One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  When it was the One Hundred and Ninth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wazir fared on with the King’s daughter and ceased not forcing his stages over desert ways and hastened his best through nights and days, till there remained between him and his city but three marches. Thereupon he sent forward to King Sulayman Shah one who should announce the coming of the bride. The King rejoiced thereat and bestowed on the messenger a dress of honour; and bade his troops march forth in grand procession to meet the Princess and her company for due worship and honour, and don their richest apparel with banners flying over their heads. And his orders were obeyed. He also commanded to cry throughout the city that neither curtained damsel nor honoured lady nor time-ruptured crone should fail to fare forth and meet the bride. So they all went out to greet her and the grandest of them vied in doing her service and they agreed to bring her to the King’s palace by night. More over, the chief officers decided to decorate the road and to stand in espalier of double line, whilst the bride should pass by preceded by her eunuchs and serving women and clad in the gear her father had given her. So when she made her appearance, the troops surrounded her, these of the right wing and those of the left, and the litter ceased not advancing with her till she approached the palace; nor remained any but came forth to gaze upon the Princess. Drums were beaten and spears were brandished and horns blared and flags fluttered and steeds pranced for precedence and scents shed fragrance till they reached the Palace gate and the pages entered with the litter through the Harim wicket. The place shone with its splendours and the walls glittered for the glamour of its gear. Now when night came, the eunuchs threw open the doors of the bridal chamber and stood surrounding the chief entrance whereupon the bride came forward and amid her damsels she was like the moon among stars or an union shining on a string of lesser pearls, and she passed into the bridal closet where they had set for her a couch of alabaster inlaid with unions and jewels. As soon as she had taken seat there, the King came in to her and Allah filled his heart with her love so he abated her maidenhead and ceased from him his trouble and disquiet. He abode with her well nigh a month but she had conceived by him the first night; and, when the month was ended, he went forth and sat on his sofa of state, and dispensed justice to his subjects, till the months of her pregnancy were accomplished. On the last day of the ninth month, towards day break, the Queen was seized with the pangs of labour; so she sat down on the stool of delivery and Allah made the travail easy to her and she gave birth to a boy child, on whom appeared auspicious signs. When the King heard of this, he joyed with exceeding joy and rewarded the bearer of the good tidings with much treasure; and of his gladness he went in to the child and kissed him between the eyes and wondered at his brilliant loveliness; for in him was approved the saying of the poet,

  “In the towering forts Allah throned him King, * A lion, a star

  in the skies of reign:

  At his rising the spear and the throne rejoiced, * The gazelle,

  the ostrich, The men of main:465

  Mount him not on the paps, for right soon he’ll show * That to

  throne on the war steed’s loins he’s fain:

  And wean him from sucking of milk, for soon * A sweeter drink,

  the foe’s blood, he’ll drain.”

  Then the midwives took the newborn child and cut the navel cord and darkened his eyelids with Kohl powder466 and named him Táj al-Mulúk Khárán.467 He was suckled at the breast of fond indulgence and was reared in the lap of happy fortune; and thus his days ceased not running and the years passing by till he reached the age of seven. Thereupon Sulayman Shah summoned the doctors and learned men and bade them teach his son writing and science and belle-lettres. This they continued to do for some years, till he had learnt what was needful; and, when the King saw that he was well grounded in whatso he desired, he took him out of the teachers’ and professors’ hands and engaged for him a skilful master, who taught him cavalarice and knightly exercises till the boy attained the age of fourteen; and when he fared abroad on any occasion, all who saw him were ravished by his beauty and made him the subject of verse; and even pious men were seduced by his brilliant loveliness. — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

  When it was the One Hundred and Tenth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, That when Taj al-Muluk Kharan, son of Sulayman Shah, became perfect in riding craft and excelled all those of his time, his excessive beauty, when he fared abroad on any occasion, caused all who saw him to be ravished and to make him the subject of verse; and even pious men were seduced by his brilliant loveliness. Quoth the poet of him,

  “I clipt his form and wax’d drunk with his scent, * Fair branch

  to whom Zephyr gave nutriment:

  Nor drunken as one who drinks wine, but drunk * With night

  draught his lips of the honey dew lent:

  All beauty is shown in the all of him, * Hence all human hearts

  he in hand hath hens:

  My mind, by Allah! shall ne’er unmind * His love, while I wear

  life’s chains till spent:

  If I live, in his love I’ll live; if I die * For pine and

  longing, ‘O blest!’ I’ll cry

  When he reached the eighteenth year of his age, tender down468 sprouted, on his side face fresh with youth, from a mole upon one rosy cheek and a second beauty spot, like a grain of ambergris adorned the other; and he won the wits and eyes of every wight who looked on him, even as saith the poet,

  “He is Caliph of Beauty in Yúsufs lieu, * And all lovers fear

  when they sight his grace:

  Pause and gaze with me; on his cheek thou’lt sight * The

  Caliphate’s banner of sable hue.”469

  And as saith another,

  “Thy sight hath never seen a fairer sight, * Of all things men

  can in the world espy,

  Than yon brown mole, that studs his bonny cheek * Of rosy red

  beneath that jet black eye.”

  And as saith another,

  “I marvel seeing yon mole that serves his cheeks’ bright flame *

  Yet burneth not in fire albeit Infidel470

  I wonder eke to see that apostolic glance, * Miracle working,

  though it work by magic spell:

  How fresh and bright the down that decks his cheek, and yet *

  Bursten gall bladders feed which e’en as waters well.”

  And as saith another,

  “I marvel hearing people questioning of * The Fount of Life and

  in what land ’tis found:

  I see it sprung from lips of dainty fawn, * Sweet rosy mouth with

  green mustachio down’d:

  And wondrous wonder ’tis when Moses viewed * That Fount, he

  rested not from weary round.”471

  Now having developed such beauty, when he came to man’s estate his loveliness increased, and it won for him many comrades and intimates; while every one who drew near to him wished that Taj al-Muluk Kharan might become Sultan after his father’s death, and that he himself might be one of his Emirs. Then took he passionately to chasing and hunting which he would hardly leave for a single hour. His father, King Sulayman Shah, would have forbidden him the pursuit fearing for him the perils of the waste and the wild beasts; but he paid no heed to his warning voice. And it so chanced that once upon a time he said to his attendants “Take ye ten days food and forage;” and, when they obeyed his bidding, he set out with his suite for sport and disport. They rode on into the desert and ceased not riding four days, till they came to a place where the ground was green, and they saw in it wild beasts grazing and trees with ripe fruit growing and springs flowing. Quoth Taj al-Muluk to his followers, “Set up the nets here and peg them in a wide ring and let our trysting place be at the mouth of the fence, in such a spot.” So they obeyed his words and staked out a wide circle with toils; and there gathered together a mighty m
atter of all kinds of wild beasts and gazelles, which cried out for fear of the men and threw themselves for fright in the face of the horses. Then they loosed on to them the hounds and lynxes472 and hawks;473 and they shot the quarry down with shafts which pierced their vitals; and, by the time they came to the further end of the net ring, they had taken a great number of the wild beasts, and the rest fled. Then Taj al-Muluk dismounted by the water side and bade the game be brought before himself, and divided it, after he had set apart the best of the beasts for his father, King Sulayman Shah, and despatched the game to him; and some he distributed among the officers of his court. He passed the night in that place, and when morning dawned there came up a caravan of merchants conveying negro slaves and white servants, and halted by the water and the green ground. When Taj al-Muluk saw them, he said to one of his companions, “Bring me news of yonder men and question them why they have halted in this place.”474 So the messenger went up to them and addressed them, “Tell me who ye be, and answer me an answer without delay.” Replied they, “We are merchants and have halted to rest, for that the next station is distant and we abide here because we have confidence in King Sulayman Shah and his son, Taj al-Muluk, and we know that all who alight in his dominions are in peace and safety; more over we have with us precious stuffs which we have brought for the Prince.” So the messenger returned and told these news to the King’s son who, hearing the state of the case and what the merchants had replied, said, “If they have brought stuff on my account I will not enter the city nor depart hence till I see it shown to me.” Then he mounted horse and rode to the caravan and his Mamelukes followed him till he reached it. Thereupon the merchants rose to receive him and invoked on him Divine aid and favour with continuance of glory and virtues; after which they pitched him a pavilion of red satin, embroidered with pearls and jewels, wherein they spread him a kingly divan upon a silken carpet worked at the upper end with emeralds set in gold. There Taj al-Muluk seated himself whilst his white servants stood in attendance upon him, and sent to bid the merchants bring out all that they had with them. Accordingly, they produced their merchandise, and displayed the whole and he viewed it and took of it what liked him, paying them the price. Then he looked about him at the caravan, and remounted and was about to ride onwards, when his glance fell on a handsome youth in fair attire, and a comely and shapely make, with flower white brow and moon like face, save that his beauty was wasted and that yellow hues had overspread his cheeks by reason of parting from those he loved; — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

  When it was the One Hundred and Eleventh Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Taj Al- Muluk, when he looked about him at the caravan, saw a handsome youth in neat attire and of shapely make, with flower like forehead and moon like face, save that his beauty was wasted and yellow hues had overspread his cheeks by reason of parting from those he loved; and great was his groaning and moaning, and the tears streamed from his eyelids as he repeated these couplets,

  “Longsome is Absence; Care and Fear are sore, * And ceaseless

  tears, O friend, mine eyes outpour:

  Yea, I farewelled my heart on parting day * And heartless,

  hopeless, now I bide forlore:

  Pause, O my friend, with me farewelling one * Whose words my cure

  can work, my health restore!”

  Now when the youth ended his poetry he wept awhile and fell down in a fainting fit, whilst Taj al-Muluk looked at him and wondered at his case. Then, coming to himself, he stared with distracted air, and versified in these couplets,

  “Beware her glance I rede thee, ’tis like wizard wight, * None

  can escape unscathed those eye shafts’ glancing flight:

  In very sooth black eyes, with languorous sleepy look, * Pierce

  deeper than white swords however these may bite.

  Be not thy senses by her sweets of speech beguiled, * Whose

  brooding fever shall ferment in thought and sprite:

  Soft sided Fair475 did silk but press upon her skin, *

  ’Twould draw red blood from it, as thou thyself canst sight.

  Chary is she of charms twixt neck and anklets dwell, * And ah!

  what other scent shall cause me such delight?476 “

  Then he sobbed a loud sob and swooned away. But when Taj al- Muluk saw him in this case, he was perplexed about his state and went up to him; and, as the youth came to his senses and saw the King’s son standing at his head, he sprang to his feet and kissed the ground between his hands. Taj al-Muluk asked him, ‘Why didst thou not show us thy merchandise?” end he answered, O my lord, there is naught among my stock worthy of thine august highness.” Quoth the Prince, “Needs must thou show me what thou hast and acquaint me with thy circumstance; for I see thee weeping eyed and heavyhearted. If thou have been oppressed, we will end thine oppression, and if thou be in debt, we will pay thy debt; for of a truth my heart burneth to see thee, since I first set eyes on thee.”477 Then Taj al-Muluk bade the seats be set, and they brought him a chair of ivory and ebony with a net work of gold and silk, and spread him a silken rug for his feet. So he sat down on the chair and bidding the youth seat himself on the rug said to him, “Show me thy stock in trade!” The young merchant replied, “O my Lord, do not name this to me, for my goods be unworthy of thee.” Rejoined Taj al-Muluk “It needs must be thus!”; and bade some of the pages fetch the goods. So they brought them in despite of him; and, when he saw them, the tears streamed from his eyes and he wept and sighed and lamented: sobs rose in his throat and he repeated these couplets,

  “By what thine eyelids show of Kohl and coquetry! * By what thy

  shape displays of lissome symmetry!

  By what thy liplets store of honey dew and wine! * By what thy

  mind adorns of gracious kindly gree!

  To me thy sight dream-visioned, O my hope! exceeds * The

  happiest escape from horriblest injury.”

  Then the youth opened his bales and displayed his merchandise to Taj Al-Muluk in detail, piece by piece, and amongst them he brought out a gown of satin brocaded with gold, worth two thousand dinars. When he opened the gown there fell a piece of linen from its folds. As soon as the young merchant saw this he caught up the piece of linen in haste and hid it under his thigh; and his reason wandered, and he began versifying,

  “When shall be healed of thee this heart that ever bides in woe?

  * Than thee the Pleiad-stars more chance of happy meeting

  show

  Parting and banishment and longing pain and lowe of love, *

  Procrastinating478 and delay these ills my life lay

  low:

  Nor union bids me live in joy, nor parting kills by grief, * Nor

  travel draws me nearer thee nor nearer comest thou:

  Of thee no justice may be had, in thee dwells naught of rush, *

  Nor gain of grace by side of thee, nor flight from thee I

  know:

  For love of thee all goings forth and comings back are strait *

  On me, and I am puzzled sore to know where I shall go.”

  Taj al-Muluk wondered with great wonder at his verse, and could not comprehend the cause. But when the youth snatched up the bit of linen and placed it under thigh, he asked him, “What is that piece of linen?” “O my Lord,” answered the merchant, “thou hast no concern with this piece.” Quoth the King’s son, “Show it me;” and quoth the merchant, “O my lord, I refused to show thee my goods on account of this piece of linen; for I cannot let thee look upon it.” — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say,

  When it was the One Hundred and Twelfth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the young merchant said to Taj al-Muluk, “I did not refuse to show thee my goods save on this account, for I cannot let thee look upon it.” Whereupon Taj al Muluk retorted, “Perforce I must and will see it;” and insi
sted and became angry. So the youth drew it out from under his thigh, and wept and moaned and redoubled his sighs and groans, and repeated these verses,

  “Now blame him not; for blame brings only irk and pain! * Indeed,

  I spake him sooth but ne’er his ear could gain:

  May Allah guard my moon which riseth in the vale * Beside our

  camp, from loosed robe like skyey plain:479

  I left him but had Love vouchsafed to leave for me * Some peace

  in life such leave of him I ne’er had ta’en:

  How long he pleaded for my sake on parting morn, * While down his

  cheeks and mine tears ran in railing rain:

  Allah belie me not: the garb of mine excuse * This parting rent,

  but I will Mend that garb again!

  No couch is easy to my side, nor on such wise * Aught easeth him,

  when all alone without me lain:

  Time with ill omened hand hath wrought between us two, * And made

  my waxing joys to wane and his to wane,

  And poured mere grief and woe, what time Time fain had crowned *

  The bowl he made me drink and gave for him to drain.”

  When he ended his recitation, quoth Taj al-Muluk, “I see thy conduct without consequence; tell me then why weepest thou at the sight of this rag!” When the young merchant heard speak of the piece of linen, he sighed and answered, “O my lord, my story is a strange and my case out of range, with regard to this piece of linen and to her from whom I brought it and to her who wrought on it these figures and emblems.” Hereupon, he spread out the piece of linen, and behold, thereon was the figure of a gazelle wrought in silk and worked with red gold, and facing it was another gazelle traced in silver with a neck ring of red gold and three bugles480 of chrysolite upon the ring. When Taj al-Muluk saw the beauty of these figures, he exclaimed, “Glory be to Allah who teacheth man that which he knoweth not!”481 And his heart yearned to hear the youth’s story; so he said to him, “Tell me thy story with her who owned these gazelles.” Replied the young man: “Hear, O my Lord, the

  Richard Francis Burton’s translation: detailed table of contents