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Title: The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.
Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments
Author: Anonymous
Editor: Edward Stanley Poole
Illustrator: William Harvey
Translator: Edward William Lane
Other: Stanley Lane-Poole
Release Date: November 3, 2010 [EBook #34206]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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[Illustration]
The THOUSAND & ONE nights.
VOL. I.
LONDON: CHATTO AND WINDUS.
THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS
COMMONLY CALLED THE
ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS
TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC, WITH COPIOUS NOTES, BY
EDWARD WILLIAM LANE
EDITED BY HIS NEPHEW EDWARD STANLEY POOLE
FROM A COPY ANNOTATED BY THE TRANSLATOR
WITH A PREFACE BY STANLEY LANE-POOLE AND
ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE DESIGNS OF WILLIAM HARVEY
[Illustration]
A NEW IMPRESSION IN THREE VOLUMES
VOL. I
LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS
1912
LONDON:
PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED.
DUKE STREET, STAMFORD STREET, S.E., AND GREAT WINDMILL STREET, W.
[Illustration]
ADVERTISEMENT.
The present edition is an exact reproduction of that edited by my
father, with my great-uncle's final corrections, and published by Mr.
John Murray in 1859. Several reprints of that edition have testified to
the continued popularity of the work, and the necessity for the present
issue shows that an acquaintance of nearly half a century has not yet
wearied the public of the standard translation of the _Thousand and One
Nights_. The secret of Mr. Lane's success is to be found partly in the
instinctive sympathy for the spirit of the East, which enabled him
faithfully to reproduce the characteristic tone of the original, and
partly in the rich store of illustrations of oriental life and thought
contained in his Notes. In the various cheap versions, based upon
Galland's French paraphrase, the Eastern tone and local colour is wholly
wanting; and the peculiarities of life and manners, which contrast so
markedly with those of the West, are left unnoted and unexplained. Such
versions may serve in an inadequate degree to make the Arabian Nights
known to those who care only for the bare stories; but educated readers,
who are capable of something more than the mere enjoyment of the
romance, and desire to understand the character and habits of the actors
and the spectators, find in Mr. Lane's translation, and in his only, a
complete satisfaction of their want. It is not merely a scholar's
edition, though no oriental student can afford to be without it; but
beyond this narrow circle it has ever appealed to the wide audience that
cares to know the famous books of the world in their most perfect and
faithful reflections.
The actual moment is an opportune one for the reappearance of the work.
Egypt just now holds a foremost place in the eyes of the world, and it
is of Egypt that the _Thousand and One Nights_ have most to tell. Indian
or Persian as many of the tales are in their origin, their setting is
almost purely Egyptian; and though the place may be nominally Baghdad or
India, or even furthest China, it is in mediaeval Cairo, in the days of
the Memlooks, that the scene of the Arabian Nights is really laid. The
people described are not Hindoos or Chinese, but Arabs and Egyptians as
they lived and moved in the fifteenth century, when some of the
beautiful mosques and tombs, that still make Cairo the delight of
artists, were being built, and the devastating hand of the Ottoman Turk
had not yet been laid on the land of the Pharaohs. For a minute picture
of Arabian society as it was in the Middle Ages, the _Thousand and One
Nights_ have no rival, and it is Mr. Lane's appreciation of this
picture, and the wealth of illustration lavished upon it in his Notes,
that render his edition the most complete commentary we possess on
Muslim life and manners, religion and literature, and make it an
indispensable supplement to his famous _Account of the Manners and
Customs of the Modern Egyptians_. The poetry of Eastern life is rapidly
fading away under the effacing touch of European civilisation; the
characteristic society in which an Haroon-Er-Rasheed, an Aboo-Nuwas, a
Kafoor, a Saladin, or a Kait-Bey, revelled and jested and conquered, is
fast becoming matter of history rather than of experience, a field for
the antiquary instead of the traveller; and it is well that we can
reconstruct it in the pages of the _Thousand and One Nights_, whose
compiler saw it when it was still almost in its Golden Prime, and in the
_Modern Egyptians_, whose author knew it when it still preserved the
romantic character which has charmed and fascinated readers of every age
and condition.
STANLEY LANE-POOLE.
THE DAY OF TELL-EL-KEBEER, 1882.
[Illustration]
THE EDITOR'S PREFACE.
A new edition of this work having been required, Mr. Lane was requested
to undertake the correction of the press. But severe literary labours
allowing him no leisure for this object, he named me, as his pupil in
the study of Arabic, familiar with his writings, and for many years
resident with him in Cairo, to fill, in some measure, his place. I have
undertaken this duty with great diffidence, from a sense of my own
deficiencies and his extensive knowledge; but I have felt that I could
at least insure the correctness of the text, and a scrupulous adherence
to his wishes. The present edition is printed, without any variations of
my own (except those which are marked as such, and have been submitted
to Mr. Lane), from a copy of the first and complete edition, with
corrections and additions made by Mr. Lane, from time to time, since its
first publication. These, however, from the accuracy with which the
translation was made, and the fulness of the Notes, are not very
numerous. The same reasons have also caused my own notes to be few: I
believe that my Uncle's notes are complete in themselves; and that I
have sometimes erred, even in the rare exceptions I have made, on the
side of unnecessary addition.
An edition of any book not superintended by the author is sometimes
regarded with distrust. I would therefore assure the reader that in this
instance he may depend even on the punctuation; the whole having been
laboriously collated with Mr. Lane's annotated copy, notwithstanding the
great delay which this process has occasioned in the printing of the
work.
I have called this a _complete_ edition, to distinguish it from two
others which have been published without Mr. Lane's notes or his method
of writing oriental words, and with other variations from the standard
edition. The public appreciation of these notes, and of the advantage of
correctly-written foreign words, is, I conceive, proved by the call for
the present edition. On the subject of the mode of writing oriental
words in European characters, I need say little, for the controversy has
well nigh died out. The present generation does not regard antiquated
blunders as "the familiar names of childhood," but rather strives to
attain accuracy in all things; and those few who still cling to
"Mahomet" or "Mahomed" should consistently exhume the forgotten
"Mahound" of the Crusades.
The translator's views respecting the origin and literary history of
"The Thousand and One Nights" will be found fully expressed in the
Review at the end of the third volume. In his original preface, he
stated, "The remarks which I here submit to the reader, being written
when only one-third of the work to which they principally relate is
printed, must unavoidably be more defective than they would be if
reserved until a later period. During the progress of the publication I
may be enabled to form clearer and more complete views of the several
subjects which might with propriety be fully discussed at the head of
my translation, and I think it better, therefore, to append at the close
of the work many observations which I originally intended to prefix to
the first volume." He has therefore wished me to remodel the preface,
transferring all portions relating to the subjects in question to the
Review, retaining whatever may more properly stand at the commencement
of the work, and adding any matter of my own.
The object with which the translation was made is best expressed in the
words of Mr. Lane's preface.
"My undertaking to translate anew the Tales of 'The Thousand and One
Nights' implies an unfavourable opinion of the version which has so long
amused us; but I must express my objections with respect to the latter
in plain terms, and this I shall do by means of a few words on the
version of Galland, from which it is derived; for to him alone its chief
faults are to be attributed. I am somewhat reluctant to make this
remark, because several persons, and among them some of high and
deserved reputation as Arabic scholars, have pronounced an opinion that
his version is an _improvement_ upon the original. That 'The Thousand
and One Nights' may be greatly improved, I most readily admit; but as
confidently do I assert that Galland has excessively _perverted_ the
work. His acquaintance with Arab manners and customs was insufficient to
preserve him always from errors of the grossest description, and by the
_style_ of his version he has given to the whole a false character, thus
sacrificing, in a great measure, what is most valuable in the original
work,--I mean its minute accuracy with respect to those peculiarities
which distinguish the Arabs from every other nation, not only of the
West, but also of the East. Deceived by the vague nature of Galland's
version, travellers in Persia, Turkey, and India, have often fancied
that the Arabian Tales describe the particular manners of the natives of
those countries; but no one who has read them in the original language,
having an intimate acquaintance with the Arabs, can be of this opinion:
it is in Arabian countries, and especially in Egypt, that we see the
people, the dresses, and the buildings, which it describes in almost
every case, even when the scene is laid in Persia, in India, or in
China.
"Convinced of the truth of this assertion, I consider myself possessed
of the chief qualifications for the proper accomplishment of my present
undertaking, from my having lived several years in Cairo, associating
almost exclusively with Arabs, speaking their language, conforming to
their general habits with the most scrupulous exactitude, and received
into their society on terms of perfect equality. Since the downfall of
the Arab Empire of Baghdad, Cairo has been the chief of Arabian cities:
its Memlook Sul[t.]ans, introduced into Egypt in their youth, naturally
adopted, to a great degree, the manners of its native inhabitants, which
the 'Osmanlee Turks in later days have but little altered. Cairo is the
city in which Arabian manners now exist in the most refined state; and
such I believe to have been the case when the present work was
composed."
Mr. Lane's first two visits to Egypt were made when, for the last time,
Arab manners and customs as they existed in the age of the Arabian
Nights could be studied; and his translation was written very shortly
after his second return to England. Though some of the tales may be
Indian or Persian in origin, in their present state they exhibit a
picture of the manners, modes of thought, and language, of the court and
times of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans of Egypt, which nearly resembled in
these points those of the Khaleefehs of Baghdad, or the great Arab
Empire. De Sacy and Von Hammer, the two celebrated orientalists who
differed widely in opinion as to the origin of the book, agreed that the
tales in which the Khaleefeh Haroon Er-Rasheed is introduced (the best,
with few exceptions, in the collection) are Egyptian in character. But
since the "Modern Egyptians" were described by Mr. Lane, all things in
the East have changed, and every day witnesses the decay of some old
custom, to be followed by a bastard European imitation. During Mohammad
'Alee's rule, all traces of the state and circumstance of the Memlook
court gradually passed away. European dress has displaced oriental
costume, cloth of gold, and dresses of honour; European architecture
elbows the quaint beauty of the old Arab capital; and the cavalcade of
fifty horsemen around a grandee is succeeded by an English carriage that
profanes the quiet streets of the city, and frightens away both 'Efreets
and their memory. Mr. Lane saw the last of Cairo in its integrity; and
he has not overstated his qualifications, as author of the "Modern
Egyptians," for the task of translating the Arabian Nights.
Of the copy from which this translation was made, and the method
observed in its execution, I may again quote the preface to the first
edition. Mr. Lane says,--
"I have taken as my general standard of the original text the Cairo
edition lately printed; it being greatly superior to the other printed
editions, and probably to every manuscript copy.[1] It appears to agree
almost exactly with the celebrated MS. of Von Hammer, than which no copy
more copious, I believe, exists; and contains all the tales in the old
version except those which, as Von Hammer says, Galland appears to have
taken from other works, Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, in the Royal
Library of Paris. The manuscript from which it was printed was carefully
collated and corrected by a very learned man, the sheykh
'Abd-Er-Ra[h.]man E[s.]-[S.]aftee Esh-Shar[k.]awee, who also
superintended the progress of the work through the press. But in
addition to the value conferred upon it by the corrections of this
sheykh, the copy from which the whole of my translation is made, except
in a few instances, possesses an advantage which, I believe, renders it
incomparably superior to any other now existing: it has been again
revised and corrected, and illustrated with numerous manuscript notes,
by a person whom I think I may safely pronounce the first philologist of
the first Arab college of the present day, the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad
E[t.]-[T.]an[t.]awee, or, more properly, E[t.]-[T.]anditaee. His notes
are chiefly philological, and explanatory of words which do not belong
to the classical language; and many of them are of very great assistance
to me; though most of them I find unnecessary, from the knowledge of the
modern Arabic which I have acquired during my intercourse with the
people who speak it. His corrections of the text are numerous; and as
they would interest very few persons, I have mentioned but few of them
in the notes to my translation, notwithstanding a strong temptation that
I felt to do otherwise in order that Arabic scholars might be assisted
to judge of the fidelity of my version by comparing it with the text of
the Cairo edition.[2] To the pieces of poetry which are interspersed
throughout the work he has paid especial attention; not only correcting
the errors which he found in them, but also always adding the
vowel-points, and generally, commentaries or explanations. Thus I have
shewn that I am very greatly indebted to him for his learned labours. I
should, however, add, that I have ventured to differ from him in
interpreting a few words; having found more appropriate meanings
assigned to them by Arabs in parts not visited by him, or such meanings
given in printed dictionaries with which he is unacquainted; and I have
also corrected a few errors which have escaped his notice.[3] Without
the valuable aid which he has afforded me, I would not have attempted
the translation; nor with it would I have done so were it not for the
advantage that I derive from my having lived among Arabs. No translator
can always be certain that, from twenty or more significations which are
borne by one Arabic word, he has selected that which his author intended
to convey; but, circumstanced as I am, I have the satisfaction of
feeling confident that I have never given, to a word or phrase in this
work, a meaning which is inconsistent with its presenting faithful
pictures of Arab life and manners.
"I have thought it right to omit such tales, anecdotes, &c., as are
comparatively uninteresting or on any account objectionable. In other
words, I insert nothing that I deem greatly inferior in interest to the
tales in the old version. Certain passages which, in the original work,
are of an objectionable nature, I have slightly varied; but in doing
this, I have been particularly careful to render them so as to be
perfectly agreeable with Arab manners and customs. It was originally my
intention to omit almost the whole of the poetry, thinking that the loss
of measure and rhyme, and the impossibility of preserving the examples
of paronomasia and some other figures with which they abound, would
render translations of them generally intolerable to the reader: but
afterwards I reflected that the character of the work would be thus
greatly altered; and its value, as illustrating Arab manners and
feelings, much diminished. I therefore determined to preserve a
considerable number of select pieces, chosen either for their relative
merits or because required by the context. The number of those comprised
in the first volume of my translation is nearly half of the number
contained in the corresponding portion of the original work; but in
several cases I have omitted one or more verses of a piece as
unsuitable, or for some other reason; and in a few instances I have
given only the first verse or the first couplet. These pieces of poetry
are not in general to be regarded as the compositions of the author or
authors of the work: they appear to be mostly borrowed from others, and
many of them are taken from the works of celebrated poets.--To avoid the
tedious interruptions which occur in the original at the close of each
Night, I have divided the translation into chapters, each of which
consists of one tale, or of two or more tales connected one with
another, and have merely mentioned the Night with which each chapter
commences, and that with which it terminates.
"The original work being designed solely for the entertainment of Arabs,
I add copious notes to the translation, to render it more intelligible
and agreeable to the English reader. These are entirely my own, except
in those cases when I have stated otherwise;[4] and my general object in
them has been to give such illustrations as may satisfy the general
reader, without obliging him to consult other works. In many of them I
endeavour to shew, by extracts from esteemed Arabic histories and
scientific and other writings, chiefly drawn from MSS. in my possession,
as well as by assertions and anecdotes that I have heard, and conduct
that I have witnessed, during my intercourse with Arabs, that the most
extravagant relations in this work are not in general regarded, even by
the educated classes of that people, as of an incredible nature. This is
a point which I deem of much importance to set the work in its proper
light before my countrymen. I have resided in a land where genii are
still firmly believed to obey the summons of the magician or the owner
of a talisman, and to act in occurrences of every day; and I have
listened to stories of their deeds related as facts by persons of the
highest respectability, and by some who would not condescend to read the
tales of 'The Thousand and One Nights,' merely because they are
fictions, and not written in the usual polished style of literary
compositions."
I have already mentioned that the literary history of "The Thousand and
One Nights" is discussed in Mr. Lane's Review appended to this
translation. In the course of my Arabic studies, and more especially
since I have been occupied in editing the present work, I have
endeavoured to form an unbiassed judgment on this difficult question;
and all my researches have confirmed me in agreeing with the opinions
there expressed. Von Hammer was inclined to lay too much stress on the
supposed Persian or Indian origin of these Tales; while De Sacy, on the
other hand, rejected the belief in any connection between the old work
and the more modern; contending that the latter was an independent
production. The discovery, however, of a passage in an Arabic author, by
Von Hammer, since the publication of De Sacy's Essay and Mr. Lane's
Preface, has placed the matter beyond a doubt; and scholars are now
agreed, notwithstanding De Sacy's pleasant sarcasm, and the weight of
his great name, that "The Thousand Nights" formed in some measure the
prototype of "The Thousand and One Nights." On the other hand, De Sacy's
keen appreciation of the modern (and chiefly Egyptian, or Arab,)
character of the book, in its present form, must be fully recognised,
and was indeed thus acknowledged by Von Hammer himself. The manners,
dresses, and modes of thought, portrayed by it are Arab throughout, even
in the stories which are probably retained from the Persian or Indian
original, of which that of the Magic Horse is the best example in this
translation. Besides those relating to the court and adventures of
Haroon Er-Rasheed, which, as I have before remarked, are curiously
Egyptian, many others appear to have been remodelled, if not actually
composed, in Egypt. It is not less true that these tales are generally
the best in the collection, if those of the Slave Kafoor, of 'Azeez and
'Azeezeh, and of Es-Sindibad, be excepted; for these certainly are
inferior to none. The more colloquial and familiar stories point to the
same origin; such as that of 'Ala-ed-Deen Abu-sh-Shamat (which is
pervaded by Egyptian characteristics in phraseology and in other
respects), that of Aboo-[S.]eer and Aboo-[K.]eer, and that of
Ma[a.]roof. The stories founded mainly on Persian or Indian originals
appear to be those in which supernatural beings play the most
conspicuous parts; and, as Mr. Lane remarks, these are generally
deficient in verses, although the converse does not hold good of the
former class. The anecdotes are mostly historical: many of them are, in
the Notes, identified with similar ones in other Arabic works; and
almost all are of Arab origin.
The evidences of a late date scattered through the book may be additions
of copyists and reciters; but considered with reference to its general
character, they have a certain weight that cannot be overlooked: this is
carefully stated in the Review.
Mr. Lane's arguments in favour of the collective "Thousand and One
Nights" being an individual work, and not one of many similar
collections, seem to me to be conclusive: not the least important of
these is the fact that no similar collection is known to exist, nor is
mentioned by any Arab author, with the sole exception of the old
"Thousand Nights," which I believe he has demonstrated to be the
prototype, in a remote degree, of the "Thousand and One." To cite the
words of the Preface on the question of the original of the work as it
is known to us--"I have shewn it to be my opinion that all the complete
copies of 'The Thousand and One Nights' now known are in the main
derived, though not immediately, from one original; and I hold the same
opinion with respect to every fragment containing the commencement of
the work;" "not regarding the work as wholly original, nor as the first
of its kind; for many of the tales which it contains are doubtless of
different and early origins; and I think that its general plan is
probably borrowed from a much older production, bearing the same title
of 'The Thousand and One Nights,' [or 'The Thousand Nights,'] a
translation of a Persian work having a corresponding title, namely
'Hezar Afsaneh.'... One thing is certain--that 'The Thousand and One
Nights,' [or 'The Thousand Nights,'] translated from the Persian was
much older than the work now known by that title, and also extremely
different from the latter."
When these facts are considered in reference to each other, the date
assigned, in the Review, to the composition of the work cannot
reasonably be regarded as far from the truth. It is in Egypt, and
especially in the Memlook court, that we must look to find the people,
the manners, and the habits of thought, of "The Arabian Nights;" while
the style of the language in which they are written is that which we
might expect from an Egyptian of those times, who, unskilled in the
classical Arabic, yet endeavouring to imitate it, was doubtless more
generally intelligible then than he is now to the modern Egyptians. This
assumption of the old language, I may remark, is, and always has been,
characteristic of all learned Arabs, be they Egyptians or natives of
other Arabian countries (for such Egypt truly is); but no other instance
exists of a work of fiction in which the attempt fails so singularly in
affecting the classical, or retaining the modern tongue; while all other
Arabic _tales_ are certainly composed in either the one or the other.
The modern Egyptian romances are mostly written in the colloquial
dialect of every-day life; but those which are of older date are not
_modernized_, as some have supposed, against all reason, "The Thousand
and One Nights" to be: such an alteration would be without a parallel in
Arabic literature, as Mr. Lane proves in the Review in a way to relieve
me of the necessity of further alluding here to this particular
question. "The Thousand and One Nights" exhibit a style which would be
unfamiliar to the audience of the reciter of romances, without attaining
to the classical diction: and the conclusion is forced on us that the
work exhibits the language of a by-gone generation, which (taking into
consideration the other indications of its age and country), is, it can
scarcely be disputed, that of the later period of the Memlook rulers of
Egypt, before the Turkish conquest of that country. In the words of Mr.
Lane's Preface:--"Most of the tales which it contains are doubtless of
an older _origin_, and many of them founded upon very old traditions and
legends; but all these traditions or legends were evidently remodelled
so as to become pictures of the state of manners which existed among the
Arabs, and especially among those of Egypt, at the period here
mentioned; and I think that the composer of the work, or each of the
composers, if one commenced and another completed it, was an Egyptian."
But a more popular subject than its obscure origin is the literary merit
of this work. The rare fascination of these old Arab stories, their
supernatural romance, excessive love, quaint philosophy, and grotesque
humour, have, since the days of Galland, secured to them more readers
than any other profane work. The translation of Galland, with all its
lameness, puerility, and indecency, gained for them a hold which has
never been relaxed; and it only required the appearance of a scholarlike
and readable translation, freed from these defects, to make them
generally accepted in English families. The fashion of travelling in the
East has not a little added to the desire for a standard and annotated
edition of a work unique, even in those lands of genii and adventure, in
its remarkable portrayal of Eastern character, life, and, when closely
translated, idiom. The humour of the book, now broad, now subtle, (who
does not delight in Kafoor and his "half lie?") renders the comic
stories generally superior to the romantic; but the pathos perhaps
excels every other beauty. The story of Shems-en-Nahar is remarkable for
this characteristic; and that of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh (first published in
this translation), surpasses in delicate tenderness any Arab tale with
which we are acquainted.
Of the critical value of Mr. Lane's translation I ought scarcely to
speak. Yet I may observe that students of Arabic make it a text-book in
reading the original; while the English reader not uncommonly forgets
that it is a translation, and detects not the literal accuracy of its
rendering of an unfamiliar, or unknown, language.
I have adverted to the system adopted in transcribing foreign words, and
I now conclude these preliminary remarks (intended only to render the
learned Review easier of perusal to the general reader, and to smooth
his first steps in a strange land), by quoting, with some slight
improvements by Mr. Lane, the explanation of that system given in the
preface to the first edition.
"In writing Arabic and other Oriental words in the present work, I have
employed a system congenial with our language, and of the most simple
kind; and to this system I adhere in every case, for the sake of
uniformity as well as _truth_.[5] Some persons have objected to my
writing in this manner a few familiar words which are found in our
dictionaries; but they will excuse me for remarking that general usage
is not altogether accordant with their opinion. Almost every author, I
believe, now writes 'Koran,' or 'Kuran,' and 'Pasha,' or 'Pacha,' for
our dictionary-words 'Alcoran' and 'Bashaw;' and most of our best
authors on Arabian History, of late, have written 'Khalif' for 'Caliph.'
In a work relating to a people who pronounce the Arabic w as v, I should
write 'Vezeer' for the Arabic word 'Wezeer;' but to do so when the
subject is Arabian, I consider inexpedient: and in this opinion I am
upheld by a great majority of literary and other friends whom I have
consulted on the subject, in the proportion of five to one. I may add
that Dr. Johnson has written in his Dictionary, 'Vizier [properly
_Wazir_];' and if we express the Arabic vowels by their _Italian_
equivalents, it _is_ properly 'Wazir' or 'Wezir.'--The system which I
here employ requires but little explanation; the general reader may be
directed to pronounce
a as in our word 'beggar:'[6]
a as in 'father:'[7]
e as in 'bed:'
e as in 'there:'
ee as in 'bee:'
ei as our word 'eye:'
ey as in 'they:'
i as in 'bid:'
o as in 'obey' (short):
o as in 'bone:'
oo as in 'boot:'
ow as in 'down:'
and
u as in 'bull.'
The letter y is to be pronounced as in 'you' and 'lawyer:' never as
in 'by.'
An _apostrophe_, when immediately preceding or following a vowel, I
employ to denote the place of a letter which has no equivalent in
our alphabet; it has a guttural sound like that which is heard in
the bleating of sheep: [a.] (with a dot beneath) represents the same
sound at the end of a syllable, when it is more forcibly pronounced.
Each of the consonants distinguished by a dot beneath has a
peculiarly hard sound.
Having avoided as much as possible making use of accents, I must
request the reader to bear in mind that a single vowel, when not
marked with an accent, is always short; and that a double vowel or
diphthong at the end of a word, when not so marked, is not accented
('Welee,' for instance, being pronounced 'W[)e]'lee'): also, that
the acute accent does not always denote the principal or only
emphasis ('Haroon' being pronounced 'Haroon'); that a vowel with a
grave accent (only occurring at the end of a word), is not
emphasized, though it is long; and that dh, gh, kh, sh, and th, when
not divided by a hyphen, represent, each, a single Arabic
letter."[8]
I have only to add one more extract from Mr. Lane's Preface.
"Many of the engravings which are so numerously interspersed in this
work will considerably assist to explain both the Text and the Notes;
and to insure their accuracy, to the utmost of my ability, I have
supplied the artist with modern dresses, and with other requisite
materials. Thus he has been enabled to make his designs agree more
nearly with the costumes &c. of the times which the tales generally
illustrate than they would if he trusted alone to the imperfect
descriptions which I have found in Arabic works.[9] Except in a few
cases, when I had given him such directions as I deemed necessary, his
original designs have been submitted to me; and in suggesting any
corrections, I have, as much as possible, avoided fettering his
imagination, which needs no eulogy from me. He has acquired a general
notion of Arabian architecture from the great work of Murphy on the
Arabian remains in Spain, and from the splendid and accurate work on the
Alhambra by Messrs. Goury and Jones; and through the kindness of my
friend Mr. Hay, of Linplum, he has been allowed to make a similar use of
a very accurate and very beautiful collection of drawings of a great
number of the finest specimens of Arabian architecture in and around
Cairo, executed by M. Pascal Coste, and now the property of Mr. Hay.[10]
He has also consulted a number of Oriental drawings, and various other
sources. My acknowledgments to other persons I have expressed in several
of the Notes.
"The portion which is comprised in the first volume of this translation,
terminates with part of the hundred and thirty-seventh Night: it is
therefore necessary to remark,--first, that there is less to omit in the
early part of the original work than in the later:--secondly, that the
_Nights_ in the early part are generally much _longer_ than in the
subsequent portion; the first hundred Nights (without the Introduction)
comprising 213 pages in the Cairo edition of the original work; the
second hundred, 149 pages; the third, 107; the fourth, 106; the fifth,
94:[11]--thirdly, that a similar observation applies to the _Notes_
which are inserted in my translation; those appended to the early tales
being necessarily much more copious than the others."
[1] Two other printed editions were also used by Mr. Lane--that
of the first two hundred Nights, printed at Calcutta, and in
consequence of the loss, by shipwreck, of nearly the whole
impression of the first volume, never completed; and that of
Breslau. The former differs much, in matter and manner, from
any other known copy; the latter, which was edited to the close
of the seven hundred and third night by Professor Habicht, and
completed by Professor Fleischer, is far inferior to all the
others. One other edition has appeared in the Arabic, that of
Calcutta, or "the Calcutta edition of the complete work." It
was brought from Cairo, and is apparently (though not
immediately) from the same original as the Boola[k.] edition. I
have continually referred to it for various readings, without
finding any one of importance. And here I must animadvert on
the practice of German orientalists of wasting their own time
and their readers' patience in collecting such various readings
of a work like "The Thousand and One Nights" as must
necessarily be the result of the carelessness or the ignorance
of copyists and reciters. The habit is unfortunately adopted by
some Englishmen, who seem to imagine that all that is German is
therefore learned.--ED.
[2] "I must here state, that peculiar qualifications are
required to enable a person to judge of the fidelity of my
translation. The original work contains many words not
comprised in any printed dictionary, and a great number of
words used in senses which no such dictionary gives: in cases
of both these kinds, I am guided either by the explanations of
the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad, or by my having been long in the
habit of noting down new words during conversation with Arabs,
and in the perusal of works in which they are explained."
[3] "As I hope that the copy which he has rendered so valuable
may be of great utility to many students of the Arabic language
when I have ceased to profit by it, I may mention here, that
the few corrections, and some explanations, which I have
inserted upon the margins of pages will be easily distinguished
from those of the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad by the difference
of our handwritings."
[4] "When I mention 'my sheykh' in the notes, the sheykh
Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad is the person to whom I allude. In several
instances, when he has given brief explanations of words,
phrases, customs, &c., with which I was previously acquainted,
I have not thought it necessary to name him as my authority in
notes which I have inserted, though I have sometimes done so."
[5] "English writers generally express the Arabic vowels and
diphthongs by their nearest _Italian_ equivalents. This mode is
very well suited for those who know, and for those who do not
care for, the correct pronunciation of the words so
transcribed; but for others I think it objectionable. Our
language is altogether much more suitable to the purpose of
expressing the sounds of Arabic than the Italian. Besides, I
believe it is the custom of every other European nation, in
transcribing Oriental words, to employ a system congenial with
its own language. In a former work, I made use of a double h to
express a very strong Arabic aspirate (as others had done
before me), and the word 'Hhagg' or 'Hhajj' was pointed out by
a critic as one remarkably uncouth: Von Hammer, in a review of
that work, writes the same word (and very properly as a German
writer) 'Hadschdsch.'"
[6] "Strictly speaking, it has a sound between that of a in
'bad' and that of u in 'bud;' sometimes approximating more to
the former; and sometimes to the latter."
[7] "Its sound, however, often approximates to that of a in
'ball.'"
[8] "Dh is pronounced as th in 'that:' gh represents a guttural
sound like that produced in gargling: kh represents a guttural
sound like that which is produced in expelling saliva from the
throat, and approaching nearer to the sound of [h.] (a very
strong aspirate) than to that of k: sh is pronounced as in
'shall:' and th, as in 'thin.'"
[9] "Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, in his '[H.]osn el-Mo[h.]a[d.]arah,' after
quoting a description of certain dresses, says, 'As to their
dresses of honour, and those of the Wezeers and others of
similar rank, I have struck out the description of them from
the words of Ibn-Fa[d.]l-Allah; for they are composed of silk
and gold, which is forbidden by the law, and I have obliged
myself not to mention in this book any thing of which I should
be questioned in the world to come, if it be the will of
God.'--I have never seen any Arabic work with drawings of
costumes; but Persian drawings are often useful in explaining
Arab dresses."
[10] These drawings, with some few exceptions, have now been
published, from copies in the possession of M. Coste.
[11] "The substance of the first five chapters in my
translation, ending with part of the thirty-second Night,
occupies a hundred and sixty-eight Nights in the edition of
Breslau."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
PAGE
Introduction 1
Notes 15
CHAPTER I.
Story of the Merchant and the Jinnee 38
Story of the First Sheykh and the Gazelle 42
Story of the Second Sheykh and the two Black Hounds 46
Story of the Third Sheykh and the Mule 50
Notes 52
CHAPTER II.
Story of the Fisherman 69
Story of King Yoonan and the Sage Dooban 75
Story of the Husband and the Parrot 79
Story of the Envious Wezeer and the Prince and the Ghooleh 81
Continuation of the Story of King Yoonan and the Sage Dooban 83
Continuation of the Story of the Fisherman 86
Story of the Young King of the Black Islands 94
Notes 104
CHAPTER III.
Story of the Porter and the Ladies of Baghdad, and of
the Three Royal Mendicants, &c. 120
Story of the First Royal Mendicant 134
Story of the Second Royal Mendicant 140
Story of the Envier and the Envied 149
Continuation of the Story of the Second Royal Mendicant 151
Story of the Third Royal Mendicant 160
Continuation of the Story of the Ladies of Baghdad, &c. 173
Story of the First of the Three Ladies of Baghdad 173
Story of the Second of the Three Ladies of Baghdad 181
Conclusion of the Story of the Ladies of Baghdad, &c. 187
Notes 190
CHAPTER IV.
Story of the Three Apples, &c. 222
Story of Noor-ed-Deen and his Son, and of Shems-ed-Deen
and his Daughter 230
Notes 272
CHAPTER V.
Story of the Humpback 291
Story told by the Christian Broker 297
Story told by the Sul[t.]an's Steward 310
Story told by the Jewish Physician 320
Story told by the Tailor 328
The Barber's Story of Himself 342
The Barber's Story of his First Brother 344
The Barber's Story of his Second Brother 348
The Barber's Story of his Third Brother 351
The Barber's Story of his Fourth Brother 355
The Barber's Story of his Fifth Brother 359
The Barber's Story of his Sixth Brother 369
Conclusion of the Story told by the Tailor 374
Conclusion of the Story of the Humpback 374
Notes 377
CHAPTER VI.
Story of Noor-ed-Deen and Enees-el-Jelees 390
Notes 430
CHAPTER VII.
Story of Ghanim the Son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave
of Love 436
Story of the Slave Kafoor 440
Continuation of the Story of Ghanim 445
Notes 463
CHAPTER VIII.
Story of Taj-el-Mulook and the Lady Dunya 469
Story of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh 480
Continuation of the Story of Taj-el-Mulook and the
Lady Dunya 512
Notes 544
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOLUME I.
Engraver's Names. Page
Ornamental Title.--At the foot is the
Title in Arabic JACKSON.
Head-piece to Preface.--The Vase is formed
of the Arabic words signifying "In the
name of God, the Compassionate, the
Merciful" (always placed at the head of a
Muslim work), written doubly, and
contrarily MARY CLINT vii
Tail-piece to Preface LANDELLS xxii
Head-piece to Table of Contents LANDELLS xxiii
Tail-piece to Table of Contents WILLIAMSON xxv
Head-piece to List of Illustrations LANDELLS xxvi
Shahriyar going out to hunt, and Ornamental
Border JACKSON 1
The Wezeer presenting the letter to Shah-Zeman O. SMITH 3
Shah-Zeman, after having killed his Wife O. SMITH 4
Meeting of Shahriyar and Shah-Zeman O. SMITH 5
Shahriyar's return from the Chase GRAY 6
Garden of Shahriyar's Palace THOMPSON 7
'Efreet and Lady T. WILLIAMS 8
The Wezeer and his two Daughters O. SMITH 11
The Ass at Plough LANDELLS 12
The Dog and the Cock LANDELLS 13
Shahriyar unveiling Shahrazad THOMPSON 14
Head-piece to Notes to Introduction.--The Arabic
inscription is the subject of the first
paragraph of the first Note LANDELLS 15
Tail-piece to Notes to Introduction.--Morning LANDELLS 37
Head-piece to Chapter I.--Shahrazad narrating
her Stories MISS WILLIAMS 38
Merchant and Jinnee S. WILLIAMS 39
Meeting of the Merchant and the Sheykh with
the Gazelle O. SMITH 41
Return of the Jinnee O. SMITH 42
Transformation of the Concubine into a Cow THOMPSON 43
The Herdsman introducing his Daughter to
the Sheykh BENNEWORTH 45
The Second Sheykh receiving his poor Brother GRAY 47
The Second Sheykh finding the Maiden on
the Sea-shore GRAY 48
The Second Sheykh saved from drowning LINTON 49
The Second Sheykh and the two Black Hounds GRAY 50
Tail-piece to Chapter I.--The Jinnee listening
to the Tales of the Sheykhs F. W. BRANSTON 51
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter I.--The Merchant
eating in the Garden LANDELLS 52
Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter I. MASON JACKSON 68
Head-piece to Chapter II.--The Fisherman.--Motto,
"Small things stir up great" JACKSON 69
The 'Efreet liberated from the Bottle ORRIN SMITH 71
The Fisherman enclosing the 'Efreet in
the Bottle GREEN 74
King Yoonan playing at Goff LANDELLS 76
Dooban in his Dress of Honour THOMPSON 78
The Intelligent Parrot GRAY 79
The Prince Meeting the Ghooleh LANDELLS 82
Dooban and the Executioner GRAY 84
The Death of King Yoonan THOMPSON 86
The Fish of Four Colours GRAY 88
The Fisherman shewing the Fish to the Sul[t.]an THOMPSON 89
The Cook-maid dressing the Fish KIRCHNER 90
The Black Palace LANDELLS 92
The Sul[t.]an discovering the Young King of
the Black Islands ORRIN SMITH 94
The Young King on his Bed, attended by
Two Maids T. WILLIAMS 95
The Black Slave wounded by the Young King GRAY 97
The [K.]ubbeh, or Tomb MISS WILLIAMS 100
The Sul[t.]an killing the Enchantress S. WILLIAMS 101
Tail-piece to Chapter II.--The Journey home LANDELLS 103
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter II.--The Fisherman
and the dead Ass LANDELLS 104
Head-piece to Chapter III.--The Porter,
&c.--The Motto is the Inscription upon
the Door, in Koofee Characters MASON JACKSON 120
The Porter pleading with the Three Ladies SMITH 123
The Porter and Ladies carousing T. WILLIAMS 124
The Three Royal Mendicants VASEY 126
The Concert of the Mendicants SMITH 127
The Ladies preparing to whip the Bitches GRAY 129
The Portress fainting T. WILLIAMS 130
The Porter seized GRAY 132
First Prince (afterwards a Mendicant) leading
the Lady to the Tomb SMITH 135
Second Prince (afterwards a Mendicant)
meeting the Robbers GREEN 140
Second Prince as a Wood-cutter T. WILLIAMS 142
Second Prince discovering the Trap-door LANDELLS 143
Second Prince ascending the Steps LANDELLS 145
Second Prince carried off by the 'Efreet THOMPSON 146
Second Prince begging his life of the 'Efreet THOMPSON 148
The Envied Sheykh and the Jinn in the Well T. WILLIAMS 150
Second Prince transformed into an Ape S. WILLIAMS 152
The Ape recognised by the Princess GRAY 155
The Combat with the Lion (Head-piece) S. WILLIAMS, Jun. 156
Transformations WRIGHT & FOLKARD 156
Ditto WRIGHT & FOLKARD 157
Disenchantment of the Ape SMITH 158
The Mountain of Loadstone WHIMPER 162
The Prince thrown ashore M. JACKSON 163
Death of the Youth in the Cave GREEN 166
Garden M. JACKSON 171
First Lady recognising her Sisters GREEN 174
The Prince in the Oratory SMITH 177
First Lady after killing the Serpent LANDELLS 180
Bazar, or Market-Street M. JACKSON 184
Old Woman interceding for the Second Lady THOMPSON 186
Palace GREEN 189
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter III.--The Porter J. JACKSON 190
Persian Harps LANDELLS 205
Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter III. T. WILLIAMS 221
Head-piece to Chapter IV.--Fisherman drawing
his Nets THOMPSON 222
The Young Man presenting the Apples to
his Wife F. BRANSTON 226
The Wezeer finding the Apple GREEN 229
The Pyramids J. JACKSON 232
The Mule of Noor-ed-Deen LANDELLS 233
Noor-ed-Deen after the Bath M. JACKSON 235
The Old Wezeer instructing his Grandchild THOMPSON 238
Noor-ed-Deen and his Son LINTON 241
Bedr-ed-Deen at his Father's Tomb J. JACKSON 243
The 'Efreet, attended by the Jinneeyeh,
carrying off Bedr-ed-Deen THOMPSON 245
Transformations WRIGHT & FOLKARD 248
Ditto WRIGHT & FOLKARD 249
Bedr-ed-Deen and his Bride WRIGHT & FOLKARD 249
Gate of Damascus M. JACKSON 251
The Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen recovering from
a Swoon SLADER 255
The School GRAY 257
Damascus SMITH 260
The Widow of Noor-ed-Deen kissing the feet
of his Brother T. WILLIAMS 263
Bedr-ed-Deen waiting upon his Son and
the Eunuch GREEN 265
Bedr-ed-Deen bound SMITH 267
Bedr-ed-Deen's perplexity J. JACKSON 270
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter IV.--The Old
Fisherman MISS WILLIAMS 273
Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter IV. WRIGHT & FOLKARD 290
Head-piece to Chapter V.--The Humpback, &c. T. WILLIAMS 291
The Humpback Dead WRIGHT & FOLKARD 296
Bab en-Na[s.]r (from a Sketch by
Mr. E.W. Lane), &c. J. JACKSON 297
Money-Changer and Scrivener, &c. WRIGHT & FOLKARD 300
Saloon THOMPSON 303
Interior of Bab Zuweyleh (from a Sketch
by M. Coste) LANDELLS 306
Head-piece to the Story told by the Sul[t.]an's
Steward LANDELLS 310
Arrival of the Lady on the Mule M. JACKSON 313
Mosque on the Bank of the Tigris J. JACKSON 315
Displaying of the Bride THOMPSON 317
Portrait of the Jew SLADER 319
Head-piece to the Story told by the Jewish
Physician SMITH 320
Aleppo SMITH 322
The Arrest GRAY 325
The Lady confessing her Crime GRAY 327
Head-piece to the Story told by the Tailor SMITH 328
Young Man sitting on a Ma[s.][t.]abah SMITH 330
The Barber and the Young Man LANDELLS 332
The Barber and Servants with Dishes LANDELLS 336
The Barber rending his Clothes J. JACKSON 339
Portrait of the Barber VASEY 341
Head-piece to the Barber's Story of Himself J. JACKSON 342
Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his First
Brother.--The Motto, "How different is
to-night from yesterday!" LANDELLS 344
Tail-piece to the same WILLIAMSON 347
Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his
Second Brother T. WILLIAMS 348
Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his
Third Brother S. WILLIAMS 351
Tail-piece to the same JENNINGS 354
Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his
Fourth Brother JACKSON 355
Tail-piece to the same GRAY 358
Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his Fifth
Brother.--The Motto, "The emulous desire
of increase employeth you until ye visit
the graves."
([K.]ur-an, ch. cii. vv. 1 and 2.) JACKSON 359
The Reverie of the Barber's Fifth Brother THOMPSON 360
Ditto S. WILLIAMS 361
Ditto T. WILLIAMS 362
Ditto GRAY 363
The Result LEE 363
The Second Misfortune of the Barber's
Fifth Brother THOMPSON 366
Tail-piece to the Barber's Story of his
Fifth Brother WILLIAMSON 368
Head-piece to the Barber's Story of his
Sixth Brother LANDELLS 369
The Barber's Sixth Brother taken by
Bedawees GREEN 373
Tail-piece to the Story of the Humpback SLADER 376
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter V. LANDELLS 377
Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter V. VASEY 389
Head-piece to Chapter VI. SMITH 390
Noor-ed-Deen embracing the Slave THOMPSON 394
The Funeral of the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l WRIGHT & FOLKARD 397
The Wezeer El-Mo'een in the Slave-Market J. JACKSON 402
El-Mo'een in his Abasement MISS H. CLARKE 404
The Lane leading to "The Garden of Delight" GREEN 408
Bower in "The Garden of Delight" T. WILLIAMS 410
Enees-el-Jelees offering the Wine WRIGHT & FOLKARD 412
The Khaleefeh and the Wezeer in the Tree S. WILLIAMS 415
Kereem, the Fisherman JENNINGS 418
Enees-el-Jelees playing on the Lute S. WILLIAMS 421
Enees-el-Jelees and the Khaleefeh
and Ja[a.]far SLADER 427
Tail-piece to Chapter VI. BASTIN 429
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter VI. LANDELLS 430
Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter VI. BRANSTON 435
Head-piece to Chapter VII. LANDELLS 436
Ghanim in the Palm-tree SMITH 439
The Merchant meeting his Family JACKSON 443
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob awaking GRAY 446
Pretended Tomb of [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob WILLIAMSON 451
Ghanim sick in a Mosque M. JACKSON 455
Ghanim's Mother and Sister as Beggars WRIGHT & FOLKARD 459
Tail-piece to Chapter VII. LANDELLS 462
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter
VII.--Damascus LANDELLS 463
Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter
VII.--The Decision M. JACKSON 468
Head-piece to Chapter VIII.--Suleyman Shah
and his Wezeer J. JACKSON 469
Zahr Shah on his Throne VASEY 473
The Troops of Suleyman Shah meeting
his Bride WRIGHT & FOLKARD 475
Taj-el-Mulook hunting GREEN 477
Descent of the Handkerchief S. WILLIAMS 482
'Azeez and 'Azeezeh SLADER 485
The Ma[k.]'ad O. SMITH 490
'Azeez returned with the Knife and Dirhem LANDELLS 495
'Azeezeh weeping over the Design of
the Gazelles SLADER 497
'Azeezeh dead LANDELLS 499
'Azeez and his Mistress at the Grave
of 'Azeezeh WILLIAMSON 502
The future Wife of 'Azeez JENNINGS 505
The Punishment of 'Azeez GRAY 508
The Lady Dunya THOMPSON 512
Halt on the Journey WHIMPER 514
Taj-el-Mulook receiving the Old Woman VASEY 519
The Lady Dunya writing HARRIET CLARKE 523
The Lady Dunya untwisting the Old Woman's
Hair T. WILLIAMS 526
The Old Woman beaten by Female Slaves S. WILLIAMS 528
Illustrations of the Stratagem in the Lady
Dunya's Garden LANDELLS 532
Taj-el-Mulook and the Lady Dunya LANDELLS 535
Scene on the Arrival of the Troops of
Suleyman Shah WHIMPER 538
The Horses sent to Suleyman Shah GRAY 541
Tail-piece to Chapter VIII. WRIGHT & FOLKARD 543
Head-piece to Notes to Chapter VIII. LANDELLS 544
Tail-piece to Notes to Chapter VIII. GREEN 555
[Illustration]
INTRODUCTION.
_In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful._[i_1]
Praise be to God, the Beneficent King, the Creator of the universe, who
hath raised the heavens without pillars, and spread out the earth as a
bed;[i_2] and blessing and peace be on the lord of apostles, our lord
and our master Mo[h.]ammad, and his Family; blessing and peace, enduring
and constant, unto the day of judgment.
To proceed:--The lives of former generations are a lesson to posterity;
that a man may review the remarkable events which have happened to
others, and be admonished; and may consider the history of people of
preceding ages, and of all that hath befallen them, and be restrained.
Extolled be the perfection of Him who hath thus ordained the history of
former generations to be a lesson to those which follow. Such are the
Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, with their romantic stories and
their fables.
It is related (but God alone is all-knowing,[i_3] as well as all-wise,
and almighty, and all-bountiful,) that there was, in ancient times, a
King[i_4] of the countries of India and China, possessing numerous
troops, and guards, and servants, and domestic dependents: and he had
two sons; one of whom was a man of mature age; and the other, a youth.
Both of these princes were brave horsemen; but especially the elder, who
inherited the kingdom of his father; and governed his subjects with such
justice that the inhabitants of his country and whole empire loved him.
He was called King Shahriyar:[i_5] his younger brother was named
Shah-Zeman,[i_6] and was King of Samar[k.]and.[i_7] The administration
of their governments was conducted with rectitude, each of them ruling
over his subjects with justice during a period of twenty years with the
utmost enjoyment and happiness. After this period, the elder King felt a
strong desire to see his brother, and ordered his Wezeer[i_8] to repair
to him and bring him.
[Illustration]
Having taken the advice of the Wezeer on this subject,[i_9] he
immediately gave orders to prepare handsome presents, such as horses
adorned with gold and costly jewels, and memlooks, and beautiful
virgins, and expensive stuffs.[i_10] He then wrote a letter to his
brother, expressive of his great desire to see him;[i_11] and having
sealed it, and given it to the Wezeer, together with the presents above
mentioned, he ordered the minister to strain his nerves, and tuck up his
skirts, and use all expedition in returning. The Wezeer answered,
without delay, I hear and obey; and forthwith prepared for the journey:
he packed his baggage, removed the burdens, and made ready all his
provisions within three days; and on the fourth day, he took leave of
the King Shahriyar, and went forth towards the deserts and wastes. He
proceeded night and day; and each of the kings under the authority of
King Shahriyar by whose residence he passed came forth to meet
him,[i_12] with costly presents, and gifts of gold and silver, and
entertained him three days;[i_13] after which, on the fourth day, he
accompanied him one day's journey, and took leave of him. Thus he
continued on his way until he drew near to the city of Samar[k.]and,
when he sent forward a messenger to inform King Shah-Zeman of his
approach. The messenger entered the city, inquired the way to the
palace, and, introducing himself to the King, kissed the ground before
him,[i_14] and acquainted him with the approach of his brother's Wezeer;
upon which Shah-Zeman ordered the chief officers of his court, and the
great men of his kingdom, to go forth a day's journey to meet him; and
they did so; and when they met him, they welcomed him, and walked by his
stirrups until they returned to the city. The Wezeer then presented
himself before the King Shah-Zeman, greeted him with a prayer for the
divine assistance in his favour, kissed the ground before him, and
informed him of his brother's desire to see him; after which he handed
to him the letter. The King took it, read it, and understood its
contents;[i_15] and answered by expressing his readiness to obey the
commands of his brother. But, said he (addressing the Wezeer), I will
not go until I have entertained thee three days. Accordingly, he lodged
him in a palace befitting his rank, accommodated his troops in tents,
and appointed them all things requisite in the way of food and drink:
and so they remained three days. On the fourth day, he equipped himself
for the journey, made ready his baggage, and collected together costly
presents suitable to his brother's dignity.
These preparations being completed, he sent forth his tents and camels
and mules and servants and guards, appointed his Wezeer to be governor
of the country during his absence, and set out towards his brother's
dominions. At midnight,[i_16] however, he remembered that he had left in
his palace an article which he should have brought with him; and having
returned to the palace to fetch it, he there beheld his wife sleeping in
his bed, and attended by a male negro slave, who had fallen asleep by
her side. On beholding this scene, the world became black before his
eyes; and he said within himself, If this is the case when I have not
departed from the city, what will be the conduct of this vile woman
while I am sojourning with my brother? He then drew his sword, and slew
them both in the bed: after which he immediately returned, gave orders
for departure, and journeyed to his brother's capital.
[Illustration]
Shahriyar, rejoicing at the tidings of his approach, went forth to meet
him, saluted him, and welcomed him with the utmost delight. He then
ordered that the city should be decorated on the occasion,[i_17] and
sat down to entertain his brother with cheerful conversation: but the
mind of King Shah-Zeman was distracted by reflections upon the conduct
of his wife; excessive grief took possession of him; and his countenance
became sallow; and his frame, emaciated. His brother observed his
altered condition, and, imagining that it was occasioned by his absence
from his dominions, abstained from troubling him or asking respecting
the cause, until after the lapse of some days, when at length he said to
him, O my brother, I perceive that thy body is emaciated, and thy
countenance is become sallow. He answered, O brother, I have an internal
sore:--and he informed him not of the conduct of his wife which he had
witnessed. Shahriyar then said, I wish that thou wouldest go out with me
on a hunting excursion; perhaps thy mind might so be diverted:--but he
declined; and Shahriyar went alone to the chase.[i_18]
[Illustration]
Now there were some windows in the King's palace commanding a view of
his garden; and while his brother was looking out from one of these, a
door of the palace was opened, and there came forth from it twenty
females and twenty male black slaves; and the King's wife, who was
distinguished by extraordinary beauty and elegance,[i_19] accompanied
them to a fountain, where they all disrobed themselves, and sat down
together. The King's wife then called out, O Mes'ood![i_20] and
immediately a black slave came to her, and embraced her; she doing the
like. So also did the other slaves and the women; and all of them
continued revelling together until the close of the day. When Shah-Zeman
beheld this spectacle, he said within himself, By Allah! my affliction
is lighter than this! His vexation and grief were alleviated, and he no
longer abstained from sufficient food and drink.
When his brother returned from his excursion, and they had saluted each
other, and King Shahriyar observed his brother Shah-Zeman, that his
colour had returned, that his face had recovered the flush of health,
and that he ate with appetite, after his late abstinence, he was
surprised, and said, O my brother, when I saw thee last, thy countenance
was sallow, and now thy colour hath returned to thee: acquaint me with
thy state.--As to the change of my natural complexion, answered
Shah-Zeman, I will inform thee of its cause; but excuse my explaining to
thee the return of my colour.--First, said Shahriyar, relate to me the
cause of the change of thy proper complexion, and of thy weakness: let
me hear it.--Know then, O my brother, he answered, that when thou
sentest thy Wezeer to me to invite me to thy presence, I prepared myself
for the journey, and when I had gone forth from the city, I remembered
that I had left behind me the jewel that I have given thee; I therefore
returned to my palace for it, and there I found my wife sleeping in my
bed, and attended by a black male slave; and I killed them both, and
came to thee: but my mind was occupied by reflections upon this affair,
and this was the cause of the change of my complexion, and of my
weakness: now, as to the return of my colour, excuse my informing thee
of its cause.--But when his brother heard these words, he said, I
conjure thee by Allah that thou acquaint me with the cause of the return
of thy colour:--so he repeated to him all that he had seen. I would see
this, said Shahriyar, with my own eye.--Then, said Shah-Zeman, give out
that thou art going again to the chase, and conceal thyself here with
me, and thou shalt witness this conduct, and obtain ocular proof of it.
[Illustration]
Shahriyar, upon this, immediately announced that it was his intention to
make another excursion. The troops went out of the city with the tents,
and the King followed them; and after he had reposed awhile in the camp,
he said to his servants, Let no one come in to me:--and he disguised
himself, and returned to his brother in the palace, and sat in one of
the windows overlooking the garden; and when he had been there a short
time, the women and their mistress entered the garden with the black
slaves, and did as his brother had described, continuing so until the
hour of the afternoon-prayer.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
When King Shahriyar beheld this occurrence, reason fled from his head,
and he said to his brother Shah-Zeman, Arise, and let us travel whither
we please, and renounce the regal state, until we see whether such a
calamity as this have befallen any other person like unto us; and if
not, our death will be preferable to our life. His brother agreed to his
proposal, and they went out from a private door of the palace, and
journeyed continually, days and nights, until they arrived at a tree in
the midst of a meadow, by a spring of water, on the shore of the sea.
They drank of this spring, and sat down to rest; and when the day had a
little advanced, the sea became troubled before them, and there arose
from it a black pillar, ascending towards the sky, and approaching the
meadow. Struck with fear at the sight, they climbed up into the tree,
which was lofty; and thence they gazed to see what this might be: and
behold, it was a Jinnee,[i_21] of gigantic stature, broad-fronted and
bulky, bearing on his head a chest.[i_22] He landed, and came to the
tree into which the two Kings had climbed, and, having seated himself
beneath it, opened the chest, and took out of it another box, which he
also opened; and there came forth from it a young woman, fair and
beautiful, like the shining sun. When the Jinnee cast his eyes upon her,
he said, O lady of noble race, whom I carried off on thy wedding-night,
I have a desire to sleep a little:--and he placed his head upon her
knee, and slept. The damsel then raised her head towards the tree, and
saw there the two Kings; upon which she removed the head of the Jinnee
from her knee, and, having placed it on the ground, stood under the
tree, and made signs to the two Kings, as though she would say, Come
down, and fear not this 'Efreet.[i_23] They answered her, We conjure
thee by Allah that thou excuse us in this matter. But she said, I
conjure you by the same that ye come down; and if ye do not, I will
rouse this 'Efreet, and he shall put you to a cruel death. So, being
afraid, they came down to her; and, after they had remained with her as
long as she required, she took from her pocket a purse, and drew out
from this a string, upon which were ninety-eight seal-rings;[i_24] and
she said to them, Know ye what are these? They answered, We know
not.--The owners of these rings, said she, have, all of them, been
admitted to converse with me, like as ye have, unknown to this foolish
'Efreet; therefore, give me your two rings,[i_25] ye brothers. So they
gave her their two rings from their fingers; and she then said to them,
This 'Efreet carried me off on my wedding-night, and put me in the box,
and placed the box in the chest, and affixed to the chest seven locks,
and deposited me, thus imprisoned, in the bottom of the roaring sea,
beneath the dashing waves; not knowing that, when one of our sex desires
to accomplish any object, nothing can prevent her. In accordance with
this, says one of the poets:--
Never trust in women; nor rely upon their vows;
For their pleasure and displeasure depend upon their passions.
They offer a false affection; for perfidy lurks within their clothing.
By the tale of Yoosuf[i_26] be admonished, and guard against their
stratagems.
Dost thou not consider that Iblees ejected Adam by means of woman?
And another poet says:--
Abstain from censure; for it will strengthen the censured, and increase
desire into violent passion.
If I suffer such passion, my case is but the same as that of many a man
before me:
For greatly indeed to be wondered at is he who hath kept himself safe
from women's artifice.[i_27]
When the two Kings heard these words from her lips, they were struck
with the utmost astonishment, and said, one to the other, If this is an
'Efreet, and a greater calamity hath happened unto him than that which
hath befallen us, this is a circumstance that should console us:--and
immediately they departed, and returned to the city.
As soon as they had entered the palace, Shahriyar caused his wife to be
beheaded, and in like manner the women and black slaves; and thenceforth
he made it his regular custom, every time that he took a virgin to his
bed, to kill her at the expiration of the night. Thus he continued to do
during a period of three years; and the people raised an outcry against
him, and fled with their daughters, and there remained not a virgin in
the city of a sufficient age for marriage.[i_28] Such was the case when
the King ordered the Wezeer to bring him a virgin according to his
custom; and the Wezeer went forth and searched, and found none; and he
went back to his house enraged and vexed, fearing what the King might do
to him.
Now the Wezeer had two daughters; the elder of whom was named Shahrazad;
and the younger, Dunyazad. The former had read various books of
histories, and the lives of preceding kings, and stories of past
generations: it is asserted that she had collected together a thousand
books of histories, relating to preceding generations and kings, and
works of the poets: and she said to her father on this occasion, Why do
I see thee thus changed, and oppressed with solicitude and sorrows? It
has been said by one of the poets:--
Tell him who is oppressed with anxiety, that anxiety will not last:
As happiness passeth away, so passeth away anxiety.
When the Wezeer heard these words from his daughter, he related to her
all that had happened to him with regard to the King: upon which she
said, By Allah, O my father, give me in marriage to this King: either I
shall die, and be a ransom for one of the daughters of the Muslims, or I
shall live, and be the cause of their deliverance from him.[i_29]--I
conjure thee by Allah, exclaimed he, that thou expose not thyself to
such peril:--but she said, It must be so. Then, said he, I fear for thee
that the same will befall thee that happened in the case of the ass and
the bull and the husbandman.--And what, she asked, was that, O my
father.
[Illustration]
Know, O my daughter, said the Wezeer, that there was a certain merchant,
who possessed wealth and cattle, and had a wife and children; and God,
whose name be exalted, had also endowed him with the knowledge of the
languages of beasts and birds.[i_30] The abode of this merchant was in
the country; and he had, in his house, an ass and a bull.[i_31] When the
bull came to the place where the ass was tied, he found it swept and
sprinkled;[i_32] in his manger were sifted barley and sifted cut
straw,[i_33] and the ass was lying at his ease; his master being
accustomed only to ride him occasionally, when business required, and
soon to return: and it happened, one day, that the merchant overheard
the bull saying to the ass, May thy food benefit thee![i_34] I am
oppressed with fatigue, while thou art enjoying repose: thou eatest
sifted barley, and men serve thee; and it is only occasionally that thy
master rides thee, and returns; while I am continually employed in
ploughing, and turning the mill.[i_35]--The ass answered,[i_36] When
thou goest out to the field, and they place the yoke upon thy neck, lie
down, and do not rise again, even if they beat thee; or, if thou rise,
lie down a second time; and when they take thee back, and place the
beans before thee, eat them not, as though thou wert sick: abstain from
eating and drinking a day, or two days, or three; and so shalt thou find
rest from trouble and labour.--Accordingly, when the driver came to the
bull with his fodder, he ate scarcely any of it; and on the morrow, when
the driver came again to take him to plough, he found him apparently
quite infirm: so the merchant said, Take the ass, and make him draw the
plough in his stead all the day. The man did so; and when the ass
returned at the close of the day, the bull thanked him for the favour he
had conferred upon him by relieving him of his trouble on that day; but
the ass returned him no answer, for he repented most grievously. On the
next day, the ploughman came again, and took the ass, and ploughed with
him till evening; and the ass returned with his neck flayed by the yoke,
and reduced to an extreme state of weakness; and the bull looked upon
him, and thanked and praised him. The ass exclaimed, I was living at
ease, and nought but my meddling hath injured me! Then said he to the
bull, Know that I am one who would give thee good advice: I heard our
master say, If the bull rise not from his place, take him to the
butcher, that he may kill him, and make a na[t.][a.][i_37] of his
skin:--I am therefore in fear for thee, and so I have given thee advice;
and peace be on thee!--When the bull heard these words of the ass, he
thanked him, and said, To-morrow I will go with alacrity:--so he ate the
whole of his fodder, and even licked the manger.--Their master,
meanwhile, was listening to their conversation.
[Illustration]
On the following morning, the merchant and his wife went to the bull's
crib, and sat down there; and the driver came, and took out the bull;
and when the bull saw his master, he shook his tail, and showed his
alacrity by sounds and actions, bounding about in such a manner that the
merchant laughed until he fell backwards. His wife, in surprise, asked
him, At what dost thou laugh? He answered, At a thing that I have heard
and seen; but I cannot reveal it; for if I did, I should die. She said,
Thou must inform me of the cause of thy laughter, even if thou die.--I
cannot reveal it, said he: the fear of death prevents me.--Thou
laughedst only at _me_, she said; and she ceased not to urge and
importune him until he was quite overcome and distracted. So he called
together his children, and sent for the [K.]a[d.]ee[i_38] and witnesses,
that he might make his will, and reveal the secret to her, and die: for
he loved her excessively, since she was the daughter of his paternal
uncle, and the mother of his children, and he had lived with her to the
age of a hundred and twenty years.[i_39] Having assembled her family and
his neighbours, he related to them his story, and told them that as
soon as he revealed his secret he must die; upon which every one present
said to her, We conjure thee by Allah that thou give up this affair, and
let not thy husband, and the father of thy children, die. But she said,
I will not desist until he tell me, though he die for it. So they ceased
to solicit her; and the merchant left them, and went to the stable to
perform the ablution, and then to return, and tell them the secret, and
die.[i_40]
[Illustration]
Now he had a cock, with fifty hens under him, and he had also a dog; and
he heard the dog call to the cock, and reproach him, saying, Art thou
happy when our master is going to die? The cock asked, How so?--and the
dog related to him the story; upon which the cock exclaimed, By Allah!
our master has little sense: _I_ have _fifty_ wives; and I please this,
and provoke that; while _he_ has but _one_ wife, and cannot manage this
affair with her: why does he not take some twigs of the mulberry-tree,
and enter her chamber, and beat her until she dies or repents? She would
never, after that, ask him a question respecting anything.--And when the
merchant heard the words of the cock, as he addressed the dog, he
recovered his reason, and made up his mind to beat her.--Now, said the
Wezeer to his daughter Shahrazad, perhaps I may do to thee as the
merchant did to his wife. She asked, And what did he? He answered, He
entered her chamber, after he had cut off some twigs of the
mulberry-tree, and hidden them there; and then said to her, Come into
the chamber, that I may tell thee the secret while no one sees me, and
then die:--and when she had entered, he locked the chamber-door upon
her, and beat her until she became almost senseless and cried out, I
repent:--and she kissed his hands and his feet, and repented, and went
out with him; and all the company, and her own family, rejoiced; and
they lived together in the happiest manner until death.
When the Wezeer's daughter heard the words of her father, she said to
him, It must be as I have requested. So he arrayed her, and went to the
King Shahriyar. Now she had given directions to her young sister, saying
to her, When I have gone to the King, I will send to request thee to
come; and when thou comest to me, and seest a convenient time, do thou
say to me, O my sister, relate to me some strange story to beguile our
waking hour:[i_41]--and I will relate to thee a story that shall, if it
be the will of God, be the means of procuring deliverance.
Her father, the Wezeer, then took her to the King, who, when he saw him,
was rejoiced, and said, Hast thou brought me what I desired? He
answered, Yes. When the King, therefore, introduced himself to her, she
wept; and he said to her, What aileth thee? She answered, O King, I have
a young sister, and I wish to take leave of her. So the King sent to
her; and she came to her sister, and embraced her, and sat near the foot
of the bed; and after she had waited for a proper opportunity, she said,
By Allah! O my sister, relate to us a story to beguile the waking hour
of our night. Most willingly, answered Shahrazad, if this virtuous King
permit me. And the King, hearing these words, and being restless, was
pleased with the idea of listening to the story; and thus, on the first
night of the thousand and one, Shahrazad commenced her recitations.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO THE INTRODUCTION.
NOTE 1.--_On the Initial Phrase, and on the Mohammadan Religion and
Laws._ It is a universal custom of the Muslims to write this phrase at
the commencement of every book, whatever may be the subject, and to
pronounce it on commencing every lawful act of any importance. This they
do in imitation of the [K.]ur-an (every chapter of which, excepting one,
is thus prefaced), and in accordance with a precept of their Prophet.
The words which I translate "Compassionate" and "Merciful" are both
derived from the same root, and have nearly the same meaning: the one
being of a form which is generally used to express an accidental or
occasional passion or sensation; the other, to denote a constant
quality: but the most learned of the 'Ulama (or professors of religion
and law, &c.) interpret the former as signifying "Merciful in great
things;" and the latter, "Merciful in small things." Sale has erred in
rendering them, conjunctly, "Most merciful."
In the books of the Muslims, the first words, after the above phrase,
almost always consist (as in the work before us) of some form of praise
and thanksgiving to God for his power and goodness, followed by an
invocation of blessing on the Prophet; and in general, when the author
is not very concise in these expressions, he conveys in them some
allusion to the subject of his book. For instance, if he write on
marriage, he will commence his work with some such form as this (after
the phrase first mentioned)--"Praise be to God, who hath created the
human race, and made them males and females," &c.
The exordium of the present work, showing the duty imposed upon a Muslim
by his religion, even on the occasion of his commencing the composition
or compilation of a series of fictions, suggests to me the necessity of
inserting a brief prefatory notice of the fundamental points of his
faith, and the principal laws of the ritual and moral, the civil, and
the criminal code; leaving more full explanations of particular points
to be given when occasions shall require such illustrations.
The confession of the Muslim's faith is briefly made in these
words:--"There is no deity but God: Mo[h.]ammad is God's
Apostle:"--which imply a belief and observance of everything that
Mo[h.]ammad taught to be the word or will of God. In the opinion of
those who are commonly called orthodox, and termed "Sunnees" (the only
class whom we have to consider; for they are Sunnee tenets and Arab
manners which are described in this work in almost every case, wherever
the scene is laid), the Mohammadan code is founded upon the [K.]ur-an,
the Traditions of the Prophet, the concordance of his principal early
disciples, and the decisions which have been framed from analogy or
comparison. This class consists of four sects, [H.]anafees, Shafe'ees,
Malikees, and [H.]ambelees; so called after the names of their
respective founders. The other sects, who are called "Shiya'ees" (an
appellation particularly given to the Persian sect, but also used to
designate generally all who are not Sunnees), are regarded by their
opponents in general nearly in the same light as those who do not
profess El-Islam (or the Mohammadan faith); that is, as destined to
eternal or severe punishment.
The Mohammadan faith embraces the following points:
1. Belief in God, who is without beginning or end, the sole Creator and
Lord of the universe, having absolute power, and knowledge, and glory,
and perfection.
2. Belief in his Angels, who are impeccable beings, created of light;
and Genii (Jinn), who are peccable, created of smokeless fire. The
Devils, whose chief is Iblees, or Satan, are evil Genii.
3. Belief in his Scriptures, which are his uncreated word, revealed to
his prophets. Of these there now exist, but held to be greatly
corrupted, the Pentateuch of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the Gospels
of Jesus Christ; and, in an uncorrupted and incorruptible state, the
[K.]ur-an, which is held to have abrogated, and to surpass in
excellence, all preceding revelations.
4. Belief in his Prophets and Apostles;[12] the most distinguished of
whom are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mo[h.]ammad. Jesus is
held to be more excellent than any of those who preceded him; to have
been born of a virgin, and to be the Messiah, and the word of God, and a
Spirit proceeding from Him, but not partaking of his essence, and not to
be called the Son of God. Mo[h.]ammad is held to be more excellent than
all; the last and greatest of prophets and apostles; the most excellent
of the creatures of God.
5. Belief in the general resurrection and judgment, and in future
rewards and punishments, chiefly of a corporeal nature: that the
punishments will be eternal to all but wicked Mohammadans; and that none
but Mohammadans will enter into a state of happiness.
6. Belief in God's predestination of all events, both good and evil.
The principal Ritual and Moral Laws are on the following subjects, of
which the first four are the most important.
1. Prayer (e[s.]-[s.]alah, commonly pronounced e[s.]-[s.]alah),
including preparatory purifications. There are partial or total washings
to be performed on particular occasions which need not be mentioned. The
ablution which is more especially preparatory to prayer (and which is
called wu[d.]oo) consists in washing the hands, mouth, nostrils, face,
arms (as high as the elbow, the right first), each three times; and then
the upper part of the head, the beard, ears, neck, and feet, each once.
This is done with running water, or from a very large tank, or from a
lake, or the sea.--Prayers are required to be performed five times in
the course of every day; between daybreak and sunrise, between noon and
the 'a[s.]r (which latter period is about mid-time between noon and
nightfall), between the 'a[s.]r and sunset, between sunset and the 'eshe
(or the period when the darkness of night commences), and at, or after,
the 'eshe. The commencement of each of these periods is announced by a
chant (called adan), repeated by a crier (mueddin) from the mad'neh, or
menaret, of each mosque; and it is more meritorious to commence the
prayer then than at a later time. On each of these occasions, the Muslim
has to perform certain prayers held to be ordained by God, and others
ordained by the Prophet; each kind consisting of two, three, or four
"rek'ahs;" which term signifies the repetition of a set form of words,
chiefly from the [K.]ur-an, and ejaculations of "God is most Great!"
&c., accompanied by particular postures; part of the words being
repeated in an erect posture; part, sitting; and part, in other
postures: an inclination of the head and body, followed by two
prostrations, distinguishing each rek'ah. These prayers may in some
cases be abridged, and in others entirely omitted. Other prayers must be
performed on particular occasions. 1. On Friday, the Mohammadan Sabbath.
These are congregational prayers, and are similar to those of other
days, with additional prayers and exhortations by a minister, who is
called Imam, or Kha[t.]eeb. 2. On two grand annual festivals. 3. On the
nights of Rama[d.]an, the month of abstinence. 4. On the occasion of an
eclipse of the sun or moon. 5. For rain. 6. Previously to the
commencement of battle. 7. In pilgrimage. 8. At funerals.
2. Alms-giving. An alms, called "zekah," commonly pronounced "zekah," is
required by law to be given annually, to the poor, of camels, oxen
(bulls and cows), and buffaloes, sheep and goats, horses and mules and
asses, and gold and silver (whether in money or in vessels, ornaments,
&c.), provided the property be of a certain amount, as five camels,
thirty oxen, forty sheep, five horses, two hundred dirhems, or twenty
deenars. The proportion is generally one-fortieth, which is to be paid
in kind, or in money, or other equivalent.
3. Fasting (e[s.]-[s.]iyam). The Muslim must abstain from eating and
drinking, and from every indulgence of the senses, every day during the
month of Rama[d.]an, from the first appearance of daybreak until sunset,
unless physically incapacitated.--On the first day of the following
month, a festival, called the Minor Festival, is observed with public
prayer, and with general rejoicing, which continues three days.
4. Pilgrimage (el-[h.]ajj). It is incumbent on the Muslim, if able, to
perform, at least once in his life, the pilgrimage to Mekkeh and Mount
'Arafat. The principal ceremonies of the pilgrimage are completed on the
9th of the month of Zu-l-[H.]ejjeh: on the following day, which is the
first of the Great Festival, on the return from 'Arafat to Mekkeh, the
pilgrims who are able to do so perform a sacrifice, and every other
Muslim who can is required to do the same: part of the meat of the
victim he should eat, and the rest he should give to the poor. This
festival is observed otherwise in a similar manner to the minor one,
above mentioned; and lasts three or four days.
The less important ritual and moral laws may here be briefly mentioned
in a single paragraph.--One of these is circumcision, which is not
absolutely obligatory.--The distinctions of clean and unclean meats are
nearly the same in the Mohammedan as in the Mosaic code. Camels' flesh
is an exception; being lawful to the Muslim. Swine's flesh, and blood,
are especially condemned; and a particular mode of slaughtering animals
for food is enjoined, accompanied by the repetition of the name of
God.--Wine and all inebriating liquors are strictly forbidden.--So also
are gaming and usury.--Music is condemned; but most Muslims take great
delight in hearing it.--Images and pictures representing living
creatures are contrary to law.--Charity, probity in all transactions,
veracity (excepting in a few cases), and modesty, are virtues
indispensable.--Cleanliness in person, and decent attire, are
particularly required. Clothes of silk, and ornaments of gold or silver,
are forbidden to men, but allowed to women: this precept, however, is
often disregarded.--Utensils of gold and silver are also condemned: yet
they are used by many Muslims.--The manners of Muslims in society are
subject to particular laws or rules, with respect to salutations, &c.
Of the Civil Laws, the following notices will at present suffice.--A man
may have four wives at the same time, and, according to common opinion,
as many concubine slaves as he pleases.--He may divorce a wife twice,
and each time take her back again; but if he divorce her a third time,
or by a triple sentence, he cannot make her his wife again unless by her
own consent, and by a new contract, and after another man has
consummated a marriage with her, and divorced her.--The children by a
wife and those by a concubine slave inherit equally, if the latter be
acknowledged by the father. Sons inherit equally: so also do daughters;
but the share of a daughter is half that of a son. One-eighth is the
share of the wife or wives of the deceased if he have left issue, and
one-fourth if he have left no issue. A husband inherits one-fourth of
his wife's property if she have left issue, and one-half if she have
left no issue. The debts and legacies of the deceased must be first
paid. A man may leave one-third of his property in any way he
pleases.--When a concubine slave has borne a child to her master, she
becomes entitled to freedom on his death.--There are particular laws
relating to commerce. Usury and monopoly are especially condemned.
Of the Criminal Laws, a few only need here be mentioned. Murder is
punishable by death, or by a fine to be paid to the family of the
deceased, if they prefer it.--Theft, if the property stolen amount to a
quarter of a deenar, is to be punished by cutting off the right hand,
except under certain circumstances.--Adultery, if attested by four
eye-witnesses, is punishable by death (stoning): fornication, by a
hundred stripes, and banishment for a year.--Drunkenness is punished
with eighty stripes.--Apostasy, persevered in, by death.
NOTE 2.--_On the Arabian System of Cosmography._ The words translated
"as a bed" would be literally rendered "and the bed;" but the
signification is that which I have expressed. (See the [K.]ur-an, ch.
lxxviii. v. 6; and, with respect to what is before said of the heavens,
idem, ch. xiii. v. 2.[13]) These, and the preceding words, commencing
with "the Beneficent King," I have introduced (in the place of "the Lord
of all creatures") from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred
nights, as affording me an opportunity to explain here the Arabian
system of Cosmography, with which the reader of this work cannot be too
early acquainted.
When we call to mind how far the Arabs surpassed their great master,
Aristotle, in natural and experimental philosophy, and remember that
their brilliant discoveries constituted an important link between those
of the illustrious Greek and of our equally illustrious countryman,
Roger Bacon, their popular system of cosmography becomes an interesting
subject for our consideration.
According to the common opinion of the Arabs (an opinion sanctioned by
the [K.]ur-an, and by assertions of their Prophet, which almost all
Muslims take in their literal sense), there are Seven Heavens, one above
another, and Seven Earths, one beneath another; the earth which we
inhabit being the highest of the latter, and next below the lowest
heaven. The upper surface of each heaven, and that of each earth, are
believed to be nearly plane, and are generally supposed to be circular;
and are said to be five hundred years' journey in width. This is also
said to be the measure of the depth or thickness of each heaven and each
earth, and of the distance between each heaven or earth and that next
above or below it. Thus is explained a passage of the [K.]ur-an, (ch.
lxv. last verse), in which it is said, that God hath created seven
heavens and as many earths, or stories of the earth, in accordance with
traditions from the Prophet.[14]--This notion of the seven heavens
appears to have been taken from the "seven spheres;" the first of which
is that of the Moon; the second, of Mercury; the third, of Venus; the
fourth, of the Sun; the fifth, of Mars; the sixth, of Jupiter; and the
seventh, of Saturn; each of which orbs was supposed to revolve round the
earth in its proper sphere. So also the idea of the seven earths seems
to have been taken from the division of the earth into seven climates; a
division which has been adopted by several Arab geographers.--But to
return to the opinions of the religious and the vulgar.
Traditions differ respecting the _fabric_ of the seven heavens. In the
most credible account, according to a celebrated historian, the first is
described as formed of emerald; the second, of white silver; the third,
of large white pearls; the fourth, of ruby; the fifth, of red gold; the
sixth, of yellow jacinth; and the seventh, of shining light.[15]
Some assert Paradise to be in the seventh heaven; and, indeed, I have
found this to be the general opinion of my Muslim friends: but the
author above quoted proceeds to describe, next above the seventh heaven,
seven seas of light; then, an undefined number of veils, or separations,
of different substances, seven of each kind; and then, Paradise, which
consists of seven stages, one above another; the first (Dar el-Jelal, or
the Mansion of Glory), of white pearls; the second (Dar es-Selam, or the
Mansion of Peace), of ruby; the third (Jennet el-Ma-wa, or the Garden of
Rest), of green chrysolite; the fourth (Jennet el-Khuld, or the Garden
of Eternity), of green[16] coral; the fifth (Jennet en-Na'eem, or the
Garden of Delight), of white silver; the sixth (Jennet el-Firdos, or the
Garden of Paradise), of red gold; and the seventh (Jennet 'Adn, or the
Garden of Perpetual Abode, or--of Eden), of large pearls; this
overlooking all the former, and canopied by the Throne, or rather
Empyrean, of the Compassionate ('Arsh Er-Ra[h.]man), _i. e._ of
God.--These several regions of Paradise are described in some traditions
as forming so many degrees, or stages, ascended by steps.
Though the opinion before mentioned respecting the form of the earth
which we inhabit is that generally maintained by the Arabs, there have
been, and still are, many philosophical men among this people who have
argued that it is a globe, because, as El-[K.]azweenee says, an eclipse
of the moon has been observed to happen at different hours of the night
in eastern and western countries. Thus we find Ptolemy's measurement of
the earth quoted and explained by Ibn-El-Wardee:--The circumference of
the earth is 24,000 miles, or 8,000 leagues; the league being three
miles; the mile, 3,000 royal cubits; the cubit, three spans; the span,
twelve digits; the digit, five barley-corns placed side by side; and the
width of the barley-corn, six mule's-hairs. El-Ma[k.]reezee also, among
the more intelligent Arabs, describes[17] the globular form of the
earth, and its arctic and antarctic regions, with their day of six
months, and night of six months, and their frozen waters, &c.
For ourselves, however, it is necessary that we retain in our minds the
opinions first stated, with regard to the form and dimensions of our
earth; agreeing with those Muslims who allow not philosophy to trench
upon revelation or sacred traditions. It is written, say they, that God
hath "spread out the earth,"[18] "as a bed,"[19] and "as a carpet;"[20]
and what is round or globular cannot be said to be spread out, nor
compared to a bed, or a carpet. It is therefore decided to be an almost
plane expanse. The continents and islands of the earth are believed by
the Arabs (as they were by the Greeks in the age of Homer and Hesiod) to
be surrounded by "the Circumambient Ocean," "el-Ba[h.]r
el-Mo[h.]ee[t.];" and this ocean is described as bounded by a chain of
mountains called Kaf, which encircle the whole as a ring, and confine
and strengthen the entire fabric. With respect to the extent of the
earth, our faith must at least admit the assertion of the Prophet, that
its width (as well as its depth or thickness) is equal to five hundred
years' journey: allotting the space of two hundred to the sea, two
hundred to uninhabited desert, eighty to the country of Yajooj and
Majooj (or Gog and Magog), and the rest to the remaining creatures:[21]
nay, vast as these limits are, we must rather extend than contract them,
unless we suppose some of the heroes of this work to travel by
circuitous routes. Another tradition will suit us better, wherein it is
said, that the inhabited portion of the earth is, with respect to the
rest, as a tent in the midst of a desert.[22] But even according to the
former assertion, it will be remarked, that the countries now commonly
known to the Arabs (from the western extremity of Africa to the eastern
limits of India, and from the southern confines of Abyssinia to those of
Russia,) occupy a comparatively insignificant portion of this expanse.
They are situated in the middle; Mekkeh, according to some,--or
Jerusalem, according to others,--being exactly in the centre. Adjacent
to the tract occupied by these countries are other lands and seas,
partially known to the Arabs. On the north-west, with respect to the
central point, lies the country of the Christians, or Franks, comprising
the principal European nations; on the north, the country of Yajooj and
Majooj, before mentioned, occupying, in the maps of the Arabs, large
tracts of Asia and Europe; on the north-east, central Asia; on the east,
E[s.]-[S.]een (or China); on the south-east, the sea, or seas, of
El-Hind (or India), and Ez-Zinj (or Southern Ethiopia), the waves of
which (or of the former of which) mingle with those of the sea of
E[s.]-[S.]een, beyond; on the south, the country of the Zinj; on the
south-west, the country of the Soodan, or Blacks: on the west is a
portion of the Circumambient Ocean, which surrounds all the countries
and seas already mentioned, as well as immense unknown regions adjoining
the former, and innumerable islands interspersed in the latter. These
_terrae incognitae_ are the scenes of some of the greatest wonders
described in the present work; and are mostly peopled with Jinn, or
Genii. On the Mo[h.]ee[t.], or Circumambient Ocean, is the 'Arsh Iblees,
or Throne of Iblees: in a map accompanying my copy of the work of
Ibn-El-Wardee, a large yellow tract is marked with this name, adjoining
Southern Africa. The western portion of the Mo[h.]ee[t.] is often called
"the Sea of Darkness" (Ba[h.]r e[z.]-[Z.]ulumat, or,--e[z.]-[Z.]ulmeh).
Under this name (and the synonymous appellation of el-Ba[h.]r
el-Mu[z.]lim) the Atlantic Ocean is described by the author just
mentioned; though, in the introduction to his work, he says that the Sea
of Darkness surrounds the Mo[h.]ee[t.]. The former may be considered
either as the western or the more remote portion of the latter. In the
dark regions (E[z.]-[Z.]ulumat, from which, perhaps, the above-mentioned
portion of the Mo[h.]ee[t.] takes its name),[23] in the south-west
quarter of the earth, according to the same author, is the Fountain of
Life, of which El-Khi[d.]r drank, and by virtue of which he still lives,
and will live till the day of judgment. This mysterious person, whom the
vulgar and some others regard as a prophet, and identify with Ilyas
(Elias, or Elijah), and whom some confound with St. George, was,
according to the more approved opinion of the learned, a just man, or
saint, the Wezeer and counsellor of the first Zu-l-[K.]arneyn, who was a
universal conqueror, but an equally doubtful personage, contemporary
with the patriarch Ibraheem, or Abraham. El-Khi[d.]r is said to appear
frequently to Muslims in perplexity, and to be generally clad in green
garments; whence, according to some, his name. The Prophet Ilyas (or
Elias) is also related to have drunk of the Fountain of Life. During the
day-time, it is said, El-Khi[d.]r wanders upon the seas, and directs
voyagers who go astray; while Ilyas perambulates the mountains or
deserts, and directs persons who chance to be led astray by the
Ghools:[24] but at night, they meet together, and guard the rampart of
Yajooj and Majooj,[25] to prevent these people from making irruptions
upon their neighbours. Both, however, are generally believed by the
modern Muslims to assist pious persons in distress in various
circumstances, whether travelling by land or by water.--The mountains of
[K.]af, which bound the Circumambient Ocean, and form a circular barrier
round the whole of our earth, are described by interpreters of the
[K.]ur-an as composed of green chrysolite, like the green tint of the
sky.[26] It is the colour of these mountains, said the Prophet, that
imparts a greenish hue to the sky.[27] It is said, in a tradition, that
beyond these mountains are other countries; one of gold, seventy of
silver, and seven of musk, all inhabited by angels, and each country ten
thousand years' journey in length, and the same in breadth.[28] Some say
that beyond it are creatures unknown to any but God:[29] but the
general opinion is, that the mountains of [K.]af terminate our earth,
and that no one knows what is beyond them. They are the chief abode of
the Jinn, or Genii.--Such is a concise account of the earth which we
inhabit, according to the notions of the Arabs.
We must now describe what is _beneath_ our earth.--It has already been
said, that this is the first, or highest, of seven earths, which are all
of equal width and thickness, and at equal distances apart. Each of
these earths has occupants. The occupants of the first are men, genii,
brutes, &c.: the second is occupied by the suffocating wind that
destroyed the infidel tribe of 'Ad: the third, by the stones of Jahennem
(or Hell), mentioned in the [K.]ur-an, in these words, "the fuel of
which is men and stones:"[30] the fourth, by the sulphur of Jahennem:
the fifth, by its serpents: the sixth, by its scorpions, in colour and
size like black mules, and with tails like spears: the seventh, by
Iblees and his troops.[31] Whether these several earths are believed to
be connected with each other by any means, and if so, how, we are not
expressly informed; but, that they are supposed to be so is evident.
With respect to our earth in particular, as some think, it is said that
it is supported by a rock, with which the mountains of [K.]af
communicate by means of veins or roots; and that, when God desires to
effect an earthquake at a certain place, He commands the mountain [or
rock] to agitate the vein that is connected with that place.[32]--But
there is another account, describing our earth as upheld by certain
successive supports of inconceivable magnitude, which are under the
seventh earth; leaving us to infer that the seven earths are in some
manner connected together. This account, as inserted in the work of one
of the writers above quoted, is as follows:--The earth [under which
appellation are here understood the seven earths] was, it is said,
originally unstable; "therefore God created an angel of immense size and
of the utmost strength, and ordered him to go beneath it, [_i.e._
beneath the lowest earth,] and place it on his shoulders; and his hands
extended beyond the east and west, and grasped the extremities of the
earth [or, as related in Ibn-El-Wardee, the seven earths], and held it
[or them]. But there was no support for his feet: so God created a rock
of ruby, in which were seven thousand perforations; and from each of
these perforations issued a sea, the size of which none knoweth but God,
whose name be exalted: then He ordered this rock to stand under the feet
of the angel. But there was no support for the rock: wherefore God
created a huge bull, with four thousand eyes, and the same number of
ears, noses, mouths, tongues, and feet; between every two of which was a
distance of five hundred years' journey: and God, whose name be exalted,
ordered this bull to go beneath the rock: and he bore it on his back and
his horns. The name of this bull is Kuyoota.[33] But there was no
support for the bull: therefore God, whose name be exalted, created an
enormous fish, that no one could look upon, on account of its vast size,
and the flashing of its eyes and their greatness; for it is said that if
all the seas were placed in one of its nostrils, they would appear like
a grain of mustard-seed in the midst of a desert: and God, whose name be
exalted, commanded the fish to be a support to the feet of the bull.[34]
The name of this fish in Bahamoot. He placed, as its support, water; and
under the water, darkness: and the knowledge of mankind fails as to
what is under the darkness."[35]--Another opinion is, that the [seventh]
earth is upon water; the water, upon the rock; the rock, on the back of
the bull; the bull, on a bed of sand; the sand, on the fish; the fish,
upon a still, suffocating wind; the wind, on a veil of darkness; the
darkness, on a mist; and what is beneath the mist is unknown.[36]
It is generally believed, that, under the lowest earth, and beneath seas
of darkness of which the number is unknown, is Hell, which consists of
seven stages, one beneath another. The first of these, according to the
general opinion, is destined for the reception of wicked Mohammadans;
the second, for the Christians; the third, for the Jews; the fourth, for
the Sabians; the fifth, for the Magians; the sixth, for the Idolaters;
the seventh, by general consent, for the Hypocrites. "Jahennem" is the
general name for Hell, and the particular name for its first stage. The
situation of Hell has been a subject of dispute; some place it in the
seventh earth; and some have doubted whether it be above or below the
earth which _we_ inhabit.
At the consummation of all things, God, we are told, will take the whole
earth in his [left] hand, and the heavens will be rolled together in his
right hand;[37] and the earth will be changed into another earth; and
the heavens [into other heavens];[38] and Hell will be brought nigh [to
the tribunal of God].[39]
NOTE 3. The phrase "God is all-knowing," or "surpassing in knowledge,"
or, as some say, simply "knowing," is generally used by an Arab writer
when he relates anything for the truth of which he cannot vouch; and
Muslims often use it in conversation, in similar cases, unless when they
are uttering intentional falsehoods, which most of them are in the
frequent habit of doing. It is worthy of remark, that, though falsehood
is permitted by their religion in some cases, their doctors of religion
and law generally condemn all works of fiction (even though designed to
convey useful instruction), excepting mere fables, or apologues of a
high class.
NOTE 4. In my usual standard-copy of the original work, as also in that
from which the old translation was made, and in the edition of Breslau,
this prince is called a king of the dynasty of Sasan; but as he is not
so designated in the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, I
have here omitted, in my translation, what would render the whole work
full of anachronisms.
NOTE 5. Shahriyar is a Persian word, signifying "Friend of the City."
The name of the elder King is thus written in the Calcutta edition above
mentioned: in the edition of Cairo (which I generally follow) it is
written Shahrabaz, by errors in diacritical marks; and in that of
Breslau, Shahraban.
NOTE 6. This name, Shah-Zeman, is a compound of Persian and Arabic, and
signifies "King of the Age." By the omission of a diacritical point, in
the Cairo edition, it is written Shah-Reman.
NOTE 7. In the Calcutta edition before mentioned, the elder brother is
called King of Samar[k.]and; and the younger, King of China.
NOTE 8.--_On the title and office of_ Wezeer. Wezeer is an Arabic word,
and is pronounced by the Arabs as I have written it; but the Turks and
Persians pronounce the first letter V. There are three opinions
respecting the etymology of this word. Some derive it from "wizr" (a
burden); because the Wezeer bears the burdens of the King: others, from
"wezer" (a refuge); because the King has recourse to the counsels of his
Wezeer, and his knowledge and prudence: others, again, from "azr" (back,
or strength); because the King is strengthened by his Wezeer as the
human frame is by the back.[40]
The proper and chief duties of a Wezeer are explained by the above, and
by a saying of the Prophet:--"Whosoever is in authority over Muslims, if
God would prosper him, He giveth him a virtuous Wezeer, who, when he
forgetteth his duty, remindeth him, and when he remembereth, assisteth
him: but if He would do otherwise, He giveth him an evil Wezeer, who,
when he forgetteth, doth not remind him, and when he remembereth, doth
not assist him."[41]
The post of Wezeer was the highest that was held by an officer of the
pen; and the person who occupied it was properly the next to the
Sul[t.]an: but the Turkish Sul[t.]ans of Egypt made the office of Naib
(or Viceroy) to have the pre-eminence. Under them, the post of Wezeer
was sometimes occupied by an officer of the sword, and sometimes by an
officer of the pen; and, in both cases, the Wezeer was also called "the
[S.]a[h.]eb." The Sul[t.]an Bar[k.]oo[k.] so degraded this office, by
intrusting its most important functions to other ministers, that the
Wezeer became, in reality, the King's purveyor, and little else;
receiving the indirect taxes, and employing them in the purchase of
provisions for the royal kitchen.[42] It is even said, that he was
usually chosen, by the Turkish Sul[t.]ans of Egypt, from among the Copts
(or Christian Egyptians); because the administration of the taxes had,
from time immemorial, been committed to persons of that race.[43] This,
it would seem, was the case about the time of the Sul[t.]an
Bar[k.]oo[k.]. But in the present work, we are to understand the office
of Wezeer as being what it was in earlier times,--that of Prime
Minister; though we are not hence to infer that the editions of the
Tales of a Thousand and One Nights known to us were written at a period
anterior to that of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans of Egypt and Syria; for, in
the time of these monarchs, the degradation of the office was commonly
known to be a recent innovation, and it may have been of no very long
continuance.
NOTE 9. The paragraph to which this note relates is from the Calcutta
edition of the first two hundred Nights.
NOTE 10.--_On Presents._ The custom of giving presents on the occasion
of paying a visit, or previously, which is of such high antiquity as to
be mentioned in the book of Genesis,[44] has continued to prevail in the
East to this day. Presents of provisions of some kind, wax candles, &c.,
are sent to a person about to celebrate any festivity, by those who are
to be his guests: but after paying a mere visit of ceremony, and on some
other occasions, only money is commonly given to the servants of the
person visited. In either case, the latter is expected to return the
compliment on a similar occasion by presents of equal value. To reject a
present generally gives great offence; being regarded as an insult to
him who has offered it. When a person arrives from a foreign country, he
generally brings some articles of the produce or merchandise of that
country as presents to his friends. Thus, pilgrims returning from the
holy places bring water of Zemzem, dust from the Prophet's tomb, &c.,
for this purpose.--Horses, and male and female slaves, are seldom given
but by kings or great men. Of the condition of slaves in Mohammadan
countries, an account will be given hereafter.
NOTE 11.--_On the Letters of Muslims._ The letters of Muslims are
distinguished by several peculiarities dictated by the rules of
politeness. The paper is thick, white, and highly polished: sometimes it
is ornamented with flowers of gold; and the edges are always cut
straight with scissors. The upper half is generally left blank: and the
writing never occupies any portion of the second side. A notion of the
usual style of letters will be conveyed by several examples in this
work. The name of the person to whom the letter is addressed, when the
writer is an inferior or an equal, and even in some other cases,
commonly occurs in the first sentence, preceded by several titles of
honour; and is often written a little above the line to which it
apertains; the space beneath it in that line being left blank: sometimes
it is written in letters of gold, or red ink. A king, writing to a
subject, or a great man to a dependent, usually places his name and seal
at the head of his letter. The seal is the impression of a signet
(generally a ring, worn on the little finger of the right hand), upon
which is engraved the name of the person, commonly accompanied by the
words "His [_i.e._ God's] servant," or some other words expressive of
trust in God, &c. Its impression is considered more valid than the
sign-manual, and is indispensable to give authenticity to the letter. It
is made by dabbing some ink upon the surface of the signet, and pressing
this upon the paper: the place which is to be stamped being first
moistened, by touching the tongue with a finger of the right hand, and
then gently rubbing the part with that finger. A person writing to a
superior, or to an equal, or even an inferior to whom he wishes to shew
respect, signs his name at the bottom of his letter, next the left side
or corner, and places the seal immediately to the right of this: but if
he particularly desire to testify his humility, he places it beneath his
name, or even partly over the lower edge of the paper, which
consequently does not receive the whole of the impression. The letter is
generally folded twice, in the direction of the writing, and enclosed in
a cover of paper, upon which is written the address, in some such form
as this:--"It shall arrive, if it be the will of God, whose name be
exalted, at such a place, and be delivered into the hand of our honoured
friend, &c., such a one, whom God preserve." Sometimes it is placed in a
small bag, or purse, of silk embroidered with gold.
NOTE 12. The custom of sending forth a deputation to meet and welcome an
approaching ambassador, or other great man, is still observed in Eastern
countries; and the rank of the persons thus employed conveys to him some
intimation of the manner in which he is to be received at the court: he
therefore looks forward to this ceremony with a degree of anxiety. A
humorous illustration of its importance in the eye of an Oriental
ambassador, is given in "The Adventures of Hajji Baba in England."
NOTE 13.--_On Hospitality._ The hospitable custom here mentioned is
observed by Muslims in compliance with a precept of their Prophet.
"Whoever," said he, "believes in God and the day of resurrection must
respect his guest; and the time of being kind to him is one day and one
night; and the period of entertaining him is three days; and after that,
if he does it longer, he benefits him more; but it is not right for a
guest to stay in the house of the host so long as to incommode him." He
even allowed the "right of a guest" to be taken by force from such as
would not offer it.[45] The following observations, respecting the
treatment of guests by the Bedawees, present an interesting commentary
upon the former precept, and upon our text:--"Strangers who have not any
friend or acquaintance in the camp, alight at the first tent that
presents itself: whether the owner be at home or not, the wife or
daughter immediately spreads a carpet, and prepares breakfast or dinner.
If the stranger's business requires a protracted stay, as, for instance,
if he wishes to cross the Desert under the protection of the tribe, the
host, after a lapse of three days and four hours from the time of his
arrival, asks whether he means to honour him any longer with his
company. If the stranger declares his intention of prolonging his visit,
it is expected that he should assist his host in domestic matters,
fetching water, milking the camel, feeding the horse, &c. Should he even
decline this, he may remain; but will be censured by all the Arabs of
the camp: he may, however, go to some other tent of the nezel [or
encampment], and declare himself there a guest. Thus, every third or
fourth day he may change hosts, until his business is finished, or he
has reached his place of destination."[46]
NOTE 14.--_On different modes of Obeisance._ Various different modes of
obeisance are practised by the Muslims. Among these, the following are
the more common or more remarkable: they differ in the degree
of respect that they indicate, nearly in the order in which I shall
mention them; the last being the most respectful:--1. Placing the right
hand upon the breast.--2. Touching the lips and the forehead or turban
(or the forehead or turban only) with the right hand.--3. Doing the
same, but slightly inclining the head during that action.--4. The same
as the preceding, but inclining the body also.--5. As above, but
previously touching the ground with the right hand.--6. Kissing the hand
of the person to whom the obeisance is paid.--7. Kissing his sleeve.--8.
Kissing the skirt of his clothing.--9. Kissing his feet.--10. Kissing
the carpet or ground before him.--The first five modes are often
accompanied by the salutation of "Peace be on you!" to which the reply
is, "On you be peace, and the mercy of God, and his blessings!" The
sixth mode is observed by servants or pupils to masters, by the wife to
the husband, and by children to their father, and sometimes to the
mother. It is also an act of homage paid to the aged by the young; or to
learned or religious men by the less instructed or less devout. The last
mode is seldom observed but to kings; and in Arabian countries it is now
very uncommon.
NOTE 15. It might seem unnecessary to say, that a King understood what
he read, were it not explained that the style of Arabic epistolary
compositions, like that of the literature in general, differs
considerably from that of common conversation.
NOTE 16. The party travelled chiefly by night, on account of the heat of
the day.
NOTE 17.--_On the occasional Decorations of Eastern Cities._ On various
occasions of rejoicing in the palace of the king or governor, the
inhabitants of an Eastern city are commanded to decorate their houses,
and the tradesmen, in particular, to adorn their shops, by suspending
shawls, brocades, rich dresses, women's ornaments, and all kinds of
costly articles of merchandise; lamps and flags are attached to cords
drawn across the streets, which are often canopied over; and when
sufficient notice has been given, the shops, and the doors, &c., of
private houses, are painted with gay colours.--Towards the close of the
year 1834, the people of Cairo were ordered to decorate their houses and
shops previously to the arrival of Ibraheem Basha, after his victorious
campaigns in Syria and Asia Minor. They ornamented the lower parts of
their houses with whitewash and red ochre, generally in broad,
alternate, horizontal stripes; that is, one course of stone white, and
the next red; but the only kind of oil-paint that they could procure in
large quantities was blue, the colour of mourning; so that they were
obliged to use this as the ground upon which to paint flowers and other
ornamental devices on their shops; but they regarded this as portending
a pestilence; and the awful plague of the following spring confirmed
them in their superstitious notions.
NOTE 18. As the notes to this introductory portion are especially
numerous, and the chase is here but cursorily alluded to, I shall
reserve an account of the mode of hunting to be given on a future
occasion.
NOTE 19.--_On the opinions of the Arabs respecting Female Beauty._ The
reader should have some idea of the qualifications or charms which the
Arabs in general consider requisite to the perfection of female beauty;
for erroneous fancies on this subject would much detract from the
interest of the present work. He must not imagine that excessive fatness
is one of these characteristics; though it is said to be esteemed a
chief essential to beauty throughout the greater part of Northern
Africa: on the contrary, the maiden whose loveliness inspires the most
impassioned expressions in Arabic poetry and prose is celebrated for her
slender figure: she is like the cane among plants, and is elegant as a
twig of the oriental willow.[47] Her face is like the full moon,
presenting the strongest contrast to the colour of her hair, which (to
preserve the nature of the simile just employed,) is of the deepest hue
of night, and descends to the middle of her back. A rosy blush
overspreads the centre of each cheek; and a mole is considered an
additional charm. The Arabs, indeed, are particularly extravagant in
their admiration of this natural beauty-spot; which, according to its
place, is compared to a globule of ambergris upon a dish of alabaster or
upon the surface of a ruby.[48] The eyes of the Arab beauty are
intensely black, large, and long; of the form of an almond: they are
full of brilliancy; but this is softened by a lid slightly depressed,
and by long silken lashes, giving a tender and languid expression, which
is full of enchantment, and scarcely to be improved by the adventitious
aid of the black border of ko[h.]l; for this the lovely maiden adds
rather for the sake of fashion than necessity; having, what the Arabs
term, natural ko[h.]l. The eyebrows are thin and arched; the forehead is
wide, and fair as ivory; the nose, straight; the mouth, small; the lips
are of a brilliant red; and the teeth, "like pearls set in coral." The
forms of the bosom are compared to two pomegranates; the waist is
slender; the hips are wide and large; the feet and hands, small; the
fingers, tapering, and their extremities dyed with the deep orange-red
tint imparted by the leaves of the [h.]enna.[49] The person in whom
these charms are combined exhibits a lively image of "the rosy-fingered
Aurora:" her lover knows neither night nor sleep in her presence, and
the constellations of heaven are no longer seen by him when she
approaches. The most bewitching age is between fourteen and seventeen
years; for then the forms of womanhood are generally developed in their
greatest beauty; but many a maiden in her twelfth year possesses charms
sufficient to fascinate every youth or man who beholds her.
The reader may perhaps desire a more minute analysis of Arabian beauty.
The following is the most complete that I can offer him.--"Four things
in a woman should be _black_; the hair of the head, the eyebrows, the
eyelashes, and the dark part of the eyes: four _white_; the complexion
of the skin, the white of the eyes, the teeth, and the legs: four _red_;
the tongue, the lips, the middle of the cheeks, and the gums: four
_round_; the head, the neck, the fore-arms, and the ankles: four _long_;
the back, the fingers, the arms, and the legs:[50] four _wide_; the
forehead, the eyes, the bosom, and the hips: four _fine_; the eyebrows,
the nose, the lips, and the fingers: four _thick_; the lower part of the
back, the thighs, the calves of the legs, and the knees: four _small_;
the ears, the breasts, the hands, and the feet."[51]
NOTE 20. Mes'ood is a common proper name of men, and signifies "happy,"
or "made happy."
NOTE 21.--_On the_ Jinn, _or Genii._ The frequent mention of Genii in
this work, and the erroneous accounts that have been given of these
fabulous beings by various European writers, have induced me to examine
the statements respecting them in several Arabic works; and I shall here
offer the result of my investigation, with a previous account of the
Angels.
The Muslims, in general, believe in three different species of created
intelligent beings; namely, Angels, who are created of light; Genii, who
are created of fire; and Men, created of earth. The first species are
called "Melaikeh" (sing. "Melek"); the second, "Jinn" or "Ginn" (sing.
"Jinnee" or "Ginnee"); the third, "Ins" (sing. "Insee"). Some hold that
the Devils (Shey[t.]ans) are of a species distinct from Angels and Jinn;
but the more prevailing opinion, and that which rests on the highest
authority, is, that they are rebellious Jinn.
"It is believed," says El-[K.]azweenee, "that the Angels are of a simple
substance, endowed with life, and speech, and reason; and that the
difference between them and the Jinn and Shey[t.]ans is a difference of
species. Know," he adds, "that the Angels are sanctified from carnal
desire and the disturbance of anger: they disobey not God in what He
hath commanded them, but do what they are commanded. Their food is the
celebrating of his glory; their drink, the proclaiming of his holiness;
their conversation, the commemoration of God, whose name be exalted;
their pleasure, his worship: they are created in different forms, and
with different powers." Some are described as having the forms of
brutes. Four of them are Archangels; Jebraeel or Jibreel (or Gabriel),
the angel of revelations; Meekaeel or Meekal (or Michael), the patron of
the Israelites; 'Azraeel, the angel of death; and Israfeel, the angel of
the trumpet, which he is to sound twice, or as some say thrice, at the
end of the world: one blast will kill all living creatures (himself
included): another, forty years after, (he being raised again for this
purpose, with Jebraeel and Meekaeel), will raise the dead. These
Archangels are also called Apostolic Angels. They are inferior in
dignity to human prophets and apostles, though superior to the rest of
the human race: the angelic nature is held to be inferior to the human
nature, because all the Angels were commanded to prostrate themselves
before Adam. Every believer is attended by two guardian and recording
angels; one of whom writes his good actions; the other, his evil
actions: or, according to some, the number of these angels is five, or
sixty, or a hundred and sixty. There are also two Angels called Munkar
(vulg. Nakir) and Nekeer, who examine all the dead, and torture the
wicked, in their graves.
The species of Jinn is said to have been created some thousands of years
before Adam. According to a tradition from the Prophet, this species
consists of five orders or classes; namely, Jann (who are the least
powerful of all), Jinn, Shey[t.]ans (or Devils), 'Efreets, and Marids.
The last, it is added, are the most powerful; and the Jann are
transformed Jinn; like as certain apes and swine were transformed
men.[52]--It must, however, be remarked here, that the terms Jinn and
Jann are generally used indiscriminately, as names of the whole species
(including the other orders above mentioned), whether good or bad; and
that the former term is the more common. Also, that "Shey[t.]an" is
commonly used to signify any evil Jinnee. An 'Efreet is a powerful evil
Jinnee:[53] a Marid, an evil Jinnee of the most powerful class. The Jinn
(but generally speaking, evil ones) are called by the Persians "Deevs,"
the most powerful evil Jinn, "Narahs" (which signifies "males," though
they are said to be males and females); the good Jinn, "Perees;" though
this term is commonly applied to females.
In a tradition from the Prophet, it is said, "The Jann were created of a
smokeless fire."[54] The word which signifies "a smokeless fire" has
been misunderstood by some as meaning "the flame of fire:" El-Joharee
(in the [S.]e[h.]a[h.]) renders it rightly; and says that of this fire
was _the_ Shey[t.]an (Iblees) created. "El-Jann" is sometimes used as a
name for Iblees; as in the following verse of the [K.]ur-an:--"And the
Jann [the father of the Jinn; _i. e._ Iblees] we had created before [_i.
e._ before the creation of Adam] of the fire of the samoom [_i. e._ of
fire without smoke]."[55] "Jann" also signifies "a serpent;" as in other
passages of the [K.]ur-an;[56] and is used in the same book as
synonymous with "Jinn."[57] In the last sense it is generally believed
to be used in the tradition quoted in the commencement of this
paragraph. There are several apparently contradictory traditions from
the Prophet which are reconciled by what has been above stated: in one,
it is said, that Iblees was the father of all the Jann and
Shey[t.]ans;[58] Jann being here synonymous with Jinn: in another, that
Jann was the father of all the Jinn;[59] here, Jann being used as a name
of Iblees.
"It is held," says El-[K.]azweenee, "that the Jinn are aerial animals,
with transparent bodies, which can assume various forms. People differ
in opinion respecting these beings: some consider the Jinn and
Shey[t.]ans as unruly men; but these persons are of the Mo[a.]tezileh [a
sect of Muslim freethinkers]: and some hold, that God, whose name be
exalted, created the Angels of the light of fire, and the Jinn of its
flame [but this is at variance with the general opinion], and the
Sheytans of its smoke [which is also at variance with the common
opinion]; and that [all] these kinds of beings are [usually]
invisible[60] to men, but that they assume what forms they please, and
when their form becomes condensed they are visible."--This last remark
illustrates several descriptions of Jinnees in this work; where the form
of the monster is at first undefined, or like an enormous pillar, and
then gradually assumes a human shape and less gigantic size. The
particular forms of brutes, reptiles, &c., in which the Jinn most
frequently appear will be mentioned hereafter.
It is said that God created the Jann [or Jinn] two thousand years before
Adam [or, according to some writers, much earlier]; and that there are
believers and infidels and every sect among them, as among
men.[61]--Some say that a prophet, named Yoosuf, was sent to the Jinn:
others, that they had only preachers, or admonishers: others, again,
that seventy apostles were sent, before Mo[h.]ammad, to Jinn and men
conjointly.[62] It is commonly believed that the preadamite Jinn were
governed by forty (or, according to some, seventy-two) kings, to each of
whom the Arab writers give the name of Suleyman (or Solomon); and
that they derive their appellation from the last of these, who was
called Jann Ibn-Jann, and who, some say, built the Pyramids of
Egypt. The following account of the preadamite Jinn is given by
El-[K.]azweenee.--"It is related in histories, that a race of Jinn, in
ancient times, before the creation of Adam, inhabited the earth, and
covered it, the land and the sea, and the plains and the mountains; and
the favours of God were multiplied upon them, and they had government,
and prophecy, and religion, and law; but they transgressed and offended,
and opposed their prophets, and made wickedness to abound in the earth;
whereupon God, whose name be exalted, sent against them an army of
Angels, who took possession of the earth, and drove away the Jinn to the
regions of the islands, and made many of them prisoners; and of those
who were made prisoners was 'Azazeel [afterwards called Iblees, from his
_despair_]; and a slaughter was made among them. At that time, 'Azazeel
was young: he grew up among the Angels [and probably for that reason was
called one of them], and became learned in their knowledge, and assumed
the government of them; and his days were prolonged until he became
their chief; and thus it continued for a long time, until the affair
between him and Adam happened, as God, whose name be exalted, hath said,
'When we said unto the Angels, Worship[63] ye Adam, and [all] worshipped
except Iblees, [who] was [one] of the Jinn.'"[64]
"Iblees," we are told by another authority, "was sent as a governor upon
the earth, and judged among the Jinn a thousand years, after which he
ascended into heaven, and remained employed in worship until the
creation of Adam."[65] The name of Iblees was originally, according to
some, 'Azazeel (as before mentioned); and according to others,
El-[H.]arith: his patronymic is Aboo-Murrah, or Abu-l-Ghimr.[66]--It is
disputed whether he was of the Angels or of the Jinn. There are three
opinions on this point.--1. That he was of the Angels, from a tradition
from Ibn-'Abbas.--2. That he was of the Shey[t.]ans (or evil Jinn); as
it is said in the [K.]ur-an, "except Iblees, [who] was [one] of the
Jinn:" this was the opinion of El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree, and is that
commonly held.--3. That he was neither of the Angels nor of the Jinn;
but created alone, of fire.--Ibn-'Abbas founds his opinion on the same
text from which El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree derives his: "When we said unto
the Angels, Worship ye Adam, and [all] worshipped except Iblees, [who]
was [one] of the Jinn" (before quoted): which he explains by saying,
that the most noble and honourable among the Angels are called "the
Jinn," because they are _veiled_ from the eyes of the other Angels on
account of their superiority; and that Iblees was one of these Jinn. He
adds, that he had the government of the lowest heaven and of the earth,
and was called the [T.]aoos (literally, Peacock) of the Angels; and that
there was not a spot in the lowest heaven but he had prostrated himself
upon it: but when the Jinn rebelled upon the earth, God sent a troop of
Angels who drove them to the islands and mountains; and Iblees being
elated with pride, and refusing to prostrate himself before Adam, God
transformed him into a Shey[t.]an.--But this reasoning is opposed by
other verses, in which Iblees is represented as saying, "Thou hast
created _me_ of _fire_, and hast created _him_ [Adam] of _earth_."[67]
It is therefore argued, "If he were created originally of fire, how was
he created of light? for the Angels were [all] created of
light."[68]--The former verse may be explained by the tradition, that
Iblees, having been taken captive, was exalted among the Angels; or
perhaps there is an ellipsis after the word "Angels;" for it might be
inferred that the command given to the Angels was also (and _a
fortiori_) to be obeyed by the Jinn.
According to a tradition, Iblees and all the Shey[t.]ans are
distinguished from the other Jinn by a longer existence. "The
Shey[t.]ans," it is added, "are the children of Iblees, and die not but
with him: whereas the [other] Jinn die before him;"[69] though they may
live many centuries. But this is not altogether accordant with the
popular belief: Iblees and many other evil Jinn are to survive mankind;
but they are to die before the general resurrection; as also even the
Angels; the last of whom will be the Angel of Death, 'Azraeel: yet not
_all_ the evil Jinn are to live thus long: many of them are killed by
shooting stars, hurled at them from heaven; wherefore, the Arabs, when
they see a shooting star (shihab), often exclaim, "May God transfix the
enemy of the faith!"--Many also are killed by other Jinn; and some, even
by men. The fire of which the Jinnee is created circulates in his veins,
in place of blood: therefore, when he receives a mortal wound, this
fire, issuing from his veins, generally consumes him to ashes.--The
Jinn, it has been already shown, are peccable. They also eat and drink,
and propagate their species, sometimes in conjunction with human beings;
in which latter case, the offspring partakes of the nature of both
parents. In all these respects they differ from the Angels. Among the
evil Jinn are distinguished the five sons of their chief, Iblees;
namely, Teer, who brings about calamities, losses, and injuries;
El-A[a.]war, who encourages debauchery; So[t.], who suggests lies;
Dasim, who causes hatred between man and wife; and Zelemboor, who
presides over places of traffic.[70]
The most common forms and habitations or places of resort of the Jinn
must now be described.
The following traditions from the Prophet are the most to the purpose
that I have seen.--The Jinn are of various shapes; having the forms of
serpents, scorpions, lions, wolves, jackals, &c.[71]--The Jinn are of
three kinds; one on the land; one in the sea; and one in the air.[72]
The Jinn consist of forty troops; each troop consisting of six hundred
thousand.[73]--The Jinn are of three kinds; one have wings, and fly;
another are snakes, and dogs; and the third move about from place to
place like men.[74]--Domestic snakes are asserted to be Jinn on the same
authority.[75]
The Prophet ordered his followers to kill serpents and scorpions if they
intruded at prayers; but on other occasions, he seems to have required
first to admonish them to depart, and then, if they remained, to kill
them. The Doctors, however, differ in opinion whether _all_ kinds of
snakes or serpents should be admonished first; or whether _any_ should;
for the Prophet, say they, took a covenant of the Jinn [probably after
the above-mentioned command], that they should not enter the houses of
the faithful: therefore, it is argued, if they enter, they break their
covenant, and it becomes lawful to kill them without previous
admonishment. Yet it is related that 'Aisheh, the Prophet's wife, having
killed a serpent in her chamber, was alarmed by a dream, and, fearing
that it might have been a Muslim Jinnee, as it did not enter her chamber
when she was undressed, gave in alms, as an expiation, twelve thousand
dirhems (about L300), the price of the blood of a Muslim.[76]
The Jinn are said to appear to mankind most commonly in the shapes of
serpents, dogs, cats, or human beings. In the last case, they are
sometimes of the stature of men, and sometimes of a size enormously
gigantic. If good, they are generally resplendently handsome: if evil,
horribly hideous. They become invisible at pleasure (by a rapid
extension or rarefaction of the particles which compose them), or
suddenly disappear in the earth or air, or through a solid wall. Many
Muslims in the present day profess to have seen and held intercourse
with them.
The Zoba'ah, which is a whirlwind that raises the sand or dust in the
form of a pillar of prodigious height, often seen sweeping across the
deserts and fields, is believed to be caused by the flight of an evil
Jinnee. To defend themselves from a Jinnee thus "riding in the
whirlwind," the Arabs often exclaim, "Iron! Iron!" ([H.]adeed!
[H.]adeed!), or, "Iron! thou unlucky!" ([H.]adeed! ya mashoom!), as the
Jinn are supposed to have a great dread of that metal: or they exclaim,
"God is most great!" (Allahu akbar!).[77] A similar superstition
prevails with respect to the water-spout at sea, as the reader may have
discovered from the first instance of the description of a Jinnee in the
present work, which occasions this note to be here inserted.
It is believed that the chief abode of the Jinn is in the Mountains of
[K.]af, which are supposed (as mentioned on a former occasion) to
encompass the whole of our earth. But they are also believed to pervade
the solid body of our earth, and the firmament; and to choose, as their
principal places of resort, or of occasional abode, baths, wells, the
latrina, ovens, ruined houses, market-places, the junctures of roads,
the sea, and rivers. The Arabs, therefore, when they pour water,
&c., on the ground, or enter a bath, or let down a bucket into a
well, or visit the latrina, and on various other occasions, say,
"Permission!" or "Permission, ye blessed!" (Destoor! or, Destoor ya
mubarakeen!").[78]--The evil spirits (or evil Jinn), it is said, had
liberty to enter any of the seven heavens till the birth of Jesus, when
they were excluded from three of them; on the birth of Mo[h.]ammad, they
were forbidden the other four.[79] They continue, however, to ascend to
the confines of the lowest heaven, and there listening to the
conversation of the Angels respecting things decreed by God, obtain
knowledge of futurity, which they sometimes impart to men, who, by means
of talismans, or certain invocations, make them to serve the purposes of
magical performances. To this particular subject it will be necessary to
revert.--What the Prophet said of Iblees, in the following tradition,
applies also to the evil Jinn over whom he presides:--His chief abode
[among men] is the bath; his chief places of resort are the markets, and
the junctures of roads; his food is whatever is killed without the name
of God being pronounced over it; his drink, whatever is intoxicating;
his mueddin, the mizmar (a musical pipe; _i. e._ any musical
instrument); his [k.]uran, poetry; his written character, the marks made
in geomancy;[80] his speech, falsehood; his snares are women.[81]
That particular Jinnees presided over particular places, was an opinion
of the early Arabs. It is said in the [K.]ur-an, "And there were certain
men who sought refuge with certain of the Jinn."[82] In the Commentary
of the Jelaleyn, I find the following remark on these words:--"When they
halted, on their journey, in a place of fear, each man said, 'I seek
refuge with the lord of this place, from the mischief of his foolish
ones!'" In illustration of this, I may insert the following tradition,
translated from El-[K.]azweenee:--"It is related by a certain narrator
of traditions, that he descended into a valley, with his sheep, and a
wolf carried off a ewe from among them; and he arose, and raised his
voice, and cried, 'O inhabitant of the valley!' whereupon he heard a
voice saying, 'O wolf, restore to him his sheep!' and the wolf came with
the ewe, and left her, and departed."--The same opinion is held by the
modern Arabs, though probably they do not use such an invocation.--A
similar superstition, a relic of ancient Egyptian credulity, still
prevails among the people of Cairo. It is believed that each quarter of
this city has its peculiar guardian-genius, or Agathodaemon, which has
the form of a serpent.[83]
It has already been mentioned that some of the Jinn are Muslims; and
others, infidels. The good Jinn acquit themselves of the imperative
duties of religion; namely, prayers, alms-giving, fasting during the
month of Rama[d.]an, and pilgrimage to Mekkeh and Mount 'Arafat: but in
the performance of these duties they are generally invisible to human
beings. Some examples of the mode in which good Jinn pay the alms
required of them by the law, I have given in a former work.[84]
Of the services and injuries done by Jinn to men, some account must be
given.
It has been stated, that, by means of talismans, or certain invocations,
men are said to obtain the services of Jinn; and the manner in which the
latter are enabled to assist magicians, by imparting to them the
knowledge of future events, has been explained. No man ever obtained
such absolute power over the Jinn as Suleyman, Ibn-Daood (Solomon, the
Son of David). This he did by virtue of a most wonderful talisman, which
is said to have come down to him from heaven. It was a seal-ring, upon
which was engraved "the most great name" of God; and was partly composed
of brass, and partly of iron. With the brass he stamped his written
commands to the good Jinn; with the iron (for a reason before
mentioned), those to the evil Jinn, or Devils. Over both orders he had
unlimited power; as well as over the birds and the winds,[85] and, as is
generally said, the wild beasts. His Wezeer, A[s.]af the son of
Barkhiya, is also said to have been acquainted with "the most great
name," by uttering which, the greatest miracles may be performed; even
that of raising the dead. By virtue of this name, engraved on his ring,
Suleyman compelled the Jinn to assist in building the Temple of
Jerusalem, and in various other works. Many of the evil Jinn he
converted to the true faith; and many others of this class, who remained
obstinate in infidelity, he confined in prisons. He is said to have been
monarch of the whole earth. Hence, perhaps, the name of Suleyman is
given to the universal monarchs of the preadamite Jinn; unless the story
of his own universal dominion originated from confounding him with those
kings of the Jinn.
The injuries related to have been inflicted upon human beings by evil
Jinn are of various kinds. Jinnees are said to have often carried off
beautiful women, whom they have forcibly kept as their wives or
concubines. I have mentioned in a former work, that malicious or
disturbed Jinnees are asserted often to station themselves on the roofs,
or at the windows, of houses, and to throw down bricks and stones on
persons passing by.[86] When they take possession of an uninhabited
house, they seldom fail to persecute terribly any person who goes to
reside in it. They are also very apt to pilfer provisions, &c. Many
learned and devout persons, to secure their property from such
depredations, repeat the words "In the name of God, the Compassionate,
the Merciful!" on locking the doors of their houses, rooms, or closets,
and on covering the bread-basket, or anything containing food.[87]
During the month of Rama[d.]an, the evil Jinn are believed to be
confined in prison; and therefore, on the last night of that month, with
the same view, women sometimes repeat the words above mentioned, and
sprinkle salt upon the floors of the apartments of their houses.[88]
To complete this sketch of Arabian mythology, an account must be added
of several creatures generally believed to be of inferior orders of the
Jinn.
One of these is the Ghool, which is commonly regarded as a kind of
Sheytan, or evil Jinnee, that eats men; and is also described by some as
a Jinnee or an enchanter who assumes various forms. The Ghools are said
to appear in the forms of various animals, and of human beings, and in
many monstrous shapes; to haunt burial-grounds and other sequestered
spots; to feed upon dead human bodies; and to kill and devour any human
creature who has the misfortune to fall in their way: whence the term
"Ghool" is applied to any cannibal. An opinion quoted by a celebrated
author, respecting the Ghool, is, that it is a demoniacal animal, which
passes a solitary existence in the deserts, resembling both man and
brute; that it appears to a person travelling alone in the night and in
solitary places, and, being supposed by him to be itself a traveller,
lures him out of his way.[89] Another opinion stated by him is this:
that, when the Sheytans attempt to hear words by stealth [from the
confines of the lowest heaven], they are struck by shooting stars; and
some are burnt; some, falling into a sea, or rather a large river
(ba[h.]r), become converted into crocodiles; and some, falling upon the
land, become Ghools. The same author adds the following tradition:--"The
Ghool is any Jinnee that is opposed to travels, assuming various forms
and appearances;"[90] and affirms that several of the Companions of the
Prophet saw Ghools in their travels; and that 'Omar, among them, saw a
Ghool while on a journey to Syria, before El-Islam, and struck it with
his sword.--It appears that "Ghool" is, properly speaking, a name only
given to a _female_ demon of the kind above described: the male is
called "[K.]u[t.]rub."[91] It is said that these beings, and the
Ghaddar, or Gharrar, and other similar creatures which will presently be
mentioned, are the offspring of Iblees and of a wife whom God created
for him of the fire of the Samoom (which here signifies, as in an
instance before mentioned, "a smokeless fire"); and that they sprang
from an egg.[92] The female Ghool, it is added, appears to men in the
deserts, in various forms, converses with them, and sometimes
prostitutes herself to them.[93]
The Se[a.]lah, or Sa[a.]lah, is another demoniacal creature, described
by some [or rather, by most authors] as of the Jinn. It is said that it
is mostly found in forests, and that when it captures a man, it makes
him dance, and plays with him as the cat plays with the mouse. A man of
I[s.]fahan asserted that many beings of this kind abounded in his
country; that sometimes the wolf would hunt one of them by night, and
devour it, and that, when it had seized it, the Se[a.]lah would cry out,
"Come to my help, for the wolf devoureth me!" or it would cry, "Who will
liberate me? I have a hundred deenars, and he shall receive them!" but
the people knowing that it was the cry of the Se[a.]lah, no one would
liberate it; and so the wolf would eat it.[94]--An island in the sea of
E[s.]-[S.]een (or China) is called "the Island of the Se[a.]lah," by
Arab geographers, from its being said to be inhabited by the demons so
named: they are described as creatures of hideous forms, supposed to be
Shey[t.]ans, the offspring of human beings and Jinn, who eat men."[95]
The Ghaddar, or Gharrar (for its name is written differently in two
different MSS. in my possession), is another creature of a similar
nature, described as being found in the borders of El-Yemen, and
sometimes in Tihameh, and in the upper parts of Egypt. It is said that
it entices a man to it, and either tortures him in a manner not to be
described, or merely terrifies him, and leaves him.[96]
The Delhan is also a demoniacal being, inhabiting the islands of the
seas, having the form of a man, and riding on an ostrich. It eats the
flesh of men whom the sea casts on the shore from wrecks. Some say that
a Delhan once attacked a ship in the sea, and desired to take the crew;
but they contended with it; whereupon it uttered a cry which caused them
to fall upon their faces, and it took them.[97]--In my MS. of
Ibn-El-Wardee, I find the name written "Dahlan." He mentions an island
called by this name, in the Sea of 'Oman; and describes its inhabitants
as cannibal Shey[t.]ans, like men in form, and riding on birds
resembling ostriches.
The Shi[k.][k.] is another demoniacal creature, having the form of half
a human being (like a man divided longitudinally); and it is believed
that the Nesnas is the offspring of a Shi[k.][k.] and of a human being.
The Shi[k.][k.] appears to travellers; and it was a demon of this kind
who killed, and was killed by, 'Al[k.]amah, the son of [S.]afwan, the
son of Umeiyeh; of whom it is well known that he was killed by a Jinnee.
So says El-[K.]azweenee.
The Nesnas (above mentioned) is described as resembling half a human
being; having half a head, half a body, one arm, and one leg, with which
it hops with much agility; as being found in the woods of El-Yemen, and
being endowed with speech: "but God," it is added, "is all-knowing."[98]
It is said that it is found in [H.]a[d.]ramot as well as El-Yemen; and
that one was brought alive to El-Mutawekkil: it resembled a man in form,
excepting that it had but half a face, which was in its breast, and a
tail like that of a sheep. The people of [H.]a[d.]ramot, it is added,
eat it; and its flesh is sweet. It is only generated in their country. A
man who went there asserted that he saw a captured Nesnas, which cried
out for mercy, conjuring him by God and by himself.[99] A race of people
whose head is in the breast is described as inhabiting an island called
Jabeh (supposed to be Java), in the Sea of El-Hind, or India.[100] A
kind of Nesnas is also described as inhabiting the Island of Raij, in
the Sea of E[s.]-[S.]een, or China, and having wings like those of the
bat.[101]
The Hatif is a being that is heard, but not seen; and is often mentioned
by Arab writers. It is generally the communicator of some intelligence
in the way of advice, or direction, or warning.
Here terminating this long note, I must beg the reader to remark, that
the superstitious fancies which it describes are prevalent among all
classes of the Arabs, and the Muslims in general, learned as well as
vulgar. I have comprised in it much matter not necessary to illustrate
the introductory portion of this work, in order to avoid frequent
recurrence to the same subject. Another apology for its length may also
be offered:--its importance as confuting Schlegel's opinion, that the
frequent mention of Genii is more consistent with Indian than with Arab
notions.
NOTE 22. This chest is described in some copies as formed of glass.
NOTE 23. The term "'Efreet" has been explained above, in Note 21.
NOTE 24. Most of the copies of the original, it appears, make the number
of rings ninety-eight; therefore, I have substituted this, as less
extraordinary, for five hundred and seventy, which is the number
mentioned in the Cairo edition.
NOTE 25. Almost every Muslim who can afford it has a seal-ring, for a
reason shewn in a former note (No. 11).[102]
NOTE 26. For the story of Yoosuf and Zeleekha (or Joseph and the wife of
Potiphar), see the [K.]ur-an, ch. xii.
NOTE 27.--_On the wickedness of Women._ The wickedness of women is a
subject upon which the stronger sex among the Arabs, with an affected
feeling of superior virtue, often dwell in common conversation. That
women are deficient in judgment or good sense is held as a fact not to
be disputed even by themselves, as it rests on an assertion of the
Prophet; but that they possess a superior degree of cunning is
pronounced equally certain and notorious. Their general depravity is
pronounced to be much greater than that of men. "I stood," said the
Prophet, "at the gate of Paradise; and lo, most of its inmates were the
poor: and I stood at the gate of Hell; and lo, most of its inmates were
women."[103] In allusion to women, the Khaleefeh 'Omar said, "Consult
them, and do the contrary of what they advise." But this is not to be
done merely for the sake of opposing them; nor when other advice can be
had. "It is desirable for a man," says a learned Imam, "before he enters
upon any important undertaking, to consult ten intelligent persons among
his particular friends; or, if he have not more than five such friends,
let him consult each of them twice; or, if he have not more than one
friend, he should consult him ten times, at ten different visits: if he
have not one to consult, let him return to his wife, and consult her;
and whatever she advises him to do, let him do the contrary: so shall he
proceed rightly in his affair, and attain his object."[104] A truly
virtuous wife is, of course, excepted in this rule: such a person is as
much respected by Muslims as she is (at least, according to their own
account) rarely met with by them. When woman was created, the Devil, we
are told, was delighted, and said, "Thou art half of my host, and thou
art the depository of my secret, and thou art my arrow, with which I
shoot, and miss not."[105] What are termed by us affairs of gallantry
were very common among the Pagan Arabs, and are scarcely less so among
their Muslim posterity. They are, however, unfrequent among most tribes
of Bedawees, and among the descendants of those tribes not long settled
as cultivators. I remember being roused from the quiet that I generally
enjoyed in an ancient tomb in which I resided at Thebes, by the cries of
a young woman in the neighbourhood, whom an Arab was severely beating
for an impudent proposal that she had made to him.
NOTE 28.--_On the cruelty ascribed to_ Shahriyar. I wish that I could
accuse the author of inventing, in this case, an incident of an
incredible nature, and entirely unparalleled; but, alas, acts of equal
cruelty are recorded of Arab princes: traits of benevolence, and crimes
of the blackest hue, are related in their histories, sometimes in the
same page. I have not read of any case exactly resembling that to which
this note relates; but the following anecdote will shew, that if conduct
still more atrocious had been described in the latter, it might have
been founded on fact. "In the year of the Flight 423, the Khaleefeh of
Egypt, E[z.]-[Z.]ahir, the son of El-[H.]akim, collected together all
the female slaves that were in the palace, and said to them, 'Assemble
together, and I will make a day of pleasure for you, such as hath not
before been seen in Egypt.' He ordered, also, that every person who had
a female slave should bring her, and that none of them should come but
with her ornaments of jewels and gold. They did so; and there was not a
single one that did not come. He then placed them in a chamber, and,
calling some masons, made them build up the door of the chamber upon
them, and so they all died. This happened on Friday (the Mohammadan
Sabbath,) the 6th of Showwal. The number of them was two thousand six
hundred and sixty female slaves. After they had remained six months, he
heaped lighted combustibles upon them, and burned them, together with
their clothes and ornaments. May God [says the narrator] shew no mercy
to him!"[106]
NOTE 29. I here deviate a little from my original, in which Shahrazad is
made to say, "Either I shall live, or I shall be a ransom for the
daughters of the Muslims, and the cause of their deliverance from him."
Upon this, the sheykh Mo[h.]ammed 'Eiyad has remarked in a marginal
note, "It would seem that she had contrived some stratagem to prevent
his marrying again if he determined to kill her: otherwise, the mere
killing her would not be a means of rescuing the other maidens."
NOTE 30.--_On the Language of Birds, &c._ It is commonly believed by the
Muslims (learned and unlearned), that all kinds of birds, and many (if
not all) beasts, have a language by which they communicate their
thoughts to each other; and we are told in the [K.]ur-an,[107] that
Suleyman (or Solomon) was taught the language of birds.[108] I thought
that I could boast of an accomplishment very rare in Christian
countries, in having learned, in Egypt, somewhat of this language; for
instance, that the common cry of the pigeon is "Allah! Allah!" ("God!
God!"); that of the ringdove, "Keerem! Towwab!" ("Bountiful!
Propitious!"--an ejaculation addressed to God); that of the common dove,
"Wa[h.][h.]idoo rabbakumu-llezee khala[k.]akum, yeghfir-lakum zembakum!"
("Assert the unity of your Lord who created you, so will He forgive you
your sin!") but I afterwards found that several specimens of this
language were given by Ez-Zamakhsheree, and had been published in
Europe: see "Alcoranus Marraccii," p. 511. The cock cries,
"Uzkuru-llaha, ya ghafiloon!" ("Commemorate God, O ye negligent!"): the
[k.]a[t.]a (a kind of grouse),[109] "Men seket selim!" ("He who is
silent is safe!"). The latter, however, would do better if it did itself
attend to the maxim it utters; for its cry, which, to the uninstructed
in the language of birds, sounds merely, "[k.]a[t.]a! [k.]a[t.]a!" as
its own name, tells where it is to be found by the sportsman, and thus
causes its own destruction. Hence the proverb--"More veracious than the
[k.]a[t.]a."
NOTE 31. In the houses of persons of the middle classes in Arabian
countries, there is generally an apartment on the ground-floor fitted up
as a stable for a horse, mule, or ass, or for two or more such animals;
and the cattle of the farmer, if not very numerous, are usually lodged
during the night in similar quarters, or in an open court enclosed
within, or immediately adjacent to, his house.
NOTE 32. It is a common custom in the East to sprinkle the ground,
during the summer, in order to cool the air.
NOTE 33. Cut straw is the usual fodder of asses and other beasts of
burden in Egypt and other countries of the East.
NOTE 34. The phrase with which the bull commences his address to the
ass, is one dictated by an indispensable rule of Muslim politeness,
which requires that these or some similar words should be uttered by a
person whenever he sees another with food before him, and does not
partake of it. If this were not done, it would be feared that the food
had been poisoned, or rendered of no avail, by an envious eye.
NOTE 35. The peasants in the East use a hand-mill for grinding their
corn. The larger mills used for this and other purposes are turned by
cattle.
NOTE 36. In the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, the
ass is made to quote verses to the bull. Hast thou not, he asks him,
heard the poet say:--
I occupy myself every day and night in anxious service of him in
whose prosperity I have no enjoyment;
Like the bleacher who blackens his face in the sun, while he watches
the whitening of the clothes of others.
NOTE 37. I read "na[t.]'an," as in the Calcutta edition of the first two
hundred nights, instead of "ki[t.]a'an" in the Cairo edition. The
na[t.][a.] is a large round piece of leather, which, spread upon the
ground, serves as a table for dinner, &c. It is particularly convenient,
and therefore much used, in travelling. Around the edge is a running
string, which, being drawn, converts it into a bag to hold what is left
of the food.
NOTE 38.--_On the office of_ [K.]a[d.]ee. The [K.]a[d.]ee is a judge, or
minister of justice, who passes sentence in all cases of law, religious,
moral, civil, and criminal. This he generally does, in the present day,
in accordance with the decision of a Muftee, or doctor of the law. In
small towns and villages, he is often employed to draw up written
contracts of various kinds.
NOTE 39. The famous Sa[a.]dee attained the age here mentioned; but
instances of equal longevity, among the Orientals, are rare.[110]
NOTE 40. To perform the ablution preparatory to prayer in the
expectation of almost immediate death, is a supererogatory act which, I
believe, is seldom observed.
NOTE 41. Both religion and climate make the Muslim an early riser. It is
his duty to perform the first of the five daily prayers at, or soon
after, daybreak; and he generally awakes before this period. While
Shahriyar, therefore, was waiting for the dawn of day to acquit himself
of this duty, in accordance with the common custom of Mohammadan kings,
Shahrazad amused him by the recitation of her tales. That he should be
described as thus strict with regard to religious exercises, when about
to give orders for the murder of his innocent wife, needs not excite our
surprise: such conduct is consistent with the character of many Muslims.
In the year 1834, when I was residing in Cairo, a General in the service
of Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee hired a large party of men to perform a recital of
the [K.]ur-an, in his house in that city, and then went up into his
[h.]areem, and strangled his wife, in consequence of a report which
accused her of incontinence. The religious ceremony was designed as
preparatory to this act, though the punishment of the woman was contrary
to the law, since her husband neither produced four witnesses of the
imputed crime, nor allowed her to clear herself of the charge by her own
oath. Another case of diligence in the performance of a religious duty,
accompanied by the contemplation of murder, but murder on a larger
scale, occurred in the same city shortly after. Suleyman Agha, the
Sila[h.]dar, being occupied in directing the building of a public
fountain, as a work of charity to place to the account of a deceased
brother, desired to extend the original plan of the structure; and to do
this, it was necessary that he should purchase two houses adjoining the
plot in which the foundations had been laid: but the owners of these
houses refused to sell them, and he therefore employed a number of
workmen to undermine them by night, and cause them to fall upon their
inhabitants. His scheme, however, but partially succeeded, and no lives
were sacrificed. This man was notorious for cruelty, but he was a person
of pleasing and venerable countenance, and engaging manners: whenever I
chanced to meet him, I received from him a most gracious salutation. He
died before I quitted Egypt.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[12] An Apostle is distinguished from a mere Prophet by his
having a _book_ revealed to him.
[13] In quoting the [K.]ur-an, I distinguish the verses in
accordance with the numbers in Fluegel's excellent edition of
the original text: 4to Lipsiae 1834. These numbers agree
(excepting in a few cases, where a disagreement was found
absolutely necessary) with those in Hinckelmann's edition,
which is that most commonly quoted by the learned. I am sorry
to see that Marracci's numbers have been adopted in a late
edition of Sale's translation, and that the distinction between
the words of the text and the explanatory interpolations has
there been neglected. Its utility to Arabic scholars, and its
general fidelity, have been thus greatly lessened; and it
appears to me very desirable that it should be superseded as
soon as possible by another edition.
[14] Mo[h.]ammad's answers to 'Abd-Allah Ibn-Selam, quoted by
Ibn-El-Wardee (MS. in my possession); and Mek-[h.]ool, quoted
by the same author, and Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abeeh, vol. ii. pp.
652 and 653.
[15] Ibn-Esh-She[h.]neh (MS. in my possession).
[16] In another MS. of the same author in my possession,
"yellow."
[17] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.]" (MS. in my possession).
[18] [K.]ur-an, ch. xiii. v. 3, and several other places.
[19] Idem, ch. ii. v. 20, and ch. lxxviii. v. 6.
[20] Idem, ch. lxxi. v. 18.
[21] Mek-[h.]ool, quoted by Ibn-El-Wardee.
[22] Wahb Ibn-Munebbih, quoted by El-Ma[k.]reezee, is his
"Khi[t.]a[t.]."
[23] Ibn-El-Wardee, however, says that its name is derived from
its terrors and difficulties.
[24] These are monsters who will be described in a subsequent
note.
[25] History of El-Khi[d.]r in the "Mir-at ez-Zeman" (MS. in my
possession), a great history, whose author died in the year of
the Flight 656.
[26] El-[K.]azweenee (MS. in my possession).
[27] Mo[h.]ammad's answers to 'Abd-Allah Ibn-Selam, quoted by
Ibn-El-Wardee.
[28] Ibid.
[29] El-[K.]azweenee.
[30] [K.]ur-an, ch. ii. v. 22, and ch. lxvi. v. 6.
[31] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[32] Tradition from the Prophet, recorded by Ibn-'Abbas, and
quoted by Ibn-El-Wardee; and by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in
describing an earthquake that happened in his life-time.--On
the subject of earthquakes, see also the next foot-note.
[33] In Ibn-Esh-She[h.]neh, "Kuyoothan:" the orthography of
this word is doubtful, as the vowel-points are not written. As
the tradition is related in Ibn-El-Wardee, this bull takes a
breath twice in the course of every day (or twenty-four hours);
when he exhales, the sea flows; and when he inhales, it ebbs.
But it must not be imagined that none of the Arabs have any
notion of the true theory of the tides: the more learned among
them explain this phenomenon by the influence of the
moon.--Many of the Arabs attribute earthquakes to the shaking
of this bull.
[34] In Ibn-El-Wardee, a quantity of sand is introduced between
the bull and the fish.
[35] Ed-Demeeree, on the authority of Walib Ibn-Munebbih,
quoted by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ce, _loco laudato_.
[36] Ibn-El-Wardee.
[37] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxxix. v. 67.
[38] Idem, ch. xiv. v. 49.
[39] Idem, ch. lxxxix. v. 24.
[40] Khaleel E[z.]-[Z.]ahiree, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie
Arabe, 2nde ed. tome ii. pp. 10 and 11 of Ar. text.
[41] Ibid.
[42] El-Ma[k.]reezee, quoted by De Sacy, _ubi supra_, pp.
58-62.
[43] Ibn-Khaldoon, in the same, pp. 168 and 169.
[44] Ch. xxxii. v. 13.
[45] Mish[k.]at el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 329.
[46] Burckhardt's "Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys," 8vo ed.
vol. i. pp. 178 and 179.
[47] This tree is called, in Arabic, "ban" and "khilaf" or
"khalaf."
[48] The Anacreon of Persia affected to prize the mole upon the
cheek of his beloved above the cities of Samar[k.]and and
Bukhara.
[49] Lawsonia inermis.
[50] In another analysis of the same kind, it is said that four
should be _short_; the hands, the feet, the tongue, and the
teeth; but this is metaphorically speaking; the meaning is,
that these members should be kept within their proper bounds.
(Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan. MS. in my possession.)
[51] An unnamed author quoted by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in his
account of the 'Abbasee Khaleefeh El-Mutawekkil.
[52] Mir-at ez-Zeman. See also, [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 65.
[53] The term "'Efreet" is sometimes improperly applied to a
_good_ Jinnee [and also, in Egypt, to the ghost of a dead
person. See "Modern Egyptians," vol. 1. ch. x. Ed.].
[54] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[55] Ch. xv. v. 27; and Commentary of the Jelaleyn. Also,
[K.]ur-an, ch. lv. v. 14.
[56] Ch. xxvii. v. 10 and ch. xxviii. v. 31; and Commentary of
the Jelaleyn.
[57] Ch. lv. vv. 39 and 74; and same Commentary.
[58] 'Ekrimeh, from Ibn-'Abbas, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[59] Mujahid, from the same, ibid.
[60] Hence the appellations of "Jinn" and "Jann."
[61] Tradition from the Prophet, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[62] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[63] The worship here spoken of is prostration, as an act of
obeisance to a superior being.
[64] [K.]ur-an, ch. xviii. v. 48.
[65] E[t.]-[T.]abaree, quoted in the Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[66] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[67] Ch. vii. v. 11; and chap. xxxviii. v. 77.
[68] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[69] El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman.--My
interpolation of the word "other" is required by his opinion
before stated.
[70] Mujahid, quoted by El-[K.]azweenee.
[71] The same, from Ibn-'Abbas, in the Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[72] El-[H.]asan El-Ba[s.]ree, ibid.
[73] 'Ekrimeh, from Ibn-'Abbas, ibid.
[74] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 314.
[75] Ibid. vol. ii. pp. 311 and 312.
[76] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[77] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. x.
[78] Ibid.
[79] Sale, in a note on chap. xv. of the [K.]ur-an.
[80] So I translate the word "kha[t.][t.];" but in a work by
Es-Suyootee, (a MS. in my possession, entitled "Nuzhet
el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil," section 7,) I find, in
its place, the word "weshm," or "tattooing;" and there are some
other slight variations and omissions in this tradition as
there quoted.
[81] El-[K.]azweenee.
[82] Ch. lxxii. v 6.
[83] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. x.
[84] Idem, vol. ii. ch. xi.
[85] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxvii. v. 17; and ch. xxxviii. v. 35.
[86] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. x.
[87] Ibid.
[88] Ibid.
[89] El-[K.]azweenee.
[90] El-Ja[h.]e[z.] ('Amr Ibn-Ba[h.]r).
[91] [S.]e[h.]a[h.] and [K.]amoos.
[92] Tradition for the Whab Ibn-Munebbih, quoted in the account
of the early Arabs in the Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[93] Ibid.
[94] El-[K.]azweenee.
[95] Ibn-El-Wardee.
[96] El-[K.]azweenee, and Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[97] El-[K.]azweenee.
[98] El-[K.]azweenee, in the khatimeh of his work.
[99] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[100] Ibn-El-Wardee.
[101] Idem.
[102] In a great collection of Indian tales, the "Katha Sarit
Sagara," is a story which may have been the original of that to
which this note refers. "Two young Brahmans travelling are
benighted in a forest, and take up their lodging in a tree near
a lake. Early in the night a number of people come from the
water, and having made preparation for an entertainment,
retire; a Yaksha, a genie, then comes out of the lake with his
two wives, and spends the night there: when he and one of his
wives are asleep, the other, seeing the youths, invites them to
approach her, and to encourage them, shews them a hundred rings
received from former gallants, notwithstanding her husband's
precautions, who keeps her locked up in a chest at the bottom
of the lake. The Hindu story-teller is more moral than the
Arab. The youths reject her advances; she wakes the genie, who
is going to put them to death, but the rings are produced in
evidence against the unfaithful wife, and she is turned away
with the loss of her nose. The story is repeated in the next
section with some variation; the lady has ninety and nine
rings, and is about to complete the hundredth, when her
husband, who is here a Naga, a snake-god, wakes, and consumes
the guilty pair with fire from his mouth."--British and Foreign
Review, No. xxi. page 266.
[103] Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan: a work on the
strategems of women (MS. in my possession).
[104] El-Imam El-Jara'ee, in his book entitled "Shir'at
el-Islam," ibid.
[105] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, section 2.
[106] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, History of Egypt, account of the strange
events that have happened in Egypt during the time of El-Islam.
[107] Ch. xxvii. v. 16.
[108] Man[t.]i[k.] e[t.]-[t.]eyr.
[109] Of the family _Pteroclidae_. (Pr. Bon.) ED.
[110] Ibn-'Arab-Shah, however, has given an account of a man
called the sheykh El-'Oryan, an inhabitant of Samar[k.]and, and
a devotee, who was said to have attained the age of 350 [lunar]
years [or nearly 340 solar years], and yet preserved an erect
stature, a comely appearance, and such strength that it seemed
as if he had not attained to mature years. The old men of the
place asserted that they remembered him to have had the same
appearance when they were children, and that their fathers and
grandfathers had said the same.--History of Teemoor, p. 470,
Calcutta edition.
CHAPTER I.
COMMENCING WITH THE FIRST NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF THE THIRD.
THE STORY OF THE MERCHANT AND THE JINNEE.
It has been related to me, O happy King, said Shahrazad, that there was
a certain merchant who had great wealth, and traded extensively with
surrounding countries; and one day he mounted his horse, and journeyed
to a neighbouring country to collect what was due to him, and, the heat
oppressing him, he sat under a tree, in a garden,[I_1] and put his hand
into his saddle-bag,[I_2] and ate a morsel of bread and a date which
were among his provisions. Having eaten the date, he threw aside the
stone,[I_3] and immediately there appeared before him an 'Efreet, of
enormous height, who, holding a drawn sword in his hand, approached him,
and said, Rise, that I may kill thee, as thou hast killed my son. The
merchant asked him, How have I killed thy son? He answered, When thou
atest the date, and threwest aside the stone, it struck my son upon the
chest,[I_4] and, as fate had decreed against him, he instantly
died.[I_5]
[Illustration]
The merchant, on hearing these words,[I_6] exclaimed, Verily to God we
belong, and verily to Him we must return! There is no strength nor power
but in God, the High, the Great! If I killed him, I did it not
intentionally, but without knowing it; and I trust in thee that thou
wilt pardon me.--The Jinnee answered, Thy death is indispensable, as
thou hast killed my son:--and so saying, he dragged him, and threw him
on the ground, and raised his arm to strike him with the sword. The
merchant, upon this, wept bitterly, and said to the Jinnee, I commit my
affair unto God, for no one can avoid what He hath decreed:--and he
continued his lamentation, repeating the following verses:--
Time consists of two days; this, bright; and that, gloomy: and life,
of two moieties; this, safe; and that, fearful.
Say to him who hath taunted us on account of misfortunes, Doth fortune
oppose any but the eminent?
Dost thou not observe that corpses float upon the sea, while
the precious pearls remain in its furthest depths?
When the hands of time play with us, misfortune is imparted to us by
its protracted kiss.
In the heaven are stars that cannot be numbered; but none is eclipsed
save the sun and the moon.
How many green and dry trees are on the earth; but none is assailed
with stones save that which beareth fruit!
Thou thoughtest well of the days when they went well with thee,
and fearedst not the evil that destiny was bringing.
--When he had finished reciting these verses, the Jinnee said to him,
Spare thy words, for thy death is unavoidable.
Then said the merchant, Know, O 'Efreet, that I have debts to pay, and I
have much property, and children, and a wife, and I have pledges also in
my possession: let me, therefore, go back to my house, and give to every
one his due, and then I will return to thee: I bind myself by a vow and
covenant that I will return to thee, and thou shalt do what thou wilt;
and God is witness of what I say.--Upon this, the Jinnee accepted his
covenant, and liberated him; granting him a respite until the expiration
of the year.
The merchant, therefore, returned to his town, accomplished all that was
upon his mind to do, paid every one what he owed him, and informed his
wife and children of the event which had befallen him; upon hearing
which, they and all his family and women wept. He appointed a guardian
over his children, and remained with his family until the end of the
year; when he took his grave-clothes under his arm,[I_7] bade farewell
to his household and neighbours, and all his relations, and went forth,
in spite of himself; his family raising cries of lamentation, and
shrieking.[I_8]
He proceeded until he arrived at the garden before mentioned; and it was
the first day of the new year; and as he sat, weeping for the calamity
which he expected soon to befall him, a sheykh,[I_9] advanced in years,
approached him, leading a gazelle with a chain attached to its neck.
This sheykh saluted the merchant, wishing him a long life, and said to
him, What is the reason of thy sitting alone in this place, seeing that
it is a resort of the Jinn? The merchant therefore informed him of what
had befallen him with the 'Efreet, and of the cause of his sitting
there; at which the sheykh, the owner of the gazelle, was astonished,
and said, By Allah, O my brother, thy faithfulness is great, and thy
story is wonderful! if it were engraved upon the intellect, it would be
a lesson to him who would be admonished!--And he sat down by his side,
and said, By Allah, O my brother, I will not quit this place until I see
what will happen unto thee with this 'Efreet. So he sat down, and
conversed with him. And the merchant became almost senseless; fear
entered him, and terror, and violent grief, and excessive anxiety. And
as the owner of the gazelle sat by his side, lo, a second sheykh
approached them, with two black hounds, and inquired of them, after
saluting them, the reason of their sitting in that place, seeing that it
was a resort of the Jann:[I_10] and they told him the story from
beginning to end. And he had hardly sat down when there approached them
a third sheykh, with a dapple mule; and he asked them the same question,
which was answered in the same manner.
[Illustration]
Immediately after, the dust was agitated, and became an enormous
revolving pillar, approaching them from the midst of the desert; and
this dust subsided, and behold, the Jinnee, with a drawn sword in his
hand; his eyes casting forth sparks of fire. He came to them, and
dragged from them the merchant, and said to him, Rise, that I may kill
thee, as thou killedst my son, the vital spirit of my heart. And the
merchant wailed and wept; and the three sheykhs also manifested their
sorrow by weeping and crying aloud and wailing: but the first sheykh,
who was the owner of the gazelle, recovering his self-possession,
kissed the hand of the 'Efreet, and said to him, O thou Jinnee, and
crown of the kings of the Jann, if I relate to thee the story of myself
and this gazelle, and thou find it to be wonderful, and more so than the
adventure of this merchant, wilt thou give up to me a third of thy claim
to his blood? He answered, Yes, O sheykh; if thou relate to me the
story, and I find it to be as thou hast said, I will give up to thee a
third of my claim to his blood.
[Illustration]
THE STORY OF THE FIRST SHEYKH AND THE GAZELLE.
Then said the sheykh, Know, O 'Efreet, that this gazelle is the daughter
of my paternal uncle,[I_11] and she is of my flesh and my blood. I took
her as my wife when she was young,[I_12] and lived with her about thirty
years; but I was not blessed with a child by her; so I took to me a
concubine slave,[I_13] and by her I was blessed with a male child, like
the rising full moon, with beautiful eyes, and delicately-shaped
eyebrows, and perfectly-formed limbs; and he grew up by little and
little until he attained the age of fifteen years. At this period, I
unexpectedly had occasion to journey to a certain city, and went thither
with a great stock of merchandise.
Now my cousin,[I_14] this gazelle, had studied enchantment and
divination from her early years; and during my absence, she transformed
the youth above mentioned into a calf; and his mother, into a cow;[I_15]
and committed them to the care of the herdsman: and when I returned,
after a long time, from my journey, I asked after my son and his mother,
and she said, Thy slave is dead, and thy son hath fled, and I know not
whither he is gone. After hearing this, I remained for the space of a
year with mourning heart and weeping eye, until the Festival of the
Sacrifice;[I_16] when I sent to the herdsman, and ordered him to choose
for me a fat cow; and he brought me one, and it was my concubine, whom
this gazelle had enchanted. I tucked up my skirts and sleeves, and took
the knife[I_17] in my hand, and prepared myself to slaughter her; upon
which she moaned and cried so violently that I left her, and ordered the
herdsman to kill and skin her: and he did so, but found in her neither
fat nor flesh, nor anything but skin and bone; and I repented of
slaughtering her, when repentance was of no avail. I therefore gave her
to the herdsman, and said to him, Bring me a fat calf: and he brought me
my son, who was transformed into a calf. And when the calf saw me, he
broke his rope, and came to me, and fawned upon me, and wailed and
cried, so that I was moved with pity for him; and I said to the
herdsman, Bring me a cow, and let this--
[Illustration]
Here Shahrazad perceived the light of morning, and discontinued the
recitation with which she had been allowed thus far to proceed. Her
sister said to her, How excellent is thy story! and how pretty! and how
pleasant! and how sweet!--but she answered, What is this in comparison
with that which I will relate to thee in the next night, if I live, and
the King spare me! And the King said, By Allah, I will not kill her
until I hear the remainder of her story. Thus they pleasantly passed the
night until the morning, when the King went forth to his hall of
judgment, and the Wezeer went thither with the grave-clothes under his
arm: and the King gave judgment, and invested and displaced, until the
close of the day, without informing the Wezeer of that which had
happened; and the minister was greatly astonished. The court was then
dissolved; and the King returned to the privacy of his palace.
[On the second and each succeeding night, Shahrazad continued so to
interest King Shahriyar by her stories as to induce him to defer putting
her to death, in expectation that her fund of amusing tales would soon
be exhausted; and as this is expressed in the original work in nearly
the same words at the close of every night, such repetitions will in the
present translation be omitted.[I_18]]
When the sheykh, continued Shahrazad, observed the tears of the calf,
his heart sympathized with him, and he said to the herdsman, Let this
calf remain with the cattle.--Meanwhile, the Jinnee wondered at this
strange story; and the owner of the gazelle thus proceeded.
O lord of the kings of the Jann, while this happened, my cousin, this
gazelle, looked on, and said, Slaughter this calf; for he is fat: but I
could not do it; so I ordered the herdsman to take him back; and he took
him and went away. And as I was sitting, on the following day, he came
to me, and said, O my master, I have to tell thee something that thou
wilt be rejoiced to hear; and a reward is due to me for bringing good
news.[I_19] I answered, Well:--and he said, O merchant, I have a
daughter who learned enchantment in her youth from an old woman in our
family; and yesterday, when thou gavest me the calf, I took him to her,
and she looked at him, and covered her face, and wept, and then laughed,
and said, O my father, hath my condition become so degraded in thy
opinion that thou bringest before me strange men?[I_20]--Where, said I,
are any strange men? and wherefore didst thou weep and laugh? She
answered, This calf that is with thee is the son of our master, the
merchant, and the wife of our master hath enchanted both him and his
mother; and this was the reason of my laughter; but as to the reason of
my weeping, it was on account of his mother, because his father had
slaughtered her.--And I was excessively astonished at this; and scarcely
was I certain that the light of morning had appeared when I hastened to
inform thee.
[Illustration]
When I heard, O Jinnee, the words of the herdsman, I went forth with
him, intoxicated without wine, from the excessive joy and happiness that
I received, and arrived at his house, where his daughter welcomed me,
and kissed my hand; and the calf came to me, and fawned upon me. And I
said to the herdsman's daughter, Is that true which thou hast said
respecting this calf? She answered, Yes, O my master; he is verily thy
son, and the vital spirit of thy heart.--O maiden, said I, if thou wilt
restore him, all the cattle and other property of mine that thy father
hath under his care shall be thine. Upon this, she smiled, and said, O
my master, I have no desire for the property unless on two conditions:
the first is, that thou shalt marry me to him; and the second, that I
shall enchant her who enchanted him, and so restrain her; otherwise, I
shall not be secure from her artifice. On hearing, O Jinnee, these her
words, I said, And thou shalt have all the property that is under the
care of thy father besides; and as to my cousin, even her blood shall be
lawful to thee. So, when she heard this, she took a cup, and filled it
with water, and repeated a spell over it, and sprinkled with it the
calf, saying to him, If God created thee a calf, remain in this form,
and be not changed; but if thou be enchanted, return to thy original
form, by permission of God, whose name be exalted!--upon which he shook,
and became a man; and I threw myself upon him, and said, I conjure thee
by Allah that thou relate to me all that my cousin did to thee and to
thy mother. So he related to me all that had happened to them both; and
I said to him, O my son, God hath given thee one to liberate thee, and
to avenge thee:--and I married to him, O Jinnee, the herdsman's
daughter; after which, she transformed my cousin into this gazelle. And
as I happened to pass this way, I saw this merchant, and asked him what
had happened to him; and when he had informed me, I sat down to see the
result.--This is my story. The Jinnee said, This is a wonderful tale;
and I give up to thee a third of my claim to his blood.
The second sheykh, the owner of the two hounds, then advanced, and said
to the Jinnee, If I relate to thee the story of myself and these hounds,
and thou find it to be in like manner wonderful, wilt thou remit to me,
also, a third of thy claim to the blood of this merchant? The Jinnee
answered, Yes.
THE STORY OF THE SECOND SHEYKH AND THE TWO BLACK HOUNDS.
Then said the sheykh, Know, O lord of the kings of the Jann, that these
two hounds are my brothers. My father died, and left to us three
thousand pieces of gold;[I_21] and I opened a shop[I_22] to sell and
buy. But one of my brothers made a journey, with a stock of merchandise,
and was absent from us for the space of a year with the caravans; after
which, he returned destitute. I said to him, Did I not advise thee to
abstain from travelling? But he wept, and said, O my brother, God, to
whom be ascribed all might and glory, decreed this event; and there is
no longer any profit in these words: I have nothing left. So I took him
up into the shop, and then went with him to the bath, and clad him in a
costly suit of my own clothing; after which, we sat down together to
eat; and I said to him, O my brother, I will calculate the gain of my
shop during the year, and divide it, exclusive of the principal, between
me and thee. Accordingly, I made the calculation, and found my gain to
amount to two thousand pieces of gold; and I praised God, to whom be
ascribed all might and glory, and rejoiced exceedingly, and divided the
gain in two equal parts between myself and him.--My other brother then
set forth on a journey; and after a year, returned in the like
condition; and I did unto him as I had done to the former.
After this, when we had lived together for some time, my brothers again
wished to travel, and were desirous that I should accompany them; but I
would not. What, said I, have ye gained in your travels, that I should
expect to gain? They importuned me; but I would not comply with their
request; and we remained selling and buying in our shops a whole year.
Still, however, they persevered in proposing that we should travel, and
I still refused, until after the lapse of six entire years, when at
last I consented, and said to them, O my brothers, let us calculate what
property we possess. We did so, and found it to be six thousand pieces
of gold: and I then said to them, We will bury half of it in the earth,
that it may be of service to us if any misfortune befall us, in which
case each of us shall take a thousand pieces, with which to
traffic.[I_23] Excellent is thy advice, said they. So I took the money
and divided it into two equal portions, and buried three thousand pieces
of gold; and of the other half, I gave to each of them a thousand
pieces. We then prepared merchandise, and hired a ship, and embarked our
goods, and proceeded on our voyage for the space of a whole month, at
the expiration of which we arrived at a city, where we sold our
merchandise; and for every piece of gold we gained ten.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
And when we were about to set sail again, we found, on the shore of the
sea, a maiden clad in tattered garments, who kissed my hand, and said to
me, O my master, art thou possessed of charity and kindness? If so, I
will requite thee for them. I answered, Yes, I have those qualities,
though thou requite me not. Then said she, O my master, accept me as thy
wife, and take me to thy country; for I give myself to thee:[I_24] act
kindly towards me; for I am one who requires to be treated with kindness
and charity, and who will requite thee for so doing; and let not my
present condition at all deceive thee. When I heard these words, my
heart was moved with tenderness towards her, in order to the
accomplishment of a purpose of God, to whom be ascribed all might and
glory; and I took her, and clothed her, and furnished for her a place in
the ship in a handsome manner, and regarded her with kind and respectful
attention.
We then set sail; and I became most cordially attached to my wife, so
that, on her account, I neglected the society of my brothers, who, in
consequence, became jealous of me, and likewise envied me my wealth, and
the abundance of my merchandise; casting the eyes of covetousness upon
the whole of the property. They therefore consulted together to kill me,
and take my wealth; saying, Let us kill our brother, and all the
property shall be ours:--and the devil made these actions to seem fair
in their eyes; so they came to me while I was sleeping by the side of my
wife, and took both of us up, and threw us into the sea. But as soon as
my wife awoke, she shook herself, and became transformed into a
Jinneeyeh.[I_25] She immediately bore me away, and placed me upon an
island, and, for a while, disappeared. In the morning, however, she
returned, and said to me, I am thy wife, who carried thee, and rescued
thee from death, by permission of God, whose name be exalted. Know that
I am a Jinneeyeh: I saw thee, and my heart loved thee for the sake of
God; for I am a believer in God and his Apostle, God bless and save
him![I_26] I came to thee in the condition in which thou sawest me, and
thou didst marry me; and see, I have rescued thee from drowning. But I
am incensed against thy brothers, and I must kill them.--When I heard
her tale, I was astonished, and thanked her for what she had done;--But,
said I, as to the destruction of my brothers, it is not what I desire. I
then related to her all that had happened between myself and them from
first to last; and when she had heard it, she said, I will, this next
night, fly to them, and sink their ship, and destroy them. But I said, I
conjure thee by Allah that thou do it not; for the author of the
proverb saith, O thou benefactor of him who hath done evil, the action
that he hath done is sufficient for him:[I_27]--besides, they are at all
events my brothers. She still, however, said, They must be killed;--and
I continued to propitiate her towards them: and at last she lifted me
up, and soared through the air, and placed me on the roof of my
house.[I_28]
[Illustration]
Having opened the doors, I dug up what I had hidden in the earth; and
after I had saluted my neighbours, and bought merchandise, I opened my
shop. And in the following night, when I entered my house, I found these
two dogs tied up in it; and as soon as they saw me, they came to me, and
wept, and clung to me; but I knew not what had happened until
immediately my wife appeared before me, and said, These are thy
brothers. And who, said I, hath done this unto them? She answered, I
sent to my sister and she did it; and they shall not be restored until
after the lapse of ten years. And I was now on my way to her, that she
might restore them, as they have been in this state ten years, when I
saw this man, and, being informed of what had befallen him, I determined
not to quit the place until I should have seen what would happen between
thee and him.--This is my story.--Verily, said the Jinnee, it is a
wonderful tale; and I give up to thee a third of the claim that I had to
his blood on account of his offence.
Upon this, the third sheykh, the owner of the mule, said to the
Jinnee,[I_29] As to me, break not my heart if I relate to thee nothing
more than this:--
[Illustration]
THE STORY OF THE THIRD SHEYKH AND THE MULE.
The mule that thou seest was my wife: she became enamoured of a black
slave; and when I discovered her with him, she took a mug of water, and,
having uttered a spell over it, sprinkled me, and transformed me into a
dog. In this state, I ran to the shop of a butcher, whose daughter saw
me, and, being skilled in enchantment, restored me to my original form,
and instructed me to enchant my wife in the manner thou beholdest.--And
now I hope that thou wilt remit to me also a third of the merchant's
offence. Divinely was he gifted who said,
Sow good, even on an unworthy soil; for it will not be lost wherever
it is sown.
When the sheykh had thus finished his story, the Jinnee shook with
delight, and remitted the remaining third of his claim to the merchant's
blood. The merchant then approached the sheykhs, and thanked them, and
they congratulated him on his safety; and each went his way.
But this, said Shahrazad, is not more wonderful than the story of the
fisherman. The King asked her, And what is the story of the fisherman?
And she related it as follows:--
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER FIRST.
NOTE 1. The words "in a garden" are omitted in my original; but they are
required by the sequel. I may here remark, that, in future, when I find
trifling insertions of this kind to be requisite in my translation, I
shall not deem it necessary to mention them in a note.
NOTE 2. An Eastern traveller often makes a long journey with no other
encumbrance than a well-filled pair of saddle-bags: in one bag he puts
his provisions; and in the other, such articles of clothing as he may
require in addition to those in which he sets out, including a spare
shirt, and perhaps no other clean linen: for he is as indifferent with
regard to this comfort as he is careful respecting his _personal_
cleanliness.
NOTE 3. Perhaps no reader of this work will require to be told that the
date has not a _shell_. I only make this remark on account of an error
in the old translation.--As dates are very nutritious, and are preserved
by being merely dried in the sun, they are an excellent article of
provision for travellers.
NOTE 4. The merchant was culpably careless: before throwing aside the
date-stone with sufficient force to kill a Jinnee who happened to be
near him (though at the time invisible), he should have asked permission
by the exclamation "Destoor!" as explained in a note appended to the
Introduction.
NOTE 5.--_On Fate and Destiny._ The belief in fate and destiny
("el-[k.]a[d.]a wa-l-[k.]adar") exercises a most powerful influence upon
the actions and character of the Muslims; and it is therefore highly
important that the reader of the present work should be acquainted with
the notions which these people entertain respecting such matters of
faith. I use two words (perhaps the best that our language affords) to
express corresponding Arabic terms, which some persons regard as
synonymous, but others distinguish by different shades of meaning. On
what I consider the best authority, the word which I render "fate"
respects the decrees of God in a general sense; while that which I
translate "destiny" relates to the particular applications of those
decrees. In such senses these terms are here to be understood when
separately employed.
Many Muslims hold that fate is, in some respects, absolute and
unchangeable; in others, admitting of alteration; and almost all of them
_act_, in many of the affairs of life, as if this were their belief. In
the former case, it is called "el-[k.]a[d.]a el-Mo[h.]kam:" in the
latter, "el-[k.]a[d.]a el-Mubram" (which term, without the explanation
here given, might be regarded as exactly synonymous with the former).
Hence, the Prophet, it is said, prayed to be preserved from the latter,
as knowing that it might be changed; and in allusion to this changeable
fate, God, we are told, says, "God will cancel what He pleaseth, and
confirm;"[111] while, on the contrary, the fate which is termed
"Mo[h.]kam" is appointed "destiny" decreed by God.[112]
Many doctors have argued, that destiny respects only the _final state_
of a certain portion of men (believers and unbelievers); and that, in
general, man is endowed with free will, which he should exercise
according to the laws of God and his own conscience and judgment,
praying to God for a blessing on his endeavours, or imploring the
intercession of the Prophet, or of any of the saints, in his favour, and
propitiating them by offering alms or sacrifices in their names; relying
upon God for the result, which he may then, and then only, attribute to
fate or destiny. They hold, therefore, that it is criminal to attempt
resistance to the will when its dictates are conformable with the laws
of God and our natural consciences and prudence, and so passively to
await the fulfilment of God's decrees.--The doctrine of the [K.]ur-an
and the Traditions respecting the decrees of God, or fate and destiny,
appears, however, to be, that they are altogether absolute and
unchangeable,--written, in the beginning of the creation, on the
"Preserved Tablet," in heaven; that God hath predestined every event and
action, evil as well as good; at the same time commanding and approving
good, and forbidding and hating evil; and that the "cancelling"
mentioned in the preceding paragraph relates (as the context seems to
shew) to the abrogation of former scriptures, or revelations; not of
fate. But still it must be held that He hath not predestined the _will_;
though He sometimes inclines it to good, and the Devil sometimes
inclines it to evil. It is asked, then, If we have the power to will,
but not the power to perform otherwise than as God hath predetermined,
how can we be regarded as responsible beings? The answer to this is,
that our actions are judged good or evil according to our intentions, if
we have faith: good actions or intentions, it should be added, only
increase, and do not cause, our happiness, if we are believers; and evil
actions or intentions only increase our misery if we are unbelievers or
irreligious: for the Muslim holds that he is to be admitted into heaven
only by the mercy of God, on account of his faith; and to be rewarded in
proportion to his good works.
The Prophet's assertions on the subject of God's decrees are considered
of the highest importance as explanatory of the [K.]ur-an.--"Whatever is
in the universe," said he, "is by the order of God."--"God hath
pre-ordained five things on his servants; the duration of life, their
actions, their dwelling-places, their travels, and their
portions."--"There is not one among you whose sitting-place is not
written by God, whether in the fire or in paradise."[113]--Some of the
Companions of the Prophet, on hearing the last-quoted saying, asked him,
"O Prophet, since God hath appointed our places, may we confide in this,
and abandon our religious and moral duties?" He answered, "No: because
the happy will do good works, and those who are of the miserable will do
bad works."--The following of his sayings further illustrate this
subject.--"When God hath ordered a creature to die in any particular
place, He causeth his wants to direct him to that place."--A Companion
asked, "O Prophet of God, inform me respecting charms, and the medicines
which I swallow, and shields which I make use of for protection, whether
they prevent any of the orders of God." Mo[h.]ammad answered, "These
also are by the order of God."[114] "There is a medicine for every pain:
then, when the medicine reaches the pain, it is cured by the order of
God."[115]--When a Muslim, therefore, feels an inclination to make use
of medicine for the cure of a disease, he should do so, in the hope of
its being predestined that he shall be so cured.
On the predestination of diseases, I find the following curious
quotation and remark in a manuscript work, by Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, in my
possession.--"El-[H.]aleemee says, 'Communicable or contagious diseases
are six: small-pox, measles, itch or scab, foul breath or putridity,
melancholy, and pestilential maladies; and diseases engendered are also
six: leprosy, hectic, epilepsy, gout, elephantiasis, and phthisis.' But
this does not contradict the saying of the Prophet, 'There is no
transition of diseases by contagion or infection, nor any omen that
brings evil:' for the transition here meant is one occasioned by the
disease itself; whereas the effect is of God, who causes pestilence to
spread when there is intercourse with the diseased."[116]--A Bedawee
asked the Prophet, "What is the condition of camels which stay in the
deserts? verily, you might say, they are deer, in health and in
cleanness of skin; then they mix with mangy camels, and they become
mangy also." Mo[h.]ammad said, "What made the first camel mangy?"[117]
Notwithstanding, however, the arguments which have been here adduced,
and many others that might be added, declaring or implying the
unchangeable nature of all God's decrees, I have found it to be the
opinion of my own Muslim friends, that God may be induced, by
supplication, to change certain of his decrees; at least, those
regarding degrees of happiness or misery in this world and the next; and
that such is the general opinion, appears from a form of prayer which is
repeated in the mosques on the eve of the middle (or fifteenth day) of
the month of Sha[a.]ban; when it is believed that such portions of God's
decrees as constitute the destinies of all living creatures for the
ensuing year, are confirmed and fixed. In this prayer it is said, "O
God, if Thou _hast recorded_ me in thine abode, upon 'the Original of
the Book' [the Preserved Tablet], miserable, or unfortunate, or scanted
in my sustenance, _cancel_, O God, of thy goodness, my misery, and
misfortune, and scanty allowance of sustenance, and confirm me, in thine
abode, upon the Original of the Book, as happy, and provided for, and
directed to good," &c.[118]
The Arabs in general constantly have recourse both to charms and
medicines, not only for the cure, but also for the prevention of
diseases. They have, indeed, a strange passion for medicine, which shows
that they do not consider fate as altogether unconditional. Nothing can
exceed the earnestness with which they often press a European traveller
for a dose; and the more violent the remedy, the better are they
pleased. The following case will serve as an example:--Three
donkey-drivers, conveying the luggage of two British travellers from
Boola[k.] to Cairo, opened a bottle which they observed in a basket, and
finding it to contain, as they had suspected, brandy, emptied it down
their throats: but he who had the last, on turning up the bottle, got
the tail of a scorpion into his mouth; and, looking through the bottle,
to his great horror, saw that it contained a number of these reptiles,
with tarantulas, vipers, and beetles. Thinking that they had poisoned
themselves, but not liking to rely upon fate, they persuaded a man to
come to me for medicine. He introduced the subject by saying, "O
Efendee, do an act of kindness: there are three men poisoned; in your
mercy give them medicine, and save their lives:" and then he related the
whole affair, without concealing the theft. I replied, that they did not
deserve medicine; but he urged that, by giving it, I should obtain an
immense reward. "Yes," said I; "'he who saveth a soul alive shall be as
if he had saved the lives of all mankind.'"[119] I said this to try the
feeling of the applicant, who, expressing admiration of my knowledge,
urged me to be quick, lest the men should die; thus showing himself to
be no unconditional fatalist. I gave him three strong doses of tartar
emetic; and he soon came back to thank me, saying that the medicine was
most admirable, for the men had hardly swallowed it, when they almost
vomited their hearts and livers, and everything else in their bodies.
From a distrust in faith, some Muslims even shut themselves up during
the prevalence of plague; but this practice is generally condemned. A
Syrian friend of mine, who did so, nearly had his door broken open by
his neighbours. Another of my friends, one of the most distinguished of
the 'Ulama, confessed to me his conviction of the lawfulness of
quarantine, and argued well in favour of it; but said that he dared not
openly avow such an opinion. "The Apostle of God," said he, "God bless
and save him! hath commanded that we should not enter a city where there
is pestilence, nor go out from it. Why did he say, 'Enter it
not?'--because, by so doing, we should expose ourselves to the disease.
Why did he say, 'Go not out from it?'--because, by so doing, we should
carry the disease to others. The Prophet was tenderly considerate of our
welfare: but the present Muslims in general are like bulls [brute
beasts]; and they hold the meaning of this command to be, Go not into a
city where there is pestilence, because this would be rashness; and go
not out from it, because this would be distrusting God's power to save
you from it."
Many of the vulgar and ignorant among modern Muslims, believe that the
unchangeable destinies of every man are written upon his head, in what
are termed the sutures of the skull.
NOTE 6. The paragraph thus commencing, and the verses comprised in it,
are translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred
nights.
NOTE 7. It is a common custom for a Muslim, on a military expedition, or
during a long journey, especially in the desert, to carry his
grave-linen with him; for he is extremely careful that he may be buried
according to the law.[120] It seems to be implied in our tale, that the
merchant hoped that the Jinnee, or some passing traveller, would wash,
shroud, and bury him.
NOTE 8. It is thus that the Arab women generally do on the occasion of a
funeral.
NOTE 9.--_On the title of_ Sheykh. "Sheykh" is an appellation which
literally signifies "an elder," or "an aged person," and in this sense
it is here used; but it is also commonly employed as synonymous with our
appellation of "Mister;" and particularly applied to a learned man, or a
reputed saint. In every case, it is a title of respect, and never given
to any but a Muslim.
NOTE 10. "Jann" is here used as synonymous with "Jinn."
NOTE 11. A cousin (the daughter of a paternal uncle) is often chosen as
a wife, on account of the tie of blood, which is likely to attach her
more strongly to her husband; or on account of an affection conceived in
early years. The various customs relating to marriage, I shall describe
on a future occasion.
NOTE 12. A bride is called young, by the Arabs, when she is about twelve
years of age. In the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights,
the wife in this tale is said to have been of this age when she was
first married.
NOTE 13.--_On Slaves._ A slave, among Muslims, is either a person taken
captive in war, or carried off by force, and being at the time of
capture an infidel; or the offspring of a female slave by another slave,
or by any man who is not her owner, or by her owner, if he does not
acknowledge himself to be the father: but the offspring of a male slave
by a free woman is free. A person who embraces the Mohammadan faith
after having been made a slave, does not by this act become free, unless
he flees from a foreign infidel master to a Muslim country, and there
becomes a Mohammadan. A person cannot have as a slave one whom he
acknowledges to be within the prohibited degrees of marriage.[121]--The
slaves of the Arabs are mostly from Abyssinia and the Negro countries: a
few, mostly in the houses of wealthy individuals, are from Georgia and
Circassia.
Slaves have no civil liberty; but are entirely under the authority of
their owners, whatever may be the religion, sex, or age, of the latter;
and can possess no property, unless by the owner's permission. The owner
is entire master, while he pleases, of the person and goods of his
slave; and of the offspring of his female slave, which, if begotten by
him or presumed to be so, he may recognise as his own legitimate child,
or not: the child, if recognised by him, enjoys the same privileges as
the offspring of a free wife; and if not recognised by him, is his
slave. The master may even kill his own slave with impunity for any
offence; and he incurs but a slight punishment (as imprisonment for a
period at the discretion of the judge) if he kills him wantonly. He may
give away or sell his slaves, excepting in some cases which will be
mentioned; and may marry them to whom he will, but not separate them
when married. A slave, however, according to most of the doctors, cannot
have more than two wives at the same time. Unemancipated slaves, at the
death of their master, become the property of his heirs; and when an
emancipated slave dies, leaving no male descendants or collateral
relations, the former master is the heir; or, if he be dead, his heirs
inherit the slave's property. As a slave enjoys less advantages than a
free person, the law, in some cases, ordains that his punishment for an
offence shall be half of that to which the free is liable to the same
offence, or even less than half: if it be a fine, or pecuniary
compensation, it must be paid by the owner, to the amount, if necessary,
of the value of the slave, or the slave must be given in compensation.
The owner, but not the part-owner, may cohabit with any of his female
slaves who is a Mohammadan, a Christian, or a Jewess, if he has not
married her to another man; but not with two or more who are sisters, or
who are related to each other in any of the degrees which would prevent
their both being his wives at the same time if they were free: after
having so lived with one, he must entirely relinquish such intercourse
with her before he can do the same with another who is so related to
her. He cannot have this intercourse with a pagan slave. A Christian or
Jew may have slaves, but not enjoy the privilege above mentioned with
one who is a Mohammadan. The master must wait a certain period
(generally from a month to three months) after the acquisition of a
female slave, before he can have such intercourse with her. If he find
any fault in her within three days, he is usually allowed to return her.
When a man, from being the husband, becomes the master, of a slave, the
marriage is dissolved, and he cannot continue to live with her but as
her master, enjoying, however, all a master's privileges; unless he
emancipates her; in which case he may again take her as his wife with
her consent. In like manner, when a woman, from being the wife, becomes
the possessor, of a slave, the marriage is dissolved, and cannot be
renewed unless she emancipates him, and he consents to the re-union.
Complete and immediate emancipation is sometimes granted to a slave
gratuitously, or for a future pecuniary compensation. It is conferred by
means of a written document, or by a verbal declaration (expressed in
the words, "Thou art free," or some similar phrase) in the presence of
two witnesses, or by returning the certificate of sale obtained from the
former owner. Future emancipation is sometimes covenanted to be granted
on the fulfilment of certain conditions; and more frequently, to be
conferred on the occasion of the owner's death. In the latter case, the
owner cannot sell the slave to whom he has made this promise: and, as he
cannot alienate by will more than one-third of the whole property that
he leaves, the law ordains that, if the value of the said slave exceeds
that portion, the slave must obtain and pay the additional sum. When a
female slave has borne a child to her master, and he acknowledges the
child to be his own, he cannot sell this slave, and she becomes free on
his death.
Abyssinian and white female slaves are kept by many men of the middle
and higher classes, and often instead of wives, as requiring less
expense, and being more subservient; but they are generally indulged
with the same luxuries as free ladies; their vanity is gratified by
costly dresses and ornaments, and they rank high above free servants; as
do also the male slaves. Those called Abyssinians appear to be a mixed
race between negroes and whites; and are from the territories of the
Gallas. They are mostly kidnapped and sold by their own countrymen. The
negro female slaves, as few of them have considerable personal
attractions (which is not the case with the Abyssinians, many of whom
are very beautiful), are usually employed only in cooking, and other
menial offices. The female slaves of the higher classes are often
instructed in plain needlework and embroidery, and sometimes in music
and dancing. Formerly, many of them possessed sufficient literary
accomplishments to quote largely from esteemed poems, or even to compose
extemporary verses, which they would often accompany with the lute. The
condition of many concubine slaves is happy; and that of many, quite the
contrary. These, and all other slaves of either sex, are generally
treated with kindness; but at first they are usually importuned, and not
unfrequently used with much harshness, to induce them to embrace the
Mohammadan faith; which almost all of them do. Their services are
commonly light: the usual office of the male white slave, who is called
"memlook," is that of a page, or a military guard. Eunuchs are employed
as guardians of the women; but only in the houses of men of high rank,
or of great wealth: on account of the important and confidential office
which they fill, they are generally treated in public with especial
consideration. I used to remark, in Cairo, that few persons saluted me
with a more dignified and consequential air than these pitiable but
self-conceited beings. Most of them are Abyssinians or Negroes. Indeed,
the slaves in general take too much advantage of the countenance of
their masters, especially when they belong to men in power. The master
is bound to afford his slaves proper food and clothing, or to let them
work for their own support, or to sell, give away, or liberate them. It
is, however, considered disgraceful for him to sell a slave who has been
long in his possession; and it seldom happens that a master emancipates
a female slave, without marrying her to some man able to support her, or
otherwise providing for her.
The Prophet strongly enjoined the duty of kindness to slaves. "Feed your
memlooks," said he, "with food of that which ye eat, and clothe them
with such clothing as ye wear; and command them not to do that which
they are unable."[122]--These precepts are generally attended to, either
entirely or in a great degree. Some other sayings of the Prophet on this
subject well deserve to be mentioned; as the following:--"He who beats
his slave without fault, or slaps him on the face, his atonement for
this is freeing him."--"A man who behaves ill to his slave will not
enter into paradise."--"Whoever is the cause of separation between
mother and child, by selling or giving, God will separate him from his
friends on the day of resurrection."--"When a slave wishes well to his
master, and worships God well, for him are double rewards."[123]--It is
related of 'Othman, "that he twisted the ear of a memlook belonging to
him, on account of disobedience, and afterwards, repenting of it,
ordered him to twist _his_ ear in like manner: but he would not. 'Othman
urged him, and the memlook advanced, and began to wring it by little and
little. He said to him, 'Wring it hard; for I cannot endure the
punishment of the day of judgment [on account of this act].' The memlook
answered, 'O my master, the day that thou fearest, I also fear.'"--"It
is related also of Zeyn-el-'Abideen, that he had a memlook who seized a
sheep, and broke its leg; and he said to him, 'Why didst thou this?' He
answered, 'To provoke thee to anger.' 'And I,' said he, 'will provoke to
anger him who taught thee; and he is Iblees: go, and be free, for the
sake of God.'"[124]--Many similar anecdotes might be added; but the
general assertions of travellers in the East are more satisfactory
evidence in favour of the humane conduct of most Muslims to their
slaves.
It sometimes happens, though rarely, that free girls are sold as
slaves.[125] A remarkable instance is related in the "Mir-at
ez-Zeman."[126]--Fa[t.]imeh, surnamed Ghareeb, a slave of the Khaleefeh
El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im, the son of Haroon, was a poetess, accomplished in
singing and calligraphy, and extremely beautiful. Her mother was an
orphan; and Ja[a.]far, the famous Wezeer of Haroon Er-Rasheed, took her
as his wife; but his father, Ya[h.]ya, reproached him for marrying a
woman whose father and mother were unknown, and he therefore removed her
from his own residence to a neighbouring house, where he frequently
visited her; and she bore him a daughter, the above-mentioned Ghareeb,
and died. Ja[a.]far committed her infant to the care of a Christian
woman, to nurse; and, on the overthrow of his family, this woman sold
her young charge as a slave. El-Emeen, the successor of Er-Rasheed,
bought her of a man named Sumbul, but never paid her price; and when he
was killed, she returned to her former master; but on the arrival of
El-Ma-moon at Baghdad, she was described to him, and he compelled Sumbul
to sell her to him. This Sumbul loved her so passionately, that he died
of grief at her loss. On the death of El-Ma-moon, his successor,
El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im, bought her for a hundred thousand dirhems, and
emancipated her. The historian adds, that she composed several
well-known airs and verses.
NOTE 14. An Arab who is married to his cousin generally calls her by
this appellation rather than that of wife, as the tie of blood is, to
him, in every respect, stronger than that of matrimony.
NOTE 15.--_On Magic._ The Arabs and other Mohammadans enjoy a remarkable
advantage over _us_ in the composition of works of fiction: in the
invention of incidents which _we_ should regard as absurd in the
extreme, _they_ cannot be accused by their countrymen of exceeding the
bounds of probability. A case similar to that here described was related
to me as a fact, in Cairo. A person in that city, I was told, was
suddenly surprised by the disappearance of his brother, and by finding,
in his place, an ass: but this animal increased his astonishment, and
that of every person who beheld him, by manifesting a sagacity
singularly opposed to the proverbial dulness of the generality of his
species. Yet, strange as it may seem, it was not imagined that this
brute was the lost man in a transformed state, till, one day, an old
woman, seeing him, quickly covered her face, and declared the fact. She
discovered this by her knowledge of magic; and, by her skill in this
art, she agreed to restore the enchanted person to his proper shape.
Having collected a number of herbs, she boiled them in a large vessel;
and when the decoction had cooled, she took the vessel, and, muttering a
certain spell, threw its contents over the animal, endeavouring to do so
in such a manner that every part of it should be wetted. Every part of
it _was_ wetted, excepting one hind-foot; and, accordingly, it was
restored to the original human form, with the exception of one foot,
which remained like that of an ass.
An implicit belief in magic is entertained by almost all Muslims; and
he, among them, who denies its truth, they regard as a freethinker, or
an infidel. Some are of opinion that it ceased on the mission of
Mo[h.]ammad; but these are comparatively few. Many of the most learned
Muslims, to the present age, have deeply studied it; and a much greater
number of persons of inferior education (particularly school-masters)
have, more or less, devoted their time and talents to the pursuit of
this knowledge. Recourse is had to it for the discovery of hidden
treasures, for alchymical purposes, for the acquisition of the knowledge
of futurity, to procure offspring, to obtain the affection of a beloved
object, to effect cures, to guard against the influence of the evil eye,
to afflict or kill an enemy or a rival, and to attain various other
objects of desire.
There are two descriptions of magic; one is spiritual, and regarded by
all but freethinkers as true; the other, natural, and denounced by the
more religious and enlightened as deceptive.
I. Spiritual magic, which is termed "er-Roo[h.]anee" (vulgo
"Row[h.]anee"), chiefly depends upon the virtues of certain names of
God, and passages from the [K.]ur-an, and the agency of Angels and Jinn,
or Genii. It is of two kinds: High and Low ("'Ilwee" and "Suflee"), or
Divine and Satanic ("Ra[h.]manee," _i. e._ relating to "the
Compassionate" [who is God], and "Shey[t.]anee").
1. Divine magic is regarded as a sublime science, and is studied only by
good men, and practised only for good purposes. Perfection in this
branch of magic consists in the knowledge of "the most great name" of
God ("el-Ism el A[a.][z.]am"); but this knowledge is imparted to none
but the peculiar favourites of Heaven. By virtue of this name, which was
engraved on his seal-ring, Suleyman (or Solomon) subjected to his
dominion the Jinn and the birds and the winds, as mentioned in a former
note. By pronouncing it, his minister A[s.]af, also, transported, in an
instant, to the presence of his sovereign, in Jerusalem, the throne of
the Queen of Sheba.[127] But this was a small miracle to effect by such
means; for, by uttering this name, a man may even raise the dead. Other
names of the Deity, commonly known, are believed to have particular
efficacies when uttered or written; as also are the names of the
Prophet; and Angels and good Jinn are said to be rendered subservient to
the purposes of divine magic by means of certain invocations. Of such
names and invocations, together with words unintelligible to the
uninitiated in this science, passages from the [K.]ur-an, mysterious
combinations of numbers, and peculiar diagrams and figures, are chiefly
composed written charms employed for good purposes. Enchantment, when
used for benevolent purposes, is regarded by the vulgar as a branch of
lawful or divine magic; but not so by the learned; and the same remark
applies to the science of divination.
2. Satanic magic, as its name implies, is a science depending on the
agency of the Devil and the inferior evil Jinn, whose services are
obtained by means similar to those which propitiate, or render
subservient, the good Jinn. It is condemned by the Prophet and all good
Muslims, and only practised for bad purposes.--Enchantment, which is
termed "es-Se[h.]r," is almost universally acknowledged to be a branch
of satanic magic; but some few persons assert (agreeably with several
tales in this work), that it _may_ be, and by some _has_ been, studied
with good intentions, and practised by the aid of good Jinn;
consequently, that there is such a science as _good_ enchantment, which
is to be regarded as a branch of _divine_ or _lawful_ magic. The
metamorphoses are said to be generally effected by means of spells, or
invocations to Jinn, accompanied by the sprinkling of water or dust,
&c., on the object to be transformed. Persons are said to be enchanted
in various ways: some, paralyzed, or even deprived of life; others,
affected with irresistible passion for certain objects; others, again,
rendered demoniacs; and some, transformed into brutes, birds, &c. The
evil eye is believed to enchant in a very powerful and distressing
manner. This was acknowledged even by the Prophet.[128] Diseases and
death are often attributed to its influence. Amulets, which are mostly
written charms, of the kind above described, are worn by many Muslims
with the view of counteracting, or preserving from, enchantment; and for
the same purpose, many ridiculous ceremonies are practised.--Divination,
which is termed "el-Kihaneh," is pronounced, on the highest authority,
to be a branch of satanic magic; though not believed to be so by all
Muslims. According to an assertion of the Prophet, what a fortune-teller
says may sometimes be true; because one of the Jinn steals away the
truth, and carries it to the magician's ear: for the Angels come down to
the region next the earth (the lowest heaven), and mention the works
that have been pre-ordained in heaven; and the Devils (or evil Jinn)
listen to what the Angels say, and hear the orders predestined in
heaven, and carry them to the fortune-tellers. It is on such occasions
that shooting-stars are hurled at the Devils.[129] It is said that "the
diviner obtains the services of the Shey[t.]an by magic arts, and by
names [invoked], and by the burning of perfumes, and he informs him of
secret things: for the Devils, before the mission of the Apostle of
God," it is added, "used to ascend to heaven, and hear words by
stealth."[130] That the evil Jinn are believed still to ascend
sufficiently near to the lowest heaven to hear the conversation of the
Angels, and so to assist magicians, appears from the former quotation,
and is asserted by all Muslims. The discovery of hidden treasures,
before alluded to, is one of the objects for which divination is most
studied.--The mode of divination called "[D.]arb el-Mendel" is by some
supposed to be effected by the aid of evil Jinn; but the more
enlightened of the Muslims regard it as a branch of natural magic. Some
curious performances of this kind, by means of a fluid mirror of ink,
have been described in my "Account of the Manners and Customs of the
Modern Egyptians," and in No. 117 of the "Quarterly Review."[131]
There are certain modes of divination which cannot properly be classed
under the head of spiritual magic, but require a place between the
account of this science and that of natural magic.--The most important
of these branches of Kihaneh is Astrology, which is called "'Ilm
en-Nujoom." This is studied by many Muslims in the present day; and its
professors are often employed by the Arabs to determine a fortunate
period for laying the foundation of a building, commencing a journey,
&c.; but more frequently by the Persians and Turks. The Prophet
pronounced astrology to be a branch of magic.[132]--Another branch of
Kihaneh is Geomancy, called "[D.]arb er-Raml;" a mode of divination from
certain marks made on sand (whence its appellation), or on paper; and
said to be chiefly founded on astrology.--The science called "ez-Zijr,"
or "el-'Eyafeh," is a third branch of Kihaneh; being divination or
auguration chiefly from the motions and positions, or postures,
of birds, or of gazelles and other beasts of the chase. Thus,
what was termed a "Sane[h.]," that is, such an animal standing
or passing with its right side towards the spectator, was esteemed
among the Arabs as of good omen; and a "Bare[h.]," or an animal
of this kind with its left side towards the spectator, was held
as inauspicious.[133]--"El-[K.]iyafeh," under which term are
included Chiromancy and its kindred sciences, is a fourth branch of
Kihaneh.--"Et-Tefa-ul," or the taking an omen, particularly a good one,
from a name or words accidentally heard or seen, or chosen from a book,
belongs to the same science. The taking a "fal," or omen, from the
[K.]ur-an is generally held to be lawful.--Various trifling events are
considered as ominous. For instance, a Sul[t.]an quitting his palace
with his troops, a standard happened to strike a "thureiya" (a cluster
of lamps, so called from resembling the Pleiades), and broke them: he
drew from this an evil omen, and would have relinquished the expedition;
but one of his chief officers said to him, "O our lord, thy standards
have reached the Pleiades;"--and, being relieved by this remark, he
proceeded, and returned victorious.[134]--The interpretation of dreams,
"Ta[a.]beer el-Menamat," must also be classed among the branches of this
science. According to the Prophet, it is the only branch of divination
worthy of dependance. "Good dreams," said he, "are one of the parts of
prophecy," and "nothing else of prophecy remains." "Good dreams are from
God; and false dreams, from the Devil." "When any one of you has a bad
dream, spit three times over your left shoulder, and seek protection
with God from the Devil thrice; and turn from the side on which the
dream was, to the other."[135] This rule is observed by many Muslims.
Dreams are generally so fully relied upon by them as to be sometimes the
means of deciding contested points in history and science. The sight, in
a dream, of anything green or white, or of water, is considered
auspicious; anything black or red, or fire, inauspicious.--The
distinction of fortunate and unfortunate days should also here be
mentioned. Thursday and Friday, especially the latter, are considered
fortunate; Monday and Wednesday, doubtful; Sunday, Tuesday, and
Saturday, especially the last, unfortunate. It is said that there are
seven evil days in every [lunar] month; namely, the third, on which
[K.]abeel (or Cain) killed Habeel (Abel); the fifth, on which God cast
down Adam from paradise, and afflicted the people of Yoonus (Jonas), and
on which Yoosuf (or Joseph) was cast into the well; the thirteenth, on
which God took away the wealth of Eiyoob (or Job), and afflicted him,
and took away the kingdom from Suleyman (or Solomon), and on which the
Jews killed the prophets; the sixteenth, on which God exterminated and
buried the people of Loo[t.] (or Lot), and transformed three hundred
Christians into swine, and Jews into apes, and on which the Jews sawed
asunder Zekereeya (or Zachariah); the twenty-first, on which Pharaoh was
born, and on which he was drowned, and on which his nation was afflicted
with the plagues; the twenty-fourth, on which Numrood[136] (or Nimrod)
killed seventy women, and cast El-Khaleel (or Abraham) into the fire,
and on which was slaughtered the camel of [S.]ale[h.]; and the
twenty-fifth, on which the suffocating wind was sent upon the people of
Hood.[137]
II. Natural magic, which is called "es-Seemiya," is regarded by most
persons of the more enlightened classes of Muslims as altogether a
deceptive art, no more worthy of respect than legerdemain; but it seems
to be nearly allied to enchantment; for it is said to effect, in
appearance, the most wonderful transformations, and to cause the most
extraordinary visions; affecting the senses and imagination in a manner
similar to opium. This and other drugs are supposed, by some persons, to
be the chief means by which such illusions are caused; and perfumes,
which are generally burnt in these performances, may operate in a
similar manner. As such things are employed in performances of the kind
called "[D.]arb el-Mendel," before mentioned, these feats are regarded
by many as effected by natural magic, notwithstanding what has been said
above respecting the services of evil Jinn being procured by means of
perfumes.--Alchymy ("el-Keemiya") is a branch of natural magic. It is
studied by many Muslims of the present day, and by some of considerable
talents and attainments.
The most celebrated of the magicians who have gained notoriety in Egypt
during the course of the last hundred years, was the sheykh A[h.]mad
[S.]adoomeh, who flourished somewhat more than sixty years ago--I write
in 1837. Several persons of Cairo, men of intelligence and of good
education, have related to me various most marvellous stories of his
performances, on the authority of eye-witnesses whom they considered
veracious; but a more credible account of this magician I have found in
the work of an excellent historian of Modern Egypt. This author mentions
the sheykh [S.]adoomeh as an aged man, of venerable appearance, who
derived his origin from the town of Semennood, in the Delta, and who
acquired a very great and extensive celebrity for his attainments in
spiritual and natural magic, and for holding converse, face to face,
with Jinn, and causing them to appear to other persons, even to the
blind, as men acquainted with him informed the historian. His
contemporaries, says this writer, entertained various opinions
respecting him; but, among them, a famous grammarian and general
scholar, the sheykh [H.]asan El-Kafrawee, regarded him as a first-rate
saint, who performed evident miracles; this learned man pronouncing as
such the effects of "his legerdemain and natural magic." His fame he
describes as having increased until he was induced to try an unlucky
experiment. A Memlook chief, Yoosuf Bey, saw some magic characters
written on the body of one of his female slaves, and, exasperated by
jealousy, commanded her, with a threat of instant death, to tell him who
had done this. She confessed that a woman had taken her to the sheykh
[S.]adoomeh, and that he had written this charm to attract to her the
Bey's love. Upon hearing this, he instantly sent some attendants to
seize the magician, and to put him to death, and throw him into the
Nile; which was done.[138] But the manner in which the seizure was made,
as related to me by one of my friends, deserves to be mentioned. Several
persons, one after another, endeavoured to lay hold upon him; but every
arm that was stretched forth for this purpose was instantly paralyzed,
through a spell muttered by the magician; until a man behind him thrust
a gag into his mouth, and so stopped his enchantments.
Of the stories related to me of [S.]adoomeh's miracles, the following
will serve as a specimen:--In order to give one of his friends a treat,
he took him to the distance of about half an hour's walk into the desert
on the north of Cairo; here they both sat down, upon the pebbly and
sandy plain, and, the magician having uttered a spell, they suddenly
found themselves in the midst of a garden, like one of the gardens of
paradise, abounding with flowers and fruit-trees of every kind,
springing up from a soil clothed with verdure brilliant as the emerald,
and irrigated by numerous streamlets of the clearest water. A repast of
the most delicious viands and fruits and wines was spread before them by
invisible hands; and they both ate to satiety, taking copious draughts
of the various wines. At length, the magician's guest sank into a deep
sleep; and when he awoke, he found himself again in the pebbly and sandy
plain, with [S.]adoomeh still by his side.--The reader will probably
attribute this vision to a dose of opium or some similar drug; and such
I suppose to have been the means employed; for I cannot doubt the
integrity of the narrator, though he would not admit such an
explanation; regarding the whole as an affair of magic, effected by the
operation of Jinn, like similar relations in the present work.
It may be remarked that most of the enchantments described in this work
are said to be performed by _women_; and reputed _witches_ appear to
have been much more numerous in all countries than _wizards_. This fact
the Muslims readily explain by a saying of their Prophet:--That women
are deficient in sense and religion:--whence they argue that they are
more inclined than men to practise what is unlawful.
NOTE 16.--_On the Two Grand Festivals._ The Muslims observe two grand
'Eeds, or Festivals, in every year. The first of these immediately
follows Rama[d.]an, the month of abstinence, and lasts three days: it is
called the Minor Festival. The other, which is called the Great
Festival, commences on the tenth of Zu-l-[H.]ejjeh, the day when the
pilgrims, halting on their return from Mount 'Arafat to Mekkeh, in the
Valley of Mine (vulgarly called Muna), perform their sacrifice: the
observance of this festival also continues three days, or four.
Early in the first morning, on each of these festivals, the Muslim is
required to perform a lustration of his whole person, as on the mornings
of Friday; and on the first morning of the Minor Festival, he should
break his fast with a few dates or some other light food; but on the
Great Festival, he abstains from food until he has acquitted himself of
the religious duties now to be mentioned. Soon after sunrise, on the
first day of each festival, the men, dressed in new or in their best
clothes, repair to the mosque, or to a particular place appointed for
the performance of the prayers of the 'Eed. On going thither, they
should repeat, frequently, "God is most great!"--this, on the Minor
Festival, they should do inaudibly: on the other, aloud. The
congregation, having assembled, repeat the prayers of two rek'ahs; after
which, the Kha[t.]eeb recites a khu[t.]beh; _i. e._ an exhortation and a
prayer. On each of these festivals, in the mosque, or place of prayer,
and in the street, and at each other's houses, friends congratulate and
embrace one another; generally paying visits for this purpose; and the
great receive visits from their dependants. The young, on these
occasions, kiss the right hand of the aged; and servants or dependants
do the same to their masters or superiors, unless the latter be of high
rank, in which case they kiss the end of the hanging sleeve, or the
skirt of the outer garment. Most of the shops are closed, excepting
those at which eatables and sweet drinks are sold; but the streets are
filled with people in their holiday clothes.
On the Minor Festival, which, as it terminates an arduous fast, is
celebrated with more rejoicing than the other,[139] servants and other
dependants receive presents of new articles of clothing from their
masters or patrons; and the servant receives presents of small sums of
money from his master's friends, whom, if they do not visit his master,
he goes to congratulate; as well as from any former master, to whom he
often takes a plateful of ka[h.]ks. These are sweet cakes, or biscuits,
of an annular form, composed of flour and butter, with a little
'ajameeyeh (which is a thick paste consisting of butter, honey, a little
flour, and some spices) inside. They are also often sent as presents on
this occasion by other people. Another custom required of the faithful
on this festival is the giving of alms.
On the Great Festival, after the prayers of the congregation, every one
who can afford it performs, with his own hand, or by that of a deputy, a
sacrifice of a ram, he-goat, cow or buffalo, or she-camel; part of the
meat of which he eats, and part he gives to the poor, or to his friends
or dependants. The ram or goat should be at least one year old; the cow
or buffalo, two years; and the camel, five years; and the victim should
not have any considerable mutilation or infirmity. A cow or buffalo, or
a camel, is a sufficient sacrifice for seven persons. The clothes which
were put on new at the former festival are generally worn on this
occasion; and the presents which are given to servants and others are
usually somewhat less.
On each of the two festivals it is also customary, especially with the
women, to visit the tombs of relations. The party generally take with
them a palm-branch, and place it, broken in several pieces, or merely
its leaves, upon the tomb or monument; or some, instead of this, place
sweet basil or other flowers. They also usually provide themselves with
sweet cakes, bread, dates, or some other kind of food, to distribute to
the poor. But their first duty, on arriving at the tomb, is to recite
the Fate[h.]ah (the opening Chapter of the [K.]ur-an), or to employ a
person to recite previously a longer chapter; generally the thirty-sixth
(or Soorat Ya-Seen); or even the whole of the book: or sometimes the
visiters recite the Fate[h.]ah, and, after having hired a person to
perform a longer recitation, go away before he commences. The women
often stay all the days of the festival in the cemeteries, either in
tents, or in houses of their own, erected there for their reception on
these and other occasions. The tent of each party surrounds the tomb
which is the object of their visit. In the outskirts of the cemeteries,
swings and whirligigs are erected; and story-tellers, dancers, and
jugglers, amuse the populace.
NOTE 17.--_On the Mode of Slaughtering of Animals for Food._ In the old
translation, the sheykh is described as preparing to slaughter the cow
with a _mallet_. This is a mistake of a serious nature; as the flesh of
the victim, if so killed, would be legally unclean. The Muslims are
required to slaughter animals for food in a particular manner. Sheep,
goats, cows or bulls, and buffaloes, must be killed by cutting the
throat, at the part next the head, or any other part; dividing the
windpipe, gullet, and carotid arteries. The camel is to be slaughtered
by _stabbing_ the throat at the part next the breast. Poultry, also,
must be killed by cutting the throat; and so must every tame animal of
which the flesh is lawful food. The slaughterer, in every case, must be
a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew; of either sex. On commencing the
operation, he must say, "In the name of God! God is most great!"--or at
least, "In the name of God!"--but not add, "the Compassionate, the
Merciful"--for an obvious reason. Birds or beasts of the chase may be
killed by an arrow, a dog, a hawk, &c.; but the name of God must be
uttered at the time of discharging the arrow, or slipping the dog, &c.
When the beast or bird is not killed at once by the arrow, &c., it must
be slaughtered as soon as possible, in the same manner as sheep and
poultry: the law, as well as humanity, requires this.
NOTE 18.--_On the Influence of Eloquence and Tales upon the Arabs._ The
main incident upon which this work is founded, the triumph of the
fascination of the tongue over a cruel and unjust determination which
nothing else could annul, might be regarded, by persons unacquainted
with the character and literature of the Arabs, as a contrivance too
improbable in its nature; but such is not the case. Perhaps there are no
other people in the world who are such enthusiastic admirers of
literature, and so excited by romantic tales, as those above named.
Eloquence, with them, is lawful magic: it exercises over their minds an
irresistible influence. "I swear by God," said their Prophet, "verily
abuse of infidels in verse is worse to them than arrows."[140] This, of
course, alludes to _Arab_ unbelievers.
In the purest, or Heroic Age of Arabic literature, which was anterior to
the triumph of the Mohammadan religion, the conquest which the love of
eloquence could achieve over the sanguinary and vindictive feelings of
the Arabs was most remarkably exemplified in the annual twenty days'
fair of 'Oka[z.], or 'Oka[d.]h. Respecting this fair, I shall here
insert a few particulars borrowed from an author who is at present
devoting talents of the very highest order to the study and illustration
of the history and literature of the early Arabs, and to whose
conversation and writings I must acknowledge myself indebted for most
valuable information, which will often be of great utility to me in this
undertaking, as well as in every branch of my Arabic studies.
The fair of 'Oka[z.] "was not only a great mart opened annually to all
the tribes of Arabia; but it was also a literary congress, or rather a
general concourse of virtues, of glory and of poetry, whither the
hero-poets resorted to celebrate their exploits in rhyming verse, and
peacefully to contend for every kind of honour. This fair was held in
the district of Mekkeh, between E[t.]-[T.]aif and Nakhleh, and was
opened at the new moon of Zu-l-[K.]a[a.]deh; that is to say, at the
commencement of a period of three sacred months, during which all war
was suspended, and homicide interdicted.... How is it possible to
conceive that men whose wounds were always bleeding, who had always acts
of vengeance to execute, vengeances to dread, could at a certain epoch
impose silence upon their animosities, so as tranquilly to sit by a
mortal enemy? How could the brave who required the blood of a father, a
brother, or a son, according to the phraseology of the desert and of the
Bible,[141] who long, perhaps, had pursued in vain the murderer,--meet
him, accost him peacefully at 'Oka[z.], and only assault with cadences
and rhymes him whose presence alone seemed to accuse him of impotence or
cowardice,--him whom he was bound to slay, under pain of infamy, after
the expiration of the truce? In fine, how could he hear a panegyric
celebrating a glory acquired at his own expense, and sustain the fire of
a thousand looks, and yet appear unmoved? Had the Arabs no longer any
blood in their veins during the continuance of the fair?--These
questions, so embarrassing, ... were determined [to a great degree],
during the age of Arab paganism, in a manner the most simple and most
refined.--At the fair of 'Oka[z.], the heroes were masked [or
veiled].--In the recitations and improvisations, the voice of the orator
was aided by that of a rhapsodist or crier, who was stationed near him,
and repeated his words. There is a similar office in the public prayers:
it is that of the muballigh (transmitter), who is employed to repeat in
a loud voice what is said in a lower tone by the Imam. These two facts
have been revealed to me by the same manuscript which I am translating,
and upon which I am commenting. The use of the mask [or veil] might,
however, be either adopted or dispensed with, _ad libitum_; as is proved
by the narratives of a great number of quarrels begun and ended at
'Oka[z.].... It was in this congress of the Arab poets (and almost every
warriour was a poet at the age which I am considering) that the dialects
of Arabia became fused into a magic language, the language of the
[H.]ejaz, which Mo[h.]ammad made use of to subvert the world; for the
triumph of Mo[h.]ammad is nothing else than the triumph of
speech."[142]--The [K.]ur-an is regarded by the Arabs as an everlasting
miracle, surpassing all others, appealing to the understanding of every
generation by its inimitable eloquence. A stronger proof of the power of
language over their minds could hardly be adduced; unless it be their
being capable of receiving as a credible fact the tradition that both
genii and men were attracted by the eloquent reading of David, when he
recited the Psalms; that the wild beasts and the birds were alike
fascinated; and that sometimes there were borne out from his assembly as
many as four hundred corpses of men who died from the excessive delight
with which he thus inspired them.[143] It may be added that the
recitation, or chanting, of the [K.]ur-an is a favourite means of
amusing the guests at modern private festivities.
In what may be termed the Middle Age of Arabic literature, commencing
from the triumph of the Mohammadan religion, and extending to the
foundation of the Empire of Baghdad, the power of eloquence over the
educated classes of the Arabs probably increased in proportion as it
became less familiar to them: for, early in this age, they began to
simplify their spoken language in consequence of their intercourse with
strangers, who could not generally acquire the difficult, old dialect of
their conquerors: this, therefore, then began to be confined to literary
compositions. That such a change took place at this period appears from
several anecdotes interspersed in Arabic works. The Khaleefeh El-Weleed
(who reigned near the close of the first century of the Flight), the son
of 'Abd-El-Melik, spoke so corrupt a dialect that he often could not
make himself understood by the Arabs of the desert. A ridiculous
instance of the mistakes occasioned by his use of the simplified
language which is now current is related by Abu-l-Fida. The same author
adds, that the father and predecessor of this prince was a man of
eloquence, and that he was grieved by the corrupt speech of his son,
which he considered as a defect that incapacitated him to be a future
ruler of the Arabs, as they were still great admirers of purity of
speech, though so large a proportion of them spoke a corrupt dialect;
wherefore, he sent him to a house to be instructed by a grammarian; but
after the youth had remained there a long time, he returned to his
father more ignorant than before. Vulgarisms, however, would sometimes
escape from the mouth of 'Abd-El-Melik himself; yet, so sensible was he
to eloquence, that, when a learned man, with whom he was conversing,
elegantly informed him of an error of this kind, he ordered his mouth to
be filled with jewels. "These," said his courteous admonisher, "are
things to be treasured up; not to be expended:"--and for this delicate
hint, he was further rewarded with thirty thousand pieces of silver, and
several costly articles of apparel.[144]--It may be aptly added, that
this Khaleefeh was, in the beginning of his reign, an unjust monarch;
and as he thus bore some slight resemblance to our Shahriyar, so was he
reclaimed to a sense of his duty by means somewhat similar. Being, one
night, unable to sleep, he called for a person to tell him a story for
his amusement. "O Prince of the Faithful," said the man thus bidden,
"there was an owl in El-Mo[s.]il, and an owl in El-Ba[s.]rah; and the
owl of El-Mo[s.]il demanded in marriage, for her son, the daughter of
the owl of El-Ba[s.]rah: but the owl of El-Ba[s.]rah said, 'I will not,
unless thou give me, as her dowry, a hundred desolate farms.' 'That I
cannot do,' said the owl of El-Mo[s.]il, 'at present; but if our
sovereign (may God, whose name be exalted, preserve him!) live one year,
I will give thee what thou desirest.'"--This simple fable sufficed to
rouse the prince from his apathy, and he thenceforward applied himself
to fulfil the duties of his station.[145]
In the most flourishing age of Arabic poetry and general literature and
science, commencing from the foundation of the Empire of Baghdad, and
extending to the conquest of Egypt by the 'Osmanlee Turks, the influence
of eloquent and entertaining language upon the character of the Arab
sovereigns was particularly exemplified. A few illustrative anecdotes
may here be inserted.
It is related by El-A[s.]ma'ee, that Haroon Er-Rasheed, at a grand fete
which he was giving, ordered the poet Abu-l-'Atahiyeh to depict, in
verse, the voluptuous enjoyments of his sovereign. The poet began
thus:--
"Live long in safe enjoyment of thy desires, under the shadow
of lofty palaces!"
"Well said!" exclaimed Er-Rasheed: "and what next?"
"May thy wishes be abundantly fulfilled, whether at eventide
or in the morning!"
"Well!" again said the Khaleefeh: "then what next?"
"But when the rattling breath struggles in the dark cavity
of the chest.
Then shalt thou know surely, that thou hast been only in
the midst of illusions."
--Er-Rasheed wept; and Fa[d.]l, the son of Ya[h.]ya, said, "The Prince
of the Faithful sent for thee to divert him, and thou hast plunged him
into grief." "Suffer him," said the prince; "for he hath beheld us in
blindness, and it displeased him to increase it."[146]
The family of the Barmekees (one of the most brilliant ornaments of
which was the Wezeer Ja[a.]far, who has been rendered agreeably familiar
to us by the many scenes in which he is introduced in the present work)
earned a noble and enduring reputation by their attachment to
literature, and the magnificent rewards they conferred on learned men.
It was peculiarly hard, therefore, that literature contributed to their
melancholy overthrow. Poets were employed by their enemies to compose
songs artfully pointed against them, to be sung before the prince to
whom they owed their power. Of one of these songs, the following lines
formed a part:--
"Would that Hind had fulfilled the promises she made us, and healed
the disease under which we suffer!
That she had once, at least, acted for herself! for imbecile, indeed,
is he who doth not so."
"Yea! By Allah! Imbecile!" exclaimed the Khaleefeh, on hearing these
verses: his jealousy was roused; and his vengeance soon after fell
heavily upon his former favourites.[147]
One of the Khaleefehs having invited the poets of his day to his palace,
a Bedawee, carrying a water-jar to fill at the river, followed them, and
entered with them. The Khaleefeh, seeing this poor man with the jar on
his shoulder, asked him what brought him thither. He returned for answer
these words:--
"Seeing that this company had girded on the saddles
To repair to thy overflowing river, I came with my jar."
The Khaleefeh, delighted with his answer, gave orders to fill his jar
with gold.[148]
In the present declining age of Arabian learning (which may be said to
have commenced about the period of the conquest of Egypt by the
'Osmanlees), literary recreations still exert a magic influence upon the
Arabs. Compositions of a similar nature to the tales of a Thousand and
One Nights (though regarded by the learned as idle stories unworthy of
being classed with their literature) enable numbers of professional
story-tellers to attract crowds of delighted listeners to the
coffee-shops of the East; and now that the original of the present work
is printed, and to be purchased at a moderate price, it will probably
soon, in a great measure, supersede the romances of Aboo-Zeyd,
E[z.]-[Z.]ahir, and 'Antar. As a proof of the powerful fascinations with
which the tales of a Thousand and One Nights affect the mind of a
highly-enlightened Muslim, it may be mentioned that the latest native
historian of Modern Egypt, the sheykh 'Abd-Er-Ra[h.]man El-Jabartee, so
delighted in their perusal that he took the trouble of refining the
language of a copy of them which he possessed, expunging or altering
whatever was grossly offensive to morality without the somewhat
redeeming quality of wit, and adding many facetiae of his own, and of
other literati. What has become of this copy, I have been unable, though
acquainted with several of his friends, to discover.
NOTE 19. It is a common custom among the Muslims to give a present to a
person who brings good tidings. The word (bisharah) which I render "a
reward for bringing good news," literally signifies merely "good news;"
but it is often used, as in this case, in the former sense.
NOTE 20. A Mohammadan woman is not allowed to show her face to any men
excepting certain near relations and others whom the law prohibits her
from marrying. Who these are will be mentioned in a future note,
descriptive of the general laws and ceremonies of marriage. Respectable
females consider it a great disgrace to be seen unveiled by any men but
those above alluded to.
NOTE 21.--_On the_ Deenar _and_ Dirhem. The standards of gold and
silver coin, among the Arabs, were the deenar and the dirhem: therefore,
in this work, I call the former "a piece of gold," and the latter "a
piece of silver." Their values have varied considerably at different
periods; but in the present work, we shall sufficiently approximate to
the truth, if we understand the average value of the former to be about
ten shillings or half a guinea; and that of the latter, about sixpence.
NOTE 22.--_Description of Shops._ In Eastern cities, most of the great
thoroughfare-streets, and many others, have a row of shops along each
side, not communicating with the superstructures; which latter are
divided into separate lodgings, inhabited by different families, and
seldom by the persons who rent the shops beneath. These streets are
called, in Arabic, "Soo[k.]s;" and are generally termed by us, "Bazars."
A whole street of this description, or a portion of such a street,
commonly contains only or chiefly shops appropriated to a particular
trade; and is called the Soo[k.] of that trade. In general, the shop is
a small recess or cell, about six or seven feet high, and between three
and four feet wide, the floor of which is even with the top of a raised
seat of stone or brick, called "ma[s.][t.]abah," between two and three
feet high, and about the same in breadth; upon which the shopkeeper
usually sits.[149] The front of the shop is furnished with shutters;
which, when closed, at night, are secured by a wooden lock. Several of
the engravings in this work will convey a better notion of shops of
different kinds than a more detailed description.
NOTE 23. Distrust in his governors and relations and acquaintance often
induces an Arab to hide his money under the paved floor of a room, or in
some other place, in his house.
NOTE 24. These words, "I give myself to thee," uttered by a woman to a
man, even without the presence of witnesses, if they cannot be easily
procured, render her his lawful wife, if he replies that he accepts her,
and gives her a dowry.
NOTE 25. I have substituted "Jinneeyeh" (agreeably with the Calcutta
edition of the first two hundred nights, and because the context
requires it) for "'Efreeteh," which signifies a powerful and evil female
genie.--The tale to which this note refers may be illustrated by the
following anecdote, which was related to me by a Persian with whom I was
acquainted in Cairo, named Abu-l-[K.]asim, a native of Geelan, then
superintendent of the Basha's Printing-office at Boola[k.].
One of this person's countrymen, whom he asserted to be a man of
indubitable veracity, was sitting on the roof of a house which he had
hired, overlooking the Ganges, and was passing the closing hour of the
day, according to his usual custom, smoking his Persian pipe, and
feasting his eyes by gazing at the beautiful forms of Indian maidens
bathing in the river, when he beheld among them one so lovely that his
heart was overpowered with desire to have her for his wife. At nightfall
she came to him, and told him that she had observed his emotion, and
would consent to become his wife; but on the condition that he should
never admit another female to take or share her place, and that she
should only be with him in the night-time. They took the marriage-vow to
each other, with none for their witness but God; and great was his
happiness, till, one evening, he saw again, among a group of girls in
the river, another who excited in him still more powerful emotions. To
his surprise, this very form stood before him at the approach of night.
He withstood the temptation, mindful of his marriage-vow: she used every
allurement; but he was resolute. His fair visiter then told him that she
was his wife; that she was a Jinneeyeh; and that she would always
thenceforward visit him in the form of any female whom he might chance
to prefer.
NOTE 26. This form of benediction is almost always added when the
Prophet is mentioned in a book by any of his followers, and often also
in conversation.
NOTE 27. Perhaps it is needless to explain this proverb by the words of
the Bible--"Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." (Romans,
xii. 19.) For the honour of the Muslims I must say that this maxim is
often observed by them, excepting in cases to which the law of
retaliation applies.
NOTE 28. The houses in Arabian countries generally have flat roofs, upon
which, in the summer, some of the inhabitants often sleep: the interior,
therefore, is as accessible from the roof as from the common entrance.
NOTE 29. I here steer a middle course between my usual standard
copy--which gives the story of the third sheykh more fully than I have
done--and the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, which
omits it altogether, as does also the copy from which the old
translation was made, perhaps on account of its uninteresting nature.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[111] [K.]ur-an, ch. xiii. v. 39.
[112] "El-Insan el-Kamil," by 'Abd-El-Kereem El-Jeelee, quoted
by El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in his account of Ibraheem Basha
el-Ma[k.]tool.
[113] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. i. pp. 26-34.
[114] Ibid.
[115] Idem, vol. ii. p. 373.
[116] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, section 7.
[117] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 381.
[118] For a translation of the whole of this prayer, see
"Modern Egyptians," vol. ii. ch, xii.
[119] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 35.
[120] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. ii. ch. xv.
[121] These degrees of relationship will be explained when I
describe the customs relating to marriage.
[122] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, section 9.
[123] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. pp. 140 and 141.
[124] Nuzhet El-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_.
[125] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. vii.
[126] Events of the year 227.
[127] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxvii. v. 40; and Commentary of the
Jelaleyn.
[128] See "Mish[k.]at el-Ma[s.]abee[h.]," vol. ii. p. 374.
[129] Idem, vol ii. pp. 384, et seqq.
[130] Account of the early Arabs, in the "Mir-at ez-Zeman."
[131] During his last residence in Egypt, Mr. Lane thought he
had discovered a clue to the means employed in these
performances, but he afterwards found that there were cases
which remained to him inexplicable.--ED.
[132] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], _loco laudato_.
[133] Mir-at ez-Zeman, _loco laudato_.
[134] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, in his account of the reign of
El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im, the son of Haroon.
[135] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 388.
[136] Vulgarly pronounced Nemrood.
[137] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, close of his account of the reign of
El-Emeen.
[138] El-Jabartee's Modern Egyptian History (MS. in my
possession); account of the death of Yoosuf Bey, in the year of
the Flight 1191; and account of the death of the sheykh
[H.]asan El-Kafrawee, in the year 1202.
[139] Hence it has been called by many travellers, and even by
some learned Orientalists, the Great Feast; but it is never so
called by the Arabs.
[140] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 424.
[141] Genesis ix. 5.
[142] Lettres sur l'Histoire des Arabes avant l'Islamisme, par
Fulgence Fresnel. Paris, 1836, pp. 31, et seqq.
[143] El-Is-ha[k.]ee.
[144] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee.
[145] Idem.
[146] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i.
p. 3 of the Arabic Text: 2nd edition.
[147] Ibn-Khaldoon, _ubi supra_, vol. i. p. 124 of the Arabic
text.
[148] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt (MS. in my possession), chap. vii.
[149] The ma[s.][t.]abah, with the picturesque Arab
architecture of which it forms a part, is fast disappearing
from Egypt. In Cairo and Alexandria, Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee ordered
that the ma[s.][t.]abahs in the thoroughfare-streets should be
removed, or reduced to about a foot in width; and interdicted
the erection of new meshrebeeyehs (projecting windows of
lattice-work), although he allowed the old ones to remain.--ED.
CHAPTER II.
COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE THIRD NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF THE
NINTH.
THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN.
There was a certain fisherman, advanced in age, who had a wife and three
children; and though he was in indigent circumstances, it was his custom
to cast his net, every day, no more than four times. One day he went
forth at the hour of noon to the shore of the sea, and put down his
basket, and cast his net, and waited until it was motionless in the
water, when he drew together its strings, and found it to be heavy: he
pulled, but could not draw it up: so he took the end of the cord, and
knocked a stake into the shore, and tied the cord to it. He then
stripped himself, and dived round the net, and continued to pull until
he drew it out: whereupon he rejoiced, and put on his clothes; but when
he came to examine the net, he found in it the carcass of an ass. At the
sight of this he mourned, and exclaimed, There is no strength nor power
but in God, the High, the Great! This is a strange piece of
fortune!--And he repeated the following verse:--
O thou who occupiest thyself in the darkness of night, and in peril!
Spare thy trouble; for the support of Providence is not obtained
by toil![II_1]
He then disencumbered his net of the dead ass, and wrung it out; after
which he spread it, and descended into the sea, and--exclaiming, In the
name of God!--cast it again, and waited till it had sunk and was still,
when he pulled it, and found it more heavy and more difficult to raise
than on the former occasion. He therefore concluded that it was full of
fish: so he tied it, and stripped, and plunged and dived, and pulled
until he raised it, and drew it upon the shore; when he found in it only
a large jar, full of sand and mud; on seeing which, he was troubled in
his heart, and repeated the following words of the poet:--
O angry fate, forbear! or, if thou wilt not forbear, relent!
Neither favour from fortune do I gain, nor profit from the work
of my hands,
I came forth to seek my sustenance, but have found it to be exhausted.
How many of the ignorant are in splendour! and how many of the wise,
in obscurity!
So saying, he threw aside the jar, and wrung out and cleansed his net;
and, begging the forgiveness of God for his impatience, returned to the
sea the third time, and threw the net, and waited till it had sunk and
was motionless: he then drew it out, and found in it a quantity of
broken jars and pots.
Upon this, he raised his head towards heaven, and said, O God, Thou
knowest that I cast not my net more than four times; and I have now cast
it three times! Then--exclaiming, In the name of God!--he cast the net
again into the sea, and waited till it was still; when he attempted to
draw it up, but could not, for it clung to the bottom. And he exclaimed,
There is no strength nor power but in God!--and stripped himself again,
and dived round the net, and pulled it until he raised it upon the
shore; when he opened it, and found in it a bottle[II_2] of brass,
filled with something, and having its mouth closed with a stopper of
lead, bearing the impression of the seal of our lord Suleyman.[II_3] At
the sight of this, the fisherman was rejoiced, and said, This I will
sell in the copper-market; for it is worth ten pieces of gold. He then
shook it, and found it to be heavy, and said, I must open it, and see
what is in it, and store it in my bag; and then I will sell the bottle
in the copper-market. So he took out a knife, and picked at the lead
until he extracted it from the bottle. He then laid the bottle on the
ground, and shook it, that its contents might pour out; but there came
forth from it nothing but smoke, which ascended towards the sky, and
spread over the face of the earth; at which he wondered excessively. And
after a little while, the smoke collected together, and was condensed,
and then became agitated, and was converted into an 'Efreet, whose head
was in the clouds, while his feet rested upon the ground:[II_4] his head
was like a dome: his hands were like winnowing forks;[II_5] and his
legs, like masts: his mouth resembled a cavern: his teeth were like
stones; his nostrils, like trumpets;[II_6] and his eyes, like lamps; and
he had dishevelled and dust-coloured hair.
[Illustration]
When the fisherman beheld this 'Efreet, the muscles of his sides
quivered, his teeth were locked together, his spittle dried up, and he
saw not his way. The 'Efreet, as soon as he perceived him, exclaimed,
There is no deity but God: Suleyman is the Prophet of God. O Prophet of
God, slay me not; for I will never again oppose thee in word, or rebel
against thee in deed!--O Marid,[II_7] said the fisherman, dost thou say,
Suleyman is the Prophet of God? Suleyman hath been dead a thousand and
eight hundred years; and we are now in the end of time. What is thy
history, and what is thy tale, and what was the cause of thy entering
this bottle? When the Marid heard these words of the fisherman, he said,
There is no deity but God! Receive news, O fisherman!--Of what, said the
fisherman, dost thou give me news? He answered, Of thy being instantly
put to a most cruel death. The fisherman exclaimed, Thou deservest, for
this news, O master of the 'Efreets, the withdrawal of protection from
thee, O thou remote![II_8] Wherefore wouldst thou kill me? and what
requires thy killing me, when I have liberated thee from the bottle, and
rescued thee from the bottom of the sea, and brought thee up upon the
dry land?--The 'Efreet answered, Choose what kind of death thou wilt
die, and in what manner thou shalt be killed.--What is my offence, said
the fisherman, that this should be my recompense from thee? The 'Efreet
replied, Hear my story, O fisherman.--Tell it then, said the fisherman,
and be short in thy words; for my soul hath sunk down to my feet.
Know then, said he, that I am one of the heretical Jinn: I rebelled
against Suleyman the son of Daood: I and [S.]akhr the Jinnee;[II_9] and
he sent to me his Wezeer, A[s.]af the son of Barkhiya, who came upon me
forcibly, and took me to him in bonds, and placed me before him: and
when Suleyman saw me, he offered up a prayer for protection against me,
and exhorted me to embrace the faith, and to submit to his authority;
but I refused; upon which he called for this bottle, and confined me in
it, and closed it upon me with the leaden stopper, which he stamped with
the Most Great Name: he then gave orders to the Jinn, who carried me
away, and threw me into the midst of the sea. There I remained a hundred
years; and I said in my heart, Whosoever shall liberate me, I will
enrich him for ever:--but the hundred years passed over me, and no one
liberated me: and I entered upon another hundred years; and I said,
Whosoever shall liberate me, I will open to him the treasures of the
earth;--but no one did so: and four hundred years more passed over me,
and I said, Whosoever shall liberate me, I will perform for him three
wants:--but still no one liberated me. I then fell into a violent rage,
and said within myself, Whosoever shall liberate me now, I will kill
him; and only suffer him to choose in what manner he will die. And lo,
now thou hast liberated me, and I have given thee thy choice of the
manner in which thou wilt die.
When the fisherman had heard the story of the 'Efreet, he exclaimed, O
Allah! that I should not have liberated thee but in such a time as this!
Then said he to the 'Efreet, Pardon me, and kill me not, and so may God
pardon thee; and destroy me not, lest God give power over thee to one
who will destroy thee. The Marid answered, I must positively kill thee;
therefore choose by what manner of death thou wilt die. The fisherman
then felt assured of his death; but he again implored the 'Efreet,
saying, Pardon me by way of gratitude for my liberating thee.--Why,
answered the 'Efreet, I am not going to kill thee but for that very
reason, because thou hast liberated me.--O Sheykh of the 'Efreets, said
the fisherman, do I act kindly towards thee, and dost thou recompense me
with baseness? But the proverb lieth not that saith,--
We did good to them, and they returned us the contrary; and such,
by my life, is the conduct of the wicked.
Thus he who acteth kindly to the undeserving is recompensed in
the same manner as the aider of Umm-'Amir.[II_10]
[Illustration]
The 'Efreet, when he heard these words, answered by saying, Covet not
life, for thy death is unavoidable. Then said the fisherman within
himself, This is a Jinnee, and I am a man; and God hath given me sound
reason; therefore, I will now plot his destruction with my art and
reason, like as he hath plotted with his cunning and perfidy. So he said
to the 'Efreet, Hast thou determined to kill me? He answered, Yes. Then
said he, By the Most Great Name engraved upon the seal of Suleyman, I
will ask thee one question; and wilt thou answer it to me truly? On
hearing the mention of the Most Great Name, the 'Efreet was agitated,
and trembled, and replied, Yes; ask, and be brief. The fisherman then
said, How wast thou in this bottle? It will not contain thy hand or thy
foot; how then can it contain thy whole body?--Dost thou not believe
that I was in it? said the 'Efreet. The fisherman answered, I will never
believe thee until I see thee in it. Upon this, the 'Efreet shook, and
became converted again into smoke, which rose to the sky, and then
became condensed, and entered the bottle by little and little, until it
was all enclosed; when the fisherman hastily snatched the sealed leaden
stopper, and, having replaced it in the mouth of the bottle, called out
to the 'Efreet, and said, Choose in what manner of death thou wilt die.
I will assuredly throw thee here into the sea, and build me a house on
this spot; and whosoever shall come here, I will prevent his fishing in
this place, and will say to him, Here is an 'Efreet, who, to any person
that liberates him, will propose various kinds of death, and then give
him his choice of one of them. On hearing these words of the fisherman,
the 'Efreet endeavoured to escape; but could not, finding himself
restrained by the impression of the seal of Suleyman, and thus
imprisoned by the fisherman as the vilest and filthiest and least of
'Efreets. The fisherman then took the bottle to the brink of the sea.
The 'Efreet exclaimed, Nay! nay!--to which the fisherman answered, Yea,
without fail! yea, without fail! The Marid then addressing him with a
soft voice and humble manner, said, What dost thou intend to do with me,
O fisherman? He answered, I will throw thee into the sea; and if thou
hast been there a thousand and eight hundred years, I will make thee to
remain there until the hour of judgment. Did I not say to thee, Spare
me, and so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God destroy
thee? But thou didst reject my petition, and wouldest nothing but
treachery; therefore God hath caused thee to fall into my hand, and I
have betrayed thee.--Open to me, said the 'Efreet, that I may confer
benefits upon thee. The fisherman replied, Thou liest, thou accursed! I
and thou are like the Wezeer of King Yoonan[II_11] and the sage
Dooban.[II_12]--What, said the 'Efreet, was the case of the Wezeer of
King Yoonan and the sage Dooban, and what is their story? The fisherman
answered as follows:--
THE STORY OF KING YOONAN AND THE SAGE DOOBAN.
Know, O 'Efreet, that there was, in former times, in the country of the
Persians,[II_13] a monarch who was called King Yoonan, possessing great
treasures and numerous forces, valiant, and having troops of every
description; but he was afflicted with leprosy, which the physicians and
sages had failed to remove; neither their potions, nor powders, nor
ointments were of any benefit to him; and none of the physicians was
able to cure him. At length there arrived at the city of this king a
great sage, stricken in years, who was called the sage Dooban: he was
acquainted with ancient Greek, Persian, modern Greek, Arabic, and Syriac
books, and with medicine and astrology, both with respect to their
scientific principles and the rules of their practical applications for
good and evil; as well as the properties of plants, dried and fresh,
the injurious and the useful: he was versed in the wisdom of the
philosophers, and embraced a knowledge of all the medical and other
sciences.
After this sage had arrived in the city, and remained in it a few days,
he heard of the case of the King, of the leprosy with which God had
afflicted him, and that the physicians and men of science had failed to
cure him. In consequence of this information, he passed the next night
in deep study; and when the morning came, and diffused its light, and
the sun saluted the Ornament of the Good,[II_14] he attired himself in
the richest of his apparel, and presented himself before the King.
Having kissed the ground before him, and offered up a prayer for the
continuance of his power and happiness, and greeted him in the best
manner he was able, he informed him who he was, and said, O King, I have
heard of the disease which hath attacked thy person, and that many of
the physicians are unacquainted with the means of removing it; and I
will cure thee without giving thee to drink any potion, or anointing
thee with ointment. When King Yoonan heard his words, he wondered, and
said to him, How wilt thou do this? By Allah, if thou cure me, I will
enrich thee and thy children's children, and I will heap favours upon
thee, and whatever thou shalt desire shall be thine, and thou shalt be
my companion and my friend.--He then bestowed upon him a robe of
honour,[II_15] and other presents, and said to him, Wilt thou cure me of
this disease without potion or ointment? He answered, Yes; I will cure
thee without any discomfort to thy person. And the King was extremely
astonished, and said, O Sage, at what time, and on what day, shall that
which thou hast proposed to me be done? Hasten it, O my Son.--He
answered, I hear and obey.
[Illustration]
He then went out from the presence of the King, and hired a house, in
which he deposited his books, and medicines, and drugs. Having done
this, he selected certain of his medicines and drugs, and made a
goff-stick, with a hollow handle, into which he introduced them; after
which he made a ball for it, skilfully adapted; and on the following
day, after he had finished these, he went again to the King, and kissed
the ground before him, and directed him to repair to the horse-course,
and to play with the ball and goff-stick. The King, attended by his
Emeers and Chamberlains and Wezeers, went thither, and, as soon as he
arrived there, the sage Dooban presented himself before him, and handed
to him the goff-stick, saying, Take this goff-stick, and grasp it thus,
and ride along the horse-course, and strike the ball with it with all
thy force, until the palm of thy hand and thy whole body become moist
with perspiration, when the medicine will penetrate into thy hand, and
pervade thy whole body; and when thou hast done this, and the medicine
remains in thee, return to thy palace, and enter the bath,[II_16] and
wash thyself, and sleep: then shalt thou find thyself cured: and peace
be on thee. So King Yoonan took the goff-stick from the sage, and
grasped it in his hand, and mounted his horse; and the ball was thrown
before him, and he urged his horse after it until he overtook it, when
he struck it with all his force; and when he had continued this exercise
as long as was necessary, and bathed and slept, he looked upon his skin,
and not a vestige of the leprosy remained: it was clear as white silver.
Upon this he rejoiced exceedingly; his heart was dilated, and he was
full of happiness.
On the following morning he entered the council-chamber, and sat upon
his throne; and the Chamberlains and great officers of his court came
before him. The sage Dooban also presented himself; and when the King
saw him, he rose to him in haste, and seated him by his side. Services
of food were then spread before them, and the sage ate with the King,
and remained as his guest all the day;[II_17] and when the night
approached, the King gave him two thousand pieces of gold, besides
dresses of honour and other presents, and mounted him on his own horse,
and so the sage returned to his house.[II_18] And the King was
astonished at his skill; saying, This man hath cured me by an external
process, without anointing me with ointment: by Allah, this is
consummate science; and it is incumbent on me to bestow favours and
honours upon him, and to make him my companion and familiar friend as
long as I live. He passed the night happy and joyful on account of his
recovery, and when he arose, he went forth again, and sat upon his
throne; the officers of his court standing before him, and the Emeers
and Wezeers sitting on his right hand and on his left; and he called for
the sage Dooban, who came, and kissed the ground before him; and the
King rose, and seated him by his side, and ate with him, and greeted him
with compliments: he bestowed upon him again a robe of honour and other
presents, and, after conversing with him till the approach of night,
gave orders that five other robes of honour should be given to him, and
a thousand pieces of gold; and the sage departed, and returned to his
house.
[Illustration]
Again, when the next morning came, the King went as usual to his
council-chamber, and the Emeers and Wezeers and Chamberlains surrounded
him. Now there was, among his Wezeers, one of ill aspect, and of evil
star;[II_19] sordid, avaricious, and of an envious and malicious
disposition; and when he saw that the King had made the sage Dooban his
friend, and bestowed upon him these favours, he envied him this
distinction, and meditated evil against him; agreeably with the adage
which saith, There is no one void of envy;[II_20]--and another, which
saith, Tyranny lurketh in the soul: power manifesteth it, and weakness
concealeth it. So he approached the King, and kissed the ground before
him, and said, O King of the age, thou art he whose goodness extendeth
to all men, and I have an important piece of advice to give thee: if I
were to conceal it from thee, I should be a base-born wretch: therefore,
if thou order me to impart it, I will do so. The King, disturbed by
these words of the Wezeer, said, What is thy advice? He answered, O
glorious King, it hath been said, by the ancients, He who looketh not to
results, fortune will not attend him:--now I have seen the King in a way
that is not right; since he hath bestowed favours upon his enemy, and
upon him who desireth the downfall of his dominion: he hath treated him
with kindness, and honoured him with the highest honours, and admitted
him to the closest intimacy: I therefore fear, for the King, the
consequence of this conduct.--At this the King was troubled, and his
countenance changed; and he said, Who is he whom thou regardest as mine
enemy, and to whom I shew kindness? He replied, O King, if thou hast
been asleep, awake! I allude to the sage Dooban.--The King said, He is
my intimate companion, and the dearest of men in my estimation; for he
restored me by a thing that I merely held in my hand, and cured me of my
disease which the physicians were unable to remove, and there is not now
to be found one like to him in the whole world, from west to east.
Wherefore, then, dost thou utter these words against him? I will, from
this day, appoint him a regular salary and maintenance, and give him
every month a thousand pieces of gold; and if I gave him a share of my
kingdom it were but a small thing to do unto him. I do not think that
thou hast said this from any other motive than that of envy. If I did
what thou desirest, I should repent after it, as the man repented who
killed his parrot.[II_21]
[Illustration]
THE STORY OF THE HUSBAND AND THE PARROT.
There was a certain merchant, of an excessively jealous disposition,
having a wife endowed with perfect beauty, who had prevented him from
leaving his home; but an event happened which obliged him to make a
journey; and when he found his doing so to be indispensable, he went to
the market in which birds were sold, and bought a parrot, which he
placed in his house to act as a spy, that, on his return, she might
inform him of what passed during his absence; for this parrot was
cunning and intelligent, and remembered whatever she heard.[II_22] So,
when he had made his journey, and accomplished his business, he
returned, and caused the parrot to be brought to him, and asked her
respecting the conduct of his wife. She answered, Thy wife has a lover,
who visited her every night during thy absence:--and when the man heard
this, he fell into a violent rage, and went to his wife, and gave her a
severe beating.
The woman imagined that one of the female slaves had informed him of
what had passed between her and her paramour during his absence: she
therefore called them together, and made them swear; and they all swore
that they had not told their master anything of the matter; but
confessed that they had heard the parrot relate to him what had passed.
Having thus established, on the testimony of the slaves, the fact of the
parrot's having informed her husband of her intrigue, she ordered one of
these slaves to grind with a hand-mill under the cage, another to
sprinkle water from above, and a third to move a mirror from side to
side, during the next night on which her husband was absent; and on the
following morning, when the man returned from an entertainment at which
he had been present, and inquired again of the parrot what had passed
that night during his absence, the bird answered, O my master, I could
neither see nor hear anything, on account of the excessive darkness, and
thunder, and lightning, and rain. Now this happened during summer: so he
said to her, What strange words are these? It is now summer, when
nothing of what thou hast described ever happens.--The parrot, however,
swore by Allah the Great that what she had said was true; and that it
had so happened: upon which the man, not understanding the case, nor
knowing the plot, became violently enraged, and took out the bird from
the cage, and threw her down upon the ground with such violence that he
killed her.
But after some days, one of his female slaves informed him of the truth;
yet he would not believe it, until he saw his wife's paramour going out
from his house; when he drew his sword,[II_23] and slew the traitor by
a blow on the back of his neck: so also did he to his treacherous wife;
and thus both of them went, laden with the sin which they had committed,
to the fire; and the merchant discovered that the parrot had informed
him truly of what she had seen; and he mourned grievously for her loss.
When the Wezeer heard these words of King Yoonan, he said, O King of
great dignity, what hath this crafty sage--this man from whom nought but
mischief proceedeth--done unto me, that I should be his enemy, and speak
evil of him, and plot with thee to destroy him? I have informed thee
respecting him in compassion for thee, and in fear of his despoiling
thee of thy happiness; and if my words be not true, destroy me, as the
Wezeer of Es-Sindibad was destroyed.--The King asked, How was that? And
the Wezeer thus answered:--
THE STORY OF THE ENVIOUS WEZEER AND THE PRINCE AND THE GHOOLEH.
The King above mentioned had a son who was ardently fond of the
chase;[II_24] and he had a Wezeer whom he charged to be always with this
son wherever he went. One day the son went forth to hunt, and his
father's Wezeer was with him; and as they rode together, they saw a
great wild beast; upon which the Wezeer exclaimed to the Prince, Away
after this wild beast! The King's son pursued it until he was out of the
sight of his attendants, and the beast also escaped from before his eyes
in the desert; and while the Prince wandered in perplexity, not knowing
whither to direct his course, he met in his way a damsel, who was
weeping. He said to her, Who art thou?--and she answered, I am a
daughter of one of the kings of India; I was in the desert, and slumber
overtook me, and I fell from my horse in a state of insensibility, and
being thus separated from my attendants, I lost my way. The Prince, on
hearing this, pitied her forlorn state, and placed her behind him on his
horse; and as they proceeded, they passed by a ruin,[II_25] and the
damsel said to him, O my master, I would alight here for a little while.
The Prince therefore lifted her from his horse at this ruin; but she
delayed so long to return, that he wondered wherefore she had loitered
so, and entering after her, without her knowledge, perceived that she
was a Ghooleh,[II_26] and heard her say, My children, I have brought you
to-day a fat young man:--on which they exclaimed, Bring him in to us, O
mother! that we may fill our stomachs with his flesh. When the Prince
heard their words, he felt assured of destruction; the muscles of his
sides quivered, and fear overcame him, and he retreated. The Ghooleh
then came forth, and, seeing that he appeared alarmed and fearful, and
that he was trembling, said to him, Wherefore dost thou fear? He
answered, I have an enemy of whom I am in fear. The Ghooleh said, Thou
assertest thyself to be the son of the King. He replied, Yes.--Then,
said she, wherefore dost thou not give some money to thine enemy, and so
conciliate him? He answered, He will not be appeased with money, nor
with anything but life; and therefore do I fear him: I am an injured
man. She then said to him, If thou be an injured man, as thou affirmest,
beg aid of God against thine oppressor, and He will avert from thee his
mischievous design, and that of every other person whom thou fearest.
Upon this, therefore, the Prince raised his head towards heaven, and
said, O thou who answerest the distressed when he prayeth to Thee, and
dispellest evil, assist me, and cause mine enemy to depart from me; for
Thou art able to do whatsoever Thou wilt!--and the Ghooleh no sooner
heard his prayer, than she departed from him. The Prince then returned
to his father, and informed him of the conduct of the Wezeer; upon which
the King gave orders that the minister should be put to death.
[Illustration]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF KING YOONAN AND THE SAGE DOOBAN.
And thou, O King, continued the Wezeer of King Yoonan, if thou trust in
this sage, he will kill thee in the foulest manner. If thou continue to
bestow favours upon him, and to make him thine intimate companion, he
will plot thy destruction. Dost thou not see that he hath cured thee of
the disease by external means, by a thing that thou heldest in thy hand?
Therefore thou art not secure against his killing thee by a thing that
thou shalt hold in the same manner.--King Yoonan answered, Thou hast
spoken truth: the case is as thou hast said, O faithful Wezeer: it is
probable that this sage came as a spy to accomplish my death; and if he
cured me by a thing I held in my hand, he may destroy me by a thing that
I may smell: what then, O Wezeer, shall be done respecting him? The
Wezeer answered, Send to him immediately, and desire him to come hither;
and when he is come, strike off his head, and so shalt thou avert from
thee his evil design, and be secure from him. Betray him before he
betray thee.--The King said, Thou hast spoken right.
Immediately, therefore, he sent for the sage, who came, full of joy, not
knowing what the Compassionate[II_27] had decreed against him, and
addressed the King with these words of the poet:--
If I fail any day to render thee due thanks, tell me for whom I have
composed my verse and prose.
Thou hast loaded me with favours unsolicited, bestowed without delay
on thy part, or excuse.
How then should I abstain from praising thee as thou deservest,
and lauding thee both with my heart and voice?
Nay, I will thank thee for thy benefits conferred upon me: they are
light upon my tongue, though weighty to my back.
Knowest thou, said the King, wherefore I have summoned thee? The sage
answered, None knoweth what is secret but God, whose name be exalted!
Then said the King, I have summoned thee that I may take away thy life.
The sage, in the utmost astonishment at this announcement, said, O King,
wherefore wouldst thou kill me, and what offence hath been committed by
me? The King answered, It hath been told me that thou art a spy, and
that thou hast come hither to kill me: but I will prevent thee by
killing thee first:--and so saying, he called out to the executioner,
Strike off the head of this traitor, and relieve me from his
wickedness,--Spare me, said the sage, and so may God spare thee; and
destroy me not, lest God destroy thee.--And he repeated these words
several times, like as I did, O 'Efreet; but thou wouldst not let me go,
desiring to destroy me.
[Illustration]
King Yoonan then said to the sage Dooban, I shall not be secure unless
I kill thee; for thou curedst me by a thing that I held in my hand, and
I have no security against thy killing me by a thing that I may smell,
or by some other means.--O King, said the sage, is this my recompense
from thee? Dost thou return evil for good?--The King answered, Thou must
be slain without delay. When the sage, therefore, was convinced that the
King intended to put him to death, and that his fate was inevitable, he
lamented the benefit that he had done to the undeserving. The
executioner then advanced, and bandaged his eyes, and, having drawn his
sword, said, Give permission. Upon this the sage wept, and said again,
Spare me, and so may God spare thee; and destroy me not, lest God
destroy thee! Wouldst thou return me the recompense of the
crocodile?--What, said the King, is the story of the crocodile? The sage
answered, I cannot relate it while in this condition;[II_28] but I
conjure thee by Allah to spare me, and so may He spare thee. And he wept
bitterly. Then one of the chief officers of the King arose, and said, O
King, give up to me the blood of this sage; for we have not seen him
commit any offence against thee; nor have we seen him do aught but cure
thee of thy disease, which wearied the other physicians and sages. The
King answered, Ye know not the reason wherefore I would kill the sage:
it is this, that if I suffered him to live, I should myself inevitably
perish; for he who cured me of the disease under which I suffered by a
thing that I held in my hand, may kill me by a thing that I may smell;
and I fear that he would do so, and would receive an appointment on
account of it; seeing that it is probable he is a spy who hath come
hither to kill me; I must therefore kill him, and then shall I feel
myself safe.--The sage then said again, Spare me, and so may God spare
thee; and destroy me not, lest God destroy thee.
But he now felt certain, O 'Efreet, that the King would put him to
death, and that there was no escape for him; so he said, O King, if my
death is indispensable, grant me some respite, that I may return to my
house, and acquit myself of my duties, and give directions to my family
and neighbours to bury me, and dispose of my medical books; and among my
books is one of most especial value, which I offer as a present to thee,
that thou mayest treasure it in thy library.--And what, said the King,
is this book? He answered, It contains things not to be enumerated; and
the smallest of the secret virtues that it possesses is this; that, when
thou hast cut off my head, if thou open this book, and count three
leaves, and then read three lines on the page to the left, the head will
speak to thee, and answer whatever thou shalt ask. At this the King was
excessively astonished, and shook with delight, and said to him, O Sage,
when I have cut off thy head will it speak? He answered, Yes, O King;
and this is a wonderful thing.
The King then sent him in the custody of guards; and the sage descended
to his house, and settled all his affairs on that day; and on the
following day he went up to the court: and the Emeers and Wezeers, and
Chamberlains and Deputies, and all the great officers of the state, went
thither also: and the court resembled a flower-garden.[II_29] And when
the sage had entered, he presented himself before the King, bearing an
old book, and a small pot containing a powder: and he sat down, and
said, Bring me a tray. So they brought him one; and he poured out the
powder into it, and spread it. He then said, O King, take this book, and
do nothing with it until thou hast cut off my head; and when thou hast
done so, place it upon this tray, and order some one to press it down
upon the powder; and when this is done, the blood will be stanched: then
open the book. As soon as the sage had said this, the King gave orders
to strike off his head; and it was done. The King then opened the book,
and found that its leaves were stuck together; so he put his finger to
his mouth, and moistened it with his spittle, and opened the first leaf,
and the second, and the third; but the leaves were not opened without
difficulty. He opened six leaves, and looked at them; but found upon
them no writing. So he said, O Sage, there is nothing written in it. The
head of the sage answered, Turn over more leaves. The King did so; and
in a little while, the poison penetrated into his system; for the book
was poisoned; and the King fell back, and cried out, The poison hath
penetrated into me!--and upon this, the head of the sage Dooban repeated
these verses:--
They made use of their power, and used it tyrannically; and soon
it became as though it never had existed.
Had they acted equitably, they had experienced equity; but they
oppressed; wherefore fortune oppressed them with calamities
and trials.
Then did the case itself announce to them, This is the reward of
your conduct, and fortune is blameless.
And when the head of the sage Dooban had uttered these words, the King
immediately fell down dead.[II_30]
[Illustration]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN.
Now, O 'Efreet, continued the fisherman, know that if King Yoonan had
spared the sage Dooban, God had spared him; but he refused, and desired
his destruction; therefore God destroyed him: and thou, O 'Efreet, if
thou hadst spared me, God had spared thee, and I had spared thee; but
thou desiredst my death; therefore will I put thee to death imprisoned
in this bottle, and will throw thee here into the sea. The Marid, upon
this, cried out, and said, I conjure thee by Allah, O fisherman, that
thou do it not: spare me in generosity, and be not angry with me for
what I did; but if I have done evil, do thou good, according to the
proverb,--O thou benefactor of him who hath done evil, the action that
he hath done is sufficient for him:--do not therefore as Umameh did to
'Atikeh.--And what, said the fisherman, was their case? The 'Efreet
answered, This is not a time for telling stories, when I am in this
prison; but when thou liberatest me, I will relate to thee their
case.[II_31] The fisherman said, Thou must be thrown into the sea, and
there shall be no way of escape for thee from it; for I endeavoured to
propitiate thee, and humbled myself before thee, yet thou wouldest
nothing but my destruction, though I had committed no offence to deserve
it, and had done no evil to thee whatever, but only good, delivering
thee from thy confinement; and when thou didst thus unto me, I perceived
that thou wast radically corrupt: and I would have thee know, that my
motive for throwing thee into this sea, is, that I may acquaint with thy
story every one that shall take thee out, and caution him against thee,
that he may cast thee in again: thus shalt thou remain in this sea to
the end of time, and experience varieties of torment.--The 'Efreet then
said, Liberate me, for this is an opportunity for thee to display
humanity; and I vow to thee that I will never do thee harm; but, on the
contrary, will do thee a service that shall enrich thee for ever.
Upon this the fisherman accepted his covenant that he would not hurt
him, but that he would do him good; and when he had bound him by oaths
and vows, and made him swear by the Most Great Name of God, he opened to
him; and the smoke ascended until it had all come forth, and then
collected together, and became, as before, an 'Efreet of hideous form.
The 'Efreet then kicked the bottle into the sea. When the fisherman saw
him do this, he made sure of destruction, and said, This is no sign of
good:--but afterwards he fortified his heart, and said, O 'Efreet, God,
whose name be exalted, hath said, Perform the covenant, for the covenant
shall be inquired into:[II_32]--and thou has covenanted with me, and
sworn that thou wilt not act treacherously towards me; therefore, if
thou so act, God will recompense thee; for He is jealous; He respiteth,
but suffereth not to escape; and remember that I said to thee as said
the sage Dooban to King Yoonan, Spare me, and so may God spare thee.
The 'Efreet laughed, and, walking on before him, said, O fisherman,
follow me. The fisherman did so, not believing in his escape, until they
had quitted the neighbourhood of the city, and ascended a mountain, and
descended into a wide desert tract, in the midst of which was a lake of
water. Here the 'Efreet stopped, and ordered the fisherman to cast his
net and take some fish; and the fisherman, looking into the lake, saw in
it fish of different colours, white and red and blue and yellow; at
which he was astonished; and he cast his net, and drew it in, and found
in it four fish, each fish of a different colour from the others, at the
sight of which he rejoiced. The 'Efreet then said to him, Take them to
the Sul[t.]an,[II_33] and present them to him, and he will give thee
what will enrich thee; and for the sake of God accept my excuse, for, at
present, I know no other way of rewarding thee, having been in the sea a
thousand and eight hundred years, and not seen the surface of the earth
until now: but take not fish from the lake more than once each day: and
now I commend thee to the care of God.--Having thus said, he struck the
earth with his feet, and it clove asunder, and swallowed him.
[Illustration]
The fisherman then went back to the city, wondering at all that had
befallen him with the 'Efreet, and carried the fish to his house; and he
took an earthen bowl, and, having filled it with water, put the fish
into it; and they struggled in the water: and when he had done this, he
placed the bowl upon his head, and repaired to the King's palace, as the
'Efreet had commanded him, and, going up unto the King, presented to him
the fish; and the King was excessively astonished at them, for he had
never seen any like them in the course of his life; and he said, Give
these fish to the slave cook-maid. This maid had been sent as a present
to him by the King of the Greeks, three days before; and he had not yet
tried her skill. The Wezeer, therefore, ordered her to fry the fish, and
said to her, O maid, the King saith unto thee, I have not reserved my
tear but for the time of my difficulty:--to-day, then, gratify us by a
specimen of thy excellent cookery, for a person hath brought these fish
as a present to the Sul[t.]an. After having thus charged her, the Wezeer
returned, and the King ordered him to give the fisherman four hundred
pieces of gold: so the Wezeer gave them to him; and he took them in his
lap, and returned to his home and his wife, joyful and happy, and bought
what was needful for his family.
[Illustration]
Such were the events that befell the fisherman: now we must relate what
happened to the maid.--She took the fish, and cleaned them, and arranged
them in the frying-pan, and left them until one side was cooked, when
she turned them upon the other side; and lo, the wall of the kitchen
clove asunder, and there came forth from it a damsel of tall stature,
smooth-cheeked, of perfect form, with eyes adorned with ko[h.]l,[II_34]
beautiful in countenance, and with heavy, swelling hips; wearing a
koofeeyeh[II_35] interwoven with blue silk; with rings in her ears, and
bracelets on her wrists, and rings set with precious jewels on her
fingers; and in her hand was a rod of Indian cane: and she dipped the
end of the rod in the frying-pan, and said, O fish, are ye remaining
faithful to your covenant? At the sight of this, the cook-maid fainted.
The damsel then repeated the same words a second and a third time; after
which the fish raised their heads from the frying-pan, and answered,
Yes, yes. They then repeated the following verse:--
If thou return, we return; and if thou come, we come; and if thou
forsake, we verily do the same.
And upon this the damsel overturned the frying-pan, and departed by the
way she had entered, and the wall of the kitchen closed up again. The
cook-maid then arose, and beheld the four fish burnt like charcoal; and
she exclaimed, In his first encounter his staff broke!--and as she sat
reproaching herself, she beheld the Wezeer standing at her head; and he
said to her, Bring the fish to the Sul[t.]an:--and she wept, and
informed him of what had happened.[II_36]
[Illustration]
The Wezeer was astonished at her words, and exclaimed, This is indeed a
wonderful event;--and he sent for the fisherman, and when he was
brought, he said to him, O fisherman, thou must bring to us four fish
like those which thou broughtest before. The fisherman accordingly went
forth to the lake, and threw his net, and when he had drawn it in he
found in it four fish as before; and he took them to the Wezeer, who
went with them to the maid, and said to her, Rise, and fry them in my
presence, that I may witness this occurrence. The maid, therefore,
prepared the fish, and put them in the frying-pan, and they had remained
but a little while, when the wall clove asunder, and the damsel
appeared, clad as before, and holding the rod; and she dipped the end of
the rod in the frying-pan, and said, O fish, O fish, are ye remaining
faithful to your old covenant? Upon which they raised their heads, and
answered as before; and the damsel overturned the frying-pan with the
rod, and returned by the way she had entered, and the wall closed up
again.
The Wezeer then said, This is an event which cannot be concealed from
the King:--so he went to him, and informed him of what had happened in
his presence; and the King said, I must see this with my own eyes. He
sent, therefore, to the fisherman, and commanded him to bring four fish
like the former; granting him a delay of three days. And the fisherman
repaired to the lake, and brought the fish thence to the King, who
ordered again that four hundred pieces of gold should be given to him;
and then, turning to the Wezeer, said to him, Cook the fish thyself here
before me. The Wezeer answered, I hear and obey. He brought the
frying-pan, and, after he had cleaned the fish, threw them into it; and
as soon as he had turned them, the wall clove asunder, and there came
forth from it a negro, in size like a bull, or like one of the tribe of
'Ad,[II_37] having in his hand a branch of a green tree; and he said,
with a clear but terrifying voice, O fish, O fish, are ye remaining
faithful to your old covenant? Upon which they raised their heads, and
answered as before, Yes, yes:
If thou return, we return; and if thou come, we come; and if thou
forsake, we verily do the same.
The black then approached the frying-pan, and overturned it with the
branch, and the fish became like charcoal, and he went away as he had
come.
When he had thus disappeared from before their eyes, the King said, This
is an event respecting which it is impossible to keep silence, and there
must, undoubtedly, be some strange circumstance connected with these
fish. He then ordered that the fisherman should be brought before him,
and when he had come, he said to him, Whence came these fish? The
fisherman answered, From a lake between four mountains behind this
mountain which is without thy city. The King said to him, How many days'
journey[II_38] distant? He answered, O our lord the Sul[t.]an, a journey
of half-an-hour. And the Sul[t.]an was astonished, and ordered his
troops to go out immediately with him and the fisherman, who began to
curse the 'Efreet. They proceeded until they had ascended the mountain,
and descended into a wide desert tract which they had never before seen
in their whole lives; and the Sul[t.]an and all the troops wondered at
the sight of this desert, which was between four mountains, and at the
fish, which were of four colours, red and white and yellow and blue. The
King paused in astonishment, and said to the troops, and to the other
attendants who were with him, Hath any one of you before seen this lake
in this place? They all answered, No. Then said the King, By Allah, I
will not enter my city, nor will I sit upon my throne, until I know the
true history of this lake, and of its fish. And upon this he ordered his
people to encamp around these mountains; and they did so. He then called
for the Wezeer, who was a well-informed, sensible, prudent, and learned
man; and when he had presented himself before him, he said to him, I
desire to do a thing with which I will acquaint thee; and it is this:--I
have resolved to depart alone this night, to seek for information
respecting this lake and its fish: therefore, sit thou at the door of my
pavilion, and say to the Emeers and Wezeers and Chamberlains, The
Sul[t.]an is sick, and hath commanded me not to allow any person to go
in unto him:--and acquaint no one with my intention.
The Wezeer was unable to oppose his design; so the King disguised
himself, and slung on his sword, and withdrew himself from the midst of
his troops. He journeyed the whole of the night, until the morning, and
proceeded until the heat became oppressive to him: he then paused to
rest; after which he again proceeded the remainder of the day and the
second night until the morning, when there appeared before him, in the
distance, something black, at the sight of which he rejoiced, and said,
Perhaps I shall there find some person who will inform me of the history
of the lake and its fish. And when he approached this black object, he
found it to be a palace built of black stones, and overlaid with iron;
and one of the leaves of its doors was open, and the other shut. The
King was glad, and he stood at the door, and knocked gently, but heard
no answer; he knocked a second and a third time, but again heard no
answer: then he knocked a fourth time, and with violence; but no one
answered. So he said, It is doubtless empty:--and he took courage, and
entered from the door into the passage, and cried out, saying, O
inhabitants of the palace, I am a stranger and a traveller! have ye any
provision? And he repeated these words a second and a third time; but
heard no answer. And upon this he fortified his heart, and emboldened
himself, and proceeded from the passage into the midst of the palace;
but he found no one there, and only saw that it was furnished, and that
there was, in the centre of it, a fountain with four lions of red gold,
which poured forth the water from their mouths, like pearls and jewels:
around this were birds; and over the top of the palace was extended a
net which prevented their flying out. At the sight of these objects he
was astonished, and he was grieved that he saw no person there whom he
could ask for information respecting the lake, and the fish, and the
mountains, and the palace. He then sat down between the doors,[II_39]
reflecting upon these things; and as he thus sat, he heard a voice of
lamentation from a sorrowful heart, chanting these verses:--
O fortune, thou pitiest me not, nor releasest me! See my heart is
straitened between affliction and peril!
Will not you [O my wife] have compassion on the mighty whom love
hath abased, and the wealthy who is reduced to indigence?
We were jealous even of the zephyr which passed over you: but when
the divine decree is issued, the eye becometh blind!
What resource hath the archer when, in the hour of conflict,
he desireth to discharge the arrow, but findeth his bow-string
broken.
And when troubles are multiplied upon the noble-minded, where shall
he find refuge from fate and from destiny?[II_40]
When the Sul[t.]an heard this lamentation, he sprang upon his feet, and,
seeking the direction whence it proceeded, found a curtain suspended
before the door of a chamber; and he raised it, and beheld behind it a
young man sitting on a couch raised to the height of a cubit from the
floor. He was a handsome youth, well-shaped, and of eloquent speech,
with shining forehead, and rosy cheek, marked with a mole resembling
ambergris. The King was rejoiced at seeing him, and saluted him; and the
young man (who remained sitting, and was clad with a vest of silk,
embroidered with gold, but who exhibited traces of grief) returned his
salutation, and said to him, O my master, excuse my not rising.--O
youth! said the King, inform me respecting the lake, and its fish of
various colours, and respecting this palace, and the reason of thy being
alone in it, and of thy lamentation. When the young man heard these
words, tears trickled down his cheeks, and he wept bitterly.[II_41]
And the King was astonished, and said to him, What causeth thee to weep,
O youth? He answered, How can I refrain from weeping, when this is my
state?--and so saying, he stretched forth his hand, and lifted up the
skirts of his clothing; and lo, half of him, from his waist to the soles
of his feet, was stone; and from his waist to the hair of his head, he
was like other men. He then said, Know, O King, that the story of the
fish is extraordinary; if it were engraved upon the intellect, it would
be a lesson to him who would be admonished:--and he related as
follows:--
[Illustration]
THE STORY OF THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLANDS.
My father was king of the city which was here situate: his name was
Ma[h.]mood, and he was lord of the Black Islands, and of the four
mountains. After a reign of seventy years, he died, and I succeeded to
his throne; whereupon I took as my wife the daughter of my uncle; and
she loved me excessively, so that when I absented myself from her, she
would neither eat nor drink till she saw me again. She remained under my
protection five years. After this, she went one day to the bath; and I
had commanded the cook to prepare the supper, and entered this palace,
and slept in my usual place.[II_42] I had ordered two maids to fan
me;[II_43] and one of them sat at my head, and the other at my feet; but
I was restless, because my wife was not with me; and I could not sleep.
My eyes were closed, but my spirit was awake; and I heard the maid at my
head say to her at my feet, O Mes'oodeh,[II_44] verily our lord is
unfortunate in his youth, and what a pity is it that it should be passed
with our depraved, wicked mistress!--Perdition to unfaithful wives!
replied the other: but (added she) such a person as our lord, so endowed
by nature, is not suited to this profligate woman, who passes every
night absent from his bed.--Verily, rejoined she at my head, our lord is
careless in not making any inquiry respecting her.--Wo to thee! said the
other: hath our lord any knowledge of her conduct, or doth she leave him
to his choice? Nay, on the contrary, she contriveth to defraud him by
means of the cup of wine[II_45] which he drinketh every night before he
sleepeth, putting benj[II_46] into it; in consequence of which he
sleepeth so soundly that he knoweth not what happeneth, nor whither she
goeth, nor what she doeth; for, after she hath given him the wine to
drink, she dresseth herself, and goeth out from him, and is absent until
daybreak, when she returneth to him, and burneth a perfume under his
nose, upon which he awaketh from his sleep.
[Illustration]
When I heard this conversation of the maids, the light became darkness
before my face, and I was hardly conscious of the approach of night,
when my cousin returned from the bath. The table was prepared, and we
ate, and sat a while drinking our wine as usual. I then called for the
wine which I was accustomed to drink before I lay down to sleep, and she
handed to me the cup; but I turned away, and, pretending to drink it as
I was wont to do, poured it into my bosom, and immediately lay down:
upon which she said, Sleep on; I wish that thou wouldst never wake
again! By Allah, I abhor thee, and abhor thy person, and my soul is
weary of thy company!--She then arose, and attired herself in the most
magnificent of her apparel, and, having perfumed herself, and slung on a
sword, opened the door of the palace, and went out. I got up
immediately, and followed her until she had quitted the palace, and
passed through the streets of the city, and arrived at the city-gates,
when she pronounced some words that I understood not; whereupon the
locks fell off, and the gates opened, and she went out, I still
following her, without her knowledge. Thence she proceeded to a space
among the mounds,[II_47] and arrived at a strong edifice, in which was a
[k.]ubbeh[II_48] constructed of mud, with a door, which she entered. I
then climbed upon the roof of the [k.]ubbeh, and, looking down upon her
through an aperture, saw that she was visiting a black slave, whose
large lips, one of which overlapped the other, gathered up the sand from
the pebbly floor, while he lay, in a filthy and wet condition, upon a
few stalks of sugar-cane.
She kissed the ground before this slave; and he raised his head towards
her, and said, Wo to thee! Wherefore hast thou remained away until this
hour? The other blacks have been here drinking wine, and each of them
has gone away with his mistress; and I refused to drink on thy
account.--She answered, O my master, and beloved of my heart, knowest
thou not that I am married to my cousin, and that I abhor every man who
resembles him, and hate myself while I am in his company? If I did not
fear to displease thee, I would reduce the city to ruins, so that the
owl and the raven should cry in it, and would transport its stones
beyond Mount [K.]af.[II_49]--Thou liest, thou infamous woman, replied
the slave; and I swear by the generosity of the blacks (and if I speak
not truth, may our valour be as the valour of the whites), that if thou
loiter as thou hast now done till this hour, I will no longer give thee
my company, nor approach thy person, thou faithless one! Dost thou
inconvenience me for the sake of thine own pleasure, thou filthy wretch,
and vilest of the whites?--When I heard (continued the King) their
words, and witnessed what passed between them, the world became dark
before my face, and I knew not where I was.--My cousin still stood
weeping, and abasing herself before him, and said, O my beloved, and
treasure of my heart, there remaineth to me none but thee for whom I
care, and if thou cast me off, alas for me! O my beloved! O light of
mine eye!--Thus she continued to weep, and to humble herself before him,
until he became pacified towards her; upon which she rejoiced, and
arose, and, having disrobed herself, said to him, O my master, hast thou
here anything that thy maid may eat? He answered, Uncover the dough-pan;
it contains some cooked rats' bones:[II_50] eat of them, and pick them;
and take this earthen pot: thou wilt find in it some boo[z.]ah[II_51] to
drink. So she arose, and ate and drank, and washed her hands; after
which she lay down by the side of the slave, upon the stalks of
sugar-cane, and covered herself with his tattered clothes and rags.
[Illustration]
When I saw her do this, I became unconscious of my existence, and,
descending from the roof of the [k.]ubbeh, entered, and took the sword
from the side of my cousin, with the intention of killing them both. I
struck the slave upon his neck, and thought that he was killed; but the
blow, which I gave with the view of severing his head, only cut the
gullet and skin and flesh; and when I thought that I had killed him, he
uttered a loud snore, upon which my cousin started up, and as soon as I
had gone, took the sword, and returned it to its scabbard, and came back
to the city and to the palace, and lay down again in my bed, in which
she remained until the morning.
On the following day, I observed that my cousin had cut off her hair,
and put on the apparel of mourning;[II_52] and she said to me, O my
cousin, blame me not for what I do; for I have received news that my
mother is dead, and that my father hath been slain in a holy war, and
that one of my two brothers hath died of a poisonous sting, and the
other by the fall of a house: it is natural, therefore, that I should
weep and mourn. On hearing these words, I abstained from upbraiding her,
and said, Do what seemeth fit to thee; for I will not oppose thee.
Accordingly, she continued mourning and weeping and wailing a whole
year; after which she said to me, I have a desire to build for myself,
in thy palace, a tomb, with a [k.]ubbeh, that I may repair thither alone
to mourn, and I will call it the House of Lamentations.[II_53] I
replied, Do what thou seest fit. So she built for herself a house for
mourning, with a [k.]ubbeh in the middle of it, like the tomb of a
saint;[II_54] after which she removed thither the slave, and there she
lodged him. He was in a state of excessive weakness, and unable to
render her any service, though he drank wine; and from the day on which
I had wounded him, he had never spoken; yet he remained alive, because
the appointed term of his life had not expired. My cousin every day
visited him in this tomb early and late, to weep and mourn over him, and
took to him wine to drink, and boiled meats; and thus she continued to
do, morning and evening, until the expiration of the second year, while
I patiently suffered her, till one day, I entered her apartment
unawares, and found her weeping, and slapping her face, and repeating
these verses:--
I have lost my existence among mankind since your absence;
for my heart loveth none but you.
Take my body, then, in mercy, to the place where you are laid;
and there bury me by your side:
And if, at my grave, you utter my name, the moaning of my bones
shall answer to your call.
As soon as she had finished the recitation of these verses, I said to
her, holding my drawn sword in my hand, This is the language of those
faithless women who renounce the ties of affinity, and regard not lawful
fellowship!--and I was about to strike her with the sword, and had
lifted up my arm to do so, when she rose--for she knew that it was I who
had wounded the slave--and, standing before me, pronounced some words
which I understood not, and said, May God, by means of my enchantment,
make thee to be half of stone, and half of the substance of
man!--whereupon I became as thou seest, unable to move, neither dead nor
alive; and when I had been reduced to this state, she enchanted the city
and its markets and fields. The inhabitants of our city were of four
classes; Muslims, and Christians, and Jews, and Magians; and she
transformed them into fish: the white are the Muslims; the red, the
Magians; the blue, the Christians; and the yellow, the Jews.[II_55] She
transformed, also, the four islands into four mountains, and placed them
around the lake; and from that time she has continued every day to
torture me, inflicting upon me a hundred lashes with a leathern whip,
until the blood flows from my wounds; after which she puts on my upper
half a vest of hair-cloth, beneath these garments.--Having said thus,
the young man wept, and ejaculating the following verses:--
Give me patience, O Allah, to bear what Thou decreest! I will be
patient, if so I may obtain thine approval.
I am straitened, indeed, by the calamity that hath befallen me:
but the Family of the favoured Prophet shall intercede
for me![II_56]
Upon this, the King, looking towards the young man, said to him, O
youth, thou hast increased my anxiety. And where (he added) is this
woman?--The young man answered, She is in the tomb where the slave is
lying, in the [k.]ubbeh; and every day, before she visits him, she
strips me of my clothing, and inflicts upon me a hundred lashes with the
whip, while I weep and cry out, unable to move so as to repulse her.
After thus torturing me, she repairs early to the slave, with the wine
and boiled meat.--By Allah, O youth, said the King, I will do thee an
act of kindness for which I shall be remembered, and a favour which
historians shall record in a biography after me.
He then sat and conversed with him until the approach of night, upon
which he arose, and waited till the first dawn of day, when he took off
his clothes, and slung on his sword, and went to the place where the
slave lay. After remarking the candles and lamps, and perfumes and
ointments, he approached the slave, and with a blow of his sword slew
him: he then carried him on his back, and threw him into a well which he
found in the palace, and, returning to the [k.]ubbeh, clad himself with
the slave's clothes, and lay down with the drawn sword by his side. Soon
after, the vile enchantress went to her cousin, and, having pulled off
his clothes, took the whip, and beat him, while he cried, Ah! it is
enough for me to be in this state! Have pity on me then!--Didst thou
shew pity to me, she exclaimed, and didst thou spare my lover?--She then
put on him the hair-cloth vest and his outer garments, and repaired to
the slave with a cup of wine, and a bowl of boiled meat. Entering the
tomb, she wept and wailed, exclaiming, O my master, answer me! O my
master, speak to me!--and poured forth her lamentation in the words of
this verse:--
How long shall this aversion and harshness continue? Sufficient
is the evil which my passion hath brought upon me![II_57]
Then, weeping as before, she exclaimed again, O my master, answer me,
and speak to me! Upon this the King, speaking in a low voice, and
adapting his tongue to the pronunciation of the blacks, ejaculated, Ah!
Ah! there is no strength nor power but in God! On hearing these words,
she screamed with joy, and fell down in a swoon; and when she recovered,
she exclaimed, Possibly my master is restored to health! The King, again
lowering his voice, as if from weakness, replied, Thou profligate
wretch, thou deservest not that I should address thee.--Wherefore? said
she. He answered, Because all the day long thou tormentest thy husband,
while he calleth out, and imploreth the aid of God, so that thou hast
prevented my sleeping from the commencement of darkness until morning:
thy husband hath not ceased to humble himself, and to imprecate
vengeance upon thee, till he hath distracted me; and had it not been for
this, I had recovered my strength: this it is which hath prevented my
answering thee.--Then, with thy permission, she replied, I will liberate
him from his present sufferings.--Liberate him, said the King, and give
us ease.
[Illustration]
She replied, I hear and obey;--and immediately arose, and went out from
the [k.]ubbeh to the palace, and, taking a cup, filled it with water,
and pronounced certain words over it, upon which it began to boil like a
cauldron. She then sprinkled some of it upon her cousin, saying, By
virtue of what I have uttered, be changed from thy present state to that
in which thou wast at first!--and instantly he shook, and stood upon his
feet, rejoicing in his liberation, and exclaimed, I testify that there
is no deity but God, and that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle; God bless
and save him! She then said to him, Depart, and return not hither, or I
will kill thee:--and she cried out in his face: so he departed from
before her, and she returned to the [k.]ubbeh, and said, O my master,
come forth to me that I may behold thee. He replied, with a weak voice,
What hast thou done? Thou hast relieved me from the branch, but hast not
relieved me from the root.--O my beloved, she said, and what is the
root? He answered, The people of this city, and of the four islands:
every night, at the middle hour, the fish raise their heads, and
imprecate vengeance upon me and upon thee; and this is the cause that
preventeth the return of vigour to my body; therefore, liberate them,
and come, and take my hand, and raise me; for vigour hath already in
part returned to me.
[Illustration]
On hearing these words of the King, whom she imagined to be the slave,
she said to him with joy, O my master, on my head and my eye! In the
name of Allah![II_58]--and she sprang up, full of happiness, and
hastened to the lake, where, taking a little of its water, she
pronounced over it some unintelligible words, whereupon the fish became
agitated, and raised their heads, and immediately became converted into
men as before. Thus was the enchantment removed from the inhabitants of
the city, and the city became repeopled, and the market-streets
re-erected, and every one returned to his occupation: the mountains also
became changed into islands as they were at the first. The enchantress
then returned immediately to the King, whom she still imagined to be the
slave, and said to him, O my beloved, stretch forth thy honoured hand,
that I may kiss it.--Approach me, said the King in a low voice. So she
drew near to him; and he, having his keen-edged sword ready in his hand,
thrust it into her bosom, and the point protruded from her back: he then
struck her again, and clove her in twain, and went forth.
He found the young man who had been enchanted waiting his return, and
congratulated him on his safety; and the young prince kissed his hand,
and thanked him. The King then said to him, Wilt thou remain in thy
city, or come with me to my capital?--O King of the age, said the young
man, dost thou know the distance that is between thee and thy city? The
King answered, Two days and a half.--O King, replied the young man, if
thou hast been asleep, awake: between thee and thy city is a distance of
a year's journey to him who travelleth with diligence; and thou camest
in two days and a half only because the city was enchanted: but, O King,
I will never quit thee for the twinkling of an eye. The King rejoiced at
his words, and said, Praise be to God, who hath in his beneficence given
thee to me: thou art my son; for during my whole life, I have never been
blest with a son:--and they embraced each other, and rejoiced
exceedingly. They then went together into the palace, where the King who
had been enchanted informed the officers of his court that he was about
to perform the holy pilgrimage: so they prepared for him everything that
he required; and he departed with the Sul[t.]an; his heart burning with
reflections upon his city, because he had been deprived of the sight of
it for the space of a year.
He set forth, accompanied by fifty memlooks,[II_59] and provided with
presents, and they continued their journey night and day for a whole
year, after which they drew near to the city of the Sul[t.]an, and the
Wezeer and the troops, who had lost all hope of his return, came forth
to meet him. The troops, approaching him, kissed the ground before him,
and congratulated him on his safe return; and he entered the city, and
sat upon the throne. He then acquainted the Wezeer with all that had
happened to the young King; on hearing which, the Wezeer congratulated
the latter, also, on his safety; and when all things were restored to
order, the Sul[t.]an bestowed presents upon a number of his subjects,
and said to the Wezeer, Bring to me the fisherman who presented to me
the fish. So he sent to this fisherman, who had been the cause of the
restoration of the inhabitants of the enchanted city, and brought him;
and the King invested him with a dress of honour, and inquired of him
respecting his circumstances, and whether he had any children. The
fisherman informed him that he had a son and two daughters; and the
King, on hearing this, took as his wife one of the daughters, and the
young prince married the other.[II_60] The King also conferred upon the
son the office of treasurer. He then sent the Wezeer to the city of the
young prince, the capital of the Black Islands, and invested him with
its sovereignty, despatching with him the fifty memlooks who had
accompanied him thence, with numerous robes of honour to all the Emeers:
and the Wezeer kissed his hands, and set forth on his journey; while
the Sul[t.]an and the young prince remained. And as to the fisherman, he
became the wealthiest of the people of his age; and his daughters
continued to be the wives of the Kings until they died.
But this (added Shahrazad) is not more wonderful than what happened to
the porter.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER SECOND.
NOTE 1. The sentiment expressed in this verse is one which is often
heard from the mouth of a Muslim; but generally when, his toil is ended,
and its result seen; though not unfrequently as an excuse for indolence.
NOTE 2. The bottle is here described (by the term "[k.]um[k.]um") as of
a kind commonly used for sprinkling rose-water, &c., having a spherical
or wide body, with a long and narrow neck. I remember seeing a gilt
brass bottle of this kind, of very beautiful workmanship, for which
nearly as much as ten pieces of gold was demanded.
NOTE 3. The seal of Suleyman, or Solomon, has twice been mentioned in
former notes; in No. 21 of the notes appended to the Introduction, and
in No. 15 of those to the first chapter.
NOTE 4. It is necessary to remark, that this and many other descriptions
in the present work are not designed to be understood in their literal
sense. The reader will often be required to make some allowance for
Oriental hyperbole, and to distinguish between expressions characterised
by this figure, and such as are purely accordant with Eastern grandeur
and magnificence, or with Muslim superstition.
NOTE 5. The end of the winnowing-fork bears a rude resemblance to a
gigantic hand; having several long prongs of wood.
NOTE 6. Instead of "ibree[k.]" (a ewer), in the Cairo edition, I read
"abwa[k.]" (trumpets), as in other editions.
NOTE 7. This appellation has been mentioned in a former note, as
signifying an evil Jinnee of the most powerful class.
NOTE 8. It is a rule observed in decent society, by the Arabs, to avoid,
as much as possible, the mention of opprobrious epithets, lest any
person present should imagine such epithets to be addressed insidiously
to himself. For this reason, when any malediction or offensive language
is repeated in a story, it is usual with them to designate the object of
such language by this term, which signifies both remote or absent from
the person or persons in whose presence the words are repeated, and
remote from virtue or good. In the present instance, "remote" is an
epithet substituted by Shahrazad for some other of a gross nature, from
respect to the king to whom she is relating the story.
NOTE 9. I read "[S.]akhr el-Jinnee" for "[S.]akhr el-Jinn."--[S.]akhr
was an evil Jinnee, and a terrible enemy of Solomon. His last act of
treachery to that monarch, and his fate, are thus related by
commentators on the [K.]ur-an.--Solomon having, through negligence,
suffered one of his women to practise idolatry under his roof, God saw
fit to punish him. It was the custom of this King, on certain occasions,
"to intrust his signet, on which his kingdom depended, with a concubine
of his, named El-Emeeneh. One day, therefore, when she had the ring in
her custody, a devil [or evil Jinnee], named [S.]akhr, came to her in
the shape of Solomon, and received the ring from her; by virtue of which
he became possessed of the kingdom, and sat on the throne in the shape
which he had borrowed, making what alterations in the law he pleased.
Solomon, in the meantime, being changed in his outward appearance, and
known to none of his subjects, was obliged to wander about, and beg alms
for his subsistence; till at length, after the space of forty days,
which was the time the image had been worshipped in his house, the devil
flew away, and threw the signet into the sea. The signet was immediately
swallowed by a fish, which being taken and given to Solomon, he found
the ring in its belly; and having by this means recovered the kingdom,
he took [S.]akhr, and, tying a great stone to his neck, threw him into
the Lake of Tiberias."[150]
NOTE 10. "Umm-'Amir" is an appellation of the hyena. It is scarcely
necessary to mention, that the proverb here quoted is said to have
originated from the fact of a man's having been devoured by a hyena whom
he had aided against an enemy.
NOTE 11. In some copies, the personage here mentioned is called "Melik
el-Yoonan," that is, "King of Ancient Greece," or--"of the Ancient
Greeks." I have followed the Cairo edition, and that of the first two
hundred nights, printed at Calcutta, in which "Yoonan" is used as the
King's proper name. See also Note 13.
NOTE 12. This is the name of the sage in most copies; but in the Cairo
edition he is called "Rooyan."
NOTE 13. In the Calcutta edition, the king is merely said to have
reigned "in the country of the Persians," as in my translation; but in
the Cairo edition, he is said to have been "in the _city_ of the
Persians, and the country of Rooman;" which may perhaps mean (though
this is hardly allowable) the [eastern] Roman, or later Greek, empire;
an unnecessary contradiction. (See Note 22 to Chapter x.) It is
obviously more agreeable with the story to regard him as a Persian King.
NOTE 14. "The Ornament of the Good," or--"of the Comely," is an
appellation of the Arabian prophet, who is related to have said, "The
sun never riseth until it hath saluted me." "The sun's saluting the
Ornament of the Good," or "Comely," is, therefore, a phrase not
unfrequently used by Muslims merely to signify its rising.
NOTE 15.--_On the Rewards of Men of Literature and Science._ It has long
been a common custom of Eastern princes to bestow dresses of honour upon
men of literature and science, as well as upon their great officers and
other servants. These dresses were of different kinds for persons of
different classes or professions. The most usual kind was an ample coat.
With dresses of this description were often given gold-embroidered
turbans; and sometimes, to Emeers (or great military officers),
neck-rings or collars (called [t.]o[k.]s), some of which were set with
jewels; as also, bracelets, and swords ornamented with precious stones,
&c.; and to Wezeers, instead of the [t.]o[k.], a necklace of
jewels.[151]--The following striking record will convey an idea of the
magnificence of some of these dresses of honour; or, in other words, of
the liberality of a Muslim prince, and, at the same time, of the very
precarious nature of his favour. A person, chancing to look at a
register kept by one of the officers of Haroon Er-Rasheed, saw in it the
following entry:--"Four hundred thousand pieces of gold, the price of a
dress of honour for Ja[a.]far, the son of Ya[h.]ya, the Wezeer."--A few
days after, he saw beneath this written,--"Ten [k.]eera[t.]s, the price
of naphtha and reeds, for burning the body of Ja[a.]far, the son of
Ya[h.]ya."[152]--The [k.]eera[t.] of Baghdad was the twentieth part of a
deenar, or piece of gold.
Arab princes and other great men have generally been famous for highly
respecting, and liberally rewarding, men of literature and science, and
especially poets. El-Mamoon and many others are well known to us for
their patronage of the learned. Er-Rasheed carried his condescension to
them so far as to pour the water on the hands of a blind man,
Aboo-Mo'awiyeh, one of the most learned persons of his time, previously
to his eating with him, to shew his respect for science.[153] An
anecdote of a Khaleefeh ordering the mouth of a learned man to be filled
with jewels, I have related in a former note. To cram the mouth with
sugar or sweetmeats for a polite or eloquent speech, or piece of poetry,
has been more commonly done; but the usual presents to learned men were,
and are, dresses of honour and sums of money. Ibn-'Obeyd El-Bakhteree,
an illustrious poet and traditionist, who flourished in the reign of
El-Musta'een, is said to have received so many presents, that, after his
death, there were found, among the property which he left, a hundred
complete suits of dress, two hundred shirts, and five hundred
turbans.[154] A thousand pieces of gold were often given, and sometimes
ten, twenty, or thirty, thousand, and even more, for a few verses; nay,
for a single couplet.
The prodigality of Arab princes to men of learning may be exemplified by
the following anecdote:--[H.]ammad, surnamed Er-Rawiyeh, or the famous
reciter, having attached himself to the Khaleefeh El-Weleed, the son of
'Abd-el-Melik, and shewn a contrary feeling towards his brother Hisham,
on the accession of the latter fled to El-Koofeh. While there, a letter
arrived from Hisham, commanding his presence at Damascus: it was
addressed to the governor, who, being ordered to treat him with honour,
gave him a purse containing a thousand pieces of gold, and despatched
him with the Khaleefeh's messenger. On his arrival at Damascus, he was
conducted before Hisham, whom he found in a splendid saloon, seated
under a pavilion of red silk, surmounted by a dome of yellow brocade,
attended by two female slaves of beauty unsurpassed, each holding a
crystal ewer of wine. His admission during the presence of members of
the King's [h.]areem, the reader will remark as a very unusual and high
honour: the mention of the wine may also surprise him; but this is a
subject upon which much may be said, and which will be considered on a
future occasion. After [H.]ammad had given the salutation, and the
Khaleefeh had returned it, the latter told him that he had sent for him
to ask respecting a couplet of which he (the Khaleefeh) could only
remember that it ended with the word "ibree[k.]," which signifies "a
ewer." The reciter reflected a while, and the lines occurred to his
mind, and he repeated them. Hisham cried out, in delight, that the lines
were those he meant; drank a cup of wine, and desired one of the female
slaves to hand a cup to [H.]ammad. She did so; and the draught, he says,
deprived him of one-third of his reason. The Khaleefeh desired him to
repeat the lines again, and drank a second cup; and [H.]ammad was
deprived of another third of his reason in the same manner; and said, "O
Prince of the Faithful, two-thirds of my reason have departed from me."
Hisham laughed, and desired him to ask what he would before the
remaining third should have gone; and the reciter said, "One of these
two female slaves." The Khaleefeh laughed again, and said, "Nay, but
both of them are thine, and all that is upon them, and all that they
possess, and, beside them, fifty thousand pieces of gold."--"I kissed
the ground before him," says [H.]ammad, "and drank a third cup, and was
unconscious of what happened after: I did not awake till the close of
the night, when I found myself in a handsome house, surrounded by
lighted candles, and the two female slaves were putting in order my
clothes and other things: so I took possession of the property, and
departed, the happiest of the creatures of God."[155]
A whimsical story is told of a king, who denied to poets those rewards
to which usage had almost given them a claim. This king, whose name is
not recorded, had the faculty of retaining in his memory an ode after
having only once heard it; and he had a memlook who could repeat an ode
that he had twice heard, and a female slave who could repeat one that
she had heard thrice. Whenever a poet came to compliment him with a
panegyrical ode, the King used to promise him that, if he found his
verses to be his original composition, he would give him a sum of money
equal in weight to what they were written upon. The poet, consenting,
would recite his ode; and the King would say, "It is not new; for I have
known it some years;" and would repeat it as he had heard it; after
which he would add, "And this memlook also retains it in his memory;"
and would order the memlook to repeat it; which, having heard it twice,
from the poet and the king, he would do. The King would then say to the
poet, "I have also a female slave who can repeat it;" and on his
ordering her to do so, stationed behind the curtains, she would repeat
what she had thus thrice heard: so the poet would go away empty-handed.
The famous poet El-A[s.]ma'ee, having heard of this proceeding, and
guessing the trick, determined upon outwitting the King; and accordingly
composed an ode made up of very difficult words; but this was not his
only preparative measure; another will be presently explained; and a
third was, to assume the dress of a Bedawee, that he might not be known,
covering his face, the eyes only excepted, with a litham (a piece of
drapery) in accordance with a custom of Arabs of the desert. Thus
disguised, he went to the palace, and, having asked permission, entered,
and saluted the King, who said to him, "Whence art thou, O brother of
the Arabs, and what dost thou desire?" The poet answered, "May God
increase the power of the King! I am a poet of such a tribe, and have
composed an ode in praise of our lord the Sul[t.]an."--"O brother of the
Arabs," said the King, "hast thou heard of our condition?"--"No,"
answered the poet; "and what is it, O King of the age?"--"It is,"
replied the King, "that if the ode be not thine, we give thee no reward;
and if it be thine, we give thee the weight in money of what it is
written upon."--"How," said El-A[s.]ma'ee, "should I assume to myself
that which belongs to another, and knowing, too, that lying before kings
is one of the basest of actions? But I agree to this condition, O our
lord the Sul[t.]an." So he repeated his ode. The King, perplexed, and
unable to remember any of it, made a sign to the memlook--but he had
retained nothing; and called to the female slave, but she also was
unable to repeat a word. "O brother of the Arabs," said he, "thou hast
spoken truth, and the ode is thine without doubt: I have never heard it
before: produce, therefore, what it is written upon, and we will give
thee its weight in money, as we have promised."--"Wilt thou," said the
poet, "send one of the attendants to carry it?"--"To carry what?" asked
the King; "is it not upon a paper here in thy possession?"--"No, O our
lord the Sul[t.]an," replied the poet; "at the time I composed it I
could not procure a piece of paper upon which to write it, and could
find nothing but a fragment of a marble column left me by my father; so
I engraved it upon this; and it lies in the court of the palace." He had
brought it, wrapped up, on the back of a camel. The King, to fulfil his
promise, was obliged to exhaust his treasury; and to prevent a
repetition of this trick (of which he afterwards discovered
El-A[s.]ma'ee to have been the author), in future rewarded the poets
according to the usual custom of kings.[156]
The following case is also related as an exception to the common custom
of great men, with regard to the bestowal of rewards on poets:--"A poet
praised a governor in some verses, and the latter ordered an ass's
barda'ah (or stuffed saddle) and girth to be given to him. The poet went
away with them on his shoulder; and, being asked what he had got,
answered, 'I have praised our honoured lord in the best of my verses,
and he hath bestowed on me some of the most magnificent articles of his
apparel.'"[157]
NOTE 16.--_On the Bath._ The [h.]ammam, or bath, is a favourite resort
of both men and women of all classes among the Muslims who can afford
the trifling expense which it requires; and (it is said) not only of
human beings, but also of evil genii; on which account, as well as on
that of decency, several precepts respecting it have been dictated by
Mo[h.]ammad. It is frequented for the purpose of performing certain
ablutions required by the religion, or by a regard for cleanliness, and
for its salutary effects, and for mere luxury.
The following description of a public bath will convey a sufficient
notion of those in private houses, which are on a smaller scale, and
generally consist of only two or three chambers. The public bath
comprises several apartments, with mosaic or tesselated pavements,
composed of white and black marble, and pieces of fine red tile, and
sometimes other materials. The inner apartments are covered with domes,
having a number of small, round, glazed apertures, for the admission of
light. The first apartment is the meslakh, or disrobing room, which has,
in the centre, a fountain of cold water, and, next the walls, wide
benches or platforms, encased with marble. These are furnished with
mattresses and cushions for the higher and middle classes, and with mats
for the poorer sort. The inner division of the building, in the more
regularly planned baths, occupies nearly a square: the central and chief
portion of it is the principal apartment, or [h.]ararah, which generally
has the form of a cross. In its centre is a fountain of hot water,
rising from a base encased with marble, which serves as a seat. One of
the angles of the square is occupied by the beyt-owwal, or antechamber
of the [h.]ararah: in another, is the fire over which is the boiler; and
each of the other two angles is generally occupied by two small
chambers: in one of these is a tank filled with warm water, which pours
down from a spout in the dome: in the other are two taps, side by side;
one of hot, and the other of cold water, with a small trough beneath,
before which is a seat. The inner apartments are heated by the steam
which rises from the fountain and tanks, and by the contiguity of the
fire; but the beyt-owwal is not so hot as the [h.]ararah, being
separated from it by a door. In cold weather, the bather undresses in
the former, which has two or three raised seats, like those of the
meslakh.
With a pair of wooden clogs to his feet, and having a large napkin round
his loins, and generally a second wound round his head like a turban, a
third over his chest, and a fourth covering his back, he enters the
[h.]ararah, the heat of which causes him immediately to perspire
profusely. An attendant of the bath removes from him all the napkins
excepting the first; and proceeds to crack the joints of his fingers and
toes, &c., and several of the vertebrae of the back and neck; kneads his
flesh; and rubs the soles of his feet with a coarse earthen rasp, and
his limbs and body with a woollen bag which covers his hand as a glove;
after which, the bather, if he please, plunges into one of the tanks. He
is then thoroughly washed with soap and water, and fibres of the
palm-tree, and shaved, if he wish it, in one of the small chambers which
contain the taps of hot and cold water; and returns to the beyt-owwal.
Here he generally reclines upon a mattress, and takes some light
refreshment, while one of the attendants rubs the soles of his feet, and
kneads the flesh of his body and limbs, previously to his resuming his
dress. It is a common custom, now, to take a pipe and a cup of coffee
during this period of rest.
The women are especially fond of the bath, and often have entertainments
there; taking with them fruits, sweetmeats, &c., and sometimes hiring
female singers to accompany them. An hour or more is occupied by the
process of plaiting the hair, and applying the depilatory, &c.; and,
generally, an equal time is passed in the enjoyment of rest, or
recreation, or refreshment. All necessary decorum is observed on these
occasions by most females; but women of the lower orders are often seen
in the bath without any covering. Some baths are appropriated solely to
men; others, only to women; and others, again, to men during the
forenoon, and in the afternoon to women. When the bath is appropriated
to women, a napkin, or some other piece of drapery, is suspended over
the door, to warn men from entering.
Before the time of Mo[h.]ammad, there were no public baths in Arabia;
and he was so prejudiced against them, for the reasons already alluded
to, that he at first forbade both men and women from entering them:
afterwards, however, he permitted men to do so, if for the sake of
cleanliness, on the condition of their having a cloth round the waist;
and women also on account of sickness, child-birth, &c., provided they
had not convenient places for bathing in their houses. But,
notwithstanding this license, it is held to be a characteristic of a
virtuous woman, not to go to a bath even with her husband's permission:
for the Prophet said, "Whatever woman enters a bath, the devil is with
her." As the bath is a resort of the Jinn, prayer should not be
performed in it, nor the [K.]ur-an recited. The Prophet said, "All the
earth is given to me as a place of prayer, and as pure, except the
burial-ground and the bath."[158] Hence also, when a person is about to
enter a bath, he should offer up an ejaculatory prayer for protection
against evil spirits; and should place his left foot first over the
threshold.--Infidels have often been obliged to distinguish themselves
in the bath, by hanging a signet to the neck, or wearing anklets, &c.,
lest they should receive those marks of respect which should be paid
only to believers.[159]
NOTE 17.--_On Meals, and the Manner of Eating._ The King (with the sage
as his guest) is here described as eating in the presence of his court,
agreeably with a common custom of Eastern princes and other great men in
the present day; the simple manner in which the meal is served and eaten
occasioning but a slight interruption.
The Muslim takes a light breakfast after the morning-prayers, and dinner
after the noon-prayers; or a single meal instead of these two, before
noon. His principal meal is supper, which is taken after the prayers of
sunset. A man of rank or wealth, when he has no guest, generally eats
alone; his children eat after him, or with his wife or wives. In all his
repasts he is moderate with regard to the quantity which he eats,
however numerous the dishes.
In the times to which most of the tales in the present work relate, it
appears that the dishes were sometimes, I believe generally, placed upon
a round embroidered cloth spread on the floor, and sometimes on a tray,
which was either laid on the floor or upon a small stand or stool. The
last is the mode now always followed in the houses of the higher and
middle classes of the Arabs. The table is usually placed upon a round
cloth, spread in the middle of the floor, or in a corner, next two of
the deewans, or low seats which generally extend along three sides of
the room. It is composed of a large round tray of silver, or of tinned
copper, or of brass, supported by a stool, commonly about fifteen or
sixteen inches high, made of wood, and generally inlaid with
mother-of-pearl and ebony or other wood, or tortoise-shell, &c. When
there are numerous guests, two or more such tables are prepared. The
dishes are of silver, or of tinned copper, or of china. Several of these
are placed upon the tray; and around them are disposed some round, flat
cakes of bread, with spoons of box-wood, ebony, or other material, and,
usually, two or three limes, cut in halves, to be squeezed over certain
of the dishes. When these preparations have been made, each person who
is to partake of the repast receives a napkin; and a servant pours water
over his hands. A basin and ewer of either of the metals first mentioned
are employed for this purpose; the former has a cover with a receptacle
for a piece of soap in its centre, and with numerous perforations
through which the water runs during the act of washing, so that it is
not seen when the basin is brought from one person to another. It is
indispensably requisite to wash at least the right hand before eating
with the fingers anything but dry food; and the mouth, also, is often
rinsed, the water being taken up into it from the right hand. The
company sit upon the floor, or upon cushions, or some of them on the
deewan, either cross-legged, or with the right knee raised:[160] they
retain the napkins before mentioned; or a long napkin, sufficient to
surround the tray, is placed upon their knees; and each person, before
he begins to eat, says, "In the name of God," or "In the name of God,
the Compassionate, the Merciful." The master of the house begins first:
if he did not so, some persons would suspect that the food was poisoned.
The thumb and two fingers of the right hand serve instead of knives and
forks; and it is the usual custom for a person to help himself to a
portion of the contents of a dish by drawing it towards the edge, or
taking it from the edge, with a morsel of bread, which he eats with it:
when he takes too large a portion for a single mouthful, he generally
places it on his cake of bread. He takes from any dish that pleases him;
and sometimes a host hands a delicate morsel with his fingers to one of
his guests. It is not allowable to touch food with the left hand (as it
is used for unclean purposes), excepting in a few cases, when both hands
are required to divide a joint.
Among the more common dishes are the following:--lamb or mutton cut into
small pieces, and stewed with various vegetables, and sometimes with
peaches, apricots, or jujubes, and sugar; cucumbers or small gourds, or
the fruit of the black or white egg-plant, stuffed with rice and minced
meat, &c.; vine-leaves or pieces of lettuce-leaf or cabbage-leaf,
enclosing a similar composition; small morsels of lamb or mutton,
roasted on skewers, and called "kebab;" fowls simply roasted or boiled,
or boned, and stuffed with raisins, pistachio-nuts, crumbled bread, and
parsley; and various kinds of pastry, and other sweets. The repast is
frequently commenced with soup; and is generally ended with boiled rice,
mixed with a little butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper; or after
this, is served a water-melon or other fruit, or a bowl of a sweet drink
composed of water with raisins, and sometimes other kinds of fruit,
boiled in it, and then sugar, and with a little rose-water added to it
when cool. The meat, having generally little fat, is cooked with
clarified butter, and is so thoroughly done that it is easily divided
with the fingers.
A whole lamb, stuffed in the same manner as the fowls above mentioned,
is not a very uncommon dish; but one more extraordinary, of which
'Abd-El-La[t.]eef gives an account[161] as one of the most remarkable
that he had seen in Egypt, I am tempted to describe. It was an enormous
pie, composed in the following manner:--Thirty pounds of fine flour
being kneaded with five pounds and a half of oil of sesame, and divided
into two equal portions, one of these was spread upon a round tray of
copper, about four spans in diameter. Upon this were placed three lambs,
stuffed with pounded meat fried with oil of sesame and ground
pistachio-nuts, and various hot aromatics, such as pepper, ginger,
cinnamon, mastic, coriander-seed, cumin-seed, cardamom, nut [or
nutmeg?], &c. These were then sprinkled with rose-water infused with
musk; and upon the lambs, and in the remaining spaces, were placed
twenty fowls, twenty chickens, and fifty smaller birds; some of which
were baked, and stuffed with eggs; some, stuffed with meat; and some,
fried with the juice of sour grapes, or that of limes, or some similar
acid. To the above were added a number of small pies; some filled with
meat, and others with sugar and sweetmeats; and sometimes, the meat of
another lamb, cut into small pieces, and some fried cheese. The whole
being piled up in the form of a dome, some rose-water infused with musk
and aloes-wood was sprinkled upon it; and the other half of the paste
first mentioned was spread over, so as to close the whole: it was then
baked, wiped with a sponge, and again sprinkled with rose-water infused
with musk.--A dish still more extraordinary will be described in a note
on public Royal feasts.
With respect to clean and unclean meats, the Muslim is subject to nearly
the same laws as the Jew. Swine's flesh, and blood, are especially
forbidden to him; but camel's flesh is allowed. The latter, however,
being of a coarse nature, is never eaten when any other meat can be
obtained, excepting by persons of the lower classes, and by Arabs of the
desert. Of fish, almost every kind is eaten (excepting shell-fish),
usually fried in oil: of game, little; partly in consequence of frequent
doubt whether it have been lawfully killed. The diet consists, in a
great measure, of vegetables, and includes a large variety of pastry. A
very common kind of pastry is a pancake, which is made very thin, and
folded over several times like a napkin; it is saturated with butter,
and generally sweetened with honey or sugar; as is also another common
kind, which somewhat resembles vermicelli.
The usual beverage at meals is water, which is drunk from cooling,
porous, earthen bottles, or from cups of brass or other metal: but in
the houses of the wealthy, sherbet is sometimes served instead of this,
in covered glass cups, each of which contains about three quarters of a
pint. The sherbet is composed of water made very sweet with sugar, or
with a hard conserve of violets or roses or mulberries, &c. After every
time that a person drinks, he says, "Praise be to God;" and each person
of the company says to him, "May it be productive of enjoyment:" to
which he replies, "May God cause thee to have enjoyment." The Arabs
drink little or no water during a meal, but generally take a large
draught immediately after. The repast is quickly finished; and each
person, as soon as he has done, says, "Praise be to God," or "Praise be
to God, the Lord of all creatures." He then washes, in the same manner
as before, but more thoroughly; well lathering his beard, and rinsing
his mouth.
NOTE 18. This mode of shewing honour to a meritorious individual, or
distinguished guest, which is at least as ancient as the time of
Ahasuerus,[162] is still observed in Muslim countries.
NOTE 19. The influence of the stars upon the dispositions and fortunes
of mankind is firmly believed by the generality of Muslims, and is often
a matter of consideration previously to the uniting of two persons in
marriage; though the absurdity of such an opinion is declared in their
law.
NOTE 20.--_On the Distribution of Virtues and Vices among Mankind._ I
have heard Arabs confess that their nation possesses nine-tenths of the
envy that exists among all mankind collectively; but I have not seen any
written authority for this. Ibn-'Abbas assigns nine-tenths of the
intrigue or artifice that exists in the world to the Copts; nine-tenths
of the perfidy, to the Jews; nine-tenths of the stupidity, to the
Maghrabees; nine-tenths of the hardness, to the Turks; and nine-tenths
of the bravery, to the Arabs. According to Ka[a.]b-El-A[h.]bar, reason
and sedition are most peculiar to Syria; plenty and degradation, to
Egypt; and misery and health, to the Desert. In another account, faith
and modesty are said to be most peculiar to El-Yemen; fortitude and
sedition, to Syria; magnificence, or pride, and hypocrisy, to
El-'Era[k.]; wealth and degradation, to Egypt; and poverty and misery,
to the Desert.--Of women, it is said, by Ka[a.]b-El-A[h.]bar, that the
best in the world (excepting those of the tribe of [K.]ureysh mentioned
by the Prophet) are those of El-Ba[s.]rah; and the worst in the world,
those of Egypt."[163]
NOTE 21. In the Cairo edition, King Yoonan is made to say, "I should
repent after it, as King Sindibad repented of killing the falcon;"--and
thus is introduced an indifferent story in the place of that of the
Husband and the Parrot; the former story describing a king as having,
under an erroneous idea, killed a falcon that had prevented his drinking
poison. The latter story I insert in preference, according to the
Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and the edition of
Breslau.
NOTE 22.--_On Miraculously-gifted Birds._ An Arab historian would make
it to appear, that the intelligence and talent ascribed to this parrot
are not nearly so wonderful as those which some birds have been known to
display. He mentions a parrot which recited the Soorat Ya-Seen (or 36th
chapter of the [K.]ur-an); and a raven which recited the Soorat
es-Sijdeh (or 32nd chapter), and which, on arriving at the place of
prostration (or verse which should be recited with prostration), would
perform that action, and say, "My body prostrateth itself to Thee, and
my heart confideth in Thee." But these are not the most remarkable cases
of the kind. He affirms that there was a parrot in Cairo which recited
the [K.]ur-an from beginning to end. The Basha, he says, desiring to try
its talent, caused a man to recite a chapter of the [K.]ur-an in its
presence, and to pass irregularly from one chapter to another, with the
view of leading the bird into error: but, instead of this being the
result, the parrot corrected him![164]
NOTE 23. But a few years ago, it was a common custom for an Arab
merchant or shopkeeper of the higher class to wear a sword; and this not
only during a journey, but also during his ordinary walks or rides. I
have seen many persons of this description so armed, and with a pair of
pistols stuck in the girdle; though seldom excepting in the former case.
A dagger or case-knife is a weapon now more commonly worn by such
persons, both at home and abroad.
NOTE 24.--_On Hunting and Hawking._ Hunting and hawking, which were
common and favourite diversions of the Arabs, and especially of their
kings and other great men, have now fallen into comparative disuse among
this people. They are, however, still frequently practised by the
Persians, and in a manner the same as they are generally described in
the present work. Sir John Malcolm was informed that these sports were
nowhere found in greater perfection than in the neighbourhood of
Aboo-Shahr, where he witnessed and took part in them: I shall,
therefore, here avail myself of his observations on this subject.
"The huntsmen," he says, "proceed to a large plain, or rather desert,
near the sea-side: they have hawks and greyhounds; the former carried in
the usual manner, on the hand of the huntsman; the latter led in a leash
by a horseman, generally the same who carries the hawk. When the
antelope is seen, they endeavour to get as near as possible; but the
animal, the moment it observes them, goes off at a rate that seems
swifter than the wind: the horsemen are instantly at full speed, having
slipped the dogs. If it is a single deer, they at the same time fly the
hawks; but if a herd, they wait till the dogs have fixed on a particular
antelope. The hawks, skimming along near the ground, soon reach the
deer, at whose head they pounce in succession, and sometimes with a
violence that knocks it over. [They are commonly described as pecking at
the poor creature's eyes until they blind it.] At all events, they
confuse the animal so much as to stop its speed in such a degree that
the dogs can come up with it; and, in an instant, men, horses, dogs, and
hawks, surround the unfortunate deer, against which their united efforts
have been combined. The part of the chase that surprised me most, was
the extraordinary combination of the hawks and the dogs, which
throughout seemed to look to each other for aid. This, I was told, was
the result of long and skilful training.--The antelope is supposed to be
the fleetest quadruped on earth; and the rapidity of the first burst of
the chase I have described is astonishing. The run seldom exceeds three
or four miles, and often is not half so much. A fawn is an easy victory;
the doe often runs a good chase; and the buck is seldom taken. The Arabs
are, indeed, afraid to fly their hawks at the latter, as these fine
birds, in pouncing, frequently impale themselves on its sharp
horns.--The hawks used in this sport are of a species that I have never
seen in any other country. This breed, which is called Cherkh, is not
large, but of great beauty and symmetry.
"Another mode of running down the antelope is practised here, and still
more in the interior of Persia. Persons of the highest rank lead their
own greyhounds in a long silken leash, which passes through the collar,
and is ready to slip the moment the huntsman chooses. The well-trained
dog goes alongside the horse, and keeps clear of him when at full speed,
and in all kinds of country. When a herd of antelopes is seen, a
consultation is held, and the most experienced determine the point
towards which they are to be driven. The field (as an English sportsman
would term it) then disperse, and, while some drive the herd in the
desired direction, those with the dogs take their post on the same line,
at the distance of about a mile from each other; one of the worst dogs
is then slipped at the herd, and from the moment he singles out an
antelope the whole body are in motion. The object of the horsemen who
have greyhounds is to intercept its course, and to slip fresh dogs, in
succession, at the fatigued animal. In rare instances, the second dog
kills. It is generally the third or fourth; and even these, when the
deer is strong, and the ground favourable, often fail. This sport, which
is very exhilarating, was the delight of the late King of Persia, Agha
Mo[h.]ammad Khan, whose taste is inherited by the present sovereign.
"The novelty of these amusements interested me, and I was pleased, on
accompanying a party to a village, about twenty miles from Aboo-Shahr,
to see a species of hawking peculiar, I believe, to the sandy plains of
Persia, on which the [H.]obara, a noble species of bustard, is found on
almost bare plains, where it has no shelter but a small shrub called
'geetuck.' When we went in quest of them, we had a party of about
twenty, all well mounted. Two kinds of hawks are necessary for this
sport; the first, the Cherkh (the same which is flown at the antelope),
attacks them on the ground, but will not follow them on the wing; for
this reason, the 'Bhyree,' a hawk well known in India, is flown the
moment the [H.]obara rises.--As we rode along in an extended line, the
men who carried the Cherkhs every now and then unhooded and held them
up, that they might look over the plain. The first [H.]obara we found
afforded us a proof of the astonishing quickness of sight of one of the
hawks: he fluttered to be loose, and the man who held him gave him a
whoop as he threw him off his hand, and set off at full speed. We all
did the same. At first we only saw our hawk skimming over the plain, but
soon perceived, at a distance of more than a mile, the beautiful
speckled [H.]obara, with his head erect and wings outspread, running
forward to meet his adversary. The Cherkh made several unsuccessful
pounces, which were either evaded or repelled by the beak or wings of
the [H.]obara, which at last found an opportunity of rising, when a
Bhyree was instantly flown, and the whole party were again at full
gallop. We had a flight of more than a mile, when the [H.]obara
alighted, and was killed by another Cherkh, who attacked him on the
ground. This bird weighed ten pounds. We killed several others, but were
not always successful, having seen our hawks twice completely beaten,
during the two days we followed this fine sport."[165]
The hunting of the wild ass is another sport of the Persians and Arabs,
but one of a more difficult nature. This animal is found in Syria, and
in the Nubian deserts, as well as in Arabia and Persia. The more common
kinds of game are gazelles, or antelopes, hares, partridges, the species
of grouse called "[k.]a[t.]a," quails, wild geese, ducks, &c. Against
all of these, the hawk is generally employed, but assisted in the
capture of gazelles and hares by dogs. The usual arms of the sportsmen,
in the times to which the present work relates, were the bow and arrow,
the cross-bow, the spear, the sword, and the mace. When the game is
struck down, but not killed, by any weapon, its throat is immediately
cut. If merely stunned, and then left to die, its flesh is unlawful
food. Some other laws respecting the killing of game have been mentioned
in a former note; but one has been there omitted which is worthy of
remark, though it is often disregarded; it is, that hunting is allowable
only for the purpose of procuring food, or to obtain the skin of an
animal, or for the sake of destroying ferocious and dangerous beasts.
Amusement is certainly, in general, the main object of the Muslim
huntsman, but he does not, with this view, endeavour to prolong the
chase; on the contrary, he strives to take the game as quickly as
possible; for this purpose, nets are often employed, and the hunting
party, forming what is called the circle of the chase ([h.]al[k.]at
e[s.]-[s.]eyd), surround the spot in which the game is found.
"On the eastern frontiers of Syria," says Burckhardt, "are several
places allotted for the hunting of gazelles: these places are called
'masiade' [more properly, 'ma[s.]yedehs']. An open space in the plain,
of about one mile and a half square, is enclosed on three sides by a
wall of loose stones, too high for the gazelles to leap over. In
different parts of this wall, gaps are purposely left, and near each gap
a deep ditch is made on the outside. The enclosed space is situated near
some rivulet or spring to which, in summer, the gazelles resort. When
the hunting is to begin, many peasants assemble, and watch till they see
a herd of gazelles advancing from a distance towards the enclosure, into
which they drive them: the gazelles, frightened by the shouts of these
people, and the discharge of fire-arms, endeavour to leap over the wall,
but can only effect this at the gaps, where they fall into the ditch
outside, and are easily taken, sometimes by hundreds. The chief of the
herd always leaps first: the others follow him one by one. The gazelles
thus taken are immediately killed, and their flesh is sold to the Arabs
and neighbouring Fella[h.]s."[166]
NOTE 25. In the Cairo edition, the word "jezeereh" (an island) is
erroneously put for "kharabeh" (a ruin).
NOTE 26. "Ghooleh" is the feminine of "Ghool." The Ghool is a fabulous
being, of which some account has been given in No. 21 of the notes to
the Introduction.
NOTE 27. This epithet of the Deity appears to be used in preference to
others in this instance, in order to imply that God always decrees what
is best for a virtuous man, even when the reverse would seem to us to be
the case. He is here described as appointing that the sage should die a
violent death; but this death, being unmerited, raised him, according to
Mohammadan notions, to the rank of a martyr.
In the edition from which my translation is chiefly made, four poetical
quotations are here inserted on the subject of fate, and the inutility
of anxious forebodings. The first of these is as follows:--
"O thou who fearest thy fate, be at ease; commit thine affairs
unto Him who spread out the earth.
For what is predestined cannot be cancelled; and thou art secure
from every thing that is not predestined."
NOTE 28.--_The Fable of the Crocodile._ Perhaps the reader may desire to
know what is the story which the sage Dooban declined to relate; I will
therefore supply the omission as well as my memory will allow me. I have
heard this fable differently told by different persons; and it is
sometimes spun out to a considerable length; but the principal points of
it are these:--A crocodile, having crawled far from the Nile, over a
desert tract, found his strength so exhausted by fatigue and thirst,
that he despaired of being able to return to the river. While he was in
this unhappy state, an Arab with his camel approached him, proceeding in
the desired direction; and he appealed to his compassion, entreating
that he would bind him on the back of the camel, and so convey him to
the Nile, and promising that he would afterwards, in return for this
favour, carry him across to the opposite bank. The Arab answered, that
he feared the crocodile would, as soon as he was unbound, turn upon him,
and devour him; but the monster swore so solemnly that he would
gratefully requite the service he requested, that the man was induced to
consent; and, making his camel lie down, bound the crocodile firmly upon
his back, and brought him to the bank of the river. No sooner, however,
was the horrid creature liberated, than, in spite of his vows, he opened
his hideous jaws to destroy his benefactor, who, though he eluded this
danger, was unable to rescue his camel. At this moment a fox drew near
them. The man, accosting this cunning animal, related his tale; and the
crocodile urged in his own excuse, that the man had spitefully bound him
on the back of the camel in such a manner that he had almost killed him.
The fox replied that he could quickly pursue and capture the man, but
that he must act fairly, and first see the whole transaction repeated
before him. The crocodile, assenting, and submitting to have a noose
thrown over his jaws, was again bound on the back of the camel, and
taken to the place whence he was brought; and as soon as this was done,
the man, by the direction of the fox, holding with one hand the halter
of his camel, with the other cut the ropes which secured his burden, and
hasted away with his beast, leaving the ungrateful and treacherous
monster in the same hopeless state in which he had found him.
NOTE 29. This comparison is perfectly just. My first visit to Egypt was
not too late for me to witness such a scene as that which is here
alluded to; but now, throughout the Turkish dominions, the officers of
government are obliged, more or less, to assimilate their style of dress
to that which commonly prevails in Europe; gaudy colours are out of
fashion among them, and silk embroidery is generally preferred to gold:
in Egypt, however, the dress worn by this class of persons has not been
so much altered as in Turkey, still retaining an Oriental character,
though wanting the shawl which was wound round the red cap, and formed
the turban; while the dress worn by other classes has undergone no
change. [This note still applies to the inhabitants of Egypt, with the
exception of the Turks, who have very generally adopted the modern
Turkish, or semi-European dress.--ED.]
NOTE 30. This story of the head speaking after it was cut off is not
without a parallel in the writings of Arab historians. The head of
Sa'eed, the son of Jubeyr, is said to have uttered the words, "There is
no deity but God," after it had been severed from his body by order of
El-[H.]ajjaj, who is related to have killed a hundred and twenty
thousand persons of note, besides those whom he slew in war.
NOTE 31. I do not remember to have read or heard the story of Umameh and
'Atikeh, who, as their names import, were two females.
NOTE 32. The words here quoted are part of the 36th verse of the 17th
chapter of the [K.]ur-an.
NOTE 33. The title of "Sul[t.]an" is higher than that of "Melik" (or
King): a Sul[t.]an, properly speaking, being a monarch who has kings or
viceroys under his authority.
NOTE 34.--_On_ Ko[h.]l, _and the mode of applying it_. Ko[h.]l is a
black powder, with which most of the Arab, and many other, women blacken
the edges of the eyelids. The most common kind is the smoke-black which
is produced by burning a kind of frankincense. An inferior kind is the
smoke-black produced by burning the shells of almonds. These are
believed to be beneficial to the eyes; but are generally used merely for
the sake of ornament. Among other kinds which are particularly employed
for their beneficial effect upon the eye are several ores of lead,
reduced to a fine powder. Antimony is said to have been, in former
times, the most esteemed kind of ko[h.]l. The powder is applied by means
of a small probe of wood, ivory, or silver, the end of which is
moistened, and then dipped in the powder, and drawn along the edges of
the eyelids.[167]
NOTE 35. The Koofeeyeh is described in a great Arabic Lexicon (Taj
el-'Aroos) as "a thing worn on the head; so called because of its
roundness:" and this is the only description of it that I have been able
to find. I was told in Cairo, that "koofeeyeh" is the correct
appellation of the head-kerchief commonly called "keffeeyeh:" but this
is a mistake. The latter is a square kerchief, which is worn on the
head, measuring about a yard in each direction, and of various colours,
generally a dull, brownish red, bright green, and yellow, composing
broad and narrow stripes, and having a deep fringe of strings and
tassels along two opposite edges. The most common kind is entirely of
cotton; another, of cotton interwoven with silk; and a third, of silk
interwoven with gold. It is now chiefly worn by the Wahhabees and
several tribes of Bedawees; but the former wear only the first kind, as
they hold articles of dress composed wholly or partly of silk or gold to
be unlawful. In former times it was in common use among the inhabitants
of the towns. It is mostly worn by men, and is doubled diagonally, and
placed over the cap in such a manner that the two corners which are
folded together hang down the back; and the other two corners, in front.
A piece of woollen rope, or a strip of rag, or a turban, is generally
wound round it; and the corners, or those only which usually hang down
in front, are sometimes turned up, and tucked within the upper edge of
the turban. The inhabitants of the towns usually wear the turban over
the keffeeyeh. Burckhardt, who calls this head-kerchief "keffie,"
mentions, that the Bedawees of Mekkeh and El-Yemen tie over it, instead
of the woollen rope which is used by the Northern Bedawees, "a circle
made of wax, tar, and butter, strongly kneaded together: this," he adds,
"is pressed down to the middle of the head, and looks like the airy
crown of a saint. It is about the thickness of a finger; and they take
it off very frequently to press it between their hands, so that its
shape may be preserved."[168] The better kinds of keffeeyeh above
mentioned are worn by some of the Turks, but not in the Arab manner;
being wound tight round the cap.
NOTE 36.--_Anecdote of a Miraculous Fish._ This story of the miraculous
fish reminds me of one of a similar kind which is related as authentic.
A certain just judge of the Israelites, in the time of Solomon, had a
wife who, every time that she brought him his food, used to ejaculate a
prayer that disgrace might befall every unfaithful wife. One day, this
woman having placed before her husband a fried fish, and repeated her
usual ejaculation, the fish leaped from the dish, and fell upon the
floor. This happened three times; and, in consequence of a suspicion
expressed by a devotee, who was consulted respecting the meaning of this
strange event, the judge discovered that a supposed maid, whom he had
purchased as a slave, was a disguised man.[169]
NOTE 37. This comparison is not intended to be understood in its literal
sense, for the smallest of the tribe of 'Ad is said to have been sixty
cubits high: the largest, a hundred! The tribe of 'Ad were a race of
ancient Arabs, who, according to the [K.]ur-an and Arab historians, were
destroyed by a suffocating wind, for their infidelity, after their
rejection of the admonitions of the prophet Hood.
NOTE 38. The Arabs generally calculate distances by time. The average
distance of a day's journey is from twenty to twenty-five miles; the
former being the usual rate of caravan-travelling.
NOTE 39.--_On the Privacy of Arab Dwellings._ In a palace, or large
house, there is generally a wide bench of stone, or a wooden couch,
within the outer door, for the accommodation of the door-keeper and
other servants. The entrance-passage leads to an open court, and, for
the sake of preventing persons at the entrance, or a little within it,
from seeing into the court, it usually has two turnings. We may,
therefore, understand the motive of the King in seating himself in the
place here described to have been a desire that he might not, if
discovered, be supposed to be prying impertinently into the interior of
the palace. Respect for the privacy of another's house is a point that
is deemed of so much importance that it is insisted upon in the
[K.]ur-an, in these words:--"O ye who have become believers, enter not
any houses, besides your own houses, until ye shall have asked leave,
and saluted their inhabitants; this will be better for you: peradventure
ye will be admonished. And if ye find not in them any person, enter them
not, until leave be granted you; and if it be said unto you, Return,
then do ye return; this will be more decent for you; and God knoweth
what ye do. But it shall be no crime in you that ye enter uninhabited
houses wherein ye may find a convenience.[170] When a visiter finds the
door open, and no servant below, he usually claps his hands as a signal
for some person to come to him; striking the palm of his left hand with
the fingers of the right: and even when leave has been granted him to
enter, it is customary for him, when he has to ascend to an upper
apartment, to repeat several times some ejaculation, such as
"Permission!" or, "O Protector!" (that is, "O protecting God!"), as he
goes up, in order that any female of the family, who may chance to be in
the way, may have notice of his approach, and either retire or veil
herself. Sometimes the servant who precedes him does this in his stead.
NOTE 40. These verses are translated from the Calcutta edition of the
first two hundred nights, as more apposite than those which are inserted
in their place in the edition of Cairo.
NOTE 41. That the reader may not form wrong conceptions of the
characters of many persons portrayed in this work, it is necessary to
observe, that weeping is not regarded by the Arabs as an evidence of an
effeminate disposition, or inconsistent with even a heroic mind; though
the Muslims in general are remarkable for the calmness with which they
endure the heaviest afflictions.
NOTE 42. It is, perhaps, unnecessary to mention, that it is a common
custom of the Orientals, as of other natives of warm climates, to take a
nap in the afternoon. A tradesman is not unfrequently seen enjoying this
luxury in his shop, and seldom, excepting in this case, is it considered
allowable to wake a person.
NOTE 43.--_Description of Arab Fans._ The kind of fan most commonly used
by the Arabs has the form of a small flag. The flap, which is about six
or seven inches in width, and somewhat more in length, is composed of
split palm-leaves of various colours, or some plain and others coloured,
neatly plaited or woven together. The handle is a piece of palm-stick,
about twice the length of the flap. This fan is used by men as well as
women, and for the double purpose of moderating the heat and repelling
the flies, which, in warm weather, are excessively annoying. It is more
effective than the ordinary European fan, and requires less exertion.
Arabian fans of the kind here described, brought from Mekkeh to Cairo as
articles of merchandise, may be purchased in the latter city for a sum
less than a penny each; they are mostly made in the [H.]ejaz. Another
kind of fan, generally composed of black ostrich-feathers, of large
dimensions, and ornamented with a small piece of looking-glass on the
lower part of the front, is often used by the Arabs. A kind of fly-whisk
made of palm-leaves is also in very general use. A servant or slave is
often employed to wave it over the master or mistress during a meal or
an afternoon nap.
NOTE 44. Mes'oodeh is the feminine of Mes'ood, a name before explained,
as signifying "happy," or "made happy."
NOTE 45. The word which I have here rendered "wine" namely, "sharab" is
applied to any drink, and particularly to a sweet beverage; but, in the
present case, the context shews that its signification is that which I
have given it. The description of a carousal in the next chapter will
present a more fit occasion for my considering at large the custom of
drinking wine as existing among the Arabs.
NOTE 46.--_On the Use of Hemp to induce Intoxication._ The name of
"benj," or "beng," is now, and, I believe, generally, given to henbane;
but El-[K.]azweenee states that the leaves of the garden hemp ([k.]inneb
bustanee, or shahdanaj,) are the benj which, when eaten, disorders the
reason. This is an important confirmation of De Sacy's opinion
respecting the derivation of the appellation of "Assassins" from
[H.]ashshasheen (hemp-eaters, or persons who intoxicate themselves with
hemp); as the sect which we call "Assassins" are expressly said by the
Arabs to have made frequent use of benj.[171] To this subject I shall
have occasion to revert. I need only add here, that the custom of using
benj, and other narcotics, for purposes similar to that described in
this tale, is said to be not very unfrequently practised in the present
day; but as many Arab husbands are extremely suspicious of the character
of women in general, perhaps there is but little ground for this
assertion.
NOTE 47. Most Eastern cities and towns are partly or wholly surrounded
by mounds of rubbish, close to the walls; and upon these mounds are
thrown the carcasses of camels, horses, and other beasts, to be devoured
by dogs and vultures. Immense mounds of this unsightly description
entirely surrounded the city of Cairo; but those which extended along
its western side, and, in a great measure, screened it from the view of
persons approaching from the Nile, have lately been removed by order of
the present Basha of Egypt. [This note was written in the year 1838, in
the time of Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee.--ED.]
NOTE 48. "[K.]ubbeh" generally signifies either a dome or a cupola, or a
building or apartment surmounted by a dome. In the present instance it
is to be understood in the latter sense. It is also applied to a closet,
and to a tent.
NOTE 49. "[K.]af" is generally to be understood, as it is in the present
case; to signify the chain of mountains believed, by the Muslims, to
encircle our earth, as mentioned in a former note. It is also the name
of the chain of Caucasus, and hence it has been supposed that the fable
respecting the mountains before mentioned, originated from an early idea
that the chain of Caucasus was the limit of the habitable earth; but it
is possible that the latter mountains may have derived their name from
an imaginary resemblance to the former.
NOTE 50. Rats, though unlawful food to the Muslim, are occasionally
eaten by many of the peasants of the province of Lower Egypt called
El-Bo[h.]eyreh, on the west of the western branch of the Nile. The
extraordinary abundance of these animals, and mice, throughout Egypt,
gave rise to an absurd fable, which is related by Diodorus Siculus[172]
as a matter worthy of serious consideration:--that these creatures are
generated from the alluvial soil deposited by the Nile. The inundation
drives many of them from the fields to the houses and deserts, and
destroys the rest; but soon after the waters have subsided, vast numbers
of them are seen again, taking refuge in the deep clefts of the parched
soil.
NOTE 51.--_On the Beverage called_ Boo[z.]ah. Boo[z.]ah, or boozeh, is a
favourite beverage of the boatmen, and other persons of the lower class,
in Egypt; and more especially of the Nubians and negroes; as it was,
according to Herodotus[173] and other writers, of the ancient Egyptians.
It is an intoxicating liquor, a kind of beer, most commonly prepared
from barley-bread, crumbled, mixed with water, strained, and left to
ferment. It is also prepared from wheat and from millet in the same
manner. The account of Herodotus has been confirmed by the discovery of
large jars, containing the dregs of the barley-beer in ancient tombs at
Thebes.
NOTE 52.--_On the Apparel, &c., of Mourning._ The wearing of mourning
appears to have been a custom of both sexes among the Arabs in earlier
times, for the black clothing which distinguished the 'Abbasee
Khaleefehs and their officers was originally assumed in testimony of
grief for the death of the Imam Ibraheem Ibn-Mo[h.]ammad. It has,
however, ceased to be worn by men, as indicating a want of resignation
to the decrees of Providence, and is only assumed by women on the
occasion of the death of a husband or near relation, and not for an
elderly person. In the former cases they dye their shirts, head-veils,
face-veils, and handkerchiefs, of a blue or almost black colour, with
indigo; and sometimes, with the same dye, stain their hands and arms as
high as the elbows, and smear the walls of their apartments. They
generally abstain from wearing any article of dress of a bright colour,
leave their hair unbraided, and deck themselves with few or no
ornaments. They also cease to make use of perfumes, ko[h.]l, and
[h.]enna; and often turn upside-down the carpets, mats, cushions, and
coverings of the deewans.
NOTE 53. "Houses of Lamentations," erected in burial-grounds for the
accommodation of ladies on the occasions of their visiting the tombs of
their relations, have been mentioned in a former note respecting the two
grand annual festivals.
NOTE 54. The kind of tomb here alluded to is generally a square building
crowned by a dome.
NOTE 55. This passage deserves particular notice, as being one of those
which assist us to form some opinion respecting the period when the
present work, in the states in which it is known to us, was composed or
compiled or remodelled. It is the same in all the copies of the original
work that I have seen, and bears strong evidence of having been written
subsequently to the commencement of the eighth century of the Flight, or
fourteenth of our era, at which period, it appears, the Christians and
Jews were first compelled to distinguish themselves by wearing,
respectively, blue and yellow turbans, in accordance with an order
issued by the Sultan of Egypt, Mo[h.]ammad Ibn-Kala-oon.[174] Thus the
white turban became peculiar to the Muslims.--An eminent German critic
has been unfortunate in selecting the incident of the four fish as
affording an argument in favour of his opinion that the Tales of a
Thousand and One Nights are of Indian origin, on the mere ground that
the same word (_varna_) is used in Sanscrit to signify both "colour" and
"caste."
NOTE 56. The Muslims often implore the intercession of their prophet,
and of various members of his family and other holy persons, though
their ordinary prayers are addressed solely to God. The regard which
they pay to their reputed saints, both living and deceased, as
mediators, is one of the heresies which the Wahhabees most vehemently
condemn.
NOTE 57. This verse, translated from my usual prototype, the Cairo
edition, is there followed by another, which I omit as being inapposite.
NOTE 58. In the first of the notes to the Introduction, I have mentioned
that it is a general custom of the Muslims to repeat this phrase, "In
the name of God!" on commencing every lawful action that is of any
importance; it is, therefore, here employed, as it is in many similar
cases, to express a readiness to do what is commanded or requested; and
is equivalent to saying, "I this instant begin to execute thy orders."
NOTE 59. The condition and offices of memlooks, who are male white
slaves, have been mentioned in the thirteenth note to the first chapter.
NOTE 60. Eastern histories present numerous instances of marriages as
unequal as those here related; the reader, therefore, must not regard
this part of the story as inconsistent.
[Illustration]
[150] Sale's Koran, note to chap. xxxviii.
[151] El-Ma[k.]reezee's "Khi[t.]a[t.];" chapter entitled
"Khizanet el-Kisawat."
[152] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i.
p. 32 of the Arabic text, 2nd ed.
[153] Idem, p. 4 of the Arabic text.
[154] D'Herbelot, art. "Bokhteri."
[155] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, chapter the seventh (MS. in my
possession).
[156] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, chapter the eighth.
[157] Idem, chapter the seventh.
[158] A recent traveller has questioned Mr. Lane's authority,
in the "Modern Egyptians," for the remark that Muslims should
not pray in the bath. A reference to any well-known collection
of traditions of the Prophet will, however, prove, by many
sayings besides that quoted above, that Mr. Lane is in this
matter strictly accurate.--ED.
[159] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., section the seventh.
[160] A pious Muslim generally sits at his meals with the right
knee raised, after the example of the Prophet, who adopted this
custom in order to avoid too comfortable a posture in eating,
as tempting to unnecessary gratification.--ED.
[161] Pp. 180--182, ed. Oxon. 1800.
[162] See Esther vi. 8 and 9.
[163] El-Ma[k.]reezee's "Khi[t.]a[t.]," and El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee.
[164] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee; reign of the Khaleefeh El-Musta'een,
the son of El-Mo[a.]ta[s.]im.
[165] Sketches of Persia, vol. i. ch. v. [Mr. Lane has written
some of the Oriental words in this extract according to his own
mode.--ED.]
[166] Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys, vol. i. pp. 220 et
seq. 8vo. ed.
[167] A more full account of this custom is given in my work on
the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. l.
[168] Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys, vol. i. p. 232, 8vo.
ed.
[169] Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan.
[170] Ch. xxiv. vv. 27-29.
[171] See "Modern Egyptians," vol. ii., close of chap,
ix.--Since this was written, I have found that El-Idreesee
applies the term "[H.]asheesheeyeh," which is exactly
synonymous with "[H.]ashshasheen," to the "Assassins:" this,
therefore, decides the question.
[172] Lib. i. cap. 10.
[173] Lib. ii. cap. 77.
[174] El-Ma[k.]reezee and El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee.
CHAPTER III.
COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE NINTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART
OF THE EIGHTEENTH.
THE STORY OF THE PORTER AND THE LADIES OF BAGHDAD,
AND OF THE THREE ROYAL MENDICANTS, &c.
There was a man of the city of Baghdad, who was unmarried, and he was a
porter; and one day, as he sat in the market, reclining against his
crate,[III_1] there accosted him a female wrapped in an izar[III_2] of
the manufacture of El-Mo[s.]il,[III_3] composed of gold-embroidered
silk, with a border of gold lace at each end, who raised her face-veil,
and displayed beneath it a pair of black eyes, with lids bordered by
long lashes, exhibiting a tender expression, and features of perfect
beauty; and she said, with a sweet voice, Bring thy crate, and follow
me.
The porter had scarcely heard her words when he took up his crate, and
he followed her until she stopped at the door of a house, and knocked;
whereupon there came down to her a Christian, and she gave him a piece
of gold, and received for it a quantity of olives, and two large vessels
of wine,[III_4] which she placed in the crate, saying to the porter,
Take it up, and follow me. The porter exclaimed, This is, indeed, a
fortunate day!--and he took up the crate, and followed her. She next
stopped at the shop of a fruiterer, and bought of him Syrian apples, and
'Othmanee quinces,[III_5] and peaches of 'Oman, and jasmine of Aleppo,
and water-lilies of Damascus, and cucumbers of the Nile, and Egyptian
limes, and Sul[t.]anee citrons, and sweet-scented myrtle, and sprigs of
the [h.]enna-tree, and chamomile, and anemones, and violets, and
pomegranate flowers, and eglantine: all these she put into the porter's
crate, and said to him, Take it up. So he took it up, and followed her
until she stopped at the shop of a butcher, to whom she said, Cut off
ten pounds of meat;--and he cut it off for her, and she wrapped it in a
leaf of a banana-tree, and put it in the crate, and said again, Take it
up, O porter:--and he did so, and followed her. She next stopped at the
shop of a seller of dry fruits, and took some of every kind of these,
and desired the porter to take up his burden. Having obeyed, he followed
her until she stopped at the shop of a confectioner, where she bought a
dish, and filled it with sweets of every kind that he had,[III_6] which
she put into the crate; whereupon the porter ventured to say, If thou
hadst informed me beforehand, I had brought with me a mule to carry all
these things. The lady smiled at his remark, and next stopped at the
shop of a perfumer, of whom she bought ten kinds of scented waters;
rose-water, and orange-flower-water, and willow-flower-water,[III_7]
&c.; together with some sugar, and a sprinkling-bottle[III_8] of
rose-water infused with musk, and some frankincense, and aloes-wood, and
ambergris, and musk, and wax candles; and, placing all these in the
crate, she said, Take up thy crate, and follow me. He, therefore, took
it up, and followed her until she came to a handsome house, before which
was a spacious court. It was a lofty structure, with a door of two
leaves, composed of ebony, overlaid with plates of red gold.[III_9]
The young lady stopped at this door, and knocked gently; whereupon both
its leaves were opened, and the porter, looking to see who opened it,
found it to be a damsel of tall stature, high-bosomed, fair and
beautiful, and of elegant form, with a forehead like the bright new
moon, eyes like those of gazelles, eyebrows like the new moon of
Rama[d.]an,[III_10] cheeks resembling anemones, and a mouth like the
seal of Suleyman:[III_11] her countenance was like the full moon in its
splendour, and the forms of her bosom resembled two pomegranates of
equal size. When the porter beheld her, she captivated his reason, the
crate nearly fell from his head, and he exclaimed, Never in my life have
I seen a more fortunate day than this! The lady-portress, standing
within the door, said to the cateress and the porter, Ye are
welcome:--and they entered, and proceeded to a spacious saloon,[III_12]
decorated with various colours, and beautifully constructed, with carved
wood-work, and fountains, and benches of different kinds, and closets
with curtains hanging before them; there was also in it, at the upper
end,[III_13] a couch of alabaster inlaid with large pearls and jewels,
with a musquito-curtain of red satin suspended over it, and within this
was a young lady with eyes possessing the enchantment of Babil,[III_14]
and a figure like the letter Alif,[III_15] with a face that put to shame
the shining sun: she was like one of the brilliant planets, or rather,
one of the most high-born of the maidens of Arabia. This third
lady,[III_16] rising from the couch, advanced with a slow and elegant
gait to the middle of the saloon, where her sisters were standing, and
said to them, Why stand ye still? Lift down the burden from the head of
this poor porter:--whereupon the cateress placed herself before him, and
the portress behind him, and, the third lady assisting them, they lifted
it down from his head. They then took out the contents of the crate,
and, having put every thing in its place, gave to the porter two pieces
of gold, saying to him, Depart, O porter.
The porter, however, stood looking at the ladies, and admiring their
beauty and their agreeable dispositions; for he had never seen any more
handsome; and when he observed that they had not a man among them, and
gazed upon the wine, and fruits, and sweet-scented flowers, which were
there, he was full of astonishment, and hesitated to go out; upon which
one of the ladies said to him, Why dost thou not go? dost thou deem thy
hire too little? Then turning to one of her sisters, she said to her,
Give him another piece of gold.--By Allah, O my mistress, exclaimed the
porter, my hire is but two half-dirhems,[III_17] and I thought not what
ye have given me too little; but my heart and mind were occupied with
reflections upon you and your state, ye being alone, with no man among
you, not one to amuse you with his company; for ye know that the
menareh[III_18] standeth not firmly but on four walls: now ye have not a
fourth, and the pleasure of women is not complete without men: ye are
three only, and have need of a fourth, who should be a man, a person of
sense, discreet, acute, and a concealer of secrets. We are maidens, they
replied; and fear to impart our secret to him who will not keep it; for
we have read, in a certain history, this verse:--
Guard thy secret from another: intrust it not: for he who intrusteth
a secret hath lost it.
[Illustration]
--By your existence, said the porter, I am a man of sense, and
trustworthy: I have read various books, and perused histories: I make
known what is fair, and conceal what is foul, and act in accordance with
the saying of the poet:--
None keepeth a secret but a faithful person: with the best of mankind
it remaineth concealed.
A secret is with me as in a house with a lock, whose key is lost,
and whose door is sealed.[III_19]
When the ladies heard the verses which he quoted, and the words with
which he addressed them, they said to him, Thou knowest that we have
expended here a considerable sum of money: hast thou then wherewith to
requite us? We will not suffer thee to remain with us unless thou
contribute a sum of money; for thou desirest to sit with us, and to be
our cup-companion, and to gaze upon our beautiful faces.--If friendship
is without money, said the mistress of the house, it is not equivalent
to the weight of a grain:--and the portress added, If thou hast nothing,
depart with nothing:--but the cateress said, O sister, let us suffer
him; for, verily, he hath not been deficient in his services for us
this day: another had not been so patient with us: whatever, therefore,
falls to his share of the expense, I will defray for him.--At this the
porter rejoiced, and exclaimed, By Allah, I obtained my first and only
pay this day from none but thee:--and the other ladies said to him, Sit
down: thou art welcome.
The cateress then arose, and, having tightened her girdle, arranged the
bottles, and strained the wine, and prepared the table by the pool of
the fountain. She made ready all that they required, brought the wine,
and sat down with her sisters; the porter also sitting with them,
thinking he was in a dream. And when they had seated themselves, the
cateress took a jar of wine, and filled the first cup, and drank
it:[III_20] she then filled another, and handed it to one of her
sisters; and in like manner she did to her other sister; after which she
filled again, and handed the cup to the porter, who, having taken it
from her hand, repeated this verse:--
I will drink the wine, and enjoy health; for, verily, this beverage
is a remedy for disease.
[Illustration]
The wine continued to circulate among them, and the porter, taking his
part in the revels, dancing and singing with them, and enjoying the
fragrant odours, began to hug and kiss them, while one slapped[III_21]
him, and another pulled him, and the third beat him with sweet-scented
flowers, till, at length, the wine made sport with their reason; and
they threw off all restraint, indulging their merriment with as much
freedom as if no man had been present.[III_22]
Thus they continued until the approach of night, when they said to the
porter, Depart, and shew us the breadth of thy shoulders;[III_23]--but
he replied, Verily the departure of my soul from my body were more easy
to me than my departure from your company; therefore suffer us to join
the night to the day, and then each of us shall return to his own, or
her own, affairs. The cateress, also, again interceded for him, saying,
By my life I conjure you that ye suffer him to pass the night with us,
that we may laugh at his drolleries, for he is a witty rogue. So they
said to him, Thou shalt pass the night with us on this condition, that
thou submit to our authority, and ask not an explanation of anything
that thou shalt see. He replied, Good.--Rise then, said they, and read
what is inscribed upon the door. Accordingly, he went to the door, and
found the following inscription upon it in letters of gold, Speak not of
that which doth not concern thee, lest thou hear that which will not
please thee:--and he said, Bear witness to my promise that I will not
speak of that which doth not concern me.
[Illustration]
The cateress then rose, and prepared for them a repast; and, after they
had eaten a little, they lighted the candles and burnt some aloes-wood.
This done, they sat down again to the table; and, while they were eating
and drinking, they heard a knocking at the door; whereupon, without
causing any interruption to their meal, one of them went to the door,
and, on her return, said, Our pleasure this night is now complete, for I
have found, at the door, three foreigners[III_24] with shaven chins, and
each of them is blind of the left eye: it is an extraordinary
coincidence. They are strangers newly arrived,[III_25] and each of them
has a ridiculous appearance: if they come in, therefore, we shall be
amused with laughing at them.--The lady ceased not with these words, but
continued to persuade her sisters until they consented, and said, Let
them enter; but make it a condition with them that they speak not of
that which doth not concern them, lest they hear that which will not
please them. Upon this she rejoiced, and, having gone again to the door,
brought in the three men blind of one eye and with shaven chins, and
they had thin and twisted mustaches. Being mendicants, they saluted and
drew back; but the ladies rose to them, and seated them; and when these
three men looked at the porter, they saw that he was intoxicated; and,
observing him narrowly, they thought that he was one of their own class,
and said, He is a mendicant like ourselves, and will amuse us by his
conversation:--but the porter, hearing what they said, arose, and rolled
his eyes, and exclaimed to them, Sit quiet, and abstain from impertinent
remarks. Have ye not read the inscription upon the door?--The ladies,
laughing, said to each other, Between the mendicants and the porter we
shall find matter for amusement. They then placed before the former some
food, and they ate, and then sat to drink. The portress handed to them
the wine, and, as the cup was circulating among them, the porter said to
them, Brothers, have ye any tale or strange anecdote wherewith to amuse
us? The mendicants, heated by the wine, asked for musical instruments;
and the portress brought them a tambourine of the manufacture of
El-Mo[s.]il, with a lute of El-'Era[k.], and a Persian harp;[III_26]
whereupon they all arose; and one took the tambourine; another, the
lute; and the third, the harp: and they played upon these instruments,
the ladies accompanying them with loud songs; and while they were thus
diverting themselves, a person knocked at the door. The portress,
therefore, went to see who was there; and the cause of the knocking was
this.
[Illustration]
The Khaleefeh[III_27] Haroon Er-Rasheed had gone forth this night to see
and hear what news he could collect, accompanied by Ja[a.]far[III_28]
his Wezeer, and Mesroor[III_29] his executioner. It was his custom to
disguise himself in the attire of a merchant; and this night, as he went
through the city, he happened to pass, with his attendants, by the house
of these ladies, and hearing the sounds of the musical instruments, he
said to Ja[a.]far, I have a desire to enter this house, and to see who
is giving this concert.--They are a party who have become intoxicated,
replied Ja[a.]far, and I fear that we may experience some ill usage from
them;--but the Khaleefeh said, We must enter, and I would that thou
devise some stratagem by which we may obtain admission to the inmates.
Ja[a.]far therefore answered, I hear and obey:--and he advanced, and
knocked at the door; and when the portress came and opened the door, he
said to her, My mistress, we are merchants from Tabareeyeh,[III_30] and
have been in Baghdad ten days; we have brought with us merchandise, and
taken lodgings in a Khan;[III_31] and a merchant invited us to an
entertainment this night: accordingly, we went to his house, and he
placed food before us, and we ate, and sat awhile drinking together,
after which he gave us leave to depart;[III_32] and going out in the
dark, and being strangers, we missed our way to the Khan: we trust,
therefore, in your generosity that you will admit us to pass the night
in your house; by doing which you will obtain a reward in heaven.--The
portress, looking at them, and observing that they were in the garb of
merchants, and that they bore an appearance of respectability, returned,
and consulted her two companions; and they said to her, Admit them:--so
she returned, and opened to them the door. They said to her, Shall we
enter with thy permission? She answered, Come in. The Khaleefeh,
therefore, entered, with Ja[a.]far and Mesroor; and when the ladies saw
them, they rose to them, and served them, saying, Welcome are our
guests; but we have a condition to impose upon you, that ye speak not of
that which doth not concern you, lest ye hear that which will not please
you. They answered, Good:--and when they had sat down to drink, the
Khaleefeh looked at the three mendicants, and was surprised at observing
that each of them was blind of the left eye; and he gazed upon the
ladies, and was perplexed and amazed at their fairness and beauty. And
when the others proceeded to drink and converse, the ladies brought wine
to the Khaleefeh; but he said, I am a pilgrim;[III_33]--and drew back
from them. Whereupon the portress spread before him an embroidered
cloth, and placed upon it a China bottle, into which she poured some
willow-flower-water, adding to it a lump of ice, and sweetening it with
sugar, while the Khaleefeh thanked her, and said within himself,
To-morrow I must reward her for this kind action.
The party continued their carousal, and, when the wine took effect upon
them, the mistress of the house arose, and waited upon them; and
afterwards, taking the hand of the cateress, said, Arise, O my sister,
that we may fulfil our debt. She replied, Good. The portress then rose,
and, after she had cleared the middle of the saloon, placed the
mendicants at the further end, beyond the doors; after which, the ladies
called to the porter, saying, How slight is thy friendship! thou art not
a stranger, but one of the family. So the porter arose, and girded
himself, and said, What would ye?--to which one of the ladies answered,
Stand where thou art:--and presently the cateress said to him, Assist
me:--and he saw two black bitches, with chains attached to their necks,
and drew them to the middle of the saloon; whereupon the mistress of the
house arose from her place, and tucked up her sleeve above her wrist,
and, taking a whip, said to the porter, Bring to me one of them.
Accordingly, he dragged one forward by the chain. The bitch whined, and
shook her head at the lady; but the latter fell to beating her upon the
head, notwithstanding her howling, until her arms were tired, when she
threw the whip from her hand, and pressed the bitch to her bosom, and
wiped away her tears, and kissed her head; after which she said to the
porter, Take her back, and bring the other;--and he brought her, and she
did to her as she had done to the first. At the sight of this, the mind
of the Khaleefeh was troubled, and his heart was contracted, and he
winked to Ja[a.]far that he should ask her the reason; but he replied by
a sign, Speak not.
[Illustration]
The mistress of the house then looked towards the portress, and said to
her, Arise to perform what thou hast to do. She replied, Good:--and the
mistress of the house seated herself upon a couch of alabaster, overlaid
with gold and silver, and said to the portress and the cateress, Now
perform your parts. The portress then seated herself upon a couch by
her; and the cateress, having entered a closet, brought out from it a
bag of satin with green fringes, and, placing herself before the lady of
the house, shook it, and took out from it a lute; and she tuned its
strings, and sang to it these verses:--
Restore to my eyelids the sleep which hath been ravished;
and inform me of my reason, whither it hath fled.
I discovered, when I took up my abode with love, that slumber had
become an enemy to my eyes.
They said, We saw thee to be one of the upright; what, then, hath
seduced thee? I answered, Seek the cause from his glance.
Verily I excuse him for the shedding of my blood, admitting that
I urged him to the deed by vexation.
He cast his sun-like image upon the mirror of my mind, and its
reflection kindled a flame in my vitals.[III_34]
When the portress[III_35] had heard this song, she exclaimed, Allah
approve thee!--and she rent her clothes, and fell upon the floor in a
swoon; and when her bosom was thus uncovered, the Khaleefeh saw upon her
the marks of beating, as if from mi[k.]ra'ahs[III_36] and whips; at
which he was greatly surprised. The cateress[III_37] immediately arose,
sprinkled water upon her face, and brought her another dress, which she
put on. The Khaleefeh then said to Ja[a.]far, Seest thou not this woman,
and the marks of beating upon her? I cannot keep silence respecting this
affair, nor be at rest, until I know the truth of the history of this
damsel, and that of these two bitches. But Ja[a.]far replied, O our
lord, they have made a covenant with us that we shall not speak
excepting of that which concerneth us, lest we hear that which will not
please us.--The cateress then took the lute again, and, placing it
against her bosom, touched the chords with the ends of her fingers, and
thus sang to it:--
[Illustration]
If of love we complain, what shall we say? Or consuming through desire,
how can we escape?
Or if we send a messenger to interpret for us, he cannot convey
the lover's complaint.
Or if we would be patient, short were our existence after the loss
of those we love.
Nought remaineth to us but grief and mourning, and tears streaming
down our cheeks.
O you who are absent from my sight, but constantly dwelling within
my heart!
Have you kept your faith to an impassioned lover, who, while time
endureth, will never change?
Or, in absence, have you forgotten that lover who, on your account,
is wasting away?
When the day of judgment shall bring us together, I will beg of
our Lord a protractive trial.[III_38]
On hearing these verses of the cateress, the portress again rent her
clothes, and cried out, and fell upon the floor in a swoon; and the
cateress, as before, put on her another dress, after she had sprinkled
some water upon her face.[III_39]
The mendicants, when they witnessed this scene, said, Would that we had
never entered this house, but rather had passed the night upon the
mounds;[III_40] for our night hath been rendered foul by an event that
breaketh the back! The Khaleefeh, looking towards them, then said,
Wherefore is it so with you? They answered, Our hearts are troubled by
this occurrence.--Are ye not, he asked, of this house?--No, they
answered; nor did we imagine that this house belonged to any but the man
who is sitting with you:--upon which the porter said, Verily, I have
never seen this place before this night; and I would that I had passed
the night upon the mounds rather than here. They then observed, one to
another, We are seven men, and they are but three women; we will,
therefore, ask them of their history; and if they answer us not
willingly they shall do it in spite of themselves:--and they all agreed
to this, excepting Ja[a.]far, who said, This is not a right
determination; leave them to themselves, for we are their guests, and
they made a covenant with us which we should fulfil: there remaineth but
little of the night, and each of us shall soon go his way. Then, winking
to the Khaleefeh, he said, There remaineth but an hour; and to-morrow we
will bring them before thee, and thou shalt ask them their story. But
the Khaleefeh refused to do so, and said, I have not patience to wait so
long for their history.--Words followed words, and at last they said,
Who shall put the question to them?--and one answered, The porter.
[Illustration]
The ladies then said to them, O people, of what are ye
talking?--whereupon the porter approached the mistress of the house, and
said to her, O my mistress, I ask thee, and conjure thee by Allah, to
tell us the story of the two bitches, and for what reason thou didst
beat them, and then didst weep, and kiss them, and that thou acquaint us
with the cause of thy sister's having been beaten with mi[k.]ra'ahs:
that is our question, and peace be on you.--Is this true that he saith
of you? inquired the lady, of the other men; and they all answered,
Yes,--excepting Ja[a.]far, who was silent. When the lady heard their
answer, she said, Verily, O our guests, ye have wronged us excessively;
for we made a covenant with you beforehand, that he who should speak of
that which concerned him not should hear that which would not please
him. Is it not enough that we have admitted you into our house, and fed
you with our provisions? But it is not so much your fault as the fault
of her who introduced you to us.--She then tucked up her sleeve above
her wrist, and struck the floor three times, saying, Come ye
quickly!--and immediately the door of a closet opened, and there came
forth from it seven black slaves, each having in his hand a drawn sword.
The lady said to them, Tie behind them the hands of these men of many
words, and bind each of them to another:--and they did so, and said, O
virtuous lady, dost thou permit us to strike off their heads? She
answered, Give them a short respite, until I shall have inquired of them
their histories, before ye behead them.--By Allah, O my mistress,
exclaimed the porter, kill me not for the offence of others: for they
have all transgressed and committed an offence, excepting me. Verily our
night had been pleasant if we had been preserved from these mendicants,
whose presence is enough to convert a well-peopled city into a heap of
ruins!--He then repeated this couplet:--
How good is it to pardon one able to resist! and how much more so,
one who is helpless!
For the sake of the friendship that subsisted between us, destroy
not one for the crime of another!
On hearing these words of the porter, the lady laughed after her anger.
Then approaching the men, she said, Acquaint me with your histories, for
there remaineth of your lives no more than an hour. Were ye not persons
of honourable and high condition, or governors,[III_41] I would hasten
your recompense.--The Khaleefeh said to Ja[a.]far, Wo to thee, O
Ja[a.]far! make known to her who we are; otherwise she will kill us.--It
were what we deserve, replied he.--Jesting, said the Khaleefeh, is not
befitting in a time for seriousness: each has its proper occasion.--The
lady then approached the mendicants, and said to them, Are ye brothers?
They answered, No, indeed; we are only poor foreigners.[III_42] She said
then to one of them, Wast thou born blind of one eye?--No, verily, he
answered; but a wonderful event happened to me when my eye was
destroyed, and the story of it, if engraved on the understanding, would
serve as a lesson to him who would be admonished. She asked the second
and the third also; and they answered her as the first; adding, Each of
us is from a different country, and our history is wonderful and
extraordinary. The lady then looked towards them and said, Each of you
shall relate his story, and the cause of his coming to our abode, and
then stroke his head,[III_43] and go his way.
The first who advanced was the porter, who said, O my mistress, I am a
porter; and this cateress loaded me, and brought me hither, and what
hath happened to me here in your company ye know. This is my story; and
peace be on you.--Stroke thy head, then, said she, and go:--but he
replied, By Allah, I will not go until I shall have heard the story of
my companions.--The first mendicant then advanced, and related as
follows:--
THE STORY OF THE FIRST ROYAL MENDICANT.
Know, O my mistress, that the cause of my having shaved my beard, and of
the loss of my eye was this:--My father was a King, and he had a brother
who was also a King, and who resided in another capital. It happened
that my mother gave birth to me on the same day on which the son of my
uncle was born; and years and days passed away until we attained to
manhood. Now, it was my custom, some years, to visit my uncle, and to
remain with him several months; and on one of these occasions my cousin
paid me great honour; he slaughtered sheep for me, and strained the wine
for me, and we sat down to drink; and when the wine had affected us, he
said to me, O son of my uncle, I have need of thine assistance in an
affair of interest to me, and I beg that thou wilt not oppose me in that
which I desire to do. I replied, I am altogether at thy service:--and he
made me swear to him by great oaths, and, rising immediately, absented
himself for a little while, and then returned, followed by a woman
decked with ornaments, and perfumed, and wearing a dress of
extraordinary value. He looked towards me, while the woman stood behind
him, and said, Take this woman, and go before me to the burial-ground
which is in such a place:--and he described it to me, and I knew it. He
then added, Enter the burial-ground, and there wait for me.
I could not oppose him, nor refuse to comply with his request, on
account of the oaths which I had sworn to him; so I took the woman, and
went with her to the burial-ground; and when we had sat there a short
time, my cousin came, bearing a basin of water, and a bag containing
some plaster, and a small adze. Going to a tomb in the midst of the
burial-ground, he took the adze, and disunited the stones, which he
placed on one side; he then dug up the earth with the adze, and
uncovered a flat stone, of the size of a small door, under which there
appeared a vaulted staircase. Having done this he made a sign to the
woman, and said to her, Do according to thy choice:--whereupon she
descended the stairs. He then looked towards me, and said, O son of my
uncle, complete thy kindness when I have descended into this place, by
replacing the trap-door and the earth above it as they were before:
then, this plaster which is in the bag, and this water which is in the
basin, do thou knead together, and plaster the stones of the tomb as
they were, so that no man may know it, and say, This hath been lately
opened, but its interior is old:--for, during the space of a whole year
I have been preparing this, and no one knew it but God: this is what I
would have thee do. He then said to me, May God never deprive thy
friends of thy presence, O son of my uncle!--and, having uttered these
words, he descended the stairs.
[Illustration]
When he had disappeared from before my eyes, I replaced the trap-door,
and busied myself with doing as he had ordered me, until the tomb was
restored to the state in which it was at first; after which I returned
to the palace of my uncle, who was then absent on a hunting excursion. I
slept that night, and when the morning came, I reflected upon what had
occurred between me and my cousin, and repented of what I had done for
him, when repentance was of no avail. I then went out to the
burial-ground, and searched for the tomb; but could not discover it. I
ceased not in my search until the approach of night; and, not finding
the way to it, returned again to the palace; and I neither ate nor
drank: my heart was troubled respecting my cousin, since I knew not what
had become of him; and I fell into excessive grief. I passed the night
sorrowful until the morning, and went again to the burial-ground,
reflecting upon the action of my cousin, and repenting of my compliance
with his request; and I searched among all the tombs; but discovered not
that for which I looked. Thus I persevered in my search seven days
without success.[III_44]
My trouble continued and increased until I was almost mad; and I found
no relief but in departing, and returning to my father; but on my
arrival at his capital, a party at the city-gate sprang upon me and
bound me. I was struck with the utmost astonishment, considering that I
was the son of the Sul[t.]an of the city, and that these were the
servants of my father and of myself: excessive fear of them overcame me,
and I said within myself, What hath happened to my father? I asked, of
those who had bound me, the cause of this conduct; but they returned me
no answer, till after a while, when one of them, who had been my
servant, said to me, Fortune hath betrayed thy father, the troops have
been false to him, and the Wezeer hath killed him; and we were lying in
wait to take thee.--They took me, and I was as one dead, by reason of
this news which I had heard respecting my father; and I stood before the
Wezeer who had killed my father.
Now, there was an old enmity subsisting between me and him; and the
cause of it was this:--I was fond of shooting with the cross-bow; and it
happened, one day, that as I was standing on the roof of my palace, a
bird alighted on the roof of the palace of the Wezeer, who was standing
there at the time, and I aimed at the bird; but the bullet missed it,
and struck the eye of the Wezeer, and knocked it out, in accordance with
the appointment of fate and destiny, as the poet hath said:--
We trod the steps appointed for us: and the man whose steps are
appointed must tread them.
He whose death is decreed to take place in one land will not die
in any land but that.
When I had thus put out the eye of the Wezeer, he could say nothing,
because my father was King of the city. This was the cause of the enmity
between him and me: and when I stood before him, with my hands bound
behind me, he gave the order to strike off my head. I said to him,
Wouldst thou kill me for no offence?--What offence, he exclaimed, could
be greater than this?--and he pointed to the place of the eye which was
put out. I did that, said I, unintentionally. He replied, If thou didst
it unintentionally, I will do the same to thee purposely:--and
immediately he said, Bring him forward to me:--and, when they had done
so, he thrust his finger into my left eye, and pulled it out. Thus I
became deprived of one eye, as ye see me. He then bound me firmly, and
placed me in a chest, and said to the executioner, Take this fellow, and
draw thy sword, and convey him without the city; then put him to death,
and let the wild beasts devour him.
Accordingly, he went forth with me from the city, and, having taken me
out from the chest, bound hand and foot, was about to bandage my eye,
and kill me; whereupon I wept, and exclaimed,--
How many brothers have I taken as armour! and such they were;
but to guard my enemies.
I thought they would be as piercing arrows: and such they were;
but to enter my heart!
The executioner, who had served my father in the same capacity, and to
whom I had shewn kindnesses, said, on hearing these verses, O my master,
what can I do, being a slave under command?--but presently he added,
Depart with thy life, and return not to this country, lest thou perish,
and cause me to perish with thee. The poet saith,--
Flee with thy life if thou fearest oppression, and leave the house
to tell its builder's fate.
Thou wilt find, for the land that thou quittest, another: but no soul
wilt thou find to replace thine own.
As soon as he had thus said, I kissed his hands, and believed not in my
safety until I had fled from his presence. The loss of my eye appeared
light to me when I considered my escape from death; and I journeyed to
my uncle's capital, and, presenting myself before him, informed him of
what had befallen my father, and of the manner in which I had lost my
eye: upon which he wept bitterly, and said, Thou hast added to my
trouble and my grief; for thy cousin hath been lost for some days, and I
know not what hath happened to him, nor can any one give me information
respecting him. Then he wept again, until he became insensible; and when
he recovered, he said, O my son, the loss of thine eye is better than
the loss of thy life.
Upon this I could no longer keep silence respecting his son, my cousin;
so I informed him of all that happened to him; and on hearing this news
he rejoiced exceedingly, and said, Shew me the tomb.--By Allah, O my
uncle, I replied, I know not where it is; for I went afterwards several
times to search for it, and could not recognise its place. We, however,
went together to the burial-ground, and, looking to the right and left,
I discovered it; and both I and my uncle rejoiced. I then entered the
tomb with him, and when we had removed the earth, and lifted up the
trap-door, we descended fifty steps, and, arriving at the bottom of the
stairs, there issued forth upon us a smoke which blinded our eyes;
whereupon my uncle pronounced those words which relieve from fear him
who uttereth them,--There is no strength nor power but in God, the High,
the Great!--After this, we proceeded, and found ourselves in a saloon,
filled with flour and grain, and various eatables; and we saw there a
curtain suspended over a couch, upon which my uncle looked, and found
there his son and the woman who had descended with him, lying side by
side, and converted into black charcoal, as if they had been thrown into
a pit of fire. And when he beheld this spectacle, he spat in his son's
face, and exclaimed, This is what thou deservest, O thou wretch! This is
the punishment of the present world, and there remaineth the punishment
of the other world, which will be more severe and lasting!--and he
struck him with his shoes. Astonished at this action, and grieved for my
cousin, seeing him and the damsel thus converted into charcoal, I said,
By Allah, O my uncle, moderate the trouble of thy heart, for my mind is
perplexed by that which hath happened to thy son, and by thinking how it
hath come to pass that he and the damsel are converted into black
charcoal. Dost thou not deem it enough for him to be in this state, that
thou beatest him with thy shoes?
O son of my brother, he replied, this my son was, from his early years,
inflamed with love for his foster-sister,[III_45] and I used to forbid
him from entertaining this passion for her, and to say within myself,
They are now children, but when they grow older a base act will be
committed by them:--and, indeed, I heard that such had been the case,
but I believed it not. I, however, reprimanded him severely, and said to
him, Beware of so foul an action, which none before thee hath committed,
nor will any commit after thee: otherwise we shall suffer disgrace and
disparagement among the Kings until we die, and our history will spread
abroad with the caravans: have a care for thyself that such an action
proceed not from thee; for I should be incensed against thee, and kill
thee. I then separated him from her, and her from him: but the vile
woman loved him excessively; the Devil got possession of them both; and
when my son saw that I had separated him, he secretly made this place
beneath the earth, and, having conveyed hither the provisions which
thou seest, took advantage of my inadvertence when I had gone out to
hunt, and came hither: but the Truth[III_46] (whose perfection be
extolled, and whose name be exalted!) was jealously vigilant over them,
and consumed them by fire; and the punishment of the world to come will
be more severe and lasting.--He then wept, and I wept with him; and he
said to me, Thou art my son in his stead.--I remained a while reflecting
upon the world and its vicissitudes, upon the murder of my father by the
Wezeer, and his usurping his throne, and the loss of my eye, and the
strange events which had happened to my cousin, and I wept again.
We then ascended, and, having replaced the trap-door and the earth above
it, and restored the tomb to its former state, returned to our abode;
but scarcely had we seated ourselves when we heard the sounds of drums
and trumpets, warriours galloped about, and the air was filled with dust
raised by the horses' hoofs. Our minds were perplexed, not knowing what
had happened, and the King, asking the news, was answered, The Wezeer of
thy brother hath slain him and his soldiers and guards, and come with
his army to assault the city unawares; and the inhabitants, being unable
to withstand, have submitted to him:--whereupon I said within myself, If
I fall into his hand, he will slay me.--Griefs overwhelmed me, and I
thought of the calamities which had befallen my father and my mother,
and knew not what to do; for if I appeared, the people of the city would
know me, and the troops of my father would hasten to kill and destroy
me. I knew no way of escape but to shave off my beard:[III_47] so I
shaved it, and, having changed my clothes, departed from the city, and
came hither, to this abode of peace, in the hope that some person would
introduce me to the Prince of the Faithful, the Khaleefeh of the Lord
of all creatures, that I might relate to him my story, and all that had
befallen me. I arrived in this city this night; and as I stood
perplexed, not knowing whither to direct my steps, I saw this mendicant,
and saluted him, and said, I am a stranger. He replied, And I, too, am a
stranger:--and while we were thus addressing each other, our companion,
this third person, came up to us, and saluting us, said, I am a
stranger. We replied, And we, also, are strangers. So we walked on
together, and darkness overtook us, and destiny directed us unto your
abode.--This was the cause of the shaving of my beard, and of the loss
of my eye.
The lady then said to him, Stroke my head, and depart:--but he replied,
I will not depart until I have heard the stories of the others. And they
wondered at his tale; and the Khaleefeh said to Ja[a.]far, Verily I have
never known the like of that which hath happened to this mendicant.
[Illustration]
The second mendicant then advanced, and, having kissed the ground,
said,--
THE STORY OF THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT.
O my mistress, I was not born with only one eye; but my story is
wonderful, and, if written, would serve as a lesson to him who would be
admonished. I am a King, and son of a King: I read the [K.]uran
according to the seven readings,[III_48] and perused various works under
the tuition of different learned professors of their subjects: I studied
the science of the stars,[III_49] and the writings of the poets, and
made myself a proficient in all the sciences; so that I surpassed the
people of my age. My hand-writing[III_50] was extolled among all the
scribes, my fame spread among all countries, and my history among all
Kings; and the King of India, hearing of me, requested my father to
allow me to visit him, sending him various gifts and curious presents,
such as were suitable to Kings. My father, therefore, prepared for me
six ships, and we proceeded by sea for the space of a whole month, after
which we came to land; and, having disembarked some horses which we had
with us in the ship, we loaded ten camels with presents, and commenced
our journey; but soon there appeared a cloud of dust, which rose and
spread until it filled the air before us, and, after a while, cleared a
little, and discovered to us, in the midst of it, sixty horseman like
fierce lions whom we perceived to be Arab highwaymen; and when they saw
us, that we were a small company with ten loads of presents for the King
of India, they galloped towards us, pointing their spears at us. We
made signs to them with our fingers, and said, We are ambassadors to the
honoured King of India; therefore do us no injury:--but they replied, We
are not in his territories, nor under his government. They slew certain
of the young men, and the rest fled. I also fled, after I had received a
severe wound; the Arabs being employed, without further regard to us, in
taking possession of the treasure and presents which we had with us.
[Illustration]
I proceeded without knowing whither to direct my course, reduced from a
mighty to an abject state, and journeyed till I arrived at the summit of
a mountain, where I took shelter in a cavern until the next morning. I
then resumed my journey, and arrived at a flourishing city: the winter,
with its cold, had passed away, and the spring had come, with its
flowers; and I rejoiced at my arrival there, being wearied with my
journey, anxious and pallid. My condition being thus changed, I knew not
whither to bend my steps; and, turning to a tailor sitting in his shop,
I saluted him, and he returned my salutation, and welcomed me, and
wished me joy, asking me the reason of my having come thither. I
acquainted him, therefore, with what had befallen me from first to last,
and he was grieved for me, and said, O young man, reveal not thy case,
for I fear what the King of this city might do to thee, since he is the
greatest of thy father's enemies, and hath a debt of blood against him.
He then placed some food and drink before me, and we ate together, and I
conversed with him till night, when he lodged me in a place by his shop,
and brought me a bed and coverlet; and, after I had remained with him
three days, he said to me, Dost thou not know any trade by which to make
gain?[III_51] I answered, I am acquainted with the law, a student of
sciences, a writer, and an arithmetician.--Thy occupation, he said, is
profitless in our country: there is no one in our city acquainted with
science or writing, but only with getting money. Verily, I replied, I
know nothing but what I have told thee.--Gird thyself, then, said he,
and take an axe and a rope, and cut firewood in the desert, and so
obtain thy subsistence until God dispel thy affliction; but acquaint no
one with thy history, else they will kill thee. He then bought for me an
axe and a rope, and sent me with a party of wood-cutters, giving them a
charge respecting me. Accordingly, I went forth with them, and, cut some
wood, and brought back a load upon my head, and sold it for half a piece
of gold, part of which I expended in food, laying by the remainder.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Thus I continued for the space of a year, after which I went one day
into the desert, according to my custom, to cut firewood; and, finding
there a tract with abundance of wood, I entered it, and came to a tree,
around which I dug; and as I was removing the earth from its roots, the
axe struck against a ring of brass; and I cleared away the earth from
it, and found that it was affixed to a trap-door of wood, which I
immediately removed. Beneath it appeared a staircase, which I descended;
and at the bottom of this I entered a door, and beheld a palace,
strongly constructed, where I found a lady, like a pearl of high price,
whose aspect banished from the heart all anxiety and grief and
affliction. At the sight of her I prostrated myself in adoration of her
Creator for the fairness and beauty which He had displayed in her
person; and she, looking towards me, said, Art thou a man or a Jinnee? I
answered her, I am a man.--And who, she asked, hath brought thee to this
place, in which I have lived five and twenty years without ever seeing a
human being?--Her words sounded sweetly to me, and I answered her, O my
mistress, God hath brought me to thy abode, and I hope will put an end
to my anxiety and grief:--and I related to her my story from beginning
to end. She was grieved at my case, and wept, and said, I also will
acquaint thee with my story. Know that I am the daughter of the King of
the further parts of India, the lord of the Ebony Island. My father had
married me to the son of my uncle; but on the night of my bridal
festivities, an 'Efreet namad Jarjarees, the son of Rejmoos, the son of
Iblees, carried me off, and, soaring with me through the air, alighted
in this place, to which he conveyed all things necessary for me, such as
ornaments, and garments, and linen, and furniture, and food, and drink;
and once in every ten days he cometh to me, and spendeth a night
here;[III_52] and he hath appointed with me, that, in case of my wanting
any thing by night or day, I should touch with my hand these two lines
which are inscribed upon the [k.]ubbeh,[III_53] and as soon as I remove
my hand I see him before me. Four days have now passed since he was last
with me, and there remain, therefore, six days before he will come
again; wilt thou then remain with me five days, and depart one day
before his visit?--I answered, Yes; rejoicing at the proposal; and she
arose, and taking me by the hand, conducted me through an arched door to
a small and elegant bath, where I took off my clothes, while she seated
herself upon a mattress. After this, she seated me by her side, and
brought me some sherbet of sugar infused with musk,[III_54] and handed
it to me to drink: she then placed some food before me, and after we had
eaten and conversed together, she said to me, Sleep, and rest thyself;
for thou art fatigued.
I slept, O my mistress, and forgot all that had befallen me; and when I
awoke, I found her rubbing my feet;[III_55] upon which I called to her,
and we sat down again and conversed a while; and she said to me, By
Allah, I was straitened in my heart, living here alone, without any
person to talk with me, five and twenty years. Praise be to God who hath
sent thee to me.--I thanked her for her kind expressions; and love of
her took possession of my heart, and my anxiety and grief fled away. We
then sat down to drink together; and I remained by her side all the
night, delighted with her company, for I had never seen her like in my
whole life; and in the morning, when we were both full of joy, I said to
her, Shall I take thee up from this subterranean place, and release thee
from the Jinnee? But she laughed, and replied, Be content, and hold thy
peace; for, of every ten days, one day shall be for the 'Efreet, and
nine for thee. I persisted, however, being overcome with passion: and
said, I will this instant demolish this [k.]ubbeh upon which the
inscription is engraved, and let the 'Efreet come, that I may slay him:
for I am predestined to kill 'Efreets. She entreated me to refrain; but,
paying no attention to her words, I kicked the [k.]ubbeh with violence;
upon which she exclaimed, The 'Efreet hath arrived! Did I not caution
thee against this? Verily thou hast brought a calamity upon me; but save
thyself, and ascend by the way that thou camest.
In the excess of my fear I forgot my sandals and my axe, and when I had
ascended two steps, turning round to look for them, I saw that the
ground had opened, and there rose from it an 'Efreet of hideous aspect,
who said, Wherefore is this disturbance with which thou hast alarmed me,
and what misfortune hath befallen thee? She answered, No misfortune hath
happened to me, excepting that my heart was contracted, and I desired to
drink some wine to dilate it, and, rising to perform my purpose, I fell
against the [k.]ubbeh.--Thou liest, vile woman, he exclaimed;--and,
looking about the palace to the right and left, he saw the sandals and
axe; and said to her, These are the property of none but a man. Who hath
visited thee?--I have not seen them, she answered, until this instant:
probably they caught to thee.--This language, said he, is absurd, and
will have no effect upon me, thou shameless woman!--and, so saying, he
stripped her of her clothing, and tied her down, with her arms and legs
extended, to four stakes, and began to beat her, urging her to confess
what had happened.
[Illustration]
For myself, being unable to endure her cries, I ascended the stairs,
overpowered by fear, and, arriving at the top, replaced the trap-door as
it was at first, and covered it over with earth. I repented bitterly of
what I had done, and reflecting upon the lady and her beauty, and how
this wretch was torturing her after she had lived with him five and
twenty years, and that he tortured her only on my account, and
reflecting also upon my father and his kingdom, and how I had been
reduced to the condition of a wood-cutter, I repeated this verse:--
When fortune bringeth thee affliction, console thyself by remembering
that one day thou must see prosperity, and another day, difficulty.
[Illustration]
Returning to my companion, the tailor, I found him awaiting my return as
if he were placed in a pan upon burning coals. I past last night, said
he, with anxious heart on thy account, fearing for thee from some wild
beast or other calamity. Praise be to God for thy safe return.--I
thanked him for his tender concern for me, and entered my apartment; and
as I sat meditating upon that which had befallen me, and blaming myself
for having kicked the [k.]ubbeh, my friend the tailor came in to me, and
said, In the shop is a foreigner, who asks for thee, and he has thy axe
and sandals; he came with them to the wood-cutters,[III_56] and said to
them, I went out at the time of the call of the Mueddin to
morning-prayer, and stumbled upon these, and know not to whom they
belong: can ye guide me to their owner?--The wood-cutters, therefore,
directed him to thee: he is sitting in my shop; so go out to him and
thank him, and take thy axe and thy sandals.--On hearing these words, my
countenance turned pale, and my whole state became changed; and while I
was in this condition, the floor of my chamber clove asunder, and there
rose from it the stranger, and lo, he was the 'Efreet; he had tortured
the lady with the utmost cruelty; but she would confess nothing: so he
took the axe and the sandals, and said to her, If I am Jarjarees, of the
descendants of Iblees, I will bring the owner of this axe and these
sandals. Accordingly, he came, with the pretence before mentioned, to
the wood-cutters, and, having entered my chamber, without granting me
any delay, seized me, and soared with me through the air: he then
descended, and dived into the earth, and brought me up into the palace
where I was before.
Here I beheld the lady stripped of her clothing, and with blood flowing
from her sides; and tears trickled from my eyes. The 'Efreet then took
hold of her, and said, Vile woman, this is thy lover:--whereupon she
looked at me, and replied, I know him not, nor have I ever seen him
until this instant. The 'Efreet said to her, With all this torture wilt
thou not confess? She answered, Never in my life have I seen him before,
and it is not lawful in the sight of God that I should speak falsely
against him.[III_57]--Then, said he, if thou know him not, take this
sword and strike off his head. She took the sword, and came to me, and
stood over my head: but I made a sign to her with my eyebrow, while
tears ran down my cheeks. She replied in a similar manner, Thou art he
who hath done all this to me:--I made a sign to her, however, that this
was a time for pardon, conveying my meaning in the manner thus described
by the poet:--[III_58]
Our signal in love is the glance of our eyes; and every intelligent
person understandeth the sign.
Our eyebrows carry on an intercourse between us: we are silent;
but love speaketh.
And when she understood me, she threw the sword from her hand, O my
mistress, and the 'Efreet handed it to me, saying, Strike off her head,
and I will liberate thee, and do thee no harm. I replied, Good:--and,
quickly approaching her, raised my hand; but she made a sign as though
she would say, I did no injury to thee:--whereupon my eyes poured with
tears, and, throwing down the sword, I said, O mighty 'Efreet, and
valiant hero, if a woman, deficient in sense and religion,[III_59] seeth
it not lawful to strike off my head, how is it lawful for me to do so to
her, and especially when I have never seen her before in my life? I will
never do it, though I should drink the cup of death and
destruction.--There is affection between you, said the 'Efreet, and,
taking the sword, he struck off one of the hands of the lady; then, the
other; after this, her right foot; and then, her left foot: thus with
four blows he cut off her four extremities, while I looked on, expecting
my own death. She then made a sign to me with her eye; and the 'Efreet,
observing her, exclaimed, Now thou hast been guilty of incontinence with
thine eye!--and, with a blow of his sword, struck off her head; after
which, he turned towards me, and said, O man, it is allowed us by our
law, if a wife be guilty of incontinence, to put her to death. This
woman I carried off on her wedding-night, when she was twelve years of
age, and she was acquainted with no man but me; and I used to pass one
night with her in the course of every ten days in the garb of a
foreigner; and when I discovered of a certainty that she had been
unfaithful to me, I killed her: but as for thee, I am not convinced that
thou hast wronged me with respect to her; yet I must not leave thee
unpunished: choose, therefore, what injury I shall do to thee.
[Illustration]
Upon this, O my mistress, I rejoiced exceedingly, and, eager to obtain
his pardon, I said to him, What shall I choose from thy hands?--Choose,
he answered, into what form I shall change thee; either the form of a
dog, or that of an ass, or that of an ape. I replied, in my desire of
forgiveness, Verily, if thou wilt pardon me, God will pardon thee in
recompense for thy shewing mercy to a Muslim who hath done thee no
injury:--and I humbled myself in the most abject manner, and said to
him, Pardon me as the envied man did the envier.--And how was that? said
he. I answered as follows:--[III_60]
THE STORY OF THE ENVIER AND THE ENVIED.
Know, O my master, that there was a certain man who had a neighbour that
envied him; and the more this person envied him, so much the more did
God increase the prosperity of the former. Thus it continued a long
time; but when the envied man found that his neighbour persisted in
troubling him, he removed to a place where there was a deserted well;
and there he built for himself an oratory, and occupied himself in the
worship of God. Numerous Fa[k.]eers[III_61] assembled around him, and he
acquired great esteem, people repairing to him from every quarter,
placing firm reliance upon his sanctity; and his fame reached the ears
of his envious neighbour, who mounted his horse, and went to visit him;
and when the envied man saw him, he saluted him, and payed him the
utmost civility. The envier then said to him, I have come hither to
inform thee of a matter in which thou wilt find advantage, and for which
I shall obtain a recompense in heaven. The envied man replied, May God
requite thee for me with every blessing. Then, said the envier, order
the Fa[k.]eers to retire to their cells, for the information that I am
about to give thee I would have no one overhear. So he ordered them to
enter their cells; and the envier said to him, Arise, and let us walk
together, and converse; and they walked on until they came to the
deserted well before mentioned, when the envier pushed the envied man
into this well, without the knowledge of any one, and went his way,
imagining that he had killed him.
But this well was inhabited by Jinn, who received him unhurt, and seated
him upon a large stone; and when they had done this, one of them said to
the others, Do ye know this man? They answered, We know him not.--This,
said he, is the envied man who fled from him who envied him, and took up
his abode in this quarter, in the neighbouring oratory, and who
entertaineth us by his zikr[III_62] and his readings; and when his
envier heard of him, he came hither to him, and, devising a stratagem
against him, threw him down here. His fame hath this night reached the
Sul[t.]an of this city, who hath purposed to visit him to-morrow, on
account of the affliction which hath befallen his daughter.--And what,
said they, hath happened to his daughter? He answered, Madness; for
Meymoon, the son of Demdem, hath become inflamed with love for her; and
her cure is the easiest of things. They asked him, What is it?--and he
answered, The black cat that is with him in the oratory hath at the end
of her tail a white spot, of the size of a piece of silver; and from
this white spot should be taken seven hairs, and with these the damsel
should be fumigated, and the Marid would depart from over her head, and
not return to her; so she would be instantly cured. And now it is our
duty to take him out.
[Illustration]
When the morning came, the Fa[k.]eers saw the Sheykh rising out of the
well; and he became magnified in their eyes. And when he entered the
oratory, he took from the white spot at the end of the cat's tail seven
hairs, and placed them in a portfolio by him; and at sunrise the King
came to him, and when the Sheykh saw him, he said to him, O King, thou
hast come to visit me in order that I may cure thy daughter. The King
replied. Yes, O virtuous Sheykh.--Then, said the Sheykh, send some
person to bring her hither; and I trust in God, whose name be exalted,
that she may be instantly cured. And when the King had brought his
daughter, the Sheykh beheld her bound, and, seating her, suspended a
curtain over her, and took out the hairs, and fumigated her with them;
whereupon the Marid cried out from over her head, and left her; and the
damsel immediately recovered her reason, and, veiling her face, said to
her father, What is this, and wherefore didst thou bring me to this
place? He answered her, Thou hast nothing to fear;--and rejoiced
greatly. He kissed the hand of the envied Sheykh, and said to the great
men of his court who were with him, What shall be the recompense of this
Sheykh for that which he hath done? They answered, His recompense should
be that thou marry him to her.--Ye have spoken truly, said the
King:--and he gave her in marriage to him, and thus the Sheykh became a
connection of the King; and after some days the King died, and he was
made King in his place.
And it happened one day that this envied King was riding with his
troops, and he saw his envier approaching; and when this man came before
him he seated him upon a horse with high distinction and honour, and,
taking him to his palace, gave him a thousand pieces of gold, and a
costly dress; after which he sent him back from the city, with
attendants to escort him to his house, and reproached him for
nothing.--Consider, then, O 'Efreet, the pardon of the envied to the
envier, and his kindness to him, notwithstanding the injuries he had
done him.[III_63]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT.
The 'Efreet, when he had heard this story, replied, Lengthen not thy
words to me: as to my killing thee, fear it not; and as to my pardoning
thee, covet it not; but as to my enchanting thee, there is no escape
from it;--and, so saying, he clove the earth asunder, and soared with me
through the sky to such a height that I beheld the world beneath me as
though it were a bowl of water: then, alighting upon a mountain, he took
up a little dust, and, having muttered and pronounced certain words over
it, sprinkled me with it, saying, Quit this form, and take the form of
an ape!--whereupon I became like an ape of a hundred years of age.
[Illustration]
When I saw myself changed into this ugly form, I wept for myself, but
determined to be patient under the tyranny of fortune, knowing it to be
constant to no one. I descended from the summit of the mountain, and,
after having journeyed for the space of a month, arrived at the
sea-shore; and, when I had stood there a short time, I saw a vessel in
the midst of the sea, with a favourable wind approaching the land; I
therefore hid myself behind a rock on the beach, and when the ship came
close up, I sprang into the midst of it. But as soon as the persons on
board saw me, one of them cried, Turn out this unlucky brute from the
ship:--another said, Let us kill him:--and a third exclaimed, I will
kill him with this sword. I, however, caught hold of the end of the
sword, and tears flowed from my eyes; at the sight of which the captain
took compassion on me, and said to the passengers, O merchants, this ape
hath sought my aid, and I give it him; he is under my protection; let no
one, therefore, oppose or trouble him. He then treated me with kindness,
and whatever he said to me I understood, and all that he required to be
done I performed as his servant.
We continued our voyage for fifty days with a fair wind, and cast anchor
under a large city containing a population which no one but God, whose
name be exalted, could reckon; and when we had moored our vessel, there
came to us some memlooks from the King of the city, who came on board
the ship, and complimented the merchants on their safe arrival, saying,
Our King greeteth you, rejoicing in your safety, and hath sent to you
this roll of paper, desiring that each of you shall write a line upon
it; for the King had a Wezeer who was an eminent caligraphist, and he is
dead, and the King hath sworn that he will not appoint any person to his
office who cannot write equally well.[III_64] Though in the form of an
ape, I arose and snatched the paper from their hands; upon which,
fearing that I would tear it and throw it into the sea, they cried out
against me, and would have killed me; but I made signs to them that I
would write, and the captain said to them, Suffer him to write, and if
he scribble we will turn him away; but if he write well I will adopt
him as my son; for I have never seen a more intelligent ape. So I took
the pen, and demanded the ink, and wrote in an epistolary hand this
couplet:--
Fame hath recorded the virtues of the noble; but no one hath been
able to reckon thine.
May God not deprive mankind of such a father; for thou art the parent
of every excellence.
Then, in a more formal, large hand, I wrote the following verses:--
There is no writer that shall not perish; but what his hand hath
written endureth ever.
Write, therefore, nothing but what will please thee when thou shalt
see it on the day of resurrection.
Two other specimens I wrote, in two different and smaller hands, and
returned the paper to the memlooks, who took it back to the King; and
when he saw what was written upon it, the hand of no one pleased him
excepting mine; and he said to his attendants, Go to the author of this
hand-writing, put upon him this dress, and mount him upon a mule, and
conduct him, with the band of music before him, to my presence. On
hearing this order, they smiled; and the King was angry with them, and
said, How is it that I give you an order, and ye laugh at me? They
answered, O King, we laugh not at thy words, but because he who wrote
this is an ape, and not a son of Adam: he is with the captain of the
ship newly arrived.
The King was astonished at their words; he shook with delight, and said,
I would purchase this ape. He then sent some messengers to the ship,
with the mule and the dress of honour, saying to them, Ye must clothe
him with this dress, and mount him upon the mule, and bring him hither.
So they came to the ship, and, taking me from the captain, clad me with
the dress; and the people were astonished, and flocked to amuse
themselves with the sight of me. And when they brought me to the King,
and I beheld him, I kissed the ground before him three times, and he
ordered me to sit down: so I sat down upon my knees;[III_65] and the
persons present were surprised at my polite manners, and especially the
King, who presently ordered his people to retire. They, therefore, did
so; none remaining but the King, and a eunuch, and a young memlook, and
myself. The King then commanded that a repast should be brought; and
they placed before him a service of viands, such as gratified the
appetite and delighted the eye; and the King made a sign to me that I
should eat; whereupon I arose, and, having kissed the ground before him
seven times, sat down to eat with him; and when the table was removed, I
washed my hands, and, taking the ink-case, and pen and paper, I wrote
these two verses:--
Great is my appetite for thee, O Kunafeh![III_66] I cannot
be happy nor endure without thee.
Be thou every day and night my food; and may drops of honey not
be wanting to moisten thee.
Having done this, I arose, and seated myself at a distance; and the
King, looking at what I had written, read it with astonishment, and
exclaimed, Can an ape possess such fluency and such skill in caligraphy?
This is, indeed, a wonder of wonders!--Afterwards, a chess-table was
brought to the King, and he said to me, Wilt thou play? By a motion of
my head I answered, Yes:--and I advanced, and arranged the
pieces.[III_67] I played with him twice, and beat him; and the King was
perplexed, and said, Were this a man, he would surpass all the people of
his age.
He then said to his eunuch, Go to thy mistress, and say to her, Answer
the summons of the King:--that she may come and gratify her curiosity by
the sight of this wonderful ape. The eunuch, therefore, went, and
returned with his mistress, the King's daughter, who, as soon as she saw
me, veiled her face, and said, O my father, how is it that thou art
pleased to send for me, and suffer strange men to see me?--O my
daughter, answered the King, there is no one here but the young memlook,
and the eunuch who brought thee up, and this ape, with myself, thy
father: from whom, then, dost thou veil thy face?--This ape, said she,
is the son of a King, and the name of his father is Eymar:[III_68] he is
enchanted, and it was the 'Efreet Jarjarees, a descendant of Iblees, who
transformed him, after having slain his own wife, the daughter of King
A[k.]namoos. This, whom thou supposedst to be an ape, is a learned and
wise man.--The King was amazed at his daughter's words, and, looking
towards me, said, Is it true that she saith of thee? I answered, by a
motion of my head, Yes:--and wept. The King then said to his daughter,
By what means didst thou discover that he was enchanted?--O my father,
she answered, I had with me, in my younger years, an old woman who was a
cunning enchantress, and she taught me the art of enchantment: I have
committed its rules to memory, and know it thoroughly, being acquainted
with a hundred and seventy modes of performing it, by the least of which
I could transport the stones of thy city beyond Mount [K.]af, and make
its site to be an abyss of the sea, and convert its inhabitants into
fish in the midst of it.--I conjure thee, then, by the name of Allah,
said her father, to restore this young man, that I may make him my
Wezeer. Is it possible that thou possessedst this excellence, and I
knew it not? Restore him, that I may make him my Wezeer, for he is a
polite and intelligent youth.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
She replied, With pleasure:--and, taking a knife upon which were
engraved some Hebrew names, marked with it a circle in the midst of the
palace. Within this she wrote certain names and talismans, and then she
pronounced invocations, and uttered unintelligible words; and soon the
palace around us became immersed in gloom to such a degree, that we
thought the whole world was overspread; and lo, the 'Efreet appeared
before us in a most hideous shape, with hands like winnowing-forks, and
legs like masts, and eyes like burning torches; so that we were
terrified at him. The King's daughter exclaimed, No welcome to thee!--to
which the 'Efreet, assuming the form of a lion, replied, Thou traitress,
how is it that thou hast broken thine oath? Did we not swear that we
would not oppose one another?--Thou wretch, said she, when didst thou
receive an oath?--The 'Efreet, still in the form of a lion, then
exclaimed, Take what awaiteth thee!--and, opening his mouth, rushed upon
the lady: but she instantly plucked a hair from her head and muttered
with her lips, whereupon the hair became converted into a piercing
sword, with which she struck the lion, and he was cleft in twain by the
blow; but his head became changed into a scorpion. The lady immediately
transformed herself into an enormous serpent, and crept after the
execrable wretch in the shape of a scorpion, and a sharp contest ensued
between them; after which, the scorpion became an eagle, and the
serpent, changing to a vulture, pursued the eagle for a length of time.
The latter then transformed himself into a black cat, and the King's
daughter became a wolf, and they fought together long and fiercely, till
the cat, seeing himself overcome, changed himself into a large red
pomegranate, which fell into a pool; but, the wolf pursuing it, it
ascended into the air, and then fell upon the pavement of the palace,
and broke in pieces, its grains becoming scattered, each apart from the
others, and all spread about the whole space of ground enclosed by the
palace. The wolf, upon this, transformed itself into a cock, in order to
pick up the grains, and not leave one of them; but, according to the
decree of fate, one grain remained hidden by the side of the pool of the
fountain. The cock began to cry, and flapped its wings, and made a sign
to us with its beak; but we understood not what it would say. It then
uttered at us such a cry, that we thought the palace had fallen down
upon us; and it ran about the whole of the ground, until it saw the
grain that had lain hid by the side of the pool, when it pounced upon
it, to pick it up; but it fell into the midst of the water, and became
transformed into a fish, and sank into the water; upon which the cock
became a fish of a larger size, and plunged in after the other. For a
while it was absent from our sight; but, at length, we heard a loud cry,
and trembled at the sound; after which, the 'Efreet rose as a flame of
fire, casting fire from his mouth, and fire and smoke from his eyes and
nostrils: the King's daughter also became as a vast body of fire; and we
would have plunged into the water from fear of our being burnt and
destroyed; but suddenly the 'Efreet cried out from within the fire, and
came towards us upon the leewan,[III_69] blowing fire at our faces. The
lady, however, overtook him, and blew fire in like manner in his face;
and some sparks struck us both from her and from him: her sparks did us
no harm; but one from him struck me in my eye, and destroyed it, I being
still in the form of an ape; and a spark from him reached the face of
the King, and burned the lower half, with his beard and mouth, and
struck out his lower teeth: another spark also fell upon the breast of
the eunuch; who was burnt, and died immediately. We expected
destruction, and gave up all hope of preserving our lives; but while we
were in this state, a voice exclaimed, God is most great! God is most
great! He hath conquered and aided, and abandoned the denier of the
faith of Mo[h.]ammad, the chief of mankind![III_70]--The person from
whom this voice proceeded was the King's daughter: she had burnt the
'Efreet; and when we looked towards him, we perceived that he had become
a heap of ashes.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The lady then came to us, and said, Bring me a cup of water:--and when
it was brought to her, she pronounced over it some words which we
understood not, and, sprinkling me with it, said, Be restored, by virtue
of the name of the Truth, and by virtue of the most great name of God,
to thy original form!--whereupon I became a man as I was at first,
excepting that my eye was destroyed. After this, she cried out, The
fire! the fire! O my father, I shall no longer live, for I am
predestined to be killed. Had he been a human being, I had killed him at
the first of the encounter. I experienced no difficulty till the
scattering of the grains of the pomegranate, when I picked them up
excepting the one in which was the life of the Jinnee: had I picked up
that, he had instantly died; but I saw it not, as fate and destiny had
appointed; and suddenly he came upon me, and a fierce contest ensued
between us under the earth, and in the air, and in the water; and every
time that he tried against me a new mode, I employed against him one
more potent, until he tried against me the mode of fire; and rarely does
one escape against whom the mode of fire is employed. Destiny, however,
aided me, so that I burned him first; but I exhorted him previously to
embrace the faith of El-Islam. Now I die; and may God supply my place to
you.--Having thus said, she ceased not to pray for relief from the fire;
and lo, a spark ascended to her breast, and thence to her face; and when
it reached her face, she wept, and exclaimed, I testify that there is no
deity but God, and I testify that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle!--We then
looked towards her, and saw that she had become a heap of ashes by the
side of the ashes of the 'Efreet.
We were plunged into grief on her account, and I wished that I had been
in her place rather than have seen that sweet-faced creature who had
done me this kindness reduced to a heap of ashes: but the decree of God
cannot be averted. The King, on beholding his daughter in this state,
plucked out what remained of his beard, and slapped his face, and rent
his clothes; and I also did the same, while we both wept for her. Then
came the chamberlains and other great officers of the court, who,
finding the King in a state of insensibility, with two heaps of ashes
before him, were astonished, and remained encompassing him until he
recovered from his fit, when he informed them of what had befallen his
daughter with the 'Efreet; and great was their affliction. The women
shrieked, with the female slaves, and continued their mourning seven
days. After this, the King gave orders to build, over the ashes of his
daughter, a great tomb with a dome, and illuminated it with candles and
lamps: but the ashes of the 'Efreet they scattered in the wind, exposing
them to the curse of God. The King then fell sick, and was near unto
death: his illness lasted a month; but after this he recovered his
health, and, summoning me to his presence, said to me, O young man, we
passed our days in the enjoyment of the utmost happiness, secure from
the vicissitudes of fortune, until thou camest to us, when troubles
overcame us. Would that we had never seen thee, nor thy ugly form, on
account of which we have been reduced to this state of privation: for,
in the first place, I have lost my daughter, who was worth a hundred
men; and, secondly, I have suffered this burning, and lost my teeth: my
eunuch also is dead: but it was not in thy power to prevent these
afflictions: the decree of God hath been fulfilled on us and on thee;
and praise be to God that my daughter restored thee, though she
destroyed herself. Now, however, depart, O my son, from my city. It is
enough that hath happened on thy account; but as it was decreed against
us and thee, depart in peace.
So I departed, O my mistress, from his presence; but before I quitted
the city, I entered a public bath, and shaved my beard. I traversed
various regions, and passed through great cities, and bent my course to
the Abode of Peace,[III_71] Baghdad, in the hope of obtaining an
interview with the Prince of the Faithful, that I might relate to him
all that had befallen me.
The third mendicant then advanced, and thus related his story:--
THE STORY OF THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT.
O illustrious lady, my story is not like those of my two companions, but
more wonderful: the course of fate and destiny brought upon them events
against which they could not guard; but as to myself, the shaving of my
beard and the loss of my eye were occasioned by my provoking fate and
misfortune; and the cause was this:--
I was a King, and the son of a King; and when my father died, I
succeeded to his throne, and governed my subjects with justice and
beneficence. I took pleasure in sea-voyages; and my capital was on the
shore of an extensive sea, interspersed with fortified and garrisoned
islands, which I desired, for my amusement, to visit; I therefore
embarked with a fleet of ten ships, and took with me provisions
sufficient for a whole month. I proceeded twenty days, after which there
arose against us a contrary wind; but at daybreak it ceased, and the sea
became calm, and we arrived at an island, where we landed, and cooked
some provisions and ate; after which we remained there two days. We
then continued our voyage; and when twenty days more had passed, we
found ourselves in strange waters, unknown to the captain, and desired
the watch to look out from the mast-head: so he went aloft, and when he
had come down he said to the captain, I saw, on my right hand, fish
floating upon the surface of the water; and looking towards the midst of
the sea, I perceived something looming in the distance, sometimes black,
and sometimes white.
When the captain heard this report of the watch, he threw his turban on
the deck, and plucked his beard, and said to those who were with him,
Receive warning of our destruction, which will befall all of us: not one
will escape! So saying, he began to weep; and all of us in like manner
bewailed our lot. I desired him to inform us of that which the watch had
seen. O my lord, he replied, know that we have wandered from our course
since the commencement of the contrary wind that was followed in the
morning by a calm, in consequence of which we remained stationary two
days: from that period we have deviated from our course for twenty-one
days, and we have no wind to carry us back from the fate which awaits us
after this day: to-morrow we shall arrive at a mountain of black stone,
called loadstone: the current is now bearing us violently towards it,
and the ships will fall in pieces, and every nail in them will fly to
the mountain, and adhere to it; for God hath given to the loadstone a
secret property by virtue of which everything of iron is attracted
towards it. On that mountain is such a quantity of iron as no one
knoweth but God, whose name be exalted; for from times of old great
numbers of ships have been destroyed by the influence of that
mountain.[III_72] There is, upon the summit of the mountain, a cupola of
brass supported by ten columns, and upon the top of this cupola is a
horseman upon a horse of brass, having in his hand a brazen spear, and
upon his breast suspended a tablet of lead, upon which are engraved
mysterious names and talismans: and as long, O King, as this horseman
remains upon the horse, so long will every ship that approaches be
destroyed, with every person on board, and all the iron contained in it
will cleave to the mountain: no one will be safe until the horseman
shall have fallen from the horse.--The captain then wept bitterly; and
we felt assured that our destruction was inevitable, and every one of us
bade adieu to his friend.
[Illustration]
On the following morning we drew near to the mountain; the current
carried us towards it with violence, and when the ships were almost
close to it, they fell asunder, and all the nails, and every thing else
that was of iron, flew from them towards the loadstone. It was near the
close of day when the ships fell in pieces. Some of us were drowned, and
some escaped; but the greater number were drowned, and of those who
saved their lives none knew what became of the others, so stupefied were
they by the waves and the boisterous wind. As for myself, O my mistress,
God, whose name be exalted, spared me on account of the trouble and
torment and affliction that He had predestined to befall me. I placed
myself upon a plank, and the wind and waves cast it upon the mountain;
and when I had landed, I found a practicable way to the summit,
resembling steps cut in the rock: so I exclaimed, In the name of
God!--and offered up a prayer, and attempted the ascent, holding fast by
the notches; and presently God stilled the wind and assisted me in my
endeavours, so that I arrived in safety at the summit. Rejoicing greatly
in my escape, I immediately entered the cupola, and performed the
prayers of two rek'ahs[III_73] in gratitude to God for my preservation;
after which I slept beneath the cupola, and heard a voice saying to me,
O son of Kha[s.]eeb,[III_74] when thou awakest from thy sleep, dig
beneath thy feet, and thou wilt find a bow of brass, and three arrows of
lead, whereon are engraved talismans: then take the bow and arrows and
shoot at the horseman that is upon the top of the cupola, and relieve
mankind from this great affliction; for when thou hast shot at the
horseman he will fall into the sea; the bow will also fall, and do thou
bury it in its place; and as soon as thou hast done this, the sea will
swell and rise until it attains the summit of the mountain; and there
will appear upon it a boat bearing a man, different from him whom thou
shalt have cast down, and he will come to thee, having an oar in his
hand: then do thou embark with him; but utter not the name of God; and
he will convey thee in ten days to a safe sea, where, on thy arrival,
thou wilt find one who will take thee to thy city. All this shall be
done if thou utter not the name of God.
Awaking from my sleep, I sprang up, and did as the voice had directed. I
shot at the horseman, and he fell into the sea; and the bow having
fallen from my hand, I buried it: the sea then became troubled, and rose
to the summit of the mountain, and when I had stood waiting there a
little while, I beheld a boat in the midst of the sea, approaching me. I
praised God, whose name be exalted, and when the boat came to me, I
found in it a man of brass, with a tablet of lead upon his breast,
engraven with names and talismans. Without uttering a word, I embarked
in the boat, and the man rowed me ten successive days, after which I
beheld the islands of security, whereupon, in the excess of my joy, I
exclaimed, In the name of God! There is no deity but God! God is most
great!--and as soon as I had done this, he cast me out of the boat, and
sank in the sea.
[Illustration]
Being able to swim, I swam until night, when my arms and shoulders were
tired, and, in this perilous situation, I repeated the profession of the
faith, and gave myself up as lost; but the sea rose with the violence of
the wind, and a wave like a vast castle threw me upon the land, in order
to the accomplishment of the purpose of God. I ascended the shore, and
after I had wrung out my clothes, and spread them upon the ground to
dry, I slept; and in the morning I put on my clothes again, and, looking
about to see which way I should go, I found a tract covered with trees,
to which I advanced; and when I had walked round it, I found that I was
upon a small island in the midst of the sea; upon which I said within
myself, Every time that I escape from one calamity I fall into another
that is worse:--but while I was reflecting upon my unfortunate case, and
wishing for death, I beheld a vessel bearing a number of men. I arose
immediately, and climbed into a tree; and lo, the vessel came to the
shore, and there landed from it ten black slaves bearing axes. They
proceeded to the middle of the island, and, digging up the earth,
uncovered and lifted up a trap-door, after which they returned to the
vessel, and brought from it bread and flour and clarified butter and
honey and sheep and everything that the wants of an inhabitant would
require, continuing to pass backwards and forwards between the vessel
and the trap-door, bringing loads from the former, and entering the
latter, until they had removed all the stores from the ship. They then
came out of the vessel with various clothes of the most beautiful
description, and in the midst of them was an old sheykh, enfeebled and
wasted by extreme age, leading by the hand a young man cast in the mould
of graceful symmetry, and invested with such perfect beauty as deserved
to be a subject for proverbs. He was like a fresh and slender twig,
enchanting and captivating every heart by his elegant form. The party
proceeded to the trap-door, and, entering it, became concealed from my
eyes.[III_75]
They remained beneath about two hours, or more; after which, the sheykh
and the slaves came out; but the youth came not with them; and they
replaced the earth, and embarked and set sail. Soon after, I descended
from the tree, and went to the excavation. I removed the earth, and,
entering the aperture, saw a flight of wooden steps, which I descended;
and, at the bottom, I beheld a handsome dwelling-place, furnished with a
variety of silken carpets; and there was the youth, sitting upon a high
mattress, with sweet-smelling flowers and fruits placed before him. On
seeing me, his countenance became pale; but I saluted him, and said, Let
thy mind be composed, O my master: thou hast nothing to fear, O delight
of my eye; for I am a man, and the son of a King, like thyself: fate
hath impelled me to thee, that I may cheer thee in thy solitude. The
youth, when he heard me thus address him, and was convinced that I was
one of his own species, rejoiced exceedingly at my arrival, his colour
returned, and, desiring me to approach him, he said, O my brother, my
story is wonderful: my father is a jeweller: he had slaves who made
voyages by his orders, for the purposes of commerce, and he had dealings
with Kings; but he had never been blest with a son; and he dreamt that
he was soon to have a son, but one whose life would be short; and he
awoke sorrowful.[III_76] Shortly after, in accordance with the decrees
of God, my mother conceived me, and when her time was complete, she gave
birth to me; and my father was greatly rejoiced: the astrologers,
however, came to him, and said, Thy son will live fifteen years: his
fate is intimated by the fact that there is, in the sea, a mountain
called the Mountain of Loadstone, whereon is a horseman on a horse of
brass, on the former of which is a tablet of lead suspended to his neck;
and when the horseman shall be thrown down from his horse, thy son will
be slain: the person who is to slay him is he who will throw down the
horseman, and his name is King 'Ajeeb,[III_77] the son of King
Kha[s.]eeb. My father was greatly afflicted at this announcement; and
when he had reared me until I had nearly attained the age of fifteen
years, the astrologers came again, and informed him that the horseman
had fallen into the sea, and that it had been thrown down by King
'Ajeeb, the son of King Kha[s.]eeb; on hearing which, he prepared for me
this dwelling, and here left me to remain until the completion of the
term, of which there now remain ten days. All this he did from fear lest
King 'Ajeeb should kill me.
When I heard this, I was filled with wonder, and said within myself, I
am King 'Ajeeb, the son of King Kha[s.]eeb, and it was I who threw down
the horseman; but, by Allah, I will neither kill him nor do him any
injury. Then said I to the youth, Far from thee be both destruction and
harm, if it be the will of God, whose name be exalted: thou hast nothing
to fear: I will remain with thee to serve thee, and will go forth with
thee to thy father, and beg of him to send me back to my country, for
the which he will obtain a reward. The youth rejoiced at my words, and I
sat and conversed with him until night, when I spread his bed for him,
and covered him, and slept near to his side. And in the morning I
brought him water, and he washed his face, and said to me, May God
requite thee for me with every blessing. If I escape from King 'Ajeeb,
I will make my father reward thee with abundant favours.--Never, I
replied, may the day arrive that would bring thee misfortune. I then
placed before him some refreshments, and after we had eaten together, we
passed the day conversing with the utmost cheerfulness.
[Illustration]
I continued to serve him for nine days; and on the tenth day the youth
rejoiced at finding himself in safety, and said to me, O my brother, I
wish that thou wouldst in thy kindness warm for me some water, that I
may wash myself and change my clothes; for I have smelt the odour of
escape from death, in consequence of thy assistance.--With pleasure, I
replied;--and I arose, and warmed the water; after which, he entered a
place concealed from my view, and, having washed himself and changed his
clothes, laid himself upon the mattress to rest after his bath. He then
said to me, Cut up for me, O my brother, a water-melon, and mix its
juice with some sugar:--so I arose, and, taking a melon, brought it upon
a plate, and said to him, Knowest thou, O my master, where is the
knife?--See, here it is, he answered, upon the shelf over my head. I
sprang up hastily, and took it from its sheath, and as I was drawing
back, my foot slipped, as God had decreed, and I fell upon the youth,
grasping in my hand the knife, which entered his body, and he died
instantly. When I perceived that he was dead, and that I had killed him,
I uttered a loud shriek, and beat my face, and rent my clothes, saying,
This is, indeed, a calamity! O what a calamity! O my Lord, I implore thy
pardon, and declare to Thee my innocence of his death! Would that I had
died before him! How long shall I devour trouble after trouble!
With these reflections I ascended the steps, and, having replaced the
trap-door, returned to my first station, and looked over the sea, where
I saw the vessel that had come before, approaching, and cleaving the
waves in its rapid course. Upon this I said within myself, Now will the
men come forth from the vessel, and find the youth slain, and they will
slay me also:--so I climbed into a tree, and concealed myself among its
leaves, and sat there till the vessel arrived and cast anchor, when the
slaves landed with the old sheykh, the father of the youth, and went to
the place, and removed the earth. They were surprised at finding it
moist, and, when they had descended the steps, they discovered the youth
lying on his back, exhibiting a face beaming with beauty, though dead,
and clad in white and clean clothing, with the knife remaining in his
body. They all wept at the sight, and the father fell down in a swoon,
which lasted so long that the slaves thought he was dead. At length,
however, he recovered, and came out with the slaves, who had wrapped the
body of the youth in his clothes. They then took back all that was in
the subterranean dwelling to the vessel, and departed.
I remained, O my mistress, by day hiding myself in a tree, and at night
walking about the open part of the island. Thus I continued for the
space of two months; and I perceived that, on the western side of the
island, the water of the sea every day retired, until, after three
months, the land that had been beneath it became dry. Rejoicing at this,
and feeling confident now in my escape, I traversed this dry tract, and
arrived at an expanse of sand; whereupon I emboldened myself, and
crossed it. I then saw in the distance an appearance of fire, and,
advancing towards it, found it to be a palace, overlaid with plates of
copper, which, reflecting the rays of the sun, seemed from a distance to
be fire: and when I drew near to it, reflecting upon this sight, there
approached me an old sheykh, accompanied by ten young men who were all
blind of one eye, at which I was extremely surprised. As soon as they
saw me, they saluted me, and asked me my story, which I related to them
from first to last; and they were filled with wonder. They then
conducted me into the palace, where I saw ten benches, upon each of
which was a mattress covered with a blue stuff;[III_78] and each of the
young men seated himself upon one of these benches, while the sheykh
took his place upon a smaller one; after which they said to me, Sit
down, O young man, and ask no question respecting our condition, nor
respecting our being blind of one eye. Then the sheykh arose, and
brought to each of them some food, and the same to me also; and next he
brought to each of us some wine: and after we had eaten, we sat drinking
together until the time for sleep, when the young men said to the
sheykh, Bring to us our accustomed supply:--upon which the sheykh arose,
and entered a closet, from which he brought, upon his head, ten covered
trays. Placing these upon the floor, he lighted ten candles, and stuck
one of them upon each tray; and, having done this, he removed the
covers, and there appeared beneath them ashes mixed with pounded
charcoal. The young men then tucked up their sleeves above the elbow,
and blackened their faces, and slapped their cheeks,[III_79] exclaiming,
We were reposing at our ease, and our impertinent curiosity suffered us
not to remain so! Thus they did until the morning, when the sheykh
brought them some hot water, and they washed their faces, and put on
other clothes.
On witnessing this conduct, my reason was confounded, my heart was so
troubled that I forgot my own misfortunes, and I asked them the cause of
their strange behaviour; upon which they looked towards me, and said, O
young man, ask not respecting that which doth not concern thee; but be
silent; for in silence is security from error.--I remained with them a
whole month, during which, every night they did the same; and at length
I said to them, I conjure you by Allah to remove this disquiet from my
mind, and to inform me of the cause of your acting in this manner, and
of your exclaiming, We were reposing at our ease, and our impertinent
curiosity suffered us not to remain so!--if ye inform me not, I will
leave you, and go my way; for the proverb saith, When the eye seeth not,
the heart doth not grieve.--On hearing these words, they replied, We
have not concealed this affair from thee but in our concern for thy
welfare, lest thou shouldst become like us, and the same affliction that
hath befallen us happen also to thee. I said, however, Ye must
positively inform me of this matter.--We give thee good advice, said
they, and do thou receive it, and ask us not respecting our case;
otherwise thou wilt become blind of one eye, like us:--but I still
persisted in my request; whereupon they said, O young man, if this
befall thee, know that thou wilt be banished from our company. They then
all arose, and, taking a ram, slaughtered and skinned it, and said to
me, Take this knife with thee, and introduce thyself into the skin of
the ram, and we will sew thee up in it, and go away; whereupon a bird
called the rukh'[III_80] will come to thee, and, taking thee up by its
talons, will fly away with thee, and set thee down upon a mountain: then
cut open the skin with this knife, and get out, and the bird will fly
away. Thou must arise, as soon as it hath gone, and journey for half a
day, and thou wilt see before thee a lofty palace, encased with red
gold, set with various precious stones, such as emeralds and rubies,
&c.; and if thou enter it thy case will be as ours; for our entrance
into that palace was the cause of our being blind of one eye; and if one
of us would relate to thee all that hath befallen him, his story would
be too long for thee to hear.
They then sewed me up in the skin, and entered their palace; and soon
after, there came an enormous white bird, which seized me, and flew away
with me, and set me down upon the mountain; whereupon I cut open the
skin, and got out; and the bird, as soon as it saw me, flew away. I rose
up quickly, and proceeded towards the palace, which I found to be as
they had described it to me; and when I had entered it, I beheld, at the
upper end of a saloon, forty young damsels, beautiful as so many moons,
and magnificently attired, who, as soon as they saw me, exclaimed,
Welcome! Welcome! O our master and our lord! We have been for a month
expecting thee. Praise be to God who hath blessed us with one who is
worthy of us, and one of whom we are worthy!--After having thus greeted
me, they seated me upon a mattress, and said, Thou art from this day our
master and prince, and we are thy handmaids, and entirely under thy
authority. They then brought to me some refreshments, and, when I had
eaten and drunk, they sat and conversed with me, full of joy and
happiness. So lovely were these ladies, that even a devotee, if he saw
them, would gladly consent to be their servant, and to comply with all
that they would desire. At the approach of night they all assembled
around me, and placed before me a table of fresh and dried fruits, with
other delicacies that the tongue cannot describe, and wine; and one
began to sing, while another played upon the lute. The wine-cups
circulated among us, and joy overcame me to such a degree as to
obliterate from my mind every earthly care, and make me exclaim, This is
indeed a delightful life! I passed a night of such enjoyment as I had
never before experienced; and on the morrow I entered the bath; and,
after I had washed myself, they brought me a suit of the richest
clothing, and we again sat down to a repast.
In this manner I lived with them a whole year; but on the first day of
the new year, they seated themselves around me, and began to weep, and
bade me farewell, clinging to my skirts.--What calamity hath befallen
you? said I. Ye have broken my heart.--They answered, Would that we had
never known thee; for we have associated with many men, but have seen
none like thee. May God, therefore, not deprive us of thy company.--And
they wept afresh. I said to them, I wish that you would acquaint me with
the cause of this weeping.--Thou, they replied, art the cause; yet now,
if thou wilt attend to what we tell thee, we shall never be parted; but
if thou act contrary to it, we are separated from this time; and our
hearts whisper to us that thou wilt not regard our warning.--Inform me,
said I, and I will attend to your directions:--and they replied, If then
thou wouldst inquire respecting our history, know that we are the
daughters of Kings: for many years it hath been our custom to assemble
here, and every year we absent ourselves during a period of forty days;
then returning, we indulge ourselves for a year in feasting and
drinking. This is our usual practice; and now we fear that thou wilt
disregard our directions when we are absent from thee. We deliver to
thee the keys of the palace, which are a hundred in number, belonging to
a hundred closets. Open each of these, and amuse thyself, and eat and
drink, and refresh thyself, excepting the closet that hath a door of red
gold; for if thou open this, the consequence will be a separation
between us and thee. We conjure thee, therefore, to observe our
direction, and to be patient during this period.--Upon hearing this, I
swore to them that I would never open the closet to which they alluded;
and they departed, urging me to be faithful to my promise.
[Illustration]
I remained alone in the palace, and at the approach of evening I opened
the first closet, and, entering it, found a mansion like paradise, with
a garden containing green trees loaded with ripe fruits, abounding with
singing birds, and watered by copious streams. My heart was soothed by
the sight, and I wandered among the trees, scenting the fragrance of the
flowers, and listening to the warbling of the birds as they sang the
praises of the One, the Almighty.[III_81] After admiring the mingled
colours of the apple resembling the hue upon the cheek of a beloved
mistress and the sallow countenance of the perplexed and timid lover,
the sweet-smelling quince diffusing an odour like musk and ambergris,
and the plum shining as the ruby, I retired from this place, and, having
locked the door, opened that of the next closet, within which I beheld a
spacious tract planted with numerous palm-trees, and watered by a river
flowing among rose-trees, and jasmine, and marjoram, and eglantine, and
narcissus, and gilliflower, the odours of which, diffused in every
direction by the wind, inspired me with the utmost delight. I locked
again the door of the second closet, and opened that of the third.
Within this I found a large saloon, paved with marbles of various
colours, and with costly minerals and precious gems, and containing
cages constructed of sandal and aloes-wood with singing birds within
them, and others upon the branches of trees which were planted there. My
heart was charmed, my trouble was dissipated, and I slept there until
the morning. I then opened the door of the fourth closet, and within
this door I found a great building in which were forty closets with open
doors; and, entering these, I beheld pearls, and rubies, and
chrysolites, and emeralds, and other precious jewels such as the tongue
cannot describe. I was astonished at the sight, and said, Such things as
these, I imagine, are not found in the treasury of any King. I am now
the King of my age, and all these treasures, through the goodness of
God, are mine, together with forty damsels under my authority who have
no man to share them with me.
Thus I continued to amuse myself, passing from one place to another,
until thirty-nine days had elapsed, and I had opened the doors of all
the closets excepting that which they had forbidden me to open. My heart
was then disturbed by curiosity respecting this hundredth closet, and
the Devil, in order to plunge me into misery, induced me to open it. I
had not patience to abstain, though there remained of the appointed
period only one day: so I approached the closet, and opened the door;
and when I had entered, I perceived a fragrant odour, such as I had
never before smelt, which intoxicated me so that I fell down insensible,
and remained some time in this state: but at length recovering, I
fortified my heart, and proceeded. I found the floor overspread with
saffron, and the place illuminated by golden lamps and by candles,
which diffused the odours of musk and ambergris; and two large
perfuming-vessels filled with aloes-wood and ambergris, and a perfume
compounded with honey, spread fragrance through the whole place. I saw
also a black horse, of the hue of the darkest night, before which was a
manger of white crystal filled with cleansed sesame, and another,
similar to it, containing rose-water infused with musk: he was saddled
and bridled, and his saddle was of red gold. Wondering at the sight of
him, I said within myself, This must be an animal of extraordinary
qualities;--and, seduced by the Devil, I led him out, and mounted him;
but he moved not from his place: I kicked him with my heel; but still he
moved not: so I took a mi[k.]ra'ah and struck him with it; and as soon
as he felt the blow he uttered a sound like thunder, and, expanding a
pair of wings, soared with me to an immense height through the air, and
then alighted upon the roof of another palace, where he threw me from
his back, and, by a violent blow with his tail upon my face, as I sat on
the roof, struck out my eye, and left me.[III_82]
In this state I descended from the roof, and below I found the one-eyed
young men before mentioned, who, as soon as they beheld me, exclaimed,
No welcome to thee!--Receive me, said I, into your company:--but they
replied, By Allah, thou shalt not remain with us:--so I departed from
them, with mournful heart and weeping eye, and, God having decreed me a
safe journey hither, I arrived at Baghdad, after I had shaved my beard,
and become a mendicant.[III_83]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGHDAD, &c.
The mistress of the house then looked towards the Khaleefeh and
Ja[a.]far and Mesroor, and said to them, Acquaint me with your
histories:--upon which Ja[a.]far advanced towards her, and related to
her the same story that he had told to the portress before they entered;
and when she had heard it, she liberated them all. They accordingly
departed, and when they had gone out into the street, the Khaleefeh
inquired of the mendicants whither they were going. They answered that
they knew not whither to go: whereupon he desired them to accompany his
party; and then said to Ja[a.]far, Take them home with thee, and bring
them before me to-morrow, and we will see the result. Ja[a.]far,
therefore, did as he was commanded, and the Khaleefeh returned to his
palace; but he was unable to sleep during the remainder of the night.
On the following morning he sat upon his throne, and when his courtiers
had presented themselves before him, and departed, excepting Ja[a.]far,
he said to him, Bring before me the three ladies and the two bitches and
the mendicants. So Ja[a.]far arose, and brought them, and, placing the
ladies behind the curtains, said to them, We have forgiven you on
account of your previous kindness to us, and because ye knew us not; and
now I acquaint you that ye are in the presence of the fifth of the sons
of El-'Abbas, Haroon Er-Rasheed; therefore relate to him nothing but the
truth. And when the ladies heard the words which Ja[a.]far addressed to
them on the part of the Khaleefeh, the eldest of them advanced, and thus
related her story:--
THE STORY OF THE FIRST OF THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.
[Illustration]
O Prince of the Faithful, my story is wonderful; for these two
bitches[III_84] are my sisters, born to my father, but of another
mother; and I am the youngest of the three. After the death of our
father, who left us five thousand pieces of gold, these my two sisters
married, and when they had resided some time with their husbands, each
of the latter prepared a stock of merchandise, and received from his
wife a thousand pieces of gold, and they all set forth on a journey
together, leaving me here; but after they had been absent four years, my
sisters' husbands lost all their property, and abandoned them in a
strange land, and they returned to me in the garb of beggars. When I
first saw them in this state, I knew them not; and, as soon as I
recognised them, I exclaimed, How is it that ye are in this
condition?--O our sister, they answered, thy inquiry now is of no use:
the Pen hath written what God hath decreed.[III_85]--I sent them,
therefore, to the bath, and, having clad them in new apparel, said to
them, O my sisters, ye are my elders, and I am young; so ye shall be to
me in the places of my father and mother. The inheritance which I shared
with you God hath blessed; partake then of its increase, for my affairs
are prosperous; and I and ye shall fare alike.--I treated them with the
utmost kindness, and during a whole year they remained with me, and
enriched themselves by the money that I had given them; but after this
period they said to me, It will be more agreeable to us to marry again,
for we can no longer abstain from doing so.--O my sisters, I replied, ye
have seen no happiness in marriage: a good husband in this age is rarely
found, and ye have already had experience of the marriage-state. They,
however, heeded not my words; but married against my consent: yet I gave
them dowries from my own property, and continued to them my protection.
They went to their husbands, and the latter, after they had resided with
them a short time, defrauded them of all that they possessed, and,
setting forth on a journey, left them destitute: so again they returned
to me, and, in a state of nudity, implored my forgiveness, saying, Be
not angry with us; for though thou art younger than we, thou hast more
mature sense; and we promise thee that we will never again mention the
subject of marriage. I replied, Ye are welcome, O my sisters; for I have
no one dearer to me than yourselves:--and I received them, and treated
them with every kindness, and we remained happily together for the space
of a year.
After this I resolved to fit out a vessel for a mercantile
voyage:[III_86] accordingly, I stocked a large ship with various goods
and necessary provisions, and said to my sisters, Will ye rather stay at
home during my voyage, or will ye go with me?--to which they answered,
We will accompany thee during the voyage, for we cannot endure to be
separated from thee. I therefore took them with me, and we set sail; but
first I divided my property into two equal portions; one of which I took
with me, and the other I concealed, saying within myself, Perhaps some
evil accident may happen to the ship, and our lives may be prolonged; in
which case, when we return we shall find that which will be of service
to us.--We continued our voyage by day and night, till at length the
vessel pursued a wrong course, and the captain knew not whither to
steer. The ship had entered a different sea from that which we wished to
cross, and for some time we knew it not; but for ten days we had a
pleasant wind, and after this, a city loomed before us in the distance.
We asked the captain what was the name of this city; and he answered, I
know it not; I have never seen it till this day, nor have I ever before
in the course of my life navigated this sea: but as we have come hither
in safety, ye have nothing to do but to enter this city and land your
goods, and, if ye find opportunity, sell or exchange there: if not, we
will rest there two days, and take in fresh provisions. So we entered
the port of the city, and the captain landed, and after a while returned
to us, saying, Arise, and go up into the city, and wonder at that which
God hath done unto his creatures, and pray to be preserved from his
anger. And when we had entered the city, we found all its inhabitants
converted into black stones. We were amazed at the sight, and as we
walked through the market-streets, finding the merchandise and the gold
and silver remaining in their original state, we rejoiced, and said,
This must have been occasioned by same wonderful circumstance. We then
separated in the streets, each of us attracted from his companions by
the wealth and stuffs in the shops.
As for myself, I ascended to the citadel, which I found to be a building
of admirable construction; and, entering the King's palace, I found all
the vessels of gold and silver remaining in their places, and the King
himself seated in the midst of his Chamberlains and Viceroys and
Wezeers, and clad in apparel of astonishing richness. Drawing nearer to
him, I perceived that he was sitting upon a throne adorned with pearls
and jewels, every one of the pearls shining like a star: his dress was
embroidered with gold, and around him stood fifty memlooks, attired in
silks of various descriptions, and having in their hands drawn swords.
Stupefied at this spectacle, I proceeded, and entered the saloon of the
[H.]areem, upon the walls of which were hung silken curtains; and here I
beheld the Queen, attired in a dress embroidered with fresh pearls, and
having upon her head a diadem adorned with various jewels, and necklaces
of different kinds on her neck. All her clothing and ornaments remained
as they were at first, though she herself was converted into black
stone. Here also I found an open door, and, entering it, I saw a flight
of seven steps, by which I ascended to an apartment paved with marble,
furnished with gold-embroidered carpets, and containing a couch of
alabaster, ornamented with pearls and jewels; but my eyes were first
attracted by a gleam of light, and when I approached the spot whence it
proceeded, I found a brilliant jewel, of the size of an ostrich's egg,
placed upon a small stool, diffusing a light like that of a candle. The
coverings of the couch above mentioned were of various kinds of silk,
the richness of which would surprise every beholder; and I looked at
them with wonder. In this apartment I likewise observed some lighted
candles, and reflected that there must then have been some person there
to light them. I passed thence to another part of the palace, and
continued to explore the different apartments, forgetting myself in the
amazement of my mind at all these strange circumstances, and immersed in
thoughts respecting what I beheld, until the commencement of night, when
I would have departed; but could not find the door: so I returned to the
place in which were the lighted candles, and there I laid myself upon
the couch, and, covering myself with a quilt, repeated some words of the
[K.]ur-an, and endeavoured to compose myself to sleep; but I could not.
I continued restless: and at midnight I heard a recitation of the
[K.]ur-an, performed by a melodious and soft voice; upon which I arose,
and, looking about, saw a closet with an open door, and I entered it,
and found that it was an oratory: lighted lamps were suspended in it,
and upon a prayer-carpet spread on the floor sat a young man of handsome
aspect. Wondering that he had escaped the fate of the other inhabitants
of the city, I saluted him; and he raised his eyes, and returned my
salutation: and I then said to him, I conjure thee by the truth of that
which thou art reading in the Book of God, that thou answer the question
which I am about to ask thee:--whereupon he smiled, and replied, Do thou
first acquaint me with the cause of thine entrance into this place, and
then I will answer thy question: so I told him my story, and inquired of
him the history of this city. Wait a little, said he;--and he closed the
[K.]ur-an, and, having put it in a bag of satin, seated me by his side.
As I now beheld him, his countenance appeared like the full moon, and
his whole person exhibited such perfect elegance and loveliness, that a
single glance at him drew from me a thousand sighs, and kindled a fire
in my heart. I repeated my request that he would give me an account of
the city; and, replying, I hear and obey, he thus addressed me:--
[Illustration]
Know that this city belonged to my father and his family and subjects;
and he is the King whom thou hast seen converted into stone; and the
Queen whom thou hast seen is my mother. They were all Magians,
worshipping fire in the place of the Almighty King;[III_87] and they
swore by the fire and the light, and the shade and the heat, and the
revolving orb. My father had no son, till, in his declining years, he
was blest with me, whom he reared until I attained to manhood. But,
happily for me, there was, in our family, an old woman, far advanced in
age, who was a Muslimeh, believing in God and his Apostle in her heart,
though she conformed with my family in outward observances; and my
father confided in her, on account of the faithfulness and modesty that
he had observed in her character, and shewed her great favour, firmly
believing that she held the same faith as himself; therefore, when I had
passed my infancy, he committed me to her care, saying, Take him, and
rear him, and instruct him in the ordinances of our faith, and educate
him and serve him in the best manner. The old woman accordingly received
me, but took care to instruct me in the faith of El-Islam, teaching me
the laws of purification, and the divine ordinances of ablution,
together with the forms of prayer; after which she made me commit to
memory the whole of the [K.]ur-an. She then charged me to keep my faith
a secret from my father, lest he should kill me; and I did so; and a few
days after, the old woman died. The inhabitants of the city had now
increased in their impiety and arrogance, and in their dereliction of
the truth; and while they were in this state, they heard a crier
proclaim with a voice like thunder, so as to be audible to both the near
and the distant, O inhabitants of this city, abstain from the worship of
fire, and worship the Almighty King!--The people were struck with
consternation, and, flocking to my father, the King of the city, said to
him, What is this alarming voice which hath astounded us by its terrible
sound?--but he answered them, Let not the voice terrify you, nor let it
turn you from your faith:--and their hearts inclined to his words; so
they persevered in the worship of fire, and remained obstinate in their
impiety during another year, until the return of the period at which
they had heard the voice the first time. It was then heard a second
time; and again, in the next year, they heard it a third time; but still
they persisted in their evil ways, until, drawing down upon themselves
the abhorrence and indignation of Heaven, one morning, shortly after
daybreak, they were converted into black stones, together with their
beasts and all their cattle. Not one of the inhabitants of the city
escaped, excepting me; and from the day on which this catastrophe
happened, I have continued occupied as thou seest, in prayer, and
fasting, and reading the [K.]ur-an: but I have become weary of this
solitary state, having no one to cheer me with his company.
On hearing these words, I said to him, Wilt thou go with me to the city
of Baghdad, and visit its learned men and lawyers, and increase thy
knowledge? If so, I will be thy handmaid, though I am the mistress of my
family, and have authority over a household of men. I have here a ship
laden with merchandise, and destiny hath driven us to this city, in
order that we might become acquainted with these events: our meeting was
predestined.--In this manner I continued to persuade him until he gave
his consent. I slept that night at his feet, unconscious of my state
through excessive joy; and in the morning we rose, and, entering the
treasuries, took away a quantity of the lighter and most valuable of the
articles that they contained, and descended from the citadel into the
city, where we met the slaves and the captain, who were searching for
me. They were rejoiced at seeing me, and, to their questions respecting
my absence, I replied by informing them of all that I had seen, and
related to them the history of the young man, and the cause of the
transmutation of the people of the city, and of all that had befallen
them, which filled them with wonder. But when my two sisters saw me with
the young man, they envied me on his account, and malevolently plotted
against me.
We embarked again, and I experienced the utmost happiness, chiefly owing
to the company of the young man; and after we had waited a while till
the wind was favourable, we spread our sails, and departed. My sisters
sat with me and the young man; and, in their conversation with me, said,
O our sister, what dost thou purpose to do with this handsome youth? I
answered, I desire to take him as my husband:--and, turning to him, and
approaching him, I said, O my master, I wish to make a proposal to thee,
and do not thou oppose it. He replied, I hear and obey:--and I then
looked towards my sisters, and said to them, This young man is all that
I desire, and all the wealth that is here is yours.--Excellent, they
replied, is thy determination:--yet still they designed evil against
me.--We continued our voyage with a favourable wind, and, quitting the
sea of peril, entered the sea of security, across which we proceeded for
some days, until we drew near to the city of El-Ba[s.]rah, the buildings
of which loomed before us at the approach of evening; but as soon as we
had fallen asleep, my sisters took us up in our bed, both myself and
the young man, and threw us into the sea. The youth, being unable to
swim, was drowned: God recorded him among the company of the
martyrs;[III_88] while I was registered among those whose life was yet
to be preserved; and, accordingly, as soon as I awoke and found myself
in the sea, the providence of God supplied me with a piece of timber,
upon which I placed myself, and the waves cast me upon the shore of an
island.
[Illustration]
During the remainder of the night I walked along this island, and in the
morning I saw a neck of land, bearing the marks of a man's feet, and
uniting with the main land. The sun having now risen, I dried my clothes
in its rays, and proceeded along the path that I had discovered until I
drew near to the shore upon which stands the city, when I beheld a snake
approaching me, and followed by a serpent which was endeavouring to
destroy it; the tongue of the snake was hanging from its mouth in
consequence of excessive fatigue, and it excited my compassion; so I
took up a stone, and threw it at the head of the serpent, which
instantly died: the snake then extended a pair of wings, and soared
aloft into the sky, leaving me in wonder at the sight. At the time of
this occurrence I had become so fatigued, that I now laid myself down
and slept; but I awoke after a little while, and found a damsel seated
at my feet, and gently rubbing them with her hands; upon which I
immediately sat up, feeling ashamed that she should perform this service
for me, and said to her, Who art thou, and what dost thou want?--How
soon has thou forgotten me! she exclaimed: I am she to whom thou hast
just done a kindness, by killing my enemy: I am the snake whom thou
savedst from the serpent; for I am a Jinneeyeh, and the serpent was a
Jinnee at enmity with me; and none but thou delivered me from him:
therefore, as soon as thou didst this, I flew to the ship from which thy
sisters cast thee, and transported all that it contained to thy house: I
then sunk it; but as to thy sisters, I transformed them by enchantment
into two black bitches; for I knew all that they had done to thee: the
young man, however, is drowned.--Having thus said, she took me up, and
placed me with the two black bitches on the roof of my house: and I
found all the treasures that the ship had contained collected in the
midst of my house: nothing was lost. She then said to me, I swear by
that which was engraved upon the seal of Suleyman, that, if thou do not
inflict three hundred lashes upon each of these bitches every day, I
will come and transform thee in the like manner:--so I replied, I hear
and obey:--and have continued ever since to inflict upon them these
stripes, though pitying them while I do so.
The Khaleefeh heard this story with astonishment, and then said to the
second lady, And what occasioned the stripes of which thou bearest the
marks? She answered as follows:--
THE STORY OF THE SECOND OF THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.
O Prince of the Faithful, my father, at his death, left considerable
property; and soon after that event I married to one of the wealthiest
men of the age, who, when I had lived with him a year, died, and I
inherited from him eighty thousand pieces of gold, the portion that fell
to me according to the law;[III_89] with part of which I made for myself
ten suits of clothing, each of the value of a thousand pieces of gold.
And as I was sitting one day, there entered my apartment an old woman,
disgustingly ugly, who saluted me, and said, I have an orphan daughter
whose marriage I am to celebrate this night, and I would have thee
obtain a reward and recompense in heaven by thy being present at her
nuptial festivity; for she is broken-hearted, having none to befriend
her but God, whose name be exalted. She then wept, and kissed my feet;
and, being moved with pity and compassion, I assented, upon which she
desired me to prepare myself, telling me that she would come at the hour
of nightfall and take me; and so saying, she kissed my hand, and
departed.
I arose immediately, and attired myself, and when I had completed my
preparations, the old woman returned, saying, O my mistress, the ladies
of the city have arrived, and I have informed them of thy coming, and
they are waiting with joy to receive thee:--so I put on my outer
garments, and, taking my female slaves with me, proceeded until we
arrived at a street in which a soft wind was delightfully playing, where
we saw a gateway over-arched with a marble vault, admirably constructed,
forming the entrance to a palace which rose from the earth to the
clouds.[III_90] On our arrival there, the old woman knocked at the door,
and, when it was opened, we entered a carpeted passage, illuminated by
lamps and candles, and decorated with jewels and precious
metals.[III_91] Through this passage we passed into a saloon of
unequalled magnificence, furnished with mattresses covered with silk,
lighted by hanging lamps and by candles, and having, at its upper end, a
couch of alabaster decorated with pearls and jewels, and canopied by
curtains of satin, from which there came forth a lady beautiful as the
moon, who exclaimed to me, Most welcome art thou, O my sister: thou
delightest me by thy company, and refreshest my heart. She then sat down
again, and said to me, O my sister, I have a brother who hath seen thee
at a festivity: he is a young man, more handsome than myself, and, his
heart being violently inflamed with love of thee, he hath bribed this
old woman to go to thee, and to employ this artifice in order to obtain
for me an interview with thee. He desireth to marry thee according to
the ordinance of God and his Apostle, and in that which is lawful there
is no disgrace.--When I heard these words, and saw myself thus confined
in the house so that I could not escape, I replied, I hear and
obey:--and the lady, rejoicing at my consent, clapped her hands, and
opened a door, upon which there came out from it a young man so
surpassingly handsome, that my heart immediately inclined to him. No
sooner had he sat down than the [K.]a[d.]ee and four witnesses entered,
and saluted us, and proceeded to perform the ceremony of the
marriage-contract[III_92] between me and the young man; which having
done, they departed; and when they had retired, the young man looked
towards me, and said, May our night be blessed. He then informed me that
he desired to impose a covenant upon me, and, bringing a copy of the
[K.]ur-an, said, Swear that thou wilt not indulge a preference, nor at
all incline, to any man but me:--and when I had sworn to this effect, he
rejoiced exceedingly, and embraced me; and the love of him took entire
possession of my heart.
We lived together in the utmost happiness for the space of a month,
after which I begged that he would allow me to go to the bazar, in order
to purchase some stuffs for dress, and, having obtained his permission,
went thither in company with the old woman, and seated myself at the
shop of a young merchant with whom she was acquainted, and whose father,
as she informed me, had died and left him great wealth. She desired him
to shew me his most costly stuffs; and while he was occupied in doing
so, she began to utter various flattering expressions in praise of him;
but I said to her, We have no concern with the praises that thou
bestowest upon him; we desire only to make our purchase, and to return
home. Meanwhile he produced to us what we wanted, and we handed him the
money: he refused, however, to take it, saying, It is an offering of
hospitality to you for your visit this day:--whereupon I said to the old
woman, If he will not take the money, return to him his stuff. But he
would not receive it again, and exclaimed, By Allah, I will take nothing
from you: all this is a present from me for a single kiss, which I shall
value more than the entire contents of my shop.--What will a kiss profit
thee? asked the old woman. Then, turning to me, she said, O my daughter,
thou hast heard what the youth hath said: no harm will befall thee if he
give thee a kiss, and thou shalt take what thou wantest.--Dost thou not
know, said I, that I have taken an oath? She answered, Let him kiss thee
then without thy speaking, and so it will be of no consequence to thee,
and thou shalt take back thy money. Thus she continued to palliate the
matter until I put my head (as it were) into the bag, and consented: so
I covered my eyes, and held the edge of my veil in such a manner as to
prevent the passengers from seeing me, whereupon he put his mouth to my
cheek beneath the veil, but instead of merely kissing me, he lacerated
my cheek by a violent bite. I fell into a swoon from the pain, and the
old woman laid me on her lap till I recovered, when I found the shop
closed, and the old woman uttering expressions of grief, and saying,
What God hath averted would have been a greater calamity; let us return
home, and do thou feign to be ill, and I will come to thee and apply a
remedy that shall cure the wound, and thou wilt quickly be restored.
[Illustration]
After remaining there some time longer, I rose, and, in a state of great
uneasiness and fear, returned to the house, and professed myself ill,
upon which my husband came in to me, and said, What hath befallen thee,
O my mistress, during this excursion? I answered, I am not well.--And
what is this wound, said he, that is upon thy cheek, and in the soft
part? I answered, When I asked thy permission, and went out to-day to
purchase some stuff for dress, a camel loaded with firewood drove
against me in the crowd, and tore my veil, and wounded my cheek as thou
seest, for the streets of this city are narrow.[III_93]--To-morrow,
then, he exclaimed, I will go to the governor, and make a complaint to
him, and he shall hang every seller of firewood in the city.--By Allah,
said I, burden not thyself by an injury to any one; for the truth is,
that I was riding upon an ass, which took fright with me, and I fell
upon the ground, and a stick lacerated my cheek.--If it be so, then, he
replied, I will go to-morrow to Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee, and relate the
matter to him, and he shall kill every ass-driver in this city.--Wilt
thou, said I, kill all those men on my account, when this which befell
me was decreed by God?--Undoubtedly, he answered; and, so saying, he
seized me violently, and then sprang up, and uttered a loud cry, upon
which the door opened, and there came forth from it seven black slaves,
who dragged me from my bed, and threw me down in the middle of the
apartment; whereupon he ordered one of them to hold me by my shoulders
and to sit upon my head; and another, to sit upon my knees and to hold
my feet. A third then came, with a sword in his hand, and said, O my
lord, shall I strike her with the sword, and cleave her in twain, that
each of these may take a half and throw it into the Tigris for the fish
to devour?[III_94] For such is the punishment of her who is unfaithful
to her oath and to the laws of love.--My husband answered, Strike her, O
Sa[a.]d:[III_95]--and the slave, with the drawn sword in his hand, said,
Repeat the profession of the faith, and reflect what thou wouldst have
to be done, that thou mayest give thy testamentary directions, for this
is the end of thy life.--Good slave, I replied, release me for a while
that I may do so:--and I raised my head, and, weeping as I spoke,
addressed my husband with these verses:--
You render me lovelorn, and remain at ease. You make my wounded
eyelid to be restless, and you sleep.
Your abode is between my heart and my eyes; and my heart will not
relinquish you, nor my tears conceal my passion.
You made a covenant with me that you would remain faithful;
but when you had gained possession of my heart you deceived me.
Will you not pity my love for you and my moaning? Have you yourself
been secure from misfortunes?
I conjure you, by Allah, if I die, that you write upon my tombstone,
This was a slave of love.
That, perchance, some mourner who hath felt the same flame may pass
by the lover's grave, and pity her.[III_96]
But on hearing these verses, and witnessing my weeping, he became more
incensed, and replied in the words of this couplet:--
I reject not the beloved of my heart from weariness: her own guilty
conduct is the cause of her punishment.
She desired that another should share with me her love; but the faith
of my heart inclineth not to partnership.[III_97]
[Illustration]
I continued to weep, and to endeavour to excite his compassion, saying
within myself, I will humble me before him, and address him with soft
words, that he may at least refrain from killing me, though he take all
that I possess;--but he cried out to the slave, Cleave her in twain; for
she is no longer of any value to us.--So the slave approached me, and I
now felt assured of my death, and committed myself to God; but suddenly
the old woman came and threw herself at my husband's feet, and, kissing
them, exclaimed, O my son, by the care with which I nursed thee, I
conjure thee to pardon this damsel, for she hath committed no offence
that deserveth such a punishment: thou art young, and I fear the effect
of the imprecations that she may utter against thee:--and after she had
thus addressed him, she wept, and continued to importune him, until, at
length, he said, I pardon her, but must cause her to bear upon her
person such marks of her offence as shall last for the remainder of her
life. So saying, he commanded the slaves to strip off my vest, and,
taking a stick cut from a quince-tree, he beat me upon my back and my
sides until I became insensible from the violence of the blows, and
despaired of my life. He then ordered the slaves to take me away as soon
as it was night, accompanied by the old woman, and to throw me into my
house in which I formerly resided. They accordingly executed their
lord's commands, and when they had deposited me in my house, I applied
myself to the healing of my wounds; but, after I had cured myself, my
sides still bore the appearance of having been beaten with mi[k.]ra'ahs.
I continued to apply remedies for four months before I was restored, and
then repaired to view the house in which this event had happened; but I
found it reduced to ruin, and the whole street pulled down; the site of
the house I found occupied by mounds of rubbish, and I knew not the
cause.
Under these circumstances, I went to reside with this my sister, who is
of the same father as myself, and I found with her these two bitches.
Having saluted her, I informed her of all that had befallen me; to which
she replied, Who is secure from the afflictions of fortune? Praise be to
God who terminated the affair with safety to thy life!--She then related
to me her own story, and that of her two sisters, and I remained with
her, and neither of us ever mentioned the subject of marriage.
Afterwards we were joined by this our other sister, the cateress, who
every day goes out to purchase for us whatever we happen to want.
CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGHDAD, &c.
The Kaleefeh was astonished at this story, and ordered it to be recorded
in a book, as an authentic history, and deposited the book in his
library. And he said to the first lady, Knowest thou where the
Jinneeyeh[III_98] who enchanted thy sisters is to be found? She
answered, O Prince of the Faithful, she gave me a lock of her hair, and
said, When thou desirest my presence, burn a few of these hairs, and I
will be with thee quickly, though I should be beyond Mount
[K.]af.--Bring then the hair, said the Khaleefeh. The lady, therefore,
produced it; and the Khaleefeh, taking it, burned a portion of it, and,
when the odour had diffused itself, the palace shook, and they heard a
sound of thunder, and lo, the Jinneeyeh appeared before them. She was a
Muslimeh, and therefore greeted the Khaleefeh by saying, Peace be on
thee, O Khaleefeh of God!--to which he replied, On you be peace, and the
mercy of God, and his blessings![III_99]--She then said, Know that
this lady hath conferred on me a benefit for which I am unable to
requite her; for she rescued me from death, by killing my enemy; and I,
having seen what her sisters had done to her, determined to take
vengeance upon them; therefore I transformed them by enchantment into
two bitches; and, indeed, I had wished rather to kill them, fearing lest
they should trouble her; but now, if thou desire their restoration, O
Prince of the Faithful, I will restore them, as a favour to thee and to
her; for I am one of the true believers.--Do so, said the Khaleefeh; and
then we will enter upon the consideration of the affair of the lady who
hath been beaten, and examine her case, and if her veracity be
established, I will take vengeance for her upon him who hath oppressed
her. The Jinneeyeh replied, O Prince of the Faithful, I will guide thee
to the discovery of him who acted thus to this lady, and oppressed her,
and took her property: he is thy nearest relation. She then took a cup
of water, and, having pronounced a spell over it, sprinkled the faces of
the two bitches, saying, Be restored to your original human
forms!--whereupon they became again two young ladies.--Extolled be the
perfection of their Creator![III_100] Having done this, the
Jinneeyeh said, O Prince of the Faithful, he who beat the lady is thy
son El-Emeen, who had heard of her beauty and loveliness:--and she
proceeded to relate what had happened. The Khaleefeh was astonished, and
exclaimed, Praise be to God for the restoration of these two bitches
which hath been effected through my means!--and immediately he summoned
before him his son El-Emeen, and inquired of him the history of the
lady; and he related to him the truth. He then sent for [K.]a[d.]ees and
witnesses, and the first lady and her two sisters who had been
transformed into bitches he married to the three mendicants who had
related that they were the sons of Kings; and these he made chamberlains
of his court, appointing them all that they required, and allotting them
apartments in the palace of Baghdad. The lady who had been beaten he
restored to his son El-Emeen, giving her a large property, and ordering
that the house should be rebuilt in a more handsome style. Lastly, the
lady-cateress he took as his own wife; he admitted her at once to his
own apartment, and, on the following day, he appointed her a separate
lodging for herself, with female slaves to wait upon her: he also
allotted to her a regular income; and afterwards built for her a palace.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER THIRD.
NOTE 1.--_On the Uses of Palm-sticks in various Manufactures._ The kind
of crate here mentioned is made of jereeds, or palm-sticks, which (being
very soft, and easily cut and punched, in their fresh state, and very
tough, difficult to break, and light, when dry,) are used in a great
variety of manufactures. In making crates or baskets, and stools,
bed-frames, coops, &c., a number of jereeds, being placed an inch or
more apart, are fixed by two, three, or more, thicker ones, placed
transversely. Round holes are punched in the latter, through which the
former are inserted; and the whole becomes light and strong as soon as
it is dry. Chests are made with thick jereeds placed close together, and
others, pared thin, passing transversely through them.
NOTE 2.--_Description of the Veils of Arab Women._ The modern izar or
eezar (for the word is written in two different ways), of Arab women, is
a piece of drapery commonly worn by them when they appear in public. It
is about two yards or more in width (according to the height of the
wearer), and three yards in length: one edge of it being drawn from
behind, over the upper part of the head and the forehead, and secured by
a band sewed inside, the rest hangs down behind and on each side to the
ground, or nearly so, and almost entirely envelops the person; the two
ends being held so as nearly to meet in front. Thus it conceals every
other part of the dress excepting a small portion of a very loose gown
(which is another of the articles of walking or riding apparel), and the
face-veil. It is now generally made of white calico, but a similar
covering of black silk for the married, and of white silk for the
unmarried, is now worn by females of the higher and middle classes, and
is called a "[h.]abarah."
It appears that the kind of face-veil mentioned in the same passage (in
Arabic, "[k.]ina[a.],") is a piece of muslin, about a yard or more in
length, and somewhat less in width, a portion of which is placed over
the head, beneath the izar, the rest hanging down in front, to the
waist, or thereabout, and entirely concealing the face. I have often
seen Arab women, particularly those of the Wahhabees, wearing veils of
this kind composed of printed muslin, completely concealing their
features, yet of sufficiently loose fabric to admit of their seeing
their way. But the more common kind of Arab face-veil is a long strip of
white muslin, or of a kind of black crape, covering the whole of the
face excepting the eyes, and reaching nearly to the feet. It is
suspended at the top by a narrow band, which passes up the forehead, and
which is sewed, as are also the two upper corners of the veil, to a band
that is tied round the head. This veil is called "bur[k.]o'." The black
kind is often ornamented with gold coins, false pearls, &c., attached to
the upper part. It is not so genteel as the white veil, unless for a
lady in mourning.
NOTE 3. "El-Mo[s.]il" is the name of the city which Europeans commonly
call "Mosul," "Mosoul," &c.; a city long famous for its fine stuffs.
Hence our word "muslin," often termed, in Arabic, "Mo[s.]ilee,"
signifying, "of the manufacture of El-Mo[s.]il."
NOTE 4. The wine is mentioned in the Calcutta edition of the first two
hundred nights, but not in the edition of Cairo. The lady went to a
Christian to purchase her wine because Muslims are not allowed to sell
it.
NOTE 5. The "'Othmanee quinces" I suppose to be a kind so called after
some person named 'Othman who introduced it, or was famous for its
culture. The term "Sul[t.]anee," applied to the citrons afterwards
mentioned, signifies "imperial."
NOTE 6. A list of these sweets is given in my original, but I have
thought it better to omit the names.
NOTE 7. The "willow-flower-water" is prepared from the sweet-scented
flowers of the Oriental willow, called "ban" and "khilaf" or "khalaf;" a
twig of which is, among the Arabs, a favourite emblem of a graceful
female.
NOTE 8.--_On the Vessels used for Sprinkling and Perfuming._ The
sprinkling-bottle, here called "mirashsh," is more commonly called
"[k.]um[k.]um," and has been alluded to in a former note, as having a
spherical or wide body, and a long and narrow neck. It is generally
about eight inches high, and of plain or gilt silver, or of fine brass,
or china, or glass; and has a cover pierced with a small hole. This
vessel is used in the houses of the rich to sprinkle a guest or visiter,
before he rises to take his leave, with rose-water; after which
ceremony, a page or servant presents to him a kind of censer, called
"mibkharah," which is generally of one or other of the metals above
mentioned, and about the same height as the [k.]um[k.]um; and he wafts
the smoke which rises from it towards his face, beard, &c., with the
right hand. The body of the mibkharah, the form of which is nearly
globular, surmounts a stem rising from the centre of a small circular
tray; the upper half is a cover pierced with apertures for the escape of
the smoke; and the lower half, in which some burning charcoal is placed,
is lined, or half filled, with gypsum-plaster. Aloes-wood, previously
moistened, or some other odoriferous substance, is placed upon the
burning coals; and sometimes, in the houses of very wealthy persons,
ambergris is used.
NOTE 9. This description of the outer door of a house in Baghdad is an
obvious absurdity; but none of the copies of the original to which I
have access authorizes my substituting "gilt" for "plated with gold;"
all here agreeing in the use of words which have the latter sense.
NOTE 10. In their eagerness to obtain the earliest possible sight of the
new moon which marks the period of the commencement of the Rama[d.]an,
lest they should not begin their fast as soon as the law requires, the
Muslims often see the crescent one night earlier in this than in any
other month. The comparison of an eyebrow to the new moon of Rama[d.]an
expresses, therefore, its extreme thinness, as well as its arched form.
To reduce its natural thickness, and to give it this form, scissors are
often used.
NOTE 11. "The seal of Suleyman" is a name given by the Arabs to a
six-pointed star formed by two equilateral triangles intersecting each
other, and to the flower which we, also, call "Solomon's seal." I fear
that the reader will not consider the comparison very apposite, unless
the allusion be to a beautiful red berry which, I am informed, is borne
by the flower here mentioned.
NOTE 12.--_Description of Apartments in Arab Houses._ Most of the
descriptions of interior domestic architecture which occur in the
present work, I may aptly illustrate by availing myself of observations
made in Cairo. In the houses of persons of the higher and middle classes
in this city, the different apartments generally resemble each other in
several respects, and are similarly furnished. The greater portion of
the floor is elevated about half a foot, or somewhat more, above the
rest. The higher portion is called "leewan" (a corruption of
"el-eewan"), and the lower, "dur[k.]a'ah," from the Persian "dar-gah."
When there is but one leewan, the dur[k.]a'ah occupies the lower end,
extending from the door to the opposite wall. In a handsome house, it is
usually paved with white and black marble, and little pieces of red
tile, inlaid in tasteful and complicated patterns; and if the room is on
the ground-floor, and sometimes in other cases, it has, in the centre, a
fountain which plays into a small, shallow pool, lined with coloured
marbles, &c., like the surrounding pavement. The shoes, or slippers, are
left upon the dur[k.]a'ah previously to stepping upon the leewan. The
latter is generally paved with common stone, and covered with a mat in
summer, and a carpet over this in winter; and a mattress and cushions
are placed against each of its three walls, composing what is called a
"deewan," or divan. The mattress, which is commonly about three feet
wide, and three or four inches thick, is placed either on the floor or
on a raised frame or a slightly-elevated pavement; and the cushions,
which are usually of a length equal to the width of the mattress, and of
a height equal to half that measure, lean against the wall. Both
mattresses and cushions are stuffed with cotton, and are covered with
printed calico, cloth, or some more expensive stuff. The deewan which
extends along the upper end of the leewan is called the "[s.]adr," and
is the most honourable: and the chief place on this seat is the corner
which is to the right of a person facing this end of the room; the other
corner is the next in point of honour; and the intermediate places on
the same deewan are more honourable than those on the two side-deewans.
To a superior, and often to an equal, the master or mistress yields the
chief place. The corners are often furnished with an additional
mattress, of a square form, just large enough for one person, placed
upon the other mattress, and with two additional (but smaller) cushions
to recline against. The walls are, for the most part, plastered and
white-washed, and generally have two or more shallow cupboards, the
doors of which, as well as those of the apartments, are fancifully
constructed with small panels. The windows, which are chiefly composed
of curious wooden lattice-work, serving to screen the inhabitants from
the view of persons without, as also to admit both light and air,
commonly project outwards, and are furnished with mattresses and
cushions. In many houses there are, above these, small windows of
coloured glass, representing bunches of flowers, &c. The ceiling is of
wood, and certain portions of it, which are carved, or otherwise
ornamented by fanciful carpentry, are usually painted with bright
colours, such as red, green, and blue, and sometimes varied with
gilding; but the greater part of the wood-work is generally left
unpainted.
The word in the original text which I translate "saloon," is "[k.]a'ah."
This term is applied to a large and lofty apartment, commonly having two
leewans, on opposite sides of the dur[k.]a'ah. One of these is, in most
instances, larger than the other, and is held to be the more honourable
part. Some [k.]a'ahs, containing three leewans, one of these being
opposite the entrance, or four leewans composing the form of a cross
with the dur[k.]a'ah in the centre, communicate with small chambers or
closets, or have elevated recesses which are furnished in the same
manner as the leewans. That part of the roof which is over the
dur[k.]a'ah rises above the rest, sometimes to nearly twice the height
of the latter, and is generally surmounted by a lantern of wooden
lattice-work to admit the air.
NOTE 13. In the Cairo edition, the couch is described as being in the
_midst_ of the saloon; but this is inconsistent with what follows.
NOTE 14.--_Of_ Babil, _and the Angels_ Haroot _and_ Maroot. Babil, or
Babel, is regarded by the Muslims as the fountain-head of the science of
magic, which was, and, as most think, still is, taught there to mankind
by two fallen angels, named Haroot and Maroot,[175] who are there
suspended by the feet in a great pit closed by a mass of rock.
According to the account of them generally received as correct, these
two angels, in consequence of their want of compassion for the frailties
of mankind, were rendered, by God, susceptible of human passions, and
sent down upon the earth to be tempted: they both sinned; and, being
permitted to choose whether they would be punished in this life or in
the other, chose the former; but they were sent down not merely to
_experience_ temptation, being also appointed to tempt others by means
of their knowledge of magic; though it appears that they were commanded
not to teach this art to any man "until they had said, Verily we are a
temptation; therefore, be not an unbeliever."[176]--The celebrated
traditionist Mujahid is related to have visited them, under the guidance
of a Jew. Having removed the mass of rock from the mouth of the pit, or
well, they entered. Mujahid had been previously charged by the Jew not
to mention the name of God in their presence; but when he beheld them,
resembling in size two huge mountains, and suspended upside-down, with
irons attached to their necks and knees, he could not refrain from
uttering the forbidden name; whereupon the two angels became so
violently agitated that they almost broke the irons which confined them,
and Mujahid and his guide fled back in consternation.[177]
NOTE 15. The meaning conveyed by this comparison is "tall and slender."
NOTE 16. In the MS. from which the old translation was made, it appears
that this lady is called Zubeydeh (which was the name of the daughter of
Ja[a.]far the son of El-Man[s.]oor, and wife of Er-Rasheed); the
portress, [S.]afiyeh; and the cateress, Amineh; but no names are given
to them in any of the copies of the original to which I have access.
NOTE 17. Literally, "two nu[s.]fs." "Nu[s.]f," vulgarly pronounced by
the Egyptians "nu[s.][s.]," and signifying "half," is the name of a
small Egyptian coin made of a mixture of silver and copper, and now
equivalent to something less than a quarter of a farthing; but this name
was originally given to the half-dirhems which were struck in the reign
of the Sul[t.]an El-Mu-eiyad, in the early part of the ninth century of
the Flight, or of the fifteenth of our era. In the Calcutta edition of
the first two hundred nights, and in the edition of Breslau, we read
here "two dirhems," instead of "two nu[s.]fs." [The coin here mentioned
still bears the name "Mu-eiyadee," or, vulgarly, "Meiyadee." In the
latest coinage, copper has been substituted for the mixed metal. ED.]
NOTE 18. The "menareh" is the tower of a mosque, commonly called by
English writers "minaret," which generally rises from a square base.
NOTE 19. It is a common custom in the East to seal the doors of
store-houses with a lump of clay, lest the lock should be picked.
NOTE 20. I here deviate a little from the Cairo edition, in which the
cateress is described as having drunk three cups of wine successively
before she handed any to her sisters. My reason for this will presently
be seen.
NOTE 21. Thus in two editions. In the Cairo edition, "tukellimuhu" is
put for "telkumuhu."
NOTE 22. _On Wine, Fruits, Flowers, and Music, in Illustration of Arab
Carousals._ I here pass over an extremely objectionable scene, which, it
is to be hoped, would convey a very erroneous idea of the manners of
Arab _ladies_; though I have witnessed, at private festivities in Cairo,
abominable scenes, of which ladies, screened behind lattices, were
spectators. Can the same be said with respect to the previous carousal?
This is a question which cannot be answered in a few words.
The prohibition of wine, or, rather, of fermented and intoxicating
liquors, being one of the most remarkable and important points of the
Mohammadan religion, it might be imagined that the frequent stories in
this work, describing parties of Muslims as habitually indulging in the
use of forbidden beverages, are scandalous misrepresentations of Arab
manners and customs. There are, however, many similar anecdotes
interspersed in the works of Arab historians, which (though many of them
are probably untrue in their application to particular individuals)
could not have been offered to the public by such writers if they were
not of a nature consistent with the customs of a considerable class of
the Arab nation.
In investigating this subject, it is necessary, in the first place, to
state, that there is a kind of wine which Muslims are permitted to
drink. It is properly called "nebeedh" (a name which is _now_ given to
_prohibited_ kinds of wine), and is generally prepared by putting dry
grapes, or dry dates, in water, to extract their sweetness, and
suffering the liquor to ferment slightly, until it acquires a little
sharpness or pungency. The Prophet himself was in the habit of drinking
wine of this kind, which was prepared for him in the first part of the
night; he drank it on the first and second days following; but if any
remained on the morning of the third day, he either gave it to his
servants or ordered it to be poured out upon the ground.[178] Such
beverages have, therefore, been drunk by the strictest of his followers;
and Ibn-Khaldoon strongly argues that nebeedh thus prepared from dates
was the kind of wine used by the Khaleefehs Haroon Er-Rasheed and
El-Ma-moon, and several other eminent men, who have been commonly
accused of habitually and publicly indulging in debauches of wine
properly so called; that is, of inebriating liquors.[179]
Nebeedh, prepared from raisins, is commonly sold in Arab towns, under
the name of "zebeeb," which signifies "raisins." This I have often drunk
in Cairo; but never could perceive that it was in the slightest degree
fermented. Other beverages, to which the name of "nebeedh" has been
applied (though, like zebeeb, no longer called by that name), are also
sold in Arab towns. The most common of these is an infusion of licorice,
and called by the name of the root, "'er[k.]-soos." The nebeedh of dates
is sold in Cairo with the dates themselves in the liquor; and in like
manner is that of figs. Under the same appellation of "nebeedh" have
been classed the different kinds of beer now commonly called "boozeh,"
which have been mentioned in former pages. Opium, hemp, &c., are now
more frequently used by the Muslims to induce intoxication or
exhilaration. The young leaves of the hemp are generally used alone, or
mixed with tobacco, for smoking; and the capsules, without the seeds,
enter into the composition of several intoxicating conserves. Some
remarks upon this subject have been inserted in a former note.
By my own experience I am but little qualified to pronounce an opinion
respecting the prevalence of drinking wine among the Arabs; for, never
drinking it myself, I had little opportunity of observing others do so
during my residence among Muslims. I judge, therefore, from the
conversations and writings of Arabs, which justify me in asserting that
the practice of drinking wine in private, and by select parties, is far
from being uncommon among modern Muslims, though certainly more so than
it was before the introduction of tobacco into the East, in the
beginning of the seventeenth century of our era; for this herb, being in
a slight degree exhilarating, and at the same time soothing, and
unattended by the injurious effects that result from wine, is a
sufficient luxury to many who, without it, would have recourse to
intoxicating beverages merely to pass away hours of idleness. The use of
coffee, too, which became common in Egypt, Syria, and other countries,
besides Arabia, a century earlier than tobacco, doubtless tended to
render the habit of drinking wine less general. That it was adopted as a
substitute for wine appears even from its name, "[k.]ahweh," an old
Arabic term for wine; whence the Turkish "[k.]ahveh," the Italian
"caffe," and our "coffee."
There is an Arabic work of some celebrity, and not of small extent,
entitled "[H.]albet el-Kumeyt,"[180] apparently written shortly before
the Arabs were in possession of the first of the above-mentioned
substitutes for wine, nearly the whole of which consists of anecdotes
and verses relating to the pleasures resulting from, or attendant upon,
the use of wine; a few pages at the end being devoted to the
condemnation of this practice, or, in other words, to prove the
worthlessness of all that precedes. Of this work I possess a copy, a
quarto volume of 464 pages. I have endeavoured to skim its cream; but
found it impossible to do so without collecting, at the same time, a
considerable quantity of most filthy scum; for it is characterised by
wit and humour plentifully interlarded with the grossest and most
revolting obscenity; yet it serves to confirm what has been above
asserted. The mere existence of such a work (and it is not the only one
of the kind), written by a man of learning, and I believe a [K.]a[d.]ee,
a judge, or one holding the honourable office of a guardian of religion
and morality,[181]--written, too, evidently with pleasure,
notwithstanding his assertion to the contrary,--is a strong argument in
favour of the prevalence of the practice which it paints in the most
fascinating colours, and then condemns. Its author terminates a chapter
(the ninth), in which many well-known persons are mentioned as having
been addicted to wine, by saying, that the Khaleefehs, Emeers, and
Wezeers, so addicted, are too numerous to name in such a work; and by
relating a story of a man who placed his own wife in pledge in the hands
of a wine-merchant, after having expended in the purchase of the
forbidden liquor all the property that he possessed. He excuses himself
(in his preface) for writing this book, by saying that he had been
ordered to do so by one whom he could not disobey; thus giving us a
pretty strong proof that a great man in his time was not ashamed of
avowing his fondness for the prohibited enjoyment. If, then, we admit
the respectable authority of Ibn-Khaldoon, and acquit of the vice of
drunkenness those illustrious individuals whose characters he
vindicates, we must still regard most of the anecdotes relating to the
carousals of other persons as being not without foundation.
One of my friends, who enjoys a high reputation, ranking among the most
distinguished of the 'Ulama of Cairo, is well known to his intimate
acquaintances as frequently indulging in the use of forbidden beverages
with a few select associates. I disturbed him and his companions by an
evening visit on one of these occasions, and was kept waiting within the
street-door while the guests quickly removed everything that would give
me any indication of the manner in which they had been employed; for the
announcement of my (assumed) name, and their knowledge of my abstemious
character, completely disconcerted them. I found them, however, in the
best humour. They had contrived, it appeared, to fill with wine a
_china_ bottle, of the kind used at that season (winter) for water; and
when any one of them asked the servant for water, this bottle was
brought to him; but when I made the same demand, my host told me that
there was a bottle of water on the sill of the window behind that part
of the deewan upon which I was seated. The evening passed away very
pleasantly, and I should not have known how unwelcome was my intrusion
had not one of the guests with whom I was intimately acquainted, in
walking part of the way home with me, explained to me the whole
occurrence. There was with us a third person, who, thinking that my
antipathy to wine was feigned, asked me to stop at his house on my way,
and take a cup of "white coffee," by which he meant brandy.
Another of my Muslim acquaintances in Cairo I frequently met at the
house of a mutual friend, where, though he was in most respects very
bigoted, he was in the habit of indulging in wine. For some time he
refrained from this gratification when I was present; but at length my
presence became so irksome to him, that he ventured to enter into an
argument with me on the subject of the prohibition. The only answer I
could give to his question, "Why is wine forbidden?"--was in the words
of the [K.]ur-an, "Because it is the source of more evil than
profit."[182] This suited his purpose, as I intended it should; and he
asked, "What evil results from it?" I answered, "Intoxication and
quarrels, &c."--"Then," said he, "if a man take not enough to intoxicate
him there is no harm;"--and finding that I acquiesced by silence, he
added, "I am in the habit of taking a little; but never enough to
intoxicate. Boy, bring me a glass."--He was the only Muslim, however,
whom I have heard to argue against the absolute interdiction of
inebriating liquors.
Histories tell us that some of the early followers of the Prophet
indulged in wine, holding the text above referred to as indecisive; and
that Mo[h.]ammad was at first doubtful upon this subject appears from
another text, in which his followers were told not to come to prayer
when they were drunk, until they should know what they would say;[183]
an injunction somewhat similar to one in the Bible;[184] but when
frequent and severe contentions resulted from their use of wine, the
following more decided condemnation of the practice was pronounced:--"O
ye who have become believers, verily wine and lots and images and
divining-arrows are an abomination of the work of the Devil; therefore,
avoid them, that ye may prosper."[185] This law is absolute: its
violation in the smallest degree is criminal. The punishment ordained by
the law for drinking (or, according to most doctors, for even tasting)
wine or spirits, or inducing intoxication by any other means, on
ordinary occasions, is the infliction of eighty stripes in the case of a
free man, and forty in that of a slave; but if the crime be openly
committed in the course of any day of the month of Rama[d.]an, when
others are fasting, the punishment prescribed is death!
The prohibition of wine hindered many of the Prophet's contemporaries
from embracing his religion. It is said that the famous poet
El-A[a.]sha, who was one of them, delayed to join his cause on this
account, until death prevented him. A person passing by his tomb (at
Menfoo[h.]ah, in El-Yemameh), and observing that it was moist, asked the
reason, and was answered, that the young men of the place, considering
him still as their cup-companion, drank wine over his grave, and poured
his cup upon it.[186] Yet many of the most respectable of the pagan
Arabs, like certain of the Jews and early Christians, abstained totally
from wine, from a feeling of its injurious effects upon morals, and, in
their climate, upon health; or, more especially, from the fear of being
led by it into the commission of foolish and degrading actions. Thus,
[K.]eys the son of 'A[s.]im, being one night overcome with wine,
attempted to grasp the moon, and swore that he would not quit the spot
where he stood until he had laid hold of it: after leaping several times
with the view of doing so, he fell flat upon his face; and when he
recovered his senses, and was acquainted with the cause of his face
being bruised, he made a solemn vow to abstain from wine ever
after.[187] A similar feeling operated upon many Muslims more than
religious principle. The Khaleefeh 'Abd-El-Melik Ibn-Marwan took
pleasure in the company of a slave named Na[s.]eeb, and one day desired
him to drink with him. The slave replied, "O Prince of the Faithful, I
am not related to thee, nor have I any authority over thee, and I am of
no rank or lineage: I am a black slave, and my wit and politeness have
drawn me into thy favour: how then shall I take that which will plunder
me of these two qualities; and by what shall I then propitiate thee?"
The Khaleefeh admired and excused him.[188]
It was the custom of many Muslim princes, as might be inferred from the
above anecdote, to admit the meanest of their dependants to participate
in their unlawful carousals when they could have no better companions;
but poets and musicians were their more common associates on these
occasions; and these two classes, and especially the latter, are in the
present day the most addicted to intoxicating liquors. Few modern Arab
musicians are so well contented with extraordinary payment and mere
sweet sherbet as with a moderate fee and plenty of wine and brandy; and
many of them deem even wine but a sorry beverage.
It was usual with the host and guests at wine-parties to wear dresses of
bright colours, red, yellow, and green;[189] and to perfume their beards
and mustaches with civet, or to have rose-water sprinkled upon them; and
ambergris or aloes-wood, or some other odoriferous substance, placed
upon burning coals in a censer, diffused a delicious fragrance
throughout the saloon of the revels.
The wine, it appears, was rather thick; for it was necessary to strain
it:[190] it was probably sweet, and not strong; for it was drunk in
large quantities. Frequently, perhaps, it was nebeedh of dry raisins
kept longer than the law allows. It was usually kept in a large earthen
vessel, called "denn," high, and small at the bottom, which was partly
imbedded in the earth to keep it upright. The name of this vessel is now
given to a cask of wood; but the kind above mentioned was of earth; for
it was easily broken.--A famous saint, Abu-l-[H.]oseyn En-Nooree, seeing
a vessel on the Tigris containing thirty denns belonging to the
Khaleefeh El-Mo[a.]ta[d.]id, and being told that they contained wine,
took a boat-pole, and broke them all, excepting one. When brought before
the Khaleefeh to answer for this action, and asked by him, "Who made
thee Mo[h.]tesib?"[191] he boldly answered, "He who made thee
Khaleefeh!"--and was pardoned.[192]--Pitch was used by the Arabs, as it
was by the Greeks and Romans, for the purpose of curing their wine; the
interior of the denn being coated with it. A smaller kind of earthen
jar, or amphora,[193] and a bottle of leather,[194] or of glass,[195]
were also used. The wine was transferred for the table to glass jugs, or
long-spouted ewers.[196] These and the cups were placed upon a round
embroidered cloth spread on the floor, or upon a round tray. The latter
now is in general use, and is supported on a low stool, described in a
former note, as being used at ordinary meals. The guests sat around,
reclining against pillars; or they sat upon the deewan, and a page or
slave handed the cup, having on his right arm a richly-embroidered
napkin: the person after drinking took the end of this to wipe his lips.
The cups are often described as holding a fluid pound, or little less
than an English pint; and this is to be understood literally, or nearly
so: they were commonly of cut glass; but some were of crystal, or
silver, or gold.[197] With these and the ewers or jugs were placed
several saucers, or small dishes,[198] of fresh and dried fruits;[199]
and fans and fly-whisks, of the kinds described on a former occasion,
were used by the guests.
The most common and esteemed fruits in the countries inhabited by the
Arabs may here be mentioned.
The date[200] deserves the first place. The Prophet's favourite fruits
were fresh dates[201] and water-melons; and he ate them both
together.[202] "Honour," said he, "your paternal aunt, the date-palm;
for she was created of the earth of which Adam was formed."[203] It is
said that God hath given this tree as a peculiar favour to the Muslims;
that he hath decreed all the date-palms in the world to them, and they
have accordingly conquered every country in which these trees are found;
and all are said to have derived their origin from the Hejaz.[204] The
palm-tree has several well-known properties that render it an emblem of
a human being; among which are these; that if the head be cut off, the
tree dies; and if a branch be cut off, another does not grow in its
place.[205] Dates are preserved in a moist state by being merely pressed
together in a basket or skin, and thus prepared are called "'ajweh."
There are many varieties of this fruit. The pith or heart of the
palm[206] is esteemed for its delicate flavour.
The water-melon,[207] from what has been said of it above, ought to be
ranked next; and it really merits this distinction. "Whoso eateth," said
the Prophet, "a mouthful of water-melon, God writeth for him a thousand
good works, and cancelleth a thousand evil works, and raiseth him a
thousand degrees; for it came from Paradise;"--and again, "The
water-melon is food and drink, acid and alkali, and a support of life,"
&c.[208] The varieties of this fruit are very numerous.
The banana[209] is a delicious fruit. The Prophet pronounced the
banana-tree to be the only thing on earth that resembles a thing in
Paradise; because it bears fruit both in winter and summer.[210]
The pomegranate[211] is another celebrated fruit. Every pomegranate,
according to the Prophet, contains a fecundating seed from
Paradise.[212]
The other most common and esteemed fruits are the following:--the apple,
pear, quince, apricot, peach, fig, sycamore-fig, grape, lote, jujube,
plum, walnut, almond, hazel-nut, pistachio-nut, orange, Seville-orange,
lime and lemon, citron, mulberry, olive, and sugar-cane.[213]
Of a selection of these fruits consists the dessert which accompanies
the wine; but the table is not complete without a bunch or two of
flowers placed in the midst.
Though the Arabs are far from being remarkable for exhibiting taste in
the planning of their gardens, they are passionately fond of flowers,
and especially of the rose.[214]--The Khaleefeh El-Mutawekkil
monopolized roses for his own enjoyment; saying, "I am the King of
Sul[t.]ans, and the rose is the king of sweet-scented flowers; therefore
each of us is most worthy of the other for a companion." The rose, in
his time, was seen nowhere but in his palace: during the season of this
flower he wore rose-coloured clothes; and his carpets, &c., were
sprinkled with rose-water.[215] A similar passion for the rose is said
to have distinguished a weaver, in the reign of El-Ma-moon. He was
constantly employed at his loom every day of the year, even during the
congregational prayers of Friday, excepting in the rose-season, when he
abandoned his work, and gave himself up to the enjoyment of wine, early
in the morning and late in the evening, loudly proclaiming his revels by
singing,--
"The season has become pleasant! The time of the rose has come!
Take your morning potations, as long as the rose has blossoms
and flowers!"
When he resumed his work, he made it known by singing aloud,--
"If my Lord prolong my life until the rose-season, I will take
again my morning potations: but if I die before it, alas!
for the loss of the rose and wine!
"I implore the God of the supreme throne, whose glory be extolled,
that my heart may continually enjoy the evening potations
to the day of resurrection."
--The Khaleefeh was so amused with the humour of this man, that he
granted him an annual pension of ten thousand dirhems to enable him to
enjoy himself amply on these occasions.[216]--Another anecdote may be
added to shew the estimation of the rose in the mind of an Arab. It is
said that Row[h.] Ibn-[H.]atim, the governor of the province of Northern
Africa, was sitting one day, with a female slave, in an apartment of his
palace, when a eunuch brought him a jar full of red and white roses,
which a man had offered as a present. He ordered the eunuch to fill the
jar with silver in return; but his concubine said, "O my lord, thou hast
not acted equitably towards the man; for his present to thee is of two
colours, red and white." The Emeer replied, "Thou hast said truly;" and
gave orders to fill the jar for him with silver and gold (dirhems and
deenars) intermixed.[217]--Some persons preserve roses during the whole
of the year, in the following manner. They take a number of rose-buds,
and fill with them a new earthen jar, and, after closing its mouth with
mud, so as to render it impervious to the air, bury it in the earth.
Whenever they want a few roses, they take out some of these buds, which
they find unaltered, sprinkle a little water upon them, and leave them
for a short time in the air, when they open, and appear as if just
gathered.[218]--The rose is even a subject of miracles. It is related by
Ibn-[K.]uteybeh, that there grows in India a kind of rose upon the
leaves of which is inscribed, "There is no deity but God."[219] But I
find a more particular account of this miraculous rose. A person, who
professed to have seen it, said, "I went into India, and I saw, at one
of its towns, a large rose, sweet-scented, upon which was inscribed, in
white characters, 'There is no deity but God; Mo[h.]ammad is God's
apostle: Aboo-Bekr is the very veracious: 'Omar is the discriminator;'
and I doubted of this, whether it had been done by art; so I took one of
the blossoms not yet opened, and in it was the same inscription; and
there were many of the same kind there. The people of that place
worshipped stones, and knew not God, to whom be ascribed might and
glory."[220]--Roses are announced for sale in the streets of Cairo by
the cry of "The rose was a thorn: from the sweat of the Prophet it
blossomed!" in allusion to a miracle recorded of Mo[h.]ammad. "When I
was taken up into heaven," said the Prophet, "some of my sweat fell upon
the earth, and from it sprang the rose; and whoever would smell my
scent, let him smell the rose." In another tradition it is said, "The
white rose was created from my sweat on the night of the Me[a.]raj;[221]
and the red rose, from the sweat of Jebraeel;[222] and the yellow rose,
from the sweat of El-Bura[k.]."[223]--The Persians take especial delight
in roses; sometimes spreading them as carpets or beds on which to sit or
recline in their revellings.
But there is a flower pronounced more excellent than the rose; that of
the Egyptian privet, or Lawsonia inermis.[224] Mo[h.]ammad said, "The
chief of the sweet-scented flowers of this world and of the next is the
faghiyeh;" and this was his favourite flower.[225] I approve of his
taste; for this flower, which grows in clusters somewhat like those of
the lilac, has a most delicious fragrance. But, on account of
discrepancies in different traditions, a Muslim may, with a clear
conscience, prefer either of the two flowers next mentioned.
The Prophet said of the violet,[226] "The excellence of the extract of
violets, above all other extracts, is as the excellence of me above all
the rest of the creation: it is cold in summer and hot in winter:" and,
in another tradition, "The excellence of the violet is as the excellence
of El-Islam above all other religions."[227] A delicious sherbet is made
of a conserve of sugar and violet-flowers.
The myrtle[228] is the rival of the violet. "Adam," said the Prophet,
"fell down from Paradise with three things; the myrtle, which is the
chief of sweet-scented flowers in this world; an ear of wheat, which is
the chief of all kinds of food in this world; and pressed dates, which
are the chief of the fruits of this world."[229]
The anemone[230] was monopolized for his own enjoyment by No[a.]man
Ibn-El-Mundhir (King of El-[H.]eereh, and contemporary of Mo[h.]ammad),
as the rose was afterwards by El-Mutawekkil.[231]
Another flower much admired and celebrated in the East is the
gilliflower.[232] There are three principal kinds; the most esteemed is
the yellow, or golden-coloured, which has a delicious scent both by
night and day; the next, the purple, and other dark kinds, which have a
scent only in the night; the least esteemed, the white, which has no
scent. The yellow gilliflower is an emblem of a neglected lover.[233]
The narcissus[234] is very highly esteemed. Galen says, "He who has two
cakes of bread, let him dispose of one of them for some flowers of the
narcissus; for bread is the food of the body, and the narcissus is the
food of the soul." Hippocrates, too, gave a similar opinion.[235]
The following flowers complete the list of those celebrated as most
appropriate to add to the delights of wine:--the jasmine, eglantine,
Seville-orange-flower, lily, sweet-basil, wild thyme, buphthalmum,
chamomile, nenuphar, lotus, pomegranate-flower, poppy, ketmia, crocus or
saffron, safflower, flax, the blossoms of different kinds of bean, and
those of the almond.[236]
A sprig of Oriental willow[237] adds much to the charms of a bunch of
flowers, being the favourite symbol of a graceful female.
But I have not yet mentioned all that contributes to the pleasures of an
Eastern carousal. For the juice of the grape is not fully relished
without melodious sounds. "Wine is as the body; music, as the soul; and
joy is their offspring."[238] All the five senses should be gratified.
For this reason, an Arab toper, who had nothing, it appears, but wine to
enjoy, exclaimed,--
"Ho! give me wine to drink; and tell me, 'This is wine.'"
For, on drinking, his sight and smell and taste and touch would all be
affected; but it was desirable that his hearing should also be
pleased.[239]
Music was condemned by the Prophet almost as severely as wine. "Singing
and hearing songs," said he, "cause hypocrisy to grow in the heart, like
as water promoteth the growth of corn:"[240]--and musical instruments he
declared to be among the most powerful means by which the Devil seduces
man. An instrument of music is the Devil's mueddin, serving to call men
to his worship, as stated in a former note. Of the hypocrisy of those
attached to music, the following anecdote presents an instance:--A
drunken young man with a lute in his hand was brought one night before
the Khaleefeh 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan, who, pointing to the
instrument, asked what it was, and what was its use. The youth made no
answer; so he asked those around him; but they also remained silent,
till one, more bold than the rest, said, "O Prince of the Faithful,
this is a lute: it is made by taking some wood of the pistachio-tree,
and cutting it into thin pieces, and glueing these together, and then
attaching over them these chords, which, when a beautiful girl touches
them, send forth sounds more pleasant than those of rain falling upon a
desert land; and my wife is separated from me by a triple divorce if
every one in this council is not acquainted with it, and doth not know
it as well as I do, and thou the first of them, O Prince of the
Faithful." The Khaleefeh laughed, and ordered that the young man should
be discharged.[241]
The latter saying of the Prophet, respecting the Devil, suggests to me
the insertion of another anecdote, related of himself by Ibraheem
El-Mo[s.]ilee, the father of Is-[h.]a[k.]; both of whom were very
celebrated musicians. I give a translation of it somewhat abridged.--"I
asked Er-Rasheed," says Ibraheem, "to grant me permission to spend a day
at home with my female slaves and brothers; and he gave me two thousand
deenars, and appointed the next Saturday for this purpose. I caused the
meats and wine and other necessaries to be prepared, and ordered the
chamberlain to close the door, and admit no one: but while I was
sitting, with my attendants standing in the form of a curved line before
me, there entered, and approached me, a sheykh, reverend and dignified
and comely in appearance, wearing short khuffs,[242] and two soft gowns,
with a [k.]alensuweh[243] upon his head, and in his hand a silver-headed
staff; and sweet odours were diffused from his clothes. I was enraged
with the chamberlain for admitting him; but on his saluting me in a very
courteous manner, I returned his salutation, and desired him to sit
down. He then began to repeat to me stories, tales of war, and poetry;
so that my anger was appeased, and it appeared to me that my servants
had not presumed to admit him until acquainted with his politeness and
courteousness; I therefore said to him, 'Hast thou any inclination for
meat?' He answered, 'I have no want of it.'--'And the wine?' said I. He
replied, 'Yes.' So I drank a large cupful, and he did the same, and then
said to me, 'O Ibraheem, wilt thou let us hear some specimen of thy art
in which thou hast excelled the people of thy profession?' I was angry
at his words; but I made light of the matter, and, having taken the lute
and tuned it, I played and sang; whereupon he said, 'Thou hast performed
well, O Ibraheem.' I became more enraged, and said within myself, 'He is
not content with coming hither without permission, and asking me to
sing, but he calls me by my name, and proves himself unworthy of my
conversation.' He then said, 'Wilt thou let us hear more? If so, we will
requite thee.' And I took the lute, and sang, using my utmost care, on
account of his saying, 'we will requite thee.' He was moved with
delight, and said, 'Thou hast performed well, O my master
Ibraheem:'--adding, 'Wilt thou permit thy slave to sing?' I answered,
'As thou pleasest:'--but thinking lightly of his sense to sing after me.
He took the lute, and tuned it; and, by Allah! I imagined that the lute
spoke in his hands with an eloquent Arab tongue. He proceeded to sing
some verses commencing,--
'My heart is wounded! Who will give me, for it, a heart without
a wound?'
The narrator continues by saying, that he was struck dumb and motionless
with ecstasy; and that the strange sheykh, after having played and sung
again, and taught him an enchanting air (with which he afterwards
enraptured his patron, the Khaleefeh), vanished. Ibraheem, in alarm,
seized his sword; and was the more amazed when he found that the porter
had not seen the stranger enter or leave the house; but he heard his
voice again, outside, telling him that he was Aboo-Murrah (the
Devil).[244]--Two other anecdotes of a similar kind are related in the
work from which the above is taken.
Ibraheem El-Mo[s.]ilee, his son Is-[h.]a[k.], and Mukhari[k.] (a pupil
of the former), were especially celebrated among the Arab musicians,
and among the distinguished men of the reign of Haroon Er-Rasheed.
Is-[h.]a[k.] El-Mo[s.]ilee relates, of his father Ibraheem, that when
Er-Rasheed took him into his service, he gave him a hundred and fifty
thousand dirhems, and allotted him a monthly pension of ten thousand
dirhems, besides occasional presents [one of which is mentioned as
amounting to a hundred thousand dirhems for a single song], and the
produce of his (Ibraheem's) farms: he had food constantly prepared for
him; three sheep every day for his kitchen, besides birds; three
thousand dirhems were allowed him for fruits, perfumes, &c., every
month, and a thousand dirhems for his clothing; "and with all this,"
says his son, "he died without leaving more than three thousand
deenars, a sum not equal to his debts, which I paid after his
death."[245]--Ibraheem was of Persian origin, and of a high family. He
was commonly called the Nedeem (or cup-companion), being Er-Rasheed's
favourite companion at the wine-table; and his son, who enjoyed the like
distinction with El-Ma-moon, received the same appellation, as well as
that of "Son of the Nedeem." Ibraheem was the most famous musician of
his time, at least till his son attained celebrity.[246]
Is-[h.]a[k.] El-Mo[s.]ilee was especially famous as a musician; but he
was also a good poet, accomplished in general literature, and endowed
with great wit. He was honoured above all other persons in the pay of
El-Ma-moon, and enjoyed a long life; but for many years before his death
he was blind.[247]
Mukhari[k.] appears to have rivalled his master Ibraheem. The latter, he
relates, took him to perform before Er-Rasheed, who used to have a
curtain suspended between him and the musicians. "Others," he says,
"sang, and he was unmoved; but when I sang, he came forth from behind
the curtain, and exclaimed, 'Young man, hither!' and he seated me upon
the sereer [a kind of couch], and gave me thirty thousand dirhems."[248]
The following anecdote (which I abridge a little in translation) shews
his excellence in the art which he professed, and the effect of melody
on an Arab:--"After drinking with the Khaleefeh[249] a whole night, I
asked his permission," says he, "to take the air in the Ru[s.]afeh,[250]
which he granted; and while I was walking there, I saw a damsel who
appeared as if the rising sun beamed from her face. She had a basket,
and I followed her. She stopped at a fruiterer's, and bought some fruit;
and observing that I was following her, she looked back and abused me
several times; but still I followed her until she arrived at a great
door, after having filled her basket with fruits and flowers and similar
things. When she had entered, and the door was closed behind her, I sat
down opposite to it, deprived of my reason by her beauty; and knew that
there must be in the house a wine-party. The sun went down upon me while
I sat there; and at length there came two handsome young men on asses,
and they knocked at the door, and when they were admitted I entered with
them; the master of the house thinking that I was their companion, and
they imagining that I was one of his friends. A repast was brought, and
we ate, and washed our hands, and were perfumed. The master of the house
then said to the two young men, 'Have ye any desire that I should call
such a one?' (mentioning a female name). They answered, 'If thou wilt
grant us the favour, well:'--so he called for her, and she came, and lo,
she was the maiden whom I had seen before, and who had abused me. A
servant-maid preceded her, bearing her lute, which she placed in her
lap. Wine was then brought, and she sang while we drank, and shook with
delight. 'Whose air is that?' they asked. She answered, 'Seedee[251]
Mukhari[k.]'s.' She then sang another air, which, also, she said was
mine; while they drank by pints; she looking aside and doubtfully at me
until I lost my patience, and called out to her to do her best: but in
attempting to do so, singing a third air, she overstrained her voice,
and I said, 'Thou hast made a mistake:'--upon which she threw the lute
from her lap, in anger, so that she nearly broke it; saying, 'Take it
thyself, and let us hear thee.' I answered, 'Well;' and, having taken it
and tuned it perfectly, sang the first of the airs which she had sung
before me; whereupon all of them sprang upon their feet, and kissed my
head. I then sang the second air, and the third; and their reason almost
fled, from ecstasy. The master of the house, after asking his guests,
and being told by them that they knew me not, came to me, and, kissing
my hand, said, 'By Allah, my master, who art thou?' I answered, 'By
Allah, I am the singer Mukhari[k.].'--'And for what purpose,' said he,
kissing both my hands, 'camest thou hither?' I replied, 'As a
spunger;'--and related what had happened with respect to the maiden:
whereupon he looked towards his two companions, and said to them, 'Tell
me, by Allah, do ye not know that I gave for that girl thirty thousand
dirhems, and have refused to sell her?' They answered, 'It is so.' Then
said he, 'I take you as witnesses that I have given her to him.'--'And
we,' said the two friends, 'will pay thee two-thirds of her price.' So
he put me in possession of the girl, and in the evening, when I
departed, he presented me also with rich dresses and other gifts, with
all of which I went away; and as I passed the places where the maiden
had abused me, I said to her, 'Repeat thy words to me;' but she could
not, for shame. Holding the girl's hand, I went with her immediately to
the Khaleefeh, whom I found in anger at my long absence; but when I
related my story to him he was surprised, and laughed, and ordered that
the master of the house and his two friends should be brought before
him, that he might requite them: to the former he gave forty thousand
dirhems; to each of his two friends, thirty thousand; and to me, a
hundred thousand; and I kissed his feet, and departed."[252]
It is particularly necessary for the Arab musician, that he have a
retentive memory, well stocked with choice pieces of poetry, and with
facetious or pleasant anecdotes, interspersed with songs; and that he
have a ready wit, aided by dramatic talent, to employ these materials
with good effect. If, to such qualifications, he adds fair attainments
in the difficult rules of grammar, a degree of eloquence, comic humour,
and good temper, and is not surpassed by many in his art, he is sure to
be a general favourite. Very few Muslims of the higher classes have
condescended to study music, because they would have been despised by
their inferiors for doing so; or because they themselves have despised
or condemned the art. Ibraheem, the son of the Khaleefeh El-Mahdee, and
competitor of El-Ma-moon, was a remarkable exception: he is said to have
been an excellent musician, and a good singer.
In the houses of the wealthy, the vocal and instrumental performers were
usually (as is the case in many houses in the present age) domestic
female slaves, well instructed in their art by hired male or female
professors. In the work before us, these slaves are commonly described
as standing or sitting unveiled in the presence of male guests; but,
from several descriptions of musical entertainments that I have met with
in Arabic works, it appears that, according to the more approved custom
in respectable society, they were concealed on such occasions behind a
curtain, which generally closed the front of an elevated recess. In all
the houses of wealthy Arabs that I have entered, one or each of the
larger saloons has an elevated closet, the front of which is closed by a
screen of wooden lattice-work, to serve as an orchestra for the domestic
or hired female singers and instrumental performers. Of the hired
performers, any further mention is not here required; but of the slaves
and free ladies who supplied their place, a few words must be added, as
very necessary to illustrate the preceding and many other tales in this
work.
To a person acquainted with modern Arabian manners, it must appear
inconsistent with truth to describe such females as exposing their
faces before strange men, unless he can discover in sober histories some
evidence of their having been less strict in this respect than the
generality of Arab females at the present period. I find, however, a
remarkable proof that such was the case in the latter part of the ninth
century of the Flight, and the beginning of the tenth: that is, about
the end of the fifteenth century of our era. The famous historian
Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, who flourished at this period, in his preface to a
curious work on wedlock, written to correct the corrupt manners of his
age, says,--"Seeing that the women of this time deck themselves with the
attire of prostitutes, and walk in the soo[k.]s (or market-streets),
like female warriours against the religion, and uncover their faces and
hands before men, to incline [men's] hearts to them by evil suggestions,
and play at feasts with young men, thereby meriting the anger of the
Compassionate [i.e. God], and go forth to the public baths and
assemblies, with various kinds of ornaments and perfumes, and with
conceited gait; for the which they shall be congregated in Hell-fire,
for opposing the good, and on account of this their affected gait, while
to their husbands they are disobedient, behaving to them in the reverse
manner, excepting when they fear to abridge their liberty of going
abroad by such conduct; for they are like swine and apes in their
interior nature, though like daughters of Adam in their exterior
appearance; especially the women of this age; not advising their
husbands in matters of religion, but the latter erring in permitting
them to go out to every assembly; sisters of devils and demons, &c.
&c.... I have undertaken the composition of this volume."[253] A more
convincing testimony than this, I think, cannot be required.
The lute (el-'ood) is the only instrument that is generally described as
used at the entertainments which we have been considering. Engravings of
this and other musical instruments are given in my work on the Modern
Egyptians. The Arab viol (called rabab) was commonly used by inferior
performers. (See also Note 26, below.)
The Arab music is generally of a soft and plaintive character, and
particularly that of the most refined description, which is
distinguished by a remarkable peculiarity, the division of tones into
thirds. The singer aims at distinct enunciation of the words, for this
is justly admired; and delights in a trilling style. The airs of songs
are commonly very short and simple, adapted to a single verse, or even
to a single hemistich; but in the instrumental music there is more
variety.
NOTE 23. This is often said to a person whose presence is disagreeable
to his companions.
NOTE 24.--_On the_ [K.]alenderees. In the old translation, these three
strangers are called "Calenders;" that is, "[K.]alenderees:" but in the
Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and the edition of
Breslau, they are designated as "[K.]arendelees," "miserable or
ridiculous beggars;" and in that of Cairo, the term applied to them is
"[s.]a'aleek," or, simply, "paupers," or "mendicants." Some may suppose
the right reading to be "[K.]alenderees;" for it was a custom of this
order of Darweeshes to shave their beards: they were forbidden to do so
in the year of the Flight 761,[254] by the Sul[t.]an of Egypt (El-Melik
en-Na[s.]ir El-[H.]asan); but whether they afterwards reverted to this
habit, I do not know. The order of the [K.]alenderees, however, was not
founded until about the commencement of the fifth century of the
Flight,[255] a period long posterior to that to which the tale relates.
NOTE 25. In the edition of Cairo, they are said to have arrived from
Greece.
NOTE 26.--_On the Persian Harp._ This instrument is called in Arabic
"junk," from the Persian "chang." It has almost fallen into disuse, and
I have never seen it: I am enabled, however, to give two sketches of its
form through the kindness of the [late] Right Honourable Sir Gore
Ouseley, who has favoured me with drawings made from two of the most
satisfactory representations of it in his rich collection of Oriental
MSS.; the first, about 350 years old; the second 410. The number of
strings, he informs me, vary from 20 to 27.
[Illustration]
NOTE 27.--_On the Title and Office of_ Khaleefeh. As most of our best
authors on Oriental subjects have for some years past deviated from our
old general mode of writing this title, substituting (for "Caliph")
"Khalif," "Khalifah," &c., I have taken the same liberty. It cannot be
correctly written, at the same time congenially with our language and
with its orthography in Arabic characters, otherwise than "Khaleefeh" or
"Khaleefah;" and of these two modes I adopt the one which agrees with
the manner in which the title is most generally pronounced by the Arabs.
The meaning of this title is "Successor," or "Vicar;" and it was
originally given to the universal sovereigns of the Muslim Arabs, as
signifying "Successor of the Prophet;" but afterwards, in a more exalted
sense, as "Vicar of God:" the Khaleefeh being the head of the religion
as well as the supreme political governor, or at least arrogating to
himself the right to possess such supremacy, throughout the whole Muslim
world. [The last of the Khaleefehs died in Egypt shortly after the
Turkish conquest of that country, or in the year of the Flight, 950.
After the overthrow of the house of El-'Abbas by Hulagu, certain of its
members obtained an asylum at the court of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans, and
continued the line of the Khaleefehs, with spiritual, but no temporal,
authority until it ceased in the person of El-Mutawekkil, who delegated
his office to the Sul[t.]an Seleem I.; it is consequently held by the
Sultan of Turkey. The Emperors of Morocco, being descendants of the
Prophet, also claim and receive from their subjects the title of
Khaleefeh.[256]--ED.]
NOTE 28. The stories in which this justly-celebrated man is mentioned
will, I think, be more agreeable to those readers who are unacquainted
with his history, of which, therefore, I shall say nothing.
NOTE 29. Mesroor was a black eunuch, and a favourite servant of
Er-Rasheed. The name signifies "happy."
NOTE 30. "[T.]abareeyeh" is the modern name for Tiberias.
NOTE 31.--_Description_ of Khans, or Wekalehs. A Khan is a building
chiefly designed for the accommodation of merchants, and for the
reception of their goods. In Egypt, a building of this kind is generally
called a Wekaleh. I have described it, in a former work, as surrounding
a square or oblong court, and having, on the ground-floor, vaulted
magazines for merchandise, which face the court, and are sometimes used
as shops. Above these are generally lodgings, which are entered from a
gallery extending along each of the four sides of the court; or, in the
place of these lodgings, there are other magazines: and in many khans or
wekalehs which have apartments designed as lodgings, these apartments
are used as magazines. In general, the building has only one common
entrance; the door of which is closed at night, and kept by a porter.
NOTE 32. It is customary for a guest or visiter to ask permission of the
host, or master of the house, before taking his departure. A common form
of speech used on this occasion is, "With your permission, I rise."
NOTE 33. Many Muslims perform the pilgrimage with the view of expiating
their offences, and, at the Ka[a.]beh, or at the tomb of the Prophet,
make a vow to abstain from any glaring infringement of the law of which
they may before have been guilty.
NOTE 34. I learn, from a marginal note in my copy of the original, by
the sheykh Mo[h.]ammad E[t.]-Tan[t.]awee, that these verses are the
composition of Ibn-Sahl El-Ishbee-lee. Three concluding verses of the
same ode, and a second poetical quotation immediately following, I have
passed over.
NOTE 35. In the original there are some errors in this part of the
story, which the sequel requires me to correct. The cateress is
described as having sung three successive songs, accompanying them with
her lute. After the first song, the mistress of the house is said to
have been affected in the manner described in the translation, and to
have exposed to view the marks of beating. The second lady (namely, the
portress) is represented as similarly excited by the second song; and
the third lady (the cateress herself), by the third song. The last also
is said to have exhibited upon her person those marks which, as the
sequel shews, were borne by the second.
NOTE 36. The "mi[k.]ra'ah," vulgarly called "ma[k.]ra'ah," is a portion
of the thicker end of a palm-branch stripped of the leaves. It is often
used to beat a person in sport; but in this case, two or three splits
are usually made in the thicker part of it, to increase the sound of the
blows.
NOTE 37. In the original, "the portress." See Note 35, above.
NOTE 38. Perhaps it is needless to explain that the wish here expressed,
for a protractive trial on the day of judgment, is occasioned by the
longing for reunion, and the fear of separation after that day. The
Muslims usually pray for an easy (and, consequently, a short) reckoning.
NOTE 39. I have omitted the third song of the cateress, and the
description of its effects, mentioned in Note 35.
NOTE 40. See Note 47 to Chapter II.
NOTE 41. It seems to be implied that the lady discovered her guests,
notwithstanding their disguise, to be persons of rank.
NOTE 42. I read "fu[k.]araue a[a.]jam" for "fu[k.]araue-l-hojjam:" the
former, carelessly written (in Arabic characters), might easily be
mistaken for the latter.
NOTE 43. This phrase is used to signify "Recover thy senses;" alluding
to a person's drawing his hand over his head or face after a sleep or
fit.
NOTE 44. The burial-grounds of Eastern cities are generally so
extensive, that, with the varied structures which they contain, they may
aptly be called "Cities of the Dead." It was with difficulty that I
recognised the tomb of the lamented Burckhardt, in the great cemetery on
the north of Cairo, even after I had carefully noticed its place on a
former visit.
NOTE 45. I have ventured to make a slight alteration here; but it is one
which does not in the least affect the consistency of the tale. Marriage
with a foster-sister is as expressly forbidden by the Mohammadan law as
that with a natural sister.
NOTE 46. "The Truth" is one of the ninety-nine names or epithets of God.
NOTE 47. Many an Arab would rather risk the loss of his head than part
with his beard; for the latter is regarded by almost all Muslims with a
superstitious respect; and to shave it off, at least after it has been
suffered to grow for many days, they consider as sinful: this, however,
is sometimes done by religious mendicants, as it is also by some of
those persons who seek, or enjoy, the reputation of sanctity, and who
are, or pretend to be, insane.
NOTE 48. By "the seven readings," we are to understand seven slightly
different modes of reading the [K.]ur-an, seldom differing essentially
as to the sense.
NOTE 49. Astrology (not astronomy) is here meant. Though a forbidden
science, it is studied by many Muslims.
NOTE 50. A misplaced diacritical point occasions a wrong reading here,
in the original, which I have corrected.
NOTE 51. The Mohammadan law requires that every man be acquainted with
some art or occupation by which he may, in case of necessity, at least
be able to obtain the means of supporting himself and such of his family
as are dependant upon him, and of fulfilling all his religious as well
as moral duties. Hence it has been a common custom of Muslim princes, in
every age, to learn some useful art; and many of them have distinguished
themselves by displaying exquisite skill in the work of their hands, and
especially in caligraphy, of which the Orientals in general are great
admirers.
NOTE 52. The 'Efreet (as we are told in some editions of the original)
had taken this lady against the consent of his family, and therefore
could not more frequently visit her.
NOTE 53. The term "[k.]ubbeh" is often applied to a closet or small
chamber adjoining a saloon; and in this sense it appears to be here
used.
NOTE 54.--_On Sherbets._ The Arabs have various kinds of sherbets, or
sweet drinks; the most common of which is merely sugar and water, made
very sweet. The most esteemed kind is prepared from a hard conserve of
violets, made by pounding violet-flowers, and then boiling them with
sugar. Other kinds are prepared from conserves of fruits, &c. The
sherbet is served in covered glass cups, containing from two-thirds to
three-quarters of an English pint; the same which I have described in a
former note as used for wine. These are placed on a round tray, and
covered with a round piece of embroidered silk, or cloth of gold; and on
the right arm of the person who presents the sherbet, is hung a long
napkin with a deep embroidered border of gold and coloured silks at each
end, which is ostensibly offered for the purpose of wiping the lips
after drinking, though the lips are scarcely touched with it.
NOTE 55. The Arabs are very fond of having their feet, and especially
the soles, slowly rubbed with the hand; and this operation, which is one
of the services commonly required of a wife or female slave, is a usual
mode of waking a person.
NOTE 56. Here, and again in the same and a subsequent sentence, for
"kheiya[t.]een," I read "[h.]a[t.][t.]abeen." In the Breslau edition,
"kha[t.][t.]abeen" is put for the latter. The right reading is obvious.
NOTE 57. Falsehood was _commended_ by the Prophet when it tended to
reconcile persons at enmity with each other, and when practised in order
to please one's wife, or to obtain any advantage in a war with infidels,
though strongly reprobated in other cases.
NOTE 58. Four verses here inserted in the original appear to me to be a
corruption of a couplet which better expresses the same meaning, and
which I have therefore translated in the place of the former. As the
lines to which I allude are particularly pleasing, I may perhaps be
excused if I here introduce the original words, which are as follow:--
"Isharatuna fi-l-[h.]obbi remzu 'oyoonina: wa-kullu lebeebin
bi-l-isharati yefhamu,
[H.]awajibuna te[k.][d.]i-l-[h.]awaija beynena: fa-na[h.]nu
sukootun wa-l-hawa yetekellemu."
NOTE 59. This is not meant to disparage the individual lady here
mentioned, but is a saying of the Prophet applied to the sex in general.
NOTE 60. In the edition of Cairo, this story is omitted. I translate it
from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights.
NOTE 61. "Fa[k.]eer" (which signifies "poor," and is particularly used
in the sense of "poor in the sight of God," or rather, "in need of the
mercy of God") is an appellation commonly given to poor persons who
especially occupy themselves in religious exercises.
NOTE 62. The performances called "zikrs" will be briefly described
towards the close of the next note.
NOTE 63.--_On Muslin Saints, or Devotees._ The tale of the Envied
Sheykh, and several other stories in this work, require that the reader
should be acquainted with the remarkable opinions which the Arabs
entertain with respect to the offices and supernatural powers of their
saints. Such matters form an important part of the mysteries of the
Darweeshes, and are but imperfectly known to the generality of Muslims.
The distinguished individuals above mentioned are known by the common
appellation of "Welees," or particular favourites of God. The more
eminent among them compose a mysterious hierarchical body, whose
government respects the whole human race, infidels as well as believers;
but whose power is often exercised in such a manner that the subjects
influenced by it know not from what person or persons its effects
proceed. The general governor or coryphaeus of these holy beings is
commonly called the "[K.]u[t.]b," which literally signifies a "pole," or
an "axis," and is metaphorically used to signify a "chief," either in a
civil or political, or in a spiritual sense. The [K.]u[t.]b of the
saints is distinguished by other appellations: he is called "[K.]u[t.]b
el-Ghos," or "---- el-Ghoth" ("the [K.]u[t.]b of Invocation for Help"),
&c.; and simply "El-Ghos."[257] The orders under the rule of this chief
are called "'Omud (or Owtad), Akhyar, Abdal, Nujaba, and Nu[k.]aba: I
name them according to their precedence.[258] Perhaps to these should be
added an inferior order called "A[s.]-[h.]ab ed-Darak," which is said to
mean "Watchmen," or "Overseers." The members are not known as such to
their inferior, unenlightened fellow-creatures; and are often invisible
to them. This is more frequently the case with the [K.]u[t.]b, who,
though generally stationed at Mekkeh, on the roof of the Ka[a.]beh, is
never visible there, nor at any of his other favourite stations or
places of resort; yet his voice is often heard at these places. Whenever
he and the saints under his authority mingle among ordinary men, they
are not distinguished by a dignified appearance, but are always humbly
clad. These, and even inferior saints, are said to perform astonishing
miracles, such as flying in the air, passing unhurt through fire,
swallowing fire, glass, &c., walking upon water, transporting themselves
in a moment of time to immense distances, and supplying themselves and
others with food in desert places. Their supernatural power they are
supposed to obtain by a life of the most exalted piety, and especially
by constant self-denial, accompanied with the most implicit reliance
upon God; by the services of good genii; and, as many believe, by the
knowledge and utterance of "the most great name" of God. A miracle
performed by a saint is distinguished by the term "karameh" from one
performed by a prophet, which is called "mo[a.]jizeh."
El-Khi[d.]r and Ilyas (or Elias), of whom I have before had occasion to
speak, are both believed to have been [K.]u[t.]bs, and the latter is
called in the [K.]ur-an an apostle; but it is disputed whether the
former was a prophet or merely a welee. Both are said to have drunk of
the Fountain of Life, and to be in consequence still living; and Ilyas
is commonly believed to invest the successive [K.]u[t.]bs. The
similarity of the miracles ascribed to the [K.]u[t.]bs and those
performed by Elias or Elijah I have remarked in a former work. Another
miracle, reminding us of the mantle of Elijah in the hands of his
successor, may here be mentioned.--A saint who was the [K.]u[t.]b of his
time, dying at Toonis (or Tunis), left his clothes in trust to his
attendant, Mo[h.]ammad El-Ashwam, a native of the neighbouring regency
of Tripoli (now called [T.]arabulus), who desired to sell these relics,
but was counselled to retain them, and accordingly, though high prices
were bidden for them, made them his own by purchase. As soon as they
became his property, he was affected, we are told, with a divine
ecstasy, and endowed with miraculous powers.[259]
Innumerable miracles are related to have been performed by Muslim
saints, and large volumes are filled with the histories of their
wonderful lives. The author of the work from which the above story is
taken, mentions, as a fact to be relied on, in an account of one of his
ancestors, that, his lamp happening to go out one night while he was
reading alone in the riwa[k.] of the Jabart (of which he was the
sheykh), in the great mosque El-Azhar, the forefinger of his right hand
emitted a light which enabled him to continue his reading until his
na[k.]eeb had trimmed and lighted another lamp.[260]
From many stories of a similar kind that I have read, I select the
following as a fair specimen: it is related by a very celebrated saint,
Ibraheem El-Khowwa[s.].--"I entered the desert [on pilgrimage to Mekkeh
from El-'Era[k.]], and there joined me a man having a belt round his
waist, and I said, 'Who art thou?'--He answered, 'A Christian; and I
desire thy company.' We walked together for seven days, eating nothing;
after which he said to me, 'O monk of the Muslims, produce what thou
hast in the way of refreshment; for we are hungry:' so I said, 'O my
God, disgrace me not before this infidel:' and lo, a tray, upon which
were bread and broiled meat and fresh dates and a mug of water. We ate,
and continued our journey seven days more; and I then said to him, 'O
monk of the Christians, produce what thou hast in the way of
refreshment; for the turn is come to thee:' whereupon he leaned upon his
staff; and prayed; and lo, two trays, containing double that which was
on my tray. I was confounded, and refused to eat: he urged me, saying,
'Eat;' but I did it not. Then said he, 'Be glad; for I give thee two
pieces of good news: one of them is, that I testify that there is no
deity but God, and that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle: the other, that I
said, O God, if there be worth in this servant, supply me with two
trays:--so this is through thy blessing.' We ate, and the man put on the
dress of pilgrimage, and so entered Mekkeh, where he remained with me a
year as a student; after which he died, and I buried him in [the
cemetery] El-Ma[a.]la." "And God," says the author from whom I take this
story, "is all-knowing:" _i.e._ He alone knoweth whether it be strictly
true: but this is often added to the narration of traditions resting
upon high authority.[261]--The saint above mentioned was called
"El-Khowwa[s.]" (or the maker of palm-leaf baskets, &c.) from the
following circumstance, related by himself.--"I used," said he, "to go
out of the town [Er-Rei] and sit by a river on the banks of which was
abundance of palm-leaves; and it occurred to my mind to make every day
five baskets [[k.]uffehs], and to throw them into the river, for my
amusement, as if I were obliged to do so. My time was so passed for many
days: at length, one day, I thought I would walk after the baskets, and
see whither they had gone: so I proceeded a while along the bank of the
river, and found an old woman sitting sorrowful. On that day I had made
nothing. I said to her, 'Wherefore do I see thee sorrowful?' She
answered, 'I am a widow: my husband died leaving five daughters, and
nothing to maintain them; and it is my custom to repair every day to
this river, and there come to me, upon the surface of the water, five
baskets, which I sell, and by means of them I procure food; but to-day
they have not come, and I know not what to do.' Upon hearing this, I
raised my head towards heaven, and said, 'O my God, had I known that I
had more than five children to maintain, I had laboured more
diligently!'" He then took the old woman to his house, and gave her
money and flour, and said to her, "Whenever thou wantest anything, come
hither and take what may suffice you."[262]
An irresistible influence has often been exercised over the minds of
princes and other great men by reputed saints. Many a Muslim Monarch has
thus been incited (as the Kings of Christendom were by Peter the Hermit)
to undertake religious wars, or urged to acts of piety and charity; or
restrained from tyranny by threats of Divine vengeance to be called down
upon his head by the imprecations of a welee. 'Alee, the favourite son
of the Khaleefeh El-Ma-moon, was induced, for the sake of religion, to
flee from the splendour and luxuries of his father's court, and, after
the example of a self-denying devotee, to follow the occupation of a
porter, in a state of the most abject poverty, at El-Ba[s.]rah, fasting
all the day, remaining without sleep at night in a mosque, and walking
barefooted, until, under an accumulation of severe sufferings, he
prematurely ended his days, dying on a mat. The honours which he refused
to receive in life were paid to him after his death: his rank being
discovered by a ring and paper which he left, his corpse was anointed
with camphor and musk and aloes, wrapped in fine linen of Egypt, and so
conveyed to his distressed father at Baghdad.[263]
Self-denial I have before mentioned as one of the most important means
by which to attain the dignity of a welee. A very famous saint,
Esh-Shiblee, is said to have received from his father an inheritance of
sixty millions of deenars (a sum incredible, and probably a mistake for
sixty thousand, or for sixty million dirhems), besides landed property,
and to have expended it all in charity: also, to have thrown into the
Tigris seventy hundred-weight of books, written by his own hand during a
period of twenty years.[264]
Shah El-Karmanee, another celebrated saint, had a beautiful daughter,
whom the Sul[t.]an of his country sought in marriage. The holy man
required three days to consider his sovereign's proposal, and in the
mean time visited several mosques, in one of which he saw a young man
humbly occupied in prayer. Having waited till he had finished, he
accosted him, saying, "My son, hast thou a wife?" Being answered, "No,"
he said, "I have a maiden, a virtuous devotee, who hath learned the
whole of the [K.]ur-an, and is amply endowed with beauty. Dost thou
desire her?"--"Who," said the young man, "will marry me to such a one as
thou hast described, when I possess no more than three dirhems?"--"_I_
will marry thee to her," answered the saint: "she is my daughter, and I
am Shah the son of Shuja[a.] El-Karmanee: give me the dirhems that thou
hast, that I may buy a dirhem's worth of bread, and a dirhem's worth of
something savoury, and a dirhem's worth of perfume." The
marriage-contract was performed; but when the bride came to the young
man, she saw a stale cake of bread placed upon the top of his mug; upon
which she put on her izar, and went out. Her husband said, "Now I
perceive that the daughter of Shah El-Karmanee is displeased with my
poverty." She answered, "I did not withdraw from fear of poverty, but on
account of the weakness of thy faith, seeing how thou layest by a cake
of bread for the morrow."[265]
One of my friends in Cairo, Abu-l-[K.]asim of Geelan, mentioned in a
former note, entertained me with a long relation of the mortifications
and other means which he employed to attain the rank of a welee. These
were chiefly self-denial and a perfect reliance upon Providence. He left
his home in a state of voluntary destitution and complete nudity, to
travel through Persia and the surrounding countries, and yet more
distant regions if necessary, in search of a spiritual guide. For many
days he avoided the habitations of men, fasting from daybreak till
sunset, and then eating nothing but a little grass or a few leaves or
wild fruits, till by degrees he habituated himself to almost total
abstinence from every kind of nourishment. His feet, at first blistered,
and cut by sharp stones, soon became callous; and in proportion to his
reduction of food, his frame, contrary to the common course of nature,
became (according to his own account) more stout and lusty. Bronzed by
the sun, and with his black hair hanging over his shoulders (for he had
abjured the use of the razor), he presented, in his nudity, a wild and
frightful appearance; and on his first approaching a town, was
surrounded and pelted by a crowd of boys; he therefore retreated, and,
after the example of our first parents, made himself a partial covering
of leaves; and this he always after did on similar occasions; never
remaining long enough in a town for his leafy apron to wither. The
abodes of mankind he always passed at a distance, excepting when several
days' fast, while traversing an arid desert, compelled him to obtain a
morsel of bread or a cup of water from the hand of some charitable
fellow-creature. One thing that he particularly dreaded was, to receive
relief from a sinful man, or from a demon in the human form. In passing
over a parched and desolate tract, where for three days he had found
nothing to eat, not even a blade of grass, nor a spring from which to
refresh his tongue, he became overpowered with thirst, and prayed that
God would send him a messenger with a pitcher of water. "But," said he,
"let the water be in a green Baghdahee pitcher, that I may know it be
from Thee, and not from the Devil; and when I ask the bearer to give me
to drink, let him pour it over my head, that I may not too much gratify
my carnal desire."--"I looked behind me," he continued, "and saw a man
bearing a green Baghdahee pitcher of water, and said to him, 'Give me to
drink;' and he came up to me, and poured the contents over my head, and
departed! By Allah it was so!"--Rejoicing in this miracle, as a proof of
his having attained to a degree of wilayeh (or saintship), and refreshed
by the water, he continued his way over the desert, more firm than ever
in his course of self-denial, which, though imperfectly followed, had
been the means of his being thus distinguished. But the burning thirst
returned shortly after, and he felt himself at the point of sinking
under it, when he beheld before him a high hill, with a rivulet running
by its base. To the summit of this hill he determined to ascend, by way
of mortification, before he would taste the water, and this point, with
much difficulty, he reached at the close of the day. Here standing, he
saw approaching, below, a troop of horsemen, who paused at the foot of
the hill, when their chief, who was foremost, called out to him by name,
"O Abu-l-[K.]asim! O Geelanee! Come down and drink!"--but, persuaded by
this that he was Iblees with a troop of his sons, the evil Genii, he
withstood the temptation, and remained stationary until the deceiver
with his attendants had passed on, and were out of sight. The sun had
then set; his thirst had somewhat abated; and he only drank a few drops.
Continuing his wanderings in the desert, he found, upon a pebbly plain,
an old man with a long white beard, who accosted him, asking of what he
was in search. "I am seeking," he answered, "a spiritual guide; and my
heart tells me that thou art the guide I seek." "My son," said the old
man, "thou seest yonder a saint's tomb: it is a place where prayer is
answered: go thither, enter it, and seat thyself: neither eat nor drink
nor sleep; but occupy thyself solely, day and night, in repeating
silently, 'La ilaha illa-llah' (There is no deity but God); and
let not any living creature see thy lips move in doing so; for
among the peculiar virtues of these words is this, that they may
be uttered without any motion of the lips. Go, and peace be on
thee."--"Accordingly," said my friend, "I went thither. It was a small
square building, crowned by a cupola; and the door was open. I entered,
and seated myself, facing the niche, and the oblong monument over the
grave. It was evening, and I commenced my silent professions of the
Unity, as directed by my guide; and at dusk I saw a white figure seated
beside me, as if assisting in my devotional task. I stretched forth my
hand to touch it; but found that it was not a material substance; yet
there it was: I saw it distinctly. Encouraged by this vision, I
continued my task for three nights and days without intermission,
neither eating not drinking, yet increasing in strength both of body and
of spirit; and on the third day, I saw written upon the whitewashed
walls of the tomb, and on the ground, and in the air, wherever I turned
my eyes, 'La ilaha illa-llah;' and whenever a fly entered the tomb, it
formed these words in its flight. By Allah it was so! My object was now
fully attained: I felt myself endowed with supernatural knowledge:
thoughts of my friends and acquaintances troubled me not; but I knew
where each of them was, in Persia, India, Arabia, and Turkey, and what
each was doing. I experienced an indescribable happiness. This state
lasted several years; but at length I was insensibly enticed back to
worldly objects: I came to this country; my fame as a caligraphist drew
me into the service of the government; and now see what I am, decked
with pelisses and shawls, and with this thing [a diamond order] on my
breast; too old, I fear, to undergo again the self-denial necessary to
restore me to true happiness, though I have almost resolved to make the
attempt."--Soon after this conversation, he was deprived of his office,
and died of the plague. He was well known to have passed several years
as a wandering devotee; and his sufferings, combined with enthusiasm,
perhaps disordered his imagination, and made him believe that he really
saw the strange sights which he described to me; for there was an
appearance of earnestness and sincerity in his manner, such as I thought
could hardly be assumed by a conscious impostor.
Insanity, however, if not of a very violent and dangerous nature, is
commonly regarded by Muslims as a quality that entitles the subject of
it to be esteemed as a saint; being supposed to be the abstraction of
the mind from worldly affairs, and its total devotion to God. This
popular superstition is a fertile source of imposture; for, a reputation
for sanctity being so easily obtained and supported, there are numbers
of persons who lay claim to it from motives of indolence and
licentiousness, eager to receive alms merely for performing the tricks
of madmen, and greedy of indulging in pleasures forbidden by the law;
such indulgences not being considered in their case as transgressions by
the common people, but rather as indications of holy frenzy. From my own
observation I should say that lunatics or idiots, or impostors,
constitute the majority of the persons reputed to be saints among the
Muslims of the present day; and most of those who are not more than
slightly tinged with insanity are darweeshes.
A reputed saint of this description, in Cairo, in whom persons of some
education put great faith, affected to have a particular regard for me.
He several times accosted me in an abrupt manner, acquainted me with the
state of my family in England, and uttered incoherent predictions
respecting me, all of which communications, excepting one which he
qualified with an "in shaa-llah" (or "if it be the will of God"), I must
confess, proved to be true; but I must also state that he was acquainted
with two of my friends who might have materially assisted him to frame
these predictions, though they protested to me that they had not done
so. The following extract from a journal which I kept in Cairo during my
second visit to Egypt, will convey some idea of this person, who will
serve as a picture of many of his fraternity.--To-day (Nov. 6th, 1834),
as I was sitting in the shop of the Basha's booksellers, a reputed
saint, whom I have often seen here, came and seated himself by me, and
began, in a series of abrupt sentences, to relate to me various matters
respecting me, past, present, and to come. He is called the sheykh 'Alee
El-Leysee. He is a poor man, supported by alms; tall and thin and very
dark, about thirty years of age, and wears nothing at present but a blue
shirt and a girdle, and a padded red cap. "O Efendee," he said, "thou
hast been very anxious for some days. There is a grain of anxiety
remaining in thee yet. Do not fear. There is a letter coming to thee by
sea, that will bring thee good news." He then proceeded to tell me of
the state of my family, and that all were well excepting one, whom he
particularized by description, and who he stated to be then suffering
from an intermittent fever. [This proved to be exactly true.] "This
affliction," he continued, "may be removed by prayer; and the
excellences of the next night, the night of [_i. e._ preceding] the
first Friday of the month of Regeb, of Regeb, the holy Regeb, are very
great. I wanted to ask thee for something to-day; but I feared: I feared
greatly. Thou must be invested with the wilayeh [_i. e._ be made a
welee]: the welees love thee; and the Prophet loves thee. Thou must go
to the sheykh Mu[s.][t.]afa El-Munadee, and the sheykh El-Bahaee.[266]
Thou must be a welee." He then took my right hand, in the manner
commonly practised in the ceremony which admits a person a darweesh, and
repeated the Fate[h.]ah (commonly pronounced Fat'[h.]ah);[267] after
which he added, "I have admitted thee my darweesh." Having next told me
of several circumstances relating to my family--matters of an unusual
nature--with singular minuteness and truth, he added, "To-night, if it
be the will of God, thou shalt see the Prophet in thy sleep, and
El-Khi[d.]r and the seyyid El-Bedawee. This is Regeb, and I wanted to
ask of thee--but I feared--I wanted to ask of thee four piastres, to buy
meat and bread and oil and radishes. Regeb! Regeb! I have great offices
to do for thee to-night."--Less than a shilling for all he promised was
little enough: I gave it him for the trouble he had taken; and he
uttered many abrupt prayers for me.--In the following night, however, I
saw in my sleep neither Mo[h.]ammad nor El-Khi[d.]r nor the seyyid
El-Bedawee, unless, like Nebuchadnezzar, I was unable, on awaking, to
remember my dreams.
Some reputed saints of the more respectable class, to avoid public
notice, wear the general dress and manners of their fellow-countrymen,
and betray no love of ostentation in their acts of piety and
self-denial; or live as hermits in desert places, depending solely upon
Providence for their support, and are objects of pious and charitable
visits from the inhabitants of near and distant places, and from casual
travellers. Others distinguish themselves by the habit of a darweesh, or
by other peculiarities, such as a long and loose coat (called dil[k.])
composed of patches of cloth of various colours, long strings of beads
hung upon the neck, a ragged turban, and a staff with shreds of cloth of
different colours attached to the top; or obtain a reputation for
miraculous powers by eating glass, fire, serpents, &c. Some of those who
are insane, and of those who feign to be so, go about, even in crowded
cities, in a state of perfect nudity, and are allowed to commit, with
impunity, acts of brutal sensuality which the law, when appealed to,
should punish with death. Such practices are forbidden by the religion
and law even in the cases of saints; but common and deeply-rooted
superstition prevents their punishment. During the occupation of Egypt
by the French, the Commander-in-chief, Menou, applied to the Sheykhs (or
'Ulama) of the city for their opinion "respecting those persons who were
accustomed to go about in the streets in a state of nudity, crying out
and screaming, and arrogating to themselves the dignity of wilayeh,
relied upon as saints by the generality of the people, neither
performing the prayers of the Muslims nor fasting," asking whether such
conduct was permitted by the religion, or contrary to the law. He was
answered, "Conduct of this description is forbidden, and repugnant to
our religion and law and to our traditions." The French General thanked
them for this answer, and gave orders to prevent such practices in
future, and to seize every one seen thus offending; if insane, to
confine him in the Maristan (or hospital and lunatic asylum); and if not
insane, to compel him either to relinquish his disgusting habits, or to
leave the city.[268]--Of reputed saints of this kind, thus writes an
enlightened poet, El-Bedree El-[H.]ejazee:--
"Would that I had not lived to see every fool esteemed among men
as a [K.]u[t.]b!
Their learned men take him as a patron; nay, even as Lord, in place
of the Possessor of Heaven's throne.
Forgetting God, they say, 'Such a one from all mankind can remove
affliction.'
When he dies, they make for him a place of visitation, and strangers
and Arabs hurry thither in crowds:
Some of them kiss his tomb, and some kiss the threshold of the door,
and the very dust.
Thus do the idolaters act towards their images, hoping so to obtain
their favour."
These lines are quoted by El-Jabartee, in his account of a very
celebrated modern saint, the seyyid 'Alee El-Bekree (events of Rabee[a.]
eth-Thanee, 1214). A brief history of this person will not be here
misplaced, as it will present a good illustration of the general
character and actions of those insane individuals who are commonly
regarded as saints.
The seyyid 'Alee El-Bekree was a mejzoob (or insane person) who was
considered an eminent welee, and much trusted in: for several years he
used to walk naked about the streets of Cairo, with a shaven face,
bearing a long nebboot (or staff), and uttering confused language, which
the people attentively listened to, and interpreted according to their
desires and the exigencies of their states. He was a tall, spare man,
and sometimes wore a shirt and a cotton skull-cap; but he was generally
barefooted and naked. The respect with which he was treated induced a
woman, who was called the sheykhah Ammooneh, to imitate his example
further than decency allowed: she followed him whithersoever he went,
covered at first with her izar (or large cotton veil thrown over the
head and body), and muttering, like him, confused language. Entering
private houses with him, she used to ascend to the [h.]areems, and
gained the faith of the women, who presented her with money and clothes,
and spread abroad that the sheykh ('Alee) had looked upon her, and
affected her with religious frenzy, so that she had become a weleeyeh,
or female saint. Afterwards, becoming more insane and intoxicated, she
uncovered her face, and put on the clothing of a man; and thus attired
she still accompanied the sheykh, and the two wandered about, followed
by numbers of children and common vagabonds; some of whom also stripped
off their clothes in imitation of the sheykh, and followed, dancing;
their mad actions being attributed (like those of the woman) to
religious frenzy, induced by his look or touch, which converted them
into saints. The vulgar and young, who daily followed them, consequently
increased in numbers; and some of them, in passing through the
market-streets, snatched away goods from the shops, thus exciting great
commotion wherever they went. When the sheykh sat down in any place, the
crowd stopped, and the people pressed to see him and his mad companions.
On these occasions the woman used to mount upon the ma[s.][t.]abah of a
shop, or ascend a hillock, and utter disgusting language, sometimes in
Arabic, and sometimes in Turkish, while many persons among her audience
would kiss her hands to derive a blessing. After having persevered for
some time in this course, none preventing them, the party entered one
day the lane leading from the principal street of the city to the house
of the [K.]a[d.]ee, and were seized by a Turkish officer there residing,
named Ja[a.]far Kashif, who, having brought them into his house, gave
the sheykh some food, and drove out the spectators, retaining the woman
and the mejzoobs, whom he placed in confinement: he then liberated the
sheykh 'Alee, brought out the woman and the mejzoobs and beat them, sent
the woman to the Maristan, and there confined her, and set at large the
rest, after they had prayed for mercy, and clothed themselves, and
recovered from their intoxication. The woman remained a while confined
in the Maristan, and, when liberated, lived alone as a sheykhah,
believed in by men and women, and honoured as a saint with visits and
festivals.
The seyyid 'Alee, after he had thus been deprived of his companions and
imitators, was constrained to lead a different kind of life. He had a
cunning brother, who, to turn the folly of this saint to a good account,
and fill his own purse (seeing how great faith the people placed in him,
as the Egyptians are prone to do in such a case), confined him in his
house, and clothed him, asserting that he had his permission to do so,
and that he had been invested with the dignity of [K.]u[t.]b. Thus he
contrived to attract crowds of persons, men and women, to visit him. He
forbade him to shave his beard, which consequently grew to its full
size; and his body became fat and stout from abundance of food and rest;
for, while he went about naked, he was, as before mentioned, of a lean
figure. During that period he used generally to pass the night
wandering, without food, through the streets, in winter and summer.
Having now servants to wait upon him, whether sleeping or waking, he
passed his time in idleness, uttering confused and incoherent words,
and sometimes laughing and sometimes scolding; and in the course of his
idle loquacity he could not but let fall some words applicable to the
affairs of some of his listening visiters, who attributed such
expressions to his supernatural knowledge of the thoughts of their
hearts, and interpreted them as warnings or prophecies. Men and women,
and particularly the wives of the grandees, flocked to him with presents
and votive offerings, which enriched the coffers of his brother; and the
honours which he received ceased not with his death. His funeral was
attended by multitudes from every quarter. His brother buried him in the
mosque of Esh-Sharaibee, in the quarter of the Ezbekeeyeh, made for him
a ma[k.][s.]oorah (or railed enclosure) and an oblong monument over the
grave, and frequently repaired thither with readers of the [K.]ur-an,
munshids[269] to sing odes in his honour, flag-bearers, and other
persons, who wailed and screamed, rubbed their faces against the bars of
the window before his grave, and caught the air of the place in their
hands to thrust it into their bosoms and pockets. Men and women came
crowding together to visit his tomb, bringing votive offerings and wax
candles, and eatables of various kinds to distribute for his sake to the
poor.[270]--The oblong monument over his grave, resembling a large
chest, was covered, when I was in Cairo, with a black stuff ornamented
by a line of words from the [K.]ur-an, in white characters, surrounding
it. A servant who accompanied me during my rides and walks used often to
stop as we passed this tomb, and touch the wooden bars of the window
above mentioned with his right hand, which he then kissed to obtain a
blessing.
In most cases greater honour is paid to a reputed saint after his death
than he receives in his life. A small, square, whitewashed building,
crowned with a dome, is generally erected as his tomb, surrounding an
oblong monument of stone, brick, or wood, which is immediately over the
sepulchral vault. At least one such building forms a conspicuous object
close by, or within, almost every Arab village; for the different
villages, and different quarters of every town and city, have their
respective patron saints, whose tombs are frequently visited, and are
the scenes of periodical festivals, generally celebrated once in every
year. The tombs of many very eminent saints are mosques; and some of
these are large and handsome edifices, the monument being under a large
and lofty dome, and surrounded by an enclosure of wooden railings, or of
elegantly-worked bronze. In these buildings also, and in some others,
the monument is covered with silk or cotton stuff ornamented with words
from the [K.]ur-an, which form a band around it. Many buildings of the
more simple kind erected in honour of saints, and some of the larger
description, are mere cenotaphs, or cover only some relic of the person
to whom they are dedicated. The tombs and cenotaphs or shrines of saints
are visited by numerous persons, and on frequent occasions; most
commonly on a particular day of the week. The object of the visiter, in
general, is to perform some meritorious act, such as taking bread, or
other food, or money, for the poor, or distributing water to the
thirsty, on account of the saint, to increase his rewards in heaven, and
at the same time to draw down a blessing on himself; or to perform a
sacrifice of a sheep, goat, calf, or other animal, which he has vowed to
offer, if blessed with some specific object of desire, or to obtain
general blessings; or to implore the saint's intercession in some case
of need. The flesh of the devoted animal is given to the poor. The
visiters also often take with them palm-branches, or sprigs of myrtle,
or roses or other flowers, to lay upon the monument, as they do when
they visit the tombs of their relations. The visiter walks round the
monument, or its enclosure, from left to right, or with his left side
towards it (as the pilgrims do round the Ka[a.]beh), sometimes pausing
to touch its four angles or corners with his right hand, which he then
kisses; and recites the opening chapter of the [K.]ur-an (the
Fat'[h.]ah) standing before one or each of its four sides. Some visiters
repeat also the chapter of Ya-Seen (the 36th), or employ a person to
recite this, or even the whole of the [K.]ur-an, for hire.
The reciter afterwards declares that he transfers the merit of this work
to the soul of the deceased saint. Any private petition the visiter
offers up on his own account, imploring a favourable answer for the sake
of the saint, or through his intercession; holding his hands before his
face like an open book, and then drawing them down his face. Many a
visiter, on entering the tomb, kisses the threshold, or touches it with
his right hand, which he then kisses; and, on passing by it, persons
often touch the window, and kiss the hand thus honoured.
The great periodical or annual festivals are observed with additional
ceremonies, and by crowds of visiters. These are called Moolids (more
properly Molids); and are held on the anniversary of the birth of the
saint, or in commemoration of that event. Persons are then hired to
recite the [K.]ur-an in and near the tomb, during the day; and others,
chiefly darweeshes, employ themselves during the night in performing
zikrs, which consist in repeating the name of God, or the profession of
his unity, &c., in chorus, accompanying the words by certain motions of
the head, hands, or whole body; munshids, at intervals, singing
religious odes or love songs during these performances, to the
accompaniment of a nay, which is a kind of flute, or the arghool, which
is a double reed-pipe. These moolids are scenes of rejoicing and of
traffic, which men and boys and girls attend, to eat sweatmeats, and
drink coffee and sherbets, or to amuse themselves with swinging, or
turning on a whirligig, or witnessing the feats of conjurers, or the
performances of dancers; and to which tradesmen repair to sell or barter
their goods. The visiters to the great moolids of the seyyid A[h.]mad
El-Bedawee, at [T.]an[t.]a, in the Delta of Egypt, which are great fairs
as well as religious festivals, are almost as numerous as the pilgrims
at Mekkeh. During a moolid, the inhabitants of the houses in the
neighbourhood of the tomb hang lamps before their houses, and spend a
great part of the night listening to the story-tellers at the
coffee-shops, or attending the zikrs.
These latter performances, though so common among the Arabs, are
inconsistent with the spirit of the Mohammadan religion, and especially
with respect to music, which was not employed in religious ceremonies
until after the second century of the Flight. The Imam Aboo-Bekr
E[t.]-[T.]oosee, being asked whether it were lawful or not to be present
with people who assembled in a certain place, and read a portion of the
[K.]ur-an; and, after a munshid had recited some poetry, would dance,
and become excited, and play upon tambourines and pipes,--answered, that
such practices were vain, ignorant, and erroneous; not ordained by the
[K.]ur-an or the Traditions of the Prophet, but invented by those
Israelites who worshipped the Golden Calf; that the Prophet and his
companions used to sit so quietly that a bird might alight upon the head
of any one of them and not be disturbed; that it was incumbent on the
Sultan and his vicegerents to prevent such persons from entering the
mosques and other places for these purposes; and that no one who
believed in God and the Last Day should be present with them, or assist
them in their vain performances: such, he asserted, was the opinion of
the Imams of the Muslims.[271] Some eminent doctors, however, have
contended for the lawfulness of these practices.[272]
Of the various orders of darweeshes, to which so many of the reputed
saints belong, it is unnecessary here to say more than that they differ
chiefly in unimportant regulations and rites, such as particular forms
of prayer, and modes of zikr; that some distinguish themselves by
peculiar dresses; and that a few pursue a wandering life, and subsist on
alms.
NOTE 64. The reason of this strange proceeding is not stated in the
Cairo edition, but it is in the two other editions which I have before
me.
NOTE 65. Arab etiquette requires that a person should sit upon his knees
and feet in the presence of one of much higher rank, or of one to whom
he would pay especial honour. He should also, in these cases, cover his
hands with his sleeves.
NOTE 66. Kunafeh is a kind of pastry resembling vermicelli, made of
wheat-flour. It is moistened with clarified butter--then baked, and
sweetened with honey or sugar.
NOTE 67. Chess is played somewhat differently in different parts of the
East. The pieces are generally of very simple forms, as the Muslim is
forbidden by his religion to make an image of anything that has life.
NOTE 68. In my original, and in the Breslau edition, the ape is said to
have been the son of the King of the Ebony Islands; but this is a
mistake; for the latter, as before stated, was the father of the lady
who was carried off by Jarjarees.
NOTE 69. The term "leewan" has been explained in No. 12 of the notes to
this chapter.
NOTE 70. This was, and I believe still is, a common battle-cry of the
Arabs, and more commonly used on the occasion of a victory.
NOTE 71. "Dar es-Selam," "the Abode of Peace," or "of Safety," is a name
often given to Baghdad, as it is also to one of the seven stories or
stages of Paradise.
NOTE 72.--_The Mountain of Loadstone._ Several Arab writers describe
this mountain of loadstone. El [K.]azweenee, in his account of minerals,
says that the mine of loadstone is on the shore of the Indian Ocean, and
that if the ships which navigate this sea approach the said mine, and
contain anything of iron, it flies from them like a bird, and adheres to
the mountain; for which reason, it is the general custom to make use of
no iron in the construction of the vessels employed in this
navigation.[273] I think that I have met with a similar story in some
Latin author.
NOTE 73. For an explanation of this term, see what I have said on the
subject of prayer in the first of the notes to the Introduction.
NOTE 74. "Kha[s.]eeb" signifies "endowed with plenty."
NOTE 75. The remainder of the story of the Third Royal Mendicant is
almost wholly omitted in the Cairo edition. I translate it chiefly from
the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights.
NOTE 76.--_On Dreams._ That Dreams are regarded by the Muslims as being
often true warnings or indications of future events I have mentioned in
a former note. This belief, sanctioned by the Prophet, will be well
illustrated by the following anecdote, which was related to me in Cairo,
shortly after the terrible plague of the year 1835, by the sheykh
Mo[h.]ammad E[t.]-[T.]an[t.]awee, who had taken the trouble of
investigating the fact, and had ascertained its truth.
A tradesman, living in the quarter of El-[H.]anafee, in Cairo, dreamt,
during the plague above mentioned, that eleven persons were carried out
from his house to be buried, victims of this disease. He awoke in a
state of the greatest distress and alarm, reflecting that eleven was the
total number of the inhabitants of his house, including himself, and
that it would be vain in him to attempt, by adding one or more members
to his household, to elude the decree of God, and give himself a chance
of escape: so, calling together his neighbours, he informed them of his
dream, and was counselled to submit with resignation to a fate so
plainly foreshewn, and to be thankful to God for the timely notice with
which he had been mercifully favoured. On the following day, one of his
children died; a day or two after, a wife; and the pestilence continued
its ravages among his family until he remained in his house alone. It
was impossible for him now to entertain the slightest doubt of the
entire accomplishment of the warning: immediately, therefore, after the
last death that had taken place among his household, he repaired to a
friend at a neighbouring shop, and, calling to him several other persons
from the adjoining and opposite shops, he reminded them of his dream,
acquainted them with its almost complete fulfilment, and expressed his
conviction that he, the eleventh, should very soon die. "Perhaps," said
he, "I shall die this next night: I beg of you, therefore, for the sake
of God, to come to my house early to-morrow morning, and the next morning
and the next if necessary, and to see if I be dead, and, when dead, that
I be properly buried; for I have no one with me to wash and shroud me.
Fail not to do me this service, which will procure you a recompense in
heaven. I have bought my grave-linen: you will find it in a corner of
the room in which I sleep. If you find the door of the house latched,
and I do not answer to your knocking, break it open."
Soon after sunset he laid himself in his lonely bed, though without any
expectation of closing his eyes in sleep; for his mind was absorbed in
reflections upon the awful entry into another world, and a review of his
past life. As the shades of night gathered around him, he could almost
fancy that he beheld, in one faint object or another in his gloomy
chamber, the dreadful person of the Angel of Death: and at length he
actually perceived a figure gliding in at the door, and approaching his
bed. Starting up in horror, he exclaimed, "Who art thou?"--and a stern
and solemn voice answered, "Be silent! I am 'Azraeel, the Angel of
Death!"--"Alas!" cried the terrified man; "I testify that there is no
deity but God, and I testify that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! There is
no strength nor power but in God, the High! the Great! To God we belong,
and to Him we must return!"--He then covered himself over with his
quilt, as if for protection, and lay with throbbing heart, expecting
every moment to have his soul torn from him by the inexorable messenger.
But moments passed away, and minutes, and hours; yet without his
experiencing any hope of escape; for he imagined that the Angel was
waiting for him to resign himself, or had left him for a while, and was
occupied in receiving first the souls of the many hundred human beings
who had attained their predestined term in that same night and in the
same city, and the souls of the thousands who were doomed to employ him
elsewhere. Daybreak arrived before his sufferings terminated; and his
neighbours, coming according to their promise, entered his chamber, and
found him still in bed; but observing that he was covered up, and
motionless as a corpse, they doubted whether he were still alive, and
called to him. He answered, with a faint voice, "I am not yet dead; but
the Angel of Death came to me in the dusk of the evening, and I expect
every moment his return, to take my soul: therefore trouble me not; but
see me washed and buried."--"But why," said his friends, "was the
street-door left unlatched?"--"I latched it," he answered, "but the
Angel of Death may have opened it."--"And who," they asked, "is the man
in the court?"--He answered, "I know of no man in the court: perhaps the
Angel who is waiting for my soul has made himself visible to you, and
been mistaken, in the twilight, for a man."--"He is a thief," they said,
"who has gathered together everything in the house that he could carry
away, and has been struck by the plague while doing so, and now lies
dead in the court, at the foot of the stairs, grasping in his hand a
silver candlestick."--The master of the house, after hearing this,
paused for a moment, and then, throwing off his quilt, exclaimed,
"Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures! That is the eleventh, and
I am safe! No doubt it was that rascal who came to me and said that he
was the Angel of Death. Praise be to God! Praise be to God!"
This man survived the plague, and took pleasure in relating the above
story. The thief had overheard his conversation with his neighbours,
and, coming to his house in the dusk, had put his shoulder to the wooden
lock, and so raised the door and displaced the latch within.--There is
nothing wonderful in the dream, nor in its accomplishment; the plague of
1835 entirely desolated many houses, and was mostly fatal to the young;
and all the inhabitants of the house in question were young excepting
the master.
NOTE 77. "'Ajeeb" signifies "a wonder," or "anything strange or
admirable."
NOTE 78. Blue is the colour of mourning, as before mentioned, in No. 52
of the notes to the second chapter.
NOTE 79. Smearing the face and slapping the cheeks are common practices
of Arab women, especially of the lower orders, on following to the
grave the corpse of a near relation or a husband.
NOTE 80.--_On the_ Rukh'. This fabulous bird is described by many Arab
writers, some of whom assert that it can carry a rhinoceros, while
others ascribe to it powers still more extraordinary. I shall have
occasion to speak of it again in my notes to this work.
NOTE 81. This is explained by No. 30 of the notes to the Introduction.
NOTE 82. I here return to the Cairo edition.
NOTE 83. Some of the incidents described in this story, as the
shipwrecks caused by the image, and the opening of the forbidden closet,
&c., appear to be taken from the romance of Seyf Zu-l-Yezen, of which I
possess a copy, purchased during my second visit to Egypt. This romance,
which has become extremely scarce, is filled with stories of genii and
enchantments of the most extravagant kind. Some of the public
story-tellers in Cairo used, a few years since, to amuse their audiences
by recitations from it. I was not able to discover the period at which
it was composed; but it is said to have been written long before the
Tales of a Thousand and One Nights. I saw once a portion of a copy of
which it appeared, from the hand-writing and the paper, to be three or
four centuries old.
NOTE 84. So in the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and
in the edition of Breslau.
NOTE 85. Those decrees which are written with "the Pen" on the
"Preserved Tablet" are believed to be unchangeable. "The Pen" is also
the title of one of the chapters of the [K.]ur-an, the 68th.
NOTE 86. In all the copies of the original which I have by me,
El-Ba[s.]rah is said to have been the place to which the lady designed
to voyage; but this is inconsistent with the sequel of the story.
NOTE 87. In the old version, two strange errors occur in the passage
corresponding with this: two words in the original, "nar" and "doon,"
having been mistaken for a proper name; and the word "jebbar," which,
applied to God, signifies "almighty," or rather the "Compeller of his
creatures to do whatsoever He willeth," being taken in the sense of
"giant," which it bears in many other cases.
NOTE 88.--_On Martyrs._ The Mohammadan law distinguishes several
different descriptions of martyrs. This honourable title is given to the
soldier who dies in fighting for the faith, or on his way to do so, or
who dies almost immediately after his having been wounded when so
engaged; to a person who innocently meets with his death from the hand
of another; to a victim of the plague, who does not flee from the
disease, or of dysentery; to a person who is drowned; and to one who is
killed by the falling of a wall or any building. It is said that the
souls of martyrs, after quitting their bodies, reside, until the day of
resurrection, in the crops of green birds, which eat of the fruits, and
drink of the waters, of Paradise. Such we are to consider as the first
and lowest state of felicity to which the young prince in this tale was
introduced as the reward of his virtue.
NOTE 89. The share inherited, according to the law, by the wife, or by
the wives conjointly when there are more than one, is one-eighth of what
remains of the property of the deceased after the discharge of his debts
and legacies, if he have left issue; and one-fourth, if he have left no
issue.
NOTE 90. The Arabs, fond of hyperbole, often thus describe a lofty
building.
NOTE 91.--_On the Magnificence of Arab Palaces, &c._ After remarking
upon the preceding sentence as presenting an instance of Oriental
hyperbole, it may be necessary to inform the reader that he needs not
regard this in the same light. The magnificence of the palaces of
Baghdad in the times of the Khaleefehs almost exceeds belief.
In the beginning of the year of the Flight 305 (June, A.D. 917), two
ambassadors from the Greek Emperor (Constantine IX., Porphyrogenitus)
arrived in Baghdad on a mission to the Khaleefeh El-Mu[k.]tedir,
bringing an abundance of costly presents; and the scenes which they
witnessed are thus described; apparently, however, not without some
exaggeration. They were first received by the Wezeer, who, at the
audience which he granted to them in his garden-palace, displayed on
this occasion a degree of magnificence that had never before been
manifested by any of his rank; pages, memlooks, and soldiers, crowded
the avenues and courts of his mansion, the apartments of which were hung
with tapestry of the value of thirty thousand deenars; and the Wezeer
himself was surrounded by generals and other officers on his right and
left and behind his seat, when the two ambassadors approached him,
dazzled by the splendour that surrounded them, to beg for an interview
with the Khaleefeh. El-Mu[k.]tedir, having appointed a day on which he
would receive them, ordered that the courts and passages and avenues of
his palace should be filled with armed men, and that all the apartments
should be furnished with the utmost magnificence. A hundred and sixty
thousand armed soldiers were arranged in ranks in the approach to the
palace; next to these were the pages of the closets, and chief eunuchs,
clad in silk and with belts set with jewels, in number seven thousand;
four thousand white, and three thousand black: there were also seven
hundred chamberlains; and beautifully ornamented boats of various kinds
were seen floating upon the Tigris, hard by. The two ambassadors passed
first by the palace of the chief chamberlain, and, astonished at the
splendid ornaments and pages and arms which they there beheld, imagined
that this was the palace of the Khaleefeh; but what they had seen here
was eclipsed by what they beheld in the latter, where they were amazed
by the sight of thirty-eight thousand pieces of tapestry of
gold-embroidered silk brocade, and twenty-two thousand magnificent
carpets. Here also were two menageries of beasts by nature wild, but
tamed by art, and eating from the hands of men: among them were a
hundred lions; each lion with its keeper. They then entered the Palace
of the Tree, enclosing a pond from which rose the Tree: this had
eighteen branches, with leaves of various colours (being artificial),
and with birds of gold and silver (or gilt and silvered) of every
variety of kind and size, perched upon its branches, so constructed that
each of them sang. Thence they passed into the garden, in which were
furniture and utensils not to be enumerated: in the passages leading to
it were suspended ten thousand gilt coats of mail. Being at length
conducted before El-Mu[k.]tedir, they found him seated on a couch of
ebony inlaid with gold and silver, to the right of which were hung nine
necklaces of jewels, and the like to the left, the jewels of which
outshone the light of day. The two ambassadors paused at the distance of
about a hundred cubits from the Khaleefeh, with the interpreter. Having
left the presence, they were conducted through the palace, and were
shewn splendidly-caparisoned elephants, a giraffe, lynxes, and other
beasts. They were then clad with robes of honour, and to each of them
was brought fifty thousand dirhems, together with dresses and other
presents. It is added, that the ambassadors approached the palace
through a street called "the Street of the Menarehs," in which were a
thousand menarehs, or menarets. It was at the hour of noon; and as they
passed, the mueddins from all these menarehs chanted the call to prayer
at the same time, so that the earth almost quaked at the sound, and the
ambassadors were struck with fear.[274]
The Orientals well understand how to give the most striking effect to
the jewels which they display on their dress, &c., on occasions of
state. Sir John Malcolm, describing his reception by the late King of
Persia, says, "His dress baffled all description. The ground of his
robes was white; but he was so covered with jewels of an extraordinary
size, and their splendour, from his being seated where the rays of the
sun played upon them, was so dazzling, that it was impossible to
distinguish the minute parts which combined to give such amazing
brilliancy to his whole figure."[275]
NOTE 92. As this marriage is described as conducted in an irregular
manner, I need say nothing at present of the ceremonies usually
practised on such an occasion.
NOTE 93. Every person who has visited Eastern cities will bear testimony
to the plausibility of this excuse. I have several times been thrown
down by the wide load of a camel in the streets of Cairo, and seen loads
of firewood scraping the houses on both sides of a street at the same
time.
NOTE 94. Women suspected of infidelity to their husbands have not
unfrequently been thus punished in Egypt in modern times, in violation
of the law.
NOTE 95. "Sa[a.]d" signifies "happiness," or "prosperity," and also
"happy," or "prosperous."
NOTE 96. Pity is of more important service to the Muslim after death
than during life; for the prayers which it inspires increase his
happiness in futurity, or diminish his misery.
NOTE 97. This allusion to religious faith is peculiarly apt in the mouth
of a Muslim; for the chief dogma of his creed is the denial of any
partnership in the Divine essence. He calls persons of all other
religions "mushriks," or those who attribute partners to God.
NOTE 98. In the original, she is here called an 'Efreeteh, which is an
improper term.
NOTE 99. This salutation and its reply are only to be given by and to
Muslims.
NOTE 100. It is implied by this ejaculation that the two ladies were
admirable beauties, evidences of the perfection of their Creator.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[175] See [K.]ur-an, ch. ii. v. 96.
[176] See [K.]ur-an, ch. ii. v. 96.
[177] El-[K.]azweenee, account of the well of Babil, in "'Ajaib
el-Makhloo[k.]at."
[178] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 339.
[179] De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. pp. 125-131,
Arabic text, 2nd ed.
[180] That is, a race-course for sallies of wit and eloquence
on the subject of wine: the word "kumeyt" being used, in
preference to more than a hundred others that might have been
employed, as signifying "wine," because it bears also the
meaning of "a dark bay horse."
[181] His name is not mentioned in my copy; but D'Herbelot
states it to have been Shems-ed-Deen Mo[h.]ammad
Ibn-Bedr-ed-Deen [H.]asan, el-[K.]a[d.]ee; and writes his
surname "Naouagi," or "Naouahi."
[182] Ch. ii. v. 216.
[183] Ch. iv. v. 46.
[184] Leviticus, ch. x. v. 9.
[185] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 92.
[186] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. ix.
[187] Idem, khatimeh, or conclusion.
[188] Ibid.
[189] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i.
p. 23, Arabic text, 2nd ed.
[190] "While tears of blood trickle from the strainer, the ewer
beneath it giggles." (E[s.]-[S.]adr Ibn-El-Wekeel, quoted in
the [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiii.)--The strainer is called
"rawoo[k.]."
[191] The Mo[h.]tesib is inspector of the markets, the weights
and measures, and provisions, &c.
[192] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 295.
[193] In Arabic, "ba[t.]iyeh."
[194] "Ba[t.][t.]ah."
[195] "[K.]inneeneh."
[196] "Ibree[k.]s."
[197] The cup, when full, was generally called "kas:" when
empty, "[k.]ada[h.]" or "jam." The name of "kas" is now given
to a small glass used for brandy and liqueurs, and similar to
our liqueur-glass: the glass or cup used for wine is called,
when so used, "koobeh:" it is the same as that used for
sherbet; but in the latter case it is called "[k.]ulleh."
[198] "Nu[k.]uldans."
[199] "Nu[k.]l."
[200] "Bela[h.]."
[201] "Ru[t.]ab."
[202] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his
history of that country (MS. in my possession)
[203] Ibid.
[204] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his
history of that country (MS. in my possession).
[205] El-[K.]azweenee (MS. in my possession).
[206] "Jummar."
[207] "Bi[t.][t.]eekh," vulg., "ba[t.][t.]eekh."
[208] El-[K.]azweenee.
[209] "Moz."
[210] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_.
[211] "Rumman".
[212] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_.
[213] The Arabic names of these fruits are, tuffa[h.] (vulg.,
tiffa[h.]), kummetre, safarjal, mishmish, khokh, teen, jummeyz
(vulg., jemmeyz), 'eneb, nab[k.] or sidr, 'onnab (vulg.,
'annab), ijjas or bar[k.]oo[k.], joz, loz, bundu[k.],
fustu[k.], burtu[k.]an, narinj, leymoon, utrujj or turunj and
kebbad, toot, zeytoon, and [k.]a[s.]ab es-sukkar.
[214] "Ward."
[215] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii.; and Es-Suyoo[t.]ee,
account of the flowers of Egypt, in his history of that
country.
[216] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii.
[217] Ibid.
[218] Ibid.
[219] Ibid.
[220] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_.
[221] The night of the Ascension.
[222] Gabriel, who accompanied the Prophet.
[223] The beast on which he rode from Mekkeh to Jerusalem
previously to his ascension. These traditions are from
Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_.
[224] This flower is called "faghiyeh," and, more commonly,
"temer el-[h.]enne;" or, according to some, the faghiyeh is the
flower produced by a slip of temer el-[h.]enne planted upside
down, and superior to the flower of the latter planted in the
natural way.
[225] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi supra_.
[226] "Benefsej."
[227] Es-Suyootee.
[228] "As," or "narseen."
[229] Es-Suyoo[t.]ee.
[230] "Sha[k.]ai[k.]." The "adhriyoon," or "adharyoon," is said
to be a variety of the anemone.
[231] From the former, or from "no[a.]man" as signifying
"blood," the anemone was named "sha[k.]ai[k.] en-no[a.]man."
[232] "Menthoor," or "kheeree."
[233] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii.
[234] "Narjis."
[235] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, _ubi supra_; Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, _ubi
supra_; and El-[K.]azweenee.
[236] The Arabic names of these flowers are, yasemeen, nisreen,
zahr (or zahr narinj), soosan, ree[h.]an (or [h.]aba[k.]),
nemam, bahar, u[k.]-howan, neelofar, beshneen, jullanar or
julnar, khashkhash, khi[t.]mee, za[a.]faran, 'o[s.]fur, kettan,
ba[k.]illa and leblab, and loz.
[237] "Ban," and "khilaf" or "khalaf." Both these names are
applied to the same tree (which, according to Forskal, differs
slightly from the salix AEgyptiaca of Linnaeus) by the author of
the [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, and by the modern Egyptians.
[238] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv.
[239] Idem, ch. xi.
[240] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 425.
[241] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv.
[242] Soft boots, worn inside the slippers or shoes.
[243] This is so vaguely described by the Arab lexicographers
that I cannot obtain a definite notion of its form.
[244] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, _loco laudato_.
[245] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv.
[246] He was born in the year of the Flight 125, and died in
213, or, according to some, 188.--Abulfedae Annales, vol. ii.
pp. 150 and 675.
[247] He was born in the year of the Flight 150, and died in
235.--Idem, adnot., pp. 691 et seq.; and Mir-at ez-Zeman,
events of the year 235.
[248] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 231. He died in this
year.
[249] I believe this Khaleefeh was El-Ma-moon.
[250] A quarter in Baghdad.
[251] That is, "My master."--ED.
[252] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. vii.
[253] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil.
[254] El-Ma[k.]reezee, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol.
i. p. 265, 2nd ed.
[255] Ibid.
[256] El-Ma[k.]reezee, in his "Khi[t.]a[t.]," and his history
of the Memlook Sul[t.]ans, translated by Quatremere;
El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee; and D'Ohsson, Tableau General de l'Empire
Othoman.
[257] D'Ohsson (vol. i. pp. 315 and 316) asserts the [K.]u[t.]b
to be the chief minister of the Ghos; and gives an account
somewhat different from that which I offer of the orders under
his authority: but perhaps the Turkish Darweeshes differ from
the Arab in their tenets on this subject.
[258] It is said that "the Nu[k.]aba are three hundred; the
Nujaba, seventy; the Abdal, forty; the Akhyar, seven; the
'Omud, four; the Ghos [as before mentioned,] is one. The
Nu[k.]aba reside in El-Gharb [Northern Africa to the west of
Egypt]; the Nujaba, in Egypt; the Abdal, in Syria; the Akhyar
travel about the earth; the 'Omud, in the corners of the earth;
the abode of the Ghos is at Mekkeh. In an affair of need, the
Nu[k.]aba implore relief for the people; then, the Nujaba;
then, the Abdal; then, the Akhyar; then, the 'Omud; and if
their prayer be not answered, the Ghos implores, and his prayer
is answered." (El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee's History, preface.)--This
statement, I find, rests on the authority of a famous saint of
Baghdad, Aboo-Bekr El-Kettanee, who died at Mekkeh, in the year
of the Flight 322. (Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year above
mentioned.)
[259] El-Jabartee's History of Modern Egypt, vol. ii., obituary
of the year 1201 (MS. in my possession).--The appellation of
"the four [K.]u[t.]bs" is given in Egypt to the seyyid A[h.]mad
Rifa'ah, the seyyid 'Abd-El-[K.]adir El-Geelanee, the seyyid
A[h.]mad El-Bedawee, and the seyyid Ibraheem Ed-Dasoo[k.]ee,
the founders of the four orders of darweeshes most celebrated
among the Arabs, called Rifa'eeyeh, [K.]adireeyeh,
A[h.]medeeyeh, and Barahimeh.
[260] El-Jabartee's History, vol. i., obituary of the year
1188.
[261] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 291.
[262] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 291.
[263] Idem, events of the year 218.
[264] Idem, events of the year 334.
[265] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 4.
[266] These are two very celebrated welees.
[267] The opening chapter of the [K.]ur-an.
[268] El-Jabartee's History, vol. iii., events of the month of
Sha[a.]ban, 1215 (A.D. 1800-1801).
[269] Singers of religious odes.
[270] El-Jabartee's History, vol. ii., obituary of the year
1207, and events of Rejeb, 1200; and vol. iii., events of
Rabee[a.] eth-Thanee, 1214.
[271] El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, reign of El-Mutawekkil.
[272] De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. pp. 122, 123, 2nd.
ed.
[273] "'Ajaib el-Makhloo[k.]at."
[274] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year above mentioned.
[275] Sketches of Persia, vol. ii. p. 129.
CHAPTER IV.
COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE EIGHTEENTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF
THE TWENTY-FOURTH.
THE STORY OF THE THREE APPLES, &c.[IV_1]
One night, after the adventure above described, the Khaleefeh Haroon
Er-Rasheed said to Ja[a.]far, his Wezeer, We will go down to-night into
the city, and inquire respecting the affairs of those who are at present
in authority, and him against whom any one shall complain we will
displace. Ja[a.]far replied, I hear and obey:--and when the Khaleefeh
had gone forth with him and Mesroor, and they had passed through several
of the market-streets, they proceeded along a lane, and saw there an old
man, with a net and basket upon his head, and a staff in his hand,
walking at his leisure, and reciting these verses:--
They say to me, Thou shinest among mankind, by thy knowledge,
like the moonlight night:
But I answer, Abstain from thus addressing me, since there is no
knowledge without power:
For if they would pawn me, and my knowledge with me, and all my papers
and inkhorn too,
For one day's food, they would never find the pledge accepted to
the day of judgment.
As for the poor, and his condition, and his whole life, how full of
trouble!
In the summer he fails to earn his food, and in winter he warms
himself over the fire-pot.[IV_2]
The dogs follow him wherever he goes, and any reviler, and he cannot
repel him.
If he states his case, and proves himself wronged, the judge will not
admit his plea.
Such, then, being the poor man's life, his fittest place is in
the burial-ground.[IV_3]
The Khaleefeh, when he heard his recitation, said to Ja[a.]far, Observe
this poor man, and consider these verses; for they indicate his
necessity. Then approaching the man, he said to him, O sheykh, what is
thine occupation?--O my master, answered the old man, I am a fisherman,
and have a family to maintain, and I went forth from my house at noon,
and have remained until now, but God hath allotted me nothing wherewith
to obtain food for my household; therefore I have hated myself, and
wished for death.--Wilt thou, said the Khaleefeh, return with us to the
river, and station thyself on the bank of the Tigris, and cast thy net
for my luck? If thou wilt do so I will purchase of thee whatever cometh
up for a hundred pieces of gold.--The fisherman rejoiced when he heard
these words, and said, On my head be your commands: I will return with
you.--So he went again to the river, and cast his net, and, having
waited till it sank, drew the cords, and dragged back the net, and there
came up in it a chest, locked and heavy. When the Khaleefeh saw it, he
felt its weight, and found it to be heavy; and he gave a hundred pieces
of gold to the fisherman, who went away, while Mesroor, assisted by
Ja[a.]far, took up the chest, and conveyed it, in company with the
Khaleefeh, to the palace, where they lighted the candles, and placed the
chest before the Khaleefeh. Ja[a.]far and Mesroor then broke it open,
and they found in it a basket of palm-leaves sewed up with red worsted;
and they cut the threads, and saw within it a piece of carpet, and,
lifting up this, they found beneath it an izar,[IV_4] and when they had
taken up the izar they discovered under it a damsel like molten silver,
killed, and cut in pieces.
When the Khaleefeh beheld this, tears ran down his cheeks, and, looking
towards Ja[a.]far, he exclaimed, O dog of Wezeers, shall people be
murdered in my time, and be thrown into the river, and become burdens
upon my responsibility? By Allah, I must retaliate for this damsel upon
him who killed her, and put him to death!--Then said he to Ja[a.]far, By
the truth of my descent from the Khaleefehs of the sons of El-'Abbas, if
thou do not bring to me him who killed this woman, that I may avenge her
upon him, I will crucify thee at the gate of my palace, together with
forty of thy kinsmen![IV_5] And the Khaleefeh was enraged.--Grant me,
said Ja[a.]far, a delay of three days.--I grant thee the delay, replied
the Khaleefeh. Ja[a.]far then went forth from his presence, and took his
route through the city, sorrowful, and saying within himself, How shall
I discover him who killed this damsel, that I may take him before the
Khaleefeh? And if I take to him any other person, he will become a
weight upon my conscience. I know not what to do.--For three days he
remained in his house, and on the fourth day the Khaleefeh sent to
summon him, and, when he had presented himself before him, said to him,
Where is the murderer of the damsel?--O Prince of the Faithful, answered
Ja[a.]far, am I acquainted with things hidden from the senses, that I
should know who is her murderer? The Khaleefeh, incensed at this answer,
gave orders to crucify him at the gate of his palace, and commanded a
crier to proclaim through the streets of Baghdad, Whosoever desireth to
amuse himself by seeing the crucifixion of Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee, the
Wezeer of the Khaleefeh, and the crucifixion of his kinsmen, at the gate
of the Khaleefeh's palace, let him come forth and amuse himself.--So the
people came forth from every quarter to see the crucifixion of Ja[a.]far
and his kinsmen; and they knew not the cause of this. The Khaleefeh then
gave orders to set up the crosses; and they did so, and placed the
Wezeer and his kinsmen beneath, to crucify them, and were awaiting the
Khaleefeh's permission, while the people wept for Ja[a.]far and his
relatives.
But while they were thus waiting, a handsome and neatly-dressed young
man came forward quickly through the crowd, and, approaching the Wezeer,
said to him, Safety to thee from this predicament, O chief of Emeers,
and refuge of the poor! It was I who killed the woman whom ye found in
the chest: kill me therefore for her, and retaliate her death upon
me.--When Ja[a.]far heard these words, he rejoiced for his own
deliverance, and grieved for the young man: but while he was speaking to
him, lo, an old sheykh pressed hastily through the crowd to him and the
young man, and, having saluted them, said, O Wezeer, believe not the
words of this young man, for no one killed the damsel but myself;
therefore retaliate her death upon me. The young man, however, said, O
Wezeer, this is an old man, imbecile through age; he knoweth not what he
saith: it was I who killed her; avenge her therefore upon me.--O my son,
said the sheykh, thou art young, and wilt find pleasure in the world;
and I am old, and satiated with the world: I will be a ransom for thee
and for the Wezeer and his kinsmen; and no one killed the damsel but
myself: by Allah, therefore, hasten to retaliate upon me.
On witnessing this scene, the Wezeer was astonished; and he took the
young man and the sheykh to the Khaleefeh, and said, O Prince of the
Faithful, the murderer of the damsel hath come.--Where is he? said the
Khaleefeh. This young man, answered Ja[a.]far, saith, I am the
murderer;--and this sheykh accuseth him of falsehood, and saith, Nay,
but _I_ am the murderer.--The Khaleefeh, looking towards the sheykh and
the young man, said, Which of you killed this damsel? The young man
answered, No one killed her but myself:--and the sheykh said also, No
one killed her but myself. The Khaleefeh therefore said to Ja[a.]far,
Take them both and crucify them.--If the murderer be one, replied
Ja[a.]far, to kill the other would be unjust. The young man then said,
By Him who raised the heavens and spread out the earth, it was I who
killed the damsel:--and he gave an account of the manner of his killing
her, and described what the Khaleefeh had found. The Khaleefeh therefore
was convinced that the young man was he who had killed the damsel; and
he was astonished, and said, What was the cause of thy killing this
damsel unjustly, and of thy confessing the murder without being
beaten,[IV_6] and thy saying, Retaliate her death upon me? The young man
answered as follows:--
[Illustration]
Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that this damsel was my wife, and the
daughter of my uncle: this sheykh was her father, and is my uncle. I
married her when she was a virgin, and God blessed me with three male
children by her; and she loved me and served me, and I saw in her no
evil. At the commencement of this month she was attacked by a severe
illness, and I brought to her the physicians, who attended her until her
health returned to her; and I desired them to send her to the bath; but
she said to me, I want something before I enter the bath, for I have a
longing for it.--What is it? said I. She answered, I have a longing for
an apple, to smell it, and take a bite from it. So I went out
immediately into the city, and searched for the apple, and would have
bought it had its price been a piece of gold: but I could not find one.
I passed the next night full of thought, and when the morning came I
quitted my house again and went about to all the gardens, one after
another; yet I found none in them. There met me, however, an old
gardener, of whom I inquired for the apple, and he said to me, O my son,
this is a rare thing, and not to be found here, nor anywhere except in
the garden of the Prince of the Faithful at El-Ba[s.]rah, and preserved
there for the Khaleefeh. I returned therefore to my wife, and my love
for her so constrained me that I prepared myself and journeyed fifteen
days, by night and day, in going and returning, and brought her three
apples which I purchased of the gardener at El-Ba[s.]rah for three
pieces of gold; and, going in, I handed them to her; but she was not
pleased by them, and left them by her side. She was then suffering from
a violent fever, and she continued ill during a period of ten days.
After this she recovered her health, and I went out and repaired to my
shop, and sat there to sell and buy;[IV_7] and while I was thus
occupied, at mid-day there passed by me a black slave, having in his
hand an apple, with which he was playing: so I said to him, Whence didst
thou get this apple, for I would procure one like it?--Upon which he
laughed, and answered, I got it from my sweetheart: I had been absent,
and came, and found her ill, and she had three apples; and she said to
me, My unsuspecting husband journeyed to El-Ba[s.]rah for them, and
bought them for three pieces of gold:--and I took this apple from
her.--When I heard the words of the slave, O Prince of the Faithful, the
world became black before my face, and I shut up my shop, and returned
to my house, deprived of my reason by excessive rage. I found not the
third apple, and said to her, Where is the apple? She answered, I know
not whither it is gone. I was convinced thus that the slave had spoken
the truth, and I arose, and took a knife, and throwing myself upon her
bosom, plunged the knife into her: I then cut off her head and limbs,
and put them in the basket in haste, and covered them with the izar,
over which I laid a piece of carpet: then I put the basket in the chest,
and, having locked this, conveyed it on my mule, and threw it with my
own hands into the Tigris.[IV_8]
And now, continued the young man, I conjure thee by Allah, O Prince of
the Faithful, to hasten my death in retaliation for her murder, as I
dread, otherwise, her appeal for vengeance upon me on the day of
resurrection:[IV_9] for when I had thrown her into the Tigris without
the knowledge of any one, I returned to my house, and found my eldest
boy crying, though he knew not what I had done to his mother: so I said
to him, What maketh thee cry?--and he answered, I took one of the apples
that my mother had, and went down with it into the street to play with
my brothers, and a tall black slave snatched it from me, and said to me,
Whence came this to thee? I answered him, My father made a journey for
it, and brought it from El-Ba[s.]rah, for the sake of my mother; for she
is sick: he bought three apples for three pieces of gold:--but he took
it from me and beat me, and went away with it; and I am afraid that my
mother may beat me on account of the apple.--When I heard my son's
story, I discovered that the slave had forged a lie against the daughter
of my uncle, and found that she had been killed unjustly; and as I was
weeping bitterly for what I had done, this sheykh, my uncle and her
father, came to me, and I informed him of the event; and he seated
himself by me, and wept. We wept until midnight, and continued our
mourning for her five days, ceasing not to the present day to bewail her
death. By the honour of thine ancestors, therefore, hasten my death, to
retaliate her murder upon me.
The Khaleefeh wondered at the young man's story, and said, By Allah, I
will not put to death any but the wicked slave; for the young man is
excusable. Then looking towards Ja[a.]far, he said to him, Bring before
me this wicked slave who hath been the cause of the catastrophe; or, if
thou bring him not, thou shalt be put to death in his stead. So the
Wezeer departed weeping, and saying, Whence shall I bring him? Not every
time that the jar is struck doth it escape being broken! I have no
stratagem to employ in this affair: but He who delivered me in the first
case may deliver me in the second. By Allah, I will not go out from my
house for three days; and the Truth, whose perfection be extolled, will
do what He willeth!--So he remained in his house three days, and on the
fourth day he caused the [K.]a[d.]ee to be brought, and made his
testamentary arrangements; and as he was bidding farewell to his
children, and weeping, lo, the messenger of the Khaleefeh came and said
to him, The Prince of the Faithful is in a most violent rage, and hath
sent me to thee; and he hath sworn that this day shall not pass until
thou art put to death if thou do not bring to him the slave.
On hearing this, Ja[a.]far wept, and his children wept with him; and
when he had bidden them all farewell except his youngest daughter, he
approached her for the same purpose. He loved her more than all his
other children; and he pressed her to his bosom, and wept at the thought
of his separation from her; but, in doing this, he felt something round
in her pocket, and said to her, What is in thy pocket? She answered, O
my father, it is an apple; our slave Rey[h.]an[IV_10] brought it, and I
have had it four days; he would not give it me until he had received
from me two pieces of gold.--At this mention of the slave and the apple,
Ja[a.]far rejoiced, and exclaimed, O ready Dispeller of
trouble![IV_11]--and immediately he ordered that the slave should be
brought before him. He was therefore brought in, and he said to him,
Whence came this apple?--O my master, he answered, I went out five days
ago, and, entering one of the by-streets of the city, I saw some
children playing, and one of them had this apple: and I snatched it from
him, and beat him; and he cried, and said, That belongs to my mother,
and she is sick: she wanted my father to bring her an apple, and he made
a journey to El-Ba[s.]rah, and brought back for her three apples which
he bought for three pieces of gold; and I took this to play with
it:--then he cried again; but, paying no regard to him, I took it away
and brought it hither; and my little mistress bought it of me for two
pieces of gold.--When he heard this story, Ja[a.]far was filled with
wonder at discovering that this distressing event, and the murder of the
damsel, had been occasioned by his slave; and he took the slave and went
with him to the Khaleefeh, who ordered that the story should be
committed to writing, and published.
[Illustration]
Ja[a.]far then said to him, Wonder not, O Prince of the Faithful, at his
tale, for it is not more extraordinary than the story of the Wezeer
Noor-ed-Deen, and Shems-ed-Deen, his brother.--What story, said the
Khaleefeh, can be more wonderful than this?--O Prince of the Faithful,
replied Ja[a.]far, I will not relate it to thee unless on the condition
that thou exempt my slave from the punishment of death. The Khaleefeh
said, I give thee his blood:--and Ja[a.]far, thereupon, commenced the
relation of the story as follows:--
THE STORY OF NOOR-ED-DEEN AND HIS SON, AND OF SHEMS-ED-DEEN AND HIS
DAUGHTER.
Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that there was, in Cairo,[IV_12] a
Sul[t.]an,[IV_13] just and beneficent, who had a wise and well-informed
Wezeer, possessing a knowledge of the affairs of the world, and of the
art of government. This minister was an aged man, and he had two sons,
like two moons: the name of the elder was Shems-ed-Deen, and that of the
younger, Noor-ed-Deen;[IV_14] and the latter was more distinguished than
the former by handsomeness and comeliness: there was no one in his day
more handsome, so that the fame of his charms spread through the
neighbouring regions, and some of the inhabitants of those parts
travelled to his country merely to obtain a sight of him. And it came to
pass that their father died, and the Sul[t.]an mourned for him, and,
turning his regards towards the two sons, took them into his favour,
invested them with robes of honour, and said to them, Ye two are
instated in your father's office:--at which they rejoiced, and kissed
the ground before him. They observed the ceremonies of mourning[IV_15]
for their father during a period of a whole month, and entered upon the
office of Wezeers, each of them discharging the duties of this station
for a week at a time; and whenever the Sul[t.]an had a desire to go
forth on a journey, he took one of them with him.
Now it happened, one night, that the Sul[t.]an purposed commencing a
journey on the following morning; and it was the turn of the elder
Wezeer to accompany him; and as the two brothers were conversing
together that night, the elder said, O my brother, it is my wish that we
should both marry on one night.--Do, O my brother, as thou desirest,
answered the younger; and I will comply with that which thou shalt say.
So they agreed to do this. The elder then said to his brother, If God so
decree that we obtain the betrothal of two maidens, and accomplish our
marriage on the same night, and they give birth to children on the same
day, and God will that thy wife have a son, and my wife have a daughter,
we will marry them to each other, for they will be cousins.--And what, O
my brother, said Noor-ed-Deen, wilt thou require of my son as the dowry
of thy daughter? He answered, I will require of thy son, as the dowry of
my daughter, three thousand pieces of gold, and three gardens, and three
farms; for if the young man make any other contract than this, it will
not be proper. But when Noor-ed-Deen heard this proposal, he exclaimed,
What is this dowry that thou imposest upon my son? Dost thou not know
that we are two brothers, and that we are both Wezeers, of one dignity?
It were incumbent on thee to offer thy daughter to my son as a free
gift, without any dowry; for thou knowest that the male is more
honourable than the female, and my child is a male, and by him shall our
memory be preserved: not by thy daughter.--What sayest thou of her?
asked his brother.--That our memory will not be preserved by her among
the nobles, answered Noor-ed-Deen. But thou desirest, added he, to act
with me according to the opinion of him who saith, If thou desire to
drive away a person who would buy, demand of him a high price.--I see
thee, replied Shems-ed-Deen, to have committed a fault, in making thy
son more honourable than my daughter: thou art doubtless deficient in
judgment, and destitute of good disposition, seeing that thou mentionest
the partnership in the office of Wezeer, when I admitted thee not to
share it with me excepting in my pity for thee, and that thou mightest
assist me: but talk as thou wilt: since thou hast said this, by Allah, I
will not marry my daughter to thy son, though thou offer me her weight
in gold.--On hearing these words of his brother, Noor-ed-Deen was
enraged, and said, I will not marry my son to thy daughter.--I will not
accept him as a husband for her, replied Shems-ed-Deen; and if I were
not purposing a journey, I would do to thee deeds that should serve as
warnings to others: however, when I return, God will do what He
willeth.--When Noor-ed-Deen heard this, he was full of anger, and became
unconscious of existence: but he concealed his feelings; and each of the
two brothers passed the night apart from the other; and in the morning
the Sul[t.]an set out on his journey, and, crossing over to the
island,[IV_16] proceeded towards the Pyramids, accompanied by the Wezeer
Shems-ed-Deen.
Noor-ed-Deen passed that night in a state of the utmost rage; and when
the morning came he arose, and, having performed the morning-prayers,
went to his closet and took out from it a pair of small saddle-bags,
which he filled with gold; and as he reflected upon the words of his
brother, and the contempt which he had shewn him, and the pride that he
had manifested towards him, he repeated these verses:--
Travel. Thou wilt find a friend in the place of him thou leavest;
and fatigue thyself; for by labour are the sweets of life
obtained.
To a man of intelligence and education there is no glory in a constant
residence: therefore quit thy native place, and go abroad.
I have observed that the stagnation of water corrupteth it;
if it floweth, it becometh sweet; but otherwise, it doth not.
If the full moon never set, the eye of the contemplative would not
on every occasion pay regard to it:
The lions, if they left not the forest, would capture no prey;
and the arrow, if it quitted not the bow, would not strike the mark:
The grains of gold upon their native bed are regarded as mere dust;
and the aloes-wood, where it groweth, is a kind of firewood:
If exported, it becometh an object of high demand; but if not,
it attaineth no kind of distinction.
He then ordered one of his young men to saddle for him a dapple mule,
tall, and of quick pace; and he did so, placing upon her a saddle
adorned with gold, with stirrups of Indian steel, and housings of the
velvet of I[s.]pahan; and she resembled a bride displayed before her
husband. He ordered him also to place upon her a carpet of silk, and a
prayer-carpet,[IV_17] and to put the saddle-bags beneath the latter; and
when this was done, he said to the young man and the slaves, I have a
desire to take a ride for my amusement outside the city, towards the
province of [K.]alyoob, and shall be absent three nights; and let none
of you follow me, for my heart is contracted.
[Illustration]
Having thus said, he mounted his mule in haste, and, taking with him a
small supply of food, departed from the city, turning his face towards
the open country. The hour of noon overtook him not until he entered the
city of Bilbeys, where he alighted to repose himself and rest his mule,
and ate; after which he took from this place what he required for
himself, and some provender for his mule, and, having placed these
provisions upon her, went forth again into the plain, and before noon on
the second following day, he entered Jerusalem.[IV_18] Here he alighted
again, and rested himself and his beast, and ate: he then placed his
saddle-bags under his head, and spread his carpet, and slept, still
overcome by anger. He passed the night in this place; and in the morning
he remounted, and he continued to urge on his mule until he arrived at
Aleppo,[IV_19] where he alighted at a [K.]han, and remained three days
to give rest to himself and his mule, and to enjoy the air of the place:
which having done, he determined to prosecute his journey, and mounted
his mule, and went forth. He knew not whither to direct his course; but
travelled on until he arrived at the city of El-Ba[s.]rah; and scarcely
was he aware that the night had overtaken him, when he alighted there at
a Khan, where he took off the saddle-bags from the mule, and spread the
prayer-carpet, committing the mule, with her equipage, to the care of
the door-keeper, and ordering him to walk her about a little.
[Illustration]
The door-keeper did so; and it happened that the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah,
sitting at a window of his palace, saw the mule, and, observing her
costly equipage, thought that she must belong to some Wezeer or King;
and as he attentively regarded her he was surprised, and said to one of
his pages, Bring before me that door-keeper. So the page went and
brought him; and the door-keeper, approaching, kissed the ground before
him. The Wezeer, who was an aged person, then said to this man, Who is
the owner of this mule, and what is his appearance?--O my lord, answered
the door-keeper, her owner is a young man of elegant person, of the sons
of the merchants, and of a dignified and grave aspect. On hearing this,
the Wezeer arose, and, mounting his horse,[IV_20] went to the Khan, and
introduced himself to the young man, who, as soon as he saw him
approaching, rose to meet him, and embraced him. The Wezeer, after he
had alighted from his horse, saluted him and welcomed him, and, seating
him by his side, said to him, Whence, O my son, hast thou come; and for
what purpose?--O my lord, answered Noor-ed-Deen, I have come from the
city of Cairo: my father was Wezeer there; and he hath departed to
receive the mercy of God;--and he informed him of all that had happened
to him from first to last, adding, I have determined that I will not
return until I shall have seen all the cities and countries of the
world.--O my son, replied the Wezeer, obey not the suggestions of thy
mind, lest thou expose thyself to destruction; for the countries are
waste, and I fear on thy account the issues of fortune. So saying, he
ordered that the saddle-bags should be placed again on the mule,
together with the carpet of silk and the prayer-carpet, and took
Noor-ed-Deen with him to his house, where he lodged him in an elegant
apartment, and treated him with honour and kindness; and, conceiving a
strong affection for him, said to him, O my son, I have become an old
man, and I have no male child; God, however, hath blessed me with a
daughter who resembleth thee in comeliness, and I have rejected many
persons who have been her suitors: but now, love for thee hath entered
my heart; wilt thou then take my daughter as thy hand-maid to serve
thee, and be her husband? If thou consent to this, I will go up to the
Sul[t.]an of El-Ba[s.]rah, and will say to him, This is the son of my
brother;--and I will introduce thee to him, that I may make thee Wezeer
in my place, and I will remain in my house; for I am now
aged.--Noor-ed-Deen, on hearing this proposal of the Wezeer of
El-Ba[s.]rah, hung down his head, and then answered, I hear and obey.
[Illustration]
The Wezeer rejoiced at his assent, and ordered his servants to prepare
for him a repast, and to decorate the great saloon[IV_21] which was
furnished for the reception of the chiefs of the Emeers. He then called
together his friends, and invited the great officers of the state, and
the merchants of El-Ba[s.]rah; and when they had come into his presence,
he said to them, I had a brother who was Wezeer in the land of Egypt,
and God blessed him with two sons; and me, as ye know, He hath blessed
with a daughter: now my brother enjoined me to marry my daughter to one
of his sons, and I consented to do so; and when she attained a fit age
for marriage, he sent to me one of his sons, who is this young man here
present. As soon, therefore, as he had come, I desired to perform the
marriage-contract between him and my daughter, and that he should
introduce himself to her here in my house.--Excellently hast thou done!
they replied. They then drank sherbet of sugar, and the pages sprinkled
rose-water upon them, and they departed: after which, the Wezeer ordered
his servants to conduct Noor-en-Deen to the bath, and gave him a suit of
his best clothes,[IV_22] and sent to him the napkins and cups and
perfuming-vessels, and everything else that he required. So when he came
out from the bath, he put on the suit of clothes, and appeared like the
full moon; and he mounted his mule, and, returning to the palace,
alighted and presented himself before the Wezeer, and kissed his hand:
and the Wezeer welcomed him, saying, Arise, and introduce thyself this
night to thy wife; and to-morrow I will go up with thee to the
Sul[t.]an, and I pray that God may bless thee with every kind of
happiness. Noor-ed-Deen therefore arose, and went to his wife, the
daughter of the Wezeer.--Thus did it happen to Noor-ed-Deen.
As to his brother, he continued a while journeying with the Sul[t.]an,
and when he returned, and found not his brother, he inquired of the
servants respecting him, and they answered, On the day of thy departure
with the Sul[t.]an, he mounted his mule, caparisoned as for a procession
of state, and said, I am going towards the province of [K.]alyoob, and
shall be absent a day or two days; for my heart is contracted; therefore
let none of you follow me:--and from the day on which he went forth, to
the present day, we have heard no tidings of him. Upon this the heart of
Shems-ed-Deen was troubled at the separation of his brother, and he
grieved excessively for his loss, saying within himself, The cause of
this is nothing else than my having spoken harshly to him in my
conversation on the night before my departure with the Sul[t.]an; and
probably his mind was disturbed, and he went on a journey: I must
therefore send after him. He then went up and related this event to the
Sul[t.]an, who wrote letters and sent them to his vicegerents in all the
provinces: but Noor-ed-Deen had traversed distant regions during the
absence of his brother with the Sul[t.]an: therefore the messengers,
when they had gone with the letters, returned without having obtained
any information respecting him. So Shems-ed-Deen despaired of his
brother, and said, I have enraged my brother by what I said to him
concerning the marriage of the children. Would that I had not done so!
This was not occasioned but by my want of sense and judgment!--And soon
after this, he demanded in marriage the daughter of one of the merchants
of Cairo, and performed the marriage-contract between himself and her,
and introduced himself to her: and it happened that the night when this
event took place was the same night on which Noor-ed-Deen introduced
himself to his wife, the daughter of the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah: this
being in accordance with the will of God, whose name be exalted, that He
might execute his decree upon his creatures.
The event was as they both had said: for it came to pass that the two
wives conceived by them: the wife of Shems-ed-Deen, the Wezeer, of
Egypt, gave birth to a daughter, than whom there was not seen, in that
country, one more beautiful; and the wife of Noor-ed-Deen gave birth to
a son, one more beautiful than whom was not seen in his time: as the
poet hath said:--
If beauty came to be compared with him, it would hang down its head
in shame;
Or if it were said, O beauty, hast thou seen the like?--it would
answer, The equal of this I have not.
So they named him [H.]asan;[IV_23] and on the seventh day after his
birth, they made entertainments and spread repasts such as were fit for
the sons of Kings[IV_24] after which the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah took
with him Noor-ed-Deen, and went up with him to the Sul[t.]an; and when
he came into his presence he kissed the ground before him; and
Noor-ed-Deen, being eloquent in tongue, and firm of heart, and comely in
person and in actions, recited these words of the poet:--
This is he whose justice extendeth to all men, and who hath overrun
and subdued every region.
Be thankful for his benefits; for they are not mere benefits;
but they are strings of jewels on the necks of his people;
And kiss his fingers; for they are not mere fingers;
but they are the keys of the supplies of Providence.
The Sul[t.]an treated them both with honour, and, having thanked
Noor-ed-Deen for his address, said to his Wezeer, Who is this young man?
The Wezeer therefore related to him his story from beginning to end,
and added, This is the son of my brother.--How is it, said the
Sul[t.]an, that he is the son of thy brother, and we have not before
heard of him? The Wezeer answered, O our lord the Sul[t.]an, I had a
brother who was Wezeer in the land of Egypt, and he died, leaving two
sons: the elder succeeded to his father's office, as Wezeer, and this
his younger son came to me; and I swore that I would not marry my
daughter to any but him: so, when he came, I married him to her. He is a
young man, and I am now aged; my hearing is impaired, and my judgment
faileth: it is my wish, therefore, that our lord the Sul[t.]an would
instate him in my office, seeing that he is the son of my brother and
the husband of my daughter, and a person worthy of the dignity of
Wezeer; for he is endowed with knowledge and judgment.--The Sul[t.]an,
upon this, looked towards him, and, being pleased with him, approved of
the advice of the Wezeer that he should promote him to that office; so
he bestowed it upon him, and ordered that a magnificent dress of honour
should be given to him, and one of the best of the mules upon which he
was himself accustomed to ride, allotting him also supplies and
salaries; and Noor-ed-Deen kissed the hand of the Sul[t.]an, and
descended with his father-in-law to their house, both in high delight,
and saying, Verily the birth of this child is fortunate. On the
following day Noor-ed-Deen went again to the King, and kissed the
ground, and the Sul[t.]an ordered him to sit in the place of the Wezeer:
so he sat, and occupied himself with the affairs of his office, and
examined the cases of the people, and their suits, according to the
custom of Wezeers: and the Sul[t.]an, observing him, was surprised at
his conduct, and the acuteness of his understanding, and his good
judgment. He attentively considered his qualities, and loved him, and
advanced him in his favour: and when the court was dissolved,
Noor-ed-Deen returned to his house, and related what had passed to his
father-in-law, who was rejoiced at hearing it.
[Illustration]
The old Wezeer ceased not to superintend the rearing of the child, who
was named [H.]asan, for many days, while Noor-ed-Deen was constantly
occupied with the affairs of his office, so that he left not the
Sul[t.]an by day nor by night; and the King increased his salaries and
supplies until his circumstances became ample: he had ships which made
voyages under his orders with merchandise and other things, and he
founded numerous estates, and made water-wheels[IV_25] and gardens. Thus
did he until his son [H.]asan was four years of age, when the old
Wezeer, the father of his wife, died; and he conveyed his corpse with
great pomp, and decently deposited it in the earth. He then turned his
thoughts towards the education of his son; and when the child had gained
strength, he brought him a tutor to teach him in his own house, charging
him to instruct him and educate him well; and the tutor did so, and
taught him various useful sciences, after he had passed some years in
learning the [K.]ur-an. [H.]asan meanwhile increased in loveliness and
beauty, and elegance of person. The tutor continued to educate him in
his father's palace; and from the time that he arrived at adolescence he
went not out of the Wezeer's palace, until his father took him one day,
and, having clad him in one of the richest of his dresses, mounted him
on one of his best mules, and conducted him to the Sul[t.]an, and
introduced him. When the King beheld [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen,[IV_26] the
son of the Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen, he was astonished at his beauty; and the
people, when he passed by them for the first time, going up with his
father to the King, were amazed at his surpassing beauty and loveliness,
and elegance of person. The Sul[t.]an, as soon as he saw him, loved him,
and bestowed marks of favour upon him, and said to his father, O Wezeer,
thou must bring him with thee every day. The Wezeer answered, I hear and
obey;--and returned with his son to his abode; and he continued every
day to go up with him to the Sul[t.]an until the youth attained the age
of fifteen years.
His father, the Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen, then fell sick, and called him into
his presence, and said to him, O my son, know that this world is a
perishable abode, and the world to come is an everlasting abode. I wish
to give thee some precepts, and do thou understand what I am about to
say to thee, and incline thy heart to it.--And he began to counsel him
respecting the proper mode of conducting himself in society, and the due
management of his affairs; and when he had done so, he reflected upon
his brother and his native place and country, and wept at the thought of
his separation from those he loved; his tears flowing: and he said, O my
son, hear my words. I have a brother[IV_27] in Cairo, and I quitted him
and departed against his will.--He then took a piece of paper,[IV_28]
and wrote upon it all that had happened to him from first to last,
together with the date of his marriage and introduction to the daughter
of the Wezeer, and the date of his arrival at El-Ba[s.]rah and his
interview with its Wezeer; and, having added some strict admonition, he
said to his son, Keep this charge, for the paper on which it is written
containeth an account of thine origin and thy rank and lineage; and if
any evil accident befall thee, repair to Cairo, and inquire for thine
uncle, and salute him, and inform him that I died in a strange land,
ardently desiring that I could see him. Therefore [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen
took the paper, and, having folded it, and wrapped it in a piece of
waxed cloth,[IV_29] sewed it between the lining and the outer cloth of
his cap,[IV_30] and wept for his father, that he should be parted from
him in his youth.
Noor-ed-Deen then said to his son,[IV_31] I charge thee that thou be not
familiar with any one; for in retirement is security. Divinely gifted
was the poet who said,--
There is none in thy time whose friendship thou shouldst covet;
nor any intimate who, when fortune is treacherous, will be
faithful.
Live then apart, and rely upon no man: I have given thee,
in these words, good advice, and sufficient.
Accustom thyself to taciturnity: occupy thyself with thine own affairs,
and use not many words: for the poet saith,--
Taciturnity is an ornament, and in silence is security: therefore,
when thou speakest, be not loquacious:
For if thou repent once of thy silence, thou wilt assuredly repent
many times of thy speech.
Beware of drinking wine; for it is the source of every kind of mischief.
The poet[IV_32] saith on this subject,--
I have abandoned wine and those who drink it; and have become
the friend of such as condemn it.
Wine leadeth astray from the path of rectitude, and openeth
the doors to evil.
Hate no man, and oppress none; for oppression is base. The poet saith,--
Oppress not if thou hast the power to do so; for oppression will
eventually bring thee repentance:
Thine eye will sleep while the oppressed, wakeful, will call for
vengeance upon thee; and the eye of God sleepeth not.
Despise thy wealth, but not thyself: yet bestow not wealth save upon him
who deserveth it. If thou keep it, it will keep thee; but if thou
squander it, it will ruin thee; and then wilt thou need the assistance
of the least of mankind. It hath been said by the poet,--
When my wealth faileth, no friend assisteth me; but when it aboundeth,
all men are my friends.
How many enemies for the sake of wealth have consorted with me!
And my companion, in the time of want, hath abandoned me!
In this manner he continued to admonish his son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen
until his spirit departed. The house became a scene of mourning, and the
Sul[t.]an and all the Emeers grieved for him; and they buried him. They
continued their mourning during a period of two months, and the son of
Noor-ed-Deen rode not out nor went to the court nor presented himself
before the Sul[t.]an; and the King instated one of the Chamberlains in
his place, and appointed a new Wezeer in the place of his father, and
ordered this Wezeer to put seals upon all the houses of Noor-ed-Deen,
and upon his wealth and all his buildings and other possessions.[IV_33]
So the new Wezeer went with the Chamberlains to the house of the Wezeer
Noor-ed-Deen, to seal its door and to arrest his son [H.]asan
Bedr-ed-Deen, and bring him before the Sul[t.]an, that he might do to
him what his judgment required. But there was among the troops one of
the memlooks of the deceased Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen; and he could not
endure that the son of his master should be thus treated: he therefore
repaired to [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, whom he found with downcast head and
mourning heart, on account of the death of his father, and acquainted
him with what had passed. [H.]asan asked him, Will the execution of the
order be delayed long enough for me to enter my house,[IV_34] and take
somewhat of my worldly possessions by which to obtain support during my
exile? But the memlook answered, Save thyself:--and when [H.]asan heard
these words, he covered his head with the skirt of his robe, and, going
forth on foot, fled of the city: and he heard the people saying, The
Sul[t.]an hath sent the new Wezeer to the house of the deceased Wezeer,
to seal his wealth and other possessions, and to arrest his son [H.]asan
Bedr-ed-Deen, and bring him before him that he may put him to
death:--and the people were mourning for him on account of his beauty
and loveliness. So when he heard what they said, he took a course that
he had not intended, and, not knowing whither to go, walked on until
destiny urged him to the tomb of his father.
[Illustration]
Entering the burial-ground, he bent his way among the tombs until he
seated himself at that of his father, where he removed his skirt from
over his head. And as he was sitting there, a Jew of El-Ba[s.]rah
approached, and said to him, Wherefore, O my master, do I see thee thus
changed? He answered, I was just now sleeping, and I beheld my father
reproaching me for having failed to visit his tomb: wherefore I rose in
alarm, fearing that the day would pass without my visiting it, and so
the occurrence would distress me. The Jew then said to him, O my master,
thy father despatched some vessels with merchandise, and some of them
have returned; and it is my wish to purchase of thee the cargo of every
vessel that hath arrived for a thousand pieces of gold;--and so saying,
he took out a purse filled with gold, and counted out from it a thousand
pieces, which he paid to [H.]asan the son of the Wezeer, and said to
him, Write me a paper, and seal it. So [H.]asan took a paper, and wrote
upon it, The writer of this paper, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, the son of the
Wezeer Noor-ed-Deen, hath sold to the Jew such a one the whole cargo of
every one of his father's vessels that hath returned from her voyage,
for a thousand pieces of gold, and hath received the price in advance.
And after he had taken a copy[IV_35] of it, the Jew went away with the
paper; and [H.]asan wept, reflecting upon his former state of dignity
and favour. At length the night closed in upon him, and sleep overtook
him, and he remained asleep at his father's tomb until the moon rose
when his head rolled from the tomb, and he lay and slept on his back,
his face shining in the moonlight.
[Illustration]
Now the burial-ground was inhabited by believing Jinn; and a Jinneeyeh,
coming forth, saw the face of [H.]asan as he lay asleep, and when she
beheld him, was surprised at his beauty and loveliness, and exclaimed,
Extolled be Allah's perfection! This youth is like none but the virgins
of paradise!--She then soared into the air, to perform her accustomed
circuits, and saw an 'Efreet on his flight. She saluted him, and he
returned her salutation; and she said to him, Whence comest thou? He
answered from Cairo:--and she said to him, Wilt thou go with me to
behold the beauty of the youth who is sleeping in the burial-ground? He
replied, Yes. So they went together; and when they had descended into
the burial-ground, she said to him, Hast thou seen in the course of thy
life a person like this?--And the 'Efreet looked upon him, and
exclaimed, Extolled be the perfection of Him unto whom none is to be
compared! But, O my sister, he added, if thou desire, I will relate to
thee what I have seen.--Tell me, she replied: so he said, I have seen a
person resembling this youth in the land of Egypt; and that person is
the daughter of the Wezeer. The King had heard of her, and demanded her
of her father, the Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen, in marriage; but he answered
him, O our lord the Sul[t.]an, accept my excuse, and pity my grief; for
thou knowest that my brother Noor-ed-Deen departed from us, and we know
not where he is; and that he shared with me the office of Wezeer; and
the cause of his departure was this, that I was sitting conversing with
him on the subject of marriage, and he was angry with me, and in anger
went away:--and he related to the King all that had passed between them;
adding, This was the cause of his indignation, and I have been under an
oath that I will not marry my daughter to any but the son of my brother
from the day that her mother gave birth to her; and that was about
fifteen years ago: and lately I heard that my brother had married the
daughter of the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah, and obtained a son by her; and I
will not marry my daughter to any but him, in honour of my brother.
After I had heard this, I recorded the date of my marriage, and of my
wife's conception, and of the birth of this daughter: she is intended
for the son of her uncle; and of other maidens there are plenty.--But
when the Sul[t.]an heard these words of the Wezeer, he was violently
enraged, and said, How is it that such a one as myself demandeth in
marriage a daughter from one like thee, and thou withholdest her from
him, and excusest thyself by an absurd pretext? By my head, I will not
marry her but to one of less consideration than myself, in scorn of thy
pride!--And the King had a humpbacked groom, with a hump before and a
hump behind; and he ordered him to be brought, and affianced him to the
daughter of the Wezeer, commanding that he should introduce himself to
her this night, and be conducted in pompous procession. I left him in
the midst of the memlooks of the Sul[t.]an, who were surrounding him
with lighted candles in their hands, laughing at him and mocking him, at
the door of the bath, while the daughter of the Wezeer was sitting
weeping in the midst of the dye-women[IV_36] and tire-women.[IV_37] She
resembles more than any other person this youth. They have prohibited
her father from going to her; and I have never seen, O my sister, a more
ugly wretch than this humpback: but as to the maiden, she is more
beautiful than this youth.
To this story of the 'Efreet, the Jinneeyeh answered, Thou liest; for
this youth is the most beautiful of the people of his age. But the
'Efreet replied, By Allah, O my sister, the maiden is more beautiful
than he: however, none but he is suited to her; for they resemble each
other, and probably are brother and sister, or cousins; and how will she
be thrown away upon this humpback! She therefore said to him, O my
brother, let us place ourselves beneath him and lift him up and take him
to the maiden of whom thou speakest, and see which of the two is more
beautiful. The 'Efreet answered, I hear and obey: this proposal is
right, and there can be no better determination than this which thou
hast chosen; therefore I will carry him. So he lifted him up, and
soared into the sky, and the Jinneeyeh flew by his side until he
descended with him in the city of Cairo, where he placed him upon a
ma[s.][t.]abah,[IV_38] and roused him from his sleep.[IV_39]
When, therefore, he awoke, and found that he was not at his father's
tomb in the land of El-Ba[s.]rah, he looked to the right and left, and
perceived that he was in a city that was not El-Ba[s.]rah, and would
have cried out, but the 'Efreet winked to him, and, lighting for him a
candle, said to him, Know that I have brought thee hither, and I desire
to do thee a service for the sake of God: take, therefore, this candle,
and go with it to yonder bath, and mix with the people there, and
proceed with them until thou arrivest at the saloon of the bride; then
go before, and enter the saloon, and fear no one; and when thou hast
entered, station thyself on the right of the humpbacked bridegroom; and
whenever the tire-women and singing-women and dye-women come to thee,
put thy hand into thy pocket: thou wilt find it full of gold, and do
thou take it by the handful and throw it to them; and imagine not that
thou wilt put thy hand in and not find it filled with gold: give
therefore to every one who cometh to thee by the handful, and fear
nothing; but rely upon Him who created thee; for this will not be
through thine own strength or power, but through the strength of God,
and his power.
[Illustration]
On hearing these words of the 'Efreet, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen said, What
is this event, and what manner of kindness is this? And he went with his
candle to the bath, where he found the humpback mounted on his horse;
and he joined himself to the party, in the same garb in which he had
arrived, and with the same comely appearance; being attired with a
[t.]arboosh[IV_40] and turban, and a farajeeyeh[IV_41] interwoven with
gold. He proceeded with the pompous train, and every time that the
singing-women stopped for the people to give them money, he put his hand
into his pocket, and found it filled with gold, and took it by the
handful and threw it into the tambourine,[IV_42] for the singing-women
and tire-women, filling the tambourine with pieces of gold: and the
singing-women were amazed, and the people wondered at his beauty and
loveliness. Thus he continued to do until they arrived at the house of
the Wezeer, when the chamberlains drove back the people, and prevented
their entrance; but the singing-women and tire-women said, By Allah, we
will not enter unless this youth enter with us, for he hath overwhelmed
us with his favours, and the bride shall not be displayed unless he be
present:--and upon this they entered with him into the saloon of the
festivity, and seated him, in spite of the humpbacked bridegroom. All
the ladies of the Emeers and Wezeers and Chamberlains were ranged in two
rows, each lady holding a large lighted candle, and having her head-veil
drawn across the lower part of her face: thus they stood in two rows, to
the right and the left, from the foot of the couch of the bride to the
upper end of the leewan that adjoined the chamber from which the bride
was to come forth. And when the ladies beheld [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen and
his beauty and loveliness, his face shining like the crescent of the
moon, the hearts of all of them inclined to him, and the female singers
said to all the women who were present, Know that this charming youth
hath given us nothing but red gold; therefore fail not to serve him
properly, and obey him in whatever he shall say. The women crowded
round him to gaze at his charms, and their minds were overpowered by
astonishment at his beauty, and each of them wished that she might be in
his bosom for a year or a month or an hour: they removed the veils from
their faces, and their hearts were perplexed, and they said, Joy to the
person to whom this youth belongeth, or to the person over whom he is
lord! Then they imprecated evil upon the humpbacked groom and him who
was the cause of his marriage to that lovely maiden; and every time that
they prayed for blessings upon [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, they imprecated
misfortunes upon the humpback.
The singing-women then beat the tambourines, and the tire-women
approached with the daughter of the Wezeer in the midst of them. They
had perfumed her with sweet scents and essences, and clad her, and
adorned her hair and neck with various ornaments, decking her with
garments such as were worn by the ancient monarchs of Persia. Among
these was a loose gown embroidered with red gold, presenting the forms
of wild beasts and birds, hanging down over her other clothes; and round
her neck was a necklace worth thousands, composed of jewels such as
neither a King of El-Yemen nor a Caesar ever collected: she was like the
moon shining in its fourteenth night, and when she approached she
resembled a [H.]ooreeyeh.[IV_43] Extolled be the perfection of him who
created her so splendid a being! The women encompassed her, and appeared
like stars; she, in the midst of them, being as the moon when the clouds
have withdrawn from before it. Meanwhile, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen remained
sitting, with the company gazing at him; and as the bride approached
with a dignified and graceful gait, the humpbacked groom rose to her, to
kiss her; but she turned aside from him, and went and stood before
[H.]asan, the son of her uncle. The company laughed at this; and when
they beheld her turn towards [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, and saw him put his
hand into his pocket and take out handfuls of gold and throw it into the
tambourine of the singing-women, they were delighted, and said, We wish
that this bride were thine:--and he smiled. All this time the humpbacked
groom was alone, looking like an ape; and every time that they lighted
his candle it went out again, and he was confounded, and remained
sitting in the dark, full of secret indignation, with all the company
surrounding him, while the lighted candles presented an appearance of
beauty that was most admirable, so that every person of reflection was
amazed at their splendour. But as to the bride, she raised her hands
towards heaven, and said, O Allah, make this to be my husband, and
relieve me from this humpbacked groom!--The tire-women then proceeded to
display the bride in different dresses, to the seventh suit, before
[H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of El-Ba[s.]rah, the humpbacked groom remaining
alone; and when they had finished this ceremony they gave permission to
the company to depart: so all who were present at the festivity, both
women and children, went out, except [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen and the
humpbacked groom; after which the tire-women conducted the bride to an
inner chamber, to take off her ornaments and outer robes, and to prepare
her for the bridegroom's visit.
Upon this, the humpbacked groom approached [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, and
said to him, O my master, thou hast made us happy by thy company this
night, and overwhelmed us with thy favours; but now wherefore dost thou
not rise and go to thy house without thy being ejected? He answered, In
the name of Allah;--and rose, and went out from the door: but the
'Efreet met him, and said unto him, Stay, O Bedr-ed-Deen; and when the
humpback retires into the private closet, enter thou and seat thyself in
the bride-chamber; and when the bride cometh, say to her, I am thy
husband; and the King had not recourse to this stratagem from any other
motive than his fearing for thee the effect of the eye;[IV_44] and this
whom thou hast seen is one of our grooms:--then approach her, and
uncover her face, and fear no evil from any one.
[Illustration]
While Bedr-ed-Deen was thus conversing with the 'Efreet, lo, the groom
entered the closet, and seated himself; and immediately the 'Efreet rose
before him, from the trough of water that was in the closet,[IV_45] in
the form of a mouse, and cried Zeek!--What brought thee here? said the
humpback. The mouse then increased in size, and became like a cat; and
then increased, and became a dog, and cried, 'Owh! 'Owh! At the sight
of this the groom was terrified, and exclaimed, Get away, thou
unlucky![IV_46] The dog, however, still increased and swelled until it
became an ass, and brayed in his face, crying, Ha[k.]! Ha[k.]!--upon
which the groom, in terror, cried out, Come to my aid, O people of the
house! But lo, the ass increased, and became like a buffalo, and,
stopping up the place before him, spoke with the speech of a son of
Adam, and said, Wo be to thee, O humpback! O filthiest of grooms! Upon
this the groom was seized with a colick, and seated himself upon the
slabs, and his teeth knocked together. The 'Efreet then said to him,
Hath the earth become narrow to thee, that thou wouldst marry none but
my mistress? But the groom was silent. Return me an answer, said the
'Efreet, or I will make thine abode to be in the dust!--By Allah, then
answered the groom, I am not in fault; for they compelled me, and I knew
not that she had a lover among the buffaloes; but now I repent before
Allah and before thee. Then the 'Efreet said, I swear by Allah that if
thou depart now from this place, or utter a word before the sun hath
risen, I will slay thee: and when the sun hath risen go thy way, and
never return to this house. And he seized the humpbacked groom, and,
placing his head upside down upon the slabs, and his feet upwards, said
to him, Remain here, and I will watch thee until sunrise.--Thus did it
happen to the humpback.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Now, as to [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of El-Ba[s.]rah, he left the humpback
and the 'Efreet contending together, and, entering the house, seated
himself in the bride-chamber; and lo, the bride approached, accompanied
by an old woman, who stopped at the door of the chamber, and said, O
Aboo-Shihab,[IV_47] rise, and take thy bride; and I commend thee to the
care of Allah. Then the old woman went away, and the bride, whose name
was Sitt-el-[H.]osn,[IV_48] advanced to the upper end of the chamber.
Her heart was broken, and she said within herself, By Allah, I will not
suffer him to caress me though my spirit depart from me! But when she
had proceeded to the upper end of the chamber, she beheld Bedr-ed-Deen,
and said, My beloved, until this hour art thou remaining? I had said
within myself, perhaps thou and the humpbacked groom are to share me
between you.--What, said he, should give the groom access to thee, and
wherefore should he be my partner in the possession of thee?--Who, then,
she asked, is my husband? Thou or he?--O my mistress, answered
Bedr-ed-Deen, we did not this for any other purpose than to make a jest
of him, and that we might laugh at him; for when the tire-women and the
singing-women and thy family beheld thine admirable beauty, they feared
for us the effect of the eye, and thy father hired him for ten pieces of
gold, in order that he might divert from us the eye; and now he hath
departed. When Sitt-el-[H.]osn heard these words of Bedr-ed-Deen, she
smiled, and uttered a gentle laugh, and said, By Allah, thou hast
extinguished my fire! Take me then, I conjure thee, and press me to thy
bosom.--And they embraced each other.
Not long after this, the 'Efreet said to the Jinneeyeh, Arise, and place
thyself beneath the youth, and let us convey him back, lest the morning
overtake us; for the time is near. So she advanced towards him, and,
placing herself beneath his skirt, as he lay asleep, took him up, and
flew away with him, in the state in which she found him, clad only in
his shirt, and pursued her flight with the 'Efreet by her side. But God
gave permission to some angels to cast at the 'Efreet a shooting-star of
fire, and he was burnt. The Jinneeyeh, however, escaped unhurt, and
deposited Bedr-ed-Deen in the place over which the shooting-star had
burnt the 'Efreet. She would not pass beyond it, fearing for his safety;
and as destiny had appointed, this place was Damascus: so she placed him
by one of the gates of this city, and flew away.
[Illustration]
When daylight therefore came, and the gates were opened, the people,
coming forth, beheld a beautiful youth clad in his shirt, and with a
cotton skull-cap without a turban. In consequence of his having been so
long wakeful, he was now immersed in sleep; and when the people saw him,
some said, Would that he had waited till he had put on his
clothes!--another said, Objects of pity are the children of men of
condition! Probably this youth hath just come forth from his
drinking-place, on account of some business, and intoxication hath
overcome him, and he hath wandered from the place to which he would go
until he arrived at the gate of the city, and, finding it locked, hath
slept here.--They had expressed various opinions respecting him, and
were wondering at his case, when Bedr-ed-Deen awoke. Perceiving that he
was at the gate of a city, and surrounded by men, he was astonished, and
said, Where am I, O good people; and what is the cause of your
assembling around me, and what hath befallen me among you? They
answered, We saw thee at the call to morning-prayer lying at this gate
asleep; and we know nothing more of thy case. Where wast thou sleeping
this last night?--By Allah, O people, he replied, I was sleeping this
last night in Cairo.--On hearing this, one of them said, Dost thou eat
[h.]asheesh?[IV_49] Another said, Thou art mad. How couldst thou be
passing the night in Cairo, and be sleeping in the morning at the city
of Damascus?--He said to them, By Allah, O good people, I will tell you
no falsehood: I was last night in the land of Egypt, and the day before
I was at El-Ba[s.]rah. One of them said, This is a wonderful thing!
Another said, This youth is mad. And they clapped their hands at him,
and, conversing together, said, Alas, for his youth! By Allah, there is
no denying his madness!--They then said to him, Return to thy reason.
But he replied, I was yesterday a bridegroom in the land of
Egypt.--Probably thou hast dreamt, said they, and hast seen this of
which thou speakest in thy sleep. And [H.]asan was confounded, and said,
By Allah, this was not a dream: and where is the humpbacked groom who
was sitting with us, and the purse of gold that I had? And where are my
clothes and my drawers?--He then rose, and entered the city, and
proceeded through its great thoroughfare-streets and market-streets; and
the people crowded round him and paraded him: so he entered the shop of
a cook. Now this cook was a robber,[IV_50] whom God had caused to repent
of his unlawful actions, and he had opened a cook's shop; and all the
people of Damascus feared him on account of his boldness; therefore,
when they saw that the youth had entered this shop, they left him, being
afraid.
When the cook beheld [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen, and observed his beauty and
comeliness, love for him entered his heart, and he said to him, Whence
art thou, O young man? Relate to me thy story; for thou art become
dearer to me than my soul.--So he related to him all that had happened,
from beginning to end: and the cook said to him, O my master
Bedr-ed-Deen, know that this is a wonderful event and an extraordinary
story; but, O my son, conceal thy case until God dispel thy trouble, and
remain with me in this place; and as I have not a son, I will adopt thee
as such. Bedr-ed-Deen replied, Let it be as thou desirest, O uncle. And
immediately the cook went out to the mart, and bought for Bedr-ed-Deen
costly clothes, and put them on him: he then went to the [K.]a[d.]ee,
and made a declaration that he was his adopted son:[IV_51] so [H.]asan
Bedr-ed-Deen became known throughout the city of Damascus as the son of
the cook; and he sat with him in the shop to receive the money, and in
this situation he remained.
Now as to Sitt-el-[H.]osn, when daybreak came and she awoke, she found
not [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen remaining with her, and, imagining that he
would soon return, she sat a while expecting him; and lo, her father
came in to her, troubled at that which had befallen him from the
Sul[t.]an, and at his having married his daughter by force to one of his
servants, the humpbacked groom; and he said within himself, I will kill
this girl if she have suffered the wretch to caress her. So he advanced
to the bride-chamber, and, stopping at the door, said, O
Sitt-el-[H.]osn! She answered, Well, O my master!--and came forth to
him, walking with a vacillating gait, through joy, and kissed the ground
before him; and her countenance beamed with increased splendour in
consequence of her union with that gazelle. When her father, therefore,
saw her in this state, he exclaimed to her, O thou base creature! art
thou delighted with this groom? On hearing these words of her father,
Sitt-el-[H.]osn smiled, and replied, By Allah, it is enough that thou
hast done, and that the people laugh at me, and put me on an equality
with this groom, who is not, in my estimation, of the value of a paring
of one of my finger-nails; but as to my husband--by Allah, I never in
the course of my life passed a night more delightful than that which I
have just passed in his company: therefore jest not with me by
mentioning that humpback.--When her father heard what she said he was
filled with rage; his eyes glared so that little appeared of them but
the white, and he said to her, Wo to thee! What are these words that
thou sayest? Verily the humpbacked groom hath passed the night with
thee!--I conjure thee by Allah, she rejoined, that thou mention him not.
May Allah reject him, and reject his father! Continue not then to mock
me by mentioning him; for the groom was only hired for ten pieces of
gold, and he took his hire and departed; and I came and entered the
bride-chamber, and beheld my husband seated, after the singing-women had
displayed me before him; and he threw them red gold until he had
enriched the poor who were present. I have reclined upon the bosom of my
gentle-hearted husband, with the black eyes and the joined
eyebrows.--When her father heard this, the light became darkness before
his face, and he exclaimed to her, O thou abandoned one! What is this
that thou sayest? Where is thy reason?--O my father, she replied, thou
hast broken my heart in pieces! Wherefore dost thou pay no attention?
This of whom I spake is my husband, and he hath retired to his private
closet.
So her father went thither, in a state of astonishment, and, entering
the closet, found the humpbacked groom with his head upon the slabs and
his feet turned upwards; and the Wezeer was confounded at the sight, and
said, Is not this the humpback?--and he spoke to him; but the humpback
returned no answer, thinking that it was the 'Efreet who addressed him.
The Wezeer, therefore, cried out at him with a loud voice, and said to
him, Speak, or I will cut off thy head with this sword! Upon which the
humpback exclaimed, By Allah, O sheykh of the 'Efreets, from the time
that thou placedst me here I have not raised my head: I conjure thee
therefore that thou shew favour to me!--The Wezeer, on hearing the
humpback thus address him, said to him, What sayest thou? I am the
father of the bride, and I am not an 'Efreet.--Then said the humpback,
My life is not in thy hand, nor art thou able to take my soul; so go thy
way before he come to thee who hath treated me in this manner. Ye would
not marry me to any but the mistress of buffaloes and the mistress of
'Efreets! May Allah, then, confound him who married me to her, and
confound him who was the cause of it!--Then did the humpbacked groom
address the Wezeer, the father of the bride, again, saying, Allah
confound him who was the cause of this!--Rise, said the Wezeer, and
depart from this place.--Am I mad, he replied, that I should go with
thee without the permission of the 'Efreet? For he said to me, When the
sun shall have risen go thy way.--Hath the sun then risen or not? For I
cannot depart from my place until the sun hath risen.--Upon this the
Wezeer said to him, Who brought thee to this place? He answered, I came
hither yesterday, and a dust rose from the midst of the water, and cried
out, and increased in bulk until it became of the size of a buffalo, and
said to me words that entered my ear. Leave me, therefore, and go. Allah
confound the bride and him who married me to her!--The Wezeer then
approached him, and dragged him forth, and he went out running, doubting
whether the sun had risen, and went up to the Sul[t.]an, and informed
him of that which had happened to him with the 'Efreet.
But as to the Wezeer, the father of the bride, he returned with his
reason perplexed respecting the case of his daughter, and said to her, O
my daughter, reveal to me thy story. She replied, The elegant person
before whom I was displayed remained with me; and if thou believe me
not, see this is his turban, twisted just as it was, upon the
chair,[IV_52] and his drawers are under the bed, and in them is
something wrapped up: I know not what it is. So, when her father heard
this, he entered the bride-chamber, and found the turban of [H.]asan
Bedr-ed-Deen, the son of his brother; and taking it up, he turned it
over, and said, This is such a turban as is worn by Wezeers, except that
it is of the Mo[s.]ilee[IV_53] kind. He then observed an amulet sewed in
his red cloth cap; and he unsewed it; and he took the drawers, and found
the purse containing the thousand pieces of gold, and, opening this, he
discovered in it a paper, which, when he had read it he saw to be a copy
of the Jew's contract, with the name of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen the son of
Noor-ed-Deen of Cairo; and he found also the thousand pieces of gold.
But when he read the paper he cried aloud and fell down in a swoon; and
as soon as he recovered, and understood the case, he was astonished, and
exclaimed, There is no deity but God, who is able to do whatsoever He
willeth! Then said he, O my daughter, knowest thou who hath become thy
husband? She answered, No.--He is the son of my brother, said he, and
the son of thine uncle; and these thousand pieces of gold are thy dowry.
Extolled be the perfection of God! Would that I knew how this event hath
happened!--Then he opened the amulet that was sewed up, and found in it
a paper written by the hand of his brother Noor-ed-Deen of Cairo, the
father of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen: and when he beheld the hand-writing of
his brother he repeated this couplet:--
I behold their footsteps, and melt with desire, and pour forth
my tears upon the places they have trodden,
Begging of Him who hath afflicted me by their separation,
that He will bless me some day by a reunion.
[Illustration]
So saying, he read the paper, and found in it the date of his marriage
to the daughter of the Wezeer of El-Ba[s.]rah, and that of his first
introduction to her, and a record of his age at the time of his death,
and the date of the birth of his son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen; and he
wondered, and shook with delight; and, comparing what had happened to
his brother with the events that had happened to himself, he found that
they corresponded exactly: his marriage and the marriage of his brother
agreed in date, and their first visits to their respective wives in like
manner; as also the birth of Bedr-ed-Deen, the son of his brother, and
the birth of his daughter Sitt-el-[H.]osn. He took the two papers, and,
going up with them to the Sul[t.]an, he acquainted him with all that had
happened from the first of the case to the last; and the King was
astonished, and ordered that the case should be immediately recorded.
The Wezeer then remained in expectation of the son of his brother; but
he met with no tidings of him: so he said, By Allah, I will do a deed
that none hath done before me:--and he took an ink-case and a pen, and
wrote an inventory of the furniture of the house, describing the
money-chest as having been in such a place, and a certain curtain in
such another place, and everything in the house in like manner; and he
folded up the paper, and ordered that all the furniture should be stored
up; and he took the turban with its [t.]arboosh, and also the farajeeyeh
and the purse, and kept them himself.
After this, in due time, the daughter of the Wezeer gave birth to a son
like the moon, resembling his father in beauty and symmetry and
splendour and loveliness. They received him from his mother, and
blackened the edges of his eyes with ko[h.]l,[IV_54] and delivered
him to the nurses, and named him 'Ajeeb.[IV_55] His day was as a
month; and his month, as a year;[IV_56] and when seven years had
passed over him, his grandfather committed him to a schoolmaster, whom
he charged to educate him with great care. He continued at the school
four years, and used to fight with his schoolfellows, and abuse them,
saying to them, Who among you is like me? I am the son of the Wezeer of
Cairo.--So the boys went together to complain to the monitor of that
which they suffered from 'Ajeeb; and the monitor said to them, I will
teach you something to say to him when he cometh, and he shall repent of
his coming to the school; and it is this: to-morrow, when he is come,
seat yourselves around him, and say to one another, By Allah, none shall
play with us at this game excepting him who shall tell us the name of
his mother and that of his father; and he who knoweth not the name of
his mother and that of his father is illegitimate; therefore he shall
not play with us. Accordingly, on the following morning they came to the
school, and 'Ajeeb was there; and the boys surrounded him, and said as
the monitor had directed them, and they all agreed to the proposal; and
one said, My name is Majid, and my mother is 'Alawee, and my father is
'Ezz-ed-Deen:--then another said after the same manner, and another, and
so on, until the turn came to 'Ajeeb; and he said to them, My name is
'Ajeeb, and my mother is Sitt-el-[H.]osn, and my father is
Shems-ed-Deen, the Wezeer of Cairo:--and they said to him, By Allah, the
Wezeer is not thy father. 'Ajeeb replied, the Wezeer is my father
indeed:--and upon this the boys laughed at him, and clapped their hands
at him, saying, Thou knowest not who is thy father: get away from us,
therefore; for none shall play with us excepting him who knoweth the
name of his father:--and immediately the boys dispersed from around
him, and made a jest of him. In consequence of this treatment his heart
became contracted, and he was almost choked with crying; and the monitor
said to him, Dost thou really consider as thy father him who is thy
grandfather, the Wezeer, the father of thy mother Sitt-el-[H.]osn? Thy
father thou knowest not, nor do we know him; for the Sul[t.]an married
her to the humpbacked groom, and the Jinn came and prevented him: so, if
thou know not thy father, they will regard thee among them as
illegitimate. Dost thou not see that the son of the woman who is coveted
as a wife knoweth his father? The Wezeer of Cairo is thy grandfather;
and as to thy father, we know him not, nor dost thou: return therefore
to thy reason.
[Illustration]
Upon this, 'Ajeeb went immediately to his mother, Sitt-el-[H.]osn, and
complained to her, and wept; and his weeping prevented his speaking: and
when his mother heard his complaint and his crying, her heart was
inflamed for him, and she said to him, O my son, what maketh thee weep?
Tell me thy story.--So he told her what he had heard from the boys and
from the monitor, and said to her, O my mother, who is my father? She
answered him, Thy father is the Wezeer of Cairo. But he said, He is not
my father: tell me not, therefore, what is false; for the Wezeer is thy
father; not mine: who then is my father? If thou do not tell me truly; I
will kill myself with this dagger.--And when his mother heard the
mention of his father, she wept at the allusion to the son of her uncle,
and remembering the amiable qualities of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of
El-Ba[s.]rah, and what had happened to herself and him, she recited an
ode commencing thus:--
They excited love in my heart, and departed; and far distant hath
their abode become!
Reason forsook me when they withdrew, and sleep and patience
abandoned me.
And she wept and cried out, and her son did the same; and lo, the Wezeer
entered. His heart burned within him when he beheld their state, and he
said to them, What causeth you to weep? She acquainted him therefore
with the treatment that her son had experienced from the other boys of
the school; and he, also, wept, and called to mind what had happened to
his brother and himself and his daughter, and he knew not the mystery of
the case. Then suddenly he arose, and, going up to the council-chamber,
presented himself before the King, and related to him the story, begging
his permission to travel eastwards to the city of El-Ba[s.]rah, that
he might make inquiries respecting the son of his brother; and
requesting also of the Sul[t.]an that he would write letters for him to
all the countries through which he might pass, that, if he found the son
of his brother in any place, he might take him away. And he wept before
the Sul[t.]an, and the heart of the King was moved with compassion for
him, and he wrote for him letters to all the regions and countries; upon
which the Wezeer rejoiced, and, having offered up a prayer for the
Sul[t.]an, took leave of him.
He descended immediately and prepared for the journey, and, taking with
him all that he required, together with his daughter and her son 'Ajeeb,
travelled the first day and the second and the third, and proceeded
until he arrived at the city of Damascus, and beheld it with its trees
and streams celebrated by the poets. He alighted in the open space
called Meydan el-[H.]a[s.]ba; and, when he had pitched his tents, said
to his servants, We will take rest here two days. So the servants
entered the city to gratify their various desires; one to sell, another
to buy, a third to enter the bath, and a fourth to visit the mosque of
the Benee-Umeiyeh, which hath not in the world its equal. 'Ajeeb also
entered the city, accompanied by his eunuch, in order to amuse
themselves; and the eunuch walked behind 'Ajeeb, having in his hand a
whip that would strike down a camel. And when the people of Damascus
beheld 'Ajeeb, and his elegance of form and perfect beauty, and observed
him to be endowed with admirable loveliness, and with kindness of
manner, more bland than the northern zephyr, sweeter than limpid water
to the thirsty, and more pleasant than health to the diseased, they
followed him, running after him in crowds; and some sat waiting in the
streets to see him pass. Thus did they until the slave, as destiny had
ordained, stopped before the shop of 'Ajeeb's father, [H.]asan
Bedr-ed-Deen, in which the cook who had acknowledged him as his adopted
son in the presence of the [K.]a[d.]ees and witnesses had established
him; and this cook had died, and left him all his property, together
with his shop.[IV_57]
When the slave stopped there on this day, the servants also stopped with
him: and [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen beheld his son, and was charmed with him,
observing his extreme beauty: his soul yearned towards him with natural
sympathy, and his heart clung to him. He had just prepared a conserve of
pomegranate-grains, sweetened with sugar; and the affection divinely
inspired increased in him; so he called out in ecstasy, and said, O my
master, O thou who hast captivated my heart and soul, and to whom my
affections are drawn by sympathy! wilt thou come in to me and refresh my
heart and eat of my food? And when he had said this, his eyes overflowed
with involuntary tears, and he reflected upon his past experience and
his condition at the present time. When 'Ajeeb heard the address of his
father, his heart was in like manner drawn towards him by sympathy, and
he looked towards the eunuch, and said to him, Verily my heart is moved
with sympathy for this cook: he seemeth to have parted with a son: come
in with us, therefore, that we may refresh his heart and eat his
offering of hospitality: perhaps God, through our so doing, may
accomplish our union with our father. But the eunuch replied, By Allah,
O my master, it is not proper. How should we, who are of the family of
the Wezeer, eat in the shop of a cook? I will, however, drive away the
people from thee, lest they see thee: otherwise it will be impossible
for thee to enter the shop. On hearing the reply of the eunuch,
Bedr-ed-Deen was surprised, and, looking towards him, while his tears
flowed down his cheeks, said to him, Verily my heart loveth him.--Let us
hear no more of these words, said the eunuch:--and he desired the youth
not to enter: but the father of 'Ajeeb cast his eyes upon the eunuch,
and said, Great sir, wherefore wilt thou not refresh my heart and come
in to me? O thou who resemblest black dust, but whose heart is white! O
thou who hast been described in such and such terms of praise!--so that
the eunuch laughed, and said, What wouldst thou say? Speak, and be
brief.--And Bedr-ed-Deen recited this couplet:--
Were it not for his accomplishments and admirable faithfulness,
he had not been invested with authority in the abode of Kings.
What an excellent guardian for the [h.]areem is he! On account
of his beauty the angels of heaven wait upon him!
This address pleased the eunuch so much that he took the hand of 'Ajeeb,
and entered the cook's shop; and Bedr-ed-Deen ladled out a saucerful of
conserve of pomegranate-grains prepared with almonds and sugar, and the
slave and the youth ate together; Bedr-ed-Deen saying to them, Ye have
delighted me by your company: eat, and may it benefit you! 'Ajeeb then
said to his father, Sit down and eat with us; and perhaps God will unite
us to him whom we desire. And Bedr-ed-Deen said, O my son, hast thou
been afflicted in thy tender years by the separation of those whom thou
lovest?--Yes, O uncle, answered 'Ajeeb: my heart is inflamed by the
absence of one of those who are dear to me: the friend who hath
withdrawn himself from me is my father, and I and my grandfather have
come abroad to search for him through the world; and how do I sigh for
my union with him!--And he wept bitterly; and his father, moved by his
tears, wept with him, reflecting upon his own desolate state, separated
from those he loved, deprived of his father, and far removed from his
mother; and the eunuch was moved with compassion for him.
[Illustration]
They all ate together until they were satisfied; after which, the youth
and the slave arose, and quitted the shop of Bedr-ed-Deen, who felt as
if his soul had departed from his body and gone with them. He could not
endure their absence for the twinkling of an eye; so he shut up his shop
and followed them, though ignorant that the youth was his son, and
walked quickly until he came up to them before they had gone out from
the great gate; whereupon the eunuch, looking back at him, said, What
dost thou want, O cook? Bedr-ed-Deen answered, When ye departed from me,
I felt as if my soul had quitted my body, and, having some business in
the suburb, I was desirous of accompanying you to transact my business,
and, after that, to return. But the eunuch was angry, and said to
'Ajeeb, Verily this repast was unlucky: respectful treatment hath become
incumbent on us; and see, he is following us from place to place. 'Ajeeb
therefore looked round, and, seeing the cook, was enraged, and his face
became red; but he said to the eunuch, Suffer him to walk in the public
road of the Muslims; but when we shall have turned from it to our tents,
if he do the same, and we know that he is following us, we will drive
him back. And he hung down his head and went on, with the eunuch behind
him. Bedr-ed-Deen, however, followed them to the Meydan el-[H.]a[s.]ba,
and when they had drawn near to the tents they looked back and saw him
behind them; and 'Ajeeb was angry, fearing that the eunuch might inform
his grandfather, and lest it should be said that he had entered the
cook's shop, and that the cook had followed him. He looked at him till
his eyes met the eye of his father, who had become as a body without a
soul; and he fancied that his eye bore an expression of deceit, and that
he was perhaps a knave: so his anger increased, and he took up a stone,
and threw it at his father, and the stone struck him on the forehead,
and wounded him, and he fell down in a swoon, the blood flowing over his
face. 'Ajeeb went on with the eunuch to the tents; and [H.]asan
Bedr-ed-Deen, when he recovered his senses, wiped off the blood, and,
having cut off a piece of linen from his turban, bound up his head with
it, blaming himself, and saying, I wronged the youth when I shut up my
shop and followed him, so he thought I was a deceiver. He then returned
to his shop, and occupied himself with the sale of his meats; and he
yearned with desire for his mother, who was at El-Ba[s.]rah.
The Wezeer, his uncle, remained at Damascus three days, and then
departed to [H.]em[s.], and, having entered this town, proceeded thence,
inquiring at every place where he halted in his journey until he had
arrived at Marideen and El-Mosil and Diyar Bekr. He continued his
journey until he arrived at the city of El-Ba[s.]rah, and when he had
entered it and taken up his quarters, he went and presented himself
before the Sul[t.]an, who received him with respect and honour, and
inquired the reason of his coming: so he acquainted him with his story,
and informed him that the Wezeer 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen was his brother. The
Sul[t.]an ejaculated, God have mercy upon him![IV_58]--and said, O
[S.]a[h.]eb,[IV_59] he was my Wezeer, and I loved him much: he died
twelve years[IV_60] ago, and left a son; but we have lost him, and
have heard no tidings of him: his mother, however, is with us, for she
is the daughter of my old Wezeer. On hearing from the King that the
mother of his nephew was alive, the Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen rejoiced, and
said, I am desirous of having an interview with her. And the King gave
him immediate permission to visit her at his brother's house: so he went
thither, and kissed the threshold, and, entering an open court, found a
door over-arched with hard stone inlaid with various kinds of marble of
every colour; and he walked along by the walls of the house, and as he
cast his eyes around upon them he observed the name of his brother
Noor-ed-Deen inscribed on them in characters of gold; and he went to the
name, and kissed it, and wept. He then advanced to the saloon of his
brother's wife, the mother of [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen of El-Ba[s.]rah.
During the absence of her son she had given herself up to weeping and
wailing night and day; and after she had long suffered from his
separation she made for her son a tomb of marble in the midst of the
saloon, where she wept for him night and day, sleeping nowhere but by
this tomb. And when Shems-ed-Deen arrived at her apartment he heard her
voice apostrophizing the tomb; and while she was thus occupied he
entered and saluted her, and informed her that he was her husband's
brother, acquainting her with what had passed, and revealing to her the
particulars of the story. He told her that her son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen
had passed a whole night with his daughter, and disappeared in the
morning, and that his daughter had borne him a son, whom he had brought
with him: and when she heard this news of her son, and that he was
perhaps still living, and beheld her husband's brother, she fell at his
feet and kissed them, addressing him with this couplet:--
Divinely is he inspired who acquainteth me with their approach;
for he hath brought information most delightful to be heard.
If he would be satisfied with that which is cast off,[IV_61]
I would give him a heart rent in pieces at the hour
of valediction.
The Wezeer then sent to bring 'Ajeeb; and when he came, his grandmother
rose to him, and embraced him, and wept; but Shems-ed-Deen said to her,
This is not a time for weeping, but rather a time for preparing thyself
to accompany us on our return to the land of Egypt: and perhaps God may
unite us with thy son, my nephew. She replied, I hear and obey:--and,
arising immediately, collected all her property and treasures, and her
female slaves, and forthwith prepared herself: after which the Wezeer,
Shems-ed-Deen, went up again to the Sul[t.]an of El-Ba[s.]rah, and took
leave of him; and the King sent with him presents and rarities for the
Sul[t.]an of Egypt.
[Illustration]
The Wezeer departed without delay, accompanied by his brother's wife,
and continued his journey until he arrived at the city of Damascus,
where he alighted again, and encamped, and said to his attendants, We
will remain at Damascus a week, to buy, for the Sul[t.]an, presents and
rarities. 'Ajeeb then said to the eunuch, Boy,[IV_62] I long for a
little diversion: arise, therefore, and let us go to the market of
Damascus, and see what is going on there, and what hath happened to that
cook whose confection we ate and whose head we broke, notwithstanding he
had treated us with kindness: we acted ill towards him. The eunuch
replied, I hear and obey:--and 'Ajeeb went forth with him from the
tents, the tie of blood inciting him to visit his father and they
entered the city, and proceeded to the shop of the cook, whom they found
standing there. It was then near the time of afternoon-prayers; and it
happened that he had again just prepared a confection of
pomegranate-grains; and when they drew near to him, the heart of 'Ajeeb
yearned towards him when he saw him, and he perceived the scar
occasioned by the stone that he had thrown. He said to him, Peace be on
thee! Know that my heart is with thee.--And when Bedr-ed-Deen beheld
him, his affections were engrossed by him, and his heart throbbed with
emotion towards him, and he hung down his head, desiring to adapt his
tongue to speech, and unable to do so: but presently he raised his head,
and, looking towards the youth in an humble and abject manner, recited
these verses:--
I wished for my beloved; but when I beheld him I was confounded
and possessed neither tongue nor eye.
I hung down my head in honour and reverence, and would have hidden
what I felt; but it would not be concealed.
I had prepared a volume of expostulation; but when we met
I remembered not a word.
He then said to them, Refresh ye my heart, and eat of my food; for, by
Allah, as soon as I beheld thee, my heart yearned towards thee, and I
had not followed thee unless I had been deprived of my reason.--By
Allah, replied 'Ajeeb, thou dost indeed love us, and we ate a morsel
with thee; but after it thou keptest close behind us and wouldst have
disgraced us: we will not eat again with thee, therefore, but on the
condition of thy swearing that thou wilt not follow us; and otherwise we
will not come to thee again henceforth; for we are staying at this city
a week, in order that my grandfather may procure presents for the
King.--I bind myself, said Bedr-ed-Deen, to do as ye desire. So 'Ajeeb
entered the shop with the eunuch, and Bedr-ed-Deen placed before them a
saucer filled with the confection of pomegranate-grains; upon which
'Ajeeb said to him, Eat with us; and may God dispel our affliction:--and
Bedr-ed-Deen was delighted, and he ate with them; but he turned not his
eyes from the youth; for his heart and all his faculties were captivated
by him. 'Ajeeb, observing this, said to him, Knowest thou not that I
told thee thou wast a rude doter? Enough of this: continue not to gaze
at my face.--Bedr-ed-Deen, therefore, apologized to him, and began to
put morsels into the mouth of 'Ajeeb, and then did the same to the
eunuch. Afterwards he poured the water upon their hands, and when they
had washed he loosed a napkin of silk from his waist and wiped them with
it. He next sprinkled rose-water upon them from a bottle that was in his
shop, and went out, and returned with two cups of sherbet prepared with
rose-water infused with musk, and, placing these before them, he said,
Complete your kindness. So 'Ajeeb took a cup and drank; and Bedr-ed-Deen
handed the other to the eunuch; and both drank until their stomachs were
full, and gratified their appetites to a degree beyond their usual
habit.
[Illustration]
They then departed, and hastened back to the tents, and 'Ajeeb went in
to his grandmother, the mother of his father [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen; and
she kissed him, and said, Where hast thou been? He answered, In the
city. And she arose, and brought him a saucer of confection of
pomegranate-grains, which happened to be somewhat deficient in
sweetness; and she said to the eunuch, Sit down with thy master. The
eunuch said within himself, By Allah, we have no appetite. He, however,
seated himself, and 'Ajeeb did the same, though satiated with what he
had eaten and drunk, and dipped a morsel of bread in the confection, and
ate it; but it seemed to him insipid, on account of his being thus
cloyed, and he loathed it, and said, What is this nasty dish?--O my
child, said his grandmother, dost thou find fault with my cookery? It
was I who prepared it; and, except thy father, [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen,
there is none who can cook it as well as myself.--By Allah, O my
mistress, replied 'Ajeeb, This thy dish is not well prepared: we have
just now seen in the city a cook who had prepared a confection of
pomegranate-grains, but its odour was such as to dilate the heart, and
the confection itself, such as to excite appetite in one already
satiated: as to thine, in comparison with his, it is good for nothing.
His grandmother, on hearing this, fell into a violent rage, and turning
towards the eunuch, said to him, Wo to thee! Hast thou corrupted my
child? Thou hast taken him into the shops of the cooks!--The eunuch
feared, and denied, saying, We did not enter the shop, but only passed
by it:--but 'Ajeeb said, By Allah, we entered and ate, and what we ate
was better than this mess of thine. And upon this his grandmother arose,
and informed her husband's brother, and incensed him against the eunuch.
The slave was therefore brought before the Wezeer, and he said to him,
Wherefore didst thou take my child into the cook's shop? The eunuch,
fearing, said again, We did not enter.--Nay, said 'Ajeeb, we did enter,
and ate of a confection of pomegranate-grains until we were satiated,
and the cook gave us to drink sherbet with ice and sugar. The Wezeer's
anger with the eunuch now increased, and he asked him again; but still
he denied. Then said the Wezeer, If thine assertion be true, sit down
and eat before us. The eunuch therefore advanced, and would have eaten;
but he could not; and he threw down the morsel that was in his hand, and
said, O my master, I am satiated since yesterday. And by this the Wezeer
knew that he had eaten in the shop of the cook: so he ordered the female
slaves to throw him down upon the ground, and they did so, and he gave
him a severe beating, while the slave cried for mercy, but still saying,
I am satiated since yesterday! The Wezeer then interrupted the beating,
and said to him, Declare the truth. And at length the eunuch said, Know
that we did enter the shop of the cook while he was cooking
pomegranate-grains, and he ladled out for us some of the confection,
and, by Allah, I never in my life ate any like it, or any more
detestable than this which is before us.
The mother of Bedr-ed-Deen, enraged at this, said, Thou shalt go to this
cook and bring us a saucerful of his confection and shew it to thy
master, that he may say which of the two is the better and the more
delicious.--Well, replied the eunuch: and immediately she gave him a
saucer, and half a piece of gold; and he went to the shop, and said to
the cook, We have laid a wager respecting thy confection at the tent of
our master; for there is a mess of pomegranate-grains cooked by the
family: give us, therefore, for this half-piece of gold, and apply
thyself to prepare it perfectly; for we have received an excruciating
beating on account of thy cookery. Laughing at these words, Bedr-ed-Deen
replied, By Allah, none excelleth in the preparation of this confection
except myself and my mother, and she is now in a distant country. And he
ladled out as much as filled the saucer, and perfected it by the
addition of some musk and rose-water. The eunuch then hastened back with
it to the family; and the mother of [H.]asan took it, and, tasting its
delicious flavour, immediately knew who had prepared it, and shrieked,
and fell down in a swoon. The Wezeer was amazed at the event; and they
sprinkled some rose-water upon her, and when she recovered she said, If
my son be yet in the world, no one but he cooked this confection: he is
my son [H.]asan Bedr-ed-Deen without doubt: for none but he can prepare
this, except myself, and it was I who taught him to do it.
[Illustration]
When the Wezeer heard these words, he rejoiced exceedingly, and
exclaimed, Oh, how I long to behold my brother's son! Will fortune,
indeed, unite us with him? But I look not for our union from any but
God, whose name be exalted!--And he instantly arose, and called out to
his male attendants, saying, Let twenty men of you go to the shop of the
cook, and demolish it, and bind his hands behind him with his turban,
and drag him hither by force, but without any injury to his person. They
replied, Well. The Wezeer then rode immediately to the palace, and,
presenting himself before the Viceroy of Damascus, shewed him the
contents of the letters which he had brought from the Sul[t.]an; and the
Viceroy, after kissing them, put them to his head, and said, Who is
thine offender? He answered, A man who is by trade a cook. And instantly
the Viceroy ordered his Chamberlains to repair to his shop; and they
went thither; but found it demolished, and everything that had been in
it broken; for when the Wezeer went to the palace, his servants did as
he had commanded them. They were then waiting his return from the
palace; and Bedr-ed-Deen was saying within himself, What can they have
discovered in the confection, that such an event as this should have
befallen me? And when the Wezeer returned from the Viceroy, and had
received his permission to take his offender and to depart with him, he
entered the encampment, and called for the cook. They brought him,
therefore, with his hands bound behind him with his turban; and when he
saw his uncle he wept bitterly, and said, O my master, what crime have
ye found in me? The Wezeer said to him, Art thou he who cooked the
confection of pomegranate-grains? He answered, Yes: and have ye found in
it anything that requires one's head to be struck off? This, replied the
Wezeer, is the smallest part of thy recompense.--Wilt thou not, said
Bedr-ed-Deen, acquaint me with my crime? The Wezeer answered, Yea,
immediately. And forthwith he called out to the young men, saying, Bring
the camels!
They then took Bedr-ed-Deen, and put him in a chest, and, having locked
him up in it, commenced their journey, and continued on their way till
the approach of night, when they halted and ate, and, taking out
Bedr-ed-Deen, fed him; after which they put him again into the chest,
and in like manner proceeded to another station. Here also they took him
out; and the Wezeer said to him, Art thou he who cooked the confection
of pomegranate grains? He answered, Yes, O my master. And the Wezeer
said, Shackle his feet. And they did so, and restored him to the chest.
They then continued their journey to Cairo; and when they arrived at the
quarter called Er-Reydaneeyeh,[IV_63] the Wezeer commanded to take
out Bedr-ed-Deen again from the chest, and to bring a carpenter, to whom
he said, Make, for this man, a cross.[IV_64]--What, said
Bedr-ed-Deen, dost thou mean to do with it? The Wezeer answered, I will
crucify thee upon it, and nail thee to it, and then parade thee about
the city.--Wherefore, demanded Bedr-ed-Deen, wilt thou treat me
thus?--The Wezeer replied, For thy faulty preparation of the confection
of pomegranate-grains, because thou madest it deficient in
pepper.--Because of its deficiency in pepper, exclaimed Bedr-ed-Deen,
wilt thou do all this to me? Art thou not satisfied with having thus
imprisoned me, and fed me every day with only one meal?--The Wezeer
answered, For its deficiency in pepper, thy recompense shall be nothing
less than death. And Bedr-ed-Deen was amazed, and bewailed his lot, and
remained a while absorbed in reflection. The Wezeer, therefore, said to
him, Of what art thou thinking? He answered, Of imbecile minds, such as
thine; for if thou wert a man of sense thou wouldst not have treated me
in this manner on account of the deficiency of pepper.--It is incumbent
on us, replied the Wezeer, to punish thee, that thou mayest not do the
like again:--to which Bedr-ed-Deen rejoined, The least of the things
thou hast done to me were a sufficient punishment. The Wezeer, however,
said, Thy death is unavoidable.--All this conversation took place while
the carpenter was preparing the cross; and Bedr-ed-Deen was looking on.
Thus they both continued until the approach of night, when
Bedr-ed-Deen's uncle took him and put him again into the chest, saying,
To-morrow shall be thy crucifixion. He then waited until he perceived
that he was asleep; upon which he remounted, and, with the chest borne
before him, entered the city, and repaired to his house: and when he had
arrived there he said to his daughter Sitt-el-[H.]osn, Praise be to God
who hath restored to thee the son of thine uncle! Arise, and furnish the
house as it was on the night of the bridal display.--She therefore
ordered her female slaves to do so; and they arose, and lighted the
candles; and the Wezeer brought out the paper upon which he had written
his inventory of the furniture of the house, and read it, and ordered
them to put every thing in its place, so that the beholder would not
doubt that this was the very night of the bridal display. He directed
them to put Bedr-ed-Deen's turban in the place where its owner had
deposited it, and in like manner the trousers, and the purse which was
beneath the mattress, and ordered his daughter to adorn herself as she
was on the bridal night, and to enter the bride-chamber; saying to her,
When the son of thine uncle comes into thy chamber, say to him, Thou
hast loitered since thou withdrewest from me this night:--and request
him to return and converse with thee till day.--Having thus arranged
everything, the Wezeer took out Bedr-ed-Deen from the chest, removed the
shackles from his feet, and stripped him of his outer clothes, leaving
him in his shirt.
All this was done while he was asleep, unconscious of what was passing;
and when he awoke, and found himself in an illuminated vestibule, he
said, within himself, Am I bewildered by dreams, or am I awake? Then
rising, he advanced a little way to an inner door, and looked, and lo,
he was in the house in which the bride had been displayed, and he beheld
the bride-chamber and the couch and his turban and clothes. Confounded
at the sight of these things, he took one step forwards and another
backwards, thinking, Am I asleep or awake? And he began to wipe his
forehead, and exclaimed in his astonishment,
[Illustration]
By Allah, this is the
dwelling of the bride who was here displayed before me: and yet I was
just now in a chest. And while he was addressing himself, behold
Sitt-el-[H.]osn lifted up the corner of the musquito curtain, and said,
O my master, wilt thou not come in? for thou hast loitered since thou
withdrewest from me this night. When he heard these words he looked at
her face, and laughed, and said, Verily, these appearances are
bewildering illusions of a dream! Then entering, he sighed; and as he
reflected upon what had happened to him, he was perplexed at his
situation, and his case seemed involved in obscurity. Looking at his
turban and trousers, and the purse containing the thousand pieces of
gold, he exclaimed, Allah is all-knowing!--but it seemeth to me that I
am bewildered by dreams!--And he was confounded in the excess of his
astonishment. Upon this, therefore, Sitt-el-[H.]osn said to him,
Wherefore do I behold thee thus astonished and perplexed? Thou wast not
so in the commencement of the night.--And he laughed, and asked her, How
many years have I been absent from thee?--Allah preserve thee! she
exclaimed. The name of Allah encompass thee![IV_65] Thou hast only
withdrawn to yonder apartment. What hath passed in thy mind?--On hearing
this he smiled, and replied, Thou hast spoken truth; but when I withdrew
from thee, sleep overcame me, and I dreamt that I was a cook in
Damascus, and that I lived there twelve years;[IV_66] and I thought
that a youth of the sons of the great came to me, accompanied by a
eunuch,--and he proceeded to relate what had happened to him in
consequence of this youth's visit: then drawing his hand over his
forehead, he felt the scar occasioned by the blow, and exclaimed, By
Allah, O my mistress, it seemeth as though it were true; for he struck
me with a stone upon my forehead, and cut it open: it seemeth,
therefore, as though this had really happened when I was awake: but
probably this dream occurred when we were both asleep. I imagined in my
dream that I was transported to Damascus, without [t.]arboosh or turban
or trousers, and that I followed the occupation of a cook.--And again,
for a while, he remained utterly confounded. He then said, By Allah, I
imagined that I made a confection of pomegranate-grains containing but
little pepper. Verily I must have been asleep, and in my sleep have seen
all this.--I conjure thee by Allah, said Sitt-el-[H.]osn, tell me what
more thou sawest? And he related to her the whole; and added, If I had
not awaked, they would have crucified me upon a wooden cross.--On
account of what? said she. He answered, On account of the deficiency of
pepper in the confection of pomegranate-grains; and I imagined that they
demolished my shop, and broke all my vessels, and put me in a chest, and
brought the carpenter to make a cross of wood; for they intended to
crucify me upon it. Praise be to God, therefore, who caused all this to
occur to me in sleep, and caused it not to happen to me when I was
awake!--Sitt-el-[H.]osn, laughing at his words, pressed him to her
bosom, and he in like manner embraced her. Then reflecting again, he
said, By Allah, it seems as if it had happened when I was awake; and I
knew not the reason, nor the truth of the case.--And he composed himself
to sleep, perplexed with his case, and sometimes saying, I saw it in my
sleep,--and other times, I experienced it awake.
Thus he continued until the morning, when his uncle, the Wezeer
Shems-ed-Deen, came in to him, and saluted him; and Bedr-ed-Deen, as
soon as he beheld him, exclaimed, I conjure thee by Allah, tell me art
not thou he who gave orders to bind my hands behind me, and to nail up
my shop, on account of the confection of pomegranate-grains, because it
was deficient in pepper? The Wezeer answered, Know, O my son, that the
truth hath appeared, and what was hidden hath been manifested. Thou art
the son of my brother; and I did not this but to know if thou wert he
who visited my daughter on that night. I was not convinced of this until
I saw that thou knewest the house, and thy turban and trousers and gold,
and the two papers; namely, the one which thou wrotest, and that which
thy father, my brother, wrote: for I had never seen thee before, and
therefore knew thee not; and as to thy mother, I have brought her with
me from El-Ba[s.]rah.--Having thus said, he threw himself upon him, and
wept; and Bedr-ed-Deen, full of astonishment at his uncle's words,
embraced him, and in like manner wept from excess of joy. The Wezeer
then said to him, O my son, the cause of all this was what passed
between me and thy father. And he related to him the circumstances of
their case, and the cause of his father's departure to El-Ba[s.]rah;
after which he sent for 'Ajeeb; and when the father of the youth saw
him, he exclaimed, This is he who threw the stone at me.--This, said the
Wezeer, is thy son. And Bedr-ed-Deen cast himself upon him, and recited
the following verses:--
Long have I wept on account of our disunion; the tears overflowing
from my eyelids;
And I vowed that if Providence should bring us together, I would
never again mention our separation.
Joy hath overcome me to such a degree that by its excess it hath
made me weep.
O eye, thou hast become so accustomed to tears that thou weepest
from happiness as from grief.[IV_67]
And when he had uttered these words, his mother, beholding him, threw
herself upon him, and repeated this couplet:--
Fortune made a vow to torment me incessantly; but thine oath
hath proved false, O Fortune; therefore expiate it.[IV_68]
Happiness hath arrived, and the beloved is come to my relief:
repair then to the messenger of festivity, and hasten.
She afterwards related to him everything that had happened to her; and
he also acquainted her with all that he had suffered; and they offered
up thanks to God for their union. The Wezeer then went up to the
Sul[t.]an, and informed him of these occurrences; and the King was
astonished, and ordered that a statement of them should be inserted in
the records, to be preserved to future ages. And the Wezeer resided with
his brother's son, and his own daughter and her son, and with the wife
of his brother; and all of them passed their lives in the enjoyment of
the utmost happiness until they were visited by the terminator of
delights, and the separator of companions.[IV_69]
Such, O Prince of the Faithful, said Ja[a.]far, were the events that
happened to the Wezeer Shems-ed-Deen and his brother Noor-ed-Deen.--By
Allah, exclaimed the Khaleefeh Haroon Er-Rasheed, this story is
wonderful! And he gave one of his own concubines to the young man who
had killed his wife, and appointed him a regular maintenance; and the
young man became one of his companions at the table.
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER FOURTH.
NOTE 1. From the close of Chapter iii., the order of the tales in this
translation (agreeably with the Cairo edition) differs from that which
is followed in the old version.
NOTE 2. This alludes to the poor man's want of sufficient clothing; for,
in the climate of Baghdad, a person who is not very scantily clad is in
little need of a fire to warm himself.
NOTE 3. My sheykh has remarked, in a marginal note, that these verses
would be appropriate only from the mouth of a learned man complaining of
the unprofitableness of his science with respect to procuring him money;
but perhaps, in writing this, he was actuated by a somewhat over-zealous
regard for the honour of his own profession; for, when a poor man has
acquired a little knowledge, his neighbours are apt to flatter him.
NOTE 4. The "izar" has been described in the second note to Chapter iii.
NOTE 5. Literally, "the sons of thine uncle;" but the meaning is, "thy
kinsmen."
NOTE 6.--_On Bastinading._ In Arabian, and some other Eastern,
countries, it is a common custom, when a person is accused of a crime
before a magistrate, and denies his guilt, to bastinade him, in order to
induce him to confess; and even witnesses, sometimes, are treated in the
same manner. The beating is usually inflicted with a kurbaj (a thong or
whip of hippopotamus' hide hammered into a round form) or with a stick,
and generally on the soles of the feet. For this purpose the feet are
confined by a chain or rope attached at each end to a staff, which is
turned round to tighten it. This is called a "fala[k.]ah." Two persons
(one on each side) strike alternately; and the punishment is often
continued until the sufferer becomes insensible, and even longer.
NOTE 7.--_Of Sales by Auction._ In many of the soo[k.]s (market-streets,
or bazars) in Arabian cities, auctions are held on stated days, once or
more frequently in every week. They are conducted by brokers (dellals),
hired either by private persons or by shopkeepers. These brokers carry
the goods up and down the street, announcing the sums bidden, with cries
of "[h.]araj," &c.; and the shopkeepers, as well as others, purchase of
them.
NOTE 8. I have before mentioned, that this horrid mode of punishing a
woman suspected of incontinence is not unfrequently practised among the
Arabs. Many similar cases have been mentioned to me in Egypt as having
occurred in that country in the present age; and often the murder is
committed by the father or a brother of the woman, as her relations are
considered as more disgraced than the husband by her crime. The present
tale is probably founded on some particular occurrence of this kind. One
is related as having happened in the reign of the Khaleefeh
El-Mo[a.]ta[d.]id. In this case, some limbs of the murdered woman, in
two leathern bags, were brought up from the bed of the Tigris in the net
of a fisherman.[276] [Such barbarity, however, is contrary to law, as is
stated in two former notes.--ED.]
NOTE 9.--_Of the Retaliation of Injuries on the Day of Resurrection._
The "examination being past, and every one's works weighed in a just
balance, that mutual retaliation will follow according to which every
creature will take vengeance one of another, or have satisfaction made
to him for the injuries which he hath suffered. And since there will
then be no other way of returning like for like, the manner of giving
this satisfaction will be, by taking away a proportionable part of the
good works of him who offered the injury, and adding it to those of him
who suffered it. Which being done, if the angels (by whose ministry this
is to be performed) say, 'Lord, we have given to every one his due, and
there remaineth of this person's good works so much as equalleth the
weight of an ant,' God will of his mercy cause it to be doubled unto
him, that he may be admitted into Paradise; but if, on the contrary, his
good works be exhausted, and there remain evil works only, and there be
any who have not yet received satisfaction from him, God will order that
an equal weight of their sins be added unto his, that he may be punished
for them in their stead, and he will be sent to Hell laden with
both."[277]
NOTE 10. "Rey[h.]an" is a common proper name of men, now commonly given
to slaves; and the name of the sweet basil in particular (also called
"ree[h.]an") and of sweet-smelling plants in general. It also signifies
"any favour of God," "the supplies necessary for subsistence," "a son,"
&c.
NOTE 11. This ejaculation is addressed to God.
NOTE 12. In the original, "Mi[s.]r," _vulg._, "Ma[s.]r." This is the
name which the Arabs give to Egypt, and which they have also given to
its successive capitals, or seats of government, Memphis, Egyptian
Babylon, El-Fus[t.]a[t.], and El-[K.]ahireh, or Cairo. It is here
applied to Cairo, as will be shewn by the following note, and by the
sequel of the tale, though this city was not founded until long after
the reign of Haroon Er-Rasheed. I may here remark, that I have not found
the name of "Mi[s.]r" applied to Cairo in any Arabic work anterior to
the conquest of Egypt by the 'Osmanlee Turks, which happened in the year
of the Flight 923 (A.D. 1517). El-Fus[t.]a[t.] retained this appellation
in the time of Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, who died in the year of the Flight 911,
but it ceased to do so before the time of El-Is-[h.]a[k.]ee, who brought
down his history to the month of Rama[d.]an, 1032 (A.D. 1623). It is
probable, therefore, that the name of "Misr"[typo Mi[s.]r] was
transferred to Cairo on the occasion of the conquest by the Turks. I
must not assert, that this observation alone enables us to form a
decided judgment as to the period when this work was composed, as it may
be objected that copyists have perhaps substituted "Mi[s.]r" for
"El-[K.]ahireh;" but I persue the inquiry in the next note.
NOTE 13.--_On several Evidences of the Period when this Work, in the
states in which it is known to us, was composed or compiled or
remodelled._ The tale here presents another anachronism. The title of
"Sul[t.]an," as a prefix, was first borne by Ma[h.]mood Ibn-Sabuktekeen,
in the year of the Flight 393, just two hundred years after the death of
Haroon Er-Rasheed; and there was no Sul[t.]an of Egypt until the year of
the Flight 567 of a little later; the first being the famous
[S.]ala[h.]-ed-Deen, or Saladin.
I have now given several data upon which to found a reasonable opinion
as to the age when these tales, in the states in which they are known
to us, were composed or compiled or remodelled. First, in Note 55 to
Chapter ii., I have shewn that a fiction in one of the tales is framed
in accordance with the distinction of Muslims, Christians, and Jews, by
the colours of their turbans, which mode of distinction originated in
the beginning of the eighth century of the Flight. Secondly, in the
present note, I have mentioned a fact which affords some reason for
inferring that there had been a long series of Sul[t.]ans in Egypt
before the age of the writer or writers. In the third place, I must
remark, that all the events described in this work are said to have
happened in ages which, with respect to that of the writer or writers,
were _ancient_, being related to an ancient king; from which I think we
may infer its age to have been at least two centuries posterior to the
period mentioned in the first of these data. Fourthly, in Note 22 to
Chapter iii., I have shewn that the state of manners and morals
described in many of these tales agrees, in a most important point of
view, with the manners and morals of the Arabs at the commencement of
the tenth century of the Flight. This I regard as an argument of great
weight, and especially satisfactory as agreeing with the inference just
before drawn. Fifthly, from what I have stated in the note immediately
preceding, I incline to the opinion that few of the copies of this work
now known to us, if any, were written until after the conquest of Egypt
by the Turks, in the year 1517 of our era. This opinion, it should be
remarked, respects especially the _early_ portion of the work, which is
the least likely to have been interpolated, as later parts evidently
have been. At the last-mentioned period, a native of Cairo (in which
city I believe the principal portion of the work to have been written)
might, if about forty years of age, retain a sufficient recollection of
the later Memlook Sul[t.]ans and of their ministers to describe his
kings and courts without the necessity of consulting the writings of
historians; deriving his knowledge of early times not from the perusal
of any regular record, but only from traditions or from works like the
present.--I should have delayed the insertion of the foregoing remarks,
had I not considered it a point of some importance to suggest to the
reader, as early as possible, that the manners and customs, and in
general even the dresses and dwellings, described in most of the present
tales, are those of a very late period. The lax state of morals which
appears to have prevailed among the Arabs in the time of the writer or
writers probably continued at least until the period when coffee became
a common beverage, about the middle of the tenth century of the Flight
(or near the middle of the sixteenth century of our era), and perhaps
considerably later, until some years after the introduction of tobacco
into the East. The researches of Von Hammer have satisfactorily shewn
that the Thousand and One Nights, in the states in which it is known to
us, is based upon a very old work, in Persian; an Arabic translation of
which bore a similar, or perhaps the same, title as that which we are
considering; but I believe the last to be, in its best features, a very
late production.
NOTE 14. "Shems-ed-Deen" signifies "the Sun of the Religion;" and
"Noor-ed-Deen," "the Light of the Religion."
NOTE 15.--_Customs observed after a Death._ Though the men, in Arabian
countries, make no change in their dress in indication of mourning, they
observe other customs after the death of a relation. By the term here
used in the original for "mourning" ("'aza," the primary signification
of which is "consolation" or "condolence"), an allusion is made to
receiving the visits of condoling friends. On the night immediately
following the burial, several persons are employed to perform
recitations of portions of the [K.]ur-an, &c. The most remarkable of
these ceremonies consists in repeating thrice one thousand times, "There
is no deity but God:" one of the performers having a string of a
thousand large beads by means of which to count these repetitions. Some
persons are also hired to perform a recitation of the whole of the
[K.]ur-an in the afternoon or evening of the first Thursday after the
funeral, and often on other days; and the merit of these and the former
religious acts is transferred to the soul of the deceased.--These
customs I have fully described in my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol.
ii. ch. xv.
NOTE 16. The island here alluded to is that called "Er-Ro[d.]ah," or
"The Garden."
NOTE 17. The prayer-carpet, which resembles a wide hearth-rug, is seldom
used as a covering for the saddle except when the rider is a person of
the learned profession. It is probably mentioned here to shew that
Noor-ed-Deen was an officer of the pen, which was generally the case
with the Wezeers of the Sul[t.]ans of Egypt.
NOTE 18. Jerusalem is called in the original, and by the modern Arabs,
"El-[K.]uds," which signifies "Holiness."
NOTE 19. The Arabic name of Aleppo is "[H.]alab."
NOTE 20. An Arab of rank is seldom seen on foot outside the threshold of
his own house, unless it be merely to cross the street.
NOTE 21. The decoration here alluded to consists in furnishing the
apartment with costly carpets, handsome cushions, rich coverings for the
deewans, and coloured lamps, &c.
NOTE 22. This, to some readers, may appear odd: it should therefore be
explained that most articles of Arab clothing are equally suitable to
young and old, thin and stout.
NOTE 23. "[H.]asan" signifies "Beautiful" or "Handsome."
NOTE 24.--_On Infancy and Education._ I may avoid an unnecessary
multiplication of notes on the same, or nearly the same, subject, by
availing myself of this occasion to insert here the following
illustrations of numerous passages, in the preceding and subsequent
tales, relating to infancy and education.
In few cases are the Mohammadans so much fettered by the directions of
their Prophet and other religious institutors as in the rearing and
educating of their children. In matters of the most trivial nature,
religious precedents direct their management of the young. One of the
first duties is, to wrap the new-born child in clean white linen, or in
linen of some other colour; but not yellow. After this, some person [not
a female] should pronounce the adan[278] in the ear of the infant,
because the Prophet did so in the ear of El-[H.]asan when Fatimeh gave
birth to him; or he should pronounce the adan in the right ear, and the
i[k.]ameh (which is nearly the same) in the left.[279]
It was formerly a custom of many of the Arabs, and perhaps is still
among some, for the father to give a feast to his friends on seven
successive days after the birth of a son; but that of a daughter was
observed with less rejoicing. The general modern custom is, to give an
entertainment only on the seventh day, which is called "Yom
es-Suboo[a.]." On this occasion, the mother, having left her bed,
receives her guests; the child is exhibited to them; and they give
presents of gold or silver coins, which are generally used to decorate
the infant's head-dress. The father entertains his friends in the
evening.
On this day, or on the fourteenth, twenty-first, twenty-eighth, or
thirty-fifth day after the birth, several religious ceremonies are
required to be performed; but they are most approved if observed on the
seventh day. One of these is the naming. I believe, however, that it is
a more common custom to give the name almost immediately after the
birth, or about three hours after. Astrologers were often consulted on
this occasion; but the following directions are given on higher
authority, and are generally observed.--"The father should give his son
a good name, ... not a name of self-praise, as Rasheed [Orthodox], Emeen
[Faithful], &c.... The prophet said, 'The names most approved by God are
'Abd-Allah [Servant of God] and 'Abd-Er-Ra[h.]man [Servant of the
Compassionate], and such like.' He also said, 'Give my name, but do not
distinguish by my surname of relationship:' but this precept, they say,
respects his own life-time, ... because he was addressed, 'O
Abu-l-[K.]asim!' and now it is not disapproved; but some disapprove of
uniting the name and surname, so as to call a person Mohammad and
Abu-l-[K.]asim. And if a son be called by the name of a prophet it is
not allowable to abuse or vilify him, unless the person so named be
facing his reproacher, who should say, 'Thou' [without mentioning his
name]: and a child named Mo[h.]ammad or A[h.]mad should be [especially]
honoured.... The Prophet said, 'There is no people holding a
consultation at which there is present one whose name is Mo[h.]ammad or
A[h.]mad, but God blesseth all that assembly:' and again he said,
'Whoever nameth his child by my name, or by that of any of my children
or my companions, from affection to me or to them, God (whose name be
exalted!) will give him in Paradise what eye hath not seen nor ear
heard.' And a son should not be named King of kings, or Lord of lords;
nor should a man take a surname of relationship from the name of the
eldest of his children; nor take any such surname before a child is born
to him."[280]--The custom of naming children after prophets, or after
relations or companions of Mo[h.]ammad, is very common. No ceremony is
observed on account of the naming.
On the same day, however, two practices which I am about to mention are
prescribed to be observed; though, as far as my observations and
inquiries allow me to judge, they are generally neglected by the modern
Muslims. The first of these is a sacrifice. The victim is called
'a[k.]ee[k.]ah. It should be a ram or goat; or two such animals should
be sacrificed for a son, and one for a daughter. This rite is regarded
by Ibn-[H.]ambal as absolutely obligatory: he said, "If a father
sacrifice not for his son, and he [the son] die, that son will not
intercede for him on the day of judgment." The founders of the three
other principal sects regard it in different and less important lights,
though Mohammad slew an 'a[k.]ee[k.]ah for himself after his prophetic
mission. The person should say, on slaying the victim, "O God, verily
this a[k.]ee[k.]ah is a ransom for my son such a one; its blood for his
blood, and its flesh for his flesh, and its bone for his bone, and its
skin for his skin, and its hair for his hair. O God, make it a ransom
for my son from Hell-fire." A bone of the victim should not be
broken.[281] The midwife should receive a leg of it. It should be cooked
without previously cutting off any portion of it; and part of it should
be given in alms.--After this should be performed the other ceremony
above alluded to, which is this. It is a sunneh ordinance, incumbent on
the father, to shave, or cause to be shaved, the head of his child, and
to give, in alms to the poor, the weight of the hair in gold or silver.
This should also be done for a proselyte.[282] On the subsequent
occasions of shaving the head of a male child (for the head of the male
is frequently shaven), a tuft of hair is generally left on the crown,
and commonly, for several years, another also over the forehead.
Circumcision is most approved if performed on the same day:[283] but the
observance of this rite is generally delayed until the child has
attained the age of five or six years, and sometimes several years
later. I shall therefore delay mentioning the ceremonies with which it
is celebrated.
The Muslims rightly regard a child as a trust committed by God to its
parents, who, they hold, are responsible for the manner in which they
bring it up, and will be examined on this subject on the day of
judgment. But they further venture to say, that "the first who will lay
hold of a man on the day of judgment will be his wife and children, who
[if he have been deficient in his duty to them] will present themselves
before God, and say, 'O our Lord, take for us our due from him; for he
taught us not that of which we were ignorant, and he fed us with
forbidden food, and we knew not:' and their due will be taken from
him."[284] By this is meant, that a certain proportion of the good works
which the man may have done, and his children and wife neglected, will
be set down to their account; or that a similar proportion of their evil
works will be transferred to _his_ account.
The mother is enjoined by the law to give suck to her child two full
years, unless she have her husband's consent to shorten the period, or
to employ another nurse. "For suckling the child, a virtuous woman, who
eateth only what is lawful, should be chosen; for the unlawful [food]
will manifest its evil in the child: as the Prophet ... said, 'Giving
suck altereth the tempers.' But it is recommended by the sunneh that the
mother herself suckle the child; for it is said in a tradition, 'There
is nothing better for a child than its mother's milk.' 'If thou wouldst
try,' it is added,'whether a child be of an ingenuous disposition in its
infancy, or not, order a woman who is not its mother to suckle it after
its mother has done so; and if it drink of the milk of the woman who is
not its mother, it is not of an ingenuous disposition.'"[285]
Children, being regarded by Muslim parents as enviable blessings, are,
to them, objects of the most anxious solicitude. To guard them from the
supposed influence of the envious or evil eye, they have recourse to
various expedients. When they are taken abroad, they are usually clad in
the most slovenly manner, and left unwashed, or even purposely smeared
with dirt; and as a further precaution, a fantastic cap is often put
upon the child's head, or its head-dress is decorated with one or more
coins, a feather, a gay tassel, or a written charm or two sewed up in
leather or encased in gold or silver, or some other appendage to attract
the eye, that so the infant itself may pass unnoticed. If a person
express his admiration of another's child otherwise than by some pious
ejaculation, as, for instance, by praising its Creator (with the
exclamation of "Sub[h.]ana-llah!" or, "Ma shaa-llah!" &c.) or invoking a
blessing on the Prophet, he fills the mind of the parent with
apprehension; and recourse is had to some superstitious ceremony to
counteract the dreaded influence of his envious glance. The children of
the poor are less exposed to this imaginary danger from their
unattractive appearance: they generally have little clothing, or none
whatever, and are extremely dirty. It is partly with the view of
protecting them from the evil eye, that those of the rich are so long
confined to the [h.]areem: there they are petted and pampered for
several years; at least until they are of age to go to school; but most
of them are instructed at home.
The children of the Muslims are taught to shew to their fathers a degree
of respect which might be deemed incompatible with the existence of a
tender mutual affection; but I believe that this is not the case. The
child greets the father in the morning by kissing his hand, and then
usually stands before him in a respectful attitude, with the left hand
covered by the right, to receive any order or to await his permission to
depart; but after the respectful kiss, is often taken on the lap. After
the period of infancy, the well-bred son seldom sits in the presence of
his father; but during that period he is generally allowed much
familiarity. A Syrian merchant, who was one of my near neighbours in
Cairo, had a child of exquisite beauty, commonly supposed to be his
daughter, whom, though he was a most bigoted Muslim, he daily took with
him from his private house to his shop. The child followed him, seated
upon an ass, before a black slave; and, until about six years old, was
dressed like most young ladies, but without a face-veil. The father then
thinking that the appearance of taking about with him a daughter of that
age was scandalous, dressed his pet as a boy, and told his friends that
the female attire had been employed as a protection against the evil
eye; girls being less coveted than boys. This indeed is sometimes done;
and it is possible that such might have been the case in this instance;
but I was led to believe that it was not so. A year after, I left
Cairo: while I remained there, I continued to see the child pass my
house as before; but always in boy's clothing.
It is not surprising that the natives of Arabian countries, where a very
trifling expense is required to rear the young, should be generally
desirous of a numerous offspring. A motive of self-interest conduces
forcibly to cherish this feeling in a wife, for she is commonly esteemed
by her husband in proportion to her fruitfulness; and a man is seldom
willing to divorce a wife, or to sell a slave, who has borne him a
child. A similar feeling also induces in both parents a desire to obtain
offspring, and renders them at the same time resigned to the loss of
such of their children as die in tender age. This feeling arises from
their belief of certain services, of greater moment than the richest
blessings this world can bestow, which children who die in infancy are
to render to their parents. The Prophet is related to have said, "The
infant children [of the Muslims] shall assemble at the scene of judgment
on the day of the general resurrection, when all creatures shall appear
for the reckoning, and it will be said to the angels, 'Go ye with these
into Paradise:' and they will halt at the gate of Paradise, and it will
be said to them, 'Welcome to the offspring of the Muslims! enter ye
Paradise: there is no reckoning to be made with you:' and they will
reply, 'Yea, and our fathers and our mothers:' but the guardians of
Paradise will say, 'Verily your fathers and your mothers are not with
you because they have committed faults and sins for which they must be
reckoned with and inquired of.' Then they will shriek and cry at the
gate of Paradise with a great cry; and God (whose name be exalted!) and
who is all-knowing respecting them will say, 'What is this cry?' It
will be answered, 'O our Lord, the children of the Muslims say, We will
not enter Paradise but with our fathers and our mothers.' Whereupon God
(whose name be exalted!) will say 'Pass among them all, and take the
hands of your parents, and introduce them into Paradise.'" The children
who are to have this power are such as are born of believers, and die
without having attained to the knowledge of sin; and according to one
tradition, one such child will introduce his parents into Paradise.
[Such infants only are to enter Paradise; for, of the children who die
in infancy, those of believers alone are they who would believe if they
grew to years of discretion.] On the same authority it is said, "When a
child of the servant [of God] dies, God (whose name be exalted!) saith
to the angels, 'Have ye taken the child of my servant?' They answer,
'Yea.' He saith, 'Have ye taken the child of his heart?' They reply,
'Yea.' He asketh them, 'What did my servant say?' They answer, 'He
praised thee, and said, Verily to God we belong, and verily unto Him we
return!' Then God will say, 'Build for my servant a house in Paradise,
and name it the House of Praise.'" To these traditions, which I find
related as proofs of the advantages of marriage, the following anecdote,
which is of a similar nature, is added. A certain man, who would not
take a wife, awoke one day from his sleep, and demanded to be married,
saying, as his reason, "I dreamt that the resurrection had taken place,
and that I was among the beings collected at the scene of judgment, but
was suffering a thirst that stopped up the passage of my stomach; and
lo, there were youths passing through the assembly, having in their
hands ewers of silver, and cups of gold, and giving drink to one person
after another; so I stretched forth my hand to one of them, and said,
'Give me to drink; for thirst overpowereth me:' but they answered, 'Thou
hast no child among us: we give drink only to our fathers.' I asked
them, 'Who are ye?' They replied, 'We are the deceased infant children
of the Muslims.'"[286] Especial rewards in heaven are promised to
mothers. "When a woman conceives by her husband," said the Prophet, "she
is called in heaven a martyr [_i.e._ she is ranked as a martyr in
dignity]; and her labour in child-bed, and her care for her children,
protect her from Hell-fire.'"[287]
"When the child begins to speak, the father should teach him first the
kelimeh [or profession of faith], 'There is no deity but God:
[Mo[h.]ammad is God's apostle:]'--he should dictate this to him seven
times. Then he should instruct him to say, 'Wherefore, exalted be God,
the King, the Truth! There is no deity but He, the Lord of the
honourable throne."[288] He should teach him also the Throne-verse,[289]
and the closing words of the [H.]ashr, 'He is God, beside whom there is
no deity, the King, the Holy,'" &c.[290]
As soon as a son is old enough, his father should teach him the most
important rules of decent behaviour: placing some food before him, he
should order him to take it with the right hand (the left being employed
for unclean purposes), and to say, on commencing, "In the name of God;"
to eat what is next to him, and not to hurry, nor spill any of the food
upon his person or dress. He should teach him that it is disgusting to
eat much. He should particularly condemn to him the love of gold and
silver, and caution him against covetousness as he would against
serpents and scorpions; and forbid his spitting in an assembly, and
committing any similar breach of good manners, talking much, turning his
back upon another, standing in an indolent attitude, and speaking ill of
any person to another. He should keep him from bad companions, teach him
the [K.]ur-an and all requisite divine and prophetic ordinances, and
instruct him in the arts of swimming and archery, and in some virtuous
trade; for trade is a security from poverty. He should also command him
to endure patiently the chastisements of his teacher. In one tradition
it is said, "When a boy attains the age of six years he should be
disciplined; and when he attains to nine years he should be put in a
separate bed; and when he attains to ten years he should be beaten for
[neglecting] prayer:" in another tradition, "Order your children to pray
at seven [years], and beat them for [neglecting] it at ten, and put them
in separate beds."[291]
Circumcision, which has before been mentioned, is generally performed
before the boy is submitted to the instruction of the schoolmaster.[292]
Previously to the performance of this rite, he is, if belonging to the
higher or middle rank of society, usually paraded about the
neighbourhood of his parents' dwelling, gaily attired, chiefly with
female habits and ornaments, but with a boy's turban on his head,
mounted on a horse, preceded by musicians, and followed by a group of
his female relations and friends. This ceremony is observed by the great
with much pomp and with sumptuous feasts. El-Jabartee mentions a fete
celebrated on the occasion of the circumcision of a son of the
[K.]a[d.]ee of Cairo, in the year of the Flight 1179 (A.D. 1766), when
the grandees and chief merchants and 'ulama of the city sent him such
abundance of presents that the magazines of his mansion were filled with
rice and butter and honey and sugar; the great hall, with coffee; and
the middle of the court, with firewood: the public were amused for many
days by players and performers of various kinds; and when the youth was
paraded through the streets he was attended by numerous memlooks with
their richly-caparisoned horses and splendid arms and armour and
military band, and by a number of other youths who, from compliment to
him, were circumcised afterwards with him. This latter custom is usual
on such occasions; and so also is the sending of presents, such as those
above mentioned, by friends, acquaintances, and tradespeople.' At a fete
of this kind, when the Khaleefeh El-Mu[k.]tedir circumcised five of his
sons, the money that was scattered in presents amounted to six hundred
thousand pieces of gold, or about L300,000. Many orphans were also
circumcised on the same day, and were presented with clothes and pieces
of gold.[293] The Khaleefeh above mentioned was famous for his
magnificence, a proof of which I have given in a former note. At the
more approved entertainments which are given in celebration of a
circumcision, a recital of the whole of the [K.]ur-an, or a zikr, is
performed: at some others, male or female public dancers perform in the
court of the house, or in the street before the door.
Few of the children of the Arabs receive much instruction in literature,
and still fewer are taught even the rudiments of any of the higher
sciences; but there are numerous schools in their towns, and one at
least in almost every moderately large village. The former are mostly
attached to mosques and other public buildings, and, together with those
buildings, endowed by princes or other men of rank, or wealthy
tradesmen. In these, the children are instructed either gratis or for a
very trifling weekly payment, which all parents, except those in
indigent circumstances, can easily afford. The schoolmaster generally
teaches nothing more than to read, and to recite by heart the whole of
the [K.]ur-an. After committing to memory the first chapter of the
sacred volume, the boy learns the rest in the inverse order of their
arrangement, as they generally decrease in length. Writing and
arithmetic are usually taught by another master; and grammar, rhetoric,
versification, logic, the interpretation of the [K.]ur-an, and the whole
system of religion and law, with all other knowledge deemed useful,
which seldom includes the mere elements of mathematics, are attained by
studying at a collegiate mosque, and at no expense; for the professors
receive no pay either from the students, who are mostly of the poorer
classes, or from the funds of the mosque.
The wealthy often employ for their sons a private tutor; and, when he
has taught them to read, and to recite the [K.]ur-an, engage for them a
writing-master, and then send them to the college. But among this class,
polite literature is more considered than any other branch of knowledge,
after religion. Such an acquaintance with the works of some of their
favourite poets as enables a man to quote them occasionally in society,
is regarded by the Arabs as essential to a son who is to mix in genteel
company; and to this acquirement is often added some skill in the art of
versification, which is rendered peculiarly easy by the copiousness of
the Arabic language, and by its system of inflection. These
characteristics of their noble tongue (which are remarkably exhibited by
the custom, common among the Arabs, of preserving the same rhyme
throughout a whole poem), while on the one hand they have given an
admirable freedom to the compositions of men of true poetic genius, have
on the other hand mainly contributed to the degradation of Arabic
poetry. To an Arab of some little learning it is almost as easy to speak
in verse as in prose; and hence he often intersperses his prose
writings, and not unfrequently his conversation, with indifferent
verses, of which the chief merit often consists in puns, or in an
ingenious use of several words nearly the same in sound, but differing
in sense. To a reader unacquainted with the Arabic language it is
necessary to explain this custom; otherwise he would imagine that the
author of the present work is merely indulging in a dramatic licence
inconsistent with a true delineation of manners, when he makes a person
suddenly change the style of his speech from prose to verse, and then
revert to the former.
One more duty of a father to a son I should here mention: it is, to
procure for him a wife as soon as he has arrived at a proper age. This
age is decided by some to be twenty years; though many young men marry
at an earlier period. It is said, "When a son has attained the age of
twenty years, his father, if able, should marry him, and then take his
hand, and say, 'I have disciplined thee, and taught thee, and married
thee: I now seek refuge with God from thy mischief in the present world
and the next.'" To enforce this duty, the following tradition is urged:
"When a son attains to the age of puberty, and his father does not marry
him, and yet is able to do so, if the youth commit an improper act in
consequence, the sin of it is between the two,"--or, as in another
report,--"on the father."[294] The same is held to be the case with
respect to a daughter who has attained the age of twelve years.[295]
The female children of the Arabs are seldom taught even to read. Though
they are admissible at the daily schools in which the boys are
instructed, very few parents allow them the benefit of this privilege;
preferring, if they give them any instruction of a literary kind, to
employ a sheykhah (or learned woman) to teach them at home. She
instructs them in the forms of prayer, and teaches them to repeat by
heart a few chapters of the [K.]ur-an; very rarely the whole book.
Parents are indeed recommended to withhold from their daughters some
portions of the [K.]ur-an; to "teach them the Soorat en-Noor [or 24th
chapter], and keep from them the Soorat-Yoosuf [12th chapter]; on
account of the story of Zeleekha and Yoosuf in the latter, and the
prohibitions and threats and mention of punishments contained in the
former."[296]
Needlework is not so rarely, but yet not generally, taught to Arab
girls: the spindle frequently employs those of the poorer classes; and
some of them learn to weave. The daughters of persons of the middle and
higher ranks are often instructed in the art of embroidery, and in other
ornamental work, which are taught in schools and in private houses.
Singing, and playing upon the lute, which were formerly not uncommon
female accomplishments among the wealthy Arabs, are now almost
exclusively confined, like dancing, to professional performers and a few
of the slaves in the [h.]areems of the great: it is very seldom now that
any musical instrument is seen in the hand of an Arab lady, except a
kind of drum called darabukkeh, and a [t.]ar (or tambourine), which are
found in many [h.]areems, and are beaten with the fingers.[297] Some
care, however, is bestowed by the ladies in teaching their daughters
what they consider an elegant gait and carriage, as well as various
alluring and voluptuous arts with which to increase the attachment of
their future husbands.
NOTE 25.--_Water-wheels._ The water-wheels here mentioned are machines
commonly used for the purpose of irrigating fields and gardens. They are
generally turned by a pair of cows or bulls. They raise the water from a
river or well in a series of earthen pots attached to cords which pass
over a vertical wheel, and pour it into a trough, from which it flows in
narrow channels through the space of ground to be irrigated. A cogged
vertical wheel is attached to the same axis as the former; and this, and
consequently the other also, are turned by means of a larger,
horizontal, cogged wheel. The ground is divided into hollow squares, or
furrows, into each of which in succession the water is admitted.
NOTE 26. "Bedr-ed-Deen" signifies "the Full Moon of the Religion."
NOTE 27. I have here omitted the name of Shems-ed-Deen, and his office;
as [H.]asan's knowledge of them would render the sequel of the story too
improbable even to an Arab.
NOTE 28. In the original, this paper is here said to have been written
by [H.]asan in accordance with the dictation of his father; but
afterwards it is said to have been written by the latter; and this is
more consistent with the rest of the tale.
NOTE 29. Papers of importance are often wrapped in waxed cloth to
preserve them from wet, which would efface the writing, as the Arab ink
is chiefly composed of smoke-black and gum and water.
NOTE 30. In the original, the cap is not here mentioned; but it is
afterwards.
NOTE 31. This paragraph and the verses interspersed in it are translated
from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights.
NOTE 32. The poet here alluded to is El-Mutanebbee.
NOTE 33. It is a common custom of Eastern kings and governors to avail
themselves of any pretext for seizing upon the property of a deceased
officer who has accumulated much wealth.
NOTE 34. It is implied that he was sitting at the door, or in the court,
of his house.
NOTE 35. His taking a copy is mentioned afterwards in the original; but
not in this place.
NOTE 36. I have designated by the appellation of "dye-women" (from
want-of a better) those females who are employed to apply the [h.]enna,
which imparts a deep orange-red dye, to the nails or tips of the
fingers, the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, &c. Some Arab
ladies, especially on such an occasion as that here described, are
ornamented with this dye in a more fanciful manner. The woman who
applies it is called in Arabic "muna[k.][k.]isheh."
NOTE 37. The chief office of the tire-woman (in Arabic, "mashi[t.]ah")
is to comb and plait the hair. She attends the ladies in the bath; and
hence is also called "bellaneh."
NOTE 38. A "ma[s.][t.]abah" is a bench of stone or brick, generally
between two and three feet in height, and about the same in width, built
against the front of a shop, and sometimes along the front of a private
house. [See Note 22 to Chapter i.--ED.]
NOTE 39.--_On Marriage._ Previously to the perusal of the first
description of a nuptial fete that occurs in this work, the reader may
perhaps desire some introductory information, which I shall here
endeavour to convey in such a manner as to make the present note serve
to illustrate many future allusions in these pages, and not merely the
foregoing tale.
Marriage is regarded by the Muslims in general as a positive duty; and
to neglect it, without a sufficient excuse, subjects a man to severe
reproach. "When a servant [of God]," said the Prophet, "marries, verily
he perfects half his religion."[298] He once asked a man, "Art thou
married?" The man answered, "No." "And art thou," said he, "sound and
healthy?" The answer was, "Yes." "Then," said Mo[h.]ammad, "thou art one
of the brothers of the devils; for the most wicked among you are the
unmarried; and the most vile among your dead are the unmarried; moreover
the married are those who are acquitted of filthy conversation; and by
Him in whose hand is my soul, the devil hath not a weapon more effective
against the virtuous, both men and women, than the neglect of
marriage."[299] Some remarks on this subject, and on the advantages of
marriage, have been made in a preceding note on infancy and education.
The number of wives whom a Muslim may have at the same time is four. He
may marry free women, or take concubine slaves, or have of both these
classes. It is the opinion of most persons, I believe, among the more
strictly religious, that a man may not have more than four women,
whether they be wives alone, or concubine slaves alone, or of both
classes together; but the practice of some of the Companions of the
Prophet, who cannot be accused of violating his precepts, affords a
strong argument to the contrary. 'Alee, it is said, "was the most devout
of the Companions; but he had four wives and seventeen concubines
besides, and married, after Fa[t.]imeh (may God be well pleased with
her!), among all that he married and divorced, more than two hundred
women: and sometimes he included four wives in one contract, and
sometimes divorced four at one time, taking other four in their
stead."[300] This may perhaps be an exaggerated statement: but it is
certain that the custom of keeping an unlimited number of concubines was
common among wealthy Muslims in the first century of the Mohammadan era,
and has so continued. The famous author of the work above quoted urges
the example of Solomon to prove that the possession of numerous
concubines is not inconsistent with piety and good morals; not
considering that God made but one wife for Adam.
It has been mentioned in the first of the notes to this work, that a
Muslim may divorce his wife twice, and each time take her back. This he
may do, even against her wish, during a fixed period, which cannot
extend beyond three months, unless she be _enceinte_, in which latter
case she must wait until the birth of her child before she will be at
liberty to contract a new marriage. During this period the husband is
obliged to maintain her. If he divorce her a third time, or by a triple
sentence, he cannot take her again unless with her own consent, and by a
new contract, and after another marriage has been consummated between
her and another husband, and this husband also has divorced her.
It is not a common custom, especially among the middle ranks, for an
Arab to have more than one wife at the same time; but there are few of
middle age who have not had several different wives at different
periods, tempted to change by the facility of divorce. The case of 'Alee
has been mentioned above. Mugheyreh Ibn-She[a.]beh married eighty women
in the course of his life;[301] and several more remarkable instances of
the love of change are recorded by Arab writers: the most extraordinary
case of this kind that I have met with was that of Mo[h.]ammad
Ibn-E[t.]-[T.]eiyib, the Dyer, of Baghdad, who died in the year of the
Flight 423, aged eighty-five years; of whom it is related, on most
respectable authority, that he married more than nine hundred
women![302]--Supposing, therefore, that he married his first wife when
he was fifteen years of age, he must have had, on the average, nearly
thirteen wives _per annum_. The women, in general, cannot of course
marry so many successive husbands, not only because a woman cannot have
more than one husband at a time, but also because she cannot divorce her
husband. There have been, however, many instances of Arab women who have
married a surprising number of men in rapid succession. Among these may
be mentioned Umm-Kharijeh, who gave occasion to a proverb on this
subject. This woman, who was of the tribe of Bejeeleh, in El-Yemen,
married upwards of forty husbands; and her son Kharijeh knew not who was
his father. She used to contract a marriage in the quickest possible
manner: a man saying to her, "Khi[t.]bun" (betrothal), she replied,
"Nik-[h.]un" (marriage), and thus became his lawful wife. She had a very
numerous progeny; several tribes originating from her.[303]
For the choice of a wife, a man generally relies on his mother, or some
other near female relation, or a professional female betrother (who is
called "kha[t.]ibeh"); for there are many women who perform this office
for hire. The law allows him to see the face of the female whom he
proposes to marry, previously to his making the contract; but in the
present day this liberty is seldom obtained, except among the lower
orders. Unless in this case, a man is not allowed to see unveiled any
woman but his own wife or slave, and those women to whom the law
prohibits his uniting himself in marriage: nay, according to some, he is
not allowed to "see" his own niece unveiled, though he may not marry
her. It should be added, that a slave may lawfully see the face of his
own mistress; but this privilege is seldom granted in the present day to
any slave but a eunuch. An infringement of the law above mentioned is
held to be extremely sinful in both parties: "The curse of God," said
the Prophet, "is on the seer and the seen:" yet it is very often
disregarded in the case of women of the lower orders.
A man is forbidden, by the [K.]ur-an[304] and the Sunneh, to marry his
mother, or other ascendant; daughter, or other descendant; his sister,
or half-sister; the sister of his father or mother or other ascendant;
his niece, or any of her descendants; his foster-mother who has suckled
him five times in the course of the first two years, or a woman related
to him by milk in any of the degrees which would preclude his marriage
with her if she were similarly related to him by consanguinity; the
mother of his wife, even if he has not consummated his marriage with
this wife; the daughter of his wife, if he has consummated his marriage
with the latter (but if he has not done so, and this wife is divorced
from him, or dead, he may marry her daughter); his father's wife, and
his son's wife; and to have at the same time two wives who are sisters,
or aunt and niece: he is forbidden also to marry his unemancipated
slave, or another man's slave if he has already a free wife; and to
marry any woman but one of his own faith, or a Christian, or a Jewess. A
Mohammadan woman, however, may only marry a man of her own faith. An
unlawful intercourse with any woman prevents a man from marrying any of
her relations who would be forbidden to him if she were his wife.
The reader has already seen that a cousin (the daughter of a paternal
uncle) is often chosen as a wife, on account of the tie of blood, which
is likely to attach her more strongly to her husband, or on account of
an affection conceived in early years. Parity of rank is generally much
regarded; and a man is often unable to obtain as his wife the daughter
of one of a different profession or trade, unless an inferior; or a
younger daughter when an elder remains unmarried. A girl is often
married at the age of twelve years, and sometimes at ten, or even nine:
the usual period is between twelve and sixteen years. At the age of
thirteen or fourteen she may be a mother. The young men marry a few
years later.
The most important requisite in a wife is religion. The Prophet said, "A
virtuous wife is better than the world and all that it contains." "A
virtuous wife," said Lu[k.]man, "is like a crown on the head of a king;
and a wicked wife is like a heavy burden on the back of an old man."
Among the other chief requisites are agreeableness of temper, and beauty
of form (undiminished by any defect or irregularity of features or
members), moderation in the amount of dowry required, and good birth. It
is said, "if thou marry not a virgin, [which is most desirable,] marry a
divorced woman, and not a widow; for the divorced woman will respect thy
words when thou sayest, 'If there were any good in thee thou hadst not
been divorced;' whereas the widow will say, 'May God have mercy on such
a one! he hath left me to one unsuited to me.'" But according to another
selfish maxim, the woman most to be avoided is she who is divorced from
a man by whom she has had a child; for her heart is with him, and she is
an enemy to the man who marries her after.[305]--Modesty is a requisite
upon which too much stress cannot be laid; but this, to an English
reader, requires some explanation. 'Alee asked his wife Fa[t.]imeh, "Who
is the best of women?" She answered, "She who sees not men, and whom
they see not."[306] Modesty, therefore, in the opinion of the Muslims,
is most eminently shown by a woman's concealing her person, and
restraining her eyes, from men. "The best rank of men [in a mosque],"
said the Prophet, "is the front; and the best rank of women is the
rear:"[307] that is, those most distant from the men: but better than
even these are the women who pray at home.[308]--Fruitfulness is also a
desirable qualification to be considered in the choice of a wife: "it
may be known in maidens," says the Prophet, "from their relations;
because, generally speaking, kindred are similar in disposition,
&c."[309] Lastly, contentment is to be enumerated among the requisites.
It is said, on the same authority, "Verily the best of women are those
that are most content with little."[310] To obtain a contented and
submissive wife, many men make their selection from among the classes
inferior to them in rank. Others, with a similar view, prefer a
concubine slave in the place of a wife.
The consent of a girl not arrived at the age of puberty is not required:
her father, or, if he is dead, her nearest adult male relation, or a
guardian appointed by will or by the [K.]a[d.]ee, acts as her wekeel, or
deputy, to effect the marriage-contract for her. If of age, she appoints
her own deputy. A dowry is required to legalize the marriage; and the
least dowry allowed by the law is ten dirhems, or drachms of silver;
about five shillings of our money. Mo[h.]ammad married certain of his
wives for a dowry of ten dirhems and the household necessaries, which
were a handmill to grind the corn, a water-jar, and a pillow of skin or
leather stuffed with the fibres of the palm-tree, which are called
"leef:" but some he married for a dowry of five hundred dirhems.[311]
With the increase of wealth and luxury, dowries have increased in
amount; but, to our ideas, they are still trifling; a sum equivalent to
about twenty pounds sterling being a common dowry among Arabs of the
middle classes for a virgin, and half or a third or quarter of that sum
for a divorced woman or a widow. Two-thirds of the sum is usually paid
before making the contract, and the remaining portion held in reserve to
be paid to the woman in case of her divorce or in case of the husband's
death. The father or guardian of a girl under age receives the former
portion of her dowry; but it is considered as her property, and he
generally expends it, with an additional sum from his own purse, in the
purchase of necessary furniture, dress, &c., for her, which the husband
can never take from her against her own wish.
The marriage-contract is generally, in the present day, merely verbal;
but sometimes a certificate is written, and sealed by the [K.]a[d.]ee.
The most approved or propitious period for this act is the month of
Showwal: the most unpropitious, Mo[h.]arram. The only persons whose
presence is required to perform it are the bridegroom (or his deputy),
the bride's deputy (who is the betrother), two male witnesses, if such
can be easily procured, and the [K.]a[d.]ee or a schoolmaster or some
other person to recite a khu[t.]beh, which consists of a few words in
praise of God, a form of blessing on the Prophet, and some passages of
the [K.]ur-an, respecting marriage. They all recite the Fat'[h.]ah (or
opening chapter of the [K.]ur-an), after which the bridegroom pays the
money. The latter and the bride's deputy then seat themselves on the
ground, face to face, and grasp each other's right hand, raising the
thumbs, and pressing them against each other. Previously to the
khu[t.]beh, the person who recites this formula places a handkerchief
over the two joined hands; and after the khu[t.]beh he dictates to the
two contracting parties what they are to say. The betrother generally
uses the following or a similar form of words: "I betroth to thee my
daughter [or her for whom I act as deputy] such a one [naming the
bride], the virgin, [or the adult virgin, &c.,] for a dowry of such an
amount." The bridegroom answers, "I accept from thee her betrothal to
myself." This is all that is absolutely necessary; but the address and
reply are usually repeated a second and third time, and are often
expressed in fuller forms of words. The contract is concluded with the
recital of the Fat'[h.]ah by all persons present.
This betrothal, or marriage-contract, is often performed several years
before the consummation, when the two parties are yet children; or
during the infancy of the girl; but generally not more than about eight
or ten days before the former event. The household furniture and dress
prepared for the bride are sent by her family to the bridegroom's house,
usually conveyed by a train of camels, two or three or more days before
she is conducted thither.
The feasts and processions which are now to be mentioned are only
observed in the case of a virgin bride; a widow or divorced woman being
remarried in a private manner. I describe them chiefly in accordance
with the usages of Cairo, which appear to me most agreeable, in general,
with the descriptions and allusions in the present work.--The period
most commonly approved for the consummation of marriage is the eve of
Friday, or that of Monday. Previously to this event, the bridegroom once
or twice or more frequently gives a feast to his friends; and for
several nights, his house and the houses of his near neighbours are
usually illuminated by numerous clusters of lamps, or by lanterns,
suspended in front of them; some, to cords drawn across the street. To
these or other cords are also suspended small flags, or square pieces of
silk, each of two different colours, generally red and green. Some say
that the feast or feasts should be given on the occasion of the
contract; others, on the consummation; others, again, on both these
occasions.[312] The usual custom of the people of Cairo is to give a
feast on the night immediately preceding that of the consummation, and
another on the latter night; but some commence their feasts earlier.
Respecting marriage-feasts, the Prophet said, "The first day's feast is
an incumbent duty; and the second day's, a sunneh ordinance; and the
third day's, for ostentation and notoriety:" and he forbade eating at
the feast of the ostentatious.[313] It is a positive duty to accept an
invitation to a marriage-feast or other lawful entertainment; but the
guest is not obliged to eat.[314] The persons invited, and all intimate
friends, generally send presents of provisions of some kind a day or two
before. The Prophet taught that marriage-feasts should be frugal: the
best that _he_ gave was with one goat.[315] He approved of
demonstrations of joy at the celebration of a marriage with songs, and,
according to one tradition, by the beating of deffs (or tambourines);
but in another tradition the latter practice is condemned.[316] The
preferable mode of entertaining the guests is by the performance of a
zikr.
The bride is conducted to the bridegroom's house in the afternoon
immediately preceding the night of consummation. On the day next
preceding that on which she is conducted thither, she goes to the public
bath, accompanied by a number of her female relations and friends. The
procession generally pursues a circuitous route, for the sake of greater
display; and on leaving the house, turns to the right. In Cairo, the
bride walks under a canopy of silk borne by four men, with one of her
near female relations on each side of her. Young unmarried girls walk
before her; these are preceded by the married ladies; and the procession
is headed and closed by a few musicians with drums and hautboys. The
bride wears a kind of pasteboard crown, or cap; and is completely veiled
from the view of spectators by a Kashmeer shawl placed over her crown
and whole person; but some handsome ornaments of the head are attached
externally. The other women are dressed in the best of their
walking-attire. In the case, however, of a bride of high rank, or of
wealth, and often in the case of one belonging to a family of the middle
class, the ladies ride upon high-saddled asses, without music or canopy;
and the bride is only distinguished by a Kashmeer shawl instead of the
usual black silk covering; one or more eunuchs sometimes riding at the
head. In the bath, after the ordinary operations of washing, &c., a
feast is made, and the party are often entertained by female singers.
Having returned in the same manner to her home, the bride's friends
there partake of a similar entertainment with her. Her hands and feet
are then stained with [h.]enna, and her eyes ornamented with ko[h.]l;
and her friends give her small presents of money, and take their leave.
"It is a sunneh ordinance that the bride wash her feet in a clean
vessel, and sprinkle the water in the corners of the chamber, that a
blessing may result from this. She should also brighten her face, and
put on the best of her apparel, and adorn her eyes with ko[h.]l, and
stain [her hands and feet] with [h.]enna [as above mentioned]; and she
should abstain, during the first week, from eating anything that
contains mustard, and from vinegar, and sour apples."[317]
The bride is conducted to the house of the bridegroom (on the following
day) in the same manner as to the bath, or with more pomp. In Cairo, the
bridal processions of persons of very high rank are conducted with
singular display. The train is usually headed by buffoons and musicians,
and a water-carrier loaded with a goat's-skin filled with sand and
water, of very great weight, which is often borne for many hours before,
as well as during, the procession, merely to amuse the spectators by
this feat of strength. Then follow (interrupted by groups of male or
female dancers, jugglers, &c.) numerous decorated open waggons, or cars,
each of which contains several members of some particular trade or art
engaged in their ordinary occupations, or one such person with
attendants: in one, for instance, a [k.]ahwejee (or [k.]ahvejee), with
his assistants and pots and cups and fire, making coffee for the
spectators: in a second, makers of sweetmeats: in a third, makers of
pancakes (fa[t.]eerehs): in a fourth, silk-lace manufacturers: in a
fifth, a silk-weaver, with his loom: in a sixth, tinners of copper
vessels, at their work: in a seventh, white-washers, whitening over and
over again a wall: in short, almost every manufacture, &c., has its
representatives in a different waggon. El-Jabartee describes a
procession of this kind in which there were upwards of seventy parties
of different trades and arts, each party in a separate waggon, besides
buffoons, wrestlers, dancers, and others; followed by various officers,
the eunuchs of the bride's family, ladies of the [h.]areem with their
attendants, then the bride, in a European carriage, a troop of memlooks
clad in armour, and a Turkish band of music. It was a procession of
which the like had not before been seen.[318]
The bride and her party, having arrived at the house, sit down to a
repast. The bridegroom does not yet see her. He has already been to the
bath, and at nightfall he goes in procession with a number of his
friends to a mosque, to perform the night-prayers; he is accompanied by
musicians and singers, or by chanters of lyric odes in praise of the
Prophet; and by men bearing cressets (poles with cylindrical frames of
iron at the top filled with flaming wood); and on his return, most of
his other attendants bear lighted wax candles, and bunches of flowers.
Returned to his house, he leaves his friends in a lower apartment, and
goes up to the bride, whom he finds seated, with a shawl thrown over her
head, so as to conceal her face completely, and attended by one or two
females. The latter he induces to retire, by means of a small present.
He then gives a present of money to the bride, as "the price of
uncovering the face," and having removed the covering (saying, as he
does so, "In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful"), he
beholds her, generally, for the first time. On the occasion of this
first visit, which is called the "dukhool," or "dukhleh," he is
recommended "to perfume himself, and to sprinkle some sugar and almonds
on the head of the bride and on that of each woman with her; this
practice being established by existing usage and by traditions: also,
when he approaches her, he should perform the prayers of two rek'ahs;
and she should do the same if able: then he should take hold of the hair
over her forehead, and say, 'O God, bless me in my wife, and bless my
wife in me! O God, bestow upon me [offspring] by her, and bestow upon
her [offspring] by me! O God, unite us, as Thou hast united, happily;
and separate us, when Thou separatest, happily!'"[319]
NOTE 40. The [t.]arboosh is a woollen skull-cap, of a deep blood-red
colour, having a tassel of dark blue silk attached to the crown. It is
now worn by most Arabs of the higher and middle classes, and by many
others, except in Arabia, where it is not so common. Round it is wound
the muslin or shawl which forms the turban. Within it is worn a cotton
cap. The Turks call it "fes," and "fes."
NOTE 41. The farajeeyeh is a loose robe or coat, now generally made of
cloth, with full and long sleeves extending a little beyond the
extremities of the fingers and without any slit. It is worn chiefly by
persons of the learned professions.
NOTE 42. This is the usual mode in which money is collected for the
singing-women in the present day.
NOTE 43. "[H.]ooreeyeh" is the appellation commonly given by the Arabs
to a virgin of Paradise, by French and English writers, termed "Houri;"
which term, in Arabic, converts a female into a male, but is agreeable
with the Persian equivalent of the Arabic "[H.]ooreeyeh."
NOTE 44.--_On the Evil Eye._ Some remarks on the "evil eye" have been
made in a former note (No. 24 in the present series), with respect to
children, and the means of counteracting its supposed influence; but I
mention this subject again partly with the view of suggesting to the
reader the necessity of bearing it in mind, as it explains many usages
described, or alluded to, in this work, which would otherwise appear
unaccountable. He may remember a well-known line of Virgil--
"Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos,"
which, like many other allusions in works of ancient authors, shews how
long and how extensively this superstition has been entertained. How
deeply it is rooted in the minds of Arabs, even the most religious and
learned, may be inferred from this saying of their Prophet: "The eye has
a complete influence; because verily, if there were a thing to overcome
fate, it most certainly would be a malignant eye."[320] Hence he
permitted charms (which he disallowed in almost every other case) to be
employed for the purpose of counteracting its influence.[321] The
following observation, selected from several of a similar nature in my
work on the Modern Egyptians, aptly illustrates the passage to which
this note immediately refers. "It is a custom among the higher and
middle classes in Cairo, on the occasion of a marriage, to hang
chandeliers in the street before the bridegroom's house; and it often
happens that a crowd is collected to see a very large and handsome
chandelier suspended: in this case, it is a common practice to divert
the attention of the spectators by throwing down and breaking a large
jar, or by some other artifice, lest an envious eye should cause the
chandelier to fall."
NOTE 45. The closet here alluded to, being one in which ablution is
performed, always contains a small trough of water, or a ewer.
NOTE 46. This epithet, "unlucky," is often applied to an 'Efreet. I have
frequently heard it thus used by Arabs.
NOTE 47. "Aboo-Shihab" (literally, Father of a Shooting Star) is a
nickname often given to a devil, and is so employed because devils, or
evil jinnees, are sometimes destroyed by shooting stars hurled at them
by angels; an instance of which occurs in the tale under consideration.
NOTE 48. "Sitt-el-[H.]osn" signifies "the Lady of Beauty."
NOTE 49. "[H.]asheesh" is the intoxicating hemp, which has been
mentioned in former notes.
NOTE 50. Thus in the Breslau edition, and in the Calcutta edition of the
first two hundred nights; but in the edition of Cairo, the cook is
merely termed a prodigal.
NOTE 51.--_On Adoption._ The Mohammadan law allows the adoption of sons,
provided that the person to be adopted consents to the act, if of age to
judge for himself; also, that he has been deprived of his parents by
death or other means; and that there be such a difference of age between
the two parties as might subsist between a natural father and his son.
The adopted son enjoys the same right of inheritance as the natural son;
but the adoptive father is not prevented by this act from marrying any
relation of his adopted son.
NOTE 52. In the houses of Arabs of the more wealthy classes, there is
usually a chair upon which the turban is placed at night. It is of a
large size, but slight make; the bottom and back being generally of
cane-work; and sometimes it has a kind of canopy constructed over it.
The turban, when placed upon it, is covered with a kerchief of thick
silk stuff, often embroidered or interwoven with gold thread.
NOTE 53. "Mo[s.]ilee" may be understood as meaning either "of the
fashion of El-Mo[s.]il," or "of muslin:" but the former, according to my
sheykh, is the signification here intended. I think there is nothing
peculiar in the common modern turban of El-Mo[s.]il.
NOTE 54. This is done under the idea that it strengthens the infant's
eyes.
NOTE 55. "'Ajeeb" signifies "Wonderful."
NOTE 56. The meaning of this is, that he grew in a day as other children
in a month; and in a month, as others in a year.
NOTE 57. The death of the cook is mentioned in the edition of Breslau;
but not in that of Cairo.
NOTE 58. This ejaculation is generally uttered at the mention of a
deceased Muslim.
NOTE 59. "[S.]a[h.]eb" is a title given to Wezeers, as mentioned in Note
8 to the Introduction.
NOTE 60. In the original, fifteen. The age of 'Ajeeb has been shewn to
have been little more than eleven at this period; therefore I have
substituted twelve for fifteen. In page 243 I have made a similar
correction, substituting fifteen for eighteen.
NOTE 61. This alludes to a custom common in the East,--that of giving a
present of a dress, or some article of clothing, to a person who has
brought good news.
NOTE 62. The term "boy" is not used here to imply that the eunuch was a
youth; but in the sense in which it is often employed by us; as
synonymous with "servant."
NOTE 63. "Er-Reydaneeyeh" is the name of a tract on the north of Cairo,
where travellers arriving from Syria generally halted. In the original,
by errors in the diacritical points, this name is converted into
"Ez-Zebedaneeyeh."
NOTE 64. The word which I translate "a cross," literally signifies "an
effigy;" but I suppose this term to be employed merely because a cross
bears a rude resemblance to a man with extended arms.
NOTE 65. "The name of Allah encompass thee!" (or, literally, "--be
around thee!") is an ejaculation often used, especially by women,
agreeing exactly with the expression in the first verse of the twentieth
Psalm,--"The name of the God of Jacob defend thee!"--the "name" of God
here signifying his power. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the
righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs xviii. 10.)
NOTE 66. Here, for a reason given above, I have substituted "twelve" for
"ten."
NOTE 67. In the original, the last of these verses is here omitted, but
my sheykh has supplied it in the margin of my copy, and it occurs
afterwards, in the 75th night, in which the preceding verses, with some
slight variations, are repeated.
NOTE 68.--_On the Expiation of Oaths._ The law clearly allows expiation
for an inconsiderate oath, and, according to vulgar opinion, for the
violation of a deliberate oath.[322] The expiation consists in once
feeding or clothing ten poor men, liberating a Muslim slave or captive,
or fasting three days. An unintentional oath requires no expiation; but
the swearing to a falsehood can only be expiated by deep repentance.
NOTE 69. Hole observes (page 222), that "the discovery of Bedreddin in
the Arabian Nights by the tarts he had made, bears internal evidence of
having been copied from Nella Raja's detection by the same means:" and
he refers to Kindersley's "Specimens of Indian Literature."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[276] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 289.
[277] Sale's Preliminary Discourse, sect. iv.
[278] The call to prayer, which is chanted from the mad'nehs
(or menarets) of the mosques. It is as follows:--"God is most
great!" (four times). "I testify that there is no deity but
God!" (twice). "I testify that Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle!"
(twice). "Come to prayer!" (twice). "Come to security!"
(twice). "God is most great!" (twice). "There is no deity but
God!"
[279] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, sect. 9.
[280] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaehhil, sect. 9.
[281] Compare Exodus xiii. 13; and xii. 46.
[282] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9; and Mishkat
el-Masabee[h.], vol. ii. pp. 315, 316.
[283] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_.
[284] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9.
[285] Ibid.
[286] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 2.
[287] Idem, sect. 7.
[288] [K.]ur-an, ch. xxiii. v. 117.
[289] "God! there is no deity but He," &c., to the words, "He
is the High, the Great."--Idem, ch. ii. v. 256.
[290] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9.
[291] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9.
[292] A similar custom is mentioned in a note appended to the
account of circumcision in vol. i. ch. ii. of my work on the
Modern Egyptians.
[293] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year 302.
[294] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 9; and Mishkat
el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 86.
[295] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], ibid.
[296] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 6.
[297] See my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. ii. ch. v.
[298] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 79.
[299] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 1.
[300] Ibid.
[301] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 1.
[302] Mir-at ez-Zeman, events of the year above mentioned.
[303] Idem, Proverbs of the Arabs: and [K.]amoos, _voce_
"kharaja."
[304] Ch. iv. vv. 26, 27.
[305] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 4.
[306] Idem, sect. 6.
[307] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. i. p. 229.
[308] Idem, vol. i. p. 223.
[309] Idem, vol. ii. p. 78.
[310] Idem, vol. ii. p. 79.
[311] Nuzhet El-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 4.
[312] Idem, sect. 8.
[313] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 8.
[314] Ibid.; and Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 105.
[315] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.] vol. ii. p. 104.
[316] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_; and Mishkat
el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 89.
[317] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., _loco laudato_.
[318] Account of the Emeer Mo[h.]ammad Agha El-Baroodee,
obituary, year 1205.
[319] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil, &c., sect. 8.
[320] Mishkat el-Ma[s.]abee[h.], vol. ii. p. 377.
[321] Ibid.
[322] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 9.
CHAPTER V.
COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF
THE THIRTY-SECOND.
THE STORY OF THE HUMPBACK.
There was, in ancient times, in the city of El-Ba[s.]rah,[V_1] a
tailor who enjoyed an ample income, and was fond of sport and merriment.
He was in the habit of going out occasionally with his wife, that they
might amuse themselves with strange and diverting scenes; and one day
they went forth in the afternoon,[V_2] and, returning home in the
evening, met a humpbacked man, whose aspect was such as to excite
laughter in the angry, and to dispel anxiety and grief: so they
approached him to enjoy the pleasure of gazing at him, and invited him
to return with them to their house, and to join with them in a carousal
that night.
He assented to their proposal; and after he had gone with them to the
house, the tailor went out to the market; night having then approached.
He bought some dried fish, and bread and limes and sweetmeat, and,
returning with them, placed the fish before the humpback and they sat
down to eat; and the tailor's wife took a large piece of fish, and
crammed the humpback with it, and, closing his mouth with her hand,
said, By Allah, thou shalt not swallow it but by gulping it at once, and
I will not give thee time to chew it. He therefore swallowed it; but it
contained a large and sharp bone, which stuck across in his throat, his
destiny having so determined, and he expired. The tailor exclaimed,
There is no strength nor power but in God the High, the Great! Alas,
that this poor creature should not have died but in this manner by our
hands!--Wherefore this idling? exclaimed the woman.--And what can I do?
asked her husband.--Arise she answered, and take him in thy bosom, and
cover him with a silk napkin: I will go out first and do thou follow me,
this very night and say, This is my son, and this is his mother; and we
are going to convey him to the physician, that he may give him some
medicine.
No sooner had the tailor heard these words than he arose, and took the
humpback in his bosom. His wife, accompanying him, exclaimed, O my
child! may Allah preserve thee! Where is the part in which thou feelest
pain; and where hath this small-pox attacked thee?--So every one who saw
them said, They are conveying a child smitten with the small-pox. Thus
they proceeded, inquiring as they went, for the abode of the physician;
and the people directed them to the house of a physician who was a Jew;
and they knocked at the door, and there came down to them a black
slave-girl, who opened the door, and beheld a man carrying (as she
imagined) a child, and attended by its mother; and she said, What is
your business?--We have a child here answered the tailor's wife, and we
want the physician to see him: take, then, this quarter of a piece of
gold, and give it to thy master, and let him come down and see my son;
for he is ill. The girl, therefore, went up, and the tailor's wife,
entering the vestibule, said to her husband, Leave the humpback here,
and let us take ourselves away. And the tailor, accordingly, set him up
against the wall, and went out with his wife.
The slave-girl, meanwhile, went in to the Jew, and said to him, Below,
in the house, is a sick person, with a woman and a man: and they have
given me a quarter of a piece of gold for thee, that thou mayest
prescribe for them what may suit his case. And when the Jew saw the
quarter of a piece of gold, he rejoiced, and, rising in haste, went down
in the dark; and in doing so, his foot struck against the lifeless
humpback. O Ezra! he exclaimed--O Heavens and the Ten Commandments! O
Aaron, and Joshua son of Nun! It seemeth that I have stumbled against
this sick person, and he hath fallen down the stairs and died! And how
shall I go forth with one killed from my house? O Ezra's
ass![V_3]--He then raised him, and took him up from the court of
the house to his wife, and acquainted her with the accident.--And why
sittest thou here idle? said she; for if thou remain thus until daybreak
our lives will be lost: let me and thee, then, take him up to the
terrace, and throw him into the house of our neighbour the Muslim; for
he is the steward of the Sul[t.]an's kitchen, and often do the cats come
to his house, and eat of the food which they find there;[V_4] as do
the mice too: and if he remain there for a night, the dogs will come
down to him from the terraces and eat him up entirely.[V_5] So the
Jew and his wife went up, carrying the humpback, and let him down by his
hands and feet to the pavement; placing him against the wall; which
having done, they descended.
Not long had the humpback been thus deposited when the steward returned
to his house, and opened the door, and, going up with a lighted candle
in his hand, found a son of Adam standing in the corner next the
kitchen; upon which he exclaimed, What is this? By Allah, the thief that
hath stolen our goods is none other than a son of Adam, who taketh what
he findeth of flesh or grease, even though I keep it concealed from the
cats and the dogs; and if I killed all the cats and dogs of the quarter
it would be of no use; for he cometh down from the terraces!--And so
saying, he took up a great mallet, and struck him with it, and then,
drawing close to him, gave him a second blow with it upon the chest,
when the humpback fell down, and he found that he was dead; whereupon he
grieved, and said, There is no strength nor power but in God! And he
feared for himself, and exclaimed, Curse upon the grease and the flesh,
and upon this night, in which the destiny of this man hath been
accomplished by my hand! Then, looking upon him, and perceiving that he
was a humpback, he said, Is it not enough that thou art humpbacked, but
must thou also be a robber, and steal the flesh and the grease? O
Protector, cover me with thy gracious shelter!--And he lifted him upon
his shoulders, and descended, and went forth from his house, towards the
close of the night, and stopped not until he had conveyed him to the
commencement of the market-street, where he placed him upon his feet by
the side of a shop at the entrance of a lane, and there left him and
retired.
Soon after, there came a Christian, the Sul[t.]an's broker, who, in a
state of intoxication, had come forth to visit the bath; and he
advanced, staggering, until he drew near to the humpback, when he turned
his eyes, and beheld one standing by him. Now some persons had snatched
off his turban early in the night,[V_6] and when he saw the
humpback standing there, he concluded that he intended to do the same;
so he clenched his fist, and struck him on the neck. Down fell the
humpback upon the ground, and the Christian called out to the watchman
of the market,[V_7] while, still in the excess of his intoxication,
he continued beating the humpback, and attempting to throttle him. As he
was thus employed, the watchman came, and, finding the Christian
kneeling upon the Muslim[V_8] and beating him, said, Arise, and
quit him! He arose, therefore, and the watchman, approaching the
humpback, saw that he was dead, and exclaimed, How is it that the
Christian dareth to kill the Muslim? Then seizing the Christian, he
bound his hands behind him, and took him to the house of the
Walee;[V_9] the Christian saying within himself, O Heavens! O
Virgin! how have I killed this man? and how quickly did he die from a
blow of the hand!--Intoxication had departed, and reflection had come.
The humpback and the Christian passed the remainder of the night in the
house of the Walee, and the Walee ordered the executioner to proclaim
the Christian's crime, and he set up a gallows, and stationed him
beneath it. The executioner then came, and threw the rope round his
neck, and was about to hang him, when the Sul[t.]an's steward pushed
through the crowd, seeing the Christian standing beneath the gallows,
and the people made way for him, and he said to the executioner, Do it
not; for it was I who killed him.--Wherefore didst thou kill him? said
the Walee. He answered, I went into my house last night, and saw that he
had descended from the terrace and stolen my goods; so I struck him with
a mallet upon his chest, and he died, and I carried him out, and
conveyed him to the market-street, where I set him up in such a place,
at the entrance of such a lane. Is it not enough for me to have killed a
Muslim, that a Christian should be killed on my account? Hang, then,
none but me.--The Walee, therefore, when he heard these words, liberated
the Christian broker, and said to the executioner, Hang this man, on the
ground of his confession. And he took off the rope from the neck of the
Christian, and put it round the neck of the steward, and, having
stationed him beneath the gallows, was about to hang him, when the
Jewish physician pushed through the crowd, and called out to the
executioner, saying to him, Do it not; for none killed him but I; and
the case was this: he came to my house to be cured of a disease, and as
I descended to him I struck against him with my foot, and he died: kill
not the steward, therefore; but kill me. So the Walee gave orders to
hang the Jewish physician; and the executioner took off the rope from
the steward's neck, and put it round the neck of the Jew. But, lo, the
tailor came, and, forcing his way among the people, said to the
executioner, Do it not; for none killed him but I; and it happened thus:
I was out amusing myself during the day, and as I was returning at the
commencement of the night, I met this humpback in a state of
intoxication, with a tambourine, and singing merrily; and I stopped to
divert myself by looking at him, and took him to my house. I then bought
some fish, and we sat down to eat, and my wife took a piece of fish and
a morsel of bread, and crammed them into his mouth, and he was choked,
and instantly died. Then I and my wife took him to the house of the Jew,
and the girl came down and opened the door, and while she went up to her
master, I set up the humpback by the stairs, and went away with my wife:
so, when the Jew came down and stumbled against him, he thought that he
had killed him.--And he said to the Jew, Is this true? He answered, Yes.
The tailor, then, looking towards the Walee, said to him, Liberate the
Jew, and hang me. And when the Walee heard this he was astonished at the
case of the humpback, and said, Verily this is an event that should be
recorded in books! And he said to the executioner, Liberate the Jew, and
hang the tailor on account of his own confession. So the executioner led
him forward, saying, Dost thou put forward this and take back that; and
shall we not hang one? And he put the rope round the neck of the tailor.
Now the humpback was the Sul[t.]an's buffoon, and the Sul[t.]an could
not bear him to be out of his sight; and when the humpback had got
drunk, and been absent that night and the next day until noon, the King
inquired respecting him of some of his attendants, and they answered
him, O our lord, the Walee hath taken him forth dead, and gave orders to
hang the person who killed him, and there came a second and a third
person, each saying, None killed him but I:--and describing to the Walee
the cause of his killing him. When the King, therefore, heard this, he
called out to the Chamberlain, and said to him, Go down to the Walee,
and bring them all hither before me. So the Chamberlain went down, and
found that the executioner had almost put to death the tailor, and he
called out to him, saying, Do it not:--and informed the Walee that the
case had been reported to the King. And he took him, and the humpback
borne with him, and the tailor and the Jew and the Christian and the
steward, and went up with them all to the King; and when the Walee came
into the presence of the King, he kissed the ground, and related to him
all that had happened. And the King was astonished, and was moved with
merriment, at hearing this tale; and he commanded that it should be
written in letters of gold. He then said to those who were present, Have
ye ever heard anything like the story of this humpback? And upon this
the Christian advanced, and said, O King of the age, if thou permit me I
will relate to thee an event that hath occurred to me more wonderful and
strange and exciting than the story of the humpback.--Tell us then thy
story, said the King. And the Christian related as follows:--
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE STORY TOLD BY THE CHRISTIAN BROKER.
Know, O King of the age, that I came to this country with merchandise,
and destiny stayed me among your people. I was born in Cairo, and am one
of its Copts, and there I was brought up. My father was a broker; and
when I had attained to manhood, he died, and I succeeded to his
business; and as I was sitting one day, lo, a young man of most handsome
aspect, and clad in a dress of the richest description, came to me,
riding upon an ass, and, when he saw me, saluted me; whereupon I rose to
him, to pay him honour, and he produced a handkerchief containing some
sesame, and said, What is the value of an ardebb[V_10] of this? I
answered him, A hundred pieces of silver. And he said to me, Take
the carriers and the measurers, and repair to the Khan of
El-Jawalee[V_11] in the district of Bab en-Na[s.]r:[V_12]
there wilt thou find me. And he left me and went his way, after having
given me the handkerchief with the sample of the sesame. So I went about
to the purchasers; and the price of each ardebb amounted to a hundred
and twenty pieces of silver; and I took with me four carriers, and went
to him. I found him waiting my arrival; and when he saw me he rose and
opened a magazine, and we measured its contents, and the whole amounted
to fifty ardebbs. The young man then said, Thou shalt have, for every
ardebb, ten pieces of silver as brokerage; and do thou receive the price
and keep it in thy care: the whole sum will be five thousand; and thy
share of it, five hundred: so there will remain for me four thousand and
five hundred; and when I shall have finished the sale of the goods
contained in my store-rooms, I will come to thee and receive it. I
replied, It shall be as thou desirest. And I kissed his hand, and left
him. Thus there accrued to me, on that day, a thousand pieces of silver,
besides my brokerage.[V_13]
He was absent from me a month, at the expiration of which he came and
said to me, Where is the money? I answered, Here it is, ready. And he
said, Keep it until I come to thee to receive it. And I remained
expecting him; but he was absent from me another month; after which he
came again, and said, Where is the money? Whereupon I arose and saluted
him, and said to him, Wilt thou eat something with us? He, however,
declined, and said, Keep the money until I shall have gone and returned
to receive it from thee. He then departed; and I arose, and prepared for
him the money, and sat expecting him; but again he absented himself from
me for a month, and then came and said, After this day I will receive it
from thee. And he departed, and I made ready the money for him as
before, and sat waiting his return. Again, however, he remained a month
absent from me, and I said within myself, Verily this young man is
endowed with consummate liberality! After the month he came, attired in
rich clothing, and resembling the full moon, appearing as if he had just
come out of the bath, with red cheek and fair forehead, and a mole like
a globule of ambergris. When I beheld him I kissed his hand, and invoked
a blessing upon him, and said to him, O my master, wilt thou not take
thy money?--Have patience with me, he answered, until I shall have
transacted all my affairs, after which I will receive it from thee. And
so saying, he departed; and I said within myself, By Allah, when he
cometh I will entertain him as a guest, on account of the profit which I
have derived from his money; for great wealth hath accrued to me from
it.
At the close of the year he returned, clad in a dress richer than the
former; and I swore to him that he should alight to be my guest.--On the
condition, he replied, that thou expend nothing of my money that is in
thy possession. I said, Well:--and, having seated him, prepared what was
requisite of meats and drinks and other provisions, and placed them
before him, saying, In the name of Allah! And he drew near to the table,
and put forth his left hand, and thus ate with me: so I was surprised at
him;[V_14] and when we had finished he washed his hand, and I gave
him a napkin with which to wipe it. We then sat down to converse, and I
said, O my master dispel a trouble from my mind. Wherefore didst thou
eat with thy left hand? Probably something paineth thee in thy right
hand?--On hearing these words, he stretched forth his arm from his
sleeve,[V_15] and behold, it was maimed--an arm without a hand! And
I wondered at this; but he said to me, Wonder not; nor say in thy heart
that I ate with thee with my left hand from a motive of self-conceit;
for rather to be wondered at is the cause of the cutting off of my right
hand. And what, said I, was the cause of it? He answered, thus:--
Know that I am from Baghdad: my father was one of the chief people of
that city; and when I had attained the age of manhood, I heard the
wanderers and travellers and merchants conversing respecting the land of
Egypt, and their words remained in my heart until my father died, when I
took large sums of money, and prepared merchandise consisting of the
stuffs of Baghdad and of El-Mo[s.]il, and similar precious goods, and,
having packed them up, journeyed from Baghdad; and God decreed me safety
until I entered this your city. And so saying, he wept, and repeated
these verses:--
The blear-eyed escapeth a pit into which the clear-sighted falleth;
And the ignorant, an expression by which the shrewd sage is ruined.
The believer can scarce earn his food, while the impious infidel
is favoured.
What art or act can a man devise? It is what the Almighty appointeth!
I entered Cairo, continued the young man, and deposited the stuffs in
the Khan of Mesroor,[V_16] and, having unbound my packages and put
them in the magazines, gave to the servant some money to buy for us
something to eat, after which I slept a little; and when I arose, I went
to Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn.[V_17] I then returned, and passed the
night; and in the morning following, I opened a bale of stuff, and said
within myself, I will arise and go through some of the market-streets,
and see the state of the mart. So I took some stuff, and made some of my
servants carry it, and proceeded until I arrived at the [K.]eysareeyeh
of Jaharkas,[V_18] where the brokers came to me, having heard of my
arrival, and took from me the stuff, and cried it about for sale; but
the price bidden amounted not to the prime cost. And upon this the
Sheykh of the brokers said to me, O my master, I know a plan by which
thou mayest profit; and it is this: that thou do as other merchants, and
sell thy merchandise upon credit for a certain period, employing a
scrivener and a witness and a money-changer, and receive a portion of
the profits every Thursday and Monday; so shalt thou make of every piece
of silver two; and besides that, thou wilt be able to enjoy the
amusements afforded by Egypt and its Nile.--The advice is judicious, I
replied: and accordingly I took the brokers with me to the Khan, and
they conveyed the stuffs to the [K.]eysareeyeh, where I sold it to the
merchants, writing a bond in their names, which I committed to the
money-changer, and taking from him a corresponding bond. I then returned
to the Khan, and remained there some days; and every day I took for my
breakfast a cup of wine, and had mutton and sweetmeats prepared for me,
until the month in which I became entitled to the receipt of the
profits, when I seated myself every Thursday and Monday at the shops of
the merchants, and the money-changer went with the scrivener and brought
me the money.
[Illustration]
Thus did I until one day I went to the bath and returned to the Khan,
and, entering my lodging, took for my breakfast a cup of wine, and then
slept; and when I awoke I ate a fowl,[V_19] and perfumed myself
with essence, and repaired to the shop of a merchant named Bedr-ed-Deen
the Gardener,[V_20] who, when he saw me, welcomed me, and conversed
with me a while in his shop; and as we were thus engaged, lo, a female
came and seated herself by my side. She wore a headkerchief inclined on
one side, and the odours of sweet perfumes were diffused from her, and
she captivated my reason by her beauty and loveliness as she raised her
izar and I beheld her black eyes. She saluted Bedr-ed-Deen, and he
returned her salutation, and stood conversing with her; and when I heard
her speech, love for her took entire possession of my heart. She then
said to Bedr-ed-Deen, Hast thou a piece of stuff woven with pure gold
thread? And he produced to her a piece; and she said, May I take it and
go, and then send thee the price? But he answered, It is impossible, O
my mistress; for this is the owner of the stuff, and I owe him a portion
of the profit.--Wo to thee! said she: it is my custom to take of thee
each piece of stuff for a considerable sum of money, giving thee a gain
beyond thy wish, and then to send thee the price.--Yes, he rejoined; but
I am in absolute want of the price this day. And upon this she took the
piece and threw it back to him upon his breast, saying, Verily your
class knows not how to respect any person's rank! And she arose, and
turned away. I felt then as if my soul went with her, and, rising upon
my feet, I said to her, O my mistress, kindly bestow a look upon me, and
retrace thine honoured steps. And she returned, and smiled and said, For
thy sake I return. And she sat opposite me upon the seat of the shop;
and I said to Bedr-ed-Deen, What is the price that thou hast agreed to
give for this piece. He answered, Eleven hundred pieces of silver. And I
said to him, Thy profit shall be a hundred pieces of silver: give me
then a paper, and I will write for thee the price upon it. I then took
the piece of stuff from him, and wrote him the paper with my own hand,
and gave the piece of stuff to the lady, saying to her, Take it and go;
and if thou wilt, bring the price to me in the market; or, if thou wilt,
it shall be my present to thee. She replied, God recompense thee, and
bless thee with my property, and make thee my husband; and may God
accept this prayer!--O my mistress, said I, let this piece of stuff be
thine, and another like it, and permit me to see thy face. And upon this
she raised her veil; and when I beheld her face, the sight drew from me
a thousand sighs, and my heart was entangled by her love, so that I no
longer remained master of my reason. She then lowered the veil again,
and took the piece of stuff, saying, O my master, leave me not desolate.
So she departed, while I continued sitting in the market-street until
past the hour of afternoon-prayer, with wandering mind, overpowered by
love. In the excess of my passion, before I rose I asked the merchant
respecting her; and he answered me, She is a rich lady, the daughter of
a deceased Emeer, who left her great property.
I then took leave of him, and returned to the Khan, and the supper was
placed before me; but, reflecting upon her, I could eat nothing. I laid
myself down to rest; but sleep came not to me, and I remained awake
until the morning, when I arose and put on a suit of clothing different
from that which I had worn the day before; and, having drunk a cup of
wine, and eaten a few morsels as my breakfast, repaired again to the
shop of the merchant, and saluted him, and sat down with him. The lady
soon came, wearing a dress more rich than the former, and attended by a
slave-girl; and she seated herself, and saluted me instead of
Bedr-ed-Deen, and said, with an eloquent tongue which I had never heard
surpassed in softness or sweetness, Send with me some one to receive the
twelve hundred pieces of silver, the price of the piece of
stuff.--Wherefore, said I, this haste? She replied, May we never lose
thee! And she handed to me the price; and I sat conversing with her, and
made a sign to her, which she understood, intimating my wish to visit
her: whereupon she rose in haste, expressing displeasure at my hint. My
heart clung to her, and I followed in the direction of her steps through
the market-street; and lo, a slave-girl came to me, and said, O my
master, answer the summons of my mistress. Wondering at this, I said, No
one here knoweth me.--How soon, she rejoined, hast thou forgotten her!
My mistress is she who was to-day at the shop of the merchant
Bedr-ed-Deen.--So I went with her until we arrived at the
money-changer's;[V_21] and when her mistress, who was there, beheld
me, she drew me to her side, and said, O my beloved, thou hast wounded
my heart, and love of thee hath taken possession of it; and from the
time that I first saw thee, neither sleep nor food nor drink hath been
pleasant to me. I replied, And more than that do I feel; and the state
in which I am needs no complaint to testify it.--Then shall I visit
thee, O my beloved, she asked, or wilt thou come to me? For our marriage
must be a secret.[V_22]--I am a stranger, I answered, and have no
place of reception but the Khan; therefore, if thou wilt kindly permit
me to go to thine abode the pleasure will be perfect.--Well, she
replied; but to-night is the eve of Friday, and let nothing be done till
to-morrow, when, after thou hast joined in the prayers, do thou mount
thine ass, and inquire for the [H.]abbaneeyeh;[V_23] and when thou
hast arrived there, ask for the house called the [K.]a'ah[V_24] of
Barakat the Na[k.]eeb,[V_25] known by the surname of Aboo-Shameh;
for there do I reside; and delay not; for I shall be anxiously expecting
thee.
On hearing this I rejoiced exceedingly, and we parted; and I returned to
the Khan in which I lodged. I passed the whole night sleepless, and was
scarcely sure that the daybreak had appeared when I rose and changed my
clothes, and, having perfumed myself with essences and sweet scents,
took with me fifty pieces of gold in a handkerchief, and walked from the
Khan of Mesroor to Bab Zuweyleh,[V_26] where I mounted an ass, and
said to its owner, Go with me to the [H.]abbaneeyeh. And in less than
the twinkling of an eye he set off, and soon he stopped at a by-street
called Darb El-Muna[k.][k.]iree, when I said to him, Enter the street,
and inquire for the [K.]a'ah of the Na[k.]eeb. He was absent but a
little while, and, returning, said, Alight.--Walk on before me, said I,
to the [K.]a'ah. And he went on until he had led me to the house;
whereupon I said to him, To-morrow come to me hither to convey me
back.--In the name of Allah, he replied: and I handed to him a quarter
of a piece of gold, and he took it and departed. I then knocked at the
door, and there came forth to me two young virgins in whom the forms of
womanhood had just developed themselves, resembling two moons, and they
said, Enter; for our mistress is expecting thee, and she hath not slept
last night from her excessive love for thee. I entered an upper saloon
with seven doors: around it were latticed windows looking upon a garden
in which were fruits of every kind, and running streams and singing
birds: it was plastered with imperial gypsum, in which a man might see
his face reflected:[V_27] its roof was ornamented with gilding, and
surrounded by inscriptions in letters of gold upon a ground of
ultramarine: it comprised a variety of beauties, and shone in the eyes
of beholders: the pavement was of coloured marbles, having in the midst
of it a fountain, with four snakes of red gold casting forth water from
their mouths like pearls and jewels at the corners of the
pool;[V_28] and it was furnished with carpets of coloured silk, and
mattresses.
[Illustration]
Having entered, I seated myself; and scarcely had I done so when the
lady approached me. She wore a crown set with pearls and
jewels;[V_29] her hands and feet were stained with [h.]enna; and
her bosom was ornamented with gold. As soon as she beheld me she smiled
in my face, and embraced me, saying, Is it true that thou hast come to
me, or is this a dream?--I am thy slave, I answered; and she said, Thou
art welcome. Verily, from the time when I first saw thee, neither sleep
hath been sweet to me, nor hath food been pleasant!--In such case have
_I_ been, I replied;--and we sat down to converse; but I hung down my
head towards the ground, in bashfulness; and not long had I thus
remained when a repast was placed before me, consisting of the most
exquisite dishes, as fricandoes and hashes and stuffed fowls. I ate with
her until we were satisfied; when they brought the basin and ewer, and I
washed my hands; after which we perfumed ourselves with rose-water
infused with musk, and sat down again to converse: expressing to each
other our mutual passion; and her love took such possession of me that
all the wealth I possessed seemed worthless in comparison. In this
manner we continued to enjoy ourselves until, night approaching, the
female slaves brought supper and wine, a complete service; and we drank
until midnight. Never in my life had I passed such a night. And when
morning came, I arose, and, having thrown to her the handkerchief
containing the pieces of gold,[V_30] I took leave of her and went
out; but as I did so she wept, and said, O my master, when shall I see
again this lovely face? I answered her, I will be with thee at the
commencement of the night. And when I went forth, I found the owner of
the ass, who had brought me the day before, waiting for me at the door;
and I mounted, and returned with him to the Khan of Mesroor, where I
alighted, and gave to him half a piece of gold, saying to him, Come
hither at sunset. He replied, On the head be thy command.
I entered the Khan, and ate my breakfast, and then went forth to collect
the price of my stuffs; after which I returned. I had prepared for my
wife a roasted lamb, and purchased some sweetmeat and I now called the
porter, described to him the house, and gave him his hire. Having done
this, I occupied myself again with my business until sunset, when the
owner of the ass came, and I took fifty pieces of gold, and put them
into a handkerchief. Entering the house, I found that they had wiped the
marble and polished the vessels of copper and brass, and filled the
lamps and lighted the candles, and dished the supper and strained the
wine; and when my wife saw me, she threw her arms around my neck, and
said, Thou hast made me desolate by thine absence! The tables were then
placed before us, and we ate until we were satisfied, and the
slave-girls took away the first table, and placed before us the wine;
and we sat drinking, and eating of the dried fruits, and making merry,
until midnight. We then slept until morning, when I arose and handed her
the fifty pieces of gold as before, and left her.
Thus I continued to do for a long time, until I passed the night and
awoke possessing not a piece of silver nor one of gold; and I said
within myself, This is the work of the Devil! And I repeated these
verses:--
Poverty causeth the lustre of a man to grow dim, like the yellowness
of the setting sun.
When absent, he is not remembered among mankind; and when present,
he shareth not their pleasures.
In the market-streets he shunneth notice; and in desert places
he poureth forth his tears.
By Allah! a man, among his own relations, when afflicted with poverty,
is as a stranger!
[Illustration]
With these reflections I walked forth into Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn, and
proceeded thence to Bab Zuweyleh, where I found the people crowding
together, so that the gate was stopped up by their number; and, as
destiny willed, I saw there a trooper, and, unintentionally pressing
against him, my hand came in contact with his pocket, and I felt it, and
found that it contained a purse; and I caught hold of the purse, and
took it from his pocket. But the trooper felt that his pocket was
lightened, and, putting his hand into it, found nothing; upon which he
looked aside at me, and raised his hand with the mace,[V_31] and
struck me upon my head. I fell to the ground, and the people surrounded
us, and seized the bridle of the trooper's horse, saying, On account of
the crowd dost thou strike this young man such a blow? But he called out
to them and said, This is a robber! On hearing this I feared. The people
around me said, This is a comely young man, and hath taken nothing.
While some, however, believed this, others disbelieved; and after many
words, the people dragged me along, desiring to liberate me: but, as it
was predestined, there came at this moment the Walee and other
magistrates entering the gate, and, seeing the people surrounding me and
the trooper, the Walee said, What is the news? The trooper answered, By
Allah, O Emeer, this is a robber: I had in my pocket a blue purse
containing twenty pieces of gold; and he took it while I was pressed by
the crowd.--Was any one with thee? asked the Walee. The trooper
answered, No. And the Walee called out to the chief of his servants,
saying, Seize him and search him. So he seized me; and protection was
withdrawn from me; and the Walee said to him, Strip him of all that is
upon him. And when he did so, they found the purse in my clothes: and
the Walee, taking it, counted the money, and found it to be twenty
pieces of gold, as the trooper had said; whereupon he was enraged, and
called out to his attendants, saying, Bring him forward. They,
therefore, brought me before him, and he said to me, O young man, tell
the truth. Didst thou steal this purse?--And I hung down my head towards
the ground, saying within myself, If I answer that I did not steal it,
it will be useless, for he hath produced it from my clothes; and if I
say, I stole it, I fall into trouble. I then raised my head, and said,
Yes, I took it. And when the Walee heard these words, he wondered, and
called witnesses, who presented themselves, and gave their testimony to
my confession.--All this took place at Bab Zuweyleh.--The Walee then
ordered the executioner to cut off my hand; and he cut off my right
hand;[V_32] but the heart of the trooper was moved with compassion for
me, and he interceded for me that I should not be killed:[V_33] so the
Walee left me and departed. The people however continued around me, and
gave me to drink a cup of wine; and the trooper gave me the purse,
saying, Thou art a comely youth, and it is not fit that thou shouldst
be a thief. And I took it from him, and addressed him with these
verses:--
By Allah! good sir, I was not a robber; nor was I a thief, O, best
of mankind!
But fortune's vicissitudes overthrew me suddenly, and anxiety
and trouble and poverty overpowered me.
I cast it not; but it was the Deity who cast an arrow that threw
down the kingly diadem from my head.[V_34]
The trooper then left me and departed, after having given me the purse,
and I went my way; but first I wrapped my hand in a piece of
rag,[V_35] and put it in my bosom. My condition thus altered, and
my countenance pallid in consequence of my sufferings, I walked to the
[K.]a'ah, and, in a disordered state of mind, threw myself upon the bed.
My wife, seeing my complexion thus changed, said to me, What hath pained
thee, and wherefore do I see thee thus altered? I answered her, My head
acheth, and I am not well. And on hearing this she was vexed, and became
ill on my account, and said, Burn not my heart, O my master! Sit up, and
raise thy head, and tell me what hath happened to thee this day; for I
read a tale in thy face.--Abstain from speaking to me, I replied. And
she wept, and said, It seemeth that thou art tired of us; for I see thee
to be conducting thyself in a manner contrary to thy usual habit. Then
she wept again, and continued addressing me, though I made her no reply,
until the approach of night, when she placed some food before me; but I
abstained from it, fearing that she should see me eat with my left hand,
and said, I have no desire to eat at present. She then said again, Tell
me what hath happened to thee this day, and wherefore I see thee anxious
and broken-hearted. I answered, I will presently tell thee at my
leisure. And she put the wine towards me, saying, Take it; for it will
dispel thine anxiety; and thou must drink, and tell me thy story. I
replied, therefore, If it must be so, give me to drink with thy hand.
And she filled a cup and drank it; and then filled it again and handed
it to me, and I took it from her with my left hand, and, while tears ran
from my eyes, I repeated these verses:--
When God willeth an event to befall a man who is endowed with reason
and hearing and sight,
He deafeneth his ears, and blindeth his heart, and draweth his reason
from him as a hair.[V_36]
Till, having fulfilled his purpose against him, He restoreth him
his reason that he may be admonished.[V_37]
Having thus said, I wept again; and when she saw me do so, she uttered a
loud cry, and said, What is the reason of thy weeping? Thou hast burned
my heart! And wherefore didst thou take the cup with thy left hand?--I
answered her, I have a boil upon my right hand.--Then put it forth, said
she, that I may open it for thee.--It is not yet, I replied, the proper
time for opening it; and continue not to ask me; for I will not put it
forth at present. I then drank the contents of the cup, and she
continued to hand me the wine until intoxication overcame me, and I
fell asleep in the place where I was sitting; upon which she discovered
that my right arm was without a hand, and, searching me, saw the purse
containing the gold.
Grief, such as none else experienceth, overcame her at the sight; and
she suffered incessant torment on my account until the morning, when I
awoke, and found that she had prepared for me a dish composed of four
boiled fowls, which she placed before me. She then gave me to drink a
cup of wine; and I ate and drank, and put down the purse, and was about
to depart; but she said, Whither wouldst thou go? I answered, To such a
place, to dispel somewhat of the anxiety which oppresseth my heart.--Go
not, said she; but rather sit down again. So I sat down, and she said to
me, Hath thy love of me become so excessive that thou hast expended all
thy wealth upon me, and lost thy hand? I take thee, then, as witness
against me, and God also is witness, that I will never desert thee; and
thou shalt see the truth of my words.--Immediately, therefore, she sent
for witnesses, who came; and she said to them, Write my contract of
marriage to this young man, and bear witness that I have received the
dowry. And they did as she desired them; after which she said, Bear
witness that all my property which is in this chest, and all my memlooks
and female slaves, belong to this young man. Accordingly, they declared
themselves witnesses of her declaration, and I accepted the property,
and they departed after they had received their fees. She then took me
by my hand, and, having led me to a closet, opened a large chest, and
said to me, See what is contained in this chest. I looked, therefore;
and lo, it was full of handkerchiefs; and she said, This is thy
property; which I have received from thee: for every time that thou
gavest me a handkerchief containing fifty pieces of gold, I wrapped it
up, and threw it into this chest: take, then, thy property; for God hath
restored it to thee, and thou art now of high estate. Fate hath
afflicted thee on my account so that thou hast lost thy right hand, and
I am unable to compensate thee: if I should sacrifice my life, it would
be but a small thing, and thy generosity would still have surpassed
mine.--She then added, Now take possession of thy property. So I
received it; and she transferred the contents of her chest to mine,
adding her property to mine which I had given her. My heart rejoiced, my
anxiety ceased, and I approached and kissed her, and made myself merry
by drinking with her; after which she said again, Thou hast sacrificed
all thy wealth and thy hand through love of me, and how can I compensate
thee? By Allah, if I gave my life for love of thee, it were but a small
thing, and I should not do justice to thy claims upon me.--She then
wrote a deed of gift transferring to me all her apparel, and her
ornaments of gold and jewels, and her houses and other possessions; and
she passed that night in grief on my account, having heard my relation
of the accident that had befallen me.
Thus we remained less than a month, during which time she became more
and more infirm and disordered; and she endured no more than fifty days
before she was numbered among the people of the other world. So I
prepared her funeral, and deposited her body in the earth, and having
caused recitations of the [K.]ur-an to be performed for her, and given a
considerable sum of money in alms for her sake, returned from the tomb.
I found that she had possessed abundant wealth, and houses and lands,
and among her property were the store-rooms of sesame of which I sold to
thee the contents of one; and I was not prevented from settling with
thee during this period but by my being busied in selling the remainder,
the price of which I have not yet entirely received. Now I desire of
thee that thou wilt not oppose me in that which I am about to say to
thee; since I have eaten of thy food: I give thee the price of the
sesame, which is in thy hands.--This which I have told thee was the
cause of my eating with my left hand.
I replied, Thou hast treated me with kindness and generosity:--and he
then said, Thou must travel with me to my country; for I have bought
merchandise of Cairo and Alexandria. Wilt thou accompany me?--I
answered, Yes;--and promised him that I would be ready by the first day
of the following month. So I sold all that I possessed, and, having
bought merchandise with the produce, travelled with the young man to
this thy country, where he sold his merchandise and bought other in its
stead, after which he returned to the land of Egypt: but it was my lot
to remain here, and to experience that which hath befallen me this night
during my absence from my native country.--Now is not this, O King of
the age, more wonderful than the story of the humpback?
The King replied, Ye must be hanged, all of you!--And upon this, the
Sul[t.]an's steward advanced towards the King, and said, If thou permit
me, I will relate to thee a story that I happened to hear just before I
found this humpback; and if it be more wonderful than the events
relating to him, wilt thou grant us our lives?--The King answered, Tell
thy story:--and he began thus:--
[Illustration]
THE STORY TOLD BY THE SUL[T.]AN'S STEWARD.
I was last night with a party who celebrated a recitation of the
[K.]ur-an,[V_38] for which purpose they had assembled the
professors of religion and law; and when these reciters had accomplished
their task, the servants spread a repast, comprising among other dishes
a zirbajeh.[V_39] We approached, therefore, to eat of the zirbajeh;
but one of the company drew back, and refused to partake of it: we
conjured him; yet he swore that he would not eat of it: and we pressed
him again; but he said, Press me not; for I have suffered enough from
eating of this dish. And when we had finished, we said to him, By Allah,
tell us the reason of thine abstaining from eating of this zirbajeh. He
replied, Because I cannot eat of it unless I wash my hands forty times
with kali, and forty times with cyperus, and forty times with soap;
altogether, a hundred and twenty times. And upon this, the giver of the
entertainment ordered his servants, and they brought water and the other
things which this man required: so he washed his hands as he had
described, and advanced, though with disgust, and, having seated
himself, stretched forth his hand as one in fear, and put it into the
zirbajeh, and began to eat, while we regarded him with the utmost
wonder. His hand trembled, and when he put it forth, we saw that his
thumb was cut off, and that he ate with his four fingers: we therefore
said to him, We conjure thee, by Allah, to tell us how was thy thumb
maimed: was it thus created by God, or hath some accident happened to
it?--O my brothers, he answered, not only have I lost this thumb, but
also the thumb of the other hand; and each of my feet is in like manner
deprived of the great toe: but see ye:--and, so saying, he uncovered the
stump of the thumb of his other hand, and we found it like the right;
and so also his feet, destitute of the great toes. At the sight of this,
our wonder increased, and we said to him, We are impatient to hear thy
story, and thine account of the cause of the amputation of thy thumbs
and great toes, and the reason of thy washing thy hands a hundred and
twenty times. So he said,--
Know that my father was a great merchant, the chief of the merchants of
the city of Baghdad in the time of the Khaleefeh Haroon Er-Rasheed; but
he was ardently addicted to the drinking of wine, and hearing the lute;
and when he died, he left nothing. I buried him, and caused recitations
of the [K.]ur-an to be performed for him, and, after I had mourned for
him days and nights, I opened his shop, and found that he had left in it
but few goods, and that his debts were many: however, I induced his
creditors to wait, and calmed their minds, and betook myself to selling
and buying from week to week, and so paying the creditors.[V_40]
Thus I continued to do for a considerable period, until I had discharged
all the debts and increased my capital; and as I was sitting one day, I
beheld a young lady, than whom my eye had never beheld any more
beautiful, decked with magnificent ornaments and apparel, riding on a
mule, with a slave before her and a slave behind her; and she stopped
the mule at the entrance of the market-street, and entered, followed by
a eunuch, who said to her, O my mistress, enter, but inform no one who
thou art, lest thou open the fire of indignation upon us. The eunuch
then further cautioned her; and when she looked at the shops of the
merchants, she found none more handsome than mine; so, when she arrived
before me, with the eunuch following her, she sat down upon the seat of
my shop, and saluted me; and I never heard speech more charming than
hers, or words more sweet. She then drew aside the veil from her face,
and I directed at her a glance which drew from me a sigh; my heart was
captivated by her love, and I continued repeatedly gazing at her face,
and recited these two verses:--
Say to the beauty in the dove-coloured veil, Death would indeed
be welcome to relieve me from thy torment.
Favour me with a visit, that so I may live. See, I stretch forth
my hand to accept thy liberality.
And when she had heard my recitation of them, she answered thus:--
May I lose my heart if it cease to love you! For verily my heart
loveth none but you.
If my eye regard any charms but yours, may the sight of you never
rejoice it after absence!
She then said to me, O youth, hast thou any handsome stuffs?--O my
mistress, I answered, thy slave is a poor man; but wait until the other
merchants open their shops, and then I will bring thee what thou
desirest. So I conversed with her, drowned in the sea of her love, and
bewildered by my passion for her, until the merchants had opened their
shops, when I arose, and procured all that she wanted, and the price of
these stuffs was five thousand pieces of silver: and she handed them all
to the eunuch, who took them; after which, they both went out from the
market-street, and the slaves brought to her the mule, and she mounted,
without telling me whence she was, and I was ashamed to mention the
subject to her: consequently, I became answerable for the price to the
merchants, incurring a debt of five thousand pieces of silver.
I went home, intoxicated with her love, and they placed before me the
supper, and I ate a morsel; but reflections upon her beauty and
loveliness prevented my eating more. I desired to sleep, but sleep came
not to me; and in this condition I remained for a week. The merchants
demanded of me their money; but I prevailed upon them to wait another
week; and after this week, the lady came again, riding upon a mule, and
attended by a eunuch and two other slaves; and, having saluted me, said,
O my master, we have been tardy in bringing to thee the price of the
stuffs: bring now the money-changer, and receive it.[V_41] So the
money-changer came, and the eunuch gave him the money, and I took it,
and sat conversing with her until the market was replenished, and the
merchants opened their shops, when she said to me, Procure for me such
and such things. Accordingly, I procured for her what she desired of the
merchants, and she took the goods and departed without saying anything
to me respecting the price. When she had gone, therefore, I repented of
what I had done; for I had procured for her what she demanded for the
price of a thousand pieces of gold; and as soon as she had disappeared
from my sight, I said within myself, What kind of love is this? She hath
brought me five thousand pieces of silver, and taken goods for a
thousand pieces of gold!--I feared that the result would be my
bankruptcy, and the loss of the property of others, and said, The
merchants know none but me, and this woman is no other than a cheat, who
hath imposed upon me by her beauty and loveliness: seeing me to be
young, she hath laughed at me, and I asked her not where was her
residence.
[Illustration]
I remained in a state of perplexity, and her absence was prolonged more
than a month. Meanwhile the merchants demanded of me their money, and so
pressed me that I offered my possessions for sale, and was on the brink
of ruin; but as I was sitting absorbed in reflection, suddenly she
alighted at the gate of the market-street, and came in to me. As soon as
I beheld her, my solicitude ceased, and I forgot the trouble which I had
suffered. She approached, and addressed me with her agreeable
conversation, and said, Produce the scales, and weigh thy money:--and
she gave me the price of the goods which she had taken, with a surplus;
after which, she amused herself by talking with me, and I almost died
with joy and happiness. She then said to me, Hast thou a wife? I
answered, No: for I am not acquainted with any woman:--and wept. So she
asked me, What causeth thee to weep? And I answered, A thought that hath
come into my mind:--and, taking some pieces of gold, gave them to the
eunuch, requesting him to grant me his mediation in the affair; upon
which he laughed, and said, She is in love with thee more than thou art
with her, and hath no want of the stuffs, but hath done this only from
her love of thee: propose to her, therefore, what thou wilt; for she
will not oppose thee in that which thou wilt say. Now she observed me
giving the pieces of gold to the eunuch, and returned, and resumed her
seat; and I said to her, Shew favour to thy slave, and pardon me for
that which I am about to say. I then acquainted her with the feelings of
my heart, and my declaration pleased her, and she consented to my
proposal, saying, This eunuch will come with my letter; and do thou what
he shall tell thee;--and she arose, and departed.
I went to the merchants, and delivered to them their money, and all
profited except myself; for when she left me I mourned for the
interruption of our intercourse, and I slept not during the whole of the
next night: but a few days after, her eunuch came to me, and I received
him with honour, and asked him respecting his mistress. He answered, She
is sick:--and I said to him, Disclose to me her history. He replied, The
lady Zubeydeh, the wife of Haroon Er-Rasheed, brought up this damsel,
and she is one of her slaves: she had desired of her mistress to be
allowed the liberty of going out and returning at pleasure, and the
latter gave her permission: she continued, therefore, to do so until she
became a chief confident; after which, she spoke of thee to her
mistress, and begged that she would marry her to thee: but her mistress
said, I will not do it until I see this young man, and if he have a
desire for thee, I will marry thee to him. We therefore wish to
introduce thee immediately into the palace; and if thou enter without
any one's having knowledge of thy presence, thou wilt succeed in
accomplishing thy marriage with her; but if thy plot be discovered, thy
head will be struck off. What, then, sayest thou?--I answered, Good: I
will go with thee, and await the event that shall befall me there.--As
soon, then, as this next night shall have closed in, said the eunuch,
repair to the mosque which the lady Zubeydeh hath built on the
bank of the Tigris, and there say thy prayers, and pass the
night.[V_42]--Most willingly, I replied.
Accordingly, when the time of nightfall arrived, I went to the mosque,
and said my prayers there, and passed the night; and as soon as the
morning began to dawn, I saw two eunuchs approaching in a small boat,
conveying some empty chests, which they brought into the mosque. One of
them then departed, and the other remained; and I looked attentively at
him, and lo, it was he who had been our intermediary: and soon after,
the damsel, my companion, came up to us. I rose to her when she
approached, and embraced her; and she kissed me, and wept: and after we
had conversed together for a little while, she took me and placed me in
a chest, and locked it upon me.[V_43] The slaves then brought a
quantity of stuffs, and filled with them the other chests, which they
locked, and conveyed, together with the chest in which I was enclosed,
to the boat, accompanied by the damsel; and having embarked them, they
plied the oars, and proceeded to the palace of the honoured lady
Zubeydeh. The intoxication of love now ceased in me, and reflection came
in its place: I repented of what I had done, and prayed God to deliver
me from my dangerous predicament.
[Illustration]
Meanwhile, they arrived at the gate of the Khaleefeh, where they landed,
and took out all the chests, and conveyed them into the palace: but the
chief of the door-keepers, who had been asleep when they arrived, was
awoke by the sounds of their voices, and cried out to the damsel,
saying, The chests must be opened, that I may see what is in them:--and
he arose, and placed his hand upon the chest in which I was hidden. My
reason abandoned me, my heart almost burst from my body, and my limbs
trembled; but the damsel said, These are the chests of the lady
Zubeydeh, and if thou open them and turn them over, she will be incensed
against thee, and we shall all perish. They contain nothing but clothes
dyed of various colours, except this chest upon which thou hast put thy
hand, in which there are also some bottles filled with the water of
Zemzem,[V_44] and if any of the water run out upon the clothes it
will spoil their colours. Now I have advised thee, and it is for thee to
decide: so do what thou wilt.--When he heard, therefore, these words, he
said to her, Take the chests, and pass on:--and the eunuchs immediately
took them up, and, with the damsel, conveyed them into the palace: but
in an instant, I heard a person crying out, and saying, The Khaleefeh!
The Khaleefeh!
I was bereft of my reason, and seized with a colick from excessive fear;
I almost died, and my limbs were affected with a violent shaking. The
Khaleefeh cried out to the damsel, saying to her, What are these chests?
She answered, O my lord (may God exalt thy dominion!), these chests
contain clothes of my mistress Zubeydeh.--Open them, said the
Khaleefeh, that I may see the clothes.--When I heard this, I felt sure
of my destruction. The damsel could not disobey his command; but she
replied, O Prince of the Faithful, there is nothing in these chests but
clothes of the lady Zubeydeh, and she hath commanded me not to open them
to any one. The Khaleefeh, however, said, The chests must be opened, all
of them, that I may see their contents:--and immediately he called out
to the eunuchs to bring them before him. I therefore felt certain that I
was on the point of destruction. They then brought before him chest
after chest, and opened each to him, and he examined the contents; and
when they brought forward the chest in which I was enclosed, I bade
adieu to life, and prepared myself for death; but as the eunuchs were
about to open it, the damsel said, O Prince of the Faithful, verily this
chest containeth things especially appertaining to women; and it is
proper, therefore, that it should be opened before the lady
Zubeydeh:--and when the Khaleefeh heard her words, he ordered the
eunuchs to convey all the chests into the interior of the palace. The
damsel then hastened, and ordered two eunuchs to carry away the chest in
which I was hidden, and they took it to an inner chamber, and went their
way: whereupon she quickly opened it, and made a sign to me to come out:
so I did as she desired, and entered a closet that was before me, and
she locked the door upon me, and closed the chest: and when the eunuchs
had brought in all the chests, and had gone back, she opened the door of
the closet, and said, Thou hast nothing to fear! May God refresh thine
eye! Come forth now, and go up with me, that thou mayest have the
happiness of kissing the ground before the lady Zubeydeh.
I therefore went with her, and beheld twenty other female slaves,
high-bosomed virgins, and among them was the lady Zubeydeh, who was
scarcely able to walk from the weight of the robes and ornaments with
which she was decked. As she approached, the female slaves dispersed
from around her, and I advanced to her, and kissed the ground before
her. She made a sign to me to sit down: so I seated myself before her;
and she began to ask me questions respecting my condition and lineage;
to all of which I gave such answers that she was pleased, and said, By
Allah, the care which we have bestowed on the education of this damsel
hath not been in vain. She then said to me, Know that this damsel is
esteemed by us as though she were really our child, and she is a trust
committed to thy care by God. Upon this, therefore, I again kissed the
ground before her, well pleased to marry the damsel; after which, she
commanded me to remain with them ten days. Accordingly, I continued with
them during this period; but I knew nothing meanwhile of the damsel;
certain of the maids only bringing me my dinner and supper, as my
servants. After this, however, the lady Zubeydeh asked permission of her
husband, the Prince of the Faithful, to marry her maid, and he granted
her request, and ordered that ten thousand pieces of gold should be
given to her.
[Illustration]
The lady Zubeydeh, therefore, sent for the [K.]a[d.]ee and witnesses,
and they wrote my contract of marriage to the damsel; and the maids then
prepared sweetmeats and exquisite dishes, and distributed them in all
the apartments. Thus they continued to do for a period of ten more days;
and after the twenty days had passed, they conducted the damsel into the
bath, preparatively to my being introduced to her as her husband. They
then brought to me a repast comprising a basin of zirbajeh sweetened
with sugar, perfumed with rose-water infused with musk, and containing
different kinds of fricandoed fowls and a variety of other ingredients,
such as astonished the mind; and, by Allah, when this repast was
brought, I instantly commenced upon the zirbajeh, and ate of it as much
as satisfied me, and wiped my hand, but forgot to wash it. I remained
sitting until it became dark; when the maids lighted the candles, and
the singing-girls approached with the tambourines, and they continued to
display the bride, and to give presents of gold, until she had
perambulated the whole of the palace; after which, they brought her to
me, and disrobed her; and as soon as I was left alone with her, I threw
my arms around her neck, scarcely believing in our union: but as I did
so, she perceived the smell of the zirbajeh from my hand, and
immediately uttered a loud cry: whereupon the female slaves ran in to
her from every quarter.
I was violently agitated, not knowing what was the matter; and the
slaves who had come in said to her, What hath happened to thee, O our
sister?--Take away from me, she exclaimed to them, this madman, whom I
imagined to be a man of sense!--What indication of my insanity hath
appeared to thee? I asked. Thou madman, said she, wherefore hast thou
eaten of the zirbajeh, and not washed thy hand? By Allah, I will not
accept thee for thy want of sense, and thy disgusting conduct!--And so
saying, she took from her side a whip,[V_45] and beat me with it
upon my back until I became insensible from the number of the stripes.
She then said to the other maids, Take him to the magistrate of the city
police, that he may cut off his hand with which he ate the zirbajeh
without washing it afterwards. On hearing this, I exclaimed, There is no
strength nor power but in God! Wilt thou cut off my hand on account of
my eating a zirbajeh and neglecting to wash it?--And the maids who were
present entreated her, saying to her, O our sister, be not angry with
him for what he hath done this time. But she replied, By Allah, I must
cut off something from his extremities! And immediately she departed,
and was absent from me ten days: after which, she came again, and said
to me, O thou black-faced! Am I not worthy of thee? How didst thou dare
to eat the zirbajeh and not wash thy hand?--And she called to the maids,
who bound my hands behind me, and she took a sharp razor, and cut off
both my thumbs and both my great toes, as ye see, O companions; and I
swooned away. She then sprinkled upon my wounds some powder, by means of
which the blood was stanched; and I said, I will not eat of a zirbajeh
as long as I live unless I wash my hands forty times with kali and forty
times with cyperus and forty times with soap:--and she exacted of me an
oath that I would not eat of this dish unless I washed my hands as I
have described to you. Therefore, when this zirbajeh was brought, my
colour changed, and I said within myself, This was the cause of the
cutting off of my thumbs and great toes:--so, when ye compelled me, I
said, I must fulfil the oath which I have sworn.
I then said to him (continued the Sul[t.]an's steward), And what
happened to thee after that? He answered, When I had thus sworn to her,
she was appeased, and I was admitted into her favour; and we lived
happily together for a considerable time: after which she said, The
people of the Khaleefeh's palace know not that thou hast resided here
with me, and no strange man beside thee hath entered it; nor didst thou
enter but through the assistance of the lady Zubeydeh. She then gave me
fifty thousand pieces of gold, and said to me, Take these pieces of
gold, and go forth and buy for us a spacious house. So I went forth, and
purchased a handsome and spacious house, and removed thither all the
riches that she possessed, and all that she had treasured up, and her
dresses and rarities.--This was the cause of the amputation of my thumbs
and great toes.--So we ate (said the Sul[t.]an's steward), and departed;
and after this, the accident with the humpback happened to me: this is
all my story; and peace be on thee.
[Illustration]
The King said, This is not more pleasant than the story of the humpback:
nay, the story of the humpback is more pleasant than this; and ye must
all of you be crucified.--The Jew, however, then came forward, and,
having kissed the ground, said, O King of the age, I will relate to thee
a story more wonderful than that of the humpback:--and the King said,
Relate thy story. So he commenced thus:--
[Illustration]
THE STORY TOLD BY THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN.
The most wonderful of the events that happened to me in my younger days
was this:--I was residing in Damascus, where I learnt and practised my
art; and while I was thus occupied, one day there came to me a memlook
from the house of the governor of the city: so I went forth with him,
and accompanied him to the abode of the governor. I entered, and beheld,
at the upper end of a saloon, a couch of alabaster overlaid with plates
of gold, upon which was reclining a sick man: he was young; and a person
more comely had not been seen in his age. Seating myself at his head, I
ejaculated a prayer for his restoration;[V_46] and he made a sign
to me with his eye. I then said to him, O my master, stretch forth to me
thy hand:--whereupon he put forth to me his left hand; and I was
surprised at this, and said within myself, What self-conceit! I felt his
pulse, however, and wrote a prescription for him, and continued to visit
him for a period of ten days, until he recovered his strength; when he
entered the bath, and washed himself, and came forth: and the governor
conferred upon me a handsome dress of honour, and appointed me
superintendent of the hospital of Damascus.[V_47] But when I went
with him into the bath, which they had cleared of all other visitors for
us alone, and the servants had brought the clothes, and taken away those
which he had pulled off within, I perceived that his right hand had been
cruelly amputated; at the sight of which I wondered, and grieved for
him; and looking at his skin, I observed upon him marks of beating with
mi[k.]ra'ahs, which caused me to wonder more. The young man then turned
towards me, and said, O doctor of the age, wonder not at my case; for I
will relate to thee my story when we have gone out from the bath:--and
when we had gone forth, and arrived at the house, and had eaten some
food, and rested, he said to me, Hast thou a desire to divert thyself in
the supper-room? I answered, Yes:--and immediately he ordered the slaves
to take up thither the furniture, and to roast a lamb and bring us some
fruit. So the slaves did as he commanded them: and when they had brought
the fruit, and we had eaten, I said to him, Relate to me thy story:--and
he replied, O doctor of the age, listen to the relation of the events
which have befallen me.
Know that I am of the children of El-Mo[s.]il. My paternal grandfather
died leaving ten male children, one of whom was my father: he was the
eldest of them; and they all grew up and married; and my father was
blest with me; but none of his nine brothers was blest with children. So
I grew up among my uncles, who delighted in me exceedingly; and when I
had attained to manhood, I was one day with my father in the chief
mosque of El-Mo[s.]il. The day was Friday; and we performed the
congregational prayers, and all the people went out, except my father
and my uncles, who sat conversing together respecting the wonders of
various countries, and the strange sights of different cities, until
they mentioned Egypt; when one of my uncles said, The travellers assert,
that there is not on the face of the earth a more agreeable country than
Egypt with its Nile:[V_48]--and my father added, He who hath not
seen Cairo hath not seen the world: its soil is gold; its Nile is a
wonder; its women are like the black-eyed virgins of Paradise; its
houses are palaces; and its air is temperate; its odour surpassing that
of aloes-wood, and cheering the heart: and how can Cairo be otherwise
when it is the metropolis of the world?[V_49] Did ye see its
gardens in the evening (he continued), with the shade obliquely
extending over them, ye would behold a wonder, and yield with ecstasy to
their attractions.[V_50]
When I heard these descriptions of Egypt, my mind became wholly engaged
by reflections upon that country; and after they had departed to their
homes, I passed the night sleepless from my excessive longing towards
it, and neither food nor drink was pleasant to me. A few days after, my
uncles prepared to journey thither, and I wept before my father that I
might go with them, so that he prepared a stock of merchandise for me,
and I departed in their company; but he said to them, Suffer him not to
enter Egypt, but leave him at Damascus, that he may there sell his
merchandise.
[Illustration]
I took leave of my father, and we set forth from El-Mo[s.]il, and
continued our journey until we arrived at Aleppo, where we remained some
days; after which we proceeded thence until we came to Damascus; and we
beheld it to be a city with trees and rivers and fruits and birds, as
though it were a paradise, containing fruits of every kind. We took
lodgings in one of the Khans, and my uncles remained there until they
had sold and bought; and they also sold my merchandise, gaining, for
every piece of silver, five, so that I rejoiced at my profit. My uncles
then left me, and repaired to Egypt, and I remained, and took up my
abode in a handsome [K.]a'ah, such as the tongue cannot describe; the
monthly rent of which was two pieces of gold.[V_51]
Here I indulged myself with eating and drinking, squandering away the
money that was in my possession; and as I was sitting one day at the
door of the [K.]a'ah, a damsel approached me, attired in clothing of the
richest description, such as I had never seen surpassed in costliness,
and I invited her to come in; whereupon, without hesitation, she
entered; and I was delighted at her compliance, and closed the door upon
us both. She then uncovered her face, and took off her izar, and I found
her to be so surprisingly beautiful that love for her took possession of
my heart: so I went and brought a repast consisting of the most
delicious viands and fruit and everything else that was requisite for
her entertainment, and we ate and sported together; after which, we
drank till we were intoxicated, and fell asleep, and so we remained
until the morning, when I handed her ten pieces of gold; but she swore
that she would not accept them from me, and said, Expect me again, O my
beloved, after three days: at the hour of sunset I will be with thee:
and do thou prepare for us, with these pieces of gold, a repast similar
to this which we have just enjoyed. She then gave me ten pieces of gold,
and took leave of me, and departed, taking my reason with her. And after
the three days had expired, she came again, decked with embroidered
stuffs and ornaments and other attire more magnificent than those which
she wore on the former occasion. I had prepared for her what was
required previously to her arrival; so we now ate and drank and fell
asleep as before; and in the morning she gave me again ten pieces of
gold, promising to return to me after three more days. I therefore made
ready what was requisite, and after the three days she came attired in a
dress still more magnificent than the first and second, and said to me,
O my master, am I beautiful?--Yea, verily, I answered.--Wilt thou give
me leave, she rejoined, to bring with me a damsel more beautiful than
myself, and younger than I, that she may sport with us, and we may make
merry with her? For she hath requested that she may accompany me, and
pass the night in frolicking with us.--And so saying, she gave me twenty
pieces of gold, desiring me to prepare a more plentiful repast, on
account of the lady who was to come with her; after which, she bade me
farewell, and departed.
Accordingly, on the fourth day, I procured what was requisite, as usual,
and soon after sunset she came, accompanied by a female wrapped in an
izar, and they entered, and seated themselves. I was rejoiced, and I
lighted the candles, and welcomed them with joy and exultation. They
then took off their outer garments, and when the new damsel uncovered
her face, I perceived that she was like the full moon: I had never
beheld a person more beautiful. I arose immediately, and placed before
them the food and drink, and we ate and drank, while I continued
caressing the new damsel, and filling the wine-cup for her, and drinking
with her: but the first lady was affected with a secret jealousy.--By
Allah, she said, verily this girl is beautiful! Is she not more charming
than I?--Yea, indeed, I answered.--Soon after this, I fell asleep, and
when I awoke in the morning, I found my hand defiled with blood, and,
opening my eyes, perceived that the sun had risen; so I attempted to
rouse the damsel, my new companion, whereupon her head rolled from her
body. The other damsel was gone, and I concluded, therefore, that she
had done this from her jealousy; and after reflecting a while, I arose,
and took off my clothes, and dug a hole in the [K.]a'ah, in which I
deposited the murdered damsel, afterwards covering her remains with
earth, and replacing the marble pavement as it was before. I then
dressed myself again, and, taking the remainder of my money, went forth,
and repaired to the owner of the [K.]a'ah, and paid him a year's rent,
saying to him, I am about to journey to my uncles in Egypt.
So I departed to Egypt, where I met with my uncles, and they were
rejoiced to see me. I found that they had concluded the sale of their
merchandise, and they said to me, What is the cause of thy coming? I
answered, I had a longing desire to be with you, and feared that my
money would not suffice me.--For a year I remained with them, enjoying
the pleasures of Egypt and its Nile; and I dipped my hand into the
residue of my money, and expended it prodigally in eating and drinking
until near the time of my uncles' departure, when I fled from them: so
they said, Probably, he hath gone before us, and returned to
Damascus:--and they departed. I then came forth from my concealment, and
remained in Cairo three years, squandering away my money until scarcely
any of it remained: but meanwhile I sent every year the rent of the
[K.]a'ah at Damascus to its owner: and after the three years my heart
became contracted, for nothing remained in my possession but the rent
for the year.
I therefore journeyed back to Damascus, and alighted at the [K.]a'ah.
The owner was rejoiced to see me, and I entered it, and cleansed it of
the blood of the murdered damsel, and, removing a cushion, I found,
beneath this, the necklace that she had worn that night. I took it up
and examined it, and wept a while. After this I remained in the house
two days, and on the third day I entered the bath, and changed my
clothes. I now had no money left; and I went one day to the market,
where (the Devil suggesting it to me, in order to accomplish the purpose
of destiny) I handed the necklace of jewels to a broker; and he rose to
me, and seated me by his side: then having waited until the market was
replenished, he took it, and announced it for sale secretly, without my
knowledge. The price bidden for it amounted to two thousand pieces of
gold; but he came to me and said, This necklace is of brass, of the
counterfeit manufacture of the Franks, and its price hath amounted to a
thousand pieces of silver. I answered him, Yes; we had made it for a
woman, merely to laugh at her, and my wife has inherited it, and we
desire to sell it: go, therefore, and receive the thousand pieces of
silver. Now when the broker heard this, he perceived that the affair was
suspicious, and went and gave the necklace to the chief of the market,
who took it to the Walee, and said to him, This necklace was stolen from
me, and we have found the thief, clad in the dress of the sons of the
merchants. And before I knew what had happened, the officers had
surrounded me, and they took me to the Walee, who questioned me
respecting the necklace. I told him, therefore, the same story that I
had told to the broker; but he laughed, and said, This is not the
truth:--and instantly his people stripped me of my outer clothing, and
beat me with mi[k.]ra'ahs all over my body, until, through the torture
that I suffered from the blows, I said, I stole it;--reflecting that it
was better I should say I stole it, than confess that its owner was
murdered in my abode; for then they would kill me to avenge her: and as
soon as I had said so, they cut off my hand, and scalded the stump with
boiling oil,[V_52] and I swooned away. They then gave me to drink
some wine, by swallowing which I recovered my senses; and I took my
amputated hand, and returned to the [K.]a'ah; but its owner said to me,
Since this hath happened to thee, leave the [K.]a'ah, and look for
another abode; for thou art accused of an unlawful act.--O my master, I
replied, give me two or three days' delay that I may seek for a
lodging:--and he assented to this, and departed and left me. So I
remained alone, and sat weeping, and saying, How can I return to my
family with my hand cut off? He who cut it off knoweth not that I am
innocent: perhaps, then, God will bring about some event for my relief.
[Illustration]
I sat weeping violently; and when the owner of the [K.]a'ah had
departed from me, excessive grief overcame me, and I was sick for two
days; and on the third day, suddenly the owner of the [K.]a'ah came to
me, with some officers of the police, and the chief of the market, and
accused me again of stealing the necklace. So I went out to them, and
said, What is the news?--whereupon, without granting me a moment's
delay, they bound my arms behind me, and put a chain around my neck,
saying to me, The necklace which was in thy possession hath proved to be
the property of the governor of Damascus, its Wezeer and its Ruler: it
hath been lost from the governor's house for a period of three years,
and with it was his daughter.--When I heard these words from them, my
limbs trembled, and I said within myself, They will kill me! My death is
inevitable! By Allah, I must relate my story to the governor; and if he
please he will kill me, or if he please he will pardon me.--And when we
arrived at the governor's abode, and they had placed me before him, and
he beheld me, he said, Is this he who stole the necklace and went out to
sell it? Verily ye have cut off his hand wrongfully.--He then ordered
that the chief of the market should be imprisoned, and said to him, Give
to this person the compensatory fine for his hand,[V_53] or I will
hang thee and seize all thy property. And he called out to his
attendants, who took him and dragged him away.
I was now left with the governor alone, after they had, by his
permission, loosed the chain from my neck, and untied the cords which
bound my arms; and the governor, looking towards me, said to me, O my
son, tell me thy story, and speak truth. How did this necklace come into
thy possession?--So I replied, O my lord, I will tell thee the
truth:--and I related to him all that had happened to me with the first
damsel, and how she had brought to me the second, and murdered her from
jealousy; on hearing which, he shook his head, and covered his face with
his handkerchief, and wept. Then looking towards me, he said, Know, O my
son, that the elder damsel was my daughter: I kept her closely; and when
she had attained a fit age for marriage, I sent her to the son of her
uncle in Cairo; but he died, and she returned to me, having learnt
habits of profligacy from the inhabitants of that city:[V_54] so
she visited thee four times; and on the fourth occasion, she brought to
thee her younger sister. They were sisters by the same mother, and much
attached to each other; and when the event which thou hast related
occurred to the elder, she imparted her secret to her sister, who asked
my permission to go out with her; after which the elder returned alone;
and when I questioned her respecting her sister, I found her weeping
for her, and she answered, I know no tidings of her:--but she afterwards
informed her mother, secretly, of the murder which she had committed;
and her mother privately related the affair to me; and she continued to
weep for her incessantly, saying, By Allah, I will not cease to weep for
her until I die. Thy account, O my son, is true; for I knew the affair
before thou toldest it me. See then, O my son, what hath happened: and
now I request of thee that thou wilt not oppose me in that which I am
about to say; and it is this:--I desire to marry thee to my youngest
daughter; for she is not of the same mother as they were:[V_55] she
is a virgin, and I will receive from thee no dowry, but will assign to
you both an allowance; and thou shalt be to me as an own son.--I
replied, Let it be as thou desirest, O my master. How could I expect to
attain unto such happiness?--The governor then sent immediately a
courier to bring the property which my father had left me (for he had
died since my departure from him), and now I am living in the utmost
affluence.
I wondered, said the Jew, at his history; and after I had remained with
him three days, he gave me a large sum of money; and I left him, to set
forth on a journey; and, arriving in this your country, my residence
here pleased me, and I experienced this which hath happened to me with
the humpback.
The King, when he had heard this story, said, This is not more wonderful
than the story of the humpback, and ye must all of you be hanged, and
especially the tailor, who is the source of all the mischief. But he
afterwards added, O tailor, if thou tell me a story more wonderful than
that of the humpback, I will forgive you your offences. So the tailor
advanced, and said,--
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE STORY TOLD BY THE TAILOR.
Know, O King of the age, that what hath happened to me is more wonderful
than the events which have happened to all the others. Before I met the
humpback, I was, early in the morning, at an entertainment given to
certain tradesmen of my acquaintance, consisting of tailors and
linen-drapers and carpenters and others; and when the sun had risen, the
repast was brought for us to eat; and lo, the master of the house came
in to us, accompanied by a strange and handsome young man, of the
inhabitants of Baghdad. He was attired in clothes of the handsomest
description, and was a most comely person, except that he was lame; and
as soon as he had entered and saluted us, we rose to him; but when he
was about to seat himself, he observed among us a man who was a barber,
whereupon he refused to sit down, and desired to depart from us. We and
the master of the house, however, prevented him, and urged him to seat
himself; and the host conjured him, saying, What is the reason of thy
entering, and then immediately departing?--By Allah, O my master,
replied he, offer me no opposition; for the cause of my departure is
this barber, who is sitting with you. And when the host heard this, he
was exceedingly surprised, and said, How is it that the heart of this
young man, who is from Baghdad, is troubled by the presence of this
barber? We then looked towards him, and said, Relate to us the cause of
thy displeasure against this barber; and the young man replied, O
company, a surprising adventure happened to me with this barber in
Baghdad, my city; and he was the cause of my lameness, and of the
breaking of my leg; and I have sworn that I will not sit in any place
where he is present, nor dwell in any town where he resides: I quitted
Baghdad and took up my abode in this city, and I will not pass the next
night without departing from it.--Upon this, we said to him, We conjure
thee, by Allah, to relate to us thy adventure with him.--And the
countenance of the barber turned pale when he heard us make this
request. The young man then said,--
Know, O good people, that my father was one of the chief merchants of
Baghdad; and God (whose name be exalted!) blessed him with no son but
myself; and when I grew up, and had attained to manhood, my father was
admitted to the mercy of God, leaving me wealth and servants and other
dependants; whereupon I began to attire myself in clothes of the
handsomest description, and to feed upon the most delicious meats. Now
God (whose perfection be extolled!) made me to be a hater of women; and
so I continued, until, one day, I was walking through the streets of
Baghdad, when a party of them stopped my way: I therefore fled from
them, and, entering a by-street which was not a thoroughfare, I reclined
upon a ma[s.][t.]abah at its further extremity. Here I had been seated
but a short time when, lo, a window opposite the place where I sat was
opened, and there looked out from it a damsel like the full moon, such
as I had never in my life beheld. She had some flowers, which she was
watering, beneath the window; and she looked to the right and left, and
then shut the window, and disappeared from before me. Fire had been shot
into my heart, and my mind was absorbed by her; my hatred of women was
turned into love, and I continued sitting in the same place until
sunset, in a state of distraction from the violence of my passion, when,
lo, the [K.]a[d.]ee of the city came riding along, with slaves before
him and servants behind him, and alighted, and entered the house from
which the damsel had looked out: so I knew that he must be her father.
I then returned to my house, sorrowful; and fell upon my bed, full of
anxious thoughts; and my female slaves came in to me, and seated
themselves around me, not knowing what was the matter with me; and I
acquainted them not with my case, nor returned any answers to their
questions; and my disorder increased. The neighbours, therefore, came
to cheer me with their visits; and among those who visited me was an old
woman, who, as soon as she saw me, discovered my state; whereupon she
seated herself at my head, and, addressing me in a kind manner, said, O
my son, tell me what hath happened to thee? So I related to her my
story, and she said, O my son, this is the daughter of the [K.]a[d.]ee
of Baghdad, and she is kept in close confinement: the place where thou
sawest her is her apartment, and her father occupies a large saloon
below, leaving her alone; and often do I visit her: thou canst obtain an
interview with her only through me: so brace up thy nerves. When I
heard, therefore, what she said, I took courage, and fortified my heart;
and my family rejoiced that day. I rose up firm in limb, and hoping for
complete restoration; and the old woman departed; but she returned with
her countenance changed, and said, O my son, ask not what she did when I
told her of thy case; for she said, If thou abstain not, O ill-omened
old woman, from this discourse, I will treat thee as thou
deservest:--but I must go to her a second time.
[Illustration]
On hearing this, my disorder increased: after some days, however, the
old woman came again, and said, O my son, I desire of thee a reward for
good tidings. My soul returned to my body at these words, and I replied,
Thou shalt receive from me everything that thou canst wish. She then
said, I went yesterday to the damsel, and when she beheld me with broken
heart and weeping eye, she said to me, O my aunt, wherefore do I see
thee with contracted heart?--and when she had thus said, I wept, and
answered, O my daughter and mistress, I came to thee yesterday from
visiting a youth who loveth thee, and he is at the point of death on thy
account:--and, her heart being moved with compassion, she asked, Who is
this youth of whom thou speakest? I answered, He is my son, and the
child that is dear to my soul: he saw thee at the window some days ago,
while thou wast watering thy flowers; and when he beheld thy face, he
became distracted with love for thee: I informed him of the conversation
that I had with thee the first time; upon which his disorder increased,
and he took to his pillow: he is now dying, and there is no doubt of his
fate.--And upon this, her countenance became pale, and she said, Is this
all on my account?--Yea, by Allah, I answered; and what dost thou order
me to do?--Go to him, said she; convey to him my salutation, and tell
him that my love is greater than his; and on Friday next, before the
congregational prayers, let him come hither: I will give orders to open
the door to him, and to bring him up to me, and I will have a short
interview with him, and he shall return before my father comes back from
the prayers.
When I heard these words of the old woman, the anguish which I had
suffered ceased; my heart was set at rest, and I gave her the suit of
clothes which I was then wearing, and she departed, saying to me, Cheer
up thy heart. I replied, I have no longer any pain. The people of my
house, and my friends, communicated, one to another, the good news of my
restoration to health, and I remained thus until the Friday, when the
old woman came in to me, and asked me respecting my state: so I informed
her that I was happy and well. I then dressed and perfumed myself, and
sat waiting for the people to go to prayers, that I might repair to the
damsel; but the old woman said to me, Thou hast yet more than ample
time, and if thou go to the bath and shave, especially for the sake of
obliterating the traces of thy disorder, it will be more becoming.--It
is a judicious piece of advice, replied I; but I will shave my head
first, and then go into the bath.
[Illustration]
So I sent for a barber to shave my head, saying to the boy, Go to the
market, and bring me a barber, one who is a man of sense, little
inclined to impertinence, that he may not make my head ache by his
chattering. And the boy went, and brought this sheykh, who, on entering,
saluted me; and when I had returned his salutation, he said to me, May
God dispel thy grief and thine anxiety, and misfortunes and sorrows! I
responded, May God accept thy prayer! He then said, Be cheerful, O my
master, for health hath returned to thee. Dost thou desire to be shaved
or to be bled?--for it hath been handed down, on the authority of
Ibn-'Abbas,[V_56] that the Prophet said, Whoso shorteneth his hair
on Friday, God will avert from him seventy diseases;--and it hath been
handed down also, on the same authority, that the Prophet said, Whoso is
cupped on Friday will not be secure from the loss of sight and from
frequent disease.--Abstain, said I, from this useless discourse, and
come immediately, shave my head, for I am weak. And he arose, and,
stretching forth his hand, took out a handkerchief, and opened it; and
lo, there was in it an astrolabe, consisting of seven plates;[V_57]
and he took it, and went into the middle of the court, where he raised
his head towards the sun, and looked for a considerable time; after
which he said to me, Know that there have passed, of this our day, which
is Friday, and which is the tenth of [S.]afar,[V_58] of the year
263[V_59] of the Flight of the Prophet,--upon whom be the most
excellent of blessings and peace!--and the ascendant star of which,
according to the required rules of the science of computation, is the
planet Mars,--seven degrees[V_60] and six minutes; and it happeneth
that Mercury hath come in conjunction with that planet; and this
indicateth that the shaving of hair is now a most excellent operation:
and it hath indicated to me, also, that thou desirest to confer a
benefit upon a person: and fortunate is he!--but after that, there is an
announcement that presenteth itself to me respecting a matter which I
will not mention to thee.
By Allah, I exclaimed, thou hast wearied me, and dissipated my mind, and
augured against me, when I required thee only to shave my head: arise,
then, and shave it; and prolong not thy discourse to me. But he replied,
By Allah, if thou knewest the truth of the case, thou wouldst demand of
me a further explication; and I counsel thee to do this day as I direct
thee, according to the calculations deduced from the stars: it is thy
duty to praise God, and not to oppose me; for I am one who giveth thee
good advice, and who regardeth thee with compassion: I would that I were
in thy service for a whole year, that thou mightest do me justice; and I
desire not any pay from thee for so doing.--When I heard this, I said to
him, Verily thou art killing me this day, and there is no escape for
me.--O my master, he replied, I am he whom the people call
E[s.]-[S.]amit,[V_61] on account of the paucity of my speech, by
which I am distinguished above my brothers; for my eldest brother is
named El-Ba[k.]boo[k.];[V_62] and the second, El-Heddar; and the
third, Ba[k.]ba[k.]; and the fourth is named El-Kooz el-A[s.]wanee; and
the fifth, El-Feshshar; and the sixth is named Sha[k.]ali[k.]; and the
seventh brother is named E[s.]-[S.]amit; and he is myself.
Now when this barber thus overwhelmed me with his talk, I felt as if my
gall-bladder had burst, and said to the boy, Give him a quarter of a
piece of gold, and let him depart from me for the sake of Allah: for I
have no need to shave my head. But the barber on hearing what I said to
the boy, exclaimed, What is this that thou hast said, O my lord? By
Allah, I will accept from thee no pay unless I serve thee; and serve
thee I must; for to do so is incumbent on me, and to perform what thou
requirest; and I care not if I receive from thee no money. If thou
knowest not my worth, I know thine; and thy father--may Allah have mercy
upon him!--treated us with beneficence; for he was a man of generosity.
By Allah, thy father sent for me one day, like this blessed day, and
when I went to him, he had a number of his friends with him, and he said
to me, Take some blood from me. So I took the astrolabe, and observed
the altitude for him, and found the ascendant of the hour to be of evil
omen, and that the letting of blood would be attended with trouble: I
therefore acquainted him with this, and he conformed to my wish, and
waited until the arrival of the approved hour, when I took the blood
from him. He did not oppose me; but, on the contrary, thanked me; and in
like manner all the company present thanked me; and thy father gave me
a hundred pieces of gold for services similar to the letting of
blood.--May God, said I, shew no mercy to my father for knowing such a
man as thou!--and the barber laughed, and exclaimed, There is no deity
but God! Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! Extolled be the perfection of Him
who changeth others, but is not changed! I did not imagine thee to be
otherwise than a man of sense; but thou hast talked nonsense in
consequence of thine illness. God hath mentioned, in his Excellent Book,
those who restrain their anger, and who forgive men:[V_63]--but
thou art excused in every case. I am unacquainted, however, with the
cause of thy haste; and thou knowest that thy father used to do nothing
without consulting me; and it hath been said, that the person to whom
one applies for advice should be trusted: now thou wilt find no one
better acquainted with the affairs of the world than myself, and I am
standing on my feet to serve thee. I am not displeased with thee, and
how then art thou displeased with me? But I will have patience with thee
on account of the favours which I have received from thy father.--By
Allah, said I, thou hast wearied me with thy discourse, and overcome me
with thy speech! I desire that thou shave my head and depart from me.
I gave vent to my rage; and would have risen, even if he had wetted my
head, when he said, I knew that displeasure with me had overcome thee;
but I will not be angry with thee, for thy sense is weak, and thou art a
youth: a short time ago I used to carry thee on my shoulder,[V_64]
and take thee to the school.--Upon this, I said to him, O my brother, I
conjure thee by Allah, depart from me that I may perform my business,
and go thou thy way. Then I rent my clothes; and when he saw me do this,
he took the razor, and sharpened it, and continued to do so until my
soul almost parted from my body; then advancing to my head, he shaved a
small portion of it; after which he raised his hand, and said, O my
lord, haste is from the Devil;--and he repeated this couplet:--
Deliberate, and haste not to accomplish thy desire; and be merciful,
so shalt thou meet with one merciful:
For there is no hand but God's hand is above it;[V_65] nor
oppressor that shall not meet with an oppressor.
O my lord (he then continued), I do not imagine that thou knowest my
condition in society; for my hand lighteth upon the heads of kings and
emeers and wezeers and sages and learned men; and of such a one as
myself hath the poet said,--
The trades altogether are like a necklace, and this barber is
the chief pearl of the strings.
He excelleth all that are endowed with skill, and under his hands
are the heads of Kings.
--Leave, said I, that which doth not concern thee! Thou hast contracted
my heart, and troubled my mind.--I fancy that thou art in haste, he
rejoined. I replied, Yes! Yes! Yes!--Proceed slowly, said he; for verily
haste is from the Devil, and it giveth occasion to repentance and
disappointment; and he upon whom be blessing and peace[V_66] hath
said, The best of affairs is that which is commenced with
deliberation:--and, by Allah, I am in doubt as to thine affair: I wish,
therefore, that thou wouldst make known to me what thou art hasting to
do; and may it be good; for I fear it is otherwise.
There now remained, to the appointed time, three hours; and he threw the
razor from his hand in anger, and, taking the astrolabe, went again to
observe the sun; then after he had waited a long time, he returned,
saying, There remain, to the hour of prayer, three hours, neither more
nor less. For the sake of Allah, said I, be silent; for thou hast
crumbled my liver!--and thereupon, he took the razor, and sharpened it
as he had done the first time, and shaved another portion of my head.
Then stopping again, he said, I am in anxiety on account of thy hurry:
if thou wouldst acquaint me with the cause of it, it would be better for
thee; for thou knowest that thy father used to do nothing without
consulting me.
I perceived now that I could not avoid his importunity, and said within
myself, The time of prayer is almost come, and I desire to go before the
people come out from the service: if I delay a little longer, I know not
how to gain admission to her. I therefore said to him, Be quick, and
cease from this chattering and impertinence; for I desire to repair to
an entertainment with my friends. But when he heard the mention of the
entertainment, he exclaimed, The day is a blessed day for me! I
yesterday conjured a party of my intimate friends to come and feast with
me, and forgot to prepare for them anything to eat; and now I have
remembered it. Alas for the disgrace that I shall experience from
them!--So I said to him, Be in no anxiety on this account, since thou
hast been told that I am going to-day to an entertainment; for all the
food and drink that is in my house shall be thine if thou use expedition
in my affair, and quickly finish shaving my head.--May God recompense
thee with every blessing! he replied: describe to me what thou hast for
my guests, that I may know it. I have, said I, five dishes of meat, and
ten fowls fricandoed, and a roasted lamb.--Cause them to be brought
before me, he said, that I may see them. So I had them brought to him,
and he exclaimed, Divinely art thou gifted! How generous is thy soul!
But the incense and perfumes are wanting.--I brought him, therefore, a
box containing nedd[V_67] and aloes-wood and ambergris and musk,
worth fifty pieces of gold.--The time had now become contracted, like my
own heart; so I said to him, Receive this, and shave the whole of my
head, by the existence of Mo[h.]ammad, God bless and save him! But he
replied, By Allah, I will not take it until I see all that it
contains.--I therefore ordered the boy, and he opened the box to him;
whereupon the barber threw down the astrolabe from his hand, and,
seating himself upon the ground, turned over the perfumes and incense
and aloes-wood in the box until my soul almost quitted my body.
[Illustration]
He then advanced, and took the razor, and shaved another small portion
of my head; after which he said, By Allah, O my son, I know not whether
I should thank thee or thank thy father; for my entertainment to-day is
entirely derived from thy bounty and kindness, and I have no one among
my visiters deserving of it; for my guests are, Zeytoon the bath-keeper,
and [S.]alee[a.] the wheat-seller, and 'Owkal the bean-seller, and
'Akresheh the grocer, and [H.]omeyd the dustman, and 'Akarish the
milk-seller, and each of these hath a peculiar dance which he
performeth, and peculiar verses which he reciteth; and the best of their
qualities is, that they are like thy servant, the memlook who is before
thee; and I, thy slave, know neither loquacity nor impertinence. As to
the bath-keeper, he saith, If I go not to the feast, it cometh to my
house!--and as to the dustman, he is witty, and full of frolick: often
doth he dance, and say, News, with my wife, is not kept in a chest!--and
each of my friends hath jests that another hath not: but the
description is not like the actual observation. If thou choose,
therefore, to come to us, it will be more pleasant both to thee and to
us: relinquish, then, thy visit to thy friends of whom thou hast told us
that thou desirest to go to them; for the traces of disease are yet upon
thee, and probably thou art going to a people of many words, who will
talk of that which concerneth them not; or probably there will be among
them one impertinent person; and thy soul is already disquieted by
disease.--I replied, If it be the will of God, that shall be on some
other day:--but he said, It will be more proper that thou first join my
party of friends, that thou mayest enjoy their conviviality, and delight
thyself with their salt. Act in accordance with the saying of the
poet:--
Defer not a pleasure when it can be had; for fortune often destroyeth
our plans.
Upon this I laughed from a heart laden with anger, and said to him, Do
what I require, that I may go in the care of God, whose name be exalted!
and do thou go to thy friends, for they are waiting thine arrival. He
replied, I desire nothing but to introduce thee into the society of
these people; for verily they are of the sons of that class among which
is no impertinent person; and if thou didst but behold them once, thou
wouldst leave all thine own companions.--May God, said I, give thee
abundant joy with them, and I must bring them together here some
day.--If that be thy wish, he rejoined, and thou wilt first attend the
entertainment of thy friends this day, wait until I take this present
with which thou hast honoured me, and place it before my friends, that
they may eat and drink without waiting for me, and then I will return to
thee, and go with thee to thy companions; for there is no false delicacy
between me and my companions that should prevent my leaving them: so I
will return to thee quickly, and repair with thee whithersoever thou
goest.--Upon this I exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in
God, the High, the Great! Go thou to thy companions, and delight thy
heart with them, and leave me to repair to mine, and to remain with them
this day, for they are waiting my arrival.--But he said, I will not
leave thee to go alone.--The place to which I am going, said I, none can
enter except myself.--I suppose then, he rejoined, that thou hast an
appointment to-day with some female: otherwise, thou wouldst take me
with thee; for I am more deserving than all other men, and will assist
thee to attain what thou desirest. I fear that thou art going to visit
some strange woman, and that thy life will be lost; for in this city of
Baghdad no one can do anything of this kind, especially on such a day
as this; seeing that the Walee of Baghdad is a terrible, sharp
sword.--Wo to thee, O wicked old man! I exclaimed, what are these words
with which thou addressest me?--And upon this, he kept a long silence.
The time of prayer had now arrived, and the time of the
Khu[t.]beh[V_68] was near, when he had finished shaving my head: so
I said to him, Go with this food and drink to thy friends, and I will
wait for thee until thou return, and thou shalt accompany me:--and I
continued my endeavours to deceive him, that he might go away; but he
said to me, Verily thou art deceiving me, and wilt go alone, and
precipitate thyself into a calamity from which there will be no escape
for thee: by Allah! by Allah! then, quit not this spot until I return to
thee and accompany thee, that I may know what will be the result of
thine affair.--I replied, Well: prolong not thine absence from me. And
he took the food and drink and other things which I had given him, but
intrusted them to a porter to convey them to his abode, and concealed
himself in one of the by-streets. I then immediately arose. The mueddins
on the menarehs had chanted the Selam of Friday;[V_69] and I put on
my clothes, and went forth alone, and, arriving at the by-street,
stopped at the door of the house where I had seen the damsel: and lo,
the barber was behind me, and I knew it not. I found the door open, and
entered; and immediately the master of the house returned from the
prayers, and entered the saloon, and closed the door; and I said within
myself, How did this devil discover me?
Now it happened, just at this time, for the fulfilment of God's purpose
to rend the veil of protection before me, that a female slave belonging
to the master of the house committed some offence, in consequence of
which he beat her, and she cried out; whereupon a male slave came in to
him to liberate her; but he beat him also, and he likewise cried out;
and the barber concluded that he was beating me; so he cried, and rent
his clothes, and sprinkled dust upon his head, shrieking, and calling
for assistance. He was surrounded by people, and said to them, My master
hath been killed in the house of the [K.]a[d.]ee! Then running to my
house, crying out all the while, and with a crowd behind him, he gave
the news to my family; and I knew not what he had done when they
approached, crying, Alas for our master!--the barber all the while being
before them, with his clothes rent, and a number of the people of the
city with them. They continued shrieking, the barber shrieking at their
head, and all of them exclaiming, Alas for our slain!--Thus they
advanced to the house in which I was confined; and when the [K.]a[d.]ee
heard of this occurrence, the event troubled him, and he arose, and
opened the door, and seeing a great crowd, he was confounded, and said,
O people, what is the news? The servants replied, Thou hast killed our
master.--O people, rejoined he, what hath your master done unto me that
I should kill him; and wherefore do I see this barber before you?--Thou
hast just now beaten him with mi[k.]ra'ahs, said the barber; and I heard
his cries.--What hath he done that I should kill him? repeated the
[K.]a[d.]ee. And whence, he added, came he; and whither would he go?--Be
not an old man of malevolence, exclaimed the barber; for I know the
story, and the reason of his entering thy house, and the truth of the
whole affair: thy daughter is in love with him, and he is in love with
her; and thou hast discovered that he had entered thy house, and hast
ordered thy young men, and they have beaten him. By Allah, none shall
decide between us and thee except the Khaleefeh; or thou shalt bring
forth to us our master that his family may take him; and oblige me not
to enter and take him forth from you: haste then thyself to produce him.
[Illustration]
Upon this, the [K.]a[d.]ee was withheld from speaking, and became
utterly abashed before the people: but presently he said to the barber,
If thou speak truth, enter thyself, and bring him forth. So the barber
advanced, and entered the house; and when I saw him do so, I sought for
a way to escape; but I found no place of refuge except a large chest
which I observed in the same apartment in which I then was: I therefore
entered this, and shut down the lid, and held in my breath. Immediately
after, the barber ran into the saloon, and, without looking in any other
direction than that in which I had concealed myself, came thither: then
turning his eyes to the right and left, and seeing nothing but the
chest, he raised it upon his head; whereupon my reason forsook me. He
quickly descended with it; and I, being now certain that he would not
quit me, opened the chest, and threw myself upon the ground. My leg was
broken by the fall; and when I came to the door of the house, I found a
multitude of people: I had never seen such a crowd as was there
collected on that day; so I began to scatter gold among them, to divert
them; and while they were busied in picking it up, I hastened through
the by-streets of Baghdad, followed by this barber; and wherever I
entered, he entered after me, crying, They would have plunged me into
affliction on account of my master! Praise be to God who aided me
against them, and delivered my master from their hands! Thou
continuedst, O my master, to be excited by haste for the accomplishment
of thine evil design until thou broughtest upon thyself this event; and
if God had not blessed thee with me, thou hadst not escaped from this
calamity into which thou hast fallen; and they might have involved thee
in a calamity from which thou wouldst never have escaped. Beg,
therefore, of God, that I may live for thy sake, to liberate thee in
future. By Allah, thou hast almost destroyed me by thine evil design,
desiring to go alone: but we will not be angry with thee for thine
ignorance, for thou art endowed with little sense, and of a hasty
disposition.--Art thou not satisfied, replied I, with that which thou
hast done, but wilt thou run after me through the market-streets?--And I
desired for death to liberate me from him; but found it not; and in the
excess of my rage I ran from him, and, entering a shop in the midst of
the market, implored the protection of its owner; and he drove away the
barber from me.
I then seated myself in a magazine belonging to him, and said within
myself, I cannot now rid myself of this barber; but he will be with me
night and day, and I cannot endure the sight of his face. So I
immediately summoned witnesses, and wrote a document, dividing my
property among my family, and appointing a guardian over them, and I
ordered him to sell the house and all the immoveable possessions,
charging him with the care of the old and young, and set forth at once
on a journey in order to escape from this wretch. I then arrived in your
country, where I took up my abode, and have remained a considerable
time; and when ye invited me, and I came unto you, I saw this vile
wretch among you, seated at the upper end of the room. How, then, can my
heart be at ease, or my sitting in your company be pleasant to me, with
this fellow, who hath brought these events upon me, and been the cause
of the breaking of my leg?
The young man still persevered in his refusal to remain with us; and
when we had heard his story, we said to the barber, Is this true which
the young man hath said of thee?--By Allah, he answered, it was through
my intelligence that I acted thus towards him; and had I not done so, he
had perished: myself only was the cause of his escape; and it was
through the goodness of God, by my means, that he was afflicted by the
breaking of his leg instead of being punished by the loss of his life.
Were I a person of many words, I had not done him this kindness; and now
I will relate to you an event that happened to me, that ye may believe
me to be a man of few words, and less of an impertinent than my
brothers; and it was this:--
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIMSELF
I was living in Baghdad, in the reign of the Prince of the Faithful
El-Munta[s.]ir bi-llah,[V_70] who loved the poor and indigent, and
associated with the learned and virtuous; and it happened, one day, that
he was incensed against ten persons, in consequence of which, he ordered
the chief magistrate of Baghdad to bring them to him in a boat. I saw
them, and I said within myself, These persons have assembled for nothing
but an entertainment, and, I suppose, will pass their day in this boat
eating and drinking; and none shall be their companion but
myself:[V_71]--so I embarked, and mixed myself among them; and when
they had landed on the opposite bank, the guards of the Walee came with
chains, and put them upon their necks, and put a chain upon my neck
also.--Now this, O people, is it not a proof of my generosity, and of my
paucity of speech? For I determined not to speak.--They took us,
therefore, all together, in chains, and placed us before El-Munta[s.]ir
bi-llah, the Prince of the Faithful; whereupon he gave orders to strike
off the heads of the ten; and the executioner struck off the heads of
the ten, and I remained. The Khaleefeh then turning his eyes, and
beholding me, said to the executioner, Wherefore dost thou not strike
off the heads of all the ten? He answered, I have beheaded every one of
the ten.--I do not think, rejoined the Khaleefeh, that thou hast
beheaded more than nine; and this who is before me is the tenth. But the
executioner replied, By thy beneficence, they are ten.--Count them, said
the Khaleefeh. And they counted them; and lo, they were ten. The
Khaleefeh then looked towards me, and said, What hath induced thee to
be silent on this occasion; and how hast thou become included among the
men of blood?--And when I heard the address of the Prince of the
Faithful, I said to him, Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that I am the
sheykh E[s.]-[S.]amit (the silent): I possess, of science, a large
stock; and as to the gravity of my understanding, and the quickness of
my apprehension, and the paucity of my speech, they are unbounded: my
trade is that of a barber; and yesterday, early in the morning, I saw
these ten men proceeding to the boat; whereupon I mixed myself with
them, and embarked with them, thinking that they had met together for an
entertainment; but soon it appeared that they were criminals; and the
guards came to them, and put chains upon their necks, and upon my neck
also they put a chain; and from the excess of my generosity I was
silent, and spoke not: my speech was not heard on that occasion, on
account of the excess of my generosity; and they proceeded with us until
they stationed us before thee, and thou gavest the order to strike off
the heads of the ten, and I remained before the executioner, and
acquainted you not with my case. Was not this great generosity which
compelled me to accompany them to slaughter? But throughout my life I
have acted in this excellent manner.
When the Khaleefeh heard my words, and knew that I was of a very
generous character, and of few words, and not inclined to impertinence
as this young man, whom I delivered from horrors, asserteth, he said,
Hast thou brothers? I answered, Yes: six.--And are thy six brothers,
said he, like thyself, distinguished by science and knowledge, and
paucity of speech? I answered, They lived not so as to be like me: thou
hast disparaged me by thy supposition, O Prince of the Faithful, and it
is not proper that thou shouldst compare my brothers to me; for through
the abundance of their speech, and the smallness of their generous
qualities, each of them experienced a defect: the first was lame; the
second, deprived of many of his teeth; the third, blind; the fourth,
one-eyed; the fifth, cropped of his ears; and the sixth had both his
lips cut off:[V_72] and think not, O Prince of the Faithful, that I
am a man of many words: nay, I must prove to thee that I am of a more
generous character than they; and each of them met with a particular
adventure, in consequence of which he experienced a defect: if thou
please, I will relate their stories to thee.
[Illustration]
THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS FIRST BROTHER.
Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that the first (who was named
El-Ba[k.]boo[k.]) was the lame one. He practised the art of a tailor in
Baghdad, and used to sew in a shop which he hired of a man possessing
great wealth, who lived over the shop, and who had, in the lower part of
his house, a mill. And as my lame brother was sitting in his shop one
day, sewing, he raised his head, and saw a woman like the rising full
moon, at a projecting window of the house, looking at the people passing
by; and as soon as he beheld her, his heart was entangled by her love.
He passed that day gazing at her, and neglecting his occupation, until
the evening; and on the following morning he opened his shop, and sat
down to sew; but every time that he sewed a stitch, he looked towards
the window; and in this state he continued, sewing nothing sufficient to
earn a piece of silver.[V_73]
On the third day he seated himself again in his place, looking towards
the woman; and she saw him, and, perceiving that he had become enslaved
by her love, laughed in his face, and he, in like manner, laughed in her
face. She then disappeared from before him, and sent to him her
slave-girl, with a wrapper containing a piece of red flowered silk; and
the girl, coming to him, said to him, My mistress saluteth thee, and
desireth thee to cut out for her, with the hand of skill, a shirt of
this piece, and to sew it beautifully. So he answered, I hear and
obey:--and he cut out for her the shirt, and finished the sewing of it
on that day; and on the following day the slave-girl came to him again;
and said to him, My mistress saluteth thee, and saith to thee, How didst
thou pass last night?--for she tasted not sleep, from her passion for
thee.--She then placed before him a piece of yellow satin, and said to
him, My mistress desireth thee to cut out for her, of this piece, two
pairs of trousers, and to make them this day. He replied, I hear and
obey. Salute her with abundant salutations, and say to her, Thy slave is
submissive to thine order, and command him to do whatsoever thou
wilt.--He then busied himself with the cutting out, and used all
diligence in sewing the two pairs of trousers; and presently the woman
looked out at him from the window, and saluted him by a sign, now
casting down her eyes, and now smiling in his face, so that he imagined
he should soon obtain possession of her. After this, she disappeared
from before him, and the slave-girl came to him; so he delivered to her
the two pairs of trousers, and she took them and departed: and when the
night came, he threw himself upon his bed, and remained turning himself
over in restlessness until the morning.
On the following day, the master of the house came to my brother,
bringing some linen, and said to him, Cut out and make this into shirts
for me. He replied, I hear and obey:--and ceased not from his work until
he had cut out twenty shirts by the time of nightfall, without having
tasted food. The man then said to him, How much is thy hire for
this?--but my brother answered not; and the damsel made a sign to him
that he should receive nothing, though he was absolutely in want of a
single copper coin. For three days he continued scarcely eating or
drinking anything, in his diligence to accomplish his work, and when he
had finished it, he went to deliver the shirts.
Now the young woman had acquainted her husband with the state of my
brother's mind, but my brother knew not this; and she planned with her
husband to employ him in sewing without remuneration, and moreover to
amuse themselves by laughing at him: so, when he had finished all the
work that they gave him, they contrived a plot against him, and married
him to their slave-girl; and on the night when he desired to introduce
himself to her, they said to him, Pass this night in the mill, and
to-morrow thou shalt enjoy happiness. My brother, therefore, thinking
that their intention was good, passed the night in the mill alone.
Meanwhile, the husband of the young woman went to the miller, and
instigated him by signs to make my brother turn the mill. The miller,
accordingly, went in to him at midnight, and began to exclaim, Verily
this bull is lazy, while there is a great quantity of wheat, and the
owners of the flour are demanding it: I will therefore yoke him in the
mill, that he may finish the grinding of the flour:--and so saying, he
yoked my brother, and thus he kept him until near morning, when the
owner of the house came, and saw him yoked in the mill, and the miller
flogging him with the whip; and he left him, and retired. After this,
the slave-girl to whom he had been contracted in marriage came to him
early in the morning, and, having unbound him from the mill, said to
him, Both I and my mistress have been distressed by this which hath
befallen thee, and we have participated in the burden of thy sorrow. But
he had no tongue wherewith to answer her, by reason of the severity of
the flogging. He then returned to his house; and lo, the sheykh who had
performed the marriage-contract came and saluted him, saying, May God
prolong thy life! May thy marriage be blessed!--May God not preserve the
liar! returned my brother: thou thousandfold villain! By Allah, I went
only to turn the mill in the place of the bull until the morning.--Tell
me thy story, said the sheykh:--and my brother told him what had
happened to him: upon which the sheykh said, Thy star agreeth not with
hers: but if thou desire that I should change for thee the mode of the
contract, I will change it for another better than it, that thy star may
agree with hers.[V_74]--See then, replied my brother, if thou hast
any other contrivance to employ.
My brother then left him, and repaired again to his shop, hoping that
somebody might give him some work, with the profit of which he might
obtain his food; and lo, the slave-girl came to him. She had conspired
with her mistress to play him this trick, and said to him, Verily, my
mistress is longing for thee, and she hath gone up to look at thy face
from the window. And my brother had scarcely heard these words when she
looked out at him from the window, and, weeping, said, Wherefore hast
thou cut short the intercourse between us and thee? But he returned her
no answer: so she swore to him that all that had happened to him in the
mill was not with her consent; and when my brother beheld her beauty and
loveliness, the troubles that had befallen him became effaced from his
memory, and he accepted her excuse, and rejoiced at the sight of her. He
saluted her, therefore, and conversed with her, and then sat a while at
his work; after which the slave-girl came to him, and said, My mistress
saluteth thee, and informeth thee that her husband hath determined to
pass this next night in the house of one of his intimate friends;
wherefore, when he hath gone thither, do thou come to her.--Now the
husband of the young woman had said to her, How shall we contrive when
he cometh to thee that I may take him and drag him before the Walee? She
replied, Let me then play him a trick, and involve him in a disgrace for
which he shall be paraded throughout this city as an example to
others:--and my brother knew nothing of the craftiness of women.
Accordingly, at the approach of evening, the slave-girl came to him,
and, taking him by the hand, returned with him to her mistress, who said
to him, Verily, O my master, I have been longing for thee.--Hasten then,
said he, to give me a kiss, first of all. And his words were not
finished, when the young woman's husband came in from his neighbour's
house, and, seizing my brother, exclaimed to him, By Allah, I will not
loose thee but in the presence of the chief magistrate of the police. My
brother humbled himself before him; but, without listening to him, he
took him to the house of the Walee, who flogged him with whips, and
mounted him upon a camel, and conveyed him through the streets of the
city, the people crying out, This is the recompense of him who breaketh
into the [h.]areems of others!--and he fell from the camel, and his leg
broke: so he became lame. The Walee then banished him from the city; and
he went forth, not knowing whither to turn his steps: but I, though
enraged, overtook him, and brought him back; and I have taken upon
myself to provide him with meat and drink unto the present day.
The Khaleefeh laughed at my story, and exclaimed, Thou hast spoken
well:--but I replied, I will not accept this honour until thou hast
listened to me while I relate to thee what happened to the rest of my
brothers; and think me not a man of many words.--Tell me, said the
Khaleefeh, what happened to all thy brothers, and grace my ears with
these nice particulars: I beg thee to employ exuberance of diction in
thy relation of these pleasant tales.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS SECOND BROTHER.
So I said, Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that my second brother, whose
name was El-Heddar,[V_75] was going one day to transact some
business, when an old woman met him, and said to him, O man, stop a
little, that I may propose to thee a thing, which, if it please thee,
thou shalt do for me. My brother, therefore, stopped; and she said to
him, I will guide thee to a thing, and rightly direct thee to it, on the
condition that thy words be not many. So he said, Communicate what thou
hast to tell me:--and she proceeded thus:--What sayest thou of a
handsome house, with running water, and fruit and wine, and a beautiful
face to behold, and a smooth cheek to kiss, and an elegant form to
embrace; and to enjoy all these pleasures without interruption? Now, if
thou wilt act agreeably with the condition that I have imposed upon
thee, thou wilt see prosperity.--When my brother had heard her words, he
said to her, O my mistress, how is it that thou hast sought me out in
preference to all the rest of the creation for this affair; and what is
there in me that hath pleased thee? She replied, Did I not say to thee
that thou must not be a person of many words? Be silent then, and come
with me.
The old woman then went her way, my brother following her, eager to
enjoy the pleasures which she had described to him, until they had
entered a spacious house, when she went up with him to an upper story,
and my brother perceived that he was in a beautiful palace, in which he
beheld four damsels, than whom none more lovely had ever been seen,
singing with voices that would charm a heart as insensible as stone. One
of these damsels drank a cup of wine; and my brother said to her, May it
be attended with health and vigour!--and advanced to wait upon her; but
she prevented his doing so, giving him to drink a cup of wine; and as
soon as he had drunk it, she slapped him on his neck. When he found that
she treated him thus, he went out from the chamber in anger, and with
many words; but the old woman, following him, made a sign to him with
her eye that he should return: so he returned, and seated himself,
without speaking; and upon this, the damsel slapped him again upon the
back of his neck until he became senseless; after which, recovering, he
withdrew again. The old woman, however, overtook him, and said to him,
Wait a little, and thou shalt attain thy wish.--How many times, said he,
shall I wait a little before I attain it? The old woman answered, When
she hath become exhilarated with wine thou shalt obtain her favour. He
therefore returned to his place, and resumed his seat. All the four
damsels then arose, and the old woman directed them to divest my brother
of his outer clothes, and to sprinkle some rose-water upon his face; and
when they had done so, the most beautiful one among them said to him,
May Allah exalt thee to honour! Thou hast entered my abode, and if thou
have patience to submit to my requisitions, thou wilt attain thy
wish.--O my mistress, he replied, I am thy slave, and under thy
authority.--Know then, said she, that I am devotedly fond of frolic, and
he who complieth with my demands will obtain my favour. Then she ordered
the other damsels to sing; and they sang so that their hearers were in
an ecstasy; after which the chief lady said to one of the other damsels,
Take thy master, and do what is required, and bring him back to me
immediately.
Accordingly, she took him away, ignorant of that which she was about to
do; and the old woman came to him, and said, Be patient; for there
remaineth but little to do. He then turned towards the damsel, and the
old woman said to him, Be patient: thou hast almost succeeded, and there
remaineth but one thing, which is, to shave thy beard.--How, said he,
shall I do that which will disgrace me among the people? The old woman
answered, She desireth this only to make thee like a beardless youth,
that there may be nothing on thy face to prick her; for her heart is
affected with a violent love for thee. Be patient, therefore, and thou
shalt attain thy desire.--So my brother patiently submitted to the
damsel's directions: his beard was shaven, and he was shorn also of his
eyebrows and mustaches, and his face was painted red, before the damsel
took him back to the chief lady, who, when she saw him, was at first
frightened at him, and then laughed until she fell backwards, and
exclaimed, O my master, thou hast gained me by these proofs of thine
amiable manners! She then conjured him by her life to arise and dance;
and he did so; and there was not a single cushion in the chamber that
she did not throw at him. In like manner also the other damsels threw at
him various things, such as oranges, and limes, and citrons, until he
fell down senseless from the pelting, while they slapped him incessantly
upon the back of his neck, and cast things in his face. But at length
the old woman said to him, Now thou hast attained thy wish. Know that
there remaineth to thee no more beating, nor doth there remain for thee
to do more than one thing, namely, this: it is her custom, when she is
under the influence of wine, to suffer no one to come near her until she
hath taken off her outer clothes; thou, being prepared in the like
manner, must run after her, and she will run before thee as though she
were flying from thee; but cease not to follow her from place to place
until thou overtake her. He arose, therefore, and did so: the lady ran
before, and as he followed her, she passed from chamber to chamber, and
he still ran after her. At last he heard her utter a slight sound as she
ran before him, and, continuing his pursuit, he suddenly found himself
in the midst of the street.
This street was in the market of the leather-sellers, who were then
crying skins for sale; and when the people there collected saw him in
this condition, almost naked, with shaven beard and eyebrows and
mustaches, and with his face painted red, they shouted at him, and
raised a loud laugh, and some of them beat him with the skins until he
became insensible. They then placed him upon an ass, and conducted him
to the Walee, who exclaimed, What is this?--They answered, This
descended upon us from the house of the Wezeer, in this condition. And
the Walee inflicted upon him a hundred lashes, and banished him from the
city: but I went out after him, and brought him back privately into the
city, and allotted him a maintenance. Had it not been for my generous
disposition, I had not borne with such a person.
[Illustration]
THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS THIRD BROTHER.
As to my third brother (the blind man, Ba[k.]ba[k.]), who was also
surnamed [K.]uffeh,[V_76] fate and destiny impelled him one day to
a large house, and he knocked at the door, hoping that its master would
answer him, and that he might beg of him a trifle. The owner called out,
Who is at the door?--but my brother answered not; and then heard him
call with a loud voice, Who is this? Still, however, he returned him no
answer; and he heard the sounds of his footsteps approaching until he
came to the door and opened it, when he said to him, What dost thou
desire? My brother answered, Something for the sake of God, whose name
be exalted!--Art thou blind? said the man; and my brother answered,
Yes.--Then give me thy hand rejoined the master of the house;--so my
brother stretched forth to him his hand, and the man took him into the
house, and led him up from stair-case to stair-case until he had
ascended to the highest platform of the roof: my brother thinking that
he was going to give him some food or money: and when he had arrived at
this highest terrace, of his house, the owner said, What dost thou
desire, O blind man!--I desire something, he answered again, for the
sake of God, whose name be exalted!--May God, replied the man, open to
thee some other way!--What is this! exclaimed my brother: couldst thou
not tell me so when I was below?--Thou vilest of the vile! retorted the
other: why didst thou not ask of me something for the sake of God when
thou heardest my voice the first time, when thou wast knocking at the
door?--What then, said my brother, dost thou mean to do to me?--The man
of the house answered, I have nothing to give thee.--Then take me down
the stairs, said my brother. The man replied, The way is before thee. So
my brother made his way to the stairs, and continued descending until
there remained, between him and the door, twenty steps, when his foot
slipped and he fell, and, rolling down, broke his head.[V_77]
He went forth, not knowing whither to direct his steps, and presently
there met him two blind men, his companions, who said to him, What hath
happened to thee this day? My brother, therefore, related to them the
event that had just befallen him: and then said to them, O my brothers,
I desire to take a portion of the money now in our possession, to expend
it upon myself.--Now the owner of the house which he had just before
entered had followed him to acquaint himself with his proceedings, and
without my brother's knowledge he walked behind him until the latter
entered his abode; when he went in after him, still unknown. My brother
then sat waiting for his companions; and when they came in to him, he
said to them, Shut the door, and search the room, lest any stranger have
followed us. When the intruder, therefore, heard what he said, he arose,
and clung to a rope that was attached to the ceiling; and the blind men
went feeling about the whole of the chamber, and, finding no one,
returned and seated themselves by my brother, and brought forth their
money, and counted it; and lo, it was more than ten thousand pieces of
silver. Having done this, they laid it in a corner of the room, and each
of them took of the surplus of that sum as much as he wanted, and they
buried the ten thousand pieces of silver in the earth; after which, they
placed before themselves some food, and sat eating; but my brother heard
the sound of a stranger by his side, and said to his friends, Is there a
stranger among us? Then stretching forth his hand, it grasped the hand
of the intruder; whereupon he cried out to his companions, saying, Here
is a stranger!--and they fell upon him with blows until they were tired,
when they shouted out, O Muslims![V_78] a thief hath come in upon
us, and desireth to take our property!--and immediately a number of
persons collected around them.
Upon this, the stranger whom they accused of being a thief shut his
eyes, feigned to be blind like themselves, so that no one who saw him
doubted him to be so; and shouted, O Muslims! I demand protection of
Allah and the Sul[t.]an! I demand protection of Allah and the Walee! I
demand protection of Allah and the Emeer! for I have important
information to give to the Emeer!--and before they could collect their
thoughts, the officers of the Walee surrounded them and took them all,
including my brother, and conducted them before their master. The Walee
said, What is your story?--and the stranger replied, Hear my words, O
Walee; the truth of our case will not become known to thee but by means
of beating;[V_79] and if thou wilt, begin by beating me before my
companions. The Walee therefore said, Throw down this man, and flog him
with whips:--and accordingly they threw him down and flogged him; and
when the stripes tortured him, he opened one of his eyes; and after they
had continued the flogging a little longer, he opened his other eye;
upon which the Walee exclaimed, What meaneth this conduct, O thou
villain?--Grant me indemnity, replied the man, and I will acquaint
thee:--and the Walee having granted his request, he said, We four
pretend that we are blind, and, intruding among other people, enter
their houses, and see their women, and employ stratagems to corrupt
them, and to obtain money from them. We have acquired, by these means,
vast gain, amounting to ten thousand pieces of silver; and I said to my
companions, Give me my due, two thousand and five hundred; and they rose
against me and beat me, and took my property. I beg protection,
therefore, of Allah and of thee; and thou art more deserving of my share
than they. If thou desire to know the truth of that which I have said,
flog each of them more than thou hast flogged me, and he will open his
eyes.
So the Walee immediately gave orders to flog them, and the first of them
who suffered was my brother. They continued beating him until he almost
died; when the Walee said to them, O ye scoundrels! do ye deny the
gracious gift of God, feigning yourselves to be blind? My brother
exclaimed, Allah! Allah! Allah! there is none among us who seeth!--They
then threw him down again, and ceased not to beat him until he became
insensible, when the Walee said, Leave him until he shall have
recovered, and then give him a third flogging:--and in the meantime, he
gave orders to flog his companions, to give each of them more than three
hundred stripes; while the seeing man said to them, Open your eyes, or
they will flog you again after this time. Then addressing himself to the
Walee, he said, Send with me some person to bring thee the property; for
these men will not open their eyes, fearing to be disgraced before the
spectators. And the Walee sent with him a man, who brought him the
money; and he took it, and gave to the informer, out of it, two
thousand and five hundred pieces of silver, according to the share which
he claimed, in spite of the others (retaining the rest), and banished
from the city my brother and the two other men; but I went forth, O
Prince of the Faithful, and, having overtaken my brother, asked him
respecting his sufferings; and he acquainted me with that which I have
related unto thee. I then brought him back secretly into the city, and
allotted him a supply of food and drink as long as he lived.
The Khaleefeh laughed at my story, and said, Give him a present, and let
him go:--but I replied, I will receive nothing until I have declared to
the Prince of the Faithful what happened to the rest of my brothers, and
made it manifest to him that I am a man of few words:--whereupon the
Khaleefeh said, Crack our ears, then, with thy ridiculous stories, and
continue to us thy disclosure of vices and misdeeds. So I proceeded
thus:--
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS FOURTH BROTHER.
My fourth brother, O Prince of the Faithful, was the one-eyed (named
El-Kooz el-A[s.]wanee): he was a butcher in Baghdad, and both sold meat
and reared lambs; and the great and the rich had recourse to him to
purchase of him their meat; so that he amassed great wealth, and became
possessor of cattle and houses. Thus he continued to prosper for a long
time; and as he was in his shop, one day, there accosted him an old man
with a long beard, who handed to him some money, saying, Give me some
meat for it. So he took the money, and gave him the meat; and when the
old man had gone away, my brother looked at the money which he had payed
him, and, seeing that it was of a brilliant whiteness, put it aside by
itself. This old man continued to repair to him during a period of five
months, and my brother always threw his money into a chest by itself;
after which period he desired to take it out for the purpose of buying
some sheep; but on opening the chest, he found all the contents
converted into white paper, clipped round; and he slapped his face, and
cried out; whereupon a number of people collected around him, and he
related to them his story, at which they were astonished.
He then went again, as usual, into his shop, and, having killed a ram,
and hung it up within the shop, he cut off some of the meat, and
suspended it outside, saying within himself, Perhaps now this old man
will come again, and if so, I will seize him:--and very soon after, the
old man approached with his money; upon which my brother arose, and,
laying hold upon him, began to cry out, O Muslims, come to my aid, and
hear what this scoundrel hath done unto me! But when the old man heard
his words, he said to him, Which will be more agreeable to thee--that
thou abstain from disgracing me, or that I disgrace thee, before the
people?--For what wilt thou disgrace me? said my brother. The old man
answered, For thy selling human flesh for mutton.--Thou liest, thou
accursed! exclaimed my brother.--None is accursed, rejoined the old man,
but he who hath a man suspended in his shop. My brother said, If it be
as thou hast asserted, my property and blood shall be lawful to
thee:--and immediately the old man exclaimed, O ye people here
assembled! verily this butcher slaughtereth human beings, and selleth
their flesh for mutton; and if ye desire to know the truth of my
assertion, enter his shop! So the people rushed upon his shop, and
beheld the ram converted into a man, hung up; and they laid hold upon my
brother, crying out against him, Thou infidel! Thou scoundrel!--and
those who had been his dearest friends turned upon him and beat him; and
the old man gave him a blow upon his eye, and knocked it out. The people
then carried the carcass, and took with them my brother, to the chief
magistrate of the police; and the old man said to him, O Emeer, this man
slaughtereth human beings, and selleth their flesh for mutton; and we
have therefore brought him to thee: arise, then, and perform the
requisition of God, whose might and glory be extolled! Upon this, the
magistrate thrust back my brother from him, and, refusing to listen to
what he would have said, ordered that five hundred blows of a staff
should be inflicted upon him, and took all his property. Had it not been
for the great amount of his wealth, he had put him to death.[V_80]
He then banished him from the city.
My brother, therefore, went forth in a state of distraction, not knowing
what course to pursue; but he journeyed onwards until he arrived at a
great city, where he thought fit to settle as a shoemaker: so he opened
a shop, and sat there working for his subsistence. And one day he went
forth on some business, and, hearing the neighing of horses, he inquired
respecting the cause, and was told that the King was going forth to
hunt; whereupon he went to amuse himself with the sight of the
procession: but the King happening to look on one side, his eye met that
of my brother, and immediately he hung down his head, and exclaimed, I
seek refuge with God from the evil of this day! He then turned aside the
bridle of his horse, and rode back, and all his troops returned with
him; after which, he ordered his pages to run after my brother, and to
beat him; and they did so, giving him so severe a beating that he
almost died; and he knew not the cause. He returned to his abode in a
miserable plight, and afterwards went and related his misfortune to one
of the King's attendants, who laughed at the recital until he fell
backwards, and said to him, O my brother, the King cannot endure the
sight of a one-eyed person, and especially when the defect is that of
the left eye;[V_81] for in this case, he faileth not to put the
person to death.
When my brother heard these words, he determined to fly from that city;
and forthwith departed from it, and repaired to another city, where
there was no King. Here he remained a long time; and after this, as he
was meditating upon his adventure in the former city, he went out one
day to amuse himself, and heard again the neighing of horses behind him;
upon which he exclaimed, The decree of God hath come to pass! and ran
away, seeking for a place in which to conceal himself; but he found
none, until, continuing his search, he saw a door set up as a barricade:
so he pushed this, and it fell down; and, entering the doorway, he
beheld a long passage, into which he advanced. Suddenly, however, two
men laid hold upon him, and exclaimed, Praise be to God who hath enabled
us to take thee, O thou enemy of God! For these three nights thou hast
suffered us to enjoy neither quiet nor sleep, and we have found no
repose: nay, thou hast given us a foretaste of death!--O men, said my
brother, what hath happened unto you? They answered, Thou keepest a
watch upon us, and desirest to disgrace us, and to disgrace the master
of the house! Is it not enough for thee that thou hast reduced him to
poverty, thou and thy companions? Produce now the knife wherewith thou
threatenest us every night.--And so saying, they searched him, and found
upon his waist the knife with which he cut the shoe-leather.--O men, he
exclaimed, fear God in your treatment of me, and know that my story is
wonderful. They said, What then is thy story? So he related it to them,
in the hope that they would liberate him: but they believed not what he
said; and, instead of shewing him any regard, they beat him, and tore
his clothes; whereupon, his body becoming exposed to their view, they
discovered upon his sides the marks of beating with mi[k.]ra'ahs, and
exclaimed, O wretch! these scars bear testimony to thy guilt. They then
conducted him before the Walee, while he said within himself, I am
undone for my transgressions, and none can deliver me but God, whose
name be exalted! And when he was brought before the Walee, the
magistrate said to him, O thou scoundrel! nothing but a heinous crime
hath occasioned thy having been beaten with mi[k.]ra'ahs:--and he
caused a hundred lashes to be inflicted upon him; after which, they
mounted him upon a camel, and proclaimed before him, This is the
recompense of him who breaketh into men's houses!--But I had already
heard of his misfortunes, and gone forth, and found him; and I
accompanied him about the city while they were making this proclamation,
until they left him; when I took him, and brought him back secretly into
Baghdad, and apportioned him a daily allowance of food and drink.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS FIFTH BROTHER.[V_82]
My fifth brother (El-Feshshar[V_83]) was cropped of his ears, O Prince
of the Faithful. He was a pauper, who begged alms by night, and
subsisted upon what he thus acquired by day: and our father was a very
old man, and he fell sick and died, leaving to us seven hundred pieces
of silver, of which each of us took his portion; namely, a hundred
pieces. Now my fifth brother, when he had received his share, was
perplexed, not knowing what to do with it; but while he was in this
state, it occurred to his mind to buy with it all kinds of articles of
glass, and to sell them and make profit; so he bought glass with his
hundred pieces of silver, and put it in a large tray, and sat upon an
elevated place, to sell it, leaning his back against a wall. And as he
sat, he meditated, and said within himself, Verily my whole stock
consisteth of this glass: I will sell it for two hundred pieces of
silver; and with the two hundred I will buy other glass, which I will
sell for four hundred; and thus I will continue buying and selling until
I have acquired great wealth. Then with this I will purchase all kinds
of merchandise and essences and jewels, and so obtain vast gain. After
that, I will buy a handsome house, and memlooks, and horses, and gilded
saddles; and I will eat and drink; and I will not leave in the city a
single female singer but I will have her brought to my house that I may
hear her songs.--All this he calculated with the tray of glass lying
before him.--Then, said he, I will send all the female betrothers to
seek in marriage for me the daughters of Kings and Wezeers; and I will
demand as my wife the daughter of the chief Wezeer;[V_84] for I have
heard that she is endowed with perfect beauty and surprising loveliness:
and I will give as her dowry a thousand pieces of gold. If her father
consent, my wish is attained; and if he consent not, I will take her by
force, in spite of him: and when I have come back to my house, I will
buy ten young eunuchs, and I will purchase the apparel of Kings and
Sul[t.]ans, and cause to be made for me a saddle of gold set with
jewels: after which I will ride every day upon a horse, with slaves
behind me and before me,[V_85] and go about through the streets and
markets to amuse myself, while the people will salute me and pray for
me.[V_86] Then I will pay a visit to the Wezeer, who is the father of
the maiden, with memlooks behind me and before me, and on my right hand
and on my left; and when he seeth me, he will rise to me, in humility,
and seat me in his own place; and he himself will sit down below
me,[V_87] because I am his son-in-law. I will then order one of the
servants to bring a purse containing the pieces of gold which compose
the dowry; and he will place it before the Wezeer; and I will add to it
another purse, that he may know my manly spirit and excessive
generosity, and that the world is contemptible in my eye: and when he
addresseth me with ten words, I will answer him with two. And I will
return to my house; and when any person cometh to me from the house of
the Wezeer, I will clothe him with a rich dress: but if any come with a
present, I will return it: I will certainly not accept it.[V_88] Then,
on the night of the bridal display, I will attire myself in the most
magnificent of my dresses, and sit upon a mattress covered with silk;
and when my wife cometh to me, like the full moon, decked with her
ornaments and apparel, I will command her to stand before me as stands
the timid and the abject; and I will not look at her, on account of the
haughtiness of my spirit and the gravity of my wisdom; so that the maids
will say, O our master and our lord, may we be thy sacrifice! This thy
wife, or rather thy handmaid, awaiteth thy kind regard, and is standing
before thee: then graciously bestow on her one glance; for the posture
hath become painful to her.[V_89]--Upon this, I will raise my head, and
look at her with one glance, and again incline my head downwards; and
thus I will do until the ceremony of displaying her is finished;
whereupon they will conduct her to the sleeping-chamber; and I will rise
from my place, and go to another apartment, and put on my night-dress,
and go to the chamber in which she is sitting, where I will seat myself
upon the deewan; but I will not look towards her. The tire-women will
urge me to approach her; but I will not hear their words, and will order
some of the attendants to bring a purse containing five hundred pieces
of gold for them, and command them to retire from the chamber.[V_90] And
when they have gone, I will seat myself by the side of the bride; but
with averted countenance, that she may say, Verily this is a man of a
haughty spirit. Then her mother will come to me, and will kiss my hands,
and say to me, O my master, look upon thy handmaid with the eye of
mercy; for she is submissively standing before thee. But I will return
her no answer. And she will kiss my feet, again and again, and will say,
O my master, my daughter is young, and hath seen no man but thee; and if
she experience from thee repugnance, her heart will break: incline to
her, therefore, and speak to her, and calm her mind. And upon this I
will look at her through the corner of my eye, and command her to remain
standing before me, that she may taste the savour of humiliation, and
know that I am the Sul[t.]an of the age. Then her mother will say to me,
O my master, this is thy handmaid: have compassion upon her, and be
gracious to her:--and she will order her to fill a cup with wine, and to
put it to my mouth. So her daughter will say, O my lord, I conjure thee
by Allah that thou reject not the cup from thy slave; for verily I am
thy slave. But I will make her no reply; and she will urge me to take
it, and will say, It must be drunk:--and will put it to my mouth: and
upon this, I will shake my hand in her face, and spurn her with my foot,
and do thus.--So saying, he kicked the tray of glass, which, being upon
a place elevated above the ground, fell, and all that was in it broke:
there escaped nothing: and he cried out and said, All this is the result
of my pride! And he slapped his face, and tore his clothes; the
passengers gazing at him, while he wept, and exclaimed, Ah! O my grief!
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The people were now repairing to perform the Friday-prayers; and some
merely cast their eyes at him, while others noticed him not: but while
he was in this state, deprived of his whole property, and weeping
without intermission, a female approached him, on her way to attend the
Friday-prayers: she was of admirable loveliness; the odour of musk was
diffused from her; under her was a mule with a stuffed saddle covered
with gold-embroidered silk; and with her was a number of servants; and
when she saw the broken glass, and my brother's state and his tears, she
was moved with pity for him, and asked respecting his case. She was
answered, He had a tray of glass, by the sale of which to obtain his
subsistence and it is broken, and he is afflicted as thou seest:--and
upon this, she called to one of the servants, saying, Give what thou
hast with thee to this poor man. So he gave him a purse, and he took it,
and when he had opened it, he found in it five hundred pieces of gold,
whereupon he almost died from excessive joy, and offered up prayers for
his benefactress.
He returned to his house a rich man, and sat reflecting, and lo, a
person knocked at the door: he rose, therefore, and opened it; and
beheld an old woman whom he knew not, and she said to him, O my son,
know that the time of prayer hath almost expired, and I am not prepared
by ablution; wherefore I beg that thou wilt admit me into thy house,
that I may perform it. He replied, I hear and obey;--and, retiring
within, gave her permission to enter; his mind still wandering from joy
on account of the gold; and when she had finished the ablution, she
approached the spot where he was sitting, and there performed the
prayers of two rek'ahs. She then offered up a supplication for my
brother; and he thanked her, and offered her two pieces of gold; but
when she saw this, she exclaimed, Extolled be God's perfection! Verily I
wonder at the person who fell in love with thee in thy beggarly
condition! Take back thy money from me, and if thou want it not, return
it to her who gave it thee when thy glass broke.--O my mother, said he,
how can I contrive to obtain access to her? She answered, O my son, she
hath an affection for thee; but she is the wife of an affluent man; take
then with thee all thy money, and when thou art with her be not
deficient in courteousness and agreeable words; so shalt thou obtain of
her favours and her wealth whatever thou shalt desire. My brother,
therefore, took all the gold, and arose and went with the old woman,
hardly believing what she had told him; and she proceeded, and my
brother behind her, until they arrived at a great door, at which she
knocked; whereupon a Greek damsel came and opened the door, and the old
woman entered, ordering my brother to do the same. He did so, and found
himself in a large house, where he beheld a great furnished chamber,
with curtains hung in it; and, seating himself there, he put down the
gold before him, and placed his turban on his knees;[V_91] and
scarcely had he done so, when there came to him a damsel, the like of
whom had never been seen, attired in most magnificent apparel. My
brother stood up at her approach; and when she beheld him, she laughed
in his face, and rejoiced at his visit: then going to the door, she
locked it; after which she returned to my brother, and took his hand,
and both of them went together into a private chamber, carpeted with
various kinds of silk, where my brother sat down, and she seated herself
by his side, and toyed with him for a considerable time. She then rose,
saying to him, Move not from this place until I return to thee;--and was
absent from him for a short period;--and as my brother was waiting for
her, there came in to him a black slave, of gigantic stature, with a
drawn sword, the brightness of which dazzled the sight; and he exclaimed
to my brother. Wo to thee! Who brought thee to this place? Thou vilest
of men! Thou misbegotten wretch, and nursling of impurity!--My brother
was unable to make any reply; his tongue was instantly tied; and the
slave laid hold upon him, and stripped him, and struck him more than
eighty blows with the flat of his sword, until he fell sprawling upon
the floor; when he retired from him, concluding that he was dead, and
uttered a great cry, so that the earth trembled, and the place resounded
at his voice, saying, Where is El-Melee[h.]ah?[V_92]--upon which a
girl came to him, holding a handsome tray containing salt; and with this
she forthwith stuffed the flesh-wounds with which my brother's skin was
gashed until they gaped open; but he moved not, fearing the slave would
discover that he was alive, and kill him. The girl then went away, and
the slave uttered another cry, like the first, whereupon the old woman
came to my brother, and, dragging him by the feet to a deep and dark
vault, threw him into it upon a heap of slain.[V_93] In this place
he remained for two whole days; and God (whose perfection be extolled!)
made the salt to be the means of preserving his life, by stanching the
flow of blood from his veins; so, when he found that he had strength
sufficient to move, he arose, and, opening a shutter in the wall,
emerged from the place of the slain; and God (to whom be ascribed all
might and glory!) granted him his protection. He therefore proceeded in
the darkness, and concealed himself in the passage until the morning,
when the old woman went forth to seek another victim, and my brother,
going out after her, without her knowledge, returned to his house.
[Illustration]
He now occupied himself with the treatment of his wounds until he was
restored; and continued to watch for the old woman, and constantly saw
her taking men, one after another, and conducting them to the same
house. But he uttered not a word on the subject; and when his health
returned, and his strength was completely renewed, he took a piece of
rag, and made of it a purse, which he filled with pieces of glass: he
then tied it to his waist, and disguised himself so that no one would
know him, in the dress of a foreigner; and, taking a sword, placed it
within his clothes; and as soon as he saw the old woman, he said to her,
in the dialect of a foreigner, Old woman, hast thou a pair of scales fit
for weighing nine hundred pieces of gold? The old woman answered, I have
a young son, a money-changer, and he hath all kinds of scales; therefore
accompany me to him before he go forth from his abode, that he may weigh
for thee thy gold. So my brother said, Walk on before me:--and she went,
and my brother followed her until she arrived at the door, and knocked;
upon which the girl came out, and laughed in his face; and the old woman
said to her, I have brought you to-day some fat meat. The girl then took
my brother's hand, and conducted him into the house (the same which he
had entered before), and after she had sat with him a short time, she
rose, saying to him, Quit not this place until I return to thee:--and
she retired; and my brother had remained not long after when the slave
came to him with the drawn sword, and said to him, Rise, thou unlucky!
So my brother rose, and, as the slave walked before him, he put his hand
to the sword which was concealed beneath his clothes, and struck the
slave with it, and cut off his head; after which he dragged him by his
feet to the vault, and called out, Where is El-Melee[h.]ah? The
slave-girl, therefore, came, having in her hand the tray containing the
salt; but when she saw my brother with the sword in his hand, she turned
back and fled: my brother, however, overtook her, and struck off her
head. He then called out, Where is the old woman?--and she came; and he
said to her, Dost thou know me, O malevolent hag? She answered, No, O my
lord.--I am, said he, the man who had the pieces of gold, and in whose
house thou performedst the ablution and prayedst; after which, devising
a stratagem against me, thou betrayedst me into this place.--The old
woman exclaimed, Fear God in thy treatment of me!--but my brother,
turning towards her, struck her with the sword, and clove her in twain.
He then went to search for the chief damsel, and when she saw him, her
reason fled, and she implored his pardon; whereupon he granted her his
pardon, and said to her, What occasioned thy falling into the hands of
this black? She answered, I was a slave to one of the merchants, and
this old woman used to visit me; and one day she said to me, We are
celebrating a festivity, the like of which no one hath seen, and I have
a desire that thou shouldst witness it. I replied, I hear and obey:--and
arose, and clad myself in the best of my attire, and, taking with me a
purse containing a hundred pieces of gold,[V_94] proceeded with her
until she entered this house, when suddenly this black took me, and I
have continued with him in this state three years, through the stratagem
of the old witch.--My brother then said to her, Is there any property of
his in the house?--Abundance, she answered; and if thou canst remove it,
do so:--and upon this, he arose and went with her, when she opened to
him chests filled with purses, at the sight of which he was confounded;
and she said to him, Go now, and leave me here, and bring some person to
remove the property. So he went out, and, having hired ten men,
returned; but on his arrival at the door, he found it open, and saw
neither the damsel nor the purses; he found, however, some little money
remaining, and the stuffs. He discovered, therefore, that she had
eluded him; and he took the money that remained, and, opening the
closets, took all the stuffs which they contained, leaving nothing in
the house.
He passed the next night full of happiness; but when the morning came,
he found at the door twenty soldiers, and on his going forth to them,
they laid hold upon him, saying, The Walee summoneth thee. So they
took him, and conducted him to the Walee, who, when he saw him,
said to him, Whence obtainedst thou these stuffs?--Grant me indemnity,
said my brother:--and the Walee gave him the handkerchief of
indemnity;[V_95] and my brother related to him all that had
befallen him with the old woman from first to last, and the flight of
the damsel; adding,--and of that which I have taken, take thou what thou
wilt; but leave me wherewith to procure my food. The Walee thereupon
demanded the whole of the money and the stuffs; but fearing that the
Sul[t.]an[V_96] might become acquainted with the matter, he
retained a portion only, and gave the rest to my brother, saying to him,
Quit this city, or I will hang thee. My brother replied, I hear and
obey:--and went forth to one of the surrounding cities. Some robbers,
however, came upon him, and stripped and beat him, and cut off his ears;
and I, having heard of his situation, went forth to him, taking to him
some clothes; and brought him back privily into the city, and supplied
him with daily food and drink.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE BARBER'S STORY OF HIS SIXTH BROTHER
My sixth brother (Sha[k.]ali[k.]), O Prince of the Faithful, had his
lips cut off. He was in a state of extreme poverty, possessing nothing
of the goods of this perishable world; and he went forth one day to seek
for something with which to stay his departing spirit, and on his way he
beheld a handsome house, with a wide and lofty vestibule, at the door of
which were servants, commanding and forbidding; whereupon he inquired of
one of the persons standing there, who answered, This house belongeth to
a man of the sons of the Barmekees.[V_97] My brother, therefore,
advanced to the door-keepers, and begged them to give him something; and
they said, Enter the door of the house, and thou wilt obtain what thou
desirest of its master. So he entered the vestibule, and proceeded
through it a while until he arrived at a mansion of the utmost beauty
and elegance, having a garden in the midst of it, unsurpassed in beauty
by anything that had ever been seen: its floors were paved with marble,
and its curtains were hanging around. He knew not in which direction to
go; but advanced to the upper extremity, and there he beheld a man of
handsome countenance and beard, who, on seeing my brother, rose to him,
and welcomed him, inquiring respecting his circumstances. He accordingly
informed him that he was in want; and when the master of the house heard
his words, he manifested excessive grief, and, taking hold of his own
clothes, rent them, and exclaimed, Am I in the city, and thou in it
hungry? It is a thing that I cannot endure!--Then promising him every
kind of happiness, he said, Thou must stay and partake of my salt. But
my brother replied, O my master, I have not patience to wait; for I am
in a state of extreme hunger.
Upon this, the master of the house called out, Boy, bring the basin and
ewer!--and he said, O my guest, advance, and wash thy hand. He then
performed the same motions as if he were washing his hand; and called to
his attendants to bring the table; whereupon they began to come and go
as though they were preparing it; after which the master of the house
took my brother, and sat down with him at this imaginary table, and
proceeded to move his hands and lips as if he were eating; saying to my
brother, Eat, and be not ashamed, for thou art hungry, and I know how
thou art suffering from the violence of thy hunger. My brother,
therefore, made the same motions, as if he also were eating, while his
host said to him, Eat, and observe this bread and its whiteness. To
this, my brother at first made no reply; but observed in his own mind,
Verily this is a man who loveth to jest with others:--so he said to him,
O my master, in my life I have never seen bread more beautifully white
than this, or any of sweeter taste:--on which the host rejoined, This
was made by a female slave of mine whom I purchased for five hundred
pieces of gold. He then called out, Boy, bring to us the
sikbaj,[V_98] the like of which is not found among the dishes of
Kings!--and, addressing my brother, he said, Eat, O my guest; for thou
art hungry, vehemently so, and in absolute want of food. So my brother
began to twist about his mouth, and to chew, as in eating. The master of
the house now proceeded to demand different kinds of viands, one after
another; and, though nothing was brought, he continued ordering my
brother to eat. Next he called out, Boy, place before us the chickens
stuffed with pistachio-nuts:--and said to his guest, Eat of that which
thou hast never tasted the like.--O my master, replied my brother,
verily this dish hath not its equal in sweetness of flavour:--and the
host, thereupon, began to put his hand to my brother's mouth as though
he were feeding him with morsels; and proceeded to enumerate to him the
various different kinds of viands, and to describe their several
excellencies; while his hunger so increased that he longed for a cake of
barley-bread. The master of the house then said to him, Hast thou tasted
anything more delicious than the spices in these dishes?--No, O my
master, answered my brother.--Eat more then, resumed the host; and be
not ashamed.--I have eaten enough of the meats, replied the guest. So
the man of the house called to his attendants to bring the sweets; and
they moved their hands about in the air as if they were bringing them;
whereupon the host said to my brother, Eat of this dish; for it is
excellent; and of these [k.]a[t.]aif,[V_99] by my life! and take
this one before the sirup runs from it.--May I never be deprived of
thee, O my master! exclaimed my brother, proceeding to inquire of him
respecting the abundance of musk in the [k.]a[t.]aif.--This, answered
the host, is my usual custom in my house: they always put for me, in
each of the [k.]a[t.]aif, a mith[k.]al[V_100] of musk, and half a
mith[k.]al of ambergris.--All this time my brother was moving his head
and mouth, and rolling about his tongue between his cheeks, as if he
were enjoying the sweets. After this, the master of the house called out
to his attendants, Bring the dried fruits!--and again they moved about
their hands in the air as though they were doing what he ordered; when
he said to my brother, Eat of these almonds, and of these walnuts, and
of these raisins;--and so on; enumerating the various kinds of dried
fruits; and added again, Eat, and be not ashamed.--O my master, replied
my brother, I have had enough, and have not power to eat anything
more:--but the host rejoined, If thou desire, O my guest, to eat more,
and to delight thyself with extraordinary dainties, by Allah! by Allah!
remain not hungry.
My brother now reflected upon his situation, and upon the manner in
which this man was jesting with him, and said within himself, By Allah,
I will do to him a deed that shall make him repent before God of these
actions! The man of the house next said to his attendants, Bring us the
wine:--and, as before, they made the same motions with their hands in
the air as if they were doing what he commanded; after which he
pretended to hand to my brother a cup, saying, Take this cup, for it
will delight thee:--and his guest replied, O my master, this is of thy
bounty:--and he acted with his hand as though he were drinking it.--Hath
it pleased thee? said the host.--O my master, answered my brother, I
have never seen anything more delicious than this wine.--Drink then,
rejoined the master of the house, and may it be attended with benefit
and health:--and he himself pretended to drink, and to hand a second cup
to my brother, who, after he had affected to drink it, feigned himself
intoxicated, and, taking his host unawares, raised his hand until the
whiteness of his arm-pit appeared, and struck him such a slap upon his
neck that the chamber rang at the blow; and this he followed by a second
blow; whereupon the man exclaimed, What is this, thou vilest of the
creation?--O my master, answered my brother, I am thy slave, whom thou
hast graciously admitted into thine abode, and thou hast fed him with
thy provisions, and treated him with old wine, and he hath become
intoxicated, and committed an outrage upon thee; but thou art of too
exalted dignity to be angry with him for his ignorance.
When the master of the house heard these words of my brother, he uttered
a loud laugh, and said to him, Verily for a long time have I made game
of men, and jested with all persons accustomed to joking and rudeness,
but I have not seen among them any who could endure this trick, nor any
who had sagacity to conform to all my actions, except thee: now,
therefore, I pardon thee; and be thou my companion in reality, and never
relinquish me. He then gave orders to bring a number of the dishes above
mentioned, and he and my brother ate together to satisfaction; after
which they removed to the drinking-chamber, where female slaves like so
many moons sang all kinds of melodies, and played on all kinds of
musical instruments. There they drank until intoxication overcame them:
the master of the house treated my brother as a familiar friend, became
greatly attached to him, and clad him with a costly dress; and on the
following morning they resumed their feasting and drinking. Thus they
continued to live for a period of twenty years: the man then died, and
the Sul[t.]an[V_101] seized upon his property, and took possession
of it.
My brother, upon this, went forth from the city, a fugitive; and upon
his way, a party of Arabs[V_102] came upon him. They made him a
captive; and the man who captured him tortured him with beating, and
said to him, By Allah, purchase thyself of me by wealth, or I will kill
thee:--but my brother, weeping, replied, By Allah, I possess nothing, O
Sheykh of the Arabs; nor do I know the means of obtaining any property:
I am thy captive; I have fallen into thy hands, and do with me what thou
wilt. And immediately the tyrannical Bedawee drew forth from his girdle
a broad-bladed knife (such as, if plunged into the neck of a camel,
would cut it across from one jugular vein to the other), and, taking it
in his right hand, approached my poor brother, and cut off with it his
lips; still urging his demand.--Now this Bedawee had a handsome wife,
who, when he was absent, used to manifest a strong affection for my
brother; though he observed a proper decorum towards her, fearing God
(whose name be exalted!); and it happened, one day, that she had called
him, and seated him with her; but while they were together, lo, her
husband came in upon them; and when he beheld my brother, he exclaimed,
Wo to thee, thou base wretch! Dost thou desire now to corrupt my
wife?--Then drawing his knife, he inflicted upon him another cruel
wound; after which he mounted him upon a camel, and, having cast him
upon a mountain, left him there, and went his way. Some travellers,
however, passed by him, and when they discovered him, they gave him food
and drink, and acquainted me with his case: so I went forth to him, and
conveyed him back into the city, and allotted him a sufficient
maintenance.
[Illustration]
Now I have come unto thee, O Prince of the Faithful, continued the
barber, and feared to return to my house without relating to thee these
facts; for to neglect doing so had been an error. Thus thou hast seen
that, although having six brothers, I am of a more upright character
than they.--But when the Prince of the Faithful had heard my story, and
all that I had related to him respecting my brothers, he laughed, and
said, Thou hast spoken truth, O [S.]amit (O silent man); thou art a
person of few words, and devoid of impertinence; now, however, depart
from this city, and take up thine abode in another. So he banished me
from Baghdad; and I journeyed through various countries, and traversed
many regions, until I heard of his death, and of the succession of
another Khaleefeh; when, returning to my city, I met with this young
man, unto whom I did the best of deeds, and who, had it not been for me,
had been slain: yet he hath accused me of that which is not in my
character; for all that he hath related of me, with respect to
impertinence, and loquacity, and dulness, and want of taste, is false, O
people.
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY TOLD BY THE TAILOR.
The tailor then proceeded thus:--When we heard the story of the barber,
and were convinced of his impertinence and loquacity, and that the young
man had been treated unjustly by him, we seized hold upon him, and put
him in confinement, and, seating ourselves to keep watch over him, ate
and drank; and the feast was finished in the most agreeable manner. We
remained sitting together until the call to afternoon-prayers, when I
went forth, and returned to my house; but my wife looked angrily at me,
and said, Thou hast been all the day enjoying thy pleasure while I have
been sitting at home sorrowful; now if thou go not forth with me and
amuse me for the remainder of the day, thy refusal will be the cause of
my separation from thee. So I took her and went out with her, and we
amused ourselves until nightfall, when, returning home, we met this
humpback, full of drink, and repeating verses; upon which I invited him
to come home with us, and he consented. I then went forth to buy some
fried fish, and having bought it and returned, we sat down to eat; and
my wife took a morsel of bread and a piece of fish, and put them into
his mouth, and choked him, so that he died; whereupon I took him up, and
contrived to throw him into the house of this physician, and he
contrived to throw him into the house of the steward, and the steward
contrived to throw him in the way of the broker.--This is the story of
what happened to me yesterday. Is it not more wonderful than that of the
humpback?
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE HUMPBACK.
When the King had heard this story, he ordered certain of his
chamberlains to go with the tailor, and to bring the barber; saying to
them, His presence is indispensable, that I may hear his talk, and it
may be the cause of the deliverance of you all: then we will bury this
humpback decently in the earth, for he hath been dead since yesterday;
and we will make him a monument around his grave, since he hath been the
occasion of our acquaintance with these wonderful stories.
The chamberlains and the tailor soon came back, after having gone to the
place of confinement and brought the barber, whom they placed before the
King; and when the King beheld him, he saw him to be an old man, passed
his ninetieth year, of dark countenance, and white beard and eyebrows,
with small ears, and long nose, and a haughty aspect. The King laughed
at the sight of him, and said to him, O silent man, I desire that thou
relate to me somewhat of thy stories.--O King of the age, replied the
barber, what is the occasion of the presence of this Christian and this
Jew and this Muslim, and this humpback lying dead among you; and what is
the reason of this assembly?--Wherefore dost thou ask this? said the
King. The barber answered, I ask it in order that the King may know me
to be no impertinent person, nor one who meddleth with that which doth
not concern him, and that I am free from the loquacity of which they
accuse me: for I am fortunate in my characteristic appellation, since
they have surnamed me E[s.]-[S.]amit; and, as the poet hath said,--
Seldom hast thou seen a person honoured with a surname,
but thou wilt find, if thou search, that his character
is expressed by it.
The King therefore said, Explain to the barber the case of this
humpback, and what happened to him yesterday evening, and explain to him
also what the Christian hath related, and the Jew and the steward and
the tailor. So they repeated to him the stories of all these persons.
The barber, thereupon, shook his head, saying, By Allah, this is a
wonderful thing! Uncover this humpback, that I may examine him.--And
they did so. He then seated himself at his head, and, taking it up,
placed it upon his lap, and looked at his face, and laughed so violently
that he fell backwards, exclaiming, For every death there is a cause;
and the death of this humpback is most wonderful: it is worthy of being
registered in the records, that posterity may be instructed by this
event!--The King, astonished at his words, said, O [S.]amit, explain to
us the reason of thy saying this.--O King, replied the barber, by thy
beneficence, life is yet in the humpback! He then drew forth from his
bosom a pot containing some ointment, and with this he anointed the neck
of the humpback; after which he covered it up until it perspired; when
he took forth an iron forceps, and put it down his throat, and extracted
the piece of fish with its bone, and all the people saw them. The
humpback now sprang upon his feet, and sneezed, and, recovering his
consciousness, drew his hands over his face, and exclaimed, There is no
Deity but God! Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! God bless and save
him!--and all who were present were astonished at the sight, and the
King laughed until he became insensible; as did also the other
spectators. The King exclaimed, By Allah, this accident is wonderful! I
have never witnessed anything more strange!--and added, O Muslims! O
assembly of soldiers! have ye ever in the course of your lives seen any
one die and after that come to life? But had not God blessed him with
this barber, the humpback had been to-day numbered among the people of
the other world; for the barber hath been the means of restoring him to
life.--They replied, This is indeed a wonderful thing!
The King then gave orders to record this event; and when they had done
so, he placed the record in the royal library; and he bestowed dresses
of honour upon the Jew and the Christian and the steward; upon each of
them, a costly dress: the tailor he appointed to be his own tailor,
granting him regular allowances, and reconciling him and the humpback
with each other: the humpback he honoured with a rich and beautiful
dress, and with similar allowances, and appointed him his cup-companion;
and upon the barber also he conferred the like favours, rewarding him
with a costly dress of honour, regular allowances, and a fixed salary,
and appointing him state-barber, and his own cup-companion: so they all
lived in the utmost happiness and comfort until they were visited by the
terminator of delights and the separator of friends.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER FIFTH.
NOTE 1. As the story of the Humpback is one of the best in this
collection, and purely Arab, I have been glad to find, in the Calcutta
edition of the first two hundred nights, authority for deviating here
from my usual standard copy, by substituting "El-Ba[s.]rah" for a city
of China. The Breslau edition, in the opening of the story, lays the
scene at "El-Ba[s.]rah _and_ [K.]aj[k.]ar." By the latter, I suppose
Kashghar to be meant.
NOTE 2. In my original, they are said to have gone out early in the
morning; but this is contradicted by the sequel.
NOTE 3. The appeal to Ezra's ass, which alludes to a tradition believed
by the Muslims, as it is mentioned in the [K.]ur-an, is omitted in the
Cairo edition. The story is this:--'Ozeyr, or Ezra, "riding on an ass by
the ruins of Jerusalem, after it had been destroyed by the Chaldeans,
doubted in his mind by what means God could raise the city and its
inhabitants again; whereupon God caused him to die, and he remained in
that condition a hundred years; at the end of which, God restored him to
life, and he found a basket of figs and a cruise of wine that he had
with him, not in the least spoiled or corrupted; but his ass was dead,
the bones only remaining; and these, while the Prophet looked on, were
raised and clothed with flesh, becoming an ass again, which, being
inspired with life, began immediately to bray."[323]
NOTE 4. Most Arab cities abound with cats, which are much favoured by
the inhabitants. These animals are often seen leaping across from the
terrace of one house to that of another on the opposite side of a narrow
street; and often has my kitchen in Cairo been robbed by them. They are
said to contribute greatly to the spreading of the plague.
NOTE 5. Occurrences of this kind are said to have often happened in Arab
towns, where dogs, though esteemed unclean by the Muslims, are, like
cats, generally very numerous. Few of them have masters; but they
compose distinct tribes; those of each tribe confining themselves to a
particular quarter or district of the town, and suffering no strange dog
to intrude among them and share with them in the offal thrown out from
the butchers' shops and from private houses; or prowling about the
mounds of rubbish in the environs, and, like the vultures, feeding upon
the carcasses of camels, asses, and other beasts, thrown out by the
inhabitants. I was once told that the master of an English
merchant-vessel, having fallen asleep in a state of intoxication on the
shore of the harbour of Alexandria, at night, was devoured by dogs.
NOTE 6. The snatching of turbans by night is still a frequent practice
of Arab rogues, and one which is often very lucrative; many a turban
being composed of a costly Kashmeer shawl wound round a [t.]arboosh,
which latter alone is worth eight or nine shillings, or more, and some
also having money or other valuables secreted in them.
NOTE 7. Watchmen are generally employed to guard by night the soo[k.]s,
or market-streets, and other districts, in Arab towns. Those in Cairo
carry a nebboot, or long staff, but no lantern. Their usual cries are of
a religious nature; as, "I extol the perfection of the Living King, who
sleepeth not nor dieth!" When they see a passenger approaching, they
call out to him, "Attest the unity of God!" or merely, "Attest the
unity!" and the reply is, "There is no deity but God!" It is supposed
that a person bound on any unlawful undertaking would not dare to utter
these words.
NOTE 8. At the period when this work was composed, the Christians were
distinguished from the Muslims by a black or blue turban, and this was
wound in a peculiar manner.
NOTE 9.--_On the Title and Office of_ Walee. "Walee" is the title given
to the chief magistrate of the police, and was so employed in the time
of El-Ma[k.]reezee, instead of the older appellation of "[S.]a[h.]eb
esh-Shur[t.]ah." The same officer was also called "Mutawellee." It was
the duty of this magistrate to perambulate the streets at night,
attended by a body of his officers, including an executioner; for he
often inflicted capital punishment on criminals immediately after their
detection. He was invested with a degree of despotic power, and often
put to death persons accused of capital crimes without the formalities
required by the law. It was also his duty to superintend the infliction
of the punishments of criminals legally condemned. An officer was
employed to perform the nightly rounds in El-Medeeneh in the reign of
Aboo-Bekr; but it appears that the first regular guard for this purpose
was appointed in the reign of 'Othman.[324]
NOTE 10. The ardebb, thus commonly pronounced, but properly written
irdebb, varies in different places. In Cairo it is very nearly
equivalent to five English bushels.
NOTE 11. In the original, this building is called the Khan of
El-Jawalee; but it evidently should be ---- of El-Jawalee; and the error
is to be attributed to a copyist. The Khan of El-Jawalee is mentioned by
El-Ma[k.]reezee,[325] as being situate at a short distance within the
present gate called Bab en-Na[s.]r, and by the site of the older gate so
called; and as existing in his time, in the former half of the ninth
century of the Flight. [El-Ma[k.]reezee also informs us, in his account
of the Medreseh el-Jawaleeyeh, that El-Jawalee's full name was
'Alam-ed-Deen Senjer, and that he was originally a memlook of one
Jawalee (whence his surname), an Emeer of El-Melik e[z.]-[Z.]ahir
Beybars. He died in the year of the Flight 745.--ED.]
NOTE 12. Bab en-Na[s.]r (the Gate of Victory, or ---- of Aid) is the
name of the easternmost of the northern gates of Cairo. It was built in
the reign of the Khaleefeh El-Mustan[s.]ir, in the year of the Flight
480 (A. D. 1087-8).
NOTE 13. The words "besides my brokerage," I have inserted as necessary
to make the account correct.
NOTE 14. It has been shewn in a former note that the Arabs consider it
indecorous to eat with the left hand.
NOTE 15. As it is held impolite to shew the hands, unless unavoidably,
in the presence of a person of rank, the sleeve of the cloth coat, or
that of the silk vest which is worn beneath it, is made sufficiently
long to extend a little beyond the ends of the fingers; and so also, in
general, is the sleeve of the shirt worn by persons of the lower orders.
NOTE 16. This building is first called, in the Cairo edition, the Khan
of Suroor; and afterwards, ---- of Mesroor: the latter is the
appellation given to it in the edition of Breslau; and is the correct
name. The Khan of Mesroor is mentioned by El-Ma[k.]reezee,[326] as
situate at the southern extremity of Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn (respecting
which see the next note), adjacent to the site of the Great Palace of
the Khaleefehs. There were two Khans of this name near each other.
El-Ma[k.]reezee says, that, in his earlier days, the greater of these,
which appears to be that here alluded to, was one of the finest and
largest Khans in Cairo, in a most flourishing state, the resort of the
chief Syrian merchants, and the depot of their goods; but that latterly
it had declined, and some portions of it were ruined.
NOTE 17. Beyn el-[K.]a[s.]reyn (which signifies "Between the Two
Palaces") is the name still applied to that part of the principal street
of Cairo which intervenes between the sites of the two famous palaces of
the Khaleefehs.
NOTE 18. A [K.]eysareeyeh is a superior kind of soo[k.], consisting of
ranges of shops facing each other. That which is here mentioned (called
in the Cairo edition, the [K.]eysereeyeh of Jirjis; in the edition of
Breslau, the [K.]eysareeyeh of Jarkash; and in the old English version,
erroneously, the Circassian bezestein) is the [K.]eysareeyeh of
Jaharkas, which, as I learn from El-Ma[k.]reezee,[327] was situate near
the centre of what constituted the old city, on the east of the
principal street. It existed in his time, and was built by the Emeer
Fakhr-ed-Deen Jaharkas, in the year of the Flight 502 (A.D. 1108-9).
Ibn-Khallikan,[328] as quoted by El-Ma[k.]reezee, says of it, "I have
seen a number of merchants who have traversed various countries, and who
say, 'We have not seen in any country its equal in beauty and greatness,
and compactness of construction.'" He explains also the orthography of
the name of "Jaharkas," and states that it is Persian (Chahar-kas), and
signifies "four persons."
NOTE 19. The Egyptian fowls are much smaller than those of our country,
and one is not too much for one man's breakfast. The eggs are usually
hatched in ovens.
NOTE 20. The appellation of "the Gardener" is here to be understood as a
mere surname derived from the occupation of some ancestor of the
merchant; it being a common custom of the Arabs to retain an appellation
of this kind, however humble.
NOTE 21. El-Ma[k.]reezee[329] mentions a "soo[k.] of the money-changers"
as near to the Khan of Mesroor; and it seems to be the place here
alluded to: the word "soo[k.]" being often omitted.
NOTE 22. The lady having offered up a prayer that the young merchant
might be her husband, I have taken the liberty of inserting here a
slight interpolation, which does not detract from the probability or
consistency of the story; but rather the contrary.
NOTE 23.--_On one of the Passages in this Work indicating a very late
Date._ The [H.]abbaneeyeh is the name now applied to a portion of a
main street, a little to the west of the lake called Birket el-Feel, in
the southern part of Cairo. It is evidently thus applied in the passage
to which this note relates; but El-Ma[k.]reezee, writing in the former
half of the ninth century of the Flight,[330] says, "In this our time,
bordering upon it [the Birket el-Feel] is a _garden_ called by the name
of the [H.]abbaneeyeh, who were a family of Darma the son of 'Amr the
son of 'Owf the son of Tha[a.]lebeh the son of Ba[a.]l the son of 'Amr
the son of El-Ghoth the son of [T.]eiyi: so Darma was a minor family of
[the tribe of] [T.]eiyi, and the [H.]abbaneeyoon [or [H.]abbaneeyeh--for
the terms are synonymous] were a family of Darma; and the people have
made a road between the garden of the [H.]abbaneeyeh and the lake." He
proceeds to say, that on the _east_ of the Birket el-Feel there _were_
gardens; but that _houses_ and _streets_ had been built _there_.--Now,
in the work before us, the tract which was a _garden_ in the time of
El-Ma[k.]reezee is mentioned as occupied by _houses_ and _streets_. Many
years must have elapsed since that period before such could have been
the case; and surely at least a century before the houses could have
presented such an appearance as would lead a writer to imagine them of
"ancient times." It may be objected against an argument drawn from this
passage, that it is perhaps an interpolation of a copyist; but it agrees
with many evidences of a late date, and occurs in at least one other
copy (that from which the Breslau edition is printed), with only this
slight difference--that "[H.]abbaneeyeh," by the erroneous addition of a
point beneath the first letter, is converted into "Jebbaneeyeh;" and it
should be remarked that the latter copy varies considerably in other
points from that of Cairo. It would imply that Cairo was almost as
extensive a city at the time when this work was composed or modernized
as it is at present; and would account for its being here called
Mi[s.]r, or Ma[s.]r; a name which was retained by El-Fus[t.]a[t.] at
least as late as the commencement of the tenth century of the Flight,
and probably until the year 1517 of our era or a little later, as I have
remarked in a former note.
NOTE 24. "[K.]a'ah" is a term generally signifying "a lofty saloon;" but
also often applied to an elegant house.
NOTE 25. "Na[k.]eeb" signifies "a chief," "a leader," &c., and has
various applications. In the present instance, the office which it
designates is doubtful, but is evidently of high dignity, as Na[k.]eeb
of the Shereefs, the Chief, or Syndic, of the Descendants of the
Prophet.
NOTE 26. Bab Zuweyleh (the Gate of Zuweyleh, or, more properly, of
Zaweeleh, which is the name of a tribe) is a gate that was built at the
same period as Bab en-Na[s.]r, before mentioned. It marked the southern
limit of Cairo; but is now in the heart of the metropolis. With two
round-fronted towers, each surmounted by a lofty and elegant mad'neh, or
menaret, pertaining to the adjoining great mosque of El-Mueiyad, it
presents a very noble appearance.
NOTE 27. "Imperial gypsum" is a name given to the best kind of plaster
used in Cairo. I have often admired the smoothness of its surface upon
the walls of chambers in some of the older houses in that city; but, I
need hardly say, never saw any that reflected like a mirror.
NOTE 28. In the Cairo edition, "with pearls and jewels at its corners."
The deficiency I have supplied from the edition of Breslau: but I may
here remark, that it would have been more proper to describe the snakes
as _gilt_.
NOTE 29.--_On the Crowns worn by Arab Ladies._ From Eastern drawings and
descriptions, it appears that the kind of crown here mentioned was
generally a circle of jewelled gold (the lower edge of which was
straight; and the upper, fancifully heightened to four or more points)
surrounding the lower part of a dome-shaped cap with a jewel or some
other ornament at the summit. This crown was worn by many Arab ladies of
high rank or great wealth, probably until about two centuries ago.
Another kind of crown is now more generally worn, called a "[k.]ur[s.]."
This is a round, convex ornament, generally about five inches in
diameter, composed of gold set with a profusion of diamonds, of open
work, representing roses, leaves, &c. It is sewed upon the top of the
[t.]arboosh; and is worn by most of the ladies of Cairo, at least in
full dress. An engraving of a crown of this description, and another of
one of a more common kind, may be seen in my work on the Modern
Egyptians, vol. ii. Appendix A.
NOTE 30. It is a common custom of the Arabs to give a present of money
tied up in a corner of an embroidered handkerchief.
NOTE 31. The mace is a weapon still used in the East; but not so
commonly as it was in former times. There was a petty governor in Upper
Egypt during my first visit to that country, who, in his daily rides,
indulged a frequent habit of striking persons with a weapon of this
kind, a tolerably-heavy steel mace; but he did it with a happy knack, so
as never, I believe, to inflict a dangerous wound, unless intentionally.
Maces, like other arms of steel, are often tastefully inlaid with
arabesque ornaments and inscriptions in gold.
NOTE 32.--_On the Punishment of Theft._ The Mohammadan law ordains that
a person who is adult and of sound mind, if he steals an article of the
value of a quarter of a deenar (or piece of gold) from a place to which
he has not ordinary or free access, shall lose his right hand; but this
punishment is not to be inflicted for stealing a free child, or anything
which, in the eye of the law, is of no pecuniary value; as wine, or a
musical instrument; and there are some other cases in which the thief is
not to be so punished. For the second offence, the left foot is to be
cut off; and for the third and subsequent offences, according to the
[H.]anafee code, the culprit is to be punished by a long imprisonment;
or, by the Shafe'ee law, for the third offence, he is to lose his left
hand; for the fourth, his right foot; and for further offences, he is to
be flogged or beaten. The punishment is the same for a woman as for a
man.--This law induced a freethinking Muslim to ask, "If the hand is
worth five hundred deenars, [this being the fine for depriving a man of
that member,] why should it be cut off for a quarter of a deenar?" He
was answered, "An honest hand is of great value; but not so is the hand
that hath stolen."--Amputation for theft is now seldom practised:
beating, or some other punishment, is usually inflicted in its stead for
the first, second, and third offence; and, frequently, death for the
fourth.
NOTE 33. Capital punishment in this case would be contrary to the law;
but it is often inflicted upon highway-robbers.
NOTE 34. The meaning is, that the doer is God. An allusion is here
conveyed to a verse (the 17th) in the Soorat el-Anfal (the eighth
chapter of the [K.]ur-an)--"Thou didst not cast [the gravel into their
eyes] when thou didst [seem to] cast [it]; but God cast [it]."[331]
NOTE 35. The honour that is due to the human body requires that any
portion disunited from it be decently deposited in the earth.
NOTE 36. As a hair, for instance, is drawn from paste.[332]
NOTE 37. These verses are founded on a tradition of the Prophet.[333]
NOTE 38. _On_ Khatmehs, _or Recitations of the whole of the_ [K.]ur-an
_at Private Festivities._ The most approved and common mode of
entertaining guests at modern private festivities among the Arabs is by
a Khatmeh, which is the recitation of the whole of the [K.]ur-an. Three
or more persons of the inferior class of the professors of religion and
law, who are called fa[k.]eehs (vulgarly, fi[k.]ees), are usually hired
for this purpose. Schoolmasters, and students of the collegiate mosques
who devote themselves to religion and law, are the persons most commonly
thus employed. Their mode of recitation is a peculiar kind of
chanting,[334] which, when well executed, I found very agreeable, at
least for an hour or so: but the guests seldom have to listen to the
chanting of the whole of the [K.]ur-an: the reciters usually accomplish
the greater portion of their task, in a somewhat hurried manner, before
the guests have assembled, each of them chanting, in turn, a certain
portion, as a thirtieth part of the whole (called a "juz"), or half of
one of these sections (a "[h.]ezb"), or, more commonly, a quarter
(rub[a.]). Afterwards they chant more leisurely, and in a more musical
manner; but still by turns.--These recitations of the whole of the
[K.]ur-an are performed on various festive occasions, but are most usual
after a death; the merit of the performance being transferred to the
soul of the deceased.
NOTE 39. The mess termed "zirbajeh," by some called "zurbajeh," from the
Persian "zeerbaj," is a kind of spoon-meat. Some of its ingredients are
described in the sequel of the present story.
NOTE 40.--_On Atonements and other Services for the Dead._ As filial
piety is a general characteristic of the Arabs, and various services are
believed by them to atone for the minor sins of the deceased, and thus
to diminish his misery, or to increase his happiness, it is natural, and
not uncommon, for a son to act in the manner here related. Recitations
of the [K.]ur-an are performed for the dead, to whom the merit of these
works is transferred, and a sacrifice is often offered at the tomb after
the burial; the flesh of the victim being distributed to the poor. But a
more important service for the deceased is the payment of his debts; for
it is affirmed by the Prophet, that even martyrdom will not atone for a
debt unpaid.
NOTE 41. A money-changer is very frequently employed to examine the
money which a purchaser offers; and if it be old, to weigh it. The
money-changers are mostly Jews and Christians.
NOTE 42. Some mosques (as the Azhar, for instance, the principal mosque
of Cairo) remain open all night; and many houseless persons sleep in
them, upon the matting which covers the paved floor. Men are also often
seen, at other times, but not at the hours of prayer, lounging, eating,
or working, in the mosques; such practices not being deemed inconsistent
with the high respect which the Muslims pay to these buildings.
NOTE 43. The remainder of this paragraph, and the whole of the next two
paragraphs, being omitted in the edition of Cairo, I translate from the
Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and the edition of
Breslau; but almost entirely from the former.
NOTE 44. The water of the well of Zemzem, in the temple of Mekkeh, is
believed to possess miraculous virtues, and is therefore brought away in
bottles or flasks by many of the pilgrims, to be used when occasion may
require as medicine, or to be sprinkled on grave-linen. A bottle of it
is a common and acceptable present from a pilgrim, and a guest is
sometimes treated with a sip of this holy water.
NOTE 45. A whip is sometimes used in the [h.]areem of a great man; and
its being attached to the waist of the damsel here mentioned marks her
authority. It is generally formed of a strip of hippopotamus' hide,
hammered into a round shape; and this kind is called a "kurbaj." I
believe it is seldom used in the [h.]areem with severity; but usually
for intimidation. [I once saw some of the ladies of Nazlee Khanim (thus
vulgarly pronounced for Nazloo Khanum) struck with a kurbaj, for too
curiously looking in at the window of an apartment in that lady's
palace, in which I and some friends happened to be, and which overlooked
the private garden. They were speedily driven away by two or three black
eunuchs, who appeared to use their heavy whips indiscriminately and
severely; their excuse for this conduct undoubtedly being, that these
ladies were guilty of a great impropriety in thus shewing themselves to
men; for when riding abroad, it is usual for passengers in the streets
to turn their faces to the wall on the approach of the women of a great
man's household. Moreover, the [h.]areem of Nazlee Khanim was well known
to be ruled with an iron hand, and its mistress herself to have acquired
the character of her brutal husband, Mo[h.]ammad Bey, the Defterdar,
whose cruelties are mentioned in the "Modern Egyptians."--ED.]
NOTE 46. It is a universal custom of the Arabs, on visiting the sick, to
say, "May our Lord restore thee!" or, "No evil befall thee!" &c.
NOTE 47. The first hospital built by a Muslim was that of Damascus,
founded by El-Weleed the son of 'Abd-El-Melik, in the eighty-eighth year
of the Flight (A. D. 706-7). The Arabs would deprive St. Ephrem Syrus of
the honour of having been the author of the first institution of this
kind; one of their historians ascribing it to an early Pharaoh, named
Mena[k.]iyoosh; another, to Hippocrates.[335]
NOTE 48. The remainder of the paragraph is translated from the Calcutta
edition of the first two hundred nights.
Note 49. "The metropolis of the world," or literally, "the mother of the
world" ("umm ed-dunya"), is a title given to several cities, as well as
to Cairo, by their respective inhabitants. This passage, therefore, and
others of a similar kind, in which even _foreigners_ are made to rank
Egypt and Cairo as superior to every other country and city, strongly
favour the opinion that some of its tales were written, or altered, by
an Egyptian.
NOTE 50. A more ample eulogium upon Egypt and the Nile, but abounding
with such gross errors that I could not confidently offer a translation,
is found in the Breslau edition. It agrees better with the old
translation; which, however, in this place, presents considerable
unauthorized amplifications, and some misconceptions: "Birket
el-[H.]abash" (for instance), the name of a lake on the south of Cairo,
being mistaken for Ethiopia.
NOTE 51. For this monthly rent (or about a guinea of our money), a large
and handsome house may be hired at the present day in Cairo.
NOTE 52. After the amputation of the hand for theft, the stump is
usually plunged in boiling pitch or tar, or oil, to stanch the blood.
NOTE 53.--_On Retaliation and Fines for Wounds and Mutilations._
Retaliation for intentional wounds and mutilations is allowed by the
Mohammadan law, like as for murder; "eye for eye," &c.:[336] but a fine
may be accepted instead, which the law allows also for unintentional
injuries. The fine for a member that is single (as the nose) is the
whole price of blood, as for homicide; namely a thousand deenars (about
500_l._) from him who possesses gold; or, from him who possesses
silver, twelve thousand dirhems (about 300_l._); for a member of which
there are two, and not more (as a hand), half the price of blood; for
one of which there are ten (a finger or toe), a tenth of the price of
blood: but the fine of a man for maiming or wounding a woman is half of
that for the same injury to a man; and that of a free person for
injuring a slave varies according to the value of the slave. The fine
for depriving a man of any of his five senses, or dangerously wounding
him, or grievously disfiguring him for life, is the whole price of
blood.
NOTE 54. See No. 20 of the notes to Chapter ii.--"The women of Egypt
have the character of being the most licentious in their feelings of all
females who lay any claim to be considered as members of a civilized
nation; and this character is freely bestowed upon them by their
_countrymen_, even in conversation with foreigners."[337]--In the work
from which the above passage is quoted, I have expatiated upon this
subject more than I need do in the present case.
NOTE 55. The Arabs are generally of opinion that the innate dispositions
of a child are inherited more from the mother than from the father. They
believe that a daughter commonly resembles, in good or evil qualities,
her mother; and a son, his maternal uncle. Hence they often address a
man, "Ya [t.]eiyib el-khal!"--"O thou who hast a good maternal uncle!"
NOTE 56. 'Abd-Allah Ibn-'Abbas was one of the most learned of the
companions of his cousin Mo[h.]ammad, and one of the most celebrated of
the relaters of his sayings and actions. He has received the titles of
"Interpreter of the [K.]ur-an" and "Sul[t.]an of Commentators." He died
in the year of the Flight 68. His father, 'Abbas, the son of
'Abd-El-Mu[t.][t.]alib, was paternal uncle of Mo[h.]ammad, and ancestor
of the 'Abbasee Khaleefehs.
NOTE 57.--_On the Astrolabe._ The astrolabe is more commonly used by the
Arabs than any other instrument for astronomical observations. It is
generally between four and six inches in diameter. It consists of a
circular plate with a graduated rim, within which fit several thinner
plates, and of a limb, moving on a pivot in the centre, with two sights.
The plates are engraved with complicated diagrams, &c., for various
calculations. The instrument is held by a ring, or by a loop of cord
attached to the ring, during an observation; and thus its own weight
answers the same purpose as the plumb-line of the quadrant (which the
Arabs sometimes use in its stead); the position of the moveable limb
with the sights marking the required altitude.
NOTE 58. [S.]afar is the second mouth of the Mohammadan year.
NOTE 59. As different copies vary here as to the date, I have taken the
liberty of putting 263 instead of 763 or 653, in order to avoid a
glaring anachronism. It is probable, however, that the last of these is
the author's date, as it is found both in the old translation, and in
the Breslau edition. The date in the Cairo edition is 763.
NOTE 60. A degree is four minutes; it would have been more proper,
therefore, to have said, eight degrees and two minutes, than seven
degrees and six minutes.
NOTE 61. "E[s.]-[S.]amit" signifies "the Silent."
NOTE 62. This and the two following names, or rather, surnames, convey
the same meaning. Ba[k.]boo[k.], Heddar, and Ba[k.]ba[k.] (here, in my
original, erroneously written Ya[k.]ya[k.]), signify "Chatterer."
"El-Kooz el-A[s.]wanee" (not to be mistaken for "---- ---- Aswanee,"
with a _soft_ s) seems to imply that the person thus named was always
like a mug, with open mouth, and insensible as flint to rebuke. The two
remaining names are different in different copies: "Sha[k.]ali[k.]" is
perhaps put erroneously for some other word, as "Shi[k.]a[k.],"
"Discord."
NOTE 63. [K.]ur-an, ch. iii. v. 128.
NOTE 64. The Arabs generally carry their young children in this manner,
seated astride upon the shoulder.
NOTE 65. This expression is borrowed from the [K.]ur-an, ch. xlviii. v.
10. The meaning is, "there is no power of man, but God's power is
superior to it."
NOTE 66. The Prophet (Mo[h.]ammad) is always alluded to when this form
of benediction is used and the name of the person to whom it is applied
is not mentioned.
NOTE 67. "Nedd" is a perfume composed of ambergris, musk, and aloes
wood; or simply ambergris.
NOTE 68. Two khu[t.]behs are recited on the occasion of the
congregational Friday-prayers. It is the first of these which is here
alluded to. See the next note.
NOTE 69.--_On the Congregational Friday-prayers._ The Selam (or
Salutation) of Friday is a form of blessing on the Prophet and his
family and companions, which is chanted by the mueddins from the
mad'nehs (or towers) of the congregational mosques half an hour before
noon. The worshippers begin to assemble in the mosque as soon as they
hear it, and, ranging themselves in rows parallel to, and facing, that
side in which is the niche, that marks the direction of Mekkeh, each
performs, by himself, the prayers of two rek'ahs, which are
supererogatory, and then sits in his place while a reader recites part
or the whole of the 18th chapter of the [K.]ur-an. At the call of noon,
they all stand up, and each again performs, separately, the prayers of
two rek'ahs, ordained by the Prophet. A minister, standing at the foot
of the pulpit-stairs, then proposes to bless the Prophet: and
accordingly, a second Selam is chanted by one or more other ministers
stationed on an elevated platform. After this, the former minister, and
the latter after him, repeat the call of noon (which the mueddins have
before chanted from the mad'nehs); and the former enjoins silence. The
chief minister (Kha[t.]eeb, or Imam,) has already seated himself on the
top step or platform of the pulpit. He now rises, and recites a
khu[t.]beh of praise to God and exhortation to the congregation; and if
in a country or town acquired by arms from unbelievers, he holds a
wooden sword, resting its point on the ground.[338] Each of the
congregation next offers up some private supplication; after which, the
Kha[t.]eeb recites a second khu[t.]beh, which is always the same, or
nearly so; part, of a similar nature to the first, but chiefly, prayer
for the Prophet and his family, &c., and for the general welfare of the
Muslims. This finished, the Kha[t.]eeb or Imam descends from the pulpit,
and, stationed before the niche, after a form of words[339] differing
slightly from the call to prayer has been chanted by the ministers on
the elevated platform before mentioned, recites the divinely-ordained
prayers of Friday (two rek'ahs), while the people do the same silently,
keeping time with him exactly in the various postures. Thus are
completed the Friday-prayers; but some of the congregation remain, and
perform the ordinary divinely-ordained prayers of noon.[340]
NOTE 70. So in the Cairo edition. El-Munta[s.]ir bi-llah was the
great-grandson of Haroon Er-Rasheed, and acceded to the throne in the
year of the Flight 247 (A.D. 861). A slight anachronism, therefore, is
here presented, unless we suppose that the hero of the story told by
the Sul[t.]an's steward was an old man at the period of the misfortune
of the humpback. The reign of El-Munta[s.]ir was somewhat less than six
months. The copy from which the old translation was made, and the
edition of Breslau, date the adventure of the barber, here related, more
than three centuries and a half later, in the reign of El-Musta[s.]ir
bi-llah.
NOTE 71. The practice of spunging, or the intrusion of strangers at
entertainments, has long been very prevalent in Arab towns. An instance
has been given towards the close of Note 22 to Chapter iii.
NOTE 72. I have altered the order in which the brothers are described,
and omitted two particulars, to agree with the sequel.
NOTE 73. The next paragraph is translated from the Calcutta edition of
the first two hundred nights; being omitted in the Cairo edition. An
equal portion, later, is wanting in the old translation.
NOTE 74.--_On Augurations with respect to Marriage._ This passage
alludes to an astrological calculation made with the view of determining
by what sign of the zodiac the two persons are influenced who
contemplate becoming man and wife, and thence ascertaining whether they
will agree. This is often done in the present day by adding together the
numerical values of the letters composing his or her name and that of
the mother, and, if I remember right, subtracting from 12 the whole sum
if this is less than 12, or what remains after subtracting, or dividing
by, 12. Thus is obtained the number of the sign. The twelve signs,
commencing with Aries, correspond respectively with the elements of
fire, earth, air, water, fire, earth, and so on; and if the signs of the
two parties indicate the same element, it is inferred that they will
agree; but if they indicate different elements, the inference is, that
the one will be affected by the other in the same manner as the element
of the one is by that of the other: thus, if the element of the man is
fire, and that of the woman, water, he will be subject to her rule.
Among other calculations of the same kind is the following, which my
sheykh has mentioned in a marginal note on this passage, in the copy
from which I translate.--The numerical values of the letters composing
the name of each of the two parties are added together, and one of these
two sums is subtracted from the other: if the remainder is an uneven
number, the inference is unfavourable; but if even, the reverse.
In the present instance, the dupe, knowing that there are various modes
of divining whether he will be happy with his wife, is made to believe
that his fortune depends upon the mode, instead of the result, of the
calculation.
NOTE 75. Here, in my original, "Ba[k.]ba[k.];" but this, as before
mentioned, was the name of the _third_ brother.
NOTE 76. "[K.]uffeh," signifying "a basket of palm-leaves," and "a dry
gourd," seems to be here equivalent to "empty-head."
NOTE 77. The blind in Egypt are notorious for their impudence.--It is
related that Moses, while bathing one day in the Nile, saw a blind man
pass by, and, being moved with pity, prayed that God would restore his
sight. His prayer was answered; but as soon as the eyes of the blind man
were opened, he seized the clothes of his benefactor, which were lying
on the bank, and protested that they were his own. Moses, therefore, now
prayed that the thief might be struck blind again; and God, answering
his prayer, said, O Moses, know that I am wiser than thou with respect
to my creatures.--This tradition was related to me in Cairo.
NOTE 78. It is generally thus that an injured Muslim calls others to his
aid.
NOTE 79. Like the natives of Egypt in the period of the Roman
domination,[341] its modern inhabitants, and the Arabs of other
countries (though, I believe, in a less degree), are notorious for their
obstinacy in refusing to pay their taxes until they have been severely
beaten. They well know that, the more readily they pay, the more will be
exacted from them; and are often heard to boast of the number of stripes
which they have received before yielding their money. The same obstinacy
is generally displayed by an Arab accused of any offence; and often,
even by a witness: in either case the man fears that, should he tell at
once all he can, the judge will try whether the stick or the kurbaj[342]
will elicit a further confession.
NOTE 80.--_On the general Corruptness of Muslim Judges._ Khi[d.]r Bey
(whether he was a judge I do not know), conversing one day with his
friends on the difficulties experienced in the exercise of judicature,
one of the company remarked, "In my opinion, the greatest difficulty
that is met with is, when one of the parties is rich, and the other,
poor."--"In that case," replied Khi[d.]r Bey, "I find none; for it is
clear that the rich will gain his cause, and the poor will lose: but the
great difficulty is, when the two parties are equally rich and powerful.
If thou, he continued, being a poor man, have a suit against one who is
rich and powerful, beware of applying to the [K.]a[d.]ee; for he will
not fail to condemn thee: my advice is, that thou desist altogether
from thy suit, and rather throw thyself at the feet of thine
adversary; for thou wilt obtain more justice from him than from the
[K.]a[d.]ee."[343]--For a justification of the opinion here expressed,
see my work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. iv.
NOTE 81.--_On good and evil Omens._ Of omens I have already treated, in
Note 15 to Chapter i.: but a few words on this subject must be here
added.--It is common to draw a lucky or unlucky omen from the first
object seen on going out in the morning; and according as that object is
pleasant or the contrary, the person says, "my morning is good," or
"---- bad." A one-eyed man is regarded as of evil omen; and especially
one who is blind of the _left_ eye. Many a person is related to have
suffered for having an unlucky countenance.
NOTE 82. The portion of this story comprised in the first paragraph
having been the subject of a specimen of the present publication,
translated from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights,
and printed and distributed when I had not in my possession the copy of
the original which I have taken as my general standard, it is here given
nearly in the same words: I have only made a few slight additions and
alterations derived from a comparison of the two editions. Some of the
notes inserted in the specimen I omit in this place, as they relate to
matters already explained.--Hole remarks (in page 223), that this part
of the Barber's story of his Fifth Brother is derived "from an Indian
fable of the remotest antiquity ... found in the Heeto-pades of
Veeshnoo-Sarma," in which a Brahman "inadvertently breaks his pottery
ware ... with a walking-stick ... in the act of suppressing the
outrageous jealousy of four beautiful but turbulent wives."
NOTE 83. "El-Feshshar" signifies "the Foolish Talker," or "Vain
Boaster." I have substituted this name for "El-'Ashshar," the reading in
my original. In the Arabic characters, the latter differs from the
former in little more than the want of a point, and has no appropriate
meaning. It appears that, in most copies of the original, the barber's
Fifth Brother is surnamed "En-Neshshar," or "the Sawyer," perhaps in
allusion to his incessant loquacity: but this, also, in the Arabic
characters, very nearly resembles "El-Feshshar," which I doubt not to be
the right name.
NOTE 84. There is nothing very extravagant in this hope of the barber's
brother; for in the East, persons frequently rise from very low to very
high stations; and it is remarkable that, notwithstanding their usual
pride, they generally retain the appellation of the trade or craft which
they or their fathers pursued, however ignoble, before their elevation.
It is common for a great man to distinguish himself by adding to his
name the appellation of "the druggist or perfumer," or "the grocer,"
&c.; and he is not a whit the less respected on this account.
NOTE 85. The Eastern grandee rides not at the head or rear of his
attendants, but in the midst of them.
NOTE 86. Persons distinguished by rank or wealth or learning are saluted
by many of the shopkeepers and passengers as they pass through the
streets of Eastern cities, and often greeted with a short ejaculatory
prayer for the continuance of their life and happiness. When a very
great man rides through the streets, most of the shopkeepers rise to
him, and pay their respect to him by inclining the head, and touching
the lips and forehead or turban with the fingers of the right hand.
NOTE 87. See Note 12 to Chapter iii.
NOTE 88. He could scarcely shew his pride more strongly; for it is an
affront to reject a present.
NOTE 89. An Arab lady of high rank seldom makes use of her feet but to
move from one chamber to another; when she goes abroad, she always
rides: to stand for many minutes together is, therefore, fatiguing to
her.
NOTE 90. See the close of Note 39 to Chapter iv.
NOTE 91. This is said either to shew his vulgarity or that the weather
was sultry.
NOTE 92. "El-Melee[h.]ah" signifies "the Beautiful:" it is derived from
"mil[h.]" (salt, &c.).
NOTE 93. An occurrence of a similar nature, which happened a few years
ago in Cairo, was related to me by one of my friends there.--An old
woman frequented the tomb of a saint in that city, near the eastern gate
called the Bab el-Ma[h.]roo[k.], to which many women afflicted with
disease or barrenness often resorted to offer up prayers, believing
their petitions would be effectual through the saint's intercession; and
she was in the habit of enticing ladies from this tomb to the house of
her husband, which was near by, under pretence of his serving them with
medicines or with charms. The unsuspecting victim, being desired to go
thither alone, was conducted by the old woman to an upper room, at the
end of which the man was seated; and in walking over the matted floor to
approach him, suddenly fell through a trap-door into a place so deep
that the fall rendered her senseless. In this state, she was put to
death; and as ladies in Cairo always wear valuable ornaments and costly
clothes, the murderers were sure of obtaining considerable spoil.
NOTE 94. This money, we are to understand, was prepared for the purpose
of giving those presents which are customary from a guest at a
marriage-festivity; but the mention of a smaller sum would have been
more proper. It is given to the singing-women and tire-women who, in
great houses, parade the bride through the different apartments, and
display her in different rich suits of attire before the bridegroom.
NOTE 95.--_On the Handkerchief, and Signet, of Indemnity._ Sometimes,
the handkerchief, and sometimes, the signet, or seal-ring, is given as a
pledge of indemnity.--It was a frequent custom of many a chief of the
Memlooks of Egypt (there commonly called "the Ghuzz"), to bastinade men
in the court of his mansion (when he desired to make a show of strict
justice), in order that one of the women of the family, hearing the
cries, might drop a handkerchief from a window, and so the punishment
might soon cease, in respect for the [h.]areem, whose protection is
often appealed to by offenders.
NOTE 96. The title of "Sul[t.]an" is here, and afterwards, given to the
Khaleefeh; and it has been so employed by a celebrated historian,
El-Ma[k.]reezee.[344]
NOTE 97. So, apparently, in most copies; but in the Cairo edition, "of
the sons of the Kings." It is said to have been a custom of some of the
Barmekees (the family so renowned for their generosity) to keep open
house during the hours of meals, and to allow no one who applied at such
times for admission to be repulsed.
NOTE 98. "Sikbaj" is a dish composed of meat, wheat-flour, and vinegar.
NOTE 99. "[K.]a[t.]aif" is a name applied to various kinds of sweet
pastry: particularly to a kind of small pancakes, made of a thin paste
of fine flour and water, about three inches broad, and a sixth of an
inch or less in thickness, baked upon a copper tray over a fire, like
kunafeh (the composition of which is the same), and eaten with honey or
sugar: also to cakes composed of fine flour, treacle or honey, and
sesame-oil. The sirup mentioned in the same sentence is (as my sheykh
states in a marginal note) treacle thickened over the fire.--The proper
singular of [k.]a[t.]aif, namely, "[k.]a[t.]eefeh," is seldom used; one
of these cakes being generally called "fard [k.]a[t.]aif." Sometimes, it
appears, they were perfumed with musk.
NOTE 100. The "mith[k.]al" is the weight of a deenar, or a dirhem and a
half,--in Cairo, about 71-1/2 or 72 English grains.
NOTE 101. See above, Note 96.
NOTE 102. By "Arabs," we are here to understand Bedawees, or Arabs of
the Desert, who are termed, by the older writers, "A[a.]rab," or
"A[a.]rabees;" but in my original, as in other late works, "'Arab,"
which was the _old_ appellation of the _townspeople_ and _villagers_.
[Illustration]
[323] Sale's Koran; note near the close of chap. ii.
[324] See De Sacy, Relation de l'Egypte par Abd-allatif, pp.
381 et seq.; and Quatremere, Histoire des Sultans Mamlouks,
vol. i. pp. 109 et seq., a work of very great value, especially
for the notes.
[325] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the principal
street of Cairo, and its branches (MS. in my possession).
[326] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the principal
street of Cairo, and its branches; and account of the Khans.
[327] Idem; account of the [K.]eysareeyehs; and description of
the principal street of Cairo, and its branches.
[328] The orthography of this celebrated name is disputed; and
I may therefore mention that I have found it written Khall'kan
in an Arabic MS. of the year of the Flight 843; and in many
MSS. in which the reduplication of the _l_ is not marked, the
vowel _a_ is given to the first syllable. According to the
general opinion of the learned in Cairo, it is Khillikan.
[329] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the principal
street of Cairo.
[330] In his "Khi[t.]a[t.];" description of the suburbs or
environ ([d.]awa[h.]ee) of Cairo--[The latest date in that
work, as far as I am aware, is found in the account of the
mosques, in two separate places. It is that of the year of the
Flight 843 (in the edition recently printed at Cairo); and, as
El-Ma[k.]reezee died in the year 845, its occurrence is curious
as shewing the likelihood that he continued the composition of
his most celebrated work until very near his death. Indeed, it
is probable that he never finished it; the seventh and last
section, which is mentioned in the Preface, being wanting in
all the MSS. This date, in each instance, may be an insertion
by a later hand; but the author's History of the Sul[t.]ans of
Egypt was brought down, it is said by himself, to the year
preceding his death.--ED.]
[331] Marginal note, in my copy of the original, by the sheykh
Mohammad 'Eiyad.
[332] Marginal note, in my copy of the original, by the sheykh
Mo[h.]ammad 'Eiyad.
[333] Idem.
[334] A specimen of this mode of chanting is given in my work
on the Modern Egyptians, vol. ii. end of chap. v.
[335] El-Ma[k.]reezee's "Khi[t.]a[t.];" account of the
hospitals.
[336] [K.]ur-an, ch. v. v. 49.
[337] "Modern Egyptians," vol. i. ch. xiii.
[338] It would not be necessary to remark on this explanation
of a curious custom if it had not been lately contradicted. Mr.
Lane derived his information from Arab authors, and from his
friends in Cairo; but D'Ohsson, also, says, in his Tableau
General de l'Empire Othoman, Code Religieux, livre ii. ch. iv.
(and the authority of the works from which he translated will
hardly be questioned), that the Kha[t.]eeb "est meme tenu de
reciter tout le _Khouthbe_ sur la chaire, _Minnber_, en
s'appuyant de la main sur la garde d'un sabre, dans tous les
temples qui ont ete pris avec la ville par la force des armes."
The writer alluded to thinks that the use of the sword at
Mekkeh proves Mr. Lane to be in error; whereas the custom is
observed at Mekkeh because it was taken in war; but not at
El-Medeeneh because this city was not so taken.--ED.
[339] The i[k.]ameh see Note 24 to Chapter iv.
[340] For a more full account of the Friday-prayers, see my
work on the Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. iii.
[341] Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. xxii.
[342] See Note 6 to Chapter iv.
[343] D'Herbelot, Bibl. Or., article "Cadhi."
[Illustration]
CHAPTER VI.
COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE THIRTY-SECOND NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF
THIS THIRTY-SIXTH.
THE STORY OF NOOR-ED-DEEN AND ENEES-EL-JELEES.[VI_1]
There was, in El-Ba[s.]rah, a certain King who loved the poor and
indigent, and regarded his subjects with benevolence; he bestowed of his
wealth upon him who believed in Mo[h.]ammad (God bless and save him!)
and was such as one of the poets who have written of him hath thus
described:--
He used his lances as pens; and the hearts of his enemies, as paper;
their blood being his ink:
And hence, I imagine, our forefathers applied to the lance the term
Kha[t.][t.]eeyeh.[VI_2]
The name of this King was Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee; and
he had two Wezeers; one of whom was named El-Mo'een[VI_3] the son
of Sawee; and the other, El-Fa[d.]l[VI_4] the son of Kha[k.]an.
El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an was the most generous of the people of
his age, upright in conduct, so that all hearts agreed in loving him,
and the wise complied with his counsel, and all the people supplicated
for him length of life; for he was a person of auspicious
aspect,[VI_5] a preventer of evil and mischief: but the Wezeer
El-Mo'een the son of Sawee hated others, and loved not good; he was a
man of inauspicious aspect; and in the same degree that the people loved
Fa[d.]l-ed-Deen the son of Kha[k.]an, so did they abhor El-Mo'een the
son of Sawee, in accordance with the decree of the Almighty.
Now the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee was sitting one
day upon his throne, surrounded by the officers of his court, and he
called to his Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and said to him, I
desire a female slave unsurpassed in beauty by any in her age, of
perfect loveliness, and exquisite symmetry, and endowed with all
praiseworthy qualities.--Such as this, replied his courtiers, is not to
be found for less than ten thousand pieces of gold. And the Sul[t.]an
thereupon called out to the treasurer, saying, Carry ten thousand pieces
of gold to the house of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an. So the
treasurer did as he commanded, and the Wezeer departed, after the
Sul[t.]an had ordered him to repair every day to the market, and to
commission the brokers to procure what he had described, and had
commanded also that no female slave of a greater price than one thousand
pieces of gold should be sold without having been shewn to the Wezeer.
The brokers, therefore, sold no female slave without shewing her to him,
and he complied with the King's command, and thus he continued to do for
a considerable time, no slave pleasing him: but on a certain day, one of
the brokers came to the mansion of the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l, and found that
he had mounted to repair to the palace of the King; and he laid hold
upon his stirrup, and repeated these two verses:--
O thou who hast reanimated what was rotten in the state! Thou art
the Wezeer ever aided by Heaven.
Thou hast revived the noble qualities that were extinct among men.
May thy conduct never cease to be approved by God!
He then said, O my master, the female slave for the procuring of whom
the noble mandate was issued hath arrived. The Wezeer replied, Bring her
hither to me. So the man returned, and, after a short absence, came
again, accompanied by a damsel of elegant stature, high-bosomed, with
black eyelashes, and smooth cheek, and slender waist, and large hips,
clad in the handsomest apparel; the moisture of her lips was sweeter
than sirup; her figure put to shame the branches of the Oriental willow;
and her speech was more soft than the zephyr passing over the flowers of
the garden; as one of her describers hath thus expressed:--
Her skin is like silk, and her speech is soft, neither redundant
nor deficient:
Her eyes, God said to them, Be,--and they were, affecting men's
hearts with the potency of wine.
May my love for her grow more warm each night, and cease not
until the day of judgment!
The locks on her brow are dark as night, while her forehead shines
like the gleam of morning.
When the Wezeer beheld her, she pleased him extremely, and he looked
towards the broker, and said to him, What is the price of this damsel?
The broker answered, The price bidden for her hath amounted to ten
thousand pieces of gold, and her owner hath sworn that this sum doth not
equal the cost of the chickens which she hath eaten, nor the cost of the
dresses which she hath bestowed upon her teachers; for she hath learnt
writing and grammar and lexicology, and the interpretation of the
[K.]ur-an, and the fundamentals of law and religion, and medicine, and
the computation of the calendar, and the art of playing upon musical
instruments. The Wezeer then said, Bring to me her master:--and the
broker immediately brought him; and lo, he was a foreigner, who had
lived so long that time had reduced him to bones and skin, as the poet
hath said,--
How hath time made me to tremble! For time is powerful and severe.
I used to walk without being weary; but now I am weary and do not walk.
And the Wezeer said to him, Art thou content to receive for this damsel
ten thousand pieces of gold from the Sul[t.]an Mo[h.]ammad the son of
Suleyman Ez-Zeynee? The foreigner answered, As she is for the Sul[t.]an,
it is incumbent on me to give her as a present to him, without
price.[VI_6] So the Wezeer, upon this, ordered that the money
should be brought, and then weighed the pieces of gold for the
foreigner; after which, the slave-broker addressed the Wezeer, and said,
With the permission of our lord the Wezeer, I will speak.--Impart what
thou hast to say, replied the Wezeer.--It is my opinion, then, said the
broker, that thou shouldst not take up this damsel to the Sul[t.]an
to-day; for she hath just arrived from her journey, and the change of
air hath affected her, and the journey hath fatigued her; but rather let
her remain with thee in thy palace ten days, that she may take rest, and
her beauty will improve: then cause her to be taken into the bath, and
attire her in clothes of the handsomest description, and go up with her
to the Sul[t.]an: so shalt thou experience more abundant good fortune.
And the Wezeer considered the advice of the slave-broker, and approved
it. He therefore took her into his palace, and gave her a private
apartment to herself, allotting her every day what she required of food
and drink and other supplies, and she continued a while in this state of
enjoyment.
[Illustration]
Now the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l had a son like the shining full moon, with
brilliant countenance, and red cheek, marked with a mole like a globule
of ambergris, and with grey down. The youth knew not of this damsel, and
his father had charged her, saying, Know that I have purchased thee for
the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee, and that I have a
son who hath not left a girl in the quarter without making love to her:
therefore keep thyself concealed from him, and beware of shewing him thy
face, or suffering him to hear thy voice. The damsel replied, I hear and
obey:--and he left her and departed. And it happened, as fate had
ordained, that she went one day into the bath which was in the house,
and, after certain of the female slaves had bathed her, she attired
herself in rich apparel, and her beauty and loveliness increased in
consequence. She then went in to the Wezeer's wife, and kissed her hand,
and she said to her, May it be favourable,[VI_7] O Enees-el-Jelees!
How didst thou find this bath?--O my mistress, she answered, I wanted
nothing but thy presence there. And upon this, the mistress of the house
said to the female slaves, Arise, and let us go into the bath. And they
complied with her command, and went, accompanied by their mistress, who
first charged two young slave-girls to keep the door of the private
apartment in which was Enees-el-Jelees, saying to them, Suffer no one to
go in to the damsel:--and they replied, We hear and obey. But while
Enees-el-Jelees was sitting in her chamber, lo, the Wezeer's son, whose
name was 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, came in, and asked after his mother and the
family. The two girls answered, They are gone into the bath. Now the
damsel Enees-el-Jelees heard the speech of 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen as she sat
in her chamber, and she said within herself, I wonder what this youth is
like, of whom the Wezeer hath told me that he hath not left a girl in
the quarter without making love to her: by Allah, I have a desire to see
him. She then rose upon her feet, fresh as she was from the bath, and,
approaching the door of the chamber, looked at 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and
beheld him to be a youth like the full moon. The sight of him occasioned
her a thousand sighs; and a look from the youth, at her, affected him
also in the same manner. Each was caught in the snare of the other's
love, and the youth approached the two slave-girls, and cried out at
them; whereupon they fled from before him, and stopped at a distance,
looking to see what he would do. He then advanced to the door of the
chamber, and, opening it, went in, and said to the damsel, Art thou she
whom my father hath purchased for me? She answered, Yes. And upon this,
the youth, who was in a state of intoxication, went up to her, and
embraced her, while she, in like manner, threw her arms around his neck,
and kissed him. But the two slave-girls, having seen their young master
enter the chamber of the damsel Enees-el-Jelees, cried out. The youth,
therefore, soon ran forth, and fled for safety, fearing the consequence
of his intrusion; and when the mistress of the house heard the cry of
the two slave-girls, she came out dripping from the bath, saying, What
is the cause of this cry in the house? And when she drew near to the two
slave-girls whom she had placed at the door of the private chamber, she
said to them, Wo to you! What is the matter?--They answered, as soon as
they beheld her, Our master 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen came to us and beat us,
and we fled from him, and he went into the chamber of Enees-el-Jelees,
and when we cried out to thee he fled. The mistress of the house then
went to Enees-el-Jelees, and said to her, What is the news?--O my
mistress, she answered, as I was sitting here, a youth of handsome
person came in to me, and said to me, Art thou she whom my father hath
purchased for me?--And I answered, Yes.--By Allah, O my mistress, I
believed that what he said was true; and he came up to me and embraced
me, and kissed me three times, and he left me overcome by his love.
Upon this, the mistress of the house wept, and slapped her face, and her
female slaves did the like, fearing for 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, lest his
father should slay him; and while they were in this state, lo, the
Wezeer came in, and inquired what had happened. His wife said to him,
Swear that thou wilt listen to that which I shall say. He replied, Well.
So she told him what his son had done; and he mourned, and rent his
clothes, and slapped his face, and plucked his beard. His wife then said
to him, Kill not thyself. I will give thee, of my own property, ten
thousand pieces of gold, her price.--But upon this, he raised his head
towards her, and said to her, Wo to thee! I want not her price; but I
fear the loss of my life and my property.--Wherefore, O my master? she
asked.--Knowest thou not, said he, that we have this enemy El-Mo'een the
son of Sawee? When he heareth of this event, he will repair to the
Sul[t.]an, and say to him, Thy Wezeer whom thou imaginest to love thee
hath received from thee ten thousand pieces of gold, and purchased
therewith a female slave such as no one hath seen equalled, and when she
pleased him, he said to his son, Take her; for thou art more worthy of
her than the Sul[t.]an:--and he took her; and the damsel is now with
him.--Then the King will say, Thou liest. And he will say to the King,
With thy permission, I will break in upon him suddenly, and bring her to
thee. And he will give him permission to do so: he will therefore make a
sudden attack upon the house, and take the damsel, and conduct her into
the presence of the Sul[t.]an, and he will question her, and she will
not be able to deny: he will then say, O my lord, I give thee good
counsel, but I am not in favour with thee:--and the Sul[t.]an will make
an example of me, and all the people will make me a gazing-stock, and
my life will be lost.--His wife, however, replied, Acquaint no one; for
this thing hath happened privily: commit, therefore, thine affair unto
God, in this extremity. And upon this, the heart of the Wezeer was
quieted, and his mind was relieved.
Such was the case of the Wezeer.--Now as to Noor-ed-Deen, he feared the
result of his conduct, and so passed each day in the gardens, not
returning to his mother until towards the close of the night: he then
slept in her apartment, and rose before morning without being seen by
any one else. Thus he continued to do so for the space of a month, not
seeing the face of his father; and at length his mother said to his
father, O my master, wilt thou lose the damsel and lose the child? For
if it long continue thus with the youth, he will flee his country.--And
what is to be done? said he. She answered, Sit up this night, and when
he cometh, lay hold upon him, and be reconciled to him, and give him the
damsel; for she loveth him, and he loveth her; and I will give thee her
price. So the Wezeer sat up the whole night, and when his son came, he
laid hold upon him, and would have cut his throat;[VI_8] but his
mother came to his succour, and said to her husband, What dost thou
desire to do unto him? He answered her, I desire to slay him. The youth
then said to his father, Am I of so small account in thy estimation? And
upon this, the eyes of his father filled with tears, and he said to him,
O my son, is the loss of my property and my life of small account with
thee?--Listen, O my father, rejoined the youth:--and he implored his
forgiveness. So the Wezeer rose from the breast of his son, and was
moved with compassion for him; and the youth rose, and kissed his
father's hand; and the Wezeer said, O my son, if I knew that thou
wouldst act equitably to Enees-el-Jelees, I would give her to thee.--O
my father, replied the youth, wherefore should I not act equitably
towards her? And his father said, I charge thee, O my son, that thou
take not a wife to share her place, and that thou do her no injury, nor
sell her. He replied, O my father, I swear to thee that I will neither
take a wife to share her place, nor sell her:--and he promised him by
oaths to act as he had said, and took up his abode with the damsel, and
remained with her a year; and God (whose name be exalted!) caused the
King to forget the affair of the female slave; but the matter became
known to El-Mo'een the son of Sawee; yet he could not speak of it, on
account of the high estimation in which the other Wezeer was held by the
Sul[t.]an.
[Illustration]
After this year had expired, the Wezeer Fa[d.]l-ed-Deen the son of
Kha[k.]an entered the oath, and came out in a state of excessive
perspiration, in consequence of which the external air smote him, so
that he became confined to his bed, and long remained sleepless; and his
malady continued unremittingly; so he called, thereupon, his son 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen, and when he came before him, said to him, O my son, verily
the means of life are apportioned, and its period is decreed, and every
soul must drink the cup of death. I have nothing with which to charge
thee but the fear of God, and forethought with regard to the results of
thine actions, and that thou conduct thyself kindly to the damsel
Enees-el-Jelees.--O my father, said the youth, who is like unto thee?
Thou hast been celebrated for virtuous actions, and the praying of the
preachers for thee on the pulpits.--O my son, rejoined the Wezeer, I
hope for the approbation of God, whose name be exalted! And then he
pronounced the two professions of the faith,[VI_9] and uttered a
sigh, and was recorded among the company of the blest. And upon this,
the palace was filled with shrieking, and the news reached the ears of
the Sul[t.]an, and the people of the city heard of the death of
El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and even the boys in the schools wept
for him.[VI_10] His son 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen arose, and prepared his
funeral, and the Emeers and Wezeers and other officers of the state
attended it, and among them was the Wezeer El-Mo'een the Son of Sawee;
and as the procession passed out from the mansion, one of the mourners
recited these verses:--
I said to the man who was appointed to wash him,--Would that he had
yielded obedience to my counsel,--
Put away from him the water, and wash him with the tears of honour,
shed in lamentation for him:
And remove these fragrant substances collected for his corpse,
and perfume him rather with the odours of his praise:
And order the noble angels to carry him, in honour. Dost thou
not behold them attending him?
Cause not men's necks to be strained by bearing him: enough
are they laden already by his benefits.[VI_11]
'Alee Noor-ed-Deen for a long time remained in a state of violent grief
for the loss of his father; but as he was sitting one day in his
father's house, a person knocked at the door, and he rose up and opened
it, and lo, there was a man who was one of his father's intimate
companions, and he kissed the hand of Noor-ed-Deen, and said to him, O
my master, he who hath left a son like thee hath not died. This is the
destination of the lord of the first and the last among
mankind.[VI_12] O my master, cheer up thy heart, and give over
mourning.--And upon this, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen arose, and went to the
guest-chamber, and removed thither all that he required, and his
companions came together to him, and he took again his slave. Ten of the
sons of the merchants became his associates, and he gave entertainment
after entertainment, and began to be lavish with presents. His steward,
therefore, came in to him, and said to him, O my master Noor-ed-Deen,
hast thou not heard the saying, He who expendeth and doth not calculate
is reduced to poverty? This profuse expenditure, and these magnificent
presents, will annihilate the property.--But when 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen
heard these words of his steward, he looked at him, and replied, Of all
that thou hast said to me, I will not attend to one word. How excellent
is the saying of the poet:--
If I be possessed of wealth and be not liberal, may my hand never
be extended, nor my foot raised!
Shew me the avaricious who hath attained glory by his avarice,
and the munificent who hath died through his munificence.[VI_13]
Know, O Steward, he continued, that if there remain in thy hands what
will suffice for my dinner, thou shalt not burden me with anxiety
respecting my supper.--So the steward left him, and went his way; and
'Alee Noor-ed-Deen resumed his habits of extravagant generosity:
whenever any one of his companions said, Verily this thing is
beautiful!--he would reply, It is a present to thee:--and if any said, O
my master, verily such a house is delightful!--he would reply, It is a
present to thee.
He ceased not to give entertainments to his companions from the
commencement of day, one after another, until he had passed in this
manner a whole year; after which, as he was sitting with them, he heard
the slave-girl recite these two verses:--
Thou thoughtest well of the days when they went well with thee,
and fearedst not the evil that destiny was bringing.
Thy nights were peaceful, and thou wast deceived by them:
in the midst of their brightness there cometh gloom.
And immediately after, a person knocked at the door: so Noor-ed-Deen
rose, and one of his companions followed him without his knowledge; and
when he opened the door, he beheld his steward, and said to him, What is
the news?--O my master, answered the steward, that which I feared on thy
account hath happened to thee.--How is that? asked Noor-ed-Deen. The
steward answered, Know that there remaineth not of thy property in my
hands, anything equivalent to a piece of silver, or less than a piece of
silver; and these are the accounts of thy expenses, and of thy original
property. When 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen heard these words, he hung down his
head towards the ground, and exclaimed, There is no strength nor power
but in God! And the man who had followed him secretly to pry into his
case, as soon as he heard what the steward told him, returned to his
companions, and said to them, See what ye will do; for 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen hath become a bankrupt. So when Noor-ed-Deen returned to
them, grief appeared to them in his countenance, and immediately one of
them rose, and, looking towards him, said to him, O my master, I desire
that thou wouldst permit me to depart.--Why thus depart to-day? said
Noor-ed-Deen. His guest answered, My wife is to give birth to a child
this night, and it is impossible for me to be absent from her: I desire,
therefore, to go and see her. And he gave him leave. Then another rose,
and said to him, O my master Noor-ed-Deen, I desire to-day to visit my
brother; for he celebrateth the circumcision of his son. Thus each of
them asked leave of him deceitfully, and went his way, until all had
departed.
So 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen remained alone; and he called his slave-girl, and
said to her, O Enees-el-Jelees, seest thou not what hath befallen me?
And he related to her what the steward had told him. She replied, O my
master, for some nights past, I have been anxious to speak to thee of
this affair; but I heard thee reciting these two verses:--
When fortune is liberal to thee, be thou liberal to all others
before she escape from thee:
For liberality will not annihilate thy wealth when she is favourable;
nor avarice preserve it when she deserteth thee.
And when I heard thee repeat these words, I was silent, and would not
make any remark to thee.--O Enees-el-Jelees, he rejoined, thou knowest
that I have not expended my wealth but on my companions; and I do not
think that they will abandon me without relief.--By Allah, said she,
they will be of no use to thee. But he said, I will immediately arise
and go to them, and knock at their doors: perhaps I shall obtain from
them something which I will employ as a capital wherewith to trade, and
I will cease from diversion and sport. So he arose instantly, and
proceeded without stopping until he arrived at the by-street in which
his ten companions resided; for they all lived in that same street: and
he advanced to the first door, and knocked; and there came forth to him
a slave-girl, who said to him, Who art thou? He answered, Say to thy
master,--'Alee Noor-ed-Deen is standing at the door, and saith to thee,
Thy slave kisseth thy hands, looking for a favour from thee.--And the
girl entered, and acquainted her master; but he called out to her,
saying, Return, and tell him, He is not here.--The girl, therefore,
returned to Noor-ed-Deen, and said to him, My master, Sir, is not here.
And he went on, saying within myself, If this is a knave, and hath
denied himself, another is not. He then advanced to the next door, and
said as he had before; and the second also denied himself; and
Noor-ed-Deen exclaimed,--
They are gone, who, if thou stoodest at their door, would bestow
upon thee the bounty thou desirest.
By Allah, he added, I must try all of them: perchance one of them may
stand me in the place of all the others. And he went round to all the
ten; but found not that one of them would open the door, or shew
himself, or even order him a cake of bread; and he recited the following
verses:--
A man in prosperity resembleth a tree, around which people flock
as long as it hath fruit;
But as soon as it hath dropped all that it bore, they disperse
from beneath it, and seek another.
Perdition to all the people of this age! for I find not one man
of integrity among ten.
He then returned to his slave: his anxiety had increased, and she said
to him, O my master, said I not unto thee that they would not profit
thee?--By Allah, he replied, not one of them shewed me his face.--O my
master, rejoined she, sell of the moveables of the house a little at a
time, and expend the produce. And he did so until he had sold all that
was in the house, and there remained nothing in his possession; and
upon this he looked towards Enees-el-Jelees, and said to her, What shall
we do now?--It is my advice, O my master, she answered, that thou arise
immediately, and take me to the market, and sell me; for thou knowest
that thy father purchased me for ten thousand pieces of gold, and
perhaps God may open to thee a way to obtain a part of this price; and
if God have decreed our reunion, we shall meet again. But he replied, O
Enees-el-Jelees, it is not easy for me to endure thy separation for one
hour.--Nor is the like easy to me, said she: but necessity is imperious.
And upon this, he took Enees-el-Jelees, his tears flowing down his
cheeks, and went and delivered her to the broker, saying to him, Know
the value of that which thou art to cry for sale.--O my master
Noor-ed-Deen, replied the broker, noble qualities are held in
remembrance. Is she not Enees-el-Jelees, whom thy father purchased of me
for ten thousand pieces of gold?--He answered, Yes. And the broker
thereupon went to the merchants; but he found that they had not all yet
assembled; so he waited until the rest had come, and the market was
filled with all varieties of female slaves, Turkish and Greek and
Circassian and Georgian and Abyssinian; and when he beheld its crowded
state, he arose and exclaimed, O merchants! O possessors of wealth!
everything that is round is not a nut; nor is everything long, a banana;
nor is everything that is red, meat; nor is everything white, fat; nor
is everything that is ruddy, wine; nor is everything tawny, a date! O
merchants! this precious pearl, whose value no money can equal, with
what sum will ye open the bidding for her?--And one of the merchants
answered, With four thousand and five hundred pieces of
gold.[VI_14]
[Illustration]
But, lo, the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee was in the market, and,
seeing 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen standing there, he said within himself, What
doth he want here, having nothing left wherewith to purchase female
slaves? Then casting his eyes around, and hearing the broker as he stood
crying in the market with the merchants around him, he said within
himself, I do not imagine anything else than that he hath become a
bankrupt, and come forth with the slave-girl to sell her; and if this be
the case, how pleasant to my heart! He then called the crier, who
approached him, and kissed the ground before him;[VI_15] and the
Wezeer said to him, I desire this female slave whom thou art crying for
sale. The broker, therefore, being unable to oppose his wish, brought
the slave and placed her before him; and when he beheld her, and
considered her charms, her elegant figure and her soft speech, he was
delighted with her, and said to the broker, To what has the bidding for
her amounted? The broker answered, Four thousand and five hundred pieces
of gold. And as soon as the merchants heard this, not one of them could
bid another piece of silver or of gold; but all of them drew back,
knowing the tyrannical conduct of that Wezeer. El-Mo'een the son of
Sawee then looked towards the broker, and said to him, Why standest thou
still? Take away the slave-girl for me at the price of four thousand and
five hundred pieces of gold, and thou wilt have five hundred for
thyself.--So the broker went to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and said to him, O
my master, the slave-girl is lost to thee without price.--How so? said
Noor-ed-Deen. The broker answered, We opened the bidding for her at four
thousand and five hundred pieces of gold; but this tyrant El-Mo'een the
son of Sawee came into the market, and when he beheld the damsel she
pleased him, and he said to me, Ask her owner if he will agree for four
thousand pieces of gold, and five hundred for thee:--and I doubt not but
he knoweth that the slave belongeth to thee; and if he give thee her
price immediately, it will be through the goodness of God; but I know,
from his injustice, that he will write thee an order upon some of his
agents for the money, and then send to them and desire them to give thee
nothing; and every time that thou shalt go to demand it of them, they
will say to thee, To-morrow we will pay thee:--and they will not cease
to promise thee, and to defer from day to day, notwithstanding thy
pride; and when they are overcome by thy importunity they will say, Give
us the written order:--and as soon as they have received the paper from
thee they will tear it in pieces: so thou wilt lose the price of the
slave.
When Noor-ed-Deen, therefore, heard these words of the broker, he said
to him, What is to be done? The broker answered, I will give thee a
piece of advice, and if thou receive it from me, thou wilt have better
fortune.--What is it? asked Noor-ed-Deen.--That thou come to me
immediately, answered the broker, while I am standing in the midst of
the market, and take the slave-girl from me, and give her a blow with
thy hand, and say to her, Wo to thee! I have expiated my oath that I
swore, and brought thee to the market, because I swore to thee that thou
shouldst be exposed in the market, and that the broker should cry thee
for sale.--If thou do this, perhaps the trick will deceive him and the
people, and they will believe that thou tookest her not to the market
but to expiate the oath.--This, replied Noor-ed-Deen, is the right
counsel. So the broker returned into the midst of the market, and,
taking hold of the hand of the slave-girl, made a sign to the Wezeer
El-Mo'een the son of Sawee, saying, O my lord, this is her owner who
hath just come. Then 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen advanced to the broker, and tore
the damsel from him, and struck her with his hand, saying to her, Wo to
thee! I have brought thee to the market for the sake of expiating my
oath. Go home, and disobey me not again. I want not thy price, that I
should sell thee; and if I sold the furniture of the house and
everything else of the kind over and over again, their produce would not
amount to thy price.--But when El-Mo'een the son of Sawee beheld
Noor-ed-Deen, he said to him, Wo to thee! Hast thou anything left to be
sold or bought?--And he would have laid violent hands upon him. The
merchants then looked towards Noor-ed-Deen (and they all loved him), and
he said to them, Here am I before you, and ye have all known his
tyranny.--By Allah, exclaimed the Wezeer, were it not for you, I had
killed him! Then all of them made signs, one to another, with the eye,
and said, Not one of us will interfere between thee and him. And upon
this, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen went up to the Wezeer, the son of Sawee (and
Noor-ed-Deen was a man of courage), and he dragged the Wezeer from his
saddle, and threw him upon the ground. There was at that spot a
kneading-place for mud,[VI_16] and the Wezeer fell into the midst
of it, and Noor-ed-Deen beat him with his fist, and a blow fell upon his
teeth, by which his beard became dyed with his blood. Now there were
with the Wezeer ten memlooks, and when they saw Noor-ed-Deen treat their
master in this manner, they put their hands upon the hilts of their
swords, and would have fallen upon him and cut him in pieces; but the
people said to them, This is a Wezeer, and this is the son of a Wezeer,
and perhaps they may make peace with each other, and ye will incur the
anger of both of them; or perhaps a blow may fall upon your master, and
ye will all of you die the most ignominious of deaths: it is advisable,
therefore, that ye interfere not between them.--And when 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen had ceased from beating the Wezeer, he took his slave-girl,
and returned to his house.
[Illustration]
The Wezeer, the son of Sawee, then immediately arose, and his dress,
which before was white, was now dyed with three colours, the colour of
mud, and the colour of blood, and the colour of ashes;[VI_17] and
when he beheld himself in this condition, he took a round
mat,[VI_18] and hung it to his neck, and took in his hand two
bundles of coarse grass,[VI_19] and went and stood beneath the
palace of the Sul[t.]an, and cried out, O King of the age! I am
oppressed!--So they brought him before the King, who looked at him
attentively, and saw that he was his Wezeer, El-Mo'een the son of Sawee.
He said, therefore, Who hath done thus unto thee?--and the Wezeer cried
and moaned, and repeated these two verses:--
Shall fortune oppress me while thou existest; and the dogs devour me
when thou art a lion?
Shall all else who are dry drink freely from thy tanks, and I thirst
in thine asylum when thou art as rain?
--O my lord, he continued, thus is every one who loveth thee and serveth
thee: these afflictions always befall him.--And who, said the King
again, hath done thus unto thee?--Know, answered the Wezeer, that I went
forth to-day to the market of the female slaves with the idea of buying
a cook-maid, and saw in the market a slave-girl the like of whom I had
never in my life beheld, and the broker said that she belonged to 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen. Now our lord the Sul[t.]an had given his father ten
thousand pieces of gold to buy for him with it a beautiful female slave,
and he bought that girl, and she pleased him; so he gave her to his son;
and when his father died, the son pursued the path of prodigality, until
he sold all his houses and gardens and utensils; and when he had become
a bankrupt, nothing else remaining in his possession, he took the
slave-girl to the market to sell her, and delivered her to the broker:
so he cried her for sale, and the merchants continued bidding for her
until her price amounted to four thousand pieces of gold; whereupon I
said to myself, I will buy this for our lord the Sul[t.]an; for her
original price was from him. I therefore said, O my son, receive her
price, four thousand pieces of gold. But when he heard my words, he
looked at me and replied, O ill-omened old man! I will sell her to the
Jews and the Christians rather than to thee.--I then said to him, I
would not buy her for myself, but for our lord the Sul[t.]an, who is our
benefactor. As soon, however, as he had heard these words from me, he
was filled with rage, and dragged me and threw me down from the horse,
notwithstanding my advanced age, and beat me, and ceased not to do so
until he left me in the state in which thou seest me. Nothing exposed me
to all this ill treatment but my coming to purchase this slave-girl for
your majesty.--The Wezeer then threw himself upon the ground, and lay
weeping and trembling.
Now when the Sul[t.]an beheld his condition, and had heard his speech,
the vein of anger swelled between his eyes, and he looked towards the
members of his court who were attending him; whereupon forty swordsmen
stood before him, and he said to them, Descend immediately to the house
of 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and plunder it and
demolish it, and bring hither him and the slave-girl with their hands
bound behind them: drag them along upon their faces, and so bring them
before me. They replied, We hear and obey:--and went forth to repair to
the house of 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen. But there was in the court of the
Sul[t.]an a chamberlain named 'Alam-ed-Deen Senjer, who had been one of
the memlooks of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, the father of 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen; and when he heard the order of the Sul[t.]an, and saw the
enemies prepared to slay his master's son, it was insupportable to him;
so he mounted his horse, and proceeded to the house of 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen, and knocked at the door. Noor-ed-Deen came forth to him,
and, when he saw him, knew him, and would have saluted him; but he said,
O my master, this is not a time for salutation, nor for talking.
Noor-ed-Deen said, O 'Alam-ed-Deen, what is the news? He replied, Save
thyself by flight, thou and the slave-girl; for El-Mo'een the son of
Sawee hath set up a snare for you, and if ye fall into his hands he will
slay you: the Sul[t.]an hath sent to you forty swordsmen, and it is my
advice that ye fly before the evil fall upon you. Then Senjer stretched
forth his hand to Noor-ed-Deen with some pieces of gold, and he counted
them, and found them to be forty pieces; and he said, O my master,
receive these, and if I had with me more, I would give it thee: but this
is not a time for expostulating. And upon this, Noor-ed-Deen went in to
the damsel, and acquainted her with the occurrence, and she was
confounded.
The two then went forth immediately from the city, and God let down the
veil of his protection upon them, and they proceeded to the bank of the
river, where they found a vessel ready to sail: the master was standing
in the midst of it, and saying, He who hath anything to do, whether
leave-taking or procuring provisions, or who hath forgotten aught, let
him do what he desireth and return; for we are going. And they all
replied, We have nothing remaining to do, O master. So, upon this, the
master said to his crew, Quick! Loose the rope's end, and pull up the
stake.[VI_20]--And 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen exclaimed, Whither, O master?
He answered, To the Abode of Peace, Baghdad. And Noor-ed-Deen embarked,
and the damsel with him, and they set the vessel afloat, and spread the
sails, and it shot along like a bird with its pair of wings, carrying
them forward with a favourable wind.
Meanwhile, the forty men whom the Sul[t.]an had sent came to the house
of 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and broke open the doors and entered, and
searched all the chambers, but without success; so they demolished the
house, and returned, and acquainted the Sul[t.]an, who said, Search for
them in every place where they may be:--and they replied, We hear and
obey. The Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee then descended to his house,
after the Sul[t.]an had invested him with a robe of honour, and had said
to him, None shall take vengeance for thee but myself. And he greeted
the King with a prayer for long life, and his heart was set at ease: and
the Sul[t.]an gave orders to proclaim throughout the city, O all ye
people! our lord the Sul[t.]an hath commanded that whoever shall meet
with 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, and bring him to the Sul[t.]an, shall be
invested with a robe of honour, and he will give him a thousand pieces
of gold; and he who shall conceal him, or know where he is, and not give
information thereof, will merit the exemplary punishment that shall
befall him! So all the people began to search for him; but could not
trace him.--Such was the case with these people.
Now as to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen and his slave, they arrived in safety at
Baghdad, and the master of the vessel said to them, This is Baghdad, and
it is a city of security: winter with its cold hath departed from it,
and the spring-quarter hath come with its roses, and its trees are in
blossom, and its waters are flowing. And upon this, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen
landed with his slave-girl, and gave the master five pieces of gold.
They then walked a little way, and destiny cast them among the gardens,
and they came to a place which they found swept and sprinkled, with long
ma[s.][t.]abahs, and pots suspended filled with water, and over it was a
covering of trellis-work of canes extending along the whole length of a
lane, at the upper end of which was the gate of a garden; but this was
shut. And Noor-ed-Deen said to the damsel, By Allah, this is a pleasant
place!--and she replied, O my master, let us sit down a while upon one
of these ma[s.][t.]abahs. So they mounted and seated themselves there,
and they washed their faces and hands, and enjoyed the current of the
zephyr, and slept.--Glory be to Him who sleepeth not!
[Illustration]
This garden was called the Garden of Delight, and in it was a palace
called the Palace of Diversion, and it belonged to the Khaleefeh Haroon
Er-Rasheed, who, when his heart was contracted, used to come to this
garden, and enter the palace above mentioned, and there sit. The palace
had eighty latticed windows, and eighty lamps were suspended in it, and
in the midst of it was a great candlestick of gold; and when the
Khaleefeh entered it, he commanded the female slaves to open the
windows, and ordered Is-[h.]a[k.] the cup-companion to sing with them:
so his heart became dilated, and his anxiety ceased. There was a
superintendent to the garden, an old man, named the sheykh Ibraheem; and
it happened that he went forth once to transact some business, and found
there persons diverting themselves with women of suspicious character,
whereupon he was violently enraged, and having waited until the
Khaleefeh came thither some days after, he acquainted him with this
occurrence, and the Khaleefeh said, Whomsoever thou shalt find at the
gate of the garden, do with him what thou wilt. Now on this day the
sheykh Ibraheem went out to transact an affair of business, and found
the two sleeping at the garden-gate covered with a single izar; and he
said, Do not these two persons know that the Khaleefeh hath given me
permission to kill every one whom I find here? But I will only give
these two a slight beating, that no one may again approach the gate of
the garden. He then cut a green palm-stick, and went forth to them, and
raised his hand until the whiteness of his arm-pit appeared, and was
about to beat them; but he reflected in his mind, and said, O Ibraheem,
how shouldst thou beat them when thou knowest not their case? They may
be two strangers, or of the children of the road,[VI_21] whom
destiny hath cast here. I will therefore uncover their faces, and look
at them.--So he lifted up the izar from their faces, and said, These are
two handsome persons, and it is not proper that I should beat them. And
he covered their faces again, and, approaching the foot of 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen, began to rub it gently;[VI_22] whereupon Noor-ed-Deen
opened his eyes, and saw that he was an old man; and he blushed, and
drew in his feet, and, sitting up, took the hand of the sheykh Ibraheem
and kissed it; and the sheykh said to him, O my son, whence are ye?--O
my master, he answered, we are strangers.--And a tear gushed from his
eye. The sheykh Ibraheem then said to him, O my son, know that the
Prophet (God bless and save him!) hath enjoined generosity to the
stranger. Wilt thou not arise, O my son, and enter the garden, and
divert thyself in it, that thy heart may be dilated?--O my master, said
Noor-ed-Deen, to whom doth this garden belong? The sheykh answered, O my
son, this garden I inherited from my family. And his design in saying
this was only that they might feel themselves at ease, and enter the
garden. And when Noor-ed-Deen heard his words, he thanked him, and
arose, together with his slave, and, the sheykh Ibraheem preceding them,
they entered the garden.
The gate was arched, and over it were vines with grapes of different
colours; the red, like rubies; and the black, like ebony. They entered a
bower, and found within it fruits growing in clusters and singly, and
the birds were warbling their various notes upon the branches: the
nightingale was pouring forth its melodious sounds; and the turtle-dove
filled the place with its cooing; and the blackbird, in its singing,
resembled a human being; and the ring-dove, a person exhilarated by
wine. The fruits upon the trees, comprising every description that was
good to eat, had ripened; and there were two of each kind: there were
the camphor-apricot, and the almond-apricot, and the apricot of
Khurasan; the plum of a colour like the complexion of beauties; the
cherry delighting the sense of every man; the red, the white, and the
green fig, of the most beautiful colours; and flowers like pearls and
coral; the rose, whose redness put to shame the cheeks of the lovely;
the violet, like sulphur in contact with fire; the myrtle, the
gilliflower, the lavender, and the anemone; and their leaves were
bespangled with the tears of the clouds; the chamomile smiled,
displaying its teeth, and the narcissus looked at the rose with its
negroes' eyes; the citrons resembled round cups; the limes were like
bullets of gold; the ground was carpeted with flowers of every colour,
and the place beamed with the charms of spring; the river murmured by
while the birds sang, and the wind whistled among the trees; the season
was temperate, and the zephyr was languishing.
[Illustration]
The sheykh Ibraheem conducted them into the elevated saloon,[VI_23]
and they were charmed with its beauty and the extraordinary elegances
which it displayed, and seated themselves in one of the windows; and
Noor-ed-Deen, reflecting upon his past entertainments, exclaimed, By
Allah, this place is most delightful! It hath reminded me of past
events, and quenched in me an anguish like the fire of the
gha[d.]a.[VI_24]--The sheykh Ibraheem then brought to them some
food, and they ate to satisfaction, and washed their hands, and
Noor-ed-Deen, seating himself again in one of the windows, called to
his slave, and she came to him; and they sat gazing at the trees laden
with all kinds of fruits; after which, Noor-ed-Deen looked towards the
sheykh, and said to him, O sheykh Ibraheem, hast thou not any beverage?
For people drink after eating.--So the sheykh brought him some sweet and
cold water: but Noor-ed-Deen said, This is not the beverage I
desire.--Dost thou want wine? asked the sheykh.--Yes, answered
Noor-ed-Deen. The sheykh exclaimed, I seek refuge with Allah from it!
Verily, for thirteen years I have done nothing of that kind; for the
Prophet (God bless and save him!) cursed its drinker and its presser and
its carrier.--Hear from me two words, said Noor-ed-Deen. The sheykh
replied, Say what thou wilt. So he said, If thou be neither the presser
of the wine, nor its drinker, nor its carrier, will aught of the curse
fall upon thee? The sheykh answered, No.--Then take this piece of gold,
rejoined Noor-ed-Deen, and these two pieces of silver, and mount the
ass, and halt at a distance from the place, and whatsoever man thou
findest to buy it, call to him, and say to him, take these two pieces of
silver, and with this piece of gold buy some wine, and place it upon the
ass:--so, in this case, thou wilt be neither the carrier, nor the
presser, nor the buyer; and nothing will befall thee of that which
befalleth the rest.
The sheykh Ibraheem, after laughing at his words, replied, By Allah, I
have never seen one more witty than thou, nor heard speech more sweet.
And Noor-ed-Deen said to him, We have become dependant upon thee, and
thou hast nothing to do but to comply with our wishes: bring us,
therefore, all that we require.--O my son, said the sheykh, my buttery
here is before thee (and it was the store-room furnished for the Prince
of the Faithful): enter it then, and take from it what thou wilt; for it
containeth more than thou desirest. So Noor-ed-Deen entered the
store-room, and beheld in it vessels of gold and silver and crystal,
adorned with a variety of jewels; and he took out such of them as he
desired, and poured the wine into the vessels of earthenware and bottles
of glass; and he and the damsel began to drink, astonished at the beauty
of the things which they beheld. The sheykh Ibraheem then brought to
them sweet-scented flowers, and seated himself at a distance from them;
and they continued drinking, in a state of the utmost delight, until the
wine took effect upon them, and their cheeks reddened, and their eyes
wantoned like those of the gazelle, and their hair hung
down:[VI_25] whereupon the sheykh Ibraheem said, What aileth me
that I am sitting at a distance from them? Why should I not sit by
them? And when shall I be in the company of such as these two, who are
like two moons?--He then advanced, and seated himself at the edge of the
raised portion of the floor; and Noor-ed-Deen said to him, O my master,
by my life I conjure thee to approach and join us. So he went to them;
and Noor-ed-Deen filled a cup, and, looking at the sheykh, said to him,
Drink, that thou mayest know how delicious is its flavour. But the
sheykh Ibraheem exclaimed, I seek refuge with Allah! Verily, for
thirteen years I have done nothing of that kind.--And Noor-ed-Deen,
feigning to pay no attention to him, drank the cup, and threw himself
upon the ground, pretending that intoxication had overcome him.
[Illustration]
Upon this, Enees-el-Jelees looked towards the sheykh, and said to him, O
sheykh Ibraheem, see how this man hath treated me.--O my mistress, said
he, what aileth him? She rejoined, Always doth he treat me thus: he
drinketh a while, and then sleepeth, and I remain alone, and find no one
to keep me company over my cup. If I drink, who will serve me? And if I
sing, who will hear me?--The sheykh, moved with tenderness and affection
for her by her words, replied, It is not proper that a cup-companion be
thus. The damsel then filled a cup, and, looking at the sheykh Ibraheem,
said to him, I conjure thee, by my life that thou take it and drink it;
reject it not, but accept it, and refresh my heart. So he stretched
forth his hand, and took the cup, and drank it; and she filled for him a
second time, and handed it to him, saying, O my master, this remaineth
for thee. He replied, By Allah, I cannot drink it: that which
I have drunk is enough for me. But she said, By Allah, it is
indispensable:--and he took the cup, and drank it. She then gave him the
third; and he took it, and was about to drink it, when, lo, Noor-ed-Deen
raised himself, and said to him, O sheykh Ibraheem, what is this? Did I
not conjure thee a while ago, and thou refusedst, and saidst, Verily,
for thirteen years I have not done it?--The sheykh Ibraheem, touched
with shame, replied, By Allah, I am not in fault; for she pressed me.
And Noor-ed-Deen laughed, and they resumed their carousal, and the
damsel, turning her eyes towards her master, said to him, O my master,
drink thou, and do not urge the sheykh Ibraheem; that I may divert thee
with the sight of him. So she began to fill and to hand to her master,
and her master filled and gave to her, and thus they continued to do,
time after time; till at length the sheykh Ibraheem looked towards them
and said, What meaneth this? And what sort of carousal is this?
Wherefore do ye not give me to drink, since I have become your
cup-companion?--At this they both laughed until they became almost
senseless; and then drank, and gave him to drink; and they continued
thus until the expiration of a third of the night, when the damsel said,
O sheykh Ibraheem, with thy permission shall I rise and light one of the
candles which are arranged here?--Rise, he answered; but light not more
than one candle. But she sprang upon her feet, and, beginning with the
first candle, proceeded until she had lighted eighty. She then sat down
again; and presently Noor-ed-Deen said, O sheykh Ibraheem, in what
favour am I held with thee? Wilt thou not allow me to light one of these
lamps?--The sheykh answered, Arise, and light one lamp, and be not thou
also troublesome. So he arose, and, beginning with the first lamp,
lighted all the eighty; and the saloon seemed to dance. And after this,
the sheykh Ibraheem, overcome by intoxication, said to them, Ye are more
frolicksome than I:--and he sprang upon his feet, and opened all the
windows, and sat down again with them, and they continued carousing and
reciting verses; and the place rang with their merriment.
Now God, the All-seeing and All-knowing, who hath appointed a cause to
every event, had decreed that the Khaleefeh should be sitting that night
at one of the windows looking towards the Tigris, by moonlight; and he
looked in that direction, and saw the light of lamps and candles
reflected in the river, and, turning his eyes up towards the palace in
the garden, he beheld it beaming with those candles and lamps, and
exclaimed, Bring hither to me Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee! In the twinkling of
an eye, Ja[a.]far stood before the Prince of the Faithful; and the
Khaleefeh said to him, O dog of Wezeers, dost thou serve me and not
acquaint me with what happeneth in the city of Baghdad?--What, asked
Ja[a.]far, is the occasion of these words? The Khaleefeh answered, If
the city of Baghdad were not taken from me, the Palace of Diversion were
not enlivened with the light of the lamps and candles, and its windows
were not opened. Wo to thee! Who could do these things unless the office
of Khaleefeh were taken from me?--Who, said Ja[a.]far (the muscles of
his side quivering from fear), informed thee that the lamps and candles
were lighted in the Palace of Diversion, and that its windows were
opened? The Khaleefeh replied, Advance hither to me, and look. So
Ja[a.]far approached the Khaleefeh, and, looking towards the garden,
beheld the palace as it were a flame of fire, its light surpassing that
of the moon. He desired, therefore, to make an excuse for the sheykh
Ibraheem, the superintendent, thinking, from what he beheld, that the
event might have occurred through his permission: and accordingly he
said, O Prince of the Faithful, the sheykh Ibraheem last week said to
me, O my master Ja[a.]far, I am desirous of entertaining my children
during my life and the life of the Prince of the Faithful.--And what,
said I, is thy design in saying this? He answered, It is my wish that
thou wouldst obtain for me permission from the Khaleefeh that I may
celebrate the circumcision of my sons in the palace. So I said, Do what
thou wilt with respect to the entertainment of thy sons, and, if God
will, I shall have an interview with the Khaleefeh, and will acquaint
him with it. And he left me thus; and I forgot to acquaint thee.--O
Ja[a.]far, said the Khaleefeh, thou wast guilty of one offence against
me, and then thine offence became two: for thou hast erred in two
points: the first, thy not acquainting me with this affair; and the
second, thy not accomplishing the desire of the sheykh Ibraheem; for he
did not come to thee and address thee with these words but to hint a
request for some money by the aid of which to effect his design, and
thou neither gavest him anything nor acquaintedst me that I might give
him.--O Prince of the Faithful, replied Ja[a.]far, I forgot.
[Illustration]
The Khaleefeh then said, By my forefathers, I will not pass the
remainder of my night but with him, for he is a just man, who
frequenteth the sheykhs,[VI_26] and attendeth to the poor, and favoureth
the indigent; and I imagine all his acquaintances are with him this
night; so I must repair to him: perhaps one of them may offer up for us
a prayer productive of good to us in this world and the next; and
probably some advantage may accrue to him from my presence, and he will
receive pleasure from this, together with his friends.--O Prince of the
Faithful, replied Ja[a.]far, the greater part of the night hath passed,
and they are now about to disperse. But the Khaleefeh said, We must go
to them. And Ja[a.]far was silent, and was perplexed in his mind, not
knowing what to do. So the Khaleefeh rose upon his feet, and Ja[a.]far
rose and preceded him, and Mesroor the eunuch went with them. The three
walked on reflecting, and, departing from the palace, proceeded through
the streets, in the attire of merchants; until they arrived at the gate
of the garden above mentioned; and the Khaleefeh, approaching it, found
it open; and he was surprised, and said, See, O Ja[a.]far, how the
sheykh Ibraheem hath left the gate open until this hour, which is not
his usual custom. They then entered, and came to the end of the garden,
where they stopped beneath the palace; and the Khaleefeh said, O
Ja[a.]far, I desire to take a view of them secretly before I go up to
them, that I may see how the sheykhs are occupied in the dispensing of
their blessings and the employment of their miraculous powers; for they
have qualities which distinguish them both in their private retirements
and in their public exercises; and now we hear not their voices, nor
discover any indication of their presence. Having thus said, he looked
around, and, seeing a tall walnut tree, he said, O Ja[a.]far, I would
climb this tree (for its branches are near to the windows) and look at
them. And accordingly he ascended the tree, and climbed from branch to
branch until he came to that which was opposite to one of the windows,
and there he sat, and, looking in through this window of the palace,
beheld a damsel and a young man, like two moons (extolled be the
perfection of Him who created them!); and he saw the sheykh Ibraheem
sitting with a cup in his hand, and saying, O mistress of beauties,
drinking unaccompanied by merry sounds is not pleasant. Hast thou not
heard the saying of the poet?--
Circulate it in the large cup, and in the small; and receive it
from the hand of the shining moon:[VI_27]
And drink not without merry sounds; for I have observed that
horses drink to the sound of whistling.
When the Khaleefeh witnessed this conduct of the sheykh Ibraheem, the
vein of anger swelled between his eyes, and he descended, and said, O
Ja[a.]far, I have never seen anything of the miraculous performances of
the just such as I have beheld this night: ascend, therefore, thyself
also, into this tree, and look, lest the blessings of the just escape
thee.[VI_28]--On hearing the words of the Prince of the Faithful,
Ja[a.]far was perplexed at his situation; and he climbed up into the
tree, and looked, and saw Noor-ed-Deen and the sheykh Ibraheem and the
damsel, and the sheykh Ibraheem had the cup in his hand. As soon as he
beheld this, he made sure of destruction; and he descended, and stood
before the Prince of the Faithful, and the Khaleefeh said, O Ja[a.]far,
praise be to God who hath made us to be of the number of those who
follow the external ordinances of the holy law, and averted from us the
sin of disguising ourselves by the practice of hypocrisy! But Ja[a.]far
was unable to reply, from his excessive confusion. The Khaleefeh then
looked towards him, and said, Who can have brought these persons hither,
and admitted them into my palace? But the like of this young man and
this damsel, in beauty and loveliness and symmetry of form, mine eye
hath never beheld.--Ja[a.]far, now conceiving a hope that the Khaleefeh
might be propitiated, replied, Thou hast spoken truly, O Prince of the
Faithful. And the Khaleefeh said, O Ja[a.]far, climb up with us upon
this branch which is opposite them, that we may amuse ourselves by
observing them. So they both climbed up into the tree, and, looking at
them, heard the sheykh Ibraheem say, O my mistress, I have relinquished
decorum by the drinking of wine; but the pleasure of this is not
complete without the melodious sounds of stringed instruments.--O sheykh
Ibraheem, replied Enees-el-Jelees, by Allah, if we had any musical
instrument, our happiness were perfect. And when the sheykh Ibraheem
heard her words, he rose upon his feet.--The Khaleefeh said to
Ja[a.]far, What may he be going to do? Ja[a.]far replied, I know
not.--And the sheykh Ibraheem went away, and returned with a lute; and
the Khaleefeh, looking attentively at it, saw that it was the lute of
Is-[h.]a[k.], the cup-companion; and said, By Allah, if this damsel sing
not well, I will crucify you all; but if she sing well, I will pardon
them, and crucify thee. So Ja[a.]far said, O Allah, let her not sing
well!--Why? asked the Khaleefeh.--That thou mayest crucify all of us,
answered Ja[a.]far; and then we shall cheer one another by conversation.
And the Khaleefeh laughed: and the damsel took the lute, and tuned its
strings, and played upon it in a manner that would melt iron, and
inspire an idiot with intellect; after which she sang with such
sweetness that the Khaleefeh exclaimed, O Ja[a.]far, never in my life
have I heard so enchanting a voice as this!--Perhaps, said Ja[a.]far,
the anger of the Khaleefeh hath departed from him?--Yea, he answered; it
hath departed. He then descended with Ja[a.]far from the tree, and,
looking towards him, said, I am desirous of going up to them, to sit
with them, and to hear the damsel sing before me.--O Prince of the
Faithful, replied Ja[a.]far, if thou go up to them, probably they will
be troubled by thy presence; and as to the sheykh Ibraheem, he will
assuredly die of fear. The Khaleefeh therefore said, O Ja[a.]far, thou
must acquaint me with some stratagem by means of which I may learn the
truth of the affair without their knowing that I have discovered them.
And he and Ja[a.]far walked towards the Tigris, reflecting upon this
matter; and lo, a fisherman stood beneath the windows of the palace, and
he threw his net, hoping to catch something by means of which to obtain
his subsistence.--Now the Khaleefeh had, on a former occasion, called to
the sheykh Ibraheem, and said to him, What was that noise that I heard
beneath the windows of the palace?--and he answered, The voices of the
fishermen, who are fishing:--so he said, Go down and forbid them from
coming to this place. They were therefore forbidden to come thither; but
this night there came a fisherman named Kereem, and, seeing the
garden-gate open, he said within himself, This is a time of
inadvertence, and perhaps I may catch some fish on this occasion:--so he
took his net, and threw it into the river, and then recited some verses,
contrasting the condition of the poor fisherman, toiling throughout the
night, with that of the lord of the palace, who, awaking from a pleasant
slumber, findeth the fawn in his possession; and as soon as he had
finished his recitation, lo, the Khaleefeh, unattended, stood at his
head. The Khaleefeh knew him, and exclaimed, O Kereem!--and the
fisherman, hearing him call him by his name, turned towards him; and
when he beheld the Khaleefeh, the muscles of his side quivered, and he
said, By Allah, O Prince of the Faithful, I did not this in mockery of
the mandate; but poverty and the wants of my family impelled me to the
act of which thou art witness. The Khaleefeh replied, Throw thy net for
my luck. And the fisherman advanced, rejoicing exceedingly, and cast the
net, and, having waited until it had attained its limit and become
steady at the bottom, drew it in again, and there came up in it a
variety of fish that could not be numbered.
[Illustration]
The Khaleefeh was delighted at this, and said, O Kereem, strip off thy
clothes:--and he did so. He was clad in a jubbeh[VI_29] in which
were a hundred patches of coarse woollen stuff, containing vermin of the
most abominable kind, and among them fleas in such numbers that he might
almost have been transported by their means over the face of the earth;
and he took from his head a turban which for three years he had never
unwound; but when he happened to find a piece of rag he twisted it
around it: and when he had taken off the jubbeh and turban, the
Khaleefeh pulled off from his own person two vests of silk of Alexandria
and Ba[a.]labekk, and a melwa[t.]ah[VI_30] and a farajeeyeh,[VI_31]
and said to the fisherman, Take these, and put them on. The Khaleefeh
then put on himself the fisherman's jubbeh and turban, and, having drawn
a litham[VI_32] over his face, said to the fisherman, Go about thy
business;--and he kissed the feet of the Khaleefeh, and thanked him,
reciting these two verses:--
Thou hast granted me favours beyond my power to acknowledge,
and completely satisfied all my wants.
I will thank thee, therefore, as long as I live; and when I die,
my bones will thank thee in their grave.[VI_33]
But scarcely had he finished his verses, when the vermin overran the
person of the Khaleefeh, and he began to seize them with his right hand
and his left from his neck, and to throw them down; and he exclaimed, O
fisherman, wo to thee! What are these abundant vermin in this jubbeh?--O
my lord, he answered, at present they torment thee; but when a week
shall have passed over thee, thou wilt not feel them, nor think of them.
The Khaleefeh laughed, and said to him, How can I suffer this jubbeh to
remain upon me? The fisherman replied, I wish to tell thee something;
but I am ashamed, through my awe of the Khaleefeh. Impart, said the
Khaleefeh, what thou hast to tell me. So he said to him, It hath
occurred to my mind, O Prince of the Faithful, that thou desirest to
learn the art of fishing, in order that thou mayest be master of a trade
that may profit thee; and if such be thy desire, this jubbeh is suitable
to thee. And the Khaleefeh laughed at his words.
The fisherman then went his way, and the Khaleefeh took the basket of
fish, and, having put upon it a little grass, went with it to Ja[a.]far,
and stood before him; and Ja[a.]far, thinking that he was Kereem the
fisherman, feared for him, and said, O Kereem, what brought thee hither?
Save thyself by flight; for the Khaleefeh is here this night.--And when
the Khaleefeh heard the words of Ja[a.]far, he laughed until he fell
down upon his back. So Ja[a.]far said, Perhaps thou art our lord the
Prince of the Faithful?--Yes, O Ja[a.]far, answered the Khaleefeh, and
thou art my Wezeer, and I came with thee hither, and thou knowest me
not. How then should the sheykh Ibraheem know me when he is drunk?
Remain where thou art until I return to thee.--Ja[a.]far replied, I hear
and obey:--and the Khaleefeh advanced to the door of the palace, and
knocked. The sheykh Ibraheem arose, therefore, and said, Who is at the
door? He answered, I, O sheykh Ibraheem. The sheykh said, Who art
thou?--and the Khaleefeh answered, I am Kereem the fisherman: I heard
that there were guests with thee, and have therefore brought thee some
fish; for it is excellent.--Now Noor-ed-Deen and the damsel were both
fond of fish, and when they heard the mention of it they rejoiced
exceedingly, and said, O my master, open to him, and let him come in to
us with the fish which he hath brought. So the sheykh Ibraheem opened
the door, and the Khaleefeh, in his fisherman's disguise, entered, and
began by salutation; and the sheykh Ibraheem said to him, Welcome to the
robber, the thief, the gambler! Come hither, and shew us the fish which
thou hast brought.--He therefore shewed it to them; and lo, it was
alive, and moving; and the damsel exclaimed, By Allah, O my master, this
fish is excellent! I wish it were fried!--By Allah, said the sheykh
Ibraheem, thou hast spoken truth. Then, addressing the Khaleefeh, he
said, O fisherman, I wish thou hadst brought this fish fried. Arise, and
fry it for us, and bring it.--On the head be thy commands, replied the
Khaleefeh: I will fry it, and bring it.--Be quick, said they, in doing
it.
The Khaleefeh therefore arose and ran back to Ja[a.]far, and said, O
Ja[a.]far, they want the fish fried.--O Prince of the Faithful, replied
he, give it me, and I will fry it. But the Khaleefeh said, By the tombs
of my ancestors, none shall fry it but myself; with my own hand will I
do it! He then repaired to the hut of the superintendent, and, searching
there, found in it everything that he required, the frying-pan, and even
the salt, and wild marjoram, and other things. So he approached the
fire-place, and put on the frying-pan, and fried it nicely; and when it
was done, he put it upon a banana-leaf, and having taken from the garden
some limes, he went up with the fish, and placed it before them. The
young man, therefore, and the damsel and the sheykh Ibraheem advanced
and ate; and when they had finished, they washed their hands, and
Noor-ed-Deen said, By Allah, O fisherman, thou hast done us a kindness
this night. Then putting his hand into his pocket, he took forth for him
three pieces of gold, of those which Senjer had presented to him when he
was setting forth on his journey, and said, O fisherman, excuse me; for,
by Allah, if I had known thee before the events that have lately
happened to me, I would have extracted the bitterness of poverty from
thy heart: but take this as accordant with my present circumstances. So
saying, he threw the pieces of gold to the Khaleefeh, who took them, and
kissed them,[VI_34] and put them in his pocket. The object of the
Khaleefeh in doing this was only that he might hear the damsel sing: so
he said to him, Thou hast treated me with beneficence, and abundantly
recompensed me; but I beg of thy unbounded indulgence that this damsel
may sing an air, that I may hear her. Noor-ed-Deen therefore said, O
Enees-el-Jelees! She replied, Yes.--By my life, said he, sing to us
something for the gratification of this fisherman; for he desireth to
hear thee. And when she had heard what her master said, she took the
lute, and tried it with her fingers, after she had twisted its pegs, and
sang to it these two verses:--
The fingers of many a fawn-like damsel have played upon the lute,
and the soul hath been ravished by the touch.
She hath made the deaf to hear her songs; and the dumb hath exclaimed,
Thou hast excelled in thy singing!
[Illustration]
Then she played again, in an extraordinary manner, so as to charm the
minds of her hearers, and sang the following couplet:--
We are honoured by your visiting our abode, and your splendour
hath dispelled the darkness of the moonless night:
It is therefore incumbent upon me to perfume my dwelling with musk
and rose-water and camphor.
Upon this, the Khaleefeh was affected with violent emotion, and overcome
by ecstasy, so that he was no longer master of himself from excessive
delight; and he began to exclaim, Allah approve thee! Allah approve
thee! Allah approve thee! So Noor-ed-Deen said to him, O fisherman, have
the damsel and her art in striking the chords pleased thee?--Yea, by
Allah! exclaimed the Khaleefeh. And Noor-ed-Deen immediately said, She
is bestowed upon thee as a present from me, the present of a generous
man who will not revoke his gift. And he rose upon his feet, and took a
melwa[t.]ah, and threw it upon the Khaleefeh in the fisherman's
disguise, ordering him to depart with the damsel. But she looked towards
him, and said, O my master, wilt thou part from me without bidding me
farewell? If we must be separated, pause while I take leave of
thee.--And she recited the following couplet:--
If you depart from me, still your abode will be in my heart,
in the recess of my bosom.
I implore the Compassionate to grant our reunion; and a boon
such as this, God will grant to whom He pleaseth.
And when she had finished, Noor-ed-Deen thus replied to her:--
She bade me farewell on the day of separation, saying, while
she wept from the pain that it occasioned,
What wilt thou do after my departure?--Say this, I replied,
unto him who will survive it.
The Khaleefeh, when he heard this, was distressed at the thought of
separating them, and, looking towards the young man, he said to him, O
my master, art thou in fear on account of any crime, or art thou in debt
to any one? Noor-ed-Deen answered, By Allah, O fisherman, a wonderful
event, and an extraordinary adventure, happened to me and this damsel:
if it were engraved on the understanding, it would be a lesson to him
who would be admonished.--Wilt thou not, rejoined the Khaleefeh, relate
to us thy story, and acquaint us with thy case? Perhaps thy doing so may
be productive of relief; for the relief of God is near.--So Noor-ed-Deen
said, Wilt thou hear our story in poetry or in prose?--Prose, answered
the Khaleefeh, is mere talk; and verse, words put together like pearls.
And Noor-ed-Deen hung down his head towards the ground, and then related
his story in a series of verses: but when he had finished, the Khaleefeh
begged him to explain his case more fully. He therefore acquainted him
with the whole of his circumstances from beginning to end; and when the
Khaleefeh understood the affair, he said to him, Whither wouldst thou
now repair? He answered, God's earth is wide. The Khaleefeh then said to
him, I will write for thee a letter which thou shalt convey to the
Sul[t.]an Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee, and when he shall
have read it, he will do thee no injury.--Is there in the world, said
Noor-ed-Deen, a fisherman who correspondeth with Kings? Verily this is a
thing that can never be.--Thou hast spoken truly, rejoined the
Khaleefeh; but I will acquaint thee with the cause. Know that I read in
the same school with him, under a master, and I was his monitor; and
after that, prosperity was his lot, and he became a Sul[t.]an, while God
made me to be a fisherman: yet I have never sent to request anything of
him, but he hath performed my wish; and if I sent to him every day to
request a thousand things of him, he would do what I asked. When
Noor-ed-Deen, therefore, heard his words, he said to him, Write, that I
may see. And he took an inkhorn and a pen, and wrote (after the phrase,
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful).--To proceed.--This
letter is from Haroon Er-Rasheed the son of El-Mahdee, to his highness
Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee, who hath been encompassed by
my beneficence, and whom I constituted my viceroy of a portion of my
dominions. I acquaint thee that the bearer of this letter is
Noor-ed-Deen the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an the Wezeer, and
on his arrival in thy presence thou shalt divest thyself of the regal
authority, and seat him in thy place; for I have appointed him to the
office to which I formerly appointed thee: so disobey not my commands:
and peace be on thee.--He then gave the letter to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen,
who took it and kissed it and put it in his turban, and immediately set
forth on his journey.
The sheykh Ibraheem now looked towards the Khaleefeh in his fisherman's
disguise, and said to him, O most contemptible of fishermen, thou hast
brought us two fish worth twenty half-dirhems,[VI_35] and received
three pieces of gold, and desirest to take the slave also. But when the
Khaleefeh heard these words, he cried out at him, and made a sign to
Mesroor, who immediately discovered himself, and rushed in upon him.
Ja[a.]far, meanwhile, had sent one of the attendants of the garden to
the porter of the palace to demand a suit of clothing of him for the
Prince of the Faithful; and the man went, and brought the dress, and
kissed the ground before the Khaleefeh, who took off and gave to him
that with which he was then clad, and put on this suit. The sheykh
Ibraheem was sitting on a chair: the Khaleefeh paused to see the result:
and the sheykh was astounded, and began to bite the ends of his fingers
through his confusion, saying, Am I asleep or awake? The Khaleefeh then
looked at him, and said, O sheykh Ibraheem, what is this predicament in
which thou art placed? And upon this, the sheykh recovered from his
intoxication, and, throwing himself upon the ground, implored
forgiveness: and the Khaleefeh pardoned him; after which he gave orders
that the damsel should be conveyed to the palace where he resided; and
when she had arrived there, he appropriated to her a separate lodging,
and appointed persons to wait upon her, and said to her, Know that I
have sent thy master as Sul[t.]an of El-Ba[s.]rah, and, if God please, I
will despatch to him a dress of honour, and send thee also to him with
it.
As to Noor-ed-Deen, he continued his journey until he entered
El-Ba[s.]rah, and went up to the palace of the Sul[t.]an, when he
uttered a loud cry, whereupon the Sul[t.]an desired him to approach; and
when he came into the presence of the King, he kissed the ground before
him, and produced the letter, and handed it to him. And as soon as the
Sul[t.]an saw the superscription in the handwriting of the Prince of the
Faithful, he rose upon his feet, and, having kissed it three times,
said, I hear and pay obedience to God (whose name be exalted!) and to
the Prince of the Faithful. He then summoned before him the four
[K.]a[d.]ees,[VI_36] and the Emeers, and was about to divest
himself of the regal office: but, lo, the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of
Sawee was before him, and the Sul[t.]an gave him the letter of the
Prince of the Faithful, and when he saw it, he rent it in pieces, and
put it into his mouth, and chewed it, and threw it down. The Sul[t.]an,
enraged, cried, Wo to thee! What hath induced thee to act thus?--He
answered, This man hath had no interview with the Khaleefeh nor with his
Wezeer; but is a young wretch, an artful devil, who, having met with a
paper containing the handwriting of the Khaleefeh, hath counterfeited
it, and written what he desired: wherefore then shouldst thou abdicate
the sovereignty, when the Khaleefeh hath not sent to thee an envoy with
a royal autographical mandate; for if this affair were true, he had sent
with him a Chamberlain or a Wezeer; but he came alone.--What then is to
be done? said the Sul[t.]an. The Wezeer answered, Send away this young
man with me, and I will take charge of him, and despatch him in company
with a Chamberlain to the city of Baghdad; and if his words be true, he
will bring us a royal autographical mandate and diploma of investiture;
and if not true, they will send him back to us with the Chamberlain, and
I will take my revenge upon my offender.
When the Sul[t.]an heard what the Wezeer said, it pleased him; and the
Wezeer took him away,[VI_37] and cried out to the pages, who threw
down Noor-ed-Deen, and beat him until he became insensible. He then
ordered to put a chain upon his feet, and called to the jailer; and
when he came, he kissed the ground before him. This jailer was
named [K.]u[t.]ey[t.];[VI_38] and the Wezeer said to him, O
[K.]u[t.]ey[t.], I desire that thou take this person, and cast him into
one of the subterranean cells which are in thy prison, and torture him
night and day. The jailer replied, I hear and obey:--and he put
Noor-ed-Deen into the prison, and locked the door upon him; but after
having done this, he gave orders to sweep a ma[s.][t.]abah within the
door, and furnished it with a prayer-carpet and a pillow, and seated
Noor-ed-Deen upon it, and loosed his chain, and treated him with
kindness. The Wezeer every day sent to him, commanding him to beat him;
and the jailer pretended that he tortured him, while, on the contrary,
he treated him with benignity.
Thus he continued to do for forty days; and on the forty-first day,
there came a present from the Khaleefeh, and when the Sul[t.]an saw it,
it pleased him, and he conferred with the Wezeers upon the subject; but
one said, Perhaps this present was designed for the new Sul[t.]an. Upon
this, the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee remarked, It were proper to
have slain him on his arrival:--and the Sul[t.]an exclaimed, Now thou
hast reminded me of him, go down and bring him, and I will strike off
his head. The Wezeer replied, I hear and obey:--and arose, saying, I
desire to proclaim throughout the city, He who wisheth to witness the
decapitation of Noor-ed-Deen 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of
Kha[k.]an, let him come to the palace:--so that all the people may come
to behold it, and I may gratify my heart, and mortify my enviers. The
Sul[t.]an said, Do what thou wilt. So the Wezeer descended, full of joy
and happiness, and went to the Walee, and ordered him to make this
proclamation; and when the people heard the crier, they all grieved and
wept, even the boys in the schools, and the tradesmen in their shops;
and numbers of the people strove together to take for themselves places
where they might behold the spectacle, while others repaired to the
prison, to accompany him thence. The Wezeer then went forth, attended by
ten memlooks, to the prison: and [K.]u[t.]ey[t.] the jailer said to him,
What dost thou desire, O our lord the Wezeer?--Bring forth to me, said
the Wezeer, this young wretch. The jailer replied, He is in a most
miserable state from the excessive beating that I have inflicted upon
him. And he entered, and found him reciting some verses, commencing
thus:--
Who is there to aid me in my affliction? For my pain hath become
intense, and my remedy is scarce procurable!
And the jailer pulled off from him his clean clothes, and, having clad
him in two dirty garments, brought him out to the Wezeer. Noor-ed-Deen
then looked at him, and saw that he was his enemy who had incessantly
desired his destruction; and when he beheld him, he wept, and said to
him, Art thou secure from misfortune? Hast thou not heard the saying of
the poet?--
They made use of their power, and used it tyrannically; and soon
it became as though it never had existed.
O Wezeer, know that God (whose perfection be extolled, and whose name
be exalted!) is the doer of whatsover He willeth.--O 'Alee, replied the
Wezeer, wouldst thou frighten me by these words? I am now going to
strike off thy head, in spite of the people of El-Ba[s.]rah; and I will
pay no regard to thy counsel; but I will rather attend to the saying of
the poet:--
Let fortune do whatever it willeth, and bear with cheerful mind
the effects of fate.
How excellent also is the saying of another poet:--
He who liveth after his enemy a single day, hath attained
his desire.
The Wezeer then ordered his pages to convey him on the back of a mule;
whereupon they said to him (being distressed to obey), Suffer us to
stone him and cut him in pieces, though our lives should be sacrificed
in consequence. But he replied, Never do it. Have ye not heard what the
poet hath said:--
A decreed term is my inevitable lot; and as soon as its days
have expired, I die.
If the lions dragged me into their forest, they could not close it
while aught of it remained.
So they proceeded to proclaim before Noor-ed-Deen, This is the smallest
recompense of him who forgeth a letter from the Khaleefeh to the
Sul[t.]an. And they continued to parade him throughout El-Ba[s.]rah
until they stationed him beneath the window of the palace, and in the
place of blood,[VI_39] when the executioner approached him, and said to
him, I am a slave under command; and if thou hast any want, acquaint me
with it, that I may perform it for thee; for there remaineth not of thy
life any more than the period until the Sul[t.]an shall put forth his
face from the window. And upon this, Noor-ed-Deen looked to the right
and left, and recited these verses:--
Is there among you a merciful friend, who will aid me?
I conjure you by Allah to answer me!
My life hath passed, and my death is at hand! Is there any who
will pity me, to obtain my recompense,[VI_40]
And consider my state, and relieve my anguish, by a draught
of water that my torment may be lightened?
And the people were excited to tears for him; and the executioner took
some water to hand it to him; but the Wezeer arose from his place, and
struck the [k.]ulleh[VI_41] of water with his hand, and broke it,
and called to the executioner, commanding him to strike off his head;
whereupon he bound Noor-ed-Deen's eyes. The people, however, called out
against the Wezeer, and raised a tumultuous cry against him, and many
words passed between them; and while they were in this state, lo, a
dust rose, and filled the sky and the open tracts; and when the
Sul[t.]an beheld it, as he sat in the palace, he said to his attendants,
See what is the news. The Wezeer said, After thou shalt first have
beheaded this man. But the Sul[t.]an replied, Wait thou until we see
what is the news.
[Illustration]
Now this dust was the dust of Ja[a.]far, the Wezeer of the Khaleefeh,
and of his attendants; and the cause of their coming was this:--The
Khaleefeh had passed thirty days without remembering the affair of 'Alee
the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and no one mentioned it to
him, until he came one night to the private apartment of
Enees-el-Jelees, and heard her lamenting, as she recited, with a soft
voice, the saying of the poet:--
Thine image [is before me] whether distant or near, and my tongue
never ceaseth to mention thee.
Her lamentation increased, and lo, the Khaleefeh opened the door, and
entered the chamber, and saw Enees-el-Jelees weeping. On beholding the
Khaleefeh, she fell at his feet, and, having kissed them three times,
recited these two verses:--
O thou of pure origin, and of excellent birth; of ripe-fruitful branch,
and of unsullied race!
I remind thee of the promise thy beneficence granted, and far be it
from thee that thou shouldst forget it.
The Khaleefeh said to her, Who art thou? She answered, I am the present
given to thee by 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an; and I
request the fulfilment of the promise which thou gavest me, that thou
wouldst send me to him with the honorary gift; for I have now been here
thirty days, and have not tasted sleep. And upon this, the Khaleefeh
summoned Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee, and said to him, For thirty days I have
heard no news of 'Alee the son of El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an, and I
imagine nothing less than that the Sul[t.]an hath killed him: but, by my
head! by the tombs of my ancestors! if any evil event hath happened to
him, I will destroy him who hath been the cause of it, though he be the
dearest of men in my estimation! I desire, therefore, that thou journey
immediately to El-Ba[s.]rah, and bring me an account of the conduct of
the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee to 'Alee the son of
El-Fa[d.]l the son of Kha[k.]an.
So Ja[a.]far obeyed his commands, and set forth on his journey, and when
he approached, and saw this tumult and crowd, he said, What is the
occasion of this crowd? They related to him, therefore, the situation in
which they were with regard to Noor-ed-Deen; and when he heard their
words, he hastened to go up to the Sul[t.]an, and, having saluted him,
acquainted him with the cause of his coming, and told him, that if any
evil event had happened to 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen, the Khaleefeh would
destroy him who was the cause of it. He then arrested the Sul[t.]an, and
the Wezeer El-Mo'een the son of Sawee, and gave orders to liberate 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen, and enthroned him as Sul[t.]an in the place of the
Sul[t.]an Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman Ez-Zeynee; after which he
remained in El-Ba[s.]rah three days, the usual period of entertainment;
and on the morning of the fourth day, 'Alee Noor-ed-Deen said to
Ja[a.]far, I have a longing desire to see the Prince of the Faithful. So
Ja[a.]far said to the King Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman, Prepare
thyself for travelling; for we will perform the morning-prayers, and
depart to Baghdad. He replied, I hear and obey:--and they performed the
morning-prayers, and mounted all together, with the Wezeer El-Mo'een the
son of Sawee, who now repented of what he had done. As to 'Alee
Noor-ed-Deen, he rode by the side of Ja[a.]far: and they continued their
journey until they arrived at Baghdad, the Abode of Peace.
They then presented themselves before the Khaleefeh, and related to him
the case of Noor-ed-Deen; whereupon the Khaleefeh addressed him, saying,
Take this sword, and strike off with it the head of thine enemy. And he
took it, and approached El-Mo'een the son of Sawee; but he looked at
him, and said to him, I did according to my nature, and do thou
according to thine. And Noor-ed-Deen threw down the sword from his hand,
and, looking towards the Khaleefeh, said, O Prince of the Faithful, he
hath beguiled me. So the Khaleefeh said, Do thou leave him:--and he said
to Mesroor, O Mesroor, advance thou, and strike off his head. Mesroor,
therefore, did so: and upon this, the Khaleefeh said to 'Alee the son of
El-Fa[d.]l the son of Khakan, Request of me what thou wilt. He replied,
O my lord, I have no want of the sovereignty of El-Ba[s.]rah, and desire
nothing but to have the honour of serving thee.--Most willingly I
assent, said the Khaleefeh:--and he summoned the damsel, and when she
had come before him, he bestowed favours upon them both: he gave to them
one of the palaces of Baghdad, and assigned to them regular allowances,
and made Noor-ed-Deen one of his companions at the table; and he
remained with him until death overtook him.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER SIXTH.
NOTE 1. In the old version, the person here named Enees-el-Jelees is
called "The Fair Persian;" but I do not find her so described in any
copy of the original. The name here given to her may be rendered "the
Companion's Cheerer;" "Enees" being a term applied to any person or
thing serving as an agreeable, cheering companion; and "Jelees"
signifying "a companion," or "one in the habit of sitting with another."
NOTE 2. "Kha[t.][t.]eeyeh" is derived from "kha[t.][t.]," which
signifies "writing," but which is also the name of a place (Kha[t.][t.]
Hejer) in the province of El-Ba[h.]reyn, a famous mart for spears. Of
the figure of speech employed in the couplet in which this word occurs
(considered by the Arabs an elegant mode of aetiology, and called by them
"[h.]osn et-ta[a.]leel") my sheykh gives the following example in a
marginal note:--
"And the rain fell not but for the purpose of kissing the ground
before thee."
NOTE 3. "El-Mo'een" signifies "the Aider," or "the Assistant."
NOTE 4. "El-Fa[d.]l," signifying "the Excellence," is here, as a proper
name, an abbreviation of "Fa[d.]l-ed-Deen," "the Excellence of the
Religion."
NOTE 5. This phrase (a person of auspicious aspect[345]) is often used
by the modern Arabs and the Turks, and signifies "a virtuous or
beneficent man."
NOTE 6. This answer is not to be understood in its literal sense; it has
become a common form of speech which an Arab often uses for the purpose
of obtaining something more than he would venture to demand.
NOTE 7. "May it be favourable," or "---- beneficial," is a compliment
usually addressed to a person who has just been to the bath, and to a
man who has just had his head shaved. The reply is, "May God bestow
favours upon thee."
NOTE 8.--_On the Law respecting Murder and unintentional Homicide._ The
[K.]ur-an ordains that murder shall be punished with death; or, rather,
that the free shall die for the free, the slave for the slave, and a
woman for a woman; or that the perpetrator of the crime shall pay, to
the heirs of the person whom he has killed, if they will allow it, a
fine, which is to be divided according to the laws of inheritance.[346]
It also ordains, that unintentional homicide shall be expiated by
freeing a believer from slavery, and paying, to the family of the person
killed, a fine, unless they remit it.[347] But these laws are amplified
and explained by the same book and by the Imams.--A fine is not to be
accepted for murder unless the crime has been attended by some
palliating circumstance. This fine, the price of blood, is a hundred
camels; or a thousand deenars (about 500_l._) from him who possesses
gold; or, from him who possesses silver, twelve thousand dirhems[348]
(about 300_l._). This is for killing a free man; for a woman, half that
sum; for a slave, his or her value, but that must fall short of the
price of blood for the free. A person unable to free a believer must
fast two months as in Rama[d.]an. The accomplices of a murderer are
liable to the punishment of death. By the Sunneh also, a man is
obnoxious to capital punishment for the murder of a woman; and by the
[H.]anafee law, for the murder of another man's slave. But he is
exempted from this punishment who kills his own child or other
descendant, or his own slave, or his son's slave, or a slave of whom he
is part-owner: so also are his accomplices: and according to
Esh-Shafe'ee, a Muslim, though a slave, is not to be put to death for
killing an infidel, though the latter be free. A man who kills another
in self-defence, or to defend his property from a robber, is exempt from
all punishment. The price of blood is a debt incumbent on the family,
tribe, or association, of which the homicide is a member. It is also
incumbent on the inhabitants of an enclosed quarter, or the proprietor
or proprietors of a field, in which the body of a person killed by an
unknown hand is found; unless the person has been found killed in his
own house.
Hence it appears, that the punishment with which the Wezeer El-Fa[d.]l
threatened his son is not to be regarded as a grave criminal act;
especially when we consider the nature of the son's offence: for the
slave was the property of the king, and it was not allowable to any
other man even to see her without his permission. Many of the characters
depicted in the present work would seem incongruous in the extreme, if
judged according to European notions of justice and other moral
qualities.
NOTE 9. "The two professions of the faith," "There is no deity but God,"
and "Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle," are generally repeated by a dying
Muslim.
NOTE 10. This is said to imply (as my sheykh has remarked in a marginal
note) that El-Fa[d.]l was a charitable person who bestowed pensions upon
the professors of the [K.]ur-an and of science. There are many among the
modern Muslims who do so, and numbers also who found and endow public
schools.
NOTE 11.--_On the Washing, Shrouding, and Burial of the Dead._ The
ceremonies attendant upon death and burial are nearly the same in the
cases of men and women. The face or the head of the dying person is
turned towards the direction of Mekkeh. When the spirit is departing,
the eyes are closed; and then, or immediately after, the women of the
house commence a loud lamentation, in which many of the females of the
neighbourhood generally come to join. Hired female mourners are also
usually employed; each of whom accompanies her exclamations of "Alas for
him!" &c., by beating a tambourine. If possible, the corpse is buried on
the day of the death; but when this cannot be done, the lamentation of
the women is continued during the ensuing night; and a recitation of
several chapters, or of the whole, of the [K.]ur-an is performed by one
or more men hired for the purpose.
The washing consists, first, in the performance of the ordinary ablution
which is preparatory to prayer, with the exception of the cleansing of
the mouth and nose; and secondly, in an ablution of the whole body with
warm water and soap, or with water in which some leaves of the lote-tree
have been boiled. The jaw is bound up, the eyes are closed, and the
nostrils &c., are stuffed with cotton; and the corpse is sprinkled with
a mixture of water, pounded camphor, dried and pounded leaves of the
lote-tree, and sometimes other dried and pulverized leaves, &c., and
with rose-water. The ankles are bound together; and the hands placed
upon the breast.
The grave-clothing of a poor man consists of a piece or two of cotton,
or a kind of bag: but the corpse of a man of wealth is generally wrapped
first in muslin; then, in cotton cloth of a thicker texture; next, in a
piece of striped stuff of silk and cotton intermixed, or in a
[k.]af[t.]an (a long vest) of similar stuff, merely stitched together;
and over these is wrapped a Kashmeer shawl. The colours most approved
for the grave-clothes are white and green. The body thus shrouded is
placed in a bier, which is usually covered with a Kashmeer shawl, and
borne on the shoulders of three or four men, generally friends of the
deceased.
There are some slight differences in the funeral-ceremonies observed in
different Arab countries; but a sufficient notion of them will be
conveyed by briefly describing those which prevail in Cairo. The
procession to the tomb is generally headed by a number of poor men,
mostly blind, who, walking two and two, or three and three, together,
chant, in a melancholy tone, the profession (or two professions) of the
faith, mentioned above (in Note 9), or sometimes other words. They are
usually followed by some male relations and friends of the deceased; and
these, by a group of schoolboys, chanting in a higher tone, and one of
them bearing a copy of the [K.]ur-an, or of one of its thirty sections,
placed upon a kind of desk formed of palm-sticks, and covered with an
embroidered kerchief. Then follows the bier, borne head-foremost.
Friends of the deceased relieve one another in the office of carrying
it; and casual passengers often take part in this service, which is
esteemed highly meritorious. Behind the bier walk the female mourners,
composing a numerous group, often more than a dozen; or, if of a wealthy
family, they ride. Each of those who belong to the family of the
deceased has a strip of cotton stuff or muslin, generally blue, bound
round her head, over the head-veil, and carries a handkerchief, usually
dyed blue (the colour of mourning), which she sometimes holds over her
shoulders, and at other times twirls with both hands over her head or
before her face, while she cries and shrieks almost incessantly; and the
hired female mourners, accompanying the group, often celebrate the
praises of the deceased in the manner described in the preceding tale,
though this was forbidden by the Prophet.--The funeral-procession of a
man of wealth is sometimes preceded by several camels, bearing bread and
water to give to the poor at the tomb; and closed by the led horses of
some of the attendants, and by a buffalo or other animal to be
sacrificed at the tomb, where its flesh is distributed to the poor, to
atone for some of the minor sins of the deceased.[349]
The bier used for conveying the corpse of a boy or a female has a cover
of wood, over which a shawl is spread; and at the head is an upright
piece of wood: upon the upper part of this, in the case of a boy, is
fixed a turban, with several ornaments of female head-dress; and in the
case of a female, it is similarly decked, but without the turban.
A short prayer is recited over the dead, either in a mosque or in a
place particularly dedicated to this service in, or adjacent to, the
burial-ground. The body is then conveyed, in the same manner as before,
to the tomb. This is a hollow, oblong vault, one side of which faces the
direction of Mekkeh, generally large enough to contain four or more
bodies, and having an oblong monument of stone or brick constructed over
it, with a stela at the head and foot. Upon the former of these two
stelae (which is often inscribed with a text from the [K.]ur-an, and the
name of the deceased, with the date of his death), a turban, cap, or
other head-dress, is sometimes carved, shewing the rank or class of the
person or persons buried beneath; and in many cases, a cupola supported
by four walls, or by columns, &c., is constructed over the smaller
monument. The body is laid on its right side, or inclined by means of a
few crude bricks, so that the face is turned towards Mekkeh; and a
person is generally employed to dictate to the deceased the answers
which he should give when he is examined by the two angels Munkar and
Nekeer, whom I have mentioned in No. 21 of the Notes to the
Introduction. If the funeral be that of a person of rank or wealth, the
bread and water &c. before mentioned are then distributed to the
poor.[350]
The principal ceremonies observed _after_ the funeral have been
described in Note 15 to Chapter iv.
NOTE 12. "The lord (or chief) of the first and the last among mankind"
is one of the many appellations of honour given by the Muslims to their
Prophet.
NOTE 13. My sheykh remarks, that this is said merely to excite men to
generosity; for literally it is not true, as is shown by the memorable
example of Ka[a.]b the son of Mameh, who preferred giving the water with
which he was provided to another, and in consequence himself died of
thirst.
NOTE 14. We are not to understand that such a slave as Enees-el-Jelees
was exposed to the public gaze in a market to which all persons
indiscriminately were admitted (for this would be at variance with
Eastern usages); but in a special mart to which none were allowed access
but persons of wealth who expressed a desire to purchase.
NOTE 15.--_On Kissing the Ground, as a Mode of Obeisance._ This and
several other passages in the present work shew that we are often to
understand the expression "kissing the ground before a person" as
signifying "touching the ground, and then the lips and forehead, or
turban, with the right hand;" and I believe this expression should
_generally_ be so understood. When I wrote the fourteenth note to the
Introduction, I inclined to a contrary opinion, chiefly from
recollecting to have read the following translation of a passage of
El-Ma[k.]reezee, by the learned De Sacy:--"Ce khalife [El-[H.]akim]
ordonna qu'a l'avenir on ne baiseroit plus la terre devant lui; que
personne, en le saluant dans les marches publiques, ne baiseroit sa main
ou son etrier, parce que cette coutume de se _prosterner_ devant une
creature etoit une invention des Grecs."[351] But on referring to the
original, I find that the words which he renders "cette coutume de se
prosterner" signify literally "the bending towards the ground." I
suppose, therefore, that his deviating from the literal sense in one
case was owing to his adhering to it in another; and not meeting with
the proof which I had fancied to exist of his being right, I venture to
differ from him in this instance, without fear of being suspected of
arrogance, as the kind of obeisance above described is _often_ called
"kissing the ground" both by the Arabs and the Persians. I should add
that, except in the house, I do not remember to have ever seen the
ground actually touched, but nearly so, in making this obeisance, which
is still called "kissing the ground" when thus imperfectly performed.
NOTE 16. By this is meant, a place where mud was kneaded to be employed
in building. The mortar generally used in the construction of Arab
houses is composed of mud in the proportion of one-half, with a fourth
part of lime, and the remaining part of the ashes of straw and rubbish.
NOTE 17. See the note immediately preceding.
NOTE 18. In Arabic, "bursh." This kind of mat, composed of palm-leaves
(and sometimes, I believe, of the coarse grass mentioned in the next
note), is used by the poor to sit upon.
NOTE 19. This kind of grass, called in Arabic "[h.]alfeh," and more
properly "[h.]alfa" (by botanists, poa multiflora, and poa
cynosyroides), and the "'a[k.]ool" (or hedysarum alhagi), overspread
spontaneously most of the alluvial tracts in Egypt which are above the
reach of the inundation, and in consequence left uncultivated. The
former is used in the manufacture of coarse mats, and the latter serves
as pasture for camels. The Wezeer, by taking the round mat and the two
bundles of [h.]alfa, seems to indicate that he is degraded to a
condition as low as that of a maker of coarse mats. [The practice
mentioned in the passage to which this note refers is aptly illustrated
in El-Ma[k.]reezee's Khi[t.]a[t.]. In his description of the palaces of
the Fa[t.]imee Khaleefehs, he says, "There was in the Great Palace a
place known by the name of the Sa[k.]eefeh, where complainants of
injustice used to station themselves; and it was a custom of the
Khaleefeh to sit there every night, for those of the complainants of
injustice who might come to him. When any one, therefore, was wronged,
he would stand under the Sa[k.]eefeh, and say, in a loud voice, 'There
is no deity but God, Mo[h.]ammad is the Apostle of God, 'Alee is the
Friend (Welee) of God;' and the Khaleefeh would hear him, and command
him to be brought to him, or he would intrust his case to the Wezeer,"
&c.--ED.]
NOTE 20. The boats used by the Arabs in the navigation of rivers are
generally moored by means of a rope attached to a stake which is driven
into the bank.
NOTE 21. By "children of the road" are meant "travellers."
NOTE 22. See Note 55 to Chapter iii.
NOTE 23. The word which I render elevated (mo'alla[k.]ah) is applied to
a structure raised upon columns or pillars, &c.
NOTE 24. The "gha[d.]a" is a tree of a very inflammable nature, which,
in burning, gives out a fierce heat. It grows chiefly in sandy tracts,
and is described as resembling the "athl" (or tamarisk), but as being
smaller than this tree.
NOTE 25.--_On Shaving the Head._ I do not know when the custom of
shaving the head became general among the Arabs of the towns; but from a
remark of Es-Suyoo[t.]ee, I think it was not so common about the
commencement of the tenth century of the Flight (that is, about the
period which this work best illustrates) as it is at present, when it is
almost universal among all classes; for in his time, its legality was
doubted. He writes thus:--"The Iman El-Ghazalee hath said, 'There is no
harm in it in the case of him whose object is cleanliness:' and the
apparent sense of his words is, that it is improper in him who desireth
to beautify himself for any worldly purpose, as is done by people of bad
disposition."[352] It is added in a marginal note in the copy from which
I translate this, "Persons differ respecting the shaving of the head.
The opinion generally prevailing is, that it is improper to him who
wears not a turban, and allowable to him who does wear one, since he has
a substitute:"--"that it is also lawful, unquestionably, in the case of
any disease of the head:"--and "that the hanging of the rosary to the
neck, and the shaving of the head without a legal necessity, are
innovations,"--Haroon Er-Rasheed generally wore the hair of his head
sufficiently long to reach below his ears; but shaved it when he
performed the pilgrimage;[353] and many other Muslims in early times did
the same. Those who shave the head generally leave a small tuft upon the
crown; but most persons of the literary and religious professions, and
many others, disapprove of this tuft.
NOTE 26. By the term "sheykhs" we are here to understand "persons of
sanctity and of learning." See Note 9 to Chapter i.
NOTE 27. By "the shining moon" is meant "the beautiful cup-bearer, whose
face is like the shining moon."
NOTE 28. The Muslims believe that a blessing is derived from witnessing
and hearing the devout exercises, recitations, &c., of holy men.
NOTE 29. The "jubbeh" worn in Eastern countries, is a long outer vest,
with sleeves which reach nearly to the wrist. It is now generally made
of cloth, and is worn by most tradesmen and other persons of the middle
and higher classes. It differs somewhat in form in different countries.
NOTE 30. The "melwa[t.]ah" is a garment of which I was unable to obtain
a description until I inquired of my friend Mr. Salame, who informed me
that it was the name of a large outer garment which used to be worn over
the farajeeyeh. But I afterwards found it stated in one of the marginal
notes to a later tale, that the term above mentioned is now pronounced
"melloo[t.]ah," and is applied in the present day to an article of dress
of cloth or other costly material; particularly to a jubbeh; but that
it is also employed, in allusion to a jubbeh, &c., in a contemptuous
sense, or, as I infer, ironically.
NOTE 31. See Note 41 to Chapter iv.
NOTE 32. The "litham" is a piece of drapery with which a Bedawee often
covers the lower part of his face. It frequently prevents his being
recognised by another Arab who might make him a victim of blood-revenge;
and is a means of disguise seldom employed but by Arabs of the desert.
NOTE 33. The meaning is, that the act would speak for itself, and be
long remembered; that the grave of the fisherman would be pointed out as
that of one to whom the Khaleefeh had shewn signal favours.
NOTE 34. It is a common custom of Arabs of the lower orders to put the
money which they receive, especially when it is the first of the day's
gains, to the lips and forehead before depositing it in the pocket; and
the same is sometimes done by persons of the middle class.
NOTE 35. Literally, "twenty nu[s.]fs." See Note 17 to Chapter iii.
NOTE 36. These are the [K.]a[d.]ees of the four great sects, or
persuasions, of the Sunnee Muslims. See Note 1 to the Introduction.
NOTE 37. The words "and the Wezeer took him away" are omitted in the
Cairo edition.
NOTE 38. "[K.]u[t.]ey[t.]" is the diminutive of "[k.]i[t.][t.]," _vulgo_
"[k.]u[t.][t.]," a "cat," and properly a "he-cat."
NOTE 39. The words which I translate "the place of blood" literally
signify "the place of the stagnation of blood;" and are applied to the
usual place of decapitation, because the blood is left there to soak
into the ground.
NOTE 40. The recompense here alluded to is one to be received at the
final retribution; not in the present life.
NOTE 41. This kind of "[k.]ulleh" is a small, porous, earthen bottle,
with a wide mouth. Some specimens of it are figured beneath.
[Illustration]
[344] See De Sacy, Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. ii. pp. 99 and
120, 2nd ed.
[345] In Arabic, "ma[h.][d.]aru kheyrin" (vulg., "ma[h.][d.]ar
kheyr"); in Turkish, "neek ma[h.][z.]ar."
[346] Ch. ii. v. 173.
[347] Ch. iv. v. 34.
[348] Or, according to some, ten thousand dirhems.
[349] More than one is unusual; but, at the funeral of
Mo[h.]ammad 'Alee Basha, which I witnessed in Cairo, about
eighty buffaloes were thus driven in the procession: in the
narrow streets of the city, however, many of them disappeared,
one after another, so that few reached the tomb.--ED.
[350] If the reader desire more detailed information on the
subject of this note, I refer him to my work on the Modern
Egyptians, vol. ii. ch. xv.
[351] Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. p. 106; 2nd ed.
[352] Nuzhet el-Mutaaemmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaaeh-hil, sect. 7.
[353] Elmacini Historia Saracenica, page 120.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER VII.
COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE THIRTY-SIXTH NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF
THE FORTY-FOURTH.
THE STORY OF GHANIM THE SON OF EIYOOB, THE DISTRACTED SLAVE OF LOVE.
It hath been told me, O happy King, said Shahrazad, that there was, in
ancient times, a certain merchant of Damascus,[VII_1] possessed of
wealth, who had a son like the moon at the full, of eloquent tongue,
called Ghanim the son of Eiyoob,[VII_2] the Distracted Slave of
Love; and this son had a sister, named Fitneh,[VII_3] on account of
her excessive beauty and loveliness. Their father died, leaving them
large property, among which were a hundred loads[VII_4] of silk and
brocade, and bags[VII_5] of musk, and upon these loads was written,
This is intended for Baghdad:--it having been his desire to journey to
that city.
So, when God (whose name be exalted!) had taken his soul, and some time
had elapsed, his son took these loads, and journeyed with them to
Baghdad.--This was in the time of Haroon Er-Rasheed.--He took leave of
his mother and relations and townspeople before his departure, and went
forth, placing his dependence upon God (whose name be exalted!), and God
decreed him safety, so that he arrived at Baghdad, whither there
travelled in his company a party of merchants. He hired for himself a
handsome house, and furnished it with carpets and cushions, and
suspended curtains in it; and there he deposited those loads, together
with the mules and camels, and remained until he had rested himself; and
the merchants of Baghdad, and its great men, came and saluted him. He
then took a wrapper containing ten pieces of costly stuff, with the
prices written upon them, and went forth with them to the market of the
merchants, who met him and saluted him, treated him with honour and
welcomed him, and seated him at the shop of the Sheykh of the market;
and he sold the pieces, gaining, for every piece of gold, two. So Ghanim
rejoiced; and he proceeded to sell the stuffs by little and little, and
continued to do so for a whole year.
After this, on the first day of the following year, he came to the same
market, but found its gate shut, and, inquiring the cause of this, he
was answered, One of the merchants hath died, and all the rest of them
have gone to walk in his funeral-procession. Wilt thou then, added his
informant, gain a recompense[VII_6] by walking with them?--He
replied, Yes;--and he asked respecting the place of the funeral. So they
guided him thither; and he performed the ablution,[VII_7] and
walked with the other merchants until they arrived at the place of
prayer, where they prayed over the dead. The merchants then walked all
together before the corpse to the burial-ground, Ghanim following them,
until the procession arrived at the burial-ground outside the city, and
they proceeded among the tombs until they came to that in which the
corpse was to be deposited. They found that the family of the deceased
had pitched a tent over the tomb, and placed there the candles and
lamps; and they buried the dead, and the readers sat reciting the
[K.]ur-an at the tomb. The merchants sat with them; and so also did
Ghanim the son of Eiyoob; but he was overcome by bashfulness, saying
within himself, I cannot quit them until I have departed with them. They
sat listening to the recitation of the [K.]ur-an until the period of
nightfall, when the servants placed before them the supper and
sweetmeats, and they ate till they were satisfied, and washed their
hands, and resumed their seats.
The heart of Ghanim was now troubled with reflections upon his
merchandize, and he was fearful of the thieves, and said within himself,
I am a stranger, and suspected of possessing wealth, and if I pass the
night far away from my abode, the thieves will steal the money and the
loads. So, fearing for his property, he arose and went forth from among
the company, asking their leave to depart on account of some business
that he had to transact, and followed the beaten track until he came to
the gate of the city: but it was then midnight, and he found the gate of
the city shut, and saw no one coming or going, and heard not a sound
save the barking of the dogs, and the howling of the wolves; whereupon
he exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in God! I was in fear
for my property, and came hither on account of it, and have found the
gate shut, and now I have become in fear for my life!--He then returned
to seek for himself a place in which to sleep until the morning: and,
finding a private burial-place enclosed by four walls, with a palm-tree
within it, and a gate-way of hard stone, open, he entered it, and
desired to sleep; but sleep came not to him.
Tremor and gloom overcame him, thus lying among the tombs, and he rose
upon his feet, and, opening the door, looked out, and beheld a light
gleaming in the distance in the direction of the city-gate. He advanced a
few steps, and saw the light approaching in the way which led to the
burial-place in which he was taking refuge; whereupon Ghanim feared for
himself, and hastily closed the door, and climbed up into the palm-tree,
and concealed himself in the midst of its branches. The light continued
to approach the tomb by little and little until it came very near; and
as he looked attentively at it, he perceived three black slaves, two of
whom were bearing a chest, the other having in his hand an adze and a
lantern; and as they drew near, one of the two slaves who were bearing
the chest said, What aileth thee, O [S.]awab?[VII_8]--to which the
other of the two replied, What aileth thee, O Kafoor?[VII_9] The
former rejoined, Were we not here at the hour of nightfall, and did we
not leave the door open?--Yes, answered the other: what thou sayest is
true.--See then, resumed the first speaker, it is shut and barred.--Upon
this, the third, who was carrying the adze and light, and whose name was
Bakheet,[VII_10] said, How small is your sense! Know ye not that
the owners of the gardens go forth from Baghdad and repair hither, and,
evening overtaking them, enter this place, and shut the door upon
themselves, through fear, lest the blacks, like ourselves, should take
them and roast them and eat them?[VII_11]--Thou hast spoken truth,
they answered; but there is none among us of less sense than
thyself.--Verily, he replied, ye will not believe me until we enter the
burial-place and find some one in it: and I imagine that, if any one be
in it, and have seen the light, he hath betaken himself to the top of
the palm-tree.
[Illustration]
When Ghanim heard these words of the slave, he said within himself, How
cunning is this slave! May Allah disgrace the blacks for their malice
and villainy! There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the
Great! What will deliver me from this difficulty?--The two who were
bearing the chest then said to him who had the adze, Climb over the
wall, and open to us the door, O Bakheet; for we are fatigued with
carrying the chest upon our necks: and if thou open to us the door, we
will give thee one of the persons whom we take, and we will fry him for
thee excellently, so that not a drop of his fat shall be lost. But he
replied, I am afraid of a thing that my little sense hath suggested to
me: let us throw over the chest behind the door; for it is our deposite.
They said to him, If we throw it, it will break.--I am afraid, he
rejoined, that there may be, within the tomb, robbers who slay men and
steal their property; for when evening overtaketh them they enter these
places to divide what they have taken.--O thou of little sense,
exclaimed the two others; can they enter here?--They then put down the
chest, and climbed up the wall, and descended, and opened the door,
while the third slave, Bakheet, stood waiting for them with the light,
and a basket containing some plaster: after which they seated
themselves, having closed the door; and one of them said, O my brother,
we are tired with walking and taking up and putting down, and opening
the door and shutting it, and it is now midnight, and we have not
strength remaining to open the tomb and to bury the chest; wherefore we
will sit here three hours to rest ourselves, and then rise and
accomplish our business: but each of us shall in the mean time tell his
story, and relate all that hath happened to him from beginning to end.
So the first, who carried the light, told his story; but it was of a
nature unfit to be here repeated;[VII_12] after which, another of
the slaves thus began.
THE STORY OF THE SLAVE KAFOOR.[VII_13]
Know, O my brothers, that I was, at the commencement of my career, a boy
of eight years, and I used to tell one lie to the slave-merchants every
year, so that they fell out with each other in consequence, and the
slave-merchant my master, becoming impatient of me, committed me to the
broker, desiring him to cry, Who will buy this slave with his fault? He
was therefore asked, What is his fault?--and answered, He telleth one
lie every year. And a merchant approached the broker, and said to him,
How much have they bidden for this slave with his fault? He answered,
They have bidden six hundred pieces of silver.--Then thou shalt have
twenty for thyself, replied the merchant. So the broker introduced him
to the slave-merchant, who received from him the money, and the broker
conveyed me to the dwelling of the merchant, and took his brokerage.
The merchant clad me in a dress suitable to my condition, and I
continued with him for the remainder of the year, until the new year
commenced with prosperity. It was a blessed year, plenteous in the
produce of the earth, and the merchants began to give entertainments,
every day one taking his turn to do so, until it was my master's turn to
give an entertainment in a garden within the city. So he went, and the
other merchants also, and he took for them what they required of food
and other provisions, and they sat eating and drinking and carousing
till noon, when my master wanted something from the house, and said, O
slave, mount the mule, and go to the house, and bring, from thy
mistress, such a thing, and return quickly.
I obeyed, therefore, and went to the house; but when I approached it, I
shrieked out, and shed tears; whereupon the people of the quarter
assembled together, old and young; and my master's wife and daughters,
hearing my cry, opened the door, and asked me what was the matter. I
answered them, My master was sitting beneath an old wall, he and his
friends, and it fell upon them; and when I beheld what happened to them,
I mounted the mule, and came in haste to inform you. And when his
children and wife heard these words, they shrieked, and tore their
clothes, and slapped their faces, and the neighbours came to them. Then
my master's wife overturned the furniture of the house, one thing upon
another, and pulled down its shelves, and broke its shutters and its
windows, and smeared its walls with mud and indigo, and said to me, Wo
to thee, O Kafoor! Come hither and help me, and demolish these
cupboards, and smash these vessels and this China-ware.--So I went to
her, and destroyed with her the shelves of the house and all that was
upon them, and its cupboards and what they contained, and went about
over the terraces and through every place until I had laid waste the
whole, crying all the while, Oh my master! My mistress then went forth,
with her face uncovered, and only with her head-veil, and the girls and
boys went with her, saying to me, O Kafoor, walk on before us, and shew
us the place where thy master lieth dead beneath the wall, that we may
take him forth from under the ruins, and carry him in a bier, and bring
him to the house, and convey his corpse in a handsome manner to the
burial. So I walked before them, crying, Oh my master!--and they
followed me with their faces and heads uncovered,[VII_14] crying,
Oh our misfortune! Oh our calamity!--and there was none among the men,
nor among the women, nor among the children, nor a maiden, nor an old
woman, [in the quarter,] who did not accompany us; and all of them
slapped themselves in the excess of their lamentation. Thus I went with
them through the city; and the people asking the news, they informed
them of that which they had heard from me; and the people exclaimed,
There is no strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great! We will
go to the Walee, and acquaint him.--And when they arrived before the
Walee, they informed him; and he mounted, and took with him labourers
with axes and baskets, and they followed my footsteps, accompanied by a
crowd of people.
I preceded them, weeping and crying out, and throwing dust upon my head,
and slapping my face; and when I came to the party in the garden, and my
master beheld me, I slapped my face, and exclaimed, Oh my mistress! who
will have pity upon me after my mistress? Would that I had been her
sacrifice!--When my master, therefore, saw me, he was confounded, his
countenance became pale, and he said, What aileth thee, O Kafoor, and
what is this predicament, and what is the news? I answered him, When
thou sentest me to the house to bring thee what thou wantedst, I went
thither and entered the house, and found that the wall of the saloon had
fallen, and that the whole saloon had tumbled down upon my mistress and
her children.--And did not thy mistress, said he, escape? I answered,
No: not one of them escaped; and the first of them that died was my
mistress the elder.--But did my youngest daughter escape? he asked. I
answered, No.--And what, said he, hath become of the mule that I ride:
is she safe?--No, O my master, I answered: for the walls of the house
and the walls of the stable tumbled down upon all that was in the house;
even upon the sheep and the geese and the hens, and all of them became a
mass of flesh beneath the ruins; not one of them escaped. He then said
to me, And thy master the elder? I answered, No: not one escaped; and
now there remains neither house nor inhabitant, nor any trace of them;
and as to the sheep and the geese and the hens, the cats and dogs have
now eaten them.--And when my master heard my words, the light became
darkness before his face, and he was no longer master of his senses nor
of his reason, and was unable to stand upon his feet: he was paralyzed,
and the strength of his back failed him, and he rent his clothes and
plucked his beard and slapped his face and threw his turban from his
head, and ceased not to slap his face until the blood flowed from it:
and he began to cry, Ah! Oh my children! Ah! Oh my wife! Ah! Oh my
misfortune! Unto whom hath happened the like of that which hath happened
to me?--The merchants, also, his companions, joined with him in cries
and lamentations, and were moved with pity for his case, and rent their
clothes; and my master went forth from the garden, beating himself for
the calamity that had [as he supposed] befallen him, and redoubled the
blows upon his face, seeming as though he were drunk.
And as the party thus went out from the gate of the garden, they beheld
a great dust, and heard tumultuous cries, and, looking in that
direction, saw the crowd approaching them. This crowd was the Walee and
his attendants, and a concourse of people who had come to gratify their
curiosity, with the merchant's family behind them, shrieking and crying
with violent lamentation and excessive grief; and the first who accosted
my master were his wife and children. On beholding these, he was
confounded, and laughed, and said to them, How are ye; and what hath
happened to you in the house, and what hath befallen you? And when they
saw him, they exclaimed, Praise be to God for thy safety! And they threw
themselves upon him, and his children clung to him, crying out, Oh our
father! Praise be to God for thy safety, O our father!--and his wife
said to him, Praise be to God who hath shewn us thy face in safety!--and
she was stupified, and her reason fled from her at that which she
beheld. She then said to him, How didst thou escape with thy
friends?--And how, said he, were ye in the house?--We were all well,
they answered, in prosperity and health, and no evil hath befallen our
house, save that thy slave Kafoor came to us with his head uncovered and
his clothes rent, crying out, Oh my master! Oh my master!--and we said
to him, What is the matter, O Kafoor?--and he answered, My master was
sitting under a wall in the garden, and it fell upon him, and he
died.--By Allah, replied my master, he came to me just now, crying, Oh
my mistress! Oh the children of my mistress!--and said, My mistress and
her children are all dead!
[Illustration]
He then looked aside, and, seeing me with my turban falling from my
head, while I still cried out and wept violently and threw dust upon my
head, he called out to me: so I approached him, and he said to me, Wo to
thee! O malevolent slave! O misbegotten wretch! O thou of accursed race!
What events hast thou brought about! But, by Allah, I will strip off
thy skin from thy flesh, and cut thy flesh from thy bones!--By Allah,
replied I, thou canst not do to me anything; for thou boughtest me with
my fault, on this condition, the witnesses testifying that thou
boughtest me with my fault, thou knowing it, and it was, that I was
accustomed to tell one lie every year; and this is but half a lie, and
when the year is complete I will tell the other half of it; so it will
be an entire lie. But upon this, he cried out at me, O most accursed of
slaves! is this but half a lie? Nay, it is an exceeding calamity! Depart
from me; for thou art free![VII_15]--By Allah, I replied, if thou
liberate me, I will not liberate thee until the year be complete, and
I tell the remaining half of the lie; and when I have completed it,
then take me to the market, and sell me as thou boughtest me with my
fault, and liberate me not; for I have no trade by means of which
to procure my subsistence: this is a legal proposition that I
have stated to thee, laid down by the lawyers in the Chapter of
Emancipation.[VII_16]--While we were thus talking, the crowd
approached, with the people of the quarter, women and men, come to
mourn, and the Walee with his attendants: and my master and the other
merchants went to the Walee, and acquainted him with the case, and that
this was but half a lie; and when the people who were present heard
this, they were astonished at this lie, and struck with the utmost
wonder; and they cursed and reviled me; while I stood laughing, and
saying, How can my master kill me when he bought me with this fault?
So when my master went to the house, he found it in a state of ruin (and
it was I who destroyed the greater part, and broke in it things worth a
large sum of money); and his wife said to him, It was Kafoor who broke
the vessels and the China-ware. Upon this, his rage increased, and he
exclaimed, By Allah! in my life I have never seen such a misbegotten
wretch as this slave; yet he calleth it half a lie! What then would have
been the result had it been a whole lie! In that case he had destroyed a
city, or two cities!--Then, in the excess of his rage, he went to the
Walee, who inflicted upon me a severe beating, so that I became
insensible, and swooned away; after which, my master contrived means of
obtaining for me a high price, and I ceased not to excite disturbances
in the places into which I was sold, and was transferred from Emeer to
Emeer and from Grandee to Grandee, by sale and purchase, until I entered
the palace of the Prince of the Faithful, and now my spirit is broken,
and my strength hath failed.
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF GHANIM THE SON OF EIYOOB, THE DISTRACTED
SLAVE OF LOVE.
When the other slaves had heard his story, they laughed at it, and said
to him, Verily thou art a villain, the son of a villain: thou hast told
an abominable lie. The first and second then said to the third slave,
Relate to us thy story.--O sons of my uncle, he replied, all that hath
just been related is nonsense: but my story is long, and this is not a
time to tell it; for the morning, O sons of my uncle, is near, and
perhaps it may overtake us with this chest still before us, and we shall
be disgraced among the public, and our lives will be lost; haste then to
work, and when we have finished, and returned home, I will relate to you
my story. So they put down the light, and dug a trench of the size of
the chest between four tombs; Kafoor digging, and [S.]awab removing the
earth in baskets, until they had dug to the depth of half a fathom, when
they put the chest into the trench, and replaced the earth over it, and
went forth from the enclosure, and, having closed the gate, disappeared
from before the eyes of Ghanim the son of Eiyoob.
When, therefore, they had left the place vacant unto Ghanim, and he knew
that he was alone, his mind became busied respecting the contents of the
chest, and he said within himself, What can this chest contain? He
waited until daybreak gleamed and shone forth, and then descended from
the palm-tree, and removed the earth with his hand until he had
uncovered the chest and disengaged it, when he took a stone, and struck
with it the lock, and broke it; and lifting up the cover, he looked in,
and beheld a sleeping damsel, stupified with benj,[VII_17] but
still breathing: she was of beautiful and lovely person, and decked with
ornaments of gold, and necklaces of jewels, worth a kingdom, and of a
value that no money would equal. When Ghanim the son of Eiyoob beheld
her, he knew that she had been the object of a plot, and, being
convinced of this, he pulled her up until he had lifted her out of the
chest, and laid her upon her back; and as soon as she scented the
breeze, and the air entered her nostrils and her mouth and throat, she
sneezed, and then was choked, and coughed, whereupon there fell from her
throat a round piece of benj, of such potency that if an elephant smelt
it he would sleep from one night to another. She then opened her eyes,
and, looking round, said, with an eloquent voice, Wo to thee, O wind!
Thou neither satisfiest the thirsty, nor cheerest by thy presence the
satisfied with drink! Where is Zahr-el-Bustan?--But no one answered her.
Then looking aside, she exclaimed, [S.]abee[h.]ah! Shejeret-ed-Durr!
Noor-el-Huda! Nejmet-e[s.]-[S.]ub[h.]! Art thou awake?[VII_18]
Nuzheh! [H.]ulweh! [Z.]areefeh! Speak ye!--But no one answered her. And
she looked round about her, and exclaimed, Alas for me, that I am
transported to the tombs! O Thou who knowest the secrets of the breasts,
and recompensest on the day of resurrection! who hath brought me from
among the curtains and the veils, and placed me amid four tombs?
[Illustration]
While she was saying all this, Ghanim stood still; but he now said to
her, O my mistress, there are neither veils nor palaces nor tombs for
thee here: this is none other than thy slave Ghanim the son of Eiyoob,
whom the King who is omniscient with respect to hidden things hath
impelled hither that he may deliver thee from these troubles, and that
the utmost of thy desires may be accomplished unto thee.--And he was
silent; and when she became convinced of the truth of the case, she
exclaimed, I testify that there is no deity but God, and I testify that
Mo[h.]ammad is God's Apostle! Then looking towards Ghanim, with her
hands placed upon her breast, she said to him, with a sweet voice, O
auspicious youth, who brought me unto this place? For now I have
recovered my senses.--O my mistress, he answered, three eunuchs came
bearing this chest:--and he related to her all that had happened, and
how the evening had overtaken him, so that he became the means of her
preservation, and that otherwise she had died of suffocation; and he
inquired of her respecting her history.--O youth, she replied, praise be
to God who hath cast me into the hands of one like thee! Rise therefore
now, and put me into the chest, and go forth to the road, and as soon as
thou shalt find any one who lets out asses or other beasts, or a
muleteer, hire him to transport this chest, and convey me to thy house;
and when I am in thy abode it will be well, and I will relate to thee my
story, and acquaint thee with my tale, and good fortune will accrue to
thee through my means.--So Ghanim rejoiced, and he went forth into the
desert tract.
The day had begun to gleam, the sun rose in splendour, and the people
come walking forth; and Ghanim hired a man with a mule, and brought him
to the burial-place. He then lifted the chest, after he had put the
damsel into it, and, with his heart smitten by love for her, proceeded
with her, full of joy, for she was a damsel worth ten thousand pieces of
gold, and was decked with ornaments and apparel of enormous value.
Scarcely had he found himself at his house when he put down the chest,
and opened it, and took forth from it the damsel, who looked, and saw
that the place was a handsome dwelling furnished with variegated
carpets, and she observed the gay colours and various embellishments,
and beheld stuffs packed up, and loads of goods, and other property: so
she knew that he was a great merchant, and a man of wealth. She then
uncovered her face, and looked at him, and observed him to be a handsome
young man, and loved him; and she said to him, Bring us something to
eat. He answered her, On the head and the eye be thy commands:--and went
to the market, and bought a roasted lamb, and a dish of sweetmeat, and
procured some dried fruits, and candles and wine, and the requisite
apparatus for perfumes. Then returning to the house, he took in the
things, and when the damsel saw him, she laughed, and kissed him, and
embraced him, and began to caress him, so that the love which he felt
increased, and took entire possession of his heart. They then ate and
drank until the approach of night, and their love was mutual: for they
were both of the same age, and both equal in comeliness; and when the
night approached, the Distracted Slave of Love, Ghanim the son of
Eiyoob, rose and lighted the candles and lamps, and the chamber
glistened: he then brought forth the wine-service, and prepared the
table, and sat down with her; he filling and handing to her, and she
filling and handing to him, while they both toyed and laughed and
recited verses: their gaiety increased, and they were engrossed by
mutual love.--Extolled be the perfection of the Uniter of Hearts!--Thus
they continued until it was near morning, when sleep overcame them, and
each of them slept apart from the other till morning came.
Ghanim the son of Eiyoob then arose, and went forth to the market, and
bought what was requisite of vegetables and meat and wine and other
provisions, and brought them to the house; and he again sat with her to
eat, and they ate until they were satisfied; after which he brought the
wine, and they drank and toyed together till their cheeks reddened and
their eyes became more intensely black;[VII_19] and Ghanim said, O
my mistress, have compassion on the captive of thy love, and him whom
thine eyes have slain. I had remained sound of heart but for thee.--Then
he wept a while; and she replied, O my master, and light of mine eye, By
Allah, I love thee and confide in thee; but I know that thou canst not
be united to me.--And what hindereth? said he. She answered, I will this
night relate to thee my story, that thou mayest accept my excuse. But
they continued thus a whole month; and after this, one night, when
Ghanim was complaining to her of his passion, she said to him, I will
now explain to thee my case, that thou mayest know my dignity, and that
my secret may be revealed to thee, and my excuse become manifest to
thee. He replied, Well. And she took hold of a band which confined a
part of her dress, and said to him, O my master, read what is on this
border. So he took the border in his hand, and looked at it, and found
worked upon it in gold, I am thine, and thou art mine, O descendant of
the Prophet's Uncle.[VII_20] And when he had read this, he let fall
his hand, and said to her, Reveal to me thy history. She answered,
Well:--and thus began:--
Know that I am a favourite slave of the Prince of the Faithful, and my
name is [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob.[VII_21] The Prince of the Faithful,
after he had reared me in his palace, and I had grown up, observed my
qualities, and the beauty and loveliness with which my Lord had endowed
me, and loved me excessively: he took me and lodged me in a private
apartment, and appointed me ten female slaves to serve me, and then gave
me those ornaments which thou seest with me. After this, the Khaleefeh
went forth one day on a journey to one of the surrounding provinces, and
the lady Zubeydeh came to one of the female slaves who were in my
service, and said, When thy mistress [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob sleepeth, put
this piece of benj into her nose and her drink, and thou shalt receive
from me a sum of money that will satisfy thee. The slave replied, Most
willingly:--and she received the benj from her, rejoicing on account of
the money, and because she had been originally Zubeydeh's slave; and she
insinuated the benj into me, whereupon I fell upon the floor, with my
head bent down to my feet, and seemed to be in another world. And when
she could devise no other stratagem, she put me into that chest, and
privily summoned the black slaves, and, after having given presents to
them and to the door-keepers, sent me with the black slaves on the night
when thou wast reposing at the top of the palm-tree: and they did with
me as thou sawest, and my deliverance was effected through thy means.
Then thou broughtest me unto this place, where thou hast treated me with
the utmost kindness. This is my story; and I know not what hath happened
to the Khaleefeh during my absence. Know, therefore, my dignity; and
divulge not my case.
When Ghanim the son of Eiyoob heard these words of [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob,
and discovered that she was the favourite of the Khaleefeh, he drew
back, in his awe of the Khaleefeh, and sat alone at one side of
the chamber, blaming himself, and reflecting upon his situation,
perplexed by love of her to whom he could not be united; and he
wept from the violence of his desire, and the fierceness of his
passion and distraction, and began to complain of fortune and its
injustice.--Extolled be the perfection of Him who causeth the hearts of
the generous to be troubled with love, and endueth not the mean with so
much of it as equalleth the weight of a grain!--And upon this,
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob rose to him, and embraced and kissed him, and, her
heart being entirely captivated by his love, she revealed what she had
hidden of the extent of her passion, and encircled his neck with her
arms, and kissed him again; but he withdrew from her embrace, in his
fear of the Khaleefeh. They then conversed a while, drowned in the sea
of mutual love, and so remained until day, when Ghanim arose, and went
forth to the market as usual, and procured what was requisite, and,
returning to the house, found [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob weeping: but as soon
as she beheld him, she ceased from her tears, and smiled, and said to
him, Thou hast made me desolate by thine absence, O beloved of my heart!
By Allah, this hour during which thou hast been away from me hath
appeared as a year; for I cannot endure thy separation; and see, I have
thus shewn thee my state, through the violence of my passion. Arise
therefore now, and mind not what hath happened, but take me as thy
wife.--But he replied, I seek refuge with Allah! This is a thing that
cannot be. How should the dog sit in the place of the lion? What
belongeth to my lord is forbidden me to approach.--He then tore himself
from her, and sat apart; and she increased in love through his
refusal.--In this manner they passed three long months; and whenever she
made any advances to him he withdrew from her, and said, Whatever
belongeth to the master is forbidden to the slave.--Such was the case of
the Distracted Slave of Love, Ghanim the son of Eiyoob.
Meanwhile, Zubeydeh, during the absence of the Khaleefeh, having acted
thus with [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, became perplexed, saying within herself,
What shall I say to the Khaleefeh when he cometh and inquireth
respecting her; and what shall be my answer to him? She then called for
an old woman who resided with her, and acquainted her with her secret,
and said to her, What shall I do, now that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob is no
more? The old woman answered, when she understood the affair, Know, O my
mistress, that the return of the Khaleefeh is near; but I will send to a
carpenter, and desire him to make a wooden image of a corpse, and they
shall dig for it a grave, and thou shalt light candles and lamps around
it, and command every one who is in the palace to wear black,[VII_22]
and order thy female slaves and eunuchs, as soon as they know of the
Khaleefeh's return from his journey, to raise lamentations in the
vestibules, and when he enters and asks the news, they shall answer him,
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob is dead; and may God abundantly compensate thee for
the loss of her!--and from the esteem with which she was regarded by our
mistress, she hath buried her in her own palace. So when he heareth
this, he will weep, and the event will distress him. Then he will
cause the readers to sit up by night at her tomb to perform recitations
of the [K.]ur-an: and if he say within himself, Surely the daughter
of my uncle, through her jealousy, hath been led to destroy
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob,--or the distraction of love overpower him, and he
give orders to take her forth from the tomb, fear not from that; for if
they dig down to the image in the form of a human being, and take it
forth, shrouded in costly grave-clothes, and the Khaleefeh desire to
remove the grave-clothes from it, to behold her, do thou prevent him,
and the fear of the world to come will withhold him; and do thou say to
him, To behold her corpse uncovered is unlawful. Then he will believe
her death, and will return her image to its place, and thank thee for
thy conduct, and thou shalt escape, if it please God, from this
difficulty.--When the lady Zubeydeh, therefore, heard what she said, she
approved it, and bestowed upon her a dress of honour, and commanded her
to do this, having given her a sum of money. So the old woman set about
the business immediately, and ordered the carpenter to make for her an
image as above described; and when it was finished, she brought it to
the lady Zubeydeh, and she shrouded it, and lighted the candles and
lamps, and spread the carpets around the tomb, and clad herself in
black, ordering the female slaves to do the same; and the news was
spread through the palace, that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob had died.
[Illustration]
Some time after this, the Khaleefeh returned from his journey,
and went up to his palace; but his mind was occupied only with
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob; and seeing the pages and eunuchs and female slaves
all clad in black, his heart was agitated; and when he entered the
palace of the lady Zubeydeh, and beheld her also clad in black, he
inquired the reason of it, and they informed him of the death of
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob. Upon hearing this, he fell down in a swoon; and
when he recovered, he asked where was her tomb; and the lady Zubeydeh
answered, Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that, on account of the esteem
in which she was held by me, I buried her in my palace. So the
Khaleefeh, entering the palace in his travelling-dress, proceeded to
visit the tomb of [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and found the carpets spread,
and the candles and lamps lighted; and when he beheld this, he thanked
her for what she had done. But afterwards he became perplexed, and
wavered a while between belief and disbelief, until suspicion overcame
him, and he gave orders to open the tomb and to take her out: when,
however, he saw the grave-clothes, and was about to remove them that he
might behold her, he feared God (whose name be exalted!), and the old
woman said, Restore her to her place. Then immediately the Khaleefeh
commanded to bring the professors of religion and law, and the readers,
and they performed recitations of the whole of the [K.]ur-an at her
tomb, while he sat by the side of it weeping until he became insensible.
He continued to frequent the tomb for the space of a month; after which
it happened that he entered the [H.]areem, after the emeers and wezeers
had dispersed from before him to their houses, and he slept a while, and
a female slave sat at his head, and another at his feet; and after sleep
had overcome him he awoke, and opened his eyes, and heard the damsel who
was at his head say to her who was at his feet, Wo to thee, O
Kheyzuran!--Wherefore, O [K.]a[d.]eeb?[VII_23] said the other.--Our
lord, rejoined the first, is ignorant of what hath happened; so he
sitteth up by night at a tomb in which there is nothing but a carved
image, the work of the carpenter.--And what then, asked the other
damsel, hath befallen [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob? Her companion answered, Know
that our mistress Zubeydeh sent some benj by a female slave, and she
stupified her with it, and when the benj had taken effect upon her, she
put her in a chest, and sent her away with [S.]awab and Kafoor,
commanding them to throw her into the tomb. Upon this, Kheyzuran said,
Wo to thee, O [K.]a[d.]eeb! Is not the lady [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob
dead?--Heaven preserve her youth from death! answered [K.]a[d.]eeb: I
heard the lady Zubeydeh say that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob was with a young
merchant named Ghanim of Damascus, and that she had been with him,
including this day, four months; and our lord here weepeth and passeth
sleepless nights at a tomb in which there is no corpse.--Thus they
conversed together, while the Khaleefeh heard their words; and when
they had finished their conversation, and he had become acquainted with
the event, that this tomb was a false one, and that [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob
had been with Ghanim the son of Eiyoob for the space of four months, he
was violently incensed, and arose, and summoned the emeers of his court;
whereupon the Wezeer Ja[a.]far El-Barmekee presented himself and kissed
the ground before him, and the Khaleefeh said to him, in anger, Descend,
O Ja[a.]far, with a body of men, and inquire for the house of Ghanim the
son of Eiyoob, and assault it suddenly, and bring him hither with my
female slave [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob; and I will assuredly torture him.
Ja[a.]far replied, I hear and obey;--and he went forth with his
attendants, the Walee also accompanying him, and they proceeded until
they arrived at Ghanim's house. Ghanim had just before gone out and
brought a pot of meat, and was about to stretch forth his hand to eat of
it with [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, when she looked out, and found that the
house was beset on all sides, and the Wezeer and the Walee and the
officers of violence and the memlooks with drawn swords were surrounding
it as the black surrounds the pupil of the eye; and upon this she knew
that tidings of her situation had reached the ears of the Khaleefeh her
lord, and she made sure of destruction; her countenance became pale, and
her beauty changed, and, looking towards Ghanim, she said to him, O my
beloved, save thyself!--How shall I do, said he, and whither shall I
flee, when my wealth and means of subsistence are in this house? But she
answered, Delay not, lest thou perish, and thy wealth also be lost.--O
my mistress, and light of mine eye, rejoined he, how can I contrive to
go forth when they are surrounding the house?--Fear not, she
answered:--and she pulled off his clothes, and clad him in worn-out,
ragged garments, and, taking the pot that had contained the meat, placed
it upon his head, and put in it a little bread and a saucer of meat, and
said to him, Go forth by the help of this stratagem, and thou hast
nothing to fear with respect to me, for I know what I am able to do
with the Khaleefeh. When Ghanim, therefore, heard the words of
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and the advice which she gave him, he went forth
through the midst of them, bearing the pot, and Providence protected him
so that he escaped from the snares and injuries which menaced him, by
the blessing of his good conscience.
And when the Wezeer Ja[a.]far arrived at the house, he dismounted from
his horse, and entered, and looked at [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, who had
adorned herself, and filled a chest with gold and ornaments and jewels
and rarities, such as were light to carry and of great value; and when
Ja[a.]far came in to her, she rose upon her feet, and kissed the ground
before him, saying to him, O my master, the Pen hath written what God
hath decreed.[VII_24] But Ja[a.]far, when he beheld her situation,
replied, By Allah, O my mistress, he gave me no order but to arrest
Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. And she said, Know that he hath packed up some
bales of merchandise, and gone with them to Damascus, and I know nothing
more than this; and I request thee to take care of this chest for me,
and to convey it to the palace of the Prince of the Faithful. So
Ja[a.]far answered, I hear and obey:--and he took the chest, and gave
orders that it should be conveyed, together with [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob,
to the palace of the Khaleefeh, treating her with honour and respect.
This took place after they had plundered the house of Ghanim; and they
went to the Khaleefeh, and Ja[a.]far related to him all that had
happened; whereupon the Khaleefeh appointed to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob a
dark chamber, and there lodged her, commissioning an old woman to serve
her; for he imagined that Ghanim had acted dishonestly towards her.
He then wrote a letter to the Emeer Mo[h.]ammad the son of Suleyman
Ez-Zeynee, who was viceroy of Damascus, containing as follows:--As soon
as this letter cometh to thy hands, thou shalt arrest Ghanim the son of
Eiyoob, and send him unto me.--So when the mandate was brought to him,
he kissed it, and put it upon his head, and caused it to be proclaimed
through the market-street, Whosoever desireth to plunder, let him repair
to the house of Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. And they came to the house,
and found that the mother of Ghanim, and his sister, had made for them a
tomb, and sat by it weeping; and they laid hold upon them, and plundered
the house, and the mother and sister knew not the cause: and when they
brought them before the Sul[t.]an,[VII_25] he inquired of them
respecting Ghanim the son of Eiyoob; and they answered him, For the
space of a year we have obtained no tidings of him.--And they restored
them to their place.[VII_26]
[Illustration]
In the mean time, Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of
Love, when his wealth had been seized, was perplexed, and began to weep
for himself so as to break his heart. He walked on, and ceased not on
his way to the close of day, suffering from excessive hunger and
fatigue, until he arrived at a village, where he entered a mosque, and
seated himself upon a round mat,[VII_27] and he leaned his back
against one of the walls of the building, and then threw himself down,
under the influence of extreme hunger and weariness. There
he remained until the morning, his heart palpitating from want of food;
vermin attacked his body, his breath became fetid, and he was altogether
changed; and the people of that village, coming to perform the
morning-prayers, found him lying there sick through want of food, yet
exhibiting evident traces of former affluence; and when they approached
him, they found him cold and hungry. They clad him, therefore, with an
old garment having ragged sleeves, and said to him, Whence art thou, O
stranger, and what is the cause of thine infirmity? And Ghanim opened
his eyes and looked at them and wept; but he returned them no answer.
Then one of them, knowing the violence of his hunger, went and brought
him a saucer of honey and two cakes of bread, and he ate, while they sat
around him until the sun rose, when they departed to their several
occupations.--In this state he remained among them for a month, and his
infirmity and disease increased; so the people, commiserating him,
consulted together respecting his case, and agreed to transport him to
the hospital at Baghdad.
Now while they were thus conversing, lo, two women, beggars, came in to
him; and they were his mother and sister; and when he beheld them, he
gave them the bread that was at his head, and they slept by him the next
night; but he knew them not. And on the following day, the people of the
village came to him, bringing a camel, and said to its owner, Convey
this sick person on the camel, and when thou hast arrived at Baghdad,
put him down at the door of the hospital: perhaps he may recover his
health, and thou wilt receive a recompense. He answered them, I hear and
obey. So they brought forth Ghanim the son of Eiyoob from the mosque,
and placed him, with the round mat upon which he was sleeping, on the
camel; and his mother and sister came to look at him among the other
people; but they knew him not. Then observing him attentively, they
said, Verily he resembleth our Ghanim! Can he be this sick person or
not?--But as to Ghanim, he awoke not until he was mounted on the camel,
and he began to weep and moan; and the people of the village saw his
mother and sister weeping for him, though they did not know him. Then
his mother and sister journeyed onwards to Baghdad, while the
camel-driver also proceeded without stopping until he had deposited
Ghanim at the door of the hospital, when he took his camel, and
returned.
Ghanim remained lying there until the morning; and when the people began
to pass along the street, they beheld him. He had become so emaciated
that his form resembled that of a toothpick, and the people ceased not
to gaze at him until the Sheykh of the market came and repelled them
from him, and said, I will gain Paradise by means of this poor person;
for if they take him into the hospital they will kill him in one day. He
then ordered his young men to carry him, and they conveyed him to his
house, where he spread for him a new bed, and put for him a new cushion,
and said to his wife, Serve him faithfully. She replied, On the
head:--and she tucked up her sleeves, and, having heated for him some
water, washed his hands and feet and body, and clothed him in a vest of
one of her female slaves. She then gave him to drink a cup of wine, and
sprinkled rose-water upon him: so he recovered his senses; and he
remembered his beloved, [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and his anguish
increased.--Thus did it happen to Ghanim.
Now as to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob,--when the Khaleefeh, incensed against
her, had lodged her in the dark chamber, she remained there in the same
state for eighty days; and it happened that the Khaleefeh passed one day
by that place, and heard her reciting verses; and when she had finished
her recitation of them, she exclaimed, O my beloved! O Ghanim! How kind
art thou, and how chaste is thy disposition! Thou hast acted with
kindness unto him who hath injured thee, and hast guarded the honour of
him who hath violated thine, and hast protected his [h.]areem and he
hath enslaved both thee and thy family; but thou wilt assuredly stand,
with the Prince of the Faithful, before a Just Judge, and thou wilt
obtain justice against him on the day when the judge shall be God; and
the witnesses, the angels!--And when the Khaleefeh heard her words, and
understood her complaint, he knew that she was injured; and he entered
his palace, and sent the eunuch to her, and when she came before him she
hung down her head, with weeping eye, and sorrowful heart; and he said
to her, O [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, I see that thou complainest of my
oppression, and accusest me of tyranny, and thinkest that I have injured
him who hath acted kindly unto me. Who then is he who hath guarded my
honour and I have violated his; and who hath protected my [h.]areem and
I have enslaved his?[VII_28]--She answered him, Ghanim the son of
Eiyoob; for he hath not attempted any dishonest action towards me, by
thy beneficence, O Prince of the Faithful!--Upon this the Khaleefeh
exclaimed, There is no strength nor power but in God!--and then added, O
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, desire of me what thou wilt, and I will grant thy
wish. So she replied, I desire of thee my beloved, Ghanim the son of
Eiyoob. And when he heard her words, he said, I will cause him to be
brought hither, if it be the will of God, in honour.--O Prince of the
Faithful, she rejoined, when thou shalt have caused him to be brought,
wilt thou present me to him? He answered, When I have had him brought, I
will present thee to him, the present of a generous man who will not
revoke his gift. So she said, O Prince of the Faithful, permit me to
search about for him: perhaps God may unite me with him. And he replied,
Do as thou wilt.
Upon this she rejoiced, and went forth, taking with her a thousand
pieces of gold and visited the sheykhs, and gave alms for the sake of
Ghanim:[VII_29] and on the following day she went to the market of
the merchants, and gave to the chief of the market some money, saying to
him, Bestow it in alms upon the strangers. Then again, in the following
week, she went forth, taking with her a thousand pieces of gold, and,
entering the market of the goldsmiths and jewellers, summoned the chief
of the market, and he came, and she gave him the thousand pieces of
gold, and said to him, Bestow it in alms upon the strangers: whereupon
the chief, who was the Sheykh of the market before mentioned, looked at
her, and said to her, Wilt thou go with me to my house, to look at a
young stranger there, and see how elegant he is, and how perfectly
charming? For it is probable that he is Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the
Distracted Slave of Love.--But the chief had no knowledge of him, and
imagined that he was a poor person involved in debt, whose wealth had
been taken from him, or a lover parted from his beloved. And when she
heard his words, her heart beat, and her affections were engrossed by
him, and she answered, Send with me some one to conduct me to thy
house. So he sent with her a young boy, who conducted her to the
house where the stranger was lodged, and she thanked him for doing
so; and when she entered the house, and saluted the chief's wife, the
latter arose, and kissed the ground before her; for she knew her. Then
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said to her, Where is the sick person who is with
you? And she wept, and answered, Here he is, O my mistress: but he is of
a respectable family, and exhibiteth traces of former affluence. And
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob looked towards the bed upon which he was lying,
and, regarding him narrowly, beheld him as though he were Ghanim
himself; but his condition was changed, and he had become so emaciated
that he resembled a toothpick, and the truth of his case was disguised
from her, so that she did not discover him to be the person whom she
sought; but she was moved with compassion for him, and she wept, and
exclaimed, Verily, strangers are objects of pity, though they be emeers
in their own countries! She then ordered for him supplies of wine and
medicines, and sat at his head a while, and mounted, and returned to her
palace; and she continued to go forth to every market for the purpose of
searching for Ghanim.
[Illustration]
Soon after, the chief of the market brought the mother of Ghanim, and
his sister Fitneh, and went with them to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, and said
to her, O most charitable lady, there have entered our city this day a
woman and a girl of respectable origin, bearing evident traces of former
affluence, but they are clad in garments of hair-cloth, and each of them
hath a wallet hung to her neck, and their eyes are weeping, and their
hearts sorrowful: so I have brought them unto thee, that thou mayest
give them refuge, and preserve them from the disgrace of beggary; for
they are not persons suited to ask alms of the sordid; and if it please
God, we shall enter Paradise by their means.--By Allah, O my master, she
replied, thou hast made me long to behold them! Where are they? Order
them to come in.--So, upon this, Fitneh and her mother came in to
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, who, when she saw them, and observed that they
were both distinguished by beauty, wept for them, and said, By Allah,
they are persons of an affluent family, and traces of wealth are
conspicuous in their appearance.--O my mistress, replied the chief of
the market, we love the poor and indigent for the sake of future
recompense;[VII_30] and probably the extortioners have oppressed these
two persons, and plundered them of their wealth, and ruined their
houses. Then these two females wept violently, and, remembering Ghanim
the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love, their wailing
increased, and [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob wept with them; and the mother of
Ghanim exclaimed, We pray God to unite us with him whom we seek, and he
is my son Ghanim the son of Eiyoob. When [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob,
therefore, heard these words, she knew that this woman was the mother of
her beloved, and that the other was his sister, and she wept until she
fell down in a swoon; and when she recovered, she approached them, and
said to them, Ye have nothing to fear; for this day is the first of your
prosperity, and the last of your adversity: therefore grieve not. She
then ordered the chief of the market to take them to his house, and to
let his wife conduct them into the bath, and attire them in handsome
clothing, and take care of them, and treat them with the utmost honour;
and she gave him a sum of money.
Then, on the following day, [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob mounted and went again
to the house of the chief of the market, and went in to visit his wife,
who rose to her, and kissed the ground before her, and thanked her for
her charity; and she saw that his wife had conducted the mother of
Ghanim, and his sister, to the bath, and taken off their former clothes,
and that the traces of their original affluence had become more
conspicuous in consequence; and she sat a while conversing with them;
after which she asked the wife of the chief of the market respecting the
sick person who was with her. She answered, He is in the same state.
And [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said, Arise, and let us look at him and
visit him. So they both arose, with Ghanim's mother and sister, and
went in to him, and seated themselves by him; and when Ghanim the son
of Eiyoob, the Distracted Slave of Love, heard one of them mention
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, emaciated as he was in body and limbs, his soul
returned to him, and he raised his head from the pillow, and called out,
O [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob! She looked at him, therefore, and knew him, and
cried, saying, Yes, O my beloved! He then said to her, Draw near to me.
And she asked him, Art thou Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the Distracted
Slave of Love? He answered her, Yes: I am he. And upon this, she fell
down in a swoon; and when his sister and his mother heard their words,
they cried out, Oh, our joy!--and in like manner fainted. And when they
recovered, [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said to Ghanim, Praise be to God who
hath united us with thee and with thy mother and sister! Then,
approaching him, she related to him all that had happened to her with
the Khaleefeh, adding, I said to him, I have declared to thee the truth,
O Prince of the Faithful:--and he believed my words, and approved thee;
and he is now desiring to see thee. And she said to him, The Khaleefeh
hath given me to thee:--whereupon he was filled with the utmost joy: and
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob said to them all, Quit not this place until I come
again.
She then arose immediately, and departed to her palace, and removed
thence the chest that she had brought from Ghanim's house, and took
forth from it some pieces of gold, which she gave to the chief of the
market, saying to him, Take these pieces of gold, and buy for each of
them four complete suits of dress of the best kinds of stuff, and twenty
handkerchiefs, and whatever else they require. And after this, she
conducted them to the bath, and gave orders to wash them, and prepared
for them boiled meats, and infusion of galangal, and apple-water, after
they had come forth from the bath and dressed themselves. For three days
she remained with them, feeding them with fowls and with boiled meats,
and giving them sherbet of refined sugar to drink; and after the three
days their spirits returned to them. Then she conducted them again to
the bath, and they came forth, and she changed their clothes, and,
leaving them in the house of the chief of the market, went to the
Khaleefeh, and kissed the ground before him, and related to him the
story, telling him that her master, Ghanim the son of Eiyoob, the
Distracted Slave of Love, had come, and that his mother and sister also
had arrived. When the Khaleefeh, therefore, heard these words of
[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob, he said to the eunuchs, Bring hither to me Ghanim.
And Ja[a.]far went down with them to bring him: but [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob
had gone before him; and she went in unto Ghanim, and said to him, The
Khaleefeh hath sent to thee to bring thee before him: have a care then
to display eloquence of tongue, and firmness of heart, and sweetness of
speech. And she attired him in a magnificent dress, and gave him pieces
of gold in abundance, saying to him, Bestow plentifully upon the
domestics of the Khaleefeh as thou goest in to him. And lo, Ja[a.]far
approached him, mounted upon his mule, and Ghanim advanced to meet him,
and greeted him with a prayer for long life, kissing the ground before
him.
The planet of his prosperity had appeared, and the star of his glory had
risen aloft, and Ja[a.]far took him, and they proceeded until they
entered into the presence of the Prince of the Faithful; and when Ghanim
came before him, he looked towards the wezeers and emeers and
chamberlains and lieutenants and the other officers of the court, and
the warriours, and, being eloquent of tongue, firm of heart, delicate in
the style of his language, and pleasing in the allusions it conveyed, he
hung down his head towards the ground, and then looked towards the
Khaleefeh, and addressed him in a series of complimentary verses. And
when he had finished his recitation, the Khaleefeh was delighted with
the graces of his person, and pleased with the eloquence of his tongue
and the sweetness of his speech; and he said to him, Approach me. He
therefore approached him, and the Khaleefeh said to him, Explain to me
thy tale, and acquaint me with the truth of thy history. So Ghanim sat,
and related to the Khaleefeh all that had happened to him from
beginning to end; and when the Khaleefeh knew that he spoke truth, he
bestowed upon him a dress of honour, and admitted him into his favour,
and said to him, Acquit me of responsibility.[VII_31] And he did
so, and said to him, O Prince of the Faithful, the slave and all that
his hands possess belong to his master:--and the Khaleefeh rejoiced. He
then gave orders to appropriate a palace to him exclusively, and
appointed him abundant pensions and allowances, and removed to him his
mother and his sister. And the Khaleefeh, hearing that his sister Fitneh
was, in beauty (as her name imported), a temptation, demanded her of him
in marriage. Ghanim therefore replied, She is thy handmaid,[VII_32]
and I am thy memlook. And the Khaleefeh thanked him, and gave him a
hundred thousand pieces of gold,[VII_33] and summoned the
[K.]a[d.]ee and witnesses, and they performed the marriage-contract.
Then he and Ghanim visited their wives on the same day, the Khaleefeh
going to Fitneh, and Ghanim the son of Eiyoob to [K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob;
and on the following morning, the Khaleefeh ordered that all that had
happened to Ghanim, from first to last, should be committed to writing
and inserted in the records, that his posterity might consider it, and
wonder at the disposals of destiny, and commit their affairs unto the
Creator of the night and the day.[VII_34]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER SEVENTH.
NOTE 1. Damascus is afterwards mentioned in the original as the abode of
this merchant's family; but not here.
NOTE 2. "Ghanim" signifies "a taker of spoil," "a fortunate acquirer of
anything;" and "Eiyoob" is the name which _we_ call "Job."
NOTE 3. "Fitneh" signifies "temptation," "seduction," "disturbance," &c.
NOTE 4. By the term "loads" we are always to understand "camel-loads,"
unless it is otherwise expressed. A camel-load is generally about three
hundred-weights.
NOTE 5. Or vesicles of musk. In the original, "nawafe[h.]" is put for
"nawafij."
NOTE 6. A great recompense in the world to come is to be the lot of him
who takes part in a funeral-procession.
NOTE 7. The ablution was necessary to qualify Ghanim for joining in the
prayer over the dead.
NOTE 8. "[S.]awab" signifies "rectitude."
NOTE 9. "Kafoor" is the Arabic for "camphor." Instances of antiphrasis
in the names given to black slaves are very common.
NOTE 10. "Bakheet" signifies "fortunate," from "bakht" ("fortune"), a
word borrowed from the Persian.
NOTE 11. I am not sure that this is to be understood as a jest; for I
have been assured, by a slave-dealer and other persons in Cairo, that
sometimes slaves brought to that city are found to be cannibals; and
that a proof lately occurred there; an infant having been eaten by its
black nurse. I was also told that these cannibals are generally
distinguished by an elongation of the os coccygis; or in other words,
that they have tails!
NOTE 12. The story here alluded to is inserted in the original; but,
being extremely objectionable, and too short and simple to be abridged,
I have been compelled to omit it altogether.
NOTE 13. This story is not in the old version; but I think the reader
will consider it worthy of insertion in the present series, as an
amusing illustration of the customs which are often observed by the
Arabs on the occasion of the death of the master of a family. I can bear
testimony to the general correctness of the picture which it presents;
or rather state, that the greatest of the extravagances which it
describes are not unfrequently practised in the present day.
NOTE 14. As the Arab women are much more reluctant to uncover the upper
and back part of the head than they are to shew the face, before strange
men, such a scene as that which is here described is very seldom
witnessed; but I have seen not so unfrequently a woman with her face
uncovered, and besmeared with mud, on her receiving the news of the
sudden death of a near relation.
NOTE 15. This, to some readers, may require explanation. To free a slave
who has no means of providing for himself, and not to grant him any
means to do so, is almost the heaviest punishment that can be inflicted
upon him; and to do this, unless for a heinous crime, is considered
disgraceful.
NOTE 16. This is not just; for as soon as the slave is emancipated he is
legally free, without doubt: but it is inserted in the tale as a
jest.[354]
NOTE 17. See Note 46 to Chapter ii.--This mode of disposing of a rival
in the [h.]areem is said to have been not very unfrequently adopted.
NOTE 18. I suspect that the original presents here an error, which I
have endeavoured to correct.--The names which the lady ejaculates are to
be understood as those of female slaves, her attendants.
"Zahr-el-Bustan" signifies "Flower of the Garden;" "[S.]abee[h.]ah,"
"Beautiful;" "Shejeret-ed-Durr," "Tree of Pearls" (this is the vulgar
mode of pronouncing "Shejer-ed-Durr," which was the name of the wife of
the Sul[t.]an E[s.]-[S.]ale[h.] Nejm-ed-Deen, afterwards Queen of
Egypt); "Noor-el-Huda," "Light of Day," or "Light of Guidance;"
"Nejmet-e[s.]-[S.]ub[h.]," "Star of the Morning;" "Nuzheh," "Delight;"
"[H.]ulweh," "Sweet;" and "[Z.]areefeh," "Elegant."
NOTE 19. From this point, to the relation of the stratagem employed by
Zubeydeh, I omit much that is unsuitable for insertion in the
translation, as approaching to licentiousness.
NOTE 20. Perhaps it is unnecessary to mention, that "the Prophet's
Uncle" here alluded to was El-'Abbas; and that the "descendant" was
Haroon Er-Rasheed.
NOTE 21. "[K.]oot-el-[K.]uloob" signifies "Food (or Sustenance) of
Hearts."
NOTE 22. As black, which was the distinguishing colour of the banners
and dress of the 'Abbasee Khaleefehs, was originally assumed in token of
mourning for such of their relations as were victims of the Umawees, it
may have continued for a long time to be used for a similar purpose: but
the modern colour of mourning among the Arabs is blue; and it is
remarkable that the term which properly signifies "black" is commonly
applied by them to dark blue.--On the subject of mourning, see Note 52
to Chapter ii.
NOTE 23. "Kheyzuran" and "[K.]a[d.]eeb" signify respectively, "a Cane"
(particularly "Indian Cane"), and "a Rod," or "a long and slender
Branch."
NOTE 24. See note 85 to Chapter iii.
NOTE 25. By "the Sul[t.]an" is meant the Viceroy of Damascus, though the
title is improperly used in this sense.
NOTE 26. The account of the disgusting treatment of Ghanim's mother and
sister, which follows in this place in the old version, is not in either
of the copies of the original which I possess, containing this tale.
Hence, and as it is extremely inconsistent with Arab customs and
feelings, I have little doubt of its being an interpolation by some
ignorant copyist.
NOTE 27. See Note 18 to Chapter vi.
NOTE 28, By Ghanim's [h.]areem, we are here to understand his mother and
sister; the term "[h.]areem" being often used to signify a man's female
relations residing in his house.
NOTE 29. It is implied that she visited the sheykhs (by which are here
meant the devotees) to request the aid of their prayers; and gave alms
for the sake (or in the name) of Ghanim in order to propitiate
Providence in his favour.
NOTE 30.--_On the Charitable Disposition of the Arabs._ Some remarks
which I have made on this subject with reference to the Egyptians, in a
former work, are equally applicable to the Arabs in general.
"Benevolence and charity to the poor are virtues which the Egyptians
possess in an eminent degree, and which are instilled into their hearts
by religion; but from their own profession it appears that they are as
much excited to the giving of alms by the expectation of enjoying
corresponding rewards in heaven, as by pity for the distresses of their
fellow-creatures, or a disinterested wish to do the will of God. It may
be attributed, in some measure, to the charitable disposition of the
inhabitants, that beggars are so numerous in Cairo. The many handsome
Sebeels, or public fountains (buildings erected and endowed for the
gratuitous supply of water to passengers), which are seen in this city,
and the more humble structures of the same kind in the villages and
fields, are monuments of the same virtue."[355] So also the numerous
Khans for the reception of travellers, in countries occupied by the
Arabs, bear testimony to the charity of this people.
NOTE 31. This is often said by an Arab to a person against whom he knows
or fears himself to have committed an offence. The most urgent reason
for doing so may be seen by reverting to No. 9 of the notes to Chapter
iv.
NOTE 32. This compliment has occasioned, in the old version, an error of
the most serious kind, by its having been understood in its literal
sense. Ghanim is made to propose that the Khaleefeh should take his
sister as one of his favourites (_i. e._ concubines); which, as she was
a free woman, would be a crime of the foulest nature.
NOTE 33. We are to understand this sum of money as being Fitneh's
dowry.--Here it may be mentioned, that the Khaleefeh, by marrying
Fitneh, severely punished Zubeydeh: for he thus gave her a wife, instead
of a concubine, as a rival.
NOTE 34.--_On the Passion of Love among the Arabs._ A few remarks on
this subject may be inserted to justify the picture of love presented in
the foregoing tale. That sensual passion is most prevalent among the
Arabs cannot be doubted; but I think it unjust to suppose them generally
incapable of a purer feeling, worthy, if constancy be a sufficient test,
of being termed true love. That they are not so, appears evident to
almost every person who mixes with them in familiar society; for such a
person must have opportunities of being acquainted with many Arabs
sincerely attached to wives whose personal charms have long vanished,
and who have neither wealth nor influence of their own, nor wealthy nor
influential relations, to induce their husbands to refrain from
divorcing them. It very often happens, too, that an Arab is sincerely
attached to a wife possessed, even in the best portion of her age, of
few charms; and that the lasting favourite among two or more wives is
not the most handsome. This opinion, I am sorry to observe, is at
variance, as far as the Arabs of the _towns_ are concerned, with that
entertained by one of the most intelligent and experienced of modern
travellers, who long resided among this people,--the justly-celebrated
Burckhardt:[356] but it is confirmed by numerous facts related by
respectable Arab authors (and therefore not regarded by them as of an
incredible nature), as well as by cases which have fallen under my own
observation. The tale of Leyla and Mejnoon, "the Juliet and Romeo of
Arabia," is too well known to be here repeated; but among many other
anecdotes of strong and constant love, the following may be inserted:--
The Khaleefeh Yezeed the son of 'Abd-El-Melik, it is said, had two
female slaves; one of whom was named [H.]abbabeh, and the other,
Selameh; to the former of whom he was most ardently attached: he had
purchased her for a hundred thousand dirhems; and the other, for ten
thousand. In the company of these two females he sometimes shut himself
up for three months together, utterly neglecting the affairs of his
people. At length, being reproved for this conduct by his brother
Meslemeh, he promised to return to his duty: but the two slaves diverted
him from his purpose; and on the following morning, excited by their
songs and caresses, and by wine, he became frantic with pleasure, and
danced and sang like a madman, till a fatal accident put a stop to his
joy: [H.]abbabeh, eating a pomegranate, was choked by one of the grains,
and immediately died. The grief of Yezeed was so poignant that he would
not quit the corpse, but continued to kiss and fondle it until it became
putrid. Being then admonished by his attendants that proper respect
required its burial, he consented to commit it to the earth: after five
days, however, his desire again to behold the object of his love induced
him to open the grave, and though the corpse had become hideous, he
declared that it was lovely as ever in his eyes. At the earnest request
of Meslemeh, he ordered the grave to be closed again; but he was unable
to exist when deprived of the sight of the remains of her who was at the
same time his slave and his mistress: he threw himself upon his bed,
speechless; and after lingering seventeen nights, expired, and was
buried by the side of [H.]abbabeh. "May God," says the narrator, "have
mercy on them both!"[357]
In the same work from which the above is taken, it is related that
Haroon Er-Rasheed, visiting Suleyman the son of Aboo-Ja[a.]far, one of
his chief officers, saw with him a female slave, named [D.]a'eefeh, of
excessive beauty, and being smitten by her charms, demanded her as a
present. His request was granted; but Suleyman from grief at the loss of
his mistress, fell sick; and during his illness was heard to exclaim,--
"I appeal unto God against the affliction which He hath sent
upon me through the Khaleefeh.
The world heareth of his justice; but he is a tyrant in the affair
of [D.]a'eefeh.[358]
Love of her is fixed in my heart as ink upon the surface of paper."
Er-Rasheed, being informed of his complaint, restored to him his
mistress, and, with her, his peace of mind.--This anecdote is given as a
proof of strong love; but perhaps may not be thought much to the
purpose. The following, from the same work, is more apt.
During the hottest hour of an excessively sultry day, the Khaleefeh
Mo'awiyeh the son of Aboo-Sufyan was sitting in a chamber which was open
on each side to allow free passage to the air, when he beheld a
barefooted Bedawee approaching him. Wondering what could induce this man
to brave the scorching heat, he declared to his attendants that, if he
were come to demand of him any favour or aid or act of justice, his
request should be granted. The Bedawee addressed him, in verse, with a
pathetic appeal for justice against the tyranny of Marwan the son of
El-[H.]akam (afterwards Khaleefeh, Mo'awiyeh's fourth successor), by
whom he had been forcibly deprived of his beloved wife, named So[a.]da.
The Khaleefeh requiring a more particular account of his case, he
related the following facts. He had a wife, the daughter of his paternal
uncle, excessively beloved by him, and he possessed a number of camels,
which enabled him to live in comfort; but a year of terrible drought
deprived him of his property, and reduced him to utter want: his friends
deserted him, and his wife was taken away from him by her father. To
seek redress, he repaired to Marwan, the Governor of his district, at
El-Medeeneh, who, having summoned the father of his wife, and herself,
was so smitten by the beauty of the woman that he determined to obtain
her for himself in marriage; to accomplish which, he threw the husband
into prison, and offered the father of the woman a thousand deenars and
ten thousand dirhems for his consent to his marriage with her, promising
to compel her actual husband to divorce her; and this latter object,
having obtained the father's approval, he gained by severely torturing
the unfortunate Bedawee. It would have been vain for the woman to
attempt resistance; and so she became the wife of Marwan.--The oppressed
Bedawee, having related these circumstances, fell down in a swoon, and
lay on the floor senseless, coiled up like a dead snake. As soon as he
recovered, the Khaleefeh wrote a poetical epistle to Marwan, severely
reproaching him for his baseness, and commanding him, on pain of death,
to divorce the woman and send her with his messenger. She was
accordingly divorced and sent, with an answer composed in the same
measure and rhyme, assuring the Khaleefeh that the sight of So[a.]da
would convince him that her charms were irresistible; and this proved
too true. Mo'awiyeh himself no sooner saw her than he coveted the
possession of her, and offered to give the Bedawee, if he would resign
her to him, three virgins from among his female slaves, together with a
thousand deenars, and an ample annual pension. The Bedawee shrieked with
dismay, as though he had received his death-blow; and indignantly
rejected the offer. The Khaleefeh then said to him, "Thou confessest
that thou hast divorced her, and Marwan has married her and acknowledged
that he has divorced her: we will therefore give her her choice: if she
desire any other than thee as her husband we will marry her to him, and
if she prefer thee we will restore her to thee." She however preferred
the destitute Bedawee, and the Khaleefeh gave her up to him, with a
present of ten thousand dirhems.
Numerous instances of unreasonable love are recorded in the writings of
Arabs. It is related that a man fell in love with a female from seeing
the impression of her hand upon a wall; and being unable to obtain
possession of her, died. Many men are said, to have conceived a violent
passion for females seen in dreams: others, again, to have been thus
affected merely by the ear. An author relates his having been acquainted
with an accomplished schoolmaster who lost his heart from hearing a man
sing the praises of a woman named Umm-'Amr, and two days after, shut
himself up in his house to mourn for her death, in consequence of his
hearing the same man sing,--
"The ass went away with Umm-'Amr; and she returned not, nor did
the ass return."[359]
But a few anecdotes may be considered as rare exceptions to a general
rule. I think, however, that strong evidences of the existence of true
love among all classes of the Arabs are afforded by their very numerous
tales of fiction descriptive of this passion.
[354] Marginal note by my sheykh.
[355] Modern Egyptians, vol. i. ch. xiii.
[356] I may suffer in public estimation for my differing in
opinion from this accomplished traveller and most estimable
man; but I cannot, on that account, abstain from the expression
of my dissent. Our difference, I think, may be thus explained.
He conformed, in a great degree, to the habits of the Arabs;
but not to such an extent as I consider necessary to obtain
from them that confidence in his sympathy which would induce
them to lay open to him their character; and when a man is
often treated with coldness and reserve, I doubt whether the
people from whom he experiences such treatment can be judged by
him with strict impartiality. To be received on terms of
equality by Arabs of the more polished classes, an undeviating
observance of their code of etiquette is absolutely
indispensable: but Burckhardt, I have been assured, often
violated this code, by practices harmless enough to our
notions, and probably, also, in the opinion of the Arabs of the
Desert, but extremely offensive to the people who enjoyed the
least share of his esteem: his most intimate acquaintances in
Cairo generally refused, in speaking of him, to designate him
by the title of "sheykh" which he had adopted; and yet the
heaviest charge that I heard brought against him was his
frequent habit of _whistling_!--This fact has been mentioned,
as corroborating an observation of the same kind, by Mr.
Urquhart ("Spirit of the East," vol. i. pp. 417 and 418), all
of whose opinions relating to the East, expressed in the work
here referred to, and especially those regarding the
characteristics of the Eastern _mind_, are entitled to the
highest respect.
[A very remarkable instance, confirming Mr. Lane's opinion of
the existence of true love among the Arabs, occurred during my
residence with him in Cairo. The wife of a man of good birth,
and holding a high position in that city, was accused of
carrying on an intrigue while visiting the tombs of her
relations. Her family claimed her in accordance with the law,
and threatened to put her to death, as the law would
undoubtedly have justified them in doing, if the case were
proved against her. Her husband was much attached to her--she
was his first and only wife--and he believed, with reason, that
the accusation was false: at the same time he knew that she
would in all likelihood find it impossible to clear herself in
a court of law, where justice is only accidentally awarded, and
had good cause to fear that her male relations would put her to
death without a hearing. He therefore adopted the extraordinary
expedient of taking her secretly to the house of a married
European gentleman of his acquaintance. There she remained
concealed for some time, her husband visiting her daily, and
shewing the most perfect confidence in his friend; while the
latter was almost confined to one room, never venturing into
the [h.]areem without calling "Permission!" at every few steps.
In the mean time, the indignation of the lady's friends cooled,
and the affair was cleared up. She has since lived in perfect
happiness with her husband.
To any one familiar with Eastern customs and modes of thought,
a stronger proof of sincere love could scarcely be given, than
that a man should thus set aside the strongest prejudices of
his nation to save the honour, and perhaps the life, of his
wife, disbelieving a report which, from its plausibility, might
have been accepted without hesitation. The facilities afforded
by the visits to the cemeteries are notorious, and the state of
morals among the women of Egypt unfortunately makes their
defence difficult in a suspicious case.--ED.]
[357] Kitab el-'Onwan fee Mekaid en-Niswan (MS. in my
possession).
[358] This word slightly varied (changed to [d.]a'eefih) bears
another meaning; namely, "his weak one:" the final vowel being
suppressed by the rule of wa[k.]f.
[359] Kitab el-'Onwan, &c.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER VIII.
COMMENCING WITH PART OF THE HUNDRED AND SEVENTH NIGHT,[VIII_1] AND
ENDING WITH PART OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVENTH.
THE STORY OF TAJ-EL-MULOOK AND THE LADY DUNYA.
There was, in former times, a city behind the mountains of I[s.]pahan,
called El-Medeeneh el-Kha[d.]ra,[VIII_2] and in it resided a King
called the King Suleyman. He was a person of liberality and beneficence,
and justice and integrity, and of a generous and obliging disposition:
travellers repaired to him from every quarter, and his fame spread
throughout all the regions and countries; and he reigned a long time in
glory and security; but he was destitute of children and of wives.
He had a Wezeer who nearly resembled him in his qualities, in liberality
and other endowments; and it came to pass that he sent to this Wezeer
one day, and having summoned him into his presence, said to him, O
Wezeer, my heart is contracted, and my patience is overcome, and my
strength is impaired, because I have neither a wife nor a child: this is
not the usual way of Kings who rule over lords and poor men; for they
rejoice in leaving children, and multiplying by them the number of their
posterity; and the Prophet (God bless and save him!) hath said,
Intermarry, and beget offspring, that ye may increase in number; for I
shall contend for your superiority with the other nations on the day of
resurrection.--What, then, is thy counsel, O Wezeer? Point out to me
what is advisable.--But when the Wezeer heard these words, tears poured
from his eyes, and he replied, Far be it from me, O King of the age,
that I should speak of that which belongeth unto the Compassionate to
decide![VIII_3] Dost thou desire that I should enter the fire of
Hell, through the anger of the Almighty King?--Know, O Wezeer, rejoined
his sovereign, that, if the King purchase a female slave whose rank and
lineage are unknown, he will not be acquainted with her ignoble origin
that he may abstain from her, or the nobility of her extraction that he
may make her his companion: so, if he do this, she may perhaps bear him
a son who may be a hypocrite, a tyrant, a shedder of blood; and she may
resemble a marshy land, the produce of which is worthless, and attaineth
no excellence: her child may be obnoxious to the indignation of his
Lord, not doing what He commandeth him, nor refraining from that which
He forbiddeth him to do. I will never, therefore, be the means of such
an event by purchasing a female slave. I desire, rather, that thou
demand in marriage for me one of the daughters of the Kings, whose
lineage is known, and whose loveliness is celebrated. If, then, thou
wilt point out to me one of good birth and of religion among the
daughters of the Muslim Kings, I will demand her as my wife, and marry
her in the presence of witnesses, that I may thereby obtain the approval
of the Lord of mankind.--The Wezeer replied, Verily God hath
accomplished thy want and given thee thy desire.--How so? asked the
King.--Know, O King, answered the Wezeer, that it hath been told me that
the King Zahr Shah, the sovereign of El-Ar[d.] el-Bey[d.]a,[VIII_4]
hath a daughter of astonishing loveliness, whom words cannot describe,
whose equal existeth not in this age, for she is endowed with the most
perfect beauty and symmetry, with black eye, and long hair, and slender
waist, and large hips; when she approacheth she seduceth, and when she
turneth her back she killeth, ravishing the heart and the eye. It is my
opinion, therefore, O King, that thou shouldst send to her father an
intelligent messenger, well-informed, and experienced in the course of
events, that he may courteously ask her in marriage for thee of her
father; for she hath no equal in the distant parts of the earth, nor in
the near; so shalt thou enjoy her lovely face, and the Glorious King
shall approve thy conduct; since it hath been handed down from the
Prophet (God bless and save him!) that he said, There is no monkery in
El-Islam.
Upon this, the King was perfectly delighted, his bosom expanded with
joy, and anxiety and grief departed from him; and, addressing his
Wezeer, he said to him, Know, O Wezeer, that no one shall go on this
business but thou, on account of thy consummate wisdom and politeness:
depart, therefore, to thy house, and accomplish what thou hast to do,
and prepare thyself by the morrow, and demand for me in marriage this
damsel with whom thou hast caused my heart to be engrossed, and return
not to me without her. The Wezeer replied, I hear and obey:--and he went
to his house, and gave orders to bring presents suitable to Kings,
consisting of costly jewels and precious rarities, such as were light to
carry and of great value, together with Arab horses, and Davidean coats
of mail,[VIII_5] and chests of wealth such as language would fail
to describe. These they placed upon the mules and camels, and the Wezeer
departed, accompanied by a hundred memlooks and a hundred male black
slaves and a hundred female slaves, and the flags and banners were
unfurled over his head. The King charged him to return soon; and after
his departure, the King Suleyman Shah burned with desire, and became
engrossed with love of the damsel night and day. Meanwhile, the Wezeer,
by night and by day traversed the deserts and wastes until there
remained between him and the city to which he was repairing one day's
journey, when he alighted at the bank of a river, and, having summoned
one of his chief officers, ordered him to go quickly to the King Zahr
Shah, and to acquaint him with his approach. He answered, I hear and
obey:--and went quickly to the city; and when he arrived there, it
happened that the King Zahr Shah was sitting in one of the places of
recreation before the gate of the city, and, seeing him as he entered,
knew him to be a stranger, and summoned him before him. So when the
messenger came to him, he informed him of the approach of the Wezeer of
the supreme King Suleyman Shah, the King of El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra and
of the mountains of I[s.]pahan; and the King Zahr Shah rejoiced, and
welcomed the messenger, and, having conducted him to his palace, said to
him, Where didst thou part from the Wezeer? He answered, I parted from
him in the morning at the bank of such a river, and to-morrow he will
arrive and visit thee: may God continue his favours unto thee, and show
mercy unto thy parents![VIII_6] Zahr Shah then ordered one of his
wezeers to take with him the greater number of his chief officers and
chamberlains and lieutenants and the lords of his court, and to go forth
with them to meet him, in honour of the King Suleyman Shah; for his
dominion extended through the land.
In the mean time, the Wezeer of Suleyman Shah remained where he had
halted until midnight, and then proceeded towards the city; and when the
morning gleamed, and the sun shone upon the hills and the lowlands,
suddenly the Wezeer of the King Zahr Shah, and his chamberlains and the
lords of his court and the chief officers of his kingdom, approached and
joined him at the distance of some leagues from the city. So the Wezeer
of Suleyman Shah felt sure of the accomplishment of his business, and
saluted those who met him; and the latter preceded him until they
arrived at the palace of the King, and passed in before him through the
entrance to the seventh vestibule. This was the place which no one
entered on horseback; for it was near to the King; therefore here the
Wezeer alighted, and he proceeded on foot until he came to a lofty
saloon, at the upper end of which was a couch of alabaster set with
pearls and jewels, having four legs of elephants' tusks, and upon it was
a mattress covered with green satin embroidered with red gold, and over
it was a canopy adorned with pearls and jewels. Upon this couch sat the
King Zahr Shah, and the lords of his court stood in attendance upon him.
And when the Wezeer went in unto him, and stood before him, he composed
his heart, and gave liberty to his tongue, and, displaying the oratory
of wezeers, and uttering the language of the eloquent, addressed the
King with courtesy of manner, and recited a series of complimentary
verses; and when he had finished, the King caused him to draw near,
treated him with the utmost respect, and, seating him by his side,
smiled in his face, and honoured him with a gracious reply. After this,
the attendants brought forward the table in that saloon, and they ate
until they were satisfied, when the attendants removed the table, and
every one who was present went forth, except the chief officers. When
the Wezeer, therefore, saw that they had quitted the hall, he rose and
stood on his feet, and, complimenting the King, kissed the ground before
him, and said, O great King, and dignified sovereign, I have come unto
thee and visited thee on an affair productive of peace and prosperity
and happiness unto thee; and it is this: I have come to thee as an
ambassador to desire in marriage thy daughter, the distinguished by rank
and lineage, from the King Suleyman Shah, who is endowed with justice
and integrity, and graciousness and beneficence, the King of El-Ar[d.]
el-Kha[d.]ra and of the mountains of I[s.]pahan, and he hath sent unto
thee many presents and numerous rarities, desiring thine alliance. Dost
thou then wish the same of him?--He then stood silent, waiting for the
answer; and when the King Zahr Shah heard these words, he rose upon his
feet, and modestly kissed the ground; and the persons who were present
wondered at the King's condescension to the ambassador, and their minds
were amazed. The King then offered up praises unto Him who is possessed
of glory and honour, and said, still standing, O exalted Wezeer, and
illustrious lord, hear what I say: we are, unto the King Suleyman Shah,
among the number of his subjects, and shall be ennobled by his affinity:
we covet this distinction; and my daughter is one of his handmaids. This
is my greatest desire; that he may be a means of support to me, and my
reliance.--And he summoned the [K.]a[d.]ees and witnesses, and they bore
witness that the King Suleyman Shah had appointed his Wezeer as his
deputy to effect the marriage, and the King Zahr Shah joyfully
officiated for his daughter in performing the contract; so the
[K.]a[d.]ees concluded the marriage-contract, and offered up a prayer
for the happiness and prosperity of both parties: after which, the
Wezeer arose, and produced the presents and precious rarities, and all
the gifts that he had brought, and offered the whole to the King Zahr
Shah.
[Illustration]
The King then occupied himself in fitting out his daughter, and in
honourably entertaining the Wezeer; and he feasted at his banquets the
great and the abject, and continued the festivity for a period of two
months, omitting in it nothing that would rejoice the heart and the
eye.[VIII_7] And when everything that the bride required was
completed, the King gave orders to carry forth the tents, and they were
pitched outside the city. They packed the stuffs in the chests, and made
ready the Greek and Turkish female slaves; and the King provided the
bride with precious treasures and costly jewels, and made for her a
litter[VIII_8] of red gold adorned with pearls and jewels,
appropriating to her use ten mules for the journey. The litter appeared
like a private chamber, and its occupant like one of the beautiful
[H.]ooreeyehs,[VIII_9] her canopy resembling one of the pavilions
of Paradise. They packed up the treasures and wealth, and placed them
upon the mules and camels, and the King Zahr Shah went with them to the
distance of three leagues, and then bade farewell to his daughter and
the Wezeer and his attendants, and returned home in joy and safety.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The Wezeer proceeded with the King's daughter, and continued his days'
journeys and his route over the wastes, travelling with diligence by
night and day, until there remained between him and his country a
journey of three days; whereupon he sent forward a messenger to the King
Suleyman Shah to inform him of the approach of the bride. So the
messenger hasted in his journey till he arrived in the presence of the
King, and acquainted him with the approach of the bride; and the King
was rejoiced, and bestowed a robe of honour upon the messenger, and
ordered his troops to go forth in grand procession to meet the bride and
her attendants with honour, desiring them to equip themselves in the
gayest manner, and to unfurl the standards over their heads. And they
complied with his commands; and a crier proclaimed through the city,
that no curtained damsel nor honoured lady nor infirm old woman should
fail to go forth to meet the bride. So they all went forth to meet her,
and the chief among them accompanied her to serve her. They decided
together to conduct her towards night to the King's palace, and the
chief officers of the court agreed to decorate the streets, and to stand
while the bride passed by them with the eunuchs and female slaves before
her, she herself being clad in the dress which her father gave her. And
when she approached, the troops surrounded her, ranged on the right and
left, and the litter advanced with her until it drew near to the palace;
and there was no one who did not come forth to see it: the drums were
beaten, and the spears brandished, and the trumpets sounded, and sweet
odours were diffused around, and the standards flapped, and the horses
raced with each other, until they arrived at the gate of the palace,
when the pages advanced with the litter to the entrance of the
[H.]areem: the palace was illuminated by its splendour, and its walls
shone with the lustre of its ornaments; and at night the eunuchs opened
the doors of the inner apartment, and stood surrounding the chief
entrance. The bride then came forward among the female slaves, like the
moon among the stars, or the chief pearl among the minor pearls of the
string, and she entered the apartment, where they had placed for her a
couch of alabaster set with pearls and jewels. Upon this she seated
herself, and the King came in to visit her, and God inspired his heart
with love for her, so that his disquietude and trouble ceased.
He remained with her about a month, after which he went forth and sat
upon his throne, and administered justice to his subjects; and towards
daybreak on the morning after the expiration of the ninth month, his
wife gave birth to a male child of an auspicious appearance. When the
King heard of it, he rejoiced exceedingly, and gave a large sum of money
to the bearer of the good tidings; and in his joy he went to the child,
and kissed him between the eyes, wondering at his surpassing beauty. The
midwives took him, and blackened the edges of his eyelids with
ko[h.]l;[VIII_10] and they named him Taj-el-Mulook Kharan.[VIII_11] He
was nourished on the bosom of indulgence, and reared in the lap of
prosperity, and days and years passed until he attained the age of seven
years; whereupon the King Suleyman Shah summoned the men of learning and
science, and ordered them to instruct his son in writing and science and
polite literature, and they continued to do so for some years, until he
had learnt what was requisite; and when he was acquainted with all that
the King desired, he caused him to be brought from the professors and
teachers, and engaged for him a master to instruct him in horsemanship,
who continued to teach him until his pupil was fourteen years of age.
Whenever the youth went forth on any business, every one who beheld him
was ravished by his beauty, so that they composed verses in his praise,
and even the women of virtue were overcome by love for him, through the
surpassing beauty with which he was endowed. And when he had attained
the age of eighteen years, the grey down appeared upon a mole on his red
cheek, while another mole, like a globule of ambergris, added to these
charms, and he captivated the minds and eyes of his beholders. His
comeliness increased as he became a man, and he had companions and
friends, and every one who enjoyed access to him wished that
Taj-el-Mulook might be Sul[t.]an after the death of his father, and that
he might himself be one of his emeers.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Now Taj-el-Mulook became addicted to hunting, and would not desist from
it for a single hour. His father, the King, used to forbid him this
pursuit, fearing, on his account, the perils of the desert and the wild
beasts; but he would not receive his warnings. And it came to pass that
he said to his servants, Take with you provender for ten days. And they
complied with his order; and when he went forth with his followers to
the chase, they proceeded over the desert, and continued their course
for four days, until they came in sight of a verdant tract, where they
beheld wild beasts ranging at large, and trees with ripe fruit, and
springs gushing forth; so he said to his followers, Set here the nets,
and enlarge their circle, and our place of meeting shall be at the
extremity of the circle, at such a spot. They therefore obeyed his
commands: they set the nets, and enlarged their circle, and there
collected within them an abundance and a variety of wild beasts and
gazelles, in such numbers that the wild beasts cried out in fear of
them, and threw themselves in the faces of the horses in their attempts
to escape. So he urged the dogs and the lynxes[VIII_12] and the
hawks at them; and they shot the wild beasts with arrows, striking them
in mortal places, and they arrived not at the further extremity of the
circle without having taken, of the wild beasts, a great number; the
rest having fled away. Taj-el-Mulook then alighted at some water, and,
having caused the game to be brought before him, divided it: he
appropriated to his father, Suleyman Shah, the best of the beasts, and
despatched the portion to him; and some he distributed among the
officers of his court.
They passed the night at that place; and in the morning there approached
them a great caravan, comprising black slaves and servants and
merchants. The caravan halted at the water and the verdant tract; and
when Taj-el-Mulook beheld them, he said to one of his companions, Bring
me an account of these people, and ask them wherefore they have halted
in this place. And when the messenger went to them, he said to them,
Inform us who ye are, and return an answer quickly. So they replied, We
are merchants, and have halted here for the sake of rest, for the next
station is distant from us; and we have halted in this place because we
here enjoy tranquillity under the protection of the King Suleyman Shah
and his son; for we know that every one who alighteth in his dominions
is in safety and peace; and we have some precious stuffs which we have
brought on account of his son Taj-el-Mulook. The messenger, therefore,
returned to the King's son, and acquainted him with the truth of the
matter, informing him of what he had heard from the merchants; and the
King's son said, If they have anything which they have brought on my
account, I will not enter the city nor remove from this place until I
cause it to be displayed before me. He then mounted his horse, and
proceeded, his memlooks following him, until he drew near to the
caravan; and the merchants rose to him, and greeted him with prayers for
the divine aid and favour, and the continuance of his glory and his
excellencies. A tent of red satin embroidered with pearls and jewels was
pitched for him, and they spread for him, over a carpet of silk, a royal
carpet, the upper end of which was adorned with emeralds: and
Taj-el-Mulook seated himself, and the memlooks stood waiting upon him;
and he sent to the merchants, commanding them to bring everything that
they had with them. So they approached him with their merchandise, and
he caused all of it to be displayed before him, and took of it what
suited him, and gave them the price.
After this, he mounted, and was about to depart; when, casting a glance
at the caravan, he saw a young man, a comely youth, attired in clean
clothes, of elegant person, with shining forehead and brilliant
countenance; but the charms of this youth had suffered a change, and
paleness had overspread him, in consequence of his separation from the
objects of his affection; great was his groaning and lamentation, and,
with tears flowing from his eyes, he recited these verses:--
Our separation is protracted, and anxiety and fear are prolonged;
and tears from my eye, O my friend, are flowing.
I bade farewell to my heart on the day of parting, and now I am alone,
without heart, and without hope.
O my friend, pause with me while I bid her farewell by whose voice
diseases and infirmities would be cured.
Having thus said, he wept a while, and fell down in a swoon, while
Taj-el-Mulook looked at him, wondering at his case; and when he
recovered, he stared with a bold look, and again recited some verses,
commencing thus:--
Beware of her eye; for it is enchanting, and none escapeth upon
whom it is cast.
He then uttered a loud sigh, and a second time swooned; and when
Taj-el-Mulook beheld him in this state, he was perplexed at his case,
and walked towards him; and as soon as he recovered from his fit, he saw
the King's son standing at his head; whereupon he rose upon his feet,
and kissed the ground before him; and Taj-el-Mulook said to him,
Wherefore hast thou not displayed thy merchandise to us?--O my lord, he
answered, my merchandise compriseth nothing suitable to thy highness.
But the King's son said, Thou must positively shew me what thou hast,
and acquaint me with thy circumstances; for I see thee with weeping eye
and mourning heart; and if thou be oppressed, we will put an end to the
oppression that thou sufferest; and if thou be in debt, we will
discharge thy debt; for my heart hath been tormented on thine account
since I first beheld thee.
Then Taj-el-Mulook gave orders to place a chair; and they set for him a
chair of ivory and ebony ornamented with reticulated work of gold and
silk, and they spread for him a silken carpet; and Taj-el-Mulook seated
himself upon the chair, and commanded the young man to sit upon the
carpet, and said to him, Display to me thy merchandise. The young man
replied, O my lord, mention it not unto me; for my merchandise is not
suitable to thee. But Taj-el-Mulook said to him, It must be done:--and
ordered some of his pages to bring it: so they brought it in spite of
him; and when the young man beheld it, his tears flowed, and he wept and
sighed and lamented, and groans rose from his throat. After again
repeating some verses, he opened his merchandise, and displayed it
before Taj-el-Mulook, portion by portion and piece by piece, and took
forth from among it a garment of satin interwoven with gold, worth two
thousand pieces of gold; and when he opened this, there fell from the
midst of it a piece of linen, and the young man, snatching it hastily,
put it beneath him, his reason wandering, and thus exclaimed.--
When will the tortured heart be healed by thee? The constellation
of the Pleiades is nearer to me than thou!
Taj-el-Mulook was struck with the utmost wonder at his words, not
knowing the cause of them; and when the young man took the piece of
linen, and put it beneath him, Taj-el-Mulook said to him, What is this
piece of linen? He answered, O my lord, thou hast no interest in this.
But the King's son said, Shew it to me.--O my lord, he replied, I
refrained not from exposing to thee my merchandise but on account of
this; for I cannot allow thee to see it. Taj-el-Mulook, however, said, I
must see it:--and he urged him, and was angry. The young man, therefore,
took it from beneath his knee, and wept and sighed and lamented
exceedingly: so Taj-el-Mulook said to him, I regard thy conduct as not
right: acquaint me then with the cause of thy weeping at beholding this
piece of linen. And when the young man heard the mention of the piece of
linen, he sighed, and said, O my lord, my story is wonderful, and my
case is strange with respect to this piece of linen and her to whom it
belonged, and her who designed these figures and emblems. He then
unfolded the piece of linen; and lo, in it was the figure of a gazelle
worked with silk, and embroidered with red gold, and facing it was the
figure of another gazelle worked with silver, and having upon its neck a
ring of red gold and three [k.]a[s.]abehs[VIII_13] of chrysolite.
When Taj-el-Mulook beheld this, and observed the beauty of its
execution, he exclaimed, Extolled be the perfection of God, who hath
taught man that which he knew not![VIII_14] And his heart was
engrossed with desire to hear the story of this young man; so he said to
him, Relate to me the story of thyself and of her who was the owner of
these gazelles. The young man, therefore, replied,--
THE STORY OF 'AZEEZ AND 'AZEEZEH.
Know, O my lord, that my father was a great merchant, and he was blest
with no child but me. I had a cousin (the daughter of a paternal uncle)
with whom I was brought up in my father's house; for her father had
died, and before his death he had made an agreement with my father that
they should marry me to her: so, when I had attained to manhood, and she
to womanhood, they did not exclude her from me, nor me from her. My
father then spoke to my mother, and said to her, This year we will
perform the marriage-contract of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh.[VIII_15] And
having agreed with my mother to do this, he began to make ready the
provisions for the entertainments.
All this was done while I and my cousin were living together without the
slightest restraint, and ignorant of the circumstance; and she was more
intelligent and more knowing than I. And when my father had made the
preparations for the festivity, and nothing remained but the performance
of the contract, and my union to my cousin, my father proposed that they
should perform the contract after the Friday-prayers: so he repaired to
his friends, the merchants and others, and acquainted them with his
intention; and my mother went and invited her female friends and
relations. And when the Friday came, they washed the saloon which was
appropriated to the guests, and cleansed its marble pavement, and spread
the carpets in our house, and furnished it with everything that was
requisite, after they had decorated its walls with stuffs interwoven
with gold; the people having agreed to pay their compliments to our
family after the Friday-prayers. My father then went and caused
sweetmeats and dishes of sugar to be prepared; and there remained
nothing but the performance of the contract. My mother had sent me to
the bath, and sent after me a new suit of clothes of the richest
description; and on my coming out from the bath, I put on this handsome
suit, which was perfumed; and when I put it on, a delicious odour was
diffused from it, and left a fragrance in the way.
[Illustration]
I desired now to repair to the mosque; but, remembering one of my
friends, I returned to search for him, that he might be present at the
ceremony of the contract, saying within myself, I will busy me with this
affair until the time of prayer draws near. I then entered a by-street
which I had never entered before. I was perspiring from the effect of
the bath and the new clothes which I wore, and the moisture dropped from
me while my perfumes diffused their odour; so I seated myself at the
upper end of the street to take rest upon a ma[s.][t.]abah, and spread
beneath me an embroidered handkerchief that I had with me. The heat
became oppressive to me, and my forehead perspired, and the drops ran
down my face, and I could not wipe the moisture from it with my
handkerchief because it was spread beneath me: I was therefore about to
take the skirt of my farajeeyeh to wipe with it my cheek, when suddenly
a white handkerchief fell upon me from above. This handkerchief was more
delicate to the feel than the zephyr, and the sight of it was more
pleasant than restoration to the diseased; and I took it in my hand,
and, raising my head to see whence it had fallen, my eye met the eye of
the female who owned these gazelles; and lo, she was looking out from a
lattice in a window of brass. My eye never beheld a person more lovely,
and altogether her charms were such as the tongue cannot describe; and
when she saw me looking at her, she put her finger in her mouth, and
then united her middle finger and her fore finger, and placed them upon
her bosom; after which, she drew in her head from the window, and shut
the lattice and withdrew. A fire had been darted into my heart, and the
flame increased; the sight drew from me a thousand sighs, and I was
perplexed; for I heard not anything from her, and understood not what
she meant by her signs. I looked again towards the window; but found it
closed: and I waited until sunset; but heard no sound, nor saw any
person; so, despairing of seeing her again, I rose from my place, and
took the handkerchief with me. I opened it, and the odour of musk was
diffused from it, and I was so exhilarated by the scent that I seemed as
if I were in paradise. I then spread it before me; whereupon there fell
from it a piece of delicate paper, and, opening this, I found it richly
perfumed with exquisite scents, and inscribed with these verses:--
I sent a letter to complain to him of the pain of my passion,
in a delicate handwriting (for handwritings are various);
So my beloved said, Wherefore is thy writing thus delicate and minute,
so as scarce to be discernible?
I answered, Because I am wasted and attenuated: so, therefore,
should the writing of lovers be.
After this, I cast a glance at the beauty of the handkerchief, and
beheld an amatory couplet worked upon one of its two borders,[VIII_16]
and another, of a similar kind, on its other border.
When I saw these verses upon the handkerchief, a flame of fire shot into
my heart, and my desire and perplexity increased; and I took the
handkerchief and the paper, and went with them to the house, not knowing
any means of obtaining what I desired, and incapable of discovering how
to proceed properly in my love. I arrived not at the house until a
considerable portion of the night had elapsed, and beheld my cousin
sitting weeping; but when she saw me, she wiped away her tears, and
approached me, and took off from me my outer clothes, and asked me the
cause of my absence. She told me that all the people, the emeers and
grandees, and merchants and others, had assembled in our house, and the
[K.]a[d.]ee and the witnesses had come, and they ate the repast, and
remained a considerable while sitting in expectation of my presence for
the purpose of performing the marriage-contract, and when they despaired
of my coming, they dispersed and went their ways.--Thy father, said she,
was violently enraged on account of this, and swore that he would not
perform our marriage-contract until next year; for he hath expended upon
this festivity a large sum of money. What, she added, hath happened unto
thee this day, that thou hast delayed thy return until now, and that
this hath happened on account of thine absence?
I answered her, Such and such things have happened to me:--and
mentioned to her the handkerchief, acquainting her with the affair from
first to last: and she took the paper and the handkerchief, and read
what was upon them, and her tears ran down upon her cheeks; and she
asked me, What did she say to thee, and of what did she make signs to
thee? I answered, She uttered not a word; but put her finger in her
mouth, and then united it with the middle finger, and placed both
fingers upon her bosom, and pointed to the ground: then she drew in her
head, and closed the lattice, and I saw her not afterwards. She carried
off my heart with her, and I sat until sunset in expectation of her
looking out from the lattice a second time; but she did it not; and when
I despaired of seeing her again, I rose from the place. This is my
story; and I beg of thee to aid me in the trouble in which I am
involved.--Upon this, she raised her head towards me, and said, O son of
my uncle, if thou requiredst mine eye, I would pull it out for thee from
my eyelids; and I must assist thee in the accomplishment of thy desire,
and assist her in like manner; for she is overwhelmed by love for thee,
as thou art by love for her.--And what, said I, is the interpretation of
the signs which she made?--Her putting her finger in her mouth, she
answered, indicateth that thou art in her estimation as her soul to her
body,[VIII_17] and that she longeth for thy union with her; and as
to the handkerchief, it is a signal of the lover's salutation to the
beloved; and the paper denoteth that her soul is captivated by thee; and
as to her putting her two fingers upon her bosom, the meaning of it is
as though she said to thee, After two days come hither, that my
affliction may be dissipated by thy countenance.[VIII_18] And know,
O son of my uncle, she continued, that she loveth thee and confideth in
thee. This is my interpretation of her signs; and if I had liberty to go
in and out at pleasure, I would effect thy union with her in the
shortest time, and protect you both with my skirt.--When I heard these
words from her, said the young man, I thanked her for what she had said,
and I said within myself, I will wait two days. I then remained two days
in the house, neither going out nor coming in, nor eating nor drinking.
I put my head in the lap of my cousin; and she cheered me by her
conversation, and said to me, Be resolute and of good heart, and dress
thyself, and repair to her at the time appointed. And she arose, and
changed my clothes, and perfumed me with incense.
I then braced up my nerves, and fortified my heart, and went forth, and
proceeded until I entered the by-street, and after I had sat a while
upon the ma[s.][t.]abah, lo, the lattice opened. I looked towards the
damsel, and when I saw her I fell down in a swoon: then recovering, I
summoned resolution, and took heart, and looked at her a second time;
but again I became insensible; and when I recovered, I saw with her a
mirror and a red handkerchief. Observing me now, she tucked up her
sleeves from her fore arms, and, opening her five fingers, struck her
bosom with them (with the palm and the five fingers): next she raised
her hands, and held forth the mirror from the lattice, and took the red
handkerchief, and retired with it; after which she returned, and let it
down from the lattice towards the street three times, letting it down
and raising it, and then wringing it and twisting it with her hand, and
bending down her head: she then drew it in through the lattice, and
closed the lattice, and departed, without speaking to me one word, but
leaving me in perplexity, not knowing to what she alluded. I remained
sitting there until the hour of nightfall, and went home near
midnight.
[Illustration]
I found my cousin with her hand placed to her cheek, and her eyelids
pouring forth tears; and upon this, my anxieties and griefs increased,
and I fell down in a corner of the chamber; but she sprang towards me,
and lifted me up, and, having taken off from me my outer clothes, wiped
my face with her sleeve, and asked me what had happened to me. I
related to her, therefore, all that had happened on the part of the
damsel: and she said to me, O son of my uncle, as to her sign with
her hand and five fingers, its interpretation is, Come hither after
five days:--and as to her sign with the mirror, and her putting
forth her head from the lattice [and her actions with the red
handkerchief],[VIII_19] the meaning is, Seat thyself at the shop of
the dyer until my messenger shall come to thee.--When I heard her words,
fire burned in my heart, and I replied, By Allah, O daughter of my
uncle, thou sayest truly in this interpretation; for I saw in the
by-street a Jewish dyer. I then wept, and my cousin said, Be resolute,
and firm of heart; for others than thou are troubled with love for a
period of years, and contend with the fierceness of passion, while thou
hast but a week to endure: wherefore then should this impatience
overcome thee? And she proceeded to cheer me with her conversation, and
brought me food; and I took a morsel, and would have eaten it; but I
could not. I abstained from drink and food, and renounced the delights
of sleep, and my complexion became pallid, and my charms became changed;
for I had never known love before that, nor tasted the fervency of that
passion before; and I fell sick, and my cousin became sick on my
account. She occupied herself in relating to me the sufferings of
lovers, in order to enliven me, until I fell asleep; and I used to
awake, and find her sleepless on my account, with her tears flowing upon
her cheeks; and thus I remained until the five days had passed, when my
cousin arose, and heated some water for me, and bathed me with it, and
dressed me, and said to me, Repair to her, and may Allah accomplish thy
wish, and grant thee what thou desirest of thy beloved.
So I went, and walked on until I came to the upper end of the by-street,
and that day was Saturday; so I found the shop of the dyer shut: and I
sat there till the call to afternoon-prayers; and the sun became yellow,
and the call to evening-prayers was chanted; and night commenced, and I
saw no trace of her, nor heard a voice, nor received any message: I
therefore feared for myself, sitting alone; and I rose and walked away,
like one intoxicated, until I entered the house.
There, on going in, I beheld my cousin 'Azeezeh with one of her hands
holding a peg knocked into the wall, and her other hand upon her bosom;
and she was groaning, and reciting verses; but when she had finished her
recitation, she turned her eyes towards me, and beheld me; whereupon she
wiped away her tears and mine with her sleeve, and, smiling in my face,
said to me, O son of my uncle, Allah grant thee enjoyment of that which
He hath given thee! Wherefore hast thou not visited thy beloved this
night?--And when I heard her words, I kicked her with my foot upon her
bosom, and she fell down upon the raised floor, and there was a peg
there, and it wounded her forehead. On looking at her I saw that her
forehead was cut open, and her blood was flowing; yet she was silent,
and uttered not a single letter; but rose immediately, and burned some
tinder of rags, and, having closed with it the wound, tied a bandage
round her head, and wiped away the blood that had flowed upon the
carpet; and it was as though this accident had not occurred. She then
came to me, and, smiling in my face, said to me with a gentle voice, By
Allah, O son of my uncle, I said not this to make a jest of thee or of
her. I was troubled just now by the aching of my head, and with wiping
away the blood: but at the present moment the pain of my head is
alleviated, and that of my forehead: tell me therefore what hath
happened to thee this day.--So I related to her all that had befallen me
through the conduct of that damsel on this day; and after I had done so
I wept; but she said to me, Rejoice at the announcement of the success
of thy desire, and the accomplishment of thy hope. Verily this is a sign
of acceptance: for she absented herself from thee because she desireth
to try thee, and to know whether thou art patient or not, and whether
thou art sincere in thy love of her or not. To-morrow go to her, and
station thyself at thy first place, and see what sign she will make to
thee; for thy happiness is near, and thy sorrow is dissipated.--And she
proceeded to console me; but I ceased not to increase in anxiety and
grief. She then placed the food before me; but I kicked it with my foot,
and the contents of each saucer were scattered about; and I said, Every
one who is in love is insane, and inclineth not to food, nor findeth
pleasure in sleep.--By Allah, O son of my uncle, exclaimed my cousin
'Azeezeh, these are indeed symptoms of love! And her tears flowed, and
she gathered together the fragments of the saucers, and wiped up the
food that was spilt, and sat chatting to me, while I prayed to God that
He would hasten the morning.
And when the morning came, and diffused its light, I repaired to the
damsel, and entered hastily the by-street, where I seated myself upon
the ma[s.][t.]abah before mentioned; and lo, the window was opened, and
she put forth her head from it, laughing. She then retired, and returned
bringing a mirror, and a bag, and a pot filled with green plants, and
having also in her hand a lamp: and the first thing that she did was
this: she took the mirror in her hand, and put it into the bag: then she
tied it up and threw it back into the chamber. After this, she let down
her hair over her face, and put the lamp upon the top of the green
plants for a moment, and then took all these things and departed with
them, and closed the lattice. My heart was riven by her secret signs and
her obscure intimations, for she addressed me not with a single word,
and my passion grew more violent thereat, and my excitement and
distraction increased.
I retraced my steps with weeping eye and sorrowful heart until I entered
the house, where I saw my cousin sitting with her face to the wall: her
heart was burning with anxiety and grief and jealousy; but her affection
prevented her from acquainting me at all with the passion which she felt
on witnessing my excessive love and distraction. I then looked at her
again, and saw that she had, on her head, two bandages: one of them was
on account of the accident that had happened to her forehead, and the
other was upon her eye, on account of a pain that she suffered in
consequence of the violence of her weeping. She was in a most miserable
case, weeping, and reciting these verses:--
Wherever thou be, mayst thou be in safety, O thou who departest,
and yet dwellest in my heart!
May God be near thee wherever thou goest, to deliver thee from
vicissitudes and from misfortunes!
Thou hast gone, and mine eye is cheerless through thine absence,
and my tears are flowing--O how abundantly!
And when she had ended her recitation, she looked towards me and saw me
as she wept, and she wiped away her tears, and rose to me; but she could
not speak, from the excessive love with which she was affected, and she
remained for some time silent; after which, she said to me, O son of my
uncle, tell me what thou hast experienced from her on this occasion. And
I told her all that had happened to me; whereupon she said to me, Be
patient; for the time of thy union is come, and thou hast attained the
object of thy hopes. As to the sign that she made to thee with the
mirror, and her putting it into the bag, it is equivalent to her saying
to thee, Wait until the sun shall have set:--and as to her letting fall
her hair over her face, it implieth her saying to thee, When night
cometh, and letteth fall its black shade over the light of day, come
hither:--and the sign that she made to thee with the pot containing the
plants meant that she would say to thee, When thou comest, enter the
garden that is behind the by-street:--and the sign which she made to
thee with the lamp denoted her saying to thee, When thou enterest the
garden, to the place where thou findest the lighted lamp do thou repair,
and seat thyself beneath it, and there wait for me; for the love of thee
destroyeth me.--But when I heard these words of my cousin, I cried out
from the excess of my passion, and said, How many times dost thou
promise me, and I go to her and attain not my desire, nor find a true
meaning to thine interpretation? And upon this, my cousin laughed, and
replied, It remaineth for thee to have patience during the rest of this
day, until the daylight is gone, and the night cometh with its deep
darkness, and then shalt thou enjoy thy union and the accomplishment of
thy hopes; and these words are true, without any falsehood. She then
drew near to me, and comforted me with soft words, but dared not bring
me any food, fearing that I should be angry with her, and hoping that I
might incline to her with favour: she only came to me, and took off my
outer clothes: after which she said to me, O son of my uncle, sit with
me that I may converse with thee to amuse thee until the close of the
day, and, if it be the will of God, the night shall not come without thy
being in the company of thy beloved. But I took no notice of her,
waiting for the night, and saying, O Allah, hasten the coming of the
night! And when it arrived, my cousin wept violently, and gave me a
grain of pure musk, saying to me, O son of my uncle, put this grain in
thy mouth, and when thou hast met thy Beloved, and she hath accepted thy
suit, recite to her this verse:--
O ye lovers, by Allah, inform me, how a youth should act when
his love is intense.
She then kissed me, and desired me to swear that I would not recite this
verse until my departure from the damsel; and I replied, I hear and
obey.
[Illustration]
I went forth at the hour of nightfall, and proceeded until I came to the
garden. I found its gate open, and entered, and beheld a light in the
distance; so I advanced towards it, and when I arrived at it, I found
there a large ma[k.]'ad,[VIII_20] over which was constructed a dome
of ivory and ebony, and the lamp was suspended in the midst of the dome.
The ma[k.]'ad was furnished with silken carpets embroidered with gold
and silver; and there was a great lighted candle in a candlestick of
gold beneath the lamp: in the midst of the chamber was a fountain
ornamented with various designs:[VIII_21] by the side of this
fountain was a table of viands covered with a silk napkin, near which
was a large china bottle full of wine, with a cup of crystal adorned
with gilding; and by the side of all these things was a great tray of
silver, covered over. I uncovered it, and beheld in it a variety of
fruits, such as figs and pomegranates and grapes and oranges and citrons
of different kinds, together with various flowers, as roses and jasmine
and myrtle and eglantine and narcissus, and all kinds of sweet scents. I
was astonished at this place, and affected with the utmost delight, and
my anxiety and grief were dissipated; but I found not in this abode any
being of the creatures of God (whose name be exalted!); not even a male
or female slave did I see, nor the person who thus neglected these
things. I sat in this chamber, waiting for the coming of the beloved of
my heart, until the first hour of the night had passed, and the second
hour, and the third; but she came not; and hunger began to torment me
violently, for a long time had elapsed without my eating food, through
the excess of my passion; but when I beheld this place, and my cousin's
correct understanding of the signs made by my beloved became manifest to
me, I felt at ease; yet I still experienced the torment of hunger, and
the savoury odours of the food upon the table had excited my desire on
my arrival there. Feeling secure, therefore, of the attainment of my
object, and longing to eat, I approached the table, and took off the
cover, and found in the midst of it a dish of china containing four
fricandoed fowls seasoned with spices, around which were four
saucers; one containing sweetmeats; and another, conserve of
pomegranate-grains; and a third, ba[k.]laweh;[VIII_22] and the fourth,
[k.]a[t.]aif:[VIII_23] the contents of these saucers consisting
both of sweet and acid. So I ate of the [k.]a[t.]aif, and a piece of
meat, and I put my hand to the ba[k.]laweh and ate of it as much as was
agreeable, and then turned to the sweetmeat and ate a spoonful, or two,
or three, or four, and I ate a portion of a fowl, and a morsel of
another dish: and when I had done this, my stomach was full, and my
joints became loose, and I was too lazy to remain awake; so I laid my
head upon a cushion, after I had washed my hands, and sleep overcame me,
and I knew not what happened to me after this. I awoke not until the sun
scorched me (for some days had passed without my having tasted sleep);
and when I awoke, I found upon my stomach some salt and charcoal; and I
stood up and shook my clothes, and looked to the right and left, but
found no one: I discovered that I had been sleeping upon the marble
pavement without anything spread beneath me, and I was perplexed in my
mind, and mourned greatly; my tears ran down upon my cheeks, and I
lamented for myself.
I then returned to the house, and when I arrived there I found my cousin
striking her hand upon her bosom, and weeping with tears like raining
clouds; but when she beheld me she arose quickly, and wiped away her
tears, and, addressing me with her soft speech, said to me, O son of my
uncle, God hath been gracious to thee in thy passion, since the person
whom thou lovest loveth thee, while _I_ remain weeping and mourning for
the separation of thee who findest fault with me; but may God not
chastise thee on my account! She then smiled in my face with the smile
of one in anger, and caressed me, and took off my outer clothes, and
spread them out, and said, By Allah, these are not the odours of one who
hath enjoyed the company of his beloved! Tell me, then, what hath
happened to thee, O son of my uncle.--And I told her all that had
befallen me; whereupon she smiled a second time with the smile of one in
anger, and said, Verily, my heart is full and in pain! But may the
person who paineth thy heart cease to exist! This woman maketh herself
extravagantly difficult to thee. By Allah, O son of my uncle, I fear
what she may do to thee. Know that the meaning of the salt is, Thou art
drowned in sleep, and seemest insipid, so that the soul regardeth thee
with loathing, and thou requirest to be salted, that the stomach may not
eject thee: thou pretendest that thou art of the number of generous
lovers; but sleep, unto lovers, is forbidden; and thy pretension to love
is false.--Such, however, is her pretension: her love for thee is false,
for when she saw thee sleeping she did not rouse thee; and had her love
for thee been true she would have roused thee.--And as to the charcoal,
the meaning indicated by it is, May God blacken thy face,[VIII_24]
since thou hast made false pretensions to love, when thou art only a
child, and hast no care but for eating and drinking and sleeping. This
is the interpretation of her sign; and may Allah (whose name be
exalted!) deliver thee from her.--Now when I heard what she said, I
struck my hand upon my breast, and exclaimed, By Allah, this is the
truth; for I slept; and lovers sleep not: so I have wronged mine own
self. What could have been more injurious to me than eating and
sleeping? And what is to be done?--I then wept exceedingly, and said to
my cousin, Direct me what to do, and have mercy upon me; so may God have
mercy upon thee; otherwise I shall die. My cousin, therefore, having a
very great love for me, replied, On my head and my eye! But, O son of my
uncle, I have told thee several times, that, if I had the privilege of
coming in and going out when I pleased, I would accomplish thy union
with her in the shortest time, and cover you both with my skirt; and
this I would not do but from the desire of obtaining thine approval. If
God permit, I will employ my utmost endeavours to bring you together;
but hear my words, and comply with my directions, and go to that same
place, and seat thyself there: when the hour of nightfall is come, seat
thyself in the place where thou wast, and beware of eating anything; for
eating induceth sleep: have a care then that thou sleep not; for she
will not come to thee until a quarter of the night hath passed: and may
God avert from thee her wickedness!--So, when I heard her words, I
rejoiced, and prayed God to hasten the night; and when night came, I
desired to depart; and my cousin said to me, When thou hast met her,
repeat to her the verse before mentioned, at the time of thy departure.
I replied, On the head and the eye.
And when I went forth and repaired to the garden, I found the place
prepared, in the same state in which I had seen it before; in it was
everything requisite, of food and drink and dried fruits and sweet
scents and other things; and I went up into the ma[k.]'ad, and, smelling
the odour of the food, I longed for it. I refrained from it several
times; but at length I could not withstand it: so I arose and went to
the table, and took off its cover, and found a dish of fowls, around
which were four saucers of food of four different kinds; and I ate of
each kind a morsel, and as much as was agreeable of the sweetmeat, and a
piece of meat, and drank some zardeh,[VIII_25] and, finding it
pleasant to me, I drank again of it plentifully by the spoonful until I
was satiated and my stomach was full. And after this, my eyelids closed;
so I took a pillow and put it beneath my head, saying, Perhaps I may
recline upon it without sleeping. But I closed my eyes and slept, and
awoke not until the sun had risen, when I found upon my stomach a
play-bone and a [t.]ab-stick[VIII_26] and a date-stone and a
locust-seed; and there was no furniture nor anything else in the place
and it seemed as if nothing had been there on the preceding night.
I rose, and shook off all these things from me, and went forth enraged,
and, arriving at the house, I found my cousin groaning; and I chid her
and abused her; whereupon she wept, and, having wiped away her tears,
approached and kissed me, and pressed me to her bosom; but I drew back
from her, blaming myself. She then said to me, O son of my uncle, it
seemeth that thou hast slept again this last night. I replied, Yes; and
when I awoke I found a play-bone laid upon my stomach, and a
[t.]ab-stick and a date-stone and a locust-seed; and I know not
wherefore she did this. Then I wept, and approached her, and said to
her, Explain to me the meaning of her doing this, and tell me how I
shall act, and assist me in my trouble. She replied, On the head and the
eye. As to the [t.]ab-stick [and the play-bone], which she placed upon
thy stomach, she meaneth thereby, that thou camest there and thy heart
was absent; as though she would say to thee, Love is not thus; therefore
reckon not thyself among lovers.[VIII_27] And as to the date-stone,
she indicated by it, that, if thou wert a lover, thy heart had been
burning with passion, and thou wouldst not taste the delight of sleep;
for the sweetness of love is like a date, which kindleth a fire in the
heart.[VIII_28] And as to the locust-seed, she intimated to thee by
it, that the heart of the lover is fatigued; and she would say to thee
thereby, Endure our separation with the patience of Job.[VIII_29]--When
I heard this interpretation, fire darted into my heart, and my grief
increased, and I cried out and exclaimed, God had decreed that I should
sleep, on account of my little fortune! I then said to her, O daughter
of my uncle, by my life I conjure thee to contrive for me some stratagem
by means of which I may obtain an interview with her. And I wept.--O
'Azeez, O son of my uncle, she replied, verily my heart is full of
thoughts, and I cannot talk; but go thou to-night to that place, and
beware of sleeping, and so shalt thou attain thy desire. This is my
counsel, and peace be on thee.--I said, If it please God, I will not
sleep; but I will do as thou chargest me. And my cousin arose, and
brought me food, saying to me, Eat now what will satisfy thee, that thou
mayest have no desire remaining. So I ate what satisfied me: and when
night came, my cousin arose, and brought me a superb suit of clothing,
and clad me with it, and conjured me to repeat to the damsel the verse
before mentioned, and cautioned me against sleeping.
I then departed from her, and, having repaired to the garden, went up
into the ma[k.]'ad; and I gazed at the garden, and kept opening my eyes
with my fingers, and shaking my head, as the night grew dark. But I
became hungry from watching, and the odours of the food were wafted
towards me, and my hunger in consequence increased: so I went to the
table, and removed its cover, and ate a morsel of every dish, and a
piece of meat, and I went to the bottle of wine, saying within myself, I
will drink a cup:--and I drank it, and then drank the second, and the
third, and so on to the number of ten; and being already stricken by
love, I fell upon the floor as one slain. Thus I remained until day
came, and I awoke, and found myself outside the garden, with a large
sharp knife upon my stomach, and an iron dirhem;[VIII_30] and I
trembled with fear, and took them with me and returned to the house.
[Illustration]
I found my cousin saying, I am in this house wretched and sorrowful,
with no relief but weeping. And as I entered, I fell down prostrate,
throwing the knife and dirhem from my hand, and fainted; and when I
recovered, I acquainted her with that which had befallen me, and said to
her, I shall not attain my desire. Her grief increased at witnessing my
weeping and my excessive passion, and she said to me, I have failed of
success in cautioning thee against sleeping; for thou wouldst not attend
to my advice: my words profit thee nothing. But I replied, I conjure
thee by Allah that thou explain to me the meaning of the knife and the
iron dirhem. So she said, As to the dirhem, she alluded by it to her
right eye,[VIII_31] and intimated that she swore by it, and said,
By the Lord of all creatures, and by my right eye,[VIII_32] if thou
come again and sleep I will assuredly slaughter thee with this knife!--I
fear for thee, therefore, O son of my uncle, from her malice; and my
heart is full of grief on thine account, and I cannot talk. If, then,
thou art confident in thyself that, if thou return to her, thou wilt not
sleep, return to her, and beware of sleeping, and so shalt thou attain
thy desire; but if thou know that, shouldst thou go to her again, thou
wilt sleep as usual, and so go to her and sleep, she will slaughter
thee.--What then, said I, is to be done, O daughter of my uncle? I
conjure thee by Allah to help me in this affliction.--She replied, On my
head and my eye: and if thou attend to my words and comply with my
directions thou wilt accomplish thy desire. I said, I will do so. And
she rejoined, When the time of departure cometh I will tell thee. She
then pressed me to her bosom, and laid me on the bed, and continued
gently kneading my limbs until slumber overcame me, and I sank into
sleep;[VIII_33] and she took a fan, and, seating herself at my
head, fanned my face until the close of day, when she roused me; and on
my awaking, I found her at my head with the fan in her hand, and weeping
so that her tears had wetted her clothes. But when she saw me that I
had awoke, she wiped away her tears, and brought me some food. I
refrained from it; but she said to me, Did I not tell thee that thou
must attend to my directions? Eat, therefore.--So I ate, and would not
oppose her; and she proceeded to put the food into my mouth, while I
chewed it, until my stomach was full. She then gave me to drink some
infusion of jujubes[VIII_34] with sugar, and washed my hands, and
dried them with a handkerchief, and sprinkled some rose-water upon me;
after which I sat with her, in healthy frame; and when the night became
dark, she put on me my clothes, and said, O son of my uncle, watch all
night, and sleep not; for she will not come to thee this night until
near its close; and, if it be the will of God, thou shalt meet her this
night; but forget not my charge. Then she wept, and my heart was pained
for her, on account of her excessive weeping; and I said to her, What is
the charge which thou gavest me? She answered, When thou departest from
her, repeat to her the verse before mentioned.
I then went forth from her full of joy, and proceeded to the garden, and
went up to the ma[k.]'ad, satiated with food. I remained sleepless a
quarter of the night, and the night seemed as long to me as though it
were a year; and I continued watching until two thirds of it had passed,
and the cocks crew, and I became violently hungry from watching: so I
went up to the table, and ate until I was satisfied; and my head became
heavy, and I desired to sleep; but suddenly I heard a noise in the
distance; whereupon I arose, and washed my hands and mouth, and roused
myself; and soon after, she came. She was accompanied by ten female
slaves, and she appeared among them like the full moon among the
planets: she was attired in a garment of green satin embroidered with
red gold; and when she saw me, she laughed, and said, How is it that
thou hast remained awake, and that sleep hath not overcome thee? Now
that thou hast passed the night sleepless I am convinced that thou art a
lover; for among the characteristics of lovers is the watching by night
in the resolute endurance of desire.--She then turned towards her female
slaves, and made a sign to them; whereupon they departed from her; and
she approached me, and pressed me to her bosom, and kissed me, and we
conversed together until the morning, when I desired to depart; but she
held me, and said to me, Stop, that I may acquaint thee with something,
and give thee a charge.--So I stopped; and she unfolded a handkerchief,
and, taking forth from it this piece of linen, spread it open before
me; and I found in it the design of the gazelles, as thou seest, and I
admired it exceedingly, and took it; after which I made a promise to her
that I would pay her a visit every night in that garden, and departed
from her, full of joy; but in my joy I forgot the verse which my cousin
had charged me to repeat. And when she gave me the piece of linen
containing the design of the gazelles, she said to me, This is the work
of my sister.--And what, said I, is the name of thy sister? She
answered, Her name is Noor-el-Huda:[VIII_35] and do thou take care
of this piece of linen.
[Illustration]
After this, when I had taken leave of her and departed, full of joy, I
returned and went in to my cousin, and found her lying down, and when
she saw me she rose, her tears dropping, and approached me, and, kissing
my bosom, said, Hast thou recited the verse as I charged thee? I
answered, I forgot it; and nothing drove it from my mind but the design
of these gazelles. And I threw down the piece of linen before her. She
arose, and then seated herself again, and, in her impatience, shed
tears, and said, O son of my uncle, make a present to me of this piece
of linen. So I gave it her, and she took it and spread it open, and saw
what was in it. And when the time of my departure came, she said, Go,
and may safety attend thee; but when thou retirest from her, recite to
her the verse that I taught thee before, and which thou didst
forget.--Repeat it to me, said I. And she did so.
I then repaired to the garden, and entered the ma[k.]'ad. I found the
damsel waiting for me, and when she beheld me she arose and kissed me
and seated me, and we ate and drank, and in the morning I repeated to
her the verse, which was this:--
O ye lovers, by Allah, inform me, how a youth should act when
his love is intense.
And when she heard it, her eyes filled with tears, and thus she
replied:--
He should hide his love, and conceal his secret, and be patient
under every event, and submissive.
I committed this to memory, and, glad at having done what my cousin
desired, went forth and returned to her. I found her lying down, with my
mother, at her head, weeping for her unhappy state; and when I went in
to her, my mother said to me, Perdition to such a cousin as thou! How
canst thou leave the daughter of thine uncle indisposed and not inquire
respecting her disease?--But my cousin, on beholding me, raised her
head, and sat up, and said to me, O 'Azeez, hast thou repeated to her
the verse that I taught thee? I answered, Yes: and when she heard it,
she wept, and recited to me another verse, which I retain in my
memory.--Let me hear it, said my cousin. And when I had repeated it to
her she wept violently, and recited this other verse:--
He hath sought to attain a becoming patience; but found nought
save a heart pining with desire.
She then said to me, When thou goest to her as usual, repeat to her this
verse which thou hast heard. I replied, I hear and obey.
So I went to the garden according to my custom, and when I was about to
return, I recited to the damsel that verse; and when she heard it, tears
poured from her eyes, and she replied,--
Then, if he have not patience to conceal his secret, I know nothing
better for him than death.
Retaining this in my memory, I returned to the house; and when I went in
to my cousin, I found her fallen down in a fit, and my mother sitting at
her head; and when my cousin heard my voice, she opened her eyes, and
said, O 'Azeez, hast thou repeated to her the verse? I answered, Yes:
and when she heard it, she wept, and recited to me this other verse. And
I repeated it to her; and as soon as she heard it she fainted again,
and, on her recovering, recited another verse, which was this:--
We hear and obey, and we die; then convey my salutation to the person
who hath prevented our union.[VIII_36]
At the approach of the following night I went again to the garden as
usual, and found the damsel expecting me; and we ate and drank; and in
the morning, when I was about to depart, I repeated to her what my
cousin had said; whereupon she uttered a loud cry, and was agitated, and
exclaimed, By Allah, she who uttered this verse hath died! She then
wept, and said to me, Wo to thee! Is not she who uttered this verse
related to thee?--I answered, She is the daughter of my paternal
uncle.--Thou liest, replied she: by Allah, if she were the daughter of
thy uncle thou hadst borne her the same love that she bore thee. Thou
art he who hath destroyed her, and may God destroy thee in like manner!
By Allah, if thou hadst told me of thy having a cousin, I had not
admitted thee into my favour.--Verily, said I, she is my cousin, and she
explained to me the signs that thou madest me, and it was she who taught
me how to proceed with thee: I had not obtained access to thee but
through her good management.--And did she know of our affair? said she.
I answered, Yes.--May Allah, she exclaimed, cause thee to bewail thy
youth, as thou hast caused her to bewail hers! She then said to me, Go
and see her.
[Illustration]
I departed, therefore, troubled in mind, and proceeded until I came to
our street, when I heard a wailing, and, asking respecting it, was
answered, We found 'Azeezeh lying behind the door, dead. I entered the
house, and when my mother beheld me, she exclaimed, The crime of
destroying her is on thy neck, and may God not pardon thee her blood!
Perdition to such a cousin as thou!--My father then came, and we
prepared her body for interment, and performed the funeral-ceremonies,
and buried her; and we caused recitations of the whole of the [K.]ur-an
to be performed at her tomb, and remained there three days, after which
I returned to the house, sorrowing for her. And my mother addressed me,
and said, I desire to know what thou didst to her, so that thou brokest
her heart. I asked her continually, O my son, respecting the cause of
her disorder; but she would not acquaint me with it. I conjure thee,
therefore, by Allah, that thou inform me what thou didst unto her, to
cause her death.--I replied, I did nothing. But she said, May God avenge
her upon thee! for she mentioned to me nothing, but concealed the truth
of her case until she died, still preserving her affection for thee; and
when she died I was with her, and she opened her eyes, and said to me, O
wife of my uncle, may God hold thy son guiltless of my blood, and not
punish him for that which he hath done unto me; and now God transporteth
me from the perishable world to the world of eternity. And I replied, O
my daughter, may God preserve thee, and preserve thy youth! And I asked
her respecting the cause of her disorder: but she answered not. Then she
smiled, and said, O wife of my uncle, if thy son desire to go to the
place which he is accustomed to frequent, tell him to repeat these two
phrases on departing from it:--Fidelity is good, and treachery is
base:--and this I desire in my compassion for him, that I may shew him
compassion in my life and after my death. She then gave me something for
thee, and took an oath of me that I would not give it to thee until I
should see thee weeping for her and lamenting: this thing I have, and
when I see thee in the state that she hath described I will give it to
thee.--I said to her, Shew it me. But she would not.
I then gave myself up to my pleasures, and thought not of the death of
my cousin; for I was unsettled in mind, and wished that I were passing
the whole of every night and day with my beloved; and scarcely had the
next night approached when I repaired again to the garden. I found the
damsel sitting there, burning with impatience to see me; and as soon as
she beheld me, she hastened to me and clung to my neck, and asked me
respecting my cousin. I answered her, She is dead, and we have performed
zikrs[VIII_37] and recitations of the [K.]ur-an for her, and four
nights have passed since her death, and this is the fifth. When she
heard this, she cried out and wept, and said, Did I not tell thee that
thou hadst killed her? Hadst thou informed me of her, before her death,
I had requited her for the kindness that she hath shewn me; for she hath
been of service to me in giving thee access to me: had it not been for
her, I should not have had an interview with thee, and I fear thou wilt
fall into a calamity on account of her disaster.--I replied, She
acquitted me before her death. And I related to her what my mother had
told me; upon which she exclaimed, By Allah, I conjure thee, when thou
goest to thy mother, learn what it is that she hath.--My mother, said I,
told me, Thy cousin, before she died, charged me saying, If thy son
desire to go to the place which he is accustomed to frequent, tell him
to repeat these two phrases:--Fidelity is good, and treachery is
base.--And when the damsel heard this, she exclaimed, The mercy of God
(whose name be exalted!) be upon her, for she hath saved thee from me: I
was meditating an injury to thee; but now I will not hurt thee nor
trouble thee. And I wondered at this, and said to her, What didst thou
purpose before this to do to me, after mutual love had taken place
between us? She answered, Thou art devoted to me; but thou art young,
and thy mind is free from deceit, and thou knowest not our malice nor
our deceit: were she still in the bonds of life, she would assist thee;
for she is the cause of thy safety, and hath delivered thee from
destruction: and now I charge thee that thou speak not with any female,
nor answer any of our sex, young or old. Beware, beware; for thou art
ignorant of the deceit of women, and their malice: she who used to
interpret the signs to thee is dead; and I fear for thee lest thou fall
into a calamity and find none to deliver thee from it after the death of
thy cousin. O my sorrow for the daughter of thy uncle! Would that I had
known her before her death, that I might have requited her for the
kindness that she hath done me! The mercy of God (whose name be
exalted!) be upon her, for she concealed her secret, and revealed not
what she felt; and but for her, thou wouldst never have had access to
me. And now I have a service to demand of thee.--What is it? said I. She
answered, That thou conduct me to her tomb, that I may visit her at her
grave, and inscribe some verses upon it. I replied, To-morrow, if it be
the will of God, whose name be exalted!--So I remained with her that
night, and frequently she said to me, Would that thou hadst told me of
thy cousin before her death! And I asked her, What is the meaning of
these words which she said--Fidelity is good, and treachery is base? But
she answered me not.
[Illustration]
In the morning, therefore, she arose, and, taking a purse containing
some pieces of gold, said to me, Arise, and shew me the tomb, that I may
visit it, and write upon it some verses, and build over it a cupola, and
pray for mercy upon her, and bestow these pieces of gold in alms for her
soul. I replied, I hear and obey. And I walked before her, and she
followed me, and employed herself in giving alms on the way as she went,
and every time that she did so she said, This is an alms for the soul of
'Azeezeh, who concealed her secret until she drank the cup of death, and
revealed not her love. Thus she continued to give of the contents of
the purse, and to say, For the soul of 'Azeezeh,--until we arrived at
the tomb, and the contents of the purse were exhausted; and when she
beheld the tomb, she threw herself upon it, and wept violently. She then
took forth a pointed instrument of steel, and a small mallet, and
engraved upon the stone at the head of the tomb, in small characters,
these verses:--
I passed by an undistinguished tomb in the midst of a garden,
with seven anemones upon it;[VIII_38]
And I said, Whose tomb is this? The soil answered, Be respectful,
for this is the resting-place of a lover.
So I said, God keep thee, O victim of love, and lodge thee
in the highest stage of Paradise!
How miserable are lovers among the creation, when even their tombs
are covered with vile dust!
Were I able [O tomb], I would make of thee a garden, and water it
with my streaming tears!
She then again wept violently, and arose, and I arose with her; and
after we had returned to the garden, she said to me, I conjure thee by
Allah that thou never forsake me. And I replied, I hear and obey. So I
resumed my visits to her as before, and she treated me with kindness and
honour, and used to ask me respecting the two phrases which my cousin
'Azeezeh had mentioned to my mother, and I repeated them to her. Thus I
remained, eating and drinking, and enjoying her conversation, and
attiring myself in changes of delicate clothing, until I became stout
and fat, and I experienced neither anxiety nor grief nor sorrow, and
forgot my cousin.
I continued drowned in these pleasures for a whole year; and at the
commencement of the new year, I entered the bath, and refreshed myself,
and put on a handsome suit; and after I had gone forth from the bath, I
drank a cup of wine, and smelt the odours of my clothes, which were
richly perfumed with various scents. My heart was unoppressed by
calamities or misfortunes; and when the hour of nightfall came, I
desired to repair to the damsel; but I was intoxicated, and knew not my
way; and, in going to her, intoxication led me aside into a by-street
called the street of the Na[k.]eeb:[VIII_39] and as I was
proceeding along it, lo, an old woman came, with a lighted candle in one
of her hands, and in her other hand a folded letter. I advanced towards
her, and she, with weeping eye, said to me, O my son, art thou able to
read? I answered her, Yes, my old aunt. And she said, Take this letter,
and read it to me. And she handed me the letter; so I took it from her
and opened it, and read to her its contents, informing her that it was a
letter from the absent, with salutations to the beloved. And when she
heard this, she rejoiced at the good news, and ejaculated a prayer for
me, saying, May God dispel thine anxiety as thou hast dispelled mine!
She then took the letter, and proceeded a few steps; but presently she
returned to me, and, kissing my hand, said, O my lord, may God (whose
name be exalted!) give thee enjoyment of thy youth, and not disgrace
thee. I beg that thou wilt walk with me a few paces, to that door; for I
have told them what thou hast read to me of the letter, and they do not
believe me: come with me, therefore, two steps, and read to them the
letter outside the door, and accept my prayer for thee.--And what, said
I, is the history of this letter? She answered, O my son, this letter
hath come from my son, who hath been absent from us for the space of ten
years; for he journeyed with merchandise, and hath remained abroad
during that period, and we relinquished all hope of his return, thinking
that he was dead: then came to us this letter from him; and he hath a
sister who hath wept for him during his absence night and day; and I
told her that he was in health and prosperity; but she believed me not,
and said to me, Thou must bring me a person to read this letter and to
acquaint me with its contents, that my heart may be set at ease and my
mind comforted.--Thou knowest, O my son, that the loving is prepossessed
with evil anticipations: favour me, therefore, by reading this letter
while thou shalt stand outside the curtain, and his sister shall hear it
within the door, that the recompense of him who accomplisheth a want for
a Muslim, and dispelleth from his mind a trouble, may be thine: for the
Apostle of God (may God bless and save him!) hath said, Whoso dispelleth
from the mind of a sorrowful person one of the troubles of this world,
God will dispel from his mind one of the troubles of the world to
come:--and in another tradition, Whoso dispelleth from the mind of his
brother one of the troubles of this world, God will dispel from his mind
seventy-two of the troubles of the day of resurrection:--and now I have
desired thee, do not disappoint me.--So I replied, I hear and obey:
proceed before me.
She therefore walked before me, and I followed her a little way, until
she arrived at a great door overlaid with copper; and she stopped at
this door, and called out in Persian, and immediately a damsel
approached, with light and nimble step. Her trousers were tucked up to
her knees, and I beheld a pair of legs that confounded the mind and the
eye by their beauty: they were like two columns of alabaster, and
ornamented with anklets of gold set with jewels. The skirts of her outer
clothes were tucked up under her arms, and her sleeves were turned up
from her arms, and I looked at her white wrists, and upon them were two
pairs of bracelets: in her ears were two ear-rings of pearls; and upon
her neck was a necklace of costly jewels; and on her head, a
koofeeyeh,[VIII_40] quite new, adorned with precious gems. She had
tucked the skirt of her inner tunic within the band of her trousers, and
appeared as though she had been employed in some active work. And when
she beheld me, she said, with an eloquent and sweet tongue that I had
never heard surpassed in sweetness, O my mother, is this he who hath
come to read the letter? She answered, Yes. And the damsel stretched
forth her hand to me with the letter. There was, between her and the
door, a distance of about half a rod;[VIII_41] and I extended my
hand to take the letter from her, and put my head and shoulders within
the door to draw near to her; but before I knew what she was about to
do, the old woman placed her head against my back, and pushed me
forward, while my hand was holding the letter, and I looked around, and
found myself in the midst of the house; that is, within the vestibule.
The old woman entered more quickly than the blinding lightning, and had
nothing to do but to shut the door: and when the damsel beheld me within
the vestibule, she approached me, and pressed me to her bosom, and,
taking me by the hand, unable to extricate myself from her grasp, led
me, preceded by the old woman with the lighted candle, until she had
passed through seven vestibules; after which she conducted me into a
large saloon, with four leewans,[VIII_42] in which a horseman might
play at goff.[VIII_43] She then seated me, and said to me, Open
thine eye. And I did so, giddy from the violence that I had experienced,
and saw that the whole construction of the saloon was of the most
beautiful alabaster, and all its furniture, including the cushions and
mattresses, of brocade. In it were also two benches of brass, and a
couch of red gold set with pearls and jewels, not suitable to any but a
King like thee.
[Illustration]
After this, she said to me, O 'Azeez, which of the two states is the
more agreeable to thee, life or death? I answered her, Life. And she
said, Then if life is more agreeable to thee, marry me.--I dislike,
I replied, marrying such a person as thou. She rejoined, if thou
marry me, thou wilt be secure from the daughter of the crafty
Deleeleh.[VIII_44]--And who, said I, is the daughter of the crafty
Deleeleh? She laughed, and answered, How is it that thou knowest her
not, when thou hast now been in her company a year and four months? May
Allah (whose name be exalted!) destroy her. Verily there existeth not
any one more treacherous than she. How many persons hath she killed
before thee, and what deeds hath she done! And how hast thou escaped
from her, without her killing or troubling thee, when thou hast been in
her company all this time?--When I heard her words I wondered extremely,
and said to her, O my mistress, who acquainted thee with her? She
answered, I know her as the age knoweth its calamities; but I desire
that thou inform me of all that thou hast experienced from her, that I
may know the cause of thy safety from her. So I related to her all that
had happened to me with her and with my cousin 'Azeezeh; and she
exclaimed, Allah have mercy upon her!--and her eyes shed tears, and she
struck her hands together, when she heard of the death of my cousin
'Azeezeh, and said, May Allah compensate thee abundantly for the loss of
her, O 'Azeez; for she hath been the cause of thy safety from the
daughter of the crafty Deleeleh; and had it not been for her, thou hadst
perished.[VIII_45] After this, she clapped her hands, and said, O
my mother, bring in those who are with thee. And lo, the old woman
approached with four lawful witnesses; and she lighted four candles; and
when the witnesses entered, they saluted me, and seated themselves; and
the damsel covered herself with an izar, and appointed one of the
witnesses to be her deputy in making her contract. So they performed the
marriage-contract, and she affirmed of herself that she had received the
whole of the dowry, both the portion usually paid in advance and the
arrears, and that she was indebted to me in the sum of ten thousand
pieces of silver; after which she gave to the witnesses their fees, and
they departed.
On the following day, I desired to go out; but she approached me
laughing, and said, Dost thou think that going out from the bath is like
entering it?[VIII_46] I imagine thou thinkest me to be like the
daughter of the crafty Deleeleh. Beware of entertaining such an idea.
Thou art no other than my husband, according to the [K.]ur-an and the
Sunneh; and if thou hast been intoxicated, return to thy reason. Verily
this house in which thou art is not opened but on one day in every year.
Go to the street-door and look.--So I went and looked, and found it
closed and nailed, and returned and told her so; and she said to me, O
'Azeez, we have of flour and grain and fruits and pomegranates and sugar
and meat and sheep and fowls and other provisions what will suffice us
for many years, and from this last night our door will not be opened
until after a year and I know that thou wilt not behold thyself outside
this house until after a year hath expired. Upon this I exclaimed, There
is no strength nor power but in God! And she laughed, and I laughed
also, and complied with her orders, and remained with her until the
twelve months of the year had expired, when I was blest with a son by
her. And on the first day of the following year, I heard the opening of
the door, and lo, men came in with ka[a.]ks[VIII_47] and flour and
sugar; and I desired to go out; but she said to me, Wait until
nightfall, and as thou camest in, so go forth. I therefore waited until
that hour, and was on the point of going out, in fear and trembling,
when she said to me, By Allah, I will not let thee go until I have made
thee swear to me that thou wilt return this night before the door is
closed. So I promised her to do it; and she made me swear by binding
oaths upon the sword and the [K.]ur-an, and by the oath of divorce, that
I would return to her.[VIII_48]
I then went forth from her, and repaired to the garden. I found it open
as usual, and was angry, saying within myself, I have been absent from
this place a whole year, and, coming unawares, have found it open as
usual. I wonder if the damsel be still there as heretofore, and I must
enter and see before I go to my mother.--It was then nightfall, and I
entered the garden, and, proceeding to the ma[k.]'ad, found the daughter
of the crafty Deleeleh sitting with her head upon her knee and her hand
upon her cheek. Her complexion was changed, and her eyes were sunk, and
when she beheld me she exclaimed, Praise be to God for thy safety!--and
she endeavoured to rise, but fell down through her joy. I was ashamed at
seeing her, and hung down my head; but presently I advanced to her and
kissed her, and said to her, How didst thou know that I was coming to
thee at this time? She answered, I knew it not. By Allah, for a year I
have not tasted sleep; but have sat up every night expecting thee, and
in this state have I been from the day when thou wentest forth from me
and I gave thee the new suit of clothing and thou promisedst me that
thou wouldst return to me. I remained expecting thee, and thou camest
not the first night, nor the second, nor the third: so I still waited in
expectation of thy coming; for such is the way of the lover: and I would
now that thou tell me what hath been the cause of thine absence from me
this year. I therefore told her; and when she knew that I had married,
her countenance became pale. I then said to her, I have come to thee
this night, but must go before the morning. But she exclaimed, Is it not
enough for her to have married thee, and to have employed this stratagem
against thee, and imprisoned thee with her a whole year, that she hath
made thee swear by the oath of divorce that thou wilt return to her
before the morning, and will not allow thee to divert thyself with thy
mother nor with me, and cannot endure thy passing one night with either
of us? What then must be the state of her from whom thou hast been
absent a whole year, though I knew thee before she did! But may Allah
have mercy on 'Azeezeh; for she suffered what none other hath suffered,
and endured with patience that of which none else hath endured the like,
and died through thy oppression. It was she who protected thee from me.
I thought that thou wouldst return, and gave thee liberty, though I was
able to imprison thee, and to destroy thee.
[Illustration]
Having thus said, she wept, and became enraged, and looked at me with
the eye of anger; and when I beheld her in this state, the muscles of my
side quivered, and I feared her, and became as the bean upon the fire.
She then cried out, and suddenly ten female slaves came to me, and threw
me upon the floor; and when I fell under their hands, she arose, and,
taking a knife, said, I will slaughter thee as goats are slaughtered,
and this shall be thy least recompense for that which thou hast done
unto thy cousin. When I beheld myself, therefore, beneath her female
slaves, and my cheek was soiled with the dust, and I saw the knife in
her hand, I looked upon death as inevitable. I implored her mercy; but
she only increased in hardness, and ordered the female slaves to bind my
hands behind me; and they did so, and, throwing me upon my back, seated
themselves upon my body, and held my head. Then two of them arose and
took hold of my toes, and two others seated themselves upon my legs;
after which, their mistress arose, with two others of them, and she
ordered them to beat me; whereupon they beat me until I fainted, and my
voice became inaudible; and when I recovered, I said within myself,
Verily my being slaughtered were easier to me than this beating! I
bethought myself of the words of my cousin, when she said, May God avert
from thee her wickedness!--and I cried out and wept until my voice
failed. She then sharpened the knife, and said to the female slaves,
Uncover his throat. But God inspired me to repeat the two phrases which
my cousin had charged me to utter, namely, Fidelity is good, and
treachery is base;--and when she heard this, she cried out and said,
Allah have mercy upon thee, O 'Azeezeh! Would that thy youth had been
spared! Thou hast profited thy cousin during thy life and after thy
death!--Then addressing me, she added, By Allah, thou hast saved thy
life from me by means of these two phrases; but I must cause thee to
bear a mark of my resentment.--So saying, she inflicted upon me a cruel
wound, and I fainted; but when I recovered, the blood had stopped, and
she gave me to drink a cup of wine, and spurned me with her foot.
I rose; but was unable at first to walk: presently, however, I proceeded
by little and little until I arrived at the door of my wife's house. I
found it open, and threw myself within it, in a state of distraction;
and my wife came and took me up and conveyed me to the saloon, where I
fell into a deep sleep; but when I awoke, I found myself laid at the
gate of the garden.
In anguish I rose, and went to my home, and, entering the house, found
my mother weeping for me, and exclaiming, Would that I knew, O my son,
in what land thou art! So I approached her, and threw myself upon her,
and when she beheld me, she saw that I was unwell. Yellowness and
blackness were mingled upon my face; and I remembered my cousin, and the
kindness she had shewn me, and was convinced that she loved me. I wept
for her, and my mother also wept, and then said to me, O my son, thy
father is dead. And upon this, my rage increased, and I wept until I
became insensible; and when I recovered, I looked towards the place
where my cousin was accustomed to sit, and wept again till I fainted
from the violence of my lamentation. I ceased not to weep and wail until
midnight, when my mother said to me, Thy father hath been dead ten days.
But I replied, I think of no one but my cousin; for I deserve what hath
happened to me, because I neglected her when she loved me. She asked me,
therefore, And what hath happened to thee? So I related to her that
which had befallen me; to which she replied, Praise be to God that this
happened to thee and that she did not slaughter thee! She then applied
remedies to my wound until I recovered, and regained my usual strength;
and she said to me, O my son, I will now produce to thee the deposite
with which thy cousin intrusted me; for it is thine, and she made me
swear that I would not produce it to thee until I saw that thou
rememberedst her and mournedst for her, and that thine affections for
another were severed; and now I hope that I find in thee these
dispositions. She therefore arose, and, opening a chest, took forth from
it this piece of linen containing the design of the gazelles, which I
had originally given to her; and when I took it, I found written upon it
some verses complaining of her unrequited love for me, and there fell
from it a paper containing some words of consolation and
counsel.[VIII_49]
As soon as I had read and understood this paper, I wept again, and my
mother did the same, and I continued looking at it and weeping until the
approach of night; and in this state I remained for the space of a year;
after which, some merchants of my city, the same whom I am accompanying
in this caravan, prepared for a journey; and my mother suggested to me
that I should fit myself out and go with them, saying to me, Perhaps the
journey will dispel this sorrow which thou sufferest, and thou wilt be
absent a year, or two years, or three, until the caravan returneth, and
thy heart may become dilated. Thus she continued to persuade me, so that
I prepared some merchandise, and journeyed with them; but my tears have
not dried up during my travels; for at every station where we halt I
spread this piece of linen before me, and look at this design, and think
of my cousin, and weep for her as thou seest, since she loved me
excessively, and died through my unkindness; I doing nothing but evil to
her, while she did nothing to me but what was good. When the merchants
return from their journey, I shall return with them, and the period of
my absence will be a complete year; but I still suffer increasing
sorrow; and my sorrow hath been only augmented in consequence of my
passing by the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal.[VIII_50]
These Islands are seven in number, and the sovereign of them is a King
named Shah-Zeman.[VIII_51] He hath a daughter named Dunya;[VIII_52] and
it was told me that it was she who worked the designs of the gazelles,
and that this design which is in my possession was one of her work; and
when I knew this, I became excessively desirous of seeing her: so, when
the caravan entered her country, I went forth and wandered about the
gardens, which contained a profusion of trees. The superintendent of the
gardens was a sheykh advanced in age; and I said to him, O sheykh, to
whom doth this garden belong? He answered, To the King's daughter, the
lady Dunya, and we are beneath her palace; and if thou desire to amuse
thyself, open the private door, and take a view of the garden and smell
the odours of the flowers. So I said to him, Have the kindness to allow
me to sit in this garden until she passeth by, that I may enjoy a glance
at her. The sheykh replied, There will be no harm in thy doing so. When
he said this, therefore, I gave him some money, saying to him, Buy for
us something to eat. And he rejoiced at receiving the money, and,
opening the door, conducted me within; and we proceeded until we came to
a pleasant spot, where he brought me some delicate fruits, and said to
me, Sit here while I go and return to thee. And he left me and departed,
and, after he had been absent a while, returned bringing a roasted lamb;
and we ate until we were satisfied, my heart longing to behold the lady,
and while we were sitting, lo, the door opened; whereupon he said to me,
Rise, and conceal thyself. So I rose, and hid myself; and a black eunuch
put forth his head from the door, and said, O sheykh, is any one with
thee? He answered, No.--Then close the door, said the eunuch. The
sheykh, therefore, closed the door of the garden; and lo, the lady Dunya
came forth. When I beheld her, I thought that the moon had descended
upon the earth; my mind was confounded, and I desired her as the thirsty
longeth for water; and after a while, she closed the door and departed.
I then went forth from the garden, and repaired to my lodging, knowing
that I could not obtain access to her; and when my companions prepared
for departure, I also prepared myself, and travelled with them towards
thy city; and on our arrival here, we met with thee.--This is my story,
and this is what hath happened unto me; and peace be on thee.
[Illustration]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF TAJ-EL-MULOOK AND THE LADY DUNYA.
When Taj-el-Mulook heard this story, his heart became troubled with love
for the lady Dunya. He then mounted his horse, and, taking with him
'Azeez, returned to his father's city, where he assigned to him a house,
and furnished it with everything that he required; after which he left
him, and repaired to his palace. His tears ran down upon his cheeks (for
hearing affecteth as sight and union), and in this state he remained
until his father came in to him, and, finding that his colour was
changed, knew that he was oppressed by anxiety and grief: so he said to
him, O my son, acquaint me with thy case, and tell me what hath happened
to thee to change thy colour. He therefore related to him all that he
had heard of the story of Dunya, and how he had fallen in love with her
from hearsay, without having seen her; whereupon his father said to him,
O my son, her father is a King, and his country is distant from us:
abandon, therefore, this idea, and enter the palace of thy mother; for
in it are five hundred female slaves like so many moons, and whoever of
them pleaseth thee do thou take her; or, if none of them please thee, we
will demand in marriage for thee one of the daughters of the Kings, more
beautiful than the lady Dunya. But he replied, O my father, I desire not
any but her: it was she who worked the design of the gazelles that I
saw, and I must have her, or I will flee into the deserts, and kill
myself on her account.
So his father said, Have patience with me, O my son, that I may send to
her father and demand her of him in marriage, and accomplish for thee
thy wish, like as I did for myself in the case of thy mother; and if he
consent not, I will convulse his kingdom around him, and send against
him an army of which the rear shall be with me when the van is with him.
He then called for the young man 'Azeez, and said to him, O my son,
knowest thou the way? He answered, Yes.--Then I desire of thee, said the
King, that thou journey with my Wezeer. And 'Azeez replied, I hear and
obey, O King of the age. The King, therefore, summoned his Wezeer, and
said to him, Manage for me the affair of my son according to thy
knowledge, and repair to the Islands of Camphor, and demand in marriage
the daughter of their King. He replied, I hear and obey. And
Taj-el-Mulook returned to his apartments, and his malady and impatience
increased: he fell down in a swoon, and recovered not until the morning;
and when the morning arrived, his father came to him, and saw his
complexion more changed, and his sallowness increased; and he exhorted
him to patience, and promised him the accomplishment of his union.
The King then equipped 'Azeez, with his Wezeer, and supplied them with
the presents; and they journeyed days and nights until they beheld the
Islands of Camphor, when they halted on the bank of a river, and the
Wezeer sent forward a messenger from his party to the King, to acquaint
him with their approach; and half a day after the departure of the
messenger, suddenly they saw that the chamberlains of the King, and his
emeers, had advanced to meet them from the distance of a league; and
they met him, and attended them until they went in with them to the
King. They placed before the King the presents, and remained in his
palace four days; and on the fifth day the Wezeer arose and went in to
the King, and, standing before him, delivered to him his message, and
acquainted him with the cause of his coming; but the King was perplexed
how to answer, for his daughter liked not marriage; and he hung down his
head for a while towards the floor; and after this he raised it, and,
looking towards one of the eunuchs, said to him, Go to thy mistress
Dunya, and acquaint her with what thou hast heard, and with the purpose
of the visit of this Wezeer. So the eunuch went, and, after a short
absence, returned to the King, and said to him, O King of the age, when
I went in to the lady Dunya, and acquainted her with what I had heard,
she was violently enraged, and rose against me with a stick, and would
have broken my head; wherefore I fled from her; and she said to me, If
my father force me to marry, him whom I marry I will kill. Her father,
therefore, said to the Wezeer and 'Azeez, Salute ye the King, and inform
him of this, and that my daughter liketh not marriage. Accordingly the
Wezeer returned with his attendants unsuccessful, and they continued
their journey until they went in unto the King, and acquainted him with
what had happened; and upon this he ordered the chiefs to call together
the troops that they might march to war; but the Wezeer said to him, Do
not this; for the King is not in fault: the refusal is on the part of
his daughter, who, when she knew of this proposal, sent to say, If my
father force me to marry, I will kill him whom I marry, and kill myself
after him.
And when the King heard the words of the Wezeer, he feared for his son
Taj-el-Mulook, and said, If I make war upon her father, and obtain
possession of his daughter, she will kill herself. He then acquainted
his son Taj-el-Mulook with the truth of the case; and when the prince
heard it, he said to his father, O my father, I cannot exist without
her: I will therefore go to her, and seek means of obtaining an
interview with her, though I die in the attempt: and I will do nothing
but this. His father said, How wilt thou go to her? He answered, I will
go in the disguise of a merchant.--Then if it must be so, rejoined the
King, take with thee the Wezeer and 'Azeez. He then took forth for him
some money from his treasuries, and prepared for him merchandise at the
price of a hundred thousand pieces of gold, and they both agreed as to
this course; and when night came, Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez went to the
abode of the latter, and there passed that night. But the heart of
Taj-el-Mulook was captivated, and neither eating nor rest pleased him:
reflections overwhelmed him, and he was drowned in them; and, longing
for his beloved, he poured forth his tears, and wept violently; and
'Azeez wept with him, reflecting upon his cousin; and they both
continued thus until the morning, when Taj-el-Mulook arose and went in
to his mother. He was equipped for the journey; and she asked him
respecting his state: so he acquainted her with the whole truth; and she
gave him fifty thousand pieces of gold, and bade him farewell, and he
went forth from her, while she offered up prayers for his safety, and
for his union with the object of his love. He then went in to his
father, and asked his permission to depart; and the King granted him
permission, and gave him fifty thousand pieces of gold, and ordered that
a tent should be pitched for him outside the city.
[Illustration]
A large tent was therefore pitched for him; and after they had remained
in it two days, they commenced their journey; and Taj-el-Mulook treated
'Azeez with familiar kindness, and said to him, O my brother, I cannot
henceforth part with thee.--And I, replied 'Azeez, am of the like mind,
and desire to die at thy feet; but, O my brother, my heart is troubled
with thoughts of my mother. So Taj-el-Mulook said, When we shall have
attained our wish, all will be well. Now the Wezeer had charged
Taj-el-Mulook to display an air of patience, and 'Azeez occupied himself
with reciting to him verses, and narrating to him histories and tales;
and they continued on their way by night and day for the space of two
months. The length of the journey became wearisome to Taj-el-Mulook; and
the violence of his desire, and his passion and distraction, increased:
so when they drew near to the city, he rejoiced excessively, and his
anxiety and grief ceased.
They entered it in the garb of merchants, the King's son being also clad
in the same manner, and, coming to a place known as the abode of
merchants, which was a large Khan, Taj-el-Mulook said to 'Azeez, Is this
the abode of the merchants? 'Azeez answered, Yes: it is not, however,
the Khan in which I lodged with the caravan that I accompanied; but it
is better than that. So they made their camels lie down, and unloaded,
and, having deposited their goods in the magazines, remained there to
take rest four days. The Wezeer then suggested to them that they should
hire for themselves a large house; to which they assented; and they
hired a spacious house, fitted for festivities. There they took up their
abode; and the Wezeer and 'Azeez studied to devise some stratagem for
the sake of Taj-el-Mulook, who was perplexed, not knowing what to do.
The Wezeer could contrive no other plan than that of his opening for
himself a shop to carry on the trade of a merchant in the market of fine
stuffs: he therefore addressed Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez, and said to
them, Know that if we remain in this state we shall not attain our wish;
and a thing hath occurred to my mind which probably may be advisable, if
it be the will of God. So they replied, Do what seemeth fit to thee; for
a blessing attendeth the aged, and especially in thy case, since thou
hast devoted thyself to the management of affairs: therefore give us the
advice which hath suggested itself to thy mind. And he said to
Taj-el-Mulook, It is my opinion that we should hire for thee a shop in
the market of fine stuffs, and that thou shouldst sit in it to sell and
buy; for every person of the higher ranks and of the people in general
standeth in need of such stuffs, and if thou sit in that shop thy affair
will be arranged, if it be the will of God (whose name be exalted!),
especially because of thy comely person; but make 'Azeez thy trusty
attendant, and seat him in the shop to hand to thee the stuffs. And when
Taj-el-Mulook heard these words, he said, This is a judicious
opinion;--and immediately he took forth a suit of merchant's attire,
and clad himself in it, and arose and went forth, followed by his young
men, and gave to one of them a thousand pieces of gold to fit up the
shop.
They proceeded until they arrived at the market of fine stuffs, and
when the merchants saw Taj-el-Mulook, and observed his handsome and
comely person, they were confounded, and began to say, Hath
Ri[d.]wan[VIII_53] opened the gates of Paradise and neglected them,
so that this youth of surprising beauty hath come forth?--and one said,
This is probably one of the angels. And when they went in among the
merchants, they inquired for the shop of the Sheykh of the market. The
merchants, therefore, guided them thither, and they went to him; and as
they approached him, he and the merchants who were with him rose to
them, and received them with honour, especially the excellent Wezeer;
for they saw him to be an aged and venerable man; and observing that he
was accompanied by Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez, they said, No doubt this
sheykh is the father of these two young men. The Wezeer then said to
them, Who among you is the Sheykh of the market? They answered, This is
he. And the Wezeer, looking at him and observing him, saw that he was an
old man of grave and respectable aspect, and possessing servants and
young men. The Sheykh of the market greeted them with friendly
compliments, and treated them with great honour, and, having seated them
by his side, said to them, Have ye any business which we may have the
happiness of transacting? The Wezeer answered, Yes: I am an old man,
advanced in age, and I have these two young men: I have travelled with
them through all regions and countries, and have not entered a town
without remaining in it a whole year, that they might amuse themselves
with the sight of it and become acquainted with its inhabitants; and now
I have come to this your town, and have chosen to make a stay in it: I
therefore desire of thee one of the best shops, that I may seat them in
it to traffic, and that they may amuse themselves with the sight of this
city, and acquire the manners of its people, and obtain an experience in
buying and selling and other commercial transactions.
So the Sheykh of the market replied, There will be no harm in doing
so:--and, looking at the two young men, he was delighted with them, and
he arose and stood like a servant before them to wait upon them. And
afterwards he went and prepared for them the shop: it was in the midst
of the market, and there was none larger than it, nor any more handsome
there; for it was spacious and decorated, and contained shelves of
ivory and ebony. He then delivered the keys to the Wezeer (who was also
in the garb of a merchant), and said, God grant that it may be attended
with blessings to thy two sons![VIII_54] And when the Wezeer had
taken the keys of the shop, he went to it, together with the servants,
who deposited in it their goods; and they ordered the servants to remove
thither all the merchandise and stuffs and rarities that they had. These
things were worth treasuries of wealth; and they transported the whole
of them to the shop. They then passed the night, and in the morning the
Wezeer conducted the two young men to the bath, where they washed and
enjoyed themselves to the utmost, after which they returned to their
abode to rest from the fatigue of bathing, and ate and drank; and they
passed the next night in their abode in the most perfect joy and
happiness. And on the following morning they rose from their sleep, and,
having performed the ablution, recited the divinely-ordained prayers,
and drank their morning-beverage;[VIII_55] and when daylight came,
and the shops and markets were opened, they went forth from their abode,
and repaired to the market, and opened the shop. The servants had
prepared it for them in the handsomest manner, and spread it with
carpets of silk, and placed in it two mattresses, each of which was
worth a hundred pieces of gold; and upon each mattress they spread a
skin such as Kings sit upon, surrounded with an edge of gold: so
Taj-el-Mulook seated himself upon one mattress, and 'Azeez upon the
other, and the Wezeer sat in the midst of the shop, while the servants
stood before them. The people heard of them, and crowded about them, and
they sold of their merchandise; and the fame of Taj-el-Mulook was spread
through the city, and the report of his handsomeness and comeliness was
blazed throughout it. They continued this life for several days, the
people pressing to them; after which the Wezeer addressed Taj-el-Mulook,
and enjoined him to conceal his case, and, having charged 'Azeez to keep
watch over him, repaired to the house to plan some mode of proceeding
that might be of advantage to them. Meanwhile, Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez
sat conversing together; and the former said, Perhaps some one may come
from the lady Dunya.
[Illustration]
Thus Taj-el-Mulook passed his time days and nights, and slept not;
desire overpowered him, and he became more and more emaciated and
infirm, renouncing the delight of sleep, and abstaining from drink and
food; but still he was like the full moon: and as he was sitting one
day, lo, an old woman approached and advanced towards him, followed by
two female slaves, and she continued to draw near until she stopped at
his shop. Beholding his graceful person, and his handsome and lovely
aspect, she wondered at his beauty, and said, Extolled be the perfection
of Him who created thee! Extolled be the perfection of Him who hath made
thee a temptation to all creatures!--She ceased not to gaze at him, and
said, This is not a mortal: this is no other than a noble
angel![VIII_56] Then drawing close to him, she saluted him, and he
returned her salutation, and rose to her, standing upon his
feet,[VIII_57] and smiled in her face. All this he did at the
hinting of 'Azeez; after which he seated her by his side, and occupied
himself with fanning her until she had rested herself; when she said to
him, O my son! O thou of perfect qualities and graces! art thou of this
country?--Taj-el-Mulook answered her, with an eloquent and sweet and
charming voice, By Allah, O my mistress, in my life I never entered this
country until now; and I have not taken up my abode in it but for the
sake of amusement. And she wished him honour, and welcomed him, and
said, What stuffs hast thou brought with thee? Show me something
beautiful; for the beautiful bringeth not anything but what is
beautiful.--And when Taj-el-Mulook heard her words his heart
palpitated; but he understood not their meaning: so 'Azeez made a sign
to him; and Taj-el-Mulook said to her, I have everything that thou
desirest of stuffs suitable only to Kings and the daughters of Kings.
For whom, then, wouldst thou purchase, that I may display to thee what
will be appropriate?--He desired by this question to learn the meaning
of her words; and she answered, I want some stuff suitable to the lady
Dunya, the daughter of King Shah-Zeman. On hearing the mention of his
beloved, Taj-el-Mulook rejoiced exceedingly, and said to 'Azeez, Bring
me the most magnificent of the goods that are by thee. And 'Azeez gave
him a wrapper, and untied it before her, and Taj-el-Mulook said to her,
Choose what will suit her; for this is such as is not found with any but
me. So the old woman chose some stuff that was worth a thousand pieces
of gold; and said, What is the price of this?--What! said he, shall I
bargain with a person like thee respecting this contemptible thing?
Praise be to God who hath made me acquainted with thee.--And the old
woman exclaimed, I invoke, for thy comely face, the protection of the
Lord of the Daybreak![VIII_58] for verily thy face is comely, and
so are thine actions. Joy be to her who possesseth thee, and especially
if she be endowed with beauty like thee!--Upon this, Taj-el-Mulook
laughed until he fell backwards, and said [within himself], O
Accomplisher of desires by the means of wicked old women![VIII_59]
And she said to him, O my son, what is thy name? He answered, My name is
Taj-el-Mulook.--This, she replied, is one of the names of Kings; but
thou art in the garb of the merchants. So 'Azeez said, From the
affection of his family for him, and the high estimation in which they
held him, they gave him this name. And the old woman replied, Thou hast
spoken truth. May God avert from you the evil of the envious, though
hearts be broken by your charms!
She then took the stuff, and departed, confounded by his handsomeness
and loveliness and elegant form; and she proceeded until she went in to
the lady Dunya, when she said to her, O my mistress, I have brought thee
some beautiful stuff.--Shew it me, said the lady. And she replied, O my
mistress, here it is: turn it over, and behold it. And when the lady
Dunya saw it, she said to her, O my nurse, verily this is beautiful
stuff; I have not seen such in our city!--O my mistress, replied the old
woman, the seller of it surpasseth it in beauty. It seemeth as though
Ri[d.]wan had opened the gates of Paradise and neglected them, and so
the merchant who selleth this stuff had come forth from it. I wish he
were with thee; for he is a temptation to every one who beholdeth him.
He hath come to our city with these stuffs for the sake of
amusement.--At these words of the old woman the lady Dunya laughed, and
said, Allah afflict thee, thou ill-omened old woman! Thou hast spoken
nonsense, and art become insane.--She then added, Give me the stuff that
I may examine it closely. So the old woman handed it to her, and she
looked at it again, and saw that it was but little, and that its price
was great; and she wondered at its beauty; for she had never in her life
seen anything like it. The old woman then said to her, O my mistress, if
thou didst behold its owner, thou wouldst know that he is the handsomest
person on the face of the earth. And the lady Dunya said to her, Didst
thou ask him if he had any want to be performed, that he might acquaint
us with it, and thou mightest accomplish it for him? The old woman,
shaking her head, replied, Allah preserve thy sagacity! By Allah, he
hath a want. And is any person without one?--Go to him, then, said the
lady Dunya, and salute him, and say to him, I have been honoured by
thine arrival in our city, and whatever want thou hast, we will perform
it for thee on the head and the eye.
The old woman, therefore, returned immediately to Taj-el-Mulook, and
when he saw her, his heart leaped with joy, and he rose to her, standing
upon his feet, and, taking her hand, seated her by his side. So when she
had sat and rested herself, she informed him of that which the lady
Dunya had said. On hearing this, he was filled with the utmost joy; his
bosom expanded, and he said within himself, I have accomplished my wish!
He then said to the old woman, Perhaps thou wilt convey to her a letter
from me, and bring me back the answer. She replied, I hear and obey. And
when he heard her reply, he said to 'Azeez, Give me an inkhorn and
paper, and a pen of brass. And 'Azeez having given him these things, he
wrote the following verses:--
I write to thee a letter, O object of my petition, expressive
of the torment that I suffer from separation;
And first, I make known to thee the ardour of my heart; and secondly,
my desire and eager longing;
And thirdly, the expiring of my life and patience; and fourthly,
that all the violence of my love remaineth;
And fifthly, I ask, When shall I behold thee? and sixthly,
When shall be the day of our union?
He then added beneath, This letter is from the captive of desire,
incarcerated in the prison of longing expectation, to whom there can be
no liberation but by enjoying an interview, even were it with the
phantom of the object of his hope; for he is enduring a painful torment
from the separation of his beloved.--Then his tears flowed, and he wrote
these two verses:--
I write unto thee with my tears flowing, and the drops from
my eyes descending incessantly;
But I am not despairing of the favour of my Lord: perhaps
some day our union may take place.
He then folded the letter, and sealed it, and gave it to the old woman,
saying, Convey it to the lady Dunya. She replied, I hear and obey. And
he gave her a thousand pieces of gold, and said, Receive this as a
present from me. So the old woman took it and departed, praying for him.
She stopped not until she went in to the lady Dunya, who, when she
beheld her, said to her, O my nurse, what hath he demanded that we
should do for him?--O my mistress, she answered, he hath sent with me a
letter, and I know not its contents. And she handed the letter to her.
So the lady Dunya took it and read it, and understood its meaning, and
exclaimed, Whence is he, and to what doth he aspire, that this merchant
openeth a correspondence with me? Then slapping her face, she said, Were
it not for my fear of God (whose name be exalted!) I would crucify him
upon his shop. So the old woman said to her, What is in this letter,
that it hath disturbed thy heart? Doth it contain a complaint of
oppression, or a demand for the price of the stuff?--Wo to thee! she
answered: it containeth not that, nor anything but love and affection;
and all this is through thee. Or, if not, how should this devil presume
to employ these words?--O my mistress, replied the old woman, thou art
residing in thy lofty palace, and no one can obtain access to thee; not
even the flying bird. Allah preserve thee from blame and censure! Thou
hast nothing to fear from the barking of dogs. Be not angry with me for
my bringing thee this letter when I knew not its contents: but it is my
opinion that thou shouldst return him an answer, and threaten him in it
with slaughter, and forbid him from employing these vain words; for he
will abstain, and not do so again.--The lady Dunya said, I fear to write
to him, lest he covet me more. But the old woman replied, When he
heareth the threatening, and promise of punishment, he will desist from
his present conduct. So she said, Bring me an inkhorn and paper, and a
pen of brass. And when they had brought them to her, she wrote these
verses:--
O pretender to love and affliction and sleeplessness, and feelings
of rapturous passion, and anxiety!
Dost thou seek for a meeting, O deceived, from a moon? Doth any
attain from a moon his wish?
I advise thine abstaining from thy desire: forbear then; for thou
art exposed to peril.
If thou again make use of these words, I will visit thee with
a punishment of the utmost severity.
By Him who created mankind of clotted blood,[VIII_60]
and who gave light to the sun and the moon!
If thou repeat the proposal thou hast made, I will assuredly crucify
thee on the trunk of a tree.
[Illustration]
She then folded up the letter, and gave it to the old woman, saying to
her, Deliver it to him, and say to him, Abstain from these words. And
she replied, I hear and obey.
She took the letter, full of joy,[VIII_61] and went with it to her
house, where she passed the night; and in the morning she repaired to
the shop of Taj-el-Mulook, whom she found expecting her. As soon as he
beheld her, he almost flew with joy, and when she drew near to him he
rose to her, standing upon his feet, and seated her by his side; and she
took forth the letter, and handed it to him, saying, Read its contents.
She then said to him, The lady Dunya, when she read thy letter, was
enraged; but I coaxed her and jested with her until I made her laugh,
and she was moved with pity for thee, and returned thee an answer. So
Taj-el-Mulook thanked her for this, and, having ordered 'Azeez to give
her a thousand pieces of gold, read the letter, and understood it; and
he wept violently, so that the heart of the old woman was moved with
compassion for him, and his weeping and complaining grieved her. She
said to him, O my son, and what is in this paper, that it hath made
thee weep? He answered, She threateneth me with slaughter and
crucifixion, and forbiddeth my writing to her; but if I write not to
her, my death will be preferable to my life; therefore take a reply to
her letter, and let her do what she will.--By thy youth, replied the old
woman, I must risk my life for thee, and enable thee to attain thy
desire, and accomplish for thee that which is in thy heart. And
Taj-el-Mulook said, Whatsoever thou dost I will requite thee for it; and
it shall be determined by thee; for thou art experienced in the
management of affairs, and skilled in the modes of intrigue, and
everything that is difficult becometh easy to thee; and God is able to
accomplish all things. So he took a paper, and wrote in it these
verses:--
She threatened me with slaughter. O my bereavement! Slaughter
would be ease to me, and death is decreed.
Death is better than life prolonged to the love-smitten who is
debarred from enjoyment and treated with oppression.
By Allah, visit a helpless lover; for I am your slave, and the slave
is in captivity.
O my mistress, have mercy on me for my passion; for every one who
loveth the virtuous is excusable.
Having done this, he sighed heavily, and wept until the old woman wept
with him; after which she took the letter from him, and said to him, Be
happy and cheerful; for I must accomplish for thee thy wish.
She then arose, and left him as though he were upon the fire, and
repaired to the lady Dunya, whom she found with a countenance changed by
her anger in consequence of the former epistle of Taj-el-Mulook; and she
handed her the second letter; whereupon her rage increased, and she said
to the old woman, Did I not tell thee that he would covet us more?--And
what is this dog, said the old woman, that he should aspire to thee? The
lady Dunya replied, Go to him, and say to him, If thou write to her
again she will strike off thy head. But the old woman said, Do thou
write this to him in a letter, and I will take it with me, that his fear
may be the greater. So she took a paper, and wrote in it the following
verses:--
O thou who art heedless of the course of misfortunes, and who canst not
accomplish thy desired union!
Dost thou think, O deceived, to attain to Es-Suha,[VIII_62]
when thou canst not reach to the shining moon?
How then dost thou venture to hope for our union, and to hold in thine
embrace my javelin-like form?
Quit, therefore, this project, in fear of my assault on a day
of adversity when hair shall become gray.
Having folded this letter, she handed it to the old woman, who took it
and repaired with it to Taj-el-Mulook. At the sight of her he rose, and
said, May God never deprive me of the blessing of thy coming! And the
old woman replied, Receive the answer to thy letter. So he took the
paper and read it, and wept violently, and said, I desire now some one
to kill me; for slaughter would be easier to me than this my present
state of suffering. He then took an inkhorn and a pen and paper, and
wrote a letter expressed in these two verses:--
O my hope, persist not in abandonment and cruelty; but visit
a lover drowned in desire.
Think not that I can survive this oppression; for my soul
departeth at the loss of my beloved.
And he folded the letter, and gave it to the old woman, saying to her, I
have wearied thee to no purpose. And again he ordered 'Azeez to give her
a thousand pieces of gold, and said to her, O my mother, this paper must
be followed by complete union or complete separation.--O my son, she
replied, by Allah, I desire for thee nothing but good fortune: and I
wish she may be with thee; for thou art the shining moon, and she is the
rising sun; and if I do not bring you together, no profit will remain to
me in my life. I have passed my life in the practice of artifice and
deceit, until I have attained the age of ninety years; and how then
should I fail of uniting two persons in opposition to all law?
Then, having bidden him farewell, and soothed his mind, she departed,
and proceeded without stopping to the lady Dunya; but she had hidden the
paper in her hair; and when she sat down with her mistress, she
scratched her head, and said, O my mistress, perhaps thou wilt untwist
my hair; for it is a long time since I have entered the bath. So the
lady Dunya made bare her arms to the elbows, and untwisted the old
woman's hair; whereupon the paper fell from her head; and the lady
Dunya, seeing it, said, What is this paper? The old woman answered, It
seemeth that, when I was sitting at the shop of the merchant, this paper
caught to me: give it me, therefore, that I may return it to him. But
the lady Dunya opened it and read it, and understood its contents, and
exclaimed, This is a trick of thine, and were it not for the fact of thy
having reared me, I would lay violent hands upon thee this moment. God
hath afflicted me by this merchant, and all that I have experienced from
him hath been through thy means. I know not from what country this man
hath come. No one but he could ever use such boldness towards me. I
fear that this affair which hath happened to me may be discovered, and
especially since it relateth to a man who is neither of my family nor of
my equals.--The old woman then addressed her, and said, No one can utter
a word on this subject, through fear of thy power, and of the dignity of
thy father: and there will be no harm in thy returning him an answer.--O
my nurse, replied the lady Dunya, this is a devil. How hath he dared to
use these words, and feared not the power of the Sul[t.]an? I am
perplexed respecting his case; for if I give orders to kill him, it will
not be right: and if I leave him, he will increase in his
boldness.--Write to him a letter, rejoined the old woman; and perhaps he
will be restrained. She therefore demanded a paper and an inkhorn and a
pen, and wrote to him the following verses:--
[Illustration]
Though repeatedly rebuked, still gross ignorance inciteth thee.
How oft shall my hand write verses to forbid thee?
Thou increasest in eagerness after each prohibition; but I will
only permit thee to conceal thy secret.
Conceal then thy love, and never more utter it; for if thou utter it,
I will not regard thee.
If thou repeat what thou hast said, the raven of separation will
announce thy fate:
In a little time will death overtake thee, and thy resting-place
be beneath the earth:
Thou shalt leave thy family, O deceived, in sorrow, when the swords
of love have prevented thine escape.
Having then folded the paper, she gave it to the old woman, who took it,
and went with it to Taj-el-Mulook, and gave it to him; and when he had
read it, and was convinced that she was hard-hearted, and that he could
not obtain access to her, he complained of his case to the Wezeer, and
desired his prudent counsel. The Wezeer replied, Know that there
remaineth for thee nothing that can be of avail, except thy writing to
her another letter, and invoking retribution upon her. So he said, O my
brother, O 'Azeez, write in my stead, according to thy knowledge. And
'Azeez took the paper, and wrote these verses:--
O my Lord, by the Five Elders,[VIII_63] deliver me; and to her
who hath afflicted me transfer my anguish!
For Thou knowest that I am suffering a tormenting flame, and my beloved
hath oppressed me, and will not pity me.
How long shall I feel tenderly to her in my affliction! And how long
shall she tyrannize over my weakness!
I wander in agonies never ending, and find not a person, O my Lord,
to assist me.
'Azeez then folded the letter, and handed it to Taj-el-Mulook; and when
he had read it, it pleased him, and he gave it to the old woman.
So she took it, and repaired with it to the lady Dunya, who, as soon as
she had read it, and understood its contents, fell into a violent rage,
and exclaimed, All that hath befallen me hath been through the means of
this ill-omened old woman! And she called out to the female slaves and
eunuchs, and said, Seize this artful old woman, and beat her with your
slippers.--So they fell to beating her with their slippers until she
fainted; and when she recovered, the lady Dunya said to her, O wicked
old woman, were it not for my fear of God (whose name be exalted!) I had
killed thee. She then said to her attendants, Beat her again. And they
beat her again until she fainted; after which she ordered them to throw
her outside the door; and they dragged her along upon her face and threw
her down before the door.
[Illustration]
When she recovered, therefore, she rose, and, walking and resting now
and then, arrived at her abode. She waited until the morning, and then
rose and proceeded to Taj-el-Mulook, whom she acquainted with all that
had befallen her; and it vexed him, and he said to her, We are grieved,
O my mother, for that which hath happened to thee: but everything is in
accordance with fate and destiny. She replied, Be happy and cheerful;
for I will not cease my endeavours until I procure thee an interview
with her, and obtain for thee access to this vile woman who hath
tortured me with beating. Taj-el-Mulook then said to her, Acquaint me
with the cause of her hatred of men. She replied, It is in consequence
of her having had a dream.--And what was that dream? he asked. She
answered, She was sleeping one night, and saw a fowler who set his snare
upon the ground, and sprinkled around it some wheat, and then seated
himself near it; and there was not a single bird near it but it came to
that snare. And she saw, among the birds, two pigeons, a male and a
female; and while she was looking at the snare, the foot of the male
bird became entangled in it, and he began to struggle; whereupon all the
other birds flew away from him in alarm; but his mate returned to him,
and flew around over him, and then, alighting upon the snare, while the
fowler was inadvertent, began to peck at the mesh in which was the foot
of the male, and pulled it with her beak, until she liberated his foot;
and she flew away with him. Then, after this, the fowler came and
readjusted the snare, and seated himself at a distance from it; and but
a little while had elapsed when the birds descended, and the snare
caught the female pigeon; upon which all the other birds flew away in
alarm, and among them the male pigeon, who returned not to his mate: so
the fowler came and took the female bird, and killed her. And the lady
Dunya awoke terrified by her dream, and said, Every male is like this,
destitute of good; and men universally are devoid of goodness to
women.--And when the old woman had finished her story to Taj-el-Mulook,
he said to her, O my mother, I wish to obtain one glance at her, though
my death be the consequence: contrive, therefore, some stratagem for me,
that I may see her.--Know, then, said she, that she hath a garden
adjacent to her palace, for her diversion, and she goeth out into it
once in every month, from the private door, and remaineth in it ten
days. The time of her thus going forth to divert herself hath now
arrived, and when she is about to do so I will come to thee and inform
thee, that thou mayest go thither and meet her; and do thou take care
not to quit the garden: for probably, if she behold thy handsome and
comely aspect, her heart will be captivated by love of thee; since love
is the most powerful means of effecting union.
He replied, I hear and obey:--and he arose, and quitted the shop with
'Azeez, and they both, taking with them the old woman, repaired to their
abode, and acquainted her with it; after which, Taj-el-Mulook said to
'Azeez, O my brother, I have no further want of the shop; for I have
accomplished the purpose for which I took it; and I give it to thee,
with all that it containeth, because thou hast come abroad with me, and
absented thyself from thy country. And 'Azeez accepted his present, and
they sat conversing together; Taj-el-Mulook asking him respecting his
strange adventures, and 'Azeez relating what had happened to him. Then,
addressing the Wezeer, they acquainted him with the purpose of
Taj-el-Mulook, and asked him, What is to be done? He answered, Let us go
to the garden. So each of them clad himself in the richest of his
apparel, and they went forth, followed by three memlooks, and repaired
to the garden. They beheld it abounding with trees, and with many
rivulets, and saw the superintendent sitting at the gate. They saluted
him, therefore, and he returned their salutation, and the Wezeer handed
to him a hundred pieces of gold, saying to him, I beg thee to receive
this money, and to buy for us something to eat; for we are strangers,
and I have with me these children whom I wish to divert. So the gardener
took the pieces of gold, and replied, Enter, and divert yourselves; for
the whole of it is your property: and sit down until I return to you
with something for you to eat. He then went to the market, and the
Wezeer and Taj-el-Mulook and 'Azeez entered the garden after the
gardener had departed to the market; and soon the latter returned,
bringing a roasted lamb, which he placed before them. And they ate, and
washed their hands, and sat conversing together; and the Wezeer said,
Inform me respecting this garden: doth it belong to thee, or dost thou
rent it? The sheykh replied, It is not mine, but belongeth to the King's
daughter, the lady Dunya.--And what, said the Wezeer, is thy monthly
salary? He answered, One piece of gold, and no more. And the Wezeer,
taking a view of the garden, beheld there a lofty but old pavilion; and
he said, O sheykh, I desire to perform here a good work by which thou
wilt be reminded of me.--And what good thing dost thou desire to do?
asked the sheykh. The Wezeer said, Take these three hundred pieces of
gold. And when the superintendent heard the mention of the gold, he
replied, O my master, do whatsoever thou wilt. So he took the pieces of
gold; and the Wezeer said to him, If it be the will of God (whose name
be exalted!), we will execute in this place a good work.
They then went forth from him, and returned to their abode, and passed
the next night; and on the morrow, the Wezeer caused a whitewasher to be
brought, and a painter, and an excellent goldsmith; and, having provided
them with all the implements that they required, introduced them into
the garden, and ordered them to whitewash that pavilion and to decorate
it with various kinds of paintings. After which he gave orders to bring
the gold, and the ultramarine pigment, and said to the painter,
Delineate, at the upper end of this saloon, the figure of a fowler, as
though he had set his snare, and a female pigeon had fallen into it, and
had become entangled in it by her bill. And when the painter had
finished his picture on one portion, the Wezeer said to him, Now paint,
on this other portion, as before, and represent the female pigeon in the
snare, and shew that the fowler hath taken her, and put the knife to her
neck; and on the other side paint the figure of a great bird of prey,
that hath captured the male pigeon, and fixed his talons into him. So he
did this; and when he had finished these designs which the Wezeer had
described to him, they took leave of the gardener, and returned to their
abode.
There they sat conversing together; and Taj-el-Mulook said to 'Azeez, O
my brother, recite to me some verses: perhaps my heart may thereby be
dilated, and these troubling reflections may be dispelled, and the flame
that is in my heart be quenched. And upon this, 'Azeez, with charming
modulations, chanted these verses:--
Ibn-Seena[VIII_64] hath asserted that the lover's remedy
consisteth in melodious sounds,
And the company of one like his beloved, and the pleasures
of a dessert and wine and a garden:
But I have taken another in thy stead to cure myself, and fate
and contingency aided me:
Yet I found that love was a mortal disease, for which Ibn-Seena's
medicine was vain.
Meanwhile, the old woman remained alone in her house; and the lady Dunya
longed to divert herself in the garden; but she used not to go forth
save with the old woman: so she sent to her, and conciliated her, and
soothed her mind, and said to her, I desire to go out into the garden,
to amuse myself with the sight of its trees and fruits, and that my
heart may be dilated by its flowers. The old woman replied, I hear and
obey; but I would first go to my house and dress myself, and I will be
with thee again.--Go, then, to thy house, rejoined the lady Dunya; but
be not long absent from me. The old woman, therefore, went forth from
her, and repaired to Taj-el-Mulook, and said to him, Make ready, and
clothe thyself in the richest of thine apparel, and betake thyself to
the garden, and go in to the gardener and salute him, and then conceal
thyself in the garden. He replied, I hear and obey. And she agreed with
him respecting a sign to be made; after which she returned to the lady
Dunya. And when she had gone, the Wezeer arose, and clad Taj-el-Mulook
in a suit of the most magnificent of the apparel of Kings, worth five
thousand pieces of gold, and girded him with a girdle of gold set with
jewels, and repaired to the garden. On arriving at its gate, they found
the superintendent sitting there; and when he saw Taj-el-Mulook, he rose
to him, standing upon his feet, and, receiving him with reverence and
honour, opened to him the gate, and said to him, Enter, and divert
thyself in the garden. But the gardener knew not that the King's
daughter would enter the garden that day. And when Taj-el-Mulook had
gone in, he waited but a short time, and heard a noise; and before he
knew the cause, the eunuchs and female slaves came forth from the
private door; and as soon as the superintendent beheld them, he went and
acquainted Taj-el-Mulook with their coming, saying to him, O my lord,
what is to be done, now that the King's daughter, the lady Dunya, hath
come? He answered, No harm will befall thee; for I will conceal myself
in some place in the garden. So the gardener charged him to use the
utmost caution in concealing himself, and left him, and departed.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
And when the King's daughter, with her female slaves and the old woman,
entered the garden, the old woman said within herself, If the eunuchs be
with us, we shall not attain our wish. So she said to the King's
daughter, O my mistress, I would propose to thee a thing productive of
ease to thy heart. And the lady Dunya replied, Propose what thou wilt.
The old woman therefore said, O my mistress, thou hast no need of these
eunuchs at the present time; nor will thy heart be dilated as long as
they are with us: so dismiss them from us.--Thou hast spoken truly,
replied the lady Dunya:--and she dismissed them; and a little while
after, as she was walking, Taj-el-Mulook beheld her, and gazed at her
beauty and loveliness, while she knew it not; and every time that he
looked at her he fainted, by reason of her surpassing beauty. The old
woman in the meantime led her on by conversation to the pavilion which
the Wezeer had ordered to be painted; and, entering this pavilion, the
lady Dunya took a view of its paintings, and saw the birds and the
fowler and the pigeons; whereupon she exclaimed, Extolled be the
perfection of God! Verily this is the representation of what I beheld in
my dream!--And she continued gazing at the figures of the birds and the
fowler and the snare, full of wonder; and said, O my nurse, I used to
censure men, and hate them; but see the fowler, how he hath killed the
female bird, and the male hath escaped, and desired to return to the
female to liberate her, but the bird of prey hath met him and captured
him. The old woman, however, affected ignorance to her, and proceeded to
divert her with talk until they both approached the place where
Taj-el-Mulook was concealed; upon which she made a sign to him that he
should walk beneath the windows of the pavilion; and while the lady
Dunya stood there, she looked aside, and saw him, and, observing the
beauty of his face, and his elegant form, she said, O my nurse, whence
is this handsome youth? The old woman answered, I know him not; but I
imagine that he is the son of a great King; for he is of the utmost
beauty and loveliness. And the lady Dunya was enraptured with him. The
spells that bound her were dissolved, her reason was overcome by his
beauty and loveliness and his elegant person, and she was affected by
violent love: so she said to the old woman, O my nurse, verily this
young man is handsome. The old woman replied, Thou hast spoken truth, O
my mistress. And she made a sign to the King's son to return to his
house. The fire of desire flamed within him, and his rapture and
distraction became excessive; but he went, and bade farewell to the
superintendent, and departed to his abode, that he might not disobey the
old woman, and acquainted the Wezeer and 'Azeez that she had made a sign
to him to depart. And they both exhorted him to be patient, saying to
him, If the old woman did not know that there was an object to be
attained by thy return, she had not made a sign to thee to do so.
Now to return to the lady Dunya.--Desire overcame her, and her rapture
and distraction increased; so she said to the old woman, I know not how
to obtain an interview with this young man but through thy means. The
old woman exclaimed, I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the accursed!
Thou hast no desire for men; and how, then, have fears affected thee in
consequence of the love of him? But, by Allah, none other than he is
suited to thy youth.--O my nurse, rejoined the lady Dunya, assist me to
obtain an interview with him, and thou shalt receive from me a thousand
pieces of gold, and a dress of the same value: if thou assist me not to
gain him, I shall die inevitably. So the old woman replied, Go thou to
thy palace, and I will devise means to bring you together, and give my
life to satisfy you both. The lady Dunya then returned to her palace,
while the old woman repaired to Taj-el-Mulook; and when he saw her, he
rose to her, and stood, and received her with respect and honour,
seating her by his side; and she said to him, The stratagem hath
succeeded. She then related to him what had occurred between her and
the lady Dunya; and he said to her, When shall be the interview? She
answered, To-morrow. And he gave her a thousand pieces of gold, and a
garment of the same value: and she took them, and departed, and stopped
not until she went in to the lady Dunya, who said to her, O my nurse,
what news hast thou brought from the beloved?--I have discovered his
abode, she answered; and to-morrow I will bring him to thee. And at this
the lady Dunya rejoiced, and gave her a thousand pieces of gold, and a
garment of the same value; and she took them, and returned to her house.
She passed the next night, and in the morning she went forth and
repaired to Taj-el-Mulook, and, having clad him in women's apparel, said
to him, Walk behind me, and incline thy body from side to side as thou
steppest,[VIII_65] and proceed not with a hasty pace, nor take
notice of any one who may speak to thee. And after she had thus charged
him, she went forth, and he behind her in his female attire; and she
proceeded to instruct him, on the way, how to act, that he might not
fear. She continued on her way, he following her, until they arrived at
the entrance of the palace, when she entered, and he also after her, and
she passed through successive doors and antechambers until she had
conducted him through seven doors. And when she arrived at the seventh
door, she said to Taj-el-Mulook, Fortify thy heart, and if I call out to
thee, and say to thee, O slave-girl, advance!--be not tardy in thy pace,
but hasten on, and when thou hast entered the antechamber beyond, look
to thy left: thou wilt see a saloon with seven doors; and do thou count
five doors, and enter the sixth; for within it is the object of thy
desire.--And whither goest _thou_? said Taj-el-Mulook. She answered, I
have no place to go to; but perhaps I may wait after thee and speak with
the chief eunuch. She then proceeded, and he followed her, until they
arrived at the door where was the chief eunuch; and he saw with her
Taj-el-Mulook in the attire of a female slave, and said to her, What is
the business of this slave-girl who is with thee? She answered him, The
lady Dunya hath heard that this girl is skilled in different kinds of
work, and she desireth to purchase her. But the eunuch replied, I know
neither slave-girl nor any other person; and no one shall enter without
being searched by me, as the King hath commanded me. Upon this, the old
woman, manifesting anger, said to him, I knew that thou wast a man of
sense and of good manners; and if thou art changed I will acquaint her
with this, and inform her that thou hast offered opposition to her
female slave. She then called out to Taj-el-Mulook, and said to him,
Advance, O slave-girl! And immediately he entered the antechamber, as
she had commanded him, and the eunuch was silent, and said no more. So
Taj-el-Mulook counted five doors, and entered the sixth, and found the
lady Dunya standing expecting him.
[Illustration]
As soon as she beheld him, she knew him, and pressed him to her bosom,
and he embraced her in like manner; and the old woman, coming in to
them, contrived a pretext to dismiss the female slaves; after which the
lady Dunya said to her, Be thou keeper of the door. She then remained
alone with Taj-el-Mulook, and they passed the whole night in innocent
dalliance.[VIII_66] And on the following morning she closed the
door upon him and the old woman, and entering another apartment, sat
there according to her custom; and her female slaves came to her, and
she transacted their affairs and conversed with them, and then said to
them, Go forth from me now; for I desire to amuse myself in solitude. So
they left her, and she returned to Taj-el-Mulook and the old woman,
taking with her some food for them; and thus they ceased not to do for a
whole month.
As to the Wezeer, however, and 'Azeez, when Taj-el-Mulook had gone to
the palace of the King's daughter and remained all this time, they
concluded that he would never return from it, and that he was inevitably
lost; and 'Azeez said to the Wezeer, O my father, what wilt thou do? The
Wezeer answered, O my son, this affair is one of difficulty, and if we
return not to his father to acquaint him, he will blame us for our
negligence. So they prepared themselves immediately, and journeyed
towards El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra and El-'Amoodeyn[VIII_67] and the
royal residence of the King Suleyman Shah, and traversed the valleys
night and day until they went in and presented themselves before the
King Suleyman Shah; and they informed him of that which had happened to
his son, and that they had learnt no news of him since he had entered
the palace of the King's daughter. On hearing this, he was as though the
day of resurrection had surprised him: his sorrow was intense, and he
gave orders to make a proclamation of war throughout his dominions. He
then sent forth his troops outside the city, and caused the tents to be
pitched for them, and remained in his pavilion until the forces had
assembled from all the quarters of his kingdom. His subjects loved him
for his great justice and beneficence, and he departed with an army that
covered the earth as far as the eye could reach, for the purpose of
demanding his son Taj-el-Mulook.
In the meantime, Taj-el-Mulook and the lady Dunya continued together for
half a year, every day increasing in mutual love; and the love and
distraction and rapture of Taj-el-Mulook so augmented that he opened to
her his mind, and said to her, Know, O beloved of my heart, that the
longer I remain with thee, the more do my distraction and ecstasy and
desire increase; for I have not altogether attained my wish. So she
said, What dost thou wish, O light of my eye, and delight of my heart?
He answered, I desire to acquaint thee with my true history: know, then,
that I am not a merchant, but a King, son of a King, and the name of my
father is the Supreme King Suleyman Shah, who sent the Wezeer as
ambassador to thy father to demand thee for me in marriage; and when the
news came to thee thou refusedst to consent.--He then related to her his
story from first to last; and added, I desire now to repair to my
father, that he may send an ambassador again to thy father, to demand
thee in marriage from him, and so we shall remain at ease.--And when she
heard this, she rejoiced exceedingly: for it coincided with her wish;
and they passed the next night determined upon this proceeding.
But it happened, in accordance with destiny, that sleep overcame them
unusually that night, and they remained until the sun had risen. The
King Shah-Zeman was then upon his royal seat, with the emeers of his
empire before him, and the chief of the goldsmiths presented himself,
having in his hand a large round casket: and he advanced, and, opening
it before the King, took forth from it an elegant box worth a hundred
thousand pieces of gold for the jewels it contained, and rubies and
emeralds, such as no King of the earth could procure. And when the King
saw it, he wondered at its beauty; and he looked towards the chief
eunuch, to whom the affair with the old woman had happened (as above
described), and said to him, O Kafoor,[VIII_68] take this box, and
go with it to the lady Dunya. So the eunuch took it, and proceeded until
he arrived at the chamber of the King's daughter, when he found its door
closed, and the old woman sleeping at its threshold, and he exclaimed,
Until this hour are ye sleeping? And when the old woman heard what he
said, she awoke from her sleep, and, in her fear of him, said, Wait
until I bring the key. She then went forth and fled. The eunuch,
therefore, knew that she was alarmed, and he displaced the
door,[VIII_69] and, entering the chamber, found the lady Dunya
asleep with Taj-el-Mulook. At the sight of this, he was perplexed at his
case, and was meditating to return to the King, when the lady Dunya
awoke, and found him by her; and she was troubled, and her countenance
became pale, and she said, O Kafoor, veil what God hath veiled. But he
replied, I cannot conceal anything from the King. And he closed the door
upon them, and returned to the King. So the King said to him, Hast thou
given the box to thy mistress? The eunuch answered, Take the box: here
it is. I cannot conceal from thee anything. Know that I beheld, with the
lady Dunya, a handsome young man, sleeping in the same chamber. The King
therefore ordered that they should be both brought before him; and when
they had come into his presence, he said to them, What are these deeds?
And he was violently enraged, and, seizing a dagger,[VIII_70] was
about to strike with it Taj-el-Mulook; but the lady Dunya threw her head
upon him, and said to her father, Slay me before him. The King, however,
chid her, and ordered them to convey her back to her chamber. Then
looking towards Taj-el-Mulook, he said to him, Wo to thee! Whence art
thou, and who is thy father, and what hath emboldened thee to act thus
towards my daughter?--Know, O King, answered Taj-el-Mulook, that, if
thou put me to death, thou wilt perish, and thou and all in thy
dominions will repent.--And why so? said the King. He answered, Know
that I am the son of the King Suleyman Shah, and thou wilt not be aware
of the consequence when he will approach thee with his horsemen and his
infantry. And when King Shah-Zeman heard this, he desired to defer
putting him to death; and to imprison him until he should see whether
his assertion were true; but his Wezeer said to him, O King of the age,
it is my advice that thou hasten the execution of this young wretch,
since he hath been guilty of presumption towards the daughters of Kings.
So he said to the executioner, Strike off his head; for he is a traitor.
And the executioner took him, and, having bound him firmly, raised his
hand, and made a sign of consultation to the emeers a first and a second
time, desiring by this that some delay might take place; but the King
called out to him, How long wilt thou consult? If thou do so again I
will strike off thy head.
[Illustration]
The executioner, therefore, raised his hand until his arm-pit appeared,
and was about to strike off his head, when loud cries were heard, and,
the people closed their shops. So the King said to the executioner,
Hasten not. And he sent a person to learn the news for him; and the
messenger went, and, soon returning, said to the King, I beheld an army
like the roaring sea agitated with waves; their horses are prancing, and
the earth trembleth beneath them, and I know not wherefore they are
come. And the King was amazed, and feared lest he should be deposed from
his throne. He then said to his Wezeer, Have none of our troops gone
forth to meet this army? But his words were not finished when his
chamberlains came in to him accompanied by the messengers of the
approaching King, and among them was the Wezeer who had been with
Taj-el-Mulook. He commenced by salutation; and the King rose to him,
and, calling them near to him, asked them respecting the cause of their
coming: whereupon the Wezeer advanced from among them, and approached
the King, and said to him, Know that he who hath alighted in thy
territories is a King not like the Kings who have preceded him, nor like
the Sul[t.]ans of former times.--And who is he? said the King. The
Wezeer answered, He is the lord of justice and security, the fame of
whose magnanimity the caravans have spread abroad, the Sul[t.]an
Suleyman Shah, the lord of El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra and El-'Amoodeyn and
the mountains of I[s.]pahan, who loveth justice and equity, and hateth
tyranny and oppression; and he saith to thee, that his son is in thy
dominions and in thy city, and he is the vital spirit of his heart, and
its delight; and if he find him in safety, it is what he desireth, and
thou wilt be thanked and praised; but if he be not found in thy country,
or if any evil hath befallen him, receive tidings of destruction and of
the ruin of thy territories; for thy country shall become a desert in
which the raven shall croak. Thus I have delivered to thee the message;
and peace be on thee.--When the King Shah-Zeman heard these words of the
envoy, his heart was troubled, and he feared for his kingdom, and called
out to the lords of his empire, and his wezeers and chamberlains and
lieutenants; and when they had come before him he said to them, Wo unto
you! Go down and search for this young man.--But he was under the hand
of the executioner, and his appearance was changed through the fear that
he suffered. The Wezeer then, looking aside, found the King's son upon
the skin of blood,[VIII_71] and he recognised him, and arose, and
threw himself upon him. So also did the other messengers: they then
unbound him, and kissed his hands and his feet; whereupon Taj-el-Mulook
opened his eyes, and, recognising the Wezeer and his companion 'Azeez,
fell down in a swoon through the excess of his joy at their presence.
The King Shah-Zeman was perplexed at his situation, and in great fear,
on discovering that the coming of the army was on account of this young
man; and he arose and walked forward to Taj-el-Mulook, and kissed his
head, and, with weeping eyes, said to him, O my son, be not angry with
me: be not angry with the evil-doer for his deed; but have compassion on
my gray hairs, and lay not waste my dominions. And Taj-el-Mulook
approached him, and kissed his hand, saying to him, No harm shall befall
thee; for thou art in my estimation as my father; but beware that no
evil befall my beloved, the lady Dunya.--O my lord, rejoined the King,
fear not for her; for nought but happiness awaiteth her. And he
proceeded to excuse himself to him, and to soothe the mind of the Wezeer
of the King Suleyman Shah, promising him a large sum of money that he
might conceal from the King what he had seen; after which he ordered the
grandees of his empire to take Taj-el-Mulook and to conduct him to the
bath, to clothe him in a suit of the best of royal apparel, and bring
him back quickly. So they did this: they conducted him into the bath,
and, having clad him in the suit which the King Shah-Zeman had allotted
him, brought him back to the hall of audience; and when he came in, the
King rose to him, he and all the lords of his empire, and they all stood
to wait upon him. Then Taj-el-Mulook sat and conversed with his father's
Wezeer and with 'Azeez respecting the events which had happened to him;
and they replied, During that period we went to thy father, and informed
him that thou hadst entered the palace of the King's daughter, and not
come forth from it, and that thy case appeared doubtful to us; and when
he heard this, he made ready the troops, and we came to this country,
and on our arrival have experienced joy and happiness. So he said to
them, Good fortune hath attended your actions, first and last.
The King, in the meantime, had gone into his daughter, the lady Dunya,
and found her weeping for Taj-el-Mulook. She had taken a sword, and put
its hilt to the floor, and its point to the middle of her bosom, and was
leaning over it, saying, I must kill myself, and not live after my
beloved. When her father, therefore, went in to her, and beheld her in
this state, he called out to her, and said, O mistress of the daughters
of Kings, do it not; but have mercy upon thy father and the people of
thy country! Then advancing to her, he said to her, I conjure thee to
abstain, lest evil befall thy father on thy account. And he acquainted
her with the case, telling her that her beloved, the son of the King
Suleyman Shah, desired to celebrate his marriage with her, and adding,
The affair of the betrothal and marriage is committed to thy judgment.
And she smiled, and said to him, Did I not tell thee that he was the son
of a Sul[t.]an? I will make him crucify thee upon a piece of wood worth
a couple of pieces of silver. I conjure thee by Allah, he exclaimed,
that thou have mercy upon thy father!--Go to him, she rejoined, and
bring him to me. He replied, On the head and the eye. And he returned
from her quickly, and, going in to Taj-el-Mulook, rejoiced him by what
he said. He then arose with him, and went to her again; and when she
beheld Taj-el-Mulook, she embraced him in the presence of her father,
and clung to him, and said to him, Thou hast made me desolate by thine
absence. Then looking at her father, she said, Can any one act
injuriously towards such a person as this handsome youth, and he a King,
a son of a King? And upon this the King Shah-Zeman went forth, and
closed the door upon them, and, repairing to the Wezeer and the other
messengers of the father of Taj-el-Mulook, ordered them to inform the
Sul[t.]an Suleyman Shah that his son was in prosperity and health, and
enjoying a life of the utmost delight. He gave orders also to carry
forth provisions and pay to the troops of the Sul[t.]an Suleyman Shah;
and after they had conveyed all that he commanded them to take forth, he
brought out a hundred coursers, and a hundred dromedaries, and a hundred
memlooks, and a hundred concubine slaves, and a hundred male black
slaves, and a hundred female slaves, and sent them all to him as a
present.
[Illustration]
He then repaired to him, with the lords of his empire, and his chief
attendants, and they proceeded until they arrived outside the city; and
when the Sul[t.]an Suleyman Shah became acquainted with this he advanced
some paces to meet him. The Wezeer and 'Azeez had informed him of the
news, and he rejoiced, and exclaimed, Praise be to God who hath granted
my son the accomplishment of his wish! And he embraced the King
Shah-Zeman, and seated him by his side upon the couch, and they
conversed together; after which the attendants placed before; them the
food, and when they had eaten to satisfaction they brought them the
sweetmeats. Soon after, Taj-el-Mulook came, approaching in his rich and
ornamented dress; and when his father beheld him, he rose to him and
kissed him, and all who were present rose to him; and after he had sat
with them a while conversing, the King Suleyman Shah said, I desire to
perform my son's contract of marriage to thy daughter in the presence of
witnesses. And King Shah-Zeman replied, I hear and obey. So he summoned
the [K.]a[d.]ee and witnesses, and they came, and wrote the
marriage-contract; and the troops rejoiced at this. And King Shah-Zeman
began to fit out his daughter.
Then Taj-el-Mulook said to his father, Verily, 'Azeez is a generous
person; he hath performed for me a great service, and wearied himself,
and journeyed with me, and enabled me to attain the object of my search,
ceasing not to exhort me to patience until I accomplished my wish, and
he hath been with us two years separated from his country: it is my
desire, therefore, that we should prepare for him merchandise; for his
country is near. His father replied, Thy opinion is excellent. So they
prepared for him a hundred loads of the most costly stuffs; and
Taj-el-Mulook bade him farewell, saying to him, O my brother, accept
this as a present. And he accepted it, and kissed the ground before him
and before his father. Taj-el-Mulook then mounted his horse, and
proceeded with 'Azeez for the space of three miles; after which, 'Azeez
conjured him to return, and said, Were it not for my mother, I could not
endure thy separation; and by Allah, I entreat thee not to cease
acquainting me with thy state. Having thus said, he bade him farewell,
and repaired to his city. He found that his mother had built for him a
tomb in the midst of the house, and she frequently visited it; and when
he entered the house, he found that she had dishevelled her hair and
spread it upon the tomb, and, with streaming eyes, was reciting these
verses:--
By Allah, O tomb, have his charms perished; and hath that brilliant
countenance changed?
O tomb, thou art neither a garden nor a firmament: how then can
the full moon and flowers be united in thee?
She then groaned, and recited some other verses; but before she had
finished, 'Azeez went in to her: and when she beheld him, she rose to
him and embraced him, and asked him respecting his long absence: so he
acquainted her with all the events that had happened to him from first
to last, and told her that Taj-el-Mulook had given him, of wealth and
stuffs, a hundred loads; and she rejoiced at this.--Such was the history
of 'Azeez.
Now as to Taj-el-Mulook, he returned to his beloved, the lady Dunya, and
King Shah-Zeman fitted her out for the journey with her husband and her
father-in-law: he sent to them provisions and presents and rarities, and
they loaded their beasts and departed; and King Shah-Zeman accompanied
them three days' journey to bid them farewell. The King Suleyman Shah
then conjured him to return: so he returned; and Taj-el-Mulook and his
father and his wife continued their journey night and day until they
came in sight of their country. The city was decorated for them, and
they entered it; and the King Suleyman Shah sat upon his throne with his
son Taj-el-Mulook by his side; and he gave presents, and liberated the
persons confined in the prisons; after which he celebrated for his son a
second wedding-festivity: the songs and instrumental music were
continued for a whole month, and the tire-women crowded around the lady
Dunya, and she was not tired with the display, nor were they with gazing
at her. Taj-el-Mulook then took up his abode with her, after an
interview with his father and mother together; and they passed a life of
the utmost delight and enjoyment.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER EIGHTH.
NOTE 1. The next story to that of Ghanim, in my original, is one of very
great length, comprising the greater part of the forty-fourth night and
extending to the end of the hundred and forty-fifth; but interrupted by
the contents of my eighth chapter, which consists of two stories of a
very different kind, that appear to have been introduced to relieve its
tediousness. With these, it occupies nearly 162 pages, or not much less
than an eighth part of the whole work. It is the story of the King 'Omar
En-No[a.]man, and his two sons Sharr-kan[360] and [D.]o-el-Mekan,[361]
and his daughter Nuzhet-ez-Zeman,[362] &c. It is entirely a fiction,
professedly relating to the first century of the Mohammadan era, "before
the reign of the Khaleefeh 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwan;" and its
main subject is a war with two Greek Kings. Taken altogether, I deem it
unworthy of a place in the present series of tales; and so much of it
depends upon incidents of a most objectionable nature, that I cannot
attempt to abridge it; but a pleasant tale might be composed from it by
considerable _alterations_.
One of the two stories which I have extracted from it, that of
Taj-el-Mulook and the Lady Dunya, bears apparent indications of a
Persian origin; but in their present state, the manners and customs &c.
which both exhibit are Arab. The scenes of the events narrated in the
story of Taj-el-Mulook are in Persia and, probably, in India; but
imaginary names appear to be given to the several kingdoms mentioned in
it: the kingdom of El-Ar[d.] el-Kha[d.]ra ("the Green Country") and
El-'Amoodeyn (which signifies "the Two Columns") is said to include the
mountains of I[s.]pahan, and its locality is thereby sufficiently
indicated: that of El-Ar[d.] el-Bey[d.]a ("the White Country") I suppose
to be in Persia or India: and as to the Islands of Camphor, I fancy we
must be content to consider them vaguely as appertaining to India: the
country in which 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh resided is said to have been near
to the Islands of Camphor; but their story is perfectly Arab.--The
Island of Camphor is also mentioned in the Story of [H.]asan of
El-Ba[s.]rah.
NOTE 2. "El-Medeeneh el-Kha[d.]ra" signifies "the Green City." See the
above note.
NOTE 3. "The Compassionate" is an epithet here applied to God.
NOTE 4. See the first note in this series.--"Zahr," in Arabic, signifies
"a Flower."
NOTE 5.--_On Coats of Mail, and other Armour worn by the Arabs._ The
Prophet David is said to have been the first person who manufactured
coats of mail; and the cause of his applying himself to the art was
this.--"He used to go forth in disguise; and when he found any people
who knew him not, he approached them and asked them respecting the
conduct of Daood (or David), and they praised him and prayed for him;
but one day as he was asking questions respecting himself as usual, God
sent to him an angel in the form of a human being, who said, 'An
excellent man were Daood if he did not take from the public
treasury:'--whereupon the heart of Daood was contracted, and he begged
of God to render him independent: so He made iron soft to him, and it
became in his hands as thread; and he used to sell a coat of mail for
four thousand [pieces of money--whether gold or silver is not said], and
with part of this he obtained food for himself, and part he gave in
alms, and with part he fed his family."[363]--Hence an excellent coat of
mail is often called by the Arabs "Daoodee," _i. e._ "Davidean." This
kind of armour is worn by some Arabs of the Desert in the present day;
but the best specimens, I believe, are mostly found in India. Burckhardt
mentions one tribe of Arabs who have about twenty-five; another, two
hundred; and two others, between thirty and forty. "The dora [properly
dir[a.]] is," he remarks, "of two sorts, one covering the whole body
like a long gown from the elbow, over the shoulders, down to the knees:
this is the sirgh: the other, called kembaz, covers the body only to the
waist; the arms from the elbows downwards being covered with two pieces
of steel, fitting into each other, with iron fingers. Thus clad, the
Arab completes his armour by putting on his head an iron cap (tas),
which is but rarely adorned with feathers. The price of a coat of mail
fluctuates from two hundred to fifteen hundred piastres.... Those of the
best quality are capable of resisting a ball."[364] The coat of mail is
sometimes worn within the ordinary outer tunic.
NOTE 6. This implies that his parents were dead.
NOTE 7.--_On Public Royal Feasts._ On certain periodical festivals, and
on other occasions (as those of the kind here described), it has long
been, and still is, a custom of Muslim princes to give public feasts to
all classes of their subjects, in the palace. El-Ma[k.]reezee quotes a
curious account of the feasts which were given on the festival following
Rama[d.]an to the inhabitants of Cairo, by the Fa[t.]imee
Khaleefehs.[365] At the upper end of a large saloon was placed the
sereer (or couch) of the monarch, upon which he sat with the Wezeer on
his right. Upon this seat was placed a round silver table, with various
delicacies, of which they alone ate. Before it, and extending nearly
from the seat to the other extremity of the saloon, was set up a kind of
table or platform (sima[t.]) of painted wood, resembling a number of
benches placed together, ten cubits (or about eighteen or nineteen feet)
in width. Along the middle of this were arranged twenty-one enormous
dishes, each containing twenty-one baked sheep, three years old, and
fat; together with fowls, chickens, and young pigeons, in number three
hundred and fifty of each kind; all of which were piled together in an
oblong form, to the height of the stature of a man, and enclosed with
dry sweetmeat. The spaces between these dishes were occupied by nearly
five hundred other dishes of earthenware; each of which contained seven
fowls, and was filled up with sweetmeats of various kinds. The table
was strewn with flowers; and cakes of bread made of the finest flower
were arranged along each side. There were also two great edifices of
sweetmeats, each weighing seventeen hundred-weights, which were carried
thither by porters with shoulder-poles; and one of these was placed at
the commencement, and the other at the close, of this sumptuous banquet.
When the Khaleefeh and Wezeer had taken their seats upon the couch, the
officers of state who were distinguished by neck-rings or collars,[366]
and the inferior members of the court, seated themselves in the order of
their respective ranks; and when they had eaten, they gave place to
others. Two such feasts, given on the festival after Rama[d.]an and on
the "great festival," cost four thousand deenars, or about two thousand
pounds sterling.--Two military officers, named Ibn-Faiz and Ed-Deylemee,
distinguished themselves at these feasts in a very remarkable manner.
Each of them used to eat a baked sheep, and ten fowls dressed with
sweetmeats, and ten pounds of sweetmeats besides, and was presented with
a quantity of food carried away from the feast to his house, together
with a large sum of money. One of them had been a prisoner at
'As[k.]alan; and after he had remained there some time, the person into
whose power he had fallen jestingly told him that if he would eat a calf
belonging to him, the flesh of which weighed several hundred-weights, he
would emancipate him. This feat he accomplished, and thus he obtained
his liberation.[367]
Several cases of a similar kind to those just mentioned are instanced in
a late work. One of a man who, as related by Vopiscus, was brought
before the Emperor Maximilian [_sic_], and who devoured a whole calf,
and was proceeding to eat up a sheep, but was prevented. Another, of a
man who commenced his repast (in the presence of Dr. Boehmen, of
Wittenberg,) by eating a raw sheep and a sucking pig, and, by way of
dessert, swallowed sixty pounds of prunes, stones and all. A third, of
an attendant of the menagerie of the Botanical Garden in Paris, who used
to devour all the offals of the Theatre of Comparative Anatomy, and ate
a dead lion in one day.[368]
NOTE 8.--_On Litters for Travelling._ The kind of litter borne by mules
is generally one resembling the palkee (or palanquin): it is borne by
four of these animals, two before and two behind, or by two only, or
more commonly by two camels, and sometimes by two horses. When borne by
camels, the head of the hindmost of these animals is painfully bent
down, under the vehicle. It is the most comfortable kind of litter; and
two light persons may travel in it. The name generally given to it is
"takhtarawan," or "takht-rawan;" but the term employed in the passage
to which this note refers is "mi[h.]affeh," which is often used
as a general name for a camel-litter, and particularly applied to
one with a flat top.--A very common kind of camel-litter, called
"musa[t.][t.]a[h.]," or "[h.]eml musa[t.][t.]a[h.]," resembles a small
square tent, and is chiefly composed of two long chests, each of which
has a high back: these are placed on the camel in the same manner as a
pair of panniers, one on each side; and the high backs, which are placed
outwards, together with a small pole resting on the camel's pack-saddle,
support the covering which forms what may be called the tent. This
vehicle accommodates two persons. It is generally open at the front; and
may also be opened at the back. Though it appears comfortable, the
motion is uneasy; especially when it is placed upon a camel that has
been accustomed to carry heavy burdens: but camels of easy pace are
generally chosen for bearing litters.--Another kind of litter, called
"shibreeyeh," is composed of a small square platform with an arched
covering. This accommodates but one person; and is placed on the back of
the camel: two sa[h.][h.]arahs (or square camel-chests), one on each
side of the animal, generally form a foundation for it.--The
musa[t.][t.]a[h.] and shibreeyeh (but particularly the latter) are also
called "hodaj."
NOTE 9. See Note 43 to Chapter iv.
NOTE 10. See Note 54 to Chapter iv.
NOTE 11. "Taj-el-Mulook" signifies "the Crown of the Kings."
NOTE 12. Lynxes were often employed in the chase in Arabian and other
Eastern countries in former times; but I do not know if they are at
present. See Note 24 to Chapter ii.
NOTE 13. By this word are meant "oblong, cylindrical, hollow beads:"
"[k.]a[s.]abeh" signifying originally "a reed," "cane," &c.
NOTE 14. The words "who hath taught men," &c., are from the [K.]ur-an,
ch. xcvi. v. 5.
NOTE 15. "'Azeez" and "'Azeezeh" (masculine and feminine) signify
"Dear," "Excellent," &c.
NOTE 16. The handkerchief is generally oblong, and each of its two ends
is embroidered with a border of coloured silks and gold; the other two
edges being plain.
NOTE 17. My sheykh has remarked in a marginal note, that this sign may
allude to her heart, or to her sighing because she enjoys not the union
she desires (as expressed immediately after); and that the latter is
more probable, as the action is one common with persons in grief.
NOTE 18.--_On Conversing and Corresponding by means of Signs, Emblems,
Metaphors, &c._ Many persons of the instructed classes, and some others,
among the Arabs, often take delight, and shew much ingenuity and
quickness of apprehension, in conversing and corresponding by means of
signs, emblems, &c., or in a conventional, metaphorical, language, not
understood by the vulgar in general, and sometimes not by any except the
parties engaged in the intercourse. In some cases, when the main
metaphor employed is understood, the rest of the conversation becomes
easily intelligible without any previous explanation; and I have
occasionally succeeded in carrying on a conversation of this kind
(though not in cases such as that described in the tale referred to by
this note); but I have more frequently been unsuccessful in attempting
to divine the nature of a topic in which other persons were engaged. One
simple mode of secret conversation or correspondence is by substituting
certain letters for other letters.
Many of the women are said to be adepts in this art, or science, and to
convey messages, declarations of love, &c., by means of fruits, flowers,
and other emblems. The inability of numbers of females in families of
the middle classes to write or read, as well as the difficulty or
impossibility frequently existing of conveying written letters, may have
given rise to such modes of communication. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, in
one of her charming letters from the East, has gratified our curiosity
by a Turkish love-letter of this kind.[369] A specimen of one from an
Arab, with its answer, may be here added.--An Arab lover sent to his
mistress a fan, a bunch of flowers, a silk tassel, some sugar-candy, and
a piece of a chord of a musical instrument; and she returned for answer
a piece of an aloe-plant, three black cumin-seeds, and a piece of a
plant used in washing.[370] His communication is thus interpreted:--The
fan, being called "mirwa[h.]ah," a word derived from a root which has
among its meanings that of "going to any place in the evening,"
signified his wish to pay her an evening visit: the flowers, that the
interview should be in her garden: the tassel, being called "shurrabeh,"
that they should have sharab[371] (or wine): the sugar-candy, being
termed "sukkar nebat," and "nebat" also signifying "we will pass the
night," denoted his desire to remain in her company until the morning:
and the piece of a chord, that they should be entertained by music. The
interpretation of her answer is as follows:--The piece of an aloe-plant,
which is called "[s.]abbarah" (from "[s.]abr," which signifies
"patience"--because it will live for many months together without
water), implied that he must wait: the three black cumin-seeds explained
to him that the period of delay should be three nights: and the plant
used in washing informed him that she should then have gone to the bath,
and would meet him.[372]--I have omitted one symbol in the lady's
answer, as it conveys an allusion not so consistent with European as
with Arab notions of female delicacy.
The language of flowers employed by the Turks does not exactly agree
with the system illustrated in the story of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh; for the
former consists of a collection of words and phrases or sentences which
rhyme with the names of the objects used as the signs.[373] This system
is also employed by the Arabs; but I believe not so commonly as the
other.
A remarkable faculty is displayed by some Arabs in catching the meaning
of secret signs employed in written communications to them; such signs
being often used in political and other intrigues. The following is a
curious instance.--The celebrated poet El-Mutanebbee, having written
some verses in dispraise of Kafoor El-Ikhsheedee the independent
Governor of Egypt, was obliged to flee, and hide himself in a distant
town. Kafoor was informed of his retreat, and desired his secretary to
write to him a letter promising him pardon, and commanding him to
return; but told the writer at the same time, that when the poet came he
would punish him. The secretary was a friend of the poet, and, being
obliged to read the letter to the Prince when he had written it, was
perplexed how to convey to El-Mutanebbee some indication of the danger
that awaited him: he could only venture to do so in the exterior
address; and having written this in the usual form, commencing "In
shaa-llah" (If it be the will of God) "this shall arrive," &c., he put a
small mark of reduplication over the "n" in the first word, which he
thus converted into "Inna;" the filial vowel being understood. The poet
read the letter, and was rejoiced to see a promise of pardon; but on
looking a second time at the address, was surprised to observe the mark
of reduplication over the "n." Knowing the writer to be his friend, he
immediately suspected a secret meaning, and rightly conceived that the
sign conveyed an allusion to a passage in the [K.]ur-an commencing with
the word "Inna," and this he divined to be the following:--"Verily the
magistrates are deliberating concerning thee, to put thee to
death."[374] Accordingly, he fled to another town.--Some authors add,
that he wrote a reply, conveying, by a similar sign, to his friend, an
allusion to another passage in the [K.]ur-an:--"We will never enter the
country while they remain therein."[375]--It is probable that signs thus
employed were used by many persons to convey allusions to certain words;
and such may have been the case in the above-mentioned instance: if not,
the poet was indeed a wonderful guesser.
NOTE 19. Perhaps it is unnecessary to explain that the actions here
described are those of a dyer, dipping a piece of linen into a red dye,
and then wringing it. The shop of the dyer is generally, like most other
shops, a small chamber or recess open towards the street. Pans
containing the different dyes are imbedded in its floor.
NOTE 20. "Ma[k.]'ad" is a name generally given to a chamber in which
male guests or visiters are received, having an open front with two or
more arches, and looking into the court or garden of the house. Its
floor is elevated about ten or more feet above the ground, and the front
is usually towards the north, or nearly so.
NOTE 21. I suppose it to be meant, that these designs were executed in a
kind of mosaic work; for the pool of the fountain is generally
ornamented with black and white marble, and pieces of fine red tile,
inlaid in complicated and tasteful patterns. A view and plan of a
fountain of this kind are inserted in the Introduction to my work on the
Modern Egyptians.
NOTE 22. "Ba[k.]laweh," from the Turkish "ba[k.]lava," is a name given
to a kind of pastry, which is generally thus prepared:--A paste made of
fine flour with clarified butter is rolled thin, and laid upon a tray:
upon this paste is then spread a composition of clarified butter and
blanched almonds (and sometimes walnuts and currants) beaten small; and
over this is put another layer of paste. Eight of these double layers of
paste with the composition above mentioned between them are placed one
upon another, making the whole about an inch thick. It is baked in an
oven; cut into lozenge-shaped pieces, about three inches long, and two
inches wide; and after it is thus cut, some honey or treacle is poured
over.
NOTE 23. See Note 99 to Chapter v.
NOTE 24. It is a general belief of the Muslims that the wicked will rise
to judgment with their faces black; and hence the origin of the
imprecation, "May God blacken thy face!" But it is often used to signify
"May God disgrace thee!" for a person's face is said to be black when he
is in any disgrace; and in the reverse case, it is said to be
white.[376]
NOTE 25. "Zardeh" (which is a Persian word) is a name given to rice
dressed with honey and saffron; but here it appears to be applied to a
sweet drink infused with saffron.
NOTE 26. By the play-bone and the [t.]ab-stick an allusion is conveyed
to two games common among the Arabs. The play-bones are used in the same
manner as dice, of which they are probably the origin; and both bear the
same name in the Arabic, in the singular "ka[a.]b" or "ka[a.]beh," that
is, "a cube." Of the game of [t.]ab I have given a full account in my
work on the Modern Egyptians (vol. ii. ch. iv.). I need only mention
here, that the [t.]ab-stick is of a flat form, about a span (or eight
inches) in length, and two-thirds of an inch in breadth, generally
formed of a piece of a palm-branch; one side of which, being cut flat
and smooth, is white; the other, green, or, if not fresh, of a dull
yellow colour. Four such sticks are used in playing the game.
NOTE 27. The more simple interpretation is this:--Idle games are more
suited to thee than affairs of love.
NOTE 28. El-[K.]azweenee makes a remark somewhat similar to this at the
close of his account of the date; but the interpretation of the meaning
conveyed by the date-stone in our text is very far-fetched: my sheykh,
in a marginal note, gives one perfectly apposite: the date-stone is
called "nawayeh," and more properly "nawah" and "nawa;" and the last of
these words signifies also "distance," "absence," &c., and is often used
to express the state of one who is far from loving or being a lover: it
implies also, in this case, that, if he slept again, she would cast him
off.
NOTE 29. The locust-fruit, by its dark colour, and the length of time it
remains in a state of preservation after it has been plucked, is
rendered a fit emblem of a heart long enduring separation from the
object of its love.
NOTE 30. "Dirhem," I have before mentioned, is the name of a silver
coin: it is also the name of a weight, very nearly equivalent to
forty-eight English grains; and being here described as of iron, we must
understand it in the latter sense.
NOTE 31. I suppose the iron dirhem to be symbolic of the eye because it
is round, and perhaps likewise because the Arabic term for "iron"
(namely "[h.]adeed") has also the signification of "sharp" or
"piercing;" in which sense it is often applied to the sight (as in the
[K.]ur-an, ch. l. v. 21). See the next note.
NOTE 32. From this double oath, it seems to me probable, that, by the
circular form of the dirhem, an allusion was meant to God (as being
without beginning or end), and that the matter of which it was composed
(from what I have said in the note immediately preceding), as well as
its form, conveyed the allusion to the eye.
NOTE 33. This gentle kneading or pressing of the limbs, which is one of
the operations performed in the bath, is often practised by the Arabs
for the purpose of inducing sleep.
NOTE 34. This is a kind of nebeedh. (See Note 22 to Chapter iii.) The
same fruit is also stewed with meat. It is called in Arabic "'onnab."
NOTE 35. See Note 18 to Chapter vii.
NOTE 36. It is seen that 'Azeezeh speaks of herself in the masculine
gender in the verses here inserted; but this is in accordance with a
common Arab custom.
NOTE 37.--_On the Ceremony called Zikr._ Zikrs are very often performed
after a death; the merit of the performance being transferred to the
soul of the deceased.
I have before mentioned these ceremonies (in Note 63 to Chapter iii.);
but in a vague manner; and as it is my object in the present work to
give such illustrations as will satisfy the general reader, without
obliging him to refer to other books, I shall here insert an abridged
extract, descriptive of a zikr, from my Account of the Manners and
Customs of the Modern Egyptians.
The zikkeers (or performers of the zikr), who were about thirty in
number, sat, cross-legged, upon matting extended close to the houses on
one side of the street, in the form of an oblong ring.[377] Within this
ring, along the middle of the matting, were placed three very large wax
candles; each about four feet high, and stuck in a low candlestick. Most
of the zikkeers were A[h.]medee darweeshes, persons of the lower orders,
and meanly dressed: many of them wore green turbans. At one end of the
ring were four munshids (or singers of religious odes), and with them
was a player on the kind of flute called "nay." I procured a small seat
of palm-sticks from a coffee-shop close by, and, by means of a little
pushing, and the assistance of my servant, obtained a place with the
munshids, and sat there to hear a complete act, or "meglis," of the
zikr; which act commenced at about three o'clock (or three hours after
sunset), and continued two hours.
The performers began by reciting the Fat'[h.]ah (or opening chapter of
the [K.]ur-an) all together; their sheykh, or chief, first exclaiming,
"El-Fat'[h.]ah!" They then chanted the following words;--"O God, bless
our lord Mo[h.]ammad among the former generations; and bless our
lord Mo[h.]ammad among the latter generations; and bless our lord
Mo[h.]ammad in every time and period; and bless our lord Mo[h.]ammad in
the highest degree, unto the day of judgment; and bless all the prophets
and apostles among the inhabitants of the heavens and of the earth; and
may God (whose name be blessed and exalted!) be well pleased with our
lords and our masters, those persons of illustrious estimation,
Aboo-Bekr and 'Omar and 'Osman and 'Alee, and with all the favourites of
God. God is our sufficiency; and excellent is the Guardian! There is no
strength nor power but in God, the High, the Great! O God! O our Lord! O
Thou liberal of pardon! O Thou most bountiful of the most bountiful! O
God! Amen!"--They were then silent for three or four minutes; and again
recited the Fat'[h.]ah; but silently. This form of prefacing the zikr is
commonly used, by almost all orders of darweeshes in Egypt.
The performers now commenced the zikr. Sitting in the manner above
described, they chanted, in slow measure, "La ilaha illa-llah" ("There
is no deity but God") to the following air:--
[Illustration: Lyrics:
La i - la - ha illa - l - lah.
La i - la - ha i - l - la - l - la - h.
La i - la - ha illa - l - lah.
]
bowing the head and body twice in each repetition of "La ilaha
illa-llah." Thus they continued about a quarter of an hour; and then,
for about the same space of time, they repeated the same words to the
same air, but in a quicker measure, and with correspondingly quicker
motions. In the meantime, the munshids frequently sang, to the same, or
a variation of the same, air, portions of a [k.]a[s.]eedeh, or of a
muweshsha[h.]; an ode of a similar nature to the Song of Solomon,
generally alluding to the Prophet as the object of love and praise; and
at frequent intervals, one of them sang out the word "meded," implying
an invocation for spiritual or supernatural aid.
The zikkeers, after having performed as above described, next repeated
the same words to a different air for about the same length of time;
first, very slowly; then, quickly. The air was as follows:--
[Illustration: Lyrics:
La i - la - ha illa - l - la - h.
La i - la - ha illa - l - la - h.
La i - la - ha illa - l - lah.
]
Then they repeated these words again, to the following air, in the same
manner:--
[Illustration: Lyrics:
La i - la - ha il - la - l - lah.
La i - la - ha il - la - l - lah.
]
They next rose, and, standing in the same order in which they had been
sitting, repeated the same words to another air. After which, still
standing, they repeated these words in a very deep and hoarse tone;
laying the principal emphasis upon the word "La" and the first syllable
of the last word "Allah;" and uttering it, apparently, with a
considerable effort: the sound much resembled that which is produced by
beating the rim of a tambourine. Each zikkeer turned his head
alternately to the right and left at each repetition of "La ilaha
illa-llah." One of them, a eunuch, at this part of the zikr, was seized
with an epileptic fit, evidently the result of a high state of religious
excitement; but nobody seemed surprised at it; for occurrences of this
kind at zikrs are not uncommon. All the performers now seemed much
excited; repeating their ejaculations with greater rapidity, violently
turning their heads, and sinking the whole body at the same time: some
of them jumping. The eunuch above mentioned again was seized with fits
several times; and I generally remarked that this happened after one of
the munshids had sung a line or two and exerted himself more than
usually to excite his hearers: the singing was, indeed, to my taste,
very pleasing. The contrast presented by the vehement and distressing
exertions of the performers at the close of the zikr, and their calm
gravity and solemnity of manner at the commencement, was particularly
striking. Money was collected during the performance for the munshids.
The zikkeers receive no pay.
NOTE 38. From the last of these verses it appears that the flowers are
described as _laid_ upon the tomb (in accordance with the custom
mentioned in the last paragraph of Note 16 to Chapter i.), and not as
_planted_ upon it; though this is frequently done in some countries of
the East; the monument being filled with mould, and the whole of its top
open.
NOTE 39. See Note 25 to Chapter v.
NOTE 40. See Note 35 to Chapter ii.
NOTE 41. The "rod" (in Arabic "[k.]a[s.]abeh") was, according to the
Egyptian measurement, until lately reduced, about twelve English feet
and a half.
NOTE 42. See Note 12 to Chapter iii.
NOTE 43. It is common (as my sheykh has remarked) to say, of a very
spacious chamber, that a horseman might gallop in it. The playing at
goff by horsemen has been mentioned in a former tale. It was a common
exercise in Egypt as well as Persia and other Eastern countries.
NOTE 44. "Deleeleh" is an epithet used in modern Arabic as indicative of
artifice, machination, or fraud.[378] It is often employed as a female
nickname.
NOTE 45. From this point to the end of the story of 'Azeez and 'Azeezeh
I omit some portions which are tedious, and others which are more
objectionable.
NOTE 46. Any one may enter the public bath, but none can go out of it,
without paying.[379]
NOTE 47. The "ka[a.]k," commonly called "ka[h.]k," has been described in
Note 16 to Chapter i. De Sacy has remarked that our English word "cake"
seems to be from the same origin.
NOTE 48.--_On Oaths._ To explain this passage, I must repeat, with a few
slight additions, some remarks which I have made in a former
publication.[380]--Among a people by whom falsehood, in certain cases,
is not only allowed but commended,[381] oaths of different kinds are
more or less binding. In considering this subject, we should also
remember that oaths may sometimes be expiated.[382] There are some
oaths which, I believe, few Muslims would falsely take; such as saying,
three times, "By God the Great!" (Wa-llahi-l-A[z.]eem), and the oath
upon the mu[s.]-[h.]af (or copy of the [K.]ur-an), saying, "By what this
contains of the word of God!" This latter is rendered more binding by
placing a sword with the sacred volume; and still more so, by the
addition of a cake, or piece, of bread, and a handful of salt. But a
form of oath which is generally yet more to be depended upon is that of
saying, "I impose upon myself divorcement!" (that is, "the divorce of my
wife, if what I say be false"); or, "I impose upon myself interdiction!"
which has a similar meaning ("My wife be unlawful to me!"); or, "I
impose upon myself a triple divorcement!" which binds a man by the
irrevocable divorce of his wife. If a man use any of these three forms
of oath falsely, his wife, if he have but one, is divorced by the oath
itself, if proved to be false, without the absolute necessity of any
further ceremony; and if he have two or more wives, he must, under such
circumstances, choose one of them to put away.
In the case which this note is principally intended to illustrate, the
wife of 'Azeez makes him swear by the sword and the [K.]ur-an in the
hope of inducing him to return to her; and by the oath of divorce, to
make the inducement more strong, and that she might be enabled, in case
he did not fulfil his vow, legally to contract another marriage as soon
as she should have waited the period which the law requires.
NOTE 49. The verses I have omitted as they are the same (with the
exception of some slight variations) as the first, second, third, and
fifth, of those commencing at page 185 in this volume; and the contents
of the accompanying paper as being tiresome and in some parts unmeaning.
NOTE 50. See the first note in the present series.
NOTE 51. I have substituted "Shah-Zeman" (signifying "King of the Age")
for Shahraman; the latter being evidently a mistake of a copyist.
NOTE 52. "Dunya" signifies the "world."
NOTE 53. "Ri[d.]wan," which signifies "approbation," "complacency," &c.,
is the name of the Guardian of Paradise.--The meaning of this passage
is, "Surely this handsome young person is one of the Wildan, or Weleeds,
those beautiful youths prepared to wait upon the faithful in Paradise;
and he hath escaped thence through the inadvertence of Ri[d.]wan." The
very meanest in Paradise is promised eighty thousand of these servants,
besides seventy-two [H.]ooreeyehs, &c.
NOTE 54. A compliment of this kind is generally uttered on letting a
shop or house, and on selling an article of dress, &c.; and "God bless
thee!" is usually said in reply. In like manner, a merchant selling
goods to be re-sold says, "May God grant thee a profit upon them!"
NOTE 55. The word thus translated signifies taking a morning-draught of
wine, milk, sherbet, or any other beverage.
NOTE 56. When Zeleekha invited her female friends that they might behold
Yoosuf (or Joseph) and excuse her for inclining to him, at the sight of
him they cut their own hands, and praised God, ejaculating these words,
"This is not a mortal," &c. ([K.]ur-an, ch. xii. v. 31).
NOTE 57. To persons more or less above him in rank, the shopkeeper rises
and stands, or merely makes a slight motion as if he were about to rise.
NOTE 58. This is a common invocation, for the protection of a person
from envy, or the evil eye, founded upon the last chapter but one of the
[K.]ur-an, in which the believer is desired to "seek refuge with the
Lord of the Daybreak" from various evils, and among these "from the
mischief of the envious." It is very often said to imply admiration of a
child, that the mother may not fear.
NOTE 59. This ejaculation is addressed to God.
NOTE 60. This alludes to one of the stages of the creation of man
explained in the [K.]ur-an, ch. xxii. v. 5.
NOTE 61. The old woman is described as being "full of joy" because,
having induced her mistress to answer the letter, she saw a prospect of
continuing the correspondence, and so obtaining additional presents.
NOTE 62. "Es-Suha" is an obscure star in the Greater Bear, at which
people look to try their powers of sight. It is the star 80, by [Greek:
z].
NOTE 63. My sheykh has remarked in a marginal note on the "Five Elders"
or Sheykhs here mentioned, "the known number is the four; namely the
[first four] Khaleefehs; or the Four Welees (eminent saints), the seyyid
El-Bedawee and the seyyid Ed-Dasoo[k.]ee and Er-Rifa'ee and El-Geelanee".
The latter four are often mentioned together as being the saints
generally most esteemed in the present day and the founders of the four
principal orders of Darweeshes.--Who, then, can be meant by "the Five
Elders" I do not know; but I have retained this number as it occurs
again in a variation of the same verses in a subsequent tale, which is
almost exactly the same as that of Taj-el-Mulook.
NOTE 64. "Ibn-Seena" ("Son of Seena") is the true name of the great
physician called by us "Avicenna."
NOTE 65. The gait of Arab ladies is very remarkable: they incline the
lower part of the body from side to side as they step, and with the
hands raised to the level of the bosom they hold the edges of their
outer covering. Their pace is slow, and they look not about them, but
keep their eyes towards the ground in the direction to which they are
going.
NOTE 66. It should be remarked here, that the private room of an Eastern
princess is not to be regarded as a Western bed-room. In the East, a
guest may lay himself down upon a deewan in the presence of another, to
pass the night, without any infringement of decorum.
NOTE 67. See the latter paragraph of the first note in the present
series.
NOTE 68. See Note 9 to Chapter vii.
NOTE 69. The doors in Eastern houses generally turn on two wooden pins;
one fitting into a hole in the lintel; the other, into a hole
immediately behind the threshold; and the latter is very short. It is
therefore often easy to displace a door by raising it a little, which
may be done by means of a projecting wooden lock; and in many cases,
when the door cannot be displaced from its sockets, it may be raised
sufficiently to remove the inner latch from its catch. The doors of the
ancient temples and tombs in Egypt were formed as above described, with
pins, which were often made of bronze.
NOTE 70. I here read "nimsheh" (also written "nimjeh" and "nimjah"--from
the Persian "neemjah") instead of "[k.]amsheh." The latter is described
by my sheykh, in a marginal note, as "a strip of leather divided into
two, and tied together and nailed at the upper end to a piece of wood;"
but the use of such an instrument in this case would be ridiculous. The
name of "nimsheh" is often given to a royal dagger.
NOTE 71. As persons are often decapitated in an Eastern palace, a skin
is made use of to receive the head and the blood. I believe it to be
similar to the round skin used by travellers to eat upon; which is
converted into a bag by means of a running string round the edge.
In concluding the present series of notes, I may state my opinion, that
the two stories to which they relate are fully worthy of insertion in
this collection, as extending the picture of _Arab_ life and manners,
whatever may be thought of their _origin_.
[360] Thus commonly pronounced for "Sharrun kan," signifying
"an evil hath come into existence." Names of this kind are
sometimes given by the Arabs not in dispraise, but as prophetic
of great achievements.
[361] "Light of the Place."
[362] "Delight of the Age."
[363] Mir-at ez-Zeman.
[364] "Notes on the Bedouins and Wahabys," 8vo. vol. i. pp. 55
and 56.
[365] The Dynasty of the Fa[t.]imee Khaleefehs was founded by
El-Mahdee in Western Africa, in the year of the Flight 297. His
third successor, El-Mo'ezz li-deeni-llah, conquered Egypt in
the year 358, and the seat of his government was transferred to
Cairo. As they claimed descent from Fa[t.]imeh, and were of the
Shiya'ee sect, their possession of the fairest province of the
orthodox (or 'Abbasee) Khaleefehs forms a strange episode in
the history of El-Islam.--Their power was overthrown by
[S.]ala[h.]-ed-Deen, in the year 567.--ED.
[366] See Note 15 to Chapter ii.
[367] "El-Khi[t.]a[t.]:" Account of the Palaces of the
Khaleefehs.
[368] Dr. Millengen's Curiosities of Medical Experience, quoted
in the Literary Gazette, No. 1043.
[369] The art here mentioned was first made known to Europeans
by a Frenchman, M. Du Vigneau, in a work entitled "Secretaire
Turc, contenant l'Art d'exprimer ses pensees sans se voir, sans
se parler, et sans s'ecrire:" Paris, 1688: in-12.--Von Hammer
has also given an interesting paper on this subject in the
"Mines de l'Orient," No. 1: Vienna, 1809. (Note to Marcel's
"Contes du Cheykh El-Mohdy," vol. iii. pp. 327 and 328: Paris,
1833.)
[370] Called "ghasool el-azrar." In Delile's Flora AEgyptiaca,
the name of ghasool is given to the mesembryanthemum
nodiflorum, class icosandria, order pentagynia.
[371] This name is now given to sherbet.
[372] [H.]albet el-Kumeyt, ch. x.--The aloe-plant is called
"[s.]abir," "[s.]abr," "[s.]ibr," and "[s.]abbarah." The second
of these words signifies "patience;" and so does the root of
_all_ of them: and the last signifies "very patient." The
_reason_ of its having these appellations cannot, of course, be
_proved_.
[373] See Marcel, _ubi supra_. He states that Von Hammer's
vocabulary of flowers and other hieroglyphic objects contains
120 articles; and that of Du Vigneau, 179; almost all of the
former being the same as those of the latter.
[374] Ch. xxviii. v. 19.
[375] Ch. v. v. 27.--This anecdote is from the [H.]albet
el-Kumeyt, ch. viii.--[Kafoor was a black eunuch purchased by
El-Ikhsheed, the first of the virtually-independent dynasty of
the Ikhsheedeeyeh, which fell before the Fa[t.]imee Khaleefehs.
Kafoor was regent of Egypt for upwards of twenty years, during
the reigns of his master's two sons; and was actual governor
from the year of the Flight 355 to 357.--ED.]
[376] Sometimes, also, it means "May God cause thee to
experience grief!" or "sorrow!" and, used in this sense, it is
similar to the phrase, often occurring in this work, "the world
became black before his face."
[377] The zikr here described was performed near the tomb of a
saint, for whose sake it was celebrated. The ceremony is often
performed in a sepulchral mosque, and often in the court, or in
a chamber, of a private house.
[378] Marginal note by my sheykh.
[379] Idem.
[380] The "Modern Egyptians."
[381] See Note 57 to Chapter iii.
[382] As shewn in Note 68 to Chapter iv.
[Illustration]
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