A plain and literal translation of the Arabian nights entertainments, now entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night. Volume 7 (of 17)

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-first Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King’s wife said to the King, “Verily, this is no bird but a man like thyself: he is King Badr Basim son of King Shariman and his mother is Julnar the Sea-born,” quoth the King, “And how came he in this shape?”; and quoth she, “Princess Jauharah, daughter of King Al-Samandal, hath enchanted him:” and told him all that had passed with King Badr Basim from first to last.334 The King marvelled exceedingly at his wife’s words and conjured her, on his life, to free Badr from his enchantment (for she was the notablest enchantress of her age), and not leave him in torment, saying, “May Almighty Allah cut off Jauharah’s hand, for a foul witch as she is! How little is her faith and how great her craft and perfidy!” Said the Queen, “Do thou say to him:—O Badr Basim, enter yonder closet!” So the King bade him enter the closet and he went in obediently. Then the Queen veiled her face and taking in her hand a cup of water,335 entered the closet, where she pronounced over the water certain incomprehensible words ending with, “By the virtue of these mighty names and holy verses and by the majesty of Allah Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, the Quickener of the dead and Appointer of the means of daily bread and the terms determined, quit this thy form wherein thou art and return to the shape in which the Lord created thee!” Hardly had she made an end of her words, when the bird trembled once and became a man; and the King saw before him a handsome youth, than whom on earth’s face was none goodlier. But when King Badr Basim found himself thus restored to his own form he cried, “There is no god but the God and Mohammed is the Apostle of God! Glory be to the Creator of all creatures and Provider of their provision, and Ordainer of their life-terms preordained!” Then he kissed the King’s hand and wished him long life, and the King kissed his head and said to him, “O Badr Basim, tell me thy history from commencement to conclusion.” So he told him his whole tale, concealing naught; and the King marvelled thereat and said to him, “O Badr Basim, Allah hath saved thee from the spell: but what hath thy judgment decided and what thinkest thou to do?” Replied he, “O King of the Age, I desire of thy bounty that thou equip me a ship with a company of thy servants and all that is needful; for ’tis long since I have been absent and I dread lest the kingdom depart from me. And I misdoubt me my mother is dead of grief for my loss; and this doubt is the stronger for that she knoweth not what is come of me nor whether I am alive or dead. Wherefore, I beseech thee, O King, to crown thy favours to me by granting me what I seek.” The King, after beholding the beauty and grace of Badr Basim and listening to his sweet speech, said, “I hear and obey.” So he fitted him out a ship, to which he transported all that was needful and which he manned with a company of his servants; and Badr Basim set sail in it, after having taken leave of the King. They sailed over the sea ten successive days with a favouring wind; but, on the eleventh day, the ocean became troubled with exceeding trouble, the ship rose and fell and the sailors were powerless to govern her. So they drifted at the mercy of the waves, till the craft neared a rock in mid-sea which fell upon her336 and broke her up and all on board were drowned, save King Badr Basim who got astride one of the planks of the vessel, after having been nigh upon destruction. The plank ceased not to be borne by the set of the sea, whilst he knew not whither he went and had no means of directing its motion, as the wind and waves wrought for three whole days. But on the fourth the plank grounded with him on the sea-shore where he sighted a white city, as it were a dove passing white, builded upon a tongue of land that jutted out into the deep and it was goodly of ordinance, with high towers and lofty walls against which the waves beat. When Badr Basim saw this, he rejoiced with exceeding joy, for he was well-nigh dead of hunger and thirst, and dismounting from the plank, would have gone up the beach to the city; but there came down to him mules and asses and horses, in number as the sea-sands and fell to striking at him and staying him from landing. So he swam round to the back of the city, where he waded to shore and entering the place, found none therein and marvelled at this, saying, “Would I knew to whom doth this city belong, wherein is no lord nor any liege, and whence came these mules and asses and horses that hindered me from landing?” And he mused over his case. Then he walked on at hazard till he espied an old man, a grocer.337 So he saluted him and the other returned his salam and seeing him to be a handsome young man, said to him, “O youth, whence comest thou and what brought thee to this city?” Badr told him his story; at which the old man marvelled and said, “O my son, didst thou see any on thy way?” He replied, “Indeed, O my father, I wondered in good sooth to sight a city void of folk.” Quoth the Shaykh, “O my son, come up into the shop, lest thou perish.” So Badr Basim went up into the shop and sat down; whereupon the old man set before him somewhat of food, saying, “O my son, enter the inner shop; glory be to Him who hath preserved thee from yonder she-Sathanas!” King Badr Basim was sore affrighted at the grocer’s words; but he ate his fill and washed his hands; then glanced at his host and said to him, “O my lord, what is the meaning of these words? Verily thou hast made me fearful of this city and its folk.” Replied the old man, “Know, O my son, that this is the City of the Magicians and its Queen is as she were a she-Satan, a sorceress and a mighty enchantress, passing crafty and perfidious exceedingly. All thou sawest of horses and mules and asses were once sons of Adam like thee and me; they were also strangers, for whoever entereth this city, being a young man like thyself, this miscreant witch taketh him and hometh him for forty days, after which she enchanteth him, and he becometh a mule or a horse or an ass, of those animals thou sawest on the sea-shore.”–And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-second Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old grocer related to King Badr Basim the history of the enchantress ending with, “All these people hath she spelled; and, when it was thy intent to land they feared lest thou be transmewed like themselves; so they counselled thee by signs that said:—Land not, of their solicitude for thee, fearing that haply she should do with thee like as she had done with them. She possessed herself of this city and seized it from its citizens by sorcery and her name is Queen Láb, which being interpreted, meaneth in Arabic ’Almanac of the Sun.’”338 When Badr Basim heard what the old man said, he was affrighted with sore affright and trembled like reed in wind saying in himself, “Hardly do I feel me free from the affliction wherein I was by reason of sorcery, when Destiny casteth me into yet sorrier case!” And he fell a-musing over his condition and that which had betided him. When the Shaykh looked at him and saw the violence of his terror, he said to him, “O my son, come, sit at the threshold of the shop and look upon yonder creatures and upon their dress and complexion and that wherein they are by reason of gramarye and dread not; for the Queen and all in the city love and tender me and will not vex my heart or trouble my mind.” So King Badr Basim came out and sat at the shop-door, looking out upon the folk; and there passed by him a world of creatures without number. But when the people saw him, they accosted the grocer and said to him, “O elder, is this thy captive and thy prey gotten in these days?” The old man replied, “He is my brother’s son, I heard that his father was dead; so I sent for him and brought him here that I might quench with him the fire of my home-sickness.” Quoth they, “Verily, he is a comely youth; but we fear for him from Queen Lab, lest she turn on thee with treachery and take him from thee, for she loveth handsome young men.” Quoth the Shaykh, “The Queen will not gainsay my commandment, for she loveth and tendereth me; and when she shall know that he is my brother’s son, she will not molest him or afflict me in him neither trouble my heart on his account.” Then King Badr Basim abode some months with the grocer, eating and drinking, and the old man loved him with exceeding love. One day, as he sat in the shop according to his custom, behold, there came up a thousand eunuchs, with drawn swords and clad in various kinds of raiment and girt with jewelled girdles: all rode Arabian steeds and bore in baldrick Indian blades. They saluted the grocer, as they passed his shop and were followed by a thousand damsels like moons, clad in various raiments of silks and satins fringed with gold and embroidered with jewels of sorts, and spears were slung to their shoulders. In their midst rode a damsel mounted on a Rabite mare, saddled with a saddle of gold set with various kinds of jewels and jacinths; and they reached in a body the Shaykh’s shop. The damsels saluted him and passed on, till, lo and behold! up came Queen Lab, in great state, and seeing King Badr Basim sitting in the shop, as he were the moon at its full, was amazed at his beauty and loveliness and became passionately enamoured of him, and distraught with desire of him. So she alighted and sitting down by King Badr Basim said to the old man, “Whence hadst thou this handsome one?”; and the Shaykh replied, “He is my brother’s son, and is lately come to me.” Quoth Lab, “Let him be with me this night, that I may talk with him;” and quoth the old man, “Wilt thou take him from me and not enchant him?” Said she, “Yes,” and said he, “Swear to me.” So she sware to him that she would not do him any hurt or ensorcell him, and bidding bring him a fine horse, saddled and bridled with a golden bridle and decked with trappings all of gold set with jewels, gave the old man a thousand dinars, saying, “Use this.”339 Then she took Badr Basim and carried him off, as he were the full moon on its fourteenth night, whilst all the folk, seeing his beauty, were grieved for him and said, “By Allah, verily, this youth deserveth not to be bewitched by yonder sorceress, the accursed!” Now King Badr Basim heard all they said, but was silent, committing his case to Allah Almighty, till they came to–And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-third Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King Badr Basim ceased not faring with Queen Lab and her suite till they came to her palace-gate, where the Emirs and eunuchs and Lords of the realm took foot and she bade the Chamberlains dismiss her Officers and Grandees, who kissed ground and went away, whilst she entered the palace with Badr Basim and her eunuchs and women. Here he found a place, whose like he had never seen at all, for it was builded of gold and in its midst was a great basin brimfull of water midmost a vast flower-garden. He looked at the garden and saw it abounding in birds of various kinds and colours, warbling in all manner tongues and voices, pleasurable and plaintive. And everywhere he beheld great state and dominion and said, “Glory be to God, who of His bounty and long-suffering provideth those who serve other than Himself!” The Queen sat down at a latticed window overlooking the garden on a couch of ivory, whereon was a high bed, and King Badr Basim seated himself by her side. She kissed him and pressing him to her breast, bade her women bring a tray of food. So they brought a tray of red gold, inlaid with pearls and jewels and spread with all manner of viands and he and she ate, till they were satisfied, and washed their hands; after which the waiting-women set on flagons of gold and silver and glass, together with all kinds of flowers and dishes of dried fruits. Then the Queen summoned the singing-women and there came ten maidens, as they were moons, hending all manner of musical instruments. Queen Lab crowned a cup and drinking it off, filled another and passed it to King Badr Basim, who took it and drank; and they ceased not to drink till they had their sufficiency. Then she bade the damsels sing, and they sang all manner modes till it seemed to Badr Basim as if the palace danced with him for joy. His sense was ecstasied and his breast broadened, and he forgot his strangerhood and said in himself, “Verily, this Queen is young and beautiful340 and I will never leave her; for her kingdom is vaster than my kingdom and she is fairer than Princess Jauharah.” So he ceased not to drink with her till eventide came, when they lighted the lamps and waxen candles and diffused censer-perfumes; nor did they leave drinking, till they were both drunken, and the singing-women sang the while. Then Queen Lab, being in liquor, rose from her seat and lay down on a bed and dismissing her women called to Badr Basim to come and sleep by her side. So he lay with her, in all delight of life till the morning.–And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Queen awoke she repaired to the Hammam-bath in the palace, King Badr Basim being with her, and they bathed and were purified; after which she clad him in the finest of raiment and called for the service of wine. So the waiting women brought the drinking-gear and they drank. Presently, the Queen arose and taking Badr Basim by the hand, sat down with him on chairs and bade bring food, whereof they ate, and washed their hands. Then the damsels fetched the drinking-gear and fruits and flowers and confections, and they ceased not to eat and drink,341 whilst the singing-girls sang various airs till the evening. They gave not over eating and drinking and merry-making for a space of forty days, when the Queen said to him, “O Badr Basim, say me whether is the more pleasant, this place or the shop of thine uncle the grocer?” He replied, “By Allah, O Queen, this is the pleasanter, for my uncle is but a beggarly man, who vendeth pot-herbs.” She laughed at his words and the twain lay together in the pleasantest of case till the morning, when King Badr Basim awoke from sleep and found not Queen Lab by his side, so he said, “Would Heaven I knew where can she have gone!” And indeed he was troubled at her absence and perplexed about the case, for she stayed away from him a great while and did not return; so he donned his dress and went seeking her but not finding her, and he said to himself, “Haply, she is gone to the flower-garden.” Thereupon he went out into the garden and came to a running rill beside which he saw a white she-bird and on the stream-bank a tree full of birds of various colours, and he stood and watched the birds without their seeing him. And behold, a black bird flew down upon that white she-bird and fell to billing her pigeon-fashion, then he leapt on her and trod her three consecutive times, after which the bird changed and became a woman. Badr looked at her and lo! it was Queen Lab. So he knew that the black bird was a man transmewed and that she was enamoured of him and had transformed herself into a bird, that he might enjoy her; wherefore jealousy got hold upon him and he was wroth with the Queen because of the black bird. Then he returned to his place and lay down on the carpet-bed and after an hour or so she came back to him and fell to kissing him and jesting with him; but being sore incensed against her he answered her not a word. She saw what was to do with him and was assured that he had witnessed what befel her when she was a white bird and was trodden by the black bird; yet she discovered naught to him but concealed what ailed her. When he had done her need, he said to her, “O Queen, I would have thee give me leave to go to my uncle’s shop, for I long after him and have not seen him these forty days.” She replied, “Go to him but tarry not from me, for I cannot brook to be parted from thee, nor can I endure without thee an hour.” He said, “I hear and I obey,” and mounting, rode to the shop of the Shaykh, the grocer, who welcomed him and rose to him and embracing him said to him, “How hast thou fared with yonder idolatress?” He replied, “I was well in health and happiness till this last night,” and told him what had passed in the garden with the black bird.342 Now when the old man heard his words, he said, “Beware of her, for know that the birds upon the trees were all young men and strangers, whom she loved and enchanted and turned into birds. That black bird thou sawest was one of her Mamelukes whom she loved with exceeding love, till he cast his eyes upon one of her women. Wherefore she changed him into a black bird;”–And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Badr Basim acquainted the old grocer with all the doings of Queen Lab and what he had seen of her proceedings, the Shaykh gave him to know that all the birds upon the tree were young men and strangers whom she had enchanted, and that the black bird was one of her Mamelukes whom she had transmewed. “And,” continued the Shaykh, “whenas she lusteth after him she transformeth herself into a she-bird that he may enjoy her, for she still loveth him with passionate love. When she found that thou knewest of her case, she plotted evil against thee, for she loveth thee not wholly. But no harm shall betide thee from her, so long as I protect thee; therefore fear nothing; for I am a Moslem, by name Abdallah, and there is none in my day more magical than I; yet do I not make use of gramarye save upon constraint. Many a time have I put to naught the sorceries of yonder accursed and delivered folk from her, and I care not for her, because she can do me no hurt: nay, she feareth me with exceeding fear, as do all in the city who, like her, are magicians and serve the fire, not the Omnipotent Sire. So to-morrow, come thou to me and tell me what she doth with thee; for this very night she will cast about to destroy thee, and I will tell thee how thou shalt do with her, that thou mayst save thyself from her malice.” Then King Badr Basim farewelled the Shaykh and returned to the Queen whom he found awaiting him. When she saw him, she rose and seating him and welcoming him brought him meat and drink and the two ate till they had enough and washed their hands; after which she called for wine and they drank till the night was well nigh half spent, when she plied him with cup after cup till he was drunken and lost sense343 and wit. When she saw him thus, she said to him, “I conjure thee by Allah and by whatso thou worshippest, if I ask thee a question wilt thou inform me rightly and answer me truly?” And he being drunken, answered, “Yes, O my lady.” Quoth she, “O my lord and light of mine eyes, when thou awokest last night and foundest me not, thou soughtest me, till thou sawest me in the garden, under the guise of a white she-bird, and also thou sawest the black bird leap on me and tread me. Now I will tell the truth of this matter. That black bird was one of my Mamelukes, whom I loved with exceeding love; but one day he cast his eyes upon a certain of my slave-girls, wherefore jealousy gat hold upon me and I transformed him by my spells into a black bird and her I slew. But now I cannot endure without him a single hour; so, whenever I lust after him, I change myself into a she-bird and go to him, that he may leap me and enjoy me, even as thou hast seen. Art thou not therefore incensed against me, because of this, albeit, by the virtue of Fire and Light, Shade and Heat, I love thee more than ever and have made thee my portion of the world?” He answered (being drunken), “Thy conjecture of the cause of my rage is correct, and it had no reason other than this.” With this she embraced him and kissed him and made great show of love to him; then she lay down to sleep and he by her side. Presently, about midnight she rose from the carpet-bed and King Badr Basim was awake; but he feigned sleep and watched stealthily to see what she would do. She took out of a red bag a something red, which she planted a-middlemost the chamber, and it became a stream, running like the sea; after which she took a handful of barley and strewing it on the ground, watered it with water from the river; whereupon it became wheat in the ear, and she gathered it and ground it into flour. Then she set it aside and returning to bed, lay down by Badr Basim till morning when he arose and washed his face and asked her leave to visit the Shaykh his uncle. She gave him permission and he repaired to Abdallah and told him what had passed. The old man laughed and said, “By Allah, this miscreant witch plotteth mischief against thee; but reck thou not of her ever!” Then he gave him a pound of parched corn344 and said to him, “Take this with thee and know that, when she seeth it, she will ask thee:—What is this and what wilt thou do with it? Do thou answer:—Abundance of good things is good; and eat of it. Then will she bring forth to thee parched grain of her own and say to thee:—Eat of this Sawík; and do thou feign to her that thou eatest thereof, but eat of this instead, and beware and have a care lest thou eat of hers even a grain; for, an thou eat so much as a grain thereof, her spells will have power over thee and she will enchant thee and say to thee:—Leave this form of a man. Whereupon thou wilt quit thine own shape for what shape she will. But, an thou eat not thereof, her enchantments will be null and void and no harm will betide thee therefrom; whereat she will be shamed with shame exceeding and say to thee:—I did but jest with thee! Then will she make a show of love and fondness to thee; but this will all be but hypocrisy in her and craft. And do thou also make a show of love to her and say to her:—O my lady and light of mine eyes, eat of this parched barley and see how delicious it is. And if she eat thereof, though it be but a grain, take water in thy hand and throw it in her face, saying:—Quit this human form (for what form soever thou wilt have her take). Then leave her and come to me and I will counsel thee what to do.” So Badr Basim took leave of him and returning to the palace, went in to the Queen, who said to him, “Welcome and well come and good cheer to thee!” And she rose and kissed him, saying, “Thou hast tarried long from me, O my lord.” He replied, “I have been with my uncle, and he gave me to eat of this Sawik.” Quoth she, “We have better than that.” Then she laid his parched Sawik in one plate and hers in another and said to him, “Eat of this, for ’tis better than thine.” So he feigned to eat of it and when she thought he had done so, she took water in her hand and sprinkled him therewith, saying, “Quit this form, O thou gallows-bird, thou miserable, and take that of a mule one-eyed and foul of favour.” But he changed not; which when she saw, she arose and went up to him and kissed him between the eyes, saying, “O my beloved, I did but jest with thee; bear me no malice because of this.” Quoth he, “O my lady, I bear thee no whit of malice; nay, I am assured that thou lovest me: but eat of this my parched barley.” So she eat a mouthful of Abdallah’s Sawik; but no sooner had it settled in her stomach than she was convulsed; and King Badr Basim took water in his palm and threw it in her face, saying, “Quit this human form and take that of a dapple mule.” No sooner had he spoken than she found herself changed into a she-mule, whereupon the tears rolled down her cheeks and she fell to rubbing her muzzle against his feet. Then he would have bridled her, but she would not take the bit; so he left her and, going to the grocer, told him what had passed. Abdallah brought out for him a bridle and bade him rein her forthwith. So he took it to the palace, and when she saw him, she came up to him and he set the bit in her mouth and mounting her, rode forth to find the Shaykh. But when the old man saw her, he rose and said to her, “Almighty Allah confound thee, O accursed woman!” Then quoth he to Badr, “O my son, there is no more tarrying for thee in this city; so ride her and fare with her whither thou wilt and beware lest thou commit the bridle345 to any.” King Badr thanked him and farewelling him, fared on three days, without ceasing, till he drew near another city and there met him an old man, gray-headed and comely, who said to him, “Whence comest thou, O my son?” Badr replied, “From the city of this witch”; and the old man said, “Thou art my guest to-night.” He consented and went with him; but by the way behold, they met an old woman, who wept when she saw the mule, and said, “There is no god but the God! Verily, this mule resembleth my son’s she-mule, which is dead, and my heart acheth for her; so, Allah upon thee, O my lord, do thou sell her to me!” He replied, “By Allah, O my mother, I cannot sell her.” But she cried, “Allah upon thee, do not refuse my request, for my son will surely be a dead man except I buy him this mule.” And she importuned him, till he exclaimed, “I will not sell her save for a thousand dinars,” saying in himself, “Whence should this old woman get a thousand gold pieces?” Thereupon she brought out from her girdle a purse containing a thousand ducats, which when King Badr Basim saw, he said, “O my mother, I did but jest with thee; I cannot sell her.” But the old man looked at him and said, “O my son, in this city none may lie, for whoso lieth they put to death.” So King Badr Basim lighted down from the mule.–And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.