A plain and literal translation of the Arabian nights entertainments, now entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 4 (of 17)

Whoso ne’er tasted of Love’s sweets and bitter draught, ✿ No difference kens ‘twixt presence-bliss and absence-stress;And so, who hath declined from Love’s true road, ✿ No difference kens ‘twixt smooth and ruggedness:I ceased not to oppose the votaries of love, ✿ Till I had tried its sweets and bitters not the less:How many a night my pretty friend conversed with me ✿ And sipped I from his lips honey of love-liesse:Now have I drunk its cup of bitterness, until ✿ To bondman and to freedman I have proved me base.How short-aged was the night together we enjoyed, ✿ When seemed it day break came on nightfall’s heel to press!But Fate had vowed to disunite us lovers twain, ✿ And she too well hath kept her vow, that votaress.Fate so decreed it! None her sentence can withstand: ✿ Where is the wight who dares oppose his Lord’s command?

Hardly had she finished her verses, when her lord cried out with a great cry and fell down in a fit; whereupon exclaimed the damsel, “May Allah not punish thee, O old man! This long time have we drunk without music, for fear the like of this falling sickness befal our lord. But now go thou to yonder chamber and there sleep.” So I went to the chamber which she showed me and slept till the morning, when behold, a page brought me a purse of five hundred dinars and said to me, “This is what my master promised thee; but return thou not to the damsel who sent thee, and let it be as though neither thou nor we had ever heard of this matter.” “Hearkening and obedience,” answered I and taking the purse, went my way. Still I said to myself, “The lady must have expected me since yesterday; and by Allah there is no help but I return to her and tell her what passed between me and him: otherwise she will revile me and revile all who come from my country.” So I went to her and found her standing behind the door; and when she saw me she said, “O Ibn Mansur, thou hast done nothing for me!” I asked, “Who told thee of this?”; and she answered, “O Ibn Mansur, yet another thing hath been revealed to me;339 and it is that, when thou handedst him the letter, he tore it in pieces and throwing it on the floor, said to thee: – O Ibn Mansur, I will grant thee whatever thou askest save thy desire which concerneth the writer of this letter; for I have no answer to her missive. Then didst thou rise from beside him in anger; but he laid hold of thy skirts, saying: – O son of Mansur, abide with me to-day, for thou art my guest, and eat and drink and make merry; and thou shalt have thy five hundred ducats. So thou didst sit with him, eating and drinking and making merry, and entertainedst him with talk deep into the night and a slave-girl sang such an air and such verses, whereupon he fell down in a fit.” So, O Commander of the Faithful, I asked her “Wast thou then with us?”; and she answered, “O Ibn Mansur, hast thou not heard the saying of the poet: —

The hearts of lovers have eyes I ken, ✿ Which see the unseen by vulgar men.

However, O Ibn Mansur, the night and day shift not upon anything but they bring to it change.” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-first Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the lady exclaimed, “O Ibn Mansur, the night and the day shift not upon anything but they bring to it change!” Then she raised her glance to heaven and said, “O my God and my Leader and my Lord, like as Thou hast afflicted me with love of Jubayr bin Umayr, even so do Thou afflict him with love of me, and transfer the passion from my heart to his heart!”340 Then she gave me an hundred sequins for my trouble in going and coming and I took it and returned to the palace, where I found the Sultan come home from the chase; so I got my pension of him and fared back to Baghdad. And when next year came, I repaired to Bassorah, as usual, to seek my pension, and the Sultan paid it to me; but, as I was about to return to Baghdad, I bethought me of the Lady Budur and said to myself, “By Allah, I must needs go to her and see what hath befallen between her and her lover!” So I went to her house and finding the street before her door swept and sprinkled and eunuchs and servants and pages standing before the entrance, said to myself, “Most like grief hath broken the lady’s heart and she is dead, and some Emir or other hath taken up his abode in her house.” So I left it and went on to the house of Jubayr, son of Umayr the Shaybani, where I found the benches of the porch broken down and ne’er a page at the door, as of wont, and said to myself, “Haply he too is dead.” Then I stood still before the door of his house and with my eyes running over with tears, bemoaned it in these couplets: —

O Lords of me, who fared but whom my heart e’er followeth; ✿ Return; and so my festal days with you shall be renewed!I stand before the home of you, bewailing your abode; ✿ Quiver mine eyelids and my eyes with tears are ever dewed:I ask the house and its remains that seem to weep and wail, ✿ “Where is the man who whilom wont to lavish goods and good?”It saith, “Go, wend thy way; those friends like travellers have fared ✿ From Springtide-camp, and buried lie of earth and worms the food!”Allah ne’er desolate us so we lose their virtues’ light ✿ In length and breadth, but ever be the light in spirit viewed!

As I, O Prince of True Believers, was thus keening over the folk of the house,341 behold, out came a black slave therefrom and said to me, “Hold thy peace, O Shaykh! May thy mother be reft of thee! Why do I see thee bemoaning the house on this wise?” Quoth I, “I frequented it of yore, when it belonged to a good friend of mine.” Asked the slave, “What was his name?”; and I answered, “Jubayr bin Umayr the Shaybani.” Rejoined he, “And what hath befallen him? Praised be Allah, he is yet here with us in the enjoyment of property and rank and prosperity, except that Allah hath stricken him with love of a damsel called the Lady Budur; and he is so whelmed by his love of her and his longing for her, that he is like a great rock cumbering the ground. If he hunger, he saith not, Give me meat; nor, if he thirst, doth he say, Give me drink.” Quoth I, “Ask leave for me to go in to him.” Said the slave, “O my lord, wilt thou go in to one who understandeth or to one who understandeth not?”; and I said, “There is no help for it but I see him whatever be the case.” Accordingly he went in to ask and presently returned with permission for me to enter, whereupon I went in to Jubayr and found him like a rock that cumbereth the ground, understanding neither sign nor speech; and when I spoke to him he answered me not. Then said one of his servants, “O my lord, if thou remember aught of verse, repeat it and raise thy voice; and he will be aroused by this and speak with thee.” So I versified in these two couplets: —

Hast quit the love of Moons342 or dost persist? ✿ Dost wake o’ nights or close in sleep thine eyes?If aye thy tears in torrents flow, then learn ✿ Eternal thou shalt dwell in Paradise.[342]

When he heard these verses he opened his eyes and said, “Welcome, O son of Mansur! Verily, the jest is become earnest.” Quoth I, “O my lord, is there aught thou wouldst have me do for thee?” Answered he, “Yes, I would fain write her a letter and send it to her by thee. If thou bring me back her answer, thou shalt have of me a thousand dinars; and if not, two hundred for thy pains.” So I said, “Do what seemeth good to thee;” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ibn Mansur continued: – So I said, “Do what seemeth good to thee;” whereupon he called to one of his slave-girls, “Bring me ink case and paper;” and wrote these couplets: —

I pray in Allah’s name, O Princess mine, be light ✿ On me, for Love hath robbed me of my reason’s sight!‘Slaved me this longing and enthralled me love of you; ✿ And clad in sickness garb, a poor and abject wight.I wont ere this to think small things of Love and hold, ✿ O Princess mine, twas silly thing and over-slight.But when it showed me swelling surges of its sea, ✿ To Allah’s hest I bowed and pitied lovers’ plight.An will you, pity show and deign a meeting grant; ✿ An will you, kill me still forget not good requite.343

Then he sealed the letter and gave it to me. So I took it and, repairing to Budur’s house, raised the door-curtain little by little, as before, and looking in behold, I saw ten damsels, high-bosomed virgins, like moons, and the Lady Budur as she were the full moon among the stars, sitting in their midst, or the sun, when it is clear of clouds and mist; nor was there on her any trace of pain or care. And as I looked and marvelled at her case, she turned her glance upon me and, seeing me standing at the door, said to me, “Well come, and welcome and all hail to thee, O Ibn Mansur! Come in.” So I entered and saluting her gave her the letter; and she read it and when she understood it, she said laughingly to me, “O Ibn Mansur,” the poet lied not when he sang: —

Indeed I’ll bear my love for thee with firmest soul, ✿ Until from thee to me shall come a messenger.

“Look’ye, O Ibn Mansur, I will write thee an answer, that he may give thee what he promised thee.” And I answered, “Allah requite thee with good!” So she called out to a handmaid, “Bring inkcase and paper,” and wrote these couplets: —

How comes it I fulfilled my vow the while that vow broke you? ✿ And, seen me lean to equity, iniquity wrought you?‘Twas you initiated wrongous dealing and despite: ✿ You were the treachetour and treason came from only you!I never ceased to cherish mid the sons of men my troth; ✿ And keep your honour brightest bright and swear by name of you,Until I saw with eyes of me what evil you had done; ✿ Until I heard with ears of me what foul report spread you.Shall I bring low my proper worth while raising yours so high? ✿ By Allah, had you honoured me eke I had honoured you!But now uprooting severance I will fain console my heart, ✿ And wring my fingers clean of you for evermore to part!

Quoth I, “By Allah, O my lady, between him and death there is but the reading of this letter!” So I tore it in pieces and said to her, “Write him other than these lines.” “I hear and obey,” answered she and wrote the following couplets —

Indeed I am consolèd now and sleep without a tear, ✿ And all that happened slandering tongues have whispered in mine ear:My heart obeyed my hest and soon forgot thy memory, ✿ And learnt mine eyelids ‘twas the best to live in severance sheer:He lied who said that severance is a bitterer thing than gall: ✿ It never disappointed me; like wine I find it cheer:I learnt to hate all news of thee, e’en mention of thy name, ✿ And turn away and look thereon with loathing pure and mere:Lookye! I cast thee out of heart and far from vitals mine; ✿ Then let the slanderer wot this truth and see I am sincere.

Quoth I, “By Allah, O my lady, when he shall read these verses, his soul will depart his body!” Quoth she, “O Ibn Mansur, is passion indeed come to such a pass with him that thou sayest this saying?” Quoth I, “Had I said more than this verily it were but the truth: but mercy is of the nature of the noble.” Now when she heard this her eyes brimmed over with tears and she wrote him a note, I swear by Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, there is none in thy Chancery could write the like of it; and therein were these couplets: —

How long shall I thy coyness and thy great aversion see? ✿ Thou hast satisfied my censurers and pleased their enmity:I did amiss and wot it not; so deign to tell me now ✿ Whatso they told thee, haply ‘twas the merest calumny.I wish to welcome thee, dear love, even as welcome I ✿ Sleep to these eyes and eyelids in the place of sleep to be.And since ‘tis thou hast made me drain th’ unmixèd cup of love, ✿ If me thou see with wine bemused heap not thy blame on me!

And when she had written the missive, – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Budur had written the missive, she sealed it and gave it to me; and I said, “O my lady, in good sooth this thy letter will make the sick man whole and ease the thirsting soul.” Then I took it and went from her, when she called me back and said to me, “O son of Mansur, say to him: – She will be thy guest this night.” At this I joyed with exceeding great joy and carried the letter to Jubayr, whom I found with his eyes fixed intently on the door, expecting the reply and as soon as I gave him the letter and he opened and read it and understood it, he uttered a great cry and fell down in a fainting fit. When he came to himself, he said to me, “O Ibn Mansur, did she indeed write this note with her hand and feel it with her fingers?” Answered I, “O my lord, do folk write with their feet?” And by Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, I had not done speaking these words, when we heard the tinkle-tinkle of her anklets in the vestibule and she entered. And seeing her he sprang to his feet as though nothing pained or ailed him and embraced her like the letter L embraceth the letter A;344 and the infirmity, that erst would not depart at once left him.345 Then he sat down, but she abode standing and I said to her, “O my lady, why dost thou not sit?” Said she, “O Ibn Mansur, save on a condition that is between us, I will not sit.” I asked, “And what is that?”; and she answered, “None may know lovers’ secrets,” and putting her mouth to Jubayr’s ear whispered to him; whereupon he replied, “I hear and I obey.” Then he rose and said somewhat in a whisper to one of his slaves, who went out and returned in a little while with a Kazi and two witnesses. Thereupon Jubayr stood up and taking a bag containing an hundred thousand dinars, said, “O Kazi, marry me to this young lady and write this sum to her marriage-settlement.” Quoth the Kazi to her, “Say thou, I consent to this.” “I consent to this,” quoth she, whereupon he drew up the contract of marriage and she opened the bag; and, taking out a handful of gold, gave it to the Kazi and the witnesses and handed the rest to Jubayr. Thereupon the Kazi and the witnesses withdrew, and I sat with them, in mirth and merriment, till the most part of the night was past, when I said in my mind, “These are lovers and they have been this long while separated. I will now arise and go sleep in some place afar from them and leave them to their privacy, one with other.” So I rose, but she caught hold of my skirts, saying, “What thinkest thou to do?” “Nothing but so and so,” answered I; upon which she rejoined, “Sit thee down; and when we would be rid of thee, we will send thee away.” So I sat down with them till near daybreak, when she said to me, “O Ibn Mansur, go to yonder chamber; for we have furnished it for thee and it is thy sleeping-place.” Thereupon I arose and went thither and slept till morning, when a page brought me basin and ewer, and I made the ablution and prayed the dawn-prayer. Then I sat down and presently, behold, Jubayr and his beloved came out of the bath in the house, and I saw them both wringing their locks.346 So I wished them good morning and gave them joy of their safety and reunion, saying to Jubayr, “That which began with constraint and conditions hath ended in cordial contentment.” He answered, “Thou sayest well, and indeed thou deservest thy honorarium;” and he called his treasurer, and said, “Bring hither three thousand dinars.” So he brought a purse containing the gold pieces and Jubayr gave it to me, saying, “Favour us by accepting this.” But I replied, “I will not accept it till thou tell me the manner of the transfer of love from her to thee, after so huge an aversion.” Quoth he, “Hearkening and obedience! Know that we have a festival called New Year’s day,347 when all the people fare forth and take boat and go a-pleasuring on the river. So I went out with my comrades, and saw a skiff, wherein were ten damsels like moons and amongst them, the Lady Budur lute in hand.” She preluded in eleven modes, then, returning to the first, sang these two couplets: —

Fire is cooler than fires in my breast, ✿ Rock is softer than heart of my lord,Marvel I that he’s formèd to hold ✿ In water-soft frame heart rock-hard!

“Said I to her: – Repeat the couplets and the air! But she would not;” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Jubayr continued, “So cried I to her: – Repeat the couplets and the air! But she would not; whereupon I bade the boatmen pelt her with oranges, and they pelted her till we feared her boat would founder. Then she went her way, and this is how the love was transferred from her heart to mine.” So I wished them joy of their union; and, taking the purse with its contents, I returned to Baghdad. Now when the Caliph heard Ibn Mansur’s story his heart was lightened and the restlessness and oppression from which he suffered forsook him. And they also tell the tale of

THE MAN OF AL-YAMAN AND HIS SIX SLAVE-GIRLS

The Caliph Al-Maamun was sitting one day in his palace, surrounded by his Lords of the realm and Officers of state, and there were present also before him all his poets and cup-companions, amongst the rest one named Mohammed of Bassorah. Presently the Caliph turned and said to him, “O Mohammed, I wish thee forthwith to tell me something that I have never before heard.” He replied, “O Commander of the Faithful, dost thou wish me to tell thee a thing I have heard with my ears or a thing I have seen with my eyes?” Quoth Al-Maamun, “Tell me whichever is the rarer;” so Mohammed Al-Basri began: – Know, then, O Commander of the Faithful, that there lived once upon a time a wealthy man, who was a native of Al-Yaman; but he emigrated from his native land and came to this city of Baghdad, whose sojourn so pleased him that he transported hither his family and possessions. Now he had six slave-girls, like moons one and all; the first white, the second brown, the third fat, the fourth lean, the fifth yellow and the sixth lamp-black; and all six were comely of countenance and perfect in accomplishments and skilled in the arts of singing and playing upon musical instruments. Now it so chanced that, one day, he sent for the girls and called for meat and wine; and they ate and drank and were mirthful and made merry. Then he filled the cup and, taking it in his hand, said to the blonde girl, “O new-moon face, let us hear somewhat of thy pleasant songs.” So she took the lute and tuning it, made music thereon with such sweet melody that the place danced with glee; after which she played a lively measure and sang these couplets: —

I have a friend, whose form is fixed within mine eyes,348 ✿ Whose name deep buried in my very vitals lies:Whenas remembers him my mind all heart am I, ✿ And when on him my gaze is turned I am all eyes.My censor saith, “Forswear, forget, the love of him,” ✿ “Whatso is not to be, how shall’t be?” My reply is.Quoth I, “O Censor mine, go forth from me, avaunt! ✿ And make not light of that on humans heavy lies.”

Hereat their master rejoiced and, drinking off his cup, gave the damsels to drink, after which he said to the berry-brown girl, “O brasier-light349 and joy of the sprite, let us hear thy lovely voice, whereby all that hearken are ravished with delight.” So she took the lute and thereon made harmony till the place was moved to glee; then, captivating all hearts with her graceful swaying, she sang these couplets: —

I swear by that fair face’s life, I’ll love but thee ✿ Till death us part; nor other love but thine I’ll see;O full moon, with thy loveliness mantilla’d o’er, ✿ The loveliest of our earth beneath thy banner be:Thou, who surpassest all the fair in pleasantness ✿ May Allah, Lord of worlds, be everywhere with thee!

The master rejoiced and drank off his cup and gave the girls to drink; after which he filled again; and, taking the goblet in his hand, signed to the fat girl and bade her sing and play a different motive. So she took the lute and striking a grief-dispelling measure, sang these couplets: —

An thou but deign consent, O wish to heart affied! ✿ I care not wrath and rage to all mankind betide.And if thou show that fairest face which gives me life, ✿ I reck not an diminished heads the Kings go hide.I seek thy favours only from this ‘versal world: ✿ O thou in whom all beauty doth firm-fixt abide!

The man rejoiced and, emptying his cup, gave the girls to drink. Then he signed to the thin girl and said to her, “O Houri of Paradise, feed thou our ears with sweet words and sounds.” So she took the lute; and, tuning it, preluded and sang these two couplets: —

Say me, on Allah’s path350 hast death not dealt to me, ✿ Turning from me while I to thee turn patiently:Say me, is there no judge of Love to judge us twain, ✿ And do me justice wronged, mine enemy, by thee?

Their lord rejoiced and, emptying the cup, gave the girls to drink. Then filling another he signed to the yellow girl and said to her, “O sun of the day, let us hear some nice verses.” So she took the lute and, preluding after the goodliest fashion, sang these couplets: —

I have a lover and when drawing him, ✿ He draws on me a sword-blade glancing grim:Allah avenge some little of his wrongs, ✿ Who holds my heart yet wreaks o’erbearing whim:Oft though I say, “Renounce him, heart!” yet heart ✿ Will to none other turn excepting him.He is my wish and will of all men, but ✿ Fate’s envious hand to me’s aye grudging him.

The master rejoiced and drank and gave the girls to drink; then he filled the cup and taking it in hand, signed to the black girl, saying, “O pupil of the eye, let us have a taste of thy quality, though it be but two words.” So she took the lute and tuning it and tightening the strings, preluded in various modes, then returned to the first and sang to a lively air these couplets: —

Ho ye, mine eyes, let prodigal tears go free; ✿ This ecstasy would see my being unbe:351All ecstasies I dree for sake of friend ✿ I fondle, maugre enviers’ jealousy:Censors forbid me from his rosy cheek, ✿ Yet e’er inclines my heart to rosery:Cups of pure wine, time was, went circuiting ✿ In joy, what time the lute sang melody,While kept his troth the friend who madded me, ✿ Yet made me rising star of bliss to see:But – with Time, turned he not by sin of mine; ✿ Than such a turn can aught more bitter be?Upon his cheek there grows and glows a rose, ✿ Nay two, whereof grant Allah one to me!An were prostration352 by our law allowed ✿ To aught but Allah, at his feet I had bowed.

Thereupon rose the six girls and, kissing the ground before their lord, said to him, “Do thou justice between us, O our lord!” So he looked at their beauty and loveliness and the contrast of their colours and praised Almighty Allah and glorified Him. Then said he, “There is none of you but hath learnt the Koran by heart, and mastered the musical art and is versed in the chronicles of yore and the doings of peoples which have gone before; so it is my desire that each one of you rise and, pointing finger at her opposite, praise herself and dispraise her co-concubine; that is to say, let the blonde point to the brunette, the plump to the slender and the yellow to the black girl; after which the rivals, each in her turn, shall do the like with the former; and be this illustrated with citations from Holy Writ and somewhat of anecdotes and verse, so as to show forth your fine breeding and elegance of your pleading.” And they answered him, “We hear and we obey!” – And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the handmaids answered the man of Al-Yaman, “We hear and we obey!” Accordingly the blonde rose first and, pointing at the black girl, said to her: – Out on thee, blackamoor! It is told by tradition that whiteness saith: – I am the shining light, I am the rising moon of the fourteenth night. My hue is patent and my brow is resplendent and of my beauty quoth the poet: —

White girl with softly rounded polished cheeks ✿ As if a pearl concealed by Beauty’s boon:Her stature Alif-like;353 her smile like Mím354 ✿ And o’er her eyes two brows that bend like Nún.355‘Tis as her glance were arrow, and her brows ✿ Bows ever bent to shoot Death-dart eftsoon:If cheek and shape thou view, there shalt thou find ✿ Rose, myrtle, basil and Narcissus wone.Men wont in gardens plant and set the branch; ✿ How many garths thy stature-branch doth own!

So my colour is like the hale and healthy day and the newly-culled orange-spray and the star of sparkling ray;356 and indeed quoth Almighty Allah, in His precious Book, to his prophet Moses (on whom be peace!): – Put thy hand into thy bosom; it shall come forth white, without hurt.357 And again He saith: – But they whose faces shall become white, shall be in the mercy of Allah; therein shall they remain for ever.358 My colour is a sign, a miracle, and my loveliness supreme and my beauty a term extreme. It is on the like of me that raiment showeth fair and fine and to the like of me that hearts incline. Moreover, in whiteness are many excellences; for instance, the snow falleth white from heaven, and it is traditional that the beautifullest of colours is white. The Moslems also glory in white turbands; but I should be tedious, were I to tell all that may be told in praise of white; little and enough is better than too much of unfilling stuff. So now I will begin with thy dispraise, O black, O colour of ink and blacksmith’s dust, thou whose face is like the raven which bringeth about the parting of lovers. Verily, the poet saith in praise of white and blame of black: —