One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Wasted body and heart a-bleeding for despair And tears that down

  my cheeks stream on and on for e’er,

  And a beloved one persistent in disdain; Yet all a fair one does

  must needs be right and fair.

  O cousin mine, thou’st filled my heart with longing pain And

  wounded are mine eyes with tears that never spare.

  I chid her and reviled her, at which she wept; then wiping away her tears, she came up to me and kissed me and pressed me to her bosom, whilst I held back from her and blamed myself. Then she said to me, “O my cousin, meseems thou didst sleep again last night?” “Yes,” replied I; “and when I awoke, I found on my stomach a die of bone, a play-stick, a green date-stone and a carob-bean, and I know not why she did this.” Then I wept and said to her, “Expound to me her meaning in this and tell me what I shall do and help me in this my strait.” “On my head and eyes,” answered she. “Know then that, by the figure of the die and the play-stick, she says to thee, ‘Thy body is present, but thy heart absent. Love is not thus: so do not reckon thyself among lovers.’ As for the date-stone, it is as if she said to thee, ‘If thou wert in love, thy heart would be on fire with passion and thou wouldst not taste the delight of sleep; for the sweet of love is like a green date and kindles a fire in the entrails.’ As for the carob-bean, it signifies, ‘The lover’s heart is wearied; so be thou patient under our separation, even as Job was patient.’” When I heard this, fires raged in my entrails and grief redoubled upon my heart and I cried out, saying, “God ordained sleep to me, of my ill-fortune!” Then I said to her, “O my cousin, I conjure thee by my life, contrive me some device whereby I may win to her!” She wept and answered, “O Aziz, O my cousin, verily my heart is full of melancholy thought and I cannot speak: but go thou again to-night to the same place and look that thou sleep not, and thou shalt surely attain thy desire. This is my counsel and peace be on thee.” “God willing,” said I, “I will not sleep, but will do as thou biddest me.” Then she rose and set food before me, saying, “Eat now what may suffice thee, that thy heart may be free.” So I ate my fill, and when the night came, my cousin rose and bringing me a sumptuous suit of clothes, clad me therein. Then she made me promise to repeat the verse aforesaid to my mistress and bade me beware of sleeping. So I left her and repairing to the garden, went up into the pavilion, where I occupied myself with gazing on the garden, holding my eyes open with my fingers and wagging my head from side to side, as the night darkened on me. Presently I grew hungry with watching, and the smell of the meats, being wafted towards me, increased my hunger: so I went up to the table and taking off the cover, ate a piece of meat and a mouthful of every dish; after which I turned to the vessel of wine, saying in myself, “I will drink one cup.” So I drank one cup and a second and a third, till I had drunk full half a score, when the air smote me and I fell to the earth like a dead man. I lay thus till day, when I awoke and found myself without the garden, with a large sharp knife and an iron dirhem on my stomach. I arose trembling and taking the knife and the dirhem, went home where I found my cousin saying, “Verily, I am in this house wretched and sorrowful, having no helper but weeping.” When I entered, I fell down at full length and fainted, throwing the knife and the dirhem from my hand. As soon as I came to myself, I told her what had passed and said, “Indeed, I shall never enjoy my desire.” The sight of my tears and my passion redoubled her distress on my account, and she said, “Verily, I can no more. I warned thee against sleeping; but thou wouldst not listen to my counsel, and my words profited thee nothing.” “By Allah,” cried I, “I conjure thee to explain to me the meaning of the knife and the dirhem.” “By the dirhem,” replied she, “she alludes to her right eye, and it is as if she said to thee, ‘I swear, by the Lord of all creatures and by my right eye, that, if thou come here again and sleep, I will slay thee with this knife!’ And indeed, O my cousin, I fear for thee from her malice; my heart is full of anguish for thee and I cannot speak. Nevertheless, if thou canst be sure of thyself not to sleep, return to her and thou shalt attain thy desire; but if thou sleep, according to thy wont, she will surely slay thee.” “O my cousin,” said I, “what shall I do? I conjure thee, by Allah, to help me in this my affliction!” “On my head and eyes,” replied she. “If thou wilt hearken to me and do as I say, thou shalt have thy will.” Quoth I, “I will indeed hearken to thee and do thy bidding.” And she said, “When it is time for thee to go, I will tell thee.” Then she pressed me to her bosom and laying me on the bed, rubbed my feet, till drowsiness overcame me and I was drowned in sleep; when she took a fan and seating herself at my head, ceased not to fan my face till the end of the day. Then she awoke me, and I found her sitting at my head weeping, with the fan in her hand and her clothes wet with tears. When she saw that I was awake, she wiped away her tears and fetching food, set it before me. I refused it, but she said to me, “Didst thou not promise to do my bidding? Eat.” So I ate and did not cross her, and she proceeded to put the food into my mouth and I to eat, till I was full. Then she made me drink sherbet of jujube-fruit and sugar and washed my hands and dried them with a napkin; after which she sprinkled me with rose-water, and I sat with her awhile, restored to health and spirits. When the night had closed in, she dressed me and said to me, “O my cousin, watch all night and sleep not; for she will not come to thee this time till the last of the night, and God willing, thou shalt foregather with her this night: but do not forget my charge.” Then she wept, and my heart was sore for her by reason of her much weeping, and I said to her, “What is the charge thou gavest me?” “When thou art about to take leave of her,” replied she, “repeat to her the verse I taught thee.” So I left her, full of gladness, and repairing to the garden, entered the pavilion, where I sat down satiated with food, and watched till a fourth part of the night was past. The night was tedious to me as it were a year: but I remained awake, till it was three quarters spent and the cocks cried out and I became sore an hungred for long watching. So I went up to the table and ate my fill, whereupon my head grew heavy and I was on the point of falling asleep, when I espied a light making towards me from afar. So I sprang up and washed my hands and mouth and roused myself; and before long, up came the lady, accompanied by ten damsels, in whose midst she shone, like the full moon among the stars. She was clad in a dress of green satin, embroidered with red gold, and she was as says the poet:

  She lords it over her lovers in garments all of green, With open

  vest and collars and flowing hair beseen.

  “What is thy name?” I asked her, and she replied, “I’m she Who

  burns the hearts of lovers on coals of love and teen.”

  I made my moan unto her of passion and desire; “Upon a rock,” she

  answered, “thy plaints are wasted clean.”

  “Even if thy heart,” I told her, “be rock in very deed, Yet hath

  God made fair water well from the rock, I ween.”

  When she saw me, she laughed and said, “How is it that thou art awake and that sleep hath not overcome thee. Now that thou hast passed the night without sleep, I know that thou art in love, for it is the mark of a lover to watch the night for stress of longing.” Then she signed to her women and they went away, whereupon she came up to me and strained me to her bosom and kissed me and sucked my upper lip, whilst I kissed her and sucked her lower lip. I put my hand to her waist and pressed it and we came to the ground at the same moment. Then she undid her trousers and they fell down to her anklets and we fell to clipping and toying and cricketing and speaking softly and biting and intertwining of legs and going round about the House and the corners thereof, till her senses failed her for delight and she swooned away. And indeed that night was heart-gladdening and eye-refreshing, even as says the poet:

  The sweetest of all the nights that ever the world can show! The

  cup in it stinted never from hand to hand to go.

  Therein I did dissever mine eyes from sleep and made The

 
ear-drop and the anklet foregather evermo’.

  We lay together till the morning, when I would have gone away, but she stopped me, saying, “Stay, till I tell thee somewhat and give thee a charge.” So I waited, whilst she undid a handkerchief and taking out this piece of linen, spread it out before me. I saw worked on it these two figures of gazelles and admired it exceedingly; and she said to me, “Keep this carefully, for it is my sister’s work.” “What is thy sister’s name?” asked I, and she answered, “Nour el Huda.” Then I took the piece of linen and went away, joyful, after we had agreed that I should visit her every night in the garden; but in my joy I forgot to repeat to her the verse my cousin had taught me. When I reached home, I found Azizeh lying down; but, as soon as she saw me, she rose, with the tears running from her eyes, and coming up to me, kissed me on the breast and said, “Didst thou repeat the verse to her, as I enjoined thee?” “I forgot it,” answered I; “and here is what made me forget it.” And I threw the piece of linen down before her. She rose and sat down again, but was unable to contain herself and her eyes ran over with tears, whilst she repeated the following verses:

  O thou that seekest severance, forbear; Let not the fair delude

  thee with their sleight.

  Softly, for fortune’s nature is deceit And parting is the end of

  love-delight.

  Then she said, “O my cousin, give me this piece of linen.” So I gave it to her, and she took it and unfolding it, saw what was therein. When the time came for my going to my mistress, she said to me, “Go and peace be with thee; and when thou art about to leave her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee and which thou forgottest.” Quoth I, “Repeat it to me.” So she repeated it. Then I went to the garden and entered the pavilion, where I found the lady awaiting me. When she saw me, she rose and kissed me and made me sit in her lap; and we ate and drank and did our desire as on the previous night. In the morning, I repeated to her my cousin’s verse:

  Tell me, O lovers, for God’s sake I do entreat of you, When love

  is sore upon a maid, alack! what shall she do?

  When she heard this, her eyes filled with tears and she answered with the following verse:

  Against her passion she must strive and hide her case from view

  And humble and submissive be, whatever may ensue.

  This I committed to memory and returned home, rejoiced at having done my cousin’s errand. When I entered the house, I found Azizeh lying on the bed and my mother at her head, weeping over her condition. When the latter saw me, she said to me, “Out on thee for a cousin! How couldst thou leave the daughter of thine uncle in ill case and not ask what ailed her?” Azizeh, seeing me, raised her head and sat up and said, “O Aziz, didst thou repeat the verse to her?” “Yes,” replied I; “and she wept and recited, in answer, another verse, which I remember.” “Tell it me,” said Azizeh. I did so; and she wept and repeated the following verses:

  How shall she temper her desire, It doth her fire undo, And still

  with each recurring day her heart is cleft in two.

  Indeed, she strives for patience fair, but findeth nought in her

  Except a heart too weak to bear the love that makes her rue.

  “When thou goest to thy mistress as of wont,” added she, “repeat to her these verses also.” “I hear and obey,” answered I and betook myself, at the wonted time, to the garden, where there passed between my mistress and myself what the tongue fails to describe. As I was about to leave her, I repeated to her my cousin’s verses; whereupon the tears streamed from her eyes and she replied:

  If she her secret cannot hide and lack of patience due, I see no help for her but death, of all things old and new.

  Then I returned home, where I found Azizeh fallen of a swoon and my mother sitting at her head. When she heard my voice, she opened her eyes and said, “O Aziz, didst thou repeat the verses to her?” “Yes,” answered I; “and she replied with this verse.” And I repeated it; whereupon my cousin swooned again, and when she came to herself, she recited the following verses:

  “I hearken, I obey, I die; yet bear to one who slew My hopes of

  union and delight, my greeting and adieu.

  Fair fall the happy of their joy, alack! and fair befall The

  wretched lover of the cup that’s set her lips unto.”

  When it was night, I repaired, as of wont, to the garden, where I found my mistress awaiting me. We sat down and ate and drank, after which we did our need and slept till the morning; and as I was going away, I repeated to her Azizeh’s verses. When she heard them, she gave a loud cry and was greatly moved and exclaimed, “Alas! Alas! She who said these words is dead!” Then she wept and said to me, “Out on thee! What kin is she, who spoke thus, to thee?” “She is the daughter of my father’s brother,” replied I. “Thou liest,” rejoined she. “By Allah, were she thy cousin, thou wouldst have loved her even as she loved thee! It is thou who hast killed her, and may God in like manner kill thee! By Allah, hadst thou told me thou hadst a cousin, I would not have admitted thee to my favours!” Quoth I, “Indeed, she is my cousin, and it was she who interpreted to me thy signs and taught me how to come at thee and how I should deal with thee; and but for her, I had never won to thee.” “Did she then know of us?” asked she. “Yes,” answered I; and she exclaimed, “God give thee sorrow of thy youth, even as thou hast wasted hers!” Then she said to me, “Go and see after her.” So I went away, troubled at heart, and when I reached our street, I heard a sound of wailing, and asking about it, was answered, “We found Azizeh dead behind the door.” I entered the house, and when my mother saw me, she said to me, “Her death lies at thy door, and may God not acquit thee of her blood! Out on thee for a cousin!” Then came my father, and we laid her out and did her the last offices and buried her. Moreover, we let make recitations of the Koran over her tomb and abode there three days, after which we returned home, grieving for her. When I entered the house, my mother came to me and said, “I would fain know what thou didst to her, to break her heart, for, O my son, I questioned her many times of the cause of her malady, but she would tell me nothing. So, God on thee, tell me what thou didst to her, that she died.” Quoth I, “I did nothing.” “May God avenge her on thee!” rejoined my mother. “She told me nothing, but kept her secret till she died, of her affection for thee. But when she died, I was with her, and she opened her eyes and said to me, ‘O wife of my uncle, may God hold thy son guiltless of my blood and punish him not for that he hath done with me! And now He transporteth me from this transitory house of the world to the other and eternal dwelling-place.’ ‘O my daughter,’ said I, ‘God preserve thee and preserve thy youth!’ And I questioned her of the cause of her illness; but she made me no answer. Then she smiled and said, ‘O wife of my uncle, when my cousin is about to repair to the place whither he goes every day, bid him repeat these two words at his going away: “Faith is fair and perfidy foul.” For this is of my tenderness over him, that I am solicitous for him in my lifetime and after my death.’ Then she gave me somewhat for thee and made me swear that I would not give it to thee, till I should see thee weeping for her and lamenting her death. The thing is with me, and when I see thee as I have said, I will give it to thee.” “Show it me,” quoth I: but she would not. Then I gave myself up to my pleasures and thought no more of my cousin’s death; for I was light-witted and would fain have been with my beloved day and night. So hardly had the night fallen, when I betook myself to the garden, where I found the lady sitting on coals of fire, for much waiting. As soon as she saw me, she ran to me and throwing her arms about my neck, enquired of my cousin. “She is dead,” replied I; “and we have caused litanies and recitations of the Koran to be performed for her; and it is now four nights since she died.” When she heard this, she shrieked aloud and wept, saying, “Did I not tell thee that thou hadst slain her? Hadst thou let me know of her before her death, I would have requited her the kindness she did me, in that she served me and brought thee to me; for but fo
r her, we had never come together; and I fear lest some calamity befall thee by reason of thy sin against her.” Quoth I, “She acquitted me before she died.” And I repeated to her what my mother had told me. “God on thee,” rejoined she, “when thou returnest to thy mother, learn what it is she hath for thee.” Quoth I, “My mother also said to me, ‘Before thy cousin died, she laid a charge upon me, saying, “When thy son is about to go whither of wont, teach him these two words, ‘Faith is fair and perfidy foul.’” When my mistress heard this, she exclaimed, “The mercy of God the Most High be upon her! Indeed, she hath delivered thee from me, for I had it in mind to do thee a mischief, but now I will not hurt thee nor trouble thee.” I wondered at this and said to her, “What then didst thou purpose to do with me, and we lovers?” Quoth she, “Thou art infatuated with me; for thou art young and witless; thy heart is free from guile and thou knowest not our perfidy and malice. Were she yet alive, she would protect thee, for she is the cause of thy preservation and hath delivered thee from destruction. And now I charge thee that thou speak not with neither accost any of our sex, young or old, for thou art young and simple and knowest not the wiles of women and their malice, and she who explained the signs to thee is dead. And indeed I fear for thee, lest thou fall into some calamity and find none to deliver thee from it, now that thy cousin is dead. Alas, the pity of her! Would God I had known her before her death, that I might have visited her and requited her the fair service she did me! The mercy of the Most High be upon her, for she kept her secret and revealed not what she suffered, and but for her, thou hadst never won to me! But there is one thing I desire of thee.” “What is it?” said I. “It is,” answered she, “that thou bring me to her grave, that I may visit her in the tomb wherein she is and write some verses thereon.” “To-morrow,” replied I, “if it be the will of God.” Then I lay with her that night, and she ceased not, from time to time, to say, “Would thou hadst told me of thy cousin, before her death!” And I said to her, “What is the meaning of the two words she taught me?” But she made me no answer. As soon as it was day, she rose and taking a purse of dinars, said to me, “Come, show me her tomb, that I may visit it and grave some verses thereon and build a dome over it and commend her to the mercy of God and bestow these dinars in alms for her soul.” “I hear and obey,” replied I and went on before her, whilst she followed me, giving alms by the way and saying to all to whom she gave, “This is an alms for the soul of Azizeh, who kept her counsel, till she drank the cup of death, and discovered not the secret of her passion.” And she stinted not thus to give alms and say, “For Azizeh’s soul,” till the purse was empty and we came to the burial-place. When she saw the tomb, she wept and threw herself upon it; then pulling out a graver of steel and a light mallet, she graved the following verses, in fine characters, upon the stone at the head of the tomb: