One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  ‘Know then, O Commander of the Faithful,’ replied the young man, ‘that I am a merchant of the merchants of the sea and come from the city of Oman, where my father was a rich merchant, having thirty ships trading upon the sea, whose yearly hire was thirty thousand dinars; and he had partners trading with his money and journeying on the sea. He was a man of worth and generosity and taught me writing and all whereof a man hath need. When his last hour drew near, he called me to him and gave me the customary injunctions; then God the Most High admitted him to His mercy and may He continue the Commander of the Faithful [on life!]

  One day, as I sat in my house with a company of merchants, one of my servants came in to me and said, “O my lord, there is a man at the door, who craves admittance to thee.” So I gave leave and he came in, bearing on his head a covered box. He set it down and uncovered it, and behold, therein were fruits out of season and [vegetables] conserved in salt and fresh, such as are not found in our country. I thanked him and gave him a hundred dinars, and he went away, grateful. Then I divided these things amongst my guests and asked them whence they came. Quoth they, “They come from Bassora,” and praised them and went on to expatiate upon the beauties of Bassora and were all of accord that there was nothing in the world goodlier than Baghdad and its people. Then they fell to describing Baghdad and the excellence of its air and the beauty of its ordinance and the goodly manners of its people, till my soul longed for it and all my hopes clave to the sight of it.

  So I arose and selling my ships and houses and lands and slaves, male and female, got together a thousand thousand dinars, besides jewels and precious stones, with which I freighted a ship and setting out therein, sailed nights and days till I came to Bassora, where I abode awhile. Then I hired a bark and embarking therein with all my goods, sailed up the river some days till I arrived at Baghdad. I enquired where the merchants abode and what part thereof was pleasantest of sojourn and was answered, “The Kerkh quarter.” So I went thither and hiring a house in a street called the Street of Saffron, transported my goods to it and took up my lodging therein.

  Here I abode some days, till, one Friday, I sallied forth apleasuring, taking with me somewhat of money. I went first to a mosque, called the Mosque of Mensour, where the Friday service was held, and when we had made an end of prayers, I went out with the folk to a place called Kern es Serat, where I saw a tall and goodly house, with a balcony overlooking the river-bank, wherein was a lattice- window. So I betook myself thither with a company of folk and saw there an old man sitting handsomely clad and exhaling a sweet scent. His beard flowed down upon his breast, where it divided into two waves like silver-wire, and about him were four damsels and five pages in attendance upon him. So I said to one of the folk, “What is the name of yonder old man and what is his business?” “His name is Tahir ibn el Alaa,” answered he, “and he is a keeper of girls; all who go in to him eat and drink and look upon fair ones.” “By Allah,” quoth I, “this long while have I gone about in quest of the like of this!”

  So I went up to the old man and saluting him, said to him, “O my lord, I desire to be thy guest to-night.” And he said, “With all my heart; but, O my son, with me are many damsels, some whose night is ten dinars, some forty and others more. Choose which thou wilt have.” Quoth I, “I choose her whose night is ten dinars.” And I counted out to him three hundred dinars, being the price of a month; whereupon he committed me to a page, who carried me to a bath within the house and tended me on goodly wise. When I came out of the bath, he brought me to the door of a chamber and knocked, whereupon out came a damsel, to whom said he, “Take thy guest.” She received me with welcome and courtesy, laughing and rejoicing, and brought me into a rare apartment, decorated with gold. I looked at her and saw her like the moon on the night of its full, having in attendance on her two damsels like stars. She made me sit and seating herself by my side, signed to her maids, who set before us a table covered with dishes of various kinds of meats, fowls and quails and sandgrouse and pigeons. So we ate till we were satisfied, and never in my life saw I aught more delicious than this food. When we had eaten, she caused remove the table [of meats] and set on the table of wine and flowers and fruits and sweetmeats; and I abode with her a month on this wise.

  At the end of the month, I repaired to the bath; then, going to the old man, I said to him, “O my lord, I want her whose night is twenty dinars.” “Pay down the money,” said he. So I fetched money and counted out to him six hundred dinars for a month’s hire, whereupon he called a boy and said to him, “Take thy lord here.” So he carried me to the bath and thence to the door of a chamber, at which he knocked and there came out a damsel, to whom quoth he, “Take thy guest.” She received me on the goodliest wise and I found in attendance on her four slave-girls, whom she commanded to bring food. So they brought a table spread with all kinds of meats, and I ate. When I had made an end of eating and the table had been removed, she took the lute and sang the following verses:

  O windwafts of musk, from the land of Babel to us-ward that fare, In the name of my passion and heat, I charge you my messages bear;

  For lo, in those regions of yours are dwellings of yore that I knew, The homes of our loved ones, to wit, the noblest of all that are there;

  And in them abideth the maid, for whom many a lover doth pine, Distraught with the pangs of desire, but getteth no grace of the fair.

  I abode with her a month, after which I returned to the old man and said to him, “I want her of the forty dinars [a night].” “Pay the money,” said he. So I counted out to him twelve hundred dinars and abode with her a month, as it were one day, for what I saw of the beauty of her person and the goodliness of her converse. After this I went to the old man one evening and heard a great clamour and loud voices. So I said to him, “What is to do?” And he answered, saying, “This is the night of our greatest holiday, whereon all the townsfolk embark on the river and divert themselves by gazing upon one another. Hast thou a mind to go up to the roof and amuse thyself by looking upon the folk?” “Yes,” answered I, and went up to the roof, whence I [looked down upon the river and] saw [a great multitude of] folk with flambeaux and cressets, and great mirth and merriment toward.

  Then I went up to the end of the roof and saw there a little chamber railed off by a goodly curtain, and in its midst a couch of juniper-wood, plated with gold and covered with a handsome carpet. On this sat a lovely young lady, confounding all beholders with her beauty and grace and symmetry, and by her side a youth, whose hand was on her neck; and he was kissing her and she him. When I saw them, O Commander of the Faithful, I could not contain myself nor knew I where I was, so dazzled was I by her beauty: but, when I came down, I questioned the damsel with whom I was and described the young lady to her. “What wilt thou with her?” asked she; and I said, “She hath taken my wit.” She smiled and said, “O Aboulhusn, hast thou a mind to her?” “Ay, by Allah!” answered I; “for she hath captived my heart and soul.” Quoth she, “This is the daughter of Tahir ibn el Alaa; she is our mistress and we are all her handmaids; but knowest thou, O Aboulhusn, what is the price of her night and day?” And I said, “No.” “Five hundred dinars,” answered she; “for she is one for whom kings might sigh in vain.”

  “By Allah,” quoth I, “I will spend all I have on this damsel!” And I lay, heartsore for desire, till the morning, when I donned a suit of the richest royal raiment and betaking myself to Ibn el Alaa, said to him, “O my lord, I want her whose night is five hundred dinars.” Quoth he, “Pay the money.” So I counted out to him fifteen thousand dinars for a month’s hire and he took them and said to the page, “Carry him to thy mistress such an one.” So he took me and carried me to a saloon, than which my eyes never saw a goodlier on the face of the earth, and there I found the young lady seated. When I saw her, O Commander of the Faithful, my reason was dazed with her beauty, for she was like the full moon on its fourteenth night, full of grace and symmetry and loveliness. Her speech put to shame the tones of the lute, a
nd it was as it were she to whom the poet referred in the following verses:

  Quoth she (and verily desire ran riot in her side, What while the dusky night let down the darkness like a tide),

  “Night, in thy blackness is there none to company with me? Is there no swiver for this kaze of all men, far and wide?”

  Then with her palm she smote thereon and said, what while she sighed The sighing of the sorrowful, the sad, the weeping-eyed,

  “As by the toothstick’s use appears the beauty of the teeth, So, like a toothstick is the yard unto the kaze applied.

  O, Muslims, stand your yards not up on end and is there none ‘Mongst you will succour her who doth to you complain?” she cried.

  Therewith my yard thrust out erect, from underneath my clothes, And said to her, “Here, here’s for thee!” And I the while untied

  The laces of her drawers. She made a show of fear and said, “Who’rt thou?” And I, “A youth thy cry that answereth,” replied

  And straightway fell to routing her with what was like her wrist, A lusty routing, that full sore the buttocks mortified;

  Till when, three courses run, I rose, “Fair fall thee of the swive!” Quoth she, and I, “May solacement thyself therefrom betide!”

  And how excellent is the saying of another!

  A fair one, to idolaters if she her face should show, They’d leave their idols and her face for only Lord would know.

  If in the Eastward she appeared unto a monk, for sure, He’d cease from turning to the West and to the East bend low;

  And if into the briny sea one day she chanced to spit, Assuredly the salt sea’s floods straight fresh and sweet would grow.

  And that of another:

  I looked one look upon her and dazed was all my thought, For all the rare perfections wherewith the maid was fraught.

  Suspicion that I loved her discovered unto her, And straight the supposition her cheeks to redden wrought.

  I saluted her and she said to me, “Welcome and fair welcome!” and taking me by the hand, made me sit down beside her; whereupon, of the excess of my passion, I fell aweeping for fear of parting and poured forth the tears of the eye, reciting the following verses:

  The nights of estrangement I love; yet not that in them I delight, But fate peradventure shall cause reunion ensue their despite;

  And eke, on like wise, I abhor the days of enjoyment, because I see that all things in this world still issue in ceasing outright.

  She strove to solace me with soft speech, but I was drowned in the sea of passion, fearing, even in the midst of union, the anguish of separation, for excess of longing and desire; and I bethought me of the misery of absence and estrangement and repeated these verses:

  Even in her arms I me bethought of severance from her And from mine eyes the tears ran down, a ruddy-coloured flood,

  Like tragacanth, and straight I wiped mine eyes upon her neck, For of the use of camphor ’tis to stay the flow of blood.

  Then she called for food and there came four damsels, high-bosomed maids, who set before us meats and fruits and sweetmeats and flowers and wine, such as befit none but kings. So we ate and sat at the wine, compassed about with flowers and herbs of sweet savour, in a chamber fit only for kings. Presently, one of her maids brought her a bag of silk, which she opened and taking thereout a lute, laid it in her lap and touched its strings, whereupon it complained, as the child complains to its mother, and she sang the following verses:

  Drink not of wine except it be at the hands of a loveling slim, Who in brightness of soul resembles it and it resembles him.

  The drinker of wine, in very sooth, hath no delight thereof, Except the cheek of the fair be pure, who doth the goblet brim.

  On this wise, O Commander of the Faithful, I abode with her, month after month, till all my money was spent; wherefore, as I sat with her [one day], I bethought me of [coming] separation from her and my tears streamed down upon my cheeks like rivers, and I became not knowing night from day. Quoth she, “Why dost thou weep?” And I answered, “O light of mine eyes, I weep because of our [coming] parting.” “And what,” asked she, “shall part thee and me, O my lord?” “O my lady,” said I, “from the time I came to thee, thy father hath taken of me, for every night, five hundred dinars, and now I have nothing left. Indeed the poet speaks sooth when he says:

  Exile at home, I trow, is lack of good, And wealth is home in very strangerhood.”

  “Know,” rejoined she, “that it is my father’s wont, whenas a merchant abideth with him and hath spent all his money, to give him hospitality three days; then doth he put him out and he may never return to us. But keep thou thy secret and conceal thy case and I will contrive so that thou shalt abide with me till such time as God will; for, indeed, there is a great love for thee in my heart. Thou must know that all my father’s wealth is under my hand and he knows not the tale thereof; so, every day I will give thee a purse of five hundred dinars, which do thou give him, saying, ‘Henceforth, I will pay thee only day by day.’ He will hand the purse to me, and I will give it to thee again, and we will abide thus till such time as God pleases.”

  I thanked her and kissed her hand; and on this wise I abode with her a whole year, till it chanced one day that she beat one of her handmaids grievously and the latter said, “By Allah, I will torture thy heart, even as thou hast tortured me!” So she went to the girl’s father and discovered to him all our practice, whereupon he arose forthright and coming in to me, as I sat with his daughter, said to me, “Harkye, such an one!” “At thy service,” replied I. Quoth he, “It is our wont, when a merchant grows poor with us, to give him hospitality three days; but thou hast had a year with us, eating and drinking and doing what thou wouldst.” Then he turned to his servants and said to them, “Pull off his clothes.” They did as he bade them and gave me ten dirhems and an old suit worth other five; after which he said to me, “Go forth; I will not beat thee nor revile thee; but go thy ways and if thou abide in this town, thy blood be on thine own head.”

  So I went forth, in my own despite, knowing not whither to go, for all the trouble in the world was fallen on my heart and I was occupied with melancholy thought. Then I bethought me of the wealth which I had brought from Oman and said in myself, “I came hither with a million dinars and have made away with it all in the house of yonder ill-omened old man, and now I go forth from him, naked and broken-hearted! But there is no power and no virtue save in God the Most High, the Supreme!”

  I abode three days in Baghdad, without tasting meat or drink, and on the fourth day I saw a ship bound for Bassora; so I hired a passage in her and when we reached Bassora, I landed and went to the market, being sore anhungred. Presently, a man saw me, a grocer, whom I had known aforetime, and coming up to me, embraced me, — for he had been my friend and my father’s friend before me, — and questioned me of my case, for that he saw me clad in those tattered clothes. So I told him all that had befallen me, and he said, “By Allah, this is not the fashion of a reasonable man! But what dost thou purpose to do, after this that hath befallen thee?” Quoth I, “I know not what I shall do,” and he said, “Wilt thou abide with me and write my goings-out and comings-in, and thou shalt have two dirhems a day, over and above thy meat and drink?” I agreed to this and abode with him a whole year, buying and selling, till I had gotten a hundred dinars; when I hired an upper chamber by the river-side, so haply a ship should come up with merchandise, that I might buy goods with the dinars and go with them to Baghdad.

  One day, there came ships with merchandise, and all the merchants resorted to them to buy, and I with them. [We boarded one of the ships,] and behold, there came two men out of the hold and setting themselves chairs on the deck, sat down thereon. The merchants accosted them, with intent to buy, and they said to one of the crew, “Bring the carpet.” So he brought the carpet and spread it, and another came with a pair of saddle-bags, from which he took a budget and emptied it on the carpet; and our sights were dazzled with that which issued thence
of pearls and corals and jacinths and cornelians and other jewels of all sorts and colours. Then said one of the men on the chairs, “O merchants, we will sell but this to-day, by way of spending-money, for that we are weary.” So the merchants fell to bidding for the jewels and bid, one against the other, till the price reached four hundred dinars.

  Now the owner of the bag was an old acquaintance of mine and when he saw me, he came down to me and saluting me, said, “Why dost thou not speak and bid like the rest of the merchants?” “O my lord,” answered I, “the shifts of fortune have run against me and I have lost my wealth and have but a hundred dinars left in the world.” Quoth he, “O Omani, after this vast wealth, do but a hundred dinars remain to thee?” And I was abashed before him and my eyes filled with tears; whereupon he looked at me and indeed my case was grievous to him. So he said to the merchants, “Bear witness against me that I sell all that is in this bag of various kinds of jewels and precious stones to this man for a hundred dinars, albeit I know them to be worth so many thousand dinars, and I make him a present of them.” So saying, he gave me the bag and the carpet, with all the jewels thereon, for which I thanked him, and all the merchants present praised him. Then I carried all this to the jewel- market and sat there to sell and buy. Among the jewels was a round amulet of the handiwork of the masters, weighing half a pound. It was of bright red cornelian and on both sides of it were graven characters and talismans, like unto the tracks of ants; but I knew not its use.