Night and Horses and the Desert

by Robert Irwin

  ‘By Allah,’ Judar replied, ‘I like every kind of food and hate nothing. Do not ask me what I fancy; give me whatever comes into your mind and I will do nothing but eat.’

  He stayed with the Moor twenty days, receiving from his host a new robe every day and feasting with him on the provisions of the enchanted bag. On the morning of the twenty-first day the Moor came to him and said: ‘Rise, my friend. This is the day appointed for opening the Treasure of Al-Shamardal.’

  Judar walked with the Moor to the outskirts of the city, where he found two mules with two slaves in attendance. The Moor mounted one beast and Judar the other, and they rode on and on, followed by the slaves. At midday they came to a running river and dismounted. The Moor made a sign to the slaves, who took the mules and went off with them. Presently they returned, one carrying a tent, which he pitched, and the other a mattress and cushions, which he spread inside. Then one of them went and brought the two caskets containing the two fish, and the other brought the enchanted bag.

  The Moor drew several dishes out of the bag and, seating Judar by his side, invited him to eat. As soon as the meal was over he took the caskets in his hands and mumbled a magic charm over them.

  ‘At your service, dread enchanter!’ cried the two fish from within. ‘Have mercy upon us!’

  He repeated his incantation, and they pleaded louder and louder, until the caskets burst in fragments and there appeared two creatures with their arms chained behind them.

  ‘Pardon us, great enchanter!’ they cried. ‘What would you do with us?’

  ‘Swear to open the Treasure of Al-Shamardal,’ roared the Moor, ‘or I will burn you both!’

  ‘We will open it on one condition,’ they answered. ‘You must bring the son of Omar, Judar the fisherman. The treasure cannot be opened except in his presence. None but he may enter it.’

  ‘Here stands the very man of whom you speak,’ replied the sorcerer. ‘He beholds and hears you.’

  Thereupon they swore to open the treasure and the Moor broke the spell that bound them. He placed two tablets of red carnelian upon a hollow reed; then he took a brazier filled with charcoal and set it alight with one breath. After that he brought some incense and said to Judar: ‘I am about to throw the incense and recite my conjuration. Once I begin the charm I cannot speak again, or the spell will be broken. Therefore I will now tell you what you are to do so as to achieve your end.’

  ‘Speak,’ Judar replied.

  ‘Know,’ said the Moor, ‘that as soon as I have cast the incense and begun my charm, the water of the river will dry up and on the sloping bank there will appear a door of gold, as high as the city gate, with a pair of metal rings. Go down to that door, knock lightly on it, and wait a little. Then knock louder and wait again. After that knock three times in succession, and you will hear a voice say from within: “Who knocks at the door of the treasure-house and yet cannot solve the Riddle?” You will reply: “I am the son of Omar, Judar the fisherman.” The door will open and reveal a man bearing a sword in his hand, who will say: “If you are that man stretch out your neck, that I may strike off your head.” Stretch out your neck to him and have no fear; for no sooner will he raise his sword and smite you than he will fall on the ground, a body without a soul. You will feel no pain from the blow, nor will any harm befall you. But if you defy him he will kill you.

  ‘When you have thus broken the first charm, go in and you will find another door. Knock on it, and the door will be opened by a horseman bearing a lance upon his shoulder, who will say: “What brings you to this place, forbidden alike to man and jinnee?” He will brandish his lance at you. Bare your breast to him and he will strike you and fall on the ground, a body without a soul. But if you defy him he will kill you.

  ‘You will make your way to a third door, which will be opened by a man armed with a bow and arrow. He will shoot at you with his weapon. Bare your breast to him and he will at once fall on the ground, a body without a soul. But if you defy him he will kill you.

  ‘After that go in to the fourth door and knock. An enormous lion will rush out and leap upon you, opening its jaws apart to eat you. Do not flinch or run away; give it your hand and it will fall down lifeless upon the instant.

  ‘Then knock at the fifth door. A black slave will open it to you, saying: “Who are you?” Say: “I am Judar”, and he will reply: “If you are that man, go and open the sixth door.”

  ‘At the sixth door you must cry: “Jesus, bid Moses open the door.” The door will swing ajar. Go in, and two huge serpents, one on the right and the other on the left, will hurl themselves at you with open mouths. If you stretch out a hand to each they will do you no harm. But if you resist them they will kill you.

  ‘The seventh door will be opened by your mother. “Welcome, my son,” she will say. “Come near that I may greet you.” You must answer: “Stay where you are and put off your clothes!” “My child,” she will say, “I am your mother, who suckled you and brought you up. How would you see me naked?” You must reply: “Put off your clothes, or I will kill you.” Look on your right, and you will find a sword hanging from the wall: take it down and threaten her with it. She will plead with you and humble herself before you; have no pity on her, and each time she takes anything off, cry: “The rest!” Go on threatening her until she has put off all her clothes. Then she will fall at your feet.

  ‘At that moment all the charms will be annulled and all the spells broken. Safe and sound, you will enter the hall of the treasure and see the gold lying in heaps. But pay no heed to that. At the opposite end you will find a small pavilion with a curtain over it. Draw aside the curtain and you will see the Magician Al-Shamardal sleeping on a couch of gold, with a round object above his head shining like the moon. That is the Celestial Orb. You will find the Sword on his side, the Ring on his finger, and the Vial of Kohl hung from a chain about his neck. Bring back these four talismans. Be on your guard lest you forget any of my instructions; if you go against them you shall rue it.’

  The Moor repeated his directions until Judar assured him that he had them all by heart.

  ‘But who can face the charms you speak of?’ the fisherman then cried. ‘Who can brave such mighty perils?’

  ‘Have no fear, Judar,’ the Moor replied. ‘They are but phantoms without souls.’

  Judar commended himself to Allah, and the Moor threw the incense on the fire and began his incantation. Presently the water of the river vanished and the door of the treasure-house appeared below. Judar went down to the door and knocked.

  ‘Who knocks at the door of the treasure-house and yet cannot solve the Riddle?’ cried a voice from within.

  ‘Judar, son of Omar,’ he answered.

  The door was opened and a man with an unsheathed sword appeared, crying: ‘Stretch out your neck!’ Judar stretched out his neck, but no sooner did he raise his sword and smite Judar than the man fell down on the ground. Then Judar passed on to the other doors, breaking their spells in turn. When he reached the seventh door, his mother came out and greeted him.

  ‘What are you?’ Judar asked.

  ‘I am your mother,’ she answered. ‘I suckled you and brought you up. I carried you for nine months, my son.’

  ‘Put off your clothes!’ cried Judar.

  ‘But you are my son!’ the old woman exclaimed. ‘How can you strip me naked?’

  She pleaded long with him, but Judar repeated his demand, threatening her with the sword which he had taken from the wall, until she had put off all but one of her garments.

  ‘Is your heart of stone, my son?’ she cried. ‘Would you see your mother utterly naked? Do you not know that this is unlawful?’

  ‘You are right, mother,’ answered Judar. ‘That is enough.’

  Scarcely had he uttered these words when the old woman exclaimed: ‘Beat him! The man has failed!’

  At this the guardians of the treasure fell upon him with mighty blows and gave him a thrashing which he never forgot for the rest of his life. Then the
y flung him out of the treasure-house and slammed the golden gate behind him.

  When the Moor saw the fisherman thrown outside the door he hurriedly dragged him from the water, which was already tumbling back into the river-bed, and recited charms over him until he recovered his senses.

  ‘What have you done, you fool?’ he cried.

  Judar recounted to him all that happened after he had met his mother.

  ‘Did I not charge you to observe all my instructions?’ shouted the Moor. ‘By Allah, you have wronged me, and yourself too. Had the woman unrobed herself entirely we would have gained our end. Now a whole year will have to pass before we can renew our attempt.’

  He at once called the slaves, who struck the tent and brought back the mules. And the two rode back to the city of Fez.

  Judar stayed with the Moor another year, feasting to his heart’s content and dressing in a splendid new robe each morning. When the appointed day arrived, the Moor took him outside the city, and there they saw the black slaves with the mules. On reaching the river bank they pitched the tent and ate the midday meal. Then the Moor arranged the reed and the tablets as before, lit the charcoal, and said to Judar: ‘Listen again to these instructions.’

  ‘You need not repeat them, sir,’ Judar cried. ‘I shall forget them only when I forget my thrashing.’

  ‘Do you remember every detail?’ asked the Moor, and, when the fisherman assured him that he did, went on: ‘Keep your wits about you. Do not think that the woman is really your mother; she is no more than a phantom which has taken on your mother’s semblance to mislead you. You came out alive the first time; but, if you slip this time, you shall assuredly perish.’

  ‘If I slip this time,’ Judar replied, ‘I shall deserve burning.’

  The Moor cast the incense on the fire and as soon as he began his conjuration the river dried up and Judar went down to the golden door. Spell after spell was broken until he came to his mother.

  ‘Welcome, my son!’ she cried.

  ‘Wretched woman!’ Judar shouted. ‘Since when have I been your son? Put off your clothes!’

  The old woman undressed herself, pleading with him the while, until only her drawers remained.

  ‘Off with them, wretch!’ he cried.

  And as she removed her drawers she dropped at his feet, a phantom without a soul.

  Judar entered the seventh door and, paying no heed to the piles of gold that lay within, went straight up to the pavilion. There he saw the Wizard Al-Shamardal lying, with the Sword at his side, the Ring on his finger, the Vial of Kohl upon his chest, and the Celestial Orb above his head. He ungirt the Sword, pulled off the Ring, unclasped the Vial, took down the Orb, and made for the door again. Suddenly a burst of music sounded in his praise, and the guardians of the treasure cried: ‘Rejoice, Judar, in that which you have gained!’ The music went on playing until he was outside the gate of the treasure-house.

  As soon as he saw him, the Moor ceased his fumigation and his charms, and, quickly rising, threw his arms about the fisherman’s neck. Judar gave him the four talismans and the Moor called the slaves, who carried away the tent and returned with the mules.

  When they were back in the city the Moor brought out a variety of meats, and the two feasted and ate their fill. Then the magician said: ‘Judar, you left your native land on my account and have fulfilled my dearest wish. Therefore name your reward; ask whatever you desire and Allah will grant it through me. Do not be shy; you have earned it well.’

  ‘Sir,’ replied the fisherman, ‘I can ask for nothing better than this saddle-bag.’

  The Moor bade his slave fetch the bag, and then handed it to Judar, saying: ‘It is yours. You have earned it. Had you asked me for anything else I would have as willingly given it to you. But, my friend, this saddle-bag will provide you only with your food. You have exposed yourself to great perils for my sake, and I promised to send you home with a contented heart. I will give you another bag filled with gold and jewels and bring you safe to your own land. There you can set up as a merchant, and satisfy your needs and your family’s. As for the first bag, I will now tell you how to use it. Stretch your hand into it and say: “Servant of the Bag, by the mighty names that have power over you, bring me such-and-such a dish.” He will at once provide you with whatever you demand, even if you call for a thousand different dishes every day.’

  The Moor sent for a slave and a mule and, filling a second bag with gold and jewels, said to Judar: ‘Mount this mule. The slave will walk before you and be your guide until he brings you to the door of your own house. On your arrival take the two bags and return the mule to the slave, so that he may bring it back. Admit none to your secret. And now go with Allah’s blessing.’

  Judar thanked the Moor with all his heart, and, loading the two bags on the beast, rode off. The mule followed the slave all day and all night, and early next morning Judar entered the Victory Gate. There he was astounded to see his mother sitting by the roadside.

  “Alms, in the name of Allah,’ she was crying.

  Judar quickly dismounted and threw himself with open arms upon the old woman, who burst into tears on seeing him. He mounted her on the mule and walked by her side until they reached their dwelling. There he took down the saddle-bags and left the mule to the slave, who returned with it to his master; for they were both devils.

  Judar was profoundly distressed at his mother’s plight.

  ‘Are my brothers well?’ he asked as soon as they went in.

  ‘Yes, they are well,’ she answered.

  ‘Then why are you begging on the streets?’ he inquired. ‘I gave you a hundred pieces of gold the first day, a hundred more the next day, and a thousand the day I left home.’

  ‘My son,’ she replied, ‘your brothers took all the money, saying they wished to buy some merchandise. But they deceived me and threw me out, so that I was forced to beg or starve.’

  ‘Never mind, mother,’ said Judar. ‘All will be well with you now that I am home again. Here is a bag full of gold and jewels. Henceforth we shall lack nothing.’

  ‘Fortune has smiled upon you, my son,’ cried the old woman. ‘May Allah bless you and ever give you of His bounty! Rise now and get us some bread. I have had nothing to eat since yesterday.’

  ‘You are welcome, mother,’ Judar replied, laughing. ‘Tell me what you would like to eat and it shall be set before you this very instant. There is nothing I need to buy or cook.’

  ‘But I can see nothing with you, my son,’ said his mother.

  ‘It is in the bag,’ he answered. ‘Every kind of food.’

  ‘Anything will serve, if it can fill a hungry woman,’ she replied.

  ‘That is true, mother,’ said Judar. ‘When there is no choice one has to be content with the meanest thing: but when there is plenty one must choose the best. I have plenty: so name your choice.’

  ‘Very well, then,’ she replied. ‘Some fresh bread and a slice of cheese.’

  ‘That scarcely befits your station, mother,’ Judar protested.

  ‘If you know what is fitting,’ she answered, ‘then give me what I ought to eat.’

  ‘What would you say,’ he smiled, ‘to roast meat and roast chicken, peppered rice, sausage and stuffed marrow, stuffed lamb and stuffed ribs, kunafah swimming in bees’ honey, fritters and almond cakes?’

  ‘What has come over you, Judar?’ exclaimed the old woman, thinking her son was making fun of her. ‘Are you dreaming or have you taken leave of your senses? Who can afford these wondrous dishes, and who can cook them?’

  ‘Upon my life,’ Judar replied, ‘you shall have them all this very moment. Bring me the bag.’

  His mother brought the bag; she felt it and saw that it was empty. Then she handed it to Judar, who proceeded to take out from it dish after dish until he had ranged before her all the dishes he had described.

  ‘My child,’ cried the astonished woman, ‘the bag is very small, and it was empty; I felt it with my own hands. How do you account f
or these numerous dishes?’

  ‘Know, mother, that the bag is enchanted,’ he replied. ‘It was ‘given me by the Moor. It is served by a jinnee who, if invoked by the Mighty Names, provides any dish that a man can desire.’

  Thereupon his mother asked if she herself might call the jinnee. Judar gave her the bag, and she thrust in her hand, saying: ‘Servant of the Bag, by the mighty names that have power over you, bring me a stuffed rib of lamb!’

  She at once felt the dish under her hand. She drew it out, and then called for bread and other meats.

  ‘Mother,’ said Judar, ‘when you have finished eating, empty thè rest of the meal into other plates and restore the dishes to the bag. That is one part of the secret. And keep the bag safely hidden.’

  The old woman got up and stowed away the bag in a safe place.

  ‘Above all, mother,’ he resumed, ‘you must on no account disclose the secret. Whenever you need any food bring it out of the bag. Give alms and feed my brothers, alike when I am here and when I am away.’

  The two had scarcely begun eating when Judar’s brothers entered the house.

  They had heard the news of his arrival from a neighbour, who had said to them: ‘Your brother has come home, riding on a mule and with a slave marching before him. No one ever wore the like of his rich garments.’

  ‘Would that we had never wronged our mother,’ they said to each other. ‘She is bound to tell him what we did to her. Think of the disgrace!’

  ‘But mother is soft-hearted,’ one of them remarked. ‘And supposing she does tell him, our brother is kindlier still. If we apologize to him he will excuse us.’

  Judar jumped to his feet as they entered, and greeted them in the friendliest fashion. ‘Sit down,’ he said, ‘and eat with us.’

  They sat down and ate ravenously, for they were quite faint with hunger.

  ‘Brothers,’ said Judar when they could eat no more, ‘take the rest of the food and distribute it among the beggars.’

  ‘But why, brother?’ they replied. ‘We can have it for supper.’