The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3

R >> Richard F. Burton >> The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3

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"An were it asked me when by hell-fire burnt, *
When flames of heart my vitals hold and hem,
'Which wouldst thou chose, say wouldst thou rather them, *
Or drink sweet cooling draught?' I'd answer, 'Them!' "

Then he put his hand to the band of her petticoat-trousers and
drew it and loosed it, for his soul lusted after her, when he saw
a jewel, red as dye-wood, made fast to the band. He untied it and
examined it and, seeing two lines of writing graven thereon, in a
character not to be read, marvelled and said in his mind, "Were
not this bezel something to her very dear she had not bound it to
her trousers-band nor hidden it in the most privy and precious
place about her person, that she might not be parted from it.
Would I knew what she cloth with this and what is the secret that
is in it." So saying, he took it and went outside the tent to
look at it in the light,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day, and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when he
took the bezel to look at it in the light, the while he was
holding it behold, a bird swooped down on him and, snatching the
same from his hand, flew off with it and then lighted on the
ground. There-upon Kamar al-Zaman fearing to lose the jewel, ran
after the bird; but it flew on before him, keeping just out of
his reach, and ceased not to draw him on from dale to dale and
from hill to hill, till the night starkened and the firmament
darkened, when it roosted on a high tree. So Kamar al-Zaman
stopped under the tree confounded in thought and faint for famine
and fatigue, and giving himself up for lost, would have turned
back, but knew not the way whereby he came, for that darkness had
overtaken him. Then he exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and there
is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious the Great!"; and laying
him down under the tree (whereon was the bird) slept till the
morning, when he awoke and saw the bird also wake up and fly
away. He arose and walked after it, and it flew on little by
little before him, after the measure of his faring; at which he
smiled and said, "By Allah, a strange thing! Yesterday, this bird
flew before me as fast as I could run, and to-day, knowing that I
have awoke tired and cannot run, he flieth after the measure of
my faring. By Allah, this is wonderful! But I must needs follow
this bird whether it lead me to death or to life; and I will go
wherever it goeth, for at all events it will not abide save in
some inhabited land.[FN#309] So he continued to follow the bird
which roosted every night upon a tree; and he ceased not pursuing
it for a space of ten days, feeding on the fruits of the earth
and drinking of its waters. At the end of this time, he came in
sight of an inhabited city, whereupon the bird darted off like
the glance of the eye and, entering the town, disappeared from
Kamar al-Zaman, who knew not what it meant or whither it was
gone; so he marvelled at this and exclaimed, "Praise be to Allah
who hath brought me in safety to this city!" Then he sat down by
a stream and washed his hands and feet and face and rested
awhile; and, recalling his late easy and pleasant life of union
with his beloved and contrasting it with his present plight of
trouble and fatigue and distress and strangerhood and famine and
severance, the tears streamed from his eyes and he began
repeating these cinquains,

"Pain had I hid thy handwork, but it showed, *
Changed sleep for wake, and wake with me abode:
When thou didst spurn my heart I cried aloud *
Pate, hold thy hand and cease to gird and goad:
In dole and danger aye my sprite I spy!

An but the Lord of Love were just to me, *
Sleep fro' my eyelids ne'er were forced to flee.
Pity, my lady, one for love o' thee *
Prom his tribes darling brought to low degree:
Love came and doomed Wealth beggar-death to die.

The railers chide at thee: I ne'er gainsay, *
But stop my ears and dumbly sign them Nay:
'Thou lov'st a slender may,' say they; I say, *
'I've picked her out and cast the rest away:'
Enough; when Fate descends she blinds man's
eye!"[FN#310]

And as soon as he had finished his poetry and had taken his rest,
he rose and walked on little by little, till he entered the
city.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as
Kamar al-Zaman had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he
arose and entered the city-gate[FN#311] not knowing whither he
should wend. He crossed the city from end to end, entering by the
land-gate, and ceased not faring on till he came out at the sea-
gate, for the city stood on the sea-shore. Yet he met not a
single one of its citizens. And after issuing from the land-gate
he fared forwards and ceased not faring till he found himself
among the orchards and gardens of the place; and, passing among
the trees presently came to a garden and stopped before its door;
where-upon the keeper came out to him and saluted him. The Prince
returned his greeting and the gardener bade him welcome, saying,
"Praised be Allah that thou hast come off safe from the dwellers
of this city! Quick, come into the garth, ere any of the townfolk
see thee." Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered that garden,
wondering in mind, and asked the keeper, "What may be the history
of the people of this city and who may they be?" The other
answered, "Know that the people of this city are all Magians: but
Allah upon thee, tell me how thou camest to this city and what
caused thy coming to our capital." Accordingly Kamar al-Zaman
told the gardener all that had befallen him from beginning to
end, whereat he marvelled with great marvel and said, "Know, O my
son, that the cities of Al-Islam lie far from us; and between us
and them is a four months' voyage by sea and a whole twelve
months' journey by land. We have a ship which saileth every year
with merchandise to the nearest Moslem country and which entereth
the seas of the Ebony Islands and thence maketh the Khalidan
Islands, the dominions of King Shahriman." Thereupon Kamar al-
Zaman considered awhile and concluded that he could not do better
than abide in the garden with the gardener and become his
assistant, receiving for pay one fourth of the produce. So he
said to him, "Wilt thou take me into thy service, to help thee in
this garden?" Answered the gardener, "To hear is to consent;" and
began teaching him to lead the water to the roots of the trees.
So Kamar al-Zaman abode with him, watering the trees and hoeing
up the weeds and wearing a short blue frock which reached to his
knees. And he wept floods of tears; for he had no rest day or
night, by reason of his strangerhood and he ceased not to repeat
verses upon his beloved, amongst others the following couplets,

"Ye promised us and will ye not keep plight? *
Ye said a say and shall not deed be dight?
We wake for passion while ye slumber and sleep; *
Watchers and wakers claim not equal right:
We vowed to keep our loves in secrecy, *
But spake the meddler and you spoke forthright:
O friend in pain and pleasure, joy and grief, *
In all case you, you only, claim my sprite!
Mid folk is one who holds my prisoned heart; *
Would he but show some ruth for me to sight.
Not every eye like mine is wounded sore, *
Not every heart like mine love-pipings blight:
Ye wronged me saying, Love is wrongous aye *
Yea! ye were right, events have proved that quite.
Forget they one love-thralled, whose faith the world *
Robs not, though burn the fires in heart alight:
If an my foeman shall become my judge, *
Whom shall I sue to remedy his despight?
Had not I need of love nor love had sought, *
My heart forsure were not thus love-distraught."

Such was the case with Kamar al-Zaman; but as regards his wife,
the Lady Budur, when she awoke she sought her husband and found
him not: then she saw her petticoat-trousers undone, for the band
had been loosed and the bezel lost, whereupon she said to
herself, "By Allah, this is strange! Where is my husband? It
would seem as if he had taken the talisman and gone away, knowing
not the secret which is in it. Would to Heaven I knew whither can
he have wended! But it must needs have been some extraordinary
matter that drew him away, for he cannot brook to leave me a
moment. Allah curse the stone and damn its hour!" Then she
considered awhile and said in her mind, "If I go out and tell the
varlets and let them learn that my husband is lost they will lust
after me: there is no help for it but that I use stratagem. So
she rose and donned some of her husband's clothes and riding-
boots, and a turband like his, drawing one corner of it across
her face for a mouth-veil.[FN#312] Then, setting a slave-girl in
her litter, she went forth from the tent and called to the pages
who brought her Kamar al-Zaman's steed; and she mounted and bade
them load the beasts and resume the march. So they bound on the
burdens and departed; and she concealed her trick, none doubting
but she was Kamar al-Zaman, for she favoured him in face and
form; nor did she cease journeying, she and her suite, days and
nights, till they came in sight of a city overlooking the Salt
Sea, where they pitched their tents without the walls and halted
to rest. The Princess asked the name of the town and was told,
"It is called the City of Ebony; its King is named Armanus, and
he hath a daughter Hayat al-Nufus[FN#313] hight,"--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Lady Budur halted within sight of the Ebony City to take her
rest, King Armanus sent a messenger, to learn what King it was
who had encamped without his capital; so the messenger, coming to
the tents, made inquiry anent their King, and was told that she
was a King's son who had lost the way being bound for the
Khalidan Islands; whereupon he returned to King Armanus with the
tidings; and, when the King heard them, he straightway rode out
with the lords of his land to greet the stranger on arrival. As
he drew near the tents the Lady Budur came to meet him on foot,
whereupon the King alighted and they saluted each other. Then he
took her to the city and, bringing her up to the palace, bade
them spread the tables and trays of food and commanded them to
transport her company and baggage to the guess house. So they
abode there three days; at the end of which time the King came in
to the Lady Budur. Now she had that day gone to the Hammam and
her face shone as the moon at its full, a seduction to the world
and a rending of the veil of shame to mankind; and Armanus found
her clad in a -suit of silk, embroidered with gold and jewels; so
he said to her, 'O my son, know that I am a very old man,
decrepit withal, and Allah hath blessed me with no child save one
daughter, who resembleth thee in beauty and grace; and I am now
waxed unfit for the conduct of the state. She is shine, O my son;
and, if this my land please thee and thou be willing to abide and
make thy home here, I will marry thee to her and give thee my
kingdom and so be at rest." When Princess Budur heard this, she
bowed her head and her forehead sweated for shame, and she said
to herself. "How shall I do, and I a woman? If I refuse and
depart from him, I cannot be safe but that haply send after me
troops to slay me; and if I consent, belike I shall be put to
shame. I have lost my beloved Kamar al-Zaman and know not what is
become of him; nor can I escape from this scrape save by holding
my peace and consenting and abiding here, till Allah bring about
what is to be." So she raised her head and made submission to
King Armanus, saying, "Hearkening and obedience!"; whereat he
rejoiced and bade the herald make proclamation throughout the
Ebony Islands to hold high festival and decorate the houses. Then
he assembled his Chamberlains and Nabobs, and Emirs and Wazirs
and his officers of state and the Kazis of the city; and,
formally abdicating his Sultanate, endowed Budur therewith and
invested her in all the vestments of royalty. The Emirs and
Grandees went in to her and did her homage, nothing doubting but
that she was a young man, and all who looked on her bepissed
their bag-trousers, for the excess of her beauty and loveliness.
Then, after the Lady Budur had been made Sultan and the drums had
been beaten in announcement of the glad event, and she had been
ceremoniously enthroned, King Armanus proceeded to equip his
daughter Hayat al-Nufus for marriage, and in a few days, they
brought the Lady Budur in to her, when they seemed as it were two
moons risen at one time or two suns in conjunction. So they
entered the bridal-chamber and the doors were shut and the
curtains let down upon them, after the attendants had lighted the
wax-candles and spread for them the carpet-bed. When Budur found
herself alone with the Princess Hayat al-Nufus, she called to
mind her beloved Kamar al-Zaman and grief was sore upon her. So
she wept for his absence, and estrangement and she began
repeating,

"O ye who fled and left my heart in pain low li'en, *
No breath of life if found within this frame of mine:
I have an eye which e'er complains of wake, but lo! *
Tears occupy it would that wake content these eyne!
After ye marched forth the lover 'bode behind; *
Question of him what pains your absence could design!
But for the foods of tears mine eyelids rail and rain, *
My fires would flame on high and every land calcine.
To Allah make I moan of loved ones lost for aye, *
Who for my pine and pain no more shall pain and pine:
I never wronged them save that over love I nurst: *
But Love departs us lovers into blest and curst."

And when she had finished her repeating, the Lady Budur sat down
beside the Princess Hayat al-Nufus and kissed her on the mouth;
after which rising abruptly, she made the minor ablution and
betook herself to her devotions; nor did she leave praying till
Hayat al-Nufus fell asleep, when she slips into bed and lay with
her back to her till morning. And when day had broke the King and
Queen came in to their daughter and asked her how she did.
whereupon she told them what she had seen, and repeated to them
the verses she had heard. Thus far concerning Hayat al-Nufus and
her father; but as regards Queen Budur she went forth and seated
herself upon the royal throne and all the Emirs and Captains and
Officers of state came up to her and wished her joy of the
kingship, kissing the earth before her and calling down blessings
upon her. And she accosted them with smiling face and clad them
in robes of honour, augmenting the fiefs of the high officials
and giving largesse to the levies; wherefore all the people loved
her and offered up prayers for the long endurance of her reign,
doubting not but that she was a man. And she ceased not sitting
all day in the hall of audience, bidding and forbidding;
dispensing justice, releasing prisoners and remitting the
customs-dues, till nightfall, when she withdrew to the apartment
prepared for her. Here she found Hayat al-Nufus seated, so she
sat down by her side and, clapping her on the back, coaxed and
caressed her and kissed her between the eyes, and fell to
versifying in these couplets,

"What secret kept I these my tears have told, *
And my waste body must my love unfold:
Though hid my pine, my plight on parting day *
To every envious eye my secret sold:
O ye who broke up camp, you've left behind *
My spirit wearied and my heart a-cold:
In my hearts core ye dwell, and now these eyne *
Roll blood-drops with the tears they whilome rolled:
The absent will I ransom with my soul; *
All can my yearning for their sight behold:
I have an eye whose babe,[FN#314] for love of thee, *
Rejected sleep nor hath its tears controlled.
The foeman bids me patient bear his loss, *
Ne'er may mine ears accept the ruth he doled!
I tricks their deme of me, and won my wish *
Of Kamar al-Zaman's joys manifold:
He joins all perfect gifts like none before, *
Boasted such might and main no King of old:
Seeing his gifts, Bin Za'idah's[FN#315] largesse *
Forget we, and Mu'awiyah mildest-soul'd:[FN#316]
Were verse not feeble and o'er short the time *
I had in laud of him used all of rhyme."

Then Queen Budur stood up and wiped away her tears and, making
the lesser ablution,[FN#317] applied her to pray: nor did she
give over praying till drowsiness overcame the Lady Hayat al-
Nufus and she slept, whereupon the Lady Budur came and lay by her
till the morning. At daybreak, she arose and prayed the dawn-
prayer; and presently seated herself on the royal throne and
passed the day in ordering and counter ordering and giving laws
and administering justice. This is how it fared with her; but as
regards King Armanus he went in to his daughter and asked her how
she did; so she told him all that had befallen her and repeated
to him the verses which Queen Budur had recited, adding, "O my
father, never saw I one more abounding in sound sense and modesty
than my husband, save that he cloth nothing but weep and sigh."
He answered, "O my daughter, have patience with him yet this
third night, and if he go not in unto thee and do away thy
maidenhead, we shall know how to proceed with him and oust him
from the throne and banish him the country." And on this wise he
agreed with his daughter what course he would take.--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Tenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King
Armanus had agreed with his daughter on this wise and had
determined what course he would take and night came on, Queen
Budur arose from the throne of her kingdom and betaking herself
to the palace, entered the apartment prepared for her. There she
found the wax-candles lighted and the Princess Hayat al-Nufus
seated and awaiting her; whereupon she bethought her of her
husband and what had betided them both of sorrow and severance in
so short a space; she wept and sighed and groaned groan upon
groan, and began improvising these couplets,

"News of my love fill all the land, I swear, *
As suns on Ghaza[FN#318]-wold rain heat and glare:
Speaketh his geste but hard its sense to say; *
Thus never cease to grow my cark and care:
I hate fair Patience since I loved thee; *
E'er sawest lover hate for love to bear?
A glance that dealt love-sickness dealt me death, *
Glances are deadliest things with torments rare:
He shook his love locks down and bared his chin, *
Whereby I spied his beauties dark and fair:
My care, my cure are in his hands; and he *
Who caused their dolour can their dole repair:
His belt went daft for softness of his waist; *
His hips, for envy, to uprise forbear:
His brow curl-diademed is murky night; *
Unveil 't and lo! bright Morn shows brightest light."

When she had finished her versifying, she would have risen to
pray, but, lo and behold! Hayat al-Nufus caught her by the skirt
and clung to her saying, "O my lord, art thou not ashamed before
my father, after all his favour, to neglect me at such a time as
this?" When Queen Budur heard her words, she sat down in the same
place and said, "O my beloved, what is this thou sayest?" She
replied, "What I say is that I never saw any so proud of himself
as thou. Is every fair one so disdainful? I say not this to
incline thee to me; I say it only of my fear for thee from King
Armanus; because he purposeth, unless thou go in unto me this
very night, and do away my maidenhead, to strip thee of the
kingship on the morrow and banish thee his kingdom; and
peradventure his excessive anger may lead him to slay thee. But
I, O my lord, have ruth on thee and give thee fair warning; and
it is thy right to reck."[FN#319] Now when Queen Budur heard her
speak these words, she bowed her head ground-wards awhile in sore
perplexity and said in herself, "If I refuse I'm lost; and if I
obey I'm shamed. But I am now Queen of all the Ebony Islands and
they are under my rule, nor shall I ever again meet my Kamar al-
Zaman save in this place; for there is no way for him to his
native land but through the Ebony Islands. Verily, I know not
what to do in my present case, but I commit my care to Allah who
directeth all for the best, for I am no man that I should arise
and open this virgin girl." Then quoth Queen Budur to Hayat al-
Nufus, "O my beloved, that I have neglected thee and abstained
from thee is in my own despite." And she told her her whole story
from beginning to end and showed her person to her, saying, "I
conjure thee by Allah to keep my counsel, for I have concealed my
case only that Allah may reunite me with my beloved Kamar al-
Zaman and then come what may."--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Lady Budur acquainted Hayat al-Nufus with her history and bade
her keep it secret, the Princess heard her with extreme
wonderment and was moved to pity and prayed Allah to reunite her
with her beloved, saying, "Fear nothing, O my sister; but have
patience till Allah bring to pass that which must come to pass:"
and she began repeating,

"None but the men of worth a secret keep;
With worthy men a secret's hidden deep;
As in a room, so secrets lie with me,
Whose door is sealed, lock shot and lost the key."[FN#320]

And when Hayat al-Nufus had ended her verses, she said, "O my
sister, verily the breasts of the noble and brave are of secrets
the grave; and I will not discover shine." Then they toyed and
embraced and kissed and slept till near the Mu'ezzin's call to
dawn prayer, when Hayat al-Nufus arose and took a
pigeon-poult,[FN#321] and cut its throat over her smock and
besmeared herself with its blood. Then she pulled off her
petticoat-trousers and cried aloud, where-upon her people
hastened to her and raised the usual lullilooing and outcries of
joy and gladness. Presently her mother came in to her and asked
her how she did and busied herself about her and abode with her
till evening; whilst the Lady Budur arose with the dawn, and
repaired to the bath and, after washing herself pure, proceeded
to the hall of audience, where she sat down on her throne and
dispensed justice among the folk. Now when King Armanus heard the
loud cries of joy, he asked what was the matter and was informed
of the consummation of his daughter's marriage; whereat he
rejoiced and his breast swelled with gladness and he made a great
marriage-feast whereof the merry-making lasted a long time. Such
was their case: but as regards King Shahriman it was on this
wise. After his son had fared forth to the chase accompanied by
Marzawan, as before related, he tarried patiently awaiting their
return at nightfall; but when his son did not appear he passed a
sleepless night and the dark hours were longsome upon him; his
restlessness was excessive, his excitement grew upon him and he
thought the morning would never dawn. Anc when day broke he sat
expecting his son and waited till noon, but he came not; whereat
his heart forebode separation and was fired with fears for Kamar
al-Zaman; and he cried, "Alas! my son!" and he wept till his
clothes were drenched with tears, and repeated with a beating
heart,

"Love's votaries I ceased not to oppose, *
Till doomed to taste Love's bitter and Love's sweet:
I drained his rigour-cup to very dregs, *
Self humbled at its slaves' and freemen's feet:
Fortune had sworn to part the loves of us; *
She kept her word how truly, well I weet!"

And when he ended his verse, he wiped away his tears and bade his
troops make ready for a march and prepare for a long expedition.
So they all mounted and set forth, headed by the Sultan, whose
heart burnt with grief and was fired with anxiety for his son
Kamar al-Zaman; and they advanced by forced marches. Now the King
divided his host into six divisions, a right wing and a left
wing, a vanguard and a rear guard;[FN#322] and bade them
rendezvous for the morrow at the cross-roads. Accordingly they
separated and scoured the country all the rest of that day till
night, and they marched through the night and at noon of the
ensuing day they joined company at the place where four roads
met. But they knew not which the Prince followed, till they saw
the sign of torn clothes and sighted shreds of flesh and beheld
blood still sprinkled by the way and they noted every piece of
the clothes and fragment of mangled flesh scattered on all sides.
Now when King Shahriman saw this, he cried from his heart-core a
loud cry, saying, "Alas, my son!"; and buffeted his face and
plucks his beard and rent his raiment, doubting not but his son
was dead. Then he gave himself up to excessive weeping and
wailing, and the troops also wept for his weeping, all being
assured that Prince Kamar al-Zaman had perished. They threw dust
on their heads, and the night surprised them shedding tears and
lamenting till they were like to die. Then the King with a heart
on fire and with burning sighs spake these couplets,

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