A certain King had a son, whom he loved and favoured with
exceeding favour, over all his other children; and this son said
to him one day, "O my father, I have a mind to fare a-coursing
and a-hunting." So the King bade furnish him and commanded one of
his Wazirs to bear him company and do all the service he needed
during his trip. The Minister accordingly took everything that
was necessary for the journey and they set out with a retinue of
eunuchs and officers and pages, and rode on, sporting as they
went, till they came to a green and well-grassed champaign
abounding in pasture and water and game. Here the Prince turned
to the Minister and told him that the place pleased him and he
purposed to halt there. So they set down in that site and they
loosed the falcons and lynxes and dogs and caught great plenty of
game, whereat they rejoiced and abode there some days, in all
joyance of life and its delight. Then the King's son gave the
signal for departure; but, as they went along, a beautiful
gazelle, as if the sun rose shining from between her horns, that
had strayed from her mate, sprang up before the Prince, whereupon
his soul longed to make prize of her and he coveted her. So he
said to the Wazir, "I have a mind to follow that gazelle;" and
the Minister replied, "Do what seemeth good to thee." Thereupon
the Prince rode single-handed after the gazelle, till he lost
sight of his companions, and chased her all that day till dusk,
when she took refuge in a bit of rocky ground
[FN#172] and
darkness closed in upon him. Then he would have turned back, but
knew not the way; whereat he was sore concerned and said, "There
is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious,
the Great!" He sat his mare all night till morning dawned, in
quest of relief, but found none; and, when the day appeared, he
fared on at hazard fearful, famished, thirsty, and knowing not
whither to wend till it was noon and the sun beat down upon him
with burning heat. By that time he came in sight of a great city,
with massive base and lofty bulwarks; but it was ruined and
desolate, nor was there any live thing therein save owl and
raven. As he stood among the buildings, marvelling at their
ordinance, lo! his eyes fell on a damsel, young, beautiful and
lovely, sitting under one of the city walls wailing and weeping
copious tears. So he drew nigh to her and asked, "Who art thou
and who brought thee hither?" She answered, "I am called Bint
al-Tamimah, daughter of Al-Tiyakh, King of the Gray Country. I
went out one day to obey a call of nature,
[FN#173] when an Ifrit
of the Jinn snatched me up and soared with me between heaven and
earth; but as he flew there fell on him a shooting-star in the
form of a flame of fire and burned him, and I dropped here, where
these three days I have hungered and thirsted; but when I saw
thee I longed for life." --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Prince
when addressed by the daughter of King Al-Tiyakh who said to him,
"When I saw thee I longed for life," was smitten with ruth and
grief for her and took her up on his courser's crupper, saying,
"Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear; for, if
Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) restore me to my people and
family, I will send thee back to thine own folk." Then he rode
on, praying for deliverance, and presently the damsel said to
him, "O King's son, set me down, that I may do an occasion under
this wall." So he drew bridle and she alighted. He waited for her
a long while as she hid herself behind the wall; and she came
forth, with the foulest of favours; which when he saw, his hair
stood on end and he quaked for fear of her and he turned deadly
pale. Then she sprang up on his steed, behind him, wearing the
most loathly of aspects, and presently she said to him, "O King's
son, what ails thee that I see thee troubled and thy favour
changed?" "I have bethought me of somewhat that troubles me."
"Seek aid against it of thy father's troops and his braves." "He
whom I fear careth naught for troops, neither can braves affright
him." "Aid thyself against him with thy father's monies and
treasures." "He whom I fear will not be satisfied with wealth."
"Ye hold that ye have in Heaven a God who seeth and is not seen
and is Omnipotent and Omniscient." "Yes, we have none but Him."
"Then pray thou to Him; haply He will deliver thee from me thine
enemy!" So the King's son raised his eyes to heaven and began to
pray with his whole heart, saying, "O my God, I implore Thy
succour against that which troubleth me." Then he pointed to her
with his hand, and she fell to the ground, burnt black as
charcoal. Therewith he thanked Allah and praised Him and ceased
not to fare forwards; and the Almighty (extolled and exalted be
He!) of His grace made the way easy to him and guided him into
the right road, so that he reached his own land and came upon his
father's capital, after he had despaired of life. Now all this
befel by the contrivance of the Wazir, who travelled with him, to
the end that he might cause him to perish on the way; but
Almighty Allah succoured him. "And this" (said the damsel) "have
I told thee, O King, that thou mayst know that wicked Wazirs deal
not honestly by nor counsel with sincere intent their Kings;
wherefore be thou wise and ware of them in this matter." The King
gave ear to her speech and bade put his son to death; but the
third Wazir came in and said to his brother Ministers, "I will
warrant you from the King's mischief this day" and, going in to
him, kissed the ground between his hands and said, "O King, I am
thy true counsellor and solicitous for thee and for thine estate,
and indeed I rede thee the best of rede; it is that thou hasten
not to slay thy son, the coolth of thine eyes and the fruit of
thy vitals. Haply his sin is but a slight slip, which this damsel
hath made great to thee; and indeed I have heard tell that the
people of two villages once destroyed one another, because of a
drop of honey." Asked the King, "How was that?"; and the Wazir
answered, saying, "Know, O King, that I have heard this story
anent
The Drop of Honey.
