King Shehriyar marvelled [at this story[FN#146]] and said "By
Allah, verily, injustice slayeth its folk!"[FN#147] And he was
edified by that wherewith Shehrzad bespoke him and sought help of
God the Most High. Then said he to her, "Tell me another of thy
stories, O Shehrzad; let it be a pleasant one and this shall be
the completion of the story-telling." "With all my heart,"
answered Shehrzad. "It hath reached me, O august King, that a man
once said to his fellows, 'I will set forth to you a
means[FN#148] of security[FN#149] against vexation.[FN#150] A
friend of mine once related to me and said, "We attained [whiles]
to security[FN#151] against vexation,[FN#152]and the origin of it
was other than this; to wit, it was as follows.[FN#153]
THE TWO KINGS AND THE VIZIER'S
DAUGHTERS.[FN#154]
[Aforetime] I journeyed in [many] lands and climes and towns and
visited the great cities and traversed the ways and [exposed
myself to] dangers and hardships. Towards the last of my life, I
entered a city [of the cities of China],[FN#155] wherein was a
king of the Chosroes and the Tubbas[FN#156] and the
Caesars.[FN#157] Now that city had been peopled with its
inhabitants by means of justice and equitable dealing; but its
[then] king was a tyrant, who despoiled souls and [did away]
lives; there was no wanning oneself at his fire,[FN#158] for that
indeed he oppressed the true believers and wasted the lands. Now
he had a younger brother, who was [king] in Samarcand of the
Persians, and the two kings abode a while of time, each in his
own city and place, till they yearned unto each other and the
elder king despatched his vizier in quest of his younger brother.
When the vizier came to the King of Samarcand [and acquainted him
with his errand], he submitted himself to the commandment [of his
brother and made answer] with 'Hearkening and obedience.' Then he
equipped himself and made ready for the journey and brought forth
his tents and pavilions. A while after midnight, he went in to
his wife, that he might take leave of her, and found with her a
strange man, sleeping with her in one bed. So he slew them both
and dragging them out by the feet, cast them away and set forth
incontinent on his journey. When he came to his brother's court,
the latter rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy and lodged him
in the pavilion of entertainment, [to wit, the guest-house,]
beside his own palace. Now this pavilion overlooked a garden
belonging to the elder king and there the younger brother abode
with him some days. Then he called to mind that which his wife
had done with him and remembered him of her slaughter and
bethought him how he was a king, yet was not exempt from the
vicissitudes of fortune; and this wrought upon him with an
exceeding despite, so that it caused him abstain from meat and
drink, or, if he ate anything, it profited him not.
When his brother saw him on this wise, he doubted not but that
this had betided him by reason of severance from his people and
family and said to him, 'Come, let us go forth a-hunting.' But he
refused to go with him; so the elder brother went forth to the
chase, whilst the younger abode in the pavilion aforesaid. As he
was diverting himself by looking out upon the garden from the
window of the palace, behold, he saw his brother's wife and with
her ten black slaves and as many slave-girls. Each slave laid
hold of a damsel [and swived her] and another slave [came forth
and] did the like with the queen; and when they had done their
occasions, they all returned whence they came. Therewithal there
betided the King of Samarcand exceeding wonder and solacement and
he was made whole of his malady, little by little.
After a few days, his brother returned and finding him healed of
his sickness, said to him, 'Tell me, O my brother, what was the
cause of thy sickness and thy pallor, and what is the cause of
the return of health to thee and of rosiness to thy face after
this?' So he acquainted him with the whole case and this was
grievous to him; but they concealed their affair and agreed to
leave the kingship and fare forth pilgrim-wise, wandering at a
venture, for they deemed that there had befallen none the like of
this which had befallen them. [So they went forth and wandered on
at hazard] and as they journeyed, they saw by the way a woman
imprisoned in seven chests, whereon were five locks, and sunken
in the midst of the salt sea, under the guardianship of an Afrit;
yet for all this that woman issued forth of the sea and opened
those locks and coming forth of those chests, did what she would
with the two brothers, after she had circumvented the Afrit.
When the two kings saw that woman's fashion and how she
circumvented the Afrit, who had lodged her at the bottom of the
sea, they turned back to their kingdoms and the younger betook
himself to Samarcand, whilst the elder returned to China and
established unto himself a custom in the slaughter of women, to
wit, his vizier used to bring him a girl every night, with whom
he lay that night, and when he arose in the morning, he gave her
to the vizier and bade him put her to death. On this wise he
abode a great while, whilst the people murmured and the creatures
[of God] were destroyed and the commons cried out by reason of
that grievous affair whereinto they were fallen and feared the
wrath of God the Most High, dreading lest He should destroy them
by means of this. Still the king persisted in that fashion and in
that his blameworthy intent of the killing of women and the
despoilment of the curtained ones,[FN#159] wherefore the girls
sought succour of God the Most High and complained to Him of the
tyranny of the king and of his oppressive dealing with them.
Now the king's vizier had two daughters, own sisters, the elder
of whom had read books and made herself mistress of [all]
sciences and studied the writings of the sages and the histories
of the boon-companions,[FN#160] and she was possessed of abundant
wit and knowledge galore and surpassing apprehension. She heard
that which the folk suffered from the king and his despiteous
usage of their children; whereupon compassion gat hold upon her
for them and jealousy and she besought God the Most High that He
would bring the king to renounce that his heresy,[FN#161] and God
answered her prayer. Then she took counsel with her younger
sister and said to her, 'I mean to contrive somewhat for the
liberation of the people's children; and it is that I will go up
to the king [and offer myself to him], and when I come to his
presence, I will seek thee. When thou comest in to me and the
king hath done his occasion [of me], do thou say to me, 'O my
sister, let me hear and let the king hear a story of thy goodly
stories, wherewithal we may beguile the waking hours of our
night, till we take leave of each other.' 'It is well,' answered
the other. 'Surely this contrivance will deter the king from his
heresy and thou shalt be requited with exceeding favour and
abounding recompense in the world to come, for that indeed thou
adventurest thyself and wilt either perish or attain to thy
desire.'
So she did this and fair fortune aided her and the Divine favour
was vouchsafed unto her and she discovered her intent to her
father, who forbade her therefrom, fearing her slaughter.
However, she repeated her speech to him a second and a third
time, but he consented not. Then he cited unto her a parable,
that should deter her, and she cited him a parable in answer to
his, and the talk was prolonged between them and the adducing of
instances, till her father saw that he availed not to turn her
from her purpose and she said to him, 'Needs must I marry the
king, so haply I may be a sacrifice for the children of the
Muslims; either I shall turn him from this his heresy or I shall
die.' When the vizier despaired of dissuading her, he went up to
the king and acquainted him with the case, saying, 'I have a
daughter and she desireth to give herself to the king.' Quoth the
king, 'How can thy soul consent unto this, seeing that thou
knowest I lie but one night with a girl and when I arise on the
morrow, I put her to death, and it is thou who slayest her, and
thou hast done this again and again?' 'Know, O king,' answered
the vizier, 'that I have set forth all this to her, yet consented
she not unto aught, but needs must she have thy company and still
chooseth to come to thee and present herself before thee,
notwithstanding that I have cited to her the sayings of the
sages; but she hath answered me to the contrary thereof with more
than that which I said to her.' And the king said, 'Bring her to
me this night and to-morrow morning come thou and take her and
put her to death; and by Allah, an thou slay her not, I will slay
thee and her also!'
The vizier obeyed the king's commandment and going out from
before him, [returned to his own house. When it was night, he
took his elder daughter and carried her up to the king; and when
she came into his presence,] she wept; whereupon quoth he to her,
'What causeth thee weep? Indeed, it was thou who willedst this.'
And she answered, saying, 'I weep not but for longing after my
little sister; for that, since we grew up, I and she, I have
never been parted from her till this day; so, if it please the
king to send for her, that I may look on her and take my fill of
her till the morning, this were bounty and kindness of the king.'
Accordingly, the king bade fetch the girl [and she came]. Then
there befell that which befell of his foregathering with the
elder sister, and when he went up to his couch, that he might
sleep, the younger sister said to the elder, 'I conjure thee by
Allah, O my sister, an thou be not asleep, tell us a story of thy
goodly stories, wherewithal we may beguile the watches of our
night, against morning come and parting.' 'With all my heart,'
answered she and fell to relating to her, whilst the king
listened. Her story was goodly and delightful, and whilst she was
in the midst of telling it, the dawn broke. Now the king's heart
clave to the hearing of the rest of the story; so he respited her
till the morrow, and when it was the next night, she told him a
story concerning the marvels of the lands and the extraordinary
chances of the folk, that was yet stranger and rarer than the
first. In the midst of the story, the day appeared and she was
silent from the permitted speech. So he let her live till the
ensuing night, so he might hear the completion of the story and
after put her to death.
Meanwhile, the people of the city rejoiced and were glad and
blessed the vizier's daughter, marvelling for that three days had
passed and that the king had not put her to death and exulting in
that, [as they deemed,] he had turned [from his purpose] and
would never again burden himself with blood-guiltiness against
any of the maidens of the city. Then, on the fourth night, she
related to him a still more extraordinary story, and on the fifth
night she told him anecdotes of kings and viziers and notables.
On this wise she ceased not [to do] with him [many] days and
nights, what while the king still said in himself, 'When I have
heard the end of the story, I will put her to death,' and the
people waxed ever in wonder and admiration. Moreover, the folk of
the provinces and cities heard of this thing, to wit, that the
king had turned from his custom and from that which he had
imposed upon himself and had renounced his heresy, wherefore they
rejoiced and the folk returned to the capital and took up their
abode therein, after they had departed thence; yea, they were
constant in prayer to God the Most High that He would stablish
the king in that his present case; and this," said Shehrzad, "is
the end of that which my friend related to me."
"O Shehrzad," quoth Shehriyar, "finish unto us the story that thy
friend told thee, for that it resembleth the story of a king whom
I knew; but fain would I hear that which betided the people of
this city and what they said of the affair of the king, so I may
return from that wherein I was." "With all my heart," answered
Shehrzad. "Know, O august king and lord of just judgment and
praiseworthy excellence and exceeding prowess, that, when the
folk heard that the king had put away from him his custom and
returned from that which had been his wont, they rejoiced in this
with an exceeding joy and offered up prayers for him. Then they
talked with one another of the cause of the slaughter of the
girls, and the wise said, 'They[FN#162] are not all alike, nor
are the fingers of the hand alike.'"
SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.[FN#163]
(Conclusion)
When King Shehriyar heard this story, he came to himself and
awaking from his drunkenness,[FN#164] said, "By Allah, this story
is my story and this case is my case, for that indeed I was in
wrath[FN#165] and [danger of] punishment till thou turnedst me
back from this into the right way, extolled be the perfection of
the Causer of causes and the Liberator of necks! Indeed, O
Shehrzad," continued he, "thou hast awakened me unto many things
and hast aroused me from mine ignorance."
Then said she to him, "O chief of the kings, the wise say, 'The
kingship is a building, whereof the troops are the foundation,'
and whenas the foundation is strong, the building endureth;
wherefore it behoveth the king to strengthen the foundation, for
that they say, 'Whenas the foundation is weak, the building
falleth.' On like wise it behoveth the king to care for his
troops and do justice among his subjects, even as the owner of
the garden careth for his trees and cutteth away the weeds that
have no profit in them; and so it behoveth the king to look into
the affairs of his subjects and fend off oppression from them. As
for thee, O king," continued Shehrzad, "it behoveth thee that thy
vizier be virtuous and versed in the knowledge of the affairs of
the folk and the common people; and indeed God the Most High hath
named his name[FN#166] in the history of Moses (on whom be
peace!) whenas He saith, [Quoth Moses] 'And make me a vizier of
my people, Aaron [my brother].[FN#167] Could a vizier have been
dispensed withal, Moses ben Imran had been worthier [than any of
this dispensation].[FN#168]
As for the vizier, the sultan discovereth unto him his affairs,
private and public; and know, O king, that the similitude of thee
with the people is that of the physician with the sick man; and
the condition[FN#169] of the vizier is that he be truthful in his
sayings, trustworthy in all his relations, abounding in
compassion for the folk and in tender solicitude over them.
Indeed, it is said, O king, that good troops[FN#170] are like the
druggist; if his perfumes reach thee not, thou still smallest the
sweet scent of them; and ill troops are like the black-smith; if
his sparks burn thee not, thou smellest his nauseous smell. So it
behoveth thee take unto thyself a virtuous vizier, a man of good
counsel, even as thou takest unto thee a wife displayed before
thy face, for that thou hast need of the man's righteousness for
thine own amendment,[FN#171] seeing that, if thou do righteously,
the commons will do likewise, and if thou do evil, they also will
do evil."
When the king heard this, drowsiness overcame him and he slept
and presently awaking, called for the candles. So they were
lighted and he sat down on his couch and seating Shehrzad by him,
smiled in her face. She kissed the earth before him and said, "O
king of the age and lord of the time and the day, extolled be the
perfection of [God] the Forgiving One, the Bountiful Giver, who
hath sent me unto thee, of His favour and beneficence, so I have
informed thee with longing after Paradise; for that this which
thou wast used to do was never done of any of the kings before
thee. As for women, God the Most High [in His Holy Book] maketh
mention of them, [whenas He saith, 'Verily, men who submit
[themselves unto God] and women who submit] and true-believing
men and true-believing women and obedient men and obedient women
and soothfast men and soothfast women [and long-suffering men and
long-suffering women and men who order themselves humbly and
women who order themselves humbly and charitable men and
charitable women and men who fast and women who fast] and men who
guard their privities and women who guard their privities [and
men who are constantly mindful of God and women who are
constantly mindful, God hath prepared unto them forgiveness and a
mighty recompense].[FN#172]
As for that which hath befallen thee, verily, it hath befallen
[many] kings before thee and their women have played them false,
for all they were greater of puissance than thou, yea, and
mightier of kingship and more abounding in troops. If I would, I
could relate unto thee, O king, concerning the wiles of women,
that whereof I could not make an end all my life long; and
indeed, aforetime, in all these my nights that I have passed
before thee, I have told thee [many stories and anecdotes] of the
artifices of women and of their craft and perfidy; but indeed the
things abound on me;[FN#173] wherefore, if it like thee, O king,
I will relate unto thee [somewhat] of that which befell kings of
old time of the perfidy of their women and of the calamities
which overtook them by reason of these latter." "How so?" asked
the king. "Tell on." "Hearkening and obedience,"answered
Shehrzad."It hath been told me, O king, that a man once related
to a company and spoke as follows: