One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  ‘Fire is cooler than fires in my breast, * Rock is softer than

  heart of my lord

  Marvel I that he’s formиd to hold * In water soft frame heart

  rock-hard!’

  Said I to her, ‘Repeat the couplets and the air!’ But she would not:’” — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

  When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that “Jubayr continued, ‘So cried I to her, Repeat the couplets and the air!’ But she would not; whereupon I bade the boatmen pelt her with oranges, and they pelted her till we feared her boat would founder Then she went her way, and this is how the love was transferred from her heart to mine.’ So I wished them joy of their union and, taking the purse with its contents, I returned to Baghdad.” Now when the Caliph heard Ibn Mansur’s story his heart was lightened and the restlessness and oppression from which he suffered forsook him. And they also tell the tale of

  Richard Francis Burton’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE MAN OF AI-YAMAN AND HIS SIX SlAVE-GIRLS.

  The Caliph Al-Maamun was sitting one day in his palace, surrounded by his Lords of the realm and Officers of state, and there were present also before him all his poets and cup- companions amongst the rest one named Mohammed of Bassorah. Presently the Caliph turned and said to him, “O Mohammed, I wish thee forthwith to tell me something that I have never before heard.” He replied, “O Commander of the Faithful, dost thou wish me to tell thee a thing I have heard with my ears or a thing I have seen with my eyes?” Quoth Al-Maamun, “Tell me whichever is the rarer; so Mohammed al-Basri began: “Know, then, O Commander of the Faithful that there lived once upon a time wealthy man, who was a native of Al-Yaman;but he emigrated from his native land and came to this city of Baghdad, whose sojourn so pleased him that he transported hither his family and possessions. Now he had six slave-girls, like moons one and all; the first white, the second brown, the third fat, the fourth lean, the fifth yellow and the sixth lamp-black; and all six were comely of countenance and perfect in accomplishments and skilled in the arts of singing and playing upon musical-instruments. Now it so chanced that, one day, he sent for the girls and called for meat and wine; and they ate and drank and were mirthful and made merry Then he filled the cup and, taking it in his hand, said to the blonde girl, ‘O new moon face, let us hear somewhat of thy pleasant songs.’ So she took the lute and tuning it, made music thereon with such sweet melody that the place danced with glee; after which she played a lively measure and sang these couplets,

  ‘I have a friend, whose form is fixed within mine eyes,349 *

  Whose name deep buried in my very vitals lies:

  Whenas remembers him my mind all heart am I, * And when on him my

  gaze is turned I am all eyes.

  My censor saith, ‘Forswear, forget, the love of him,’ * ‘Whatso

  is not to be, how shall’s be?’ My reply is.

  Quoth I, ‘O Censor mine, go forth from me, avaunt! * And make not

  light of that on humans heavy lies.’

  Hereat their master rejoiced and, drinking off his cup, gave the damsels to drink, after which he said to the berry-brown girl, ‘O brasier-light350 and joy of the sprite, let us hear thy lovely voice, whereby all that hearken are ravished with delight.’ So she took the lute and thereon made harmony till the place was moved to glee; then, captivating all hearts with her graceful swaying, she sang these couplets,

  ‘I swear by that fair face’s life, I’ll love but thee * Till

  death us part, nor other love but thine I’ll see:

  O full moon, with thy loveliness mantilla’d o’er, * The loveliest

  of our earth beneath thy banner be:

  Thou, who surpassest all the fair in pleasantness * May Allah,

  Lord of worlds, be everywhere with thee!’

  The master rejoiced and drank off his cup and gave the girls to drink; after which he filled again; and, taking the goblet in his hand, signed to the fat girl and bade her sing and play a different motive. So she took the lute and striking a grief- dispelling measure, sang these couplets,

  ‘An thou but deign consent, O wish to heart affied! * I care not

  wrath and rage to all mankind betide.

  And if thou show that fairest face which gives me life, * I reck

  not an dimimshed heads the Kings go hide.

  I seek thy favours only from this ‘versal-world: * O thou in whom

  all beauty cloth firm-fixt abide!’

  The man rejoiced and, emptying his cup, gave the girls to drink. Then he signed to the thin girl and said to her, ‘O Houri of Paradise, feed thou our ears with sweet words and sounds.’ So she took the lute; and, tuning it, preluded and sang these two couplets,

  ‘Say me, on Allah’s path351 hast death not dealt to me, *

  Turning from me while I to thee turn patiently:

  Say me, is there no judge of Love to judge us twain, * And do me

  justice wronged, mine enemy, by thee?’

  Their lord rejoiced and, emptying the cup, gave the girls to drink. Then filling another he signed to the yellow girl and said to her, O sun of the day, let us hear some nice verses.’ So she took the lute and, preluding after the goodliest fashion, sang these couplets,

  ‘I have a lover and when drawing him, * He draws on me a sword-

  blade glancing grim:

  Allah avenge some little of his wrongs, * Who holds my heart yet

  wreaks o erbearing whim

  Oft though I say, ‘Renounce him, heart!’ yet heart * Will to none

  other turn excepting him.

  He is my wish and will of all men, but * Fate’s envious hand to

  me’s aye grudging him.’

  The master rejoiced and drank and gave the girls to drink; then he filled the cup and taking it in hand, signed to the black girl, saying, ‘O pupil of the eye, let us have a taste of thy quality, though it be but two words.’ So she took the lute and tuning it and tightening the strings, preluded in various modes, then returned to the first and sang to a lively air these couplets,

  ‘Ho ye, mine eyes, let prodigal-tears go free; * This ecstasy

  would see my being unbe:352

  All ecstasies I dreefor sake of friend * I fondle, maugre

  enviers’ jealousy:

  Censors forbid me from his rosy cheek, * Yet e’er inclines my

  heart to rosery:

  Cups of pure wine, time was, went circuiting * In joy, what time

  the lute sang melody,

  While kept his troth the friend who madded me, * Yet made me

  rising star of bliss to see:

  But — with Time, turned he not by sin of mine; * Than such a turn

  can aught more bitter be?

  Upon his cheek there grows and glows a rose, * Nay two, whereof

  grant Allah one to me!

  An were prostration353 by our law allowed * To aught but

  Allah, at his feet I had bowed.’

  Thereupon rose the six girls and, kissing the ground before their lord, said to him, ‘Do thou justice between us, O our lord!’ So he looked at their beauty and loveliness and the contrast of their colours and praised Almighty Allah and glorified Him. Then said he, ‘There is none of you but hath learnt the Koran by heart, and mastered the musical-art and is versed in the chronicles’ of yore and the doings of peoples which have gone before; so it is my desire that each one of you rise and, pointing finger at her opposite, praise herself and dispraise her co-concubine; that is to: say, let the blonde point to the brunette, the plump to the slenderer and the yellow to the black girl; after which the rivals, each in her turn, shall do the like with the former; and be this illustrated with citations from Holy Writ and somewhat of anecdotes and,; verse, so as to show forth your fine breeding and elegance of your pleading.’ And they answered him, ‘We hear and we obey!;” — And Shahrazad perceived the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

  When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the handmaids answered the man of Al-Yaman, “‘We hear and we obey!’ Accordingly the blonde rose first and, pointing at the black girl, said to her: ‘Out on thee, blackamoor! It is told by tradition that whiteness saith, ‘I am the shining light, I am the rising moon of the fourteenth night. My hue is patent and my brow is resplendent and of my beauty quoth the poet,’

  ‘White girl with softly rounded polished cheeks * As if a pearl

  concealed by Beauty’s boon:

  Her stature Alif-like;354 her smile like Mнm355 * And

  o’er her eyes two brows that bend like Nъn.356

  ’Tis as her glance were arrow, and her brows * Bows ever bent to

  shoot Death-dart eftsoon:

  If cheek and shape thou view, there shalt thou find * Rose,

  myrtle, basil and Narcissus wone.

  Men wont in gardens plant and set the branch, * How many garths

  thy stature-branch cloth own!’

  ‘So my colour is like the hale and healthy day and the newly culled orange spray and the star of sparkling ray;357 and indeed quoth Almighty Allah, in His precious Book, to his prophet Moses (on whom be peace!), Put thy hand into thy bosom; it shall come forth white, without hurt.’358 And again He saith, But they whose faces shall become white, shall be in the mercy of Allah; therein shall they remain forever.’359 My colour is a sign, a miracle, and my loveliness supreme and my beauty a term extreme. It is on the like of me that raiment showeth fair and fine and to the like of me that hearts incline. Moreover, in whiteness are many excellences; for instance, the snow falleth white from heaven, and it is traditional-that the beautifullest of a colours white. The Moslems also glory in white turbands, but I should be tedious, were I to tell all that may be told in praise of white; little and enough is better than too much of unfilling stuff. So now I will begin with thy dispraise, O black, O colour of ink and blacksmith’s dust, thou whose face is like the raven which bringeth about the parting of lovers. Verily, the poet saith in praise of white and blame of black,

  ‘Seest not that pearls are prized for milky hue, * But with a

  dirham buy we coals in load?

  And while white faces enter Paradise, * Black faces crowd

  Gehenna’s black abode.’

  And indeed it is told in certain histories, related on the authority of devout men, that Noah (on whom be peace!) was sleeping one day, with his sons Cham and Shem seated at his head, when a wind sprang up and, lifting his clothes, uncovered his nakedness; whereat Cham looked and laughed and did not cover him: but Shem arose and covered him. Presently, their sire awoke and learning, what had been done by his sons, blessed Shem and cursed Cham. So Shem’s face was whitened and from him sprang the prophets and the orthodox Caliphs and Kings; whilst Cham’s face was blackened and he fled forth to the land of Abyssinia, and of his lineage came the blacks.360 All people are of one mind in affirming the lack of understanding of the blacks, even as saith the adage, ‘How shall one find a black with a mind?’ Quoth her master, ‘Sit thee down, thou hast given us sufficient and even excess.’ Thereupon he signed to the negress, who rose and, pointing her finger at the blonde, said: Dost thou not know that in the Koran sent down to His prophet and apostle, is transmitted the saying of God the Most High, ‘By the night when it covereth all things with darkness; by the day when it shineth forth!’361 If the night were not the more illustrious, verily Allah had not sworn by it nor had given it precedence of the day. And indeed all men of wit and wisdom accept this. Knowest thou not that black is the ornament of youth and that, when hoariness descendeth upon the head, delights pass away and the hour of death draweth in sight? Were not black the most illustrious of things, Allah had not set it in the core of the heart362 and the pupil of the eye; and how excellent is the saying of the poet,

  ‘I love not black girls but because they show * Youth’s colour,

  tinct of eye and heartcore’s hue;

  Nor are in error who unlove the white, * And hoary hairs and

  winding-sheet eschew.’

  And that said of another,

  ‘Black363 girls, not white, are they * All worthy love I

  see:

  Black girls wear dark-brown lips;364 * Whites, blotch of

  leprosy.’

  And of a third,

  ‘Black girls in acts are white, and ’tis as though * Like eyes,

  with purest shine and sheen they show;

  If I go daft for her, be not amazed; * Black bile365 drives

  melancholic-mad we know

  ’Tis as my colour were the noon of night; * For all no moon it

  be, its splendours glow.

  Moreover, is the foregathering of lovers good but in the night? Let this quality and profit suffice thee. What protecteth lovers from spies and censors like the blackness of night’s darkness; and what causeth them to fear discovery like the whiteness of the dawn’s brightness? So, how many claims to honour are there not in blackness and how excellent is the saying of the poet,

  ‘I visit them, and night-black lendeth aid to me * Seconding love, but dawn-white is mine enemy.’

  And that of another,

  ‘How many a night I’ve passed with the beloved of me, * While

  gloom with dusky tresses veilиd our desires:

  But when the morn-light showed it caused me sad affright; * And I

  to Morning said, ‘Who worship light are liars!’366

  And saith a third,

  ‘He came to see me, hiding neath the skirt of night, * Hasting

  his steps as wended he in cautious plight.

  I rose and spread my cheek upon his path like rug, * Abject, and

  trailed my skirt to hide it from his sight;

  But rose the crescent moon and strave its best to show * The

  world our loves like nail-slice raying radiant

  light:367

  Then what befel befel: I need not aught describe; * But think thy

  best, and ask me naught of wrong or right.

  Meet not thy lover save at night for fear of slander * The Sun’s

  a tittle-tattler and the Moon’s a pander.’

  And a fifth,

  ‘I love not white girls blown with fat who puff and pant; * The

  maid for me is young brunette embonpoint-scant.

  I’d rather ride a colt that’s darn upon the day * Of race, and

  set my friends upon the elephant.’

  And a sixth,

  My lover came to me one night, * And clips we both with fond

  embrace;

  And lay together till we saw * The morning come with swiftest

  pace.

  Now I pray Allah and my Lord * To reunite us of His grace

  And make night last me long as he * Lies in the arms that tightly

  lace.’

  Were I to set forth all the praises of blackness, my tale would be tedious; but little and enough is better than too much of unfilling stuff. As for thee, O blonde, thy colour is that of leprosy and thine embrace is suffocation;368 and it is of report that hoar-frost and icy cold369 are in Gehenna for the torment of the wicked. Again, of things black and excellent is ink, wherewith is written Allah’s word; and were it not for black ambergris and black musk, there would be no perfumes to carry to Kings. How many glories I may not mention dwell in blackness, and how well saith the poet,

  ‘Seest not that musk, the nut brown musk, e’er claims the highest

  price * Whilst for a load of whitest lime none more than

  dirham bids?

  And while white speck upon the eye deforms the loveliest youth, *

  Black eyes discharge the sharpest shafts in lashes from

  their lids.’

  Quoth her master, ‘Sit thee down: this much sufficeth.’ So she sat down and he signed to the fat girl, who rose” — And Shahrazad perce
ived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

  When it was the Three Hundred and Thirty-sixth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that “the man of Al-Yaman, the master of the handmaids, signed to the fat girl who rose and, pointing her finger at the slim girl, bared her calves and wrists and uncovered her stomach, showing its dimples and the plump rondure of her navel. Then she donned a shift of fine stuff, that exposed her whole body, and said: ‘Praised be Allah who created me, for that He beautified my face and made me fat and fair of the fattest and fairest; and likened me to branches laden with fruit, and bestowed upon me abounding beauty and brightness: and praised be He no less, for that He hath given me the precedence and honoured me, when He mentioneth me in His holy Book! Quoth the Most High, ‘And he brought a fatted calf.’370 And He hath made me like unto a vergier full of peaches and pomegranates. In very sooth even as the townsfolk long for fat birds and eat of them and love not lean birds, so do the sons of Adam desire fat meat and eat of it. How many vauntful attributes are there not in fatness, and how well saith the poet,

  ‘Farewell thy love, for see, the Cafilah’s371 on the move: *

  O man, canst bear to say adieu and leave thy love?

  ’Tis as her going were to seek her neighbour’s tent, * The gait

  of fat fair maid, whom hearts shall all approve.’

  Sawest thou ever one stand before a flesher’s stall but sought of him fat flesh? The wise say, ‘Joyance is in three things, eating meat and riding meat and putting meat into meat.’372 As for thee, O thin one, thy calves are like the shanks of sparrows or the pokers of furnaces; and thou art a cruciform plank of a piece of flesh poor and rank; there is naught in thee to gladden the heart; even as saith the poet,

  ‘With Allah take I refuge from whatever driveth me * To bed with

  one like footrasp373 or the roughest ropery:

  In every limb she hath a horn that butteth me whene’er * I fain