One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  “Ibn Sahl, ho scion of tree abhorr’d! * Rise, meet me in mellay

  and prove thee lord:

  My daughter hast snatched, O thou foul of deed, * And approachest

  me fearing the Lion of the horde.

  Hadst come in honour and fairly sued * I had made her thine own

  with the best accord;

  But this rape hath o’erwhelmed in dishonour foul * Her sire, and

  all bounds thou hast overscor’d.”

  Now when King Al-Mihrjan finished his verse, Yusuf rushed out to him, and cried at him with a terrible cry and a terrifying, and garred his own steed bound upon the battle-plain, where he played with brand and lance until he cast into oblivion every knight, reciting in the meantime the following verses,

  “I am son to Al-Sahl, O of forbears vile! * Come forth and fight

  me sans guile or wile;

  Thou hast hurt my heart; O of deed misdone, * So thou com’st to

  contend with this rank and file.”271

  King Al-Mihrjan re-echoed his war-cry, but hardly had he ended when Yusuf drawing near him answered it with a shout which enquaked his heart and ravished his reason with sore terror, and repeated in reply these couplets,

  “I am not to be titled of forbears vile * O whose ape-like face

  doth the tribe defile!

  Nay, I’m rending lion amid mankind, * A hero in wilds where the

  murks beguile.

  Al-Hayfá befitteth me, only me; * Ho thou whom men for an

  ape272 revile.”

  When Yusuf had ended these words, Al-Mihrjan rushed forth and charged down upon him, and the two drawing nigh each of the foemen set on the other with a mighty onset and a prodigious. They fought in duello and lanced out with lance and smote with sword, and dashed together as they were two ships or two mountains clashing; and they approached and retired, and the dust- cloud arose over them and they disappeared from men’s sight. But hardly had an hour passed by when Yusuf made a final attack upon his enemy and narrowed his course and barred his way and pressed him hard; and, hanging upon his flank, smote him with the scymitar upon the nape of the neck273 and caused his head to fall between his feet, when he slipt from his steed upon the ground, and he lay stone dead and in his gore drowned. Now as soon as the folk looked upon Yusuf and what he had dealt to their King and how he had made his head fly his body and had done him dead, they turned to take flight. Thereupon Yusuf recognised Sahlub the cousin of Al-Hayfa, he who had been the cause of their separation and had roused her wrath against him; so he drew near to him and smote him with the bright shining blade on the right flank, and it came forth gleaming between his left ribs; so he fell to the ground drenched with blood, and he was left prostrate in the dust. And when Yusuf had slain King Al- Mihrjan and Sahlub, his nephew, the Grandees of the realm came around him and greeted him with the salam. — And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

  The Seven Hundredth Night,

  Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the Grandees of King Al-Mihrjan’s reign saw their Sovran slain, they flocked to Prince Yusuf and greeted him, marvelling at his beauty and valour and excellence: then they all agreed to salute him as their Sultan and they raised him to the rank of King and sole ruler over them. Presently they led him with them, and fared seeking the city of Al-Mihrjan until they reached it, when they adorned the streets on the occasion of his coming. And King Yusuf having entered his capital took seat on the throne of his kingship and bade and forbade and deposed and appointed; and lastly freed Mohammed ibn Ibrahim from gaol, and established him his Wazir. Hereupon the new Minister displayed to him the four wives and the hundred concubines of King Al-Mihrjan, also his negro slaves, male and female, whom he found to number two hundred and four hundred. Moreover, he showed his riches and rarities and treasuries wherein were found an hundred boxes full of silk and fine linen, and parcels of pearls and rubies and jacinths and jewels and precious minerals and other wealth in abundance. So he distributed the whole amongst his nobles, and largessed them with excessive largesses; and his partisans of his subjects and his guards flocked to him with presents and offerings; and all the city-folk gave him joy and rejoiced in him. Then he commissioned Ibn Ibrahim to Al-Hayfa, daughter of King Al-Mihrjan, saying, “Do thou bring her hither to me, her and her handmaids and all that be in her palace.” Accordingly he went forth to Al-Hayfa’s Castle, and ceased not wending till he came to its entrance where he discovered that King Yusuf had appointed a craft for the river transport. And when he arrived there and found the vessel afloat he went in to Al-Hayfa and he greeted her. Then he related to her what had betided her sire from Yusuf and how the Prince had slain him after the fashion of what befel; so she cried, “There is no Majesty and no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great; and this was writ in the Book of Life!” Then she asked Ibn Ibrahim touching her mother, and he answered that she was sound and safe in her own home which she had never left nor did any one go in to her; and, (added he) “she expecteth thy coming to her.” Then he bade carry down her impediments and her bondmaids and all the good that was in her Castle until nothing remained, and embarked them upon the craft; and presently, mounting her in a litter of sandal-wood plated with ruddy gold, he set her women in Howdahs;274 and, taking horse himself, he rode until they drew near the city. And when they arrived there he went up to King Yusuf whom he informed of their coming and was told, “Suffer them to be till night shall set in.” Hereupon he took patience, and when came the appointed term Al-Hayfa went up to the Palace. Now as Allah caused the morn to morrow and to light the world with its shine and sheen, King Yusuf sent to summon the Kazi and witnesses and bade them write his writ of marriage with Al-Hayfa and was wedded to her by Book and traditional Usage.275 After this Al-Hayfa sent to fetch her mother and bore her to her home and their joy and enjoyment were great and lasting. Now by the decree of the Decreer anon it befel that the Caliph Al-Maamun waxed strait of breast one night of the nights: so he summoned a certain of his courtiers whose name was Ibrahim the Cup-companion;276 but, as they found him not, he bade bring a man hight Al-Khadí’a, and when he came between his hands quoth he to him, “’Tis a while since I have seen thee here.” Quoth the other, “O Commander of the Faithful, I have been wayfaring about the land of Syria.” Continued the Prince of True Believers, “Do thou this very night broaden the Caliph’s heart with a delectable tale;” and the other rejoined, “O Viceregent of Allah upon Earth, know thou an adventure befel me with a youth named the Veiled Yusuf of Beauty, son to King Sahl, the friendly ruler of Al-Sind, and with Al-Hayfa the daughter of King Al-Mihrjan, and ’tis a tale whose like hath never been heard; no, never.” Hereupon he related to Al-Maamun the history of the two, first and last, adding, “Furthermore, O Commander of the Faithful, I have learnt that Al-Hayfa owneth ten handmaidens whose peers are not to be found in thy Palace, and they are mistresses of all manner instruments of mirth and merriment and other matters; and amongst things said of them by their lady when they marvelled at her good fortune, ‘Verily this day I have acquired half a score of slave- girls the like of which Al-Maamun hath never collected.’” But when the Prince of True Believers heard this he gave ear to the tale anent them during the livelong night till Allah caused the morn to morrow. Then he sent for Ibrahim the Cup-companion, and to him coming into the presence the Viceregent of Allah exclaimed “Mount without stay and de
lay taking with thee one thousand Mamelukes and make thy way to this youth who is King of Al-Sind277 and named ‘The Veiled Yusuf of Beauty,’ and bring me his ten handmaidens. After which do thou ask concerning his case and anent his subjects, whether he be just or unjust to the lieges, and if he be righteous I will robe him in honourable robes and if otherwise do thou bring him to my presence.” Hereupon Ibrahim took leave of the Caliph and went forth at that very time and tide intending for Al-Sind, and he ceased not wending till he arrived there and found Yusuf setting out for the chase. But when the youth saw the host approaching him — And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night, and that was

  The Seven Hundred and Second Night,

  Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that, when Yusuf beheld Ibrahim the Cup-companion, and those in his company, he returned to the city and took them with him; yet he knew not Ibrahim nor did Ibrahim know him. But on entering the capital he was met by his guards and his soldiers who blessed him and prayed for him length of days and permanence of rule wherefor the courtier knew him to be a just King. Yusuf led them to and lodged them in the House of Hospitality; after which returning to his own Palace he sent for Ibrahim and assembled for him a session and received him with the highmost honour that could be, and rose to him and greeted him and embraced him and accompanied him to the sitting-saloon where the twain took their places. Then Yusuf bade summon the ten handmaidens with as many instruments of music; and, sitting down begirt by them, he ordered wine be brought. So they set before him flagons and beakers of chrystal and jewelled cups; and presently pointing to the first of the slave-girls whose name is not recorded, bade her recite somewhat of her pleasantest poetry. So she hent the lute in hand and set it upon her lap and swept it with a light touch and caressed it with her finger-tips and smote it after eleven modes; then she returned to the first278 and recited these couplets,

  “My heart for parting ever burns with lowe; * My lids fiery with

  tear-floods ever flow:

  Ho thou in lover’s loving ferly fair, * Cut is the road for those

  Love gars to glow.

  How many a youth has felt his vitals torn * By slender forms and

  glances forceful prow?

  Alas for lover slain by might of Love; * Nor friend avails nor

  brother true, I trow!”

  When the first handmaiden had finished, Yusuf rejoiced (as did Ibrahim the Cup-companion) with excessive joy and the King bade robe her in a sumptuous robe. Hereupon she drained her cup and passed it to her compeer whose name was Takná, and this second handmaiden taking beaker in hand placed it afore her and hending the lute smote on it with many a mode; then, returning to the first279 while the wits of all were bewildered, she improvised the following verses,

  “Look on the lute that ‘minds of Mangonel; * Whose strings are

  ropes that make each shot to tell:

  And note the pipes that sound with shriek and cry, * The pipes

  that cast a fearful joyful spell;

  Espy the flagons ranged in serried rank * And crops becrowned

  with wine that longs to well.”

  But when Takna had finished her poetry Yusuf and Ibrahim were gladdened and the King bade largesse her with a sumptuous robe and a thousand dinars and she tossed off her cup and passed it to her successor the third handmaiden Mubdi’280 hight. She accepted it and setting it before her took the lute and smote it after manifold fashions and presently she spake these couplets,

  “Love with his painful pine doth rack this frame of me; * Melts

  heart and maims my vitals cruel agony;

  And rail my tears like cloud that rains the largest drops; * And

  fails my hand to find what seek I fain to see:

  Thee I conjure, O Yúsuf, by Him made thee King * O Sahl-son, Oh

  our dearest prop, our dignity,

  This man methinks hath come to part us lovers twain * For in his

  eyes I see the flame of jealousy.”

  And when Mubdi’ had sung her song, Ibrahim the Cup-companion and King Yusuf smiled and rejoiced and anon there befel them what there befel and the two slipt down aswoon; — And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

  The Seven Hundred and Third Night,

  Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup-companion hearing the song sung by Mubdi’, the third handmaiden, both fell to the floor aswoon; and when they revived after an hour or so, Ibrahim largessed to her one thousand dinars and a robe purfled with glistening gold. Then she drained her cup and crowning it again passed it to her compeer whose name was Nasím281 and who took it and set it in front of her. Then hending in hand the lute she played upon it with manifold modes and lastly spake these couplets,

  “O Blamer, blaming me for draining lonely wine, * Stint carping,

  I this day to Holy War incline:

  Oh fair reflection she within her wine-cup shows * Her sight

  makes spirit dullest earthly flesh refine:

  How mention her? By Allah ’tis forbid in writ * To note the

  meaner charms in Eden-garth divine.”

  When the fourth handmaiden had ended her verse, Ibrahim gifted her with one thousand dinars and presented a sumptuous robe to her owner, then she drank off her cup and passed it to her compeer hight Al-Badr282 and she sang the following lines,

  “One robbed of heart amid song and wine * And Love that smiteth

  with babe of eyne:

  His voice to the lute shall make vitals pain * And the wine shall

  heal all his pangs and pine:

  Hast e’er seen the vile drawing near such draught * Or miser

  close-fisted thereto incline?

  The wine is set free in the two-handed jar283 * Like sun of

  summer in Aries’ sign.”

  When she had finished Ibrahim bade reward her like the rest with gold and gear and she passed her cup to her compeer whose name was Radáh.284 The sixth handmaiden drained it and performed in four-and-twenty modes after which she sang these couplets,

  “O thou wine-comrade languor cease to show; * Hand me the morning

  draught and ne’er foreslow;

  And prize fair poesy and sweet musick hear * And shun the ‘say’

  and naught of ‘said’ beknow:

  The wine of day-dawn drunk with joyous throng * From house of

  Reason garreth Grief to go:

  The man of Kays aye loved his wine right well * And from his lips

  made honey’d verse to flow;

  And in like guise285 came Isa singing sweet * For such was

  custom of the long-ago.”

  When Radah ended her verse and her improvising of mysterious significance, and secret, King Yusuf and Ibrahim the Cup- companion tore their robes from their bodies until naught remained upon them s
ave only the bag-breeches about their waists. Then the twain shrieked aloud and at one moment and they fell fainting to the floor, unheeding the world and their own selves from the excess of that was in their heads of wine and hearing of poetry spoken by the slave-girl. They remained in such condition for a while of time, after which they recovered though still amazed, a-drunken. Then they donned other dresses and sat down to listen as before, when Radah drained her goblet and filled and passed it to her compeer whose name was Na’ím;286 and she taking her lute, improvised the following verses,

  “My poesy-gem showeth clear of shine, * When appears that pearl

  with cheek coralline:

  ’Tis marvel the cloud cannot quench the blaze * That fire in the

  heart and this water of eyne!

  Then alas for Love who hath made me woe! * Pine that rends and

  racks limbs and vitals o’ mine:

  O thou Well of Poetry well forth thy gems * O’er our drink when

  our cups overbrim with wine:

  And sing in her presence, for Envy hath fled * And flies jealous

  spite and all joys combine.