Chapter 16 of 25 · 3173 words · ~16 min read

Part 16

O thou of stature fair with waist full slight[FN#251] * Surpassing sandhill-branch and reedlet light; I deal in words and gems of speech that melt, * By none 'mid all of mortal kind indite; From my tribe's lord, a lion rending foes * Moon of Perfections and 'The Yusuf' hight: Homed in thy home I joyed my joys with maids * High-breasted,[FN#252] virgins weakening forceful sprite; Your songs and touch of lute 'mid trembling wine * Consoled all sorrows, made all hearts delight, Till you to other deign�d union grant * And I your nature learnt and learnt aright, Whereat my vitals failed, sore bane befel, * Pine, disappointment, and injurious blight. No virtue dwelleth in the fairest forms * But forms the fairest are by goodness dight. How many a maiden deckt with crescent brow * Hath nature dealing injury and despite? Man hath no merit save in kindly mind * And loquent tongue with light of wits unite."[FN#253]

And when Yusuf had ended his poetry he presented an hundred dinars to Ibn Ibrahim, who took the letter and fell to cutting through the wilds and the wolds, after which he went in to the presence of Al-Hayfa and gave her the missive. She wept and wailed and cried, "O Ibn Ibrahim, this letter is indeed softer than all forewent it; and as thou hast brought it to me, O Ibn Ibrahim, I will largesse thee with two honourable robes of golden brocade and a thousand dinars." So saying, she called for pen-case and paper whereupon she indited these couplets,

"O my lord, these words do my vitals destroy, * O thou gem of the earth and full moon a-sky! How long this recourse to denial and hate * With heart whose hardness no rocks outvie? Thou hast left my spirit in parting-pangs * And in fires of farness that flame on high: How long shall I 'plain of its inner pains? * Haps thy grace shall grant me reunion-joy: Then pity, my vitals and whatso homed * Thy form within me before I die."

She then handed the paper to Ibn Ibrahim who again set out and sought the Prince and kissed his hand and gave him the letter; whereupon said he, "O Ibn Ibrahim, come not thou again bringing me aught of missive--ever or any more after this one." Quoth Ibn Ibrahim, "Wherefore, O my lord, shall I not do on such wise?" and quoth Yusuf "Suffer her to learn the fates of men-kind." Said the other, "I conjure thee, by Allah Almighty, ho thou the King, inasmuch as thou art of the seed of mighty monarchs, disappoint her not of her question; and Allah upon thee, unless thou show pity to her heart it haply will melt away with melancholy and love and madness for thy sake; and all of this is for the truth of her affection." Hereupon Yusuf smiled and taking up his pen wrote these couplets,

"Stay thy tears; for hindrance and parting hie, * And the endless of Empire aye glorify: From my core of heart fly all cark and care * After parting that seemed all Time defy. A Lion am I for the love of him * Whom the slanderer's part ne'er can satisfy: My mind and soul be this day with you * But my heart and thought are at enmity: Thought and mind delight in Love's cruelty * While heart and soul for re-union cry: And if mind and thought e'er can overcome * Soul and heart, Re-union thou ne'er shalt 'spy."

And when Yusuf had finished his writing, he gifted Ibrahim with an hundred dinars and sent him again to Al-Hayfa with the letter, and she on receiving it shed tears and said, "O Ibn Ibrahim, seeing that his soul and heart be with us, Allah Almighty availeth to turn his thoughts and his fancy and the mind of him." Hereupon she took writing materials and wrote,

"Calm, O my lord, thy vitals' painful plight, * O thou whose semblance lighteth sooty night: O gladding heart, O sweet of union, Oh * Whose charms the tribe in festal hours delight: O high in honour passing height of Kings, * O thou with purest blood 'mid Kings bedight, Fear'st not the Throne[FN#254] of God (O hope of me!) * When harming heart whereon all pains alight? Then deign thou grant me union, for such wise * Shall rest my heartstrings and dark care wax bright: From none, except that Lion O' men Ali[FN#255] * Comes pardon proving to man- kind his might."

Then she passed her missive to Ibn Ibrahim giving him an hundred gold pieces and he pushed his pace till he reached the city of Sind, where he went in to Yusuf and kissed his hands and feet. The Prince taking the letter smiled and laughed and said, "O Ibn Ibrahim, when Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) shall decree my faring I will fare to them[FN#256] within a short while; but do thou return and let know that I intend forgathering with them." Quoth the other, "Ah! O my lord, do thou indite her a reply, otherwise she will have no trust in me; so the Prince fell to penning these lines,

"My vitals restless bide for very jealousy * The while my heart must ever show unfriendly gree: Yet I obeyed my heart and tore it out for him * Albe man ever holds his heart in amity; And I have heard my lover drives me forth from him * But Allah grant my prayer of benedicite. In anxious care I came and sought your side this day * Naught shall the youth exalt save generosity."

Then Prince Yusuf passed the letter to Ibn Ibrahim who, after receiving his hundred dinars, repaired to Al-Hayfa and greeted her[FN#257] informing her the while that her lover was about to make act of presence.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-third Night,

"O thou world-seducer and full moon bright, * Stay thy speech and with boon of good news requite. Love pledged me his word he would see thee and said, * Hie thee home and order the house aright. I awoke this morning in cark and care, * In tears distraught and in dire despite; For the wrongs and farness thou doom'st me dree * Have forced my forces to fright-full flight."

And when Ibn Ibrahim had ended his verse, Al-Hayfa joyed with increased and exceeding joy, and in her delight she answered him according to the rhyme and rhythm of his verse,

"O who spreadest clouds,[FN#258] Son of Ibrahim hight; * By the Lord who ruleth in 'Arsh his height, By Mohammed the bestest of men and by * Th' adorers of yore and the T�-H�'s[FN#259] might, By Zemzem, Saf� and wall Hat�m[FN#260] * And Ka'abah and glories of Ka'abah's site, An this speech be sooth and my dearling come * One thousand, two thou- sand dinars are thy right; And I'll give thee a courser, O Ibrahim's son, * Selle, stirrups and bridle with gold bedight; Six turbands and robes that shall honour show * With that courser the colour of blackest night. So hold me not like the most of mankind, * Who joy the fair ones to twit and flyte."

And when Al-Hayfa had finished her verses, Ibn Ibrahim brought out to her the letter of the Prince, and as soon as she read it her heart was comforted and she waxed glad with exceeding gladness and she bade them present him with largesse of value great and a thousand dinars upon a china plate. After this she took him by the hand and led him into a closet and said, "O Ibn Ibrahim, all that be in this cabinet is a free gift to thee when thou shalt have brought to me that lover of mine." Such was the case with them; but as regards Prince Yusuf, when Ibn Ibrahim left him, he felt love-lowe aflaming in his heart, and he summoned his Mameluke Hilal and said to him, "Go saddle for us the steed known by the name of The Bull-aye-ready-and-for-Battle-day-steady." Hereupon the slave arose and enselled the courser and Yusuf mounted; and, taking his Mameluke on the crupper, pushed his pace (and he madly in love with Al-Hayfa), and he ceased not faring till he reached her Palace. He then swam the stream with his Mameluke hanging on, as before, to the tail, and knocked at the door which was opened by a damsel hight Nuzhat al-Zaman[FN#261] and she on recognising him kissed his hands and hurrying to her lady informed her of his coming. Al-Hayfa hearing of the arrival fell fainting to the ground and when she recovered she found Yusuf standing beside her head; so she arose and embraced him for a long while, after which she improvised and said,

"O thou Pilgrim of Love, after parting far * From us driven by malice of jealous foe! My life for the friend in affection comes; * Naught dearer to me than such boon can show; Full many a writ have I written thee * Nor union nor grace of return I know. In this world I see him with single heart * O my wish! and Allah ne'er part us two."

And when she had ended her verses she bade the slave-girls convey Ibn Ibrahim and Hilal to the gardens, after which she led Yusuf to the saloon of session and the twain passed the night together he and she, in joyance and enjoyment, for that night was indeed a night of delight. But when Allah bade the morn to morrow, Al-Hayfa arose and cried, "How short it is for a night: Ah that it had been longer for us! but 'tis for me to say even as said Imr al-Kays[FN#262] in sundry of his verses upon a similar theme,

"On me Night waxeth long nor would I shorten Night; * Yet hasteth Morn when I for longer Nights would sue: It brings me union till 'My lover's mine' I cry * Yet when with him unite disunion comes to view.

Now when it was the second day, Al-Hayfa took seat in the assembly of converse.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night." She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Al-Hayfa repaired to the saloon of s�ance, she and Yusuf, and summoned Ibn Ibrahim and bade the handmaids bring everything that was in the closet. They obeyed her bidding and fetched her all the contents, amongst which were ten robes of honour and three coffers of silk and fine linen and a packet of musk and a parcel of rubies and pearls and jacinths and corals and similar objects of high price. And she conferred the whole of this upon Mohammed ibn Ibrahim, the while improvising these verses,

"We are noblest of lords amongst men of might; * What we give and largesse bring the most delight: And when we strive with our hearts and souls * We strive in public nor rue our plight. With me the pact no regret shall breed * Save in head of suspecting envying wight. I am none who riseth sans bounteous deed; * I am none who giveth with felon sprite."

And when Al-Hayfa had ended her poetry, Prince Yusuf largessed[FN#263] Ibn Ibrahim and said to him, "Thou shalt have on my part one thousand dinars and twenty robes of brocade and an hundred she-camels and eighty horses (whereof the meanest is worth five hundred gold pieces and each is saddled with a golden selle), and lastly forty handmaids." After which he began to improvise these couplets,

"Good signeth man to sight and all men see * Sahl's son is lord of liberality: Time and the world and mortals one and all * Witness my goodness and for aye agree: Who comes for purpose him I gratify * With boons, though 'twere with eyen-light of me: I back my neighbour whenas harm�d by * Dolour of debt and foeman's tyranny: Whoso hath moneys lacking liberal mind * Though he snatch Fortune 'mid the vile is he."

And when Yusuf had finished his verse, Ibn Ibrahim arose and bussed his hands and feet and cried, "Allah dole to thee all thou desirest." The other replied, "When thou shalt return to our city, do thou go to my quarters and therefrom take thee whatso I have promised." Then the Prince and Princess waxed assiduous in the eating of meat and the drinking of wine; and this continued for many successive months[FN#264] until Ibn Ibrahim craved leave to visit his folk; and, when he received permission, he took with him that was light in weight and weighty of worth. And as he set forth, Al-Hayfa said to him, "When thou shalt return to thy people in safety, do thou salute for me my sire and name to him a certain stallion which same he shall largesse to thee and likewise its saddle and bridle." Hereupon he farewelled them and went forth and stemmed the stream and withdrawing his she-dromedary from the cave harnessed her and mounted her and set forth upon his desert way, and as soon as he reached the capital of Sind he went to his folk who greeted him kindly. Now when King Al-Mihrjan heard of Mohammed ibn Ibrahim's coming he sent to summon him and as soon as he appeared between his hands he asked concerning his absence. "O King of the Time and the Tide," quoth he, "I have been in Yathrib[FN#265] city;" and indeed he was one of the cup-companions of Al-Hayfa's father and by the decree of Destiny he had been ever in high favour with the King. So the twain sat down to drink wine and as Fortune willed it Ibn Ibrahim bore about him a letter containing poetry, part of the correspondence between the Prince and Princess, wherein were written the names of all three. Now when he was at the height of his joy he wagged his head and shook off his turband and the paper fell therefrom into Al-Mihrjan's lap.[FN#266] The King took it and read it and understood its contents but he kept the case secret for a while; presently, however, he dismissed his Courtiers and Equerries who were around him and forthright bade smite Mohammed ibn Ibrahim with stripes until his sides were torn. Then quoth he, "Acquaint me concerning this youth who correspondeth with my daughter, making thee the goer between them twain, otherwise I will cut off thy head." Quoth Ibn Ibrahim, "Ho thou the King; verily this be only poetry which I found in one of the histories of old."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Six Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Ibn Ibrahim said to Al-Mihrjan, "Verily I found this poetry in a tale of the olden time." So the King issued orders to smite his neck, when intercession was made for him by a Courtier hight T�'il al-Wasf,[FN#267] whereupon the King commanded him to jail, whither he was taken forthright. But as Ibn Ibrahim was being locked up, he said to the gaoler, "Say me, canst thou bring for me a pen-case and paper and pen?" and the other assented, fetching for him whatso he wanted. So he wrote to Prince Yusuf the following couplets,

"O Y�suf, master mine, for safety fly; * In sorest danger Ibrahim's son doth lie: When from thy side for house and home he sped * Forthright bade Al-Mihrjan to bring him nigh, And 'mid th' Assembly highest stead assigned * A seat in public with a sleight full sly. A writ thou wrotest bore he on his head * Which fell and picked it up the King to 'spy: 'Tis thus discovered he thy state and raged * With wrath and fain all guidance would defy. Then bade he Ibrahim's son on face be thrown * And painful beating to the bare apply; With stripes he welted and he tare his sides * Till force waxed feeble, strength debility. So rise and haste thee to thine own and fetch * Thy power, and instant for the tribe-lands hie; Meanwhile I'll busy to seduce his men * Who hear me, O thou princely born and high; For of the painful stress he made me bear * The fire of bane I've sworn him even I."