Classic Audiobook Collection - (Volume 1) Arabian Nights - The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night by Anonymous ~ Full Audiobook [folklore]

Episode Date: August 26, 2023

(Volume 1) Arabian Nights - The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night by Anonymous audiobook. Genre: folklore The main frame story concerns a king and his new bride. The king, Shahryar, upon discovering his ex-wife's infidelity executes her and then declares all women to be unfaithful. He begins to marry a succession of virgins only to execute each one the next morning. Scheherazade agrees to marry him and each night, beginning on the night of their marriage, she tells the king a tale but does not end it so that the king keeps her alive in order to hear the next tale. The stories proceed from this original tale; some are framed within other tales, while others begin and end of their own accord. Some editions contain only a few hundred tales, while others include 1001 or more stories and 'nights.' Well known stories from the Nights include Aladdin, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, and The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor. For ad-free listening try our premium subscription Chapters (Approximate) (00:00:00) Chapter 1 (00:33:54) Chapter 2 (01:14:42) Chapter 3 (01:52:47) Chapter 4 (02:25:17) Chapter 5 (03:04:58) Chapter 6 (03:40:06) Chapter 7 (04:16:09) Chapter 8 (04:51:14) Chapter 9 (05:28:57) Chapter 10 (06:00:21) Chapter 11 (06:34:54) Chapter 12 (07:09:10) Chapter 13 (07:47:02) Chapter 14 (08:21:17) Chapter 15 (08:58:31) Chapter 16 (09:33:07) Chapter 17 (10:03:30) Chapter 18 (10:37:47) Chapter 19 (11:12:31) Chapter 20 (11:48:48) Chapter 21 (12:22:27) Chapter 22 (13:03:13) Chapter 23 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Knight, Volume 1, Section 1, In the name of Allah, the compassionating, the compassionate. Praise be to Allah, the beneficent king, the creator of the universe, Lord of the three worlds who set up the firmament without pillars in its stead, and who stretched out the earth even as a bed, and grace and prayer blessings be upon our Lord Muhammad, Lord of apostolic men, and upon his family and companion train, prayer and blessings enduring, and grace which unto the day of doom shall remain. Amen, O thou of the three worlds sovereign,

and afterwards. Verily the works and words of those gone before us have become instances and examples to men of our modern day, that folk may view what admonishing chances befell other folk, and may therefrom take warning, and that they may peruse the annals of antique peoples and all that hath betided them, and be thereby ruled and restrained. Praise therefore be to him, who hath made the histories of the past, an admonition unto the present. Now of such instances are the tales called a thousand knights and a knight, together with their far-famed legends and wonders.

Therein it is related, but Allah is all knowing of his hidden. things, and all ruling and all honoured, and all giving and all gracious and all merciful. That in Tired of Yore, and in time long gone before, there was a king of the kings of the Banu Sasan in the islands of India and China, a lord of armies and guards and servants and dependents. He left only two sons, one in the prime of manhood, and the other yet a youth, while both were knights and braves, albeit the elders a down. doughtier horsemen than the younger, so he succeeded to the empire, when he ruled the land and lauded it over his lieges with justice so exemplary that he was beloved by all the

peoples of his capital and of his kingdom. His name was King Sharia, and he made his younger brother, Shah Zaman, height king of Samakand in barbarian land. These two ceased not to abide in their several realms, and the law was ever carried out in their dominion. and each ruled his own kingdom with equity and fair dealing to his subjects, in extreme solace and enjoyment, and this condition continually endured for a score of years. But at the end of the twentieth twelvemonth, the elder king yearned for a sight of his younger brother, and felt that he must look upon him once more. So he took counsel with his wazir about visiting him, but the minister finding the project

unadvisable, recommended that a letter be written, and a present be sent under his charge, to the younger brother, with an invitation to visit the elder. Having accepted this advice, the king forthwith bade prepare handsome gifts, such as horses with saddles of gem-encrusted gold, ramelukes, or white slaves, beautiful handmaids, high-breasted virgins, and splendid stuffs and costly. He then wrote a letter to Shah's Amen, expressing his warm love and great wish to see him, ending with these words. We therefore hope of the favour and affection of the beloved brother that he will condescend to bestir himself, and turn his face uswards. Furthermore, we have sent our wazir to make all ordinance for the march, and our one and only desire is

to see thee, ere we die. But if thou delay or disappoint us, we shall not survive the blow. Wherewith peace be upon thee. Then King Shariah, having sealed the and given it to the wazir with the offerings aforementioned, commanded him to shorten his skirts and strain his strength, and make all expedition in going and returning. Harkening and obedience, quoth the minister, who fell to making ready without stay, and packed up his loads and prepared all his requisites without delay. This occupied him three days, and on the dawn of the fourth he took leave of his king and marched right away, over desert and hill-way, stony waste, and pleasant lee,

without halting by day or by night. But whenever he entered a realm whose ruler was subject to his suzerain, where he was greeted with magnificent gifts of gold and silver, and all manner of presents fair and rare, he would tarry there three days, the term of the guest-right, and when he left on the fourth he would be honourably escorted for a whole day's march. As soon as the wazir drew near Shahzaman's court in Samarkand, he dispatched to report his arrival, one of his high officials,

who presented himself before the king, and kissing ground between his hands, delivered his message. Hereupon the king commanded sundry of his grandees and lords of his realm, to fare forth and meet his brother's wazir at the distance of a full day's journey, which they did, greeting him respectfully and wishing him all prosperity, and forming an escort and a procession. When he entered the city he proceeded straightway to the palace, where he presented himself in the royal presence, and after kissing ground and praying for the king's health and happiness, and for victory over all his enemies, he informed him that his brother was yearning to see him, and prayed for the pleasure of a visit.

He then delivered the letter which Shah's armand took from his hand and read. It contained sundry hints and delusions, which required thought. But when the king had fully comprehended its import, he said, I hear and I obey the commands of the beloved brother, adding to the wazir, But we will not march till after the third day's hospitality. He appointed for the minister fitting quarters of the palace, and pitching tents for the troops, rationed them with whatever they might require of meat and drink and other necessaries. On the fourth day he made ready for wayfare, and got together a sumptuous presence befitting his elder brother's majesty, and establishing his chief wazir viceroy of the lands during his absence. Then he caused his tents and camels and mules to

be brought forth and encamped, with their bales and loads, attendants and guards, within sight of the city, in readiness to set out next morning for his brother's capital. But when the night was half spent, he bethought him that he had forgotten in his palace somewhat which he should have brought with him, and so he returned privily, and ended his apartments, where he found the queen, his wife, asleep on his own carpet-bed, embracing with both arms a black cook of loathsome aspect, and foul with kitchen grease and grime. When he saw this, the world waxed black before his sight, and he said, If such case happened while I am yet within sight of the city, what will be the doings of this damned whore during my long absence, at my brother's court?

So he drew his scimitar, and, cutting the two in four pieces with a single blow, left them on the carpet, and returned presently to his camp, without letting anyone know of what had happened. Then he gave orders for immediate departure, and set out at once and began his travel. But he could not help thinking over his wife's treason, and he kept ever saying to himself, How could she do this deed by me? How could she work her own death? Till excessive grief seized him. His colour changed to yellow. His body waxed weak, and he was threatened with a dangerous malady, such an one as bringeth men to die. So the wazir shortened his stages and tarried long at the watering-stations, and did his best to solace the king.

Now, when Shah Zamen drew near the capital of his brother, he dispatched vaunt couriers, and messengers of glad tidings to announce his arrival, and Shariah came forth to meet him with his wazirs and emirs, and lords and grandees of his realm, and saluted him, and joyed with exceeding joy, and caused the city to be decorated in his honour, When, however, the brothers met, the elder could not but see the change of complexion in the younger, and questioned him of his case where to he replied, "'Tis caused by the travails of wayfair, and my case needs care, for I have suffered from the change of water and air, but Allah be praised for reuniting me with a brother so dear and so rare.' On this wise he dissembled, and kept his secret, adding, "'O king of the time and Caliph of the tide,

Only toil and moyle have tinged my face yellow with bile, and hath made my eyes sink deep in my head. Then the two entered the capital in all honour, and the elder-brother lodged the younger in a palace overhanging the pleasure-garden, and after a time seeing his condition still unchanged, he attributed it to his separation from his country and kingdom. So he let him wend his own ways, and asked no questions of him, till one day when he again said, "'Oh, my brother, I see thou art grown weaker of body, and yellower of colour!' "'Oh, my brother,' replied Shah's armen, "'I have an internal wound.' Still he would not tell him what he had witnessed in his wife. Thereupon Sharia summoned doctors and surgeons, and bade them treat his brother,

according to the rules of art, which they did for a whole month, but their sherberts and potions nought availed, for he would dwell upon the deed of his wife and despondency, instead of diminishing, prevailed, and leech-craft treatment utterly failed. One day his elder brother said to him, I am going forth to hunt and course, and to take my pleasure and pastime, maybe this would lighten thy heart. Shah Zaman, however, refused, saying, Oh, my brother, my soul yearneth for naught of this sort,

and I entreat thy favour to suffer me to tarry quietly in this place, being wholly taken up with my malady. So King Shah's Armand passed his night in the palace, and next morning, when his brother had fared forth, he removed from his room and sat him down at one of the lattice windows, overlooking the pleasure grounds, and there he abode thinking with saddest thoughts over his wife's betrayal, and burning sighs issued from his tortured breast. And as he continued in this case, lo, aposton of the palace, which was carefully kept private, swung open, and out of it came twenty slave-girls surrounding his brother's wife, who was wondrous fair, a model of beauty and comeliness,

and symmetry, and perfect loveliness, and who paced with the grace of a gazelle which panteth for the cooling stream. Thereupon Shah's armand drew back from the window, but he kept the beve in sight, espying them from a place whence he could not be espied. They walked under the very lattice, and advanced a little way into the garden, till they came to a jetting fountain, a middlemost a great basin of water. Then they stripped off their clothes, and behold, ten of them were women, concubines of the king, and the other ten were white slaves. Then they all paired off, each with each, but the queen who was left alone, presently cried out in a loud voice, "'Here to me! Oh my lord, Saeed!' And then sprang with a drop leap from one of the trees,

a big, slobbering blacker-mour with rolling eyes which showed the whites, a truly hideous sight. He walked boldly up to her and threw his arms around her neck while she embraced him as warmly. Then he bust her, and winding his legs round hers, as a button-loop clasps a button, he threw her and enjoyed her. Unlikewise did the other slaves with the girls, till all had satisfied their passions, and they ceased not from kissing and clipping, coupling and carousing, till day began to wane. When the mamelukes rose from the damsel's bosoms, and the black-a-moor-souths, slave dismounted from the queen's breast. The men resumed their disguises, and all except the negro who swarmed up the tree, entered the palace, and closed the postern door as before.

Now, when Shah Zaman saw this conduct of his sister-in-law, he said in himself, By Allah! My calamity is lighter than this. My brother is a greater king among the kings than I am, yet this infamy goeth on in his very palace, and his wife is in love with that filthiest of filthy slaves, but this only showeth that they all do it, and that there is no woman but who cuckledeth her husband, then the curse of Allah upon one and all, and upon the fools who lean against them for support, or who place the reins of conduct in their hands. So he put away his melancholy and despondency, regret, and repine, and allayed his sorrow by constantly repeating those words, adding,

"'Tis my conviction that no man in this world is safe from their malice.' When supper-time came they brought him the trays, and he ate with voracious appetite, for he had long refrained from meat, feeling unable to touch any dish, however dainty. Then he returned grateful thanks to Almighty Allah, praising him and blessing him, and he spent a most restful night, it having been long since he had savoured the sweet food of sleep. Next day he broke his fast heartily, and began to recover health and strength, and pleasantly regained excellent condition. His brother came back from the chase ten days after,

when he rode out to meet him, and they saluted each other, and when King Sharia looked at King Shah Zaman, he saw how the hue of health had returned to him, how his face had waxed ruddy, and how he ate with an appetite after his late scanty diet. He wondered much and said, Oh, my brother, I was so anxious that thou wouldst join me in hunting and chasing, and wouldst take thy pleasure and pass time in my dominion.

He thanked him, and excused himself. Then the two took horse and rode into the city, and when they were seated at their ease in the palace, the food-trays were set before them, and they ate their sufficiency. After the meats were removed, and they had washed their hands, King Shariar turned to his brother, and said, My mind is overcome with wonderment at thy condition. I was desirous to carry thee with me to the chase,

but I saw thee changed in hue, pale and wan to view, and in sore trouble of mind, too, but now, Alam Dolila, glory be to God, I see thy natural colour hath returned to thy face, and that thou art again in the best of case. It was my belief that thy sickness came of severance from thy family and friends, an absence from capital and country, so I refrained from troubling thee with further questions. But now I beseech thee, to expound to me the cause of thy complaint, change of colour, and to explain the reason of thy recovery, and the return to the ruddy hue of health, which I am wont to view. So speak out and hide naught. When Shah's armand heard this, he bowed groundwards a while his head, then raised it and said, I will tell thee what caused my

complaint, and my loss of colour, but, excuse my acquainting thee with the cause of its return to me, and the reason of my complete recovery, indeed I pray thee not to press me for a reply." I," said Shariya, who was much surprised by these words, "'Let me hear first what produced thy pallor and thy poor condition.' "'No, then, oh, my brother,' rejoined Shazam-Amen, that when thou sentest thy wazir with the invitation to place myself between thy hands, I made ready and marched out of my city, but presently I reminded me having left behind me, in the palace, a string of jewels intended as a gift to thee.

I returned for it alone and found my wife on my carpet-bed and in the arms of a hideous black cook, so I slew the twain and came to thee. Yet my thoughts brooded over this business, and I lost my bloom and became weak. But, excuse me, if I still refuse to tell thee what was the reason of my complexion returning. Sharia shook his head, marvelling with extreme marvel, and with the fire of wrath flaming up from his heart he cried, "'Indeed, the malice of woman is mighty!' Then he took refuge from them with Allah, and said,

In very sooth, my brother, thou hast escaped many an evil by putting thy wife to death, and right excusable were thy wrath and grief, for such mishap which never yet befell crowned king like thee. By Allah, had the case been mine, I would not have been sat aside without slaying a thousand women, and that way madness lies. But now praise me to Allah who hath tempered to thee thy tribulation, and needs must thou acquaint me with that which, so suddenly restored to the complexion and health, and explain to me what causeth this concealment.

O, king of the age, again I pray thee excuse my so doing. Nay, but thou must, I fear my brother, lest the recital cause thee more anger and sorrow than afflicted me. That were but a better reason, quoth Sharia, for telling me the whole history, and I conjure thee by Allah not to keep back aught from me. thereupon shahzaman told him all he had seen from commencement to conclusion ending with these words when i beheld thy calamity and the treason of thy wife o my brother and i respected that thou art in years my senior and in sovereignty my superior mine own sorrow was belittled by the comparison and my mind recovered tone and temper so throwing off melancholy and despondency i was able to eat and drink and sleep and thus i speed regained health and strength. Such is the truth and the whole truth. When King Sharia heard this,

he waxed wrath with exceeding wrath, and rage was like to strangle him, but presently he recovered himself, and said, O my brother, I would not give thee the lie in this matter, but I cannot credit it till I see it with mine own eyes. And thou wouldst look upon thy calamity, quoth Shazamen, rise at once and make ready again for hunting and coursing, and then hide Thyself with me, so shalt thou witness it, and thine eyes shall verify it. True, quoth the king, whereupon he let make proclamation of his intent to travel, and the troops and tents fared forth without the city, camping within sight, and Sharia sallied out with them, and took seat amidst his host, bidding the slaves admit

no man to him. When night came on he summoned his wazir, and said to him, Sit thou in my stead, and let none what of my absence, till the term of three days. Then the brothers disguised themselves, and returned by night with all secrecy to the palace, where they passed the dark hours, and at dawn they seated themselves at the lattice, overlooking the pleasure grounds, when presently the queen and her handmaids came out as before, and passing under the windows made for the fountain. Here they stripped, ten of them being men to ten women, and the king's wife cried out,

Where art thou, Saeed? The hideous blackamore dropped from the tree straightway, And rushing into her arms without stay or delay, cried out, I am sad al-Din-Saud! The lady laughed heartily, And all fell to satisfying their lusts, And remained so occupied for a couple of hours,

When the white slaves rose up from the handmaid's breasts, And the blackamore dismounted from the queen's bosom, Then they went into the basin, And after performing the goose-l, or complete ablution, donned their dresses, and retired, as they had done before. When King Sharia saw this infamy of his wife and concubines, he became as one distraught, and he cried out, "'Only an utter solitude can man be safe from the doings of this vile world!

By Allah! Life is naught but one great wrong!' Presently he added, "'Do not thwart me of my brother in what I propose, and the other answered, I will not.' So he said, Let us up as we are, and depart forthright hence, for we have no concern with kingship, and let us overwonder Allah's earth, worshipping the Almighty, till we find someone to whom the like calamity hath happened, and if we find none, then will death be more welcome to us than life.

So the two brothers issued from a second private postern of the palace, and they never stinted wayfaring by day and by night, until they reached the tree, a middle of a meadow, hard by a spring of sweet water, on the shore of the salt sea. Both drank of it, and sat down to take their rest. And when an hour of the day had gone by, lo, they heard a mighty roar and uproar in the middle of the main, as though the heavens were falling upon the earth, and the sea brake with waves before them, and from it towered a black pillar which grew and grew till it rose sky-woods, and began making for that meadow. Seeing it they waxed fearful exceedingly, and climbed to the top of the tree, which was lofty, whence they gazed to see what might be the matter.

And behold, it was a jinny, huge of height, and burly of breast and bulk, broad of brow and black of blea, bearing on his head a coffer of crystal. He strode to land, wading through the deep, and, coming to the tree whereupon were the two kings, seated himself beneath it. He then set down the coffer on its bottom, and from out of it drew a casket, with seven padlocks of steel, which he unlocked with seven keys of steel he took from beneath his thigh, and out of it a young lady was seen to come, white-skinned and of winsomest mienne,

of stature fine and thin, and bright as though a moon of the fourteenth night she had been, or of the sun raining lively sheen. Even so the poet Utaya hath excellently said, She rose like the morn as she shone through the night, And she gilded the grove with her gracious sight, From her radiance the sun taketh increase when she unveileth and shameth, the moonshine bright. Bow down all beings between her hands, as she showeth charms with her veil undight,

and she flooddeth cities with torrent tears when she flasheth her look of levee light. The jinny seated her under the tree by his side, and looking at her said, O choicest love of this heart of mine! O dame of noblest line, Whom I snatched away on thy bride-night That none may prevent me taking thy maidenhead, Or tumble thee before I did, And whom none save myself hath loved or hath enjoyed.

O my sweetheart, I would fief sleep a little while. He then laid his head upon the lady's thighs, And stretching out his legs, which extended down to the sea, Slept and snored and sparked like the roll of thunder. Presently she raised her head toward the treetop, and saw the two kings perched near the summit. Then she softly lifted off her lap the jinny's pate, which she was tired of supporting, and placed it upon the ground. Then standing upright under the tree, signed to the kings,

Come ye down ye too, and fear naught from this Ifrit. They were in a terrible fright when they found that she had seen them, and answered her in the same manner, Allah upon thee, and by their modesty your lady, excuse us from coming down. But she rejoined by saying, Allah upon you both, that you come down forthright, and if you come not I will rouse upon you my husband, this Iffrit, and he shall do you to die by the illest of deaths.

And she continued making signals to them. So being afraid they came down to her, and she rose before them, and said, Stroke me a strong stroke, without stay or delay. Otherwise will I arouse and set upon you this Ifrit, who shall slay you straight away. Then they said to her, O our lady, we conjure thee by Allah, let us off this work, for we are fugitives from such,

and in extreme dread and terror of this thy husband, how then can we do it in such a way as thou desires? Leave this talk, it needs must be so, quoth she, and she swore them by him who raised the skies on high, without prop or pillar, that if they worked not to her will, she would cause them to be slain and cast into the sea. Whereupon, out of fear, King Shariah said, said to King Shah Zaman, O my brother, do thou what she bideth thee do. But he replied, I will not do it, till thou do it before I do. And they began disputing about futtering her. Then quoth she to the twain, How is it I see you disputing and demurring? If ye do not come forward like men, and do the deed of kind ye too, I will arouse upon you

the Ifrit. At this, by reason of their sore dread of the jinny, both did by her what she bade them do. And when they had dismounted from her, she said, well done. She then took from her pocket a purse, and drew out a knotted string, whereon were strung five hundred and seventy seal rings, and asked, Know ye what be these? They answered her, saying, We know not. Then quoth she, These be the signets of five hundred and seventy men, who have all thuddered me upon the horns of this foul, this foolish, this filthy Ifrit, so give me also your two seal-rings, ye pair of brothers. When they had drawn their two rings from their hands and given them to her, she said to

them, of a truth! This Ifrit bore me off on my bride-night, and put me into a casket, and set the casket in a coffer, and to the coffer he affixed seven strong padlocks of steel, and deposited me on the deep bottom of the sea that raves, dashing and clashing and clashing, with waves, and guarded me so that I might remain chaste and honest, Quotha. None save himself might have connection with me. But I have lain under as many of my kind as I please, and this wretched jinny woteth not, that destiny may not be averted, nor hindered by aught, and that whatso women willeth, the same sheful filleth, however man and nileth. Even so, saith one of them, rely not on women, trust not to their hearts, whose joys and whose joys and

whose sorrows are hung to their parts. Lying love they will swear thee, whence guile near departs. Take Yusuf for sample, wear slates and wear smarts. Iblis ousted Adam, see ye not through their arts. And another, saith, stint thy blame, man, To'll drive thee to a passion without bounds. My fault is not so heavy as faults in it hast found. If true lover I become, then to me they're coming,

not save what happened unto many in the bygone stound for wonderful is he and right worthy of our praise who from wiles of female wits kept him safe and kept him sound hearing these words they marvelled with exceeding marvel and she went from them to the ifphrit and taking up his head on her thigh as before said to them softly now wend your ways and bear yourselves beyond the bounds of his malice so they fared forth saying either to other Allah, Allah, and there be no majesty, and there be no might save in Allah the glorious, the great, and with him we seek refuge from women's malice and slight, for of a truth it hath no mate in might. Consider, O my brother, the ways of this marvellous lady, with an Ifrit who is so much more powerful than we are. Now since there hath happened to him a greater mishap than that which befell us, and which should bear us abundant consolation, so return we to our countries and capitals, and let us decide never to intermarry with womankind, and presently

we will show them what will be our action. Thereupon they rode back to the tents of King Shariah, which they reached on the morning of the third day, and having mustered the wazirs and emirs, the chamberlains and high officials, he gave a robe of honour to his viceroy, and issued orders for an immediate return to the city. There he sat him upon his throne, and sending for the chief minister, the father of the two damsels who, inshallah, will presently be mentioned, he said, I command thee to take my wife and smite her to death, for she hath broken her plight and her faith, so he carried her to the place of execution, and did her die. Then King Sharia took brand in hand, and repairing to the serralio, slew all the concubines and their mamelukes. He also swore himself

by a binding oath, that whatever wife he married, he would abate her maidenhead at night, and slay her next morning to make sure of his honour. For, said he, there never was nor is there, one chaste woman upon face of earth. Then Shah Zaman prayed for permission to fare homewards, and he went forth equipped and escorted, and travelled till he reached his own country. Meanwhile, Sharia commanded his wazir to bring him the bride of the night, that he might go into her. So he produced a most beautiful girl, the daughter of one of the emirs, and the king went in unto her at even-tide, and when morning dawn he bade his minister strike off her head,

and the wazir did accordingly, for fear of the sultan. On this wise he continued for the space of three years, marrying a maiden every night, and killing her the next morning, till folk raised an outcry against him, and cursed him, praying Allah utterly to destroy him and his rule, and women made an uproar, and mothers wept, and parents fled with their daughters, till there remained not in the city a young person fit for carnal copulation. Presently the king ordered his chief wazir, the same who was charged with the executions, to bring him a virgin as was his wont, and the minister went forth and searched and found none, so he returned home in sorrow and anxiety, fearing for his life from the king.

Now he had two daughters, Sharazad and Dunyazad, height, of whom the elder had perused the books, annals and legends of preceding kings, and the stories, examples, and instances of bygone men and things. Indeed, it was said that she had collected a thousand books of histories relating to antique races and departed rulers. She had perused the works of the poets and knew them by heart. she had studied philosophy and the sciences arts and accomplishments and she was pleasant and polite wise and witty well-read well-bred now on that day she said to her father why do i see thee thus changed and laden with kark and care concerning this matter quoth one of the poets tell whoso hath sorrow grief never shall last even as joy hath no morrow so woe shall go past When the wazir heard from his daughter these words, he related to her, from first to last, all that had happened between him and the king. Thereupon said she, My Allah, O my father, how long shall this slaughter of women endure? Shall I tell thee what is in my mind in order to save both sides from destruction?

Say on, O my daughter, quoth he, and quoth she, I wish thou wouldst give me in marriage to this king, Sharia. either I shall live, or I shall be a ransom for the virgin daughters of Muslims, and the cause of their deliverance from his hands and thine. Allah upon thee, cried he in wrath exceeding, that lacked no feeding. O scanty of wit! Expose not thy life to such peril! How darest thou address me, in words so wide from wisdom and, afar from foolishness! Know that one who lacketh experience in worldly matters readily falleth into misfortune, And whoso considereth not the end, Keepeth not the world to friend, And the vulgar say, I was lying at mine ease. Nought but my officiousness brought me unease.

Needs must thou, she broke in, Make me a doer of this good deed, and let him kill me, and he will. I shall only die a ransom for others. O my daughter, asked he, and how shall that profit thee when thou shalt have thrown away thy life? And she answered, "'Oh, my father, it must be, come of it what will.' The wazir was again moved to fury, and blamed and reproached her, ending with, "'In very deed, I fear less the same before thee, which befell the bull and the ass with the husband-man.' "'And what?' asked she, befell them, my father?'

Whereupon the wazir began the tale of the bull and the ass. The end of Section 1 in Volume 1 of the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. Section 2 of A Thousand Nights Under Night This is the Librevox recording. All Librevox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Recording by Gesina The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Knight

Volume 1 Translated by Richard Burton Section 2 Tale of the Bull and the Ass Know O my daughter That there was once a merchant Who owned much money and many men And who was rich in cattle and camels

He had also a wife and family And he dwelt in the country Being experienced in husbandry And devoted to agriculture culture. Now Allah, most high, had endowed him with understanding the tongues of beasts and birds of every kind, but under pain of death if he divulged the gift to any. So he kept it secret for very fear. He had in his cowhouse, a bull and an ass, each tethered to his own stall, one hard by the other. As the merchant was sitting near hand one day, with his servants and his children playing about him, he heard the bull that say to the ass. Hale and health to thee, O father of walking, for that thou enjoyest rest and good ministering, all under thee is clean swept and fresh sprinkled. Men wait upon thee and feed thee,

and thy provont is sifted barley and thy drink pure spring water, while I, unhappy creature, am led forth in the middle of the night, when they set on my neck the plough, and a something called yoke, and I tire at cleaving the earth from dawn of day till set of sun. I am forced to do more than I can, and to bear all manner of ill-treatment from night to night, after which they take me back, with my sides torn, my neck flayed, my legs aching at mine eyelids soared with tears. Then they shut me up in the buyer, and throw me beans, and crushed straw, mixed with dirt and chaff, and a lie in dung and filth, and foul stinks through the live-long night.

But thou art ever in a place sweet and sprinkled and cleansed, and thou art always lying at ease, save when it happens, and seldom enough, that the master hath some business, when he mounts thee and rides thee to town, and returns with thee forthright. So it happens that I am toiling and distress, while thou takest thine ease in thy rest,

thou sleepest while I am sleepless, I hunger still, while thou eatest thy fill, and I win contempt while thou winest good will. When the bull ceased speaking, the ass turned towards him and said, O broader brow,

O thou lost one. He lied not when he dubbed thee bullhead, for thou, O father of a bull, hast neither forethought nor contrivance. Thou art the simplest of simpletons, and thou knowest naught of good advisers. Hast thou not heard the saying of the wise? For others these hardships and labors I bear, and theirs is the pleasure, and mine is the care,

as the bleacher who blacketh his brow in the sun, to whiten the raiment which other men wear. But thou, O fool, art full of zeal in thyllest and moilest before the master, and thou tearest and wearest and slays thyself for the comfort of another. Has thou never heard the saw that says, none to guide and from the way go wide. Thou wendest forth at the call to dawn prayer, and thou returnest not until sundown, and through the lifelong day thou endurest all manner hardships. To wit beating and belaboring and bad language.

Now harken to me, sir bull, when they tie thee to thy stinking manger, thou pawest the ground with thy forehand, and rushest out with thy hind hoofs, and pushest with thy horns and bellows, allowed, so they deem thee contented. And when they throw thee thy fodder, thou fallest on it with greed, and hastenest, to line thine thine fair fat paunch. But if thou accept my advice, it will be better for thee, and thou wilt lead an easier life, even than mine. When thou

goest afield, and there lay the thing called yoke on thy neck, lie down, and rise not again, though happily they swinge thee. And if thou rise, lie down a second time, And when they bring thee home And offer thee thy beans, Fall backwards, and only sniff at thy meat, And withdraw thee and taste it not, And be satisfied with thy crushed straw and chaff,

And on this wise, feign thou art sick, And cease not doing thus, For a day or two days, or even three days, So shalt thou have rest from toil and moil. When the bull heard these words, he knew they asked to be his friend and thanked him saying Right is thy read

And they prayed that all blessings might requite him And cried, O Father Wakener Thou hast made up for my failings Now the merchant, oh my daughter Understood all that passed between them Next day the driver took the bull And settling the plough on his neck Made him work as want

But the bull began to shirk his ploughing according to the advice of the ass, and the ploughman drubbed him till he broke the yoke and made off, but the man caught him up and leathered him till he despaired of his life. Not the less, however, would he do nothing but stand still

and drop down till the evening. Then the herd led him home and stabled him in his stall, but he drew back from his manger and neither stamped nor rammed, nor butted nor bellowed, as he was wanted to do. Whereat the man wandered?

He brought him the beans and husks, but he sniffed at them and left them, and lay down as far from them as he could, and passed the whole night fasting. The peasant came next morning, and, seeing the manger full of beans, the crushed straw untasted, and the ox lying on his back in sorriest plight, with legs outstretched and swollen belly, he was concerned for him, and said to himself, by Allah. He hath assuredly sickened, and this is the cause why he would not plough yesterday. Then he went to the merchant and reported, Oh, my master, the bull is ailing, he refused his fodder last night. Nay more, he hath not tasted a scrap of it this morning. Now the merchant farmer understood what all this meant, because he had overheard the talk between the bull and the ass.

So quoth he. Take that rascal donkey, and set the yoke on his own. neck, and bind him to the plough, and make him do bull's work. Thereupon the ploughman took the ass, and worked him through the lifelong day at the bull's task, and when he failed for weakness, he made him eat stick till his ribs were sore, and his sides were sunken, and his neck was hailed by the yoke, and when he came home in the evening he could hardly drag his limbs along, either forehand or hind-legs. But as for the bull, he had passed the day lying at full length, and had evened

eaten his fodder with an excellent appetite, and he ceased not calling down his blessings on the ass for his good advice, unknowing what had come to him on his account. So when night set in, and the ass returned to the bite, the bull rose up before him in honour, and said, may good tidings gladden thy heart, O father wakener. Through thee I have rested all this day, and I have eaten my meat in peace and quiet. But the ass did not reply, for wrath and heart-burning and fatigue, and the the beating he had gotten, and he repented with the most grievous of repentance, and quoth he to himself. This cometh of my folly in giving good counsel, as the source says, I was in joy and gladness, nor to save my officiousness, brought me this sadness.

But I will bear in mind my innate worth, and the nobility of my nature, for what says the poet? Shall the beautiful hue of the basil fail, though the beetle's foot, over the basil craw, and though spider and fly be its denizens shall disgrace attached to the royal hall the cowrie i can shall have the currency but the pearls clear drop shall its value fall and now i must take thought and put a trick upon him and return him to his place else i die then he went a weary to his manger while the bull thanked him and blessed him and even so o my daughter said the wazir thou wilt die for lack of wits. Therefore sit thee still and say naught, and expose not thy life to such stress, for by Allah I offer thee the best advice,

which cometh of my affection, and kindly solicitude for thee. O my father, she answered, needs must I go up to the king, and be married to him? Quoth he, do not this deed, and quoth she, of a truth I will, whereat he rejoined,

if thou be not silent and bide still, I will do with thee even what the merchant did with his wife. And what did he? asked she. No, then, answered the wazir, that after the return of the ass the merchant came out on the terrace roof with his wife and family, for it was a moonlit night and the moon at its full. Now the terrace overlooked the cowhouse, and presently, as he sat there with his children playing about him, the trader heard the ass say to the bull, Tell me, O father, broader brow, What thou purposest to do tomorrow?

The bull answered, What but continue to follow thy counsel, O a Liberon? Indeed it was as good as good could be, And it hath given me rest and repose, Nor will I now depart from it one little. So when they bring me my meat, I will refuse it,

And blow out my belly and counterfeit crank. The ass shook his head and said, beware of so doing o father of a bull the bull asked why and the ass answered know that i am about to give thee the best of counsel for verily i heard our owners say to the herd if the bull rise not from his place to do his work this morning and if you retire from his fodder this day make him over to the butcher that he may slaughter him and give his flesh to the poor and fashion a bit of leather from his hide now i fear for thee on account of this so take my advice ere a calamity before thee and when they bring thee thy fodder eat it and rise up and bellow and pour the ground or our master will assuredly slay thee and peace be with thee thereupon the bull arose and loud aloud and thanked the ass and said to-morrow i will readily go forth with them and he at once ate up all his meat and even licked the manger all this took place and the owner was listening to their talk next morning the trader and his wife went to the bull's crib and sat down and the driver came and led forth the bull who seeing his owner whisked his tail in break wind and frisked about so lustily that the merchant laughed a loud laugh and kept laughing till he fell on his back His wife asked him,

Whereat laughest thou with such loud laughter as this? And he answered her, I laugh at a secret something which I have heard and seen, But cannot say lest I die my death. She returned, Perforce, thou must discover it to me, And disclose the cause of their laughing, Even if thy come to their death.

But he rejoined, I cannot reveal what beasts and birds say in their lingo, for fear I die. Then quoth she, By Allah, thou liest. This is a mere pretext. Thou laughest at none save me, and now thou wouldst hide somewhat from me. But by the Lord of the heavens,

and thou disclose not the cause, I will no longer cohabit with thee, I will leave thee at once. And she sat down and cried. Whereupon quothed the merchant, woe betide thee, what means thy weeping? Bear Allah and leave these words and query me no more questions.

Needs must thou tell me the cause of that laugh, said she, and he replied, thou wottest that when I prayed Allah to vouchsafe me understanding of the tongues of beasts and birds, I made a vow never to disclose the secret to any, under pain of dying on the spot. No matter, cried she, tell me what secret passed between the bull and the ass, and die this very hour, and thou be so minded. And she ceased not to importune him, till he said, he was worn out and clean distraught. So at last he said, summon thy father and thy mother and our kith and kin and sundry of our neighbours,

which she did. And he sent for the kazi and his assessors, intending to make his will and reveal to her his secret and die the death, for he loved her with love exceeding, because she was his cousin, the daughter of his father's brother and the mother of his children, and he had lived with her a life of an hundred and twenty years. then having assembled all the family and the folk of his neighbourhood he said to them by me there hangeth a strange story and tis such that if i discover the secret to any i am a dead man therefore quoth every one of those present to the woman allah upon thee leave this sinful obstinacy and recognize the right of this matter lest haply thy husband and thy father of thy children die but she rejoined i will not turn from it till he tell me even though he may come by his death so they ceased to urge her and the trade arose from amongst them and repaired to an outhouse to perform woozoblution and he purposed thereafter to return and to tell them his secret and to die now daughter shahrazad that merchant had in his outhouses some fifty hens under one cock and whilst making ready to farewell his folk

he heard one of his many farm-dogs thus a dress in his own tongue the cock who was flapping his wings and crowing lustily and jumping from one hens back to another and treading all in turn saying o chanty clear How mean is thy wit and how shameless is thy conduct? Be he disappointed who brought thee up? Are thou not ashamed of thy doings on such a day as this? And what? asked the rooster. Hath occurred this day? When the dog answered, dost thou not know that our master is this day making ready for his death?

His wife has resolved that he shall disclose the secret taught to him by Allah, and the moment he so doeth he shall surely die. We dogs are all the morning. but thou clappest thy wings and clarionest thy loudest and treadest hen after hen is this an hour for pastime and pleasuring art thou not ashamed of thyself then by allah quoth the cock is our master a lackwit and a man scanty of sense if he cannot manage matters with a single wife his life is not worth prolonging now i have some fifty dame partlets and i please this and provoke that and starve one and stuff another and through my governance they are all well under my control. This our master pretendeth to wit and wisdom, and he has but one wife, and yet knoweth not how to manage her.

Ask the dog, what then, O'cock, should the master do to win clear of his strait? He should arise forthright, answered the cock, and take some twigs from yon mulberry tree, and give her a regular back-basting and rib-roasting, till she should cry, I repent, O my lord, I will never ask thee a question as long as I live. Then let him beat her once more and soundly, and when he shall have done this, he shall sleep free from care and enjoy life. But this master of ours owns neither sense nor judgment. Now, daughter Sharazard, continued the wazir, I will do to thee, as did that husband to that wife.

Said Sharazard, and what did he do? He replied, when the merchant heard the wise words spoken by his cock to his dog he arose in haste and sought his wife's chamber after cutting for her some mulberry twigs and hiding them there and then he called to her come into the closet that i may tell thee the secret while no one seeth me and then die she entered with him and he locked the door and came down with her with so sound a beating of back and shoulders ribs arms and legs saying the while wilt thou ever be asking questions about the what concerneth thee not? That she was well-nigh senseless. Presently she cried out, I am of the repentant, by Allah I will ask thee no more questions, and indeed I repent sincerely and wholesomely. Then she kissed his hand and feet, and he led her out of the room, submissive, as a wife should be. Her parents and all the company rejoiced, and sadness and mourning were changed into joy and gladness. Thus the merchant learned family discipline from his cock,

and he and his wife lived together the happiest of lives until death. And thou also, my daughter, continued the wazir. Unless thou turn from this matter, I will do by thee what that trader did to his wife. But she answered him with much decision. I will never desist, O my father, nor shall this tale change my purpose. Leave such talk and tattle. I will not listen to thy words, and if thou deny me, I will marry myself to him despite the nose of thee,

and first I will go up to the king myself, and alone, and I will say to him, I prayed my father to wive me with thee, but he refused being resolved to disappoint his lord, grudging the like of me to the like of thee. Her father asked, Must this needs be? And she answered, even so.

Hereupon the wazir being weary of lamenting and contending, persuading and dissuading her, all to no purpose, went up to King Shariah, and after blessing him and kissing the ground before him, told him all about his dispute with his daughter from first to last, and how he designed to bring her to him that night. The king wandered with exceeding wonder,

for he had made an especial exception of the Wazir's daughter, and said to him, O most faithful of counsellors, how is this? Thou watchest that I have sworn by the razor of the heavens, that after I have gone into her this night, I shall say to thee on the morrow's morning, Take her and slay her. And if thou slay her not,

I will slay thee in her stead without fail. Allah guide thee to glory and lengthen their life, O king of the age. Answered the wazir, It is she that hath so determined. All this I have told her and more, but she will not hearken to me, and she persisteth in passing this coming night

with the king's majesty. So Sharia rejoiced greatly and said, "'Tis well. Go get her ready, and this night bring her to me.' The wazir returned to his daughter, and reported to her the command, saying, "'Ala make not thy father desolate by thy loss.' But Shahrazad rejoiced with exceeding joy, and got ready all she required, and said to her younger sister, Danielzad, "'Note well what directions I entrust to thee.

"'When I have gone in to the king, I will send for thee, and when thou comest to me, and seest, that he hath had his carnal will of me, do thou say to me, O my sister, and thou not be sleepy, relate to me some new story, delectable and delightsome, the better to speed our waking hours, and I will tell thee a tale, which shall be our deliverance, if so Allah please, and which shall turn the king from his bloodthirsty custom. Danielzad answered, with love and gladness, So when it was night, their father the wazir carried Charazard to the king, who was gladdened at the sight and asked, Has thou brought me my need? And he answered, I have. But when the king took her to his bed,

and fell to toying with her, and wished to go into her, she wept, which made him ask, What Aylis see? She replied, O king of the age, I have a younger sister, and Fief would I take leave of her this night, before I see the dawn. So he sent at once for Danyazad, and she came and kissed the ground between his hands, when he permitted her to take her seat near the foot of the couch. Then the king arose and did away with his bride's maidenhead, and the three fell asleep. But when it was midnight, Shahrazada awoke, and signalled to her sister Danyazad, who sat up and said, Allah upon thee, O my sister, recite to us some new story, delightful and delectable,

wherewith to while away the waking hour, of our latter night. With joy in goodly grie, answered Sharazard, if this pious and auspicious king, permit me. Tell on, quoth the king, who chanced to be sleepless and restless, and therefore was pleased with the prospect of hearing her story. So Sharazard rejoiced,

and thus on the first night of the thousand knights and a knight, she began with the tale of the trader and the jinny. It is related, O auspicious king, that there was a merchant of the merchants who had much wealth and business in various cities now on a day he mounted horse and went forth to recover monies in certain towns and the heat sore oppressed him so he sat beneath a tree and putting his hand into his saddle-bags took thence some broken bread and dried dates and began to break his fast when he had ended eating the dates he threw away the stones with force and lo and ifrit appeared huge of stature and brandishing a drawn sword wherewith he approached the merchant and said stand up that i may slay thee even as thou sluest my son asked the merchant how have i slain thy son and he answered when thou ettest dates and throws away the stones they struck my son full in the breast as he was walking by so that he died forthwith quoth the merchant verity from allah we proceeded and unto allah we are returning there is no majesty and there is no might save in allah the glorious the great if i slew thy son i slew him by chance medley i pray thee now pardon me

rejoined the jinny there is no help but i must slay thee then he seized him and dragged him along and casting him to the earth raised the sword to strike him whereupon the merchant wept and said i commit my case to allah and began repeating these couplets containeth time a twain of days this of blessing that of bain and holdeth life a twain of halves this of pleasure that of pain cease not when blows the hurricane sweeping stark and striking strong none save the forest giant feels the suffering of the strain how many trees earth nourisheth of the dry and of the green yet none of those which bear the fruits for cast of stone complain cease not how corpses rise and float on the surface of the tide while pearls a price lie hidden in the deepest of the main in heaven are unnumbered the many of the stars yet narrow a star but sun and moon by eclipse is o'erethean well judest thou the days that saw thy faring sound and well and countest not the pangs and pain whereof fate is never fain the knights have kept thee safe and the safety brought thee pride but bliss and blessings of the night are genderous of bane when the merchant ceased repeating these verily. verses, the jinny said to him, Cut thy words wrought by Allah,

Needs must I slay thee. But the merchants spake him thus. Know, O thou, ifrit, that I have debts due to me, and much wealth and children and wife, and many pledges in hand, so permit me to go home and discharge to every claimant his claim,

and I will come back to thee at the head of the new year. Allah be my testimony in shorty, that I will return to thee, and then thou mayst do with me as thou wilt, and Allah is witness to what I say. The jinny took sure promise of him and let him go, so he returned to his own city and transacted his business

and rendered to all men their dues, and after informing his wife and children of what had betided him, he appointed a guardian and dwelt with them for a full year. Then he arose and made the wuzu ablution to purify himself before death, and took his shroud under his arm, and bade farewell to his people, his neighbours, and all his kiss and kin, and went forth, despite his own nose. Then they began weeping and wailing and beating their breasts over him, but he travelled until he arrived at the same garden, and the day of his arrival was the head of the new year.

As he sat weeping over what had befallen him, behold, a sheikh, a very ancient man, drew near, leading a chain gazelle, and he saluted the merchant and wishing him long life said what is the cause of thy sitting in this place and thou alone and this be a resort of evil spirits the merchant related to him what had come to pass with the ephret and the old man the owner of the gazelle wandered and said by allah o brother thy faith is none other than exceeding faith and thy story right strange were ad graven with gravers on the eye corners it were a warner to whoso would be warned then seating himself near the merchant he said by allah o my brother i will not leave thee until i see what may come to pass with thee in this ifret and presently as he sat and the two were at talk the merchant began to feel fear and terror and exceeding grief and sorrow beyond relief and ever-growing care and extreme despair and the owner of the gazelle was hard by his side when behold a second sheikh approached them and with him were two dogs both of greyhound breed and both black the second old man after saluting them with the salam also asked them of their tidings and said what causes you to sit in this place a dwelling of the jan so they told him the tale from beginning to end and their stay there had not lasted long before there came up a third shake and with him a she-mule of bright bay-coat, and he saluted them, and asked them why they were seated in that place. So they told him the story from first to last, and of no avail, oh my master,

is a twice-told tale. There he sat down with them, and lo! A dust-cloud advanced, and a mighty send devil appeared amid most of the waste. Presently the cloud opened, and behold, within it was that jinny, handing in hand adrawn, sword, while his eyes were shooting fire-sparks of rage. He came up to them, and, hailing away the merchant from among them, cried to them, arise that I may slay thee, as thou slewest my son, the life-stuff of my liver. The merchant wailed and wept, and the three old men began sighing and crying, and weeping and wailing with their companion. Presently the first old man, the owner of the gazelle, came out from among them, and kissed the hand of the Ifrit, and said,

O Ginny, thou crown of the kings of the Jan, write to tell thee the story of me and this gazelle, and thou shouldst consider it wondrous, wouldst thou give me a third part of this merchant's blood? Then quoth the Ginny. Even so, O Sheikh, if thou tell me this tale, and I hold it a marvellous, then I will give thee a third of his blood. Thereupon the old man began to tell the first sheikh's story. Know O' jinny that this gazelle is the daughter of my paternal uncle, my own flesh and blood,

and I married her when she was a young maid, and I lived with her well-nigh thirty years, yet was I not blessed with issue by her. So I took me a concubine, who brought to me the boon of a male child, fair as the full moon, with eyes of lovely shine and eyebrows which fall. formed one line and limbs of perfect design. Little by little he grew in statue and waxed tall, and when he was a lad fifteen years old, it became needful I should journey to certain cities,

and I travelled with great store of goods. But the daughter of my uncle, this gazelle, had learned grumery and egregomency and clerkly craft from her childhood, so she bewitched that son of mine to a calf, and my handmaid, his mother, to a heifer, and made them over to the herdsman's care. Now when I returned after a long time from my journey,

and asked for my son and his mother, she answered me, saying, Thy slave girl is dead, and thy son hath fled, and I know not whether he is sped. So I remained for a whole year with grieving heart and streaming eyes, until the time came for the great festival of Allah. then sent i to my herdsman bidding him choose for me a fat heifer and he brought me one which was the damsel my handmaid whom this gazelle had ensorseled i tucked up my sleeves and skirt and taking a knife proceeded to cut her throat but she loud aloud aloud and wept bitter tears thereat i marvelled and pity seized me and i held my hand saying to the herd bring me other than this

Then cried my cousin, slay her, for I have not a fatter nor a fairer. Once more I went forward to sacrifice her, but she again loud aloud aloud, upon which in Ruth I refrained, and commanded the herdsman to slay her and flay her. He killed her and skinned her, but found in her neither fat nor flesh, only hide and bone, and I repented when penitence availed me naught. I gave her to the herdsman and said to him, fetch me a fat calf, so he brought my son in sorsalt.

When the calf saw me, he broke his tether and ran to me, and fawned upon me and wailed and shed tears, so that I took pity on him and said to the herdsman, Bring me a heifer, and let this calf go. Thereupon my cousin, says Gazelle, Called aloud at me, saying, Needs must thou kill this calf, This is a holy day, and a blessed.

were on noughtus slain save what be perfect pure, and we have not amongst our calves any fatter or fairer than this. Quoth I, look thou upon the condition of the heifer which I slaughtered at thy bidding, and how we turn from her in disappointment, and she profited us on no wise. And I repent was an exceeding repentance of having killed her, so this time I will not obey thy bidding for the sacrifice of this calf. quoth she by allah the most great the compassionating the compassionate there is no help for it thou must kill him on this holy day and if thou kill him not to me thou art no man and i to thee am no wife now when i heard those hard words not knowing her object i went up to the calf knife and hand and shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say then quoth her sister to her how fair is thy tale and how grateful and how sweet and how tasteful and shahrazad answered her what is this to that i could tell thee on the coming night where i to live and the king would spare me

then said the king to himself by allah i will not slay her until i shall have heard the rest of her tale so they slept the rest of that night in mutual embrace till day fully break then the king went forth to his audience hall and the wazir went up with his daughter's shroud under his arm the king issued his orders and promoted this and deposed that until the end of the day and he told the wazir no wit of what had happened but the minister wandered thereat with exceeding wonder and when the court broke up king sharia entered his palace when it was the second night said danyazad to her sister shahrazad oh my sister finish for us that story of the merchant and the jinny and she answered with joy and goodly gree if the king permit me then quoth the king tell thy tale and shahrazad began in these words it hath reached me o auspicious king and heaven-directed ruler that when the merchant purposed the sacrifice of the calf but saw it weeping his heart relented and he said to the her herdsman, keep the calf among my cattle. All this, the old sheikh, told the jinny, who marvelled much at these strange words. Then the owner of the gazelle, continued, O lord of the kings of the Jan, this much took place,

and my uncle's daughter, this gazelle, looked on and saw it, and said, Butch me this calf, for surely it is a fat one. But I bade the herdsman take it away, and he took it, and turned his face homewards. On the next day, as I was sitting in my own house, lo, the herdsman came, and, standing before me, said, O my master, I will tell thee a thing which shall gladden thy soul, and shall gain me the gift of good tidings. I answered, even so. Then said he, O merchant, I have a daughter, and she learned magic in her childhood from an old woman who lived with us.

Yesterday, when thou gavest me the calf, I went into the house to her, and she looked upon it and veiled her face. Then she wept and laughed alternately, and at last she said, O my father, hath mine honour become so cheap to thee that thou bringest in to me strange men? I asked her,

Where be these strange men, and why wast thou laughing and crying? And she answered, Of a truth, this calf, which is with thee, is the son of our master, the merchant, but he is ensorcelled by his step-dame, who bewitched both him and his mother, such is the course of my laughing. Now the reason of his weeping is his mother, for that his father slew her unawares. Then I marvelled at this with exceeding marvel, and hardly made sure that

they had dawned before I came to tell thee. When I heard, O' jinny, my herdsman's words, I went out with him, and I was drunken without wine, from the excesses. of joy and gladness which came upon me until I reached his house. There his daughter welcomed me, and kissed my hand, and forthwith the calf came and fawned upon me as before. Quoth I to the herdsman's daughter, is this true that thou sayest of this calf? Quoth she, yea, O my master, he is thy son, the very core of thy heart. I rejoiced and said to her, O maiden, if thou wilt release him,

thine shall be whatever cattle and property of mine are under thy father's hand. She smiled and answered, O my master, I have no greed for the goods, nor will I take them, save on two conditions. The first, that thou marry me to thy son, and the second, that I may bewitch her who bewitched him, and imprison her, otherwise I cannot be safe from her malice and malpractices. Now when I heard, O' jinny, these, the words of the herdsman's daughter, i replied beside what thou askest all the cattle and the household staff in thy father's charge are thine and as for the daughter of my uncle her blood is lawful to thee when i had spoken she took a cup and filled it with water then she recited a spell over it and sprinkled it upon the calf saying if almighty allah created thee a calf remained so shaped and changed not but if thou be enchanted return to the

thy willam form, by command of Allah most highest. And lo, he trembled and became a man. Then I fell on his neck and said, Allah upon thee, tell me all that the daughter of my uncle did by thee and by thy mother. And when he told me what had come to pass between them, I said, O my son, Allah favoured thee with one to restore thee, and thy right hath returned to thee. Then, O Ginny, I married the herdsman's daughter to him. him, and she transformed my wife into this gazelle, saying, Her shape is as comely, and by no means loathsome. After this she abode with us, night and day, day and night, till the Almighty took her to himself.

When she deceased, my son fared forth to the cities of hind, even to the city of this man, who hath done to thee what has been done. And I also took this gazelle, my cousin, and wandered with her from town to town, seeking tidings of my son till destiny drove me to this place where i saw the merchant sitting in tears such is my tale quoth the jinny this story is indeed strange and therefore i grant thee the third part of his blood thereupon the second old man who owned the two greyhounds came up and said o jinny if i recount to thee what befell me from my brothers these two hounds and thou see that tis a tale even more wondrous and marvellous than what thou hast heard will thou grant me also the third of this man's blood replied the jinny thou hast my word for it if thine adventurers be more marvellous and wondrous Thereupon he thus began the second shakes story. End of Section 2 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night.

Recorded by Gazzine in January 2008. The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 3. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox. Volume 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Knight, translated by Richard Burton. Section 3 No, O Lord of the Kings of the Jan, that these two dogs are my brothers, and I am the third.

Now, when our father died and left us a capital of 3,000 gold pieces, I opened a shop with my share, and bought and sold therein, and in light guys, did my two brothers, each setting up a shop. But I had been in business no long while, before the elder sold his stock for a thousand dinars, and after buying outfit and merchandise, went his ways to foreign parts. He was absent one whole year with the caravan, but one day, as I sat in my shop, behold, a beggar stood before me, asking arms, and I said to him, Allah opened thee another door whereupon he answered, weeping the while, Am I so changed that thou knowest me not? Then I looked at him narrowly, and lo! It was my brother. So I rose to him and welcomed him.

Then I seated him in my shop and put questions concerning his case. Ask me not, answered he, my wealth is a waste, and my state hath waxed unstated. So I took him to the Hammam bath, and clad him in a suit of my own, and gave him to him lodging in my house. Moreover, after looking over the accounts of my stock in trade and the profits of my business, I found that industry had gained me one thousand dinars, while my principal, the head of my wealth, amounted to two thousand. So I shared the whole with him, saying, Assume that thou hast made no journey abroad, but hast remained at home, and be not cast down by thine ill luck. He took the share in great glee, and opened for himself a shop, and matters went on quietly

for a few nights and days. But presently my second brother, yon other dog, also setting his heart upon travel, sold off what goods and stock in trade he had, and, albeit we tried to stay him, he would not be stayed. He laid in an outfit for the journey, and fared forth with certain wayfarers. After an absence of a whole year He came back to me Even as my elder brother had come back And when I said to him Oh my brother did I not dissuade thee from travel

He shed tears and cried Oh my brother This be destiny's decree Here I am a mere beggar Peniless and without a shirt to my back So I led him to the bath Oginni And clothing him in new clothes of my own wear

I went with him to my shop and served him with meat and drink. Furthermore, I said to him, O my brother, I am wont to cast up my shop accounts at the head of every year, and whatso I shall find of surplusage is between me and thee. So I proceeded, O'Efrite, to strike a balance,

and finding two thousand dinars of profit, I returned praises to the Creator, be he extolled and exalted, and made over one half to my brother, keeping the other to myself. Thereupon he busied himself with opening a shop and on this wise we abode many days. After a time my brothers began pressing me to travel with them,

but I refused, saying, What gained ye by travel voyage that I should gain thereby? As I would not give ear to them, we went back each to his own shop where we bought and sold as before. They kept urging me to travel for a whole twelve-twelfth, month, but I refused to do so till full six years were passed and gone, when I consented with these words, O my brothers, here am I, your companion of travel. Now let me see what monies you have by you. I found, however, that they had not a doit, having squandered their substance in high

diet and drinking, and carnal delights. Yet I spoke not a word of reproach, so far from it I looked over my shop accounts once more, and sold what goods and stock in trade were mine, and finding myself the owner of six thousand ducats, I gladly proceeded to divide that sum in halves, saying to my brothers, these three thousand gold pieces offer me and for you to trade with all, adding, let us bury the other moiety underground that it may be of service in case any harm befall us, in which case each shall take a thousand wherewith to open shops. Both replied, Right is thy wrecking, And I gave to each one his thousand gold pieces,

Keeping the same sum for myself, To wit a thousand dinars. We then got ready suitable goods, and hired a ship, And having embarked our merchandise, Proceeded on our voyage, Day following day, a full month, After which we arrived at a city, Where we sold our venture,

And for every piece of gold, we gained ten. And as we turned again to our voyage, we found on the shore of the sea a maiden clad in worn and ragged gear. And she kissed my hand and said, Oh, Master, is there kindness in thee and charity? I can make thee a fitting return for them. I answered, Even so, truly in me are benevolence and good works, even though thou render me no return. Then she said, Take me to wife, O my master, and carry me to thy city,

for I have given myself to thee. So do me a kindness, and I am of those who be meet for good works and charity. I will make thee a fitting return for these, and be thou not shamed by my condition. When I heard her words, my heart yearned towards her, in such sort as willed it Allah,

be he extolled and exalted, and took her and clothed her, and made ready for her a fair resting place in the vessel, and honourably entreaty. her. So we voyaged on, and my heart became attached to her with exceeding attachment, and I was separated from her neither night nor day, and I paid more regard to her than to my brothers. Then they were estranged from me, and waxed jealous of my wealth and the quantity of merchandise I had, and their eyes were opened covetously upon all my property.

So they took counsel to murder me and seize my wealth, saying, let us slay our brother, and all his monies will be ours. And Satan made this deed seem fair in their sight, so when they found me in privacy, and I are sleeping by my wife's side, they took us both up and cast us into the sea. My wife awoke, startled from her sleep, and forthright becoming an effrita,

she bore me up and carried me to an island, and disappeared for a short time, but she returned in the morning and said, here am I thy faithful slave Who hath made thee due recompense For I bore thee up in the waters And saved thee from death By command of the Almighty

Know that I am a geniiah And as I saw thee My heart loved thee by will of the Lord For I am a believer in Allah And in his apostle Whom heaven bless and preserve Thereupon I came to thee Conditioned as thou soest me

And thou didst marry me And see now I have saved thee from sinking. But I am angered against thy brothers, and assuredly I must slay them. When I heard her story I was surprised, and thanking her for all she had done, I said, But as to slaying my brothers, this must not be. Then I told her the tale of what had come to pass with them from the beginning of our lives to the end, and on hearing it, quoth she, This night will I fly as a bird over them, and will sink their ship and slay them. quoth I

Allah upon thee Do not thus For the proverb saith O thou who doest good To him that doth evil Leave the evil doer To his evil deeds Moreover they are still my brothers

But she rejoined By Allah There is no help for it But I slay them I humbled myself Before her for their pardon Whereupon she bore me up And flew away with me

Till at last She set me down on the terrace roof of my own house. I opened the doors and took up what I had hidden in the ground, and after I had saluted the folk, I opened my shop and bought me merchandise. Now when night came on I went home, and there I saw these two hounds tied up. And when they sighted me, they arose and whined and fawned upon me, but ere I knew what happened, my wife said,

These two dogs be thy brothers. I answered, and who were you? hath done this thing by them, and she rejoined. I sent a message to my sister, and she entreated them on this wise, nor shall these two be released from their present shape till ten years shall have passed. And now I have arrived at this place on my way to my wife's sister, that she may deliver them from this condition, after they're having endured it for half a score of years. As I was wending onwards I saw this young man who acquainted me with what had befallen him. and I determined not to fare hence

Until I should see what might occur between thee and him Such is my tale Then said the Ginny Surely this is a strange story And therefore I give thee the third portion of his blood and his crime Thereupon quoth the third shake The master of the mere mule to the jinny I can tell thee a tale more wondrous than these two

So thou grant me the remainder of his blood and his offence and the Ginny answered, So be it. Then the old man began. The third Sheikh's story. Know, O Sultan and head of the Jan, that this mill was my wife. Now, it so happened that I went forth and was absent one whole year, and when I returned from my journey, I came to her by night, and saw a black slave lying with her on the carpet bed,

and they were talking and dallying and laughing and kissing, and playing the close buttock game. When she saw me, she rose and came hurriedly at me with a gouglet of water, and muttering spells over it, she besprinkled me and said, Come forth from this thy shape, into the shape of a dog. And I became, on the instant, a dog. She drove me out of the house, and I ran through the doorway, nor ceased running until I came to a butcher's stall,

where I stopped and began to eat what bones were there. When the stall-owner saw me, He took me and led me into his house. But as soon as his daughter had sight of me, she veiled her face from me, crying out, dost thou bring men to me, and dost thou come in with them to me? Her father asked,

Where is the man? And she answered, This dog is a man, whom his wife hath ensorseled, and I am able to release him. When her father heard her words, He said, Allah upon thee, O my daughter,

Release him! So she took a gouglet of walt. water, and after uttering words over it, sprinkled upon me a few drops, saying, Come forth from that form into thy former form, and I returned to my natural shape. Then I kissed her hand, and said, I wish thou wouldest transform my wife, even as she transformed me. Thereupon she gave me some water, saying, As soon as thou see her asleep, sprinkle this liquid upon her,

and speak what words thou heardest me utter, so, shall she become whatsoever thou desirest. I went to my wife and found her fast asleep, and while sprinkling the water upon her, I said, Come forth from that form into the form of a mere mule. So she became, on the instant, a she-mule. And she it is whom thou seest with thine eyes, O sultan and head of the kings of the Jan.

Then the jinny turned towards her and said, Is this sooth? and she nodded her head and replied by signs. Indeed tis the truth, for such is my tale, and this is what hath befallen me. Now, when the old man had ceased speaking, the jinny shook with pleasure, and gave him the third of the merchant's blood, and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth Dunyazard, O my sister, how pleasant is thy tale, and how tasteful, how sweet and how grateful.

She replied, And what is this, compared with that I could tell thee, the night to come, if I live and the king spare me? Then thought the king, By Allah, I will not slay her, until I hear the rest of her tale, for truly it is wondrous. So they rested that night in mutual embrace until the dawn.

After this the king went forth to his hall of estate, and the wazir and the troops came in, and the court was crowded, and the king gave orders and judged, and appointed and deposed, bidding and forbidding during the rest of the day. Then the divan broke up, and King Shahrir entered his palace.

When it was the third night, and the king had had his will of the Wazir's daughter, Dunyazade, her sister, said to her, Finish for us that tale of thine, and she replied, With joy and goodly gree, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, That when the third old man told a tale to the jinny,

More wondrous than the two preceding, The jinny marvelled with exceeding marvel, And shaking with delight, cried, Lo, I have given thee the remainder of the merchant's punishment, And for thy sake have I released him. Thereupon the merchant embraced the old men and thanked them, And these shakes wished him joy on being saved, and fared forth each one for his own city.

Yet this tale is not more wondrous than the fisherman's story. Ask the king, what is the fisherman's story? And she answered by relating the tale of the fisherman and the jinny. It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that there was a fisherman, well stricken in years, who had a wife and three children, and with all was of poor condition. Now it was his custom to cast his net,

every day four times and no more. On a day he went forth about noontide to the seashore, where he laid down his basket, and tucking up his shirt and plunging into the water, made a cast with his net, and waited till it settled to the bottom. Then he gathered the cords together, and hailed away at it, but found it weighty, and however much he drew it landwards, he could not put it up, so he carried the ends ashore, and drove a stake into the ground, and made the net fast to it. Then he stripped and dived into the water all about the net, and left not off working hard until he had brought it up.

He rejoiced thereat, and donning his clothes, went to the net, where he found in it a dead jackass, which had torn the meshes. Now when he saw it, he exclaimed in his grief, There is no majesty, and there is no might, save in Allah the glorious, the great. Then quoth he, This is a strange manner of daily bread, And he began reciting in extemporary verse, O toiler through the glooms of night,

In peril and in pain, Thy toiling stint for daily bread Comes not by might and main. Seest thou not the fisher, Seeker float upon the sea, His bread, while glimmer stars of night, As set in tangled skein. Anon he plungeth in,

Despite the buffet of the waves, the while to sight the belling net his eager glances strain till joying at the night's success a fish he bringeth home whose gullet by the hook of fate was caught and cut in twain when buys that fish of him a man who spent the hours of night reckless of cold and wet and gloom in ease and comfort fain lord to the lord who gives to this to that denies his wishes his wishes and dooms one toil and catch the prey, and other eat the fishes. Then quoth he, Up and to it, I am sure of his beneficence, inshallah.

So he continued. When thou art seized of evil fate, Assume the noble souls long-suffering, Tis thy best. Complain not to the creature, This be plaint, From one most ruthless, to the ruthlessest.

The fisherman, when he had looked at the dead ass, got it free of the toils and wrung out and spread his net. Then he plunged into the sea, saying, In Allah's name! And made a cast and pulled at it, but it grew heavy and settled down more firmly than the first time. Now he thought that there were fish in it, and he made it fast,

and doffing his clothes, went into the water, and dived and huddered and huddered and huddered, until he drew it up upon dry land. Then found he in it a large earthen pitcher, which was full of sand and mud. And seeing this, he was greatly troubled, and began repeating these verses. Forbear, O troubles of the world,

and pardon, and ye nil forbear. I went to seek my daily bread, I find that breadless I must fare. For neither handcraft brings me aught, nor fate allots to me a share, How many fools the Pliads reach, While darkness whelms the wise and wear. So he prayed pardon of Allah,

And throwing away the jar, wrung his net, and cleansed it, And returned to the sea the third time, To cast his net, and waited till it had sunk. Then he pulled at it, and found therein pot-shirts and broken glass, Whereupon he began to speak these verses. he is to thee that daily bread thou canst nor loose nor bind nor pen nor writ avail thee aught thy daily bread to find for joy and daily bread are what fate deigneth to allow this soil is sad and sterile ground while that makes glad the hind the shafts of time and life bear down for many a man of worth while bearing up to high degree whites of ignoble mind so come thou death for verily life is not worth a straw when lo the falcon falls withal the mallard wings the wind No wonder tis thou seest how the great of soul and mind,

A poor and many a loser Carl to height of luck designed. This bird shall overfly the world from east to furthest west, And that shall win her every wish, though ne'er she leave the nest. Then raising his eyes heavenwards, he said, Oh my God, verily thou wottest that I cast not my net each day save four times. the third is done and as yet thou hast vouchsafed me nothing so this time o my god deign give me my daily bread then having called on allah's name he again threw his net and waited it sinking and settling whereupon he hailed at it but could not draw it in for that it was entangled at the bottom he cried out in his vexation there is no majesty and there is no might save in allah and he began reciting "'Fie on this wretched world, and so it be,

"'I must be whelmed by grief and misery. "'Though gladsome be-man's lot when dawns the morn, "'he drains the cup of woe ere eve he see. "'Yet was I one of whom the world when asked, "'whose lot is happiest, oft would say, tis he. "'Thereupon he stripped, and diving down to the net, "'bisied himself with it till it came to land, Then he opened the meshes

and found therein a cucumber-shaped jar of yellow copper, evidently full of something whose mouth was made fast with a leaden cap stamped with the seal-ring of our lord Suleiman, son of David. Allah except the twain. Seeing this the fisherman rejoiced and said, If I sell it in the brass bazaar, it is worth ten golden dinars.

He shook it and finding it heavy, continued, would to heaven I knew what is herein, but I must and will open it, and look to its contents, and store it in my bag, and sell it in the brass market. And taking out a knife, he worked at the lead,

till he had loosened it from the jar, then he laid the cup on the ground, and shook the vase, to pour out whatever might be inside. He found nothing in it, whereat he marvelled with an exceeding marvel. But presently there came forth from the jar a smoke, which spired heavenwards into ether,

whereat he again marvelled with mighty marvel, and which trailed along earth's surface, till presently, having reached its full height, the thick vapour condensed, and became an effreate huge of bulk, whose crest touched the clouds while his feet were on the ground. His head was as a dome,

his hands like pitchforks, his legs long as masts, and his mouth big as a cave. His teeth were like large stones, his nostrils, ewers, his eyes two lamps, and his look was fierce and lowering. Now when the fisherman saw the Ephrit, his side muscles quivered, his teeth chattered, his spittle dried up, and he became blind about what to do. Upon this, the Ephrit looked at him, and cried, There is no God but the God, and Suleiman is the prophet of God. Presently adding, O Apostle of Allah, slay me not, never again will I gainsay thee in word nor sin against thee indeed quoth the fisherman o marid didst thou say

Suleiman the apostle of Allah and Sulaiman is dead some thousand and eight hundred years ago and we are now in the last days of the world what is thy story and what is thy account of thyself and what is the cause of thy entering into this cucubit when the evil spirit heard the words of the fisherman quoth he, There is no God But thee God, Be of good cheer, O fisherman. Quoth the fisherman,

Why biddest thou me to be of good cheer? And he replied, Because of thy having to die An ill death in this very hour, said the fisherman, Thou deservest for thy good tidings The withdrawal of heaven's protection, O thou distant one.

Wherefore shouldest thou kill me? And what thing have I done to deserve death? I, who freed thee from the jar, and saved thee from the depths of the sea, and brought thee up on the dry land. Replied the Ephrit, ask me only what mode of death thou wilt die, and by what manner of slaughter shall I slay thee. Rejoined the fisherman, What is my crime and wherefore such retribution?

Quoth the Ephrit, hear my story, O fisherman, and he answered, Say on, and be brief in thy saying, for a very sooth my life breath is in my nostrils. Thereupon quoth the jinny, Know that I am one among the heretical Jan, And I sinned against Sulaiman, David's son. On the twain be peace.

I together with the famous Sachraljinni, whereupon the prophet sent his minister, Asav, son of Barthia, to seize me, and this wazir brought me against my will, and led me in bonds to him, I being downcast, despite my nose, and he placed me standing before him like a suppliant. When Suleiman saw me he took refuge with Allah

and bade me embrace the true faith and obey his behests. But I refused, so, sending for this corkobit, he shut me up therein, and stopped it over with lead, whereon he impressed the most high name, and gave his orders to the Jan, who carried me off, and cast me into the midmost of the ocean. There I abode an hundred years, During which I said in my heart,

Whoso shall release me, Him will I enrich for ever and ever. But the full century went by, And when no one set me free, I entered upon the second five score, Saying, Whoso shall release me, For him I will open the hordes of the earth.

Still no one set me free, And thus four hundred years passed away. Then quoth I, Whoso shall release me, for him will I fulfil three wishes. Yet no one set me free. Thereupon I waxed wrath with exceeding wrath, and said to myself,

Whoso shall release me from this time forth, Him will I slay, and I will give him choice of what death he will die. And now, as thou hast released me, I give thee full choice of deaths. The fisherman, hearing the words of the Ifrit, said, O Allah, the wonder of it, that I have not come to free thee, save in these days,

adding, Spare my life, so Allah spare thine, And slay me not, lest Allah set one to slay thee. Replied the consummacious one, There is no help for it, die thou must, So ask me by way of boon what manner of death thou wilt die. Albeit thus certified, the fisherman again addressed the Ephrit, saying,

Forgive me this my death as a generous reward for having freed thee. and the Iphrit. Surely I would not slay thee, save on account of that same release. O chief of the Ifreates, said the fisherman, I do thee good, and thou requitest me with evil.

In very sooth, the old sore lieth not, when it saith, We wrought them wheel, They met our wheel with ill. Such by my life Is every bad man's labour. To him who benefits

Unworthy whites, shall hap what hapt to Umi Amir's neighbour. Now, when near Freit heard these words, he answered, No more of this talk, needs must I kill thee. Upon this the fisherman said to himself, This is a jinny, and I am a man to whom Allah hath given a passably cunning wit, so I will now cast about to compass his destruction by my contrivance,

and by mine intelligence, even as he took counsel only of his malice and his frowardness. He began by asking the Ephrit, Hast thou indeed resolved to kill me, And receiving for all answer, even so, He cried, Now in the most great name, Graven on the seal ring of Suleiman, the son of David, Peace be with the holy twain,

And I question thee on a certain matter, wilt thou give me a true answer? The Ephreet replied, Yea, but hearing mention of the most great name, His wits were troubled, And he said with trembling, Ask and be brief. quoth the fisherman how didst thou fit into this bottle which would not hold thy hand no nor even thy foot and how came it to be large enough to contain the whole of thee replied the ephrit

what dost not believe that i was all there and the fisherman rejoined nay i will never believe it until i see thee inside with my own eyes And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the fourth night, her sister said to her, Please finish us this tale, and thou be not sleepy. So she resumed. It hath reached me, O auspicious king, But when the fisherman said to thee, I will never and nowise believe thee, Until I see thee inside it with mine own eyes, The evil spirit on the instant shook, And became a man.

a vapour which condensed, and entered the jar little and little, till all was well inside, when lo, the fishermen in hot haste, took the leaden cap with the seal, and stoppered therewith the mouth of the jar, and called out to the Ifrit, saying, Ask me by way of Boon what death thou wilt die. By Allah, I will throw thee into the sea before us, and here will I build me a lodge, and whoso cometh hither, I will warn him against fishing, and will say, In these waters abideth an Ephreit, who giveth as a last favour, A choice of deaths and fashion of slaughter, to the man who saveth him. Now when the Ephreet heard this from the fisherman, and saw himself in limbo,

he was minded to escape, but this was prevented by Solomon's seal, So he knew that the fisherman had cousined and outwitted him, and he waxed lowly and submissive, and began humbly to say, I did but jest with thee. but the other answered Thou liest, a vilest of the effreits and meanest and filthiest

And he set off with the bottle For the seaside, The effreate calling out Nay, nay! And he calling out, Aye, aye! Thereupon the evil spirit softened his voice

And smoothed his speech And abased himself saying What wouldest thou do with me, O fisherman? I will throw thee back into the sea, He answered, Where thou hast been housed and homed for a thousand and eight hundred years, and now I will leave thee therein till judgment day.

Did I not say to thee, spare me, and Allah shall spare thee, and slay me not, lest Allah slay thee. Yet thou spurnedest my supplication, and hadst no intention save to deal ungraciously by me, and Allah hath now thrown thee into my hands, and I am cunninger than thou. Quoth the Ephrit, Open for me, and I may bring thee, wheel. Quoth the fisherman, thou liest, thou accursed, My case with thee is that of the wazir of King Yunnan with the sage Duban. And who was the wazir of King Yunnan, and who was the sage du ban? And what was the story about them? Quoth the Ephrit, whereupon the fisherman began to tell.

The tale of the wazir and the sage Duban. No, O thou, Ifreet, that in days of yore and in age of war, and in age of war, long gone before, a king called Yunnan reigned over the city of Fars of the land of Rune. He was a powerful ruler and a wealthy, who had armies and guards and allies of all the nations of men, but his body was afflicted with a leprosy which leeches and men of science failed to heal. He drank potions, and he swallowed powders, and he used unguents, but naught did him good and none among the host of physicians availed to procure him a cure. At last there came to his city a mighty healer of men, and one well-stricken in years, the sage Duban height. This man was a

reader of books, Greek, Persian, Roman, Arabian and Syrian, and he was skilled in astronomy and in leechcraft, the theoret as well as the practic. He was experienced in all that healeth and that hurteth the body, conversant with the virtues of every plant, grass and herb, and their benefit and bane, and he understood philosophy, and had compassed the whole range of medical science and other branches of the knowledge tree. Now this physician passed but few days in the city, ere he heard of the king's malady, and all his bodily sufferings, through the leprosy with which Allah had smitten him, and how all the doctors and wise men had failed to, and he heard to heal him. Upon this he sat up through the night in deep thought, and when broke the dawn,

and appeared the morn, and light was again born, and the sun greeted the good whose beauties the world adorn, he donned his handsomest dress, and going in to King Yunnan, he kissed the ground before him. Then he prayed for the endurance of his honour and prosperity in fairest language, and made himself known, saying, O King, tidings have reached me of what befell thee through that which is in thy person, and how the host of physicians have proved themselves unavailing to abate it, and lo, I can cure thee, O king, and yet will I not make thee drink of draft or anoint thee with ointment. Now when King Yunnan heard his words, he said in huge surprise, How wilt thou do this, by Allah, if thou make me whole, I will enrich thee even to thy son's son,

and I will give thee sumptuous gifts, and what so thou wishest shall be thine, and thou shalt be to me a cup companion and a friend. The king then robed him with a dress of honour, and entreated him graciously, and asked him, canst thou indeed cure me of this complaint without drug and unguent? And he answered, yes, I will heal thee without the pains and penalties of medicine. The king marvelled with exceeding marvel and said,

O physician, when shall this be whereof thou speakest, and in how many days shall it take place? Hast thee, O my son? He replied, I hear and I obey, The cure shall begin to-morrow. So saying he went forth from the presence, and hired himself a house in the city for the better storage of his books and scrolls,

his medicines, and his aromatic roots. Then he set to work at choosing the fittest drugs and simples, and he fashioned a bat, hollow within, and furnished with a handle without, for which he made a ball, the two being prepared with consummate art. On the next day when both were ready for use and wanted nothing more, he went up to the king, and kissing the ground between his hands, bat him ride forth on the parade-ground, there to play at Pal and Mal. He was accompanied by his suite, emirs and chamberlains, wazirs and lords of the realm,

and ere he was seated, the sage Duban came up to him, and handing him the bat, said, Take this mouth, and grip it as I do, so. And now push for the plain, and leaning well over thy horse, drive the ball with all thy might, until thy palm be moist, and thy body perspire. Then the medicine will penetrate through thy palm, and will permeate thy person. When thou hast done with playing, and thou feelest the effects of the medicine, return to thy palace, and make the Guzzle ablation in the Hamam bath, and lay thee down to sleep. So shalt thou become whole, and now peace be with thee. Thereupon King Yunnan took the bat from the sage, and grasped it firmly.

Then, mounting steed, he drove the ball before him, and galloped after it till he reached it, when he struck it with all his might, his palm gripping the bat-handle the while, and he ceased not malling the ball till his hand waxed moist, and his skin perspiring imbibed the medicine from the wood. Then the sage Dubar knew that the drugs had penetrated his person, and bad him return to the palace, and enter the hamam without stay or delay. So King Yunnan forthright returned,

and ordered them to clear for him the bath. They did so, the carpet spreaders making all haste, and the slaves all hurry. and got ready a change of raiment for the king. He entered the bath and made the total ablution long and thoroughly, then donned his clothes within the hamam, and rode therefrom to his palace, where he lay down and slept. End of, Section 3, of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night.

The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 4. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night Volume 1 Translated by Richard Burton Section 4 Such was the case with King Yunnan

But as regards the sage Duvarn, he was the sage of Varn, returned home and slept as usual, and when morning dawned he repaired to the palace and craved audience. The king ordered him to be admitted. Then, having kissed the ground between his hands, in allusion to the king, he recited these couplets with solemn intonation. Happy is eloquence when thou art named her sire, but mourns she when, as other man, the title claimed. O lord of fairest presence, whose illuming rays, clear off the fogs of doubt I veiling deeds

High famed Now cease thy face To shine like dawn And rise of morn And never show time's face With heat of ire inflamed Thy grace hath favoured us With gifts, but worked such wise

As rain-clouds raining on the hills by words Imframed Freely thou lavish'd Thy wealth to rise on high till one from time the heights were at thy grandeur aim. Now when the sage ceased reciting, the king rose quickly to his feet and fell on his neck.

Then, seating him by his side, he bade dress him in a sumptuous dress, for it had so happened that when the king left the hum-arm, he looked on his body and saw no trace of leprosy. The skin was all clean as virgin silver. He joyed thereat with the king, with exceeding joy, his breast broadened with delight, and he felt thoroughly happy. Presently, when it was full day, he entered his audience hall, and sat upon the throne of his

kingship, whereupon his chamberlains and grantees flocked to the presence, and with them the sage du barn. Seeing the leech, the king rose to him in honour, and seated him by his side. Then the food-trays furnished with the daintiest viands were brought, and the physician ate with the king, nor did he cease companying him all that day. Moreover, at nightfall, he gave the physician Duban two thousand gold pieces, besides the usual dress of honour, and other gifts galore, and sent him home on his own steed. After the sage had fared forth, King Yunnan again expressed his amazement at the leech's art, saying, This man medicined my body from without, nor anointed me with aught of ointment, By Allah, surely this is none other than consummate skill.

I am bound to honour such a man with rewards and distinction, and take him to my companion and my friend during the remainder of my days. So King Yunnan passed the night in joy and gladness, for that his body had been made whole, and had thrown off so pernicious a malady. On the morrow the king went forth from his seraglio, and sat upon his throne, and the lords of his states stood about him, and the emirs and wazirs sat as was their want on his right hand and on his left. Then he asked for the sage Duvarn, who came in and kissed the ground before him.

When the king rose to greet him, and seating him by his side, ate with him and wished him long life. Moreover, he robed him and gave him gifts, and ceased not conversing with him until night approached. Then the king ordered him, by way of salary, five dresses of honour, and, and, and, he reaped not, and, and heced not conversing with him, and he said, and, he said not hectoring with him, and a thousand dinars. The physician returned to his own house, full of gratitude to the king. Now, when next morning dawned, the king repaired to his audience hall,

and his lords and nobles surrounded him, and his chamberlains, and his ministers, as the white encloseeth the black of the eye. Now, the king had a wazir among his wazirs, unsightly to look upon, an ill-omened spectacle, sordid, ungenerous,

full of envy and evil will. When this minister saw the king place the physician near him and give him all these gifts, he jaloused him and planned to do him harm, as in the saying on such subject, envy lurks in everybody, and the saying, oppression hideeth in every heart, power revealeth it, and weakness concealeth it. Then the minister came before the king, and kissing the ground between his hands, said, O king of the age and of all time, in whose benefits I have grown to manhood, I have weighty advice to offer thee, and if I withhold it,

I were a son of adultery, a no true-born man. Wherefore, and thou order me to disclose it, I will do so forthwith. Quoth the king, and he was troubled at the words of the minister, and what is this council of thine? Quoth he, O glorious monarch, the wise of old have said, who so regardeth not the end hath not fortune to friend, and indeed I have lately seen the king on far other than the right way, for he lavisheth largesse on his enemy, on one whose object is the decline and fall of his kingship. To this man he hath shown favour,

honouring him with over honour, and making of him an intimate, wherefore I fear for the king's life. The king, who is much troubled and changed colour, asked, whom dost thou suspect, and anent whom dost thou hint? And the minister answered, O king, and thou be asleep, wake up! I point to the physician Dubin, rejoined the king. Fye upon thee!

This is a true friend who is favoured by me above all men, because he cured me with some thing which I held in my hand, and he healed my leprosy, which had baffled all physicians. Indeed, he is one whose like may not be found in these days, no, not in the whole world, from furthest east to utmost west, and it is of such a man thou sayest such hard sayings. Now, from this day forward, I allot him a settled, sold, and allowances, every month a thousand gold pieces,

and were I to share with him my realm twere but a little matter. Perforce I must suspect that thou speakest on this wise from mere envy and jealousy, as they relate of the king Sindibad. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth Dunyazard, Oh, my sister, how pleasant is thy tale, and how tasteful, how sweet and how grateful!

She replied, And where is this, compared with what I could tell thee on the coming night, if the king deign spare my life? Then said the king in himself, By Allah, I will not slay her, until I hear the rest of her tale, for truly it is wondrous. So they rested that night in mutual embrace until the dawn. Then the king went forth to his hall of rule,

and the wazir and the troops came in, and the audience chamber was thronged, and the king gave orders and judged and appointed and deposed, and bad and forbade, during the rest of that day, till the court broke up, and King Scheher-Yar returned to his palace. was the fifth night, her sister said, Do you finish for us thy story, if thou be not sleepy?

And she resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, and mighty monarch, that King Yunnan said to his minister, O wazir. Thou art one whom the evil spirit of envy hath possessed because of this physician, and thou plotest for my putting him to death, after which I should repent me full sorely, even as repented King Sindibad for killing his falcon. Quoth the wazir,

Pardon me, O King of the Age, how was that? So the king began the story of King Sindibad and his falcon. It is said, but Allah is all-knowing, that there was a king of the King of Fars, who was fond of pleasuring and diversion, especially coursing and hunting. He had reared a falcon which he carried all night on his fist, and whenever he went to chasing, he took with him this bird, and he bad made for her

a golden couplet hung around her neck to give her drink therefrom. One day, as the king was sitting quietly in his palace, behold, the high falconer of the household suddenly addressed him, O king of the age, this is indeed a day fit for birding. The king gave orders accordingly, and set out, taking the hawk on fist, and they fared merrily forwards, they met a waddy, where they planted a circle of nets for the chase. When lo, a gazelle came within the toils, and the king cried, Whoso alloweth yon gazelle to spring over his head and looseth her, That man will I surely slay.

They narrowed the nets about the gazelle when she drew near the king's station, And planting herself on her hind quarter, crossed her forehand over her breast, as if about to kiss the earth before the king. He bowed his brow low in acknowledgement to the beast When she bounded high over his head And took the way of the waist Thereupon the king turned towards his troops And seeing them winking and pointing at him

He asked O wazir, what are my men saying? And the minister answered They say thou didst proclaim That whoso alloweth the gazelle to spring over his head That man shall be put to death Coth the king Now by the life of my head

I will follow her up till I bring her back. So he set off, galloping on the gazelle's trail, and gave not over-tracking till he reached the foothills of a mountain chain, where the quarry made for a cave. Then the king cast off at it the falcon, which presently caught it up, and swooping down, drove her talons into its eyes, bewildering and blinding it, and the king drew his mace and struck a blow which rolled the game over.

He then dismounted, and after cutting the ante-examounted, and after cutting the antelope's throat and flaying the body, hung it to the pommel of his saddle. Now the time was that of the siesta, and the wold was parched and dry, nor was any water to be found anywhere, and the king thirsted, and his horse also, so he went about searching till he saw a tree,

dropping water as it were melted butter from its boughs. Thereupon the king, who wore gauntlets of skin, to guard him against poisons, took the cup from the hawk's neck, and filling it with the water, set it before the bird, and lo, the falcons struck it with her pounces, and upset the liquid. The king filled it her second time with the dripping drops, thinking his hawk was thirsty, but the bird again struck at the cup with her talons, and overturned it. Then the king waxed wroth with the hawk, and filling the cup a third time, offered it to his horse,

but the hawk upset it with a flirt of wings, quoth the king, Allah confound thee thou unluckiest of flying things, thou keepest me from drinking, and thou deprivest thyself also, and the horse. So he struck the falcon with his sword, and cut off her wing. But the bird raised her head, and said by signs, Look at that which hangeth on the tree. The king lifted up his eyes accordingly, and caught sight of a brood of vipers,

whose poison drops he mistook for water. Thereupon he repented him of having struck off his falcon's wing, and mounting horse fared on with the dead gazelle, till he arrived at the camp his starting place. He threw the quarry to the cook, saying, Take and broil it, and sat down on his chair, the falcon being still on his fist, when suddenly the bird gasped and died.

Whereupon the king cried out in sorrow and remorse for having slain that falcon, which had saved his life. Now this is what occurred in the case of king's, Sindibad, and I am assured that were I to do as thou desirest, I should repent even as the man who killed his parrot." Quoth the wazir, and how was that? And the king began to tell. The tale of the husband and the parrot. A certain man, and a merchant to boot, had married a fair wife, a woman of perfect beauty and grace, symmetry and loveliness, of whom he was mad, jealous, and who contrived successfully to keep him from travel.

At last an occasion compelling him to leave her, he went to the bird market and bought him for one hundred gold pieces, a she-parrot which he sat in his house to act as duenna, expecting her to acquaint him on his return, with what had passed during the whole time of his absence, for the bird was kenning and cunning, and never forgot what she had seen and heard. Now his fair wife had fallen in love with a young Turk,

who used to visit her, and she feasted him by day, and lay with him by night. When the man had made his journey, and won his wish, he came home, and at once, causing the parrot to be brought to him, questioned her concerning the conduct of his consort, whilst he was in foreign parts. Quoth she, Thy wife hath a man-friend, who passed every night with her during thine absence. Thereupon the husband went to his wife in a violent rage, and bashed her, with a bashing severe enough, satisfy anybody. The woman, suspecting that one of the slave-girls had been tattling to the master, called them together and questioned them upon their oaths, when all swore that they had kept the

secret, but that the parrot had not, adding, and we heard her with our own ears. Upon this the woman bade one of the girls to set a hand-mill under the cage and grind therewith, and a second to sprinkle water through the cage-roof, and a third to run about, right and left, dashing a mirror of bright steel through the live-long night. Next morning, when the husband returned home after being entertained by one of his friends, he bade bring the parrot before him, and asked what had taken place whilst he was away. Pardon me, or my master, quoth the bird, I could neither hear nor see aught by reason of the exceeding murk and the thunder and lightning which lasted throughout the night.

As it happened to be the summer-tide, the master was astounded and cried, but we are now in mid-Tamuz, and this is not the time for rains and storms. Aye, by Allah! rejoined the bird, I saw with these eyes what my tongue hath told thee. Upon this the man, not knowing the case, nor smoking the plot, waxed exceeding wrath, and holding that his wife had been wrongously accused, put forth his hand and pulling the parrot from her cage dashed her upon the ground with such force that he killed her on the spot some days afterwards one of his slave-girls confessed to him the whole truth yet would he not believe it till he saw the young turk his wife's lover coming out of her chamber when he bared his blade and slew him by a blow on the back of the neck and he did the same by the adulteress and thus the twain laden with mortal sin went straightways to eternal fire then the merchant knew that the parrot had told him the truth anent all she had seen and he mourned grievously for her loss when mourning availed him not the minister hearing the words of king yunan rejoiced

O monarch high indignity, and what harm have I done him, or what evil have I seen from him, that I should compass his death? I would not do this thing save to serve thee. And soon shalt thou sight that it is right, and if thou accept my advice thou shalt be saved, otherwise thou shalt be destroyed, even as a certain wazir who acted treacherously by the young prince. Ask the king, how was that? And the minister thus began. The Tale of the Prince and the Ogress A certain king who had a son overmuch given to hunting and coursing

ordered one of his wazirs to be in attendance upon him whithersoever he might wend. One day the youth set out for the chase, accompanied by his father's minister, and as they jogged on together a big wild beast came in sight, cried the wazir to the king's son, "'Up and at your noble quarry.' "'So the prince followed it, "'until he was lost to every eye, "'and the chase got away from him in the waist,

"'whereby he was confused and knew not which way to turn, "'when lo! A damsel appeared ahead, and she was in tears. "'The king's son asked, "'Who art thou?' "'And she answered, "'I am daughter to a king among the kings of Hind, "'and I was travelling with a caravan in the desert "'when drowsiness overcame me,

and I fell from my beast unwittingly, whereby I am cut off from my people, and sore bewildered. The prince, hearing these words, pitied her case, and mounting her on his horse's crupper, travelled until he passed by an old ruin, when the damsel said to him, Oh, my master, I wish to obey a call of nature. He therefore set her down at the ruin,

where she delayed so long that the king's son thought that she was only wasting time. So he followed her without her knowledge, and behold she was a ghula, a wicked ogreis, who was saying to her brood, Oh, my children, this day I bring you a fine, fat youth for dinner. Where too they answered, Bring him quick to us, oh our mother, that we may browse upon him our bellies full.

The prince, hearing their talk, made sure of death, and his side muscles quivered in fear for his life, so he turned away and was about to fly. The ghullah came out, and seeing him in sore a fright, For he was trembling in every limb, cried, Wherefore art thou afraid? And he replied,

I have hit upon an enemy whom I greatly fear. Asked the ruler, didst thou not say, I am a king's son? And he answered, even so. Then quoth she, Why dost not give thine enemy something of money, and so satisfy him? Quoth he, he will not be satisfied with my purse, but only with my life, and I mortally fear him, and am a man, under oppression. She replied, If thou be so distressed as thou deemest, ask aid against him from Allah,

who would surely protect thee from his ill-doing, and from the evil whereof thou art afraid. Then the prince raised his eyes heavenwards, and cried, O thou who answerest the necessitous when he calleth upon thee, and dispelest his distress, O my God, grant me victory over my foe, and turn him from me, for thou over all things art almighty. The Rulla, hearing his prayer, turned away from him, and the prince returned to his father, and told him the tale of the wazir,

whereupon the king summoned the minister to his presence, and then and there slew him. Thou likewise, O king, if thou continue to trust this leech, shall be made to die the worst of deaths. He, verily, thou madest much of, and whom thou entreatedest as an indictedest as an indigent, intimate, will work thy destruction. Seeest thou not, how he healed the disease from outside thy body

by something grasped in thy hand? Be not assured that he will not destroy thee by something held in like manner, replied King Yunan, thou hast spoken sooth, O wazir. It may well be, as thou hintest, O my well-advising minister, and belike this sage hath come as a spy searching to put me to death, For assuredly, if he cured me by a something held in my hand, he can kill me by a something given me to smell. Then asked King Yunnan, O minister, what must be done with him? And the wazir answered,

Send after him this very instant and summon him to thy presence, and when he shall come, strike him across the neck, and thus shalt thou rid thyself of him and his wickedness, and deceive him ere he can deceive thee. Thou hast again spoken sooth, O wazir, said the king, and sent one to call the sage, who came in joyful mood, for he knew not what had appointed for him the compassionate, as a certain poet saith by way of illustration,

O thou who fearest fate confiding fair, Trust all to him who built the world and wait, What fate saith be, perforce must be, my lord, And safe art thou from done decreed of, fate. As Duban the physician entered, he addressed the king in these lines. And fail I of my thanks to thee, nor thank thee day by day, for whom composed I pros and verse, for whom I say and lay. Thou lavisheds, thy generous gifts, ere they were craved by me, thou lavishest thy boons unsought, sans pretext or delay. How shall I stint my praise of thee?

how shall I cease to Lord The grace of thee in secrecy And patentist display Nay, I will thank thy benefits For I thy favours lie Light on my thought and tongue Though heavy on my back they weigh And he said further on the same theme

Turn thee from grief nor care a jot Commit thy needs to fate and lot Enjoy the present passing well And let the past be clean for got For what so happily seemeth worse Shall work thy wheel as Allah what Allah shall do whate'er he wills And in his will oppose him not

And further still To thawal wise subtle one trust worldly things Rest thee from all where to the worldling clings Learn wisely well Nought cometh by thy will But e'en as willeth Allah King of kings And lastly,

Gladsome and gay, Forget thine every grief, Full often grief the wisest hearts out war. Thought is but folly in the feeble slave, Shun it, and so be saved it evermore. Said the king for sole return, Knowest thou why I have summoned thee? And the sage replied,

Allah most highest alone caneth hidden things. But the king rejoined, I summoned thee only to take thy life, and utterly to destroy. thee. Duban the wise wondered at this strange address with exceeding wonder, and asked, O king, and wherefore wouldst thou slay me, and what ill have I done thee? And the king answered, Men tell me thou art a spy sent hither with intent to slay me, and lo, I will kill thee, ere I be killed by thee. Then he called to his order, and said, Strike me off the head of this traitor,

and deliver us from his evil practices. quoth the sage, Spare me, and Allah will spare thee. Slay me not, or Allah shall slay thee. And he repeated to him these very words, Even as I to thee, O Ephrit, And yet thou wouldst not let me go, Being bent upon my death.

King Yunnan only rejoined, I shall not be safe without slaying thee, For as thou healedest me by something held in hand, So am I not secure against thy killing me By something given me to smell, or otherwise. said the physician, This then, O king, King, is thy requital and reward.

Thou returnest only evil for good. The king replied, There is no help for it. Die thou must and without delay. Now, when the physician was certified that the king would slay him without waiting, he wept and regretted the good he had done to other than the good.

As one hath said on this subject, Of wit and wisdom is my Munah bear, whose sire in wisdom all the wits outstrippeth. Man may not tread on mud or dust or clay, save by good sense, else trippeth he and slippeth. Hereupon the sorda stepped forward and bound the sage Duban's eyes

and bared his blade, saying to the king, by thy leave. While the physician wept and cried, Spare me and Allah will spare thee, and slay me not, or Allah shall slay thee. And began repeating, I was kind and scape not. They were cruel and escaped, and my kindness only led me to Ruination Hall. If I live, I'll ne'er be kind. If I die, then all be damned who follow me,

and curses their kindness before. Is this, continued to Barn, the return I meet from thee? Thou givest me, me seems but crocodile boon. Quoth the King, what is the tale of the crocodile, and quoth the physician, impossible for me to tell it in this my state. Allah upon thee, spare me as thou hopest Allah shall spare thee, and he wet with exceeding weeping. Then one of the king's favourites stood up and said, O king, grant me the blood of this physician, we have never seen him sin against thee, or doing aught save healing thee, from a disease which baffled every leech and man of science, said the king, ye what not the cause of my putting to death this physician, and this it is. If I spare him, I doom myself to

certain death, for one who healed me of such a malady, by something held in my hand, surely can slay me by something held to my nose, and I fear lest he kill me for a price, since happily he is some spy whose sole purpose in coming hither was to compass my destruction. So there is no help for it, die he must, and then only shall I be sure of my own life. Again, cried Duban, spare me, and Allah shall spare thee, and slay me not, or Allah shall slay thee. But it was in vain. Now when the physician, O'ifrit, knew for certain that the king would kill him, he said, O king, if there be no help but I must die, grant me some little delay, so that I may go down to my house and release myself from mine obligations, and direct my

folk and my neighbours where to bury me and distribute my books of medicine. Amongst these I have one the rarest of rarities which I would present to thee as an offering. Keep it as a treasure in thy treasury. And what is in this book? asked the king, and the sage answered, Things beyond Compt. And the least of secrets is that if, directly after thou hast cut off my head, thou open three leaves and read three lines of the page to thy left hand, my head shall speak, and answer every question thou danest ask of it.

The king wondered with exceeding wonder, and shaking with delight at the novelty, said, O physician, dost thou really tell me that when I cut off thy head it will speak to me? He replied, yes, so king. Quoth the king, this is indeed a strange matter, and forthwith sent him closely gone. guarded to his house, and Duban then and there settled all his obligations. Next day he went up to the king's audience hall, where emirs and wazirs,

chamberlains and nabob's, grandees and lords of estate, were gathered together, making the presence chamber gay as a garden of flower-beds. And lo, the physician came up and stood before the king, bearing a worn old volume, and a little et-twee of metal full of powder, like that used for the eyes. Now he sat down and said, Give me a tray. So they brought him one, and he poured the powder upon it, and levelled it, and lastly spake as follows. O King, take this book, but do not open it till my head falls,

then set it upon this tray, and bid press it down upon the powder, when forthright the blood will cease flowing. That is the time to open the book. The King thereupon took the book, and made a sign to the sorda, who arose and struck off, the physician's head, and placing it on the middle of the tray, pressed it down upon the powder. The blood stopped flowing, and the sage Duban unclosed his eyes and said, Now open the book, O King! The King opened the book, and found the leaves stuck together,

so he put his finger to his mouth, and by moistening it he easily turned over the first leaf, and in Lightway the second, and the third, each leaf opening with much trouble, and when he had unstuck six leaves, he looked over them, and finding nothing written thereon, said, "'Oh, physician, there is no writing here!' Duban replied, Turn over yet more. And he turned over three others in the same way. Now the book was poisoned, and before long the venom penetrated his system, and he fell into strong convulsions and cried out,

The poison hath done its work! whereupon the sage de Barnes' head began to improvise. There be rulers who have ruled with a foul, tyrannic sway, but they soon became as though they had never, never been. Just they had won justice, they oppressed and were oppressed by fortune, who requited them with ban and bane and teen. So they faded like the morn,

and the tongue of things repeats. Take this far that, nor vent upon fortune's walt, ways thy spleen. No sooner had the head ceased speaking, than the king rolled over dead. Now I would have thee know, O'ifreet, that if King Yunnan had spared the sage Duban, Allah would have spared him, but he refused so to do, and decreed to do him dead, wherefore Allah slew him. And thou too, Oifreet, if thou had spared me, Allah would have spared thee. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased so. her permitted say, then quoth Dunyazard,

Oh, my sister, how pleasant is thy tale and how tasteful, how sweet and how grateful! She replied, And where is this, compared with what I could tell thee, this coming night, if I live, and the king spare me? Said the king in himself, by Allah, I will not slay her until I hear the rest of her story, for truly it is wondrous. They rested that night in mutual embrace until dawn. Then the king went forth to his day. Darbar. The wazirs and troops came in and the audience hall was crowded, so the king gave orders

and judged and appointed, and deposed and bad and forebad. The rest of that day, when the court broke up and King Shathyaar entered his palace. End of Section 4 of Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Knight. The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night. Volume 1 Section 5 This is the Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night,

translated by Richard Burton. Section 5 When it was the sixth night, her sister, Donixtor, Zad said to her, pray finish for us thy story. And she answered, I will if the king give me leave. Say on, quoth the king. And she continued, it hath reached me, O auspicious king, that when the fisherman said to the Ephrit, If thou had spared me, I would have spared thee, but nothing would satisfy thee save my death. So now I will do thee die by jailing thee in this jar, and I will hurl thee into this sea. Then the marid roared aloud and cried,

Allah upon thee, O fisherman, don't! Spare me, and pardon my past doings, and, as I have been tyrannous, so be thou generous. For it is said among sayings that go current, O thou who dost good to him, who hath done thee evil, suffice for the ill-doer his ill-deeds, and do not deal with me, as did Umama to Attica. asked the fisherman and what was their case and the ephrit answered this is not the time for storytelling and i in this prison but set me free and i will tell thee the tale quoth the fisherman leave this language there is no help but that thou be thrown back into the sea nor is there any way for thy getting out of it for ever and ever vainly i placed myself under thy protection and i humbled myself to thee with while thou soughtest only to slay me, who hath done thee no injury deserving this at thy hands? Nay, so far from injuring thee by any evil act,

I work thee naught but wheel in releasing thee from that jail of thine. Now I knew thee to be an evil-doer, when thou didst to me what thou didst, and know that when I have cast thee back into the sea, I will warn whomsoever may fish thee up of what hath befallen me with thee, and I will advise him to toss thee back again. So shalt thou abide here under these waters,

till the end of time shall make an end of thee. But the Afrit cried aloud, Set me free! This is a noble occasion for generosity, and I make covenant with thee, and vow never to do thee hurt and harm. Nay, I will help thee to what shall put thee out of want. The fisherman accepted his promises,

on both conditions, not to trouble him as before, but on the contrary to do him service, and, after making firm the plight, and swearing him a solemn oath by Allah most highest, he opened the cuckubit. Thereupon the pillar of smoke rose up till all of it was fully out, then it thickened and once more became an effreate of hideous presence, who forthright administered a kick to the bottle, and sent it flying into the sea. The fisherman, seeing how the Cucurbit was treated, and making sure of his own death, Piddled in his clothes, and said to himself, This promiseth badly. But he fortified his heart, and cried, Oifreet, Allah hath said,

Perform your covenant, for the performance of your covenant shall be inquired into hereafter. Thou hast made a vow to me, and hast sworn an oath not to play me false, lest Allah play thee false, for verily he is a jealous God who respiteeth the sinner, but leteth him not escape. I say to thee, as said the sage Duban, to King Yunnan, spare me so Allah may spare thee. The Ephrit burst into laughter and stalked away, saying to the fisherman, follow me! And the man paced after him at a safe distance, for he was not assured of escape, till they had passed round the suburbs of the city. thence they struck into the uncultivated grounds and crossing them descended into a broad wilderness and lo in the midst of it stood a mountain tarn the ephrit waded into the middle and again cried follow me

and when this was done he took his stand in the centre and bade the man cast his net and catch his fish the fisherman looked into the water and was much astonished to see therein vary-coloured fishes white or white or, and red, blue and yellow. However, he cast his net, and hauling it in, saw that he had netted four fishes, one of each colour. Thereat he rejoiced greatly, and more when the Ephrit said to him, carry these to the Sultan, and set them in his presence, then he will give thee what shall make thee a wealthy man, and now accept my excuse, for by Allah at this time I wot none other way of benefitingly, inasmuch as I have lain in this sea eighteen hundred years, and have not seen the face of the world save within this hour. But I would not have thee fish here save once a day.

The Ephrit then gave him Godspeed, saying, Allagrant, we meet again, and struck the earth with one foot, whereupon the ground clove asunder, and swallowed him up. The fisherman, much marvelling at what had happened to him with the Eiffrit, took the fish, and made for the city, and as soon as he reached home, he filled an earthen bowl with water, and therein threw the fish, which began to struggle and wriggle about. Then he bore off the bowl upon his head, and repairing to the king's palace, even as the Ephrit had bidden him, laid the fish before the presence, and the king wondered with exceeding

wonder at the sight, for never in his lifetime had he seen fishes like these in quality, in confirmation. So he said, Give those fish to the stranger slave-girl who now cooketh for us, meaning the bond maiden whom the king of Ruhm had sent to him only three days before, so that he had not yet made trial of her talents in the dressing of meat. Thereupon the wazir carried the fish to the cook, and bade her fry them, saying, O damsel, the king sendeth this say to thee, I have not treasured thee, O tear of me, save for strong,

stress time of me. Approve then, to us this day, thy delicate handiwork, and thy savory cooking, for this dish of fish is a present sent to the sultan, and evidently a rarity. The wazir, after he had carefully charged her, returned to the king, who commanded him to give the fisherman four hundred dinars. He gave them accordingly, and the man took them to his bosom and ran off home stumbling and falling and rising again, and deeming the whole thing to be a dream. However, he bought for his family all they wanted, and lastly he went to his wife in huge joy and gladness. So far concerning him. But as regards the cookmaid, she took the fish and cleansed them, and set them in the frying-pan, basting them with oil till one side was dressed. Then she turned them over,

and behold the kitchen wall crave asunder, and therefrom came a young lady, fair of form, oval of face, perfect in grace, with eyelids which coal-lines in chase. Her dress was a silken headkerchief, fringed and tasseled with blue. A large ring hung from either ear.

A pair of bracelets adorned her wrists. Rings with bezzles of priceless gems were on her fingers, and she hent in hand a long rod of ratter. and cane, which she thrust into the frying-pan, saying, O fish, oh fish, be ye constant to your covenant. When the cook-maiden saw this apparition, she swooned away. The young lady repeated her words a second time, and a third time, and at last the fishes raised their heads from the pan,

and saying in articulate speech, Yes, yes, began with one voice to recite, Come back and so will I Keep faith and so will I And if she feign forsake I'll requite till quits we cry After this the young lady Upset the frying pan

And went forth by the way she came in And the kitchen wall closed upon her When the cookmaiden recovered from her fainting fit She saw the four fishes charred black as charcoal And crying out His staff break in his first bout she again fell swooning to the ground. Whilst she was in this case, the wazir came for the fish,

and looking upon her as insensible she lay, not knowing Sunday from Thursday, shoved her with his foot and said, Bring the fish for the sultan. Thereupon recovering from her fainting fit, she wept and informed him of her case, and all that had befallen her. The wazir marvelled greatly, and exclaiming,

this is none other than a right strange matter. He sent after the fisherman, and said to him, Thou, o fisherman, must needs fetch us four fishes, like those thou broughtest before. Thereupon the man repaired to the tarn, and cast his net, and when he landed it, lo, four fishes were therein exactly like the first. These he at once carried to the wazir,

who went in with them to the cook-maiden, and said, up with thee and fry these in my presence, that I may see this business. The damsel arose and cleansed the fish, and set them in the frying-pan over the fire. However they remained there but a little while, ere the wall craves under, and the young lady appeared, clad as before, and holding in hand the wand which she again thrust into the frying-pan, saying, O fish, O fish, be ye constant to your olden covenant. And behold the fish lifted their heads and repeated,

Yes, yes! And recited this couplet. Come back, and so will I. Keep faith, and so will I. But if ye fain forsake, I'll requite till quits we cry. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, And ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the seventh night, she continued, It hath reached me, O, O, O, O! auspicious king that when the fishes spoke and the young lady upset the frying-pan with her rod,

and went forth by the way she came and the wall closed up, the wazir cried out, This is a thing not to be hidden from the king. So he went and told him what had happened, Whereupon quoth the king, There is no help for it, but that I see this with my known eyes. Then he sent for the fisherman, and commanded him to bring four other fish like the first, and to take with him three men as witnesses. The fisherman at once brought the fish, and the king, after ordering them to give him four hundred gold pieces, turned to the wazir and said,

Up and fry me the fishes here before me. The minister, replying, to hear is to obey. Bad bring the frying-pan, threw therein the cleansed fish, and set it over the fire. When, lo, the wall crave asunder, and outburst a black slave like a huge rock or a remnant of the tribe ad, bearing in hand a branch of a green tree, and he cried in loud and terrible tones,

O fish, O fish, be ye all constant to your antique covenant? Whereupon the fishes lifted their heads from the frying-pan and said, Yes, yes, we be true to our vow. And they again recited the couplet. Come back, and so will I. Keep faith, and so will I, But if ye feign forsake, I'll re-quite till quits we cry.

Then the huge blackamoor approached the frying-pan, And upset it with the branch, And went forth by the way he came in. When he vanished from their sight, The king inspected the fish, And finding them all charred black as charcoal, Was utterly bewildered, and said to the wazir, Verily this is a matter where an ent, silence cannot

be kept, and as for the fishes, assuredly some marvellous adventure connects with them. So he bade bring the fisherman, and asked him, saying, Fy on thee, fellow, whence came these fishes. And he answered, From a tarn between four heights, lying behind this mountain which is in sight of thy city. Quoth the king, How many days march? Quoth he, O our lord the sultan, a walk of half hour. the king wondered and straightway ordering his men to march and horsemen to mount led off the fishermen who went before as guide privily damning the iphrit they fared on till they had climbed the mountain and descended unto a great desert which they had never seen during all their lives and the sultan and his merry men marvelled much at the wold set in the midst of four mountains and the tarn and its fishes of four colours red and the sultan and his merry men marvelled much at the wald set in the midst of four mountains and the tarn and its fishes of four colours red and white, yellow and blue. The king stood fixed to the spot in wonderment, and asked his troops and all present, hath anyone among you ever seen this piece of water before now?

And all made answer, O king of the age, never did we set eyes upon it during all our days. They also questioned the oldest inhabitants they met, men well stricken in years, but they replied each and every, A lake-lit this we never saw in this place. Thereupon quoth the king, By Allah, I will neither return to my capital, nor sit upon the throne of my forebears, till I learn the truth about this tarn,

and the fish therein. He then ordered his men to dismount and bivouac all around the mountain, which they did, and summoning his wazir, a minister of much experience, sagacious of penetrating wit and well-versed in affairs, said to him, "'Tis in my mind to do a certain thing, whereof I will inform thee. My heart telleth me to fare forth alone this night,

and root out the mystery of this tarn and its fishes. Do thou take thy seat at my tent door, and say to the emirs and wazirs, the nabobs and the chamberlains, in fine to all who ask thee, the sultan is ill at ease, and he hath ordered me to refuse all admittance, and be careful thou let none know my design, and the wazir could not oppose him. Then the king changed his dress and ornaments, and slinging his sword over his shoulder, took a path which laid up one of the mountains, and marched for the rest of the night till morning dawned.

Nor did he cease wayfaring till the heat was too much for him. after his long walk he rested awhile and then resumed his march and fared on through the second night till dawn when suddenly there appeared a black point in the far distance hereat he rejoiced and said to himself happily some one here shall acquaint me with the mystery of the tarn and its fishes presently drawing near the dark object he found it a palace built of swart stone plaited with iron and while one leaf of the gates stood wide open, the other was shut. The king's spirits rose high as he stood before the gate, and rapped a light wrap, but hearing no answer he knocked a second knock, and a third, yet there came no sign. Then he knocked his loudest, but still no answer, so he said, Doubtless it is empty. Thereupon he mustered up resolution, and boldly walked through the main gate into the great hall, and there cried out aloud,

ye people of the palace. I am a stranger and a wayfarer. Have you aught here of Vittle?' He repeated his cry a second time and a third, but still there came no reply. So, strengthening his heart and making up his mind, he stalked through the vestibule into the very middle of the palace, and found no man in it. Yet it was furnished with Silk and Staff's gold-starred, and the hangings were let down over the doorways. In the midst was a spacious court, off which set four open saloons, each with its raised dais,

saloon facing saloon. A canopy shaded the court, and in the centre was a jetting fount with four figures of lions made of red gold, spouting from their mouths, water clear as pearls, and diaphanous gems.

Round about the palace birds were let loose, and over it stretched a net of golden wire, hindering them from flying off. In brief there was everything but human beings. The king marvelled mightily thereat, yet felt he sad at heart, for that he saw no one to give him account of the waste and its tarn, the fishes, the mountains, and the palace itself. Presently, as he sat between the doors in deep thought,

behold there came a voice of lament, as from a heart grief spent, And he heard the voice Chanting these verses. I hid what I endured of him, And yet it came to light, And nightly sleep mine eyelids fled, And changed to sleepless night.

O world, O fate, Withhold thy hand, and cease thy hurt and harm. Look and behold, my hapless sprite, In colour and affright. Wilt ne'er show Ruth to high-born youth who lost him on the way of love and fell from wealth and fame to lowest basest white. Jealous of Zephyr's breath was I, as on your form he breathed, but when as destiny descends she blindeth human sight.

What shall a hapless archer do, who when he fronts his foe and bends his bow to shoot the shaft, shall find his string undight? When car can care so heavy bear on youth of generous soul, How shall he scape his lot, and where from fate, his place of flight? Now when the sultan heard the mournful voice, he sprang to his feet, and following the sound, found a curtain let down over a chamber door. He raised it, and saw behind it a young man sitting upon a couch, about a cubit above the ground,

and he fair to the sight, a well-shaped white, with eloquence dight. His forehead was flower-white, his cheek was, rosy bright, and a mole on his cheek Breadth like an ambergris mite, Even as the poet doth indict. A youth slim-waisted from whose locks and brow The world in blackness and in light is set. Throughout creations round,

No fairer show, No rarer sight thine eye hath ever met. A nut-brown mole sits throned upon a cheek Of rosiest red beneath an eye of yet. The king rejoiced and saluted him, but he remained sitting in his caftan of silken stuff pured with Egyptian gold, and his crown studded with gems of sorts. But his face was sad with the traces of sorrow. He returned the royal salute, in most courteous wise, adding, O my lord, thy dignity demandeth my rising to thee, and my sole excuse is to crave thy pardon.

Quoth the King, thou art excused, O youth, So look upon me as thy guest, Come hither on an especial object. I would thou acquaint me with the secrets of this tarn and its fishes, And of this palace, and thy loneliness therein, And the cause of thy groaning and wailing. When the young man heard these words, He wept with sore weeping,

Till his bosom was drenched with tears, And began reciting, Say him, who carely sleeps, what while the shaft of fortune flies, how many doth this shifting world, lay low and raised to rise, Although thine eye be sealed in sleep, sleep not the Almighty's eyes, And who hath found time ever fair, or fate in constant guise? Then he sighed a long-fetched sigh, and recited,

Confide thy case to him, the Lord who made mankind, quit car can care and cultivate content of mind ask not the past or how or why it came to pass all human things by fate and destiny were designed the king marvelled and asked him what maketh thee weep o young man and he answered how should i not weep when this is my case thereupon he put out his hand and raised the skirt of his garment when lo The lower half of him appeared stone down to his feet While from his navel to the hair of his head He was man The king, seeing this his plight,

Grieved with sore grief And of his compassion cried Alack and well away In very sooth O youth Thou heapest sorrow upon my sorrow I was minded to ask thee The mystery of the fishes only Whereas now I am concerned

To learn thy story as well as theirs But there is no majesty and there is no might save in allah the glorious the great lose no time o youth but tell me forthright thy whole tale quoth he lend me thine ears thy sight and thine insight and quoth the king all are at thy service thereupon the youth began right wondrous and marvellous is my case and that of these fishes and were it graven with gravers upon the eye corners it were a warner to who so would be warned. How is that? asked the king, and the young man began to tell the tale of the ensorcelled prince. Know then, O my lord, that while on my sire was king of this city, and his name was Mahmud, entitled Lord of the Black Islands, and owner of what are now these four mountains. He ruled three score and ten years, after which he went to the mercy of the Lord, and I reigned as Sultan in his stead. I took to wife my cousin, the daughter of my paternal uncle,

and she loved me with such abounding love, that whenever I was absent she ate not, and she drank not, until she saw me again. She cohabited with me for five years till a certain day when she went forth to the Hamam Bath, and I bade the cook, hastened to get ready, all requisites for our supper, and I entered this palace and lay down on the bed where I was wont to sleep and bade two damsels to fan my face, one sitting by my head and the other at my feet. But I was troubled and made restless by my wife's absence and could not sleep, for although my eyes were closed, my mind and thoughts were wide awake.

Presently I heard the slave-girl at my head say to her at my feet, Omas Oda, how miserable is our master, and how wasted in his youth. youth, and, oh, the pity of his being so betrayed by our mistress, the accursed whore. The other replied, Yes, indeed, Allah curse all faithless women and adulterous. But the like of our master, with his fair gifts, deserveth something better than this harlot, who lieth abroad every night. Then quoth she, who sat by my head, is our lord dumb, or fit only for bubbling, that he questioneth her not? And, quoth she, who sat by my head, is our lord dumb, or fit only for bubbling, that he questioneth her not? and quoth the other,

Fie on thee, Doth our lord know her ways, Or doth she allow him his choice? Nay more, Doth she not drug every night The cup she giveth him to drink before sleep-time And put pung into it. So he sleepeth, and wotteth not whither she goeth,

Nor what she doth, But we know that after giving him the drugged wine, She doneth her richest raiment, And perfumeth herself, And then she fareth out from him, To be away, till the break of day, then she cometh to him, and burneth a pastel under his nose, and he awaketh from his death-like sleep. When I heard the slave-girl's words, the light became black

before my sight, and I thought night would never fall. Presently the daughter of my uncle came from the baths, and they set the table for us, and we ate and sat together for a fair half-hour, quaffing our wine as was ever our want. When she called for the particular wine I used to drink before sleeping, and reached me the cup, but seeming to drink it according to my want, I poured the content into my bosom, and lying down let her hear that I was asleep. Then behold, she cried, sleep out the night and never wake again. By Allah I loathe thee, and I loathe thy whole body,

and my soul turneth in disgust from cohabiting with thee, and I see not the moment when Allah shall snatch away thy life. Then she rose and donned her fairest dress, and perfumed her person, and slung my sword over her shoulder, and opening the gates of the palace, went her ill way. I rose and followed her as she left the palace, and she threaded the streets until she came to the city gate, where she spoke words I understood not,

and the padlocks dropped of themselves, as if broken, and the gate-leaves opened. She went forth, and I after her without her noticing aught, till she came at last to the outlying mounds, and a reed fence built about a round-roofed hut of mud-bricks. As she entered the door I climbed up upon the roof, which commanded a view of the interior. And lo, my fair cousin had gone into a hideous negro slave,

with his upper lip like the cover of a pot, and is lower like an open pot, lips which might sweep up sand from the gravel floor of the cot. He was to boot a leper and a paralytic, lying upon a strew of sugar-cane trash and wrapped in an old blanket and the foulest rags and tatters.

She kissed the earth before him, and he raised his head so as to see her and said, "'Wo to thee! What call hadst thou to stay away all this time? here have been with me sundry of the black brethren Who drank their wine And each had his young lady And I was not content to drink Because of thine absence

Then she O my lord my heart's love And couth of my eyes Knowest thou not that I am married to my cousin Whose very look I loathe And hate myself when in his company And did not I fear for thy sake I would not let a single son arise

Before making his city a ruined heap wherein raven should croak and howl it hoot and jackal and wolf harbour and loot nay i had removed its very stones to the back side of mount calf rejoined the slave thou liest damn thee now i swear an oath by the valour and honour of blackamore men and deem not our manliness to be the poor manliness of white men from to-day forth if thou stay away till this hour i will not keep company with thee, nor will I glue my body with thy body, and strum and belly bump. Dost play fast and loose with us, thou cracked pot, that we may satisfy thy dirty lusts, stinkered, bitch, vilest of the vile whites. When I heard his words, and saw with mine own eyes what passed between these two wretches, the world waxed dark before my face, and my soul knew not in what place it was,

but my wife humbly stood up weeping before and wheedling the slave, and saying, O my beloved, and the very fruit of my heart, there is none left to cheer me but thy dear self, and if thou cast me off who shall take me in, O my beloved, O light of my eyes! And she ceased not weeping and abasing herself to him, until he deigned be reconciled with her. Then was she right glad, and stood up and doffed her clothes,

even to her petticoat trousers, and said, Oh, my master, what hast thou here for thy handmaiden to eat? Uncover the basin, he grumbled, and thou shalt find at the bottom the broiled bones of some rats we dined on. Pick at them, and then go to that slot-pot, where thou shalt find some leavings of beer, which thou mayst drink. So she ate and drank and washed her hands, and went and laid down by the side of the slave,

upon the cane trash, and stripping herself stark naked, she crept in with him under his foul coverlet, and his rags and tatters. When I saw my wife, my cousin, the daughter of my uncle, do this deed, I clean lost my wits, and climbing down from the roof I entered and took the sword which she had with her, and drew it, determined to cut down the twain. I first struck at the slave's neck, and thought that the death decree had fallen on him. and shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say when it was the eighth night she continued it hath reached me o auspicious king that the young ensorcelled prince said to the king when i smote the slave with intent to strike off his head i thought that i had slain him for he groaned a loud hissing groan but i had cut only the skin and flesh of the gullet and the two arteries It awoke the daughter of my uncle, so I sheathed the sword and fared forth for the city,

and entering the palace lay upon my bed, and slept till morning, when my wife aroused me, and I saw that she had cut off her hair, and had donned mourning garments. Quoth she, O son of my uncle, blame me not for what I do. It hath just reached me that my mother is dead, and my father hath been killed in holy war, and of my brothers one hath lost his life by a snake-steen, and the other by falling down some precipice, and I can and should do naught save weep and lament. When I heard her words I refrained from all reproach, and said only, do as thou list, I certainly will not thwart thee. She continued sorrowing, weeping and wailing one whole year from the beginning of its circle to the end,

and when it was finished she said to me, I wish to build me in thy palace A tomb with a cupola Which I was set apart for my mourning And will name the house of lamentations Quoth I again Do as thou list Then she builded for herself a cenotaph

Wherein to mourn And set on its centre a dome Under which showed a tomb like a santon sepulca Thither she carried the slave and lodged him But he was exceeding weak By reason of his wound and unable to do her love service. He could only drink wine,

and from the day of his hurt he spake not a word, yet he lived on because his appointed hour was not come. Every day, morning and evening, my wife went to him, and wept and wailed over him, and gave him wine and strong soups, and left not off doing after this manner a second year, and I bore with her patiently, and paid no heed to her. One day, however, I went into her unawares, and I found her weeping and beating her face and crying,

Why art thou absent from my sight, oh my heart's delight? Speak to me, oh my life! Talk with me, oh my love! Then she recited these verses. For your love my patience fails, and albeit you forget, I may not, nor to other love my heart can make reply. Bear my body, bear my soul Wheresoever you may fare And where you pitch the camp Let my body buried lie

Cry my name above my grave And an answer shall return The moaning of my bones Responsive to your cry Then she recited Weeping bitterly the while The day of my delight is the day When draw you near

And the day of minor fright Is the day you turn away though I tremble through the night in my bitter dread of death, when I hold you in my arms, I am free from all affray. Once more she began reciting, Though a morn I may awake with all happiness in hand, Though the world all be mine, and like Kisra kings I reign, To me they had the worth of the winglet of the gnat,

When I fail to see thy form, When I look for thee in vain. When she had ended for a time, her words and her weeping, I said to her, O my cousin, let this thy morning suffice, for in pouring forth tears there is little profit. Thwart me not, answered she, in aught I do, or I will lay violent hands on myself. So I held my peace, and left her to go her own way, and she ceased not to cry and keen, and indulge her affliction for yet another year. At the end of the third year, I waxed a weary of this lonesome morning. And one day I happened to enter the cenotaph,

when vexed and angry with some matter which had thwarted me, and suddenly I heard her say, O my lord, I never hear thee vouchsafe a single word to me. Why dost thou not answer me, O my master? And she began reciting, O thou tomb, O thou tomb, be his beauty set in shade, hast thou darkened that countenance All she nears the noon O thou tomb Neither earth nor yet heaven art to me Then how cometh it in thee

A conjoined my son and moon When I heard such verses as these Rage was heaped upon rage And I cried out Well away, how long is this sorrow to last And I began repeating O thou tomb O thou tomb Be his horrors set in blight

hast thou darkened his countenance that sickeneth the soul? O thou tomb, neither cesspool, now piquin art to me, Then how cometh it in thee are conjoined, soil and coal? When she heard my words, she sprang to her feet, crying, Fye upon thee thou cur. All this is of thy doings, thou hast wounded my heart's darling, And thereby worked me sore woe, And thou hast wasted his youth,

so that these three years he hath lain a bed more dead than alive. In my wrath I cried, O thou foulest of harlots and filthiest of whores ever futtered by negro slaves Who are hired to have at thee. Yes, indeed it was I who did this good deed, And snatching up my sword I drew it and made it her to cut her down. But she laughed at my words and mine intent to scorn, crying, To heal, hound that thou art.

Alas for the past, which shall no more come to pass, nor shall anyone avail the dead to raise. Allah hath indeed now given into my hand, him who did to me this thing, a deed that hath burned my heart with a fire which died not, and a flame which might not be quenched. Then she stood up, and pronouncing some words to me unintelligible, she said, By virtue of my necromancy, become thou half stone and half man, whereupon I became what thou seest, unable to rise or to sit, and neither dead nor alive.

Moreover she ensorcelled the city with all its streets and garths, and she turned by her grammery the four islands into four mountains around the tarn whereof thou questionest me, and the citizens who were of four different faiths, Muslim, Nazarene, Jew and Magian, she transformed by her enchantments into fishes,

The Muslims are the white, the Magians red, the Christians blue, and the Jews yellow. And every day she tortures me, and scourgeth me with a hundred stripes, each of which draweth floods of blood, and cutteth the skin of my shoulders to strips. And lastly she clotheth my upper half with a hair-cloth, and then throweth over them these robes. Hereupon the young man again shed tears, and began reciting, In patience O my God I endure my lot and fate I will bear at will of thee whatsoever be my state

They oppress me, they torture me, They make my life a woe, Yet happily heaven's happiness Shall compensate my strait. Yea, straightened is my life By the bane and hate of foes, But Mustafa and Murtaza Shall open me heaven's gate.

End of Section 5. of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night Volume 1 The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night Volume 1, Section 6 This is a Librivox recording All Librivox recordings are in the public domain For further information or to volunteer

Please visit Librivox.org Volume 1 of the book of a thousand nights and a night translated by Richard Burton Section 6 After this the Sultan turned towards the young prince and said, O youth, thou hast removed one grief Only to add another grief

But now, O my friend, where is she And where is the mausoleum Wherein lieth the wounded slave? The slave lieth under yon dome, Quoth the young man, And she sitteth in the chamber Fronting yonder door and every day at sunrise she cometh forth and first strippeth me and whippeth me with an hundred strokes of the leathern scourge and I weep and shriek, but there is no power of motion in my lower limbs to keep her off.

After ending her tormenting me she visiteth the slave, bringing him wine and boiled meats, and tomorrow at an early hour she will be here. Quoth the king, by Allah or youth, I will assuredly do thee a good day. which the world shall not willingly let die, and an act of daring do which shall be chronicled long after I'm dead and gone by. Then the king sat him by the side of the young prince, and talked till nightfall when he lay down and slept. But as soon as the false dawn showed, he arose, and doffing his outer garments,

bared his blade, and hastened to the place wherein lay the slave. Then he was ware of lighted candles and lamps, the perfume of incenses and unguents, and directed by these he made for the slave, and struck him one stroke, killing him on the spot, after which he lifted him on his back, and threw him into a well that was in the palace. Presently he returned, and donning the slave's gear, lay down at length within the mausoleum, with the drawn sword laid close to and along his side. after an hour or so the accursed witch came and first going to her husband she stripped off his clothes and taking a whip flogged him cruelly while he cried out ah enough for me the case i'm in take pity on me oh my cousin but she replied didst thou take pity on me and spare the life of my true love on whom i doaded then she drew the silice over his roar and bleeding skin and threw the robe upon all and went down to the slave with a goblet of wine and a bowl of meat broth in her hands.

She entered under the dome, weeping and wailing, well away, and crying, Oh, my lord, speak a word to me, oh my master, talk a while with me, and began to recite these couplets. How long this harshness, this unlove shall bide? Suffice thee not, tear floods thou hast despide? thou dost prolong our parting purposely and if wouldst please my foe thou art satisfied

Then she wept again and said Oh my lord speak to me talk with me The king lowered his voice And twisting his tongue Spoke after the fashion of the blackamores And said Lack lack there be no majesty And there be no might save in Allah

The glorious the great Now when she heard these words she shouted for joy and fell to the ground, fainting, and when her senses returned, she asked, O my lord, can it be true that thou hast power of speech? And the king, making his voice small and faint, answered, O my cuss, dost thou deserve that I talk to thee, and speak with thee? Why, and wherefore rejoined she?

And he replied, The why is that all the live-long day thou tormentest thy hubby, and he keeps calling on heaven for aid until sleep is strange to me even from evening till morning and he prays and dams cussing us to me and thee causing me disquiet and much bother were this not so I should long ago have got my health

and it is this which prevents my answering thee quoth she with thy leave I will release him from what spell is on him and quoth the king release him and let's have some rest She cried, To hear is to obey, Going from the cenotaph to the palace, She took a metal bowl,

And filled it with water, And spake over it certain words, Which made the contents bubble and boil As a cauldron seeth over the fire. With this she sprinkled her husband, Saying, By virtue of the dread words I have spoken, If thou becameest thus by my spells,

Come forth out of that form, Into thine own former form. And lo and behind, The young man shook and trembled, then rose to his feet, and rejoicing at his deliverance, cried aloud, I testify that there is no God but the God, and in very truth, Muhammad is his apostle, whom Allah bless and keep. Then she said to him, Go forth and return not hither, for if thou do I will surely slay thee, screaming these words in his face. So he went from between her hands, and she returned to the dome, and going down to the sepulchre, she said,

O my lord, come forth to me that I may look upon thee and thy goodliness. The king replied in faint low words, What thing hast thou done? Thou hast rid me of the branch, but not of the root. She asked, O my darling, oh my negro king, what is the root? And he answered, Fye on thee, oh my cuss, The people of this city and of the four islands,

every night when it's half past, lift their heads from the tank in which thou hast turned them to fishes, and cry to heaven, and call down its anger on me and thee, and this is the reason why my body's balked from health. Go at once, and set them free, then come to me, and take my hand, and raise me up, for a little strength is already back in me. When she heard the king's words, and she still supposed him to be the slave, she cried joyously, Oh, my master, on my head and on my eyes, be thy command. Bismillah! So she sprang to her feet, and full of joy and gladness, ran down to the tarn, and took a little of its water in the palm of her hand,

and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the ninth night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that when the young woman, the sorceress, took in hand some of the tarn water and spake over it words not to be understood the fishes lifted their heads and stood up on the instant like men the spell on the people of the city having been removed

what was the lake again became a crowded capital the bazaars were thronged with folk who bought and sold each citizen was occupied with his own calling and the four hills became islands as they were while on Then the young woman, that wicked sorceress, returned to the king, and still thinking he was the negro, said to him, Oh, my love, stretch forth thy honoured hand that I may assist thee to rise. Nearer to me, quoth the king, in a faint and feigned tone.

She came close as to embrace him, when he took up the sword lying hid by his side, and smote her across the breast, so that the point showed gleaming behind her back. Then he smote her a second time and cut her in twain, and cast her to the ground in two halves. After which he fared forth, and found the young man, now freed from the spell, awaiting him, and gave him joy of his happy release, while the king kissed his hand with abundant thanks. Quoth the king, wilt thou abide in this city, or go with me to my capital?

Quoth the youth, O king of the age, whatest thou not what journey is between thee and thy city? "'Two days and a half,' answered he. "'Whereupon,' said the other, "'and thou be sleeping, O King, awake. "'Between thee and thy city is a year's march "'for a well-girt walker, "'and thou hadst not come hither in two days and a half, "'save that the city was under enchantment.

"'And I, O King, will never part from thee, "'no, not even for the twinkling of an eye.' "'The king rejoiced at his words and said, "'Thanks be to Allah, who hath bestowed thee upon me, from this hour thou art my son and my only son for that in all my life i have never been blessed with issue thereupon they embraced and joyed with exceeding great joy and reaching the palace the prince who had been spellbound informed his lords and his grandees that he was about to visit the holy places as a pilgrim and bade them get ready all things necessary for the occasion the preparations lasted ten days after which he set out with the sultan whose heart burned in yearning for his city, whence he had been absent a whole twelve-month. They journeyed with an escort of Mamelux, carrying all manner of precious gifts and rarities. Nor stinted they wayfaring day and night for a full year, until they approached the Sultan's capital,

and sent on messengers to announce their coming. Then the wazir and the whole army came out to meet him in joy and gladness, for they had given up all hope of ever seeing their king, and the troops kissed the ground before him and wished him joy of his safety. He entered and took seat upon his throne, and the minister came before him, and when acquainted with all that had befallen the young prince,

he congratulated him on his narrow escape. When order was restored throughout the land, the king gave largeest to many of his people, and said to the wazir, hither the fisherman who brought us the fish, So he sent for the man who had been the first cause of the city and the citizens being delivered from enchantment, and when he came into the presence, the Sultan bestowed upon him a dress of honour, and questioned him of his condition and whether he had children. The fisherman gave him to know that he had two daughters and a son, so the king sent for them, and taking one daughter to wife, gave the other to the young prince, and made the son his head treasurer.

Furthermore he invested his wazir with the sultanate of the city in the Black Islands, while on belonging to the young prince, and dispatched him the escort of fifty armed slaves, together with dresses of honour for all the emirs and grandees. The wazir kissed hands and fared forth on his way, while the sultan and the prince abode at home in all the solace and the delight of life, and the fisherman became the richest man of his age, and his daughters wived with kings until death came to them.

And yet, O King, this is not more wondrous than the story of the porter and the three ladies of Baghdad. Once upon a time there was a porter in Baghdad who was a bachelor and who would remain unmarried. It came to pass on a certain day as he stood about the street leaning idly upon his crate. Behold, there stood before him an honourable woman in a mantilla of Moses. silk, broidered with gold and bordered with brocade. Her walking shoes were also purpled with gold, and her hair floated in long plaques. She raised her face veil, and showing two black eyes fringed with jetty lashes, whose glances were soft and languishing, and whose perfect beauty was ever blandishing. She accosted the porter, and said in the suavest tones and choicest language, take up thy crate and follow me. The porter was so dazzled he could hardly believe that he heard her aright, but he shouldered his basket in hot haste, saying in himself, Oh, day of good luck! Oh day of Allah's grace!

And walked after her till she stopped at the door of a house. There she rapped, and presently came out to her an old man, a Nazarene, to whom she gave a gold piece, receiving from him in return what she required of strained wine, clear as olive oil, and she set it safely in the hamper, saying, Lift and follow, Quoth the porter, This by Allah is indeed an auspicious day, a day propitious for the granting of all a man wisheth.

He again hoisted up the crate and followed her, till she stopped at her fruiterous shop, and bought from him shami apples and Osmani quinces, and Ormani peaches and cucumbers of Nile growth, and Egyptian limes and sultani oranges and citrons, Besides, Alepine Jasmine, scented myrtleberries, Damascene Nanufars, flower of privet and camamile, blood-red anemones, violets and pomegranate bloom, Eglantine and Narcissus, and set the hole in the porter's crate, saying,

Up with it! So he lifted and followed her till she stopped at a butcher's booth and said, Cut me off ten pounds of mutton. She paid him his price, and he wrapped it in a banana leaf, whereupon she laid it in the crate and said, Hoist, O Porter! He hoisted accordingly and followed her as she walked on till she stopped at her grocer's,

where she bought dry fruits and pistachio kernels, Tihama raisins, shelled almonds, and all wanted for dessert, and said to the porter, lift and follow me. So he up with his hamper, and after her, till she stayed at the confectioners, and she bought an earthen platter,

and piled it with all kinds of sweet, meat's in his shop, open-worked tarts and fritters scented with musk, and soap-cakes, and lemon-loves, and melon preserves, and Zynab's combs, and ladies' fingers, and Kazi's tit-bits, and goodies of every description, and placed the platter in the porter's crate. Thereupon, quoth he, being a merry man, thou shouldest have told me, and I would have brought with me a pony or a she-c camel to carry all this market stuff. She smiled, and gave him a little cuff on the nape, saying, Step out and exceed not in words,

for, Allah willing, thy wage will not be wanting. Then she stopped at a perfumers, and took from him ten sorts of waters, rose scented with musk, orange flower, water-lily, willow-flower, violet and five others,

and she also bought two loaves of sugar, a bottle for perfume-spraying, a lump of male incense, aloe wood, ambergris and musk, with candles of Alexandria wax, and she put the hole into the basket, saying, up with thy crate and after me. He did so and followed until she stood before the greengrocers,

of whom she bought pickled safflower and olives in brine and in oil, with tarragon and cream cheese and hard Syrian cheese, and she stowed them away in the crate, saying to the porter, Take up thy basket and follow me. He did so and went after her till she came to a fair mansion fronted by, our spacious court, a tall fine place to which columns gave strength and grace, and the gate thereof had two leaves of ebony, inlaid with plates of red gold. The lady stopped at the door, and turning her face veil sideways, knocked softly with her knuckles, whilst the porter stood behind her,

thinking of naught save her beauty and loveliness. Presently the door swung back, and both leaves were opened, whereupon he looked to see who had opened it, and behold, it was a lady of tall figure, some five feet high, a model of beauty and loveliness, brilliance and symmetry, and perfect grace. Her forehead was flower white, her cheeks like the anemone, ruddy, bright. Her eyes were those of the wild heifer, or the gazelle, with eyebrows like the crescent moon which ends Shahaban and begins Ramadan. Her mouth was the ring of Sulayman, Her lips coral red, and her teeth like a line of strung pearls are of chamomile petals. Her throat recalled the antelopes, and her breasts, like two pomegranates of even size, stood at bay, as it were.

Her body rose and fell in waves below her dress like the rolls of a piece of brocade, and her navel would hold an ounce of benzoyn ointment. In fine she was like her, of whom the poet said, On sun and moon of Palace cast thy sight Enjoy her flower-like face Her fragrant light Thine eyes shall never see in hair so black Beauty in case a brow so purely white

The ruddy rose cheek proclaims her claim Though fail her name whose beauties we indict As sways her gait I smile at hips so big And weep to see the waste they bear so slight When the porter looked upon her, his wits were waylaid, and his senses were storm, so that his crate went nigh to fall from his head, and he said to himself,

Never have I in my life seen a day more blessed than this day. Then quoth the lady portress to the lady catereress, come in from the gate, and relieve this poor man of his load. So the provisioner went in, followed by the portress and the porter, and went on till they reached a spacious ground-floor hall, built with admirable skill and beautified with all manner colours and carvings, with upper balconies and groined arches and galleries and cupboards and recesses whose curtains hung before them. In the midst stood a great basin full of water surrounding a fine fountain,

and at the upper end on the raised dais was a couch of juniper wood, set with gems and pearls, with a canopy like mosquito curtains of red satin silk, looped up with pearls as big as filberts and bigger. Thereupon sat a lady bright of blee, with brow beaming brilliancy, the dream of philosophy, whose eyes were fraught with Babel's grammary,

and her eyebrows were arched as for archery, her breathed ambergris and perfumery, and her lips were sugar to taste and carnilion to see. Her stature was straight as the letter E, and her face shamed the noon, sun's radiancy, and she was even as a galaxy or a dome with golden marketry, or a bride displayed in choicest finery, or a noble maid of Araby. Right well of her sang the bard when he said, Her smiles twin rows of pearls display, camomile buds or rimey spray, her tresses stray as night let down,

and shames her light the dawn a day. The third lady rising from the couch, stepped forward, with graceful swaying gate till she reached the middle of the saloon when she said to her sisters, Why stand ye here? Take it down from this poor man's head. Then the caterer went and stood before him, and the portress behind him while the third helped them, and they lifted the load from the porter's head,

and emptying it of all that was therein set everything in its place. Lastly they gave him two gold pieces, saying, When thy ways, O porter! But he went not, for her. he stood looking at the ladies, and admiring what uncommon beauty was theirs, and their pleasant manners and kindly dispositions, never had he seen goodlier, and he gazed wistfully at that good store of wines and sweet-scented flowers and fruits, and other matters. Also he marvelled with exceeding marvel, especially to see no man in the place, and delayed his going. Whereupon quoth the eldest lady, what aileth thee that goest not, happy thy wage be too little? And turning to her sister the catererist, she said, give him another dinar. But the porter answered, by Allah, my lady, it is not for the wage. My hire is never more than two dirhams. But in very sooth my heart and my soul are taken up with you and your condition. I wonder to see you

single with near a man about you, and not a soul to bear you company, and well you what, that the minaret topplet over, unless it stand upon four, and you want this same fourth. and women's pleasure without man is short of measure even as the poet said cease not we want for joy four things all told the harp and lute the flute and flagellet and be they accompanied with scents forefold rose myrtle anemone and violet nor please all eight and for thou wouldst withhold good wine and youth and gold and pretty pet you be there and want a fourth who shall be a person of good sense and prance and priept you be there and want a fourth who shall be a person of good sense and prance and prong prudence, smart-witted, and one apt to keep careful counsel. His words pleased and amused them much, and they laughed at him and said, And who is to assure us of that? We are maidens, and we fear to entrust our secret, where it may not be kept, for we have read in a certain chronicle the lines of one Ibn Nassumam.

Hold fast thy secret, and to none unfold. Lost is a secret when that secret's told, and fail thy breast thy secret to conceal, How canst thou hope another's breast shall hold? And Abu Nawas said well on the same subject, Who trusteth secret to another's hand? Upon his brow, deserveth burn of brand. When the porter heard their words, he rejoined, By your lives!

I'm a man of sense and a discreet, Who hath read books and perused chronicles. I reveal the fair and conceal the fowl, and I act as the poet adviseth. None but the good a secret keep, and good men keep it unrevealed. It is to me a well-shut house, with keyless locks and door end sealed.

When the maidens heard his verse, and its poetical application addressed to them, they said, Thou knowest that we have laid out all our monies on this place. Now say, hast thou ought to offer us in return for entertainment, for surely we will not suffer thee to sit in our company, and be our cup companion, and gaze upon our faces so fair and so rare, without paying around some, whatest thou not the saying? Sands hope of gain, love's not worth a grain. Where to the lady portress

added, If thou bring anything, thou art a something. If nothing, be off with thee. Thou art to nothing. But the procuratrix interposed, saying, Nay, O my sisters, leave teasing him, for by Allah he hath not fail this day, and had he been other, he never had kept patience with me, so whatever be his shot and Scott, I will take it upon myself. The porter, overjoyed, kissed the ground before her, and thanked her, saying, by Allah, these monies are the first fruits this day hath given me. Hearing this, they said, sit thee down and welcome to thee. And the eldest lady added, By Allah, we may not suffer thee to join us, save on one condition, and this it is, that no questions be asked as to what concerneth they not and froedness shall be soundly flogged answered the porter i agree to this my lady on my head and my eyes be it look ye i am dumb i have no tongue

then arose the provisioneress and tightening her girdle set the table by the fountain and put the flowers and sweet herbs in their jars and strained the wine and ranged the flasks in row and made ready every requisite Then sat she down, she and her sisters, placing amidst them the porter, who kept deeming himself in a dream, and she took up the wine-flagon, and poured out the first cup, and drank it off, and likewise a second, and a third. After this she filled a fourth cup, which she handed to one of her sisters, and lastly she crowned a goblet, and passed it to the porter, saying, drink the dear draught drink free and fain what healeth every grief and pain he took the cup in his hand and louting low returned his best thanks and improvised drain not the bowl save with a trusty friend a man of worth whose good and old for wine like wind sucks sweetness from the sweet and stinks when over stench it happily blow adding drain not the bowl save from dear hand like thine. The cup recall thy gifts, thou gifts of wine. After repeating this couplet, he kissed their hands, and drank, and was drunk, and sat swaying from side to side, and pursued, All drinks were in his blood, the law unclean doth hold, save one, the blood shed of the vine. Fill, fill, take all my wealth bequeathed or won, thou fawn a willing ransom for those ines. Then the catereress crowned a cup

And gave it to the portress Who took it from her hand And thanked her and drank Thereupon she poured again And passed to the eldest lady Who sat on the couch And filled yet another And handed it to the porter

He kissed the ground before them And after drinking and thanking them He again began to recite Here Here by Allah here Cups of the sweet the deer Fill me a brimming bowl The fount of life I spear Then the porter stood up before the mistress of the house and said,

O lady, I am thy slave, thy mameloc, thy white thrall, are thy very bondsman, and he began reciting, A slave of slaves there standeth at thy door, lauding thy generous boons and gifts galore, beauty, may he come in a while to joy thy charms, for love and I part never more. She said to him, drink, and health and health and, happiness attend thy drink. So he took the cup and kissed her hand and recited these lines in sing-song. I gave her brave old wine that, like her cheeks, blushed red or flame from furnace, flaring up. She bust the brim and said, with many a smile, how durst thou deal, folks' cheek for folk to sup.

Drink, said I, these are tears of mine, whose tinked is heart-blood, sighs have boiled in the cup. she answered him in the following couplet and tears of blood for me friend thou hast shed suffer me sup them by thy head and eyes then the lady took the cup and drank it off to her sister's health and they ceased not drinking the porter being in the midst of them and dancing and laughing and laughing and reciting verses and singing ballads and ritonello's all this time the porter was carrying on with them kissing toying biting, handling, groping, fingering, whilst one thrust a dainty morsel in his mouth, and another slapped him, and this cuffed his cheeks, and that threw sweet flowers at him,

and he was in the very paradise of pleasure, as though he were sitting in the seventh sphere among the hoorries of heaven. They ceased not doing after this fashion until the wine played tucks in their heads, and worsted their wits, and when the drink got the better of them, The portress stood up and doffed her clothes

Till she was mother naked However she let down her hair about her body By way of a shift And throwing herself into the basin Disported herself and dived like a duck And swam up and down And took water in her mouth And spurted it all over the porter

And washed her limbs And between her breasts And inside her thighs And all around her navel Then she came up out of the cistern And throwing herself on the portals on the porter's lap said, "'Oh, my lord, oh my love,

"'what callest thou this article, "'pointing to her slit, "'her solution of continuity. "'I call that thy cleft,' "'coth the porter, "'and she rejoined, "'Wa, wa, art thou not ashamed "'to use such a word?'

"'And she caught him by the collar "'and soundly cuffed him. "'Said he again, "'thy womb, thy vulva, "'and she struck him a second slap, "'crying, oh, fie, fie, "'this is another ugly word, is here no shame in thee quoth he thy coin and she cried oh thou art wholly destitute of modesty and thumped and bashed him then cried the porter thy clitoris

whereat the eldest lady came down upon him with a yet sore beating and said no and he said tis so and the porter went on calling the same commodity by sundry other names but whatever he said they beat him more and more till his His neck ached and swelled with the blows he had gotten, and on this wise they made him a butt and a laughing-stock. At last he turned upon them asking, and what do you women call this article? Where to the damsel made answer, the basil of the bridges, cried the porter, Thank Allah for my safety, aid me and be thou propitious, O basil of the bridges. They passed round the cup and tossed off the bowl again, when the second lady stood up, and stripping off all her clothes,

cast herself into the system, and did as the first had done. Then she came out of the water, and throwing her naked form on the porter's lap, pointed to her machine, and said, O light of mine eyes, do tell me what is the name of this concern? He replied as before, thy slit.

And she rejoined, Hath such term, no shame for thee, and cuffed him and buffeted him, till the saloon rang with the blows. Then quoth she, Oh, fie, fie, how canst thou say this without blushing? He suggested, the basil of the bridges. But she would not have it, and said, no, no, and struck him and slapped him on the back of the neck.

Then he began calling out all the names he knew. Thy slit, thy womb, thy coin, thy clitoris. And the girls kept on saying, no, no. So he said, I stick to the basil of the bridges, and all the three laughed till they fell on their backs and laid slid. laps on his neck and said, No, no, that's not its proper name. Thereupon he cried, Oh, my sisters, what is its name?

And they replied, What sayest thou to the husked sesame seed? Then the catererist donned her clothes, and they fell again to carousing, but the porter kept moaning, Oh, and oh, for his neck and shoulders, and the cut passed merrily round and round again for a full hour.

After that time, the eldest and handsome Missed lady, stood up and stripped off her garments, whereupon the porter took his neck in hand and rubbed and shampooed it, saying, My neck and shoulders are on the way of Allah. Then she threw herself into the basin, and swam and dived, sported and washed. And the porter looked at her naked figure As though she had been a slice of the moon And at her face with the sheen of Luna when at full Or like the dawn when it brightenedeth And he noted her noble stature and shape

And those glorious forms that quivered as she went For she was naked as the Lord made her Then he cried, alack, alack! And began to address her, versifying in these couplets. If I liken thy shape to the back, when green my likeness errs and I saw mistake it for the bow is fairest when clad the most and thou art fairest when mother naked when the lady heard his verses she came up out of the basin and seating herself upon his lap and knees pointed to her genitry and said oh my lordling what be the name of this quoth he the basil of the bridges but she said bah bah quothi the husked sesame quoth she, poor, poor, then said he, thy womb, and she cried, Fie, fie, art thou not ashamed of thyself, and cuffed him on the nape of the neck.

And whatever name he gave, declaring, tis so, she beat him and cried, No, no, to at last he said, Oh, my sisters, and what is its name? She replied, it is entitled the Khan of Abu Mansour, whereupon the porter replied, "'Ha, O'allah be praised for safe deliverance, "'O Khan of Abu Mansour.' Then she came forth and dressed,

and the cut went round a full hour. At last the porter rose up, and stripping off all his clothes, jumped into the tank, and swam about and washed under his bearded chin and armpits, even as they had done. Then he came out and threw himself

into the First Lady's lap, and rested his arms upon the lap of the portress, and reposed his legs in the lap of the catereress, and pointed to his prickle and said, Oh, my mistresses, what is the name of this article? All laughed at his words till they fell on their backs, and one said, Thy pintel! But he replied, No,

and gave each one of them a bite by way of forfeit. Then said they, thy pizzle! But he cried, no, and gave each of them a hug. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying, her permitted son. End of Section 6 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1. Section 7, Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton.

This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Recording by Father Ziley of Detroit. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 7. When it was the tenth night, Quoth her sister Dunyazad,

Finish for us thy story, And she answered, With joy and goodly greet, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, That the damsel stinted not, saying to the porter, thy pickle thy pintel thy pizzle and he ceased not kissing and biting and hugging until his heart was satisfied and they laughed on till they could no more at last one said o our brother what then is it called quoth he know ye not quoth they no its veritable name said he is mule burst all which browseth on the basle of the bridges and muncheth the husheth the husheth the husheth the husheth musked sesame, and knighteth in the Khan of Abu Mansour.

Then they laughed till they fell on their backs, and returned to their carousel, and ceased not to be after this fashion till night began to fall. Thereupon said they to the porter, Bismillah, O our master, up and on with those sorry old shoes of thine, and turn thy face, and show us the breadth of thy shoulders. said he, by Allah, to part with my soul would be easier for me than departing from you.

Come let us join night to-day, and tomorrow morning we will wend our own way. My life on you, said the procuratrix. Suffer him to tarry with us, that we may laugh at him. We may live out our lives and never meet with his like, for surely he is a right merry rogue and witty. So they said, you must not remain with us this night save on condition that thou submit to our commands and that whatso thou seest thou ask no questions there anent nor inquire of its cause all right rejoined he and they said go read the writing over the door so he rose and went to the entrance and there found written in letters of gold wash whoso speaketh of what concerneth him not shall hear what please him not the porter said be ye witnesses against me that i will not speak on what so concerneth me not then the catererose arose and set food before them and they ate

after which they changed their drinking-place for an other and she lighted the lamps and candles and burned amber gris and aloeswood and set on fresh fruit and wine service when they fell to carousing and talking of their love lovers. And they ceased not to eat and drink and chat, nibbling dry fruits and laughing and playing tricks for the space of a full hour, when lo, a knock was heard at the gate. The knocking in no wise disturbed this seance, but one of them rose and went to see what it was, and presently returned, saying, truly our pleasure for this night is to be perfect. How is that? asked they, and she answered, at the gate be three Persian Calendars, with their beards and heads and eyebrows shaven, and all three blind of the left eye, which is surely a strange chance. They are foreigners from roomland, with the mark of travel plain upon them.

They have just entered Baghdad, this being their first visit to our city, and the cause of their knocking at our door is simply because they cannot find a lodging. indeed one of them said to me, Happily the owner of this mansion will let us have the key of his stable or some old outhouse, wherein we may pass this night, for evening had surprised them, and being strangers in the land, they knew none who would give them shelter.

And, oh, my sisters, each of them is a figure of fun after his own fashion, and if we let them in we shall have matter to make sport of. she gave not over-persuading them till they said to her let them in and make thou the usual condition with them that they speak not of what concerneth them not lest they hear what pleaseth them not so she rejoiced and going to the door presently returned with the three monoculars whose beards and mustachios were clean-shaven they solemned and stood afar off by way of respect but the three ladies rose up to them and welcomed them and wished them joy of their safe arrival and made them sit down. The calendars looked at the room and saw that it was a pleasant place. Clean swept and garnished with cowers, and the lamps were burning, and the smoke of perfumes was spiring in air.

And beside the dessert and fruits and wine there were three fair girls who might be maidens. So they exclaimed with one voice, by Allah tis good Then they turned to the porter And saw that he was a merry-faced white Albeit he was by no mean sober And was sore after his saplings So they thought he was one of themselves

And said a mendicant like us Whether Arab or foreigner But when the porter heard these words He rose up and fixing his eyes fiercely upon them Said sit ye here without exceeding in talk Have you not read what is writ over the door? Surely it befitteth not, fellows, who come to us like paupers, to wag your tongues at us.

We crave thy pardon, O fakir, rejoined they, and our heads are between thy hands. The ladies laughed consumedly at the squabble, and making peace between the calendars and the porter, seated the new guests before meet, and they ate. Then they sat together, and the portress served them, with drink and as the cup went round merrily quote the porter to the askers and you o brothers mine have ye no story or rare adventure to amuse us with all now the warmth of wine having mounted to their heads they called for musical instruments and the portress brought them a tambourine of mosul and a lute of irak and a persian harp and each mendicant took one and tuned it this the tambourine

and those the lute and the harp, and struck up a merry tune while the ladies sang so lustily that there was a great noise. And whilst they were carrying on, behold, someone knocked at the gate, and the portress went to see what was the matter there. Now the cause of that knocking, O King, Quoth Scheherazade, was this.

The Caliph Harun al-Rashid had gone forth from the palace, as was his want now and then, to solace himself in the city. that night, and to see and hear what new thing was stirring. He was in merchant's gear, and he was attended by Jafar his wazir, and by Masrur his sworder of vengeance. As they walked about the city, their way led them towards the house of the three ladies, where they heard the loud noise of musical instruments and singing and merriment. So quoth the Caliph to Jafar, I long to enter this house

And hear those songs And see who sing them Quoth Jafar O Prince of the faithful These folk are surely Drunken with wine And I fear some mischief Baitid us if we get amongst them

There is no help But that I go in there replied the Caliph And I desire thee to contrive some pretext For our appearing among them Jafar replied I hear and I obey And knocked at the door

whereupon the portress came out and opened. Then Jafar came forward, and kissing the ground before her, said, Oh, my lady, we be merchants from Tiberius Town. We arrived at Baghdad ten days ago, and alighting at the merchants, Caravantharay, we sold all our merchandise. Now a certain trader invited us to an entertainment this night, so we went to his house, and he set food before us, and we ate. Then we sat at wine and was sale with him,

for an hour or so when he gave us leave to depart, and we went out from him in the shadow of the night, and being strangers, we could not find our way back to our Khan. So happily of your kindness and courtesy, you will suffer us to tarry with you this night, and heaven will reward you. The portress looked upon them, and seeing them dressed like merchants and men of grave looks,

and solid, she returned to her sisters and repeated to them Jafar's story, and they took compassion upon the strangers and said to her, Let them enter. She opened the door to them, and when they said to her, Have we thy leave to come in? Come in, quote she.

And the caliph entered, followed by Jafar and Masrur. And when the girls saw them, they stood up to them in respect, and made them sit down and looked to their wants, saying, Welcome and welcome and good cheer to the guests, but with one condition, What is that? asked they, and one of the ladies answered,

Speak not of what concerneth you not, lest ye hear what pleaseth you not. Even so, said they, and sat down to their wine and drank deep. Presently the caliph looked on the three calendars, and seeing them each and every blind of the left eye, wondered at the sight. Then he gazed upon the girls, and he was startled, and he marvelled with exceeding marble at their beauty and loveliness. They continued to carouse and to converse and said to the caliph,

Drink! But he replied, I am vowed to pilgrimage, and drew back from the wine. Thereupon the portress rose, and spreading before him a tablecloth worked with gold, set thereon a porcelain bowl to which she poured willow-flower water, with a lump of snow, and a spoonful of sugar candy. The caliph thanked her, and said in himself, by Allah, I will recompense her tomorrow for the kind deed she hath done. The others again addressed themselves to conversing and carousing,

and when the wine gat the better of them, the eldest lady who ruled the house rose and making obeisance to them, took the catress by the hand, and said, Rise, O my sister, and let us do what is our divorce. Both answered, Even so! Then the portress stood up, and, proceeded to remove the table service and the remnants of the banquet, and renewed the pastiles,

and cleared the middle of the saloon. Then she made the calendar sit upon a sofa at the side of the Estrade, and seated the Caliph and Jafar on Masrur on the other side of the saloon, after which she called a porter and said, How scanty is thy courtesy! Now thou art no stranger, nay, thou art one of the household. So he stood up, and, tightening his waistcloth, asked, What would ye I do? And she answered, Stand in thy place. Then the procuratrix arose, and set in the midst of the saloon a low chair, and opening a closet, cried to the porter, Come help me! So he went to help her, and saw two black bitches with chains around their necks,

and she said to him, Take hold of them. And he took them, and he took them, and led them into the middle of the saloon. Then the lady of the house arose and tucked up her sleeves above her wrists, and seizing a scourge, said to the porter, Bring forward one of the bitches. He brought her forward, dragging her by the chain, while the bitch wept,

and shook her head at the lady, who, however, came down upon her with blows on the sconce. And the bitch howled, and the lady ceased not beating her till her forearm failed her. Then, casting the scourge from her hand, she pressed the bitch to her bosom, and wiping away her tears with her hands, kissed her head. Then she said to the porter, Take her away, and bring the second.

And when he brought her, she did with her as she had done with the first. Now the heart of the caliph was touched at these cruel doings. His chest straightened, and he lost all patience in his desire to know why the two bitches were so beaten. He threw a wink at Jafar, wishing him to ask, But the minister turning toward him, said by signs, be silent. Then quoth the portress to the mistress of the house, O my lady, arise and go to thy place, that I in turn may do thy divorce. She answered even so,

And taking her seat upon the couch of juniper wood, Pargetted with gold and silver, said to the portress and catress, Now do ye what ye have to do. Thereupon the portress sat upon a low seat by the couch side, but the procuritrix, entering a closet, brought out of it a bag of satin with green fringes and two tassels of gold.

She stood up before the lady of the house, and shaking the bag, drew out of it a lute, which she tuned by tightening its pegs. and when it was in perfect order she began to sing these quatrains. Ye are the wish, the aim of me, and when, O love, thy sight I see, the heavenly mansion openeth, but hell I see when lost thy sight,

from thee comes madness, nor the less comes highest joy, comes ecstasy, nor in my love for thee I fear, or shame and blame or hate and spite, when love was thrown within my heart, I rent the veil of modesty, And stints not love to rend that veil,

Garing disgrace on grace to alight. The robe of sickness then I dawned, But rent to rags with secrecy, Therefore my love and longing heart, Proclaim your high supremest might, The tear-drop railing down my cheek, Telleth my tale of ignomy, And all the hid was seen by all,

And all my riddle read aright. Heal then my malady for thou art malady and remedy. But she whose cure is in thy hand shall ne'er be free of bane and blight. Burn me those aine that radiance reign. Slay me the swords of fantasy. How many hath the sword of love laid low their high degree despite? Yet will I never cease to pine, nor to oblivion will I flee. love is my health, my faith, my joy,

Public and private, wrong or right. O happy eyes that sight thy charms, That gaze upon thee at their gree, Ye of thy purest wish and will, The slave of love, I'll I be height. When the damsel heard this elegy in quatrains, She cried out, Alas! Alas! And rent her garment,

And fell to the ground fainting. and the caliph saw scars of the palm-rod on her back, and welts of the whip, and marvelled with exceeding wonder. Then the portress arose, and sprinkled water on her, and brought her a fresh and very fine dress, and put it on her. But when the company beheld these doings, their minds were troubled, for they had no inkling of the case, nor knew the story thereof. So the caliph said to Jafar,

Didst thou not see the scars upon the damsel's body? I cannot keep silent, or be at rest till I learn the truth of her condition, and the story of this other maiden, and the secret of the two black bitches. But Jafar answered, O our Lord, they made it a condition with us that we speak not of what concerneth us not, lest we come to hear what pleaseth us not. Then said the portress, by Allah, O my sister, come to me and complete this service for me,

replied the procuratrix, With joy and goodly gree, So she took the lute, and leaned it against her breasts, And swept the strings with her fingertips, and began singing. Give back mine eyes their sleep long ravished, And say me whither, be my reason fled, I learnt that lending to thy love, a place, sleep to mine eyelids

mortal foe was made. They said, We held thee righteous Who layed thy soul. Go ask his glorious eyes, I said. I pardon all my blood he pleased to spill, owning his troubles, drove him blood to shed.

On my mind's mirror, Sun like sheen he cast, Whose keen reflection fire In vitals bred. Waters of life, let Allah waste at will. Suffice my mind. I wage those lips of Dewey Red,

And thou address my love, Thou'll find a cause, For plaint and tears, Or Ruth, or lust ahead. In water pure his form Shall greet your Ayn, When fails the bowl, Nor need ye drink of wine.

Then she quoted from the same ode, I drank but the draught of his glance, Not wine, And his swaying gait swayed To sleep these Ayn. T'was not, grape-juice grips me but grasp of past. Twas not bowl or bold me, but gifts divine.

His coiling curl, let's my soul annetted, and his cruel will all my wits outwitted. After a pause, she resumed. If we plain of absence, what shall we say? Or if pain afflict us, where wend our way? And I hire a truckman to tell my tale, the lover's plaint is not told for pay. If I put on patience a lover's life,

after loss of love will not last a day. Nought has left me now, but regret, repine, and tears flooding cheeks forever and I. O thou who the babies of these eyes hast fled, thou art homed in heart that shall never stray. Would heaven I wot hast thou kept our pack? long a stream shall flow to have firmest fay or hast forgotten the weeping slave whom groans afflict and whom griefs waylay ah when severance ends and we side by side couch i'll blame thy rigors and chide thy pride now when the portress heard her second ode she shrieked aloud and said by allah tis right good and laying her hands on her garments tore the

them as she did the first time and fell to the ground fainting, whereupon the procuratrix rose and brought her a second change of clothes after she had sprinkled water on her. She recovered and sat upright and said to her sister, the catress, Onwards, and help me in my duty, for there remains but this one song. So the provisionerous again brought out the lute and began to sing these verses. How long shall last, how long this rigor rife of woe, May not suffice thee all these tears thou seest flow? Our parting thus with purpose fell thou dost prolong, Is not enough to glad the heart of envious foe?

Were but this lying world once true to love her heart, Had not watched the weary night in tears of woe, O pity me whom overwhelmed thy cruel will, my lord my king tis time some ruth to me thou show to whom reveal my wrongs o thou who murdered me sad who of broken troth the pangs must undergo increase while love for thee and frenzy hour by hour and days of exile minute by so long so slow o muslims claim vendetta for this slave of love whose sleep love ever wastes whose patient love lays low doth law of love allow thee o my wish to lie lapped in another's arms and unto me cry go yet in thy presence say what joys shall i enjoy when he i love but works my love to overflow when the portress heard the third song she cried aloud and laying hands on her garments rent them down to the very skirt and fell to the ground fainting a third time again she cried aloud and laying hands on her garments rent them down to the very skirt and fell to the ground fainting a third time again she showing the scars of the scourge.

Then said the three colanders, Would heaven we had never entered this house, but had rather righted on the mounds and heaps outside the city, for verily our visit hath been troubled by sights which cut to the heart? The Caliph turned to them and asked, Why so? And they made answer, Our minds are sore troubled by this matter, Quote the Caliph, are ye not of the household?

and quoth they, No, nor indeed did we ever set eyes on the place till within this hour. Hereat the Caliph marveled and rejoined, This man who sitteth by you, would he not know the secret of the matter? And so saying he winked and made signs at the porter. So they questioned the man,

But he replied, By the al-might of Allah, in love all are alike. I am the growth of Baghdad, yet never in my born days did I darken these doors till to-day, and my accompanying with them was a curious matter. By Allah, they rejoined, we took thee for one of them, and now we see thou art one like ourselves. Then said the Caliph, We be seven men, and they only three women, without even a fourth to help them. So let us question them of their case, and if they answer us not, fain, we will be answered by force.

All of them agreed to this except Jafar, who said, This is not my wrecking. Let them be, for we are their guests, and as ye know they made a compact and condition with us, which we accepted and promised to keep. Wherefore it is better that we be silent concerning this matter, and as but little of the night remaineth, let each and every of us gain his own gait.

Then he winked at the caliph and whispered to him, There is but one hour of darkness left, And I can bring them before thee to-morrow, When thou canst freely question them all concerning their story. But the caliph raised his head haughtily, And cried out at him in wrath, saying, I have no patience left for my longings to hear of them. Let the calenders question them forthright.

Quoth Jafar, this is not my reed. Then words ran high and talk answered talk, and they disputed as to who should first put the question. But at last all fixed upon the porter. And as the jingle increased, the house-mistress could not but notice it, and ask them, O ye folk, on what matter are ye talking so loudly? Then the porter stood up respectfully before her and said, O my lady, this company earnestly desire that thou acquaint them with the story of the two bitches, and what maketh thee punish them so cruelly, and then thou fallest to weeping over them and kissing them.

And lastly they want to hear the tale of thy sister, and why she hath been bastinadoed with palm pricks like a man. These are the questions they charge me to put, and peace be with thee. Thereupon quoth she who was the lady of the house to the guests, Is this true that he saith on your part? And all replied, yes, save Jafar, who kept silence. When she heard these words, she cried, By Allah, ye have wronged us, O our guests, with grievous wronging, for when you came before us we made compact and condition with you,

that whoso should speak of what concerneth him not, should hear what pleaseth him not. Sufficeth ye not that we took you into our house and fed you with our best food, but the fault is not so much yours as hers who let you in. Then she tucked up her sleeves from her wrists, and struck the floor thrice with her hand, saying, Come ye quickly, and lo, a closet door opened,

and out of it came seven negro slaves with drawn swords in hand, to whom she said, Pinion me those praetor's elbows, and bind them each to each. They did her bidding and asked her, O veiled and virtuous, is it thy high command that we strike off their heads? But she answered,

Leave them a while, that I questioned them of their condition before their necks feel the sword. By Allah, oh my lady, cried the porter, Slay me not for other's sin. All these men, offend. and deserved the penalty of crime, save myself. Now by Allah, our knight had been charming,

had we escaped the mortification of those monocular calendars whose entrance into a populous city would convert it into a howling wilderness. Then he repeated these verses. How fair is Ruth the strong man deigns not smother? And fairest fair when shown to weakest brother. By love's own holy tie between us twain, let one not suffer for the sin of other.

When the porter ended his verse, the lady laughed, and Scheherazade perceived the dawn of day, and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the eleventh night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the lady, after laughing at the porter, despite her wrath,

came up to the party and spake thus. Tell me who ye be, for ye have but an hour of life. And were ye not men of rank and perhaps notables of your tribes? You had not been so froward, and I had hastened your doom. Then said the Caliph,

Woe to thee, O Jafar! Tell her who we are, lest we be slain by mistake, and speak her fair before, some horror befall us. Tis part of thy deserts, replied he, whereupon the Caliph cried out at him, saying, There is a time for witty words, and there is a time for serious work. Then the lady accosted the three colanders, and asked them, Are ye brothers?

And they answered, No, by Allah, we be naught but fakers and foreigners. Then quoth she to one among them. Was thou born blind of one eye? And quoth he, No, by Allah, twas a marvellous matter, and a wondrous mischance which caused my eye to be torn out, and mine is a tale which, if it were written upon the eye-corners with needle-gravers,

were a warner to whoso would be warned. She questioned the second and third calendar, but all replied like the first, By Allah, O our mistress, each one of us cometh from a different country, and we are all three the sons of kings, sovereign princes ruling over suzerains and capital cities. Thereupon she turned towards them and said, Let each and every one of you tell me his tale in due order And explain the cause of his coming to our place, And if his story please us, let him stroke his head and wend his way.

The first to come forward was Hamal, the porter, who said, Oh, my lady, I am a man and a porter. This dame, the caterer, hired me to carry a load, and took me first to the shop of a vintner, then to the booth of a butcher, thence to the stall of a fruiterer, thence to a grocer who also sold dry fruits, thence to a confectioner, and a perfumer, whom druggist, and from him to this place where there happened to me with you what happened. Such is my story, and peace be on us all. At this the lady laughed and said, rub thy head and when thy ways.

But he cried, By Allah, I will not stump it till I hear the stories of my companions. Then came forward one of the monoculars and began to tell her. The first Calander's tale. Know, O my lady, what the cause of my beard being shorn and my eye being torn was as follows. My father was a king, and he had a brood. brother who was a king over another city, and it came to pass that I and my cousin, the son of my paternal uncle, were both born on one and the same day, and the years and days rolled on,

and as we grew up, I used to visit my uncle every now and then, and to spend a certain number of months with him. Now my cousin and I were sworn friends, for he ever treated me with exceeding kindness. He killed for me the fattest sheep, and strained the best of his wines, and we enjoyed long conversing and carousing. One day, when the wine had gotten the better of us, the son of my uncle said to me, O my cousin, I have a great service to ask of thee, and I desire that thou stay me not in whatso I desire to do, and I replied, with joy and goodly will. Then he made me swear the most binding oaths and left me, but after a little while he returned,

leading a lady veiled and richly apparelled with ornaments worth a large sum of money. Presently he turned to me, the woman being still behind him, and said, Take this lady with thee, and go before me to such a burial ground, describing it so that I knew the place, and enter with her into such a sepulcher, and there await my coming the odes i swore to him made me keep silence and suffered me not to oppose him so i led the woman to the cemetery and both i and she took our seats in the sepulchre

and hardly had we sat down when in came my uncle's son with a bowl of water a bag of mortar and an ad's somewhat like a hole he went straight to the tomb in the midst of the sepulchre and breaking it open with the ads set the stones on one side then he fell to digging into the earth of the tomb till he came upon a large iron plate the size of a wicket door and on raising it there appeared below it a staircase vaulted and winding then he turned to the lady and said to her come now and take thy final choice she at once went down by the staircase and disappeared. Then quoth he to me, O son of my uncle, by way of completing thy kindness. When I shall have descended into this place, restore the trap-door to where it was, and heap back the earth upon it as it lay before, and then of thy goodness, mix this unslaked lime which is in the bag with this water, which is in the bowl, and after building up the stones plaster the outside

so that none looking upon it shall say this is a new opening in an old tomb for a whole year have I worked at this place whereof none knoweth but Allah and this is the need I have of thee presently adding may Allah never bereave thy friends of thee nor make them desolate by thine absence

O son of my uncle O my dear cousin, and he went down the stairs and disappeared forever. When he was lost to sight, I replaced the iron plate and did all his bidding till the tomb became as it was before, and I worked almost unconsciously,

for my head was heated with wine. Returning to the palace of my uncle, I was told that he had gone forth a sporting and hunting, so I slept that night without seeing him. and when the morning dawned I remembered the scenes of the past evening and what happened between me and my cousin and I repented of having obeyed him when penitence was of no avail

I still thought however that it was a dream so I fell to asking for the son of my uncle but there was none to answer me concerning him and I went out to the graveyard and the sepulchres and sought for the tomb under which he was but could not find it and i cease not wandering about from sepulchre to sepulchre and tomb to tomb all without success till night set in End of Section 7 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night,

translated by Richard Burton. Recording by Father Ziley of Detroit, Michigan, October, 2008. D-R-Z-E-I-L-E dot net. Section 8, Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. this is a livervox recording all livervox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit livervox dot org the book of a thousand nights and a night section eight so i returned to the city yet i could neither eat nor drink my thoughts being engrossed with my cousin for that i knew not what was become of him and i grieved with exceeding grief and passed another sorrowful night watching until morning then i went a second time to the cemetery pondering over what the son of mine uncle had done and sorely repenting my hearkening to him went round among all the tombs but could not find the tomb i sought

i mourned over the past and remained in my morning seven days seeking the place and ever missing the path then my torture of scruples grew upon me till i well-nigh went mad and i found no way to dispel my grief save travel and return to my father so i set out and journeyed homeward but as i was entering my father's capital a crowd of rioters sprang upon me and pinioned me i wondered thereat with all wonderment seeing that i am the son of the sultan and these men were my father's subjects and among them were some of my own slaves a great fear fell upon me and i said to my soul would heaven i knew what hath happened to my father i questioned those that bound me of the cause of their doing but they returned me no answer however after a while one of them said to me, and he had been a hired servant in our house, Fortune has been false to thy father. His troops betrayed him, and the wazir who slew him now reigneth in his stead, and we lay in wait to seize thee by the bidding of him. I was well-nigh distraught, and felt ready to faint on hearing of my father's death, when they carried me off and placed me in the presence of the usurper.

Now between me and him there was an olden grudge, the cause of which is the this. I was fond of shooting with a stone bow, and it befell one day as I was standing on the terrace roof of the palace that a bird lighted on the top of the wazir's house when he happened to be there. I shot at the bird and missed the mark, but I hit the wazir's eye, and knocked it out as fate and fortune decreed. Even so saith the poet, we tread the path where fate hath led, the path fate writ we fain must tread, and man in one land doomed to die, death nowhere else shall do him dead. And on the likewise, saith another, Let fortune have her wanton way, take heart, And all her words obey, Nor joy nor mourn at anything, For all things pass and no things stay.

Now, when I knocked out the wazir's eye, He could not say a single word, for that my father was king of the city. But he hated me ever after, and dire was the grudge thus caused between us twain. So when I was set before him, hand-bound and pinioned, he straightway gave orders for me to be beheaded. I asked, For what crime wilt thou put me to death? Whereupon he answered, What crime is greater than this? Pointing the while to the place where his eye had been. Quoth I, this I did by accident, not of malice prepence. And quoth he, if thou didst it by accident, I will do the like to thee with intention.

Then he cried, Bring him forward. and they brought me up to him when he thrust his finger into my left eye and gouged it out whereupon i became one eyed as ye see me then he bade me bind me hand and foot and put me into a chest and said to the sorter take charge of this fellow and go off with him to the waste lands about the city then draw thy scimitar and slay him and leave him to feed the beasts and birds so the headsman fared forth with me and when he was in the midst of the desert he took me out of the chest and i with both hands pinioned and both feet fettered and was about to bandage my eyes before striking off my head but i wept with exceeding weeping until i had made him weep with me and looking at him i began to recite these couplets I deemed you coat a male that should withstand the Fomans shafts, and you proved Fomens brand. I hoped your aidance in mine every chance, though fail my left to aid my dexter hand. Aloof you stand and hear the railer's jibe, while rein their shafts on me the giber band. But an ye will not guard me from my foes, stand clear and succour neither these nor those.

And I also quoted, I deemed my brother and male of strongest deal, and so they were, from foes I fend my dart. I deemed their arrows surest of their aim, and so they were, when aiming at my heart. When the headsman heard my lines, he had been sordered to my sire, and he owed me a debt of gratitude. He cried, "'O my lord, what can I do, being but a slave under orders?' presently adding, fly for their life, and never more return to this land, or they will slay thee, and slay me with thee. Even as a poet said,

"'Take thy life and fly when as evil's threat, let the ruined house tell its owner's fate. New land for the old thou shalt seek and find, but to find new life thou must not wait. Strange that men should sit in a stead of shame, when Allah's world is so wide and great. And trust no other in matters grave, life itself must act for a life beset. Nair would prowl the lion with maned neck, did he reckon on aid or of others wreck? Hardly believing my escape, I kissed his hand and thought the loss of my eye a light matter in consideration of my escaping from being slain. I arrived at my uncle's capital, and, going into him, told him of what had befallen my father and myself, whereat he wept with sore

weeping, and said, Verily, thou addest grief to my grief, and woe to my woe, for thy cousin hath been missing these many days. I want not what hath happened to him, and none can give me news of him, and he wept till he fainted. I sorrowed and condoled with him, and he would have applied certain medicaments to my eye, but he saw that it was become as a walnut with the shell empty. Then he said, O my son, better to lose eye and keep life.

After that I could no longer remain silent about my cousin, who was his only son and one dearly loved, so I told him all that had happened. He rejoiced with extreme joyance to hear the news of his son and said, come now and show me the tomb but i replied by allah o my uncle i know not its place though i sought it carefully full many times yet could not find the sight however i and my uncle went to the graveyard and looked right and left till at last i recognized a tomb and we both rejoiced with exceeding joy we entered the sepulchre and loosened the earth about the grave then up raising the trap-door descended some fifty steps till we came to the foot of the staircase when lo we were stopped by a blinding smoke thereupon my uncle said that saying whose sayer shall never come to shame there is no majesty and there is no might save in allah the glorious the great and we advanced till we suddenly came upon a saloon whose floor was strewn with flour and grain and provisions and all manner of necessities

and in the midst of it stood a canopy sheltering a couch thereupon my uncle went up to the couch and inspecting it found his son and the lady who had gone down with him into the tomb lying in each other's embrace but the twain had become black as charred soot it was as if they had been cast into a pit of fire when my uncle saw this spectacle he spat in his son's face and said thou hast thy deserts o thou hog this is thy judgment in the transitory world and yet remaineth the judgment in the world to come a durer and a more enduring and shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say when it was the twelfth night she continued it has reached me o auspicious king that the calendar thus went on with his story before the lady and the caliph of ja'ar my uncle struck his son with his slipper as he lay there in a black heap of coal i marvelled at his hardness of heart and grieving for my cousin and the lady said by allah o my uncle calm down thy wrath dost thou not see that all my thoughts are occupied with this misfortune and how sorrowful i am for what hath befallen thy son and how horrible it is that not of him remaineth but a black heap of charcoal and is that not enough but thou must smite him with thy slipper "'Ansured he, O son of my brother, this youth from his boyhood was madly in love with his own sister, and often and often I forbade him to her, saying to myself they are but little ones.

However, when they grew up, sin befell between them, and although I could hardly believe it, I confined him, and chided him, and threatened him with the severest threats, and the eunuchs and servants said to him, Beware of so foul a thing which none before thee ever did, and which none after thee will ever do, and have a care lest thou be dishonoured and disgraced among the kings of the day, even to the end of time. And I added, Such a report as this will be spread abroad by caravans, and take heed not to give them cause to talk, or I will assuredly curse thee and do thee to death. After that I lodged them apart and shut her up,

but the accursed girl loved him with passionate love, for Satan had got the mastery of her as well as of him, and made their foul sin seem fair in their sight. Now when my son saw that I separated them, he secretly built his suturain, and furnished it, and transported to it victuals, even as thou seest, and when I had gone out as sporting, came here with his sister, and hid from me.

Then his righteous judgment fell upon the twain, and consumed them with fire from heaven, and verily the last judgment will deal them durer pains and more enduring. Then he wept, and I wept with him, and he looked at me and said, Thou art my son in his stead, and I bethought me a while of the world and of its chances, and how the wazir had slain my father, and had taken his place, and had put out my eye, and how my cousin had come to his death by the strangest chance, and I we wept again,

and my uncle wept with me. Then we mounted the steps, and let down the iron plate, and heaped up the earth over it, and after restoring the tomb to its former condition, we returned to the palace. But hardly had we sat down, ere we heard the tom tomming of the kettle-drum, and the tant-trah of trumpets, and the clash of symbols, and the rattling of warmen's lances, and the clamors of assailants, and the clanking of bits, and the neighing of steeds, while the world was canopied in dense dust and sand-clouds raised by the horse's hooves. We were amazed at the sight and sound, knowing not what could be the matter, so we asked, and were told us that the wazir who usurped my father's kingdom had marched his men,

and that after levying his soldiery and taking a host of wild Arabs into his service, he had come down upon us with armies like the sands of the sea, their number none could tell, and against them none could prevail. They attacked the city unawares, and the citizens, being powerless to oppose them, surrendered the place. My uncle was slain, and I made for the suburbs, saying to myself, If thou fall into this villain's hands he will assuredly kill thee. On this wise, all my troubles will renew.

and I pondered all that had betided my father and my uncle, and I knew not what to do, for if the city people or my father's troops had recognized me, they would have done their best to win favor by destroying me, and I could think of no way to escape, save by shaving off my beard and my eyebrows. So I shore them off, and changing my fine clothes for a calendar's rags, I fared forth from my uncle's capital, and made for this city, hoping that peradventure someone would assist me to the presence of the Prince of the Faithful, and the caliph, and the caliph who is a viceragent of Allah upon earth.

Thus I come hither that I might tell him my tale and lay my case before him. I arrived here this very night, and was standing in doubt whether I should go, when suddenly I saw this second calendar. So I salome to him, saying, I am a stranger, and he answered, I too am a stranger. And as we were conversing, up came our third companion, this third calendar, who saluted us, saying, I am a stranger, and we answered, we too be strangers. Then we three walked on and together, till darkness overtook us, and destiny

crave us to your house. Such then is the cause of the shaving of my beard and mustachios and eyebrows, and the manner of my losing my right eye. They marvelled much at this tale, and the caliph said to Ja'afar, By Allah, I have not seen, nor have I heard the like of what hath happened to this calendar. Quoth the lady of the house, rub thy head and wind thy ways, but he replied, I will not go, till i hear the history of the two others thereupon the second calendar came forward and kissing the ground began to tell the second calendar's tale the second colander's tale no o my lady that i was not born one-eyed and mine is a strange story and it were graven with needlegraver on the eye corners it were a warner to whoso would be warned i am a king son of a king and was brought up like a prince i learned intoning of a the Quran according to the seven schools, and I read all manner books, and held disputation on their contents with the doctors and men of science. Moreover, I studied star-lore and the fair

sayings of the poets, and I exercised myself in all branches of learning, until I surpassed the people of my time. My skill and calligraphy exceeded that of all the scribes, and my fame was brooded abroad over all climes and cities, and all the kings learned to know my name. Amongst us, others, the king of hind, heard of me, and sent to my father to invite me to his court, with offerings and presents and rarities such as befit royalties. So my father fitted out six ships for me and my people, and we put to sea and sailed for the space of a full month, till we made the land. Then we brought out the horses that were with us in the ships, and, after loading the camels with our presents for the prince, set forth inland.

But we had marched only a little way, when behold, a dust-cloud flew up, and, up and grew until it walled the horizon from view. After an hour or so, the veil lifted, and discovered beneath it fifty horsemen, ravening lions to the sight, and steel-armor dight. We observed them straightly and low. They were cutters off of the highway, wild as wild Arabs. When they saw that we were only four and had with us but the ten camels, carrying the presence, they dashed down upon us with lances at rest. We signed to them with our fingers, as it were, saying, we be messengers of the great king of hind, so harm us not. But they answered, unlike wise,

We are not in his dominions to obey, nor are we subject to his sway. Then they set upon us, and slew some of my slaves, and put the lave to flight. And I also fled, after I had gotten a wound, a grievous hurt, whilst the Arabs were taken up with the money and the presence which were with us. I went forth unknowing whither I went, having become mean as I was mighty, and fared on until i came to the crest of a mountain where i took shelter for the night in a cave when day arose i set out again nor ceased after this fashion till i arrived at a fair city and a well filled now it was the season when winter was turning away with his rhyme and to greet the world with his flowers came prime and the young blooms were springing and the streams flowed ringing and the birds were sweetly singing as saith the poet concerning a certain city when describing it a place secure from every thought of fear safety and peace for ever lord it here its beauties seem to beautify its sons as in heaven its happy folk appear

I was glad of my arrival, for I was wearied with the way, and yellow of face for weakness and want. But my plight was pitiable, and I knew not whither to betake me. So I accosted a tailor sitting in his little shop, and saluted him, and he returned my salome, and bade me kindly welcome, and wished me well, and entreated me gently, and asked me of the cause of my strangerhood. I told him all my past from first to last, and he was concerned on my account, and said, O youth, disclose not thy secret to any, the king of this city is the greatest enemy thy father hath, and there is blood wit between them, and thou hast caused a fear for thy life. Then he said to meet and drink before me, and I ate and drank, and he with me,

and we conversed freely till nightfall, when he cleared me a place in a corner of his shop, and brought me a carpet and a coverlet. I tarried with him three days, at the end of which time he said to me, knowest thou no calling whereby to win thy living, O my son? I am learned in the law, I replied, and a doctor of doctrine, an adept in art and science, a mathematician, and a notable penman. He rejoined, Thy calling is of no account in our city, were not a sole understandeth science, or even writing, or ought, save money-making. Then said I, by allah i know nothing but what i have mentioned and he answered gird thy middle and take thee a hatchet and a cord and go and hew wood in the wold for thy daily bread till allah send thee relief and tell none who thou art lest they slay thee then he bought me an axe and a rope and gave me in charge to certain woodcutters and with these guardians i went forth into the forest where i cut fuel wood the whole of my day and came back in the evening bearing my bundle on my head i sold it for half a dinar with part of which i bought provision and laid by the rest

in such work i spent a whole year and when this was ended i went out one day as was my wont into the wilderness and wandering away from my companions i chanced upon a thickly grown lowland in the world and when this was ended i went out one day as was my wont into the wilderness and wandering away from my companions i chanced upon a thickly grown lowland in which there was an abundance of wood. So I entered and found the gnarled stump of a great tree, and loosened the ground around it, and shoveled away the earth. Presently my hatchet rang upon a copper ring, so I cleared away the soil, and behold, the ring was attached to a wooden trap-door. This I raised, and there appeared beneath it a staircase. I descended the steps to the bottom, and came to a door, which I opened and found myself in a noble hall, strong of structure and beautifully built, where was a damsel like a pearl of great price, whose favor banished from my heart all grief and carc and care,

and whose soft speech healed the soul in despair and captivated the wise and where. Her figure measured five feet in height. Her breasts were firm and upright. Her cheek, a very garden of delight, her color lively bright. Her face gleamed like dawned through curly tresses, which gloomed like night, and above the snows of her bosom glittered teeth of pearly white. As a poet said of one like her, slim wasted, loveling jetty hair and crowned, a wand of willow on a sandy mound. And as saith another, four things that meet not, save they hear unite, to shed my heart blood and to rape my sprite, brilliantest forehead, tresses jetty bright, cheeks rosy red, and stature beauty dight. When I looked upon her,

I prostrated myself before him who had created her, for the beauty and loveliness he had shaped in her, and she looked at me, and said, art thou man or jinai? I am man, answered I, and she, Now who brought thee to this place where I have abided five and twenty years, without even yet seeing man in it, quoth I, and indeed I found her words wonder sweet, and my heart was melted to the core by them. Oh, my lady, my good fortune led me hither, for the dispelling of my carcened care. Then I related to her all my mishap from first to last, and my case appeared to her exceeding grievous. So she wept, and said, I will tell thee my story in my turn. I am the daughter of the king Ifatomas, Lord of the Islands of Abnes, who married me to my cousin,

the son of my paternal uncle. But on my wedding night came in a frit named Gyrgyz bin Rajmas, first cousin, that is, mother's sister's son, of Iblis the foul fiend, snatched me. me up, and flying away with me like a bird, set me down in this place, whither he conveyed all I needed of fine stuffs, raiment, and jewels, and furniture, and meat and drink, and other else. Once in every ten years he comes here, and lies a single night with me, and then wins his way, for he took me without the consent of his family, and he hath agreed with me that if ever I need him by night or by day I have only to pass my hand over yon two lines engraved upon

the alcove, and he will appear to me before my fingers cease touching. days have now passed since he was here, and, as there remained six days more before he come again, say me, wilt thou abide with me five days, and go hence the day before his coming? I replied, Yes, and yes again! Oh, rare, if all this be not a dream! Hereat she was glad, and springing to her feet, seized my hand, and carried me through an arched doorway, to a hammum bath, a fair hall and richly decorate it. I doffed my clothes, and she doffed hers, and we bathed, and she dothed her as we bathed, and she she washed me. And when this was done we left the bath, and she seated me by her side upon a high

divan, and brought me sherbet scented with musk. When we felt cool after the bath, she set food before me, and we ate, and fell to talking, but presently she said to me, lay thee down and take thy rest, for surely thou must be weary, so I thanked her, my lady, and lay down and slept soundly, for getting all that had happened to me. When I awoke, I found her rubbing and shampooing my feet. So I again thanked her, and blessed her, and we sat for a while, talking, said she, By Allah, I was sad at heart, for I have dwelt alone underground these five and twenty years, and praise be to Allah, who has sent me someone with whom I can converse. Then she asked, O youth, what sayest thou to wine?

And I answered, do as thou wilt, whereupon she went to a cupboard and took out a sealed flask of right old wine, and set off the table with flowers and scented herbs, and began to sing these lines. Had we known of thy coming we fain had to spread the cores of our hearts and the balls of our eyes, our cheeks as a carpet to greet thee had thrown, and our eyelids had strewed, for thy feet to be tread. Now when she had finished her verse, I thanked her, for indeed love of her had gotten hold of my heart, and my grief and anguish were gone. We sat at converse and carousel till nightfall, and with her I spent the night. Such night never spent I in all my life. On the morrow, Light followed delight till midday, by which time I had drunken wine so freely that I had lost my wits,

and stood up, staggering to the right and to the left, and said, Come, O my charmer, and I will carry thee up from this underground vault, and deliver thee from the spell of thy genii. She laughed and replied, content thee and hold thy peace. Of every ten days one is for the effreet, and the other nine are thine. Quoth I, and in good sooth drink had gotten the better of me, this very instant I will break down the alcove wherein is grave in the talisman and summon the affreit that I may slay him, for it is a practice of mind to slay effreates.

When she heard my words her colour waxed wan, and she said, By all I do not! And she began repeating, This is a thing wherein destruction lies, I read thee shun it and their wits be wise. And these also, O thou who seekest severance draw the reign of thy swift steed, nor seek or much to advance. ah stay for treachery is the rule of life and sweets of meeting end in severance i heard her verse but paid no heed to her words nay i raised my foot and administered to the alcove a mighty kick and shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say when it was the thirteenth night she said it had reached me o auspicious king that the second calendar thus continued his tale to the lady But when, O my mistress, I kicked that alcove with a mighty kick. Behold! The air starkened and darkened, and thundered and lightened. The earth trembled and quaked, and the world became invisible.

At once the fumes of wine left my head, and I cried to her, What is the matter? And she replied, The affright is upon us. Did I not warn thee of this? By all thou hast brought ruin upon me, but fly for thy life, and go up by the way thou camest down. So I fled up the staircase. case. But, in the excess of my fear, I forgot sandals and hatchet. And when I mounted two steps I turned to look for them in low, I saw the earth cleave asunder, and there rose from it and a frit, a monster of hideousness who said to the damsel,

What trouble and posure be this, wherewith thou disturbest me? What mishap hath betided thee? No mishap hath befallen me, she answered, save that my breast was straightened, and my heart heavy with sadness. So I drank a little wine to broaden it, and to hearten myself, then I rose to obey a call of nature, but the wine had gotten into my head, and I fell against the alcove. "'Thou liest like the hoar thou art!' shrieked the Ephrit. And he looked around the hall, right and left, till he caught sight of my axe and sandals, and said to her, "'What be these but the belongings of some mortal who hath been in thy society?' she answered. "'I never set eyes upon them till this moment. They must have been brought by thee thither

cleaving to thy garments. Quoth E, Freit, "'These words are absurd, thou harlot! Thou strut it!' Then he stripped her stark naked, and, stretching her upon the floor, bound her hands and feet to four stakes, like one crucified, and set about torturing and trying to make her confess. I could not bear to stand listening to her cries and groan, so I climbed the stair on the quake with fear, and when I reached the top I replaced the trap-door and covered it with earth. Then I repented of what I had done with penitence exceeding, and thought of the lady, and her beauty and loveliness, and the tortures she was suffering at the

hands of the accursed of the effraith, after her quiet life of five and twenty years, and how all that had happened to her was for the cause of me. I bethought me of my father, and his kingly estate, and how I had become a wood-cutter, and how, after my time had been a while serene, the world had again waxed turban and troubled to me. So I wept bitterly and repeated this couplet. What time fate's tyranny shall most oppress thee? "'Prepend, one day shall joy thee, one distress thee.' "'Then I walked till I reached the home of my friend, the tailor, "'whom I found most anxiously expecting me.

"'Indeed he was, as the saying goes, on coals of fire for my account. "'And when he saw me,' he said, "'all night long my heart hath been heavy, "'fearing for thee from wild beasts or other mischances. "'Now praise me to Allah for thy safety. "'I thanked him for his friendly solicitude, "'and retiring to my corner, sat pondering, and musing on what had befallen me.

And I blamed and chided myself for my meddlesome folly and my forwardness in kicking the alcove. I was calling myself to account when behold, my friend the tailor came to me, and said, O youth, in the shop there is an old man, a Persian who seeketh thee. He hath thy hatchet and thy sandals, which he had taken to the woodcutter, saying, I was going out at what time the muazine began to call the dawn prayer, when I chanced upon these things, and know not whose they are.

so direct me to their owner the woodcutters recognized thy hatchet and directed him to thee he is sitting in my shop so fare forth to him and thank him and take thine axe and sandals when i heard these words i turned yellow with fear and felt stunned as by a blow and before i could recover myself low the floor of my private room clove asunder and out of it rose the persian who was the afrit he had tortured the lady with exceeding tortures neither less she would not confess to him aught so he took the hatchet and sandals and said to her her, as surely as I am Jurgis of the seed of Iblis, I will bring thee back the owner of this and these. Then he went to the woodcutters with the presence aforesaid, and, being directed to me, after waiting a while in the shop till the fact was confirmed, he suddenly snatched me up, as a hawk snatcheth a mouse, and drew high in air, but presently descended and plunged with me under the earth, I being a swoon the while, and lastly set me down in the subterranean palace wherein I had passed that blissful night. And there I saw the lady, stripped to the skin, her limbs bound to four stakes and blood

welling from her sides. At the sight my eyes ran over with tears, but the Eiffrit covered her person and said, O wanton, is this man not thy lover? She looked upon me and replied, I wot him not, nor have I ever seen him before this hour. Quoth the Eiffreet, What? This torture and yet no confessing? And quoth she, I never saw this man in my born days. it is not lawful in Allah's sight to tell lies on him. If thou know him not, said the Afrit to her, take this sword and strike off his head. She hent the sword in hand, and came close up to me.

And I signalled to her with my eyebrows, my tears the while flowing and down my cheeks. She understood me and made answer, also by signs. How couldst thou bring all this evil upon me? And I rejoined after the same fashion. This is a time for mercy and forgiveness. and the mute tongue of my case spake aloud, saying, My eyes were dragamens of my tongue betted,

And told full clear the love I fain would hide, When last we met the tears and torrents railed, For tongue struck dumb my glances testified. She signed with eye-glance while her lips were mute, I signed with fingers, and she kandly implied. Our eyebrows did all duty twixt us twain, And being speechless love spake loud and plain. Then, O my mistress, the lady threw away the sword and said,

how shall I strike the neck of one I want not, and who hath done me no evil? Such deed were not lawful in my law, and she held her hand, said the Ephrit, "'Tis grievous to thee to slay thy lover, and because he hath lain with thee, thou endurest these torments,

and obstinately refuseth to confess. After this it is clear to me, that only like loveth and piteeth like. And he turned to me and asked me, O man, happily thou also dost not know this woman, where too i answered and pray who may she be assuredly i never saw her till this instant then take the sword said he and strike off her head and i will believe that thou wottest her not and i will leave thee free to go and will not deaf hardly with thee I replied, That I will do.

And, taking the sword, went sharply forward and raised my hand to smite. But she signed to me with her eyebrows. And is it thus that thou requir'st me? I understood what her looks implied and answered her with an eye-glance. I will sacrifice my soul for thee. And the tongue of the case wrote in our hearts these lines. How many a lover with his eyebrows speaketh to his beloved as his passion pleadeth? With flashing eye his passion he inspireth.

and well she seeth what kits pleading needeth how sweet the look when on each other gazedeth and with what swiftness and how sure it speedeth and this with eyebrows all his passion writeth and that with eyeballs all his passion readeth then my eyes filled with tears to overflowing and i cast the sword from my hand saying o mighty a freight and hero if a woman lacking wits and faith deem it unlawful to strike off my head how can it be lawful for me a man to smite her neck, whom I never saw in my whole life. I cannot do such misdeed, though thou caused me drink the cup of death and perdition. Then said the Ephrit, ye twain show the good understanding between you, but I will let you see how such doings end. Then he took the sword, and struck off the lady's hands first with four strokes, and then her feet, while I looked on, and made sure of death,

and she farewelled me with her dying eyes. So the Eiffrit cried at her, thou warrest and makest me a widow with thine eyes and struck her so that her head went flying then he turned to me and said o mortal we have it in our law that when the wife committeth adultery it is lawful for us to slay her as for this damsel i snatched her way on her bride-night when she was a girl of twelve and she knew no one but myself i used to come to her once every ten days and lie with her the night under the semblance of a man a persian and when i was well assured that she had cuckled in me i slew her but as for thee i am not well satisfied that thou hast wronged me in her nevertheless i must not let thee go unharmed so ask a boon of me and i will grant it then i rejoiced o my lady with exceeding joy, and said, What boon shall I crave of thee? He replied, ask me this boon,

into what shape I shall bewitch thee, wilt thou be a dog or an ass or an ape? I rejoined, and indeed I had hoped that mercy might be shown me. By Allah spare me, that Allah spare thee for sparing a Muslim and a man who never wronged thee. And I humbled myself before him with exceeding humility and remained standing in his presence, saying,

I am sore oppressed by circumstance. He replied, "'Talk me no long, talk. It is in my power to slay thee, "'but I give thee instead thy choice.' "'Quoth I, O thou we freet, it would befit thee to pardon me, "'even as the envied pardon the envier.' "'Quoth he, and how was that?' "'And I began to tell him,

"'The tale of the envier and the envied. "'Eend of Section 8 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night.' Section 9 of Volume 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is the Libby Fox Recording. All Liberfox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libavox.org. Recording by Anna Simon The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 9. The Tale of the Enviour and the Envied.

They relate, O Iphred, that in a certain city where two men, who dwelt in adjoining houses, having a common party wall, and one of them envied the other, and looked on him with an evil eye, and did his utmost endeavour to injure him. And, albeit at all times he was jealous of his neighbour, his malice at last grew on him till he could hardly eat or enjoy the sweet pleasures of sleep. But the envied did nothing save prosper, and the more the others strove to injure him, the more he got and gained and throve. At last, the malice of his neighbor and the man's constant endeavor to work him a harm came to his knowledge so he said by allah god's earth is wide enough for its people and leaving the neighborhood he repaired to another city where he bought himself a piece of land in which was a dried-up draw-well old and in ruinous condition here he built him an oratory and furnishing it with a few necessaries took up his abode therein and devout

devoted himself to prayer and worshipping Allah Almighty, and Farkers and holy mendicants flocked to him from all quarters, and his fame went abroad through the city and that countryside. Presently, the news reached his envious neighbor of what good fortune had befallen him, and how the city notables have become his disciples. So he travelled to the place, and presented himself at the Holy Man's hermitage, and was met by the envied with welcome and greeting and all honour. Then quoth the envier, I have a word to say to thee, and this is the cause of my faring hither,

and I wish to give thee a piece of good news, so come with me to thy cell. Thereupon the envied arose, and took the envier by the hand, and they went in to the inmost part of the hermitage. But the enviour said, Bid thy Fakhers retire to their cells, or I will not tell thee what,

I have to say, save in secret where none may hear us. Accordingly, the envied said to his Fakhers, retire to your private cells, and, when all had done as he bade them, he set out with his visitor, and walked a little way until the twain reached the ruinous old well. And as they stood upon the brink, the envier gave the envied a push, which tumbled him headlong into it, unseen of any. Whereupon he fared forth, and went his ways, thinking to her, and he had to have had slain him. Now this well happened to be haunted by the Jan, who, seeing the case, bore him up and let him down little by little, till he reached the bottom, when they seated him upon a large stone. Then one of them asked his fellows, What jehu be this man? And they answered,

nay. This man, continued the speaker, is the envied height, who, flying from the envier, came to dwell in our city, and here founded this holy house. house, and he have edified us by his litanies and his lectures of the Quran. But the envious set out and journeyed till he rejoined him, and cunningly contrived to deceive him and cast him into the well where we now are. But the fame of this good man had this very night come to the sultan of our city, who designed it to visit him on the morrow on account of his daughter. What aileth his daughter? asked one, and another answered, she is possessed of a spirit, for Mamun, son of Damdam, is madly in love with her. But if this pious man knew the

remedy, her cure would be as easy as could be. Hereupon one of them inquired, And what is the medicine? And he replied, The black tomcat, which is with him in the oratory, had, on the end of his tail, a white spot, the size of a dirham. Let him pluck seven white hairs from the spot. Then let him fumigate her therewith, and, and the end of his tail, and and the marid will flee from her and not return, so she shall be sane for the rest of her life. All this took place, O Ifred, with an earshot of the envied who listened readily.

When dawn broke and mourner rose in sheen and shone, the phagias went to seek the sheikh, and found him climbing up the wall of the well, whereby he was magnified in their eyes. Then, knowing that Nords save the black tomcat could supply him with the remedy required, He plucked the seven tail-hairs from the white spot and laid them by him, and hardly had the sun risen ere the Sultan entered the hermitage,

with the great lords of his estate, bidding the rest of his retinue to remain standing outside. The envied gave him a hearty welcome, and seating him by his side, asked him, Shall I tell thee the cause of thy coming? The king answered, Yes. He continued, thou hast come upon pretext of a visitation, but it is in thy heart to question me of thy daughter, replied the king,

tis even so, O thou holy sheikh, and the envied continued, Send and fetch her, and I trust to heal her forthright, and such be the will of Allah. The king, in great joy, sent for his daughter, and they brought her pinioned and fettered. The envied made her sit down behind a curtain,

and taking out the word, the hairs fumigated her therewith, whereupon that which was in her head, cried out and departed from her. The girl was at once restored to her right mind, and, veiling her face, said, What hath happened, and who brought me hither? The sultan rejoiced with a joy that nothing could exceed, and kissed his daughter's eyes, and the holy man's hand. Then, turning to his great lords, he asked, How say ye? What feet? deserved he who had made my daughter her whole. And all answered, He deserved her to wife. And the king said, Ye speak sooth. So he married him to her, and the envied thus became son-in-law to the

king. And after a little, the wazir died, and the king said, whom can I make minister in his stead? Thy son-in-law, replied the courtiers. So the envied became a wazir, and after a one-wifers, and after a while the sultan also died and the legions said, Whom shall we make king? And all cried, The wazir. So the wazir was fortright made sultan, and he became king-reckent,

a true ruler of man. One day as he had mounted his horse, and in the eminence of his kinglyhood, was riding amidst his emirs and wazirs, and the grandees of his realm, his eye fell upon his old neighbour, the enviour, who stood afoot on his path. So he turned to one of his ministers and said,

Bring hither that man and cause him no affright. The wazir brought him, and the king said, Give him a thousand miscles of gold from the treasury, and load him ten camels with goods for trade, and sent him under escort to his own town. Then he bade his enemy farewell, and sent him away, and forbore to punish him for the many and great evils he had done.

See, O Iffred, the mercy of the envied to the envy to the end, who had hated him from the beginning, and had borne him such bitter malice, and never met him without causing him trouble, and had driven him from house and home, and then had journeyed for the sole purpose of taking his life by throwing him into the well. Yet he did not require his injurious dealing, but forgave him and was bountiful to him. Then I wept before him, oh, my lady, with sore weeping, never was there sore, and I recited, Pardon my fault, for tis the wiseman's want all faults to pardon and revenge forego. Insooth all manner faults in me contain, then deign of goodness mercy grace to show.

Whoso imploreth pardon from on high should hold his hand from sinners here below. Said the Iphred, lengthen not thy words, as to my slaying thee, fear it not, and as to my pardoning thee, hope it not. but from my bewitching thee there is no escape. Then he tore me from the ground which closed under my feet, and hew with me into the firmament, till I saw the earth as a large white cloud or a saucer in the midst of the waters. Presently he set me down on a mountain,

and, taking a little dust over which he muttered some magical words, sprinkled me therewith, saying, Quit that shape and take thou the shape of an ape. And on the instant I became an ape, a tailor's baboon, the son of a century. Now when it left me and I saw myself in this ugly and hateful shape, I wept for myself, but resigned my soul to the tyranny of time and circumstance, well weeding that fortune is fair and constant to no man. I descended the mountain and found at the foot a desert plain, long and broad,

over which I travelled for the space of a month till my course brought me to the brink of the briny sea. After standing there a while, I was aware of a ship in the offing, which ran before a fair wind making for the shore. I hit myself behind a rock on the beach and waited till the ship drew near, when I leapt on board.

I found her full of merchants and passengers, and one of them cried, Oh, Captain, this ill-omen bruth will bring us ill-luck, and another said, Turn this ill-omen beast out from among us. The captain said, Let us kill it. Another said,

Slay it with a sword. A third, drown it. And a fourth, shoot it with an arrow. But I sprang up and laid hold of the races skirt and shed tears which poured down my chops. The captain took pity on me and said, Oh, merchants, this ape hath appealed to me for protection, and I will protect him.

Henceforth he is under my charge. So let none do him aught hurt or arm, otherwise there will be bad blood between us. Then he entreated me kindly, and whatsoever he said I understood, and ministered to his every want, and served him as a servant, albeit my tongue would not obey my wishes,

so that he came to love me. The vessel sailed on, the wind being fair, for the space of fifty days, at the end of which we cast anchor under the walls of a great city, wherein was a world of people, especially learned man, none could tell their number save Allah. No sooner had we arrived than we were visited by certain Mameluk officials from the king of that city, who, after boarding us, greeted the merchants, and giving them joy of safe arrival, said,

Our king welcomeeth you, and sendeth you this roll of paper, whereupon each and every of you must write a line, for ye shall know that the king's minister, a calligrapher of renown, is dead, and the king hath sworn a solemn oath that he will make non-Wazir in a stead, who cannot write as well as he could. He then gave us the scroll which measured ten cubits long by a breath of one, and each of the merchants who knew how to write wrote a line thereon, even to the last of them, after which I stood up, still in the shape of an ape, and snatched the roll out of the hands. They feared lest I should tear it or throw it overboard, so they tried to stay me and scare me, but I signed to them that I could write, whereat all marvelled, saying,

We never yet saw an ape write. And the captain cried, Let him write, and if he scribble and scrabble, we will kick him out and kill him. But if he write fair and scholarly, I will adopt him as my son, for surely I never yet saw a more intelligent and well-mannered monkey than he would heaven my real son were his match in morals and manners i took the reed and stretching out my pole dipped it in ink and wrote in the hand used for letters these two couplets time hath recorded gifts she gave the great but none recorded thine which be far higher allah ne'er orphaned men by loss of thee who be of goodness mother bounty sire and thy wrote in ray hanae or larger letters elegantly curved thou hast the reed of reed to every land whose driving causeth all the world to thrive nil is the nile of misrein by thy boons who makest misery's smile with fingers five then i wrote in the soul's character there be no writer who from death shall fleet but what his hand hath writ man shall repeat write therefore naught save what shall serve thee when thou sees on judgment day and so thou sees then i wrote in the character nusk when to sore parting fate our love shall doom to distant life by destiny decreed we cause the inkhorn's lips to plane our pain our pain

and Tongar utterance with the talking reed. And I wrote in the Toomar character, Kingdom with none endures, If thou deny this truth, Where be the kings of earlier earth? Set trees of goodliness while rule endures, And when thou art fallen, They shall tell thy worth.

And I wrote in the character, Mujakak, When op'd the ink-horn of thy wealth and fame, Take ink of generous heart and gracious hand, write brave and noble deeds while right thou can, and win thee praise from point of pen and brand. Then I gave the scroll to the officials, and, after we all had written our line,

they carried it before the king. When he saw the paper, no writer pleased him, save my writing, and he said to the assembled quarters, Go seek the writer of these lines, and dress him in a splendid rope of honour, then mount him on a she-mule, let a band of music proceed him and bring him to the presence.

At these words they smiled, and the king was wrothed with them and cried, O accursed, I give you an order and you laugh at me? O king, replied they, if we laugh tis not at thee and not without a cause. And what is it? asked he, and they answered, O king, thou orderst us to bring to thy presence the man who wrote these lines. Now the truth is that he who wrote them Is not of the sons of Adam But an ape, a tailless baboon

belonging to the ship captain Quoth he, is this true that you say? Quoth they, yea, by the rights of thy munificence. The king marveled at their words And shook with mirth and said, I am minded to buy this ape of the captain. Then he sent messengers to the ship With the mule, the dress, the guard and the state,

saying, Not the less do you cloth him in the robe of honour and mount him on the mule, and let him be surrounded by the guards and proceeded by the band of music. They came to the ship, and took me from the captain, and roped me in the robe of honour, and, mounting me on the she-mule, carried me in the state procession through the streets, whilst the people were amazed and amused.

And folk said to one another, Hello, is our sultan about to make an ape his minister? and came all agog crowding to gaze at me, and the town was a stir and turned topsy-turvy on my account. When they brought me up to the king and set me in his presence, I kissed the ground before him three times, and once before the high chamber-lane and great officers, and he bade me be seated, and I sat respectfully on shins and knees, and all who were present marveled at my fine menace, and the king most of all. Thereupon he ordered the leeches to retire, and when none remained save the king's majesty the eunuch on duty and a little white slave he bade them set before me the table of food containing all manner of birds whatever hoppeth and flied and treadeth in nest such as quail and sand grouse

then he signed me to eat with him so i rose and kissed ground before him then set me down and ate with him and when the table was removed i washed my hands in seven waters and took the reed case and read and wrote instead of speaking these couplets will for the little partridges on porringer and plate cry for the ruin of the fries and stews well marinate keen as i keen for loved lost daughters of the catar-grouse and omelet round the fair and browned fowls agglomerate O fire in heart of me for fish, Those two poisons I saw, bedded on new-made scones and cakes in piles to lanyate. For thee, O Fermicelli, aches my very maule, I hold, without thee every taste and joy our clean an illahate. Those eggs have rolled their yellow eyes in torturing pains of fire, ere served with hash and fritters hot, that delicatist Kate. Praise'd be Allah for his baked and roast, And ah, how good this pulse, These pot-herbs steeped in oil with ISIL combined.

When hunger said it was, I elbow-propped fell back upon meat-pudding, Wherein gleamed the bangles that my wits are made. Then woke I sleeping appetite to eat as though in sport, sweets from broceded trays and kick-shaws most elaborate. Be patient, soul of me, time is a haughty, jealous white. Today he seems dark lowering,

and tomorrow fared to sight. Then I rose and seated myself at a respectful distance while the king read what I had written, and marveled, exclaiming, Oh, the miracle! That an ape should be gifted with this graceful style And this power of pemmanship! By Allah, it is a wonder of wonders.

Presently they said before the king, Choice wines in flagons of glass, and he drank, Then he passed on the cup to me, and I kissed the ground, and drank, and rode on it. With fire they boiled me to lose my tongue, and pain and patience gave for fellowship. Hence comes it, hands of men abare me high, and honey-dew from lips of maid I sip. And these also. Morn set to-night, withdraw and let me shine, so drain we draughts that dull all pain and pine,

I doubt so fine the glass, the wine so clear, if tis the wine in glass or glass in twine. The king read my verse and said with a sigh, Were these gifts in a man, He would excel all the folk of his time and age. Then he called for the chessboard and said, Say, wilt thou play with me? And I signed with my head, yes.

Then I came forward and ordered the pieces And played with him two games, both of which I won. He was speechless with surprise, so I took the pen case and, drawing forth the reed, rode on the board these two couplets. Two hosts fare fighting through the lifelong day, nor is their battling every finished, until when darkness girthed them about, the twain goes sleeping in a single bed. The king read these lines with wonder and delight, and said to his eunuch, O Mugbel, go to thy mistress, Sit al-Husen, and say her, Come, speak the king who bidded thee hither to take thy solace in seeing this right wondrous ape.

So the eunuch went out, and presently returned with the lady, who, when she saw me, veiled her face, and said, O my father, hast thou lost all sense of honour? How come of it thou art pleased to send for me and show me to strange man? Oh, Sit al-Husen, said he, no man is here save this little foot-page, and the who reared thee, and I thy father, from whom then cost thou veil thy face? She answered, "'Tis whom thou deemst an ape is a young man, a clever and polite, O wise and learned, and the son of a king, but he is ensorcelled, and the Iffred Geraris, who is of the seed of Iblis, cast a spell upon him, after putting to death his own wife

the daughter of King Iphetamus, lord of the islands of Abnes. The king, his daughter's words, and, turning to me, said, Is this true that she said of thee? And I signed by a nod of my head the answer, Yea, verily, and wept soul. Then he asked his daughter, Whence knewest thou that he is ensorcelled? And she answered,

O my dear papa, there was with me in my childhood an old woman, a wily one and a wise, and a witch to boot, and she taught me the theory of magic and its practice, and I took notes in writing, and therein waxed purse, and have committed to memory in hundred and seventy chapters of agromantic forminers, by the least of which I could transport the stones of thy city behind the mountain cuff and the circumbian main, or make its sight an abyss of the sea and its people fishes, swimming in the midst of it.

O my daughter, said her father, I conjure thee by my life, disenchant this young man, that I may make him my wazir and marry thee to him, for indeed he is an ingenious youth and had deeply learned. With joy and goodly gree, she replied, and, handing in hand, an iron knife, wherein was inscribed the name of Allah in Hebrew characters, she described a wide circle. And Charazade perceived the dawn of day,

and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the fourteenth night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the calander continued his tale thus. O my lady, the king's daughter, hand in hand, a knife whereon were inscribed Hebrew characters, and described a white circle in the midst of the palace hall, and therein wrote in Cufic letters mysterious names and talismans, and she uttered words and muttered charms, some of which we understood, and others we understood not.

Presently the world waxed dark before our sight, till we thought that the sky was falling upon our heads and lo, Yeffred presented himself in his own shape and aspect. His hands were like many pronged pitchforks, his legs like the masts of great ships, and his eyes like crescents of gleaming fire. We were in terrible fear of him, but the king's daughter cried at him, No welcome to thee and no greeting, O dog! Whereupon he changed to the form of a lion and said, O, traitorous, how is it thou hast broken the oath We swear that neither should contrar or other O a cursed one, answered she,

How could there be a compact between me and the like of thee? Then said he, Take what thou hast brought on thyself, And the lion opened his jaws and rushed upon her. But she was too quick for him, And, plucking a hair from her head, waved it in the air, muttering over it the while, and the hare straightway became a trenchant sword-blade,

wherewith she smote the lion and cut him in twain. Then the two halves flew away in air, and the head changed to a scorpion, and the princess became a huge serpent and set upon the accursed scorpion, and the two fought, coiling and uncoiling, a stiff fight for an hour at least.

Then the scorpion changed to a vulture, and the serpent became an eagle, which set upon the vulture. and hunted him for an hour's time, till he became a black tomcat, which mealled and grinned and spat. Thereupon the eagle changed into a piebalt wolf, and these two battled in the palace for a long time, when the cat, seeing himself overcome, changed into a worm, and crept into a huge red pom-gernade, which lay beside the jetting fountain in the midst of the palace-hall, whereupon the pom-gernade swelled to the size of a watermelon in air, and, falling

upon the marble pavement of the palace broke to pieces, and all the grains fell out and was scattered about till they covered the whole floor. Then the wolf shook himself and became a snow-white cock, which fell to picking up the grains, proposing not to leave one. By doom of destiny, one seed rolled to the fountain-edge, and there lay hid. The cock fell to crowing and clapping his wings, and signing to us with his beak as if to ask, are any grains left? But we understood not what he meant, and he cried to us with so loud a cry that we thought the palace would fall upon us. Then he ran over all the floor, till he saw the grain which had rolled to the fountain-edge, and rushed eagerly to pick it up when, behold, it sprang into the midst

of the water, and became a fish, and dived to the bottom of the basin. Thereupon the cock changed to a big fish, and plunged in after the other, and the two disappeared for a while. and low, we heard loud shrieks and cries of pain which made us tremble. After this, Yiffrit rose out of the water, and he was as a burning flame, casting fire and smoke from his mouth and eyes and nostrils. And immediately, the princess, likewise, came forth from the basin, and she was one life coal flaming low, and these two, she and he, battled for the space of an hour, until there are a little. fires entirely compassed them about, and their thick smoke filled the palace. As for us, we panted for breath, being well nigh suffocated, and we longed to plunge into

the water, fearing lest we be burned up and utterly destroyed. And the king said, There is no majesty, and there is no might save in Allah, the glorious, the great. Fairly we are allahs, and unto him are we returning. Heaven I had not urged my daughter to attempt the disenchantment of this ape fellow, whereby I have imposed upon her the terrible task of fighting Yon a cursed Iphred against whom all the Iphrates in the world could not prevail. And would heaven we had never seen this ape, Allah never assain nor bless the day of his coming.

We thought to do a good deed by him before the face of Allah, and to release him from enchantment, and now we have brought this trouble and travail upon our heart. But I, oh my lady, was tongue-tied and powerless to say a word to him. Suddenly, ere we were aware of aught, Neufrit yelled out from under the flames, and, coming up to us as we stood on the astrayed, blew fire in our faces. The damsel overtook him, and breathed blasts of fire at his face, and the sparks from her and from him rained down upon us. And to her sparks did us no harm, but one of his sparks alighted a light of the,

upon my eye and destroyed it, making me a monocular ape, and another fell on the king's face, scorching the lower half, burning off his beard and mustaches, and causing his under-teetheth to fall out, while a third alighted on the castrato's breast, killing him on the spot. So we despaired of life, and made sure of death, when low, a voice repeated the saying, Allah is most highest! Allah is most highest! Aidan's and vicar of death! to all who the truth believe, and disappointment and disgrace to all who the religion of Marmot, the moon of faith, unbelieve. The speaker was the princess, who had burned the Iphred, and he was become a heap of ashes.

Then she came up to us, and said, Reach me a cup of water. They brought it to her, and she spoke over it words we understood not, and sprinkling me with it, cried, By virtue of the truth, and by the most great name of Allah, I charge thee returned to thy former shape. And behold, I shook, and became a man as before, save that I had utterly lost an eye. Then she cried out, The fire! The fire! Oh, my dear papa, an arrow from the accursed hath wounded me to the death, for I am not used to fight with the Jan. Had he been a man I had slain him in the beginning. I had no trouble till the time when the pom-grenate burst and the

grains scattered, but I overlooked the seed wherein was the very life of the jinny. Had I picked it up, he had died on the spot, but as fate and fortune decreed, I saw it not. So he came upon me all unawares, and there we fell between him and me a sore struggle under the earth, and high in air, and in the water. And as often as I opened on him a gate, he opened on me another gate and a stronger, till at last he opened on me the gate of fire, and few are saved upon whom the door of fire opened. But destiny willed that my cunning prevail over his cunning, and I burned him to death after I vainly exhorted him to embrace the religion of al-Islam.

As for me, I am a dead woman, Allah supply my place to you. Then she called upon heaven for help, and ceased not to implore relief from the fire. when lo, a black spark shot up from her roped feet to her thighs, then it flew to her bosom and thence to her face. When it reached her face she wept and said, I testify that there is no God but the God, and that Muhammad is the apostle of God. And we looked at her and saw naught but a heap of ashes

by the side of the heap that had been the Ephrit. We mourned for her, and I wished I had been in her place. So had I not seen her lovely face who had I not seen her lovely face who had worked me such wheel become ashes, but there is no gainsaying the will of Allah. When the king saw his daughter's terrible death, he plucked out what was left of his beard and beat his face and rent his raiment, and I did as he did, and we both wept over her. Then came in the chamberlains and grandees, and were amazed to find two heaps of ashes, and the sultan in a fainting fit. So they stood around him till he were revived,

and told them what had befallen his daughter from the Ifred, whereat their grief was right grievous, and the women and the slave-girls shrieked and keen, and they continued their lamentations for the space of seven days. Moreover, the king bay billed over his daughter's ashes, a vast, vaulted tomb, and burned therein wax tapers and supulcheral lamps. But as for the Ifred's ashes,

they scattered them on the winds, speeding them to the curse of Allah. Then the Sultan fell sick Of his sickness that well Now he brought him to his death For a month's space And when health returned to him And his beard grew again

And he had been converted by the mercy of Allah To al-Islam He sent for me and said O youth Fate had decreed for us The happiest of lives Safe from all the chances And changes of time

Till thou came'st to us When troubles fell upon us Would to heaven We had never seen thee and the foul face of thee, for we took pity on thee, and thereby we have lost our all. I have on thy account first lost my daughter, who to me was well worth a hundred men. Secondly, I have suffered that which befell me by reason of the fire and the loss of my teeth, and my eunuch also was slain. I blame thee not, for it was out of thy power to prevent this.

The doom of Allah was on thee as well as on us, and thanks be to the Almighty, for that my daughter delivered thee, albeit thereby she lost her own life. Go forth now, oh my son, from this my city, and suffice thee what had befallen us through thee, even although twas decreed for us. Go forth in peace, and if I ever see thee again, I will surely slay thee, and he cried out at me. So I went forth from his presence, O my lady, weeping bitterly and heartly believing in my escape, and knowing not whether I should wend. And I recalled all that had before me, my meeting the tailor, my love for the damso in the palace beneath the earth, and my narrow escape from the Iphred, even after it determined to do me die, and how I had entered the city as an ape,

and was now leaving it a man once more. Then I gave thanks to Allah, and said, My eye, and not my life. And before leaving the place, I entered the bath, and shake it. my pole and beard and mustachios and eyebrows, and cast ashes on my head, and donned the coarse black, woollen rope of a calander. Then I fared forth, O my lady, and every day I pondered all the calamities which had betided me, and I wept, and repeated these couplets. I am distraught, yet verily his ruth abides with me, though round me gather hosts of ills, whence come I cannot see.

I'll be till patient self with me impatient wax. Patient forever till the Lord fulfill my destiny. Patient I'll bide without complaint, a wronged and vanquished man. Patient as sun-patched white that spans the desert sandy sea. Patient I'll be till Eloy's self unwittingly allow. I'm patient under bitterer things than bitterest Eloy. No bitterer things that alloys or than patience for mankind, yet bitter than the twain to me were patience treachery. My sear and seamed and seared brow would

dragoman my sore, if soul could surge my sprite, and their unsecret secrecy. Where hills to bear the load I bear they'd crumble need the weight, twould still the roaring wind, T' twould quench the flametong's flagrancy. And whoso saith the world is sweet, so does the day he'll see with more than aloe's bitterness and aloe's pungency. Then I journeyed through many regions, and saw many a city intending for Baghdad, that I might seek audience in the House of Peace with the Commander of the Faithful, and tell him all that had befallen me. I arrived here this very night, and found my brother in Allah, this first Calander,

standing about as one perplexed, so I saluted him with peace, be upon thee, and entered into discourse with him. Presently up came our brother, this third calander, and said to us, Peace be with you, I am a stranger, where to we replied, And we too be strangers who have come hither this blessed night. So we all three walked on together, none of us knowing the other's history, till destiny crave us to this duel, and we came in to you. Such then is my story, and my reason for shaving my

beard and mustaches, and this is what caused the loss of my eye." Said the housemistress, "'Thy tale is indeed a rare, so rubbed thy head and went thy ways.' But he replied, "'I will not budge till I hear my companion's stories.' Then came forward the third calander, and said, "'O illustrious lady, my history is not like that of these my comrades, but more wondrous and far more marvelous. In their case, fate and fortune

came down on them unwares, but I drew down destiny upon my own head and brought sorrow on mine own soul, and shaved my own beard, and lost my own eye. Here then, the third Calander's tale. End of Section 9. Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night,

translated by Richard Burton. This is a Librevox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Recording by Kalinda The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 10. The Third Calendar's Tale Know, O my lady, that I also am a king and the son of a king,

and my name is Ajib, son of Qazib. When my father died, I succeeded him, and I ruled and did justice and dealt fairly by all my lieges. I delighted in sea trips, for my capital stood on the shore, before which the ocean stretched far and wide, and near at hand were many great islands with sconces and garrisons in the midst of the main. My fleet numbered fifty merchantmen, and as many yachts for pleasance, and in 150 sail, ready fitted for holy war with the unbelievers. It fortunate that I had a mind to enjoy myself on the islands aforesaid,

so I took ship with my people in ten keel, and carrying with me a month's fiddle, I set out on a twenty days voyage. But one night a headwind struck us, And the sea rose against us with huge waves, And the billows sorely buffeted us, And a dense darkness settled round us. We gave ourselves up for lost. And I said,

Whoso endangieth his days, E'n and he escape, Deserveth no praise. Then we prayed to Allah and besought him. But the storm blasts ceased not to blow against us, Nor the surges to strike us, till morning broke, when the gale fell. and the seas sank to mirroarly stillness, and the sun shone upon us kindly clear.

Presently we made an island where we landed, and cooked somewhat of food, and ate heartily and took our rest for a couple of days. Then we set out again and sailed other twenty days, the seas broadening and the land shrinking. Presently the current ran counter to us, and we found ourselves in strange waters, where the captain had lost his reckoning, and was wholly bewildered in this sea.

So said we to the lookout man. get thee to the mast-head and keep thine eyes open. He swarmed up the mast, and looked out and cried aloud, Oh, Rice! I espied to starboard something dark, very like a fish, floating on the face of the sea, and to larboard there was a loom in the midst of the main, now black and now bright. When the captain heard the lookout's words, he dashed his turban on the deck, and plucked out his beard and beat his face, saying,

Good news indeed! We be all dead men, not one of us can be saved. And he fell to weeping, and all of us wept for his weeping, and also for our lives. And I said, "'Oh, Captain, tell us what it is the lookout saw.' "'Oh, my prince,' answered he, "'know that we lost our course in the night of the storm, "'which was followed on the morrow by a two days calm, "'during which we made no way,

"'and we have gone astray eleven days reckoning from that night, "'with narrow wind to bring us back to our true course. "'Tomorrow, by the end of the day, "'we shall come to a mountain of black stone, "'high as the magnet mountain.' "'For thither, The currents carry us willy-nilly. As soon as we are under its lee,

the ship's sides will open, and every nail in plank will fly out and cleave fast to the mountain, for that Almighty Allah hath gifted the lodestone with a mysterious virtue and a love for iron, by reason whereof all which is iron, travelleth towards it, and on this mountain is much iron, how much none knoweth save the most high,

from the many vessels which have been lost there since the days of yore. The bright spot upon its summit is a dome of yellow Latin, from Andalusia, vaulted upon ten columns, and on its crown is a horseman who rideth a horse of brass, and holdeth in hand a lance of Latin, and there hangeth on his bosom a tablet of lead, graven with names and talismans. And he presently added, And, O King, none destroyeth folk save the rider on that steed, nor will the eagremency be dispelled till he fall from his horse. Then, O my lady, the captain wept with exceeding we

and we all made sure of death doom, and each and every one of us farewelled his friend, and charged him with his last will and testament in case he might be saved. We slept not that night, and in the morning we found ourselves much nearer the Lodestone Mountain, whither the waters crave us, with a violent send. When the ships were close under its lee, they opened, and the nails flew out, and all the iron in them sought the magnet mountain, and clove to it like a network, so that by the end of the day we were all struggling in the waves round about the mountain. Some of us were saved, but more were drowned, and even those who had escaped knew not one another.

So stupefied were they by the beating of the billows and the raving of the winds. As for me, O my lady, Allah, be his name exalted, preserved my life that I might suffer what so he willed to me of hardship, misfortune, and calamity, for I scrambled upon a plank from one of the ships, and the wind and waters threw it at the feet of the mountain. There I found a practicable path leading by steps, carving out of the rock to the summit, and I called on the name of Allah Almighty, and Cherazade perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the fifteenth night, she continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the third calendar said to the lady, the rest of the party sitting fast bound, and the slave standing with swords drawn over their heads. And after calling on the names of Almighty Allah and passionately beseeching him, I breasted the ascent, clinging to the steps and notches

hewn in the stone, and mounted little by little. And the Lord stilled the wind And aided me in the ascent So that I succeeded in reaching the summit There I found no resting place Save the dome, which I entered, Joying with exceeding joy at my escape,

And made the Wuzhu ablution And prayed a two-bow prayer, A thanksgiving to God for my preservation. Then I fell asleep under the dome And heard in my dream a mysterious voice saying, O son of Cazib, When thou wakest from thy sleep, Dig under thy feet,

And thou shalt find a bow of brass, and three leaden arrows inscribed with talismans and caracts. Take the bow and shoot the arrows at the horsemen on the dom top, and free mankind from this sore calamity. When thou hast shot him, he shall fall into the sea, and the horse will also drop at thy feet, then bury it in the place of the bow. This done, the main will swell and rise till it is level with the mountain head, and there will appear on it a skiff carrying a man of Latin, other than he thou shalt have shot, holding in his hand a pair of paddles. He will come to thee, and do thou embark with him, but beware of saying bismillah, or of otherwise naming Allah Almighty. He will row thee for a space of ten days, till he bring thee to certain islands called the islands of safety, and thence thou shalt easily reach a port, and find those who will convey thee to thy native land, and all this shall be fulfilled to thee, so thou call not on the name of Allah.

Then I started up from my sleep in joy and gladness, and, hastening to do the bidding of the mysterious voice, found the bow and arrows, and shot at the horseman, and tumbled him into the main, whilst the horse dropped at my feet, so I took it and buried it. Presently the sea surged up, and rose till it reached the top of the mountain. Nor had I long to wait, ere I saw a skiff in the offing coming towards me. I gave thanks to Allah, and when the skiff came up to me, I saw therein a man of brass, with a tablet of leada on his breast, inscribed with talismans and caracts, and I embarked without uttering a word.

The boatman rode on with me through the first day, and the second, and the third, in all ten whole days till i caught sight of the islands of safety whereat i joyed with exceeding joy and for stress of gladness claimed allah allah in the name of allah there is no god but the god and allah is almighty thereupon the skiff forthwith upset and cast me upon the sea then it righted and sank deep into the depths now i am a fair swimmer so i swam the whole day till nightfall when my forearms and shoulders were numbed with fatigue and i felt like to die so i testified to my faith expecting not but death the sea was still surging under the violence of the winds and presently there came a billow like a hillock and bearing me up high in air threw me with a long cast on dry land that his will might be fulfilled i crawled up the beach and doffing my raiment wrung it out to dry and spread it in the sunshine then i lay me down and slept the whole night as soon as it was day i dawned my clothes and rose to look whither i should walk presently i came to a thicket of low trees and making a cast round it found that the spot whereon i stood was an islet a mere home girt on all sides by the ocean whereupon i said to myself whatso freeth me from one great calamity casteth me into a greater but while i was pondering my case and longing for death behold i saw afar off a ship making for the island so i clom a tree and hid myself among the branches presently the ship anchored and landed ten slaves blackamores bearing iron hose and baskets who walked on till they reached the middle of the island Here they dug deep into the ground until they uncovered a plate of metal which they lifted, thereby opening a trap-door.

After this they returned to the ship, and thence brought bread and flour, honey and fruits, clarified butter, leather bottles containing liquors and many household stuffs, also furniture, table-service and mirrors, rugs, carpets, and in fact all needed to furnish a dwelling, and they kept going to and fro and descending by the trap-door till they had transported into the dwelling all that was in the ship. After this the slaves again went on board And brought back with them garments as rich as may be And in the midst of them came an old, old man Of whom very little was left, For time had dealt hardly and harshly with him,

And all that remained of him was a bone Wrapped in a rag of blue stuff Through which the winds whistled west and east, As saith the poet of him, Time gars me tremble, Ah, how sore the bulk, While time in pride of strength cloth, ever stalk. time was i walked nor ever felt tired now am i tired albeit i never walk and the sheikh held by the hand a youth cast in beauty's mould all elegance and perfect grace so fair that his comeliness deserved to be proverbial for he was as a green bow or the tender young of the roe ravishing every heart with his loveliness and subduing every soul with his coquetry and amorous ways it was of him the poet spake when he said beauty they brought with him to make compare but beauty hung her head in shame and care quoth they o beauty hast thou seen his like and beauty cried his like not anywhere

they stinted not their going o my lady till all went down by the trap-door and did not reappear for an hour or rather more at the end of which time the slaves and the old man came up without the youth and replacing the iron plate and carefully closing the door-slab as it was before they returned to the ship and made sail and were lost to my sight when they turned away to depart i came down from the tree and going to the place i had seen them fill up scraped off and removed the earth and in patience possessed my soul till i cleared the whole of it away Then appeared the trap-door, which was of wood, in shape and size like a millstone, and when I lifted it up, it disclosed a winding staircase of stone. At this I marvelled, and descending the steps till I reached the last, found a fair hall spread with various kinds of carpets and silk-stuffs, wherein a youth was sitting upon a raised couch and leaning back on a round cushion with a fan in his hand, and nosegays and posies of sweet-scented herbs and flowers before him.

But he was alone, and not a soul near him in the great vault. When he saw me he turned pale, but I saluted him courteously and said, Set thy mind at ease and calm thy fears, no harm shall come near thee. I am a man, like thyself, and the son of a king to boot, whom the decrees of destiny have sent to bear thee company and cheer thee in thy loneliness. But now tell me, what is thy story, and what causeth thee to dwell thus in solitude under the ground? When he was assured that I was of his kind and no genie, he rejoiced, and his fine color returned. and making me draw near to him he said oh my brother my story is a strange story and tis this my father is a merchant jeweller possessed of great wealth who hath white and black slaves travelling and trading on his account in ships and on camels and trafficking with the most distant cities

but he was not blessed with the child not even one now on a certain night he dreamed a dream that he should be favoured with a son who would be short-lived so the morning dawned on my father bringing him woe and weeping On the following night my mother conceived, and my father noted down the date of her becoming pregnant. Time being fulfilled, she bare me, whereat my father rejoiced, and made banquets, and called together the neighbors, and fed the fakirs and the poor, for that he had been blessed with the issue near the end of his days. Then he assembled the astrologers and astronomers, who knew the places of the planets, and the wizards and wise ones of the time, and men learned in horoscopes and nativities, and they drew out my birth scheme, and said to my father,

thy son shall live to fifteen years, but in his fifteenth there is a sinister aspect, and he safely tied it over he shall attain a great age, and the cause that threateneth him with death is this. In the sea of peril standeth the mountain magnate, on whose summit is a horseman of yellow latin, seated on a horse also of brass, and bearing on his breast a tablet of lead. Fifty days after this rider shall fall from his steed,

thy son will die, and his slayer will be he who shoots down the horsemen. a prince named Ajib son of King Qazib. My father grieved with exceeding grief to hear these words, but reared me in tenderest fashion and educated me excellently well until my fifteenth year was told. Ten days ago, news came to him that the horseman had fallen into the sea, and he who shot him down was named Ajib son of King Qazib. My father thereupon whipped bitter tears at the need of parting with me,

and became like one possessed of a genie. however being in mortal fear for me he built me this place under the earth and stocking it with all required for the few days still remaining he brought me hither in a ship and left me here ten are already passed and when the forty shall have gone by without danger to me he will come and take me away for he hath done all this only in fear of prince ajib such then is my story and the cause of my loneliness when i heard this history i marvelled and said in my mind i am the prince ajib who hath done all this but as allah is with me I will surely not slay him. So said I to him, O my lord, Far from thee be this hurt and harm, And then please Allah, Thou shalt not suffer kark nor care,

Nor aught disquietude, For I will tarry with thee And serve thee as a servant, And then wend my ways. And after having borne thee company During the forty days, I will go with thee to thy home Where thou shalt give me an escort

Of some of thy mamelukes, With whom I may journey back to my own city, And the Almighty shall requite thee for me. He was glad to hear me, these words, when I rose and lighted a large wax candle, and trimmed the ramps and the three lanterns. And I sat on meat and drink and sweetmeats. We ate and drank and sat talking over various matters till the greater part of the night was gone, when he lay down to rest, and I covered him up, and went to sleep myself. Next morning I arose and warmed a little water, and then lifted him gently

so as to awake him, and brought him in the warm water wherewith he washed his face, and said to me, heaven requite thee for me with every blessing o youth by allah if i get quit of this danger and am saved from him whose name is ajib bin kazib i will make my father reward thee and send thee home healthy and if i die then my blessing be upon thee i answered may the day never dawn on which evil shall betide thee and may allah make my last day before thy last day then i set before him somewhat of food and we ate and i got ready perfumes for fumigating the hall wherewith he was pleased. Moreover, I made him a Mancala cloth, and we played and ate sweetmeats, and we played again, and took our pleasure till nightfall, when I rose and lighted the lamps, and set before him somewhat to eat, and sat telling him stories till the hours of darkness were far spent. Then he lay down to rest, and I covered him up and rested also. And thus I continued to do, O my lady, for days and nights, and affection for him took root in my heart, and my sorrow was eased, and I said to myself,

The astrologers lied when they predicted that he should be slain by Ajib bin Qazib. By Allah I will not slay him. I ceased not ministering to him and conversing and carousing with him, and telling him all manner of tales for thirty-nine days. On the fortieth night the youth rejoiced and said, O my brother al-Hamdo, Lila, praise be to Allah, who hath preserved me from death, and this is by thy blessing and the blessing of thy coming to me,

and I pray God that he restore thee to thy native land. But now, O my brother, I would thou warm me some water for the goosele ablution, and do thou kindly bathe me and change my clothes? I replied, with love and gladness, and I heated water in plenty, and carrying it into him, washed his body all over the washing of health, with meal of lupens, and rubbed him well and changed his clothes, and spread him a high bed whereon he lay down to rest, being drowsy after bathing. Then he said, O my brother, cut me up a watermelon, and sweeten it with a little sugar candy. So I went to the storeroom, and bringing out a fine watermelon I found there, set it on a platter, and laid it before him, saying, Oh, my master, hast thou not a knife? Here it is, answered he, over my head upon the high shelf. So I got up in haste, and taking the knife, drew it from its sheath, but my foot slipped in stepping down, and I fell heavily upon the youth, holding in my hand the knife,

which hastened to fulfill what had been written on the day that decided the destinies of man, and buried itself as if planted, in the youth's heart. He died on the instant. When I saw that he was slain and knew that I had slain him, Mowgrey myself, I cried out with an exceeding loud and bitter cry, and beat my face and rent my raiment, and said, Verily we be Allah's, and unto him we be returning, O Muslims, O folk fain of Allah, there remained for this youth but one day of the forty dangerous days which the astrologers and the learned had foretold for him,

and the predestined death of this beautiful one was to be at my hand. Would heaven I had not tried to cut the watermelon? What dire misfortune is this I must bear fife or loathe? What a disaster! What an affliction! O Allah mine! I implore thy pardon, and declare to thee my innocence of his death. But what God willeth, let that come to pass! And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the sixteenth night, she said,

It hath reached me, O suspicious king, that Ajib thus continued his tale to the lady. When I was certified that I had slain him, I arose, and ascending the stairs, replaced the trap-door, and covered it with the earth as before. Then I looked out seawards, and saw the ship cleaving the waters, and making for the island, wherefore I was afeared and said, The moment they come and see the youth done to death, they will know twas I who slew him, and will slay me without respite. So I climbed up into a high tree and concealed myself among its leaves, and hardly had I done so, when the ship anchored, and the slaves landed with the ancient man. the youth's father, and made direct for the place, and when they removed the earth, they were surprised to see it soft. Then they raised the trap-door, and went down, and found the youth lying at full length, clothed in fair new garments with a face beaming after the bath, and the knife deep in his heart. At the sight they shrieked and wept and beat their faces, loudly cursing the murderer, whilst a swoon came over the shake, so that the slaves deemed him dead, unable to survive of his son. At last they wrapped the slain youth in his clothes, and carried him up, and laid him

on the ground, covering him with a shroud of silk. Whilst they were making for the ship, the old man revived, and, gazing on his son, who was stretched out, fell on the ground and strewed dust over his head, and smote his face and plucked out his beard, and his weeping redoubled as he thought of his murdered son, and he swooned away once more. After a while, a slave went and fetched a strip of silk, whereupon they laid the old man and sat down at his head all this took place and i was on the tree above them watching everything that came to pass and my heart became hoary before my head waxed gray for the hard lot which was mine and for the distress and anguish i had undergone and i fell to reciting how many a joy by allah's will hath fled with flight escaping sight of wisest head how many a sadness shall begin the day yet grow right gladsome ere the day is spe'est how many a sadness shall begin the day yet grow right gladsome ere the day is bed. How many a wheel trips on the heels of ill, causing the mourner's heart with joy to thrill! But the old man, O my lady, ceased not from his swoon till near sunset, when he came to himself,

and looking upon his dead son, he recalled what had happened, and how what he had dreaded had come to pass, and he beat his face and head, and recited these couplets. "'Racked as my heart by parting from my friends, and two rills ever from my eyelids flow. With them went forth my hopes, Ah, well away, What shift remaineth me to say or do? Would I had never looked upon their sight? What shift, fair sirs, when paths ere strainer grow? What charm shall calm my pangs when this wise burn, Longings of love which in my vitals glow? Would I had trod with them the road of death, Nair had befell us twain this parting blow? Allah, I pray the truthful show me wrath, and mix our lives, nor part them evermore.

How blessed were we, As death one roof we dwelt, Conjoined in joys, Nor wrecking aught of woe, Till fortune shot us with the severance shaft. Ah! Who shall patient bear such parting throw? And dart of death struck down amid the tribe, The age's pearl that mourn saw brightest show. I cried the while, His case took speech and said, Would heaven, my son, Death mote his doom for slow? Which be the readiest road with thee to meet. My son, for whom I would my soul bestow?

If sun I call him no, the sun-cloth set. If moon I call him, wane the moons. Oh, no! O sad mischance of thee, O doom of days, thy place none other love shall ever know. Thy sire distracted sees thee, but despairs, by wit or wisdom fate to overthrow. Some evil eye this day hath cast its spell, and foul befal him as it foul befell. And he sobbed a single sob, and his soul fled his flesh. The slaves shrieked aloud, Alas, our Lord!

And showered dust on their heads, and redoubled their weeping and wailing. Presently they carried their dead master to the ship side by side with his dead son, and having transported all the stuff from the dwelling to the vessel, set sail, and disappeared from mine eyes. I descended from the tree, and raising the trap-door, went down into the underground dwelling where everything reminded me of the youth, and I looked upon the poor remains. of him and began repeating these verses. Their tracks I see, and pine with pain and pang, and undeserted hearths I weep and

yarn, and him I pray, who doomed them depart, some day vouchsafe the boon of safe return. Then, O my lady, I went up again by the trap-door, and every day I used to wander round about the island, and every night I returned to the underground hall. Thus I lived for a month till at last, looking at the western side of the island, I had I observed that every day the tides ebbed, leaving shallow water for which the flow did not compensate, and by the end of the month the sea showed dry land in that direction. At this I rejoiced, making certain of my safety, so I arose, and, fording what little was left of the water, got me to the mainland, where I fell in with great heaps of loose sand,

in which even a camel's hoof would sink up to the knee. However, I am boldened my soul, and wading through the sand, behold, a fire shone from afar, burning with a brazing light. So I made for it, hoping happily to find succor, and broke out into these verses. Be like fortune may her bridle turn, and time bring wheel, although he's jealous height, forward my hopes and further all my needs,

and past ills with present wheels were quite. And when I drew near the fire aforesaid, lo, it was a palace with gates of copper burnished red, which when the rising sun shone thereon, gleamed and glistened from afar, showing what had seemed to me a fire. I rejoiced in the sight, and sat down over against the gate, but I was hardly settled in my seat before there met me ten young men clothed in sumptuous gear, and all were blind of the left eye, which appeared as plucked out. They were accompanied by a sheikh, an old, old man, and much I marveled at their appearance, and they're all

being blind of the same eye. When they saw me, they saluted me with the salam, and asked me of my case and my history, whereupon I related to them all what had befallen me, and what full measure of misfortune was mine. Marvelling at my tale, they took me to the mansion, where I saw arranged round the hall ten couches, each with its blue bedding and coverlet of blue stuff, and a middlemost stood a smaller couch furnished like them with blue and nothing else. As we entered, each of the youths took his seat on his own couch, and the old man seated himself upon the smaller one in the middle, saying to me, O youth, sit thee down on the floor, and ask not of our case nor of the loss of our eyes.

Presently he rose up and set before each young man, some meat in a charger, and drink in a large mazer, treating me in like manner, and after that they sat questioning me concerning my adventures in what had betided me, and I kept telling them my tale till the night was far spent. Then said the young man, O our sheikh, wilt not thou set before us our ordinary, the time is come? He replied, with love and gladness, and rose, and entering a closet, disappeared, but presently returned, bearing on his head,

ten trays each covered with a strip of blue stuff. He set a tray before each youth, and lighting ten wax candles, he stuck one upon each tray, and drew off the covers, and lo, under them was not but ashes, and powdered charcoal and kettle-soot. Then all the young men tucked up their sleeves to the elbows, and fell a weeping and a wailing, and then they blackened their faces and smeared their clothes,

and buffeted their brows and beat their breasts continually exclaiming, We were sitting at our ease, but our forwardness brought us unease. They ceased not to do this till dawned drew nigh, when the old man rose and heated water for them, and they washed their faces and donned other and clean clothes. Now when I saw this, O my lady, for very wonderment my senses left me, and my wits went wild, and heart and head were full of thought, till I forgot what had betided me, and I could not keep silence,

feeling I feign must speak out and question them of these strangenesses. So I said to them, How come ye to do this after we have been so open-hearted and frolicsome? Thanks be to Allah you be all sound insane, yet actions such as these befit none but madmen, or those possessed of an evil spirit. I conjure you by all that is dearest to you, why stint ye to tell me your history, and the cause of your losing your eyes, and you're blackening your faces with ashes and soot? Hereupon they turned to me and said, oh young man hearken not to the youth-tide suggestion and question us no questions then they slept and i with them and when they awoke the old man brought us somewhat of food and after we had eaten and the plates and goblets had been removed they sat conversing till nightfall when the old man rose and lit the wax candles and lamps and set meat and drink before us after we had eaten and drunken we sat conversing and carousing in companionage till the noon of night when they said to the old man bring us our ordinary for the hour of sleep is at hand so he rose and brought them the trays of soot and ashes and they did as they had done on the preceding night nor more nor less

i abode with them after this fashion for the space of a month during which time they used to blacken their faces with ashes every night and to wash and change their raiment when the morn was young and i but marvelled the more and my scruples and curiosity increased to such a point that i had to forego even food and drink at last i lost command of myself for my heart was aflame with fire unquenchable and love unconcealable and i said o young man will ye not relieve my trouble and acquaint me with the reason of thus blackening your faces and the meaning of your words we were sitting at our ease but our forwardness brought us on knees quoth they twere better to keep these things secret still i was bewildered by their doings to the point of abstaining from eating and drinking and at last wholly losing patience quoth i to them there is no help for it ye must acquaint me with what is the reason of these doings they replied we kept our secret only for thy good to gratify thee will bring down evil upon thee and thou wilt become a monocular even as we are i repeated there is no help for it and if ye will not let me leave you and return to mine own people and be at rest from seeing these things for the proverb saith better ye bide and i take my leave for what eye sees not heart shall never grieve thereupon they said to me remember o youth that should ill befall thee we will not again harbour thee nor suffer thee to abide amongst us and bringing a ram they slaughtered it and skinned it lastly they gave me a knife saying take this skin and stretch thyself upon it and we will sow it around thee presently there shall come to thee a certain bird hight rooch that will catch thee up in his pounces and tower high in air, and then set thee down on a mountain. When thou feelest he is no longer flying, rip open the pelt with this blade, and come out of it. The bird will be scared and will fly away

and leave thee free. After this, fair for half a day, and the march will place thee at a palace wondrous fair to behold, towering high in the air, and build it of calange, line of loz and sandalwood, plated with red gold, and studded with all manner emeralds and costly gems fit for seal rings. Enter it, and thou shalt win to thy wish, for we have all entered that palace, and such is the cause of our losing our eyes and our blackening our faces. Were we now to tell the our stories it would take too long a time, where each and every of us lost his left eye by an adventure of his own. I rejoiced at their words, and they did with me as they said, and the bird rooch bore me off and set me down on the mountain. Then I came out of the

skin and walked on till I reached the palace. End of Section 10 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. Recording by Colinda in Raymond, New Hampshire. on November 18th, 2007. Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a Libravox recording. All LibraVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,

please visit Libravox.org. Recording by Colinda. The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Knight, Section 11. The door stood open as I entered and found myself in a spacious and goodly hall, wide exceedingly, even as a horse-course, and around it were on hundred chambers with doors of sandal and aloes-wood, plated with red gold, and furnished with silver rings by way of knockers. At the head or upper end of the hall I saw forty damsels sumptuously dressed, and ornamented,

and one and all as bright as moons. None could ever tire of gazing upon them, and all so lovely, that the most ascetic devotee, on seeing them, would become their slave and obey their will. When they saw me the whole bevy came up to me and said, Welcome and well come and good cheer to thee, O our Lord. This whole month have we been expecting thee. Praiseed be Allah who hath sent us one who is worthy of us, even as we are worthy of him. Then they made me sit down upon a high divan and said to me, This day thou art our Lord and master, and we are thy servants and thy handmaids, so order us as thou wilt. and i marvelled at their case presently one of them arose and set meat before me and i ate and they ate with me whilst others warmed water and washed my hands and feet and changed my clothes and others made ready sherbet's and gave us to drink and all gathered around me being full of joy and gladness at my coming

then they sat down and conversed with me till nightfall when five of them arose and laid the trays and spread them with flowers and fragrant herbs and fruits fresh and dry and, and confections in profusion. At last they brought out a fine wine service with rich old wine, and we sat down to drink, and some sang songs, and others played the lute and sultry, and recorders and other instruments, and the bull went merrily around. Hereupon such gladness possessed me that I forgot the sorrows of the world one and all, and said, This is indeed life, oh sad that tis fleeting. I enjoyed their company till the time came for rest, and our heads were all warm with wine when they said o our lord choose from amongst us her who shall be thy bedfellow this night and not lie with thee again till forty days be passed

so i chose a girl fair of face and perfect in shape with eyes coal-edged by nature's hand hair long and jet-black with slightly parted teeth and joining brows twas as if she were some limber graceful branchlet or the slender stalk of sweet basil to amaze and to bewilder men's fancy even as the poet said of such a one to even her with greeny bough were vain fool he who finds her beauties in the row when hath the row though lively lovely limbs or honey-dos those lips alone bestow those aine soul-piercing ein which slay with love which bind the victim by their shafts laid low my heart to second childhood they beguiled no wonder love-sick man again is child and i repeated to her the maker's words who said none other charms but thine shall greet mine eyes nor other image can my heart surprise thy love my lady captives all my thoughts, and on that love I'll die, and I'll arise. So I lay with her that night. None fairer I ever knew, and when it was morning, the damsels carried me to the Hammam bath, and bathed me and robed me in fairest apparel. Then they served up food, and we ate and drank, and the cup went round till nightfall when I chose from among them one fairer form and face,

soft-sided and a model of grace, such in one as the poet described when he said. On her fair bosom caskets twain I scanned, sealed fast with musk seals lovers to withstand, with arrowy glances stand on guard her eyes, whose shafts would shoot who dares put forth a hand. With her I spent a most goodly night, and to be brief, oh my mistress, I remained with them in all solace and delight of life, eating and drinking, conversing and carousing, and every night lying with one or other of them. But at the head of the new year, they came to me in tears and bade me farewell,

weeping and crying out and clinging about me. Whereat I wondered and said, What may be the matter? Verily you break my heart! They exclaimed, Would heaven we had never known thee, for though we have companies with many, yet never saw we a pleasanter than thou

or a more courteous, and they wept again. But tell me more clearly, asked I, What causeth this weeping which maketh my gallbladder like to burst? And they answered, O our lord and master, it is severance which maketh us weep, And thou and thou only art the cause of our tears. If thou hearken to us, we need never be parted, and if thou hearken not, we part forever. But our hearts tell us that thou wilt not listen to our words, and this is the cause of our tears and cries.

Tell me how the case standeth. No, O our lord, that we are the daughters of our lord, that we are the daughters of our words, of kings who have met here and have lived together for years, and once in every year we are perforce absent for forty days, and afterwards we return and abide here for the rest of the twelve month, eating and drinking and taking our pleasure and enjoying delights. We are about to depart according to our custom, and we fear lest after we be gone thou contrar our charge, and disobey our injunctions. Here now we commit to thee the keys of the palace which containeth forty chambers, and thou mayest open of these thirty and nine, but beware, and we conjure thee by Allah and

by the lives of us, lest thou open the fortieth door, for therein is that which shall separate us forever. Quoth I, assuredly I will not open it, if it contain the cause of severance from you. Then one among them came up to me, and falling on my neck, wept and recited these verses. If time unite us, after absent while, the world harsh frowning on our lot shall smile, and if thy semblance Dane adorn mine eyes, I'll pardon time past wrongs and bygone guile. And I recited the following, When drew she near to bid adieu with heart unstrong, While care and longing on that day her bosom wrung, wet pearls she wept, and mine like red carnelians rolled, and joined in sad revere, around her nose.

neck they hung. When I saw her weeping, I said, by Allah, I will never open that fortieth door, never and no wise, and I bade her farewell. Thereupon all departed, flying away like birds, signaling with their hands farewells as they went, and leaving me alone in the palace. When evening drew near, I opened the door of the first chamber, and entering it found myself in a place like one of the pleasances of paradise. It was a garden with trees of freshest green and ripe fruits of yellow sheen, and its birds were singing clear and keen, and rills ran wimpling through the fair tyne. The sight and sounds brought solace to my sprite, and I walked among the trees, and I smelt

the breath of the flowers on the breeze, and heard the birdies sing their melodies, hymning the one the almighty in sweetest litanies, and I looked upon the apple whose hue is parcel red and parcel yellow, as said the poet. whose hue combines in union mellow, my fair's red cheek, her hapless lover's yellow. Then I looked upon the quince, and inhaled its fragrance, which to shame musk and ambergris, even as the poet hath said. Quince, every taste conjoins, in her are found, with gifts which for queen of fruits the quince have crowned. Her taste is wine, her scent, the waft of musk, pure gold her hue, her shape, the moon's fair round. Then I looked upon the page, and the pears'er round.

whose taste surpasseth sherbet and sugar, and the apricot, whose beauty striketh the eye with admiration, as if she were a polished ruby. Then I went out of the place and locked the door as it was before. When it was the morrow, I opened the second door, and entering found myself in a spacious plain set with tall date-palms and watered by a running stream, whose banks were shrubbed with bushes of rose and jasmine, while Privet and Eglantine, ox-eye, violet and lily, narcissus, orig, or and the winter jilly-flower carpeted the borders and the breath of the breeze swept over these sweet-smelling growths diffusing their delicious odours right and left perfuming the world and filling my soul with delight after taking my pleasure there awhile i went from it and having closed the door as it was before opened the third door wherein i saw a high-open hall pargetted with party-coloured marbles and pietre dora of price and other precious stones and hung with cages of the door of the pages of the door of the pages of the sandalwood and eagle wood full of birds which made sweet music such as the thousand voiced and the kushat the myrrh the myle-t turtle-dove and the nubian ring-dove my heart was filled with pleasure thereby my grief was dispelled and i slept in that aviary till dawn

then i unlocked the door of the fourth chamber and therein found a grand saloon with forty smaller chambers giving upon it all their door stood open so i entered and found them full of pearls and jacinths and barrels and emeralds and emeralds and emerald and corals and carbuncles, and all men are precious gems and jewels, such as tongue of man may not describe. My thought was stunned at the sight, and I said to myself, These be things methinks united which could not be found save in the treasuries of a king of kings, nor could the monarchs of the world have collected the like of these. And my heart dilated, and my sorrows ceased. For, quoth I, now verily am I the monarch of the age, since by Allah's grace this enormous wealth is mine, and I have full, forty damsels under my hand, nor is there any to claim them save myself.

Then I gave not over opening place after place until nine and thirty days were passed, and in that time I had entered every chamber except that one whose door the princesses had charged me not to open. But my thoughts, oh my mistress, ever ran on that forbidden fortieth, and Satan urged me to open it from my own undoing, nor had I patience to forbear, albeit there wanted of the tristing time but a single day. So I stood before the chamber aforesaid, and after a moment's hesitation, opened the door which was plated with red gold, and entered. I was met by a perfume whose like I had never before smelt, and so sharp and subtle was the odor, that it made my senses drunken

as with a strong wine, and I fell to the ground in a fainting fit which lasted a full hour. When I came to myself, I strengthened my heart, and entering, found myself in a chamber whose floor, and, was bespred with saffron and blazing with light from branched candelabra of gold and lamps fed with costly oils which diffused the scent of musk and ambergris i saw also two great censers each big as a mazer bowl flaming with line aloes nad perfume ambergris and honeyed scents and the place was full of their fragrance presently o my lady i espied a noble steed black as the murks of night when murkiest standing ready saddle and unbridled, and his saddle was of red gold, before two mangers, one of clear crystal wherein was husked sesame, and the other also of crystal containing water of the rose scented with musk. When I saw this I marveled and said to myself, Doubtless in this animal must be some wondrous mystery. And Satan cousined me, so I led him without the palace and mounted him, but he would not stir from his place.

So I hammered his sides with my heels, but he moved not, and then I took him. the rain-whip and struck him with all. When he felt the blow, he neighed a neigh with a sound like deafening thunder, and, opening a pair of wings, flew up with me in the firmament of heaven far beyond the eyesight of man. After a full hour of flight he descended and alighted on a terrace roof, and shaking me off his back, lashed me on the face with his tail, and gouged out my left eye, causing it to roll along my cheek. Then he flew away. I went down from the terrace and found myself again, amongst the ten one-eyed youths, sitting upon their ten couches with blue covers, and they cried out when they saw me. No welcome to thee, nor ought of good cheer. We all lived

of lives the happiest, and we ate and drank of the best. Upon brocades and clods of gold, we took rest, and we slept with our heads on beauty's breast, but we could not await one day to gain the delights of a year. Quoth I, Behold, I have become one like unto you, and now I would have you bring me a tray full of blackness, wherewith to blacken my face, and receive me into your society. No, by Allah, quoth they, thou shalt not sojourn with us, and now get thee hence, so they drove me away. Finding them reject me thus, I foresaw that matters would go hard with me, and I remembered the many miseries which destiny had written upon my forehead, and I fared forth from among them,

heavy-hearted and tearful-eyed, repeating to myself these words, I was sitting at my knees, but my forwardness brought me to unease. Then I shaved beard and mustachios and eyebrows, renouncing the world and wandered in calendar garb about Allah's earth, and the almighty decreed safety for me till I arrived at Baghdad, which was on the evening of this very night. Here I met these two other calendars, standing bewildered, so I saluted them saying, I am a stranger, and they answered, and we likewise be strangers. By the freak of fortune we were like, to thee, three calendars, and three monoculars, all blind of the left eye. Such, oh, my lady, is the cause of the shearing of my beard and the manner of my losing an eye. Said the lady to him,

rub thy head and wind thy ways, but he answered, by Allah, I will not go until I hear the stories of these others. Then the lady, turning towards the caliph, and Jaafar and Mazur, said to them, do ye also give an account of yourselves you men whereupon jahfar stood forth and told her what he had told the portress as they were entering the house and when she heard the story of their being merchants and mosle men who would outrun the watch she said i grant you your lives each for each sake and now away with you all so they all went out and when they were in the street quoth the caliph to the calendars o company whither go ye now seeing that the morning hath not yet dawned quoth they by allah our lord we know not where to go come and pass the rest of the night with us said the caliph and turning to ja'afar take them home with thee and to-morrow bring them to my presence that we may chronicle their adventures ja'afar did as the caliph bade him and the commander of the faithful returned to his palace but sleep gave no sign of visiting him that night and he lay awake pondering the mishaps of the three calendar princes and impatient to know the history of the ladies and the two black bitches No sooner had morning dawned, then he went forth and sat upon the throne of his sovereignty, and turning to Ja'afar, after all his grandees and officers of state were gathered together,

he said, Bring me the three ladies and the two bitches and the three calendars. So Ja'afar fared forth, and brought them all before him, and the ladies were veiled. Then the minister turned to them, and said in the caliph's name, We pardon you your maltreatment of us and your want of courtesy, in consideration of the kindness which forewent it. And for that ye knew us not. Now, however, I would have you to know that ye stand in the presence of the fifth of the sons of Abbas, Harun al-Rashid, brother of Caliph Musa al-Hadi, son of al-Monsour, son of Mohammed, the brother of al-Safa bin Mohammed,

who was the first of the royal house. Speak ye therefore before him the truth and the whole truth. When the ladies heard Jalfar's words touching the commander of the faith-fif, the eldest came forward and said, O Prince of true believers, my story is one which, were it graven with needlegravers upon the eye, corners, where a warner for whoso would be warned, and an example for whoso can take profit from example.

And Chiarazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the seventeenth night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that she stood forth before the commander of the faithful, and began to tell the eldest lady's tale. Verily a strange tale is mine, and tis this. Yon two black bitches are my eldest sisters by one mother and father,

and these two others, she who beareth upon her the signs of stripes, and the third are procuratrix, are my sisters by another mother. When my father died, each took her share of the heritage, and after a while my mother also deceased, leaving me and my sister's German three thousand's dinars, So each daughter received her portion of a thousand dinars and I the same. I'll be the youngest. In due course of time, my sisters married with the usual festivities and lived with their husbands,

who bought merchandise with their wives' monies, and set out on their travels together. Thus they threw me off. My brothers-in-law were absent with their wives five years, during which period they spent all the money they had, and, becoming bankrupt, deserted my sisters in foreign parts amid stranger-folk. after five years my eldest sister returned to me in beggars gear with her clothes in rags and tatters and a dirty old mantilla and truly she was in the foulest and sorriest plight at first sight i did not know my own sister but presently i recognized her and said what state is this oh our sister she replied words cannot undo the done and the reed of destiny hath run through what allah decreed then i sent her to the bath and dressed her in a suit of mine own and boiled for her a bullion, and brought her some good wine, and said to her,

O my sister, thou art the eldest, who still standest to us in the stead of father and mother, and as for the inheritance which came to me as to you twain, Allah hath blessed it and prospered it to me with increase, and my circumstances are easy, for I have made much money by spinning and cleaning silk, and I and you will share my wealth alike. I entreated her with all kindliness, and she abode with me for a whole year, during which our thoughts and fancies were always full of our other sister shortly after she too came home in yet fowler and sorrier plight than that of my eldest sister and i dealt by her still more honourably than i had done by the first and each of them had a share of my substance after a time they said to me o our sister we desire to marry again for indeed we have not patience to drag on our days without husbands and to lead the lives of widows bewitched and i replied o eyes of me

ye have hitherto seen scanty wheel in wedlock for nowadays good men and true are become rarities and curiosities nor do i deem your projects advisable as he have already made trial of matrimony and have failed but they would not accept my advice and married without my consent nevertheless i gave them outfit and dowries out of my money and they fared forth with their mates in a mighty little time their husbands played them false and taking whatever they could lay hands upon levented and left them in the lurch thereupon they came to me ashamed and in abject case and made their excuses to me saying pardon our fault and be not wroth with us for although thou art younger in years yet art thou older in wit henceforth we will never make mention of marriage so take us back as thy handmaidens that we may eat our mouthful quoth i welcome to you o my sisters there is not dearer to me than you and i took them in and redoubled my kindness to them we ceased not to live after this loving fashion for a full year when i resolved to sell my wares abroad and first to fit me a conveyance for bassor so i equipped a large ship and loaded her with merchandise and valuable goods for traffic and with provant and all needful for a voyage i said to my sisters will ye abide at home whilst i travel or would you prefer to accompany me on the voyage. We will travel with thee, answered they, for we cannot bear to be parted from thee. So I divided my monies into two parts, one to accompany me, and the other to be left in charge of a trusty person, for as I said to myself, happily some accident may happen to the ship,

and yet we remain alive, in which case we shall find on our return what may stand us in good stead. I took my two sisters, and we went a voyaging some days and nights, but the master was careless enough to miss his course and the ship went astray with us and entered a sea other than the sea we sought for a time we knew not of this and the wind blew fair for us ten days after which the lookout man went aloft to see about him and cried good news then he came down rejoicing and said i have seen what seemeth to be a city as twere a pigeon hereat we rejoiced and ere an hour of the day had passed the building showed plain in the offing and we asked the captain what is the name of yonder city and he answered by allah i know it not for i never sawed before and never sailed these seas in my life but since our troubles have ended in safety remains for you only to land there with your merchandise and if you find selling profitable sell and make your market of what it is there and if not we will rest here two days and provision ourselves and fare away so we entered the port and the captain went uptown and was absent awhile after which he returned to us and said arise go up into the city and marvel at the works of allah with his creatures and pray to be preserved from his righteous wrath so we landed and going up into the city saw at the gate men holding stabs in hand but when we drew near them behold they had been translated by the anger of allah and had become stone Then we entered the city and found all therein, turned into black stones and stone.

Not an inhabited house appeared to the aspire, nor was there a blower of fire. We were awestruck at the site, and threaded the market streets, where we found the goods and gold and silver left lying in their places, and we were glad and said, doubtless there is some mystery in all this. Then we dispersed about the thoroughfares, and each busied himself with collecting the wealth and money and rich stuffs, taking scanty heed of friend or comrade. As for myself, I went up to the castle which was strongly fortified, and entering the king's palace by its gate of red gold,

found all the Vesel of gold and silver, and the king himself seated in the midst of his chamberlains and nabobs and emirs and wazirs, all clad in raiment which confounded man's art. I drew nearer and saw him sitting on a throne, encrusted and inlaid with pearls and gems, and his robes were of gold cloth adorned with jewels of every kind. each one flashing like a star. Around him stood fifty Mamelukes, white slaves,

clothed in silks of diverse sorts, holding their drawn swords in their hands, but when I drew near to them, lo, all were black stones. My understanding was confounded at the sight, but I walked on and entered the great hall of the harem, whose walls I found hung with tapestries of gold, striped silk, and spread with silken carpets embroidered with golden cowers.

Here I saw the queen lying at full length, arrayed in robes with fresh young pearls on her head was a diadem set with many sorts of gems each fit for a ring and around her neck hung collars and necklaces all her raiment and her ornaments were in natural state but she had been turned into a black stone by allah's wrath presently i espied an open door for which i made straight and found leading to it a flight of seven steps so i walked up and came upon a place pargetted with marble and spread and hung with gold-worked carpets and tapestry a middlemost of which stood a throne of juniper-wood inlaid with pearls and precious stones and set with the bosses of emeralds in the further wall was an alcove whose curtains bestrung with pearls were let down and i saw a light issuing therefrom so i drew near and perceived that the light came from a precious stone as big as an ostricheg set at the upper end of the alcove upon a little chryselyphantine couch of ivory and gold and this jewel blazing like the sun cast its rays is wide inside. The couch also was spread with all manner of silken stuffs, amazing the gazer with their richness and beauty. I marveled much at all this, especially when seeing in that place candles ready lighted, and I said in my mind, Needs must someone have lighted these candles.

Then I went forth and came to the kitchen, and thence to the buttery and the king's treasure chambers, and continued to explore the palace and to pace from place to place. I forgot myself in my awe and marvel at these matters, and I was drowned in thought till the night came on. Then I would have gone forth, but knowing not the gate I lost my way, so I returned to the alcove with the lighted candles directed me, and sat down upon the couch, and wrapping myself in a coverlet after I had repeated somewhat from the Koran, I would have slept, but could not, for a restlessness possessed me. When night was at its noon, I heard a voice chanting the Koran in sweetest accents, but the tone thereof was weak. So I rose, glad to hear the sight,

silence broken, until I reached a closet whose door stood ajar. Then, peeping through a chink, I considered the place, and lo! It was an oratory wherein was a prayer-niche, with two waxed candles burning, and lamps hanging from the ceiling. In it too was spread a prayer-carpet whereupon sat a youth fair to see, and before him on its stand was a copy of the Quran, from which he was reading. I marveled to see him alone, alive, amongst the people of the city, and entering saluted him, whereupon he raised his eyes and returned my salaam. Quoth I, Now by the truth of what thou readest in Allah's holy book,

I conjure thee to answer my question. He looked upon me with a smile and said, O handmaid of Allah, first tell me the cause of thy coming hither, and I in turn will tell what hath befallen both me and the people of this city, and what was the reason of my escaping their doom. So I told him my story whereat he wondered,

and I questioned him of the people of the city, when he replied, Have patience with me for a while, oh my sister. And reverently closing the holy book, He laid it up in a satin bag. Then he seated me by his side, And I looked at him, And behold, he was as the moon at its full,

Fair of face and rare of form, Soft-sided and slight, Of well-proportioned height, And cheek smoothly bright and diffusing light, In brief a sweet a sugar-stick, Even as saith the poet of the like of him in these couplets. That night the astrologer a scheme of planets drew, and lo, a graceful shape of youth appeared in view. Saturn had stained his locks with Saturninus jet, and spots of nut-brown musk on rosy side face blue.

Mars tinctured either cheek with tinct of martial red, sagittal shots from eyelid Sagittarius through, dowered from Mercury with bright mercurial wit, bore off the bear what all man's evil glances grew. amazed stood astrophail to sight the marvel birth when lauded low the moon at full to bust the earth and of a truth allah the most high had robed him in the raiment of perfect grace and had purfled and fringed it with a cheek all beauty and loveliness even as the poet saith of such a one by his eyelids shedding perfume and his fine slim waist i swear by the shooting of his shafts barbed with sorcery passing rare by the softness of his sides and glances lingering light and brow of dazzling day-tide ray and night within his hair by his eyebrows which deny to who look upon them rest now bidding now forbidding ever dealing joy and care by the rose that decks his cheek and the myrtle of its moss by jason's sped it in his lips, and pearl his smile lays bare. By his graceful bending neck and the curving of his breast, whose polished surface bear those graniteau's lovely pair. By his heavy hips that quiver as he passeth in his pride, where he resteth with that waist which is slim

beyond compare. By the satin of his skin, by that fine, unsullied sprite, by the beauty that containeth all things bright and debonair, by that ever-open hand, by the candour of his tongue, by noble blood and high degree whereof he's hope and air. Musk from him borrows muskiness she loveth to exhale, and all the air of ambergris through him perfume the air. The sun, methinks, the broad bright sun before my love would pale, and sans his splendor would appear a pairing of his nail. I glanced at him with one glance of eyes which caused me a thousand sighs,

and my heart was at once taken captive wise, so I asked him, O my lord and my love, tell me what whereof I question thee, and he answered, Hearing is obeying, know, O handmaid, of Allah, that this city was the capital of my father, who is the king thou sawest on the throne, transfigured by Allah's wrath to a black stone, and the queen thou foundest in the alcove as my mother. They and all the people of the city were Magians, who fire adored in lieu of the omnipotent lord, and were wont to swear by low and heat and shade and light, and the spheres revolving day and night. My father had ne'er a son till he was blessed with me near the last of his days,

and he reared me till I grew up, and prosperity anticipated me in all things. Now it's so fortune that there was with us an old woman well stricken in years, a Muslimah, who, inwardly believing in Allah and his apostle, conformed outwardly with the religion of my people, and my father placed through confidence in her for that he knew her to be trustworthy and virtuous, and he treated her with ever-increasing kindness, believing her to be of his own belief. So when I was well-nigh grown up, my father committed me to her charge, saying, Take him and educate him, and teach him the rules of our faith,

let him have the best instructions, and cease not thy fostering care of him. So she took me and taught me the tenets of al-Islam, with the divine ordinances of the wuzhu ablution and the fours, five daily prayers, and she made me learn the Quran by rote, often repeating, serve none save Allah Almighty. When I had mastered this much of knowledge, she said to me, O my son, keep this matter concealed from thy sire, and reveal not to him lest he slay thee. So I hid it from him, and I abode on this wise for a term of days when the old woman died,

and the people of the city redoupled in their impiety, and arrogance and the error of their ways. One day, while they were as wont, behold, they heard a loud and terrible sound and a crier, crying out with a voice like roaring thunder, so every ear could hear far and near. O folk of this city, leave ye your fire worshipping, and adore Allah the all-compassionate king! At this, fear and terror fell upon the citizens, and they crowded to my father, he being the king of the city, and asked him, What is this awesome voice we have heard, for it hath confounded us with the excess of its terror? and he answered let not a voice fright you nor shake your steadfast sprite nor turn your back from the faith which is right their hearts inclined to his words and they ceased not to worship the fire and they persisted in rebellion for a full year from the time they heard the first voice

and on the anniversary came a second cry, and a third at the head of the third year, each year once. Still they persisted in their malpractices, till one day, at break of dawn, judgment and the wrath of heaven descended upon them with all suddenness, and by the visitation of Allah all were metamorphosed into black stones, they and their beasts and their cattle, and none were saved, save myself, who at the time was engaged in my devotions. From that day to this, I am in the case thou seest, constant in prayer,

and fasting and reading and reciting the Quran but I am indeed grown weary by reason of my loneliness having none to bear me company then said I to him for in very sooth he had won my heart and was the lord of my life and soul oh youth wilt thou fare with me to Baghdad's city and visit the Olama and men learned in the law and doctors of divinity and get the increase of wisdom and understanding and theology and know that she who standeth in thy presence will be thy handmaid albeit she behead of her family and mistress over men and eunuchs and servants and slaves indeed my life was no life before it fell in with their youth i have here a ship laden with merchandise and in very truth destiny drove me to this city that i might come to the knowledge of these matters for it was fated that we should meet and i ceased not to persuade him and speak him fair and use every art till he consented and shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say end of section eleven of the book of a thousand knights and a knight recording by colinda in raymond new hampshire on november twentieth two thousand nights and a night volume one section twelve this is a libravox

All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, translated by Richard Burton. Section 12 When it was the 18th night, she continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the lady ceased not, persuading with soft speech, the youth, to depart with her till he consented and said, yes. She slept that night, lying at his feet, and hardly knowing where she was for excess of joy.

As soon as the next morning dawned, she pursued, addressing the Caliph, I arose, and we entered the treasuries, and took thence whatever was light in weight, and great in worth. Then we went down, side by side, from the castle to the city, where we were met by the captain and my sisters and slaves, who had been seeking for me. When they saw me, they rejoiced, and asked what had stayed me, and I told them all I had seen, and related to them the story of the young prince, and the transformation wherewith the citizens had been justly visited. Hereat all marvelled, but when my two sisters, these two bitches, O commander of the faithful, saw me by the side of my young lover.

They jalous me on his account, and were wroth and plotted mischief against me. We awaited a fair wind, and went on board rejoicing, and ready to fly for joy by reasons of the goods we had gotten, but my own greatest joyance was in the youth, and we waited a while till the wind blew fair for us, and then we set sail and fared forth.

Now, as we sat talking, my sisters asked me, And what wilt thou do with this handsome young man? And I answered, I purpose to make him my husband. Then I turned to him and said, O my lord, I have that to propose to thee, wherein thou must not cross me. And this it is, that when we reach Baghdad, my native city,

I offer thee my life as thy handmaiden in holy matrimony, and thou shalt be to me barren, and I will be fam to thee. He answered, I hear and I obey, thou art my lady and my mistress, and what so thou doest I will not gain say. Then I turned to my sisters and said, This is my gain, I content me with this youth, and those who have gotten aught of my property, let them keep it as their gain, with my good will. Thou sayest and doest well, answered the twain, but they imagined mischief against me. We ceased not spooning before a fair wind

Till we had exchanged the sea of peril For the seas of safety And in a few days we made Basora City Whose buildings loomed clear before us as evening fell But after we had retired to rest and were sound asleep My two sisters arose and took me up, bed and all And threw me into the sea They did the same with the young prince

Who, as he could not swim, sank and was drowned and Allah enrolled him in the noble army of martyrs. As for me, would heaven I had been drowned with him, but Allah deemed that I should be of the saved. So when I awoke and found myself in the sea, and saw the ship making off like a dash of lightning, he threw in my way a piece of timber which I bestrided, and the waves tossed me to and fro till they cast me upon an island coast,

a highland and an uninhabited. I landed and walked about the island the rest of the night, and when the morning dawned I saw a rough track barely fit for a child of Adam to tread, leading to what proved a shallow ford connecting island and mainland. As soon as the sun had risen, I spread my garments to dry in its rays and ate of the fruits of the island and drank of its waters. Then I set out along the foot track and ceased not walking till I reached the mainland.

now when there remained between me and the city but a two hours journey behold a great serpent the bigness of a date palm came fleeing towards me in all haste gliding along now to the right then to the left till she was close upon me whilst her tongue lolled groundwards a span long and swept the dust as she went she was pursued by a dragon who was not longer than two lances and of slender build about the bulk of a spear and although her terror lent her speed and she kept wriggling from side to side he overtook her and seized her by the tail whereat her tears streamed down and her tongue was thrust out in her agony i took pity on her and picking up a stone and calling upon allah for aid threw it at the dragon's head with such force that he died then and there and the serpent opening a pair of wings flew into the lift and disappeared from before my eyes i sat down marvelling over that adventure but i was weary and drowsiness overcoming me i slept where i was for a while when i awoke i found a jet-black damsel sitting there at my feet shampooing them, and by her side stood two black bitches. My sisters, O commander of the faithful. I was ashamed before her, and sitting up, asked her, oh, my sister, who and what art thou? And she answered, How soon hast thou forgotten me? I am she for whom thou wroughtest a good deed,

and sowedest the seed of gratitude, and slewest her foe, for I am the serpent whom by Allah's adents thou didst just now deliver from the dragon. I am a jinniea, and he was a gin who hated me, and none saved my life from him, save thou. As soon as thou freedest me from him, I flew on the wind to the ship, whence thy sisters threw thee, and removed all that was therein to thy house.

Then I ordered my attendant marids to sink the ship, and I transformed thy two sisters into these black bitches, for I know all that hath passed between them and thee. But as for the youth, of a truth he is drowned. So saying she flew up with me and the bitches, and presently set us down on the terrace roof of my house, wherein I found ready stored the whole of what property was in my ship, nor was aught of it missing.

Now, continued the serpent that was, I swear by all engraver on the seal ring of solilo, with whom be peace, unless thou deal to each of these bitches three hundred stripes every day, I will come and imprison thee forever under the earth. I answered, Harkening and obedience, and away she flew. But before going she again charged me, saying, I again swear by him who made the two seas flow,

and this be my second oath, if thou gain say me, I will come and transform thee like thy sisters. since then i have never failed o commander of the faithful to beat them with that number of blows till their blood flows with my tears ay pitying them the while and well they wot that their being scourged is no fault of mine and they accept my excuses And this is my tale and by history. The Caliph marvelled at her adventures, and then signed to Ja'afar, who said to the second lady, the portress, And thou, how cameest thou by the welts and wheels upon thy body? So she began the tale of the portress.

No, O commander of the faithful, that I had a father, who, after fulfilling his time, deceased and left me a great store of wealth. I remained single for a short time, and presently married one of the richest of his day. I abode with him a year when he also died, and my share of his property amounted to eighty thousand dinars in gold, according to the holy law of inheritance. Thus I became passing rich, and my reputation spread far and wide, for I had made me ten changes of raiment, each worth a thousand dinars.

One day, as I was sitting at home, Behold, there came into me an old woman with lantern jaws, and cheeks sucked in, and eyes rucked up, And eyebrows scant and scald, And head bare and bald, And teeth broken by time and mauled, And back bending, and neck-nape nodding, And face blotched, and room-running,

And hair like a snake, black and white speckled, In complexion of very fright, even as saith the poet of the like of her ill-omened hag, Unshriven be her sins, Nor mercy visit her on dying bed, Thousand heads, strongest he-mules, would her guiles, Despite their bolting lead with spider-thread, And as saith another, A hag to whom thunlawful lawfulist,

And witchcraft wisdom in her sight are grown, A mischief-making brat, a demon-made, A hoarish woman, and a pimping crone. When the old woman entered she salaamed to me and kissing the ground before me said, I have at home an orphan daughter

and this night are her wedding and her displaying. We be poor folks and strangers in this city, knowing none inhabitant, and we are broken-hearted. So do thou earn for thyself a recompense and a reward in heaven, by being present at her displaying, and when the ladies of this city shall hear them,

that thou art to make act of presents, they also will present themselves. So shalt thou comfort her affliction, for she is sore bruised in spirit, and she hath none to look to, save Allah the most high. Then she wept and kissed my feet, reciting these couplets. Thy presence bringeth us a grace,

we own before thy wintsome face, and wert thou absent, near and one, could stand instead, or take thy place. so pity got hold on me and compassion and i said hearing is consenting and please allah i will do somewhat more for her nor shall she be shown to her bridegroom save in my raiment and ornaments and jewellery at this the old woman rejoiced and bowed her head to my feet and kissed them saying allah requite thee weal and comfort thy heart even as thou hast comforted mine But, oh my lady, do not trouble thyself to do me this service at this hour, be thou ready by supper-time, when I will come and fetch thee. So saying she kissed my hand and went her ways.

I set about stringing my pearls, and donning my brigades, and making my toilette, little wrecking what fortune had in womb for me, when suddenly the old woman stood before me, simpering and smiling till she showed every tooth stump, and quoth she, oh my mistress, the city madams have arrived, and when I apprised them, that thou promised to be present, they were glad, and they are now awaiting thee, and looking eagerly for thy coming, and for the honour of meeting thee. So I threw on my mantilla, and making the old crone walk before me, and my handmaidens behind me,

I fared till we came to a street well-watered and swept neat, weather-winoing breeze, blue cool and sweet. Here we were stopped by a gate arched over with a dome of marble stone, firmly seated on solidest foundation, and leading to a palace whose walls from earth rose tall and proud, and whose pinnacle was crowned by the clouds, and over the doorway were writ these couplets. I am the wone where mirth shall ever smile, the home of joyance through my lasting while, and mid my court a fountain, jets and flows, nor tears nor troubles shall that fount defile. The merge with royal Nulman's bloom is dight,

Myrtle, narcissus flower, and camomile. Arrived at the gate, before which hung a black curtain, the old woman knocked, and it was open to us. When we entered and found a vestibule spread with carpets, and hung around with lamps all alight, and wax candles in candelabra adorned with pendants of precious gems and noble oars. We passed on through this passage till we entered a saloon whose like for grandeur and beauty is not to be found in this world. It was hung and carpeted with silken stuffs and was illuminated with branched sconces and tapers ranged in double row,

an avenue abutting on the upper or noble end of the saloon, where stood a couch of Junipal. wood, encrusted with pearls and gems, and surmounted by a baldequin with mosquito curtains of satin, looped up with margaritas. And hardly had we taken note of this, when there came forth from the balderkin a young lady, and I looked, O commander of the faithful, upon a face and form more perfect than the moon when fullest, with a favour brighter than the dawn, gleaming with saffron-hued light, even as the poet sang when he said, Thou pacest the palace a marvel sight, a bride for Kisras or Kaisa's night, wantons the rose on thy roseate cheek, O cheek as the blood of the dragon bright,

slim-waisted, languorous, sleepy-eyed, with charms which promise all love, and the tyre which attires thy tiaraed brow is a knight of woe on a morn's glad light. the fair young girl came down from the estrade and said to me welcome and well come and good cheer to my sister the dearly beloved the illustrious and a thousand greetings then she recited these couplets and but the house could know who cometh twould rejoice and kiss the very dust whereon thy foot was placed and with the tongue of circumstance the walls would say welcome and hail to one with generous gifts engrossed Then sat she down and said to me, O my sister, I have a brother who hath had sight of thee at sundry wedding-feasts and festive seasons. He is a youth handsomer than I, and he hath fallen desperately in love with thee, for that bounteous destiny hath garnered in thee all beauty and perfection, and he hath given silver to this old woman that she might visit thee, and she hath contrived on this wise to foregather us twain. He hath heard that thou art one of the nobles of thy tribe, nor is he aught less in his, and, being desirous to ally his lot with thy lot, he hath practised this device to bring me in company with thee, for he is fain to marry thee after the ordinance of Allah and his apostle.

And in what is lawful and right there is no shame. When I heard these words, and saw myself fairly entrapped in the house, I said, hearing is consenting. She was delighted at this and clapped her hands, whereupon a door opened, and out of it came a young man blooming in the prime of life, exquisitely dressed, a model of beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace,

with gentle winning manners, and eyebrows like a bended bow and shaft on cord, and eyes which bewitched all hearts with sorcery lawful in the sight of the Lord, even as saith some rhymer describing the like of him. His face as the face of the young moon shines, and fortune stamps him with pearls for signs. And Allah favour him, who said,

Blessed be his beauty, blessed the Lord's decree, who cast and shaped a thing so bright of blee. All gifts of beauty he conjoins in one, lost in his love is all humanity. For beauty's self, inscribed on his brow, I testify there be no good, but he. When I looked at him, my heart inclined to him and loved him. And he sat by my side, and talked with me a while, when the young lady again clapped her hands,

and behold a side door opened, and out of it came the Karzi, with his four assessors as witnesses. And they saluted us, and sitting down, drew up and wrote out the marriage contract between me and the youth, and retired. Then he turned to me and said, Be our knight blessed, presently adding, O my lady, I have a condition to lay on thee. Quoth I, O my lord, what is that? Whereupon he arose, and fetching a copy of the holy book, presented it to me, saying,

Swear hereon thou wilt never look at any other than myself, nor incline thy body or thy heart to him. I swore readily enough to this, and he joyed with exceeding joy and embraced me round the neck while love for him possessed my whole heart. Then they set the table before us, and we ate and drank till we were satisfied,

but I was dying for the coming of the night. And when night did come, he led me to the bride-chamber, and slept with me on the bed, and continued to kiss and embrace me till the morning, such a night I had never seen in my dreams. I lived with him a life, of happiness and delight for a full month, at the end of which I asked his leave to go on foot

to the bazaar, and buy me certain especial stuffs, and he gave me permission. So I donned my mantilla, and taking with me the old woman and a slave-girl, I went to the Khan of the Silk Mercers, where I seated myself in the shop-front of a young merchant, whom the old woman recommended, saying to me, this youth's father died when he was a boy, and left him a great store of wealth. He hath by him a mighty fine stock of goods, and thou wilt find what thou seekest with him, for none in the bazaar hath better stuffs than he.

Then she said to him, Show this lady the most costly stuffs thou hast by thee, and he replied, Harkening and obedience. Then she whispered me, say a civil word to him. But I replied, I am pledged to address no man save me, my lord, and as she began to sound his praise, I said sharply to her,

We want naught of thy sweet speeches, our wish is to buy of him whatsoever we need, and return home. So he brought me all I sought, and I offered him his money, but he refused to take it, saying, Let it be a gift offered to my guest this day. Then quoth I to the old woman, if he will not take the money, give him back his stuff. By Allah, cried he, not a thing will I take from thee. I sell it not for gold or silver, but I give it all as a gift for a single kiss, a kiss more precious to me than everything the shop containeth. Asked the old woman, What will the kiss profit thee? And turning to me, whispered, Oh, my daughter, thou he hearest what this young fellow sayeth. What harm will it do thee,

if he get a kiss from thee, and thou gettest what thou seekest at that price? replied I, I take refuge with Allah from such action. Knowest thou not that I am bound by an oath? And she answered, Now wist, just let him kiss thee, and neither speak to him nor lean over him, so shalt thou keep thine oath and thy silver, and no harm whatever shall befall thee. And she ceased not to persuade me, and importune me, and make light of the matter, till evil entered into my mind, and I put my head in the poke, and declaring I would near consent, consented.

So I veiled my eyes, and held up the edge of my mantilla, between me and the people passing, and he put his mouth to my cheek under the veil. But while kissing me he bit me so hard a bite, that it tore the flesh from my cheek, and blood flowed fast, and faintness came over me. The old woman caught me in her arms, and when I came to myself,

I found the shop shut, and her sorrowing over me, and saying, Thank Allah for averting what might have been worse. Then she said to me, Come take heart, and let us go home before the matter become public, and thou be dishonoured. And when thou art safe inside the house, feign sickness, and lie down, and cover thyself up,

and I will bring thee powders and plasters to cure this bite with all, and thy wound will be healed at the latest in three days. So, after a while I arose, and I was in extreme distress, and terror came full upon me, but I went on little by little till I reached the house when I pleaded illness and lay me down. When it was night my husband came into me and said, What hath befallen thee, O my darling, in this excursion of thine?

And I replied, I am not well, my head acheth badly. Then he lighted a candle, and drew near me, and looked hard at me, and asked, What is that wound I see on thy cheek, and in the tenderest part too? And I answered, When I went out to-day with thy leave to buy stuffs, A camel laden with firewood jostled me, And one of the pieces tore my veil, and wounded my cheek as thou seest, For indeed the ways of this city are straight. To-morrow, cried he, I will go complain to the governor,

So shall he gibbet every fuel-seller in Baghdad. "'Alla upon thee,' said I, "'Burden not thy soul with such a sin against any man. "'The fact is I was riding on an ass, "'and it stumbled, throwing me to the ground, "'and my cheek lighted upon a stick or a bit of glass, "'and got this wound. "'Then,' said he,

"'tomorrow I will go up to Ja'afar the Bar-Maki, "'and tell him the story, "'so shall he kill every donkey-boy in Baghdad.' "'Wouldst thou destroy all these men because of my wound, said I, when this which befell me was by the decree of Allah and his destiny. But he answered, There is no help for it. And springing to his feet, plied me with words and pressed me till I was perplexed and frightened, and I stuttered and stammered, and my speech waxed thick, and I said, This is a mere accident by decree of Allah.

Then, O commander of the faithful, he guessed my case, and said, Thou hast been false to thine oath. He at once cried out with a loud cry, whereupon a door opened, and in came seven black slaves, whom he commanded to drag me from my bed, and throw me down in the middle of the room. Furthermore, he ordered one of them

to pinion my elbows and squat upon my head, and a second to sit upon my knees and secure my feet. And drawing his sword, he gave it to a third, and said, Strike her, O Sa'ad. and cut her in twain and let each one take half and cast it into the tigris that the fish may eat her for such is the retribution due to those who violate their vows and are unfaithful to their love And he redoubled in wrath, and recited these couplets. And there be one who shares with me her love,

I'd strangle love, though life by love were slain, saying, O soul, death were the nobler choice, for ill is love when shared twixt partners twain. Then he repeated to the slave, Smite her, O Sa'ad. And when the slave who was sitting upon me made sure of the command, he bent down to me and said, O my mistress, repeat the profession of faith,

and bethink thee if there be anything thou wouldst have done, for verily this is the last hour of thy life. O good slave, said I, Wait but a little while, and get off my head that I may charge thee with my last injunctions. Then I raised my head, and saw the state I was in, how I had fallen from high degree into lowest disgrace, and into death after life,

such life, and how I had brought my punishment on myself by my own sin, whereupon the tears streamed from mine eyes, and I wept with exceeding weeping. But he looked on me with eyes of wrath, and began repeating, Tell her who turneth from our love to work it injury sore, and taketh her a fine new love, the old love tossing o'er, we cry enough of thee ere thou enough of us shalt cry. What passed between us doth suffice, and happily something more. When I heard this, O commander of the faithful, I wept and looked at him, and began repeating these couplets. To severance you doom my love, and all unmoved remain, my tear-saw lids,

you sleepless mate, and sleep while I complain. You make firm friendship reign between mine eyes and insomnia. Yet can my heart forget you not, nor tears can I restrain. You made me swear with many an oath, my troth, to hold for I, but when you reigned my bosom's lord, you wrought me traitor bane. I loved you like a silly child, who wots, not what is love, then spare the learner, let her not be by the master slain. By Allah's name, I pray you right when I am dead and gone, upon my tomb, this died of love whose senses love had tain. Then happily one shall pass that way Who far of love hath felt

And treading on a lover's heart With ruth and woe shall melt. When I ended my verses Tears came again But the poetry and the weeping Only added fury to his fury And he recited "'Twas not satiety

Bad me leave the darling of my soul But that she sinned a mortal sinned mortal sin which clips me in its clip. She sought to let another share the love between us twain, but my true faith of unity refuseth partnership. When he ceased reciting, I wept again, and prayed his pardon, and humbled myself before him, and spoke him softly, saying to myself, I will work on him with words, so happily he will refrain from slaying me, even though he take all I have. So I complained of my sufferings and began to repeat these couplets. Now by thy life, and wert thou just my life thou hadst not tain,

but who can break the severance law which parteth lovers twain? Thou lodest me with heavy weight of longing love, when I can hardly bear my chemisette for weakness and for pain. I marvel not to see my life and soul in ruin lane. I marvel much to see my frame such Severance pangs sustain. When I ended my verse I wept again, and he looked at me and reviled me in abusive language, repeating these couplets.

Thou wast all taken up with love of other man, not me, twas thine to show me severance face, twas only mine to see. I'll leave thee, for that first thou wert of me to take thy leave, and patient bear that parting blow thou borest so patiently. In as thou soughtest other love, so other love I'll seek, and make the crime of murdering love thine own atrocity. When he had ended his verses, he again cried out to the slave,

Cut her in half and free us from her, for we have no profit of her. So the slave drew near me, O commander of the faithful, and I ceased bandying verses, and made sure, of death, and despairing of life, committed my affairs to Almighty Allah. When behold, the old woman rushed in, and threw herself at my husband's feet, and kissed them, and wept, and said, Oh, my son! By the rights of my fosterage, and by my long service to thee, I conjure thee, pardon this young lady, for indeed she hath done nothing deserving such doom.

Thou art a very young man, and I fear lest her death be laid at thy door, for it is said, Whoso slayeth shall be slain. As for this wanton, since thou deemest her such, drive her out from thy doors, from thy love and from thy heart. And she ceased not to weep and importune him, till he relented and said, I pardon her, but needs must I set on her my mark, which shall show upon her all my life.

Then he bade the slaves, drag me along the ground, and lay me out at full length, after stripping me of all my clothes. And when the slaves had so sat upon me that I could not move, he fetched in a rod of quince-tree, and came down with it upon my body, and continued beating me on the back and sides,

till I lost consciousness from excess of pain, and I despaired of life. Then he commanded the slaves to take me away as soon as it was dark, together with the old woman, to show them the way, and throw me upon the floor of the house, wherein I dwelt before my marriage. They did their Lord's bidding, and cast me down in my old home, and went their ways. I did not revive from my swoon till dawn appeared, when I applied myself to the dressing of my wounds with ointments and other medicaments, and I medicined myself, but my sides and ribs still showed signs of the rod as thou hast seen. I lay in weekly case, and confined to my bed for four months, before I was able to be able to be able to be able to be able to be able to be. to rise and health returned to me. At the end of that time I went to the house where all this had

happened and found it a ruin. The street had been pulled down endlong, and rubbish heaps rose where the building erst was. Nor could I learn how this had come about. Then I betook myself to this my sister on my father's side, and found her with these two black bitches. I saluted her and told her what had betided me and the whole of my story, and she said, O my sister, who is safe from the despite of time and secure, thanks be to Allah, who has brought thee off safely, and she began to say, Such is the world, so bear a patient heart, when riches leave thee, and when friends depart. Then she told me her own story, and what had happened to her with her two sisters,

and how matters had ended. So we abode together, and the subject of marriage was never on our tongues for all these years. After a while we were joined by our other sister, the procuratrix, who goeth out every morning, and buyeth all we require for the day and night, and we continued in such condition till this last night. In the morning our sister went out, as usual, to make her market, and then befell us what befell from my own.

bringing the porter into the house and admitting these three calendar men. We entreated them kindly and honourably, and a quarter of the night had not passed, ere three grave and respectable merchants from Mosul, joined us and told us their adventures. We sat talking with them, but on one condition which they violated, whereupon we treated them as sorted with their breach of promise, and made them repeat the account they had given of themselves. They did our bidding, and we forgave their offence. So they departed from us,

and this morning we were unexpectedly summoned to thy presence, and such is our story. The Caliph wondered at her words, and bade the tale be recorded and chronicled, and laid up in his muniment chambers. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. End of Section 12.

of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 13. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visitlibrivox.org. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. Translated by Richard Burton Volume 1 Section 13

When it was the 19th night She continued It hath reached me, O auspicious king, That the Caliph commanded this story And those of the sister and the calendars To be recorded in the archives And be set in the royal muniment chambers. Then he asked the eldest lady,

The mistress of the house, knowest thou the whereabouts of the Ifritah, who spelled thy sisters? And she answered, O commander of the faithful, She gave me a ringlet of her hair, saying, When as thou wouldest see me, burn a couple of these hairs, And I will be with thee forthright, Even though I were beyond Caucasus Mountain. Quoth the Caliph, bring me hither the hair.

So she brought it, and he threw the whole lock upon the fire. As soon as the odour of the burning hair, itself, the palace shook and trembled, and all present heard a rumbling and rolling of thunder, and a noise as of wings, and lo, the Jinnia, who had been a serpent, stood in the Caliph's presence. Now she was a Muslimar, so she saluted him, and said, Peace be with thee, O vicar of Allah. Whereeto he replied, and with thee also be peace, and the mercy of Allah and his blessing. Then she continued,

"'Know that this damsel "'sowed for me the seed of kindness, "'wherefore I cannot enough requite her, "'in that she delivered me from death "'and destroyed mine enemy. "'Now I had seen how her sisters dealt with her "'and felt myself bound to avenge her on them. "'At first I was minded to slay them,

"'but I feared it would be grievous to her, "'so I transformed them to bitches. "'But if thou desire their release, "'O commander of the faithful, I will release them to pleasure thee and her, for I am of the Muslims. Quoth the Caliph, release them, and after we will look into the affair of the beaten lady, and consider her case carefully, and if the truth of her story be evidenced, I will exact retaliation from him who wronged her. Said the Efrita, O commander of the faithful, I will forthwith release them,

and will discover to thee the man who did that deed by this lady, and wronged. her and took her property, and he is the nearest of all men to thee. So saying, she took a cup of water, and muttered a spell over it, and uttered words there was no understanding. Then she sprinkled some of the water over the faces of the two bitches, saying, return to your former human shape, whereupon they were restored to their natural forms, and fell to praising their creator. Then, said the Ephrita, O commander of the faithful, of a truth, he who scourged this lady with rods, is thy son, Alameen, brother of Al-Ma'amun, for he had heard of her beauty and loveliness, and he played a lover's

stratagem with her, and married her according to the law, and committed the crime, such as it is, of scourging her. Yet indeed he is not to be blamed for beating her, for he laid a condition on her, and swore her by a solemn oath not to do a certain thing. However, she was, was false to her vow, and he was minded to put her to death, but he feared Almighty Allah, and contented himself with scourging her, as thou hast seen, and with sending her back to her own place. Such is the story of the second lady, and the Lord knoweth all. When the Caliph heard these words of the Ephrita, and knew who had beaten the damsel, he marvelled with mighty marvel, and said, Praise be to Allah the Most High, the Almighty,

who hath shown his exceeding mercy towards me, enabling me to deliver these two damsels from sorcery and torture, and vouchsafing to let me know the secret of this lady's history. And now by Allah we will do a deed which shall be recorded of us after we are no more. Then he summoned his son, Alameen, and questioned him of the story of the second lady, the portress, and he told it in the face of truth, whereupon the Caliph bad call into presents

the Khazis and their witnesses, and the three calendars, and the First Lady, with her sister's German, who had been ensorcelled, and he married the three to the three calendars, whom he knew to be princes and sons of kings, and he appointed them chamberlains about his person, assigning to them stipends and allowances,

and all that they required, and lodging them in his ferns, palace at Baghdad. He returned the beaten lady to his son Alamein, renewing the marriage contract between them, and gave her great wealth, and bad rebuild the house fairer than it was before. As for himself, he took to wife the procuratrix, and lay with her that night, and next day he set apart for her an apartment in his serralio, with handmaidens for her service, and a fixed daily allowance, and the people marvelled at their Caliph's generosity and natural beneficence and princely wisdom. Nor did he forget to send all these histories to be recorded in his annals.

When Shahrazad ceased speaking, Dunyazad exclaimed, O my own sister, by Allah in very sooth this is a right pleasant tale and a delectable. Never was heard the like of it. But Prithy, tell me now a another story to while away what yet remaineth of the waking hours of this our night. She replied, With love and gladness if the king give me leave, And he said, Tell thy tale, and tell it quickly. So she began in these words.

The tale of the three apples. They relate, O king of the age and lord of the time and of these days, that the Caliph Harunar Rashid summoned his wazir Ja'afar one night and said to him I desire to go down into the city and question the common folk

concerning the conduct of those charged with its governance and those of whom they complain we will depose from office and those whom they commend we will promote Quoth Jhaafar hearkening and obedience

So the Caliph went down with Jaffar and the eunuch Masrur to the town and walked about the streets and markets, and as they were threading a narrow alley, they came upon a very old man, with a fishing-knack and crate to carry small fish on his head, and in his hand a staff, and as he walked at a leisurely pace he repeated these lines. They say me, thou shinest a light to mankind, with thy law as the night which the moon doth up light, I answer, A truce to your jests and your gibes,

Without luck what is learning, a poor devil white. If they take me to pawn with my law in my pouch, With my volumes to read and my ink-case to write, For one day's provision they never could pledge me, As likely on doomsday to draw Bill at sight! How poorly indeed doth it fare with a poor, with his pauper existence and beggarly plight. In summer he faileth provision to find.

In winter the fire-pots his only delight. The street-dogs with bite and with bark to him rise, and each lozal receives him with bark and with bite. If he lift up his voice and complain of his wrong, none pities or heed him, however he's right. And when sorrows and evils like these he must brave, his happiest homestead were dead. in the grave. When the Caliph heard his verses he said to Jaffar,

See this poor man and notes his verses, for surely they point to his necessities. Then he accosted him and asked, O Shaikh, what be thine occupation? And the poor man answered, O my lord, I am a fisherman with a family to keep, and I have been out between midday and this time, and not a thing hath Allah made my portion wherewithal to feed my family. I cannot even pawn myself to buy them a supper, and I hate and disgust my life, and I hanker after death. Quoth the Caliph,

say me, wilt thou return with us to Tigris Bank, and cast thy net on my luck, and whatsoever turneth up, I will buy of thee for an hundred gold pieces. The man rejoiced when he heard these words, and said, On my head be it, I will go back with you, and returning with them Riverwoods,

made a cast and waited a while. Then he hauled in the rope and dragged the net ashore and there appeared in it a chest padlocked and heavy. The Caliph examined it and lifted it, finding it weighty, so he gave the fisherman 200 dinars and sent him about his business, whilst Masur, aided by the Caliph, carried the chest to the palace

and set it down and lighted the candles. Jafar and Matsururur, then broke it open, and found therein a basket of palm leaves corded with red wustid. This they cut open, and saw within it a piece of carpet which they lifted out, and under it was a woman's mantilla, folded in four, which they pulled out, and at the bottom of the chest they came upon a young lady, fair as a silver ingot, slain and cut into nineteen pieces. When the caliph looked upon her, he cried, alas! And tears ran down his cheeks. And turning to Ja'afar, he said, O dog of wazirs,

shall folk be murdered in our reign and be cast into the river to be a burden and a responsibility for us on the day of doom by Allah. We must avenge this woman on her murderer, and he shall be made die the worst of deaths. And presently he added, Now as surely as we are descended from the sons of Abbas, if thou bring us not him who slew her, that we do her justice on him, I will hang thee at the gate of my palace, thee and forty of thy kith and kin by thy side. And the caliph was wroth with exceeding rage.

Quoth Jaffar, grant me three days delay, and quoth the caliph, we grant thee this. So Japhah went from before him, and returned to his own house, full of sorrow, and saying to himself, How shall I find him who murdered this damsel, that I may bring him before the Caliph. If I bring, other than the murderer,

it will be laid to my charge by the Lord. In very sooth I what not what to do. He kept his house three days, and on the fourth day the Caliph sent one of the chamberlains for him, and as he came into the presence asked him, Where is the murderer of the damsel? To which answered Ja'afar, O commander of the faithful,

Am I inspector of murdered folk, that I should Ken, who killed her? The Caliph was furious at his answer, and bad hang him before the palace gate, and commanded that a cry a cry through the streets of Baghdad, whoso would see the hanging of Ja'afar, the Barmakhi, wazir of the Caliph, with forty of the barmecides, his cousins and kinsmen, before the palace gate.

Let him come, and let him look. The people flocked out from all the quarters of the city to witness the execution of Jaffar and his kinsman, not knowing the cause. Then they set up the gallows, and made Jaffar and the others stand underneath, in readiness for execution. But whilst every eye was looking for the Caliph's signal,

and the crowd wept for Jaffar and his cousins of the barmecides, lo and behold a young man fair of face and neat of dress, and of favour like the moon raining light, with eyes black and bright, and brow flower white, and cheeks red as rose, and young down where the beard grows, and a mole like a grain of ambergris,

pushed his way through the people, till he stood immediately before the wazir, and said to him, safety to thee from this strait, O prince of the emirs, and asylum of the poor. I am the man who slew the woman ye found in the chest, so hang me for her.

her and do her justice on me. When Jaffar heard the youth's confession, he rejoiced at his own deliverance, but grieved and sorrowed for the fair youth. And whilst they were yet talking, behold, another man, well stricken in years, pressed forward through the people, and thrust his way amid the populace,

till he came to Jatafar and the youth, whom he saluted, saying, Who thou the wazir and prince, sanspia, believe not the words of this youth. Of a surety none murdered the damsel but I. Take her reek on me this moment, for, and thou do not thus, I will require it of thee, before almighty Allah.

Then quoth the young man, O wazir, this is an old man in his dotage, who wotteth not whatso he saith ever, and I am he who murdered her, so do thou avenge her on me. Quoth the old man, O my son, thou art young and desirest the joys of the world, and I am old and weary and surfeited with the world.

I will offer my life as a ransom for thee and for the wazir and his cousins. No one murdered the damsel but I, so allah upon thee, make haste to hang me, for no life is left in me now that hers is gone. The wazir marvelled much at all this strangeness, and taking the young man and the old man carried them before the Caliph, where, after kissing the ground seven times between his hands, he said, O commander of the faithful, I bring thee the murderer of the damsel.

Where is he? asked the Caliph, and Jafar answered, This young man saith, I am the murderer, and this old man giving him the lie, saith, I am the murderer, and behold, here are the twain standing before thee. The Caliph looked at the old man and the young man, and asked, Which of you killed the girl? The young man replied, No one slew her save I,

And the old man answered, Indeed none killed her but myself. Then said the Caliph to Ja'afar, Take the twain, and hang them both. But Ja'afar rejoined, Since one of them was the murderer, To hang the other were mere injustice. By him who raised the firmament and dispelior,

the earth like a carpet, cried the youth, I am he who slew the damsel. And he went on to describe the manner of her murder, and the basket, the mantilla, and the bit of carpet, in fact all that the caliph had found upon her. So the caliph was certified that the young man was the murderer, whereat he wondered, and asked him, What was the cause of thy wrongfully doing this damsel to die,

and what made thee confess the murder without the bastinado, and what brought thee here to yield up thy life, and what made thee say, Do her reek upon me? The youth answered, No, O commander of the faithful, that this woman was my wife and the mother of my children, also my first cousin,

and the daughter of my paternal uncle, this old man who is my father's own brother. When I married her, she was a maid, and Allah blessed me with three male children by her. She loved me and served me, and I saw no evil in her, for I also loved her with fondest love. Now, on the first day of this month, she fell ill with grievous sickness, and I fetched in physicians to her, but recovery came to her little by little, and when I wished her to go to

the Hammam Bath, she said, There is something I long for before I go to the bath, and I long for it with an exceeding longing. To hear is to comply, said I, and what is it? quoth she, I have a queasy craving for an apple to smell it and bite a bit of it. I replied, Hadst thou a thousand longings, I would try to satisfy them. So I went on the instant into the city, and sought for apples, but could find none. Yet had they cost a gold piece each, would I have bought them? I was vexed at this, and went home and said,

O daughter of my uncle, by Allah, I can find none. She was distressed, being yet very weakly, and her weakness increased greatly on her that night, and I felt anxious and alarmed on her account. As soon as morning dawned I went out again, and made the round of the gardens one by one, but found no apples anywhere. At last there met me an old gardener, of whom I asked about them, and he answered, "'Oh, my son, this fruit is a rarity with us, and is not now to be found, save in the gardener. of the commander of the faithful at Basura, where the gardener keepeth it for the caliph's eating.

I returned to my house troubled by my ill success, and my love for my wife and my affection moved me to undertake the journey. So I gat me ready, and set out and travelled fifteen days and nights, going and coming, and brought her three apples, which I bought from the gardener for three dinars. But when I went into my wife and set them before her, she took no pleasure in them, and let them lie by her side, for her weakness and fever had increased on her, and her malady lasted without abating ten days, after which time she began to recover health.

So I left my house, and betaking me to my shop, sat there buying and selling, and about midday, behold, a great ugly black slave, long as a lance, and broad as a bench, passed by my shop, holding in hand one of the three apples, wherewith he was playing. Quoth I, O my good slave, tell me whence thou tookest that apple, that I may get the like of it. He laughed and answered, I got it from my mistress, for I had been absent, and on my return I found her lying ill with three apples by her side, and she said to me, My horned wittal of a husband made a journey for them to Basora, and bought them for three dinars. I ate and drank with her, and took this one from her.

When I heard such words from the slave, O commander of the faithful, the world grew black before my face, and I arose and locked up my shop, and went home beside myself for excess of rage. I looked for the apples, and finding only two of the three, asked my wife,

Oh, my cousin, where is the third apple? And raising her head languidly, she answered, I what not, O son of my uncle, where tis gone. This convinced me that the slave had spoken the truth, so I took a knife, and coming behind her, got upon her breast without a word said, and cut her throat. Then I hewed off her head, and her limbs in pieces, and wrapping her in her mantilla and a rag of carpet, hurriedly sewed up the hole which I set in a chest, and locking it tight,

loaded it on my he-mule, and threw it into the tigris with my own hands. So Allah upon thee, O commander of the faithful, Make haste to hang me, As I fear lest she appeal for vengeance on resurrection day. For when I had thrown her into the river, A nun knew ought of it. As I went back home, I found my eldest son crying, And yet he knew naught of what I had done with his mother.

I asked him, What hath made thee weep, my boy? And he answered, I took one of the three apples, which were by my mammy, and went down into the lane to play with my brethren when behold, a big long black slave snatched it from my hand and said, Whence hadst thou this? Quoth I, my father travelled far for it, and brought it from Basora for my mother, who was ill, and two other apples, for which he paid

three ducats. He took no heed of my words, and I asked for the apple a second and a third time, but he cuffed me and kicked me, and went off with it. I was afraid, lest my mother should swinge me on account of the apple, so for fear of her I went with my brother outside the city, and stayed there till evening closed in upon us, and indeed I am in fear of her, and now by Allah or my father say nothing to her of this, or it may add to her ailment.

When I heard what my child said, I knew that the slave was he who had fouly slandered my wife, the daughter of my uncle, and was certified that I had slain her wrongful, So I wept with exceeding weeping, and presently this old man, my paternal uncle and her father, came in, and I told him what had happened, and he sat down by my side and wept, and we ceased not weeping till midnight. We have kept up mourning for her these last five days, and we lamented her in the deepest sorrow, for that she was unjustly done to die.

This came from the gratuitous lying of the slave, the blackamore, and this was the matter, of my killing her. So I conjure thee, by the honour of thine ancestors, make haste to kill me, and do her justice upon me, as there is no living for me after her. The Caliph marvelled at his words, and said, By Allah, the young man is excusable, I will hang none but the accursed slave, and I will do a deed which shall comfort the illities and suffering, and which shall please the all-glorious king. And Shahrazad perceived the of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the twentieth night, she said,

It hath reached me, O auspicious king, That the Caliph swore he would hang none but the slave, For the youth was excusable. Then he turned to Jaffar, and said to him, Bring before me this accursed slave, Who was the sole cause of this calamity? And if thou bring him not before me within three days, Thou shalt be slain in his.

his stead. So Jaffar fared forth weeping and saying, Two deaths have already beset me, Nor shall the crock come off safe from every shock. In this matter, craft and cunning are of no avail, But he who preserved my life the first time can preserve it a second time. By Allah, I will not leave my house during the three days of life which remain to me, and let the truth, whose perfection be praised, do e'en as he will. So he kept his house three days, and on the fourth day he summoned the Khazis and legal witnesses, and made his last will and testament, and took leave of his children weeping. Presently in came a messenger from the Caliph, and said to him,

The commander of the faithful is in the most violent rage that can be, and he sendeth to seek thee, and he sweareth that the day shall certainly not pass without thy being hanged, unless the slave be forthcoming. when jaffar heard this he wept and his children and slaves and all who were in the house wept with him after he had bidden adieu to everybody except his youngest daughter he proceeded to farewell her for he loved this wee one who was a beautiful child more than all his other children and he pressed her to his breast and kissed her and wept bitterly at parting from her when he felt something round inside the bosom of her dress and asked her o my little maid what is in thy bosom pocket oh my father she replied it is an apple with the name of our lord the caliph written upon it raehan our slave brought it me four days ago and would not let me have it I gave him two dinars for it. When Jaffar heard speak of the slave and the apple, he was glad, and put his hand into his child's pocket, and drew out the apple, and knew it, and rejoiced, saying,

O, ready, dispeller of trouble! Then he bade them bring the slave, and said to him, Fye upon thee, Ryhan, whence hadst thou this apple! By Allah or my master, he replied, though a lie may get a man once off, Yet may truth get him off and well off again and again. I did not steal this apple from thy palace, nor from the gardens of the commander of the faithful.

The fact is that five days ago, as I was walking along one of the alleys of this city, I saw some little ones at play, and this apple in hand of one of them. So I snatched it from him and beat him, and he cried and said, Oh, youth, this apple is my mother's, and she is ill. She told my father how she longed for an apple,

so he travelled to Basura and bought her three apples for three gold pieces, and I took one of them to play with all. He wept again, but I paid no heed to what he said, and carried it off and brought it here, and my little lady bought it of me for two dinars of gold. This is the whole story. When Jafar heard his words he marvelled that the murder of the damsel and all this misery should have been caused by his slave.

He grieved for the rest of his own. relation of the slave to himself while rejoicing over his own deliverance, and he repeated these lines. If ill betide thee through thy slave, make him forthright thy sacrifice, and many serviles thou shalt find, but life comes once, and never twice. Then he took the slave's hand, and leading him to the caliph, related the story from first to last, and the caliph marvelled with extreme astonishment and laughed till he fell on his back and ordered that the story be recorded and be made public amongst the people. But Ja'afar said, Marvel not, O commander of the faithful at this adventure, for it is not more wondrous than

the history of the wazir Nur ad-Din Ali of Egypt and his brother Shamsaddin Mohammed. Quoth the Caliph, Out with it, but what can be stranger than this story? And Ja'afar answered, Commander of the faithful, I will not tell it thee, save on condition that thou pardon my slave. And the Caliph rejoined, If it be indeed more wondrous than that of the three apples, I grant thee his blood, and if not I will surely slay thy slave. So Jaffar began in these words the tale of Nur ad-Din and his son.

No, O commander of the faithful, that in times of yore the land of Egypt was ruled by a sultan endowed with justice and generosity, one who loved the pious poor, accompanied with the ulima and learned men, and he had a wazir, a wise and inexperienced, well-versed in affairs and in the art of government. This minister, who was a very old man, had two sons, as they were two moons. Never man saw the like of them for beauty and grace.

The elder called Shamps Saddin Muhammad, and the younger Noura Dean Ali. But the younger excelled the elder in seemliness and pleasing semblance, so that folk heard his fame in far countries, and men flocked to Egypt for the purpose of seeing him. In course of time their father, the Wazir, died, and was deeply regretted and mourned by the sultan, who sent for his two sons, and investing them with dresses of honour,

said to them, let not your hearts be troubled, for ye shall stand in your father's stead, and be joint ministers of Egypt. At this they rejoiced and kissed the ground before him, and performed the ceremonial morning for their father during a full month, after which time they entered upon the wazirat, and the power passed into their hands, as it had been in the hands of their father, each doing duty for a week at a time. They lived under the same roof, and their word was one, and whenever the Sultan desired to travel, they took it by turns to be in attendance on him.

It fortuned one night that the Sultan purposed setting out on a journey next morning, and the elder, whose turn it was to accompany him, was sitting conversing with his brother, and said to him, Oh, my brother, it is my wish that we both marry, I and thou, two sisters, and go into our wives on one and the same night. Do, O my brother, as thou desirest, the younger replied, For right is thy wrecking, And surely I will comply with thee in what so thou sayest.

So they agreed upon this, And quoth Shamsadine, If Allah decree that we marry two damsels, And go into them on the same night, And they shall conceive on their bride-nights, And bear children to us on the same day, and by Allah's will thy wife bear thee a son, and my wife bear me a daughter,

let us wed them either to other, for they will be cousins. Quoth Nour ad-Din, O my brother, Shamsardin, what dower wilt thou require from my son for thy daughter? Quoth Shamsad-Din, I will take three thousand dinars

and three pleasure-garden's and three farms, and it would not be seemly that the youth make contract for less than this. When Nur adin heard such demand, he said, What manner of dower is this thou wouldst impose upon my son? Whatest thou not that we are brothers, and both by Allah's grace wazirs, and equal in office? It behoveth thee to offer thy daughter to my son without marriage settlement.

Or, if one need be, it should represent a mere nominal value by way of show to the world, for thou knowest that the masculine is worthier than the feminine, and my son is a male, and our memory will. be preserved by him, not by thy daughter." But what, said Champsardin, is she to have? And Nur ad-Din continued, Through her we shall not be remembered among the emeers of the earth. But I see thou wouldest do with me, according to the saying,

And thou wouldst bluff off a buyer, ask him a high price and higher. Or, as did a man who, they say, went to a friend, and asked something of him, being in necessity, and was answered, bismillah in the name of Allah I will do all what thou requir'st, but come to-morrow. Whereupon the other replied in this verse, When he who is asked a favour saith to-morrow,

The wise man wots, tis vain to beg or borrow. Quoth shams ad-din, Basta! I see thee fail in respect to me By making thy son of more account than my daughter, And tis plain that thine understanding is of the meanest, and that thou lackest manners. Thou remindest me of thy partnership in the Wazirat, when I admitted thee to share with me only in pity for thee,

and not wishing to mortify thee, and that thou mightest help me as a manner of assistant. But since thou talkest on this wise, by Allah, I will never marry my daughter to thy son. No, not for her weight in gold. When Nur adin heard his brother's words, he waxed wroth, and said, And I too, I will never, never marry my son.

son to thy daughter, no, not to keep from my lips the cup of death. Shamsardin replied, I would not accept him as a husband for her, and he is not worth a pairing of her nail. Were I not about to travel, I would make an example of thee. However, when I return thou shalt see, and I will show thee how I can assert my dignity, and vindicate my honour. But Allah doeth whatso he willeth. When Nur ad-Din heard this speech from his brother, he was filled with fury and lost his wits for rage, but he hid what he felt and held his peace, and each of the brothers passed the night in a place far apart, wild with wrath against the other.

As soon as morning dawned the Sultan fared forth in state and crossed over from Cairo to Jiza and made for the pyramids, accompanied by the wazir Shamsaddin, whose turn of duty it was, whilst his brother, Nuraddin, who passed the night in sore rage, rose with the light and prayed the dawn prayer. Then he betook himself to his treasury, and taking a small pair of saddle-bags, filled them with gold. And he called to mind his brother's threats, and the contempt wherewith he had treated him,

and he repeated these couplets. Travel, and thou shalt find new friends for old ones left behind, toil for the sweets of human life By toil and moil are found The stay at home no honour wins Nor aught attains but want So leave thy place of birth And wander all the world around

I've seen, and very oft I've seen How standing water stinks And only flowing sweetens it And trotting makes it sound And were the moon forever full And ne'er to wax or wane Man would not strain his watchful eyes to see its gladsome round.

Except the lion leave his lair he ne'er would fell his game, except the arrow leave the bow, near had it reached its bound. Gold dust is dust the while it lies untravelled in the mine, and aloes would, mere fuelies, upon its native ground. And gold shall win his highest worth, when from his goal ungold, and aloes sent to foreign parts grows costlier than gold.

When he ended his verse, he bade one of his pages, saddle him his Nubian mere mule, with her padded cell. Now she was a dapple grey with ears like reed pens, and legs like columns, and a back high and strong as a dome built on pillars. Her saddle was of goldcloth, and her stirrups of Indian steel, and her housing of Ispahan velvet. She had trappings which would serve the Cosruis, and she was like a bride adorned for her wedding. night. Moreover, he bad lay on her back a piece of silk for a seat, and a prayer carpet under which were his saddle-bags. When this was done, he said to his pages and slaves, I purpose going forth a pleasuring outside the city, on the road to Kalyub Town, and I shall lie three nights abroad, so let none of you follow me, for there is something straighteneth my

breast. Then he mounted the mule in haste, and taking with him some provant for the way, set out from Cairo, and faced the open and uncultivated country lying round it. About noontide he entered Bilbae's city, where he dismounted and stayed a while to rest himself and his mule, and ate some of his vittle. He bought at Bilbaes all he wanted for himself and forage for his mule, and then fared on the way of the waste. Towards nightfall he entered a town called Saadilla, where he alighted and took out somewhere. of his Viaticum and Ete. Then he spread his strip of silk on the sand and set the saddlebags under his head and slept in the open air, for he was still overcome with anger. End of Section 13 of the

Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1. Hello listeners, this is Volume 1 of the book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burden. This is a Libravely All Librevox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Recording by Priya, India The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 14 When the morning dawned, he mounted and rode onwards till he reached the Holy City, Jerusalem, and thence he made Aleppo, where he dismounted at one of the caravansery,

and about three days to rest himself and the mule and to smell the air. Then, being determined to travel afar and Allah having written safety in his fate, he set out again, vending without voting, whither he was going, and having fallen in with certain couriers, he stinted not travelling till he had reached Bazaara city, albeit he knew not what the place was. It was dark night when he alighted at the place. the Khan, so he spread out his prayer carpet and took down the saddle bags from the back of his mule and gave her with her furniture in charge of the doorkeeper that he might walk her about.

The man took her and did as he was bid. Now it so happened that the vizier of Bazaura, a man short in ears, was sitting at the lattice window of his palace opposite the Khan and he saw the porter walking the mule up and down. He was struck by her trappings of prize and thought her a nice beast fit for the ridings of Vazirs or even the royalties, and the more he looked, the more he was perplexed, till at last he said to one of his pages, Bring hither yon, doorkeeper. The page went and returned to the vizier with the porter who kissed the ground between his hands, and the minister asked him, who is the owner of yonder mule and what manner of man is he and he answered oh my lord the owner of this mule is a comely young man of pleasant manners without grave and dignified and doubtless one of the sons of the merchants when the wazir heard the doorkeeper's words he arose forthright and mounting his horse rode to the khan and went in to nur al-deen who seeing the minister making him toward him, rose to his feet, and advanced to meet him, and saluted him.

The vizier welcomed him to Bazaura, and, dismounting, embraced him and made him sit down by his side and said, O my son, whence comest thou, and what does thou seek? O my lord, Nuraldin replied, I have come from the Cairo city of which my father was Weillam Vazir, but he had been removed to the grace of Allah, and he informed him of all that befallen him from beginning to end adding I am resolved never to return home before I have seen all the cities and countries of the world when the wazir heard this he said to him oh my son hearken not to the voice of passion lest it cast thee into the pit for indeed many regions be waste places and I fear for thee the turns of time then he

let load the saddle-bags and the silk and prayer carpets on the mule and and carried Nur al-Din to his own house, where he lodged him in a pleasant place and entreated him honourably and made much of him, for he inclined to love him with exceeding love. After a while he said to him, O my son, here am I, left a man in years, and have no male children. But Allah hath blessed me with a daughter who even at thee in beauty, and I have rejected all her many suitors, men of rank and substance. but affection for thee hath entered into my heart, say me then, will thou be to her a husband? If thou accept this, I will go up with thee to the Sultan of Bazaura, and will tell him that, thou art my nephew, the son of my brother, and bring thee to be appointed vizier in my place that I may keep the house for by Allah, O my son, I am stricken in ears and a weary.

When Nouraldin heard the wazir's words, he bowed his head in my heart. modesty and said, to hear is to obey. At this the vizier rejoiced and bade his servants prepare a feast and decorate the great assembly hall wherein they were won't to celebrate the marriages of emirs and grandees. Then he assembled his friends and the notables of the reign and the merchants of Bazaura and when all stood before him he said to them, I had a brother who was vizier in the land of Egypt, and Allah Almighty blessed him with two sons, whilst to me, as well ye what, he had given a daughter. My brother charged me to marry my daughter to one of his sons, where to I assented, and when my daughter was of age to marry, he sent me one of his sons.

The young man, now present, to whom I purpose marrying her, drawing up the contract, and celebrating the night of unveiling with due ceremony, for he is nearer and dearer to me than a stranger and, after the wedding, if he please, he shall abide with me, or if he desired to travel, I will forward him and his wife to his father's home. Hereat one and all replied, Right is thyra king, and they all looked at the bridegroom and were pleased with him. So the vizier sent for the kazi and legal witnesses, and they wrote out the marriage contract, after which the slaves perfumed the guests with incense, and served them with sherbath of sugar, and sprinkled rose water on them and all went their ways.

Then the Vazi bade his servants take Nur al-Din to the Hammam Bath and send him a suit of the best of his own, a special raiment and napkins and towelry and bowels and perfume burners and all else that was required. After the bath, when he came out and donned the dress, he was even as the full moon on the 14th night, and he mounted his mule and stayed not till he reached the Vazir's palace. There he dismounted and went to the minister and kissed his hands and the vizier bade him welcome and Sharazat perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the twenty-first night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the vizier stood up to him and, welcoming him, said, arise and go into thy wife this night, and on the morrow I'll carry thee to the sultan and pray Allah bless thee with all manners of veal.

So, Nur al-Din left him and went into his wife, the vizier's daughter, thus far concerning him. But as regards his eldest brother, Shamsaldeen, he was absent with the Sultan a long time, and when he returned from his journey, he found not his brother, and he asked of his servants and slaves who answered, On the day of thy departure with the Sultan, thy brother mounted his mule, fully caparisoned as for state procession, saying, I am going towards Calhup Town and I shall be absent one day or at most two days, for my breast is straightened and, let none of you follow me. Then he fared forth, and from that time to this, we have heard no tidings of him. Shamsaldeen was greatly troubled at the sudden disappearance of his brother,

and grieved with the exceeding grief at the loss, and said to himself, this is only because I chided and upbraided him the night before my departure with the Sultan, happily his feelings were hurt and he fared forth a travelling but I must send after him. Then he went into the Sultan and acquainted him with what had happened and wrote letters and dispatches which he sent by running footmen to its deputies in every province. But during the 20 days of his brother's absence, Noor al-Din had travelled and had reached Bazaura, so after diligent search the messengers failed to come at any news of him and returned. thereupon shamsaldine despaired of finding his brother and said indeed i went beyond all bounds in what i said to him with reference to the marriage of our children would that i had not done so this all cometh of my lack of wit and wand of caution soon after this he sought in marriage the daughter of a kirene merchant and drew up the marriage contract and went into her and it so chanced that

On the very same night when Shamsaldeen went to his wife, Nur al-Din also went to his wife, the daughter of the vizier of Bazaura, this being in accordance with the will of Almighty Allah that he might deal the decrease of destiny to his creatures. Furthermore, it was, as the two brothers had said, for their two wives became pregnant by them on the same night, and both were brought to bed on the same day. The wife of Shamsaldeen, Vizier of Egypt,

of a daughter never in cairo was seen a fairer and the wife of nur al-dean of a son none more beautiful was ever seen in his time as one of the poets said concerning the like of him that jerry hair that glossy bro my slender wasted youth of thine can darkness round creation though or make it brightly shine the dusky mould that faintly shows upon his cheek ah blame it to you not. The tulip flower never blows and darkened by its spot. And as another also said, his scent was musk and his cheek was rose. His teeth are pearls and his lips drop wine. His form is a brand and his hips a hill. His hair is night and his face moonshine. They named the boy Badraldin Hassan and his grandfather, the vizier of Bazaura, rejoiced in him and, on the seventh day after his birth, made entertainments and spread banquets which would bifit the birth of the king's sons and heirs. Then he took Nur al-Din and went up with him to the Sultan, and his son-in-law, when he came before the presence of the king, kissed the ground between his hands, and repeated these verses, for he was ready of speech, firm of spright and good in heart, as he was goodly informed.

The world's best choice long be thy lot, my lord, and last while darkness and the dawn overlap, Othou who makest when we greet thy gifts, the world to dance and timed his palms to clap. Then the sultan rose up to honour them, and, thanking Nur al-Din for his fine compliment, asked the wazir, Who may be this young man? And the minister answered, This is my brother's son, and religiously. his tale from first to last, quote the Sultan. And how comes he to be thy nephew and we have never heard speak of him? Quote the minister, O our Lord the Sultan, I heard a brother who was the vizier of the land of Egypt,

and he died, leaving two sons whereof the elder had taken his father's place, and the younger whom thou seest came to me. I had sworn I would not marry my daughter to anyone but to him. So when he came, I married him to her. Now he is young and I am old. My hearing is dulled and my judgment is easily fooled. Therefore, I would solicit our lord the sultan to set him in my stead. For he is my brother's son and my daughter's husband,

and he is fit for the wazirath, being a man of good counsel and ready contrivance. The sultan looked at Nuraldin and liked him, so he established him in office as the vizier had done. requested and formally appointed him, presenting him with a splendid dress of honour and a she-mule from his private stud, and assigning to him sold, stipends, and supplies. Nur al-Din kissed the sultan's hand and went home, he and his father-in-law, joying with exceeding joy and saying, All this followeth on the heels of the boy Hassan's birth. Next day, he presented himself before the king, and, kissing the ground, began to beckoned. repeating, grow thy wheel and thy welfare day by day, and thy luck prevail over the envious spite,

and never cease thy days to be white as day, and thy foreman's day to be black as night. The sultan bade him to be seated on the vizier's seat, so he sat down and applied himself to the business of his office, and went into the cases of fleets and their suits, as is the wound of ministers. while the Sultan watched him and wondered at his wit and good sense, judgment and insight, wherefore he loved him and took him into intimacy. When the divan was dismissed, Noor al-Din returned to his house and related what had passed to his father-in-law who rejoiced. And thenceforward, Noor al-Din ceased not so to administer the vizierate that the Sultan

would not be parted from him night or day and increased his stipend and stifed and supplies until his means were ample and he became the owner of ships that made trading voyages at its command as well as of Mamluks and Blackamo slaves. And he laid out many estates and set up Persian wheels and planted gardens. When his son Hassan was four years of age, the old wazir deceased and he made for his father-in-law a sumptuous funeral ceremony ere he was laid in the dust. Then he occupied himself with the education of this son, and when the boy waxed strong and came to the age of seven, he brought him a fakir, a doctor of law and religion, to teach him in his own house, and charge him to give him a good education and instruct him in politeness and manners. So, the tutor made the boy read and retain all varieties of useful knowledge, after he had spent some years in learning the Quran by heart. and he ceased not to grow in beauty and stature and symmetry, even as said the poet,

In his face sky shines the fullest moon, In his cheeks anemone, He glows the sun, He so conquered beauty that he hath won All charms of humanity one by one. The professor brought him up in his father's palace, teaching him reading, writing and ciphering, theology, and well as letters.

His grandfather, the old vizier, had bequeathed to him the whole of his property when he was but four years of age. Now, during all the time of his earliest youth, he had never left the house till, on a certain day, his father, the vizier Nur al-Din, clad him in his best clothes and, mounting him on a she-mule of the finest, went up with him to the sultan. The king gazed at Badraldin Hassan and marvelled at his comeliness and loved him. As for the city folk, when he first passed before them with his father, they marvelled at his exceeding beauty and sat down on the road, expecting his return, that they might look for their fill on his beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace, even as the poet said in these verses, As the sage watched the stars the semblance clear of a fair euthon scroll he saw appear, those jetty locks canopus over him through, and tinged his temple curls a musky hue.

Mas died his ruddy cheek and from his eyes the archer star his glittering arrow flies. His wit from Hermes came, and Soha's care, the half-seen star that dimly haunts the bear, kept off all evil eyes, that threaten and ensnare. The sage stood maize to see such fortunes meet, and Luna kissed the earth beneath his feet. And they blessed him aloud as he passed and called upon Almighty Allah to bless him. The sultan entreated the lad with a special favour

and said to his father, O wazir, though must needs bring him daily to my presence, whereupon he replied, I hear and I obey. then the vizier returned home with his son and ceased not to carry him to court till he reached the age of twenty at that time the minister sickened and senting for badraldin hassan said to him no my son that the world of the present is but a house of mortality while that of the future is a house of eternity i wish before i die to bequeath thee certain charges and do though take heed of what i say and do thou take heed of what i say and that and inclined the heart to my words. Then he gave him last instructions as to the properest way of dealing with his neighbors

and the due management of his affairs, after which he called to mind his brother and his home and his native land and wept over his separation from those he had first loved. Then he wiped away his tears and, turning to his son, said to him, before I proceed, O my son, to my last charges and injunctions, know that I have a brother, and though has an uncle, Shamsaldeen, height, the vizier of Cairo, which whom I parted, leaving him against his will, now take thee a sheet of paper, and write upon it what so I say to thee. Badraldine took a fair leave and set about doing his father's bidding,

and he wrote thereon a full account of what had happened to his sire first and last, the dates of his arrival at Bazaura and of his foregathering with the wazir of his marriage of his going into the minister's daughter and of the birth of his son brief his life of forty years from the date of his dispute with his brother adding the words and this is written at my dictation and may Almighty Allah be with him when I am gone then he folded the paper and sealed it and said O Hassan oh my son keep this paper with all care, for it'll enable thee to establish thine origin and rank and lineage, and if anything contrary before thee, set out for Cairo and ask for thine uncle and show him this paper, and say to him that I died a stranger, far from mine own people, and full of yearning to see him and them. So, Badraldin Hassan took the document and folded it, and wrapping it up in a piece of wax, cloth of his skull cap and wound his light turban round it. And he felt to weeping over

his father and at parting with him, and he but a boy. Then Nur al-Din lapsed into a swoon, the forerunner of death, but presently recovering himself, he said, O Hassan, oh my son, I will now bequeath to the five last behests. The first behest is, be over-intimate with none, nor frequent any, nor be familial with any, so shall thou be safe from his mischief, for security lieth in seclusion of thought, and a certain retirement from the society of thy fellows, and I have heard it said by a point. In this world there is none though mayst count upon, to befriend thy case in the nick of need, so live for thyself nursing hope of none, such counsel I give thee, an o, take heed. The second behest is,

oh my son deal harshly with none lest fortune with thee deal hardly for the fortune of this world is one day with thee and another day against thee and all worldly goods are but alone to be repaid and i have heard a poet say take thought nor hast to win the thing thou wilt have wrath on man for wrath do mayst require no hand is there but allah's hand is higher no tyrant but shall rue worse tyrant's ayer the third behest is learn to be silent in society and let thine own faults distract thine attention from the faults of other men for it is said in silence dwelleth safety and thereon i have heard the lines that tell us reserves a jewel silence safety is whenas thou speakest many a word withhold for an of silence though repent thee once of speech thou shalt repent times manifold the fourth behest o my son is beware of wine bebing for wine is the head of all frowardness and a fine solvent of human wits so shun and again I say, shun mixing strong liquor, for I have heard a poet say, From wine, turn and whoso wine cups will, becoming one of those who deem it ill, wine driveth man to miss Salvation way, and oaps the gateway wide to sins that kill.

The fifth behest, O my son, is keep thy wealth, and it will keep thee. Guard thy money, and it will guard thee, and waste not thy substance, lest, lest happily though come to want and must fare a begging from the meanest of mankind. Save thy dirhams, and deem them the sovereignest salve for the wounds of the world. And here again I have heard that one of the poets say, When fails my wealth no friend will deign befriend, When wealth abounds all friends their friendship tender, How many friends lent aid my wealth to spend,

But friends to lack of wealth, no friendship rend. On this, wise Nur al-Din ceased not to counsel his son Badraldin Hassan till his hour came, and, sighing one sobbing sigh, his life went forth. Then the voice of mourning and keening rose high in his house, and the sultan and all the grandees grieved for him and buried him. But his son ceased not lamenting his laws for two months, during which he never mounted horse nor attended the divan, no presented himself before the sultan. At last, the king, being wrothed with him, established his stead one of the chamberlains and made him vizier, giving orders to seize and set seals on all Nur al-Din's houses and goods and domains. So the new vizier went forth with the mighty pose of chamberlains and people of the divan and watchmen and a host of idlers to do this, and to seize Badraldin Hassan, and to carry him before the king who would deal with him as he deemed fit.

Now there was among the crowd of followers a mamluk of the disease wazir who, when he heard this order, urged his horse and rode at full speed to the house of Badraldine Hassan, for he could not endure to see the ruin of his old master's son. He found him sitting at the gate with head hung down and sorrowing, as was his wound for the loss of his father. so he dismounted and kissing his hand said to him oh my lord and son of my lord hastyere ruin come and lay waste when hasan heard this he trembled and asked what may be the matter and the man answered the sultan is angered with thee and has issued a warrant against thee and evil cometh hard upon my track so flee with thy life at these words hasan's heart flamed with the fire of bail and his rosered cheek turned pale and he said to the ma'am look oh my brother is there time for me to go in and get me some worldly gear which may stand me instead during my strangerhood but the slave replied oh my lord up at once and save thyself and leave this house while it is yet time and he quoted these lines escape with thy life if oppression betide thee and let the house of its builders fate country for country though will find if thou seek it life for life never early or late it is strange men should dwell in the house of abjection when the plain of god's earth is so wide and so great

at these words of the mamelukh badrildedin covered his head with the skirt of his garment and went forth on foot till he stood outside of the city where he heard folk saying the sultan has sent his new wazzi to the house of the old wazir now no more to seal his property and seize his son Badraldin Hassan and take him before the presence that he may put him to death, and all cried, alas for his beauty and his loveliness. When he heard this, he fled forth at Hazard, knowing not whither he was going, and gave not over, hurrying onwards till destiny drove him to his father's tomb. So he entered the cemetery, and, threading his way through the graves, at last he reached the sepulture, where he said, sat down and let fall from his head the skirt of his long rope which was made of brocade with the gold embroidered hem whereon where worked these couplets o thou whose forehead like the radiant east tells of the stars of heaven and bounteous dews endure thine honour to the latest day and time thy grow of glory never refuse why he was sitting by his father's tomb behold there came to him a jew as he wear a shrew as he were a shrew Shroff, a money-changer, with a pair of saddle-bags containing much gold, who accosted him, and kissing his hand, saying, With a bound, O my lord, tis late in the day, and thou art clad but lightly, and I read signs of trouble in thy face?

I was sleeping within this very hour, answered Hassan, when my father appeared to me and chid me for not having visited his tomb, so I awoke trembling and came hither for, forthright, lest the day should go by without my visiting him, which would have been grievous to me. O my lord, rejoined the Jew, thy father had many merchantmen at sea, and some of them are now due. It is my wish to buy of thee the cargo of the first ship that cometh into port, with this thousand dinners of gold. I consent, quoth Hassan? Whereupon the Jew took out a bag of gold, and counted out a thousand sequins which he

gave to Hassan, the son of Vazir, saying, Write me a letter of sale and seal it. So, Hassan took a pen and paper and wrote these words in duplicate. The writer, Hassan Badraldeen, son of Vazir Nur al-Din, had to Isaac the Jew all the cargo of the first of his father's ships with Kameth into port for a thousand dinars, and he hath received the price in advance. and after he had taken one copy the Jew put it into his pouch and went away but Hassan fell a weeping as he thought of the dignity and prosperity which had erst been his and he began residing this house my lady since you left is now a home no more for me not neighbours since you left prove kind and neighborly the friends willier i took to heart alas no more to me is friend

and even luna's self displayeth lunacy you left and by your going left the world a waste a wolf and lies a gloomy murk upon the face of hill and lee o may the raven bird whose cry are hapless parting croaked find never a nasty home and egg shed all his plumbery at length my patience fails me and his absence weighs my flesh how many a ways by severe and rent our eyes are doomed sea. Ah, shall I ever sight again our fair past nights of year? And shall a single house become a home for me once more? Then he wept with exceeding weeping and night came upon him. So he leaned his head against his father's grave and sleep overcame him. Glory to him who sleepeth not. He ceased not slumbering till the moon rose, when his head slipped from off the tomb and he lay on his back with limbs outstretched, his face shining bright in the moonlight.

Now the symmetry was haunted day and night by Jinns, who were of the true believers, and presently came out a genia who, seeing Hassan asleep, marvelled at his beauty and loveliness and cried, glory to God, this youth can be none other than one of the Walden of Paradise. Then she flew firmament wards to circle it, as was her custom, and met a Nifrit on the wing, who saluted her, and she said to him, Whence come as though? From Cairo, he replied, Will thou come to me and look upon the beauty of a youth who sleepeth in yonder burial place? She asked, and he answered, I will.

So they flew, till they lighted at the tomb, and she showed him the youth, and said, now didst thou ever in thy born days see aught like this the ifrith looked upon him and exclaimed praise be to him that hath no equal but o my sister shall i tell thee what i have seen this day asked she what is that and he answered i have seen the counterpart of this youth in the land of egypt she is the daughter of the wazir shamsaldeen and she is a model of beauty and loveliness of fairest favor of the and formers form and dyed with symmetry and perfect grace. When she had reached the age of 19, the Sultan of Egypt heard of her, and, sending for the vizier, her father, said to him, Hear me, O wazir, it had reached my ear that thou hast a daughter, and I wished to demand her of thee in marriage.

The vizier replied, O our lord the sultan, Dain accept my excuses and take compassion on my sorrow, for though knowest that my brother, who was partner with me in the wazirat, disappeared from amongst us many years ago, and we wot not where he is. Now, the cause of his departure was that one night, as we were sitting together and talking of wives and children to come, we had words on the matter, and he went off in high dudgeon. But I swore that I would marry my daughter to none,

save to the son of my brother, on the day her mother gave her birth, which was nigh upon nineteen years ago. I have lately heard that my brother died at Bazaura, where he married the daughter of the vizir and that she bear him a son, and I will not marry my daughter but to him in honour of my brother's memory. I recorded the date of my marriage and the conception of my wife and the birth of my daughter, and, from her horoscope, I find that her name is conjoined with that of her cousin, and there are damsels in foyer.

for our Lord the Sultan the king hearing his minister's answer and refusal waxed truth with exceeding wrath and cried when the like of me asketh a girl in marriage of the like of thee he conferrath an honor and though rejectest me and putt me off with cold excuses now by the life of my head I will marry her to the meanest of my men in spite of the nose of thee there was in the palace a horse-groom which was a gobbo with a bunch to his breast and a hunch to his back and the sultan sent for him and married him to the daughter of the wazir lee for lot and hath ordered a pompous marriage procession for him and that he go into his bride this very night i have now just flown hither from cairo where i left the hunchback at the door of the hamambath amidst the sultan's white slaves who were waving lighted flombo about him

as for the minister's daughter she sitteth among her nurses and tire women weeping and wailing for they have forbidden her father to come near her never have i seen o my sister more hideous being than this hunchback while as the young lady is the likest of all folk to this young man, albeit even fairer than he, and Sharazad perceived the dawn of the day, and seized her permitted say. End of Section 14 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. Recording by Priya for Librivox. Volume 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a Libravox recording. all Libravox recordings are in the public domain.

For more information, or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 15. When it was the 22nd knight, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that when the jinny narrated to the jinnea how the king had caused the wedding contract to be drawn up between the hunchback groom and the lovely young lady who was heart-broken for sorrow, and how she was the fairest of created things, and even more beautiful than this youth,

the jinnear cried at him, Thou liest, this youth is handsomer than any one of his day. The Ifrit gave her the lie again, adding, By Allah, O my sister, the damsel I speak of is fairer than this, yet none but he deserveth her, for they resemble each other, like brother and sister, or at least cousins. And, well away, how she is wasted upon that hunchback. Then said she,

O my brother, let us get under him and lift him up and carry him to Cairo, that we may compare him with the damsel of whom thou speakest, and so determine whether of the twain is the fairer. To hear is to obey, replied he, Thou speakest to the point, nor is there a writer-wrecking than this of thine, and I myself will carry him. So he raised him from the ground, and flew with him like a bird soaring in upper air, the Ifrita, keeping close by his side at equal speed, till he alighted with him in the city of Cairo, and set him down on a stone bench and woke him up. he roused himself and finding that he was no longer at his father's tomb in basora city he looked right and left and saw that he was in a strange place and he would have cried out but the ifrit gave him a cuff which persuaded him to keep silence

then he brought him rich raiment and clothed him therein and giving him a lighted flambeau said know that i have brought thee hither meaning to do thee a good turn for the love of Allah. So take this torch and mingle with the people at the Hammam door, and walk on with them without stopping till thou reach the house of the wedding festival. Then go boldly forward, and enter the great saloon, and fear none, but take thy stand at the right hand of the hunchback bridegroom. And, as often as any of the nurses and tire women and singing girls come up to thee, put thy hand into thy pocket, which thou wilt find filled with gold. Take it out, and throw it to them, and spare not.

For as often as thou thrustest fingers in pouch, thou shalt find it full of coin. Give largesse by hands full and fear nothing, but set thy trust upon him who created thee, for this is not by thine own strength, but by that of Allah Almighty, that his decrees may take effect upon his creatures. when bader al-din hassan heard these words from the ifrit he said to himself would heaven i knew what all this means and what is the cause of such kindness

However, he mingled with the people, and, lighting his flambeau, moved on with the bridled procession till he came to the bath, where he found the hunchback already on horseback. Then he pushed his way in among the crowd, a veritable beauty of a man in the finest apparel, wearing tarbush and turban, and a long-sleeved robe purfled with gold. And, as often as the singing women stopped for the people to give them largesse, he thrust his hand into a long-sleeved robe purfled with gold. He thrust his hand into his pocket, and finding it full of gold, took out a handful, and threw it on the tambourine till he had filled it with gold pieces for the music girls and the tire women. The singers were amazed by his bounty, and the people marveled at his beauty and loveliness and the splendor of his dress. He ceased not to do thus, till he reached the mansion of the wazir, who was his uncle, where the chamberlains drove back the people,

and forbade them to go forward. But the singing girls and the tirewomen said, By Allah, we will not enter unless this young man enter with us, for he hath given us length of life with his largesse, and we will not display the bride unless he be present. Therewith they carried him into the bridal hall, and made him sit down defying the evil glances of the hunchback bridegroom. The wives of the emirs and wazirs,

on chamberlains and courtiers all stood in double line, each holding a massy sieges ready-lighted. All wore thin face-vails, and the two rows right and left extended from the bride's throne to the head of the hall adjoining the chamber whence she was to come forth. When the ladies saw Badr al-Din Hassan and noted his beauty and loveliness and his face that shone like the new moon, their hearts inclined to him, And the singing girls said to all that were present, "'Know that this beauty crossed our hands with naught but red gold, so be not chary to do him womanly service and comply with all he says,

no matter what he asked.' So all the women crowded around Hassan with their torches, and gazed upon his loveliness, and envied him his beauty, and one and all would gladly have lain on his bosom an hour, or rather a year. Their hearts were so troubled that they let for, fall their veils from before their faces, and said, Happy she who belongeth to this youth, or to whom he belongeth.

And they called down curses on the crooked groom, and on him who was the cause of his marriage to the girl beauty. And as often as they blessed Badr al-Din Hassan, they damned the hunchback, saying, Verily, this youth and none else, deserveth our bride. Ah, well away for such a lovely one with this hideous quasi-easimus. motto. Allah's curse light on his head and on the sultan who commanded the marriage. Then the singing girls beat their tabrets and lalooed with joy, announcing the appearing of the

bride, and the wazir's daughter came in, surrounded by her tirewomen who had made her goodly to look upon, for they had perfumed her and incensed her and adorned her hair, and they had robed her in raiment and ornaments befitting the mighty Chosroes' king. The most notable part of her dress was a loose robe worn over her other garments. It was diapered in red gold with figures of wild beasts, and birds whose eyes and beaks were of gems, and claws of red rubies and green barrel. And her neck was graced with a necklace of yamini work, worth thousands of gold pieces, whose beasels were great round jewels, of sorts the like of which was never owned by Kaiser or by Tobah King.

And the bride was as the full moon, when at fullest on fourteenth night. And as she paced into the hall, she was like one of the hurries of heaven. Praise be to him who created her in such splendor of beauty. The ladies encompassed her as the white contains the black of the eye, they clustering like stars, whilst she shone among them like the moon.

when it eats up the clouds. Now Badr al-Din Hassan of Basara was sitting in full gaze of the folk when the bride came forward with her graceful swaying and swimming gait, and her hunchback groom stood up to meet and receive her. She, however, turned away from the white, and walked forward till she stood before her cousin Hassan, the son of her uncle. Whereat the people laughed. But when the wedding guests saw her thus attracted toward

Badr al-Din, they made a mighty clamor, and the singing women shouted their loudest. Whereupon, he put his hand into his pocket, and pulling out a handful of gold, cast it into their tambourines, and the girls rejoiced, and said, Could we win our wish this bride were thine? At this he smiled, and the folk came round him flambo in hand, like the eyeball round the pupil, while the Gabo bridegroom was left sitting alone, much like a tailless baboon, for every time they lighted a candle for him,

it went out willy-nilly, so he was left in darkness and silence and looking at naught but himself. When Badr al-Din Hassan saw the bridegroom sitting lonesome in the dark, and all the wedding guests with their flambeau and wax candles crowding around himself, he was bewildered and marveled much,

when he looked at his cousin, the daughter of his uncle, he rejoiced and felt an inward delight. He longed to greet her, and gazed intently on her face, which was radiant with light and brilliancy. Then the tire-women took off her veil, and displayed her in the first bridal dress which was of scarlet satin,

and Hassan had a view of her which dazzled his sight and dazed his wits, as she moved to and fro, swaying with graceful gait, and she turned the heads of all the guests, women as well as men, for she was even, as saith the surpassing poet, A sun on wand in knoll of sand she showed, clad in her cremoyz-y-hued, chemisette. Of her lips honey-dew she gave me drink,

and with her rosy cheeks quenched fire, she said. then they changed that dress and displayed her in a robe of azure, and she reappeared like the full moon when it riseth over the horizon, with her cold black hair and cheeks delicately fair, and teeth shone in sweet smiling, and breasts firm rising, and crowning sides of the softest and waist of the roundest, and in this second suit,

she was as a certain master of high conceits, saith of the like of her. She came apparelled in an azure vest, ultramarine as skies are decked and dight. I viewed the unparalleled sight which showed my eyes a moon of summer on a winter night. Then they changed that suit for another.

And veiling her face in the luxuriance of her hair loosed her love locks, so dark, so long, that their darkness and length outvied the darkest nights. and she shot through all hearts with the magical shaft of her i-babes they displayed her in the third dress and she was as said of her the sayer veiling her cheeks with hair a morn she comes and i her mischiefs with a cloud compare saying thou vellest morn with night ah no quoth she i shroud full moon with darkling air Then they displayed her in the fourth bridal dress, and she came forward shining like the rising sun,

and swaying to and fro with lovesome grace and supple ease like a gazelle fawn, and she clave all hearts with the arrows of her eyelashes, even as saith one who described a charmer like her. The sun of beauty she to sight appears, and, lovely coy, she mocks all loveliness, and when he fronts her favor and her smile a morn, the sun of day in clouds must dress. Then she came forth in the fifth dress, a very light of loveliness, like a wand of waving willow or a gazelle of the thirsty wold.

Those locks which stung like scorpions along her cheeks were bent, and her neck was bowed in blandishment, and her hips quivered as she went, as saith one of the poets describing her in verse. She comes like fullest moon on happy night, taper of waste with shape of magic might, she hath an eye whose glances quill mankind, and ruby on her cheeks reflects his light,

and veils her hips the blackness of her hair, beware of curls that bite with viper bite, her sides are silken soft, the while the heart mere rock-beye that surface lurks from sight. From the fringed curtains of her aine she shoots shafts which at farthest range on mark alight, when round her neck or waist I throw my arms, her breasts repel me with their hardened height. Ah, how her beauty all excels! Ah, how that shape transcends the graceful waving bow! Then they adorned her with the sixth toilette, adorned

dress which was green. And now she shamed her slender straightness, the nut-brown spear. Her radiant face dimmed the brightest beams of full moon, and she outdid the bending branches in gentle movement and flexible grace. Her loveliness exalted the beauties of Earth's four quarters, and she broke men's hearts by the significance of her semblance, for she was even as saith one of the poets in these lines. A damsel twas! a damsel twas! a damsel twas! the Tyra's art had decked with snares and slight, and robed in rays as though the sun from her had borrowed light, she came before us wondrous clad in chemisette of green, as veiled by its leafy screen pomegranate hides from sight, and when he said,

How callest thou the manner of thy dress? She answered us in pleasant way, with double meaning dight. We call this garment crev-cur, and rightly is at height, for many a heart with this we broke, and conquered many a sprite. Then they displayed her in the seventh dress, colored between safflower and saffron, even as one of the poets saith, in vest of saffron pale and safflower red, musked, sandaled, amber-greased she came to front. Rise, cried her youth, go forth and show thyself. Sit, said her hips. We cannot bearly. the brunt. And when I craved about, her beauty said,

Do, do, do, and said, her pretty shame, don't, don't. Thus they displayed the bride in all her seven toilettes before Hassan al-Basri, wholly neglecting the Gabo who sat moping alone. And when she opened her eyes, she said, O Allah, make this man my good man, and deliver me from the evil of this hunchback groom. As soon as they had made an end of this part of the ceremony, they dismissed the wedding guests who went forth, women, children, and all, and none remained save Hassan and the hunchback, whilst the tire-women led the bride into an inner room to change her garb and gear and get her ready for the bridegroom. Thereupon Quasimoto came up to Badr al-Din Hassan and said, O my lord, thou hast cheered us this night with thy good company, and overwhelmed us with thy kindness and courtesy.

But now, why not get thee up and go? Bismallah, he answered, In Allah's name so be it. And rising he went forth by the door, where the Ifrit met him and said, Stay in thy stead, O Badr al-Din, And when the hunchback goes out to the closet of ease, go in without losing time and seat thy seat thy side,

self in the alcove, and when the bride comes say to her, "'Tis I am thy husband, for the king devised this trick, only fearing for thee the evil eye, and he whom thou sawest is but a scyce, a groom, one of our stablemen. Then walk boldly up to her and unveil her face, for jealousy hath taken us of this matter.'" While Hassan was still talking with the ifrefer, behold, the groom fared forth from the hall, and entering the closet of ease, sat down on the stool. Hardly had he done this, when the Ifrit came out of the tank, wherein the water was, in semblance of a mouse, and squeaked out, Zeke! Quoth the hunchback, What ails thee? And the mouse grew and grew till it became a cold black cat, and caterwalled, meow, meow! Then it grew still more and more till it became a dog, and barked out,

Ow! When the bridegroom saw this, he was frightened and exclaimed, Out with thee, O unlucky one! But the dog grew and swelled till it became an ascote that brayed and snorted in his face. Halk! Halk! Whereupon the hunchback quaked and cried, Come to my aid, O people of the house! But behold, the as-cote!

the ascolt grew and became big as a buffalo, and walled the way before him, and spake with the voice of the sons of Adam, saying, Woe to thee, O thou bunchback, thou stinkered, O thou filthiest of grooms! Hearing this, the groom was seized with a colic, and he sat down on the jakes in his clothes, with teeth chattering and knocking together. Quoth the Ifrit, Is the world so straight to thee Thou findest none to marry Save my lady love? But as he was silent

The Ifrit continued Answer me, or I will do thee dwell in the dust. By Allah, replied the Gabo, O king of the buffaloes, This is no fault of mine, For they forced me to wed her. And verily, I want not That she had a lover among the buffaloes,

but now I repent, first before Allah and then before thee, said the Ifrit to him, I swear to thee that if thou fare forth from this place, or thou utter a word before sunrise, I assuredly will ring thy neck. When the sun rises, when thy went, and never more returned to this house. So saying, the Afrit took up the gabo bridegroom and set him head downwards, and feet upwards in the slit of the privy, and said to him, I will leave thee here, but I shall be on the lookout for thee till sunrise, and if thou stir before then, I will seize thee by the feet and dash out thy brains against the wall, so look out for thy life, thus far concerning the hunchback.

But as regards Badr al-Din Hassan of Basora, he left the Gabo and the Afrit jangling and wrangling, and going into the house, sat him down in the very middle of the alcove. And behold, in came the bride, attended by an old woman who stood at the door and said, O father of uprightness, arise and take what God giveth thee. Then the old woman went away, and the bride, sit al-Husen, or the lady of beauty height, entered the inner part of the alcove broken-hearted and saying in herself by allah i will never yield my person to him no not even were he to take my life but as she came to the further end she saw bader al-din hassan and she said dearling art thou still sitting here by allah i was wishing that thou wert my bridegroom or at least that thou and the hunchbacked horse-groom were parted in me. He replied, O beautiful lady,

How should the sice have access to thee, and how should he share in thee with me? Then quoth she, who is my husband, thou or he? Sit al-Husen, rejoined Hassan. We have not done this for mere fun, but only as a device to ward off the evil eye from thee. For when the tire women and singers and wedding guests saw the thy beauty being displayed to me, they feared fascination, and thy father hired the horse-groom

for ten dinars and a parenger of meat to take the evil eye off us, and now he hath received his hire and gone his gait. When the Lady of Beauty heard these words, she smiled and rejoiced, and laughed a pleasant laugh.

Then she whispered him, By the Lord thou hast quenched a fire which tortured me, and now by Allah, O my little dark-haired, darling, take me to thee and press me to thy bosom. Then she began singing, By Allah set thy foot upon my soul, Since long, long years, for this alone I long,

And whisper a tale of love in ear of me, To me tis sweeter than the sweetest song. No other youth upon my heart shall lie, So do it often, dear, and do it long. Then she stripped off her outer gear, and she threw open her chemise from the neck downwards, and showed her parts genital and all the randure of her hips. When Badr al-Din saw the glorious sight, his desires were roused, and he arose and doffed her clothes.

And wrapping up in his bag trousers the purse of gold which he had taken from the Jew, and which contained the thousand dinars, he laid it under the edge of the bedding. Then he took off his turban and set it upon the settle, atop of his other clothes, remaining in his skull-cap and fine shirt of blue silk laced with gold. Whereupon the Lady of Beauty drew him to her, and he did likewise. Then he took her to his embrace,

and set her legs round his waist, and point-blanked that cannon placed where it battereth down the bulwark of maidenhead and layeth it waste. And he found her a pearl unpierced, and unthridden, and a filly by all men save himself unwritten, and he abated her virginity, and had joyance of her youth in his virility, and presently he withdrew sword from sheath, and then returned to the fray righteath, and when the battle and the siege had finished some fifteen assaults he had furnished,

and she conceived by him that very night. Then he laid his hand under her head, and she did the same. same, and they embraced and fell asleep in each other's arms, as a certain poet said of such lovers in these couplets. Visit thy lover, spurn what envy told, no envious churl shall smile in love and soul. Merciful Allah made no fairer sight than coupled lovers, single couch doth hold. Breast pressing breast and robed in joys their own, with pillowed forearms cast in finest mould and when heart speaks to heart with tongue of love folk who would part them hammer steel ice cold if a fair friend thou find who cleaves to thee live for that friend that friend in heart and fold

o ye who blame for love us lover kind say can ye minister to diseased mind this much concerning bader al hassan and sit al husen his cousin but as regards the ifrit as soon as he saw the twain asleep he said to the ifritah arise slip thee under the youth and let us carry him back to his place ere dawn overtake us for the day is near hand thereupon she came forward and getting under him as he lay asleep took him up clad only in his fine blue shirt leaving the rest of his garments and ceased not flying and the ifred vying with her in flight, till the dawn advised them that it had come upon the midway. And the Mwazen began his call from the minaret, haste ye to salvation, haste ye to salvation! Then Allah suffered his angelic host to shoot down the Ifrit with a shooting star, so he was consumed.

But the Ifritah escaped, and she descended with Badr al-Din at the place where the Ifrit was burnt, and did not carry him back to Basora, fearing lest he come to harm. Now by the order of him who predestineth all things, they alighted at Damascus of Syria, and the Ifrita set down her burden at one of the city gates and flew away. When day arose and the doors were opened, the folks who came forth saw a handsome youth with no other raiment

but his blue shirt of gold-embroidered silk and skull-cap, lying upon the ground drowned in sleep after the hard labour of the night which had not suffered him to take his rest so the folk looking at him said oh her luck with whom this one spent the night but would he had waited to don his garments quoth another a sorry lot are the sons of great families haply he but now came forth of the tavern on some occasion of his own and his wine flew to his head whereby he hath missed the place he was making for and strayed till he came to the gate of the city and finding it shut lay him down and to bye-bye as the people were bandying guesses about him suddenly the morning breeze blew upon bader al-din and raising his shirt to his middle showed a stomach and navel with something below it and legs and thighs clear as crystal and smooth as cream cried the people by allah he is a pretty fellow and at the cry bader al-din awoke and found himself lying at a city gate with a crowd gathered around him at this he greatly marveled and asked where am i o good folk and what causeth you thus to gather round me and what have i had to do with you and they answered We found thee lying here asleep during the call to dawn prayer, and this is all we know of the matter.

But where didst thou lie last night? By Allah, oh good people, replied he, I lay last night in Cairo. Said somebody, Thou hast surely been eating hashish. And another, he's a fool. And a third, he is a citri. And a fourth asked him,

Art thou out of thy mind? Thou sleepest in Cairo, and thou wakest in the morning at the gate of Damascus City? cried he, By Allah, my good people, one and all, I lie not to you. Indeed I lay yesterday night in the land of Egypt, and yesternoon I was at Basora. Quoth one, well, well, and quoth another, ho, and a third, so, so. And a fourth cried, this youth is mad, is possessed of the jinny.

So they clapped hands at him and said to one another, Alas, the pity of it for his youth, by Allah a madman, and madness is no respecter of persons. Then they said to him, Collect thy wits and return to thy reason. How couldst thou be in Basari yesterday, and Cairo yesterday night, and withal awakened Damascus this morning?

But he persisted. Indeed, I was a bridegroom in Cairo last night. Be like thou hast been dreaming, rejoined they, and sawest all this in thy sleep. So Hassan took thought for a while, and said to them, By Allah, this is no dream, nor vision like doth it seem. I certainly was in Cairo where they displayed the bride before me, in presence of a third person, the hunchback groom who was sitting hard by.

By Allah, oh my brother, this person. be no dream, and if it were a dream, where is the bag of gold I bore with me, and where are my turban and my robe and my trousers? Then he rose and entered the city, threading its highways and byways and byways and bizarre streets, and the people pressed upon him and jeered at him, crying out, madman, madman, till he, beside himself with rage took refuge in a cook's shop. Now that cook had been a trifle too clever, that is, a rogue and a thief, but Allah had made him repent and turned from his evil ways and opened a cook shop. And all the people of Damascus stood in fear of his boldness and his mischief. So when the crowd saw the youth enter his shop, they dispersed being afraid of him,

and went their ways. The cook looked at Badraldin, and noting his beauty and loveliness, fell in love with him forthright and said, whence comest thou, O youth? Tell me at once thy tale, for thou art become dearer to me than my soul. So Hassan recounted to him all that had befallen him from beginning to end, but in repetition there is no fruition,

and the cook said, O my lord Badr al-Din, doubtless thou knowest that this case is wondrous and this story marvellous. Therefore, O my son, hide what hath betided this. till Allah dispel what ills be thine, and tarry with me here the meanwhile, for I have no child, and I will adopt thee. Badr al-Din replied, be it as thou wilt, O my uncle.

Whereupon the cook went to the bazaar and bought him a fine suit of clothes and made him donate, then fared with him to the kazi, and formally declared that he was his son. so Badr al-Din Hassan became known in Damascus city as the cook's son, and he sat with him in the shop to take the silver, and on this wise he sojourned there for a time. Thus far concerning him. But as regards his cousin, the Lady of Beauty, when morning dawn she awoke and missed Badr al-Din-Hassan from her side,

but she thought that he had gone to the privy, and she sat expecting him for an hour or so. when behold entered her father Shams al-Din-Mohamed Wazir of Egypt Now he was disconsolate By reason of what had befallen him

Through the Sultan Who had entreated him harshly And had married his daughter by force To the lowest of his menials And he too a lump of a groom Bunchbacked with all And he said to himself I will slay this daughter of mine

If of her own free will She have yielded her person To this accursed Carl So he came to the door of the bride's private chamber and said, Ho! Sit al-Husen! She answered him, Here am I, here am I, oh my lord, and came out unsteady of gait after the pains and pleasures of the night.

And she kissed his hand, her face showing redoubled brightness and beauty for having lain in the arms of that gazelle, her cousin. When her father the wazir saw her in such care, case he asked her, O thou are cursed, art thou rejoicing because of this horse-groom? And Sitt al-Husen smiled sweetly and answered,

By Allah, don't ridicule me. Enough of what passed yesterday when folk laughed at me and evened me with that groom-fellow who is not worthy to bring my husband's shoes or slippers, nay, who is not worth the pairing of my husband's nails. By the Lord, never in my life have I knighted a night so sweet as yesterday night, so don't mock me by reminding me of the Gabbo. When her parent heard her words, he was filled with fury, and his eyes glared and stared

so that little of them showed save the whites, and he cried, Fy upon thee, what words are these? Twas the hunchbacked horse-groom who passed the night with thee. Allah upon thee, replied the lady of beauty. Do not worry me about the Gabo. Allah damn his father, and leave jesting with me, for this groom was only hired for ten dinars and a ponder of meat, and he took his wage and went his way. As for me, I entered the bridal chamber, where I found my true bridegroom sitting,

after the singer-woman had displayed him to me, the same who had crossed their hands with red gold till every pauper that was present waxed wealthy, and I passed the night on the breast of my bunny man, a most lively darling with his black eyes and joined eyebrows. When her parent heard these words, the light before his face became night, and he cried out at her saying,

O thou hoar, what is this thou tellest me? Where be thy wits? Oh, my father, she rejoined. Thou breakest my heart, enough for thee that thou hast been so hard upon me. Indeed, my husband who took my virginity is but just now gone to the draft house, and I feel that I have conceived by him.

The wazir rose in much marvel and entered the privy where he found the hunchback groom with his head in the hole and his heels in the air. At this sight he was confounded and said, This is none other than he, the rascal hunchback. So he called to him, Ho, hunchback! The gabo grunted out,

Tagoon, tagum. thinking it was the Ifrit spoke to him. So the wazir shouted at him and said, Speak out or I'll strike off thy pate with his sword. Then quoth the hunchback, By Allah, O Sheikh of the Ifritz, Ever since thou settest me in this place, I have not lifted my head.

So Allah upon thee, take pity and entreat me kindly. When the wazir heard this, he asked, What is this thou sayest? I am bride's father and no Efrite. Enough for thee that thou hast well now done me die, answered Quasimodo. Now go thy ways before he come upon thee who hath served me thus. Could ye not marry me to any save the lady love of buffaloes and the beloved of Ephreates? Allah curse her and curse him who married me to her and was the cause of this my case.

And Shara Zad perceived the dawn of day. and cease to say her permitted say. End of Section 15 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 16. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information, or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. 16 of Volume 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Knight,

translated by Sir Richard Burton. When it was the 23rd Knight, said she, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the hunchbacked groom spake to the bride's father, saying, Allah curse him, who was the cause of this my case. Then said the wazir to him, Up and out of this place! Am I mad? cried the groom.

that I should go with thee without leave of the effreet whose last words to me were, When the sun rises, arise, and go thy gate. So hath the sun risen or no, for I dare not budge from this place till then. Asked the wazir, Who brought thee hither? And he answered, I came here yesterday night for a call of nature, and to do what none can do for me, When lo, a mouse came out of the water, and squeaked at me, and swelled and waxed gross till it was big as a buffalo and spoke to me words that entered my ears.

Then he left me here and went away, Allah cursed the bride and him who married me to her. The wazir walked up to him and lifted his head out of the cesspool hole, and he fared forth running for dear life, and hardly crediting that the sun had risen, and repaired to the sultan to whom he told all that had befallen him with the Ephrit. But the wazir returned to the bride's private chamber, saw troubled in spirit about her, and said to her, "'Oh, my daughter, explain this strange matter to me.' Quoth she, "'Tis simply this.

The bridegroom, to whom they displayed me yester Eve, lay with me all night and took my virginity, and I am with child by him. He is my husband, and if thou believe me not, there are his turbaned, twisted as it was, lying on the settle and his dagger and his trousers beneath the bed with a something I what-not-what wrapped up in them. When her father heard this he entered the private chamber and found the turban which had been left there by Badradin Hassan, his brother's son, and he took it in hand and turned it over saying

this is the turban worn by wazirs save that it is of Mosul stuff. So he opened it and finding what seemed to be an amulet. sewn up in the fez, he unsewed the lining and took it out. Then he lifted up the trousers, wherein was the purse of the thousand gold pieces, and opening that also, found in it a written paper. This he read, and it was the sale receipt of the Jew in the name of Badra Dynchassan, son of Noor adin Ali, the Egyptian, and the thousand dinars were also there. No sooner had Shamsaddin read this, then he cried out with a loud cry, and fell to the ground fainting.

And as soon as he revived and understood the gist of the matter, he marvelled and said, There is no God but the God, who Almighty is over all things. Knowest thou, O my daughter, who it was that became the husband of thy virginity? No, answered she, and he said, Verily, he is the son of my brother, thy cousin,

and this thousand dinars is thy dowry. Praise be to Allah, and would I what, how this matter came about, Then opened he the amulet, which was sewn up, and found therein a paper in the handwriting of his deceased brother, Nur ad-Din the Egyptian, father of Badradin Hassan, and when he saw the handwriting he kissed it again and again, and he wept and wailed over his dead brother, and improvised these lines. I see their traces, and with pain I melt, and on their while on homes I weep and yearn, and him I pray, who dealt this parting blow, Someday he deign vouchsafe a safe return. When he ceased versifying,

he read the scroll, and found in it recorded the dates of his brother's marriage with the daughter of the wazir of Basura, and of his going into her and her conception, and the birth of Badra din Khasan, and all his brother's history and doings up to his dying day. So he marvelled much and shook with joy, and comparing the dates with his own,

marriage and going into his wife and the birth of their daughter, Sittalchusn, he found that they perfectly agreed. So he took the document, and repairing with it to the Sultan, acquainted him with what had passed, from first to last, whereat the king marvelled, and commanded the case to be at once recorded. The wazir abode that day, expecting to see his brother's son, but he came not, and he waited a second day, a third day, and so on to the seventh day, without any tidings of him. So he said, by Allah, I will do a deed such as none hath ever done before me. And he took read pen and ink, and drew upon a sheet of paper the plan of the whole house, showing whereabouts was the private chamber, with the curtain in such a place, and the furniture

in such another, and so on with all that was in the room. Then he folded up the sketch, and causing all the furniture to be collected, he took Badraddin's garments, and, and the turban and fares and robe and purse, and carried the hole to his house and locked them up, against the coming of his nephew, Badradin Hassan, the son of his lost brother, with an iron padlock on which he set his seal. As for the Wazir's daughter, when her tale of months was fulfilled, she bear a son like the full moon, the image of his father in beauty and loveliness and fair proportions and perfect grace. They cut his navel string and cold his eyelids to strengthen his eyes and gave him over to the nurses and nursery governesses, naming him Ajib the wonderful.

His day was as a month and his month was as a year, and when seven years had passed over him, his grandfather sent him to school in joining the master to teach him Quran reading and to educate him well. He remained at the school four years. till he began to bully his schoolfellows, and abuse them and bash them and thrash them and say, Who among you is like me? I am the son of the wazir of Egypt. At last the boys came in a body to the monitor,

of what hard usage they will want to have from Aijib, and he said to them, I will tell you somewhat you may do to him, so that he shall leave off coming to the school, and it is this. When he enters to-morrow, sit ye down about him, and say some one of you, to some other. By Allah, none shall play with us at this game, except he tell us the names of his

mamma and his papa, for he who knows not the names of his mother and his father is a bastard, a son of adultery, and he shall not play with us. When the morning dawned the boys came to school, Ajee being one of them, and all flocked around him, saying, we will play a game wherein none can join, save he can tell the name of his mama and his papa, and they all crows. cried, by Allah, good. Then quoth one of them, my name is Majid, and my mammy's name is Alawiyya,

and my dad is Zaddin. Another spoke in light guys, and yet a third, till Ajib's turn came, and he said, My name is Ajib, and my mother's is Sittal Khosn, and my father's Shampsadine,

the wazir of Cairo. By Allah, cried they, the wazir is not thy true father, "'I. jeep answered, the wazir is my father in very deed.' Then the boys all laughed and clapped their hands at him, saying, "'He does not know who is his papa, get out from among us, for none shall play with us except he know his father's name.' Thereupon they dispersed from around him, and laughed him to scorn,

so his breast was straightened, and he well-nigh choked with tears and hurt feelings. Then said the monitor to him, We know that the wazir is thy grandfather, the father of thy mother, said thou chustn, and not thy father. As for thy father, neither dost thou know him, nor yet do we. For the sultan married thy mother to the hunch-backed horse-groom, but the jinny came and slept with her, and thou hast no known father. Leave then, comparing thyself too advantageously with the little ones of the school, till thou know that thou hast a lawful father, for until then thou wilt pass for a child,

of adultery amongst them. Seest thou that not even a huxta's son knoweth his own sire. Thy grandfather is the wazir of Egypt, but as for thy father, we wot him not, and we say indeed that thou hast none. So return to thy sound senses. When Ajib heard these insulting words from the monitor and the schoolboys, and understood the reproach they put upon him, he went out and ran at once to his mother, to complain, but he was crying so bitterly that his tears prevented his speech for a while.

When she heard his sobs and saw his tears, her heart burned as though with fire for him, and she said, O my son, why dost thou weep? Alah keep the tears from thine eyes, tell me what hath betided thee. So he told her all that he heard from the boys and from the monitor, and ended with asking, And who, O my mother, is my father? She answered, thy father is the wazir of Egypt But he said Do not lie to me The wazir is thy father, not mine

Who then is my father? Except thou tell me the very truth I will kill myself with this hanger When his mother heard him speak of his father She wept, remembering her cousin And her bridal night with him And all that occurred thereon and then And she repeated these couplets

Love in my heart They lit and went their ways And all I love to furthest land withdrew. And when they left me, sufferance also left, and when we parted, patience bad adieu. They fled, and flying with my joys, they fled. In very consistency my spirit flew. They made my eyelids flow with severance tears, and to the parting pang these drops are due. And when I long to see reunion day, my groans prolonging sore for Ruth I sue. Then in my heart of hearts, their shapes I trace, and love and longing care and kark renew.

O ye whose names cling round me like a cloak, Whose love yet closer than a shirt I drew! Beloved ones, how long this hard despite! How long this severance and this coy shy flight! Then she wailed and shrieked aloud, And her son did the light, And behold, in came the wazir whose heart burnt within him At the sight of their lamentations,

And he said, said, What makes you weep? So the Lady of Beauty acquainted him with what had happened between her son and the schoolboys, and he also wept, calling to mind his brother, and what had passed between them, and what had betided his daughter, and how he had failed to find out what mystery there was in the matter. Then he rose at once, and repairing to the audience hall, went straight to the king, and told his tale and craved his permission to travel eastward to the city of Basora, and ask after his brother's son. Furthermore, he besought the sultan to write for him letters patent, authorising him to seize upon Badrardin, his nephew and son-in-law, wheresoever he might find him. And he wept before the king, who had pity on him,

and wrote royal autographs to his deputies in all climes and countries and cities, whereat the wazir rejoiced and prayed for blessings on him. Then, taking leave of his sovereign, he returned to his house, where he equipped himself and his daughter and his adopted child, Ajib, with all things meet for a long march, and set out and travelled the first day, and the second, and the third, and so forth, till he arrived at Damascus City. He found it a fair place abounding in trees and streams, even as the poet said of it. When I knighted and dade in Damascus town, Time swear such another he ne'er should view, And careless we slept under wing of night, Till dappled morn gan her smiles renew, And dew-drops on branch in their beauty hung,

Like pearls to be dropped when the zephyr blew, And the lake was the page where birds read and note, And the cloud set points to what breezes wrote. The wazir encamped on the open, space called Al-Hasa, and after pitching tents, said to his servants, a halt here for two days. So they went into the city upon their several occasions, this to sell and this to buy, this to go to the Hamam, and that to visit the cathedral mosque of the Banu Umayah, the Omiadis, whose like is not in this world. Ajib also went with his attendant eunuch for solace and diversion to the city,

and the servant followed with a quarter-staff of almond wood, so heavy that if he struck a camel therewith, the beast would never rise again. When the people of Damascus saw Iegebe's beauty and brilliancy, and perfect grace and symmetry, for he was a marvel of comeliness and winning loveliness, softer than the cool breeze of the north, sweeter than limpid waters to a man in drought,

and pleasanter than the health for which sick man seweth. and mighty many followed him, whilst others ran on before and sat down on the road until he should come up that they might gaze on him. Till, as destiny had decreed, the eunuch stopped opposite the shop of Aijib's father, Badr ad-Din Hassan. Now his beard had grown long and thick, and his wits had ripened during the twelve years which had passed over him.

And the cook and ex-rogue having died, the so-called Hassan of Basura, had succeeded to his goods and shop, for that he had been formally adopted before the Qazi and witnesses. When his son and the eunuch stepped before him, he gazed on Ajib, and seeing how very beautiful he was, his heart fluttered and throbbed, and blood drew to blood, and natural affection spake out, and his bowels yearned over him.

He had just dressed a conserve of pomegranate grains with sugar, and heaven-implanted love wrought within him, so he called to his son Ajib and said, O my lord, O thou who hast gotten the mastery of my heart and my very vitals, and to whom my bowels yearn, say me, wilt thou enter my house and solace my soul by eating of my meat? Then his eyes streamed with tears which he could not stay, for he bethought him of what he had been and what he had become. When Ajib heard his father's words, his heart also yearned himwards,

and he looked at the eunuch and said to him, Of a truth, oh my good God, my heart yearns to this cook. He is as one that hath a son far away from him. So let us enter and gladden his heart by tasting of his hospitality. Pichance for our so doing, Allah may reunite me with my father. When the eunuch heard these words, he cried, A fine thing this by Allah, Shall the sons of wazirs be seen eating in a common cook-shop?

Indeed, I keep off the folk from thee with this quarter-staff, lest they even look upon thee, and I dare not suffer thee to enter this shop at all. When Hassan of Basura heard this speech he marvelled, and turned to the unit with tears pouring down his cheeks, and Ajib said, verily my heart loves him. But he answered, leave this talk, thou shall not go in. Thereupon the father turned to the eunuch and said, O worthy sir, why wilt thou not gladden my soul by entering my shop? O thou who art, like a chestnut, dark without, but white of heart within. O thou of the like of whom a certain poet said,

the eunuch burst out a laughing and asked, Said what, speak out by Allah, and be quick about it. So Hotsan the Basurite began reciting these couplets. If not master of manners or aught but discreet, In the household of kings, no trust could he take, And then for the harem, what eunuch is he, whom angels would serve for his service sake. The eunuch marvelled and was pleased at these words,

so he took Ajib by the hand, and went into the cook's shop, whereupon Hassan the Basaurite ladled into a saucer some conserve of pomegranate grains wonderfully good, dressed with almonds and sugar, saying, You have honoured me with your company, eat then, and health and happiness to you. Thereupon Ajib said to his father,

Sit thee down and eat with us, So perchance Allah may unite us with him we long for. Quoth Hassan, O my son, Hast thou then been afflicted in thy tender years With parting from those thou lovest? Quoth Ajib, even so, O nuncle mine, My heart burns for the loss of a beloved one Who is none other than my father,

And indeed I come forth, I and my grandfather, To circle and search the world for him. O the pity of it, and how I long to me, meet him. Then he wept with exceeding sorrow for his own bereavement, which recalled to him his long separation from dear friends and from his mother, and the eunuch was moved to pity for him. Then they ate together till they were satisfied, and Ajib and the slave rose and left the shop. Hereat Hassan the Basurite felt as though his soul had departed his body, and had gone with them, for he could not lose sight of the boy during the twinkling of an eye,

albeit he knew not that Ajib was his son. So he locked up his shop and hastened after them, and he walked so fast that he came up with them before they had gone out of the western gate. The eunuch turned and asked him, What ails thee? And Badrardin answered, When you went from me,

Meseemed my soul had gone with you, and as I had business without the city gate, I purposed to bear you company till my matter was ordered, and so return. The eunuch was angered, and said to Ajib, this is just what I feared. We ate that unlucky mouthful, which we are bound to respect, and here is the fellow following us from place to place,

for the vulgar or ever the vulgar. Ajib, turning and seeing the cook just behind him, was wroth, and his face reddened with rage, and he said to the servant, let him walk the highway of the Muslims, but when we turn off to our tents and find that he still follows us, We will send him about his business with a flea in his ear. Then he bowed his head and walked on, the eunuch walking behind him.

But Hassan of Basura followed them to the plain Al-Hasa, and as they drew near the tents, they turned round and saw him close on their heels, so Ajib was very angry, fearing that the eunuch might tell his grandfather what had happened. His indignation was the hotter for apprehension, lest any say that after he had entered a cook-shop, The cook had followed him. So he turned and looked at Hassan of Basura, and found his eyes fixed on his own, for the father had become a body without a soul,

and it seemed to Ajib that his eye was a treacherous eye, or that he was some lewd fellow. So his rage redoubled, and stooping down, he took up a stone weighing half a pound, and threw it at his father. It struck him on the forehead, cutting it open from eyebrow to eyebrow, and causing the blood to stream down,

and Hassan fell to the ground in a swoon, whilst Ajib and the eunuch made for the tents. When the father came to himself, he wiped away the blood, and tore off a strip from his turbaned, and bound up his head, blaming himself the while, and saying,

I wronged the lad by shutting up my shop and following, so that he thought I was some evil-minded fellow. Then he returned into his place, where he busied himself with the sale of his sweetmeats, and he yearned after his mother at Basora, and wept over her and broke out repeating, "'Unjust it were to bid the world be just, "'and blame her not, she ne'er was made for justice.

"'Take what she gives thee, leave all grief aside, "'for now to fare and then to foul her lusties.' "'So Hassan of Basura set himself steadily to sell his sweetmeats, "'but the wazir his uncle halted in Damascus three days, "'and then marched upon Emessa, "'and passing through, that town he made inquiry there and at every place where he rested. Thence he fared on by way of Hama and Aleppo and thence to Diyar Bakr and Maridine and Mosul,

still inquiring till he arrived at Basura City. Here, as soon as he had secured a lodging, he presented himself before the sultan, who entreated him with high honour and the respect due to his rank, and asked the cause of his coming. The wazir acquainted him with his and told him that the minister Nur ad-Din was his brother, whereupon the sultan exclaimed, Allah have mercy upon him, and added, My good Saib, he was my wazir for fifteen years, and I loved him exceedingly.

Then he died, leaving a son who abode only a single month after his father's death, since which time he has disappeared, and we could gain no tidings of him. But his mother, who is the daughter of my former minister, is still among us, When the wazir Shampsaddin heard that his nephew's mother was alive and well, he rejoiced and said, Oh, king, I much desire to meet her. The king, on the instant, gave him leave to visit her, so he betook himself to the mansion of his brother, Nur ad-Din,

and cast sorrowful glances on all things in and around it, and kissed the threshold. Then he bethought him of his brother Nurad-Din Ali, and how he had died in a strange land, far from kithee, and kin and friends, and he wept and repeated these lines. I wander amid these walls my Lila's walls, and kissing this and other wall I roam. Tis not the walls or roof my heart so loves,

but those who in this house had made their home. Then he passed through the gate into a courtyard and found a vaulted doorway, builded of hardest cyanite, inlaid with sundry kinds of multicolored marble. Into this he walked and wandered about the house, and throwing many a glance around, saw the name of his brother, Nuraddin, written in gold wash upon the walls. So he went up to the inscription and kissed it, and wept and thought of how he had been separated from his brother, and had now lost him forever, and he recited these couplets. I ask of you from every rising sun, and eke I ask when flasheth leaven light. When I pass my night, when I pass my night, in passion pain, yet near I plain me of my painful plight. My love, if longer last this parting throw,

Little by little shall it waste my sprite. And thou wouldst bless these aine with sight of thee, One day on earth I crave none other sight. Think not another could possess my mind, Nor length nor breadth for other love I find. Then he walked on till he came to the apartment of his brother's widow, the mother of Badrardin Hassan, the Egyptian. Now, from the time of her son's disappearance,

she had never ceased weeping and wailing through the light hours and the dark, and when the years grew longsome with her, she built for him a tomb of marble in the midst of the saloon, and there used to weep for him day and night, never sleeping save thereby. When the wazir drew near her apartment, he heard her voice and stood behind the door while she addressed the sepulchre in verse, and said, Answer by Allah, sepulchre,

Are all his beauties gone? Hath changed the power to blight his charms, That beauty's paragon. Thou art not earth, O sepulca, Thou art not sky to me. How comes it then, in thee I see conjoint, The branch and moon? While she was bemoaning herself after this fashion,

Behold, the wazir went into her and saluted her, And informed her that he was her husband, brother, and telling her all that had passed between them, laid open before her the whole story, how her son Badradin Hassan had spent a whole night with his daughter full ten years ago, but had disappeared in the morning, and he ended with saying, My daughter conceived by thy son, and bear a male child who is now with me, and he is thy son and thy son's son by my daughter. when she heard the tidings that her boy, Badradin, was still alive, and saw her brother-in-law,

she rose up to him, and threw herself at his feet, and kissed them, reciting these lines. Allah be good to him that gives glad tidings of thy steps, in very sooth for better news mine ears would never sue. Were he content with worn-out robe upon his back I'd throw, a heart to pieces rent, and torn when heard the word adieu. Then the wazir sent for Ajib and his grandmother stood up and fell on his neck and wept, but Shamsaddin said to her, This is no time for weeping.

This is the time to get thee ready for travelling with us to the land of Egypt. Happily Allah will reunite me and thee with thy son and my nephew. Replied she, hearkening and obedience, and rising at once, collected her baggage, and treasures and her jewels, and equipped herself and her slave-girls for the march, whilst the wazir went to take his leave of the Sultan of Basora, who sent by him presents and rarities for the Saldan of Egypt.

Then he set out at once upon his homeward march, and journeyed till he came to Damascus City, where he alighted in the usual place and pitched tents, and said to his suite, We will halt a sen-night here to buy presents and rare things for the Saldan, Now Ajib bethought him of the past, so he said to the eunuch, Oh like, I want a little diversion. Come, let us go down to the great bazaar of Damascus,

and see what hath become of the cook whose sweetmeats we ate, and whose head we broke, for indeed he was kind to us, and we entreated him scurvily. The eunuch answered, Hearing is obeying. So they went forth from the tents, and the tie of blood drew Ajib towards his father, and forthwith they passed through the gateway,

Barb al-Faradis height, and entered the city and ceased not walking through the streets till they reached the cook-shop, where they found Hassan of Basura standing at the door. It was near the time of mid-afternoon prayer, and it's so fortunate that he had just dressed a confection of pomegranate grains. When the twain drew near to him and Ajib saw him, his heart yearned towards him,

and noticing the scar of the scour of the grain. the blow, which time had darkened on his brow, he said to him, Peace be on thee, O man, know that my heart is with thee. But when Badraddin looked upon his son, his vitals yearned, and his heart fluttered, and he hung his head earthwards, and sought to make his tongue give utterance to his words, but he could not. Then he raised his head humbly and suppliant-wise towards his boy, and repeated these couplets. I longed for my beloved, but when I saw his face, abashed, I held my tongue, and stood with downcast eye, and hung my head in dread, and would have hid my love,

but do what so I would, hidden it would not lie. Volumes of plaints I had prepared, reproach and blame, but when we met no single word remembered I. And then said he to them, heal my broken heart, and eat of my sweetmeats, for by Allah I cannot look at thee but my heart flutters. Indeed I should not have followed thee the other day, but that I was beside myself.

By Allah answered Ajib, thou dost indeed love us. We ate in thy house a mouthful when we were here before, and thou madest us repent of it, for that thou followedst us and wouldst have disgraced us. So now we will not eat aught with thee, save on condition that thou make oath not to go out of our, after us, nor dog us. Otherwise we will not visit thee again during our present stay, for we shall halt a week here, whilst my grandfather buys certain presents for the king.

Quoth Hassan of Basura, I promise you this. So Ajib and the eunuch entered the shop, and his father set before them a saucer full of conserve of pomegranate grains. Said Ajib, sit thee down and eat with us, so happily shall Allah dispel our sorrows. Hassan the Basaurite was joyful and sat down and et with them, but his eyes kept gazing fixedly on Ajib's face, for his very heart and vitals clove to him, and at last the boy said to him, Did I not tell thee thou art a most noious doted?

So do stint thy staring in my face. But when Hassan of Basora heard his son's words, he repeated these lines. Thou hast some art the hearts of men to clip, close veiled far-hidden mystery dark and deep O thou whose beauty sham the lustrous moon Wherewith the saffron morn fears rivalship Thy beauty is a shrine shall ne'er decay

Whose signs shall grow until they all outstrip Must I be thirst burnt by that Eden brow And die of pine to taste that kauzar lip Hussan kept putting morsels into Ajib's mouth at one time and at another time did the same by the eunuch, and they ate till they were satisfied, and could no more. Then all rose up, and the cook poured water on their hands, and loosing a silken waist shawl,

dried them and sprinkled them with rose-water from a casting-bottle he had by him. Then he went out, and presently returned with a gouglet of sherbet, flavoured with rose-water, scented with musk, and cooled with snow, and he set this before them, saying, complete your kindness to me. So Ajib took the gouglet and drank, and passed it to the eunuch, and it went round, till their stomachs were full, and they were surfeited with a meal larger than their want.

Then they went away, and made haste in walking till they reached the tents, and Ajib went into his grandmother, who kissed him, and thinking of her son, Badrardin Chasan, groaned aloud and wept, and recited these lines. I still had hoped to see thee, and in my name. enjoy thy sight, for in thine absence life has lost its kindly light. I swear my vitals what none other love but thine, by Allah who can read the secrets of the sprite. Then she asked, Ajib, O my son, where hast thou been? And he answered, in Damascus City, whereupon she rose, and set before him a bit of scone and a saucer of conserve of pomegranate grains, which was too

little sweetened. And she said to the eunuch, sit down with thy master, said the servant to himself, by Allah we have no mind to eat, I cannot bear the smell of bread. But he sat down, and so did Ajib, though his stomach was full of what he had eaten already and drunken. Nevertheless, he took a bit of the bread and dipped it in the pomegranate conserve, and made shift to eat it, but he found it too little sweetened, for he was cloyed and surfeited, so he said, "'What be this wild beast stuff?' "'Oh, my son!' cried his grandmother. "'Dust thou find fault with my cookery?

"'I cook this myself, and none can cook it as nicely as I can. "'Save thy father, Badrardin Hassan.' "'By Allah, oh my lady,' I jeep answered. "'This dish is nasty stuff, "'for we saw but now in the city of Basora, "'a cook who so dresseth pomegranate grains, that the very smell openeth away to the heart, and the taste would make a full man long to eat,

and as for this mess compared with his, tis not worth either much or little. When his grandmother heard his words, she waxed wrath with exceeding wrath, and looked at the servant. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say, her permitted say. End of, section 16.

The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 17. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information, or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. 1 Section 17 When it was the 24th night She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king,

That when Ajib's grandmother heard his words, She waxed wroth, and looked at the servant and said, Woe to thee, dost thou spoil my son, and dost take him into common cook-shops? The eunuch was frightened and denied, saying, We did not go into the shop, we only passed by it. By Allah! cried, Ajib, but we did go in, and we ate till it came out of our nostrils, and the dish was better than thy dish. Then his grandmother rose, and went, and told her brother-in-law, who was incensed against the eunuch,

and sending for him, asked him, Why didst thou take my son into a cook-shop? And the eunuch, being frightened, answered, we did not go in, but Ajib said, we did go inside, and ate conserve of pomegranate grains, till we were full, and the cook. cook gave us to drink of iced and sugared sherbet. At this the wazir's indignation redoubled, and he questioned the castrato, but, as he still denied, the wazir said to him, if thou speak sooth, sit down and eat before us. So he came forward, and tried to eat, but could not eat, and threw away the mouthful, crying, Oh, my lord, I am surfeited since yesterday. By this the wazir was certified that he had

eaten at the cooks, and bade the slaves throw him, which they did. Then they came down on him with a rib-basting which burnt him till he cried for mercy and help from Allah, saying, O my master beat me no more, and I will tell thee the truth. Whereupon the wazir stopped the bastinado, and said, Now speak thou sooth. Quoth the eunuch, know then that we did enter the shop of a cook while he was dressing conserve of pomegranate grains, and he set some of it before. us. By Allah, I never ate in my life it's like, nor tasted aught nastier than this stuff, which is now before us. Badrardin Hassan's mother was angry at this, and said,

Needs thou must go back to the cook, and bring me a saucer of conserved pomegranate grains from that which is in his shop, and show it to thy master, that he may say which be the better and the nicer, mine or his. Said the unsexed, I will. So, on the instant, she gave him a saucer, and a half-dinner, and he returned to the shop, and said to the cook, O Sheikh of all cooks, we have laid a wager concerning thy cookery in my lord's house, for they have conserved of pomegranate grains there also. So give me this half-dinars' worth, and look to it, for I have eaten a full meal of stick on account of thy cookery, and so do not let me eat aught more thereof. Hassan of Basura laughed and answered

By Allah none can dress this dish as it should be dressed Save myself and my mother And she at this time is in a far country Then he ladled out a saucerful And finishing it off with musk and rose-water Put it in a cloth which he sealed And gave it to the eunuch who hastened back with it No sooner had Badradin Hassan's mother tasted it

and perceived its fine flavour and the excellence of the cookery, than she knew who had dressed it, and she screamed and fell down fainting. The wazir sorely started, sprinkled rose-water upon her, and after a time she recovered and said, If my son be yet of this world, none dressed this conserve of pomegranate grains but he, and this cook is my very son, Badra Dynchassan. There is no doubt of it, nor can there be any mistake, for only I and he knew how to prepare.

it, and I taught him. When the wazir heard her words, he joyed with exceeding joy and said, Oh, the longing of me for a sight of my brother's son, I wonder if the days will ever unite us with him. Yet it is to Almighty Allah alone that we look for bringing about this meeting. Then he rose without stay or delay, and going to his suite, said to them, Be off some fifty of you, with sticks and staves to the cook-shop, and demolish it. then pinion his arms behind him with his own turban saying it was thou madeest that foul mess of pomegranate grains and drag him here perforce but without doing him any harm and they replied it is well then the wazir rode off without losing an instant to the palace and foregathering with the viceroy of damascus showed him the sultan's orders after careful perusal he kissed the letter and placing it upon his head said to the palace and foregathering with the viceroy of damascus showed him the sultan's orders after careful perusal he kissed the letter and placing it upon his head said to to his visitor, who is this offender of thine?

Quoth the wazir, a man who is a cook. So the Viceroy at once sent his appareters to the shop, which they found demolished, and everything in it broken to pieces, for whilst the wazir was riding to the palace, his men had done his bidding. Then they awaited his return from the audience, and Hassan of Basura, who was their prisoner, kept saying, I wonder what they have found in the conserve of pomegranate grains

to bring things to this pass. When the wazir returned to them, after his visit to the viceroy, who had given him formal permission to take up his debtor and depart with him, on entering the tents he called for the cook. They brought him forward, pinioned with his turbaned, and when Badradin Hassan saw his uncle,

he wept with excessive weeping and said, Oh, my lord, what is my offence against thee? Art thou the man who dressed that conserve of pomegranate grain? asked the wazir, and he answered, Yes, didst thou find in it ought to call for the cutting off of my head? Quoth the wazir, that were the least of thy desserts. Quoth the cook, O my lord, will thou not tell me my crime, and what aileth the conserve of pomegranate grains?

Presently, replied the wazir, and called aloud to his men, Bring hither the camels. So they struck the tents, and by the wazir's orders, The servants took Badrardin Hassan and set him in a chest which they padlocked and put on a camel. Then they departed and stinted not journeying till nightfall, when they halted and ate some vittle, and took Badradin Hassan out of his chest

and gave him a meal and locked him up again. They set out once more and travelled till they reached Kimra, where they took him out of the box and brought him before the wazir, who asked him, art thou he who dressed that conserve of pomegranate grains? He answered, yes, oh my lord, and the wazir said, Fetter him! So they fettered him and returned him to the chest,

and fared on again till they reached Cairo, and lighted at the quarter called Ar-Ridaniya. Then the wazir gave order to take Badradin-Hassan out of the chest, and sent for a carpenter, and said to him, make me a cross of wood for this fellow, cried Badrardin Hassan, And what will thou do with it? And the wazir replied,

I mean to crucify thee thereon, And nail thee thereto, And parade thee all about the city. And why will thou use me after this fashion? Because of thy villainous cookery Of conserved pomegranate grains, How durst thou dress it and sell it lacking pepper? And for that it lacked pepper,

wilt thou do all this to me? Is it not enough that thou hast broken my shop and smashed my gear, and boxed me up in a chest, and fed me only once a day. Too little pepper! Too little pepper! This is a crime which can be expiated only upon the cross. Then Badr ad-Din Hassan marvelled and fell a mourning for his life, whereupon the wazir asked him, of what thinkest thou? And he answered him, of maggotty heads like thine, for an thou had one ounce of sense thou hadst not treated me thus. quoth the wazir

It is our duty to punish thee lest thou do the like again Quoth badradin Hassan of a truth My offence were overpunished by the least of what thou hast already done to me And Allah damn all conserve of Pomegranate grains and curse the hour

When I cooked it and would I had died e'er this But the wazir rejoined There is no help for it I must crucify a man who sells conserve of pomegranate grains lacking pepper All this time the carpenter was shaping the wood, and Badradin looked on, and thus they did till night, when his uncle took him and clapped him into the chest, saying, The thing shall be done to-morrow. Then he waited until he knew Badradin Hassan to be asleep, when he mounted, and taking the chest up before him, entered the city, and rode on to his own house, where he alighted, and said to his daughter, Sit al-Hust. Praise be Allah, who hath united thee with thy husband, the son of thine uncle, up now, and order the house as it was

on thy bridal night. So the servants arose and lit the candles, and the wazir took out his plan of the nuptial chamber, and directed them what to do till they had set everything in its stead, so that whoever saw it would have no doubt but that it was the very night of the marriage. Then he bade them, put down Badrardin Hassan's turbaned on the settle, as he had deposited it with his own hand, and in like manner his bagged trousers and the purse which were under the mattress, and told his daughter to undress herself, and go to bed in the private chamber, as on her wedding night, adding, when the son of thine uncle comes into thee, say to him, thou hast loitered while going to the privy, and call him to lie by thy side, and keep him

in converse till daybreak, when we will explain the whole matter to him. Then he badeh take Badrardin Hassan out of the chest, after loosing the fetters from his feet, and stripping off all that was on him, save the fine shirt of blue silk, in which he had slept on his wedding night, so that he was well-nigh naked and trouserless. All this was done whilst he was sleeping on, utterly unconscious.

Then, by doom of destiny, Badr ad-Din Hassan turned over and awoke, and finding himself in a lighted vestibule, said to himself, surely I am in the mazes of some dream. So he rose, and went on a little, to an inner door, and looked in, and lo! He was in the very chamber wherein the bride had been displayed to him, and there he saw the bridal alcove and the settle, and his turbaned, and all his clothes. When he saw this he was confounded, and kept advancing with one foot, and retiring with the other,

saying, Am I sleeping or waking? And he began rubbing his forehead, and saying, for indeed he was thoroughly astounded, by Allah, verily, this is the chamber of the bride who was displayed before me. Where am I then? I was surely but now in a box. Whilst he was talking with himself, said Talchus, suddenly lifted the corner of the chamber curtain, and said, O my lord, wilt thou not come in, indeed thou hast loitered long in the water-closet. When he heard her words and saw her face, he burst out. laughing and said, of a truth, this is a very nightmare among dreams. Then he went in, sighing, and pondered what had come to pass with him, and was perplexed about his case, and his affair became yet more obscure to him when he saw his turbaned and bagged trousers, and when, feeling the pocket, he found the purse containing the thousand gold pieces. So he stood still and muttered, Allah is all-knowing, assuredly I am dreaming a wild, waking dream. Then said the Lady of Beauty to him,

What ails thee to look puzzled and perplexed, adding, Thou wast a very different man during the first of the night? He laughed and asked her, How long have I been away from thee? And she answered him, Allah preserve thee, and his holy name be about thee. Thou didst but go out an hour ago for an occasion and return. Are thy wits clean gone? When Badradin Hassan heard this, he laughed and said,

thou hast spoken truth, but when I went out from thee I forgot myself a while in the draft house, and dreamt that I was a cook at Damascus, and abode there ten years, and there came to me a boy who was of the sons of the great, and with him a eunuch. Here he passed his hand over his forehead, and feeling the scar, cried, By Allah or my lady, it must have been true, for he struck my forehead with a stone, and cut it open from eyebrow to eyebrow, and here is the mark, so it must have been on it. wake. Then he added, but perhaps I dreamt it when we fell asleep, I and thou, in each other's arms, for me seems it was as though I'd travelled to Damascus, without tarbush and trousers, and set up as

a cook there. Then he was perplexed and considered for a while, and said, by Allah, I also fancied that I dressed a conserve of pomegranate grains, and put too little pepper in it. By Allah, I must have slept in the Numericent, and have seen the whole thing in a dream. but how long was that dream allah upon thee said sitt alhust and what more soest thou so he related all to her and presently said by allah had i not woke up they would have nailed me to a cross of wood wherefore asked she and he answered for putting two little pepper in the conserve of pomegranate grains and me seem they demolished my shop and dashed to pieces my pots and pans destroyed all my stuff and put me in a box They then sent for the carpenter to fashion a cross for me, and would have crucified me thereon. Now, al-Handulilah, thanks be to Allah, for that all this happened to me in sleep and not on wake. Sittal-Huss laughed and clasped him to her bosom, and he her to his.

Then he thought again and said, by Allah, it could not be saved while I was awake. Truly I know not what to think of it. Then he lay him down, and all the night he was bewildered about his case. now saying, I was dreaming, and then saying, I was awake, till morning, when his uncle Shampsaddin, the wazir, came to him and saluted him. When Badr ad-Din-Hassan saw him, he said, By Allah, art thou not he who bad bind my hands behind me, and smash my shop, and nail me to a cross on a matter of conserved pomegranate grains,

because the dish lacked a sufficiency of pepper. Whereupon the wazir said to him, No, O my son, that truth hath shown it soothfast, and the concealed hath been revealed. Thou up the son of my brother, and I did all this with thee to certify myself that thou wast indeed, he who went in unto my daughter that night. I could not be sure of this, till I saw that thou knewest the chamber, and thy turbaned, and thy trousers, and thy gold, and the papers in thy writing, and in that of thy father, my brother, for I had never seen thee afore that, and knew thee not, and as to thy mother I have prevailed upon her to come with me from Basora. So saying he threw himself on his nephew's breast and wept for joy, and Badr ad-Din Hassan, hearing these words from his uncle, marvelled with exceeding marvel,

and fell on his neck and also shed tears for excess of delight. Then said the wazir to him, O my son, the sole cause of all this is what passed between me and thy sire, and all that had occurred to part them. Lastly the Wazir sent for Ajib, and when his father saw him he cried, and this is he who struck me with the stone. Quoth the Wazir,

this is thy son! And Badra Din Hassan threw himself upon his boy, and began repeating, Long have I wept to a severance ban and bane, long from mine eyelids, tearyls, rail and rain, and vowed I, if time reunion, ring, my tongue from name of severance, I'll restrain.

Joy hath o'ercome me to this stress that I, From joy's revulsion to shed tears and fain, Ye are so trained to tears, O'in of me, You weep with pleasure, as you weep with pain. When he had ended his verse, His mother came in, and threw herself upon him, And began reciting, When we met, we complained,

Our hearts were sore rung, but plaint is not pleasant for a messenger's tongue. Then she wept and related to him what had befallen her since his departure, and he told her what he had suffered, and they thanked Allah Almighty for their reunion. Two days after his arrival, the wazir Champsaddin went into the Sultan, and, kissing the ground between his hands, greeted him with the greeting due to kings. The Sultan rejoiced at his return, and his face brightened, and placing him hard by his side, asked him to relate all he had seen in his wayfaring,

and what so had betided him in his going and coming. So the wazir told him all that had passed from first to last, and the sultan said, Thanks be to Allah for thy victory, and the winning of thy wish, and thy safe return to thy children and thy people. And now I needs must see the son of thy brother, Hassan of Basura, so bring him to the audience all to-morrow. shamsaddin replied thy slave shall stand in thy presence to-morrow inshallah if it be god's will then he saluted him and returning to his own house informed his nephew of the sultan's desire to see him where too replied hassan while on the basaurite the slave is obedient to the orders of his lord and the result was that next day he accompanied his uncle shamsaddin to the divan and after saluting the sultan and doing him reverence in most ceremonious abasance and with most courtly obsequiousness he began improvising these verses the first in rank to kiss the ground shall deign before you and all ends and aims attain You are honours found,

And all that hope of you Shall gain more honour than hope hope to gain. The Sultan smiled and signed to him to sit down. So he took a seat close to his uncle, Shampsaddin, and the king asked him his name, Quothbadraddin Hassan. The meanest of thy slaves is known as Hassan, the Basaurite, Who is instant in prayer for thee, day and night?

The Sultan was pleased at his words, and being minded to test his learning and prove his good breeding, asked him, Dost thou remember any verses in praise of the mole on the cheek? He answered, I do, and began reciting, When I think of my love and our parting smart, my groans go forth, and my tears upstart, he's a mole that reminds me in colour and charms, are the black of the eye and the grain of the heart.

The king admired and praised the two couplets, and said to him, quote something else, Allah bless thy sire, and may thy tongue never tire. So he began, That cheek-mould spot, they evened with a grain of musk, nor did they hear the simile strain, nay marvel at the face comprising all beauty, nor falling short by single grain. The king shook with pleasure, and said to him, Say more, Allah bless thy days. So he began, O you, whose mole on cheek-inthrown recalls a dot of musk upon a stone of ruby. Grant me your favours, be not stone at heart, core of my heart whose only sustenance you be.

Quoth the King, fair comparison, O Hassan, thou hast spoken excellently well, and hast proved thyself accomplished in every accomplishment. Now explain to me how many meanings be there in the Arabic language, for the word chal or mole. He replied, Allah keep the king, 7 and 50, and some by tradition say 50,

said the Sultan, thou sayest sooth, presently adding, hast thou knowledge as to the points of excellence in beauty? Yes, answered Badrardin-Hassan, beauty consisteth in brightness of face, clearness of complexion,

shapeliness of nose, gentleness of eyes, sweetness of mouth, cleverness of speech, slenderness of shape and seemliness of all attributes. But the acme of beauty is in the hair, and indeed Ashirab the Hijazi hath brought together all these items in his doggerel verse of the meter Rajaz, and it is this. Say thou to skin, be soft, to face be fair, and gaze, nor shall they blame how so thou stare. Fine nose in Beauty's list is high esteemed,

Nor less an eye, full, bright, and debonair. Eek did they well to Lord the lovely lips, Which e'en the sleep of me will never spare, A winning tongue, a statue, tall and straight, A seemly union of gifts rarest rare, But Beauty's acme in the hair one views it, So hear my strain, and with some few excuse it. Sultan was captivated by his converse, and, regarding him as a friend, asked,

What meaning is there in the saw? Shuraich is foxier than the fox? And he answered, No, O king, whom almighty Allah keep, that the legist, Shirich, was wont during the days of the plague to make a visitation to Anajaf, and whenever he stood up to pray, there came a fox which would plant himself facing him, and which, by mimicking his movements, distracted him from his devotions.

Now when this became longsome to him, one day he doffed his shirt and set it upon a cane and shook out the sleeves, then placing his turband on the top and girding its middle with a shawl, he stuck it up in the place where he used to pray. Presently uptrotted the fox, according to his custom,

and stood over against the figure, whereupon Shirech came up behind him and took him. Hence the sayer saith, Shireich, foxier than the fox. When the sultan heard Badrardin Hassan's explanation, he said to his uncle, Shamsaddin, Truly this the son of thy brother is perfect in courtly breeding,

and I do not think that his light can be found in Cairo. But this, Hassan arose, and kissed the ground before him, and sat down again as a mameluk should sit before his master. When the sultan had thus assured himself of his courtly, breeding and bearing and his knowledge of the liberal arts and belletre. He joyed with exceeding joy and invested him with a splendid robe of honour, and promoted him to an office whereby he might better his condition. Then Badr ad-Din Hassan arose, and kissing the ground before the king,

wished him continuance of glory, and asked leave to retire with his uncle, the wazir Shamsad-Din. The sultan gave him leave, and he issued forth, and the two returned home, where food were set before them, and they ate what Allah had given them. After finishing his meal, Hassan repaired to the sitting-chamber of his wife, the Lady of Beauty, and told her what had passed between him and the Sultan, whereupon quoth she he cannot fail to make thee a cup companion, and give thee largesse in excess, and load thee with favours and bounties. So shalt thou, by Allah's blessing,

disbred like the greater light, the rays of thy perfection, wherever thou be, on shore or on sea. Said he to her, I purpose to recite a Cassida an ode in his praise, that he may redouble in affection for me. Thou art right in thine intent, she answered, so gather thy wits together and weigh thy words,

and I shall surely see my husband favoured with his highest favour. Thereupon, Hassan shut himself up, and composed these couplets on a solid base, and abounding in inner grace, and copied them out in a handwriting of the nicest taste. They are as follows. Mine is a chief who reached most haught estate, treading the pathways of the good and great.

His justice makes all regions safe and sure, and against froward foes bars every gate. Bold lion, hero, saint, e'en if you call, seraph or sovereign, he with all may rate. the poorest supplicant rich from him returns all words to praise him were inadequate he to the day of peace is saffron morn and murky night in furious warfare's bait bow neath his gifts our necks and by his deeds as king of free-born souls he joys his state allah increased for us his term of years and from his lot avert all risks and fears when he had finished transcribing the lines he despatched them in charge of one of his uncle's slaves to the sultan who perused them and his fancy was pleased so that he read them to those present and all praised them with the highest praise

thereupon he sent for the writer to his sitting-chamber and said to him thou art from this day forth my boon companion and i appoint to thee a monthly soul of a thousand dirhams over and above that i bestowed on thee four-time. Salh Hassan rose and kissing the ground before the king several times, prayed for the continuance of his greatness and glory, and length of life and strength. Thus Badradin Hassan, the Basaurite, waxed high in honour, and his fame flew forth to many regions, and he abode in all comfort and solace and delight of life with his uncle and his own folk till death overtook him. When the Caliph Harun Arashir, Heard heard this story from the mouth of his wazir, Ja'afar, the barmecide. He marvelled much and said, It behoves that these stories be written in letters of liquid gold.

Then he set the slave at liberty, and assigned to the youth who had slain his wife, such a monthly stipend as sufficed to make his life easy. He also gave him a concubine from amongst his own slave-girls, and the young man became one of his cup companions. Yet this story, continued Shachrazad, is in no wise stranger than the tale of the tailor and the hunchback, and the Jew, and the Reeve and the Nazarene, and what betided them. Quoth the king, and what may that be! So Shachrazad began in these words. The hunchback's tale. It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that there dwelt during times of yore, and years and ages long gone before,

in a certain city of china a tailor who was an open-handed man that loved pleasuring and merry-making and who was wont he and his wife to solace themselves from time to time with public diversions and amusements one day they went out with the first of the light and were returning in the evening when they fell in with a hunchback whose semblance would draw a laugh from care and dispel the horrors of despair so they went up to enjoy looking at him and invited him him to go home with them and converse and carouse with them that night. He consented and accompanied them afoot to their home, whereupon the tailor fared forth to the bazaar, night having just set in, and bought a fried fish, and bread and lemons, and dry sweetmeats for dessert,

and set the vittles before the hunchback, and they ate. Presently the tailor's wife took a great feed of fish, and gave it in a gobbit to the gobbo, stopping his mouth with her hand and saying, By Allah, thou must down with it at a single gulp, and I will not give thee time to chew it. So he bolted it, but therein was a stiff bone, which stuck in his gullet, and his hour being come, he died.

And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. And of Section 17 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. Volume 1 The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 18. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org.

The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, translated by Richard Burton. Section 18 When it was the 25th night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, But when the tailor's wife gave the hunchback that mouthful of fish, Which ended his term of days, he died on the instant. Seeing this, the tailor cried aloud, There is no majesty, and there is no might, save in Allah.

Alas, that this poor wretch should have died in so foolish fashion at our hand. And the woman rejoined, Why this idle talk, Hast thou not heard his saying, who said, Why then waste I my time in grief, Until I find no friend to bear my weight of woe? How sleep upon a fire that flames unquenched! Upon the flames to rest were hardy now! Asked her husband, And what shall I do with him? And she answered, rise and take him in thine arms And spread a silken kerchief over him Then I will fare forth

With thee following me this very night And if thou meet anyone say This is my son And his mother and I are carrying him to the doctor That he may look at him So he rose And taking the hunchback in his arms Bore him along the streets

Proceeded by his wife who kept crying Oh my son Allah keep thee what part paineth thee, and where hath this smallpox attacked thee? So all who saw them said, Tis a child sick of smallpox. They went along asking for the physician's house, till folk directed them to that of a leech, which was a Jew. They knocked at the door, and there came down to them a black slave-girl,

who opened, and, seeing a man bearing a babe, and a woman with him, said to them, what is the matter? We have a little one with us, answered the tailor's wife, and we wish to show him to the physician, so take this quarter dinar and give it to thy master, and let him come down and see my son, who is sore sick. The girl went up to tell her master, whereupon the tailor's wife walked into the vestibule,

and said to her husband, leave the hunch back here, and let us fly for our lives. So the tailor carried the dead man, to the top of the stairs, and propped him upright against the wall, and ran away he and his wife. Meanwhile the girl went into the Jew and said to him, At the door are a man and a woman with a sick child, and they have given me a quarter dinar for thee, that thou mayest go down, and look at the little one, and prescribe for it. As soon as the Jew saw the quarter dinar he rejoiced,

and rose quickly in his greed of gain, and went forth hurriedly in the dark. but hardly had he made a step when he stumbled on the corpse and threw it over, when it rolled to the bottom of the staircase. So he cried out to the girl to hurry up with the light, and she brought it, whereupon he went down, and examining the hunchback, found that he was stone dead. So he cried out, Oh, for Estrus, oh for Moses, oh for Aaron, oh for Joshua, son of Nun,

oh the Ten Commandments! I have stumbled against the sick one, and he hath fallen downstairs, and he is dead. How shall I get this man I have killed out of my house? Oh, by the hooves of the ass of Esdras! Then he took up the body, and carrying it into the house, told his wife what had happened, and she said to him, Why dost thou sit still?

If thou keep him here till day break, we shall both lose our lives. Let us carry him to the terrace roof, and throw him over into the house of our neighbour, the Muslim, for if he abide there a night, the dogs will come down on him from the adjoining terraces and eat him up. Now his neighbour was a reeve, the controller of the Sultan's kitchen, and was wont to bring back great store of oil and fat and broken meats, but the cats and rats used to eat it, or if the dogs scented a fat sheep's tail, they would come down from the nearest roofs and tear at it.

And on this wise the beasts had already damaged much of what he brought home, home. So the Jew and his wife carried the hunchback up to the roof, and letting him down by his hands and feet through the wind-shaft into the Reeves' house, propped him up against the wall, and went their ways. Hardly had they done this when the Reve, who had been passing an evening with his friends hearing a recitation of the Quran, came home and opened the door, and going up with a lighted candle, found a son of Adam standing in the corner under the ventilator. When he saw this he said "'Wah, by Allah, very good forsooth.

He who robbeth my stuff is none other than a man.' Then he turned to the hunchback and said, "'So tis thou that stealest the meat and the fat. I thought it was the cats and dogs, and I kill the cats and dogs of the quarter and sin against them by killing them. And all the while tis thou comest down from the house terraced through the wind-shaft, but I will avenge myself upon thee with my own hand.

So he snatched up a heavy hammer, and set upon him and smote him full on the breast, and he fell down. Then he examined him, and finding that he was dead, cried out in horror, thinking that he had killed him, and said, There is no majesty and there is no might, save in Allah the glorious, the great. And he feared for his life, and added, Allah cursed the oil and the meat and the grease, and the sheep's tails to boot. How hath fate given this man his creatus at my hand? Then he looked at the body,

and seeing it was that of a gobbo, said, Was it not enough for thee to be a hunchback, But thou must likewise be a thief, and prig, flesh, and fat? O thou veiler, deign to veil me with thy curtain of concealment! So he took him up on his shoulders, and going forth with him from his house, about the latter end of the night, carried him to the nearest end of the bazaar,

where he set him up on his feet against the wall of a shop at the head of a dark lane, and left him and went away. After a while up came a Nazarene, the sultan's broker, who, much bemused with liquor, was purposing for the Hammam bath, as his drunkenness whispered in his ear,

verily the call to Matins is nigh. He came plodding along and staggering about till he drew near the hunchback and squatted down to make water over against him when he happened to glance around and saw a man standing against the wall now some person had snatched off the Christians turbaned in the first of the night

so when he saw the hunchback hard by he fancied that he also meant to steal his headdress thereupon he clenched his fist and struck him on the neck felling him to the ground, and called aloud to the watchman of the bazaar, and came down on the body in his drunken fury, and kept on belaboring and throttling the corpse. Presently the Charlie came up, and finding a Nazarene kneeling on a Muslim, and flapping him, asked, What harm had this one done? And the broker answered, the fellow meant to snatch off my turbaned.

Get up from him, go off the watchman. So he arose, and the charlie. went up to the hunchback and finding him dead exclaimed, By Allah, good indeed, a Christian, killing a Mohammedan. Then he seized the broker, and tying his hands behind his back, carried him to the governor's house, and all the while the Nazarene kept saying to himself, O Messiah, O Virgin, how came I to kill this fellow?

And in what a hurry he must have been to depart this life when he died of a single blow. Presently, as his drunkenness fled, came Dola in its stead. So the broker and the body were kept in the governor's palace till morning morrowed, when the Wally came out, and gave order to hang the supposed murderer, and commanded the executioner make proclamation of the sentence. Forthwith they set up a gallows under which they made the Nazarene stand, and the torch-bearer, who was hangman, threw the rope round his neck,

and passed one end through the pulley, and was about to hoist him up, when lo, the reeve who was passing by, saw the broker about to be hanged, and making his way through the people, cried out to the executioner, hold, hold! I am he who killed the hunchback, asked the governor, what made thee kill him?

And he answered, I went home last night, and there found this man who had come down the ventilator to steal my property, so I smote him with a hammer on the breast, and he died forthright. Then I took him up and carried him to the bazaar and set him up against the wall in such a place near such a lane,

adding, Is it not enough for me to have killed a Muslim without also killing a Christian? So hang none other but me. When the governor heard these words, he released the broker and said to the torchbearer, hang up this man on his own confession. So he loosed the cord from the Nazarene's neck

and threw it round that of the reave, and making him stand under the gallows-tree was about to string him up when behold the jewish physician pushed through the people and shouted to the executioner hold hold it was i and none else killed the hunchback Last night I was sitting at home when a man and a woman knocked at the door, carrying this gobbow who was sick, and gave my handmaid a quarter dinar, bidding her hand me the fee, and tell me to come down and see him. Whilst she was gone, the man and the woman brought him into the house, and setting him on the stairs, went away. And presently I came down, and not seeing him, for I was in the dark, stumbled over him, and he fell to the foot of the staircase, and died on the moment. we took him up, I and my wife, and carried him on to the top terrace, and the house of this reeve, being next door to mine, we let the body down through the ventilator. When he came home and found the hunchback in his house, he fancied he was a thief,

and struck him with a hammer, so that he fell to the ground, and our neighbour made certain that he had slain him. Now is it not enough for me to have killed one Muslim unwittingly, without burdening myself with taking the life of another Muslim, wittingly. When the governor heard this, he said to the hangman, Set free the reeve, and hang the Jew. Thereupon the torch-bearer took him, and slung the cord round his neck, when, behold, the tailor pushed through the people,

and shouted to the executioner, Hold, hold, it was I, and none else killed the hunchback, and this was the fashion thereof. I had been out of pleasuring yesterday, and coming back to supper fell in with this gobbow who was drunk and drumming away and singing lustily to his tambourine. So I accosted him and carried him to my house and bought a fish and we sat down to eat. Presently my wife took a feed of fish and making a gobbit of it crammed it into his mouth, but some of it went down the wrong way or stuck in his gullet and he died on the instant.

So we lifted him up, I and my wife, and carried him to the same. the Jew's house, where the slave-girl came down and opened the door to us, and I said to her, Tell thy master, that there are a man and a woman and a sick person for thee to see. I gave her a quarter dinar, and she went up to tell her master, and whilst she was gone, I carried the hunchback to the head of the staircase, and propped him up against the wall, and went off with my wife. When the Jew came down, he stumbled over him, and thought that he had killed him. Then he asked the Jew, Is this the truth? And the Jew answered,

Yes. Thereupon the tailor turned to the governor and said, Leave go the Jew and hang me. When the governor heard the tailor's tale, he marvelled at the matter of this hunchback, and exclaimed, Verily, this is an adventure which should be recorded in books. Then he said to the hangman, Let the Jew go and hang the tailor on his own confession. The executioner took the tailor and put the rope around his neck and said, I am tired of such slow work. We bring out this one and change him for that other, and no one is hanged after all.

Now the hunchback in question was, they relate, Jester to the Sultan of China, who could not bear him out of his sight. So when the fellow got drunk and did not make his appearance that night or the next day till noon, the Sultan asked some of his courtiers about him. and they answered, O our lord, the governor hath come upon him dead, and hath ordered his murderer to be hanged, but as the hangman was about to hoist him up,

there came a second, and a third, and a fourth, and each one said, It is I, and none else killed the hunchback. And each gave a full and circumstantial account of the manner of the jester being killed. When the king heard this, he cried aloud to the chamberlain in waiting, go down to the governor and bring me all four of them.

So the Chamberlain went down at once to the place of execution, where he found the torch-bearer on the point of hanging the tailor, and shouted to him, hold, hold! Then he gave the king's command to the governor, who took the tailor, the Jew, the Nazarene and the Rive, the hunchback's body being born on men's shoulders, and went up with one and all of them to the king. When he came into the presence, he kissed the ground,

and acquainted the ruler with the whole story, which it is needless to relate, for, as they say, there is no avail in a thrice-told tale. The Sultan, hearing it, marvelled, and was moved to mirth, and commanded the story to be written in letters of liquid gold, saying to those present, did ye ever hear a more wondrous tale than that of my hunchback? Thereupon the Nazarene broker came forward and said, O King of the Age, with thy leave, I will tell thee a thing which happened to myself, and which is still more wondrous and marvellous and pleasurable and delectable than the tale of the hunchback.

Boath the King, tell us what thou hast to say. So he began in these words. The Nazarene Broker's Story O King of the Age, I came to this thy country with merchandise, and destiny stayed me here with the earth. But my place of birth was Cairo in Egypt, where I also was brought up, for I am one of the Cots, and my father was a broker before me. When I came to Man's estate he departed this life, and I succeeded to his business. One day, as I was sitting in my shop, behold, there came up to me a youth as handsome as could be,

wearing sumptuous raiment and riding a fine ass. When he saw me, he saluted me, and I had I stood up to do him honour. Then he took out a kerchief, containing a sample of sesame, and asked, How much is this worth per Ardab? Where to, I answered, a hundred dirhams. Quoth he, take porters and gauges and meetsmen, and come to-morrow to the Khan al-Jawit by the gate of Victory quarter,

where thou wilt find me. Then he fared forth, leaving me with the sample of sesame in his kerchief, and I went the round of my customers and ascertained that every Ardab would fetch 120 dirhams. Next day I took four meetsmen and walked with them to the Khan, where I found him awaiting me. As soon as he saw me he rose and opened his magazine

when we measured the grain till the store was empty, and we found the contents fifty Ardabs, making 5,000 pieces of silver. Then said he, let ten dirhams on every Ardab be thy brokerage. So take the price, and keep in deposit four thousand and five hundred dirhams for me, and when I have made an end of selling the other wares in my warehouses, I will come to thee and receive the amount.

I will well, replied I, and kissing his hand went away, having made that day a profit of a thousand dirhams. He was absent a month, at the end of which he came to me in our eyes, asked, where be the dirhams? I rose and saluted him, and answered to him, wilt thou not eat somewhat in my house? But he refused, with the remark, get the monies ready, and I will presently return and take them. Then he rode away, so I brought out the dirhams, and sat down to await him. But he stayed away for another month, when he came back and said to me, where be the dirhams? I rose, and saluting him,

asked, "'Wilt thou not eat something in my house?' But he again refused, adding, "'Get me the money's ready, and I will presently return and take them.' Then he rode off. So I brought out the dirhams, and sat down to await his return. But he stayed away from me a third month, and I said, "'Ferily, this young man is liberality in incarnate form.' At the end of the month he came up, riding a mare mule, and wearing a sea, of sumptuous raiment. He was as the moon on the night of fullness, and he seemed as if fresh

from the baths, with his cheeks rosy bright, and his brow flower white, and a mole-spot like a grain of ambergris delighting the sight, even as was said of such and one by the poet. Full moon, with sun in single mansion, in brightest sheen and fortune rose and shone, with happy splendour changing every sprite, hail to what Gerdon's prayer with blissful boon. Their charms and grace have gained perfection's height, all hearts have conquered, and all wits have won. Lord to the Lord, for work so wonder strange, and what the almighty wills his hand hath done. When I saw him, I rose to him, and invoking blessings on him asked, O my lord, Lord, wilt thou not take thy monies?

Whence the hurry, quoth he, Wait till I have made an end of my business, And then I will come and take them. Again he rode away, and I said to myself, By Allah, when he comes next time, Needs must I make him my guest, For I have traded with his dirhams, And have gotten large gains thereby.

At the end of the year he came again, Habited in a suit of clothes more sumptuous than the former, And when I conjured him by the evangel to alight at my house and eat of my guest food, he said, I consent, on condition, that what thou expendest on me, shall be of my monies still in thy hand. I answered, so be it, and made him sit down whilst I got ready what was needful of meat and drink, and else besides, and set the tray before him, with the invitation, bismillah! Then he drew near the tray, and put out his left hand, and ate with me, and I marvelled at his not using the right hand.

When we had done eating, I poured water on his hand, and gave him wherewith to wipe it. Upon this we sat down to converse, after I had set before him some sweetmeats, and I said to him, O my master, prithee relieve me by telling me why thou eatest with thy left hand, perchance something aileth thy other hand. When he heard my words he repeated these verses. Dear friend, ask not what burneth in my breast, lest thou see fiery pangs I never saw. Wills not my heart to harbour Salma instead of Lila's love,

But need hath ne'er a law. And he put out his right arm from his sleeve, And behold, the hand was cut off, a wrist without a fist. I was astounded at this, but he said, Marvell not, and think not that I e'et with my left hand, for conceit and insolence, but from necessity, and the cutting off my right hand was caused by an adventure of the strangest. Asked I, and what caused it?

And he answered, No, that I am of the sons of Baghdad, and my father was of notables of that city. When I came to Man's estate, I heard the pilgrims and wayfarers, travellers and merchants, talk of the land of Egypt, and their words sank deep into my mind, till my peasant. parent died when I took a large sum of money and furnished myself for trade with stuffs of Baghdad and Mosul, and packing them up in bales, set out on my wanderings. And Allah decreed me safety till I entered this your city. Then he wept and began repeating, The blear-eyed escapes the pit wherein the lynx-eyed fall. A word the wise man slays, and saves the natural. The Muslim fails of food, the

Kaffir feasts in hall. What art or act is man's. God's will obligeth all. Now, when he had ended his verse, he said, So I entered Cairo, and took off my loads, and stored my stuffs in the Khan al-Mas. Then I gave the servant a few silvers wherewith to buy me some food, and lay down to sleep a while. When I awoke, I went to the street called Bain al-Kaz-Rain, between the two palaces, and presently returned and rested my night in the Khan. When it was morning I opened a bail and took out some stuff, saying to myself, I will be off and go through some of the bazaars and see the state of the market. So I loaded the stuff on some of my slaves, and fared forth till I reached the Kaisaria,

or exchange of Jiharkas, where the brokers who knew of my coming came to meet me. They took the stuffs and cried, them for sale, but could not get the prime cost of them. I was vexed at this. However, the sheikh of the brokers said to me, O my lord, I will tell thee how thou mayest make a profit of thy goods. Thou shouldest do as the merchants do, and sell thy merchandise at credit for a fixed period, on a contract drawn up by a notary, and duly witnessed, and employ a shroff to take thy dues every Monday and Thursday. So shalt thou gain two dirhams and more for every one. and thou shalt solace and divert thyself by seeing Cairo and the Nile.

Boeth I, this is sound advice, and carried the brokers to the Khan. They took my staffs and went with them on change, where I sold them well, taking bonds for the value. These bonds I deposited with a shroff, a banker, who gave me a receipt with which I returned to the Khan. Here I stayed a whole month, every morning breaking my fast with a cup of wine, and making my meals on pigeons' meat, mutton and sweetmeats, till the time came when my receipts began to fall due. So every Monday and Thursday I used to go on change and sit in the shop of one or other of the merchants,

whilst the notary and money-changer went round to recover the monies from the traders, till after the time of mid-afternoon prayer, when they brought me the amount, and I counted it, and sealing the bags, returned with them to the Khan. On a certain day, which happened to be a Monday, I went to the hammam, and thence back to my Khan, and sitting in my own room broke my fast with a cup of wine, after which I slept a little. When I awoke I ate a chicken, and perfuming my person, repaired to the shop of a merchant, Haidraddin al-Bos, or the gardener, who welcomed me, and we sat talking a while till the bazaar should open.

Presently, behold, up came a little. lady of stately figure, wearing a headdress of the most magnificent, perfumed with the sweetest of scents, and walking with graceful swaying gait. And seeing me she raised her mantilla, allowing me a glimpse of her beautiful black eyes. She saluted Badraddin, who returned her salutation, and stood up and talked with her, and the moment I heard her speak, the love of her got hold of my heart. Presently she said to Badradin, hast thou buy thee a cut piece of stuff woven with thread of pure gold. So he brought out to her a piece from those he had bought of me,

and sold it to her for one thousand two hundred dirhams, when she said, I will take the piece home with me, and send thee its price. That is impossible, O my lady, the merchant replied, for here is the owner of the stuff, and I owe him a share of profit. Fye upon thee, she cried, do I not use to take from thee? entire rolls of costly stuff, and give thee a greater profit than thou expectest, and send thee the money? Yes, rejoined he, but I stand in pressing need of the price this very day. Hereupon she took up the piece and threw it back upon his lap, saying,

Out on thee! Alla confound the tribe of you which estimates nothing at the right value. And she turned to go. I felt my very soul going with her, so I stood up and stayed her, saying, I conjure thee by the Lord, O my lady, favour me by retracing thy gracious steps. She turned back with a smile and said, For thy sake I return, And took a seat opposite me in the shop. Then quoth I to Badraddin,

What is the price they ask thee for this piece? And quoth he, eleven hundred dirhams. I rejoined, The odd hundred shall be thy profit. Bring me a sheet of paper, and I will write thee a discharge for it. then i wrote him a receipt in my own handwriting and gave the piece to the lady saying take it away with thee and if thou wilt bring me its price next bazaar day or better still accept it as my guest gift to thee allah requite thee with good answered she and make thee my husband and lord and master of all i have and allah favoured her prayer i saw the gates of paradise swing open before me and said

O my lady, let this piece of stuff be now thine, and another like it is ready for thee. Only let me have one look at thy face. So she raised her veil, and I saw a face, the sight of which bequeathed to me a thousand sighs, and my heart was so captivated by her love, that I was no longer ruler of my reason. Then she let fall her face veil, and taking up the piece of staff, said, oh my lord make me not desolate by thine absence, and turned away and disappeared from my sight. I remained sitting on change till past the hour of afternoon prayer,

lost to the world by the love which had mastered me, and the violence of my passion compelled me to make inquiries concerning her of the merchant, who answered me, This is a lady and a rich. She is the daughter of a certain emir who lately died, and left her a large fortune. Then I took leave of him and returned home to the Khan, where they set supper before me.

But I could not eat for thinking of her, and when I lay down to sleep, sleep came not near me. So I watched till morning when I arose and donned a change of raiment, and drank a cup of wine, and after breaking my fast on some slight matter, I went to the merchant's shop where I saluted him,

and sat down by him. Presently up came the lady as usual, followed by a slave-girl, and wearing a dress more sumptuous than before. And she saluted me without noticing Badradin, and said in fluent, graceful speech, Never heard I voice softer or sweeter. Send one with me to take the thousand and two hundred dirhams, the price of the peace. Why this hurry, asked I, and she answered, May we never lose thee? and handed me the money.

Then I sat talking with her, and presently I signed to her in dumb show, whereby she understood that I longed to enjoy her person, and she rose up in haste with a show of displeasure. My heart clung to her, and I went forth from the bazaar, and followed on her track. As I was walking, suddenly a black slave-girl stopped me and said,

Oh, my master, come speak with my mistress. At this I was surprised and replied, There is none who knows me here. But she rejoined, Oh, my lord, how soon hast thou forgotten her? My lady is the same who was this day at the shop of such a merchant. Then I went with her to the Shrofts, where I found the lady who drew me to her side and said,

O my beloved, thine image is firmly stamped upon my fancy, and love of thee hath gotten hold of my heart. From the hour I first saw thee, nor sleep nor food nor drink hath given me aught of pleasure i replied the double of that suffering is mine and my state dispenseth me from complaint then said she o my beloved at thy house or at mine i am a stranger here and have no place of reception save the khan so by thy favour it shall be at thy house so be it but this is friday night and nothing can be done till to-morrow after public prayers, go to the mosque and pray, then mount thine ass and ask for the Habiya quarter, and when there look out for the mansion of Anakib Barak, popularly known as Abushih the syndic, for I live there, so do not delay as I shall be expecting thee.

I rejoiced with still greater joy at this, and took leave of her, and returned to my Khan, where I passed a sleepless night. Hardly was I assured. that morning had dawned when I rose, changed my dress, perfumed myself with essences and sweet scents, and taking fifty dinars in a kerchief, went from the Khan-mas to the Zuila gate, where I mounted an ass, and said to its owner, take me to the habanilla. So he set off with me, and brought up in the twinkling of an eye, at a street known as Darbalmunkari, where I said to him, Go in and ask for the syndix mansion. He was absent a while, and then returned, and said, alight.

Go thou before me to the house, quoth I, adding, Come back with the earliest light, and bring me home. And he answered, In Allah's name! Whereupon I gave him a quarter-dinner of gold, and he took it, and went his ways. Then I knocked at the door, and out came two white slave-girls, both young, high-bosomed virgins, as they were moons, and said to me, enter, for our mistress is expecting thee, and she hath not slept the night long for her delight in thee.

I passed through the vestibule into a saloon with seven doors, floored with party-coloured marbles, and furnished with curtains and hangings of coloured silks. The ceiling was cloasonet with gold and cornished with inscriptions, emblazoned in lapis-lajuli, and the walls were stuccoed with sulti gypsum, which mirrored the beholder's face. Around the saloon were latticed windows,

overlooking a garden full of all manner of fruits, whose streams were railing and riffling, and whose birds were trilling and shrilling, and in the heart of the hall was a jetting fountain, at whose corners stood birds, fashioned in red gold, crusted with pearls and gems, and spouting water crystal clear. When I entered and took a seat,

and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. End of Section 18 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1. The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 19. This is the Librivox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For further information, or to volunteer, Please visit librivox.org

Section 19, Volume 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Sir Richard Burton. When it was the 26th Knight, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the young merchant continued. When I entered and took a seat, the lady at once came in, crowned with a diadem of pearls and jewels, Her face dotted with artificial moles in indigo,

her eyebrows penciled with coal, and her hands and feet reddened with Hanna. When she saw me, she smiled in my face, and took me to her embrace, and clasped me to her breast. Then she put her mouth to my mouth, and sucked my tongue, and I did likewise, and said, Can it be true, O my little darkling, thou art come to me? Adding,

Welcome and good cheer to thee. By Allah, from the day I saw thee, Sleep hath not been sweet to me, Nor hath food been pleasant. Quoth I, Such hath also been my case, And I am thy slave, thy negro slave. Then we sat down to converse,

And I hung my head earthwards in bashfulness. But she delayed not long, Ere she set before me, A tray of the most exquisite viands, Marinated meats, Fritters soaked in bees' honeys, And chickens stuffed, with sugar and pistachio nuts, whereof we ate till we were satisfied.

Then they brought Basin and Ewer, and I washed my hands, and we scented ourselves with rose-water, musked, and sat down again to converse. Then she began repeating these couplets. Had we wist of thy coming, thy way had been strewn with the blood of our heart and the balls of our sight, our cheek as a footcloth to greet thee been thrown, but thy wist of thy coming, but thy way had been strewn, with the blood of our heart and the balls of our sight, I step on our eyelids should softly alight. And she kept planing of what had befallen her, and eye of what had betided me, and love of her got so firm hold of my heart that all my wealth seemed a thing of naught in comparison with her.

Then we fell to toying, and groping, and kissing till nightfall, when the handmaiden set before us meats and a complete wine-service, and we sat carousing till the noon of night, when we lay down and I lay with her. Never in my life saw I a night like that night. When morning morrowed I arose and took leave of her, throwing under the carpet bed the kerchief wherein were the dinars, and as I went out she wept and said,

Oh my lord, when shall I look upon that lovely face again? I will be with thee at sunset, answered I, and going out found the donkey-boy who had brought me the day before, awaiting at the door. So I mounted ass and rode to the Khan of Masurur where I alighted and gave the man a half dinar saying, Return at sunset, and he said, I will. Then I breakfasted and went out to seek the price of my stuffs, after which I returned, and taking a roast lamb and some sweetmeats, called a porter, and put the provision in his crate,

and sent it to the lady, paying the man his hire. I went back to my business till sunset, when the asher. driver came to me, and I took fifty dinars in a kerchief, and rode to her house where I found the marble floor swept, the brasses burnished, the branch lights burning, the wax candles red lighted, the meat served up, and the wine strained. When my lady saw me, she threw her arms about my neck and cried, Thou hast desolated me by thine absence. Then she set the tables before me, and we e'-t'er till we were satisfied, when the slave girls carried off the trays and served up wine. We gave not over-drinking till half the night

was passed, and being well-warmed with drink, we went to the sleeping-chamber, and lay there till morning. I then arose and fared forth from her, leaving the fifty dinars with her as before, and finding the donkey-boy at the door, rode to the khan, and slept a while. After that I went out to make ready the evening meal, and took a brace of geese with gravy on two platters of dressed and peppered rice, and got ready Colacassia roots, fried and soaked in honey, and wax candles and fruits and conserves, and nuts and almonds, and sweet-scented cowers, and I sent them all to her. As soon as it was night, I again tied up fifty dinars in a kerchief, and mounting the ass, as usual, rode to the mansion, where we ate and drank,

and lay together till morning, when I threw the kerchief and dinars to her, and rode back to the Khan. I ceased not doing after that fashion, till, after a sweet night, I woke one fine morning, and found myself beggared, dinalis and dirhamless. So I said to myself,

All this be Satan's work, and began to recite these couplets. Poverty dims the sheen of man, whate'er his wealth has been, in as the sun about to set, shines with a yellowing light, absent he falls from memory, by his friends, present he shareth not their joys, for none in him delight.

He walks to the market shunned of all, too glad to hide his head. In desert places, tears he sheds, and moans his bitter plight. By Allah, mid his kith and kin, a man, however good, waylaid by want and penury, is but a stranger white. I fared forth from the Khan, and walked down between the palaces street. till I came to the Zuayla Port, where I found the people crowding, and the gateway blocked for the much folk. And by the decree of destiny, I saw there a trooper, against whom I pressed unintentionally, so that my hand came upon his bosom pocket, and I felt a purse inside it. I looked, and seeing a string of green silk hanging from the pocket, knew it for a purse,

and the crush grew greater every minute, and just then a camel laden with a load of fuel happened to jost. the trooper on the opposite side, and he turned round to fend it off from him, lest it tear his clothes, and Satan tempted me, so I pulled the string and drew out a little bag of blue silk, containing something which chinked like coin. But the soldier, feeling his pocket suddenly lightened, put his hand to it and found it empty, whereupon he turned to me, and snatching up his mace from his saddle-bow, struck me with it on the head. I fell to the ground, whilst the people came around us, and seizing the trooper's mare by the bridle, said to him, "'Strikesst thou this youth such a blow as this for a mere push?'

But the trooper cried out at them, "'This fellow is an accursed thief.' Whereupon I came to myself, and stood up, and the people looked at me and said, "'Nay, he is a comely youth, he would not steal anything. And some of them took my part, and others were against me, and question and answer waxed loud and warm. The people pulled at me and would have rescued me from his clutches. But, as fate decreed,

Behold, the governor, the chief of police, and the watch, entered the Zawila gate at this moment, and seeing the people gather together around me and the soldier, the governor asked, What is the matter? By Allah O Emir, answered the trooper. This is a thief. I had in my pocket a purse of blue silk

lined with twenty good gold pieces, and he took it. whilst I was in the crush. Quothed the governor, was anyone by thee at the time, and quothed the soldier, no. Thereupon the governor cried out to the chief of police who seized me, and on this wise the curtain of the Lord's protection was withdrawn from me. Then he said, strip him, and when they stripped me they found the purse in my clothes. The Wally took it, opened it, and counted it, and finding in it twenty dinars, as the soldier had said, waxed exceeding wrath, and bat his guard, bring me before him.

Then said he to me, Now, O youth, speak truly, didst thou steal this purse? At this I hung my head to the ground, and said to myself, If I deny having stolen it, I should get myself into terrible trouble. So I raised my head and said, Yes, I took it. When the governor heard these words, he wondered, and summoned witnesses who came forward and attested my confession. All this happened at the Zawila gate.

Then the governor ordered the link-bearer to cut off my right hand, and he did so, after which he would have struck off my left foot also, but the heart of the soldier softened, and he took pity on me, and interceded for me with the governor that I should not be slain. Thereupon the wally left me and went away, and the folk remained round me, and gave me a cup of wine to drink. As for the trooper, he pressed the purse upon me, and said, said, Thou art a comely youth, and it befitteth not thou be a thief.

So I repeated these verses. I swear by Allah's name, fair sir, no thief was I. Nor, O thou best of men, was I a bandit bred. But fortunes change and chance o'er through me suddenly, And carc and care and penury my course misled. I shot it not, indeed twas Allah shot the shaft, that rolled in dust the kingly diadem from my head. The soldier turned away after giving me the purse,

and I also went my ways, having wrapped my hand in a piece of rag, and thrust it into my bosom. My whole semblance had changed, and my colour had waxed yellow from the shame and pain which had befallen me. Yet I went on to my mistress's house, where, in extreme perturbation of spirit, I threw myself down on the carpet bed. She saw me in this state and asked me,

What aileth thee and why do I see thee so changed in looks? And I answered, My head paineth me, and I am far from well. Whereupon she was vexed and was concerned on my account and said, Burn not my heart or my lord, But sit up and raise thy head and recount to me what hath happened to thee today, For thy face tells me a tale. Leave this talk, replied I.

But she wept and said, Me seems thou art tired of me, for I see thee contrary to thy want. But I was silent, and she kept on talking to me, albeit I gave her no answer, till the night came on. Then she set food before me, but I refused it, fearing lest she see me eating with my left hand, and said to her, I have no stomach to eat at present. Quoth she, tell me what hath befallen thee to-day, and why art thou so sorrowful and broken in spirit and heart? Quoth I, Wait a while, I will tell thee all at my leisure.

Then she brought me wine, saying, Down with it, this will dispel thy grief. Thou must indeed drink and tell me of thy tidings. I asked her, Perforce, must I tell thee? And she answered, yes. Then said I, if it needs must be so, then give me to drink with thine own hand. She filled and drank, and filled again,

and gave me the cup, which I took from her with my left hand, and wiped the tears from my eyelids, and began repeating, When Allah willeth aught before a man, Who hath of ears and eyes and witsful share, His ears he deafens, and his eyes he blinds, And draws his wits e'en as we draw a hair. Till, having wrought his purpose, he restores, Man's wits that warned more circumspect he fare.

When I ended my verses I wept, and she cried out with an exceeding loud cry, What is the cause of thy tears? Thou burnest my heart. What makes thee take the cup with thy left hand? Quoth I, truly I have on my right hand a boil, and quoth she put it out and I will open it for thee. It is not yet time to open it, I replied,

so worry me not with thy words, for I will not take it out of the bandage at this hour. Then I drank off the cup, and she gave not over, plight. me with drink until drunkenness overcame me, and I fell asleep in the place where I was sitting, whereupon she looked at my right hand, and saw a wrist without a fist. So she searched me closely, and found with me the purse of gold, and my severed hand wrapped up in the bit of rag. With this such sorrow came upon her as never overcame any, and she ceased not lamenting on my account

till the morning. When I awoke I found that she had dressed me a dish of broth of four boiled chickens, which she brought to me together with a cup of wine. I ate and drank, and laying down the purse, would have gone out, but she said to me, Whither away? And I answered, where my business calleth me, and said she, thou should not go, sit thee down. So I sat down, and she resumed, Hath thy love for me so overpowered thee, that thou hast wasted all thy wealth, and hast lost thy hand on my account. I take thee to witness against me, and also Allah be my witness, that I will never part with thee, but will die under thy feet, and soon thou shalt see that my words are true.

Then she sent for the Kazi and witnesses, and said to them, Write my contract of marriage with this young man, and bear ye witness that I have received the marriage settlement. When they had drawn up the document, she said, be witness that all my monies which are in this chest, and all I have in slaves and handmaidens and other property, is given in free gift to this young man. So they took act of this statement, enabling me to assume possession in right of marriage, and then withdrew after receiving their fees. Thereupon she took me by the hand, and leading me to a closet, opened a large chest, and said to me, see what is herein. And I looked, and behold, it was full of kerchiefs.

Quoth she, This is the money I had from thee, and every kerchief thou gavest me containing fifty dinars, I wrapped up and cast into this chest. So now take thine own, for it returns to thee, and this day thou art become of high estate. Fortune and fate afflicted thee so, that thou didst lose thy right hand for my sake,

and I can never requite thee, nay, although I gave my life, twere but little, and I should still remain thy debtor. Then she added, Take charge of thy property. So I transferred the contents of her chest to my chest, and added my wealth to her wealth which I had given her, and my heart was eased, and my sorrow ceased. I stood up and kissed her, and thanked her, and she said, Thou hast given thy hand for the love of me, and how am I able to give thee an equivalent? By Allah, if I offered my life for thy love, It were indeed but little,

And would not do justice to thy claim upon me. Then she made over to me by deed, All that she possessed in clothes and ornaments of gold and pearls, And goods and farms and chattels, And lay not down to sleep that night, Being sorely grieved for my grief, Till I told her the whole of what had befallen me. I passed the night with her,

But before we had lived together a month's time, she fell sorely sick and illness increased upon her by reason of her grief for the loss of my hand, and she endured but fifty days before she was numbered among the folk of futurity and the heirs of immortality. So I laid her out and buried her body in Mother Earth, and let make a pious perfection of the Quran for the health of her soul, and gave much money in arms for her, after which I turned me from the grave and returned to the house. There I found that she had left much substance in ready money and slaves, mansions, lands, and domains, and among her storehouse was a granary of sesame-seed, whereof I sold part to thee, and I had neither time nor inclination to take count with thee till I had sold the rest of the stock in store, nor indeed even now have I made an end of receiving the price. So I desire thou bulk me not in what I am about to say to thee,

twice have i eaten of thy food and i wish to give thee as a present the monies for the sesame which i by thee such is the cause of the cutting off of my right hand and my eating with my left indeed said i thou hast shown me the utmost kindness and liberality then he asked me why shouldst thou not travel with me to my native country whither i am about to return with kirene and alexandrian stuffs say me wilt thou accompany me and I answered, I will. So I agreed to go with him at the head of the month, and I sold all I had, and bought other merchandise. Then we set out and travelled, I and the young man, to this country of yours, where he sold his venture, and bought other investment of country-stuffs, and continued his journey to Egypt. But it was my lot to abide here, so that these things befell me in my strangerhood which befell last night. And is not this tale, O King of the Age, more wondrous and marvellous than the story of the hunchback? Not so, quoth the King, I cannot accept it. There is no help

for it, but you be hanged, every one of you. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the 27th night, she said, it hath reached me, O auspicious king, that when the king of China declared, there is no help for it, but you be hanged, the wreath of the sultan's kitchen came forward and said, If thou permit me, I will tell thee a tale of what befell me just before I found this gobble,

and if it be more wondrous than his story, do thou grant us our lives? And when the king answered, yes, he began to recount. The reeve's tale. No, O king, that last night I, I was at a party, where they made a perfection of the Quran, and got together doctors of law and religion, skilled in recitation and in toning. And when the readers ended, the table was spread,

and amongst other things they set before us was a marinated ragu, flavoured with cumin seed. So we sat down, but one of our number held back and refused to touch it. We conjured him to eat of it, but he swore he would not, and when we again pressed him he said, Be not instant with me, sufficeeth me that which hath already befallen me through eating it. And he began reciting, Shoulder thy tray, and go straight to thy goal. And if suit thee this coal, why use this coal?

When he ended his verse, we said to him, Allah upon thee, tell us thy reason for refusing to eat of the cumin Magoo. If so it be, he replied, And needs must I eat of it, I will not do, so except I wash my hand forty times with soap, forty times with potash, and forty times with gallingale, the total being one hundred and twenty washings. Thereupon the hospitable host, bad his slaves bring water, and whatso he required, and the young man washed his hand as aforementioned. Then he sat down, as if disgusted and frightened with all, and dipping his hand in the

ragu, began eating, and at the same time, showing signs of anger. And we wondered at him with extreme wonderment, for his hand trembled, and the morsel in it shook, and we saw that his thumb had been cut off, and he ate with his four fingers only. So we said to him, Allah upon thee, what happened to thy thumb? Is thy hand thus by the creation of God,

or hath some accident befallen it? Oh, my brothers, he answered, it is not only thus with this thumb, but also with my other thumb, and with both my great toe. as you shall see. So saying he uncovered his left hand and his feet, and we saw that the left hand was even as the right, and in light manner that each of his feet lacked its great toe. When we saw him after this fashion, our amazement waxed still greater, and we said to him,

we have hardly patience enough to await thy history, and to hear the manner of the cutting off of thy thumbs, and the reason of thy washing both hands one hundred and twenty times. No then, said he, that my father was chief of the merchants and the wealthiest of them all in Baghdad city, during the reign of the Caliph, Haruna Rashid, and he was much given to wine-drinking and listening to the lute and other instruments of plezance, so that when he died he left nothing. I buried him, and had perfections of the Quran made for him, and mourned him days and nights. Then I opened his shop, and found that he had left in it few goods, while his debts were made for him. many. However, I compounded with his creditors for time to settle their demands, and betook myself

to buying and selling, paying them something from week to week on account, and I gave not over doing this, till I had cleared off his obligations in full, and began adding to my principal. One day, as I sat in my shop, suddenly and unexpectedly, there appeared before me a young lady, than whom I never saw a fairer, wearing the richest raiment and ornaments, and riding a she-mule, with one negro slave walking before her and another behind her. She drew rein at the head of the Exchange Bazaar, and entered, followed by a eunuch, who said to her, O my lady, come out and away without telling anyone, lest thou light a fire which will burn us all up. Moreover, he stood before her, guarding her from view, whilst she looked at the

merchant's shops. She found none open but mine, so she came up with the eunuch behind. her, and sitting down in my shop, saluted me. Never heard I aught fairer than her speech, or sweeter than her voice. Then she unveiled her face, and I saw that she was like the moon, and I stole a glance at her whose sight caused me a thousand sighs, and my heart was captivated with love of her, and I kept looking again and again upon her face, repeating these verses. Say to the charmer in the dove-hued veil, Death would be welcome to abate thy bale. Favor me with thy favours that I live.

See I stretch forth my palm to take thy veil. When she heard my verse, she answered me, saying, I've lost all patience by despite of you. My heart knows nothing, save love plight to you. If aught I sight save charms so bright of you, my parting end not in the sight of you i swear i'll near forget the right of you and feign this breast would soar to height of you you made me drain the love-cup and i leaf a love-cup tender for delight of you take this my form where'er you go and when you die entomb me in the sight of you call on me in my grave and hear my bones sigh their responses to the shright of you and where i asked, of God what wouldst thou see? I answer, first his will, then thy decree. When she ended her verse, she asked me, O youth, hast thou any fair stuff by thee. And I answered, O my lady, thy slave is poor,

but have patience till the merchants open their shops, and I will suit thee with what thou wilt. Then we sat talking, I and she, and I was drowned in the sea of her love, dazed in the desert of my passion for her, till the merchants opened their shops, when I rose and fetched her all she sought to the tune of five thousand dirhams. She gave the stuff to the eunuch, and, going forth by the door of the exchange, she mounted me all and went away, without telling me whence she came, and I was ashamed to speak of such trifle. When the merchants done me for the price, I made myself answerable for five thousand dirhams, and went home drunken with the love of They set supper before me, and I ate a mouthful, thinking only of her beauty and loveliness,

and sought to sleep, but sleep came not to me. And such was my condition for a whole week when the merchants required their monies of me, but I persuaded them to have patience for another week, at the end of which time she again appeared, mounted on a she-mule, and attended by her eunuch and her two slaves. She saluted me and said, oh my master we have been long in bringing thee the price of the stuffs but now fetch the shroff and take thy monies so i sent for the money-changer and the unit counted out the coin before him and made it over to me then we sat talking i and she till the market opened when she said to me get me this and that so i got her from the merchants what so she wanted and she took it and went away without saying a word to me about the price as soon as she said to me was out of sight, I repented me of what I had done, for the worth of the stuff bought for her amounted to a thousand dinars, and I said in my soul, what manner of love is this? She hath brought me five thousand dirhams, and hath taken goods for a thousand dinars.

I feared lest I should be beggared through having to pay the merchants their money, and I said, they know none other but me. This lovely lady is naught but a cheat and a swindler, who hath diddled me with her beauty and grace, for she saw that I was a mere youth, and laughed at me for not asking her address. I ceased not to be troubled by these doubts and fears, as she was absent more than a month, till the merchants pestered me for their money and were so hard upon me that I put up my property for sale and stood on the very brink of ruin. However, as I was sitting in my shop one day, drowned in melancholy musings, she suddenly rode up, and dismounting at the bizarre gate,

came straight towards me. When I saw her, all my cares fell from me, and I forgot every trouble. She came close up to me, and greeted me with her sweet voice and pleasant speech, and presently said, Fetch me the shroff and weigh thy money. So she gave me the price of what goods I had gotten for her, and more, and fell to talking freely with me, till I was like to die of joy and delight. Presently she asked me, hast thou a wife? And I answered, No, indeed, I have never known woman, and began to shed tears. Quoth she, why weepest thou? Quoth I, it is nothing.

Then, giving the eunuch some of the gold pieces, I begged him to be go-between in the matter, but he laughed and said, She is more in love with thee than thou with her. She hath no occasion for the stuff she hath bought of thee, and did all this only for love of thee. So ask of her what thou wilt, and she will deny thee nothing. When she saw me giving the dinars to the eunuch,

she returned and sat down again, and I said to her, Be charitable to thy slave, and pardon him what he is about to say. Then I told her what was in my mind, and she assented and said to the eunuch, Thou shalt carry my message to him, adding to me, and do thou whatso the eunuch bideth thee.

Then she got up and went away, and I paid the merchants their monies, and they all profited, but as for me, regret at the breaking off of our intercourse was all my gain, and I slept not the whole of that night. However, before many days passed, her unit came to me, and I entreated him honourably, and asked him after his mistress. Truly, she is sick with love of thee, he replied, and I rejoined, tell me who and what she is.

Quoth he, the Lady Zubaira, queen-consort of Haru Na-Rashid, brought her up as a reeling, and hath advanced her to be stewardess of the Harim, and gave her the right of going in and out of her own sweet will. She spoke to her lady of thee, and begged her to marry her to thee, but she said, I will not do this till I see the young man, and if he be worthy of thee, I will marry thee to him. So now we look for the moment to smuggle thee into the palace, and if thou succeed in entering privily, thou wilt win thy wish to wed her. But if the affair get when the Lady Zubairah will strike off thy head. What say'st thou to this? I answered, I will go with thee and abide the risk whereof thou speakest. Then said he, as soon as it is night, go to the

mosque built by the Lady Zubida on the Tigris, and pray the night prayers, and sleep there. With love and gladness, cried I. So at nightfall I repaired to the mosque where I prayed and passed the night. With the earliest dawn, Behold, came sundry eunuchs in a skiff with a number of empty chests, which they deposited in the mosque. Then all of them went their ways but one, and looking curiously at him I saw he was our go-between. Presently in came the handmaiden, my mistress,

walking straight up to us, and I rose to her and embraced her while she kissed me and shed tears. We talked a while, after which she made me get into one of the chests, which she locked upon me. Presently the other units came back with a quantity of packages, and she fell to stowing them in the chests,

which she locked down one by one, till all were shut. When all was done, the eunuchs embarked the chests in the boat, and made for the Lady Zubida's palace. With this, thought began to beset me, and I said to myself, verily thy lust and wantonness will be the death of thee,

and the question is, after all, shalt thou win to thy wish or not. And I began to weep, boxed up as I was in the box, and suffering from cramp. And I prayed Allah that he deliver me from the dangerous strait I was in, whilst the boat gave not over going on till it reached the palace gate, where they lifted out the chests, and amongst them that in which I was. Then they carried them in, passing through a troop of eunuchs, guardians of the Harim, and of the ladies behind the curtain, till they came to the post of the eunuch in chief, who started up from his slumbers and shouted to the damsel, What is in those chests? They are full of wares for the Lady Zubaira. Open them, one by one,

that I may see what is in them. And wherefore wouldst thou open them? Give me no words, and exceed not in talk. These chests must and shall be opened. So saying he sprang to his feet, and the first which they brought to him to open was that wherein I was, and when I felt his hands upon it, my senses failed me, and I be pissed myself in my funk, the water running out of the box. Then, said she to the eunuchin-chief, O steward, thou wilt cause me to be killed, and thyself too, for thou hast damaged goods worth ten thousand dinars. This chest contains coloured dresses, and four-gallon flasks of Zem-Zem-Water, and now one of them hath got unstoppered, and the water is running out over the clothes, and it will spoil their

colours. The eunuch answered, Take up thy boxes, and get thee gone to the curse of God. So the slaves carried off all the chests, including mine, and hastened on with them, till suddenly I heard the voice of one say, Alak and alack, the Caliph! The Caliph! When that cry struck mine ears, I died in my skin, and said a saying which never yet shamed the sayer. There is no majesty and there is no might, saving Allah, the glorious, the great. I, and only I, have brought this calamity upon myself. Presently I heard the Caliph say to my mistress, A plague on thee, what is in those boxes?

And she answered, Dresses for the Lady Zubida, Whereupon he, open them before me. When I heard this, I died my death outright and said to myself, By Allah, today is the very last of my days in this world. If I come safe out of this I am to marry her and no more words, but detection stares me in the face, and my head is as good as stricken off. Then I repeated the profession of faith, saying,

There is no God but the God, and Muhammad is the apostle of God. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day, and ceased to say, her permitted say. End of Section 19 The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 1, Section 20. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Section 20, Volume 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night,

by Sir Richard Burton. When it was the 28th night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the young merchant continued as follows. Now, when I testified, I bear witness that there is no God save thee God, I heard my mistress, the handmaid, declare to the Caliph, These chests, O commander of the faithful,

have been committed to my charge by the Lady Zubairaida, and she doth not wish their contents to be seen by anyone. No matter, quoth the Caliph. Needs must they be opened. I will see what is in them. And he cried aloud to the eunuchs. Bring the chests here before me. At this I made sure of death,

without benefit of a doubt, and swooned away. Then the eunuchs brought the chests up to him one after another, and he fell to inspecting the contents. But he saw in them only otters and stuffs, and fine dresses, and they ceased not opening the chests, and he ceased not looking to see what was in them, finding only clothes and such matters, till none remained unopened, but the box in which I was boxed. They put forth their hands to open it, but my mistress the handmaid, made haste, and said to the Caliph, This one shalt thou see only in the presence of the Lady Zubairaida,

for that which is in it is her secret. When he heard this he gave orders to carry in the chests, so they took up that wherein I was, and bore it with the rest into the Harim, and set it down in the midst of the saloon, and indeed my spittle was dried up for very fear. Then my mistress opened the box, and took me out, saying, Fear not, no harm shall be tied thee now, nor dread, but broaden thy breast and strengthen thy heart, and sit thee down till the Lady Zubida come, and surely thou shalt win thy wish of me. So I sat down, and after a while in came ten handmaidens, virgins like moons, and ranged themselves in two rows, five facing five,

and after them twenty other damsels, high-bosomed virginity, surrounding the Lady Zubaira who could hardly walk for the weight of her raiment and ornaments. As she drew near, the slave-girls dispersed from around her, and I advanced and kissed the ground between her hands. She signed to me to sit, and, when I sat down before her chair, she began questioning me of my forbearers and family and condition, to which I made such answers that pleased her, and she said to my mistress,

Our nurturing of thee, O damsel, hath not disappointed us. Then she said to me, Know that this handmaiden is to us even as our own child, and she is a trust committed to thee by Allah. I again kissed the ground before her, well pleased that I should marry my mistress, and she bade me abide ten days in the palace. So I abode there ten days,

during which time I saw not my mistress, nor anybody save one of the concubines, who brought me the morning and evening meals. After this the Lady Zubair took counsel with the Caliph on the marriage of her favourite handmaid, and he gave her leave, and assigned to her a wedding portion of ten thousand gold pieces. So the Lady Zubida took her.

Lady Zubairdha sent for the Qazi and witnesses, who wrote our marriage contract, after which the women made ready sweetmeats and rich viands, and distributed them among all the odours of the Harim. Thus they did other ten days, at the end of which time my mistress went to the baths. Meanwhile they set before me a tray of food whereon were various meats, and among those dishes, which were enough to daze the wits, was a bowl of cumin ragu containing chicken's breasts fricandoed and flavoured with sugar pistachios musk and rose water. Then by Allah fair sirs I did not long hesitate, but took my seat before the ragu and fell to and ate of it till I could no more.

After this I wiped my hands but forgot to wash them and sat till it grew dark when the wax canals were lighted and the singing women came in with their tambourines and proceeded to display the bride in various dresses and to carry her in procession from room to room all round the palace, getting their palms crossed with gold. Then they brought her to me and disrobed her. When I found myself alone with her on the bed, I embraced her, hardly believing in our union.

But she smelt the strong odours of the ragu upon my hands, and forthwith cried out with an exceedingly loud cry, at which the slave-girls came running to her from all sides. I trembled with alarm, unknowing what was the matter, and the girls asked her, what aileth thee, oh, our sister. She answered them, Take this madman away from me. I had thought he was a man of sense. Quoth I to her, what makes thee think me mad? Quoth she, thou madman, what made thee eat of cummin ragu, and forget to wash thy hand? By Allah, I will recall. quite thee for thy misconduct. Shall the like of thee come to bed with the like of me with unclean hands?

Then she took from her side a plaited scourge, and came down with it on my back and the place where I sit, till her forearms were benumbed, and I fainted away from the much beating. When she said to the handmaids, take him and carry him to the chief of police, that he may strike off the hand, wherewith he ate of the cummin ragu, and which he did not wash. When I heard this, I said, There is no majesty and there is no might, save in Allah. Wilt thou cut off my hand because I ate of a cumin ragu and did not wash? The handmaidens also interceded with her, and kissed her hand, saying,

Oh, our sister, this man is a simpleton, punish him not for what he hath done this nonce. But she answered, by Allah, there is no help but that I dock him of somewhat, especially the offending member. Then she went away And I saw no more of her for ten days During which time she sent me meat and drink by a slave girl Who told me that she had fallen sick of the smell of the Kumin Raghu After that time she came to me and said

Oh black of face I will teach thee how to eat Kumin Ragoo without washing thy hands Then she cried out to the handmaids who pinioned me And she took a sharp razor and cut off my thumbs and great toes even as you see, O fair assembly. Thereupon I swooned away, and she sprinkled some powder of healing herbs upon the stumps, and when the blood was stanched, I said,

Never again will I eat of cumin ragu without washing my hands 40 times with potash, and 40 times with gallengale, and 40 times with soap, and she took of me an oath, and bound me by a covenant to that effect. When, therefore, you brought me the cummint, in ragu. My colour changed and I said to myself, it was this very dish that caused the cutting off of my thumbs and great toes, and when you forced me, I said, needs, must I fulfil the oath I have

sworn. And what befell thee after this? asked those present, and he answered, when I swore to her, her anger was appeased, and I slept with her that night. We abode thus a while, till she said to me one day. Verily, the palace of the Caliph is not a pleasant place for us to live in, and none ever entered it save thyself, and thou only by grace of the Lady Zubairaida. Now she hath given me fifty thousand dinars, adding, take this money and go out and buy us a fair dwelling-house. So I fared forth, and bought a fine and spacious mansion, whither she removed all the wealth she owned, and what riches I had gained in stuffs and costly rarities. such is the cause of the cutting off of my thumbs and great toes we at continued the reeve and were returning to our homes when there befell me with the hunchback that thou wottest of

this then is my story and peace be with thee quoth the king this story is on no wise more delectable than the story of the hunchback nay it is even less so and there is no help for the hanging of the whole of you then came forward the jewish physician and kissing the ground said, Oh, King of the Age, I will tell thee in history more wonderful than that of the hunchback. Tell on, said the King of China. So he began the tale of the Jewish doctor. Right marvellous was a matter which came to pass to me in my youth. I lived in Damascus of Syria studying my art, and one day, as I was sitting at home, behold, there came to me a Mamaluk from the household of the Saib, and said to me, Speak with my lord. So I followed him to the Viceroy's house,

and entering the great hall, saw at its head a couch of cedar plated with gold, whereon lay a sickly youth, beautiful with all, fairer than he one could not see. I sat down by his head and prayed to heaven for a cure, and he made me a sign with his eyes, so I said to him, O my lord, favour me with thy hand, and safety be with thee.

Then he put forth his left hand, and I marvelled thereat and said, By Allah, strange that this handsome youth, the son of a great house, should so lack good manners. This can be nothing but pride and conceit. However, I felt his pulse and wrote him a prescription, and continued to visit him for ten days, at the end of which time he recovered, and went to the hamam, whereupon the viceroy gave me a handsome dress of honour, and appointed me superintendent of the hospital which he had. in Damascus. I accompanied him to the baths, the whole of which they had kept private for his

accommodation, and the servants came in with him and took off his clothes within the bath, and when he was stripped I saw that his right hand had been newly cut off, and this was the cause of his weakliness. At this I was amazed and grieved for him. Then, looking at his body, I saw on it the scars of scourge stripes, whereto he had applied unguents. I was troubled at the sight, and my concern appeared in my face. The young man looked at me, and comprehending the matter, said, O physician of the age, marvel not at my case. I will tell thee my story as soon as we quit the baths.

Then we washed, and returning to his house, ate somewhat of food, and took rest a while, after which he asked me, What sayest thou to solacing thee by inspecting the supper-hall? And I answered, So let it be. thereupon he ordered the slaves to carry out the carpets and cushions required and roast a lamb and bring us some fruit they did his bidding and we act together he using the left hand for the purpose after a while i said to him now tell me thy tale o physician of the age replied he hear what befell me know that i am of the sons of mosle where my grandfather died leaving nine children of whom my father was the eldest

All grew up and took to them wives, but none of them was blessed with offspring except my father, to whom providence vouchsafed me. So I grew up amongst my uncles who rejoiced in me with exceeding joy till I came to man's estate. One day, which happened to be a Friday, I went to the Cathedral Mosque of Mosul with my fathers and my uncles, and we prayed the congregational prayers,

after which the folk went forth, except my father and uncles, who sat talking of wondrous things in foreign parts, and the marvellous sights of strange cities. At last they mentioned Egypt, and one of my uncle said, Travelers tell us that there is not on earth's face ought fairer than Cairo and her Nile, and these words made me long to see Cairo. Quoth my father, Whoso hath not seen Cairo, hath not seen the world, her dust is golden, and her Nile are miracle-holden, and her women are as whore is fair,

puppets, beautiful pictures, her houses are palaces rare, her water is sweet and light, and her mud a commodity, and a medicine beyond compare, even as said the poet in this his poetry. The Nile flood this day is the gain you own, you alone in such gain and bounties wone,

the Nile is my tear-flood of severance, and here none is forlorn but i alone moreover temperate is her air and with fragrance blent which surpasseth allowswood in scent and how should it be otherwise she being the mother of the world and allah favour him who wrote these lines and i quit cairo and her plezance's where can i when to find so gladsome ways shall i desert that sight whose grateful sense joy every soul and call for loudest praise, where every palace as another Eden, carpets and cushions richly wrought displays, a city wooing sight and sprite to glee, where saint meets sinner,

and each joys his craze. Where friend meets friend by Providence United, in greeny garden and in parmy maze, people of Cairo, and by Allah's doom, I fare with you in thoughts I wone always Whisper not Cairo in the ear of Zephyr Lest for her like of garden scents he reave her And if your eyes saw her earth

And the adornment thereof with bloom And the purfling of it with all manner blossoms And the islands of the Nile And how much is therein of widespread and goodly prospect And if you bent your sight upon the Abyssinian pond your glance would not revert from the scene quit of wonder, for nowhere would you behold the fellow of that lovely view, and indeed the two arms of the Nile embrace most luxuriant verger,

as the white of the eye encompasseth its black, or like filigreed silver surrounding Chrysolites. And divinely gifted was the poet, who there anent said these couplets. By the Abyssinian pond, O day divine, in morning twilight and in sunny shine The water prisoned in its verdurous walls Like sabre flashes before shrinking ine

And in the garden sat we while it drains Slow draught with purfled sides Died finest fine The stream is rippled by the hands of clouds We too are rippling on our rugs recline Passing pure wine And whoso leaves us there Shall ne'er arise from fall

his woes design, draining long draughts from large and brimming bowls, administering thirsts only medicine, wine. And what is there to compare with the Rassad, the observatory, and its charms, whereof every viewer, as he approacheth, saith, verily this spot is specialised with all manner of excellence? And if thou speak of the knight of Nile full, give the rainbow and distribute it. And if thou behold the garden at even tide,

with the cool shades sloping far and wide, a marvel thou wouldst see, and wouldst incline to Egypt in ecstasy, and wert thou by Cairo's riverside when the sun is sinking, and the stream dons, mailcoat, and Habijon over its other vestments, thou wouldst be quickened to new life by its gentle zephyrs, and by its all-sufficient shame, So spakey, and the rest fell to describing Egypt and her Nile.

As I heard their accounts, my thoughts dwelt upon the subject, and when, after talking their fill, all arose and went their ways, I lay down to sleep that night. But sleep came not because of my violent longing for Egypt, and neither meat pleased me nor drink. After a few days my uncles equipped themselves for a trade journey to Egypt, and I wept before my father till he made ready for me fitting merchandise, and he consented to my going with them,

saying, however, let him not enter Cairo, but leave him to sell his wares at Damascus. So I took leave of my father, and we fared forth from Mosul, and gave not over-travelling till we reached Aleppo, where we halted certain days. Then we marched onwards till we made Damascus, and we found her a city as though she were a paradise, abounding in trees and streams and birds and fruits of all kinds.

We alighted at one of the Karns, where my uncles tarried a while selling and buying, and they bought and sold also on my account, each dirham turning a profit of five on prime cost, which pleased me mightily. After this they left me alone, and set their faces Egyptwards, whilst I abode at Damascus, where I had hired from a jeweller for two dinars a month, a mansion whose beauties would beggar the tongue. Here I remained, eating and drinking, and spending what monies I had in hand, till one day, as I was sitting at the door of my house,

behold, there came a young lady, clad in costliest raiment, never saw my eyes richer. I winked at her, and she stepped inside without hesitation, and stood within. I entered with her, and shut the door upon myself and her, whereupon she raised her face veil, and threw off her mantilla, when I found her like a pictured moon of rare and marvellous loveliness,

and love of her got hold of my heart. So I rose, and brought a tray of the most delicate eatables and fruits, and what so befitted the occasion, and we at and played, and after that we drank till the wine turned our heads. Then I lay with her the sweetest of nights, and in the morning I offered her ten gold pieces, when her face lowered, and her eyebrows wrinkled, and shaking with wrath, she cried,

"'Fire upon thee, oh, my sweet companion, dost thou deem that I covet thy money?' Then she took out from the bosom of her shift, fifteen dinars, and laying them before me, said, By Allah, unless thou take them, I will never come back to thee. So I accepted them, and she said to me, Oh, my beloved, expect me again in three days' time, when I will be with them. thee between sunset and supper-tide, and do thou prepare for us with these dinars the same entertainment as yesternight? So saying she took leave of me and went away, and all my senses went with her. On the third day she came again, clad in stuff, weft with gold wire, and wearing raiment and ornaments finer than before. I had prepared the place for her ere she arrived, and the repast

was ready. So we ate and drank and lay together as we had done, till the morning, when she gave me other fifteen gold pieces, and promised to come again after three days. Accordingly I made ready for her, and at the appointed time she presented herself more richly dressed than on the first and second occasions, and said to me, Oh my lord, am I not beautiful? Yea by allah thou art, answered I, and she went on, Wilt thou allow me to bring with me a young lady fairer than I, and younger in years, that she may play with us, and thou and she may laugh, and make merry, and rejoice her heart, for she hath been very sad this long time past, and hath asked me to take her out,

and let her spend the night abroad with me. Yay, by Allah, I replied, and we drank till the wine turned our heads, and slept till the morning, when she gave me other fifteen dinars, saying, add something to thy usual provision on account of the young lady who will come with me. Then she went away, and on the fourth day I made ready the house as usual, and soon after sunset, behold, she came accompanied by another damsel, carefully wrapped in her mantilla. They entered and sat down, and when I saw them, I repeated these verses.

How dear is our day and how lucky our lot! when the cynics away with his tongue malign. When love and delight and the swimming of head Send cleverness trotting, the best boon of wine, When the full moon shines from the cloudy veil And the branchlet sways in her greens that shine, When the red rose mantles in freshest cheek, And Narcissus opeth his lovesick e'en,

When pleasure with those I love is so sweet, When friendship with those I love is, is complete. I rejoiced to see them and lighted the candles after receiving them with gladness and delight. They doffed their heavy outer dresses, and the new damsel uncovered her face. When I saw that she was like the moon at its full, never beheld I aught more beautiful. Then I rose and set meat and drink before them, and we ate and drank, and I kept giving mouthfuls to the newcomer, crowning her cup and drinking with her till the first damsel, waxing inwardly jealous, asked me, by Allah, is she not more delicious than I?

Where too I answered, aye, by the Lord! It is my wish that thou lie with her this night, for I am thy mistress, but she is our visitor. Upon my head be it and my eyes. Then she rose and spread the carpets for our bed, and I took the young lady, and and lay with her that night till morning, when I awoke and found myself wet, as I thought, with sweat. I sat up and tried to arouse the damsel, but when I shook her by the shoulders, my hand became crimson with blood, and her head rolled off the pillow. Thereupon my senses fled, and I cried aloud, saying, Oh, all-powerful protector, grant me thy protection. Then, finding her neck had been severed, I sprung up, and the world waxed black before my

eyes, and I looked for the lady my former love, but could not find her. So I knew that it was she who had murdered the damsel in her jealousy, and said, There is no majesty, and there is no might, saving Allah the glorious the great. What is to be done now? I considered a while, then, doffing my clothes, dug a hole in the middle of the courtyard, wherein I laid the murdered girl with her jewellery and golden ornaments, and throwing back the earth on her. And throwing back the earth on her, replaced the slabs of the marble pavement. After this I made the Rusal, or total ablution, and put on pure clothes. Then, taking what money I had left, locked up the house and summoned courage, and went to its owner to whom I paid a year's rent, saying, I am about to join my

uncles in Cairo. Presently I set out, and journeying to Egypt, foregathered with my uncles, who rejoiced in me, and I found that they had made an end of selling their merchandise. They asked me, What is the cause of thy coming? And I answered, I longed for a sight of you, but did not let them know that I had any money with me.

I abode with them a year enjoying the pleasures of Cairo and her Nile and squandering the rest of my money in feasting and carousing till the time drew near for the departure of my uncles when I fled from them and hid myself. They made inquiries and sought for me,

but hearing no tidings they said, he will have gone back to Damascus. When they departed, I came forth from my hiding-place and abode in Cairo three years, until naught remained of my money. Now every year I used to send the rent of the Damascus house to its owner, until at last I had nothing left but enough to pay him for one year's rent, and my breast was straightened.

So I travelled to Damascus, and alighted at the house, whose owner, the jeweller, was glad to see me, and I found everything locked up as I had left it. I opened the closets and took out my clothes and necessaries, and came upon beneath the carpet bed, whereon I had lain that night with the girl who had been beheaded, a golden necklace set with ten gems of passing beauty. I took it up and cleansing it of the blood,

sat gazing upon it and wept a while. Then I bowed in the house two days, and on the third I entered the hum-arm and changed my clothes. I had no money by me now, so Satan whispered temptation to me that the decree of destiny be carried out. Next day I took the jewelled necklace to the bazaar, and handed it to a broker, who made me sit down in the shop of the jeweller, my landlord, and bade me have patience till the market was full, when he carried off the ornament and proclaimed it for sale, privily, and without my knowledge.

The necklace was priced as worth two thousand dinars, but the broker returned to me and said, This collar is of copper a mere counterfeit after the fashion of the Franks, and a thousand dirhams have been bidden for it. Yes, I answered, I knew it to be copper, as we had it made for a certain person that we might mock her. Now my wife hath inherited it, and we wish to sell it, so go and take over the thousand dirhams.

And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the 29th night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the beautiful youth said to the broker, Take over the thousand dirhams, And when the broker heard this, he knew that the case was suspicious. So he carried the collar to the syndic of the bazaar,

and the syndic took it to the governor, who was also prefect of police, and said to him, falsely enough, This necklet was stolen from my house, and we have found the thief in trader's dress. So, before I was aware of it, the watch got round me, and making me their prisoner, carried me before the governor,

who questioned me of the collar. I told him the tale I had told to the broker, but he laughed and said, These words are not true. Then, before I knew what was doing, the guards stripped off my clothes, and came down with palm rods upon my ribs, till for the smart of the stick I confessed,

"'It was I who stole it,' saying to myself, "'it is better for thee to say I stole it "'than to let them know that its owner was murdered in thy house, "'for then would they slay thee to avenge her?' "'So they wrote down that I had stolen it, "'and they cut off my hand and scalded the stump in oil, "'when I swooned away for pain. "'But they gave me wine to drink, and I recovered,

"'and taking up my hand was going to my fine house, "'when my landlord said to me, me, Inasmuch o my son, as this hath befallen thee, thou must leave my house, and look out for another lodging for thee, since thou art convicted of theft. Thou art a handsome youth, but who will pity thee after this? Oh, my master, said I, bear with me but two days or three, till I find me another place. He answered, so be it, and went away and left me. I returned to the house where I sat weeping and saying, How shall I go back to me? my own people with my hand locked off, and they know not that I am innocent. Perchance, even after

this, Allah may order some matter for me. And I wept with exceeding weeping, grief beset me, and I remained in sore trouble for two days. But on the third day my landlord came suddenly into me, and with him some of the guard, and the syndic of the bazaar, who had falsely charged me with stealing the necklet. I went up to them and asked, what is the matter? However, they pinioned me without further parley, and threw a chain about my neck, saying, The necklace which was with thee, hath proved to be the property of the wazir of Damascus, who is also her viceroy. And they added, It was missing from his house three years ago, at the same time as his younger daughter. When I heard these words, my heart sank within me,

and I said to myself, Thy life is gone beyond a doubt. By Allah, needs must have. I tell the chief my story, and, if he will, let him kill me, and if he please, let him pardon me. So they carried me to the Wazir's house, and made me stand between his hands. When he saw me, he glanced at me, out of the corner of his eye, and said to those present, Why did ye lop off his hand? This man is unfortunate, and there is no fault in him. Indeed, ye have wronged him in cutting off his hand. When I heard this I took home. I took and my soul, presaging good, I said to him, by Allah, O my lord, I am no thief, but they calumniated me with a vile calumny, and they scourged me midmost the market, bidding me confess,

till, for the pain of the rods, I lied against myself and confessed the theft, albeit I am altogether innocent of it. Fear not, quoth the viceroy, no harm shall come to thee. Then he ordered the syndic of the bazaar to be imprisoned and said to him, Give this man the blood money for his hand, and if thou delay, I will hang thee and seize all thy property. Moreover he called to his guards, who took him and dragged him away, leaving me with the chief. Then they loosed, by his command, the chain from my neck,

and unbound my arms, and he looked at me and said, O my son, be true with me, and tell me how this necklace came to thee. And he repeated, verses truth best befits thee albeit truth shall bring thee to burn on the threatened fire by Allah my lord answered I I will tell thee nothing but the truth then I related to him all that had passed between me and the first lady and how she had brought me the second and had slain her out of jealousy and I detailed for him the tale to its full when he heard my story, he shook his head and struck his right hand upon the left, and putting his kerchief over his

face, wept a while, and then repeated, I see the woes of the world abound, and the welding sick with spleen and teen, there's one who the meeting of two shall part, and who part not are few and far between. Then he turned to me and said, No, O my son, that the elder damsel who first came to thee was my daughter whom I used to keep closely guarded. When she grew up, I sent her to Cairo, and married her to her cousin, my brother's son. After a while he died, and she came back, but she had learnt wantonness and ungraciousness from the people of Cairo, so she visited thee four times, and at last brought her younger sister.

now they were sisters german and much attached to each other and when that adventure happened to the elder she disclosed her secret to her sister who desired to go out with her so she asked thy leave and carried her to thee after which she returned alone And finding her weeping, I questioned her of her sister, but she said, I know nothing of her. However, she presently told her mother privily of what had happened, and how she had cut off her sister's head, and her mother told me. Then she ceased not to weep and say, By Allah, I shall cry for her till I die. Nor did she give over mourning till her heart broke and she died, and things fell out after that fashion. See then, O my son, what hath come to pass. And now I desire thee not to thwart me

in what I am about to offer thee, and it is that I purpose to marry thee to my youngest daughter, for she is a virgin and born of another mother. And I will take no dower of thee, but, on the contrary, will appoint thee an allowance, and thou shalt abide with me in my house in the stead of my son. So be it, I answered, and how could I hope for such good for Then he sent at once for the Karzzi and witnesses, and let right my marriage contract with his daughter, and I went into her. Moreover, he got me from the syndic of the bazaar, a large sum of money, and I became in high favour with him. During this year news came to me that my father was dead, and the wazir dispatched a courier, with letters bearing the royal sign manual, to fetch me the money which my father had left.

behind him, and now I am living in all the solace of life. Such was the manner of the cutting off of my right hand. I marvelled at his story, continued the Jew, and I abode with him three days, after which he gave me much wealth, and I set out and travelled eastward till I reached this your city, and the sojourn suited me right well, so I took up my abode here, and there befell me what thou knowest with the hunchback. thereupon the king of china shook his head and said this story of thine is not stranger and more wondrous and marvellous and delectable than the tale of the hunchback and so needs must i hang the whole number of you

however there yet remains the tailor who is head of all the offence and he added o taylor if thou canst tell me anything more wonderful than the story of the hunchback i will pardon you all your offences Thereupon the man came forward and began to tell the tale of the tailor. End of Section 20. Section 21, Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights in a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a Libravox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Librevox.org.

Recording by Melissa. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night Section 21 No, O King of the Age that most marvellous was that which befell me but yesterday, before I foregathered with the hutchback, it so chanced that in the early day I was at the marriage feast of one of my companions, who had gotten together in his house some twenty of the handistcraftmen of the city, amongst them tailors and silk-spinners and carpenters, and others of the same kidney. As soon as the sun had risen they set food before us that we might eat, when behold the master of the house entered, and with him a foreign youth and well-favored of the people of Baghdad,

wearing clothes as handsome as handsome could be, and he was of right, comely presence, save that he was lame of one leg. He came and saluted us, and we stood up to receive him. But when he was about to sit down, he espied amongst us a certain man which was a barber, whereupon he refused to be seated and would have gone away. But we stopped him, and our host also stayed him, making oath that he should not leave us and asked him, What is the reason of thy coming in and going out again what once? Whereunto he answered, By Allah, O my lord, do not hinder me,

For the cause of my turning back is yon barber of bad omen, Yon black a face, yon ne'er do well. When the housemaster heard these words, He marvelled with extreme marvel and said, How comeeth this young man who haileth from Baghdad To be so troubled and perplexed about this barber? Then we looked at the stranger and said, Explain the cause of thine anger against the barber.

"'Oh, fair companion,' quoth the youth, "'there befell me a strange adventurer with this barber in Baghdad, "'which is my native city. "'He was the cause of the breaking of my leg and of my lameness, "'and I have sworn never to sit in the same place with him, "'nor even Terry in any town where he happens to abide, "'and I have bid an adieu to Baghdad and have travelled far from it "'and came to stay in this your city,

"'yet I have hardly passed one night before I meet him again. "'But not another day shall go by ere I fare forth from here, said we to him allah upon thee tell us the tale and the youth replied the barber changing colour from brown to yellow as he spoke no o fair company that my father was one of the chief merchants of bagdad and almighty allah had blessed him with no son but myself When I grew up and reached man's estate, my father was received into the mercy of Allah, whose name be exalted, and left me money and eunuchs, servants and slaves, and I used to dress well and diet well. Now Allah has made me a hater of womankind, and one day, as I was walking along a street in Baghdad, a party of females met me face to face in the footway, so I fled from them, and entering an alley which was no thoroughfare, sat down upon a stone bench at its other end.

I had not sat there long before the latticed window of one of the house's opposite was thrown open, and there appeared at it a young woman, as she were the full moon at its fullest. Never in my life saw I her like, and she began to water some flowers on the window-sill. She turned right and left, and seeing me watching her, shut the window, and went away. Thereupon fire was suddenly encindled in my heart, my mind was possessed with her, and my woman hate turned to woman love. continued sitting there lost to the world till sunset when low the kazi of the city came riding by with his slaves before him and his eunuchs behind him and dismounting into the house in which the damsel had appeared by this i knew that he was her father so i went home sorrowful and cast myself upon my carpet-bed in grief then my handmaids flocked in and sat about me unknowing what ailed me but i addressed no speech to them and they wept and wailed over me presently in came an old woman who looked at me and saw with a glance what was the matter

with me. So she by my head spoke me fair, saying, Oh, my son, tell me all about it, and I will be the means of thy union with her. So I related to her what had happened, and she answered, Oh, my son, this one is the daughter of the Kazi of Baghdad, who keepeth her in the closest seclusion, and the window where thou sawest her as her as her floor, whilst her father occupies the large saloon in the lower story. She is often there alone, and I am wont to visit at the house, so thou shalt not win to her safe through me. Now set thy wits to work and be of good cheer.

With these words she went away, and I took heart at what she said, and my people rejoiced that day, seeing me rise in the morning safe and sound. By and by the old woman returned, looking chopped fallen, and said, Oh, my son, do not ask me how I fared with her. When I told her that, she cried to me, If thou hold not thy peace, O'gavilled omen, and leave not such talk, I will entreat thee as thou deservest, and do thee die by the fallest of deaths. but needs must I have at her a second time.

When I heard this I added ailment to my ailment, and the neighbors visited me, and judged that I was not long for this world, but after some days the old woman came to me, and putting her mouth close to my ear, whispered, Oh, my son, I claim from thee the gift of good news. With this my soul returned to me, and I said, whatever thou wilt shall be thine. Thereupon she began, yesterday I went to the young lady who, seeing me broken in spirit and shedding tears from red-and-eyized asked me, "'Oh, nante, mine, what ails thee, "'that I see thy breast so straightened?'

And I answered her weeping bitterly, "'Oh, my lady, I am just come from the house of the youth who loves thee, "'and is about to die for sake of thee.' "'Quoth she, and her heart was softened, "'and who is this youth of whom thou speakest?' "'And quoth I, he is to me as the sun and fruit of my vitals. "'He saw thee some days ago at the window, "'wiring thy flowers, and spying thy face and wrists,

he fell in love at first sight i let him know what happened to me the last time i was with thee whereupon his ailment increased he took to the pillow and he is not now but a dead man and no doubt whatever of it at this she turned pale and asked all this for my sake and i answered i by allah what wouldst thou have me do said she go back to him and greet him for me and tell him that i am twice more heart-sick than he and on friday before the hour of public prayer bid him here to the house and i will come down and open the door for him then i will carry him up to my chamber and foregather with him for a while and let him depart before my father returned from the mosque when i heard the old woman's words all my sickness suddenly fell from me and my anguish ceased my heart was comforted i took off what clothes were on me and gave them to her and as she turned to go she said keep a good heart i have not a jot of sorrow left i replied my household and inmates rejoiced in my recovery and i abode thus till friday when behold the old woman came in and asked me how i did to which i answered that i was well and in good case then i donned my clothes and perfumed myself and sat down to await the congregation going into prayers that i might betake myself to her but the old woman said to me thou hast time and despair so thou wouldst do well to go to the haman and have thy hair shaven off especially after thy ailment, so as not to show traces of sickness. "'This were the best way,' answered I. "'I have just now bathed in hot water, but I will have my head shaved.'

Then I said to my page, "'Go to the bazaar and bring me a barber, a discreet fellow, and one that inclined to meddling or impertent curiosity, or likely to split my head with his excessive talk. The boy went at once and brought back with him this wretched old man, this chika of ill omen. When he came in he saluted me, and I returned to his, salutation, then quoth he,

Of a truth I see thee thin of body, Then quoth I, I have been ailing. He continued, Allah drive away from thee thy woe and thy sorrow and thy trouble in thy distress. Alah grant thy prayer, said I, he pursued, all gladness to thee, O my master, for indeed recovery has come to thee, dost thou wish to be pulled or to be blutted?

Indeed, it was a tradition of Ibn Abbas. Alla except of him, that the apostle said, Whoso cuteth his hair on a Friday, the Lord shall avert from him three score and ten calamities, and again is related of him also that he said, cupping on a Friday, keepeth from loss of sight and a host of diseases. Leave this talk, I cried. Come, shave my head at once, for I can't stand it. So he rose, and put forth his hand in most leisurely way, and took out a kerchief and unfolded it, and low, it contained it an astrolabe with seven parallel plates mounted in silver. Then he went to the

middle of the court, and raised head and instrument toward the sun's rays, and looked for a long while. When this was over, he came back and said to me, know that there have elapsed of this day, which be Friday, and this Friday be the tenth of the month, so far, in the six hundred and fifty-third years since the Hejira, or flight of the apostle, on whom be the bestest of blessings and peace, and the seven thousand three hundred and twentieth year of the era of Alexander, eight degrees and six minutes. Furthermore, the ascendant of this our day is, according to the exactest, of computation, the planet Mars, and it so happeneth that Mercury is in conjunction with him, denoting an auspicious moment for haircutting, and this also maketh manifest to me that thou

desire's union with a certain person, and that your intercourse will not be propituous. But after this there occureth a sign respecting a matter which will befall thee, and whereof I will not speak. O thou cried I, by all of thou weariest me, and scatterest my wits, and thy forecastest other than good. I sent for thee to pall my head, and naught else, so up and shave me and prolong not thy speech. By Allah replied he, If thou but knew what was to befall thee,

thou wouldst do nothing this day, and I counsel thee to act as I tell thee by computation of the constellations. By Allah said I, never did I see a barber who excelled in judicial astrology save thyself. But I think, and I know, that thou art most prodigal of frivolous talk.

I sent for the only to shave my head, but thou comest and pestarest me me with this sorry prattle. What more wouldst thou have? replied he, Allah half bountously bestowed while Nia Barber, who is an astrologer, one learned in alchemy and white magic, syntax, grammar, and lexicology, the arts of logic, rhetoric, and education, mathematics, arithmetic, and algebra, astronomy, astronomy, astronomy, and geometry, theology, the traditions of the apostles, and the commentaries of the Quran.

Furthermore, I have read books galore and digested them and have had experiences of affairs and comprehended them. In short, I have learned the theoret and the practice of all the arts and sciences. I know everything of them by rote, and I am a past master in Tota del Rcibly. Thy father loved me for my lack of officiousness, Argyll, to serve thee is a religious duty incumbent on me. I am no busy body as thou seemest to suppose, and on this account I am known as the silent man, also the modest man. Wherefore it behooves thee to render thanks to Allah Almighty and not cross me, for I am a true counsellor to thee, and benevolently minded towards thee. Would that I were in thy service a whole year that thou might stoop me justice, and I would ask thee no

wage for all this. When I heard his flow of words, I said to him, doubtless thou will be my death this day. And Scheherazade perceived the dawn of Tay, and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the thirtieth night, she said, it hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the young man said to the barber, thou certainly will be the death. of me this very night. O master, mine, replied he, I am he, the silent man, by reason of the fewness of my words to distinguish me from my six brothers. For the eldest is called Al-Bak-Bak-Babbler, the Prattler, the third, Al-Fakik,

the gabbler, the fourth. His name is Al-Kuz al-Aswani, the long-necked gugglet, from his eternal chattering. The fifth is Al-Nashar, the tatler and taill-teller. the sixth, Shaka Shik, or many clamors, and the seventh is famous as Al-Samit, the silent man, and this is my noble self. Whilst he re-doubled his talk, I thought my gall-bladder would have burst, so I said to the servant, give him a quarter to-nar and dismiss him, and let him go for me in the name of God who made him. I won't have my head shaved to-day.

What words be these, oh, my lord, cried he, by Allah, I will accept no higher of thee till I have served thee and have ministered to thy wants, and I care not if I never to take money of thee. Thou know not my quality, I know thine, and I owe thy father an honest man, on whom Allah Almighty have mercy many a kindness, for he was a liberal soul and a generous. By Allah, he sent for me one day, as it were this blessed day, and I went in to him, and found a party of his intimates about him. Quoth he to me, let me blood. So I pulled out my astrolabe, and taking the son's altitude for him, I ascertained that the ascendant was inauspicious in the hour unfavorable for brooding. I told him of this, and, and he told him of this, and

and he did according to my bidding, and awaited a better opportunity. So I made these lines in honour of him. I went to my patron some blood to let him, but found that the moment was far from good, so I sat and talked of all strangenesses, and with jests and jokes his good will I wooed. They pleased him and cried he, O man of wit, thou hast proved thee perfect and merry mood. Quoth I, O thou lord of men, save thou, lend me art and wisdom, I am foo and wood. in thee gather gray spoon bounty salvety and i gared on the world with lore science and gravity thy father was delighted and cried out to the servant give him in hundred and three gold pieces with a robe of honour the man obeyed his orders and i awaited an auspicious moment when i blotted him and he did not balk me nay he thanked me and i was also thanked and praised by all present when the bloodletting was over i had no power to keep silence and asked him by Allah, O my lord, what made thee say to the servant, give him a hundred and three dinars?

And he answered, when denar was for the astrological observation, another for thy pleasant conversation, the third for the phlebotomization, and the remaining hundred in the dress were for thy verses in my commendation. May Allah show small mercy to my father, exclaimed I, for knowing the like of thee. He laughed and ejaculated. There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the apostle of God. glory to him that changeth and has changed not. I took thee for a man of sins, but I see thou babblest and dotest for illness. Allah hath said in the blessed book, Paradise is prepared for the godly, who bridle their anger and forgive men, and so forth, and in any case thou wert excused.

Yet I cannot conceive the cause of thy hurry and flurry, and thou must know that thy father and thy grandfather did nothing without consulting me, and indeed it hath been said truly enough, let the advisor be prized, and there is no vice in a advice, and it also said in certain saws, whoso hath no counsellor elder than he, will never himself an elder be. And the poet says, whatever needful thing thou undertake, consult the experienced, and contrar him not. And indeed thou shalt never find a man better versed in affairs than I, and I am here standing on my feet to serve thee. I am not vexed with thee, why shouldst thou be vexed with me? But whatever happened I will bear patiently with thee in memory of the much kindness as thy father shewed me. By allah cried I, O thou with tongue long as the tail of a jackass, thou persistest in pestering me with thy prate, and thou'lt comest more longsome in thy long speeches,

when all I want of thee is to shave my head and wind thy way. Then he lathered my head, saying, I perceive thou art vexed with me, but I will not take it ill of thee, for thy wit is weak, and thou art but a laddie. It was only yesterday I used to take thee on my shoulder and carry thee to school. Oh, my brother, said I, for all his sake, do what I want, and go thy gate, and I rent my garments. When he saw me do this, he took the razor, and fell to sharpening it, and gave not overstrapping it, until my senses were well-nigh leaving me. Then he came up to me, and shaved part of my head, then he held his hand, and then he said, O my lord, haste is Satan's gate, whilst patience is of all of the compassionate. But thou, my master, I can thou know is not my rank,

for verily this hand alighted upon the heads of kings and emirs and wazirs and sages and doctors learned in the law and the poets of one like me all crafts are like necklaces strong on a string but this barber's the union pair of the band however all craftsman he ranketh and why the heads of the kings are under his hand then said i do leave off talking about what concerneth thee not indeed thou hast strained my breast and distracted my mind quoth he meseemeth thou art a hasty man, and quoth I, Yes, yes, yes! And he, I read thee patience, restraint of self, For haste is Satan's Pelf which bequeatheth only repentance and ban and bane, and he,

upon whom all blessings and peace, hath said, The best of works is that wherein deliberation lurks. But I, by Allah, have some doubt about thine affair, and so I should like thee to let me know what it is thou art in such haste to do, for I fear me it is other than good.

Then he continued, it wenteth three hours yet to prayer-time but i do not wish to be in doubt upon this matter nay i must know the moment exactly for truly a guest-shot in times of doubt oft brings harm about especially on the like of me a superior person whose merits are famous amongst mankind at large and it does not befit me to talk at random as do the common sort of astrologers so saying he threw down the razor and taking up the astrolabe went forth under the sun and stood there a long time after which he returned and counting on his finger said to me, there remains still to prayer-time, three full hours incomplete, neither more nor yet less, according to the most learned, astronomicals, and the wisest makers of almanacs. Allah upon thee, cried I, hold thy tongue with me, for thou breakest my liver in pieces. So he took the razor, and after sharpening it as before, and shaving other two hairs of my head, he again held his hand and said, I am concerned about thy hastiness, and indeed thou wouldst do well

to let me know the cause of it, twere the better for thee, as thou knowest that neither thy father nor thy grandfather ever did a single thing safe by my advice. When I saw that there was no escape from him, I said to myself, the time for prayer draws near, and I wish to go to her before the folk

come out of the mosque. If I am delayed much longer, I know not how to come to her. Then said I aloud, Be quick and stint this talk in impertinence, for I have to go to a party at the house of some of my intimates. when he heard me speak of the party he said this thy day is a blessed day for me in very sooth it was but yesterday i invited a company of my friends and i have forgotten to provide anything for them to eat this very moment i was thinking of it alas how i shall be disgraced in their eyes be not distressed about this matter answered i have i now told thee that i am bidden to an entertainment this day so everything in my house eatable and drinkable shall be thine if thou wilt only get through thy work and make haste to shave my head he replied all i requite thee with good specified to me what is in thy house for my guests that i may beware of it quoth i five dishes of meat and tin chickens with red in breasts and a roasted lamb set them before me quoth he that i may see them

so i told my people to buy borrow or steal them and bring them in anyways and had all this set before him when he saw it he cried the wine is wanting and i replied i have a flag in or two of good old grape-juice in the house and he said have it brought out so i sent for it and he exclaimed allah bless thee for that generous disposition but there are still the essences and perfumes so i bade them set before him a box containing nod the best of compound perfumes together with fine lin aloes amber grease and musk unmixed the whole worth fifty dinar now the time waxed straight and my heart straightened with it so i said to him take it all and finish shaving my head by the life of mohammed whom allah bless and keep by allah said he i will not take it till i see all that is in it so he bade the page open the box and the barber lay down the astrolabe leaving the greater part of my head unpole and sitting on the ground turned over the scents and incense and allow woods and essences until i was not well-nigh distraught then he took the razor and coming up to me shaved off some few hairs and repeated these lines the boy like his father shall surely grow as the tree from its parent root shall grow then said he by allah o my son i know not whether to thank thee or thy father for my entertainment this day is all due to thy bounty and beneficence and although none of my company be worthy of it yet i have a set of honourable men to wit zantoo to the bath-keeper and sallai the corn-chandler and silat the bean-seller and akrashaw the greengrocer and huamid the scavenger and sa'id the camelman and suaied the porter and abu macarish the bath-man and cassim the watchman and karim the groom there is not a monk in the whole of them a bore or a bully in his cups nor meddler nor miser of his money and each and every hath some dance which he danceth and some of his own couplets which he caroleth and the best of them is that like thy servant thy slave here they know not what much talking is nor what forwardness means

bath-keeper sings to the tom-tom a song which enchance and he stands up and dances in chance i am going o mammy to fill up my pot as for the corn-chandler he brings more guilt with than any. He dances and sings, O keen or, oh, sweetheart, thou fell is not short, and leaves no one's vital sound for laughing at him. But the scavenger sings so that the birds stop to listen to him, and dances and sings, news my wife wats is not locked in a box, and he hath privilege, for tis a shrewd rogue and a witty, and speaking of his excellence I am wont to say. My life for the scavenger write well

I love him, like a waving bow he is sweet to my sight, fate joined us one night when to him quoth i the while i grew weak and love gained more might thy love burns my heart and no wonder quoth he when the drawer of dung turns a stoke or white and indeed each is perfect and whatsoever can charm the wit with joy and jollity adding presently but hearing is not seeing and indeed if thou make'st up thy mind to join us and put off going to thy frids twill be better for us and for thee the traces of illness are yet upon thee and happily thou art going among folk who be mighty talkers, men who commune together of what concerneth them not, or there may be amongst them some forward fellow who will split thy head, and thou half thy size from sickness. This shall be for some other day, answered I, and laughed with heart angered. Finish thy work and go, in all as almighty guard to my thy friends, for they will be expecting thy coming. Oh, my lord, replied he, I seek only to introduce thee to these fellows of infinite

mirth, sons of men of worth, amongst whom there is neither procasity, nor desacity, nor loquacity, for neither, since I grew to years of discretion, could I endure to consort with one who asketh questions concerning what concerneth him not, nor have I ever frequented any, save those who are, like myself, men of few words. In sooth, if thou were to company with them, or even to see them once, thou wouldst forsake all thy intimates. all of fulfil thy joyance with them said i needs must i come amongst them some day or other but he said would it were this very day for i had set my heart upon thy making one of us yet if thou must go to thy friends to-day i will take these good things wherewith thou haste and favoured me to my guests and leave them to eat and drink and not wait for thee whilst i will return to thee in haste and accompany thee to thy little party for there is no ceremony between me and my intimates to prevent me leaving them

thee are not i will soon be back with thee and wind with thee whithersoever thou witnessed there is no majesty and there is no might save in all of the glorious the great i shouted go thou to thy friends and make merry with them and do let me go to mine and be with them this day for they expect me but the barber cried i will not let thee go alone and i replied the truth is none can enter where i am going save myself he rejoined i suspect that to-day thou art for an assignation with some woman else thou hadst taken me with thee yet i am the right man to take one who could aid thee to the end thou wishest but i fear me thou art running after strange women and thou wilt lose thy life for in this our city of bagdad one cannot do anything in this line especially on a day like friday our governor is an angry man and of a mighty sharp blade shame on thee thou wicked bad old man cried i be off what words are theeest thou givest me o cold of wit cried he thou sayest to me what is not true and thou hideest thy mind from me but i know the whole business for certain and i seek only to help thee this day with my best endeavour i was fearful lest my people or my neighbors should hear the barber's talk so i kept silence for a long time whilst he finished shaving my head by which time the hour of prayer was come and the kataba or sermon was about to follow when he had done i said to him go to thy friends with their meat and drink and i will await their return then we will fare together in this way i hope to pour oil and troubled waters and to trick the accursive loon so happily i might get rid of him but he said thou art causating me and thou wilt go alone to thy appointment and cast myself into jeopardy whence there will be no escape for thee now by allah and again by allah do not go until i return that i may accompany thee and watch the issue of thine affair so be it i replied do not be long absent then he took all the meat and drink i had given him and the rest of it and went out of my house but the accursed carl gave it in charge of a porter to carry to his home but hid himself in one of the alleys as for me i rose on the instant for the muazins had already called the salam of friday the salute to the apostle

and i dressed in haste and went out alone and hurrying to the street took my stand by the house wherein i had seen the young lady i found the old woman on guard at the house awaiting me and went up with her to the upper story the damsel's apartment hardly had i reached it when behold the master of the house returned from prayers and entering the grand saloon closed the door i looked down from the window and saw this barber allah's curse upon him sitting over against the door and said how did this devil find me out this very moment as allah had decreed it for rending my veil of secrecy so happened that a handmaid of the housemaster committed some offence for which he beat her she shrieked on and his slave ran into intercede for her whereupon the kazi beat him to boat and he also roared out the damned barber fancied that it was i who was being beaten so he also fell to shouting and tore his garments and scattered dust on his head and kept on shrieking and crying help help so the people came round about him and he went on yelling my master is being murdered in the kazi's house then he went clamoring to my place with the folk after him and told my people and servants and slaves and before i knew what was doing up they came tearing their clothes and letting loose their hands and then he went clamoring to my people and servants and slaves and before i knew what was doing up they came tearing their clothes and letting loose their hands her and shouting, "'Alas, our master!' And this barber leading the route with his clothes rent and in sorriest plight, and he also shouting like a madman and saying,

"'Alas for our murdered master!' And they all made an assault upon the house in which I was. The cosy, hearing the yells, and the uproar at his door, said to one of his servants, "'See what is the matter?' And the man went forth and returned and said, "'Oh, my master, at the gate there are more than ten thousand souls with what men and women and all crying out, alas for our murdered master, and they keep pointing to our house. When the cause he heard this, the matter seemed serious, and he waxed wroth. So he rose,

and opening the door, saw a great crowd of people, whereat he was astounded and said, O folk, what is there to do? Oh, accursed, oh dog, oh hog, my servants replied, tis thou who hast killed our master, quoth he, O good folk, and what hath your master done to me that I should kill him? And Scheherazade perceived the dawn of day, and ceased saying her permitted say when it was the thirty-first night she said it hath reached me o auspicious king that the causey said to the servants what hath your master done to me that i should kill him this is my house and it is open to you all then quoth the barber thou didst beat him and i heard him cry out and quoth the causey but what was he doing that i should beat him and what brought him into my house and whence came he and whither winty be not a wicked perverse old man cried the barber for I know the whole story, and the long and short of it is that thy daughter is in love with him, and he loves her, and when thou knewest that he entered the house, thou abatest thy servants beat him, and they did so. By all an end shall judge between us and Nibeth the Caliph. Else do thou bring out our master that his folk may take him, before they go in and save him perforce from thy house, and thou be put to shame. Then sit the causey, his tongue was bridled, and his mouth was stooped by confusion before the people. And thou saith sooth, do thou come in and fetch him out. whereupon the barber pushed forward and entered the house when i saw this i looked about for a means of escape and flight but saw no hiding-place except a great chest in the upper chamber where i was so i got in and pulled the lid down upon myself and held my breath

the barber was hardly in the room before he began to look about for me then turned him right and left and came straight to the place where i was and stepped up to the chest and lifting it on his head made off as fast as he could at this my reason forsook me for i knew that i knew that the right and left and he had stepped up to the chest and lifting it on his head made off as fast as he could at this my reason forsook me for i knew that he would not let me be so i took courage and opening the chest threw myself to the ground my leg was broken in the fall and the door being open i saw a great concourse of people looking in now i carried in my sleeve much gold and some silver which i had provided for an ill day like this and in the like of such occasion so i kept scattering it amongst the folk to divert their attention from me and whilst they were busy scrambling for it i set off hopping as fast as i could through the by-street streets of baghdad sifting and turning right and left but whithersoever i went the damned barber would go in after me crying aloud they would have bereft me of my master they would have slain him who was a benefactor to me and my family and my friends praise be allah who made me prevail against them and delivered my lord from their hands then to me where wilt thou go now thou wast persist in following thine own evil devices till thou broughtest thyself to this evil pass and had not all about safe me to thee, ne'er hadst thou escaped the strait into which thou hast fallen, for they would have cast thee into a calamity whence thou never couldst have won free. But I will not call thee to account for thine ignorance, as thou art so little of wit, and inconsequential and addicted to hastiness.

Said I to him, Doth not what thou hast brought upon me suffice thee, but thou must run after me and talk me such talk in the bizarre streets, and I will and I gave up the ghost for excess of rage against him. Then I took refuge in the shop of a weaver, my middlemost of the market and sought protection of the owner who drove the barber away, and sitting in the back room I said to myself, If I return home, I shall never be able to get rid of this curse of a barber, who will be with me night and day, and I cannot endure the sight of him, even for a breathing space. So I sent out at once for witnesses and made a will,

dividing the greater part of my property among my people, and appointed a guardian over them, to whom I committed the charge of great and small, directing him to sell my house as and domains. Then I sat out on my travels that I might be free of this pimp, and I came to settle in your town where I have lived some time. When you invited me and I came hither, the first thing I saw was the succursed pander seated in the place of honor. How, then, can my heart be glad and my stay be pleasant, and company with this fellow who brought all this upon me, and who was the cause of the breaking of my leg and of my exile from home in native land, and the youth refused to sit down and win away. When we heard his story, continued the tailor,

we were amazed beyond measure and amused and said to the barber, By Allah, is it true what this young man saith of thee? By Allah replied he, I dealt thus by him of my courtesy and sound sense and generosity. Had it not been for me, he had perished, and none but I was the cause for his escape. Well, it was for him that he suffered in his leg and not in his life. Had I been a man of many words, a meddler, and a busy body, I had not acted thus kindly by him. But now I will tell you a tale which befell him.

me, that you may be well assured, I am a man sparing of speech in whom is no forwardness, but a very different person from those six brothers of mine, and this it is. And so began the barber's tale of himself. End of Section 21 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, recording by Melissa. Section 22, Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a Librevox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain.

For more information or to volunteer, please visitlibrovox.org. Recording by Calm Dragon The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 22. The Barber's Tale of Himself I was living in Baghdad during the times of Al-Mustan-Sir Bala, son of Al-Mustazi Bala, then the Caliph, a prince who loved the poor and needy, accompanied with the learned and pious.

One day it happened to him that he, he was wrothed with ten persons, highwaymen who robbed on the Caliph's highway, and he ordered the prefect of Baghdad to bring them into the presence on the anniversary of the great festival. So the prefect sallied out, and, making them as prisoners, embarked with them in a boat. I caught sight of them as they were embarking and said to myself, These are surely assembled for a marriage feast. Methinks they are spending their day in the boat eating and drinking. And none shall be companion of their cups but I and myself.

So I rose, oh, fairly assembled, and, of the excess of my courtesy and the gravity of my misunderstanding, I embarked with them and entered into conversation with them. They rode across to the opposite bank, where they landed, and there came upon the watch and the guardians of the peace with chains, which they put round the robber's necks. They chained me among the rest of them, and, oh, people, it is not a proof of my courtesy and spareness of speech that I held my peace and did not please to speak. Then they took us away in Bilbo's, and next morning carried us all before Al-Mustansur-Belah, commander of the faithful, who bade smite the necks of the ten robbers.

So the sworder came forward, after they were seated on the leather of blood, then drawing his blade, struck off one head after another until he had smitten the neck of the tenth, and I alone remained. The Caliph looked at me, and asked the headsmen, saying, What ails thee that thou hast struck off only nine heads? And he answered, Allah forbush. forbid that I should behead only nine, when thou biddest me behead ten, quote the caliph. Me seems thou hast smitten the necks of only nine, and this man before thee is the tenth.

By thy benefistness, replied the headsman, I have beheaded ten. Count them, cried the caliph, and when as they counted heads low, there were ten. The caliph looked at me and said, What made thee keep silence at a time like this, and how cameest thou to company with these men of blood? Tell me the cause of all this, for I'll bet thou art a very old man, assuredly thy wits are weak. Now when I heard these words from the caliph, I sprang to my feet and replied, No, O Prince of the faithful, that I am the silent sheikh, and am thus called to distinguish me

from my six brothers. I am a man of immense learning whilst, as for the gravity of my understanding, the wildness of my wits, and the spareness of my speech, there is no end of them, and my calling is that of a barber. I went out early on yesterday morning and saw these men making for a skiff, and, fancing they were bound for a marriage feast, I joined them and mixed with them. After a while up came the watch in the guardians of the peace, who put chains round their necks and round mine with the rest, but, in the excess of my courtesy, I held my peace and spack

not a word, nor was this other but generosity on my part. They brought us into thy presence, and thou gavest an order to smite the necks of the ten. yet did I not make myself known to the end remain silent before this order, purely of my great generosity and courtesy which led me to share with them and their death. But all my life long have I dealt thus nobly with mankind, and they requite me the foulest and evilest requital. When the Caliph heard my words, and knew that I was a man of exceeding generosity and of very few words, when in which is no forwardness, as this youth who would have it, whom I rescued from mortal risk, and who hath so scurvely repaid me. He laughed with excessive laughter till he fell upon his

back. Then said he to me, O silent man, do thy six brothers favor thee in wisdom and knowledge and spareness of speech? I replied, never were they like me. Thou put us reproach upon me, O commander of the faithful, and it becomes thee not to even my brothers with me. For, of the abundance of their speech and their deficiency of courtesy and gravity, each one of them hath gotten some maim or other. One is monocular, another palsied, a third stone blind, a fourth cropped of ears and nose, and a fifth shorn of both lips,

while the sixth is a hunchback and a cripple. And conceive not, O commander of the faithful, that I am a prodigal of speech, but I must preforce explain to thee that I am a man of greater worth and fewer words than any of them. From each one of my brothers hangs a tale of how he came by his bodily defect, and these I will relate to thee. So the Caliph gave ear to the barber's tale of his first brother.

Then know, O commander of the faithful, that my first brother Al-Bak-Book, the Prattler, is a hunchback who took to tailoring in Baghdad, and he used to sew in a shop hired from a man of much wealth, who dwelt over the shop, and there was also a flour mill in the basement. One day, as my brother, the hunchback, was sitting in his shop a tailoring, he chanced to raise his head and saw a lady like the rising full moon at a balconied window of his landlord's house, engaged in looking out at the passers-by. When my brother beheld her, his heart was taken with love of her, and he passed his whole day gazing at her and neglected his tailoring till even-tide.

Next morning he opened his shop and sat him down to sew, but, as often as he stitched a stitch, he looked to the window and saw her as before, and his passion and infatuation for her increased. On the third day as he was sitting in his usual place gazing on her, she caught sight of him and, perceiving that he had been captivated with love of her, laughed in his face, and he smiled back at her. Then she disappeared and presently sent her slave girl to him with a bundle containing a piece of red coward silk. The handmaiden accosted him and said, my lady salameth to thee, and desireeth thee of thy skill and good will, to fashion for her,

a shift of this piece, and to sew it handsomely, with thy best sewing. He replied, hearkening and obedience, and shaped for her a chemise, and finished sewing it the same day. When the morning morrowed the girl came back and said to him, My lady Salameth to thee, and asks how that has passed yesternight, for she hath not tasted sleep by reason of her heart being taken up with thee. Then she laid before him a piece of yellow satin and said, My lady biddeth thee cut her two pair of petticoat trousers out of this piece and sew them this very day.

Harkening and obedience, replied he. Greet her for me with many greetings and say to her, Thy slave is obedient to thine order. So command him as thou wilt. Then he applied himself to cutting out and worked hard at sown. the trousers, and after an hour the lady appeared at the lattice and saluted him by signs, now casting down her eyes, then smiling in his face, and he began to assure himself that he would soon make a conquest. She did not let him stir till he had finished the two pair

of trousers, when she withdrew and sent the handmaiden to whom he delivered them, and she took them and went her ways. When it was night he threw himself on his carpet bed and lay tossing about from side to side till morning, when he rose and sat down in his place. Presently the damsel came to him and said, My master calleth for thee, hearing these words he feared with exceeding fear, but the slave girl, seeing his affright, said to him, No evil is meant to thee, not but good awaiteth thee. My lady would have thee make acquaintance with my lord,

so my brother the tailor, rejoicing with great joy, went with her. and when he came into the presence of his landlord, the lady's husband, he kissed the ground before him, and the master of the house returned his greeting and gave him a great piece of linen saying, "'Shap me shirts out of this stuff and sew them well.' And my brother answered, to hear as to obey. Thereupon he fell at work at once, snipping, shaping, and sewing till he had finished twenty shirts by supper-time, without stopping to taste food. The housemaster asked him,

How much the wage for this? And he answered, 20 dirams. So the gentleman cried to the slave girl. Bring me 20 durams, and my brother spak not a word, but the lady signed. Take nothing from him,

whereupon my brother said, By Allah, I will take not from thy hand, and he carried off his tailor's gear and returned to his shop, although he was destitute even to a red scent. Then he applied himself to do their work, eating in his zeal and diligence, but a bit of bread and drinking only a little water for three days.

At the end of this time came the handmaid who said to him, What hast thou done? Quoth he, they are finished, and carried the shirts to the ladies' husbands, who would have paid him for his hire. But he said, I will take nothing for the fear of her, and, returning to his shop, past the night without sleep because of his hunger.

Now the dame had informed her husband how the case stood, my brother knowing not of this, and the two had agreed to make him tailor for nothing, the better to mock and laugh at him. Next morning he went to his shop, and, as he sat there, the handmaid came to him and said, Speak with my master. So he accompanied her to the husband who said to him, I wish thee to cut out for me five long-sleeved robes, so he cut them out and took the stuff and went away.

Then he sowed them and carried them to the gentleman, who praised his sewing and offered him a purse of silver. He put out his hand to take it, but the lady signed to him from behind her husband not to do so, and he replied, Oh my lord, there is no hurry. We have time enough for this. Then he went forth from the house meaner and meeker than a donkey,

for verily five things were gathered together in him. Love, beggary, hunger, nakedness, and hard labor. Nevertheless, he heartened himself with the hope of gaining the lady's favors. When he had made an end of all their jobs, they played him another trick and married him to their slave girl. But on the night when he thought to go into her, they said to him, lie this night in the mill, and tomorrow all will go well. My brother concluded that there was some good cause for this and knighted alone in the mill. Now the husband had set on the miller to make the tailor turn the mill. So when night was half spent, the man came into him and began to say,

this boulevard hath become useless and standeth still instead of going round he will not turn the mill this night and yet we have great store of corn to be ground however i'll yoke him pre-force and make him finish grinding it before morning as the folk are impatient for their flour so he filled the hoppers with grain and going up to my brother with a rope in his hand tied it round his neck and said to him gee up round with the mill thou o bull Woods do nothing but grub and stale and dung. Then he took a whip and laid it on the shoulders and calves of my brother, who began to howl and bellow, but none came to help him, and he was forced to grind the wheat till hard upon dawn. When the housemaster came in and, seeing my brother still tethered to the yoke and the man flogging him, went away.

At daybreak the miller returned home and left him still yoked and half dead, and soon after came the slave-cirl who unbound him, and said to him, I and my lady are right sorry for what hath happened, and we have borne thy grief with thee. But he had no tongue werewith to answer her from excess of beating and mill-turning. Then he retired to his lodging, and behold, the clerk who had drawn up the marriage he'd caped to him and saluted him, saying, Allah give thee long life, may thy espousal be blessed. This face telleth of pleasant doings and dalliance and kissing and clipping from dusk to dawn. Allah grant the liar no peace, or thou thousandfold cuckold, my brother replied,

By Allah I did nothing but turn the mill in the place of the bull all night till morning. Tell me thy tale, quoth he, and my brother recounted what had befallen him, and he said, Thy star agrees not with her star, but in thou wilt I can alter the contract for thee, abiding, where lest another cheat be not in store for thee, and my brother answered him, See if thou have not another contrivance. Then the clerk left him, and he sat in his shop, looking for someone to bring him a job whereby he might earn his day's bread.

Presently the handmaid came to him and said, Speak with my lady. Be gone, O my good girl, replied he, There shall be no more dealings with me and thy lady. The handmaid returned to her mistress and told her what my brother had said, and presently she put her head out of the window, weeping and saying, Why, oh my beloved,

are there to be no more dealings twixt me and thee? But he made her no answer. Then she wept and conjured him, swearing that all of which had befallen him in the mill was not sanctioned by her and that she was innocent of the whole matter. When he looked upon her beauty and loveliness

and heard the sweetness of her speech, the sorrow which had possessed him passed from his heart. He accepted her excuse and he rejoiced in her sight. So he saluted her and talked, with her and sat tailoring a while, after which the handmaid came to him and said, My mistress greeted thee and informeth thee that her husband purposed to lie abroad this night in the house of some intimate friends of his. So, when he is gone, do thou come to us and spend the night with my lady in delight most joyance till the morning? Now her husband had asked her, How shall we manage to turn him away from thee?

And she answered, leave me to play him another trick and make him a laughing-stock for all the town. But my brother knew not of the malice of women. As soon as it was dusk, the slave-girl came to him and carried him to the house, and when the lady saw him, she said to him, By Allah, O my lord, I have been longing exceedingly for thee. By Allah, cried he, kiss me quick before thou give me aught else. Hardly had he spoken when the lady's husband came in from the next room and seized him,

saying, by Allah I will not let thee go till I deliver thee to the chief of the town watch. My brother humbled himself to him, but he would not listen to him, and carried him before the prefect who gave him a hundred lashes with a whip, and mounting him on a camel promenaded him around the city, whilst the garst proclaimed aloud. This is his reward who violate the harems of honorable men. Moreover, he fell off the camel and broke his leg, and so became lame. Then the prefect banished him from the city, and he went forth unknowing whether he should

wind. But I heard of him, and fearing for him, went out after him, and brought him back secretly to the city, and restored him to health, and took him into my house where he still liveeth. The Caliph laughed at my story and said, Thou hast done well, O submit, O silent man, O spare of speech, and he bade me to take a prison and go away. But I said, I will accept not of thee, except I tell thee. thee what befell all my other brothers, and do not think me a man of many words. So the Caliph gave ear to, the barber's tale of his second brother. No, O commander of the faithful,

that my second brother's name was Al-Hadar, that is the babbler, and he was paralytic. Now it happened to him one day, as he was going about his business, that an old woman accosted him and said, Stop a little, my good man, that I may tell thee of somewhat which, if it be to thy liking, thou shalt do for me, and I will pray Allah to give thee good of it. My brother stopped, and she went on. I will put thee in the way of a certain thing, so thou not be prodigal of speech. On with thy talk, quoth he, and she. What saith thou to handsome quarters, and a fair garden with flowering waters,

flowers blooming, and fruit growing, an old wine going, and a pretty young face whose owner, thou mayest embraced from dark till dawn. If thou do whatso I bid thee, thou shalt see something greatly to thy advantage. And is all this in the world? asked my brother, and she answered, yes, and it shall be thine, so thou be reasonable, and leave idle curiosity in many words, and do my bidding. I will indeed, O my lady, said he. How is it thou hast preferred me in this manner before all men? and what is it that so much pleaseth thee in me?

Quoth she, Do I not bid thee be spare of speech, Hold thy peace and follow me. Know that the young lady to whom I shall carry thee, loveth to have her own way and hateeth being thwarted, and all who gainsay. So, if thou humour her, thou shalt come to thy desire of her.

And my brother said, I will not cross her in anything. Then she went on, and my brother followed, her, and hungering after what she described to him till they entered a fine large house, handsome and choicely furnished, full of eunuchs and servants, and showing signs of prosperity from top to bottom. And she was carrying him to the upper story when the people of the house said to him, What dost thou here?

But the old woman answered them, Hold your peace and trouble him not. He is a workman, and we have occasion for him. Then she brought him into a fine great pavilion with a garden in its midst. never I saw a fairer and made him sit upon a handsome couch. He had not sat long, before he heard a loud noise, and in came a troop of slave girls surrounding a lady, like the moon on the night of its fullest.

When he saw her, he rose up and made an obeisance to her, whereupon she welcomed him and bade him be seated. So he sat down and she said to him, Allah advanced thee to honor. Is all well with thee? Oh, my lady, he answered. All with me is right well. Then she bade bring in food,

and they sat before her delicate viands. So she sat down to eat, making a show of affection to my brother and jesting with him. Though all the while she could not refrain from laughing. But as often as he looked at her, she signed towards her handmaidens as though she were laughing at them. My brother, the ass, understood nothing. But, in the excess of his ridiculous passion,

he fancied that the lady was in love with him, and that she would soon grant him his desire. When they had done eating, they sat on the wine, and there came in ten maidens like moons, with lutes ready strung in their hands, and fell to singing with full voices, sweet and sad, whereupon delight got hold upon him, and he took the cup from the lady's hands and drank it standing. Then she drank a cup of wine, and my brother, still standing, said to her, health and bowed to her. She handed him another cup, and he drank it off, when she slapped him hard on the nape of his neck.

Upon this my brother would have gone out of the house in anger, but the old woman followed him and winked to him to return. So he came back, and the lady bade him sit, and he sat down without a word. Then she slapped him on the nape of his neck, and the second slapping did not suffice her. She must needs make all her handmaidens also slap and cut. cuff him, while he kept saying to the old woman, I never saw aught nicer than this.

She on her side ceased not exclaiming, Enough, enough, I conjure thee, oh my mistress, but the woman slapped him till he well-nigh swooned away. Presently my brother rose and went out to obey a call of nature, but the old woman overtook him and said, Be patient a little, and thou shalt win to thy wish. How much longer have I to wait, my brother replied, this slapping hath made me feel faint. as soon as she is warm with wine answered she thou shalt have thy desire so he returned to his place and sat down whereupon all the handmaiden stood up and the lady bade them perfume him with pastiles and besprinkle his face with rose-water then said she to him allah advanced thee to honour thou hast entered my house and hast borne with my conditions for whoso thwarteth me i turn him away and whoso is patient hath his desire O mistress mine said he, I am thy slave, and in the hollow of thine hand.

No, then, continued she, that Allah hath made me passionately fond of frolic, and whoso falleth in my humour cometh by whatso he wisheth. Then she ordered her maidens to sing with loud voices till the whole company was delighted, after which she said to one of them, Take thy lord, and do what is needful for him, and bring him back to me forthright. so the damsel took my brother, and he not knowing what she would do with him. But the old woman overtook him and said, Be patient. There remaineth but little to do. At this his face brightened, and he stood up before the lady,

while the old woman kept saying, Be patient. Thou wilt now at once win to thy wish, till he said, Tell me what she would have the maiden do with me. Nothing but good, replied she, as I am thy sacrifice, she wisheth only to dye thy eyebrows and plug out thy moustachios, Quoth he, as for the dyeing of my eyebrows, that will come off with washing,

but for the plucking out of my moustachios, that indeed is a somewhat painful process. Be cautious how thou cross her, cried the old woman, for she hath set her heart on thee. So my brother patiently suffered her to dye his eyebrows and pluck out his moustachios, after which the maiden returned to her mistress and told her. quoth she, Remaineth now only one other thing to be done. Thou must shave his beard and make him a smooth a face.

So the maiden went back and told him what her mistress had bidden her do. And my brother, the blockhead, said to her, How shall I do what will disgrace me before the folk? But the old woman said, She would do on this wise only that thou mayest be as beardless youth And that no hair be left on thy face to scratch and prick her delicate cheeks. for indeed she is passionately in love with thee, so be patient and thou shalt attain thine object.

My brother was patient and did her bidding, and let shave off his beard, and, when he was brought back to the lady low, he appeared dyed red as to his eyebrows, plucked of both mustachios, shorn of his beard, rouged on both cheeks. At first she was affrightened at him.

Then she made mockery of him, and, laughing till she fell upon her back, said, O my lord, thou hast indeed won my heart by thy good nature. Then she conjured him, by her life. To stand up and dance, and he arose and capered about, and there was not a cushion in the house, but she threw it at his head, and in like manner did all her women,

who also kept pelting him with oranges and lemons and citrons till he fell down senseless from the cuffing on the nape of the neck, the pillowing and the fruit pelting. Now thou hast attained thy wish, the old woman when he came around. There are no more blows in store for thee, and there remaineth but one little thing to do. It is her want, when she is in her cups,

to let no one have her until she put off her dress and trousers and remain stark naked. Then she will bid thee off thy clothes and run, and she will run before thee as if she were flying from thee, and do thou follow her from place to place till thy prickle stands at fullest point, when she will yield to thee. Adding,

strip off thy clothes at once. So he rose, well nigh lost in ecstasy, and doffing his raiment, showed himself mother naked, and Shah Razad perceived the dawn of day, and ceased to say her permitted say, when it was the thirty-second night. She said, it had reached me, O auspicious king, that when the old woman said to the barber's second brother,

doff thy clothes, he rose well-nigh lost in ecstasy. and stripping off his raiment, showed himself mother naked. Whereupon the lady stripped also and said to my brother, If thou want anything, run after me till thou catch me. Then she set out at a run, and he ran after her while she rushed into room after room and rushed out of room after room. My brother scampering after her in a rage of desire like a veritable madman, with yard standing terribly tall.

After much of this kind she dashed into a darkened placed, and he dashed after her. But suddenly he trod upon a yielding spot, which gave way under his weight. And, before he was aware where he was, he found himself in the midst of a crowded market, part of the bizarre of the leather sellers, who were crying the prices of skins and hides and buying and selling. When they saw him in his plight, naked, with standing yard, shorn of beard and mustachios, with eyebrows dyed red, and cheeks ruddyed with rouge, they shouted and clapped their hands at him, and set to flogging him with skins upon his bare body,

till a swoon came over him. Then they threw him on the back of an ass and carried him to the chief of police. Quote the chief, what is this? Quoth they, this fellow fell suddenly upon us out of the wazir's house in this state. So the prefect gave him a hundred lashes and then banished him from Baghdad. However, I went out after him, and brought him back secretly into the city and made him a daily allowance for his living, Although, were it not for my generous humor, I could not have put it with the like of him.

Then the Caliph gave ear to the barber's tale of his third brother. My third brother's name was Al-Fa-Kick, the gabbler, who was blind. One day fate and fortune drove him to a fine, large house, and he knocked at the door, desiring speech of its owner that he might beg somewhat of him, quote the master of the house, Who is at the door, but my brother spake not a word, and presently he heard him repeat with a loud voice. Who is this?

Still he made no answer, and immediately heard the master walk to the door, and open it and say, What dost thou want? My brother answered, something for Allah Almighty's sake. Are thou blind? asked the man, and my brother answered,

Yes, quote the other. Stretch me out thy hand, so my brother put out his hand and thinking that he would give him something, but he took it, and drawing him into the house, carried him up from stair to stare till they reached the terrace on the house top. My brother thinking in the while that he would surely give him something of food or money.

Then he asked my brother, What dost thou want, O blind man? And he answered, something for almighty's sake. Allah open for thee some other door. O thou, why not say so when I was below stairs? O cadger, why not answer me when I first called to thee? And what meanest thou to do for me now? There is nothing in the house to give thee.

Then take me down the stair. The path is before thee. So my brother rose and made his way downstairs till he came within twenty steps of the door. When his foot slipped and he rolled to the bottom and broke his head. Then he went out, unknowing whether to turn, and presently fell in with two other blind men,

companions of his, who said to him, What dost thou gain today? He told him what had befallen him and added, Oh, my brothers, I wish to take some of the money in my hands and provide myself with it. Now the master of the house had followed him and was listening to what they said, but neither my brother know his comrades knew of this,

so my brother went to his lodging and sat down to await his companions, and the houseowner entered after him without being perceived. When the other blind men arrived, my brother said to them, bolt the door and searched the house, lest any stranger have followed us. The man, hearing this, caught hold of a cord that hung from the ceiling, and clung to it, whilst they went to it, whilst they went round about the house and searched but found no one. So they came back, and sitting beside my brother,

brought out their money which they counted, and low, it was twelve thousand durams. Each took what he wanted, and they buried the rest in a corner of the room. Then they sat on food and sat down to eat. Presently my brother, hearing a strange pair of jaws munching by his side, said to his friends, there is a stranger among us, and putting forth his hand caught hold of the housemaster. Thereupon all fell on him and beat him, and when tired of belaboring him, they shouted, O ye Muslims, a thief has come into us, seeking to take our money.

A crowd gathered around them whereupon the intruder hung on to them, and complained with them as they complained, and, shutting his eyes like them, so that none might doubt his blindness cried out, O Muslims, I take refuge with Allah and the governor, for I have a matter to make known to him. Suddenly up came the watch, and laying hands on the lot, my brother being amongst them, drove them to the governors who set them before him and asked, What news with you? Quote the intruder, look and find out for thyself. Not a word shall be wrung from us, save by torture. So begun by beating me, and after me beat this man our leader,

and he pointed to my brother. So they threw the man at full length and gave him 400 sticks on his backside. The beating pained him, whereupon he opened one eye, and as they redoubled their blows, he opened the other eye. When the governor saw this, he said to him, What have we here, O accursed? Whereatue replied, give me the seal-ring of pardon. We four has sham blind, and we impose upon people that we may enter houses and look upon the unveiled faces of the women and contrive for their corruption. In this way we have gotten great pain, and our store amounts to twelve thousand dirams. So I said to my company, give me my share three thousand, but they rose and beat me and took away my money, and I seek refuge with Allah and with thee.

Better thou have my share than they. So, if thou wouldst knoweth the truth of my words, beat one and every one of the others more than thou hast beaten me, and he will surely open his eyes. The governor gave orders for the question to begin with my brother, and they bound him to the whipping post, and the governor said, O scum of the earth, do ye abuse the gracious gifts of Allah and make as if he were blind. Allah, Allah, cried my brother. By Allah, there is none among us who can see.

Then they beat him till he swoon away, and the governor cried, Leave him till he come to, and then beat him again. After this he caused each of the companions to receive more than 300 sticks. Whilst the sham Abraham kept saying to them, Open your eyes, or you will be beaten afresh. At last the men said to the governor, Dispatch someone with me to bring thee the money, for these fellows will not open their eyes lest they incur disgrace before the folk.

So the governor sent to fetch the money and gave the man his pretended share. 3,000 dirams, and, keeping the rest for himself, banished the three blind men from the city. But I, O commander of the faithful, went out, and overtaking my brother, questioned him of his case, whereupon he told me of what I have told thee. So I brought him secretly into the city and appointed him in the strictest privacy, an allowance for meat and drink. The Caliph laughed at my story and said, Give him a gift and let him go.

But I said, by Allah, I will take not till I have made known to the commander of the faithful what came to pass with the rest of my brothers, for truly I am a man of few words and spare of speech. Then the Caliph gave ear to, the barber's tale of his fourth brother. Now, as for my fourth brother, O Commander of the Faithful,

Alkozal Swanee, or the long-neck, a-goglis, at height from his brimming over with words, the same one who was blind of one eye. He became a butcher in Baghdad, and he sold flesh and fattened rams, and great men and rich bought their meat of him, so that he amassed much wealth, and he got him cattle in houses. He fared thus a long while till one day, as he was sitting in his shop. There came up an old man, and long of the beard, who laid down some silver and said, give me meat for this. He gave him his money's worth of flesh, and the ulster went his ways. My brother examined the sheikh silver, and, seeing that the dirams were white and bright,

he set them in a place apart. The graybeard continued to return to the shop regularly for five months, and my brother ceased not to lay up all the coin he received from him in its own box. At last he thought to take out the money to buy sheep, so he opened the box. So he opened the box and found it nothing save bits of white paper cut round to look like coin. So he buffeted his face and cried aloud till the folk gathered about him, whereupon he told him his tale which made them marvel exceedingly. Then he rose as was his want, and slaughtering a ram, hung it up inside his shop, after which he cut off some of the flesh, and hanging it outside kept saying to himself, O Allah, would the ill-omened old fellow but come,

and an hour had not passed before the Sheikh came with his silver in hand, whereupon my brother rose and got hold of him calling out. Come hate me, old Muslims, and learn my story with this villain. When the old man heard this, he quietly said to him, Which will be the better for thee? To let go of me, or to be disgraced by me amidst the folk. In what wilt thou disgrace me? in that thou sellest man's flesh for mutton.

Thou liest, thou accursed. Nay, he is the accursed, who hath a man hanging up by way of meat in his shop. If the matter be as thou sayeth, I give thee lawful leave to take my money and my life. Then the old man cried aloud, O ye people, if you would prove the truth of my words, enter this man's shop.

The folk rushed in and found that the ram was become a dead man hung up for sale. So they said upon my brother, crying out, O infidel, O villain, and his best friends fell to cuffing and kicking him and kept saying, Dost thou make us eat flesh of the sons of Adam? Furthermore, the old man struck him on the eye and put it out. Then they carried the carcass with the throat cut before the chief of the city watch, to whom the old man said.

O emir, this fellow butcher's men, and sells their flesh for mutton, and we have brought him to thee. so arise and execute the judgments of Allah to whom be honor and glory. My brother would have defended himself, but the chief refused to hear him and sentenced him to receive 500 sticks, and to forfeit the whole of his property. And, indeed, had it not been for that same property which he expended in bribes, they would have surely slain him. Then the chief banished him from Baghdad, and my brother fared forth that adventure,

till he came to a great town where he thought it best to set up as a cobbler. So he opened a shop and sat there doing what he could for his livelihood. One day, as he went forth on his business, he heard the distant tramp of horses, and, asking the cause, was told that the king was going out to hunt and course. So my brother stopped to look at the fine suite. It's so fortunate that the king's eye met my brothers, whereupon the king hung down his head and said,

I seek refuge with Allah from the evil of this day, and turned the reins of his steed and returned home with all his retinue. Then he gave orders to his guards, who seized my brother and beat him with a beating so painful that he was well-nigh dead, and my brother knew not what could be the cause of his maltreatment, after which he returned to his place in sorry's plight. Soon afterwards he went to one of the king's household and related what happened to him,

and the man laughed till he fell upon his back and cried, O brother mine, know that the king cannot bear to look at a monocular, especially if he be blind of the right eye, in which case he does not let him go without killing him. When my brother heard this, he resolved to fly from that city, so he went forth from it to another, wherein no one knew him, and there he abode a long while. One day, being full of sourful thought for what had befallen him,

he sallied out to Solis himself, and as he was walking along he heard the distant, trap of horses behind him and said, The judgment of Allah is upon me, and looked about for a hiding place, but found none. At last he saw a closed door which he pushed hard. It yielded, and he entered a long gallery in which he took refuge.

But hardly had he done so when two men set upon him crying out, Allah be thanked for having delivered thee into our hands, O enemy of God, these three knights thou hast robbed us of our rest and sleep, and verily thou hast made us taste of the death cup, my brother asked o folk what ails you and the answer thou givest us the change and goest about to disgrace us and planest some plot to cut the throat of the house-master it is not enough that thou hast brought him to beggary thou and thy fellows but now give us up the knife wherewith thou threatenest us every night then they searched him and found in his waist-belt the knife used for his shoe-leather and he said o people have the fear of allah before your eyes and maltreat me not for know that my story is a right strange.

And what is thy story? Said they. So he told them what had befallen him, and hoping they would let him go. However, they paid no heed to what he said, and, instead of showing him some regard, beat him grievously and tore off his clothes. Then, finding on his sides the scars of beating with rods,

they said, O, accursed, these marks are the manifest signs of thy guilt. They carried him before the governor, whilst he said to himself, I am now punished for my sins, and none can deliver me save Allah Almighty. The governor addressing my brother asked him, O villain, what led thee to enter their house

and with intention to murder? And my brother answered, I conjure thee by Allah, O Emir, hear my words, and be not hasty in condemning me. But the governor cried, Shall we listen to the words of a robber who hath beggar these people, and who bereth on his back the scyreth,

scar of his stripes, adding, they surely had not done this to the, say, for some great crime. So he sentenced him to receive, an hundred cuts with the scourge, after which they set him on a camel and paraded him about the city proclaiming, this is the requital, and only too little to requite him, who breaketh into people's houses. Then they thrust him out of the city, and my brother wandered at random, till I heard what had befallen him, and, going in search of him, questioned him of his case, so he acquainted me with his story and all his mischances, and I carried him secretly to the city, where I gave him an allowance for his meat and drink. Then the Caliph gave ear to The Barber's Tale of His Fifth Brother.

End of Section 22 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. Recording by Calm Dragon.net Volume 1 of The Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a Librevox recording. All Libravox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Librevox.org. Recording by Peter Yearsly The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 23.

The Barber's Tale of His Fifth Brother. My fifth brother, Al Nashar, the babler, the same who was cropped of both ears, O commander of the faithful, was an asker won't to beg of folk by night and live on their arms by day. Now, when our father, who was an old man, well-stricken in years, sickened and died, he left us seven hundred dirhams, whereof each son took his hundred. But as my fifth brother received his portion, he was perplexed, and knew not what to do with it. While in this uncertainty he bethought him to lay it out on glassware of all sorts, and turn an honest penny on its price.

So he brought an hundred diram's worth of verottery, and putting it into a big tray, sat down to sell it, on a bench at the foot of a wall against which he lent back. As he sat with the tray before him, he felt amusing, and said to himself, No, O my good self, that the head of my wealth, my principal invested in this glassware, is an hundred dirams. I will assuredly sell it for two hundred, with which I will forthright by other glass, and make buy it four hundred. Nor will I cease to sell and buy on this wise till I have gotten four thousand, and soon find

myself the master of much money. With these coins I will buy merchandise and jewels and otahs, and gain great profit on them, Still, allah willing, I will make my capital an hundred thousand dirams. Then I will purchase a fine house with white slaves and eunuchs and horses, and I will eat and drink and disport myself, nor will I leave a singing man or a singing woman in the city, but I will summon them to my palace and make them perform before me." All this he counted over in his mind, while the tray of glassware worth an hundred dirams stood on the bench before him. And after looking at it, he continued, and when,

Inchallah, my capital shall have become one hundred thousand dinars, I will send out marriage brokeresses to require for me in wedlock the daughters of kings and wazirs, and I will demand to wife the eldest daughter of the prime minister, for it hath reached me that she is perfect in beauty and prime in loveliness, and rare in accomplishments. I will give a marriage settlement of one thousand dinars, and if her father consent, well. But if not, I will take her by force from under his very nose. When she is safely homed in my house I will buy ten little eunuchs, and for myself a robe of the robes of kings and sultons, and get me a saddle of gold and a bridle set thick with gems of price. Then I will mount, with the mamelukes preceding

me and surrounding me, and I will make the round of the city whilst the folks salute me and bless me, after which I will repair to the wazir, he that is father of the girl, with armed white slaves before and behind me, and on my right and on my left. When he sees me, the wazir stands up and seating me in his own place, sits down much below me, for that I am to be his son-in-law. Now I have with me two eunuchs, carrying purses, each containing a thousand dinars, and of these I delivered to him the thousand, his daughter's marriage settlement, and make him a free gift of the other thousand, that he may have reason to know my generosity and liberality and my greatness of spirit and the littleness of the world in my eyes.

And for ten words he addresses to me I answer him too. Then back I go to my house, and if one come to me on the bride's part, I make him a present of money, and throw on him a dress of honour. But if he brings me a gift, I give it back to him and refuse to accept it, that they may learn, what a proud spirit is mine which never condescends to derogate. That's I establish my rank and status. When this is done, I appoint her wedding night, and adorn my house showily, gloriously. And as the time for parading the bride is come, I donned my finest attire and sits down on a mattress of gold brocade, propping up my elbow

with a pillow, and turning neither to the right nor to the left, but looking only straight in front for the haughtiness of my mind and the gravity of my understanding. And there before me stands my wife in her raiment and ornaments, lovely as the full moon, And I, in my loftiness, and dread lordliness, will not glance at her, till those present say to me, O our lord and our master, thy wife, thy handmaid, standeth before thee, vouchsafe her one look, For standing wearieth her. Then they kiss the ground before me many times, Whereupon I raise my eyes and cast at her one single glance, and turn my face earthwards again.

Then they bear her off to the bride-chamber, and I arise and change my clothes for a far finer suit, and when they bring in the bride a second time, I deign not to throw her a look, till they have begged me many times, after which I glance at her out of the corner of one eye, and then bend down my head. I continue acting after this fashion,

till the parading and displaying are completed. Ansharazad perceived the dawn of day, and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the thirty-third night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the barber's fifth brother proceeded. Then I bent down my head and continue acting after this fashion, till her parading and displaying are completed. Thereupon I order one of my eunuchs to bring me a bag of five of hundred dinars,

which I give as largesse to the tyre-women present, and bid them one and all lead me to the bride-chamber. When they leave me alone with her, I neither look at her nor speak to her, but lie by her side with my face to the wall, showing my contempt, that each and every may again remark how high and haughty I am. Presently her mother comes in to me, and kissing my head and hand, says to me, O my lord, look upon thy handmaid who longs for thy favour, so heal her broken spirit. I give her no answer, and when she sees this she rises and buses my feet many times, and

says, O my lord, in very sooth my daughter is a beautiful maid, who hath never known man, and if thou show her this backwardness and aversion, her heart will break. So do thou incline to her, and speak to her, and soothe her mind and spirit? Then she arises and fetches a cup of wine, and says to her daughter, take it and hand it to thy lord. But as she approaches me, I leave her standing between my hands, and sit, propping my elbow on a round cushion, purfled with gold thread, leading lazily back, and without looking at her in the majesty of my spirit, so that she may deem me indeed a sultan and a mighty man. Then she says to me, O my lord, Allah upon thee, do not refuse to take the cup from the hand of thine

handmaid, for verily I am thy bondswoman. But I do not speak to her, and she presses me, saying, There is no help but that thou drink it, and she puts it to my lips, Then I shake my fist in her face And kick her with my foot thus So he let out with his toe And knocked over the tray of glassware Which fell to the ground

And falling from the bench All that was on it was broken to bits O foulest of pimps This comes from the pride of my spirit cried my brother And then, O commander of the faithful He buffeted his face And rent his garments

And kept on weeping and peeped and beating himself. The folk who were flocking to their Friday prayers saw him, and some of them looked at him and pitied him, while others paid no heed to him, and in this way my brother lost both capital and profit. He remained weeping a long while, and at last up came a beautiful lady, the scent of musk exhaling from her, who was going to Friday prayers riding a mule with a gold saddle, and followed by several eunuchs. When she saw the broken glass and my brother weeping, her kind heart was moved to pity for him, and she asked what ailed him, and was told that he had a trayful of glassware, by the sale of which he hoped to gain his living, but it was broken, and, said they, there befell him what thou seest. Thereupon she called up one of her eunuchs, and said to him, Give what thou hast with thee to this poor fellow, and he gave my brother a purse in which he found five hundred dinars, and when it touched his hand he was well-nigh dying for excess of joy, and he offered up blessings for her. Then he returned to his abode a substantial man,

and as he sat considering, someone wrapped at the door. So he rose and opened, and saw an old woman whom he had never seen. "'Oh, my son,' said she, "'know that prayer-tide is near, and I have not yet made my wuzoo ablution, so kindly allow me the use of thy lodging for the purpose.' My brother answered, "'To here is to comply, and going in bad her follow him. So she entered, And he brought her anewer wherewith to wash, and sat down like to fly with joy because of the dinars which he had tied up in his belt for a purse. When the old woman had made an end of her revolution, she came up to where he sat, and prayed a two-bow prayer, after which she blessed my brother with a godly benediction, and he, while

thanking her, put his hand to the dinars, and gave her two, saying to himself, These are my voluntaries. When she saw the gold, she cried, Praise be to Allah! Why dost thou look on one who loveth thee, as if she were a beggar? Take back thy money. I have no need of it,

or if thou want it not, return it to her who gave it to thee when thy glassware was broken. Moreover, if thou wish to be united with her, I can manage the matter, for she is my mistress. Oh, my mother! asked my brother,

by what manner of means can I get at her? And she answered, O my son, she hath an inclination for thee, but she is the wife of a well-wethered, wealthy man. So take the whole of thy money with thee, and follow me, that I may guide thee to thy desire, and when thou art in her company, spare neither persuasion nor fair words, but bring them all to bear upon her. So shalt thou enjoy her beauty and wealth to thy heart's content. My brother took all his gold, and rose, and followed the old woman, hardly believing

in his luck. She ceased not faring on, and my brother following her, till they came to a tall gate, at which she knocked, and a Romy slave-girl came out and opened to them. Then the old woman led my brother into a great sitting-room, spread with wondrous fine carpets, and hung with curtains, where he sat down with his gold before him, and his turbaned on his knee. He had scarcely taken seat, before there came to him a young lady, never I saw fairer, clad in garments of the most sumptuous, whereupon my brother rose to his feet, and she smiled in his face and welcomed him, signing to him to be seated. Then she bade, shut the door, and when it was shut, she turned to my brother, and, taking his hand, conducted him to a private chamber, furnished with various kinds of brocades and

gold cloths. Here he sat down, and she sat by his side, and toyed with him a while, after which she rose and saying, "'Stare not from thy seat till I come back to thee,' disappeared. Meanwhile, as he was on this wise, lo, there came into him a black slave, be a big, of body and bulk, and holding a drawn sword in hand, who said to him, Woe to thee! Who brought thee hither? And what dost thou want here? My brother could not return him a reply, being tongue-tied for terror. So the Blackamor seized him, and stripped him of his clothes, and bashed him with the flat of his sword-blade, till he fell to the ground, swooning from excess of belabouring. The ill omened nigger fancied that there was an end of him,

and my brother heard him cry, "'Where is the salt wench?' Whereupon in came a handmaid, holding in hand a large tray of salt, and the slave kept rubbing it into my brother's wounds, but he did not stir, fearing lest the slave might find out that he was not dead, and kill him outright. Then the salt girl went away, and the slave cried, Where is the Soutrein guardianess? Hereupon in came the old woman, and dragged my brother by his feet to a suitorraine, and threw him down upon a heap of dead bodies. In this place he lay two full days.

But Allah made the salt the means of preserving his life by staunching the blood and staying its flow. Presently, feeling himself able to move, Al Nashar rose and opened the trap-door in fear and trembling, and crept out into the open, and Allah protected him, so that he went on in the darkness and hid himself in the vestibule till dawn, when he saw the accursed bell-dam sally forth in quest of other quarry. He followed in her wake, without her knowing it, and made for his own lodging, where he dressed his wounds and medicined himself till he was whole. Meanwhile, he used to watch the old woman, tracking her at all times and seasons, and saw her accost one man

after another, and carry them to the house. However, he uttered not a word, but as soon as he waxed hale and hearty he took a piece of stuff and made it into a bag, which he filled with broken glass, and bound about his middle. He also disguised himself as a Persian that none might know him, and hid a sword under his clothes of foreign cut. Then he went out, and presently, falling in with the old woman, said to her, speaking Arabic with a Persian accent, "'Venerable lady! I am a stranger arrived, but this day here, where I know no one. Hast thou a pair of scales wherein I may weigh eleven hundred dinars? I will give thee somewhat of them for thy pains. I have a son, a money-changer, who keepeth all kinds of scales," she answered, so come with me to him before

he goeth out, and he will weigh thy gold. My brother answered, lead the way. She led him to the house, and the young lady herself came out and opened it, whereupon the old woman smiled in her face, and said, I bring thee fat meat to-day. Then the damsel took my brother by the hand, and led him to the same chamber as before, where she sat with him a while, then rose and went forth, saying, Stir not from thy seat till I come back to thee. Presently, in came the accursed slave with the drawn sword, and cried to my brother, Up and be damned to thee. So he rose, and as the slave walked on before him, he drew the sword from under his clothes, and smote him with it, making head fly from body. Then he dragged the corpse by the feet to the suit-terrain,

and called out, Where is the salt wench? Up came the girl, carrying the tray of salt, and seeing my brother sword in hand turns to fly, but he followed her and struck off her head. Then he called out, Where is the Soutreine guardianess? And in came the old woman, to whom he said, Dost know me again, ill omen hag? No, my lord, she replied,

And he said, I am the owner of the five hundred gold pieces, whose house thou enterest to make the ablution and to pray, and whom thou didst snare hither and betray. "'Dear Allah and spare me!' cried she, but he regarded her not, and struck her with the sword till he had cut her in four. Then he went to look for the young lady, and when she saw him, her reason fled, and she cried out piteously, "'A man, mercy!' So he spared her, and asked, "'What made thee consort with this blackamore?' And she answered, "'I was slave to a certain merchant,

and the old woman used to visit me till I took a liking to her. One day she said to me, We have a marriage festival at our house, the like of which was never seen, and I wish thee to enjoy the sight. To hear is to obey, answered I, and rising, arrayed myself in my finest raiment and ornaments, and took with me a purse containing an hundred gold pieces. Then she brought me hither, and hardly had I entered the house, when the black seized on me, and I have remained in this place three whole years, through the perfidy of the accursed bell-dam. Then my brother asked her, Is there anything of his in this house? Where, too, she answered,

Great store of wealth, and if thou art able to carry it away, do so, and Allah give thee good of it. My brother went with her, and she opened to him sundry chests, wherein were money-bags, at which he was astounded. Then she said to him, Go now and leave me here, and fetch men to remove the money. He went out and hired ten men, but when he returned he found the door wide open, the damsel gone, and nothing left but some small matter of coin, and the household stuffs. By this he knew that the girl had overreached him, so he opened the storerooms and seized what was in them, together with the rest of the money, leaving nothing in the house. He passed the night,

rejoicing, but when morning dawned he found at the door some twenty troopers, who laid hands on him, saying, The governor wants thee. My brother implored them hard to let him return to his house, and even offered them a large sum of money, but they refused, and, binding him fast with cords, carried him off. On the way they met a friend, my brother, who clung to his skirt and implored his protection, begging him to stand by him and helped to deliver him out of their hands. The man stopped, and asked them what was the matter, and they answered,

The governor hath ordered us to bring this fellow before him, and lookie, we are doing so. My brother's friend urged them to release him, and offered them five hundred dinars to let him go, saying, When ye return to the governor, tell him that you are unable to find him. But they would not listen to his words, and took my brother, dragging him along on his face, and set him before the governor, who asked him, Whence gotest thou these stuffs and monies? And he answered, I pray for mercy, that the governor gave him the kerchief of mercy,

and he told him all that had befallen him, from first to last, with the old woman and the flight of the damsel, ending with, What so I have taken, take of it what thou wilt, so they'll leave me sufficient to support life. But the governor took the whole of the stuffs, and all the money for himself, and fearing lest the affair come to the Sultan's ears, he summoned my brother, and said, Depart from this city, else I will hang thee. Hearing and obedience, quoth my brother, and set out for another town. On the way thieves fell foul of him, and stripped him, and beat him, and docked his ears. But I heard tidings of his misfortunes, and went out after him, taking him clothes, and brought him secretly into the city, where I assigned to him an allowance for meat and drink, and presently the Caliph gave ear to the barber's tale of his sixth brother. My sixth brother, O commander of the faithful, Shakashik, or many clamors, the shorn of both lips, was once rich and became poor.

So one day he went out to beg somewhat to keep life in him, and as he was on the road he suddenly caught sight of a large and handsome mansion, with a detached building, wide and lofty at the entrance. Where sat sundry eunuchs, bidding and forbidding? My brother inquired of one of those idling there, and he replied, The palace belongs to a sion of the Balmaki house, so he stepped up to the doorkeeper, and asked an arms of the them. Enter, said they, by the great gate, and thou shalt get what thou seekest from the wazir, our master. Accordingly he went in, and, passing through the outer entrance, walked on a while, and presently came to a mansion of the utmost beauty and elegance, paved with marble, hung with curtains, and having in the midst of it a flower-garden whose like he had never seen. My brother

stood a while as one bewildered, not knowing whither to turn his steps, then seeing the the farther end of the sitting-chamber tenanted, he walked up to it, and there found a man of handsome presence and comely beard. When this personage saw my brother he stood up to him, and welcomed him, and asked him of his case. Where too he replied that he was in want, and needed charity. Hearing these words, the grandee showed great concern, and putting his hand to his fine robe rent it, exclaiming, What, am I in a city? And thou here am hungered? I have not patience to hear such disgrace. Then he promised him all manner of good cheer, and said,

There is no help but that thou stay with me, and eat of my salt. O my lord, answered my brother, I can wait no longer, for I am indeed dying of hunger. So he cried, Oh boy, bring Basin and Ywer, and turning to my brother, said, Oh my guest, come forward, and wash thy hands. My brother rose to do so, but he saw neither Ywer nor Basin, yet his host kept washing his hands with invisible soap in imperceptible water, and cried, Bring the table! But my brother again saw nothing.

Then said the host, Honor me by eating of this meat, and be not ashamed, and he kept moving his hand to and fro as if he ate, and saying to my brother, I wonder to see the eating thus sparely, do not stint thyself, for I am sure thou art famished. So my brother began to make as though he were eating, while his host kept saying to him, fall to, and note especially the excellence of this bread, and its whiteness. But still my brother saw nothing. Then he said to himself, This man is fond of poking fun at people,

And replied, Oh, my lord, in all my days I never knew aught more winsome than its whiteness or sweeter than its savour. The barmecide said, This bread was baked by a handmaid of mine, whom I bought for five hundred dinars. Then he called out, Oh boy, bring in the meat pudding for our first dish, and let there be plenty of fat in it. And turning to my brother said, O my guest, Allah upon thee, hast ever seen anything better

than this meat pudding, now by my life eat and be not abashed. Presently he cried out again, O boy, serve up the marinated stew, with the fatted sand-grouse in it, and he said to my brother, up and eat, O my guest, for truly thou art hungry and needest food. So my brother began wagging his jaws, and made as if champing and chewing, whilst the host continued calling for one dish after another, and yet produced nothing save orders to eat. Presently he cried out, Oh boy, bring us the chickens stuffed with pistachio nuts, and said to my brother,

By thy life, O my guest, I have fattened these chickens upon pistachos, Eat for thou hast never eaten their like. Oh, my lord, replied my brother, they are indeed first-rate. Then the host began motioning with his hand, as though he were giving my brother a mouthful, and ceased not to enumerate and expatiate upon the various dishes to the hungry man whose hunger waxed still more violent, so that his soul lusted after a bit of bread, even a barley scone. Quoth the barme-side, didst thou ever taste anything more delicious than the seasoning of these dishes? And quoth my brother, never, O my lord, eat heartily and be not ashamed, said the host, and the guest, I have eaten my fill of meat. So the entertainer cried,

Take away and bring in the sweets, and turning to my brother said, Eat of this almond conserve, for it is prime, and of these honey fritters, Take this one, by my life the syrup runs out of it. May I never be bereaved of the, O my lord, replied the hungry one, and began to ask him about the abundance of musk in the fritters.

Such is my custom, he answered. They put me a denar weight of musk in every honey fritter, and half that quantity of ambergris. This time my brother kept wagging head and his jaws till the master cried, Enough of this! Bring us the dessert! Then said he to him, Eat of these almonds and walnuts and raisins, and of this and that, naming diverse kinds of dried fruits.

And be not abashed. But my brother replied, O my lord, indeed I am full, I can eat no more. Oh my guest, repeated the host, If thou have a mind to these good things, eat. Allah! Allah do not remain hungry. But my brother rejoined, O my lord, he who hath eaten of all these dishes, How can he be hungry?

Then he considered, and said to himself, I will do that, shall make him repent of these pranks. Presently the entertainer called out, Bring me the wine, and moving his hands in the air, as though they had set it before him, he gave my brother a cup, and said,

Take this cup, and if it please thee, let me know. Oh, my lord, he replied, It is notable good as to nose, but I am wont to drink wine some twenty years old. Knock then at this door, quoth the host, for thou canst not drink of aught better. By thy kindness, said my brother, motioning with his hand as though he were drinking. Health and joy to thee, exclaimed the house-master, and feigned to fill a cup and drink it off. Then he handed another to my brother who quaffed it, and made as if he were drunken.

Presently he took the host unawares, and raising his arm till the white of his, his armpit appeared, dealt him such a cuff on the nape of his neck, that the palace echoed to it. Then he came down upon him with a second cuff, and the entertainer cried aloud, What is this, O thou scum of the earth? O my lord, replied my brother, thou hast shown much kindness to thy slave, and admitted him into thine abode, and given him to eat of thy vittle, then thou madest him drink of thine old wine till he became drunken and boisterous, but thou art too noble not to bear with his ignorance and pardon his offence. When the Barmackie heard my brother's words, he laughed his loudest

and said, Long have I been wont to make mock of men, and play the madcap among my intimates, but never yet have I come across a single one, who had the patience and the wit to enter into all my humours save thyself, so I forgive thee, and thou shalt be my boon companion, and thou shalt be my boon companion in very sooth, and never leave me. Then he ordered the servants to lay the table in earnest, and they set on all the dishes of which he had spoken in sport, and he and my brother ate till they were satisfied, after which they removed to the drinking-chamber, where they found damsels like moons, who sang all-manner songs, and played on all manner instruments. There they remain drinking till their wine got the better of them, and the host treated my brother like a familiar friend, so that he became, as it were, his brother, and bestowed on him a robe of honour, and loved him with exceeding love. morning the two fell again to feasting and carousing, and ceased not to lead this life for a term of twenty years, at the end of which the barmecide died, and the Sultan took possession of all his wealth,

and squeezed my brother of his savings, till he was left a pauper without a penny to handle. So he quitted the city, and fled forth following his face. But when he was halfway between two towns, the wild Arabs fell on him, and bound him and carried him to their camp, where his captor proceeded to torture him, saying, By thy life of me with thy money, else I will slay thee. My brother began to weep, and replied, By Allah, I have nothing, neither gold nor silver, but I am thy prisoner, so do with me what thou wilt. Then the Badawi drew a knife, broad-bladed, and so sharp-grinded, that if plunged into a camel's throat it would sever it clean across from one jugular to the other, and cut off my brother's lips, and waxed more insistent in requiring money.

Now this Badawi had a fair wife, who in her husband's absence used to make advances to my brother, and offer him her favours, but he held off from her. One day she began to tempt him as usual, and he played with her and made her sit on his lap, when behold in came the Badawi, who seeing this cried out, Woe to thee, O a cursed villain! Wouldst thou thee bouch my wife for me? Then he took out a knife and cut off my brother's yard, after which he bound him on the back of a camel, and carrying him to a mountain,

left him there. He was at last found by some who recognized him, and gave him meat and drink, and acquainted me with his condition, whereupon I went forth to him, and brought him back to Baghdad, where I made him an allowance sufficient to live on. This, then, O commander of the faithful, is the history of my six brothers, and I feared to go away without relating at all to thee, and leave thee in the error of judging me to be like them. And now thou knowest that I have six brothers, upon my hands, and being more upright than they, I support the whole family. When the Caliph heard my story, and all I told him concerning my brothers, he laughed and said, Thou sayest sooth, O silent man!

Thou art indeed spare of speech, nor is there aught of forwardness in thee. But now go forth out of this city and settle in some other, and he banished me under edict. I left Baghdad, and travelled in foreign parts, till I heard of his death, and the accession of another to the caliphate. Then I returned to Baghdad, where I found all my brothers dead, and chanced upon this young man, to whom I rendered the kindliest service, for without me he had surely been killed. Indeed, he slanders me, and accuses me of a fault which is not in my nature, and what he reports concerning impudence and meddling and forwardness is idle and false. For verily on his account I left Baghdad and travelled about full many a country till I came to this city, and met him here in your company,

and was not this o worthy assemblage of the generosity of my nature the end of the tailor's tale then quoth the tailor to the king of china When we heard the barber's tale and saw the excess of his loquacity, and the way in which he had wronged this young man, we laid hands on him and shut him up, after which we sat down in peace, and ate and drank, and enjoyed the good things of the marriage feast, till the time of the call to mid-afternoon prayer, when I left the party and returned home, my wife received me with sour looks, and said, Thou goest a pleasuring among thy friends, and thou leavest me to sit sorrowing here alone, so now, Now, unless thou take me abroad and let me have some amusement for the rest of the day, I will cut the rope, and it will be the cause of my separation from thee. So I took her out, and we amused ourselves till supper-time. When we returned home and fell in with this hunchback, who was brimful of drink, and trolling out these rhymes, clears the wine, the cup's fine, like to like they combine, it is wine and not cup, tis a cup and not wine.

So I invited him to sup with us, and went out to buy him. fried fish, after which we sat down to eat, and presently my wife took a piece of bread and a fit of fish, and stuffed them into his mouth, and he choked, and though I slapped him long and hard between the shoulders, he died. Then I carried him off, and contrived to throw him into the house of this leech, the Jew, and the leech contrived to throw him into the house of the reeve, and the reeve contrived to throw him on the way of the Nazarene broker. This, then, is my adventure, which befell me but yesterday, is not a little. not it more wondrous than the story of the hunchback?

When the King of China heard the tailor's tale he shook his head for pleasure, and showing great surprise said, This that passed between the young man and the busy body of a barber, is indeed more pleasant and wonderful than the story of my lying knave of a hunchback. Then he bade one of his chamberlains to go with the tailor and bring the barber out of jail, saying, I wish to hear the talk of this silent man, and it shall be the cause of your deliverance one and all. Then we will bury the hunchback, for that he is dead since yesterday, and set up a tomb over him. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day, and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the 34th night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that the king of

China bad, bring me the barber, who shall be the cause of your deliverance, then we will bury this hunchback, for that he is dead since yesterday, and set up a tomb over him. So the chamberlain and the tailor went to the jail, and releasing the barber, presently returned with him to the king. The Sultan of China looked at him and considered him carefully, and lo and behold, he was an ancient man, past his ninetieth year, swart of face, white of beard and whore of eyebrows, lop-eared and proboscis-nosed, with a vacant, silly, and conceited expression of countenance. The king laughed at this figure of fun, and said to him, O silent man, I desire thee to tell me somewhat of thy history. Quoth the barber, O king of the age, allow me first to ask thee,

what is the tale of this Nazarene and this Jew and this Muslim and this hunchback, the corpse, I see among you. And prithee, what may be the object of this assemblage? Quoth the King of China, And why does thou ask? I ask, he replied, in order that the King's Majesty may know that I am no forward fellow or busybody or impertinent meddler, and that I am innocent of their caluminous charges of overmuch talk, for I am he whose name is the silent man, and indeed peculiarly happy is my subriquet, as says the poet, when a nickname or little name men design, know that nature with name shall full oft combine. Then said the king, explained to the barber the case of this hunchback, and what befell him at supper-time, also repeats to him the stories told by the

Nazarene, the Jew, the Reeve, and the tailor, and of no avail to me is a twice-told tale. They did his bidding, and the barber shook his head, and said, By Allah, this is a marvel of marvels. Now uncover me the corpse of yonder hunchback. They undid the winding-sheet, and he sat down, and taking the hunchback's head in his lap, looked at his face, and laughed and gaffoed, till he fell upon his back, and said, There is wonder in every death, but the death of this hunchback is worthy to be written and recorded in letters of liquid gold. The bystanders were astounded at his words, and the king must be founders.

marvelled, and said to him, What ails thee, O silent man? Explain to us thy words. O king of the age, said the barber, I swear by thy beneficence that there is still life in this gob-o-go-lightly. Thereupon he pulled out of his waist-belt, a barber's budget, whence he took a pot of ointment, and anointed therewith the neck of the hunch-back, and its arteries. Then he took a pair of iron tweezers, and inserting them into the hunch-back's throat, drew out the fid of fish with its bone, and when it came to sight, behold, it was soaked

in blood. Thereupon the hunchback sneezed a hearty sneeze and jumped up as if nothing had happened, and passing his hand over his face said, I testify that there is no God but the God, and I testify that Muhammad is the apostle of God. At this sight, all present wondered. The King of China laughed till he fainted, and in like manner did the others. Then said the Sultan, by Allah, of a truth this is the most marvelous thing I ever saw. O Muslims! O soldiers all! Did you ever in the lives of you see a man die and be quickened again? Verily, had not Allah vouchsafed to him this barber, he had been a dead man! Quoth they, By Allah, tis a marvel of marvels! Then the king of China bade record this tale,

so they recorded it, and placed it in the royal muniment rooms, after which he bestowed costly robes of honour, upon the Jew, the Nazarene and the Rieve, and bad them depart. in all esteem. Then he gave the tailor a sumptuous dress and appointed him his own tailor, with suitable pay and allowances, and made peace between him and the hunchback, to whom also he presented a splendid and expensive suit, with a suitable stipend. He did as generously with the barber, giving him a gift and a dress of honour. Moreover, he settled on him a handsome sold, and created him barber-surgeon of state, and made him one of his cup companions, so they ceased not to live the most pleasurable life and the most delectable till there came to them the destroyer of all delights and the sundra of all societies the depopulator of palaces and the garnerer for graves

yet o most auspicious king continued charazad this tale is by no means more wonderful than that of the two wazirs and anis aljalis quoth her sister dunyazad and what may that be whereupon she began to relate the following tale of Nur al-Din Ali and the damsel Anis Al Jalis. The end of Volume 1 of the Book of A Thousand Nights and a Night.