“TO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE.”

(Puris omnia pura)

—Arab Proverb.

“Niuna corrotta mente intese mai sanamente parole.”

—“Decameron”—conclusion.

“Erubuit, posuitque meum Lucretia librum

Sed coram Bruto. Brute! recede, leget.”

—Martial.

“Mieulx est de ris que de larmes escripre,

Pour ce que rire est le propre des hommes.”

—Rabelais.

“The pleasure we derive from perusing the Thousand-and-One Stories makes us regret that we possess only a comparatively small part of these truly enchanting fictions.”

—Crichton’s “History of Arabia.”

A PLAIN AND LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS. NOW ENTITULED

THE BOOK OF THE
Thousand Nights and a Night
WITH INTRODUCTION EXPLANATORY NOTES ON THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF MOSLEM MEN AND A TERMINAL ESSAY UPON THE HISTORY OF THE NIGHTS
VOLUME VIII.

BY

RICHARD F. BURTON

PRINTED BY THE BURTON CLUB FOR PRIVATE SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

Shammar Edition

Limited to one thousand numbered sets, of which this is

Number 547

Printed in U. S. A.

A MESSAGE TO

Frederick Hankey,

FORMERLY OF NO. 2, RUE LAFFITTE, PARIS.

My dear Fred,

If there be such a thing as “continuation,” you will see these lines in the far Spirit-land and you will find that your old friend has not forgotten you and Annie.

RICHARD F. BURTON.

CONTENTS OF THE EIGHTH VOLUME.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old Queen heard the handmaid’s words she was wroth with sore wrath because of her and cried, “How shall there be accord between man and Jinn?” But Sayf al-Muluk replied, “Indeed, I will conform to thy will and be thy page and die in thy love and will keep with thee covenant and regard none but thee: so right soon shalt thou see my truth and lack of falsehood and the excellence of my manly dealing with thee, Inshallah!” The old woman pondered for a full hour with brow earthwards bent; after which she raised her head and said to him, “O thou beautiful youth, wilt thou indeed keep compact and covenant?” He replied, “Yes, by Him who raised the heavens and dispread the earth upon the waters, I will indeed keep faith and troth!” Thereupon quoth she, “I will win for thee thy wish, Inshallah! but for the present go thou into the garden and take thy pleasure therein and eat of its fruits, that have neither like in the world nor equal, whilst I send for my son Shahyal and confabulate with him of the matter. Nothing but good shall come of it, so Allah please, for he will not gainsay me nor disobey my commandment and I will marry thee with his daughter Badi’a al-Jamal. So be of good heart for she shall assuredly be thy wife, O Sayf al-Muluk.” The Prince thanked her for those words and kissing her hands and feet, went forth from her into the garden; whilst she turned to Marjanah and said to her, “Go seek my son Shahyal wherever he is and bring him to me.” So Marjanah went out in quest of King Shahyal and found him and set him before his mother. On such wise fared it with them; but as regards Sayf al-Muluk, whilst he walked in the garden, lo and behold! five Jinn of the people of the Blue King espied him and said to one another, “Whence cometh yonder wight and who brought him hither? Haply ’tis he who slew the son and heir of our lord and master the Blue King;” presently adding, “But we will go about with him and question him and find out all from him.” So they walked gently and softly up to him, as he sat in a corner of the garden, and sitting down by him, said to him, “O beauteous youth, thou didst right well in slaying the son of the Blue King and delivering from him Daulat Khatun; for he was a treacherous hound and had tricked her, and had not Allah appointed thee to her, she had never won free; no, never! But how diddest thou slay him?” Sayf al-Muluk looked at them and deeming them of the garden-folk, answered, “I slew him by means of this ring which is on my finger.” Therewith they were assured that it was he who had slain him; so they seized him, two of them holding his hands, whilst other two held his feet and the fifth his mouth, lest he should cry out and King Shahyal’s people should hear him and rescue him from their hands. Then they lifted him up and flying away with him ceased not their flight till they came to their King and set him down before him, saying, “O King of the Age, we bring thee the murderer of thy son.” “Where is he?” asked the King and they answered, “This is he.” So the Blue King said to Sayf al-Muluk, “How slewest thou my son, the core of my heart and the light of my sight, without aught of right, for all he had done thee no ill deed?” Quoth the Prince, “Yea, verily! I slew him because of his violence and frowardness, in that he used to seize Kings’ daughters and sever them from their families and carry them to the Ruined Well and the High-builded Castle of Japhet son of Noah and entreat them lewdly by debauching them. I slew him by means of this ring on my finger, and Allah hurried his soul to the fire and the abiding-place dire.” Therewithal the King was assured that this was indeed he who slew his son; so presently he called his Wazirs and said to them, “This is the murtherer of my son sans shadow of doubt: so how do you counsel me to deal with him? Shall I slay him with the foulest slaughter or torture him with the terriblest torments or how?” Quoth the Chief Minister, “Cut off his limbs, one a day.” Another, “Beat him with a grievous beating every day till he die.” A third, “Cut him across the middle.” A fourth, “Chop off all his fingers and burn him with fire.” A fifth, “Crucify him;” and so on, each speaking according to his rede. Now there was with the Blue King an old Emir, versed in the vicissitudes and experienced in the exchanges of the times, and he said, “O King of the Age, verily I would say to thee somewhat, and thine is the rede whether thou wilt hearken or not to my say.” Now he was the King’s privy Councillor and the Chief Officer of his empire, and the sovran was wont to give ear to his word and conduct himself by his counsel and gainsay him not in aught. So he rose and kissing ground before his liege lord, said to him, “O King of the Age, if I advise thee in this matter, wilt thou follow my advice and grant me indemnity?” Quoth the King, “Set forth thine opinion, and thou shalt have immunity.” Then quoth he, “O King of the Age, an thou slay this one nor accept my advice nor hearken to my word, in very sooth I say that his death were now inexpedient, for that he is thy prisoner and in thy power, and under thy protection; so whenas thou wilt, thou mayst lay hand on him and do with him what thou desirest. Have patience, then, O King of the Age, for he hath entered the garden of Iram and is become the betrothed of Badi’a al-Jamal, daughter of King Shahyal, and one of them. Thy people seized him there and brought him hither and he did not hide his case from them or from thee. So an thou slay him, assuredly King Shahyal will seek blood-revenge and lead his host against thee for his daughter’s sake, and thou canst not cope with him nor make head against his power.” So the King hearkened to his counsel and commanded to imprison the captive. Thus fared it with Sayf al-Muluk; but as regards the old Queen, grandmother of Badi’a al-Jamal, when her son Shahyal came to her she despatched Marjanah in search of Sayf al-Muluk; but she found him not and returning to her mistress, said, “I found him not in the garden.” So the ancient dame sent for the gardeners and questioned them of the Prince. Quoth they, “We saw him sitting under a tree when behold, five of the Blue King’s folk alighted by him and spoke with him, after which they took him up and having gagged him flew away with him.” When the old Queen heard the damsel’s words it was no light matter to her and she was wroth with exceeding wrath: so she rose to her feet and said to her son, King Shahyal, “Art a King and shall the Blue King’s people come to our garden and carry off our guests unhindered, and thou alive?” And she proceeded to provoke him, saying, “It behoveth not that any transgress against us during thy lifetime.”[^[1]] Answered he, “O mother of me, this man slew the Blue King’s son, who was a Jinni and Allah threw him into his hand. He is a Jinni and I am a Jinni: how then shall I go to him and make war on him for the sake of a mortal?” But she rejoined, “Go to him and demand our guest of him, and if he be still alive and the Blue King deliver him to thee, take him and return; but an he have slain him, take the King and all his children and Hiram and household depending on him; then bring them to me alive that I may cut their throats with my own hand and lay in ruins his reign. Except thou go to him and do my bidding, I will not acquit thee of my milk and my rearing of thee shall be counted unlawful.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the grandmother of Badi’a al-Jamal said to Shahyal, “Fare thee to the Blue King and look after Sayf al-Muluk: if he be still in life come with him hither; but an he have slain him take that King and all his children and Harim and the whole of his dependents and protégés and bring them here alive that I may cut their throats with my own hand and ruin his realm. Except thou go to him and do my bidding, I will not acquit thee of my milk and my rearing of thee shall be accounted unlawful.” Thereupon Shahyal rose and assembling his troops, set out, in deference to his mother, desiring to content her and her friends, and in accordance with whatso had been foreordained from eternity without beginning; nor did they leave journeying till they came to the land of the Blue King, who met them with his army and gave them battle. The Blue King’s host was put to the rout and the conquerors having taken him and all his sons, great and small, and Grandees and officers bound and brought them before King Shahyal, who said to the captive, “O Azrak,[^[2]] where is the mortal Sayf al-Muluk who whilome was my guest?” Answered the Blue King, “O Shahyal, thou art a Jinni and I am a Jinni and is’t on account of a mortal who slew my son that thou hast done this deed; yea, the murtherer of my son, the core of my liver and solace of my soul. How couldest thou work such work and spill the blood of so many thousand Jinn?” He replied, “Leave this talk! Knowest thou not that a single mortal is better, in Allah’s sight, than a thousand Jinn?[^[3]] If he be alive, bring him to me, and I will set thee free and all whom I have taken of thy sons and people; but an thou have slain him, I will slaughter thee and thy sons.” Quoth the Malik al-Azrak, “O King, is this man of more account with thee than my son?” and quoth Shahyal, “Verily, thy son was an evildoer who kidnapped Kings’ daughters and shut them up in the Ruined Well and the High-builded Castle of Japhet son of Noah and entreated them lewdly.” Then said the Blue King, “He is with me; but make thou peace between us.” So he delivered the Prince to Shahyal, who made peace between him and the Blue King, and Al-Azrak gave him a bond of absolution for the death of his son. Then Shahyal conferred robes of honour on them and entertained the Blue King and his troops hospitably for three days, after which he took Sayf al-Muluk and carried him back to the old Queen, his own mother, who rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy, and Shahyal marvelled at the beauty of the Prince and his loveliness and his perfection. Then the Prince related to him his story from beginning to end, especially what did befel him with Badi’a al-Jamal and Shahyal said, “O my mother, since ’tis thy pleasure that this should be, I hear and I obey all that to command it pleaseth thee; wherefore do thou take him and bear him to Sarandib and there celebrate his wedding and marry him to her in all state, for he is a goodly youth and hath endured horrors for her sake.” So she and her maidens set out with Sayf al-Muluk for Sarandib and, entering the Garden belonging to the Queen of Hind, foregathered with Daulat Khatun and Badi’a al-Jamal. Then the lovers met, and the old Queen acquainted the two Princesses with all that had passed between Sayf al-Muluk and the Blue King and how the Prince had been nearhand to a captive’s death; but in repetition is no fruition. Then King Taj al-Muluk father of Daulat Khatun assembled the lords of his land and drew up the contract of marriage between Sayf al-Muluk and Badi’a al-Jamal; and he conferred costly robes of honour and gave banquets to the lieges. Then Sayf al-Muluk rose and, kissing ground before the King, said to him, “O King, pardon! I would fain ask of thee somewhat but I fear lest thou refuse it to my disappointment.” Taj al-Muluk replied, “By Allah, though thou soughtest my soul of me, I would not refuse it to thee, after all the kindness thou hast done me!” Quoth Sayf al-Muluk, “I wish thee to marry the Princess Daulat Khatun to my brother Sa’id, and we will both be thy pages.” “I hear and obey,” answered Taj al-Muluk, and assembling his Grandees a second time, let draw up the contract of marriage between his daughter and Sa’id; after which they scattered gold and silver and the King bade decorate the city. So they held high festival and Sayf al-Muluk went in unto Badi’a al-Jamal and Sa’id went in unto Daulat Khatun on the same night. Moreover Sayf al-Muluk abode forty days with Badi’a al-Jamal, at the end of which she said to him, “O King’s son, say me, is there left in thy heart any regret for aught?” And he replied, “Allah forfend! I have accomplished my quest and there abideth no regret in my heart at all: but I would fain meet my father and my mother in the land of Egypt and see if they continue in welfare or not.” So she commanded a company of her slaves to convey them to Egypt, and they carried them to Cairo, where Sayf al-Muluk and Sa’id foregathered with their parents and abode with them a week; after which they took leave of them and returned to Sarandib-city; and from this time forwards, whenever they longed for their folk, they used to go to them and return. Then Sayf al-Muluk and Badi’a al-Jamal abode in all solace of life and its joyance as did Sa’id and Daulat Khatun, till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and Severer of Societies; and they all died good Moslems. So glory be to the Living One who dieth not, who createth all creatures and decreeth to them death and who is the First, without beginning, and the Last, without end! This is all that hath come down to us of the story of Sayf al-Muluk and Badi’a al-Jamal. And Allah alone wotteth the truth.[^[4]] But not less excellent than this tale is the History of

[1]. Ironicè; we are safe as long as we are defended by such a brave.

[2]. Blue, azure. This is hardly the place for a protest, but I must not neglect the opportunity of cautioning my readers against rendering Bahr al-Azrak (“Blue River”) by “Blue Nile.” No Arab ever knew it by that name or thereby equalled it with the White Nile. The term was a pure invention of Abyssinian Bruce who was well aware of the unfact he was propagating, but his inordinate vanity and self-esteem, contrasting so curiously with many noble qualities, especially courage and self-reliance, tempted him to this and many other a traveller’s tale.

[3]. This is orthodox Moslem doctrine and it does something for the dignity of human nature which has been so unwisely depreciated and degraded by Christianity. The contrast of Moslem dignity and Christian abasement in the East is patent to every unblind traveller.

[4]. Here ends vol. iii. of the Mac. Edit.

HASAN OF BASSORAH.[^[5]]

There was once of days of yore and in ages and times long gone before, a merchant, who dwelt in the land of Bassorah and who owned two sons and wealth galore. But in due time Allah, the All-hearing the All-knowing, decreed that he should be admitted to the mercy of the Most High; so he died, and his two sons laid him out and buried him, after which they divided his gardens and estates equally between them and of his portion each one opened a shop.[^[6]] Presently the elder son, Hasan hight, a youth of passing beauty and loveliness, symmetry and perfect grace, betook himself to the company of lewd folk, women and low boys, frolicking with them in gardens and feasting them with meat and wine for months together and occupying himself not with his business like as his father had done, for that he exulted in the abundance of his good. After some time he had wasted all his ready money, so he sold all his father’s lands and houses and played the wastrel until there remained in his hand nothing, neither little nor muchel, nor was one of his comrades left who knew him. He abode thus anhungred, he and his widowed mother, three days, and on the fourth day, as he walked along, unknowing whither to wend, there met him a man of his father’s friends, who questioned him of his case. He told him what had befallen him and the other said, “O my son, I have a brother who is a goldsmith; an thou wilt, thou shalt be with him and learn his craft and become skilled therein.” Hasan consented and accompanied him to his brother, to whom he commended him, saying, “In very sooth this is my son; do thou teach him for my sake.” So Hasan abode with the goldsmith and busied himself with the craft; and Allah opened to him the door of gain and in due course he set up shop for himself. One day, as he sat in his booth in the bazar, there came up to him an ’Ajamí, a foreigner, a Persian, with a great white beard and a white turband[^[7]] on his head, having the semblance of a merchant who, after saluting him, looked at his handiwork and examined it knowingly. It pleased him and he shook his head, saying, “By Allah, thou art a cunning goldsmith! What may be thy name?” “Hasan,” replied the other, shortly.[^[8]] The Persian continued to look at his wares, whilst Hasan read in an old book[^[9]] he hent in hand and the folk were taken up with his beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace, till the hour of mid-afternoon prayer, when the shop became clear of people and the Persian accosted the young man, saying, “O my son, thou art a comely youth! What book is that? Thou hast no sire and I have no son, and I know an art, than which there is no goodlier in the world.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Persian accosted the young man saying, “O my son, thou art a comely youth! Thou hast no sire and I have no son, and I know an art than which there is no goodlier in the world. Many have sought of me instruction therein, but I consented not to instruct any of them in it; yet hath my soul consented that I teach it to thee, for thy love hath gotten hold upon my heart and I will make thee my son and set up between thee and poverty a barrier, so shalt thou be quit of this handicraft and toil no more with hammer and anvil,[^[10]] charcoal and fire.” Hasan asked, “O my lord and when wilt thou teach me this?”; and the Persian answered, “To-morrow, Inshallah, I will come to thee betimes and make thee in thy presence fine gold of this copper.” Whereupon Hasan rejoiced and sat talking with the Persian till nightfall, when he took leave of him and going in to his mother, saluted her with the salam and ate with her; but he was dazed, without memory or reason, for that the stranger’s words had gotten hold upon his heart. So she questioned him and he told her what had passed between himself and the Persian, which when she heard, her heart fluttered and she strained him to her bosom, saying, “O my son, beware of hearkening to the talk of the folk, and especially of the Persians, and obey them not in aught; for they are sharpers and tricksters, who profess the art of alchemy[^[11]] and swindle people and take their money and devour it in vain.” Replied Hasan, “O my mother, we are paupers and have nothing he may covet, that he should put a cheat on us. Indeed, this Persian is a right worthy Shaykh and the signs of virtue are manifest on him; Allah hath inclined his heart to me and he hath adopted me to son.” She was silent in her chagrin, and he passed the night without sleep, his heart being full of what the Persian had said to him; nor did slumber visit him for the excess of his joy therein. But when morning morrowed, he rose and taking the keys, opened the shop, whereupon behold, the Persian accosted him. Hasan stood up to him and would have kissed his hands; but he forbade him from this and suffered it not, saying, “O Hasan, set on the crucible and apply the bellows.”[^[12]] So he did as the stranger bade him and lighted the charcoal. Then said the Persian, “O my son, hast thou any copper?” and he replied, “I have a broken platter.” So he bade him work the shears[^[13]] and cut it into bittocks and cast it into the crucible and blow up the fire with the bellows, till the copper became liquid, when he put hand to turband and took therefrom a folded paper and opening it, sprinkled thereout into the pot about half a drachm of somewhat like yellow Kohl or eye-powder.[^[14]] Then he bade Hasan blow upon it with the bellows, and he did so, till the contents of the crucible became a lump of gold.[^[15]] When the youth saw this, he was stupefied and at his wits’ end for the joy he felt and taking the ingot from the crucible handled it and tried it with the file and found it pure gold of the finest quality: whereupon his reason fled and he was dazed with excess of delight and bent over the Persian’s hand to kiss it. But he forbade him, saying, “Art thou married?” and when the youth replied “No!” he said, “Carry this ingot to the market and sell it and take the price in haste and speak not.” So Hasan went down into the market and gave the bar to the broker, who took it and rubbed it upon the touchstone and found it pure gold. So they opened the biddings at ten thousand dirhams and the merchants bid against one another for it up to fifteen thousand dirhams,[^[16]] at which price he sold it and taking the money, went home and told his mother all that had passed, saying, “O my mother, I have learnt this art and mystery.” But she laughed at him, saying, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eightieth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan the goldsmith told his mother what he had done with the Ajami and cried, “I have learnt this art and mystery,” she laughed at him, saying, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!”; and she was silent for vexation. Then of his ignorance, he took a metal mortar and returning to the shop, laid it before the Persian, who was still sitting there and who asked him, “O my son, what wilt thou do with this mortar?” Hasan answered, “Let us put it in the fire, and make of it lumps of gold.” The Persian laughed and rejoined, “O my son, art thou Jinn-mad that thou wouldst go down into the market with two ingots of gold in one day? Knowest thou not that the folk would suspect us and our lives would be lost? Now, O my son, an I teach thee this craft, thou must practise it but once in each twelvemonth; for that will suffice thee from year to year.” Cried Hasan, “True, O my lord,” and sitting down in his open shop, set on the crucible and cast more charcoal on the fire. Quoth the Persian, “What wilt thou, O my son?”; and quoth Hasan, “Teach me this craft.” “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” exclaimed the Persian, laughing; “Verily, O my son, thou art little of wit and in nowise fitted for this noble craft. Did ever any during all his life learn this art on the beaten way or in the bazars? If we busy ourselves with it here, the folk will say of us, These practise alchemy; and the magistrates will hear of us, and we shall lose our lives.[^[17]] Wherefore, O my son, an thou desire to learn this mystery forthright, come thou with me to my house.” So Hasan barred his shop and went with that Ajami; but by the way he remembered his mother’s words and thinking in himself a thousand thoughts he stood still, with bowed head. The Persian turned and seeing him thus standing laughed and said to him, “Art thou mad? What! I in my heart purpose thee good and thou misdoubtest I will harm thee!” presently adding, “But, if thou fear to go with me to my house, I will go with thee to thine and teach thee there.” Hasan replied, “’Tis well, O uncle,” and the Persian rejoined, “Go thou before me.” So Hasan led the way to his own house, and entering, told his mother of the Persian’s coming, for he had left him standing at the door. She ordered the house for them and when she had made an end of furnishing and adorning it, her son bade her go to one of the neighbours’ lodgings. So she left her home to them and wended her way, whereupon Hasan brought in the Persian, who entered after asking leave. Then he took in hand a dish and going to the market, returned with food, which he set before the Persian, saying, “Eat, O my lord, that between us there may be bread and salt and may Almighty Allah do vengeance upon the traitor to bread and salt!” The Persian replied with a smile, “True, O my son! Who knoweth the virtue and worth of bread and salt?”[^[18]] Then he came forward and ate with Hasan, till they were satisfied; after which the Ajami said, “O my son Hasan, bring us somewhat of sweetmeats.” So Hasan went to the market, rejoicing in his words, and returned with ten saucers[^[19]] of sweetmeats, of which they both ate and the Persian said, “May Allah abundantly requite thee, O my son! It is the like of thee with whom folk company and to whom they discover their secrets and teach what may profit him!”[^[20]] Then said he, “O Hasan bring the gear.” But hardly did Hasan hear these words than he went forth like a colt let out to grass in spring-tide, and hastening to the shop, fetched the apparatus and set it before the Persian, who pulled out a piece of paper and said, “O Hasan, by the bond of bread and salt, wert thou not dearer to me than my son, I would not let thee into the mysteries of this art, for I have none of the Elixir[^[21]] left save what is in this paper; but by and by I will compound the simples whereof it is composed and will make it before thee. Know, O my son Hasan, that to every ten pounds of copper thou must set half a drachm of that which is in this paper, and the whole ten will presently become unalloyed virgin gold;” presently adding, “O my son, O Hasan, there are in this paper three ounces,[^[22]] Egyptian measure, and when it is spent, I will make thee other and more.” Hasan took the packet and finding therein a yellow powder, finer than the first, said to the Persian, “O my lord, what is the name of this substance and where is it found and how is it made?” But he laughed, longing to get hold of the youth, and replied, “Of what dost thou question? Indeed thou art a froward boy! Do thy work and hold thy peace.” So Hasan arose and fetching a brass platter from the house, shore it in shreds and threw it into the melting-pot; then he scattered on it a little of the powder from the paper and it became a lump of pure gold. When he saw this, he joyed with exceeding joy and was filled with amazement and could think of nothing save the gold; but, whilst he was occupied with taking up the lumps of metal from the melting-pot, the Persian pulled out of his turband in haste a packet of Cretan Bhang, which if an elephant smelt, he would sleep from night to night, and cutting off a little thereof, put it in a piece of the sweetmeat. Then said he, “O Hasan, thou art become my very son and dearer to me than soul and wealth, and I have a daughter whose like never have eyes beheld for beauty and loveliness, symmetry and perfect grace. Now I see that thou befittest none but her and she none but thee; wherefore, if it be Allah’s will, I will marry thee to her.” Replied Hasan, “I am thy servant and whatso good thou dost with me will be a deposit with the Almighty!” and the Persian rejoined, “O my son, have fair patience and fair shall betide thee.” Therewith he gave him the piece of sweetmeat and he took it and kissing his hand, put it in his mouth, knowing not what was hidden for him in the after time for only the Lord of Futurity knoweth the Future. But hardly had he swallowed it, when he fell down, head foregoing heels, and was lost to the world; whereupon the Persian, seeing him in such calamitous case, rejoiced exceedingly and cried, “Thou has fallen into my snares, O gallows-carrion, O dog of the Arabs! This many a year have I sought thee and now I have found thee, O Hasan!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-first Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan the goldsmith ate the bit of sweetmeat given to him by the Ajami and fell fainting to the ground, the Persian rejoiced exceedingly and cried, “This many a year have I sought thee and now I have found thee!” Then he girt himself and pinioned Hasan’s arms and binding his feet to his hands laid him in a chest, which he emptied to that end and locked it upon him. Moreover, he cleared another chest and laying therein all Hasan’s valuables, together with the piece of the first gold-lump and the second ingot which he had made locked it with a padlock. Then he ran to the market and fetching a porter, took up the two chests and made off with them to a place within sight of the city, where he set them down on the sea-shore, hard by a vessel at anchor there. Now this craft had been freighted and fitted out by the Persian and her master was awaiting him; so, when the crew saw him, they came to him and bore the two chests on board. Then the Persian called out to the Rais or Captain, saying, “Up and let us be off, for I have done my desire and won my wish.” So the skipper sang out to the sailors, saying, “Weigh anchor and set sail!” And the ship put out to sea with a fair wind. So far concerning the Persian; but as regards Hasan’s mother, she awaited him till supper-time but heard neither sound nor news of him; so she went to the house and finding it thrown open, entered and saw none therein and missed the two chests and their valuables; wherefore she knew that her son was lost and that doom had overtaken him; and she buffeted her face and rent her raiment crying out and wailing and saying, “Alas, my son, ah! Alas, the fruit of my vitals, ah!” And she recited these couplets:—

My patience fails me and grows anxiety; ✿ And with your absence growth of grief I see.

By Allah, Patience went what time ye went! ✿ Loss of all Hope how suffer patiently?

When lost my loved one how can’ joy I sleep? ✿ Who shall enjoy such life of low degree?

Thou’rt gone and, desolating house and home, ✿ Hast fouled the fount erst flowed from foulness free:

Thou wast my fame, my grace ’mid folk, my stay; ✿ Mine aid wast thou in all adversity!

Perish the day, when from mine eyes they bore ✿ My friend, till sight I thy return to me!

And she ceased not to weep and wail till the dawn, when the neighbours came in to her and asked her of her son, and she told them what had befallen him with the Persian, assured that she should never, never see him again. Then she went round about the house, weeping, and wending she espied two lines written upon the wall; so she sent for a scholar, who read them to her; and they were these:—

Leyla’s phantom came by night, when drowsiness had overcome me, towards morning while my companions were sleeping in the desert,

But when we awoke to behold the nightly phantom, I saw the air vacant and the place of visitation was distant.[^[23]]

When Hasan’s mother heard these lines, she shrieked and said, “Yes, O my son! Indeed, the house is desolate and the visitation-place is distant!” Then the neighbours took leave of her and after they had prayed that she might be vouchsafed patience and speedy reunion with her son went away; but she ceased not to weep all watches of the night and tides of the day and she built amiddlemost the house a tomb whereon she let write Hasan’s name and the date of his loss, and thenceforward she quitted it not, but made a habit of incessantly biding thereby night and day. Such was her case; but touching her son Hasan and the Ajami, this Persian was a Magian, who hated Moslems with exceeding hatred and destroyed all who fell into his power. He was a lewd and filthy villain, a hankerer after alchemy, an astrologer and a hunter of hidden hoards, such an one as he of whom quoth the poet:—

A dog, dog-fathered, by dog-grandsire bred; ✿ No good in dog from dog race issued:

E’en for a gnat no resting-place gives he ✿ Who is composed of seed by all men shed.[^[24]]

The name of this accursed was Bahrám the Guebre, and he was wont, every year, to take a Moslem and cut his throat for his own purposes. So, when he had carried out his plot against Hasan the goldsmith, they sailed on from dawn till dark, when the ship made fast to the shore for the night, and at sunrise, when they set sail again, Bahram bade his black slaves and white servants bring him the chest wherein were Hasan. They did so, and he opened it and taking out the young man, made him sniff up vinegar and blew a powder into his nostrils. Hasan sneezed and vomited the Bhang; then, opening his eyes, he looked about him right and left and found himself amiddleward the sea on aboard a ship in full sail, and saw the Persian sitting by him; wherefore he knew that the accursed Magian had put a cheat on him and that he had fallen into the very peril against which his mother had warned him. So he spake the saying which shall never shame the sayer, to wit, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily, we are Allah’s and unto Him we are returning! O my God, be Thou gracious to me in Thine appointment and give me patience to endure this Thine affliction, O Lord of the three Worlds!” Then he turned to the Persian and bespoke him softly, saying, “O my father, what fashion is this and where is the covenant of bread and salt and the oath thou swarest to me?” But Bahram stared at him and replied, “O dog, knoweth the like of me bond of bread and salt? I have slain of youths like thee a thousand, save one, and thou shalt make up the thousand.” And he cried out at him and Hasan was silent, knowing that the Fate-shaft had shot him.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-second Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan beheld himself fallen into the hands of the damned Persian he bespoke him softly but gained naught thereby for the Ajami cried out at him in wrath, so he was silent, knowing that the Fate-shaft had shot him. Then the accursed bade loose his pinion-bonds and they gave him a little water to drink, whilst the Magian laughed and said, “By the virtue of the Fire and the Light and the Shade and the Heat, methought not thou wouldst fall into my nets! But the Fire empowered me over thee and helped me to lay hold upon thee, that I might win my wish and return and make thee a sacrifice[^[25]], to her[^[26]] so she may accept of me.” Quoth Hasan, “Thou hast foully betrayed bread and salt”; whereupon the Magus raised his hand and dealt him such a buffet that he fell and, biting the deck with his fore-teeth, swooned away, whilst the tears trickled down his cheeks. Then the Guebre bade his servants light him a fire and Hasan said, “What wilt thou do with it?” Replied the Magian, “This is the Fire, lady of light and sparkles bright! This it is I worship, and if thou wilt worship her even as I, verily I will give thee half my monies and marry thee to my maiden daughter.” Thereupon Hasan cried angrily at him, “Woe to thee! Thou art a miscreant Magian who to Fire dost pray in lieu of the King of Omnipotent sway, Creator of Night and Day; and this is naught but a calamity among creeds!” At this the Magian was wroth and said to him, “Wilt thou not then conform with me, O dog of the Arabs, and enter my faith?” But Hasan consented not to this: so the accursed Guebre arose and prostrating himself to the fire, bade his pages throw him flat on his face. They did so, and he beat him with a hide whip of plaited thongs[^[27]] till his flanks were laid open, whilst he cried aloud for aid but none aided him, and besought protection, but none protected him. Then he raised his eyes to the All-powerful King and sought of Him succour in the name of the Chosen Prophet. And indeed patience failed him; his tears ran down his cheeks, like rain, and he repeated these couplets twain:—

In patience, O my God, Thy doom forecast ✿ I’ll bear, an thereby come Thy grace at last:

They’ve dealt us wrong, transgressed and ordered ill; ✿ Haply Thy Grace shall pardon what is past.

Then the Magian bade his negro-slaves raise him to a sitting posture and bring him somewhat of meat and drink. So they sat food before him; but he consented not to eat or drink; and Bahram ceased not to torment him day and night during the whole voyage, whilst Hasan took patience and humbled himself in supplication before Almighty Allah to whom belong Honour and Glory; whereby the Guebre’s heart was hardened against him. They ceased not to sail the sea three months, during which time Hasan was continually tortured till Allah Almighty sent forth upon them a foul wind and the sea grew black and rose against the ship, by reason of the fierce gale; whereupon quoth the captain and crew,[^[28]] “By Allah, this is all on account of yonder youth, who hath been these three months in torture with this Magian. Indeed, this is not allowed of God the Most High.” Then they rose against the Magian and slew his servants and all who were with him; which when he saw, he made sure of death and feared for himself. So he loosed Hasan from his bonds and pulling off the ragged clothes the youth had on, clad him in others; and made excuses to him and promised to teach him the craft and restore him to his native land, saying, “O my son, return me not evil for that I have done with thee.” Quoth Hasan, “How can I ever rely upon thee again?”; and quoth Bahram, “O my son, but for sin, there were no pardon. Indeed, I did all these doings with thee, but to try thy patience, and thou knowest that the case is altogether in the hands of Allah.” So the crew and captain rejoiced in Hasan’s release, and he called down blessings on them and praised the Almighty and thanked Him. With this the wind was stilled and the sky cleared and with a fair breeze they continued their voyage. Then said Hasan to Bahram, “O Master,[^[29]] whither wendest thou?” Replied the Magian, “O my son, I am bound for the Mountain of Clouds, where is the Elixir which we use in alchemy.” And the Guebre swore to him by the Fire and the Light that he had no longer any cause to fear him. So Hasan’s heart was set at ease and rejoicing at the Persian’s words, he continued to eat and drink and sleep with the Magian, who clad him in his own raiment. They ceased not sailing on other three months, when the ship came to anchor off a long shoreline of many-coloured pebbles, white and yellow and sky-blue and black and every other hue, and the Magian sprang up and said, “O Hasan, come, let us go ashore for we have reached the place of our wish and will.” So Hasan rose and landed with Bahram, after the Persian had commended his goods to the captain’s care. They walked on inland, till they were far enough from the ship to be out of sight, when Bahram sat down and taking from his pocket a kettle-drum[^[30]] of copper and a silken strap, worked in gold with characts, beat the drum with the strap, until there arose a cloud of dust from the further side of the waste. Hasan marvelled at the Magian’s doings and was afraid of him: he repented of having come ashore with him and his colour changed. But Bahram looked at him and said, “What aileth thee, O my son? By the truth of the Fire and the Light, thou hast naught to fear from me; and, were it not that my wish may never be won save by thy means, I had not brought thee ashore. So rejoice in all good; for yonder cloud of dust is the dust of somewhat we will mount and which will aid us to cut across this wold and make easy to us the hardships thereof.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-third Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Persian said to Hasan, “In very sooth yonder dust-cloud is the cloud of something we will mount and which will aid us to cut across this wold and will make easy to us the hardships thereof.” Presently the dust lifted off three she-dromedaries, one of which Bahram mounted and Hasan another. Then they loaded their victual on the third and fared on seven days, till they came to a wide champaign and, descending into its midst, they saw a dome vaulted upon four pilasters of red gold; so they alighted and entering thereunder, ate and drank and took their rest. Anon Hasan chanced to glance aside and seeing from afar a something lofty said to the Magian, “What is that, O nuncle?” Bahram replied, “’Tis a palace,” and quoth Hasan, “Wilt thou not go thither, that we may enter and there repose ourselves and solace ourselves with inspecting it?” But the Persian was wroth and said, “Name not to me yonder palace; for therein dwelleth a foe, with whom there befel me somewhat whereof this is no time to tell thee.” Then he beat the kettle-drum and up came the dromedaries, and they mounted and fared on other seven days. On the eighth day, the Magian said, “O Hasan, what seest thou?” Hasan replied, “I see clouds and mists twixt east and west.” Quoth Bahram, “That is neither clouds nor mists, but a vast mountain and a lofty whereon the clouds split,[^[31]] and there are no clouds above it, for its exceeding height and surpassing elevation. Yon mount is my goal and thereon is the need we seek. ’Tis for that I brought thee hither, for my wish may not be won save at thy hands.” Hasan hearing this gave his life up for lost and said to the Magian, “By the right of that thou worshippest and by the faith wherein thou believest, I conjure thee to tell me what is the object wherefor thou hast brought me!” Bahram replied, “The art of alchemy may not be accomplished save by means of a herb which groweth in the place where the clouds pass and whereon they split. Such a site is yonder mountain upon whose head the herb groweth and I purpose to send thee up thither to fetch it; and when we have it, I will show thee the secret of this craft which thou desirest to learn.” Hasan answered, in his fear, “’Tis well, O my master;” and indeed he despaired of life and wept for his parting from his parent and people and patrial stead repenting him of having gainsaid his mother and reciting these two couplets:—

Consider but thy Lord, His work shall bring ✿ Comfort to thee, with quick relief and near:

Despair not when thou sufferest sorest bane: ✿ In bane how many blessed boons appear!

They ceased not faring on till they came to the foot-hills of that mountain where they halted; and Hasan saw thereon a palace and asked Bahram, “What be yonder palace?”; whereto he answered, “’Tis the abode of the Jann and Ghuls and Satans.” Then the Magian alighted and making Hasan also dismount from his dromedary kissed his head and said to him, “Bear me no ill will anent that I did with thee, for I will keep guard over thee in thine ascent to the palace; and I conjure thee not to trick and cheat me of aught thou shalt bring therefrom; and I and thou will share equally therein.” And Hasan replied, “To hear is to obey.” Then Bahram opened a bag and taking out a handmill and a sufficiency of wheat, ground the grain and kneaded three round cakes of the flour; after which he lighted a fire and baked the bannocks. Then he took out the copper kettle-drum and beat it with the broidered strap, whereupon up came the dromedaries. He chose out one and said, “Hearken, O my son, O Hasan, to what I am about to enjoin on thee;” and Hasan replied, “’Tis well.” Bahram continued, “Lie down on this skin and I will sew thee up therein and lay thee on the ground; whereupon the Rakham birds[^[32]] will come to thee and carry thee up to the mountain-top. Take this knife with thee; and, when thou feelest that the birds have done flying and have set thee down, slit open therewith the skin and come forth. The vultures will then take fright at thee and fly away; whereupon do thou look down from the mountain head and speak to me, and I will tell thee what to do.” So he sewed him up in the skin, placing therein three cakes and a leathern bottle full of water, and withdrew to a distance. Presently a vulture pounced upon him and taking him up, flew away with him to the mountain-top and there set him down. As soon as Hasan felt himself on the ground, he slit the skin and coming forth, called out to the Magian, who hearing his speech rejoiced and danced for excess of joy, saying to him, “Look behind thee and tell me what thou seest.” Hasan looked and seeing many rotten bones and much wood, told Bahram, who said to him, “This be what we need and seek. Make six bundles of the wood and throw them down to me, for this is wherewithal we do alchemy.” So he threw him the six bundles and when he had gotten them into his power he said to Hasan, “O gallows bird, I have won my wish of thee; and now, if thou wilt, thou mayst abide on this mountain, or cast thyself down to the earth and perish.” So saying, he left him[^[33]] and went away, and Hasan exclaimed, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This hound hath played the traitor with me.” And he sat bemoaning himself and reciting these couplets:—

When God upon a man possessed of reasoning, Hearing and sight His will in aught to pass would bring,

He stops his ears and blinds his eyes and draws his wit, From him, as one draws out the hairs to paste that cling;

Till, His decrees fulfilled, He gives him back His wit, That therewithal he may receive admonishing.

So say thou not of aught that haps, “How happened it?” For Fate and fortune fixed do order everything.[^[34]]

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Magian sent Hasan to the mountain-top and made him throw down all he required he presently reviled him and left him and wended his ways and the youth exclaimed, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! This damned hound hath played the traitor.” Then he rose to his feet and looked right and left, after which he walked on along the mountain top, in mind making certain of death. He fared on thus till he came to the counterslope of the mountain, along which he saw a dark-blue sea, dashing with billows clashing and yeasting waves each as it were a lofty mount. So he sat down and repeated what he might of the Koran and besought Allah the Most High to ease him of his troubles, or by death or by deliverance from such strait. Then he recited for himself the funeral-prayer[^[35]] and cast himself down into the main; but, the waves bore him up by Allah’s grace, so that he reached the water unhurt, and the angel in whose charge is the sea watched over him, so that the billows bore him safe to land, by the decree of the Most High. Thereupon he rejoiced and praised Almighty Allah and thanked Him; after which he walked on in quest of something to eat, for stress of hunger, and came presently to the place where he had halted with the Magian, Bahram. Then he fared on awhile, till behold, he caught sight of a great palace, rising high in air, and knew it for that of which he had questioned the Persian and he had replied, “Therein dwelleth a foe of mine.” Hasan said to himself, “By Allah, needs must I enter yonder palace; perchance relief awaiteth me there.” So coming to it and finding the gate open, he entered the vestibule, where he saw seated on a bench two girls like twin moons with a chess-cloth before them and they were at play. One of them raised her head to him and cried out for joy saying, “By Allah, here is a son of Adam, and methinks ’tis he whom Bahram the Magian brought hither this year!” So Hasan hearing her words cast himself at their feet and wept with sore weeping and said, “Yes, O my ladies, by Allah, I am indeed that unhappy.” Then said the younger damsel to her elder sister, “Bear witness against me,[^[36]] O my sister, that this is my brother by covenant of Allah and that I will die for his death and live for his life and joy for his joy and mourn for his mourning.” So saying, she rose and embraced him and kissed him and presently taking him by the hand and her sister with her, led him into the palace, where she did off his ragged clothes and brought him a suit of Kings’ raiment wherewith she arrayed him. Moreover, she made ready all manner viands[^[37]] and set them before him, and sat and ate with him, she and her sister. Then said they to him, “Tell us thy tale with yonder dog, the wicked, the wizard, from the time of thy falling into his hands to that of thy freeing thee from him; and after we will tell thee all that hath passed between us and him, so thou mayst be on thy guard against him an thou see him again.” Hearing these words and finding himself thus kindly received, Hasan took heart of grace and reason returned to him and he related to them all that had befallen him with the Magian from first to last. Then they asked, “Didst thou ask him of this palace?”; and he answered, “Yes, but he said:—Name it not to me; for it belongeth to Ghuls and Satans.” At this, the two damsels waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and said, “Did that Miscreant style us Ghuls and Satans?” And Hasan answered, “Yes.” Cried the younger sister, “By Allah, I will assuredly do him die with the foulest death and make him to lack the wind of the world!” Quoth Hasan, “And how wilt thou get at him, to kill him, for he is a crafty magician?”; and quoth she, “He is in a garden by name Al-Mushayyad,[^[38]] and there is no help but that I slay him before long.” Then said her sister, “Sooth spake Hasan in everything he hath recounted to us of this cur; but now tell him our tale, that all of it may abide in his memory.” So the younger said to him, “Know, O my brother, that we are the daughters of a King of the mightiest Kings of the Jann, having Marids for troops and guards and servants, and Almighty Allah blessed him with seven daughters by one wife; but of his folly such jealousy and stiff-neckedness and pride beyond compare gat hold upon him that he would not give us in marriage to any one and, summoning his Wazirs and Emirs, he said to them:—Can ye tell me of any place untrodden by the tread of men and Jinn and abounding in trees and fruits and rills? And quoth they, What wilt thou therewith, O King of the Age? And quoth he, I desire there to lodge my seven daughters. Answered they, O King, the place for them is the Castle of the Mountain of Clouds, built by an Ifrit of the rebellious Jinn, who revolted from the covenant of our lord Solomon, on whom be the Peace! Since his destruction, none hath dwelt there, nor man nor Jinni, for ’tis cut off[^[39]] and none may win to it. And the Castle is girt about with trees and fruits and rills, and the water running around it is sweeter than honey and colder than snow: none who is afflicted with leprosy or elephantiasis[^[40]] or what not else drinketh thereof but he is healed forthright. Hearing this our father sent us hither, with an escort of his troops and guards and provided us with all that we need here. When he is minded to ride to us he beateth a kettle-drum, whereupon all his hosts present themselves before him and he chooseth whom he shall ride and dismisseth the rest; but, when he desireth that we shall visit him, he commandeth his followers, the enchanters, to fetch us and carry us to the presence; so he may solace himself with our society and we accomplish our desire of him; after which they again carry us back hither. Our five other sisters are gone a-hunting in our desert, wherein are wild beasts past compt or calculation and, it being our turn to do this we two abode at home, to make ready for them food. Indeed, we had besought Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) to vouchsafe us a son of Adam to cheer us with his company and praised be He who hath brought thee to us! So be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for no harm shall befal thee.” Hasan rejoiced and said, “Alhamdolillah, laud to the Lord who guideth us into the path of deliverance and inclineth hearts to us!” Then his sister[^[41]] rose and taking him by the hand, led him into a private chamber, where she brought out to him linen and furniture that no mortal can avail unto. Presently, the other damsels returned from hunting and birding and their sisters acquainted them with Hasan’s case; whereupon they rejoiced in him and going into him in his chamber, saluted him with the salam and gave him joy of his safety. Then he abode with them in all the solace of life and its joyance, riding out with them to the chase and taking his pleasure with them whilst they entreated him courteously and cheered him with converse, till his sadness ceased from him and he recovered health and strength and his body waxed stout and fat, by dint of fair treatment and pleasant time among the seven moons in that fair palace with its gardens and flowers; for indeed he led the delightsomest of lives with the damsels who delighted in him and he yet more in them. And they used to give him drink of the honey-dew of their lips,[^[42]] these beauties with the high bosoms, adorned with grace and loveliness, the perfection of brilliancy and in shape very symmetry. Moreover the youngest Princess told her sisters how Bahram the Magian had made them of the Ghuls and Demons and Satans,[^[43]] and they sware that they would surely slay him. Next year the accursed Guebre again made his appearance, having with him a handsome young Moslem, as he were the moon, bound hand and foot and tormented with grievous tortures, and alighted with him below the palace-walls. Now Hasan was sitting under the trees by the side of the stream; and when he espied Bahram, his heart fluttered,[^[44]] his hue changed and he smote hand upon hand.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan the goldsmith saw the Magian, his heart fluttered, his hue changed and he smote hand upon hand. Then he said to the Princesses, “O my sisters, help me to the slaughter of this accursed, for here he is come back and in your grasp, and he leadeth with him captive a young Moslem of the sons of the notables, whom he is torturing with all manner grievous torments. Lief would I kill him and console my heart of him; and, by delivering the young Moslem from his mischief and restoring him to his country and kith and kin and friends, fain would I lay up merit for the world to come, by taking my wreak of him.[^[45]] This will be an almsdeed from you and ye will reap the reward thereof from Almighty Allah.” “We hear and we obey Allah and thee, O our brother, O Hasan,” replied they and binding chin-veils, armed themselves and slung on their swords: after which they brought Hasan a steed of the best and equipped him in panoply and weaponed him with goodly weapons. Then they all sallied out and found the Magian who had slaughtered and skinned a camel ill-using the young Moslem, and saying to him, “Sit thee in this hide.” So Hasan came behind him, without his knowledge, and cried out at him till he was dazed and amazed. Then he came up to him, saying, “Hold thy hand, O accursed! O enemy of Allah and foe of the Moslems! O dog! O traitor! O thou that flame dost obey! O thou that walkest in the wicked ones’ ways, worshipping the fire and the light and swearing by the shade and the heat!” Herewith the Magian turned and seeing Hasan, thought to wheedle him and said to him, “O my son, how diddest thou escape and who brought thee down to earth?” Hasan replied, “He delivered me, who hath appointed the taking of thy life to be at my hand, and I will torture thee even as thou torturest me the whole way long. O miscreant, O atheist,[^[46]] thou hast fallen into the twist and the way thou hast missed; and neither mother shall avail thee nor brother, nor friend nor solemn covenant shall assist thee; for thou saidst, O accursed, Whoso betrayeth bread and salt, may Allah do vengeance upon him! And thou hast broken the bond of bread and salt; wherefore the Almighty hath thrown thee into my grasp, and far is thy chance of escape from me.” Rejoined Bahram, “By Allah, O my son, O Hasan, thou art dearer to me than my sprite and the light of mine eyes!” But Hasan stepped up to him and hastily smote him between the shoulders, that the sword issued gleaming from his throat-tendons and Allah hurried his soul to the fire, and abiding-place dire. Then Hasan took the Magian’s bag and opened it, then having taken out the kettle-drum he struck it with the strap, whereupon up came the dromedaries like lightning. So he unbound the youth from his bonds and setting him on one of the camels, loaded him another with victual and water,[^[47]] saying, “Wend whither thou wilt.” So he departed, after Almighty Allah had thus delivered him from his strait at the hands of Hasan. When the damsels saw their brother slay the Magian they joyed in him with exceeding joy and gat round him, marvelling at his valour and prowess;[^[48]] and thanked him for his deed and gave him joy of his safety, saying, “O Hasan thou hast done a deed, whereby thou hast healed the burning of him that thirsteth for vengeance and pleased the King of Omnipotence!” Then they returned to the palace, and he abode with them, eating and drinking and laughing and making merry; and indeed his sojourn with them was joyous to him and he forgot his mother;[^[49]] but while he led with them this goodly life one day, behold, there arose from the further side of the desert a great cloud of dust that darkened the welkin and made towards them. When the Princesses saw this, they said to him, “Rise, O Hasan, run to thy chamber and conceal thyself; or an thou wilt, go down into the garden and hide thyself among the trees and vines; but fear not, for no harm shall befal thee.” So he arose and entering his chamber, locked the door upon himself, and lay lurking in the palace. Presently the dust opened out and showed beneath it a great and conquering host, as it were a surging sea, coming from the King, the father of the damsels. Now when the troops reached the castle, the Princesses received them with all honour and hospitably entertained them three days; after which they questioned them of their case and tidings and they replied saying, “We come from the King in quest of you.” They asked, “And what would the King with us?”; and the officers answered, “One of the Kings maketh a marriage festival, and your father would have you be present thereat and take your pleasure therewith.” The damsels enquired, “And how long shall we be absent from our place?”; and they rejoined, “The time to come and go, and to sojourn may be two months.” So the Princesses arose and going in to the palace sought Hasan, acquainted him with the case and said to him, “Verily this place is thy place and our house is thy house; so be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear and feel nor grief nor fear, for none can come at thee here; but keep a good heart and a glad mind, till we return to thee. The keys of our chambers we leave with thee; but, O our brother, we beseech thee, by the bond of brotherhood, in very deed not to open such a door, for thou hast no need thereto.” Then they farewelled him and fared forth with the troops, leaving Hasan alone in the palace. It was not long before his breast grew straitened and his patience shortened: solitude and sadness were heavy on him and he sorrowed for his severance from them with passing chagrin. The palace for all its vastness, waxed small to him and finding himself sad and solitary, he bethought him of the damsels and their pleasant converse and recited these couplets:—

The wide plain is narrowed before these eyes ✿ And the landscape troubles this heart of mine.

Since my friends went forth, by the loss of them ✿ Joy fled and these eyelids rail floods of brine:

Sleep shunned these eyeballs for parting woe ✿ And my mind is worn with sore pain and pine:

Would I wot an Time shall rejoin our lots ✿ And the joys of love with night-talk combine.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that after the departure of the damsels, Hasan sat in the palace sad and solitary and his breast was straitened by severance. He used to ride forth a-hunting by himself in the wold and bring back the game and slaughter it and eat thereof alone: but melancholy and disquiet redoubled on him, by reason of his loneliness. So he arose and went round about the palace and explored its every part; he opened the Princesses’ apartments and found therein riches and treasures fit to ravish the beholder’s reason; but he delighted not in aught thereof, by reason of their absence. His heart was fired by thinking of the door they had charged him not to approach or open on any account and he said in himself, “My sister had never enjoined me not to open this door, except there were behind it somewhat whereof she would have none to know; but, by Allah, I will arise and open it and see what is within, though within it were sudden death!” Then he took the key and, opening the door,[^[50]] saw therein no treasure but he espied a vaulted and winding staircase of Yamani onyx at the upper end of the chamber. So he mounted the stair, which brought him out upon the terrace-roof of the palace, whence he looked down upon the gardens and vergiers, full of trees and fruits and beasts and birds warbling praises of Allah, the One, the All-powerful; and said in himself “This is that they forbade to me.” He gazed upon these pleasaunces and saw beyond a surging sea, dashing with clashing billows, and he ceased not to explore the palace right and left, till he ended at a pavilion builded with alternate courses, two bricks of gold and one of silver and jacinth and emerald and supported by four columns. And in the centre he saw a sitting-room paved and lined with a mosaic of all manner precious stones such as rubies and emeralds and balasses and other jewels of sorts; and in its midst stood a basin[^[51]] brimful of water, over which was a trellis-work of sandal-wood and aloes-wood reticulated with rods of red gold and wands of emerald and set with various kinds of jewels and fine pearls, each sized as a pigeon’s egg. The trellis was covered with a climbing vine, bearing grapes like rubies, and beside the basin stood a throne of lign-aloes latticed with red gold, inlaid with great pearls and comprising vari-coloured gems of every sort and precious minerals, each kind fronting each and symmetrically disposed. About it the birds warbled with sweet tongues and various voices celebrating the praises of Allah the Most High: brief, it was a palace such as nor Cæsar nor Chosroës ever owned; but Hasan saw therein none of the creatures of Allah, whereat he marvelled and said in himself, “I wonder to which of the Kings this place pertaineth, or is it Many-Columned Iram whereof they tell, for who among mortals can avail to the like of this?” And indeed he was amazed at the spectacle and sat down in the pavilion and cast glances around him marvelling at the beauty of its ordinance and at the lustre of the pearls and jewels and the curious works which therein were, no less than at the gardens and orchards aforesaid and at the birds that hymned the praises of Allah, the One, the Almighty; and he abode pondering the traces of him whom the Most High had enabled to rear that structure, for indeed He is muchel of might.[^[52]] And presently, behold, he espied ten birds[^[53]] flying towards the pavilion from the heart of the desert and knew that they were making the palace and bound for the basin, to drink of its waters: so he hid himself, for fear they should see him and take flight. They lighted on a great tree and a goodly and circled round about it; and he saw amongst them a bird of marvel-beauty, the goodliest of them all, and the nine stood around it and did it service; and Hasan marvelled to see it peck them with its bill and lord it over them while they fled from it. He stood gazing at them from afar as they entered the pavilion and perched on the couch; after which each bird rent open its neck-skin with its claws and issued out of it; and lo! it was but a garment of feathers, and there came forth therefrom ten virgins, maids whose beauty shamed the brilliancy of the moon. They all doffed their clothes and plunging into the basin, washed and fell to playing and sporting one with other; whilst the chief bird of them lifted up the rest and ducked them down, and they fled from her and dared not put forth their hands to her. When Hasan beheld her thus he took leave of his right reason and his sense was enslaved, so he knew that the Princesses had not forbidden him to open the door save because of this; for he fell passionately in love with her, for what he saw of her beauty and loveliness, symmetry and perfect grace, as she played and sported and splashed the others with the water. He stood looking upon them whilst they saw him not, with eye gazing and heart burning and soul[^[54]] to evil prompting; and he sighed to be with them and wept for longing, because of the beauty and loveliness of the chief damsel. His mind was amazed at her charms and his heart taken in the net of her love; lowe was loosed in his heart for her sake and there waxed on him a flame, whose sparks might not be quenched, and desire, whose signs might not be hidden. Presently, they came up out of that basin, whilst Hasan marvelled at their beauty and loveliness and the tokens of inner gifts in the elegance of their movements. Then he cast a glance at the chief damsel who stood mother-naked and there was manifest to him what was between her thighs a goodly rounded dome on pillars borne, like a bowl of silver or crystal, which recalled to him the saying of the poet:[^[55]]—

When I took up her shift and discovered the terrace-roof of her kaze, I found it as strait as my humour or eke my worldly ways:

So I thrust it, incontinent, in, halfway, and she heaved a sigh. “For what dost thou sigh?” quoth I. “For the rest of it sure,” she says.

Then coming out of the water they all put on their dresses and ornaments, and the chief maiden donned a green dress,[^[56]] wherein she surpassed for loveliness all the fair ones of the world and the lustre of her face outshone the resplendent full moons: she excelled the branches with the grace of her bending gait and confounded the wit with apprehension of disdain; and indeed she was as saith the poet:[^[57]]—

A maiden ’twas, the dresser’s art had decked with cunning sleight;

The sun thou ’d’st say had robbed her cheek and shone with borrowed light.

She came to us apparelled fair in under vest of green,

Like as the ripe pomegranate hides beneath its leafy screen;

And when we asked her what might be the name of what she wore,

She answered in a quaint reply that double meaning bore:

The desert’s heart we penetrate in such apparel dressed,

And Pierce-heart therefore is the name by which we call the vest.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan saw the damsels issue forth the basin, the chief maiden robbed his reason with her beauty and loveliness compelling him to recite the couplets forequoted. And after dressing they sat talking and laughing, whilst he stood gazing on them, drowned in the sea of his love, burning in the flames of passion and wandering in the Wady of his melancholy thought. And he said to himself, “By Allah, my sister forbade me not to open the door, but for cause of these maidens and for fear lest I should fall in love with one of them! How, O Hasan shalt thou woo and win them? How bring down a bird flying in the vasty firmament? By Allah thou hast cast thyself into a bottomless sea and snared thyself in a net whence there is no escape! I shall die desolate and none shall wot of my death.” And he continued to gaze on the charms of the chief damsel, who was the lovliest creature Allah had made in her day, and indeed she outdid in beauty all human beings. She had a mouth magical as Solomon’s seal and hair blacker than the night of estrangement to the love-despairing man; her brow was bright as the crescent moon of the Feast of Ramazán[^[58]] and her eyes were like eyes wherewith gazelles scan; she had a polished nose straight as a cane and cheeks like blood-red anemones of Nu’uman, lips like coralline and teeth like strung pearls in carcanets of gold virgin to man, and a neck like an ingot of silver, above a shape like a wand of Bán: her middle was full of folds, a dimpled plain such as enforceth the distracted lover to magnify Allah and extol His might and main, and her navel[^[59]] an ounce of musk, sweetest of savour could contain: she had thighs great and plump, like marble columns twain or bolsters stuffed with down from ostrich ta’en, and between them a somewhat, as it were a hummock great of span or a hare with ears back lain while terrace-roof and pilasters completed the plan; and indeed she surpassed the bough of the myrobalan with her beauty and symmetry, and the Indian rattan, for she was even as saith of them the poet whom love did unman:[^[60]]—

Her lip-dews rival honey-sweets, that sweet virginity; ✿ Keener than Hindí scymitar the glance she casts at thee:

She shames the bending bough of Bán with graceful movement slow ✿ And as she smiles her teeth appear with leven’s brilliancy:

When I compared with rose a-bloom the tintage of her cheeks, ✿ She laughed in scorn and cried, “Whoso compares with rosery

My hue and breasts granados terms, is there no shame in him? ✿ How should pomegranates bear on bough such fruit in form or blee?

Now by my beauty and mine eyes and heart and eke by Heaven ✿ Of favours mine and by the Hell of my un-clemency,

They say ‘She is a garden-rose in very pride of bloom’; ✿ And yet no rose can ape my cheek nor branch my symmetry!

If any garden own a thing which unto me is like, ✿ What then is that he comes to crave of me and only me?”

They ceased not to laugh and play, whilst Hasan stood still a-watching them, forgetting meat and drink, till near the hour of mid-afternoon prayer, when the beauty, the chief damsel, said to her mates, “O Kings’ daughters, it waxeth late and our land is afar and we are weary of this stead. Come, therefore, let us depart to our own place.” So they all arose and donned their feather vests, and becoming birds as they were before, flew away all together, with the chief lady in their midst. Then, Hasan, despairing of their return, would have arisen and gone down into the palace but could not move or even stand; wherefore the tears ran down his cheeks and passion was sore on him and he recited these couplets:—

May God deny me boon of troth if I ✿ After your absence sweets of slumber know:

Yea; since that sev’rance never close mine eyes, ✿ Nor rest repose me since departed you!

’Twould seem as though you saw me in your sleep; ✿ Would Heaven the dreams of sleep were real-true!

Indeed I dote on sleep though needed not, ✿ For sleep may bring me that dear form to view.

Then Hasan walked on, little by little, heeding not the way he went, till he reached the foot of the stairs, whence he dragged himself to his own chamber; then he entered and shutting the door, lay sick eating not nor drinking and drowned in the sea of his solitude. He spent the night thus, weeping and bemoaning himself, till the morning, and when it morrowed he repeated these couplets:—

The birds took flight at eve and winged their way; ✿ And sinless he who died of Love’s death-blow.

I’ll keep my love-tale secret while I can ✿ But, an desire prevail, its needs must show:

Night brought me nightly vision, bright as dawn; ✿ While nights of my desire lack morning-glow.

I mourn for them[^[61]] while they heart-freest sleep ✿ And winds of love on me their plaything blow:

Free I bestow my tears, my wealth, my heart ✿ My wit, my sprite:—most gain who most bestow!

The worst of woes and banes is enmity ✿ Beautiful maidens deal us to our woe.

Favour they say’s forbidden to the fair ✿ And shedding lovers’ blood their laws allow;

That naught can love-sicks do but lavish soul, ✿ And stake in love-play life on single throw:[^[62]]

I cry in longing ardour for my love: ✿ Lover can only weep and wail Love-lowe.

When the sun rose he opened the door, went forth of the chamber and mounted to the stead where he was before: then he sat down facing the pavilion and awaited the return of the birds till nightfall; but they returned not; wherefore he wept till he fell to the ground in a fainting-fit. When he came to after his swoon, he dragged himself down the stairs to his chamber; and indeed, the darkness was come and straitened upon him was the whole world and he ceased not to weep and wail himself through the livelong night, till the day broke and the sun rained over hill and dale its rays serene. He ate not nor drank nor slept, nor was there any rest for him; but by day he was distracted and by night distressed, with sleeplessness delirious and drunken with melancholy thought and excess of love-longing. And he repeated the verses of the love-distraught poet:—

O thou who shamest sun in morning sheen ✿ The branch confounding, yet with nescience blest;

Would Heaven I wot an Time shall bring return ✿ And quench the fires which flame unmanifest,—

Bring us together in a close embrace, ✿ Thy cheek upon my cheek, thy breast abreast!

Who saith, In Love dwells sweetness? when in Love ✿ Are bitterer days than Aloë’s[^[63]] bitterest.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan the goldsmith felt love redouble upon him, he recited those lines; and, as he abode thus in the stress of his love-distraction, alone and finding none to cheer him with company, behold, there arose a dust-cloud from the desert, wherefore he ran down and hid himself knowing that the Princesses who owned the castle had returned. Before long, the troops halted and dismounted round the palace and the seven damsels alighted and entering, put off their arms and armour of war. As for the youngest, she stayed not to doff her weapons and gear, but went straight to Hasan’s chamber, where finding him not, she sought for him, till she lighted on him in one of the sleeping closets hidden, feeble and thin, with shrunken body and wasted bones and indeed his colour was changed and his eyes sunken in his face for lack of food and drink and for much weeping, by reason of his love and longing for the young lady. When she saw him in this plight, she was confounded and lost her wits; but presently she questioned him of his case and what had befallen him, saying, “Tell me what aileth thee, O my brother, that I may contrive to do away thine affliction, and I will be thy ransom!”[^[64]] Whereupon he wept with sore weeping and by way of reply he began reciting:—

Lover, when parted from the thing he loves, ✿ Has naught save weary woe and bane to bear.

Inside is sickness, outside living lowe, ✿ His first is fancy and his last despair.

When his sister heard this, she marvelled at his eloquence and loquent speech and his readiness at answering her in verse and said to him, “O my brother, when didst thou fall into this thy case and what hath betided thee, that I find thee speaking in song and shedding tears that throng? Allah upon thee, O my brother, and by the honest love which is between us, tell me what aileth thee and discover to me thy secret, nor conceal from me aught of that which hath befallen thee in our absence; for my breast is straitened and my life is troubled because of thee.” He sighed and railed tears like rain, after which he said, “I fear, O my sister, if I tell thee, that thou wilt not aid me to win my wish but wilt leave me to die wretchedly in mine anguish.” She replied, “No, by Allah, O my brother, I will not abandon thee, though it cost me my life!” So he told her all that had befallen him, and that the cause of his distress and affliction was the passion he had conceived for the young lady whom he had seen when he opened the forbidden door; and how he had not tasted meat nor drink for ten days past. Then he wept with sore weeping and recited these couplets:—

Restore my heart as ’twas within my breast, ✿ Let mine eyes sleep again, then fly fro’ me.

Deem ye the nights have had the might to change ✿ Love’s vow? Who changeth may he never be!

His sister wept for his weeping and was moved to ruth for his case and pitied his strangerhood; so she said to him, “O my brother, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I will venture being and risk existence to content thee and devise thee a device wherewith, though it cost me my dear life and all I hold dear, thou mayst get possession of her and accomplish thy desire, if such be the will of Allah Almighty. But I charge thee, O my brother, keep the matter secret from my sisterhood and discover not thy case to any one of them, lest my life be lost with thy life. An they question thee of opening the forbidden door, reply to them:—I opened it not; no, never; but I was troubled at heart for your absence and by my loneliness here and yearning for you.”[^[65]] And he answered, “Yes: this is the right rede.” So he kissed her head and his heart was comforted and his bosom broadened. He had been nigh upon death for excess of affright, for he had gone in fear of her by reason of his having opened the door; but now his life and soul returned to him. Then he sought of her somewhat of food and after serving it she left him, and went in to her sisters, weeping and mourning for him. They questioned her of her case and she told them how she was heavy at heart for her brother, because he was sick and for ten days no food had found way into his stomach. So they asked the cause of his sickness and she answered, “The reason was our severance from him and our leaving him desolate; for these days we have been absent from him were longer to him than a thousand years and scant blame to him, seeing he is a stranger, and solitary and we left him alone, with none to company with him or hearten his heart; more by token that he is but a youth and may be he called to mind his family and his mother, who is a woman in years, and bethought him that she weepeth for him all whiles of the day and watches of the night, ever mourning his loss; and we used to solace him with our society and divert him from thinking of her.” When her sisters heard these words they wept in the stress of their distress for him and said, “Wa’lláhi—’fore Allah, he is not to blame!” Then they went out to the army and dismissed it, after which they went in to Hasan and saluted him with the salam. When they saw his charms changed with yellow colour and shrunken body, they wept for very pity and sat by his side and comforted him and cheered him with converse, relating to him all they had seen by the way of wonders and rarities and what had befallen the bridegroom with the bride. They abode with him thus a whole month, tendering him and caressing him with words sweeter than syrup; but every day sickness was added to his sickness, which when they saw, they bewept him with sore weeping, and the youngest wept even more than the rest. At the end of this time, the Princesses having made up their minds to ride forth a-hunting and a-birding invited their sister to accompany them but she said, “By Allah, O my sisters, I cannot go forth with you, whilst my brother is in this plight, nor indeed till he be restored to health and there cease from him that which is with him of affliction. Rather will I sit with him and comfort him.” They thanked her for her kindness and said to her, “Allah will requite thee all thou dost with this stranger.” Then they left her with him in the palace and rode forth taking with them twenty days’ victual;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Princesses mounted and rode forth a-hunting and a-birding, after leaving in the palace their youngest sister sitting by Hasan’s side; and as soon as the damsel knew that they had covered a long distance from home, she went in to him and said, “O my brother, come, show me the place where thou sawest the maidens.” He rejoiced in her words, making sure of winning his wish, and replied, “Bismillah! On my head!” Then he essayed to rise and show her the place, but could not walk; so she took him up in her arms, holding him to her bosom between her breasts; and, opening the staircase-door, carried him to the top of the palace, and he showed her the pavilion where he had seen the girls and the basin of water, wherein they had bathed. Then she said to him, “Set forth to me, O my brother, their case and how they came.” So he described to her whatso he had seen of them and especially the girl of whom he was enamoured; but hearing these words she knew her and her cheeks paled and her case changed. Quoth he, “O my sister, what aileth thee to wax wan and be troubled?”; and quoth she, “O my brother, know thou that this young lady is the daughter of a Sovran of the Jann, of one of the most puissant of their Kings and her father had dominion over men and Jinn and wizards and cohens and tribal chiefs and guards and countries and cities and islands galore and hath immense wealth in store. Our father is a Viceroy and one of his vassals and none can avail against him, for the multitude of his many and the extent of his empire and the muchness of his monies. He hath assigned to his offspring, the daughters thou sawest, a tract of country, a whole year’s journey in length and breadth, a region girt about with a great river and a deep; and thereto none may attain, nor man nor Jann. He hath an army of women, smiters with swords and lungers with lances, five-and-twenty thousand in number, each of whom, whenas she mounteth steed and donneth battle-gear, eveneth a thousand knights of the bravest. Moreover, he hath seven daughters, who in valour and prowess equal and even excel their sisters,[^[66]] and he hath made the eldest of them, the damsel whom thou sawest,[^[67]] queen over the country aforesaid and who is the wisest of her sisters and in valour and horsemanship and craft and skill and magic excels all the folk of her dominions. The girls who companied with her are the ladies of her court and guards and grandees of her empire, and the plumed skins wherewith they fly are the handiwork of enchanters of the Jann. Now an thou wouldst get possession of this queen and wed this jewel seld-seen and enjoy her beauty and loveliness and grace, do thou pay heed to my words and keep them in thy memory. They resort to this place on the first day of every month; and thou must take seat here and watch for them; and when thou seest them coming hide thee near the pavilion sitting where thou mayst see them, without being seen of them, and beware, again beware lest thou show thyself, or we shall all lose our lives. When they doff their dress note which is the feather-suit of her whom thou lovest and take it, and it only, for this it is that carrieth her to her country, and when thou hast mastered it, thou hast mastered her. And beware lest she wile thee, saying:—O thou who hast robbed my raiment, restore it to me, because here am I in thine hands and at thy mercy! For, an thou give it her, she will kill thee and break down over us palace and pavilion and slay our sire: know, then, thy case and how thou shalt act. When her companions see that her feather-suit is stolen, they will take flight and leave her to thee, and beware lest thou show thyself to them, but wait till they have flown away and she despaireth of them: whereupon do thou go in to her and hale her by the hair of her head[^[68]] and drag her to thee; which being done, she will be at thy mercy. And I rede thee discover not to her that thou hast taken the feather-suit, but keep it with care; for, so long as thou hast it in hold, she is thy prisoner and in thy power, seeing that she cannot fly to her country save with it. And lastly carry her down to thy chamber where she will be thine.” When Hasan heard her words his heart became at ease, his trouble ceased and affliction left him; so he rose to his feet and kissing his sister’s head, went down from the terrace with her into the palace, where they slept that night. He medicined himself till morning morrowed; and when the sun rose, he sprang up and opened the staircase-door and ascending to the flat roof sat there till supper-tide when his sister brought him up somewhat of meat and drink and a change of clothes and he slept. And thus they continued doing, day by day until the end of the month. When he saw the new moon, he rejoiced and began to watch for the birds, and while he was thus, behold, up they came, like lightning. As soon as he espied them, he hid himself where he could watch them, unwatched by them, and they lighted down one and all of them, and putting off their clothes, descended into the basin. All this took place near the stead where Hasan lay concealed, and as soon as he caught sight of the girl he loved, he arose and crept under cover, little by little, towards the dresses, and Allah veiled him so that none marked his approach for they were laughing and playing with one another, till he laid hand on the dress. Now when they had made an end of their diversion, they came forth of the basin and each of them slipped on her feather-suit. But the damsel he loved sought for her plumage that she might put it on, but found it not; whereupon she shrieked and beat her cheeks and rent her raiment. Her sisterhood[^[69]] came to her and asked what ailed her, and she told them that her feather-suit was missing; wherefore they wept and shrieked and buffeted their faces: and they were confounded, wotting not the cause of this, and knew not what to do. Presently the night overtook them and they feared to abide with her lest that which had befallen her should befal them also; so they farewelled her and flying away left her alone upon the terrace-roof of the palace, by the pavilion basin.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninetieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan had carried off the girls plumery, she sought it but found it not and her sisterhood flew away leaving her alone. When they were out of sight, Hasan gave ear to her and heard her say, “O who hast taken my dress and stripped me, I beseech thee to restore it to me and cover my shame, so may Allah never make thee taste of my tribulation!” But when Hasan heard her speak thus, with speech sweeter than syrup, his love for her redoubled, passion got the mastery of his reason and he had not patience to endure from her. So springing up from his hiding-place, he rushed upon her and laying hold of her by the hair dragged her to him and carried her down to the basement of the palace and set her in his own chamber, where he threw over her a silken cloak[^[70]] and left her weeping and biting her hands. Then he shut the door upon her and going to his sister, informed her how he had made prize of his lover and carried her to his sleeping-closet, “And there,” quoth he, “she is now sitting, weeping and biting her hands.” When his Sister heard this, she rose forthright and betook herself to the chamber, where she found the captive weeping and mourning. So she kissed ground before her and saluted her with the salam and the young lady said to her, “O King’s daughter, do folk like you do such foul deed with the daughters of Kings? Thou knowest that my father is a mighty Sovran and that all the liege lords of the Jinn stand in awe of him and fear his majesty: for that there are with him magicians and sages and Cohens and Satans and Marids, such as none may cope withal, and under his hand are folk whose number none knoweth save Allah. How then doth it become you, O daughters of Kings, to harbour mortal men with you and disclose to them our case and yours? Else how should this man, a stranger, come at us?” Hasan’s sister made reply, “O King’s daughter, in very sooth this human is perfect in nobleness and purposeth thee no villainy; but he loveth thee, and women were not made save for men. Did he not love thee, he had not fallen sick for thy sake and well-nigh given up the ghost for desire of thee.” And she told her the whole tale how Hasan had seen her bathing in the basin with her attendants, and fallen in love with her, and none had pleased him but she, for the rest were all her handmaids, and none had availed to put forth a hand to her. When the Princess heard this, she despaired of deliverance and presently Hasan’s sister went forth and brought her a costly dress, wherein she robed her. Then she set before her somewhat of meat and drink and ate with her and heartened her heart and soothed her sorrows. And she ceased not to speak her fair with soft and pleasant words, saying, “Have pity on him who saw thee once and became as one slain by thy love;” and continued to console her and caress her, quoting fair says and pleasant instances. But she wept till daybreak, when her trouble subsided and she left shedding tears, knowing that she had fallen into the net and that there was no deliverance for her. Then said she to Hasan’s sister, “O King’s daughter, with this my strangerhood and severance from my country and sisterhood which Allah wrote upon my brow, patience becometh me to support what my Lord hath foreordained.” Therewith the youngest Princess assigned her a chamber in the palace, than which there was none goodlier and ceased not to sit with her and console her and solace her heart, till she was satisfied with her lot and her bosom was broadened and she laughed and there ceased from her what trouble and oppression possessed her, by reason of her separation from her people and country and sisterhood and parents. Thereupon Hasan’s sister repaired to him, and said, “Arise, go in to her in her chamber and kiss her hands and feet.[^[71]]” So he went in to her and did this and bussed her between the eyes, saying, “O Princess of fair ones and life of sprites and beholder’s delight, be easy of heart, for I took thee only that I might be thy bondsman till the Day of Doom, and this my sister will be thy servant; for I, O my lady, desire naught but to take thee to wife, after the law of Allah and the practice of His Apostle, and whenas thou wilt, I will journey with thee to my country and carry thee to Baghdad-city and abide with thee there: moreover, I will buy thee handmaidens and negro chattels; and I have a mother, of the best of women, who will do thee service. There is no goodlier land than our land; everything therein is better than elsewhere and its folk are a pleasant people and bright of face.” Now as he bespake her thus and strave to comfort her, what while she answered him not a syllable, lo! there came a knocking at the palace-gate. So Hasan went out to see who was at the door and found there the six Princesses, who had returned from hunting and birding, whereat he rejoiced and went to meet them and welcomed them. They wished him safety and health and he wished them the like; after which they dismounted and going each to her chamber doffed their soiled clothes and donned fine linen. Then they came forth and demanded the game, for they had taken a store of gazelles and wild cows, hares and lions, hyænas, and others; so their suite brought out some thereof for butchering, keeping the rest by them in the palace, and Hasan girt himself and fell to slaughtering for them in due form,[^[72]] whilst they sported and made merry, joying with great joy to see him standing amongst them hale and hearty once more. When they had made an end of slaughtering, they sat down and addressed themselves to get ready somewhat for breaking their fast, and Hasan, coming up to the eldest Princess, kissed her head and on like wise did he with the rest, one after other. Whereupon said they to him, “Indeed, thou humblest thyself to us passing measure, O our brother, and we marvel at the excess of the affection thou showest us. But Allah forfend that thou shouldst do this thing, which it behoveth us rather to do with thee, seeing thou art a man and therefor worthier than we, who are of the Jinn.[^[73]]” Thereupon his eyes brimmed with tears and he wept sore; so they said to him, “What causeth thee to weep? Indeed, thou troublest our pleasant lives with thy weeping this day. ’Twould seem thou longest after thy mother and native land. An things be so, we will equip thee and carry thee to thy home and thy friends.” He replied, “By Allah, I desire not to part from you!” Then they asked, “Which of us hath vexed thee, that thou art thus troubled?” But he was ashamed to say, “Naught troubleth me save love of the damsel,” lest they should deny and disavow him: so he was silent and would tell them nothing of his case. Then his sister came forward and said to them, “He hath caught a bird from the air and would have you help him to tame her.” Whereupon they all turned to him and cried, “We are at thy service every one of us and whatsoever thou seekest that will we do: but tell us thy tale and conceal from us naught of thy case.” So he said to his sister, “Do thou tell them, for I am ashamed before them nor can I face them with these words.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan said to his sister, “Do thou tell them my tale, for before them I stand abashed nor can I face them with these words.” So she said to them, “O my sisters, when we went away and left alone this unhappy one, the palace was straitened upon him and he feared lest some one should come in to him, for ye know that the sons of Adam are light of wits. So, he opened the door of the staircase leading to the roof, of his loneliness and trouble, and sat there, looking upon the Wady and watching the gate, in his fear lest any should come thither. One day, as he sat thus, suddenly he saw ten birds approach him, making for the palace, and they lighted down on the brink of the basin which is in the pavilion-terrace. He watched these birds and saw, amongst them, one goodlier than the rest, which pecked the others and flouted them, whilst none of them dared not put out a claw to it. Presently, they set their nails to their neck-collars and, rending their feather-suits, came forth therefrom and became damsels, each and every, like the moon on fullest night. Then they doffed their dress and plunging into the water, fell to playing with one another, whilst the chief damsel ducked the others, who dared not lay a finger on her and she was fairest of favour and most famous of form and most feateous of finery. They ceased not to be in this case till near the hour of mid-afternoon prayer, when they came forth of the basin and, donning their feather-shifts, flew away home. Thereupon he waxed distracted, with a heart afire for love of the chief damsel and repenting him that he had not stolen her plumery. Wherefore he fell sick and abode on the palace-roof expecting her return and abstaining from meat and drink and sleep, and he ceased not to be so till the new moon showed, when behold, they again made their appearance according to custom and doffing their dresses went down into the basin. So he stole the chief damsel’s feather-suit, knowing that she could not fly save therewith, hiding himself carefully lest they sight him and slay him. Then he waited till the rest had flown away, when he arose and seizing the damsel, carried her down from the terrace into the castle.” Her sisters asked, “Where is she?”; and she answered, “She is with him in such a chamber.” Quoth they, “Describe her to us, O our sister:” so quoth she, “She is fairer than the moon on the night of fullness and her face is sheenier than the sun; the dew of her lips is sweeter than honey and her shape is straighter and slenderer than the cane; one with eyes black as night and brow flower-white; a bosom jewel-bright, breasts like pomegranates twain and cheeks like apples twain, a waist with dimples overlain, a navel like a casket of ivory full of musk in grain, and legs like columns of alabastrine vein. She ravisheth all hearts with Nature-kohl’d eyne, and a waist slender-fine and hips of heaviest design and speech that heals all pain and pine: she is goodly of shape and sweet of smile, as she were the moon in fullest sheen and shine.” When the Princesses heard these praises, they turned to Hasan and said to him, “Show her to us.” So he arose with them, all love-distraught, and carrying them to the chamber wherein was the captive damsel, opened the door and entered, preceding the seven Princesses. Now when they saw her and noted her loveliness, they kissed the ground between her hands, marvelling at the fairness of her favour and the significance which showed her inner gifts, and said to her, “By Allah, O daughter of the Sovran Supreme, this is indeed a mighty matter: and haddest thou heard tell of this mortal among women thou haddest marvelled at him all thy days. Indeed, he loveth thee with passionate love; yet, O King’s daughter, he seeketh not lewdness, but desireth thee only in the way of lawful wedlock. Had we known that maids can do without men, we had impeached him from his intent, albeit he sent thee no messenger, but came to thee in person; and he telleth us he hath burnt the feather dress; else had we taken it from him.” Then one of them agreed with the Princess and becoming her deputy in the matter of the wedding contract, performed the marriage ceremony between them, whilst Hasan clapped palms with her, laying his hand in hers, and she wedded him to the damsel by consent; after which they celebrated her bridal feast, as beseemeth Kings’ daughters, and brought Hasan in to her. So he rose and rent the veil and oped the gate and pierced the forge[^[74]] and brake the seal, whereupon affection for her waxed in him and he redoubled in love and longing for her. Then, since he had gotten that which he sought, he gave himself joy and improvised these couplets:—

Thy shape’s temptation, eyes as Houri’s fain ✿ And sheddeth Beauty’s sheen[^[75]] that radiance rare:

My glance portrayed thy glorious portraiture: ✿ Rubies one-half and gems the third part were:

Musk made a fifth: a sixth was ambergris ✿ The sixth a pearl but pearl without compare.

Eve never bare a daughter evening thee ✿ Nor breathes thy like in Khuld’s[^[76]] celestial air.

An thou would torture me ’tis wont of Love ✿ And if thou pardon ’tis thy choice I swear:

Then, O world bright’ner and O end of wish! ✿ Loss of thy charms who could in patience bear?

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-second Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan went in unto the King’s daughter and did away her maidenhead, he enjoyed her with exceeding joy and affection for her waxed in him and he redoubled in love-longing for her; so he recited the lines aforesaid. Now the Princesses were standing at the door and when they heard his verses, they said to her, “O King’s daughter, hearest thou the words of this mortal? How canst thou blame us, seeing that he maketh poetry for love of thee and indeed he hath so done a thousand times.[^[77]]” When she heard this she rejoiced and was glad and felt happy and Hasan abode with her forty[^[78]] days in all solace and delight, joyance and happiest plight, whilst the damsels renewed festivities for him every day and overwhelmed him with bounty and presents and rarities; and the King’s daughter became reconciled to her sojourn amongst them and forgot her kith and kin. At the end of the forty days, Hasan saw in a dream, one night, his mother mourning for him and indeed her bones were wasted and her body had waxed shrunken and her complexion had yellowed and her favour had changed the while he was in excellent case. When she saw him in this state, she said to him, “O my son, O Hasan, how is it that thou livest thy worldly life at thine ease and forgettest me? Look at my plight since thy loss! I do not forget thee, nor will my tongue cease to name thy name till I die; and I have made thee a tomb in my house, that I may never forget thee. Would Heaven I knew[^[79]] if I shall live, O my son, to see thee by my side and if we shall ever again foregather as we were.” Thereupon Hasan awoke from sleep, weeping and wailing, the tears railed down his cheeks like rain and he became mournful and melancholy; his tears dried not nor did sleep visit him, but he had no rest, and no patience was left to him. When he arose, the Princesses came in to him and gave him good-morrow and made merry with him as was their wont; but he paid no heed to them; so they asked his wife concerning his case and she said, “I ken not.” Quoth they, “Question him of his condition.” So she went up to him and said, “What aileth thee, O my lord?” Whereupon he moaned and groaned and told her what he had seen in his dream and repeated these two couplets:—

Indeed afflicted sore are we and all distraught, ✿ Seeking for union; yet we find no way:

And Love’s calamities upon us grow      ✿ And Love though light with heaviest weight doth weigh.

His wife repeated to the Princesses what he said and they, hearing the verses, had pity on him and said to him, “In Allah’s name, do as thou wilt, for we may not hinder thee from visiting thy mother; nay, we will help thee to thy wish by what means we may. But it behoveth that thou desert us not, but visit us, though it be only once a year.” And he answered, “To hear is to obey: be your behest on my head and eyes!” Then they arose forthright and making him ready victual for the voyage, equipped the bride for him with raiment and ornaments and everything of price, such as defy description, and they bestowed on him gifts and presents which pens of ready writers lack power to set forth. Then they beat the magical kettle-drum and up came the dromedaries from all sides. They chose of them such as could carry all the gear they had prepared; amongst the rest five-and-twenty chests of gold and fifty of silver; and, mounting Hasan and his bride on others, rode with them three days, wherein they accomplished a march of three months. Then they bade them farewell and addressed themselves to return; whereupon his sister, the youngest damsel, threw herself on Hasan’s neck and wept till she fainted. When she came to herself, she repeated these two couplets:—

Ne’er dawn the severance-day on any wise ✿ That robs of sleep these heavy-lidded eyes.

From us and thee it hath fair union torn ✿ It wastes our force and makes our forms its prize.

Her verses finished she farewelled him, straitly charging him, whenas he should have come to his native land and have foregathered with his mother and set his heart at ease, to fail not of visiting her once in every six months and saying, “If aught grieve thee or thou fear aught of vexation, beat the Magian’s kettle-drum, whereupon the dromedaries shall come to thee; and do thou mount and return to us and persist not in staying away.” He swore thus to do and conjured them to go home. So they returned to the palace, mourning for their separation from him, especially the youngest, with whom no rest would stay nor would Patience her call obey, but she wept night and day. Thus it was with them; but as regards Hasan and his wife, they fared on by day and night over plain and desert site and valley and stony heights through noon-tide glare and dawn’s soft light; and Allah decreed them safety, so that they reached Bassorah-city without hindrance and made their camels kneel at the door of his house. Hasan then dismissed the dromedaries and, going up to the door to open it, heard his mother weeping and in a faint strain, from a heart worn with parting-pain and on fire with consuming bane, reciting these couplets:—

How shall he taste of sleep who lacks repose ✿ Who wakes a-night when all in slumber wone?

He ownèd wealth and family and fame ✿ Yet fared from house and home an exile lone:

Live coal beneath his[^[80]] ribs he bears for bane, ✿ And mighty longing, mightier ne’er was known:

Passion hath seized him, Passion mastered him; ✿ Yet is he constant while he maketh moan;

His case for Love proclaimed aye that he, ✿ (As prove his tears) is wretched, woe-begone.

When Hasan heard his mother weeping and wailing he wept also and knocked at the door a loud knock. Quoth she, “Who is at the door?”; and quoth he, “Open!” Whereupon she opened the door and knowing him at first sight fell down in a fainting fit; but he ceased not to tend her till she came to herself, when he embraced her and she embraced him and kissed him, whilst his wife looked on mother and son. Then he carried his goods and gear into the house, whilst his mother, for that her heart was comforted and Allah had reunited her with her son versified with these couplets:—

Fortune had ruth upon my plight ✿ Pitied my long long bane and blight;

Gave me what I would liefest sight; ✿ And set me free from all affright.

So pardon I the sin that sin ✿ nèd she in days evanisht quite;

E’en to the sin she sinned when she ✿ Bleached my hair-parting silvern white.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-third Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan with his mother then sat talking and she asked him, “How faredst thou, O my son, with the Persian?” whereto he answered, “O my mother, he was no Persian, but a Magian, who worshipped the fire, not the All-powerful Sire.” Then he told her how he dealt with him, in that he had journeyed with him to the Mountain of Clouds and sewed him up in the camel’s skin, and how the vultures had taken him up and set him down on the summit and what he had seen there of dead folk, whom the Magian had deluded and left to die on the crest after they had done his desire. And he told her how he had cast himself from the mountain-top into the sea and Allah the Most High had preserved him and brought him to the palace of the seven Princesses and how the youngest of them had taken him to brother and he had sojourned with them, till the Almighty brought the Magian to the place where he was and he slew him. Moreover, he told her of his passion for the King’s daughter and how he had made prize of her and of his seeing her[^[81]] in sleep and all else that had befallen him up to the time when Allah vouchsafed them reunion. She wondered at his story and praised the Lord who had restored him to her in health and safety. Then she arose and examined the baggage and loads and questioned him of them. So he told her what was in them, whereat she joyed with exceeding joy. Then she went up to the King’s daughter, to talk with her and bear her company; but, when her eyes fell on her, her wits were confounded at her brilliancy and she rejoiced and marvelled at her beauty and loveliness and symmetry and perfect grace: and she sat down beside her, cheering her and comforting her heart while she never ceased to repeat “Alhamdolillah, O my son, for thy return to me safe and sound!” Next morning early she went down into the market and bought mighty fine furniture and ten suits of the richest raiment in the city, and clad the young wife and adorned her with everything seemly. Then said she to Hasan, “O my son, we cannot tarry in this town with all this wealth; for thou knowest that we are poor folk and the people will suspect us of practising alchemy. So come, let us depart to Baghdad, the House[^[82]] of Peace, where we may dwell in the Caliph’s Sanctuary, and thou shalt sit in a shop to buy and sell, in the fear of Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) and He shall open to thee the door of blessings with this wealth.” Hasan approved her counsel and going forth straightway, sold the house and summoned the dromedaries, which he loaded with all his goods and gear, together with his mother and wife. Then he went down to the Tigris, where he hired him a craft to carry them to Baghdad and embarked therein all his possessions and his mother and wife. They sailed up the river with a fair wind for ten days till they drew in sight of Baghdad, at which they all rejoiced, and the ship landed them in the city, where without stay or delay Hasan hired a storehouse in one of the caravanserais and transported his goods thither. He lodged that night in the Khan and on the morrow, he changed his clothes and going down into the city, enquired for a broker. The folk directed him to one, and when the broker saw him, he asked him what he lacked. Quoth he, “I want a house, a handsome one and a spacious.” So the broker showed him the houses at his disposal and he chose one that belonged to one of the Wazirs and buying it of him for an hundred thousand golden dinars, gave him the price. Then he returned to his caravanserai and removed all his goods and monies to the house; after which he went down to the market and bought all the mansion needed of vessels and carpets and other household stuff, besides servants and eunuchs, including a little black boy for the house. He abode with his wife in all solace and delight of life three years, during which time he was vouchsafed by her two sons, one of whom he named Násir and the other Mansúr: but, at the end of this time he bethought him of his sisters, the Princesses, and called to mind all their goodness to him and how they had helped him to his desire. So he longed after them and going out to the market-streets of the city, bought trinkets and costly stuffs and fruit-confections, such as they had never seen or known. His mother asked him the reason of his buying these rarities and he answered, “I purpose to visit my sisters, who showed me every kind of kindness, and all the wealth that I at present enjoy is due to their goodness and munificence: wherefore I will journey to them and return soon, Inshallah!” Quoth she, “O my son, be not long absent from me;” and quoth he, “Know, O my mother, how thou shalt do with my wife. Here is her feather-dress in a chest, buried under ground in such a place; do thou watch over it, lest haply she hap on it and take it, for she would fly away, she and her children, and I should never hear of them again and should die of grieving for them; wherefore take heed, O my mother, while I warn thee that thou name this not to her. Thou must know that she is the daughter of a King of the Jinn, than whom there is not a greater among the Sovrans of the Jann nor a richer in troops and treasure, and she is mistress of her people and dearest to her father of all he hath. Moreover, she is passing high-spirited, so do thou serve her thyself and suffer her not to go forth the door neither look out of window nor over the wall, for I fear the air for her when it bloweth,[^[83]] and if aught befel her of the calamities of this world, I should slay myself for her sake.” She replied, “O my son, I take refuge with Allah[^[84]] from gainsaying thee! Am I mad that thou shouldst lay this charge on me and I disobey thee therein? Depart, O my son, with heart at ease, and please Allah, soon thou shalt return in safety and see her and she shall tell thee how I have dealt with her: but tarry not, O my son, beyond the time of travel.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-fourth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan had determined to visit the Princesses, he gave his mother the orders we have mentioned.[^[85]] Now, as Fate would have it, his wife heard what he said to his mother and neither of them knew it. Then Hasan went without the city and beat the kettle-drum, whereupon up came the dromedaries and he loaded twenty of them with rarities of Al-Irak; after which he returned to his mother and repeated his charge to her and took leave of her and his wife and children, one of whom was a yearling babe and the other two years old. Then he mounted and fared on, without stopping night or day, over hills and valleys and plains and wastes for a term of ten days till, on the eleventh, he reached the palace and went in to his sisters, with the gifts he had brought them. The Princesses rejoiced at his sight and gave him joy of his safety, whilst his sister decorated the palace within and without. Then they took the presents and, lodging him in a chamber as before, asked him of his mother and his wife, and he told them that she had borne him two sons. And the youngest Princess, seeing him well and in good case, joyed with exceeding joy and repeated this couplet:—

I ever ask for news of you from whatso breezes pass ✿ And never any but yourselves can pass across my mind.

Then he abode with them in all honour and hospitality, for three months, spending his time in feasting and merrymaking, joy and delight, hunting and sporting. So fared it with him; but as regards his wife, she abode with his mother two days after her husband’s departure, and on the third day, she said to her, “Glory be to God! Have I lived with him three years and shall I never go to the bath?” Then she wept and Hasan’s mother had pity on her condition and said to her, “O my daughter, here we are strangers and thy husband is abroad. Were he at home, he would serve thee himself, but, as for me, I know no one. However, O my daughter, I will heat thee water and wash thy head in the Hammam-bath which is in the house.” Answered the King’s daughter, “O my lady, hadst thou spoken thus to one of the slave-girls, she had demanded to be sold in the Sultan’s open market and had not abode with thee.[^[86]] Men are excusable, because they are jealous and their reason telleth them that, if a woman go forth the house, haply she will do frowardness. But women, O my lady, are not all equal and alike and thou knowest that, if woman have a mind to aught, whether it be the Hammam or what not else, none hath power over her to guard her or keep her chaste or debar her from her desire; for she will do whatso she willeth and naught restraineth her but her reason and her religion.[^[87]]” Then she wept and cursed fate and bemoaned herself and her strangerhood, till Hasan’s mother was moved to ruth for her case and knew that all she said was but truth and that there was nothing for it but to let her have her way. So she committed the affair to Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) and making ready all that they needed for the bath, took her and went with her to the Hammam. She carried her two little sons with her, and when they entered, they put off their clothes and all the women fell to gazing on the Princess and glorifying God (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) for that He had created so fair a form. The women of the city, even those who were passing by, flocked to gaze upon her, and the report of her was noised abroad in Baghdad till the bath was crowded that there was no passing through it. Now it chanced there was present on that day and on that rare occasion with the rest of the women in the Hammam, one of the slave-girls of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, by name Tohfah[^[88]] the Lutanist, and she, finding the Hammam over crowded and no passing for the throng of women and girls, asked what was to do; and they told her of the young lady. So she walked up to her and, considering her closely, was amazed at her grace and loveliness and glorified God (magnified be His majesty!) for the fair forms He hath created. The sight hindered her from her bath, so that she went not farther in nor washed, but sat staring at the Princess, till she had made an end of bathing and coming forth of the caldarium donned her raiment, whereupon beauty was added to her beauty. She sat down on the divan,[^[89]] whilst the women gazed upon her; then she looked at them and veiling Herself, went out. Tohfah went out with her and followed her, till she saw where she dwelt, when she left her and returned to the Caliph’s palace; and ceased not wending till she went in to the Lady Zubaydah and kissed ground between her hands; whereupon quoth her mistress, “O Tohfah, why hast thou tarried in the Hammam?” She replied, “O my lady, I have seen a marvel, never saw I its like amongst men or women, and this it was that distracted me and dazed my wit and amazed me, so that I forgot even to wash my head.” Asked Zubaydah, “And what was that?”; and Tohfah answered, “O my lady, I saw a damsel in the bath, having with her two little boys like moons, eye never espied her like, nor before her nor after her, neither is there the fellow of her form in the whole world nor her peer amongst Ajams or Turks or Arabs. By the munificence, O my lady, an thou toldest the Commander of the Faithful of her, he would slay her husband and take her from him, for her like is not to be found among women. I asked of her mate and they told me that he is a merchant Hasan of Bassorah hight. Moreover, I followed her from the bath to her own house and found it to be that of the Wazir, with the two gates, one opening on the river and the other on the land.[^[90]] Indeed, O my lady, I fear lest the Prince of True Believers hear of her and break the law and slay her husband and take love-liesse with her.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Tohfah, after seeing the King’s daughter, described her beauty to the Lady Zubaydah ending with, “Indeed, O my mistress, I fear lest the Prince of True Believers hear of her and break the law and slay her mate and take her to wife,” Zubaydah cried, “Woe to thee, O Tohfah, say me, doth this damsel display such passing beauty and loveliness that the Commander of the Faithful should, on her account, barter his soul’s good for his worldly lust and break the Holy Law! By Allah, needs must I look on her, and if she be not as thou sayest, I will bid strike off thy head! O strumpet, there are in the Caliph’s Serraglio three hundred and three score slave girls, after the number of the days of the year, yet is there none amongst them so excellent as thou describest!” Tohfah replied, “No, by Allah, O my lady!: nor is there her like in all Baghdad; no, nor amongst the Arabs or the Daylamites nor hath Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!) created the like of her!” Thereupon Zubaydah called for Masrur, the eunuch, who came and kissed the ground before her, and she said to him, “O Masrur, go to the Wazir’s house, that with the two gates, one giving on the water and the other on the land, and bring me the damsel who dwelleth there, also her two children and the old woman who is with her, and haste thou and tarry not.” Said Masrur, “I hear and I obey,” and repairing to Hasan’s house, knocked at the door. Quoth the old woman, “Who is at the door?” and quoth he, “Masrur, the eunuch of the Commander of the Faithful.” So she opened the door and he entered and saluted her with the salam; whereupon she returned his salute and asked his need; and he replied, “The Lady Zubaydah, daughter of Al-Kasim[^[91]] and queen-spouse of the Commander of the Faithful Harun al-Rashid sixth[^[92]] of the sons of Al-Abbas, paternal uncle of the Prophet (whom Allah bless and keep!) summoneth thee to her, thee and thy son’s wife and her children; for the women have told her anent her and her beauty.” Rejoined the old woman, “O my lord Masrur, we are foreigner folk and the girl’s husband (my son) who is abroad and far from home hath strictly charged me not to go forth nor let her go forth in his absence, neither show her to any of the creatures of Allah Almighty; and I fear me, if aught befal her and he come back, he will slay himself; wherefore of thy favour I beseech thee, O Masrur, require us not of that whereof we are unable.” Masrur retorted, “O my lady, if I knew aught to be feared for you in this, I would not require you to go; the Lady Zubaydah desireth but to see her and then she may return. So disobey not or thou wilt repent; and like as I take you, I will bring you both back in safety, Inshallah!” Hasan’s mother could not gainsay him; so she went in and making the damsel ready, brought her and her children forth and they all followed Masrur to the palace of the Caliphate where he carried them in and seated them on the floor before the Lady Zubaydah. They kissed ground before her and called down blessings upon her; and Zubaydah said to the young lady (who was veiled), “Wilt thou not uncover thy face, that I may look on it?” So she kissed the ground between her hands and discovered a face which put to shame the full moon in the height of heaven. Zubaydah fixed her eyes on her and let their glances wander over her, whilst the palace was illumined by the light of her countenance; whereupon the Queen and the whole company were amazed at her beauty and all who looked on her became Jinn-mad and unable to bespeak one another. As for Zubaydah, she rose and making the damsel stand up, strained her to her bosom and seated her by herself on the couch. Moreover, she bade decorate the palace in her honour and calling for a suit of the richest raiment and a necklace of the rarest ornaments put them upon her. Then said she to her, “O liege lady of fair ones, verily thou astoundest me and fillest mine eyes.[^[93]] What arts knowest thou?” She replied, “O my lady, I have a dress of feathers, and could I but put it on before thee, thou wouldst see one of the fairest of fashions and marvel thereat, and all who saw it would talk of its goodliness, generation after generation.” Zubaydah asked, “And where is this dress of thine?”; and the damsel answered, “’Tis with my husband’s mother. Do thou seek it for me of her.” So Zubaydah said to the old woman, “O my lady the pilgrimess, O my mother, go forth and fetch us her feather-dress, that we may solace ourselves by looking on what she will do, and after take it back again.” Replied the old woman, “O my lady, this damsel is a liar. Hast thou ever seen any of womankind with a dress of feathers? Indeed, this belongeth only to birds.” But the damsel said to the Lady Zubaydah, “As thou livest, O my lady, she hath a feather-dress of mine and it is in a chest, which is buried in such a store-closet in the house.” So Zubaydah took off her neck a rivière of jewels, worth all the treasures of Chosroe and Cæsar, and gave it to the old woman, saying, “O my mother, I conjure thee by my life, take this necklace and go and fetch us this dress, that we may divert ourselves with the sight thereof, and after take it again!” But she sware to her that she had never seen any such dress and wist not what the damsel meant by her speech. Then the Lady Zubaydah cried out at her and taking the key from her, called Masrur and said to him as soon as he came, “Take this key and go to the house; then open it and enter a store-closet there whose door is such and such and amiddlemost of it thou wilt find a chest buried. Take it out and break it open and bring me the feather-dress which is therein and set it before me.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-sixth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Lady Zubaydah, having taken the key from Hasan’s mother, handed it to Masrur, saying, “Take this key and open such a closet; then bring forth of it the chest; break it open; bring me the feather-dress which is therein and set it before me.” “Hearkening and obedience,” replied he and taking the key went forth, whereupon the old woman arose and followed him, weeping-eyed and repenting her of having given ear to the damsel and gone with her to the bath, for her desire to go thither was but a device. So she went with him to the house and opened the door of the closet, and he entered and brought out the chest. Then he took therefrom the feather-dress and wrapping it in a napkin, carried it to the Lady Zubaydah, who took it and turned it about, marvelling at the beauty of its make; after which she gave it to the damsel, saying, “Is this thy dress of feathers?” She replied, “Yes, O my lady,” and at once putting forth her hand, took it joyfully. Then she examined it and rejoiced to find it whole as it was, not a feather gone. So she rose and came down from beside the Lady Zubaydah and taking her sons in her bosom, wrapped herself in the feather-dress and became a bird, by the ordinance of Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty!), whereat Zubaydah marvelled as did all who were present. Then she walked with a swaying and graceful gait and danced and sported and flapped her wings, whilst all eyes were fixed on her and all marvelled at what she did. Then said she with fluent tongue, “Is this goodly, O my ladies?”; and they replied, “Yes, O Princess of the fair! All thou dost is goodly.” Said she, “And this, O my mistresses, that I am about to do is better yet.” Then she spread her wings and flying up with her children to the dome of the palace, perched on the saloon-roof whilst they all looked at her, wide-eyed and said, “By Allah, this is indeed a rare and peregrine fashion! Never saw we its like.” Then, as she was about to take flight for her own land, she bethought her of Hasan and said, “Hark ye, my mistresses!” and she improvised these couplets[^[94]]:—

O who hast quitted these abodes and faredst lief and light ✿ To other objects of thy love with fain and fastest flight!

Deem’st thou that ’bided I with you in solace and in joy ✿ Or that my days amid you all were clear of bane and blight?

When I was captive ta’en of Love and snarèd in his snare, ✿ He made of Love my prison and he fared fro’ me forthright:

So when my fear was hidden, he made sure that ne’er should I ✿ Pray to the One, th’ Omnipotent to render me my right:

He charged his mother keep the secret with all the care she could, ✿ In closet shut and treated me with enemy’s despight:

But I o’erheard their words and held them fast in memory ✿ And hoped for fortune fair and weal and blessings infinite:

My faring to the Hammam bath then proved to me the means ✿ Of making minds of folk to be confounded at my sight:

Wondered the Bride of Al-Rashíd to see my brilliancy ✿ When she beheld me right and left with all of beauty dight:

Then quoth I, “O our Caliph’s wife, I once was wont to own ✿ A dress of feathers rich and rare that did the eyes delight:

An it were now on me thou shouldst indeed see wondrous things ✿ That would efface all sorrows and disperse all sores of sprite:”

Then deigned our Caliph’s Bride to cry, “Where is that dress of thine?” ✿ And I replied, “In house of him kept darkling as the night.”

So down upon it pounced Masrúr and brought it unto her, ✿ And when ’twas there each feather cast a ray of beaming light:

Therewith I took it from his hand and opened it straightway ✿ And saw its plumèd bosom and its buttons pleased my sight:

And so I clad myself therein and took with me my babes; ✿ And spread my wings and flew away with all my main and might;

Saying, “O husband’s mother mine tell him when cometh he ✿ An ever wouldest meet her thou from house and home must flee.”

When she had made an end of her verses, the Lady Zubaydah said to her, “Wilt thou not come down to us, that we may take our fill of thy beauty, O fairest of the fair? Glory be to Him who hath given thee eloquence and brilliance!” But she said, “Far be from me that the Past return should see!” Then said she to the mother of the hapless, wretched Hasan, “By Allah, O my lady, O mother of my husband, it irketh me to part from thee; but, whenas thy son cometh to thee and upon him the nights of severance longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see and whenas breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully, let him come in the islands of Wák[^[95]] to me.” Then she took flight with her children and sought her own country, whilst the old woman wept and beat her face and moaned and groaned till she swooned away. When she came to herself, she said to the Lady Zubaydah, “O my lady, what is this thou hast done?” And Zubaydah said to her, “O my lady the pilgrimess, I knew not that this would happen and hadst thou told me of the case and acquainted me with her condition, I had not gainsaid thee. Nor did I know until now that she was of the Flying Jinn; else had I not suffered her to don the dress nor permitted her to take her children: but now, O my lady, words profit nothing; so do thou acquit me of offence against thee.” And the old woman could do no otherwise than shortly answer, “Thou art acquitted!” Then she went forth the palace of the Caliphate and returned to her own house, where she buffeted her face till she swooned away. When she came to herself, she pined for her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren and for the sight of her son and versified with these couplets:—

Your faring on the parting-day drew many a tear fro’ me, ✿ Who must your flying from the home long mourn in misery:

And cried I for the parting pang in anguish likest fire ✿ And tear-floods chafed mine eyelids sore that ne’er of tears were free;

“Yes, this is Severance, Ah, shall we e’er joy return of you? ✿ For your departure hath deprived my power of privacy!”

Ah, would they had returned to me in covenant of faith ✿ An they return perhaps restore of past these eyne may see.

Then arising she dug in the house three graves and betook herself to them with weeping all whiles of the day and watches of the night; and when her son’s absence was longsome upon her and grief and yearning and unquiet waxed upon her, she recited these couplets:—

Deep in mine eyeballs ever dwells the phantom-form of thee ✿ My heart when throbbing or at rest holds fast thy memory:

And love of thee doth never cease to course within my breast, ✿ As course the juices in the fruits which deck the branchy tree:

And every day I see thee not my bosom straightened is ✿ And even censurers excuse the woes in me they see:

O thou whose love hath gotten hold the foremost in the heart ✿ Of me whose fondness is excelled by mine insanity:

Fear the Compassionate in my case and some compassion show! ✿ Love of thee makes me taste of death in bitterest pungency.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan’s mother bewept through the watches of the night and the whiles of the day her separation from her son and his wife and children. On this wise it fared with her; but as regards Hasan, when he came to the Princesses, they conjured him to tarry with them three months, after which long sojourn they gave him five loads of gold and the like of silver and one load of victual and accompanied him on his homeward way till he conjured them to return, whereupon they farewelled him with an embrace; but the youngest came up to him, to bid him adieu and clasping his neck wept till she fainted. Then she recited these two couplets:—

When shall the severance-fire be quenched by union, love, with you? ✿ When shall I win my wish of you and days that were renew?

The parting-day affrighted me and wrought me dire dismay ✿ And doubleth woe, O master mine, by the sad word “Adieu.”

Anon came forward the second Princess and embraced him and recited these two couplets:—

Farewelling thee indeed is like to bidding life farewell ✿ And like the loss of Zephyr[^[96]] ’tis to lose thee far our sight:

Thine absence is a flaming fire which burneth up my heart ✿ And in thy presence I enjoy the Gardens of Delight.[^[97]]

Presently came forward the third and embraced him and recited these two couplets:—

We left not taking leave of thee (when bound to other goal) ✿ From aught of ill intention or from weariness and dole:

Thou art my soul, my very soul, the only soul of me: ✿ And how shall I farewell myself and say, “Adieu my Soul?”[^[98]]

After her came forward the fourth and embraced him and recited these two couplets:—

Nought garred me weep save where and when of severance spake he ✿ Persisting in his cruel will with sore persistency:

Look at this pearl-like ornament I’ve hung upon mine ear; ✿ ’Tis of the tears of me compact, this choicest jewelry!

In her turn came forward the fifth and embraced him and recited these two couplets:—

Ah, fare thee not; for I’ve no force thy faring to endure, ✿ Nor e’en to say the word farewell before my friend is sped:

Nor any patience to support the days of severance, ✿ Nor any tears on ruined house and wasted home to shed.

Next came the sixth and embraced him and recited these two couplets:—

I cried, as the camels went off with them, ✿ And Love pained my vitals with sorest pain:

Had I a King who would lend me rule ✿ I’d seize every ship that dares sail the Main.

Lastly came forward the seventh and embraced him and recited these couplets:—

When thou seest parting, be patient still, [Symbol: star] Nor let foreign parts deal thy soul affright:

But abide, expecting a swift return, [Symbol: star] For all hearts hold parting in sore despight.

And eke these two couplets:—

Indeed I’m heart-broken to see thee start, ✿ Nor can I farewell thee ere thou depart;

Allah wotteth I left not to say adieu ✿ Save for fear that saying would melt your heart.

Hasan also wept for parting from them, till he swooned, and repeated these couplets:—

Indeed, ran my tears on the severance-day ✿ Like pearls I threaded in necklace-way:

The cameleer drove his camels with song ✿ But I lost heart, patience and strength and stay:

I bade them farewell and retired in grief ✿ From tryst-place and camp where my dearlings lay:

I turned me unknowing the way nor joyed ✿ My soul, but in hopes to return some day.

Oh listen, my friend, to the words of love ✿ God forbid thy heart forget all I say!

O my soul when thou partest wi’ them, part too ✿ With all joys of life nor for living pray!

Then he farewelled them and fared on diligently night and day, till he came to Baghdad, the House of Peace and Sanctuary of the Abbaside Caliphs unknowing what had passed during his wayfare. At once entering his house he went in to his mother to salute her, but found her worn of body and wasted of bones, for excess of mourning and watching, weeping and wailing, till she was grown thin as a toothpick and could not answer him a word. So he dismissed the dromedaries then asked her of his wife and children and she wept till she fainted, and he seeing her in this state searched the house for them, but found no trace of them. Then he went to the store-closet and finding it open and the chest broken and the feather-dress missing, knew forthright that his wife had possessed herself thereof and flown away with her children. Then he returned to his mother and, finding her recovered from her fit, questioned her of his spouse and babes, whereupon she wept and said, “O my son, may Allah amply requite thee their loss! These are their three tombs.”[^[99]] When Hasan heard these words of his mother, he shrieked a loud shriek and fell down in a fainting-fit in which he lay from the first of the day till noon-tide; whereupon anguish was added to his mother’s anguish and she despaired of his life. However, after awhile, he came to himself and wept and buffeted his face and rent his raiment and went about the house clean distraught, reciting these two couplets[^[100]]:—

Folk have made moan of passion before me, of past years, ✿ And live and dead for absence have suffered pains and fears;

But that within my bosom I harbour, with mine eyes ✿ I’ve never seen the like of nor heard with mine ears.

Then finishing his verses he bared his brand and coming up to his mother, said to her, “Except thou tell me the truth of the case, I will strike off thy head and kill myself.” She replied, “O my son, do not such deed: put up thy sword and sit down, till I tell thee what hath passed.” So he sheathed his scymitar and sat by her side, whilst she recounted to him all that had happened in his absence from first to last, adding, “O my son, but that I saw her weep in her longing for the bath and feared that she would go and complain to thee on thy return, and thou wouldst be wroth with me, I had never carried her thither; and were it not that the Lady Zubaydah was wroth with me and took the key from me by force, I had never brought out the feather-dress, though I died for it. But thou knowest, O my son, that no hand may measure length with that of the Caliphate. When they brought her the dress, she took it and turned it over, fancying that somewhat might be lost thereof, but she found it uninjured; wherefore she rejoiced and making her children fast to her waist, donned the feather-vest, after the Lady Zubaydah had pulled off to her all that was upon herself and clad her therein, in honour of her and because of her beauty. No sooner had she donned the dress than she shook and becoming a bird, promenaded about the palace, whilst all who were present gazed at her and marvelled at her beauty and loveliness. Then she flew up to the palace roof and perching thereon, looked at me and said:—Whenas thy son cometh to thee and the nights of separation upon him longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see and whenas the breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully let him leave his native land and journey to the Islands of Wak and seek me. This, then, is her story and what befel in thine absence.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as Hasan’s mother had made an end of her story, he gave a great cry and fell down in a fainting fit which continued till the end of day, when he revived and fell to buffeting his face and writhing on the floor like a scotched snake. His mother sat weeping by his head until midnight, when he came to himself and wept sore and recited these couplets[^[101]]:—

Pause ye and see his sorry state since when ye fain withdrew; ✿ Haply, when wrought your cruelty, you’ll have the grace to rue:

For an ye look on him, you’ll doubt of him by sickness-stress ✿ As though, by Allah, he were one before ye never knew.

He dies for nothing save for love of you, and he would be ✿ Numbered amid the dead did not he moan and groan for you.

And deem not pangs of severance sit all lightly on his soul; ✿ ’Tis heavy load on lover-wight; ’twere lighter an ye slew.

Then having ended his verse he rose and went round about the house, weeping and wailing, groaning and bemoaning himself, five days, during which he tasted nor meat nor drink. His mother came to him and conjured him, till he broke his fast, and besought him to leave weeping; but he hearkened not to her and continued to shed tears and lament, whilst she strove to comfort him and he heeded her not. Then he recited these couplets[^[102]]:—

Beareth for love a burden sore this soul of me, ✿ Could break a mortal’s back however strong that be;

I am distraught to see my case and languor grows ✿ Making my day and night indifferent in degree:

I own to having dreaded Death before this day: ✿ This day I hold my death mine only remedy.

And Hasan ceased not to do thus till daybreak, when his eyes closed and he saw in a dream his wife grief-full and repentant for that which she had done. So he started up from sleep crying out and reciting these two couplets:—

Their image bides with me, ne’er quits me, ne’er shall fly; ✿ but holds within my heart most honourable stead;

But for reunion-hope, I’d see me die forthright, ✿ And but for phantom-form of thee my sleep had fled.

And as morning morrowed he redoubled his lamentations. He abode weeping-eyed and heavy-hearted, wakeful by night and eating little, for a whole month at the end of which he bethought him to repair to his sisters and take counsel with them in the matter of his wife, so haply they might help him to regain her. Accordingly he summoned the dromedaries and loading fifty of them with rarities of Al-Irak, committed the house to his mother’s care and deposited all his goods in safe keeping, except some few he left at home. Then he mounted one of the beasts and set out on his journey single handed, intent upon obtaining aidance from the Princesses, and he stayed not till he reached the Palace of the Mountain of Clouds, when he went in to the damsels and gave them the presents, in which they rejoiced. Then they wished him joy of his safety and said to him, “O our brother, what can ail thee to come again so soon, seeing thou wast with us but two months since?” Whereupon he wept and improvised these couplets:—

My soul for loss of lover sped I sight; ✿ Nor life enjoying neither life’s delight:

My case is one whose cure is all unknown; ✿ Can any cure the sick but doctor wight?

O who hast reft my sleep-joys, leaving me ✿ To ask the breeze that blew from that fair site,—

Blew from my lover’s land (the land that owns ✿ Those charms so sore a grief in soul excite),

“O breeze, that visitest her land, perhaps ✿ Breathing her scent, thou mayst revive my sprite!”

And when he ended his verse he gave a great cry and fell down in a fainting-fit. The Princesses sat round him, weeping over him, till he recovered and repeated these two couplets:—

Haply and happily may Fortune bend her rein ✿ Bringing my love, for Time’s a freke of jealous strain;[^[103]]

Fortune may prosper me, supply mine every want, ✿ And bring a blessing where before were ban and bane.

Then he wept till he fainted again, and presently coming to himself recited the two following couplets:—

My wish, mine illness, mine unease! by Allah, own ✿ Art thou content? then I in love contented wone!

Dost thou forsake me thus sans crime or sin ✿ Meet me in ruth, I pray, and be our parting gone.

Then he wept till he swooned away once more and when he revived he repeated these couplets:—

Sleep fled me, by my side wake ever shows ✿ And hoard of tear-drops from these eyne aye flows;

For love they weep with beads cornelian-like ✿ And growth of distance greater dolence grows:

Lit up my longing, O my love, in me ✿ Flames burning ’neath my ribs with fiery throes!

Remembering thee a tear I never shed ✿ But in it thunder roars and leven glows.

Then he wept till he fainted away a fourth time, and presently recovering, recited these couplets:—

Ah! for lowe of love and longing suffer ye as suffer we? ✿ Say, as pine we and as yearn we for you are pining ye?

Allah do the death of Love, what a bitter draught is his! ✿ Would I wot of Love what plans and what projects nurseth he!

Your faces radiant-fair though afar from me they shine, ✿ Are mirrored in our eyes whatsoe’er the distance be;

My heart must ever dwell on the memories of your tribe; ✿ And the turtledove reneweth all as oft as moaneth she:

Ho thou dove, who passest night-tide in calling on thy fere, ✿ Thou doublest my repine, bringing grief for company;

And leavest thou mine eyelids with weeping unfulfilled ✿ For the dearlings who departed, whom we never more may see:

I melt for the thought of you at every time and hour, ✿ And I long for you when Night showeth cheek of blackest blee.

Now when his sister heard these words and saw his condition and how he lay fainting on the floor, she screamed and beat her face and the other Princesses hearing her scream came out and learning his misfortune and the transport of love and longing and the passion and distraction that possessed him they questioned him of his case. He wept and told them what had befallen in his absence and how his wife had taken flight with her children, wherefore they grieved for him and asked him what she said at leave-taking. Answered he, “O my sisters, she said to my mother, Tell thy son, whenas he cometh to thee and the nights of severance upon him longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see, and whenas the winds of love and longing shake him dolefully, let him fare in the Islands of Wak to me.” When they heard his words they signed one to other with their eyes and shook their heads, and each looked at her sister, whilst Hasan looked at them all. Then they bowed their heads groundwards and bethought themselves awhile; after which they raised their heads and said, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!”; presently adding, “Put forth thy hand to heaven and when thou reach thither, then shalt thou win to thy wife.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Princesses said to Hasan, “Put forth thy hand to Heaven and when thou reach thither, then shalt thou win to wife and children,” thereat the tears ran down his cheeks like rain and wet his clothes, and he recited these couplets:—

Pink cheeks and eyes enpupil’d black have dealt me sore despight; ✿ And whenas wake overpowered sleep my patience fled in fright:

The fair and sleek-limbed maidens hard of heart withal laid waste ✿ My very bones till not a breath is left for man to sight:

Houris, who fare with gait of grace as roes o’er sandy-mound: ✿ Did Allah’s saints behold their charms they’d doat thereon forthright;

Faring as fares the garden breeze that bloweth in the dawn, ✿ For love of them a sore unrest and troubles rack my sprite:

I hung my hopes upon a maid, a loveling fair of them, ✿ For whom my heart still burns with lowe in Lazá-hell they light;—

A dearling soft of sides and haught and graceful in her gait, ✿ Her grace is white as morning, but her hair is black as night: