There was once in the city of Shíráz a mighty King called Sayf
al-A'azam Shah, who had grown old, without being blessed with
a son. So he summoned the physicists and physicians and said
to them, "I am now in years and ye know my case and the state
of the kingdom and its ordinance; and I fear for my subjects
after me; for that up to this present I have not been
vouchsafed a son." Thereupon they replied, "We will compound
thee a somewhat of drugs wherein shall be efficacy, if it
please Almighty Allah!" So they mixed him drugs, which he used
and knew his wife carnally, and she conceived by leave of the
Most High Lord, who saith to a thing, "Be," and it becometh.
When her months were accomplished, she gave birth to a male
child like the moon, whom his father named Ardashir,
[FN#262]
and he grew up and throve and applied himself to the study of
learning and letters, till he attained the age of fifteen. Now
there was in Al-Irak a King called Abd al-Kádir who had a
daughter, by name Hayát al-Nufús, and she was like the rising
full moon, but she had an hatred for men and the folk very
hardly dared name mankind in her presence. The Kings of the
Chosroës had sought her in marriage of her sire; but, when he
spoke with her thereof, she said, "Never will I do this; and
if thou force me thereto, I will slay myself." Now Prince
Ardashir heard of her fame and fell in love with her and told
his father who, seeing his case, took pity on him and promised
him day by day that he should marry her. So he despatched his
Wazir to demand her in wedlock, but King Abd al-Kadir refused,
and when the Minister returned to King Sayf al-A'azam and
acquainted him with what had befallen his mission and the
failure thereof, he was wroth with exceeding wrath and cried,
"Shall the like of me send to one of the Kings on a
requisition and he accomplish it not?" Then he bade a herald
make proclamation to his troops, bidding them bring out the
tents and equip them for war with all diligence, though they
should borrow money for the necessary expenses; and he said,
"I will on no wise turn back, till I have laid waste King Abd
al-Kadir's dominions and slain his men and plundered his
treasures and blotted out his traces!" When the report of this
reached Ardashir he rose from his carpet-bed, and going in to
his father, kissed ground
[FN#263] between his hands and said,
"O mighty King, trouble not thyself with aught of this
thing"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twentieth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when report of this reached the Prince he went in to his sire
the King and, kissing ground between his hands, said, "O
mighty King, trouble not thy soul with aught of this thing and
levy not thy champions and armies neither spend thy monies.
Thou art stronger than he, and if thou loose upon him this thy
host, thou wilt lay waste his cities and dominions and spoil
his good and slay his strong men and himself; but when his
daughter shall come to know what hath befallen her father and
his people by reason of her, she will slay herself, and I
shall die on her account; for I can never live after her; no,
never." Asked the King, "And what then thinkest thou to do, O
my son?" and the Prince answered, "I will don a merchant's
habit and cast about how I may win to the Princess and compass
my desire of her." Quoth Sayf al-A'azam, "Art thou determined
upon this?"; and quoth the Prince, "Yes, O my sire;" whereupon
the King called to his Wazir, and said to him, "Do thou
journey with my son, the core of my heart, and help him to win
his will and watch over him and guide him with thy sound
judgment, for thou standest to him even in my stead." "I hear
and obey," answered the Minister; and the King gave his son
three hundred thousand dinars in gold and great store of
jewels and precious stones and goldsmiths' ware and stuffs and
other things of price. Then Prince Ardashir went in to his
mother and kissed her hands and asked her blessing. She
blessed him and, forthright opening her treasures, brought out
to him necklaces and trinkets and apparel and all manner of
other costly objects hoarded up from the time of the bygone
Kings, whose price might not be evened with coin. Moreover, he
took with him of his Mamelukes and negro-slaves and cattle all
that he needed for the road and clad himself and the Wazir and
their company in traders' gear. Then he farewelled his parents
and kinsfolk and friends; and, setting out, fared on over
wolds and wastes all hours of the day and watches of the
night; and whenas the way was longsome upon him he improvised
these couplets,
"My longing bred of love with mine unease for ever grows;
Nor against all the wrongs of time one succourer arose:
When Pleiads and the Fishes show in sky the rise I watch,
As
worshipper within whose breast a pious burning glows:
For Star o' Morn I speer until at last when it is seen,
I'm
madded with my passion and my fancy's woes and throes:
I swear by you that never from your love have I been loosed;
Naught am I save a watcher who of slumber nothing knows!
Though hard appear my hope to win, though languor aye
increase,
And after thee my patience fails and ne'er a
helper shows;
Yet will I wait till Allah shall be pleased to join our loves;
I'll mortify the jealous and I'll mock me of my foes."
When he ended his verse he swooned away and the Wazir
sprinkled rose-water on him, till the Prince came to himself,
when the Minister said to him, "O King's son, possess thy soul
in patience; for the consequence of patience is consolation,
and behold, thou art on the way to whatso thou wishest." And
he ceased not to bespeak him fair and comfort him till his
trouble subsided; and they continued their journey with all
diligence. Presently, the Prince again became impatient of the
length of the way and bethought him of his beloved and recited
these couplets,
"Longsome is absence, restlessness increaseth and despite;
And burn my vitals in the blaze my love and longings
light:
Grows my hair gray from pains and pangs which I am doomed bear
For pine, while tear-floods stream from eyes and sore
offend my sight:
I swear, O Hope of me, O End of every wish and will,
By Him
who made mankind and every branch with leafage dight,
A passion-load for thee, O my Desire, I must endure,
And
boast I that to bear such load no lover hath the might.
Question the Night of me and Night thy soul shall satisfy
Mine eyelids never close in sleep throughout the livelong
night."
Then he wept with sore weeping and 'plained of that he
suffered for stress of love-longing; but the Wazir comforted
him and spoke him fair, promising him the winning of his wish;
after which they fared on again for a few days, when they drew
near to the White City, the capital of King Abd al-Kadir, soon
after sunrise. Then said the Minister to the Prince, "Rejoice,
O King's son, in all good; for see, yonder is the White City,
that which thou seekest." Whereat the Prince rejoiced with
exceeding joy and recited these couplets,
"My friends, I yearn in heart distraught for him;
Longing
abides and with sore pains I brim:
I mourn like childless mother, nor can find
One to
console me when the light grows dim;
Yet when the breezes blow from off thy land,
I feel
their freshness shed on heart and limb;
And rail mine eyes like water-laden clouds,
While in a
tear-sea shed by heart I swim."
Now when they entered the White City they asked for the
Merchants' Khan, a place of moneyed men; and when shown the
hostelry they hired three magazines and on receiving the
keys
[FN#264] they laid up therein all their goods and gear.
They abode in the Khan till they were rested, when the Wazir
applied himself to devise a device for the Prince,--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-first Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Prince and the Minister alighted at the Khan and lodged their
goods in the ground-floor magazines and there settled their
servants. Then they tarried awhile till they had rested, when
the Wazir arose and applied himself to devise a device for the
Prince, and said to him, "I have bethought me of somewhat
wherein, methinks, will be success for thee, so it please
Almighty Allah." Quoth Ardashir, "O thou Wazir of good
counsel, do what cometh to thy mind, and may the Lord direct
thy rede aright!" Quoth the Minister, "I purpose to hire thee
a shop in the market-street of the stuff-sellers and set thee
therein; for that all, great and small, have recourse to the
bazar and, meseems, when the folk see thee with their own eyes
sitting in the shop their hearts will incline to thee and thou
wilt thus be enabled to attain thy desire, for thou art fair
of favour and souls incline to thee and sight rejoiceth in
thee." The other replied, "Do what seemeth good to thee." So
the Wazir forthright began to robe the Prince and himself in
their richest raiment and, putting a purse of a thousand
dinars in his breast-pocket, went forth and walked about the
city, whilst all who looked upon them marvelled at the beauty
of the King's son, saying, "Glory be to Him who created this
youth 'of vile water
[FN#265]'! Blessed be Allah excellentest
of Creators!" Great was the talk anent him and some said,
"This is no mortal, 'this is naught save a noble
angel'";
[FN#266] and others, "Hath Rizwan, the door-keeper of
the Eden-garden, left the gate of Paradise unguarded, that
this youth hath come forth." The people followed them to the
stuff- market, where they entered and stood, till there came
up to them an old man of dignified presence and venerable
appearance, who saluted them, and they returned his salam.
Then the Shaykh said to them, "O my lords, have ye any need,
that we may have the honour of accomplishing?"; and the Wazir
asked him, "Who art thou, O elder?" He answered, "I am the
Overseer of the market." Quoth the Wazir, "Know then, O
Shaykh, that this youth is my son and I wish to hire him a
shop in the bazar, that he may sit therein and learn to sell
and buy and take and give, and come to ken merchants' ways and
habits." "I hear and I obey," replied the Overseer and brought
them without stay or delay the key of a shop, which he caused
the brokers sweep and clean. And they did his bidding. Then
the Wazir sent for a high mattress, stuffed with ostrich-down,
and set it up in the shop, spreading upon it a small
prayer-carpet, and a cushion fringed with broidery of red
gold. Moreover he brought pillows and transported thither so
much of the goods and stuffs that he had brought with him as
filled the shop. Next morning the young Prince came and
opening the shop, seated himself on the divan, and stationed
two Mamelukes, clad in the richest of raiment before him and
two black slaves of the goodliest of the Abyssinians in the
lower part of the shop. The Wazir enjoined him to keep his
secret from the folk, so thereby he might find aid in the
winning of his wishes; then he left him and charging him to
acquaint him with what befel him in the shop, day by day
returned to the Khan. The Prince sat in the shop till night as
he were the moon at its fullest, whilst the folk, hearing tell
of his comeliness, flocked to the place, without errand, to
gaze on his beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect
grace and glorify the Almighty who created and shaped him,
till none could pass through that bazar for the excessive
crowding of the folk about him. The King's son turned right
and left, abashed at the throng of people that stared at him,
hoping to make acquaintance with some one about the court, of
whom he might get news of the Princess; but he found no way to
this, wherefore his breast was straitened. Meanwhile, the
Wazir daily promised him the attainment of his desire and the
case so continued for a time till, one morning, as the youth
sat in the shop, there came up an old woman of respectable
semblance and dignified presence clad in raiment of
devotees
[FN#267] and followed by two slave-girls like moons.
She stopped before the shop and, having considered the Prince
awhile, cried, "Glory be to God who fashioned that face and
perfected that figure!" Then she saluted him and he returned
her salam and seated her by his side. Quoth she, "Whence
cometh thou, O fair of favour?"; and quoth he, "From the parts
of Hind, O my mother; and I have come to this city to see the
world and look about me." "Honour to thee for a visitor! What
goods and stuffs hast thou? Show me something handsome, fit
for Kings." "If thou wish for handsome stuffs, I will show
them to thee; for I have wares that beseem persons of every
condition." "O my son, I want somewhat costly of price and
seemly to sight; brief, the best thou hast." "Thou must needs
tell me for whom thou seekest it, that I may show thee goods
according to the rank of the requiter." "Thou speakest sooth,
O my son," said she. "I want somewhat for my mistress, Hayat
al-Nufus, daughter of Abd al-Kadir, lord of this land and King
of this country." Now when Ardashir heard his mistress's name,
his reason flew for joy and his heart fluttered and he gave no
order to slave or servant, but, putting his hand behind him,
pulled out a purse of an hundred dinars and offered it to the
old woman, saying, "This is for the washing of thy clothes."
Then he again put forth his hand and brought out of a wrapper
a dress worth ten thousand dinars or more and said to her,
"This is of that which I have brought to your country." When
the old woman saw it, it pleased her and she asked, "What is
the price of this dress, O perfect in qualities?" Answered he,
"I will take no price for it!" whereupon she thanked him and
repeated her question; but he said, "By Allah, I will take no
price for it. I make thee a present of it, an the Princess
will not accept it and 'tis a guest-gift from me to thee.
Alham- dolillah--Glory be to God--who hath brought us
together, so that, if one day I have a want, I shall find in
thee a helper to me in winning it!" She marvelled at the
goodliness of his speech and the excess of his generosity and
the perfection of his courtesy and said to him, "What is thy
name, O my lord?" He replied, "My name is Ardashir;" and she
cried, "By Allah this is a rare name! Therewith are Kings'
sons named, and thou art in a guise of the sons of the
merchants!" Quoth he, "Of the love my father bore me, he gave
me this name, but a name signifieth naught;" and quoth she in
wonder, "O my son, take the price of thy goods." But he swore
that he would not take aught. Then the old lady said to him,
"O my dear one, Truth (I would have thee know) is the greatest
of all things and thou hadst not dealt thus generously by me
but for a special reason: so tell me thy case and thy secret
thought; belike thou hast some wish to whose winning I may
help thee." Thereupon he laid his hand in hers and, after
exacting an oath of secrecy, told her the whole story of his
passion for the Princess and his condition by reason thereof.
The old woman shook her head and said, "True; but O my son,
the wise say, in the current adage, 'An thou wouldest be
obeyed, abstain from ordering what may not be made'; and thou,
my son, thy name is Merchant, and though thou hadst the keys
of the Hidden Hoards, yet wouldst thou be called naught but
Merchant. An thou wouldst rise to high rank, according to thy
station, then seek the hand of a Kazi's daughter or even an
Emir's; but why, O my son, aspirest thou to none but the
daughter of the King of the age and the time, and she a clean
maid, who knoweth nothing of the things of the world and hath
never in her life seen anything but her palace wherein she
dwelleth? Yet, for all her tender age, she is intelligent,
shrewd, vivacious, penetrating, quick of wit, sharp of act and
rare of rede: her father hath no other child and she is dearer
to him than his life and soul. Every morning he cometh to her
and giveth her good-morrow, and all who dwell in the palace
stand in dread of her. Think not, O my son, that any dare
bespeak her with aught of these words; nor is there any way
for me thereto. By Allah, O my son, my heart and vitals love
thee and were it in my power to give thee access to her, I
would assuredly do it; but I will tell thee somewhat, wherein
Allah may haply appoint the healing of thy heart, and will
risk life and goods for thee, till I win thy will for thee."
He asked, "And what is that, O my mother?" and she answered,
"Seek of me the daughter of a Wazir or an Emir, and I will
grant thy request; but it may not be that one should mount
from earth to heaven at one bound." When the Prince heard
this, he replied to her with courtesy and sense, "O my mother,
thou art a woman of wit and knowest how things go. Say me doth
a man, when his head irketh him, bind up his hand?" Quoth she,
"No, by Allah, O my son"; and quoth he, "Even so my heart
seeketh none but her and naught slayeth me but love of her. By
Allah, I am a dead man, and I find not one to counsel me
aright and succour me! Allah upon thee, O my mother, take pity
on my strangerhood and the streaming of my tears!"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-second Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
Ardashir, the King's son said to the old woman, "Allah upon
thee, O my mother, take pity on my strangerhood and the
streaming of my tears." Replied she, "By Allah, O my son, thy
words rend my heart, but my hand hath no cunning wherewith to
help thee." Quoth he, "I beseech thee of thy favour, carry her
a letter and kiss her hands for me." So she had compassion on
him and said, "Write what thou wilt and I will bear it to
her." When he heard this, he was ready to fly for joy and
calling for ink-case and paper, wrote these couplets,
"O Hayát al-Núfus, be gen'rous, and incline
To one who
loving thee for parting's doomed to pine.
I was in all delight, in gladsomest of life,
But now I am
distraught with sufferings condign.
To wakefulness I cling through longsomeness of night
And
with me sorrow chats[FN#268] through each sad eye of
mine;
Pity a lover sad, a sore afflicted wretch,
Whose eyelids
ever ulcered are with tearful brine;
And when the morning comes at last, the real morn,
He finds
him drunken and distraught with passion's wine."
Then he folded the scroll and kissing it, gave it to the old
woman; after which he put his hand to a chest and took out a
second purse containing an hundred dinars, which he presented
to her, saying, "Divide this among the slave-girls." She
refused it and cried, "By Allah, O my son, I am not with thee
for aught of this!"; however, he thanked her and answered,
"There is no help but that thou accept of it." So she took it
and kissing his hands, returned home; and going in to the
Princess, cried, "O my lady, I have brought thee somewhat the
like whereof is not with the people of our city, and it cometh
from a handsome young man, than whom there is not a goodlier
on earth's face!" She asked "O my nurse, and whence cometh the
youth?" and the old woman answered, "From the parts of Hind;
and he hath given me this dress of gold brocade, embroidered
with pearls and gems and worth the Kingdom of Chosroes and
Caesar." Thereupon she opened the dress and the whole palace
was illuminated by its brightness, because of the beauty of
its fashion and the wealth of unions and jewels wherewith it
was broidered, and all who were present marvelled at it. The
Princess examined it and, judging it to be worth no less than
a whole year's revenue of her father's kingdom, said to the
old woman, "O my nurse, cometh this dress from him or from
another?"
[FN#269] Replied she, "From him;" and Hayat al-Nufus
asked, "Is this trader of our town or a stranger?" The old
woman answered, "He is a foreigner, O my lady, newly come
hither; and by Allah he hath servants and slaves; and he is
fair of face, symmetrical of form, well mannered, open-handed
and open-hearted, never saw I a goodlier than he, save
thyself." The King's daughter rejoined, "Indeed this is an
extraordinary thing, that a dress like this, which money
cannot buy, should be in the hands of a merchant! What price
did he set on it, O my nurse?" Quoth she, "By Allah, he would
set no price on it, but gave me back the money thou sentest by
me and swore that he would take naught thereof, saying, ''Tis
a gift from me to the King's daughter; for it beseemeth none
but her; and if she will not accept it, I make thee a present
of it.'" Cried the Princess, "By Allah, this is indeed
marvellous generosity and wondrous munificence! But I fear the
issue of his affair, lest haply
[FN#270] he be brought to
necessity. Why didst thou not ask him, O my nurse, if he had
any desire, that we might fulfil it for him?" The nurse
replied, "O my lady, I did ask him, and he said to me, 'I have
indeed a desire'; but he would not tell me what it was.
However, he gave me this letter and said, 'Carry it to the
Princess.'" So Hayat al-Nufus took the letter and opened and
read it to the end; whereupon she was sore chafed; and lost
temper and changing colour for anger she cried out to the old
woman, saying, "Woe to thee, O nurse! What is the name of this
dog who durst write this language to a King's daughter? What
affinity is there between me and this hound that he should
address me thus? By Almighty Allah, Lord of the well Zemzem
and of the Hatim Wall,
[FN#271] but that I fear the Omnipotent,
the Most High, I would send and bind the cur's hands behind
him and slit his nostrils, and shear off his nose and ears and
after, by way of example, crucify him on the gate of the bazar
wherein is his booth!" When the old woman heard these words,
she waxed yellow; her side-muscles
[FN#272] quivered and her
tongue clave to her mouth; but she heartened her heart and
said, "Softly, O my lady! What is there in his letter to
trouble thee thus? Is it aught but a memorial containing his
complaint to thee of poverty or oppression, from which he
hopeth to be relieved by thy favour?" Replied she, "No, by
Allah, O my nurse, 'tis naught of this; but verses and
shameful words! However, O my nurse, this dog must be in one
of three cases: either he is Jinn-mad, and hath no wit, or he
seeketh his own slaughter, or else he is assisted to his wish
of me by some one of exceeding puissance and a mighty Sultan.
Or hath he heard that I am one of the baggages of the city,
who lie a night or two with whosoever seeketh them, that he
writeth me immodest verses to debauch my reason by talking of
such matters?" Rejoined the old woman, "By Allah, O my lady,
thou sayst sooth! But reck not thou of yonder ignorant hound,
for thou art seated in thy lofty, firm-builded and
unapproachable palace, to which the very birds cannot soar
neither the wind pass over it, and as for him, he is clean
distraught. Wherefore do thou write him a letter and chide him
angrily and spare him no manner of reproof, but threaten him
with dreadful threats and menace him with death and say to
him, 'Whence hast thou knowledge of me, that thou durst write
me, O dog of a merchant, O thou who trudgest far and wide all
thy days in wilds and wolds for the sake of gaining a dirham
or a dinar? By Allah, except thou awake from thy sleep and put
off thine intoxication, I will assuredly crucify thee on the
gate of the market-street wherein is thy shop!'" Quoth the
Princess, "I fear lest he presume, if I write to him"; and
quoth the nurse, "And pray what is he and what is his rank
that he should presume to us? Indeed, we write him but to the
intent that his presumption may be cut off and his fear
magnified." And she ceased not craftily to persuade her, till
she called for ink-case and paper and wrote him these
couplets,
"O thou who claimest to be prey of love and ecstasy;
Thou,
who for passion spendest nights in grief and saddest
gree:
Say, dost thou (haughty one!) desire enjoyment of the moon?
Did man e'er sue the moon for grace whate'er his lunacy?
I verily will counsel thee with rede the best to hear:
Cut
short this course ere come thou nigh sore risk, nay
death, to dree!
If thou to this request return, surely on thee shall fall
Sore punishment, for vile offence a grievous penalty.
Be reasonable then, be wise, hark back unto thy wits;
Behold, in very truth I speak with best advice to thee:
By Him who did all things that be create from nothingness;
Who dressed the face of heaven with stars in brightest
radiancy:
If in the like of this thy speech thou dare to sin again!
I'll surely have thee crucified upon a trunk of tree."
Then she rolled up the letter and gave it to the old woman who
took it and, repairing to Ardashir's shop, delivered it to
him, --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
old woman took that letter from Hayat al-Nufus she fared forth
till she found the youth who was sitting in his shop and gave
it to him, saying, "Read thine answer and know that when she
perused thy paper she was wroth with exceeding wrath; but I
soothed her and spake her fair, till she consented to write
thee a reply." He took the letter joyfully but, when he had
read it and understood its drift, he wept sore, whereat the
old woman's heart ached and she cried, "O my son, Allah never
cause thine eyes to weep nor thy heart to mourn! What can be
more gracious than that she should answer thy letter when thou
hast done what thou diddest?" He replied, "O my mother what
shall I do for a subtle device? Behold, she writeth to me,
threatening me with death and crucifixion and forbidding me
from writing to her; and I, by Allah, see my death to be
better than my life; but I beg thee of thy grace
[FN#273] to
carry her another letter from me." She said, "Write and I
warrant I'll bring thee an answer. By Allah, I will assuredly
venture my life to win for thee thy wish, though I die to
pleasure thee!" He thanked her and kissing her hands, wrote
these verses,
"Do you threaten me wi' death for my loving you so well?
When Death to me were rest and all dying is by Fate?
And man's death is but a boon, when so longsome to him grows
His life, and rejected he lives in lonest state:
Then visit ye a lover who hath ne'er a soul to aid;
For on
pious works of men Heaven's blessing shall await.
But an ye be resolved on this deed then up and on;
I'm in
bonds to you, a bondsman confined within your gate:
What path have I whose patience without you is no more?
How
is this, when a lover's heart in stress of love is
strait?
O my lady show me ruth, who by passion am misused;
For all
who love the noble stand for evermore excused."
He then folded the scroll and gave it to the old woman,
together with two purses of two hundred dinars, which she
would have refused, but he conjured her by oath to accept of
them. So she took them both and said, "Needs must I bring thee
to thy desire, despite the noses of thy foes." Then she
repaired to the palace and gave the letter to Hayat al-Nufus
who said, "What is this, O my nurse? Here are we in a
correspondence and thou coming and going! Indeed, I fear lest
the matter get wind and we be disgraced." Rejoined the old
woman, "How so, O my lady? Who dare speak such word?" So she
took the letter and after reading and understanding it she
smote hand on hand, saying "Verily, this is a calamity which
is fallen upon us, and I know not whence this young man came
to us!" Quoth the old woman, "O my lady, Allah upon thee,
write him another letter; but be rough with him this time and
say to him, 'An thou write me another word after this, I will
have thy head struck off.'" Quoth the Princess, "O my nurse, I
am assured that the matter will not end on such wise; 'twere
better to break off this exchange of letters; and, except the
puppy take warning by my previous threats, I will strike off
his head." The old woman said, "Then write him a letter and
give him to know this condition." So Hayat al-Nufus called for
pen-case and paper and wrote these couplets,
'Ho, thou heedless of Time and his sore despight!
Ho, thou
heart whom hopes of my favours excite!
Think O pride-full! would'st win for thyself the skies?
Would'st attain to the moon shining clear and bright?
I will burn thee with fire that shall ne'er be quenched,
Or
will slay thee with scymitar's sharpest bite!
Leave it, friend, and 'scape the tormenting pains,
Such as
turn hair- partings[FN#274] from black to white.
Take my warning and fly from the road of love;
Draw thee
back from a course nor seemly nor right!"
Then she folded the scroll and gave it to the old woman, who
was puzzled and perplexed by the matter. She carried it to
Ardashir, and the Prince read the letter and bowed his head to
the earth, making as if he wrote with his finger and speaking
not a word. Quoth the old woman, "How is it I see thee silent
stay and not say thy say?"; and quoth he, "O my mother, what
shall I say, seeing that she doth but threaten me and
redoubleth in hard- heartedness and aversion?" Rejoined the
nurse, "Write her a letter of what thou wilt: I will protect
thee; nor let thy heart be cast down, for needs must I bring
you twain together." He thanked her for her kindness and
kissing her hand, wrote these couplets,
"A heart, by Allah! never soft to lover-wight,
Who sighs for
union only with his friends, his sprite!
Who with tear-ulcered eyelids evermore must bide,
When
falleth upon earth first darkness of the night:
Be just, be gen'rous, lend thy ruth and deign give alms
To
love-molested lover, parted, forced to flight!
He spends the length of longsome night without a doze;
Fire-brent and drent in tear-flood flowing infinite:
Ah; cut not off the longing of my fondest heart
Now
disappointed, wasted, flutt'ring for its blight."
Then he folded the scroll and gave it to the old woman,
together with three hundred dinars, saying, "This is for the
washing of thy hands." She thanked him and kissed his hands,
after which she returned to the palace and gave the letter to
the Princess, who took it and read it and throwing it from her
fingers, sprang to her feet. Then she walked, shod as she was
with pattens of gold, set with pearls and jewels, till she
came to her sire's palace, whilst the vein of anger started
out between her eyes, and none dared ask her of her case. When
she reached the palace, she enquired for the King, and the
slave-girls and concubines replied to her, "O my lady, he is
gone forth a-hunting and sporting." So she returned, as she
were a rending lioness, and bespake none for the space of
three hours, when her brow cleared and her wrath cooled. As
soon as the old woman saw that her irk and anger were past,
she went up to her and, kissing ground between her hands,
asked her, "O my lady, whither went those noble steps?" The
Princess answered, "To the palace of the King my sire." "And
could no one do thine errand?" enquired the nurse. Replied the
Princess, "No, for I went to acquaint him of that which hath
befallen me with yonder cur of a merchant, so he might lay
hands on him and on all the merchants of his bazar and crucify
them over their shops nor suffer a single foreign merchant to
tarry in our town." Quoth the old woman, "And was this thine
only reason, O my lady, for going to thy sire?"; and quoth
Hayat al-Nufus, "Yes, but I found him absent a-hunting and
sporting and now I await his return." Cried the old nurse, "I
take refuge with Allah, the All hearing, the All knowing!
Praised be He! O my lady, thou art the most sensible of women
and how couldst thou think of telling the King these fond
words, which it behoveth none to publish?" Asked the Princess,
"And why so?" and the nurse answered, "Suppose thou had found
the King in his palace and told him all this tale and he had
sent after the merchants and commanded to hang them over their
shops, the folk would have seen them hanging and asked the
reason and it would have been answered them, 'They sought to
seduce the King's daughter.'" --And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
old woman said to the Princess, "Suppose thou had told this to
the King and he had ordered the merchants to be hanged, would
not folk have seen them and have asked the cause of the
execution when the answer would have been, 'They sought to
seduce the King's daughter?' Then would they have dispread
divers reports concerning thee, some saying, 'She abode with
them ten days, away from her palace, till they had taken their
fill of her'; and other some in otherguise: for woman's
honour, O my lady, is like ourded milk, the least dust fouleth
it; and like glass, which, if it be cracked, may not be
mended. So beware of telling thy sire or any other of this
matter, lest thy fair fame be smirched, O mistress mine, for
'twill never profit thee to tell folk aught; no, never! Weigh
what I say with thy keen wit, and if thou find it not just, do
whatso thou wilt." The Princess pondered her words, and seeing
them to be altogether profitable and right, said, "Thou
speaketh sooth, O my nurse; but anger had blinded my
judgment." Quoth the old woman, "Thy resolve to tell no one is
pleasing to the Almighty; but something remaineth to be done:
we must not let the shamelessness of yonder vile dog of a
merchant pass without notice. Write him a letter and say to
him 'O vilest of traders, but that I found the King my father
absent, I had straightway commanded to hang thee and all thy
neighbours. But thou shalt gain nothing by this; for I swear
to thee, by Allah the Most High, that an thou return to the
like of this talk, I will blot out the trace of thee from the
face of earth!' And deal thou roughly with him in words, so
shalt thou discourage him in this attempt and arouse him from
his heedlessness." "And will these words cause him to abstain
from his offending?" asked the Princess; and the old woman
answered, "How should he not abstain? Besides, I will talk
with him and tell him what hath passed." So the Princess
called for ink-case and paper and wrote these couplets,
"To win our favours still thy hopes are bent;
And still
to win thy will art confident!
Naught save his pride-full aim shall slay a man;
And he by
us shall die of his intent
Thou art no lord of might, no chief of men,
Nabob or
Prince or Soldan Heaven-sent;
And were this deed of one who is our peer,
He had
returned with hair for fear white-sprent:
Yet will I deign once more excuse thy sin
So from
this time thou prove thee penitent."
Then she gave the missive to the old woman, saying, "O my
nurse, do thou admonish this puppy lest I be forced to cut off
his head and sin on his account." Replied the old woman, "By
Allah, O my lady, I will not leave him a side to turn on!"
Then she returned to the youth and, when salams had been
exchanged, she gave him the letter. He read it and shook his
head, saying, "Verily, we are Allah's and unto him shall we
return!" adding, "O my mother, what shall I do? My fortitude
faileth me and my patience palleth upon me!" She replied, "O
my son, be long- suffering: peradventure, after this Allah
shall bring somewhat to pass. Write that which is in thy mind
and I will fetch thee an answer, and be of good cheer and keep
thine eyes cool and clear; for needs must I bring about union
between thee and her,-- Inshallah!" He blessed her and wrote
to the Princess a note containing these couplets,
"Since none will lend my love a helping hand,
And I by
passion's bale in death low-lain,
I bear a flaming fire within my heart
By day and night nor
place of rest attain,
How cease to hope in thee, my wishes' term?
Or with my
longings to be glad and fain?
The Lord of highmost Heaven to grant my prayer
Pray I, whom
love of lady fair hath slain;
And as I'm clean o'erthrown by love and fear,
To grant me
speedy union deign, oh deign!"
Then he folded the scroll and gave it to the old woman,
bringing out at the same time a purse of four hundred dinars.
She took the whole and returning to the palace sought the
Princess to whom she gave the letter; but the King's daughter
refused to take it and cried, "What is this?" Replied the old
woman, "O my lady, this is only the answer to the letter thou
sentest to that merchant dog." Quoth Hayat al-Nufus, "Didst
thou forbid him as I told thee?"; and quoth she, "Yes, and
this is his reply." So the Princess took the letter and read
it to the end; then she turned to the old woman and exclaimed,
"Where is the result of thy promise?" "O my lady, saith he not
in his letter that he repenteth and will not again offend,
excusing himself for the past?" "Not so, by Allah!: on the
contrary, he increaseth." "O my lady, write him a letter and
thou shalt presently see what I will do with him." "There
needeth nor letter nor answer." "I must have a letter that I
may rebuke him roughly and cut off his hopes." "Thou canst do
that without a letter." "I cannot do it without the letter."
So Hayat al-Nufus called for pen-case and paper and wrote
these verses,
"Long have I chid thee but my chiding hindereth thee not
How
often would my verse with writ o' hand ensnare thee, ah!
Then keep thy passion hidden deep and ever unrevealed,
And
if thou dare gainsay me Earth shall no more bear thee,
ah!
And if, despite my warning, thou dost to such words return,
Death's Messenger[FN#275] shall go his rounds and dead
declare thee, ah!
Soon shall the wold's fierce chilling blast o'erblow that
corse o' thine;
And birds o' the wild with ravening
bills and beaks shall tear thee, ah!
Return to righteous course; perchance that same will profit
thee;
If bent on wilful aims and lewd I fain forswear
thee, ah!"
When she had made an end of her writing this, she cast the
writ from her hand in wrath, and the old woman picked it up
and went with it to Ardashir. When he read it to the last he
knew that she had not softened to him, but only redoubled in
rage against him and that he would never win to meet her, so
he bethought himself to write her an answer invoking Allah's
help against her. Thereupon he indited these couplets,
"O Lord, by the Five Shaykhs, I pray deliver me
From love,
which gars me bear such grief and misery.
Thou knowest what I bear for passion's fiery flame;
What
stress of sickness for that merciless maid I dree.
She hath no pity on the pangs to me decreed;
How long on
weakly wight shall last her tyranny?
I am distraught for her with passing agonies
And find no
friend, O folk! to hear my plaint and plea.
How long, when Night hath drooped her pinions o'er the world,
Shall I lament in public as in privacy?
For love of you I cannot find forgetfulness;
And how forget
when Patience taketh wings to flee?
O thou wild parting-bird[FN#276] say is she safe and sure
From shift and change of time and the world's cruelty?"
Then he folded the scroll and gave it to the old woman, adding
a purse of five hundred dinars; and she took it and carried it
to the Princess, who read it to the end and learned its
purport. Then, casting it from her hand, she cried, "Tell me O
wicked old woman, the cause of all that hath befallen me from
thee and from thy cunning and thine advocacy of him, so that
thou hast made me write letter after letter and thou ceasest
not to carry messages, going and coming between us twain, till
thou hast brought about a correspondence and a connection.
Thou leavest not to say, 'I will ensure thee against his
mischief and cut off from thee his speech'; but thou speakest
not thus save only to the intent that I may continue to write
thee letters and thou to fetch and carry between us, evening
and morning, till thou ruin my repute. Woe to thee! Ho,
eunuchs, seize her!" Then Hayat al-Nufus commanded them to
beat her, and they lashed her till her whole body flowed with
blood and she fainted away, whereupon the King's daughter
caused her slave-women to drag her forth by the feet and cast
her without the palace and bade one of them stand by her head
till she recovered, and say to her, "The Princess hath sworn
an oath that thou shalt never return to and re-enter this
palace; and she hath commanded to slay thee without mercy an
thou dare return hither." So, when she came to herself, the
damsel told her what the King's daughter said and she
answered, "Hearkening and obedience." Presently the
slave-girls fetched a basket and a porter whom they caused
carry her to her own house; and they sent after her a
physician, bidding him tend her assiduously till she
recovered. He did what he was told to do and as soon as she
was whole she mounted and rode to the shop of Ardashir who was
concerned with sore concern for her absence and was longing
for news of her. As soon as he saw her, he sprang up and
coming to meet her, saluted her; then he noticed that she was
weak and ailing; so he questioned her of her case and she told
him all that had befallen her from her nursling. When he heard
this, he found it grievous and smote hand upon hand, saying,
"By Allah, O my mother, this that hath betided thee
straiteneth my heart! But, what, O my mother, is the reason of
the Princess's hatred to men?" Replied the old woman, "Thou
must know O my son, that she hath a beautiful garden, than
which there is naught goodlier on earth's face and it chanced
that she lay there one night. In the joyance of sleep, she
dreamt a dream and 'twas this, that she went down into the
garden, where she saw a fowler set up his net and strew corn
thereabout, after which he withdrew and sat down afar off to
await what game should fall into it. Ere an hour had passed
the birds flocked to pick up the corn and a male
pigeon
[FN#277] fell into the net and struggled in it, whereat
all the others took fright and fled from him. His mate was
amongst them, but she returned to him after the shortest
delay; and, coming up to the net, sought out the mesh wherein
his foot was entangled and ceased not to peck at it with her
bill, till she severed it and released her husband, with whom
she flew away. All this while, the fowler sat dozing, and when
he awoke, he looked at the net and found it spoilt. So he
mended it and strewed fresh grain, then withdrew to a distance
and sat down to watch it again. The birds soon returned and
began to pick up the corn, and among the rest the pair of
pigeons. Presently, the she-pigeon fell into the net and
struggled to get free; whereupon all the other birds flew
away, and her mate, whom she had saved, fled with the rest and
did not return to her. Meantime, sleep had again overcome the
fowler; and, when he awoke after long slumbering, he saw the
she-pigeon caught in the net; so he went up to her and freeing
her feet from the meshes, cut her throat. The Princess
startled by the dream awoke troubled, and said, 'Thus do men
with women, for women have pity on men and throw away their
lives for them, when they are in difficulties; but if the Lord
decree against a woman and she fall into calamity, her mate
deserteth her and rescueth her not, and wasted is that which
she did with him of kindness. Allah curse her who putteth her
trust in men, for they ill requite the fair offices which
women do them!' And from that day she conceived an hatred to
men." Said the King's son, "O my mother, doth she never go out
into the highways?"; and the old woman replied, "Nay, O my
son; but I will tell thee somewhat wherein, Allah willing,
there shall be profit for thee. She hath a garden which is of
the goodliest pleasaunces of the age; and every year, at the
time of the ripening of the fruits, she goeth thither and
taketh her pleasure therein only one day, nor layeth the night
but in her pavilion. She entereth the garden by the private
wicket of the palace which leadeth thereto; and thou must know
that it wanteth now but a month to the time of her going
forth. So take my advice and hie thee this very day to the
keeper of that garden and make acquaintance with him and gain
his good graces, for he admitteth not one of Allah's creatures
into the garth, because of its communication with the
Princess's palace. I will let thee know two days beforehand of
the day fixed for her coming forth, when do thou repair to the
garden, as of thy wont, and make shift to night there. When
the King's daughter cometh be thou hidden in some place or
other";--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
old woman charged the King's son, saying, "I will let thee
know two days beforehand of the King's daughter going down to
the garden: do thou hide thee in some place or other; and,
when thou espiest her, come forth and show thyself to her.
When she seeth thee, she will fall in love with thee; for thou
art fair to look upon and love covereth all things. So keep
thine eyes cool and clear
[FN#278] and be of good cheer, O my
son, for needs must I bring about union between thee and her."
The young Prince kissed her hand and thanked her and gave her
three pieces of Alexandrian silk and three of satin of various
colours, and with each piece, linen for shifts and stuff for
trousers and a kerchief for the turband and fine white cotton
cloth of Ba'albak for the linings, so as to make her six
complete suits, each handsomer than its sister. Moreover, he
gave her a purse containing six hundred gold pieces and said
to her, "This is for the tailoring." She took the whole and
said to him, "O my son, art thou not pleased to acquaint me
with thine abiding-place and I also will show thee the way to
my lodging?" "Yes," answered he and sent a Mameluke with her
to note her home and show her his own house. Then he rose and
bidding his slaves shut the shop, went back to the Wazir, to
whom he related all that had passed between him and the old
woman, from first to last. Quoth the Minister, "O my son,
should the Princess Hayat al-Nufus come out and look upon thee
and thou find no favour with her what wilt thou do?" Quoth
Ardashir, "There will be nothing left but to pass from words
to deeds and risk my life with her; for I will snatch her up
from amongst her attendants and set her behind me on a swift
horse and make for the wildest of the wold. If I escape, I
shall have won my wish and if I perish, I shall be at rest
from this hateful life." Rejoined the Minister, "O my son,
dost thou think to do this thing and live? How shall we make
our escape, seeing that our country is far distant, and how
wilt thou deal thus with a King of the Kings of the Age, who
hath under his hand an hundred thousand horse, nor can we be
sure but that he will despatch some of his troops to cut off
our way? Verily, there is no good in this project which no
wise man would attempt." Asked Ardashir, "And how then shall
we do, O Wazir of good counsel? For unless I win her I am a
dead man without a chance." The Minister answered, "Wait till
to-morrow when we will visit this garden and note its
condition and see what betideth us with the care-taker." So
when the morning morrowed they took a thousand dinars in a
poke and, repairing to the garden, found it compassed about
with high walls and strong, rich in trees and rill-full leas
and goodly fruiteries. And indeed its flowers breathed perfume
and its birds warbled amid the bloom as it were a garden of
the gardens of Paradise. Within the door sat a Shaykh, an old
man on a stone bench and they saluted him. When he saw them
and noted the fairness of their favour, he rose to his feet
after returning their salute, and said, "O my lords, perchance
ye have a wish which we may have the honour of satisfying?"
Replied the Wazir, "Know, O elder, that we are strangers and
the heat hath overcome us: our lodging is afar off at the
other end of the city; so we desire of thy courtesy that thou
take these two dinars and buy us somewhat of provaunt and open
us meanwhile the door of this flower-garden and seat us in
some shaded place, where there is cold water, that we may cool
ourselves there, against thy return with the provision, when
we will eat, and thou with us, and then, rested and refreshed,
we shall wend our ways." So saying, he pulled out of his pouch
a couple of dinars and put them into the keeper's hand. Now
this care-taker was a man aged three-score and ten, who had
never in all his life possessed so much money: so, when he saw
the two dinars in his hand, he was like to fly for joy and
rising forthwith opened the garden gate to the Prince and the
Wazir, and made them enter and sit down under a
wide-spreading, fruit-laden, shade-affording tree, saying,
"Sit ye here and go no further into the garden, for it hath a
privy door communicating with the palace of the Princess Hayat
al-Nufus." They replied, "We will not stir hence." Whereupon
he went out to buy what they had ordered and returned after
awhile, with a porter bearing on his head a roasted lamb and
bread. They ate and drank together and talked awhile, till,
presently, the Wazir, looking about him in all corners right
and left, caught sight of a lofty pavilion at the farther end
of the garden; but it was old and the plaster was peeled from
its walls and its buttresses were broken down. So he said to
the Gardener, "O Shaykh, is this garden thine own or dost thou
hire it?"; and he replied, "I am neither owner nor tenant of
the garden, only its care-taker." Asked the Minister, "And
what is thy wage?" whereto the old man answered, "A dinar a
month," and quoth the Wazir, "Verily they wrong thee,
especially an thou have a family." Quoth the elder, "By Allah,
O my lord, I have eight children and I"-- The Wazir broke in,
"There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great! Thou makest me bear thy grief my poor
fellow! What wouldst thou say of him who should do thee a good
turn, on account of this family of thine?" Replied the old
man, "O my lord, whatsoever good thou dost shall be garnered
up for thee with God the Most High!" Thereupon said the Wazir,
"O Shaykh, thou knowest this garden of thine to be a goodly
place; but the pavilion yonder is old and ruinous. Now I mean
to repair it and stucco it anew and paint it handsomely, so
that it will be the finest thing in the garth; and when the
owner comes and finds the pavilion restored and beautified, he
will not fail to question thee concerning it. Then do thou
say, 'O my lord, at great expense I set it in repair, for that
I saw it in ruins and none could make use of it nor could
anyone sit therein.' If he says, 'Whence hadst thou the money
for this?' reply, 'I spent of my own money upon the stucco,
thereby thinking to whiten my face with thee and hoping for
thy bounties.' And needs must he recompense thee fairly over
the extent of thine expenses. To-morrow I will bring builders
and plasterers and painters to repair this pavilion and will
give thee what I promised thee." Then he pulled out of his
poke a purse of five hundred dinars and gave it to the
Gardener, saying, "Take these gold pieces and expend them upon
thy family and let them pray for me and for this my son."
Thereupon the Prince asked the Wazir, "What is the meaning of
all this?" and he answered, "Thou shalt presently see the
issue thereof."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the Wazir gave five hundred ducats to the old Gardener,
saying, "Take these gold pieces and expend them upon thy
family and let them pray for this my son," the old man looked
at the gold and his wits fled; so he fell down at the Wazir's
feet, kissing them and invoking blessings on him and his son;
and when they went away, he said to them, "I shall expect you
to-morrow: for by Allah Almighty, there must be no parting
between us, night or day." Next morning the Wazir went to the
Prince's shop and sent for the syndic of the builders; then he
carried him and his men to the garth, where the Gardener
rejoiced in their sight. He gave them the price of
rations
[FN#279] and what was needful to the work- men for the
restoration of the pavilion, and they repaired it and stucco'd
it and decorated it. Then said the Minister to the painters,
"Harkye, my masters, listen to my words and apprehend my wish
and my aim. Know that I have a garden like this, where I was
sleeping one night among the nights and saw in a dream a
fowler set up nets and sprinkle corn thereabout. The birds
flocked to pick up the grain, and a cock-bird fell into the
net, whereupon the others took fright and flew away, and
amongst the rest his mate; but, after awhile, she returned
alone and picked at the mesh that held his feet, till she set
him free and they flew away together. Now the fowler had
fallen asleep and, when he awoke, he found the net empty; so
he mended it and strewing fresh grain sat down afar off,
waiting for game to fall into that snare. Presently the birds
assembled again to pick up the grains, and amongst the rest
the two pigeons. By-and-by, the hen-bird fell into the net,
when all the other birds took fright at her and flew away, and
her husband flew with them and did not return; whereupon the
fowler came up and taking the quarry, cut her throat. Now,
when her mate flew away with the others, a bird of raven
seized him and slew him and ate his flesh and drank his blood,
and I would have you pourtray me the presentment of this my
dream, even as I have related it to you, in the liveliest
colours, laying the fair scene in this rare garden, with its
walls and trees and rills, and dwell especially on the fowler
and the falcon. If ye do this I have set forth to you and the
work please me, I will give you what shall gladden your
hearts, over and above your wage." The painters, hearing these
words, applied themselves with all diligence to do what he
required of them and wrought it out in masterly style; and
when they had made an end of the work, they showed it to the
Wazir who, seeing his so-called dream set forth as it
was
[FN#280] was pleased and thanked them and rewarded them
munificently. Presently, the Prince came in, according to his
custom, and entered the pavilion, unweeting what the Wazir had
done. So when he saw the portraiture of the fowler and the
birds and the net and beheld the male pigeon in the clutches
of the hawk, which had slain him and was drinking his blood
and eating his flesh, his understanding was confounded and he
returned to the Minister and said, "O Wazir of good counsel, I
have seen this day a marvel which, were it graven with
needle-gravers on the eye-corners would be a warner to whoso
will be warned?" Asked the Minister, "And what is that, O my
lord?"; and the Prince answered, "Did I not tell thee of the
dream the Princess had and how it was the cause of her hatred
for men?" "Yes," replied the Wazir; and Ardashir rejoined, "By
Allah, O Minister, I have seen the whole dream pourtrayed in
painting, as I had eyed it with mine own eyes; but I found
therein a circumstance which was hidden from the Princess, so
that she saw it not, and 'tis upon this that I rely for the
winning of my wish." Quoth the Wazir, "And what is that, O my
son?"; and quoth the Prince, "I saw that, when the male bird
flew away; and, leaving his mate entangled in the net, failed
to return and save her, a falcon pounced on him and slaying
him, ate his flesh and drank his blood. Would to Heaven the
Princess had seen the whole of the dream and had beheld the
cause of his failure to return and rescue her!" Replied the
Wazir, "By Allah, O auspicious King, this is indeed a rare
thing and a wonderful!" And the King's son ceased not to
marvel at the picture and lament that the King's daughter had
not beheld the dream to its end, saying in himself, "Would she
had seen it to the last or might see the whole over again,
though but in the imbroglio of sleep!" Then quoth the Wazir to
him, "Thou saidst to me, 'Why wilt thou repair the pavilion?';
and I replied, 'Thou shalt presently see the issue thereof.'
And behold, now its issue thou seest; for it was I did this
deed and bade the painters pourtray the Princess's dream thus
and paint the male bird in the pounces of the falcon which
eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood; so that when she
cometh to the pavilion, she will behold her dream depicted and
see how the cock-pigeon was slain and excuse him and turn from
her hate for men." When the Prince heard the Wazir's words, he
kissed his hands and thanked him, saying, "Verily, the like of
thee is fit to be Minister to the most mighty King, and, by
Allah, an I win my wish and return to my sire, rejoicing, I
will assuredly acquaint him with this, that he may redouble in
honouring thee and advance thee in dignity and hearken to
thine every word." So the Wazir kissed his hand and they both
went to the old Gardener and said, "Look at yonder pavilion
and see how fine it is!" And he replied, "This is all of your
happy thought." Then said they, "O elder, when the owners of
the place question thee concerning the restoration of the
pavilion, say thou, ''Twas I did it of my own monies'; to the
intent that there may betide thee fair favour and good
fortune." He said, "I hear and I obey"; and the Prince
continued to pay him frequent visits. Such was the case with
the Prince and the Wazir; but as regards Hayat al-Nufus, when
she ceased to receive the Prince's letters and messages and
when the old woman was absent from her, she rejoiced with joy
exceeding and concluded that the young man had returned to his
own country. One day, there came to her a covered tray from
her father; so she uncovered it and finding therein fine
fruits, asked her waiting-women, "Is the season of these
fruits come?" Answered they, "Yes." Thereupon she cried,
"Would we might make ready to take our pleasure in the
flower-garden!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Princess, after receiving the fruit from her sire, asked, "Is
the season of these fruits set in?"; and they answered, "Yes!"
Thereupon she cried, "Would we might make ready to take our
pleasure in the flower-garden!" "O my lady," they replied,
"thou sayest well, and by Allah, we also long for the garden!"
So she enquired, "How shall we do, seeing that every year it
is none save my nurse who taketh us to walk in the garden and
who pointeth out to us the various trees and plants; and I
have beaten her and forbidden her from me? Indeed, I repent me
of what was done by me to her, for that, in any case, she is
my nurse and hath over me the right of fosterage. But there is
no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious,
the Great!" When her handmaids heard this, they all sprang up;
and, kissing the ground between her hands, exclaimed, "Allah
upon thee, O my lady, do thou pardon her and bid her to the
presence!"; and quoth she, "By Allah, I am resolved upon this;
but which of you will go to her, for I have prepared her a
splendid robe of honour?" Hereupon two damsels came forward,
by name Bulbul and Siwad al-'Ayn, who were comely and graceful
and the principals among the Princess's women, and her
favourites. And they said, "We will go to her, O King's
daughter!"; and she said, "Do what seemeth good to you." So
they went to the house of the nurse and knocked at the door
and entered; and she, recognising the twain, received them
with open arms and welcomed them. When they had sat awhile
with her, they said to her, "O nurse, the Princess pardoneth
thee and desireth to take thee back into favour." She replied,
"This may never be, though I drink the cup of ruin! Hast thou
forgotten how she put me to shame before those who love me and
those who hate me, when my clothes were dyed with my blood and
I well nigh died for stress of beating, and after this they
dragged me forth by the feet, like a dead dog, and cast me
without the door? So by Allah, I will never return to her nor
fill my eyes with her sight!" Quoth the two girls, "Disappoint
not our pains in coming to thee nor send us away unsuccessful.
Where is thy courtesy uswards? Think but who it is that cometh
in to visit thee: canst thou wish for any higher of standing
than we with the King's daughter?" She replied, "I take refuge
with Allah: well I wot that my station is less than yours;
were it not that the Princess's favour exalted me above all
her women, so that, were I wroth with the greatest of them,
she had died in her skin of fright." They rejoined, "All is as
it was and naught is in anywise changed. Indeed, 'tis better
than before, for the Princess humbleth herself to thee and
seeketh a reconciliation without intermediary." Said the old
woman, "By Allah, were it not for your presence and
intercession with me, I had never returned to her; no, not
though she had commanded to slay me!" They thanked her for
this and she rose and dressing herself accompanied them to the
palace. Now when the King's daughter saw her, she sprang to
her feet in honour, and the old woman said, "Allah! Allah! O
King's daughter, say me, whose was the fault, mine or thine?"
Hayat al-Nufus replied, "The fault was mine, and 'tis thine to
pardon and forgive. By Allah, O my nurse, thy rank is high
with me and thou hast over me the right of fosterage; but thou
knowest that Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) hath allotted
to His creatures four things, disposition, life, daily bread
and death; nor is it in man's power to avert that which is
decreed. Verily, I was beside myself and could not recover my
senses; but, O my nurse, I repent of what deed I did." With
this, the crone's anger ceased from her and she rose and
kissed the ground before the Princess, who called for a costly
robe of honour and threw it over her, whereat she rejoiced
with exceeding joy in the presence of the Princess's slaves
and women. When all ended thus happily, Hayat al-Nufus said to
the old woman, "O my nurse, how go the fruits and growths of
our garth?"; and she replied, "O my lady, I see excellent
fruits in the town; but I will enquire of this matter and
return thee an answer this very day." Then she withdrew,
honoured with all honour and betook herself to Ardashir, who
received her with open arms and embraced her and rejoiced in
her coming, for that he had expected her long and longingly.
She told him all that had passed between herself and the
Princess and how her mistress was minded to go down into the
garden on such a day.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-eighth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
old woman betook herself to the Prince and told him all that
had passed between herself and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus;
and how her mistress was minded to go down into the garden on
such a day and said to him, "Hast thou done as I bade thee
with the Warder of the garden and hast thou made him taste of
thy bounties?" He replied, "Yes, and the oldster is become my
good friend: my way is his way and he would well I had need of
him." Then he told her all that had happened and of the
dream-paintings which the Wazir had caused to be limned in the
pavilion; especially of the fowler, the net and the falcon:
whereat she joyed with great joy and said, "Allah upon thee,
do thou set thy Minister mid- most thy heart, for this that he
hath done pointeth to the keenness of his wit and he hath
helped thee to the winning thy wish. So rise forthright, O my
son, and go to the Hammam-bath and don thy daintiest dress,
wherein may be our success. Then fare thou to the Gardener and
make shift to pass the night in the garden, for though he
should give the earth full of gold none may win to pass into
it, whilst the King's daughter is therein. When thou hast
entered, hide thee where no eye may espy thee and keep
concealed till thou hear me cry, 'O Thou whose boons are
hidden, save us from that we fear!' Then come forth from thine
ambush and walk among the trees and show thy beauty and
loveliness which put the moons to shame, to the intent that
Princess Hayat al-Nufus may see thee and that her heart and
soul may be filled with love of thee; so shalt thou attain to
thy wish and thy grief be gone." "To hear is to obey," replied
the young Prince and gave her a purse of a thousand dinars,
which she took and went away. Thereupon Ardashir fared
straight for the bath and washed; after which he arrayed
himself in the richest of robes of the apparel of the Kings of
the Chosroes and girt his middle with a girdle wherein were
conjoined all manner precious stones and donned a turband
inwoven with red gold and purfled with pearls and gems. His
cheeks shone rosy-red and his lips were scarlet; his eyelids
like the gazelle's wantoned; like a wine-struck wight in his
gait he swayed; beauty and loveliness garbed him, and his
shape shamed the bowing of the bough. Then he put in his
pocket a purse containing a thousand dinars and, repairing to
the flower-garden, knocked at the door. The Gardener opened to
him and rejoicing with great joy salamed to him in most
worshipful fashion; then, observing that his face was
overcast, he asked him how he did. The King's son answered,
"Know, O elder, that I am dear to my father and he never laid
his hand on me till this day, when words arose between us and
he abused me and smote me on the face and struck me with his
staff and drave me away. Now I have no friend to turn to and I
fear the perfidy of Fortune, for thou knowest that the wrath
of parents is no light thing. Wherefore I come to thee, O
uncle, seeing that to my father thou art known, and I desire
of thy favour that thou suffer me abide in the garden till the
end of the day, or pass the night there, till Allah grant good
understanding between myself and my sire." When the old man
heard these words he was concerned anent what had occurred and
said, "O my lord, dost thou give me leave to go to thy sire
and be the means of reconciliation between thee and him?"
Replied Ardashir, "O uncle, thou must know that my father is
of impatient nature, and irascible; so an thou proffer him
reconciliation in his heat of temper he will make thee no
answer; but when a day or two shall have passed, his heat will
soften. Then go thou in to him and thereupon he will relent."
"Hearkening and obedience," quoth the Gardener; "But, O my
lord, do thou come with me to my house, where thou shalt night
with my children and my family and none shall reproach this to
us." Quoth Ardashir, "O uncle, I must be alone when I am
angry."
[FN#281] The old man said, "It irketh me that thou
shouldst lie solitary in the garden, when I have a house." But
Ardashir said, "O uncle, I have an aim in this, that the
trouble of my mind may be dispelled from me and I know that in
this lies the means of regaining his favour and softening his
heart to me." Rejoined the Gardener, "I will fetch thee a
carpet to sleep on and a coverlet wherewith to cover thee;"
and the Prince said, "There is no harm in that, O uncle." So
the keeper rose and opened the garden to him, and brought him
the carpet and coverlet, knowing not that the King's daughter
was minded to visit the garth. On this wise fared it with the
Prince; but as regards the nurse, she returned to the Princess
and told her that the fruits were kindly ripe on the garden
trees; whereupon she said, "O my nurse, go down with me
to-morrow into the garden, that we may walk about in it and
take our pleasure,--Inshallah; and send meanwhile to the
Gardener, to let him know what we purpose." So she sent to the
Gardener to say, "The Princess will visit the parterre
to-morrow, so leave neither water-carriers nor tree-tenders
therein, nor let one of Allah's creatures enter the garth."
When word came to him, he set his water-ways and channels in
order and, going to Ardashir, said to him, "O my lord, the
King's daughter is mistress of this garden; and I have only to
crave thy pardon, for the place is thy place and I live only
in thy favours, except that my tongue is under thy
feet.
[FN#282] I must tell thee that the Princess Hayat
al-Nufus hath a mind to visit it to-morrow at the first of the
day and hath bidden me leave none therein who might look upon
her. So I would have thee of thy favour go forth of the garden
this day, for the Queen will abide only in it till the time of
mid-afternoon prayer and after it shall be at thy service for
se'nnights and fortnights, months and years." Ardashir asked,
"O elder, haply we have caused thee some mishap?"; and the
other answered, "By Allah, O my lord, naught hath betided me
from thee but honour!" Rejoined the Prince, "An it be so,
nothing but all good shall befal thee through us; for I will
hide in the garden and none shall espy me, till the King's
daughter hath gone back to her palace." Said the Gardener, "O
my lord, an she espy the shadow of a man in the garden or any
of Allah's male creatures she will strike off my head;"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when the Gardener said to the Prince, "An the King's daughter
espy the shadow of a man in her garden, she will strike off my
head;" the youth replied, "Have no fear, I will on no wise let
any see me. But doubtless to-day thou lackest of
spending-money for thy family." Then he put his hand to his
purse and pulled out five hundred ducats, which he gave to him
saying, "Take this gold and lay it out on thy family, that thy
heart may be at ease concerning them." When the Shaykh looked
upon the gold, his life seemed a light thing to him
[FN#283]
and he suffered the Prince to tarry where he was, charging him
straitly not to show himself in the garden. Then he left him
loitering about. Meanwhile, when the eunuchs went in to the
Princess at break of day, she bade open the private wicket
leading from the palace to the parterres and donned a royal
robe, embroidered with pearls and jewels and gems, over a
shift of fine silk purfled with rubies. Under the whole was
that which tongue refuseth to explain, whereat was confounded
the brain and whose love would embrave the craven's strain. On
her head she set a crown of red gold, inlaid with pearls and
gems and she tripped in pattens of cloth of gold, embroidered
with fresh pearls
[FN#284] and adorned with all manner precious
stones. Then she put her hand upon the old woman's shoulder
and commanded to go forth by the privy door; but the nurse
looked at the garden and, seeing it full of eunuchs and
handmaids walking about, eating the fruits and troubling the
streams and taking their ease of sport and pleasure in the
water said to the Princess, "O my lady, is this a garden or a
madhouse?" Quoth the Princess, "What meaneth thy speech, O
nurse?"; and quoth the old woman, "Verily the garden is full
of slave-girls and eunuchs, eating of the fruits and troubling
the streams and scaring the birds and hindering us from taking
our ease and sporting and laughing and what not else; and thou
hast no need of them. Wert thou going forth of thy palace into
the highway, this would be fitting, as an honour and a ward to
thee; but, now, O my lady, thou goest forth of the wicket into
the garden, where none of Almighty Allah's creatures may look
on thee." Rejoined the Princess, "By Allah, O nurse mine, thou
sayst sooth! But how shall we do?"; and the old woman said,
"Bid the eunuchs send them all away and keep only two of the
slave-girls, that we may make merry with them. So she
dismissed them all, with the exception of two of her handmaids
who were most in favour with her. But when the old woman saw
that her heart was light and that the season was pleasant to
her, she said to her, "Now we can enjoy ourselves aright: so
up and let us take our pleasance in the garden." The Princess
put her hand upon her shoulder and went out by the private
door. The two waiting-women walked in front and she followed
them laughing at them and swaying gracefully to and fro in her
ample robes; whilst the nurse forewent her, showing her the
trees and feeding her with fruits; and so they fared on from
place to place, till they came to the pavilion, which when the
King's daughter beheld and saw that it had been restored, she
asked the old woman, "O my nurse, seest thou yonder pavilion?
It hath been repaired and its walls whitened." She answered,
"By Allah, O my lady, I heard say that the keeper of the
garden had taken stuffs of a company of merchants and sold
them and bought bricks and lime and plaster and stones and so
forth with the price; so I asked him what he had done with all
this, and he said, 'I have repaired the pavilion which lay in
ruins,' presently adding, 'And when the merchants sought their
due of me, I said to them, 'Wait 'till the Princess visit the
garden and see the repairs and they satisfy her; then will I
take of her what she is pleased to bestow on me, and pay you
what is your due.' Quoth I, 'What moved thee to do this
thing?'; and quoth he, 'I saw the pavilion in ruins, the
coigns thrown down and the stucco peeled from the walls, and
none had the grace to repair it; so I borrowed the coin on my
own account and restored the place; and I trust in the King's
daughter to deal with me as befitteth her dignity.' I said,
'The Princess is all goodness and generosity and will no doubt
requite thee.' And he did all this but in hopes of thy
bounty." Replied the Princess, "By Allah, he hath dealt nobly
in rebuilding it and hath done the deed of generous men! Call
me my purse-keeperess." The old woman accordingly fetched the
purse-keeperess, whom the Princess bade give the Gardener two
thousand dinars; whereupon the nurse sent to him, bidding him
to the presence of the King's daughter. But when the messenger
said to him, "Obey the Queen's order," the Gardener felt
feeble and, trembling in every joint, said in himself,
"Doubtless, the Princess hath seen the young man, and this day
will be the most unlucky of days for me." So he went home and
told his wife and children what had happened and gave them his
last charges and farewelled them, while they wept for and with
him. Then he presented himself before the Princess, with a
face the colour of turmeric and ready to fall flat at full
length. The old woman remarked his plight and hastened to
forestall him, saying "O Shaykh, kiss the earth in
thanksgiving to Almighty Allah and be constant in prayer to
Him for the Princess. I told her what thou didst in the matter
of repairing the ruined pavilion, and she rejoiceth in this
and bestoweth on thee two thousand dinars in requital of thy
pains; so take them from the purse-keeperess and kiss the
earth before the King's daughter and bless her and wend thy
way." Hearing these words he took the gold and kissed the
ground before Hayat al-Nufus, calling down blessings on her.
Then he returned to his house, and his family rejoiced in him
and blessed him
[FN#285] who had been the prime cause of this
business.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirtieth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the Care-taker took the two thousand ducats from the Princess
and returned to his house, all his family rejoiced in him and
blessed him who had been the prime cause of this business.
Thus it fared with these; but as regards the old woman, she
said to the Princess, "O my lady, this is indeed become a fine
place! Never saw I a purer white than its plastering nor
properer than its painting! I wonder if he have also repaired
it within: else hath he made the outside white and left the
inside black. Come, let us enter and inspect." So they went
in, the nurse preceding, and found the interior painted and
gilded in the goodliest way. The Princess looked right and
left, till she came to the upper end of the estrade, when she
fixed her eyes upon the wall and gazed long and earnestly
thereat; whereupon the old woman knew that her glance had
lighted on the presentment of her dream and took the two
waiting-women away with her, that they might not divert her
mind. When the King's daughter had made an end of examining
the painting, she turned to the old woman, wondering and
beating hand on hand, and said to her, "O my nurse, come, see
a wondrous thing which were it graven with needle-gravers on
the eye corners would be a warner to whoso will be warned."
She replied, "And what is that, O my lady?"; when the Princess
rejoined, "Go, look at the upper end of the estrade, and tell
me what thou seest there." So she went up and considered the
dream-drawing: then she came down, wondering, and said, "By
Allah, O my lady, here is depicted the garden and the fowler
and his net and the birds and all thou sawest in thy dream;
and verily, nothing but urgent need withheld the male pigeon
from returning to free his mate after he had fled her, for I
see him in the talons of a bird of raven which hath
slaughtered him and is drinking his blood and rending his
flesh and eating it; and this, O my lady, caused his tarrying
to return and rescue her from the net. But, O my mistress, the
wonder is how thy dream came to be thus depicted, for, wert
thou minded to set it forth in painture, thou hadst not
availed to portray it. By Allah, this is a marvel which should
be recorded in histories! Surely, O my lady, the angels
appointed to attend upon the sons of Adam, knew that the
cock-pigeon was wronged of us, because we blamed him for
deserting his mate; so they embraced his cause and made
manifest his excuse; and now for the first time we see him in
the hawk's pounces a dead bird." Quoth the Princess, "O my
nurse, verily, Fate and Fortune had course against this bird,
and we did him wrong." Quoth the nurse, "O my mistress, foes
shall meet before Allah the Most High: but, O my lady, verily,
the truth hath been made manifest and the male pigeon's excuse
certified to us; for had the hawk not seized him and drunk his
blood and rent his flesh he had not held aloof from his mate,
but had returned to her, and set her free from the net; but
against death there is no recourse, nor, O my lady, is there
aught in the world more tenderly solicitous than the male for
the female, among all creatures which Almighty Allah hath
created. And especially 'tis thus with man; for he starveth
himself to feed his wife, strippeth himself to clothe her,
angereth his family to please her and disobeyeth and denieth
his parents to endow her. She knoweth his secrets and
concealeth them and she cannot endure from him a single
hour.
[FN#286] An he be absent from her one night, her eyes
sleep not, nor is there a dearer to her than he: she loveth
him more than her parents and they lie down to sleep in each
other's arms, with his hand under her neck and her hand under
his neck, even as saith the poet,
'I made my wrist her pillow and I lay with her in litter;
And I said to Night 'Be long!' while the full moon showed
glitter:
Ah me, it was a night, Allah never made its like;
Whose
first was sweetest sweet and whose last bitt'rest
bitter!'[FN#287]
Then he kisseth her and she kisseth him; and I have heard of a
certain King that, when his wife fell sick and died, he buried
himself alive with her, submitting himself to death, for the
love of her and the strait companionship which was between
them. Moreover, a certain King sickened and died, and when
they were about to bury him, his wife said to her people: 'Let
me bury myself alive with him: else will I slay myself and my
blood shall be on your heads.' So, when they saw she would not
be turned from this thing, they left her, and she cast herself
into the grave with her dead husband, of the greatness of her
love and tenderness for him." And the old woman ceased not to
ply the Princess with anecdotes of conjugal love between men
and women, till there ceased that which was in her heart of
hatred for the sex masculine; and when she felt that she had
succeeded in renewing in her the natural inclination of woman
to man, she said to her, "'Tis time to go and walk in the
garden." So they fared forth from the pavilion and paced among
the trees. Presently the Prince chanced to turn and his eyes
fell on Hayat al-Nufus; and when he saw the symmetry of her
shape and the rosiclearness of her cheeks and the blackness of
her eyes and her exceeding grace and her passing loveliness
and her excelling beauty and her prevailing elegance and her
abounding perfection, his reason was confounded and he could
not take his eyes off her. Passion annihilated his right
judgment and love overpassed all limits in him; his vitals
were occupied with her service and his heart was aflame with
the fire of repine, so that he swooned away and fell to the
ground. When he came to himself, she had passed from his sight
and was hidden from him among the trees;--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-first Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Prince Ardashir, who lay hid in the garden, saw the Princess
and her nurse walking amongst the trees, he swooned away for
very love-longing. When he came to himself Hayat al-Nufus had
passed from his sight and was hidden from him among the trees;
so he sighed from his heart-core and improvised these
couplets,
"Whenas mine eyes behold her loveliness,
My heart is torn
with love's own ecstasy.
I wake o'erthrown, castdown on face of earth
Nor can the
Princess[FN#288] my sore torment see.
She turned and ravished this sad Love-thrall'd sprite;
Mercy, by Allah, ruth; nay, sympathy!
O Lord, afford me union, deign Thou soothe
My soul, ere
grave-niche house this corse of me;
I'll kiss her ten times ten times, and times ten
For lover's
wasted cheek the kisses be!"
The old woman ceased not to lead the Princess a-pleasuring
about the garden, till they reached the place where the Prince
lay ambushed, when, behold she said, "O Thou whose bounties
are hidden, vouchsafe us assurance from that we fear!" The
King's son hearing the signal, left his lurking-place and,
surprised by the summons, walked among the trees, swaying to
and fro with a proud and graceful gait and a shape that shamed
the branches. His brow was crowned with pearly drops and his
cheeks red as the afterglow, extolled be Allah the Almighty in
that He hath created! When the King's daughter caught sight of
him, she gazed a long while on him and noticed his beauty and
grace and loveliness and his eyes that wantoned like the
gazelle's, and his shape that outvied the branches of the
myrobalan; wherefore her wits were confounded and her soul
captivated and her heart transfixed with the arrows of his
glances. Then she said to the old woman, "O my nurse, whence
came yonder handsome youth?"; and the nurse asked, "Where is
he, O my lady?" "There he is," answered Hayat al-Nufus; "near
hand, among the trees." The old woman turned right and left,
as if she knew not of his presence, and cried, "And pray, who
can have taught this youth the way into this garden?" Quoth
Hayat al-Nufus, "Who shall give us news of the young man?
Glory be to Him who created men! But say me, dost thou know
him, O my nurse?" Quoth the old woman, "O my lady, he is the
young merchant who wrote to thee by me." The Princess (and
indeed she was drowned in the sea of her desire and the fire
of her passion and love-longing) broke out, "O my nurse, how
goodly is this youth! Indeed he is fair of favour. Methinks,
there is not on the face of earth a goodlier than he!" Now
when the old woman was assured that the love of him had gotten
possession of the Princess, she said to her, "Did I not tell
thee, O my lady, that he was a comely youth with a beaming
favour?" Replied Hayat al-Nufus, "O my nurse, King's daughters
know not the ways of the world nor the manners of those that
be therein, for that they company with none, neither give they
nor take they. O my nurse, how shall I do to bring about a
meeting and present myself to him, and what shall I say to him
and what will he say to me?" Said the old woman, "What device
is left me? Indeed, we were confounded in this matter by thy
behaviour"; and the Princess said, "O my nurse, know thou that
if any ever died of passion, I shall do so, and behold, I look
for nothing but death on the spot by reason of the fire of my
love-longing." When the old woman heard her words and saw the
transport of her desire for him, she answered, "O my lady, now
as for his coming to thee, there is no way thereto; and indeed
thou art excused from going to him, because of thy tender age;
but rise with me and follow me. I will accost him: so shalt
thou not be put to shame, and in the twinkling of an eye
affection shall ensue between you." The King's daughter cried,
"Go thou before me, for the decree of Allah may not be
rejected." Accordingly they went up to the place where
Ardashir sat, as he were the full moon at its fullest, and the
old woman said to him, "See O youth, who is present before
thee! 'Tis the daughter of our King of the age, Hayat
al-Nufus: bethink thee of her rank and appreciate the honour
she doth thee in coming to thee and rise out of respect for
her and stand before her." The Prince sprang to his feet in an
instant and his eyes met her eyes, whereupon they both became
as they were drunken without wine. Then the love of him and
desire redoubled upon the Princess and she opened her arms and
he his, and they embraced; but love-longing and passion
overcame them and they swooned away and fell to the ground and
lay a long while without sense. The old woman, fearing
scandalous exposure, carried them both into the pavilion, and,
sitting down at the door, said to the two waiting-women,
"Seize the occasion to take your pleasure in the garden, for
the Princess sleepeth." So they returned to their diversion.
Presently the lovers revived from their swoon and found
themselves in the pavilion, whereat quoth the Prince, "Allah
upon thee, O Princess of fair ones, is this vision or
sleep-illusion?" Then the twain embraced and intoxicated
themselves without wine, complaining each to other of the
anguish of passion; and the Prince improvised these couplets,
"Sun riseth sheen from her brilliant brow,
And her cheek
shows the rosiest afterglow:
And when both appear to the looker-on,
The skyline star
ne'er for shame will show:
An the leven flash from those smiling lips,
Morn breaks and
the rays dusk and gloom o'erthrow.
And when with her graceful shape she sways,
Droops leafiest
Ban-tree[FN#289] for envy low:
Me her sight suffices; naught crave I more:
Lord of Men and
Morn, be her guard from foe!
The full moon borrows a part of her charms;
The sun would
rival but fails his lowe.
Whence could Sol aspire to that bending grace?
Whence should
Luna see such wit and such mind-gifts know?
Who shall blame me for being all love to her,
'Twixt accord
and discord aye doomed to woe:
'Tis she won my heart with those forms that bend
What shall
lover's heart from such charms defend?"
--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Prince had made an end of his verses, the Princess strained
him to her bosom and kissed him on the mouth and between the
eyes; whereupon his soul returned to him and he fell to
complaining to her of that he had endured for stress of love
and tyranny of longing and excess of transport and distraction
and all he had suffered for the hardness of her heart. Hearing
those words she kissed his hands and feet and bared her
head,
[FN#290] whereupon the gloom gathered and the full moons
dawned therein. Then said she to him, "O my beloved and term
of all my wishes, would the day of estrangement had never been
and Allah grant it may never return between us!" And they
embraced and wept together, whilst she recited these couplets,
"O who shamest the Moon and the sunny glow:
Thou whose
slaught'ring tyranny lays me low;
With the sword of a look thou hast shorn my heart,
How
escape thy sword-glance fatal of blow?
Thus eke are thine eyebrows a bow that shot
My bosom with
shafts of fiercest lowe:
From thy cheeks' rich crop cometh Paradise;
How, then, shall
my heart the rich crop forego?
Thy graceful shape is a blooming branch,
And shall pluck the
fruits who shall bear that bough.
Perforce thou drawest me, robst my sleep;
In thy love I
strip me and shameless show:[FN#291]
Allah lend thee the rays of most righteous light,
Draw the
farthest near and a tryst bestow:
Then have ruth on the vitals thy love hath seared,
And the
heart that flies to thy side the mo'e!"
And when she ended her recitation, passion overcame her and
she was distraught for love and wept copious tears, rain-like
streaming down. This burnt the Prince's heart and he in turn
became troubled and distracted for love of her. So he drew
nearer to her and kissed her hands and wept with sore weeping
and they ceased not from lover-reproaches and converse and
versifying, until the call to mid-afternoon prayer (nor was
there aught between them other than this), when they bethought
them of parting and she said to him, "O light of mine eyes and
core of my heart, the time of severance has come between us
twain: when shall we meet again?" "By Allah," replied he (and
indeed her words shot him as with shafts), "to mention of
parting I am never fain!" Then she went forth of the pavilion,
and he turned and saw her sighing sighs would melt the rock
and weeping shower-like tears; whereupon he for love was
sunken in the sea of desolation and improvised these couplets,
"O my heart's desire! grows my misery
From the stress of
love, and what cure for me?
By thy face, like dawn when it lights the dark,
And thy hair
whose hue beareth night-tide's blee,
And thy form like the branch which in grace inclines
To
Zephyr's[FN#292] breath blowing fain and free,
By the glance of thine eyes like the fawn's soft gaze,
When
she views pursuer of high degree,
And thy waist down borne by the weight of hips,
These so
heavy and that lacking gravity,
By the wine of thy lip-dew, the sweetest of drink,
Fresh
water and musk in its purity,
O gazelle of the tribe, ease my soul of grief,
And grant me
thy phantom in sleep to see!"
Now when she heard his verses in praise of her, she turned
back to him and embracing him, with a heart on fire for the
anguish of severance, fire which naught save kisses and
embraces might quench, cried, "Sooth the byword saith,
Patience is for a lover and not the lack thereof. There is no
help for it but I contrive a means for our reunion." Then she
farewelled him and fared forth, knowing not where she set her
feet, for stress of her love; nor did she stay her steps till
she found herself in her own chamber. When she was gone,
passion and love-longing redoubled upon the young Prince and
the delight of sleep was forbidden him, and the Princess in
her turn tasted not food and her patience failed and she
sickened for desire. As soon as dawned the day, she sent for
the nurse, who came and found her condition changed and she
cried, "Question me not of my case; for all I suffer is due to
thy handiwork. Where is the beloved of my heart?" "O my lady,
when did he leave thee? Hath he been absent from thee more
than this night?" "Can I endure absence from him an hour?
Come, find some means to bring us together speedily, for my
soul is like to flee my body." "O my lady, have patience till
I contrive thee some subtle device, whereof none shall be
ware." "By the Great God, except thou bring him to me this
very day, I will tell the King that thou hast corrupted me,
and he will cut off thy head!" "I conjure thee, by Allah, have
patience with me, for this is a dangerous matter!" And the
nurse humbled herself to her, till she granted her three days'
delay, saying, "O my nurse, the three days will be three years
to me; and if the fourth day pass and thou bring him not, I
will go about to slay thee." So the old woman left her and
returned to her lodging, where she abode till the morning of
the fourth day, when she summoned the tirewomen of the town
and sought of them fine dyes and rouge for the painting of a
virgin girl and adorning; and they brought her cosmetics of
the best. Then she sent for the Prince and, opening her chest,
brought out a bundle containing a suit of woman's apparel,
worth five thousand dinars, and a head-kerchief fringed with
all manner gems. Then said she to him, "O my son, hast thou a
mind to foregather with Hayat al-Nufus?"; and he replied,
"Yes." So she took a pair of tweezers and pulled out the hairs
of his face and pencilled his eyes with Kohl.
[FN#293] Then she
stripped him and painted him with Henna
[FN#294] from his nails
to his shoulders and from his insteps to his thighs and
tattooed
[FN#295] him about the body, till he was like red
roses upon alabaster slabs. After a little, she washed him and
dried him and bringing out a shift and a pair of
petticoat-trousers made him put them on. Then she clad him in
the royal suit aforesaid and, binding the kerchief about his
head, veiled him and taught him how to walk, saying, "Advance
thy left and draw back thy right." He did her bidding and
forewent her, as he were a Houri faring abroad from Paradise.
Then said she to him, "Fortify thy heart, for thou art going
to the King's palace, where there will without fail be guards
and eunuchs at the gate; and if thou be startled at them and
show doubt or dread, they will suspect thee and examine thee,
and we shall both get into grievous trouble and haply lose our
lives: wherefore an thou feel thyself unable to this, tell
me." He answered, "In very sooth this thing hath no terrors
for me, so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and
clear." Then she went out preceding him till the twain came to
the palace-gate, which was full of eunuchs. She turned and
looked at him, as much as to say, "Art thou troubled or no?"
and finding him all unchanged, went on. The chief eunuch
glanced at the nurse and knew her but, seeing a damsel
following her, whose charms confounded the reason, he said in
his mind, "As for the old woman, she is the nurse; but as for
the girl who is with her there is none in our land resembleth
her in favour or approacheth her in fairness save the Princess
Hayat al-Nufus, who is secluded and never goeth out. Would I
knew how she came into the streets and would Heaven I wot
whether or no 'twas by leave of the King!" Then he rose to
learn somewhat concerning her and well nigh thirty castratos
followed him; which when the old woman saw, her reason fled
for fear and she said, "Verily, we are Allah's and to Him we
shall return! Without recourse we are dead folk this
time."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-third Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when the old nurse saw the head of the eunuchry and his
assistants making for her she was in exceeding fear and cried,
"There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the
Glorious, the Great! Verily we are God's and unto him we shall
return; without recourse we be dead folk this time." When the
head eunuch heard her speak thus, fear gat hold upon him, by
reason of that which he knew of the Princess's violence and
that her father was ruled by her, and he said to himself,
"Belike the King hath commanded the nurse to carry his
daughter forth upon some occasion of hers, whereof she would
have none know; and if I oppose her, she will be wroth with me
and will say, 'This eunuch fellow stopped me, that he might
pry into my affairs.' So she will do her best to kill me, and
I have no call to meddle in this matter." So saying, he turned
back, and with him the thirty assistants who drove the people
from the door of the palace; whereupon the nurse entered and
saluted the eunuchs with her head, whilst all the thirty stood
to do her honour and returned her salam. She led in the Prince
and he ceased not following her from door to door, and the
Protector protected them, so that they passed all the guards,
till they came to the seventh door: it was that of the great
pavilion, wherein was the King's throne, and it communicated
with the chambers of his women and the saloons of the Harim,
as well as with his daughter's pavilion. So the old woman
halted and said, "Here we are, O my son, and glory be to Him
who hath brought us thus far in safety! But, O my son, we
cannot foregather with the Princess except by night; for night
enveileth the fearful." He replied, "True, but what is to be
done?" Quoth she, "Hide thee in this black hole," showing him
behind the door a dark and deep cistern, with a cover thereto.
So he entered the cistern, and she went away and left him
there till ended day, when she returned and carried him into
the palace, till they came to the door of Hayat al-Nufus's
apartment. The old woman knocked and a little maid came out
and said, "Who is at the door?" Said the nurse, "'Tis I,"
whereupon the maid returned and craved permission of her lady,
who said, "Open to her and let her come in with any who may
accompany her." So they entered and the nurse, casting a
glance around, perceived that the Princess had made ready the
sitting-chamber and ranged the lamps in row and lighted
candles of wax in chandeliers of gold and silver and spread
the divans and estrades with carpets and cushions. Moreover,
she had set on trays of food and fruits and confections and
she had perfumed the place with musk and aloes-wood and
ambergris. She was seated among the lamps and the tapers and
the light of her face outshone the lustre of them all. When
she saw the old woman, she said to her, "O nurse, where is the
beloved of my heart?"; and the other replied, "O my lady, I
cannot find him nor have mine eyes espied him, but I have
brought thee his own sister; and here she is." Cried the
Princess, "Art thou Jinn-mad? What need have I of his sister?
Say me, an a man's head irk him, doth he bind up his hand?"
The old woman answered, "No, by Allah, O my lady! But look on
her, and if she pleases thee, let her be with thee." Then she
uncovered the Prince's face, whereupon Hayat al-Nufus knew him
and running to him, pressed him to her bosom, and he pressed
her to his breast. Then they both fell down in a swoon and lay
without sense a long while. The old woman sprinkled rose-water
upon them till they came to themselves, when she kissed him on
the mouth more than a thousand times and improvised these
couplets,
"Sought me this heart's dear love at gloom of night;
I rose
in honour till he sat forthright,
And said, 'O aim of mine, O sole desire
In such night-visit
hast of guards no fright?'
Replied he, 'Yes, I feared much, but Love
Robbed me of all
my wits and reft my sprite.'
We clipt with kisses and awhile clung we,
For here 'twas
safe; nor feared we watchman-wight:
Then rose we parting without doubtful deed
And shook out
skirts where none a stain could sight."
--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
her lover visited Hayat al-Nufus in her palace, the twain
embraced and she improvised some happy couplets beseeming the
occasion. And when she had ended her extempore lines she said,
"Is it indeed true that I see thee in my abode and that thou
art my cup-mate and my familiar?" Then passion grew on her and
love was grievous to her, so that her reason well-nigh fled
for joy and she improvised these couplets,
"With all my soul I'll ransom him who came to me in gloom
Of
night, whilst I had waited long to see his figure loom;
And naught aroused me save his weeping voice of tender tone
And whispered I, 'Fair fall thy foot and welcome and well
come!'
His cheek I kissed a thousand times, and yet a thousand more;
Then clipt and clung about his breast enveiled in
darkling room.
And cried, 'Now verily I've won the aim of every wish
So
praise and prayers to Allah for this grace now best
become.'
Then slept we even as we would the goodliest of nights
Till
morning came to end our night and light up earth with
bloom."
As soon as it was day, she made him enter a place in her
apartment unknown to any and he abode there till nightfall,
when she brought him out and they sat in converse and carouse.
Presently he said to her, "I wish to return to my own country
and tell my father what hath passed between us, that he may
equip his Wazir to demand thee in marriage of thy sire." She
replied, "O my love, I fear, an thou return to thy country and
kingdom, thou wilt be distracted from me and forget the love
of me; or that thy father will not further thy wishes in this
matter and I shall die. Meseems the better rede were that thou
abide with me and in my hand-grasp, I looking on thy face, and
thou on mine, till I devise some plan, whereby we may escape
together some night and flee to thy country; for I have cut
off my hopes from my own people and I despair of them." He
rejoined, "I hear and obey;" and they fell again to their
carousal and conversing. He tarried with her thus for some
time till, one night, the wine was pleasant to them and they
lay not down nor did they sleep till break of day. Now it
chanced that one of the Kings sent her father a present, and
amongst other things, a necklace of union jewels,
nine-and-twenty grains, to whose price a King's treasures
might not suffice. Quoth Abd al-Kadir, "This riviere beseemeth
none but my daughter Hayat al-Nufus;" and, turning to an
eunuch, whose jaw-teeth the Princess had knocked out for
reasons best known to herself,
[FN#296] he called to him and
said, "Carry the necklace to thy lady and say to her, 'One of
the Kings hath sent thy father this, as a present, and its
price may not be paid with money; put it on thy neck.'" The
slave took the necklace, saying in himself, "Allah Almighty
make it the last thing she shall put on in this world, for
that she deprived me of the benefit of my grinder-teeth!"; and
repairing to the Princess's apartment, found the door locked
and the old woman asleep before the threshold. He shook her,
and she awoke in affright and asked, "What dost thou want?";
to which he answered, "The King hath sent me on an errand to
his daughter." Quoth the nurse, "The key is not here, go away,
whilst I fetch it;" but quoth he, "I cannot go back to the
King without having done his commandment." So she went away,
as if to fetch the key; but fear overtook her and she sought
safety in flight. Then the eunuch awaited her awhile; then,
finding she did not return, he feared that the King would be
angry at his delay; so he rattled at the door and shook it,
whereupon the bolt gave way and the leaf opened. He entered
and passed on, till he came to the seventh door and walking in
to the Princess's chamber found the place splendidly furnished
and saw candles and flagons there. At this spectacle he
marvelled and going close up to the bed, which was curtained
by a hanging of silk, embroidered with a net-work of jewels,
drew back the curtain from before the Princess and saw her
sleeping with her arms about the neck of a young man handsomer
than herself; whereat he magnified Allah Almighty, who had
created such a youth of vile water, and said, "How goodly be
this fashion for one who hateth men! How came she by this
fellow? Methinks 'twas on his account that she knocked out my
back teeth!" Then he drew the curtain and made for the door;
but the King's daughter awoke in affright and seeing the
eunuch, whose name was Kafur, called to him. He made her no
answer: so she came down from the bed on the estrade; and
catching hold of his skirt laid it on her head and kissed his
feet, saying, "Veil what Allah veileth!" Quoth he, "May Allah
not veil thee nor him who would veil thee! Thou didst knock
out my grinders and saidst to me, 'Let none make mention to me
aught of men and their ways!'" So saying, he disengaged
himself from her grasp and running out, locked the door on
them and set another eunuch to guard it. Then he went in to
the King who said to him "Hast thou given the necklace to
Hayat al-Nufus?" The eunuch replied, "By Allah, thou deservest
altogether a better fate;" and the King asked, "What hath
happened? Tell me quickly;" whereto he answered, "I will not
tell thee, save in private and between our eyes," but the King
retorted, saying, "Tell me at once and in public." Cried the
eunuch, "Then grant me immunity." So the King threw him the
kerchief of immunity and he said, "O King, I went into the
Princess Hayat al-Nufus and found her asleep in a carpeted
chamber and on her bosom was a young man. So I locked the door
upon the two and came back to thee." When the King heard these
words he started up and taking a sword in his hand, cried out
to the Rais of the eunuchs, saying, "Take thy lads and go to
the Princess's chamber and bring me her and him who is with
her as they twain lie on the bed; but cover them both
up."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
the King commanded the head eunuch to take his lads and to
fetch and set before him Hayat al-Nufus and him who was with
her, the chief and his men entered the Princess's apartment
where he found her standing up, dissolved in railing tears,
and the Prince by her side; so he said to them, "Lie down on
the bed, as thou wast and let him do likewise." The King's
daughter feared for her lover
[FN#297] and said to him, "This
is no time for resistance." So they both lay down and the
eunuchs covered them up and carried the twain into the King's
presence. Thereupon Abd al-Kadir pulled off the coverings and
the Princess sprang to her feet. He looked at her and would
have smitten her neck: but the Prince threw himself on the
father's breast, saying, "The fault was not hers but mine
only: kill me before thou killest her." The King made at him,
to cut him down, but Hayat al-Nufus cast herself on her father
and said, "Kill me not him; for he is the son of a great King,
lord of all the land in its length and breadth." When the King
heard this, he turned to the Chief Wazir, who was a
gathering-place of all that is evil, and said to him, "What
sayst thou of this matter, O Minister?" Quoth his Wazir, "What
I say is that all who find themselves in such case as this
have need of lying, and there is nothing for it but to cut off
both their heads, after torturing them with all manner of
tortures." Hereupon the King called his sworder of vengeance,
who came with his lads, and said to him, "Take this gallows
bird and strike off his head and after do the like with this
harlot and burn their bodies, and consult me not about them a
second time." So the headsmen put his hand to her back, to
take her; but the King cried out at him and cast at him
somewhat he hent in hand, which had well-nigh killed him,
saying, "O dog, how durst thou show ruth to those with whom I
am wroth? Put thy hand to her hair and drag her along by it,
so that she may fall on her face." Accordingly he haled her by
her hair and the Prince in like manner to the place of blood,
where he tore off a piece of his skirt and therewith bound the
Prince's eyes putting the Princess last, in the hope that some
one would intercede for her. Then, having made ready the
Prince he swung his sharp sword three times (whilst all the
troops wept and prayed Allah to send them deliverance by some
intercessor), and raised his hand to cut off Ardashir's head
when, behold, there arose a cloud of dust, that spread and
flew till it veiled the view. Now the cause thereof was that
when the young Prince had delayed beyond measure, the King,
his sire, had levied a mighty host and had marched with it in
person to get tidings of his son. Such was his case; but as
regards King Abd al-Kadir, when he saw this, he said, "O
wights, what is the meaning of yonder dust that dimmeth
sights?" The Grand Wazir sprang up and went out to reconnoitre
and found behind the cloud men like locusts, of whom no count
could be made nor aught avail of aid, filling the hills and
plains and valleys. So he returned with the report to the
King, who said to him, "Go down and learn for us what may be
this host and the cause of its marching upon our country. Ask
also of their commander and salute him for me and enquire the
reason of his coming. An he came in quest of aught, we will
aid him, and if he have a blood-feud with one of the Kings, we
will ride with him; or, if he desire a gift, we will handsel
him; for this is indeed a numerous host and a power uttermost,
and we fear for our land from its mischief." So the Minister
went forth and walked among the tents and troopers and
body-guards, and ceased not faring on from the first of the
day till near sundown, when he came to the warders with gilded
swords in tents star-studded. Passing these, he made his way
through Emirs and Wazirs and Nabobs and Chamberlains, to the
pavilion of the Sultan, and found him a mighty King. When the
King's officers saw him, they cried out to him, saying, "Kiss
ground! Kiss ground!"
[FN#298] He did so and would have risen,
but they cried out at him a second and a third time. So he
kissed the earth again and again and raised his head and would
have stood up, but fell down at full length for excess of awe.
When at last he was set between the hands of the King he said
to him, "Allah prolong thy days and increase thy sovranty and
exalt thy rank, O thou auspicious King! And furthermore, of a
truth, King Abd al-Kadir saluteth thee and kisseth the earth
before thee and asketh on what weighty business thou art come.
An thou seek to avenge thee for blood on any King, he will
take horse in thy service; or, an thou come in quest of aught,
wherein it is in his power to help thee, he standeth up at thy
service on account thereof." So Ardashir's father replied to
the Wazir, saying, "O messenger, return to thy lord and tell
him that the most mighty King Sayf al-A'azam Shah, Lord of
Shiraz, had a son who hath been long absent from him and news
of him have not come and all traces of him have been cut off.
An he be in this city, he will take him and depart from you;
but, if aught have befallen him or any mischief have ensued to
him from you, his father will lay waste your land and make
spoil of your goods and slay your men and seize your women.
Return, therefore, to thy lord in haste and tell him this, ere
evil befal him." Answered the Minister, "To hear is to obey!"
and turned to go away, when the Chamberlains cried out to him,
saying, "Kiss ground! Kiss ground!" So he kissed the ground a
score of times and rose not till his life-breath was in his
nostrils.
[FN#299] Then he left the King's high court and
returned to the city, full of anxious thought concerning the
affair of this King and the multitude of his troops, and going
in to King Abd al-Kadir, pale with fear and trembling in his
side-muscles, acquainted him with that had befallen him; --And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Wazir returned from the court of the Great King, pale with
fear and with side-muscles quivering for dread exceeding; and
acquainted his lord with that had befallen him. Hereat
disquietude and terror for himself and for his people laid
hold upon him and he said to the Minister, "O Wazir, and who
is this King's son?" Replied the other, "'Tis even he whom
thou badest put to death, but praised be Allah who hastened
not his slaughter! Else had his father wasted our lands and
spoiled our good." Quoth the King "See now thy corrupt
judgment, in that thou didst counsel us to slay him! Where is
the young man, the son of yonder magnanimous King?" And quoth
the Wazir, "O mighty King, thou didst command him be put to
death." When the King heard this, he was clean distraught and
cried out from his heart's core and in-most of head, saying,
"Woe to you! Fetch me the Heads- man forthright, lest death
fall on him!" So they fetched the Sworder and he said, "0 King
of the Age, I have smitten off his head even as thou badest
me." Cried Abd al-Kadir "O dog, an this be true, I will
assuredly send thee after him." The Heads- man replied, "O
King, thou didst command me to slay him without consulting
thee a second time." Said the King, "I was in my wrath; but
speak the truth, ere thou lose thy life;" and said the
Sworder, "O King, he is yet in the chains of life." At this
Abd al-Kadir rejoiced and his heart was set at rest; then he
called for Ardashir, and when he came, he stood up to receive
him and kissed his mouth, saying, "O my son, I ask pardon of
Allah Almighty for the wrong I have done thee, and say thou
not aught that may lower my credit with thy sire, the Great
King." The Prince asked "O King of the Age, and where is my
father?" and the other answered, "He is come hither on thine
account." Thereupon quoth Ardashir, "By thy worship, I will
not stir from before thee till I have cleared my honour and
the honour of thy daughter from that which thou laidest to our
charge; for she is a pure virgin. Send for the midwives and
let them examine her before thee. An they find her maidenhead
gone, I give thee leave to shed my blood; and if they find her
a clean maid, her innocence of dishonour and mine also will be
made manifest." So he summoned the midwives, who examined the
Princess and found her a pure virgin and so told the King,
seeking largesse of him. He gave them what they sought,
putting off his royal robes to bestow on them, and in like
manner he was bountiful to all who were in the Harim. And they
brought forth the scent-cups and perfumed all the Lords of
estate and Grandees; and not one but rejoiced with exceeding
joy. Then the King threw his arms about Ardashir's neck and
entreated him with all worship and honour, bidding his chief
eunuchs bear him to the bath. When he came out, he cast over
his shoulders a costly robe and crowned him with a coronet of
jewels; he also girt him with a girdle of silk, purfled with
red gold and set with pearls and gems, and mounted him on one
of his noblest mares, with selle and trappings of gold inlaid
with pearls and jewels. Then he bade his Grandees and Captains
mount on his service and escort him to his father's presence;
and charged him tell his sire that King Abd al-Kadir was at
his disposal, hearkening to and obeying him in whatso he
should bid or forbid. "I will not fail of this," answered
Ardashir and farewelling him, repaired to his father who, at
sight of him, was transported for delight and springing up,
advanced to meet him and embraced him, whilst joy and gladness
spread among all the host of the Great King. Then came the
Wazirs and Chamberlains and Captains and guards and kissed the
ground before the Prince and rejoiced in his coming: and it
was a great day with them for enjoyment, for the King's son
gave leave to those of King Abd al-Kadir's officers who had
accompanied him and others of the townsfolk, to view the
ordinance of his father's host, without let or stay, so they
might know the multitude of the Great King's troops and the
might of his empire. And all who had seen him selling stuffs
in the linendrapers' bazar marvelled how his soul could have
consented thereto, considering the nobility of his spirit and
the loftiness of his dignity; but it was his love and
inclination to the King's daughter that to this had
constrained him. Meanwhile, news of the multitude of her
lover's troops came to Hayat al-Nufus, who was still jailed by
her sire's commandment, till they knew what he should order
respecting her, whether pardon and release or death and
burning; and she looked down from the terrace-roof of the
palace and, turning towards the mountains, saw even these
covered with armed men. When she beheld all those warriors and
knew that they were the army of Ardashir's father, she feared
lest he should be diverted from her by his sire and forget her
and depart from her, whereupon her father would slay her. So
she called a handmaid that was with her in her apartment by
way of service, and said to her, "Go to Ardashir, son of the
Great King, and fear not. When thou comest into his presence,
kiss the ground before him and tell him what thou art and say
to him, 'My lady saluteth thee and would have thee to know
that she is a prisoner in her father's palace, awaiting his
sentence, whether he be minded to pardon her or put her to
death, and she beseecheth thee not to forget her or forsake
her; for to-day thou art all-powerful; and, in whatso thou
commandest, no man dare cross thee. Wherefore, an it seem good
to thee to rescue her from her sire and take her with thee, it
were of thy bounty, for indeed she endureth all these trials
for thy sake. But, an this seem not good to thee, for that thy
desire of her is at an end, still speak to thy sire, so haply
he may intercede for her with her father and he depart not,
till he have made him set her free and taken surety from and
made covenant with him, that he will not go about to put her
to death nor work her aught of harm. This is her last word to
thee, may Allah not desolate her of thee, and so The
Peace!'"
[FN#300]--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
bondmaid sent by Hayat al-Nufus made her way to Ardashir and
delivered him her lady's message, which when he heard, he wept
with sore weeping and said to her, "Know that Hayat al-Nufus
is my mistress and that I am her slave and the captive of her
love. I have not forgotten what was between us nor the
bitterness of the parting day; so do thou say to her, after
thou hast kissed her feet, that I will speak with my father of
her, and he shall send his Wazir, who sought her aforetime in
marriage for me, to demand her hand once more of her sire, for
he dare not refuse. So, if he send to her to consult her, let
her make no opposition; for I will not return to my country
without her." Then the handmaid returned to Hayat al-Nufus;
and, kissing her hands, delivered to her the message, which
when she heard, she wept for very joy and returned thanks to
Almighty Allah. Such was her case; but as regards Ardashir, he
was alone with his father that night and the Great King
questioned him of his case, whereupon he told him all that had
befallen him, first and last. Then quoth the King, "What wilt
thou have me do for thee, O my son? An thou desire Abd
al-Kadir's ruin, I will lay waste his lands and spoil his
hoards and dishonour his house." Replied Ardashir, "I do not
desire that, O my father, for he hath done nothing to me
deserving thereof; but I wish for union with her; wherefore I
beseech thee of thy favour to make ready a present for her
father (but let it be a magnificent gift!) and send it to him
by thy Minister, the man of just judgment." Quoth the King, "I
hear and consent;" and sending for the treasures he had laid
up from time past, brought out all manner precious things and
showed them to his son, who was pleased with them. Then he
called his Wazir and bade him bear the present with
him
[FN#301] to King Abd al-Kadir and demand his daughter in
marriage for Ardashir, saying, "Accept the present and return
him a reply." Now from the time of Ardashir's departure, King
Abd al-Kadir had been troubled and ceased not to be heavy at
heart, fearing the laying waste of his reign and the spoiling
of his realm; when behold, the Wazir came in to him and
saluting him, kissed ground before him. He rose up standing
and received him with honour; but the Minister made haste to
fall at his feet and kissing them cried, "Pardon, O King of
the Age! The like of thee should not rise to the like of me,
for I am the least of servants' slaves. Know, O King, that
Prince Ardashir hath acquainted his father with some of the
favours and kindnesses thou hast done him, wherefore he
thanketh thee and sendeth thee in company of thy servant who
standeth before thee, a present, saluting thee and wishing
thee especial blessings and prosperities." Abd al-Kadir could
not believe what he heard of the excess of his fear, till the
Wazir laid the present before him, when he saw it to be such
gift as no money could purchase nor could one of the Kings of
the earth avail to the like thereof; wherefore he was
belittled in his own eyes and springing to his feet, praised
Almighty Allah and glorified Him and thanked the Prince. Then
said the Minister to him, "O noble King, give ear to my word
and know that the Great King sendeth to thee, desiring thine
alliance, and I come to thee seeking and craving the hand of
thy daughter, the chaste dame and treasured gem Hayat
al-Nufus, in wedlock for his son Ardashir, wherefore, if thou
consent to this proposal and accept of him, do thou agree with
me for her marriage-portion." Abd al-Kadir hearing these words
replied, "I hear and obey. For my part, I make no objection,
and nothing can be more pleasurable to me; but the girl is of
full age and reason and her affair is in her own hand. So be
assured that I will refer it to her and she shall choose for
herself." Then he turned to the chief eunuch and bade him go
and acquaint the Princess with the event. So he repaired to
the Harim and, kissing the Princess's hands, acquainted her
with the Great King's offer adding, "What sayest thou in
answer?" "I hear and I obey," replied she.--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
chief eunuch of the Harim having informed the Princess how she
had been demanded in marriage by the Great King and having
heard her reply, "I hear and I obey," returned therewith to
the King and gave him this answer, whereat he rejoiced with
exceeding joy and, calling for a costly robe of honour, threw
it over the Wazir's shoulders. Furthermore, he ordered him ten
thousand dinars and bade him carry the answer to the Great
King and crave leave for him to pay him a visit. "Hearing and
obeying," answered the Minister; and, returning to his master,
delivered him the reply and Abd al-Kadir's message, and
repeated all their talk, whereat he rejoiced greatly and
Ardashir was transported for delight and his breast broadened
and he was a most happy man. King Sayf al-A'azam also gave
King Abd al-Kadir leave to come forth to visit him; so, on the
morrow, he took horse and rode to the camp of the Great King,
who came to meet him and saluting him, seated him in the place
of honour, and gave him welcome; and they two sat whilst
Ardashir stood before them. Then arose an orator of the King
Abd al-Kadir's court and pronounced an eloquent discourse,
giving the Prince joy of the attainment of his desire and of
his marriage with the Princess, a Queen among King's
daughters. When he sat down the Great King caused bring a
chest full of pearls and gems, together with fifty thousand
dinars, and said to King Abd al-Kadir, "I am my son's deputy
in all that concerneth this matter." So Abd al-Kadir
acknowledged receipt of the marriage-portion and amongst the
rest, fifty thousand dinars for the nuptial festivities; after
which they fetched the Kazis and the witnesses, who wrote out
the contract of marriage between the Prince and Princess, and
it was a notable day, wherein all lovers made merry and all
haters and enviers were mortified. They spread the
marriage-feasts and banquets and lastly Ardashir went in unto
the Princess and found her a jewel which had been hidden, an
union pearl unthridden and a filly that none but he had
ridden, so he notified this to his sire. Then King Sayf
al-A'azam asked his son, "Hast thou any wish thou wouldst have
fulfilled ere we depart?"; and he answered, "Yes, O King, know
that I would fain take my wreak of the Wazir who entreated us
on evil wise and the eunuch who forged a lie against us." So
the King sent forthright to Abd al-Kadir, demanding of him the
Minister and the castrato, whereupon he despatched them both
to him and he commanded to hang them over the city gate. After
this, they abode a little while and then sought of Abd
al-Kadir leave for his daughter to equip her for departure. So
he equipped her and mounted her in a Takhtrawan, a travelling
litter of red gold, inlaid with pearls and gems and drawn by
noble steeds. She carried with her all her waiting-women and
eunuchs, as well as the nurse, who had returned, after her
flight, and resumed her office. Then King Sayf al-A'azam and
his son mounted and Abd al-Kadir mounted also with all the
lords of his land, to take leave of his son-in-law and
daughter; and it was a day to be reckoned of the goodliest of
days. After they had gone some distance, the Great King
conjured Abd al-Kadir to turn back; so he farewelled him and
his son, after he had strained him to his breast and kissed
him between the eyes and thanked him for his grace and favours
and commended his daughter to his care. Then he went in to the
Princess and embraced her; and she kissed his hands and they
wept in the standing-place of parting. After this he returned
to his capital and Ardashir and his company fared on, till
they reached Shiraz, where they celebrated the marriage-
festivities anew. And they abode in all comfort and solace and
joyance of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of
delights and Severer of societies; the Depopulator of palaces
and the Garnerer of graveyards. And men also relate the tale
of JULNAR THE SEA-BORN AND HER SON KING BADR BASIM OF PERSIA.
