part in the revels, dancing and singing with them, and enjoying
the fragrant odours, began to hug and kiss them, while one
slapped[III_21] him, and another pulled him, and the third beat
him with sweet-scented flowers, till, at length, the wine made sport
with their reason; and they threw off all restraint, indulging
their merriment with as much freedom as if no man had been
present.[III_22]
Thus they continued until the approach of night, when they
said to the porter, Depart, and shew us the breadth of thy
shoulders;[III_23]--but he replied, Verily the departure of my soul
from my body were more easy to me than my departure from your company;
therefore suffer us to join the night to the day, and then each of us
shall return to his own, or her own, affairs. The cateress, also, again
interceded for him, saying, By my life I conjure you that ye suffer him
to pass the night with us, that we may laugh at his drolleries, for he
is a witty rogue. So they said to him, Thou shalt pass the night with us
on this condition, that thou submit to our authority, and ask not an
explanation of anything that thou shalt see. He replied, Good.--Rise
then, said they, and read what is inscribed upon the door. Accordingly,
he went to the door, and found the following inscription upon it in
letters of gold, Speak not of that which doth not concern thee, lest
thou hear that which will not please thee:--and he said, Bear witness to
my promise that I will not speak of that which doth not concern me.
[Illustration]
The cateress then rose, and prepared for them a repast; and, after they
had eaten a little, they lighted the candles and burnt some aloes-wood.
This done, they sat down again to the table; and, while they were eating
and drinking, they heard a knocking at the door; whereupon, without
causing any interruption to their meal, one of them went to the door,
and, on her return, said, Our pleasure this night is now complete, for I
have found, at the door, three foreigners[III_24] with shaven
chins, and each of them is blind of the left eye: it is an extraordinary
coincidence. They are strangers newly arrived,[III_25] and each of
them has a ridiculous appearance: if they come in, therefore, we shall
be amused with laughing at them.--The lady ceased not with these words,
but continued to persuade her sisters until they consented, and said,
Let them enter; but make it a condition with them that they speak not of
that which doth not concern them, lest they hear that which will not
please them. Upon this she rejoiced, and, having gone again to the door,
brought in the three men blind of one eye and with shaven chins, and
they had thin and twisted mustaches. Being mendicants, they saluted and
drew back; but the ladies rose to them, and seated them; and when these
three men looked at the porter, they saw that he was intoxicated; and,
observing him narrowly, they thought that he was one of their own class,
and said, He is a mendicant like ourselves, and will amuse us by his
conversation:--but the porter, hearing what they said, arose, and rolled
his eyes, and exclaimed to them, Sit quiet, and abstain from impertinent
remarks. Have ye not read the inscription upon the door?--The ladies,
laughing, said to each other, Between the mendicants and the porter we
shall find matter for amusement. They then placed before the former some
food, and they ate, and then sat to drink. The portress handed to them
the wine, and, as the cup was circulating among them, the porter said to
them, Brothers, have ye any tale or strange anecdote wherewith to amuse
us? The mendicants, heated by the wine, asked for musical instruments;
and the portress brought them a tambourine of the manufacture of
El-Móṣil, with a lute of El-'Eráḳ, and a Persian harp;[III_26]
whereupon they all arose; and one took the tambourine; another, the
lute; and the third, the harp: and they played upon these instruments,
the ladies accompanying them with loud songs; and while they were thus
diverting themselves, a person knocked at the door. The portress,
therefore, went to see who was there; and the cause of the knocking was
this.
[Illustration]
The Khaleefeh[III_27] Hároon Er-Rasheed had gone forth this night to see
and hear what news he could collect, accompanied by Jaạfar[III_28] his
Wezeer, and Mesroor[III_29] his executioner. It was his custom to
disguise himself in the attire of a merchant; and this night, as he went
through the city, he happened to pass, with his attendants, by the house
of these ladies, and hearing the sounds of the musical instruments, he
said to Jaạfar, I have a desire to enter this house, and to see who is
giving this concert.--They are a party who have become intoxicated,
replied Jaạfar, and I fear that we may experience some ill usage from
them;--but the Khaleefeh said, We must enter, and I would that thou
devise some stratagem by which we may obtain admission to the inmates.
Jaạfar therefore answered, I hear and obey:--and he advanced, and
knocked at the door; and when the portress came and opened the door, he
said to her, My mistress, we are merchants from Tabareeyeh,[III_30] and
have been in Baghdád ten days; we have brought with us merchandise, and
taken lodgings in a Khán;[III_31] and a merchant invited us to an
entertainment this night: accordingly, we went to his house, and he
placed food before us, and we ate, and sat awhile drinking together,
after which he gave us leave to depart;[III_32] and going out in the
dark, and being strangers, we missed our way to the Khán: we trust,
therefore, in your generosity that you will admit us to pass the night
in your house; by doing which you will obtain a reward in heaven.--The
portress, looking at them, and observing that they were in the garb of
merchants, and that they bore an appearance of respectability, returned,
and consulted her two companions; and they said to her, Admit them:--so
she returned, and opened to them the door. They said to her, Shall we
enter with thy permission? She answered, Come in. The Khaleefeh,
therefore, entered, with Jaạfar and Mesroor; and when the ladies saw
them, they rose to them, and served them, saying, Welcome are our
guests; but we have a condition to impose upon you, that ye speak not of
that which doth not concern you, lest ye hear that which will not please
you. They answered, Good:--and when they had sat down to drink, the
Khaleefeh looked at the three mendicants, and was surprised at observing
that each of them was blind of the left eye; and he gazed upon the
ladies, and was perplexed and amazed at their fairness and beauty. And
when the others proceeded to drink and converse, the ladies brought wine
to the Khaleefeh; but he said, I am a pilgrim;[III_33]--and drew back
from them. Whereupon the portress spread before him an embroidered
cloth, and placed upon it a China bottle, into which she poured some
willow-flower-water, adding to it a lump of ice, and sweetening it with
sugar, while the Khaleefeh thanked her, and said within himself,
To-morrow I must reward her for this kind action.
The party continued their carousal, and, when the wine took effect upon
them, the mistress of the house arose, and waited upon them; and
afterwards, taking the hand of the cateress, said, Arise, O my sister,
that we may fulfil our debt. She replied, Good. The portress then rose,
and, after she had cleared the middle of the saloon, placed the
mendicants at the further end, beyond the doors; after which, the ladies
called to the porter, saying, How slight is thy friendship! thou art not
a stranger, but one of the family. So the porter arose, and girded
himself, and said, What would ye?--to which one of the ladies answered,
Stand where thou art:--and presently the cateress said to him, Assist
me:--and he saw two black bitches, with chains attached to their necks,
and drew them to the middle of the saloon; whereupon the mistress of the
house arose from her place, and tucked up her sleeve above her wrist,
and, taking a whip, said to the porter, Bring to me one of them.
Accordingly, he dragged one forward by the chain. The bitch whined, and
shook her head at the lady; but the latter fell to beating her upon the
head, notwithstanding her howling, until her arms were tired, when she
threw the whip from her hand, and pressed the bitch to her bosom, and
wiped away her tears, and kissed her head; after which she said to the
porter, Take her back, and bring the other;--and he brought her, and she
did to her as she had done to the first. At the sight of this, the mind
of the Khaleefeh was troubled, and his heart was contracted, and he
winked to Jaạfar that he should ask her the reason; but he replied by a
sign, Speak not.
[Illustration]
The mistress of the house then looked towards the portress, and said to
her, Arise to perform what thou hast to do. She replied, Good:--and the
mistress of the house seated herself upon a couch of alabaster, overlaid
with gold and silver, and said to the portress and the cateress, Now
perform your parts. The portress then seated herself upon a couch by
her; and the cateress, having entered a closet, brought out from it a
bag of satin with green fringes, and, placing herself before the lady of
the house, shook it, and took out from it a lute; and she tuned its
strings, and sang to it these verses:--
Restore to my eyelids the sleep which hath been ravished;
and inform me of my reason, whither it hath fled.
I discovered, when I took up my abode with love, that slumber had
become an enemy to my eyes.
They said, We saw thee to be one of the upright; what, then, hath
seduced thee? I answered, Seek the cause from his glance.
Verily I excuse him for the shedding of my blood, admitting that
I urged him to the deed by vexation.
He cast his sun-like image upon the mirror of my mind, and its
reflection kindled a flame in my vitals.[III_34]
When the portress[III_35] had heard this song, she exclaimed, Allah
approve thee!--and she rent her clothes, and fell upon the floor in a
swoon; and when her bosom was thus uncovered, the Khaleefeh saw upon her
the marks of beating, as if from miḳra'ahs[III_36] and whips; at
which he was greatly surprised. The cateress[III_37] immediately
arose, sprinkled water upon her face, and brought her another dress,
which she put on. The Khaleefeh then said to Jaạfar, Seest thou not this
woman, and the marks of beating upon her? I cannot keep silence
respecting this affair, nor be at rest, until I know the truth of the
history of this damsel, and that of these two bitches. But Jaạfar
replied, O our lord, they have made a covenant with us that we shall not
speak excepting of that which concerneth us, lest we hear that which
will not please us.--The cateress then took the lute again, and, placing
it against her bosom, touched the chords with the ends of her fingers,
and thus sang to it:--
[Illustration]
If of love we complain, what shall we say? Or consuming through desire,
how can we escape?
Or if we send a messenger to interpret for us, he cannot convey
the lover's complaint.
Or if we would be patient, short were our existence after the loss
of those we love.
Nought remaineth to us but grief and mourning, and tears streaming
down our cheeks.
O you who are absent from my sight, but constantly dwelling within
my heart!
Have you kept your faith to an impassioned lover, who, while time
endureth, will never change?
Or, in absence, have you forgotten that lover who, on your account,
is wasting away?
When the day of judgment shall bring us together, I will beg of
our Lord a protractive trial.[III_38]
On hearing these verses of the cateress, the portress again rent her
clothes, and cried out, and fell upon the floor in a swoon; and the
cateress, as before, put on her another dress, after she had sprinkled
some water upon her face.[III_39]
The mendicants, when they witnessed this scene, said, Would that we had
never entered this house, but rather had passed the night upon the
mounds;[III_40] for our night hath been rendered foul by an event
that breaketh the back! The Khaleefeh, looking towards them, then said,
Wherefore is it so with you? They answered, Our hearts are troubled by
this occurrence.--Are ye not, he asked, of this house?--No, they
answered; nor did we imagine that this house belonged to any but the man
who is sitting with you:--upon which the porter said, Verily, I have
never seen this place before this night; and I would that I had passed
the night upon the mounds rather than here. They then observed, one to
another, We are seven men, and they are but three women; we will,
therefore, ask them of their history; and if they answer us not
willingly they shall do it in spite of themselves:--and they all agreed
to this, excepting Jaạfar, who said, This is not a right determination;
leave them to themselves, for we are their guests, and they made a
covenant with us which we should fulfil: there remaineth but little of
the night, and each of us shall soon go his way. Then, winking to the
Khaleefeh, he said, There remaineth but an hour; and to-morrow we will
bring them before thee, and thou shalt ask them their story. But the
Khaleefeh refused to do so, and said, I have not patience to wait so
long for their history.--Words followed words, and at last they said,
Who shall put the question to them?--and one answered, The porter.
[Illustration]
The ladies then said to them, O people, of what are ye talking?--whereupon
the porter approached the mistress of the house, and said to her, O my
mistress, I ask thee, and conjure thee by Allah, to tell us the story of
the two bitches, and for what reason thou didst beat them, and then
didst weep, and kiss them, and that thou acquaint us with the cause of
thy sister's having been beaten with miḳra'ahs: that is our question,
and peace be on you.--Is this true that he saith of you? inquired the
lady, of the other men; and they all answered, Yes,--excepting Jaạfar,
who was silent. When the lady heard their answer, she said, Verily, O
our guests, ye have wronged us excessively; for we made a covenant with
you beforehand, that he who should speak of that which concerned him not
should hear that which would not please him. Is it not enough that we
have admitted you into our house, and fed you with our provisions? But
it is not so much your fault as the fault of her who introduced you to
us.--She then tucked up her sleeve above her wrist, and struck the floor
three times, saying, Come ye quickly!--and immediately the door of a
closet opened, and there came forth from it seven black slaves, each
having in his hand a drawn sword. The lady said to them, Tie behind them
the hands of these men of many words, and bind each of them to
another:--and they did so, and said, O virtuous lady, dost thou permit
us to strike off their heads? She answered, Give them a short respite,
until I shall have inquired of them their histories, before ye behead
them.--By Allah, O my mistress, exclaimed the porter, kill me not for
the offence of others: for they have all transgressed and committed an
offence, excepting me. Verily our night had been pleasant if we had been
preserved from these mendicants, whose presence is enough to convert a
well-peopled city into a heap of ruins!--He then repeated this
couplet:--
How good is it to pardon one able to resist! and how much more so,
one who is helpless!
For the sake of the friendship that subsisted between us, destroy
not one for the crime of another!
On hearing these words of the porter, the lady laughed after her anger.
Then approaching the men, she said, Acquaint me with your histories, for
there remaineth of your lives no more than an hour. Were ye not persons
of honourable and high condition, or governors,[III_41] I would
hasten your recompense.--The Khaleefeh said to Jaạfar, Wo to thee, O
Jaạfar! make known to her who we are; otherwise she will kill us.--It
were what we deserve, replied he.--Jesting, said the Khaleefeh, is not
befitting in a time for seriousness: each has its proper occasion.--The
lady then approached the mendicants, and said to them, Are ye brothers?
They answered, No, indeed; we are only poor foreigners.[III_42] She
said then to one of them, Wast thou born blind of one eye?--No, verily,
he answered; but a wonderful event happened to me when my eye was
destroyed, and the story of it, if engraved on the understanding, would
serve as a lesson to him who would be admonished. She asked the second
and the third also; and they answered her as the first; adding, Each of
us is from a different country, and our history is wonderful and
extraordinary. The lady then looked towards them and said, Each of you
shall relate his story, and the cause of his coming to our abode, and
then stroke his head,[III_43] and go his way.
The first who advanced was the porter, who said, O my mistress, I am a
porter; and this cateress loaded me, and brought me hither, and what
hath happened to me here in your company ye know. This is my story; and
peace be on you.--Stroke thy head, then, said she, and go:--but he
replied, By Allah, I will not go until I shall have heard the story of
my companions.--The first mendicant then advanced, and related as
follows:--
THE STORY OF THE FIRST ROYAL MENDICANT.
Know, O my mistress, that the cause of my having shaved my beard, and of
the loss of my eye was this:--My father was a King, and he had a brother
who was also a King, and who resided in another capital. It happened
that my mother gave birth to me on the same day on which the son of my
uncle was born; and years and days passed away until we attained to
manhood. Now, it was my custom, some years, to visit my uncle, and to
remain with him several months; and on one of these occasions my cousin
paid me great honour; he slaughtered sheep for me, and strained the wine
for me, and we sat down to drink; and when the wine had affected us, he
said to me, O son of my uncle, I have need of thine assistance in an
affair of interest to me, and I beg that thou wilt not oppose me in that
which I desire to do. I replied, I am altogether at thy service:--and he
made me swear to him by great oaths, and, rising immediately, absented
himself for a little while, and then returned, followed by a woman
decked with ornaments, and perfumed, and wearing a dress of
extraordinary value. He looked towards me, while the woman stood behind
him, and said, Take this woman, and go before me to the burial-ground
which is in such a place:--and he described it to me, and I knew it. He
then added, Enter the burial-ground, and there wait for me.
I could not oppose him, nor refuse to comply with his request, on
account of the oaths which I had sworn to him; so I took the woman, and
went with her to the burial-ground; and when we had sat there a short
time, my cousin came, bearing a basin of water, and a bag containing
some plaster, and a small adze. Going to a tomb in the midst of the
burial-ground, he took the adze, and disunited the stones, which he
placed on one side; he then dug up the earth with the adze, and
uncovered a flat stone, of the size of a small door, under which there
appeared a vaulted staircase. Having done this he made a sign to the
woman, and said to her, Do according to thy choice:--whereupon she
descended the stairs. He then looked towards me, and said, O son of my
uncle, complete thy kindness when I have descended into this place, by
replacing the trap-door and the earth above it as they were before:
then, this plaster which is in the bag, and this water which is in the
basin, do thou knead together, and plaster the stones of the tomb as
they were, so that no man may know it, and say, This hath been lately
opened, but its interior is old:--for, during the space of a whole year
I have been preparing this, and no one knew it but God: this is what I
would have thee do. He then said to me, May God never deprive thy
friends of thy presence, O son of my uncle!--and, having uttered these
words, he descended the stairs.
[Illustration]
When he had disappeared from before my eyes, I replaced the trap-door,
and busied myself with doing as he had ordered me, until the tomb was
restored to the state in which it was at first; after which I returned
to the palace of my uncle, who was then absent on a hunting excursion. I
slept that night, and when the morning came, I reflected upon what had
occurred between me and my cousin, and repented of what I had done for
him, when repentance was of no avail. I then went out to the
burial-ground, and searched for the tomb; but could not discover it. I
ceased not in my search until the approach of night; and, not finding
the way to it, returned again to the palace; and I neither ate nor
drank: my heart was troubled respecting my cousin, since I knew not what
had become of him; and I fell into excessive grief. I passed the night
sorrowful until the morning, and went again to the burial-ground,
reflecting upon the action of my cousin, and repenting of my compliance
with his request; and I searched among all the tombs; but discovered not
that for which I looked. Thus I persevered in my search seven days
without success.[III_44]
My trouble continued and increased until I was almost mad; and I found
no relief but in departing, and returning to my father; but on my
arrival at his capital, a party at the city-gate sprang upon me and
bound me. I was struck with the utmost astonishment, considering that I
was the son of the Sulṭán of the city, and that these were the servants
of my father and of myself: excessive fear of them overcame me, and I
said within myself, What hath happened to my father? I asked, of those
who had bound me, the cause of this conduct; but they returned me no
answer, till after a while, when one of them, who had been my servant,
said to me, Fortune hath betrayed thy father, the troops have been false
to him, and the Wezeer hath killed him; and we were lying in wait to
take thee.--They took me, and I was as one dead, by reason of this news
which I had heard respecting my father; and I stood before the Wezeer
who had killed my father.
Now, there was an old enmity subsisting between me and him; and the
cause of it was this:--I was fond of shooting with the cross-bow; and it
happened, one day, that as I was standing on the roof of my palace, a
bird alighted on the roof of the palace of the Wezeer, who was standing
there at the time, and I aimed at the bird; but the bullet missed it,
and struck the eye of the Wezeer, and knocked it out, in accordance with
the appointment of fate and destiny, as the poet hath said:--
We trod the steps appointed for us: and the man whose steps are
appointed must tread them.
He whose death is decreed to take place in one land will not die
in any land but that.
When I had thus put out the eye of the Wezeer, he could say nothing,
because my father was King of the city. This was the cause of the enmity
between him and me: and when I stood before him, with my hands bound
behind me, he gave the order to strike off my head. I said to him,
Wouldst thou kill me for no offence?--What offence, he exclaimed, could
be greater than this?--and he pointed to the place of the eye which was
put out. I did that, said I, unintentionally. He replied, If thou didst
it unintentionally, I will do the same to thee purposely:--and
immediately he said, Bring him forward to me:--and, when they had done
so, he thrust his finger into my left eye, and pulled it out. Thus I
became deprived of one eye, as ye see me. He then bound me firmly, and
placed me in a chest, and said to the executioner, Take this fellow, and
draw thy sword, and convey him without the city; then put him to death,
and let the wild beasts devour him.
Accordingly, he went forth with me from the city, and, having taken me
out from the chest, bound hand and foot, was about to bandage my eye,
and kill me; whereupon I wept, and exclaimed,--
How many brothers have I taken as armour! and such they were;
but to guard my enemies.
I thought they would be as piercing arrows: and such they were;
but to enter my heart!
The executioner, who had served my father in the same capacity, and to
whom I had shewn kindnesses, said, on hearing these verses, O my master,
what can I do, being a slave under command?--but presently he added,
Depart with thy life, and return not to this country, lest thou perish,
and cause me to perish with thee. The poet saith,--
Flee with thy life if thou fearest oppression, and leave the house
to tell its builder's fate.
Thou wilt find, for the land that thou quittest, another: but no soul
wilt thou find to replace thine own.
As soon as he had thus said, I kissed his hands, and believed not in my
safety until I had fled from his presence. The loss of my eye appeared
light to me when I considered my escape from death; and I journeyed to
my uncle's capital, and, presenting myself before him, informed him of
what had befallen my father, and of the manner in which I had lost my
eye: upon which he wept bitterly, and said, Thou hast added to my
trouble and my grief; for thy cousin hath been lost for some days, and I
know not what hath happened to him, nor can any one give me information
respecting him. Then he wept again, until he became insensible; and when
he recovered, he said, O my son, the loss of thine eye is better than
the loss of thy life.
Upon this I could no longer keep silence respecting his son, my cousin;
so I informed him of all that happened to him; and on hearing this news
he rejoiced exceedingly, and said, Shew me the tomb.--By Allah, O my
uncle, I replied, I know not where it is; for I went afterwards several
times to search for it, and could not recognise its place. We, however,
went together to the burial-ground, and, looking to the right and left,
I discovered it; and both I and my uncle rejoiced. I then entered the
tomb with him, and when we had removed the earth, and lifted up the
trap-door, we descended fifty steps, and, arriving at the bottom of the
stairs, there issued forth upon us a smoke which blinded our eyes;
whereupon my uncle pronounced those words which relieve from fear him
who uttereth them,--There is no strength nor power but in God, the High,
the Great!--After this, we proceeded, and found ourselves in a saloon,
filled with flour and grain, and various eatables; and we saw there a
curtain suspended over a couch, upon which my uncle looked, and found
there his son and the woman who had descended with him, lying side by
side, and converted into black charcoal, as if they had been thrown into
a pit of fire. And when he beheld this spectacle, he spat in his son's
face, and exclaimed, This is what thou deservest, O thou wretch! This is
the punishment of the present world, and there remaineth the punishment
of the other world, which will be more severe and lasting!--and he
struck him with his shoes. Astonished at this action, and grieved for my
cousin, seeing him and the damsel thus converted into charcoal, I said,
By Allah, O my uncle, moderate the trouble of thy heart, for my mind is
perplexed by that which hath happened to thy son, and by thinking how it
hath come to pass that he and the damsel are converted into black
charcoal. Dost thou not deem it enough for him to be in this state, that
thou beatest him with thy shoes?
O son of my brother, he replied, this my son was, from his early years,
inflamed with love for his foster-sister,[III_45] and I used to
forbid him from entertaining this passion for her, and to say within
myself, They are now children, but when they grow older a base act will
be committed by them:--and, indeed, I heard that such had been the case,
but I believed it not. I, however, reprimanded him severely, and said to
him, Beware of so foul an action, which none before thee hath committed,
nor will any commit after thee: otherwise we shall suffer disgrace and
disparagement among the Kings until we die, and our history will spread
abroad with the caravans: have a care for thyself that such an action
proceed not from thee; for I should be incensed against thee, and kill
thee. I then separated him from her, and her from him: but the vile
woman loved him excessively; the Devil got possession of them both; and
when my son saw that I had separated him, he secretly made this place
beneath the earth, and, having conveyed hither the provisions which
thou seest, took advantage of my inadvertence when I had gone out to
hunt, and came hither: but the Truth[III_46] (whose perfection be
extolled, and whose name be exalted!) was jealously vigilant over them,
and consumed them by fire; and the punishment of the world to come will
be more severe and lasting.--He then wept, and I wept with him; and he
said to me, Thou art my son in his stead.--I remained a while reflecting
upon the world and its vicissitudes, upon the murder of my father by the
Wezeer, and his usurping his throne, and the loss of my eye, and the
strange events which had happened to my cousin, and I wept again.
We then ascended, and, having replaced the trap-door and the earth above
it, and restored the tomb to its former state, returned to our abode;
but scarcely had we seated ourselves when we heard the sounds of drums
and trumpets, warriours galloped about, and the air was filled with dust
raised by the horses' hoofs. Our minds were perplexed, not knowing what
had happened, and the King, asking the news, was answered, The Wezeer of
thy brother hath slain him and his soldiers and guards, and come with
his army to assault the city unawares; and the inhabitants, being unable
to withstand, have submitted to him:--whereupon I said within myself, If
I fall into his hand, he will slay me.--Griefs overwhelmed me, and I
thought of the calamities which had befallen my father and my mother,
and knew not what to do; for if I appeared, the people of the city would
know me, and the troops of my father would hasten to kill and destroy
me. I knew no way of escape but to shave off my beard:[III_47] so I
shaved it, and, having changed my clothes, departed from the city, and
came hither, to this abode of peace, in the hope that some person would
introduce me to the Prince of the Faithful, the Khaleefeh of the Lord of
all creatures, that I might relate to him my story, and all that had
befallen me. I arrived in this city this night; and as I stood
perplexed, not knowing whither to direct my steps, I saw this mendicant,
and saluted him, and said, I am a stranger. He replied, And I, too, am a
stranger:--and while we were thus addressing each other, our companion,
this third person, came up to us, and saluting us, said, I am a
stranger. We replied, And we, also, are strangers. So we walked on
together, and darkness overtook us, and destiny directed us unto your
abode.--This was the cause of the shaving of my beard, and of the loss
of my eye.
The lady then said to him, Stroke my head, and depart:--but he replied,
I will not depart until I have heard the stories of the others. And
they wondered at his tale; and the Khaleefeh said to Jaạfar, Verily I
have never known the like of that which hath happened to this mendicant.
[Illustration]
The second mendicant then advanced, and, having kissed the ground,
said,--
THE STORY OF THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT.
O my mistress, I was not born with only one eye; but my story is
wonderful, and, if written, would serve as a lesson to him who would be
admonished. I am a King, and son of a King: I read the Ḳurán according
to the seven readings,[III_48] and perused various works under the
tuition of different learned professors of their subjects: I studied the
science of the stars,[III_49] and the writings of the poets, and
made myself a proficient in all the sciences; so that I surpassed the
people of my age. My hand-writing[III_50] was extolled among all
the scribes, my fame spread among all countries, and my history among
all Kings; and the King of India, hearing of me, requested my father to
allow me to visit him, sending him various gifts and curious presents,
such as were suitable to Kings. My father, therefore, prepared for me
six ships, and we proceeded by sea for the space of a whole month, after
which we came to land; and, having disembarked some horses which we had
with us in the ship, we loaded ten camels with presents, and commenced
our journey; but soon there appeared a cloud of dust, which rose and
spread until it filled the air before us, and, after a while, cleared a
little, and discovered to us, in the midst of it, sixty horseman like
fierce lions whom we perceived to be Arab highwaymen; and when they saw
us, that we were a small company with ten loads of presents for the King
of India, they galloped towards us, pointing their spears at us. We made
signs to them with our fingers, and said, We are ambassadors to the
honoured King of India; therefore do us no injury:--but they replied, We
are not in his territories, nor under his government. They slew certain
of the young men, and the rest fled. I also fled, after I had received a
severe wound; the Arabs being employed, without further regard to us, in
taking possession of the treasure and presents which we had with us.
[Illustration]
I proceeded without knowing whither to direct my course, reduced from a
mighty to an abject state, and journeyed till I arrived at the summit of
a mountain, where I took shelter in a cavern until the next morning. I
then resumed my journey, and arrived at a flourishing city: the winter,
with its cold, had passed away, and the spring had come, with its
flowers; and I rejoiced at my arrival there, being wearied with my
journey, anxious and pallid. My condition being thus changed, I knew not
whither to bend my steps; and, turning to a tailor sitting in his shop,
I saluted him, and he returned my salutation, and welcomed me, and
wished me joy, asking me the reason of my having come thither. I
acquainted him, therefore, with what had befallen me from first to last,
and he was grieved for me, and said, O young man, reveal not thy case,
for I fear what the King of this city might do to thee, since he is the
greatest of thy father's enemies, and hath a debt of blood against him.
He then placed some food and drink before me, and we ate together, and I
conversed with him till night, when he lodged me in a place by his shop,
and brought me a bed and coverlet; and, after I had remained with him
three days, he said to me, Dost thou not know any trade by which to make
gain?[III_51] I answered, I am acquainted with the law, a student
of sciences, a writer, and an arithmetician.--Thy occupation, he said,
is profitless in our country: there is no one in our city acquainted
with science or writing, but only with getting money. Verily, I replied,
I know nothing but what I have told thee.--Gird thyself, then, said he,
and take an axe and a rope, and cut firewood in the desert, and so
obtain thy subsistence until God dispel thy affliction; but acquaint no
one with thy history, else they will kill thee. He then bought for me an
axe and a rope, and sent me with a party of wood-cutters, giving them a
charge respecting me. Accordingly, I went forth with them, and, cut some
wood, and brought back a load upon my head, and sold it for half a
piece of gold, part of which I expended in food, laying by the
remainder.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Thus I continued for the space of a year, after which I went one day
into the desert, according to my custom, to cut firewood; and, finding
there a tract with abundance of wood, I entered it, and came to a tree,
around which I dug; and as I was removing the earth from its roots, the
axe struck against a ring of brass; and I cleared away the earth from
it, and found that it was affixed to a trap-door of wood, which I
immediately removed. Beneath it appeared a staircase, which I descended;
and at the bottom of this I entered a door, and beheld a palace,
strongly constructed, where I found a lady, like a pearl of high price,
whose aspect banished from the heart all anxiety and grief and
affliction. At the sight of her I prostrated myself in adoration of her
Creator for the fairness and beauty which He had displayed in her
person; and she, looking towards me, said, Art thou a man or a Jinnee? I
answered her, I am a man.--And who, she asked, hath brought thee to this
place, in which I have lived five and twenty years without ever seeing a
human being?--Her words sounded sweetly to me, and I answered her, O my
mistress, God hath brought me to thy abode, and I hope will put an end
to my anxiety and grief:--and I related to her my story from beginning
to end. She was grieved at my case, and wept, and said, I also will
acquaint thee with my story. Know that I am the daughter of the King of
the further parts of India, the lord of the Ebony Island. My father had
married me to the son of my uncle; but on the night of my bridal
festivities, an 'Efreet namad Jarjarees, the son of Rejmoos, the son of
Iblees, carried me off, and, soaring with me through the air, alighted
in this place, to which he conveyed all things necessary for me, such as
ornaments, and garments, and linen, and furniture, and food, and drink;
and once in every ten days he cometh to me, and spendeth a night
here;[III_52] and he hath appointed with me, that, in case of my
wanting any thing by night or day, I should touch with my hand these
two lines which are inscribed upon the ḳubbeh,[III_53] and as soon
as I remove my hand I see him before me. Four days have now passed since
he was last with me, and there remain, therefore, six days before he
will come again; wilt thou then remain with me five days, and depart one
day before his visit?--I answered, Yes; rejoicing at the proposal; and
she arose, and taking me by the hand, conducted me through an arched
door to a small and elegant bath, where I took off my clothes, while she
seated herself upon a mattress. After this, she seated me by her side,
and brought me some sherbet of sugar infused with musk,[III_54] and
handed it to me to drink: she then placed some food before me, and after
we had eaten and conversed together, she said to me, Sleep, and rest
thyself; for thou art fatigued.
I slept, O my mistress, and forgot all that had befallen me; and when I
awoke, I found her rubbing my feet;[III_55] upon which I called to
her, and we sat down again and conversed a while; and she said to me, By
Allah, I was straitened in my heart, living here alone, without any
person to talk with me, five and twenty years. Praise be to God who hath
sent thee to me.--I thanked her for her kind expressions; and love of
her took possession of my heart, and my anxiety and grief fled away. We
then sat down to drink together; and I remained by her side all the
night, delighted with her company, for I had never seen her like in my
whole life; and in the morning, when we were both full of joy, I said to
her, Shall I take thee up from this subterranean place, and release thee
from the Jinnee? But she laughed, and replied, Be content, and hold thy
peace; for, of every ten days, one day shall be for the 'Efreet, and
nine for thee. I persisted, however, being overcome with passion: and
said, I will this instant demolish this ḳubbeh upon which the
inscription is engraved, and let the 'Efreet come, that I may slay him:
for I am predestined to kill 'Efreets. She entreated me to refrain; but,
paying no attention to her words, I kicked the ḳubbeh with violence;
upon which she exclaimed, The 'Efreet hath arrived! Did I not caution
thee against this? Verily thou hast brought a calamity upon me; but save
thyself, and ascend by the way that thou camest.
In the excess of my fear I forgot my sandals and my axe, and when I had
ascended two steps, turning round to look for them, I saw that the
ground had opened, and there rose from it an 'Efreet of hideous aspect,
who said, Wherefore is this disturbance with which thou hast alarmed me,
and what misfortune hath befallen thee? She answered, No misfortune
hath happened to me, excepting that my heart was contracted, and I
desired to drink some wine to dilate it, and, rising to perform my
purpose, I fell against the ḳubbeh.--Thou liest, vile woman, he
exclaimed;--and, looking about the palace to the right and left, he saw
the sandals and axe; and said to her, These are the property of none but
a man. Who hath visited thee?--I have not seen them, she answered, until
this instant: probably they caught to thee.--This language, said he, is
absurd, and will have no effect upon me, thou shameless woman!--and, so
saying, he stripped her of her clothing, and tied her down, with her
arms and legs extended, to four stakes, and began to beat her, urging
her to confess what had happened.
[Illustration]
For myself, being unable to endure her cries, I ascended the stairs,
overpowered by fear, and, arriving at the top, replaced the trap-door as
it was at first, and covered it over with earth. I repented bitterly of
what I had done, and reflecting upon the lady and her beauty, and how
this wretch was torturing her after she had lived with him five and
twenty years, and that he tortured her only on my account, and
reflecting also upon my father and his kingdom, and how I had been
reduced to the condition of a wood-cutter, I repeated this verse:--
When fortune bringeth thee affliction, console thyself by remembering
that one day thou must see prosperity, and another day, difficulty.
[Illustration]
Returning to my companion, the tailor, I found him awaiting my return as
if he were placed in a pan upon burning coals. I past last night, said
he, with anxious heart on thy account, fearing for thee from some wild
beast or other calamity. Praise be to God for thy safe return.--I
thanked him for his tender concern for me, and entered my apartment; and
as I sat meditating upon that which had befallen me, and blaming myself
for having kicked the ḳubbeh, my friend the tailor came in to me, and
said, In the shop is a foreigner, who asks for thee, and he has thy axe
and sandals; he came with them to the wood-cutters,[III_56] and
said to them, I went out at the time of the call of the Muëddin to
morning-prayer, and stumbled upon these, and know not to whom they
belong: can ye guide me to their owner?--The wood-cutters, therefore,
directed him to thee: he is sitting in my shop; so go out to him and
thank him, and take thy axe and thy sandals.--On hearing these words, my
countenance turned pale, and my whole state became changed; and while I
was in this condition, the floor of my chamber clove asunder, and there
rose from it the stranger, and lo, he was the 'Efreet; he had tortured
the lady with the utmost cruelty; but she would confess nothing: so he
took the axe and the sandals, and said to her, If I am Jarjarees, of the
descendants of Iblees, I will bring the owner of this axe and these
sandals. Accordingly, he came, with the pretence before mentioned, to
the wood-cutters, and, having entered my chamber, without granting me
any delay, seized me, and soared with me through the air: he then
descended, and dived into the earth, and brought me up into the palace
where I was before.
Here I beheld the lady stripped of her clothing, and with blood flowing
from her sides; and tears trickled from my eyes. The 'Efreet then took
hold of her, and said, Vile woman, this is thy lover:--whereupon she
looked at me, and replied, I know him not, nor have I ever seen him
until this instant. The 'Efreet said to her, With all this torture wilt
thou not confess? She answered, Never in my life have I seen him before,
and it is not lawful in the sight of God that I should speak falsely
against him.[III_57]--Then, said he, if thou know him not, take
this sword and strike off his head. She took the sword, and came to me,
and stood over my head: but I made a sign to her with my eyebrow, while
tears ran down my cheeks. She replied in a similar manner, Thou art he
who hath done all this to me:--I made a sign to her, however, that this
was a time for pardon, conveying my meaning in the manner thus described
by the poet:--[III_58]
Our signal in love is the glance of our eyes; and every intelligent
person understandeth the sign.
Our eyebrows carry on an intercourse between us: we are silent;
but love speaketh.
And when she understood me, she threw the sword from her hand, O my
mistress, and the 'Efreet handed it to me, saying, Strike off her head,
and I will liberate thee, and do thee no harm. I replied, Good:--and,
quickly approaching her, raised my hand; but she made a sign as though
she would say, I did no injury to thee:--whereupon my eyes poured with
tears, and, throwing down the sword, I said, O mighty 'Efreet, and
valiant hero, if a woman, deficient in sense and religion,[III_59]
seeth it not lawful to strike off my head, how is it lawful for me to do
so to her, and especially when I have never seen her before in my life?
I will never do it, though I should drink the cup of death and
destruction.--There is affection between you, said the 'Efreet, and,
taking the sword, he struck off one of the hands of the lady; then, the
other; after this, her right foot; and then, her left foot: thus with
four blows he cut off her four extremities, while I looked on,
expecting my own death. She then made a sign to me with her eye; and the
'Efreet, observing her, exclaimed, Now thou hast been guilty of
incontinence with thine eye!--and, with a blow of his sword, struck off
her head; after which, he turned towards me, and said, O man, it is
allowed us by our law, if a wife be guilty of incontinence, to put her
to death. This woman I carried off on her wedding-night, when she was
twelve years of age, and she was acquainted with no man but me; and I
used to pass one night with her in the course of every ten days in the
garb of a foreigner; and when I discovered of a certainty that she had
been unfaithful to me, I killed her: but as for thee, I am not convinced
that thou hast wronged me with respect to her; yet I must not leave thee
unpunished: choose, therefore, what injury I shall do to thee.
[Illustration]
Upon this, O my mistress, I rejoiced exceedingly, and, eager to obtain
his pardon, I said to him, What shall I choose from thy hands?--Choose,
he answered, into what form I shall change thee; either the form of a
dog, or that of an ass, or that of an ape. I replied, in my desire of
forgiveness, Verily, if thou wilt pardon me, God will pardon thee in
recompense for thy shewing mercy to a Muslim who hath done thee no
injury:--and I humbled myself in the most abject manner, and said to
him, Pardon me as the envied man did the envier.--And how was that? said
he. I answered as follows:--[III_60]
THE STORY OF THE ENVIER AND THE ENVIED.
Know, O my master, that there was a certain man who had a neighbour that
envied him; and the more this person envied him, so much the more did
God increase the prosperity of the former. Thus it continued a long
time; but when the envied man found that his neighbour persisted in
troubling him, he removed to a place where there was a deserted well;
and there he built for himself an oratory, and occupied himself in the
worship of God. Numerous Faḳeers[III_61] assembled around him, and
he acquired great esteem, people repairing to him from every quarter,
placing firm reliance upon his sanctity; and his fame reached the ears
of his envious neighbour, who mounted his horse, and went to visit him;
and when the envied man saw him, he saluted him, and payed him the
utmost civility. The envier then said to him, I have come hither to
inform thee of a matter in which thou wilt find advantage, and for which
I shall obtain a recompense in heaven. The envied man replied, May God
requite thee for me with every blessing. Then, said the envier, order
the Faḳeers to retire to their cells, for the information that I am
about to give thee I would have no one overhear. So he ordered them to
enter their cells; and the envier said to him, Arise, and let us walk
together, and converse; and they walked on until they came to the
deserted well before mentioned, when the envier pushed the envied man
into this well, without the knowledge of any one, and went his way,
imagining that he had killed him.
But this well was inhabited by Jinn, who received him unhurt, and seated
him upon a large stone; and when they had done this, one of them said to
the others, Do ye know this man? They answered, We know him not.--This,
said he, is the envied man who fled from him who envied him, and took up
his abode in this quarter, in the neighbouring oratory, and who
entertaineth us by his zikr[III_62] and his readings; and when his
envier heard of him, he came hither to him, and, devising a stratagem
against him, threw him down here. His fame hath this night reached the
Sulṭán of this city, who hath purposed to visit him to-morrow, on
account of the affliction which hath befallen his daughter.--And what,
said they, hath happened to his daughter? He answered, Madness; for
Meymoon, the son of Demdem, hath become inflamed with love for her; and
her cure is the easiest of things. They asked him, What is it?--and he
answered, The black cat that is with him in the oratory hath at the end
of her tail a white spot, of the size of a piece of silver; and from
this white spot should be taken seven hairs, and with these the damsel
should be fumigated, and the Márid would depart from over her head, and
not return to her; so she would be instantly cured. And now it is our
duty to take him out.
[Illustration]
When the morning came, the Faḳeers saw the Sheykh rising out of the
well; and he became magnified in their eyes. And when he entered the
oratory, he took from the white spot at the end of the cat's tail seven
hairs, and placed them in a portfolio by him; and at sunrise the King
came to him, and when the Sheykh saw him, he said to him, O King, thou
hast come to visit me in order that I may cure thy daughter. The King
replied. Yes, O virtuous Sheykh.--Then, said the Sheykh, send some
person to bring her hither; and I trust in God, whose name be exalted,
that she may be instantly cured. And when the King had brought his
daughter, the Sheykh beheld her bound, and, seating her, suspended a
curtain over her, and took out the hairs, and fumigated her with them;
whereupon the Márid cried out from over her head, and left her; and the
damsel immediately recovered her reason, and, veiling her face, said to
her father, What is this, and wherefore didst thou bring me to this
place? He answered her, Thou hast nothing to fear;--and rejoiced
greatly. He kissed the hand of the envied Sheykh, and said to the great
men of his court who were with him, What shall be the recompense of this
Sheykh for that which he hath done? They answered, His recompense should
be that thou marry him to her.--Ye have spoken truly, said
the King:--and he gave her in marriage to him, and thus the Sheykh became
a connection of the King; and after some days the King died, and he was
made King in his place.
And it happened one day that this envied King was riding with his
troops, and he saw his envier approaching; and when this man came before
him he seated him upon a horse with high distinction and honour, and,
taking him to his palace, gave him a thousand pieces of gold, and a
costly dress; after which he sent him back from the city, with
attendants to escort him to his house, and reproached him for
nothing.--Consider, then, O 'Efreet, the pardon of the envied to the
envier, and his kindness to him, notwithstanding the injuries he had
done him.[III_63]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE SECOND ROYAL MENDICANT.
The 'Efreet, when he had heard this story, replied, Lengthen not thy
words to me: as to my killing thee, fear it not; and as to my pardoning
thee, covet it not; but as to my enchanting thee, there is no escape
from it;--and, so saying, he clove the earth asunder, and soared with me
through the sky to such a height that I beheld the world beneath me as
though it were a bowl of water: then, alighting upon a mountain, he took
up a little dust, and, having muttered and pronounced certain words over
it, sprinkled me with it, saying, Quit this form, and take the form of
an ape!--whereupon I became like an ape of a hundred years of age.
[Illustration]
When I saw myself changed into this ugly form, I wept for myself, but
determined to be patient under the tyranny of fortune, knowing it to be
constant to no one. I descended from the summit of the mountain, and,
after having journeyed for the space of a month, arrived at the
sea-shore; and, when I had stood there a short time, I saw a vessel in
the midst of the sea, with a favourable wind approaching the land; I
therefore hid myself behind a rock on the beach, and when the ship came
close up, I sprang into the midst of it. But as soon as the persons on
board saw me, one of them cried, Turn out this unlucky brute from the
ship:--another said, Let us kill him:--and a third exclaimed, I will
kill him with this sword. I, however, caught hold of the end of the
sword, and tears flowed from my eyes; at the sight of which the captain
took compassion on me, and said to the passengers, O merchants, this ape
hath sought my aid, and I give it him; he is under my protection; let no
one, therefore, oppose or trouble him. He then treated me with kindness,
and whatever he said to me I understood, and all that he required to be
done I performed as his servant.
We continued our voyage for fifty days with a fair wind, and cast anchor
under a large city containing a population which no one but God, whose
name be exalted, could reckon; and when we had moored our vessel, there
came to us some memlooks from the King of the city, who came on board
the ship, and complimented the merchants on their safe arrival, saying,
Our King greeteth you, rejoicing in your safety, and hath sent to you
this roll of paper, desiring that each of you shall write a line upon
it; for the King had a Wezeer who was an eminent caligraphist, and he is
dead, and the King hath sworn that he will not appoint any person to his
office who cannot write equally well.[III_64] Though in the form of
an ape, I arose and snatched the paper from their hands; upon which,
fearing that I would tear it and throw it into the sea, they cried out
against me, and would have killed me; but I made signs to them that I
would write, and the captain said to them, Suffer him to write, and if
he scribble we will turn him away; but if he write well I will adopt him
as my son; for I have never seen a more intelligent ape. So I took the
pen, and demanded the ink, and wrote in an epistolary hand this
couplet:--
Fame hath recorded the virtues of the noble; but no one hath been
able to reckon thine.
May God not deprive mankind of such a father; for thou art the parent
of every excellence.
Then, in a more formal, large hand, I wrote the following verses:--
There is no writer that shall not perish; but what his hand hath
written endureth ever.
Write, therefore, nothing but what will please thee when thou shalt
see it on the day of resurrection.
Two other specimens I wrote, in two different and smaller hands, and
returned the paper to the memlooks, who took it back to the King; and
when he saw what was written upon it, the hand of no one pleased him
excepting mine; and he said to his attendants, Go to the author of this
hand-writing, put upon him this dress, and mount him upon a mule, and
conduct him, with the band of music before him, to my presence. On
hearing this order, they smiled; and the King was angry with them, and
said, How is it that I give you an order, and ye laugh at me? They
answered, O King, we laugh not at thy words, but because he who wrote
this is an ape, and not a son of Adam: he is with the captain of the
ship newly arrived.
The King was astonished at their words; he shook with delight, and said,
I would purchase this ape. He then sent some messengers to the ship,
with the mule and the dress of honour, saying to them, Ye must clothe
him with this dress, and mount him upon the mule, and bring him hither.
So they came to the ship, and, taking me from the captain, clad me with
the dress; and the people were astonished, and flocked to amuse
themselves with the sight of me. And when they brought me to the King,
and I beheld him, I kissed the ground before him three times, and he
ordered me to sit down: so I sat down upon my knees;[III_65] and
the persons present were surprised at my polite manners, and especially
the King, who presently ordered his people to retire. They, therefore,
did so; none remaining but the King, and a eunuch, and a young memlook,
and myself. The King then commanded that a repast should be brought; and
they placed before him a service of viands, such as gratified the
appetite and delighted the eye; and the King made a sign to me that I
should eat; whereupon I arose, and, having kissed the ground before him
seven times, sat down to eat with him; and when the table was removed, I
washed my hands, and, taking the ink-case, and pen and paper, I wrote
these two verses:--
Great is my appetite for thee, O Kunáfeh![III_66] I cannot
be happy nor endure without thee.
Be thou every day and night my food; and may drops of honey not
be wanting to moisten thee.
Having done this, I arose, and seated myself at a distance; and the
King, looking at what I had written, read it with astonishment, and
exclaimed, Can an ape possess such fluency and such skill in caligraphy?
This is, indeed, a wonder of wonders!--Afterwards, a chess-table was
brought to the King, and he said to me, Wilt thou play? By a motion of
my head I answered, Yes:--and I advanced, and arranged the
pieces.[III_67] I played with him twice, and beat him; and the King
was perplexed, and said, Were this a man, he would surpass all the
people of his age.
He then said to his eunuch, Go to thy mistress, and say to her, Answer
the summons of the King:--that she may come and gratify her curiosity by
the sight of this wonderful ape. The eunuch, therefore, went, and
returned with his mistress, the King's daughter, who, as soon as she saw
me, veiled her face, and said, O my father, how is it that thou art
pleased to send for me, and suffer strange men to see me?--O my
daughter, answered the King, there is no one here but the young memlook,
and the eunuch who brought thee up, and this ape, with myself, thy
father: from whom, then, dost thou veil thy face?--This ape, said she,
is the son of a King, and the name of his father is Eymár:[III_68]
he is enchanted, and it was the 'Efreet Jarjarees, a descendant of
Iblees, who transformed him, after having slain his own wife, the
daughter of King Aḳnámoos. This, whom thou supposedst to be an ape, is a
learned and wise man.--The King was amazed at his daughter's words, and,
looking towards me, said, Is it true that she saith of thee? I answered,
by a motion of my head, Yes:--and wept. The King then said to his
daughter, By what means didst thou discover that he was enchanted?--O my
father, she answered, I had with me, in my younger years, an old woman
who was a cunning enchantress, and she taught me the art of enchantment:
I have committed its rules to memory, and know it thoroughly, being
acquainted with a hundred and seventy modes of performing it, by the
least of which I could transport the stones of thy city beyond Mount
Ḳáf, and make its site to be an abyss of the sea, and convert its
inhabitants into fish in the midst of it.--I conjure thee, then, by the
name of Allah, said her father, to restore this young man, that I may
make him my Wezeer. Is it possible that thou possessedst this
excellence, and I knew it not? Restore him, that I may make him my
Wezeer, for he is a polite and intelligent youth.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
She replied, With pleasure:--and, taking a knife upon which were
engraved some Hebrew names, marked with it a circle in the midst of the
palace. Within this she wrote certain names and talismans, and then she
pronounced invocations, and uttered unintelligible words; and soon the
palace around us became immersed in gloom to such a degree, that we
thought the whole world was overspread; and lo, the 'Efreet appeared
before us in a most hideous shape, with hands like winnowing-forks, and
legs like masts, and eyes like burning torches; so that we were
terrified at him. The King's daughter exclaimed, No welcome to thee!--to
which the 'Efreet, assuming the form of a lion, replied, Thou traitress,
how is it that thou hast broken thine oath? Did we not swear that we
would not oppose one another?--Thou wretch, said she, when didst thou
receive an oath?--The 'Efreet, still in the form of a lion, then
exclaimed, Take what awaiteth thee!--and, opening his mouth, rushed upon
the lady: but she instantly plucked a hair from her head and muttered
with her lips, whereupon the hair became converted into a piercing
sword, with which she struck the lion, and he was cleft in twain by the
blow; but his head became changed into a scorpion. The lady immediately
transformed herself into an enormous serpent, and crept after the
execrable wretch in the shape of a scorpion, and a sharp contest ensued
between them; after which, the scorpion became an eagle, and the
serpent, changing to a vulture, pursued the eagle for a length of time.
The latter then transformed himself into a black cat, and the King's
daughter became a wolf, and they fought together long and fiercely, till
the cat, seeing himself overcome, changed himself into a large red
pomegranate, which fell into a pool; but, the wolf pursuing it, it
ascended into the air, and then fell upon the pavement of the palace,
and broke in pieces, its grains becoming scattered, each apart from the
others, and all spread about the whole space of ground enclosed by the
palace. The wolf, upon this, transformed itself into a cock, in order to
pick up the grains, and not leave one of them; but, according to the
decree of fate, one grain remained hidden by the side of the pool of the
fountain. The cock began to cry, and flapped its wings, and made a sign
to us with its beak; but we understood not what it would say. It then
uttered at us such a cry, that we thought the palace had fallen down
upon us; and it ran about the whole of the ground, until it saw the
grain that had lain hid by the side of the pool, when it pounced upon
it, to pick it up; but it fell into the midst of the water, and became
transformed into a fish, and sank into the water; upon which the cock
became a fish of a larger size, and plunged in after the other. For a
while it was absent from our sight; but, at length, we heard a loud cry,
and trembled at the sound; after which, the 'Efreet rose as a flame of
fire, casting fire from his mouth, and fire and smoke from his eyes and
nostrils: the King's daughter also became as a vast body of fire; and we
would have plunged into the water from fear of our being burnt and
destroyed; but suddenly the 'Efreet cried out from within the fire, and
came towards us upon the leewán,[III_69] blowing fire at our faces.
The lady, however, overtook him, and blew fire in like manner in his
face; and some sparks struck us both from her and from him: her sparks
did us no harm; but one from him struck me in my eye, and destroyed it,
I being still in the form of an ape; and a spark from him reached the
face of the King, and burned the lower half, with his beard and mouth,
and struck out his lower teeth: another spark also fell upon the breast
of the eunuch; who was burnt, and died immediately. We expected
destruction, and gave up all hope of preserving our lives; but while we
were in this state, a voice exclaimed, God is most great! God is most
great! He hath conquered and aided, and abandoned the denier of the
faith of Moḥammad, the chief of mankind![III_70]--The person from
whom this voice proceeded was the King's daughter: she had burnt the
'Efreet; and when we looked towards him, we perceived that he had become
a heap of ashes.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
The lady then came to us, and said, Bring me a cup of water:--and when
it was brought to her, she pronounced over it some words which we
understood not, and, sprinkling me with it, said, Be restored, by
virtue of the name of the Truth, and by virtue of the most great name of
God, to thy original form!--whereupon I became a man as I was at first,
excepting that my eye was destroyed. After this, she cried out, The
fire! the fire! O my father, I shall no longer live, for I am
predestined to be killed. Had he been a human being, I had killed him at
the first of the encounter. I experienced no difficulty till the
scattering of the grains of the pomegranate, when I picked them up
excepting the one in which was the life of the Jinnee: had I picked up
that, he had instantly died; but I saw it not, as fate and destiny had
appointed; and suddenly he came upon me, and a fierce contest ensued
between us under the earth, and in the air, and in the water; and every
time that he tried against me a new mode, I employed against him one
more potent, until he tried against me the mode of fire; and rarely does
one escape against whom the mode of fire is employed. Destiny, however,
aided me, so that I burned him first; but I exhorted him previously to
embrace the faith of El-Islám. Now I die; and may God supply my place to
you.--Having thus said, she ceased not to pray for relief from the fire;
and lo, a spark ascended to her breast, and thence to her face; and when
it reached her face, she wept, and exclaimed, I testify that there is no
deity but God, and I testify that Moḥammad is God's Apostle!--We then
looked towards her, and saw that she had become a heap of ashes by the
side of the ashes of the 'Efreet.
We were plunged into grief on her account, and I wished that I had been
in her place rather than have seen that sweet-faced creature who had
done me this kindness reduced to a heap of ashes: but the decree of God
cannot be averted. The King, on beholding his daughter in this state,
plucked out what remained of his beard, and slapped his face, and rent
his clothes; and I also did the same, while we both wept for her. Then
came the chamberlains and other great officers of the court, who,
finding the King in a state of insensibility, with two heaps of ashes
before him, were astonished, and remained encompassing him until he
recovered from his fit, when he informed them of what had befallen his
daughter with the 'Efreet; and great was their affliction. The women
shrieked, with the female slaves, and continued their mourning seven
days. After this, the King gave orders to build, over the ashes of his
daughter, a great tomb with a dome, and illuminated it with candles and
lamps: but the ashes of the 'Efreet they scattered in the wind, exposing
them to the curse of God. The King then fell sick, and was near unto
death: his illness lasted a month; but after this he recovered his
health, and, summoning me to his presence, said to me, O young man, we
passed our days in the enjoyment of the utmost happiness, secure from
the vicissitudes of fortune, until thou camest to us, when troubles
overcame us. Would that we had never seen thee, nor thy ugly form, on
account of which we have been reduced to this state of privation: for,
in the first place, I have lost my daughter, who was worth a hundred
men; and, secondly, I have suffered this burning, and lost my teeth: my
eunuch also is dead: but it was not in thy power to prevent these
afflictions: the decree of God hath been fulfilled on us and on thee;
and praise be to God that my daughter restored thee, though she
destroyed herself. Now, however, depart, O my son, from my city. It is
enough that hath happened on thy account; but as it was decreed against
us and thee, depart in peace.
So I departed, O my mistress, from his presence; but before I quitted
the city, I entered a public bath, and shaved my beard. I traversed
various regions, and passed through great cities, and bent my course to
the Abode of Peace,[III_71] Baghdád, in the hope of obtaining an
interview with the Prince of the Faithful, that I might relate to him
all that had befallen me.
The third mendicant then advanced, and thus related his story:--
THE STORY OF THE THIRD ROYAL MENDICANT.
O illustrious lady, my story is not like those of my two companions, but
more wonderful: the course of fate and destiny brought upon them events
against which they could not guard; but as to myself, the shaving of my
beard and the loss of my eye were occasioned by my provoking fate and
misfortune; and the cause was this:--
I was a King, and the son of a King; and when my father died, I
succeeded to his throne, and governed my subjects with justice and
beneficence. I took pleasure in sea-voyages; and my capital was on the
shore of an extensive sea, interspersed with fortified and garrisoned
islands, which I desired, for my amusement, to visit; I therefore
embarked with a fleet of ten ships, and took with me provisions
sufficient for a whole month. I proceeded twenty days, after which there
arose against us a contrary wind; but at daybreak it ceased, and the sea
became calm, and we arrived at an island, where we landed, and cooked
some provisions and ate; after which we remained there two days. We
then continued our voyage; and when twenty days more had passed, we
found ourselves in strange waters, unknown to the captain, and desired
the watch to look out from the mast-head: so he went aloft, and when he
had come down he said to the captain, I saw, on my right hand, fish
floating upon the surface of the water; and looking towards the midst of
the sea, I perceived something looming in the distance, sometimes black,
and sometimes white.
When the captain heard this report of the watch, he threw his turban on
the deck, and plucked his beard, and said to those who were with him,
Receive warning of our destruction, which will befall all of us: not one
will escape! So saying, he began to weep; and all of us in like manner
bewailed our lot. I desired him to inform us of that which the watch had
seen. O my lord, he replied, know that we have wandered from our course
since the commencement of the contrary wind that was followed in the
morning by a calm, in consequence of which we remained stationary two
days: from that period we have deviated from our course for twenty-one
days, and we have no wind to carry us back from the fate which awaits us
after this day: to-morrow we shall arrive at a mountain of black stone,
called loadstone: the current is now bearing us violently towards it,
and the ships will fall in pieces, and every nail in them will fly to
the mountain, and adhere to it; for God hath given to the loadstone a
secret property by virtue of which everything of iron is attracted
towards it. On that mountain is such a quantity of iron as no one
knoweth but God, whose name be exalted; for from times of old great
numbers of ships have been destroyed by the influence of that
mountain.[III_72] There is, upon the summit of the mountain, a
cupola of brass supported by ten columns, and upon the top of this
cupola is a horseman upon a horse of brass, having in his hand a brazen
spear, and upon his breast suspended a tablet of lead, upon which are
engraved mysterious names and talismans: and as long, O King, as this
horseman remains upon the horse, so long will every ship that approaches
be destroyed, with every person on board, and all the iron contained in
it will cleave to the mountain: no one will be safe until the horseman
shall have fallen from the horse.--The captain then wept bitterly; and
we felt assured that our destruction was inevitable, and every one of us
bade adieu to his friend.
[Illustration]
On the following morning we drew near to the mountain; the current
carried us towards it with violence, and when the ships were almost
close to it, they fell asunder, and all the nails, and every thing else
that was of iron, flew from them towards the loadstone. It was near the
close of day when the ships fell in pieces. Some of us were drowned, and
some escaped; but the greater number were drowned, and of those who
saved their lives none knew what became of the others, so stupefied were
they by the waves and the boisterous wind. As for myself, O my mistress,
God, whose name be exalted, spared me on account of the trouble and
torment and affliction that He had predestined to befall me. I placed
myself upon a plank, and the wind and waves cast it upon the mountain;
and when I had landed, I found a practicable way to the summit,
resembling steps cut in the rock: so I exclaimed, In the name of
God!--and offered up a prayer, and attempted the ascent, holding fast by
the notches; and presently God stilled the wind and assisted me in my
endeavours, so that I arrived in safety at the summit. Rejoicing greatly
in my escape, I immediately entered the cupola, and performed the
prayers of two rek'ahs[III_73] in gratitude to God for my
preservation; after which I slept beneath the cupola, and heard a voice
saying to me, O son of Khaṣeeb,[III_74] when thou awakest from thy
sleep, dig beneath thy feet, and thou wilt find a bow of brass, and
three arrows of lead, whereon are engraved talismans: then take the bow
and arrows and shoot at the horseman that is upon the top of the cupola,
and relieve mankind from this great affliction; for when thou hast shot
at the horseman he will fall into the sea; the bow will also fall, and
do thou bury it in its place; and as soon as thou hast done this, the
sea will swell and rise until it attains the summit of the mountain;
and there will appear upon it a boat bearing a man, different from him
whom thou shalt have cast down, and he will come to thee, having an oar
in his hand: then do thou embark with him; but utter not the name of
God; and he will convey thee in ten days to a safe sea, where, on thy
arrival, thou wilt find one who will take thee to thy city. All this
shall be done if thou utter not the name of God.
Awaking from my sleep, I sprang up, and did as the voice had directed. I
shot at the horseman, and he fell into the sea; and the bow having
fallen from my hand, I buried it: the sea then became troubled, and rose
to the summit of the mountain, and when I had stood waiting there a
little while, I beheld a boat in the midst of the sea, approaching me. I
praised God, whose name be exalted, and when the boat came to me, I
found in it a man of brass, with a tablet of lead upon his breast,
engraven with names and talismans. Without uttering a word, I embarked
in the boat, and the man rowed me ten successive days, after which I
beheld the islands of security, whereupon, in the excess of my joy, I
exclaimed, In the name of God! There is no deity but God! God is most
great!--and as soon as I had done this, he cast me out of the boat, and
sank in the sea.
[Illustration]
Being able to swim, I swam until night, when my arms and shoulders were
tired, and, in this perilous situation, I repeated the profession of
the faith, and gave myself up as lost; but the sea rose with the
violence of the wind, and a wave like a vast castle threw me upon the
land, in order to the accomplishment of the purpose of God. I ascended
the shore, and after I had wrung out my clothes, and spread them upon
the ground to dry, I slept; and in the morning I put on my clothes
again, and, looking about to see which way I should go, I found a tract
covered with trees, to which I advanced; and when I had walked round it,
I found that I was upon a small island in the midst of the sea; upon
which I said within myself, Every time that I escape from one calamity I
fall into another that is worse:--but while I was reflecting upon my
unfortunate case, and wishing for death, I beheld a vessel bearing a
number of men. I arose immediately, and climbed into a tree; and lo, the
vessel came to the shore, and there landed from it ten black slaves
bearing axes. They proceeded to the middle of the island, and, digging
up the earth, uncovered and lifted up a trap-door, after which they
returned to the vessel, and brought from it bread and flour and
clarified butter and honey and sheep and everything that the wants of an
inhabitant would require, continuing to pass backwards and forwards
between the vessel and the trap-door, bringing loads from the former,
and entering the latter, until they had removed all the stores from the
ship. They then came out of the vessel with various clothes of the most
beautiful description, and in the midst of them was an old sheykh,
enfeebled and wasted by extreme age, leading by the hand a young man
cast in the mould of graceful symmetry, and invested with such perfect
beauty as deserved to be a subject for proverbs. He was like a fresh and
slender twig, enchanting and captivating every heart by his elegant
form. The party proceeded to the trap-door, and, entering it, became
concealed from my eyes.[III_75]
They remained beneath about two hours, or more; after which, the sheykh
and the slaves came out; but the youth came not with them; and they
replaced the earth, and embarked and set sail. Soon after, I descended
from the tree, and went to the excavation. I removed the earth, and,
entering the aperture, saw a flight of wooden steps, which I descended;
and, at the bottom, I beheld a handsome dwelling-place, furnished with a
variety of silken carpets; and there was the youth, sitting upon a high
mattress, with sweet-smelling flowers and fruits placed before him. On
seeing me, his countenance became pale; but I saluted him, and said, Let
thy mind be composed, O my master: thou hast nothing to fear, O delight
of my eye; for I am a man, and the son of a King, like thyself: fate
hath impelled me to thee, that I may cheer thee in thy solitude. The
youth, when he heard me thus address him, and was convinced that I was
one of his own species, rejoiced exceedingly at my arrival, his colour
returned, and, desiring me to approach him, he said, O my brother, my
story is wonderful: my father is a jeweller: he had slaves who made
voyages by his orders, for the purposes of commerce, and he had dealings
with Kings; but he had never been blest with a son; and he dreamt that
he was soon to have a son, but one whose life would be short; and he
awoke sorrowful.[III_76] Shortly after, in accordance with the
decrees of God, my mother conceived me, and when her time was complete,
she gave birth to me; and my father was greatly rejoiced: the
astrologers, however, came to him, and said, Thy son will live fifteen
years: his fate is intimated by the fact that there is, in the sea, a
mountain called the Mountain of Loadstone, whereon is a horseman on a
horse of brass, on the former of which is a tablet of lead suspended to
his neck; and when the horseman shall be thrown down from his horse, thy
son will be slain: the person who is to slay him is he who will throw
down the horseman, and his name is King 'Ajeeb,[III_77] the son of
King Khaṣeeb. My father was greatly afflicted at this announcement; and
when he had reared me until I had nearly attained the age of fifteen
years, the astrologers came again, and informed him that the horseman
had fallen into the sea, and that it had been thrown down by King
'Ajeeb, the son of King Khaṣeeb; on hearing which, he prepared for me
this dwelling, and here left me to remain until the completion of the
term, of which there now remain ten days. All this he did from fear lest
King 'Ajeeb should kill me.
When I heard this, I was filled with wonder, and said within myself, I
am King 'Ajeeb, the son of King Khaṣeeb, and it was I who threw down the
horseman; but, by Allah, I will neither kill him nor do him any injury.
Then said I to the youth, Far from thee be both destruction and harm, if
it be the will of God, whose name be exalted: thou hast nothing to fear:
I will remain with thee to serve thee, and will go forth with thee to
thy father, and beg of him to send me back to my country, for the which
he will obtain a reward. The youth rejoiced at my words, and I sat and
conversed with him until night, when I spread his bed for him, and
covered him, and slept near to his side. And in the morning I brought
him water, and he washed his face, and said to me, May God requite thee
for me with every blessing. If I escape from King 'Ajeeb, I will make my
father reward thee with abundant favours.--Never, I replied, may the day
arrive that would bring thee misfortune. I then placed before him some
refreshments, and after we had eaten together, we passed the day
conversing with the utmost cheerfulness.
[Illustration]
I continued to serve him for nine days; and on the tenth day the youth
rejoiced at finding himself in safety, and said to me, O my brother, I
wish that thou wouldst in thy kindness warm for me some water, that I
may wash myself and change my clothes; for I have smelt the odour of
escape from death, in consequence of thy assistance.--With pleasure, I
replied;--and I arose, and warmed the water; after which, he entered a
place concealed from my view, and, having washed himself and changed his
clothes, laid himself upon the mattress to rest after his bath. He then
said to me, Cut up for me, O my brother, a water-melon, and mix its
juice with some sugar:--so I arose, and, taking a melon, brought it upon
a plate, and said to him, Knowest thou, O my master, where is the
knife?--See, here it is, he answered, upon the shelf over my head. I
sprang up hastily, and took it from its sheath, and as I was drawing
back, my foot slipped, as God had decreed, and I fell upon the youth,
grasping in my hand the knife, which entered his body, and he died
instantly. When I perceived that he was dead, and that I had killed him,
I uttered a loud shriek, and beat my face, and rent my clothes, saying,
This is, indeed, a calamity! O what a calamity! O my Lord, I implore thy
pardon, and declare to Thee my innocence of his death! Would that I had
died before him! How long shall I devour trouble after trouble!
With these reflections I ascended the steps, and, having replaced the
trap-door, returned to my first station, and looked over the sea, where
I saw the vessel that had come before, approaching, and cleaving the
waves in its rapid course. Upon this I said within myself, Now will the
men come forth from the vessel, and find the youth slain, and they will
slay me also:--so I climbed into a tree, and concealed myself among its
leaves, and sat there till the vessel arrived and cast anchor, when the
slaves landed with the old sheykh, the father of the youth, and went to
the place, and removed the earth. They were surprised at finding it
moist, and, when they had descended the steps, they discovered the youth
lying on his back, exhibiting a face beaming with beauty, though dead,
and clad in white and clean clothing, with the knife remaining in his
body. They all wept at the sight, and the father fell down in a swoon,
which lasted so long that the slaves thought he was dead. At length,
however, he recovered, and came out with the slaves, who had wrapped the
body of the youth in his clothes. They then took back all that was in
the subterranean dwelling to the vessel, and departed.
I remained, O my mistress, by day hiding myself in a tree, and at night
walking about the open part of the island. Thus I continued for the
space of two months; and I perceived that, on the western side of the
island, the water of the sea every day retired, until, after three
months, the land that had been beneath it became dry. Rejoicing at this,
and feeling confident now in my escape, I traversed this dry tract, and
arrived at an expanse of sand; whereupon I emboldened myself, and
crossed it. I then saw in the distance an appearance of fire, and,
advancing towards it, found it to be a palace, overlaid with plates of
copper, which, reflecting the rays of the sun, seemed from a distance to
be fire: and when I drew near to it, reflecting upon this sight, there
approached me an old sheykh, accompanied by ten young men who were all
blind of one eye, at which I was extremely surprised. As soon as they
saw me, they saluted me, and asked me my story, which I related to them
from first to last; and they were filled with wonder. They then
conducted me into the palace, where I saw ten benches, upon each of
which was a mattress covered with a blue stuff;[III_78] and each of
the young men seated himself upon one of these benches, while the sheykh
took his place upon a smaller one; after which they said to me, Sit
down, O young man, and ask no question respecting our condition, nor
respecting our being blind of one eye. Then the sheykh arose, and
brought to each of them some food, and the same to me also; and next he
brought to each of us some wine: and after we had eaten, we sat drinking
together until the time for sleep, when the young men said to the
sheykh, Bring to us our accustomed supply:--upon which the sheykh arose,
and entered a closet, from which he brought, upon his head, ten covered
trays. Placing these upon the floor, he lighted ten candles, and stuck
one of them upon each tray; and, having done this, he removed the
covers, and there appeared beneath them ashes mixed with pounded
charcoal. The young men then tucked up their sleeves above the elbow,
and blackened their faces, and slapped their cheeks,[III_79]
exclaiming, We were reposing at our ease, and our impertinent curiosity
suffered us not to remain so! Thus they did until the morning, when the
sheykh brought them some hot water, and they washed their faces, and put
on other clothes.
On witnessing this conduct, my reason was confounded, my heart was so
troubled that I forgot my own misfortunes, and I asked them the cause of
their strange behaviour; upon which they looked towards me, and said, O
young man, ask not respecting that which doth not concern thee; but be
silent; for in silence is security from error.--I remained with them a
whole month, during which, every night they did the same; and at length
I said to them, I conjure you by Allah to remove this disquiet from my
mind, and to inform me of the cause of your acting in this manner, and
of your exclaiming, We were reposing at our ease, and our impertinent
curiosity suffered us not to remain so!--if ye inform me not, I will
leave you, and go my way; for the proverb saith, When the eye seeth not,
the heart doth not grieve.--On hearing these words, they replied, We
have not concealed this affair from thee but in our concern for thy
welfare, lest thou shouldst become like us, and the same affliction that
hath befallen us happen also to thee. I said, however, Ye must
positively inform me of this matter.--We give thee good advice, said
they, and do thou receive it, and ask us not respecting our case;
otherwise thou wilt become blind of one eye, like us:--but I still
persisted in my request; whereupon they said, O young man, if this
befall thee, know that thou wilt be banished from our company. They then
all arose, and, taking a ram, slaughtered and skinned it, and said to
me, Take this knife with thee, and introduce thyself into the skin of
the ram, and we will sew thee up in it, and go away; whereupon a bird
called the rukh'[III_80] will come to thee, and, taking thee up by
its talons, will fly away with thee, and set thee down upon a mountain:
then cut open the skin with this knife, and get out, and the bird will
fly away. Thou must arise, as soon as it hath gone, and journey for half
a day, and thou wilt see before thee a lofty palace, encased with red
gold, set with various precious stones, such as emeralds and rubies,
&c.; and if thou enter it thy case will be as ours; for our entrance
into that palace was the cause of our being blind of one eye; and if one
of us would relate to thee all that hath befallen him, his story would
be too long for thee to hear.
They then sewed me up in the skin, and entered their palace; and soon
after, there came an enormous white bird, which seized me, and flew away
with me, and set me down upon the mountain; whereupon I cut open the
skin, and got out; and the bird, as soon as it saw me, flew away. I rose
up quickly, and proceeded towards the palace, which I found to be as
they had described it to me; and when I had entered it, I beheld, at the
upper end of a saloon, forty young damsels, beautiful as so many moons,
and magnificently attired, who, as soon as they saw me, exclaimed,
Welcome! Welcome! O our master and our lord! We have been for a month
expecting thee. Praise be to God who hath blessed us with one who is
worthy of us, and one of whom we are worthy!--After having thus greeted
me, they seated me upon a mattress, and said, Thou art from this day our
master and prince, and we are thy handmaids, and entirely under thy
authority. They then brought to me some refreshments, and, when I had
eaten and drunk, they sat and conversed with me, full of joy and
happiness. So lovely were these ladies, that even a devotee, if he saw
them, would gladly consent to be their servant, and to comply with all
that they would desire. At the approach of night they all assembled
around me, and placed before me a table of fresh and dried fruits, with
other delicacies that the tongue cannot describe, and wine; and one
began to sing, while another played upon the lute. The wine-cups
circulated among us, and joy overcame me to such a degree as to
obliterate from my mind every earthly care, and make me exclaim, This
is indeed a delightful life! I passed a night of such enjoyment as I had
never before experienced; and on the morrow I entered the bath; and,
after I had washed myself, they brought me a suit of the richest
clothing, and we again sat down to a repast.
In this manner I lived with them a whole year; but on the first day of
the new year, they seated themselves around me, and began to weep, and
bade me farewell, clinging to my skirts.--What calamity hath befallen
you? said I. Ye have broken my heart.--They answered, Would that we had
never known thee; for we have associated with many men, but have seen
none like thee. May God, therefore, not deprive us of thy company.--And
they wept afresh. I said to them, I wish that you would acquaint me with
the cause of this weeping.--Thou, they replied, art the cause; yet now,
if thou wilt attend to what we tell thee, we shall never be parted; but
if thou act contrary to it, we are separated from this time; and our
hearts whisper to us that thou wilt not regard our warning.--Inform me,
said I, and I will attend to your directions:--and they replied, If then
thou wouldst inquire respecting our history, know that we are the
daughters of Kings: for many years it hath been our custom to assemble
here, and every year we absent ourselves during a period of forty days;
then returning, we indulge ourselves for a year in feasting and
drinking. This is our usual practice; and now we fear that thou wilt
disregard our directions when we are absent from thee. We deliver to
thee the keys of the palace, which are a hundred in number, belonging to
a hundred closets. Open each of these, and amuse thyself, and eat and
drink, and refresh thyself, excepting the closet that hath a door of red
gold; for if thou open this, the consequence will be a separation
between us and thee. We conjure thee, therefore, to observe our
direction, and to be patient during this period.--Upon hearing this, I
swore to them that I would never open the closet to which they alluded;
and they departed, urging me to be faithful to my promise.
[Illustration]
I remained alone in the palace, and at the approach of evening I opened
the first closet, and, entering it, found a mansion like paradise, with
a garden containing green trees loaded with ripe fruits, abounding with
singing birds, and watered by copious streams. My heart was soothed by
the sight, and I wandered among the trees, scenting the fragrance of the
flowers, and listening to the warbling of the birds as they sang the
praises of the One, the Almighty.[III_81] After admiring the
mingled colours of the apple resembling the hue upon the cheek of a
beloved mistress and the sallow countenance of the perplexed and timid
lover, the sweet-smelling quince diffusing an odour like musk and
ambergris, and the plum shining as the ruby, I retired from this place,
and, having locked the door, opened that of the next closet, within
which I beheld a spacious tract planted with numerous palm-trees, and
watered by a river flowing among rose-trees, and jasmine, and marjoram,
and eglantine, and narcissus, and gilliflower, the odours of which,
diffused in every direction by the wind, inspired me with the utmost
delight. I locked again the door of the second closet, and opened that
of the third. Within this I found a large saloon, paved with marbles of
various colours, and with costly minerals and precious gems, and
containing cages constructed of sandal and aloes-wood with singing birds
within them, and others upon the branches of trees which were planted
there. My heart was charmed, my trouble was dissipated, and I slept
there until the morning. I then opened the door of the fourth closet,
and within this door I found a great building in which were forty
closets with open doors; and, entering these, I beheld pearls, and
rubies, and chrysolites, and emeralds, and other precious jewels such as
the tongue cannot describe. I was astonished at the sight, and said,
Such things as these, I imagine, are not found in the treasury of any
King. I am now the King of my age, and all these treasures, through the
goodness of God, are mine, together with forty damsels under my
authority who have no man to share them with me.
Thus I continued to amuse myself, passing from one place to another,
until thirty-nine days had elapsed, and I had opened the doors of all
the closets excepting that which they had forbidden me to open. My heart
was then disturbed by curiosity respecting this hundredth closet, and
the Devil, in order to plunge me into misery, induced me to open it. I
had not patience to abstain, though there remained of the appointed
period only one day: so I approached the closet, and opened the door;
and when I had entered, I perceived a fragrant odour, such as I had
never before smelt, which intoxicated me so that I fell down insensible,
and remained some time in this state: but at length recovering, I
fortified my heart, and proceeded. I found the floor overspread with
saffron, and the place illuminated by golden lamps and by candles, which
diffused the odours of musk and ambergris; and two large
perfuming-vessels filled with aloes-wood and ambergris, and a perfume
compounded with honey, spread fragrance through the whole place. I saw
also a black horse, of the hue of the darkest night, before which was a
manger of white crystal filled with cleansed sesame, and another,
similar to it, containing rose-water infused with musk: he was saddled
and bridled, and his saddle was of red gold. Wondering at the sight of
him, I said within myself, This must be an animal of extraordinary
qualities;--and, seduced by the Devil, I led him out, and mounted him;
but he moved not from his place: I kicked him with my heel; but still he
moved not: so I took a miḳra'ah and struck him with it; and as soon as
he felt the blow he uttered a sound like thunder, and, expanding a pair
of wings, soared with me to an immense height through the air, and then
alighted upon the roof of another palace, where he threw me from his
back, and, by a violent blow with his tail upon my face, as I sat on the
roof, struck out my eye, and left me.[III_82]
In this state I descended from the roof, and below I found the one-eyed
young men before mentioned, who, as soon as they beheld me, exclaimed,
No welcome to thee!--Receive me, said I, into your company:--but they
replied, By Allah, thou shalt not remain with us:--so I departed from
them, with mournful heart and weeping eye, and, God having decreed me a
safe journey hither, I arrived at Baghdád, after I had shaved my beard,
and become a mendicant.[III_83]
CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGHDÁD, &c.
The mistress of the house then looked towards the Khaleefeh and Jaạfar
and Mesroor, and said to them, Acquaint me with your histories:--upon
which Jaạfar advanced towards her, and related to her the same story
that he had told to the portress before they entered; and when she had
heard it, she liberated them all. They accordingly departed, and when
they had gone out into the street, the Khaleefeh inquired of the
mendicants whither they were going. They answered that they knew not
whither to go: whereupon he desired them to accompany his party; and
then said to Jaạfar, Take them home with thee, and bring them before me
to-morrow, and we will see the result. Jaạfar, therefore, did as he was
commanded, and the Khaleefeh returned to his palace; but he was unable
to sleep during the remainder of the night.
On the following morning he sat upon his throne, and when his courtiers
had presented themselves before him, and departed, excepting Jaạfar, he
said to him, Bring before me the three ladies and the two bitches and
the mendicants. So Jaạfar arose, and brought them, and, placing the
ladies behind the curtains, said to them, We have forgiven you on
account of your previous kindness to us, and because ye knew us not; and
now I acquaint you that ye are in the presence of the fifth of the sons
of El-'Abbás, Hároon Er-Rasheed; therefore relate to him nothing but the
truth. And when the ladies heard the words which Jaạfar addressed to
them on the part of the Khaleefeh, the eldest of them advanced, and thus
related her story:--
THE STORY OF THE FIRST OF THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDÁD.
[Illustration]
O Prince of the Faithful, my story is wonderful; for these two
bitches[III_84] are my sisters, born to my father, but of another
mother; and I am the youngest of the three. After the death of our
father, who left us five thousand pieces of gold, these my two sisters
married, and when they had resided some time with their husbands, each
of the latter prepared a stock of merchandise, and received from his
wife a thousand pieces of gold, and they all set forth on a journey
together, leaving me here; but after they had been absent four years, my
sisters' husbands lost all their property, and abandoned them in a
strange land, and they returned to me in the garb of beggars. When I
first saw them in this state, I knew them not; and, as soon as I
recognised them, I exclaimed, How is it that ye are in this
condition?--O our sister, they answered, thy inquiry now is of no use:
the Pen hath written what God hath decreed.[III_85]--I sent them,
therefore, to the bath, and, having clad them in new apparel, said to
them, O my sisters, ye are my elders, and I am young; so ye shall be to
me in the places of my father and mother. The inheritance which I shared
with you God hath blessed; partake then of its increase, for my affairs
are prosperous; and I and ye shall fare alike.--I treated them with the
utmost kindness, and during a whole year they remained with me, and
enriched themselves by the money that I had given them; but after this
period they said to me, It will be more agreeable to us to marry again,
for we can no longer abstain from doing so.--O my sisters, I replied, ye
have seen no happiness in marriage: a good husband in this age is rarely
found, and ye have already had experience of the marriage-state. They,
however, heeded not my words; but married against my consent: yet I gave
them dowries from my own property, and continued to them my protection.
They went to their husbands, and the latter, after they had resided with
them a short time, defrauded them of all that they possessed, and,
setting forth on a journey, left them destitute: so again they returned
to me, and, in a state of nudity, implored my forgiveness, saying, Be
not angry with us; for though thou art younger than we, thou hast more
mature sense; and we promise thee that we will never again mention the
subject of marriage. I replied, Ye are welcome, O my sisters; for I have
no one dearer to me than yourselves:--and I received them, and treated
them with every kindness, and we remained happily together for the space
of a year.
After this I resolved to fit out a vessel for a mercantile
voyage:[III_86] accordingly, I stocked a large ship with various
goods and necessary provisions, and said to my sisters, Will ye rather
stay at home during my voyage, or will ye go with me?--to which they
answered, We will accompany thee during the voyage, for we cannot endure
to be separated from thee. I therefore took them with me, and we set
sail; but first I divided my property into two equal portions; one of
which I took with me, and the other I concealed, saying within myself,
Perhaps some evil accident may happen to the ship, and our lives may be
prolonged; in which case, when we return we shall find that which will
be of service to us.--We continued our voyage by day and night, till at
length the vessel pursued a wrong course, and the captain knew not
whither to steer. The ship had entered a different sea from that which
we wished to cross, and for some time we knew it not; but for ten days
we had a pleasant wind, and after this, a city loomed before us in the
distance. We asked the captain what was the name of this city; and he
answered, I know it not; I have never seen it till this day, nor have I
ever before in the course of my life navigated this sea: but as we have
come hither in safety, ye have nothing to do but to enter this city and
land your goods, and, if ye find opportunity, sell or exchange there: if
not, we will rest there two days, and take in fresh provisions. So we
entered the port of the city, and the captain landed, and after a while
returned to us, saying, Arise, and go up into the city, and wonder at
that which God hath done unto his creatures, and pray to be preserved
from his anger. And when we had entered the city, we found all its
inhabitants converted into black stones. We were amazed at the sight,
and as we walked through the market-streets, finding the merchandise and
the gold and silver remaining in their original state, we rejoiced, and
said, This must have been occasioned by same wonderful circumstance. We
then separated in the streets, each of us attracted from his companions
by the wealth and stuffs in the shops.
As for myself, I ascended to the citadel, which I found to be a building
of admirable construction; and, entering the King's palace, I found all
the vessels of gold and silver remaining in their places, and the King
himself seated in the midst of his Chamberlains and Viceroys and
Wezeers, and clad in apparel of astonishing richness. Drawing nearer to
him, I perceived that he was sitting upon a throne adorned with pearls
and jewels, every one of the pearls shining like a star: his dress was
embroidered with gold, and around him stood fifty memlooks, attired in
silks of various descriptions, and having in their hands drawn swords.
Stupefied at this spectacle, I proceeded, and entered the saloon of the
Ḥareem, upon the walls of which were hung silken curtains; and here I
beheld the Queen, attired in a dress embroidered with fresh pearls, and
having upon her head a diadem adorned with various jewels, and necklaces
of different kinds on her neck. All her clothing and ornaments remained
as they were at first, though she herself was converted into black
stone. Here also I found an open door, and, entering it, I saw a flight
of seven steps, by which I ascended to an apartment paved with marble,
furnished with gold-embroidered carpets, and containing a couch of
alabaster, ornamented with pearls and jewels; but my eyes were first
attracted by a gleam of light, and when I approached the spot whence it
proceeded, I found a brilliant jewel, of the size of an ostrich's egg,
placed upon a small stool, diffusing a light like that of a candle. The
coverings of the couch above mentioned were of various kinds of silk,
the richness of which would surprise every beholder; and I looked at
them with wonder. In this apartment I likewise observed some lighted
candles, and reflected that there must then have been some person there
to light them. I passed thence to another part of the palace, and
continued to explore the different apartments, forgetting myself in the
amazement of my mind at all these strange circumstances, and immersed in
thoughts respecting what I beheld, until the commencement of night, when
I would have departed; but could not find the door: so I returned to the
place in which were the lighted candles, and there I laid myself upon
the couch, and, covering myself with a quilt, repeated some words of the
Ḳur-án, and endeavoured to compose myself to sleep; but I could not. I
continued restless: and at midnight I heard a recitation of the Ḳur-án,
performed by a melodious and soft voice; upon which I arose, and,
looking about, saw a closet with an open door, and I entered it, and
found that it was an oratory: lighted lamps were suspended in it, and
upon a prayer-carpet spread on the floor sat a young man of handsome
aspect. Wondering that he had escaped the fate of the other inhabitants
of the city, I saluted him; and he raised his eyes, and returned my
salutation: and I then said to him, I conjure thee by the truth of that
which thou art reading in the Book of God, that thou answer the question
which I am about to ask thee:--whereupon he smiled, and replied, Do thou
first acquaint me with the cause of thine entrance into this place, and
then I will answer thy question: so I told him my story, and inquired of
him the history of this city. Wait a little, said he;--and he closed the
Ḳur-án, and, having put it in a bag of satin, seated me by his side. As
I now beheld him, his countenance appeared like the full moon, and his
whole person exhibited such perfect elegance and loveliness, that a
single glance at him drew from me a thousand sighs, and kindled a fire
in my heart. I repeated my request that he would give me an account of
the city; and, replying, I hear and obey, he thus addressed me:--
[Illustration]
Know that this city belonged to my father and his family and subjects;
and he is the King whom thou hast seen converted into stone; and the
Queen whom thou hast seen is my mother. They were all Magians,
worshipping fire in the place of the Almighty King;[III_87] and
they swore by the fire and the light, and the shade and the heat, and
the revolving orb. My father had no son, till, in his declining years,
he was blest with me, whom he reared until I attained to manhood. But,
happily for me, there was, in our family, an old woman, far advanced in
age, who was a Muslimeh, believing in God and his Apostle in her heart,
though she conformed with my family in outward observances; and my
father confided in her, on account of the faithfulness and modesty that
he had observed in her character, and shewed her great favour, firmly
believing that she held the same faith as himself; therefore, when I had
passed my infancy, he committed me to her care, saying, Take him, and
rear him, and instruct him in the ordinances of our faith, and educate
him and serve him in the best manner. The old woman accordingly received
me, but took care to instruct me in the faith of El-Islám, teaching me
the laws of purification, and the divine ordinances of ablution,
together with the forms of prayer; after which she made me commit to
memory the whole of the Ḳur-án. She then charged me to keep my faith a
secret from my father, lest he should kill me; and I did so; and a few
days after, the old woman died. The inhabitants of the city had now
increased in their impiety and arrogance, and in their dereliction of
the truth; and while they were in this state, they heard a crier
proclaim with a voice like thunder, so as to be audible to both the near
and the distant, O inhabitants of this city, abstain from the worship of
fire, and worship the Almighty King!--The people were struck with
consternation, and, flocking to my father, the King of the city, said to
him, What is this alarming voice which hath astounded us by its terrible
sound?--but he answered them, Let not the voice terrify you, nor let it
turn you from your faith:--and their hearts inclined to his words; so
they persevered in the worship of fire, and remained obstinate in their
impiety during another year, until the return of the period at which
they had heard the voice the first time. It was then heard a second
time; and again, in the next year, they heard it a third time; but still
they persisted in their evil ways, until, drawing down upon themselves
the abhorrence and indignation of Heaven, one morning, shortly after
daybreak, they were converted into black stones, together with their
beasts and all their cattle. Not one of the inhabitants of the city
escaped, excepting me; and from the day on which this catastrophe
happened, I have continued occupied as thou seest, in prayer, and
fasting, and reading the Ḳur-án: but I have become weary of this
solitary state, having no one to cheer me with his company.
On hearing these words, I said to him, Wilt thou go with me to the city
of Baghdád, and visit its learned men and lawyers, and increase thy
knowledge? If so, I will be thy handmaid, though I am the mistress of my
family, and have authority over a household of men. I have here a ship
laden with merchandise, and destiny hath driven us to this city, in
order that we might become acquainted with these events: our meeting was
predestined.--In this manner I continued to persuade him until he gave
his consent. I slept that night at his feet, unconscious of my state
through excessive joy; and in the morning we rose, and, entering the
treasuries, took away a quantity of the lighter and most valuable of the
articles that they contained, and descended from the citadel into the
city, where we met the slaves and the captain, who were searching for
me. They were rejoiced at seeing me, and, to their questions respecting
my absence, I replied by informing them of all that I had seen, and
related to them the history of the young man, and the cause of the
transmutation of the people of the city, and of all that had befallen
them, which filled them with wonder. But when my two sisters saw me with
the young man, they envied me on his account, and malevolently plotted
against me.
We embarked again, and I experienced the utmost happiness, chiefly owing
to the company of the young man; and after we had waited a while till
the wind was favourable, we spread our sails, and departed. My sisters
sat with me and the young man; and, in their conversation with me, said,
O our sister, what dost thou purpose to do with this handsome youth? I
answered, I desire to take him as my husband:--and, turning to him, and
approaching him, I said, O my master, I wish to make a proposal to thee,
and do not thou oppose it. He replied, I hear and obey:--and I then
looked towards my sisters, and said to them, This young man is all that
I desire, and all the wealth that is here is yours.--Excellent, they
replied, is thy determination:--yet still they designed evil against
me.--We continued our voyage with a favourable wind, and, quitting the
sea of peril, entered the sea of security, across which we proceeded for
some days, until we drew near to the city of El-Baṣrah, the buildings of
which loomed before us at the approach of evening; but as soon as we had
fallen asleep, my sisters took us up in our bed, both myself and the
young man, and threw us into the sea. The youth, being unable to swim,
was drowned: God recorded him among the company of the martyrs;[III_88]
while I was registered among those whose life was yet to be preserved;
and, accordingly, as soon as I awoke and found myself in the sea, the
providence of God supplied me with a piece of timber, upon which I
placed myself, and the waves cast me upon the shore of an island.
[Illustration]
During the remainder of the night I walked along this island, and in the
morning I saw a neck of land, bearing the marks of a man's feet, and
uniting with the main land. The sun having now risen, I dried my clothes
in its rays, and proceeded along the path that I had discovered until I
drew near to the shore upon which stands the city, when I beheld a snake
approaching me, and followed by a serpent which was endeavouring to
destroy it; the tongue of the snake was hanging from its mouth in
consequence of excessive fatigue, and it excited my compassion; so I
took up a stone, and threw it at the head of the serpent, which
instantly died: the snake then extended a pair of wings, and soared
aloft into the sky, leaving me in wonder at the sight. At the time of
this occurrence I had become so fatigued, that I now laid myself down
and slept; but I awoke after a little while, and found a damsel seated
at my feet, and gently rubbing them with her hands; upon which I
immediately sat up, feeling ashamed that she should perform this service
for me, and said to her, Who art thou, and what dost thou want?--How
soon has thou forgotten me! she exclaimed: I am she to whom thou hast
just done a kindness, by killing my enemy: I am the snake whom thou
savedst from the serpent; for I am a Jinneeyeh, and the serpent was a
Jinnee at enmity with me; and none but thou delivered me from him:
therefore, as soon as thou didst this, I flew to the ship from which thy
sisters cast thee, and transported all that it contained to thy house: I
then sunk it; but as to thy sisters, I transformed them by enchantment
into two black bitches; for I knew all that they had done to thee: the
young man, however, is drowned.--Having thus said, she took me up, and
placed me with the two black bitches on the roof of my house: and I
found all the treasures that the ship had contained collected in the
midst of my house: nothing was lost. She then said to me, I swear by
that which was engraved upon the seal of Suleymán, that, if thou do not
inflict three hundred lashes upon each of these bitches every day, I
will come and transform thee in the like manner:--so I replied, I hear
and obey:--and have continued ever since to inflict upon them these
stripes, though pitying them while I do so.
The Khaleefeh heard this story with astonishment, and then said to the
second lady, And what occasioned the stripes of which thou bearest the
marks? She answered as follows:--
THE STORY OF THE SECOND OF THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDÁD.
O Prince of the Faithful, my father, at his death, left considerable
property; and soon after that event I married to one of the wealthiest
men of the age, who, when I had lived with him a year, died, and I
inherited from him eighty thousand pieces of gold, the portion that fell
to me according to the law;[III_89] with part of which I made for
myself ten suits of clothing, each of the value of a thousand pieces of
gold. And as I was sitting one day, there entered my apartment an old
woman, disgustingly ugly, who saluted me, and said, I have an orphan
daughter whose marriage I am to celebrate this night, and I would have
thee obtain a reward and recompense in heaven by thy being present at
her nuptial festivity; for she is broken-hearted, having none to
befriend her but God, whose name be exalted. She then wept, and kissed
my feet; and, being moved with pity and compassion, I assented, upon
which she desired me to prepare myself, telling me that she would come
at the hour of nightfall and take me; and so saying, she kissed my hand,
and departed.
I arose immediately, and attired myself, and when I had completed my
preparations, the old woman returned, saying, O my mistress, the ladies
of the city have arrived, and I have informed them of thy coming, and
they are waiting with joy to receive thee:--so I put on my outer
garments, and, taking my female slaves with me, proceeded until we
arrived at a street in which a soft wind was delightfully playing, where
we saw a gateway over-arched with a marble vault, admirably constructed,
forming the entrance to a palace which rose from the earth to the
clouds.[III_90] On our arrival there, the old woman knocked at the
door, and, when it was opened, we entered a carpeted passage,
illuminated by lamps and candles, and decorated with jewels and precious
metals.[III_91] Through this passage we passed into a saloon of
unequalled magnificence, furnished with mattresses covered with silk,
lighted by hanging lamps and by candles, and having, at its upper end, a
couch of alabaster decorated with pearls and jewels, and canopied by
curtains of satin, from which there came forth a lady beautiful as the
moon, who exclaimed to me, Most welcome art thou, O my sister: thou
delightest me by thy company, and refreshest my heart. She then sat down
again, and said to me, O my sister, I have a brother who hath seen thee
at a festivity: he is a young man, more handsome than myself, and, his
heart being violently inflamed with love of thee, he hath bribed this
old woman to go to thee, and to employ this artifice in order to obtain
for me an interview with thee. He desireth to marry thee according to
the ordinance of God and his Apostle, and in that which is lawful there
is no disgrace.--When I heard these words, and saw myself thus confined
in the house so that I could not escape, I replied, I hear and
obey:--and the lady, rejoicing at my consent, clapped her hands, and
opened a door, upon which there came out from it a young man so
surpassingly handsome, that my heart immediately inclined to him. No
sooner had he sat down than the Ḳáḍee and four witnesses entered, and
saluted us, and proceeded to perform the ceremony of the
marriage-contract[III_92] between me and the young man; which
having done, they departed; and when they had retired, the young man
looked towards me, and said, May our night be blessed. He then informed
me that he desired to impose a covenant upon me, and, bringing a copy of
the Ḳur-án, said, Swear that thou wilt not indulge a preference, nor at
all incline, to any man but me:--and when I had sworn to this effect, he
rejoiced exceedingly, and embraced me; and the love of him took entire
possession of my heart.
We lived together in the utmost happiness for the space of a month,
after which I begged that he would allow me to go to the bázár, in order
to purchase some stuffs for dress, and, having obtained his permission,
went thither in company with the old woman, and seated myself at the
shop of a young merchant with whom she was acquainted, and whose father,
as she informed me, had died and left him great wealth. She desired him
to shew me his most costly stuffs; and while he was occupied in doing
so, she began to utter various flattering expressions in praise of him;
but I said to her, We have no concern with the praises that thou
bestowest upon him; we desire only to make our purchase, and to return
home. Meanwhile he produced to us what we wanted, and we handed him the
money: he refused, however, to take it, saying, It is an offering of
hospitality to you for your visit this day:--whereupon I said to the old
woman, If he will not take the money, return to him his stuff. But he
would not receive it again, and exclaimed, By Allah, I will take nothing
from you: all this is a present from me for a single kiss, which I shall
value more than the entire contents of my shop.--What will a kiss profit
thee? asked the old woman. Then, turning to me, she said, O my daughter,
thou hast heard what the youth hath said: no harm will befall thee if he
give thee a kiss, and thou shalt take what thou wantest.--Dost thou not
know, said I, that I have taken an oath? She answered, Let him kiss thee
then without thy speaking, and so it will be of no consequence to thee,
and thou shalt take back thy money. Thus she continued to palliate the
matter until I put my head (as it were) into the bag, and consented: so
I covered my eyes, and held the edge of my veil in such a manner as to
prevent the passengers from seeing me, whereupon he put his mouth to my
cheek beneath the veil, but instead of merely kissing me, he lacerated
my cheek by a violent bite. I fell into a swoon from the pain, and the
old woman laid me on her lap till I recovered, when I found the shop
closed, and the old woman uttering expressions of grief, and saying,
What God hath averted would have been a greater calamity; let us return
home, and do thou feign to be ill, and I will come to thee and apply a
remedy that shall cure the wound, and thou wilt quickly be restored.
[Illustration]
After remaining there some time longer, I rose, and, in a state of great
uneasiness and fear, returned to the house, and professed myself ill,
upon which my husband came in to me, and said, What hath befallen thee,
O my mistress, during this excursion? I answered, I am not well.--And
what is this wound, said he, that is upon thy cheek, and in the soft
part? I answered, When I asked thy permission, and went out to-day to
purchase some stuff for dress, a camel loaded with firewood drove
against me in the crowd, and tore my veil, and wounded my cheek as thou
seest, for the streets of this city are narrow.[III_93]--To-morrow,
then, he exclaimed, I will go to the governor, and make a complaint to
him, and he shall hang every seller of firewood in the city.--By Allah,
said I, burden not thyself by an injury to any one; for the truth is,
that I was riding upon an ass, which took fright with me, and I fell
upon the ground, and a stick lacerated my cheek.--If it be so, then, he
replied, I will go to-morrow to Jaạfar El-Barmekee, and relate the
matter to him, and he shall kill every ass-driver in this city.--Wilt
thou, said I, kill all those men on my account, when this which befell
me was decreed by God?--Undoubtedly, he answered; and, so saying, he
seized me violently, and then sprang up, and uttered a loud cry, upon
which the door opened, and there came forth from it seven black slaves,
who dragged me from my bed, and threw me down in the middle of the
apartment; whereupon he ordered one of them to hold me by my shoulders
and to sit upon my head; and another, to sit upon my knees and to hold
my feet. A third then came, with a sword in his hand, and said, O my
lord, shall I strike her with the sword, and cleave her in twain, that
each of these may take a half and throw it into the Tigris for the fish
to devour?[III_94] For such is the punishment of her who is
unfaithful to her oath and to the laws of love.--My husband answered,
Strike her, O Saạd:[III_95]--and the slave, with the drawn sword in
his hand, said, Repeat the profession of the faith, and reflect what
thou wouldst have to be done, that thou mayest give thy testamentary
directions, for this is the end of thy life.--Good slave, I replied,
release me for a while that I may do so:--and I raised my head, and,
weeping as I spoke, addressed my husband with these verses:--
You render me lovelorn, and remain at ease. You make my wounded
eyelid to be restless, and you sleep.
Your abode is between my heart and my eyes; and my heart will not
relinquish you, nor my tears conceal my passion.
You made a covenant with me that you would remain faithful;
but when you had gained possession of my heart you deceived me.
Will you not pity my love for you and my moaning? Have you yourself
been secure from misfortunes?
I conjure you, by Allah, if I die, that you write upon my tombstone,
This was a slave of love.
That, perchance, some mourner who hath felt the same flame may pass
by the lover's grave, and pity her.[III_96]
But on hearing these verses, and witnessing my weeping, he became more
incensed, and replied in the words of this couplet:--
I reject not the beloved of my heart from weariness: her own guilty
conduct is the cause of her punishment.
She desired that another should share with me her love; but the faith
of my heart inclineth not to partnership.[III_97]
[Illustration]
I continued to weep, and to endeavour to excite his compassion, saying
within myself, I will humble me before him, and address him with soft
words, that he may at least refrain from killing me, though he take all
that I possess;--but he cried out to the slave, Cleave her in twain; for
she is no longer of any value to us.--So the slave approached me, and I
now felt assured of my death, and committed myself to God; but suddenly
the old woman came and threw herself at my husband's feet, and, kissing
them, exclaimed, O my son, by the care with which I nursed thee, I
conjure thee to pardon this damsel, for she hath committed no offence
that deserveth such a punishment: thou art young, and I fear the effect
of the imprecations that she may utter against thee:--and after she had
thus addressed him, she wept, and continued to importune him, until, at
length, he said, I pardon her, but must cause her to bear upon her
person such marks of her offence as shall last for the remainder of her
life. So saying, he commanded the slaves to strip off my vest, and,
taking a stick cut from a quince-tree, he beat me upon my back and my
sides until I became insensible from the violence of the blows, and
despaired of my life. He then ordered the slaves to take me away as soon
as it was night, accompanied by the old woman, and to throw me into my
house in which I formerly resided. They accordingly executed their
lord's commands, and when they had deposited me in my house, I applied
myself to the healing of my wounds; but, after I had cured myself, my
sides still bore the appearance of having been beaten with miḳra'ahs. I
continued to apply remedies for four months before I was restored, and
then repaired to view the house in which this event had happened; but I
found it reduced to ruin, and the whole street pulled down; the site of
the house I found occupied by mounds of rubbish, and I knew not the
cause.
Under these circumstances, I went to reside with this my sister, who is
of the same father as myself, and I found with her these two bitches.
Having saluted her, I informed her of all that had befallen me; to which
she replied, Who is secure from the afflictions of fortune? Praise be to
God who terminated the affair with safety to thy life!--She then related
to me her own story, and that of her two sisters, and I remained with
her, and neither of us ever mentioned the subject of marriage.
Afterwards we were joined by this our other sister, the cateress, who
every day goes out to purchase for us whatever we happen to want.
CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE LADIES OF BAGHDÁD, &c.
The Kaleefeh was astonished at this story, and ordered it to be recorded
in a book, as an authentic history, and deposited the book in his
library. And he said to the first lady, Knowest thou where the
Jinneeyeh[III_98] who enchanted thy sisters is to be found? She
answered, O Prince of the Faithful, she gave me a lock of her hair, and
said, When thou desirest my presence, burn a few of these hairs, and I
will be with thee quickly, though I should be beyond Mount Ḳáf.--Bring
then the hair, said the Khaleefeh. The lady, therefore, produced it; and
the Khaleefeh, taking it, burned a portion of it, and, when the odour
had diffused itself, the palace shook, and they heard a sound of
thunder, and lo, the Jinneeyeh appeared before them. She was a Muslimeh,
and therefore greeted the Khaleefeh by saying, Peace be on thee, O
Khaleefeh of God!--to which he replied, On you be peace, and the mercy
of God, and his blessings![III_99]--She then said, Know that this
lady hath conferred on me a benefit for which I am unable to requite
her; for she rescued me from death, by killing my enemy; and I, having
seen what her sisters had done to her, determined to take vengeance upon
them; therefore I transformed them by enchantment into two bitches; and,
indeed, I had wished rather to kill them, fearing lest they should
trouble her; but now, if thou desire their restoration, O Prince of the
Faithful, I will restore them, as a favour to thee and to her; for I am
one of the true believers.--Do so, said the Khaleefeh; and then we will
enter upon the consideration of the affair of the lady who hath been
beaten, and examine her case, and if her veracity be established, I will
take vengeance for her upon him who hath oppressed her. The Jinneeyeh
replied, O Prince of the Faithful, I will guide thee to the discovery of
him who acted thus to this lady, and oppressed her, and took her
property: he is thy nearest relation. She then took a cup of water, and,
having pronounced a spell over it, sprinkled the faces of the two
bitches, saying, Be restored to your original human forms!--whereupon
they became again two young ladies.--Extolled be the perfection of
their Creator![III_100] Having done this, the Jinneeyeh said, O
Prince of the Faithful, he who beat the lady is thy son El-Emeen, who
had heard of her beauty and loveliness:--and she proceeded to relate
what had happened. The Khaleefeh was astonished, and exclaimed, Praise
be to God for the restoration of these two bitches which hath been
effected through my means!--and immediately he summoned before him his
son El-Emeen, and inquired of him the history of the lady; and he
related to him the truth. He then sent for Ḳáḍees and witnesses, and the
first lady and her two sisters who had been transformed into bitches he
married to the three mendicants who had related that they were the sons
of Kings; and these he made chamberlains of his court, appointing them
all that they required, and allotting them apartments in the palace of
Baghdád. The lady who had been beaten he restored to his son El-Emeen,
giving her a large property, and ordering that the house should be
rebuilt in a more handsome style. Lastly, the lady-cateress he took as
his own wife; he admitted her at once to his own apartment, and, on the
following day, he appointed her a separate lodging for herself, with
female slaves to wait upon her: he also allotted to her a regular
income; and afterwards built for her a palace.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
NOTES TO CHAPTER THIRD.
NOTE 1.--_On the Uses of Palm-sticks in various Manufactures._ The kind
of crate here mentioned is made of jereeds, or palm-sticks, which (being
very soft, and easily cut and punched, in their fresh state, and very
tough, difficult to break, and light, when dry,) are used in a great
variety of manufactures. In making crates or baskets, and stools,
bed-frames, coops, &c., a number of jereeds, being placed an inch or
more apart, are fixed by two, three, or more, thicker ones, placed
transversely. Round holes are punched in the latter, through which the
former are inserted; and the whole becomes light and strong as soon as
it is dry. Chests are made with thick jereeds placed close together, and
others, pared thin, passing transversely through them.
NOTE 2.--_Description of the Veils of Arab Women._ The modern izár or
eezár (for the word is written in two different ways), of Arab women, is
a piece of drapery commonly worn by them when they appear in public. It
is about two yards or more in width (according to the height of the
wearer), and three yards in length: one edge of it being drawn from
behind, over the upper part of the head and the forehead, and secured by
a band sewed inside, the rest hangs down behind and on each side to the
ground, or nearly so, and almost entirely envelops the person; the two
ends being held so as nearly to meet in front. Thus it conceals every
other part of the dress excepting a small portion of a very loose gown
(which is another of the articles of walking or riding apparel), and the
face-veil. It is now generally made of white calico, but a similar
covering of black silk for the married, and of white silk for the
unmarried, is now worn by females of the higher and middle classes, and
is called a "ḥabarah."
It appears that the kind of face-veil mentioned in the same passage (in
Arabic, "ḳináạ,") is a piece of muslin, about a yard or more in length,
and somewhat less in width, a portion of which is placed over the head,
beneath the izár, the rest hanging down in front, to the waist, or
thereabout, and entirely concealing the face. I have often seen Arab
women, particularly those of the Wahhábees, wearing veils of this kind
composed of printed muslin, completely concealing their features, yet of
sufficiently loose fabric to admit of their seeing their way. But the
more common kind of Arab face-veil is a long strip of white muslin, or
of a kind of black crape, covering the whole of the face excepting the
eyes, and reaching nearly to the feet. It is suspended at the top by a
narrow band, which passes up the forehead, and which is sewed, as are
also the two upper corners of the veil, to a band that is tied round the
head. This veil is called "burḳo'." The black kind is often ornamented
with gold coins, false pearls, &c., attached to the upper part. It is
not so genteel as the white veil, unless for a lady in mourning.
NOTE 3. "El-Móṣil" is the name of the city which Europeans commonly call
"Mosul," "Mosoul," &c.; a city long famous for its fine stuffs. Hence
our word "muslin," often termed, in Arabic, "Móṣilee," signifying, "of
the manufacture of El-Móṣil."
NOTE 4. The wine is mentioned in the Calcutta edition of the first two
hundred nights, but not in the edition of Cairo. The lady went to a
Christian to purchase her wine because Muslims are not allowed to sell
it.
NOTE 5. The "'Othmánee quinces" I suppose to be a kind so called after
some person named 'Othmán who introduced it, or was famous for its
culture. The term "Sulṭánee," applied to the citrons afterwards
mentioned, signifies "imperial."
NOTE 6. A list of these sweets is given in my original, but I have
thought it better to omit the names.
NOTE 7. The "willow-flower-water" is prepared from the sweet-scented
flowers of the Oriental willow, called "bán" and "khiláf" or "khaláf;" a
twig of which is, among the Arabs, a favourite emblem of a graceful
female.
NOTE 8.--_On the Vessels used for Sprinkling and Perfuming._ The
sprinkling-bottle, here called "mirashsh," is more commonly called
"ḳumḳum," and has been alluded to in a former note, as having a
spherical or wide body, and a long and narrow neck. It is generally
about eight inches high, and of plain or gilt silver, or of fine brass,
or china, or glass; and has a cover pierced with a small hole. This
vessel is used in the houses of the rich to sprinkle a guest or visiter,
before he rises to take his leave, with rose-water; after which
ceremony, a page or servant presents to him a kind of censer, called
"mibkharah," which is generally of one or other of the metals above
mentioned, and about the same height as the ḳumḳum; and he wafts the
smoke which rises from it towards his face, beard, &c., with the right
hand. The body of the mibkharah, the form of which is nearly globular,
surmounts a stem rising from the centre of a small circular tray; the
upper half is a cover pierced with apertures for the escape of the
smoke; and the lower half, in which some burning charcoal is placed, is
lined, or half filled, with gypsum-plaster. Aloes-wood, previously
moistened, or some other odoriferous substance, is placed upon the
burning coals; and sometimes, in the houses of very wealthy persons,
ambergris is used.
NOTE 9. This description of the outer door of a house in Baghdád is an
obvious absurdity; but none of the copies of the original to which I
have access authorizes my substituting "gilt" for "plated with gold;"
all here agreeing in the use of words which have the latter sense.
NOTE 10. In their eagerness to obtain the earliest possible sight of the
new moon which marks the period of the commencement of the Ramaḍán, lest
they should not begin their fast as soon as the law requires, the
Muslims often see the crescent one night earlier in this than in any
other month. The comparison of an eyebrow to the new moon of Ramaḍán
expresses, therefore, its extreme thinness, as well as its arched form.
To reduce its natural thickness, and to give it this form, scissors are
often used.
NOTE 11. "The seal of Suleymán" is a name given by the Arabs to a
six-pointed star formed by two equilateral triangles intersecting each
other, and to the flower which we, also, call "Solomon's seal." I fear
that the reader will not consider the comparison very apposite, unless
the allusion be to a beautiful red berry which, I am informed, is borne
by the flower here mentioned.
NOTE 12.--_Description of Apartments in Arab Houses._ Most of the
descriptions of interior domestic architecture which occur in the
present work, I may aptly illustrate by availing myself of observations
made in Cairo. In the houses of persons of the higher and middle classes
in this city, the different apartments generally resemble each other in
several respects, and are similarly furnished. The greater portion of
the floor is elevated about half a foot, or somewhat more, above the
rest. The higher portion is called "leewán" (a corruption of
"el-eewán"), and the lower, "durḳá'ah," from the Persian "dar-gáh." When
there is but one leewán, the durḳá'ah occupies the lower end, extending
from the door to the opposite wall. In a handsome house, it is usually
paved with white and black marble, and little pieces of red tile, inlaid
in tasteful and complicated patterns; and if the room is on the
ground-floor, and sometimes in other cases, it has, in the centre, a
fountain which plays into a small, shallow pool, lined with coloured
marbles, &c., like the surrounding pavement. The shoes, or slippers, are
left upon the durḳá'ah previously to stepping upon the leewán. The
latter is generally paved with common stone, and covered with a mat in
summer, and a carpet over this in winter; and a mattress and cushions
are placed against each of its three walls, composing what is called a
"deewán," or divan. The mattress, which is commonly about three feet
wide, and three or four inches thick, is placed either on the floor or
on a raised frame or a slightly-elevated pavement; and the cushions,
which are usually of a length equal to the width of the mattress, and of
a height equal to half that measure, lean against the wall. Both
mattresses and cushions are stuffed with cotton, and are covered with
printed calico, cloth, or some more expensive stuff. The deewán which
extends along the upper end of the leewán is called the "ṣadr," and is
the most honourable: and the chief place on this seat is the corner
which is to the right of a person facing this end of the room; the other
corner is the next in point of honour; and the intermediate places on
the same deewán are more honourable than those on the two side-deewáns.
To a superior, and often to an equal, the master or mistress yields the
chief place. The corners are often furnished with an additional
mattress, of a square form, just large enough for one person, placed
upon the other mattress, and with two additional (but smaller) cushions
to recline against. The walls are, for the most part, plastered and
white-washed, and generally have two or more shallow cupboards, the
doors of which, as well as those of the apartments, are fancifully
constructed with small panels. The windows, which are chiefly composed
of curious wooden lattice-work, serving to screen the inhabitants from
the view of persons without, as also to admit both light and air,
commonly project outwards, and are furnished with mattresses and
cushions. In many houses there are, above these, small windows of
coloured glass, representing bunches of flowers, &c. The ceiling is of
wood, and certain portions of it, which are carved, or otherwise
ornamented by fanciful carpentry, are usually painted with bright
colours, such as red, green, and blue, and sometimes varied with
gilding; but the greater part of the wood-work is generally left
unpainted.
The word in the original text which I translate "saloon," is "ḳá'ah."
This term is applied to a large and lofty apartment, commonly having two
leewáns, on opposite sides of the durḳá'ah. One of these is, in most
instances, larger than the other, and is held to be the more honourable
part. Some ḳá'ahs, containing three leewáns, one of these being opposite
the entrance, or four leewáns composing the form of a cross with the
durḳá'ah in the centre, communicate with small chambers or closets, or
have elevated recesses which are furnished in the same manner as the
leewáns. That part of the roof which is over the durḳá'ah rises above
the rest, sometimes to nearly twice the height of the latter, and is
generally surmounted by a lantern of wooden lattice-work to admit the
air.
NOTE 13. In the Cairo edition, the couch is described as being in the
_midst_ of the saloon; but this is inconsistent with what follows.
NOTE 14.--_Of_ Bábil, _and the Angels_ Hároot _and_ Mároot. Bábil, or
Babel, is regarded by the Muslims as the fountain-head of the science of
magic, which was, and, as most think, still is, taught there to mankind
by two fallen angels, named Hároot and Mároot,[175] who are there
suspended by the feet in a great pit closed by a mass of rock.
According to the account of them generally received as correct, these
two angels, in consequence of their want of compassion for the frailties
of mankind, were rendered, by God, susceptible of human passions, and
sent down upon the earth to be tempted: they both sinned; and, being
permitted to choose whether they would be punished in this life or in
the other, chose the former; but they were sent down not merely to
_experience_ temptation, being also appointed to tempt others by means
of their knowledge of magic; though it appears that they were commanded
not to teach this art to any man "until they had said, Verily we are a
temptation; therefore, be not an unbeliever."[176]--The celebrated
traditionist Mujáhid is related to have visited them, under the guidance
of a Jew. Having removed the mass of rock from the mouth of the pit, or
well, they entered. Mujáhid had been previously charged by the Jew not
to mention the name of God in their presence; but when he beheld them,
resembling in size two huge mountains, and suspended upside-down, with
irons attached to their necks and knees, he could not refrain from
uttering the forbidden name; whereupon the two angels became so
violently agitated that they almost broke the irons which confined them,
and Mujáhid and his guide fled back in consternation.[177]
NOTE 15. The meaning conveyed by this comparison is "tall and slender."
NOTE 16. In the MS. from which the old translation was made, it appears
that this lady is called Zubeydeh (which was the name of the daughter of
Jaạfar the son of El-Manṣoor, and wife of Er-Rasheed); the portress,
Ṣáfiyeh; and the cateress, Ámineh; but no names are given to them in any
of the copies of the original to which I have access.
NOTE 17. Literally, "two nuṣfs." "Nuṣf," vulgarly pronounced by the
Egyptians "nuṣṣ," and signifying "half," is the name of a small Egyptian
coin made of a mixture of silver and copper, and now equivalent to
something less than a quarter of a farthing; but this name was
originally given to the half-dirhems which were struck in the reign of
the Sulṭán El-Mu-eiyad, in the early part of the ninth century of the
Flight, or of the fifteenth of our era. In the Calcutta edition of the
first two hundred nights, and in the edition of Breslau, we read here
"two dirhems," instead of "two nuṣfs." [The coin here mentioned still
bears the name "Mu-eiyadee," or, vulgarly, "Meiyadee." In the latest
coinage, copper has been substituted for the mixed metal. ED.]
NOTE 18. The "menáreh" is the tower of a mosque, commonly called by
English writers "minaret," which generally rises from a square base.
NOTE 19. It is a common custom in the East to seal the doors of
store-houses with a lump of clay, lest the lock should be picked.
NOTE 20. I here deviate a little from the Cairo edition, in which the
cateress is described as having drunk three cups of wine successively
before she handed any to her sisters. My reason for this will presently
be seen.
NOTE 21. Thus in two editions. In the Cairo edition, "tukellimuhu" is
put for "telkumuhu."
NOTE 22. _On Wine, Fruits, Flowers, and Music, in Illustration of Arab
Carousals._ I here pass over an extremely objectionable scene, which, it
is to be hoped, would convey a very erroneous idea of the manners of
Arab _ladies_; though I have witnessed, at private festivities in Cairo,
abominable scenes, of which ladies, screened behind lattices, were
spectators. Can the same be said with respect to the previous carousal?
This is a question which cannot be answered in a few words.
The prohibition of wine, or, rather, of fermented and intoxicating
liquors, being one of the most remarkable and important points of the
Mohammadan religion, it might be imagined that the frequent stories in
this work, describing parties of Muslims as habitually indulging in the
use of forbidden beverages, are scandalous misrepresentations of Arab
manners and customs. There are, however, many similar anecdotes
interspersed in the works of Arab historians, which (though many of them
are probably untrue in their application to particular individuals)
could not have been offered to the public by such writers if they were
not of a nature consistent with the customs of a considerable class of
the Arab nation.
In investigating this subject, it is necessary, in the first place, to
state, that there is a kind of wine which Muslims are permitted to
drink. It is properly called "nebeedh" (a name which is _now_ given to
_prohibited_ kinds of wine), and is generally prepared by putting dry
grapes, or dry dates, in water, to extract their sweetness, and
suffering the liquor to ferment slightly, until it acquires a little
sharpness or pungency. The Prophet himself was in the habit of drinking
wine of this kind, which was prepared for him in the first part of the
night; he drank it on the first and second days following; but if any
remained on the morning of the third day, he either gave it to his
servants or ordered it to be poured out upon the ground.[178] Such
beverages have, therefore, been drunk by the strictest of his followers;
and Ibn-Khaldoon strongly argues that nebeedh thus prepared from dates
was the kind of wine used by the Khaleefehs Hároon Er-Rasheed and
El-Ma-moon, and several other eminent men, who have been commonly
accused of habitually and publicly indulging in debauches of wine
properly so called; that is, of inebriating liquors.[179]
Nebeedh, prepared from raisins, is commonly sold in Arab towns, under
the name of "zebeeb," which signifies "raisins." This I have often drunk
in Cairo; but never could perceive that it was in the slightest degree
fermented. Other beverages, to which the name of "nebeedh" has been
applied (though, like zebeeb, no longer called by that name), are also
sold in Arab towns. The most common of these is an infusion of licorice,
and called by the name of the root, "'erḳ-soos." The nebeedh of dates is
sold in Cairo with the dates themselves in the liquor; and in like
manner is that of figs. Under the same appellation of "nebeedh" have
been classed the different kinds of beer now commonly called "boozeh,"
which have been mentioned in former pages. Opium, hemp, &c., are now
more frequently used by the Muslims to induce intoxication or
exhilaration. The young leaves of the hemp are generally used alone, or
mixed with tobacco, for smoking; and the capsules, without the seeds,
enter into the composition of several intoxicating conserves. Some
remarks upon this subject have been inserted in a former note.
By my own experience I am but little qualified to pronounce an opinion
respecting the prevalence of drinking wine among the Arabs; for, never
drinking it myself, I had little opportunity of observing others do so
during my residence among Muslims. I judge, therefore, from the
conversations and writings of Arabs, which justify me in asserting that
the practice of drinking wine in private, and by select parties, is far
from being uncommon among modern Muslims, though certainly more so than
it was before the introduction of tobacco into the East, in the
beginning of the seventeenth century of our era; for this herb, being in
a slight degree exhilarating, and at the same time soothing, and
unattended by the injurious effects that result from wine, is a
sufficient luxury to many who, without it, would have recourse to
intoxicating beverages merely to pass away hours of idleness. The use of
coffee, too, which became common in Egypt, Syria, and other countries,
besides Arabia, a century earlier than tobacco, doubtless tended to
render the habit of drinking wine less general. That it was adopted as a
substitute for wine appears even from its name, "ḳahweh," an old Arabic
term for wine; whence the Turkish "ḳahveh," the Italian "caffe," and our
"coffee."
There is an Arabic work of some celebrity, and not of small extent,
entitled "Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt,"[180] apparently written shortly before the
Arabs were in possession of the first of the above-mentioned substitutes
for wine, nearly the whole of which consists of anecdotes and verses
relating to the pleasures resulting from, or attendant upon, the use of
wine; a few pages at the end being devoted to the condemnation of this
practice, or, in other words, to prove the worthlessness of all that
precedes. Of this work I possess a copy, a quarto volume of 464 pages. I
have endeavoured to skim its cream; but found it impossible to do so
without collecting, at the same time, a considerable quantity of most
filthy scum; for it is characterised by wit and humour plentifully
interlarded with the grossest and most revolting obscenity; yet it
serves to confirm what has been above asserted. The mere existence of
such a work (and it is not the only one of the kind), written by a man
of learning, and I believe a Ḳáḍee, a judge, or one holding the
honourable office of a guardian of religion and morality,[181]--written,
too, evidently with pleasure, notwithstanding his assertion to the
contrary,--is a strong argument in favour of the prevalence of the
practice which it paints in the most fascinating colours, and then
condemns. Its author terminates a chapter (the ninth), in which many
well-known persons are mentioned as having been addicted to wine, by
saying, that the Khaleefehs, Emeers, and Wezeers, so addicted, are too
numerous to name in such a work; and by relating a story of a man who
placed his own wife in pledge in the hands of a wine-merchant, after
having expended in the purchase of the forbidden liquor all the property
that he possessed. He excuses himself (in his preface) for writing this
book, by saying that he had been ordered to do so by one whom he could
not disobey; thus giving us a pretty strong proof that a great man in
his time was not ashamed of avowing his fondness for the prohibited
enjoyment. If, then, we admit the respectable authority of Ibn-Khaldoon,
and acquit of the vice of drunkenness those illustrious individuals
whose characters he vindicates, we must still regard most of the
anecdotes relating to the carousals of other persons as being not
without foundation.
One of my friends, who enjoys a high reputation, ranking among the most
distinguished of the 'Ulamà of Cairo, is well known to his intimate
acquaintances as frequently indulging in the use of forbidden beverages
with a few select associates. I disturbed him and his companions by an
evening visit on one of these occasions, and was kept waiting within the
street-door while the guests quickly removed everything that would give
me any indication of the manner in which they had been employed; for the
announcement of my (assumed) name, and their knowledge of my abstemious
character, completely disconcerted them. I found them, however, in the
best humour. They had contrived, it appeared, to fill with wine a
_china_ bottle, of the kind used at that season (winter) for water; and
when any one of them asked the servant for water, this bottle was
brought to him; but when I made the same demand, my host told me that
there was a bottle of water on the sill of the window behind that part
of the deewán upon which I was seated. The evening passed away very
pleasantly, and I should not have known how unwelcome was my intrusion
had not one of the guests with whom I was intimately acquainted, in
walking part of the way home with me, explained to me the whole
occurrence. There was with us a third person, who, thinking that my
antipathy to wine was feigned, asked me to stop at his house on my way,
and take a cup of "white coffee," by which he meant brandy.
Another of my Muslim acquaintances in Cairo I frequently met at the
house of a mutual friend, where, though he was in most respects very
bigoted, he was in the habit of indulging in wine. For some time he
refrained from this gratification when I was present; but at length my
presence became so irksome to him, that he ventured to enter into an
argument with me on the subject of the prohibition. The only answer I
could give to his question, "Why is wine forbidden?"--was in the words
of the Ḳur-án, "Because it is the source of more evil than profit."[182]
This suited his purpose, as I intended it should; and he asked, "What
evil results from it?" I answered, "Intoxication and quarrels,
&c."--"Then," said he, "if a man take not enough to intoxicate him there
is no harm;"--and finding that I acquiesced by silence, he added, "I am
in the habit of taking a little; but never enough to intoxicate. Boy,
bring me a glass."--He was the only Muslim, however, whom I have heard
to argue against the absolute interdiction of inebriating liquors.
Histories tell us that some of the early followers of the Prophet
indulged in wine, holding the text above referred to as indecisive; and
that Moḥammad was at first doubtful upon this subject appears from
another text, in which his followers were told not to come to prayer
when they were drunk, until they should know what they would say;[183]
an injunction somewhat similar to one in the Bible;[184] but when
frequent and severe contentions resulted from their use of wine, the
following more decided condemnation of the practice was pronounced:--"O
ye who have become believers, verily wine and lots and images and
divining-arrows are an abomination of the work of the Devil; therefore,
avoid them, that ye may prosper."[185] This law is absolute: its
violation in the smallest degree is criminal. The punishment ordained by
the law for drinking (or, according to most doctors, for even tasting)
wine or spirits, or inducing intoxication by any other means, on
ordinary occasions, is the infliction of eighty stripes in the case of a
free man, and forty in that of a slave; but if the crime be openly
committed in the course of any day of the month of Ramaḍán, when others
are fasting, the punishment prescribed is death!
The prohibition of wine hindered many of the Prophet's contemporaries
from embracing his religion. It is said that the famous poet El-Aạshà,
who was one of them, delayed to join his cause on this account, until
death prevented him. A person passing by his tomb (at Menfooḥáh, in
El-Yemámeh), and observing that it was moist, asked the reason, and was
answered, that the young men of the place, considering him still as
their cup-companion, drank wine over his grave, and poured his cup upon
it.[186] Yet many of the most respectable of the pagan Arabs, like
certain of the Jews and early Christians, abstained totally from wine,
from a feeling of its injurious effects upon morals, and, in their
climate, upon health; or, more especially, from the fear of being led by
it into the commission of foolish and degrading actions. Thus, Ḳeys the
son of 'Áṣim, being one night overcome with wine, attempted to grasp the
moon, and swore that he would not quit the spot where he stood until he
had laid hold of it: after leaping several times with the view of doing
so, he fell flat upon his face; and when he recovered his senses, and
was acquainted with the cause of his face being bruised, he made a
solemn vow to abstain from wine ever after.[187] A similar feeling
operated upon many Muslims more than religious principle. The Khaleefeh
'Abd-El-Melik Ibn-Marwán took pleasure in the company of a slave named
Naṣeeb, and one day desired him to drink with him. The slave replied, "O
Prince of the Faithful, I am not related to thee, nor have I any
authority over thee, and I am of no rank or lineage: I am a black slave,
and my wit and politeness have drawn me into thy favour: how then shall
I take that which will plunder me of these two qualities; and by what
shall I then propitiate thee?" The Khaleefeh admired and excused
him.[188]
It was the custom of many Muslim princes, as might be inferred from the
above anecdote, to admit the meanest of their dependants to participate
in their unlawful carousals when they could have no better companions;
but poets and musicians were their more common associates on these
occasions; and these two classes, and especially the latter, are in the
present day the most addicted to intoxicating liquors. Few modern Arab
musicians are so well contented with extraordinary payment and mere
sweet sherbet as with a moderate fee and plenty of wine and brandy; and
many of them deem even wine but a sorry beverage.
It was usual with the host and guests at wine-parties to wear dresses of
bright colours, red, yellow, and green;[189] and to perfume their beards
and mustaches with civet, or to have rose-water sprinkled upon them; and
ambergris or aloes-wood, or some other odoriferous substance, placed
upon burning coals in a censer, diffused a delicious fragrance
throughout the saloon of the revels.
The wine, it appears, was rather thick; for it was necessary to strain
it:[190] it was probably sweet, and not strong; for it was drunk in
large quantities. Frequently, perhaps, it was nebeedh of dry raisins
kept longer than the law allows. It was usually kept in a large earthen
vessel, called "denn," high, and small at the bottom, which was partly
imbedded in the earth to keep it upright. The name of this vessel is now
given to a cask of wood; but the kind above mentioned was of earth; for
it was easily broken.--A famous saint, Abu-l-Ḥoseyn En-Nooree, seeing a
vessel on the Tigris containing thirty denns belonging to the Khaleefeh
El-Moạtaḍid, and being told that they contained wine, took a boat-pole,
and broke them all, excepting one. When brought before the Khaleefeh to
answer for this action, and asked by him, "Who made thee Moḥtesib?"[191]
he boldly answered, "He who made thee Khaleefeh!"--and was
pardoned.[192]--Pitch was used by the Arabs, as it was by the Greeks and
Romans, for the purpose of curing their wine; the interior of the denn
being coated with it. A smaller kind of earthen jar, or amphora,[193]
and a bottle of leather,[194] or of glass,[195] were also used. The wine
was transferred for the table to glass jugs, or long-spouted ewers.[196]
These and the cups were placed upon a round embroidered cloth spread on
the floor, or upon a round tray. The latter now is in general use, and
is supported on a low stool, described in a former note, as being used
at ordinary meals. The guests sat around, reclining against pillars; or
they sat upon the deewán, and a page or slave handed the cup, having on
his right arm a richly-embroidered napkin: the person after drinking
took the end of this to wipe his lips. The cups are often described as
holding a fluid pound, or little less than an English pint; and this is
to be understood literally, or nearly so: they were commonly of cut
glass; but some were of crystal, or silver, or gold.[197] With these and
the ewers or jugs were placed several saucers, or small dishes,[198] of
fresh and dried fruits;[199] and fans and fly-whisks, of the kinds
described on a former occasion, were used by the guests.
The most common and esteemed fruits in the countries inhabited by the
Arabs may here be mentioned.
The date[200] deserves the first place. The Prophet's favourite fruits
were fresh dates[201] and water-melons; and he ate them both
together.[202] "Honour," said he, "your paternal aunt, the date-palm;
for she was created of the earth of which Adam was formed."[203] It is
said that God hath given this tree as a peculiar favour to the Muslims;
that he hath decreed all the date-palms in the world to them, and they
have accordingly conquered every country in which these trees are found;
and all are said to have derived their origin from the Hejáz.[204] The
palm-tree has several well-known properties that render it an emblem of
a human being; among which are these; that if the head be cut off, the
tree dies; and if a branch be cut off, another does not grow in its
place.[205] Dates are preserved in a moist state by being merely pressed
together in a basket or skin, and thus prepared are called "'ajweh."
There are many varieties of this fruit. The pith or heart of the
palm[206] is esteemed for its delicate flavour.
The water-melon,[207] from what has been said of it above, ought to be
ranked next; and it really merits this distinction. "Whoso eateth," said
the Prophet, "a mouthful of water-melon, God writeth for him a thousand
good works, and cancelleth a thousand evil works, and raiseth him a
thousand degrees; for it came from Paradise;"--and again, "The
water-melon is food and drink, acid and alkali, and a support of life,"
&c.[208] The varieties of this fruit are very numerous.
The banana[209] is a delicious fruit. The Prophet pronounced the
banana-tree to be the only thing on earth that resembles a thing in
Paradise; because it bears fruit both in winter and summer.[210]
The pomegranate[211] is another celebrated fruit. Every pomegranate,
according to the Prophet, contains a fecundating seed from
Paradise.[212]
The other most common and esteemed fruits are the following:--the apple,
pear, quince, apricot, peach, fig, sycamore-fig, grape, lote, jujube,
plum, walnut, almond, hazel-nut, pistachio-nut, orange, Seville-orange,
lime and lemon, citron, mulberry, olive, and sugar-cane.[213]
Of a selection of these fruits consists the dessert which accompanies
the wine; but the table is not complete without a bunch or two of
flowers placed in the midst.
Though the Arabs are far from being remarkable for exhibiting taste in
the planning of their gardens, they are passionately fond of flowers,
and especially of the rose.[214]--The Khaleefeh El-Mutawekkil
monopolized roses for his own enjoyment; saying, "I am the King of
Sulṭáns, and the rose is the king of sweet-scented flowers; therefore
each of us is most worthy of the other for a companion." The rose, in
his time, was seen nowhere but in his palace: during the season of this
flower he wore rose-coloured clothes; and his carpets, &c., were
sprinkled with rose-water.[215] A similar passion for the rose is said
to have distinguished a weaver, in the reign of El-Ma-moon. He was
constantly employed at his loom every day of the year, even during the
congregational prayers of Friday, excepting in the rose-season, when he
abandoned his work, and gave himself up to the enjoyment of wine, early
in the morning and late in the evening, loudly proclaiming his revels by
singing,--
"The season has become pleasant! The time of the rose has come!
Take your morning potations, as long as the rose has blossoms
and flowers!"
When he resumed his work, he made it known by singing aloud,--
"If my Lord prolong my life until the rose-season, I will take
again my morning potations: but if I die before it, alas!
for the loss of the rose and wine!
"I implore the God of the supreme throne, whose glory be extolled,
that my heart may continually enjoy the evening potations
to the day of resurrection."
--The Khaleefeh was so amused with the humour of this man, that he
granted him an annual pension of ten thousand dirhems to enable him to
enjoy himself amply on these occasions.[216]--Another anecdote may be
added to shew the estimation of the rose in the mind of an Arab. It is
said that Rowḥ Ibn-Ḥátim, the governor of the province of Northern
Africa, was sitting one day, with a female slave, in an apartment of his
palace, when a eunuch brought him a jar full of red and white roses,
which a man had offered as a present. He ordered the eunuch to fill the
jar with silver in return; but his concubine said, "O my lord, thou hast
not acted equitably towards the man; for his present to thee is of two
colours, red and white." The Emeer replied, "Thou hast said truly;" and
gave orders to fill the jar for him with silver and gold (dirhems and
deenárs) intermixed.[217]--Some persons preserve roses during the whole
of the year, in the following manner. They take a number of rose-buds,
and fill with them a new earthen jar, and, after closing its mouth with
mud, so as to render it impervious to the air, bury it in the earth.
Whenever they want a few roses, they take out some of these buds, which
they find unaltered, sprinkle a little water upon them, and leave them
for a short time in the air, when they open, and appear as if just
gathered.[218]--The rose is even a subject of miracles. It is related by
Ibn-Ḳuteybeh, that there grows in India a kind of rose upon the leaves
of which is inscribed, "There is no deity but God."[219] But I find a
more particular account of this miraculous rose. A person, who professed
to have seen it, said, "I went into India, and I saw, at one of its
towns, a large rose, sweet-scented, upon which was inscribed, in white
characters, 'There is no deity but God; Moḥammad is God's apostle:
Aboo-Bekr is the very veracious: 'Omar is the discriminator;' and I
doubted of this, whether it had been done by art; so I took one of the
blossoms not yet opened, and in it was the same inscription; and there
were many of the same kind there. The people of that place worshipped
stones, and knew not God, to whom be ascribed might and
glory."[220]--Roses are announced for sale in the streets of Cairo by
the cry of "The rose was a thorn: from the sweat of the Prophet it
blossomed!" in allusion to a miracle recorded of Moḥammad. "When I was
taken up into heaven," said the Prophet, "some of my sweat fell upon the
earth, and from it sprang the rose; and whoever would smell my scent,
let him smell the rose." In another tradition it is said, "The white
rose was created from my sweat on the night of the Meạráj;[221] and the
red rose, from the sweat of Jebraeel;[222] and the yellow rose, from the
sweat of El-Buráḳ."[223]--The Persians take especial delight in roses;
sometimes spreading them as carpets or beds on which to sit or recline
in their revellings.
But there is a flower pronounced more excellent than the rose; that of
the Egyptian privet, or Lawsonia inermis.[224] Moḥammad said, "The chief
of the sweet-scented flowers of this world and of the next is the
fághiyeh;" and this was his favourite flower.[225] I approve of his
taste; for this flower, which grows in clusters somewhat like those of
the lilac, has a most delicious fragrance. But, on account of
discrepancies in different traditions, a Muslim may, with a clear
conscience, prefer either of the two flowers next mentioned.
The Prophet said of the violet,[226] "The excellence of the extract of
violets, above all other extracts, is as the excellence of me above all
the rest of the creation: it is cold in summer and hot in winter:" and,
in another tradition, "The excellence of the violet is as the excellence
of El-Islám above all other religions."[227] A delicious sherbet is made
of a conserve of sugar and violet-flowers.
The myrtle[228] is the rival of the violet. "Adam," said the Prophet,
"fell down from Paradise with three things; the myrtle, which is the
chief of sweet-scented flowers in this world; an ear of wheat, which is
the chief of all kinds of food in this world; and pressed dates, which
are the chief of the fruits of this world."[229]
The anemone[230] was monopolized for his own enjoyment by Noạmán
Ibn-El-Mundhir (King of El-Ḥeereh, and contemporary of Moḥammad), as the
rose was afterwards by El-Mutawekkil.[231]
Another flower much admired and celebrated in the East is the
gilliflower.[232] There are three principal kinds; the most esteemed is
the yellow, or golden-coloured, which has a delicious scent both by
night and day; the next, the purple, and other dark kinds, which have a
scent only in the night; the least esteemed, the white, which has no
scent. The yellow gilliflower is an emblem of a neglected lover.[233]
The narcissus[234] is very highly esteemed. Galen says, "He who has two
cakes of bread, let him dispose of one of them for some flowers of the
narcissus; for bread is the food of the body, and the narcissus is the
food of the soul." Hippocrates, too, gave a similar opinion.[235]
The following flowers complete the list of those celebrated as most
appropriate to add to the delights of wine:--the jasmine, eglantine,
Seville-orange-flower, lily, sweet-basil, wild thyme, buphthalmum,
chamomile, nenuphar, lotus, pomegranate-flower, poppy, ketmia, crocus or
saffron, safflower, flax, the blossoms of different kinds of bean, and
those of the almond.[236]
A sprig of Oriental willow[237] adds much to the charms of a bunch of
flowers, being the favourite symbol of a graceful female.
But I have not yet mentioned all that contributes to the pleasures of an
Eastern carousal. For the juice of the grape is not fully relished
without melodious sounds. "Wine is as the body; music, as the soul; and
joy is their offspring."[238] All the five senses should be gratified.
For this reason, an Arab toper, who had nothing, it appears, but wine to
enjoy, exclaimed,--
"Ho! give me wine to drink; and tell me, 'This is wine.'"
For, on drinking, his sight and smell and taste and touch would all be
affected; but it was desirable that his hearing should also be
pleased.[239]
Music was condemned by the Prophet almost as severely as wine. "Singing
and hearing songs," said he, "cause hypocrisy to grow in the heart, like
as water promoteth the growth of corn:"[240]--and musical instruments he
declared to be among the most powerful means by which the Devil seduces
man. An instrument of music is the Devil's muëddin, serving to call men
to his worship, as stated in a former note. Of the hypocrisy of those
attached to music, the following anecdote presents an instance:--A
drunken young man with a lute in his hand was brought one night before
the Khaleefeh 'Abd-El-Melik the son of Marwán, who, pointing to the
instrument, asked what it was, and what was its use. The youth made no
answer; so he asked those around him; but they also remained silent,
till one, more bold than the rest, said, "O Prince of the Faithful,
this is a lute: it is made by taking some wood of the pistachio-tree,
and cutting it into thin pieces, and glueing these together, and then
attaching over them these chords, which, when a beautiful girl touches
them, send forth sounds more pleasant than those of rain falling upon a
desert land; and my wife is separated from me by a triple divorce if
every one in this council is not acquainted with it, and doth not know
it as well as I do, and thou the first of them, O Prince of the
Faithful." The Khaleefeh laughed, and ordered that the young man should
be discharged.[241]
The latter saying of the Prophet, respecting the Devil, suggests to me
the insertion of another anecdote, related of himself by Ibráheem
El-Móṣilee, the father of Is-ḥáḳ; both of whom were very celebrated
musicians. I give a translation of it somewhat abridged.--"I asked
Er-Rasheed," says Ibráheem, "to grant me permission to spend a day at
home with my female slaves and brothers; and he gave me two thousand
deenárs, and appointed the next Saturday for this purpose. I caused the
meats and wine and other necessaries to be prepared, and ordered the
chamberlain to close the door, and admit no one: but while I was
sitting, with my attendants standing in the form of a curved line before
me, there entered, and approached me, a sheykh, reverend and dignified
and comely in appearance, wearing short khuffs,[242] and two soft gowns,
with a ḳalensuweh[243] upon his head, and in his hand a silver-headed
staff; and sweet odours were diffused from his clothes. I was enraged
with the chamberlain for admitting him; but on his saluting me in a very
courteous manner, I returned his salutation, and desired him to sit
down. He then began to repeat to me stories, tales of war, and poetry;
so that my anger was appeased, and it appeared to me that my servants
had not presumed to admit him until acquainted with his politeness and
courteousness; I therefore said to him, 'Hast thou any inclination for
meat?' He answered, 'I have no want of it.'--'And the wine?' said I. He
replied, 'Yes.' So I drank a large cupful, and he did the same, and then
said to me, 'O Ibráheem, wilt thou let us hear some specimen of thy art
in which thou hast excelled the people of thy profession?' I was angry
at his words; but I made light of the matter, and, having taken the lute
and tuned it, I played and sang; whereupon he said, 'Thou hast performed
well, O Ibráheem.' I became more enraged, and said within myself, 'He is
not content with coming hither without permission, and asking me to
sing, but he calls me by my name, and proves himself unworthy of my
conversation.' He then said, 'Wilt thou let us hear more? If so, we will
requite thee.' And I took the lute, and sang, using my utmost care, on
account of his saying, 'we will requite thee.' He was moved with
delight, and said, 'Thou hast performed well, O my master
Ibráheem:'--adding, 'Wilt thou permit thy slave to sing?' I answered,
'As thou pleasest:'--but thinking lightly of his sense to sing after me.
He took the lute, and tuned it; and, by Allah! I imagined that the lute
spoke in his hands with an eloquent Arab tongue. He proceeded to sing
some verses commencing,--
'My heart is wounded! Who will give me, for it, a heart without
a wound?'
The narrator continues by saying, that he was struck dumb and motionless
with ecstasy; and that the strange sheykh, after having played and sung
again, and taught him an enchanting air (with which he afterwards
enraptured his patron, the Khaleefeh), vanished. Ibráheem, in alarm,
seized his sword; and was the more amazed when he found that the porter
had not seen the stranger enter or leave the house; but he heard his
voice again, outside, telling him that he was Aboo-Murrah (the
Devil).[244]--Two other anecdotes of a similar kind are related in the
work from which the above is taken.
Ibráheem El-Móṣilee, his son Is-ḥáḳ, and Mukháriḳ (a pupil of the
former), were especially celebrated among the Arab musicians, and among
the distinguished men of the reign of Hároon Er-Rasheed. Is-ḥáḳ
El-Móṣilee relates, of his father Ibráheem, that when Er-Rasheed took
him into his service, he gave him a hundred and fifty thousand dirhems,
and allotted him a monthly pension of ten thousand dirhems, besides
occasional presents [one of which is mentioned as amounting to a hundred
thousand dirhems for a single song], and the produce of his (Ibráheem's)
farms: he had food constantly prepared for him; three sheep every day
for his kitchen, besides birds; three thousand dirhems were allowed him
for fruits, perfumes, &c., every month, and a thousand dirhems for his
clothing; "and with all this," says his son, "he died without leaving
more than three thousand deenárs, a sum not equal to his debts, which I
paid after his death."[245]--Ibráheem was of Persian origin, and of a
high family. He was commonly called the Nedeem (or cup-companion), being
Er-Rasheed's favourite companion at the wine-table; and his son, who
enjoyed the like distinction with El-Ma-moon, received the same
appellation, as well as that of "Son of the Nedeem." Ibráheem was the
most famous musician of his time, at least till his son attained
celebrity.[246]
Is-ḥáḳ El-Móṣilee was especially famous as a musician; but he was also a
good poet, accomplished in general literature, and endowed with great
wit. He was honoured above all other persons in the pay of El-Ma-moon,
and enjoyed a long life; but for many years before his death he was
blind.[247]
Mukháriḳ appears to have rivalled his master Ibráheem. The latter, he
relates, took him to perform before Er-Rasheed, who used to have a
curtain suspended between him and the musicians. "Others," he says,
"sang, and he was unmoved; but when I sang, he came forth from behind
the curtain, and exclaimed, 'Young man, hither!' and he seated me upon
the sereer [a kind of couch], and gave me thirty thousand dirhems."[248]
The following anecdote (which I abridge a little in translation) shews
his excellence in the art which he professed, and the effect of melody
on an Arab:--"After drinking with the Khaleefeh[249] a whole night, I
asked his permission," says he, "to take the air in the Ruṣáfeh,[250]
which he granted; and while I was walking there, I saw a damsel who
appeared as if the rising sun beamed from her face. She had a basket,
and I followed her. She stopped at a fruiterer's, and bought some fruit;
and observing that I was following her, she looked back and abused me
several times; but still I followed her until she arrived at a great
door, after having filled her basket with fruits and flowers and similar
things. When she had entered, and the door was closed behind her, I sat
down opposite to it, deprived of my reason by her beauty; and knew that
there must be in the house a wine-party. The sun went down upon me while
I sat there; and at length there came two handsome young men on asses,
and they knocked at the door, and when they were admitted I entered with
them; the master of the house thinking that I was their companion, and
they imagining that I was one of his friends. A repast was brought, and
we ate, and washed our hands, and were perfumed. The master of the house
then said to the two young men, 'Have ye any desire that I should call
such a one?' (mentioning a female name). They answered, 'If thou wilt
grant us the favour, well:'--so he called for her, and she came, and lo,
she was the maiden whom I had seen before, and who had abused me. A
servant-maid preceded her, bearing her lute, which she placed in her
lap. Wine was then brought, and she sang while we drank, and shook with
delight. 'Whose air is that?' they asked. She answered, 'Seedee[251]
Mukháriḳ's.' She then sang another air, which, also, she said was mine;
while they drank by pints; she looking aside and doubtfully at me until
I lost my patience, and called out to her to do her best: but in
attempting to do so, singing a third air, she overstrained her voice,
and I said, 'Thou hast made a mistake:'--upon which she threw the lute
from her lap, in anger, so that she nearly broke it; saying, 'Take it
thyself, and let us hear thee.' I answered, 'Well;' and, having taken it
and tuned it perfectly, sang the first of the airs which she had sung
before me; whereupon all of them sprang upon their feet, and kissed my
head. I then sang the second air, and the third; and their reason almost
fled, from ecstasy. The master of the house, after asking his guests,
and being told by them that they knew me not, came to me, and, kissing
my hand, said, 'By Allah, my master, who art thou?' I answered, 'By
Allah, I am the singer Mukháriḳ.'--'And for what purpose,' said he,
kissing both my hands, 'camest thou hither?' I replied, 'As a
spunger;'--and related what had happened with respect to the maiden:
whereupon he looked towards his two companions, and said to them, 'Tell
me, by Allah, do ye not know that I gave for that girl thirty thousand
dirhems, and have refused to sell her?' They answered, 'It is so.' Then
said he, 'I take you as witnesses that I have given her to him.'--'And
we,' said the two friends, 'will pay thee two-thirds of her price.' So
he put me in possession of the girl, and in the evening, when I
departed, he presented me also with rich dresses and other gifts, with
all of which I went away; and as I passed the places where the maiden
had abused me, I said to her, 'Repeat thy words to me;' but she could
not, for shame. Holding the girl's hand, I went with her immediately to
the Khaleefeh, whom I found in anger at my long absence; but when I
related my story to him he was surprised, and laughed, and ordered that
the master of the house and his two friends should be brought before
him, that he might requite them: to the former he gave forty thousand
dirhems; to each of his two friends, thirty thousand; and to me, a
hundred thousand; and I kissed his feet, and departed."[252]
It is particularly necessary for the Arab musician, that he have a
retentive memory, well stocked with choice pieces of poetry, and with
facetious or pleasant anecdotes, interspersed with songs; and that he
have a ready wit, aided by dramatic talent, to employ these materials
with good effect. If, to such qualifications, he adds fair attainments
in the difficult rules of grammar, a degree of eloquence, comic humour,
and good temper, and is not surpassed by many in his art, he is sure to
be a general favourite. Very few Muslims of the higher classes have
condescended to study music, because they would have been despised by
their inferiors for doing so; or because they themselves have despised
or condemned the art. Ibráheem, the son of the Khaleefeh El-Mahdee, and
competitor of El-Ma-moon, was a remarkable exception: he is said to have
been an excellent musician, and a good singer.
In the houses of the wealthy, the vocal and instrumental performers were
usually (as is the case in many houses in the present age) domestic
female slaves, well instructed in their art by hired male or female
professors. In the work before us, these slaves are commonly described
as standing or sitting unveiled in the presence of male guests; but,
from several descriptions of musical entertainments that I have met with
in Arabic works, it appears that, according to the more approved custom
in respectable society, they were concealed on such occasions behind a
curtain, which generally closed the front of an elevated recess. In all
the houses of wealthy Arabs that I have entered, one or each of the
larger saloons has an elevated closet, the front of which is closed by a
screen of wooden lattice-work, to serve as an orchestra for the domestic
or hired female singers and instrumental performers. Of the hired
performers, any further mention is not here required; but of the slaves
and free ladies who supplied their place, a few words must be added, as
very necessary to illustrate the preceding and many other tales in this
work.
To a person acquainted with modern Arabian manners, it must appear
inconsistent with truth to describe such females as exposing their
faces before strange men, unless he can discover in sober histories some
evidence of their having been less strict in this respect than the
generality of Arab females at the present period. I find, however, a
remarkable proof that such was the case in the latter part of the ninth
century of the Flight, and the beginning of the tenth: that is, about
the end of the fifteenth century of our era. The famous historian
Es-Suyooṭee, who flourished at this period, in his preface to a curious
work on wedlock, written to correct the corrupt manners of his age,
says,--"Seeing that the women of this time deck themselves with the
attire of prostitutes, and walk in the sooḳs (or market-streets), like
female warriours against the religion, and uncover their faces and hands
before men, to incline [men's] hearts to them by evil suggestions, and
play at feasts with young men, thereby meriting the anger of the
Compassionate [i.e. God], and go forth to the public baths and
assemblies, with various kinds of ornaments and perfumes, and with
conceited gait; for the which they shall be congregated in Hell-fire,
for opposing the good, and on account of this their affected gait, while
to their husbands they are disobedient, behaving to them in the reverse
manner, excepting when they fear to abridge their liberty of going
abroad by such conduct; for they are like swine and apes in their
interior nature, though like daughters of Adam in their exterior
appearance; especially the women of this age; not advising their
husbands in matters of religion, but the latter erring in permitting
them to go out to every assembly; sisters of devils and demons, &c.
&c.... I have undertaken the composition of this volume."[253] A more
convincing testimony than this, I think, cannot be required.
The lute (el-'ood) is the only instrument that is generally described as
used at the entertainments which we have been considering. Engravings of
this and other musical instruments are given in my work on the Modern
Egyptians. The Arab viol (called rabáb) was commonly used by inferior
performers. (See also Note 26, below.)
The Arab music is generally of a soft and plaintive character, and
particularly that of the most refined description, which is
distinguished by a remarkable peculiarity, the division of tones into
thirds. The singer aims at distinct enunciation of the words, for this
is justly admired; and delights in a trilling style. The airs of songs
are commonly very short and simple, adapted to a single verse, or even
to a single hemistich; but in the instrumental music there is more
variety.
NOTE 23. This is often said to a person whose presence is disagreeable
to his companions.
NOTE 24.--_On the_ Ḳalenderees. In the old translation, these three
strangers are called "Calenders;" that is, "Ḳalenderees:" but in the
Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and the edition of
Breslau, they are designated as "Ḳarendelees," "miserable or ridiculous
beggars;" and in that of Cairo, the term applied to them is "ṣa'áleek,"
or, simply, "paupers," or "mendicants." Some may suppose the right
reading to be "Ḳalenderees;" for it was a custom of this order of
Darweeshes to shave their beards: they were forbidden to do so in the
year of the Flight 761,[254] by the Sulṭán of Egypt (El-Melik en-Náṣir
El-Ḥasan); but whether they afterwards reverted to this habit, I do not
know. The order of the Ḳalenderees, however, was not founded until about
the commencement of the fifth century of the Flight,[255] a period long
posterior to that to which the tale relates.
NOTE 25. In the edition of Cairo, they are said to have arrived from
Greece.
NOTE 26.--_On the Persian Harp._ This instrument is called in Arabic
"junk," from the Persian "chang." It has almost fallen into disuse, and
I have never seen it: I am enabled, however, to give two sketches of its
form through the kindness of the [late] Right Honourable Sir Gore
Ouseley, who has favoured me with drawings made from two of the most
satisfactory representations of it in his rich collection of Oriental
MSS.; the first, about 350 years old; the second 410. The number of
strings, he informs me, vary from 20 to 27.
[Illustration]
NOTE 27.--_On the Title and Office of_ Khaleefeh. As most of our best
authors on Oriental subjects have for some years past deviated from our
old general mode of writing this title, substituting (for "Caliph")
"Khalif," "Khalífah," &c., I have taken the same liberty. It cannot be
correctly written, at the same time congenially with our language and
with its orthography in Arabic characters, otherwise than "Khaleefeh" or
"Khaleefah;" and of these two modes I adopt the one which agrees with
the manner in which the title is most generally pronounced by the Arabs.
The meaning of this title is "Successor," or "Vicar;" and it was
originally given to the universal sovereigns of the Muslim Arabs, as
signifying "Successor of the Prophet;" but afterwards, in a more exalted
sense, as "Vicar of God:" the Khaleefeh being the head of the religion
as well as the supreme political governor, or at least arrogating to
himself the right to possess such supremacy, throughout the whole Muslim
world. [The last of the Khaleefehs died in Egypt shortly after the
Turkish conquest of that country, or in the year of the Flight, 950.
After the overthrow of the house of El-'Abbás by Hulágù, certain of its
members obtained an asylum at the court of the Memlook Sulṭáns, and
continued the line of the Khaleefehs, with spiritual, but no temporal,
authority until it ceased in the person of El-Mutawekkil, who delegated
his office to the Sulṭán Seleem I.; it is consequently held by the
Sulṭán of Turkey. The Emperors of Morocco, being descendants of the
Prophet, also claim and receive from their subjects the title of
Khaleefeh.[256]--ED.]
NOTE 28. The stories in which this justly-celebrated man is mentioned
will, I think, be more agreeable to those readers who are unacquainted
with his history, of which, therefore, I shall say nothing.
NOTE 29. Mesroor was a black eunuch, and a favourite servant of
Er-Rasheed. The name signifies "happy."
NOTE 30. "Ṭabareeyeh" is the modern name for Tiberias.
NOTE 31.--_Description_ of Kháns, or Wekálehs. A Khán is a building
chiefly designed for the accommodation of merchants, and for the
reception of their goods. In Egypt, a building of this kind is generally
called a Wekáleh. I have described it, in a former work, as surrounding
a square or oblong court, and having, on the ground-floor, vaulted
magazines for merchandise, which face the court, and are sometimes used
as shops. Above these are generally lodgings, which are entered from a
gallery extending along each of the four sides of the court; or, in the
place of these lodgings, there are other magazines: and in many kháns or
wekálehs which have apartments designed as lodgings, these apartments
are used as magazines. In general, the building has only one common
entrance; the door of which is closed at night, and kept by a porter.
NOTE 32. It is customary for a guest or visiter to ask permission of the
host, or master of the house, before taking his departure. A common form
of speech used on this occasion is, "With your permission, I rise."
NOTE 33. Many Muslims perform the pilgrimage with the view of expiating
their offences, and, at the Kaạbeh, or at the tomb of the Prophet, make
a vow to abstain from any glaring infringement of the law of which they
may before have been guilty.
NOTE 34. I learn, from a marginal note in my copy of the original, by
the sheykh Moḥammad Eṭ-Tanṭáwee, that these verses are the composition
of Ibn-Sahl El-Ishbee-lee. Three concluding verses of the same ode, and
a second poetical quotation immediately following, I have passed over.
NOTE 35. In the original there are some errors in this part of the
story, which the sequel requires me to correct. The cateress is
described as having sung three successive songs, accompanying them with
her lute. After the first song, the mistress of the house is said to
have been affected in the manner described in the translation, and to
have exposed to view the marks of beating. The second lady (namely, the
portress) is represented as similarly excited by the second song; and
the third lady (the cateress herself), by the third song. The last also
is said to have exhibited upon her person those marks which, as the
sequel shews, were borne by the second.
NOTE 36. The "miḳra'ah," vulgarly called "maḳra'ah," is a portion of the
thicker end of a palm-branch stripped of the leaves. It is often used to
beat a person in sport; but in this case, two or three splits are
usually made in the thicker part of it, to increase the sound of the
blows.
NOTE 37. In the original, "the portress." See Note 35, above.
NOTE 38. Perhaps it is needless to explain that the wish here expressed,
for a protractive trial on the day of judgment, is occasioned by the
longing for reunion, and the fear of separation after that day. The
Muslims usually pray for an easy (and, consequently, a short) reckoning.
NOTE 39. I have omitted the third song of the cateress, and the
description of its effects, mentioned in Note 35.
NOTE 40. See Note 47 to Chapter II.
NOTE 41. It seems to be implied that the lady discovered her guests,
notwithstanding their disguise, to be persons of rank.
NOTE 42. I read "fuḳaráü aạjám" for "fuḳaráü-l-hojjám:" the former,
carelessly written (in Arabic characters), might easily be mistaken for
the latter.
NOTE 43. This phrase is used to signify "Recover thy senses;" alluding
to a person's drawing his hand over his head or face after a sleep or
fit.
NOTE 44. The burial-grounds of Eastern cities are generally so
extensive, that, with the varied structures which they contain, they may
aptly be called "Cities of the Dead." It was with difficulty that I
recognised the tomb of the lamented Burckhardt, in the great cemetery on
the north of Cairo, even after I had carefully noticed its place on a
former visit.
NOTE 45. I have ventured to make a slight alteration here; but it is one
which does not in the least affect the consistency of the tale. Marriage
with a foster-sister is as expressly forbidden by the Mohammadan law as
that with a natural sister.
NOTE 46. "The Truth" is one of the ninety-nine names or epithets of God.
NOTE 47. Many an Arab would rather risk the loss of his head than part
with his beard; for the latter is regarded by almost all Muslims with a
superstitious respect; and to shave it off, at least after it has been
suffered to grow for many days, they consider as sinful: this, however,
is sometimes done by religious mendicants, as it is also by some of
those persons who seek, or enjoy, the reputation of sanctity, and who
are, or pretend to be, insane.
NOTE 48. By "the seven readings," we are to understand seven slightly
different modes of reading the Ḳur-án, seldom differing essentially as
to the sense.
NOTE 49. Astrology (not astronomy) is here meant. Though a forbidden
science, it is studied by many Muslims.
NOTE 50. A misplaced diacritical point occasions a wrong reading here,
in the original, which I have corrected.
NOTE 51. The Mohammadan law requires that every man be acquainted with
some art or occupation by which he may, in case of necessity, at least
be able to obtain the means of supporting himself and such of his family
as are dependant upon him, and of fulfilling all his religious as well
as moral duties. Hence it has been a common custom of Muslim princes, in
every age, to learn some useful art; and many of them have distinguished
themselves by displaying exquisite skill in the work of their hands, and
especially in caligraphy, of which the Orientals in general are great
admirers.
NOTE 52. The 'Efreet (as we are told in some editions of the original)
had taken this lady against the consent of his family, and therefore
could not more frequently visit her.
NOTE 53. The term "ḳubbeh" is often applied to a closet or small chamber
adjoining a saloon; and in this sense it appears to be here used.
NOTE 54.--_On Sherbets._ The Arabs have various kinds of sherbets, or
sweet drinks; the most common of which is merely sugar and water, made
very sweet. The most esteemed kind is prepared from a hard conserve of
violets, made by pounding violet-flowers, and then boiling them with
sugar. Other kinds are prepared from conserves of fruits, &c. The
sherbet is served in covered glass cups, containing from two-thirds to
three-quarters of an English pint; the same which I have described in a
former note as used for wine. These are placed on a round tray, and
covered with a round piece of embroidered silk, or cloth of gold; and on
the right arm of the person who presents the sherbet, is hung a long
napkin with a deep embroidered border of gold and coloured silks at each
end, which is ostensibly offered for the purpose of wiping the lips
after drinking, though the lips are scarcely touched with it.
NOTE 55. The Arabs are very fond of having their feet, and especially
the soles, slowly rubbed with the hand; and this operation, which is one
of the services commonly required of a wife or female slave, is a usual
mode of waking a person.
NOTE 56. Here, and again in the same and a subsequent sentence, for
"kheiyáṭeen," I read "ḥaṭṭábeen." In the Breslau edition, "khaṭṭábeen"
is put for the latter. The right reading is obvious.
NOTE 57. Falsehood was _commended_ by the Prophet when it tended to
reconcile persons at enmity with each other, and when practised in order
to please one's wife, or to obtain any advantage in a war with infidels,
though strongly reprobated in other cases.
NOTE 58. Four verses here inserted in the original appear to me to be a
corruption of a couplet which better expresses the same meaning, and
which I have therefore translated in the place of the former. As the
lines to which I allude are particularly pleasing, I may perhaps be
excused if I here introduce the original words, which are as follow:--
"Isháratunà fi-l-ḥobbi remzu 'oyooninà: wa-kullu lebeebin
bi-l-ishárati yefhamu,
Ḥawájibunà teḳḍi-l-ḥawáïjà beynenà: fa-naḥnu sukootun wa-l-hawà
yetekellemu."
NOTE 59. This is not meant to disparage the individual lady here
mentioned, but is a saying of the Prophet applied to the sex in general.
NOTE 60. In the edition of Cairo, this story is omitted. I translate it
from the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights.
NOTE 61. "Faḳeer" (which signifies "poor," and is particularly used in
the sense of "poor in the sight of God," or rather, "in need of the
mercy of God") is an appellation commonly given to poor persons who
especially occupy themselves in religious exercises.
NOTE 62. The performances called "zikrs" will be briefly described
towards the close of the next note.
NOTE 63.--_On Muslin Saints, or Devotees._ The tale of the Envied
Sheykh, and several other stories in this work, require that the reader
should be acquainted with the remarkable opinions which the Arabs
entertain with respect to the offices and supernatural powers of their
saints. Such matters form an important part of the mysteries of the
Darweeshes, and are but imperfectly known to the generality of Muslims.
The distinguished individuals above mentioned are known by the common
appellation of "Welees," or particular favourites of God. The more
eminent among them compose a mysterious hierarchical body, whose
government respects the whole human race, infidels as well as believers;
but whose power is often exercised in such a manner that the subjects
influenced by it know not from what person or persons its effects
proceed. The general governor or coryphæus of these holy beings is
commonly called the "Ḳuṭb," which literally signifies a "pole," or an
"axis," and is metaphorically used to signify a "chief," either in a
civil or political, or in a spiritual sense. The Ḳuṭb of the saints is
distinguished by other appellations: he is called "Ḳuṭb el-Ghós," or
"---- el-Ghóth" ("the Ḳuṭb of Invocation for Help"), &c.; and simply
"El-Ghós."[257] The orders under the rule of this chief are called
"'Omud (or Owtád), Akhyár, Abdál, Nujabà, and Nuḳabà:" I name them
according to their precedence.[258] Perhaps to these should be added an
inferior order called "Aṣ-ḥáb ed-Darak," which is said to mean
"Watchmen," or "Overseers." The members are not known as such to their
inferior, unenlightened fellow-creatures; and are often invisible to
them. This is more frequently the case with the Ḳuṭb, who, though
generally stationed at Mekkeh, on the roof of the Kaạbeh, is never
visible there, nor at any of his other favourite stations or places of
resort; yet his voice is often heard at these places. Whenever he and
the saints under his authority mingle among ordinary men, they are not
distinguished by a dignified appearance, but are always humbly clad.
These, and even inferior saints, are said to perform astonishing
miracles, such as flying in the air, passing unhurt through fire,
swallowing fire, glass, &c., walking upon water, transporting themselves
in a moment of time to immense distances, and supplying themselves and
others with food in desert places. Their supernatural power they are
supposed to obtain by a life of the most exalted piety, and especially
by constant self-denial, accompanied with the most implicit reliance
upon God; by the services of good genii; and, as many believe, by the
knowledge and utterance of "the most great name" of God. A miracle
performed by a saint is distinguished by the term "karámeh" from one
performed by a prophet, which is called "moạjizeh."
El-Khiḍr and Ilyás (or Elias), of whom I have before had occasion to
speak, are both believed to have been Ḳuṭbs, and the latter is called in
the Ḳur-án an apostle; but it is disputed whether the former was a
prophet or merely a welee. Both are said to have drunk of the Fountain
of Life, and to be in consequence still living; and Ilyás is commonly
believed to invest the successive Ḳuṭbs. The similarity of the miracles
ascribed to the Ḳuṭbs and those performed by Elias or Elijah I have
remarked in a former work. Another miracle, reminding us of the mantle
of Elijah in the hands of his successor, may here be mentioned.--A saint
who was the Ḳuṭb of his time, dying at Toonis (or Tunis), left his
clothes in trust to his attendant, Moḥammad El-Ashwam, a native of the
neighbouring regency of Tripoli (now called Ṭarábulus), who desired to
sell these relics, but was counselled to retain them, and accordingly,
though high prices were bidden for them, made them his own by purchase.
As soon as they became his property, he was affected, we are told, with
a divine ecstasy, and endowed with miraculous powers.[259]
Innumerable miracles are related to have been performed by Muslim
saints, and large volumes are filled with the histories of their
wonderful lives. The author of the work from which the above story is
taken, mentions, as a fact to be relied on, in an account of one of his
ancestors, that, his lamp happening to go out one night while he was
reading alone in the riwáḳ of the Jabart (of which he was the sheykh),
in the great mosque El-Azhar, the forefinger of his right hand emitted a
light which enabled him to continue his reading until his naḳeeb had
trimmed and lighted another lamp.[260]
From many stories of a similar kind that I have read, I select the
following as a fair specimen: it is related by a very celebrated saint,
Ibráheem El-Khowwáṣ.--"I entered the desert [on pilgrimage to Mekkeh
from El-'Eráḳ], and there joined me a man having a belt round his waist,
and I said, 'Who art thou?'--He answered, 'A Christian; and I desire thy
company.' We walked together for seven days, eating nothing; after which
he said to me, 'O monk of the Muslims, produce what thou hast in the way
of refreshment; for we are hungry:' so I said, 'O my God, disgrace me
not before this infidel:' and lo, a tray, upon which were bread and
broiled meat and fresh dates and a mug of water. We ate, and continued
our journey seven days more; and I then said to him, 'O monk of the
Christians, produce what thou hast in the way of refreshment; for the
turn is come to thee:' whereupon he leaned upon his staff; and prayed;
and lo, two trays, containing double that which was on my tray. I was
confounded, and refused to eat: he urged me, saying, 'Eat;' but I did it
not. Then said he, 'Be glad; for I give thee two pieces of good news:
one of them is, that I testify that there is no deity but God, and that
Moḥammad is God's Apostle: the other, that I said, O God, if there be
worth in this servant, supply me with two trays:--so this is through thy
blessing.' We ate, and the man put on the dress of pilgrimage, and so
entered Mekkeh, where he remained with me a year as a student; after
which he died, and I buried him in [the cemetery] El-Maạlà." "And God,"
says the author from whom I take this story, "is all-knowing:" _i.e._ He
alone knoweth whether it be strictly true: but this is often added to
the narration of traditions resting upon high authority.[261]--The saint
above mentioned was called "El-Khowwáṣ" (or the maker of palm-leaf
baskets, &c.) from the following circumstance, related by himself.--"I
used," said he, "to go out of the town [Er-Rei] and sit by a river on
the banks of which was abundance of palm-leaves; and it occurred to my
mind to make every day five baskets [ḳuffehs], and to throw them into
the river, for my amusement, as if I were obliged to do so. My time was
so passed for many days: at length, one day, I thought I would walk
after the baskets, and see whither they had gone: so I proceeded a while
along the bank of the river, and found an old woman sitting sorrowful.
On that day I had made nothing. I said to her, 'Wherefore do I see thee
sorrowful?' She answered, 'I am a widow: my husband died leaving five
daughters, and nothing to maintain them; and it is my custom to repair
every day to this river, and there come to me, upon the surface of the
water, five baskets, which I sell, and by means of them I procure food;
but to-day they have not come, and I know not what to do.' Upon hearing
this, I raised my head towards heaven, and said, 'O my God, had I known
that I had more than five children to maintain, I had laboured more
diligently!'" He then took the old woman to his house, and gave her
money and flour, and said to her, "Whenever thou wantest anything, come
hither and take what may suffice you."[262]
An irresistible influence has often been exercised over the minds of
princes and other great men by reputed saints. Many a Muslim Monarch has
thus been incited (as the Kings of Christendom were by Peter the Hermit)
to undertake religious wars, or urged to acts of piety and charity; or
restrained from tyranny by threats of Divine vengeance to be called down
upon his head by the imprecations of a welee. 'Alee, the favourite son
of the Khaleefeh El-Ma-moon, was induced, for the sake of religion, to
flee from the splendour and luxuries of his father's court, and, after
the example of a self-denying devotee, to follow the occupation of a
porter, in a state of the most abject poverty, at El-Baṣrah, fasting all
the day, remaining without sleep at night in a mosque, and walking
barefooted, until, under an accumulation of severe sufferings, he
prematurely ended his days, dying on a mat. The honours which he refused
to receive in life were paid to him after his death: his rank being
discovered by a ring and paper which he left, his corpse was anointed
with camphor and musk and aloes, wrapped in fine linen of Egypt, and so
conveyed to his distressed father at Baghdád.[263]
Self-denial I have before mentioned as one of the most important means
by which to attain the dignity of a welee. A very famous saint,
Esh-Shiblee, is said to have received from his father an inheritance of
sixty millions of deenárs (a sum incredible, and probably a mistake for
sixty thousand, or for sixty million dirhems), besides landed property,
and to have expended it all in charity: also, to have thrown into the
Tigris seventy hundred-weight of books, written by his own hand during a
period of twenty years.[264]
Sháh El-Karmánee, another celebrated saint, had a beautiful daughter,
whom the Sulṭán of his country sought in marriage. The holy man required
three days to consider his sovereign's proposal, and in the mean time
visited several mosques, in one of which he saw a young man humbly
occupied in prayer. Having waited till he had finished, he accosted him,
saying, "My son, hast thou a wife?" Being answered, "No," he said, "I
have a maiden, a virtuous devotee, who hath learned the whole of the
Ḳur-án, and is amply endowed with beauty. Dost thou desire her?"--"Who,"
said the young man, "will marry me to such a one as thou hast described,
when I possess no more than three dirhems?"--"_I_ will marry thee to
her," answered the saint: "she is my daughter, and I am Sháh the son of
Shujáạ El-Karmánee: give me the dirhems that thou hast, that I may buy a
dirhem's worth of bread, and a dirhem's worth of something savoury, and
a dirhem's worth of perfume." The marriage-contract was performed; but
when the bride came to the young man, she saw a stale cake of bread
placed upon the top of his mug; upon which she put on her izár, and went
out. Her husband said, "Now I perceive that the daughter of Sháh
El-Karmánee is displeased with my poverty." She answered, "I did not
withdraw from fear of poverty, but on account of the weakness of thy
faith, seeing how thou layest by a cake of bread for the morrow."[265]
One of my friends in Cairo, Abu-l-Ḳásim of Geelán, mentioned in a former
note, entertained me with a long relation of the mortifications and
other means which he employed to attain the rank of a welee. These were
chiefly self-denial and a perfect reliance upon Providence. He left his
home in a state of voluntary destitution and complete nudity, to travel
through Persia and the surrounding countries, and yet more distant
regions if necessary, in search of a spiritual guide. For many days he
avoided the habitations of men, fasting from daybreak till sunset, and
then eating nothing but a little grass or a few leaves or wild fruits,
till by degrees he habituated himself to almost total abstinence from
every kind of nourishment. His feet, at first blistered, and cut by
sharp stones, soon became callous; and in proportion to his reduction of
food, his frame, contrary to the common course of nature, became
(according to his own account) more stout and lusty. Bronzed by the sun,
and with his black hair hanging over his shoulders (for he had abjured
the use of the razor), he presented, in his nudity, a wild and frightful
appearance; and on his first approaching a town, was surrounded and
pelted by a crowd of boys; he therefore retreated, and, after the
example of our first parents, made himself a partial covering of leaves;
and this he always after did on similar occasions; never remaining long
enough in a town for his leafy apron to wither. The abodes of mankind he
always passed at a distance, excepting when several days' fast, while
traversing an arid desert, compelled him to obtain a morsel of bread or
a cup of water from the hand of some charitable fellow-creature. One
thing that he particularly dreaded was, to receive relief from a sinful
man, or from a demon in the human form. In passing over a parched and
desolate tract, where for three days he had found nothing to eat, not
even a blade of grass, nor a spring from which to refresh his tongue, he
became overpowered with thirst, and prayed that God would send him a
messenger with a pitcher of water. "But," said he, "let the water be in
a green Baghdáhee pitcher, that I may know it be from Thee, and not from
the Devil; and when I ask the bearer to give me to drink, let him pour
it over my head, that I may not too much gratify my carnal desire."--"I
looked behind me," he continued, "and saw a man bearing a green
Baghdáhee pitcher of water, and said to him, 'Give me to drink;' and he
came up to me, and poured the contents over my head, and departed! By
Allah it was so!"--Rejoicing in this miracle, as a proof of his having
attained to a degree of wiláyeh (or saintship), and refreshed by the
water, he continued his way over the desert, more firm than ever in his
course of self-denial, which, though imperfectly followed, had been the
means of his being thus distinguished. But the burning thirst returned
shortly after, and he felt himself at the point of sinking under it,
when he beheld before him a high hill, with a rivulet running by its
base. To the summit of this hill he determined to ascend, by way of
mortification, before he would taste the water, and this point, with
much difficulty, he reached at the close of the day. Here standing, he
saw approaching, below, a troop of horsemen, who paused at the foot of
the hill, when their chief, who was foremost, called out to him by name,
"O Abu-l-Ḳásim! O Geelánee! Come down and drink!"--but, persuaded by
this that he was Iblees with a troop of his sons, the evil Genii, he
withstood the temptation, and remained stationary until the deceiver
with his attendants had passed on, and were out of sight. The sun had
then set; his thirst had somewhat abated; and he only drank a few drops.
Continuing his wanderings in the desert, he found, upon a pebbly plain,
an old man with a long white beard, who accosted him, asking of what he
was in search. "I am seeking," he answered, "a spiritual guide; and my
heart tells me that thou art the guide I seek." "My son," said the old
man, "thou seest yonder a saint's tomb: it is a place where prayer is
answered: go thither, enter it, and seat thyself: neither eat nor drink
nor sleep; but occupy thyself solely, day and night, in repeating
silently, 'Lá iláha illa-lláh' (There is no deity but God); and
let not any living creature see thy lips move in doing so; for
among the peculiar virtues of these words is this, that they may
be uttered without any motion of the lips. Go, and peace be on
thee."--"Accordingly," said my friend, "I went thither. It was a small
square building, crowned by a cupola; and the door was open. I entered,
and seated myself, facing the niche, and the oblong monument over the
grave. It was evening, and I commenced my silent professions of the
Unity, as directed by my guide; and at dusk I saw a white figure seated
beside me, as if assisting in my devotional task. I stretched forth my
hand to touch it; but found that it was not a material substance; yet
there it was: I saw it distinctly. Encouraged by this vision, I
continued my task for three nights and days without intermission,
neither eating not drinking, yet increasing in strength both of body and
of spirit; and on the third day, I saw written upon the whitewashed
walls of the tomb, and on the ground, and in the air, wherever I turned
my eyes, 'Lá iláha illa-lláh;' and whenever a fly entered the tomb, it
formed these words in its flight. By Allah it was so! My object was now
fully attained: I felt myself endowed with supernatural knowledge:
thoughts of my friends and acquaintances troubled me not; but I knew
where each of them was, in Persia, India, Arabia, and Turkey, and what
each was doing. I experienced an indescribable happiness. This state
lasted several years; but at length I was insensibly enticed back to
worldly objects: I came to this country; my fame as a caligraphist drew
me into the service of the government; and now see what I am, decked
with pelisses and shawls, and with this thing [a diamond order] on my
breast; too old, I fear, to undergo again the self-denial necessary to
restore me to true happiness, though I have almost resolved to make the
attempt."--Soon after this conversation, he was deprived of his office,
and died of the plague. He was well known to have passed several years
as a wandering devotee; and his sufferings, combined with enthusiasm,
perhaps disordered his imagination, and made him believe that he really
saw the strange sights which he described to me; for there was an
appearance of earnestness and sincerity in his manner, such as I thought
could hardly be assumed by a conscious impostor.
Insanity, however, if not of a very violent and dangerous nature, is
commonly regarded by Muslims as a quality that entitles the subject of
it to be esteemed as a saint; being supposed to be the abstraction of
the mind from worldly affairs, and its total devotion to God. This
popular superstition is a fertile source of imposture; for, a reputation
for sanctity being so easily obtained and supported, there are numbers
of persons who lay claim to it from motives of indolence and
licentiousness, eager to receive alms merely for performing the tricks
of madmen, and greedy of indulging in pleasures forbidden by the law;
such indulgences not being considered in their case as transgressions by
the common people, but rather as indications of holy frenzy. From my own
observation I should say that lunatics or idiots, or impostors,
constitute the majority of the persons reputed to be saints among the
Muslims of the present day; and most of those who are not more than
slightly tinged with insanity are darweeshes.
A reputed saint of this description, in Cairo, in whom persons of some
education put great faith, affected to have a particular regard for me.
He several times accosted me in an abrupt manner, acquainted me with the
state of my family in England, and uttered incoherent predictions
respecting me, all of which communications, excepting one which he
qualified with an "in sháa-lláh" (or "if it be the will of God"), I must
confess, proved to be true; but I must also state that he was acquainted
with two of my friends who might have materially assisted him to frame
these predictions, though they protested to me that they had not done
so. The following extract from a journal which I kept in Cairo during my
second visit to Egypt, will convey some idea of this person, who will
serve as a picture of many of his fraternity.--To-day (Nov. 6th, 1834),
as I was sitting in the shop of the Báshà's booksellers, a reputed
saint, whom I have often seen here, came and seated himself by me, and
began, in a series of abrupt sentences, to relate to me various matters
respecting me, past, present, and to come. He is called the sheykh 'Alee
El-Leysee. He is a poor man, supported by alms; tall and thin and very
dark, about thirty years of age, and wears nothing at present but a blue
shirt and a girdle, and a padded red cap. "O Efendee," he said, "thou
hast been very anxious for some days. There is a grain of anxiety
remaining in thee yet. Do not fear. There is a letter coming to thee by
sea, that will bring thee good news." He then proceeded to tell me of
the state of my family, and that all were well excepting one, whom he
particularized by description, and who he stated to be then suffering
from an intermittent fever. [This proved to be exactly true.] "This
affliction," he continued, "may be removed by prayer; and the
excellences of the next night, the night of [_i. e._ preceding] the
first Friday of the month of Regeb, of Regeb, the holy Regeb, are very
great. I wanted to ask thee for something to-day; but I feared: I feared
greatly. Thou must be invested with the wiláyeh [_i. e._ be made a
welee]: the welees love thee; and the Prophet loves thee. Thou must go
to the sheykh Muṣṭafà El-Munádee, and the sheykh El-Baháee.[266] Thou
must be a welee." He then took my right hand, in the manner commonly
practised in the ceremony which admits a person a darweesh, and repeated
the Fáteḥah (commonly pronounced Fát'ḥah);[267] after which he added, "I
have admitted thee my darweesh." Having next told me of several
circumstances relating to my family--matters of an unusual nature--with
singular minuteness and truth, he added, "To-night, if it be the will of
God, thou shalt see the Prophet in thy sleep, and El-Khiḍr and the
seyyid El-Bedawee. This is Regeb, and I wanted to ask of thee--but I
feared--I wanted to ask of thee four piastres, to buy meat and bread and
oil and radishes. Regeb! Regeb! I have great offices to do for thee
to-night."--Less than a shilling for all he promised was little enough:
I gave it him for the trouble he had taken; and he uttered many abrupt
prayers for me.--In the following night, however, I saw in my sleep
neither Moḥammad nor El-Khiḍr nor the seyyid El-Bedawee, unless, like
Nebuchadnezzar, I was unable, on awaking, to remember my dreams.
Some reputed saints of the more respectable class, to avoid public
notice, wear the general dress and manners of their fellow-countrymen,
and betray no love of ostentation in their acts of piety and
self-denial; or live as hermits in desert places, depending solely upon
Providence for their support, and are objects of pious and charitable
visits from the inhabitants of near and distant places, and from casual
travellers. Others distinguish themselves by the habit of a darweesh, or
by other peculiarities, such as a long and loose coat (called dilḳ)
composed of patches of cloth of various colours, long strings of beads
hung upon the neck, a ragged turban, and a staff with shreds of cloth of
different colours attached to the top; or obtain a reputation for
miraculous powers by eating glass, fire, serpents, &c. Some of those who
are insane, and of those who feign to be so, go about, even in crowded
cities, in a state of perfect nudity, and are allowed to commit, with
impunity, acts of brutal sensuality which the law, when appealed to,
should punish with death. Such practices are forbidden by the religion
and law even in the cases of saints; but common and deeply-rooted
superstition prevents their punishment. During the occupation of Egypt
by the French, the Commander-in-chief, Menou, applied to the Sheykhs (or
'Ulamà) of the city for their opinion "respecting those persons who were
accustomed to go about in the streets in a state of nudity, crying out
and screaming, and arrogating to themselves the dignity of wiláyeh,
relied upon as saints by the generality of the people, neither
performing the prayers of the Muslims nor fasting," asking whether such
conduct was permitted by the religion, or contrary to the law. He was
answered, "Conduct of this description is forbidden, and repugnant to
our religion and law and to our traditions." The French General thanked
them for this answer, and gave orders to prevent such practices in
future, and to seize every one seen thus offending; if insane, to
confine him in the Máristán (or hospital and lunatic asylum); and if not
insane, to compel him either to relinquish his disgusting habits, or to
leave the city.[268]--Of reputed saints of this kind, thus writes an
enlightened poet, El-Bedree El-Ḥejázee:--
"Would that I had not lived to see every fool esteemed among men
as a Ḳuṭb!
Their learned men take him as a patron; nay, even as Lord, in place
of the Possessor of Heaven's throne.
Forgetting God, they say, 'Such a one from all mankind can remove
affliction.'
When he dies, they make for him a place of visitation, and strangers
and Arabs hurry thither in crowds:
Some of them kiss his tomb, and some kiss the threshold of the door,
and the very dust.
Thus do the idolaters act towards their images, hoping so to obtain
their favour."
These lines are quoted by El-Jabartee, in his account of a very
celebrated modern saint, the seyyid 'Alee El-Bekree (events of Rabeeạ
eth-Thánee, 1214). A brief history of this person will not be here
misplaced, as it will present a good illustration of the general
character and actions of those insane individuals who are commonly
regarded as saints.
The seyyid 'Alee El-Bekree was a mejzoob (or insane person) who was
considered an eminent welee, and much trusted in: for several years he
used to walk naked about the streets of Cairo, with a shaven face,
bearing a long nebboot (or staff), and uttering confused language, which
the people attentively listened to, and interpreted according to their
desires and the exigencies of their states. He was a tall, spare man,
and sometimes wore a shirt and a cotton skull-cap; but he was generally
barefooted and naked. The respect with which he was treated induced a
woman, who was called the sheykhah Ammooneh, to imitate his example
further than decency allowed: she followed him whithersoever he went,
covered at first with her izár (or large cotton veil thrown over the
head and body), and muttering, like him, confused language. Entering
private houses with him, she used to ascend to the ḥareems, and gained
the faith of the women, who presented her with money and clothes, and
spread abroad that the sheykh ('Alee) had looked upon her, and affected
her with religious frenzy, so that she had become a weleeyeh, or female
saint. Afterwards, becoming more insane and intoxicated, she uncovered
her face, and put on the clothing of a man; and thus attired she still
accompanied the sheykh, and the two wandered about, followed by numbers
of children and common vagabonds; some of whom also stripped off their
clothes in imitation of the sheykh, and followed, dancing; their mad
actions being attributed (like those of the woman) to religious frenzy,
induced by his look or touch, which converted them into saints. The
vulgar and young, who daily followed them, consequently increased in
numbers; and some of them, in passing through the market-streets,
snatched away goods from the shops, thus exciting great commotion
wherever they went. When the sheykh sat down in any place, the crowd
stopped, and the people pressed to see him and his mad companions. On
these occasions the woman used to mount upon the maṣṭabah of a shop, or
ascend a hillock, and utter disgusting language, sometimes in Arabic,
and sometimes in Turkish, while many persons among her audience would
kiss her hands to derive a blessing. After having persevered for some
time in this course, none preventing them, the party entered one day the
lane leading from the principal street of the city to the house of the
Ḳáḍee, and were seized by a Turkish officer there residing, named Jaạfar
Káshif, who, having brought them into his house, gave the sheykh some
food, and drove out the spectators, retaining the woman and the
mejzoobs, whom he placed in confinement: he then liberated the sheykh
'Alee, brought out the woman and the mejzoobs and beat them, sent the
woman to the Máristán, and there confined her, and set at large the
rest, after they had prayed for mercy, and clothed themselves, and
recovered from their intoxication. The woman remained a while confined
in the Máristán, and, when liberated, lived alone as a sheykhah,
believed in by men and women, and honoured as a saint with visits and
festivals.
The seyyid 'Alee, after he had thus been deprived of his companions and
imitators, was constrained to lead a different kind of life. He had a
cunning brother, who, to turn the folly of this saint to a good account,
and fill his own purse (seeing how great faith the people placed in him,
as the Egyptians are prone to do in such a case), confined him in his
house, and clothed him, asserting that he had his permission to do so,
and that he had been invested with the dignity of Ḳuṭb. Thus he
contrived to attract crowds of persons, men and women, to visit him. He
forbade him to shave his beard, which consequently grew to its full
size; and his body became fat and stout from abundance of food and rest;
for, while he went about naked, he was, as before mentioned, of a lean
figure. During that period he used generally to pass the night
wandering, without food, through the streets, in winter and summer.
Having now servants to wait upon him, whether sleeping or waking, he
passed his time in idleness, uttering confused and incoherent words,
and sometimes laughing and sometimes scolding; and in the course of his
idle loquacity he could not but let fall some words applicable to the
affairs of some of his listening visiters, who attributed such
expressions to his supernatural knowledge of the thoughts of their
hearts, and interpreted them as warnings or prophecies. Men and women,
and particularly the wives of the grandees, flocked to him with presents
and votive offerings, which enriched the coffers of his brother; and the
honours which he received ceased not with his death. His funeral was
attended by multitudes from every quarter. His brother buried him in the
mosque of Esh-Sharáïbee, in the quarter of the Ezbekeeyeh, made for him
a maḳṣoorah (or railed enclosure) and an oblong monument over the grave,
and frequently repaired thither with readers of the Ḳur-án,
munshids[269] to sing odes in his honour, flag-bearers, and other
persons, who wailed and screamed, rubbed their faces against the bars of
the window before his grave, and caught the air of the place in their
hands to thrust it into their bosoms and pockets. Men and women came
crowding together to visit his tomb, bringing votive offerings and wax
candles, and eatables of various kinds to distribute for his sake to the
poor.[270]--The oblong monument over his grave, resembling a large
chest, was covered, when I was in Cairo, with a black stuff ornamented
by a line of words from the Ḳur-án, in white characters, surrounding it.
A servant who accompanied me during my rides and walks used often to
stop as we passed this tomb, and touch the wooden bars of the window
above mentioned with his right hand, which he then kissed to obtain a
blessing.
In most cases greater honour is paid to a reputed saint after his death
than he receives in his life. A small, square, whitewashed building,
crowned with a dome, is generally erected as his tomb, surrounding an
oblong monument of stone, brick, or wood, which is immediately over the
sepulchral vault. At least one such building forms a conspicuous object
close by, or within, almost every Arab village; for the different
villages, and different quarters of every town and city, have their
respective patron saints, whose tombs are frequently visited, and are
the scenes of periodical festivals, generally celebrated once in every
year. The tombs of many very eminent saints are mosques; and some of
these are large and handsome edifices, the monument being under a large
and lofty dome, and surrounded by an enclosure of wooden railings, or of
elegantly-worked bronze. In these buildings also, and in some others,
the monument is covered with silk or cotton stuff ornamented with words
from the Ḳur-án, which form a band around it. Many buildings of the more
simple kind erected in honour of saints, and some of the larger
description, are mere cenotaphs, or cover only some relic of the person
to whom they are dedicated. The tombs and cenotaphs or shrines of saints
are visited by numerous persons, and on frequent occasions; most
commonly on a particular day of the week. The object of the visiter, in
general, is to perform some meritorious act, such as taking bread, or
other food, or money, for the poor, or distributing water to the
thirsty, on account of the saint, to increase his rewards in heaven, and
at the same time to draw down a blessing on himself; or to perform a
sacrifice of a sheep, goat, calf, or other animal, which he has vowed to
offer, if blessed with some specific object of desire, or to obtain
general blessings; or to implore the saint's intercession in some case
of need. The flesh of the devoted animal is given to the poor. The
visiters also often take with them palm-branches, or sprigs of myrtle,
or roses or other flowers, to lay upon the monument, as they do when
they visit the tombs of their relations. The visiter walks round the
monument, or its enclosure, from left to right, or with his left side
towards it (as the pilgrims do round the Kaạbeh), sometimes pausing to
touch its four angles or corners with his right hand, which he then
kisses; and recites the opening chapter of the Ḳur-án (the Fát'ḥah)
standing before one or each of its four sides. Some visiters repeat also
the chapter of Yá-Seen (the 36th), or employ a person to recite this, or
even the whole of the Ḳur-án, for hire.
The reciter afterwards declares that he transfers the merit of this work
to the soul of the deceased saint. Any private petition the visiter
offers up on his own account, imploring a favourable answer for the sake
of the saint, or through his intercession; holding his hands before his
face like an open book, and then drawing them down his face. Many a
visiter, on entering the tomb, kisses the threshold, or touches it with
his right hand, which he then kisses; and, on passing by it, persons
often touch the window, and kiss the hand thus honoured.
The great periodical or annual festivals are observed with additional
ceremonies, and by crowds of visiters. These are called Moolids (more
properly Mólids); and are held on the anniversary of the birth of the
saint, or in commemoration of that event. Persons are then hired to
recite the Ḳur-án in and near the tomb, during the day; and others,
chiefly darweeshes, employ themselves during the night in performing
zikrs, which consist in repeating the name of God, or the profession of
his unity, &c., in chorus, accompanying the words by certain motions of
the head, hands, or whole body; munshids, at intervals, singing
religious odes or love songs during these performances, to the
accompaniment of a náy, which is a kind of flute, or the arghool, which
is a double reed-pipe. These moolids are scenes of rejoicing and of
traffic, which men and boys and girls attend, to eat sweatmeats, and
drink coffee and sherbets, or to amuse themselves with swinging, or
turning on a whirligig, or witnessing the feats of conjurers, or the
performances of dancers; and to which tradesmen repair to sell or barter
their goods. The visiters to the great moolids of the seyyid Aḥmad
El-Bedawee, at Ṭanṭà, in the Delta of Egypt, which are great fairs as
well as religious festivals, are almost as numerous as the pilgrims at
Mekkeh. During a moolid, the inhabitants of the houses in the
neighbourhood of the tomb hang lamps before their houses, and spend a
great part of the night listening to the story-tellers at the
coffee-shops, or attending the zikrs.
These latter performances, though so common among the Arabs, are
inconsistent with the spirit of the Mohammadan religion, and especially
with respect to music, which was not employed in religious ceremonies
until after the second century of the Flight. The Imám Aboo-Bekr
Eṭ-Ṭoosee, being asked whether it were lawful or not to be present with
people who assembled in a certain place, and read a portion of the
Ḳur-án; and, after a munshid had recited some poetry, would dance, and
become excited, and play upon tambourines and pipes,--answered, that
such practices were vain, ignorant, and erroneous; not ordained by the
Ḳur-án or the Traditions of the Prophet, but invented by those
Israelites who worshipped the Golden Calf; that the Prophet and his
companions used to sit so quietly that a bird might alight upon the head
of any one of them and not be disturbed; that it was incumbent on the
Sultán and his vicegerents to prevent such persons from entering the
mosques and other places for these purposes; and that no one who
believed in God and the Last Day should be present with them, or assist
them in their vain performances: such, he asserted, was the opinion of
the Imáms of the Muslims.[271] Some eminent doctors, however, have
contended for the lawfulness of these practices.[272]
Of the various orders of darweeshes, to which so many of the reputed
saints belong, it is unnecessary here to say more than that they differ
chiefly in unimportant regulations and rites, such as particular forms
of prayer, and modes of zikr; that some distinguish themselves by
peculiar dresses; and that a few pursue a wandering life, and subsist on
alms.
NOTE 64. The reason of this strange proceeding is not stated in the
Cairo edition, but it is in the two other editions which I have before
me.
NOTE 65. Arab etiquette requires that a person should sit upon his knees
and feet in the presence of one of much higher rank, or of one to whom
he would pay especial honour. He should also, in these cases, cover his
hands with his sleeves.
NOTE 66. Kunáfeh is a kind of pastry resembling vermicelli, made of
wheat-flour. It is moistened with clarified butter--then baked, and
sweetened with honey or sugar.
NOTE 67. Chess is played somewhat differently in different parts of the
East. The pieces are generally of very simple forms, as the Muslim is
forbidden by his religion to make an image of anything that has life.
NOTE 68. In my original, and in the Breslau edition, the ape is said to
have been the son of the King of the Ebony Islands; but this is a
mistake; for the latter, as before stated, was the father of the lady
who was carried off by Jarjarees.
NOTE 69. The term "leewán" has been explained in No. 12 of the notes to
this chapter.
NOTE 70. This was, and I believe still is, a common battle-cry of the
Arabs, and more commonly used on the occasion of a victory.
NOTE 71. "Dár es-Selám," "the Abode of Peace," or "of Safety," is a name
often given to Baghdád, as it is also to one of the seven stories or
stages of Paradise.
NOTE 72.--_The Mountain of Loadstone._ Several Arab writers describe
this mountain of loadstone. El Ḳazweenee, in his account of minerals,
says that the mine of loadstone is on the shore of the Indian Ocean, and
that if the ships which navigate this sea approach the said mine, and
contain anything of iron, it flies from them like a bird, and adheres to
the mountain; for which reason, it is the general custom to make use of
no iron in the construction of the vessels employed in this
navigation.[273] I think that I have met with a similar story in some
Latin author.
NOTE 73. For an explanation of this term, see what I have said on the
subject of prayer in the first of the notes to the Introduction.
NOTE 74. "Khaṣeeb" signifies "endowed with plenty."
NOTE 75. The remainder of the story of the Third Royal Mendicant is
almost wholly omitted in the Cairo edition. I translate it chiefly from
the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights.
NOTE 76.--_On Dreams._ That Dreams are regarded by the Muslims as being
often true warnings or indications of future events I have mentioned in
a former note. This belief, sanctioned by the Prophet, will be well
illustrated by the following anecdote, which was related to me in Cairo,
shortly after the terrible plague of the year 1835, by the sheykh
Moḥammad Eṭ-Ṭanṭáwee, who had taken the trouble of investigating the
fact, and had ascertained its truth.
A tradesman, living in the quarter of El-Ḥanafee, in Cairo, dreamt,
during the plague above mentioned, that eleven persons were carried out
from his house to be buried, victims of this disease. He awoke in a
state of the greatest distress and alarm, reflecting that eleven was the
total number of the inhabitants of his house, including himself, and
that it would be vain in him to attempt, by adding one or more members
to his household, to elude the decree of God, and give himself a chance
of escape: so, calling together his neighbours, he informed them of his
dream, and was counselled to submit with resignation to a fate so
plainly foreshewn, and to be thankful to God for the timely notice with
which he had been mercifully favoured. On the following day, one of his
children died; a day or two after, a wife; and the pestilence continued
its ravages among his family until he remained in his house alone. It
was impossible for him now to entertain the slightest doubt of the
entire accomplishment of the warning: immediately, therefore, after the
last death that had taken place among his household, he repaired to a
friend at a neighbouring shop, and, calling to him several other persons
from the adjoining and opposite shops, he reminded them of his dream,
acquainted them with its almost complete fulfilment, and expressed his
conviction that he, the eleventh, should very soon die. "Perhaps," said
he, "I shall die this next night: I beg of you, therefore, for the sake
of God, to come to my house early to-morrow morning, and the next morning
and the next if necessary, and to see if I be dead, and, when dead, that
I be properly buried; for I have no one with me to wash and shroud me.
Fail not to do me this service, which will procure you a recompense in
heaven. I have bought my grave-linen: you will find it in a corner of
the room in which I sleep. If you find the door of the house latched,
and I do not answer to your knocking, break it open."
Soon after sunset he laid himself in his lonely bed, though without any
expectation of closing his eyes in sleep; for his mind was absorbed in
reflections upon the awful entry into another world, and a review of his
past life. As the shades of night gathered around him, he could almost
fancy that he beheld, in one faint object or another in his gloomy
chamber, the dreadful person of the Angel of Death: and at length he
actually perceived a figure gliding in at the door, and approaching his
bed. Starting up in horror, he exclaimed, "Who art thou?"--and a stern
and solemn voice answered, "Be silent! I am 'Azraeel, the Angel of
Death!"--"Alas!" cried the terrified man; "I testify that there is no
deity but God, and I testify that Moḥammad is God's Apostle! There is no
strength nor power but in God, the High! the Great! To God we belong,
and to Him we must return!"--He then covered himself over with his
quilt, as if for protection, and lay with throbbing heart, expecting
every moment to have his soul torn from him by the inexorable messenger.
But moments passed away, and minutes, and hours; yet without his
experiencing any hope of escape; for he imagined that the Angel was
waiting for him to resign himself, or had left him for a while, and was
occupied in receiving first the souls of the many hundred human beings
who had attained their predestined term in that same night and in the
same city, and the souls of the thousands who were doomed to employ him
elsewhere. Daybreak arrived before his sufferings terminated; and his
neighbours, coming according to their promise, entered his chamber, and
found him still in bed; but observing that he was covered up, and
motionless as a corpse, they doubted whether he were still alive, and
called to him. He answered, with a faint voice, "I am not yet dead; but
the Angel of Death came to me in the dusk of the evening, and I expect
every moment his return, to take my soul: therefore trouble me not; but
see me washed and buried."--"But why," said his friends, "was the
street-door left unlatched?"--"I latched it," he answered, "but the
Angel of Death may have opened it."--"And who," they asked, "is the man
in the court?"--He answered, "I know of no man in the court: perhaps the
Angel who is waiting for my soul has made himself visible to you, and
been mistaken, in the twilight, for a man."--"He is a thief," they said,
"who has gathered together everything in the house that he could carry
away, and has been struck by the plague while doing so, and now lies
dead in the court, at the foot of the stairs, grasping in his hand a
silver candlestick."--The master of the house, after hearing this,
paused for a moment, and then, throwing off his quilt, exclaimed,
"Praise be to God, the Lord of all creatures! That is the eleventh, and
I am safe! No doubt it was that rascal who came to me and said that he
was the Angel of Death. Praise be to God! Praise be to God!"
This man survived the plague, and took pleasure in relating the above
story. The thief had overheard his conversation with his neighbours,
and, coming to his house in the dusk, had put his shoulder to the wooden
lock, and so raised the door and displaced the latch within.--There is
nothing wonderful in the dream, nor in its accomplishment; the plague of
1835 entirely desolated many houses, and was mostly fatal to the young;
and all the inhabitants of the house in question were young excepting
the master.
NOTE 77. "'Ajeeb" signifies "a wonder," or "anything strange or
admirable."
NOTE 78. Blue is the colour of mourning, as before mentioned, in No. 52
of the notes to the second chapter.
NOTE 79. Smearing the face and slapping the cheeks are common practices
of Arab women, especially of the lower orders, on following to the
grave the corpse of a near relation or a husband.
NOTE 80.--_On the_ Rukh'. This fabulous bird is described by many Arab
writers, some of whom assert that it can carry a rhinoceros, while
others ascribe to it powers still more extraordinary. I shall have
occasion to speak of it again in my notes to this work.
NOTE 81. This is explained by No. 30 of the notes to the Introduction.
NOTE 82. I here return to the Cairo edition.
NOTE 83. Some of the incidents described in this story, as the
shipwrecks caused by the image, and the opening of the forbidden closet,
&c., appear to be taken from the romance of Seyf Zu-l-Yezen, of which I
possess a copy, purchased during my second visit to Egypt. This romance,
which has become extremely scarce, is filled with stories of genii and
enchantments of the most extravagant kind. Some of the public
story-tellers in Cairo used, a few years since, to amuse their audiences
by recitations from it. I was not able to discover the period at which
it was composed; but it is said to have been written long before the
Tales of a Thousand and One Nights. I saw once a portion of a copy of
which it appeared, from the hand-writing and the paper, to be three or
four centuries old.
NOTE 84. So in the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, and
in the edition of Breslau.
NOTE 85. Those decrees which are written with "the Pen" on the
"Preserved Tablet" are believed to be unchangeable. "The Pen" is also
the title of one of the chapters of the Ḳur-án, the 68th.
NOTE 86. In all the copies of the original which I have by me, El-Baṣrah
is said to have been the place to which the lady designed to voyage; but
this is inconsistent with the sequel of the story.
NOTE 87. In the old version, two strange errors occur in the passage
corresponding with this: two words in the original, "nár" and "doon,"
having been mistaken for a proper name; and the word "jebbár," which,
applied to God, signifies "almighty," or rather the "Compeller of his
creatures to do whatsoever He willeth," being taken in the sense of
"giant," which it bears in many other cases.
NOTE 88.--_On Martyrs._ The Mohammadan law distinguishes several
different descriptions of martyrs. This honourable title is given to the
soldier who dies in fighting for the faith, or on his way to do so, or
who dies almost immediately after his having been wounded when so
engaged; to a person who innocently meets with his death from the hand
of another; to a victim of the plague, who does not flee from the
disease, or of dysentery; to a person who is drowned; and to one who is
killed by the falling of a wall or any building. It is said that the
souls of martyrs, after quitting their bodies, reside, until the day of
resurrection, in the crops of green birds, which eat of the fruits, and
drink of the waters, of Paradise. Such we are to consider as the first
and lowest state of felicity to which the young prince in this tale was
introduced as the reward of his virtue.
NOTE 89. The share inherited, according to the law, by the wife, or by
the wives conjointly when there are more than one, is one-eighth of what
remains of the property of the deceased after the discharge of his debts
and legacies, if he have left issue; and one-fourth, if he have left no
issue.
NOTE 90. The Arabs, fond of hyperbole, often thus describe a lofty
building.
NOTE 91.--_On the Magnificence of Arab Palaces, &c._ After remarking
upon the preceding sentence as presenting an instance of Oriental
hyperbole, it may be necessary to inform the reader that he needs not
regard this in the same light. The magnificence of the palaces of
Baghdád in the times of the Khaleefehs almost exceeds belief.
In the beginning of the year of the Flight 305 (June, A.D. 917), two
ambassadors from the Greek Emperor (Constantine IX., Porphyrogenitus)
arrived in Baghdád on a mission to the Khaleefeh El-Muḳtedir, bringing
an abundance of costly presents; and the scenes which they witnessed are
thus described; apparently, however, not without some exaggeration. They
were first received by the Wezeer, who, at the audience which he granted
to them in his garden-palace, displayed on this occasion a degree of
magnificence that had never before been manifested by any of his rank;
pages, memlooks, and soldiers, crowded the avenues and courts of his
mansion, the apartments of which were hung with tapestry of the value of
thirty thousand deenárs; and the Wezeer himself was surrounded by
generals and other officers on his right and left and behind his seat,
when the two ambassadors approached him, dazzled by the splendour that
surrounded them, to beg for an interview with the Khaleefeh.
El-Muḳtedir, having appointed a day on which he would receive them,
ordered that the courts and passages and avenues of his palace should be
filled with armed men, and that all the apartments should be furnished
with the utmost magnificence. A hundred and sixty thousand armed
soldiers were arranged in ranks in the approach to the palace; next to
these were the pages of the closets, and chief eunuchs, clad in silk and
with belts set with jewels, in number seven thousand; four thousand
white, and three thousand black: there were also seven hundred
chamberlains; and beautifully ornamented boats of various kinds were
seen floating upon the Tigris, hard by. The two ambassadors passed first
by the palace of the chief chamberlain, and, astonished at the splendid
ornaments and pages and arms which they there beheld, imagined that this
was the palace of the Khaleefeh; but what they had seen here was
eclipsed by what they beheld in the latter, where they were amazed by
the sight of thirty-eight thousand pieces of tapestry of
gold-embroidered silk brocade, and twenty-two thousand magnificent
carpets. Here also were two menageries of beasts by nature wild, but
tamed by art, and eating from the hands of men: among them were a
hundred lions; each lion with its keeper. They then entered the Palace
of the Tree, enclosing a pond from which rose the Tree: this had
eighteen branches, with leaves of various colours (being artificial),
and with birds of gold and silver (or gilt and silvered) of every
variety of kind and size, perched upon its branches, so constructed that
each of them sang. Thence they passed into the garden, in which were
furniture and utensils not to be enumerated: in the passages leading to
it were suspended ten thousand gilt coats of mail. Being at length
conducted before El-Muḳtedir, they found him seated on a couch of ebony
inlaid with gold and silver, to the right of which were hung nine
necklaces of jewels, and the like to the left, the jewels of which
outshone the light of day. The two ambassadors paused at the distance of
about a hundred cubits from the Khaleefeh, with the interpreter. Having
left the presence, they were conducted through the palace, and were
shewn splendidly-caparisoned elephants, a giraffe, lynxes, and other
beasts. They were then clad with robes of honour, and to each of them
was brought fifty thousand dirhems, together with dresses and other
presents. It is added, that the ambassadors approached the palace
through a street called "the Street of the Menárehs," in which were a
thousand menárehs, or menarets. It was at the hour of noon; and as they
passed, the muëddins from all these menárehs chanted the call to prayer
at the same time, so that the earth almost quaked at the sound, and the
ambassadors were struck with fear.[274]
The Orientals well understand how to give the most striking effect to
the jewels which they display on their dress, &c., on occasions of
state. Sir John Malcolm, describing his reception by the late King of
Persia, says, "His dress baffled all description. The ground of his
robes was white; but he was so covered with jewels of an extraordinary
size, and their splendour, from his being seated where the rays of the
sun played upon them, was so dazzling, that it was impossible to
distinguish the minute parts which combined to give such amazing
brilliancy to his whole figure."[275]
NOTE 92. As this marriage is described as conducted in an irregular
manner, I need say nothing at present of the ceremonies usually
practised on such an occasion.
NOTE 93. Every person who has visited Eastern cities will bear testimony
to the plausibility of this excuse. I have several times been thrown
down by the wide load of a camel in the streets of Cairo, and seen loads
of firewood scraping the houses on both sides of a street at the same
time.
NOTE 94. Women suspected of infidelity to their husbands have not
unfrequently been thus punished in Egypt in modern times, in violation
of the law.
NOTE 95. "Saạd" signifies "happiness," or "prosperity," and also
"happy," or "prosperous."
NOTE 96. Pity is of more important service to the Muslim after death
than during life; for the prayers which it inspires increase his
happiness in futurity, or diminish his misery.
NOTE 97. This allusion to religious faith is peculiarly apt in the mouth
of a Muslim; for the chief dogma of his creed is the denial of any
partnership in the Divine essence. He calls persons of all other
religions "mushriks," or those who attribute partners to God.
NOTE 98. In the original, she is here called an 'Efreeteh, which is an
improper term.
NOTE 99. This salutation and its reply are only to be given by and to
Muslims.
NOTE 100. It is implied by this ejaculation that the two ladies were
admirable beauties, evidences of the perfection of their Creator.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
[175] See Ḳur-án, ch. ii. v. 96.
[176] See Ḳur-án, ch. ii. v. 96.
[177] El-Ḳazweenee, account of the well of Bábil, in "'Ajáïb
el-Makhlooḳát."
[178] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, vol. ii. p. 339.
[179] De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. pp. 125-131,
Arabic text, 2nd ed.
[180] That is, a race-course for sallies of wit and eloquence
on the subject of wine: the word "kumeyt" being used, in
preference to more than a hundred others that might have been
employed, as signifying "wine," because it bears also the
meaning of "a dark bay horse."
[181] His name is not mentioned in my copy; but D'Herbelot
states it to have been Shems-ed-Deen Moḥammad Ibn-Bedr-ed-Deen
Ḥasan, el-Ḳáḍee; and writes his surname "Naouagi," or
"Naouahi."
[182] Ch. ii. v. 216.
[183] Ch. iv. v. 46.
[184] Leviticus, ch. x. v. 9.
[185] Ḳur-án, ch. v. v. 92.
[186] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. ix.
[187] Idem, khátimeh, or conclusion.
[188] Ibid.
[189] Fakhr-ed-Deen, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i.
p. 23, Arabic text, 2nd ed.
[190] "While tears of blood trickle from the strainer, the ewer
beneath it giggles." (Eṣ-Ṣadr Ibn-El-Wekeel, quoted in the
Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiii.)--The strainer is called "ráwooḳ."
[191] The Moḥtesib is inspector of the markets, the weights and
measures, and provisions, &c.
[192] Mir-át ez-Zemán, events of the year 295.
[193] In Arabic, "báṭiyeh."
[194] "Baṭṭah."
[195] "Ḳinneeneh."
[196] "Ibreeḳs."
[197] The cup, when full, was generally called "kás:" when
empty, "ḳadaḥ" or "jám." The name of "kás" is now given to a
small glass used for brandy and liqueurs, and similar to our
liqueur-glass: the glass or cup used for wine is called, when
so used, "koobeh:" it is the same as that used for sherbet; but
in the latter case it is called "ḳulleh."
[198] "Nuḳuldáns."
[199] "Nuḳl."
[200] "Belaḥ."
[201] "Ruṭab."
[202] Es-Suyooṭee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his
history of that country (MS. in my possession)
[203] Ibid.
[204] Es-Suyooṭee, account of the fruits of Egypt, in his
history of that country (MS. in my possession).
[205] El-Ḳazweenee (MS. in my possession).
[206] "Jummár."
[207] "Biṭṭeekh," vulg., "baṭṭeekh."
[208] El-Ḳazweenee.
[209] "Móz."
[210] Es-Suyooṭee, _ubi suprà_.
[211] "Rummán".
[212] Es-Suyooṭee, _ubi suprà_.
[213] The Arabic names of these fruits are, tuffáḥ (vulg.,
tiffáḥ), kummetrè, safarjal, mishmish, khókh, teen, jummeyz
(vulg., jemmeyz), 'eneb, nabḳ or sidr, 'onnáb (vulg., 'annáb),
ijjás or barḳooḳ, józ, lóz, bunduḳ, fustuḳ, burtuḳán, nárinj,
leymoon, utrujj or turunj and kebbád, toot, zeytoon, and ḳaṣab
es-sukkar.
[214] "Ward."
[215] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii.; and Es-Suyooṭee, account of
the flowers of Egypt, in his history of that country.
[216] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii.
[217] Ibid.
[218] Ibid.
[219] Ibid.
[220] Es-Suyooṭee, _ubi suprà_.
[221] The night of the Ascension.
[222] Gabriel, who accompanied the Prophet.
[223] The beast on which he rode from Mekkeh to Jerusalem
previously to his ascension. These traditions are from
Es-Suyooṭee, _ubi suprà_.
[224] This flower is called "fághiyeh," and, more commonly,
"temer el-ḥennè;" or, according to some, the fághiyeh is the
flower produced by a slip of temer el-ḥennè planted upside
down, and superior to the flower of the latter planted in the
natural way.
[225] Es-Suyooṭee, _ubi suprà_.
[226] "Benefsej."
[227] Es-Suyootee.
[228] "Ás," or "narseen."
[229] Es-Suyooṭee.
[230] "Shaḳáïḳ." The "adhriyoon," or "ádharyoon," is said to be
a variety of the anemone.
[231] From the former, or from "noạmán" as signifying "blood,"
the anemone was named "shaḳáïḳ en-noạmán."
[232] "Menthoor," or "kheeree."
[233] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. xvii.
[234] "Narjis."
[235] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, _ubi suprà_; Es-Suyooṭee, _ubi suprà_;
and El-Ḳazweenee.
[236] The Arabic names of these flowers are, yásemeen, nisreen,
zahr (or zahr nárinj), soosan, reeḥán (or ḥabaḳ), nemám, bahár,
uḳ-howán, neelófar, beshneen, jullanár or julnár, khashkhásh,
khiṭmee, zaạfarán, 'oṣfur, kettán, báḳillà and lebláb, and lóz.
[237] "Bán," and "khiláf" or "khaláf." Both these names are
applied to the same tree (which, according to Forskal, differs
slightly from the salix Ægyptiaca of Linnæus) by the author of
the Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, and by the modern Egyptians.
[238] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv.
[239] Idem, ch. xi.
[240] Mishkát el-Maṣábeeḥ, vol. ii. p. 425.
[241] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv.
[242] Soft boots, worn inside the slippers or shoes.
[243] This is so vaguely described by the Arab lexicographers
that I cannot obtain a definite notion of its form.
[244] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, _loco laudato_.
[245] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. xiv.
[246] He was born in the year of the Flight 125, and died in
213, or, according to some, 188.--Abulfedæ Annales, vol. ii.
pp. 150 and 675.
[247] He was born in the year of the Flight 150, and died in
235.--Idem, adnot., pp. 691 et seq.; and Mir-át ez-Zemán,
events of the year 235.
[248] Mir-át ez-Zemán, events of the year 231. He died in this
year.
[249] I believe this Khaleefeh was El-Ma-moon.
[250] A quarter in Baghdád.
[251] That is, "My master."--ED.
[252] Ḥalbet el-Kumeyt, ch. vii.
[253] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil wa-Murshid el-Mutaähhil.
[254] El-Maḳreezee, in De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i.
p. 265, 2nd ed.
[255] Ibid.
[256] El-Maḳreezee, in his "Khiṭaṭ," and his history of the
Memlook Sulṭáns, translated by Quatremère; El-Is-ḥáḳee; and
D'Ohsson, Tableau Général de l'Empire Othoman.
[257] D'Ohsson (vol. i. pp. 315 and 316) asserts the Ḳuṭb to be
the chief minister of the Ghós; and gives an account somewhat
different from that which I offer of the orders under his
authority: but perhaps the Turkish Darweeshes differ from the
Arab in their tenets on this subject.
[258] It is said that "the Nuḳabà are three hundred; the
Nujabà, seventy; the Abdál, forty; the Akhyár, seven; the
'Omud, four; the Ghós [as before mentioned,] is one. The Nuḳabà
reside in El-Gharb [Northern Africa to the west of Egypt]; the
Nujabà, in Egypt; the Abdál, in Syria; the Akhyár travel about
the earth; the 'Omud, in the corners of the earth; the abode of
the Ghós is at Mekkeh. In an affair of need, the Nuḳabà implore
relief for the people; then, the Nujabà; then, the Abdál; then,
the Akhyár; then, the 'Omud; and if their prayer be not
answered, the Ghós implores, and his prayer is answered."
(El-Is-ḥáḳee's History, preface.)--This statement, I find,
rests on the authority of a famous saint of Baghdád, Aboo-Bekr
El-Kettánee, who died at Mekkeh, in the year of the Flight 322.
(Mir-át ez-Zemán, events of the year above mentioned.)
[259] El-Jabartee's History of Modern Egypt, vol. ii., obituary
of the year 1201 (MS. in my possession).--The appellation of
"the four Ḳuṭbs" is given in Egypt to the seyyid Aḥmad Rifá'ah,
the seyyid 'Abd-El-Ḳádir El-Geelánee, the seyyid Aḥmad
El-Bedawee, and the seyyid Ibráheem Ed-Dasooḳee, the founders
of the four orders of darweeshes most celebrated among the
Arabs, called Rifá'eeyeh, Ḳádireeyeh, Aḥmedeeyeh, and
Baráhimeh.
[260] El-Jabartee's History, vol. i., obituary of the year
1188.
[261] Mir-át ez-Zemán, events of the year 291.
[262] Mir-át ez-Zemán, events of the year 291.
[263] Idem, events of the year 218.
[264] Idem, events of the year 334.
[265] Nuzhet el-Mutaämmil, &c., sect. 4.
[266] These are two very celebrated welees.
[267] The opening chapter of the Ḳur-án.
[268] El-Jabartee's History, vol. iii., events of the month of
Shaạbán, 1215 (A.D. 1800-1801).
[269] Singers of religious odes.
[270] El-Jabartee's History, vol. ii., obituary of the year
1207, and events of Rejeb, 1200; and vol. iii., events of
Rabeeạ eth-Thánee, 1214.
[271] El-Is-ḥáḳee, reign of El-Mutawekkil.
[272] De Sacy's Chrestomathie Arabe, vol. i. pp. 122, 123, 2nd.
ed.
[273] "'Ajáïb el-Makhlooḳát."
[274] Mir-át ez-Zemán, events of the year above mentioned.
[275] Sketches of Persia, vol. ii. p. 129.