One thousand and one nig.., p.1149
One Thousand and One Nights, page 1149
The Three Hundred and Seventy-third Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the citizens in early morning held a meeting whereat were present the Lords of the land and the high Officials, and they went in to the usurping Sultan determined to remove and depose him. But he refused and forswore consent, saying, “By Allah, such thing may not be except after battle and slaughter.” Accordingly they fared forth and acquainted the young King who held the matter grievous and was overridden by cark and care: however he said to them, “If there must perforce be fighting and killing, I have treasures sufficient to levy a host.” So saying he went away and disappeared; but presently he brought them the moneys which they distributed to the troops. Then they repaired to the Maydán, the field of fight outside the city, and on like guise the usurping Sultan rode out with all his power. And when the two opposing hosts were ranged in their forces, each right ready for the fray, the usurper and his men charged home upon the young King and either side engaged in fierce combat and sore slaughter befel. But the usurper had the better of the battle and purposed to seize the young King amidst his many when, lo and behold! appeared a Knight backing a coal-black mare; and he was armed cap-ŕ-pie in a coat of mail, and he carried a spear and a mace. With these he bore down upon the usurper and shore off his right forearm so that he fell from his destrier, and the Knight seeing this struck him a second stroke with the sword and parted head from body. When his army saw the usurper fall, all sought safety in flight and sauve qui peut; but the army of the young King came up with them and caused the scymitar to fall upon them so that were saved of them only those to whom length of life was foreordained. Hereupon the victors lost no time in gathering the spoils and the horses together; but the young King stood gazing at the Knight and considering his prowess; yet he failed to recognise him and after an hour or so the stranger disappeared leaving the conqueror sorely chafed and vexed for that he knew him not and had failed to forgather with him. After this the young King returned from the battle-field with his band playing behind him and he entered the seat of his power, and was raised by the lieges to the station of his sire. Those who had escaped the slaughter dispersed in all directions and sought safety in flight and the partizans who had enthroned the young King thronged around him and gave him joy as also did the general of the city, whose rejoicings were increased thereby. Now the coming of the aforesaid Knight was a wondrous matter. When the rightful King made ready for battle the Princess feared for his life and, being skilled in the practice of every weapon, she escaped the notice of the Queen-dowager and after donning her war-garb and battle-gear she went forth to the stable and saddled her a mare and mounted her and pushed in between the two armies. And as soon as she saw the usurper charge down upon the young King as one determined to shed his life’s blood, she forestalled him and attacked him and tore out the life from between his ribs. Then she returned to her apartment nor did any know of the deed she had done. Presently, when it was eventide the young King entered the Palace after securing his succession to royalty; but he was still chafed and vexed for that he knew not the Knight. His mother met him and gave him joy of his safety and his accession to the Sultanate, whereto he made reply, “Ah! O my mother, my length of days was from the hand of a horseman who suddenly appearing joined us in our hardest stress and aided me in my straitest need and saved me from Death.” Quoth she, “O my son, hast thou recognised him?” and quoth he, “’Twas my best desire to discover him and to stablish him as my Wazir, but this I failed to do.” Now when the Princess heard these words she laughed and rejoiced and still laughing said, “To whoso will make thee acquainted with him what wilt thou give?” and said he, “Dost thou know him?” So she replied, “I wot him not” and he rejoined, “Then what is the meaning of these thy words?” when she answered him in these prosaic rhymes:175 ?
“O my lord, may I prove thy sacrifice * Nor exult at thy sorrows
thine enemies!
Could unease and disease by others be borne * The slave should
bear load on his lord that lies:
I’ll carry whatever makes thee complain * And be my body the
first that dies.”
When he heard these words he again asked, “Dost thou know him?” and she answered, “He? Verily we wot him not;”176 and repeated the saying to him a second time: withal he by no means understood her. So quoth she, “How canst thou administer the Sultanate and yet fail to comprehend my simple words? For indeed I have made the case clear to thee.” Hereupon he fathomed the secret of the saying and flew to her in his joy and clasped her to his bosom and kissed her upon the cheeks. But his mother turned to him and said, “O my son, do not on this wise, for everything hath its time and season;”?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-fourth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan’s mother said, “O my son, everything hath its time and season; and whoso hurrieth a matter before opportunity befit shall be punished with the loss of it.” But he replied, “By Allah, O my mother, thy suspicion be misplaced: I acted thus only on my gratitude to her, for assuredly she is the Knight who came to my aidance and who saved me from death.” And his mother excused him. They passed that night in converse and next day at noontide the King sought the Divan in order to issue his commandments; but when the assembly filled the room and became as a garden of bloom the Lords of the land said to him, “O King of the Age, ‘twere not suitable that thou become Sultan except thou take to thee a wife; and Alhamdolillah?laud to the Lord who hath set thee on the necks of His servants and who hath restored the realm to thee as successor of thy sire. There is no help but that thou marry.” Quoth he, “To hear is to consent;” then he arose without stay or delay and went in to his mother and related to her what had happened. Quoth she, “O my son, do what becometh thee and Allah prosper thy affairs!” He said to her, “O my mother, retire thou with the maiden and persuade her to marriage for I want none other and I love not aught save herself,” and said she, “With joy and gladness.” So he went from her and she arose and was private with the damsel when she addressed her, “O my lady, the King desireth to wed thee and he wanteth none other and he seeketh not aught save thee.” But the Princess hearing this exclaimed, “How shall I marry, I who have lost my kith and kin and my dear ones and am driven from my country and my birth-place? This were a proceeding opposed to propriety! But if it need must be and I have the fortune to forgather with my mother and sisters and father, then and then only it shall take place.” The mother replied, “Why this delay, O my daughter? The Lords of the land have stood up against the King in the matter of marriage, and in the absence of espousals we fear for his deposition. Now maidens be many and their relations long to see each damsel wedded to my son and become a Queen in virtue of her husband’s degree: but he wanteth none other and loveth naught save thyself. Accordingly, an thou wouldst take compassion on him and protect him by thy consent from the insistence of the Grandees, deign accept him to mate.” Nor did the Sultan’s mother cease to speak soothing words to the maiden and to gentle her with soft language until her mind was made up and she gave consent.177 Upon this they began to prepare for the ceremony forthright, and summoned the Kazi and witnesses who duly knotted the knot of wedlock and by eventide the glad tidings of the espousals were bruited abroad. The King bade spread bride-feasts and banqueting tables and invited his high Officials and the Grandees of the kingdom and he went in to the maiden that very night and the rejoicings grew in gladness and all sorrows ceased to deal sadness. Then he proclaimed through the capital and all the burghs that the lieges should decorate the streets with rare tapestries and multiform in honour of the Sultanate. Accordingly, they adorned the thoroughfares in the city and its suburbs for forty days and the rejoicings increased when the King fed the widows and the Fakirs and the mesquin and scattered gold and robed and gifted and largessed till all the days of decoration were gone by. On this wise the sky of his estate grew clear by the loyalty of the lieges and he gave orders to deal justice after the fashion of the older Sultans, to wit, the Chosroës and the Cćsars; and this condition endured for three years, during which Almighty Allah blessed him by the Princess with two men-children as they were moons. Such was the case with the youngest Princess; but as regards the cadette, the second sister,?And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-fifth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that as regards the case of the cadette, the second damsel, when she was adopted to daughter by the ancient dame she fell to spinning with her and living by the work of their hands. Now there chanced to govern that city a Báshá178 who had sickened with a sore sickness till he was near unto death; and the wise men and leaches had compounded for him of medicines a mighty matter which, however, availed him naught. At last the tidings came to the ears of the Princess who lived with the old woman and she said to her, “O my mother, I desire to prepare a tasse of broth and do thou bear it to the Basha and let him drink of it; haply will Almighty Allah vouchsafe him a cure whereby we shall gain some good.” Said the other, “O my daughter, and how shall I obtain admittance and who shall set the broth before him?” The maiden replied, “O my mother, at the Gate of Allah Almighty!”179 and the dame rejoined, “Do thou whatso thou willest.” So the damsel arose and cooked a tasse of broth and mingled with it sundry hot spices such as pimento180 and she had certain leaflets taken from the so-called Wind-tree,181 whereof she inserted a small portion deftly mingling the ingredients. Then the old woman took it and set forth and walked till she reached the Basha’s mansion where the servants and eunuchs met her and asked her of what was with her. She answered, “This is a tasse of broth which I have brought for the Basha that he drink of it as much as he may fancy: haply Almighty Allah shall vouchsafe healing to him.” They went in and reported that to the Basha who exclaimed, “Bring her to me hither.” Accordingly, they led her within and she offered to him the tasse of broth, whereupon he rose and sat upright and removed the cover from the cup which sent forth a pleasant savour: so he took it and sipped of it a spoonful and a second and a third, when his heart opened to her and he drank of it till he could no more. Now this was in the forenoon and after finishing the soup he gave the old woman a somewhat of dinars which she took and returned therewith to the damsel rejoicing, and handed to her the gold pieces. But the Basha immediately after drinking the broth felt drowsy and he slept a restful sleep till mid-afternoon and when he awoke health had returned to his frame beginning from the time he drank. So he asked after the ancient dame and sent her word to prepare for him another tasse of broth like the first; but they told him that none knew her dwelling-place. Now when the old woman returned home the maiden asked her whether the broth had pleased the Basha or not; and she said that it was very much to his liking; so the girl got ready a second portion but without all the stronger ingredients182 of the first. Then she gave it to the dame who took it and went forth with it and whilst the Basha was asking for her behold, up she came and the servants took her and led her in to the Governor. On seeing her he rose and sat upright and called for other food and when it was brought he ate his sufficiency, albeit for a length of time he could neither rise nor walk. But from the hour he drank all the broth he sniffed the scent of health and he could move about as he moved when hale and hearty. So he asked the old dame saying, “Didst thou cook this broth?” and she answered, “O my lord, my daughter made it and sent me with it to thee.” He exclaimed, “By Allah this maiden cannot be thy daughter, O old woman; and she can be naught save the daughter of Kings. But bid her every day at morning-tide cook me a tasse of the same broth.” The other replied, “To hear is to obey,” and returned home with this message to the damsel who did as the Basha bade the first day and the second to the seventh day. And the Basha waxed stronger every day and when the week was ended he took horse and rode to his pleasure-garden. He increased continually in force and vigour till, one day of the days, he sent for the dame and questioned her concerning the damsel who lived with her; so she acquainted him with her case and what there was in her of beauty and loveliness and perfect grace. Thereupon the Basha fell in love with the girl by hearsay and without eye-seeing183 :?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
The Three Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,
Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Basha fell in love with the girl by hearsay and without eye-seeing: so he changed his habit and donning a dress of Darwaysh-cut left his mansion and threaded the streets passing from house to house until he reached that of the old woman. He then knocked at the entrance and she came behind it and asked “Who’s at the door?” “A Darwaysh and a stranger,” answered he, “who knoweth no man in this town and who is sore anhungered.” Now the ancient dame was by nature niggardly and she had lief put him off, but the damsel said to her, “Turn him not away,” and quoting “Honour to the foreigner is a duty,” said, “So do thou let him in.” She admitted him and seated him when the maiden brought him a somewhat of food and stood before him in his service. He ate one time and ten times he gazed at the girl until he had eaten his sufficiency when he washed his hands and rising left the house and went his ways. But his heart flamed with love of the Princess and he was deeply enamoured of her and he ceased not walking until he reached his mansion whence he sent for the old woman. And when they brought her, he produced a mint of money and a sumptuous dress in which he requested and prayed her to attire the damsel: then the old woman took it and returned to her protegée, saying to herself, “By Allah, if the girl accept the Basha and marry him she will prove sensible as fortunate; but an she be not content so to do I will turn her out of my door.” When she went in she gave her the dress and bade her don it, but the damsel refused till the old woman coaxed her and persuaded her to try it on. Now when the dame left the Basha, he privily assumed a woman’s habit and followed in her footsteps; and at last he entered the house close behind her and beheld the Princess in the sumptuous dress. Then the fire of his desire flamed higher in his heart and he lacked patience to part from her, so he returned to his mansion with mind preoccupied and vitals yearning. Thither he summoned the old woman and asked her to demand the girl in marriage and was instant with her and cried, “No help but this must be.” Accordingly she returned home and acquainted the girl with what had taken place adding, “O my daughter, verily the Basha loveth thee and his wish is to wed thee: he hath been a benefactor to us, and thou wilt never meet his like; for that he is deeply enamoured of thee and the byword saith, ‘Reward of lover is return of love.’” And the ancient dame ceased not gentling her and plying her with friendly words till she was soothed and gave consent. Then she returned to the Basha and informed him of her success, so he joyed with exceeding joy, and without stay or delay bade slaughter beeves and prepare bridal feasts and spread banquets whereto he invited the notables of his government: after which he summoned the Kazi who tied the knot and he went in to her that night. And of the abundance of his love he fared not forth from her till seven days had sped; and he ceased not to cohabit with her for a span of five years during which Allah vouchsafed to him a man-child by her and two daughters. Such was the case with the cadette Princess; but as regards the eldest sister, when she entered the city in youth’s attire she was accosted by the Kunáfah-baker and was hired for a daily wage of a Mídí of silver besides her meat and drink in his house. Now ’twas the practice of that man every day to buy half a quartern of flour and thereof make his vermicelli; but when the so-seeming youth came to him he would buy and work up three quarterns; and all the folk who bought Kunafah of him would flock to his shop with the view of gazing upon the beauty and loveliness of the Youth and said, “Exalted be He who created and perfected what He wrought in the creation of this young man!” Now by the decree of the Decreer the baker’s shop faced the lattice-windows of the Sultan’s Palace and one day of the days the King’s daughter chanced to look out at the window and she saw the Youth standing with sleeves tucked up from arms which shone like ingots184 of silver. Hereat the Princess fell in love with the Youth,?And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was
