birds have sweet voices and their song pleaseth me: put them in cages.”
So they set them each in his own cage and hung them up at the King’s
head that he might listen to their warbling. On this wise Sayf al-Muluk
and his Mamelukes abode and the blackamoors gave them to eat and drink:
and now they wept and now laughed, now spake and now were hushed,
whilst the King of the blacks delighted in the sound of their voices.
And so they continued for a long time. Now this King had a daughter
married in another island who, hearing that her father had birds with
sweet voices, sent a messenger to him seeking of him some of them. So
he sent her, by her Cossid,[FN#404] Sayf al-Muluk and three of his men
in four cages; and, when she saw them, they pleased her and she bade
hang them up in a place over her head. The Prince fell to marvelling at
that which had befallen him and calling to mind his former high and
honourable estate and weeping for himself; and the three servants wept
for themselves; and the King’s daughter deemed that they sang. Now it
was her wont, whenever any one from the land of Egypt or elsewhere fell
into her hands and he pleased her, to advance him to great favour with
her; and by the decree of Allah Almighty it befel that, when she saw
Sayf al-Muluk she was charmed by his beauty and loveliness and symmetry
and perfect grace, and she commanded to entreat him and his companions
with honour and to loose them from their cages. Now one day she took
the Prince apart and would have him enjoy her; but he refused, saying,
“O my lady, I am a banisht wight and with passion for a beloved one in
piteous plight, nor with other will I consent to love-delight.” Then
she coaxed him and importuned him, but he held aloof from her, and she
could not approach him nor get her desire of him by any ways and means.
At last, when she was weary of courting him in vain, she waxed wroth
with him and his Mamelukes, and commanded that they should serve her
and fetch her wood and water. In such condition they abode four years
till Sayf al-Muluk became weary of his life and sent to intercede with
the Princess, so haply she might release them and let them wend their
ways and be at rest from that their hard labour. So she sent for him
and said to him, “If thou wilt do my desire, I will free thee from this
thy durance vile and thou shalt go to thy country, safe and sound.” And
she wept and ceased not to humble herself to him and wheedle him, but
he would not hearken to her words; whereupon she turned from him, in
anger, and he and his companions abode on the island in the same
plight. The islanders knew them for “The Princess’s birds” and durst
not work them any wrong; and her heart was at ease concerning them,
being assured that they could not escape from the island. So they used
to absent themselves from her two and three days at a time and go round
about the desert parts in all directions, gathering firewood, which
they brought to the Princess’s kitchen; and thus they abode
five[FN#405] years. Now one day it so chanced that the Prince and his
men were sitting on the sea-shore, devising of what had befallen, and
Sayf al-Muluk, seeing himself and his men in such case, bethought him
of his mother and father and his brother Sa’id and, calling to mind
what high degree he had been in, fell a-weeping and lamenting passing
sore, whilst his slaves wept likewise. Then said they to him, “O King
of the Age, how long shall we weep? Weeping availeth not; for this
thing was written on our brows by the ordinance of Allah, to whom
belong Might and Majesty. Indeed, the Pen runneth with that He decreeth
and nought will serve us but patience: haply Allah (extolled and
exalted be He!) who hath saddened us shall gladden us!” Quoth he, “O my
brothers, how shall we win free from this accursed woman? I see no way
of escape for us, save Allah of his grace deliver us from her; but
methinks we may flee and be at rest from this hard labour.” And quoth
they, “O King of the Age, whither shall we flee? For the whole island
is full of Ghuls which devour the Sons of Adam, and whithersoever we
go, they will find us there and either eat us or capture and carry us
back to that accursed, the King’s daughter, who will be wroth with us.”
Sayf al-Muluk rejoined, “I will contrive you somewhat, whereby
peradventure Allah Almighty shall deliver us and help us to escape from
this island.” They asked, “And how wilt thou do?”; and he answered,
“Let us cut some of these long pieces of wood, and twist ropes of their
bark and bind them one with another, and make of them a raft[FN#406]
which we will launch and load with these fruits: then we will fashion
us paddles and embark on the raft after breaking our bonds with the
axe. It may be that Almighty Allah will make it the means of our
deliverance from this accursed woman and vouchsafe us a fair wind to
bring us to the land of Hind, for He over all things is Almighty!” Said
they, “Right is thy rede,” and rejoiced thereat with exceeding joy. So
they arose without stay or delay and cut with their axes wood for the
raft and twisted ropes to bind the logs and at this they worked a whole
month. Every day about evening they gathered somewhat of fuel and bore
it to the Princess’s kitchen, and employed the rest of the twenty-four
hours working at the raft.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sayf
al-Muluk and his Mamelukes, having cut the wood and twisted the ropes
for their raft, made an end of it and launched it upon the sea; then,
after breaking their bonds with the axe, and loading the craft with
fruits plucked from the island-trees, they embarked at close of day;
nor did any wot of their intent. They put out to sea in their raft and
paddled on four months, knowing not whither the craft carried them,
till their provaunt failed them and they were suffering the severest
extreme of hunger and thirst, when behold, the sea waxed troubled and
foamed and rose in high waves, and there came forth upon them a
frightful crocodile,[FN#407] which put out its claw and catching up one
of the Mamelukes swallowed him. At the sight of this horror Sayf
al-Muluk wept bitterly and he and the two men[FN#408] that remained to
him pushed off from the place where they had seen the crocodile, sore
affrighted. After this they continued drifting on till one day they
espied a mountain terrible tall and spiring high in air, whereat they
rejoiced, when presently an island appeared. They made towards it with
all their might congratulating one another on the prospect of making
land; but hardly had they sighted the island on which was the mountain,
when the sea changed face and boiled and rose in big waves and a second
crocodile raised its head and putting out its claw caught up the two
remaining Mamelukes and swallowed them. So Sayf al-Muluk abode alone,
and making his way to the island, toiled till he reached the
mountain top, where he looked about and found a copse, and walking
among the trees fell to eating of the fruits. Presently, he saw among
the branches more than twenty great apes, each bigger than a he-mule,
whereat he was seized with exceeding fear. The apes came down and
surrounded him;[FN#409] then they forewent him, signing to him to
follow them, and walked on, and he too, till he came to a castle, tall
of base and strong of build whose ordinance was one brick of gold and
one of silver. The apes entered and he after them, and he saw in the
castle all manner of rarities, jewels and precious metals such as
tongue faileth to describe. Here also he found a young man, passing
tall of stature with no hair on his cheeks, and Sayf al-Muluk was
cheered by the sight for there was no human being but he in the castle.
The stranger marvelled exceedingly at sight of the Prince and asked
him, “What is thy name and of what land art thou and how camest thou
hither? Tell me thy tale and hide from me naught thereof.” Answered the
Prince, “By Allah, I came not hither of my own consent nor is this
place of my intent; yet I cannot but go from place to place till I win
my wish.” Quoth the youth, “And what is thy object?”; and quoth the
other, “I am of the land of Egypt and my name is Sayf al-Muluk son of
King Asim bin Safwan”; and told him all that had passed with him, from
first to last. Whereupon the youth arose and stood in his service,
saying, “O King of the Age, I was erst in Egypt and heard that thou
hadst gone to the land of China; but where is this land and where lies
China-land?[FN#410] Verily, this is a wondrous thing and marvellous
matter!” Answered the Prince, “Sooth thou speakest but, when I left
China-land, I set out, intending for the land of Hind and a stormy wind
arose and the sea boiled and broke all my ships”; brief, he told him
all that had befallen him till he came thither; whereupon quoth the
other, “O King’s son, thou hast had enough of strangerhood and its
sufferings; Alhamdolillah,—praised be Allah who hath brought thee
hither! So now do thou abide with me, that I may enjoy thy company till
I die, when thou shalt become King over this island, to which no bound
is known, and these apes thou seest are indeed skilled in all manner of
crafts; and whatso thou seekest here shalt thou find.” Replied Sayf
al-Muluk, “O my brother I may not tarry in any place till my wish be
won, albeit I compass the whole world in pursuit thereof and make quest
of every one so peradventure Allah may bring me to my desire or my
course lead me to the place wherein is the appointed term of my days,
and I shall die my death.” Then the youth turned with a sign to one of
the apes, and he went out and was absent awhile, after which he
returned with other apes girt with silken zones.[FN#411] They brought
the trays and set on near[FN#412] an hundred chargers of gold and
saucers of silver, containing all manner of meats. Then they stood,
after the manner of servants between the hands of Kings, till the youth
signalled to the Chamberlains, who sat down, and he whose wont it was
to serve stood, whilst the two Princes ate their sufficiency. Then the
apes cleared the table and brought basins and ewers of gold, and they
washed their hands in rose-water; after which they set on fine sugar
and nigh forty flagons, in each a different kind of wine, and they
drank and took their pleasure and made merry and had a fine time. And
all the apes danced and gambolled before them, what while the eaters
sat at meat; which when Sayf al-Muluk saw, he marvelled at them and
forgot that which had befallen him of sufferings.——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Sayf
al-Muluk saw the gestures and gambols of the apes, he marvelled thereat
and forgot that which had betided him of strangerhood and its
sufferings. At nightfall they lighted waxen candles in candlesticks of
gold studded with gems and set on dishes of confections and fruits of
sugar-candy. So they ate; and when the hour of rest was come, the apes
spread them bedding and they slept. And when morning morrowed, the
young man arose, as was his wont, before sunrise and waking Sayf
al-Muluk said to him, “Put thy head forth of this lattice and see what
standeth beneath it.” So he put out his head and saw the wide waste and
all the wold filled with apes, whose number none knew save Allah
Almighty. Quoth he, “Here be great plenty of apes, for they cover the
whole country: but why are they assembled at this hour?” Quoth the
youth, “This is their custom. Every Sabbath,[FN#413] all the apes in
the island come hither, some from two and three days’ distance, and
stand here till I awake from sleep and put forth my head from this
lattice, when they kiss ground before me and go about their business.”
So saying, he put his head out of the window; and when the apes saw
him, they kissed the earth before him and went their way. Sayf al-Muluk
abode with the young man a whole month when he farewelled him and
departed, escorted by a party of nigh a hundred apes, which the young
man bade escort him. They journeyed with him seven days, till they came
to the limits of their islands,[FN#414] when they took leave of him and
returned to their places, while Sayf al-Muluk fared on alone over mount
and hill, desert and plain, four months’ journey, one day anhungered
and the next satiated, now eating of the herbs of the earth and then of
the fruits of the trees, till he repented him of the harm he had done
himself by leaving the young man; and he was about to retrace his steps
to him, when he saw something black afar off and said to himself, “Is
this a city or trees? But I will not turn back till I see what it is.”
So he made towards it and when he drew near, he saw that it was a
palace tall of base. Now he who built it was Japhet son of Noah (on
whom be peace!) and it is of this palace that God the Most High
speaketh in His precious Book, whenas He saith, “And an abandoned well
and a high-builded palace.”[FN#415] Sayf al-Muluk sat down at the gate
and said in his mind, “Would I knew what is within yonder palace and
what King dwelleth there and who shall acquaint me whether its folk are
men or Jinn? Who will tell me the truth of the case?” He sat
considering awhile, but, seeing none go in or come out, he rose and
committing himself to Allah Almighty entered the palace and walked on,
till he had counted seven vestibules; yet saw no one. Presently looking
to his right he beheld three doors, while before him was a fourth, over
which hung a curtain. So he went up to this and raising the curtain,
found himself in a great hall[FN#416] spread with silken carpets. At
the upper end rose a throne of gold whereon sat a damsel, whose face
was like the moon, arrayed in royal raiment and beautified as she were
a bride on the night of her displaying; and at the foot of the throne
was a table of forty trays spread with golden and silvern dishes full
of dainty viands. The Prince went up and saluted her, and she returned
his salam, saying, “Art thou of mankind or of the Jinn?” Replied he, “I
am a man of the best of mankind;[FN#417] for I am a King, son of a
King.” She rejoined, “What seekest thou? Up with thee and eat of yonder
food, and after tell me thy past from first to last and how thou camest
hither.” So he sat down at the table and removing the cover from a tray
of meats (he being hungry), ate till he was full; then washed his right
hand and going up to the throne, sat down by the damsel who asked him,
“Who art thou and what is thy name and whence comest thou and who
brought thee hither?” He answered, “Indeed my story is a long but do
thou first tell me who and what and whence thou art and why thou
dwellest in this place alone.” She rejoined, “My name is Daulat
Khátún[FN#418] and I am the daughter of the King of Hind. My father
dwelleth in the Capital-city of Sarandíb and hath a great and goodly
garden, there is no goodlier in all the land of Hind or its
dependencies; and in this garden is a great tank. One day, I went out
into the garden with my slave-women and I stripped me naked and they
likewise and, entering the tank, fell to sporting and solacing
ourselves therein. Presently, before I could be ware, a something as it
were a cloud swooped down on me and snatching me up from amongst my
handmaids, soared aloft with me betwixt heaven and earth, saying, ‘Fear
not, O Daulat Khatun, but be of good heart.’ Then he flew on with me a
little while, after which he set me down in this palace and straightway
without stay or delay became a handsome young man daintily apparelled,
who said to me, ‘Now dost thou know me?’ Replied I, ‘No, O my lord’;
and he said, ‘I am the Blue King, Sovran of the Jann; my father
dwelleth in the Castle Al-Kulzum[FN#419] hight, and hath under his hand
six hundred thousand Jinn, flyers and divers. It chanced that while
passing on my way I saw thee and fell in love with thee for thy lovely
form: so I swooped down on thee and snatched thee up from among the
slave-girls and brought thee to this the High-builded Castle, which is
my dwelling-place. None may fare hither be he man or be he Jinni, and
from Hind hither is a journey of an hundred and twenty years: wherefore
do thou hold that thou wilt never again behold the land of thy father
and thy mother; so abide with me here, in contentment of heart and
peace, and I will bring to thy hands whatso thou seekest.’ Then he
embraced me and kissed me,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the damsel
said to Sayf al-Muluk, “Then the King of the Jann, after he had
acquainted me with his case, embraced me and kissed me, saying, ‘Abide
here and fear nothing’; whereupon he went away from me for an hour and
presently returned with these tables and carpets and furniture. He
comes to me every Third[FN#420] and abideth with me three days and on
Friday, at the time of mid-afternoon prayer, he departeth and is absent
till the following Third. When he is here, he eateth and drinketh and
kisseth and huggeth me, but doth naught else with me, and I am a pure
virgin, even as Allah Almighty created me. My father’s name is Táj
al-Mulúk, and he wotteth not what is come of me nor hath he hit upon
any trace of me. This is my story: now tell me thy tale.” Answered the
Prince, “My story is a long and I fear lest while I am telling it to
thee the Ifrit come.” Quoth she “He went out from me but an hour before
thy entering and will not return till Third: so sit thee down and take
thine ease and hearten thy heart and tell me what hath betided thee,
from beginning to end.” And quoth he, “I hear and I obey.” So he fell
to telling her all that had befallen him from commencement to
conclusion but, when she heard speak of Badi’a al-Jamal, her eyes ran
over with railing tears and she cried, “O Badi’a al-Jamal, I had not
thought this of thee! Alack for our luck! O Badi’a al-Jamal, dost thou
not remember me nor say, ‘My sister Daulat Khatun whither is she
gone?’” And her weeping redoubled, lamenting for that Badi’a al-Jamal
had forgotten her.[FN#421] Then said Sayf al-Muluk, “O Daulat Khatun,
thou art a mortal and she is a Jinniyah: how then can she be thy
sister?” Replied the Princess, “She is my sister by fosterage and this
is how it came about. My mother went out to solace herself in the
garden, when labour-pangs seized her and she bare me. Now the mother of
Badi’a al-Jamal chanced to be passing with her guards, when she also
was taken with travail-pains; so she alighted in a side of the garden
and there brought forth Badi’a al-Jamal. She despatched one of her
women to seek food and childbirth-gear of my mother, who sent her what
she sought and invited her to visit her. So she came to her with Badi’a
al-Jamal and my mother suckled the child, who with her mother tarried
with us in the garden two months. And before wending her ways the
mother of Badi’a al-Jamal gave my mother somewhat,[FN#422] saying,
‘When thou hast need of me, I will come to thee a-middlemost the
garden,’ and departed to her own land; but she and her daughter used to
visit us every year and abide with us awhile before returning home.
Wherefore an I were with my mother, O Sayf al-Muluk, and if thou wert
with me in my own country and Badi’a al-Jamal and I were together as of
wont, I would devise some device with her to bring thee to thy desire
of her: but I am here and they know naught of me; for that an they
kenned what is become of me, they have power to deliver me from this
place; however, the matter is in Allah’s hands (extolled and exalteth
be He!) and what can I do?” Quoth Sayf al-Muluk, “Rise and let us flee
and go whither the Almighty willeth;” but, quoth she, “We cannot do
that: for, by Allah, though we fled hence a year’s journey that
accursed would overtake us in an hour and slaughter us.” Then said the
Prince, “I will hide myself in his way, and when he passeth by I will
smite him with the sword and slay him.” Daulat Khatun replied, “Thou
canst not succeed in slaying him save thou slay his soul.” Asked he, “And
where is his soul?”; and she answered, “Many a time have I questioned
him thereof but he would not tell me, till one day I pressed him and he
waxed wroth with me and said to me, ‘How often wilt thou ask me of my
soul? What hast thou to do with my soul?’ I rejoined, ‘O Hátim,[FN#423]
there remaineth none to me but thou, except Allah; and my life
dependeth on thy life and whilst thou livest, all is well for me; so,
except I care for thy soul and set it in the apple of this mine eye,
how shall I live in thine absence? An I knew where thy soul abideth, I
would never cease whilst I live, to hold it in mine embrace and would
keep it as my right eye.’ Whereupon said he to me, ‘What time I was
born, the astrologers predicted that I should lose my soul at the hands
of the son of a king of mankind. So I took it and set it in the crop of
a sparrow, and shut up the bird in a box. The box I set in a casket,
and enclosing this in seven other caskets and seven chests, laid the
whole in a alabastrine coffer,[FN#424] which I buried within the marge
of yon earth-circling sea; for that these parts are far from the world
of men and none of them can win hither. So now see I have told thee
what thou wouldst know, and do thou tell none thereof, for it is a
secret between me and thee.’”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Daulat
Khatun acquainted Sayf al-Muluk with the whereabouts of the soul of the
Jinni who had carried her off and repeated to him his speech ending
with, “And this is a secret between me and thee!” “I rejoined,” quoth
she, “‘To whom should I tell it, seeing that none but thou cometh
hither with whom I may talk thereof?’ adding, ‘By Allah, thou hast
indeed set thy soul in the strongest of strongholds to which none may
gain access! How should a man win to it, unless the impossible be
fore-ordained and Allah decree like as the astrologers predicted?’
Thereupon the Jinni, ‘Peradventure one may come, having on his finger
the seal-ring of Solomon son of David (on the twain be peace!) and
lay his hand with the ring on the face of the water, saying, ‘By the
virtue of the names engraven upon this ring, let the soul of such an
one come forth!’ Whereupon the coffer will rise to the surface and he
will break it open and do the like with the chests and caskets, till he
come to the little box, when he will take out the sparrow and strangle
it, and I shall die.’” Then said Sayf al-Muluk, “I am the King’s son
of whom he spake, and this is the ring of Solomon David-son on my
finger: so rise, let us go down to the sea-shore and see if his words
be leal or leasing!” Thereupon the two walked down to the sea-shore
and the Princess stood on the beach, whilst the Prince waded into the
water to his waist and laying his hand with the ring on the surface
of the sea, said, “By the virtue of the names and talismans engraven
on this ring, and by the might of Sulayman bid Dáúd (on whom be the
Peace!), let the soul of Hatim the Jinni, son of the Blue King, come
forth!” Whereat the sea boiled in billows and the coffer of alabaster
rose to the surface. Sayf al-Muluk took it and shattered it against
the rock and broke open the chests and caskets, till he came to the
little box and drew thereout the sparrow. Then the twain returned to
the castle and sat down on the throne; but hardly had they done this,
when lo and behold! there arose a dust-cloud terrifying and some huge
thing came flying and crying, “Spare me, O King’s son, and slay me
not; but make me thy freedman, and I will bring thee to thy desire!”
Quoth Daulat Khatun, “The Jinni cometh; slay the sparrow, lest this
accursed enter the palace and take it from thee and slaughter me and
slaughter thee after me.” So the Prince wrung the sparrow’s neck and
it died, whereupon the Jinni fell down at the palace-door and became
a heap of black ashes. Then said Daulat Khatun, “We are delivered
from the hand of yonder accursed; what shall we do now?”; and Sayf
al-Muluk replied, “It behoveth us to ask aid of Allah Almighty who hath
afflicted us; belike He will direct us and help us to escape from this
our strait.” So saying, he arose and pulling up[FN#425] half a score of
the doors of the palace, which were of sandal-wood and lign-aloes with
nails of gold and silver, bound them together with ropes of silk and
floss[FN#426]-silk and fine linen and wrought of them a raft, which he
and the Princess aided each other to hale down to the sea-shore. They
launched it upon the water till it floated and, making it fast to the
beach, returned to the palace, whence they removed all the chargers of
gold and saucers of silver and jewels and precious stones and metals
and what else was light of load and weighty of worth and freighted the
raft therewith. Then they embarked after fashioning two pieces of wood
into the likeness of paddles and casting off the rope-moorings, let
the raft drift out to sea with them, committing themselves to Allah
the Most High, who contenteth those that put their trust in Him and
disappointeth not them who rely upon Him. They ceased not faring on
thus four months until their victual was exhausted and their sufferings
waxed severe and their souls were straitened; so they prayed Allah to
vouchsafe them deliverance from that danger. But all this time when
they lay down to sleep, Sayf al-Muluk set Daulat Khatun behind him
and laid a naked brand at his back, so that, when he turned in sleep
the sword was between them.[FN#427] At last it chanced one night,
when Sayf al-Muluk was asleep and Daulat Khatun awake, that behold,
the raft drifted landwards and entered a port wherein were ships. The
Princess saw the ships and heard a man, he being the chief and head
of the captains, talking with the sailors; whereby she knew that this
was the port of some city and that they were come to an inhabited
country. So she joyed with exceeding joy and waking the Prince said
to him, “Ask the captain the name of the city and harbour.” Thereupon
Sayf al-Muluk arose and said to the captain, “O my brother, how is
this harbour hight and what be the names of yonder city and its King?”
Replied the Captain, “O false face![FN#428] O frosty beard! an thou
knew not the name of this port and city, how camest thou hither?” Quoth
Sayf al-Muluk, “I am a stranger and had taken passage in a merchant
ship which was wrecked and sank with all on board; but I saved myself
on a plank and made my way hither; wherefore I asked thee the name
of the place, and in asking is no offence.” Then said the captain,
“This is the city of ‘Amáriyah and this harbour is called Kamín
al-Bahrayn.”[FN#429] When the Princess heard this she rejoiced with
exceeding joy and said, “Praised be Allah!” He asked, “What is to do?”;
and she answered, “O Sayf al-Muluk, rejoice in succour near hand; for
the King of this city is my uncle, my father’s brother.”——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-first Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Daulat
Khatun said to Sayf al-Muluk, “Rejoice in safety near hand; for the
King of this city is my uncle, my father’s brother and his name is ‘Ali
al-Mulúk,”[FN#430] adding, “Say thou then to the captain, ‘Is the
Sultan of the city, Ali al-Muluk, well?’” He asked but the captain was
wroth with him and cried, “Thou sayest, ‘I am a stranger and never in
my life came hither.’ Who then told thee the name of the lord of the
city?” When Daulat Khatun heard this, she rejoiced and knew him for
Mu’ín al-Dín,[FN#431] one of her father’s captains. Now he had fared
forth in search of her, after she was lost and finding her not, he
never ceased cruising till he came to her uncle’s city. Then she bade
Sayf al-Muluk say to him, “O Captain Mu’in al-Din, come and speak with
thy mistress!” So he called out to him as she bade, whereat he was
wroth with exceeding wrath and answered, “O dog, O thief, O spy, who
art thou and how knowest thou me?” Then he said to one of the sailors,
“Give me an ash[FN#432]-stave, that I may go to yonder plaguing Arab
and break his head.” So he took the stick and made for Sayf al-Muluk,
but, when he came to the raft, he saw a something, wondrous, beauteous,
which confounded his wits and considering it straitly he made sure that
it was Daulat Khatun sitting there, as she were a slice of the moon;
whereat he said to the Prince, “Who is that with thee?” Replied he, “A
damsel by name Daulat Khatun.” When the captain heard the Princess’s
name and knew that she was his mistress and the daughter of his King,
he fell down in a fainting-fit, and when he came to himself, he left
the raft and whatso was thereon and riding up to the palace, craved an
audience of the King; whereupon the chamberlain went in to the presence
and said, “Captain Mu’in al-Din is come to bring thee good news; so bid
he be brought in.” The King bade admit him; accordingly he entered and
kissing ground[FN#433] said to him, “O King, thou owest me a gift for
glad tidings; for thy brother’s daughter Daulat Khatun hath reached our
city safe and sound, and is now on a raft in the harbour, in company
with a young man like the moon on the night of its full.” When the King
heard this, he rejoiced and conferred a costly robe of honour on the
captain. Then he straightway bade decorate the city in honour of the
safe return of his brother’s daughter, and sending for her and Sayf
al-Muluk, saluted the twain and gave them joy of their safety; after
which he despatched a messenger to his brother, to let him know that
his daughter was found and was with him. As soon as the news reached
Taj al-Muluk he gat him ready and assembling his troops set out for his
brother’s capital, where he found his daughter and they rejoiced with
exceeding joy. He sojourned with his brother a week, after which he
took his daughter and Sayf al-Muluk and returned to Sarandib, where the
Princess foregathered with her mother and they rejoiced at her safe
return; and held high festival and that day was a great day, never was
seen its like. As for Sayf al-Muluk, the King entreated him with honour
and said to him, “O Sayf al-Muluk, thou hast done me and my daughter
all this good for which I cannot requite thee nor can any requite thee,
save the Lord of the three Worlds; but I wish thee to sit upon the
throne in my stead and rule the land of Hind, for I offer thee of my
throne and kingdom and treasures and servants, all this in free gift to
thee.” Whereupon Sayf al-Muluk rose and kissing the ground before the
King, thanked him and answered, “O King of the Age, I accept all thou
givest me and return it to thee in freest gift; for I, O King of the
Age, covet not sovranty nor sultanate nor desire aught but that Allah
the Most High bring me to my desire.” Rejoined the King, “O Sayf
al-Muluk these my treasures are at thy disposal: take of them what thou
wilt, without consulting me, and Allah requite thee for me with all
weal!” Quoth the Prince, “Allah advance the King! There is no delight
for me in money or in dominion till I win my wish: but now I have a
mind to solace myself in the city and view its thoroughfares and
market-streets.” So the King bade bring him a mare of the
thoroughbreds, saddled and bridled; and Sayf al-Muluk mounted her and
rode through the streets and markets of the city. As he looked about
him right and left, lo! his eyes fell on a young man, who was carrying
a tunic and crying it for sale at fifteen dinars: so he considered him
and saw him to be like his brother Sa’id; and indeed it was his very
self, but he was wan of blee and changed for long strangerhood and the
travails of travel, so that he knew him not. However, he said to his
attendants, “Take yonder youth and carry him to the palace where I
lodge, and keep him with you till my return from the ride when I will
question him.” But they understood him to say, “Carry him to the
prison,” and said in themselves “Haply this is some runaway Mameluke of
his.” So they took him and bore him to the bridewell, where they laid
him in irons and left him seated in solitude, unremembered by any.
Presently Sayf al-Muluk returned to the palace, but he forgot his
brother Sa’id, and none made mention of him. So he abode in prison, and
when they brought out the prisoners, to cut ashlar from the quarries
they took Sa’id with them, and he wrought with the rest. He abode a
month’s space, in this squalor and sore sorrow, pondering his case and
saying in himself, “What is the cause of my imprisonment?”; while Sayf
al-Muluk’s mind was diverted from him by rejoicing and other things;
but one day, as he sat, he bethought him of Sa’id and said to his
Mamelukes, “Where is the white slave I gave into your charge on such a
day?” Quoth they, “Didst thou not bid us bear him to the bridewell?”;
and quoth he, “Nay, I said not so; I bade you carry him to my palace
after the ride.” Then he sent his Chamberlains and Emirs for Sa’id and
they fetched him in fetters, and loosing him from his irons set him
before the Prince, who asked him, “O young man, what countryman art
thou?”; and he answered, “I am from Egypt and my name is Sa’id, son of
Faris the Wazir.” Now hearing these words Sayf al-Muluk sprang to his
feet and throwing himself off the throne and upon his friend, hung on
his neck, weeping aloud for very joy and saying, “O my brother, O
Sa’id, praise be Allah for that I see thee alive! I am thy brother Sayf
al-Muluk, son of King Asim.” Then they embraced and shed tears together
and all who were present marvelled at them. After this Sayf al-Muluk
bade his people bear Sa’id to the Hammam-bath: and they did so. When he
came out, they clad him in costly clothing and carried him back to Sayf
al-Muluk who seated him on the throne beside himself. When King Taj
al-Muluk heard of the reunion of Sayf al-Muluk and his brother Sa’id,
he joyed with joy exceeding and came to them, and the three sat
devising of all that had befallen them in the past from first to last.
Then said Sa’id, “O my brother, O Sayf al-Muluk, when the ship sank
with all on board I saved myself on a plank with a company of Mamelukes
and it drifted with us a whole month, when the wind cast us, by the
ordinance of Allah Almighty, upon an island. So we landed and entering
among the trees took to eating of the fruits, for we were anhungered.
Whilst we were busy eating, there fell on us unawares, folk like
Ifrits[FN#434] and springing on our shoulders rode us[FN#435] and said
to us, ‘Go on with us; for ye are become our asses.’ So I said to him
who had mounted me, ‘What art thou and why mountest thou me?’ At this
he twisted one of his legs about my neck, till I was all but dead, and
beat upon my back the while with the other leg, till I thought he had
broken my backbone. So I fell to the ground on my face, having no
strength left in me for famine and thirst. From my fall he knew that I
was hungry and taking me by the hand, led me to a tree laden with fruit
which was a pear-tree[FN#436] and said to me, ‘Eat thy fill of this
tree.’ So I ate till I had enough and rose to walk against my will;
but, ere I had fared afar the creature turned and leaping on my
shoulders again drove me on, now walking, now running and now trotting,
and he the while mounted on me, laughing and saying, ‘Never in my life
saw I a donkey like unto thee!’ We abode thus for years till, one day
of the days, it chanced that we saw there great plenty of vines,
covered with ripe fruit; so we gathered a quantity of grape-bunches and
throwing them into a pit, trod them with our feet, till the pit became
a great water-pool. Then we waited awhile and presently returning
thither, found that the sun had wroughten on the grape-juice and it was
become wine. So we used to drink it till we were drunken and our faces
flushed and we fell to singing and dancing and running about in the
merriment of drunkenness;[FN#437] whereupon our masters said to us,
‘What is it that reddeneth your faces and maketh you dance and sing?’
We replied, ‘Ask us not, what is your quest in questioning us hereof?’
But they insisted, saying, ‘You must tell us so that we may know the
truth of the case,’ till we told them how we had pressed grapes and
made wine. Quoth they, ‘Give us to drink thereof’; but quoth we, ‘The
grapes are spent.’ So they brought us to a Wady, whose length we knew
not from its breadth nor its beginning from its end wherein were vines
each bunch of grapes on them weighing twenty pounds[FN#438] by the
scale and all within easy reach, and they said, ‘Gather of these.’ So
we gathered a mighty great store of grapes and finding there a big
trench bigger than the great tank in the King’s garden we filled it
full of fruit. This we trod with our feet and did with the juice as
before till it became strong wine, which it did after a month;
whereupon we said to them, ’Tis come to perfection; but in what will
ye drink it?’ And they replied, ‘We had asses like unto you; but we ate
them and kept their heads: so give us to drink in their skulls.’ We
went to their caves which we found full of heads and bones of the Sons
of Adam, and we gave them to drink, when they became drunken and lay
down, nigh two hundred of them. Then we said to one another, ‘Is it not
enough that they should ride us, but they must eat us also? There is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!
But we will ply them with wine, till they are overcome by drunkenness,
when we will slay them and be at rest from them.’ Accordingly, we awoke
them and fell to filling the skulls and gave them to drink, but they
said, ‘This is bitter.’ We replied, ‘Why say ye ’tis bitter? Whoso
saith thus, except he drink of it ten times, he dieth the same day.’
When they heard this, they feared death and cried to us, ‘Give us to
drink the whole ten times.’ So we gave them to drink, and when they had
swallowed the rest of the ten draughts they waxed drunken exceedingly
and their strength failed them and they availed not to mount us.
Thereupon we dragged them together by their hands and laying them one
upon another, collected great plenty of dry vine-stalks and branches
and heaped it about and upon them: then we set fire to the pile and
stood afar off, to see what became of them.”——And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-second Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sa’id
continued:—When we set fire to the pile wherein were the Ghuls, I with
the Mamelukes stood afar off to see what became of them; and, as soon
the fire was burnt out, we came back and found them a heap of ashes,
wherefore we praised Allah Almighty who had delivered us from them.
Then we went forth about the island and sought the sea-shore, where we
parted and I and two of the Mamelukes fared on till we came to a thick
copse full of fruit and there busied ourselves with eating, and behold,
presently up came a man tall of stature, long of beard and lengthy of
ear, with eyes like cressets, driving before him and feeding a great
flock of sheep.[FN#439] When he saw us he rejoiced and said to us,
‘Well come, and fair welcome to you! Draw near me that I may slaughter
you an ewe of these sheep and roast it and give you to eat.’ Quoth we,
‘Where is thine abode?’ And quoth he, ‘Hard by yonder mountain; go on
towards it till ye come to a cave and enter therein, for you will see
many guests like yourselves; and do ye sit with them, whilst we make
ready for you the guest-meal.’ We believed him so fared on, as he bade
us, till we came to the cavern, where we found many guests, Sons of
Adam like ourselves, but they were all blinded;[FN#440] and when we
entered, one said, ‘I’m sick’; and another, ‘I’m weak.’ So we cried to
them, ‘What is this you say and what is the cause of your sickness and
weakness?’ They asked, ‘Who are ye?’; and we answered, ‘We are guests.’
Then said they, ‘What hath made you fall into the hands of yonder
accursed? But there is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great! This is a Ghul who devoureth the Sons of Adam
and he hath blinded us and meaneth to eat us.’ Said we, ‘And how did he
blind you?’ and they replied, ‘Even as he will blind yourselves anon.’
Quoth we, ‘And how so?’ And quoth they, ‘He will bring you bowls of
soured milk[FN#441] and will say to you, ‘Ye are weary with wayfare:
take this milk and drink it.’ And when ye have drunken thereof, ye will
become blind like us.’ Said I to myself, ‘There is no escape for us but
by contrivance.’ So I dug a hole in the ground and sat over it. After
an hour or so in came the accursed Ghul with bowls of milk, whereof he
gave to each of us, saying, ‘Ye come from the desert and are athirst:
so take this milk and drink it, whilst I roast you the flesh.’ I took
the cup and carried it to my mouth but emptied it into the hole; then I
cried out, ‘Alas! my sight is gone and I am blind!’ and clapping my
hand to my eyes, fell a-weeping and a-wailing, whilst the accursed
laughed and said, ‘Fear not, thou art now become like mine other
guests.’ But, as for my two comrades, they drank the milk and became
blind. Thereupon the Ghul arose and stopping up the mouth of the cavern
came to me and felt my ribs, but found me lean and with no flesh on my
bones: so he tried another and finding him fat, rejoiced. Then he
slaughtered three sheep and skinned them and fetching iron spits,
spitted the flesh thereon and set them over the fire to roast. When the
meat was done, he placed it before my comrades who ate and he with
them; after which he brought a leather-bag full of wine and drank
thereof and lay down prone and snored. Said I to myself, ‘He’s drowned
in sleep: how shall I slay him?’ Then I bethought me of the spits and
thrusting two of them into the fire, waited till they were as red-hot
coals: whereupon I arose and girded myself and taking a spit in each
hand went up to the accursed Ghul and thrust them into his eyes,
pressing upon them with all my might. He sprang to his feet for sweet
life and would have laid hold of me; but he was blind. So I fled from
him into the inner cavern, whilst he ran after me; but I found no place
of refuge from him nor whence I might escape into the open country, for
the cave was stopped up with stones; wherefore I was bewildered and
said to the blind men, ‘How shall I do with this accursed?’ Replied one
of them, ‘O Sa’id, with a run and a spring mount up to yonder
niche[FN#442] and thou wilt find there a sharpened scymitar of copper:
bring it to me and I will tell thee what to do.’ So I climbed to the
niche and taking the blade, returned to the blind man, who said to me,
‘Smite him with the sword in his middle, and he will die forthright.’
So I rushed after the Ghul, who was weary with running after me and
felt for the blind men that he might kill them and, coming up to him
smote him with the sword a single stroke across his waist and he fell
in twain. Then he screamed and cried out to me, “O man, an thou desire
to slay me, strike me a second stroke.” Accordingly, I was about to
smite him another cut; but he who had directed me to the niche and the
scymitar said, “Smite him not a second time, for then he will not die,
but will live and destroy us.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-third Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sa’id
continued, “Now when I struck the Ghul with the sword he cried out to
me, ‘O man, an thou desire to slay me, strike me a second stroke!” I
was about so to do when he who had directed me to the scymitar said,
‘Smite him not a second time, for then he will not die but will live
and destroy us!’ So I held my hand as he bade me, and the Ghul died.
Then said the blind man to me, ‘Open the mouth of the cave and let us
fare forth; so haply Allah may help us and bring us to rest from this
place.’ And I said, ‘No harm can come to us now; let us rather abide
here and repose and eat of these sheep and drink of this wine, for long
is the land.’ Accordingly we tarried there two months, eating of the
sheep and of the fruits of the island and drinking the generous
grape-juice till it so chanced one day, as we sat upon the beach, we
caught sight of a ship looming large in the distance; so we made signs
for the crew and holla’d to them. They feared to draw near, knowing
that the island was inhabited by a Ghul[FN#443] who ate Adamites, and
would have sheered off; but we ran down to the marge of the sea and
made signs to them, with our turband-ends and shouted to them,
whereupon one of the sailors, who was sharp of sight, said to the rest,
“Harkye, comrades, I see these men formed like ourselves, for they have
not the fashion of Ghuls.’ So they made for us, little by little, till
they drew near us in the dinghy[FN#444] and were certified that we were
indeed human beings, when they saluted us and we returned their salam
and gave them the glad tidings of the slaying of the accursed,
wherefore they thanked us. Then we carried to the ship all that was in
the cave of stuffs and sheep and treasure, together with a viaticum of
the island-fruits, such as should serve us days and months, and
embarking, sailed on with a fair breeze three days; at the end of which
the wind veered round against us and the air became exceeding dark; nor
had an hour passed before the wind drave the craft on to a rock, where
it broke up and its planks were torn asunder.[FN#445] However, the
Great God decreed that I should lay hold of one of the planks, which I
bestrode, and it bore me along two days, for the wind had fallen fair
again, and I paddled with my feet awhile, till Allah the Most High
brought me safe ashore and I landed and came to this city, where I
found myself a stranger, solitary, friendless, not knowing what to do;
for hunger was sore upon me and I was in great tribulation. Thereupon
I, O my brother, hid myself and pulling off this my tunic, carried it
to the market, saying in my mind, ‘I will sell it and live on its
price, till Allah accomplish to me whatso he will accomplish.’ Then I
took the tunic in my hand and cried it for sale, and the folk were
looking at it and bidding for it, when, O my brother, thou camest by
and seeing me commandedst me to the palace; but thy pages arrested and
thrust me into the prison and there I abode till thou bethoughtest thee
of me and badest bring me before thee. So now I have told thee what
befel me, and Alhamdolillah—Glorified be God—for reunion!” Much
marvelled the two Kings at Sa’id’s tale and Taj al-Muluk having made
ready a goodly dwelling for Sayf al-Muluk and his Wazir, Daulat Khatun
used to visit the Prince there and thank him for his favours and talk
with him. One day, he met her and said to her, “O my lady, where is the
promise thou madest me, in the palace of Japhet son of Noah, saying,
‘Were I with my people, I would make shift to bring thee to thy
desire?’” And Sa’id said to her, “O Princess, I crave thine aid to
enable him to win his will.” Answered she, “Yea, verily; I will do my
endeavour for him, that he may attain his aim, if it please Allah
Almighty.” And she turned to Sayf al-Muluk and said to him, “Be of good
cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear.” Then she rose and going in
to her mother, said to her, “Come with me forthright and let us purify
ourselves and make fumigations[FN#446] that Badi’a al-Jamal and her
mother may come and see me and rejoice in me.” Answered the Queen,
“With love and goodly gree;” and rising, betook herself to the garden
and burnt off these perfumes which she always had by her; nor was it
long before Badi’a al-Jamal and her mother made their appearance. The
Queen of Hind foregathered with the other Queen and acquainted her with
her daughter’s safe return, whereat she rejoiced; and Badi’a al-Jamal
and Daulat Khatun foregathered likewise and rejoiced in each other.
Then they pitched the pavilions[FN#447] and dressed dainty viands and
made ready the place of entertainment; whilst the two Princesses
withdrew to a tent apart and ate together and drank and made merry;
after which they sat down to converse, and Badi’a al-Jamal said, “What
hath befallen thee in thy strangerhood?” Replied Daulat Khatun, “O my
sister how sad is severance and how gladsome is reunion; ask me not
what hath befallen me! Oh, what hardships mortals suffer!” cried she,
“How so?” and the other said to her, “O my sister, I was inmured in the
High-builded Castle of Japhet son of Noah, whither the son of the Blue
King carried me off till Sayf al-Muluk slew the Jinni and brought me
back to my sire;” and she told her to boot all that the Prince had
undergone of hardships and horrors before he came to the
Castle.[FN#448] Badi’a al-Jamal marvelled at her tale and said, “By
Allah, O my sister, this is the most wondrous of wonders! This Sayf
al-Muluk is indeed a man! But why did he leave his father and mother
and betake himself to travel and expose himself to these perils?” Quoth
Daulat Khatun, “I have a mind to tell thee the first part of his
history; but shame of thee hindereth me therefrom.” Quoth Badi’a
al-Jamal, “Why shouldst thou have shame of me, seeing that thou art my
sister and my bosom-friend and there is muchel a matter between thee
and me and I know thou willest me naught but well? Tell me then what
thou hast to say and be not abashed at me and hide nothing from me and
have no fear of consequences.” Answered Daulat Khatun, “By Allah, all
the calamities that have betided this unfortunate have been on thine
account and because of thee!” Asked Badi’a al-Jamal, “How so, O my
sister?”; and the other answered, “Know that he saw thy portrait
wrought on a tunic which thy father sent to Solomon son of David (on
the twain be peace!) and he opened it not neither looked at it, but
despatched it, with other presents and rarities to Asim bin Safwan,
King of Egypt, who gave it, still unopened, to his son Sayf al-Muluk.
The Prince unfolded the tunic, thinking to put it on, and seeing thy
portrait, became enamoured of it; wherefore he came forth in quest of
thee, and left his folk and reign and suffered all these terrors and
hardships on thine account.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Daulat Khatun
related to Badi’a al-Jamal the first part of Sayf al-Muluk’s history;
how his love for her was caused by the tunic whereon her presentment
was wrought; how he went forth, passion-distraught, in quest of her;
how he forsook his people and his kingdom for her sake and how he had
suffered all these terrors and hardships on her account. When Badi’a
al-Jamal heard this, she blushed rosy red and was confounded at Daulat
Khatun and said, “Verily this may never, never be; for man accordeth
not with the Jann.” Then Daulat Khatun went on to praise Sayf al-Muluk
and extol his comeliness and courage and cavalarice, and ceased not
repeating her memories of his prowess and his excellent qualities till
she ended with saying, “For the sake of Almighty Allah and of me, O
sister mine, come and speak with him, though but one word!” But Badi’a
al-Jamal cried, “By Allah, O sister mine, this that thou sayest I will
not hear, neither will I assent to thee therein;” and it was as if she
heard naught of what the other said and as if no love of Sayf al-Muluk
and his beauty and bearing and bravery had gotten hold upon her heart.
Then Daulat Khatun humbled herself and said, “O Badi’a al-Jamal, by the
milk we have sucked, I and thou, and by that which is graven on the
seal-ring of Solomon (on whom be peace!) hearken to these my words for
I pledged myself in the High-builded Castle of Japhet, to show him thy
face. So Allah upon thee, show it to him once, for the love of me, and
look thyself on him!” And she ceased not to weep and implore her and
kiss her hands and feet, till she consented and said, “For thy sake I
will show him my face once and he shall have a single glance.” With
that Daulat Khatun’s heart was gladdened and she kissed her hands and
feet. Then she went forth and fared to the great pavilion in the garden
and bade her slave-women spread it with carpets and set up a couch of
gold and place the wine-vessels in order; after which she went into
Sayf al-Muluk and to his Wazir Sa’id, whom she found seated in their
lodging, and gave the Prince the glad tidings of the winning of his
wish, saying, “Go to the pavilion in the garden, thou and thy brother,
and hide yourselves there from the eyes of men so none in the palace
may espy you, till I come to you with Badi’a al-Jamal.” So they rose
and repaired to the appointed pavilion, where they found the couch of
gold set and furnished with cushions, and meat and wine ready served.
So they sat awhile, whilst Sayf al-Muluk bethought him of his beloved
and his breast was straitened and love and longing assailed him:
wherefore he rose and walked forth from the vestibule of the pavilion.
Sa’id would have followed him, but he said to him, “O my brother,
follow me not, but sit in thy stead till I return to thee.” So Sa’id
abode seated, whilst Sayf al-Muluk went down into the garden, drunken
with the wine of desire and distracted for excess of love-longing and
passion-fire: yearning agitated him and transport overcame him and he
recited these couplets,
“O passing Fair[FN#449] I have none else but thee; * Pity this
slave in thy love’s slavery!
Thou art my search, my joy and my desire! * None save thyself
shall love this heart of me:
Would Heaven I knew thou knewest of my wails * Night-long and
eyelids oped by memory.
Bid sleep to sojourn on these eyen-lids * Haply in vision I thy
sight shall see.
Show favour then to one thus love-distraught: * Save him from
ruin by thy cruelty!
Allah increase thy beauty and thy weal; * And be thy ransom
every enemy!
So shall on Doomsday lovers range beneath * Thy flag, and
beauties ‘neath thy banner be.”
Then he wept and recited these also,
“That rarest beauty ever bides my foe * Who holds my heart and
lurks in secresy:
Speaking, I speak of nothing save her charms * And when I’m
dumb in heart-core woneth she.”
Then he wept sore and recited the following,
“And in my liver higher flames the fire; * You are my wish and
longsome still I yearn:
To you (none other!) bend I and I hope * (Lovers long-suffering
are!) your grace to earn;
And that you pity me whose frame by Love * Is waste and weak
his heart with sore concern:
Relent, be gen’rous, tender-hearted, kind: * From you I’ll
ne’er remove, from you ne’er turn!”
Then he wept and recited these also,
“Came to me care when came the love of thee, * Cruel sleep
fled me like thy cruelty:
Tells me the messenger that thou are wroth: * Allah forfend
what evils told me he!”
Presently Sa’id waxed weary of awaiting him and going forth in quest of
him, found him walking in the garden, distraught and reciting these two
couplets,
“By Allah, by th’ Almighty, by his right[FN#450] * Who read
the Koran-Chapter ‘Fátír[FN#451] hight;
Ne’er roam my glances o’er the charms I see; * Thy grace, rare
beauty, is my talk by night.”
So he joined him and the twain walked about the garden together
solacing themselves and ate of its fruits. Such was their case;[FN#452]
but as regards the two Princesses, they came to the pavilion and
entering therein after the eunuchs had richly furnished it, according
to command, sat down on the couch of gold, beside which was a window
that gave upon the garden. The castratos then set before them all
manner rich meats and they ate, Daulat Khatun feeding her foster-sister
by mouthfuls,[FN#453] till she was satisfied; when she called for
divers kinds of sweetmeats, and when the neutrals brought them, they
ate what they would of them and washed their hands. After this Daulat
Khatun made ready wine and its service, setting on the ewers and bowls
and she proceeded to crown the cups and give Badi’a al-Jamal to drink,
filling for herself after and drinking in turn. Then Badi’a al-Jamal
looked from the window into the garden and gazed upon the fruits and
branches that were therein, till her glance fell on Sayf al-Muluk, and
she saw him wandering about the parterres, followed by Sa’id, and she
heard him recite verses, raining the while railing tears. And that
glance of eyes cost her a thousand sighs,——And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Badi’a
al-Jamal caught sight of Sayf al-Muluk as he wandered about the garden,
that glance of eyes cost her a thousand sighs, and she turned to Daulat
Khatun and said to her (and indeed the wine sported with her senses),
“O my sister, who is that young man I see in the garden, distraught,
love-abying, disappointed, sighing?” Quoth the other, “Dost thou give
me leave to bring him hither, that we may look on him?”; and quoth the
other, “An thou can avail to bring him, bring him.” So Daulat Khatun
called to him, saying “O King’s son, come up to us and bring us thy
beauty and thy loveliness!” Sayf al-Muluk recognised her voice and came
up into the pavilion; but no sooner had he set eyes on Badi’a al-Jamal,
than he fell down in a swoon; whereupon Daulat Khatun sprinkled on him
a little rose-water and he revived. Then he rose and kissed ground
before Badi’a al-Jamal who was amazed at his beauty and loveliness; and
Daulat Khatun said to her, “Know, O Princess, that this is Sayf
al-Muluk, whose hand saved me by the ordinance of Allah Almighty and he
it is who hath borne all manner burthens on thine account: wherefore I
would have thee look upon him with favour.” Hearing this Badi’a
al-Jamal laughed and said, “And who keepeth faith, that this youth
should do so? For there is no true love in men.” Cried Sayf al-Muluk,
“O Princess, never shall lack of faith be in me, and all men are not
created alike.” And he wept before her and recited these verses,
“O thou, Badi’a ‘l-Jamál, show thou some clemency * To one
those lovely eyes opprest with witchery!
By rights of beauteous hues and tints thy cheeks combine * Of
snowy white and glowing red anemone,
Punish not with disdain one who is sorely sick * By long, long
parting waste hath waxed this frame of me:
This is my wish, my will, the end of my desire, * And Union is
my hope an haply this may be!”
Then he wept with violent weeping; and love and longing got the mastery
over him and he greeted her with these couplets,
“Peace be to you from lover’s wasted love, * All noble hearts
to noble favour show:
Peace be to you! Ne’er fail your form my dreams; * Nor hall
nor chamber the fair sight forego!
Of you I’m jealous: none may name your name: * Lovers to
lovers aye should bend thee low:
So cut not off your grace from him who loves * While sickness
wastes and sorrows overthrow.
I watch the flowery stars which frighten me; * While cark and
care mine every night foreslow.
Nor Patience bides with me nor plan appears: * What shall I
say when questioned of my foe?
God’s peace be with you in the hour of need, * Peace sent by
lover patient bearing woe!”
Then for the excess of his desire and ecstasy he repeated these
couplets also:—
If I to aught save you, O lords of me, incline; * Ne’er may I
win of you my wish, my sole design!
Who doth comprise all loveliness save only you? * Who makes
the Doomsday dawn e’en now before these eyne?
Far be it Love find any rest, for I am one * Who lost for love
of you this heart, these vitals mine.
When he had made an end of his verses, he wept with sore weeping and
she said to him, “O Prince, I fear to grant myself wholly to thee lest
I find in thee nor fondness nor affection; for oftentimes man’s
fidelity is small and his perfidy is great and thou knowest how the
lord Solomon, son of David (on whom be the Peace!), took Bilkis to his
love but, whenas he saw another fairer than she, turned from her
thereto.” Sayf al-Muluk replied, “O my eye and O my soul, Allah hath
not made all men alike, and I, Inshallah, will keep my troth and die
beneath thy feet. Soon shalt thou see what I will do in accordance with
my words, and for whatso I say Allah is my warrant.” Quoth Badi’a
al-Jamal, “Sit and be of good heart and swear to me by the right of thy
Faith and let us covenant together that each will not be false to
other; and whichever of us breaketh faith may Almighty Allah punish!”
At these words he sat down and set his hand in her hand and they sware
each to other that neither of them would ever prefer to the other any
one, either of man or of the Jann. Then they embraced for a whole hour
and wept for excess of their joy, whilst passion overcame Sayf al-Muluk
and he recited these couplets,
“I weep for longing love’s own ardency * To her who claims the
heart and soul of me.
And sore’s my sorrow parted long from you, * And short’s my
arm to reach the prize I see;
And mourning grief for what my patience marred * To blamer’s
eye unveiled my secresy;
And waxed strait that whilome was so wide * Patience nor force
remains nor power to dree.
Would Heaven I knew if God will ever deign to join * Our
lives, and from our cark and care and grief set free!”
After this mutual troth-plighting, Sayf al-Muluk arose and walked in
the garden and Badi’a al-Jamal arose also and went forth also afoot
followed by a slave-girl bearing somewhat of food and a flask[FN#454]
of wine. The Princess sat down and the damsel set the meat and wine
before her: nor remained they long ere they were joined by Sayf
al-Muluk, who was received with greeting and the two embraced and sat
them down.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that having
provided food and wine, Badi’a al-Jamal met Sayf al-Muluk with
greetings, and the twain having embraced and kissed sat them down
awhile to eat and drink. Then said she to him, “O King’s son, thou must
now go to the garden of Iram, where dwelleth my grandmother, and seek
her consent to our marriage. My slave-girl Marjánah will convey thee
thither and as thou farest therein thou wilt see a great pavilion of
red satin, lined with green silk. Enter the pavilion heartening thyself
and thou wilt see inside it an ancient dame sitting on a couch of red
gold set with pearls and jewels. Salute her with respect and courtesy:
then look at the foot of the couch, where thou wilt descry a pair of
sandals[FN#455] of cloth interwoven with bars of gold, embroidered with
jewels. Take them and kiss them and lay them on thy head[FN#456]; then
put them under thy right armpit and stand before the old woman, in
silence and with thy head bowed down. If she ask thee, ‘Who art thou
and how camest thou hither and who led thee to this land? And why hast
thou taken up the sandals?’ make her no answer, but abide silent till
Marjanah enter, when she will speak with her and seek to win her aproof
for thee and cause her look on thee with consent; so haply Allah
Almighty may incline her heart to thee and she may grant thee thy wish.”
Then she called the handmaid Marjanah hight and said to her, “As thou
lovest me, do my errand this day and be not neglectful therein! An thou
accomplish it, thou shalt be a free woman for the sake of Allah
Almighty, and I will deal honourably by thee with gifts and there shall
be none dearer to me than thou, nor will I discover my secrets to any
save thee. So, by my love for thee, fulfil this my need and be not
slothful therein.” Replied Marjanah, “O my lady and light of mine eyes,
tell me what is it thou requirest of me, that I may accomplish it with
both mine eyes.” Badi’a rejoined, “Take this mortal on thy shoulders
and bear him to the bloom-garden of Iram and the pavilion of my
grandmother, my father’s mother, and be careful of his safety. When
thou hast brought him into her presence and seest him take the slippers
and do them homage, and hearest her ask him, saying:—Whence art thou
and by what road art come and who led thee to this land, and why hast
thou taken up the sandals and what is thy need that I give heed to it?
do thou come forward in haste and salute her with the salam and say to
her:—O my lady, I am she who brought him hither and he is the King’s
son of Egypt.”[FN#457] ’Tis he who went to the High-builded Castle and
slew the son of the Blue King and delivered the Princess Daulat Khatun
from the Castle of Japhet son of Noah and brought her back safe to her
father: and I have brought him to thee, that he may give thee the glad
tidings of her safety: so deign thou be gracious to him. Then do thou
say to her:—Allah upon thee! is not this young man handsome, O my
lady? She will reply, Yes; and do thou rejoin:—O my lady, indeed he
is complete in honour and manhood and valour and he is lord and King of
Egypt and compriseth all praiseworthy qualities. An she ask thee,
What is his need? do thou make answer, My lady saluteth thee and
saith to thee, how long shall she sit at home, a maid and unmarried?
Indeed, the time is longsome upon her for she is as a magazine wherein
wheat is heaped up.[FN#458] What then is thine intent in leaving her
without a mate and why dost thou not marry her in thy lifetide and that
of her mother, like other girls? If she say, How shall we do to marry
her? An she have any one in mind, let her tell us of him, and we will
do her will as far as may be! do thou make answer, O my lady, thy
daughter saith to thee, “Ye were minded aforetime to marry me to
Solomon (on whom be peace!) and portrayed him my portrait on a tunic.
But he had no lot in me; so he sent the tunic to the King of Egypt and
he gave it to his son, who saw my portrait figured thereon and fell in
love with me; wherefore he left his father and mother’s realm and
turning away from the world and whatso is therein, went forth at a
venture, a wanderer, love-distraught, and hath borne the utmost
hardships and honours for the sake of me.’ Now thou seest his beauty and
loveliness, and thy daughter’s heart is enamoured of him; so if ye have
a mind to marry her, marry her to this young man and forbid her not
from him for he is young and passing comely and King of Egypt, nor wilt
thou find a goodlier than he; and if ye will not give her to him, she
will slay herself and marry none neither man nor Jinn.’” “And,”
continued Badi’a al-Jamal, “Look thou, O Marjanah, _ma mie_,[FN#459] how
thou mayst do with my grandmother, to win her consent, and beguile her
with soft words, so haply she may do my desire.” Quoth the damsel, “O
my lady, upon my head and eyes will I serve thee and do what shall
content thee.” Then she took Sayf al-Muluk on her shoulders and said to
him, “O King’s son, shut thine eyes.” He did so and she flew up with
him into the welkin; and after awhile she said to him, “O King’s son,
open thine eyes.” He opened them and found himself in a garden, which
was none other than the garden of Iram; and she showed him the pavilion
and said, “O Sayf al-Muluk, enter therein!” Thereupon he pronounced the
name of Allah Almighty and entering cast a look upon the garden, when
he saw the old Queen sitting on the couch, attended by her waiting
women. So he drew near her with courtesy and reverence and taking the
sandals bussed them and did as Badi’a al-Jamal had enjoined him. Quoth
the ancient dame, “Who art thou and what is thy country; whence comest
thou and who brought thee hither and what may be thy wish? Wherefore
dost thou take the sandals and kiss them and when didst thou ask of me
a favour which I did not grant?” With this in came Marjanah[FN#460] and
saluting her reverently and worshipfully, repeated to her what Badi’a
al-Jamal had told her; which when the old Queen heard, she cried out at
her and was wroth with her and said, “How shall there be accord between
man and Jinn?”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.