Supplemental Nights, Volume 3
by
Richard F. Burton
Part 3 out of 11
edifice as this." The Sultan rejoined, "I am surprised to see in
thee how thou dost continually harp on evil opinion of Alaeddin;
but I hold that 'tis caused by thine envy and jealousy. Thou west
present when I gave him the ground at his own prayer for a place
whereon he might build a pavilion wherein to lodge my daughter,
and I myself favoured him with a site for the same and that too
before thy very face. But however that be, shall one who could
send me as dower for the Princess such store of such stones
whereof the kings never obtained even a few, shall he, I say, be
unable to edify an edifice like this?"--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Wazir heard the Sultan's words, he knew that
his lord loved Alaeddin exceedingly; so his envy and malice
increased; only, as he could do nothing against the youth, he sat
silent and impotent to return a reply. But Alaeddin seeing that
it was broad day, and the appointed time had come for his
repairing to the palace (where his wedding was being celebrated
and the Emirs and Wazirs and Grandees were gathered together
about the Sultan to be present at the ceremony), arose and rubbed
the Lamp, and when its Slave appeared and said, O my lord, ask
whatso thou wantest, for I stand before thee and at thy service,"
said he, "I mean forthright to seek the palace, this day being my
wedding-festival and I want thee to supply me with ten thousand
dinars." The Slave evanished for an eye-twinkling and returned
bringing the moneys, when Alaeddin took horse with his Mamelukes
a-van and a-rear and passed on his way, scattering as he went
gold pieces upon the lieges until all were fondly affected
towards him and his dignity was enhanced. But when he drew near
the palace, and the Emirs and Aghas and Army-officers who were
standing to await him noted his approach, they hastened
straightway to the King and gave him the tidings thereof;
whereupon the Sultan rose and met his son-in-law and after
embracing and kissing him, led him still holding his hand into
his own apartment where he sat down and seated him by his right
side. The city was all decorated and music rang through the
palace and the singers sang until the King bade bring the noon-
meal, when the eunuchs and Mamelukes hastened to spread the
tables and trays which are such as are served to the kings. Then
the Sultan and Alaeddin and the Lords of the land and the
Grandees of the realm took their seats and ate and drank until
they were satisfied. And it was a mighty fine wedding in city and
palace and the high nobles all rejoiced therein and the commons
of the kingdom were equally gladdened, while the Governors of
provinces and Nabobs of districts flocked from far regions to
witness Alaeddin's marriage and its processions and festivities.
The Sultan also marvelled in his mind to look at Alaeddin's
mother[FN#175] and recall to mind how she was wont to visit him
in pauper plight, while her son could command all this opulence
and magnificence. And when the spectators, who crowded the royal
palace to enjoy the wedding-feasts, looked upon Alaeddin's
pavilion and the beauties of the building, they were seized with
an immense surprise that so vast an edifice as this could be
reared on high during a single night; and they blessed the youth
and cried, "Allah gladden him! By Allah, he deserveth all this!
Allah bless his days!"--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and ceased to say her per misted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when dinner was done, Alaeddin rose and, farewelling
the Sultan, took horse with his Mamelukes and rode to his own
pavilion that he might prepare to receive therein his bride, the
Lady Badr al-Budur. And as he passed, all the folk shouted their
good wishes with one voice and their words were, "Allah gladden
thee! Allah increase thy glory. Allah grant thee length of life!"
while immense crowds of people gathered to swell the marriage
procession and they conducted him to his new home, he showering
gold upon them during the whole time. When he reached his
pavilion, he dismounted and walked in and sat him down on the
divan, whilst his Mamelukes stood before him with arms afolded;
also after a short delay they brought him sherbets and, when
these were drunk, he ordered his white slaves and handmaids and
eunuchs and all who were in the pavilion to make ready for
meeting the Lady Badr al-Budur. Moreover, as soon as mid-
afternoon came and the air had cooled and the great heat of the
sun was abated, the Sultan bade his Army-officers and Emirs and
Wazirs go down into the Maydßn plain[FN#176] whither he likewise
rode. And Alaeddin also took horse with his Mamelukes, he
mounting a stallion whose like was not among the steeds of the
Arab al-Arbß,[FN#177] and he showed his horsemanship in the
hippodrome and so played with the JarÝd[FN#178] that none could
withstand him, while his bride sat gazing upon him from the
latticed balcony of her bower and, seeing in him such beauty and
cavalarice, she fell headlong in love of him and was like to fly
for joy. And after they had ringed their horses on the Maydan and
each had displayed whatso he could of horsemanship, Alaeddin
proving himself the best man of all, they rode in a body to the
Sultan's palace and the youth also returned to his own pavilion.
But when it was evening, the Wazirs and Nobles took the
bridegroom and, falling in, escorted him to the royal Hammam
(known as the SultßnÝ), when he was bathed and perfumed. As soon
as he came out he donned a dress more magnificent than the former
and took horse with the Emirs and the soldier-officers riding
before him and forming a grand cortÚge, wherein four of the
Wazirs bore naked swords round about him.[FN#179] All the
citizens and the strangers and the troops marched before him in
ordered throng carrying wax-candles and kettle drums and pipes
and other instruments of mirth and merriment, until they
conducted him to his pavilion. Here he alighted and walking in
took his seat and seated the Wazirs and Emirs who had escorted
him, and the Mamelukes brought sherbets and sugared drinks, which
they also passed to the people who had followed in his train. It
was a world of folk whose tale might not be told; withal Alaeddin
bade his Mamelukes stand without the pavilion-doors and shower
gold upon the crowd.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Sultan returned from the Maydan-plain to his
palace he ordered the household, men as well as women,
straightway to form a cavalcade for his daughter, with all
ceremony, and bear her to her bridegroom's pavilion. So the
nobles and soldier-officers, who had followed and escorted the
bridegroom, at once mounted, and the handmaids and eunuchs went
forth with wax-candles and made a mighty fine procession for the
Lady Badr al-Budur and they paced on preceding her till they
entered the pavilion of Alaeddin whose mother walked beside the
bride. In front of the Princess also fared the wives of the
Wazirs and Emirs, Grandees and Notables, and in attendance on her
were the eight and forty slave-girls presented to her aforetime
by her bridegroom, each hending in hand a huge cierge scented
with camphor and ambergris and set in a candlestick of gem-
studded gold. And reaching Alaeddin's pavilion they led her to
her bower in the upper storey and changed her robes and enthroned
her; then, as soon as the displaying was ended, they accompanied
her to Alaeddin's apartments and presently he paid her the first
visit. Now his mother was with the bride and, when the bridegroom
came up and did off her veil, the ancient dame fell to
considering the beauty of the Princess and her loveliness; and
she looked around at the pavilion which was all litten up by gold
and gems besides the manifold candelabra of precious metals
encrusted with emeralds and jacinths; so she said in her mind,
"Once upon a time I thought the Sultan's palace mighty fine, but
this pavilion is a thing apart; nor do I deem that any of the
greatest Kings of ChosroÙs attained in his day to aught like
thereof; also am I certified that all the world could not build
anything evening it." Nor less did the lady Badr al-Budur fall to
gazing at the pavilion and marvelling for its magnificence. Then
the tables were spread and they all ate and drank and were
gladdened; after which fourscore damsels came before them each
holding in hand an instrument of mirth and merriment; then they
deftly moved their finger tips and touched the strings smiting
them into song, most musical, most melancholy, till they rent the
hearts of the hearers. Hereat the Princess increased in marvel
and Quoth she to herself, "In all my life ne'er heard I songs
like these,''[FN#180] till she forsook food, the better to
listen. And at last Alaeddin poured out for her wine and passed
it to her with his own hand; so great joy and jubilee went round
amongst them and it was a notable night, such an one as Iskander,
Lord of the Two Horns,[FN#181] had never spent in his time. When
they had finished eating and drinking and the tables were removed
from before them, Alaeddin arose and went in to his
bride.[FN#182] As soon as morning morrowed he left his bed and
the treasurer brought him a costly suit and a mighty fine, of the
most sumptuous robes worn by the kings. Then, after drinking
coffee devoured with ambergris, he ordered the horses be saddled
and, mounting with his Mamelukes before and behind him, rode to
the Sultan's palace and on his entering its court the eunuchs
went in and reported his coming to their lord.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
æWith love and good will."---It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Sultan heard of Alaeddin's approach, he rose
up forthright to receive him and embraced and kissed him as
though he were his own son: then, seating him on his right, he
blessed and prayed for him, as did the Wazirs and Emirs, the
Lords of the land and the Grandees of the realm. Presently, the
King commanded bring the morning-meal which the attendants served
up and all broke their fast together, and when they had eaten and
drunken their sufficiency and the tables were removed by the
eunuchs, Alaeddin turned to the Sultan and said, "O my lord,
would thy Highness deign honour me this day at dinner, in the
house of the Lady Badr al-Budur thy beloved daughter, and come
accompanied by all thy Ministers and Grandees of the reign?" The
King replied (and he was delighted with his son-in-law), "Thou
art surpassing in liberality, O my son!" Then he gave orders to
all invited and rode forth with them (Alaeddin also riding beside
him) till they reached the pavilion and as he entered it and
considered its construction, its architecture and its stonery,
all jasper and carnelian, his sight was dazed and his wits were
amazed at such grandeur and magnificence of opulence. Then
turning to the Minister he thus addressed him, "What sayest thou?
Tell me hast thou seen in all thy time aught like this amongst
the mightiest of earth's monarchs for the abundance of gold and
gems we are now beholding?" The Grand Wazir replied, "O my lord
the King, this be a feat which cannot be accomplished by might of
monarch amongst Adam's sons; [FN#183] nor could the collected
peoples of the universal world build a palace like unto this;
nay, even builders could not be found to make aught resembling
it, save (as I said to thy Highness) by force of sorcery." These
words certified the King that his Minister spake not except in
envy end jealousy of Alaeddin, and would stablish in the royal
mind that all this splendour was not made of man but by means of
magic and with the aid of the Black Art. So Quoth he to him,
"Suffice thee so much, O Wazir: thou hast none other word to
speak and well I know what cause urgeth thee to say this say."
Then Alaeddin preceded the Sultan till he conducted him to the
upper Kiosque where he saw its skylights, windows and latticed
casements and jalousies wholly made of emeralds and rubies and
other costly gems; whereat his mind was perplexed and his wits
were bewildered and his thoughts were distraught. Presently he
took to strolling round the Kiosque and solacing himself with
these sights which captured the vision, till he chanced to cast a
glance at the window which Alaeddin by design had left unwrought
and not finished like the rest; and, when he noted its lack of
completion, he cried, "Woe and well away for thee, O window,
because of thine imperfection;"[FN#184] and, turning to his
Minister he asked, "Knowest thou the reason of leaving incomplete
this window and its framework?"--And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventieth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Wazir said to the Sultan, "O my lord, I conceive
that the want of finish in this window resulteth from thy
Highness having pushed on Alaeddin's marriage and he lacked the
leisure to complete it." Now at that time, Alaeddin had gone in
to his bride, the Lady Badr al-Budur, to inform her of her
father's presence; and, when he returned, the King asked him, "O
my son what is the reason why the window of this Kiosque was not
made perfect?" "O King of the Age, seeing the suddenness of my
wedding," answered he, "I failed to find artists for finishing
it." Quoth the Sultan, "I have a mind to complete it myself;" and
Quoth Alaeddin, "Allah perpetuate thy glory, O thou the King; so
shall thy memory endure in thy daughter's pavilion." The Sultan
forthright bade summon jewellers and goldsmiths and ordered them
be supplied from the treasury with all their needs of gold and
gems and noble ores; and, when they were gathered together he
commanded them to complete the work still wanting in the Kiosque-
window. Meanwhile the Princess came forth to meet her sire the
Sultan who noticed, as she drew near, her smiling face; so he
embraced her and kissed her, then led her to the pavilion and all
entered in a body. Now this was the time of the noon day meal and
one table had been spread for the Sovran, his daughter and his
son-in-law and a second for the Wazirs, the Lords of the land,
the Grandees of the realm, the Chief Officers of the host, the
Chamberlains and the Nabobs. The King took seat between the
Princess and her husband; and, when he put forth his hand to the
food and tasted it, he was struck with surprise by the flavour of
the dishes and their savoury and sumptuous cooking. Moreover,
there stood before him the fourscore damsels each and every
saying to the full moon, "Rise that I may seat myself in thy
stead!"[FN#185] All held instruments of mirth and merriment and
they tuned the same and deftly moved their finger-tips and smote
the strings into song most musical, most melodious, which
expanded the mourner's heart. Hereby the Sultan was gladdened and
time was good to him and for high enjoyment he exclaimed, "In
very sooth the thing is beyond the compass of King and Kaysar."
Then they fell to eating and drinking; and the cup went round
until they had drunken enough, when sweetmeats and fruits of
sorts and other such edibles were served, the dessert being laid
out in a different salon whither they removed and enjoyed of
these pleasures their sufficiency. Presently the Sultan arose
that he might see if the produce of his jewellers and goldsmiths
favoured that of the pavilion; so he went upstairs to them and
inspected their work and how they had wrought; but he noted a
mighty great difference and his men were far from being able to
make anything like the rest of Alaeddin's pavilion. And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-first Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that after the King had inspected the work of his jewellers
and goldsmiths, they informed him how all the gems stored in the
Lesser Treasury had been brought to them and used by them but
that the whole had proved insufficient; wherefor he bade open the
Greater Treasury and gave the workmen all they wanted of him.
Moreover he allowed them, an it sufficed not, to take the jewels
wherewith Alaeddin had gifted him. They carried off the whole and
pushed on their labours but they found the gems fail them, albeit
had they not yet finished half the part wanting to the Kiosque-
window. Herewith the King commended them to seize all the
precious stones owned by the Wazirs and Grandees of the realm;
but, although they did his bidding, the supply still fell short
of their requirements. Next morning Alaeddin arose to look at the
jeweller's work and remarked that they had not finished a moiety
of what was wanting to the Kiosque-window: so he at once ordered
them to undo all they had done and restore the jewels to their
owners. Accordingly, they pulled out the precious stones and sent
the Sultan's to the Sultan and the Wazirs' to the Wazirs. Then
the jewellers went to the King and told him of what Alaeddin had
bidden; so he asked them, "What said he to you, and what was his
reason and wherefore was he not content that the window be
finished and why did he undo the work ye wrought?" They answered,
"O our lord, we know not at all, but he bade us deface whatso we
had done." Hereupon the Sultan at once called for his horse, and
mounting, took the way pavilion-wards, when Alaeddin, after
dismissing the goldsmiths and jewellers had retired into his
closet and had rubbed the Lamp. Hereat straightway its Servitor
appeared to him and said, "Ask whatso thou wantest: thy Slave is
between thy hands;" and said Alaeddin, " 'tis my desire that thou
finish the window which was left unfinished." The Marid replied,
"On my head be it and also upon mine eyes!" then he vanished and
after a little while returned saying, "O my lord, verily that
thou commandedst me do is completed." So Alaeddin went upstairs
to the Kiosque and found the whole window in wholly finished
state; and, whilst he was still considering it, behold, a
castrato came in to him and said, "O my lord, the Sultan hath
ridden forth to visit thee and is passing through the pavilion-
gate." So Alaeddin at once went down and received his father-in-
law. And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-second Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."---It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Sultan, on sighting his son-in-law, cried to him,
"Wherefore, O my child, hast thou wrought on this wise and
sufferedst not the jewellers to complete the Kiosque-window
leaving in the pavilion an unfinished place?" Alaeddin replied "O
King of the Age, I left it not imperfect save for a design of
mine own; nor was I incapable of perfecting it nor could I
purpose that thy Highness should honour me with visiting a
pavilion wherein was aught of deficiency. And, that thou mayest
know I am not unable to make it perfect, let thy Highness deign
walk upstairs with me and see if anything remain to be done
therewith or not." So the Sultan went up with him and, entering
the Kiosque, fell to looking right and left, but he saw no
default at all in any of the windows; nay, he noted that all were
perfect. So he marvelled at the sight and embraced Alaeddin and
kissed him, saying, "O my son, what be this singular feat? Thou
canst work in a single night what in months the jewellers could
not do. By Allah, I deem thou hast nor brother nor rival in this
world." Quoth Alaeddin, "Allah prolong thy life and preserve thee
to perpetuity! thy slave deserveth not this encomium;" and Quoth
the King, "By Allah, O my child, thou meritest all praise for a
feat whereof all the artists of the world were incapable." Then
the Sultan came clown and entered the apartments of his daughter
the Lady Badr al-Budur, to take rest beside her, and he saw her
joyous exceedingly at the glory and grandeur wherein she was;
then, after reposing awhile he returned to his palace. Now
Alaeddin was wont every day to thread the city-streets with his
Mamelukes riding a-van and a-rear of him showering rightwards and
leftwards gold upon the folk; and all the world, stranger and
neighbour, far and near, were fulfilled of his love for the
excess of his liberality and generosity. Moreover he increased
the pensions of the poor Religious and the paupers and he would
distribute alms to them with his own hand; by which good deed, he
won high renown throughout the realm and most of the Lords of the
land and Emirs would eat at his table; and men swore not at all
save by his precious life. Nor did he leave faring to the chase
and the Maydan-plain and the riding of horses and playing at
javelin-play[FN#186] in presence of the Sultan; and, whenever the
Lady Badr al-Budur beheld him disporting himself on the backs of
steeds, she loved him much the more, and thought to herself that
Allah had wrought her abundant good by causing to happen whatso
happened with the son of the Wazir and by preserving her
virginity intact for her true bridegroom, Alaeddin.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-third Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales." whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin won for himself day by day a fairer fame and a
rarer report, while affection for him increased in the hearts of
all the lieges and he waxed greater in the eyes of men. Moreover
it chanced that in those days certain enemies took horse and
attacked the Sultan, who armed and accoutred an army to repel
them and made Alaeddin commander thereof. So he marched with his
men nor ceased marching until he drew near the foe whose forces
were exceeding many; and, presently, when the action began he
bared his brand and charged home upon the enemy. Then battle and
slaughter befel and violent was the hurry-burly, but at last
Alaeddin broke the hostile host and put all to flight, slaying
the best part of them and pillaging their coin and cattle,
property and possessions; and he despoiled them of spoils that
could not be counted nor computed. Then he returned victorious
after a noble victory and entered the capital which had decorated
herself in his honour, of her delight in him; and the Sultan went
forth to meet him and giving him joy embraced him and kissed him;
and throughout the kingdom was held high festival with great joy
and gladness. Presently, the Sovran and his son-in-law repaired
to the pavilion where they were met by the Princess Badr al-Budur
who rejoiced in her husband and, after kissing him between the
eyes, led him to her apartments. After a time the Sultan also
came and they sat down while the slave-girls brought them
sherbets and confections which they ate and drank. Then the
Sultan commanded that the whole kingdom be decorated for the
triumph of his son-in-law and his victory over the invader; and
the subjects and soldiery and all the people knew only Allah in
heaven and Alaeddin on earth; for that their love, won by his
liberality, was increased by his noble horsemanship and his
successful battling for the country and putting to flight the
foe. Such then was the high fortune of Alaeddin; but as regards
the Maghrabi, the Magician, after returning to his native
country, he passed all this space of time in bewailing what he
had borne of toil and travail to win the Lamp and mostly that his
trouble had gone vain and that the morsel when almost touching
his lips had flown from his grasp. He pondered all this and
mourned and reviled Alaeddin for the excess of his rage against
him and at times he would exclaim, "For this bastard's death
underground I am well satisfied and hope only that some time or
other I may obtain the Lamp, seeing how 'tis yet safe." Now one
day of the days he struck a table of sand and dotted down the
figures and carefully considered their consequence; then he
transferred them to paper that he might study them and make sure
of Alaeddin's destruction and the safety of the Lamp preserved
beneath the earth. Presently, he firmly stablished the sequence
of the figures, mothers as well as daughters,[FN#187] but still
he saw not the Lamp. Thereupon rage overrode him and he made
another trial to be assured of Alaeddin's death; but he saw him
not in the Enchanted Treasure. Hereat his wrath still grew, and
it waxed greater when he ascertained that the youth had issued
from underground and was now upon earth's surface alive and
alert: furthermore, that he had become owner of the Lamp, for
which he had himself endured such toil and travail and troubles
as man may not bear save for so great an object. Accordingly
Quoth he to himself, "I have suffered sore pains and penalties
which none else could have endured for the Lamp's sake in order
that other than I may carry it off; and this Accursed hath taken
it without difficulty. And who knoweth an he wot the virtues of
the Lamp, than whose owner none in the world should be
wealthier?" And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Maghrabi, the Magician, having considered and
ascertained that Alaeddin had escaped from the souterrain and had
gotten the boon of the Lamp, said to himself, "There is no help
but that I work for his destruction." He then struck another
geomantic table and examining the figures saw that the lad had
won for himself unmeasurable riches and had wedded the daughter
of his King; so of his envy and jealousy he was fired with the
flame of wrath; and, rising without let or stay, he equipped
himself and set forth for China-land, where he arrived in due
season. Now when he had reached the King's capital wherein was
Alaeddin, he alighted at one of the Khßns; and, when he had
rested from the weariness of wayfare, he donned his dress and
went down to wander about the streets, where he never passed a
group without hearing them prate about the pavilion and its
grandeur and vaunt the beauty of Alaeddin and his lonesomeness,
his liberality and generosity, his fine manners and his good
morals. Presently he entered an establishment wherein men were
drinking a certain warm beverage;[FN#188] and, going up to one of
those who were loud in their lauds, he said to him, "O fair
youth, who may be the man ye describe and commend?" "Apparently
thou art a foreigner, O man," answered the other, "and thou
comest from a far country; but, even this granted, how happeneth
it thou hast not heard of the Emir Alaeddin whose renown, I
fancy, hath filled the universe and whose pavilion, known by
report to far and near, is one of the Wonders of the World? How,
then, never came to thine ears aught of this or the name of
Alaeddin (whose glory and enjoyment our Lord increase!) and his
fame?" The Moorman replied, "The sum of my wishes is to look upon
this pavilion and, if thou wouldest do me a favour, prithee guide
me thereunto, for I am a foreigner." The man rejoined, "To hear
is to obey;" and, foregoing him pointed out Alaeddin's pavilion,
whereupon the Maroccan fell to considering it and at once
understood that it was the work of the Lamp. So he cried, "Ah!
Ah! needs must I dig a pit for this Accursed, this son of a snip,
who could not earn for himself even an evening meal: and, if the
Fates abet me, I will assuredly destroy his life and send his
mother back to spinning at her wheel, e'en as she was wont
erewhiles to do." So saying, he returned to his caravanserai in a
sore state of grief and melancholy and regret bred by his envy
and hate of Alaeddin.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the, Five Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Maghrabi, the Magician, reached his
caravanserai, he took his astrological gear[FN#189] and geomantic
table to discover where might be the Lamp; and he found that it
was in the pavilion and not upon Alaeddin's person. So he
rejoiced thereat with joy exceeding and exclaimed, "Now indeed
'twill be an easy task to take the life of this Accursed and I
see my way to getting the Lamp." Then he went to a coppersmith
and said to him, "Do thou make me a set of lamps and take from me
their full price and more; only I would have thee hasten to
finish them." Replied the smith, "Hearing and obeying," and fell
aworking to keep his word; and when they were ready the Moorman
paid him what price he required; then taking them he carried them
to the Khan and set them in a basket. Presently he began
wandering about the highways and market-streets of the capital
crying aloud, "Ho! who will exchange old lamps for new
lamps?''[FN#190] But when the folk heard him cry on this wise,
they derided him and said, "Doubtless this man is Jinn-mad, for
that he goeth about offering new for old;" and a world followed
him and the children of the quarter caught him up from place to
place, laughing at him the while, nor did he forbid them or care
for their maltreatment. And he ceased not strolling about the
streets till he came under Alaeddin's pavilion,[FN#191] where he
shouted with his loudest voice and the boys screamed at him, "A
madman! A madman!" Now Destiny had decreed that the Lady Badr al-
Budur be sitting in her Kiosque whence she heard one crying like
a crier, and the children bawling at him; only she understood not
what was going on; so she gave orders to one of her slave-girls
saying,[FN#192] "Go thou and see who 'tis that crieth and what be
his cry?" The girl fared forth and looked on when she beheld a
man crying, "Ho! who will exchange old lamps for new lamps?" and
the little ones pursuing and laughing at him; and as loudly
laughed the Princess when this strange case was told to her. Now
Alaeddin had carelessly left the Lamp in his pavilion without
hiding it and locking it up in his strong box;[FN#193] and one of
the slave-girls who had seen it said, "O my lady, I think to have
noticed, in the apartment of my lord Alaeddin, an old lamp: so
let us give it in change for a new lamp to this man, and see if
his cry be truth or lie."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
æWith love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that hereupon the Princess said to the slave-girl, æBring
the old lamp which thou saidst to have seen in thy lord's
apartment." Now the Lady Badr al-Budur knew naught of the Lamp
and of the specialties thereof which had raised Alaeddin her
spouse to such high degree and grandeur; and her only end and aim
was to understand by experiment the mind of a man who would give
in exchange the new for the old. So the handmaid fared forth and
went up to Alaeddin's apartment and returned with the Lamp to her
lady who, like all the others, knew nothing of the Maghrabi's
cunning tricks and his crafty device. Then the Princess bade an
Aghß of the eunuchry go down and barter the old Lamp for a new
lamp. So he obeyed her bidding and, after taking a new lamp from
the man, he returned and laid it before his lady who looking at
it and seeing that it was brand-new, fell to laughing at the
Moorman's wits. But the Maroccan, when he held the article in
hand and recognised it for the Lamp of the Enchanted
Treasury,[FN#194] at once placed it in his breast-pocket and left
all the other lamps to the folk who were bartering of him. Then
he went forth running till he was clear of the city, when he
walked leisurely over the level grounds and he took patience
until night fell on him in desert ground where was none other but
himself. There he brought out the Lamp when suddenly appeared to
him the Marid who said, "Adsum! thy slave between thy hands is
come: ask of me whatso thou wantest." " 'tis my desire," the
Moorman replied, "that thou upraise from its present place
Alaeddin's pavilion with its inmates and all that be therein, not
forgetting myself, and set it down upon my own land, Africa. Thou
knowest my town and I want the building placed in the gardens
hard by it." The Marid-slave replied, "Hearkening and obedience:
close thine eyes and open thine eyes whenas thou shalt find
thyself together with the pavilion in thine own country." This
was done; and, in an eye-twinkling, the Maroccan and the pavilion
with all therein were transported to the African land. Such then
was the work of the Maghrabi, the Magician; but now let us return
to the Sultan and his son-in-law. It was the custom of the King,
because of his attachment to and his affection for his daughter,
every morning when he had shaken off sleep, to open the latticed
casement and look out therefrom that he might catch sight of her
abode. So that day he arose and did as he was wont.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Sultan drew near the latticed casement of his
palace and looked out at Alaeddin's pavilion he saw naught; nay,
the site was smooth as a well-trodden highway and like unto what
it had been aforetime; and he could find nor edifice nor offices.
So astonishment clothed him as with a garment, and his wits were
wildered and he began to rub his eyes, lest they be dimmed or
darkened, and to gaze intently; but at last he was certified that
no trace of the pavilion remained nor sign of its being; nor wist
he the why and the wherefore of its disappearance. So his
surprise increased and he smote hand upon hand and the tears
trickled down his cheeks over his beard, for that he knew not
what had become of his daughter. Then he sent out officials
forthright and summoned the Grand Wazir who at once attended;
and, seeing him in this piteous plight said, æPardon, O King of
the Age, may Allah avert from thee every ill! Wherefore art thou
in such sorrow?" Exclaimed the Sovran, "Methinketh thou wottest
not my case?" and Quoth the Minister, "On no wise. O our lord: by
Allah, I know of it nothing at all." "Then," resumed the Sultan,
" 'tis manifest thou hast not looked this day in the direction of
Alaeddin's pavilion." "True, O my lord," Quoth the Wazir, "it
must still be locked and fast shut;" and Quoth the King,
"Forasmuch as thou hast no inkling of aught,[FN#195] arise and
look out at the window and see Alaeddin's pavilion whereof thou
sayest 'tis locked and fast shut." The Minister obeyed his
bidding but could not see anything, or pavilion or other place;
so with mind and thoughts sore perplexed he returned to his liege
lord who asked him, "Hast now learned the reason of my distress
and noted yon locked-up palace and fast shut?" Answered the
Wazir, "O King of the Age erewhile I represented to thy Highness
that this pavilion and these matters be all magical." Hereat the
Sultan, fired with wrath, cried, "Where be Alaeddin?" and the
Minister replied, "He hath gone a-hunting," when the King
commanded without stay or delay sundry of his Aghas and Army-
officers to go and bring to him his son-in-law chained and with
pinioned elbows. So they fared forth until they found Alaeddin
when they said to him, "O our lord Alaeddin, excuse us nor be
thou wroth with us; for the King hath commanded that we carry
thee before him pinioned and fettered, and we hope pardon from
thee because we are under the royal orders which we cannot
gainsay." Alaeddin, hearing these words, was seized with surprise
and not knowing the reason of this remained tongue-tied for a
time, after which he turned to them and asked, "O assembly, have
you naught of knowledge concerning the motive of the royal
mandate? Well I wot my soul to be innocent and that I never
sinned against king or against kingdom." "O our lord," answered
they, "we have no inkling whatever." So Alaeddin alighted from
his horse and said to them, "Do ye whatso the Sultan bade you do,
for that the King's command is upon the head and the
eyes."[FN#196]--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Aghas, having bound Alaeddin in bonds and pinioned
his elbows behind his back, haled him in chains and carried him
into the city. But when the lieges saw him pinioned and ironed,
they understood that the Sultan purposed to strike off his head;
and, forasmuch as he was loved of them exceedingly, all gathered
together and seized their weapons; then, swarming out of their
houses, followed the soldiery to see what was to do. And when the
troops arrived with Alaeddin at the palace, they went in and
informed the Sultan of this, whereat he forthright commanded the
Sworder to cut off the head of his son-in-law. Now as soon as the
subjects were aware of this order, they barricaded the gates and
closed the doors of the palace and sent a message to the King
saying, "At this very moment we will level thine abode over the
heads of all it containeth and over thine own,[FN#197] if the
least hurt or harm befal Alaeddin." So the Wazir went in and
reported to the Sultan, "O King of the Age, thy commandment is
about to seal the roll of our lives; and 'twere more suitable
that thou pardon thy son-in-law lest there chance to us a sore
mischance; for that the lieges do love him far more than they
love us." Now the Sworder had already dispread the carpet of
blood and, having seated Alaeddin thereon, had bandaged his eyes;
moreover he had walked round him several times awaiting the last
orders of his lord, when the King looked out of the window and
saw his subjects, who had suddenly attacked him, swarming up the
walls intending to tear them down. So forthright he bade the
Sworder stay his hand from Alaeddin and commanded the crier fare
forth to the crowd and cry aloud that he had pardoned his son-in-
law and received him back into favour. But when Alaeddin found
himself free and saw the Sultan seated on his throne, he went up
to him and said, "O my lord, inasmuch as thy Highness hath
favoured me throughout my life, so of thy grace now deign let me
know the how and the wherein I have sinned against thee?" "O
traitor, cried the King, "unto this present I knew not any sin of
thine;" then, turning to the Wazir he said, "Take him and make
him look out at the window and after let him tell us where be his
pavilion." And when the royal order was obeyed Alaeddin saw the
place level as a well trodden road, even as it had been ere the
base of the building was laid, nor was there the faintest trace
of edifice. Hereat he was astonished and perplexed knowing not
what had occurred; but, when he returned to the presence, the
King asked him, "What is it thou hast seen? Where is thy pavilion
and where is my daughter, the core of my heart, my only child,
than whom I have none other?" Alaeddin answered "O King of the
Age, I wot naught thereof nor aught of what hath befallen," and
the Sultan rejoined, "Thou must know, O Alaeddin, I have pardoned
thee only that thou go forth and look into this affair and
enquire for me concerning my daughter; nor do thou ever show
thyself in my presence except she be with thee; and, if thou
bring her not, by the life of my head, I will cut off the head of
thee." The other replied, "To hear is to obey: only vouchsafe me
a delay and respite of some forty days; after which, an I produce
her not, strike off my head[FN#198] and do with me whatso thou
wishes"."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say,
When it was the Five Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Sultan said to Alaeddin, "Verily I have granted
thee thy request, a delay of forty days; but think not thou canst
fly from my hand, for I would bring thee back even if thou wert
above the clouds instead of being only upon earth's surface."
Replied Alaeddin, "O my lord the Sultan, as I said to thy
Highness, an I fail to bring her within the term appointed, I
will present myself for my head to be stricken off." Now when the
folk and the lieges all saw Alaeddin at liberty, they rejoiced
with joy exceeding and were delighted for his release; but the
shame of his treatment and bashfulness before his friends and the
envious exultation of his foes had bowed down Alaeddin's head; so
he went forth a wandering through the city ways and he was
perplexed concerning his case and knew not what had befallen him.
He lingered about the capital for two days, in saddest state,
wotting not what to do in order to find his wife and his
pavilion, and during this time sundry of the folk privily brought
him meat and drink. When the two days were done he left the city
to stray about the waste and open lands outlying the walls,
without a notion as to whither he should wend; and he walked on
aimlessly until the path led him beside a river where, of the
stress of sorrow that overwhelmed him, he abandoned himself to
despair and thought of casting himself into the water. Being,
however, a good Moslem who professed the unity of the God-head,
he feared Allah in his soul; and, standing upon the margin he
prepared to perform the Wuz·-ablution. But as he was baling up
the water in his right hand and rubbing his fingers,[FN#199] it
so chanced that he also rubbed the Ring. Hereat its Marid
appeared and said to him, "Adsum! thy thrall between thy hands is
come: ask of me whatso thou wantest." Seeing the Marid, Alaeddin
rejoiced with exceeding joy and cried,[FN#200] "O Slave, I desire
of thee that thou bring before me my pavilion and therein my
wife, the Lady Badr al-Budur, together with all and everything it
containeth." "O my lord," replied the Marid, " 'tis right hard
upon me that thou demandest a service whereto I may not avail:
this matter dependeth upon the Slave of the Lamp nor dare I even
attempt it." Alaeddin rejoined, "Forasmuch as the matter is
beyond thy competence, I require it not of thee, but at least do
thou take me up and set me down beside my pavilion in what land
soever that may be." The Slave exclaimed, "Hearing and obeying, O
my lord ;" and, uplifting him high in air, with in the space of
an eye-glance set him down beside his pavilion in the land of
Africa and upon a spot facing his wife's apartment. Now this was
at fall of night yet one look enabled him to recognise his home;
whereby his cark and care were cleared away and he recovered
trust in Allah after cutting off all his hope to look upon his
wife once more. Then he fell to pondering the secret and
mysterious favours of the Lord (glorified be His omnipotence!);
and how, after despair had mastered him, the Ring had come to
gladden him and how, when all his hopes were cut off Allah had
deigned bless him with the services of its Slave. So he rejoiced
and his melancholy left him; then, as he had passed four days
without sleep for the excess of his cark and care and sorrow and
stress of thought, he drew near his pavilion and slept under a
tree hard by the building which (as we mentioned) had been set
down amongst the gardens outlying the city of Africa.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eightieth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin lay that night under a tree beside his
pavilion in all restfulness; but whoso weareth head hard by the
headsman may not sleep o' nights save whenas slumber prevail over
him. He slumbered till Morning showed her face and, when awakened
by the warbling of the small birds, he arose and went down to the
bank of the river which flowed thereby into the city; and here he
again washed hands and face [FN#201] and after finished his Wuz·-
ablution. Then he prayed the dawn-prayer, and when he had ended
his orisons he returned and sat down under the windows of the
Princess's bower. Now the Lady Badr al-Budur, of her exceeding
sorrow for severance from her husband and her sire the Sultan,
and for the great mishap which had happened to her from the
Maghrabi, the Magician, the Accursed, was wont to rise during the
murk preceding dawn and to sit in tears inasmuch as she could not
sleep o' nights, and had forsworn meat and drink. Her favourite
slave-girl would enter her chamber at the hour of prayer-
salutation in order to dress her; and this time, by decree of
Destiny, when she threw open the window to let her lady comfort
and console herself by looking upon the trees and rills, and she
herself peered out of the lattice, she caught sight of her master
sitting below, and informed the Princess of this, saying, "O my
lady! O my lady! here's my lord Alaeddin seated at the foot of
the wall." So her mistress arose hurriedly and gazing from the
casement saw him; and her husband raising his head saw her; so
she saluted him and he saluted her, both being like to fly for
joy. Presently Quoth she, "Up and come in to me by the private
postern, for now the Accursed is not here;" and she gave orders
to the slave-girl who went down and opened for him. Then Alaeddin
passed through it and was met by his wife, when they embraced and
exchanged kisses with all delight until they wept for overjoy.
After this they sat down and Alaeddin said to her, "O my lady,
before all things 'tis my desire to ask thee a question. 'Twas my
wont to place an old copper lamp in such a part of my pavilion,
what became of that same?" When the Princess heard these words
she sighed and cried, "O my dearling, 'twas that very Lamp which
garred us fall into this calamity!" Alaeddin asked her, "How
befel the affair?" and she answered by recounting to him all that
passed, first and last, especially how they had given in exchange
an old lamp for a new lamp, adding, "And next day we hardly saw
one another at dawn before we found ourselves in this land, and
he who deceived us and took the lamp by way of barter informed me
that he had done the deed by might of his magic and by means of
the Lamp; that he is a Moorman from Africa, and that we are now
in his native country."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-first Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Lady Badr al-Budur ceased speaking, Alaeddin
resumed, "Tell me the intent of this Accursed in thy respect,
also what he sayeth to thee and what be his will of thee?" She
replied, "Every day he cometh to visit me once and no more: he
would woo me to his love and he sueth that I take him to spouse
in lieu of thee and that I forget thee and be consoled for the
loss of thee. And he telleth me that the Sultan my sire hath cut
off my husband's head, adding that thou, the son of pauper
parents, wast by him enriched. And he sootheth me with talk, but
he never seeth aught from me save weeping and wailing; nor hath
he heard from me one sugar-sweet word."[FN#202] Quoth Alaeddin,
"Tell me where he hath placed the Lamp an thou know anything
thereof:" and Quoth she, "He beareth it about on his body alway,
nor is it possible that he leave it for a single hour; moreover
once when he related what I have now recounted to thee, he
brought it out of his breast-pocket and allowed me to look upon
it." When Alaeddin heard these words, he joyed with exceeding joy
and said, "O my lady, do thou lend ear to me. 'Tis my design to
go from thee forthright and to return only after doffing this my
dress; so wonder not when thou see me changed, but direct one of
thy women to stand by the private pastern alway and, whenever she
espy me coming, at once to open. And now I will devise a device
whereby to slay this damned loon." Herewith he arose and, issuing
from the pavilion door, walked till he met on the way a Fellah to
whom he said, "O man, take my attire and give me thy garments."
But the peasant refused, so Alaeddin stripped him of his dress
perforce[FN#203] and donned it, leaving to the man his own rich
gear by way of gift. Then he followed the highway leading to the
neighbouring city and entering it went to the Perfumers' Bazar
where he bought of one some rarely potent Bhang, the son of a
minute,[FN#204] paying two dinars for two drachms thereof and he
returned in disguise by the same road till he reached the
pavilion. Here the slave-girl opened to him the private pastern
wherethrough he went in to the Lady Badr al-Budur.--And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it Was the Five Hundred and Eighty-second Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when Alaeddin went in disguised to his wife he said,
"Hear me! I desire of thee that thou dress and dight thyself in
thy best and thou cast off all outer show and semblance of care;
also when the Accursed, the Maghrabi, shall visit thee, do thou
receive him with a æWelcome and fair welcome,' and meet him with
smiling face and invite him to come and sup with thee. Moreover,
let him note that thou hast forgotten Alaeddin thy beloved,
likewise thy father; and that thou hast learned to love him with
exceeding love, displaying to him all manner joy and pleasure.
Then ask him for wine which must be red and pledge him to his
secret in a significant draught; and, when thou hast given him
two to three cups full and hast made him wax careless, then drop
these drops into his cup and fill it up with wine: no sooner
shall he drink of it than he will fall upon his back senseless as
one dead." Hearing these words, the Princess exclaimed," 'Tis
exceedingly sore to me that I do such deed;[FN#205] withal must I
do it that we escape the defilement of this Accursed who tortured
me by severance from thee and from my sire. Lawful and right
therefore is the slaughter of this Accursed." Then Alaeddin ate
and drank with his wife what hindered his hunger; then, rising
without stay or delay, fared forth the pavilion. So the Lady Badr
al-Budur summoned the tirewoman who robed and arrayed her in her
finest raiment and adorned her and perfumed her; and, as she was
thus, behold, the accursed Maghrabi entered. He joyed much seeing
her in such case and yet more when she confronted him, contrary
to her custom, with a laughing face; and his love-longing
increased and his desire to have her. Then she took him and,
seating him beside her, said, "O my dearling, do thou (an thou be
willing) come to me this night and let us sup together.
Sufficient to me hath been my sorrow for, were I to sit mourning
through a thousand years or even two thousand, Alaeddin would not
return to me from the tomb; and I depend upon thy say of
yesterday, to wit, that my sire the Sultan slew him in his stress
of sorrow for severance from me. Nor wonder thou an I have
changed this day from what I was yesterday; and the reason
thereof is I have determined upon taking thee to friend and
playfellow in lieu of and succession to Alaeddin, for that now I
have none other man but thyself. So I hope for thy presence this
night, that we may sup together and we may carouse and drink
somewhat of wine each with other; and especially 'tis my desire
that thou cause me taste the wine of thy natal soil, the African
land, because belike 'tis better than aught of the wine of China
we drink: I have with me some wine but 'tis the growth of my
country and I vehemently wish to taste the wine produced by
thine." And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-third Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Maghrabi saw the love lavisht upon him by the
Lady Badr al-Budur, and noted her change from the sorrowful,
melancholy woman she was wont to be, he thought that she had cut
off her hope of Alaeddin and he joyed exceedingly and said to
her, "I hear and obey, O my lady, whatso thou wishest and all
thou biddest. I have at home a jar of our country wine, which I
have carefully kept and stored deep in earth for a space of eight
years; and I will now fare and fill from it our need and will
return to thee in all haste." But the Princess, that she might
wheedle him the more and yet more, replied "O my darling, go not
thou, leaving me alone, but send one of the eunuchs to fill for
us thereof and do thou remain sitting beside me, that I may find
in thee my consolation." He rejoined, "O my lady, none wotteth
where the jar be buried save myself nor will I tarry from thee."
So saying, the Moorman went out and after a short time he brought
back as much wine as they wanted whereupon Quoth the Princess to
him, "Thou hast been at pains and trouble to serve me and I have
suffered for thy sake, O my beloved." Quoth he, "On no wise, O
eyes of me; I hold myself enhonoured by thy service." Then the
Lady Badr al-Budur sat with him at table, and the twain fell to
eating and presently the Princess expressed a wish to drink, when
the handmaid filled her a cup forthright and then crowned another
for the Maroccan. So she drank to his long life and his secret
wishes and he also drank to her life; then the Princess, who was
unique in eloquence and delicacy of speech, fell to making a cup
companion of him and beguiled him by addressing him in the
sweetest terms full of hidden meaning. This was done only that he
might become more madly enamoured of her, but the Maghrabi
thought that it resulted from her true inclination for him; nor
knew that it was a snare set up to slay him. So his longing for
her increased, and he was dying of love for her when he saw her
address him in such tenderness of words and thoughts, and his
head began to swim and all the world seemed as nothing in his
eyes. But when they came to the last of the supper and the wine
had mastered his brains and the Princess saw this in him, she
said, "With us there be a custom throughout our country, but I
know not an it be the usage of yours or not." The Moorman
replied, "And what may that be?" So she said to him, "At the end
of supper each lover in turn taketh the cup of the beloved and
drinketh it off;" and at once she crowned one with wine and bade
the handmaid carry to him her cup wherein the drink was blended
with the Bhang. Now she had taught the slave-girl what to do and
all the handmaids and eunuchs in the pavilion longed for the
Sorcerer's slaughter and in that matter were one with the
Princess. Accordingly the damsel handed him the cup and he, when
he heard her words and saw her drinking from his cup and passing
hers to him noted all that show of love, fancied himself
Iskander, Lord of the Two Horns. Then said she to him, the while
swaying gracefully to either side and putting her hand within his
hand, "O my life, here is thy cup with me and my cup with thee,
and on this wise [FN#206] do lovers drink from each other's
cups." Then she bussed the brim and drained it to the dregs and
again she kissed its lip and offered it to him. Thereat he hew
for joy and meaning to do the like, raised her cup to his mouth
and drank off the whole contents, without considering whether
there was therein aught harmful or not. And forthright he rolled
upon his back in deathlike condition and the cup dropped from his
grasp, whereupon the Lady Badr al-Budur and the slave-girls ran
hurriedly and opened the pavilion door to their lord Alaeddin
who, disguised as a Fellah, entered therein.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin entering his pavilion, went up to the
apartment of his wife, whom he found still sitting at table; and
facing her lay the Maghrabi as one slaughtered; so he at once
drew near to her and kissed her and thanked her for this. Then
rejoicing with joy exceeding he turned to her and said "Do thou
with thy handmaids betake thyself to the inner-rooms and leave me
alone for the present that I may take counsel touching mine
affair." The Princess hesitated not but went away at once, she
and her women; then Alaeddin arose and after locking the door
upon them, walked up to the Moorman and put forth his hand to his
breast-pocket and thence drew the Lamp; after which he unsheathed
his sword and slew the villain.[FN#207] Presently he rubbed the
Lamp and the Marid-slave appeared and said, "Adsum, O my lord,
what is it thou wantest?" "I desire of thee," said Alaeddin,
"that thou take up my pavilion from this country and transport it
to the land of China and there set it down upon the site where it
was whilome, fronting the palace of the Sultan." The Marid
replied, "Hearing and obeying, O my lord.' The Alaeddin went and
sat down with his wife and throwing his arms round her neck
kissed her and she kissed him, and they sat in converse, what
while the Jinni transported the pavilion and all therein to the
place appointed. Presently Alaeddin bade the handmaids spread the
table before him and he and the Lady Badr al-Budur took seat
thereat and fell to eating and drinking, in all joy and gladness,
till they had their sufficiency when, removing to the chamber of
wine and cup-converse, they sat there and caroused in fair
companionship and each kissed other with all love-liesse. The
time had been long and longsome since they enjoyed aught of
pleasure; so they ceased not doing thus until the wine-sun arose
in their heads and sleep get hold of them, at which time they
went to their bed in all ease and comfort.[FN#208] Early on the
next morning Alaeddin woke and awoke his wife, and the slave-
girls came in and donned her dress and prepared her and adorned
her whilst her husband arrayed himself in his costliest raiment
and the twain were ready to fly for joy at reunion after parting.
Moreover the Princess was especially joyous and gladsome because
on that day she expected to see her beloved father. Such was the
case of Alaeddin and the Lady Badr al-Budur; but as regards the
Sultan, after he drove away his son-in-law he never ceased to
sorrow for the loss of his daughter; and every hour of every day
he would sit and weep for her as women weep, because she was his
only child and he had none other to take to heart. And as he
shook off sleep, morning after morning, he would hasten to the
window and throw it open and peer in the direction where formerly
stood Alaeddin's pavilion and pour forth tears until his eyes
were dried up and their lids were ulcered. Now on that day he
arose at dawn and, according to his custom, looked out when, lo
and behold! he saw before him an edifice; so he rubbed his eyes
and considered it curiously when he became certified that it was
the pavilion of his son-in-law. So he called for a horse [FN#209]
without let or delay; and as soon as his beast was saddled, he
mounted and made for the place; and Alaeddin, when he saw his
father-in-law approaching, went down and met him half way: then,
taking his hand, aided him to step upstairs to the apartment of
his daughter. And the Princess, being as earnestly desirous to
see her sire, descended and greeted him at the door of the
staircase fronting the ground-floor hall. Thereupon the King
folded her in his arms and kissed her, shedding tears of joy; and
she did likewise till at last Alaeddin led them to the upper
saloon where they took seats and the Sultan fell to asking her
case and what had betided her.--And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy,
do tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad
replied, With love and good will."---It hath reached me, O King
of the Age, that the Lady Badr al-Budur began to inform the
Sultan of all which had befallen her, saying, "O my father, I
recovered not life save yesterday when I saw my husband, and he
it was who freed me from the thraldom of that Maghrabi, that
Magician, that Accursed, than whom I believe there be none viler
on the face of earth; and, but for my beloved, I had never
escaped him nor hadst thou seen me during the rest of my days.
But mighty sadness and sorrow get about me, O my father, not only
for losing thee but also for the loss of a husband, under whose
kindness I shall be all the length of my life, seeing that he
freed me from that fulsome sorcerer." Then the Princess began
repeating to her sire every thing that happened to her, and
relating to him how the Moorman had tricked her in the guise of a
lamp-seller who offered in exchange new for old; how she had
given him the Lamp whose worth she knew not, and how she had
bartered it away only to laugh at the lampman's folly. "And next
morning, O my father," she continued, "we found ourselves and
whatso the pavilion contained in Africa-land, till such time as
my husband came to us and devised a device whereby we escaped:
and, had it not been for Alaeddin's hastening to our aid, the
Accursed was determined to enjoy me perforce." Then she told him
of the Bhang-drops administered in wine to the African and
concluded, "Then my husband returned to me and how I know not,
but we were shifted from Africa land to this place." Alaeddin in
his turn recounted how, finding the wizard dead drunken, he had
sent away his wife and her women from the polluted place into the
inner apartments; how he had taken the Lamp from the Sorcerer's
breast-pocket whereto he was directed by his wife; how he had
slaughtered the villain and, finally how, making use of the Lamp,
he had summoned its Slave and ordered him to transport the
pavilion back to its proper site, ending his tale with, "And, if
thy Highness have any doubt anent my words, arise with me and
look upon the accursed Magician." The King did accordingly and,
having considered the Moorman, bade the carcase be carried away
forthright and burned and its ashes scattered in air. Then he
took to embracing Alaeddin and kissing him said, "Pardon me, O my
son, for that I was about to destroy thy life through the foul
deeds of this damned enchanter, who cast thee into such pit of
peril; and I may be excused, O my child, for what I did by thee,
because I found myself forlorn of my daughter; my only one, who
to me is dearer than my very kingdom. Thou knowest how the hearts
of parents yearn unto their offspring, especially when like
myself they have but one and none other to love." And on this
wise the Sultan took to excusing himself and kissing his son-in-
law.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say,
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin said to the Sultan, "O King of the Time, thou
didst naught to me contrary to Holy Law, and I also sinned not
against thee; but all the trouble came from that Maghrabi, the
impure, the Magician." Thereupon the Sultan bade the city be
decorated and they obeyed him and held high feast and
festivities. He also commanded the crier to cry about the streets
saying, "This day is a mighty great fÛte, wherein public
rejoicings must be held throughout the realm, for a full month of
thirty days, in honour of the Lady Badr al-Budur and her husband
Alaeddin's return to their home." On this wise befel it with
Alaeddin and the Maghrabi; but withal the King's son-in-law
escaped not wholly from the Accursed, albeit the body had been
burnt and the ashes scattered in air. For the villain had a
brother yet more villainous than himself, and a greater adept in
necromancy, geomancy and astromancy; and, even as the old saw
saith "A bean and 'twas split;"[FN#210] so each one dwelt in his
own quarter of the globe that he might fill it with his sorcery,
his fraud and his treason.[FN#211] Now, one day of the days it
fortuned that the Moorman's brother would learn how it fared with
him, so he brought out his sandboard and dotted it and produced
the figures which, when he had considered and carefully studied
them, gave him to know that the man he sought was dead and housed
in the tomb. So he grieved and was certified of his decease, but
he dotted a second time seeking to learn the manner of the death
and where it had taken place; so he found that the site was the
China-land and that the mode was the foulest of slaughter;
furthermore, that he who did him die was a young man Alaeddin
hight. Seeing this he straightway arose and equipped himself for
wayfare; then he set out and cut across the wilds and words and
heights for the space of many a month until he reached China and
the capital of the Sultan wherein was the slayer of his brother.
He alighted at the so-called Strangers' Khan and, hiring himself
a cell, took rest therein for a while; then he fared forth and
wandered about the highways that he might discern some path which
would aid him unto the winning of his ill-minded wish, to wit, of
wreaking upon Alaeddin blood-revenge for his brother.[FN#212]
Presently he entered a coffee-house, a fine building which stood
in the market-place and which collected a throng of folk to play,
some at the mankalah,[FN#213] others at the backgammon[FN#214]
and others at the chess and what not else. There he sat down and
listened to those seated beside him and they chanced to be
conversing about an ancient dame and a holy, by name
Fatimah,[FN#215] who dwelt alway at her devotions in a hermitage
without the town, and this she never entered save only two days
each month. They mentioned also that she had performed many
saintly miracles[FN#216] which, when the Maghrabi, the
Necromancer, heard he said in himself, "Now have I found that
which I sought: Inshallah--God willing--by means of this crone
will I win to my wish."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Maghrabi, the Necromancer, went up to the folk who
were talking of the miracles performed by the devout old woman
and said to one of them, "O my uncle, I heard you all chatting
about the prodigies of a certain saintess named Fatimah: who is
she and where may be her abode? "Marvellous!"[FN#217] exclaimed
the man: "How canst thou be in our city and yet never have heard
about the miracles of the Lady Fatimah? Evidently, O thou poor
fellow, thou art a foreigner, since the fastings of this devotee
and her asceticism in worldly matters and the beauties of her
piety never came to thine ears." The Moorman rejoined, " 'tis
true, O my lord: yes, I am a stranger and came to this your city
only yesternight; and I hope thou wilt inform me concerning the
saintly miracles of this virtuous woman and where may be her
wone, for that I have fallen into a calamity, and 'tis my wish to
visit her and crave her prayers, so haply Allah (to whom be
honour and glory!) will, through her blessings, deliver me from
mine evil." Hereat the man recounted to him the marvels of
Fatimah the Devotee and her piety and the beauties of her
worship; then, taking him by the hand went with him without the
city and showed him the way to her abode, a cavern upon a
hillock's head. The Necromancer acknowledged his kindness in many
words and, thanking him for his good offices, returned to his
cell in the caravanserai. Now by the fiat of Fate on the very
next day Fatimah came down to the city, and the Maghrabi, the
Necromancer, happened to leave his hostelry a-morn, when he saw
the folk swarming and crowding; wherefore he went up to discover
what was to do and found the Devotee standing amiddlemost the
throng, and all who suffered from pain or sickness flocked to her
soliciting a blessing and praying for her prayers; and each and
every she touched became whole of his illness.[FN#218] The
Maroccan, the Necromancer, followed her about until she returned
to her antre; then, awaiting till the evening evened, he arose
and repaired to a vintner's store where he drank a cup of wine.
After this he fared forth the city and finding the Devotee's
cavern, entered it and saw her lying prostrate[FN#219] with her
back upon a strip of matting. So he came for ward and mounted
upon her belly; then he drew his dagger and shouted at her; and,
when she awoke and opened her eyes, she espied a Moorish man with
an unsheathed poniard sitting upon her middle as though about to
kill her. She was troubled and sore terrified, but he said to
her, "Hearken! an thou cry out or utter a word I will slay thee
at this very moment: arise now and do all I bid thee." Then he
sware to her an oath that if she obeyed his orders, whatever they
might be, he would not do her die. So saying, he rose up from off
her and Fatimah also arose, when he said to her, "Give me thy
gear and take thou my habit ;" whereupon she gave him her
clothing and head-fillets, her face-kerchief and her mantilla.
Then Quoth he, " 'tis also requisite that thou anoint me with
somewhat shall make the colour of my face like unto thine."
Accordingly she went into the inner cavern and, bringing out a
gallipot of ointment, spread somewhat thereof upon her palm and
with it besmeared his face until its hue favoured her own; then
she gave him her staff[FN#220] and, showing him how to walk and
what to do when he entered the city, hung her rosary around his
neck. Lastly she handed to him a mirror and said, "Now look! Thou
differest from me in naught;" and he saw himself Fatimah's
counterpart as though she had never gone or come.[FN#221] But
after obtaining his every object he falsed his oath and asked for
a cord which she brought to him; then he seized her and strangled
her in the cavern; and presently, when she was dead, haled the
corpse outside and threw it into a pit hard by.--And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Maghrabi, after murthering Fatimah, threw her body
into a pit and went back to sleep in her cavern; and, when broke
the day, he rose and repairing to the town took his stand under
the walls of Alaeddin's pavilion. Hereupon flocked the folk about
him, all being certified that he was Fatimah the Devotee and he
fell to doing whatso she was wont to do: he laid hands on these
in pain and recited for those a chapter of the Koran and made
orisons for a third. Presently the thronging of the folk and the
clamouring of the crowd were heard by the Lady Badr al-Budur, who
said to her handmaidens, "Look what is to do and what be the
cause of this turmoil!" Thereupon the Agha of the eunuchry fared
forth to see what might be the matter and presently returning
said, "O my lady, this clamour is caused by the Lady Fatimah, and
if thou be pleased to command, I will bring her to thee; so shalt
thou gain through her a blessing." The Princess answered, "Go
bring her, for since many a day I am always hearing of her
miracles and her virtues, and I do long to see her and get a
blessing by her intervention, for the folk recount her
manifestations in many cases of difficulty." The Agha went forth
and brought in the Maroccan, the Necromancer, habited in
Fatimah's clothing; and, when the wizard stood before the Lady
Badr al-Budur, he began at first sight to bless her with a string
of prayers; nor did any one of those present doubt at all but
that he was the Devotee herself. The Princess arose and salam'd
to him then seating him beside her, said, "O my Lady Fatimah,
'tis my desire that thou abide with me alway, so might I be
blessed through thee, and also learn of thee the paths[FN#222] of
worship and piety and follow thine example making for salvation."
Now all this was a foul deceit of the accursed African and he
designed furthermore to complete his guile, so he continued, "O
my Lady, I am a poor woman and a religious that dwelleth in the
desert; and the like of me deserveth not to abide in the palaces
of the kings." But the Princess replied, "Have no care whatever,
O my Lady Fatimah; I will set apart for thee an apartment of my
pavilion, that thou mayest worship therein and none shall ever
come to trouble thee; also thou shalt avail to worship Allah in
my place better than in thy cavern." The Maroccan rejoined,"
Hearkening and obedience, O my lady; I will not oppose thine
order for that the commands of the children of the kings may not
be gainsaid nor renounced. Only I hope of thee that my eating and
drinking and sitting may be within my own chamber which shall be
kept wholly private; nor do I require or desire the delicacies of
diet, but do thou favour me by sending thy handmaid every day
with a bit of bread and a sup of water;[FN#223] and, when I feel
fain of food, let me eat by myself in my own room." Now the
Accursed hereby purposed to avert the danger of haply raising his
face-kerchief at meal-times, when his intent might be baffled by
his beard and mustachios discovering him to be a man. The
Princess replied, "O my Lady Fatimah, be of good heart; naught
shall happen save what thou wishest. But now arise and let me
show thee the apartment in the palace which I would prepare for
thy sojourn with us."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Lady Badr al-Budur arose and taking the Necromancer
who had disguised himself as the Devotee, ushered him in to the
place which she had kindly promised him for a home and said, "O
my Lady Fatimah, here thou shalt dwell with every comfort about
thee and in all privacy and repose; and the place shall be named
after thy name;" whereupon the Maghrabi acknowledged her kindness
and prayed for her. Then the Princess showed him the jalousies
and the jewelled Kiosque with its four and twenty windows[FN#224]
and said to him, "What thinkest thou, O my Lady Fatimah, of this
marvellous pavilion?" The Moorman replied, "By Allah, O my
daughter, 'tis indeed passing fine and wondrous exceedingly; nor
do I deem that its fellow is to be found in the whole universe;
but alas for the lack of one thing which would enhance its beauty
and decoration !" The Princess asked her, "O my Lady Fatimah,
what lacketh it and what be this thing would add to its
adornment? Tell me thereof, inasmuch as I was wont to believe it
wholly perfect." The Maroccan answered, "O my lady, all it
wanteth is that there be hanging from the middle of the dome the
egg of a fowl called the Rukh;[FN#225] and, were this done, the
pavilion would lack its peer all the world over." The Princess
asked, "What be this bird and where can we find her egg?" and the
Maroccan answered, "O my lady, the Rukh is indeed a giant fowl
which carrieth off camels and elephants in her pounces and flieth
away with them, such is her stature and strength; also this fowl
is mostly found in Mount Kßf; and the architect who built this
pavilion is able to bring thee one of her eggs." They then left
such talk as it was the hour for the noon day meal and, when the
handmaid had spread the table, the Lady Badr al-Budur sent down
to invite the Accursed African to eat with her. But he accepted
not and for a reason he would on no wise consent; nay, he rose
and retired to the room which the Princess had assigned to him
and whither the slave-girls carried his dinner. Now when evening
evened, Alaeddin returned from the chase and met his wife who
salam'd to him and he clasped her to his bosom and kissed her.
Presently, looking at her face he saw thereon a shade of sadness
and he noted that contrary to her custom, she did not laugh; so
he asked her, "What hath betided thee, O my dearling? tell me,
hath aught happened to trouble thy thoughts!" "Nothing whatever,"
answered she, "but, O my beloved, I fancied that our pavilion
lacked naught at all; however, O eyes of me, O Alaeddin, were the
dome of the upper story hung with an egg of the fowl called Rukh,
there would be naught like it in the universe." Her husband
rejoined, "And for this trifle thou art saddened when 'tis the
easiest of all matters to me! So cheer thyself; and, whatever
thou wantest, 'tis enough thou inform me thereof, and I will
bring it from the abysses of the earth in the quickest time and
at the earliest hour."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninetieth Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin after refreshing the spirits of his Princess
by promising her all she could desire, repaired straight way to
his chamber and taking the Lamp[FN#226] rubbed it, when the Marid
appeared without let or delay saying, "Ask whatso thou wantest."
Said the other, "I desire thee to fetch me an egg of the bird
Rukh and do thou hang it to the dome-crown of this my pavilion."
But when the Marid heard these words, his face waxed fierce and
he shouted with a mighty loud voice and a frightful, and cried,
"O denier of kindly deeds, sufficeth it not for thee that I and
all the Slaves of the Lamp are ever at thy service, but thou must
also require me to bring thee our Liege Lady[FN#227] for thy
pleasure, and hang her up at thy pavilion dome for the enjoyment
of thee and thy wife! Now by Allah, ye deserve, thou and she,
that I reduce you to ashes this very moment and scatter you upon
the air; but, inasmuch as ye twain be ignorant of this matter,
unknowing its inner from its outer significance, I will pardon
you for indeed ye are but innocents. The offence cometh from that
accursed Necromancer, brother to the Maghrabi, the Magician, who
abideth here representing himself to be Fatimah, the Devotee,
after assuming her dress and belongings and murthering her in the
cavern: indeed he came hither seeking to slay thee by way of
blood-revenge for his brother; and 'tis he who taught thy wife to
require this matter of me.''[FN#228] So saying the Marid
evanished. But when Alaeddin heard these words, his wits fled his
head and his joints trembled at the Marid's terrible shout; but
he empowered his purpose and, rising forthright, issued from his
chamber and went into his wife's. There he affected an ache of
head, for that he knew how famous was Fatimah for the art and
mystery of healing all such pains; and, when the Lady Badr al-
Budur saw him sitting hand to head and complaining of unease, she
asked him the cause and he answered, "I know of none other save
that my head acheth exceedingly." Hereupon she straightway bade
summon Fatimah that the Devotee might impose her hand upon his
head;[FN#229] and Alaeddin asked her, "Who may this Fatimah be?"
So she informed him that it was Fatimah the Devotee to whom she
had given a home in the pavilion. Meanwhile the slave-girls had
fared forth and summoned the Maghrabi, and when the Accursed made
act of presence, Alaeddin rose up to him and, acting like one who
knew naught of his purpose, salam'd to him as though he had been
the real Fatimah and, kissing the hem of his sleeve, welcomed him
and entreated him with honour and said, "O my Lady Fatimah, I
hope thou wilt bless me with a boon, for well I wot thy practice
in the healing of pains: I have gotten a mighty ache in my head."
The Moorman, the Accursed, could hardly believe that he heard
such words, this being all that he desired.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-first Night,
Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Maghrabi, the Necromancer, habited as Fatimah the
Devotee, came up to Alaeddin that he might place hand upon his
head and heal his ache; so he imposed one hand and, putting forth
the other under his gown, drew a dagger wherewith to slay him.
But Alaeddin watched him and, taking patience till he had wholly
unsheathed the weapon, seized him with a forceful grip; and,
wrenching the dagger from his grasp plunged it deep into his
heart. When the Lady Badr al-Budur saw him do on this wise, she
shrieked and cried out, "What hath this virtuous and holy woman
done that thou hast charged thy neck with the heavy burthen of
her blood shed wrongfully? Hast thou no fear of Allah that thou
killest Fatimah, this saintly woman, whose miracles are far-
famed?" "No," replied Alaeddin "I have not killed Fatimah. I have
slain only Fatimah's slayer, he that is the brother of the
Maghrabi, the Accursed, the Magician, who carried thee off by his
black art and transported my pavilion to the Africa-land; and
this damnable brother of his came to our city and wrought these
wiles, murthering Fatimah and assuming her habit, only that he
might avenge upon me his brother's blood; and he also 'twas who
taught thee to require of me a Rukh's egg, that my death might
result from such requirement. But, an thou doubt my speech, come
forwards and consider the person I have slain." Thereupon
Alaeddin drew aside the Moorman's face-kerchief and the Lady Badr
al-Budur saw the semblance of a man with a full beard that well
nigh covered his features. She at once knew the truth and said to
her husband, "O my beloved, twice have I cast thee into death-
risk!" but he rejoined, "No harm in that, O my lady, by the
blessing of your loving eyes: I accept with all joy all things
thou bringest me." The Princess, hearing these words, hastened to
fold him in her arms and kissed him saying, "O my dearling, all
this is for my love to thee and I knew naught thereof; but indeed
I do not deem lightly of thine affection." So Alaeddin kissed her
and strained her to his breast; and the love between them waxed
but greater. At that moment the Sultan appeared and they told him
all that had happened, showing him the corpse of the Maghrabi,
the Necromancer, when the King commanded the body to be burned
and the ashes scattered on air, even as had befallen the Wizard's
brother. And Alaeddin abode with his wife, the Lady Badr al-
Budur, in all pleasure and joyance of life and thenceforward
escaped every danger; and, after a while, when the Sultan
deceased, his son-in-law was seated upon the throne of the
Kingdom; and he commanded and dealt justice to the lieges so that
all the folk loved him, and he lived with his wife in all solace
and happiness until there came to him the Destroyer of delights
and the Severer of societies.[FN#230] Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister
mine, how rare is thy tale and delectable!" and Quoth Shahrazad,
"And what is this compared with that I could relate to you after
the coming night, an this my lord the King deign leave me on
life?" So Shahryar said to himself, "Indeed I will not slay her
until she tell me the whole tale."
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-second Night,[FN#231]
Shahrazad began to relate the adventures of
KHUDADAD[FN#232] AND HIS BROTHERS.
Said she, O auspicious King, this my tale relateth to the Kingdom
of Diyßr Bakr[FN#233] in whose capital-city of Harrßn[FN#234]
dwelt a Sultan of illustrious lineage, a protector of the people,
a lover of his lieges, a friend of mankind and renowned for being
gifted with every good quality. Now Allah Almighty had bestowed
upon him all that his heart could desire, save boon of child, for
though he had lovely wives within his Harem-door and fair
concubines galore, he had been not blessed with a son; wherefor
he offered up incessant worship to the Creator. One night there
appeared to him in a dream a man of comely visage and holy of
semblance like unto a prophet, who addressed him, saying, "O
puissant King, thy vows are at length heard. Arise to-morrow at
day-dawn, pray a two-bow prayer and offer up thy petitions; then
haste thee to the Chief Gardener of thy palace and require of him
a pomegranate whereof do thou eat as many seeds as seemeth best
to thee; after which perform another two-bow prayer, and Allah
will shower favours and graces upon thy head." The King, awaking
at peep of day, called to mind the vision of the night, and
returning thanks to the Almighty, made his orisons and kneeling
invoked a benedicite. Then he rose and repaired to the garth, and
receiving a pomegranate from the Head-Gardener, counted out and
ate fifty grains thereof; to wit, one for each of his wives.
After this he lay the night in turn with them all and by the
omnipotence of the Creator all gave in due time signs of
pregnancy, save one Fir·zah[FN#235] hight. So the King conceived
a grudge against her, saying in his soul, "Allah holdeth this
woman vile and accursed and He willeth not that she become the
mother of a Prince, and on this wise hath the curse of barrenness
become her lot." He would have had her done to death but the
Grand Wazir made intercession for her and suggested to the Sultan
that perchance Firuzah might prove with child and withal not show
outward signal thereof, as is the manner of certain women;
wherefore to slay her might be to destroy a Prince with the
mother. Quoth the King, "So be it! slay her not, but take heed
that she abide no longer or at court or in the city, for I cannot
support the sight of her." Replied the Minister, "It shall be
done even as thy Highness biddeth: let her be conveyed to the
care of thy brother's son, Prince SamÝr." The King did according
to the counsel of his Wazir and despatched his loathed Queen to
Samaria[FN#236] accompanied by a writ with the following purport,
to his nephew, "We forward this lady to thy care: entreat her
honourably and, shouldest thou remark tokens of pregnancy in her,
see that thou acquaint us therewith without stay or delay." So
Firuzah journeyed to Samaria, and when her time was fulfilled she
gave birth to a boy babe, and became the mother of a Prince who
in favour was resplendent as the sheeny day. Hereat the lord of
Samaria sent message by letter to the Sultan of Harran saying, "A
Prince hath been borne by the womb of Firuzah: Allah Almighty
give thee permanence of prosperity!" By these tidings the King
was filled with joy; and presently he replied to his cousin,
Prince Samir, "Each one of my forty-and-nine spouses hath been
blessed with issue and it delighteth me beyond bounds that
Firuzah hath also given me a son. Let him be named
Khudadad--God's gift--do thou have due care of him and whatsoever
thou mayest need for his birth-ceremonies shall be counted out to
thee without regard to cost." Accordingly Prince Samir took in
hand with all pleasure and delight the charge of Prince Khudadad;
and, as soon as the child reached the age for receiving
instruction, he caused him to be taught cavalarice and archery
and all such arts and sciences which it behoveth the sons of the
Kings to learn, so that he became perfect in all manner
knowledge. At eighteen years of age he waxed seemly of semblance
and such were his strength and valiance that none in the whole
world could compare with him. Presently, feeling himself gifted
with unusual vigour and virile character he addressed one day of
the days Firuzah his parent, saying, "O mother mine, grant me thy
leave to quit Samaria and fare in quest of fortune, especially of
some battle-field where I may prove the force and prowess of me.
My sire, the Sultan of Harran, hath many foes, some of whom are
lusting to wage war with him; and I marvel that at such time he
doth not summon me and make me his aid in this mightiest of
matters. But seeing that I possess such courage and Allah-given
strength it behoveth me not to remain thus idly at home. My
father knoweth not of my lustihood, nor forsooth doth he think of
me at all; nevertheless 'tis suitable that at such a time I
present myself before him, and tender my services until my
brothers be fit to fight and to front his foes." Hereto his
mother made answer, "O my dear son, thine absence pleaseth me
not, but in truth it becometh thee to help thy father against the
enemies who are attacking him on all sides, provided that he send
for thine aidance."--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held
her peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-third Night.
Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that Khudadad
replied to his mother Firuzah, "Indeed I am unable to brook
delay; moreover such longing have I in heart to look upon the
Sultan, my sire, that an I go not and visit him and kiss his feet
I shall assuredly die. I will enter his employ as a stranger and
all unknown to him, nor will I inform him that I am his son; but
I shall be to him as a foreigner or as one of his hired knaves,
and with such devotion will I do him suit and service that, when
he learneth that I am indeed his child, he may grant me his
favour and affection." Prince Samir also would not suffer him to
depart and forbade him therefrom; but one day of the days the
Prince suddenly set out from Samaria under pretext that he was
about to hunt and chase. He mounted a milk-white steed, whose
reins and stirrups were of gold and the saddle and housings were
of azure satin dubbed with jewels and fringed with pendants of
fresh pearls. His scymitar was hilted with a single diamond, the
scabbard of chaunders-wood was crested with rubies and emeralds
and it depended from a gemmed waist-belt; while his bow and
richly wrought quiver hung by his side. Thus equipped and
escorted by his friends and familiars he presently arrived at
Harran-city after the fairest fashion; and, when occasion offered
itself, he made act of presence before the King and did his
obeisance at Darbar. The Sultan, remarking his beauty and
comeliness, or haply by reason of an outburst of natural
affection, was pleased to return his salam; and, graciously
calling him to his side, asked of him his name and pedigree,
whereto Khudadad answered, "O my liege, I am the son of an Emir
of Cairo. A longing for travel hath made me quit my native place
and wander from clime to clime till at length I have come hither;
and, hearing that thou hast matters of importance in hand, I am
desirous of approving to thee my valiancy." The King joyed with
exceeding joy to hear this stout and doughty speech, and
forthwith gave him a post of command in his army; and Khudadad by
careful supervision of the troops soon won the esteem of his
officers by his desire to satisfy them and the hearts of his
soldiers by reason of his strength and courage, his goodly nature
and his kindly disposition. He also brought the host and all its
equipments and munitions of warfare into such excellent order and
method that the King on inspecting them was delighted and created
the stranger Chief Commandant of the forces and made him an
especial favourite; while the Wazirs and Emirs, also the Nabobs
and the Notables, perceiving that he was highly reputed and
regarded, showed him abundant good will and affection. Presently,
the other Princes, who became of no account in the eyes of the
King and the lieges, waxed envious of his high degree and
dignity. But Khudadad ceased not to please the Sultan his sire,
at all times when they conversed together, by his prudence and
discretion, his wit and wisdom, and gained his regard ever more
and more; and when the invaders, who had planned a raid on the
realm, heard of the discipline of the army and of Khudadad's
provisions for materials of war, they abstained from all hostile
intent. After a while the King committed to Khudadad the custody
and education of the forty-nine Princes, wholly relying on his
sagesse and skill; and thus, albeit Khudadad was of age like his
brothers, he became their master by reason of his sapience and
good sense. Whereupon they hated him but the more; and, when
taking counsel one day, quoth one to the other, "What be this
thing our sire hath done that he should make a stranger-wight his
cup-companion and set him to lord it over us? We can do naught
save by leave of this our governor, and our condition is past
bearing; so contrive we to rid ourselves of this foreigner and at
least render him vile and contemptible in the eyes of our sire
the Sultan." Said one, "Let us gather together and slay him in
some lonely spot;" and said another, "Not so! to kill him would
benefit us naught, for how could we keep the matter hidden from
the King? He would become our enemy and Allah only wotteth what
evil might befal us. Nay, rather let us crave permission of him
and fare a-hunting and then tarry we in some far-off town; and
after a while the King will marvel at our absence, then grief
will be sore upon him and at length, waxing displeased and
suspicious, he will have this fellow expelled the palace or haply
done to death. This is the only sure and safe way of bringing
about his destruction."--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad
held her peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night.
Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that the
forty-and-nine brothers agreed to hold this plan wisest and,
presently going together to Khudadad, asked leave of him to ride
about the country awhile or fare to the chase, promising they
would return by set of sun. He fell into the snare and allowed
them to go; whereupon they sallied forth a-hunting but did not
come back that day or the next. On the third morning the King who
missed them asked Khudadad wherefore it was that none of his sons
were to be seen; and he answered that three days before they had
gotten leave from him to go a-hunting and had not returned.
Hereat the father was perplexed with sore perplexity; and, when
sundry days more had passed by and still the Princes appeared
not, the old Sultan was much troubled in mind and hardly
restraining his rage summoned Khudadad and in hot wrath
exclaimed, "O thou neglectful stranger, what courage and
over-daring is this of thine that thou didst suffer my sons fare
to the chase and didst not ride with them! And now 'tis but right
that thou set out and search for them and bring them back;
otherwise thou shalt surely die." Khudadad, hearing these harsh
words, was startled and alarmed; however he got him ready and
mounted his horse forthwith and left the city in quest of the
Princes his brethren, wandering about from country to country,
like unto a herd seeking a straying flock of goats. Presently,
not finding any trace of them in homestead or on desert-ground,
he became sad and sorrowful exceedingly, saying in his soul, "O
my brothers, what hath befallen you and where can ye be dwelling?
Perchance some mighty foeman hath made you prisoners so that ye
cannot escape; and I may never return unto Harran till I find
you; for this will be a matter of bitter regret and repine to the
King." So he repented more and more having suffered them to go
without his escort and guidance. At length whilst searching for
them from plain to plain and forest to forest he chanced come
upon a large and spacious prairie in the middlemost whereof rose
a castle of black marble; so he rode on at a foot pace and when
close under the walls he espied a lady of passing beauty and
loveliness who was seated at a window in melancholy plight and
with no other ornament than her own charms. Her lovely hair hung
down in dishevelled locks; her raiment was tattered and her
favour was pale and showed sadness and sorrow. Withal she was
speaking under her breath and Khudadad, giving attentive ear,
heard her say these words, "O youth, fly this fatal site, else
thou wilt fall into the hands of the monster who dwelleth here: a
man-devouring Ethiopian[FN#237] is lord of this palace; and he
seizeth all whom Fate sendeth to this prairie and locketh them up
in darksome and narrow cells that he may preserve them for food."
Khudadad exclaimed, "O my lady, tell me I pray thee who thou art
and whereabouts was thy home;" and she answered, "I am a daughter
of Cairo and of the noblest thereof. But lately, as I wended my
way to Baghdad, I alighted upon this plain and met that Habashi,
who slew all my servants and carrying me off by force placed me
in this palace. I no longer cared to live, and a thousand times
better were it for me to die; for that this Abyssinian lusteth to
enjoy me and albeit to the present time I have escaped the
caresses of the impure wretch, to-morrow an I still refuse to
gratify his desire he will surely ravish me and do me dead. So I
have given up all hope of safety; but thou, why hast thou come
hither to perish? Escape without stay or delay, for he hath gone
forth in quest of wayfarers and right soon will he return.
Moreover he can see far and wide and can descry all who traverse
this wold." Now hardly had the lady spoken these words when the
Abyssinian drew in sight; and he was as a Gh·l of the Wild, big
of bulk, and fearsome of favour and figure, and he mounted a
sturdy Tartar steed, brandishing, as he rode, a weighty blade
which none save he could wield. Prince Khudadad seeing this
monstrous semblance was sore amazed and prayed Heaven that he
might be victorious over that devil: then unsheathing his sword
he stood awaiting the Abyssinian's approach with courage and
steadfastness; but the blackamoor when he drew near deemed the
Prince too slight and puny to fight and was minded to seize him
alive. Khudadad, seeing how his foe had no intent to combat,
struck him with his sword on the knee a stroke so dour that the
negro foamed with rage and yelled a yell so loud that the whole
prairie resounded with the plaint. Thereupon the brigand, fiery
with fury, rose straight in his shovel-stirrups and struck
fiercely at Khudadad with his huge sword and, but for the
Prince's cunning of fence and the cleverness of his courser, he
would have been sliced in twain like unto a cucumber. Though the
scymitar whistled through the air, the blow was harmless, and in
an eye-twinkling Khudadad dealt him a second cut and struck off
his right hand which fell to the ground with the sword hilt it
gripped, when the blackamoor losing his balance rolled from the
saddle and made earth resound with the fall. Thereupon the Prince
sprang from his steed and deftly severing the enemy's head from
his body threw it aside. Now the lady had been looking down at
the lattice rigid in prayer for the gallant youth; and, seeing
the Abyssinian slain and the Prince victorious, she was overcome
with exceeding joy and cried out to her deliverer, "Praise be to
Almighty Allah, O my lord, who by thy hand hath defeated and
destroyed this fiend. Come now to me within the castle, whose
keys are with the Abyssinian; so take them and open the door and
deliver me." Khudadad found a large bunch of keys under the dead
man's girdle wherewith he opened the portals of the fort and
entered a large saloon in which was the lady; and, no sooner did
she behold him than running to meet him she was about to cast
herself at his feet and kiss them when Khudadad prevented her.
She praised him with highest praise and extolled him for valiancy
above all the champions of the world, and he returned the salam
to her who, when seen near hand seemed endued with more grace and
charms than had appeared from afar. So the Prince joyed with
extreme joy and the twain sat down in pleasant converse.
Presently, Khudadad heard shrieks and cries and weeping and
wailing with groans and moans and ever loudening lamentations; so
he asked the lady, saying, "whence are these clamours and from
whom come these pitiful complaints?" And, she pointing to a
wicket in a hidden corner of the court below, answered, saying,
"O my lord, these sounds come therefrom. Many wretches driven by
Destiny have fallen into the clutches of the Abyssinian Ghul and
are securely locked up in cells, and each day he was wont to
roast and eat one of the captives." "'Twill please me vastly,"
quoth Khudadad, "to be the means of their deliverance: come, O my
lady, and show me where they are imprisoned." Thereupon the twain
drew near to the place and the Prince forthright tried a key upon
the lock of the dungeon but it did not fit; then he made essay of
another wherewith they opened the wicket. As they were so doing
the report of the captives' moaning and groaning increased yet
more and more until Khudadad, touched and troubled at their
impatience, asked the cause of it. The lady replied, "O my lord,
hearing our footsteps and the rattling of the key in the lock
they deem that the cannibal, according to his custom, hath come
to supply them with food and to secure one of them for his
evening meal. Each feareth lest his turn for roasting be come, so
all are affrighted with sore affright and redouble their shouts
and cries."--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her
peace till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night.
Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that the sounds
from that secret place seemed to issue from under ground or from
the depths of a draw-well. But when the Prince opened the dungeon
door, he espied a steep staircase and descending thereby found
himself in a deep pit, narrow and darksome, wherein were penned
more than an hundred persons with elbows pinioned and members
chained; nor saw he aught of light save through one bull's-eye.
So he cried to them, "O ye unfortunates, fear ye no more! I have
slain the Abyssinian; and render ye praise to Allah Almighty who
hath rid you of your wrong-doer: also I come to strike off your
fetters and return you to freedom." Hearing these glad tidings
the prisoners were in raptures of delight and raised a general
cry of joy and jubilee. Hereupon Khudadad and the lady began to
loose their hands and feet; and each, as he was released from his
durance, helped to unchain his fellows: brief, after a moment of
time all were delivered from their bonds and bondage. Then each
and every kissed Khudadad's feet and gave thanks and prayed for
his welfare; and when those whilom prisoners entered the
court-yard whereupon the sun was shining sheen, Khudadad
recognised amongst them his brothers, in quest of whom he had so
long wandered. He was amazed with exceeding amazement and
exclaimed, "Laud be to the Lord, that I have found you one and
all safe and sound: your father is sorely sad and sorrowful at
your absence; and Heaven forfend that this devil hath devoured
any from amongst you." He then counted their number,
forty-and-nine, and set them apart from the rest; and all in
excess of joy fell upon one another's necks and ceased not to
embrace their saviour. After this the Prince spread a feast for
the captives, each and every, whom he had delivered; and, when
they had eaten and drunken their full, he restored to them the
gold and silver, the Turkey carpets and pieces of Chinese silk
and brocade and other valuables innumerable which the Abyssinian
had plundered from the caravans, as also their own personal goods
and chattels, directing each man to claim his own; and what
remained he divided equally amongst them. "But," quoth he, "by
what means can ye convey these bales to your own countries, and
where can ye find beasts of burden in this wild wold?" Quoth
they, "O our Lord, the Abyssinian robbed us of our camels with
their loads and doubtless they are in the stables of the castle."
Hereupon Khudadad fared forth with them to the stables and there
found tethered and tied not only the camels but also the
forty-nine horses of his brothers the princes, and accordingly he
gave to each one his own animal. There were moreover in the
stables hundreds of Abyssinian slave-boys who, seeing the
prisoners released, were certified that their lord the cannibal
was slain and fled in dismay to the forest and none thought of
giving chase to them. So the merchants loaded their merchandise
upon the camels' backs and farewelling the Prince set out for
their own countries. Then quoth Khudadad to the lady, "O thou
rare in beauty and chastity, whence camest thou when the
Abyssinian seized thee and whither now wouldst thou wend? Inform
me thereof that I may restore thee to thy home; haply these
Princes, my brethren, sons of the Sultan of Harran, know thine
abode; and doubtless they will escort thee thither." The lady
turning to Khudadad presently made answer, "I live far from here
and my country, the land of Egypt, is over distant for travel.
But thou, O valorous Prince, hast delivered mine honour and my
life from the hands of the Abyssinian and hast shown me such
favour that 'twould ill become me to conceal from thee my
history. I am the daughter of a mighty king; reigning over the
Sa'Ýd or upper Nile-land; and when a tyrant foeman seized him
and, reaving him of life as well as of his realm, usurped his
throne and seized his kingdom, I fled away to preserve my
existence and mine honour." Thereupon Khudadad and his brothers
prayed the lady to recount all that had befallen her and
reassured her, saying, "Henceforth thou shalt live in solace and
luxury: neither toil nor trouble shall betide thee." When she saw
that there was no help for her but to tell all her tale, she
began in the following words to recount the
History of the Princess of Daryabar.[FN#238]
In an island of the islands standeth a great city called
Daryßbßr, wherein dwelt a king of exalted degree. But despite his
virtue and his valour he was ever sad and sorrowful having naught
of offspring, and he offered up without surcease prayers on that
behalf. After long years and longsome supplications a half boon
was granted to him; to wit, a daughter (myself) was born. My
father who grieved sore at first presently rejoiced with joy
exceeding at the unfortunate ill-fated birth of me; and, when I
came of age to learn, he bade me be taught to read and write; and
caused me to be instructed in court-ceremonial and royal duties
and the chronicles of the past, to the intent that I might
succeed him as heiress to his throne and his kingship. Now it
happened one day that my sire rode out a-hunting and gave chase
to a wild ass[FN#239] with such hot pursuit that he found himself
at eventide separated from his suite; so, wearied with the chase,
he dismounted from his steed and seating himself by the side of a
forest-path, he said to himself "The onager will doubtless seek
cover in this copse." Suddenly he espied a light shining bright
amidst the trees and, thinking that a hamlet might be hard by, he
was minded to night there and at day-dawn to determine his
further course. Hereupon he arose and walking towards the light
he found that it issued from a lonely hut in the forest; then
peering into the inside he espied an Abyssinian burly of bulk and
in semblance like unto a Satan, seated upon a divan. Before him
were ranged many capacious jars full of wine and over a fire of
charcoal he was roasting a bullock whole and eating the flesh and
ever and anon drinking deep draughts from one of the pitchers.
Furthermore the King sighted in that hut a lady of exquisite
beauty and comeliness sitting in a corner direly distressed: her
hands were fast bound with cords, and at her feet a child of two
or three years of age lay beweeping his mother's sorry
plight.--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace
till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night.
Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that seeing the
doleful state of these twain, my sire was filled with ruth and
longed to fall upon the ogre sword in hand; however, not being
able to cope with him he restrained his wrath and remained on
stealthy watch. The giant having drained all the pitchers of wine
and devoured half of the barbacued bullock presently addressed
himself to the lady and said, "O loveliest of Princesses, how
long wilt thou prove thee coy and keep aloof from me? Dost thou
not see how desirous I am of winning thy heart and how I am dying
for the love of thee? 'Tis therefore only right that thou also
shouldst return my affection and know me as thine own, when I
will become to thee the kindest of mankind." "O thou Ghul of the
waste," cried the lady, "what be this whereof thou pratest?
Never; no, never shalt thou win thy wish of me, however much thou
mayest lust therefor. Torment me or, an thou wilt, destroy me
downright, but for my part I will on no wise yield me to thy
lusts." At these words the infuriated savage roared aloud, "'Tis
enough and more than enough: thy hate breedeth hatred in me and
now I desire less to have and hold thee than to do thee die."
Then he seized her with one hand, and drawing his sabre with the
other, would have struck off her head from her body when my
father shot at him a shaft so deftly that it pierced his heart
and came out gleaming at his back and he fell to the ground and
found instant admission into Jahannam. Hereupon my sire entered
the hut and unbinding the lady's bonds enquired of her who she
was and by what means that ogre had brought her thither. Answered
she, "Not far from this site there liveth on the sea-shore a race
of Saracens, like unto the demons of the desert. Sorely against
my will I was wedded to their Prince and the fulsome villain thou
hast now slain was one of my husband's chief officers. He fell
madly in love to me and he longed with excessive longing to get
me into his power and to carry me off from my home. Accordingly,
one day of the days when my husband was out of the way and I was
in privacy, he carried me off with this my babe from the palace
to this wild wood wherein is none save He[FN#240] and where well
he wot that all search and labour would be baffled; then, hour
after hour he designed guilty designs against me, but by the
mercy of Almighty Allah I have ever escaped all carnal soil of
that foul monster. This evening, in despair of my safety, I was
rejecting his brutal advances when he attempted to take my life
and in the attempt he was slain by thy valorous hand. This is
then my story which I have told thee." My father reassured the
Princess, saying, "O my lady, let thy heart be at ease; at
day-break I will take thee away from this wilderness and escort
thee to Daryabar, of which city I am the Sultan; and, shouldst
thou become fain of that place, then dwell therein until thy
husband shall come in quest of thee." Quoth the lady, "O my lord,
this plan doth not displease me." So with the earliest light next
morning my father took mother and child away from that forest and
set forth homewards when suddenly he fell in with his Sirdars and
officers who had been wandering hither and thither during the
livelong night in search of him. They rejoiced with great joy on
seeing the King and marvelled with exceeding marvel at the sight
of a veiled one with him, admiring much that so love-some a lady
should be found dwelling in a wold so wild. Thereupon the King
related to them the tale of the ogre and of the Princess and how
he had slain the blackamoor. Presently they set forth on their
homeward way; one of the Emirs seating the dame behind him on his
horse's crupper while another took charge of the child. They
reached the royal city, where the King ordered a large and
splendid mansion to be built for his guest, the babe also
received a suitable education; and thus the mother passed her
days in perfect comfort and happiness. After the lapse of some
months, when no tidings, however fondly expected, came of her
husband, she resigned herself to marrying my father whom she had
captivated by her beauty and loveliness and amorous
liveliness,[FN#241] whereupon he wedded her, and when the
marriage-contract was drawn up (as was customary in those days),
they sojourned together in one stead. As time went on the lad
grew up to be a lusty youth of handsome mien; moreover he became
perfect in courtly ceremonial and in every art and science that
befit Princes. The King and all the Ministers and Emirs highly
approved of him, and determined that I should be married to him,
and that he should succeed the sovereign as heir to throne and
kingship. The youth also was well pleased with such tokens of
favour from my father, but chiefly he rejoiced with exceeding joy
to hear talk of his union with his protector's only daughter. One
day my sire desired to place my hand in his to the intent that
the marriage ceremony should at once take place, but first he
would impose upon my suitor certain conditions, whereof one was
that he should wed none other but his wife's daughter, that is,
myself. This pledge displeased the haughty youth, who forthwith
refused his consent thereto, deeming himself by the demand of
such condition a despised and contemptible suitor of villain
birth.--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace
till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night.
Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that, the lady
continued:--On this wise the wedding was deferred, and this delay
became a matter of sore displeasure to the young man, who thought
in his heart that my father was his foe. Therefore he ever strove
to lure him into his power till one day in a frenzy of rage he
slew him and proclaimed himself King of Daryabar. Moreover the
murtherer would have entered my chamber to kill me also had not
the Wazir, a true and faithful servant of the crown, at the
tidings of his liege lord's death speedily taken me away, and
hidden me in the house of a friend where he bade me remain
concealed. Two days afterwards, having fitted out a ship, he
embarked me therein with a Kahramßnah--an old duenna--and set
sail for a country whose King was of my father's friends, to the
intent that he might consign me to his charge, and obtain from
him the aid of an army wherewith he might avenge himself upon the
ungrateful and ungracious youth who had proved himself a traitor
to the salt.[FN#242] But a few days after our weighing anchor a
furious storm began to blow making the captain and crew sore
confounded and presently the waves beat upon the vessel with such
exceeding violence that she brake up, and the Wazir and the
duenna and all who were therein (save myself) were drowned in the
billows. But I, albeit well nigh a-swoon, clung to a plank and
was shortly after washed ashore by the send of the sea, for Allah
of His mighty power had preserved me safe and sound from
death-doom by the raging of the ocean, to the end that further
troubles might befal me. When I returned to sense and
consciousness, I found myself alive on the strand and offered up
grateful thanks to Almighty Allah; but not seeing the Wazir or
any one of the company I knew that they had perished in the
waters.--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace
till
The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night.
Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that the
Princess of Daryabar continued:--Presently, calling to
remembrance the murther of my father I cried aloud with an
exceeding bitter cry and was sore afraid at my lonesome plight,
insomuch that I would fain have cast myself again into the sea,
when suddenly the voice of man and tramp of horse-hooves fell
upon my ears. Then looking about I descried a band of cavaliers
in the midst of whom was a handsome prince: he was mounted upon a
steed of purest Rabite[FN#243] blood and was habited in a
gold-embroidered surcoat; a girdle studded with diamonds girt his
loins and on his head was a crown of gold; in fine it was evident
from his garb as from his aspect that he was a born ruler of
mankind. Thereupon, seeing me all alone on the sea-shore, the
knights marvelled with exceeding marvel; then the Prince detached
one of his captains to ascertain my history and acquaint him
there-with; but albeit the officer plied me with questions I
answered him not a word and shed a flood of tears in the deepest
silence. So noting the waifage on the sand they thought to
themselves, "Perchance some vessel hath been wrecked upon this
shore and its planks and timber have been cast upon the land, and
doubtless this lady was in that ship and hath been floated ashore
on some plank." Whereupon the cavaliers crowded around me and
implored me to relate unto them what had befallen me;
nevertheless I still answered them not a word. Presently the
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