One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Meanwhile, Er Raad summoned his attendant Jinn and commanded them to build the palace. So some of them fell to hewing stones and some to building, whilst others plastered and painted and furnished; nor did the day dawn before the ordinance of the palace was complete; whereupon Er Raad came to Jouder and said to him, ‘O my lord, the palace is ready, if it please thee to come and look on it.’ So Jouder went forth with his mother and brothers and saw a palace, whose like there was not in the whole world. It stood upon the merge of the highway and confounded all minds with the goodliness of its ordinance; and withal it had cost him nothing. Then he said to his mother, ‘Wilt thou take up thine abode in this palace?’ ‘I will well, O my son,’ answered she and called down blessings upon him.

  Then he rubbed the ring and bade the genie fetch him forty handsome white slave-girls and forty male white slaves, besides the like number of black slaves, male and female. ‘Thy will shall be done,’ answered Er Raad and betaking himself, with forty of his attendant Jinn, to Hind and Sind and Persia, carried off every handsome girl and boy they saw, till they had made up the required number. Moreover, he sent other fourscore, who fetched handsome black slaves, male and female, forty of either sex, and carried them all to Jouder’s house, which they filled. Then he showed them to Jouder, who was pleased with them and bade him bring a suit of the richest raiment for each of them and dresses to boot for himself and his mother and brothers. So the genie brought all that was needed and clad the female slaves, saying to them, ‘This is your mistress: kiss her hands and cross her not, but serve her, white and black.’ The male slaves also clad themselves and kissed Jouder’s hands; and he and his brothers arrayed themselves in the robes the genie had brought them and became, Jouder as he were a king and his brothers as viziers. Now his house was spacious; so he lodged Salim and his slave-girls in one part thereof and Selim and his slave-girls in another, whilst he and his mother took up their abode in the new palace; and each in his own place was like the Sultan.

  Meanwhile, the king’s treasurer, thinking to take something from the treasury, went in and found it altogether empty, even as saith the poet:

  Once was it as a beehive stocked and full of bees galore; But when they left it, it became devoid of all its store.

  And he gave a great cry and fell down in a swoon. When he came to himself, he left the door open and going in to the king, said to him, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, I have to tell thee that the treasury hath become empty during the night.’ Quoth the king, ‘What hast thou done with my treasures that were therein?’ ‘By Allah,’ replied the treasurer, ‘I have not done aught with them nor know I what is come of them! I visited the place yesterday and saw it full; but, when I went in to day, I found it altogether empty, albeit the doors were locked and [the walls] unpierced and the locks unbroken, nor hath a thief entered it.’ ‘Are the two pairs of saddle-bags gone?’ asked the king. ‘Yes,’ replied the treasurer; whereupon the king’s reason fled from his head and he rose to his feet, saying, ‘Go thou before me.’ So the treasurer forewent him to the treasury and he found nothing there, whereat he was sore enraged and said, ‘Who hath dared to violate my treasury, fearing not my wrath?’

  Then he went forth and held a Divan, to which he summoned all his chief officers, who came, thinking each that the king was wroth with him; and he said to them, ‘Know that my treasury hath been plundered during the night, and I know not who has done this thing and dared thus to outrage me, without fear of my wrath.’ ‘How so?’ asked they. Quoth he, ‘Ask the treasurer.’ So they asked him, and he replied, saying, ‘I visited the treasury yesterday and it was full, but when I entered it this morning, I found it empty, though the doors were unpierced and the locks unbroken.’ They all marvelled at this and could make the king no answer, when in came the sergeant, who had denounced Salim and Selim, and said to Shems ed Dauleh, ‘O King of the age, all this night I have not slept for that which I saw.’ And the king said, ‘And what didst thou see?’ ‘Know, O King of the age,’ answered the sergeant, ‘that all night long I have been amusing myself with watching builders at work, and when it was day, I saw a palace ready built, whose like is not in the world. So I asked about it and was told that Jouder had come back with great wealth and slaves and servants and that he had freed his brothers from prison and built this palace, wherein he is as a Sultan. Quoth the king, ‘Go, look in the prison.’ So they went thither and finding Salim and Selim gone, returned and told the king, who said, ‘It is plain now who is the robber; he who took Salim and Selim out of prison it is who hath stolen my treasures.’ ‘O my lord,’ said the Vizier, ‘and who is he?’ ‘Their brother Jouder,’ replied the king, ‘and he hath taken the two pairs of saddle-bags; but, O Vizier, do thou send him an Amir with fifty men to seal up his goods and lay hands on him and his brothers and bring them to me, that I may hang them.’ And he was sore enraged and said, ‘Quick, fetch them to me, that I may put them to death.’

  But the Vizier said to him, ‘Be thou clement, for God is clement and hasteth not to punish His servants, when they transgress against Him. Moreover, he who can build a palace in one night, as these say, none in the world can vie with him; and I fear lest the Amir catch a mischief of Jouder. Have patience, therefore, whilst I devise for thee some means of getting at the truth of the case, and so shalt thou come to thy desire, O King of the age.’ Quoth the king, ‘Counsel me how I shall do, O Vizier.’ And the Vizier said, ‘Send him an Amir, to bid him to an entertainment, and I will make much of him for thee and make a show of affection for him and ask him of his estate; after which we will see. If we find him stout of heart, we will use craft with him, and if weak, then do thou seize him and do with him thy will.’ The King agreed to this and despatched one of his Amirs, by name Othman, to invite Jouder and say to him, ‘The King bids thee to an entertainment;’ and the King said to him, ‘Return not but with him.’

  Now this Othman was a proud conceited fool; so he went forth upon his errand, and when he came to Jouder’s palace, he saw at the door an eunuch seated upon a chair of gold, who rose not at his approach, but sat as if none were near, though there were with the Amir fifty men. Now this eunuch was none other than Er Raad el Casif, the servant of the ring, whom Jouder had commanded to put on the guise of an eunuch and sit at the gate of the palace. So the Amir rode up to him and said to him, ‘O slave, where is thy lord?’ ‘In the palace,’ answered he, without stirring from his leaning posture; whereupon Othman waxed wroth and said to him, ‘O pestilent slave, art thou not ashamed, when I speak to thee, to answer me, sprawling at thy length like a good-for-nought?’ ‘Begone,’ answered the eunuch, ‘and do not multiply words.’ When Othman heard this, he was filled with rage and drawing his mace, would have smitten the eunuch, knowing not that he was a devil; but the latter leapt upon him and taking the mace from him, dealt him four blows with it. When the fifty men saw their lord beaten, it was grievous to them; so they drew their swords and ran at the slave, thinking to kill him; but he said, ‘Do ye draw swords on us, O dogs?’ And fell upon them with the mace, and every one whom he smote, he broke his bones and drowned him in his blood. So they gave back before him and fled in confusion, whilst he followed them, beating them, till he had driven them far from the palace; after which he returned and sat down on his chair at the gate, caring for no one.

  Meanwhile the Amir and his company returned, beaten and discomfited, to Shems ed Dauleh, and Othman said, ‘O King of the age, when I came to the palace gate, I saw an eunuch seated there in a chair of gold and he was passing arrogant; for, when he saw me coming, he lay back in his chair and entreated me contemptuously, neither offered to rise to me. So I began to speak to him and he answered me without stirring, at which passion got the better of me and I drew the mace upon him, thinking to smite him. But he snatched it from me and beat me and my men therewith and overthrew us. So we fled from him and could not prevail against him.’ At this, the King was wroth and said, ‘Let a hundred men go down to him.’ So the hundred men went down to
him, but he fell upon them with the mace and smote upon them till he put them to the rout; whereupon they returned to the King and told him what had passed, saying, ‘O King of the age, he beat us and we fled for fear of him.’ Then the King sent two hundred men against him, but these also he put to the rout, and Shems ed Dauleh said to his Vizier, ‘O Vizier, I charge thee take five hundred men and bring this eunuch in haste, and with him his master Jouder and his brothers.’ ‘O King of the age,’ replied the Vizier, ‘I need no soldiers, but will go down to him alone and unarmed.’ ‘Go,’ said the King, ‘and do as thou seest fit.’

  So the Vizier laid down his arms and donning a white habit, took a rosary in his hand and set out alone and afoot. When he came to the palace gate, he saw the eunuch sitting there; so he went up to him and seating himself courteously by his side, said to him, ‘Peace be on thee!’ ‘And on thee be peace, O mortal!’ answered the slave. ‘What wilt thou?’ When the Vizier heard him say ‘O mortal,’ he knew him to be of the Jinn and quaked for fear; then he said to him, ‘O my lord, is thy master Jouder here?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the eunuch, ‘he is in the palace.’ ‘O my lord,’ said the Vizier, ‘go thou to him and say to him, “King Shems ed Dauleh salutes thee and bids thee honour his dwelling [with thy presence] and eat of a banquet he hath made for thee.”’ And the eunuch said, ‘Abide here, whilst I consult him.’

  So the Vizier stood in a respectful attitude, whilst the Marid went up into the palace and said to Jouder, ‘Know, O my lord, that the King sent to thee an Amir and fifty men, and I beat them and drove them away. Then he sent a hundred men and I beat them also; then two hundred, and these also I put to the rout. And now he hath sent thee the Vizier, unarmed, bidding thee to visit him and eat of his banquet. What sayst thou?’ ‘Go,’ answered Jouder; ‘bring the Vizier hither.’ So the Marid went down and said to him, ‘O Vizier, come speak with my lord.’ ‘On my head be it,’ replied he and going in to Jouder, found him seated, in greater state than the King, upon a carpet, the like of which the King could not spread, and was amazed at the goodliness of the palace and the magnificence of its furniture and decoration, which made him seem as he were but a beggar in comparison.

  So he kissed the earth before Jouder and called down blessings on him; and Jouder said to him, ‘What is thy business, O Vizier?’ ‘O my lord,’ answered he, ‘thy friend King Shems ed Dauleh salutes thee and longs to look upon thy face; wherefore he hath made thee an entertainment. So wilt thou heal his heart [and eat of his banquet]?’ Quoth Jouder, ‘If he be indeed my friend, salute him and bid him come to me.’ ‘On my head be it,’ replied the Vizier. Then Jouder rubbed the ring and bade the genie bring him a dress of the best, which he gave to the Vizier, saying, ‘Don this dress and go tell the King what I say,’ So the Vizier donned the dress, the like of which he had never worn, and returning to the King, told him what had passed and praised the palace and that which was therein, saying, ‘Jouder bids thee to him.’ So the King called for his charger and mounting with all his guards, set out for Jouder’s palace.

  Meanwhile Jouder summoned the Marid and said to him, ‘It is my will that thou bring me some of the Afrits at thy command in the guise of guards and station them before the palace, that the King may see them and be awed by them; so shall his heart tremble and he shall know that my power is greater than his.’ So Er Raad brought him two hundred Afrits of great stature and strength, in the guise of guards, magnificently armed and equipped, and when the King came and saw these tall and stout troops, his heart feared them. Then he entered the palace, and found Jouder sitting in such state as neither King nor Sultan could match. So he saluted him and made his obeisance to him; yet Jouder rose not to him nor did him honour neither bade him be seated, but left him standing, so that fear entered into him and he could neither sit nor go away and said in himself, ‘If he feared me, he would not leave me thus unheeded; belike he will do me a mischief, because of that which I did with his brothers.’ Then said Jouder, ‘O King of the age, it beseems not the like of thee to wrong the folk and take away their goods.’ ‘O my lord,’ replied the King, ‘be not wroth with me, for covetise impelled me to this and the fulfilment of fore-ordained fate; and were there no offence, there would be no forgiving.’ And he went on to excuse himself and sue to him for pardon and indulgence, reciting amongst other things the following verses:

  O thou of noble sires and nature frank and free, Reproach me not for what I’ve done to anger thee.

  An thou have wrought upright, God pardon thee, quoth I; And if I’ve sinned, do thou on like wise pardon me!

  And he ceased not to humble himself before him, till he said, ‘God pardon thee!’ and bade him sit. So he sat down and Jouder invested him with the garments of pardon and bade his brothers spread the table. When they had eaten, he clad the King’s company in robes of honour and gave them largesse; after which he bade the King depart. So he went forth and thereafter came every day to visit Jouder and held not his Divan save in his house: wherefore friendship and usance waxed great between them, and they abode thus awhile, till one day the King, being alone with his Vizier, said to him, ‘O Vizier, I fear lest Jouder kill me and take the kingdom from me.’ ‘O King of the age,’ replied the Vizier, ‘as for his taking the kingdom from thee, have no fear of that, for his present estate is greater than that of the King, and to take the kingdom would be a lowering of his rank; but, if thou fear that he kill thee, thou hast a daughter: give her to him to wife and thou and he will be of one condition.’

  ‘O Vizier,’ said the King, ‘be thou intermediary between us and him.’ And the Vizier said, ‘Do thou bid him to an entertainment and pass the night with him in one of thy saloons. Then command thy daughter to don her richest clothes and ornaments and pass by the door of the saloon. When he sees her, he will fall in love with her, and when we know this, I will turn to him and tell him that she is thy daughter and engage him in converse and lead him on, so that thou shalt [seem to] know nothing of the matter, till he asks her of thee in marriage. When thou hast married him to the girl, thou and he will be as one thing and thou wilt be safe from him; and if he die, thou wilt inherit all he hath, both great and small.’ ‘Thou sayst sooth, O my Vizier,’ replied the King and made a banquet and invited Jouder thereto. So he came to the King’s palace and they sat in the saloon in great good cheer till the end of the day. Now the King had commanded his wife to array the girl in her richest clothes and ornaments and carry her by the door of the saloon. She did as he bade her, and when Jouder saw the princess, who had not her match for beauty and grace, he looked fixedly at her and said, ‘Alas!’ And his joints were loosened for love and passion and desire were sore upon him; transport and love-liking gat hold upon him and he turned pale. Quoth the Vizier, ‘May no hurt betide thee, O my lord! Why do I see thee pale and undone?’ ‘O Vizier,’ asked Jouder, ‘whose daughter is yonder damsel? Verily, she hath captived me and ravished my reason.’ ‘She is the daughter of thy friend the King,’ replied the Vizier; ‘and since she pleases thee, I will speak to him that he marry thee to her.’ ‘Do so, O Vizier,’ quoth Jouder, ‘and as I live, I will bestow on thee what thou wilt and will give the King whatsoever he shall ask to her dowry; and we will become friends and kinsfolk.’ And the Vizier said, ‘It shall go hard but thy desire be accomplished.’ Then he turned to the King and said to him, ‘O King of the age, thy friend Jouder seeks alliance with thee and will have me ask of thee for him the hand of thy daughter, the princess Asiyeh; so disappoint me not, but accept my intercession, and what dowry soever thou askest he will give thee.’ Quoth the King, ‘The dowry I have already received, and as for the girl, she is his handmaid; I give her to him to wife and he doth me favour in accepting her.’

  They spent the rest of the night together and on the morrow the King held a court, to which he summoned great and small, together with the Sheikh el Islam. Then Jouder demanded the princess in marriage and the King said, ‘The dowry I have received.’ So they drew up the contract of marriage and Jouder s
ent for the saddle-bags containing the jewels and gave them to the King as his daughter’s dowry. Then the drums beat and the pipes sounded and they held high festival, whilst Jouder went in to the girl. Thenceforward he and the King were as one and they abode thus awhile, till Shems ed Dauleh died; whereupon the troops proclaimed Jouder Sultan, and he refused; but they importuned him, till he consented and became King in his father-in-law’s stead. Then he bade build a congregational mosque over the latter’s tomb in the Bundecaniyeh quarter and endowed it. Now the quarter in which he dwelt was called the Yemaniyeh quarter; but when he became Sultan, he built therein a congregational mosque and other buildings, wherefore the quarter was named after him and was called the Jouderiyeh quarter.

  Moreover, he made his brother Salim his Vizier of the right and his brother Selim his Vizier of the left hand; and thus they abode a year and no more; for, at the end of that time, Salim said to Selim, ‘O my brother, how long is this to last? Shall we pass our whole lives in service to our brother Jouder? We shall never enjoy lordship or fortune whilst he lives: so how shall we do to kill him and take the ring and the saddle-bags?’ ‘Thou art craftier than I,’ answered Selim; ‘do thou contrive us a device, whereby we may kill him.’ ‘If I do this,’ said Salim, ‘wilt thou agree that I be Sultan and have the ring and that thou be my right-hand Vizier and have the saddle-bags?’ ‘I consent to this,’ replied Selim, and they agreed to kill their brother for love of the world and of dominion.