A plain and literal translation of the Arabian nights entertainments, now entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 4 (of 17)

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

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali Shar rejoined, “Hearkening and obedience;” and followed the eunuchs, whilst the people said to one another, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I wonder what the King will do with him!” And others said, “He will do him naught but good: for had he intended to harm him, he had not suffered him to eat his fill.” Now when the Castratos set him in presence of Zumurrud he saluted and kissed the earth before her, whilst she returned his salutation and received him with honour. Then she asked him, “What may be thy name and trade, and what brought thee to our city?”; and he answered, “O King my name is Ali Shar; I am of the sons of the merchants of Khorasan; and the cause of my coming hither is to seek for a slave-girl whom I have lost for she was dearer to me than my hearing and my seeing, and indeed my soul cleaveth to her, since I lost her; and such is my tale.” So saying he wept, till he swooned away; whereupon she bade them sprinkle rose-water on his face, which they did till he revived, when she said, “Here with the table of sand and the brass pen.” So they brought them and she took the pen and struck a geomantic scheme which she considered awhile; and then cried, “Thou hast spoken sooth, Allah will grant thee speedy reunion with her; so be not troubled.” Upon this she commanded her head-chamberlain to carry him to the bath and afterwards to clothe him in a handsome suit of royal apparel, and mount him on one of the best of the King’s horses and finally bring him to the palace at the last of the day. So the Chamberlain, after saying “I hear and I obey,” took him away; whilst the folk began to say to one another, “What maketh the King deal thus courteously with yonder youth?” And quoth one, “Did I not tell you that he would do him no hurt?; for he is fair of aspect; and this I knew, ever since the King suffered him to eat his fill.” And each said his say; after which they all dispersed and went their ways. As for Zumurrud, she thought the night would never come, that she might be alone with the beloved of her heart. As soon as it was dark, she withdrew to her sleeping-chamber and made her attendants think her overcome with sleep; and it was her wont to suffer none to pass the night with her save those two little eunuchs who waited upon her. After a while when she had composed herself, she sent for her dear Ali Shar and sat down upon the bed, with candles burning over her head and feet, and hanging lamps of gold lighting up the place like the rising sun. When the people heard of her sending for Ali Shar, they marvelled thereat and each man thought his thought and said his say; but one of them declared, “At all events the King is in love with this young man, and to-morrow he will make him generalissimo of the army.”319 Now when they brought him into her, he kissed the ground between her hands and called down blessings on her, and she said in her mind, “There is no help for it but that I jest with him awhile, before I make myself known to him.”320 Then she asked him, “O Ali, say me, hast thou been to the Hammam?”321 and he answered, “Yes, O my lord.” Quoth she, “Come, eat of this chicken and meat, and drink of this wine and sherbet of sugar; for thou art weary; and after that come thou hither.” “I hear and I obey,” replied he, and did as she commanded him do. Now when he had made an end of eating and drinking, she said to him, “Come up with me on the couch and shampoo322 my feet.” So he fell to rubbing feet and kneading calves, and found them softer than silk. Then said she, “Go higher with the massage;” and he, “Pardon me, O my lord, to the knee but no farther!” Whereupon quoth she, “Durst thou disobey me?: it shall be an ill-omened night for thee!” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

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

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zumurrud cried to her lord, Ali Shar, “Durst thou disobey me?: it shall be an ill-omened night for thee! Nay, but it behoveth thee to do my bidding and I will make thee my minion and appoint thee one of my Emirs.” Asked Ali Shar, “And in what must I do thy bidding, O King of the age?” and she answered, “Doff thy trousers and lie down on thy face.” Quoth he, “That is a thing in my life I never did; and if thou force me thereto, verily I will accuse thee thereof before Allah on Resurrection-day. Take everything thou hast given me and let me go from thy city.” And he wept and lamented; but she said, “Doff thy trousers and lie down on thy face, or I will strike off thy head.” So he did as she bade him and she mounted upon his back; and he felt what was softer than silk and smoother than cream and said in himself, “Of a truth, this King is nicer than all the women!” Now for a time she abode on his back, then she turned over on the bed, and he said to himself, “Praised be Allah! It seemeth his yard is not standing.” Then said she, “O Ali, it is of the wont of my prickle that it standeth not, except they rub it with their hands; so, come, rub it with thy hand, till it be at stand, else will I slay thee.” So saying, she lay down on her back and taking his hand, set it to her parts, and he found these same parts softer than silk; white, plumply-rounded, protuberant, resembling for heat the hot room of the bath or the heart of a lover whom love-longing hath wasted. Quoth Ali in himself, “Verily, our King hath a coynte; this is indeed a wonder of wonders!” And lust gat hold on him and his yard rose and stood upright to the utmost of its height; which when Zumurrud saw, she burst out laughing and said to him, “O my lord, all this happeneth and yet thou knowest me not!” He asked “And who art thou, O King?”; and she answered, “I am thy slave-girl Zumurrud.” Now whenas he knew this and was certified that she was indeed his very slave-girl, Zumurrud, he kissed her and embraced her and threw himself upon her as the lion upon the lamb. Then he sheathed his steel rod in her scabbard and ceased not to play the porter at her door and the preacher in her pulpit and the priest323 at her prayer-niche, whilst she with him ceased not from inclination and prostration and rising up and sitting down, accompanying her ejaculations of praise and of “Glory to Allah!” with passionate movements and wrigglings and claspings of his member324 and other amorous gestures, till the two little eunuchs heard the noise. So they came and peeping from behind the curtains saw the King lying on his back and upon him Ali Shar, thrusting and slashing whilst she puffed and blew and wriggled. Quoth they, “Verily, this be no man’s wriggle: belike this King is a woman.”325 But they concealed their affair and discovered it to none. And when the morrow came, Zumurrud summoned all the troops and the lords of the realm and said to them, “I am minded to journey to this man’s country; so choose you a viceroy, who shall rule over you till I return to you.” And they answered, “We hear and we obey.” Then she applied herself to making ready the wants of the way, to wit provaunt and provender, monies and rarities for presents, camels and mules and so forth; after which she set out from her city with Ali Shar, and they ceased not faring on, till they arrived at his native place, where he entered his house and gave many gifts to his friends and alms and largesse to the poor. And Allah vouchsafed him children by her, and they both lived the gladdest and happiest of lives, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of societies and the Garnerer of graves. And glorified be He the Eternal without cease, and praised be He in every case! And amongst other tales they tell one of

THE LOVES OF JUBAYR BIN UMAYR AND THE LADY BUDUR

It is related that the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid was uneasy326 one night and could not sleep; so that he ceased not to toss from side to side for very restlessness, till, growing weary of this, he called Masrur and said to him, “Ho, Masrur, find me some one who may solace me in this my wakefulness.” He answered, “O Prince of True Believers, wilt thou walk in the palace-garden and divert thyself with the sight of its blooms and gaze upon the stars and constellations and note the beauty of their ordinance and the moon among them rising in sheen over the water?” Quoth the Caliph, “O Masrur, my heart inclineth not to aught of this.” Quoth he, “O my lord, there are in thy palace three hundred concubines, each of whom hath her separate chamber. Do thou bid all and every retire into her own apartment and then do thou go thy rounds and amuse thyself with gazing on them without their knowledge.” The Caliph replied, “O Masrur, the palace is my palace and the girls are my property: furthermore my soul inclineth not to aught of this.” Then Masrur rejoined, “O my lord, summon the doctors of law and religion and the sages of science and poets, and bid them contend before thee in argument and disputation and recite to thee songs and verses and tell thee tales and anecdotes.” Replied the Caliph, “My soul inclineth not to aught of this;” and Masrur rejoined, “O my lord, bid pretty boys and the wits and the cup-companions attend thee and solace thee with witty sallies.” “O Masrur,” ejaculated the Caliph, “indeed my soul inclineth not to aught of this.” “Then, O my lord,” cried Masrur, “strike off my head;” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

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

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Masrur cried out to the Caliph, “O my lord, strike off my head; haply that will dispel thine unease and do away the restlessness that is upon thee.” So Al-Rashid laughed at his saying and said, “See which of the boon-companions is at the door.” Thereupon he went out and returning, said, “O my lord, he who sits without is Ali bin Mansur of Damascus, the Wag.”327 “Bring him to me,” quoth Harun: and Masrur went out and returned with Ibn Mansur, who said, on entering, “Peace be with thee, O Commander of the Faithful!” The Caliph returned his salutation and said to him, “O Ibn Mansur, tell us some of thy stories.” Said the other, “O Commander of the Faithful, shall I tell thee what I have seen with my eyes or what I have only heard tell?” Replied the Caliph, “If thou have seen aught worth telling, let us hear it; for hearing is not like seeing.” Said Ibn Mansur, “O Commander of the Faithful, lend me thine ear and thy heart;” and he answered, “O Ibn Mansur, behold, I am listening to thee with mine ears and looking at thee with mine eyes and attending to thee with my heart.” So Ibn Mansur began: – Know then, O Commander of the Faithful, that I receive a yearly allowance from Mohammed bin Sulaymán al-Háshimi, Sultan of Bassorah; so I went to him, once upon a time, as usual, and found him ready to ride out hunting and birding. I saluted him and he returned my salute, and said, “O son of Mansur, mount and come with us to the chase:” but I said, “O my lord, I can no longer ride; so do thou station me in the guest-house and give thy chamberlains and lieutenants charge over me.” And he did so and departed for his sport. His people entreated me with the utmost honour and entertained me with the greatest hospitality; but said I to myself, “By Allah, it is a strange thing that for so long I have been in the habit of coming from Baghdad to Bassorah, yet know no more of this town than from palace to garden and from garden to palace; When shall I find an occasion like this to view the different parts and quarters of Bassorah? I will rise forthwith and walk forth alone and divert myself and digest what I have eaten.” Accordingly I donned my richest dress and went out a-walking about Bassorah. Now it is known to thee, O Commander of the Faithful, that it hath seventy streets, each seventy leagues328 long, the measure of Irak; and I lost myself in its by-streets and thirst overcame me. Presently, as I went along, O Prince of True Believers, behold, I came to a great door, whereon were two rings of brass,329 with curtains of red brocade drawn before it. And on either side of the door was a stone bench and over it was a trellis, covered with a creeping vine that hung down and shaded the doorway. I stood still to gaze upon the place, and presently heard a sorrowful voice, proceeding from a heart which did not rejoice, singing melodiously and chanting these cinquains: —

My body bides the sad abode of grief and malady, ✿ Caused by a fawn whose land and home are in a far countrie:O ye two Zephyrs of the wold which caused such pain in me ✿ By Allah, Lord of you! to him my heart’s desire, go yeAnd chide him so perchance ye soften him I pray.And tell us all his words if he to hear your speech shall deign, ✿ And unto him the tidings bear of lovers ‘twixt you twain:And both vouchsafe to render me a service free and fain, ✿ And lay my case before him showing how I e’er complain:And say, “What ails thy bounden thrall this wise to drive away,Without a fault committed and without a sin to show; ✿ Or heart that leans to other wight or would thy love forego:Or treason to our plighted troth or causing thee a throe?” ✿ And if he smile then say ye twain in accents soft and slow,“An thou to him a meeting grant ‘twould be the kindest way!For he is gone distraught for thee, as well indeed, he might. ✿ His eyes are wakeful and he weeps and wails the livelong night:”If seem he satisfied by this why then ‘tis well and right, ✿ But if he show an angry face and treat ye with despite,Trick him and “Naught we know of him!” I beg you both to say.330

Quoth I to myself, “Verily, if the owner of this voice be fair, she conjoineth beauty of person and eloquence and sweetness of voice.” Then I drew near the door, and began raising the curtain little by little, when lo! I beheld a damsel, white as a full moon when it mooneth on its fourteenth night, with joined eyebrows twain and languorous lids of eyne, breasts like pomegranates twin and dainty lips like double carnelian, a mouth as it were the seal of Solomon, and teeth ranged in a line that played with the reason of proser and rhymer, even as saith the poet: —

O pearly mouth of friend, who set those pretty pearls in line, ✿ And filled thee full of whitest chamomile and reddest wine?Who lent the morning-glory in thy smile to shimmer and shine ✿ Who with that ruby-padlock dared thy lips to seal and sign!Who looks on thee at early morn with stress of joy and bliss ✿ Goes mad for aye, what then of him who wins a kiss of thine?

And as saith another: —

O pearl-set mouth of friend ✿ Pity poor Ruby’s cheek;Boast not o’er one who owns ✿ Thee, union and unique.

In brief she comprised all varieties of loveliness and was a seduction to men and women, nor could the gazer satisfy himself with the sight of her charms; for she was as the poet hath said of her: —

When comes she, slays she; and when back she turns, ✿ She makes all men regard with loving eyes:A very sun! a very moon! but still ✿ From hurt and harmful ills her nature flies.Opes Eden’s garden when she shows herself; ✿ And full moon see we o’er her necklace rise.

Now as I was looking at her through an opening of the curtain, behold, she turned; and, seeing me standing at the door, said to her handmaid, “See who is at the door.” So the slave-girl came up to me and said, “O Shaykh, hast thou no shame, or do impudent airs suit hoary hairs?” Quoth I, “O my mistress, I confess to the hoary hairs, but as for impudent airs, I think not to be guilty of unmannerliness.” Then the mistress broke in, “And what can be more unmannerly than to intrude thyself upon a house other than thy house and gaze on a Harim other than thy Harim?” I pleaded, “O my lady, I have an excuse;” and when she asked, “And what is thine excuse?” I answered, “I am a stranger and so thirsty that I am well-nigh dead of thirst.” She rejoined, “We accept thine excuse,” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

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

She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the young lady rejoined, “We accept thine excuse,” and calling one of her slave-maids, said to her, “O Lutf,331 give him to drink in the golden tankard.” So she brought me a tankard of red gold, set with pearls and gems of price, full of water mingled with virgin musk and covered with a napkin of green silk; and I addressed myself to drink and was long about my drinking, for I stole glances at her the while, till I could prolong my stay no longer. Then I returned the tankard to the girl, but did not offer to go; and she said to me, “O Shaykh, wend thy way.” But I said, “O my lady, I am troubled in mind.” She asked me “For what?” and I answered, “For the turns of Time and the change of things.” Replied she, “Well mayst thou be troubled thereat for Time breedeth wonders. But what hast thou seen of such surprises that thou shouldst muse upon them?” Quoth I, “I was thinking of the whilom owner of this house, for he was my intimate in his lifetime.” Asked she, “What was his name?”; and I answered, “Mohammed bin Ali the Jeweller and he was a man of great wealth. Tell me did he leave any children?” Said she, “Yes, he left a daughter, Budur by name, who inherited all his wealth?.” Quoth I, “Meseemeth thou art his daughter?” “Yes,” answered she, laughing; then added, “O Shaykh, thou hast talked long enough; now wend thy ways.” Replied I, “Needs must I go, but I see thy charms are changed by being out of health; so tell me thy case; it may be Allah will give thee comfort at my hands.” Rejoined she, “O Shaykh, if thou be a man of discretion, I will discover to thee my secret; but first tell me who thou art, that I may know whether thou art worthy of confidence or not; for the poet saith:332—

None keepeth a secret but a faithful person: with the best of mankind it remaineth concealed.I have kept my secret in a house with a lock, whose key is lost and whose door is sealed.”

Thereto I replied, “O my lady, an thou wouldest know who I am, I am Ali bin Mansúr of Damascus, the Wag, cup-companion to the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid.” Now when she heard my name, she came down from her seat and saluting me, said, “Welcome, O Ibn Mansur! Now will I tell thee my case and entrust thee with my secret. I am a lover separated from her beloved.” I answered, “O my lady, thou art fair and shouldest be on love-terms with none but the fair. Whom then dost thou love?” Quoth she, “I love Jubayr bin Umayr al-Shaybáni, Emir of the Banú Shaybán;333” and she described to me a young man than whom there was no prettier fellow in Bassorah. I asked, “O my lady, have interviews or letters passed between you?” and she answered, “Yes, but our love was tongue-love, not heart and soul-love; for he kept not his trust nor was he faithful to his troth.” Said I, “O my lady, and what was the cause of your separation?”; and she replied, “I was sitting one day whilst my handmaid here combed my hair. When she had made an end of combing it, she plaited my tresses, and my beauty and loveliness charmed her; so she bent over me and kissed my cheek.334 At that moment he came in unawares, and, seeing the girl kiss my cheek, straightways turned away in anger, vowing eternal separation and repeating these two couplets: —

If another share in the thing I love, ✿ I abandon my love and live lorn of love.My beloved is worthless if aught she will, ✿ Save that which her lover doth most approve.

And from the time he left me to this present hour, O Ibn Mansur, he hath neither written to me nor answered my letters.” Quoth I, “And what purposest thou to do?” Quoth she, “I have a mind to send him a letter by thee. If thou bring me back an answer, thou shalt have of me five hundred gold pieces; and if not, then an hundred for thy trouble in going and coming.” I answered, “Do what seemeth good to thee; I hear and I obey thee.” Whereupon she called to one of her slave-girls, “Bring me inkcase and paper,” and she wrote thereon these couplets: —

Beloved, why this strangeness, why this hate? ✿ When shall thy pardon reunite us two?Why dost thou turn from me in severance? ✿ Thy face is not the face I am wont to know.Yes, slanderers falsed my words, and thou to them ✿ Inclining, madest spite and envy grow.An hast believed their tale, the Heavens forbid ✿ Now thou believe it when dost better trow!By thy life tell what hath reached thine ear; ✿ Thou know’st what said they and so justice show.An it be true I spoke the words, my words ✿ Admit interpreting and change allow:Given that the words of Allah were revealed, ✿ Folk changed the Torah335 and still changing go:What slanders told they of mankind before! ✿ Jacob heard Joseph blamed by tongue of foe.Yea, for myself and slanderer and thee ✿ An awful day of reckoning there shall be.

Then she sealed the letter and gave it to me; and I took it and carried it to the house of Jubayr bin Umayr, whom I found absent a-hunting. So I sat down to wait for him; and behold, he returned from the chase; and when I saw him, O Prince of True Believers, come riding up, my wit was confounded by his beauty and grace. As soon as he sighted me sitting at the house-door, he dismounted and coming up to me embraced me and saluted me; and meseemed I embraced the world and all therein. Then he carried me into his house and, seating me on his own couch, called for food. They brought a table of Khalanj-wood of Khorasan with feet of gold, whereon were all manners of meats, fried and roasted and the like. So I seated myself at the table and examining it with care found these couplets engraved upon it:336– And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirtieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali son of Mansur continued: – So I seated myself at the table of Jubayr bin Umayr al-Shaybani and, examining it with care, found these couplets engraven upon it: —

On these which once were chicks,Your mourning glances fix,Late dwellers in the mansion of the cup,Now nearly eaten up!Let tears bedewThe memory of that stew,Those partridges, once roast,Now lost!The daughters of the grouse in plaintive strain;Bemourn, and still bemourn, and mourn again!The children of the fry,We lately sawHalf smothered in pilau,With buttery mutton fritters smoking by!Alas! my heart, the fish!Who filled his dish,With flaky form in varying colours spreadOn the round pastry cake of household bread!Heaven sent us that kabob!For no one could(Save heaven he should rob)Produce a thing so excellently good,Or give us roasted meatWith basting oil so savourily replete!But, oh! mine appetite, alas! for thee!Who on that furmeatySo sharpset wast a little while ago —That furmeaty, which mashed by hands of snow,A light reflection bore,Of the bright bracelets that those fair hands wore;Again remembrance glads my senseWith visions of its excellence!Again I see the cloth unrolledRich worked in many a varied fold!Be patient, oh! my soul, they sayFortune rules all that’s new and strange,And though she pinches us to-day,To-morrow brings full rations, and a change!337

Then said Jubayr, “Put forth thy hand to our food and ease our heart by eating of our victual.” Answered I, “By Allah, I will not eat a mouthful, till thou grant me my desire.” He asked, “What is thy desire?”; so I brought out the letter and gave it to him; but, when he had read it and mastered its contents, he tore it in pieces and throwing it on the floor, said to me, “O Ibn Mansur, I will grant thee whatever thou askest save thy desire which concerneth the writer of this letter, for I have no answer to her.” At this I rose in anger; but he caught hold of my skirts, saying, “O Ibn Mansur, I will tell thee what she said to thee, albeit I was not present with you.” I asked, “And what did she say to me?”; and he answered, “Did not the writer of this letter say to thee, If thou bring me back an answer, thou shalt have of me five hundred ducats; and if not, an hundred for thy pains?” “Yes,” replied I; and he rejoined, “Abide with me this day and eat and drink and enjoy thyself and make merry, and thou shalt have thy five hundred ducats.” So I sat with him and ate and drank and made merry and enjoyed myself and entertained him with talk deep into the night;338 after which I said to him, “O my master, is there no music in thy house.” He answered, “Verily for many a day we have drunk without music.” Then he called out, saying, “Ho, Shajarat al-Durr!” Whereupon a slave-girl answered him from her chamber and came in to us, with a lute of Hindu make, wrapped in a silken bag. And she sat down and, laying the lute in her lap, preluded in one-and-twenty modes; then, returning to the first, she sang to a lively measure these couplets: —