One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  They held their peace and I thought they were content with that which I had said. Then we fared on towards Bassora, and every day I sent meat and drink to the lady, who came not forth of the cabin, whilst I lay with my brothers on the deck. We sailed thus forty days, till we sighted the city of Bassora and rejoiced in that we were come near thereunto. Now I trusted in my brothers and was at my ease with them, for none knoweth the hidden things save God the Most High; so I lay down to sleep that night; but as I abode drowned in slumber, I found myself caught up by my brothers, one seizing me by the legs and the other by the arms, for they had taken counsel together to drown me in the sea, because of the damsel. When I saw myself in this case, I said to them, “O my brothers, why do ye this with me?” And they answered, saying, “Lack-courtesy that thou art, wilt thou barter our aproof for a girl? We mean to cast thee into the sea, because of this.” So saying, they threw me over-board.’

  Here Abdallah turned to the two dogs and said to them, ‘O my brothers, is this that I have said true or not?’’ And they bowed their heads and fell a-whining, as if confirming his speech; whereat the Khalif wondered. ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ continued Abdallah, ‘I sank to the bottom of the sea; but the water bore me up again to the surface, and before I could think, a great bird, the bigness of a man, swooped down upon me and snatching me up, flew up with me into the height of the air. [I swooned away and] when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a strong and high-builded palace, adorned with magnificent paintings and pendants of jewels of all shapes and colours. Therein were damsels standing with their hands on their breasts and in their midst was a lady seated on a throne of red gold, set with pearls and jewels, and clad in apparel whereon no mortal might open his eyes, for the lustre of the jewels with which they were decked. About her waist she wore a girdle of jewels beyond price, and on her head a triple crown, amazing thought and wit and dazzling heart and sight.

  Then the bird that had carried me thither shook and became a young lady, as she were the shining sun. I fixed my eyes on her and behold, it was she whom I had seen on the mountain in the guise of a snake and had rescued from the dragon. Then said to her the lady who sat upon the throne, “Why hast thou brought this mortal hither?” “O my mother,” answered she, “this is he who was the means of veiling my honour among the maidens of the Jinn.” Then said she to me, “Knowest thou who I am?” And I answered, “No.” Quoth she, “I am she who was on such a mountain, where the black dragon strove with me and would have forced my honour, but thou slewest him.” And I said, “I saw but a white snake with the dragon.” “It is I who was the white snake,” answered she; “but I am the Red King’s daughter of the Jinn and my name is Saïdeh. She who sits there is my mother and her name is Mubarekeh, wife of the Red King. The black dragon who would have done away my honour was the Black King’s Vizier, Derfil by name, and he was foul of favour. It chanced that he saw me and fell in love with me; so he sought me in marriage of my father, who sent to him to say, ‘Who art thou, O scum of viziers, that thou shouldst wed with kings’ daughters?’ Whereupon he was wroth and swore an oath that he would assuredly do away my honour, to spite my father.

  Then he fell to tracking my steps and following me whithersoever I went, designing to ravish me; wherefore there befell between him and my father fierce wars and sore troubles, but my father could not prevail against him, for that he was a mighty man of war and a crafty cheat, and as often as my father pressed hard upon him, he would escape from him, till my father was at his wits’ end. Every day I was forced to take some new shape; for, as often as I assumed a shape, he would assume its contrary, and to whatsoever land I fled, he would snuff my scent and pursue me thither, so that I suffered sore affliction of him. At last I took the form of a snake and betook myself to the mountain where thou sawest me; whereupon he took the shape of a dragon and pursued me, till I fell into his hands, when he strove with me and I with him, till he wearied me and overrode me, meaning to do his will of me: but thou camest and smotest him with the stone and slewest him. Then I returned to my own shape and showed myself to thee, saying, ‘I am beholden to thee for a service such as is not lost save with the base-born.’ So, when I saw thy brothers do with thee this treachery and cast thee into the sea, I hastened to thee and saved thee from destruction, and now it behoveth my father and mother to do thee honour.”

  Then she said to the Queen, “O my mother, do thou honour him as he deserveth who saved my honour.” So the queen said to me, “Welcome, O mortal! Indeed thou hast done us a service that meriteth honour.” Then she ordered me a treasure-suit, worth much money, and store of jewels and precious stones, and said, “Take him and carry him in to the king.” So they carried me in to the king in his divan, where I found him seated on his throne, with his Marids and guards before him; and when I saw him, my eyes were dazzled for that which was upon him of jewels; but when he saw me, he rose to his feet and all his officers rose also, to do him worship. Then he saluted me and bade me welcome, entreating me with the utmost honour, and gave me of that which was with him of good things; after which he said to some of his followers, “Take him and carry him back to my daughter, that she may restore him to the place whence she brought him.” So they carried me back to the princess Saïdeh, who took me up and flew away with me and my treasures.

  Meanwhile, the captain of the galleon, being aroused by the splash [of my fall], when my brothers threw me into the sea, said, “What is that which hath fallen overboard?” Whereupon my brothers fell to weeping and beating their breasts and answered, “Alas, for our brother’s loss! He thought to do an occasion in the ship’s side and fell into the water!” Then they laid their hands on my good, but there befell strife between them because of the lady, each saying, “None shall have her but I.” And they abode disputing with one another and remembered not their brother nor his drowning and their mourning for him ceased. As they were thus, behold, Saïdeh alighted with me in the midst of the galleon; and when my brothers saw me, they embraced me and rejoiced in me, saying, “O our brother, how hast thou fared in that which befell thee? Indeed our hearts have been occupied with thee.” Quoth Saïdeh, “Had ye any bowels for him or had ye loved him, ye had not cast him into the sea; but choose now what death ye will die.”

  Then she seized on them and would have slain them but they cried out, saying, [“We throw ourselves] on thy mercy, O our brother!” And I said to her, “I beseech thee, kill not my brothers.” Quoth she, “Needs must I slay them, for they are traitors.” But I ceased not to speak her fair and intercede with her, till she said, “To content thee, I will not kill them, but I will enchant them.” So saying, she brought out a cup and filling it with sea-water, pronounced over it words that might not be understood; then she sprinkled them with the water, saying, “Quit this human shape for that of a dog;” and immediately they became dogs, as thou seest them, O Vicar of God.’ Then he turned to the dogs and said to them, ‘Have I spoken the truth, O my brothers?’ And they bowed their heads, as who should say, ‘Thou hast spoken truly.’

  ‘Then,’ continued he, ‘she said to those who were in the galleon, “Know ye that Abdallah ben Fazil here present is become my brother and I shall visit him once or twice every day: so, whoso of you thwarteth him or gainsayeth his commandment or doth him hurt with hand or tongue, I will do with him like as I have done with these two traitors and turn him into a dog, and he shall end his days in that shape, nor shall he find deliverance.” And they all said to her, “O our lady, we are all his slaves and his servants and will not gainsay him in aught.” Moreover, she said to me, “When thou comest to Bassora, examine all thy property and if there lack aught thereof, tell me and I will bring it thee, in whose hands and wheresoever it may be, and will change him who took it into a dog. When thou hast laid up thy goods, clap a collar of iron on the neck of each of these two traitors and tie them to the leg of a couch and shut them up by themselves. Moreover, every night, at midnight, do thou go down to them and beat each of them till he swoon away;
and if thou suffer a single night to pass, without beating them, I will come to thee and swinge thee soundly, after which I will beat them.” And I answered, “I hear and obey.” Then said she, “Tie them up with ropes till thou come into Bassora.” So I tied a rope about each dog’s neck and bound them to the mast, and she went her way.

  On the morrow we entered Bassora and the merchants came out to meet me and saluted me, and none enquired of my brothers. But they looked at the dogs and said to me, “What wilt thou do with these two dogs thou hast brought with thee?” Quoth I, “I reared them on the voyage and have brought them home with me.” And they laughed at them, knowing not that they were my brothers. When I reached my house, I put the dogs in a closet and busied myself with the unpacking and disposition of the bales of stuffs and jewels I had with me. Moreover, the merchants were with me, because of salutation; wherefore I was occupied with them and forgot to beat the dogs or chain them up. Then I lay down to sleep, but hardly had I done so, when there came to me the Red King’s daughter Saïdeh and said to me, “Did I not bid thee clap chains on their necks and give each of them a beating?” So saying, she seized me and pulling out a whip, beat me till I swooned away, after which she went to the place where my brothers were and beat them till they came nigh upon death.

  Then said she to me, “Beat each of them thus every night, and if thou let a night pass without doing this, I will beat thee;” and I answered, “O my lady, to-morrow I will put chains on their necks, and next night I will beat them nor will I leave them one night unbeaten.” And she charged me straitly to beat them [and disappeared]. When the day came, it being grievous to me to put fetters of iron on their necks, I went to a goldsmith and bade him make them collars and chains of gold. He did this and I put the collars on their necks and chained them up, as she bade me; and next night I beat them in mine own despite. This befell in the Khalifate of El Mehdi, third of the sons of Abbas, and I ingratiated myself with him by sending him presents, wherefore he invested me with the government and made me viceroy of Bassora.

  On this wise I abode some time and after awhile, I said in myself, “It may be her wrath is grown cool;” and left them a night unbeaten, whereupon she came to me and gave me a beating the pain whereof I shall never forget so long as I live. So, from that time to this, I have never left them a single night unbeaten; and when El Mehdi died and thou camest to the throne, thou sentest to me, confirming me in the government of Bassora. These twelve years past have I beaten them every night, against my will, and after I have beaten them, I excuse myself to them and comfort them and give them to eat and drink; and they have remained shut up, nor did any of the creatures of God know of them, till thou sentest Abou Ishac the boon-companion to me, on account of the tribute, and he discovered my secret and returning to thee, acquainted thee therewith. Then thou sentest him back to fetch me and them; so I answered with “hearkening and obedience” and brought them before thee, whereupon thou questionedst me and I told thee the truth of the case; and this is my history.’

  The Khalif marvelled at the case of the two dogs and said to Abdallah, ‘Hast thou now forgiven thy two brothers the wrong they did thee, ay or no?’ ‘O my lord,’ answered he, ‘may God forgive them and acquit them of guilt in this world and the next! Indeed, it is I who stand in need of their forgiveness, for that these twelve years past I have beaten them grievously every night!’ ‘O Abdallah,’ rejoined the Khalif, ‘God willing, I will endeavour for their release and that they may become men again, as they were before, and I will make peace between thee and them; so shall you live the rest of your lives as loving brothers; and like as thou hast forgiven them, so shall they forgive thee. But now take them and go down with them to thy lodging and this night beat them not, and to-morrow all shall be well.’ ‘O my lord,’ answered Abdallah, ‘as thy head liveth, if I leave them one night unbeaten, Saïdeh will come to me and beat me, and I have no body to brook beating.’ ‘Fear not,’ quoth the Khalif; ‘for I will give thee a writing under my hand. If she come to thee, do thou give her the scroll and if, when she has read it, she spare thee, the favour will be hers; but, if she obey not my commandment, commit thine affair to God and let her beat thee and suppose that thou hast forgotten to beat them for one night and that she beats thee because of that: and if it fall out thus and she gainsay me, as sure as I am Commander of the Faithful, I will be even with her.’

  Then he wrote her a letter on a piece of paper, two fingers broad, and sealing it, gave it to Abdallah, saying, ‘O Abdallah, if she come, say to her, “The Khalif, king of mankind, hath commanded me to leave beating them and hath written me this letter for thee; and he saluteth thee.” Then give her the warrant and fear no hurt.’ And he took of him a solemn pledge that he would not beat them. So he took the dogs and carried them to his lodging, saying in himself, ‘I wonder what the Khalif will do with the King’s daughter of the Jinn, if she disobey him and beat me to-night! But I will run the risk of a beating for once and leave my brothers at peace this night, though I suffer torture for their sake.’ Then he bethought himself awhile, and his reason said to him, ‘Did not the Khalif rely on some great support, he had not forbidden me from beating them.’ So he entered his lodging and did off the collars from the dogs’ necks, saying, ‘I put my trust in God,’ and fell to comforting them and saying, ‘No harm shall befall you; for the Khalif, fifth of the sons of Abbas, hath undertaken for your deliverance and I have forgiven you. If it please God the Most High, the time is come and ye shall be delivered this blessed night; so rejoice ye in the prospect of peace and happiness.’

  When they heard his words, they fell awhining, after the fashion of dogs, and rubbed their jowls against his feet, as if praying for him and humbling themselves before him. He mourned over them and fell to stroking their backs till supper time; and when they set on the evening meal, he bade the dogs sit. So they sat down and ate from the tray, whilst his officers stood gaping and marvelling at his eating with dogs and saying, ‘Is he mad or are his wits deranged? How can the Viceroy of Bassora, he who is greater than a vizier, eat with dogs? Knoweth he not that the dog is unclean?’ And they stared at the dogs, as they ate with him on decorous wise, knowing not that they were his brothers; nor did they leave staring at them, till they had made an end of eating, when Abdallah washed his hands and the dogs also put out their paws and washed; whereupon all who were present fell alaughing at them and saying, one to another, ‘Never in our lives saw we dogs eat and after wash their paws!’

  Then the dogs sat down on the divans beside Abdallah, nor dared any question him of this; and thus the case abode till midnight, when he dismissed the attendants and lay down to sleep and the dogs with him, each on a couch; whereupon the servants said to each other, ‘Verily, he hath lain down to sleep and the dogs with him.’ Quoth another, ‘Since he hath eaten with the dogs from the [same] tray, there is no harm in their sleeping with him; and this is nought but the fashion of madmen.’ Moreover, they ate not anydele of the food that remained in the tray, saying, ‘How shall we eat of dogs’ leavings?’ And they took the tray, with what was therein, and threw it away, saying, ‘It is unclean.’

  As for Abdallah, ere he could think, the earth clove in sunder and out came Saïdeh, who said to him, ‘O Abdallah, why hast thou not beaten them this night and why hast thou done off the collars from their necks? Hast thou done this to thwart me and in mockery of my commandment? But now I will beat thee and change thee into a dog like unto them.’ ‘O my lady,’ answered he, ‘I conjure thee by the graving upon the ring of Solomon, son of David (on whom be peace!), have patience with me till I tell thee the reason [of this] and after do with me what thou wilt.’ ‘Say on,’ quoth she; and he said, ‘The king of mankind, the Commander of the Faithful, the Khalif Haroun er Reshid, commanded me not to beat them this night and took of me oaths and covenants to that effect; and he saluteth thee and hath committed to me a mandate under his own hand, which he bade me give thee. So I obeyed his commandment, for it is obligatory to obey the Comma
nder of the Faithful; and here is the mandate. Take it and read it and after do thy will.’

  So he gave her the letter and she opened it and read as follows, ‘In the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful! From the king of mankind, Haroun er Reshid, to Saïdeh, daughter of the Red King!’ Then, after the usual salutations, ‘Verily, this man hath forgiven his brothers and hath let drop his claim against them, and we have enjoined them to reconciliation. Now, when reconciliation cometh about, punishment is remitted, and if you [of the Jinn] thwart us in our commandments, we will thwart you in yours and traverse your ordinances; but, if ye obey our bidding and execute our commandments, we will do the like with yours. Wherefore I bid thee do them no hurt, and if thou believe in God and in His Apostle, it behoveth thee to obey him to whom the commandment is committed. So, if thou spare them, I will requite thee with that whereunto my Lord shall enable me; and the token of obedience is that thou remove thine enchantment from these two men, so they may come before me to-morrow, free. But, if thou release them not, I will release them in thy despite, by the aid of God the Most High.’