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 Two Hundred and Forty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Persian heard the name of Naomi, he fell to calculating and
writing on his hand and presently said, "O my lady, I cannot
prescribe a medicine for her till I know what country woman she
is, because of the difference of climate: so tell me in what land
she was brought up and what is her age." The old woman replied
"She is fourteen years old and she was brought up in Cufa of
Irak." He asked, "And how long hath she sojourned in this
country?" "But a few months," answered she. Now when Ni'amah
heard the old woman's words and recognised the name of his slave-
girl, his heart fluttered and he was like to faint. Then said the
Persian, "Such and such medicines will suit her case;" and the
old woman rejoined, "Then make them up and give me what thou hast
mentioned, with the blessing of Almighty Allah." So saying, she
threw upon the shop board ten gold pieces, and he looked at
Ni'amah and bade him prepare the necessary drugs; whereupon she
also looked at the youth and exclaimed, "Allah have thee in his
keeping, O my son! Verily, she favoureth thee in age and mien."
Then said she to the physician, "O my brother the Persian, is
this thy slave or thy son?" "He is my son," answered he. So
Ni'amah put up the medicine and, placing it in a little box, took
a piece of paper and wrote thereon these two couplets,[FN#15]

"If Naomi bless me with a single glance, * Let Su'ada sue and
Juml joy to
They said, "Forget her: twenty such thou'lt find." * But none is
like her--I will not forget!"

He pressed the paper into the box and, sealing it up, wrote upon
the cover the following words in Cufic characters, "I am Ni'amah
of al-Rabi'a of Cufa." Then he set it before the old woman who
took it and bade them farewell and returned to the Caliph's
palace, and when she went up with the drugs to the damsel she
placed the little box of medicine at her feet, saying, "O my
lady, know that there is lately come to our town a Persian
physician, than whom I never saw a more skilful nor a better
versed in matters of malady. I told him thy name, after showing
him the water-bottle, and forthwith he knew thine ailment and
prescribed a remedy. Then he bade his son make thee up this
medicine; and there is not in Damascus a comelier or a seemlier
youth than this lad of his, nor hath anyone a shop the like of
his shop." So Naomi took the box and, seeing the names of her
lord and his father written on the cover, changed colour and said
to herself, "Doubtless, the owner of this shop is come in search
of me." So she said to the old woman, "Describe to me this
youth." Answered the old woman, "His name is Ni'amah, he hath a
mole on his right eyebrow, is richly clad and is perfectly
handsome." Cried Naomi, "Give me the medicine, whereon be the
blessing and help of Almighty Allah!" So she drank off the potion
(and she laughing) and said, "Indeed, it is a blessed medicine!"
Then she sought in the box and, finding the paper, opened it,
read it, understood it and knew that this was indeed her lord,
whereas her heart was solaced and she rejoiced. Now when the old
woman saw her laughing, she exclaimed, "This is indeed a blessed
day!"; and Naomi said, "O nurse, I have a mind for something to
eat and drink." The old woman said to the serving women, "Bring a
tray of dainty viands for your mistress;" whereupon they set food
before her and she sat down to eat. And behold in came the Caliph
who, seeing her sitting at meat, rejoiced; and the old woman said
to him, "O Commander of the Faithful, I give thee joy of thy hand
maid Naomi's recovery! And the cause is that there is lately come
to this our city a physician than whom I never saw a better
versed in diseases and their remedies. I fetched her medicine
from him and she hath drunken of it but once and is restored to
health." Quoth he, "Take a thousand dinars and apply thyself to
her treatment, till she be completely recovered." And he went
away, rejoicing in the damsel's recovery, whilst the old woman
betook herself to the Persian's house and delivered the thousand
dinars, giving him to know that she was become the Caliph's slave
and also handing him a letter which Naomi had written. He took it
and gave the letter to Ni'amah, who at first sight knew her hand
and fell down in a swoon. When he revived he opened the letter
and found these words written therein: "From the slave despoiled
of her Ni'amah, her delight; her whose reason hath been beguiled
and who is parted from the core of her heart. But afterwards of a
truth thy letter hath reached me and hath broadened my breast,
and solaced my soul, even as saith the poet,

"Thy note came: long lost hungers wrote that note, * Till drop
they sweetest scents for what they wrote:
Twas Moses to his mother's arms restored; * 'Twas Jacob's eye-
sight cured by Joseph's coat!"[FN#16]

When Ni'amah read these verses, his eyes ran over with tears and
the old woman said to him, "What maketh thee to weep, O my son?
Allah never cause thine eye to shed tears!" Cried the Persian, "O
my lady, how should my son not weep, seeing that this is his
slave-girl and he her lord, Ni'amah son of al-Rabi'a of Cufa; and
her health dependeth on her seeing him, for naught aileth her but
loving him.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Forty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Persian
cried out to the old woman, "How shall my son not weep, seeing
that this is his slave-girl and he her lord, Ni'amah son of
al-Rabi'a of Cufa; and the health of this damsel dependeth on her
seeing him and naught aileth her but loving him. So, do thou, O
my lady, take these thousand dinars to thyself and thou shalt
have of me yet more than this; only look on us with eyes of rush;
for we know not how to bring this affair to a happy end save
through thee." Then she said to Ni'amah, "Say, art thou indeed
her lord?" He replied, "Yes," and she rejoined, "Thou sayest
sooth; for she ceaseth not continually to name thee." Then he
told her all that had passed from first to last, and she said, "O
youth, thou shalt owe thy reunion with her to none but myself."
So she mounted and, at once returning to Naomi, looked in her
face and laughed saying, "It is just, O my daughter, that thou
weep and fall sick for thy separation from thy master, Ni'amah,
son of Al-Rabi'a of Cufa." Quoth Naomi, "Verily, the veil hath
been withdrawn for thee and the truth revealed to thee." Rejoined
the old woman, "Be of good cheer and take heart, for I will
assuredly bring you together, though it cost me my life." Then
she returned to Ni'amah and said to him, "I went to thy slave-
girl and conversed with her, and I find that she longeth for thee
yet more than thou for her; for although the Commander of the
Faithful is minded to become intimate with her, she refuseth
herself to him. But if thou be stout of purpose and firm of
heart, I will bring you together and venture my life for you, and
play some trick and make shift to carry thee into the Caliph's
palace, where thou shalt meet her, for she cannot come forth."
And Ni'amah answered, "Allah requite thee with good!" Then she
took leave of him and went back to Naomi and said, "Thy lord is
indeed dying of love for thee and would fain see thee and
foregather with thee. What sayest thou?" Naomi replied, "And I
too am longing for his sight and dying for his love." Whereupon
the old woman took a parcel of women's clothes and ornaments and,
repairing to Ni'amah, said to him, "Come with me into some place
apart." So he brought her into the room behind the shop where she
stained his hands and decked his wrists and plaited his hair,
after which she clad him in a slave-girl's habit and adorned him
after the fairest fashion of woman's adornment, till he was as
one of the Houris of the Garden of Heaven, and when she saw him
thus she exclaimed, "Blessed be Allah, best of Creators! By
Allah, thou art handsomer than the damsel.[FN#17] Now, walk with
thy left shoulder forwards and thy right well behind, and sway
thy hips from side to side."[FN#18] So he walked before her, as
she bade him; and, when she saw he had caught the trick of
woman's gait, she said to him, "Expect me tomorrow night, and
Allah willing, I will take and carry thee to the palace. But when
thou seest the Chamberlains and the Eunuchs be bold, and bow thy
head and speak not with any, for I will prevent their speech; and
with Allah is success!" Accordingly, when the morning dawned, she
returned and, carrying him to the palace, entered before him and
he after her step by step. The Chamberlain would have stopped his
entering, but the old woman said to him, "O most ill omened of
slaves, this is the handmaid of Naomi, the Caliph's favourite.
How durst thou stay her when she would enter?" Then said she,
"Come in, O damsel!"; and the old woman went in and they ceased
not faring on, till they drew near the door leading to the inner
piazza of the palace, when she said to him, "O Ni'amah, hearten
thyself and take courage and enter and turn to the left: then
count five doors and pass through the sixth, for it is that of
the place prepared for thee. Fear nothing, and if any speak to
thee, answer not, neither stop." Then she went up with him to the
door, and the Chamberlain there on guard accosted her, saying
"What damsel is this?"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Chamberlain accosted the old woman, saying, "What damsel is
this?"; quoth the ancient dame, "Our lady hath a mind to buy
her;" and he rejoined, "None may enter save by leave of the
Commander of the Faithful; so do thou go back with her. I can not
let her pass for thus am I commanded." Replied the old woman, "O
Chief Chamberlain, use thy reason. Thou knowest that Naomi, the
Caliph's slave-girl, of whom he is enamoured, is but now restored
to health and the Commander of the Faithful hardly yet crediteth
her recovery. She is minded to buy this hand maid; so oppose thou
not her entrance, lest haply it come to Naomi's knowledge and she
be wroth with thee and suffer a relapse and this cause thy head
to be cut off." Then said she to Ni'amah, "Enter, O damsel; pay
no heed to what he saith and tell not the Queen-consort that her
Chamberlain opposed thine entrance." So Ni'amah bowed his head
and entered the palace, and would have turned to the left, but
mistook the direction and walked to his right; and, meaning to
count five doors and enter the sixth, he counted six and entering
the seventh, found himself in a place whose floor was carpeted
with brocade and whose walls were hung with curtains of gold-
embroidered silk. And therein stood censers of aloes-wood and
ambergris and strong-scented musk, and at the upper end was a
couch bespread with cloth of gold on which he seated himself,
marvelling at the magnificence he saw and knowing not what was
written for him in the Secret Purpose. As he sat musing on his
case, the Caliph's sister, followed by her handmaid, came in upon
him; and, seeing the youth seated there took him for a slave-girl
and accosted him and said, "Who art thou O damsel? and what is
thy case and who brought thee hither?" He made no reply, and was
silent, when she continued, "O damsel! if thou be one of my
brother's concubines and he be wroth with thee, I will intercede
with him for thee and get thee grace." But he answered her not a
word; so she said to her slave-girl, "Stand at the door and let
none enter." Then she went up to Ni'amah and looking at him was
amazed at his beauty and said to him, "O lady, tell me who thou
art and what is thy name and how thou camest here; for I have
never seen thee in our palace." Still he answered not, whereat
she was angered and, putting her hand to his bosom, found no
breasts and would have unveiled him, that she might know who he
was; but he said to her, "O my lady, I am thy slave and I cast
myself on thy protection: do thou protect me." She said, "No harm
shall come to thee, but tell me who thou art and who brought thee
into this my apartment." Answered he, "O Princess, I am known as
Ni'amah bin al-Rabi'a of Cufa and I have ventured my life for the
sake of my slave-girl, Naomi, whom Al-Hajjaj took by sleight and
sent hither." Said she, "Fear not: no harm shall befall thee;"
then, calling her maid, she said to her, "Go to Naomi's chamber
and send her to me." Meanwhile the old woman went to Naomi's
bedroom and said to her, "Hath thy lord come to thee?" "No, by
Allah!" answered Naomi, and the other said, "Belike he hath gone
astray and entered some chamber other than thine and lost
himself." So Naomi cried, "There is no Majesty and there is no
Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Our last hour is
come and we are all lost." And while they were sitting and sadly
enough pondering their case, in came the Princess's handmaid and
saluting Naomi said to her, "My lady biddeth thee to her
banquet." "I hear and I obey," answered the damsel and the old
woman said, "Belike thy lord is with the Caliph's sister and the
veil of secrecy hath been rent." So Naomi at once sprang up and
betook herself to the Princess, who said to her, "Here is thy
lord sitting with me; it seemeth he hath mistaken the place; but,
please Allah, neither thou nor he has any cause for fear." When
Naomi heard these words, she took heart of grace and went up to
Ni'amah; and her lord when he saw her.--And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when
Ni'amah saw his handmaid Naomi, he rose to meet her and strained
her to his bosom and both fell to the ground fainting. As soon as
they came to themselves, the Caliph's sister said to them, "Sit
ye down and take we counsel for your deliverance from this your
strait." And they answered, "O our lady, we hear and obey: it is
thine to command." Quoth she, "By Allah, no harm shall befall you
from us!" Then she bade her handmaids bring meat and drink which
was done, and they sat down and ate till they had enough, after
which they sat drinking. Then the cup went round amongst them and
their cares ceased from them; but Ni'amah said, "Would I knew how
this will end." The Princess asked, "O Ni'amah, dost thou love
thy slave Naomi?"; and he answered, "Of a truth it is my passion
for her which hath brought me to this state of peril for my
life." Then said she to the damsel, "O Naomi, dost thou love thy
lord Ni'amah?"; and she replied, "O my lady, it is the love of
him which hath wasted my body and brought me to evil case."
Rejoined the Princess, "By Allah, since ye love each other thus,
may he not be who would part you! Be of good cheer and keep your
eyes cool and clear." At this they both rejoiced and Naomi called
for a lute and, when they brought it, she took it and tuned it
and played a lively measure which enchanted the hearers, and
after the prelude sang these couplets,

"When the slanderers cared but to part us twain, * We owed no
blood-debt could raise their ire
And they poured in our ears all the din of war, * And aid failed
and friends, when my want was dire:
I fought them hard with mine eyes and tears; * With breath and
sword, with the stream and fire!"

Then Naomi gave the lute to her master, Ni'amah, saying, "Sing
thou to us some verse." So he took it and playing a lively
measure, intoned these couplets,

"Full Moon if unfreckled would favour thee, * And Sun uneclipsed
would reflect thy blee:
I wonder (but love is of wonders full * And ardour and passion
and ecstasy)
How short the way to my love I fare, * Which, from her faring, so
long I see."

Now when he had made an end of his song, Naomi filled the cup and
gave it to him, and he took it and drank it off; then she filled
again and gave the cup to the Caliph's sister who also emptied
it; after which the Princess in her turn took the lute and
tightened the strings and tuned it and sang these two couplets,

"Grief, cark and care in my heart reside, * And the fires of love
in my breast
My wasted form to all eyes shows clear; * For Desire my body hath
mortified."

Then she filled the cup and gave it to Naomi, who drank it off
and taking the lute, sang these two couplets,

"O to whom I gave soul which thou tortures", * And in vain I'd
recover from fair Unfaith
Do grant thy favours my care to cure * Ere I die, for this be my
latest breath."

And they ceased not to sing verses and drink to the sweet sound
of the strings, full of mirth and merriment and joy and jollity
till behold! in came the Commander of the Faithful. Now when they
saw him, they rose and kissed the ground before him; and he,
seeing Naomi with the lute in her hand, said to her, "O Naomi,
praised be Allah who hath done away from thee sickness and
suffering!" Then he looked at Ni'amah (who was still disguised as
a woman), and said to the Princess, "O my sister, what damsel is
this by Naomi's side?" She replied, "O Commander of the Faithful,
thou hast here a handmaid, one of thy concubines and the bosom
friend of Naomi who will neither eat nor drink without her." And
she repeated the words of the poet,

"Two contraries, and both concur in opposite charms, * And charms
so contraried by contrast lovelier show."

Quoth the Caliph, "By Allah Omnipotent, verily she is as handsome
as Naomi, and to-morrow I will appoint her a separate chamber
beside that of her friend and send her furniture and stuffs and
all that befitteth her, in honour of Naomi." Then the Princess
called for food and set it before her brother, who ate and made
himself at home in their place and company. Then filling a cup he
signed to Naomi to sing; so she took the lute, after draining two
of them and sang these two couplets,

"Since my toper-friend in my hand hath given * Three cups that
brim and bubble, e'er since
I've trailed my skirts throughout night for pride * As tho',
Prince of the Faithful, I were thy Prince!"

The Prince of True Believers was delighted and filling another
cup, gave it to Naomi and bade her sing again; so after draining
the cup and sweeping the strings, she sang as follows:--

"O most noble of men in this time and stound, * Of whom none may
boast he is equal-found!
O matchless in greatness of soul and gifts, * O thou Chief, O
thou King amongst all renowned:
Lord, who dealest large boons to the Lords of Earth, * Whom thou
vexest not nor dost hold them bound
The Lord preserve thee, and spoil thy foes, * And ne'er cease thy
lot with good Fortune crowned!"

Now when the Caliph heard these couplets, he exclaimed, "By
Allah, good! By Allah, excellent! Verily the Lord hath been
copious[FN#19] to thee, O Naomi! How clever is thy tongue and how
dear is thy speech!" And they ceased not their mirth and good
cheer till midnight, when the Caliph's sister said to him, "Give
ear, O Commander of the Faithful to a tale I have read in books
of a certain man of rank." "And what is this tale?" quoth he.
Quoth she "Know, O Prince of the Faithful that there lived once
in the city of Cufa a youth called Ni'amah, son of Al-Rabi'a, and
he had a slave-girl whom he loved and who loved him. They had
been reared in one bed; but when they grew up and mutual-love get
hold of them, Fortune smote them with her calamities and Time,
the tyrant, brought upon them his adversity and decreed
separation unto them. Thereupon designing and slanderous folk
enticed her by sleight forth of his house and, stealing her away
from his home, sold her to one of the Kings for ten thousand
dinars. Now the girl loved her lord even as he loved her, so he
left kith and kin and house and home and the gifts of fortune,
and set out to search for her and when she was found he devised
means to gain access to her".--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Forty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
Caliph's sister said, "And Ni'amah ceased not absenting himself
from his kith and kin and patrial-stead, that he might gain
access to his handmaid, and he incurred every peril and lavished
his life till he gained access to her, and her name was Naomi,
like this slave-girl. But the interview was short; they had not
been long in company when in came the King, who had bought her of
her kidnapper, and hastily ordered them to be slain, without
doing justice by his own soul and delaying to enquire into the
matter before the command was carried out. Now what sayest thou,
O Commander of the Faithful, of this King's wrongous conduct?"
Answered the Caliph; "This was indeed a strange thing: it behoved
that King to pardon when he had the power to punish; and he ought
to have regarded three things in their favour. The first was that
they loved each other; the second that they were in his house and
in his grasp; and the third that it befitteth a King to be
deliberate in judging and ordering between folk, and how much
more so in cases where he himself is concerned! Wherefore this
King thus did an unkingly deed." Then said his sister, "O my
brother, by the King of the heavens and the earth, I conjure
thee, bid Naomi sing and hearken to that she shall sing!" So he
said "O Naomi, sing to me;" whereupon she played a lively measure
and sang these couplets,

"Beguiled us Fortune who her guile displays, * Smiting the heart,
bequeathing thoughts that craze
And parting lovers whom she made to meet, * Till tears in torrent
either cheek displays:
They were and I was and my life was glad, * While Fortune often
joyed to join our ways;
I will pour tear flood, will rain gouts of blood, * Thy loss
bemoaning through the nights and days!"

Now when the Commander of the Faithful heard this verse, he was
moved to great delight and his sister said to him, "O my brother,
whoso decideth in aught against himself, him it behoveth to abide
by it and do according to his word; and thou hast judged against
thyself by this judgement." Then said she, "O Ni'amah, stand up
and do thou likewise up stand, O Naomi!" So they stood up and she
continued, "O Prince of True Believers, she who standeth before
thee is Naomi the stolen, whom Al-Hajjaj bin Yusuf al-Sakafi
kidnapped and sent to thee, falsely pretending in his letter to
thee that he had bought her for ten thousand gold pieces. And
this other who standeth before thee is her lord, Ni'amah, son of
Al-Rabi'a; and I beseech thee, by the honour of thy pious
forebears and by Hamzah and Ukayl and Abbas,[FN#20] to pardon
them both and overlook their offence and bestow them one on the
other, that thou mayst win rich reward in the next world of thy
just dealing with them; for they are under thy hand and verily
they have eaten of thy meat and drunken of thy drink; and behold,
I make intercession for them and beg of thee the boon of their
blood." Thereupon quoth the Caliph, "Thou speakest sooth: I did
indeed give judgement as thou sayst, and I am not one to pass
sentence and to revoke it." Then said he, "O Naomi, say, be this
thy lord?" And she answered "Even so, O Commander of the
Faithful." Then quoth he, "No harm shall befall you, I give you
each to other;" adding to the young man, "O Ni'amah, who told
thee where she was and taught thee how to get at this place?" He
replied, "O Commander of the Faithful, hearken to my tale and
give ear to my history; for, by the virtue of thy pious
forefathers, I will hide nothing from thee!" And he told him all
that had passed between himself and the Persian physician and the
old nurse, and how she had brought him into the palace and he had
mistaken the doors; whereat the Caliph wondered with exceeding
wonder and said, "Fetch me the Persian." So they brought him into
the presence and he was made one of his chief officers. Moreover
the King bestowed on him robes of honour and ordered him a
handsome present, saying, "When a man hath shown like this man
such artful management, it behoveth us to make him one of our
chief officers." The Caliph also loaded Ni'amah and Naomi with
gifts and honours and rewarded the old nurse; and they abode with
him seven days in joy and content and all delight of life, when
Ni'amah craved leave to return to Cufa with his slave-girl. The
Caliph gave them permission and they departed and arrived in due
course at Cufa, where Ni'amah was restored to his father and
mother, and they abode in all the joys and jollities of life,
till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the
Sunderer of societies. Now when Amjad and As'ad heard from Bahram
this story, they marvelled with extreme marvel and said, "By
Allah, this is indeed a rare tale!"--And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

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