One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Then Gherib returned to his pavilion, which was of green silk, embroidered with red gold and set with pearls and jewels, and seating himself on his throne, called for Murad Shah. So they brought him, shuffling in his fetters, and Gherib said to him, ‘O dog of the Arabs, who art thou that thou shouidst ride forth and measure thyself against kings?’ ‘O my lord,’ replied Murad Shah, ‘reproach me not, for indeed I have excuse.’ Quoth Gherib, ‘What is thine excuse?’ And he answered, saying, ‘Know, O my lord, that I came out to avenge my mother and my father on Sabaur, King of the Persians; for he would have slain them; but my mother escaped and I know not whether he killed my father or not.’ ‘By Allah! rejoined Gherib, ‘thou art indeed excusable! But who were thy father and mother and what are their names?’ Quoth Murad Shah, ‘My father was Gherib, King of Irak, and my mother Fekhr Taj, daughter of King Sabour of Persia.’ When Gherib heard this, he gave a great cry and fell down in a swoon. They sprinkled rose-water on him, till he came to himself, when he said to Murad Shah, ‘Art thou indeed Gherib’s son by Fekhr Taj?’ And he answered, ‘Yes.’ Quoth Gherib, ‘Thou art a champion, the son of a champion. Loose my son.’ And Sehim and Kailjan went up to Murad Shah and loosed him.

  Then Gherib embraced him and seating him beside himself, said to him, ‘Where is thy mother?’ ‘She is with me in my tent,’ answered Murad Shah; and Gherib said, ‘Bring her to me.’ So Murad Shah mounted and repaired to his camp, where his men met him, rejoicing in his safety, and asked him of his case; but he answered, saying, ‘This is no time for questions.’ Then he went in to his mother and told her what had passed; whereat she rejoiced with an exceeding joy. So he carried her to Gherib, and they embraced and rejoiced in each other. Then Fekhr Taj and Murad Shah embraced Islam and expounded the faith to their troops, who all made profession with heart and tongue. After this, Gherib sent for Sabour and his son Wird Shah and upbraided them for their evil dealing and expounded Islam to them; but they refused to profess. So he crucified them on the gate of the city and the people decorated the town and held high festival. Then Gherib crowned Murad Shah with the crown of the Chosroës and made him King of the Persians and Turcomans and Medes. Moreover, he made his uncle, King Damigh, King over Irak, and all peoples and lands submitted themselves to Gherib. Then he abode in his kingship, doing justice among his subjects, wherefore all the people loved him, and he and his wives and comrades ceased not from all delight and solace of life, till there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and Sunderer of Companies, and extolled be the perfection of Him whose glory endureth for ever and whose benefits embrace all His creatures! This is all that hath come down to us of the history of Gherib and Agib.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  OTBEH AND REYYA.

  (Quoth Abdallah ben Maamer el Caisi), I went one year on the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God, and when I had accomplished my pilgrimage, I turned back to visit the tomb of the Prophet, whom God bless and preserve! One night, as I sat in the Garden, between the tomb and the pulpit, I heard a low moaning in a soft voice; so I listened and heard one repeat the following verses:

  Is it the lamentation of the doves of the lotus-tree That stirs the springs of sadness up in the heart of thee?

  Or doth remembrance irk thee of maiden fair and sweet, That hath thy soul afflicted with care and misery?

  O night, thou lingerest sadly on one who’s sick for love! Of love and lack of patience full sore complaineth he.

  Thou makest him still wakeful, who’s all with passion’s heat Consumed, as on live embers he burns unquenchably.

  The full moon is my witness that I am passion’s slave, Love-maddened for a maiden who’s like the moon to see.

  I deemed not I should ever enamoured be, until This wise I was afflicted and knew it not, ah me!

  Then the voice ceased and I abode perplexed, not knowing whence it came to me; but presently it again took up its lament and recited the following verses:

  Was it the ghost of Reyya that racked thy heart, when she, By night black-tressed and sombre, in dreams did visit thee?

  Doth longing to thine eyelids cleave with its wakefulness, And doth the nightly phantom still rob thy soul of glee?

  Unto my night, whilst darkness even as an ocean was, Wherein waves clashed and billowed, sea surging against sea,

  I cried, “O night, thou weariest a lover unto whom, Except the morn, nor helper nor succour may there be.”

  But, “Rail not at my slowness; for love’s the present cause Of sadness and affliction,” it answered unto me.

  Now, at the first of the verses, I sprang up and made for the quarter whence the sound came, nor had the voice made an end of repeating them, ere I was with the speaker and saw a youth of the utmost beauty, the hair of whose face had not sprouted and in whose cheeks tears had worn two furrows. Quoth I to him, ‘Fair befall thee for a youth!’ And he, ‘And thee also. Who art thou?’ ‘Abdallah ben Maamer el Caisi,’ answered I, and he said, ‘Dost thou want aught?’ Quoth I, ‘I was sitting in the Garden and nought hath troubled me this night but thy voice. With my life would I ransom thee! What aileth thee?’ And he replied, ‘Sit down.’ So I sat down and he said, ‘I am Otbeh ben el Hubab ben el Mundhir ben El Jemouh the Ansari. I went out in the morning to the Mosque of El Ahzab and occupied myself there awhile with inclinations and prostrations, after which I withdrew apart, to worship [privily]. Presently, up came women, as they were moons, walking with a swaying gait, and midmost them a damsel of surpassing loveliness, accomplished in beauty and grace, who stopped before me and said, ‘O Otbeh, what sayst thou of union with one who seeks union with thee?’ So saying, she left me and went away; and since then I have had no tidings of her nor come upon any trace of her; and behold, I am distracted and do nought but remove from place to place.’ Then he cried out and fell down in a swoon. When he came to himself, it was as if the damask of his cheeks were dyed with turmeric, and he recited the following verses:

  I see you with my heart from lands that yet far distant are; I wonder eke if with your hearts ye see me from afar.

  My heart and eyes alike for you do sorrow; yea, with you My soul abideth and the thoughts of you with me still are.

  I cannot take delight in life, till I upon you look; Your lack the very pleasantness of Paradise would mar.

  ‘O Otbeh, O son of my uncle,’ said I, ‘repent to thy Lord and seek pardon for thine offence; for before thee is the terror of the standing up [to judgment].’ ‘Away!’ answered he. ‘I shall never leave to love till the two mimosa-gatherers return.’

  I abode with him till daybreak, when I said to him, ‘Come, let us go to the Mosque [of El Ahzab].’ So we went thither and sat there, till we had prayed the midday prayers, when up came the women; but the damsel was not among them. Quoth they to him, ‘O Otbeh, what deemest thou of her who seeketh union with thee?’ ‘And what of her?’ asked he. ‘Her father hath taken her,’ answered they, ‘and departed to Es Semaweh.’ I asked them the name of the damsel and they said, ‘She is called Reyya, daughter of El Ghitrif es Suleimi.’ Whereupon Otbeh raised his head and recited these verses:

  Reyya hath mounted, O my friends, and fared away at dawn; Unto Semaweh’s distant land her caravan is gone.

  Friends, I have wept till I can weep no more: hath any tears, That I may borrow them and weep my love from me withdrawn?

  Then said I to him, ‘O Otbeh, I have brought with me great store of wealth, wherewith I desire to succour men of merit; and by Allah, I will lavish it before thee, so thou mayst come to thy desire and more than thy desire! Come with me to the assembly of the Ansaris.’ So we arose and went, till we came to their assembly, when I saluted them and they returned my greeting on goodly wise. Then said I to them, ‘O assembly, what say ye of Otbeh and his father?’ And they answered, saying, ‘They are of the chiefs of the Arabs.’ Quoth I, ‘Know that he is smitten with the calamity of love and I desire your furtherance to Es Semaweh.’ And they said, ‘We hear and obey.’ So they
mounted with us and we rode till we drew near the place of the Benou Suleim.

  When Ghitrif heard of our coming, he hastened forth to meet us, saying, ‘Long life to you, O nobles!’ ‘And to thee also!’ answered we. ‘Behold we are thy guests.’ Quoth he, ‘Ye have lighted down at a most hospitable and well-furnished abode.’ So saying, he alighted and cried out, ‘Ho, all ye serving folk, come down!’ So the slaves came down and spread rugs and cushions and slaughtered sheep and cattle; but we said, ‘We will not taste of thy victual, till thou have accomplished our need.’ ‘And what is your need?’ asked he. Quoth we, ‘We demand thy noble daughter in marriage for the illustrious and well-born Otbeh ben Hubab ben Mundhir.’ ‘O my brethren,’ said he, ‘she whom you demand is her own mistress, and I will go in to her and tell her?’ So he arose in anger and went in to Reyya, who said to him, ‘O my father, why do I see anger apparent on thee?’ And he answered, saying, ‘Certain of the Ansaris have come to demand thy hand of me in marriage.’ Quoth she, ‘They are noble chiefs; the Prophet, on whom be the most excellent of blessings and peace, intercedeth for them [with God]. For whom among them do they ask me in marriage?’ ‘For a youth known as Otbeh ben el Hubab,’ answered he; and she said, ‘I have heard of this Otbeh that he performs what he promises and attains what he seeks.’ Quoth Ghitrif, ‘I swear that I will never marry thee to him, for there hath been reported to me somewhat of thy converse with him.’ ‘What was that?’ said she. ‘But in any case, I swear that the Ansaris shall not be uncivilly rejected; wherefore do thou make them a fair answer.’ ‘How so?’ asked he; and she, ‘Make the dowry heavy to them and they will desist.’ Quoth he, ‘Thou sayst well,’ and going out in haste, said to the Ansaris, ‘The girl consents; but she requires a dowry worthy herself; who, then, engageth for this?’ ‘I,’ answered I. Then said he, ‘I require for her a thousand bracelets of red gold and five thousand dirhems of the coinage of Hejer and a hundred pieces of woollen stuffs and striped stuffs of Yemen and five bladders of ambergris.’ ‘Thou shalt have this,’ answered I; ‘dost thou consent?’ And he said, ‘I do consent.’ So I despatched to Medina the Luminous a company of the Ansaris, who brought all for which I had engaged; whereupon they slaughtered sheep and cattle and the folk assembled to eat of the food.

  We abode thus forty days, at the end of which time Ghitrif said to us, ‘Take your bride.’ So we set her in a litter and her father equipped her with thirty camel-loads of things of price; after which we took leave of him and journeyed till we came within a day’s journey of Medina, when there fell upon us horsemen, with intent to plunder, and methinks they were of the Benou Suleim. Otbeh drove at them and slew of them much people, but presently fell back, wounded by a spear-thrust, and dropped to the earth. Then there came to us a succour of the country people, who drove away the highwaymen; but Otbeh’s days were ended. So we said, ‘Alas for Otbeh!’ Which when the damsel heard, she cast herself down from the camel and throwing herself upon him, cried out grievously and recited the following verses:

  Patience I feign, yet natheless am not patient, verily: I soothe my soul but with the thought that I shall follow thee.

  Had my soul dealt but righteously by me, it would indeed Have gone to death before thyself, forestalling all that be.

  None, whenas thou and I are gone away, unto a friend Will just and righteous be, I trow, nor soul with soul agree.

  Then she sobbed once and gave up the ghost. We dug one grave for them and laid them in the earth, and I returned to the dwellings of my people, where I abode seven years. Then I betook me again to the Hejaz and entering Medina the Luminous, to visit [the tomb of the Prophet], said in myself, ‘By Allah, I will go again to Otbeh’s tomb!’ So I repaired thither, and behold, over the grave was a tall tree, on which hung fillets of red and green and yellow stuffs. So I said to the people of the place, ‘How is this tree called?’ And they answered, ‘The tree of the Bride and the Bridegroom.’ I abode by the tomb a day and a night, then went my way; and this is all I know of Otbeh, may God the Most High have mercy upon him!

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  HIND DAUGHTER OF EN NUMAN AND EL HEJJAJ.

  It is related that Hind daughter of En Numan was the fairest woman of her day, and her beauty and grace were reported to El Hejjaj, who sought in marriage and lavished much treasure on her. So he took her to wife, engaging to give her a dowry of two hundred thousand dirhems in case of divorce, and when he went in to her, he abode with her a great while. One day after this, he went in to her and found her looking at her face in the mirror and saying:

  Hind is an Arab filly born and bred of purest stock And blood, that by a mongrel mule, alack! hath covered been;

  So, if she bear a stallion-colt, God-gifted sure is she; But if a mule she bear, the mule must bear the blame, I ween.

  When he heard this, he turned back and went his way unseen of Hind; then, being minded to put her away, he sent Abdallah ben Tahir to her, to divorce her. So Abdallah went in to her and said to her, ‘El Hejjaj Abou Mohammed saith to thee, “Here be the two hundred thousand dirhems of thy contingent dowry;” and he hath deputed me to divorce thee.’ ‘O Ibn Tahir,’ replied she, ‘I consent gladly; for know that I never for one day took pleasure in him; so, if we separate, by Allah, I shall never regret him, and the two hundred thousand dirhems I give to thee as a reward for the glad tidings thou bringest me of my release from yonder dog of a Thekifi.’

  After this, the Commander of the Faithful Abdulmelik ben Merwan heard of her beauty and symmetry and the amorous grace of her glances and sent to her, to demand her in marriage; and she wrote him in reply a letter, in which, after the customary glorification of God and benediction of His Prophet, she said, ‘Know, O Commander of the Faithful, that the dog hath lapped in the vase.’ When the Khalif read her answer, he laughed and wrote to her, citing the prophet’s saying, ‘If a dog lap in the vessel of one of you, let him wash it seven times, once thereof with earth,’ and adding, ‘Wash the affront from the place of usance.’ With this, she could not gainsay him; so she replied to him, saying, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, I will not consent save on condition that El Hejjaj lead my camel to thine abiding-place, barefoot and clad as he is.’

  When the Khalif read her letter, he laughed long and loudly and wrote to El Hejjaj, bidding him do as she wished. The latter dared not disobey, so he submitted to the Khalif’s commandment and sent to Hind, bidding her make ready for the journey. So she made ready and mounted her litter, whilst her damsels and eunuchs rode about her. Then came El Hejjaj with his suite and dismounting at Hind’s door, took the halter of her camel and led it along, barefooted, whilst she and her damsels and tirewomen laughed and jeered at him and made mock of him. Then she said to her tirewoman, ‘Draw back the curtain of the litter;’ and she drew back the curtain, till Hind was face to face with El Hejjaj, whereupon she laughed at him and he recited the following verse:

  O Hind, for all thy jeering, how many and many a night, Of yore I’ve left thee wakeful, lamenting for despite!

  And she answered him with these:

  We reck not, we, so that our life be safe and free our soul, Of what we lose of goods and gear; it worketh us no dole.

  For wealth anew may gotten be and rank and power regained, If but man of malady and trouble be made whole.

  And she ceased not to laugh at him and make sport of him, till they drew near the city of the Khalif, when she threw down a dinar and said to El Hejjaj, ‘O camel-driver, I have dropped a dirhem; look for it and give it me.’ So he looked and seeing nought but the dinar, said, ‘This is a dinar.’ ‘Nay,’ answered she, ‘it is a dirhem.’ But he said, ‘It is a dinar.’ Then said she, ‘Praised be God who hath given us a dinar in exchange for a paltry dirhem! Give it us.’ And he was abashed at this. Then he carried her to the palace of the Commander of the Faithful, and she went in to him and became his favourite.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  KHUZEIMEH B
EN BISHR AND IKRIMEH EL FEYYAZ.

  There lived once, in the days of the Khalif Suleiman ben Abdulmelik, a man of the Benou Ased, by name Khuzeimeh ben Bishr, who was notorious for benevolence and excellence and abounding generosity and righteous dealing with his brethren. After awhile, times grew strait with him and he became in need of the aid of those on whom he had lavished favour and kindness. So they succoured him awhile and then grew weary of him, which when he saw, he went in to his wife, who was the daughter of his father’s brother, and said to her, ‘O my cousin, I find that my brethren are changed to me; wherefore I am resolved to keep my house till death come to me.’ So he shut his doors and abode in his house, living on that which he had by him, till it was spent and he knew not what to do. Now Ikrimeh er Rebaï [surnamed] el Feyyaz, governor of Mesopotamia, had known him, and one day, as he sat in his audience-chamber, mention was made of Khuzeimeh, whereupon quoth Ikrimeh, ‘How is it with him?’ And they answered, saying, ‘He is in a plight past telling, and hath shut his door and keeps the house.’ Quoth Ikrimeh, ‘This comes but of his excessive generosity: but how is it that Khuzeimeh ben Bishr finds none to succour him or requite him his benefits?’ And they replied, ‘He hath found nought of this.’