One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  “O thou who dost comprise all Beauty’s boons! * O sweet of

  nature, fain of coquetry!

  In Turks and Arabs many beauties dwell; * But, O my fawn, in none

  thy charms I see.

  Turn to thy lover, O my fair, and keep * Thy word, though but in

  visioned phantasy:

  Shame and disgrace are lawful for thy sake * And wakeful nights

  full fill with joy and glee:

  I’m not the first for thee who fared distraught; * Slain by thy

  love how many a many be!

  I am content with thee for worldly share * Dearer than life and

  good art thou to me!”

  When he heard this, he was delighted exceedingly and praised Yunus for his excellent teaching of her and her fair education. Then he bade his servants bring him a roadster with saddle and housings for his riding, and a mule to carry his gear, and said to him, “O Yunus, when it shall reach thee that command hath come to me, do thou join me; and, by Allah, I will fill thy hands with good and advance thee to honour and make thee rich as long as thou livest!” So Yunus said, “I took his goods and went my ways; and when Walid succeeded to the Caliphate, I repaired to him; and by Allah, he kept his promise and entreated me with high honour and munificence. Then I abode with him in all content of case and rise of rank and mine affairs prospered and my wealth increased and goods and farms became mine, such as sufficed me and will suffice my heirs after me; nor did I cease to abide with Walid, till he was slain, the mercy of Almighty Allah be on him!” And men tell a tale concerning

  Richard Francis Burton’s translation: detailed table of contents

  HARUN AL-RASHID AND THE ARAB GIRL.

  The Caliph Harun al-Rashid was walking one day with Ja’afar the Barmecide, when he espied a company of girls drawing water and went up to them, having a mind to drink. As he drew near, one of them turned to her fellows and improvised these lines,

  “Thy phantom bid thou fleet, and fly * Far from the couch whereon

  I lie;

  So I may rest and quench the fire, * Bonfire in bones aye flaming

  high;

  My love-sick form Love’s restless palm * Rolls o’er the rug

  whereon I sigh:

  How ’tis with me thou wottest well * How long, then, union wilt

  deny?”

  The Caliph marvelled at her elegance and eloquence. — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

  When it was the Six Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,

  She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph, hearing the girl’s verses, marvelled at her elegance and eloquence, and said to her, “O daughter of nobles, are these thine own or a quotation?” Replied she, “They are my very own,” and he rejoined, “An thou say sooth keep the sense and change the rhyme.” So she said,

  “Bid thou thy phantom distance keep * And quit this couch the

  while I sleep;

  So I may rest and quench the flames * Through all my body rageful

  creep,

  In love-sick one, whom passion’s palms * Roll o’er the bed where

  grief I weep;

  How ’tis with me thou wottest well; * All but thy union hold I

  cheap!”

  Quoth the Caliph, “This also is stolen”; and quoth she, “Nay, ’tis my very own.” He said, “If it be indeed thine own, change the rhyme again and keep the sense.” So she recited the following,

  “Unto thy phantom deal behest * To shun my couch the while I

  rest,

  So I repose and quench the fire * That burns what lieth in my

  breast,

  My weary form Love’s restless palm * Rolls o’er with boon of

  sleep unblest.

  How ’tis with me thou wottest well * When union’s bought ’tis

  haply best!”

  Quoth Al-Rashid, “This too is stolen”; and quoth she, “Not, so, ’tis mine.” He said, “If thy words be true change the rhyme once more.” And she recited,

  “Drive off the ghost that ever shows * Beside my couch when I’d

  repose,

  So I may rest and quench the fire * Beneath my ribs e’er flames

  and glows

  In love-sick one, whom passion’s palms * Roll o’er the couch

  where weeping flows.

  How ’tis with me thou wottest well * Will union come as union

  goes?”

  Then said the Caliph, “Of what part of this camp art thou?”; and she replied, “Of its middle in dwelling and of its highest in tentpoles.”113 Wherefore he knew that she was the daughter of the tribal chief. “And thou,” quoth she, “of what art thou among the guardians of the horses?”; and quoth he, “Of the highest in tree and of the ripest in fruit.” “Allah protect thee, O Commander of the Faithful!” said she, and kissing ground called down blessings on him. Then she went away with the maidens of the Arabs, and the Caliph said to Ja’afar, “There is no help for it but I take her to wife.” So Ja’afar repaired to her father and said to him, “The Commander of the Faithful hath a mind to thy daughter.” He replied, “With love and goodwill, she is a gift as a handmaid to His Highness our Lord the Commander of the Faithful.” So he equipped her and carried her to the Caliph, who took her to wife and went in to her, and she became of the dearest of his women to him. Furthermore, he bestowed on her father largesse such as succoured him among Arabs, till he was transported to the mercy of Almighty Allah. The Caliph, hearing of his death, went in to her greatly troubled; and, when she saw him looking afflicted, she entered her chamber and doffing all that was upon her of rich raiment, donned mourning apparel and raised lament for her father. It was said to her, “What is the reason of this?”; and she replied, “My father is dead.” So they repaired to the Caliph and told him and he rose and going in to her, asked her who had informed her of her father’s death; and she answered “It was thy face, O Commander of the Faithful!” Said he, “How so?”; and she said, “Since I have been with thee, I never saw thee on such wise till this time, and there was none for whom I feared save my father, by reason of his great age; but may thy head live, O Commander of the Faithful!” The Caliph’s eyes filled with tears and he condoled with her; but she ceased not to mourn for her father, till she followed him — Allah have mercy on the twain! And a tale is also told of

  Richard Francis Burton’s translation: detailed table of contents

  AL-ASMA’I AND THE THREE GIRLS OF BASSORAH.

  The Commander of the Faithful Harun Al-Rashid was exceeding restless one night and rising from his bed, paced from chamber to chamber, but could not compose himself to sleep. As soon as it was day, he said, “Fetch me Al-Asma’i!”114 So the eunuch went out and told the doorkeepers; these sent for the poet and when he came, informed the Caliph who bade admit him and said to him, “O Asma’i, I wish thee to tell me the best thou hast heard of stories of women and their verses.” Answered Al-Asma’i, “Hearkening and obedience! I have heard great store of women’s verses; but none pleased me save three sets of couplets I once heard from three girls.” — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

  When it was the Six Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night,

  She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Al- Asma’i said to the Prince of True Believers, “Verily I have heard much, but nothing pleased me save three sets of couplets improvised by as many girls.” Quoth the Caliph, “Tell me of them,” and quoth he, “Know then, O Commander of the Faithful, that I once abode in Bassorah, and one day, as I was walking, the heat was sore upon me and I sought for a siesta-place but found none. However by looking right and left I came upon a porch swept and sprinkled, at the upper end whereof was a wooden bench under an open lattice-window, whence exhaled a scent of musk. I entered the porch and sitting down on the bench, would have stretcht me at full length when I heard from within a girl’s sweet voice talking and saying, ‘O my sisters, we are here
seated to spend our day in friendly converse; so come, let us each put down an hundred dinars and recite a line of verse; and whoso extemporiseth the goodliest and sweetest line, the three hundred dinars shall be hers.’ ‘With love and gladness,’ said the others; and the eldest recited the first couplet which is this,

  ‘Would he come to my bed during sleep ‘twere delight * But a visit on wake were delightsomer sight!’

  Quoth the second,

  ‘Naught came to salute me in sleep save his shade * But ‘welcome, fair welcome,’ I cried to the spright!’

  Then said the youngest,

  ‘My soul and my folk I engage for the youth * Musk-scented I see in my bed every night!’

  Quoth I, ‘An she be fair as her verse hath grace, the thing is complete in every case.’ Then I came down from my bench115 and was about to go away, when behold, the door opened and out came a slave-girl, who said to me, ‘Sit, O Shaykh!’ So I climbed up and sat down again when she gave me a scroll, wherein was written, in characters of the utmost beauty, with straight Alifs,116 big-bellied Hás and rounded Waws, the following, ‘We would have the Shaykh (Allah lengthen his days!) to know that we are three maidens, sisters, sitting in friendly converse, who have laid down each an hundred dinars, conditioning that whoso recite the goodliest and sweetest couplet shall have the whole three hundred dinars; and we appoint thee umpire between us: so decide as thou seest best, and the Peace be on thee! Quoth I to the girl, ‘Here to me inkcase and paper.’ So she went in and, returning after a little, brought me a silvered inkcase and gilded pens117 with which I wrote these couplets,

  They talked of three beauties whose converse was quite * Like the

  talk of a man with experience dight:

  Three maidens who borrowed the bloom of the dawn * Making

  hearts of their lovers in sorriest plight.

  They were hidden from eyes of the prier and spy * Who

  slept and their modesty mote not affright;

  So they opened whatever lay hid in their hearts * And in

  frolicsome fun began verse to indite.

  Quoth one fair coquette with her amorous grace * Whose

  teeth for the sweet of her speech flashèd bright: —

  Would he come to my bed during sleep ‘twere delight * But a

  visit on wake were delightsomer sight!

  When she ended, her verse by her smiling was gilt: * Then

  the second ‘gan singing as nightingale might: —

  Naught came to salute me in sleep save his shade * But

  ‘welcome, fair welcome,’ I cried to the spright!

  But the third I preferred for she said in reply, * With

  expression most apposite, exquisite: —

  My soul and my folk I engage for the youth * Musk-

  scented I see in my bed every night!

  So when I considered their words to decide, * And not

  make me the mock of the cynical wight;

  I pronounced for the youngest, declaring her verse * Of all

  verses be that which is nearest the right.’

  Then I gave scroll to the slave-girl, who went upstairs with it, and behold, I heard a noise of dancing and clapping of hands and Doomsday astir. Quoth I to myself, ‘’Tis no time of me to stay here.’ So I came down from the platform and was about to go away, when the damsel cried out to me, ‘Sit down, O Asma’i!’ Asked I, ‘Who gave thee to know that I was Al-Asma’i?’ and she answered, ‘O Shaykh, an thy name be unknown to us, thy poetry is not!’ So I sat down again and suddently the door opened and out came the first damsel, with a dish of fruits and another of sweetmeats. I ate of both and praised their fashion and would have ganged my gait; but she cried out, ‘Sit down, O Asma’i!’ Wherewith I raised my eyes to her and saw a rosy palm in a saffron sleeve, meseemed it was the full moon rising splendid in the cloudy East. Then she threw me a purse containing three hundred dinars and said to me, ‘This is mine and I give it to thee by way of douceur in requital of thy judgment.’” Quoth the Caliph, “Why didst thou decide for the youngest?” and quoth Al-Asma’i, “O Commander of the Faithful, whose life Allah prolong! the eldest said, ‘I should delight in him, if he visited my couch in sleep.’ Now this is restricted and dependent upon a condition which may befal or may not befal; whilst, for the second, an image of dreams came to her in sleep, and she saluted it; but the youngest’s couplet said that she actually lay with her lover and smelt his breath sweeter than musk and she engaged her soul and her folk for him, which she had not done, were he not dearer to her than her sprite.” Said the Caliph, “Thou didst well, O Asma’i.” and gave him other three hundred ducats in payment of his story. And I have heard a tale concerning

  Richard Francis Burton’s translation: detailed table of contents

  IBRAHIM OF MOSUL AND THE DEVIL.118

  Quoth Abu Ishak Ibrahim al-Mausili: — I asked Al-Rashid once to give me a day’s leave that I might be private with the people of my household and my brethren, and he gave me leave for Saturday the Sabbath. So I went home and betook myself to making ready meat and drink and other necessaires and bade the doorkeepers shut the doors and let none come in to me. However, presently, as I sat in my sitting-chamber, with my women who were looking after my wants, behold, there appeared an old man of comely and reverend aspect,119 clad in white clothes and a shirt of fine stuff with a doctor’s turband on his head and a silver- handled staff in his hand, and the house and porch were full of the perfumes wherewith he was scented. I was greatly vexed at his coming in to me and thought to turn away the doorkeepers; but he saluted me after the goodliest fashion and I returned his greeting and bade him be seated. So he sat down and began entertaining me with stories of the Arabs and their verses, till my anger left me and methought my servants had sought to pleasure me by admitting a man of such good breeding and fine culture. Then I asked him, “Art thou for meat?”; and he answered, “I have no need of it.” “And for drink?” quoth I, and quoth he, “That is as thou wilt.” So I drank off a pint of wine and poured him out the like. Then said he, “O Abu Ishak, wilt thou sing us somewhat, so we may hear of thine art that wherein thou excellest high and low?” His words angered me; but I swallowed my anger and taking the lute played and sang. “Well done, O Abu Ishak!”120 said he; whereat my wrath redoubled and I said to myself, “Is it not enough that he should intrude upon me, without my leave, and importune me thus, but he must call me by name, as though he knew not the right way to address me?” Quoth he, “An thou wilt sing something more we will requite thee.” I dissembled my annoyance and took the lute and sang again, taking pains with what I sang and rising thereto altogether, in consideration of his saying, “We will requite thee.” — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

  When it was the Six Hundred and Eighty-eighth Night,

  She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Shaykh said to Abu Ishak, “If thou wilt sing something more we will requite thee,” I dissembled my annoyance (continued Ibrahim) and, taking the lute, sang again with great attention to my singing and rising altogether thereto, in consideration of his saying, “We will requite thee.” He was delighted, and cried, “Well done, O my lord!”; presently adding, “Dost thou give me leave to sing?” “As thou wilt,” answered I, deeming him weak of wit, in that he should think to sing in my presence, after that which he had heard from me. So he took the lute and swept the strings, and by Allah, I fancied they spoke in Arabic tongue, with a sweet and liquid and murmurous voice; then he began and sang these couplets,

  “I bear a hurt heart, who will sell me for this * A heart whole

  and free from all canker and smart?

  Nay, none will consent or to barter or buy * Such loss, ne’er

  from sorrow and sickness to part:

  I groan wi’ the groaning of wine-wounded men * And pine for the

  pining ne’er freeth my heart.”

  And by Allah, meseemed the doors and the walls and all that was
in the house answered and sang with him, for the beauty of his voice, so that I fancied my very limbs and clothes replied to him, and I abode amazed and unable to speak or move, for the trouble of my heart. Then he sang these couplets,

  “Culvers of Liwa!121 to your nests return; * Your mournful

  voices thrill this heart of mine.

  Then back a-copse they flew, and well-nigh took * My life and

  made me tell my secret pine.

  With cooing call they one who’s gone, as though * Their breasts

  were maddened with the rage of wine:

  Ne’er did mine eyes their like for culvers see * Who weep yet

  tear-drops never dye their eyne.”

  And also these couplets,

  “O Zephyr of Najd, when from Najd thou blow, * Thy breathings

  heap only new woe on woe!

  The turtle bespake me in bloom of morn * From the cassia-twig and

  the willow-bough

  She moaned with the moaning of love-sick youth * And exposed

  love-secret I ne’er would show:

  They say lover wearies of love when near * And is cured of love

  an afar he go:

  I tried either cure which ne’er cured my love; * But that

  nearness is better than farness I know:122

  Yet, — the nearness of love shall no ‘vantage prove * An whoso

  thou lovest deny thee of love.”

  Then said he, “O Ibrahim, sing this song after me, and preserving the mode thereof in thy singing, teach it to thy slave-girls.” Quoth I, “Repeat it to me.” But he answered, “There needs no repetition; thou hast it by heart nor is there more to learn.” Then he suddenly vanished from my sight. At this I was amazed and running to my sword drew it and made for the door of the Harim, but found it closed and said to the women, “What have ye heard?” Quoth they, “We have heard the sweetest of singing and the goodliest.” Then I went forth amazed, to the house-door and, finding it locked, questioned the doorkeepers of the old man. They replied, “What old man? By Allah, no one hath gone in to thee this day!” So I returned pondering the matter, when, behold, there arose from one of the corners of the house, a Vox et praeterea nihil, saying, “O Abu Ishak, no harm shall befal thee. ’Tis I, Abú Murrah,123 who have been thy cup-companion this day, so fear nothing!” Then I mounted and rode to the palace, where I told Al-Rashid what had passed, and he said, “Repeat to me the airs thou heardest from him.” So I took the lute and played and sang them to him; for, behold, they were rooted in my heart. The Caliph was charmed with them and drank thereto, albeit he was no confirmed wine-bibber, saying, “Would he would some day pleasure us with his company, as he hath pleasured thee!”124 Then he ordered me a present and I took it and went away. And men relate this story anent