There was once, in days of yore and in ages and times long gone before,
a King of the Kings of the Persians, by name Mohammed bin Sabáik, who
ruled over Khorásán-land and used every year to go on razzia into the
countries of the Miscreants in Hind and Sind and China and the lands of
Máwarannahr beyond the Oxus and other regions of the barbarians and
what not else. He was a just King, a valiant and a generous, and loved
table-talk[FN#349] and tales and verses and anecdotes and histories and
entertaining stories and legends of the ancients. Whoso knew a rare
recital and related it to him in such fashion as to please him he would
bestow on him a sumptuous robe of honour and clothe him from head to
foot and give him a thousand dinars, and mount him on a horse saddled
and bridled besides other great gifts; and the man would take all this
and wend his way. Now it chanced that one day there came an old man
before him and related to him a rare story, which pleased the King and
made him marvel, so he ordered him a magnificent present, amongst other
things a thousand dinars of Khorasan and a horse with its housings and
trappings. After this, the bruit of the King’s munificence was blazed
abroad in all countries and there heard of him a man, Hasan the
Merchant hight, who was a generous, open-handed and learned, a scholar
and an accomplished poet. Now the King had an envious Wazir, a
multum-in-parvo of ill, loving no man, rich nor poor, and whoso came
before the King and he gave him aught he envied him and said, “Verily,
this fashion annihilateth wealth and ruineth the land; and such is the
custom of the King.” But this was naught save envy and despite in that
Minister. Presently the King heard talk of Hasan the Merchant and
sending for him, said to him as soon as he came into the presence, “O
Merchant Hasan, this Wazir of mine vexeth and thwarteth me concerning
the money I give to poets and boon-companions and story-tellers and
glee-men, and I would have thee tell me a goodly history and a rare
story, such as I have never before heard. An it please me, I will give
thee lands galore, with their forts, in free tenure, in addition to thy
fiefs and untaxed lands; besides which I will put my whole kingdom in
thy hands and make thee my Chief Wazir; so shalt thou sit on my right
hand and rule my subjects. But, an thou bring me not that which I bid
thee, I will take all that is in thy hand and banish thee my realm.”
Replied Hasan, “Hearkening and obedience to our lord the King! But thy
slave beseecheth thee to have patience with him a year; then will he
tell thee a tale, such as thou hast never in thy life heard, neither
hath other than thou heard its like, not to say a better than it.”
Quoth the King, “I grant thee a whole year’s delay.” And he called for
a costly robe of honour wherein he robed Hasan, saying, “Keep thy house
and mount not horse, neither go nor come for a year’s time, till thou
bring me that I seek of thee. An thou bring it, especial favour
awaiteth thee and thou mayst count upon that which I have promised
thee; but an thou bring it not, thou art not of us nor are we of
thee.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King
Mohammed son of Sabaik said to Hasan the Merchant, “An thou bring me
that I seek of thee, especial favour awaiteth thee and thou mayest
now rejoice in that which I have promised thee; but, an thou bring
it not, thou art not of us nor are we of thee.” Hasan kissed ground
before the King and went out from the presence. Then he chose five
of the best of his Mamelukes, who could all write and read and were
learned, intelligent, accomplished; and he gave each of them five
thousand dinars, saying, “I reared you not save for the like of this
day; so do ye help me to further the King’s desire and deliver me
from his hand.” Quoth they, “What wilt thou have us do? Our lives be
thy ransom!” Quoth he, “I wish you to go each to a different country
and seek out diligently the learned and erudite and literate and the
tellers of wondrous stories and marvellous histories and do your
endeavour to procure me the story of Sayf al-Mulúk. If ye find it with
any one, pay him what price soever he asketh for it although he demand
a thousand dinars; give him what ye may and promise him the rest and
bring me the story; for whoso happeneth on it and bringeth it to me,
I will bestow on him a costly robe of honour and largesse galore, and
there shall be to me none more worshipped than he.” Then said he to
one of them, “Hie thou to Al-Hind and Al-Sind and all their provinces
and dependencies.” To another, “Hie thou to the home of the Persians
and to China and her climates.” To the third, “Hie thou to the land of
Khorasan with its districts.” To the fourth, “Hie thou to Mauritania
and all its regions, districts, provinces and quarters.” And to the
fifth, “Hie thou to Syria and Egypt and their outliers.” Moreover,
he chose them out an auspicious day and said to them, “Fare ye forth
this day and be diligent in the accomplishment of my need and be not
slothful, though the case cost you your lives.” So they farewelled him
and departed, each taking the direction prescribed to him. Now, four of
them were absent four months, and searched but found nothing; so they
returned and told their master, whose breast was straitened, that they
had ransacked towns and cities and countries for the thing he sought,
but had happened upon naught thereof. Meanwhile, the fifth servant
journeyed till he came to the land of Syria and entered Damascus, which
he found a pleasant city and a secure, abounding in trees and rills,
leas and fruiteries and birds chanting the praises of Allah the One,
the All-powerful of sway, Creator of Night and Day. Here he tarried
some time, asking for his master’s desire, but none answered him,
wherefore he was on the point of departing thence to another place,
when he met a young man running and stumbling over his skirts. So he
asked of him, “Wherefore runnest thou in such eagerness and whither
dost thou press?” And he answered, “There is an elder here, a man of
learning, who every day at this time taketh his seat on a stool[FN#350]
and relateth tales and stories and delectable anecdotes, whereof
never heard any the like; and I am running to get me a place near him
and fear I shall find no room, because of the much folk.” Quoth the
Mameluke, “Take me with thee;” and quoth the youth, “Make haste in thy
walking.” So he shut his door and hastened with him to the place of
recitation, where he saw an old man of bright favour seated on a stool
holding forth to the folk. He sat down near him and addressed himself
to hear his story, till the going down of the sun, when the old man
made an end of his tale and the people, having heard it all, dispersed
from about him; whereupon the Mameluke accosted him and saluted him,
and he returned his salam and greeted him with the utmost worship and
courtesy. Then said the messenger to him, “O my lord Shaykh, thou art
a comely and reverend man, and thy discourse is goodly; but I would
fain ask thee of somewhat.” Replied the old man, “Ask of what thou
wilt!” Then said the Mameluke, “Hast thou the story of Sayf al-Muluk
and Badí’a al-Jamál?” Rejoined the elder, “And who told thee of this
story and informed thee thereof?” Answered the messenger, “None told
me of it, but I am come from a far country, in quest of this tale, and
I will pay thee whatever thou askest for its price if thou have it and
wilt, of thy bounty and charity, impart it to me and make it an alms
to me, of the generosity of thy nature for, had I my life in my hand
and lavished it upon thee for this thing, yet were it pleasing to my
heart.” Replied the old man, “Be of good cheer and keep thine eye cool
and clear: thou shalt have it; but this is no story that one telleth in
the beaten highway, nor do I give it to every one.” Cried the other,
“By Allah, O my lord, do not grudge it me, but ask of me what price
thou wilt.” And the old man, “If thou wish for the history give me an
hundred dinars and thou shalt have it; but upon five conditions.” Now
when the Mameluke knew that the old man had the story and was willing
to sell it to him, he joyed with exceeding joy and said, “I will give
thee the hundred dinars by way of price and ten to boot as a gratuity
and take it on the conditions of which thou speakest.” Said the old
man, “Then go and fetch the gold pieces, and take that thou seekest.”
So the messenger kissed his hands and joyful and happy returned to his
lodging, where he laid an hundred and ten dinars[FN#351] in a purse
he had by him. As soon as morning morrowed, he donned his clothes and
taking the dinars, repaired to the story-teller, whom he found seated
at the door of his house. So he saluted him and the other returned
his salam. Then he gave him the gold and the old man took it and
carrying the messenger into his house made him sit down in a convenient
place, when he set before him ink-case and reed-pen and paper and
giving him a book, said to him, “Write out what thou seekest of the
night-story[FN#352] of Sayf al-Muluk from this book.” Accordingly the
Mameluke fell to work and wrote till he had made an end of his copy,
when he read it to the old man, and he corrected it and presently
said to him, “Know, O my son, that my five conditions are as follows;
firstly, that thou tell not this story in the beaten high road nor
before women and slave-girls nor to black slaves nor feather-heads; nor
again to boys; but read it only before Kings and Emirs and Wazirs and
men of learning, such as expounders of the Koran and others.” Thereupon
the messenger accepted the conditions and kissing the old man’s hand,
took leave of him, and fared forth.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-eighth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Mameluke of Hasan the Merchant had copied the tale out of the book
belonging to the old man of Damascus, and had accepted his conditions
and farewelled him, he fared forth on the same day, glad and joyful,
and journeyed on diligently, of the excess of his contentment, for that
he had gotten the story of Sayf al-Muluk, till he came to his own
country, when he despatched his servant to bear the good news to his
master and say to him, “Thy Mameluke is come back in safety and hath
won his will and his aim.” (Now of the term appointed between Hasan and
the King there wanted but ten days.) Then, after taking rest in his own
quarters he himself went in to the Merchant and told him all that had
befallen him and gave him the book containing the story of Sayf
al-Muluk and Badi’a al-Jamal, when Hasan joyed with exceeding joy at
the sight and bestowed on him all the clothes he had on and gave him
ten thoroughbred horses and the like number of camels and mules and
three negro chattels and two white slaves. Then Hasan took the book and
copied out the story plainly in his own hand; after which he presented
himself before the King and said to him, “O thou auspicious King, I
have brought thee a night-story and a rarely pleasant relation, whose
like none ever heard at all.” When these words reached the King’s ear,
he sent forthright for all the Emirs, who were men of understanding,
and all the learned doctors and folk of erudition and culture and poets
and wits; and Hasan sat down and read the history before the King, who
marvelled thereat and approved it, as did all who were present, and
they showered gold and silver and jewels upon the Merchant. Moreover,
the King bestowed on him a costly robe of honour of the richest of his
raiment and gave him a great city with its castles and outliers; and he
appointed him one of his Chief Wazirs and seated him on his right hand.
Then he caused the scribes write the story in letters of gold and lay
it up in his privy treasures: and whenever his breast was straitened,
he would summon Hasan and he would read him the story,[FN#353] which
was as follows:—
Story of Prince Sayf al-Muluk and the Princess Badi’a al-Jamal.
There was once, in days of old and in ages and times long told, a King
in Egypt called Asim bin Safwán,[FN#354] who was a liberal and
beneficent sovran, venerable and majestic. He owned many cities and
sconces and fortresses and troops and warriors and had a Wazir named
Fáris bin Sálih,[FN#355] and he and all his subjects worshipped the sun
and the fire, instead of the All-powerful Sire, the Glorious, the
Victorious. Now this King was become a very old man, weakened and
wasted with age and sickness and decrepitude; for he had lived an
hundred and fourscore years and had no child, male or female, by reason
whereof he was ever in cark and care from morning to night and from
night to morn. It so happened that one day of the days, he was sitting
on the throne of his Kingship, with his Emirs and Wazirs and Captains
and Grandees in attendance on him, according to their custom, in their
several stations, and whenever there came in an Emir, who had with him
a son or two sons, or haply three who stood at the sides of their sires
the King envied him and said in himself, “Every one of these is happy
and rejoiceth in his children, whilst I, I have no child, and to-morrow
I die and leave my reign and throne and lands and hoards, and strangers
will take them and none will bear me in memory nor will there remain
any mention of me in the world.” Then he became drowned in the sea of
thought and for the much thronging of griefs and anxieties upon his
heart, like travellers faring for the well, he shed tears and
descending from his throne, sat down upon the floor,[FN#356] weeping
and humbling himself before the Lord. Now when the Wazir and notables
of the realm and others who were present in the assembly saw him do
thus with his royal person, they feared for their lives and let the
poursuivants cry aloud to the lieges, saying, “Hie ye to your homes and
rest till the King recover from what aileth him.” So they went away,
leaving none in the presence save the Minister who, as soon as the King
came to himself, kissed ground between his hands and said, “O King of
the Age and the Time, wherefore this weeping and wailing? Tell me who
hath transgressed against thee of the Kings or Castellans or Emirs or
Grandees, and inform me who hath thwarted thee, O my liege lord, that
we may all fall on him and tear his soul from his two sides.” But he
spake not neither raised his head; whereupon the Minister kissed ground
before him a second time and said to him, “O Master,[FN#357] I am even
as thy son and thy slave, nay, I have reared thee; yet know I not the
cause of thy cark and chagrin and of this thy case; and who should know
but I who should stand in my stead between thy hands? Tell me therefore
why this weeping and wherefore thine affliction.” Nevertheless, the
King neither opened his mouth nor raised his head, but ceased not to
weep and cry with a loud crying and lament with exceeding lamentation
and ejaculate, “Alas!” The Wazir took patience with him awhile, after
which he said to him, “Except thou tell me the cause of this thine
affliction, I will set this sword to my heart and will slay myself
before thine eyes, rather than see thee thus distressed.” Then King
Asim raised his head and, wiping away his tears, said, “O Minister of
good counsel and experience, leave me to my care and my chagrin, for
that which is in my heart of sorrow sufficeth me.” But Faris said,
“Tell me, O King, the cause of this thy weeping, haply Allah will
appoint thee relief at my hands.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-ninth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir said
to King Asim, “Tell me the cause of this thy weeping: haply Allah shall
appoint thee relief at my hands.” Replied the King, “O Wazir, I weep
not for monies nor horses nor kingdoms nor aught else, but that I am
become an old man, yea, very old, nigh upon an hundred and fourscore
years of age, and I have not been blessed with a child, male or female;
so, when I die, they will bury me and my trace will be effaced and my
name cut off; the stranger will take my throne and reign and none will
ever make mention of my being.” Rejoined the Minister Faris, “O King of
the Age, I am older than thou by an hundred years yet have I never been
blest with boon of child and cease not day and night from cark and care
and concern; so how shall we do, I and thou?” Quoth Asim, “O Wazir,
hast thou no device or shift in this matter?” and quoth the Minister,
“Know, O King that I have heard of a Sovran in the land of Sabá[FN#358]
by name Solomon David-son (upon the twain be the Peace!),[FN#359] who
pretendeth to prophetship and avoucheth that he hath a mighty Lord who
can do all things and whose kingdom is in the Heavens and who hath
dominion over all mankind and birds and beasts and over the wind and
the Jinn. Moreover, he kenneth the speech of birds and the language of
every other created thing; and withal, he calleth all creatures to the
worship of his Lord and discourseth to them of their service. So let us
send him a messenger in the King’s name and seek of him our need,
beseeching him to put up prayer to his Lord, that He vouchsafe each of
us boon of issue. If his Faith be soothfast and his Lord Omnipotent, He
will assuredly bless each of us with a child male or female, and if the
thing thus fall out, we will enter his faith and worship his Lord; else
will we take patience and devise us another device.” The King cried,
“This is well seen, and my breast is broadened by this thy speech; but
where shall we find a messenger befitting this grave matter, for that
this Solomon is no Kinglet and the approaching him is no light affair?
Indeed, I will send him none, on the like of this matter, save thyself;
for thou art ancient and versed in all manner affairs and the like of
thee is the like of myself; wherefore I desire that thou weary thyself
and journey to him and occupy thyself sedulously with accomplishing
this matter, so haply solace may be at thy hand.” The Minister said, “I
hear and I obey; but rise thou forthwith and seat thee upon the throne,
so the Emirs and Lords of the realm and officers and the lieges may
enter applying themselves to thy service, according to their custom;
for they all went away from thee, troubled at heart on thine account.
Then will I go out and set forth on the Sovran’s errand.” So the King
arose forthright and sat down on the throne of his kingship, whilst the
Wazir went out and said to the Chamberlain, “Bid the folk proceed to
their service, as of their wont.” Accordingly the troops and Captains
and Lords of the land entered, after they had spread the tables and ate
and drank and withdrew as was their wont, after which the Wazir Faris
went forth from King Asim and, repairing to his own house, equipped
himself for travel and returned to the King, who opened to him the
treasuries and provided him with rarities and things of price and rich
stuffs and gear without compare, such as nor Emir nor Wazir hath power
to possess. Moreover, King Asim charged him to accost Solomon with
reverence, foregoing him with the salam, but not exceeding in speech;
“and (continued he) then do thou ask of him thy need, and if he say
’tis granted, return to us in haste, for I shall be awaiting thee.”
Accordingly, the Minister kissed hands and took the presents and
setting out, fared on night and day, till he came within fifteen days’
journey of Saba. Meanwhile Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) inspired
Solomon the son of David (the Peace be upon both!) and said to him, “O
Solomon, the King of Egypt sendeth unto thee his Chief Wazir, with a
present of rarities and such and such things of price; so do thou also
despatch thy Counsellor Asaf bin Barkhiyá to meet him with honour and
with victual at the halting-places; and when he cometh to thy presence,
say unto him, ‘Verily, thy King hath sent thee in quest of this and
that and thy business is thus and thus.’ Then do thou propound to him
The Saving Faith.”[FN#360] Whereupon Solomon bade his Wazir make ready
a company of his retainers and go forth to meet the Minister of Egypt
with honour and sumptuous provision at the halting-places. So Asaf made
ready all that was needed for their entertainment and setting out,
fared on till he fell in with Faris and accosted him with the salam,
honouring him and his company with exceeding honour. Moreover, he
brought them provaunt and provender at the halting-places and said to
them, “Well come and welcome and fair welcome to the coming guests!
Rejoice in the certain winning of your wish! Be your souls of good
cheer and your eyes cool and clear and your breasts be broadened!”
Quoth Faris in himself, “Who acquainted him with this?”; and he said to
Asaf,[FN#361] “O my lord, and who gave thee to know of us and our
need?” “It was Solomon son of David (on whom be the Peace!), told us of
this!” “And who told our lord Solomon?” “The Lord of the heaven and the
earth told him, _the_ God of all creatures!” “This is none other than a
mighty God!” “And do ye not worship him?” “We worship the Sun, and
prostrate ourselves thereto.” “O Wazir Faris, the sun is but a star of
the stars created by Allah (extolled and exalted be He!), and Allah
forbid that it should be a Lord! Because whiles it riseth and whiles it
setteth, but our Lord is ever present and never absent and He over all
things is Omnipotent!” Then they journeyed on a little while till they
came to the land Saba and drew near the throne of Solomon David-son,
(upon the twain be peace!), who commanded his hosts of men and Jinn and
others[FN#362] to form line on their road. So the beasts of the sea and
the elephants and leopards and lynxes and all beasts of the land ranged
themselves in espalier on either side of the way, after their several
kinds, and similarly the Jinn drew out in two ranks, appearing all to
mortal eyes without concealment, in divers forms grisly and gruesome.
So they lined the road on either hand, and the birds bespread their
wings over the host of creatures to shade them, warbling one to other
in all manner of voices and tongues. Now when the people of Egypt came
to this terrible array, they dreaded it and durst not proceed; but Asaf
said to them, “Pass on amidst them and walk forward and fear them not:
for they are slaves of Solomon son of David, and none of them will harm
you.” So saying, he entered between the ranks, followed by all the folk
and amongst them the Wazir of Egypt and his company, fearful: and they
ceased not faring forwards till they reached the city, where they
lodged the embassy in the guest-house and for the space of three days
entertained them sumptuously, entreating them with the utmost honour.
Then they carried them before Solomon, prophet of Allah (on whom be the
Peace!), and when entering they would have kissed the earth before him;
but he forbade them, saying, “It befitteth not a man prostrate himself
to earth save before Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), Creator
of Earth and Heaven and all other things; wherefore, whosoever of you
hath a mind to sit let him be seated in my service, or to stand, let
him stand, but let none stand to do me worship.” So they obeyed him and
the Wazir Faris and some of his intimates sat down, whilst certain of
the lesser sort remained afoot to wait on him. When they had sat
awhile, the servants spread the tables and they all, men and beasts,
ate their sufficiency.[FN#363] Then Solomon bade Faris expound his
errand, that it might be accomplished, saying, “Speak and hide naught
of that wherefor thou art come; for I know why ye come and what is your
errand, which is thus and thus. The King of Egypt who despatched thee,
Asim hight, hath become a very old man, infirm, decrepit; and Allah
(whose name be exalted!) hath not blessed him with offspring, male or
female. So he abode in cark and care and chagrin from morn to night and
from night to morn. It so happened that one day of the days as he sat
upon the throne of his kingship with his Emirs and Wazirs, and Captains
and Grandees in attendance on him, he saw some of them with two sons,
others with one, and others even three, who came with their sires to do
him service. So he said in himself, of the excess of his sorrow, ‘Who
shall get my kingdom after my death? Will any save a stranger take it?
And thus shall I pass out of being as though I had never been!’ On this
account he became drowned in the sea of thought, until his eyes were
flooded with tears and he covered his face with his kerchief and wept
with sore weeping. Then he rose from off his throne and sat down upon
the floor wailing and lamenting and none knew what was in heart as he
grovelled in the ground save Allah Almighty.”——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixtieth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Solomon
David-son (upon both of whom be peace!) after disclosing to the Wazir
Faris that which had passed between himself and his master, King Asim,
said to him, “Is this that I have told thee the truth, O Wazir?”
Replied Faris, “O prophet of Allah, this thou hast said is indeed sooth
and verity; but when we discoursed of this matter, none was with the
King and myself, nor was any ware of our case; who, then told thee of
all these things?” Answered Solomon, “They were told to me by my Lord
who knoweth whatso is concealed[FN#364] from the eye and what is hidden
in the breasts.” Quoth Faris, “O Prophet of Allah, verily this is none
other than a mighty Lord and an omnipotent God!” And he Islamized with
all his many. Then said Solomon to him, “Thou hast with thee such and
such presents and rarities;” and Faris replied “Yes.” The prophet
continued, “I accept them all and give them in free gift unto thee. So
do ye rest, thou and thy company, in the place where you have been
lodging, till the fatigue of the journey shall cease from you; and
to-morrow, Inshallah! thine errand shall be accomplished to the
uttermost, if it be the will of Allah the Most High, Lord of heaven and
earth and the light which followeth the gloom; Creator of all
creatures.” So Faris returned to his quarters and passed the night in
deep thought. But when morning morrowed he presented himself before the
Lord Solomon, who said to him, “When thou returnest to King Asim bin
Safwan and you twain are reunited, do ye both go forth some day armed
with bow, bolts and brand, and fare to such a place, where ye shall
find a certain tree. Mount upon it and sit silent until the midhour
between noon-prayer and that of mid-afternoon, when the noontide heat
hath cooled; then descend and look at the foot of the tree, whence ye
will see two serpents come forth, one with a head like an ape’s and the
other with a head like an Ifrit’s. Shoot them ye twain with bolts and
kill them both; then cut off a span’s length from their heads and the
like from their tails and throw it away. The rest of the flesh cook and
cook well and give it to your wives to eat: then lie with them that
night and, by Allah’s leave, they shall conceive and bear male
children.” Moreover, he gave him a seal-ring, a sword and a wrapper
containing two tunics[FN#365] embroidered with gold and jewels, saying,
“O Wazir Faris, when your sons grow up to man’s estate, give to each of
them one of these tunics.” Then said he, “In the name of Allah! May the
Almighty accomplish your desire! And now nothing remaineth for thee but
to depart, relying on the blessing of the Lord the Most High, for the
King looketh for thy return night and day and his eye is ever gazing on
the road.” So the Wazir advanced to the prophet Solomon son of David
(upon both of whom be the Peace!) and farewelled him and fared forth
from him after kissing his hands. Rejoicing in the accomplishment of
his errand he travelled on with all diligence night and day, and ceased
not wayfaring till he drew near to Cairo, when he despatched one of his
servants to acquaint King Asim with his approach and the successful
issue of his journey; which when the King heard he joyed with exceeding
joy, he and his Grandees and Officers and troops especially in the
Wazir’s safe return. When they met, the Minister dismounted and,
kissing ground before the King, gave him the glad news anent the
winning of his wish in fullest fashion; after which he expounded the
True Faith to him, and the King and all his people embraced Al-Islam
with much joy and gladness. Then said Asim to his Wazir, “Go home and
rest this night and a week to boot; then go to the Hammam-bath and come
to me, that I may inform thee of what we shall have to consider.” So
Faris kissed ground and withdrew, with his suite, pages and eunuchs, to
his house, where he rested eight days; after which he repaired to the
King and related to him all that had passed between Solomon and
himself, adding, “Do thou rise and go forth with me alone.” Then the
King and the Minister took two bows and two bolts and repairing to the
tree indicated by Solomon, clomb up into it and there sat in silence
till the mid-day heat had passed away and it was near upon the hour of
mid-afternoon prayer, when they descended and looking about them saw a
serpent-couple[FN#366] issue from the roots of the tree. The King gazed
at them, marvelling to see them ringed with collars of gold about their
necks, and said to Faris, “O Wazir, verily these snakes have golden
torques! By Allah, this is forsooth a rare thing! Let us catch them and
set them in a cage and keep them to look upon.” But the Minister said,
“These hath Allah created for profitable use;[FN#367] so do thou shoot
one and I will shoot the other with these our shafts.” Accordingly they
shot at them with arrows and slew them; after which they cut off a
span’s length of their heads and tails and threw it away. Then they
carried the rest to the King’s palace, where they called the kitchener
and giving him the flesh said, “Dress this meat daintily, with
onion-sauce[FN#368] and spices, and ladle it out into two saucers and
bring them hither at such an hour, without delay!”——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King and
the Wazir gave the serpents’ flesh to the kitchener, saying, “Cook it
and ladle it out into two saucers and bring them hither without
delay!”; the cook took the meat and went with it to the kitchen, where
he cooked it and dressed it in skilful fashion with a mighty fine
onion-sauce and hot spices; after which he ladled it out into two
saucers and set them before the King and the Wazir, who took each a
dish and gave their wives to eat of the meat. Then they went in that
night unto them and knew them carnally, and by the good pleasure of
Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) and His all-might and furtherance,
they both conceived on one and the same night. The King abode three
months, troubled in mind and saying in himself, “I wonder whether this
thing will prove true or untrue”; till one day, as the lady his Queen
was sitting, the child stirred in her womb and she felt a pain and her
colour changed. So she knew that she was with child and calling the
chief of her eunuchs, gave him this command, “Go to the King, wherever
he may be and congratulate him saying, ‘O King of the Age, I bring thee
the glad tidings that our lady’s pregnancy is become manifest, for the
child stirreth in her womb’.” So the eunuch went out in haste,
rejoicing, and finding the King alone, with cheek on palm, pondering
this thing, kissed ground between his hands and acquainted him with his
wife’s pregnancy. When the King heard his words, he sprang to his feet
and in the excess of his joy, he kissed[FN#369] the eunuch’s hands and
head and doffing the clothes he had on, gave them to him. Moreover, he
said to those who were present in his assembly, “Whoso loveth me, let
him bestow largesse upon this man.”[FN#370] And they gave him of coin
and jewels and jacinths and horses and mules and estates and gardens
what was beyond count or calculation. At that moment in came the Wazir
Faris and said to Asim, “O my master, but now I was sitting alone at
home and absorbed in thought, pondering the matter of the pregnancy and
saying to myself, ‘Would I wot an this thing be true and whether my
wife Khátún[FN#371] have conceived or not!’ when, behold, an eunuch
came in to me and brought me the glad tidings that his lady was indeed
pregnant, for that her colour was changed and the child stirred in her
womb; whereupon, in my joy, I doffed all the clothes I had on and gave
them to him, together with a thousand dinars, and made him Chief of the
Eunuchs.” Rejoined the King, “O Minister, Allah (extolled and exalted
be He!) hath, of His grace and bounty and goodness, and beneficence,
made gift to us of the True Faith and brought us out of night into
light, and hath been bountiful to us, of His favour and benevolence;
wherefore I am minded to solace the folk and cause them to rejoice.”
Quoth Faris, “Do what thou wilt,[FN#372]” and quoth the King, “O Wazir,
go down without stay or delay and set free all who are in the prisons,
both criminals and debtors, and whoso transgresseth after this, we will
requite as he deserveth even to the striking off of his head. Moreover,
we forgive the people three years’ taxes, and do thou set up kitchens
all around about the city walls[FN#373] and bid the kitcheners hang
over the fire all kinds of cooking pots and cook all manner of meats,
continuing their cooking night and day, and let all comers, both of our
citizens and of the neighbouring countries, far and near, eat and drink
and carry to their houses. And do thou command the people to make
holiday and decorate the city seven days and shut not the taverns night
nor day[FN#374]; and if thou delay I will behead thee[FN#375]!” So he
did as the King bade him and the folk decorated the city and citadel
and bulwarks after the goodliest fashion and, donning their richest
attire, passed their time in feasting and sporting and making merry,
till the days of the Queen’s pregnancy were accomplished and she was
taken, one night, with labour pains hard before dawn. Then the King
bade summon all the Olema and astronomers, mathematicians and men of
learning, astrologers, scientists and scribes in the city, and they
assembled and sat awaiting the throwing of a bead into the cup[FN#376]
which was to be the signal to the Astrophils, as well as to the nurses
and attendants, that the child was born. Presently, as they sat in
expectation, the Queen gave birth to a boy like a slice of the moon
when fullest and the astrologers fell to calculating and noted his star
and nativity and drew his horoscope. Then, on being summoned they rose
and, kissing the earth before the King, gave him the glad tidings,
saying, “In very sooth the new-born child is of happy augury and born
under an auspicious aspect, but” they added, “in the first of his life
there will befall him a thing which we fear to name before the King.”
Quoth Asim, “Speak and fear not;” so quoth they, “O King, this boy will
fare forth from this land and journey in strangerhood and suffer
shipwreck and hardship and prisonment and distress, and indeed he hath
before him the sorest of sufferings; but he shall free him of them in
the end, and win to his wish and live the happiest of lives the rest of
his days, ruling over subjects with a strong hand and having dominion
in the land, despite enemies and enviers.” Now when the King heard the
astrologers’ words, he said, “The matter is a mystery; but all that
Allah Almighty hath written for the creature of good and bad cometh to
pass and needs must betide him from this day to that a thousand
solaces.” So he paid no heed to their words or attention to their
speeches but bestowed on them robes of honour, as well upon all who
were present, and dismissed them; when, behold, in came Faris the Wazir
and kissed the earth before the King in huge joy, saying, “Good
tidings, O King! My wife hath but now given birth to a son, as he were
a slice of the moon.” Replied Asim, “O Wazir, go, bring thy wife and
child hither, that she may abide with my wife in my palace, and they
shall bring up the two boys together.” So Faris fetched his wife and
son and they committed the two children to the nurses wet and dry. And
after seven days had passed over them, they brought them before the
King and said to him, “What wilt thou name the twain?” Quoth he, “Do ye
name them;” but quoth they, “None nameth the son save his sire.” So he
said, “Name my son Sayf al-Muluk, after my grandfather, and the
Minister’s son Sa’id.”[FN#377] Then he bestowed robes of honour on the
nurses wet and dry and said to them, “Be ye ruthful over them and rear
them after the goodliest fashion.” So they brought up the two boys
diligently till they reached the age of five, when the King committed
them to a doctor of Sciences[FN#378] who taught them to read the Koran
and write. When they were ten years old, King Asim gave them in charge
to masters, who instructed them in cavalarice and shooting with shafts
and lunging with lance and play of Polo and the like till, by the time
they were fifteen years old, they were clever in all manner of martial
exercises, nor was there one to vie with them in horsemanship, for each
of them would do battle with a thousand men and make head against them
single handed. So when they came to years of discretion, whenever King
Asim looked on them he joyed in them with exceeding joy; and when they
attained their twenty-fifth year, he took Faris his Minister apart one
day and said to him, “O Wazir, I am minded to consult with thee
concerning a thing I desire to do.” Replied he, “Whatever thou hast a
mind to do, do it; for thy judgment is blessed.” Quoth the King, “O
Wazir, I am become a very old and decrepit man, sore stricken in years,
and I desire to take up my abode in an oratory, that I may worship
Allah Almighty and give my kingdom and Sultanate to my son Sayf
al-Muluk for that he is grown a goodly youth, perfect in knightly
exercises and intellectual attainments, polite letters and gravity,
dignity and the art of government. What sayst thou, O Minister, of this
project?” And quoth the counsellor, “Right indeed is thy rede: the idea
is a blessed and a fortunate, and if thou do this, I will do the like
and my son Sa’id shall be the Prince’s Wazir, for he is a comely young
man and complete in knowledge and judgment. Thus will the two youths be
together, and we will order their affair and neglect not their case,
but guide them to goodness and in the way that is straight.” Quoth the
King, “Write letters and send them by couriers to all the countries and
cities and sconces and fortresses that be under our hands, bidding
their chiefs be present on such a day at the Horse-course of the
Elephant.”[FN#379] So the Wazir went out without stay or delay and
despatched letters of this purport to all the deputies and governors of
fortresses and others under King Asim; and he commanded also that all
in the city should be present, far and near, high and low. When the
appointed time drew nigh, King Asim bade the tent-pitchers plant
pavilions in the midst of the Champ-de-Mars and decorate them after the
most sumptuous fashion and set up the great throne whereon he sat not
but on festivals. And they at once did his bidding. Then he and all his
Nabobs and Chamberlains and Emirs sallied forth, and he commanded
proclamation be made to the people, saying, “In the name of Allah, come
forth to the Maydán!” So all the Emirs and Wazirs and Governors of
provinces and Feudatories[FN#380] came forth to the place of assembly
and, entering the royal pavilion, addressed themselves to the service
of the King as was their wont, and abode in their several stations,
some sitting and others standing, till all the people were gathered
together, when the King bade spread the tables and they ate and drank
and prayed for him. Then he commanded the Chamberlains[FN#381] to
proclaim to the people that they should not depart: so they made
proclamation to them, saying, “Let none of you fare hence till he have
heard the King’s words!” So they withdrew the curtains of the royal
pavilion and the King said, “Whoso loveth me, let him remain till he
have heard my speech!” Whereupon all the folk sat down in mind tranquil
after they had been fearful, saying, “Wherefore have we been summoned
by the King?” Then the Sovran rose to his feet, and making them swear
that none would stir from his stead, said to them, “O ye Emirs and
Wazirs and Lords of the land; the great and the small of you, and all
ye who are present of the people; say me, wot ye not that this kingdom
was an inheritance to me from my fathers and forefathers?” Answered
they, “Yes, O King we all know that.” And he continued, “I and you, we
all worshipped the sun and moon, till Allah (extolled and exalted be
He!) vouchsafed us the knowledge of the True Faith and brought us out
of darkness unto light, and directed us to the religion of Al-Islam.
Know that I am become a very old man, feeble and decrepit, and I desire
to take up my abode in a hermitage[FN#382] there to worship Allah
Almighty and crave His pardon for past offenses and make this my son
Sayf al-Muluk ruler. Ye know full well that he is a comely youth,
eloquent, liberal, learned, versed in affairs, intelligent, equitable;
wherefore I am minded presently to resign to him my realm and to make
him ruler over you and seat him as Sultan in my stead, whilst I give
myself to solitude and to the worship of Allah in an oratory, and my
son and heir shall judge between you. What say ye then, all of you?”
Thereupon they all rose and kissing ground before him, made answer with
“Hearing and obedience,” saying, “O our King and our defender an thou
should set over us one of thy blackamoor slaves we would obey him and
hearken to thy word and accept thy command: how much more then with thy
son Sayf al-Muluk? Indeed, we accept of him and approve him on our eyes
and heads!” So King Asim bin Safwan arose and came down from his seat
and seating his son on the great throne,[FN#383] took the crown from
his own head and set it on the head of Sayf al-Muluk and girt his
middle with the royal girdle.[FN#384] Then he sat down beside his son
on the throne of his kingship, whilst the Emirs and Wazirs and Lords of
the land and all the rest of the folk rose and kissed ground before
him, saying, “Indeed, he is worthy of the kingship and hath better
right to it than any other.” Then the Chamberlains made proclamation
crying, “Amán! Amán! Safety! Safety!” and offered up prayers for his
victory and prosperity. And Sayf al-Muluk scattered gold and silver on
the heads of the lieges one and all.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Asim
seated his son, Sayf al-Muluk, upon the throne and all the people
prayed for his victory and prosperity, the youth scattered gold and
silver on the heads of the lieges, one and all, and conferred robes of
honour and gave gifts and largesse. Then, after a moment, the Wazir
Faris arose and kissing ground said, “O Emirs, O Grandees, ye ken that
I am Wazir and that my Wazirate dateth from old, before the accession
of King Asim bin Safwan, who hath now divested himself of the Kingship
and made his son King in his stead?” Answered they, “Yes, we know that
thy Wazirate is from sire after grandsire.” He continued, “And now in
my turn I divest myself of office and invest this my son Sa’id, for he
is intelligent, quick-witted, sagacious. What say ye all?” And they
replied, “None is worthy to be Wazir to King Sayf al-Muluk but thy son
Sa’id, and they befit each other.” With this Faris arose and taking off
his Wazirial turband, set it on his son’s head and eke laid his
ink-case of office before him, whilst the Chamberlains and the Emirs
said, “Indeed, he is deserving of the Wazirship” and the Heralds cried
aloud, “Mubárak! Mubarak!—Felix sit et faustus!” After this, King Asim
and Faris the Minister arose and, opening the royal treasuries,
conferred magnificent robes of honour on all the Viceroys and Emirs and
Wazirs and Lords of the land and other folk and gave salaries and
benefactions and wrote them new mandates and diplomas with the
signatures of King Sayf al-Muluk and his Wazir Sa’id. Moreover, he made
distribution of money to the men-at-arms and gave guerdons, and the
provincials abode in the city a full week ere they departed each to his
own country and place. Then King Asim carried his son and his Wazir
Sa’id back to the palace which was in the city and bade the treasurer
bring the seal-ring and signet,[FN#385] sword and wrapper; which being
done, he said to the two young men, “O my sons, come hither and let
each of you choose two of these things and take them.” The first to
make choice was Sayf al-Muluk, who put out his hand and took the ring
and the wrapper, whilst Sa’id took the sword and the signet; after
which they both kissed the King’s hands and went away to their lodging.
Now Sayf al-Muluk opened not the wrapper to see what was therein, but
threw it on the couch where he and Sa’id slept by night, for it was
their habit to lie together. Presently they spread them the bed and the
two lay down with a pair of wax candles burning over them, and slept
till midnight, when Sayf al-Muluk awoke and, seeing the bundle at his
head, said in his mind, “I wonder what thing of price is in this
wrapper my father gave me!” So he took it together with a candle and
descended from the couch leaving Sa’id sleeping and carried the bundle
into a closet, where he opened it and found within a tunic of the
fabric of the Jann. He spread it out and saw on the lining[FN#386] of
the back, the portraiture wroughten in gold of a girl and marvellous
was her loveliness; and no sooner had he set eyes on the figure than
his reason fled his head and he became Jinn-mad for love thereof, so
that he fell down in a swoon and presently recovering, began to weep
and lament, beating his face and breast and kissing her. And he recited
these verses,
“Love, at the first, is a spurt of spray[FN#387] * Which Doom
disposes and Fates display;
Till, when deep diveth youth in passion-sea * Unbearable
sorrows his soul waylay.”
And also these two couplets,
“Had I known of love in what fashion he * Robbeth heart and
soul I had guarded me:
But of malice prepense I threw self away, * Unwitting of Love
what his nature be.”
And Sayf al-Muluk ceased not to weep and wail and beat face and breast,
till Sa’id awoke and missing him from the bed and seeing but a single
candle, said to himself, “Whither is Sayf al-Muluk gone?” Then he took
the other candle and went round about the palace, till he came upon the
closet where he saw the Prince lying at full length, weeping with sore
weeping and lamenting aloud. So he said to him, “O my brother, for what
cause are these tears and what hath befallen thee? Speak to me and tell
me the reason thereof.” But Sayf al-Muluk spoke not neither raised his
head and continued to weep and wail and beat hand on breast. Seeing him
in this case quoth Sa’id, “I am thy Wazir and thy brother, and we were
reared together, I and thou; so an thou do not unburden thy breast and
discover thy secret to me, to whom shalt thou reveal it and disclose
its cause?” And he went on to humble himself and kiss the ground before
him a full hour, whilst Sayf al-Muluk paid no heed to him nor answered
him a word, but gave not over to weeping. At last, being affrighted
at his case and weary of striving with him, he went out and fetched
a sword, with which he returned to the closet, and setting the point
to his own breast, said to the Prince, “Rouse thee, O my brother! An
thou tell me not what aileth thee, I will slay myself and see thee no
longer in this case.” Whereupon Sayf al-Muluk raised his head towards
the Wazir and answered him, “O my brother, I am ashamed to tell thee
what hath betided me;” but Sa’id said, “I conjure thee by Allah, Lord
of Lords, Liberator of Necks,[FN#388] Causer of causes, the One, the
Ruthful, the Gift-full, the Bountiful, that thou tell me what aileth
thee and be not abashed at me, for I am thy slave and thy Minister and
counsellor in all thine affairs!” Quoth Sayf al-Muluk, “Come and look
at this likeness.” So Sa’id looked at it awhile and considering it
straitly, behold, he saw written, as a crown over its head, in letters
of pearl, these words, “This is the counterfeit presentment of Badi’a
al-Jamal, daughter of Shahyál bin Shárukh, a King of the Kings of the
true-believing Jann who have taken up their abode in the city of Babel
and sojourn in the garden of Iram, Son of ‘Ad the Greater”[FN#389]——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-third Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Sa’id,
son of the Wazir Faris, had read to Sayf al-Muluk, son of King Asim,
the writ on the tunic, which showed the portraiture of Badi’a al-Jamal,
daughter of Shahyal bin Sharukh, a King of the Kings of the Moslem
Jinns dwelling in Babel-city and in the Garden of Iram, son of ‘Ad the
Greater, he cried, “O my brother, knowest thou of what woman this is
the presentment, that we may seek for her?” Sayf al-Muluk replied, “No,
by Allah, O my brother, I know her not!” and Sa’id rejoined, “Come,
read this writing on the crown.” So Sayf al-Muluk read it and cried out
from his heart’s core and very vitals, saying, “Alas! Alas! Alas!”
Quoth Sa’id, “O my brother, an the original of the portrait exist and
her name be Badi’a al-Jamal, and she abide in the world, I will hasten
to seek her, that thou mayst win thy will without delay. But, Allah
upon thee, O my brother, leave this weeping and ascend thy throne, that
the Officers of the State may come in to do their service to thee, and
in the undurn, do thou summon the merchants and fakirs and travellers
and pilgrims and paupers and ask of them concerning this city and the
garden of Iram; haply by the help and blessing of Allah (extolled and
exalted be He!), some one of them shall direct us thither.” So, when it
was day, Sayf al-Muluk went forth and mounted the throne, clasping the
tunic in his arms, for he could neither stand nor sit without it, nor
would sleep visit him save it were with him; and the Emirs and Wazirs
and Lords and Officers came in to him. When the Divan was complete all
being assembled in their places he said to his Minister, “Go forth to
them and tell them that the King hath been suddenly struck by sickness
and he, by Allah, hath passed the night in ill case.” So Sa’id fared
forth and told the folk what he said; which when old King Asim heard,
he was concerned for his son and, summoning the physicians and
astrologers, carried them in to Sayf al-Muluk. They looked at him and
prescribed him ptisanes and diet-drinks, simples and medicinal waters
and wrote him characts and incensed him with Nadd and aloes-wood and
ambergris three days’ space; but his malady persisted three months,
till King Asim was wroth with the leaches and said to them, “Woe to
you, O dogs! What? Are all of you impotent to cure my son? Except ye
heal him forthright, I will put the whole of you to death.” The
Archiater replied, “O King of the Age, in very sooth we know that this
is thy son and thou wottest that we fail not of diligence in tending a
stranger; so how much more with medicining thy son? But thy son is
afflicted with a malady hard to heal, which, if thou desire to know, we
will discover it to thee.” Quoth Asim, “What then find ye to be the
malady of my son?”; and quoth the leach, “O King of the Age, thy son is
in love and he loveth one to whose enjoyment he hath no way of access.”
At this the King was wroth and asked, “How know ye that my son is in
love and how came love to him?”; they answered, “Enquire of his Wazir
and brother Sa’id, for he knoweth his case.” The King rose and repaired
to his private closet and summoning Sa’id said to him, “Tell me the
truth of thy brother’s malady.” But Sa’id replied, “I know it not.” So
King Asim said to the Sworder, “Take Sa’id and bind his eyes and strike
his neck.” Whereupon Sa’id feared for himself and cried, “O King of the
Age, grant me immunity.” Replied the King, “Speak and thou shalt have
it.” “Thy son is in love.” “With whom is he in love?” “With a King’s
daughter of the Jann.” “And where could he have espied a daughter of
the Jinns?” “Her portrait is wroughten on the tunic that was in the
bundle given thee by Solomon, prophet of Allah!” When the King heard
this, he rose, and going in to Sayf al-Muluk, said to him, “O my son,
what hath afflicted thee? What is this portrait whereof thou art
enamoured? And why didst thou not tell me.” He replied, “O my sire, I
was ashamed to name this to thee and could not bring myself to discover
aught thereof to any one at all; but now thou knowest my case, look how
thou mayest do to cure me.” Rejoined his father, “What is to be done?
Were this one of the daughters of men we might devise a device for
coming at her; but she is a King’s daughter of the Jinns and who can
woo and win her, save it be Solomon David-son, and hardly he?[FN#390]
However, O my son, do thou arise forthright and hearten thy heart and
take horse and ride out a-hunting or to weapon-play in the Maydan.
Divert thyself with eating and drinking and put away cark and care from
thy heart, and I will bring thee an hundred maids of the daughters of
Kings; for thou hast no need to the daughters of the Jann, over whom we
lack controul and of kind other than ours.” But he said, “I cannot
renounce her nor will I seek other than her.” Asked King Asim, “How
then shall we do, O my son?”; and Sayf al-Muluk answered, “Bring us all
the merchants and travellers and wanderers in the city, that we may
question them thereof. Peradventure, Allah will lead us to the city of
Babel and the garden of Iram.” So King Asim bade summon all the
merchants in the city and strangers and sea-captains and, as each came,
enquired of him anent the city of Babel and its peninsula[FN#391] and
the garden of Iram; but none of them knew these places nor could any
give him tidings thereof. However, when the séance broke up, one of
them said, “O King of the Age, an thou be minded to ken this thing, up
and hie thee to the land of China; for it hath a vast city[FN#392] and
a safe, wherein are store of rarities and things of price and folk of
all kinds; and thou shalt not come to the knowledge of this city and
garden but from its folk; it may be one of them will direct thee to
that thou seekest.” Whereupon quoth Sayf al-Muluk, “O my sire, equip me
a ship, that I may fare to the China-land; and do thou rule the reign
in my stead.” Replied the old King, “O my son, abide thou on the throne
of thy kingship and govern thy commons, and I myself will make the
voyage to China and ask for thee of the city of Babel and the garden of
Iram.” But Sayf al-Muluk rejoined, “O my sire, in very sooth this
affair concerneth me and none can search after it like myself: so, come
what will, an thou give me leave to make the voyage, I will depart and
wander awhile. If I find trace or tidings of her, my wish will be won,
and if not, belike the voyage will broaden my breast and recruit my
courage; and haply by foreign travel my case will be made easy to me,
and if I live, I shall return to thee safe and sound.”——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sayf al-Muluk
said to his sire King Asim, “Equip me a ship that I may fare therein to
the China-land and search for the object of my desire. If I live I
shall return to thee safe and sound.” The old King looked at his son
and saw nothing for it but to do what he desired; so he gave him the
leave he wanted and fitted him forty ships, manned with twenty thousand
armed Mamelukes, besides servants, and presented him with great plenty
of money and necessaries and warlike gear, as much as he required. When
the ships were laden with water and victual, weapons and troops, Sayf
al-Muluk’s father and mother farewelled him and King Asim said,
“Depart, O my son, and travel in weal and health and safety. I commend
thee to Him with Whom deposits are not lost.”[FN#393] So the Prince
bade adieu to his parents and embarked, with his brother Sa’id, and
they weighed anchor and sailed till they came to the City of China.
When the Chinamen heard of the coming of forty ships, full of armed men
and stores, weapons and hoards, they made sure that these were enemies
come to battle with them and seige them; so they bolted the gates of
the town and made ready the mangonels.[FN#394] But Sayf al-Muluk,
hearing of this, sent two of his Chief Mamelukes to the King of China,
bidding them say to him, “This is Sayf al-Muluk, son of King Asim of
Egypt, who is come to thy city as a guest, to divert himself by viewing
thy country awhile, and not for conquest or contention; wherefore, an
thou wilt receive him, he will come ashore to thee; and if not he will
return and will not disquiet thee nor the people of thy capital.” They
presented themselves at the city-gates and said, “We are messengers
from King Sayf al-Muluk.” Whereupon the townsfolk opened the gates and
carried them to their King, whose name was Faghfúr[FN#395] Shah and
between whom and King Asim there had erst been acquaintance. So, when
he heard that the new-comer Prince was the son of King Asim, he
bestowed robes of honour on the messengers and, bidding open the gates,
made ready guest-gifts and went forth in person with the chief officers
of his realm, to meet Sayf al-Muluk, and the two Kings embraced. Then
Faghfur said to his guest, “Well come and welcome and fair cheer to him
who cometh to us! I am thy slave and the slave of thy sire: my city is
between thy hands to command and whatso thou seekest shall be brought
before thee.” Then he presented him with the guest-gifts and victual
for the folk at their stations; and they took horse, with the Wazir
Sa’id and the chiefs of their officers and the rest of their troops,
and rode from the sea-shore to the city, which they entered with
cymbals clashing and drums beating in token of rejoicing. There they
abode in the enjoyment of fair entertainment for forty days, at the end
of which quoth the King of China to Sayf al-Muluk, “O son of my
brother, how is thy case[FN#396]? Doth my country please thee?”; and
quoth Sayf al-Muluk, “May Allah Almighty long honour it with thee, O
King!” Said Faghfur, “Naught hath brought thee hither save some need
which hath occurred to thee; and whatso thou desirest of my country I
will accomplish it to thee.” Replied Sayf al-Muluk, “O King, my case is
a wondrous,” and told him how he had fallen in love with the portrait
of Badi’a al-Jamal, and wept bitter tears. When the King of China heard
his story, he wept for pity and solicitude for him and cried, “And what
wouldst thou have now, O Sayf al-Muluk?”; and he rejoined, “I would
have thee bring me all the wanderers and travellers, the seafarers and
sea-captains, that I may question them of the original of this
portrait; perhaps one of them may give me tidings of her.” So Faghfur
Shah sent out his Nabobs and Chamberlains and body-guards to fetch all
the wanderers and travellers in the land, and they brought them before
the two Kings, and they were a numerous company. Then Sayf al-Muluk
questioned them of the City of Babel and the Garden of Iram, but none
of them returned him a reply, whereupon he was bewildered and wist not
what to do; but one of the sea-captains said to him, “O auspicious
King, an thou wouldst know of this city and that garden, up and hie
thee to the Islands of the Indian realm.”[FN#397] Thereupon Sayf
al-Muluk bade bring the ships; which being done, they freighted them
with vivers and water and all that they needed, and the Prince and his
Wazir re-embarked, with all their men, after they had farewelled King
Faghfur Shah. They sailed the seas four months with a fair wind, in
safety and satisfaction till it chanced that one day of the days there
came out upon them a wind and the billows buffeted them from all
quarters. The rain and hail[FN#398] descended on them and during twenty
days the sea was troubled for the violence of the wind; wherefor the
ships drave one against other and brake up, as did the carracks[FN#399]
and all on board were drowned, except Sayf al-Muluk and some of his
servants, who saved themselves in a little cock-boat. Then the wind
fell by the decree of Allah Almighty and the sun shone out; whereupon
Sayf al-Muluk opened his eyes and seeing no sign of the ships nor aught
but sky and sea, said to the Mamelukes who were with him, “Where are
the carracks and cock-boats and where is my brother Sa’id?” They
replied, “O King of the Age, there remain nor ships nor boats nor those
who were therein; for they are all drowned and become food for fishes.”
Now when he heard this, he cried aloud and repeated the saying which
whoso saith shall not be confounded, and it is, “There is no Majesty
and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” Then he
fell to buffeting his face and would have cast himself into the sea,
but his Mamelukes withheld him, saying “O King, what will this profit
thee? Thou hast brought all this on thyself; for, hadst thou hearkened
to thy father’s words, naught thereof had betided thee. But this was
written from all eternity by the will of the Creator of Souls.”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted
say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Sayf
al-Muluk would have cast himself into the main, his Mamelukes withheld
him saying, “What will this profit thee? Thou hast done this deed by
thyself, yet was it written from all eternity by the will of the
Creator of Souls, that the creature might accomplish that which Allah
hath decreed unto him. And indeed, at the time of thy birth, the
astrologers assured thy sire that all manner troubles should befal
thee. So there is naught for it but patience till Allah deliver us from
this our strait.” Replied the Prince, “There is no Majesty and there is
no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Neither is there
refuge nor fleeing from that which He decreeth!” And he sighed and
recited these couplets,
“By the Compassionate, I’m dazed about my case for lo! *
Troubles and griefs beset me sore; I know not whence they
grow.
I will be patient, so the folk, that I against a thing *
Bitt’rer than very aloes’ self,[FN#400] endurèd have, may
know.
Less bitter than my patience is the taste of aloes-juice; *
I’ve borne with patience what’s more hot than coals with
fire aglow.
In this my trouble what resource have I, save to commit * My
case to Him who orders all that is, for weal or woe?”
Then he became drowned in the depth of thoughts and his tears ran down
upon his cheeks like torrent-rain; and he slept a while of the day,
after which he awoke and sought of food somewhat. So they set meat
before him and he ate his sufficiency, till they removed the food from
before him, whilst the boat drove on with them they knew not whither it
was wandering. It drifted with them at the will of the winds and the
waves, night and day a great while, till their victual was spent and
they saw themselves shent and were reduced to extreme hunger and thirst
and exhaustion, when behold, suddenly they sighted an island from afar
and the breezes wafted them on, till they came thither. Then, making
the cock-boat fast to the coast and leaving one therein to guard it,
they fared on into the island, where they found abundance of fruits
of all colours and ate of them till they were satisfied. Presently,
they saw a person sitting among those trees and he was long-faced,
of strange favour and white of beard and body. He called to one of
the Mamelukes by his name, saying, “Eat not of these fruits, for they
are unripe; but come hither to me, that I may give thee to eat of the
best and the ripest.” The slave looked at him and thought that he was
one of the shipwrecked, who had made his way to that island; so he
joyed with exceeding joy at sight of him and went close up to him,
knowing not what was decreed to him in the Secret Purpose nor what
was writ upon his brow. But, when he drew near, the stranger in human
shape leapt upon him, for he was a Marid,[FN#401] and riding upon his
shoulderblades and twisting one of his legs about his neck, let the
other hang down upon his back, saying, “Walk on, fellow; for there is
no escape for thee from me and thou art become mine ass.” Thereupon
the Mameluke fell a-weeping and cried out to his comrades, “Alas, my
lord! Flee ye forth of this wood and save yourselves, for one of the
dwellers therein hath mounted on my shoulders, and the rest seek you,
desiring to ride you like me.” When they heard these words, all fled
down to the boat and pushed off to sea; whilst the islanders followed
them into the water, saying, “Whither wend ye? Come, tarry with us and
we will mount on your backs and give you meat and drink, and you shall
be our donkeys.” Hearing this they hastened the more seawards till they
left them in the distance and fared on, trusting in Allah Almighty; nor
did they leave faring for a month, till another island rose before them
and thereon they landed. Here they found fruits of various kinds and
busied themselves with eating of them, when behold, they saw from afar,
somewhat lying in the road, a hideous creature as it were a column of
silver. So they went up to it and one of the men gave it a kick, when
lo! it was a thing of human semblance, long of eyes and cloven of head
and hidden under one of his ears, for he was wont, whenas he lay down
to sleep, to spread one ear under his head, and cover his face with
the other ear.[FN#402] He snatched up the Mameluke who had kicked him
and carried him off into the middle of the island, and behold, it was
all full of Ghuls who eat the sons of Adam. The man cried out to his
fellows, “Save yourselves, for this is the island of the man-eating
Ghuls, and they mean to tear me to bits and devour me.” When they heard
these words they fled back to the boat, without gathering any store
of the fruits and, putting out to sea, fared on some days till it so
happened that they came to another island, where they found a high
mountain. So they climbed to the top and there saw a thick copse. Now
they were sore anhungered; so they took to eating of the fruits; but,
before they were aware, there came upon them from among the trees black
men of terrible aspect, each fifty cubits high with eye-teeth[FN#403]
protruding from their mouths like elephants’ tusks; and, laying hands
on Sayf al-Muluk and his company, carried them to their King, whom
they found seated on a piece of black felt laid on a rock, and about
him a great company of Zanzibar-blacks, standing in his service. The
blackamoors who had captured the Prince and his Mamelukes set them
before the King and said to him, “We found these birds among the
trees”; and the King was sharp-set; so he took two of the servants and
cut their throats and ate them;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Zanzibar-blacks took Sayf al-Muluk and his Mamelukes and set them
before the King, saying, “O King, we came upon these birds among the
trees.” Thereupon the King seized two of the Mamelukes and cut their
throats and ate them; which, when Sayf al-Muluk saw, he feared for
himself and wept and repeated these verses,
“Familiar with my heart are woes and with them I * Who shunned
them; for familiar are great hearts and high.
The woes I suffer are not all of single kind. * I have, thank
Allah, varied thousands to aby!”
Then he signed and repeated these also,
“The World hath shot me with its sorrows till * My heart is
coverèd with shafts galore;
And now, when strike me other shafts, must break * Against th’
old points the points that latest pour.”