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 Forty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wali cried out to his treasurer, saying, “Bring hither a certain purse containing a thousand dinars”; and gave it to the highwayman, who took it and thanking him, went his way under cover of the night. Now when it was the morrow, the Emir sent for the chief of the goldsmiths and showed him the chest and what was therein; but the goldsmith found it nothing but tin and brass, and the jewels and bezel-stones and pearls all of glass; whereat the Wali was sore chagrined and sent in quest of the highwayman; but none could come at him. And men also tell the tale of

IBRAHIM BIN AL-MAHDI AND THE MERCHANT’S SISTER

The Caliph Al-Maamún once said to his uncle Ibrahim bin Al-Mahdí, “Tell us the most remarkable thing that thou hast ever seen.” Answered he: – I hear and obey, O Commander of the Faithful. Know that I rode out one day, a-pleasuring, and my ride brought me to a place where I smelt the reek of food. So my soul longed for it and I halted, O Prince of True Believers, perplexed and unable either to go on or to go in. Presently, I raised my eyes and lo! I espied a lattice-window and behind it a wrist, than which I never beheld aught lovelier. The sight turned my brain and I forgot the smell of the food and began to plan and plot how I should get access to the house. After awhile, I observed a tailor hard by and going up to him, saluted him. He returned my salam and I asked him, “Whose house is that?” And he answered, “It belongeth to a merchant called such an one, son of such an one, who consorteth with none save merchants.” As we were talking, behold, up came two men, of comely aspect with intelligent countenances, riding on horseback; and the tailor told me that they were the merchant’s most intimate friends and acquainted me with their names. So I urged my beast towards them and said to them, “Be I your ransom! Abu Fulán408 awaiteth you!”; and I rode with them both to the gate, where I entered and they also. Now when the master of the house saw me with them he doubted not but I was their friend; so he welcomed me and seated me in the highest stead. Then they brought the table of food and I said in myself, “Allah hath granted me my desire of the food; and now there remain the hand and the wrist.” After awhile, we removed for carousal to another room, which I found tricked out with all manner of rarities; and the host paid me particular attention, addressing his talk to me, for that he took me to be a guest of his guests; whilst in like manner these two made much of me, taking me for a friend of their friend the house-master. Thus I was the object of politest attentions till we had drunk several cups of wine and there came into us a damsel as she were a willow-wand of the utmost beauty and elegance, who took a lute and playing a lively measure, sang these couplets: —

Is it not strange one house us two contain ✿ And still thou draw’st not near, or talk we twain?Only our eyes tell secrets of our souls, ✿ And broken hearts by lovers’ fiery pain;Winks with the eyelids, signs the eyebrow knows; ✿ Languishing looks and hand saluting fain.

When I heard these words my vitals were stirred, O Commander of the Faithful, and I was moved to delight, for her excessive loveliness and the beauty of the verses she sang; and I envied her her skill and said, “There lacketh somewhat to thee, O damsel!” Whereupon she threw the lute from her hand in anger, and cried, “Since when are ye wont to bring ill-mannered louts into your assemblies?” Then I repented of what I had done, seeing the company vexed with me, and I said in my mind, “My hopes are lost by me”; and I weeted no way of escaping blame but to call for a lute, saying, “I will show you what escaped her in the air she played.” Quoth the folk, “We hear and obey”; so they brought me a lute and I tuned the strings and sang these verses: —

This is thy friend perplexed for pain and pine, ✿ Th’ enamoured, down whose breast course drops of brine:He hath this hand to the Compassionate raised ✿ For winning wish, and that on hearts is lien:O thou who seest one love-perishing, ✿ His death is caused by those hands and eyne!409

Whereupon the damsel sprang up and throwing herself at my feet, kissed them and said, “It is thine to excuse, O my Master! By Allah, I knew not thy quality nor heard I ever the like of this performance!” And all began extolling me and making much of me, being beyond measure delighted, and at last they besought me to sing again. So I sang a merry air, whereupon they all became drunken with music and wine, their wits left them and they were carried off to their homes, while I abode alone with the host and the girl. He drank some cups with me and then said, “O my lord, my life hath been lived in vain for that I have not known the like of thee till the present. Now, by Allah, tell me who thou art, that I may ken who is the cup-companion whom Allah hath bestowed on me this night.” At first I returned him evasive answers and would not tell him my name; but he conjured me till I told him who I was; whereupon he sprang to his feet – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

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

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ibrahim son of Al-Mahdi continued: – Now when the house-master heard my name he sprang to his feet and said, “Indeed I wondered that such gifts should belong to any but the like of thee; and Fortune hath done me a good turn for which I cannot thank her too much. But, haply, this is a dream; for how could I hope that one of the Caliphate house should visit my humble home and carouse with me this night?” I conjured him to be seated; so he sat down and began to question me as to the cause of my visit in the most courteous terms. So I told him the whole affair, first and last, hiding naught, and said to him, “Now as to the food I have had my will, but of the hand and wrist I have still to win my wish.” Quoth he, “Thou shalt have thy desire of the hand and wrist also, Inshallah!” Then said he to the slave-girl, “Ho, such an one, bid such an one come down.” And he called his slave-girls down, one by one and showed them to me; but I saw not my mistress among them, and he said, “O my lord, there is none left save my mother and sister; but, by Allah, I must needs have them also down and show them to thee.” So I marvelled at his courtesy and large-heartedness and said, “May I be thy sacrifice! Begin with the sister;” and he answered, “With joy and goodwill.” So she came down and he showed me her hand and behold, she was the owner of the hand and wrist. Quoth I, “Allah make me thy ransom! this is the damsel whose hand and wrist I saw at the lattice.” Then he sent his servants without stay or delay for witnesses and bringing out two myriads410 of gold pieces, said to the witnesses, “This our lord and master, Ibrahim son of Al-Mahdi, paternal uncle of the Commander of the Faithful, seeketh in marriage my sister such an one; and I call you to witness that I give her in wedlock to him and that he hath settled upon her ten thousand dinars.” And he said to me, “I give thee my sister in marriage, at the portion aforesaid.” “I consent,” answered I, “and am herewith content.” Whereupon he gave one of the bags to her and the other to the witnesses, and said to me, “O our lord, I desire to adorn a chamber for thee, where thou mayst sleep with thy wife.” But I was abashed at his generosity and was ashamed to lie with her in his house; so I said, “Equip her and send her to my place.” “And by thy being, O Commander of the Faithful, he sent me with her such an equipage that my house, for all its greatness, was too strait to hold it! And I begot on her this boy that standeth in thy presence.” Then Al-Maamun marvelled at the man’s generosity and said, “Gifted of Allah is he! Never heard I of his like.” And he bade Ibrahim bin al-Mahdi bring him to court, that he might see him. He brought him and the Caliph conversed with him; and his wit and good breeding so pleased him that he made him one of his chief officers. And Allah is the Giver, the Bestower! Men also relate the tale of

THE WOMAN WHOSE HANDS WERE CUT OFF FOR GIVING ALMS TO THE POOR

A certain King once made proclamation to the people of his realm saying, “If any of you give alms of aught, I will verily and assuredly cut off his hand;” wherefore all the people abstained from alms-deed, and none could give anything to any one. Now it chanced that one day a beggar accosted a certain woman (and indeed hunger was sore upon him), and said to her, “Give me an alms” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

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

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King that, quoth the beggar to the woman, “Give me an alms however small.” But she answered him, “How can I give thee aught, when the King cutteth off the hands of all who give alms?” Then he said, “I conjure thee by Allah Almighty, give me an alms;” so when he adjured her by the Holy Name of Allah, she had ruth on him and gave him two scones. The King heard of this; whereupon he called her before him and cut off her hands, after which she returned to her house. Now it chanced after a while that the King said to his mother, “I have a mind to take a wife; so do thou marry me to a fair woman.” Quoth she, “There is among our female slaves one who is unsurpassed in beauty; but she hath a grievous blemish.” The King asked, “What is that?” and his mother answered, “She hath had both her hands cut off.” Said he, “Let me see her.” So she brought her to him, and he was ravished by her and married her and went in unto her; and begat upon her a son. Now this was the woman who had given two scones as an alms to the asker, and whose hands had been cut off therefor; and when the King married her, her fellow-wives envied her and wrote to the common husband that she was an unchaste, having just given birth to the boy; so he wrote to his mother, bidding her carry the woman into the desert and leave her there. The old Queen obeyed his commandment and abandoned the woman and her son in the desert; whereupon she fell to weeping for that which had befallen her and wailing with exceeding sore wail. As she went along, she came to a river and knelt down to drink, being overcome with excess of thirst, for fatigue of walking and for grief; but, as she bent her head, the child which was at her neck fell into the water. Then she sat weeping bitter tears for her child, and as she wept, behold came up two men, who said to her, “What maketh thee weep?” Quoth she, “I had a child at my neck, and he hath fallen into the water.” They asked, “Wilt thou that we bring him out to thee?” and she answered, “Yes.” So they prayed to Almighty Allah, and the child came forth of the water to her, safe and sound. Then said they, “Wilt thou that Allah restore thee thy hands as they were?” “Yes,” replied she: whereupon they prayed to Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) and her hands were restored to her, goodlier than before. Then said they, “Knowest thou who we are?” and she replied, “Allah is all-knowing;”411 and they said, “We are thy two Scones of Bread, which thou gavest in alms to the asker and which were the cause of the cutting off of thy hands.412 So praise thou Allah Almighty for that He hath restored to thee thy hands and thy child.” Then she praised Almighty Allah and glorified Him. And men relate a tale of

THE DEVOUT ISRAELITE

There was once a devout man of the children of Israel,413 whose family span cotton-thread; and he used every day to sell the yarn and buy fresh cotton, and with the profit he laid in daily bread for his household. One morning he went out and sold the day’s yarn as wont, when there met him one of his brethren, who complained to him of need; so he gave him the price of the thread and returned, empty-handed, to his family, who said to him, “Where is the cotton and the food?” Quoth he, “Such an one met me and complained to me of want; whereupon I gave him the price of the yarn.” And they said, “How shall we do? We have nothing to sell.” Now they had a cracked trencher414 and a jar; so he took them to the bazar but none would buy them of him. However presently, as he stood in the market, there passed by a man with a fish – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

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

She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the man took the trencher and jar to the bazar, but none would buy them of him. However there presently passed by a man with a fish which was so stinking and so swollen that no one would buy it of him, and he said to the Jew, “Wilt thou sell me thine unsaleable ware for mine?” “Yes,” answered the Jew; and, giving him the wooden trencher and jar, took the fish and carried it home to his family, who said, “What shall we do with this fish?” Quoth he, “We will broil it and eat it, till it please Allah to provide bread for us.” So they took it and ripping open its belly, found therein a great pearl and told the head of the household who said, “See ye if it be pierced: if so, it belongeth to some one of the folk; if not, ‘tis a provision of Allah for us.” So they examined it and found it unpierced. Now when it was the morrow, the Jew carried it to one of his brethren which was an expert in jewels, and the man asked, “O such an one! whence haddest thou this pearl?”; whereto the Jew answered, “It was a gift of Almighty Allah to us,” and the other said, “It is worth a thousand dirhams and I will give thee that; but take it to such an one, for he hath more money and skill than I.” So the Jew took it to the jeweller, who said, “It is worth seventy thousand dirhams and no more.” Then he paid him that sum and the Jew hired two porters to carry the money to his house. As he came to his door, a beggar accosted him, saying, “Give me of that which Allah hath given thee.” Quoth the Jew to the asker, “But yesterday we were even as thou; take thee half this money:” so he made two parts of it, and each took his half. Then said the beggar, “Take back thy money and Allah bless and prosper thee in it; I am a Messenger,415 whom thy Lord hath sent to try thee.” Quoth the Jew, “To Allah be the praise and the thanks!” and abode in all delight of life he and his household till death. And men recount this story of

ABU HASSAN AL-ZIYADI AND THE KHORASAN MAN

Quoth Abú Hassán al-Ziyádi416: – I was once in straitened case and so needy that the grocer, the baker and other tradesmen dunned and importuned me; and my misery became extreme, for I knew of no resource nor what to do. Things being on this wise there came to me one day certain of my servants and said to me, “At the door is a pilgrim wight, who seeketh admission to thee.” Quoth I, “Admit him.” So he came in and behold, he was a Khorasání. We exchanged salutations and he said to me, “Tell me, art thou Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi?”; and I replied, “Yes, what is thy wish?” Quoth he, “I am a stranger and am minded to make the pilgrimage; but I have with me a great sum of money, which is burdensome to bear: so I wish to deposit these ten thousand dirhams with thee whilst I make my pilgrimage and return. If the caravan march back and thou see me not, then know that I am dead, in which case the money is a gift from me to thee; but if I come back, it shall be mine.” I answered, “Be it as thou wilt, an thus please Allah Almighty.” So he brought out a leather bag and I said to the servant, “Fetch the scales;” and when he brought them the man weighed out the money and handed it to me, after which he went his way. Then I called the purveyors and paid them my liabilities – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Fiftieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi: – I called the purveyors and paid them my liabilities and spent freely and amply, saying to myself, “By the time he returns, Allah will have relieved me with one or other of the bounties He hath by Him.” However, on the very next day. the servant came in to me and said, “Thy friend the Khorasan man is at the door.” “Admit him,” answered I. So he came in and said to me, “I had purposed to make the pilgrimage; but news hath reached me of the decease of my father, and I have resolved to return; so give me the monies I deposited with thee yesterday.” When I heard this, I was troubled and perplexed beyond measure of perplexity known to man and wotted not what reply to make him; for, if I denied it, he would put me on my oath, and I should be disgraced in the world to come; whilst, if I told him that I had spent the money, he would make an outcry and dishonour me before men. So I said to him, “Allah give thee health! This my house is no stronghold nor site of safe custody for this money. When I received thy leather bag, I sent it to one with whom it now is; so do thou return to us to-morrow and take thy money, Inshallah!”417 So he went away and I passed the night in great concern, because of his return to me; sleep visited me not nor could I close my eyes; so I rose and bade the boy saddle me the she-mule. Answered he, “O my lord, it is yet but the first third of the night and indeed we have hardly had time to rest.” I returned to my bed, but sleep was forbidden to me and I ceased not to awaken the boy, and he to put me off, till break of day, when he saddled me the mule, and I mounted and rode out, not knowing whither to go. I threw the reins on the mule’s shoulders and gave myself up to regrets and melancholy thoughts, whilst she fared on with me to the eastward of Baghdad. Presently, as I went along, behold, I saw a number of people approaching me and turned aside into another path to avoid them; but seeing that I wore a turband in preacher-fashion,418 they followed me and hastening up to me, said, “Knowest thou the lodging of Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi?” “I am he,” answered I; and they rejoined, “Obey the summons of the Commander of the Faithful.” Then they carried me before Al-Maamun, who said to me, “Who art thou?” Quoth I, “An associate of the Kazi Abu Yúsuf and a doctor of the law and traditions.” Asked the Caliph, “By what surname art thou known?”419 and I answered, “Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi;” whereupon quoth he, “Expound to me thy case.” So I recounted to him my case and he wept sore and said to me, “Out on thee!” The Apostle of Allah (whom Allah bless and assain!) would not let me sleep this night, because of thee; for in early darkness420 he appeared to me and said, “Succour Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi.” Whereupon I awoke and, knowing thee not, went to sleep again; but he came to me a second time and said to me, “Woe to thee! Succour Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi.” I awoke a second time, but knowing thee not I went to sleep again; and he came to me a third time and still I knew thee not and went to sleep again. Then he came to me once more and said, “Out on thee! Succour Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi!” “After that I dared not sleep any more, but watched the rest of the night and aroused my people and sent them on all sides in quest of thee.” Then he gave me one myriad of dirhams, saying, “This is for the Khorasani,” and other ten thousand, saying, “Spend freely of this and amend thy case therewith, and set thine affairs in order.” Moreover, he presented me with thirty thousand dirhams, saying, “Furnish thyself with this, and when the Procession-day421 is being kept, come thou to me, that I may invest thee with some office.” So I went forth from him with the money and returned home, where I prayed the dawn-prayer; and behold, presently came the Khorasani, so I carried him into the house and brought out to him one myriad of dirhams, saying, “Here is thy money.” Quoth he, “It is not my very money; how cometh this?” So I told him the whole story, and he wept and said, “By Allah, haddest thou told me the fact at first, I had not pressed thee!; and now, by Allah, I will not accept aught of this money” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

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

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth the Khorasani to Al-Ziyadi, “By Allah, haddest thou told me the fact at first, I had not pressed thee!; and now, by Allah, I will not accept aught of this money and thou art lawfully quit of it.” So saying, he went away and I set my affairs in order and repaired on the Procession-day to Al-Maamun’s Gate, where I found him seated. When he saw me present myself he called me to him and, bringing forth to me a paper from under his prayer-carpet, said to me, “This is a patent, conferring on thee the office of Kazi of the western division of Al-Medinah, the Holy City, from the Bab-al Salám422 to the furthest limit of the township; and I appoint thee such and such monthly allowances. So fear Allah (to whom be honour and glory!) and be mindful of the solicitude of His Apostle (whom may He bless and keep!) on thine account.” Then the folk marvelled at the Caliph’s words and asked me their meaning; whereupon I told them the story from beginning to end and it spread abroad amongst the people. “And” (quoth he who telleth the tale) “Abu Hassan al-Ziyadi ceased not to be Kazi of Al-Medinah, the Holy City, till he died in the days of Al-Maamun – the mercy of Allah be on him!” And among the tales men tell is one of

THE POOR MAN AND HIS FRIEND IN NEED

There was once a rich man who lost all he had and became destitute, whereupon his wife advised him to ask aid and assistance of one of his intimates. So he betook himself to a certain friend of his and acquainted him with his necessities; and he lent him five hundred dinars to trade withal. Now in early life he had been a jeweller; so he took the gold and went to the jewel-bazar, where he opened a shop to buy and sell. Presently, as he sat in his shop three men accosted him and asked for his father, and when he told them that he was deceased, they said, “Say, did he leave issue?” Quoth the jeweller, “He left the slave who is before you.” They asked, “And who knoweth thee for his son?”; and he answered, “The people of the bazar,” whereupon they said, “Call them together, that they may testify to us that thou art his very son.” So he called them and they bore witness of this; whereupon the three men delivered to him a pair of saddle-bags, containing thirty thousand dinars, besides jewels and bullion of high value, saying, “This was deposited with us in trust by thy father.” Then they went away; and presently there came to him a woman, who sought of him certain of the jewels, worth five hundred dinars which she bought and paid him three thousand for them. Upon this he arose and took five hundred dinars and carrying them to his friend who had lent him the money, said to him, “Take the five hundred dinars I borrowed of thee; for Allah hath opened to me the gate of prosperity.” Quoth the other, “Nay; I gave them to thee outright, for the love of Allah; so do thou keep them. And take this paper, but read it not till thou be at home, and do according to that which is therein.” So he took the money and the paper and returned home, where he opened the scroll and found therein inscribed these couplets: —

Kinsmen of mine were those three men who came to thee; ✿ My sire and uncles twain and Sálih bin AliSo what for cash thou soldest, to my mother ‘twas ✿ Thou soldest it, and coin and gems were sent by me.Thus doing I desired not any harm to thee ✿ But in my presence spare thee and thy modesty.

And they also recount the story of

THE RUINED MAN WHO BECAME RICH AGAIN THROUGH A DREAM. 423

There lived once in Baghdad a wealthy man and made of money, who lost all his substance and became so destitute that he could earn his living only by hard labour. One night, he lay down to sleep, dejected and heavy hearted, and saw in a dream a Speaker424 who said to him, “Verily thy fortune is in Cairo; go thither and seek it.” So he set out for Cairo; but when he arrived there, evening overtook him and he lay down to sleep in a mosque. Presently, by decree of Allah Almighty, a band of bandits entered the mosque and made their way thence into an adjoining house; but the owners, being aroused by the noise of the thieves, awoke and cried out; whereupon the Chief of Police came to their aid with his officers. The robbers made off; but the Wali entered the mosque and, finding the man from Baghdad asleep there, laid hold of him and beat him with palm-rods so grievous a beating that he was well-nigh dead. Then they cast him into jail, where he abode three days; after which the Chief of Police sent for him and asked him, “Whence art thou?”; and he answered, “From Baghdad.” Quoth the Wali, “And what brought thee to Cairo?”; and quoth the Baghdadi, “I saw in a dream One who said to me, Thy fortune is in Cairo; go thither to it. But when I came to Cairo the fortune which he promised me proved to be the palm-rods thou so generously gavest to me.” The Wali laughed till he showed his wisdom-teeth and said, “O man of little wit, thrice have I seen in a dream one who said to me: – There is in Baghdad a house in such a district and of such a fashion and its courtyard is laid out garden-wise, at the lower end whereof is a jetting-fountain and under the same a great sum of money lieth buried. Go thither and take it. Yet I went not; but thou, of the briefness of thy wit, hast journeyed from place to place, on the faith of a dream, which was but an idle galimatias of sleep.” Then he gave him money saying, “Help thee back herewith to thine own country;” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.