chapter vii

., 148) “Sukita fí aydíhim,” lit. where it (the biting) was fallen upon their hands; _i.e._ when it repented them; “sukita” being here not a passive verb as it appears, but an impersonal form uncommon in Arabic. The action is instinctive, a survival of the days when man was a snarling and snapping animal (physically) armed only with claws and teeth.

Footnote 285:

Arab. “‘Alam,” applied to many things, an “old man” of stones (Kákúr), a sign post with a rag on the top, etc.

Footnote 286:

The moon of Ramazan was noticed in Night ix. That of Sha’aban (eighth month) begins the fighting month after the conclusion of the Treuga Dei in Rajab. See Night ccclxxviii.

Footnote 287:

These lines have occurred in Night cccxix. I give Mr. Payne’s version for variety.

Footnote 288:

_i.e._ in her prime, at fourteen to fifteen.

Footnote 289:

_i.e._ pale and yellow.

Footnote 290:

The word means the wood; but it alludes to a preparation made by levigating it on a stone called in India “Sandlásá.” The gruel-like stuff is applied with the right hand to the right side of the neck, drawing the open fingers from behind forwards so as to leave four distinct streaks, then down to the left side, and so on to other parts of the body.

Footnote 291:

Arab. Haykal, the Heb. היכל which included the Porch, the Holy and the Holy of Holies. The word is used as νάος in a wider sense by Josephus A.J. v. v. 3. In Moslem writings it is applied to a Christian Church generally, on account of its images.

Footnote 292:

These lines having occurred before, I here quote Mr. Payne.

Footnote 293:

Arab writers often mention the smile of beauty, but rarely, after European fashion, the laugh, which they look upon as undignified. A Moslem will say “Don’t guffaw (Kahkahah) in that way; leave giggling and grinning to monkeys and Christians.” The Spaniards, a grave people, remark that Christ never laughed. I would draw the reader’s attention to a theory of mine that the open-hearted laugh has the sound of the vowels _a_ and _o_; while _e_, _i_, and _u_ belong to what may be roughly classed as the rogue order.

Footnote 294:

_i.e._ gaining the love of another, love.

Footnote 295:

_i.e._ the abrogated passages and those by which they are abrogated. This division is necessary for “inspired volumes,” which always abound in contradictions. But the charge of “opportunism” brought against the Koran is truly absurd; as if “revelation” could possibly be aught save opportune.

Footnote 296:

Koran iv. 160, the chapter “Women.”

Footnote 297:

She unveiled being a slave-girl and for sale. If a free woman show her face to a Moslem, he breaks out into violent abuse, because the act is intended to let him know that he is looked upon as a small boy or an eunuch or a Christian—in fact not a man.

Footnote 298:

Ilah = Heb. El, a most difficult root, meaning strength, interposition, God (Numen) “the” (article) “don’t” (do not), etc. etc.

Footnote 299:

As far as I know Christians are the only worshippers who kneel as if their lower legs were cut off and who “join hands” like the captive offering his wrists to be bound (dare manus). The posture, however, is not so ignoble as that of the Moslem “Sijdah” (prostration) which made certain North African tribes reject Al-Islam, saying, “These men show their hind parts to heaven.”

Footnote 300:

_i.e._ saying “I intend (purpose) to pray (for instance) the two-bow prayer (ruka’tayn) of the daybreak,” etc.

Footnote 301:

So called because it prohibits speaking with others till the prayer is ended.

Footnote 302:

Lit. “any thing opposite;” here used for the Ka’abah towards which men turn in prayer; as Guebres face the sun or fire and idolaters their images. “Al-Kiblatayn” (= the two Kiblahs) means Meccah and Jerusalem, which was faced by Moslems as well as Jews and Christians till Mohammed changed the direction. For the occasion of the change see my Pilgrimage, ii. 320.

Footnote 303:

Which includes Tayammum or washing with sand. This is a very cleanly practice in a hot dry land and was adopted long before Mohammed. Cedrenus tells of baptism with sand being administered to a dying traveller in the African desert.

Footnote 304:

The Koranic order for Wuzú is concise and as usual obscure, giving rise to a host of disputes and casuistical questions. Its text runs (chapt. v.), “O true believers, when you prepare to pray, wash (Ghusl) your faces, and your hands unto the elbows; and rub (Mas-h) your hands and your feet unto the ankles; and if ye be unclean by having lain with a woman, wash (Ghusl) yourselves all over.” The purifications and ceremonious ablutions of the Jews originated this command; and the early Christians did very unwisely in not making the bath obligatory. St. Paul (Heb. xi. 22) says, “Let us draw near with a true heart ... having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean (or pure) water.” But this did not suffice. Hence the Eastern Christian, in hot climates where cleanliness should rank before godliness, is distinguished by his dirt which as a holy or reverend man he makes still dirtier, and he offers an ugly comparison with the Moslem and especially the Hindu. The neglect of commands to wash and prohibitions to drink strong waters are the two grand physical objections of the Christian code of morality.

Footnote 305:

Arab. “Istinshák” = snuffing up water from the palm of the right hand so as to clean thoroughly the nostrils. This “function” is unreasonably neglected in Europe, to the detriment of the mucous membrane and the olfactory nerves.

Footnote 306:

So as to wash between them. The thick beard is combed out with the fingers.

Footnote 307:

Poor human nature! How sad to compare its pretensions with its actualities.

Footnote 308:

Complete ablution is rendered necessary chiefly by the emission of semen either in copulation or in nocturnal pollution. The water must be pure and not less than a certain quantity, and it must touch every part of the skin beginning with the right half of the person and ending with the left. Hence a plunge-bath is generally preferred.

Footnote 309:

Arab. Ta’mím, lit. crowning with turband, or tiara, here = covering, _i.e._ wetting.

Footnote 310:

This practice (saying “I purpose to defer the washing of the feet,” etc.) is now somewhat obsolete.

Footnote 311:

Arabs have a prejudice against the hydropathic treatment of wounds, holding that water poisons them: and, as the native produce usually contains salt, soda and magnesia, they are justified by many cases. I once tried water-bandages in Arabia and failed dismally.

Footnote 312:

The sick man says his prayers lying in bed, etc., and as he best can.

Footnote 313:

_i.e._ saying, “And peace be on us and on the worshippers of Allah which be pious.”

Footnote 314:

_i.e._ saying “I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned.”

Footnote 315:

Certain parts should be recited aloud (jahr) and others sotto voce (with mussitation = Khafi). No mistake must be made in this matter where a Moslem cannot err.

Footnote 316:

Hence an interest of two-and-a-half per cent. is not held to be “Ribá” or unlawful gain of money by money, usury.

Footnote 317:

The meal must be finished before the faster can plainly distinguish the white thread from the black thread (Koran ii. 183); some understand this literally, others apply it to the dark and silvery streak of zodiacal light which appears over the Eastern horizon an hour or so before sunrise. The fast then begins and ends with the disappearance of the sun. I have noticed its pains and penalties in my Pilgrimage, i. 110, etc.

Footnote 318:

For the “Azán” or call to prayer see Lane, M. E., chapt. xviii. The chant, however, differs in every country, and a practical ear will know the land by its call.

Footnote 319:

Arab. “Hadís” or saying of the Apostle.

Footnote 320:

“Al-I’itikaf” resembles the Christian “retreat;” but the worshipper generally retires to a mosque especially in Meccah. The Apostle practised it on Jabal Hira and other places.

Footnote 321:

The word is the Heb. חג Hagg whose primary meaning is circularity of form or movement. Hence it applied to religious festivals in which dancing round the idol played a prime part; and Lucian of “saltation” says, dancing was from the beginning and coeval with the ancient god, Love. But man danced with joy before he worshipped, and, when he invented a systematic saltation, he made it represent two things, and only two things, love and war, in most primitive form, courtship and fighting.

Footnote 322:

Two adjoining ground-waves _in_ Meccah. For these and for the places subsequently mentioned the curious will consult my Pilgrimage, iii. 226, etc.

Footnote 323:

The ‘Umrah or lesser Pilgrimage, I have noted, is the ceremony performed in Meccah at any time out of the pilgrim-season proper, _i.e._ between the eighth and tenth days of the twelfth lunar month Zu ‘l-Hijjah. It does not entitle the Moslem to be called Hájj (pilgrim) or Hájí as Persians and Indians corrupt the word.

Footnote 324:

I need hardly note that Mohammed borrowed his pilgrimage-practices from the pagan Arabs who, centuries before his day, danced around the Meccan Ka’abah. Nor can he be blamed for having perpetuated a Gentile rite, if indeed it be true that the Ka’abah contained relics of Abraham and Ishmael.

Footnote 325:

On first sighting Meccah. See Night xci.

Footnote 326:

Arab. Tawáf: the place is called Matáf and the guide Mutawwif (Pilgrimage, iii. 193, 205). The seven courses are termed Ashwát.

Footnote 327:

Stoning the Devil at Mina. Pilgrimage, iii. 282. Hence Satan’s title “the Stoned” (lapidated not castrated).

Footnote 328:

Koran viii. 66; in the chapter entitled “Spoil,” and relating mainly to the “day of Al-Bedr.”

Footnote 329:

Arab. Al-Ikálah = cancelling: Mr. Payne uses the technical term “resiliation.”

Footnote 330:

Freedman of Abdallah, son of the Caliph Omar and noted as a traditionist.

Footnote 331:

_i.e._ at a profit: the exchange must be equal—an ordinance intended to protect the poor. Arabs have strange prejudices in these matters; for instance it disgraces a Badawi to take money for milk.

Footnote 332:

Arab. Jamá’ah, which in theology means the Heb. Edah (עדה) and the Greek ἐκκλησία our “Church,” the congregation of the Faithful under a lawful head. Hence the Sunnis call themselves “People of the Sunnat and Jamá’at.” In the text it is explained as “Ulfat” or intimacy.

Footnote 333:

Arab. Al-Khalíl, _i.e._ of Allah = Abraham. Mohammed, following Jewish tradition, made Abraham rank second amongst the Prophets, inferior only to himself and superior to Hazrat Isa = Jesus. I have noted that Ishmael the elder son succeeded his father. He married Da’alah bint Muzáz bin Omar, a Jurhamite, and his progeny abandoning Hebrew began to speak Arabic (ta’arraba); hence called Muta’arribah or Arabised Arabs (Pilgrimage iii. 190). He died at Meccah and was buried with his mother in the space North of the Ka’abah called Al-Hijr which our writers continue to confuse with the city Al-Hijr (Ibid. 165–66).

Footnote 334:

This ejaculation, “In the name of Allah” is, I have noted, equivalent to “saying grace.” If neglected it is a sin and entails a curse.

Footnote 335:

The ceremonious posture is sitting upon the shin-bones, not tailor-fashion; and “bolting food” is a sign of boorishness.

Footnote 336:

Arab. “Zidd,” the word is a fair specimen of Arabic ambiguity meaning primarily opposite or contrary (as virtue to vice), secondarily an enemy or a friend (as being opposite to an enemy).

Footnote 337:

“The whole earth (shall be) but His handful on the Resurrection day and in His right hand shall the Heaven be rolled up (or folded together).”—Koran xxxix. 67.

Footnote 338:

See Night lxxxi.

Footnote 339:

Koran lxxviii. 19.

Footnote 340:

Arab. Al-Munáfik, technically meaning one who outwardly professes Al-Islam while inwardly hating it. Thus the word is by no means synonymous with our “hypocrite,” hypocrisy being the homage vice pays to virtue; a homage, I may observe, nowhere rendered more fulsomely than among the so-called Anglo-Saxon race.

Footnote 341:

Arab. “Tawakkul alá ‘llah”: in the imperative the phrase is vulgarly used = “Be off!”

Footnote 342:

_i.e._ ceremonial impurity which is sui generis, a very different thing from general dirtiness.

Footnote 343:

A thick beard is one which does not show the skin; otherwise the wearer is a “Kausaj;” in Pers. “Kúseh.” See vol. iii., 246.

Footnote 344:

Arab. “Al-Khutnah.” Nowhere commanded in the Koran and being only a practice of the Prophet, the rite is not indispensable for converts, especially the aged and the sick. Our ideas upon the subject are very hazy for modern “niceness” allows a “Feast of the Circumcision,” but no discussion thereon. Moses (alias Osarsiph) borrowed the rite from the Egyptian hierophants who were all thus “purified”; the object being to counteract the over-sensibility of the “sixth sense” and to harden the _glans_ against abrasions and infection by exposure to air and friction against the dress. Almost all African tribes practise it but the modes vary and some are exceedingly curious: I shall notice a peculiarly barbarous fashion called Al-Salkh (the flaying) still practised in the Arabian province Al-Asír (Pilgrimage iii. 80). There is a difference too between the Hebrew and the Moslem rite. The Jewish operator, after snipping off the foreskin, rips up the prepuce with his sharp thumb-nails so that the external cutis does not retract far from the internal; and the wound, when healed, shows a narrow ring of cicatrice. This ripping is not done by Moslems. They use a stick as a probe passed round between glans and prepuce to ascertain the extent of the frenum and that there is no abnormal adhesion. The foreskin is then drawn forward and fixed by the forceps, a fork of two bamboo splints, five or six inches long by a quarter thick, or in some cases an iron like our compasses. This is tied tightly over the foreskin so as to exclude about an inch and a half of the prepuce above and three quarters below. A single stroke of the razor drawn directly downwards removes the skin. The slight bleeding is stopped by burnt rags or ashes and healed with cerates, pledgets and fumigations. Thus Moslem circumcision does not prevent the skin retracting.

Footnote 345:

Of these 6336 versets only some 200 treat on law, civil and ceremonial, fiscal and political, devotional and ceremonial, canonical and ecclesiastical.

Footnote 346:

The learned young woman omitted Ukhnúkh = Enoch, because not in Koran; and if she denoted him by “Idrís,” the latter is much out of place.

Footnote 347:

Some say grandson of Shem (Koran vii. 71).

Footnote 348:

Koran vii. 63, etc.

Footnote 349:

Father-in-law of Moses (Koran vii. 83).

Footnote 350:

Who is the last and greatest of the twenty-five.

Footnote 351:

See Night ccccxxxviii.

Footnote 352:

Koran ii., whose 256th Ayah is the far-famed and sublime Throne-verse which begins “Allah! there is no god but He, the Living, the Eternal One, whom nor slumber nor sleep seizeth on!” The trivial name is taken from the last line, “His _throne_ over-stretcheth Heaven and Earth and to Him their preservation is no burden for He is the most Highest, the Supreme.” The lines are often repeated in prayers and engraved on agates, etc., as portable talismans.

Footnote 353:

Koran ii. 159.

Footnote 354:

Koran xvi. 92. The verset ends with, “He warneth you, so haply ye may be mindful.”

Footnote 355:

Koran lxx. 38.

Footnote 356:

Koran xxxix. 54.

Footnote 357:

The Sunnis hold that the “Anbiyá” (= prophets, or rather announcers of Allah’s judgments) were not sinless. But this dogma is branded as most irreverent and sinful by the Shi’ahs or Persian “followers of Ali,” who make capital out of this blasphemy and declare that if any prophet sinned he sinned only against himself.

Footnote 358:

Koran xii. 18.

Footnote 359:

Koran ii. 107.

Footnote 360:

Koran li. 57. He (Allah) does not use the plurale majestatis.

Footnote 361:

Koran ii. 28.

Footnote 362:

Koran xvi. 100. Satan is stoned in the Miná or Muná basin (Night ccccxlii.) because he tempted Abraham to disobey the command of Allah by refusing to sacrifice Ishmael (Pilgrimage iii. 248).

Footnote 363:

It may also mean “have recourse to God.”

Footnote 364:

Abdallah ibn Abbas, before noticed, first cousin of Mohammed and the most learned of the Companions. See D’Herbelot.

Footnote 365:

Koran xcvi., “Blood-clots,” 1 and 2. “Read” may mean “peruse the revelation” (it was the first Koranic chapter communicated to Mohammed), or “recite, preach.”

Footnote 366:

Koran, xxvii. 30. Mr. Rodwell (p. 1) holds to the old idea that the “Basmalah” is of Jewish origin, taught to the Kuraysh by Omayyah, of Taif, the poet and Haníf (convert).

Footnote 367:

Koran ix.: this was the last chapter revealed and the only one revealed entire except verse 110.

Footnote 368:

Ali was despatched from Al-Medinah to Meccah by the Prophet on his own slit-eared camel to promulgate this chapter; and meeting the assembly at Al-‘Akabah he also acquainted them with four things; (1) No Infidel may approach the Meccah temple; (2) naked men must no longer circuit the Ka’abah; (3) only Moslems enter Paradise, and (4) public faith must be kept.

Footnote 369:

Dictionaries give the word “Basmalah” (= saying Bismillah); but the common pronunciation is “Bismalah.”

Footnote 370:

Koran xvii. 110, a passage revealed because the Infidels, hearing Mohammed calling upon The Compassionate, imagined that Al-Rahmán was other deity but Allah. The “names” have two grand divisions, Asmá Jalálí, the fiery or terrible attributes, and the Asmá Jamálí (airy, watery, earthy or) amiable. Together they form the Asmá al-Husna or glorious attributes, and do not include the Ism al-A’azam, the ineffable name which is known only to a few.

Footnote 371:

Koran ii. 158.

Footnote 372:

Koran xcvi. before noticed.

Footnote 373:

A man of Al-Medinah, one of the first of Mohammed’s disciples.

Footnote 374:

Koran lxxiv. 1, etc., supposed to have been addressed by Gabriel to Mohammed when in the cave of Hira or Jabal Núr. He returned to his wife Khadijah in sore terror at the vision of one sitting on a throne between heaven and earth, and bade her cover him up. Whereupon the Archangel descended with this text, supposed to be the first revealed. Mr. Rodwell (p. 3) renders it, “O thou enwrapped _in thy mantle_!” and makes it No. ii. after a Fatrah or silent interval of six months to three years.

Footnote 375:

There are several versets on this subject (chapts. ii. and xxx).

Footnote 376:

Koran cx. 1.

Footnote 377:

The third Caliph; the “Writer of the Koran.”

Footnote 378:

Koran, v. 4. Sale translates “idols.” Mr. Rodwell, “On the blocks (or shafts) of stone,” rude altars set by the pagan Arabs before their dwellings.

Footnote 379:

Koran, v. 116. The words are put into the mouth of Jesus.

Footnote 380:

The end of the same verse.

Footnote 381:

Koran, v. 89. Supposed to have been revealed when certain Moslems purposed to practise Christian asceticism, fasting, watching, abstaining from women and sleeping on hard beds. I have said Mohammed would have “no monkery in Al-Islam,” but human nature willed otherwise. Mr. Rodwell prefers “Interdict the healthful viands.”

Footnote 382:

Koran, iv. 124.

Footnote 383:

Arab. “Mukri.” “Kári” is one who reads the Koran to pupils; the Mukri corrects them. “With the passage of the clouds” = without a moment’s hesitation.

Footnote 384:

The twenty-first, twenty-fourth and eighteenth Arabic letters.

Footnote 385:

Arab. “Hizb.” The Koran is divided into sixty portions, answering to “Lessons” for convenience of public worship.

Footnote 386:

Arab. “Jalálah,” = saying Jalla Jalálu-hu = magnified be His Majesty!, or glorified be His Glory.

Footnote 387:

Koran, xi. 50.

Footnote 388:

The partition-wall between Heaven and Hell which others call Al-‘Urf (in the sing. from the verb meaning he separated or parted). The Jeus borrowed from the Guebres the idea of a partition between Heaven and Hell and made it so thin that the blessed and damned can speak together. There is much dispute about the population of Al-A’aráf, the general idea being that they are men who do not deserve reward in Heaven or punishment in Hell. But it is not a “Purgatory” or place of expiating sins.

Footnote 389:

Koran, vii. 154.

Footnote 390:

A play on the word ayn, which means “eye” or the eighteenth letter which in olden times had the form of a circle.

Footnote 391:

From misreading these words comes the absurd popular belief of the moon passing up and down Mohammed’s sleeves. George B. Airy (The Athenæum, Nov. 29, 1884) justly objects to Sale’s translation “The hour of _judgment_ approacheth” and translates “The moon hath been dichotomised” a well-known astronomical term when the light portion of the moon is defined in a strait line: in other words when it is really a half-moon at the first and third quarters of each lunation. Others understand, The moon shall be split on the Last Day, the preterite for the future in prophetic style. “Koran Moslems” of course understand it literally.

Footnote 392:

Chapters liv., lv. and lvi.

Footnote 393:

We should say, _not_ to utter, etc.

Footnote 394:

These well-known “humours of Hippocrates,” which reappear in the form of temperaments of European phrenology, are still the base of Eastern therapeutics.

Footnote 395:

The doctrine of the three souls will be intelligible to Spiritualists.

Footnote 396:

Arab. “Al-lámi” = the l-shaped, curved, forked.

Footnote 397:

Arab. “Usus,” our os sacrum because, being incorruptible, the body will be built up thereon for Resurrection-time. Hence Hudibras sings (iii. 2).

The learned Rabbis of the Jews Write there’s a bone which they call _leuz_, I’ the rump of man, etc.

It is the Heb. “Uz,” whence older scholars derived _os_. Sale (sect. iv.) called it “El Ajb, os coccygis or rump-bone.”

Footnote 398:

Arab physiologists had difficulties in procuring “subjects”; and usually practised dissection on the simiads. Their illustrated books are droll; the figures have been copied and recopied till they have lost all resemblance to the originals.

Footnote 399:

The liver and spleen are held to be congealed blood. Hence the couplet:—

We are allowed two carrions (_i.e._ with throats uncut) and two bloods, The fish and the locust, the liver and the spleen.

(Pilgrimage iii. 92.)

Footnote 400:

This is perfectly true and yet little known to the general.

Footnote 401:

Koran xvii. 39.

Footnote 402:

Arab. “Al-malikhulíya,” proving that the Greeks then pronounced the penultimate vowel according to the acute accent—ía; not as we slur it over. In old Hebrew we have the transliteration of four Greek words; in the languages of Hindostan many scores including names of places; and in Latin and Arabic as many hundreds. By a scholar-like comparison of these remains we should find little difficulty in establishing the true Greek pronunciation since the days of Alexander the Great; and we shall prove that it was pronounced according to accent and emphatically _not_ quantity. In the next century I presume English boys will be taught to pronounce Greek as the Greeks do.

Footnote 403:

Educated Arabs can quote many a verse bearing upon domestic medicine and reminding us of the lines bequeathed to Europe by the School of Salerno. Such _e.g._ are:—

After the noon-meal, sleep, although for moments twain; After the night-meal, walk, though but two steps be ta’en; And after swiving stale, though but two drops thou drain.

Footnote 404:

Arab. Sarídah (Tharídah), also called “ghaut” = crumbled bread and hashed meat in broth; or bread, milk and meat. The Sarídah of Ghassán, cooked with eggs and marrow, was held a dainty dish: hence the Prophet’s dictum.

Footnote 405:

Koran v. 92. “Lots” = games of chance and “images” = statues.

Footnote 406:

Koran ii. 216. The word “Maysar” which I have rendered “gambling” or “gaming” (for such is the modern application of the word), originally meant what St. Jerome calls Βελομαντία and explains thereby the verse (Ezek. xxi. 22), “The King held in his hand the lot of Jerusalem” _i.e._ the arrow whereon the city-name was written. The Arabs use it for casting lots with ten azlam or headless arrows (for dice) three being blanks and the rest notched from one to seven. They were thrown by a “Zárib” or punter and the stake was generally a camel. Amongst so excitable a people as the Arabs, this game caused quarrels and bloodshed, hence its prohibition: and the theologians, who everywhere and at all times delight in burdening human nature, have extended the command, which is rather admonitory than prohibitive, to all games of chance. Tarafah is supposed to allude to this practice in his Mu’allakah.

Footnote 407:

Liberal Moslems observe that the Koranic prohibition is not absolute, with threat of Hell for infraction. Yet Mohammed doubtless forbade all inebriatives and the occasion of his so doing is well known (Pilgrimage ii. 322).

Footnote 408:

I have noticed this soured milk in Pilgrimage i. 362.

Footnote 409:

He does not say the “Caliph” or successor of his uncle Mohammed.

Footnote 410:

The Jewish Korah (Numbers xvi.) fabled by the Koran (xxviii. 76), following a Talmudic tradition, to have been a man of immense wealth. The notion that lying with an old woman, after the menses have ceased, is unwholesome, dates from great antiquity; and the benefits of the reverse process were well known to _good_ King David. The faces of children who sleep with their grandparents (a bad practice now waxing obsolete in England), of a young wife married to an old man and of a young man married to an old woman, show a peculiar wizened appearance, a look of age overlaying youth which cannot be mistaken.

Footnote 411:

Arab. “Hindibá” (= endubium): the modern term is Shakuríyah = chicorée. I believe it to be very hurtful to the eyes.

Footnote 412:

Arab. “Khuffásh” and “Watwát”: in Egypt a woman is called “Watwátíyah” when the hair of her privities has been removed by applying bats’ blood. I have often heard of this; but cannot understand how such an application can act depilatory.

Footnote 413:

Dictionaries render the word by “dragon, cockatrice.” The Badawin apply it to a variety of serpents mostly large and all considered venomous.

Footnote 414:

Arab. “Zarr wa ‘urwah,” lit. = handle. The button-hole, I have said, is a modern invention; Urwah is also applied to the loop-shaped handle of the water-skin, for attachment of the Allákah or suspensory thong.

Footnote 415:

Koran lxx. 40; see also the chapter following, v. 16.

Footnote 416:

Koran x. 5; the “her” refers to the sun.

Footnote 417:

Koran xxxvi. 40.

Footnote 418:

Koran xxii. 60.

Footnote 419:

Arab. “Manázil:” these are the Hindu Nakshatra; extensively used in meteorology even by Europeans unconsciously: thus they will speak of the Elephantina-storm without knowing anything of the lunar mansion so called. The names in the text are successively Sharatán = two horns of the Ram; (2) the Ram’s belly; (3) the Pleiades; (4) Aldebaran; (5) three stars in Orion’s head; (6) ditto in Orion’s shoulder; (7) two stars above the Twins; (8) Lion’s nose and first summer station; (9) Lion’s eye; (10) Lion’s forehead; (11) Lion’s mane; (12) Lion’s heart; (13) the Dog, two stars in Virgo; (14) Spica Virginis; (15) φ, ι and κ in foot of Virgo; (16) horns of Scorpio; (17) the Crown; (18) heart of Scorpio; (19) tail of Scorpio; (20) stars in Pegasus; (21) where no constellation appears; (22) the Slaughterer’s luck; (23) Glutton’s luck; (24) Luck of Lucks, stars in Aquarius; (25) Luck of Tents, stars in Aquarius; (26) the fore-lip or spout of Urn; (27) hind lip of Urn; and (28) in navel of Fish’s belly (Batn al-Hút); of these 28 to each of the four seasons 7 are allotted.

Footnote 420:

The Hebrew absey, still used by Moslems in chronograms. For mnemonic purposes the 28 letters are distributed into eight words of which the first and second are Abjad and Hawwaz. The last six letters in two words (Thakhiz and Zuzigh) are Arabian, unknown to the Jews and not found in Syriac.

Footnote 421:

Arab. “Zindík;” properly, one who believes in two gods (the old Persian dualism); in books an atheist, _i.e._ one who does not believe in a god or gods; and, popularly, a free-thinker who denies the existence of a Supreme Being, rejects revelation for the laws of Nature imprinted on the heart of man and for humanity in its widest sense. Hence he is accused of permitting incestuous marriages and other abominations. We should now call him (for want of something better) an Agnostic.

Footnote 422:

Koran xxxi. 34. The words may still be applied to meteorologists especially of the scientific school. Even the experienced (as the followers of the late Mathieu de la Drôme) reckon far more failures than successes. The Koranic passage enumerates five things known only to Allah; Judgment-day; rain; sex of child in womb; what shall happen to-morrow and where a man shall die.

Footnote 423:

The fifth and seventh months (January and March) of the Coptic year which, being solar, is still used by Arab and Egyptian meteorologists. Much information thereon will be found in the “Egyptian Calendar” by Mr. Mitchell, Alexandria 1876. It bears the appropriate motto “Anni certus modus apud solos semper Ægyptios fuit.” (Macrobius). See also Lane M.E., chapt. ix.

Footnote 424:

Vulg. Kiyák; the fourth month, beginning 9th–10th December. The first month is Tút, commencing 10th–11th September.

Footnote 425:

The 8th and 12th months partly corresponding with April and August: Hátúr is the 3rd (November) and Amshír the 6th (February).

Footnote 426:

Moslems have been compelled to adopt infidel names for the months because Mohammed’s Koranic rejection of Nasy or intercalation makes their lunar months describe the whole circle of the seasons in a cycle of about thirty-three and a half years. Yet they have retained the terms which contain the original motive of the denomination. The first month is Muharram, the “Holy,” because war was forbidden; it was also known as Safar No. 1. The second Safar = “Emptiness,” because during the heats citizens left the towns and retired to Táif and other cool sites. Rabí’a (first and second) alluded to the spring-pasturages; Jumádá (first and second) to the “hardening” of the dry ground and, according to some, to the solidification, freezing, of the water in the highlands. Rajab (No. 7) = “worshipping,” especially by sacrifice, is also known as Al-Asamm the deaf; because being sacred, the rattle of arms was unheard. Sha’abán = “collecting,” dispersing, ruining, because the tribal wars recommenced: Ramazan (intensely hot) has been explained and Shawwál (No. 10.) derives from Shaul (elevating) when the he-camels raise their tails in rut. Zú’l-Ka’adah, the sedentary, is the rest time of the year, when fighting is forbidden and Zu’l-Hijjah explains itself as the pilgrimage-month.

Footnote 427:

The lowest of the seven.

Footnote 428:

Koran xxxvii. 5.

Footnote 429:

Arab. “Faylasúf,” an evident corruption from the Greek. Amongst the vulgar it denotes a sceptic, an atheist; much the same a “Frammásún” or Freemason. The curious reader will consult the Dabistan, vol. iii. chapt. xi. p. 138 _et seq._ “On the Religion of the Wise” (philosophi), and, Beaconsfield’s theft from Shaftesbury.

Footnote 430:

Koran xxxvi. 37–38.

Footnote 431:

Koran xxii. 7. The Hour _i.e._ of Judgment.

Footnote 432:

Koran xx. 58. The Midrasch Tanchumah on Exod. vii. gives a similar dialogue between Pharaoh and Moses (Rodwell, _in loco_).

Footnote 433:

Arab. “Sham’ún” or “Shim’ún,” usually applied to Simon Peter (as in Acts xv. 14). But the text alludes to Saint Simeon (Luke ii. 25–35). See Gospel of Infancy (ii. 8) and especially the Gospel of Nicodemus (xii. 3) which makes him a High-priest.

Footnote 434:

Sálih the Patriarch’s she-camel, miraculously produced from the rock in order to convert the Thamúd-tribe (Koran vii).

Footnote 435:

When Abu Bakr was hiding with Mohammed in a cave on the Hill Al-Saur (Thaur or Thúr, Pilgrimage ii. 131) South of Meccah, which must not be confounded with the cave on Jabal Hirá now called Jabal Núr on the way to Arafat (Pilgrimage iii. 246), the fugitives were protected by a bird which built her nest at the entrance (according to another legend it was curtained by a spider’s web), whilst another bird (the crow of whom I shall presently speak) tried to betray them. The first bird is popularly supposed to have been a pigeon, and is referred to by Hudibras:—

Th’ apostles of this fierce religion Like Mahomet, were ass and widgeon.

The ass I presume alludes to the marvellous beast Al-Burák which the Greeks called Βράχθαν from Βραχ (Euthymius in Pocock, Spec. A.H. p. 144) and which Indian Moslems picture with human face, ass’s ears, equine body and peacock’s wings and tail. The “widgeon” I presume to be a mistake or a misprint for pigeon.

Footnote 436:

The Arabs are not satisfied with the comparative moderation of the Hebrew miracle, and have added all manner of absurdities (Pilgrimage ii. 288).

Footnote 437:

Koran lxxxi. 18. Sale translates “by the morning when it appeareth;” and the word (tanaffus) will bear this meaning. Mr. Rodwell prefers, “By the dawn when it clears away the darkness by its breath.”

Footnote 438:

As a rule Moslems are absurdly ignorant of arithmetic and apparently cannot master it. Hence in Egypt they used Copts for calculating-machines and further East Hindús. The mildest numerical puzzle, like the above, is sure of success.

Footnote 439:

The paradisal tree which supplied every want. Mohammed borrowed it from the Christians (Rev. xxi. 10–21 and xxii. 1–2) who placed in their paradise the Tree of Life which bears twelve sorts of fruits and leaves of healing virtue. (See also the 3rd book of Hermas, his Similitudes.) The Hebrews borrowed it from the Persians. Amongst the Hindus it appears as “Kalpavriksha;” amongst the Scandinavians as Yggdrasil. The curious reader will consult Mr. James Fergusson’s learned work, “Tree and Serpent Worship,” etc. London, 1873.

Footnote 440:

Aaron’s Rod becomes amongst Moslems (Koran vii. 110) Moses’ Staff; the size being that of a top-mast (Pilgrimage i. 300, 301). In Koran xx. 18, 19, we find a notice of its uses; and during the Middle Ages it reappeared in the Staff of Wamba the Goth (A.D. 672–680): the witch’s broomstick was its latest development.

Footnote 441:

Christ, say the Eutychians, had only one nature the divine; so he was crucified in effigy.

Footnote 442:

Jesus is compared with Adam in the Koran (chapt. iii.): his titles are Kalámu ‘llah (word of God) because engendered without a father, and Rúhu ‘llah (breath of God) because conceived by Gabriel in the shape of a beautiful youth breathing into the Virgin’s vulva. Hence Moslems believe in a “miraculous conception” and consequently determine that one so conceived was, like Elias and Khizr, not subject to death; they also hold him born free from “original sin” (a most sinful superstition), a veil being placed before the Virgin and Child against the Evil One who could not touch them. He spoke when a babe in cradle; he performed miracles of physic; he was taken up to Heaven; he will appear as the forerunner of Mohammed on the White Tower of Damascus, and finally he will be buried at Al-Medinah. The Jews on the other hand speak of him as “that man:” they hold that he was begotten by Joseph during the menstrual period and therefore a born magician. Moreover he learned the Sham ha-maphrash or Nomen tetragrammaton, wrote it on parchment and placed it in an incision in his thigh, which closed up on the Name being mentioned (Buxtorf, Lex Talmud 25–41). Other details are given in the Toldoth Jesu (Historia Joshuæ Nazareni). This note should be read by the eminent English littérateur who discovered a fact, well known to Locke and Carlyle, that “Mohammedans are Christians.” So they are and something more.

Footnote 443:

In the Kalamdán, or pen-case, is a little inkstand of metal occupying the top of the long, narrow box.

Footnote 444:

A fair specimen of the riddle known as the “surprise.”

Footnote 445:

Koran xli. 10.

Footnote 446:

Koran xxxvi. 82.

Footnote 447:

Here we enter upon a series of disputed points. The Wahhábis deny the intercession of the Apostle (Pilgrimage ii. 76–77). The Shi ahs place Ali next in dignity to Mohammed and there is a sect (Ali-Iláhi) which believes him to be an Avatar or incarnation of the Deity. For the latter the curious reader will consult the “Dabistan,” ii. 451. The Koran by its many contradictions seems to show that Mohammed never could make up his own mind on the subject, thinking himself at times an intercessor and then sharply denying all intercession.

Footnote 448:

Arab. “Kanjifah” = a pack of cards; corrupted from the Persian “Ganjífah.” We know little concerning the date or origin of this game in the East, where the packs are quite unlike ours.

Footnote 449:

It is interesting to compare this account with the pseudo Ovid and with Tale clxvi. in Gesta “Of the game of Schaci.” Its Schacarium is the chess-board. Rochus (roccus, etc.) is not from the Germ. Rock (a coat) but from Rukh (Pers. a hero, a knight-errant); Alphinus (Ital. Alfino) is Al-Firzán (Pers. science, wise).

Footnote 450:

Arab. “Baydak” or “Bayzak”; a corruption of the Persian “Piyádah” = a footman, peon, pawn; and proving whence the Arabs derived the game. The Persians are the readiest backgammon-players known to me, better even than the Greeks; they throw the dice from the hand and continue foully abusing the fathers and mothers of the “bones” whilst the game lasts. It is often played in the intervals of dinner by the higher classes in Persia.

Footnote 451:

Metaphor from loading camels and mules. To “eat” a piece is to take it.

Footnote 452:

Arab. “Bilábil”; a plural of “Bulbul” with a double entendre balábil (plur. of ballalah) = heart’s troubles, and “balá, bul” = a calamity, nay, etc.

THE ANGEL OF DEATH WITH THE PROUD KING AND THE DEVOUT MAN.

It is related, O auspicious King, that one of the olden monarchs was once minded to ride out in state with the officers of his realm and the Grandees of his retinue and display to the folk the marvels of his magnificence. So he ordered his Lords and Emirs equip them therefor and commanded his keeper of the wardrobe to bring him of the richest of raiment, such as befitted the King in his state; and he bade them bring his steeds[453] of the finest breeds and pedigrees every man heeds; which being done, he chose out of the raiment what rejoiced him most and of the horses that which he deemed best; and, donning the clothes, together with a collar set with margarites and rubies and all manner jewels, mounted and set forth in state, making his destrier prance and curvet among his troops and glorying in his pride and despotic power. And Iblis came to him and, laying his hand upon his nose, blew into his nostrils the breath of hauteur and conceit, so that he magnified and glorified himself and said in his heart, “Who among men is like unto me?” And he became so puffed up with arrogance and self-sufficiency, and so taken up with the thought of his own splendour and magnificence, that he would not vouchsafe a glance to any man. Presently, there stood before him one clad in tattered clothes and saluted him, but he returned not his salam; whereupon the stranger laid hold of his horse’s bridle. “Lift thy hand,” cried the King, “thou knowest not whose bridle-rein it is whereof thou takest hold.” Quoth the other, “I have a need of thee.” Quoth the King, “Wait till I alight and then name thy need.” Rejoined the stranger, “It is a secret and I will not tell it but in thine ear.” So the King bowed his head to him and he said, “I am the Angel of Death and I purpose to take thy soul.” Replied the King, “Have patience with me a little, whilst I return to my house and take leave of my people and children and neighbours and wife.” “By no means so,” answered the Angel; “thou shalt never return nor look on them again, for the fated term of thy life is past.” So saying, he took the soul of the King (who fell off his horse’s back dead) and departed thence. Presently the Death Angel met a devout man, of whom Almighty Allah had accepted, and saluted him. He returned the salute, and the Angel said to him, “O pious man, I have a need of thee which must be kept secret.” “Tell it in my ear,” quoth the devotee; and quoth the other, “I am the Angel of Death.” Replied the man, “Welcome to thee! and praised be Allah for thy coming! I am aweary of awaiting thine arrival; for indeed long hath been thine absence from the lover which longeth for thee.” Said the Angel, “If thou have any business, make an end of it;” but the other answered, saying, “There is nothing so urgent to me as the meeting with my Lord, to whom be honour and glory!” And the Angel said “How wouldst thou fain have me take thy soul? I am bidden to take it as thou willest and choosest.” He replied, “Tarry till I make the Wuzu-ablution and pray; and, when I prostrate myself, then take my soul while my body is on the ground.”[454] Quoth the Angel, “Verily, my Lord (be He extolled and exalted!) commanded me not to take thy soul but with thy consent and as thou shouldst wish; so I will do thy will.” Then the devout man made the minor ablution[455] and prayed: and the Angel of Death took his soul in the act of prostration and Almighty Allah transported it to the place of mercy and acceptance and forgiveness. And they tell another tale of

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Footnote 453:

The popular English idea of the Arab horse is founded upon utter unfact. Book after book tells us, “There are three distinct breeds of Arabians—the _Attechi_, a very superior breed; the _Kadishi_, mixed with these and of little value; and the _Kochlani_, highly prized and very difficult to procure.” “Attechi” may be At-Tází (the Arab horse, or hound) or some confusion with “At” (Turk.) a horse. “Kadish” (Gadish or Kidish) is a nag; a gelding, a hackney, a “pacer” (generally called “Rahwán”). “Kochlani” is evidently “Kohláni,” the Kohl-eyed, because the skin round the orbits is dark as if powdered. This is the true blue blood; and the bluest of all is “Kohláni al-Ajúz” (of the old woman) a name thus accounted for. An Arab mare dropped a filly when in flight; her rider perforce gallopped on and presently saw the foal appear in camp, when it was given to an old woman for nursing and grew up to be famous. The home of the Arab horse is the vast plateau of Al-Najd: the Tahámah or lower maritime regions of Arabia, like Malabar, will not breed good beasts. The pure blood all descends from five collateral lines called Al-Khamsah (the Cinque). Literary and pedantic Arabs derive them from the mares of Mohammed a native of the dry and rocky region, Al-Hijaz, whither horses are all imported. Others go back (with the Koran, chapt. xxviii.) to Solomon, possibly Salmán, a patriarch fourth in descent from Ishmael and some 600 years older than the Hebrew King. The Badawi derive the five from Rabí’at al-Faras (R. of the mare) fourth in descent from Adnán, the fount of Arab genealogy. But they differ about the names: those generally given are Kahilan (Kohaylat), Sakláwi (which the Badawin pronounce Sagláwi), Abayán, and Hamdáni; others substitute Manákhi (the long-maned), Tanís and Jalfún. These require no certificate amongst Arabs; for strangers a simple statement is considered enough. The Badawin despise all half-breeds (Arab sires and country mares), Syrian, Turkish, Kurdish and Egyptian. They call these (first mentioned in the reign of Ahmes, B.C. 1600) the “sons of horses”; as opposed to “sons of mares,” or thorough-breds. Nor do they believe in city-bred animals. I have great doubts concerning our old English sires, such as the Darley Arabian which looks like a Kurdish half-bred, the descendant of those Cappadocians so much prized by the Romans: in Syria I rode a “Harfúshí” (Kurd) the very image of it. There is no difficulty in buying Arab stallions except the price. Of course the tribe does not like to part with what may benefit the members generally; but offers of £500 to £1,000 would overcome men’s scruples. It is different with mares, which are almost always the joint property of several owners. The people too dislike to see a hat on a thorough-bred mare: “What hast thou done that thou art ridden by that ill-omened Kafir?” the Badawin used to mutter when they saw a highly respectable missionary at Damascus mounting a fine Ruwalá mare. The feeling easily explains the many wars about horses occurring in Arab annals, _e.g._ about Dáhis and Ghabrá. (C. de Perceval, _Essai_, vol. ii.)

Footnote 454:

The stricter kind of Eastern Jew prefers to die on the floor not in bed, as was the case with the late Mr. Emmanuel Deutsch, who in his well-known article on the Talmud had the courage to speak of “Our Saviour.” But as a rule the Israelite, though he mostly appears as a Deist, a Unitarian, has a fund of fanatical feelings which crop up in old age and near death. The “converts” in Syria and elsewhere, whose Judaism is intensified by “conversion,” when offers are made to them by the missionaries repair to the Khákhám (scribe) and, after abundant wrangling determine upon a _modus vivendi_. They are to pay a proportion of their wages, to keep careful watch in the cause of Israel and to die orthodox. In Istria there is a legend of a Jew Prior in a convent who was not discovered till he announced himself most unpleasantly on his death-bed. For a contrary reason to Jewish humility the Roman Emperors preferred to die standing.

Footnote 455:

He wished to die in a state of ceremonial purity; as has before been mentioned.

THE ANGEL OF DEATH AND THE RICH KING.

A certain King had heaped up coin beyond count and gathered store of all precious things, which Allah the Most Highest hath created. So, in order that he might take his pleasure whenas he should find leisure to enjoy all this abounding wealth he had collected, he built him a palace wide and lofty such as besitteth and beseemeth Kings; and set thereto strong doors and appointed, for its service and its guard, servants and soldiers and doorkeepers to watch and ward. One day, he bade the cooks dress him somewhat of the goodliest of food and assembled his household and retainers and boon-companions and servants to eat with him, and partake of his bounty. Then he sat down upon the sofa of his kingship and dominion; and, propping his elbow upon the cushion, addressed himself, saying, “O soul, thou hast gathered together all the wealth of the world; so now take thy leisure therein and eat of this good at thine ease, in long life and prosperity ever rife!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that hardly had the King made an end of saying to himself, “Eat of this weal at thine ease, in long life and prosperity ever rife!” when a man clad in tattered raiment, with an asker’s wallet hanging at his neck, as he were one who came to beg food, knocked with the door-ring a knock so loud and terrible that the whole palace shook as with quake of earth and the King’s throne trembled. The servants were affrighted and rushed to the door, and when they saw the man who had knocked they cried out at him, saying, “Woe to thee! what manner of unmannerly fashion be this? Wait till the King eateth and we will then give thee of what is left.” Quoth he, “Tell your lord to come out and speak with me, for I have of him a pressing need and a matter to heed.” They cried, “Away, fool! who art thou that we should bid our lord come forth to thee?” But he said, “Tell him of this.” So they went in and told the King, who said, “Did ye not rebuke him and draw upon him and threaten him!” Now as he spoke, behold, there came another knock at the gate, louder than the first knock, whereupon the servants sprang at the stranger with staves and weapons, to fall upon him and slay him; but he shouted at them, saying, “Bide in your steads, for I am the Angel of Death.” Hereat their hearts quaked and their wits forsook them; their understandings were in confusion, their side-muscles quivered in perturbation and their limbs lost the power of motion. Then said the King to them, “Tell him to take a substitute[456] in my place and one to relieve me in this case.” But the Angel answered, saying, “I will take no substitute, and I come not but on thine account, to cause separation between thee and the goods thou hast gathered together and the riches thou hast heaped up and entreasured.” When the King heard this, he wept and groaned, saying, “Allah curse the treasure which hath deluded and undone me and diverted me from the service of my Lord! I deemed it would profit me, but to-day it is a regret for me and a calamity to me, and behold, I go forth, empty-handed of it, and leave it to my foes.” Thereupon Allah caused the Treasure to speak out and it said, “Wherefore cursest thou me?[457] Curse thyself, for Allah created both me and eke thyself of the dust and appointed me to be in thine hand, that thou mightest provide thee with me a viaticum for the next world and give alms with me to the poor and the needy and the sick; and build mosques and hospices and bridges and aqueducts, so might I be an aidance unto thee in the world to come. But thou didst garner me and hoard me up and on thine own vanities bestowest me, neither gavest thou thanks for me, as was due, but wast ungrateful to me; and now thou must leave me to thy foes and thou hast naught save thy regretting and thy repenting. But what is my sin, that thou shouldest revile me?” Then the Angel of Death took the King’s soul as he sat on his throne before he ate of the food, and he fell down dead. Quoth Allah Almighty, “While they were rejoicing for that which had been given them, we suddenly laid hold on them; and, behold, they were seized with despair.”[458] And they tell another tale of

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Footnote 456:

Arab. “Badal”: in Sind (not to speak of other places) it was customary to hire a pauper “badal” to be hanged in stead of a rich man. Sir Charles Napier signed many a death-warrant before he ever heard of the practice.

Footnote 457:

Arab. “La’an” = curse. The word is in every mouth though strongly forbidden by religion. Even of the enemies of Al-Islam the learned say, “Ila’an Yezíd wa lá tazíd” = curse Yezid but do not exceed (_i.e._ refrain from cursing the others). This, however, is in the Shafi’í school and the Hanafís do not allow it (Pilgrimage i. 198). Hence the Moslem when scrupulous uses na’al (shoe) for la’an (curse) as Ina’al abúk (for Ila’an abu’-k) or, _drat_ (instead of _damn_) your father. Men must hold Supreme Intelligence to be of feeble kind if put off by such miserable pretences.

Footnote 458:

Koran vi. 44, speaking of the Infidels. It is a most unamiable chapter, with such assertions as “Allah leadeth into error whom He pleaseth,” etc.

THE ANGEL OF DEATH AND THE KING OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

There was a puissant despot among the Kings of the Banú Isráíl, who sat one day upon the throne of his kingship, when he saw come in to him, by the gate of the hall, a man of forbidding aspect and horrible presence. The King was affrighted at his sudden intrusion and his look terrified him; so he sprang up before him and said, “Who art thou, O man? Who gave thee leave to come in to me and who invited thee to enter my house?” Quoth the stranger, “Verily the Lord of the House sent me to thee, nor can any doorkeeper exclude me, nor need I leave to come in to Kings; for I reck not of a Sultan’s majesty neither of the multitude of his guards. I am he from whom no tyrant is at rest, nor can any man escape from my grasp: I am the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of societies.” Now when the King heard this a palsy crept over him[459] and he fell on his face in a swoon; but presently coming to himself, he asked, “Art thou then the Angel of Death?”; and the stranger answered, “Yes.” “I conjure thee, by Allah,” quoth the King, “grant me one single day’s respite, that I may pray pardon of my sins and ask absolution of my Lord and restore to their rightful owners the monies which are in my treasures, so I may not be burdened with the woe of a reckoning nor with the misery of punishment therefor.” Replied the Angel, “Well-away! well-away! this may be in no way.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the Death-messenger to the King, “Well-away, well-away! this may be in no way. How can I grant thee a reprieve when the days of thy life are counted and thy breaths numbered and thy moments fixed and written?” “Grant me an hour,” asked the King; but the Angel answered saying, “The hour was in the account and hath sped, and thou unheeding aught; and hath fled, and thou taking no thought: and now thy breathings are accomplished, and there remaineth to thee but one breath.” Quoth the King, “Who will be with me when I am transported to my tomb?” Quoth the Angel, “Naught will be with thee but thy works good or evil.” “I have no works,” said the King; and the Angel, “Doubtless thy long home will be in hell-fire and thy doom the wrath of the Almighty.” Then he seized the soul of the King, and he fell off his throne and dropped on the earth dead. And there arose a mighty weeping and wailing and clamour of keening for him among the people of his court, and had they known that to which he went of the wrath of his Lord, their weeping for him had been sorer and their wailing louder and more abounding. And a story is told of

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Footnote 459:

Alluding to the “formication” which accompanies a stroke of paralysis.

ISKANDAR ZU AL-KARNAYN[460] AND A CERTAIN TRIBE OF POOR FOLK.

It is related that Iskandar Zu al-Karnayn[461] once came, in his journeyings, upon a tribe of small folk, who owned naught of the weals of the world and who dug their graves over against the doors of their houses and were wont at all times to visit them and sweep the earth from them and keep them clean and pray at them and worship Almighty Allah at them; and they had no meat save grasses and the growth of the ground. So Iskandar sent a man to summon their King, but he refused to come, saying, “I have no need of him.” Thereupon Iskandar went to him and said, “How is it with you and what manner of men are ye?; for I see with you forsooth naught of gold or silver, nor find I with you aught of the weals of the world.” Answered the King, “None hath his fill of the weals of the world.” Iskandar then asked “Why do you dig your graves before your house-doors?”; and the King answered, “That they may be the prospective of our eye-glances; so we may look on them and ever renew talk and thought of death, neither forget the world to come; and on this wise the love of the world be banished from our hearts and we be not thereby distracted from the service of our Lord, the Almighty.” Quoth Iskandar, “Why do ye eat grasses?”; and the other replied, “Because we abhor to make our bellies the tombs of animals and because the pleasure of eating outstrippeth not the gullet.” Then putting forth his hand he brought out a skull of a son of Adam and, laying it before Iskandar, said, “O Zu al-Karnayn, Lord of the Two Horns, knowest thou who owned this skull?” Quoth he, “Nay;” and quoth the other, “He who owned this skull was a King of the Kings of the world, who dealt tyrannously with his subjects, specially wronging the weak and wasting his time in heaping up the rubbish of this world, till Allah took his sprite and made the fire his abiding-site; and this is his head.” He then put forth his hand and produced another skull and, laying it before Iskandar, said to him, “Knowest thou this?” “No,” answered the conqueror; and the other rejoined, “This is the skull of another King, who dealt justly by his lieges and was kindly solicitous for the folk of his realm and his dominions, till Allah took his soul and lodged him in His Garden and made high his degree in Heaven.” Then laying his hands on Iskandar’s head he said, “Would I knew which of these two art thou.” Whereupon Iskandar wept with sore weeping and straining the King to his bosom cried, “If thou be minded to company with me, I will commit to thee as Wazir the government of my affairs and share with thee my kingdom.” Cried the other, “Well-away, well-away! I have no mind to this.” “And why so?” asked Iskandar, and the King answered, “Because all men are thy foes by reason of the wealth and the worlds thou hast won: while all men are my true friends, because of my contentment and pauperdom, for that I possess nothing, neither covet aught of the goods of life; I have no desire to them nor wish for them, neither reck I aught save contentment.” So Iskandar pressed him to his breast and kissed him between the eyes and went his way.[462] And among the tales they tell is one concerning

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Footnote 460:

Pronounce Zool Karnayn.

Footnote 461:

_i.e._ the Koranic and our mediæval Alexander, Lord of the two Horns (East and West) much “Matagrobolized” and very different from him of Macedon. The title is variously explained, from two protuberances on his head or helm, from two long locks and, possibly, from the ram-horns of Jupiter Ammon. The anecdote in the text seems suggested by the famous interview (probably a _canard_) with Diogenes: see in the Gesta, Tale cxlvi. “The answer of Diomedes the Pirate to Alexander.” Iskandar was originally called Marzbán (Lord of the Marches), son of Marzabah; and, though descended from Yunán, son of Japhet, the eponymus of the Greeks, was born obscure, the son of an old woman. According to the Persians he was the son of the Elder Dáráb (Darius Codomannus of the Kayanian or Second dynasty), by a daughter of Philip of Macedon; and was brought up by his grandfather. When Abraham and Isaac had rebuilt the Ka’abah they foregathered with him and Allah sent him forth against the four quarters of the earth to convert men to the faith of the Friend or to cut their throats; thus he became one of the four world-conquerors with Nimrod, Solomon, Bukht al-Nasr (Nabochodonosor); and he lived down two generations of men. His Wazir was Aristú (the Greek Aristotle) and he carried a couple of flags, white and black, which made day and night for him and facilitated his conquests. At the end of Persia, where he was invited by the people, on account of the cruelty of his half brother Darab II., he came upon two huge mountains on the same line, behind which dwelt a host of abominable pygmies, two spans high, with curious eyes, ears which served as mattresses and coverlets, huge fanged mouths, lions’ claws and hairy hind quarters. They ate men, destroyed everything, copulated in public and had swarms of children. These were Yájúj and Májúj (Gog and Magog) descendants of Japhet. Sikandar built against them the famous wall with stones cemented and riveted by iron and copper. The “Great Wall” of China, the famous bulwark against the Tartars dates from B.C. 320; (Alexander of Macedon died B.C. 324) and as the Arabs knew Canton well before Mohammed’s day, they may have built their romance upon it. The Guebres consigned Sikandar to hell for burning the Nusks or sections of the Zendavesta.

Footnote 462:

These terrific preachments to Eastern despots (who utterly ignore them) are a staple produce of Oriental tale-literature and form the chiaro-oscuro, as it were, of a picture whose lights are brilliant touches of profanity and indelicate humour. It certainly has the charm of contrast. Much of the above is taken from the Sikandar-nameh (Alexander Book) of the great Persian poet, Nizámi, who flourished A.H. 515–597, between the days of Firdausi (ob. A.D. 1021) and Sa’adi (ob. A.D. 1291). In that romance Sikandar builds, “where the sun goes down,” a castle of glittering stone which kills men by causing excessive laughter and surrounds it with yellow earth like gold. Hence the City of Brass. He also converts, instead of being converted by, the savages of the text. He finds a stone of special excellence which he calls Almás (diamond); and he obtains it from the Valley of Serpents by throwing down flesh to the eagles. Lastly he is accompanied by “Bilínás” or “Bilínús,” who is apparently Apollonius of Tyana.

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF KING ANUSHIRWAN.[463]

It is told of Anushirwan, the just King, that once upon a time he feigned himself sick, and bade his stewards and intendants go round about the provinces of his empire and the quarters of his dominion and seek him out a mud-brick thrown away from some ruined village, that he might use it as medicine, informing his intimates that the leaches had prescribed this to him. So they went the round of the provinces of his reign and of all the lands under his sway and said to him on return, “In all the realm we have found nor ruined site nor castaway mud-brick.” At this Anushirwan rejoiced and rendered thanks to the Lord, saying, “I was but minded to try my kingdom and prove mine empire, that I might know if any place therein remained ruined and deserted, so I might rebuild and repeople it; but, since there be no place in it but is inhabited, the affairs of the reign are best-conditioned and its ordinance is excellent; and its populousness[464] hath reached the pitch of perfection.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the high officials returned and reported, “We have found in the empire nor ruined site nor rotten brick,” the Just King thanked his God and said, “Verily the affairs of the realm are best-conditioned and its ordinance is excellent and its populousness hath reached the pink of perfection.” And ken thou, O King, continued Shahrazad, that these olden Kings strave not and toiled not for the peopling of their possessions, but because they knew that the more populous a country is, the more abundant is that which is desired therein; and because they wist the saying of the wise and the learned to be true without other view, namely, “Religion dependeth on the King, the King on the troops, the troops on the treasury, the treasury on the populousness of the country and its prosperity on the justice done to the lieges.” Wherefore they upheld no one in tyranny or oppression; neither suffered their dependants and suite to work injustice, knowing that kingdoms are not established upon tyranny, but that cities and places fall into ruin when oppressors are set as rulers over them, and their inhabitants disperse and flee to other governments; whereby ruin falleth upon the realm, the imports fail, the treasuries become empty and the pleasant lives of the subjects are perturbed; for that they love not a tyrant and cease not to offer up successive prayers against him; so that the King hath no ease of his kingdom, and the vicissitudes of fortune speedily bring him to destruction. And they tell a tale concerning

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Footnote 463:

I have explained the beautiful name in Night cclxxxix: He is still famous for having introduced into Persia the fables of Pilpay (Bidyapati, the lord of lore) and a game which the genius of Persia developed into chess.

Footnote 464:

Here we find an eternal truth, of which Malthusians ever want reminding; that the power of a nation simply consists in its numbers of fighting men and in their brute bodily force. The conquering race is that which raises most foot-pounds: hence the North conquers the South in the Northern hemisphere and _vice versâ_.

THE JEWISH KAZI AND HIS PIOUS WIFE.

Among the Children of Israel one of the Kazis had a wife of surpassing beauty, constant in fasting and abounding in patience and long-suffering; and he, being minded to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, appointed his own brother Kazi in his stead, during his absence, and commended his wife to his charge. Now this brother had heard of her beauty and loveliness and had taken a fancy to her. So no sooner was his brother gone than he went to her and sought her love-favours; but she denied him and held fast to her chastity. The more she repelled him, the more he pressed his suit upon her; till, despairing of her and fearing lest she should acquaint his brother with his misconduct whenas he should return, he suborned false witnesses to testify against her of adultery; and cited her and carried her before the King of the time who adjudged her to be stoned. So they dug a pit, and seating her therein stoned her, till she was covered with stones, and the man said, “Be this hole her grave!” But when it was dark a passer-by, making for a neighbouring hamlet, heard her groaning in sore pain; and, pulling her out of the pit, carried her home to his wife, whom he bade dress her wounds. The peasant woman tended her till she recovered and presently gave her her child to be nursed; and she used to lodge with the child in another house by night. Now a certain thief saw her and lusted after her. So he sent to her seeking her love-favours, but she denied herself to him; wherefore he resolved to slay her and, making his way into her lodging by night (and she sleeping), thought to strike at her with a knife; but it smote the little one and killed it. Now when he knew his misdeed, fear overtook him and he went forth the house and Allah preserved from him her chastity. But as she awoke in the morning, she found the child by her side with throat cut; and presently the mother came and seeing her boy dead, said to the nurse, “‘Twas thou didst murther him.” Therewith she beat her a grievous beating and purposed to put her to death; but her husband interposed and delivered the woman, saying, “By Allah, thou shalt not do on this wise.” So the woman, who had somewhat of money with her, fled forth for her life, knowing not whither she should wend. Presently, she came to a village, where she saw a crowd of people about a man crucified to a tree-stump, but still in the chains of life. “What hath he done?” she asked, and they answered, “He hath committed a crime, which nothing can expiate but death or the payment of such a fine by way of alms.” So she said to them, “Take the money and let him go;” and, when they did so, he repented at her hands and vowed to serve her, for the love of Almighty Allah till death should release him. Then he built her a cell and lodged her therein; after which he betook himself to woodcutting and brought her daily her bread. As for her, she was constant in worship, so that there came no sick man or demoniac to her, but she prayed for him and he was straightway healed.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the woman’s cell was visited by folk (and she constant in worship), it befel by decree of the Almighty that He sent down upon her husband’s brother (the same who had caused her to be stoned), a cancer in the face, and smote the villager’s wife (the same who had beaten her) with leprosy, and afflicted the thief (the same who had murthered the child) with palsy. Now when the Kazi returned from his pilgrimage, he asked his brother of his wife, and he told him that she was dead, whereat he mourned sore and accounted her with her Maker. After awhile, very many folk heard of the pious recluse and flocked to her cell from all parts of the length and breadth of the earth; whereupon said the Kazi to his brother, “O my brother, wilt thou not seek out yonder pious woman? Haply Allah shall decree thee healing at her hands!” and he replied, “O my brother, carry me to her.” Moreover, the husband of the leprous woman heard of the pious devotee and carried his wife to her, as did also the people of the paralytic thief; and they all met at the door of the hermitage. Now she had a place wherefrom she could look out upon those who came to her, without their seeing her; and they waited till her servant came, when they begged admittance and obtained permission. Presently she saw them all and recognized them; so she veiled and cloaked face and body and went out and stood in the door, looking at her husband and his brother and the thief and the peasant-woman; but they could not recognise her. Then said she to them, “Ho folk, ye shall not be relieved of what is with you till ye confess your sins; for, when the creature confesseth his sins the Creator relenteth towards him and granteth him that wherefore he resorteth to Him.” Quoth the Kazi to his brother, “O my brother, repent to Allah and persist not in thy frowardness, for it will be more helpful to thy relief.” And the tongue of the case spake this speech:—

This day oppressor and oppressèd meet, ✿ And Allah sheweth secrets we secrete: This is a place where sinners low are brought; ✿ And Allah raiseth saint to highest seat. Our Lord and Master shows the truth right clear, ✿ Though sinner froward be or own defeat: Alas[465] for those who rouse the Lord to wrath, ✿ As though of Allah’s wrath they nothing weet! O whoso seekest honours, know they are ✿ From Allah, and His fear with love entreat.

(Saith the relator), Then quoth the brother, “Now I will tell the truth: I did thus and thus with thy wife;” and he confessed the whole matter, adding, “And this is my offence.” Quoth the leprous woman, “As for me, I had a woman with me and imputed to her that of which I knew her to be guiltless, and beat her grievously; and this is my offence.” And quoth the paralytic, “And I went in to a woman to kill her, after I had tempted her to commit adultery and she had refused; and I slew a child that lay by her side; and this is my offence.” Then said the pious woman, “O my God, even as Thou hast made them feel the misery of revolt, so show them now the excellence of submission, for Thou over all things art Omnipotent!” And Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!) made them whole. Then the Kazi fell to looking on her and considering her straitly, till she asked him why he looked so hard and he said, “I had a wife and were she not dead, I had said thou art she.” Hereupon, she made herself known to him and both began praising Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!) for that which He had vouchsafed them of the reunion of their loves; but the brother and the thief and the villager’s wife joined in imploring her forgiveness. So she forgave them one and all, and they worshipped Allah in that place and rendered her due service, till Death parted them. And one of the Sayyids[466] hath related this tale of

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Footnote 465:

Arab. “Wayha,” not so strong as “Woe to,” etc. Al-Hariri often uses it as formula of affectionate remonstrance.

Footnote 466:

As a rule (much disputed) the Sayyid is a descendant from Mohammed through his grandchild Hasan, and is a man of the pen; whereas the Sharif derives from Husayn and is a man of the sword. The Najíb al-taraf is the son of a common Moslemah by a Sayyid, as opposed to the “Najib al-tarafayn,” when both parents are of Apostolic blood. The distinction is not noticed in Lane’s “Modern Egyptians.” The Sharif is a fanatic and often dangerous, as I have instanced in Pilgrimage iii. 132.

THE SHIPWRECKED WOMAN AND HER CHILD.

I was circuiting the Ka’abah one dark night, when I heard a plaintive voice, speaking from a contrite heart and saying, “O Bountiful One, Thy past boon! Indeed, by my heart shall Thy covenant never be undone.” Hearing this voice, my heart fluttered so that I was like to die; but I followed the sound and behold, it came from a woman, to whom I said, “Peace be with thee, O handmaid of Allah;” whereto she replied, “And with thee be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings!” Quoth I, “I conjure thee, by Allah the Most Great, tell me what is the covenant to which thy heart is constant.” Quoth she, “But that thou adjurest me by the Omnipotent, I would not tell thee my secrets. See what is before me.” So I looked and lo! there was a child lying asleep before her and breathing heavily in his slumber. Said she, “Know, that I set forth, being big with this boy, to make the pilgrimage to this House and took passage in a ship; but the waves rose against us and the winds blew contrary and the vessel broke up. I saved myself on a plank; and, on that bit of wood, I gave birth to this child; and while he lay on my bosom and the waves beating upon me,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the woman continued, “Now while the boy lay on my bosom and the waves beat upon me, there swam up to me one of the sailors, who climbed on the plank and said:—By Allah, I desired thee whilst thou wast yet in the ship, and now I have come at thee: so yield thy body to me, or I will throw thee into the sea. Said I:—Out on thee! hast thou no memory of that which thou hast seen and is it no warning to thee? Quoth he:—I have seen the like of this many a time and come off safe and care not. Quoth I:—O fellow, we are now in a calamity, whence we hope to be delivered by obedience to Allah and not by disobedience. But he persisted with me, and I feared him and thought to put him off; so I said to him:—Wait till this babe shall sleep; but he took the child off my lap and threw him into the sea. Now when I saw this desperate deed, my heart sank and sorrow was sore upon me; so I raised my eyes heavenwards and said:—O Thou that interposest between a man and his heart, intervene between me and this leonine brute; for Thou over all things art Omnipotent! And by Allah, hardly had I spoken when a beast rose out of the sea and snatched him off the plank. When I saw myself alone my sorrows redoubled and my grief and longing for my child, and I recited:—

My coolth of eyes, the darling child of me ✿ Is lost, and racked my heart with agony; My body wrecked, and red-hot coals of love ✿ Burning my liver with sore pangs, I see. In this my sorrow shows no gleam of joy; ✿ Save Thy high grace and my expectancy: Hast seen, O Lord, what unto me befel; ✿ My son aye lost and parting pangs I dree: Take ruth on us and make us meet again; ✿ For now my stay and only hope’s in Thee!

I abode in this condition a day and a night; and, when morning dawned, I caught sight of the sails of a vessel shining afar off, nor did the waves cease to drive me and the winds to waft me on, till I reached the ship, whose sails I had sighted. The sailors took me up and I looked and behold, my babe was amongst them: so I threw myself upon him and said:—O folk, this is my child: how and whence came ye by him? Quoth they:—Whilst we were sailing along the seas the ship suddenly stood still and lo! that which stayed us was a beast, as it were a great city, and this babe on its back, sucking his thumbs. So we took him up. Now when I heard this, I told them my tale and all that had betided me and returned thanks to my Lord for His goodness, and vowed to Him that never, whilst I lived, would I stir from His House nor swerve from His service; and since then I have never asked of Him aught but He hath given it me.” Now when she had made an end of her story (quoth the Sayyid), I put my hand to my alms-pouch and would have given to her, but she exclaimed, “Away from me, thou idle man! Have I not told thee of His mercies and the graciousness of His dealings and shall I take an alms from other than His hand?” And I could not prevail with her to accept aught of me: so I left her and went away, reciting these couplets:—

How many boons conceals the Deity, ✿ Eluding human sight in mystery: How many graces come on heels of stresses, ✿ And fill the burning heart with jubilee: How many a sorrow in the morn appears, ✿ And turns at night-tide into gladdest gree: If things go hard with thee some day, yet trust ✿ Th’ Eterne, th’ Almighty God of Unity: And pray the Prophet that he intercede; ✿ Through intercession every wish shalt see.

And she left not the service of her Lord, cleaving unto His House, till death came to her. And a tale is also told, by Málik bin Dínár[467] (Allah have mercy on him!) of

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Footnote 467:

A theologian of Bassorah (eighth century): surnamed Abú Yahyá. The prayer for mercy denotes that he was dead when the tale was written.

THE PIOUS BLACK SLAVE.

We were once afflicted with drought at Bassorah and went forth sundry times to pray for rain, but saw no sign of our prayers being accepted. So I went, I and ‘Itaa al-Salamí and Sábit al-Banáni and Naja al-Bakáa and Mohammed bin Wási’a and Ayyúb al-Sukhtiyáni and Habíb al-Farsi and Hassán bin Abi Sinán and ‘Otbah al-Ghulám and Sálih al-Muzani,[468] till we reached the oratory,[469] when the boys came out of the schools and we prayed for rain, but saw no sign of acceptance. So about midday the people went away and I and Sabit al-Banani tarried in the place of prayer till nightfall, when we saw a black of comely face, slender of shank[470] and big of belly, approach us, clad in a pair of woollen drawers; if all he wore had been priced, it would not have fetched a couple of dirhams. He brought water and made the minor ablution, then, going up to the prayer-niche, prayed two inclinations deftly, his standing and bowing and prostration being exactly similar in both. Then he raised his glance heavenwards, and said, “O my God and my Lord and Master, how long wilt Thou reject Thy servants in that which offereth no hurt to Thy sovereignty? Is that which is with Thee wasted or are the treasuries of Thy Kingdom annihilated? I conjure Thee, by Thy love to me forthwith to pour out upon us Thy rain-clouds of grace!” He spake and hardly had he made an end of speaking, when the heavens clouded over and there came a rain, as if the mouths of waterskins had been opened; and when we left the oratory, we were knee-deep in water,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,

She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that hardly had he spoken when the heavens clouded over and there came a rain, as if the mouths of waterskins had been opened. And when we left the oratory we were knee-deep in water, and we were lost in wonder at the black. So I accosted him and said to him, “Woe to thee, O black, art thou not ashamed of what thou saidst?” He turned to me and asked, “What said I?”; and I, “Thy saying to Allah:—By Thy love of me; and what giveth thee to know that He loveth thee?” Replied he, “Away from me, O thou distracted by the world from the care of thine own soul. Where was I, when He gave me strength to profess the unity of the Godhead and vouchsafed unto me the knowledge of Him? How deemest thou that He aided me thus except of His love to me?” adding, “Verily, His love to me is after the measure of my love to Him.” Quoth I, “Tarry awhile with me, so may Allah have mercy on thee!” But he said, “I am a chattel and the Book enjoineth me to obey my lesser master.” So we followed him afar off, till we saw him enter the house of a slave-broker. Now the first half of the night was past and the last half was longsome upon us, so we went away; but next morning, we repaired to the slave-dealer and said to him, “Hast thou a lad to sell us for service?” He answered, “Yes, I have an hundred lads or so and they are all for sale.” Then he showed us slave after slave, till he had shown us some seventy; but my friend was not amongst them, and the dealer said, “These are all I have.” But, as we were going out from him we saw a ruinous hut behind his house and going in behold, we found the black standing there. I cried, “‘Tis he, by the Lord of the Ka’abah!” and turning to the dealer, said to him, “Sell me yonder slave.” Replied he, “O Abu Yahya, this is a pestilent unprofitable fellow, who hath no concern by night but weeping and by day but repentance.” I rejoined, “It is for that I want him.” So the dealer called him, and he came out, showing drowsiness. Quoth his master, “Take him at thine own price, so thou hold me free of all his faults.” I bought him for twenty dinars and asked “What is his name?” and the dealer answered, “Maymún, the monkey;” and I took him by the hand and went out with him, intending to go home; but he turned to me and said, “O my lesser lord, why and wherefore didst thou buy me? By Allah, I am not fit for the service of God’s creatures!” Replied I, “I bought thee that I might serve thee myself; and on my head be it.” Asked he, “Why so?” and I answered, “Wast thou not in company with us yesterday in the place of prayer?” Quoth he, “And didst thou hear me?”; and quoth I, “It was I accosted thee yesterday and spoke with thee.” Thereupon he advanced till we came to a mosque, where he entered and prayed a two-bow prayer; after which he said, “O my God and my Lord and Master, the secret that was between me and Thee Thou hast discovered unto Thy creatures and hast brought me to shame before the worldling. How then shall life be sweet to me, now that other than Thou hath happened upon that which is between Thee and me? I conjure Thee to take my soul to Thee forthright.”[471] So saying, he prostrated himself, and I awaited awhile without seeing him raise his head; so I shook him and behold, he was indeed dead, the mercy of Almighty Allah be upon him! I laid him out stretching his arms and legs and looked at him, and lo! he was smiling. Moreover, whiteness had got the better of blackness on his brow, and his face was radiant with light like a young moon. As we wondered at his case, the door opened and a young man came in to us and said, “Peace be with you! May Allah make great our reward and yours for our brother Maymun! Here is his shroud: wrap him in it.” So saying, he gave us two robes, never had we seen the like of them, and we shrouded him therein. And now his tomb is a place whither men resort to pray for rain and ask their requirements of Allah (be He extolled and exalted!); and how excellently well saith the poet on this theme:

The heart of Gnostic[472] homed in heavenly Garth ✿ Heaven decks, and Allah’s porters aid afford. Lo! here they drink old wine commingled with ✿ Tasním,[473] the wine of union with the Lord. Safe is the secret ‘twixt the Friend and them; ✿ Safe from all hearts but from that Heart adored.

And they recount another anecdote of

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Footnote 468:

A theologian of Bassorah (eighth century).

Footnote 469:

Arab. “Musallá”; lit. a place of prayer; an oratory, a chapel, opp. to “Jámi’” = a (cathedral) mosque.

Footnote 470:

According to all races familiar with the negro, a calf like a shut fist planted close under the ham is, like the “cucumber shin” and “lark heel,” a good sign in a slave. Shapely calves and well made legs denote the idle and the ne’er-do-well. I have often found this true although the rule is utterly empirical. Possibly it was suggested by the contrast of the nervous and lymphatic temperaments.

Footnote 471:

These devotees address Allah as a lover would his beloved. The curious reader will consult for instances the Dabistan on Tasawwuf (ii. 221; i., iii. end, and passim.)

Footnote 472:

Arab. “Ma’rifat,” Pers. Dánish; the knowledge of the Truth. The seven steps are (1) Sharí’at, external law like night; (2) Taríkat, religious rule like the stars; (3) Hakíkat, reality, truth like the moon; (4) Ma’rifat like the sun; (5) Kurbat, proximity to Allah; (6) Wasílat, union with Allah, and (7) Suknat, dwelling in Allah (Dabistan iii. 29.)

Footnote 473:

Name of a fountain of Paradise: See Night xlix., vol. ii., p. 100.

THE DEVOUT TRAY-MAKER AND HIS WIFE.

There was once, among the Children of Israel, a man of the worthiest, who was strenuous in the service of his Lord and abstained from things worldly and drave them away from his heart. He had a wife who was a helpmate meet for him and who was at all times obedient to him. They earned their living by making trays[474] and fans, whereat they wrought all through the light hours; and, at nightfall, the man went out into the streets and highways seeking a buyer for what they had made. They were wont to fast continually by day[475] and one morning they arose, fasting, and worked at their craft till the light failed them, when the man went forth, according to custom, to find purchasers for his wares, and fared on till he came to the door of the house of a certain man of wealth, one of the sons of this world, high in rank and dignity. Now the tray-maker was fair of face and comely of form, and the wife of the master of the house saw him and fell in love with him and her heart inclined to him with exceeding inclination; so, her husband being absent, she called her handmaid and said to her, “Contrive to bring yonder man to us.” Accordingly the maid went out to him and called him and stopped him as though she would buy what he held in hand.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the maid-servant went out to the man and asked him, “Come in; my lady hath a mind to buy some of thy wares, after she hath tried them and looked at them.” The man thought she spoke truly and, seeing no harm in this, entered and sat down as she bade him; and she shut the door upon him. Whereupon her mistress came out of her room and, taking him by the gaberdine,[476] drew him within and said, “How long shall I seek union of thee? Verily my patience is at an end on thine account. See now, the place is perfumed and provision prepared and the householder is absent this night, and I give to thee my person without reserve, I whose favours kings and captains and men of fortune have sought this long while, but I have regarded none of them.” And she went on talking thus to him, whilst he raised not his eyes from the ground, for shame before Allah Almighty and fear of the pains and penalties of His punishment; even as saith the poet:—

‘Twixt me and riding many a noble dame, ✿ Was naught but shame which kept me chaste and pure: My shame was cure to her; but haply were ✿ Shame to depart, she ne’er had known a cure.

The man strove to free himself from her, but could not; so he said to her, “I want one thing of thee.” She asked, “What is that?”: and he answered, “I wish for pure water and that I may carry it to the highest place of thy house and do somewhat therewith and cleanse myself of an impurity, which I may not disclose to thee.” Quoth she, “The house is large and hath closets and corners and privies at command.” But he replied, “I want nothing but to be at a height.” So she said to her slave-girl, “Carry him up to the belvedere on the house-terrace.” Accordingly the maid took him up to the very top and, giving him a vessel of water, went down and left him. Then he made the ablution and prayed a two-bow prayer; after which he looked at the ground, thinking to throw himself down, but seeing it afar off, feared to be dashed to pieces by the fall.[477] Then he bethought him of his disobedience to Allah, and the consequences of his sin; so it became a light matter to him to offer up his life and shed his blood; and he said, “O my God and my Lord, Thou seest that which is fallen on me; neither is my case hidden from Thee. Thou indeed over all things art Omnipotent and the tongue of my case reciteth and saith:”—

I show my heart and thoughts to Thee, and Thou ✿ Alone my secret’s secrecy canst know. If I address Thee fain I cry aloud; ✿ Or, if I’m mute, my signs for speech I show. O Thou to whom no second be conjoined! ✿ A wretched lover seeks Thee in his woe. I have a hope my thoughts as true confirm; ✿ And heart that fainteth as right well canst trow. To lavish life is hardest thing that be, ✿ Yet easy an Thou bid me life forego; But, an it be Thy will to save from stowre, ✿ Thou, O my Hope, to work this work hast power!

Then the man cast himself down from the belvedere; but Allah sent an angel who bore him up on his wings and brought him down to the ground, whole and without hurt or harm. Now when he found himself safe on the ground, he thanked and praised Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!) for His merciful protection of his person and his chastity; and he went straight to his wife who had long expected him, and he empty-handed. Then seeing him, she asked him why he had tarried and what was come of that he had taken with him and why he returned empty-handed; whereupon he told her of the temptation which had befallen him, and she said, “Alhamdolillah—praised be God—for delivering thee from seduction and intervening between thee and such calamity!” Then she added, “O man, the neighbours use to see us light our oven every night; and, if they see us fireless this night, they will know that we are destitute. Now it behoveth in gratitude to Allah, that we hide our destitution and conjoin the fast of this night to that of the past and continue it for the sake of Allah Almighty.” So she rose and, filling the oven with wood, lighted it, to baffle the curiosity of her women-neighbours, reciting these couplets:—

Now I indeed will hide desire and all repine; ✿ And light up this my fire that neighbours see no sign: Accept I what befalls by order of my Lord; ✿ Haply He too accept this humble act of mine.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after the goodwife had lit the fire to baffle the curiosity of her women-neighbours, she and her husband made the Wuzu-ablution and stood up to pray, when behold, one of the neighbours’ wives came and asked leave to take a fire-brand from the oven. “Do what thou wilt with the oven,” answered they; but, when she came to the fire, she cried out, saying, “Ho, such an one (to the tray-maker’s wife) take up thy bread ere it burn!” Quoth the wife to her husband, “Hearest thou what she saith?” Quoth he, “Go and look.” So she went up to the oven, and behold, it was full of fine bread and white. She took up the scones and carried them to her husband, thanking Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!) for His abounding good and great bounty; and they ate of the bread and drank water and praised the Almighty. Then said the woman to her husband, “Come let us pray to Allah the Most Highest, so haply He may vouchsafe us what shall enable us to dispense with the weariness of working for daily bread and devote ourselves wholly to worshipping and obeying Him.” The man rose in assent and prayed, whilst his wife said, “Amen,” to his prayer, when the roof clove in sunder and down fell a ruby, which lit the house with its light. Hereat, they redoubled in praise and thanksgiving to Allah praying what the Almighty willed,[478] and rejoiced at the ruby with great joy. And the night being far spent, they lay down to sleep and the woman dreamt that she entered Paradise and saw therein many chairs ranged and stools set in rows. She asked what the seats were and it was answered her, “These are the chairs of the prophets and those are the stools of the righteous and the pious.” Quoth she, “Which is the stool of my husband such an one?”; and it was said to her, “It is this.” So she looked and seeing a hole in its side asked, “What may be this hole?”; and the reply came, “It is the place of the ruby that dropped upon you from your house-roof.” Thereupon she awoke, weeping and bemoaning the defect in her husband’s stool among the seats of the Righteous; so she told him the dream and said to him, “Pray Allah, O man, that this ruby return to its place; for endurance of hunger and poverty during our few days here were easier than a hole in thy chair among the just in Paradise.”[479] Accordingly, he prayed to his Lord, and lo! the ruby flew up to the roof and away whilst they looked at it. And they ceased not from their poverty and their piety, till they went to the presence of Allah, to whom be Honour and Glory! And they also tell a tale of

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Footnote 474:

Arab. “Atbák”; these trays are made of rushes, and the fans of palm-leaves or tail-feathers.

Footnote 475:

Except on the two great Festivals when fasting is forbidden. The only religion which has shown common sense in this matter is that of the Guebres or Parsis: they consider fasting neither meritorious nor lawful; and they honour Hormuzd by good living “because it keeps the soul stronger.” Yet even they have their food superstitions, _e.g._ in Gate No. xxiv.: “Beware of sin specially on the day thou eatest flesh, for flesh is the diet of Ahrimán.” And in India the Guebres have copied the Hindus in not slaughtering horned cattle for the table.

Footnote 476:

Arab. “Jallábiyah,” a large-sleeved robe of coarse stuff worn by the poor.

Footnote 477:

His fear was that his body might be mutilated by the fall.

Footnote 478:

The phrase means “offering up many and many a prayer.”

Footnote 479:

A saying of Mohammed is recorded “Al-fakru fakhrí” (poverty is my pride!), intelligible in a man who never wanted for anything. Here he is diametrically opposed to Ali who honestly abused poverty; and the Prophet seems to have borrowed from Christendom, whose “Lazarus and Dives” shows a man sent to Hell because he enjoyed a very modified Heaven in this life and which suggested that one of the man’s greatest miseries is an ecclesiastical virtue—“Holy Poverty”—represented in the Church as a bride young and lovely. If a “rich man can hardly enter the kingdom” what must it be with a poor man whose conditions are far more unfavourable? Going to the other extreme we may say that Poverty is the root of all evil and the more so as it curtails man’s power of benefiting others. Practically I observe that those who preach and praise it the most, practise it the least willingly: the ecclesiastic has always some special reasons, a church or a school is wanted; but not the less he wishes for more money. In Syria this Holy Poverty leads to strange abuses. At Bayrut I recognised in most impudent beggars well-to-do peasants from the Kasrawán district, and presently found out that whilst their fields were under snow they came down to the coast, enjoyed a genial climate and lived on alms. When I asked them if they were not ashamed to beg, they asked me if I was ashamed of following in the footsteps of the Saviour and Apostles. How much wiser was Zoroaster who found in the Supreme Paradise (Minuwán-minu) “many persons, rich in gold and silver who had worshipped the Lord and had been grateful to Him.” (Dabistan i. 265.)

AL-HAJJAJ AND THE PIOUS MAN.

Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Sakafi had been long in pursuit of a certain man of the notables, and when at last he was brought before him, he said, “O enemy of Allah, He hath delivered thee over to me;” and cried, “Hale him to prison and lay him by the heels in heavy fetters and build a closet over him, that he may not come forth of it nor any go into him.” So they bore him to jail and summoned the blacksmith with the irons; and every time the smith gave a stroke with his hammer, the prisoner raised his eyes to heaven and said, “Is not the whole Creation and the Empire thereof His?”[480] Then the gaolers built the cage[481] over him and left him therein, lorn and lone, whereupon longing and consternation entered into him and the tongue of his case recited in extempore verse:—

O Wish of wistful men, for Thee I yearn; ✿ My heart seeks grace of one no heart shall spurn. Unhidden from thy sight is this my case; ✿ And for one glance of thee I pine and burn. They jailed and tortured me with sorest pains:✿ Alas for lone one can no aid discern’!

But, albe lone, I find Thy name befriends ✿ And cheers, though sleep to eyes shall ne’er return: An thou accept of me, I care for naught; ✿ And only Thou what’s in my heart canst learn!

Now when night fell dark, the gaoler left his watchmen to guard him and went to his house; and on the morrow, when he came to the prison, he found the fetters lying on the ground and the prisoner gone; whereat he was affrighted and made sure of death. So he returned to his place and bade his family farewell, after which he took in his sleeve his shroud and the sweet herbs for his corpse, and went in to Al-Hajjáj. And as he stood before the presence, the Governor smelt the perfumes and asked, “What is that?” when the gaoler answered, “O my lord, it is I who have brought it.” “And what moved thee to that?” enquired the Governor; whereupon he told him his case,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the gaoler told his case to Al-Hajjaj, the Governor cried, “Woe to thee! Didst thou hear him say aught?” Answered the gaoler, “Yes! whilst the blacksmith was hammering his irons, he ceased not to look up heavenwards and say:—Is not the whole Creation and the Empire thereof His?” Rejoined Al-Hajjaj, “Dost thou not know that He, on whom he called in thy presence, delivered him in thine absence?” And the tongue of the case recited on this theme:—

O Lord, how many a grief from me hast driven ✿ Nor can I sit or stand without Thy hold: How many many things I cannot count, ✿ Thou sav’st from many many and manifold!

And they also tell a tale of

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Footnote 480:

Koran vii. 52.

Footnote 481:

Arab. “Al-bayt” = the house. The Arabs had probably learned this pleasant mode of confinement from the Chinese whose _Kea_ or Cangue is well known. The Arabian form of it is “Ghull,” or portable pillory, which reprobates will wear on Judgment Day.

THE BLACKSMITH WHO COULD HANDLE FIRE WITHOUT HURT.

It reached the ears of a certain pious man that there abode in such a town a blacksmith, who could put his hand into the fire and pull out the iron red-hot, without the flames doing him aught of hurt.[482] So he set out for the town in question and asked for the blacksmith; and, when the man was shown to him, he watched him at work and saw him do as had been reported to him. He waited till he had made an end of his day’s work; then, going up to him, saluted him with the salam and said, “I would be thy guest this night.” Replied the smith, “With gladness and goodly gree!” and carried him to his place, where they supped together and lay down to sleep. The guest watched, but saw no sign in his host of praying through the night or of special devoutness and said in his mind, “Haply he hideth himself from me.” So he lodged with him a second and a third night, but found that he did not exceed the devotions prescribed by the law and custom of the Prophet and rose but little in the dark hours to pray. At last he said to him, “O my brother, I have heard of the gift with which Allah hath favoured thee and have seen the truth of it with mine eyes. Moreover, I have taken note of thine assiduity in religious exercises, but find in thee no such piety as distinguisheth those who work saintly miracles: whence, then, cometh this to thee?” “I will tell thee,” answered the smith:—Know that I was once passionately enamoured of a slave-girl and ofttimes sued her for love-liesse, but could not prevail upon her, because she still held fast by her chastity. Presently there came a year of drought and hunger and hardship; food failed and there befel a sore famine. As I was sitting one day at home, somebody knocked at the door; so I went out and behold, she was standing there; and she said to me, “O my brother, I am sorely anhungered and I lift mine eyes to thee, beseeching thee to feed me for Allah’s sake!” Quoth I, “Wottest thou not how I love thee and what I have suffered for thy sake? Now I will not give thee one bittock of bread except thou yield thy person to me.” Quoth she, “Death, but not disobedience to the Lord!” Then she went away and returned after two days with the same prayer for food as before. I made her a like answer, and she entered and sat down in my house being nigh upon death. I set food before her, whereupon her eyes brimmed with tears and she cried, “Give me meat for the love of Allah, to whom belong Honour and Glory!” But I answered, “Not so, by Allah, except thou yield thyself to me.” Quoth she, “Better is death to me than the wrath and wreak of Allah the Most Highest;” and she rose and left the food untouched——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the man set food before her, the woman said, “Give me meat for the love of Allah, to whom be Honour and Glory!” But I answered, “Not so, by Allah, except thou yield to me thy person.” Quoth she, “Better is death than the wrath and wreak of Allah;” and she rose and left the food untouched and went away repeating these couplets:—

O Thou, the One, whose grace doth all the world embrace; ✿ Thine ears have heard, Thine eyes have seen my case! Privation and distress have dealt me heavy blows; ✿ The woes that weary me no utterance can trace. I am like one athirst who eyes the landscape’s eye, ✿ Yet may not drink a draught of streams that rail and race. My flesh would tempt me by the sight of savoury food ✿ Whose joys shall pass away and pangs maintain their place.

She then disappeared for two days, when she again came and knocked at the door; so I went out to her, and lo! hunger had taken away her voice; but, after a rest she said, “O my brother, I am worn out with want and know not what to do, for I cannot show my face to any man but to thee. Say, wilt thou feed me for the love of Allah Almighty?” But I answered, “Not so, except thou yield to me thy person.” And she entered my house and sat down. Now I had no food ready; but, when the meat was dressed and I laid it in a saucer, behold, the grace of Almighty Allah entered into me and I said to myself, “Out on thee! This woman, weak of wit and faith, hath refrained from food till she can no longer, for stress of hunger; and, while she refuseth time after time, thou canst not forbear from disobedience to the Lord!” And I said, “O my God, I repent to Thee of that which my flesh purposed!” Then I took the food and carrying it to her, said, “Eat, for no harm shall betide thee: this is for the love of Allah, to whom belong Honour and Glory!” Then she raised her eyes to heaven and said, “O my God, if this man say sooth, I pray Thee forbid fire to harm him in this world and the next, for Thou over all things art Omnipotent and Prevalent in answering the prayer of the penitent!” Then I left her and went to put out the fire in the brasier.[483] Now the season was winter and the weather cold, and a live coal fell on my body: but by the decree of Allah (to whom be Honour and Glory!) I felt no pain and it became my conviction that her prayer had been answered. So I took the coal in my hand, and it burnt me not; and going in to her, I said, “Be of good cheer, for Allah hath granted thy prayer!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the blacksmith continued:—So I went in to her and said, “Be of good cheer, for Allah hath granted thy prayer!” Then she dropped the morsel from her hand and said, “O my God, now that Thou hast shown me my desire of him and hast granted me my prayer for him, take Thou my soul, for Thou over all things art Almighty!” And straightway He took her soul to Him, the mercy of Allah be upon her! And the tongue of the case extemporised and spake on this theme:—

She prayed: the Lord of grace her prayer obeyed; ✿ And spared the sinner, who for sin had prayed: He showed her all she prayed Him to grant; ✿ And Death (as prayed she) her portion made:

Unto his door she came and prayed for food, ✿ And sued his ruth for what her misery made: He leant to error following his lusts, ✿ And hoped to enjoy her as her wants persuade; But he knew little of what Allah willed; ✿ Nor was Repentance, though unsought, denayed. Fate comes to him who flies from Fate, O Lord, ✿ And lot and daily bread by Thee are weighed.

And they also tell of

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Footnote 482:

This commonest conjuring trick in the West becomes a miracle in the credulous East.

Footnote 483:

Arab. “Kánún”; the usual term is Mankal (pron. Mangal) a pan of copper or brass. Some of these “chafing-dishes” stand four feet high and are works of art. Lane (M. E. chapt. iv) gives an illustration of the simpler kind, together with the “Azikí,” a smaller pan for heating coffee. See Night dxxxviii.

THE DEVOTEE TO WHOM ALLAH GAVE A CLOUD FOR SERVICE AND THE DEVOUT KING.

There was once, among the children of Israel, a man of the devout, for piety acclaimed and for continence and asceticism en-famed, whose prayers were ever granted and who by supplication obtained whatso he wanted; and he was a wanderer in the mountains and was used to pass the night in worship. Now Almighty Allah had subjected to him a cloud which travelled with him wherever he went, and poured on him its water-treasures in abundance that he might make his ablutions and drink. After a long time when things were thus, his fervour somewhat abated, whereupon Allah took the cloud away from him and ceased to answer his prayers. On this account, great was his grief and long was his woe, and he ceased not to regret the time of grace and the miracle vouchsafed to him and to lament and bewail and bemoan himself, till he saw in a dream one who said to him, “An thou wouldest have Allah restore to thee thy cloud, seek out a certain King, in such a town, and beg him to pray for thee: so will Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) give thee back thy cloud and bespread it over thee by virtue of his pious prayers.” And he began repeating these couplets:—

Wend to that pious prayerful Emir, ✿ Who can with gladness thy condition cheer; An he pray Allah, thou shalt win thy wish; ✿ And heavy rain shall drop from welkin clear. He stands all Kings above in potent worth; ✿ Nor to compare with him doth aught appear:

Near him thou soon shalt hap upon thy want, ✿ And see all joy and gladness draw thee near: Then cut the wolds and wilds unfounted till ✿ The goal thou goest for anigh shalt speer!

So the hermit set out for the town named to him in the dream; and, coming thither after long travel, enquired for the King’s palace which was duly shown to him. And behold, at the gate he found a slave-officer sitting on a great chair and clad in gorgeous gear; so he stood to him and saluted him; and he returned his salam and asked him, “What is thy business?” Answered the devotee, “I am a wronged man, and come to submit my case to the King.” Quoth the officer, “Thou hast no access to him this day; for he hath appointed unto petitioners and enquirers one day in every seven” (naming the day), “on which they may go in to him; so wend thy ways in welfare till then.” The hermit was vexed with the King for thus veiling himself from the folk and said in thought, “How shall this man be a saint of the saints of Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!) and he on this wise?” Then he went away and awaited the appointed day. Now (quoth he) when it came, I repaired to the palace, where I found a great number of folk at the gate, expecting admission; and I stood with them, till there came out a Wazir robed in gorgeous raiment and attended by guards and slaves, who said, “Let those, who have petitions to present, enter.” So I entered with the rest and found the King seated facing his officers and grandees who were ranged according to their several ranks and degrees. The Wazir took up his post and brought forward the petitioners, one by one, till it came to my turn, when the King looked on me and said, “Welcome to the ‘Lord of the Cloud’! Sit thee down till I make leisure for thee.” I was confounded at his words and confessed his dignity and superiority; and, when the King had answered the petitioners and had made an end with them, he rose and dismissed his Wazirs and Grandees; then, taking my hand he led me to the door of the private palace, where we found a black slave, splendidly arrayed, with helm on head, and on his right hand and his left, bows and coats of mail. He rose to the King; and, hastening to obey his orders and forestall his wishes, opened the door. We went in, hand in hand, till we came to a low wicket, which the King himself opened and led me into a ruinous place of frightful desolation and thence passed into a chamber, wherein was naught but a prayer-carpet, an ewer for ablution and some mats of palm-leaves. Here the King doffed his royal robes and donned a coarse gown of white wool and a conical bonnet of felt. Then he sat down and making me sit, called out to his wife, “Ho, such an one!” and she answered from within saying, “Here am I.” Quoth he, “Knowest thou who is our guest to-day?” Replied she, “Yes, it is the ‘Lord of the Cloud.’” The King said, “Come forth: it mattereth not for him.” And behold, there entered a woman, as she were a vision, with a face that beamed like the new moon; and she wore a gown and veil of wool.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King called to his wife, she came forth from the inner room; and her face beamed like the new moon; and she wore a gown and a veil of wool. Then said the King, “O my brother, dost thou desire to hear our story or that we should pray for thee and dismiss thee?” Answered the hermit; “Nay, I wish to hear the tale of you twain, for that to me were preferable.” Said the King, “My forefathers handed down the throne, one to the other, and it descended from great one to great one, in unbroken succession, till the last died and it came to me. Now Allah had made this hateful to me, for I would fain have gone awandering over earth and left the folk to their own affairs; but I feared lest they should fall into confusion and anarchy and misgovernment so as to swerve from divine law, and the union of the Faith be broken up. Wherefore, abandoning my own plans, I took the kingship and appointed to every head of them a regular stipend; and donned the royal robes; and posted slave-officers at the doors, as a terror to the dishonest and for the defence of honest folk and the maintenance of law and limitations. Now when free of this, I entered this place and, doffing my royal habit, donned these clothes thou seest; and this my cousin, the daughter of my father’s brother, hath agreed with me to renounce the world and helpeth me to serve the Lord. So we are wont to weave these palm-leaves and earn, during the day, a wherewithal to break our fast at nightfall; and we have lived on this wise nigh upon forty years. Abide thou with us (so Allah have mercy on thee!) till we sell our mats; and thou shalt sup and sleep with us this night and on the morrow wend thy ways with that thou wishest, Inshallah!” So he tarried with them till the end of the day, when there came a boy five years old who took the mats they had made and carrying them to the market, sold them for a carat;[484] and with this bought bread and beans and returned with them to the King. The hermit broke his fast and lay down to sleep with them; but in the middle of the night, they both arose and fell to praying and weeping. When daybreak was near, the King said, “O my God, this Thy servant beseecheth Thee to return him his cloud; and to do this Thou art able; so, O my God, let him see his prayer granted and restore him his cloud.” The Queen amen’d to his orisons and behold, the cloud grew up in the sky; whereupon the King gave the hermit joy and the man took leave of them and went away, the cloud companying him as of old. And whatsoever he required of Allah after this, in the names of the pious King and Queen, He granted it without fail and the man made thereon these couplets:—

My Lord hath servants fain of piety; ✿ Hearts in the Wisdom-garden ranging free: Their bodies’ lusts at peace, and motionless ✿ For breasts that bide in purest secresy. Thou seest all silent, awesome of their Lord, ✿ For hidden things unseen and seen they see.

And they tell a tale of

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Footnote 484:

See vol. iii., p. 239. The system is that of the Roman As and Unciæ. Here it would be the twenty-fourth part of a dinar or miskal; something under 5d. I have already noted that all Moslem rulers are religiously bound to some handicraft, if it be only making toothpicks. Mohammed abolished kingship proper as well as priestcraft.

THE MOSLEM CHAMPION AND THE CHRISTIAN DAMSEL.

The Commander of the Faithful, Omar bin al-Khattáb (whom Allah accept!), once levied for holy war an army of Moslems, to encounter the foe before Damascus, and they laid close siege to one of the Christians’ strongholds. Now there were amongst the Moslems two men, brothers, whom Allah had gifted with fire and bold daring against the enemy; so that the commander of the besieged fortress said to his chiefs and braves, “Were but yonder two Moslems ta’en or slain, I would warrant you against the rest of their strain.” Wherefore they left not to set for them all manner of toils and snares and ceased not to manœuvre and lie in wait and ambush for them, till they took one of them prisoner and slew the other who died a martyr. They carried the captive to the Captain of the fort, who looked at him and said, “Verily, to kill this man were indeed a pity; but his return to the Moslem would be a calamity.”—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the enemy carried their Moslem captive before the Captain of the fort, the Christian looked at him and said, “Verily to kill this man were a pity indeed; but his return to the Moslem would be a calamity. Oh that he might be brought to embrace the Nazarene Faith and be to us an aid and an arm!” Quoth one of his Patrician Knights, “O Emir, I will tempt him to abjure his faith and on this wise: we know that the Arabs are much addicted to women, and I have a daughter, a perfect beauty, whom when he sees, he will be seduced by her.” Quoth the Captain, “I give him into thy charge.” So he carried him to his place and clad his daughter in raiment, such as added to her beauty and loveliness. Then he brought the Moslem into the room and set before him food and made the fair girl stand in his presence, as she were a handmaid obedient to her lord and awaiting his orders that she might do his bidding. When the Moslem saw the evil sent down upon him, he commended himself to Allah Almighty and closing his eyes, applied himself to worship and to reciting the Koran. Now he had a pleasant voice and a piercing wit; and the Nazarene damsel presently loved him with passionate love and pined for him with extreme repine. This lasted seven days, at the end of which she said to herself, “Would to Heaven he would admit me into the Faith of Al-Islam!” And the tongue of her case recited these couplets:—

Wilt turn thy face from heart that’s all thine own, ✿ This heart thy ransom and this soul thy wone?

I’m ready home and kin to quit for aye, ✿ And every Faith for that of sword[485] disown: I testify that Allah hath no mate: ✿ This proof is stablished and this truth is known. Haply shall deign He union grant with one ✿ Averse, and hearten heart love-overthrown; For ofttimes door erst shut, is opened wide, ✿ And after evil case all good is shown.

At last her patience failed her and her breast was straitened and she threw herself on the ground before him, saying, “I conjure thee by thy Faith, that thou give ear to my words!” Asked he, “What are they?” and she answered, “Expound unto me Al-Islam.” So he expounded to her the tenets of the Faith, and she became a Moslemah, after which she was circumcised[486] and he taught her to pray. Then said she to him, “O my brother, I did but embrace Al-Islam for thy sake and to win thy favours.” Quoth he, “The law of Al-Islam forbiddeth sexual commerce save after a marriage before two legal witnesses, and a dowry and a guardian are also requisite. Now I know not where to find witnesses or friend or parapherne; but, an thou can contrive to bring us out of this place, I may hope to make the land of Al-Islam, and pledge myself to thee that none other than thou in all Al-Islam shall be wife to me.” Answered she, “I will manage that”; and, calling her father and mother, said to them, “Indeed this Moslem’s heart is softened and he longeth to enter the faith, so I will grant him that which he desireth of my person; but he saith:—It befitteth me not to do this in a town where my brother was slain. Could I but get outside it my heart would be solaced and I would do that which is wanted of me. Now there is no harm in letting me go forth with him to another town, and I will be a surety to you both and to the Emir for that which ye wish of him.” Therefore her father went to their Captain and told him this, whereat he joyed with exceeding joy and bade him carry them forth to a village that she named. So they went out and made the village where they abode the rest of their day, and when night fell, they got ready for the march and went their way, even as saith the poet:—

“The time of parting,” cry they, “draweth nigh”: ✿ “How oft this

## parting-threat?” I but reply:

I’ve naught to do but cross the wild and wold ✿ And, mile by mile, o’er fount-less wastes to fly, If the belovèd seek another land ✿ Sons of the road, whereso they wend, wend I. I make desire direct me to their side, ✿ The guide to show me where the way doth lie.

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

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the prisoner and the lady abode in the village the rest of their day and, when night fell, made ready for the march and went upon their way; and travelled all night without stay or delay. The young Moslem, mounting a swift blood-horse and taking up the maiden behind him, ceased not devouring the ground till it was bright morning, when he turned aside with her from the highway and, alighting, they made the Wuzu-ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer. Now as they were thus engaged behold, they heard the clank of swords and clink of bridles and men’s voices and tramp of horse; whereupon he said to her, “Ho, such an one, the Nazarenes are after us! What shall we do?: the horse is so jaded and broken down that he cannot stir another step.” Exclaimed she, “Woe to thee! art thou then afraid and affrighted?” “Yes,” answered he; and she said, “What didst thou tell me of the power of thy Lord and His readiness to succour those who succour seek? Come, let us humble ourselves before Him and beseech Him: haply He shall grant us His succour and endue us with His grace, extolled and exalted be He!” Quoth he, “By Allah, thou sayst well!” So they began humbling themselves and supplicating Almighty Allah and he recited these couplets:—

Indeed I hourly need thy choicest aid, ✿ And should, though crown were placed upon my head: Thou art my chiefest want, and if my hand ✿ Won what it wisheth, all my wants were sped. Thou hast not anything withholdest Thou; ✿ Like pouring rain Thy grace is showerèd: I’m shut therefrom by sins of me, yet Thou, ✿ O Clement, deignest pardon-light to shed. O Care-Dispeller, deign dispel my grief! ✿ None can, save Thou, dispel a grief so dread.

Whilst he was praying and she was saying, “Amen,” and the thunder of horse-tramp nearing them, lo! the brave heard the voice of his dead brother, the martyr, speaking and saying, “O my brother, fear not, nor grieve! for the host whose approach thou hearest is the host of Allah and his Angels, whom He hath sent to serve as witnesses to your marriage. Of a truth Allah hath made His Angels glorify you and He bestoweth on you the meed of the meritorious and the martyrs; and He hath rolled up the earth for you as it were a rug so that, by morning, you will be in the mountains of Al-Medinah. And thou, when thou foregatherest with Omar bin al-Khattab (of whom Allah accept!) give him my salutation and say to him:—Allah abundantly requite thee for Al-Islam, because thou hast counselled faithfully and hast striven diligently.” Thereupon the Angels lifted up their voices in salutation to him and his bride, saying, “Verily, Almighty Allah appointed her in marriage to thee two thousand years before the creation of your father Adam (with whom be peace evermore!).” Then joy and gladness and peace and happiness came upon the twain; confidence was confirmed and established was the guidance of the pious pair. So when dawn appeared, they prayed the accustomed prayer and fared forward. Now it was the wont of Omar son of Al-Khattab (Allah accept him!) to rise for morning-prayer in the darkness before dawn and at times he would stand in the prayer-niche with two men behind him, and begin reciting the Chapter entitled “Cattle”[487] or that entitled Women;[488] whereupon the sleeper awoke and he who was making his Wuzu-ablution accomplished it and he who was afar came to prayer; nor had he made an end of the first bow, ere the mosque was full of folk; then he would pray his second bow quickly, repeating a short chapter. But, on that morning he hurried over both first and second inclinations, repeating in each a short chapter; then, after the concluding salutation, turning to his companions, he said to them, “Come, let us fare forth to meet the bride and bridegroom”; at which they wondered, not understanding his words. But he went out and they followed him, till they came to the gate of the city, where they met the young Moslem who, when the day broke and the standards of Al-Medinah appeared to him, had pushed forward for the gate closely followed by his bride. There he was met by Omar who bade make a marriage-feast; and the Moslems came and ate. Then the young Moslem went in unto his bride and Almighty Allah vouchsafed him children,——And Shahrazad, perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Omar (on whom be peace!) bade make a marriage-feast; and the Moslems came and ate. Then the young Moslem went in unto his bride and Almighty Allah vouchsafed him children, who fought in the Lord’s way and preserved genealogies, for they gloried therein. And how excellent is what is said on such theme:—

I saw thee weep before the gates and ‘plain, ✿ Whilst only curious wight reply would deign: Hath eye bewitcht thee, or hath evil lot ✿ ‘Twixt thee and door of friend set bar of bane? Wake up this day, O wretch, persist in prayer, ✿ Repent as wont repent departed men. Haply shall wash thy sins Forgiveness-showers; ✿ And on thine erring head some ruth shall rain: And prisoner shall escape despite his bonds; ✿ And slave from thraldom freedom shall attain.

And they ceased not to be in all solace and delight of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of societies. And a tale is told by Sídi Ibrahim bin Al-Khawwás[489] (on whom be the mercy of Allah!) concerning himself and

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Footnote 485:

Al-Islam, where salvation is found under the shade of the swords.

Footnote 486:

Moslems like the Classics (Aristotle and others) hold the clitoris (_Zambúr_) to be the sedes et scaturigo veneris which, says Sonnini, is mere profanity. In the babe it protrudes beyond the labiæ and snipping off the head forms female circumcision. This rite is supposed by Moslems to have been invented by Sarah who so mutilated Hagar for jealousy and was afterwards ordered by Allah to have herself circumcised at the same time as Abraham. It is now (or should be) universal in Al-Islam and no Arab would marry a girl “unpurified” by it. Son of an “uncircumcised” mother (Ibn al-bazrá) is a sore insult. As regards the popular idea that Jewish women were circumcised till the days of Rabbi Gershom (A.D. 1000) who denounced it as a scandal to the Gentiles, the learned Prof. H. Graetz informs me, with some indignation, that the rite was never practised and that the great Rabbi contended only against polygamy. Female circumcision, however, is I believe the rule amongst some outlying tribes of Jews. The rite is the proper complement of male circumcision, evening the sensitiveness of the genitories by reducing it equally in both sexes: an uncircumcised woman has the venereal orgasm much sooner and oftener than a circumcised man, and frequent coitus would injure her health; hence I believe, despite the learned historian, that it is practised by some Eastern Jews. “Excision” is universal amongst the negroids of the Upper Nile (Werne), the Somál and other adjacent tribes. The operator, an old woman, takes up the instrument, a knife or razor-blade fixed into a wooden handle, and with three sweeps cuts off the labia and the head of the clitoris. The parts are then sewn up with a pack-needle and a thread of sheepskin; and in Dar-For a tin tube is inserted for the passage of urine. Before marriage the bridegroom trains himself for a month on beef, honey and milk; and, if he can open his bride with the natural weapon, he is a sworder to whom no woman in the tribe can deny herself. If he fail, he tries penetration with his fingers and by way of last resort whips out his whittle and cuts the parts open. The sufferings of the first few nights must be severe. The few Somáli prostitutes who practised at Aden always had the labiæ and clitoris excised and the skin showing the scars of coarse sewing. The moral effect of female circumcision is peculiar. While it diminishes the heat of passion it increases licentiousness, and breeds a debauchery of mind far worse than bodily unchastity, because accompanied by a peculiar cold cruelty and a taste for artificial stimulants to “luxury.” It is the sexlessness of a spayed canine imitated by the suggestive brain of humanity.

Footnote 487:

Koran vi. so called because certain superstitions about Cattle are therein mentioned.

Footnote 488:

Koran iv. So called because it treats of marriages, divorces, etc.

Footnote 489:

Sídi (contracted from Sayyidí = my lord) is a title still applied to holy men in Marocco and the Maghrib; on the East African coast it is assumed by negro and negroid Moslems, _e.g._ Sidi Mubárak Bombay; and “Seedy boy” is the Anglo-Indian term for a Zanzibar-man. “Khawwás” is one who weaves palm-leaves (Khos) into baskets, mats, etc.: here, however, it may be an inherited name.

THE CHRISTIAN KING’S DAUGHTER AND THE MOSLEM.

My spirit urged me, once upon a time, to go forth into the country of the Infidels; and I strove with it and struggled to put away from me this inclination; but it would not be rejected. So I fared forth and journeyed about the land of the Unbelievers and traversed it in all its parts; for divine grace enveloped me and heavenly protection encompassed me, so that I met not a single Nazarene but he turned away his eyes and drew off from me, till I came to a certain great city at whose gate I found a gathering of black slaves, clad in armour and bearing iron maces in their hands. When they saw me, they rose to their feet and asked me, “Art thou a leach?”; and I answered, “Yes.” Quoth they, “Come speak to our King,” and carried me before their ruler, who was a handsome personage of majestic presence. When I stood before him, he looked at me and said, “Art a physician, thou?” “Yes,” quoth I; and quoth he to his officers, “Carry him to her, and acquaint him with the condition before he enter.” So they took me out and said to me, “Know that the King hath a daughter, and she is stricken with a sore disease, which no doctor hath been able to cure: and no leach goeth in to her and treateth, without healing her, but the King putteth him to death. So bethink thee what thou seest fitting to do.” I replied, “The King drove me to her; so carry me to her.” Thereupon they brought me to her door and knocked; and behold, I heard her cry out from within, saying, “Admit to me the physician, lord of the wondrous secret!” And she began reciting:

Open the door! the leach now draweth near; ✿ And in my soul a wondrous secret speer: How many of the near far distant are![490] ✿ How many distant far are nearest near! I was in strangerhood amidst you all: ✿ But willed the Truth[491] my solace should appear. Joined us the potent bonds of Faith and Creed; ✿ We met as dearest fere greets dearest fere: He sued for interview whenas pursued ✿ The spy, and blamed us envy’s jibe and jeer: Then leave your chiding and from blame desist, ✿ For fie upon you! not a word I’ll hear. I care for naught that disappears and fleets; ✿ My care’s for Things nor fleet nor disappear.

And lo! a Shaykh, a very old man, opened the door in haste and said to me, “Enter.” So I entered and found myself in a chamber strewn with sweet-scented herbs and with a curtain drawn across one corner, from behind which came a sound of groaning and grame, weak as from an emaciated frame. I sat down before the curtain and was about to offer my salam when I bethought me of his words (whom Allah save and assain!), “Accost not a Jew nor a Christian with the salam salutation;[492] and, when ye meet them in the way, constrain them to the straitest part thereof.” So I withheld my salutation, but she cried out from behind the curtain, saying, “Where is the salutation of Unity and Indivisibility, O Khawwás?” I was astonished at her speech and asked, “How knowest thou me?”; whereto she answered, “When the heart and thoughts are whole, the tongue speaketh eloquently from the secret recesses of the soul. I begged Him yesterday to send me one of His saints, at whose hands I might have deliverance, and behold, it was cried to me from the dark places of my house:—Grieve not; for we soon will send thee Ibrahim the Basket-maker.” Then I asked her, “What of thee?” and she answered, “It is now four years since there appeared to me the Manifest Truth, and He is the Relator and the Ally, and the Uniter and the Sitter-by; whereupon my folk looked askance upon me with an evil eye and taxed me with insanity and suspected me of depravity, and there came not in to me doctor but terrified me, nor visitor but confounded me.” Quoth I, “And who led thee to the knowledge of what thou wottest?” Quoth she, “The manifest signs and visible portents of Allah; and, when the path is patent to thee, thou espiest with thine own eyes both proof and prover.” Now whilst we were talking, behold, in came the old man appointed to guard her and said, “What doth thy doctor?”; and she replied, “He knoweth the hurt and hath hit upon the healing.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Shaykh, her guardian, went in to her he said, “What doth thy doctor?”; and she replied, “He knoweth the hurt and hath hit upon the healing.” Hereupon he manifested joy and gladness and accosted me with a cheerful countenance, then went and told the King, who enjoined to treat me with all honour and regard. So I visited her daily for seven days, at the end of which time she said to me, “O Abú Ishák, when shall be our flight to the land of Al-Islam?” “How canst thou go forth,” replied I, “and who would dare to aid thee?” Rejoined she, “He who sent thee to me, driving thee as it were;” and I observed, “Thou sayest sooth.” So when the morrow dawned, we fared forth by the city-gate and all eyes were veiled from us, by commandment of Him who when He desireth aught, saith to it, “Be,” and it becometh;[493] so that I journeyed with her in safety to Meccah, where she made a home hard by the Holy House of Allah and lived seven years; till the appointed day of her death. The earth of Meccah was her tomb, and never saw I any more steadfast in prayer and fasting than she, Allah send down upon her His mercies and have compassion on him who saith:—

When they to me had brought the leach (and surely showed ✿ The signs of flowing tears and pining malady), The face-veil he withdrew from me, and ‘neath it naught ✿ Save breath of one unsouled, unbodied, could he see. Quoth he, “This be a sickness Love alone shall cure; ✿ Love hath a secret from all guess of man wide free.” Quoth they, “An folk ignore what here there be with him ✿ Nature of ill and eke its symptomology,” How then shall medicine work a cure? At this quoth I ✿ “Leave me alone; I have no guessing specialty.”

And they tell a tale of

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Footnote 490:

_i.e._ in spirit; the “strangers yet” of poor dear Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton.

Footnote 491:

Al-Hakk = the Truth, one of the ninety-nine names of Allah.

Footnote 492:

The Moslem is still unwilling to address Salám (Peace be with you) to the Christian, as it is obligatory (Farz) to a Moslem (Koran, chapt. iv. and lxviii.). He usually evades the difficulty by saluting the nearest Moslem or by a change of words Allah Yahdí-k (Allah direct thee to the right way) or “Peace be upon us and the righteous worshippers of Allah” (not you) or Al-Samm (for Salam) alayka = poison to thee. The idea is old: Alexander of Alexandria in his circular letter describes the Arian heretics as “men whom it is not lawful to salute or to bid God-speed.”

Footnote 493:

Koran xxxvi. 82. I have before noted that this famous phrase was borrowed from the Hebrews, who borrowed it from the Egyptians.

THE PROPHET AND THE JUSTICE OF PROVIDENCE.

A certain Prophet[494] made his home for worship on a lofty mountain, at whose foot was a spring of running water, and he was wont to sit by day on the summit, that no man might see him, calling upon the name of Allah the Most Highest and watching those who frequented the spring. One day, as he sat looking upon the fountain, behold, he espied a horseman who came up and dismounted thereby and taking a bag from his neck, set it down beside him, after which he drank of the water and rested awhile, then he rode away, leaving behind him the bag which contained gold pieces. Presently up came another man to drink of the spring, who saw the bag and finding it full of money took it up; then, after satisfying his thirst, he made off with it in safety. A little after came a wood-cutter wight with a heavy load of fuel on his back, and sat down by the spring to drink, when lo! back came the first horseman in great trouble and asked him, “Where is the bag which was here?” and when he answered, “I know nothing of it,” the rider drew his sword and smote him and slew him. Then he searched his clothes, but found naught; so he left him and wended his ways. Now when the Prophet saw this, he said, “O Lord, one man hath taken a thousand dinars and another man hath been slain unjustly.” But Allah answered him, saying, “Busy thyself with thy devotions, for the ordinance of the universe is none of thine affair. The father of this horseman had violently despoiled of a thousand dinars the father of the second horseman; so I gave the son possession of his sire’s money. As for the wood-cutter, he had slain the horseman’s father, wherefore I enabled the son to obtain retribution for himself.” Then cried the Prophet, “There is none other god than Thou! Glory be to Thee only! Verily, Thou art the Knower of Secrets.”[495]——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King that when the Prophet was bidden by inspiration of Allah to busy himself with his devotions and learned the truth of the case, he cried, “There is none other god but Thou! Glory be to Thee only! Verily, Thou and Thou alone wottest hidden things.” Furthermore, one of the poets hath made these verses on the matter:—

The Prophet saw whatever eyes could see, ✿ And fain of other things enquirèd he; And, when his eyes saw things misunderstood, ✿ Quoth he, “O Lord, this slain from sin was free. This one hath won him wealth withouten work; ✿ Albe appeared he garbed in penury. And that in joy of life was slain, although ✿ O man’s Creator free of sin he be.” God answered “‘Twas his father’s good thou saw’st ✿ Him take; by heirship not by roguery;

Yon woodman too that horseman’s sire had slain; ✿ Whose son avenged him with just victory: Put off, O slave of Me, this thought for I ✿ In men have set mysterious secrecy! Bow to Our Law and humble thee, and learn ✿ For good and evil issues Our decree.”[496]

And a certain pious man hath told us the tale of

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Footnote 494:

The story of Moses and Khizr has been noticed before. See Koran chapt. xviii. 64 _et seq._ It is also related, says Lane (ii. 642), by Al-Kazwíni in the Ajáib al-Makhlúkát. This must be “The Angel and the Hermit” in the Gesta Romanorum, Tale lxxx. which possibly gave rise to Parnell’s Hermit; and Tale cxxvii. “Of Justice and Equity.” The Editor says it “contains a beautiful lesson:” I can find only excellent excuses for “doing evil that good may come of it.”

Footnote 495:

Koran chapt. v. 108.

Footnote 496:

The doggrel is phenomenal.

THE FERRYMAN OF THE NILE AND THE HERMIT.

I was once a ferryman on the Nile and used to ply between the eastern and the western banks. Now one day, as I sat in my boat, there came up to me an old man of a bright and beaming countenance, who saluted me and I returned his greeting; and he said to me, “Wilt thou ferry me over for the love of Allah Almighty?” I answered, “Yes,” and he continued, “Wilt thou moreover give me food for Allah’s sake?”; to which again I answered, “With all my heart.” So he entered the boat and I rowed him over to the eastern side, remarking that he was clad in a patched gown and carried a gourd-bottle and a staff. When he was about to land, he said to me, “I desire to lay on thee a heavy trust.” Quoth I, “What is it?” Quoth he, “It hath been revealed to me that my end is nearhand and that to-morrow about noon thou wilt come and find me dead under yonder tree. Wash me and wrap me in the shroud thou wilt see under my head and after thou hast prayed over me, bury me in this sandy ground and take my gown and gourd and staff, which do thou deliver to one who shall come and demand them of thee.” I marvelled at his words, and I slept there. On the morrow I awaited till noon the event he had announced, and then I forgot what he had said till near the hour of afternoon-prayer, when I remembered it and hastening to the appointed place, found him under the tree, dead, with a new shroud under his head, exhaling a fragrance of musk. So I washed him and shrouded him and prayed over him, then dug a hole in the sand and buried him, after I had taken his ragged gown and bottle and staff, with which I crossed the Nile to the western side and there nighted. As soon as morning dawned and the city gate opened, I sighted a young man known to me as a loose fellow, clad in fine clothes and his hands stained with Henna, who said to me, “Art thou not such an one?” “Yes,” answered I; and he said, “Give me the trust.” Quoth I, “What is that?” Quoth he, “The gown, the gourd and the staff.” I asked him, “Who told thee of them?” and he answered, “I know nothing save that I spent yesternight at the wedding of one of my friends singing and carousing till daylight, when I lay me down to sleep and take my rest; and behold, there stood by me a personage who said, “Verily Allah Almighty hath taken such a saint to Himself and hath appointed thee to fill his place; so go thou to a certain person (naming the ferryman), and take of him the dead man’s gown and bottle and staff, for he left them with him for thee.”” So I brought them out and gave them to him; whereupon he doffed his clothes and, donning the gown, went his way and left me.[497] And when the glooms closed around me, I fell a-weeping; but, that night, while sleeping I saw the Lord of Holiness (glorified and exalted be He!) in a dream saying, “O my servant, is it grievous to thee that I have granted to one of My servants to return to Me? Indeed, this is of My bounty, that I vouchsafe to whom I will, for I over all things am Almighty.” So I repeated these couplets:—

Lover with lovèd[498] loseth will and aim; ✿ All choice (an couldst thou know) were sinful shame. Or grant He favour and with union grace, ✿ Or from thee turn away, He hath no blame. An from such turning thou no joy enjoy ✿ Depart! the place for thee no place became. Or canst His near discern not from His far? ✿ Then Love’s in vain and thou’rt a-rear and lame. If pine for Thee afflict my sprite, or men ✿ Hale me to death, the rein Thy hand shall claim!

So turn Thee to or fro, to me ‘tis one; ✿ What Thou ordainest none shall dare defame: My love hath naught of aim but Thine approof ✿ And if Thou say we part I say the same.

And of the tales they tell is one concerning

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Footnote 497:

He went in wonder and softened heart to see the miracle of saintly affection.

Footnote 498:

In Sufistical parlance, the creature is the lover and the Creator the Beloved: worldly existence is Disunion, parting, severance; and the life to come is Reunion. The basis of the idea is the human soul being a divinæ particula auræ, a disjoined molecule from the Great Spirit, imprisoned in a jail of flesh; and it is so far valuable that it has produced a grand and pathetic poetry; but Common Sense asks, Where is the proof? And Reason wants to know, What does it all mean?

THE ISLAND KING AND THE PIOUS ISRAELITE.

There was once a notable of the Children of Israel, a man of wealth who had a pious and blessed son. When his last hour drew nigh, his son sat down at his head and said to him, “O my lord, give me an injunction.” Quoth the father, “O dear son, I charge thee, swear not by Allah or truly or falsely.” Then he died and certain lewd fellows of the Children of Israel heard of the charge he had laid on his son and began coming to the latter and saying, “Thy father had such and such monies of mine, and thou knowest it; so give me what was entrusted to him or else make oath that there was no trust.” The good son would not disobey his sire’s injunction, so gave them all they claimed; and they ceased not to deal thus with him, till his wealth was spent and he fell into straitest predicament. Now the young man had a pious and blessed wife, who had borne him two little sons; so he said to her, “The folk have multiplied their demands on me and, while I had the wherewithal to free myself of debt, I rendered it freely; but naught is now left us, and if others make demands upon me, we shall be in absolute distress, I and thou; our best way were to save ourselves by fleeing to some place, where none knoweth us, and earn our bread among the lower of the folk.” Accordingly, he took ship with her and his two children, knowing not whither he should wend; but, “When Allah judgeth, there is none to reverse His judgment;”[499] and quoth the tongue of the case:—

O flier from thy home when foes affright! ✿ Whom led to weal and happiness such flight, Grudge not this exile when he flees abroad ✿ Where he on wealth and welfare may alight. An pearls for ever did abide in shell, ✿ The kingly crown they ne’er had deckt and dight.

The ship was wrecked, yet the man saved himself on a plank and his wife and children also saved themselves, but on other planks. The waves separated them and the wife was cast up in one country and one of the boys in another. The second son was picked up by a ship, and the surges threw the father on a desert island, where he landed and made the Wuzu-ablution. Then he called the prayer-call——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eightieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the man landed upon the island, he made the Wuzu-ablution to free himself from the impurities of the sea and called the call to prayer and stood up to his devotions, when, behold, there came forth of the sea creatures of various kinds and prayed with him. When he had finished, he went up to a tree and stayed his hunger with its fruits; after which he found a spring of water and drank thereof and praised Allah, to whom be honour and glory! He abode thus three days and whenever he stood up to pray, the sea-creatures came out and prayed in the same manner as he prayed. Now after the third day, he heard a voice crying aloud and saying, “O thou just man, and pious, who didst so honour thy father and revere the decrees of thy Lord, grieve not, for Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) shall restore to thee all which left thy hand. In this isle are hoards and monies and things of price which the Almighty willeth thou shalt inherit, and they are in such a part of this place. So bring thou them to light; and verily, we will send ships unto thee; and do thou bestow charity on the folk and bid them to thee.” So he sought out that place, and the Lord discovered to him the treasures in question. Then ships began resorting to him, and he gave abundant largesse to the crews, saying to them, “Be sure ye direct the folk unto me and I will give them such and such a thing and appoint to them this and that.” Accordingly, there came folk from all parts and places, nor had ten years passed over him ere the island was peopled and the man became its King.[500] No one came to him but he entreated him with munificence, and his name was noised abroad, throughout the length and breadth of the earth. Now his elder son had fallen into the hands of a man who reared him and taught him polite accomplishments; and, in like manner, the younger was adopted by one who gave him a good education and brought him up in the ways of merchants. The wife also happened upon a trader who entrusted to her his property and made a covenant with her that he would not deal dishonestly by her, but would aid her to obey Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!); and he used to make her the companion of his voyages and his travels. Now the elder son heard the report of the King and resolved to visit him, without knowing what he was; so he went to him and was well received by the King, who made him his secretary. Presently the other son heard of the King’s piety and justice and was also taken into his service as a steward. Then the brothers abode awhile, neither knowing the other, till it chanced that the merchant, in whose home was their mother, also hearing of the King’s righteous and generous dealing with the lieges, freighted a ship with rich stuffs and other excellent produce of the land, and taking the woman with him, set sail for the island. He made it in due course and landing, presented himself with his gift before the King; who rejoiced therein with exceeding joy and ordered him a splendid return-present. Now, there were, among the gifts, certain aromatic roots of which he would have the merchant acquaint him with the names and uses; so he said to him, “Abide with us this night.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King said, “Abide with us this night,” the merchant replied, “We have in the ship one to whom I have promised to entrust the care of her to none save myself; and the same is a holy woman whose prayers have brought me weal and I have felt the blessing of her counsels.” Rejoined the King, “I will send her some trusty men, who shall pass the night in the ship and guard her and all that is with her.” The merchant agreed to this and abode with the King, who called his secretary and steward and said to them, “Go and pass the night in this man’s ship and keep it safe, Inshallah!” So they went up into the ship and seating themselves, this on the poop and that on the bow, passed a part of the night in repeating the names of Allah (to whom belong Majesty and Might!). Then quoth one to the other, “Ho, such an one! The King bade us keep watch and I fear lest sleep overtake us; so, come, let us discourse of stories of fortune and of the good we have seen and the trials of life.” Quoth the other, “O my brother, as for my trials Fate parted me from my mother and a brother of mine, whose name was even as thine; and the cause of our

## parting was this. My father took ship with us from such a place, and the

winds rose against us and were contrary, so that the ship was wrecked and Allah broke our fair companionship.” Hearing this the first asked, “What was the name of thy mother, O my brother?”; and the second answered, “So and so.” Said the elder, “And of thy father?”; said the younger, “So and so.” Thereat brother threw himself upon brother saying, “By Allah, thou art my very brother!” And each fell to telling the other what had befallen him in his youth, whilst the mother heard all they said, but held her peace and in patience possessed her soul. Now when it was morning, one said to the other, “Come, brother, let us go to my lodging and talk there;” and the other said, “‘Tis well.” So they went away and presently, the merchant came back and finding the woman in great trouble, said to her, “What hath befallen thee and why this concern?” Quoth she, “Thou sentest to me yesternight men who tempted me to evil, and I have been in sore annoy with them.” At this, he was wroth and, repairing to the King, reported the conduct of his two trusty wights. The King summoned the twain forthwith, as he loved them for their fidelity and piety; and, sending for the woman, that he might hear from her own lips what she had to say against them, thus bespake her, “O woman, what hath betided thee from these two men in whom I trust?” She replied, “O King, I conjure thee by the Almighty, the Bountiful One, the Lord of the Empyrean, bid them repeat the words they spoke yesternight.” So he said to them, “Say what ye said and conceal naught thereof.” Accordingly, they repeated their talk, and lo! the King rising from his throne, gave a great cry and threw himself upon them, embracing them and saying, “By Allah, ye are my very sons!” Therewith the woman unveiled her face and said, “And by Allah, I am their very mother.” So they were united and abode in all solace of life and its delight till death parted them; and so glory be to Him who delivereth His servant when he resorteth to Him, and disappointeth not his hope in Him and his trust! And how well saith the poet on the subject:—

Each thing of things hath his appointed tide ✿ When ‘tis, O brother, granted or denied. Repine not an affliction hit thee hard; ✿ For woe and welfare aye conjoint abide: How oft shall woman see all griefs surround ✿ Yet feel a joyance thrill what lies inside! How many a wretch, on whom the eyes of folk ✿ Look down, shall grace exalt to pomp and pride! This man is one long suffering grief and woe; ✿ Whom change and chance of Time hath sorely tried: The World divided from what held he dearest, ✿ After long union scattered far and wide; But deigned his Lord unite them all again, ✿ And in the Lord is every good descried. Glory to Him whose Providence rules all ✿ Living, as surest proofs for us decide. Near is the Near One; but no wisdom clearer ✿ Shows him, nor distant way-fare brings Him nearer.

And this tale is told of

-----

Footnote 499:

Koran xiii. 41.

Footnote 500:

Robinson Crusoe, with a touch of Arab prayerfulness. Also the story of the Knight Placidus in the Gesta (cx.), Boccaccio, etc.

ABU AL-HASAN AND ABU JA’AFAR THE LEPER.[501]

I had been many times to Meccah (Allah increase its honour!) and the folk used to follow me for my knowledge of the road and remembrance of the water-stations. It happened one year that I was minded to make the pilgrimage to the Holy House and visitation of the tomb of His Prophet (on whom be blessing and peace!), and I said in myself, “I well know the way and will fare alone.” So I set out and journeyed till I came to Al-Kadisíyah[502] and, entering the mosque there, saw a man suffering from black leprosy seated in the prayer-niche. Quoth he on seeing me, “O Abu al-Hasan, I crave thy company to Meccah.” Quoth I to myself, “I fled from all my companions, and how shall I company with lepers?” So I said to him, “I will bear no man company”; and he was silent at my words. Next day I walked on alone, till I came to Al-Akabah,[503] where I entered the mosque and found the leper seated in the prayer-niche. So I said to myself, “Glory be to Allah! how hath this fellow preceded me hither?” But he raised his head to me and said with a smile, “O Abu al-Hasan, He doth for the weak that which surpriseth the strong!” I passed that night confounded at what I had seen; and, as soon as morning dawned, set out again by myself; but when I came to Arafat[504] and entered the mosque, behold, there was the leper seated in the niche! So I threw myself upon him and kissing his feet said, “O my lord, I crave thy company.” But he answered, “This may in no way be.” Then I began weeping and wailing at the loss of his converse, when he said, “Spare thy tears which will avail thee naught!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abu al-Hasan continued:—Now when I saw the leper-man seated in the prayer-niche, I threw myself upon him and said, “O my lord, I crave thy company;” and fell to kissing his feet. But he answered, “This may in no way be!” Then I began weeping and wailing at the loss of his company when he said, “Spare thy tears which will avail thee naught!”; and he recited these couplets:—

Why dost thou weep when I depart and thou didst parting claim; ✿ And cravest union when we ne’er shall reunite the same? Thou lookedest on nothing save my weakness and disease; ✿ And saidst “Nor goes nor comes, or night or day, this sickly frame.”

Seest not how Allah (glorified His glory ever be!) ✿ Deigneth to grant His slave’s petition wherewithal he came. If I, to eyes of men be that and only that they see, ✿ And this my body show itself so full of grief and grame, And have I naught of food that shall supply me to the place ✿ Where crowds unto my Lord resort impelled by single aim, I have a high Creating Lord whose mercies aye are hid; ✿ A Lord who hath none equal and no fear is known to Him. So fare thee safe and leave me lone in strangerhood to wone ✿ For He, the only One, consoles my loneliness so lone.

Accordingly, I left him; but every station I came to, I found he had foregone me, till I reached Al-Medinah, where I lost sight of him and could hear no tidings of him. Here I met Abu Yazíd al-Bustámi and Abu Bakr al-Shibli and a number of other Shaykhs and learned men, to whom with many complaints, I told my case and they said, “Heaven forbid that thou shouldst gain his company after this! He was Abu Ja’afar the leper, in whose name folk at all times pray for rain and by whose blessing-prayers their end attain.” When I heard their words, my desire for his company redoubled and I implored the Almighty to reunite me with him. Whilst I was standing on Arafat,[505] one pulled me from behind, so I turned and behold, it was my man. At this sight I cried out with a loud cry and fell down in a fainting fit; but, when I came to myself he had disappeared from my sight. This increased my yearning for him and the ceremonies were tedious to me and I prayed Almighty Allah to give me sight of him; nor was it but a few days after, when lo! one pulled me from behind, and I turned and it was he again. Thereupon he said, “Come, I conjure thee and ask thy want of me.” So I begged him to pray for me three prayers; first, that Allah would make me love poverty; secondly, that I might never lie down at night upon provision assured to me; and thirdly, that He would vouchsafe me to look upon His bountiful Face. So he prayed for me as I wished, and departed from me. And indeed Allah hath granted me what the devotee asked in prayer: to begin with He hath made me so love poverty that, by the Almighty! there is naught in the world dearer to me than it, and secondly since such a year, I have never lain down to sleep upon assured provision; withal hath He never let me lack aught. As for the third prayer, I trust that He will vouchsafe me that also, even as He hath granted the two precedent for right Bountiful and Beneficent is His Godhead, and Allah have mercy on him who said:[506]—

Garb of Fakir, renouncement, lowliness; His robe of tatters and of rags his dress;

And pallor ornamenting brow as though ‘Twere wanness such as waning crescents show.

Wasted him prayer a-through the long-lived night, And flooding tears ne’er cease to dim his sight.

Memory of Him shall cheer his lonely room: Th’ Almighty nearest is in nightly gloom.

The Refuge helpeth such Fakir in need; Help e’en the cattle and the wingèd breed:

Allah for sake of him of wrath is fain, And for the grace of him shall fall the rain;

And if he pray one day for plague to stay, ‘Twill stay, and ‘bate man’s wrong and tyrants slay.

While folk are sad, afflicted one and each, He in his mercy’s rich, the generous leach:

Bright shines his brow; an thou regard his face Thy heart illumined shines by light of grace.

O thou who shunnest souls of worth innate, Departs thee (woe to thee!) of sins the weight.

Thou thinkest to overtake them, while thou bearest Follies, which slay thee whatso way thou farest.

Didst wot their worth thou hadst all honour showed, And tears in streamlets from thine eyes had flowed.

To catarrh-troubled men flowers lack their smell; And brokers ken for how much clothes can sell;

So haste and with thy Lord reunion sue, And haply Fate shall lend thee aidance due,

Rest from rejection and estrangement-stress, And Joy thy wish and will shall choicely bless.

His court wide open for the suer is dight:— One, very God, the Lord, th’ Almighty might.

And they also tell a tale of

-----

Footnote 501:

Arabs note two kinds of leprosy, “Bahak” or “Baras” the common or white, and “Juzám” the black leprosy; the leprosy of the joints, mal rouge. Both are attributed to undue diet as eating fish and drinking milk; and both are treated with tonics, especially arsenic. Leprosy is regarded by Moslems as a Scriptural malady on account of its prevalence amongst the Israelites who, as Manetho tells us, were expelled from Egypt because they infected and polluted the population. In mediæval Christendom an idea prevailed that the Saviour was a leper; hence the term “morbus sacer”; the honours paid to the sufferers by certain Saints and the Papal address (Clement III. A.D. 1189) dilectis filiis leprosis. (Farrar’s Life of Christ, i. 149.) For the “disgusting and impetuous lust” caused by leprosy, see Sonnini (p. 560) who visited the lepers at Canea in Candia. He is one of many who describes this symptom; but in the Brazil, where the foul malady still prevails, I never heard of it.

Footnote 502:

A city in Irak; famous for the three days’ battle which caused the death of Yezdegird, last Sassanian king.

Footnote 503:

A mountain pass near Meccah famous for the “First Fealty of the Steep” (Pilgrimage ii. 126). The mosque was built to commemorate the event.

Footnote 504:

To my surprise I read in Mr. Redhouse’s “Mesnevi” (Trübner, 1881), “Arafat, the mount where the victims are slaughtered by the pilgrims” (p. 60). This ignorance is phenomenal. Did Mr. Redhouse never read Burckhardt or Burton?

Footnote 505:

_i.e._ listening to the sermon.

Footnote 506:

It is sad doggrel.

THE QUEEN OF THE SERPENTS.[507]

There was once, in days of yore and in ages and times long gone before, a Grecian sage called Daniel, who had disciples and scholars; and the wise men of Greece were obedient to his bidding and relied upon his learning. Withal had Allah denied him a man-child. One night, as he lay musing and weeping over the lack of a son who might inherit his lore, he bethought him that Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) heareth the prayer of those who resort to Him and that there is no doorkeeper at the door of His bounties and that He favoureth whom He will without compt and sendeth no supplicant empty away; nay He filleth their hands with favours and benefits. So he besought the Almighty, the Bountiful, to vouchsafe him a son to succeed him, and to endow him abundantly with His beneficence. Then he returned home and carnally knew his wife who conceived by him the same night.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Grecian sage returned home and knew his wife who conceived by him the same night. A few days after this he took ship for a certain place, but the ship was wrecked and he saved himself on one of her planks, while only five leaves remained to him of all the books he had. When he returned home, he laid the five leaves in a box and locking it, gave the key to his wife (who then showed big with child), and said to her, “Know that my decease is at hand and that the time draweth nigh for my translation from this abode temporal to the home which is eternal. Now thou art with child and after my death wilt haply bear a son: if this be so, name him Hásib Karím al-Dín[508] and rear him with the best of rearing. When the boy shall grow up and shall say to thee:—What inheritance did my father leave me? give him these five leaves, which when he shall have read and understood, he will be the most learned man of his time.” Then he farewelled her and heaving one sigh, departed the world and all that is therein—the mercy of Allah the Most Highest be upon Him! His family and friends wept over him and washed him and bore him forth in great state and buried him; after which they wended their ways home. But few days passed ere his widow bare a handsome boy and named him Hasib Karim al-Din, as her husband charged her; and immediately after his birth she summoned the astrologers, who calculated his ascendants and drawing his horoscope, said to her, “Know, O woman! that this birth will live many a year; but that will be after a great peril in the early part of his life, wherefrom an he escape, he will be given the knowledge of all the exact sciences.” So saying they went their ways. She suckled him two years,[509] then weaned him, and when he was five years old, she placed him in a school to learn his book, but he would read nothing. So she took him from school and set him to learn a trade; but he would not master any craft and there came no work from his hands. The mother wept over this and the folk said to her, “Marry him: haply he will take heart for his wife and learn him a trade.” So she sought out a girl and married him to her; but, despite marriage and the lapse of time, he remained idle as before, and would do nothing. One day, some neighbours of hers, who were woodcutters, came to her and said, “Buy thy son an ass and cords and an axe and let him go with us to the mountain and we will all of us cut wood for fuel. The price of the wood shall be his and ours, and he shall provide thee and his wife with his share.” When she heard this, she joyed with exceeding joy and bought her son an ass and cords and hatchet; then, carrying him to the woodcutters, delivered him into their hands and solemnly committed him to their care. Said they, “Have no concern for the boy, our Lord will provide him: he is the son of our Shaykh.” So they carried him to the mountain, where they cut firewood and loaded their asses therewith; then returned to the city and, selling what they had cut, spent the monies on their families. This they did on the next day and the third and ceased not for some time, till it chanced one day, a violent storm of rain broke over them, and they took refuge in a great cave till the downfall should pass away. Now Hasib Karim al-Din went apart from the rest into a corner of the cavern and sitting down, fell to smiting the floor with his axe. Presently he noted that the ground sounded hollow under the hatchet; so he dug there awhile and came to a round flagstone with a ring in it. When he saw this, he was glad and called his comrades the woodcutters,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasib Karim al-Din saw the flagstone with the ring, he was glad and called his comrades the woodcutters, who came to him and, finding it was fact, soon pulled up the stone and discovered under it a trap-door, which, being opened, showed a cistern full of bees’ honey.[510] Then said they to one another, “This is a large store and we have nothing for it but to return to the city and fetch vessels wherein to carry away the honey, and sell it and divide the price, whilst one of us stands by the cistern, to guard it from outsiders.” Quoth Hasib, “I will stay and keep watch over it till you bring your pots and pans.” So they left him on guard there and, repairing to the city, fetched vessels, which they filled with honey and loading their asses therewith, carried them to the streets and sold the contents. They returned on the morrow and thus they did several days in succession, sleeping in the town by night and drawing off the stuff by day, whilst Hasib abode on guard by it till but little remained, when they said one to other, “It was Hasib Karim al-Din found the honey, and to-morrow he will come down to the city and complain against us and claim the price of it, saying, ‘Twas I found it; nor is there escape for us but that we let him down into the cistern, to bale out the rest of the honey, and leave him there; so will he die of hunger, and none shall know of him.” They all fell in with this plot as they were making for the place; and, when they reached it, one said to him, “O Hasib, go down into the pit and bale out for us the rest of the honey.” So he went down and passed up to them what remained of the honey, after which he said to them, “Draw me up, for there is nothing left.” They made him no answer; but, loading their asses, went off to the city and left him alone in the cistern. Thereupon he fell to weeping and crying, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” Such was his case; but as regards his comrades, when they reached the city and sold the honey, they repaired to Hasib’s mother, weeping, and said to her, “May thy head outlive thy son Hasib!” She asked, “What brought about his death?” and they answered, “We were cutting wood on the mountain-top, when there fell on us a heavy downfall of rain and we took shelter from it in a cavern; and suddenly thy son’s ass broke loose and fled into the valley, and he ran after it, to turn it back, when there came out upon them a great wolf, who tore thy son in pieces and ravined the ass.” When the mother heard this, she beat her face and strewed dust on her head and fell to mourning for her son; and she kept life and soul together only by the meat and drink which they brought her every day. As for the woodcutters they opened them shops and became merchants and spent their lives in eating and drinking and laughing and frolicking. Meanwhile Hasib Karim al-Din, who ceased not to weep and call for help, sat down upon the cistern-edge when behold, a great scorpion fell down on him; so he rose and killed it. Then he took thought and said, “The cistern was full of honey; how came this scorpion here?” Accordingly he got up and examined the well right and left, till he found a crevice from which the scorpion had fallen and saw the light of day shining through it. So he took out his woodman’s knife and enlarged the hole, till it was big as a window, when he crept through it and, after walking for some time, came to a vast gallery, which led him to a huge door of black iron bearing a padlock of silver wherein was a key of gold. He stole up to the door and, looking through the chink, saw a great light shining within; so he took the key and, opening the door, went on for some time, till he came to a large artificial lake, wherein he caught sight of something that shimmered like silver. He walked up to it and at last he saw, hard by a hillock of green jasper and on the hill-top, a golden throne studded with all manner gems,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasib reached the hillock he found it of green jasper surmounted by a golden throne studded with all manner gems, round which were set many stools, some of gold, some of silver and others of leek-green emerald. He clomb the hillock and, counting the stools, found them twelve thousand in number; then he mounted the throne which was set on the centre and, seating himself thereon, fell to wondering at the lake and the stools, and he marvelled till drowsiness overcame him and he dropt asleep. Presently, he was aroused by a loud snorting and hissing and rustling, so he opened his eyes; and, sitting up, saw each stool occupied by a huge serpent, an hundred cubits in length. At this sight, great fear gat hold of him; his spittle dried up for the excess of his dread and he despaired of life, as all their eyes were blazing like live coals. Then he turned towards the lake and saw that what he had taken for shimmering water was a multitude of small snakes, none knoweth their compt save Allah the Most High. After awhile, there came up to him a serpent as big as a mule, bearing on its back a tray of gold, wherein lay another serpent which shone like crystal and whose face was as that of a woman[511] and who spake with human speech. And as soon as she was brought up to Hasib, she saluted him and he returned the salutation. Thereupon, one of the serpents seated on the stools came up and, lifting her off the tray, set her on one of the seats and she cried out to the other serpents in their language, whereupon they all fell down from their stools and did her homage. But she signed to them to sit and they did so. Then she addressed Hasib, saying, “Have no fear of us, O youth; for I am the Queen of the Serpents and their Sultánah.” When he heard her speak on this wise, he took heart and she bade the serpents bring him somewhat of food.[512] So they brought apples and grapes and pomegranates and pistachio-nuts and filberts and walnuts and almonds and bananas and set them before him, and the Queen-serpent said, “Welcome, O youth! What is thy name?” Answered he, “Hasib Karim al-Din;” and she rejoined, “O Hasib, eat of these fruits, for we have no other meat and fear thou nothing from us at all.” Hearing this, he ate his fill and praised Allah Almighty; and presently they took away the trays from before him, and the Queen said, “Tell me, O Hasib, whence thou art and how camest thou hither and what hath befallen thee.” So he told her his story from first to last, the death of his father; his birth; his being sent to school where he learnt nothing; his becoming a wood-cutter; his finding the honey-cistern; his being abandoned therein; his killing the scorpion; his widening the crevice; his finding the iron door and his coming upon the Queen, and he ended his long tale with saying, “These be my adventures from beginning to end and only Allah wotteth what will betide me after all this!” Quoth the Queen, after listening to his words, “Nothing save good shall betide thee:”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

[Illustration]

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Serpent-queen had heard his story she said, “Nothing save good shall betide thee: but I would have thee, O Hasib, abide with me some time, that I may tell thee my history and acquaint thee with the wondrous adventures which have happened to me.” “I hear and obey thy hest,” answered he; and she began to tell in these words,

_THE ADVENTURES OF BULUKIYA._

Know thou, O Hasib, there was once in the city of Cairo a King of the Banu Isra’íl, a wise and a pious, who was bent double by poring over books of learning, and he had a son named Bulúkiyá. When he grew old and weak and was nigh upon death, his Grandees and Officers of state came up to salute him, and he said to them, “O folk, know that at hand is the hour of my march from this world to the next, and I have no charge to lay on you, save to commend to your care my son Bulukiya.” Then said he, “I testify that there is no god save _the_ God;” and, heaving one sigh, departed the world—the mercy of Allah be upon him! They laid him out and washed him and buried him with a procession of great state. Then they made his son Bulukiya Sultan in his stead; and he ruled the kingdom justly and the people had peace in his time. Now it befel one day that he entered his father’s treasuries, to look about him, and coming upon an inner compartment and finding the semblance of a door opened it and passed in. And lo! he found himself in a little closet, wherein stood a column of white marble, on the top of which was a casket of ebony; he opened this also and saw therein another casket of gold, containing a book. He read the book and found in it an account of our lord Mohammed (whom Allah bless and preserve!) and how he should be sent in the latter days[513] and be the lord of the first Prophets and the last. On seeing the personal description Bulukiya’s heart was taken with love of him, so he at once assembled all the notables of the Children of Israel, the Cohens or diviners, the scribes and the priests, and acquainted them with the book, reading portions of it to them and, adding, “O folk, needs must I bring my father out of his grave and burn him.” The lieges asked, “Why wilt thou burn him?”; and he answered, “Because he hid this book from me and imparted it not to me.” Now the old King had excerpted it from the Torah or Pentateuch and the Books of Abraham; and had set it in one of his treasuries and concealed it from all living. Rejoined they, “O King, thy father is dead; his body is in the dust and his affair is in the hands of his Lord; thou shalt not take him forth of his tomb.” So he knew that they would not suffer him to do this thing by his sire and leaving them he repaired to his mother, to whom said he, “O my mother, I have found, in one of my father’s treasuries, a book containing a description of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!), a prophet who shall be sent in the latter days; and my heart is captivated with love of him. Wherefore am I resolved to wander over the earth, till I foregather with him; else I shall die of longing for his love.” Then he doffed his clothes and donned an Abá-gown of goat’s hair and coarse sandals, saying, “O my mother, forget me not in thy prayers.” She wept over him and said, “What will become of us after thee?”; but Bulukiya answered, “I can endure no longer, and I commit my affair and thine to Allah who is Almighty.” Then he set out on foot Syria-wards without the knowledge of any of his folk, and coming to the sea-board found a vessel whereon he shipped as one of the crew. They sailed till he made an island, where Bulukiya landed with the crew, but straying away from the rest he sat down under a tree and sleep got the better of him. When he awoke, he sought the ship but found that she had set sail without him, and in that island he saw serpents as big as camels and palm-trees, which repeated the names of Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) and blessed Mohammed (whom the Lord assain and save!), proclaiming the Unity and glorifying the Glorious; whereat he wondered——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bulukiya saw the serpents glorifying God and proclaiming the Unity, he wondered with extreme wonder. When they saw him, they flocked to him and one of them said to him, “Who and whence art thou, and whither goest thou, and what is thy name?” Quoth he, “My name is Bulukiya; I am of the Children of Israel and, being distracted for love of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!), I come in quest of him. But who are ye, O noble creatures?” Answered they, “We are of the dwellers in the Jahannam-hell; and Almighty Allah created us for the punishment of Kafirs.” “And how came ye hither?” asked he, and the Serpents answered, “Know, O Bulukiya, that Hell[514] of the greatness of her boiling, breatheth twice a year, expiring in the summer and inspiring in the winter, and hence the summer-heat and winter-cold. When she exhaleth, she casteth us forth of her maw, and we are drawn in again with her inhaled breath.” Quoth Bulukiya, “Say me, are there greater serpents than you in Hell?”; and they said, “Of a truth we are cast out with the expired breath but by reason of our smallness; for in Hell every serpent is so great, that were the biggest of us to pass over its nose it would not feel us.[515]” Asked Bulukiya, “Ye sing the praises of Allah and invoke blessings on Mohammed, whom the Almighty assain and save! Whence wot ye of Mohammed?”; and they answered, “O Bulukiya, verily his name is written on the gates of Paradise; and, but for him, Allah had not created the worlds[516] nor Paradise, nor heaven nor hell nor earth, for He made all things that be, solely on his account, and hath conjoined his name with His own in every place; wherefore we love Mohammed, whom Allah bless and preserve!” Now hearing the serpents’ converse did but inflame Bulukiya’s love for Mohammed and yearning for his sight; so he took leave of them; and, making his way to the sea-shore, found there a ship made fast to the beach; he embarked therein as a seaman and sailed nor ceased sailing till he came to another island. Here he landed and walking about awhile found serpents great and small, none knoweth their number save Almighty Allah, and amongst them a white Serpent, clearer than crystal, seated in a golden tray borne on the back of another serpent as big as an elephant. Now this, O Hasib, was the Serpent-queen, none other than myself. Quoth Hasib, “And what answer didst thou make him?” Quoth she, “Know, O Hasib, that when I saw Bulukiya, I saluted him with the salam, and he returned my salutation,” and I said to him, “Who and what art thou and what is thine errand and whence comest thou and whither goest thou?” Answered he, “I am of the Children of Israel; my name is Bulukiya, and I am a wanderer for the love of Mohammed, whose description I have read in the revealed scriptures, and of whom I go in search. But what art thou and what are these serpents about thee?” Quoth I, “O Bulukiya, I am the Queen of the Serpents; and when thou shalt foregather with Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) bear him my salutation.” Then Bulukiya took leave of me and journeyed till he came to the Holy City which is Jerusalem. Now there was in that stead a man who was deeply versed in all sciences, more especially in geometry and astronomy and mathematics, as well as in white magic[517] and Spiritualism; and he had studied the Pentateuch and the Evangel and the Psalms and the Books of Abraham. His name was Affán; and he had found in certain of his books, that whoso should wear the seal-ring of our lord Solomon, men and Jinn and birds and beasts and all created things would be bound to obey him. Moreover, he had discovered that our lord Solomon had been buried in a coffin which was miraculously transported beyond the Seven Seas to the place of burial;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Affan had found in certain books that none, mortal or spirit, could pluck the seal-ring from the lord Solomon’s finger; and that no navigator could sail his ship upon the Seven Seas over which the coffin had been carried. Moreover, he had found out by reading that there was a herb of herbs and that if one express its juice and anoint therewith his feet, he should walk upon the surface of any sea that Allah Almighty had created without wetting his soles; but none could obtain this herb, without he had with him the Serpent-queen. When Bulukiya arrived at the Holy City, he at once sat down to do his devotions and worship the Lord; and, whilst he was so doing, Affan came up and saluted him as a True Believer. Then seeing him reading the Pentateuch and adoring the Almighty, he accosted him saying, “What is thy name, O man; and whence comest thou and whither goest thou?” He answered, “My name is Bulukiya; I am from the city of Cairo and am come forth wandering in quest of Mohammed, whom Allah bless and preserve!” Quoth Affan, “Come with me to my lodging that I may entertain thee.” “To hear is to obey,” replied Bulukiya. So the devotee took him by the hand and carried him to his house where he entreated him with the utmost honour and presently said to him, “Tell me thy history, O my brother, and how thou camest by the knowledge of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) that thy heart hath been taken with love of him and compelled thee to fare forth and seek him; and lastly tell me who it was directed thee in this road.” So he related to him his tale in its entirety; whereupon Affan, who well-nigh lost his wits for wonder, said to him, “Make tryst for me with the Queen of the Serpents and I will bring thee in company with Mohammed, albeit the date of his mission is yet far distant. We have only to prevail upon the Queen and carry her in a cage to a certain mountain where the herbs grow; and, as long as she is with us, the plants as we pass them will parley with human speech and discover their virtues by the ordinance of Allah the Most High. For I have found in my books that there is a certain herb and all who express its juice and anoint therewith their feet shall walk upon whatsoever sea Almighty Allah hath made, without wetting sole. When we have found the magical herb, we will let her go her way; and then will we anoint our feet with the juice and cross the Seven Seas, till we come to the burial-place of our lord Solomon. Then we will take the ring off his finger and rule even as he ruled and win all our wishes; we will enter the Main of Murks[518] and drink of the Water of Life, and so the Almighty will let us tarry till the End of Time and we shall foregather with Mohammed, whom Allah bless and preserve!” Hearing these words Bulukiya replied, “O Affan, I will make tryst for thee with the Serpent-queen and at once show thee her abiding place.” So Affan made him a cage of iron; and, providing himself with two bowls, one full of wine and the other of milk, took ship with Bulukiya and sailed till they came to the island, where they landed and walked upon it. Then Affan set up the cage, in which he laid a noose and withdrew after placing in it the two bowls; when he and Bulukiya concealed themselves afar off. Presently, up came the Queen of the Serpents (that is, myself) and examined the cage. When she (that is I) smelt the savour of the milk, she came down from the back of the snake which bore her tray and, entering the cage, drank up the milk. Then she went to the bowl of wine and drank of it, whereupon her head became giddy and she slept. When Affan saw this, he ran up and locking the cage upon her, set it on his head and made for the ship, he and Bulukiya. After awhile she awoke and finding herself in a cage of iron on a man’s head and seeing Bulukiya walking beside the bearer, said to him, “This is the reward of those who do no hurt to the sons of Adam.” Answered he, “O Queen, have no fear of us, for we will do thee no hurt at all. We wish thee only to show us the herb which, when pounded and squeezed yieldeth a juice, and this rubbed upon the feet conferreth the power of walking dryshod upon what sea soever Almighty Allah hath created; and when we have found that we will return thee to thy place and let thee wend thy way.” Then Affan and Bulukiya fared on for the hills where grew the herbs; and, as they went about with the Queen, each plant they passed began to speak and avouch its virtues by permission of Allah the Most High. As they were thus doing and the herbs speaking right and left behold, a plant spoke out and said, “I am the herb ye seek, and all who gather and crush me and anoint their feet with my juice, shall fare over what sea soever Allah Almighty hath created and yet ne’er wet sole.” When Affan heard this, he set down the cage from his head and, gathering what might suffice them of the herb, crushed it and filling two vials with the juice kept them for future use; and with what was left they anointed their feet. Then they took up the Serpent-queen’s cage and journeyed days and nights, till they reached the island, where they opened the cage and let out her, that is me. When I found myself at liberty, I asked them what use they would make of the juice; and they answered, “We design to anoint our feet and to cross the Seven Seas to the burial-place of our lord Solomon[519] and take the seal-ring from his finger.” Quoth I, “Far, far is it from your power to possess yourselves of the ring!” They enquired, “Wherefore?” and I replied, “Because Almighty Allah vouchsafed unto our lord Solomon the gift of this ring and distinguished him thereby, for that he said to Him:—O Lord, give me a kingdom which may not be obtained after me; for Thou verily art the Giver of kingdoms.[520] So that ring is not for you.” And I added, “Had ye twain taken the herb, whereof all who eat shall not die until the First Blast,[521] it had better availed you than this ye have gotten; for ye shall nowise come at your desire thereby.” Now when they heard this, they repented them with exceeding penitence and went their ways.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bulukiya and Affan heard these words, they repented them with exceeding penitence and went their ways. Such was their case; but as regards myself (continued the Serpent-queen) I went in quest of my host and found it fallen in piteous case, the stronger of them having grown weak in my absence and the weaker having died. When they saw me, they rejoiced and flocking about me, asked, “What hath befallen thee, and where hast thou been?” So I told them what had passed, after which I gathered my forces together and repaired with them to the mountain Kaf, where I wont to winter, summer-freshing in the place where thou now seest me, O Hasib Karim al-Din. This, then, is my story and what befel me. Thereupon Hasib marvelled at her words and said to her, “I beseech thee, of thy favour, bid one of thy guards bear me forth to the surface of the earth, that I may go to my people.” She replied, “O Hasib, thou shalt not have leave to depart from us till winter come, and needs must thou go with us to the Mountain Kaf and solace thyself with the sight of the hills and sands and trees and birds magnifying the One God, the Victorious; and look upon Marids and Ifrits and Jinn, whose number none knoweth save Almighty Allah.” When Hasib heard this, he was sore chafed and chagrined: then he said to her, “Tell me of Affan and Bulukiya; when they departed from thee and went their way, did they cross the Seven Seas and reach the burial-place of our lord Solomon or not; and if they did had they power to take the ring or not?” Answered she, “Know, that when they left me, they anointed their feet with the juice; and, walking over the water, fared on from sea to sea, diverting themselves with the wonders of the deep, nor ceased they faring till they had traversed the Seven Seas and came in sight of a mountain, soaring high in air, whose stones were emeralds and whose dust was musk; and in it was a stream of running water. When they made it they rejoiced, saying each to other:—Verily we have won our wish; and they entered the passes of the mountain and walked on, till they saw from afar a cavern surmounted by a great dome, shining with light. So they made for the cavern, and entering it beheld therein a throne of gold studded with all manner jewels, and about it stools whose number none knoweth save Allah Almighty. And they saw lying at full length upon the throne our lord Solomon, clad in robes of green silk inwoven with gold and broidered with jewels and precious minerals: his right hand was passed over his breast and on the middle finger was the seal-ring whose lustre outshone that of all other gems in the place. Then Affan taught Bulukiya adjurations and conjurations galore and said to him:—Repeat these conjurations and cease not repeating until I take the ring. Then he went up to the throne; but, as he drew near unto it lo! a mighty serpent came forth from beneath it and cried out at him with so terrible a cry that the whole place trembled and sparks flew from its mouth, saying, Begone, or thou art a dead man! But Affan busied himself with his incantations and suffered himself not to be startled thereby. Then the serpent blew such a fiery blast at him, that the place was like to be set on fire, and said to him, Woe to thee! Except thou turn back, I will consume thee! Hearing these words Bulukiya left the cave, but Affan, who suffered himself not to be troubled, went up to the Prophet: then he put out his hand to the ring and touched it and strove to draw it off the lord Solomon’s finger; and behold, the serpent blew on him once more and he became a heap of ashes. Such was his case; but as regards Bulukiya he fell down in a swoon.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninetieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen continued:—When Bulukiya saw Affan burnt up by the fire and become a heap of ashes, he fell down in a swoon. Thereupon the Lord (magnified be His Majesty!) bade Gabriel descend earthwards and save him ere the serpent should blow on him. So Gabriel descended without delay and, finding Affan reduced to ashes and Bulukiya in a fit, aroused him from his trance and saluting him, asked, “How camest thou hither?” Bulukiya related to him his history from first to last, adding, “Know that I came not hither but for the love of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!), of whom Affan informed me that his mission would take place at the End of Time; moreover that none should foregather with him but those who endured to the latter days by drinking of the Water of Life through means of Solomon’s seal. So I companied him hither and there befel him what befel; but I escaped the fire and now it is my desire that thou inform me where Mohammed is to be found.” Quoth Gabriel, “O Bulukiya, go thy ways, for the time of Mohammed’s coming is yet far distant.” Then he ascended up to heaven forthright, and Bulukiya wept with sore weeping and repented of that which he had done, calling to mind my words, whenas I said to them, “Far is it from man’s power to possess himself of the ring.” Then he descended from the mountain and returned in exceeding confusion to the sea-shore and passed the night there, marvelling at the mountains and seas and islands around him. When morning dawned, he anointed his feet with the herb-juice and descending to the water, set out and fared on over the surface of the seas days and nights, astonied at the terrors of the main and the marvels and wonders of the deep, till he came to an island as it were the Garden of Eden. So he landed and, finding himself in a great and pleasant island, paced about it and saw with admiration that its dust was saffron and its gravel carnelian and precious minerals; its hedges were of jessamine, its vegetation was of the goodliest of trees and of the brightest of odoriferous shrubs; its brushwood was of Comorin and Sumatran aloes-wood and its reeds were sugar-canes. Round about it were roses and narcissus and amaranths and gilly-flowers and chamomiles and white lilies and violets, and other flowers of all kinds and colours. Of a truth the island was the goodliest place, abounding in space, rich in grace, a compendium of beauty material and spiritual. The birds warbled on the boughs with tones far sweeter than chaunt of Koran and their notes would console a lover whom longings unman. And therein the gazelle frisked free and fain and wild cattle roamed about the plain. Its trees were of tallest height; its streams flowed bright; its springs welled with waters sweet and light; and all therein was a delight to sight and sprite. Bulukiya marvelled at the charms of the island but knew that he had strayed from the way he had first taken in company with Affan. He wandered about the place and solaced him with various spectacles until nightfall, when he climbed into a tree to sleep; but as he sat there, musing over the beauty of the site, behold, the sea became troubled and there rose up to the surface a great beast, which cried out with a cry so terrible that every living thing upon the isle trembled. As Bulukiya gazed upon him from the tree and marvelled at the bigness of his bulk, he was presently followed unexpectedly by a multitude of other sea-beasts in kind manifold, each holding in his fore-paw a jewel which shone like a lamp, so that the whole island became as light as day for the lustre of the gems. After awhile, there appeared, from the heart of the island, wild beasts of the land, none knoweth their number save Allah the Most High; amongst which Bulukiya noted lions and panthers and lynxes and other ferals; and these land-beasts flocked down to the shore; and, foregathering with the sea-beasts, conversed with them till daybreak, when they separated and each went his own way. Thereupon Bulukiya, terrified by what he had seen, came down from the tree and, making the sea-shore, anointed his feet with the magical juice, and set out once more upon the surface of the water. He fared on days and nights over the Second Sea, till he came to a great mountain skirting which ran a Wady without end, the stones whereof were magnetic iron and its beasts lions and hares and panthers. He landed on the mountain-foot and wandered from place to place till nightfall, when he sat down sheltered by one of the base-hills on the sea-side, to eat of the dried fish thrown up by the sea. Presently, he turned from his meal and behold, a huge panther was creeping up to rend and ravin him; so he anointed his feet in haste with the juice and, descending to the surface of the water, fled walking over the Third Sea, in the darkness; for the night was black and the wind blew stark. Nor did he stay his course till he reached another island, whereon he landed and found there trees bearing fruits both fresh and dry.[522] So he took of these fruits and ate and praised Allah Almighty; after which he walked for solace about the island till eventide.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

[Illustration]

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bulukiya (continued the Queen) walked for solace about the island till eventide, when he lay down to sleep. As soon as day brake, he began to explore the place and ceased not for ten days, after which he again made the shore and anointed his feet and, setting out over the Fourth Sea, walked upon it many nights and days, till he came to a third island of fine white sand without sign of trees or grass. He walked about it awhile but, finding its only inhabitants sakers which nested in the sand, he again anointed his feet and trudged over the Fifth Sea, walking night and day till he came to a little island, whose soil and hills were like crystal. Therein were the veins wherefrom gold is worked; and therein also were marvellous trees whose like he had never seen in his wanderings, for their blossoms were in hue as gold. He landed and walked about for diversion till it was nightfall, when the flowers began to shine through the gloom like stars. Seeing this sight, he marvelled and said, “Assuredly, the flowers of this island are of those which wither under the sun and fall to the earth, where the winds smite them and they gather under the rocks and become the Elixir,[523] which the folk collect and thereof make gold.” He slept there all that night and at sunrise he again anointed his feet and, descending to the shore, fared on over the Sixth Sea nights and days, till he came to a fifth island. Here he landed and found, after walking an hour or so, two mountains covered with a multitude of trees, whose fruits were as men’s heads hanging by the hair, and others whose fruits were green birds hanging by the feet; also a third kind, whose fruits were like aloes, if a drop of the juice fell on a man it burnt like fire; and others, whose fruits wept and laughed, besides many other marvels which he saw there. Then he returned to the sea-shore and, finding there a tall tree, sat down beneath it till supper-time when he climbed up into the branches to sleep. As he sat considering the wonderful works of Allah behold, the waters became troubled, and there rose therefrom the daughters of the sea, each mermaid holding in her hand a jewel which shone like the morning. They came ashore and, foregathering under the trees, sat down and danced and sported and made merry whilst Bulukiya amused himself with watching and wondering at their gambols, which were prolonged till the morning, when they returned to the sea and disappeared. Then he came down and, anointing his feet, set out on the surface of the Seventh Sea, over which he journeyed two whole months, without getting sight of highland or island or broadland or lowland or shoreland, till he came to the end thereof. And so doing he suffered exceeding hunger, so that he was forced to snatch up fishes from the surface of the sea and devour them raw, for stress of famine. In such case he pushed on till in early forenoon he came to the sixth island, with trees a-growing and rills a-flowing, where he landed and walked about, looking right and left, till he came to an apple-tree and put forth his hand to pluck of the fruit, when lo! one cried out to him from the tree, saying, “An thou draw near to this tree and cut of it aught, I will cut thee in twain.” So he looked and saw a giant forty cubits high, being the cubit of the people of that day; whereat he feared with sore fear and refrained from that tree. Then said he to the giant, “Why dost thou forbid me to eat of this tree?” Replied the other, “Because thou art a son of Adam and thy father Adam forgot the covenant of Allah and sinned against Him and ate of the tree.” Quoth Bulukiya, “What thing art thou and to whom belongeth this island, with its trees, and how art thou named?” Quoth the tall one, “My name is Sharáhiyá and trees and island belong to King Sakhr;[524] I am one of his guards and in charge of his dominion,” presently adding, “But who art thou and whence comest thou hither?” Bulukiya told him his story from beginning to end and Sharahiya said, “Be of good cheer,” and brought him to eat. So he ate his fill and, taking leave of the giant, set out again and ceased not faring on over the mountains and sandy deserts for ten days; at the end of which time he saw, in the distance, a dust-cloud hanging like a canopy in air; and, making towards it, he heard a mighty clamour, cries and blows and sounds of mellay. Presently he reached a great Wady, two months’ journey long; and, looking whence the shouts came, he saw a multitude of horsemen engaged in fierce fight and the blood running from them till it railed like a river. Their voices were thunderous and they were armed with lance and sword and iron mace and bow and arrow, and all fought with the utmost fury. At this sight he felt sore affright——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen continued:—When Bulukiya saw the host in fight, he felt sore affright and was perplexed about his case; but whilst he hesitated, behold, they caught sight of him and held their hands one from other and left fighting. Then a troop of them came up to him, wondering at his make, and one of the horsemen said to him, “What art thou and whence camest thou hither and whither art wending; and who showed thee the way that thou hast come to our country?” Quoth he, “I am of the sons of Adam and am come out, distracted for the love of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and preserve!); but I have wandered from my way.” Quoth the horseman, “Never saw we a son of Adam till now, nor did any ever come to this land.” And all marvelled at him and at his speech. “But what are ye, O creatures?” asked Bulukiya; and the rider replied, “We are of the Jánn.” So he said, “O Knight, what is the cause of the fighting amongst you and where is your abiding-place and what is the name of this valley and this land?” He replied, “Our abiding-place is the White Country; and, every year, Allah Almighty commandeth us to come hither and wage war upon the unbelieving Jann.” Asked Bulukiya, “And where is the White Country?” and the horseman answered, “It is behind the mountain Kaf, and distant seventy-five years journey from this place which is termed the Land of Shaddád son of ‘Ád: we are here for Holy War; and we have no other business, when we are not doing battle, than to glorify God and hallow him. Moreover, we have a ruler, King Sakhr hight, and needs must thou go with us to him, that he may look upon thee for his especial delight.” Then they fared on (and he with them) till they came to their abiding place; where he saw a multitude of magnificent tents of green silk, none knoweth their number save Allah the Most High, and in their midst a pavilion of red satin, some thousand cubits in compass, with cords of blue silk and pegs of gold and silver. Bulukiya marvelled at the sight and accompanied them as they fared on and behold, this was the royal pavilion. So they carried him into the presence of King Sakhr, whom he found seated upon a splendid throne of red gold, set with pearls and studded with gems; the Kings and Princes of the Jann being on his right hand, and on his left his Councillors and Emirs and Officers of state, and a multitude of others. The King seeing him bade introduce him, which they did; and Bulukiya went up to him and saluted him after kissing the ground before him. The King returned his salute and said, “Draw near me, O mortal!” and Bulukiya went close up to him. Hereupon the King, commanding a chair to be set for him by his royal side, bade him sit down and asked him “Who art thou?”; and Bulukiya answered, “I am a man, and one of the Children of Israel.” “Tell me thy story,” cried King Sakhr, “and acquaint me with all that hath befallen thee and how thou camest to this my land.” So Bulukiya related to him all that had occurred in his wanderings from beginning to end——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-third Night,

She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen continued:—When Bulukiya related to Sakhr what befel him in his wanderings, he marvelled thereat. Then he bade the servants bring food and they spread the tables and set on one thousand and five hundred platters of red gold and silver and copper, some containing twenty and some fifty boiled camels, and others some fifty head of sheep; at which Bulukiya marvelled with exceeding marvel. Then they ate and he ate with them, till he was satisfied and returned thanks to Allah Almighty; after which they cleared the tables and set on fruits, and they ate thereof, glorifying the name of God and invoking blessings on His prophet Mohammed (whom Allah bless and preserve!) When Bulukiya heard them make mention of Mohammed, he wondered and said to King Sakhr, “I am minded to ask thee some questions.” Rejoined the King, “Ask what thou wilt,” and Bulukiya said, “O King, what are ye and what is your origin and how came ye to know of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) that ye draw near to him and love him?” King Sakhr answered, “O Bulukiya, of very sooth Allah created the fire in seven stages, one above the other, and each distant a thousand years’ journey from its neighbour. The first stage he named Jahannam[525] and appointed the same for the punishment of the transgressors of the True-believers, who die unrepentant; the second he named Lazá and appointed for Unbelievers: the name of the third is Jahím and is appointed for Gog and Magog.[526] The fourth is called Sa’ír and is appointed for the host of Iblis. The fifth is called Sakar and is prepared for those who neglect prayer. The sixth is called Hatamah and is appointed for Jews and Christians. The seventh is named Háwiyah and is prepared for hypocrites. Such be the seven stages.” Quoth Bulukiya, “Haply Jahannam hath least of torture for that it is the uppermost.” “Yes,” quoth King Sakhr, “the most endurable of them all is Jahannam; natheless in it are a thousand mountains of fire, in each mountain seventy thousand cities of fire, in each city seventy thousand castles of fire, in each castle seventy thousand houses of fire, in each house seventy thousand couches of fire and in each couch seventy thousand manners of torment. As for the other hells, O Bulukiya, none knoweth the number of kinds of torment that be therein save Allah Most Highest.” When Bulukiya heard this, he fell down in a fainting-fit, and when he came to himself, he wept and said, “O King what will be my case?” Quoth Sakhr, “Fear not, and know thou that whoso loveth Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!) the fire shall not burn him, for he is made free therefrom for his sake; and whoso belongeth to his Faith the fire shall fly him. As for us, the Almighty Maker created us of the fire; for the first that he made in Jahannam were two of His host, whom he called Khalít and Malít. Now Khalít was fashioned in the likeness of a lion, with a tail like a tortoise twenty years’ journey in length and ending in a member masculine; while Malít was like a pied wolf whose tail was furnished with a member feminine. Then Almighty Allah commanded the tails to couple and copulate and do the deed of kind, and of them were born serpents and scorpions, whose dwelling is in the fire, that Allah may therewith torment those whom He casteth therein; and these increased and multiplied. Then Allah commanded the tails of Khalit and Malit to couple and copulate a second time, and the tail of Malit conceived by the tail of Khalit and bore fourteen children, seven male and seven female, who grew up and intermarried one with other. All were obedient to their sire, save one who disobeyed him and was changed into a worm which is Iblis (the curse of Allah be upon him!). Now Iblis was one of the Cherubim, for he had served Allah till he was raised to the heavens and cherished[527] by the especial favour of the Merciful One, who made him chief of the Cherubim.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen continued:—Iblis served God and became chief of Cherubim. When, however, the Lord created Adam (with whom be peace!), He commanded Iblis to prostrate himself to him, but he drew back; so Allah Almighty expelled him from heaven and cursed him.[528] This Iblis had issue and of his lineage are the devils; and as for the other six males, who were his elders, they are the ancestors of the true-believing Jann, and we are their descendants. Such, O Bulukiya is our provenance.[529] Bulukiya marvelled at the King’s words and said, “O King, I pray thee bid one of thy guards bear me back to my native land.” “Naught of this may we do,” answered Sakhr, “save by commandment of Allah Almighty; however, an thou desire to leave us and return home, I will mount thee on one of my mares and cause her carry thee to the farthest frontiers of my dominions, where thou wilt meet with the troops of another King, Barákhiyá hight, who will recognize the mare at sight and take thee off her and send her back to us; and this is all we can do for thee, and no more.” When Bulukiya heard these words he wept and said, “Do whatso thou wilt.” So King Sakhr caused bring the mare and, setting Bulukiya on her back, said to him, “Beware lest thou alight from her or strike her or cry out in her face; for if thou do so she will slay thee; but abide quietly riding on her back till she stop with thee; then dismount and wend thy ways.” Quoth Bulukiya, “I hear and I obey;” he then mounted and setting out, rode on a long while between the rows of tents; and stinted not riding till he came to the royal kitchens where he saw the great cauldrons, each holding fifty camels, hung up over the fires which blazed fiercely under them. So he stopped there and gazed with a marvel ever increasing till King Sakhr thinking him to be anhungered, bade bring him two roasted camels; and they carried them to him and bound them behind him on the mare’s crupper. Then he took leave of them and fared on, till he came to the end of King Sakhr’s dominions, where the mare stood still and Bulukiya dismounted and began to shake the dust of the journey from his raiment. And behold, there accosted him a party of men who, recognising the mare, carried her and Bulukiya before their King Barakhiya. So he saluted him, and the King returned his greeting and seated him beside himself in a splendid pavilion, in the midst of his troops and champions and vassal Princes of the Jann ranged to right and left; after which he called for food and they ate their fill and pronounced the Alhamdolillah. Then they set on fruits, and when they had eaten thereof, King Barakhiya, whose estate was like that of King Sakhr, asked his guest, “When didst thou leave King Sakhr?” And Bulukiya answered, “Two days ago.” Quoth Barakhiya, “Dost thou know, how many days’ journey thou hast come in these two days?” Quoth he, “No,” and the King rejoined, “Thou hast come a journey of threescore and ten months.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen continued:—Barakhiya said to Bulukiya, “In two days thou hast come a journey of threescore and ten months; moreover when thou mountest the mare, she was affrighted at thee, knowing thee for a son of Adam, and would have thrown thee; so they bound on her back these two camels by way of weight to steady her.” When Bulukiya heard this, he marvelled and thanked Allah Almighty for safety. Then said the King, “Tell me thy adventures and what brought thee to this our land.” So he told him his story from first to last, and the King marvelled at his words, and kept Bulukiya with him two months. Upon this Hasib Karim al-Din after he had marvelled at her story, again besought the Serpent-queen saying, “I pray thee of thy goodness and graciousness command one of thy subjects conduct me to the surface of the earth, that I may return to my family;” but she answered, “O Hasib, I know that the first thing thou wilt do, after seeing the face of the earth will be to greet thy family and then repair to the Hammam-bath and bathe; and the moment thou endest thine ablutions will see the last of me, for it will be the cause of my death.” Quoth Hasib, “I swear that I will never again enter the Hammam-bath so long as I live, but when washing is incumbent on me, I will wash at home.” Rejoined the Queen, “I would not trust thee though thou shouldst swear to me an hundred oaths; for such abstaining is not possible; and I know thee to be a son of Adam for whom no oath is sacred. Thy father Adam made a covenant with Allah the most High, who kneaded the clay whereof He fashioned him forty mornings and made His angels prostrate themselves to him; yet after all his promise did he forget and his oath violate, disobeying the commandment of his Lord.” When Hasib heard this, he held his peace and burst into tears; nor did he leave weeping for the space of ten days, at the end of which time he said to the Queen, “Prithee acquaint me with the rest of Bulukiya’s adventures.” Accordingly, she began again as follows:—Know, O Hasib, that Bulukiya, after abiding two months with King Barakhiya, farewelled him and fared on over wastes and deserts nights and days, till he came to a high mountain which he ascended. On the summit he beheld seated a great Angel glorifying the names of God and invoking blessings on Mohammed. Before him lay a tablet covered with characters, these white and those black,[530] whereon his eyes were fixed, and his two wings were outspread to the full, one to the western and the other to the eastern horizon. Bulukiya approached and saluted the Angel, who returned his salam adding, “Who art thou and whence comest thou and whither wendest thou and what is thy story?” Accordingly, he repeated to him his history, from first to last, and the Angel marvelled mightily thereat, whereupon Bulukiya said to him, “I pray thee in return acquaint me with the meaning of this table and what is writ thereon; and what may be thine occupation and thy name.” Replied the Angel, “My name is Michael, and I am charged with the shifts of night and day; and this is my occupation till the Day of Doom.” Bulukiya wondered at his words and at his aspect and the vastness of his stature and, taking leave of him, fared onwards, night and day, till he came to a vast meadow over which he walked observing that it was traversed by seven streams and abounded in trees. He was struck by its beauty and in one corner thereof he saw a great tree and under it four Angels. So he drew near to them and found the first in the likeness of a man, the second in the likeness of a wild beast, the third in the likeness of a bird and the fourth in the likeness of a bull, engaged in glorifying Almighty Allah, and saying, “O my God and my Master and my Lord, I conjure Thee, by Thy truth and by the degree of Thy Prophet Mohammed (on whom be blessings and peace!) to vouchsafe Thy mercy and grant Thy forgiveness to all things created in my likeness; for Thou over all things art Almighty!” Bulukiya marvelled at what he heard but continued his journey till he came to another mountain and ascending it, found there a great Angel seated on the summit, glorifying God and hallowing Him and invoking blessings on Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!); and he saw that Angel continually opening and shutting his hands and bending and extending his fingers. He accosted him and saluted him; whereupon the Angel returned his salam and enquired who he was and how he came thither. So Bulukiya acquainted him with his adventures including his having lost the way; and besought him to tell him, in turn, who he was and what was his function and what mountain was that. Quoth the Angel, “Know, O Bulukiya, that this is the mountain Kaf, which encompasseth the world; and all the countries the Creator hath made are in my grasp. When the Almighty is minded to visit any land with earthquake or famine or plenty or slaughter or prosperity, He biddeth me carry out His commands and I carry them out without stirring from my place; for know thou that my hands lay hold upon the roots of the earth,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen continued:—When the angel said, “And know thou that my hands lay hold upon the roots of the earth,” he asked, “And hath Allah created other worlds than this within the mountain Kaf?” The Angel answered, “Yes, He hath made a world white as silver, whose vastness none knoweth save Himself, and hath peopled it with Angels, whose meat and drink are His praise and hallowing and continual blessings upon His Prophet Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!). Every Thursday night[531] they repair to this mountain and worship in congregation Allah until the morning, and they assign the future recompense of their lauds and litanies to the sinners of the Faith of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) and to all who make the Ghusl-ablution of Friday; and this is their function until the Day of Resurrection.” Asked Bulukiya, “And hath Allah created other mountains behind the mountain Kaf?”; whereto he answered, “Yes, behind this mountain is a range of mountains five hundred years’ journey long, of snow and ice, and this it is that wardeth off the heat of Jahannam from the world, which verily would else be consumed thereby. Moreover, behind the mountain Kaf are forty worlds, each one the bigness of this world forty times told, some of gold and some of silver and others of carnelian. Each of these worlds hath its own colour, and Allah hath peopled them with angels, that know not Eve nor Adam nor night nor day, and have no other business than to celebrate His praises and hallow Him and make profession of His Unity and proclaim His Omnipotence and supplicate Him on behalf of the followers of Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!). And know, also, O Bulukiya, that the earths were made in seven stages, one upon another, and that Allah hath created one of His Angels, whose stature and attributes none knoweth but Himself and who beareth the seven stages upon his shoulders. Under this Angel Almighty Allah hath created a great rock, and under the rock a bull, and under the bull a huge fish, and under the fish a mighty ocean.”[532] God once told Isa (with whom be peace!) of this fish, and he said, “O Lord show me the fish, that I may look upon it.” So the Almighty commanded an angel to take Isa and show him the fish. Accordingly, he took him up and carried him (with whom be peace!) to the sea, wherein the fish dwelt, and said, “Look, O Isa, upon the fish.” He looked but at first saw nothing, when, suddenly, the fish darted past like lightning. At this sight Isa fell down a-swoon, and when he came to himself, Allah spake to him by inspiration, saying, “O Isa, hast thou seen the fish and comprehended its length and its breadth?” He replied, “By Thy honour and glory, O Lord, I saw no fish; but there passed me by a great bull, whose length was three days’ journey, and I know not what manner of thing this bull is.” Quoth Allah, “O Isa, this that thou sawest and which was three days in passing by thee, was but the head of the fish;[533] and know that every day I create forty fishes like unto this.” And Isa hearing this marvelled at the power of Allah the Almighty. Asked Bulukiya, “What hath Allah made beneath this sea which containeth the fish?”; and the Angel answered, “Under the sea the Lord created a vast abyss of air, under the air fire, and under the fire a mighty serpent, by name Falak; and were it not for fear of the Most Highest, this serpent would assuredly swallow up all that is above it, air and fire and the Angel and his burden, without sensing it.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the angel said to Bulukiya when describing the serpent, “And were it not for fear of the Most Highest, this serpent would assuredly swallow up all that is above it, air, and fire, and the Angel and his burden, without sensing it. When Allah created this serpent He said to it by inspiration:—I will give thee somewhat to keep for me, so open thy mouth. The serpent replied:—Do whatso Thou wilt; and opened his mouth and God placed Hell into his maw, saying:—Keep it until the Day of Resurrection. When that time comes, the Almighty will send His angels with chains to bring Hell and bind it until the Day when all men shall meet; and the Lord will order Hell to go open its gates and there will issue therefrom sparks bigger than the mountains.” When Bulukiya heard these things he wept with sore weeping and, taking leave of the Angel, fared on westwards, till he came in sight of two creatures sitting before a great shut gate. As he drew near, he saw that one of the gatekeepers had the semblance of a lion and the other that of a bull; so he saluted them and they returned his salam and enquired who and whence he was and whither he was bound. Quoth he, “I am of the sons of Adam, a wanderer for the love of Mohammed (whom Allah assain and save!) and I have strayed from my way.” Then he asked them what they were and what was the gate before which they sat, and they answered, “We are the guardians of this gate thou seest and we have no other business than the praise and hallowing of Allah and the invocation of blessings on Mohammed (whom may He bless and keep!).” Bulukiya wondered and asked them, “What is within the gate?”; and they answered, “We wot not.” Then quoth he, “I conjure you, by the truth of your glorious Lord, open to me the gate, that I may see that which is therein.” Quoth they, “We cannot, and none may open this gate, of all created beings save Gabriel, the Faithful One, with whom be peace!” Then Bulukiya lifted up his voice in supplication to Allah, saying, “O Lord, send me thy messenger Gabriel, the Faithful One, to open for me this gate that I may see what be therein;” and the Almighty gave ear unto his prayer and commanded the Archangel to descend to earth and open to him the gate of the Meeting-place of the Two Seas. So Gabriel descended and, saluting Bulukiya, opened the gate to him, saying, “Enter this door, for Allah commandeth me to open to thee.” So he entered and Gabriel locked the gate behind him and flew back to heaven. When Bulukiya found himself within the gate, he looked and beheld a vast ocean, half salt and half fresh, bounded on every side by mountain-ranges of red ruby whereon he saw angels singing the praises of the Lord and hallowing Him. So he went up to them and saluted them and having received a return of his salam, questioned them of the sea and the mountains. Replied they, “This place is situate under the Arsh or empyreal heaven; and this Ocean causeth the flux and flow of all the seas of the world; and we are appointed to distribute them and drive them to the various parts of the earth, the salt to the salt and the fresh to the fresh,[534] and this is our employ until the Day of Doom. As for the mountain-ranges they serve to limit and to contain the waters. But thou, whence comest thou and whither art thou bound?” So he told them his story and asked them of the road. They bade him traverse the surface of the ocean which lay before him: so he anointed his feet with the juice of the herb he had with him, and taking leave of the angels, set out upon the face of the sea and sped on over the water nights and days; and as he was faring, behold, he met a handsome youth journeying along like himself, whereupon he greeted him and he returned his greeting. After they parted he espied four great Angels wayfaring over the face of the sea, and their going was like the blinding lightning; so he stationed himself in their road, and when they came up to him, he saluted them and said to them, “I ask you by the Almighty, the Glorious, to tell me your names and whither are ye bound?” Replied the first Angel, “My name is Gabriel and these my companions are called Isráfíl and Míká’íl and Azrá’íl. There hath appeared in the East a mighty dragon, which hath laid waste a thousand cities and devoured their inhabitants; wherefore Allah Almighty hath commanded us to go to him and seize him and cast him into Jahannam.” Bulukiya marvelled at the vastness of their stature and fared on, as before, days and nights, till he came to an island where he landed and walked about for a while,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Bulukiya landed on the island and walked about for a while, till he saw a comely young man with light shining from his visage, sitting weeping and lamenting between two built tombs. So he saluted him and he returned his salutation, and Bulukiya said to him, “Who art thou and what are these two built tombs between which thou sittest, and wherefore this wailing?” He looked at him and wept with sore weeping, till he drenched his clothes with his tears; then said, “Know thou, O my brother, mine is a marvellous story and a wondrous; but I would have thee sit by me and first tell me thy name and thine adventures and who thou art and what brought thee hither; after which I will, in turn, relate to thee my history.” So Bulukiya sat down by him and related to him all that had befallen him from his father’s death,[535] adding, “Such is my history, the whole of it, and Allah alone knoweth what will happen to me after this.” When the youth heard his story, he sighed and said, “O thou unhappy! How few things thou hast seen in thy life compared with mine! Know, O Bulukiya, that unlike thyself I have looked upon our lord Solomon, in his life, and have seen things past count or reckoning. Indeed, my story is strange and my case out of range, and I would have thee abide with me, till I tell thee my history and acquaint thee how I come to be sitting here.” Hearing this much Hasib again interrupted the Queen of the Serpents and said to her, “Allah upon thee, O Queen, release me and command one of thy servants carry me forth to the surface of the earth, and I will swear an oath to thee that I will never enter the Hammam-bath as long as I live.” But she said, “This is a thing which may not be nor will I believe thee upon thine oath.” When he heard this, he wept and all the serpents wept on his account and took to interceding for him with their Queen, saying, “We beseech thee, bid one of us carry him forth to the surface of the earth, and he will swear thee an oath never to enter the bath his life long.” Now when Yamlaykhá (for such was the Queen’s name) heard their appeal, she turned to Hasib and made him swear to her an oath; after which she bade a serpent carry him forth to the surface of the earth. The serpent made ready, but as she was about to go away with him, he turned to Queen Yamlaykha and said, “I would fain have thee tell me the history of the youth whom Bulukiya saw sitting between two tombs.” So she said:—Know, O Hasib, that when Bulukiya sat down by the youth and told him his tale, from first to last, in order that the other might also recount his adventures and explain the cause of his sitting between the two tombs——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Four Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen continued:—When Bulukiya ended his recount, the youth said, “How few things of marvel hast thou seen in thy life, O unhappy! Now I have looked upon our lord Solomon while he was yet living and I have witnessed wonders beyond compt and conception.” And he began to relate

_THE STORY OF JANSHAH._[536]

Know, O my brother, that my sire was a King called Teghmús, who reigned over the land of Kabul and the Banu Shahlán, ten thousand warlike chiefs, each ruling over a hundred walled cities and a hundred citadels; and he was suzerain also over seven vassal princes, and tribute was brought to him from the broad lands between East and West. He was just and equitable in his rule and Allah Almighty had given him all this and had bestowed on him such mighty empire, yet had He not vouchsafed him a son (though this was his dearest wish) to inherit the kingdom after his decease. So one day it befel that he summoned the Olema and astrologers, the mathematicians and almanac-makers, and said, “Draw me my horoscope and look if Allah will grant me a son to succeed me.” Accordingly, they consulted their books and calculated his dominant star and the aspects thereof; after which they said to him, “Know, O King, that thou shalt be blessed with a son, but by none other than the daughter of the King of Khorásán.” Hearing this Teghmus joyed with exceeding joy and, bestowing on the astrologers and wizards treasure beyond numbering or reckoning, dismissed them. His chief Wazir was a renowned warrior, by name ‘Ayn Zár, who was equal to a thousand cavaliers in battle; so him he summoned and, repeating to him what the astrologers had predicted, he said, “O Wazir, it is my will that thou equip thee for a march to Khorasan and demand for me the hand of its King Bahrwán’s daughter.” Receiving these orders the Wazir at once proceeded to get ready for the journey and encamped without the town with his troops and braves and retinue, whilst King Teghmus made ready as presents for the King of Khorasan fifteen hundred loads of silks and precious stones, pearls and rubies and other gems, besides gold and silver; and he also prepared a prodigious quantity of all that goeth to the equipment of a bride; then, loading them upon camels and mules, delivered them to Ayn Zar, with a letter to the following purport. “After invoking the blessing of Heaven, King Teghmus to King Bahrwan, greeting. Know that we have taken counsel with the astrologers and sages and mathematicians, and they tell us that we shall have boon of a boy-child, and that by none other than thy daughter. Wherefore I have despatched unto thee my Wazir Ayn Zar, with great store of bridal gear, and I have appointed him to stand in my stead and to enter into the marriage-contract in my name. Furthermore I desire that of thy favour thou wilt grant him his request without stay or delay; for it is my own, and all graciousness thou showest him, I take for myself; but beware of crossing me in this, for know, O King Bahrwan, that Allah hath bestowed upon me the Kingdom of Kabul, and hath given me dominion over the Banu Shahlan and vouchsafed me a mighty empire; and if I marry thy daughter, we will be, I and thou, as one thing in kingship; and I will send thee every year as much treasure as will suffice thee. And this is my desire of thee.” Then King Teghmus sealed the letter with his own ring and gave it to the Wazir, who departed with a great company and journeyed till he drew near the capital of Khorasan. When King Bahrwan heard of his approach, he despatched his principal Emirs to meet him,[537] with a convoy of food and drink and other requisites, including forage for the steeds. So they fared forth with the train till they met the Wazir; then, alighting without the city, they exchanged salutations and abode there, eating and drinking, ten days; at the end of which time they mounted and rode on into the town, where they were met by King Bahrwan, who came out to greet the Wazir of King Teghmus and alighting, embraced him and carried him to his citadel. Then Ayn Zar brought out the presents and laid them before King Bahrwan, together with the letter of King Teghmus, which when the King read and understood, he joyed with joy exceeding and welcomed the Wazir, saying, “Rejoice in winning thy wish; and know that if King Teghmus sought of me my life, verily I would give it to him.” Then he went in forthright to his daughter and her mother and his kinsfolk, and acquainting them with the King of Kabul’s demand, sought counsel of them, and they said, “Do what seemeth good to thee.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundredth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Bahrwan consulted his daughter and her mother and his kinsfolk and they said, “Do what seemeth good to thee.” So he returned straightway to the Minister Ayn Zar and notified to him that his desire had been fulfilled; and the Wazir abode with him two months, at the end of which time he said to him, “We beseech thee to bestow upon us that wherefore we came, so we may depart to our own land.” “I hear and obey,” answered the King. Then he prepared all the gear wanted for the wedding; and when this was done he assembled his Wazirs and all his Emirs and the Grandees of his realm and the monks and priests who tied the knot of marriage between his daughter and King Teghmus by proxy. And King Bahrwan bade decorate the city after the goodliest fashion and spread the streets with carpets. Then he equipped his daughter for the journey and gave her all manner of presents and rarities and precious metals, such as none may describe; and Ayn Zar departed with the Princess to his own country. When the news of their approach reached King Teghmus, he bade celebrate the wedding festivities and adorn the city; after which he went in unto the Princess and abated her maidenhead; nor was it long before she conceived by him and, accomplishing her months, bare a man-child like the moon on the night of its full. When King Teghmus knew that his wife had given birth to a goodly son, he rejoiced with exceeding joy and, summoning the sages and astrologers and mathematicians, said to them, “I would that ye draw the horoscope of the new-born child with his ascendant and its aspects and acquaint me what shall befal him in his lifetime.” So they made their calculations and found them favourable; but, that he would, in his fifteenth year, be exposed to perils and hardships, and that if he survived, he would be happy and fortunate and become a greater king than his father and a more powerful. The King rejoiced greatly in this prediction and named the boy Janshah. Then he delivered him to the nurses, wet and dry, who reared him excellently well till he reached his fifth year, when his father taught him to read the Evangel and instructed him in the art of arms and lunge of lance and sway of sword, so that in less than seven years he was wont to ride a-hunting, and a-chasing; he became a doughty champion, perfect in all the science of the cavalarice and his father was delighted to hear of his knightly prowess. It chanced one day that King Teghmus and his son accompanied by the troops rode out for sport into the wolds and wilds and hunted till mid-afternoon of the third day, when the Prince started a gazelle of a rare colour, which fled before him. So he gave chase to it, followed by seven of King Teghmus’s white slaves all mounted on swift steeds, and rode at speed after the gazelle, which fled before them till she brought them to the sea-shore. They all ran at her to take her as their quarry, but she escaped from them and, throwing herself into the waves,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and First Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Janshah and the Mamelukes ran at the gazelle, to take her as their quarry, she escaped from them and, throwing herself into the waves, swam out to a fishing bark, that was moored near the shore, and sprang on board. Janshah and his followers dismounted and, boarding the boat, made prize of the gazelle and were minded to return to shore with her, when the Prince espied a great island in the offing and said to his merry men, “I have a longing to visit yonder island.” They answered, “We hear and obey,” and sailed on till they came to the island, where they landed and amused themselves with exploring the place. Then they again embarked and taking with them the gazelle, set out to return homeward, but the murk of evening overtook them and they missed their way on the main. Moreover a strong wind arose and drave the boat into mid-ocean, so that when they awoke in the morning, they found themselves lost at sea. Such was their case; but as regards King Teghmus, when he missed his son, he commanded his troops to make search for him in separate bodies; so they dispersed on all sides and a company of them, coming to the sea-shore, found there the Prince’s white slave whom he had left in charge of the horses. They asked him what was come of his master and the other six, and he told them what had passed; whereupon they took him with them and returned to the King and acquainted him with what they had learnt. When Teghmus heard their report, he wept with sore weeping and cast the crown from his head, biting his hands for vexation. Then he rose forthright and wrote letters and despatched them to all the islands of the sea. Moreover he got together an hundred ships and filling them with troops, sent them to sail about in quest of Janshah, while he himself withdrew with his troops to his capital, where he abode in sore concern. As for Janshah’s mother, when she heard of his loss she buffeted her face and began the mourning ceremonies for her son making sure that he was dead. Meanwhile, Janshah and his men ceased not driving before the wind and those in search of them cruised about for ten days till, finding no trace they returned and reported failure to the King. But a stiff gale caught the Prince’s craft which went spooning till they made a second island, where they landed and walked about. Presently they came upon a spring of running water in the midst of the island and saw from afar a man sitting hard by it. So they went up to him and saluted him, and he returned their salam, speaking in a voice like the whistle[538] of birds. Whilst Janshah stood marvelling at the man’s speech he looked right and left and suddenly split himself in twain, and each half went a different way.[539] Then there came down from the hills a multitude of men of all kinds, beyond count and reckoning; and they no sooner reached the spring, than each one divided into two halves and rushed on Janshah and his Mamelukes to eat them. When the voyagers saw this, they turned and fled seawards; but the cannibals pursued them and caught and ate three of the slaves, leaving only three slaves who with Janshah reached the boat in safety; then launching her made for the water and sailed nights and days without knowing whither their ship went. They killed the gazelle and lived on her flesh, till the winds drove them to a third island which was full of trees and waters and flower-gardens and orchards laden with all fashion of fruits: and streams strayed under the tree-shade: brief, the place was a Garden of Eden. The island pleased the Prince and he said to his companions, “Which of you will land and explore.” Then said one of the slaves, “That will I do”; but he replied, “This thing may not be; you must all land and explore the place while I abide in the boat.” So he set them ashore,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Prince set them ashore, and they searched the island, East and West, but found no one; then they fared on inland to the heart thereof, till they came to a Castle compassed about with ramparts of white marble, within which was a palace of the clearest crystal and, set in its centre a garden containing all manner fruits beyond description, both fresh and dry, and flowers of grateful odour and trees and birds singing upon the boughs. Amiddlemost the garden was a vast basin of water, and beside it a great open hall with a raised dais whereon stood a number of stools surrounding a throne of red gold, studded with all kinds of jewels and especially rubies. Seeing the beauty of the Castle and of the Garden they entered and explored in all directions, but found no one there, so after rummaging the Castle they returned to Janshah and told him what they had seen. When he heard their report, he cried, “Needs must I solace myself with a sight of it;” so he landed and accompanied them to the palace, which he entered marvelling at the goodliness of the place. They then visited every part of the gardens and ate of the fruits and continued walking till it waxed dark, when they returned to the estrade and sat down, Janshah on the throne in the centre and the three others on the stools ranged to the right and left. Then the Prince, there seated, called to mind his separation from his father’s throne-city[540] and country and friends and kinsfolk; and fell a-weeping and lamenting over their loss, whilst his men wept around him. And as they were thus sorrowing behold, they heard a mighty clamour, that came from seaward, and looking in the direction of the clamour saw a multitude of apes, as they were swarming locusts. Now the castle and the island belonged to these apes, who, finding the strangers’ boat moored to the strand, had scuttled it and after repaired to the palace, where they came upon Janshah and his men seated. Here the Serpent-queen again broke off her recital saying, “All this, O Hasib, was told to Bulukiya by the young man sitting between the two tombs.” Quoth Hasib, “And what did Janshah with the apes?”; so the Queen resumed her tale:—He and his men were sore affrighted at the appearance of the apes, but a company of them came up to the throne whereon he sat and, kissing the earth before him, stood awhile in his presence with their paws upon their breasts in posture of respect. Then another troop brought to the castle gazelles which they slaughtered and skinned; and roasting pieces of the flesh till fit for food they laid them on platters of gold and silver and spreading the table, made signs to Janshah and his men to eat. The Prince and his followers came down from their seats and ate, and the apes ate with them, till they were satisfied, when the apes took away the meat and set on fruits of which they partook and praised Allah the most Highest. Then Janshah asked the apes by signs what they were and to whom the palace belonged, and they answered him by signals, “Know ye that this island belonged of yore to our lord Solomon son of David (on both of whom be peace!), and he used to come hither once every year for his solace,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Janshah asked the apes by signs to whom the palace belonged, they answered him by signals, “Of a truth this place belonged of yore to our lord Solomon son of David (on both of whom be peace!), who used to come hither once every year for his solace, and then wend his ways.” Presently the apes continued, “And know, O King, that thou art become our Sultan and we are thy servants; so eat and drink, and whatso thou ever bid us, that will we do.” So saying, they severally kissed the earth between the hands of Janshah and all took their departure. The Prince slept that night on the throne and his men on the stools about him, and on the morrow, at daybreak, the four Wazirs or Captains of the apes presented themselves before him, attended by their troops, who ranged themselves about him, rank after rank, until the place was crowded. Then the Wazirs approached and exhorted him by signs to do justice amongst them and rule them righteously; after which the apes cried out to one another and went away, all save a small party which remained in presence to serve him. After awhile, there came up a company of apes with huge dogs in the semblance of horses, each wearing about his head a massive chain; and signed to Janshah and his three followers to mount and go with them. So they mounted, marvelling at the greatness of the dogs, and rode forth, attended by the four Wazirs and a host of apes like swarming locusts, some riding on dogs and others afoot till they came to the sea-shore. Janshah looked for the boat which brought him and finding it scuttled turned to the Wazirs and asked how this had happened to it; whereto they answered, “Know, O King, that, when thou camest to our island, we kenned that thou wouldst be Sultan over us and we feared lest ye all flee from us, in our absence; and embark in the boat; so we sank it.” When Janshah heard this, he turned to his Mamelukes and said to them, “We have no means of escaping from these apes, and we must patiently await the ordinance of the Almighty.” Then they fared on inland and ceased not faring till they came to the banks of a river, on whose other side rose a high mountain, whereon Janshah saw a multitude of Ghuls. So he turned to the apes and asked them, “What are these Ghuls?” and they answered, “Know, O King, that these Ghuls are our mortal foes and we come hither to do battle with them.” Janshah marvelled to see them riding horses, and was startled at the vastness of their bulk and the strangeness of their semblance; for some of them had heads like bulls and others like camels. As soon as the Ghuls espied the army of the apes, they charged down to the river·bank and standing there, fell to pelting them with stones as big as maces; and between them there befel a sore fight. Presently, Janshah, seeing that the Ghuls were getting the better of the apes, cried out to his men, saying, “Uncase your bows and arrows and shoot at them your best shafts and keep them off from us.” They did so and slew of the Ghuls much people, when there fell upon them sore dismay and they turned to flee; but the apes, seeing Janshah’s prowess, forded the river and headed by their Sultan chased the Ghuls, killing many of them in the pursuit, till they reached the high mountain where they disappeared. And while exploring the said mountain Janshah found a tablet of alabaster, whereon was written, “O thou who enterest this land, know that thou wilt become Sultan over these apes and that from them there is no escape for thee, except by the passes that run east and west through the mountains. If thou take the eastern pass, thou wilt fare through a country swarming with Ghuls and wild beasts, Marids and Ifrits, and thou wilt come, after three months’ journeying, to the ocean which encompasseth the earth; but, if thou travel by the western pass, it will bring thee, after four months’ journeying, to the head of the Wady of Emmets.[541] When thou hast followed the road, that leads through this mountain, ten days,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Janshah read this much upon the tablet and found, at the end of the inscription, “Then thou wilt come to a great river, whose current is so swift that it blindeth the eyes. Now this river drieth up every Sabbath,[542] and on the opposite bank lies a city wholly inhabited by Jews, who the faith of Mohammed refuse; there is not a Moslem among the band nor is there other than this city in the land. Better therefore lord it over the apes, for so long as thou shalt tarry amongst them they will be victorious over the Ghuls. And know also that he who wrote this tablet was the lord Solomon, son of David (on both be peace!).” When Janshah read these words, he wept sore and repeated them to his men. Then they mounted again and, surrounded by the army of the apes who were rejoicing in their victory, returned to the castle. Here Janshah abode, Sultaning over them, for a year and a half. And at the end of this time, he one day commanded the ape-army to mount and go forth a-hunting with him, and they rode out into the wolds and wilds, and fared on from place to place, till they approached the Wady of Emmets, which Janshah knew by the description of it upon the alabaster tablet. Here he bade them dismount and they all abode there, eating and drinking a space of ten days, after which Janshah took his men apart one night and said, “I purpose we flee through the Valley of Emmets and make for the town of the Jews; it may be Allah will deliver us from these apes and we will go God’s ways.” They replied, “We hear and we obey:” so he waited till some little of the night was spent, then, donning his armour and girding his sword and dagger and such like weapons, and his men doing likewise, they set out and fared on westwards till morning. When the apes awoke and missed Janshah and his men, they knew that they had fled. So they mounted and pursued them, some taking the eastern pass and others that which led to the Wady of Emmets, nor was it long before the apes came in sight of the fugitives, as they were about to enter the valley, and hastened after them. When Janshah and his men saw them, they fled into the Emmet-valley; but the apes soon overtook them and would have slain them, when behold, there rose out of the earth a multitude of ants like swarming locusts, as big as dogs, and charged home upon the apes. They devoured many of their foes, and these also slew many of the ants; but help came to the emmets: now an ant would go up to an ape and smite him and cut him in twain, whilst ten apes could hardly master one ant and bear him away and tear him in sunder. The sore battle lasted till the evening but the emmets were victorious. In the gloaming Janshah and his men took to flight and fled along the sole of the Wady——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that in the gloaming Janshah and his men took to flight and fled along the sole of the Wady till the morning. With the break of day, the apes were up and at them, which when the Prince saw, he shouted to his men, “Smite with your swords.” So they bared their blades and laid on load right and left, till there ran at them an ape, with tusks like an elephant, and smote one of the Mamelukes and cut him in sunder. Then the apes redoubled upon Janshah and he fled with his followers into the lower levels of the valley, where he saw a vast river and by its side a mighty many of ants. When the emmets espied Janshah they pushed on and surrounded him, and one of the slaves fell to smiting them with his sword and cutting them in twain; whereupon the whole host set upon him and slew him. At this pass, behold, up came the apes from over the mountain and fell in numbers upon Janshah; but he tore off his clothes and, plunging into the river, with his remaining servant, struck out for the middle of the stream. Presently, he caught sight of a tree on the other bank; so he swam up to it and laying hold of one of its branches, hung to it and swung himself ashore, but as for the last Mameluke the current carried him away and dashed him to pieces against the mountain. Thereupon Janshah fell to wringing his clothes and spreading them in the sun to dry, what while there befel a fierce fight between the apes and the ants, until the apes gave up the pursuit and returned to their own land. Meanwhile, Janshah, who abode alone on the river-bank, could do naught but shed tears till nightfall, when he took refuge in a cavern and there passed the dark hours, in great fear and feeling desolate for the loss of his slaves. At daybreak awaking from his sleep he set out again and fared on nights and days, eating of the herbs of the earth, till he came to the mountain which burnt like fire, and thence he made the river which dried up every Sabbath. Now it was a mighty stream and on the opposite bank stood a great city, which was the capital of the Jews mentioned in the tablet. Here he abode till the next Sabbath, when the river dried up and he walked over to the other side and entered the Jew city, but saw none in the streets. So he wandered about till he came to the door of a homestead, which he opened and entering, espied within the people of the house sitting in silence and speaking not a syllable. Quoth he, “I am a stranger and anhungered;” and they signed to him, as to say, “Eat and drink, but speak not.”[543] So he ate and drank and slept that night and, when morning dawned, the master of the house greeted him and bade him welcome and asked him, “Whence comest thou and whither art thou bound?” At these words Janshah wept sore and told him all that had befallen him and how his father was King of Kabul; whereat the Jew marvelled and said, “Never heard we of that city, but we have heard from the merchants of the caravans that in that direction lieth a land called Al-Yaman.” “How far is that land from this place?” asked Janshah, and the Jew answered, “The Cafilah merchants pretend that it is a two years and three months’ march from their land hither.” Quoth Janshah, “And when doth the caravan come?” Quoth the Jew, “Next year ‘twill come.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Jew was questioned anent the coming of the caravan, he replied, “Next year ‘twill come.” At these words the Prince wept sore and fell a-sorrowing for himself and his Mamelukes; and lamenting his separation from his mother and father and all which had befallen him in his wanderings. Then said the Jew, “O young man, do not weep, but sojourn with us till the caravan shall come, when we will send thee with it to thine own country.” So he tarried with the Jew two whole months and every day he went out walking in the streets for his solace and diversion. Now it chanced one day, whilst he paced about the main thoroughfares, as of wont, and was bending his steps right and left, he heard a crier crying aloud and saying, “Who will earn a thousand gold pieces and a slave-girl of surpassing beauty and loveliness by working for me between morning and noontide?” But no one answered him and Janshah said in his mind, “Were not this work dangerous and difficult, he would not offer a thousand dinars and a fair girl for half a day’s labour.” Then he accosted the crier and said, “I will do the work;” so the man carried him to a lofty mansion where they found one who was a Jew and a merchant, seated on an ebony chair, to whom quoth the crier, standing respectfully before him, “O merchant, I have cried every day these three months, and none hath answered, save this young man.” Hearing his speech the Jew welcomed Janshah, led him into a magnificent sitting-room and signalled to bring food. So the servants spread the table and set thereon all manner meats, of which the merchant and Janshah ate, and washed their hands. Then wine was served up and they drank; after which the Jew rose and bringing Janshah a purse of a thousand dinars and a slave-girl of rare beauty, said to him, “Take maid and money to thy hire.” Janshah took them and seated the girl by his side when the trader resumed, “To-morrow to the work!”; and so saying he withdrew and Janshah slept with the damsel that night. As soon as it was morning, the merchant bade his slaves clothe him in a costly suit of silk whenas he came out of the Hammam-bath. So they did as he bade them and brought him back to the house, whereupon the merchant called for harp and lute and wine and they drank and played and made merry till the half of the night was past, when the Jew retired to his Harim and Janshah lay with his slave-girl till the dawn. Then he went to the bath and on his return, the merchant came to him and said, “Now I wish thee to do the work for me.” “I hear and obey,” replied Janshah. So the merchant bade his slaves bring two she-mules and set Janshah on one, mounting the other himself. Then they rode forth from the city and fared on from morn till noon, when they made a lofty mountain, to whose height was no limit. Here the Jew dismounted, ordering Janshah to do the same; and when he obeyed the merchant gave him a knife and a cord, saying, “I desire that thou slaughter this mule.” So Janshah tucked up his sleeves and skirts and going up to the mule, bound her legs with the cord, then threw her and cut her throat; after which he skinned her and lopped off her head and legs and she became a mere heap of flesh. Then said the Jew, “Slit open the mule’s belly and enter it and I will sew it up on thee. There must thou abide awhile and whatsoever thou seest in her belly, acquaint me therewith.” So Janshah slit the mule’s belly and crept into it, whereupon the merchant sewed it up on him and withdrew to a distance,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the merchant sewed up the mule’s belly on Janshah and, withdrawing to a distance, hid himself in the skirts of the mountain. After a while a huge bird swooped down on the dead mule and snatching it up, flew up with it to the top of the mountain, where it set down the quarry and would have eaten it; but Janshah, feeling the bird begin to feed, slit the mule’s belly and came forth. When the bird saw him, it took fright at him and flew right away; whereupon he stood up and looking right and left, saw nothing but the carcasses of dead men, mummied by the sun, and exclaimed, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” Then he looked down the precipice and espied the merchant standing at the mountain-foot, looking for him. As soon as the Jew caught sight of him, he called out to him, “Throw me down of the stones which are about thee, that I may direct thee to a way whereby thou mayst descend.” So Janshah threw him down some two hundred of the stones, which were all rubies,[544] chrysolites and other gems of price; after which he called out to him, saying, “Show me the way down and I will throw thee as many more.” But the Jew gathered up the stones and, binding them on the back of the mule, went his way without answering a word and left Janshah alone on the mountain-top. When the Prince found himself deserted, he began to weep and implore help of Heaven, and thus he abode three days; after which he rose and fared on over the mountainous ground two month’s space, feeding upon hill-herbs; and he ceased not faring till he came to its skirts and espied afar off a Wady full of fruitful trees and birds harmonious singing the praises of Allah, the One, the Victorious. At this sight he joyed with great joy and stayed not his steps till, after an hour or so, he came to a ravine in the rocks, through which the rain-torrents fell into the valley. He made his way down the cleft till he reached the Wady which he had seen from the mountain-top and walked on therein, gazing right and left, nor ceased so doing until he came in sight of a great castle, towering high in air. As he drew near the gates he saw an old man of comely aspect and face shining with light standing thereat with a staff of carnelian in his hand, and going up to him, saluted him. The Shaykh returned his salam and bade him welcome, saying, “Sit down, O my son.” So he sat down at the door of the castle and the old man said to him, “How camest thou to this land, untrodden by son of Adam before thee, and whither art thou bound?” When Janshah heard his words he wept bitterly at the thought of all the hardships he had suffered and his tears choked his speech. Quoth the Shaykh, “O my son, leave weeping; for indeed thou makest my heart ache.” So saying, he rose and set somewhat of food before him and said to him, “Eat.” He ate and praised Allah Almighty; after which the old man besought him saying, “O my son, I would have thee tell me thy tale and acquaint me with thine adventures.” So Janshah related to him all that had befallen him, from first to last, whereat the Shaykh marvelled with exceeding marvel. Then said the Prince, “Prithee inform me who is the lord of this valley and to whom doth this great castle belong?” Answered the old man, “Know, O my son, this valley and all that is therein and this castle with all it containeth belong to the lord Solomon, son of David (on both be peace!). As for me, my name is Shaykh Nasr,[545] King of the Birds; for thou must know that the lord Solomon committed this castle to my charge,”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shaykh Nasr pursued, “Thou must know that the lord Solomon committed this castle to my charge and taught me the language of birds and made me ruler over all the fowls which be in the world; wherefore each and every come hither once in the twelvemonth, and I pass them in review: then they depart; and this is why I dwell here.” When Janshah heard this, he wept sore and said to the Shaykh, “O my father, how shall I do to get back to my native land?” Replied the old man, “Know, O my son, that thou art near to the mountain Kaf, and there is no departing for thee from this place till the birds come, when I will give thee in charge to one of them, and he will bear thee to thy native country. Meanwhile tarry with me here and eat and drink and divert thyself with viewing the apartments of this castle.” So Janshah abode with Shaykh Nasr, taking his pleasure in the Wady and eating of its fruits and laughing and making merry with the old man, and leading a right joyous life till the day appointed for the birds to pay their annual visit to their Governor. Thereupon the Shaykh said to him, “O Janshah, take the keys of the castle and solace thyself with exploring all its apartments and viewing whatever be therein, but as regards such a room, beware and again beware of opening its door; and if thou gainsay me and open it and enter therethrough nevermore shalt thou know fair fortune.” He repeated this charge again and again with much instance; then he went forth to meet the birds, which came up, kind by kind, and kissed his hands. Such was his case; but as regards Janshah, he went round about the castle, opening the various doors and viewing the apartments into which they led, till he came to the room which Shaykh Nasr had warned him not to open or enter. He looked at the door and its fashion pleased him, for it had on it a padlock of gold, and he said to himself, “This room must be goodlier than all the others; would Heaven I wist what is within it, that Shaykh Nasr should forbid me to open its door! There is no help but that I enter and see what is in this apartment; for whatso is decreed unto the creature perforce he must fulfil.” So he put out his hand and unlocked the door and entering, found himself before a great basin; and hard by it stood a little pavilion, builded all of gold and silver and crystal, with lattice-windows of jacinth. The floor was paved with green beryl and balass rubies and emeralds and other jewels, set in the ground-work mosaic-fashion, and in the midmost of the pavilion was a jetting fountain in a golden basin, full of water and girt about with figures of beasts and birds, cunningly wrought of gold and silver and casting water from their mouths. When the zephyr blew on them, it entered their ears and therewith the figures sang out with birdlike song, each in its own tongue. Beside the fountain was a great open saloon with a high daïs whereon stood a vast throne of carnelian, inlaid with pearls and jewels, over which was spread a tent of green silk fifty cubits in width and embroidered with gems fit for seal-rings and purfled with precious metals. Within this tent was a closet containing the carpet of the lord Solomon (on whom be peace!); and the pavilion was compassed about with a vast garden full of fruit-trees and streams; while near the palace were beds of roses and basil and eglantine and all manner sweet-smelling herbs and flowers. And the trees bore on the same boughs fruits fresh and dry and the branches swayed gracefully to the wooing of the wind. All this was in that one apartment and Janshah wondered thereat till he was weary of wonderment; and he set out to solace himself in the palace and the garden and to divert himself with the quaint and curious things they contained. And first looking at the basin he saw that the gravels of its bed were gems and jewels and noble metals; and many other strange things were in that apartment.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Janshah saw many strange things and admirable in that apartment. Then he entered the pavilion and mounting the throne, fell asleep under the tent set up thereover. He slept for a time and, presently awaking, walked forth and sat down on a stool before the door. As he sat, marvelling at the goodliness of that place, there flew up from mid-sky three birds, in dove-form but big as eagles, and lighted on the brink of the basin, where they sported awhile. Then they put off their feathers and became three maidens,[546] as they were moons, that had not their like in the whole world. They plunged into the basin and swam about and disported themselves and laughed, while Janshah marvelled at their beauty and loveliness and the grace and symmetry of their shapes. Presently, they came up out of the water and began walking about and taking their solace in the garden; and Janshah seeing them land was like to lose his wits. He rose and followed them, and when he overtook them, he saluted them and they returned his salam; after which quoth he, “Who are ye, O illustrious Princesses, and whence come ye?” Replied the youngest damsel, “We are from the invisible world of Almighty Allah and we come hither to divert ourselves.” He marvelled at their beauty and said to the youngest, “Have ruth on me and deign kindness to me and take pity on my case and on all that hath befallen me in my life.” Rejoined she, “Leave this talk and wend thy ways”; whereat the tears streamed from his eyes, and he sighed heavily and repeated these couplets:—

She shone out in the garden in garments all of green, ✿ With open vest and collars and flowing hair beseen: “What is thy name?” I asked her, and she replied, “I’m she ✿ Who roasts the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen.” Of passion and its anguish to her I made my moan; ✿ “Upon a rock,” she answered, “thy plaints are wasted clean.” “Even if thy heart,” I told her, “be rock in very deed, ✿ Yet hath God made fair water well from the rock, I ween.”[547]

When the maidens heard his verses, they laughed and played and sang and made merry. Then he brought them somewhat of fruit, and they ate and drank and slept with him till the morning, when they donned their feather-suits, and resuming dove shape flew off and went their way. But as he saw them disappearing from sight, his reason well-nigh fled with them, and he gave a great cry and fell down in a fainting fit and lay a-swooning all that day. While he was in this case Shaykh Nasr returned from the Parliament of the Fowls and sought for Janshah, that he might send him with them to his native land, but found him not and knew that he had entered the forbidden room. Now he had already said to the birds, “With me is a young man, a mere youth, whom destiny brought hither from a distant land; and I desire of you that ye take him up and carry him to his own country.” And all answered, “We hear and we obey.” So he ceased not searching for Janshah till he came to the forbidden door and seeing it open he entered and found the Prince lying a-swoon under a tree. He fetched scented waters and sprinkled them on his face, whereupon he revived and turned——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Tenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Shaykh Nasr saw Janshah lying a-swoon under the tree he fetched him somewhat of scented waters and sprinkled them on his face. Thereupon he revived and turned right and left, but seeing none by him save the Shaykh, sighed heavily and repeated these couplets:—

“Like fullest moon she shines on happiest night, ✿ Soft-sided fair, with slender shape bedight. Her eye-babes charm the world with gramarye; ✿ Her lips remind of rose and ruby light. Her jetty locks make night upon her hips; ✿ Ware, lovers, ware ye of that curl’s despight! Yea, soft her sides are, but in love her heart ✿ Out-hardens flint, surpasses syenite: And bows of eyebrows shower glancey shafts ✿ Despite the distance never fail to smite. Then, ah, her beauty! all the fair it passes; ✿ Nor any rival her who see the light.”

When Shaykh Nasr heard these verses, he said, “O my son, did I not warn thee not to open that door and enter that room? But now, O my son, tell me what thou sawest therein and acquaint me with all that betided thee.” So Janshah related to him all that had passed between him and the three maidens, and Shaykh Nasr, who sat listening in silence said, “Know, O my son, that these three maidens are of the daughters of the Jann and come hither every year for a day, to divert themselves and make merry until mid-afternoon, when they return to their own country.” Janshah asked, “And where is their country?”; and the old man answered, “By Allah, O my son, I wot not:” presently adding, “but now take heart and put away this love from thee and come with me, that I may send thee to thine own land with the birds.” When Janshah heard this, he gave a great cry and fell down in a trance; and presently he came to himself, and said, “O my father, indeed I care not to return to my native land: all I want is to foregather with these maidens and know, O my father, that I will never again name my people, though I die before thee.” Then he wept and cried, “Enough for me that I look upon the face of her I love, although it be only once in the year!” And he sighed deeply and repeated these couplets:—

Would Heaven the Phantom[548] spared the friend at night ✿ And would this love for man were ever dight! Were not my heart a-fire for love of you, ✿ Tears ne’er had stained my cheeks nor dimmed my sight. By night and day, I bid my heart to bear ✿ Its griefs, while fires of love my body blight.

Then he fell at Shaykh Nasr’s feet and kissed them and wept sore, crying, “Have pity on me, so Allah take pity on thee and aid me in my strait so Allah aid thee!” Replied the old man, “By Allah, O my son, I know nothing of these maidens nor where may be their country; but, O my son, if thy heart be indeed set on one of them, tarry with me till this time next year for they will assuredly reappear; and, when the day of their coming draweth near, hide thyself under a tree in the garden. As soon as they have alighted and doffed their feather-robes and plunged into the lake and are swimming about at a distance from their clothes, seize the vest of her whom thy soul desireth. When they see thee, they will come a-bank and she, whose coat thou hast taken, will accost thee and say to thee with the sweetest of speech and the most witching of smiles, “Give me my dress, O my brother, that I may don it and veil my nakedness withal.” But if thou yield to her prayer and give her back the vest thou wilt never win thy wish: nay, she will don it and fly away to her folk and thou wilt nevermore see her again. Now when thou hast gained the vest, clap it under thine armpit and hold it fast, till I return from the Parliament of the Fowls, when I will make accord between thee and her and send thee back to thy native land, and the maiden with thee. And this, O my son, is all I can do for thee, nothing more.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth Shaykh Nasr to Janshah, “Hold fast the feather-robe of her thy soul desireth and give it not back to her till I return from the Parliament of the Fowls. And this, O my son, is all I can do for thee, nothing more.” When Janshah heard this, his heart was solaced and he abode with Shaykh Nasr yet another year, counting the days as they passed until the day of the coming of the birds. And when at last the appointed time arrived the old man said to him, “Do as I enjoined thee and charged thee with the maidens in the matter of the feather-dress, for I go to meet the birds;” and Janshah replied, “I hear and I obey, O my father.” Then the Shaykh departed whilst the Prince walked into the garden and hid himself under a tree, where none could see him. Here he abode a first day and a second and a third, but the maidens came not; whereat he was sore troubled and wept and sighed from a heart hard tried; and he ceased not weeping and wailing till he fainted away. When he came to himself, he fell to looking now at the basin and now at the welkin, and anon at the earth and anon at the open country, whilst his heart grieved for stress of love-longing. As he was in this case, behold, the three doves appeared in the firmament, eagle-sized as before, and flew till they reached the garden and lighted down beside the basin. They turned right and left; but saw no one, man or Jann; so they doffed their feather-suits and became three maidens. Then they plunged into the basin and swam about, laughing and frolicking; and all were mother-naked and fair as bars of virgin silver. Quoth the eldest, “O my sister, I fear lest there be some one lying ambushed for us in the pavilion.” Answered the second, “O sister, since the days of King Solomon, none hath entered the pavilion, be he man or Jann;” and the youngest added, laughing, “By Allah, O my sisters, if there be any hidden there, he will assuredly take none but me.” Then they continued sporting and laughing and Janshah’s heart kept fluttering for stress of passion: but he hid behind the tree so that he saw without being seen. Presently they swam out to the middle of the basin leaving their clothes on the bank. Hereupon he sprang to his feet, and running like the darting leven to the basin’s brink, snatched up the feather-vest of the youngest damsel, her on whom his heart was set and whose name was Shamsah the Sun-maiden. At this the girls turned and seeing him, were affrighted and veiled their shame from him in the water. Then they swam near shore and looking on his favour saw that he was bright faced as the moon on the night of fullness and asked him, “Who art thou and how camest thou hither and why hast thou taken the clothes of the lady Shamsah?”; and he answered, “Come hither to me and I will tell you my tale.” Quoth Shamsah, “What deed is this, and why hast thou taken my clothes, rather than those of my sisters?” Quoth he, “O light of mine eyes, come forth of the water, and I will recount thee my case and acquaint thee why I chose thee out.” Quoth she, “O my lord and coolth of my eyes and fruit of my heart, give me my clothes, that I may put them on and cover my nakedness withal; then will I come forth to thee.” But he replied, “O Princess of beautiful ones, how can I give thee back thy clothes and slay myself for love-longing? Verily, I will not give them to thee, till Shaykh Nasr, the king of the birds, shall return.” Quoth she, “If thou wilt not give me my clothes withdraw a little apart from us, that my sisters may land and dress themselves and lend me somewhat wherewithal to cover my shame.” “I hear and obey,” answered he, and walked away from them into the pavilion, whereupon the three Princesses came out and the two elder, donning their dress, gave Shamsah somewhat thereof, not enough to fly withal, and she put it on and came forth of the water, and stood before him, as she were the rising full-moon or a browsing gazelle. Then Shamsah entered the pavilion, where Janshah was still sitting on the throne; so she saluted him and taking seat near him, said, “O fair of face, thou hast undone thyself and me; but tell us thy adventures that we may ken how it is with thee.” At these words he wept till he drenched his dress with his tears; and when she saw that he was distracted for love of her, she rose and taking him by the hand, made him sit by her side and wiped away the drops with her sleeve; and said she, “O fair of face, leave this weeping and tell us thy tale.” So he related to her all that had befallen him and described to her all he had seen,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twelfth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the lady Shamsah said to Janshah, “Tell us thy tale;” so he related to her all that had befallen him; and, after she had lent attentive ear she sighed and said, “O my lord, since thou art so fondly in love with me, give me my dress, that I may fly to my folk, I and my sisters, and tell them what affection thou hast conceived for me, and after I will come back to thee and carry thee to thine own country.” When he heard this, he wept sore and replied, “Is it lawful to thee before Allah to slay me wrongfully?” She asked, “O my lord, why should I do such wrongous deed?”; and he answered, “If I give thee thy gear thou wilt fly away from me, and I shall die forthright.” Princess Shamsah laughed at this and so did her sisters; then said she to him, “Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I must needs marry thee.” So saying, she bent down to him and embraced him and pressing him to her breast kissed him between the eyes and on his cheeks. They clipped and clasped each other awhile, after which they drew apart and sat down on the throne. Then the eldest Princess went out into the garden and, plucking somewhat of fruits and flowers, brought them into the pavilion; and they ate and drank and laughed and sported and made merry. Now Janshah was singular in beauty and loveliness and slender shape and symmetry and grace, and the Princess Shamsah said to him, “O my beloved, by Allah, I love thee with exceeding love and will never leave thee!” When he heard her words, his breast broadened and he laughed for joy till he showed his teeth; and they abode thus awhile in mirth and gladness and frolic. And when they were at the height of their pleasure and joyance, behold, Shaykh Nasr returned from the Parliament of the Fowls and came in to them; whereupon they all rose to him and saluted him and kissed his hands. He gave them welcome and bade them be seated. So they sat down and he said to Princess Shamsah, “Verily this youth loveth thee with exceeding love; Allah upon thee, deal kindly with him, for he is of the great ones of mankind and of the sons of the kings, and his father ruleth over the land of Kabul and his reign compasseth a mighty empire.” Quoth she, “I hear and I obey thy behest”; and, kissing the Shaykh’s hands, stood before him in respect. Quoth he, “If thou say sooth, swear to me by Allah that thou wilt never betray him, what while thou abidest in the bonds of life.” So she swore a great oath that she would never betray Janshah, but would assuredly marry him, and added, “Know, O Shaykh Nasr, that I never will forsake him.” The Shaykh believed in her oath and said to Janshah, “Thanks be to Allah, who hath made you arrive at this understanding!” Hereupon the Prince rejoiced with exceeding joy, and he and Shamsah abode three months with Shaykh Nasr, feasting and toying and making merry.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that, Janshah and the lady Shamsah abode three months with Shaykh Nasr, feasting and toying and making merry. And at the end of that time she said to Janshah, “I wish to go with thee to thy motherland, where thou shalt marry me and we will abide there.” “To hear is to obey,” answered he and took counsel with Shaykh Nasr, who said to him, “Go thou home, I commend her to thy care.” Then said she, “O Shaykh Nasr, bid him render me my feather-suit.” So the Shaykh bade Janshah give it to her, and he went straightways into the pavilion and brought it out for her. Thereupon she donned it and said to him, “Mount my back and shut thine eyes and stop thine ears, so thou mayst not hear the roar of the revolving sphere; and keep fast hold of my feathers, lest thou fall off.” He did as she bade him and, as she stretched her wings to fly, Shaykh Nasr said, “Wait a while till I describe to thee the land Kabul, lest you twain miss your way.” So she delayed till he had said his say and had bidden them farewell, commending the Prince to her care. She took leave of her sisters and bade them return to her folk and tell them what had befallen her with Janshah; then, rising into the air without stay or delay she flew off, like the wafts of the wind or the lamping leven. Her sisters also took flight and returning home delivered her message to their people. And she stayed not her course from the forenoon till the hour of mid-afternoon prayer (Janshah being still on her back), when she espied afar off a Wady abounding in trees and streams and she said to Janshah, “I am thinking to alight in this valley, that we may solace ourselves amongst its trees and herbage and here rest for the night.” Quoth he, “Do what seemeth meet to thee!” So she swooped down from the lift and alighted in the Wady, when Janshah dismounted and kissing her between the eyes,[549] sat with her awhile on the bank of a river there; then they rose and wandered about the valley, taking their pleasure therein and eating of the fruits of the trees, until nightfall, when they lay down under a tree and slept till the morning dawned. As soon as it was day, the Princess arose and, bidding Janshah mount, flew on with him till noon, when she perceived by the appearance of the buildings which Shaykh Nasr had described to her, that they were nearing the city Kabul. So she swooped down from the welkin and alighted in a wide plain, a blooming champaign, wherein were gazelles straying and springs playing and rivers flowing and ripe fruits growing. So Janshah dismounted and kissed her between the eyes; and she asked him, “O my beloved and coolth of mine eyes, knowest thou how many days’ journey we have come since yesterday?”; and he answered, “No,” when she said, “We have come thirty months’ journey.” Quoth he, “Praised be Allah for safety!” Then they sat down side by side and ate and drank and toyed and laughed. And whilst they were thus pleasantly engaged, behold, there came up to them two of the King’s Mamelukes of those who had been of the Prince’s company; one of them was he whom he had left with the horses, when he embarked in the fishing-boat and the other had been of his escort in the chase. As soon as they saw Janshah, both knew him and saluted him; then said they, “With thy leave, we will go to thy sire and bear him the glad tidings of thy coming.” Replied the Prince, “Go ye to my father and acquaint him with my case, and fetch us tents, for we will tarry here seven days to rest ourselves till he make ready his retinue to meet us, that we may enter in stateliest state.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fourteenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Janshah said to the two Mamelukes, “Go ye to my sire and acquaint him with my case and fetch us tents, for we will abide here seven days to rest ourselves, till he make ready his retinue to meet us, that we may enter in the stateliest state.” So the officers hastened back to King Teghmus and said to him, “Good news, O King of the age!” Asked he, “What good tidings bring ye: is my son Janshah come back?”; and they answered, “Yes, thy son Janshah hath returned from his strangerhood and is now near at hand in the Kirání mead.” Now when the King heard this, he joyed with great joy and fell down in a swoon for excess of gladness; then, coming to himself, he bade his Wazir give each of the Mamelukes a splendid suit of honour and a sum of money. The minister replied, “I hear and obey,” and forthright did his bidding and said to them, “Take this in turn for the good tidings ye bring, whether ye lie or say sooth.” They replied, “Indeed we lie not, for but now we sat with him and saluted him and kissed his hands and he bade us fetch him tents, for that he would sojourn in the meadow seven days, till such time as the Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees should come out to meet him.” Quoth the King, “How is it with my son?” and quoth they, “He hath with him a Houri, as he had brought her out of Paradise.” At this, King Teghmus bade beat the kettledrums and sound the trumpets for gladness, and despatched messengers to announce the good news to Janshah’s mother and to the wives of the Emirs and Wazirs and Lords of the realm: so the criers spread themselves about the city and acquainted the people with the coming of Prince Janshah. Then the King made ready, and, setting out for the Kirani meadow with his horsemen and footmen, came upon Janshah who was sitting at rest with the lady Shamsah beside him and, behold, all suddenly drew in sight. The Prince rose to his feet and walked forward to meet them; and the troops knew him and dismounted, to salute him and kiss his hands: after which he set out preceded by the men in single file till he came to his sire, who, at sight of his son threw himself from his horse’s back and clasped him to his bosom and wept flooding tears of joy. Then they took horse again with the retinue riding to the right and left and fared forward till they came to the river-banks; when the troops alighted and pitched their tents and pavilions and standards to the blare of trump and the piping of fife and the dub-a-dub of drum and tom-tom. Moreover the King bade the tent-pitchers set up a pavilion of red silk for the Princess Shamsah, who put off her scanty raiment of feathers for fine robes and, entering the pavilion, there took seat. And as she sat in her beauty, behold, the King and his son Janshah came in to her, and when she saw Teghmus, she rose and kissed ground before him. The King sat down and seating Janshah on his right hand and Princess Shamsah on his left, bade her welcome and said to his son, “Tell me all that hath befallen thee in this thy long strangerhood.” So Janshah related to him the whole of his adventures from first to last, whereat he marvelled with exceeding marvel and turning to the Princess, said, “Laud to Allah for that He hath caused thee to reunite me with my son! ‘Verily this is of His exceeding bounty!’”[550]——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Fifteenth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Teghmus said to the lady Shamsah, “Laud to Allah for that He hath caused thee to reunite me with my son! ‘Verily this is of His exceeding bounty.’ And now I would have thee ask of me what thou wilt, that I may do it in thine honour.” Quoth she, “I ask of thee that thou build me a palace in the midst of a flower-garden, with water running under it.” And the King answered, “I hear and obey.” And behold, up came Janshah’s mother, attended by all the wives of the Wazirs and Emirs and nobles and city notables. When her son had sight of her, he rose and leaving the tent, went forth to meet her and they embraced a long while, whilst the Queen wept for excess of joy and with tears trickling from her eyes repeated the following verses:—

Joy so o’ercometh me, for stress of joy ✿ In that which gladdeneth me I fain shed tears:— Tears are become your nature, O my eyes, ✿ Who weep for joyance as for griefs and fears.

And they complained to each other of all their hearts had suffered from the long separation. Then the King departed to his pavilion and Janshah carried his mother to his own tent, where they sat talking till there came up some of the lady Shamsah’s attendants who said, “The Princess is now walking hither in order to salute thee.” When the Queen heard this, she rose and going to meet Shamsah, saluted her and seated her awhile by her side. Presently the Queen and her retinue of noble women, the spouses of the Emirs and Grandees, returned with Princess Shamsah to the tent occupied by her daughter-in-law and sat there. Meanwhile, King Teghmus gave great largesse to his levies and lieges and rejoiced in his son with exceeding joy, and they tarried there ten days, feasting and merry-making and living a most joyous life. At the end of this time, the King commanded a march and they all returned to the capital, so he took horse surrounded by all the troops with the Wazirs and Chamberlains to his right and left: nor ceased they faring till they entered the city, which was decorated after the goodliest fashion; for the folk had adorned the houses with precious stuffs and jewellery and spread costly brocades under the hoofs of the horses. The drums beat for glad tidings and the Grandees of the kingdom rejoiced and brought rich gifts and the lookers on were filled with amazement. Furthermore, they fed the mendicants and Fakirs and held high festival for the space of ten days, and the lady Shamsah joyed with exceeding joy whenas she saw this. Then King Teghmus summoned architects and builders and men of art and bade them build a palace in that garden. So they straightway proceeded to do his bidding; and, when Janshah knew of his sire’s command, he caused the artificers to fetch a block of white marble and carve it and hollow it in the semblance of a chest; which being done, he took the feather-vest of Princess Shamsah wherewith she had flown with him through the air: then, sealing the cover with melted lead, he ordered them to bury the box in the foundations and build over it the arches whereon the palace was to rest. They did as he bade them, nor was it long before the palace was finished: then they furnished it and it was a magnificent edifice, standing in the midst of the garden, with streams flowing under its walls.[551] Upon this the King caused Janshah’s wedding to be celebrated with the greatest splendour and they brought the bride to the castle in state procession and went their ways. When the lady Shamsah entered, she smelt the scent of her feather-gear——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Sixteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the lady Shamsah entered the new palace, she smelt the scent of her flying feather-gear and knew where it was and determined to take it. So she waited till midnight, when Janshah was drowned in sleep; then she rose and going straight to the place where the marble-coffer was buried under the arches she hollowed the ground alongside till she came upon it; when she removed the lead wherewith it was soldered and, taking out the feather-suit, put it on. Then she flew high in air and perching on the pinnacle of the palace, cried out to those who were therein, saying, “I pray you fetch me Janshah, that I may bid him farewell.” So they told him and he came out and, seeing her on the terrace-roof of the palace, clad in her feather-raiment, asked her, “Why hast thou done this deed?”; and she answered “O my beloved and coolth of mine eyes and fruit of my heart, by Allah, I love thee passing dear and I rejoice with exceeding joy in that I have restored thee to thy friends and country and thou hast seen thy mother and father. And now, if thou love me as I love thee, come to me at Takní, the Castle of Jewels.” So saying, she flew away forthright to find her family and friends, and Janshah fell down fainting, being well-nigh dead for despair. They carried the news to King Teghmus, who mounted at once and riding to the palace, found his son lying senseless on the ground; whereat he wept knowing that the swoon was caused by the loss of his love, and sprinkled rose-water on his face.[552] When the Prince came to himself and saw his sire sitting at his head, he wept at the thought of losing his wife and the King asked what had befallen him. So he replied, “Know, O my father, that the lady Shamsah is of the daughters of the Jann and she hath done such and such” (telling him all that had happened); and the King said, “O my son, be not troubled and thus concerned, for I will assemble all the merchants and wayfarers in the land and enquire of them anent that castle. If we can find out where it is, we will journey thither and demand the Princess Shamsah of her people; and we hope in Allah the Almighty that He will give her back to thee and thou shalt consummate thy marriage.” Then he went out and, calling his four Wazirs without stay or delay, bade them assemble all the merchants and voyagers in the city and question them of Takni, the Castle of Jewels, adding, “Whoso knoweth it and can guide us thither, I will surely give him fifty thousand gold pieces.” The Wazirs accordingly went forth at once and did as the King bade them, but neither trader nor traveller could give them news of Takni, the Castle of Jewels; so they returned and told the King. Thereupon he bade bring beautiful slave-girls and concubines and singers and players upon instruments of music, whose like are not found but with the Kings: and sent them to Janshah, so haply they might divert him from the love of the lady Shamsah. Moreover, he despatched couriers and spies to all the lands and islands and climes, to enquire for Takni, the Castle of Jewels, and they made quest for it two months long, but none could give them news thereof. So they returned and told the King, whereupon he wept bitter tears and going in to his son found Janshah sitting amidst the concubines and singers and players on harp and zither and so forth, not one of whom could console him for the lady Shamsah. Quoth Teghmus, “O my son, I can find none who knoweth this Castle of Jewels; but I will bring thee a fairer than she.” When Janshah heard this, his eyes ran over with tears and he recited these two couplets:—

Patience hath fled, but passion fareth not; ✿ And all my frame with pine is fever-hot: When will the days my lot with Shamsah join? ✿ Lo, all my bones with passion-lowe go rot!

Now there was a deadly feud between King Teghmus and a certain King of Hind, by name Kafíd, who had great plenty of troops and warriors and champions; and under his hand were a thousand puissant chieftains, each ruling over a thousand tribes whereof every one could muster four thousand cavaliers. He reigned over a thousand cities each guarded by a thousand forts and he had four Wazirs and under him ruled Emirs, Princes and Sovereigns; and indeed he was a King of great might and prowess whose armies filled the whole earth. Now King Teghmus had made war upon him and ravaged his reign and slain his men and of his treasures had made gain. But when it came to King Kafid’s knowledge that King Teghmus was occupied with the love of his son, so that he neglected the affairs of the state and his troops were grown few and weak by reason of his care and concern for his son’s state, he summoned his Wazirs and Emirs and said to them, “Ye all know that whilom King Teghmus invaded our dominions and plundered our possessions and slew my father and brethren, nor indeed is there one of you, but he hath harried his lands and carried off his goods and made prize of his wives and slain some kinsmen of his. Now I have heard this day that he is absorbed in the love of his son Janshah, and that his troops are grown few and weak; and this is the time to take our blood-revenge on him. So make ready for the march and don ye your harness of battle; and let nothing stay or delay you, and we will go to him and fall upon him and slay him and his son, and possess ourselves of his reign.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Seventeenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kafid, King of Hind, commanded his troops and armies to mount and make for the dominions of King Teghmus, saying, “Get ye ready for the march and don ye your harness of war; and let nothing stay or delay you; so we will go to him and fall upon him and slay him and his son and possess ourselves of his reign.” They all answered with one voice, saying, “We hear and obey,” and fell at once to equipping themselves and levying troops; and they ceased not their preparations for three months and, when all was in readiness, they beat the drums and sounded the trumps and flew the flags and banners: then King Kafid set out at the head of his host and they fared on till they reached the frontiers of the land of Kabul, the dominions of King Teghmus, where they began to harry the land and do havoc among the folk, slaughtering the old and taking the young prisoners. When the news reached King Teghmus, he was wroth with exceeding wrath and assembling his Grandees and officers of state, said to them, “Know that Kafid hath come to our land and hath entered the realm we command and is resolved to fight us hand to hand; and he leadeth troops and champions and warriors, whose number none knoweth save Allah Almighty; what deme deem ye?” Replied they, “O King of the age, let us go out to him and give him battle and drive him forth of our country; and thus deem we.” So he bade them prepare for battle and brought forth to them hauberks and cuirasses and helmets and swords and all manner of warlike gear, such as lay low warriors and do to death the champions of mankind. So the troops and braves and champions flocked together and they set up the standards and beat the drums and sounded the trumpets and clashed the cymbals and piped on the pipes; and King Teghmus marched out at the head of his army, to meet the hosts of Hind. And when he drew near the foe, he called a halt, and encamping with his host in the Zahrán Valley,[553] hard by the frontier of Kabul despatched to King Kafid by messenger the following letter:—“Know that what thou hast done is of the doings of the villain rabble and wert thou indeed a King, the son of a King, thou hadst not done thus, nor hadst thou invaded my kingdom and slain my subjects and plundered their property and wrought unright upon them. Knowest thou not that all this is the fashion of a tyrant? Verily, had I known that thou durst harry my dominions, I had come to thee before thy coming and had prevented thee this long while since. Yet, even now, if thou wilt retire and leave mischief between us and thee, well and good; but if thou return not, meet me in the listed field and measure thyself with me in cut and thrust.” Lastly he sealed his letter and committed to an officer of his army and sent with him spies to spy him out news. The messenger fared forth with the missive and, drawing near the enemy’s camp, he descried a multitude of tents of silk and satin, with pennons of blue sendal, and amongst them a great pavilion of red satin, surrounded by a host of guards. He ceased not to advance till he made this tent and found on asking that it was that of King Kafid whom he saw seated on a chair set with jewels, in the midst of his Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees. So he brought out the letter and straightway there came up to him a company of guards, who took it from him and carried it to the King; and Kafid read it and wrote a reply to this purport:—“After the usual invocations, We let King Teghmus know that we mean to take our blood-revenge on thee and wash out our stain and waste thy reign and rend the curtain in twain and slay the old men and enslave the young men. But to-morrow, come thou forth to combat in the open plain, and to show thee thrust and fight will I deign.” Then he sealed the letter and delivered it to the messenger, who carried it to King Teghmus——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Eighteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Kafid delivered the answering letter to the messenger who carried it to King Teghmus and delivered it, after kissing the ground between his hands. Then he reported all that he had seen, saying, “O King of the age, I espied warriors and horsemen and footmen beyond count nor can I assist thee to the amount.” When Teghmus read the reply and comprehended its contents, he was with furious rage enraged and bade his Wazir Ayn Zar take horse and fall upon the army of Kafid with a thousand cavaliers, in the middle watch of the night when they would easily ride home and slay all before them. Ayn Zar replied, “I hear and I obey,” and at once went forth to do his bidding. Now King Kafid had a Wazir, Ghatrafán[554] by name, whom he bade take five thousand horse and attack the host of King Teghmus in like manner. So Ghatrafan did his bidding and set out on his enterprise marching till midnight. Thus the two parties met halfway and the Wazir Ghatrafan fell upon the Wazir Ayn Zar. Then man cried out against man and there befel sore battle between them till break of day, when Kafid’s men were routed and fled back to their King in confusion. As Kafid saw this, he was wroth beyond measure and said to the fugitives, “Woe to you! What hath befallen you, that ye have lost your captains?” and they replied, “O King of the age, as the Wazir Ghatrafan rode forth to fall upon King Teghmus, there appeared to us halfway and when night was half over, the Wazir Ayn Zar, with cavaliers and champions, and we met on the slopes of Wady Zahran; but ere we were ware we found ourselves in the enemy’s midst, eye meeting eye; and we fought a fierce fight with them from midnight till morning, many on either side being slain. Then the Wazir and his men fell to shouting and smiting the elephants on the face till they took fright at their furious blows, and turning tail to flee, trampled down the horsemen, whilst none could see other for the clouds of dust. The blood ran like a rain-torrent and had we not fled, we had all been cut off to the last man.” When King Kafid heard this, he exclaimed, “May the sun not bless you and may he be wroth with you and sore be his wrath!” Meanwhile Ayn Zar, the Wazir, returned to King Teghmus and told him what had happened. The King gave him joy of his safety and rejoiced greatly and bade beat the drums and sound the trumpets, in honour of the victory; after which he called the roll of his troops and behold, two hundred of his stoutest champions had fallen. Then King Kafid marched his army into the field and drew them out ordered for battle in fifteen lines of ten thousand horse each, under the command of three hundred captains, mounted on elephants and chosen from amongst the doughtiest of his warriors and his champions. So he set up his standards and banners and beat the drums and blew the trumpets whilst the braves sallied forth, offering battle. As for King Teghmus, he drew out his troops line after line and lo! there were ten of ten thousand horse each, and with him were an hundred champions, riding on his right hand and on his left. Then fared forward to the fight each renowned knight, and the hosts clashed together in their might, whilst the earth for all its wideness was straitened because of the multitude of the cavaliers and ears were deafened by drums and cymbals beating and pipes and hautboys sounding and trumpets blaring and by the thunder of horse-tramp and the shouting of men. The dust arched in canopy over their heads and they fought a sore fight from the first of the day till the fall of darkness, when they separated and each army drew off to its own camp.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Nineteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that each army drew off to its own camp. Then King Kafid called the roll of his troops and, finding that he had lost five thousand men, raged with great rage; and King Teghmus mustered his men and seeing that of them were slain three thousand riders, the bravest of his braves, was wroth with exceeding wrath. On the morrow King Kafid again pushed into the plain and did duty as before, while each man strave his best to snatch victory for himself; and Kafid cried out to his men, saying, “Is there any of you will sally forth into the field and open us the chapter of fray and fight?” And behold came out from the ranks a warrior named Barkayk, a mighty man of war who, when he reached the King, alighted from his elephant and kissing the earth before him, sought of him leave to challenge the foe to combat singular. Then he mounted his elephant and driving into mid-field, cried out, “Who is for duello, who is for derring-do, who is for knightly devoir?” When King Teghmus heard this, he said to his troops, “Which of you will do single battle with this sworder?” And behold, a cavalier came out from the ranks, mounted on a charger, mighty of make, and driving up to the King kissed the earth before him and craved his permission to engage Barkayk. Then he mounted again and charged at Barkayk, who said to him, “Who art thou and what art thou called, that thou makest mock of me by coming out against me and challenging me, alone?” “My name is Ghazanfar[555] son of Kamkhíl,” replied the Kabul champion; and the other, “I have heard tell of thee in my own country; so up and do battle between the ranks of the braves!” Hearing these words Ghazanfar drew a mace of iron from under his thigh and Barkayk took his good sword in hand, and they laid on load till Barkayk smote Ghazanfar on the head with his blade, but the morion turned the blow and no hurt befel him therefrom; whereupon Ghazanfar, in his turn, dealt Barkayk so terrible a stroke on the head with his mace, that he levelled him down to his elephant’s back and slew him. With this out sallied another and crying to Ghazanfar, “Who be thou that thou shouldst slay my brother?”; hurled a javelin at him with such force that it pierced his thigh and nailed his coat of mail to his flesh. Then Ghazanfar, feeling his hurt, hent his sword in hand and smote at Barkayk’s brother and cut him in sunder, and he fell to the earth, wallowing in his life-blood; whilst the challenger of Kabul galloped back to King Teghmus. Now when Kafid saw the death of his champions, he cried out to his troops, saying, “Down with you to the plain and strike with might and main!” as also did King Teghmus, and the two armies fought the fiercest of fights. Horse neighed against horse and man cried out upon man and brands were bared, whilst the drums beat and the trumpets blared; and horseman charged upon horseman and every brave of renown pushed forward, whilst the faint-heart fled from the lunge of lance and men heard nought but slogan-cry and the clash and clang of armoury. Slain were the warriors that were slain[556] and they stayed not from the mellay till the decline of the sun in the heavenly dome, when the Kings drew off their armies and returned each to its own camp.[557] Then King Teghmus took tally of his men and found that he had lost five thousand, and four standards had been broken to bits, whereat he was sore an-angered; whilst King Kafid in like manner counted his troops and found that he had lost six hundred, the bravest of his braves, and nine standards were wanting to the full tale. The two armies ceased joining battle and rested on their arms three days’ space, after which Kafid wrote a letter and sent it by messenger to a King called Fákun al-Kalb (with whom he claimed kinship by the spindle side): and this kinsman forthwith mustered his men and marched to meet the King of Hind.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twentieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Fakun mustered his men and marched to meet the King of Hind: and whileas King Teghmus was sitting at his pleasance, there came one in to him and said, “I see from afar a cloud of dust spireing high in air and overspreading the lift.” So he commanded a company to fare forth and learn the meaning of this; and, crying, “To hear is to obey,” they sallied out and presently returned and said to him, “O King, when we drew near the cloud of dust, the wind rent it and it lifted and showed seven standards and under each standard three thousand horse, making for King Kafid’s camp.” Then King Fakun joined himself to the King of Hind and saluting him, asked, “How is it with thee, and what be this war in which thou warrest?”; and Kafid answered, “Knowest thou not that King Teghmus is my enemy and the murtherer of my father and brothers? Wherefore I am come forth to do battle with him and take my blood-wreak on him.” Quoth Fakun, “The blessing of the sun be upon thee!”; and the King of Hind carried King Fakun al-Kalb to his tent and rejoiced in him with exceeding joy. Such was the case of the two hostile Kings; but as regards King Janshah, he abode two months shut up in his palace, without seeing his father or allowing one of the damsels in his service to come in to him; at the end of which time he grew troubled and restless and said to his attendants, “What aileth my father that he cometh not to visit me?” They told him that he had gone forth to do battle with King Kafid, whereupon quoth Janshah, “Bring me my steed, that I may go to my sire.” They replied, “We hear and obey,” and brought his horse; but he said in himself, “I am taken up with the thought of myself and my love and I deem well to mount and ride for the city of the Jews, where haply Allah shall grant me the boon to meet the merchant who hired me for the ruby-business and may be he will deal with me as he dealt before, for none knoweth whence good cometh.” So he took with him a thousand horse and set out, the folk saying, “At last Janshah hath fared forth to join his father in the field, and to fight by his side;” and they stinted not pushing on till dusk, when they halted for the night in a vast meadow. As soon as he knew that all his men were asleep, the Prince rose privily and girding his waist, mounted his horse and rode away intending to make Baghdad, because he had heard from the Jews that a caravan came thence to their city once in every two years and he made up his mind to journey thither with the next Cafilah. When his men awoke and missed the Prince and his horse, they mounted and sought him right and left but, finding no trace of him, rejoined his father and told him what his son had done; whereat he was wroth beyond measure and cast the crown from his head, whilst the sparks were like to fly from his mouth, and he said “There is no Majesty and there is no Might but in Allah! Verily I have lost my son, and the enemy is still before me.” But his Wazirs and vassals said to him, “Patience, O King of the age! Patience bringeth weal in wake.” Meanwhile Janshah, parted from his lover and pained for his father, was in sore sorrow and dismay, with heart seared and eyes tear-bleared and unable to sleep night or day. But when his father heard the loss his host had endured, he declined battle, and fled before King Kafid; and, retiring to his city, closed the gates and strengthened the walls. Thereupon King Kafid followed him and sat down before the town, offering battle seven nights and eight days, after which he withdrew to his tents, to tend his wounded while the citizens defended themselves as they best could, fortifying the place and setting up mangonels and other engines on the walls. Such was the condition of the two Kings, and war raged between them for a space of seven years.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Kings Teghmus and Kafid continued in this condition for seven years; but, as regards Janshah, he rode through wild and wold and whenever he came to a town he asked anent Takni, the Castle of Jewels, but none knew of it and all answered, “Of a truth we never heard of such place, not even by name.” At last he happened to enquire concerning the city of the Jews from a merchant who told him that it was situate in the extreme Orient, adding, “A caravan will start this very month for the city of Mizrakán in Hind; whither do thou accompany us and we will fare on to Khorasan and thence to the city of Shima’ún and Khwárazm, from which latter place the City of the Jews is distant a year and three months’ journey.” So Janshah waited till the departure of the caravan, when he joined himself thereto and journeyed, till he reached the city of Mizrakan whence, after vainly asking for Takni, the Castle of Jewels, he set out and enduring on the way great hardships and perils galore and the extreme of hunger and thirst, he arrived at the town of Shima’un. Here he made enquiry for the City of the Jews, and they directed him to the road thither. So he fared forth and journeyed days and nights till he came to the place where he had given the apes the slip, and continued his journey thence to the river, on the opposite bank of which stood the City of the Jews. He sat down on the shore and waited till the Sabbath came round and the river dried up by decree of Allah Almighty, when he crossed over to the opposite bank and, entering the city, betook himself to the house wherein he had lodged on his former journey. The Jew and his family saluted him and rejoiced in his return and, setting meat and drink before him, asked, “Where hast thou been during thine absence?”; and he answered, “In the kingdom of Almighty Allah!”[558] He lay with them that night and on the morrow he went out to solace himself with a walk about the city and presently heard a crier crying aloud and saying, “O folk, who will earn a thousand gold pieces and a fair slave-girl and do half a day’s work for us?” So Janshah went up to him and said, “I will do this work.”[559] Quoth the crier, “Follow me,” and carrying him to the house of the Jew merchant, where he had been aforetime, said, “This young man will do thy need.” The merchant not recognising him gave him welcome and carried him into the Harim, where he set meat and drink before him, and he ate and drank. Then he brought him the money and formally made over to him the handsome slave-girl with whom he lay that night. As soon as morning dawned, he took the dinars and the damsel and, committing them to his Jew host with whom he had lodged aforetime, returned to the merchant, who mounted and rode out with him, till they came to the foot of the tall and towering mountain, where the merchant, bringing out a knife and cords, said to Janshah, “Throw the mare.” So he threw her and bound her four legs with the cords and slaughtered her and cut off her head and four limbs and slit her belly, as ordered by the Jew; whereupon quoth he, “Enter her belly, till I sew it up on thee; and whatsoever thou seest therein, tell me of it, for this is the work whose wage thou hast taken.” So Janshah entered the mare’s belly and the merchant sewed it up on him; then, withdrawing to a fair distance, hid himself. And after an hour a great bird swooped down from the lift and, snatching up the carcass in his pounces soared high toward the sky. Then he perched upon the mountain-peak and would have eaten the prey, but Janshah sensing his intent took out his knife and slit the mare’s belly and came forth. The bird was scared at his sight and flew away, and Janshah went up to a place whence he could see below, and looking down, espied the merchant standing at the foot of the mountain, as he were a sparrow. So he cried out to him, “What is thy will, O merchant?” Replied the Jew, “Throw me down of the stones that lie about thee, that I may direct thee in the way down.” Quoth Janshah, “Thou art he who didst with me thus and thus five years ago, and through thee I suffered hunger and thirst and sore toil and much trouble; and now thou hast brought me hither once more and thinkest to destroy me. By Allah, I will not throw thee aught!” So saying, he turned from him and set out for where lived Shaykh Nasr, the King of the Birds.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Janshah took the way for where lived Shaykh Nasr, the King of the Birds. And he ceased not faring on many days and nights, tearful-eyed and heavy-hearted; eating, when he was anhungered, of the growth of the ground and drinking, when he thirsted, of its streams, till he came in sight of the Castle of the lord Solomon and saw Shaykh Nasr sitting at the gate. So he hastened up to him and kissed his hands; and the Shaykh saluted him and bade him welcome and said to him, “O my son, what aileth thee that thou returnest to this place, after I sent thee home with the Princess Shamsah, cool of eyes and broad of breast?” Janshah wept and told him all that had befallen him and how she had flown away from him, saying, “An thou love me, come to me in Takni, the Castle of Jewels;” at which the old man marvelled and said, “By Allah, O my son, I know it not, nor, by the virtue of our lord Solomon, have I ever in my life heard its name!” Quoth Janshah, “What shall I do? I am dying of love and longing.” Quoth Shaykh Nasr, “Take patience until the coming of the birds, when we will enquire at them of Takni, the Castle of Jewels; haply one of them shall wot thereof.” So Janshah’s heart was comforted and, entering the Palace, he went straight to the chamber which gave upon the Lake in which he had seen the three maidens. After this he abode with Shaykh Nasr for a while and, one day as he was sitting with him, the Shaykh said, “O my son, rejoice for the time of the birds’ coming draweth nigh.” Janshah gladdened to hear the news; and after a few days the birds began to come and Shaykh Nasr said to him, “O my son, learn these names[560] and address thyself with me to meet the birds.” Presently, the fowls came flying up and saluted Shaykh Nasr, kind after kind, and he asked them of Takni, the Castle of Jewels, but they all made answer, “Never heard we of such a place.” At these words Janshah wept and lamented till he swooned away; whereupon Shaykh Nasr called a huge volatile and said to him, “Carry this youth to the land of Kabul,” and described to him the country and the way thither. Then he set Janshah on the bird’s back, saying, “Be careful to sit straight and beware of leaning to either side, else thou wilt be torn to pieces in the air; and stop thine ears from the wind, lest thou be dazed by the noise of the revolving sphere and the roaring of the seas.” Janshah resolved to do his bidding and the bird took flight high in sky and flew with him a day and a night, till he set him down by the King of the Beasts, whose name was Sháh Badrí, and said to his rider, “We have gone astray from the way directed by Shaykh Nasr.” And he would have taken him up again and flown on with him; but Janshah said, “Go thy ways and leave me here; till I die on this spot or I find Takni, the Castle of Jewels, I will not return to my country.” So the fowl left him with Shah Badri, King of the Beasts and flew away. The King thereupon said to him, “O my son, who art thou and whence comest thou with yonder great bird?” So Janshah told him his story from beginning to end, whereat Shah Badri marvelled and said, “By the virtue of the lord Solomon, I know not of this castle; but if any one of the beasts my subjects know it, we will reward him bountifully and send thee by him thither.” Hereat Janshah wept bitterly but presently he took patience and abode with Shah Badri, and after a short time the King of the Beasts said to him, “O my son, take these tablets and commit to memory that which is therein; and when the beasts come, we will question them of the Castle of Jewels.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-third Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King of the Beasts said to Janshah, “Commit to memory what is in these tablets; and whenas the beasts come, we will ask them anent that castle.” He did as the King bade him, and before long, up came the beasts, kind after kind, and saluted Shah Badri, who questioned them of Takni, the Castle of Jewels; but they all replied, “We know not this castle, nor ever heard we of it.” At this Janshah wept and lamented for that he had not gone with the bird that brought him from Shaykh Nasr’s castle; but Shah Badri said to him, “Grieve not, O my son, for I have a brother, King Shimákh hight, who is older than I; he was once a prisoner to King Solomon, for that he rebelled against him; nor is there among the Jinn one elder than he and Shaykh Nasr. Belike he knoweth of this castle; at any rate he ruleth over all the Jinn in this country side.” So saying he set Janshah on the back of a beast and gave him a letter to his brother, commending him to his care. The beast set off with the Prince forthwith and fared on days and nights, till it came to King Shimakh’s abiding place. And when it caught sight of the King it stood still afar off; whereupon Janshah alighted and walked on, till he found himself in the presence. Then he kissed hands and presented his brother’s letter. The King read the missive and, having mastered the meaning, welcomed the Prince, saying, “By Allah, O my son, in all my born days I never saw nor heard of this castle!” adding (as Janshah burst into tears), “but tell me thy story and who and whence thou art and whither thou art bound.” So Janshah related to him his history from beginning to end, at which Shimakh marvelled and said, “O my son, I do not believe that even the lord Solomon ever saw this castle or heard thereof; but O my son,[561] I know a monk in the mountains, who is exceeding old and whom all birds and beasts and Jann obey; for he ceased not his conjurations against the Kings of the Jann, till they submitted themselves to him in their own despite, by reason of the might of his oaths and his magic; and now all the birds and the beasts are his servants. I myself once rebelled against King Solomon and he sent against me this monk, the only being who could overcome me with his craft and his conjurations and his gramarye; then he imprisoned me, and since that time I have been his vassal. He hath travelled in all countries and quarters and knoweth all ways and regions and places and castles and cities; nor do I think there is any place hidden from his ken. So needs must I send thee to him, haply he may direct thee to the Castle of Jewels; and, if he cannot do this, none can; for all things obey him, birds and beasts and the very mountains and come at his beck and call, by reason of his skill in magic. Moreover, by the might of his egromancy he hath made a staff, in three pieces, and this he planteth in the earth and conjureth over it; whereupon flesh and blood issue from the first piece, sweet milk from the second and wheat and barley from the third; then he withdraweth the staff and returneth to his place which is hight the Hermitage of Diamonds. And this magical monk is a cunning inventor and artificer of all manner strange works; and he is a crafty warlock full of guiles and wiles, an arch-deceiver of wondrous wickedness, who hath mastered every kind of magic and witchcraft. His name is Yaghmús and to him I must needs send thee on the back of a big bird with four wings”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Shimakh said to Janshah, “I must needs send thee to the monk Yaghmus on the back of a big bird with four wings, each measuring thirty Háshimi[562] cubits in length; and it hath feet like those of an elephant, but it flieth only twice a year.” And there was with King Shimakh an officer, by name Timshún, who used every day to carry off two Bactrian[563] camels from the land of Irak and cut them up for the bird that it might eat them. So King Shimakh bade the fowl take up Janshah and bear him to the cell of the hermit Yaghmus; and it rose into the air and flew on days and nights, till it came to the Mountain of the Citadels and the Hermitage of Diamonds; where Janshah alighted and going up to the hermitage, found Yaghmus the Monk at his devotions. So he entered the chapel and, kissing the ground stood respectfully before the hermit. When Yaghmus saw him, he said, “Welcome, O my son, O parted from thy home and garred ferforth to roam! Tell me the cause of thy coming hither.” So Janshah wept and acquainted him with all that had befallen him from beginning to end and that he was in quest of the Castle of Jewels. The Monk marvelled greatly at his story and said, “By Allah, O my son, never in my life heard I of this castle, nor ever saw I one who had heard of it or had seen it, for all I was alive in the days of Noah, Allah’s Prophet (on whom be peace!),[564] and I have ruled the birds and beasts and Jinn ever since his time; nor do I believe that Solomon David-son himself knew of it. But wait till the birds and beasts and chiefs of the Jann come to do their homage to me and I will question them of it; peradventure, some one of them may be able to give us news of it and Allah Almighty shall make all things easy to thee.” So Janshah homed with the hermit, until the day of the assembly, when all the birds and beasts and Jann came to swear fealty; and Yaghmus and his guest questioned them anent Takni, the Castle of Jewels; but they all replied, “We never saw or heard of such a place.” At this, Janshah fell a-weeping and lamenting and humbled himself before the Most High; but, as he was thus engaged, behold, there flew down from the heights of air another bird, big of bulk and black of blee, which had tarried behind the rest, and kissed the hermit’s hands. Yaghmus asked it of Takni, the Castle of Jewels, and it answered, saying, “O Monk, when I and my brothers were small chicks we abode behind the Mountain Kaf on a hill of crystal, in the midst of a great desert; and our father and mother used to set out for it every morning and in the evening come back with our food. They went out early one day, and were absent from us a se’nnight and hunger was sore upon us; but on the eighth day they returned, both weeping, and we asked them the reason of their absence. Quoth they:—A Marid swooped down on us and carried us off in his claws to Takni, the Castle of Jewels, and brought us before King Shahlán, who would have slain us; but we told him that we had left behind us a brood of fledgelings; so he spared our lives and let us go. And were my parents yet in the bonds of life they would give thee news of the castle.” When Janshah heard this, he wept bitter tears and said to the hermit, “Prithee bid the bird carry me to his father and mother’s nest on the crystal hill, behind the Mountain Kaf.” So the hermit said, “O bird, I desire thee to obey this youth in whatsoever he may command thee.” “I hear and obey thy bidding,” replied the fowl; and, taking Janshah on its back, flew with him days and nights without ceasing till it set him down on the Hill of Crystal and there alighted. And having delayed there a resting while, it again set him on its back and flew off and ceased not flying for two whole days till it reached the spot where the nest was.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

[Illustration]

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the fowl ceased not flying with Janshah two full days; till it reached the spot where the nest was, and set him down there and said, “O Janshah, this is where our nest was.” He wept sore and replied, “I pray thee bear me farther on to where thy parents used to forage for food.” The bird consented; so it took him up again and flew on with him seven nights and eight days, till it set him down on the top of a high hill Karmús hight and left him there saying, “I know of no land behind this hill.” Then it flew away and Janshah sat down on the hill-top and fell asleep. When he awoke, he saw a something gleaming afar off as it were lightning and filling the firmament with its flashings; and he wondered what this sheen could be without wotting that it was the Castle he sought. So he descended the mountain and made towards the light, which came from Takni, the Castle of Jewels, distant two months’ journey from Karmús, the hill whereon he had alit and its foundations were fashioned of red rubies and its buildings of yellow gold. Moreover, it had a thousand turrets builded of precious metals, and stones of price studded and set in the minerals brought from the Main of Murks, and on this account it was named the Castle of Jewels, Takni. It was a vast great castle and the name of its king was King Shahlan, the father of the lady Shamsah and her sisters. Such was the case with Janshah; but as regards Princess Shamsah, when she fled from Janshah, she made straight for the Castle of Jewels and told her father and mother all that had passed between the Prince and herself; how he had wandered the world and seen its marvels and wonders and how fondly he loved her and how dearly she loved him. Quoth they, “Thou hast not dealt righteously with him, as Allah would have thee deal.” Moreover King Shahlan repeated the story to his guards and officers of the Marids of the Jinn and bade them bring him every mortal they should see. For the lady Shamsah had said to her parents, “Janshah loveth me with passionate love and forsure he will follow me; for when flying from his father’s roof I cried to him:—An thou love me, seek me at Takni, the Castle of Jewels!” Now when Janshah beheld that sheen and shine, he made straight for it wishing to find out what it might be. And as chance would have it, Shamsah had that very day despatched a Marid on an occasion in the direction of the hill Karmus, and on his way thither he caught sight of a man, a mortal; so he hastened up to him and saluted him. Janshah was terrified at his sight, but returned his salam, and the Marid asked, “What is thy name?” and he answered, “My name is Janshah, and I have fallen madly in love with a Jinniyah known as Princess Shamsah, who captivated me by her beauty and loveliness; but despite my dear love she fled from the palace wherein I placed her and behold, I am here in quest of her.” Herewith he wept with bitter weeping. The Marid looked at him and his heart burned with pity on hearing the sad tale, and he said, “Weep not, for surely thou art come to thy desire. Know that she loveth thee fondly and hath told her parents of thy love for her, and all in yonder castle love thee for her sake; so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool of tear.” Then he took him on his shoulders and made off with him to the Castle of Jewels, Takni. Thereupon the bearers of fair tidings hastened to report his coming and when the news reached Shamsah and her father and mother, they all rejoiced with exceeding joy, and King Shahlan took horse and rode out, commanding all his guards and Ifrits and Marids honourably to meet the Prince.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Shahlan commanded all his guards and Ifrits and Marids to meet the Prince; and, as soon as he came up with him, he dismounted and embraced him, and Janshah kissed his hand. Then Shahlan bade put on him a robe of honour of many-coloured silk, laced with gold and set with jewels, and a coronet such as man never saw, and, mounting him on a splendid mare of the steeds of the Kings of the Jinn, took horse himself and, with an immense retinue riding on the right hand and the left, brought him in great state to the Castle. Janshah marvelled at the splendour of this edifice, with its walls builded of rubies and other jewels and its pavement of crystal and jasper and emerald, and fell a-weeping at the memory of his past miseries; but the King and Queen, Shamsah’s mother, wiped away his tears and said, “Now no more weeping and be of good cheer, for thou hast won to thy will.” Then Shahlan carried him into the inner court of the Castle, where he was received by a multitude of beautiful damsels and pages and black Jinn-slaves, who seated him in the place of honour and stood to do him service, whilst he was lost in amazement at the goodliness of the place, and its walls all edified of precious metals and jewels of price. Presently King Shahlan repaired to his hall of audience, where he sat down on his throne and, bidding the slave-girls and the pages introduce the Prince, rose to receive him and seated him by his side on the throne. Then he ordered the tables to be spread and they ate and drank and washed their hands; after which in came the Queen Shamsah’s mother, and saluting Janshah, bade him welcome in these words, “Thou hast come to thy desire after weariness and thine eyes shall now sleep after watching; so praised be Allah for thy safety!” Thus saying, she went away and forthwith returned with the Princess Shamsah, who saluted Janshah and kissed his hands, hanging her head in shame and confusion before him and her parents; after which as many of her sisters as were in the palace came up to him and greeted him in like manner. Then quoth the Queen to him, “Welcome, O my son, our daughter Shamsah hath indeed sinned against thee, but do thou pardon her misdeed for our sakes.” When Janshah heard this, he cried out and fell down fainting, whereat the King marvelled and they sprinkled on his face rose-water mingled with musk and civet, till he came to himself and, looking at Princess Shamsah, said, “Praised be Allah who hath brought me to my desire and hath quenched the fire of my heart!” Replied she, “May He preserve thee from the Fire!; but now tell me, O Janshah, what hath befallen thee since our parting and how thou madest thy way to this place; seeing that few even of the Jann ever heard of Takni, the Castle of Jewels; and we are independent of all the Kings nor any wotteth the road hither.” Thereupon he related to her every adventure and peril and hardship he had suffered and how he had left his father at war with King Kafid, ending with these words, “And all for thy sake, my lady Shamsah!” Quoth the Queen, “Now hast thou thy heart’s desire, for the Princess is thy handmaid, and we give her in free gift to thee.” Janshah joyed exceedingly at these words and the Queen added, “Next month, if it be the will of Almighty Allah, we will have a brave wedding and celebrate the marriage festival and after the knot is tied we will send you both back to thy native land, with an escort of a thousand Marids of our body-guard, the least of whom, an thou bid him slay King Kafid and his folk, would surely destroy them to the last man in the twinkling of an eye. Furthermore if it please thee we will send thee, year after year, a company of which each and every can so do with all thy foes.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the lady Shamsah’s mother ended with saying, “And if it so please thee we will send thee, year after year, a company of which each and every can destroy thy foes to the last man.” Then King Shahlan sat down on his throne and, summoning his grandees and officers of state, bade them make ready for the marriage-festivities and decorate the city seven days and nights. “We hear and we obey,” answered they and busied themselves two months in the preparations, after which they celebrated the marriage of the Prince and Princess and held a mighty festival, never was there its like. Then they brought Janshah in to his bride and he abode with her in all solace of life and delight for two years, at the end of which time he said to her, “Thy father promised to send us to my native land, that we might pass one year there and the next here.” Answered she, “I hear and obey,” and going in to King Shahlan at nightfall told him what the Prince had said. Quoth he, “I consent; but have patience with me till the first of the month, that I may make ready for your departure.” She repeated these words to her husband and they waited till the appointed time, when the King bade his Marids bring out to them a great litter of red gold, set with pearls and jewels and covered with a canopy of green silk, purfled in a profusion of colours and embroidered with precious stones, dazzling with its goodliness the eyes of every beholder. He chose out four of his Marids to carry the litter in whichever of the four quarters the riders might choose. Moreover, he gave his daughter three hundred beautiful damsels to wait upon her and bestowed on Janshah the like number of white slaves of the sons of the Jinn. Then the lady Shamsah took formal leave of her mother and sisters and all her kith and kin; and her father fared forth with them. So the four Marids took up the litter, each by one corner, and rising under it like birds in air, flew onward with it between earth and heaven till midday, when the King bade them set it down and all alighted. Then they took leave of one another and King Shahlan commended Shamsah to the Prince’s care, and giving them in charge to the Marids, returned to the Castle of Jewels, whilst the Prince and Princess remounted the litter, and the Marids taking it up, flew on for ten whole days, in each of which they accomplished thirty months’ journey, till they sighted the capital of King Teghmus. Now one of them knew the land of Kabul; so when he saw the city, he bade the others let down the litter at that populous place which was the capital.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Marid-guards let down the litter at the capital of King Teghmus who had been routed and had fled from his foes into the city, where he was in sore straits, King Kafid having laid close siege to him. He sought to save himself by making peace with the King of Hind, but his enemy would give him no quarter; so seeing himself without resource or means of relief, he determined to strangle himself and to die and be at rest from this trouble and misery. Accordingly he bade his Wazirs and Emirs farewell and entered his house to take leave of his Harim; and the whole realm was full of weeping and wailing and lamentation and woe. And whilst this rout and hurly-burly was enacting, behold, the Marids descended with the litter upon the palace that was in the citadel, and Janshah bade them set it down in the midst of the Divan. They did his bidding and he alighted with his company of handmaids and Mamelukes; and, seeing all the folk of the city in straits and desolation and sore distress, said to the Princess, “O love of my heart and coolth of mine eyes, look in what a piteous plight is my sire!” Thereupon she bade the Marid-guard fall upon the beleaguering host and slay them, saying, “Kill ye all, even to the last man;” and Janshah commanded one of them, by name Karátash,[565] who was exceeding strong and valiant, to bring King Kafid to him in chains. So they set down the litter and covered it with the canopy; then, having waited till midnight, they attacked the enemy’s camp one of them being a match for ten; or at least for eight. And while these smote the foes with iron maces, those mounted their magical elephants and soared high in the lift, and then swooping down and snatching up their opponents, tare them to pieces in mid-air. But Karatash made straight for Kafid’s tent where he found him lying in a couch; so he took him up, shrieking for fear, and flew with him to Janshah, who bade the four Marids bind him on the litter and hang him high in the air over his camp, that he might witness the slaughter of his men. They did as the Prince commanded them and left Kafid, who had swooned for fear, hanging between earth and air and buffetting his face for grief. As for King Teghmus, when he saw his son, he well-nigh died for excess of joy and, crying with a loud cry, fell down in a swoon. They sprinkled rose-water on his face, till he came to himself, when he and his son embraced and wept with sore weeping; for he knew not that the Jinn-guard were battling with King Kafid’s men. Then Princess Shamsah accosted the King and kissing his hand, said to him, “Sire, be pleased to go up with me to the palace-roof and witness the slaughter of thy foes by my father’s Marids.” So he went up to the terrace-roof and sitting down there with his daughter-in-law, enjoyed watching the Marids do havoc among the besiegers and break a way through the length and breadth of them. For one of them smote with his iron mace upon the elephants and their riders and pounded them till man was not to be distinguished from beast; whilst another shouted in the faces of those who fled, so that they fell down dead; and the third caught up a score of horsemen, beasts and all; and, towering with them high in air, cast them down on earth, so that they were torn in pieces. And this was high enjoyment for Janshah and his father and the lady Shamsah.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

[Illustration]

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Teghmus and his son and daughter-in-law went up to the terrace-roof and enjoyed a prospect of the Jinn-guards battling with the beleaguering host. And King Kafid (still hanging between heaven and earth) also saw the slaughter of his troops and wept sore and buffetted his face; nor did the carnage cease among the army of Hind for two whole days, till they were cut off even to the last man. Then Janshah commanded a Marid, by name Shimwál, chain up King Kafid with manacles and fetters, and imprison him in a tower called the Black Bulwark. And when his bidding was done, King Teghmus bade beat the drums and despatched messengers to announce the glad news to Janshah’s mother, informing her of his approach; whereupon she mounted in great joy and she no sooner espied her son than she clasped him in her arms and swooned away for stress of gladness. They sprinkled rose-water on her face, till she came to herself, when she embraced him again and again wept for excess of joy. And when the lady Shamsah knew of her coming, she came to her and saluted her; and they embraced each other and after remaining embraced for an hour sat down to converse. Then King Teghmus threw open the city-gates and despatched couriers to all parts of the kingdom, to spread the tidings of his happy deliverance; whereupon all his princely Vassals and Emirs and the Grandees of the realm flocked to salute him and give him joy of his victory and of the safe return of his son; and they brought him great store of rich offerings and curious presents. The visits and oblations continued for some time, after which the King made a second and a more splendid bride-feast for the Princess Shamsah and bade decorate the city and held high festival. Lastly they unveiled and paraded the bride before Janshah, with apparel and ornaments of the utmost magnificence, and when her bridegroom went in to her he presented her with an hundred beautiful slave-girls to wait upon her. Some days after this, the Princess repaired to the King and interceded with him for Kafid, saying, “Suffer him return to his own land, and if henceforward he be minded to do thee a hurt, I will bid one of the Jinn-guard snatch him up and bring him to thee.” Replied Teghmus, “I hear and I obey,” and bade Shimwal bring him the prisoner, who came manacled and fettered and kissed earth between his hands. Then he commanded to strike off his chains and, mounting him on a lame mare, said to him, “Verily Princess Shamsah hath interceded for thee: so begone to thy kingdom, but if thou fall again to thine old tricks, she will send one of the Marids to seize thee and bring thee hither.” Thereupon King Kafid set off homewards, in the sorriest of plights,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirtieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Kafid set off homewards in the sorriest of plights, whilst Janshah and his wife abode in all solace and delight of life, making the most of its joyance and happiness. All this recounted the youth sitting between the tombs unto Bulukiya, ending with, “And behold, I am Janshah who witnessed all these things, O my brother, O Bulukiya!” Then Bulukiya who was wandering the world in his love for Mohammed (whom Allah bless and keep!) asked Janshah, “O my brother, what be these two sepulchres and why sittest thou between them and what causeth thy weeping?” He answered, “Know, O Bulukiya, that we abode in all solace and delight of life, passing one year at home and the next at Takni, the Castle of Jewels, whither we betook not ourselves but in the litter borne by the Marids and flying between heaven and earth.” Quoth Bulukiya, “O my brother, O Janshah, what was the distance between the Castle and thy home?” Quoth he, “Every day we accomplished a journey of thirty months and the time we took was ten days. We abode on this wise a many of years till, one year we set out for the Castle of Jewels, as was our wont, and on the way thither alighted from the litter in this island to rest and take our pleasure therein. We sat down on the river-bank and ate and drank; after which the Lady Shamsah, having a mind to bathe, put off her clothes and plunged into the water. Her women did likewise and they swam about awhile, whilst I walked on along the bank of the stream leaving them to swim about and play with one another. And behold, a huge shark of the monsters of the deep seized the Princess by the leg, without touching any of the girls; and she cried out and died forthright, whilst the damsels fled out of the river to the pavilion, to escape from the shark. But after awhile they returned and taking up her corpse carried her to the litter. Now when I saw her dead, I fell down fainting and they sprinkled water on my face, till I recovered and wept over her. Then I despatched the Jinn-guards to her parents and family, announcing what had befallen her; and in the shortest time they came to the spot and washed her and shrouded her; after which they buried her by the river-side and made mourning for her. They would have carried me with them to their own country; but I said to King Shahlan, “I beseech thee to dig me a grave beside her tomb, that, when I die, I may be buried by her side in that grave.” Accordingly, the King commanded one of his Marids to do as I wished, after which they departed and left me here to weep and mourn for her till I die. And this is my story and the cause of my sojourn between these two tombs.” And he repeated these two couplets:[566]—

“The house, sweet heart, is now no home to me ✿ Since thou art gone, nor neighbour neighbourly. The friend whilome I took to heart, no more ✿ Is friend, and brightest lights lose brilliancy.”

But when Bulukiya heard out Janshah’s tale he marvelled——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bulukiya heard out Janshah’s tale he wondered and exclaimed, “By Allah, methought I had indeed wandered over the world and compassed it about; but now I forget all I have seen after listening to these adventures of thine!” He was silent a while and then resumed, “I beg thee, of thy favour and courtesy, to direct me in the way of safety.” So Janshah directed him into the right road, and Bulukiya farewelled him and went his ways. All this the Serpent-queen related to Hasib Karim al-Din, and he asked her, “But how knowest thou of these things?”; and she answered, “O Hasib, thou must ken that I had occasion, some five-and-twenty years ago, to send one of my largest serpents to Egypt and gave her a letter for Bulukiya, saluting him.” So she went there willingly for she had a daughter in the land called Bint Shumukh[567]; and after asking anent Bulukiya she found him and gave him my missive. He read it and replied to the messenger snake, “Thou comest from the Queen of the Serpents whom I am minded to visit for I have an occasion to her.” She replied, “I hear and obey.” Then she bore him to her daughter of whom she took leave and said to her companion, “Close thine eyes.” So he closed them and opening them again, behold, he found himself on the mountain where I now am. Then his guide carried him to a great serpent, whom he saluted; whereupon quoth she, “Didst thou deliver the missive to Bulukiya?”; and she replied, “Even so; and he hath accompanied me and here he standeth.” Presently Bulukiya asked after me, the Serpent-queen, and the great serpent answered, “She hath gone to the mountain Kaf with all her host, as is her wont in winter; but next summer she will come hither again. As often as she goeth thither, she appointeth me to reign in her room, during her absence; and if thou have any occasion to her, I will accomplish it for thee.” Said he, “I beg thee to bring me the herb, which whoso crusheth and drinketh the juice thereof, sickeneth not neither groweth grey nor dieth.” “I will not bring it,” said the serpent, “till thou tell me what befel thee since thou leftest the Queen of the Serpents, to go with Affan in quest of King Solomon’s tomb.” So he related to her all his travels and adventures, together with the history of Janshah, and said at last, “Grant me my request, that I may return to mine own country.” Replied the serpent, “By the virtue of the lord Solomon, I know not where is to be found the herb whereof thou speakest.” Then she bade the serpent which had brought him thither, carry him back to Egypt: so the messenger obeyed her and said to him, “Shut thine eyes!” He did so and, opening them again, found himself on the mountain Mukattam.[568] “When I returned from the mountain Kaf” (added the Queen) “the serpent, my deputy, informed me of Bulukiya’s visit and gave me his salutations and repeated to me his story and his meeting with Janshah. And this, O Hasib, is how I came to know the adventures of Bulukiya and the history of Janshah.” Thereupon Hasib said to her, “O Queen, deign recount to me what befel Bulukiya as regards his return to Egypt.” She replied, “Know, O Hasib, that when he parted from Janshah he fared on nights and days till he came to a great sea; so he anointed his feet with the juice of the magical herb and, walking over the face of the waters, sped onwards till he came to an island abounding in trees and springs and fruits, as it were the Garden of Eden. He landed and walked about, till he saw an immense tree, with leaves as big as the sails of a ship. So he went up to the tree and found under it a table spread with all manner meats, whilst on a branch of the branches sat a great bird, whose body was of pearls and leek-green emeralds, its feet of silver, its beak of red carnelian and its plumery of precious metals; and it was engaged in singing the praises of Allah the Most High and blessing Mohammed (on whom be benediction and peace!)”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bulukiya landed and walked about the island he found therein many marvels, especially a bird whose body was of pearls and leek-green emeralds and its plumery of precious metals; and it was engaged in singing the praises of Allah the Most High and blessing Mohammed (upon whom be benediction and peace!). Seeing this he said, “Who and what art thou?” Quoth the bird, “I am one of the birds of Eden and followed Adam when Allah Almighty cast him out thence. And know, O my brother, that Allah also cast out with him four leaves of the trees of the garden, to cover his nakedness withal, and they fell to the ground after awhile. One of them was eaten by a worm, and of it came silk: the gazelles ate the second and thence proceeded musk; the third was eaten by bees and gave rise to honey, whilst the fourth fell in the land of Hind and from it sprang all manner of spices. As for me, I wandered over the face of earth till Allah deigned give me this island for a dwelling-place, and I took up my abode here. And every Friday from night till morning the Saints and Princes[569] of the Faith flock to this place and make pious visitation and eat from this table spread by Allah Almighty; and after they have eaten, the table is taken up again to Heaven: nor doth the food ever waste or corrupt.” So Bulukiya ate his fill of the meats and praised the Great Creator. And presently, behold, there came up Al-Khizr[570] (with whom be peace!), at sight of whom Bulukiya rose and saluting him, was about to withdraw, when the bird said to him, “Sit, O Bulukiya, in the presence of Al-Khizr, on whom be peace!” So he sat down again, and Al-Khizr said to him, “Let me know who thou art and tell me thy tale.” Thereupon Bulukiya related to him all his adventures from beginning to end and asked, “O my lord, how far is it hence to Cairo?” “Five-and-ninety years’ journey,” replied the Prophet; whereupon Bulukiya burst into tears; then, falling at Al-Khizr’s feet, kissed them and said to him, “I beseech thee deliver me from this strangerhood and thy reward be with Allah, for that I am nigh upon death and know not what to do.” Quoth Al-Khizr, “Pray to Allah Almighty that He permit me to carry thee to Cairo, ere thou perish.” So Bulukiya wept and humbled himself before Allah who granted his prayer, and by inspiration bade Al-Khizr bear him to his people. Then said the Prophet, “Lift thy head, for Allah hath heard thy prayer and hath inspired me to do what thou desirest; so take fast hold of me with both thy hands and shut thine eyes.” The Prince did as he was bidden and Al-Khizr stepped a single step forwards, then said to him, “Open thine eyes!” So Bulukiya opened his eyes and found himself at the door of his palace at Cairo. He turned, to take leave of Al-Khizr, but found no trace of him——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Bulukiya, standing at the gate of his palace, turned to take leave of Al-Khizr, he found no trace of him and entered the palace. When his mother saw him, she cried with a loud cry and swooned away for excess of joy, and they sprinkled water upon her face. After awhile she came to herself and embraced her son and wept with sore weeping, whilst Bulukiya wept and laughed by turns. Then all his friends and kindred came and gave him joy of his safe return, and the news was noised abroad in the land and there came to him presents from all parts. Moreover, they beat the drums and blew the flutes and rejoiced mightily. Then Bulukiya related to them his adventures ending with recounting how Al-Khizr had set him down at his palace-door, whereat they marvelled exceedingly and wept, till all were aweary of weeping. Hasib wondered at the Queen’s tale and shed many tears over it; then he again besought her to let him return to his family; but she said, “I fear me, O Hasib, that when thou gettest back to thy country thou wilt fail of thy promise and prove traitor to thine oath and enter the Hammam.” But he swore to her another solemn oath that he would never again enter the baths as long as he lived; whereupon she called a serpent and bade her carry him up to the surface of the earth. So the serpent took him and led him from place to place, till she brought him out on the platform-edge of an abandoned cistern and there left him. Upon this he walked to the city and, coming to his house by the last of the day, at the yellowing of the sun, knocked at the door. His mother opened it and seeing her son screamed out and threw herself upon him and wept for excess of joy. His wife heard her mother-in-law weeping; so she came out to her and seeing her husband, saluted him and kissed his hands; and each rejoiced in other with exceeding joy of all three. Then they entered the house and sat down to converse; and presently Hasib asked his mother of the woodcutters, who had left him to perish in the cistern. Quoth she, “They came and told me that a wolf had eaten thee in the Wady. As for them, they are become merchants and own houses and shops, and the world is grown wide for them. But every day they bring me meat and drink, and thus have they done until the present time.” Quoth Hasib, “To-morrow do thou go to them and say:—My son Hasib Karim al-Din hath returned from his travels; so come ye to meet him and salute him.” Accordingly, when morning dawned, she repaired to the woodcutters’ houses and delivered to them her son’s message, which when they heard, they changed colour, and saying, “We hear and obey,” gave her each a suit of silk, embroidered with gold, adding, “Present this to thy good son[571] and tell him that we will be with him to-morrow.” She assented and returning to Hasib gave him their presents and message. Meanwhile, the woodcutters called together a number of merchants and, acquainting them with all that had passed between themselves and Hasib, took counsel with them what they should do. Quoth the merchants, “It behoveth each one of you to give him half his monies and Mamelukes.” And they all agreed to do this; so on the next day, each of them took half his wealth and, going in to Hasib, saluted him and kissed his hands. Then they laid before him what they had brought, saying, “This is of thy bounties, and we are in thy hands.” He accepted their peace-offering and said, “What is past is past: that which befel us was decreed of Allah, and destiny doeth away with dexterity.” Quoth they, “Come, let us walk about and take our solace in the city and visit the Hammam.” Quoth he, “Not so: I have taken an oath never again to enter the baths, so long as I live.” Rejoined they, “At least come to our homes that we may entertain thee.” He agreed to this, and went to their houses and each of them entertained him for a night and a day; nor did they cease to do thus for a whole se’nnight, being seven in number. And now Hasib was master of monies and houses and shops, and the merchants of the city foregathered with him and he told them all that had befallen him. He became one of the chiefs of the guild and abode on this wise awhile, till it happened one day, as he was walking about the streets, that he passed the door of a Hammam, whose keeper was one of his companions. When the bathman, who was standing without, caught his eye he ran up to him and saluted him and embraced him, saying, “Favour me by entering the bath and there wash and be rubbed that I may show thee hospitality.” Hasib refused, alleging that he had taken a solemn oath never again to enter the Hammam; but the bathman was instant with him, saying, “Be my three wives triply divorced, an thou enter not and be washed!” When Hasib heard him thus conjure him, he was confounded and replied, “O my brother, hast thou a mind to ruin my house and make my children orphans and lay a load of sin upon my neck?” But his friend threw himself at his feet and kissed them, saying, “My happiness dependeth upon thy entering, and be the sin on the neck of me!” Then all the servants of the bath set upon Hasib and dragging him in pulled off his clothes. But hardly had he sat down against the wall and begun to pour water on his head when a score of men accosted him, saying, “Rise, O man, and come with us to the Sultan, for thou art his debtor.” Then they despatched one of them as messenger to the Sultan’s Minister, who straightway took horse and rode, attended by threescore Mamelukes, to the baths, where he alighted and going in to Hasib, saluted him and said, “Welcome to thee!” Then he gave the bathman an hundred dinars and, mounting Hasib on a horse he had brought with him, returned with him and all his men to the Sultan’s palace. Here he bade them aid Hasib to dismount and, after seating him comfortably, set food before him; and when they had eaten and drunken and washed their hands, the Wazir clad him in two dresses of honour each worth five thousand dinars and said to him, “Know that Allah hath been merciful to us in sending thee; for the Sultan is nigh upon death by leprosy, and the books tell us that his life is in thy hands.” Then, accompanied by a host of Grandees, he took him wondering withal and carried him through the seven doorways of the palace, till they came to the King’s chamber. Now the name of this King was Karazdán, King of Persia and of the Seven Countries, and under his sway were an hundred sovereign princes sitting on chairs of red gold, and ten thousand valiant captains, under each one’s hand an hundred deputies and as many headsmen armed with sword and axe. They found the King lying on his bed with his face swathed in a napkin, and groaning for excess of pain. When Hasib saw this ordinance, his wit was dazed for awe of the King; so he kissed the ground before him, and prayed a blessing on him. Then the Grand Wazir, whose name was Shamhúr, rose and welcoming Hasib, seated him on a high chair at the King’s right hand;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir Shamhur rose to Hasib and seated him on a chair at the right hand of King Karazdan; after which he called for food and the tables were laid. And when they had eaten and drunken and washed their hands, Shamhur stood up (while all present also stood to do him honour) and, approaching Hasib said to him, “We are all thy servants and will give thee whatsoever thou askest, even were it one half the kingdom, so thou wilt but cure the King.” Saying this, he led him by the hand to the royal couch, and Hasib, uncovering the King’s face, saw that he was at last fatal stage of the disease; so he wondered at their hoping for a cure. But the Wazir kissed his hand and repeated his offers and ended with saying, “All we want of thee is to heal our King:” so he said to the Wazir, “True that I am the son of Allah’s prophet, Daniel, but I know nothing of his art: for they put me thirty days in the school of medicine and I learnt nothing of the craft. I would well I knew somewhat thereof and might heal the King.” Hearing this, the Grand Wazir said, “Do not multiply words upon us; for though we should gather together to us physicians from the East and from the West, none could cure the King save thou.” Answered Hasib, “How can I make him whole, seeing I know neither his case nor its cure?” Quoth the Minister, “His healing is in thy hands,” and quoth Hasib, “If I knew the remedy of his sickness, I would heal him.” Thereupon the Wazir rejoined, “Thou kennest a cure right well; the remedy of his sickness is the Queen of the Serpents, and thou knowest her abiding-place and hast been with her.” When Hasib heard this, he knew that all this came of his entering the Baths, and repented whenas repentance availed him naught; then said he, “What is the Queen of the Serpents? I know her not nor ever in all my life heard I of this name.” Retorted the Wazir, “Deny not the knowledge of her, for I have proof that thou knowest her and hast passed two years with her.” Repeated Hasib, “Verily, I never saw her nor even heard of her till this moment;” upon which Shamhur opened a book and, after making sundry calculations, raised his head and spake as follows. “The Queen of the Serpents shall foregather with a man who shall abide with her two years; then shall he return from her and come forth to the surface of the earth, and when he entereth the Hammam-bath his belly will become black.” Then said he, “Look at thy belly.” So Hasib looked at his own belly and behold, it was black: but he persisted in his denial and said, “My belly was black from the day my mother bare me.” Said the Wazir, “I had stationed three Mamelukes at the door of every Hammam, bidding them note all who entered and let me know when they found one whose belly was black: so, when thou enteredst, they looked at thy belly and, finding it black, sent and told me, after we had well-nigh lost hope of coming upon thee. All we want of thee is to show us the place whence thou camest out and after go thy ways; for we have those with us who will take the Queen of the Serpents and fetch her to us.” Then all the other Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees flocked about Hasib who sorely repented of his misdeed; and they conjured him, till they were weary, to show them the abode of the Queen; but he ceased not saying, “I never saw nor heard of the matter.” Then the Grand Wazir called the hangman and bade him strip Hasib and beat him a sore beating; and so they did till he saw death face to face, for excess of pain, and the Wazir said, “We have proof that thou knowest the abiding-place of the Queen of the Serpents: why wilt thou persist in denial? Show us the place whence thou camest out and go from us; we have with us one who will take her, and no harm shall befal thee.” Then he raised him and bade give him a dress of honour of cloth of red gold, embroidered with jewels, and spoke him fair till Hasib yielded and said, “I will show you the place.” At this the Wazir rejoiced with great joy and took horse with all his many and rode, guided by Hasib, and never drew rein till they came to the mountain containing the cavern wherein he had found the cistern full of honey. There all dismounted and followed him as he entered, sighing and weeping, and showed them the well whence he had issued; whereupon the Wazir sat down thereby and, sprinkling perfumes upon a chafing-dish, began to mutter charms and conjurations; for he was a crafty magician and diviner and skilled in spiritual arts. He repeated three several formulas of conjuration and between each threw fresh incense upon the fire, crying out and saying, “Come forth, O Queen of the Serpents!;” when behold, the water of the well sank down and a great door opened in the side, from which came a mighty noise of crying like unto thunder, so terrible that they thought the well had caved in and all present fell down fainting; nay, some even died for fright. Presently, there issued from the well a serpent as big as an elephant, casting out sparks, like red hot coals, from its eyes and mouth and bearing on its back a charger of red gold, set with pearls and jewels, in the midst whereof lay a serpent from whose body issued such splendour that the place was illumined thereby; and her face was fair and young and she spoke with most eloquent tongue. The Serpent-queen turned right and left, till her eyes fell upon Hasib, to whom said she, “Where is the covenant thou madest with me, and the oath thou swarest to me, that thou wouldst never again enter the Hammam-bath? But there is no fighting against Fate nor hath any ever fled from that which is written on his forehead. Allah hath appointed the end of my life for thy hand to hend, and it is His will that slain I be and King Karazdan be healed of his malady.” So saying, she wept with sore weeping and Hasib wept to see her weep. As for the abominable Wazir Shamhur; he put out his hand to lay hold of her; but she said to him, “Hold thy hand, O accursed, or I will blow upon thee and reduce thee to a heap of black ashes.” Then she cried out to Hasib, saying, “Draw near me and take me in thine hand and lay me in the dish that is with you: then set it on thy head; for my death was fore-ordained, from Eternity without beginning,[572] to be at thy hand, and thou hast no power to avert it.” So he took her and laid her in the dish, and put it on his head, when the well returned to its former state. Then they set out on their return to the city, Hasib carrying the dish on his head, and when they were halfway behold, the Queen of the Serpents said to him privily, “Hearken, O Hasib, to my friendly counsel, for all thou hast broken faith with me and been false to thine oath, and hast done this misdeed, but it was fore-ordained from all eternity.” He replied “To hear is to obey,” and she continued, “It is this: when thou comest to the Wazir’s house, he will bid thee behead me and cut me in three; but do thou refuse, saying:—I know not how to slaughter[573] and leave him to do it with his own hand and to work his wicked will. When he hath cut my throat and divided my body into three pieces there will come a messenger, to bid him to the King, so he will lay my flesh in a cauldron of brass and set it upon a brasier before going to the presence and he will say to thee:—Keep up the fire under the cauldron till the scum rise; then skim it off and pour it into a phial to cool. Wait till it cool and then drink it, so shall naught of malady or pain be left in all thy body. When the second scum riseth, skim it off and pour it into a phial against my return from the King, that I may drink it for an ailment I have in my loins. Then will he give thee the phials and go to the King, and when he is gone, do thou light the fire and wait till the first scum rise and set it in a phial; keep it by thee but beware of drinking it, or no good will befal thee. When the second scum riseth, skim it off and put it in a second phial and drink it down as soon as it cools. When the Wazir returneth and asketh thee for the second phial, give him the first and note what shall befal him;”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Serpent-queen charged Hasib not to drink of the first scum and carefully to keep the second, saying, “When the Wazir returneth from the King and asketh for the second phial, give him the first and note what shall befal him; then drink the contents of the second phial and thy heart will become the home of wisdom. After this take up the flesh and, laying it in a brazen platter, carry it to the King and give him to eat thereof. When he hath eaten it and it hath settled in his stomach, veil his face with a kerchief and wait by him till noontide, when he will have digested the meat. Then give him somewhat of wine to drink and, by the decree of Allah Almighty, he will be healed of his unhealth and be made whole as he was. And give thou ear to the charge wherewith I charge thee; and keep it in thy memory with carefullest keeping.” They ceased not faring till they came to the Wazir’s house, and he said to Hasib, “Come in with me!” So he went in and the troops dispersed and fared each his own way; whereupon Hasib set down the platter and the Wazir bade him slay the Queen of the Serpents; but he said, “I know not how to slaughter and never in my born days killed I aught. An thou wilt have her throat cut, do it with thine own hand.” So the Minister Shamhur took the Queen from the platter and slew her, seeing which Hasib wept bitter tears and the Wazir[574] laughed at him, saying, “O weak of wits, how canst thou weep for the killing of a worm?” Then he cut her in three and, laying the pieces in a brass cauldron, set it on the fire and sat down to await the cooking of the flesh. And whilst he was sitting, lo! there came a slave from the King, who said to him, “The King calls for thee without stay or delay;” and he answered saying, “I hear and I obey.” So he gave Hasib two phials and bade him drink the first scum and keep the second against his return, even as the Queen of the Serpents had foretold; after which he went away with repeated charges and injunctions; and Hasib tended the fire under the cauldron till the first scum rose, when he skimmed it off and, setting it in one of the phials, kept it by him. He then fed the fire till the second scum rose; then he skimmed it off and, putting it in the other phial, kept it for himself. And when the meat was done, he took the cauldron off the fire and sat awaiting the Wazir who asked him on return, “What hast thou done?;” and answered Hasib, “I did thy bidding to the last word.” Quoth the Wazir, “What hast thou done with the first phial?” “I drank its contents but now,” replied Hasib, and Shamhur asked, “Thy body feeleth it no change?”; whereto Hasib answered, “Verily, I feel as I were on fire from front to foot.” The villain Wazir made no reply hiding the truth but said, “Hand me the second phial, that I may drink what is therein, so haply I may be made whole of this ailing in my loins.” So Hasib brought him the first phial and he drank it off, thinking it contained the second scum; but hardly had he done drinking when the phial fell from his hand and he swelled up and dropped down dead; and thus was exemplified in him the saying; “Whoso for his brother diggeth a pit, he shall be the first to fall into it.” Now when Hasib saw this, he wondered and feared to drink of the second phial; but he remembered the Serpent-queen’s injunction and bethought him that the Wazir would not have reserved the second scum for himself, had there been aught of hurt therein. So he said, “I put my trust in Allah,”[575] and drank off the contents of the phial. No sooner had he done so, than the Most Highest made the waters of wisdom to well up in his heart and opened to him the fountains of knowledge, and joy and gladness overcame him. Then he took the serpent’s flesh from the cauldron and, laying it on a platter of brass, went forth from the Wazir’s house. On his way to the palace he raised his eyes and saw the seven Heavens and all that therein is, even to the Lote-tree, beyond which there is no passing,[576] and the manner of the revolution of the spheres. Moreover, Allah discovered to him the ordinance of the planets and the scheme of their movements and the fixed stars; and he saw the contour of the land and sea, whereby he became informed with geometry, astrology and astronomy and mathematics and all that hangeth thereby; and he understood the causes and consequences of eclipses of the sun and moon. Then he looked at the earth and saw all minerals and vegetables that are therein and thereon; and he learned their properties, and their virtues, so that he became in an instant versed in medicine and chemistry and natural magic and the art of making gold and silver. And he ceased not carrying the flesh till he came to the palace, when he went in to King Karazdan, and kissing the ground before him, said, “May thy head survive thy Wazir Shamhur!” The King was mightily angered at the news of the Grand Wazir’s death and wept for him, whilst his Emirs and his Grandees and officers also wept. Then said Karazdan, “He was with me but now, in all health, and went away to fetch me the flesh of the Queen of the Serpents, if it should be cooked; what befel him that he is now dead, and what accident hath betided him?” So Hasib told him the whole truth how the Minister had drunk the contents of the phial and had forthwith swelled out and died. The King mourned for his loss with mourning sore and said to Hasib, “What shall I do without Shamhur?” and Hasib answered “Grieve not, O King of the age; for I will cure thee within three days and leave no whit of disease in thy body.” At this the King’s breast waxed broad and he said, “I wish to be made whole of this affliction, though after a long term of years.” So Hasib set the platter before the King and made him eat a slice of the flesh of the Serpent-queen. Then he covered him up and, spreading a kerchief over his face, bade him sleep and sat down by his side. He slept from noonday till sundown, while his stomach digested the piece of flesh, and presently he awoke. Hasib gave him somewhat of wine to drink and bade him sleep again; so he slept till the morning and when dawn appeared, Hasib repeated the treatment making him eat another piece of the flesh; and thus he did with him three days following, till he had eaten the whole, when his skin began to shrink and scale off and he perspired, so that the sweat ran down from his head to his heels. Therewith he became whole and there abode in him no trace of the disease, which when Hasib saw, he said, “There is no help for it but thou go to the Hammam.” So he carried him to the bath and washed his body; and when he came forth, it was like a wand of silver and he was restored to health, nay, sounder than he was before he fell ill. Thereupon he donned his richest robes and, seating himself on his throne, deigned make Hasib sit beside him. Then he bade the tables be spread and they ate and washed their hands; after which he called for the service of wine and both drank their fill. Upon this all his Wazirs and Emirs and Captains and the Grandees of his realm and the notables of the lieges came in to him and gave him joy of his recovery; and they beat the drums and adorned the city in token of rejoicing. Then said the King to the assembly, “O Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees, this is Hasib Karim al-Din, who hath healed me of my sickness, and know all here present that I make him my Chief Wazir in the stead of the Wazir Shamhur.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Five Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth King Karazdan to his Ministers and high lords, “He who healed me of my sickness is none other than Hasib Karim al-Din here present. Therefore I make him my Chief Wazir in the stead of the Wazir Shamhur; and whoso loveth him loveth me, and whoso honoureth him honoureth me, and he who obeyeth him obeyeth me.” “Hearkening and obedience,” answered they and all rising flocked to kiss Hasib’s hand and salute him and give him joy of the Wazirate. Then the King bestowed on him a splendid dress of gold brocade, set with pearls and gems, the least of which was worth five thousand gold pieces. Moreover, he presented to him three hundred male white slaves and the like number of concubines, in loveliness like moons, and three hundred Abyssinian[577] slave-girls, beside five hundred mules laden with treasure and sheep and oxen and buffaloes and bulls and other cattle beyond count; and he commanded all his Wazirs and Emirs and Grandees and Notables and Mamelukes and his subjects in general to bring him gifts. Presently Hasib took horse and rode, followed by the Wazirs and Emirs and lords and all the troops, to the house which the King had set apart for him, where he sat down on a chair; and the Wazirs and Emirs came up to him and kissed hands and gave him joy of his Ministership, vying with one another in suit and service. When his mother and his household knew what had happened, they rejoiced with exceeding joy and congratulated him on his good fortune; and his quondam comrades the woodcutters also came and gave him joy. Then he mounted again and, riding to the house of the late Wazir Shamhur, laid hands on all that was therein and transported it to his own abode. On this wise did Hasib, from a dunsical know-nothing, unskilled to read writing, become, by the decree of Allah Almighty, an adept in every science and versed in all manner of knowledge, so that the fame of his learning was blazed abroad over the land and he became renowned as an ocean of lore and skill in medicine and astronomy and geometry and astrology and alchemy and natural magic and the Cabbala and Spiritualism and all other arts and sciences. One day, he said to his mother, “My father Daniel was exceeding wise and learned; tell me what he left by way of books or what not!” So his mother brought him the chest and, taking out the five leaves which had been saved when the library was lost, gave them to him saying, “These five scrolls are all thy father left thee.” So he read them and said to her, “O my mother, these leaves are part of a book: where is the rest?” Quoth she, “Thy father made a voyage taking with him all his library and, when he was shipwrecked, every book was lost save only these five leaves. And when he was returned to me by Almighty Allah he found me with child and said to me:—Haply thou wilt bear a boy; so take these scrolls and keep them by thee and whenas thy son shall grow up and ask what his father left him, give these leaves to him and say, Thy father left these as thine only heritance. And lo! here they are.” And Hasib, now the most learned of his age, abode in all pleasure and solace and delight of life, till there came to him the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of societies.[578] And yet, O King, is not this tale of Bulukiya and Janshah more wondrous than the adventures of

-----

Footnote 507:

This long story, containing sundry episodes and occupying fifty-three Nights, is wholly omitted by Lane (ii. 643) because “it is a compound of the most extravagant absurdities.” He should have enabled his readers to form their own judgment.

Footnote 508:

Called Jamasp (brother and minister of the ancient Persian King Gushtasp) in the translations of Trebutien and others from Von Hammer.

Footnote 509:

The usual term of lactation in the East, prolonged to two years and a-half, which is considered the rule laid down by the Shara’ or precepts of the Prophet. But it is not unusual to see children of three and even four years hanging to their mothers’ breasts. During this period the mother does not cohabit with her husband; the separation beginning with her pregnancy. Such is the habit, not only of the “lower animals,” but of all ancient peoples, the Egyptians (from whom the Hebrews borrowed it), the Assyrians and the Chinese. I have discussed its bearing upon pregnancy in my “City of the Saints”: the Mormons insist upon this law of purity being observed; and the beauty, strength and good health of the younger generation are proofs of their wisdom.

Footnote 510:

Thus distinguishing it from “Asal-kasab,” cane honey or sugar. See vol. i., 271.

Footnote 511:

The student of Hinduism will remember the Nága-Kings and Queens (Melusines and Echidnæ) who guard the earth-treasures in Naga-land. The first appearance of the snake in literature is in Egyptian hieroglyphs, where he forms the letters f and t, and acts as a determinative in the shape of a Cobra di Capello (Coluber Naja) with expanded hood.

Footnote 512:

In token that he was safe.

Footnote 513:

“Akhir al-Zamán.” As old men praise past times, so prophets prefer to represent themselves as the last. The early Christians caused much scandal amongst the orderly law-loving Romans by their wild and mistaken predictions of the end of the world being at hand. The catastrophe is a fact for each man under the form of death; but the world has endured for untold ages and there is no apparent cause why it should not endure as many more. The “latter days,” as the religious dicta of most “revelations” assure us, will be richer in sinners than in sanctity: hence “End of Time” is a facetious Arab title for a villain of superior quality. My Somali escort applied it to one thus distinguished: in 1875, I heard at Aden that he ended life by the spear as we had all predicted.

Footnote 514:

Jahannam and the other six Hells are personified as feminine; and (woman-like) they are somewhat addicted to prolix speechification.

Footnote 515:

These puerile exaggerations are fondly intended to act as nurses frighten naughty children.

Footnote 516:

Alluding to an oft-quoted saying “Lau lá-ka, etc. Without thee (O Mohammed) We (Allah) had not created the spheres,” which may have been suggested by “Before Abraham was, I am” (John viii. 58); and by Gate xci. of Zoroastrianism “O Zardusht, for thy sake I have created the world” (Dabistan i. 344). The sentiment is by no means “Shi’ah,” as my learned friend Prof. Aloys Springer supposes. In his Mohammed (p. 220) we find an extract from a sectarian poet, “For thee we dispread the earth; for thee we caused the waters to flow; for thee we vaulted the heavens.” As Baron Alfred von Kremer, another learned and experienced Orientalist, reminds me the “Shi’ahs” have always shown a decided tendency to this kind of apotheosis and have deified or quasi-deified Ali and the Imams. But the formula is first found in the highly orthodox Burdah-poem of Al-Busiri:—

“But for him (Lau lá-hu) the world had never come out of nothingness.”

Hence it has been widely diffused. See Les Aventures de Kamrup (pp. 146–7) and Les Œuvres de Wali (pp. 51–52), by M. Garcin de Tassy and the Dabistan (vol. i. pp. 2–3).

Footnote 517:

Arab. “Símiyá” from the Pers., a word apparently built on the model of “Kímiyá” = alchemy, and applied, I have said, to fascination, minor miracles and white magic generally like the Hindu “Indrajal.” The common term for Alchemy is Ilm al-Káf (the K-science) because it is not safe to speak of it openly as alchemy.

Footnote 518:

Mare Tenebrarum = Sea of Darknesses; usually applied to the “mournful and misty Atlantic.”

Footnote 519:

Some Moslems hold that Solomon and David were buried in Jerusalem; others on the shore of Lake Tiberias. Mohammed, according to the history of Al-Tabari (p. 56, vol. i. Duleux’s “Chronique de Tabari”) declares that the Jinni bore Solomon’s corpse to a palace hewn in the rock upon an island surrounded by a branch of the “Great Sea” and set him on a throne, with his ring still on his finger, under a guard of twelve Jinns. “None hath looked upon the tomb save only two, Affan who took Bulukiya as his companion: with extreme pains they arrived at the spot, and Affan was about to carry off the ring when a thunderbolt consumed him. So Bulukiya returned.”

Footnote 520:

Koran xxxviii. 34; or, “art the liberal giver.”

Footnote 521:

_i.e._ of the last trumpet blown by the Archangel Israfil: an idea borrowed from the Christians. Hence the title of certain churches—_ad Tubam_.

Footnote 522:

This may mean that the fruits were fresh and dried like dates or tamarinds (a notable wonder), or soft and hard of skin like grapes and pomegranates.

Footnote 523:

Arab. “Al-Iksír” meaning lit. an essence; also the philosopher’s stone.

Footnote 524:

Name of the Jinni whom Solomon imprisoned in Lake Tiberias (See vol. i, 41).

Footnote 525:

Vulgarly pronounced “Jahannum.” The second hell is usually assigned to Christians. As there are seven Heavens (the planetary orbits) so, to satisfy Moslem love of symmetry, there must be as many earths and hells under the earth. The Egyptians invented these grim abodes, and the marvellous Persian fancy worked them into poem.

Footnote 526:

Arab. “Yájúj and Majuj,” first named in Gen. x. 2, which gives the ethnology of Asia Minor, circ. B.C. 800. “Gomer” is the Gimri or Cymmerians, “Magog” the original Magi, a division of the Medes; “Javan” the Ionian Greeks; “Meshesh” the Moschi; and “Tiras” the Turusha, or primitive Cymmerians. In subsequent times, “Magog” was applied to the Scythians, and modern Moslems determine from the Koran (chapt. xviii. and xxi.) that Yajuj and Majuj are the Russians, whom they call Moska or Moskoff from the Moskwa River.

Footnote 527:

I attempt to preserve the original pun; “Mukarrabin” (those near Allah) being the Cherubim, and the Creator causing Iblis to draw near Him (karraba).

Footnote 528:

A vulgar version of the Koran (chapt. vii.), which seems to have borrowed from the Gospel of Barnabas. Hence Adam becomes a manner of God-man.

Footnote 529:

These wild fables are caricatures of Rabbinical legends which began with “Lilith,” the Spirit-wife of Adam: Nature and her counterpart, Physis and Antiphysis, supply a solid basis for folk-lore. Amongst the Hindus we have Brahma (the Creator) and Viswakarmá, the anti-Creator: the former makes a horse and a bull and the latter caricatures them with an ass and a buffalo, and so forth.

Footnote 530:

This is the “Lauh al-Mahfúz,” the Preserved Tablet, upon which are written all Allah’s decrees and the actions of mankind good (white) and evil (black). This is the “perspicuous Book” of the _Koran_, chapt. vi. 59. The idea again is Guebre.

Footnote 531:

_i.e._ the night before Friday which in Moslem parlance would be Friday night.

Footnote 532:

Again Persian “Gáw-i-Zamín” = the Bull of the Earth. “The cosmogony of the world,” etc., as we read in the Vicar of Wakefield.

Footnote 533:

The Calc. Edit. ii. 614, here reads by a clerical error “bull.”

Footnote 534:

_i.e._ lakes and rivers.

Footnote 535:

Here some abridgement is necessary, for we have another recital of what has been told more than once.

Footnote 536:

This name, “King of Life” is Persian: “Tegh” or “Tigh” means a scymitar and “Bahrwán,” is, I conceive, a mistake for “Bihrún,” the Persian name of Alexander the Great.

Footnote 537:

Arab. “Mulákát” or meeting the guest which, I have said, is an essential part of Eastern ceremony; the distance from the divan, room, house or town being proportioned to his rank or consideration.

Footnote 538:

Arab. “Sifr”: whistling is held by the Badawi to be the speech of devils; and the excellent explorer Burckhardt got a bad name by the ugly habit.

Footnote 539:

The Arabs call “Shikk” (split man) and the Persians “Nímchahrah” (half-face) a kind of demon like a man divided longitudinally: this gruesome creature runs with amazing speed and is very cruel and dangerous. For the celebrated soothsayers Shikk and Sátih see Chenery’s Al-Hariri, p. 371.

Footnote 540:

Arab. “Takht” (Persian) = a throne or a capital.

Footnote 541:

Arab. Wady al Naml; a reminiscence of the Koranic Wady (chapt. xxvii.), which some place in Syria and others in Táif.

Footnote 542:

This is the old, old fable of the River Sabbation which Pliny (xxxi. 18) reports as “drying up every Sabbath-day” (Saturday): and which Josephus reports as breaking the Sabbath by flowing only on the Day of Rest.

Footnote 543:

They were keeping the Sabbath. When lodging with my Israelite friends Tiberias and Safet, I made a point of never speaking to them (after the morning salutation) till the Saturday was over.

Footnote 544:

Arab. “La’al” and “Yákút,” the latter also applied to the garnet and to a variety of inferior stones. The ruby is supposed by Moslems to be a common mineral thoroughly “cooked” by the sun, and produced only on the summits of mountains inaccessible even to Alpinists. The idea may have originated from exaggerated legends of the Badakhshán country (supposed to be the home of the ruby) and its terrors of break-neck foot-paths, jagged peaks and horrid ravines: hence our “_balass_-ruby” through the Spanish corruption “Balaxe.” Epiphanius, archbishop of Salamis in Cyprus, who died A.D. 403, gives, in a little treatise (De duodecim gemmis rationalis summi sacerdotis Hebræorum Liber, opera Fogginii, Romæ, 1743, p. 30), a precisely similar description of the mode of finding jacinths in Scythia. “In a wilderness in the interior of Great Scythia,” he writes, “there is a valley begirt with stony mountains as with walls. It is inaccessible to man, and so excessively deep that the bottom of the valley is invisible from the top of the surrounding mountains. So great is the darkness that it has the effect of a kind of chaos. To this place certain criminals are condemned, whose task it is to throw down into the valley slaughtered lambs, from which the skin has been first taken off. The little stones adhere to these pieces of flesh. Thereupon the eagles, which live on the summits of the mountains, fly down following the scent of the flesh, and carry away the lambs with the stones adhering to them. They, then, who are condemned to this place, watch until the eagles have finished their meal, and run and take away the stones.” Epiphanius, who wrote this, is spoken of in terms of great respect by many ecclesiastical writers, and St. Jerome styles the treatise here quoted, “Egregium volumen, quod si legere volueris, plenissimam scientiam consequeris;” and, indeed, it is by no means improbable that it was from the account of Epiphanius that this story was first translated into Arabic. A similar account is given by Marco Polo and by Nicolò de Conti, as of a usage which they had heard was practised in India, and the position ascribed to the mountain by Conti, namely, fifteen days’ journey north of Vijanagar, renders it highly probable that Golconda was alluded to. He calls the mountain Albenigaras, and says that it was infested with serpents. Marco Polo also speaks of these serpents, and while his account agrees with that of Sindbad, inasmuch as the serpents, which are the prey of Sindbad’s Rukh, are devoured by the Venetian’s eagles, that of Conti makes the vultures and eagles fly away with the meat to places where they may be safe from the serpents. (Introd. p. xlii., India in the Fifteenth Century, etc., R. H. Major, London, Hakluyt Soc. MDCCCLVII.)

Footnote 545:

Elder Victory: “Nasr” is a favourite name with Moslems.

Footnote 546:

These are the “Swan-maidens” of whom Europe in late years has heard more than enough. It appears to me that we go much too far for an explanation of the legend; a high-bred girl is so like a swan in many points that the idea readily suggests itself. And it is also aided by the old Egyptian (and Platonic) belief in pre-existence and by the Rabbinic and Buddhistic doctrine of ante-natal sin, to say nothing of metempsychosis (Joseph Ant. xvii. 153).

Footnote 547:

The lines have occurred before. I quote Mr. Payne for variety.

Footnote 548:

Arab. “Al-Khayál”: it is a synonym of “al-Tayf” and the nearest approach to our “ghost,” as has been explained. In poetry it is the figure of the beloved seen when dreaming.

Footnote 549:

He does not kiss her mouth because he intends to marry her.

Footnote 550:

It should be “manifest” excellence (Koran xxvii. 16).

Footnote 551:

The phrase is Koranic used to describe Paradise, and Damascus is a familiar specimen of a city under which a river, the Baradah, passes, distributed into a multitude of canals.

Footnote 552:

It maybe noted that rose-water is sprinkled on the faces of the “nobility and gentry,” common water being good enough for the commonalty. I have had to drink tea made in compliment with rose-water and did not enjoy it.

Footnote 553:

The Valley Flowery: Zahrán is the name of a place near Al-Medinah.

Footnote 554:

The Proud or Petulant.

Footnote 555:

_i.e._ Lion, Son of (?).

Footnote 556:

_i.e._ Many were slain.

Footnote 557:

I venture to draw attention to this battle-picture which is at once simple and highly effective.

Footnote 558:

Anglicè a quibble, evidently evasive.

Footnote 559:

In text “Aná A’amil,” etc., a true Egypto-Syrian vulgarism.

Footnote 560:

_i.e._ magical formulæ. The context is purposely left vague.

Footnote 561:

The repetition is a condescension, a token of kindness.

Footnote 562:

This is the common cubit of 18 inches: the modern vary from 22 to 26.

Footnote 563:

I have noticed the two-humped Bactrian camel which the Syrians and Egyptians compare with an elephant. See p. 221 (the neo-Syrian) Book of Kalilah and Dimnah.

Footnote 564:

The Noachian dispensation revived the Islam or true religion first revealed to Adam, and was itself revived and reformed by Moses.

Footnote 565:

Probably a corruption of the Turkish “Kara Tásh” = black stone, in Arab. “Hájar Jahannam” (hell-stone), lava, basalt.

Footnote 566:

A variant of lines in Night xx., vol. i., 211.

Footnote 567:

_i.e._ Daughter of Pride: the proud.

Footnote 568:

In the Calc. Edit. by misprint “Maktab.” Jabal Mukattam is the old sea-cliff where the Mediterranean once beat and upon whose North Western slopes Cairo is built.

Footnote 569:

Arab. “Kutb”; lit. an axle, a pole; next a prince; a high order or doyen in Sainthood; especially amongst the Sufi-gnostics.

Footnote 570:

Lit. “The Green” (Prophet), a mysterious personage confounded with Elijah, St. George and others. He was a Moslem, _i.e._ a true believer in the Islam of his day and Wazir to Kaykobad, founder of the Kayanian dynasty, sixth century B.C. We have before seen him as a contemporary of Moses. My learned friend Ch. Clermont-Ganneau traces him back, with a multitude of his similars (Proteus, Perseus, etc.), to the son of Osiris (p. 45, Horus et Saint Georges).

Footnote 571:

Arab. “Walad,” more ceremonious than “ibn.” It is, by the by, the origin of our “valet” in its sense of boy or servant who is popularly addressed Yá walad. Hence I have seen in a French book of travels “un petit lavelet.”

Footnote 572:

Arab. “Azal” = Eternity (without beginning); “Abad” = Infinity (eternity without end).

Footnote 573:

The Moslem ritual for slaughtering (by cutting the throat) is not so strict as that of the Jews; but it requires some practice; and any failure in the conditions renders the meat impure, mere carrion (fatís).

Footnote 574:

The Wazir repeats all the words spoken by the Queen—but “in iteration there is no recreation.”

Footnote 575:

A phrase always in the Moslem’s mouth: the slang meaning of “we put our trust in Allah” is “let’s cut our stick.”

Footnote 576:

Koran liii. 14. This “Sidrat al-Muntahá” (Zizyphus lotus) stands in the seventh heaven on the right hand of Allah’s throne: and even the angels may not pass beyond it.

Footnote 577:

Arab. “Habash”: the word means more than “Abyssinia” as it includes the Dankali Country and the sea-board, a fact unknown to the late Lord Stratford de Redcliffe when he disputed with the Porte. I ventured to set him right and suffered accordingly.

Footnote 578:

Here ends vol. ii. of the Mac. Edit.

END OF VOLUME V.

[Illustration: والسلام]

INDEX.

A’aráf (Al-) = partition-wall (chapter of the Koran), 217

Aaron’s Rod (becomes with Moslems Moses’ Staff), 238

A’amash (Al-), traditionist, 81

A’araj (Al-), traditionist, _ib._

Abdallah (a neutral name), 141

Abdallah bin Mas’úd (traditionist), 81

Abdallah bin Salim (traditionist), _ib._

Abjad (Hebrew-Arabic alphabet), 229

Ablution (difference of fashion in performing it), 112

Abraham (the friend of God), 205

Abrogating and abrogated (versets), 194

Abú al-Abbás al-Mubarrad (grammarian), 138

Abú al-Abbás al-Rakáshi (poet), 77

Abú al-Ayná, 164

Abu al-Husn = Father of Beauty (a fancy name), 189

Abú Ali, _see_ Di’ibil al-Khuzá’i.

Abu Bakr (Caliph), 235

Abu Bakr Mohammed al-Anbári (grammarian), 141

Abú Háris = Father of spoils (lion), 40

Abú Horayrah (uncle of Mohammed), 81

Abu Tammám (poet), 157

Abú Zanád (traditionist), 81

Abú Zarr (Companion of the Apostle), 102

Adi bin Zayd (poet), 124

Adil (Al-) = the Just (Caliph Omar), 103

Adnán (Arab genealogy begins with), 100

Adultery (etc. to be proved by four witnesses), 97

Adulteress (none without an adulterer), 90

Ahrám (Al-) = the Pyramids, 105

Akabah (mountain pass near Meccah), 295

Akásirah = sons of the royal Chosroës, 10

Akhír al-Zamán = the latter days, 304

Alam = way-mark, etc., 191

Alcove (corruption of al-Kubbah), 18

Aleppo (noted for debauchery), 64

Ali bin Mohammed bin Abdallah bin Táhir (Governor), 163

Ali ibn Abí Tálib, 213; 225

Alish takish (acting woman and man alternately), 65

Allah (desire unto), 164

—— (corporeality of?), _ib._

—— requite you abundantly =, 171

—— (seeking refuge with), 200

—— (names of), 214

Allaho Akbar of prohibition, 196

Alhamdolillah (pronounced to avert the evil eye), 7

Almá = brown- (not “damask-”) lipped, 66

Ambiguity, 44

Amín (Al-), Caliph, 93; 152

Amru bin Ma’di Karib (poet), 147

Amru bin Masa’dah (Pr. N.), 145

‘Amúriyah = the classical Amorium, 141

“Ana” (from Night ccclxxxi.-ccccxxiv.), 64

Aná a’amil = I will do it (Egypto-Syrian vulgarism), 367

Ant (