Supplemental Nights, Volume 4
by
Richard F. Burton

Part 1 out of 7









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SUPPLEMENTAL
NIGHTS
To The Book Of The Thousand
And One Nights With Notes
Anthropological And
Explanatory

By
Richard F. Burton

VOLUME FOUR
Privately Printed By The Burton Club



To William H. Chandler, Esq,.
Pembroke College, Oxford.

My Dear Mr. Chandler,

As without your friendly and generous aid this volume could
never have seen the light, I cannot resist the temptation of
inscribing it to you–and without permission, for your modesty
would have refused any such acknowledgment.

I am, ever,
Yours sincerely,
Richard F. Burton.

Trieste, March 10th, 1888.






Contents of the Fourteenth Volume.



1. Story of the Sultan of Al-Yaman and His Three Sons
2. Story of the Three Sharpers
a. The Sultan Who Fared Forth in the Habit of a Darwaysh
b. History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo
c. Story of the First Lunatic
d. Story of the Second Lunatic
e. Story of the Sage and the Scholar
f. The Night-Adventure of Sultan Mohammed of Cairo with
the Three Foolish
Schoolmasters
g. Story of the Broke-Back Schoolmaster
h. Story of the Split-Mouthed Schoolmaster
i. Story of the Limping Schoolmaster
j. Story of the Three Sisters and Their Mother the
Sultanah
3. History of the Kazi Who Bare a Babe
4. Tale of the Kazi and the Bhang-Eater
a. History of the Bhang-Eater and His Wife
b. How Drummer Abu Kasim Became a Kazi
c. Story of the Kazi and His Slipper
d. Tale of Mahmud the Persian and the Kurd Sharper
e. Tale of the Sultan and the Poor Man Who Brought To Him
Fruit
f. The Fruit-Seller's Tale
g. Tale of the Sultan and His Three Sons and the
Enchanting Bird
h. Adventure of the Fruit-Seller and the Concubine
i. Story of the King of Al-Yaman and His Three Sons and
the Enchanting Bird
j. History of the First Larrikin
k. History of the Second Larrikin
l. History of the Third Larrikin
m. Story of a Sultan of Al-Hind and His Son Mohammed
n. Tale of the Fisherman and His Son
o. Tale of the Third Larrikin Concerning Himself
5. History of Abu Niyyah and Abu Niyyatayn
Appendix A: - Ineptić Bodleianć
Appendix B: - The Three Untranslated Tales in Mr. E. J. W. Gibb's
"Forty Vezirs"






The Translator's Foreword.



As my first and second volumes (Supplemental) were composed of
translated extracts from the Breslau Edition of The Nights, so
this tome and its successor (vols. iv. and v.) comprise my
version from the (Edward) Wortley Montague Codex immured in the
old Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Absence from England prevents for the present my offering a
satisfactory description of this widely known manuscript; but I
may safely promise that the hiatus shall be filled up in vol. v.,
which is now ready for the press.

The contents of the Wortley Montague text are not wholly
unfamiliar to Europe. In 1811 Jonathan Scott, LL.D. Oxon. (for
whom see my vols. i., ix. and x. 434), printed with Longmans and
Co. his "Arabian Nights Entertainments" in five substantial
volumes 8vo, and devoted a sixth and last to excerpts entitled

TALES
SELECTED FROM THE MANUSCRIPT COPY
OF THE
1001 NIGHTS

BROUGHT TO EUROPE BY EDWARD WORTLEY MONTAGUE, ESQ.

Translated from the Arabic
BY JONATHAN SCOTT, LL.D.

Unfortunately for his readers Scott enrolled himself amongst the
acolytes of Professor Galland, a great and original genius in the
line Raconteur, and a practical Orientalist whose bright example
was destined to produce disastrous consequences. The Frenchman,
however unscrupulous he might have been about casting down and
building up in order to humour the dead level of Gallican bon
goűt, could, as is shown by his "Aladdin," trans- late literatim
and verbatim when the story-stuff is of the right species and
acceptable to the average European taste. But, as generally
happens in such cases, his servile suite went far beyond their
master and model. Petis de la Croix ("Persian and Turkish
Tales"), Chavis and Cazotte ("New Arabian Nights"), Dow ("Ináyatu
llah") and Morell ("Tales of the Genii"), with others manifold
whose names are now all but forgotten, carried out the Gallandian
liberties to the extreme of licence and succeeded in producing a
branchlet of literature, the most vapid, frigid and insipid that
can be imagined by man,--a bastard Europeo-Oriental,
pseudo-Eastern world of Western marionettes garbed in the gear
which Asiatic are (or were) supposed to wear, with sentiments and
opinions, manners and morals to match; the whole utterly lacking
life, local colour, vraisemblance, human interest. From such
abortions, such monstrous births, libera nos, Domine!

And Scott out-gallanded Galland:--

Diruit, aedificat, mutat quadrata rotundis.

It is hard to quote a line which he deigned textually to
translate. He not only commits felony on the original by
abstracting whole sentences and pages ad libitum, but he also
thrusts false goods into his author's pocket and patronises the
unfortunate Eastern story-teller by foisting upon him whatever
he, the "translator and traitor," deems needful. On this point no
more need be said: the curious reader has but to compare any one
of Scott's "translations" with the original or, for that matter,
with the present version.

I determined to do that for Scott which Lane had done partly and
imperfectly, and Payne had successfully and satisfactorily done
for Galland. But my first difficulty was about the text. It was
impossible to face without affright the prospect of working for
months amid the discomforts and the sanitary dangers of Oxford's
learned atmosphere and in her obsolete edifices the Bodleian and
the Radcliffe. Having ascertained, however, that in the so-called
"University" not a scholar could be found to read the text, I was
induced to apply for a loan--not to myself personally for I
should have shunned the responsibility--but in the shape of a
temporary transfer of the seven-volumed text, tome by tome, to
the charge of Dr. Rost, the excellent Librarian of the India
Office.

My hopes, however, were fated to be deferred. Learned bodies,
Curators and so forth, are ponderous to move and powerless to
change for

The trail of the slow-worm is over them all.

My official application was made on September 13th, 1886. The
tardiest steps were taken as if unwillingly and, when they could
no longer decently be deferred, they resulted in the curtest and
most categorical but not most courteous of refusals, under
circumstances of peculiar disfavour, on November 1st of the same
year. Here I shall say no more: the correspondence has been
relegated to Appendix A. My subscribers, however, will have no
reason to complain of these "Ineptić Bodleianć." I had pledged
myself in case of a loan "not to translate Tales that might be
deemed offensive to propriety:" the Curators have kindly set me
free from that troublesome condition and I thank them therefor.

Meanwhile I had not been idle. Three visits to Oxford in
September and October had enabled me to reach the DIVth Night.
But the laborious days and inclement evenings, combined with the
unsanitary state of town and libraries--the Bodleian and the
Rotunda--brought on a serious attack of "lithiasis" as it is now
called, and prostrated me for two months, until it was time to
leave England en route for my post.

Under these circumstances my design threatened to end in failure.
As often befalls to men out of England, every move ventured by me
menaced only check-mate. I began by seeking a copyist at Oxford,
one who would imitate the text as an ignoramus might transcribe
music: an undergraduate volunteered for the task and after a few
days dropped it in dumb disgust. The attempt was presently
repeated by a friend with the unsatisfactory result that three
words out of four were legible. In London several Easterns were
described as able and willing for the work; but they also were
found wanting; one could not be trusted with the MS. and another
was marriage-mad. Photography was lastly proposed, but
considerations of cost seemed to render it unavailable. At last,
when matters were at the worst, the proverbial amendment
appeared. Mr. Chandler, whose energetic and conscientious
opposition to all "Bodleian loans," both of books and of
manuscripts, had mainly caused the passing of the prohibitory
statute, came forward in the most friendly and generous way: with
no small trouble to himself he superintended the "sun- pictures,"
each page of the original being reduced to half-size, and he
insisted upon the work being done wholly and solely at his own
expense. I know not how to express my gratitude.

The process was undertaken by Mr. Percy Notcutt, of Kingsbury and
Notcutt, 45, St. George's Place, Knightsbridge, and the four
hundred and odd pages were reproduced in most satisfactory style.

Being relegated to a port-town which never possessed even an
Arabic lexicon, I have found some difficulty with the Wortley
Montague MS. as it contains a variety of local words unknown to
the common dictionaries. But I have worked my best to surmount
the obstacle by consulting many correspondents, amongst whom may
be mentioned the name of my late lamented friend, the Reverend
George Percy Badger; and, finally, by submitting my proofs to the
corrections and additions of the lexicologist Dr. Steingass.

Appendix B will require no apology to the numerous admirers of
Mr. E. J. W. Gibb's honest and able work, "The History of the
Forty Vezirs" (London, Redway, MDCCCLXXXVI). The writer in a book
intended for the public was obliged to leave in their original
Turkish, and distinguished only by italics, three "facetious"
tales which, as usual, are some of the best in the book. These
have been translated for me and I offer them to my readers on
account of their curious analogies with many in The Nights.

Richard F. Burton.

TRIESTE, April 10th, 1888.






Supplemental Nights

To The Book Of The

Thousand Nights And A Night






Story of the Sultan of Al-Yaman and His three Sons.[FN#1]




There was erewhile in the land of Al-Yaman a man which was a
Sultan and under him were three Kinglets whom he overruled. He
had four children; to wit, three sons and a daughter: he also
owned wealth and treasures greater than reed can pen or page may
contain; as well as animals such as horses and camels, sheep and
black cattle; and he was held in awe by all the sovrans. But when
his reign had lasted for a length of time, Age[FN#2] brought with
it ailments and infirmities and he became incapable of faring
forth his Palace to the Divan, the hall of audience; whereupon he
summoned his three sons to the presence and said to them, "As for
me, 'tis my wish to divide among you all my substance ere I die,
that ye may be equal in circumstance and live in accordance with
whatso I shall command." And they said, "Hearkening and
obedience." Then quoth the Sultan, "Let the eldest of you become
sovereign after me: let the cadet succeed to my moneys and
treasures[FN#3] and as for the youngest let him inherit my
animals of every kind. Suffer none to transgress against other;
but each aid each and assist his co-partner." He then caused them
to sign a bond and agreement to abide by his bequeathal; and,
after delaying a while, he departed to the mercy of Allah.
Thereupon his three sons got ready the funeral gear and whatever
was suited to his estate for the mortuary obsequies such as
cerements and other matters: they washed the corpse and
enshrouded it and prayed over it: then, having committed it to
the earth they returned to their palaces where the Wazirs and the
Lords of the Land and the city-folk in their multitudes, high and
low, rich and poor, flocked to condole with them on the loss of
their father. And the news of his decease was soon bruited abroad
in all the provinces; and deputations from each and every city
came to offer condolence to the King's sons. These ceremonies
duly ended, the eldest Prince demanded that he should be seated
as Sultan on the stead of his sire in accordance with the
paternal will and testament; but he could not obtain it from his
two brothers as both and each said, "I will become ruler in room
of my father." So enmity and disputes for the government now
arose amongst them and it was not to be won by any; but at last
quoth the eldest Prince, "Wend we and submit ourselves to the
arbitration of a Sultan of the tributary sultans; and let him to
whom he shall adjudge the realm take it and reign over it." Quoth
they "'Tis well!" and thereto agreed, as did also the Wazirs; and
the three set out without suite seeking the capital of one of the
subject Sovrans.--And Shahrázád[FN#4] was surprised by the dawn
of day[FN#5] and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyázád, "How sweet is thy story, O sister
mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night, an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirtieth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deed fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the three
Princes fared seeking a Sultan of the sultans who had been under
the hands of their sire, in order that they might take him to
arbitrator. And they stinted not faring till the middle way, when
behold, they came upon a mead abounding in herbage and in
rainwater lying sheeted.[FN#6] So they sat them down to rest and
to eat of their victual, when one of the brothers, casting his
eye upon the herbage, cried, "Verily a camel hath lately passed
this way laden half with Halwá-sweetmeats and half with
Hámiz-pickles."[FN#7] "True," cried the second, "and he was blind
of an eye." Exclaimed the third, "'Tis sooth; and indeed he hath
lost his tail." Hardly, however, had they ended their words when
lo! the owner of the camel came upon them (for he had overheard
their speech and had said to himself, "By Allah, these three
fellows have driven off my property, inasmuch as they have
described the burthen and eke the beast as tail-less and
one-eyed"), and cried out, "Ye three have carried away my
camel!"[FN#8] "By Allah we have not seen him," quoth the Princes,
"much less have we touched him;" but quoth the man, "By the
Almighty, who can have taken him except you? and if you will not
deliver him to me, off with us, I and you three, to the Sultan."
They replied, "By all manner of means; let us wend to the
Sovran." So the four hied forth, the three Princes and the
Cameleer, and ceased not faring till they reached the capital of
the King. There they took seat without the wall to rest for an
hour's time and presently they arose and pushed into the city and
came to the royal Palace. Then they craved leave of the
Chamberlains, and one of the Eunuchs caused them enter and
signified to the sovereign that the three sons of Such-and-such a
Sultan had made act of presence. So he bade them be set before
him and the four went in and saluted him, and prayed for him and
he returned their salams. He then asked them, "What is it hath
brought you hither and what may ye want in the way of enquiry?"
Now the first to speak was the Cameleer and he said, "O my lord
the Sultan; verily these three men have carried off my camel by
proof of their own speech."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-first Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Cameleer came forward between the Sultan's hands and said, "O my
lord, verily these men have carried away the camel which
belongeth to me,[FN#9] for they have indeed described him and the
burthen he bore! And I require of our lord the Sultan that he
take from these wights and deliver to me the camel which is mine
as proved by their own words." Presently asked the Sultan, "What
say ye to the claims of this man and the camel belonging to him?"
Hereto the Princes made answer, "By Allah, O King of the Age, we
have not seen the camel, much less have we stolen him." Thereupon
the Cameleer exclaimed, "O my lord, I heard yonder one say that
the beast was blind of an eye; and the second said that he was
tail-less, and the third said that half his load was of sour
stuff and the other half was of sweet stuff." They replied,
"True, we spake these words;" and the Sultan cried to them, "Ye
have purloined the beast by this proof." They rejoined, "No, by
Allah, O my lord. We sat us in such a place for repose and
refreshment and we remarked that some of the pasture had been
grazed down, so we said, 'This is the grazing of a camel; and he
must have been blind of one eye as the grass was eaten only on
one side.' But as for our saying that he was tail-less, we noted
the droppings lying heaped[FN#10] upon the ground which made us
agree that the tail must have been cut off, it being the custom
of camels at such times to whisk their tails and scatter the dung
abroad. So 'twas evident to us that the camel had lost his tail.
But as for our saying that the load was half Halwá and half
Hámiz, we saw on the place where the camel had knelt the flies
gathering in great numbers while on the other were none: so the
case was clear to us (as flies settle on naught save the sugared)
that one of the panniers must have contained sweets and the other
sours." Hearing this the Sultan said to the Cameleer, "O man,
fare thee forth and look after thy camel; for these signs and
tokens prove not the theft of these men, but only the power of
their intellect and their penetration."[FN#11] And when the
Cameleer heard this, he went his ways. Presently the Sultan
cleared a place in the Palace and allotted to it the Princes for
their entertainment: he also directed they be supplied with a
banquet and the eunuchs did his bidding. But when it was eventide
and supper was served up, the trio sat down to it purposing to
eat; the eldest, however, having hent in hand a bannock of bread
exclaimed, "By Allah, verily this cake was baked by a woman in
blood, to wit, one with the menses." The cadet tasting a bit of
kid exclaimed, "This kid was suckled by a bitch"; and the
youngest exclaimed, "Assuredly this Sultan must be a son of
shame, a bastard." All this was said by the youths what while the
Sultan had hidden himself in order to hear and to profit by the
Princes' words. So he waxed wroth entered hastily crying, "What
be these speeches ye have spoken?" They replied, "Concerning all
thou hast heard enquire within and thou wilt find it wholly
true." The Sultan then entered his women's apartments and after
inquisition found that the woman who had kneaded the bread was
sick with her monthly courses. He then went forth and summoned
the head-shepherd and asked him concerning the kid he had
butchered. He replied, "By Allah, O my lord, the nanny-goat that
bare the kid died and we found none other in milk to suckle him;
but I had a bitch that had just pupped and her have I made
nourish him." The Sultan lastly hent his sword in hand and
proceeded to the apartments of the Sultánah-mother and cried, "By
Allah, unless thou avert my shame[FN#12] we will cut thee down
with this scymitar! Say me whose son am I?" She replied, "By
Allah, O my child, indeed falsehood is an excuse, but fact and
truth are more saving and superior. Verily thou art the son of a
cook!"--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell
silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night, an the King
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-second Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Sultan's mother said to him, "Verily thou art a cook's son. Thy
sire could not beget boy-children and I bare him only a single
daughter. But it so fortuned that the kitchener's wife lay in of
a boy (to wit, thyself); so we gave my girl-babe to the cook and
took thee as the son of the Sultan, dreading for the realm after
thy sire's death." The King went forth from his mother in
astonishment at the penetration of the three youths and, when he
had taken seat in his Palace, he summoned the trio and as soon as
they appeared he asked them; "Which of you was it that said, 'She
who kneaded the bread was in blood'?" Quoth the eldest, "That was
I;" and quoth the King, "What led thee to suspect that she was
menstruous?" He replied, "O my lord, when I took the bannock and
broke off a bittock, the flour fell out in lumps.[FN#13] Now had
the kneader been well, her strength of hand would have remained
and the bread would have been wrought by all the veins; but, when
the blood came, her powers were minished for women's force is in
their hands; and as soon as the monthly period cometh upon them
their strength is lost. Their bodies contain three hundred and
sixty veins all lying hard by one another and the blood of the
catamenia floweth from them all; hence their force becometh
feebleness. And this was my proof of the woman which was
menstruous." Quoth the Sultan, "'Tis well. We accept as certain
thy saying upon this evidence, for it is agreeable to man's
understanding nor can any challenge it; this being from the power
of insight into the condition of womankind. And we are assured of
its soothfastness, for 'tis evident to us without concealment.
But which is he who said of the kid's meat that the beast was
suckled by a bitch? What proof had he of this? How did he learn
it and whence did his intelligence discover it to him?" Now when
the deceased Sultan's second son heard these words, he made
answer. "I, O King of the Age, am he who said that say!" The King
replied, "'Tis well;" and the Prince resumed, "O my lord, that
which showed me the matter of the meat which was to us brought is
as follows. I found the fat of the kid all hard by the bone, and
I knew that the beast had sucked bitch's milk; for the flesh of
dogs lieth outside and their fat is on their bones, whereas in
sheep and goats the fat lieth upon the meat. Such, then, was my
proof wherein there is nor doubt nor hesitation; and when thou
shalt have made question and inquiry thou wilt find this to be
fact." Quoth the Sultan, "'Tis well; thou hast spoken truth and
whatso thou sayest is soothfast. But which is he who declared
that I am a bastard and what was his proof and what sign in me
exposed it to him?" Quoth the youngest Prince, "I am he who said
it;" and the Sultan rejoined, "There is no help but that thou
provide me with a proof." The Prince rejoined, "'Tis well!"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
youngest Prince said to the Sultan, "O my lord, I have evidence
that thou art the son of a cook and a base-born in that thou
didst not sit at meat with us and this was mine all-sufficient
evidence. Every man hath three properties which he inheriteth at
times from his father, at times from his maternal uncle and at
times from his mother.[FN#14] From his sire cometh generosity or
niggardness; from his uncle courage or cowardice; from his mother
modesty or immodesty; and such is the proof of every man." Then
quoth to him the Sultan, "Sooth thou speakest; but say me, men
who like you know all things thoroughly by evidence and by your
powers of penetration, what cause have they to come seeking
arbitration at my hand? Beyond yours there be no increase of
intelligence. So fare ye forth from me and manage the matter
amongst yourselves, for 'tis made palpable to me by your own
words that naught remaineth to you save to speak of mysterious
subjects;[FN#15] nor have I the capacity to adjudge between you
after that which I have heard from you. In fine an ye possess any
document drawn up by your sire before his decease, act according
to it and contrary it not." Upon this the Princes went forth from
him and made for their own country and city and did as their
father had bidden them do on his death-bed. The eldest enthroned
himself as Sultan; the cadet assumed possession and management of
the moneys and treasures and the youngest took to himself the
camels and the horses and the beeves and the muttons. Then each
and every was indeed equal with his co-partner in the gathering
of good. But when the new year came, there befel a drought among
the beasts and all belonging to the youngest brother died nor had
he aught of property left: yet his spirit brooked not to take
anything from his brethren or even to ask of them aught. This
then is the Tale of the King of Al-Yaman in its entirety; yet is
the Story of the Three Sharpers[FN#16] more wondrous and
marvellous than that just recounted.--And Shahrazad was surprised
by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy
story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth
she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night, an the King suffer me to survive." Now when
it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating;" and she began
to recount




THE STORY OF THE THREE SHARPERS.[FN#17]



Saying, "Verily their adventure is wondrous and their actions
delightsome and marvellous," presently adding--There were in time
of yore three Sharpers who were wont every day in early morning
to prowl forth and to prey, rummaging[FN#18] among the mounds
which outlay the city. Therein each would find a silver bit of
five parahs or its equivalent, after which the trio would for-
gather and buy whatso sufficed them for supper: they would also
expend two Nusfs[FN#19] upon Bast,[FN#20] which is Bhang, and
purchase a waxen taper with the other silver bit. They had hired
a cell in the flank of a Wakálah, a caravanserai without the
walls, where they could sit at ease to solace themselves and eat
their Hashísh after lighting the candle and enjoy their
intoxication and consequent merriment till the noon o' night.
Then they would sleep, again awaking at day-dawn when they would
arise and seek for spoil, according to their custom, and ransack
the heaps where at times they would hit upon a silverling of five
dirhams and at other times a piece of four; and at eventide they
would meet to spend together the dark hours, and they would
expend everything they came by every day. For a length of time
they pursued this path until, one day of the days, they made for
the mounds as was their wont and went round searching the heaps
from morning to evening without finding even a half-parah;
wherefore they were troubled and they went away and nighted in
their cell without meat or drink. When the next day broke they
arose and repaired for booty, changing the places wherein they
were wont to forage; but none of them found aught; and their
breasts were straitened for lack of a find of dirhams wherewith
to buy them supper. This lasted for three full-told and following
days until hunger waxed hard upon them and vexation; so they said
one to other, "Go we to the Sultan and let us serve him with a
sleight, and each of us three shall claim to be a past master of
some craft: haply Allah Almighty may incline his heart uswards
and he may largesse us with something to expend upon our
necessities." Accordingly all three agreed to do on this wise and
they sought the Sultan whom they found in the palace-garden. They
asked leave to go in to him, but the Chamberlains refused
admission: so they stood afar off unable to approach the
presence. Then quoth they one to other, "'Twere better we fall to
and each smite his comrade and cry aloud and make a
clamour,[FN#21] and as soon as he shall hear us he will send to
summon us." Accordingly they jostled one another and each took to
frapping his fellow, making the while loud outcries. The Sultan
hearing this turmoil said, "Bring me yonder wights;" and the
Chamberlains and Eunuchs ran out to them and seized them and set
them between the hands of the Sovran. As soon as they stood in
the presence he asked them, "What be the cause of your wrath one
against other?" They answered, "O King of the Age, we are past
masters of crafts, each of us weeting an especial art." Quoth the
Sultan, "What be your crafts?" and quoth one of the trio, "O our
lord, as for my art I am a jeweller by trade." The King
exclaimed, "Passing strange! a sharper and a jeweller:[FN#22]
this is a wondrous matter." And he questioned the second--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night which was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
asked the second Sharper saying, "And thou, the other, what may
be thy craft?" He answered, "I am a genealogist[FN#23] of the
horse-kind." So the King glanced at him in surprise and said to
himself, "A sharper yet he claimeth an astounding knowledge!"
Then he left him and put the same question to the third who said
to him, "O King of the Age, verily my art is more wondrous and
marvellous than aught thou hast heard from these twain: their
craft is easy but mine is such that none save I can discover the
right direction thereto or know the first of it from the last of
it." The Sultan enquired of him, "And what be thy craft?" Whereto
he replied, "My craft is the genealogy of the sons of Adam."
Hearing these words the Sovran wondered with extreme wonderment
and said in himself, "Verily He informeth with His secrets the
humblest of His creatures! Assuredly these men, an they speak
truth in all they say and it prove soothfast, are fit for naught
except kingship. But I will keep them by me until the occurrence
of some nice contingency wherein I may test them; then, if they
approve themselves good men and trustworthy of word, I will leave
them on life; but if their speech be lying I will do them die."
Upon this he set apart for them apartments and rationed them with
three cakes of bread and a dish of roast meat[FN#24] and set over
them his sentinels dreading lest they fly. This case continued
for a while till behold, there came to the Sultan from the land
of 'Ajam a present of rarities, amongst which were two gems
whereof one was clear of water and the other was clouded of
colour.[FN#25] The Sultan hent them in hand for a time and fell
to considering them straitly for the space of an hour; after
which he called to mind the first of the three Sharpers, the
selfstyled jeweller, and cried, "Bring me the jeweller-man."
Accordingly they went and brought him and set him before the
Sovran who asked him, "O man, art thou a lapidary?" And when the
Sharper answered "Yes" he gave him the clear-watered stone,
saying, "What may be the price of this gem?"--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Sharper took the jewel in hand and turned it rightwards and
leftwards and considered the outside and pried into the inside;
after which he said to the Sultan, "O my lord, verily this gem
containeth a worm[FN#26] bred within the heart thereof." Now when
the King heard these words he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath
and commanded the man's head to be stricken off, saying, "This
jewel is clear of colour and free of flaw or other default; yet
thou chargest it falsely with containing a worm!" Then he
summoned the Linkman[FN#27] who laid hands on the Sharper and
pinioned his elbows and trussed up his legs[FN#28] like a camel's
and was about to smite his neck when behold, the Wazir entered
the presence and, seeing the Sovran in high dudgeon and the
Sharper under the scymitar, asked what was to do. The Sultan
related to him what had happened when he drew near to him and
said, "O my lord, act not after this fashion! An thou determine
upon the killing of yonder man, first break the gem and, if thou
find therein a worm, thou wilt know the wight's word to have been
veridical; but an thou find it sound then strike off his head."
"Right is thy rede," quoth the King: then he took in hand the gem
and smote it with his mace[FN#29] and when he brake behold, he
found therein the worm amiddlemost thereof. So he marvelled at
the sight and asked the man, "What proved to thee that it
harboured a worm?" "The sharpness of my sight," answered the
Sharper. Then the Sultan pardoned him and, admiring his power of
vision, addressed his attendants saying, "Bear him back to his
comrades and ration him with a dish of roast meat and two cakes
of bread." And they did as he bade them. After some time, on a
day of the days, there came to the King the tribute of 'Ajamland
accompanied with presents amongst which was a colt whose robe
black as night[FN#30] showed one shade in the sun and another in
the shadow. When the animal was displayed to the Sultan he fell
in love with it and set apart for it a stall and solaced himself
at all times by gazing at it and was wholly occupied with it and
sang its praises till they filled the whole country side.
Presently he remembered the Sharper who claimed to be a
genealogist of the horse-kind and bade him be summoned. So they
fared forth and brought him and set him between the hands of the
Sovran who said to him, "Art thou he who knoweth the breed and
descent of horses?" "Yea verily," said the man. Then cried the
King, "By the truth of Him who set me upon the necks of His
servants and who sayeth to a thing 'Be' and it becometh, an I
find aught of error or confusion in thy words, I will strike off
thy head." "Hearkening and obedience," quoth the Sharper. Then
they led him to the colt that he might consider its genealogy. He
called aloud to the groom[FN#31]--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy
tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she,
"And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Sharper called aloud to the stirrup-holder and when they brought
him he bade the man back the colt for his inspection. So he
mounted the animal and made it pace to the right and to the left
causing it now to prance and curvet and then to step leisurely,
while the connoisseur looked on and after a time quoth he to the
groom, "'Tis enough!" Then he went in to the presence and stood
between the hands of the King who enquired, "What hast thou seen
in the colt, O Kashmar?"[FN#32] Replied the Sharper, "By Allah, O
King of the Age, this colt is of pure and noble blood on the side
of the sire: its action is excellent and all its qualities are
praiseworthy save one; and but for this one it had been perfect
in blood and breed nor had there been on earth's face its fellow
in horseflesh. But its blemish remaineth a secret." The Sultan
asked, "And what is the quality which thou blamest?" and the
Sharper answered, "Its sire was noble, but its dam was of other
strain: she it was that brought the blemish and if thou, O my
lord, allow me I will notify it to thee." "'Tis well, and needs
must thou declare it," quoth the Sultan. Then said the Sharper,
"Its dam is a buffalo-cow."[FN#33] When the King heard these
words he was wroth with wrath exceeding and he bade the Linkman
take the Sharper and behead him, crying, "O dog! O accursed! How
can a buffalo-cow bear a horse?" The Sharper replied, "O my lord,
the Linkman is in the presence; but send and fetch him who
brought thee the colt and of him make enquiry. If my words prove
true and rightly placed, my skill shall be stablished; but an
they be lies let my head pay forfeit for my tongue. Here standeth
the Linkman and I am between thy hands: thou hast but to bid him
strike off my head!" Thereupon the King sent for the owner and
breeder of the colt and they brought him to the presence.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth the sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
sent for the owner and breeder of the colt and asked him saying,
"Tell me the truth anent the blood of this colt. Didst thou buy
it or breed it so that it was a rearling of thy homestead?" Said
he, "By Allah, O King of the Age, I will speak naught which is
not sooth, for indeed there hangeth by this colt the strangest
story: were it graven with graver-needles upon the eye-corners it
had been a warning to whoso would be warned. And this it is. I
had a stallion of purest strain whose sire was of the steeds of
the sea;[FN#34] and he was stabled in a stall apart for fear of
the evil eye, his service being entrusted to trusty servants. But
one day in springtide the Syce took the horse into the open and
there picquetted him when behold, a buffalo-cow walked into the
enclosed pasture where the stallion was tethered, and seeing her
he brake his heel-ropes and rushed at her and covered her. She
conceived by him and when her days were completed and her
throwing-time came she suffered sore pains and bare yonder colt.
And all who have seen it or have heard of it were astounded,"
said he, presently adding, "by Allah, O King of the Age, had its
dam been of the mare-kind the colt would have had no equal on
earth's surface or aught approaching it." Hereat the Sultan took
thought and marvelled; then, summoning the Sharper he said to him
when present, "O man, thy speech is true and thou art indeed a
genealogist in horseflesh and thou wottest it well. But I would
know what proved to thee that the dam of this colt was a
buffalo-cow?" Said he, "O King, my proof thereof was palpable nor
can it be concealed from any wight of right wits and intelligence
and special knowledge; for the horse's hoof is round whilst the
hooves of buffaloes are elongated and duck-shaped,[FN#35] and
hereby I kenned that this colt was a jumart, the issue of a
cow-buffalo." The Sultan was pleased with his words and said
"Ration him with a plate of roast meat and two cakes of bread;"
and they did as they were bidden. Now for a length of time the
third Sharper was forgotten till one day the Sultan bethought him
of the man who could explain the genealogy of Adam's sons. So he
bade fetch him and when they brought him into the presence he
said, "Thou art he that knowest the caste and descent of men and
women?" and the other said, "Yes." Then he commanded the Eunuchs
take him to his wife[FN#36] and place him before her and cause
him declare her genealogy. So they led him in and set him
standing in her presence and the Sharper considered her for a
while looking from right to left; then he fared forth to the
Sultan who asked him, "What hast thou seen in the Queen?"
Answered he, "O my lord, I saw a somewhat adorned with loveliness
and beauty and perfect grace, with fair stature of symmetrical
trace and with modesty and fine manners and skilful case; and she
is one in whom all good qualities appear on every side, nor is
aught of accomplishments or knowledge concealed from her and
haply in her centre all desirable attributes. Natheless, O King
of the Age, there is a curious point that dishonoureth her from
the which were she free none would outshine her of all the women
of her generation." Now when the Sultan heard the words of the
Sharper, he sprang hastily to his feet and clapping hand upon
hilt bared his brand and fell upon the man purposing to slay
him;--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable
and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
fell upon the Sharper with his sword purposing to slay him; but
the Chamberlains and the Eunuchs prevented him saying, "O our
lord, kill him not until his falsehood or his fact shall have
been made manifest to thee."The Sultan said to him, "What then
appeared to thee in my Queen?" "He[FN#37] is ferly fair," said
the man, "but his mother is a dancing-girl, a gypsey."[FN#38] The
fury of the King increased hereat and he sent to summon the
inmates of his Harem and cried to his father-in-law, "Unless thou
speak me sooth concerning thy daughter and her descent and her
mother I"--[FN#39] He replied, "By Allah, O King of the Age,
naught saveth a man save soothfastness! Her mother indeed was a
Gháziyah: in past time a party of the tribe was passing by my
abode when a young maid strayed from her fellows and was lost.
They asked no questions concerning her; so I lodged her and bred
her in my homestead till she grew up to be a great girl and the
fairest of her time. My heart would not brook her wiving with any
other; so I wedded her and she bare me this daughter whom thou, O
King, hast espoused." When the Sultan heard these words the flame
in his heart was quenched[FN#40] and he wondered at the subtlety
of the Sharper man; so he summoned him and asked him saying, "O
wily one, tell me what certified to thee that my Queen had a
dancing girl, a gypsey, to mother?" He answered, "O King of the
Age, verily the Ghaziyah race hath eye-balls intensely black and
bushy brows whereas other women than the Ghaziyah have the
reverse of this." On such wise the King was convinced of the
man's skill and he cried, "Ration him with a dish of roast meat
and two scones." They did as he bade and the three Sharpers
tarried with the Sultan a long time till one day when the King
said to himself, "Verily these three men have by their skill
solved every question of genealogy which I proposed to them:
first the jeweller proved his perfect knowledge of gems; secondly
the genealogist of the horse-kind showed himself as skilful, and
the same was the case with the genealogist of mankind, for he
discovered the origin of my Queen and the truth of his words
appeared from all quarters. Now 'tis my desire that he do the
same with me that I also may know my provenance." Accordingly
they set the man between his hands and he said to him, "O fellow,
hast thou the power to tell me mine origin?" Said the Sharper,
"Yes, O my lord, I can trace thy descent, but I will so do only
upon a condition; to wit, that thou promise me safety[FN#41]
after what I shall have told thee; for the saw saith, 'Whilst
Sultan sitteth on throne 'ware his despite, inasmuch as none may
be contumacious when he saith 'Smite.'" Thereupon the Sultan told
him, "thou hast a promise of immunity, a promise which shall
never be falsed."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day
and fell silent, and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and
how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this
compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an
the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night,
and that was

The Three Hundred and Fortieth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
pledged his word for the safety of the Sharper with the customary
kerchief[FN#42] and the man said, "O King of the Age, whenas I
acquaint thee with thy root and branch, let it be between us
twain lest these present hear us." "Wherefore O man?" asked the
Sultan, and the Sharper answered, "O my lord, Allah of Allmight
hath among His names 'The Veiler';"[FN#43] wherefore the King
bade his Chamberlains and Eunuchs retire so that none remained in
the place save those two. Then the Sharper came forward and said,
"O my lord, thou art a son of shame and an issue of adultery." As
soon as the King heard these words his case changed and his
colour waxed wan and his limbs fell loose:[FN#44] he foamed at
the mouth;[FN#45] he lost hearing and sight; he became as one
drunken without wine and he fell fainting to the ground. After a
while he recovered and said to the Sharper, "Now by the truth of
Him who hath set me upon the necks of His servants, an thy words
be veridical and I ascertain their sooth by proof positive, I
will assuredly abdicate my Kingdom and resign my realm to thee,
because none deserveth it save thou and it becometh us least of
all and every. But an I find thy speech lying I will slay thee."
He replied, "Hearing and obeying;" and the Sovran, rising up
without stay or delay, went inside to his mother with grip on
glaive, and said to her, "By the truth of Him who uplifted the
lift above the earth, an thou answer me not with the whole truth
in whatso I ask thee, I will cut thee to little bits with this
blade." She enquired, "What dost thou want with me?" and he
replied, "Whose son am I, and what may be my descent?" She
rejoined, "Although falsehood be an excuse, fact and truth are
superior and more saving. Thou art indeed the very son of a cook.
The Sultan that was before thee took me to wife and I cohabited
with him a while of time without my becoming pregnant by him or
having issue; and he would mourn and groan from the core of his
heart for that he had no seed, nor girl nor boy; neither could he
enjoy aught of sweet food or sleep. Now we had about the Palace
many caged birds; and at last, one day of the days, the King
longed to eat somewhat of poultry, so he went into the court and
sent for the Kitchener to slaughter[FN#46] one of the fowls; and
the man applied himself to catching it. At that time I had taken
my first bath after the monthly ailment and quoth I to myself,
'If this case continue with the King he will perish and the
Kingdom pass from us.' And the Shaytan tempted me to that which
displeased Allah"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next
night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-first Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Queen
continued, "And Satan tempted me and made the sin fair in my
sight. So I went up to the Kitchener, attired and adorned as I
was in my finest apparel and I fell a-jesting with him and
provoking him and disporting with him till his passions were
excited by me: so he tumbled me at that very hour, after which he
arose and slaughtered one of the birds and went his ways. Then I
bade the handmaids sprinkle water on the fowl and clean it and
cook it; and they did my bidding. After a while symptoms of
pregnancy declared themselves in me and became evident; and when
the King heard that his Queen was with child, he waxed gladsome
and joyful and gave alms and scattered gifts and bestowed robes
upon his Officers of State and others till the day of my delivery
and I bare a babe--which is thyself. Now at that time the Sultan
was hunting and birding and enjoying himself about the gardens
all of his pleasure at the prospect of becoming a father; and
when the bearer of good news went to him and announced the birth
of a man-child he hurried back to me and forthright bade them
decorate the capital and he found the report true; so the city
adorned itself for forty days in honour of its King. Such is my
case and my tale."[FN#47] Thereupon the King went forth from her
to the Sharper and bade him doff his dress and when this had been
done he doffed his own raiment and habited the man in royal gear
and hooded him with the Taylasán[FN#48] and asked him saying,
"What proof hast thou of my being a son of adultery?" The Sharper
answered, "O my lord, my proof was thy bidding our being
rationed, after showing the perfection of our skill, with a dish
of roast meat and two scones of bread; whereby I knew thee to be
of cook's breed, for the Kings be wont in such case to make
presents of money and valuables, not of meat and bread as thou
didst, and this evidenced thee to be a bastard King." He replied,
"Sooth thou sayest," and then robed him with the rest of his
robes including the Kalansuwah or royal head-dress under the
hood[FN#49] and seated him upon the throne of his estate.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive." Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-second Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
enthroned the Sharper upon the throne of estate and went forth
from him after abandoning all his women to him and assumed the
garb of a Darwaysh who wandereth about the world and formally
abdicated his dominion to his successor. But when the Sharper-
king saw himself in this condition, he reflected and said to
himself, "Summon thy whilome comrades and see whether they
recognize thee or not." So he caused them be set before him and
conversed with them; then, perceiving that none knew him he
gifted them and sent them to gang their gait. And he ruled his
realm and bade and forbade and gave and took away and was
gracious and generous to each and every of his lieges; so that
the people of that region who were his subjects blessed him and
prayed for him. Such was the case with the Sharper; but as for




The Sultan who Fared Forth in the Habit of a
Darwaysh,[FN#50]



He ceased not wayfaring, as become a wanderer, till he came to
Cairo[FN#51] city whose circuit was a march of two and a half
days and which then was ruled by her own King Mohammed hight. He
found the folk in safety and prosperity and good ordinance; and
he solaced himself by strolling about the streets to the right
and left and he diverted his mind by considering the crowds and
the world of men contained in the capital, until he drew near the
palace when suddenly he sighted the Sultan returning from the
chase and from taking his pleasure. Seeing this the Darwaysh
retired to the wayside, and the King happening to glance in that
direction, saw him standing and discerned in him the signs of
former prosperity. So he said to one of his suite, "Take yon man
with thee and entertain him till I send for him." His bidding
being obeyed he entered the Palace and, when he had rested from
the fatigues of the way, he summoned the Fakír to the presence
and questioned him of his condition, saying, "Thou, from what
land art thou?" He responded, "O my lord, I am a beggar man;" and
the other rejoined, "There is no help but that thou tell me what
brought thee hither." The Darwaysh retorted, "O my lord, this may
not be save in privacy," and the other exclaimed, "Be it so for
thee." The twain then arose and repaired to a retired room in the
Palace and the Fakir recounted to the Sultan all that had
befallen him since the loss of his kingship and also how he, a
Sultan, had given up the throne of his realm and had made himself
a Darwaysh. The Sovran marvelled at his self-denial in yielding
up the royal estate and cried, "Laud be to Him who degradeth and
upraiseth, who honoureth and humbleth by the wise ordinance of
His All-might," presently adding, "O Darwaysh, I have passed
through an adventure which is marvellous; indeed 'tis one of the
Wonders of the World[FN#52] which I needs must relate to thee nor
from thee withhold aught thereof." And he fell to telling--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased
saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How
sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King
fell to telling the beggar man




The History of Mohammed, Sultan of Cairo.



I began my career in the world as a Darwaysh, an asker, owning
naught of the comforts and conveniences of life, till at length,
one day of the days, I became possessor of just ten
silverlings[FN#53] (and no more) which I resolved to expend upon
myself. Accordingly I walked into the Bazar purposing to purchase
somewhat of provaunt. While I was looking around, I espied a man
passing by and leading in an iron chain a dog-faced baboon and
crying "Haraj![FN#54] this ape is for sale at the price of ten
faddahs." The folk jibed at the man and jeered at his ape; but
quoth I to myself, "Buy this beast and expend upon it the ten
silverlings." Accordingly I drew near the seller and said to him,
"Take these ten faddahs;" whereupon he took them and gave me the
ape which I led to the cell wherein I dwelt. Then I opened the
door and went in with my bargain but began debating in my mind
what to do and said, "How shall I manage a meal for the baboon
and myself?" While I was considering behold, the beast was
suddenly transformed, and became a young man fair of favour who
had no equal in loveliness and stature and symmetric grace,
perfect as the moon at full on the fourteenth night; and he
addressed me saying, "O Shaykh Mohammed, thou hast bought me with
ten faddahs, being all thou hadst and art debating how we shall
feed, I and thou." Quoth I, "What art thou?" and quoth he, "Query
me no questions, concerning whatso thou shalt see, for good luck
hath come to thee." Then he gave me an Ashrafi[FN#55] and said,
"Take this piece of gold and fare thee forth to the Bazar and get
us somewhat to eat and drink." I took it from him and repairing
to the market purchased whatso food our case required; then
returning to the cell set the victual before him and seated
myself by his side. So we ate our sufficiency and passed that
night, I and he, in the cell, and, when Allah caused the morn to
dawn, he said to me, "O man, this room is not suitable to us: hie
thee and hire a larger lodging." I replied, "To hear is to obey;"
and, rising without stay or delay, went and took a room more
roomy in the upper part of the Wakálah.[FN#56] Thither we
removed, I and the youth, and presently he gave me ten dinars
more and said, "Go to the Bazar and buy thee furniture as much as
is wanted." Accordingly, I went forth and bought what he ordered
and on my return I found before him a bundle containing a suit of
clothes suitable for the Kings. These he gave to me desiring that
I hie me to the Hammam and don them after bathing, so I did his
bidding and washed and dressed myself and found in each pocket of
the many pockets an hundred gold pieces; and presently when I had
donned the dress I said to myself, "Am I dreaming or wide
awake?"[FN#57] Then I returned to the youth in the room and when
he saw me he rose to his feet and commended my figure and seated
me beside him. Presently he brought up a bigger bundle and bade
me take it and repair to the Sultan of the City and at the same
time ask his daughter in marriage for myself.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan
of Cairo continued:[FN#58]--So I took it and repaired with it to
the King of that city, and a slave whom the youth had bought bore
the bundle. Now when I approached the Palace I found thereabout
the Chamberlains and Eunuchs and Lords of the Land: so I drew
near them and when they saw me in that suit they approved my
appearance and questioned me saying, "What be thy business and
what dost thou require?" I replied, "My wish is to have audience
of the King," and they rejoined, "Wait a little while till we
obtain for thee his permission." Then one of the ushers went in
and reported the matter to the Sultan who gave orders to admit
me; so the man came out and led me within and on entering the
presence I salamed to the Sovran and wished him welfare and
presently set before him the bundle, saying, "O King of the Age,
this be in the way of a gift which besitteth my station not thine
estate." The Sultan bade the package be spread out, and he looked
into it and saw a suit of royal apparel whose like he never had
owned. So he was astonished at the sight and said in his mind,
"By Allah, I possess naught like this, nor was I ever master of
so magnificent a garment;" presently adding, "It shall be
accepted, O Shaykh, but needs must thou have some want or
requisition from me." I replied, "O King of the Age, my wish is
to become thy connection through that lady concealed and pearl
unrevealed, thy daughter." When the Sultan heard these words, he
turned to his Wazir and said, "Counsel me as to what I should do
in the matter of this man?" Said he, "O King of the Age, show him
thy most precious stone and say him, 'An thou have a jewel
evening this one it shall be my daughter's marriage-dowry.'" The
King did as he was advised, whereat I was wild with wonderment
and asked him, "An I bring thee such a gem wilt thou give me the
Princess?" He answered, "Yea, verily!" and I took my leave
bearing with me the jewel to the young man who was awaiting me in
the room.[FN#59] He enquired of me, "Hast thou proposed for
Princess?" and I replied, "Yes: I have spoken with the Sultan
concerning her, when he brought out this stone, saying to me, 'An
thou have a jewel evening this one, it shall be my daughter's
marriage dowry;' nor hath the Sultan power to false his word."
The youth rejoined, "This day I can do naught, but to-morrow
(Inshallah!) I will bring thee ten jewels like it and these thou
shalt carry and present to the Sovran." Accordingly when the
morning dawned he arose and fared forth and after an hour or so
he returned with ten gems which he gave me. I took them and
repaired with them to the Sultan and, entering the presence, I
presented to him all the ten. When he looked upon the precious
stones he wondered at their brilliant water and turning to the
Wazir again asked him how he should act in this matter. Replied
the Minister, "O King of the Age, thou requiredst of him but one
jewel and he hath brought thee ten; 'tis therefore only right and
fair to give him thy daughter."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then
quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where
is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming
night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the
next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Minister said to the Monarch, "Give him thy daughter."
Accordingly the Sultan summoned the Kazis and the Efendis[FN#60]
who wrote out the marriage-contract between me and the Princess.
Then I returned to the youth who had remained in the room and
told him all that had occurred when he said, "'Twere best to
conclude the wedding-ceremony and pay the first visit to thy
bride at once; but thou shalt on no wise consummate the nuptials
until I bid thee go in unto her, after somewhat shall have been
done by me." "Hearing and obeying," replied I; and, when the
night of going in[FN#61] came, I visited the Sultan's daughter
but sat apart from her by the side of the room during the first
night and the second and the third; nor did I approach her
although every day her mother came and asked her the usual
question[FN#62] and she answered, "He hath never approached me."
So she grieved with sore grief for that 'tis the wont of
womankind, when a maid is married and her groom goeth not in unto
her, to deem that haply folk will attribute it to some matter
which is not wholly right. After the third night the mother
reported the case to her father who cried, "This night except he
abate her pucelage I will slay him!" The tidings reached my bride
who told all to me, so I repaired to the young man and acquainted
him therewith. He cried, "When thou shalt visit her say, 'By
Allah, I will not enjoy thee unless thou give me the
amulet-bracelet hanging to thy right shoulder.'" I replied, "To
hear is to obey;" and, when I went in to her at nightfall, I
asked her, "Dost thou really desire me to futter thee?" She
answered, "I do indeed;" so I rejoined, "Then give me the
amulet-bracelet hanging over thy right shoulder." She arose
forthright and unbound it and gave it to me, whereupon I bled her
of the hymeneal blood[FN#63] and going to the young man gave him
the jewel. Then I returned to my bride and slept by her side till
the morning when I awoke and found myself lying outstreched in my
own caravanserai-cell. I was wonderstruck and asked myself, "Am I
on wake or in a dream?" and I saw my whilome garments, the
patched gabardine[FN#64] and tattered shirt alone with my little
drum;[FN#65] but the fine suit given to me by the youth was not
on my body nor did I espy any sign of it anywhere. So with fire
burning in my heart after what had befallen me, I wandered about
crowded sites and lone spots and in my distraction I knew not
what to do, whither to go or whence to come; when lo and behold!
I found sitting in an unfrequented part of the street a
Maghrabi,[FN#66] a Barbary man, who had before him some written
leaves and was casting omens for sundry bystanders. Seeing this
state of things, I came forward and drew near him and made him a
salam which he returned; then, after considering my features
straitly, he exclaimed, "O Shaykh, hath that Accursed done it and
torn thee from thy bride?" "Yes," I replied. Hereupon he said to
me, "Wait a little while," and seated me beside him; then, as
soon as the crowd dispersed he said, "O Shaykh, the baboon which
thou boughtest for ten silver bits and which was presently
transformed into a young man of Adam's sons, is not a human of
the sons of Adam but a Jinni who is enamoured of the Princess
thou didst wed. However, he could not approach her by reason of
the charmed bracelet hanging from her right shoulder, wherefore
he served thee this sleight and won it and now he still weareth
it. But I will soon work his destruction to the end that Jinnkind
and mankind may be at rest from his mischief; for he is one of
the rebellious and misbegotten imps who break the law of our lord
Solomon (upon whom be the Peace!)." Presently the Maghrabi took a
leaf and wrote upon it as it were a book.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the
Maghrabi wrote a writ and signed his name within and sealed it;
after which he handed it to me saying, "O Shaykh, take this
missive and hie thee herewith to a certain spot where thou must
wait and observe those who pass by. Hearten thy heart and when
thou shalt see approaching thee a man attended by a numerous
train, present to him this scroll for 'tis he who will win for
thee thy wish." I took the note from the Barbary man and fared
forth to the place which he had described and ceased not faring
till I reached it after travelling all that night and half the
next day; then I sat down until darkness set in to await whatso
might befal me. When a fourth part of the night had passed, a
dazzling glare of lights suddenly appeared from afar advancing
towards me; and as it shone nearer, I made out men bearing
flambeaux[FN#67] and lanthorns, also a train of attendants
befitting the Kings. They looked on and considered me whilst my
heart fluttered with fear, and I was in sore affright. But the
procession defiled and drew off from before me, marching two
after two, and presently appeared the chief cortčge wherein was a
Sultan[FN#68] of the Jánn. As he neared me I heartened my heart
and advanced and presented to him the letter which he, having
halted, opened and read aloud; and it was:--"Be it known to thee,
O Sultan of the Jann, that the bearer of this our epistle hath a
need which thou must grant him by destroying his foe; and if
opposition be offered by any we will do the opponent die. An thou
fail to relieve him thou wilt know to seek from me relief for
thyself." When the King of the Jann had read the writ and had
mastered its meaning and its mysteries, he forthwith called out
to one of his serjeants[FN#69] who at once came forward and bade
him bring into his presence without delay such-and-such a Jinni
who by his spells had wrought round the daughter of the Cairene
Sultan. The messenger replied, "Hearing and obeying," and
departed from him and disappearing was absent an hour or
thereabouts; after which he and others returned with the Jinni
and set him standing before the King who exclaimed, "Wherefore, O
Accurst, hast thou wrought ill to this man and done on this wise
and on that wise?" He replied, "O my lord, all came of my
fondness for the Princess who wore a charm in her armlet which
hindered my approaching her and therefore I made use of this man
to effect my purpose. I became master of the talisman and won my
wish but I love the maiden and never will I harm her." Now when
the Sultan heard these words he said, "Thy case can be after one
of two fashions only. Either return the armlet that the man may
be reunited with his wife and she with her husband as whilome
they were; or contrary me and I will command the headsman strike
thy neck." Now when the Jinni heard this speech (and 'twas he who
had assumed the semblance of a dog-faced baboon), he refused and
was rebellious to the King and cried, "I will not return the
armlet nor will I release the damsel, for none can possess her
save myself." And having spoken in this way he attempted to
flee.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent
and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister
Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and
enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared
with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran
suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that
was

The Three Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Márid
would fain have fled from before the King of the Jann, but the
Sovran bade other Marids and more forceful arrest him; so they
seized him and pinioned him and bound him in chains and collar
and dragged him behind the King of the Jann till the latter had
reached his place and had summoned him and had taken from him the
armlet. Then the Sultan gave order for him to be slain and they
slew him. When this was done, I prayed for the charm-armlet and I
recovered it after the Marid's death; they also restored to me my
fine suit. So I proceeded to the city which I entered, and as
soon as the guards and courtiers saw me, they cried out for joy
and said, "This is the son-in-law of the Sultan who was lost!"
Hereat all the lieges hurried up to me and received me with high
respect and greeted me. But after entering the Palace I proceeded
forthright till I reached the apartment set apart by them for
myself and my spouse whom I found in a deep sleep and stupefied,
as it were; a condition in which she had lain ever since I took
from her the talismanic armlet. So I replaced the jewel upon her
right shoulder and she awoke and arose and ordered herself;
whereat her father and family and the Lords of the Land and all
the folk joyed with exceeding joy. After this we lived together
in all happiness till the death of her sire who, having no son,
named me his successor so that I became what I am. Now when the
Darwaysh-Sultan heard all this he was astounded at what happeneth
in this world of marvels and miracles; upon which I said to him,
"O my brother wonder not; for whatso is predetermined shall
perforce be carried out. But thou needs must become my Wazir;
because thou art experienced in rule and governance and, since
what time my sire-in-law the Sultan died, I have been perplexed
in my plight being unable to find me a Minister who can
administer the monarchy. So do thou become my Chief Counsellor in
the realm." Thereupon the Darwaysh replied, "Hearkening and
obedience." The Sultan then robed him in a sumptuous robe of
honour and committed to him his seal-ring and all other matters
pertinent to his office, at the same time setting apart for him a
palace, spacious of corners, which he furnished with splendid
furniture and wadded carpets and vaiselle and other such matters.
So the Wazir took his seat of office and held a Divan or Council
of State forthright and commanded and countermanded, and bade and
forbade according as he saw just and equitable; and his fame for
equity and justice was disproved abroad; insomuch that who ever
had a cause or request or other business he would come to the
Wazir for ordering whatso he deemed advisable. In this condition
he continued for many years till, on a day of the days, the
Sultan's mind was depressed. Upon this he sent after the Minister
who attended at his bidding, when he said, "O Wazir, my heart is
heavy!" "Enter then," replied the Minister, "O King, into thy
treasury of jewels and rubies and turn them over in thy hands and
thy breast will be broadened." The Sultan did accordingly but it
took no effect upon his ennui; so he said, "O Wazir, I cannot win
free of this melancholic humour and nothing pleasureth me in my
palace; so let us fare forth, I and thou, in disguise." "Hearing
is obeying," quoth the Minister. The twain then retired into a
private chamber to shift their garb and habited themselves as
Darwayshes, the Darwayshes of Ajam-land, and went forth and
passed through the city right and left till they reached a
Máristán, a hospital for lunatics.[FN#70] Here they found two
young men, one reading the Koran[FN#71] and the other hearkening
to him, both being in chains like men Jinn-mad; and the Sultan
said in his mind, "By Allah, this is a marvel-case," and bespake
the men asking, "Are ye really insane?" They answered saying,
"No, by Allah; we are not daft but so admirable are our
adventures that were they graven with needle-gravers upon the
eye-corners they had been warners to whoso would be warned."
"What are they?" quoth the King, and quoth they, "Each of us, by
Allah, hath his own story;" and presently he who had been reading
exclaimed, "O King of the Age, hear my tale."--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say
her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is
thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!"
Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate
to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?"
Now when it was the next night, and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-eighth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
began relating to the Sultan




The Story of the First Lunatic.[FN#72]



I was a merchant and kept a shop wherein were Hindi goods of all
kinds and colours, highmost priced articles; and I sold and
bought with much profit. I continued in this condition a while of
time till one day of the days as I, according to my custom, was
sitting in my shop an old woman came up and gave me the good
morning and greeted me with the salam. I returned her salute when
she seated her upon the shopboard and asked me saying, "O master,
hast thou any pieces of choice Indian stuffs?" I replied, "O my
mistress, I have with me whatso thou wantest;" and she rejoined,
"Bring me forth one of them." Accordingly I arose and fetched her
a Hindi piece of the costliest price and placed it in her hands.
She took it and examining it was greatly pleased by its beauty
and presently said to me, "O my lord, for how much is this?" Said
I, "Five hundred dinars;" whereupon she pulled forth her purse
and counted out to me the five hundred gold pieces. Then she took
the stuff and went her ways; and I, O our lord the Sultan, had
sold to her for five hundred sequins a piece of cloth worth at
cost price three hundred and fifty gold pieces. She came to me
again, O my lord, on the next day and asked me for another piece;
so I rose up and brought her the bundle and she paid me once more
five hundred dinars: then she took up her bargain and ganged her
gait. She did the same, O my lord, on the third and the fourth
day and so on to the fifteenth, taking a piece of stuff from me
and paying me regularly five hun- dred golden pieces for each
bargain. On the sixteenth behold, she entered my shop as was her
wont, but she found not her purse; so she said to me, "O
Khwájah,[FN#73] I have left my purse at home." Said I, "O my
lady, an thou return 'tis well and if not thou art welcome to
it." She sware she would not take it and I, on the other hand,
sware her to carry it off as a token of love and
friendship.[FN#74] Thereupon debate fell between us, and I, O our
lord the Sultan, had made muchel of money by her and, had she
taken two pieces gratis, I would not have asked questions anent
them. At last she cried, "O Khwajah, I have sworn an oath and
thou hast sworn an oath, and we shall never agree except thou
favour me by accompanying me to my house so thou mayest receive
the value of the stuff, when neither of us will have been
forsworn: therefore lock up thy shop lest anything be lost in
thine absence." Accordingly I bolted my door and went with her, O
our lord the Sultan, and we ceased not walking, conversing the
while we walked, I and she, until we neared her abode when she
pulled out a kerchief from her girdle and said, "'Tis my desire
to bind this over thine eyes." Quoth I, "For what cause?" and
quoth she, "For that on our way be sundry houses whose doors are
open and the women are sitting in the vestibules of their homes,
so that haply thy glance may alight upon some one of them,
married or maid, and thy heart become engaged in a love-affair
and thou abide distraight, because in this quarter of the town be
many fair faces, wives and virgins, who would fascinate even a
religious, and wherefore we are alarmed for thy peace of mind."
Upon this I said in myself, "By Allah, this old woman is able of
advice;" and I consented to her requirement, when she bound the
kerchief over my eyes and blindfolded me. Then we walked on till
we came to the house she sought; and when she rapped with the
door-ring a slave-girl came out and opening the door let us in.
The old body then approached me and unbound the kerchief from
over my eyes; whereupon I looked around me, holding myself to be
a captive, and I found me in a mansion having sundry separate
apartments in the wings and 'twas richly decorated resembling the
palaces of the Kings.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth
her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And
where is this com- pared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was
the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
pursued:--By Allah, O our lord the Sultan, of that house I never
saw the fellow. She then bade me hide within a room and I did her
bidding in a corner place where beside me I beheld heaped
together and cast down in that private site all the pieces of
stuff which the ancient dame had purchased of me. Seeing this I
marvelled in my mind and lo! appeared two damsels as they were
moons and came down from an upper story till they stood on the
ground-floor; after which they cut a piece of cloth into twain
and each maiden took one and tucked up her sleeves. They then
sprinkled the court of that palace with water of the rose and of
the orange-flower,[FN#75] wiping the surface with the cloth and
rubing it till it became as silver; after which the two girls
retired into an inner room and brought out some fifty
chairs[FN#76] which they set down, and placed over each seat a
rug[FN#77] with cushions of brocade. They then carried in a
larger chair of gold and placed upon it a carpet with cushions of
orfrayed work and after a time they withdrew. Presently, there
descended from the staircase, two following two, a host of
maidens in number till they evened the chairs and each one of
them sat down upon her own, and at last suddenly appeared a young
lady in whose service were ten damsels, and she walked up to and
they seated her upon the great chair. When I beheld her, O my
lord the Sultan, my right senses left me and my wits fled me and
I was astounded at her loveliness and her stature and her
symmetric grace as she swayed to and fro in her pride of beauty
and gladsome spirits amongst those damsels and laughed and
sported with them. At last she cried aloud, "O mother mine!" when
the ancient dame answered her call and she asked her, "Hast thou
brought the young man?" The old woman replied, "Yes, he is
present between thy hands;" and the fair lady said, "Bring him
hither to me!" But when I heard these words I said to myself,
"There is no Majesty and there is no Might, save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great! Doubtless when this damsel shall have
discovered my being in such hiding place she will bid them do me
die." The old woman then came forwards to me and led me before
the young lady seated on the great chair; and, when I stood in
her presence, she smiled in my face and saluted me with the salam
and welcomed me; after which she signed for a seat to be brought
and when her bidding was obeyed set it close beside her own. She
then commanded me to sit and I seated me by her side.--And
Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad,
"How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fiftieth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
pursued:--She seated me beside her, O our lord the Sultan, and
fell to talking and joking with me for an hour or so when she
said, "O youth, what sayest thou of me and of my beauty and my
loveliness? Would Heaven that I could occupy thy thought and
please thee so that I might become to thee wife and thou be to me
man." When I heard these her words I replied, "O my lady, how
dare I presume to attain such honour? Indeed I do not deem myself
worthy to become a slave between thy hands." Hereupon said she,
"Nay, O young man, my words have in them nor evasion nor
alteration; so be not disheartened or fearful of returning me a
reply, for that my heart is fulfilled of thy love." I now
understood, O our lord the Sultan, that the damsel was desirous
of marrying me; but I could not conceive what was the cause
thereof or who could have given her intelligence concerning me.
She continued to enjoy herself in the gladsomest way till at
length I was emboldened to say to her, "O my lady, an thy words
to me be after the fashion of thy will, remember the proverb,
'When a kindness is to be done, this is its time.'" "By Allah, O
youth, there cannot be a more fortunate day than this present."
"O my lady, what shall I apportion to thee for dowry?" "The dowry
hath been paid to me in the value of the stuffs which thou
entrustedst to this ancient dame who is my mother!" "That cannot
suffice." "By Allah, naught shall be added; but, O youth, 'tis my
intention forthright to send after the Kazi and his Asses- sors
and I will choose me a trustee[FN#78] that they may tie together
us twain without delay; and thou shalt come in to me this coming
evening. But all such things be upon one condition." "And what
may be thy condition?" "This, that thou swear never to address or
to draw near any woman save myself." And I, O our lord the
Sultan, being unmarried and eager to possess so beautiful a
bride, said to her, "This be thine; and I will never contrary
thee by word or by deed." She then sent to summon the Kazi and
his witnesses and appointed an agent; upon which they knotted the
knot. After the marriage ceremony was ended she ordered
coffee[FN#79] and sherbets and gave somewhat of dirhams to the
Kazi and a robe of honour to her trustee; and this done, all went
their several ways. I was lost in astonishment and said in my
mind, "Do I dream or am I on wake?" She then commanded her
damsels to clear the Hammam-bath and cleanse it and fill it
afresh and get ready towels and waist-cloths and silken
napkins[FN#80] and scented woods and essences, as virgin
ambergris and ottars and perfumes of vari-coloured hues and
kinds. And when they had executed her orders, she ordered the
Eunuchry standing in her service to take me and bear me to the
Bath, largessing each one with a sumptuous dress. They led me
into a Hammam which had been made private and I saw a place
tongue is powerless to portray. And as we arrived there they
spread vari-coloured carpets upon which I sat me down and doffed
what clothing was upon me: then I entered the hot rooms and smelt
delicious scents diffused from the sides of the hall,
sandal-wood, Comorin lign-aloes and other such fragrant
substances. Here they came up to me and seated me, lathering me
with perfumed soaps and shampoo'd me till my body became
silver-bright; when they fetched the metal tasses and I washed
with water luke-warm after which they brought me cold water
mingled with rose water and I sprinkled it over me. After this
they supplied me with silken napkins and drying-towels of
palm-fibre[FN#81] wherewith I rubbed me and then repaired to the
cool room outside the calidarium[FN#82] where I found a royal
dress. The Eunuchry arrayed me therein and after fumigating me
with the smoke of lign-aloes served up somewhat of
confections[FN#83] and coffee and sherbets of sundry sorts; so I
drank after eating the Ma'jun. About eventide I left the Baths
with all the Eunuchry in attendance on me and we walked till we
entered the Palace and they led me into a closet spread with
kingly carpets and cushions. And behold, she came up to me
attired in a new habit more sumptuous than that I had seen her
wearing erewhile.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister
mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is
this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night
an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next
night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-first Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued:--And I, O our lord the Sultan, went into the closet
and behold, she met me wearing a habit of the most sumptuous: so
when I sighted her she seemed to me from the richness of her
ornaments like an enchanted hoard wherefrom the talisman had been
newly removed. She sat down beside me and bent lovingly over me
and I rose up for I could no longer contain my passion and
wrought that work which was to be worked.[FN#84] Presently she
again disappeared but soon returned in vestments even richer than
the last and she did with me as before and I embraced her once
more. In short, O our lord the Sultan, we ceased not dwelling
together, I and she, in joyaunce and enjoyment, laughter and
disport and delicious converse for a space of twenty days. At the
end of this time I called to mind my lady-mother, and said to the
dame I had espoused, "O my lady, 'tis long since I have been
absent from home and 'tis long since my parent hath seen me or
wotteth aught concerning me: needs must she be pining and
grieving for my sake. So do thou give me leave to visit her and
look after my mother and also after my shop." Quoth she, "No harm
in that: thou mayst visit thy mother daily and busy thyself about
thy shop-business; but this ancient dame (my mother) is she who
must lead thee out and bring thee back." Whereto I replied, "'Tis
well." Upon this the old woman came in and tied a kerchief over
my eyes according to custom and fared forth with me till we
reached the spot where she had been wont to remove the bandage.
Here she unbound it saying, "We'll expect thee to-morrow about
noontide and when thou comest to this place, thou shalt see me
awaiting thee." I left her and repaired to my mother whom I found
grieving and weeping at my absence; and upon seeing me she rose
up and threw her arms round my neck with tears of joy. I said,
"Weep not, O my mother, for the cause of my absence hath been a
certain matter which be thus and thus." I then related to her my
adventure and she on hearing it was rejoiced thereby and
exclaimed, "O my son, may Allah give thee gladness; but I pray
thee solace me[FN#85] at least every two days with a visit that
my longing for thee may be satisfied." I replied,"This shall be
done;" and thenceforth, O our lord the Sultan, I went to my shop
and busied myself as was my wont till noontide, when I returned
to the place appointed and found the old woman awaiting me. Nor
did I ever fare forth from the mansion without her binding my
eyes with the kerchief which she loosed only when we reached my
own house; and whenever I asked her of this she would answer, "On
our way be sundry houses whose doors are open and the women
sitting in the vestibules of their homes, so that haply thy
glance may alight upon some one of them, matron or maid: all
sniff up love like water,[FN#86] and we fear for thee lest thy
heart be netted in the net of amours."For thirty days, a whole
month, I continued to go and come after this fashion but, O our
lord the Sultan, at all times and tides I was drowned in thought
and wondered in my mind, saying, "What chance caused me forgather
with this damsel? What made me marry her? Whence this wealth
which is under her hand? How came I to win union with her?" For I
knew not the cause of all this. Now, on a day of the days, I
found an opportunity of being private with one of her black slave
girls[FN#87] and questioned her of all these matters that
concerned her mistress. She replied, "O my lord, the history of
my lady is marvellous; but I dare not relate it to thee in fear
lest she hear thereof and do me die." So I said to her, "By
Allah, O handmaid of good, an thou wilt say me sooth I will veil
it darkly for in the keeping of secrets there is none like
myself: nor will I reveal it at any time." Then I took oath of
secrecy when she said, "O my lord,"--And Shahrazad was surprised
by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy
story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth
she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you
on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now
when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-second Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued:--Then the handmaiden said to me, "O my lord, my lady
went forth one day of the days to the Hammam with the object of
pleasuring and of diverting herself, for which purpose she made
goodly preparation including gifts and presents,[FN#88] matters
worth a mint of money.[FN#89] After leaving the baths she set out
upon an excursion to eat the noon-day meal in a flower garden
where she enjoyed herself with exceeding joy and enjoyment,
eating and drinking till the evening; and when she designed to
depart she collected the fragments of the feast and distributed
them amongst the mean and the mesquin. On her return she passed
through the Bazar-street wherein standeth thy shop, and it was a
Friday when thou wast sitting, adorned with thy finest dress, in
converse with the nearest neighbour. And suddenly as she fared
by, she beheld thee in such state and her heart was stricken with
sore stroke of love albeit none of us observed her condition and
what affection she had conceived for thee. However, no sooner had
she reached her palace than her melancholy began to grow upon her
with groans and her cark and care, and her colour left her: she
ate and drank little and less and her sleep forsook her and her
frame was sorely enfeebled till at last she took to her bed. Upon
this her mother went to summon a learned man[FN#90] or a
mediciner that he might consider the condition of her daughter
and what sickness had gotten about her: she was absent for an
hour and returned with an ancient dame who took seat beside her
and putting forth her hand felt the patient's pulse. But she
could perceive in her no bodily ailment or pain, upon which the
old woman understood her case, but she durst not bespeak her of
it nor mention to her mother that the girl's heart was distraught
by love. So she said, 'There is no harm to thee! and (Inshallah!)
to-morrow I will return hither to thee and bring with me a
certain medicine.' She then went forth from us and leading the
mother to a place apart, said to her, 'O my lady, Allah upon
thee, pardon me for whatso I shall mention and be thou convinced
that my words are true and keep them secret nor divulge them to
any.' The other replied, 'Say on and fear not for aught which
hath become manifest to thee of my daughter's unweal: haply Allah
will vouchsafe welfare.' She rejoined, 'Verily, thy daughter hath
no bodily disorder or malady of the disease kind but she is in
love and there can be no cure for her save union with her
beloved.' Quoth the mother, 'And how about the coming of her
sweetheart? This is a matter which may not be managed except thou
show us some contrivance whereby to bring this youth hither and
marry him to her. But contriv- ance is with Allah.' Then the old
lady went her ways forthright and the girl's mother sought her
daughter and said to her after kindly fashion, 'O my child, as
for thee thy disorder is a secret and not a bodily disease. Tell
me of him thou requirest and fear naught from me; belike Allah
will open to us the gate of con- trivance whereby thou shalt win
to thy wish.' Now when the maiden heard these words she was
abashed before her parent and kept silence, being ashamed to
speak; nor would she return any reply for the space of twenty
days. But during this term her distraction increased and her
mother ceased not to repeat the same words, time after time, till
it became manifest to the parent that the daughter was madly in
love with a young man; so at last quoth she, 'Describe him to
me.' Quoth the other, 'O mother mine, indeed he is young of years
and fair of favour; also he woneth in such a Bazar, methinks on
its southern side.' Therewith the dame arose without stay or
delay and fared forth to find the young man and 'tis thyself, O
youth! And when the mother saw thee she took from thee a piece of
cloth and brought it to her daughter and promised thou shouldst
visit her. Thence- forwards she ceased not repeating her calls to
thee for the period thou wottest well until by her cunning she
brought thee hither; and that happened which happened and thou
didst take the daughter to wife. Such is her tale and beware lest
thou reveal my disclosure." "No, by Allah," replied I. Then the
lunatic resumed speaking to the Sultan:--O my lord, I continued
to cohabit with her for the space of one month, going daily to
see my mother and to sell in my shop and I returned to my wife
every evening blindfolded and guided as usual by my
mother-in-law. Now one day of the days as I was sitting at my
business, a damsel came into the Bazar-street.--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her
permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and
tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and
delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I
would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me
to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth
continued:--A damsel came into the Bazar-street bearing the image
of a cock made of precious ore and crusted with pearls and rubies
and other gems; and she offered it to the goodmen[FN#91] of the
market for sale. So they opened the biddings at five hundred
dinars and they ceased not contending[FN#92] thereanent till the
price went up to nine hundred and fifty gold pieces. All this
time and I looked on nor did I interfere by speaking a syllable
or by adding to the biddings a single bit of gold. At last, when
none would offer aught more, the girl came up to me and said, "O
my lord, all the gentlemen have increased their biddings for the
cock; but thou hast neither bidden nor heartened my heart by one
kind word." Quoth I, "I have no need thereof;" and quoth she, "By
Allah, needs must thou bid somewhat more than the others." I
replied, "Since there is no help for it, I will add fifty dinars
which will fill up the thousand." She rejoined, "Allah gar thee
gain!"[FN#93] So I fared into my shop to fetch the money, saying
in my mind, "I will present this curiosity to my Harim: haply
'twill pleasure her." But when I was about, O my lord the Sultan,
to count out the thousand ducats, the damsel would not accept
aught of me but said, "I have a request to make of thee, O youth!
to wit, that I may take one kiss from thy cheek." I asked her,
"For what purpose?" and she answered, "I want one kiss of thy
cheek which shall be the price of my cock, for I need of thee
naught else." I thought to myself, "By Allah, a single kiss of my
cheek for the value of a thousand sequins were an easy price;"
and I gave my consent thereto, O my lord. Then she came up to me
and leaned over me and bussed my cheek, but after the kiss she
bit me with a bite which left its mark:[FN#94] then she gave me
the cock and went her ways in haste. Now when it was noon I made
for my wife's house and came upon the old woman awaiting me at
the customed stead and she bound the kerchief over my eyes and
after blindfolding them fared with me till we reached our home
when she unbound it. I found my wife sitting in the saloon
dressed from head to foot in cramoisy[FN#95] and with an ireful
face, whereupon I said to myself, "O Saviour,[FN#96] save me!" I
then went up to her and took out the cock which was covered with
pearls and rubies, thinking that her evil humour would vanish at
the sight of it and said, "O my lady, accept this cock for 'tis
curious and admirable to look upon; and I bought it to pleasure
thee." She put forth her hand and taking it from me examined it
by turning it rightwards and leftwards; then exclaimed, "Didst
thou in very sooth buy this on my account?" Replied I, "By Allah,
O my lady, I bought it for thee at a thousand gold pieces."
Hereupon she shook her head at me, O my lord the Sultan, and
cried out after a long look at my face, "What meaneth that bite
on thy cheek?" Then with a loud and angry voice she called to her
women who came down the stairs forthright bearing the body of a
young girl with the head cut off and set upon the middle of the
corpse;[FN#97] and I looked and behold, it was the head of the
damsel who had sold me the cock for a kiss and who had bitten my
cheek. Now my wife had sent her with the toy by way of trick,
saying to her, "Let us try this youth whom I have wedded and see
if he hold himself bound by his plighted word and pact or if he
be false and foul." But of all this I knew naught. Then she cried
a second cry and behold, up came three handmaids bearing with
them three cocks like that which I had brought for her and she
said, "Thou bringest me this one cock when I have these three
cocks; but inasmuch as, O youth, thou hast broken the covenant
that was between me and thee, I want thee no more: go forth! wend
thy ways forthright!" And she raged at me and cried to her
mother, "Take him away!"[FN#98]--And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted
say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And
where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the
coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Youth
continued to the King:--Hereupon the old woman, O my lord, hent
me by the hand and bound the kerchief over my eyes as was her
wont and led me to the customed place when she loosed the bandage
saying, "Begone!" and disappeared. But I, O my lord, became like
a madman and ran through the streets as one frantic crying, "Ah
her loveliness! Ah her stature! Ah her perfect grace! Ah her
ornaments!" Hereupon the folk seeing me and hearing me say these
words shouted out, "Yonder is a lunatic;" so they seized me
perforce and jailed me in the madhouse as thou hast seen me, O
our lord the Sultan. They say, "This man is Jinn-mad;" but, by
Allah, I am no maniac, O my lord, and such is my tale. Hereat the
King marvelled and bowed his brow groundwards for a while in deep
thought over this affair: then he raised his head and turning to
his Minister said, "O Wazir, by the truth of Him who made me
ruler of this realm, except thou discover the damsel who married
this youth, thy head shall pay forfeit." The Wazir was consterned
to hear the case of the young man; but he could not disobey the
royal commandment so he said, "Allow me three days of delay, O
our lord the Sultan;" and to this much of grace the King
consented. Then the Wazir craved dismissal and would have taken
the Youth with him; when the Sultan cried, "As soon as thou shalt
have hit upon the house, the young man will go into it and come
forth it like other folk." He replied, "Hearkening and
obedience." So he took the Youth and went out with aching head
and giddy as a drunken man, perplexed and unknowing whither he
should wend; and he threaded the city streets from right to left
and from east to west, tarrying at times that he might privily
question the folk. But naught discovered himself to him and he
made certain of death. In this condition he continued for two
days and the third till noontide, when he devised him a device
and said to the Youth, "Knowest thou the spot where the old woman
was wont to blindfold thine eyes?" He replied, "Yes." So the
Minister walked on with him till the young man exclaimed, "Here,
'tis this!"[FN#99] The Wazir then said, "O Youth, knowest thou
the door-ring wherewith she was wont to rap and canst thou
distinguish its sound?" He said, "I can." Accordingly, the Wazir
took him and went the round of all the houses in that quarter and
rapped with every door-ring asking him, "Is't this?" and he would
answer, "No." And the twain ceased not to do after such fashion
until they came to the door where the appointment had taken place
without risk threatened;[FN#100] and the Wazir knocked hard at it
and the Youth, hearing the knock, exclaimed, "O my lord, verily
this be the ring without question or doubt or uncertainty." So
the Minister knocked again with the same knocker and the
slave-girls threw open the door and the Wazir, entering with the
Youth, found that the palace belonged to the daughter of the
Sultan who had been succeeded by his liege lord.[FN#101] But when
the Princess saw the Minister together with her spouse, she
adorned herself and came down from the Harem and salam'd to him.
Thereupon he asked her, "What hath been thy business with this
young man?" So she told him her tale from first to last and he
said, "O my lady, the King commandeth that he enter and quit the
premises as before and that he come hither without his eyes being
bandaged with the kerchief." She obeyed and said, "The
commandments of our lord the Sultan shall be carried out." Such
was the history of that youth whom the Sultan heard reading the
Koran in the Máristán, the public madhouse: but as regards the
second Lunatic who sat listening, the Sultan asked him, "And
thou, the other, what be thy tale?" So he began to relate the




Story of the Second Lunatic.[FN#102]



"O my lord," quoth the young man, "my case is marvellous, and
haply thou wilt desire me to relate it in order continuous;" and
quoth the Sultan, "Let me hear it."--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy
tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she,
"And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on
the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it
was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the second
youth said:--O my lord the Sultan, I am by calling a merchant man


 


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