that we saw very soon fifty horsemen

well armed, who were robbers, advancing towards us at full speed.

As we had ten horses laden with baggage, and presents to the

sultan of Hindoostan, from my father, and my retinue was but

small, you may easily judge that these robbers came boldly up to

us; and not being in a posture to make any opposition, we told

them, that we were ambassadors, and hoped they would attempt

nothing contrary to the respect due to such sacred characters,

thinking by this means to save our equipage and our lives: but

the robbers most insolently replied, "For what reason would you

have us shew any respect to the sultan your master? We are none

of his subjects, nor are we upon his territories:" having spoken

thus, they surrounded and fell upon us: I defended myself as long

as I could; but finding myself wounded, and seeing the ambassador

with his attendants and mine lying on the ground, I made use of

what strength was yet remaining in my horse, who was also very

much wounded, and rode away as fast as he could carry me; but he

shortly after, from weariness and the loss of blood, fell down

dead. I cleared myself from him unhurt, and finding that I was

not pursued, judged the robbers were not willing to quit the

booty they had obtained.

Here you see me, alone, wounded, destitute of help, and in a

strange country. I durst not take the high road, fearing I might

fall again into the hands of these robbers. When I had bound up

my wound, which was not dangerous, I walked on the rest of the

day, and arrived at the foot of

mountain, where I perceived a passage into a cave; I went in, and

staid there that night with little satisfaction, after I had

eaten some fruits that I had gathered by the way.

I continued my journey for several days following, without

finding any place of abode: but after a month's time, I came to a

large town well inhabited, and situated so much the more

advantageously, as it was surrounded by several streams, so that

it enjoyed perpetual spring.

The pleasant objects which then presented themselves to my view

afforded me some joy, and suspended for a time the sorrow with

which I was overwhelmed. My face, hands, and feet were black and

sun-burnt; and, by my long journey, my boots were quite worn out,

so that I was forced to walk bare-footed; and besides, my clothes

were all in rags I entered the town to inform myself where I was,

and addressed myself to a tailor that was at work in his shop;

who, perceiving by my air that I was a person of more note than

my outward appearance bespoke, made me sit down by him, and asked

me who I was, from whence I came, and what had brought me

thither? I did not conceal anything that had befallen me, nor

made I any scruple to discover my quality.

The tailor listened to me with attention; but after had done

speaking, instead of giving me any consolation, he augmented my

sorrow: "Take heed," said he, "how you discover to any person

what you have related to me; for the prince of this country is

the greatest enemy your father has, and he will certainly do you

some mischief, should he hear of your being in this city." I made

no doubt of the tailor's sincerity, when he named the prince: but

since that enmity which is between my father and him has no

relation to my adventures, I pass it over in silence.

I returned the tailor thanks for his advice, expressed himself

disposed to follow his counsel, and assured him that his favours

should never be forgotten. He ordered something to be brought for

me to eat, and offered me at the same time a lodging in his

house, which I accepted. Some days after, finding me tolerably

well recovered of the fatigue I had endured by a long and tedious

journey, and reflecting that most princes of our religion applied

themselves to some art or calling that might be serviceable to

them upon occasion, he asked me, if I had learned any whereby I

might get a livelihood, and not be burdensome to others? I told

him that I understood the laws, both divine and human; that I was

a grammarian and poet; and above all, that I could write with

great perfection. "By all this," said he, "you will not be able,

in this country, to purchase yourself one morsel of bread;

nothing is of less use here than those sciences; but if you will

be advised by me, dress yourself in a labourer's habit; and since

you appear to be strong, and of a good constitution, you shall go

into the next forest and cut fire-wood, which you may bring to

the market to be sold; and I can assure you this employment will

turn to so good an account that you may live by it, without

dependence upon any man; and by this means you will be in a

condition to wait for the favourable minute, when heaven shall

think fit to dispel those clouds of misfortune that thwart your

happiness, and oblige you to conceal your birth; I will take care

to supply you with a rope and a hatchet."

The fear of being known, and the necessity I was under of getting

a livelihood, made me agree to this proposal, notwithstanding the

meanness and hardships that attended it. The day following the

tailor brought me a rope. a hatchet, and a short coat, and

recommended me to some poor people who gained their bread after

the same manner, that they might take me into their company. They

conducted me to the wood, and the first day I brought in as much

upon my head as procured me half a piece of gold, of the money of

that country; for though the wood was not far distant from the

town, yet it was very scarce, by reason that few would be at the

trouble of fetching it for themselves. I gained a good sum of

money in a short time, and repaid my tailor what he had advanced

to me

I continued this way of living for a whole year. One day, having

by chance penetrated farther into the wood than usual, I happened

to light on a pleasant spot, where I began to cut; and in pulling

up the root of a tree, I espied an iron ring, fastened to a trap

door of the same metal. I took away the earth that covered it,

and having lifted it up, discovered a flight of stairs, which I

descended with my axe in my hand.

When I had reached the bottom, I found myself in a palace, and

felt great consternation, on account of a great light which

appeared as clear in it as if it had been above ground in the

open air. I went forward along a gallery, supported by pillars of

jasper, the base and capitals of messy gold: but seeing a lady of

a noble and graceful air, extremely beautiful, coming towards me,

my eyes were taken off from every other objets.

Being desirous to spare the lady the trouble of coming to me, I

hastened to meet her; and as I was saluting her with a low

obeisance, she asked me, "What are you, a man or a genie?" "A

man, madam," said I; "I have no correspondence with genies." "By

what adventure," said she, fetching a deep sigh, "are you come

hither? I have lived here twenty-five years, and you are the:

first man I have beheld in that time."

Her great beauty, which had already smitten me, and the sweetness

and civility wherewith she received me, emboldened me to say,

"Madam, before I have the honour to satisfy your curiosity, give

me leave to tell you, that I am infinitely gratified with this

unexpected meeting, which offers me an occasion of consolation in

the midst of my affliction; and perhaps it may give me an

opportunity of making you also more happy than you are." I

related to her by what strange accident she beheld me, the son of

a sultan, in such a condition as I appeared in her presence; and

how fortune had directed that I should discover the entrance into

that magnificent prison where I had found her, according to

appearance, in an unpleasant situation.

"Alas! prince," said she, sighing once more, "you have just cause

to believe this rich and pompous prison cannot be otherwise than

a most wearisome abode: the most charming place in the world

being no way delightful when we are detained there contrary to

our will. It is not possible but you have heard of the sultan of

the isle of Ebene, so called from that precious wood which it

produces in abundance; I am the princess his daughter.

"The sultan, my father, had chosen for me a husband, a prince who

was my cousin; but on my wedding-night, in the midst of the

rejoicings of the court and capital, before I was conducted to my

husband, a genie took me away. I fainted with alarm, and when I

recovered, found myself in this place. I was long inconsolable,

but time and necessity have accustomed me to see and receive the

genie. Twenty-five years I have continued in this place, where, I

must confess, I have all that I can wish for necessary to life,

and also every thing that can satisfy a princess fond of dress

and splendour.

"Every ten days," continued the princess, "the genie comes

hither, and remains with me one night, which he never exceeds;

and the excuse he makes for it is, that he is married to another

wife, who would grow jealous if she should know his infidelity.

Meanwhile, if I have occasion for him by day or night, as soon as

I touch a talisman, which is at the entrance into my chamber, the

genie appears. It is now the fourth day since he was here, and I

do not expect him before the end of six more; so, if you please,

you may stay five days, and I will endeavour to entertain you

according to your quality and merit." I thought myself too

fortunate, to have obtained so great a favour without asking, to

refuse so obliging an offer. The princess made me go into a bath,

the most commodious, and the most sumptuous imaginable; and when

I came forth, instead of my own clothes I found another very

costly suit, which I did not esteem so much for its richness, as

because it made me appear worthy to be in her company. We sat

down on a sofa covered with rich tapestry, with cushions of the

rarest Indian brocade; and some time after she covered a table

with several dishes of delicate meats. We ate, and passed the

remaining part of the day with much satisfaction, as also the

evening, together.

The next day, as she contrived every means to please me, she

brought in, at dinner, a bottle of old wine, the most excellent

that ever was tasted, and out of complaisance drank some part of

it with me. When my head grew warm with the agreeable liquor,

"Fair princess," said I, "you have been too long thus buried

alive; follow me, enjoy the real day, of which you have been

deprived so many years, and abandon this artificial though

brilliant glare." "Prince," replied she, with a smile, "leave

this discourse; if you out of ten days will grant me nine, and

resign the last to the genie, the fairest day would be nothing in

my esteem." "Princess," said I, "it is the fear of the genie that

makes you speak thus; for my part, I value him so little, that I

will break in pieces his talisman, with the conjuration that is

written about it. Let him come, I will expect him; and how brave

or redoubtable soever he be, I will make him feel the weight of

my arm: I swear solemnly that I will extirpate all the genies in

the world, and him first." The princess, who knew the

consequence, conjured me not to touch the talisman. "For that

would be the means," said she, "of ruining both you and me; I

know what belongs to genies better than you." The fumes of the

wine did not suffer me to hearken to her reasons; but I gave the

talisman a kick with my foot, and broke it in several pieces.

The talisman was no sooner broken than the palace began to shake,

and seemed ready to fall, with a hideous noise like thunder,

accompanied with flashes of lightning, and alternate darkness.

This terrible noise in a moment dispelled the fumes of my wine,

and made me sensible, but too late, of the folly I had committed.

"Princess," cried I, "what means all this?" She answered, without

any concern for her own misfortune, "Alas! you are undone, if you

do not fly immediately."

I followed her advice, but my fears were so great, that I forgot

my hatchet and cords. I had scarcely reached the stairs by which

I had descended, when the enchanted palace opened at once, and

made a passage for the genie: he asked the princess in great

anger, "What has happened to you, and why did you call me?" "A

violent spasm," said the princess, "made me fetch this bottle

which you see here, out of which I drank twice or thrice, and by

mischance made a false step, and fell upon the talisman, which is

broken, and that is all."

At this answer, the furious genie told her, "You are a false

woman, and speak not the truth; how came that axe and those cords

there?" "I never saw them till this moment," said the princess.

"Your coming in such an impetuous manner has, it may be, forced

them up in some place as you came along, and so brought them

hither without your knowing it."

The genie made no other answer but what was accompanied with

reproaches and blows, of which I heard the noise. I could not

endure to hear the pitiful cries of the princess so cruelly

abused. I had already taken off the suit she had presented to me,

and put on my own, which I had laid on the stairs the day before,

when I came out of the bagnio: I made haste upstairs, the more

distracted with sorrow and compassion, as I had been the cause of

so great a misfortune; and by sacrificing the fairest princess on

earth to the barbarity of a merciless genie, I was becoming the

most criminal and ungrateful of mankind. "It is true," said I,

"she has been a prisoner these twenty-five years; but, liberty

excepted she wanted nothing that could make her happy. My folly

has put an end to her happiness, and brought upon her the cruelty

of an unmerciful devil." I let down the trap-door, covered it

again with earth, and returned to the city with a burden of wood,

which I bound up without knowing what I did, so great was my

trouble and sorrow.

My landlord, the tailor, was very much rejoiced to see me: "Your

absence," said he, "has disquieted me much, as you had entrusted

me with the secret of your birth, and I knew not what to think; I

was afraid somebody had discovered you; God be praised for your

return." I thanked him for his zeal and affection, but not a word

durst I say of what had passed, nor of the reason why I came back

without my hatchet and cords.

I retired to my chamber, where I reproached myself a thousand

times for my excessive imprudence: "Nothing," said I, "could have

paralleled the princess's good fortune and mine, had I forborne

to break the talisman."

While I was thus giving myself over to melancholy thoughts, the

tailor came in and said, "An old man, whom I do not know, brings

your hatchet and cords, which he found in his way as he tells me,

and says he understood from your comrades that you lodge here;

come out and speak to him, for he will deliver them to none but

yourself."

At these words I changed colour, and fell a trembling. While the

tailor was asking me the reason, my chamber-door opened, and the

old man, having no patience to stay, appeared to us with my

hatchet and cords. This was the genie, the ravisher of the fair

princess of the isle of Ebene, who had thus disguised himself,

after he had treated her with the utmost barbarity. "I am a

genie," said he, speaking to me, "son of the daughter of Eblis,

prince of genies: is not this your hatchet, and are not these

your cords?"

After the genie had put the question to me, he gave me no time to

answer, nor was it in my power, so much had his terrible aspect

disordered me. He grasped me by the middle, dragged me out of the

chamber, and mounting into the air, carried me up to the skies

with such swiftness, that I was not able to take notice of the

way he conveyed me. He descended again in like manner to the

earth, which on a sudden he caused to open with a stroke of his

foot, and sunk down at once, when I found myself in the enchanted

palace, before the fair princess of the isle of Ebene. But, alas!

what a spectacle was there! I saw what pierced me to the heart;

this poor princess was quite naked, weltering in her blood, and

laid upon the ground, more like one dead than alive, with her

cheeks bathed in tears.

"Perfidious wretch!" said the genie to her, pointing at me, "is

not this your gallant?" She cast her languishing eyes upon me,

and answered mournfully, "I do not know him, I never saw him till

this moment." "What!" said the genie, "he is the cause of thy

being in the condition thou art justly in; and yet darest thou

say thou cost not know him?" "If I do not know him," said the

princess, "would you have me lie on purpose to ruin him?" "Oh

then," said the genie, pulling out a cimeter and presenting it to

the princess, "if you never saw him before, take this, and cut

off his head." "Alas," replied the princess, "how is it possible

that I should execute such an act? My strength is so far spent

that I cannot lift up my arm; and if I could, how should I have

the heart to take away the life of an innocent man, and one whom

I do not know?" "This refusal," said the genie to the princess,

"sufficiently informs me of your crime." Upon which, turning to

me, "And thou," said he, "dost thou not know her?"

I should have been the most ungrateful wretch, and the most

perfidious of all mankind, if I had not strewn myself as faithful

to the princess as she had been to me, who had been the cause of

her misfortunes. I therefore answered the genie, "How should I

know her, when I never saw her till now?" "If it be so," said he,

"take the cimeter and cut off her head: on this condition I will

set thee at liberty, for then I shall be convinced that thou hast

never seen her till this moment, as thou gayest." "With all my

heart," replied I, and took the cimeter in my hand.

Do not think, madam, that I drew near to the fair princess of the

isle of Ebene to be the executioner of the genie's barbarity. I

did it only to demonstrate by my behaviour, as much as possible,

that as she had strewn her resolution to sacrifice her life for

my sake, I would not refuse to sacrifice mine for hers. The

princess, notwithstanding her pain and suffering, understood my

meaning; which she signified by an obliging look, and made me

understand her willingness to die for me; and that she was

satisfied to see how ready I was also to die for her. Upon this I

stepped back, and threw the cimeter on the ground. "I should for

ever," said I to the genie, "be hateful to all mankind were I to

be so base as to murder, not only a person whom I do not know,

but a lady like this, who is already on the point of expiring: do

with me what you please, since I am in your power; I cannot obey

your barbarous commands."

"I see," said the genie, "that you both out-brave me, and insult

my jealousy; but both of you shall know by my treatment of you of

what I am capable." At these words the monster took up the

cimeter and cut off one of her hands, which left her only so much

life as to give me a token with the other that she bade me for

ever adieu. For the blood she had lost before, and that which

gushed out then, did not permit her to live above one or two

moments after this barbarous cruelty; the sight of which threw me

into a fit. When I was come to myself again, I expostulated with

the genie, why he made me languish in expectation of death:

"Strike," cried I, "for I am ready to receive the mortal blow,

and expect it as the greatest favour you can show me." But

instead of agreeing to that, "Behold," said he, "how genies treat

their wives whom they suspect of unfaithfulness; she has received

thee here, and were I certain that she had put any further

affront upon me, I would put thee to death this minute: but I

will content myself with transforming thee into a dog, ape, lion,

or bird; take thy choice of any of these, I will leave it to

thyself."

These words gave me some hopes of being able to appease him: "O

genie," said I, "moderate your passion, and since you will not

take away my life, give it me generously. I shall always remember

your clemency, if you pardon me, as one of the best men in the

world pardoned one of his neighbours that bore him a mortal

hatred. The genie asked me what had passed between those two

neighbours, and said, he would have patience till he heard the

story, which I related to him; and I believe, madam, you will not

be displeased if I now repeat it.

The Story of the Envious Man, and of him that he Envied.

In a considerable town two persons dwelt in adjoining houses. One

of them conceived such a violent hatred against the other, that

the hated party resolved to remove to a distance, being persuaded

that their being neighbours was the only cause of this animosity;

for though he had done him several pieces of service, he found

that his hatred was not diminished; he therefore sold his house,

with what goods he had left, and retired to the capital city of a

kingdom which was not far distant. Here he bought a little spot

of ground, which lay about half a league from the city; where he

had a convenient house, with a garden, and a pretty spacious

court, wherein there was a deep well, which was not in use.

The honest man having made this purchase put on a dervise's

habit, intending to lead a retired life, and caused several cells

to be made in the house, where in a short time he established a

numerous society of dervises. He soon came to be publicly known

by his virtue, through which he acquired the esteem of many

people, as well of the commonalty as of the chief of the city. In

short, he was much honoured and courted by all ranks. People came

from afar to recommend themselves to his prayers; and all who

visited him, published what blessings they received through his

means.

The great reputation of this honest man having spread to the town

from whence he had come, it touched the envious man so much to

the quick, that he left his house and affairs with a resolution

to ruin him. With this intent he went to the new convent of

dervises, of which his former neighbour was the head, who

received him with all imaginable tokens of friendship. The

envious man told him that he was come on purpose to communicate a

business of importance, which he could not do but in private; and

"that nobody may hear us, let us," said he, "take a walk in your

court; and seeing night begins to draw on, command your dervises

to retire to their cells." The chief of the dervises did as he

was required.

When the envious man saw that he was alone with this good man, he

began to tell him his errand, walking side by side in the court,

till he saw his opportunity; and getting the good man near the

brink of the well, he gave him a thrust, and pushed him into it,

without being seen by any one. Having done thus, he returned, got

out at the gate of the convent without being known, and reached

his own house well satisfied with his journey, being fully

persuaded that the object of his hatred was no more; but he found

himself mistaken.

This old well was inhabited by fairies and genies, which happened

luckily for the relief of the head of the convent; for they

received and supported him, and carried him to the bottom, so

that he got no hurt. He perceived that there was something

extraordinary in his fall, which must otherwise have cost him his

life; but he neither saw nor felt anything. He soon heard a

voice, however, which said, "Do you know what honest man this is,

to whom we have done this piece of service?" Another voice

answered, "No." To which the first replied, "Then I will tell

you. This man out of charity, the purest ever known, left the

town he lived in, and has established himself in this place, in

hopes to cure one of his neighbours of the envy he had conceived

against him; he had acquired such a general esteem, that the

envious man, not able to endure it, came hither on purpose to

ruin him; and he would have accomplished his design, had it not

been for the assistance we have given this honest man, whose

reputation is so great, that the sultan, who keeps his residence

in the neighbouring city, was to pay him a visit to-morrow, to

recommend the princess his daughter to his prayers."

Another voice asked, "What need had the princess of the dervise's

prayers?" To which the first answered, "You do not know, it

seems, that she is possessed by genie Maimoun, the son of Dimdim,

who is fallen in love with her. But I well know how this good

head of the dervises may cure her; the thing is very easy, and I

will explain it to you. He has a black cat in his convent, with a

white spot at the end of her tail, about the bigness of a small

piece of Arabian money; let him only pull seven hairs out of the

white spot, burn them, and smoke the princess's head with the

fume, she will not only be immediately cured, but be so safely

delivered from Maimoun, the son of Dimdim, that he will never

dare to approach her again."

The head of the dervises remembered every word of the

conversation between the fairies and the genies, who remained

silent the remainder of the night. The next morning, as soon as

daylight appeared, and he could discern the nature of his

situation, the well being broken down in several places, he saw a

hole, by which he crept out with ease.

The other dervises, who had been seeking for him, were rejoiced

to see him; he gave them a brief account of the wickedness of the

man to whom he had given so kind a reception the day before, and

retired into his cell. Shortly after the black cat, which the

fairies and the genies had mentioned the night before, came to

fawn upon her master, as she was accustomed to do; he took her

up, and pulled seven hairs from the white spot that was upon her

tail, and laid them aside for his use when occasion should serve.

Soon after sunrise the sultan, who would leave no means untried

that he thought likely to restore the princess to perfect health,

arrived at the gate of the convent. He commanded his guards to

halt, whilst he with his principal officers went in. The dervises

received him with profound respect.

The sultan called their chief aside, and said, "Good Sheik, you

may probably be already acquainted with the cause of my visit."

"Yes, Sir," replied he gravely, "if I do not mistake, it is the

disease of the princess which procures me this unmerited honour."

"That is the real case," replied the sultan. "You will give me

new life if your prayers, as I hope they may, restore my

daughter's health." "Sir," said the good man, "if your majesty

will be pleased to let her come hither, I am in hopes, through

God's assistance and favour, that she will be effectually cured."

The prince, transported with joy, sent immediately for his

daughter, who soon appeared with a numerous train of ladies and

eunuchs, but veiled, so that her face was not seen. The chief of

the dervises caused a pall to be held over her head, and he had

no sooner thrown the seven hairs upon the burning coals, than the

genie Maimoun, the son of Dimdim, uttered a great cry, and

without being seen, left the princess at liberty; upon which, she

took the veil from her face, and rose up to see where she was,

saying, "Where am I, and who brought me hither?" At these words

the sultan, overcome with excess of joy, embraced his daughter,

and kissed her eyes; he also kissed the chief of the dervises'

hands, and said to his officers, "What reward does he deserve

that has thus cured my daughter?" They all cried, "He deserves

her in marriage." "That is what I had in my thoughts," said the

sultan; "and I make him my son-in-law from this moment." Some

time after the prime vizier died, and the sultan conferred the

place on the dervise. The sultan himself also died without heirs

male; upon which the religious orders and the militia consulted

together, and the good man was declared and acknowledged sultan

by general consent.

The honest dervise, having ascended the throne of his father-in-

law, as he was one day in the midst of his courtiers on a march,

espied the envious man among the crowd that stood as he passed

along, and calling one of the viziers that attended him,

whispered him in his ear, "Go, bring me that man you see there;

but take care you do not frighten him." The vizier obeyed, and

when the envious man was brought into his presence, the sultan

said, "Friend, I am extremely glad to see you." Upon which he

called an officer, "Go immediately," said he, "and cause to be

paid to this man out of my treasury, one hundred pieces of gold:

let him have also twenty loads of the richest merchandize in my

storehouses, and a sufficient guard to conduit him to his house."

After he had given this charge to the officer, he bade the

envious man farewell, and proceeded on his march.

When I had finished the recital of this story to the genie, the

murderer of the princess of the isle of Ebene, I made an

application of it to himself: "O genie!" said I, "this bountiful

sultan was not satisfied with merely overlooking the design of

the envious man to take away his life, but also treated him

kindly, and sent him back loaded with the favours I have

enumerated." In short, I employed all my eloquence to persuade

him to imitate so good an example, and to grant me pardon; but it

was impossible to move his compassion.

"All that I can do for thee," said he, "is, to grant thee thy

life; but do not flatter thyself that I will allow thee to return

safe and well; I must let thee feel what I am able to do by my

enchantments." So saying, he seized me violently, and carried me

through the arched roof of the subterraneous palace, which opened

to give him passage; he ascended with me into the air to such a

height, that the earth appeared like a little white cloud; he

then descended again like lightning, and alighted upon the summit

of a mountain.

Here he took up a handful of earth, and pronouncing, or rather

muttering, some words which I did not understand, threw it upon

me. "Quit," said he, "the form of a man, and take that of an

ape." He instantly disappeared, and left me alone, transformed

into an ape, and overwhelmed with sorrow in a strange country,

not knowing whether I was near or far from my father's dominions.

I descended the mountain, and entered a plain level country,

which took me a month to travel over, and then I came to the sea-

side. It happened at the time to be perfectly calm, and I espied

a vessel about half a league from the shore: unwilling to lose so

good an opportunity, I broke off a large branch from a tree,

carried it into the sea, and placed myself astride upon it, with

a stick in each hand to serve me for oars.

I launched out in this posture, and rowed towards the ship. When

I had approached sufficiently near to be seen, I exhibited to the

seamen and passengers on the deck an extraordinary spectacle, and

all of them regarded me with astonishment. In the meantime I got

on board, and laying hold of a rope, jumped upon the deck, but

having lost my speech I found myself in great perplexity: and

indeed the risk I ran was not less than when I was at the mercy

of the genie.

The merchants, being both superstitious and scrupulous, thought

if they received me on board I should be the occasion of some

misfortune to them during their voyage. On this account one of

them said, "I will destroy him with a blow of this handspike;"

another, "I will shoot an arrow through his body;" and a third,

"Let us throw him into the sea." Some one of them would not have

failed to carry his threat into execution had I not gone to the

captain, thrown myself at his feet, and taken hold of his skirt

in a supplicating posture. This action, together with the tears

which he saw gush from my eyes, moved his compassion. He took me

under his protection, threatened to be revenged on any one that

would do me the least hurt, and loaded me with a thousand

caresses. On my part, though I had not power to speak, I showed

by my gestures every mark of gratitude in my power.

The wind that succeeded the calm was not strong, but favourable;

it continued to blow in the same direction for fifty days, and

brought us safe to the port of a city, well peopled, and of great

trade, the capital of a powerful state, where we came to anchor.

Our vessel was instantly surrounded with an infinite number of

boats full of people, who came to congratulate their friends on

their safe arrival, or to inquire for those they had left behind

them in the country from whence they had come, or out of

curiosity to see a ship that had performed so long a voyage.

Amongst the rest, some officers came on board, desiring in the

name of the sultan to speak with the merchants. The merchants

appearing, one of the officers told them, "The sultan our master

hath commanded us to acquaint you, that he rejoices in your safe

arrival, and beseeches each of you to take the trouble to write a

few lines upon this roll. That you may understand the design of

this request, you must know that we had a prime vizier, who

besides possessing great abilities for the management of public

affairs could write in the highest perfection. This minister a

few days since died. The event has greatly affected the sultan;

and since he can never behold his writing without admiration, he

has made a solemn vow, not to give the place to any one who

cannot write equally well. Many have presented specimens of their

skill; but to this day, no one in the empire has been judged

worthy to supply the vizier's place."

Those of the merchants who thought they could write well enough

to aspire to this high dignity, wrote one after another what they

thought fit. After they had done, I advanced, and took the roll

out of the gentleman's hand; but all the people, especially the

merchants, cried out, that I would tear it, or throw it into the

sea, till they saw how properly I held the roll, and made a sign

that I would write in my turn: their apprehensions then changed

into wonder. However, as they had never seen an ape that could

write, and could not be persuaded that I was more ingenious than

others of my kind, they wished to take the roll out of my hand;

but the captain took my part once more. "Let him alone," said he,

"allow him to write. If he only scribbles the paper, I promise

you that I will immediately punish him. If, on the contrary, he

writes well, as I hope he will, because I never saw an ape so

clever and ingenious, and so quick of apprehension, I declare

that I will adopt him as my son." Perceiving that no one opposed

my design, I took the pen, and wrote six sorts of hands used

among the Arabians, and each specimen contained an extemporary

distich or quatrain in praise of the sultan. My writing not only

excelled that of the merchants, but was such as they had not

before seen in that country. When I had done, the officers took

the roll, and carried it to the sultan.

The sultan took little notice of any of the writings, except

mine, which pleased him so much that he said to the officers,

"Take the finest horse in my stable, with the richest trappings,

and a robe of the most sumptuous brocade to put on the person who

wrote the six hands, and bring him thither." At this command the

officers could not forbear laughing. The sultan was incensed at

their rudeness, and would have punished them had they not

explained: "Sir," said they, "we humbly beg your majesty's

pardon: these hands were not written by a man, but by an ape."

"What do you say?" exclaimed the sultan. "Those admirable

characters, are they not written by the hands of a man?" "No,

Sir," replied the officers; "we assure your majesty that it was

an ape, who wrote them in our presence." The sultan was too much

surprised at this account not to desire a sight of me, and

therefore said, "Do what I command you, and bring me speedily

that wonderful ape."

The officers returned to the vessel and shewed the captain their

order, who answered, "The sultan's command must be obeyed."

Whereupon they clothed me with the rich brocade robe, and carried

me ashore, where they set me on horseback, whilst the sultan

waited for me at his palace with a great number of courtiers,

whom he gathered together to do me the more honour.

The procession commenced; the harbour, the streets, the public

places, windows, terraces, palaces, and houses, were filled with

an infinite number of people of all ranks, who flocked from every

part of the city to see me; for the rumour was spread in a

moment, that the sultan had chosen an ape to be his grand vizier,

and after having served for a spectacle to the people, who could

not forbear to express their surprise by redoubling their shouts

and cries, I arrived at the sultan's palace.

I found the prince on his throne in the midst of the grandees; I

made my obeisance three times very low, and at last kneeled and

kissed the ground before him, and afterwards took my seat in the

posture of an ape. The whole assembly viewed me with admiration,

and could not comprehend how it was possible that an ape should

so well understand how to pay the sultan his due respect; and he

himself was more astonished than any. In short, the usual

ceremony of the audience would have been complete, could I have

added speech to my behaviour; but apes never speak, and the

advantage I had of having been a man did not now yield me that

privilege.

The sultan dismissed his courtiers, and none remained by him but

the chief of the eunuchs, a little young slave, and myself. He

went from his chamber of audience into his own apartment, where

he ordered dinner to be brought. As he sat at table he made me a

sign to approach and eat with them: to shew my obedience I kissed

the ground, arose, and placed myself at the table, and ate with

discretion and moderation.

Before the table was cleared, I espied a standish, which I made a

sign to have brought me; having got it, I wrote upon a large

peach some verses expressive of my acknowledgment to the sultan;

who having read them after I had presented the peach to him, was

still more astonished. When the things were removed, they brought

him a particular liquor, of which he caused them to give me a

glass. I drank, and wrote upon the glass some new verses, which

explained the state I was reduced to, after many sufferings. The

sultan read these likewise, and said, "A man that was capable of

doing so much would be above the greatest of his species."

The sultan caused to be brought to him a chessboard, and asked me

by a sign if I understood that game, and would play with him? I

kissed the ground, and laying my hand upon my head, signified

that I was ready to receive that honour. He won the first game,

but I won the second and third; and perceiving he was somewhat

displeased at my success, I made a quatrain to satisfy him; in

which I told him that two potent armies had been fighting

furiously all day, but that they concluded a peace towards the

evening, and passed the remaining part of the night very amicably

together upon the field of battle.

So many circumstances appearing to the sultan beyond whatever had

either been seen or known of the cleverness or sense of apes, he

determined not to be the only witness of these prodigies himself,

but having a daughter, called the Lady of Beauty, on whom the

chief of the eunuchs, then present, waited; "Go," said the sultan

to him, "and bid your lady come hither: I am desirous she should

share my pleasure."

The eunuch went, and immediately brought the princess, who had

her face uncovered; but she had no sooner come into the room,

than she put on her veil, and said to the sultan, "Sir, your

majesty must needs have forgotten yourself; I am surprised that

your majesty has sent for me to appear among men." "How,

daughter!" said the sultan, "you do not know what you say: there

is no one here, but the little slave, the eunuch your governor,

and myself, who have the liberty to see your face; and yet you

lower your veil, and blame me for having sent for you." "Sir,"

said the princess, "your majesty shall soon understand that I am

not in the wrong. That seeming ape is a young prince, son of a

powerful sultan, and has been metamorphosed into an ape by

enchantment. A genie, son of the daughter of Eblis, has

maliciously done him this wrong, after having cruelly taken away

the life of the princess of the isle of Ebene."

The sultan, astonished at this declaration, turned towards me,

and speaking no more by signs, but in plain words, asked me, if

what his daughter said was true? Finding I could not speak, I put

my hand to my head' to signify that what the princess spoke was

correct. Upon this the sultan said again to his daughter, "How do

you know that this prince has been transformed by enchantments

into an ape?" "Sir," replied the Lady of Beauty, "your majesty

may remember that when I was past my infancy I had an old lady

who waited on me; she was a most expert magician, and taught me

seventy rules of magic, by virtue of which I can, in the

twinkling of an eye, transport your capital into the midst of the

sea, or beyond mount Caucasus. By this science I know all

enchanted persons at first sight: I know who they are, and by

whom they have been enchanted; therefore do not be surprised if I

should forthwith relieve this prince, in spite of the

enchantments, from that which prevents his appearing in your

sight in his natural form." "Daughter," said the sultan, "I did

not believe you to have understood so much." "Sir," replied the

princess, "these things are curious and worth knowing; but I

think I ought not to boast of them." "Since it is so," said the

sultan, "you can dispel the prince's enchantment." "Yes, sir,"

said the princess, "I can restore him to his original shape." "Do

it then," said the sultan, "you cannot do me a greater pleasure;

for I will have him to be my vizier, and he shall marry you."

"Sir," said the princess, "I am ready to obey you in all that you

should be pleased to command me."

The princess, the Lady of Beauty, went into her apartment, and

brought thence a knife, which had some Hebrew words engraven on

the blade: she made the sultan, the master of the eunuchs, the

little slave, and myself, descend into a private court of the

palace, and there left us under a gallery that went round it. She

placed herself in the middle of the court, where she made a great

circle, and within it she wrote several words in Arabian

characters, some of them ancient.

When she had finished and prepared the circle as she thought fit,

she placed herself in the centre of it, where she began

incantations, and repeated verses of the Koraun. The air grew

insensibly dark, as if it had been night, and the whole world

were about to be dissolved: we found ourselves struck with

consternation, and our fear increased when we saw the genie, the

son of the daughter of Eblis, appear suddenly in the shape of a

lion of a gigantic size.

As soon as the princess perceived this monster, "Dog," said she,

"instead of creeping before me, dare you present yourself in this

shape, thinking to frighten me?" "And thou," replied the lion,

"art thou not afraid to break the treaty which was solemnly made

and confirmed between us by oath, not to wrong or do one another

any injury?" "Wretch," replied the princess, "I justly may

reproach thee with having done so." The lion answered fiercely,

"Thou shalt quickly have thy reward for the trouble thou hast

given me:" with that he opened his monstrous jaws, and sprang

forward to devour her; but she, being on her guard, stepped back,

got time to pull out one of her hairs, and by pronouncing three

or four words, changed it into a sharp sword, with which she cut

the lion in two through the middle.

The two parts of the lion disappeared, while the head changed

into a large scorpion. Immediately the princess turned herself

into a serpent, and fought the scorpion, who, finding himself

worsted, took the shape of an eagle, and flew away: but the

serpent at the same time took also the shape of an eagle, that

was black and much stronger, and pursued him, so that we lost

sight of them both.

Some time after they had disappeared, the ground opened before

us, and out of it came forth a black and white cat, with her hair

standing on end, and mewing in a frightful manner; a black wolf

followed close after her, and gave her no time to rest. The cat,

being thus hard pressed, changed into a worm, and being near a

pomegranate accidentally fallen from a tree on the side of a

canal which was deep, but not broad, pierced the pomegranate in

an instant, and hid itself, but the pomegranate swelled

immediately, and became as big as a gourd, which, mounting up to

the roof of the gallery, rolled there for some time backward and

forward; it then fell down again into the court, and broke into

several pieces.

The wolf had in the meanwhile transformed itself into a cock, and

now fell to picking up the seeds of the pomegranate one after

another; but finding no more, he came towards us with his wings

spread, making a great noise, as if he would ask us whether there

were any more seed. There was one lying on the brink of the

canal, which the cock perceiving as he went back, ran speedily

thither; but just as he was going to pick it up, the seed rolled

into the river, and turned into a little fish.

The cock leaped into the river, turned into a pike, and pursued

the small fish; they continued both under water above two hours,

and we knew not what was become of them, but suddenly we heard

terrible cries, which made us tremble, and a little while after

we saw the genie and princess all in flames. They threw flashes

of fire out of their mouths at each other, till they came to

close combat; then the two fires increased, with a thick burning

smoke which mounted so high that we had reason to apprehend it

would set the palace on fire. But we very soon had a more

pressing occasion of fear, for the genie having got loose from

the princess, came to the gallery where we stood, and blew flames

of fire upon us. We must all have perished had not the princess,

running to our assistance, forced him to retire, and defend

himself against her; yet, notwithstanding all her exertions, she

could not hinder the sultan's beard from being burnt, and his

face scorched, the chief of the eunuchs from being stifled, and a

spark from entering my right eye, and making it blind. The sultan

and I expected but death, when we heard a cry of "Victory!

Victory!" and instantly the princess appeared in her natural

shape, but the genie was reduced to a heap of ashes.

The princess approached us, and hastily called for a cup-full of

water, which the young slave, who had received no hurt, brought

her. She took it, and after pronouncing some words over it, threw

it upon me, saying, "If thou art become an ape by enchantment,

change thy shape, and take that of a man which thou hadst

before." These words were hardly uttered, when I again became a

man, in every respect as I was before my transformation,

excepting the loss of my eye.

I was prepared to return the princess my thanks, but she

prevented me by addressing herself to her father: "Sir, I have

gained the victory over the genie, as your majesty may see; but

it is a victory that costs me dear; I have but a few minutes to

live, and you will not have the satisfaction to make the match

you intended; the fire has pierced me during the terrible combat,

and I find it is gradually consuming me. This would not have

happened, had I perceived the last of the pomegranate seeds, and

swallowed it, as I did the others when I was changed into a cock:

the genie had fled thither as to his last intrenchment, and upon

that the success of the combat depended, which would have been

successful, and without danger to me. This oversight obliged me

to have recourse to fire, and to fight with those mighty arms as

I did, between heaven and earth, in your presence; for, in spite

of all his redoubtable art and experience, I made the genie know

that I understood more than he; I have conquered and reduced him

to ashes, but I cannot escape death, which is approaching."

The sultan suffered the princess, the Lady of Beauty, to go on

with the recital of her combat, and when she had done, addressed

her in a tone that sufficiently testified his grief; "My

daughter," said he, "you see in what condition your father is;

alas! I wonder that I am yet alive! Your governor, the eunuch, is

dead, and the prince whom you have delivered from his enchantment

has lost one of his eyes." He could say no more, for his tears,

sighs, and sobs, deprived him of the power of utterance.

Suddenly the princess exclaimed, "I burn! I burn!" She found that

the fire had at last seized upon her vital parts, which made her

still cry "I burn!" until death had put an end to her intolerable

pains. The effect of that fire was so extraordinary, that in a

few moments she was wholly reduced to ashes, as the genie had

been.

I cannot tell you, madam, how much I was grieved at so dismal a

spectacle; I had rather all my life have continued an ape or a

dog, than to have seen my benefactress thus miserably perish. The

sultan being afflicted all that can be imagined, cried piteously,

and beat himself on his head and breast, until being quite

overcome with grief, he fainted away, which made me fear for his

life. In the mean time, the eunuchs and officers came running at

the sultan's lamentations, and with much difficulty brought him

to himself. It was not necessary that the prince or myself should

relate the circumstances of the adventure, to convince them of

the affliction it had occasioned us. The two heaps of ashes, to

which the princess and the genie had been reduced, were a

sufficient demonstration. The sultan was hardly able to stand,

but was under the necessity of being supported to his apartment.

When the knowledge of this tragical event had spread through the

palace and the city, all the people bewailed the misfortune of

the princess, the Lady of Beauty, and commiserated the sultan's

affliction. Public mourning was observed for seven days, and many

ceremonies were performed. The ashes of the genie were thrown

into the air, but those of the princess were collected into a

precious urn, to be preserved, and the urn was deposited in a

superb mausoleum, constructed for that purpose on the spot where

the princess had been consumed.

The grief of the sultan for the loss of his daughter confined him

to his chamber for a whole month. Before he had fully recovered

his strength he sent for me: "Prince," said he, "attend to the

commands I now give you; your life must answer if you do not

carry them into execution." I assured him of exalt obedience;

upon which he went on thus: "I have constantly lived in perfect

felicity, but by your arrival all the happiness I possessed has

vanished; my daughter is dead, her governor is no more, and it is

only through a miracle that I am myself yet alive You are the

cause of all these misfortunes, under which it is impossible that

I should be comforted; depart hence therefore in peace, without

farther delay, for I must myself perish if you remain any longer.

I am persuaded that your presence brings misfortune with it.

Depart, and take care never to appear again in my dominions. No

consideration whatever shall hinder me from making you repent

your temerity should you violate my injunction." I was going to

speak, but he prevented me by words full of anger; and I was

obliged to quit the palace, rejected, banished, an outcast from

the world. Before I left the city I went into a bagnio, here I

caused my beard and eyebrows to be shaved, and put on a

calender's habit. I began my journey, not so much deploring my

own miseries, as the death of the two fair princesses, of which I

have been the occasion. I passed through many countries without

making myself known; at last I resolved to come to Bagdad, in

hopes of getting myself introduced to the commander of the

faithful, to move his compassion by relating to him my

unfortunate adventures. I arrived this evening, and the first man

I met was this calender, our brother, who spoke before me. You

know the remaining part, madam, and the cause of my having the

honour to be here.

When the second calender had concluded his story, Zobeide, to

whom he had addressed his speech, said, "It is well, you are at

liberty." But instead of departing, he also petitioned the lady

to shew him the same favour vouchsafed to the first calender, and

went and sat down by him.

The History of the Third Calender.

My story, most honourable lady, very much differs from what you

have already heard. The two princes who have spoken before me

have each lost an eye by the pure effects of their destiny, but

mine I lost through my own fault, and by hastening to seek my own

misfortune, as you shall hear by the sequel of the story.

My name is Agib, and I am the son of a sultan who was called

Cassib. After his death I took possession of his dominions, and

continued in the city where he had resided. It is situated on the

sea-coast, has one of the finest and safest harbours in the

world, an arsenal capable of fitting out for sea one hundred and

fifty men of war, besides merchantmen and light vessels. My

kingdom is composed of several fine provinces upon the main land,

besides a number of valuable islands, which lie almost in sight

of my capital.

My first object was to visit the provinces: I afterwards caused

my whole fleet to be fitted out, and went to my islands to gain

the hearts of my subjects by my presence, and to confirm them in

their loyalty. These voyages gave me some taste for navigation,

in which I took so much pleasure, that I resolved to make some

discoveries beyond my own territories; to which end I caused ten

ships to be fitted out, embarked, and set sail.