Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night (Arabian Nights) Volume 09 — Night 963 - 964

When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixty-third Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the damsel to her sister, "I have covenanted with him that I will not be united to him unlawfully; but, as he hath risked himself and incurred these perils, I will be earth for his treading and dust to his sandals!"

Replied her sister, "In this intent may Allah deliver him!"

; and my mistress rejoined, 'Soon shalt thou see how I will do, so I may lawfully foregather with him and there is no help but that I lavish my heart's blood to devise this.'

Now as we were in talk, behold, we heard a great noise and turning, saw the Caliph making for her chamber, so engrossed was he by the thought of her; whereupon she took me, O Prince of True Believers and hid me in a souterrain[FN#362] and shut down the trap-door upon me.

Then she went out to meet the Caliph, who entered and sat down, whilst she stood between his hands to serve him, and commanded to bring wine.

Now the Caliph loved a damsel by name Banjah, who was the mother of Al-Mu'tazz bi 'llah[FN#363]; but they had fallen out and parted; and in the pride of her beauty and loveliness she would not make peace with him, nor would Al-Mutawakkil, for the dignity of the Caliphate and the kingship, make peace with her neither humble himself to her, albeit his heart was aflame with passion for her, but sought to solace his mind from her with her mates among the slave-girls and with going in to them in their chambers.

Now he loved Shajarat al-Durr's singing: so he bade her sing, when she took the lute and tuning the strings sang these verses, 'The world-tricks I admire betwixt me and her; * How, us parted, the World would to me incline: I shunned thee till said they, 'He knows not Love;' * I sought thee till said they, 'No patience is mine!'

Then, O Love of her, add to my longing each night, * And, O Solace, thy comforts for Doomsday assign!

Soft as silk is her touch and her low sweet voice * Twixt o'er much and o'er little aye draweth the line: And eyne whereof Allah said 'Be ye!'

and they * Became to man's wit like the working of wine.'

When the Caliph heard these verses, he was pleasured with exceeding pleasure, and I also, O Commander of the Faithful, was pleasured in my hiding-place, and but for the bounty of Almighty Allah, I had cried out and we had been disgraced.

Then she sang also these couplets, 'I embrace him, yet after him yearns my soul * For his love, but can aught than embrace be nigher?

I kiss his lips to assuage my lowe; * But each kiss gars it glow with more flaming fire;

'Tis as though my vitals aye thirst unquencht * Till I see two souls mixt in one entire.'

The Caliph was delighted and said, 'O Shajarat al-Durr, ask a boon of me.'

She replied, 'O Commander of the Faithful, I ask of thee my freedom, for the sake of the reward thou wilt obtain therein.'

[FN#364] Quoth he, 'Thou art free for the love of Allah;' whereupon she kissed ground before him.

He resumed, 'Take the lute and sing me somewhat on the subject of my slave-girl, of whom I am enamoured with warmest love: the folk seek my pleasure and I seek hers.'

So she took the lute and sang these two couplets, 'My charmer who spellest my piety[FN#365] * On all accounts I'll have thee, have thee, Or by humble suit which besitteth Love * Or by force more fitting my sovranty.'

The Caliph admired these verses and said, 'Now, take up thy lute and sing me a song setting out my case with three damsels who hold the reins of my heart and make rest depart; and they are thyself and that wilful one and another I will not name, who hath not her like.'

[FN#366] So she took the lute and playing a lively measure, sang these couplets, 'Three lovely girls hold my bridle-rein * And in highest stead my heart overreign.

I have none to obey amid all mankind * But obeying them I but win disdain: This is done through the Kingship of Love, whereby * The best of my kingship they made their gain.'

The Caliph marvelled with exceeding marvel at the aptness of these verses to his case and his delight inclined him to reconciliation with the recalcitrant damsel.

So he went forth and made for her chamber whither a slave-girl preceded him and announced to her the coming of the Caliph.

She advanced to meet him and kissed the ground before him; then she kissed his feet and he was reconciled to her and she was reconciled to him.

Such was the case with the Caliph; but as regards Shajarat al-Durr, she came to me rejoicing and said, 'I am become a free woman by thy blessed coming!

Surely Allah will help me in that which I shall contrive, so I may foregather with thee in lawful way.'

And I said, 'Alhamdolillah!'

Now as we were talking, behold her Mameluke-eunuch entered and we related to him that which had passed, when he said, 'Praised be Allah who hath made the affair to end well, and we implore the Almighty to crown His favours with thy safe faring forth the palace!'

Presently appeared my mistress's sister, whose name was Fátir, and Shajarat al-Durr said to her, 'O my sister, how shall we do to bring him out of the palace in safety; for indeed Allah hath vouchsafed me manumission and, by the blessing of his coming, I am become a free woman.'

Quoth Fatir, 'I see nothing for it but to dress him in woman's gear.'

So she brought me a suit of women's clothes and clad me therein; and I went out forthwith, O Commander of the Faithful; but, when I came to the midst of the palace, behold, I found the Caliph seated there, with the eunuchs in attendance upon him.

When he saw me, he misdoubted of me with exceeding doubt, and said to his suite, 'Hasten and bring me yonder handmaiden who is faring forth.'

So they brought me back to him and raised the veil from my face, which when he saw, he knew me and questioned me of my case.

I told him the whole truth, hiding naught, and when he heard my story, he pondered my case awhile, without stay or delay, and going into Shajarat al-Durr's chamber, said to her, 'How couldst thou prefer before me one of the sons of the merchants?'

She kissed ground between his hands and told him her tale from first to last, in accordance with the truth;

and he hearing it had compassion upon her and his heart relented to her and he excused her by reason of love and its circumstances.

Then he went away and her eunuch came in to her and said, 'Be of good cheer; for, when thy lover was set before the Caliph, he questioned him and he told him that which thou toldest him, word by word.'

Presently the Caliph returned and calling me before him, said to me, 'What made thee dare to violate the palace of the Caliphate?'

I replied, 'O Commander of the Faithful, 'twas my ignorance and passion and my confidence in thy clemency and generosity that drave me to this.'

And I wept and kissed the ground before him.

Then said he, 'I pardon you both,' and bade me be seated.

So I sat down and he sent for the Kazi Ahmad ibn Abi Duwád[FN#367] and married me to her.

Then he commanded to make over all that was hers to me and they displayed her to me[FN#368] in her lodging.

After three days, I went forth and transported all her goods and gear to my own house; so every thing thou hast seen, O Commander of the Faithful, in my house and whereof thou misdoubtest, is of her marriage-equipage.

After this, she said to me one day, 'Know that Al-Mutawakkil is a generous man and I fear lest he remember us with ill mind, or that some one of the envious remind him of us; wherefore I purpose to do somewhat that may ensure us against this.'

Quoth I, 'And what is that?

;' and quoth she, 'I mean to ask his leave to go the pilgrimage and repent[FN#369] of singing.'

I replied, 'Right is this rede thou redest;' but, as we were talking, behold, in came a messenger from the Caliph to seek her, for that Al-Mutawakkil loved her singing.

So she went with the officer and did her service to the Caliph, who said to her, 'Sever not thyself from us;'[FN#370] and she answered 'I hear and I obey.'

Now it chanced one day, after this, she went to him, he having sent for her, as was his wont; but, before I knew, she came back, with her raiment rent and her eyes full of tears.

At this I was alarmed, misdoubting me that he had commanded to seize upon us, and said, 'Verily we are Allah's and unto Him shall we return!

Is Al-Mutawakkil wroth with us?'

She replied, 'Where is Al-Mutawakkil?

Indeed Al-Mutawakkil's rule is ended and his trace is blotted out!'

Cried I, 'Tell me what has happened;' and she, 'He was seated behind the curtain, drinking, with Al-Fath bin Khákán[FN#371] and Sadakah bin Sadakah, when his son Al-Muntasir fell upon him, with a company of the Turks,[FN#372] and slew him;

and merriment was turned to misery and joy to weeping and wailing for annoy.

So I fled, I and the slave-girl, and Allah saved us.'

When I heard this, O Commander of the Faithful, I arose forthright and went down stream to Bassorah, where the news reached me of the falling out of war between Al-Muntasir and Al-Musta'ín bi 'llah;[FN#373] wherefore I was affrighted and transported my wife and all my wealth to Bassorah.

This, then, is my tale, O Prince of True Believers, nor have I added to or taken from it a single syllable.

So all that thou seest in my house, bearing the name of thy grandfather Al-Mutawakkil, is of his bounty to us, and the fount of our fortune is from thy noble sources;[FN#374] for indeed ye are people of munificence and a mine of beneficence."

The Caliph marvelled at his story and rejoiced therein with joy exceeding: and Abu al-Hasan brought forth to him the lady and the children she had borne him, and they kissed ground before the Caliph, who wondered at their beauty.

Then he called for inkcase and paper and wrote Abu al-Hasan a patent of exemption from taxes on his lands and houses for twenty years.

Moreover, he rejoiced in him and made him his cup-companion, till the world parted them and they took up their abode in the tombs, after having dwelt under the palace-domes;

and glory be to Allah, the King Merciful of doom.

And they also tell a tale concerning KAMAR AL-ZAMAN AND THE JEWELLER'S

WIFE.

[FN#375]

There was once, in time of old, a merchant hight Abd al-Rahmán, whom Allah had blessed with a son and daughter, and for their much beauty and loveliness, he named the girl Kaubab al-Sabáh and the boy Kamar al-Zamán. [FN#376] When he saw what Allah had vouchsafed the twain of beauty and loveliness, brilliancy and symmetry, he feared for them the evil eyes[FN#377] of the espiers and the jibing tongues of the jealous and the craft of the crafty and the wiles of the wicked and shut them up from the folk in a mansion for the space of fourteen years, during which time none saw them save their parents and a slave-girl who served them.

Now their father could recite the Koran, even as Allah sent it down, as also did his wife, wherefore the mother taught her daughter to read and recite it and the father his son till both had gotten it by heart.

Moreover, the twain learned from their parents writing and reckoning and all manner of knowledge and polite letters and needed no master.

When Kamar al-Zaman came to years of manhood, the wife said to her husband, "How long wilt thou keep thy son Kamar al-Zaman sequestered from the eyes of the folk?

Is he a girl or a boy?"

He answered, "A boy."

Rejoined she, "An he be a boy, why dost thou not carry him to the bazar and seat him in thy shop, that he may know the folk and they know him, to the intent that it may become notorious among men that he is thy son, and do thou teach him to sell and to buy.

Peradventure somewhat may befal thee; so shall the folk know him for thy son and he shall lay his hand on thy leavings.

But, an thou die, as the case now is, and he say to the folk, 'I am the son of the merchant Abd al-Rahman,' verily they will not believe him, but will cry, 'We have never seen thee and we knew not that he had a son,' wherefore the government will seize thy goods and thy son will be despoiled.

In like manner the girl; I mean to make her known among the folk, so may be some one of her own condition may ask her in marriage and we will wed her to him and rejoice in her."

Quoth he, "I did thus of my fear for them from the eyes of the folk,"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night, She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Merchant's wife spake to him in such wise, he replied, "I did thus of my fear for them from the eyes of the folk and because I love them both and love is jealous exceedingly and well saith he who spoke these verses, 'Of my sight I am jealous for thee, of me, * Of thyself, of thy stead, of thy destiny: Though I shrined thee in eyes by the craze of me * In such nearness irk I should never see: Though thou wert by my side all the days of me * Till Doomsday I ne'er had enough of thee.'

" Said his wife, "Put thy trust in Allah, for no harm betideth him whom He protecteth, and carry him with thee this very day to the shop."

Then she clad the boy in the costliest clothes and he became a seduction to all who on him cast sight and an affliction to the heart of each lover wight.

His father took him and carried him to the market, whilst all who saw him were ravished with him and accosted him, kissing his hand and saluting him with the salam.

Quoth one, "Indeed the sun hath risen in such a place and blazeth in the bazar," and another, "The rising-place of the full moon is in such a quarter;" and a third, "The new moon of the Festival[FN#378] hath appeared to the creatures of Allah."

And they went on to allude to the boy in talk and call down blessings upon him.

But his father scolded the folk for following his son to gaze upon him, because he was abashed at their talk, but he could not hinder one of them from talking; so he fell to abusing the boy's mother and cursing her because she had been the cause of his bringing him out.

And as he gazed about he still saw the folk crowding upon him behind and before.

Then he walked on till he reached his shop and opening it, sat down and seated his son before him: after which he again looked out and found the thoroughfare blocked with people for all the passers-by, going and coming, stopped before the shop to stare at that beautiful face and could not leave him; and all the men and women crowded in knots about him, applying to themselves the words of him who said, "Thou madest Beauty to spoil man's sprite * And saidst, 'O my servants, fear My reprove:' But lovely Thou lovest all loveliness * How, then, shall thy servants refrain from Love?"

When the merchant Abd al-Rahman saw the folk thus crowding about him and standing in rows, both women and men, to fix eyes upon his son, he was sore ashamed and confounded and knew not what to do; but presently there came up from the end of the bazar a man of the wandering Dervishes, clad in haircloth, the garb of the pious servants of Allah and seeing Kamar al-Zaman sitting there as he were a branch of Bán springing from a mound of saffron, poured forth copious tears and recited these two couplets, "A wand uprising from a sandy knoll, * Like full moon shining brightest sheen, I saw;

And said, 'What is thy name?'

Replied he 'Lúlú' * 'What' (asked I) 'Lily?'

and he answered 'Lá, lá!'

"[FN#379] Then the Dervish fell to walking, now drawing near and now moving away,[FN#380] and wiping his gray hairs with his right hand, whilst the heart of the crowd was cloven asunder for awe of him.

When he looked upon the boy, his eyes were dazzled and his wit confounded, and exemplified in him was the saying of the poet, "While that fair-faced boy abode in the place, * Moon of breakfast-fête he lit by his face,[FN#381] Lo!

there came a Shaykh with leisurely pace * A reverend trusting to Allah's grace, And ascetic signals his gait display'd. He had studied Love both by day and night * And had special knowledge of Wrong and Right;

Both for lad and lass had repined his sprite, * And his form like toothpick was lean and slight, And old bones with faded skin were o'erlaid.

In such arts our Shaykh was an Ajamí[FN#382] * With a catamite ever in company;

In the love of woman, a Platonist he[FN#383] * But in either versed to the full degree, And Zaynab to him was the same as Zayd.

[FN#384]

Distraught by the Fair he adored the Fair * O'er Spring-camp wailed, bewept ruins bare.

[FN#385]

Dry branch thou hadst deemed him for stress o' care, * Which the morning breeze swayeth here and there, For only the stone is all hardness made!

In the lore of Love he was wondrous wise * And wide awake with all-seeing eyes.

Its rough and its smooth he had tried and tries * And hugged buck and doe in the self-same guise And with greybeard and beardless alike he play'd." [FN#386]

Then he came up to the boy and gave him a root[FN#387] of sweet basil, whereupon his father put forth his hand to his pouch and brought out for him some small matter of silver, saying, "Take thy portion, O Dervish, and wend thy ways."

He took the dirhams, but sat down on the masonry-bench alongside the shop and opposite the boy and fell to gazing upon him and heaving sigh upon sigh, whilst his tears flowed like springs founting.

The folk began to look at him and remark upon him, some saying, "All Dervishes are lewd fellows," and other some, "Verily, this Dervish's heart is set on fire for love of this lad."

Now when Abd al-Rahman saw this case, he arose and said to the boy, "Come, O my son, let us lock up the shop and hie us home, for it booteth not to sell and buy this day; and may Almighty Allah requite thy mother that which she hath done with us, for she was the cause of all this!"

Then said he, "O Dervish, rise, that I may shut my shop."

So the Dervish rose and the merchant shut his shop and taking his son, walked away.

The Dervish and the folk followed them, till they reached their place, when the boy went in and his father, turning to the Dervish, said to him, "What wouldst thou, O Dervish, and why do I see thee weep?"

He replied, "O my lord, I would fain be thy guest this night, for the guest is the guest of Almighty Allah."

Quoth the merchant, "Welcome to the guest of God: enter, O Dervish!"

--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.