‘We went on by stages, passing cities and towns, until I got back home. I made for the house of my mother, who was a good old woman enjoying a prosperous life. I knocked at the door, and she came out and said: “Who are you?” “Your son,” I told her. She embraced me, and I entered the house with ‘Arus. My mother asked: “Who is this beautiful lady?” I said: “Mother, give thanks to God. This is my rescuer, and it is thanks to her that I am looking at you.” I then told her the story, keeping back all ‘Arus’s misdeeds. My mother approved of her, recognizing her value and doing all she could for her.
‘I then put on my own clothes and went to my own house in which was my wife with the son whom I had left when he was one year old. They had not noticed me before I knocked at the door, and my three-year-old son came out, and I embraced him joyfully. My wife gave me the best of welcomes, and when people heard, they started to come and greet me.
After ten days of rest, I wanted to do some business with the king of the city so that I might become one of his agents, as I had made up my mind never to put to sea again. I had decided to spend one day with my first wife and the next with ‘Arus, whom I had married when I came back to my mother. In this way we passed five pleasant months.
‘Then one night I thought about what ‘Arus had told me and what she had done, and this made me feel disgust for her. As a result I began to avoid her, spending only one night in ten with her and turning to my first wife and my son. When ‘Arus noticed this she went to my mother and told her that I was not keeping faith with her or repaying her for what she had done with me, and that she did not know why this was. My mother kept this to herself and did not tell me about it.
‘As Providence had decreed, the only child of the king of my city was a beautiful girl of whom he was very fond. She was attacked by an illness which led her to eat the flesh of her own arms, as a result of which he kept her in chains. There was no doctor or sorcerer who did not visit her, but none of them knew how to cure her or could do her any good. He was so distressed that he kept away from all his subjects, both high and low, because of his concern for her, and I shared his sorrow.
‘My mother came to see me one evening to cheer me by her conversation and she began to talk to me about ‘Arus, blaming me for my behaviour and asking why I was not going to see her every day. She told me that this was having a bad effect on her and leading her to complain thanks to the love she felt for me. “Is this the way you reward her for the good that she did?” she asked.
‘She went on talking about this until I told her that I had not given up going to her because of harshness or hatred, as she was still dear to me, but because I was preoccupied with the sorrows of the king. My mother repeated this to ‘Arus, who told her to tell me that she had an instant cure for the princess and were she to visit her she could cure her, and the king would honour and promote me. I remembered the drugs that she had and I went to ask her whether what she had told my mother was true. “Yes,” she said, “so take me to the palace and tell this to the king, for I will treat the princess and cure her at once.”
‘I went off filled with happiness and, after asking permission, I was allowed to speak to the king, whom I told that I had with me someone who could cure his daughter. He said that if this was true he would raise me to the highest rank and give me anything in the world that I wanted. He then told me to produce this doctor quickly, and I went back home and told ‘Arus to dress and come with me.
‘She did this, and I took her to the king, who went up to her and asked if what I had told him was true. “Yes, O king,” she said, “and you can be happy to know that I will cure your daughter.” He was delighted and told her to go to the princess, whose maids gave her the warmest of welcomes.
‘For my part, I stayed with the king, but when ‘Arus entered the palace I began to regret having brought her to the princess, asking myself: “Has this damned woman ever helped anyone that she should help me?” I began to tremble with fear, feeling in my heart that there was something wrong. I wanted to tell the king to remove her, but I was afraid that if I did he might be angry with me.
‘A curtain separated the king’s assembly room from the place where his daughter was, and we could hear all that was going on. We heard ‘Arus chanting spells over the princess, using words that we did not know and could not understand, while the maids who were there with her were weeping. As soon as ‘Arus had finished, the princess quietened down and then fell into a soundless sleep, although before that she had not been able to rest or to sleep for a single hour. All her attendants were delighted, as was the king when the good news reached him. He ordered that I be given a reward and presented me with a splendid robe of honour as well as a great quantity of money.
‘When ‘Arus was about to leave, she passed a sealed packet to the princess’s mother and said: “Your daughter is asleep just now, and I shall come back tomorrow with another spell. Meanwhile, as she sleeps, anoint each of her eyes with a single touch of what is in this packet, and if you want to use it yourself, you will find it helpful.”
‘When I heard this from the other side of the curtain, I thought of the bird dung that she had with her which would produce blindness, and I swore to myself that this must be what she was going to do. I wanted to tell the king but I felt something stopping me and shutting my mouth. I tried to delude myself into thinking that this might be something else, as why should she do this when there was no hostility between the princess and her? I did not really think she would use the dung, but I still remained frightened.
‘When ‘Arus came out the king gave her a robe of honour and promised to reward her when his daughter had fully recovered. She left before me, as I stayed for a time with the king before returning home. I was met by my mother, who asked me about ‘Arus. “Hasn’t she come?” I said. “No, by God,” said my mother. “I haven’t seen her.” I told her to go and look, as I was troubled, and her attention might have been distracted by looking at people on her way home. When I searched and still could not find her I passed a wretched night filled with concern.
‘Next morning I went to my mother’s apartment and asked her about ‘Arus. “I’ve not set eyes on her since she left me yesterday,” she said, and I told her that this disappearance meant no good. Then suddenly, while I was there, twenty servants with clubs in their hands broke down the door and said: “The king wants you.”
‘My heart stood still; my wits deserted me, and I was sure that this was the end. I went with them like a dead man, despairing of life because ‘Arus had gone. I then heard them whispering to each other and asking whether they had anything left of that ointment that produces blindness. When I heard this, I was sure that the princess and her mother had both been blinded.
‘They brought me to the king, who was sitting on his throne with a drawn sword in one hand with the other held to his cheek. He and all those around him were weeping and showing obvious signs of distress. When I stood before him he looked at me, as I was trembling like a palm leaf on a stormy day. “Damn you!” he said to me; “what led you to bring me a woman whom you claimed would be able to cure my daughter? Thanks to her both my daughter and her mother have been blinded. Why did you do this when I had shown you no hostility for which you might have wanted to repay me?” “By God Almighty,” I told him, “I only wanted the princess to be cured, and this is what the woman told me she could do.” I wanted to tell him about ‘Arus, but he would not let me speak and told me to fetch her immediately or he would have me killed and burned.
‘He put ten of his men in charge of me, and for three days I went around the city without finding any trace of her. His men took me back to him and told him how eager I had been to get hold of her. He ordered my eyes to be plucked out, and when they started with my right eye I cried for help and told him the story of ‘Arus from beginning to end. When they heard it his courtiers asked him to show me mercy, and he allowed me to keep my left eye but sent out to seize all the wealth and property that I owned, ordering me to leave
the city at once.
‘I left with my mother, my wife and my son, and we went through various towns begging until we got to a large and populous city, where we sheltered for the night in a mosque, hungry, tired and in a miserable condition. Next morning we went out to beg, and people helped us with alms until we were able to rent a house in which to live.
‘One day my mother went on some errand to the market, where unexpectedly she came across the damned ‘Arus, who was in the best and most prosperous of states. On seeing my mother she greeted her tearfully and started to kiss her hands, but my mother kept her distance and said: “Damn you, you repaid us by ruining us and reducing us to poverty.” “I made a mistake with that drug,” ‘Arus said, “and I fled away for fear of the king, but I didn’t do it on purpose. Tell me what happened to you after that and how your son escaped from the king. My only concern has been for him.”
‘My mother believed her and accepted her excuse. “The king had my son’s right eye plucked out,” she told her, “but the courtiers interceded for him, and the king let him go free, although he took all our wealth and exiled us. We have just arrived here without any worldly possessions at all.” ‘Arus slapped herself on the face, showing all the signs of sorrow, and she then took my mother to her own house, showing her goods, wealth and obvious signs of prosperity and telling her: “You can be happy as all this belongs to your son, so arrange for us to meet. You know how much I love him. What happened was decreed by Providence, and God will reward him and give him a greater return. I have more jewels and pearls than any king can collect and I shall spend all this on you.”
‘She provided food for my mother who ate, and she went on talking until my mother was reconciled with her and kissed her head. My mother then came to me and told me that she had been with ‘Arus. “I met her,” she said, “and she greeted me and treated me hospitably.” “May God not give her life or bring her near me!” I exclaimed, but my mother said: “God has brought her near, and she did nothing wrong. She swore to me that the mistake she made with the drug was unintentional, and this is something natural to us all. She loves you and sorrows for you, while all the wealth that she has is at your disposal.” “This is some new trick of hers,” I said. “Leave her, mother, may God curse her, for I’m afraid of her evil wiles and her treachery.” “Shame the devil; accept what I say and don’t disobey me,” she replied.
‘She went on at me until I was made to turn to ‘Arus. When she caught sight of me she got up and made a display of love and compassion, promising me all manner of good things, giving me splendid clothes and providing me with money. I stayed with her for a time, enjoying the most pleasant of lives.
‘One night ‘Arus approached my mother and said: “The king of this city is a prosperous man, and I hear that he has a daughter who is both beautiful and generous. He is so jealous of her reputation that he has given her a palace of her own, with nobody there but the maids who look after her. I think that you should take these pearls and ask her to accept them from you, as, if she likes them, she will give you many times more than they are worth. Things are not easy for us, as your son has no work, and we have expenses but no income.”
‘My mother was pleased by this and took ten pearls, which she asked one of the princess’s ladies to take to her, saying that they had come as a gift. She continued to show such courtesy that she was taken to the princess, whom she told that she had seen no one else who deserved to have the pearls and asking her to accept them, which she did. My mother then stayed with her until the end of the day, amazing her with tales of the wonders of the seas. The princess told her to come back and visit her every day. My mother did this and would bring us back food and drink so that we lived well.
‘Every day ‘Arus would pass on a story to her, which she would tell to the princess as they talked in the evening. Then one day ‘Arus asked my mother to let her go there herself, saying that the princess would be impressed by her stories and be even more generous to them. “Mention me to her,” she said, and when my mother had done this the princess asked her to bring ‘Arus. ‘Arus then began to entertain her with tales of wonders and marvels, that were better than those my mother could tell, and these so captivated her that ‘Arus would stay with her all through the day.
‘One day the princess told her that as night was the pleasantest time for conversation she should spend it with her. ‘Arus said: “Lady, I have a husband whom I love dearly and I cannot bear to be parted from him for a single hour. If you want me to spend the night with you, then let me bring him with me disguised as a woman and put him in a side room. Then I can sit and talk with you and when you go to sleep I can sleep with him.”
‘The princess agreed to let her do this, and she came to tell me to get up so that she could take me with her to pass the night in the palace. I could not disobey her, and so I went with her as she took me there, and after that I used to spend every night with her, and in the morning we would leave and go back home.
‘One day, when she was eating with the princess, she crushed up over her food a drug that causes spontaneous pregnancy. The princess ate it, at which she conceived, and her belly became swollen. Her father was revolted by the sight and asked the servant who it was who visited his daughter. He was told that two women used to spend the evenings talking to her and going off by day. He told the man to let him and him alone know when they came, but ‘Arus was too wily to allow anything to be kept from her and when she knew that the king had found out about his daughter’s pregnancy she wanted to involve my mother and me and escape punishment herself. So she told my mother to take me with her to talk to the princess that evening, giving her a marvellous story to tell. “What’s wrong with you tonight?” my mother asked, at which she said that she was not feeling well and if the two of us went she would join us in the morning.
‘When my mother and I got to the palace the servant went to tell the king, who hurried up to us, sword in hand, and said to his daughter: “Damn you, who is with you?” She was startled and amazed, and the king went to the room, from which he brought out my mother and me. He saw that, while my mother was an old woman, I was a man. “Damn you,” he said, “is it you who impregnated my daughter?”
‘He went on striking his daughter with his sword until he had cut her in pieces. To me he said: “If I kill you that would not be enough to satisfy me but in the morning I shall see to your punishment.” He had me taken away and thrown into prison. That night, however, he died of grief, and another man succeeded to his throne.
‘At the end of the year I was freed, and I went off to look for my mother and my family, whom I found in the worst of states. I asked my mother about ‘Arus, and she told me that she had not seen her for a year. She had hired a place in a quarter inhabited by people of blameless characters and she had placed a black servant at her door, giving out that she had no husband.
‘One day, when I was sitting and thinking about my affairs, my mother came up to me. “I have seen ‘Arus,” she told me. “She said that she had made a mistake in the drug and she gave me money, for she wants to make it up with you.” “Don’t listen to what she says,” I replied, “for she feels she must destroy me.” But my mother insisted that ‘Arus had excused herself and that I would have to be reconciled with her. She brought us together and produced food. We ate and drank, talking through the night until dawn, but when I got up to go, she clutched at me and called out to the neighbours that I had assaulted her.
‘They came up and said: “Enemy of God, did you attack this woman?” After giving me a painful beating they handed me over to the police chief and testified to the assault, at which he punished me and threw me into prison. My mother went to ‘Arus, whom she found in tears. When she asked her about me, ‘Arus said: “He mentioned his wife to me and got up to go. I was seized with jealousy and so I took hold of him and cried out, at which the neighbours came in. They hurled abuse at him and took him off to prison, but don’t be distressed. As long as he is there I shall give you al
l you want.”
‘I stayed in prison for a year and when I got out I went in search of my mother and my family. On my way I met a woman splendidly dressed and riding on a donkey, preceded by a black servant. When she saw me she told the man to be sure to bring me to her. He caught up with me and took me by the hand, saying: “My lady wants you.” I thought that this might be someone who wanted to do me an act of charity that might bring her reward in the next world and so I went off with the servant, who took me to a villa. When I entered the hall and stood in front of the lady, she unveiled herself, and to my dismay she turned out to be ‘Arus.
‘ “Do you recognize me?” she asked. “How could I not recognize you,” I said, “when you are ‘Arus, the king’s daughter? What reward do I have from you?” “Don’t talk so much,” she said; “I cannot enjoy life when I see you walking around. Go back so that I can see that you stay in prison for the rest of your life. I shall look after you and your family, but be sure that if you leave prison I shall kill you or get you burned.” “Damn you,” I told her; “fear God and think of death and the Judgement,” but she repeated that it would be better for me if I returned to prison. “How can I do this when I have spent a whole year there and have only just got out?” She said: “I’ll go with you to the chief of police and tell him you’re my son. If he asks you, agree that I am your mother and be very careful not to give me the lie, for you know my wiles and how I have the power to destroy you.”
‘When I had agreed, she dressed as an old Sufi woman and went with me until we stood before the emir, with whom were the shaikhs and the leaders of the people. She introduced me to him as her son, and when he asked me I confirmed this. He then asked her what she wanted from me, and she told him that I had approached her when she was asleep and tried to get from her what a man gets from his wife. Everyone there laughed at what she said but thought that this was something monstrous.
Tales of the Marvellous and News of the Strange (Hardcover Classics) Page 25
