One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

God watered a land and straight a tree sprang up on its root:

  It cast forth branches and throve and flourished with many

  a shoot.

  The birds, when the wood was green, sang o’er it, and when it

  was dry, Fair women sang to it in turn, for lo, ’twas a

  minstrel’s lute!

  So they brought a bag of red satin, with tassels of saffron-coloured silk: and she opened the bag, and took out a lute, on which were graven the following verses:

  Full many a tender branch a lute for singing-girl has grown,

  Wherewith at banquets to her mates she makes melodious

  moan.

  She sings; it follows on her song, as ‘twere to teach her how

  Heart’s troubles in clear perfect speech of music to make

  known.

  She laid her lute in her lap and letting her breasts hang over it, bent to it as bends a mother, suckling her child; then preluded in twelve different modes, till the whole assembly was agitated with delight, and sang the following verses:

  Leave your estrangement, I pray, and bid your cruelty hold,

  For, by your life, my heart will never for you be

  consoled.

  Have pity on one who weeps, afflicted and ever sad, A slave of

  passion, who burns for thee with longings untold.

  The Khalif was ravished and exclaimed, ‘May God bless thee and receive him who taught thee into His mercy!’ Whereupon she rose and kissed the earth before him. Then he sent for money and paid her master Aboulhusn a hundred thousand dinars to her price; after which he said to her, ‘O Taweddud, ask a boon of me.’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ replied she, ‘I ask of thee that thou restore me to my lord who sold me to thee.’ ‘It is well,’ answered the Khalif and restored her to her master and gave her five thousand dinars for herself. Moreover, he appointed Aboulhusn one of his boon-companions and assigned him a monthly stipend of a thousand dinars so long as he should live, and he abode with the damsel Taweddud in all delight of life.

  Marvel then, O King, at the eloquence of this damsel and the greatness of her learning and understanding and her perfect excellence in all branches of knowledge, and consider the generosity of the Khalif Haroun er Reshid, in that he gave her master this money and said to her, ‘Ask a boon of me;’ and she besought him to restore her to her lord. So he restored her to him and gave her five thousand dinars for herself and made him one of his boon-companions. Where is such generosity to be found after the Abbaside Khalifs, may God the Most High have mercy upon them all!

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  VOLUME V.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE ANGEL OF DEATH WITH THE PROUD KING AND THE DEVOUT MAN.

  A certain king of the ancients was once minded to ride out in state with the officers of his court and the grandees of his realm and show forth to the folk the wonders of his magnificence. So he bade his lords and Amirs and grandees equip them to this end and commanded his keeper of the wardrobe to bring him of the richest of raiment, such as befitted the King in his state and [his master of the horse] to bring his steeds of the finest breeds and most renowned pedigrees, which being done, he chose out of the raiment what liked him and of the horses that which he deemed good and donning the clothes, together with a collar set with pearls and rubies and all manner jewels, mounted and set forth in state, making his horse prance and curvet among his troops and glorying in his pride and magnificence. And Satan came to him and laying his hand upon his nose, blew into his nostrils the breath of pride and conceit, so that he magnified himself and said in his heart, ‘Who among men is like unto me?’ And he became so puffed up with arrogance and conceit and so taken up with the thought of his own glory and magnificence, that he would not vouchsafe a glance to any. Presently, there came up a man clad in tattered clothes and saluted him, but he returned not his greeting, whereupon the stranger laid hold of his horse’s bridle. ‘Lift thy hand,’ said the King, ‘thou knowest not whose bridle-rein it is whereof thou takest hold.’ Quoth the other, ‘I have an occasion to thee.’ ‘Wait till I alight,’ replied the King, ‘and then name it.’ ‘Nay,’ rejoined the stranger, ‘it is a secret and I will not tell it but in thine ear.’ So the King bowed his head to him and he said, ‘I am the Angel of Death and I purpose to take thy soul.’ ‘Have patience with me a little,’ said the King, ‘whilst I return to my house and take leave of my people and children and neighbours and wife.’ ‘Not so,’ answered the angel; ‘thou shalt never return nor look on them again, for the term of thy life is past.’ So saying, he took the soul of the King, — who fell off his horse’s back, dead, — and departed thence.

  Presently, he met a devout man, of whom God the Most High had accepted, and saluted him. He returned his salute, and the Angel of Death said to him, ‘O pious man, I have a privy occasion to thee.’ ‘Tell it in my ear,’ said the devotee. Quoth the other, ‘I am the Angel of Death.’ ‘Welcome to thee!’ replied the man. ‘Praised be God for thy coming! I am weary of awaiting thee; for indeed long hath been thine absence from him who longeth for thee.’ Quoth the angel, ‘If thou have any business, make an end of it.’ But the other answered, saying, ‘There is nothing urgent to me as the meeting with my Lord, to whom belong might and majesty!’ And the angel said, ‘How wouldst thou liefer have me take thy soul? I am bidden to take it as thou willest and choosest.’ ‘Wait till I make the ablution and pray,’ replied the devotee; ‘and when I prostrate myself, then take my soul in the act.’ Quoth the angel, ‘Verily, my Lord commanded me not to take thy soul but with thy consent and as thou shouldst wish; so I will do thy will.’ Then the devout man rose and made the ablution and prayed: and the Angel of Death took his soul in the act of adoration, and God transported it to the place of mercy and acceptance and forgiveness.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE ANGEL OF DEATH AND THE RICH KING.

  A certain king had heaped up treasure beyond count and gathered store of all [precious] things, that God the Most High hath created, that he might take his pleasure thereof, against such time as he should have leisure to enjoy all this abounding wealth that he had collected. Moreover, he builded him a wide and lofty palace, such as beseemeth kings, and set thereto strong doors of cunning fashion and appointed for its service and guard servants and soldiers and doorkeepers. One day, he bade the cooks dress him somewhat of the goodliest of food and assembled his household and retainers and lords and servants to eat with him and partake of his bounty. Then he sat down upon the throne of his kingship and the chair of his state and leaning back upon his cushion, bespoke himself, saying, ‘O soul, behold, thou hast gathered together all the riches of the world; so now take thy leisure therein and eat of this good at thine ease, in long life and abounding prosperity!’

  Hardly had he made an end of speaking, when there came so terrible a knock at the gate that the whole palace shook and the king’s throne trembled. The servants were affrighted and ran to the door, where they saw a man clad in tattered raiment, with a cadger’s wallet hanging at his neck, as he were one who came to beg food. When they saw him, they cried out at him, saying, ‘Out on thee! What unmannerly fashion is this? Wait till the king eateth and [after] we will give thee of what is left.’ Quoth he, ‘Tell your lord to come out and speak with me, for I have a pressing errand to him and a weighty matter.’ ‘Away, fool!’ replied they. ‘Who art thou that we should bid our lord come out to thee?’ But he said, ‘Tell him of this.’ So they went in and told the king, who said, ‘Did ye not rebuke him and draw upon him and chide him!’ But, as he spoke, behold, there came another knock at the gate, louder than the first, whereupon the servants ran at the stranger with staves and weapons, to fall upon him; but he cried out at them, saying, ‘Abide in your places, for I am the Angel of Death.’ When they heard this, their hearts quaked and their wits forsook them; their understandings were dazed and their nerves tremb
led for fear and their limbs lost the power of motion. Then said the King to them, ‘Bid him take a substitute in my stead.’ But the Angel answered, saying, ‘I will take no substitute, and I come not but on thine account, to make severance between thee and the good thou hast gathered together and the riches thou hast heaped up and treasured.’ When the king heard this, he wept and groaned, saying, ‘May God curse the treasure that has deluded and undone me and diverted me from the service of my Lord! I deemed it would profit me, but to-day it is a regret for me and an affliction unto me, and behold, I [must] go forth, empty-handed of it, and leave it to mine enemies.’

  Therewith God caused the treasure to speak and it said, ‘Why dost thou curse me? Curse thyself, for God created both me and thee of the dust and appointed me to be in thine hand, that thou mightest provide thee with me for the next world and give alms with me to the poor and sick and needy and endow mosques and hospices and build bridges and aqueducts, so might I be a succour unto thee in the life to come. But thou didst garner me and hoard me up and bestowedst me on thine own lusts, neither gavest thanks for me, as was due, but wast ungrateful; and now thou must leave me to thine enemies and abidest in thy regret and thy repentance. But what is my fault, that thou shouldest revile me?’ Then the Angel of Death took the soul of the King, before he ate of the food, and he fell from his throne, dead. Quoth God the Most High, ‘Even while they rejoiced in what had been given to them, we took them unawares and behold, they were stricken with despair.”

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE ANGEL OF DEATH AND THE KING OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

  There was once a proud and puissant king of the children of Israel, who sat one day upon the throne of his kingship, when he saw come in to him, by the gate of the hall, a man of terrible and forbidding aspect. The King was affrighted at his sudden intrusion upon him and his look terrified him; so he sprang up and said to him, ‘Who art thou, O man? Who gave thee leave to come in to me and who sent thee to my house?’ Quoth the stranger, ‘The Lord of the house sent me to thee and I need no leave to come in to kings, nor can any door- keeper exclude me, for I reck not of a Sultan’s majesty neither of the multitude of guards. I am he from whom no tyrant is at rest, nor for any is there escape from my grasp: I am the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies.’

  When the King heard this, trembling crept over his body and he fell on his face in a swoon; but, presently coming to himself, he said, ‘Art thou then the Angel of Death?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the stranger. ‘I conjure thee by Allah,’ quoth the King, ‘grant me one day’s respite, that I may ask pardon of my sins and seek absolution of my Lord and restore to their rightful owners the treasures that are in my storehouses, so I may not be burdened with the woe of a reckoning nor suffer the misery of punishment therefor.’ ‘Away! away!’ replied the Angel. ‘This may nowise be. How can I grant thee a respite, whenas the days of thy life are counted and thy breaths numbered and thy moments fixed and written?’ ‘Grant me an hour,’ said the King; but the Angel answered, saying, ‘The hour was in the account and hath passed, and thou unheeding, and hath expired, and thou taking no thought: and now thy moments are accomplished, and there remains to thee but one breath.’ ‘Who will be with me, when I am transported to my grave?’ asked the King. Quoth the Angel, ‘Nought will be with thee but thy work.’ ‘I have no work,’ said the King; and the Angel, ‘Doubtless, thine abiding place will be in the fire and thy departure to the wrath of the Almighty.’ Then he took the soul of the King, and he fell off his throne and dropped on the earth [dead]. And there arose a mighty weeping and wailing and clamour of lamentation for him among the people of his court, and had they known that to which he went of the wrath of his Lord, their weeping for him had been [yet] sorer and their lamentation louder and more abounding.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  ISKENDER DHOULKERNEIN AND A CERTAIN TRIBE OF POOR FOLK.

  It is related that Iskender Dhoulkernein came once, in his travels, upon a tribe of poor folk, who owned nought of the goods of the world and who dug their graves over against the doors of their houses and were wont at all times to frequent them and sweep the earth from them and keep them clean and visit them and worship God the Most High in them; and they had no food save herbs and the fruits of the earth. Iskender sent a man to them, to bid their king to him, but he refused to come, saying, ‘I have no occasion to him.’ So Iskender went to him and said to him, ‘How is it with you and what manner of folk are you? For I see with you nothing of gold or silver nor aught of the good things of the world.’ ‘None hath his fill of the goods of the world,’ answered the king. ‘Why do you dig your graves before the doors of your houses?’ asked Iskender. ‘That they may be the cynosure of our eyes,’ replied the king, ‘so we may look on them and still take thought unto death neither forget the world to come. Thus is the love of the world banished from our hearts and we are not distracted thereby from the service of our Lord, exalted be His name!’ Quoth Iskender, ‘Why do ye eat herbs?’ And the other answered, ‘Because it misliketh us to make our bellies the tombs of beasts and because the pleasure of eating overpasseth not the gullet.’

  Then he brought out a human skull and laying it before Iskender, said to him, ‘O Dhoulkernein, knowest thou whose was this skull?’ ‘Nay,’ answered Iskender; and the other rejoined, ‘He whose skull this is was a king of the kings of the world, who dealt tyrannously with his subjects, oppressing the weak and passing his days in heaping up the perishable goods of the world, till God took his soul and made the fire his abiding-place; and this is his head.’

  Then he produced another skull and laying it before Iskender, said to him, ‘Knowest thou this?’ ‘No,’ answered the prince; and the other rejoined, ‘This is the skull of another king, who dealt justly by his subjects and was tenderly solicitous for the people of his realm and his dominions, till God took his soul and lodged him in His Paradise and made high his degree [among His blessed].’ Then he laid his hands on Iskender’s head and said, ‘Whether of these twain art thou?’ Whereupon Iskender wept sore and straining the king to his bosom, said, ‘An thou be minded to consort with me, I will commit to thee the government of my affairs and share with thee in my kingdom.’ ‘Away! away!’ replied the other. ‘I have no mind to this.’ ‘Why so?’ asked Iskender, and the King answered, ‘Because all men are thine enemies by reason of the wealth and possessions thou hast gotten, and all men are my friends in verity, because of my contentment and poverty, for that I possess nothing, neither covet aught of the goods of the world; I have no desire unto them nor wish for them, neither reck I of aught save contentment.’ So Iskender pressed him to his bosom and kissed him between the eyes and went his way.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF KING ANOUSHIRWAN.

  It is told of the just King Anoushirwan that he once feigned himself sick and bade his stewards and intendants go round about the provinces of his empire and the quarters of his realm and seek him out a rotten brick from some ruined village, that he might use it as medicine, avouching that the physicians had prescribed this to him. So they went the round of the provinces of his realm and of all the lands under his dominion and returned and said to him, ‘In all the realm we have found no ruined place nor old rotten brick.’ At this he rejoiced and returned thanks to God, saying, ‘I was but minded to prove my kingdom and try my empire, that I might know if there were therein any ruined [or deserted] place, so I might rebuild [or repeople] it; but, since there is no place in it but is inhabited, the affairs of the realm are well ordered and accomplished and [its] prosperity hath reached the pitch of perfection.’

  ‘And know, O king,’ [added Shehrzad] ‘that these kings of time past were not solicitous for the peopling of their kingdoms, but because they knew that the more populous a country is, the more abundant is that which is desired therein, and for that they knew the saying of the wise and the lea
rned to be without doubt true, namely, ‘Religion depends on the King, the King on the troops, the troops on the treasury, the treasury on the populousness [or prosperity] of the country and the latter on the justice of the government.’ Wherefore they upheld no one in tyranny or oppression neither suffered their dependents to do injustice, knowing that kingdoms are not stablished upon tyranny, but that cities and places fall into ruin, when oppressors get the mastery over them, and their inhabitants disperse and flee to other governments, wherefore ruin falls upon the realm, the imports fail, the treasuries become empty and the lives of the subjects are troubled; for that they love not a tyrant and cease not to offer up prayers against him, so that the King hath no ease of his dominion and the shifts of fortune speedily bring about his destruction.’

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE JEWISH CADI AND HIS PIOUS WIFE.

  A certain Cadi of the children of Israel had a wife of surpassing beauty, who was withal exceeding virtuous, chaste and patient, and being minded to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, appointed his brother Cadi in his stead, during his absence, and commended his wife to his charge. Now this brother had heard of her beauty and grace and had fallen in love with her. So, his brother being gone, he went in to her and sought her favours; but she denied him and clave fast unto her chastity. The more she repelled him, the more urgently he pressed his suit upon her, till, despairing of her and fearing lest she should acquaint his brother with his conduct, when he returned, he suborned false witnesses to testify against her of adultery and cited her before the King of the day, who adjudged her to be stoned. So they dug a pit and making her sit therein, stoned her, till she was covered with stones, and [the wicked brother] said, ‘Be the pit her grave.’