There was once in days of yore and in ages and times long gone
before, in Ajam-land a King Shahrimán
[FN#302] hight, whose
abiding place was Khorásán. He owned an hundred concubines,
but by none of them had he been blessed with boon of child,
male or female, all the days of his life. One day, among the
days, he bethought him of this and fell lamenting for that the
most part of his existence was past and he had not been
vouchsafed a son to inherit the kingdom after him, even as he
had inherited it from his fathers and forebears; by reason
whereof there betided him sore cark and care and chagrin
exceeding. As he sat thus one of his Mamelukes came in to him
and said, "O my lord, at the door is a slave girl with her
merchant, and fairer than she eye hath never seen." Quoth the
King, "Hither to me with merchant and maid!"; and both came in
to him. Now when Shahriman beheld the girl, he saw that she
was like a Rudaynian lance,
[FN#303] and she was wrapped in a
veil of gold-purfled silk. The merchant uncovered her face,
whereupon the place was illumined by her beauty and her seven
tresses hung down to her anklets like horses' tails. She had
Nature kohl'd eyes, heavy hips and thighs and waist of
slenderest guise, her sight healed all maladies and quenched
the fire of sighs, for she was even as the poet cries,
"I love her madly for she is perfect fair,
Complete in
gravity and gracious way;
Nor overtall nor overshort, the while
Too full for trousers
are those hips that sway:
Her shape is midmost 'twixt o'er small and tall;
Nor long to
blame nor little to gainsay:
O'erfall her anklets tresses black as night
Yet in her face
resplends eternal day."
The King seeing her marvelled at her beauty and loveliness,
her symmetry and perfect grace and said to the merchant, "O
Shaykh, how much for this maiden?" Replied the merchant, "O my
lord, I bought her for two thousand diners of the merchant who
owned her before myself, since when I have travelled with her
three years and she hath cost me, up to the time of my coming
hither, other three thousand gold pieces; but she is a gift
from me to thee." The King robed him with a splendid robe of
honour and ordered him ten thousand ducats, whereupon he
kissed his hands, thanking him for his bounty and beneficence,
and went his ways. Then the King committed the damsel to the
tire women, saying, "Amend ye the case of this maiden
[FN#304]
and adorn her and furnish her a bower and set her therein."
And he bade his chamberlains carry her everything she needed
and shut all the doors upon her. Now his capital wherein he
dwelt was called the White City and was seated on the sea
shore; so they lodged her in a chamber, whose latticed
casements overlooked the main.--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the King
after taking the maiden, committed her to the tire women
bidding them amend her case and set her in a bower, and
ordered his chamberlains to shut all the doors upon her when
they had lodged her in a chamber whose latticed casements
overlooked the main. Then Shahriman went in to her; but she
spake not to him neither took any note of him.
[FN#305] Quoth
he, 'Twould seem she hath been with folk who have not taught
her manners." Then he looked at the damsel and saw her
surpassing beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect
grace, with a face like the rondure of the moon at its full or
the sun shining in the sheeny sky. So he marvelled at her
charms of favour and figure and he praised Allah the Creator
(magnified be His might!), after which he walked up to her and
sat him down by her side; then he pressed her to his bosom and
seating her on his thighs, sucked the dew of her lips' which
he found sweeter than honey. Presently he called for trays
spread with richest viands of all kinds and ate and fed her by
mouthfuls, till she had enough; yet she spoke not one word.
The King began to talk to her and asked her of her name; but
she abode still silent and uttered not a syllable nor made him
any answer, neither ceased to hang down her head groundwards,
and it was but the excess of her beauty and loveliness and the
amorous grace that saved her from the royal wrath. Quoth he to
himself, "Glory be to God, the Creator of this girl! How
charming she is, save that she speaketh not! But perfection
belongeth only to Allah the Most High." And he asked the slave
girls whether she had spoken, and they said, "From the time of
her coming until now she hath not uttered a word nor have we
heard her address us." Then he summoned some of his women and
concubines and bade them sing to her and make merry with her,
so haply she might speak. Accordingly they played before her
all manner instruments of music and sports and what not and
sang, till the whole company was moved to mirth, except the
damsel, who looked at them in silence, but neither laughed nor
spoke. The King's breast was straitened; thereupon he
dismissed the women and abode alone with that damsel: after
which he doffed his clothes and disrobing her with his own
hand, looked upon her body and saw it as it were a silvern
ingot. So he loved her with exceeding love and falling upon
her, took her maidenhead and found her a pure virgin; whereat
he rejoiced with excessive joy and said in himself, "By Allah,
'tis a wonder that a girl so fair of form and face should have
been left by the merchants a clean maid as she is!"
[FN#306]
Then he devoted himself altogether to her, heeding none other
and forsaking all his concubines and favourites, and tarried
with her a whole year as it were a single day. Still she spoke
not till, one morning he said to her (and indeed the love of
her and longing waxed upon him), "O desire of souls, verily
passion for thee is great with me, and I have forsaken for thy
sake all my slave girls and concubines and women and
favourites and I have made thee my portion of the world and
had patience with thee a whole year; and now I beseech
Almighty Allah, of His favour, to soften thy heart to me, so
thou mayst speak to me. Or, an thou be dumb, tell me by a
sign, that I may give up hope of thy speech. I pray the Lord
(extolled be He!) to vouchsafe me by thee a son child, who
shall inherit the kingdom after me; for I am old and lone and
have none to be my heir. Wherefore, Allah upon thee, an thou
love me, return me a reply." The damsel bowed her head awhile
in thought, and presently raising it, smiled in his face,
whereat it seemed to him as if lightning filled the chamber.
Then she said, "O magnanimous liege lord, and valorous lion,
Allah hath answered thy prayer, for I am with child by thee
and the time of my delivery is near at hand, though I know not
if the unborn babe be male or female.
[FN#307] But, had I not
conceived by thee, I had not spoken to thee one word." When
the King heard her speech, his face shone with joy and
gladness and he kissed her head and hands for excess of
delight, saying Alhamdolillah--laud to Lord--who hath
vouchsafed me the things I desired!, first, thy speech, and
secondly, thy tidings that thou art with child by me." Then he
rose up and went forth from her and, seating himself on the
throne of his kingship, in an ecstasy of happiness, bade his
Wazir distribute to the poor and needy and widows and others
an hundred thousand dinars, by way of thank offering to Allah
Most High and alms on his own account. The Minister did as
bidden by the King who, returning to the damsel, sat with her
and embraced and pressed her to his breast, saying, "O my
lady, my queen, whose slave I am, prithee what was the cause
of this thy silence? Thou hast been with me a whole year,
night and day, waking and sleeping, yet hast not spoken to me
till this day." She replied, "Hearken, O King of the Age, and
know that I am a wretched exile, broken hearted and far parted
from my mother and my family and my brother." When the King
heard her words, he knew her desire and said, "As for thy
saying that thou art wretched, there is for such speech no
ground, inasmuch as my kingdom and good and all I possess are
at thy service and I also am become thy bondman; but, as for
thy saying, 'I am parted from my mother and brother and
family', tell me where they are and I will send and fetch them
to thee." There' upon she answered, "Know, then, O auspicious
King, that I am called Julnár
[FN#308] the Sea born and that my
father was of the Kings of the Main. He died and left us his
reign, but while we were yet unsettled, behold, one of the
other Kings arose against us and took the realm from our
hands. I have a brother called Sálih, and my mother also is a
woman of the sea; but I fell out with my brother 'The Pious'
and swore that I would throw myself into the hands of a man of
the folk of the land. So I came forth of the sea and sat down
on the edge of an island in the moonshine
[FN#309], where a
passer by found me and, carrying me to his house, besought me
of love liesse; but I smote him on the head, so that he all
but died; whereupon he carried me forth and sold me to the
merchant from whom thou hadst me, and this was a good man and
a virtuous; pious, loyal and generous. Were it not that thy
heart loved me and that thou promotedest me over all thy
concubines, I had not remained with thee a single hour, but
had cast myself from this window into the sea and gone to my
mother and family; but I was ashamed to fare themwards, being
with child by thee; for they would have deemed evilly of me
and would not have credited me, even although I swore to them,
an I told them that a King had bought me with his gold and
made me his portion of the world and preferred me over all his
wives and every thing that his right hand possessed. This then
is my story and--the Peace!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fortieth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Julnar
[FN#310] the Sea-born, answering the question of King
Shahriman, told him her past from first to last, the King
thanked her and kissed her between the eyes, saying, "By
Allah, O my lady and light of mine eyes" I cannot bear to be
parted from thee one hour; and given thou leave me, I shall
die forthright. What then is to be done?" Replied she "O my
lord, the time of my delivery is at hand and my family needs
must be present, that they may tend me; for the women of the
land know not the manner of child bearing of the women of the
sea, nor do the daughters of the ocean know the manner of the
daughters of the earth; and when my people come, I shall be
reconciled to them and they will be reconciled to me." Quoth
the King, "How do the people of the sea walk therein, without
being wetted?"; and quoth she, "O King of the Age, we walk in
the waters with our eyes open, as do ye on the ground, by the
blessing of the names graven upon the seal-ring of Solomon
Davidson (on whom be peace!). But, O King, when my kith and
kin come, I will tell them how thou boughtest me with thy
gold, and hast entreated me with kindness and benevolence. It
behoveth that thou confirm my words to them and that they
witness thine estate with their own eyes and they learn that
thou art a King, son of a King." He rejoined, "O my lady, do
what seemeth good to thee and what pleaseth thee and I will
consent to thee in all thou wouldst do." The damsel continued,
yes, we walk in the sea and see what is therein and behold the
sun, moon, stars and sky, as it were on the surface of earth
and this irketh us naught. Know also that there be many
peoples in the main and various forms and creatures of all
kinds that are on the land, and that all that is on the land
compared with that which is in the main is but a very small
matter." And the King marvelled at her words. Then she pulled
out from her bosom two bits of Comorin lign-aloes and,
kindling fire in a chafing dish, chose somewhat of them and
threw it in, then she whistled a loud whistle and spake words
none understood. Thereupon arose a great smoke and she said to
the King, who was looking on, "O my lord, arise and hide
thyself in a closet, that I may show thee my brother and
mother and family, whilst they see thee not; for I design to
bung them hither, and thou shalt presently espy a wondrous
thing and shalt marvel at the several creatures and strange
shapes which Almighty Allah hath created." So he arose without
stay or delay and entering a closet, fell a-watching what she
should do. She continued her fumigations and conjurations till
the sea foamed and frothed turbid and there rose from it a
handsome young man of a bright favour, as he were the moon at
its full, with brow flower-white, cheeks of ruddy light and
teeth like the marguerite. He was the likest of all creatures
to his sister and the tongue of the case spoke in his praise
these two couplets,
"The full moon groweth perfect once a month
But thy face
each day we see perfected.
And the full moon dwelleth in single sign,
But to thee all
hearts be a dwelling stead."
After him there came forth of the sea an ancient dame with
hair speckled gray and five maidens, as they were moons,
bearing a likeness to the damsel hight Julnar. The King looked
upon them as they all walked upon the face of the water, till
they drew near the window and saw Julnar, whereupon they knew
her and went in to her. She rose to them and met them with joy
and gladness, and they embraced her and wept with sore
weeping. Then said they to her, "O Julnar, how couldst thou
leave us four years, and we unknowing of thine abiding place?
By Allah the world hath been straitened upon us for stress of
severance from thee, and we have had no delight of food or
drink; no, not for one day, but have wept with sore weeping
night and day for the excess of our longing after thee!" Then
she fell to kissing the hands of the youth her brother and her
mother and cousins, and they sat with her awhile, questioning
her of her case and of what had betided her, as well as of her
present estate. "Know," replied she, "that, when I left you, I
issued from the sea and sat down on the shore of an island,
where a man found me and sold me to a merchant, who brought me
to this city and sold me for ten thousand diners to the King
of the country, who entreated me with honour and forsook all
his concubines and women and favourites for my sake and was
distracted by me from all he had and all that was in his
city." Quoth her brother, "Praised be Allah, who hath reunited
us with thee! But now, O my sister, 'tis my purpose that thou
arise and go with us to our country and people." When the King
heard these words, his wits fled him for fear lest the damsel
accept her brother's words and he himself avail not to stay
her, albeit he loved her passionately, and he became
distracted with fear of losing her. But Julnar answered, "By
Allah, O my brother, the mortal who bought me is lord of this
city and he is a mighty King and a wise man, good and generous
with extreme generosity. Moreover, he is a personage of great
worth and wealth and hath neither son nor daughter. He hath
entreated me with honour and done me all manner of favour and
kindness; nor, from the day of his buying me to this time have
I heard from him an ill word to hurt my heart: but he hath
never ceased to use me courteously; doing nothing save with my
counsel, and I am in the best of case with him and in the
perfection of fair fortune. Furthermore, were I to leave him,
he would perish; for he cannot endure to be parted from me an
hour; and if I left him, I also should die, for the excess of
the love I bear him, by reason of his great goodness to me
during the time of my sojourn with him; for, were my father
alive, my estate with him would not be like my estate with
this great and glorious and puissant potentate. And verily, ye
see me with child by him and praise be to Allah, who hath made
me a daughter of the Kings of the sea, and my husband the
mightiest of the Kings of the land, and Allah, in very sooth,
he hath compensated me for whatso I lost."--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Julnar
the Sea born told her brother all her tale, adding "Allah hath
not cut me off, but hath compensated me for whatso I lost. Now
this King hath no issue, male or female, so I pray the
Almighty to vouchsafe me a son who shall inherit of this
mighty sovran that which the Lord hath bestowed upon him of
lands and palaces and possessions." Now when her brother and
the daughters of her uncle heard this her speech, their eyes
were cooled thereby and they said, 'O Julnar, thou knowest thy
value with us and thou wottest the affection we bear thee and
thou art certified that thou art to us the dearest of all
creatures and thou art assured that we seek but ease for thee,
without travail or trouble. Wherefore, an thou be in unease,
arise and go with us to our land and our folk but, an thou be
at thine ease here, in honour and happiness, this is our wish
and our will; for we desire naught save thy welfare in any
case.''
[FN#311] Quoth she, "By Allah, I am here in the utmost
ease and solace and honour and grace!" When the King heard
what she said, he joyed with a heart set at rest and thanked
her silently for this; the love of her redoubled on him and
entered his heart core and he knew that she loved him as he
loved her and that she desired to abide with him, that she
might see his child by her. Then Julnar bade her women lay the
tables and set on all sorts of viands, which had been cooked
in kitchen under her own eyes, and fruits and sweetmeats,
whereof she ate, she and her kinsfolk. But, presently, they
said to her, "O Julnar, thy lord is a stranger to us, and we
have entered his house, without his leave or weeting. Thou
hast extolled to us his excellence and eke thou hast set
before us of his victual whereof we have eaten; yet have we
not companied with him nor seen him, neither hath he seen us
nor come to our presence and eaten with us, so there might be
between us bread and salt." And they all left eating and were
wroth with her, and fire, issued from their mouths, as from
cressets; which when the King saw, his wits fled for excess of
fear of them. But Julnar arose and soothed them and going to
the closet where was the King her lord, said to him, "O my
lord, hast thou seen and heard how I praised thee and extolled
thee to my people and hast thou noted what they said to me of
their desire to carry me away with them?" Quoth he, "I both
heard and saw: May the Almighty abundantly requite thee for
me! By Allah, I knew not the full measure of thy fondness
until this blessed hour, and now I doubt not of thy love to
me!" Quoth she, "O my lord, is the reward of kindness aught
but kindness? Verily, thou hast dealt generously with me and
hast entreated me with worship and I have seen that thou
lovest me with the utmost love, and thou hast done me all
manner of honour and kindness and preferred me above all thou
lovest and desirest. So how should my heart be content to
leave thee and depart from thee, and how should I do thus
after all thy goodness to me? But now I desire of thy courtesy
that thou come and salute my family, so thou mayst see them
and they thee and pure love and friendship may be between you;
for know, O King of the Age, that my brother and mother and
cousins love thee with exceeding love, by reason of my praises
of thee to them, and they say, 'We will not depart from thee
nor go to our homes till we have foregathered with the King
and saluted him.' For indeed they desire to see thee and make
acquaintance with thee." The King replied, "To hear is to
obey, for this is my very own wish." So saying, he rose and
went in to them and saluted them with the goodliest
salutation; and they sprang up to him and received him with
the utmost worship, after which he sat down in the palace and
ate with them; and he entertained them thus for the space of
thirty days. Then, being desirous of returning home, they took
leave of the King and Queen and departed with due permission
to their own land, after he had done them all possible honour.
Awhile after this, Julnar completed the days of her pregnancy
and the time of her delivery being come, she bore a boy, as he
were the moon at its full, whereat the utmost joy betided the
King, for that he had never in his life been vouchsafed son or
daughter. So they held high festival and decorated the city
seven days, in the extreme of joy and jollity: and on the
seventh day came Queen Julnar's mother, Faráshah
hight,
[FN#312] and brother and cousins, whenas they knew of
her delivery.--And Shahrazad perceived the light of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Julnar was brought to bed and was visited by her people, the
King received them with joy at their coming and said to them,
"I said that I would not give my son a name till you should
come and name him of your knowledge." So they named him Badr
Básim,
[FN#313] and all agreed upon this name. Then they showed
the child to his uncle Salih, who took him in his arms and
arising began to walk about the chamber with him in all
directions right and left. Presently he carried him forth of
the palace and going down to the salt sea, fared on with him,
till he was hidden from the King's sight. Now when Shahriman
saw him take his son and disappear with him in the depth of
the sea, he gave the child up for lost and fell to weeping and
wailing; but Julnar said to him, "O King of the Age, fear not,
neither grieve for thy son, for I love my child more than thou
and he is with my brother, so reck thou not of the sea neither
fear for him drowning. Had my brother known that aught of harm
would betide the little one, he had not done this deed; and he
will presently bring thee thy son safe, Inshallah--an it
please the Almighty." Nor was an hour past before the sea
became turbid and troubled and King Salih came forth and flew
from the sea till he came up to them with the child lying
quiet and showing a face like the moon on the night of
fulness. Then, looking at the King he said, "Haply thou
fearedst harm for thy son, whenas I plunged into the sea with
him?" Replied the father, "Yes, O my lord, I did indeed fear
for him and thought he would never be saved therefrom."
Rejoined Salih, "O King of the land, we pencilled his eyes
with an eye powder we know of and recited over him the names
graven upon the seal-ring of Solomon David son (on whom be the
Peace!), for this is what we use to do with children newly
born among us; and now thou needst not fear for him drowning
or suffocation in all the oceans of the world, if he should go
down into them; for, even as ye walk on the land, so walk we
in the sea." Then he pulled out of his pocket a casket, graven
and sealed and, breaking open the seals, emptied it; whereupon
there fell from it strings of all manner jacinths and other
jewels, besides three hundred bugles of emerald and other
three hundred hollow gems, as big as ostrich eggs, whose light
dimmed that of sun and moon. Quoth Salih, "O King of the Age,
these jewels and jacinths are a present from me to thee. We
never yet brought thee a gift, for that we knew not Julnar's
abiding place neither had we of her any tidings or trace; but
now that we see thee to be united with her and we are all
become one thing, we have brought thee this present; and every
little while we will bring thee the like thereof, Inshallah!
for that these jewels and jacinths are more plentiful with us
than pebbles on the beach and we know the good and the bad of
them and their whereabouts and the way to them, and they are
easy to us." When the King saw the jewels, his wits were
bewildered and his sense was astounded and he said, "By Allah,
one single gem of these jewels is worth my realm!" Then he
thanked for his bounty Salih the Sea born and, looking towards
Queen Julnar, said, "I am abashed before thy brother, for that
he hath dealt munificently by me and bestowed on me this
splendid gift, which the folk of the land were unable to
present." So she thanked her brother for his deed and he said,
"O King of the Age, thou hast the prior claim on us and it
behoves us to thank thee, for thou hast entreated our sister
with kindness and we have entered thy dwelling and eaten of
thy victual; and the poet saith
[FN#314],
'Had I wept before she did in my passion for Saada,
I had
healed my soul before repentance came.
But she wept before I did: her tears drew mine; and I said,
The merit belongs to the precedent.'"
"And" (resumed Salih the Pious) "if we stood on our faces in
thy service, O King of the Age, a thousand years, yet had we
not the might to requite thee, and this were but a scantling
of thy due." The King thanked him with heartiest thanks and
the Merman and Merwomen abode with him forty days' space, at
the end of which Salih arose and kissed the ground before his
brother in law, who asked ' What wantest thou, O Salih?" He
answered, "O King of the Age, indeed thou hast done us
overabundant favours, and we crave of thy bounties that thou
deal charitably with us and grant us permission to depart; for
we yearn after our people and country and kinsfolk and our
homes; so will we never forsake thy service nor that of my
sister and my nephew; and by Allah, O King of the Age, 'tis
not pleasant to my heart to part from thee; but how shall we
do, seeing that we have been reared in the sea and that the
sojourn of the shore liketh us not?" When the King heard these
words he rose to his feet and farewelled Salih the Sea born
and his mother and his cousins, and all wept together, because
of parting and presently they said to him, "Anon we will be
with thee again, nor will we forsake thee, but will visit thee
every few days." Then they flew off and descending into the
sea, disappeared from sight.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-third Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
relations of Julnar the Sea-born farewelled the King and her,
weeping together because of parting; then they flew off and
descending into the depths disappeared from sight. After this
King Shahriman showed the more kindness to Julnar and honoured
her with increase of honour; and the little one grew up and
flourished, whilst his maternal uncle and grandam and cousins
visited the King every few days and abode with him a month or
two months at a time. The boy ceased not to increase in beauty
and loveliness with increase of years, till he attained the
age of fifteen and was unique in his perfection and symmetry.
He learnt writing and Koran reading; history, syntax and
lexicography; archery, spearplay and horsemanship and what not
else behoveth the sons of Kings; nor was there one of the
children of the folk of the city, men or women, but would talk
of the youth's charms, for he was of surpassing beauty and
perfection, even such an one as is praised in the saying of
the poet,
[FN#315]
"The whiskers write upon his cheek, with ambergris on pearl,
Two lines, as 'twere with jet upon an apple, line for
line.
Death harbours in his languid eye and slays with every glance,
And in his cheek is drunkenness, and not in any wine."
And in that of another,
"Upsprings from table of his lovely cheeks[FN#316]
A growth
like broidery my wonder is:
As 'twere a lamp that burns through night hung up
Beneath
the gloom[FN#317] in chains of ambergris."
And indeed the King loved him with exceeding love, and
summoning his Wazir and Emirs and the Chief Officers of state
and Grandees of his realm, required of them a binding oath
that they would make Badr Basim King over them after his sire;
and they sware the oath gladly, for the sovran was liberal to
the lieges, pleasant in parley and a very compend of goodness,
saying naught but that wherein was advantage for the people.
On the morrow Shahriman mounted, with all his troops and Emirs
and Lords, and went forth into the city and returned. When
they drew near the palace, the King dismounted, to wait upon
his son who abode on horseback, and he and all the Emirs and
Grandees bore the saddlecloth of honour before him, each and
every of them bearing it in his turn, till they came to the
vestibule of the palace, where the Prince alighted and his
father and the Emirs embraced him and seated him on the throne
of Kingship, whilst they (including his sire) stood before
him. Then Badr Basim judged the people, deposing the unjust
and promoting the just and continued so doing till near upon
noon, when he descended from the throne and went in to his
mother, Julnar the Sea-born, with the crown upon his head, as
he were the moon. When she saw him, with the King standing
before him, she rose and kissing him, gave him joy of the
Sultanate and wished him and his sire length of life and
victory over their foes. He sat with her and rested till the
hour of mid afternoon prayer, when he took horse and repaired,
with the Emirs before him, to the Maydan plain, where he
played at arms with his father and his lords, till night fall,
when he returned to the palace, preceded by all the folk. He
rode forth thus every day to the tilting ground, returning to
sit and judge the people and do justice between earl and
churl; and thus he continued doing a whole year, at the end of
which he began to ride out a-hunting and a-chasing and to go
round about in the cities and countries under his rule,
proclaiming security and satisfaction and doing after the
fashion of Kings; and he was unique among the people of his
day for glory and valour and just dealing among the subjects.
And it chanced that one day the old King fell sick and his
fluttering heart forebode him of translation to the Mansion of
Eternity. His sickness grew upon him till he was nigh upon
death, when he called his son and commended his mother and
subjects to his care and caused all the Emirs and Grandees
once more swear allegiance to the Prince and assured himself
of them by strongest oaths; after which he lingered a few days
and departed to the mercy of Almighty Allah. His son and widow
and all the Emirs and Wazirs and Lords mourned over him, and
they built him a tomb and buried him therein. They ceased not
ceremonially to mourn for him a whole month, till Salih and
his mother and cousins arrived and condoled with their
grieving for the King and said, "O Julnar, though the King be
dead, yet hath he left this noble and peerless youth, and not
dead is whoso leaveth the like of him, the rending lion and
the shining moon."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Salih
brother of Julnar and her mother and cousins said to her,
"Albeit the King be dead, yet hath he left behind him as
successor this noble and peerless youth, the rending lion and
the shining moon." Thereupon the Grandees and notables of the
Empire went in to King Badr Basim and said to him, "O King,
there is no harm in mourning for the late sovran: but over-
mourning beseemeth none save women; wherefore occupy thou not
thy heart and our hearts with mourning for thy sire; inasmuch
as he hath left thee behind him, and whoso leaveth the like of
thee is not dead." Then they comforted him and diverted him
and lastly carried him to the bath. When he came out of the
Hammam, he donned a rich robe, purfled with gold and
embroidered with jewels and jacinths; and, setting the royal
crown on his head, sat down on his throne of kingship and
ordered the affairs of the folk, doing equal justice between
strong and weak, and exacting from the prince the dues of the
pauper; wherefore the people loved him with exceeding love.
Thus he continued doing for a full year, whilst, every now and
then. his kinsfolk of the sea visited him, and his life was
pleasant and his eye was cooled. Now it came to pass that his
uncle Salih went in one night of the nights to Julnar and
saluted her; whereupon she rose and embracing him seated him
by her side and asked him, "O my brother, how art thou and my
mother and my cousins?" He answered, "O my sister, they are
well and glad and in good case, lacking naught save a sight of
thy face." Then she set somewhat of food before him and he
ate, after which talk ensued between the twain and they spake
of King Badr Basim and his beauty and loveliness, his symmetry
and skill in cavalarice and cleverness and good breeding. Now
Badr was propped upon his elbow hard by them; and, hearing his
mother and uncle speak of him, he feigned sleep and listened
to their talk.
[FN#318] Presently Salih said to his sister,
"Thy son is now seventeen years old and is unmarried, and I
fear lest mishap befal him and he have no son; wherefore it is
my desire to marry him to a Princess of the princesses of the
sea, who shall be a match for him in beauty and loveliness."
Quoth Julnar, "Name them to me for I know them all." So Salih
proceeded to enumerate them to her, one by one, but to each
she said, "I like not this one for my son; I will not marry
him but to one who is his equal in beauty and loveliness and
wit and piety and good breeding and magnanimity and dominion
and rank and lineage."
[FN#319] Quoth Salih, "I know none other
of the daughters of the Kings of the sea, for I have numbered
to thee more than an hundred girls and not one of them
pleaseth thee: but see, O my sister, whether thy son be asleep
or no." So she felt Badr and finding on him the signs of
slumber said to Salih, "He is asleep; what hast thou to say
and what is thine object in making sure his sleeping?" Replied
he, "O my sister, know that I have bethought me of a Mermaid
of the mermaids who befitteth thy son; but I fear to name her,
lest he be awake and his heart be taken with her love and
maybe we shall be unable to win to her; so should he and we
and the Grandees of the realm be wearied in vain and trouble
betide us through this; for, as saith the poet,
'Love, at first sight, is a spurt of spray;[FN#320]
But a
spreading sea when it gaineth sway.'"
When she heard these words, she cried, "Tell me the condition
of this girl, and her name for I know all the damsels of the
sea, Kings' daughters and others; and, if I judge her worthy
of him, I will demand her in marriage for him of her father,
though I spend on her whatso my hand possesseth. So recount to
me all anent her and fear naught, for my son sleepeth." Quoth
Salih, "I fear lest he be awake; and the poet saith,
'I loved him, soon as his praise I heard;
For ear oft loveth
ere eye survey.' "
But Julnar said, "Speak out and be brief and fear not, O my
brother." So he said, "By Allah, O my sister, none is worthy
of thy son save the Princess Jauharah, daughter of King Al-
Samandal,
[FN#321] for that she is like unto him in beauty and
loveliness and brilliancy and perfection; nor is there found,
in sea or on land, a sweeter or pleasanter of gifts than she;
for she is prime in comeliness and seemlihead of face and
symmetrical shape of perfect grace; her cheek is ruddy dight,
her brow flower white, her teeth gem bright, her eyes blackest
black and whitest white, her hips of heavy weight, her waist
slight and her favour exquisite. When she turneth she shameth
the wild cattle
[FN#322] and the gazelles and when she walketh,
she breedeth envy in the willow branch: when she unveileth her
face outshineth sun and moon and all who look upon her she
enslaveth soon: sweet lipped and soft sided indeed is she."
Now when Julnar heard what Salih said, she replied, "Thou
sayest sooth, O my brother! By Allah, I have seen her many and
many a time and she was my companion, when we were little ones
but now we have no knowledge of each other, for constraint of
distance; nor have I set eyes on her for eighteen years. By
Allah none is worthy of my son but she!" Now Badr heard all
they said and mastered what had passed, first and last, of
these praises bestowed on Jauharah daughter of King Al-
Samandal; so he fell in love with her on hearsay, pretending
sleep the while, wherefore fire was kindled in his heart on
her account full sore and he was drowned in a sea without
bottom or shore.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
King Badr Basim heard the words of his uncle Salih and his
mother Julnar, praising the daughter of King Al-Samandal, a
flame of fire burnt in his heart full sore and he was drowned
in a sea which hath nor bottom nor shore. Then Salih, looking
at his sister, exclaimed, "By Allah, O my sister, there is no
greater fool among the Kings of the sea than her father nor
one more violent of temper than he! So name thou not the girl
to thy son, till we demand her in marriage of her father. If
he favour us with his assent, we will praise Allah Almighty;
and if he refuse us and will not give her to thy son to wife,
we will say no more about it and seek another match." Answered
Julnar, "Right is thy rede;" and they parleyed no more: but
Badr passed the night with a heart on fire with passion for
Princess Jauharah. However he concealed his case and spake not
of her to his mother or his uncle, albeit he was on coals of
fire for love of her. Now when it was morning, the King and
his uncle went to the Hammam-bath and washed, after which they
came forth and drank wine and the servants set food before
them, whereof they and Julnar ate their sufficiency, and
washed their hands. Then Salih rose and said to his nephew and
sister, "With your leave, I would fain go to my mother and my
folk for I have been with you some days and their hearts are
troubled with awaiting me." But Badr Basim said to him, "Tarry
with us this day;" and he consented. Then quoth the King,
"Come, O my uncle, let us go forth to the garden." So they
sallied forth and promenaded about the pastures and took their
solace awhile, after which King Badr lay down under a shady
tree, thinking to rest and sleep; but he remembered his
uncle's description of the maiden and her beauty and
loveliness and shed railing tears, reciting these two
couplets
[FN#323],
"Were it said to me while the flame is burning within me,
And the fire blazing in my heart and bowels,
'Wouldst thou rather that thou shouldest behold them
Or a
draught of pure water?'--I would answer, 'Them.' "
Then he sighed and wept and lamented, reciting these verses
also,
"Who shall save me from love of a lovely gazelle,
Brighter
browed than the sunshine, my bonnibel!
My heart, erst free from her love, now burns
With fire for
the maid of Al-Samandal."
When Salih heard what his nephew said, he smote hand upon hand
and said, "There is no god but the God! Mohammed is the
Apostle of God and there is no Majesty and there is no Might
save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!" adding, "O my son,
heardest thou what passed between me and thy mother respecting
Princess Jauharah?" Replied Badr Basim, "Yes, O my uncle, and
I fell in love with her by hearsay through what I heard you
say. Indeed, my heart cleaveth to her and I cannot live
without her." Rejoined his uncle, "O King, let us return to
thy mother and tell her how the case standeth and crave her
leave that I may take thee with me and seek the Princess in
marriage of her sire; after which we will farewell her and I
and thou will return. Indeed, I fear to take thee and go
without her leave, lest she be wroth with me; and verily the
right would be on her side, for I should be the cause of her
separation from us. Moreover, the city would be left without
king and there would be none to govern the citizens and look
to their affairs, so should the realm be disordered against
thee and the kingship depart from thy hands." But Badr Basim,
hearing these words, cried, "O my uncle, if I return to my
mother and consult her on such matter, she will not suffer me
to do this; wherefore I will not return to my mother nor
consult her." And he wept before him and presently added, "I
will go with thee and tell her not and after will return."
When Salih heard what his nephew said, he was confused anent
his case and said, "I crave help of the Almighty in any
event." Then, seeing that Badr Basim was resolved to go with
him, whether his mother would let him or no, he drew from his
finger a seal ring, whereon were graven certain of the names
of Allah the Most High, and gave it to him, saying, "Put this
on thy finger, and thou shalt be safe from drowning and other
perils and from the mischief of sea beasts and great fishes."
So King Badr Basim took the ring and set it on his finger.
Then they dove into the deep--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Badr
Basim and his uncle, after diving into the deep, fared on till
they came to Salih's palace, where they found Badr Basim's
grandmother, the mother of his mother, seated with her
kinsfolk and, going in to them, kissed their hands. When the
old Queen saw Badr, she rose to him and embracing him, kissed
him between the eyes and said to him, "A blessed coming, O my
son! How didst thou leave thy mother Julnar?" He replied, "She
is well in health and fortune, and saluteth thee and her
uncle's daughters." Then Salih related to his mother what had
occurred between him and his sister and how King Badr Basim
had fallen in love with the Princess Jauharah daughter of Al-
Samandal by report and told her the whole tale from beginning
to end adding, "He hath not come save to demand her in wedlock
of her sire;" which when the old Queen heard, she was wroth
against her son with exceeding wrath and sore troubled and
concerned and said, "O Salih, O my son, in very sooth thou
diddest wrong to name the Princess before thy nephew, knowing,
as thou dost, that her father is stupid and violent, little of
wit and tyrannical of temper, grudging his daughter to every
suitor; for all the Monarchs of the Main have sought her hand,
but he rejected them all; nay, he would none of them, saying,
'Ye are no match for her in beauty or in loveliness or in
aught else.' Wherefore we fear to demand her in wedlock of
him, lest he reject us, even as be hath rejected others; and
we are a folk of high spirit and should return broken-
hearted." Hearing these words Salih answered, "O my mother
what is to do? For King Badr Basim saith, 'There is no help
but that I seek her in marriage of her sire, though I expend
my whole kingdom'; and he avoucheth that, an he take her not
to wife, he will die of love for her and longing." And Salih
continued, "He is handsomer and goodlier than she; his father
was King of all the Persians, whose King he now is, and none
is worthy of Jauharah save Badr Basim. Wherefore I purpose to
carry her father a gift of jacinths and jewels befitting his
dignity, and demand her of him in marriage. An he object to us
that he is a King, behold, our man also is a King and the son
of a King; or, if he object to us her beauty, behold our man
is more beautiful than she; or, again, if he object to us the
vastness of his dominion, behold our man's dominion is vaster
than hers and her father's and numbereth more troops and
guards, for that his kingdom is greater than that of Al-
Samandal. Needs must I do my endeavour to further the desire
of my sister's son, though it relieve me of my life; because I
was the cause of whatso hath betided; and, even as I plunged
him into the ocean of her love, so will I go about to marry
him to her, and may Almighty Allah help me thereto!" Rejoined
his mother, "Do as thou wilt, but beware of giving her father
rough words, whenas thou speakest with him; for thou knowest
his stupidity and violence and I fear lest he do thee a
mischief, for he knoweth not respect for any." And Salih
answered, "Hearkening and obedience." Then he sprang up and
taking two bags full of gems such as rubies and bugles of
emerald, noble ores and all manner jewels gave them to his
servants to carry and set out with his nephew for the palace
of Al-Samandal. When they came thither, he sought audience of
the King and being admitted to his presence, kissed ground
before him and saluted him with the goodliest Salam. The King
rose to him and honouring him with the utmost honour, bade him
be seated. So he sat down and presently the King said to him,
"A blessed coming: indeed thou hast desolated us, O Salih! But
what bringeth thee to us? Tell me thine errand that we may
fulfil it to thee." Whereupon Salih arose and, kissing the
ground a second time, said, "O King of the Age, my errand is
to Allah and the magnanimous liege lord and the valiant lion,
the report of whose good qualities the caravans far and near
have dispread and whose renown for benefits and beneficence
and clemency and graciousness and liberality to all climes and
countries hath sped." Thereupon he opened the two bags and,
displaying their contents before Al-Samandal, said to him, "O
King of the Age, haply wilt thou accept my gift and by showing
favour to me heal my heart."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when Salih offered his gift to the King, saying, "My aim and
end is that the Sovran show favour to me and heal my heart by
accepting my present," King Al-Samandal asked, "With what
object dost thou gift me with this gift? Tell me thy tale and
acquaint me with thy requirement. An its accomplishment be in
my power I will straightway accomplish it to thee and spare
thee toil and trouble; and if I be unable thereunto, Allah
compelleth not any soul aught beyond its power.''
[FN#324] So
Salih rose and kissing ground three times, said, "O King of
the Age, that which I desire thou art indeed able to do; it is
in thy power and thou art master thereof; and I impose not on
the King a difficulty, nor am I Jinn-demented, that I should
crave of the King a thing whereto he availeth not; for one of
the sages saith, 'An thou wouldst be complied with ask that
which can be readily supplied'. Wherefore, that of which I am
come in quest, the King (whom Allah preserve!) is able to
grant." The King replied, "Ask what thou wouldst have, and
state thy case and seek thy need." Then said Salih,
[FN#325] "O
King of the Age, know that I come as a suitor, seeking the
unique pearl and the hoarded jewel, the Princess Jauharah,
daughter of our lord the King; wherefore, O King disappoint
thou not thy suitor." Now when the King heard this, he laughed
till he fell backwards, in mockery of him and said, "O Salih,
I had thought thee a man of worth and a youth of sense,
seeking naught save what was reasonable and speaking not save
advisedly. What then hath befallen thy reason and urged thee
to this monstrous matter and mighty hazard, that thou seekest
in marriage daughters of Kings, lords of cities and climates?
Say me, art thou of a rank to aspire to this great eminence
and hath thy wit failed thee to this extreme pass that thou
affrontest me with this demand?" Replied Salih, "Allah amend
the King! I seek her not for myself (albeit, an I did, I am
her match and more than her match, for thou knowest that my
father was King of the Kings of the sea, for all thou art this
day our King), but I seek her for King Badr Basim, lord of the
lands of the Persians and son of King Shahriman, whose
puissance thou knowest. An thou object that thou art a mighty
great King, King Badr is a greater; and if thou object thy
daughter's beauty King Badr is more beautiful than she and
fairer of form and more excellent of rank and lineage; and he
is the champion of the people of his day. Wherefore, if thou
grant my request, O King of the Age thou wilt have set the
thing in its stead; but, if thou deal arrogantly with us, thou
wilt not use us justly nor travel with us the 'road which is
straght'.
[FN#326] Moreover, O King, thou knowest that the
Princess Jauharah, the daughter of our lord the King must
needs be wedded and bedded, for the sage saith, a girl's lot
is either grace of marriage or the grave.
[FN#327] Wherefore,
an thou mean to marry her, my sister's son is worthier of her
than any other man." Now when King Al-Samandal heard Salih's
words, he was wroth with exceeding wrath; his reason well nigh
fled and his soul was like to depart his body for rage, and he
cried, "O dog, shall the like of thee dare to bespeak me thus
and name my daughter in the assemblies,
[FN#328] saying that
the son of thy sister Julnar is a match for her? Who art thou
and who is this sister of thine and who is her son and who was
his father,
[FN#329] that thou durst say to me such say and
address me with such address? What are ye all, in comparison
with my daughter, but dogs?" And he cried out to his pages,
saying, "Take yonder gallows bird's head!" So they drew their
swords and made for Salih but he fled and for the palace gate
sped; and reaching the entrance, he found of his cousins and
kinsfolk and servants, more than a thousand horse armed cap-à-
pie in iron and close knitted mail-coats, hending in hand
spears and naked swords glittering white. And these when they
saw Salih come running out of the palace (they having been
sent by his mother to his succour), questioned him and he told
them what was to do; whereupon they knew that the King was a
fool and violent tempered to boot. So they dismounted and
baring their blades, went in to the King Al-Samandal, whom
they found seated upon the throne of his Kingship, unaware of
their coming and enraged against Salih with furious rage; and
they beheld his eunuchs and pages and officers unprepared.
When the King saw them enter, drawn brand in hand, he cried
out to his people, saying "Woe to you! Take me the heads of
these hounds!" But ere an hour had sped Al-Samandal's party
were put to the route and relied upon flight, and Salih and
his kinsfolk seized upon the King and pinioned him.--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-eighth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Salih and his kinsfolk pinioned the King, Princess Jauharah
awoke and knew that her father was a captive and his guards
slain. So she fled forth the palace to a certain island, and
climbing up into a high tree, hid herself in its summit. Now
when the two parties came to blows, some of King Al-Samandal's
pages fled and Badr Basim meeting them, questioned them of
their case and they told him what had happened. But when he
heard that the King was a prisoner, Badr feared for himself
and fled, saying in his heart, "Verily, all this turmoil is on
my account and none is wanted but I." So he sought safety in
flight, security to sight, knowing not whither he went; but
destiny from Eternity fore-ordained crave him to the very
island where the Princess had taken refuge, and he came to the
very tree whereon she sat and threw himself down, like a dead
man, thinking to lie and repose himself and knowing not there
is no rest for the pursued, for none knoweth what Fate hideth
for him in the future. As he lay down, he raised his eyes to
the tree and they met the eyes of the Princess. So he looked
at her and seeing her to be like the moon rising in the East,
cried, "Glory to Him who fashioned yonder perfect form, Him
who is the Creator of all things and who over all things is
Almighty! Glory to the Great God, the Maker, the Shaper and
Fashioner! By Allah, if my presentiments be true, this is
Jauharah, daughter of King Al-Samandal! Methinks that, when
she heard of our coming to blows with her father, she fled to
this island and, happening upon this tree, hid herself on its
head; but, if this be not the Princess herself, 'tis one yet
goodlier than she." Then he bethought himself of her case and
said in himself, "I will arise and lay hands on her and
question her of her condition; and, if she be indeed the she,
I will demand her in wedlock of herself and so win my wish."
So he stood up and said to her, "O end of all desire, who art
thou and who brought thee hither?" She looked at Badr Basim
and seeing him to be as the full moon,
[FN#330] when it shineth
from under the black cloud, slender of shape and sweet of
smile answered, "O fair of fashion, I am Princess Jauharah,
daughter of King Al-Samandal, and I took refuge in this place,
because Salih and his host came to blows with my sire and slew
his troops and took him prisoner, with some of his men,
wherefore I fled, fearing for my very life," presently adding,
"And I weet not what fortune hath done with my father." When
King Badr Basim heard these words he marvelled with exceeding
marvel at this strange chance, and thought: "Doubtless I have
won my wish by the capture of her sire." Then he looked at
Jauharah and said to her, "Come down, O my lady; for I am
slain for love of thee and thine eyes have captivated me. On
my account and thine are all these broils and battles; for
thou must know that I am King Badr Basim, Lord of the Persians
and Salih is my mother's brother and he it is who came to thy
sire to demand thee of him in marriage. As for me, I have
quitted my kingdom for thy sake, and our meeting here is the
rarest coincidence. So come down to me and let us twain fare
for thy father's palace, that I may beseech uncle Salih to
release him and I may make thee my lawful wife." When Jauharah
heard his words, she said in herself, " 'Twas on this
miserable gallows bird's account, then, that all this hath
befallen and that my father hath fallen prisoner and his
chamberlains and suite have been slain and I have been
departed from my palace, a miserable exile and have fled for
refuge to this island. But, an I devise not against him some
device to defend myself from him, he will possess himself of
me and take his will of me; for he is in love and for aught
that he doeth a lover is not blamed.'" Then she beguiled him
with winning words and soft speeches, whilst he knew not the
perfidy against him she purposed, and asked him, "O my lord
and light of my eyes, say me, art thou indeed King Badr Basim,
son of Queen Julnar?" And he answered, "Yes, O my lady."--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Forty-ninth Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
Jauharah, daughter of King Al-Samandal, asked the youth, "Art
thou in very sooth King Badr Basim, son of Queen Julnar?" And
he answered, "Yes, O my lady!" Then she, "May Allah cut off my
father and gar his kingdom cease from him and heal not his
heart neither avert from him strangerhood, if he could desire
a comelier than thou or aught goodlier than these fair
qualities of thine! By Allah, he is of little wit and
judgment!" presently adding, "But, O King of the Age, punish
him not for that he hath done; more by token that an thou love
me a span, verily I love thee a cubit. Indeed, I have fallen
into the net of thy love and am become of the number of thy
slain. The love that was with thee hath transferred itself to
me and there is left thereof with thee but a tithe of that
which is with me." So saying, she came down from the tree and
drawing near him strained him to her bosom and fell to kissing
him; whereat passion and desire for her redoubled on him and
doubting not but she loved him, he trusted in her, and
returned her kisses and caresses. Presently he said to her,
"By Allah, O Princess, my uncle Salih set forth to me not a
fortieth part of thy charms; no, nor a quarter-carat
[FN#331]
of the four and twenty." Then Jauharah pressed him to her
bosom and pronounced some unintelligible words; then spat on
his face, saying, "Quit this form of man and take shape of
bird, the handsomest of birds, white of robe, with red bill
and legs." Hardly had she spoken, when King Badr Basim found
himself transformed into a bird, the handsomest of birds, who
shook himself and stood looking at her. Now Jauharah had with
her one of her slave girls, by name Marsinah
[FN#332]; so she
called her and said to her, "By Allah, but that I fear for the
life of my father, who is his uncle's prisoner, I would kill
him! Allah never requite him with good! How unlucky was his
coming to us; for all this trouble is due to his hard
headedness! But do thou, O slave girl, bear him to the Thirsty
Island and leave him there to die of thirst." So Marsinah
carried him to the island in question and would have returned
and left him there but she said in herself, "By Allah, the
lord of such beauty and loveliness deserveth not to die of
thirst!" So she went forth from that island and brought him to
another abounding in trees and fruits and rills and, setting
him down there, returned to her mistress and told her, "I have
left him on the Thirsty Island." Such was the case with Badr
Basim; but as regards King Salih he sought for Jauharah after
capturing the King and killing his folk; but, finding her not,
returned to his palace and said to his mother, "Where is my
sister's son, King Badr Basim?" "By Allah, O my son," replied
she, "I know nothing of him! For when it reached him that you
and King Al-Samandal had come to blows and that strife and
slaughter had betided between you, he was affrighted and
fled." When Salih heard this, he grieved for his nephew and
said, "O my mother, by Allah, we have dealt negligently by
King Badr and I fear lest he perish or lest one of King Al-
Samandal's soldiers or his daughter Jauharah fall in with him.
So should we come to shame with his mother and no good betide
us from her, for that I took him without her leave." Then he
despatched guards and scouts throughout the sea and elsewhere
to seek for Badr; but they could learn no tidings of him; so
they returned and told King Salih, wherefore cark and care
redoubled on him and his breast was straitened for King Badr
Basim. So far concerning nephew and uncle, but as for Julnar
the Sea-born, after their departure she abode in expectation
of them, but her son returned not and she heard no report of
him. So when many days of fruitless waiting had gone by, she
arose and going down into the sea, repaired to her mother, who
sighting her rose to her and kissed her and embraced her, as
did the Mermaids her cousins. Then she questioned her mother
of King Badr Basim, and she answered, saying, "O my daughter,
of a truth he came hither with his uncle, who took jacinths
and jewels and carrying them to King Al-Samandal, demanded his
daughter in marriage for thy son but he consented not and was
violent against thy brother in words. Now I had sent Salih
nigh upon a thousand horse and a battle befel between him and
King Al-Samandal; but Allah aided thy brother against him, and
he slew his guards and troops and took himself prisoner.
Meanwhile, tidings of this reached thy son, and it would seem
as if he feared for himself; wherefore he fled forth from us,
without our will, and returned not to us, nor have we heard
any news of him." Then Julnar enquired for King Salih, and his
mother said, "He is seated on the throne of his kingship, in
the stead of King Al-Samandal, and hath sent in all directions
to seek thy son and Princess Jauharah." When Julnar heard the
maternal words, she mourned for her son with sad mourning and
was highly incensed against her brother Salih for that he had
taken him and gone down with him into the sea without her
leave; and she said, "O my mother, I fear for our realm; as I
came to thee without letting any know; and I dread tarrying
with thee, lest the state fall into disorder and the kingdom
pass from our hands. Wherefore I deem best to return and
govern the reign till it please Allah to order our son's
affair for us. But look ye forget him not neither neglect his
case; for should he come to any harm, it would infallibly kill
me, since I see not the world save in him and delight but in
his life." She replied, "With love and gladness, O my
daughter. Ask not what we suffer by reason of his loss and
absence." Then she sent to seek for her grandson, whilst
Julnar returned to her kingdom, weeping-eyed and heavy-
hearted, and indeed the gladness of the world was straitened
upon her.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fiftieth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Queen Juluar returned from her mother to her own realm, her
breast was straitened and she was in ill-case. So fared it
with her; but as regards King Badr Basim, after Princess
Jauharah had ensorcelled him and had sent him with her
handmaid to the Thirsty Island, saying, "Leave him there to
die of thirst," and Marsinah had set him down in a green
islet, he abode days and nights in the semblance of a bird
eating of its fruits and drinking of its waters and knowing
not whither to go nor how to fly; till, one day, there came a
certain fowler to the island to catch somewhat wherewithal to
get his living. He espied King Badr Basim in his form of a
white robed bird, with red bill and legs, captivating the
sight and bewildering the thought; and, looking thereat, said
in himself "Verily, yonder is a beautiful bird: never saw I
its like in fairness or form." So he cast his net over Badr
and taking him, carried him to the town, mentally resolved to
sell him for a high price. On his way one of the townsfolk
accosted him and said, "For how much this fowl, O fowler?"
Quoth the fowler, "What wilt thou do with him an thou buy
him?" Answered the other, "I will cut his throat and eat him;"
whereupon said the birder, "Who could have the heart to kill
this bird and eat him? Verily, I mean to present him to our
King, who will give me more than thou wouldest give me and
will not kill him, but will divert himself by gazing upon his
beauty and grace, for in all my life, since I have been a
fowler, I never saw his like among land game or water fowl.
The utmost thou wouldst give me for him, however much thou
covet him, would be a dirham, and, by Allah Almighty I will
not sell him!" Then he carried the bird up to the King's
palace and when the King saw it, its beauty and grace pleased
him and the red colour of its beak and legs. So he sent an
eunuch to buy it, who accosted the fowler and said to him,
"Wilt thou sell this bird?" Answered he, "Nay, 'tis a gift
from me to the King.''
[FN#333] So the eunuch carried the bird
to the King and told him what the man had said; and he took it
and gave the fowler ten dinars, whereupon he kissed ground and
fared forth. Then the eunuch carried the bird to the palace
and placing him in a fine cage, hung him up after setting meat
and drink by him. When the King came down from the Divan, he
said to the eunuch, "Where is the bird? Bring it to me, that I
may look upon it; for, by Allah, 'tis beautiful!" So the
eunuch brought the cage and set it between the hands of the
King, who looked and seeing the food untouched, said, "By
Allah, I wis not what it will eat, that I may nourish it!"
Then he called for food and they laid the tables and the King
ate. Now when the bird saw the flesh and meats and fruits and
sweet meats, he ate of all that was upon the trays before the
King, whereat the Sovran and all the bystanders marvelled and
the King said to his attendants, eunuchs and Mamelukes, "In
all my life I never saw a bird eat as doth this bird!" Then he
sent an eunuch to fetch his wife that she might enjoy looking
upon the bird, and he went in to summon her and said, "O my
lady, the King desireth thy presence, that thou mayst divert
thyself with the sight of a bird he hath bought. When we set
on the food, it flew down from its cage and perching on the
table, ate of all that was thereon. So arise, O my lady, and
solace thee with the sight for it is goodly of aspect and is a
wonder of the wonders of the age." Hearing these words she
came in haste; but, when she noted the bird, she veiled her
face and turned to fare away. The King rose up and looking at
her, asked, "Why dost thou veil thy face when there is none in
presence save the women and eunuchs who wait on thee and thy
husband?" Answered she, "O King, this bird is no bird, but a
man like thyself." He rejoined, "Thou liest, this is too much
of a jest. How should he be other than a bird?"; and she "O
King, by Allah, I do not jest with thee nor do I tell thee
aught but the truth; for verily this bird is King Badr Basim,
son of King Shahriman, Lord of the land of the Persians, and
his mother is Julnar the Sea-born."--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-first Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when the King's wife said to the King, "Verily, this is no
bird but a man like thyself: he is King Badr Basim son of King
Shariman and his mother is Julnar the Sea born," quoth the
King, "And how came he in this shape?"; and quoth she,
"Princess Jauharah, daughter of King Al-Samandal, hath
enchanted him:" and told him all that had passed with King
Badr Basim from first to last.
[FN#334] The King marvelled
exceedingly at his wife's words and conjured her, on his life,
to free Badr from his enchantment (for she was the notablest
enchantress of her age), and not leave him in torment, saying,
"May Almighty Allah cut off Jauharah's hand, for a foul witch
as she is! How little is her faith and how great her craft and
perfidy!" Said the Queen, "Do thou say to him, 'O Badr Basim,
enter yonder closet!'" So the King bade him enter the closet
and he went in obediently. Then the Queen veiled her face and
taking in her hand a cup of water,
[FN#335] entered the closet
where she pronounced over the water certain incomprehensible
words ending with, "By the virtue of these mighty names and
holy verses and by the majesty of Allah Almighty, Creator of
heaven and earth, the Quickener of the dead and Appointer of
the means of daily bread and the terms determined, quit this
thy form wherein thou art and return to the shape in which the
Lord created thee!" Hardly had she made an end of her words,
when the bird trembled once and became a man; and the King saw
before him a handsome youth, than whom on earth's face was
none goodlier. But when King Badr Basim found himself thus
restored to his own form he cried, "There is no god but the
God and Mohammed is the Apostle of God! Glory be to the
Creator of all creatures and Provider of their provision, and
Ordainer of their life terms preordained!" Then he kissed the
King's hand and wished him long life, and the King kissed his
head and said to him, "O Badr Basim, tell me thy history from
commencement to conclusion." So he told him his whole tale,
concealing naught; and the King marvelled thereat and said to
him, "O Badr Basim, Allah hath saved thee from the spell: but
what hath thy judgment decided and what thinkest thou to do?"
Replied he, "O King of the Age, I desire thy bounty that thou
equip me a ship with a company of thy servants and all that is
needful; for 'tis long since I have been absent and I dread
lest the kingdom depart from me. And I misdoubt me my mother
is dead of grief for my loss, and this doubt is the stronger
for that she knoweth not what is come of me nor whether I am
alive or dead. Wherefore, I beseech thee, O King, to crown thy
favours to me by granting me what I seek." The King, after
beholding the beauty and grace of Badr Basim and listening to
his sweet speech, said, "I hear and obey." So he fitted him
out a ship, to which he transported all that was needful and
which he manned with a company of his servants; and Badr Basim
set sail in it, after having taken leave of the King. They
sailed over the sea ten successive days with a favouring wind;
but, on the eleventh day, the ocean became troubled with
exceeding trouble, the ship rose and fell and the sailors were
powerless to govern her. So they drifted at the mercy of the
waves, till the craft neared a rock in mid-sea which fell upon
her
[FN#336] and broke her up and all on board were drowned,
save King Badr Basim who got astride one of the planks of the
vessel, after having been nigh upon destruction. The plank
ceased not to be borne by the set of the sea, whilst he knew
not whither he went and had no means of directing its motion,
as the wind and waves wrought for three whole days. But on the
fourth the plank grounded with him on the sea shore where he
sighted a white city, as it were a dove passing white, builded
upon a tongue of land that jutted out into the deep and it was
goodly of ordinance, with high towers and lofty walls against
which the waves beat. When Badr Basim saw this, he rejoiced
with exceeding joy, for he was well-nigh dead of hunger and
thirst, and dismounting from the plank, would have gone up the
beach to the city; but there came down to him mules and asses
and horses, in number as the see sends and fell to striking at
him and staying him from landing. So he swam round to the back
of the city, where he waded to shore and entering the place,
found none therein and marvelled at this, saying, "Would I
knew to whom cloth this city belong, wherein is no lord nor
any liege, and whence came these mules and asses and horses
that hindered me from landing." And he mused over his case.
Then he walked on at hazard till he espied an old man, a
grocer.
[FN#337] So he saluted him and the other returned his
salam and seeing him to be a handsome young man, said to him,
"O youth, whence comest thou and what brought thee to this
city?" Badr told him his story; at which the old man marvelled
and said, "O my son, didst thou see any on thy way?" He
replied, "Indeed, O my father, I wondered in good sooth to
sight a city void of folk." Quoth the Shaykh, my son, come up
into the shop, lest thou perish." So Badr Basim went up into
the shop and sat down; whereupon the old man set before him
somewhat of food, saying, "O my son, enter the inner shop;
glory be to Him who hath preserved thee from yonder she-
Sathanas!" King Badr Basim was sore affrighted at the grocer's
words; but he ate his fill and washed his hands then glanced
at his host and said to him, "O my lord, what is the meaning
of these words? Verily thou hast made me fearful of this city
and its folk." Replied the old man, "Know, O my son that this
is the City of the Magicians and its Queen is as she were She-
Satan, a sorceress and a mighty enchantress, passing crafty
and perfidious exceedingly. All thou sawest of horses and
mules and asses were once sons of Adam like thee and me; they
were also strangers, for whoever entereth this city, being a
young man like thyself this miscreant witch taketh him and
hometh him for forty days, after which she enchanteth him, and
he becometh a mule or a horse or an ass, of those animals thou
sawest on the sea-shore."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-second Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
old grocer related to King Badr Basim the history of the
enchantress ending with, "All these people hath she spelled;
and, when it was thy intent to land they feared lest thou be
transmewed like themselves; so they counselled thee by signs
that said, 'Land not,' of their solicitude for thee, fearing
that haply she should do with thee like as she had done with
them. She possessed herself of this city and seized it from
its citizens by sorcery and her name is Queen Lab, which being
interpreted, meaneth in Arabic 'Almanac of the Sun.' "
[FN#338]
When Badr Basim heard what the old man said, he was affrighted
with sore affright and trembled like reed in wind saying in
himself, "Hardly do I feel me free from the affliction wherein
I was by reason of sorcery, when Destiny casteth me into yet
sorrier case!" And he fell a-musing over his condition and
that which had betided him. When the Shaykh looked at him and
saw the violence of his terror, he said to him, "O my son,
come, sit at the threshold of the shop and look upon yonder
creatures and upon their dress and complexion and that wherein
they are by reason of gramarye and dread not; for the Queen
and all in the city love and tender me and will not vex my
heart or trouble my mind." So King Badr Basim came out and sat
at the shop door, looking out upon the folk; and there passed
by him a world of creatures without number. But when the
people saw him, they accosted the grocer and said to him, "O
elder, is this thy captive and thy prey gotten in these days?"
The old man replied, "He is my brother's son, I heard that his
father was dead; so I sent for him and brought him here that I
might quench with him the fire of my home sickness." Quoth
they, "Verily, he is a comely youth; but we fear for him from
Queen Lab, lest she turn on thee with treachery and take him
from thee, for she loveth handsome young men." Quoth the
Shaykh, "The Queen will not gainsay my commandment, for she
loveth and tendereth me; and when she shall know that he is my
brother's son, she will not molest him or afflict me in him
neither trouble my heart on his account." Then King Badr Basim
abode some months with the grocer, eating and drinking, and
the old man loved him with exceeding love. One day, as he sat
in the shop according to his custom, behold, there came up a
thousand eunuchs, with drawn swords and clad in various kinds
of raiment and girt with jewelled girdles: all rode Arabian
steeds and bore in baldrick Indian blades. They saluted the
grocer, as they passed his shop and were followed by a
thousand damsels like moons, clad in various raiments of silks
and satins fringed with gold and embroidered with jewels of
sorts, and spears were slung to their shoulders. In their
midst rode a damsel mounted on a Rabite mare, saddled with a
saddle of gold set with various kinds of jewels and jacinths;
and they reached in a body the Shaykh's shop. The damsels
saluted him and passed on, till, lo and behold! up came Queen
Lab, in great state, and seeing King Badr Basim sitting in the
shop, as he were the moon at its full, was amazed at his
beauty and loveliness and became passionately enamoured of
him, and distraught with desire of him. So she alighted and
sitting down by King Badr Basim said to the old man, "Whence
hadst thou this handsome one?"; and the Shaykh replied, "He is
my brother's son, and is lately come to me." Quoth Lab, "Let
him be with me this night, that I may talk with him;' and
quoth the old man, "Wilt thou take him from me and not enchant
him?" Said she, "Yes," and said he, Swear to me." So she sware
to him that she would not do him any hurt or ensorcell him,
and bidding bring him a fine horse, saddled and bridled with a
golden bridle and decked with trappings all of gold set with
jewels, gave the old man a thousand dinars saying, "Use
this.''
[FN#339] Then she took Badr Basim and carried him off,
as he were the full moon on its fourteenth night, whilst all
the folk, seeing his beauty, were grieved for him and said,
"By Allah, verily, this youth deserveth not to be bewitched by
yonder sorceress, the accursed!" Now King Badr Basim heard all
they said, but was silent, committing his case to Allah
Almighty, till they came to--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-third Night,
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that King
Badr Basim ceased not faring with Queen Lab and her suite till
they came to her palace-gate, where the Emirs and eunuchs and
Lords of the realm took foot and she bade the Chamberlains
dismiss her Officers and Grandees, who kissed ground and went
away, whilst she entered the palace with Badr Basim and her
eunuchs and women. Here he found a place, whose like he had
never seen at all, for it was builded of gold and in its midst
was a great basin brimfull of water midmost a vast flower-
garden. He looked at the garden and saw it abounding in birds
of various kinds and colours, warbling in all manner tongues
and voices pleasurable and plaintive. And everywhere he beheld
great state and dominion and said, "Glory be to God, who of
His bounty and long suffering provideth those who serve other
than Himself!" The Queen sat down at a latticed window
overlooking the garden on a couch of ivory, whereon was a high
bed, and King Badr Basim seated himself by her side. She
kissed him and pressing him to her breast, bade her women
bring a tray of food. So they brought a tray of red gold,
inlaid with pearls and jewels and spread with all manner of
viands and he and she ate, till they were satisfied, and
washed their hands; after which the waiting women set on
flagons of gold and silver and glass, together with all kinds
of flowers and dishes of dried fruits. Then the Queen summoned
the singing-women and there came ten maidens, as they were
moons, bending all manner of musical instruments. Queen Lab
crowned a cup and drinking it off, filled another and passed
it to King Badr Basim, who took and drank; and they ceased not
to drink till they had their sufficiency. Then she bade the
damsels sing, and they sang all manner modes till it seemed to
Badr Basim as if the palace danced with him for joy. His sense
was ecstasied and his breast broadened, and he forgot his
strangerhood and said in himself, "Verily, this Queen is young
and beautiful
[FN#340] and I will never leave her; for her
kingdom is vaster than my kingdom and she is fairer than
Princess Jauharah.'' So he ceased not to drink with her till
even tide came, when they lighted the lamps and waxen candles
and diffused censer-perfumes; nor did they leave drinking,
till they were both drunken, and the singing women sang the
while. Then Queen Lab, being in liquor, rose from her seat and
lay down on a bed and dismissing her women called to Badr
Basim to come and sleep by her side. So he lay with her, in
all delight of life till the morning.--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Queen awoke she repaired to the Hammam-bath in the palace,
King Badr Basim being with her, and they bathed and were
purified; after which she clad him in the finest of raiment
and called for the service of wine. So the waiting women
brought the drinking-gear and they drank. Presently, the Queen
arose and taking Badr Basim by the hand, sat down with him on
chairs and bade bring food, whereof they ate, and washed their
hands. Then the damsels fetched the drinking gear and fruits
and flowers and confections, and they ceased not to eat and
drink,
[FN#341] whilst the singing-girls sang various airs till
the evening. They gave not over eating and drinking and merry-
making for a space of forty days, when the Queen said to him,
"O Badr Basim, say me whether is the more pleasant, this place
or the shop of thine uncle the grocer?" He replied, "By Allah,
O Queen, this is the pleasenter, for my uncle is but a
beggarly man, who vendeth pot-herbs." She laughed at his words
and the twain lay together in the pleasantest of case till the
morning, when King Badr Basim awoke from sleep and found not
Queen Lab by his side, so he said, "Would Heaven I knew where
can she have gone!" And indeed he was troubled at her absence
and perplexed about the case, for she stayed away from him a
great while and did not return; so he donned his dress and
went seeking her but not finding her, and he said to himself,
"Haply, she is gone to the flower-garden." Thereupon he went
out into the garden and came to a running rill beside which he
saw a white she-bird and on the stream-bank a tree full of
birds of various colours, and he stood and watched the birds
without their seeing him. And behold, a black bird flew down
upon that white-she bird and fell to billing her pigeon-
fashion, then he leapt on her and trod her three consecutive
times, after which the bird changed and became a woman. Badr
looked at her and lo! it was Queen Lab. So he knew that the
black bird was a man transmewed and that she was enamoured of
him and had transformed herself into a bird, that he might
enjoy her; wherefore jealousy got hold upon him and he was
wroth with the Queen because of the black bird. Then he
returned to his place and lay down on the carpet-bed and after
an hour or so she came back to him and fell to kissing him and
jesting with him; but being sore incensed against her he
answered her not a word. She saw what was to do with him and
was assured that he had witnessed what befel her when she was
a white bird and was trodden by the black bird; yet she
discovered naught to him but concealed what ailed her. When he
had done her need, he said to her, "O Queen, I would have thee
give me leave to go to my uncle's shop, for I long after him
and have not seen him these forty days." She replied, "Go to
him but tarry not from me, for I cannot brook to be parted
from thee, nor can I endure without thee an hour." He said, "I
hear and I obey," and mounting, rode to the shop of the
Shaykh, the grocer, who welcomed him and rose to him and
embracing him said to him, "How hast thou fared with yonder
idolatress?" He replied, "I was well in health and happiness
till this last night," and told him what had passed in the
garden with the black bird.
[FN#342] Now when the old man heard
his words, he said, "Beware of her, for know that the birds
upon the tree were all young men and strangers, whom she loved
and enchanted and turned into birds. That black bird thou
sawest was one of her Mamelukes whom she loved with exceeding
love, till he cast his eyes upon one of her women, wherefore
she changed him into a black bird";--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-fifth Night,
She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that
when Badr Basim acquainted the old grocer with all the doings
of Queen Lab and what he had seen of her proceedings, the
Shaykh gave him to know that all the birds upon the tree were
young men and strangers whom she had enchanted, and that the
black bird was one of her Mamelukes whom she had transmewed.
"And," continued the Shaykh, "whenas she lusteth after him she
transformeth herself into a she-bird that he may enjoy her,
for she still loveth him with passionate love. When she found
that thou knewest of her case, she plotted evil against thee,
for she loveth thee not wholly. But no harm shall betide thee
from her, so long as I protect thee; therefore fear nothing;
for I am a Moslem, by name Abdallah, and there is none in my
day more magical than I; yet do I not make use of gramarye
save upon constraint. Many a time have I put to naught the
sorceries of yonder accursed and delivered folk from her, and
I care not for her, because she can do me no hurt: nay, she
feareth me with exceeding fear, as do all in the city who,
like her, are magicians and serve the fire, not the Omnipotent
Sire. So to-morrow, come thou to me and tell me what she doth
with thee; for this very night she will cast about to destroy
thee, and I will tell thee how thou shalt do with her, that
thou mayst save thyself from her malice." Then King Badr Basim
farewelled the Shaykh and returned to the Queen whom he found
awaiting him. When she saw him, she rose and seating him and
welcoming him brought him meat and drink and the two ate till
they had enough and washed their hands; after which she called
for wine and they drank till the night was well nigh half
spent, when she plied him with cup after cup till he was
drunken and lost sense
[FN#343] and wit. When she saw him thus,
she said to him, "I conjure thee by Allah and by whatso thou
worshippest, if I ask thee a question wilt thou inform me
rightly and answer me truly?" And he being drunken, answered,
"Yes, O my lady." Quoth she, "O my lord and light of mine
eyes, when thou awokest last night and foundest me not, thou
soughtest me, till thou sawest me in the garden under the
guise of a white she-bird, and also thou sawest the black bird
leap on me and tread me. Now I will tell the truth of this
matter. That black bird was one of my Mamelukes, whom I loved
with exceeding love; but one day he cast his eyes upon a
certain of my slave-girls, wherefore jealousy gat hold upon me
and I transformed him by my spells into a black bird and her I
slew. But now I cannot endure without him a single hour, so,
whenever I lust after him, I change myself into a she- bird
and go to him, that he may leap me and enjoy me, even as thou
hast seen. Art thou not therefore incensed against me, because
of this, albeit by the virtue of Fire and Light, Shade and
Heat, I love thee more than ever and have made thee my portion
of the world?" He answered (being drunken), "Thy conjecture of
the cause of my rage is correct, and it had no reason other
than this." With this she embraced him and kissed him and made
great show of love to him; then she lay down to sleep and he
by her side Presently about midnight she rose from the carpet-
bed and King Badr Basim was awake; but he feigned sleep and
watched stealthily to see what she would do. She took out of a
red bag a something red, which she planted a-middlemost the
chamber, and it became a stream, running like the sea; after
which she took a handful of barley and strewing it on the
ground, watered it with water from the river; whereupon it
became wheat in the ear, and she gathered it and ground it
into flour. Then she set it aside and returning to bed, lay
down by Badr Basim till morning when he arose and washed his
face and asked her leave to visit the Shaykh his uncle. She
gave him permission and he repaired to Abdallah and told him
what had passed. The old man laughed and said, "By Allah, this
miscreant witch plotteth mischief against thee; but reck thou
not of her ever!" Then he gave him a pound of parched
corn
[FN#344] and said to him, "Take this with thee and know
that, when she seeth it, she will ask thee, 'What is this and
what wilt thou do with it?' Do thou answer, 'Abundance of good
things is good'; and eat of it. Then will she bring forth to
thee parched grain of her own and say to thee, 'Eat of this
Sawik; and do thou feign to her that thou eatest thereof, but
eat of this instead, and beware and have a care lest thou eat
of hers even a grain; for, an thou eat so much as a grain
thereof, her spells will have power over thee and she will
enchant thee and say to thee, 'Leave this form of a man.'
Whereupon thou wilt quit thine own shape for what shape she
will. But, an thou eat not thereof, her enchantments will be
null and void and no harm will betide thee therefrom; whereat
she will be shamed with shame exceeding and say to thee, 'I
did but jest with thee!' Then will she make a show of love and
fondness to thee; but this will all be but hypocrisy in her
and craft. And do thou also make a show of love to her and say
to her, 'O my lady and light of mine eyes, eat of this parched
barley and see how delicious it is.' And if she eat thereof,
though it be but a grain, take water in thy hand and throw it
in her face, saying, 'Quit this human form' (for what form
soever thou wilt have her take). Then leave her and come to me
and I will counsel thee what to do." So Badr Basim took leave
of him and returning to the palace, went in to the Queen, who
said to him, "Welcome and well come and good cheer to thee!"
And she rose and kissed him, saying, "Thou hast tarried long
from me, O my lord." He replied, "I have been with my uncle,
and he gave me to eat of this Sawik." Quoth she, "We have
better than that." Then she laid his parched Sawik in one
plate and hers in another and said to him, "Eat of this, for
'tis better than thine." So he feigned to eat of it and when
she thought he had done so, she took water in her hand and
sprinkled him therewith, saying, "Quit this form, O thou
gallows- bird, thou miserable, and take that of a mule one-
eyed and foul of favour." But he changed not; which when she
saw, she arose and went up to him and kissed him between the
eyes, saying, "O my beloved, I did but jest with thee; bear me
no malice because of this." Quoth he, "O my lady, I bear thee
no whit of malice; nay, I am assured that thou lovest me: but
eat of this my parched barley." So she ate a mouthful of
Abdallah's Sawik; but no sooner had it settled in her stomach
than she was convulsed; and King Badr Basim took water in his
palm and threw it in her face, saying, "Quit this human form
and take that of a dapple mule." No sooner had he spoken than
she found herself changed into a she-mule, whereupon the tears
rolled down her cheeks and she fell to rubbing her muzzle
against his feet. Then he would have bridled her, but she
would not take the bit; so he left her and, going to the
grocer, told him what had passed. Abdallah brought out for him
a bridle and bade him rein her forthwith. So he took it to the
palace, and when she saw him, she came up to him and he set
the bit in her mouth and mounting her, rode forth to find the
Shaykh. But when the old man saw her, he rose and said to her,
"Almighty Allah confound thee, O accursed woman!" Then quoth
he to Badr, "O my son, there is no more tarrying for thee in
this city; so ride her and fare with her whither thou wilt and
beware lest thou commit the bridle
[FN#345] to any." King Badr
thanked him and farewelling him, fared on three days, without
ceasing, till he drew near another city and there met him an
old man, gray headed and comely, who said to him, "Whence
comest thou, O my son?" Badr replied, "From the city of this
witch"; and the old man said, "Thou art my guest to-night." He
consented and went with him; but by the way behold, they met
an old woman, who wept when she saw the mule, and said, "There
is no god but the God! Verily, this mule resembleth my son's
she-mule, which is dead, and my heart acheth for her; so,
Allah upon thee, O my lord, do thou sell her to me!" He
replied, "By Allah, O my mother, I cannot sell her." But she
cried, "Allah upon thee, do not refuse my request, for my son
will surely be a dead man except I buy him this mule." And she
importuned him, till he exclaimed, "I will not sell her save
for a thousand dinars," saying in himself, "Whence should this
old woman get a thousand gold pieces?" Thereupon she brought
out from her girdle a purse containing a thousand ducats,
which when King Badr Basim saw, he said, "O my mother, I did
but jest with thee; I cannot sell her." But the old man looked
at him and said, "O my son, in this city none may lie, for
whoso lieth they put to death." So King Badr Basim lighted
down from the mule.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifty-sixth Night,
She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Badr Basim dismounted from and delivered the mule to the old
woman, she drew the bit from her mouth and, taking water in
her hand, sprinkled the mule therewith, saying, "O my
daughter, quit this shape for that form wherein thou wast
aforetime!" Upon this she was straightway restored to her
original semblance and the two women embraced and kissed each
other. So King Badr Basim knew that the old woman was Queen
Lab's mother and that he had been tricked and would have fled;
when, lo! the old woman whistled a loud whistle and her call
was obeyed by an Ifrit as he were a great mountain, whereat
Badr was affrighted and stood still. Then the old woman
mounted on the Ifrit's back, taking her daughter behind her
and King Badr Basim before her, and the Ifrit flew off with
them; nor was it a full hour ere they were in the palace of
Queen Lab, who sat down on the throne of kingship and said to
Badr, "Gallows-bird that thou art, now am I come hither and
have attained to that I desired and soon will I show thee how
I will do with thee and with yonder old man the grocer! How
many favours have I shown him! Yet he cloth me frowardness;
for thou hast not attained thine end but by means of him."
Then she took water and sprinkled him therewith, saying, "Quit
the shape wherein thou art for the form of a foul-favoured
fowl, the foulest of all fowls"; and she set him in a cage and
cut off from him meat and drink; but one of her women seeing
this cruelty, took compassion on him and gave him food and
water without her knowledge. One day, the damsel took her
mistress at unawares and going forth the palace, repaired to
the old grocer, to whom she told the whole case, saying,
"Queen Lab is minded to make an end of thy brother's son." The
Shaykh thanked her and said, "There is no help but that I take
the city from her and make thee Queen thereof in her stead."
Then he whistled a loud whistle and there came forth to him an
Ifrit with four wings, to whom he said, "Take up this damsel
and carry her to the city of Julnar the Sea-born and her
mother Faráshah
[FN#346] for they twain are the most powerful
magicians on face of earth." And he said to the damsel, "When
thou comest thither, tell them that King Badr Basim is Queen
Lab's captive." Then the Ifrit took up his load and, flying
off with her, in a little while set her down upon the terrace
roof of Queen Julnar's palace. So she descended and going in
to the Queen, kissed the earth and told her what had passed to
her son, first and last, whereupon Julnar rose to her and
entreated her with honour and thanked her. Then she let beat
the drums in the city and acquainted her lieges and the lords
of her realm with the good news that King Badr Basim was found
after which she and her mother Farashah and her brother Salih
assembled all the tribes of the Jinn and the troops of the
main; for the Kings of the Jinn obeyed them since the taking
of King Al-Samandal. Presently they all flew up into the air
and lighting down on the city of the sorceress, sacked the
town and the palace and slew all the Unbelievers therein in
the twinkling of an eye. Then said Julnar to the damsel,
"Where is my son?" And the slave girl brought her the cage and
signing to the bird within, cried, "This is thy son." So
Julnar took him forth of the cage and sprinkled him with
water, saying, "Quit this shape for the form wherein thou wast
aforetime;" nor had she made an end of her speech ere he shook
and became a man as before: whereupon his mother, seeing him
restored to human shape, embraced him and he wept with sore
weeping. On like wise did his uncle Salih and his grandmother
and the daughters of his uncle and fell to kissing his hands
and feet. Then Julnar sent for Shaykh Abdallah and thanking
him for his kind dealing with her son, married him to the
damsel, whom he had despatched to her with news of him, and
made him King of the city. Moreover, she summoned those who
survived of the citizens (and they were Moslems), and made
them swear fealty to him and take the oath of loyalty, whereto
they replied, "Hearkening and obedience!" Then she and her
company farewelled him and returned to their own capital. The
townsfolk came out to meet them, with drums beating, and
decorated the place three days and held high festival, of the
greatness of their joy for the return of their King Badr
Basim. After this Badr said to his mother, "O my mother,
naught remains but that I marry and we be all united." She
replied, "Right is thy rede, O my son, but wait till we ask
who befitteth thee among the daughters of the Kings." And his
grandmother Farashah, and the daughters of both his uncles
said, "O Badr Basim, we will help thee to win thy wish
forthright." Then each of them arose and fared forth questing
in the lands, whilst Julnar sent out her waiting women on the
necks of Ifrits, bidding them leave not a city nor a King's
palace without noting all the handsome girls that were
therein. But, when King Badr Basim saw the trouble they were
taking in this matter, he said to Julnar, "O my mother, leave
this thing, for none will content me save Jauharah, daughter
of King Al-Samandal; for that she is indeed a jewel,
[FN#347]
according to her name." Replied Julnar, "I know that which
thou seekest;" and bade forthright bring Al-Samandal the King.
As soon as he was present, she sent for Badr Basim and
acquainted him with the King's coming, whereupon he went in to
him. Now when Al-Samandal was aware of his presence, he rose
to him and saluted him and bade him welcome; and King Badr
Basim demanded of him his daughter Jauharah in marriage. Quoth
he, "She is thine handmaid and at thy service and
disposition," and despatched some of his suite bidding them
seek her abode and, after telling her that her sire was in the
hands of King Badr Basim, to bring her forthright. So they
flew up into the air and disappeared and they returned after a
while, with the Princess who, as soon as she saw her father,
went up to him and threw her arms round his neck. Then looking
at her he said, "O my daughter, know that I have given thee in
wedlock to this magnanimous Sovran, and valiant lion King Badr
Basim, son of Queen Julnar the Sea-born, for that he is the
goodliest of the folk of his day and most powerful and the
most exalted of them in degree and the noblest in rank; he
befitteth none but thee and thou none but him." Answered she,
"I may not gainsay thee, O my sire do as thou wilt, for indeed
chagrin and despite are at an end, and I am one of his
handmaids." So they summoned the Kazi and the witnesses who
drew up the marriage contract between King Badr Basim and the
Princess Jauharah, and the citizens decorated the city and
beat the drums of rejoicing, and they released all who were in
the jails, whilst the King clothed the widows and the orphans
and bestowed robes of honour upon the Lords of the Realm and
Emirs and Grandees: and they made bride-feasts and held high
festival night and morn ten days, at the end of which time
they displayed the bride, in nine different dresses, before
King Badr Basim who bestowed an honourable robe upon King Al-
Samandal and sent him back to his country and people and
kinsfolk. And they ceased not from living the most delectable
of life and the most solaceful of days, eating and drinking
and enjoying every luxury, till there came to them the
Destroyer of delights and the Sunderer of Societies; and this
is the end of their story
[FN#348], may Allah have mercy on
them all! Moreover, O auspicious King, a tale is also told
anent KING MOHAMMED BIN SABAIK AND THE MERCHANT HASAN.
