hump-backed, big-bellied, crook legged, and as ugly as a
hobgoblin; and after having commanded the vizier to marry his
daughter to this ghastly slave, he caused the contract to be made
and signed by witnesses in his own presence. The preparations for
this fantastical wedding are all ready, and this very moment all
the slaves belonging to the lords of the court of Egypt are
waiting at the door of a bath, each with a flambeau in his hand,
for the crook-back groom, who is bathing, to go along with them
to his bride, who is already dressed to receive him; and when I
departed from Cairo, the ladies met for that purpose were going
to conduct her in her nuptial attire to the hall, where she is to
receive her hump-backed bridegroom, and is this minute expecting
him. I have seen her, and do assure you, that no person can
behold her without admiration."
When the perie left off speaking, the genie said to her, "Whatever you
think or say, I cannot be persuaded that the girl's beauty exceeds
that of this young man." "I will not dispute it with you," answered
the perie; "for I must confess he deserves to be married to that
charming creature, whom they design for hump-back; and I think it were
a deed worthy of us to obstruct the sultan of Egypt's injustice, and
put this young gentleman in the room of the slave." "You are in the
right," answered the genie; "I am extremely obliged to you for so good
a thought; let us deceive him. I consent to your revenge upon the
sultan of Egypt; let us comfort a distressed father, and make his
daughter as happy as she thinks herself miserable. I will do my utmost
endeavours to make this project succeed, and I am persuaded you will
not be backward. I will be at the pains to carry him to Cairo before
he awakes, and afterwards leave it to your care to carry him
elsewhere, when we have accomplished our design."
The perie and the genie having thus concerted what they had to do, the
genie lifted up Buddir ad Deen Houssun gently, and with an
inconceivable swiftness conveyed him through the air and set him down
at the door of a building next to the bath, whence hump-back was to
come with a train of slaves that waited for him. Buddir ad Deen awoke,
and was naturally alarmed at finding himself in the middle of a city
he knew not; he was going to cry out, but the genie touched him gently
on the shoulder, and forbad him to speak. He then put a torch in his
hand, saying, "Go, and mix with the crowd at the door of the bath;
follow them till you come into a hall, where they are going to
celebrate a marriage. The bridegroom is a hump-backed fellow, and by
that you will easily know him. Put yourself at the right hand as you
go in, open the purse of sequins you have in your bosom, distribute
them among the musicians and dancers as they go along; and when you
are got into the hall, give money also to the female slaves you see
about the bride; but every time you put your hand in your purse, be
sure to take out a whole handful, and do not spare them. Observe to do
everything exactly as I have desired you; be not afraid of any person,
and leave the rest to a superior power, who will order matters as he
thinks fit."
Buddir ad Deen, being well instructed in all that he was to do,
advanced towards the door of the bath. The first thing he did was
to light his torch at that of a slave; and then mixing among them
as if he belonged to some noblemen of Cairo, he marched along as
they did, and followed humpback, who came out of the bath, and
mounted a horse from the sultan's own stable.
Buddir ad Deen coming near to the musicians, and men and women
dancers, who went just before the bridegroom, pulled out time
after time whole handfuls of sequins, which he distributed among
them: and as he thus gave his money with an unparalleled grace
and engaging mien, all who received it fixed their eyes upon him;
and after they had a full view of his face, they found him so
handsome that they could not withdraw their attention.
At last they came to the gates of the vizier who little thought
his nephew was so near. The doorkeepers, to prevent any disorder,
kept back all the slaves that carried torches, and would not
admit them. Buddir ad Deen was likewise refused; but the
musicians, who had free entrance, stood still, and protested they
would not go in, if they hindered him from accompanying them. "He
is not one of the slaves'" said they; "look upon him, and you
will soon be satisfied. He is certainly a young stranger, who is
curious to see the ceremonies observed at marriages in this
city;" and saying thus, they put him in the midst of them, and
carried him with them in spite of the porters. They took his
torch out of his hand, gave it to the first they met, and having
brought him into the hall, placed him at the right hand of the
hump-backed bridegroom, who sat near the vizier's daughter on a
throne most richly adorned.
She appeared very lovely, but in her face there was nothing to be
seen but vexation and grief. The cause of this was easily to be
guessed, when she had by her side a bridegroom so very deformed,
and so unworthy of her love. The nuptial seat was in the midst of
an estrade. The ladies of the emirs, viziers, those of the
sultan's bed-chamber, and several other ladies of the court and
city, were placed on each side, a little lower, every one
according to her rank, and richly dressed, holding a large wax
taper in her hands.
When they saw Buddir ad Deen Houssun, all fixed their eyes upon
him, and admiring his shape, his behaviour, and the beauty of his
face, they could not forbear looking upon him. When he was seated
every one deft their seats, came near him to have a full view of
his face, and all found themselves moved with love and
admiration.
The disparity between Buddir ad Deen Houssun and the hump-backed
groom, who made such a contemptible figure, occasioned great
murmuring among the company; insomuch that the ladies cried out,
"We must give our bride to this handsome young gentleman, and not
to this ugly humpback." Nor did they rest here, but uttered
imprecations against the sultan, who, abusing his absolute power,
would unite ugliness and beauty together. They also mocked the
bridegroom, so as to put him out of countenance, to the great
satisfaction of the spectators, whose shouts for some time put a
stop to the concert of music in the hall. At last the musicians
began again, and the women who had dressed the bride surrounded
her.
Each time that the bride retired to change her dress, she on her
return passed by hump-back without giving him one look, and went
towards Buddir ad Deen, before whom she presented herself in her
new attire. On this occasion, Buddir ad Deen, according to the
instructions given him by the genie, failed not to put his hands
in his purse, and pulled out handfuls of sequins, which he
distributed among the women that followed the bride. Nor did he
forget the players and dancers, but also threw money to them. It
was pleasant to see how they pushed one another to gather it up.
They shewed themselves thankful for his liberality.
When the ceremony of changing habits was passed, the music ceased
and the company retired. The bride repaired to the nuptial
chamber, whither her attendants followed to undress her, and none
remained in the hall but the hump-back groom, Buddir ad Deen, and
some of the domestics.
Hump-back, who was enraged at Buddir ad Deen, suspecting him to
be his rival, gave him a cross look, and said, "And thou, what
dost thou wait for? Why art thou not gone as well as the rest?
Depart!" Buddir ad Deen having no pretence to stay, withdrew, not
knowing what to do with himself. But before he got out of the
vestibule, the genie and the perie met and stopped him. "Whither
are you going?" said the perie; "stay, hump-back is not in the
hall, return, and introduce yourself into the bride's chamber. As
soon as you are alone with her, tell her boldly that you are her
husband, that the sultan's intention was only to make sport with
the groom. In the mean time we will take care that the hump-back
shall not return, and let nothing hinder your passing the night
with your bride, for she is yours and not his."
While the perie thus encouraged Buddir ad Deen, and instructed
him how he should behave himself, hump-back had really gone out
of the room for a moment. The genie went to him in the shape of a
monstrous cat, mewing at a most fearful rate. Hump-back called to
the cat, he clapped his hands to drive her away, but instead of
retreating, she stood upon her hinder feet, staring with her eyes
like fire, looking fiercely at him, mewing louder than she did at
first, and increasing in size till she was as large as an ass. At
this sight, hump-back would have cried out for help, but his fear
was so great, that he stood gaping and could not utter one word.
That he might have no time to recover, the genie changed himself
immediately into a large buffalo, and in this stripe called to
him, with a voice that redoubled his fear, "Thou hump-backed
villain!" At these words the affrighted groom cast himself upon
the ground, and covering his face with his vest, that he might
not see this dreadful beast, "Sovereign prince of buffaloes,"
said he, "what is it you want of me?" "Woe be to thee," replied
the genie, "hast thou the presumption to venture to marry my
mistress?" "O my lord," said hump-back, "I pray you to pardon me,
if I am guilty, it is through ignorance. I did not know that this
lady had a buffalo to her sweetheart: command me in anything you
please, I give you my oath that I am ready to obey you." "By
death," replied the genie; "if thou goest out from hence, or
speakest a word till the sun rises, I will crush thy head to
pieces. I warn thee to obey, for if thou hast the impudence to
return, it shall cost thee thy life." When the genie had done
speaking, he transformed himself into the shape of a man, took
hump-back by the legs, and after having set him against the wall
with his head downwards, "If thou stir," said he, "before the sun
rise, as I have told thee already, I will take thee by the heels
again, and dash thy head in a thousand pieces against the wall."
To return to Buddir ad Deen. Prompted by the genie and the
presence of the perie, he returned to the hall, from whence he
slips into the bride-chamber, where he sat down, expecting the
success of his adventure. After a while the bride arrived,
conducted by an old matron, who came no farther than the door,
without looking in to see whether it were hump-back or another
that was there, and then retired.
The beautiful bride was agreeably surprised to find instead of
hump-back a handsome youth, who gracefully addressed her. "What!
my dear friend," said she, "by your being here at this time of
night you must be my husband's comrade?" "No, madam," said Buddir
ad Deen, "I am of another quality than that ugly hump-back."
"But," said she, "you do not consider that you speak degradingly
of my husband." "He your husband," replied he: "can you retain
those thoughts so long? Be convinced of your mistake, for so much
beauty must never be sacrificed to the most contemptible of
mankind. It is I that am the happy mortal for whom it is
reserved. The sultan had a mind to make himself merry, by putting
this trick upon the vizier your father, but he chose me to be
your real husband. You might have observed how the ladies, the
musicians, the dancers, your women, and all the servants of your
family, were pleased with this comedy. We have sent hump-back to
his stable again."
At this discourse the vizier's daughter (who was more like one
dead than alive when she came into the bride-chamber) put on a
gay air, which made her so handsome, that Buddir ad Deen was
charmed with her graces.
"I did not expect," said she, "to meet with so pleasing a
surprise; and I had condemned myself to live unhappy all my days.
But my good fortune is so much the greater, that I possess in you
a man worthy of my tenderest affection."
Buddir ad Deen, overjoyed to see himself possessor of so many
charms, retired with his bride, and laid his vesture aside, with
the bag that he had from the Jew; which, notwithstanding all the
money he had dispersed, was still full.
Towards morning, while the two lovers were asleep, the genie, who had
met again with the perie, said, "It is time to finish what we have so
successfully carried on; let us not be overtaken by day-light, which
will soon appear; go you and bring off the young man again without
awaking him."
The perie went into the bed-chamber where the two lovers were
fast asleep, took up Buddir ad Deen in his under vest and
drawers; and in company with the genie with wonderful swiftness
fled away with him to the gates of Damascus in Syria, where they
arrived just at the time when the officers of the mosques,
appointed for that end, were calling the people to prayers at
break of day. The perie laid Buddir ad Deen softly on the ground,
close by the gate, and departed with the genie.
The gate of the city being opened, and many people assembled,
they were surprised to see a youth lying in his shirt and drawers
upon the ground. One said, "He has been hard put to it to get
away from his mistress, that he could not get time to put on his
clothes." "Look," said another, "how people expose themselves;
sure enough he has spent most part of the night in drinking with
his friends, till he has got drunk, and then, perhaps, having
occasion to go out, instead of returning, is come this length,
and not having his senses about him, was overtaken with sleep."
Others were of another opinion; but nobody could guess what had
been the real occasion of his coming thither.
A small puff of wind happening to blow at this time, uncovered
his breast, which was whiter than snow. Every one being struck
with admiration at the fineness of his complexion, they spoke so
loud that they awaked him.
His surprise was as great as theirs, when he found himself at the
gate of a city where he had never been before, and encompassed by
a crowd of people gazing at him. "Inform me," said he, "for God's
sake, where I am, and what you would have?" One of the crowd
spoke to him saying, "Young man, the gates of the city were just
now opened, and as we came out we found you lying here in this
condition: have you lain here all night? and do not you know that
you are at one of the gates of Damascus?" "At one of the gates of
Damascus!" answered Buddir ad Deen, "surely you mock me. When I
lay down to sleep last night I was at Cairo." When he had said
this, some of the people, moved with compassion for him,
exclaimed, "It is a pity that such a handsome young man should
have lost his senses;" and so went away.
"My son," said an old man to him, "you know not what you say. How
is it possible that you, being this morning at Damascus, could be
last night at Cairo?" "It is true," said Buddir ad Deen, "and I
swear to you, that I was all day yesterday at Bussorah." He had
no sooner said this than all the people fell into a fit of
laughter, and cried out, "He's a fool, he's a madman." There were
some, however, that pitied him because of his youth; and one
among the company said to him, "My son, you must certainly be
crazed, you do not consider what you say. Is it possible that a
man could yesterday be at Bussorah, the same night at Cairo, and
this morning at Damascus? Surely you are asleep still, come rouse
up your spirits." "What I say," answered Buddir ad Deen Houssun,
"is so true that last night I was married in the city of Cairo."
All those who laughed before, could not forbear again at this
declaration. "Recollect yourself," said the same person who spoke
before; "you must have dreamt all this, and the fancy still
possesses your brain." "I am sensible of what I say," answered
the young man. "Pray can you tell me how it was possible for me
to go in a dream to Cairo, where I am very certain I was in
person, and where my bride was seven times brought before me,
each time dressed in a different habit, and where I saw an ugly
hump backed fellow, to whom they intended to give her? Besides, I
want to know what is become of my vest, my turban, and the bag of
sequins I had at Cairo?"
Though he assured them that all these things were matters of
fact, yet they could not forbear to laugh at him: which put him
into such confusion, that he knew not what to think of all those
adventures.
After Buddir ad Deen Houssun had confidently affirmed all that he
said to be true, he rose up to go into the town, and every one
who followed him called out, "A madman, a fool." Upon this some
looked out at their windows, some came to their doors, and others
joined with those that were about him, calling out as they did,
"A madman;" but not knowing for what. In this perplexity the
affrighted young man happened to come before a pastry-cook's
shop, and went into it to avoid the rabble.
This pastry-cook had formerly been captain to a troop of Arabian
robbers, who plundered the caravans; and though he was become a
citizen of Damascus, where he behaved himself to every one's
satisfaction, yet he was dreaded by all who knew him; wherefore,
as soon as he came out to the rabble who followed Buddir ad Deen,
they dispersed.
The pastry-cook asked him who he was, and what brought him
thither. Buddir ad Deen told him all, not concealing his birth,
nor the death of his father the grand vizier. He afterwards gave
him an account why he had left Bussorah; how, after he had fallen
asleep the night following upon his father's tomb, he found
himself when he awoke at Cairo, where he had married a lady; and
at last, in what amazement he was, when he found himself at
Damascus, without being able to penetrate into all those
wonderful adventures.
"Your history is one of the most surprising," said the pastry-cook;
"but if you will follow my advice, you will let no man know those
matters you have revealed to me, but patiently wait till heaven thinks
fit to put an end to your misfortunes. You shall be welcome to stay
with me till then; and as I have no children, I will own you for my
son, if you consent; after you are so adopted, you may freely walk the
city, without being exposed any more to the insults of the rabble."
Though this adoption was below the son of a grand vizier, Buddir ad
Deen was glad to accept of the pastry-cook's proposal, judging it the
best thing he could do, considering his circumstances. The cook
clothed him, called for witnesses, and went before a notary, where he
acknowledged him for his son. After this, Buddir ad Deen lived with
him under the name of Houssun, and learned the pastry-trade.
While this passed at Damascus, the daughter of Shumse ad Deen
awoke, and finding Buddir ad Deen gone, supposed he had risen
softly for fear of disturbing her, but would soon return. As she
was in expectation of him, her father the vizier, (who was vexed
at the affront put upon him by the sultan) came and knocked at
her chamber-door, to bewail her sad destiny. He called her by her
name, and she knowing him by his voice, immediately got up, and
opened the door. She kissed his hand, and received him with so
much pleasure in her countenance, that she surprised the vizier
who expected to find her drowned in tears, and as much grieved as
himself. "Unhappy wretch!" said he in a passion, "do you appear
before me thus? after the hideous sacrifice you have just
consummated, can you see me with so much satisfaction?"
The new bride seeing her father angry at her pleasant
countenance, said to him, "For God's sake, sir, do not reproach
me wrongfully; it is not the hump-back fellow, whom I abhor more
than death, it is not that monster I have married. Every body
laughed him to scorn, and put him so out of countenance, that he
was forced to run away and hide himself, to make room for a noble
youth, who is my real husband." "What fable do you tell me?" said
Shumse ad Deen, roughly. "What! Did not crook-back lie with you
tonight?" "No, sir," said she, "it was the youth I mentioned, who
has large eyes and black eyebrows." At these words the vizier,
lost all patience, and exclaimed in anger, "Ah, wicked woman! you
will make me distracted!" "It is you, father," said she, "that
put me out of my senses by your incredulity." "So, it is not
true," replied the vizier, "that hump-back----" "Let us talk no
more of hump-back," said she, "a curse upon hump-back. Father, I
assure you once more, that I did not bed with him, but with my
dear spouse, who, I believe, is not far off."
Shumse ad Deen went out to seek him, but, instead of seeing
Buddir ad Deen, was surprised to find hump-back with his head on
the ground, and his heels uppermost, as the genie had set him
against the wall. "What is the meaning of this?" said he; "who
placed you thus?" Crookback, knowing it to be the vizier
answered, "Alas! alas! it is you then that would marry me to the
mistress of a genie in the form of a buffalo."
Shumse ad Deen Mahummud, when he heard hump-back speak thus,
thought he was raving, bade him move, and stand upon his legs. "I
will take care how I stir," said hump-back, "unless the sun be
risen. Know, sir, that when I came last night to your palace,
suddenly a black cat appeared to me, and in an instant grew as
big as a buffalo. I have not forgotten what he enjoined me,
therefore you may depart, and leave me here." The vizier instead
of going away, took him by the heels, and made him stand up, when
hump-back ran off, without looking behind him; and coming to the
palace presented himself to the sultan, who laughed heartily when
informed how the genie had served him.
Shumse ad Deen returned to his daughter's chamber, more
astonished than before. "My abused daughter," said he, "can you
give me no farther light in this miraculous affair?" "Sir,"
replied she, "I can give you no other account than I have done
already. Here are my husband's clothes, which he put off last
night; perhaps you may find something among them that may solve
your doubt." She then shewed him Buddir ad Deen's turban, which
he examined narrowly on all sides, saying, "I should take this to
be a vizier's turban, if it were not made after the Bussorah
fashion." But perceiving something to be sewed between the stuff
and the lining, he called for scissors, and having unripped it,
found the paper which Noor ad Deen Ali had given to his son upon
his deathbed, and which Buddir ad Deen Houssun had sewn in his
turban for security.
Shumse ad Deen having opened the paper, knew his brother's hand,
and found this superscription, "For my son Buddir ad Deen
Houssun." Before he could make any reflections upon it, his
daughter delivered him the bag, that lay under the garments,
which he likewise opened, and found it full of sequins: for,
notwithstanding all the liberality of Buddir ad Deen, it was
still kept full by the genie and perie. He read the following
words upon a note in the bag: "A thousand sequins belonging to
Isaac the Jew." And these lines underneath, which the Jew had
written, "Delivered to my lord Buddir ad Deen Houssun, for the
cargo of the first of those ships that formerly belonged to the
noble vizier, his father, of blessed memory, sold to me upon its
arrival in this place." He had scarcely read these words, when he
groaned heavily, and fainted away.
The vizier Shumse ad Deen being recovered from his fit by the aid
of his daughter, and the women she called to her assistance;
"Daughter," said he, "do not alarm yourself at this accident,
occasioned by what is scarcely credible. Your bridegroom is your
cousin, the son of my beloved and deceased brother. The thousand
sequins in the bag reminds me of a quarrel I had with him, and is
without the dowry he gives you. God be praised for all things,
and particularly for this miraculous adventure, which
demonstrates his almighty power." Then looking again upon his
brother's writing, he kissed it several times, shedding abundance
of tears.
He looked over the book from beginning to end. In it he found the
date of his brother's arrival at Bussorah, of his marriage, and
of the birth of his son; and when he compared them with the day
of his own marriage, and the birth of his daughter at Cairo, he
wondered at the exact coincidence which appeared in every
circumstance.
The happy discovery put him into such a transport of joy, that he
took the book, with the ticket of the bag, and shewed them to the
sultan, who pardoned what was past, and was so much pleased with
the relation of this adventure, that he caused it with all its
circumstances to be put in writing for the information of
posterity.