The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 4

R >> Richard F. Burton >> The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 4

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When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Jawan the
Kurd drew his neave from the dish as it were a camel's hoof and
rolled the lump of rice in the palm of his hand, till it was like
a big orange, and threw it ravenously into his mouth; and it
rolled down his gullet, with a rumble like thunder and the bottom
of the deep dish appeared where said mouthful had been. Thereupon
quoth to him one sitting by his side, "Praised be Allah for not
making me meat between thy hands; for thou hast cleared the dish
at a single mouthful;" and quoth the Hashish-eater, "Let him eat;
methinks he hath a hanging face." Then, turning to Jawan he
added, "Eat and Allah give thee small good of it." So Jawan put
out his hand again and taking another mouthful, was rolling it in
his palm like the first, when behold, the Queen cried out to the
guards saying, "Bring me yonder man in haste and let him not eat
the mouthful in his hand." So they ran and seizing him as he hung
over the dish, brought him to her, and set him in her presence,
whilst the people exulted over his mishap and said one to the
other, "Serve him right, for we warned him, but he would not take
warning. Verily, this place is bound to be the death of whoso
sitteth therein, and yonder rice bringeth doom to all who eat of
it." Then said Queen Zumurrud to Jawan, "What is thy name and
trade and wherefore comest thou to our city?" Answered he, "O our
lord the Sultan, my name is Othman; I work as a gardener and am
come hither in quest of somewhat I have lost." Quoth Zumurrud,
"Here with a table of sand!" So they brought it, and she took the
pen and drawing a geomantic scheme, considered it awhile, then
raising her head, exclaimed, "Woe to thee, thou loser! How darest
thou lie to Kings? This sand telleth me that of a truth thy name
is Jawan the Kurd and that thou art by trade a robber, taking
men's goods in the way of unright and slaying those whom Allah
hath forbidden to slay save for just cause." And she cried out
upon him, saying, "O hog, tell me the truth of thy case or I will
cut off thy head on the spot." Now when he heard these words, he
turned yellow and his teeth chattered; then, deeming that he
might save himself by truth-telling, he replied, "O King, thou
sayest sooth; but I repent at thy hands henceforth and turn to
Allah Almighty!" She answered, "It were not lawful for me to
leave a pest in the way of Moslems;" and cried to her guards,
"Take him and skin him and do with him as last month ye did by
his like." They obeyed her commandment; and, when the Hashish-
eater saw the soldiers seize the man, he turned his back upon the
dish of rice, saying, "'Tis a sin to present my face to thee!"
And after they had made an end of eating, they dispersed to their
several homes and Zumurrud returned to her palace and dismissed
her attendants. Now when the fourth month came round, they went
to the race-course and made the banquet, according to custom, and
the folk sat awaiting leave to begin. Presently Queen Zumurrud
entered and, sitting down on her throne, looked at the tables and
saw that room for four people was left void before the dish of
rice, at which she wondered. Now as she was looking around,
behold, she saw a man come trotting in at the gate of the horse-
course; and he stayed not till he stood over the food-trays; and,
finding no room save before the dish of rice, took his seat
there. She looked at him and knowing him for the accursed
Christian who called himself Rashid al-Din, said in her mind,
"How blessed is this device of the food,[FN#312] into whose toils
this infidel hath fallen" Now the cause of his coming was
extraordinary, and it was on this wise. When he returned from his
travels,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
accursed, who had called himself Rashid al-Din, returned from
travel, his household informed him that Zumurrud was missing and
with her a pair of saddle-bags full of money; on hearing which
ill tidings he rent his raiment and buffeted his face and plucked
out his beard. Then he despatched his brother Barsum in quest of
her to lands adjoining and, when he was weary of awaiting news of
him, he went forth himself, to seek for him and for the girl,
whenas fate led him to the city of Zumurrud. He entered it on the
first day of the month and finding the streets deserted and the
shops shut and women idling at the windows, he asked them the
reason why, and they told him that the King made a banquet on the
first of each month for the people, all of whom were bound to
attend it, nor might any abide in his house or shop that day; and
they directed him to the racing-plain. So he betook himself
thither and found the people crowding about the food, and there
was never a place for him save in front of the rice-dish now
well-known. Here then he sat and put forth his hand to eat
thereof, whereupon Zumurrud cried out to her guards, saying,
"Bring me him who sitteth over against the dish of rice." So they
knew him by what had before happened and laid hands on him and
brought him before Queen Zumurrud, who said to him, "Out on thee!
What is thy name and trade, and what bringeth thee to our city?"
Answered he, "O King of the age, my name is Rustam[FN#313] and I
have no occupation, for I am a poor dervish." Then said she to
her attendants, "Bring me table of sand and pen of brass." So
they brought her what she sought, as of wont; and she took the
pen and made the dots which formed the figure and considered it
awhile, then raising her head to Rashid al-Din, she said, "O dog,
how darest thou lie to Kings? Thy name is Rashid al-Din the
Nazarene, thou art outwardly a Moslem, but a Christian at heart,
and thine occupation is to lay snares for the slave-girls of the
Moslems and make them captives. Speak the truth, or I will smite
off thy head." He hesitated and stammered, then replied, "Thou
sayest sooth, O King of the age!" Whereupon she commanded to
throw him down and give him an hundred blows with a stick on each
sole and a thousand stripes with a whip on his body; after which
she bade flay him and stuff his skin with herds of flax and dig a
pit without the city, wherein they should burn his corpse and
cast on his ashes offal-and ordure. They did as she bade them and
she gave the people leave to eat. So they ate and when they had
eaten their fill they went their ways, while Queen Zumurrud
returned to her palace, saying, "I thank Allah for solacing my
heart of those who wronged me." Then she praised the Creator of
the earth and the heavens and repeated these couplets,

"They ruled awhile and theirs was harsh tyrannic rule, * But soon
that rule went by as though it never were:
If just they had won justice; but they sinned, and so * The world
collected all its bane for them to bear:
So died they and their case's tongue declares aloud * This is for
that so of the world your blaming spare."

And when her verse was ended she called to mind her lord Ali Shar
and wept flowing tears; but presently recovered herself and said,
"Haply Allah, who hath given mine enemies into my hand, will
vouchsafe me the speedy return of my beloved;" and she begged
forgiveness of Allah (be He extolled and exalted')--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen
begged forgiveness of Allah (be He extolled and exalted!), and
said, "Haply He will vouchsafe me speedy reunion with my beloved
Ali Shar for He can do what He willeth and to His servants
showeth grace, ever mindful of their case!" Then she praised
Allah and again besought forgiveness of Him, submitting herself
to the decrees of destiny, assured that each beginning hath his
end, and repeating the saying of the poet,

"Take all things easy; for all worldly things * In Allah's hand
are ruled by Destiny:
Ne'er shall befal thee aught of things forbidden, * Nor what is
bidden e'er shall fail to thee!"

And what another saith.

"Roll up thy days[FN#314] and easy shall they roll * Through
life, nor haunt the house of grief and dole:
Full many a thing, which is o'er hard to find,* Next hour shall
bring thee to delight thy soul."

And what a third saith,[FN#315]

"Be mild what time thou'rt ta'en with anger and despite * And
patient, if there fall misfortune on thy head.
Indeed, the nights are quick and great with child by Time * And
of all wondrous things are hourly brought to bed."

And what a fourth saith,

"Take patience which breeds good if patience thou can learn; * Be
calm soured, scaping anguish-draughts that gripe and bren:
Know, that if patience with good grace thou dare refuse, * With
ill-graced patience thou shalt bear what wrote the Pen."

After which she abode thus another whole month's space, judging
the folk and bidding and forbidding by day, and by night weeping
and bewailing her separation from her lord Ali Shar. On the first
day of the fifth month, she bade them spread the banquet on the
race-plain, according to custom, and sat down at the head of the
tables, whilst the lieges awaited the signal to fall to, leaving
the place before the dish of rice vacant. She sat with eyes fixed
upon the gate of the horse-course, noting all who entered and
saying in her soul, "O Thou who restoredest Joseph to Jacob and
diddest away the sorrows of Job,[FN#316] vouchsafe of Thy might
and Thy majesty to restore me my lord Ali Shar; for Thou over all
things art Omnipotent, O Lord of the Worlds! O Guide of those who
go astray! O Hearer of those that cry! O Answerer of those who
pray, answer Thou my prayer, O Lord of all creatures." Now hardly
had she made an end of her prayer and supplication when behold,
she saw entering the gate of the horse-plain a young man, in
shape like a willow branch, the comeliest of youths and the most
accomplished, save that his face was wan and his form wasted by
weariness. Now as he entered and came up to the tables, he found
no seat vacant save that over against the dish of sweet rice so
he sat down there; and, when Zumurrud looked upon him, her heart
fluttered and, observing him narrowly, she knew him for her lord
Ali Shar, and was like to have cried out for joy, but restrained
herself, fearing disgrace before the folk and, albeit her bowels
yearned over him and her heart beat wildly, she hid what she
felt. Now the cause of his coming thither was on this wise. After
he fell asleep upon the bench and Zumurrud let herself down to
him and Jawan the Kurd seized her, he presently awoke and found
himself lying with his head bare, so he knew that some one had
come upon him and had robbed him of his turband whilst he slept.
So he spoke the saying which shall never shame its sayer and,
which is, "Verily, we are Allah's and to Him are we returning!"
and, going back to the old woman's house, knocked at the door.
She came out and he wept before her, till he fell down in a
fainting fit. Now when he came to himself, he told her all that
had passed, and she blamed him and chid him for his foolish
doings saying, "Verily thine affliction and calamity come from
thyself." And she gave not over reproaching him, till the blood
streamed from his nostrils and he again fainted away. When he
recovered from his swoon,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ali
Shar recovered from his swoon he saw the old woman bewailing his
griefs and weeping over him; so he complained of his hard lot and
repeated these two couplets,

"How bitter to friends is a parting, * And a meeting how sweet to
the lover!
Allah join all the lovers He parteth, * And save me who of love
ne'er recover."[FN#317]

The old woman mourned over him and said to him, "Sit here, whilst
I go in quest of news for thee and return to thee in haste." "To
hear is to obey," answered he. So she left him on her good errand
and was absent till midday, when she returned and said to him, "O
Ali, I fear me thou must die in thy grief; thou wilt never see
thy beloved again save on the bridge Al-Sirat;[FN#318] for the
people of the Christian's house, when they arose in the morning,
found the window giving on the garden torn from its hinges and
Zumurrud missing, and with her a pair of saddle-bags full of the
Christian's money. And when I came thither, I saw the Chief of
Police standing at the door, he and his many, and there is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great!" Now, as Ali Shar heard these words, the light in his
sight was changed to the darkness of night and he despaired of
life and made sure of death; nor did he leave weeping, till he
lost his senses. When he revived, love and longing were sore upon
him; there befel him a grievous sickness and he kept his house a
whole year; during which the old woman ceased not to bring him
doctors and ply him with ptisanes and diet-drinks and make him
savoury broths till, after the twelve-month ended, his life
returned to him. Then he recalled what had passed and repeated
these couplets,

"Severance-grief nighmost, Union done to death, * Down-railing
tear-drops, heart fire tortureth!
Redoubleth pine in one that hath no peace * For love and wake and
woe he suffereth:
O Lord, if there be thing to joy my soul * Deign Thou bestow it
while I breathe my breath."

When the second year began, the old woman said to him, "O my son,
all this thy weeping and wailing will not bring thee back thy
mistress. Rise, therefore, gird the loins of resolution and seek
for her in the lands: peradventure thou shalt light on some news
of her." And she ceased not to exhort and hearten him, till he
took courage and she carried him to the Hammam. Then she made him
drink strong wine and eat white meats, and thus she did with him
for a whole month, till he regained strength; and setting out
journeyed without ceasing till he arrived at Zumurrud's city
where he went to the horse-course, and sat down before the dish
of sweet rice and put out his hand to eat of it. Now when the
folk saw this, they were concerned for him and said to him, "O
young man, eat not of that dish, for whoso eateth thereof,
misfortune befalleth him." Answered he, "Leave me to eat of it,
and let them do with me what they will, so haply shall I be at
rest from this wearying life." Accordingly he ate a first
mouthful, and Zumurrud was minded to have him brought before her,
but then she bethought her that belike he was an hungered and
said to herself, "It were properer to let him eat his fill." So
he went on eating, whilst the folk looked at him in astonishment,
waiting to see what would betide him; and, when he had satisfied
himself, Zumurrud said to certain of her eunuchry, "Go to yonder
youth who eateth of the rice and bring him to me in courteous
guise, saying: 'Answer the summons of the King who would have a
word with thee on some slight matter.'" They replied, "We hear
and obey," and going straightways up to Ali Shar, said to him, "O
my lord, be pleased to answer the summons of the King and let thy
heart be at ease." Quoth he, "Hearkening and obedience;" and
followed the eunuchs,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali Shar
rejoined, "Hearkening and obedience;" and followed the eunuchs,
whilst the people said to one another, "There is no Majesty and
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! I
wonder what the King will do with him!" And others said, "He will
do him naught but good: for had he intended to harm him, he had
not suffered him to eat his fill." Now when the Castratos set him
in presence of Zumurrud he saluted and kissed the earth before
her, whilst she returned his salutation and received him with
honour. Then she asked him, "What may be thy name and trade, and
what brought thee to our city?"; and he answered, "O King my name
is Ali Shar; I am of the sons of the merchants of Khorasan; and
the cause of my coming hither is to seek for a slave-girl whom I
have lost for she was dearer to me than my hearing and my seeing,
and indeed my soul cleaveth to her, since I lost her; and such is
my tale." So saying he wept, till he swooned away; whereupon she
bade them sprinkle rose-water on his face, which they did till he
revived, when she said, "Here with the table of sand and the
brass pen." So they brought them and she took the pen and struck
a geomantic scheme which she considered awhile; and then cried,
"Thou hast spoken sooth, Allah will grant thee speedy reunion
with her; so be not troubled." Upon this she commanded her head-
chamberlain to carry him to the bath and afterwards to clothe him
in a handsome suit of royal-apparel, and mount him on one of the
best of the King's horses and finally bring him to the palace at
the last of the day. So the Chamberlain, after saying "I hear and
I obey," took him away, whilst the folk began to say to one
another, "What maketh the King deal thus courteously with yonder
youth?" And quoth one, "Did I not tell you that he would do him
no hurt?; for he is fair of aspect; and this I knew, ever since
the King suffered him to eat his fill." And each said his say;
after which they all dispersed and went their ways. As for
Zumurrud, she thought the night would never come, that she might
be alone with the beloved of her heart. As soon as it was dark,
she withdrew to her sleeping-chamber and made her attendants
think her overcome with sleep; and it was her wont to suffer none
to pass the night with her save those two little eunuchs who
waited upon her. After a while when she had composed herself, she
sent for her dear Ali Shar and sat down upon the bed, with
candles burning over her head and feet, and hanging lamps of gold
lighting up the place like the rising sun. When the people heard
of her sending for Ali Shar, they marvelled thereat and each man
thought his thought and said his say; but one of them declared,
"At all events the King is in love with this young man, and to-
morrow he will make him generalissimo of the army."[FN#319] Now
when they brought him into her, he kissed the ground between her
hands and called down blessings her, and she said in her mind,
"There is no help for it but that I jest with him awhile, before
I make myself known to him.''[FN#320] Then she asked him, "O Ali,
say me, hast thou been to the Hammam?"[FN#321] and he answered,
"Yes, O my lord." Quoth she, "Come, eat of this chicken and meat,
and drink of this wine and sherbet of sugar; for thou art weary;
and after that come thou hither." "I hear and I obey," replied he
and did as she commanded him do. Now when he had made an end of
eating and drinking, she said to him, "Come up with me on the
couch and shampoo[FN#322] my feet." So he fell to rubbing feet
and kneading calves, and found them softer than silk. Then said
she, "Go higher with the massage;" and he, "Pardon me, O my lord,
to the knee but no farther!" Whereupon quoth she, "Durst thou
disobey me?: it shall be an ill-omened night for thee!"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Zumurrud
cried to her lord, Ali Shar, "Durst thou disobey me?: it shall be
an ill-omened night for thee! Nay, but it behoveth thee to do my
bidding and I will make thee my minion and appoint thee one of my
Emirs." Asked Ali Shar, "And in what must I do thy bidding, O
King of the age?" and she answered, "Doff thy trousers and lie
down on thy face." Quoth he, "That is a thing in my life I never
did; and if thou force me thereto, verily I will accuse thee
thereof before Allah on Resurrection-day. Take everything thou
hast given me and let me go from thy city." And he wept and
lamented; but she said, "Doff thy trousers and lie down on thy
face, or I will strike off thy head." So he did as she bade him
and she mounted upon his back; and he felt what was softer than
silk and smoother than cream and said in himself, "Of a truth,
this King is nicer than all the women!" Now for a time she abode
on his back, then she turned over on the bed, and he said to
himself, "Praised be Allah! It seemeth his yard is not standing."
Then said she, "O Ali, it is of the wont of my prickle that it
standeth not, except they rub it with their hands; so, come, rub
it with thy hand, till it be at stand, else will I slay thee." So
saying, she lay down on her back and taking his hand, set it to
her parts, and he found these same parts softer than silk; white,
plumply-rounded, protuberant, resembling for heat the hot room of
the bath or the heart of a lover whom love-longing hath wasted.
Quoth Ali in himself, "Verily, our King hath a coynte; this is
indeed a wonder of wonders!" And lust get hold on him and his
yard rose and stood upright to the utmost of its height; which
when Zumurrud saw, she burst out laughing and said to him, "O my
lord, all this happeneth and yet thou knowest me not!" He asked
"And who art thou, O King?"; and she answered, "I am thy slave-
girl Zumurrud." Now whenas he knew this and was certified that
she was indeed his very slave-girl, Zumurrud, he kissed her and
embraced her and threw himself upon her as the lion upon the
lamb. Then he sheathed his steel rod in her scabbard and ceased
not to play the porter at her door and the preacher in her pulpit
and the priest[FN#323] at her prayer niche, whilst she with him
ceased not from inclination and prostration and rising up and
sitting down, accompanying her ejaculations of praise and of
"Glory to Allah!" with passionate movements and wrigglings and
claspings of his member[FN#324] and other amorous gestures, till
the two little eunuchs heard the noise. So they came and peeping
from behind the curtains saw the King lying on his back and upon
him Ali Shar, thrusting and slashing whilst she puffed and blew
and wriggled. Quoth they, "Verily, this be no man's wriggle:
belike this King is a woman.''[FN#325] But they concealed their
affair and discovered it to none. And when the morrow came,
Zumurrud summoned all the troops and the lords of the realm and
said to them, "I am minded to journey to this man's country; so
choose you a viceroy, who shall rule over you till I return to
you." And they answered, "We hear and we obey." Then she applied
herself to making ready the wants of the way, to wit provaunt and
provender, monies and rarities for presents, camels and mules and
so forth; after which she set out from her city with Ali Shar,
and they ceased not faring on, till they arrived at his native
place, where he entered his house and gave many gifts to his
friends and alms and largesse to the poor. And Allah vouchsafed
him children by her, and they both lived the gladdest and
happiest of lives, till there came to them the Destroyer of
delights and the Severer of societies and the Garnerer of graves.
And glorified be He the Eternal without cease, and praised be He
in every case! And amongst other tales they tell one of

THE LOVES OF JUBAYR BIN UMAYR AND THE
LADY BUDUR.

It is related that the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid
was uneasy[FN#326] one night and could not sleep; so that he
ceased not to toss from side to side for very restlessness, till,
growing weary of this, he called Masrur and said to him, "Ho,
Masrur, find me some one who may solace me in this my
wakefulness." He answered, "O Prince of True Believers, wilt thou
walk in the palace-garden and divert thyself with the sight of
its blooms and gaze upon the stars and constellations and note
the beauty of their ordinance and the moon among them rising in
sheen over the water?" Quoth the Caliph, "O Masrur, my heart
inclineth not to aught of this." Quoth he, "O my lord, there are
in thy palace three hundred concubines, each of whom hath her
separate chamber. Do thou bid all and every retire into her own
apartment and then do thou go thy rounds and amuse thyself with
gazing on them without their knowledge." The Caliph replied, "O
Masrur, the palace is my palace and the girls are my property:
furthermore my soul inclineth not to aught of this." Then Masrur
rejoined, "O my lord, summon the doctors of law and religion and
the sages of science and poets, and bid them contend before thee
in argument and disputation and recite to thee songs and verses
and tell thee tales and anecdotes." Replied the Caliph, "My soul
inclineth not to aught of this;" and Masrur rejoined, "O my lord,
bid pretty boys and the wits and the cup-companions attend thee
and solace thee with witty sallies." "O Masrur," ejaculated the
Caliph, "indeed my soul inclineth not to aught of this." "Then, O
my lord," cried Masrur, "strike off my head;"--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

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