of green damask: upon which, having pulled off my upper garments,
I lay down, and slept so soundly that I never enjoyed, before or
since, so refreshing a repose. At length I awoke, when night was
far advanced, and became involved in thought respecting my
hospitable host; but knew not what to conjecture, and was sinking
again into slumber, when, lo! gentle murmurs struck my ears, than
which I never heard sound more soft or tenderly affecting. I
lifted up the curtain of my partition, and looked around, when I
beheld a damsel more beautiful than any I had ever seen, seated
by the generous owner of the tent. They wept and complained of
the agonies of love, of separation and interruptions to their
desire of frequent meetings. Then I said within myself, "There is
a wonderfully dignified appearance in this amiable youth, yet he
lives alone, and I have seen no other tent on the plain. What can
I conjecture, but that this damsel must be a daughter of one of
the good genii, who has fallen in love with him, and upon her
account he has retired to this solitary spot?" Respect for their
love made me drop the curtain; I drew the coverlid over me, and
again fell asleep.
When the morning dawned I awoke, dressed, and having performed my
ablutions and prayers, said to the young man, who had already
risen, "Brother Arab, if in addition to thy hospitalities already
shewn thou wilt put me in my way, my obligations will be
complete." He looked kindly, and said, "If convenient, my
brother, let me entertain thee as my guest for three days." I
could not refuse his hospitable request, and abode with him. On
the third day I ventured to inquire his name and family, when he
replied, "I am of the noble tribe of Azzra," and I discovered
that he was the son of my father's brother. "Son of my uncle,"
exclaimed I, "what can have induced thee to court the seclusion
of this desert spot, and to quit thy kinsmen, neighbours, and
dependents?"
Upon hearing these words, the eyes of the youth became suffused
with tears, he sighed, and said, "Ah! my cousin, I passionately
admired the daughter of my uncle, and was so devoted to her love
that I asked her in marriage; but he refused me, and wedded her
to another of our tribe richer than myself, who carried her to
his abode. When she was thus torn from me, despair agitated my
soul, I quitted my relations, friends, and companions, became
enamoured of solitude, and retired to this lonely spot."
When he had finished his communication, I said, "But where is the
abode of thy beloved and thy successful rival?" He replied, "Near
the summit of yonder mountain, from whence, as frequently as
opportunity will allow, in the stillness of night, when sleep
hath overpowered the eyes of the village, she ventures to my
tent, and we enjoy the company of each other; but believe me, my
brother, our passion is innocent as devotional love. Hence I
dwell here in the manner you have witnessed, and while she visits
me delightful will pass the hours, until Allah shall execute his
appointed decrees, and reward our constancy in this world, or
consign us to the grave together."
When the unfortunate youth had concluded his narration, at which
I was affected with sincere compassion for his circumstances, an
eager desire to relieve the lovers from their oppressors occupied
my mind, and after much consideration I addressed him thus: "If
thou choosest, I think I can point out a plan which, under the
blessing of Allah, may end the sufferings of thyself and thy
beloved." He replied, "O son of my uncle, reveal it to me!" and I
continued, saying, "When night shall arrive, and the damsel
cometh, let us seat her upon my camel; for she is sure-footed and
swift of pace; do thou then mount thy steed, and I will accompany
you upon one of your camels. We will travel all night, and ere
morning shall have passed the forest, when you will be safe, and
thy heart will be rendered happy with thy beloved. The land of
God is wide enough to afford us an asylum; and by Heaven I swear,
that while life remains I will be thy friend." The youth replied,
"Son of my uncle, I will consult upon thy plan with my beloved,
for she is prudent and well-informed."
When night had shut in, and the usual hour of the damsel's coming
approached, my kind host impatiently expected her arrival; but in
vain, for she did not appear. He rose, stood in the doorway of
the tent, opened his mouth, and drew in the exhalations of the
gale, then returned, sat down pensively for a few minutes, and at
last bursting into tears, exclaimed, "Ah! my cousin, there are no
tidings of the daughter of my uncle, some, mishap must have
befallen her. Remain here while I go in search of intelligence."
Having said thus, he took up his sabre, his lance, and departed.
When somewhat more than an hour had elapsed, I heard his
footstep, and soon perceived him advancing, bearing something
bulky in his arms, while he called loudly upon me in a
distressful tone. I hastened towards him, and upon my arrival he
exclaimed, "Alas, alas! the beloved daughter of my uncle is no
more, and I bear her remains. She was hastening, as usual, to my
tent, when suddenly a lion sprung upon her in the path, and tore
her in pieces. These relics are all that remain of my beloved."
He then laid them down, and, lo! the thigh bones of the damsel
and part of her ribs. He wept piteously, and said, "Remain here
till I return;" after which he departed with the swiftness of an
arrow. In about an hour he returned, and in his hand was the head
of the lion, which he threw down, and asked eagerly for water,
which I brought him. He then washed his hands, cleansed the mouth
of the lion, which he rapturously kissed, and wept bitterly for
some moments. He then exclaimed, "By Allah, I conjure thee, O son
of my uncle, and by the ties of relationship between us, that
thou observe my will; for within this hour I shall follow my
beloved; be thou our mourner, and bury her remains with mine in
the same grave." Having said this, he retired into the sleeping
partition of the tent; where he remained at his devotions for an
hour, then came out, beat his breast, sighed deeply, and at
length heaved his expiring groan, saying, "I come, I come, my
beloved, I come!" and his pure soul took flight for the mansions
of Paradise.
When I beheld his corpse, sad indeed was my condition, and from
excess of sorrow I found it difficult to perform my promise; but
at length I arose, washed, enshrouded, and laid the remains of
these constant lovers in the same grave, near which I remained
for three days in prayer and lamentation; after which I departed
homewards: but have not failed annually to visit the spot, to
bedew their grave with my tears, and pray for the mercy of Allah
to their souls and my own errors.
STORY OF THE PRINCE OF SIND, AND FATIMA,
DAUGHTER OF AMIR BIN NAOMAUN.
Some ages back a certain sultan of Sind had a son by a concubine,
who behaved so rudely to his sultana, that she became dispirited
and lost her health, which her favourite woman observing,
resolved by stratagem to get rid of the prince. She advised her
mistress, when he might next insult her, to say to him, "That he
would never appear becoming his rank till he was beloved by
Fatima, daughter of a sultan named Amir bin Naomaun." The queen
having followed the woman's directions, the prince resolved to
travel to the country of the princess, and demand her in
marriage. Accordingly, having obtained the consent of the sultan
his father, he departed with an attendance suitable to his rank.
After marching for some time he entered a desert, which was
covered with a numberless flight of locusts, that had fallen
exhausted for want of food. Pitying their distress, he ordered
meal to be spread on the ground, when the locusts having
refreshed themselves flew away. Some days after this incident he
reached a thick forest crowded with elephants, and herds of wild
animals of every description; but as they did not attempt to
attack him, and were in a starving condition, he ordered some of
his cattle to be killed, and distributed to them for food. Having
satisfied themselves they retired, shewing every sign that
dumbness would allow of being pleased with his kind treatment. On
his march onwards the prince met a venerable old man, of whom he
inquired the route to the territories of Amir bin Naomaun, and
was informed that they were at no great distance; but only to be
entered by a range of rugged and steep mountains composed of
iron-stone, and next to impassable; also, that should he succeed
in overcoming this difficulty, it was in vain to hope to attain
the princess. The prince inquiring the reason, the old man
continued, "Sultan Amir bin Naomaun has resolved that no one
shall wed his daughter unless he can perform three tasks which he
will impose, and these are of so difficult a nature as not to be
executed by the labour or ingenuity of man, and many unhappy
princes have lost their heads in the attempt; for he puts them to
death instantly on failure: be advised, therefore, and give up so
fruitless an expedition." The prince, instead of listening to the
admonition of the old man, resolved to proceed; and having
requested his prayers and benedictions, continued his march. In a
short time, having entered the passes of the mountains, he
discovered vast caverns inhabited by a species of genii, who were
employed in working upon masses of iron-stone, which they dug
from the rock. The prince having entertained them with a
hospitable feast, they, in return, shewed him the easiest route
through the stupendous mountains, and he at length arrived in
safety before the capital of sultan Amir bin Naomaun, to whom he
sent an envoy, requesting leave to encamp on the plain, and to
offer himself as a candidate for the beautiful princess his
daughter. The sultan, in reply, acceded to his petition, and
invited him to the palace; where, in the evening, he was led into
a court, in which was placed an immense vessel filled with three
kinds of grain mixed together, which (as his first task towards
obtaining the princess) he was to separate entirely from each
other, and put into three heaps; which if not accomplished before
sunrise, he was then to forfeit his head in punishment for his
temerity. It being now too late to recede, the prince resigned
himself to Providence; and the gates of the court being locked
upon him, he prayed to Allah, and began to separate the grains;
but finding his progress vain, his spirits deserted him about
midnight, and he left off his fruitless labour in despair,
endeavouring to reconcile himself to death. While he was praying
for fortitude to bear him up in his last moments, a voice was
heard, saying, "Be comforted, and receive the reward of thy
charity to famished insects." Immediately after this the heavens
were obscured, as if by thick clouds, which descended on the
court, when, lo! this phenomenon proved to be myriads of locusts;
who, alighting on the vessel, in a few hours emptied it of all
the grain, which they disposed of, each in its kind, in three
several heaps, and having given a general buzzing of salutation,
took flight, and vanished into the air. The prince was overjoyed
at the miraculous accomplishment of his task by the grateful
locusts, and having offered up thanks to Allah and the prophet
for his deliverance from impending destruction, composed himself
to rest, doubting not but that they would assist him to overcome
the two remaining labours. Great was the surprise of the sultan
Amir bin Naomaun, when, on coming at daylight to the court, he
beheld his intended victim in a profound sleep, and the grain in
three separate heaps, neatly piled up in the form of domes. The
prince awaking, saluted him, and demanded to be informed of his
next task; but the sultan put him off to the evening, until when
he entertained him at the palace with a most magnificent feast;
and his obdurate heart was so softened by the noble address and
demeanour of his guest, that he wished he might be able to
overcome the remaining impositions and become his son-in-law. The
princess, also, who had the curiosity to look at him through the
blinds of her apartments, was so fascinated with his appearance
that she prayed for his success.
When night had set in, the prince was conducted to an open plain
in front of the palace, in the centre of which was a large
reservoir full of clear water, which the sultan commanded him to
drain off before sunrise, or forfeit his life. The prince
remained alone on the brink of the reservoir with rather somewhat
more hope of success than he had felt of overcoming his task of
the preceding night; nor was he disappointed, for about midnight
a voice was heard exclaiming, "Prince, benevolence is never
unrequited:" and, lo! the plain was filled with elephants,
rhinoceroses, camels, dromedaries, lions, tigers, and every
species of wild beasts, in such immense droves as could not be
numbered, who, advancing in turn to the reservoir, drank in such
quantity that it, at length, was completely emptied, and became
as dry as if just finished. The beasts then expressing pleasure
by their varying natural noises at having served their benefactor
departed, and left him to enjoy the deliverance from the labour
imposed upon him.
The prince, now more assured than ever that he was the favourite
of Allah and the prophet, after offering up prayers with a
relieved heart, slept comfortably in a building creeled on the
margin of the reservoir, and was only awakened by the call of the
sultan at sun-rise, who was more astonished at the accomplishment
of this labour than the former, though certainly each was equally
difficult. He conducted the prince to his palace, and the day was
spent in the highest festivity.
At the approach of night the prince was conducted to his third
task, which was to complete and fit up before daylight from a
vast mass of planks of the choicest timber ready stored the
doors, windows, and balconies of an unfinished palace, much
larger than that which the sultan inhabited. The prince at the
apprehension of the consequences of failure was somewhat alarmed;
but the recollection of his former aids supported him, and after
offering up his devotions he sat down, composedly waiting for the
decision of Providence on his fate. His resignation was accepted,
for at midnight he was roused from his contemplations by the
sounds of sawing, planing, hammering, nailing, and the songs of
happy work-men. Looking up he perceived his friends of the iron
mountains; who, all saluting him, cried out, "Prince, set your
heart at rest, for we are come to repay you for your hospitable
feast." Before daylight the palace was fitted up in a manner more
elegant than can be described, and every door, window, and
balcony painted with the most brilliant colours, flowered with
silver and gold. The grateful labourers of the iron mountains
having finished their work, respectfully saluted the prince and
departed.
The prince having taken a grateful leave of his useful friends, walked
through the palace, and was eagerly employed in admiring its elegance
and the magnificence of their finishing hand, when the sultan Amir bin
Naomaun, who from his apartments at sun-rise had observed the
miraculous completion, appeared, having hastened to examine the superb
workmanship, and to congratulate his son-in-law, for as such he now
acknowledged him, and as the favoured of Allah, and of the last of
prophets. He conducted the prince to the palace, and the most
magnificent preparations being made, the nuptials with his daughter
were celebrated in the new edifice, where the bride and bridegroom
enjoyed themselves for three months, at the expiration of which the
prince begged permission to return to his father's dominions, which he
reached just in time to release him from the attack of an inimical
sultan, who had invaded the country, and laid close siege to his
capital. His father received him with rapture, and the prince having
made an apology to the sultana for his former rude behaviour, she
received his excuses, and having no child of her own readily adopted
him as her son; so that the royal family lived henceforth in the
utmost harmony, till the death of the sultan and sultana, when the
prince succeeded to the empire.
STORY OF THE LOVERS OF SYRIA; OR, THE
HEROINE.