Supplemental Nights, Volume 3

R >> Richard F. Burton >> Supplemental Nights, Volume 3

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-third Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that when the Maghrabi saw the love lavisht upon him by the
Lady Badr al-Budur, and noted her change from the sorrowful,
melancholy woman she was wont to be, he thought that she had cut
off her hope of Alaeddin and he joyed exceedingly and said to
her, "I hear and obey, O my lady, whatso thou wishest and all
thou biddest. I have at home a jar of our country wine, which I
have carefully kept and stored deep in earth for a space of eight
years; and I will now fare and fill from it our need and will
return to thee in all haste." But the Princess, that she might
wheedle him the more and yet more, replied "O my darling, go not
thou, leaving me alone, but send one of the eunuchs to fill for
us thereof and do thou remain sitting beside me, that I may find
in thee my consolation." He rejoined, "O my lady, none wotteth
where the jar be buried save myself nor will I tarry from thee."
So saying, the Moorman went out and after a short time he brought
back as much wine as they wanted whereupon Quoth the Princess to
him, "Thou hast been at pains and trouble to serve me and I have
suffered for thy sake, O my beloved." Quoth he, "On no wise, O
eyes of me; I hold myself enhonoured by thy service." Then the
Lady Badr al-Budur sat with him at table, and the twain fell to
eating and presently the Princess expressed a wish to drink, when
the handmaid filled her a cup forthright and then crowned another
for the Maroccan. So she drank to his long life and his secret
wishes and he also drank to her life; then the Princess, who was
unique in eloquence and delicacy of speech, fell to making a cup
companion of him and beguiled him by addressing him in the
sweetest terms full of hidden meaning. This was done only that he
might become more madly enamoured of her, but the Maghrabi
thought that it resulted from her true inclination for him; nor
knew that it was a snare set up to slay him. So his longing for
her increased, and he was dying of love for her when he saw her
address him in such tenderness of words and thoughts, and his
head began to swim and all the world seemed as nothing in his
eyes. But when they came to the last of the supper and the wine
had mastered his brains and the Princess saw this in him, she
said, "With us there be a custom throughout our country, but I
know not an it be the usage of yours or not." The Moorman
replied, "And what may that be?" So she said to him, "At the end
of supper each lover in turn taketh the cup of the beloved and
drinketh it off;" and at once she crowned one with wine and bade
the handmaid carry to him her cup wherein the drink was blended
with the Bhang. Now she had taught the slave-girl what to do and
all the handmaids and eunuchs in the pavilion longed for the
Sorcerer's slaughter and in that matter were one with the
Princess. Accordingly the damsel handed him the cup and he, when
he heard her words and saw her drinking from his cup and passing
hers to him noted all that show of love, fancied himself
Iskander, Lord of the Two Horns. Then said she to him, the while
swaying gracefully to either side and putting her hand within his
hand, "O my life, here is thy cup with me and my cup with thee,
and on this wise [FN#206] do lovers drink from each other's
cups." Then she bussed the brim and drained it to the dregs and
again she kissed its lip and offered it to him. Thereat he hew
for joy and meaning to do the like, raised her cup to his mouth
and drank off the whole contents, without considering whether
there was therein aught harmful or not. And forthright he rolled
upon his back in deathlike condition and the cup dropped from his
grasp, whereupon the Lady Badr al-Budur and the slave-girls ran
hurriedly and opened the pavilion door to their lord Alaeddin
who, disguised as a Fellah, entered therein.--And Shahrazad was
surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin entering his pavilion, went up to the
apartment of his wife, whom he found still sitting at table; and
facing her lay the Maghrabi as one slaughtered; so he at once
drew near to her and kissed her and thanked her for this. Then
rejoicing with joy exceeding he turned to her and said "Do thou
with thy handmaids betake thyself to the inner-rooms and leave me
alone for the present that I may take counsel touching mine
affair." The Princess hesitated not but went away at once, she
and her women; then Alaeddin arose and after locking the door
upon them, walked up to the Moorman and put forth his hand to his
breast-pocket and thence drew the Lamp; after which he unsheathed
his sword and slew the villain.[FN#207] Presently he rubbed the
Lamp and the Marid-slave appeared and said, "Adsum, O my lord,
what is it thou wantest?" "I desire of thee," said Alaeddin,
"that thou take up my pavilion from this country and transport it
to the land of China and there set it down upon the site where it
was whilome, fronting the palace of the Sultan." The Marid
replied, "Hearing and obeying, O my lord.' The Alaeddin went and
sat down with his wife and throwing his arms round her neck
kissed her and she kissed him, and they sat in converse, what
while the Jinni transported the pavilion and all therein to the
place appointed. Presently Alaeddin bade the handmaids spread the
table before him and he and the Lady Badr al-Budur took seat
thereat and fell to eating and drinking, in all joy and gladness,
till they had their sufficiency when, removing to the chamber of
wine and cup-converse, they sat there and caroused in fair
companionship and each kissed other with all love-liesse. The
time had been long and longsome since they enjoyed aught of
pleasure; so they ceased not doing thus until the wine-sun arose
in their heads and sleep get hold of them, at which time they
went to their bed in all ease and comfort.[FN#208] Early on the
next morning Alaeddin woke and awoke his wife, and the slave-
girls came in and donned her dress and prepared her and adorned
her whilst her husband arrayed himself in his costliest raiment
and the twain were ready to fly for joy at reunion after parting.
Moreover the Princess was especially joyous and gladsome because
on that day she expected to see her beloved father. Such was the
case of Alaeddin and the Lady Badr al-Budur; but as regards the
Sultan, after he drove away his son-in-law he never ceased to
sorrow for the loss of his daughter; and every hour of every day
he would sit and weep for her as women weep, because she was his
only child and he had none other to take to heart. And as he
shook off sleep, morning after morning, he would hasten to the
window and throw it open and peer in the direction where formerly
stood Alaeddin's pavilion and pour forth tears until his eyes
were dried up and their lids were ulcered. Now on that day he
arose at dawn and, according to his custom, looked out when, lo
and behold! he saw before him an edifice; so he rubbed his eyes
and considered it curiously when he became certified that it was
the pavilion of his son-in-law. So he called for a horse [FN#209]
without let or delay; and as soon as his beast was saddled, he
mounted and made for the place; and Alaeddin, when he saw his
father-in-law approaching, went down and met him half way: then,
taking his hand, aided him to step upstairs to the apartment of
his daughter. And the Princess, being as earnestly desirous to
see her sire, descended and greeted him at the door of the
staircase fronting the ground-floor hall. Thereupon the King
folded her in his arms and kissed her, shedding tears of joy; and
she did likewise till at last Alaeddin led them to the upper
saloon where they took seats and the Sultan fell to asking her
case and what had betided her.--And Shahrazad was surprised by
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy,
do tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad
replied, With love and good will."---It hath reached me, O King
of the Age, that the Lady Badr al-Budur began to inform the
Sultan of all which had befallen her, saying, "O my father, I
recovered not life save yesterday when I saw my husband, and he
it was who freed me from the thraldom of that Maghrabi, that
Magician, that Accursed, than whom I believe there be none viler
on the face of earth; and, but for my beloved, I had never
escaped him nor hadst thou seen me during the rest of my days.
But mighty sadness and sorrow get about me, O my father, not only
for losing thee but also for the loss of a husband, under whose
kindness I shall be all the length of my life, seeing that he
freed me from that fulsome sorcerer." Then the Princess began
repeating to her sire every thing that happened to her, and
relating to him how the Moorman had tricked her in the guise of a
lamp-seller who offered in exchange new for old; how she had
given him the Lamp whose worth she knew not, and how she had
bartered it away only to laugh at the lampman's folly. "And next
morning, O my father," she continued, "we found ourselves and
whatso the pavilion contained in Africa-land, till such time as
my husband came to us and devised a device whereby we escaped:
and, had it not been for Alaeddin's hastening to our aid, the
Accursed was determined to enjoy me perforce." Then she told him
of the Bhang-drops administered in wine to the African and
concluded, "Then my husband returned to me and how I know not,
but we were shifted from Africa land to this place." Alaeddin in
his turn recounted how, finding the wizard dead drunken, he had
sent away his wife and her women from the polluted place into the
inner apartments; how he had taken the Lamp from the Sorcerer's
breast-pocket whereto he was directed by his wife; how he had
slaughtered the villain and, finally how, making use of the Lamp,
he had summoned its Slave and ordered him to transport the
pavilion back to its proper site, ending his tale with, "And, if
thy Highness have any doubt anent my words, arise with me and
look upon the accursed Magician." The King did accordingly and,
having considered the Moorman, bade the carcase be carried away
forthright and burned and its ashes scattered in air. Then he
took to embracing Alaeddin and kissing him said, "Pardon me, O my
son, for that I was about to destroy thy life through the foul
deeds of this damned enchanter, who cast thee into such pit of
peril; and I may be excused, O my child, for what I did by thee,
because I found myself forlorn of my daughter; my only one, who
to me is dearer than my very kingdom. Thou knowest how the hearts
of parents yearn unto their offspring, especially when like
myself they have but one and none other to love." And on this
wise the Sultan took to excusing himself and kissing his son-in-
law.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say,

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin said to the Sultan, "O King of the Time, thou
didst naught to me contrary to Holy Law, and I also sinned not
against thee; but all the trouble came from that Maghrabi, the
impure, the Magician." Thereupon the Sultan bade the city be
decorated and they obeyed him and held high feast and
festivities. He also commanded the crier to cry about the streets
saying, "This day is a mighty great fete, wherein public
rejoicings must be held throughout the realm, for a full month of
thirty days, in honour of the Lady Badr al-Budur and her husband
Alaeddin's return to their home." On this wise befel it with
Alaeddin and the Maghrabi; but withal the King's son-in-law
escaped not wholly from the Accursed, albeit the body had been
burnt and the ashes scattered in air. For the villain had a
brother yet more villainous than himself, and a greater adept in
necromancy, geomancy and astromancy; and, even as the old saw
saith "A bean and 'twas split;"[FN#210] so each one dwelt in his
own quarter of the globe that he might fill it with his sorcery,
his fraud and his treason.[FN#211] Now, one day of the days it
fortuned that the Moorman's brother would learn how it fared with
him, so he brought out his sandboard and dotted it and produced
the figures which, when he had considered and carefully studied
them, gave him to know that the man he sought was dead and housed
in the tomb. So he grieved and was certified of his decease, but
he dotted a second time seeking to learn the manner of the death
and where it had taken place; so he found that the site was the
China-land and that the mode was the foulest of slaughter;
furthermore, that he who did him die was a young man Alaeddin
hight. Seeing this he straightway arose and equipped himself for
wayfare; then he set out and cut across the wilds and words and
heights for the space of many a month until he reached China and
the capital of the Sultan wherein was the slayer of his brother.
He alighted at the so-called Strangers' Khan and, hiring himself
a cell, took rest therein for a while; then he fared forth and
wandered about the highways that he might discern some path which
would aid him unto the winning of his ill-minded wish, to wit, of
wreaking upon Alaeddin blood-revenge for his brother.[FN#212]
Presently he entered a coffee-house, a fine building which stood
in the market-place and which collected a throng of folk to play,
some at the mankalah,[FN#213] others at the backgammon[FN#214]
and others at the chess and what not else. There he sat down and
listened to those seated beside him and they chanced to be
conversing about an ancient dame and a holy, by name
Fatimah,[FN#215] who dwelt alway at her devotions in a hermitage
without the town, and this she never entered save only two days
each month. They mentioned also that she had performed many
saintly miracles[FN#216] which, when the Maghrabi, the
Necromancer, heard he said in himself, "Now have I found that
which I sought: Inshallah--God willing--by means of this crone
will I win to my wish."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Maghrabi, the Necromancer, went up to the folk who
were talking of the miracles performed by the devout old woman
and said to one of them, "O my uncle, I heard you all chatting
about the prodigies of a certain saintess named Fatimah: who is
she and where may be her abode? "Marvellous!"[FN#217] exclaimed
the man: "How canst thou be in our city and yet never have heard
about the miracles of the Lady Fatimah? Evidently, O thou poor
fellow, thou art a foreigner, since the fastings of this devotee
and her asceticism in worldly matters and the beauties of her
piety never came to thine ears." The Moorman rejoined, " 'tis
true, O my lord: yes, I am a stranger and came to this your city
only yesternight; and I hope thou wilt inform me concerning the
saintly miracles of this virtuous woman and where may be her
wone, for that I have fallen into a calamity, and 'tis my wish to
visit her and crave her prayers, so haply Allah (to whom be
honour and glory!) will, through her blessings, deliver me from
mine evil." Hereat the man recounted to him the marvels of
Fatimah the Devotee and her piety and the beauties of her
worship; then, taking him by the hand went with him without the
city and showed him the way to her abode, a cavern upon a
hillock's head. The Necromancer acknowledged his kindness in many
words and, thanking him for his good offices, returned to his
cell in the caravanserai. Now by the fiat of Fate on the very
next day Fatimah came down to the city, and the Maghrabi, the
Necromancer, happened to leave his hostelry a-morn, when he saw
the folk swarming and crowding; wherefore he went up to discover
what was to do and found the Devotee standing amiddlemost the
throng, and all who suffered from pain or sickness flocked to her
soliciting a blessing and praying for her prayers; and each and
every she touched became whole of his illness.[FN#218] The
Maroccan, the Necromancer, followed her about until she returned
to her antre; then, awaiting till the evening evened, he arose
and repaired to a vintner's store where he drank a cup of wine.
After this he fared forth the city and finding the Devotee's
cavern, entered it and saw her lying prostrate[FN#219] with her
back upon a strip of matting. So he came for ward and mounted
upon her belly; then he drew his dagger and shouted at her; and,
when she awoke and opened her eyes, she espied a Moorish man with
an unsheathed poniard sitting upon her middle as though about to
kill her. She was troubled and sore terrified, but he said to
her, "Hearken! an thou cry out or utter a word I will slay thee
at this very moment: arise now and do all I bid thee." Then he
sware to her an oath that if she obeyed his orders, whatever they
might be, he would not do her die. So saying, he rose up from off
her and Fatimah also arose, when he said to her, "Give me thy
gear and take thou my habit ;" whereupon she gave him her
clothing and head-fillets, her face-kerchief and her mantilla.
Then Quoth he, " 'tis also requisite that thou anoint me with
somewhat shall make the colour of my face like unto thine."
Accordingly she went into the inner cavern and, bringing out a
gallipot of ointment, spread somewhat thereof upon her palm and
with it besmeared his face until its hue favoured her own; then
she gave him her staff[FN#220] and, showing him how to walk and
what to do when he entered the city, hung her rosary around his
neck. Lastly she handed to him a mirror and said, "Now look! Thou
differest from me in naught;" and he saw himself Fatimah's
counterpart as though she had never gone or come.[FN#221] But
after obtaining his every object he falsed his oath and asked for
a cord which she brought to him; then he seized her and strangled
her in the cavern; and presently, when she was dead, haled the
corpse outside and threw it into a pit hard by.--And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Maghrabi, after murthering Fatimah, threw her body
into a pit and went back to sleep in her cavern; and, when broke
the day, he rose and repairing to the town took his stand under
the walls of Alaeddin's pavilion. Hereupon flocked the folk about
him, all being certified that he was Fatimah the Devotee and he
fell to doing whatso she was wont to do: he laid hands on these
in pain and recited for those a chapter of the Koran and made
orisons for a third. Presently the thronging of the folk and the
clamouring of the crowd were heard by the Lady Badr al-Budur, who
said to her handmaidens, "Look what is to do and what be the
cause of this turmoil!" Thereupon the Agha of the eunuchry fared
forth to see what might be the matter and presently returning
said, "O my lady, this clamour is caused by the Lady Fatimah, and
if thou be pleased to command, I will bring her to thee; so shalt
thou gain through her a blessing." The Princess answered, "Go
bring her, for since many a day I am always hearing of her
miracles and her virtues, and I do long to see her and get a
blessing by her intervention, for the folk recount her
manifestations in many cases of difficulty." The Agha went forth
and brought in the Maroccan, the Necromancer, habited in
Fatimah's clothing; and, when the wizard stood before the Lady
Badr al-Budur, he began at first sight to bless her with a string
of prayers; nor did any one of those present doubt at all but
that he was the Devotee herself. The Princess arose and salam'd
to him then seating him beside her, said, "O my Lady Fatimah,
'tis my desire that thou abide with me alway, so might I be
blessed through thee, and also learn of thee the paths[FN#222] of
worship and piety and follow thine example making for salvation."
Now all this was a foul deceit of the accursed African and he
designed furthermore to complete his guile, so he continued, "O
my Lady, I am a poor woman and a religious that dwelleth in the
desert; and the like of me deserveth not to abide in the palaces
of the kings." But the Princess replied, "Have no care whatever,
O my Lady Fatimah; I will set apart for thee an apartment of my
pavilion, that thou mayest worship therein and none shall ever
come to trouble thee; also thou shalt avail to worship Allah in
my place better than in thy cavern." The Maroccan rejoined,"
Hearkening and obedience, O my lady; I will not oppose thine
order for that the commands of the children of the kings may not
be gainsaid nor renounced. Only I hope of thee that my eating and
drinking and sitting may be within my own chamber which shall be
kept wholly private; nor do I require or desire the delicacies of
diet, but do thou favour me by sending thy handmaid every day
with a bit of bread and a sup of water;[FN#223] and, when I feel
fain of food, let me eat by myself in my own room." Now the
Accursed hereby purposed to avert the danger of haply raising his
face-kerchief at meal-times, when his intent might be baffled by
his beard and mustachios discovering him to be a man. The
Princess replied, "O my Lady Fatimah, be of good heart; naught
shall happen save what thou wishest. But now arise and let me
show thee the apartment in the palace which I would prepare for
thy sojourn with us."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty-ninth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that the Lady Badr al-Budur arose and taking the Necromancer
who had disguised himself as the Devotee, ushered him in to the
place which she had kindly promised him for a home and said, "O
my Lady Fatimah, here thou shalt dwell with every comfort about
thee and in all privacy and repose; and the place shall be named
after thy name;" whereupon the Maghrabi acknowledged her kindness
and prayed for her. Then the Princess showed him the jalousies
and the jewelled Kiosque with its four and twenty windows[FN#224]
and said to him, "What thinkest thou, O my Lady Fatimah, of this
marvellous pavilion?" The Moorman replied, "By Allah, O my
daughter, 'tis indeed passing fine and wondrous exceedingly; nor
do I deem that its fellow is to be found in the whole universe;
but alas for the lack of one thing which would enhance its beauty
and decoration !" The Princess asked her, "O my Lady Fatimah,
what lacketh it and what be this thing would add to its
adornment? Tell me thereof, inasmuch as I was wont to believe it
wholly perfect." The Maroccan answered, "O my lady, all it
wanteth is that there be hanging from the middle of the dome the
egg of a fowl called the Rukh;[FN#225] and, were this done, the
pavilion would lack its peer all the world over." The Princess
asked, "What be this bird and where can we find her egg?" and the
Maroccan answered, "O my lady, the Rukh is indeed a giant fowl
which carrieth off camels and elephants in her pounces and flieth
away with them, such is her stature and strength; also this fowl
is mostly found in Mount Kaf; and the architect who built this
pavilion is able to bring thee one of her eggs." They then left
such talk as it was the hour for the noon day meal and, when the
handmaid had spread the table, the Lady Badr al-Budur sent down
to invite the Accursed African to eat with her. But he accepted
not and for a reason he would on no wise consent; nay, he rose
and retired to the room which the Princess had assigned to him
and whither the slave-girls carried his dinner. Now when evening
evened, Alaeddin returned from the chase and met his wife who
salam'd to him and he clasped her to his bosom and kissed her.
Presently, looking at her face he saw thereon a shade of sadness
and he noted that contrary to her custom, she did not laugh; so
he asked her, "What hath betided thee, O my dearling? tell me,
hath aught happened to trouble thy thoughts!" "Nothing whatever,"
answered she, "but, O my beloved, I fancied that our pavilion
lacked naught at all; however, O eyes of me, O Alaeddin, were the
dome of the upper story hung with an egg of the fowl called Rukh,
there would be naught like it in the universe." Her husband
rejoined, "And for this trifle thou art saddened when 'tis the
easiest of all matters to me! So cheer thyself; and, whatever
thou wantest, 'tis enough thou inform me thereof, and I will
bring it from the abysses of the earth in the quickest time and
at the earliest hour."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.