has already heard in my sister's story, I shall only add, that
after my mother had taken a house for herself to live in, during
her widowhood, she gave me in marriage, with the portion my
father left me, to a gentleman who had one of the best estates in
the city.
I had scarcely been a year married when I became a widow, and was
left in possession of all my husband's property, which amounted
to 90,000 sequins. The interest of this money was sufficient to
maintain me very honourably. When the first six months of my
mourning was over, I caused to be made for me ten different
dresses, of such magnificence that each came to a thousand
sequins; and at the end of the year I began to wear them.
One day, while I was alone engaged in my domestic affairs, I was
told that a lady desired to speak to me. I gave orders that she
should be admitted. She was a person advanced in years; she
saluted me by kissing the ground, and said to me kneeling, "Dear
lady, excuse the freedom I take to trouble you, the confidence I
have in your charity makes me thus bold. I must acquaint your
ladyship that I have an orphan daughter, who is to be married
this day. She and I are both strangers, and have no acquaintance
in this town; which much perplexes me, for we wish the numerous
family with whom we are going to ally ourselves to think we are
not altogether unknown and without credit: therefore, most
beautiful lady, if you would vouchsafe to honour the wedding with
your presence, we shall be infinitely obliged, because the ladies
of our country, when informed that a lady of your rank has strewn
us this respect, will then know that we are not regarded here as
unworthy and despised persons. But, alas! madam, if you refuse
this request, how great will be our mortification! we know not
where else to apply."
This poor woman's address, which she spoke with tears, moved my
compassion. "Good woman," said I, "do not afflict yourself, I
will grant you the favour you desire; tell me whither I must go,
and I will meet you as soon as I am dressed." The old woman was
so transported with joy at my answer, that she kissed my feet
before I had time to prevent her. "My compassionate lady," said
she, rising, "God will reward the kindness you have shewed to
your servants, and make your heart as joyful as you have made
theirs. You need not at present trouble yourself; it will be time
enough for you to go when I call for you in the evening. So
farewell, madam, till I have the honour to see you again."
As soon as she was gone, I took the suit I liked best, with a
necklace of large pearls, bracelets, pendents for my ears, and
rings set with the finest and most sparkling diamonds; for my
mind presaged what would befall me.
When the night closed in, the old woman called upon me, with a
countenance full of joy. She kissed my hands, and said, "My dear
lady, the relations of my son-in-law, who are the principal
ladies of the city, are now met together; you may come when you
please; I am ready to conduct you." We immediately set out; she
walked before me, and I was followed by a number of my women and
slaves properly dressed for the occasion. We stopt in a wide
street, newly swept and watered, at a spacious gate with a lamp,
by the light of which I read this inscription in golden letters
over the entrance: "This is the everlasting abode of pleasure and
joy." The old woman knocked, and the gate was opened immediately.
I was conducted towards the lower end of the court, into a large
hall, where I was received by a young lady of admirable beauty.
She drew near, and after having embraced me, made me sit down by
her upon a sofa, on which was raised a throne of precious wood
set with diamonds. "Madam," said she, "you are brought hither to
assist at a wedding; but I hope it will be a different wedding
from what you expected. I have a brother, one of the handsomest
men in the world: he is fallen so much in love with the fame of
your beauty, that his fate depends wholly upon you, and he will
be the unhappiest of men if you do not take pity on him. He knows
your quality, and I can assure you he is in no respect unworthy
of your alliance. If my prayers, madam, can prevail, I shall join
them with his, and humbly beg you will not refuse the proposal of
being his wife."
After the death of my husband I had not thought of marrying
again. But I had no power to refuse the solicitation of so
charming a lady. As soon as I had given consent by my silence,
accompanied with a blush, the young lady claps her hands, and
immediately a closet-door opened, out of which came a young man
of a majestic air, and so graceful a behaviour, that I thought
myself happy to have made so great a conquest. He sat down by me,
and I found from his conversation that his merits far exceeded
the eulogium of his sister.
When she perceived that we were satisfied with one another, she
claps her hands a second time, and out came a Cauzee, who wrote
our contract of marriage, signed it himself, and caused it to be
attested by four witnesses he brought along with him. The only
condition that my new husband imposed upon me was, that I should
not be seen by nor speak to any other man but himself, and he
vowed to me that, if I complied in this respect, I should have no
reason to complain of him. Our marriage was concluded and
finished after this manner; so I became the principal actress in
a wedding to which I had only been invited as a guest.
About a month after our marriage, having occasion for some
stuffs, I asked my husband's permission to go out to buy them,
which he granted; and I took with me the old woman of whom I
spoke before, she being one of the family, and two of my own
female slaves.
When we came to the street where the merchants reside, the old
woman said, "Dear mistress, since you want silk stuffs, I must
take you to a young merchant of my acquaintance, who has a great
variety; and that you may not fatigue yourself by running from
shop to shop, I can assure you that you will find in his what no
other can furnish." I was easily persuaded, and we entered a shop
belonging to a young merchant who was tolerably handsome. I sat
down, and bade the old woman desire him to shew me the finest
silk stuffs he had. The woman desired me to speak myself; but I
told her it was one of the articles of my marriage contract not
to speak to any man but my husband, which I ought to keep.
The merchant shewed me several stuffs, of which one pleased me
better than the rest; but I bade her ask the price. He answered
the old woman, "I will not sell it for gold or money, but I will
make her a present of it, if she will give me leave to kiss her
cheek." I ordered the old woman to tell him, that he was very
rude to propose such a freedom. But instead of obeying me, she
said, "What the merchant desires of you is no such great matter;
you need not speak, but only present him your cheek." The stuff
pleased me so much, that I was foolish enough to take her advice.
The old woman and my slaves stood up, that nobody might see, and
I put up my veil; but instead of kissing me, the merchant bit me
so violently as to draw blood.
The pain and my surprise were so great, that I fell down in a
swoon, and continued insensible so long, that the merchant had
time to escape. When I came to myself, I found my cheek covered
with blood: the old woman and my slaves took care to cover it
with my veil, that the people who came about us could not
perceive it, but supposed I had only had a fainting fit.
The old woman who accompanied me being extremely troubled at this
accident, endeavoured to comfort me. "My dear mistress," said
she, "I beg your pardon, for I am the cause of this misfortune,
having brought you to this merchant, because he is my countryman:
but I never thought he would be guilty of such a villainous
action. But do not grieve; let us hasten home, I will apply a
remedy that shall in three days so perfectly cure you, that not
the least mark shall be visible." The fit had made me so weak,
that I was scarcely able to walk. But at last I got home, where I
again fainted, as I went into my chamber. Meanwhile, the old
woman applied her remedy; I came to myself, and went to bed.
My husband came to me at night, and seeing my head bound up,
asked me the reason. I told him I had the head-ache, which I
hoped would have satisfied him, but he took a candle, and saw my
cheek was hurt: "How comes this wound?" said he. Though I did not
consider myself as guilty of any great offence, yet I could not
think of owning the truth. Besides, to make such an avowal to a
husband, I considered as somewhat indecorous; I therefore said,
"That as I was going, under his permission, to purchase some silk
stuff, a porter, carrying a load of wood, came so near to me, in
a narrow street, that one of the sticks grazed my cheek; but had
not done me much hurt." This account put my husband into a
violent passion. "This act," said he, "shall not go unpunished. I
will to-morrow order the lieutenant of the police to seize all
those brutes of porters, and cause them to be hanged." Fearful of
occasioning the death of so many innocent persons, I said, "Sir,
I should be sorry so great a piece of injustice should be
committed. Pray refrain; for I should deem myself unpardonable,
were I to be the cause of so much mischief." "Then tell me
sincerely," said he, "how came you by this wound." I answered,
"That it was occasioned by the inadvertency of a broom-seller
upon an ass, who coming behind me, while he was looking another
way, his ass came against me with so much violence, that I fell
down, and hurt my cheek upon some glass." "If that is the case,"
said my husband, "to-morrow morning, before sun-rise, the grand
vizier Jaaffier shall be informed of this insolence, and cause
all the broom-sellers to be put to death." "For the love of God,
Sir," said I, "let me beg of you to pardon them, for they are not
guilty." "How, madam," he demanded, "what then am I to believe?
Speak, for I am resolved to know the truth from your own mouth."
"Sir," I replied, "I was taken with a giddiness, and fell down,
and that is the whole matter."
At these words my husband lost all patience. "I have," said he,
"too long listened to your falsehoods." As he spoke he clapped
his hands, and in came three slaves: "Pull her out of bed," said
he, "and lay her in the middle of the floor." The slaves obeyed,
one holding me by the head, another by the feet; he commanded the
third to fetch a cimeter, and when he had brought it, "Strike,"
said he, "cut her in two, and then throw her into the Tygris.
This is the punishment I inflict on those to whom I have given my
heart, when they falsify their promise." When he saw that the
slave hesitated to obey him, "Why do you not strike?" said he.
"What do you wait for?"
"Madam," said the slave then, "you are near the last moment of
your life, consider if you have any thing to dispose of before
you die." I begged permission to speak one word, which was
granted me. I lifted up my head, and casting an affectionate look
on my husband, said, "Alas! to what a condition am I reduced!
must I then die in the prime of my youth!" I could say no more,
for my tears and sighs choked my utterance. My husband was not at
all moved, but, on the contrary, went on to reproach me; and it
would have been in vain to attempt a reply. I had recourse to
intreaties and prayers; but he had no regard to them, and
commanded the slaves to proceed to execution. The old woman, who
had been his nurse, came in just at that moment, fell down upon
her knees, and endeavoured to appease his wrath. "My son," said
she, "since I have been your nurse and brought you up, let me beg
the favour of you to grant me her life. Consider, that he who
kills shall be killed, and that you will stain your reputation,
and forfeit the esteem of mankind. What will the world say of
such sanguinary violence?" She spoke these words in such an
affecting manner, accompanied with tears, that she prevailed upon
him at last to abandon his purpose.
"Well then," said he to his nurse, "for your sake I will spare
her life; but she shall bear about her person some marks to make
her remember her offence." When he had thus spoken, one of the
slaves, by his order, gave me upon my sides and breast so many
blows, with a little cane, that he tore away both skin and flesh,
which threw me into a swoon. In this state he caused the same
slaves, the executioners of his fury, to carry me into a house,
where the old woman took care of me. I kept my bed four months;
at last I recovered: the scars which, contrary to my wish, you
saw yesterday, have remained ever since.
As soon as I was able to walk, and go abroad, I resolved to
retire to the house which was left me by my first husband, but I
could not find the site whereon it had stood. My second husband,
in the heat of his resentment, was not satisfied with the
demolition of that, but caused every other house in the same
street to be razed to the ground. I believe such an act of
violence was never heard of before; but against whom could I
complain? The perpetrator had taken good care to conceal himself.
But suppose I had discovered him, is it not easily seen that his
conduct must have proceeded from absolute power? How then could I
dare to complain?
Being left thus destitute and helpless, I had recourse to my dear
sister Zobeide, whose adventures your majesty has just heard. To
her I made known my misfortune; she received me with her
accustomed goodness, and advised me to bear my ambition patience.
"This is the way of the world," said she, "which either robs us
of our property, our friends, or our lovers; and some times of
all together." In confirmation of her remark, she at the same
time gave me an account of the loss of the young prince,
occasioned by the jealousy of her two sisters. She told me also
by what accident they were transformed into bitches: and in the
last place, after a thousand testimonials of her love towards me,
she introduced me to my youngest sister, who had likewise taken
sanctuary with her after the death of her mother.
Having returned our grateful acknowledgments to God for having
thus brought us together, we resolved to preserve our freedom,
and never again to separate. We have now long enjoyed this
tranquil life. As it was my business to manage the affairs of the
house, I always took pleasure in going myself to purchase what we
wanted. I happened to go abroad yesterday for this purpose, and
the things I bought I caused to be carried home by a porter, who
proving to be a sensible and jocose fellow, we kept with us for a
little diversion. Three calenders happened to come to our door as
it began to grow dark, and prayed us to give them shelter till
the next morning We admitted them upon certain conditions which
they agreed to observe; and after we had made them sit at table
with us, they in their own way entertained us with a concert of
music. At this time we heard knocking at our gate. This proceeded
from three merchants of Moussol, men of good appearance, who
begged the same favour which the calenders had obtained before.
We consented upon the same conditions, but neither of them kept
their promise. Though we had power, as well as justice on our
side, to punish them, yet we contented ourselves with demanding
from them the history of their lives; and afterwards confined our
revenge to dismissing them, after they had done, and denying them
the asylum they requested.
The caliph was well pleased to be thus informed of what he
desired to know; and publicly expressed his admiration of what he
had heard.
The caliph having satisfied his curiosity, thought himself
obliged to shew his generosity to the calender princes, and also
to give the three ladies some proof of his bounty. He himself,
without making use of his minister, the grand vizier, spoke to
Zobeide. "Madam, did not this fairy, that shewed herself to you
in the shape of a serpent, and imposed such a rigorous command
upon you, tell you where her place of abode was? Or rather, did
she not promise to see you, and restore those bitches to their
natural shape?"
"Commander of the faithful," answered Zobeide, "I forgot to tell
your majesty that the fairy left with me a bundle of hair,
saying, that her presence would one day be of use to me; and
then, if I only burnt two tufts of this hair, she would be with
me in a moment, though she were beyond mount Caucasus." "Madam,"
demanded the caliph, "where is the bundle of hair?" She answered,
"Ever since that time I have been so careful of it, that I always
carry it about me." Upon which she pulled it out, opened the case
which contained it, and shewed it to him. "Well then," said the
caliph, "let us bring the fairy hither; you could not call her in
a better time, for I long to see her."
Zobeide having consented, fire was brought in, and she threw the
whole bundle of hair into it. The palace at that instant began to
shake, and the fairy appeared before the caliph in the form of a
lady very richly dressed.
"Commander of the faithful," said she to the prince, "you see I
am ready to receive your commands. The lady who gave me this call
by your order did me essential service. To evince my gratitude, I
revenged her of her sisters' inhumanity, by changing them to
bitches; but if your majesty commands me, I will restore them to
their former shape."
"Generous fairy," replied the caliph, "you cannot do me a greater
pleasure; vouchsafe them that favour, and I will find some means
to comfort them for their hard penance. But besides, I have
another boon to ask in favour of that lady, who has had such
cruel usage from an unknown husband. As you undoubtedly know all
things, oblige me with the name of this barbarous wretch, who
could not be contented to exercise his outrageous and unmanly
cruelty upon her person, but has also most unjustly taken from
her all her substance. I only wonder how such an unjust and
inhuman action could be performed under my authority, and even in
my residence, without having come to my knowledge."
"To oblige your majesty," answered the fairy, "I will restore the
two bitches to their former state, and I will so cure the lady of
her scars, that it shall never appear she was so beaten; and I
will also tell you who it was that abused her."
The caliph sent for the two bitches from Zobeide's house, and
when they came, a glass of water was brought to the fairy by her
desire. She pronounced over it some words which nobody
understood; then throwing some part of it upon Amene, and the
rest upon the bitches, the latter became two ladies of surprising
beauty, and the scars that were upon Amene disappeared. After
which the fairy said to the caliph, "Commander of the faithful, I
must now discover to you the unknown husband you enquire after.
He is very nearly related to yourself, for it is prince Amin,
your eldest son, who falling passionately in love with this lady
from the fame of her beauty, by stratagem had her brought to his
house, where he married her. As to the blows he caused to be
given her, he is in some measure excusable; for the lady his
spouse had been a little too easy, and the excuses she had made
were calculated to lead him to believe she was more faulty than
she really was. This is all I can say to satisfy your curiosity."
At these words she saluted the caliph, and vanished.
The prince being filled with admiration, and having much
satisfaction in the changes that had happened through his means,
acted in such a manner as will perpetuate his memory to all ages.
First, he sent for his son Amin, told him that he was informed of
his secret marriage, and how he had ill-treated Amene upon a very
slight cause. Upon this the prince did not wait for his father's
commands, but received her again immediately.
After which the caliph declared that he would give his own heart
and hand to Zobeide, and offered the other three sisters to the
calenders, sons of sultans, who accepted them for their brides
with much joy. The caliph assigned each of them a magnificent
palace in the city of Bagdad, promoted them to the highest
dignities of his empire, and admitted them to his councils.
The chief Cauzee of Bagdad being called, with witnesses, wrote
the contracts of marriage; and the caliph in promoting by his
patronage the happiness of many persons who had suffered such
incredible calamities, drew a thousand blessings upon himself.
THE STORY OF SINBAD THE VOYAGER.
In the reign of the same caliph Haroun al Rusheed, whom I have
already mentioned, there lived at Bagdad a poor porter called
Hindbad. One day, when the weather was excessively hot, he was
employed to carry a heavy burden from one end of the town to the
other. Being much fatigued, and having still a great way to go,
he came into a street where a refreshing breeze blew on his face,
and the pavement was sprinkled with rose-water. As he could not
desire a better place to rest and recruit himself, he took off
his load and sat upon it, near a large mansion.
He was much pleased that he stopped in this place; for the
agreeable smell of wood of aloes, and of pastils that came from
the house, mixing with the scent of the rose-water, completely
perfumed and embalmed the air. Besides, he heard from within a
concert of instrumental music, accompanied with the harmonious
notes of nightingales, and other birds, peculiar to the climate.
This charming melody, and the smell of several sorts of savoury
dishes, made the porter conclude there was a feast, with great
rejoicings within. His business seldom leading him that way, he
knew not to whom the mansion belonged; but to satisfy his
curiosity, he went to some of the servants, whom he saw standing
at the gate in magnificent apparel, and asked the name of the
proprietor. "How," replied one of them, "do you live in Bagdad,
and know not that this is the house of Sinbad, the sailor, that
famous voyager, who has sailed round the world?" The porter, who
had heard of this Sinbad's riches, could not but envy a man whose
condition he thought to be as happy as his own was deplorable:
and his mind being fretted with these reflections, he lifted up
his eyes to heaven, and said loud enough to be heard, "Almighty
creator of all things, consider the difference between Sinbad and
me! I am every day exposed to fatigues and calamities, and can
scarcely get coarse barley-bread for myself and my family, whilst
happy Sinbad profusely expends immense riches, and leads a life
of continual pleasure. What has he done to obtain from thee a lot
so agreeable? And what have I done to deserve one so wretched?"
Having finished his expostulation, he struck his foot against the
ground, like a man absorbed in grief and despair.
Whilst the porter was thus indulging his melancholy, a servant
came out of the house, and taking him by the arm, bade him follow
him, for Sinbad, his master, wanted to speak to him.
Sir, your majesty may easily imagine, that the repining Hindbad
was not a little surprised at this compliment. For, considering
what he had said, he was afraid Sinbad had sent for him to punish
him: therefore he would have excused himself, alleging, that he
could not leave his burden in the middle of the street. But
Sinbad's servants assured him they would look to it, and were so
urgent with him, that he was obliged to yield.
The servants brought him into a great hall, where a number of
people sat round a table, covered with all sorts of savoury
dishes. At the upper end sat a comely venerable gentleman, with a
long white beard, and behind him stood a number of officers and
domestics, all ready to attend his pleasure. This personage was
Sinbad. The porter, whose fear was increased at the sight of so
many people, and of a banquet so sumptuous, saluted the company
trembling. Sinbad bade him draw near, and seating him at his
right hand, served him himself, and gave him excellent wine, of
which there was abundance upon the sideboard.
When the repast was over, Sinbad addressed his conversation to
Hindbad; and calling him brother, according to the manner of the
Arabians, when they are familiar one with another, enquired his
name and employment.
"My lord," answered he, "my name is Hindbad." "I am very glad to
see you," replied Sinbad; "and I daresay the same on behalf of
all the company: but I wish to hear from your own mouth what it
was you lately said in the street." Sinbad had himself heard the
porter complain through the window, and this it was that induced
him to have him brought in.