The Arabian Nights Entertainments
by Andrew Lang · English · Gutenberg #128 · 617,230 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Arabian Nights Entertainments
Author: Andrew Lang
Release date: May 1, 1994 [eBook #128]
Most recently updated: October 29, 2024
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ENTERTAINMENTS ***
The Arabian Nights Entertainments,
Selected and Edited
by
Andrew Lang
after the edition of
Longmans, Green and Co, 1918 (1898)
Contents
Preface
The Arabian Nights
The Story of the Merchant and the Genius
The Story of the First Old Man and of the Hind
The Story of the Second Old Man, and of the Two Black Dogs
The Story of the Fisherman
The Story of the Greek King and the Physician Douban
The Story of the Husband and the Parrot
The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished
The Story of the Young King of the Black Isles
The Story of the Three Calenders, Sons of Kings,
and of Five Ladies of Bagdad
The Story of the First Calender, Son of a King
The Story of the Envious Man and of Him Who Was Envied
The Story of the Second Calendar, Son of a King
The Story of the Third Calendar, Son of a King
The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor
First Voyage
Second Voyage
Third Voyage
Fourth Voyage
Fifth Voyage
Sixth Voyage
Seventh and Last Voyage
The Little Hunchback
The Story of the Barber's Fifth Brother
The Story of the Barber's Sixth Brother
The Adventures of Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura
Noureddin and the Fair Persian
Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp
The Adventures of Haroun-al-Raschid, Caliph of Bagdad
The Story of the Blind Baba-Abdalla
The Story of Sidi-Nouman
The Story of Ali Colia, Merchant of Bagdad
The Enchanted Horse
The Story of Two Sisters Who Were Jealous of Their Younger Sister
Preface
The stories in the Fairy Books have generally been such as old women in
country places tell to their grandchildren. Nobody knows how old they
are, or who told them first. The children of Ham, Shem and Japhet may
have listened to them in the Ark, on wet days. Hector's little boy may
have heard them in Troy Town, for it is certain that Homer knew them,
and that some of them were written down in Egypt about the time of
Moses.
People in different countries tell them differently, but they are
always the same stories, really, whether among little Zulus, at the
Cape, or little Eskimo, near the North Pole. The changes are only in
matters of manners and customs; such as wearing clothes or not, meeting
lions who talk in the warm countries, or talking bears in the cold
countries. There are plenty of kings and queens in the fairy tales,
just because long ago there were plenty of kings in the country. A
gentleman who would be a squire now was a kind of king in Scotland in
very old times, and the same in other places. These old stories, never
forgotten, were taken down in writing in different ages, but mostly in
this century, in all sorts of languages. These ancient stories are the
contents of the Fairy books.
Now "The Arabian Nights," some of which, but not nearly all, are given
in this volume, are only fairy tales of the East. The people of Asia,
Arabia, and Persia told them in their own way, not for children, but
for grown-up people. There were no novels then, nor any printed books,
of course; but there were people whose profession it was to amuse men
and women by telling tales. They dressed the fairy stories up, and
made the characters good Mahommedans, living in Bagdad or India. The
events were often supposed to happen in the reign of the great Caliph,
or ruler of the Faithful, Haroun al Raschid, who lived in Bagdad in
786-808 A.D. The vizir who accompanies the Caliph was also a real
person of the great family of the Barmecides. He was put to death by
the Caliph in a very cruel way, nobody ever knew why. The stories must
have been told in their present shape a good long while after the
Caliph died, when nobody knew very exactly what had really happened.
At last some storyteller thought of writing down the tales, and fixing
them into a kind of framework, as if they had all been narrated to a
cruel Sultan by his wife. Probably the tales were written down about
the time when Edward I. was fighting Robert Bruce. But changes were
made in them at different times, and a great deal that is very dull and
stupid was put in, and plenty of verses. Neither the verses nor the
dull pieces are given in this book.
People in France and England knew almost nothing about "The Arabian
Nights" till the reigns of Queen Anne and George I., when they were
translated into French by Monsieur Galland. Grown-up people were then
very fond of fairy tales, and they thought these Arab stories the best
that they had ever read. They were delighted with Ghouls (who lived
among the tombs) and Geni, who seemed to be a kind of ogres, and with
Princesses who work magic spells, and with Peris, who are Arab fairies.
Sindbad had adventures which perhaps came out of the Odyssey of Homer;
in fact, all the East had contributed its wonders, and sent them to
Europe in one parcel. Young men once made a noise at Monsieur
Galland's windows in the dead of night, and asked him to tell them one
of his marvellous tales. Nobody talked of anything but dervishes and
vizirs, rocs and peris. The stories were translated from French into
all languages, and only Bishop Atterbury complained that the tales were
not likely to be true, and had no moral. The bishop was presently
banished for being on the side of Prince Charlie's father, and had
leisure to repent of being so solemn.
In this book "The Arabian Nights" are translated from the French
version of Monsieur Galland, who dropped out the poetry and a great
deal of what the Arabian authors thought funny, though it seems
wearisome to us. In this book the stories are shortened here and
there, and omissions are made of pieces only suitable for Arabs and old
gentlemen. The translations are by the writers of the tales in the
Fairy Books, and the pictures are by Mr. Ford.
I can remember reading "The Arabian Nights" when I was six years old,
in dirty yellow old volumes of small type with no pictures, and I hope
children who read them with Mr. Ford's pictures will be as happy as I
was then in the company of Aladdin and Sindbad the Sailor.
The Arabian Nights
In the chronicles of the ancient dynasty of the Sassanidae, who reigned
for about four hundred years, from Persia to the borders of China,
beyond the great river Ganges itself, we read the praises of one of the
kings of this race, who was said to be the best monarch of his time.
His subjects loved him, and his neighbors feared him, and when he died
he left his kingdom in a more prosperous and powerful condition than
any king had done before him.
The two sons who survived him loved each other tenderly, and it was a
real grief to the elder, Schahriar, that the laws of the empire forbade
him to share his dominions with his brother Schahzeman. Indeed, after
ten years, during which this state of things had not ceased to trouble
him, Schahriar cut off the country of Great Tartary from the Persian
Empire and made his brother king.
Now the Sultan Schahriar had a wife whom he loved more than all the
world, and his greatest happiness was to surround her with splendour,
and to give her the finest dresses and the most beautiful jewels. It
was therefore with the deepest shame and sorrow that he accidentally
discovered, after several years, that she had deceived him completely,
and her whole conduct turned out to have been so bad, that he felt
himself obliged to carry out the law of the land, and order the
grand-vizir to put her to death. The blow was so heavy that his mind
almost gave way, and he declared that he was quite sure that at bottom
all women were as wicked as the sultana, if you could only find them
out, and that the fewer the world contained the better. So every
evening he married a fresh wife and had her strangled the following
morning before the grand-vizir, whose duty it was to provide these
unhappy brides for the Sultan. The poor man fulfilled his task with
reluctance, but there was no escape, and every day saw a girl married
and a wife dead.
This behaviour caused the greatest horror in the town, where nothing
was heard but cries and lamentations. In one house was a father
weeping for the loss of his daughter, in another perhaps a mother
trembling for the fate of her child; and instead of the blessings that
had formerly been heaped on the Sultan's head, the air was now full of
curses.
The grand-vizir himself was the father of two daughters, of whom the
elder was called Scheherazade, and the younger Dinarzade. Dinarzade
had no particular gifts to distinguish her from other girls, but her
sister was clever and courageous in the highest degree. Her father had
given her the best masters in philosophy, medicine, history and the
fine arts, and besides all this, her beauty excelled that of any girl
in the kingdom of Persia.
One day, when the grand-vizir was talking to his eldest daughter, who
was his delight and pride, Scheherazade said to him, "Father, I have a
favour to ask of you. Will you grant it to me?"
"I can refuse you nothing," replied he, "that is just and reasonable."
"Then listen," said Scheherazade. "I am determined to stop this
barbarous practice of the Sultan's, and to deliver the girls and
mothers from the awful fate that hangs over them."
"It would be an excellent thing to do," returned the grand-vizir, "but
how do you propose to accomplish it?"
"My father," answered Scheherazade, "it is you who have to provide the
Sultan daily with a fresh wife, and I implore you, by all the affection
you bear me, to allow the honour to fall upon me."
"Have you lost your senses?" cried the grand-vizir, starting back in
horror. "What has put such a thing into your head? You ought to know
by this time what it means to be the sultan's bride!"
"Yes, my father, I know it well," replied she, "and I am not afraid to
think of it. If I fail, my death will be a glorious one, and if I
succeed I shall have done a great service to my country."
"It is of no use," said the grand-vizir, "I shall never consent. If
the Sultan was to order me to plunge a dagger in your heart, I should
have to obey. What a task for a father! Ah, if you do not fear death,
fear at any rate the anguish you would cause me."
"Once again, my father," said Scheherazade, "will you grant me what I
ask?"
"What, are you still so obstinate?" exclaimed the grand-vizir. "Why are
you so resolved upon your own ruin?"
But the maiden absolutely refused to attend to her father's words, and
at length, in despair, the grand-vizir was obliged to give way, and
went sadly to the palace to tell the Sultan that the following evening
he would bring him Scheherazade.
The Sultan received this news with the greatest astonishment.
"How have you made up your mind," he asked, "to sacrifice your own
daughter to me?"
"Sire," answered the grand-vizir, "it is her own wish. Even the sad
fate that awaits her could not hold her back."
"Let there be no mistake, vizir," said the Sultan. "Remember you will
have to take her life yourself. If you refuse, I swear that your head
shall pay forfeit."
"Sire," returned the vizir. "Whatever the cost, I will obey you.
Though a father, I am also your subject." So the Sultan told the
grand-vizir he might bring his daughter as soon as he liked.
The vizir took back this news to Scheherazade, who received it as if it
had been the most pleasant thing in the world. She thanked her father
warmly for yielding to her wishes, and, seeing him still bowed down
with grief, told him that she hoped he would never repent having
allowed her to marry the Sultan. Then she went to prepare herself for
the marriage, and begged that her sister Dinarzade should be sent for
to speak to her.
When they were alone, Scheherazade addressed her thus:
"My dear sister; I want your help in a very important affair. My
father is going to take me to the palace to celebrate my marriage with
the Sultan. When his Highness receives me, I shall beg him, as a last
favour, to let you sleep in our chamber, so that I may have your
company during the last night I am alive. If, as I hope, he grants me
my wish, be sure that you wake me an hour before the dawn, and speak to
me in these words: 'My sister, if you are not asleep, I beg you,
before the sun rises, to tell me one of your charming stories.' Then I
shall begin, and I hope by this means to deliver the people from the
terror that reigns over them." Dinarzade replied that she would do with
pleasure what her sister wished.
When the usual hour arrived the grand-vizir conducted Scheherazade to
the palace, and left her alone with the Sultan, who bade her raise her
veil and was amazed at her beauty. But seeing her eyes full of tears,
he asked what was the matter. "Sire," replied Scheherazade, "I have a
sister who loves me as tenderly as I love her. Grant me the favour of
allowing her to sleep this night in the same room, as it is the last we
shall be together." Schahriar consented to Scheherazade's petition and
Dinarzade was sent for.
An hour before daybreak Dinarzade awoke, and exclaimed, as she had
promised, "My dear sister, if you are not asleep, tell me I pray you,
before the sun rises, one of your charming stories. It is the last
time that I shall have the pleasure of hearing you."
Scheherazade did not answer her sister, but turned to the Sultan.
"Will your highness permit me to do as my sister asks?" said she.
"Willingly," he answered. So Scheherazade began.
The Story of the Merchant and the Genius
Sire, there was once upon a time a merchant who possessed great wealth,
in land and merchandise, as well as in ready money. He was obliged
from time to time to take journeys to arrange his affairs. One day,
having to go a long way from home, he mounted his horse, taking with
him a small wallet in which he had put a few biscuits and dates,
because he had to pass through the desert where no food was to be got.
He arrived without any mishap, and, having finished his business, set
out on his return. On the fourth day of his journey, the heat of the
sun being very great, he turned out of his road to rest under some
trees. He found at the foot of a large walnut-tree a fountain of clear
and running water. He dismounted, fastened his horse to a branch of
the tree, and sat by the fountain, after having taken from his wallet
some of his dates and biscuits. When he had finished this frugal meal
he washed his face and hands in the fountain.
When he was thus employed he saw an enormous genius, white with rage,
coming towards him, with a scimitar in his hand.
"Arise," he cried in a terrible voice, "and let me kill you as you have
killed my son!"
As he uttered these words he gave a frightful yell. The merchant,
quite as much terrified at the hideous face of the monster as at his
words, answered him tremblingly, "Alas, good sir, what can I have done
to you to deserve death?"
"I shall kill you," repeated the genius, "as you have killed my son."
"But," said the merchant, "how can I have killed your son? I do not
know him, and I have never even seen him."
"When you arrived here did you not sit down on the ground?" asked the
genius, "and did you not take some dates from your wallet, and whilst
eating them did not you throw the stones about?"
"Yes," said the merchant, "I certainly did so."
"Then," said the genius, "I tell you you have killed my son, for whilst
you were throwing about the stones, my son passed by, and one of them
struck him in the eye and killed him. So I shall kill you."
"Ah, sir, forgive me!" cried the merchant.
"I will have no mercy on you," answered the genius.
"But I killed your son quite unintentionally, so I implore you to spare
my life."
"No," said the genius, "I shall kill you as you killed my son," and so
saying, he seized the merchant by the arm, threw him on the ground, and
lifted his sabre to cut off his head.
The merchant, protesting his innocence, bewailed his wife and children,
and tried pitifully to avert his fate. The genius, with his raised
scimitar, waited till he had finished, but was not in the least touched.
Scheherazade, at this point, seeing that it was day, and knowing that
the Sultan always rose very early to attend the council, stopped
speaking.
"Indeed, sister," said Dinarzade, "this is a wonderful story."
"The rest is still more wonderful," replied Scheherazade, "and you
would say so, if the sultan would allow me to live another day, and
would give me leave to tell it to you the next night."
Schahriar, who had been listening to Scheherazade with pleasure, said
to himself, "I will wait till to-morrow; I can always have her killed
when I have heard the end of her story."
All this time the grand-vizir was in a terrible state of anxiety. But
he was much delighted when he saw the Sultan enter the council-chamber
without giving the terrible command that he was expecting.
The next morning, before the day broke, Dinarzade said to her sister,
"Dear sister, if you are awake I pray you to go on with your story."
The Sultan did not wait for Scheherazade to ask his leave. "Finish,"
said he, "the story of the genius and the merchant. I am curious to
hear the end."
So Scheherazade went on with the story. This happened every morning.
The Sultana told a story, and the Sultan let her live to finish it.
When the merchant saw that the genius was determined to cut off his
head, he said: "One word more, I entreat you. Grant me a little
delay; just a short time to go home and bid my wife and children
farewell, and to make my will. When I have done this I will come back
here, and you shall kill me."
"But," said the genius, "if I grant you the delay you ask, I am afraid
that you will not come back."
"I give you my word of honour," answered the merchant, "that I will
come back without fail."
"How long do you require?" asked the genius.
"I ask you for a year's grace," replied the merchant. "I promise you
that to-morrow twelvemonth, I shall be waiting under these trees to
give myself up to you."
On this the genius left him near the fountain and disappeared.
The merchant, having recovered from his fright, mounted his horse and
went on his road.
When he arrived home his wife and children received him with the
greatest joy. But instead of embracing them he began to weep so
bitterly that they soon guessed that something terrible was the matter.
"Tell us, I pray you," said his wife, "what has happened."
"Alas!" answered her husband, "I have only a year to live."
Then he told them what had passed between him and the genius, and how
he had given his word to return at the end of a year to be killed.
When they heard this sad news they were in despair, and wept much.
The next day the merchant began to settle his affairs, and first of all
to pay his debts. He gave presents to his friends, and large alms to
the poor. He set his slaves at liberty, and provided for his wife and
children. The year soon passed away, and he was obliged to depart.
When he tried to say good-bye he was quite overcome with grief, and
with difficulty tore himself away. At length he reached the place
where he had first seen the genius, on the very day that he had
appointed. He dismounted, and sat down at the edge of the fountain,
where he awaited the genius in terrible suspense.
Whilst he was thus waiting an old man leading a hind came towards him.
They greeted one another, and then the old man said to him, "May I ask,
brother, what brought you to this desert place, where there are so many
evil genii about? To see these beautiful trees one would imagine it
was inhabited, but it is a dangerous place to stop long in."
The merchant told the old man why he was obliged to come there. He
listened in astonishment.
"This is a most marvellous affair. I should like to be a witness of
your interview with the genius." So saying he sat down by the merchant.
While they were talking another old man came up, followed by two black
dogs. He greeted them, and asked what they were doing in this place.
The old man who was leading the hind told him the adventure of the
merchant and the genius. The second old man had not sooner heard the
story than he, too, decided to stay there to see what would happen. He
sat down by the others, and was talking, when a third old man arrived.
He asked why the merchant who was with them looked so sad. They told
him the story, and he also resolved to see what would pass between the
genius and the merchant, so waited with the rest.
They soon saw in the distance a thick smoke, like a cloud of dust.
This smoke came nearer and nearer, and then, all at once, it vanished,
and they saw the genius, who, without speaking to them, approached the
merchant, sword in hand, and, taking him by the arm, said, "Get up and
let me kill you as you killed my son."
The merchant and the three old men began to weep and groan.
Then the old man leading the hind threw himself at the monster's feet
and said, "O Prince of the Genii, I beg of you to stay your fury and to
listen to me. I am going to tell you my story and that of the hind I
have with me, and if you find it more marvellous than that of the
merchant whom you are about to kill, I hope that you will do away with
a third part of his punishment?"
The genius considered some time, and then he said, "Very well, I agree
to this."
The Story of the First Old Man and of the Hind
I am now going to begin my story (said the old man), so please attend.
This hind that you see with me is my wife. We have no children of our
own, therefore I adopted the son of a favorite slave, and determined to
make him my heir.
My wife, however, took a great dislike to both mother and child, which
she concealed from me till too late. When my adopted son was about ten
years old I was obliged to go on a journey. Before I went I entrusted
to my wife's keeping both the mother and child, and begged her to take
care of them during my absence, which lasted a whole year. During this
time she studied magic in order to carry out her wicked scheme. When
she had learnt enough she took my son into a distant place and changed
him into a calf. Then she gave him to my steward, and told him to look
after a calf she had bought. She also changed the slave into a cow,
which she sent to my steward.
When I returned I inquired after my slave and the child. "Your slave
is dead," she said, "and as for your son, I have not seen him for two
months, and I do not know where he is."
I was grieved to hear of my slave's death, but as my son had only
disappeared, I thought I should soon find him. Eight months, however,
passed, and still no tidings of him; then the feast of Bairam came.
To celebrate it I ordered my steward to bring me a very fat cow to
sacrifice. He did so. The cow that he brought was my unfortunate
slave. I bound her, but just as I was about to kill her she began to
low most piteously, and I saw that her eyes were streaming with tears.
It seemed to me most extraordinary, and, feeling a movement of pity, I
ordered the steward to lead her away and bring another. My wife, who
was present, scoffed at my compassion, which made her malice of no
avail. "What are you doing?" she cried. "Kill this cow. It is the
best we have to sacrifice."
To please her, I tried again, but again the animal's lows and tears
disarmed me.
"Take her away," I said to the steward, "and kill her; I cannot."
The steward killed her, but on skinning her found that she was nothing
but bones, although she appeared so fat. I was vexed.
"Keep her for yourself," I said to the steward, "and if you have a fat
calf, bring that in her stead."
In a short time he brought a very fat calf, which, although I did not
know it, was my son. It tried hard to break its cord and come to me.
It threw itself at my feet, with its head on the ground, as if it
wished to excite my pity, and to beg me not to take away its life.
I was even more surprised and touched at this action than I had been at
the tears of the cow.
"Go," I said to the steward, "take back this calf, take great care of
it, and bring me another in its place instantly."
As soon as my wife heard me speak this she at once cried out, "What are
you doing, husband? Do not sacrifice any calf but this."
"Wife," I answered, "I will not sacrifice this calf," and in spite of
all her remonstrances, I remained firm.
I had another calf killed; this one was led away. The next day the
steward asked to speak to me in private.
"I have come," he said, "to tell you some news which I think you will
like to hear. I have a daughter who knows magic. Yesterday, when I
was leading back the calf which you refused to sacrifice, I noticed
that she smiled, and then directly afterwards began to cry. I asked
her why she did so."
"Father," she answered, "this calf is the son of our master. I smile
with joy at seeing him still alive, and I weep to think of his mother,
who was sacrificed yesterday as a cow. These changes have been wrought
by our master's wife, who hated the mother and son."
"At these words, of Genius," continued the old man, "I leave you to
imagine my astonishment. I went immediately with the steward to speak
with his daughter myself. First of all I went to the stable to see my
son, and he replied in his dumb way to all my caresses. When the
steward's daughter came I asked her if she could change my son back to
his proper shape."
"Yes, I can," she replied, "on two conditions. One is that you will
give him to me for a husband, and the other is that you will let me
punish the woman who changed him into a calf."
"To the first condition," I answered, "I agree with all my heart, and I
will give you an ample dowry. To the second I also agree, I only beg
you to spare her life."
"That I will do," she replied; "I will treat her as she treated your
son."
Then she took a vessel of water and pronounced over it some words I did
not understand; then, on throwing the water over him, he became
immediately a young man once more.
"My son, my dear son," I exclaimed, kissing him in a transport of joy.
"This kind maiden has rescued you from a terrible enchantment, and I am
sure that out of gratitude you will marry her."
He consented joyfully, but before they were married, the young girl
changed my wife into a hind, and it is she whom you see before you. I
wished her to have this form rather than a stranger one, so that we
could see her in the family without repugnance.
Since then my son has become a widower and has gone travelling. I am
now going in search of him, and not wishing to confide my wife to the
care of other people, I am taking her with me. Is this not a most
marvellous tale?
"It is indeed," said the genius, "and because of it I grant to you the
third part of the punishment of this merchant."
When the first old man had finished his story, the second, who was
leading the two black dogs, said to the genius, "I am going to tell you
what happened to me, and I am sure that you will find my story even
more astonishing than the one to which you have just been listening.
But when I have related it, will you grant me also the third part of
the merchant's punishment?"
"Yes," replied the genius, "provided that your story surpasses that of
the hind."
With this agreement the second old man began in this way.
The Story of the Second Old Man, and of the Two Black Dogs
Great prince of the genii, you must know that we are three
brothers--these two black dogs and myself. Our father died, leaving us
each a thousand sequins. With this sum we all three took up the same
profession, and became merchants. A short time after we had opened our
shops, my eldest brother, one of these two dogs, resolved to travel in
foreign countries for the sake of merchandise. With this intention he
sold all he had and bought merchandise suitable to the voyages he was
about to make. He set out, and was away a whole year. At the end of
this time a beggar came to my shop. "Good-day," I said. "Good-day,"
he answered; "is it possible that you do not recognise me?" Then I
looked at him closely and saw he was my brother. I made him come into
my house, and asked him how he had fared in his enterprise.
"Do not question me," he replied, "see me, you see all I have. It
would but renew my trouble to tell of all the misfortunes that have
befallen me in a year, and have brought me to this state."
I shut up my shop, paid him every attention, taking him to the bath,
giving him my most beautiful robes. I examined my accounts, and found
that I had doubled my capital--that is, that I now possessed two
thousand sequins. I gave my brother half, saying: "Now, brother, you
can forget your losses." He accepted them with joy, and we lived
together as we had before.
Some time afterwards my second brother wished also to sell his business
and travel. My eldest brother and I did all we could to dissuade him,
but it was of no use. He joined a caravan and set out. He came back
at the end of a year in the same state as his elder brother. I took
care of him, and as I had a thousand sequins to spare I gave them to
him, and he re-opened his shop.
One day, my two brothers came to me to propose that we should make a
journey and trade. At first I refused to go. "You travelled," I said,
"and what did you gain?" But they came to me repeatedly, and after
having held out for five years I at last gave way. But when they had
made their preparation, and they began to buy the merchandise we
needed, they found they had spent every piece of the thousand sequins I
had given them. I did not reproach them. I divided my six thousand
sequins with them, giving a thousand to each and keeping one for
myself, and the other three I buried in a corner of my house. We
bought merchandise, loaded a vessel with it, and set forth with a
favorable wind.
After two months' sailing we arrived at a seaport, where we disembarked
and did a great trade. Then we bought the merchandise of the country,
and were just going to sail once more, when I was stopped on the shore
by a beautiful though poorly dressed woman. She came up to me, kissed
my hand, and implored me to marry her, and take her on board. At first
I refused, but she begged so hard and promised to be such a good wife
to me, that at last I consented. I got her some beautiful dresses, and
after having married her, we embarked and set sail. During the voyage,
I discovered so many good qualities in my wife that I began to love her
more and more. But my brothers began to be jealous of my prosperity,
and set to work to plot against my life. One night when we were
sleeping they threw my wife and myself into the sea. My wife, however,
was a fairy, and so she did not let me drown, but transported me to an
island. When the day dawned, she said to me,
"When I saw you on the sea-shore I took a great fancy to you, and
wished to try your good nature, so I presented myself in the disguise
you saw. Now I have rewarded you by saving your life. But I am very
angry with your brothers, and I shall not rest till I have taken their
lives."
I thanked the fairy for all that she had done for me, but I begged her
not to kill my brothers.
I appeased her wrath, and in a moment she transported me from the
island where we were to the roof of my house, and she disappeared a
moment afterwards. I went down, and opened the doors, and dug up the
three thousand sequins which I had buried. I went to the place where
my shop was, opened it, and received from my fellow-merchants
congratulations on my return. When I went home, I saw two black dogs
who came to meet me with sorrowful faces. I was much astonished, but
the fairy who reappeared said to me,
"Do not be surprised to see these dogs; they are your two brothers. I
have condemned them to remain for ten years in these shapes." Then
having told me where I could hear news of her, she vanished.
The ten years are nearly passed, and I am on the road to find her. As
in passing I met this merchant and the old man with the hind, I stayed
with them.
This is my history, O prince of genii! Do you not think it is a most
marvellous one?
"Yes, indeed," replied the genius, "and I will give up to you the third
of the merchant's punishment."
Then the third old man made the genius the same request as the other
two had done, and the genius promised him the last third of the
merchant's punishment if his story surpassed both the others.
So he told his story to the genius, but I cannot tell you what it was,
as I do not know.
But I do know that it was even more marvellous than either of the
others, so that the genius was astonished, and said to the third old
man, "I will give up to you the third part of the merchant's
punishment. He ought to thank all three of you for having interested
yourselves in his favour. But for you, he would be here no longer."
So saying, he disappeared, to the great joy of the company. The
merchant did not fail to thank his friends, and then each went on his
way. The merchant returned to his wife and children, and passed the
rest of his days happily with them.
"But, sire," added Scheherazade, "however beautiful are the stories I
have just told you, they cannot compare with the story of the
Fisherman."
The Story of the Fisherman
Sire, there was once upon a time a fisherman so old and so poor that he
could scarcely manage to support his wife and three children. He went
every day to fish very early, and each day he made a rule not to throw
his nets more than four times. He started out one morning by moonlight
and came to the sea-shore. He undressed and threw his nets, and as he
was drawing them towards the bank he felt a great weight. He though he
had caught a large fish, and he felt very pleased. But a moment
afterwards, seeing that instead of a fish he only had in his nets the
carcase of an ass, he was much disappointed.
Vexed with having such a bad haul, when he had mended his nets, which
the carcase of the ass had broken in several places, he threw them a
second time. In drawing them in he again felt a great weight, so that
he thought they were full of fish. But he only found a large basket
full of rubbish. He was much annoyed.
"O Fortune," he cried, "do not trifle thus with me, a poor fisherman,
who can hardly support his family!"
So saying, he threw away the rubbish, and after having washed his nets
clean of the dirt, he threw them for the third time. But he only drew
in stones, shells, and mud. He was almost in despair.
Then he threw his nets for the fourth time. When he thought he had a
fish he drew them in with a great deal of trouble. There was no fish
however, but he found a yellow pot, which by its weight seemed full of
something, and he noticed that it was fastened and sealed with lead,
with the impression of a seal. He was delighted. "I will sell it to
the founder," he said; "with the money I shall get for it I shall buy a
measure of wheat."
He examined the jar on all sides; he shook it to see if it would
rattle. But he heard nothing, and so, judging from the impression of
the seal and the lid, he thought there must be something precious
inside. To find out, he took his knife, and with a little trouble he
opened it. He turned it upside down, but nothing came out, which
surprised him very much. He set it in front of him, and whilst he was
looking at it attentively, such a thick smoke came out that he had to
step back a pace or two. This smoke rose up to the clouds, and
stretching over the sea and the shore, formed a thick mist, which
caused the fisherman much astonishment. When all the smoke was out of
the jar it gathered itself together, and became a thick mass in which
appeared a genius, twice as large as the largest giant. When he saw
such a terrible-looking monster, the fisherman would like to have run
away, but he trembled so with fright that he could not move a step.
"Great king of the genii," cried the monster, "I will never again
disobey you!"
At these words the fisherman took courage.
"What is this you are saying, great genius? Tell me your history and
how you came to be shut up in that vase."
At this, the genius looked at the fisherman haughtily. "Speak to me
more civilly," he said, "before I kill you."
"Alas! why should you kill me?" cried the fisherman. "I have just
freed you; have you already forgotten that?"
"No," answered the genius; "but that will not prevent me from killing
you; and I am only going to grant you one favour, and that is to choose
the manner of your death."
"But what have I done to you?" asked the fisherman.
"I cannot treat you in any other way," said the genius, "and if you
would know why, listen to my story.
"I rebelled against the king of the genii. To punish me, he shut me up
in this vase of copper, and he put on the leaden cover his seal, which
is enchantment enough to prevent my coming out. Then he had the vase
thrown into the sea. During the first period of my captivity I vowed
that if anyone should free me before a hundred years were passed, I
would make him rich even after his death. But that century passed, and
no one freed me. In the second century I vowed that I would give all
the treasures in the world to my deliverer; but he never came.
"In the third, I promised to make him a king, to be always near him,
and to grant him three wishes every day; but that century passed away
as the other two had done, and I remained in the same plight. At last
I grew angry at being captive for so long, and I vowed that if anyone
would release me I would kill him at once, and would only allow him to
choose in what manner he should die. So you see, as you have freed me
to-day, choose in what way you will die."
The fisherman was very unhappy. "What an unlucky man I am to have
freed you! I implore you to spare my life."
"I have told you," said the genius, "that it is impossible. Choose
quickly; you are wasting time."
The fisherman began to devise a plot.
"Since I must die," he said, "before I choose the manner of my death, I
conjure you on your honour to tell me if you really were in that vase?"
"Yes, I was," answered the genius.
"I really cannot believe it," said the fisherman. "That vase could not
contain one of your feet even, and how could your whole body go in? I
cannot believe it unless I see you do the thing."
Then the genius began to change himself into smoke, which, as before,
spread over the sea and the shore, and which, then collecting itself
together, began to go back into the vase slowly and evenly till there
was nothing left outside. Then a voice came from the vase which said
to the fisherman, "Well, unbelieving fisherman, here I am in the vase;
do you believe me now?"
The fisherman instead of answering took the lid of lead and shut it
down quickly on the vase.
"Now, O genius," he cried, "ask pardon of me, and choose by what death
you will die! But no, it will be better if I throw you into the sea
whence I drew you out, and I will build a house on the shore to warn
fishermen who come to cast their nets here, against fishing up such a
wicked genius as you are, who vows to kill the man who frees you."
At these words the genius did all he could to get out, but he could
not, because of the enchantment of the lid.
Then he tried to get out by cunning.
"If you will take off the cover," he said, "I will repay you."
"No," answered the fisherman, "if I trust myself to you I am afraid you
will treat me as a certain Greek king treated the physician Douban.
Listen, and I will tell you."
The Story of the Greek King and the Physician Douban
In the country of Zouman, in Persia, there lived a Greek king. This
king was a leper, and all his doctors had been unable to cure him, when
a very clever physician came to his court.
He was very learned in all languages, and knew a great deal about herbs
and medicines.
As soon as he was told of the king's illness he put on his best robe
and presented himself before the king. "Sire," said he, "I know that
no physician has been able to cure your majesty, but if you will follow
my instructions, I will promise to cure you without any medicines or
outward application."
The king listened to this proposal.
"If you are clever enough to do this," he said, "I promise to make you
and your descendants rich for ever."
The physician went to his house and made a polo club, the handle of
which he hollowed out, and put in it the drug he wished to use. Then
he made a ball, and with these things he went the next day to the king.
He told him that he wished him to play at polo. Accordingly the king
mounted his horse and went into the place where he played. There the
physician approached him with the bat he had made, saying, "Take this,
sire, and strike the ball till you feel your hand and whole body in a
glow. When the remedy that is in the handle of the club is warmed by
your hand it will penetrate throughout your body. The you must return
to your palace, bathe, and go to sleep, and when you awake to-morrow
morning you will be cured."
The king took the club and urged his horse after the ball which he had
thrown. He struck it, and then it was hit back by the courtiers who
were playing with him. When he felt very hot he stopped playing, and
went back to the palace, went into the bath, and did all that the
physician had said. The next day when he arose he found, to his great
joy and astonishment, that he was completely cured. When he entered
his audience-chamber all his courtiers, who were eager to see if the
wonderful cure had been effected, were overwhelmed with joy.
The physician Douban entered the hall and bowed low to the ground. The
king, seeing him, called him, made him sit by his side, and showed him
every mark of honour.
That evening he gave him a long and rich robe of state, and presented
him with two thousand sequins. The following day he continued to load
him with favours.
Now the king had a grand-vizir who was avaricious, and envious, and a
very bad man. He grew extremely jealous of the physician, and
determined to bring about his ruin.
In order to do this he asked to speak in private with the king, saying
that he had a most important communication to make.
"What is it?" asked the king.
"Sire," answered the grand-vizir, "it is most dangerous for a monarch
to confide in a man whose faithfulness is not proved, You do not know
that this physician is not a traitor come here to assassinate you."
"I am sure," said the king, "that this man is the most faithful and
virtuous of men. If he wished to take my life, why did he cure me?
Cease to speak against him. I see what it is, you are jealous of him;
but do not think that I can be turned against him. I remember well
what a vizir said to King Sindbad, his master, to prevent him from
putting the prince, his son, to death."
What the Greek king said excited the vizir's curiosity, and he said to
him, "Sire, I beg your majesty to have the condescension to tell me
what the vizir said to King Sindbad."
"This vizir," he replied, "told King Sindbad that one ought not believe
everything that a mother-in-law says, and told him this story."
The Story of the Husband and the Parrot
A good man had a beautiful wife, whom he loved passionately, and never
left if possible. One day, when he was obliged by important business
to go away from her, he went to a place where all kinds of birds are
sold and bought a parrot. This parrot not only spoke well, but it had
the gift of telling all that had been done before it. He brought it
home in a cage, and asked his wife to put it in her room, and take
great care of it while he was away. Then he departed. On his return
he asked the parrot what had happened during his absence, and the
parrot told him some things which made him scold his wife.
She thought that one of her slaves must have been telling tales of her,
but they told her it was the parrot, and she resolved to revenge
herself on him.
When her husband next went away for one day, she told on slave to turn
under the bird's cage a hand-mill; another to throw water down from
above the cage, and a third to take a mirror and turn it in front of
its eyes, from left to right by the light of a candle. The slaves did
this for part of the night, and did it very well.
The next day when the husband came back he asked the parrot what he had
seen. The bird replied, "My good master, the lightning, thunder and
rain disturbed me so much all night long, that I cannot tell you what I
have suffered."
The husband, who knew that it had neither rained nor thundered in the
night, was convinced that the parrot was not speaking the truth, so he
took him out of the cage and threw him so roughly on the ground that he
killed him. Nevertheless he was sorry afterwards, for he found that
the parrot had spoken the truth.
"When the Greek king," said the fisherman to the genius, "had finished
the story of the parrot, he added to the vizir, "And so, vizir, I shall
not listen to you, and I shall take care of the physician, in case I
repent as the husband did when he had killed the parrot." But the
vizir was determined. "Sire," he replied, "the death of the parrot was
nothing. But when it is a question of the life of a king it is better
to sacrifice the innocent than save the guilty. It is no uncertain
thing, however. The physician, Douban, wishes to assassinate you. My
zeal prompts me to disclose this to your Majesty. If I am wrong, I
deserve to be punished as a vizir was once punished." "What had the
vizir done," said the Greek king, "to merit the punishment?" "I will
tell your Majesty, if you will do me the honour to listen," answered
the vizir."
The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished
There was once upon a time a king who had a son who was very fond of
hunting. He often allowed him to indulge in this pastime, but he had
ordered his grand-vizir always to go with him, and never to lose sight
of him. One day the huntsman roused a stag, and the prince, thinking
that the vizir was behind, gave chase, and rode so hard that he found
himself alone. He stopped, and having lost sight of it, he turned to
rejoin the vizir, who had not been careful enough to follow him. But
he lost his way. Whilst he was trying to find it, he saw on the side
of the road a beautiful lady who was crying bitterly. He drew his
horse's rein, and asked her who she was and what she was doing in this
place, and if she needed help. "I am the daughter of an Indian king,"
she answered, "and whilst riding in the country I fell asleep and
tumbled off. My horse has run away, and I do not know what has become
of him."
The young prince had pity on her, and offered to take her behind him,
which he did. As they passed by a ruined building the lady dismounted
and went in. The prince also dismounted and followed her. To his
great surprise, he heard her saying to some one inside, "Rejoice my
children; I am bringing you a nice fat youth." And other voices
replied, "Where is he, mamma, that we may eat him at once, as we are
very hungry?"
The prince at once saw the danger he was in. He now knew that the lady
who said she was the daughter of an Indian king was an ogress, who
lived in desolate places, and who by a thousand wiles surprised and
devoured passers-by. He was terrified, and threw himself on his horse.
The pretended princess appeared at this moment, and seeing that she had
lost her prey, she said to him, "Do not be afraid. What do you want?"
"I am lost," he answered, "and I am looking for the road."
"Keep straight on," said the ogress, "and you will find it."
The prince could hardly believe his ears, and rode off as hard as he
could. He found his way, and arrived safe and sound at his father's
house, where he told him of the danger he had run because of the
grand-vizir's carelessness. The king was very angry, and had him
strangled immediately.
"Sire," went on the vizir to the Greek king, "to return to the
physician, Douban. If you do not take care, you will repent of having
trusted him. Who knows what this remedy, with which he has cured you,
may not in time have a bad effect on you?"
The Greek king was naturally very weak, and did not perceive the wicked
intention of his vizir, nor was he firm enough to keep to his first
resolution.
"Well, vizir," he said, "you are right. Perhaps he did come to take my
life. He might do it by the mere smell of one of his drugs. I must
see what can be done."
"The best means, sire, to put your life in security, is to send for him
at once, and to cut off his head directly he comes," said the vizir.
"I really think," replied the king, "that will be the best way."
He then ordered one of his ministers to fetch the physician, who came
at once.
"I have had you sent for," said the king, "in order to free myself from
you by taking your life."
The physician was beyond measure astonished when he heard he was to die.
"What crimes have I committed, your majesty?"
"I have learnt," replied the king, "that you are a spy, and intend to
kill me. But I will be first, and kill you. Strike," he added to an
executioner who was by, "and rid me of this assassin."
At this cruel order the physician threw himself on his knees. "Spare
my life," he cried, "and yours will be spared."
The fisherman stopped here to say to the genius: "You see what passed
between the Greek king and the physician has just passed between us
two. The Greek king," he went on, "had no mercy on him, and the
executioner bound his eyes."
All those present begged for his life, but in vain.
The physician on his knees, and bound, said to the king: "At least let
me put my affairs in order, and leave my books to persons who will make
good use of them. There is one which I should like to present to your
majesty. It is very precious, and ought to be kept carefully in your
treasury. It contains many curious things the chief being that when
you cut off my head, if your majesty will turn to the sixth leaf, and
read the third line of the left-hand page, my head will answer all the
questions you like to ask it."
The king, eager to see such a wonderful thing, put off his execution to
the next day, and sent him under a strong guard to his house. There
the physician put his affairs in order, and the next day there was a
great crowd assembled in the hall to see his death, and the doings
after it. The physician went up to the foot of the throne with a large
book in his hand. He carried a basin, on which he spread the covering
of the book, and presenting it to the king, said: "Sire, take this
book, and when my head is cut off, let it be placed in the basin on the
covering of this book; as soon as it is there, the blood will cease to
flow. Then open the book, and my head will answer your questions.
But, sire, I implore your mercy, for I am innocent."
"Your prayers are useless, and if it were only to hear your head speak
when you are dead, you should die."
So saying, he took the book from the physician's hands, and ordered the
executioner to do his duty.
The head was so cleverly cut off that it fell into the basin, and
directly the blood ceased to flow. Then, to the great astonishment of
the king, the eyes opened, and the head said, "Your majesty, open the
book." The king did so, and finding that the first leaf stuck against
the second, he put his finger in his mouth, to turn it more easily. He
did the same thing till he reached the sixth page, and not seeing any
writing on it, "Physician," he said, "there is no writing."
"Turn over a few more pages," answered the head. The king went on
turning, still putting his finger in his mouth, till the poison in
which each page was dipped took effect. His sight failed him, and he
fell at the foot of his throne.
When the physician's head saw that the poison had taken effect, and
that the king had only a few more minutes to live, "Tyrant," it cried,
"see how cruelty and injustice are punished."
Scarcely had it uttered these words than the king died, and the head
lost also the little life that had remained in it.
That is the end of the story of the Greek king, and now let us return
to the fisherman and the genius.
"If the Greek king," said the fisherman, "had spared the physician, he
would not have thus died. The same thing applies to you. Now I am
going to throw you into the sea."
"My friend," said the genius, "do not do such a cruel thing. Do not
treat me as Imma treated Ateca."
"What did Imma do to Ateca?" asked the fisherman.
"Do you think I can tell you while I am shut up in here?" replied the
genius. "Let me out, and I will make you rich."
The hope of being no longer poor made the fisherman give way.
"If you will give me your promise to do this, I will open the lid. I
do not think you will dare to break your word."
The genius promised, and the fisherman lifted the lid. He came out at
once in smoke, and then, having resumed his proper form, the first
thing he did was to kick the vase into the sea. This frightened the
fisherman, but the genius laughed and said, "Do not be afraid; I only
did it to frighten you, and to show you that I intend to keep my word;
take your nets and follow me."
He began to walk in front of the fisherman, who followed him with some
misgivings. They passed in front of the town, and went up a mountain
and then down into a great plain, where there was a large lake lying
between four hills.
When they reached the lake the genius said to the fisherman, "Throw
your nets and catch fish."
The fisherman did as he was told, hoping for a good catch, as he saw
plenty of fish. What was his astonishment at seeing that there were
four quite different kinds, some white, some red, some blue, and some
yellow. He caught four, one of each colour. As he had never seen any
like them he admired them very much, and he was very pleased to think
how much money he would get for them.
"Take these fish and carry them to the Sultan, who will give you more
money for them than you have ever had in your life. You can come every
day to fish in this lake, but be careful not to throw your nets more
than once every day, otherwise some harm will happen to you. If you
follow my advice carefully you will find it good."
Saying these words, he struck his foot against the ground, which
opened, and when he had disappeared, it closed immediately.
The fisherman resolved to obey the genius exactly, so he did not cast
his nets a second time, but walked into the town to sell his fish at
the palace.
When the Sultan saw the fish he was much astonished. He looked at them
one after the other, and when he had admired them long enough, "Take
these fish," he said to his first vizir, "and given them to the clever
cook the Emperor of the Greeks sent me. I think they must be as good
as they are beautiful."
The vizir took them himself to the cook, saying, "Here are four fish
that have been brought to the Sultan. He wants you to cook them."
Then he went back to the Sultan, who told him to give the fisherman
four hundred gold pieces. The fisherman, who had never before
possessed such a large sum of money at once, could hardly believe his
good fortune. He at once relieved the needs of his family, and made
good use of it.
But now we must return to the kitchen, which we shall find in great
confusion. The cook, when she had cleaned the fish, put them in a pan
with some oil to fry them. When she thought them cooked enough on one
side she turned them on the other. But scarcely had she done so when
the walls of the kitchen opened, and there came out a young and
beautiful damsel. She was dressed in an Egyptian dress of flowered
satin, and she wore earrings, and a necklace of white pearls, and
bracelets of gold set with rubies, and she held a wand of myrtle in her
hand.
She went up to the pan, to the great astonishment of the cook, who
stood motionless at the sight of her. She struck one of the fish with
her rod, "Fish, fish," said she, "are you doing your duty?" The fish
answered nothing, and then she repeated her question, whereupon they
all raised their heads together and answered very distinctly, "Yes,
yes. If you reckon, we reckon. If you pay your debts, we pay ours.
If you fly, we conquer, and we are content."
When they had spoken the girl upset the pan, and entered the opening in
the wall, which at once closed, and appeared the same as before.
When the cook had recovered from her fright she lifted up the fish
which had fallen into the ashes, but she found them as black as
cinders, and not fit to serve up to the Sultan. She began to cry.
"Alas! what shall I say to the Sultan? He will be so angry with me,
and I know he will not believe me!"
Whilst she was crying the grand-vizir came in and asked if the fish
were ready. She told him all that had happened, and he was much
surprised. He sent at once for the fisherman, and when he came said to
him, "Fisherman, bring me four more fish like you have brought already,
for an accident has happened to them so that they cannot be served up
to the Sultan."
The fisherman did not say what the genius had told him, but he excused
himself from bringing them that day on account of the length of the
way, and he promised to bring them next day.
In the night he went to the lake, cast his nets, and on drawing them in
found four fish, which were like the others, each of a different colour.
He went back at once and carried them to the grand-vizir as he had
promised.
He then took them to the kitchen and shut himself up with the cook, who
began to cook them as she had done the four others on the previous day.
When she was about to turn them on the other side, the wall opened, the
damsel appeared, addressed the same words to the fish, received the
same answer, and then overturned the pan and disappeared.
The grand-vizir was filled with astonishment. "I shall tell the Sultan
all that has happened," said he. And he did so.
The Sultan was very much astounded, and wished to see this marvel for
himself. So he sent for the fisherman, and asked him to procure four
more fish. The fisherman asked for three days, which were granted, and
he then cast his nets in the lake, and again caught four different
coloured fish. The sultan was delighted to see he had got them, and
gave him again four hundred gold pieces.
As soon as the Sultan had the fish he had them carried to his room with
all that was needed to cook them.
Then he shut himself up with the grand-vizir, who began to prepare them
and cook them. When they were done on one side he turned them over on
the other. Then the wall of the room opened, but instead of the maiden
a black slave came out. He was enormously tall, and carried a large
green stick with which he touched the fish, saying in a terrible voice,
"Fish, fish, are you doing your duty?" To these words the fish lifting
up their heads replied, "Yes, yes. If you reckon, we reckon. If you
pay your debts, we pay ours. If you fly, we conquer, and are content."
The black slave overturned the pan in the middle of the room, and the
fish were turned to cinders. Then he stepped proudly back into the
wall, which closed round him.
"After having seen this," said the Sultan, "I cannot rest. These fish
signify some mystery I must clear up."
He sent for the fisherman. "Fisherman," he said, "the fish you have
brought us have caused me some anxiety. Where did you get them from?"
"Sire," he answered, "I got them from a lake which lies in the middle
of four hills beyond yonder mountains."
"Do you know this lake?" asked the Sultan of the grand-vizir.
"No; though I have hunted many times round that mountain, I have never
heard of it," said the vizir.
As the fisherman said it was only three hours' journey away, the sultan
ordered his whole court to mount and ride thither, and the fisherman
led them.
They climbed the mountain, and then, on the other side, saw the lake as
the fisherman had described. The water was so clear that they could
see the four kinds of fish swimming about in it. They looked at them
for some time, and then the Sultan ordered them to make a camp by the
edge of the water.
When night came the Sultan called his vizir, and said to him, "I have
resolved to clear up this mystery. I am going out alone, and do you
stay here in my tent, and when my ministers come to-morrow, say I am
not well, and cannot see them. Do this each day till I return."
The grand-vizir tried to persuade the Sultan not to go, but in vain.
The Sultan took off his state robe and put on his sword, and when he
saw all was quiet in the camp he set forth alone.
He climbed one of the hills, and then crossed the great plain, till,
just as the sun rose, he beheld far in front of him a large building.
When he came near to it he saw it was a splendid palace of beautiful
black polished marble, covered with steel as smooth as a mirror.
He went to the gate, which stood half open, and went in, as nobody came
when he knocked. He passed through a magnificent courtyard and still
saw no one, though he called aloud several times.
He entered large halls where the carpets were of silk, the lounges and
sofas covered with tapestry from Mecca, and the hangings of the most
beautiful Indian stuffs of gold and silver. Then he found himself in a
splendid room, with a fountain supported by golden lions. The water
out of the lions' mouths turned into diamonds and pearls, and the
leaping water almost touched a most beautifully-painted dome. The
palace was surrounded on three sides by magnificent gardens, little
lakes, and woods. Birds sang in the trees, which were netted over to
keep them always there.
Still the Sultan saw no one, till he heard a plaintive cry, and a voice
which said, "Oh that I could die, for I am too unhappy to wish to live
any longer!"
The Sultan looked round to discover who it was who thus bemoaned his
fate, and at last saw a handsome young man, richly clothed, who was
sitting on a throne raised slightly from the ground. His face was very
sad.
The sultan approached him and bowed to him. The young man bent his
head very low, but did not rise.
"Sire," he said to the Sultan, "I cannot rise and do you the reverence
that I am sure should be paid to your rank."
"Sir," answered the Sultan, "I am sure you have a good reason for not
doing so, and having heard your cry of distress, I am come to offer you
my help. Whose is this palace, and why is it thus empty?"
Instead of answering the young man lifted up his robe, and showed the
Sultan that, from the waist downwards, he was a block of black marble.
The Sultan was horrified, and begged the young man to tell him his
story.
"Willingly I will tell you my sad history," said the young man.
The Story of the Young King of the Black Isles
You must know, sire, that my father was Mahmoud, the king of this
country, the Black Isles, so called from the four little mountains
which were once islands, while the capital was the place where now the
great lake lies. My story will tell you how these changes came about.
My father died when he was sixty-six, and I succeeded him. I married
my cousin, whom I loved tenderly, and I thought she loved me too.
But one afternoon, when I was half asleep, and was being fanned by two
of her maids, I heard one say to the other, "What a pity it is that our
mistress no longer loves our master! I believe she would like to kill
him if she could, for she is an enchantress."
I soon found by watching that they were right, and when I mortally
wounded a favourite slave of hers for a great crime, she begged that
she might build a palace in the garden, where she wept and bewailed him
for two years.
At last I begged her to cease grieving for him, for although he could
not speak or move, by her enchantments she just kept him alive. She
turned upon me in a rage, and said over me some magic words, and I
instantly became as you see me now, half man and half marble.
Then this wicked enchantress changed the capital, which was a very
populous and flourishing city, into the lake and desert plain you saw.
The fish of four colours which are in it are the different races who
lived in the town; the four hills are the four islands which give the
name to my kingdom. All this the enchantress told me to add to my
troubles. And this is not all. Every day she comes and beats me with
a whip of buffalo hide.
When the young king had finished his sad story he burst once more into
tears, and the Sultan was much moved.
"Tell me," he cried, "where is this wicked woman, and where is the
miserable object of her affection, whom she just manages to keep alive?"
"Where she lives I do not know," answered the unhappy prince, "but she
goes every day at sunrise to see if the slave can yet speak to her,
after she has beaten me."
"Unfortunate king," said the Sultan, "I will do what I can to avenge
you."
So he consulted with the young king over the best way to bring this
about, and they agreed their plan should be put in effect the next day.
The Sultan then rested, and the young king gave himself up to happy
hopes of release. The next day the Sultan arose, and then went to the
palace in the garden where the black slave was. He drew his sword and
destroyed the little life that remained in him, and then threw the body
down a well. He then lay down on the couch where the slave had been,
and waited for the enchantress.
She went first to the young king, whom she beat with a hundred blows.
Then she came to the room where she thought her wounded slave was, but
where the Sultan really lay.
She came near his couch and said, "Are you better to-day, my dear
slave? Speak but one word to me."
"How can I be better," answered the Sultan, imitating the language of
the Ethiopians, "when I can never sleep for the cries and groans of
your husband?"
"What joy to hear you speak!" answered the queen. "Do you wish him to
regain his proper shape?"
"Yes," said the Sultan; "hasten to set him at liberty, so that I may no
longer hear his cries."
The queen at once went out and took a cup of water, and said over it
some words that made it boil as if it were on the fire. Then she threw
it over the prince, who at once regained his own form. He was filled
with joy, but the enchantress said, "Hasten away from this place and
never come back, lest I kill you."
So he hid himself to see the end of the Sultan's plan.
The enchantress went back to the Palace of Tears and said, "Now I have
done what you wished."
"What you have done," said the Sultan, "is not enough to cure me.
Every day at midnight all the people whom you have changed into fish
lift their heads out of the lake and cry for vengeance. Go quickly,
and give them their proper shape."
The enchantress hurried away and said some words over the lake.
The fish then became men, women, and children, and the houses and shops
were once more filled. The Sultan's suite, who had encamped by the
lake, were not a little astonished to see themselves in the middle of a
large and beautiful town.
As soon as she had disenchanted it the queen went back to the palace.
"Are you quite well now?" she said.
"Come near," said the Sultan. "Nearer still."
She obeyed. Then he sprang up, and with one blow of his sword he cut
her in two.
Then he went and found the prince.
"Rejoice," he said, "your cruel enemy is dead."
The prince thanked him again and again.
"And now," said the Sultan. "I will go back to my capital, which I am
glad to find is so near yours."
"So near mine!" said the King of the Black Isles.
"Do you know it is a whole year's journey from here? You came here in
a few hours because it was enchanted. But I will accompany you on your
journey."
"It will give me much pleasure if you will escort me," said the Sultan,
"and as I have no children, I will make you my heir."
The Sultan and the prince set out together, the Sultan laden with rich
presents from the King of the Black Isles.
The day after he reached his capital the Sultan assembled his court and
told them all that had befallen him, and told them how he intended to
adopt the young king as his heir.
Then he gave each man presents in proportion to his rank.
As for the fisherman, as he was the first cause of the deliverance of
the young prince, the Sultan gave him much money, and made him and his
family happy for the rest of their days.
The Story of the Three Calenders, Sons of Kings,
and of Five Ladies of Bagdad
In the reign of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid, there lived at Bagdad a
porter who, in spite of his humble calling, was an intelligent and
sensible man. One morning he was sitting in his usual place with his
basket before him, waiting to be hired, when a tall young lady, covered
with a long muslin veil, came up to him and said, "Pick up your basket
and follow me." The porter, who was greatly pleased by her appearance
and voice, jumped up at once, poised his basket on his head, and
accompanied the lady, saying to himself as he went, "Oh, happy day!
Oh, lucky meeting!"
The lady soon stopped before a closed door, at which she knocked. It
was opened by an old man with a long white beard, to whom the lady held
out money without speaking. The old man, who seemed to understand what
she wanted, vanished into the house, and returned bringing a large jar
of wine, which the porter placed in his basket. Then the lady signed
to him to follow, and they went their way.
The next place she stopped at was a fruit and flower shop, and here she
bought a large quantity of apples, apricots, peaches, and other things,
with lilies, jasmine, and all sorts of sweet-smelling plants. From
this shop she went to a butcher's, a grocer's, and a poulterer's, till
at last the porter exclaimed in despair, "My good lady, if you had only
told me you were going to buy enough provisions to stock a town, I
would have brought a horse, or rather a camel." The lady laughed, and
told him she had not finished yet, but after choosing various kinds of
scents and spices from a druggist's store, she halted before a
magnificent palace, at the door of which she knocked gently. The
porteress who opened it was of such beauty that the eyes of the man
were quite dazzled, and he was the more astonished as he saw clearly
that she was no slave. The lady who had led him hither stood watching
him with amusement, till the porteress exclaimed, "Why don't you come
in, my sister? This poor man is so heavily weighed down that he is
ready to drop."
When they were both inside the door was fastened, and they all three
entered a large court, surrounded by an open-work gallery. At one end
of the court was a platform, and on the platform stood an amber throne
supported by four ebony columns, garnished with pearls and diamonds.
In the middle of the court stood a marble basin filled with water from
the mouth of a golden lion.
The porter looked about him, noticing and admiring everything; but his
attention was specially attracted by a third lady sitting on the
throne, who was even more beautiful than the other two. By the respect
shown to her by the others, he judged that she must be the eldest, and
in this he was right. This lady's name was Zobeida, the porteress was
Sadie, and the housekeeper was Amina. At a word from Zobeida, Sadie
and Amina took the basket from the porter, who was glad enough to be
relieved from its weight; and when it was emptied, paid him handsomely
for its use. But instead of taking up his basket and going away, the
man still lingered, till Zobeida inquired what he was waiting for, and
if he expected more money. "Oh, madam," returned he, "you have already
given me too much, and I fear I may have been guilty of rudeness in not
taking my departure at once. But, if you will pardon my saying so, I
was lost in astonishment at seeing such beautiful ladies by themselves.
A company of women without men is, however, as dull as a company of men
without women." And after telling some stories to prove his point, he
ended by entreating them to let him stay and make a fourth at their
dinner.
The ladies were rather amused at the man's assurances and after some
discussion it was agreed that he should be allowed to stay, as his
society might prove entertaining. "But listen, friend," said Zobeida,
"if we grant your request, it is only on condition that you behave with
the utmost politeness, and that you keep the secret of our way of
living, which chance has revealed to you." Then they all sat down to
table, which had been covered by Amina with the dishes she had bought.
After the first few mouthfuls Amina poured some wine into a golden cup.
She first drank herself, according to the Arab custom, and then filled
it for her sisters. When it came to the porter's turn he kissed
Amina's hand, and sang a song, which he composed at the moment in
praise of the wine. The three ladies were pleased with the song, and
then sang themselves, so that the repast was a merry one, and lasted
much longer than usual.
At length, seeing that the sun was about to set, Sadia said to the
porter, "Rise and go; it is now time for us to separate."
"Oh, madam," replied he, "how can you desire me to quit you in the
state in which I am? Between the wine I have drunk, and the pleasure
of seeing you, I should never find the way to my house. Let me remain
here till morning, and when I have recovered my senses I will go when
you like."
"Let him stay," said Amina, who had before proved herself his friend.
"It is only just, as he has given us so much amusement."
"If you wish it, my sister," replied Zobeida; "but if he does, I must
make a new condition. Porter," she continued, turning to him, "if you
remain, you must promise to ask no questions about anything you may
see. If you do, you may perhaps hear what you don't like."
This being settled, Amina brought in supper, and lit up the hall with a
number of sweet smelling tapers. They then sat down again at the
table, and began with fresh appetites to eat, drink, sing, and recite
verses. In fact, they were all enjoying themselves mightily when they
heard a knock at the outer door, which Sadie rose to open. She soon
returned saying that three Calenders, all blind in the right eye, and
all with their heads, faces, and eyebrows clean shaved, begged for
admittance, as they were newly arrived in Bagdad, and night had already
fallen. "They seem to have pleasant manners," she added, "but you have
no idea how funny they look. I am sure we should find their company
diverting."
Zobeida and Amina made some difficulty about admitting the new comers,
and Sadie knew the reason of their hesitation. But she urged the
matter so strongly that Zobeida was at last forced to consent. "Bring
them in, then," said she, "but make them understand that they are not
to make remarks about what does not concern them, and be sure to make
them read the inscription over the door." For on the door was written
in letters of gold, "Whoso meddles in affairs that are no business of
his, will hear truths that will not please him."
The three Calenders bowed low on entering, and thanked the ladies for
their kindness and hospitality. The ladies replied with words of
welcome, and they were all about to seat themselves when the eyes of
the Calenders fell on the porter, whose dress was not so very unlike
their own, though he still wore all the hair that nature had given him.
"This," said one of them, "is apparently one of our Arab brothers, who
has rebelled against our ruler."
The porter, although half asleep from the wine he had drunk, heard the
words, and without moving cried angrily to the Calender, "Sit down and
mind your own business. Did you not read the inscription over the
door? Everybody is not obliged to live in the same way."
"Do not be so angry, my good man," replied the Calender; "we should be
very sorry to displease you;" so the quarrel was smoothed over, and
supper began in good earnest. When the Calenders had satisfied their
hunger, they offered to play to their hostesses, if there were any
instruments in the house. The ladies were delighted at the idea, and
Sadie went to see what she could find, returning in a few moments laden
with two different kinds of flutes and a tambourine. Each Calender
took the one he preferred, and began to play a well-known air, while
the ladies sang the words of the song. These words were the gayest and
liveliest possible, and every now and then the singers had to stop to
indulge the laughter which almost choked them. In the midst of all
their noise, a knock was heard at the door.
Now early that evening the Caliph secretly left the palace, accompanied
by his grand-vizir, Giafar, and Mesrour, chief of the eunuchs, all
three wearing the dresses of merchants. Passing down the street, the
Caliph had been attracted by the music of instruments and the sound of
laughter, and had ordered his vizir to go and knock at the door of the
house, as he wished to enter. The vizir replied that the ladies who
lived there seemed to be entertaining their friends, and he thought his
master would do well not to intrude on them; but the Caliph had taken
it into his head to see for himself, and insisted on being obeyed.
The knock was answered by Sadie, with a taper in her hand, and the
vizir, who was surprised at her beauty, bowed low before her, and said
respectfully, "Madam, we are three merchants who have lately arrived
from Moussoul, and, owing to a misadventure which befel us this very
night, only reached our inn to find that the doors were closed to us
till to-morrow morning. Not knowing what to do, we wandered in the
streets till we happened to pass your house, when, seeing lights and
hearing the sound of voices, we resolved to ask you to give us shelter
till the dawn. If you will grant us this favour, we will, with your
permission, do all in our power to help you spend the time pleasantly."
Sadie answered the merchant that she must first consult her sisters;
and after having talked over the matter with them, she returned to tell
him that he and his two friends would be welcome to join their company.
They entered and bowed politely to the ladies and their guests. Then
Zobeida, as the mistress, came forward and said gravely, "You are
welcome here, but I hope you will allow me to beg one thing of
you--have as many eyes as you like, but no tongues; and ask no
questions about anything you see, however strange it may appear to you."
"Madam," returned the vizir, "you shall be obeyed. We have quite
enough to please and interest us without troubling ourselves about that
with which we have no concern." Then they all sat down, and drank to
the health of the new comers.
While the vizir, Giafar, was talking to the ladies the Caliph was
occupied in wondering who they could be, and why the three Calenders
had each lost his right eye. He was burning to inquire the reason of
it all, but was silenced by Zobeida's request, so he tried to rouse
himself and to take his part in the conversation, which was very
lively, the subject of discussion being the many different sorts of
pleasures that there were in the world. After some time the Calenders
got up and performed some curious dances, which delighted the rest of
the company.
When they had finished Zobeida rose from her seat, and, taking Amina by
the hand, she said to her, "My sister, our friends will excuse us if we
seem to forget their presence and fulfil our nightly task." Amina
understood her sister's meaning, and collecting the dishes, glasses,
and musical instruments, she carried them away, while Sadie swept the
hall and put everything in order. Having done this she begged the
Calenders to sit on a sofa on one side of the room, and the Caliph and
his friends to place themselves opposite. As to the porter, she
requested him to come and help her and her sister.
Shortly after Amina entered carrying a seat, which she put down in the
middle of the empty space. She next went over to the door of a closet
and signed to the porter to follow her. He did so, and soon reappeared
leading two black dogs by a chain, which he brought into the centre of
the hall. Zobeida then got up from her seat between the Calenders and
the Caliph and walked slowly across to where the porter stood with the
dogs. "We must do our duty," she said with a deep sigh, pushing back
her sleeves, and, taking a whip from Sadie, she said to the man, "Take
one of those dogs to my sister Amina and give me the other."
The porter did as he was bid, but as he led the dog to Zobeida it
uttered piercing howls, and gazed up at her with looks of entreaty.
But Zobeida took no notice, and whipped the dog till she was out of
breath. She then took the chain from the porter, and, raising the dog
on its hind legs, they looked into each other's eyes sorrowfully till
tears began to fall from both. Then Zobeida took her handkerchief and
wiped the dog's eyes tenderly, after which she kissed it, then, putting
the chain into the porter's hand she said, "Take it back to the closet
and bring me the other."
The same ceremony was gone through with the second dog, and all the
while the whole company looked on with astonishment. The Caliph in
particular could hardly contain himself, and made signs to the vizir to
ask what it all meant. But the vizir pretended not to see, and turned
his head away.
Zobeida remained for some time in the middle of the room, till at last
Sadie went up to her and begged her to sit down, as she also had her
part to play. At these words Amina fetched a lute from a case of
yellow satin and gave it to Sadie, who sang several songs to its
accompaniment. When she was tired she said to Amina, "My sister, I can
do no more; come, I pray you, and take my place."
Amina struck a few chords and then broke into a song, which she sang
with so much ardour that she was quite overcome, and sank gasping on a
pile of cushions, tearing open her dress as she did so to give herself
some air. To the amazement of all present, her neck, instead of being
as smooth and white as her face, was a mass of scars.
The Calenders and the Caliph looked at each other, and whispered
together, unheard by Zobeida and Sadie, who were tending their fainting
sister.
"What does it all mean?' asked the Caliph.
"We know no more than you," said the Calender to whom he had spoken.
"What! You do not belong to the house?"
"My lord," answered all the Calenders together, "we came here for the
first time an hour before you."
They then turned to the porter to see if he could explain the mystery,
but the porter was no wiser than they were themselves. At length the
Caliph could contain his curiosity no longer, and declared that he
would compel the ladies to tell them the meaning of their strange
conduct. The vizir, foreseeing what would happen, implored him to
remember the condition their hostesses had imposed, and added in a
whisper that if his Highness would only wait till morning he could as
Caliph summon the ladies to appear before him. But the Caliph, who was
not accustomed to be contradicted, rejected this advice, and it was
resolved after a little more talking that the question should be put by
the porter. Suddenly Zobeida turned round, and seeing their excitement
she said, "What is the matter--what are you all discussing so
earnestly?"
"Madam," answered the porter, "these gentlemen entreat you to explain
to them why you should first whip the dogs and then cry over them, and
also how it happens that the fainting lady is covered with scars. They
have requested me, Madam, to be their mouthpiece."
"Is it true, gentlemen," asked Zobeida, drawing herself up, "that you
have charged this man to put me that question?"
"It is," they all replied, except Giafar, who was silent.
"Is this," continued Zobeida, growing more angry every moment, "is this
the return you make for the hospitality I have shown you? Have you
forgotten the one condition on which you were allowed to enter the
house? Come quickly," she added, clapping her hands three times, and
the words were hardly uttered when seven black slaves, each armed with
a sabre, burst in and stood over the seven men, throwing them on the
ground, and preparing themselves, on a sign from their mistress, to cut
off their heads.
The seven culprits all thought their last hour had come, and the Caliph
repented bitterly that he had not taken the vizir's advice. But they
made up their minds to die bravely, all except the porter, who loudly
inquired of Zobeida why he was to suffer for other people's faults, and
declared that these misfortunes would never have happened if it had not
been for the Calenders, who always brought ill-luck. He ended by
imploring Zobeida not to confound the innocent with the guilty and to
spare his life.
In spite of her anger, there was something so comic in the groans of
the porter that Zobeida could not refrain from laughing. But putting
him aside she addressed the others a second time, saying, "Answer me;
who are you? Unless you tell me truly you have not another moment to
live. I can hardly think you are men of any position, whatever country
you belong to. If you were, you would have had more consideration for
us."
The Caliph, who was naturally very impatient, suffered far more than
either of the others at feeling that his life was at the mercy of a
justly offended lady, but when he heard her question he began to
breathe more freely, for he was convinced that she had only to learn
his name and rank for all danger to be over. So he whispered hastily
to the vizir, who was next to him, to reveal their secret. But the
vizir, wiser than his master, wished to conceal from the public the
affront they had received, and merely answered, "After all, we have
only got what we deserved."
Meanwhile Zobeida had turned to the three Calenders and inquired if, as
they were all blind, they were brothers.
"No, madam," replied one, "we are no blood relations at all, only
brothers by our mode of life."
"And you," she asked, addressing another, "were you born blind of one
eye?"
"No, madam," returned he, "I became blind through a most surprising
adventure, such as probably has never happened to anybody. After that
I shaved my head and eyebrows and put on the dress in which you see me
now."
Zobeida put the same question to the other two Calenders, and received
the same answer.
"But," added the third, "it may interest you, madam, to know that we
are not men of low birth, but are all three sons of kings, and of
kings, too, whom the world holds in high esteem."
At these words Zobeida's anger cooled down, and she turned to her
slaves and said, "You can give them a little more liberty, but do not
leave the hall. Those that will tell us their histories and their
reasons for coming here shall be allowed to leave unhurt; those who
refuse--" And she paused, but in a moment the porter, who understood
that he had only to relate his story to set himself free from this
terrible danger, immediately broke in,
"Madam, you know already how I came here, and what I have to say will
soon be told. Your sister found me this morning in the place where I
always stand waiting to be hired. She bade me follow her to various
shops, and when my basket was quite full we returned to this house,
when you had the goodness to permit me to remain, for which I shall be
eternally grateful. That is my story."
He looked anxiously to Zobeida, who nodded her head and said, "You can
go; and take care we never meet again."
"Oh, madam," cried the porter, "let me stay yet a little while. It is
not just that the others should have heard my story and that I should
not hear theirs," and without waiting for permission he seated himself
on the end of the sofa occupied by the ladies, whilst the rest crouched
on the carpet, and the slaves stood against the wall.
Then one of the Calenders, addressing himself to Zobeida as the
principal lady, began his story.
The Story of the First Calender, Son of a King
In order, madam, to explain how I came to lose my right eye, and to
wear the dress of a Calender, you must first know that I am the son of
a king. My father's only brother reigned over the neighbouring
country, and had two children, a daughter and a son, who were of the
same age as myself.
As I grew up, and was allowed more liberty, I went every year to pay a
visit to my uncle's court, and usually stayed there about two months.
In this way my cousin and I became very intimate, and were much
attached to each other. The very last time I saw him he seemed more
delighted to see me than ever, and gave a great feast in my honour.
When we had finished eating, he said to me, "My cousin, you would never
guess what I have been doing since your last visit to us! Directly
after your departure I set a number of men to work on a building after
my own design. It is now completed, and ready to be lived in. I
should like to show it to you, but you must first swear two things: to
be faithful to me, and to keep my secret."
Of course I did not dream of refusing him anything he asked, and gave
the promise without the least hesitation. He then bade me wait an
instant, and vanished, returning in a few moments with a richly dressed
lady of great beauty, but as he did not tell me her name, I thought it
was better not to inquire. We all three sat down to table and amused
ourselves with talking of all sorts of indifferent things, and with
drinking each other's health. Suddenly the prince said to me, "Cousin,
we have no time to lose; be so kind as to conduct this lady to a
certain spot, where you will find a dome-like tomb, newly built. You
cannot mistake it. Go in, both of you, and wait till I come. I shall
not be long."
As I had promised I prepared to do as I was told, and giving my hand to
the lady, I escorted her, by the light of the moon, to the place of
which the prince had spoken. We had barely reached it when he joined
us himself, carrying a small vessel of water, a pickaxe, and a little
bag containing plaster.
With the pickaxe he at once began to destroy the empty sepulchre in the
middle of the tomb. One by one he took the stones and piled them up in
a corner. When he had knocked down the whole sepulchre he proceeded to
dig at the earth, and beneath where the sepulchre had been I saw a
trap-door. He raised the door and I caught sight of the top of a spiral
staircase; then he said, turning to the lady, "Madam, this is the way
that will lead you down to the spot which I told you of."
The lady did not answer, but silently descended the staircase, the
prince following her. At the top, however, he looked at me. "My
cousin," he exclaimed, "I do not know how to thank you for your
kindness. Farewell."
"What do you mean?" I cried. "I don't understand."
"No matter," he replied, "go back by the path that you came."
He would say no more, and, greatly puzzled, I returned to my room in
the palace and went to bed. When I woke, and considered my adventure,
I thought that I must have been dreaming, and sent a servant to ask if
the prince was dressed and could see me. But on hearing that he had
not slept at home I was much alarmed, and hastened to the cemetery,
where, unluckily, the tombs were all so alike that I could not discover
which was the one I was in search of, though I spent four days in
looking for it.
You must know that all this time the king, my uncle, was absent on a
hunting expedition, and as no one knew when he would be back, I at last
decided to return home, leaving the ministers to make my excuses. I
longed to tell them what had become of the prince, about whose fate
they felt the most dreadful anxiety, but the oath I had sworn kept me
silent.
On my arrival at my father's capital, I was astonished to find a large
detachment of guards drawn up before the gate of the palace; they
surrounded me directly I entered. I asked the officers in command the
reason of this strange behaviour, and was horrified to learn that the
army had mutinied and put to death the king, my father, and had placed
the grand-vizir on the throne. Further, that by his orders I was
placed under arrest.
Now this rebel vizir had hated me from my boy-hood, because once, when
shooting at a bird with a bow, I had shot out his eye by accident. Of
course I not only sent a servant at once to offer him my regrets and
apologies, but I made them in person. It was all of no use. He
cherished an undying hatred towards me, and lost no occasion of showing
it. Having once got me in his power I felt he could show no mercy, and
I was right. Mad with triumph and fury he came to me in my prison and
tore out my right eye. That is how I lost it.
My persecutor, however, did not stop here. He shut me up in a large
case and ordered his executioner to carry me into a desert place, to
cut off my head, and then to abandon my body to the birds of prey. The
case, with me inside it, was accordingly placed on a horse, and the
executioner, accompanied by another man, rode into the country until
they found a spot suitable for the purpose. But their hearts were not
so hard as they seemed, and my tears and prayers made them waver.
"Forsake the kingdom instantly," said the executioner at last, "and
take care never to come back, for you will not only lose your head, but
make us lose ours." I thanked him gratefully, and tried to console
myself for the loss of my eye by thinking of the other misfortunes I
had escaped.
After all I had gone through, and my fear of being recognised by some
enemy, I could only travel very slowly and cautiously, generally
resting in some out-of-the-way place by day, and walking as far as I
was able by night, but at length I arrived in the kingdom of my uncle,
of whose protection I was sure.
I found him in great trouble about the disappearance of his son, who
had, he said, vanished without leaving a trace; but his own grief did
not prevent him sharing mine. We mingled our tears, for the loss of
one was the loss of the other, and then I made up my mind that it was
my duty to break the solemn oath I had sworn to the prince. I
therefore lost no time in telling my uncle everything I knew, and I
observed that even before I had ended his sorrow appeared to be
lightened a little.
"My dear nephew," he said, "your story gives me some hope. I was aware
that my son was building a tomb, and I think I can find the spot. But
as he wished to keep the matter secret, let us go alone and seek the
place ourselves."
He then bade me disguise myself, and we both slipped out of a garden
door which opened on to the cemetery. It did not take long for us to
arrive at the scene of the prince's disappearance, or to discover the
tomb I had sought so vainly before. We entered it, and found the
trap-door which led to the staircase, but we had great difficulty in
raising it, because the prince had fastened it down underneath with the
plaster he had brought with him.
My uncle went first, and I followed him. When we reached the bottom of
the stairs we stepped into a sort of ante-room, filled with such a
dense smoke that it was hardly possible to see anything. However, we
passed through the smoke into a large chamber, which at first seemed
quite empty. The room was brilliantly lighted, and in another moment
we perceived a sort of platform at one end, on which were the bodies of
the prince and a lady, both half-burned, as if they had been dragged
out of a fire before it had quite consumed them.
This horrible sight turned me faint, but, to my surprise, my uncle did
not show so much surprise as anger.
"I knew," he said, "that my son was tenderly attached to this lady,
whom it was impossible he should ever marry. I tried to turn his
thoughts, and presented to him the most beautiful princesses, but he
cared for none of them, and, as you see, they have now been united by a
horrible death in an underground tomb." But, as he spoke, his anger
melted into tears, and again I wept with him.
When he recovered himself he drew me to him. "My dear nephew," he
said, embracing me, "you have come to me to take his place, and I will
do my best to forget that I ever had a son who could act in so wicked a
manner." Then he turned and went up the stairs.
We reached the palace without anyone having noticed our absence, when,
shortly after, a clashing of drums, and cymbals, and the blare of
trumpets burst upon our astonished ears. At the same time a thick
cloud of dust on the horizon told of the approach of a great army. My
heart sank when I perceived that the commander was the vizir who had
dethroned my father, and was come to seize the kingdom of my uncle.
The capital was utterly unprepared to stand a siege, and seeing that
resistance was useless, at once opened its gates. My uncle fought hard
for his life, but was soon overpowered, and when he fell I managed to
escape through a secret passage, and took refuge with an officer whom I
knew I could trust.
Persecuted by ill-fortune, and stricken with grief, there seemed to be
only one means of safety left to me. I shaved my beard and my
eyebrows, and put on the dress of a calender, in which it was easy for
me to travel without being known. I avoided the towns till I reached
the kingdom of the famous and powerful Caliph, Haroun-al-Raschid, when
I had no further reason to fear my enemies. It was my intention to
come to Bagdad and to throw myself at the feet of his Highness, who
would, I felt certain, be touched by my sad story, and would grant me,
besides, his help and protection.
After a journey which lasted some months I arrived at length at the
gates of this city. It was sunset, and I paused for a little to look
about me, and to decide which way to turn my steps. I was still
debating on this subject when I was joined by this other calender, who
stopped to greet me. "You, like me, appear to be a stranger," I said.
He replied that I was right, and before he could say more the third
calender came up. He, also, was newly arrived in Bagdad, and being
brothers in misfortune, we resolved to cast in our lots together, and
to share whatever fate might have in store.
By this time it had grown late, and we did not know where to spend the
night. But our lucky star having guided us to this door, we took the
liberty of knocking and of asking for shelter, which was given to us at
once with the best grace in the world.
This, madam, is my story.
"I am satisfied," replied Zobeida; "you can go when you like."
The calender, however, begged leave to stay and to hear the histories
of his two friends and of the three other persons of the company, which
he was allowed to do.
The Story of the Second Calendar, Son of a King
"Madam," said the young man, addressing Zobeida, "if you wish to know
how I lost my right eye, I shall have to tell you the story of my whole
life."
I was scarcely more than a baby, when the king my father, finding me
unusually quick and clever for my age, turned his thoughts to my
education. I was taught first to read and write, and then to learn the
Koran, which is the basis of our holy religion, and the better to
understand it, I read with my tutors the ablest commentators on its
teaching, and committed to memory all the traditions respecting the
Prophet, which have been gathered from the mouth of those who were his
friends. I also learnt history, and was instructed in poetry,
versification, geography, chronology, and in all the outdoor exercises
in which every prince should excel. But what I liked best of all was
writing Arabic characters, and in this I soon surpassed my masters, and
gained a reputation in this branch of knowledge that reached as far as
India itself.
Now the Sultan of the Indies, curious to see a young prince with such
strange tastes, sent an ambassador to my father, laden with rich
presents, and a warm invitation to visit his court. My father, who was
deeply anxious to secure the friendship of so powerful a monarch, and
held besides that a little travel would greatly improve my manners and
open my mind, accepted gladly, and in a short time I had set out for
India with the ambassador, attended only by a small suite on account of
the length of the journey, and the badness of the roads. However, as
was my duty, I took with me ten camels, laden with rich presents for
the Sultan.
We had been travelling for about a month, when one day we saw a cloud
of dust moving swiftly towards us; and as soon as it came near, we
found that the dust concealed a band of fifty robbers. Our men barely
numbered half, and as we were also hampered by the camels, there was no
use in fighting, so we tried to overawe them by informing them who we
were, and whither we were going. The robbers, however, only laughed,
and declared that was none of their business, and, without more words,
attacked us brutally. I defended myself to the last, wounded though I
was, but at length, seeing that resistance was hopeless, and that the
ambassador and all our followers were made prisoners, I put spurs to my
horse and rode away as fast as I could, till the poor beast fell dead
from a wound in his side. I managed to jump off without any injury,
and looked about to see if I was pursued. But for the moment I was
safe, for, as I imagined, the robbers were all engaged in quarrelling
over their booty.
I found myself in a country that was quite new to me, and dared not
return to the main road lest I should again fall into the hands of the
robbers. Luckily my wound was only a slight one, and after binding it
up as well as I could, I walked on for the rest of the day, till I
reached a cave at the foot of a mountain, where I passed the night in
peace, making my supper off some fruits I had gathered on the way.
I wandered about for a whole month without knowing where I was going,
till at length I found myself on the outskirts of a beautiful city,
watered by winding streams, which enjoyed an eternal spring. My
delight at the prospect of mixing once more with human beings was
somewhat damped at the thought of the miserable object I must seem. My
face and hands had been burned nearly black; my clothes were all in
rags, and my shoes were in such a state that I had been forced to
abandon them altogether.
I entered the town, and stopped at a tailor's shop to inquire where I
was. The man saw I was better than my condition, and begged me to sit
down, and in return I told him my whole story. The tailor listened
with attention, but his reply, instead of giving me consolation, only
increased my trouble.
"Beware," he said, "of telling any one what you have told me, for the
prince who governs the kingdom is your father's greatest enemy, and he
will be rejoiced to find you in his power."
I thanked the tailor for his counsel, and said I would do whatever he
advised; then, being very hungry, I gladly ate of the food he put
before me, and accepted his offer of a lodging in his house.
In a few days I had quite recovered from the hardships I had undergone,
and then the tailor, knowing that it was the custom for the princes of
our religion to learn a trade or profession so as to provide for
themselves in times of ill-fortune, inquired if there was anything I
could do for my living. I replied that I had been educated as a
grammarian and a poet, but that my great gift was writing.
"All that is of no use here," said the tailor. "Take my advice, put on
a short coat, and as you seem hardy and strong, go into the woods and
cut firewood, which you will sell in the streets. By this means you
will earn your living, and be able to wait till better times come. The
hatchet and the cord shall be my present."
This counsel was very distasteful to me, but I thought I could not do
otherwise than adopt it. So the next morning I set out with a company
of poor wood-cutters, to whom the tailor had introduced me. Even on
the first day I cut enough wood to sell for a tolerable sum, and very
soon I became more expert, and had made enough money to repay the
tailor all he had lent me.
I had been a wood-cutter for more than a year, when one day I wandered
further into the forest than I had ever done before, and reached a
delicious green glade, where I began to cut wood. I was hacking at the
root of a tree, when I beheld an iron ring fastened to a trapdoor of
the same metal. I soon cleared away the earth, and pulling up the
door, found a staircase, which I hastily made up my mind to go down,
carrying my hatchet with me by way of protection. When I reached the
bottom I discovered that I was in a huge palace, as brilliantly lighted
as any palace above ground that I had ever seen, with a long gallery
supported by pillars of jasper, ornamented with capitals of gold. Down
this gallery a lady came to meet me, of such beauty that I forgot
everything else, and thought only of her.
To save her all the trouble possible, I hastened towards her, and bowed
low.
"Who are you? Who are you?" she said. "A man or a genius?"
"A man, madam," I replied; "I have nothing to do with genii."
"By what accident do you come here?" she asked again with a sigh. "I
have been in this place now for five and twenty years, and you are the
first man who has visited me."
Emboldened by her beauty and gentleness, I ventured to reply, "Before,
madam, I answer your question, allow me to say how grateful I am for
this meeting, which is not only a consolation to me in my own heavy
sorrow, but may perhaps enable me to render your lot happier," and then
I told her who I was, and how I had come there.
"Alas, prince," she said, with a deeper sigh than before, "you have
guessed rightly in supposing me an unwilling prisoner in this gorgeous
place. I am the daughter of the king of the Ebony Isle, of whose fame
you surely must have heard. At my father's desire I was married to a
prince who was my own cousin; but on my very wedding day, I was
snatched up by a genius, and brought here in a faint. For a long while
I did nothing but weep, and would not suffer the genius to come near
me; but time teaches us submission, and I have now got accustomed to
his presence, and if clothes and jewels could content me, I have them
in plenty. Every tenth day, for five and twenty years, I have received
a visit from him, but in case I should need his help at any other time,
I have only to touch a talisman that stands at the entrance of my
chamber. It wants still five days to his next visit, and I hope that
during that time you will do me the honour to be my guest."
I was too much dazzled by her beauty to dream of refusing her offer,
and accordingly the princess had me conducted to the bath, and a rich
dress befitting my rank was provided for me. Then a feast of the most
delicate dishes was served in a room hung with embroidered Indian
fabrics.
Next day, when we were at dinner, I could maintain my patience no
longer, and implored the princess to break her bonds, and return with
me to the world which was lighted by the sun.
"What you ask is impossible," she answered; "but stay here with me
instead, and we can be happy, and all you will have to do is to betake
yourself to the forest every tenth day, when I am expecting my master
the genius. He is very jealous, as you know, and will not suffer a man
to come near me."
"Princess," I replied, "I see it is only fear of the genius that makes
you act like this. For myself, I dread him so little that I mean to
break his talisman in pieces! Awful though you think him, he shall
feel the weight of my arm, and I herewith take a solemn vow to stamp
out the whole race."
The princess, who realized the consequences of such audacity, entreated
me not to touch the talisman. "If you do, it will be the ruin of both
of us," said she; "I know genii much better than you." But the wine I
had drunk had confused my brain; I gave one kick to the talisman, and
it fell into a thousand pieces.
Hardly had my foot touched the talisman when the air became as dark as
night, a fearful noise was heard, and the palace shook to its very
foundations. In an instant I was sobered, and understood what I had
done. "Princess!" I cried, "what is happening?"
"Alas!" she exclaimed, forgetting all her own terrors in anxiety for
me, "fly, or you are lost."
I followed her advice and dashed up the staircase, leaving my hatchet
behind me. But I was too late. The palace opened and the genius
appeared, who, turning angrily to the princess, asked indignantly,
"What is the matter, that you have sent for me like this?"
"A pain in my heart," she replied hastily, "obliged me to seek the aid
of this little bottle. Feeling faint, I slipped and fell against the
talisman, which broke. That is really all."
"You are an impudent liar!" cried the genius. "How did this hatchet
and those shoes get here?"
"I never saw them before," she answered, "and you came in such a hurry
that you may have picked them up on the road without knowing it." To
this the genius only replied by insults and blows. I could hear the
shrieks and groans of the princess, and having by this time taken off
my rich garments and put on those in which I had arrived the previous
day, I lifted the trap, found myself once more in the forest, and
returned to my friend the tailor, with a light load of wood and a heart
full of shame and sorrow.
The tailor, who had been uneasy at my long absence, was, delighted to
see me; but I kept silence about my adventure, and as soon as possible
retired to my room to lament in secret over my folly. While I was thus
indulging my grief my host entered, and said, "There is an old man
downstairs who has brought your hatchet and slippers, which he picked
up on the road, and now restores to you, as he found out from one of
your comrades where you lived. You had better come down and speak to
him yourself." At this speech I changed colour, and my legs trembled
under me. The tailor noticed my confusion, and was just going to
inquire the reason when the door of the room opened, and the old man
appeared, carrying with him my hatchet and shoes.
"I am a genius," he said, "the son of the daughter of Eblis, prince of
the genii. Is not this hatchet yours, and these shoes?" Without
waiting for an answer--which, indeed, I could hardly have given him, so
great was my fright--he seized hold of me, and darted up into the air
with the quickness of lightning, and then, with equal swiftness,
dropped down towards the earth. When he touched the ground, he rapped
it with his foot; it opened, and we found ourselves in the enchanted
palace, in the presence of the beautiful princess of the Ebony Isle.
But how different she looked from what she was when I had last seen
her, for she was lying stretched on the ground covered with blood, and
weeping bitterly.
"Traitress!" cried the genius, "is not this man your lover?"
She lifted up her eyes slowly, and looked sadly at me. "I never saw
him before," she answered slowly. "I do not know who he is."
"What!" exclaimed the genius, "you owe all your sufferings to him, and
yet you dare to say he is a stranger to you!"
"But if he really is a stranger to me," she replied, "why should I tell
a lie and cause his death?"
"Very well," said the genius, drawing his sword, "take this, and cut
off his head."
"Alas," answered the princess, "I am too weak even to hold the sabre.
And supposing that I had the strength, why should I put an innocent man
to death?"
"You condemn yourself by your refusal," said the genius; then turning
to me, he added, "and you, do you not know her?"
"How should I?" I replied, resolved to imitate the princess in her
fidelity. "How should I, when I never saw her before?"
"Cut her head off," then, "if she is a stranger to you, and I shall
believe you are speaking the truth, and will set you at liberty."
"Certainly," I answered, taking the sabre in my hands, and making a
sign to the princess to fear nothing, as it was my own life that I was
about to sacrifice, and not hers. But the look of gratitude she gave
me shook my courage, and I flung the sabre to the earth.
"I should not deserve to live," I said to the genius, "if I were such a
coward as to slay a lady who is not only unknown to me, but who is at
this moment half dead herself. Do with me as you will--I am in your
power--but I refuse to obey your cruel command."
"I see," said the genius, "that you have both made up your minds to
brave me, but I will give you a sample of what you may expect." So
saying, with one sweep of his sabre he cut off a hand of the princess,
who was just able to lift the other to wave me an eternal farewell.
Then I lost consciousness for several minutes.
When I came to myself I implored the genius to keep me no longer in
this state of suspense, but to lose no time in putting an end to my
sufferings. The genius, however, paid no attention to my prayers, but
said sternly, "That is the way in which a genius treats the woman who
has betrayed him. If I chose, I could kill you also; but I will be
merciful, and content myself with changing you into a dog, an ass, a
lion, or a bird--whichever you prefer."
I caught eagerly at these words, as giving me a faint hope of softening
his wrath. "O genius!" I cried, "as you wish to spare my life, be
generous, and spare it altogether. Grant my prayer, and pardon my
crime, as the best man in the whole world forgave his neighbour who was
eaten up with envy of him." Contrary to my hopes, the genius seemed
interested in my words, and said he would like to hear the story of the
two neighbours; and as I think, madam, it may please you, I will tell
it to you also.
The Story of the Envious Man and of Him Who Was Envied
In a town of moderate size, two men lived in neighbouring houses; but
they had not been there very long before one man took such a hatred of
the other, and envied him so bitterly, that the poor man determined to
find another home, hoping that when they no longer met every day his
enemy would forget all about him. So he sold his house and the little
furniture it contained, and moved into the capital of the country,
which was luckily at no great distance. About half a mile from this
city he bought a nice little place, with a large garden and a
fair-sized court, in the centre of which stood an old well.
In order to live a quieter life, the good man put on the robe of a
dervish, and divided his house into a quantity of small cells, where he
soon established a number of other dervishes. The fame of his virtue
gradually spread abroad, and many people, including several of the
highest quality, came to visit him and ask his prayers.
Of course it was not long before his reputation reached the ears of the
man who envied him, and this wicked wretch resolved never to rest till
he had in some way worked ill to the dervish whom he hated. So he left
his house and his business to look after themselves, and betook himself
to the new dervish monastery, where he was welcomed by the founder with
all the warmth imaginable. The excuse he gave for his appearance was
that he had come to consult the chief of the dervishes on a private
matter of great importance. "What I have to say must not be
overheard," he whispered; "command, I beg of you, that your dervishes
retire into their cells, as night is approaching, and meet me in the
court."
The dervish did as he was asked without delay, and directly they were
alone together the envious man began to tell a long story, edging, as
they walked to and fro, always nearer to the well, and when they were
quite close, he seized the dervish and dropped him in. He then ran off
triumphantly, without having been seen by anyone, and congratulating
himself that the object of his hatred was dead, and would trouble him
no more.
But in this he was mistaken! The old well had long been inhabited
(unknown to mere human beings) by a set of fairies and genii, who
caught the dervish as he fell, so that he received no hurt. The
dervish himself could see nothing, but he took for granted that
something strange had happened, or he must certainly have been dashed
against the side of the well and been killed. He lay quite still, and
in a moment he heard a voice saying, "Can you guess whom this man is
that we have saved from death?"
"No," replied several other voices.
And the first speaker answered, "I will tell you. This man, from pure
goodness of heart, forsook the town where he lived and came to dwell
here, in the hope of curing one of his neighbours of the envy he felt
towards him. But his character soon won him the esteem of all, and the
envious man's hatred grew, till he came here with the deliberate
intention of causing his death. And this he would have done, without
our help, the very day before the Sultan has arranged to visit this
holy dervish, and to entreat his prayers for the princess, his
daughter."
"But what is the matter with the princess that she needs the dervish's
prayers?" asked another voice.
"She has fallen into the power of the genius Maimoum, the son of
Dimdim," replied the first voice. "But it would be quite simple for
this holy chief of the dervishes to cure her if he only knew! In his
convent there is a black cat which has a tiny white tip to its tail.
Now to cure the princess the dervish must pull out seven of these white
hairs, burn three, and with their smoke perfume the head of the
princess. This will deliver her so completely that Maimoum, the son of
Dimdim, will never dare to approach her again."
The fairies and genii ceased talking, but the dervish did not forget a
word of all they had said; and when morning came he perceived a place
in the side of the well which was broken, and where he could easily
climb out.
The dervishes, who could not imagine what had become of him, were
enchanted at his reappearance. He told them of the attempt on his life
made by his guest of the previous day, and then retired into his cell.
He was soon joined here by the black cat of which the voice had spoken,
who came as usual to say good-morning to his master. He took him on
his knee and seized the opportunity to pull seven white hairs out of
his tail, and put them on one side till they were needed.
The sun had not long risen before the Sultan, who was anxious to leave
nothing undone that might deliver the princess, arrived with a large
suite at the gate of the monastery, and was received by the dervishes
with profound respect. The Sultan lost no time in declaring the object
of his visit, and leading the chief of the dervishes aside, he said to
him, "Noble scheik, you have guessed perhaps what I have come to ask
you?"
"Yes, sire," answered the dervish; "if I am not mistaken, it is the
illness of the princess which has procured me this honour."
"You are right," returned the Sultan, "and you will give me fresh life
if you can by your prayers deliver my daughter from the strange malady
that has taken possession of her."
"Let your highness command her to come here, and I will see what I can
do."
The Sultan, full of hope, sent orders at once that the princess was to
set out as soon as possible, accompanied by her usual staff of
attendants. When she arrived, she was so thickly veiled that the
dervish could not see her face, but he desired a brazier to be held
over her head, and laid the seven hairs on the burning coals. The
instant they were consumed, terrific cries were heard, but no one could
tell from whom they proceeded. Only the dervish guessed that they were
uttered by Maimoum the son of Dimdim, who felt the princess escaping
him.
All this time she had seemed unconscious of what she was doing, but now
she raised her hand to her veil and uncovered her face. "Where am I?"
she said in a bewildered manner; "and how did I get here?"
The Sultan was so delighted to hear these words that he not only
embraced his daughter, but kissed the hand of the dervish. Then,
turning to his attendants who stood round, he said to them, "What
reward shall I give to the man who has restored me my daughter?"
They all replied with one accord that he deserved the hand of the
princess.
"That is my own opinion," said he, "and from this moment I declare him
to be my son-in-law."
Shortly after these events, the grand-vizir died, and his post was
given to the dervish. But he did not hold it for long, for the Sultan
fell a victim to an attack of illness, and as he had no sons, the
soldiers and priests declared the dervish heir to the throne, to the
great joy of all the people.
One day, when the dervish, who had now become Sultan, was making a
royal progress with his court, he perceived the envious man standing in
the crowd. He made a sign to one of his vizirs, and whispered in his
ear, "Fetch me that man who is standing out there, but take great care
not to frighten him." The vizir obeyed, and when the envious man was
brought before the Sultan, the monarch said to him, "My friend, I am
delighted to see you again." Then turning to an officer, he added,
"Give him a thousand pieces of gold out of my treasury, and twenty
waggon-loads of merchandise out of my private stores, and let an escort
of soldiers accompany him home." He then took leave of the envious
man, and went on his way.
Now when I had ended my story, I proceeded to show the genius how to
apply it to himself. "O genius," I said, "you see that this Sultan was
not content with merely forgiving the envious man for the attempt on
his life; he heaped rewards and riches upon him."
But the genius had made up his mind, and could not be softened. "Do
not imagine that you are going to escape so easily," he said. "All I
can do is to give you bare life; you will have to learn what happens to
people who interfere with me."
As he spoke he seized me violently by the arm; the roof of the palace
opened to make way for us, and we mounted up so high into the air that
the earth looked like a little cloud. Then, as before, he came down
with the swiftness of lightning, and we touched the ground on a
mountain top.
Then he stooped and gathered a handful of earth, and murmured some
words over it, after which he threw the earth in my face, saying as he
did so, "Quit the form of a man, and assume that of a monkey." This
done, he vanished, and I was in the likeness of an ape, and in a
country I had never seen before.
However there was no use in stopping where I was, so I came down the
mountain and found myself in a flat plain which was bounded by the sea.
I travelled towards it, and was pleased to see a vessel moored about
half a mile from shore. There were no waves, so I broke off the branch
of a tree, and dragging it down to the water's edge, sat across it,
while, using two sticks for oars, I rowed myself towards the ship.
The deck was full of people, who watched my progress with interest, but
when I seized a rope and swung myself on board, I found that I had only
escaped death at the hands of the genius to perish by those of the
sailors, lest I should bring ill-luck to the vessel and the merchants.
"Throw him into the sea!" cried one. "Knock him on the head with a
hammer," exclaimed another. "Let me shoot him with an arrow," said a
third; and certainly somebody would have had his way if I had not flung
myself at the captain's feet and grasped tight hold of his dress. He
appeared touched by my action and patted my head, and declared that he
would take me under his protection, and that no one should do me any
harm.
At the end of about fifty days we cast anchor before a large town, and
the ship was immediately surrounded by a multitude of small boats
filled with people, who had come either to meet their friends or from
simple curiosity. Among others, one boat contained several officials,
who asked to see the merchants on board, and informed them that they
had been sent by the Sultan in token of welcome, and to beg them each
to write a few lines on a roll of paper. "In order to explain this
strange request," continued the officers, "it is necessary that you
should know that the grand-vizir, lately dead, was celebrated for his
beautiful handwriting, and the Sultan is anxious to find a similar
talent in his successor. Hitherto the search has been a failure, but
his Highness has not yet given up hope."
One after another the merchants set down a few lines upon the roll, and
when they had all finished, I came forward, and snatched the paper from
the man who held it. At first they all thought I was going to throw it
into the sea, but they were quieted when they saw I held it with great
care, and great was their surprise when I made signs that I too wished
to write something.
"Let him do it if he wants to," said the captain. "If he only makes a
mess of the paper, you may be sure I will punish him for it. But if,
as I hope, he really can write, for he is the cleverest monkey I ever
saw, I will adopt him as my son. The one I lost had not nearly so much
sense!"
No more was said, and I took the pen and wrote the six sorts of writing
in use among the Arabs, and each sort contained an original verse or
couplet, in praise of the Sultan. And not only did my handwriting
completely eclipse that of the merchants, but it is hardly too much to
say that none so beautiful had ever before been seen in that country.
When I had ended the officials took the roll and returned to the Sultan.
As soon as the monarch saw my writing he did not so much as look at the
samples of the merchants, but desired his officials to take the finest
and most richly caparisoned horse in his stables, together with the
most magnificent dress they could procure, and to put it on the person
who had written those lines, and bring him to court.
The officials began to laugh when they heard the Sultan's command, but
as soon as they could speak they said, "Deign, your highness, to excuse
our mirth, but those lines were not written by a man but by a monkey."
"A monkey!" exclaimed the Sultan.
"Yes, sire," answered the officials. "They were written by a monkey in
our presence."
"Then bring me the monkey," he replied, "as fast as you can."
The Sultan's officials returned to the ship and showed the royal order
to the captain.
"He is the master," said the good man, and desired that I should be
sent for.
Then they put on me the gorgeous robe and rowed me to land, where I was
placed on the horse and led to the palace. Here the Sultan was
awaiting me in great state surrounded by his court.
All the way along the streets I had been the object of curiosity to a
vast crowd, which had filled every doorway and every window, and it was
amidst their shouts and cheers that I was ushered into the presence of
the Sultan.
I approached the throne on which he was seated and made him three low
bows, then prostrated myself at his feet to the surprise of everyone,
who could not understand how it was possible that a monkey should be
able to distinguish a Sultan from other people, and to pay him the
respect due to his rank. However, excepting the usual speech, I
omitted none of the common forms attending a royal audience.
When it was over the Sultan dismissed all the court, keeping with him
only the chief of the eunuchs and a little slave. He then passed into
another room and ordered food to be brought, making signs to me to sit
at table with him and eat. I rose from my seat, kissed the ground, and
took my place at the table, eating, as you may suppose, with care and
in moderation.
Before the dishes were removed I made signs that writing materials,
which stood in one corner of the room, should be laid in front of me.
I then took a peach and wrote on it some verses in praise of the
Sultan, who was speechless with astonishment; but when I did the same
thing on a glass from which I had drunk he murmured to himself, "Why, a
man who could do as much would be cleverer than any other man, and this
is only a monkey!"
Supper being over chessmen were brought, and the Sultan signed to me to
know if I would play with him. I kissed the ground and laid my hand on
my head to show that I was ready to show myself worthy of the honour.
He beat me the first game, but I won the second and third, and seeing
that this did not quite please I dashed off a verse by way of
consolation.
The Sultan was so enchanted with all the talents of which I had given
proof that he wished me to exhibit some of them to other people. So
turning to the chief of the eunuchs he said, "Go and beg my daughter,
Queen of Beauty, to come here. I will show her something she has never
seen before."
The chief of the eunuchs bowed and left the room, ushering in a few
moments later the princess, Queen of Beauty. Her face was uncovered,
but the moment she set foot in the room she threw her veil over her
head. "Sire," she said to her father, "what can you be thinking of to
summon me like this into the presence of a man?"
"I do not understand you," replied the Sultan. "There is nobody here
but the eunuch, who is your own servant, the little slave, and myself,
yet you cover yourself with your veil and reproach me for having sent
for you, as if I had committed a crime."
"Sire," answered the princess, "I am right and you are wrong. This
monkey is really no monkey at all, but a young prince who has been
turned into a monkey by the wicked spells of a genius, son of the
daughter of Eblis."
As will be imagined, these words took the Sultan by surprise, and he
looked at me to see how I should take the statement of the princess.
As I was unable to speak, I placed my hand on my head to show that it
was true.
"But how do you know this, my daughter?" asked he.
"Sire," replied Queen of Beauty, "the old lady who took care of me in
my childhood was an accomplished magician, and she taught me seventy
rules of her art, by means of which I could, in the twinkling of an
eye, transplant your capital into the middle of the ocean. Her art
likewise teaches me to recognise at first sight all persons who are
enchanted, and tells me by whom the spell was wrought."
"My daughter," said the Sultan, "I really had no idea you were so
clever."
"Sire," replied the princess, "there are many out-of-the-way things it
is as well to know, but one should never boast of them."
"Well," asked the Sultan, "can you tell me what must be done to
disenchant the young prince?"
"Certainly; and I can do it."
"Then restore him to his former shape," cried the Sultan. "You could
give me no greater pleasure, for I wish to make him my grand-vizir, and
to give him to you for your husband."
"As your Highness pleases," replied the princess.
Queen of Beauty rose and went to her chamber, from which she fetched a
knife with some Hebrew words engraven on the blade. She then desired
the Sultan, the chief of the eunuchs, the little slave, and myself to
descend into a secret court of the palace, and placed us beneath a
gallery which ran all round, she herself standing in the centre of the
court. Here she traced a large circle and in it wrote several words in
Arab characters.
When the circle and the writing were finished she stood in the middle
of it and repeated some verses from the Koran. Slowly the air grew
dark, and we felt as if the earth was about to crumble away, and our
fright was by no means diminished at seeing the genius, son of the
daughter of Eblis, suddenly appear under the form of a colossal lion.
"Dog," cried the princess when she first caught sight of him, "you
think to strike terror into me by daring to present yourself before me
in this hideous shape."
"And you," retorted the lion, "have not feared to break our treaty that
engaged solemnly we should never interfere with each other."
"Accursed genius!" exclaimed the princess, "it is you by whom that
treaty was first broken."
"I will teach you how to give me so much trouble," said the lion, and
opening his huge mouth he advanced to swallow her. But the princess
expected something of the sort and was on her guard. She bounded on
one side, and seizing one of the hairs of his mane repeated two or
three words over it. In an instant it became a sword, and with a sharp
blow she cut the lion's body into two pieces. These pieces vanished no
one knew where, and only the lion's head remained, which was at once
changed into a scorpion. Quick as thought the princess assumed the
form of a serpent and gave battle to the scorpion, who, finding he was
getting the worst of it, turned himself into an eagle and took flight.
But in a moment the serpent had become an eagle more powerful still,
who soared up in the air and after him, and then we lost sight of them
both.
We all remained where we were quaking with anxiety, when the ground
opened in front of us and a black and white cat leapt out, its hair
standing on end, and miauing frightfully. At its heels was a wolf, who
had almost seized it, when the cat changed itself into a worm, and,
piercing the skin of a pomegranate which had tumbled from a tree, hid
itself in the fruit. The pomegranate swelled till it grew as large as
a pumpkin, and raised itself on to the roof of the gallery, from which
it fell into the court and was broken into bits. While this was taking
place the wolf, who had transformed himself into a cock, began to
swallow the seed of the pomegranate as fast as he could. When all were
gone he flew towards us, flapping his wings as if to ask if we saw any
more, when suddenly his eye fell on one which lay on the bank of the
little canal that flowed through the court; he hastened towards it, but
before he could touch it the seed rolled into the canal and became a
fish. The cock flung himself in after the fish and took the shape of a
pike, and for two hours they chased each other up and down under the
water, uttering horrible cries, but we could see nothing. At length
they rose from the water in their proper forms, but darting such flames
of fire from their mouths that we dreaded lest the palace should catch
fire. Soon, however, we had much greater cause for alarm, as the
genius, having shaken off the princess, flew towards us. Our fate
would have been sealed if the princess, seeing our danger, had not
attracted the attention of the genius to herself. As it was, the
Sultan's beard was singed and his face scorched, the chief of the
eunuchs was burned to a cinder, while a spark deprived me of the sight
of one eye. Both I and the Sultan had given up all hope of a rescue,
when there was a shout of "Victory, victory!" from the princess, and
the genius lay at her feet a great heap of ashes.
Exhausted though she was, the princess at once ordered the little
slave, who alone was uninjured, to bring her a cup of water, which she
took in her hand. First repeating some magic words over it, she dashed
it into my face saying, "If you are only a monkey by enchantment,
resume the form of the man you were before." In an instant I stood
before her the same man I had formerly been, though having lost the
sight of one eye.
I was about to fall on my knees and thank the princess but she did not
give me time. Turning to the Sultan, her father, she said, "Sire, I
have gained the battle, but it has cost me dear. The fire has
penetrated to my heart, and I have only a few moments to live. This
would not have happened if I had only noticed the last pomegranate seed
and eaten it like the rest. It was the last struggle of the genius,
and up to that time I was quite safe. But having let this chance slip
I was forced to resort to fire, and in spite of all his experience I
showed the genius that I knew more than he did. He is dead and in
ashes, but my own death is approaching fast." "My daughter," cried the
Sultan, "how sad is my condition! I am only surprised I am alive at
all! The eunuch is consumed by the flames, and the prince whom you
have delivered has lost the sight of one eye." He could say no more,
for sobs choked his voice, and we all wept together.
Suddenly the princess shrieked, "I burn, I burn!" and death came to
free her from her torments.
I have no words, madam, to tell you of my feelings at this terrible
sight. I would rather have remained a monkey all my life than let my
benefactress perish in this shocking manner. As for the Sultan, he was
quite inconsolable, and his subjects, who had dearly loved the
princess, shared his grief. For seven days the whole nation mourned,
and then the ashes of the princess were buried with great pomp, and a
superb tomb was raised over her.
As soon as the Sultan recovered from the severe illness which had
seized him after the death of the princess he sent for me and plainly,
though politely, informed me that my presence would always remind him
of his loss, and he begged that I would instantly quit his kingdom, and
on pain of death never return to it. I was, of course, bound to obey,
and not knowing what was to become of me I shaved my beard and eyebrows
and put on the dress of a calender. After wandering aimlessly through
several countries, I resolved to come to Bagdad and request an audience
of the Commander of the Faithful.
And that, madam, is my story.
The other Calender then told his story.
The Story of the Third Calendar, Son of a King
My story, said the Third Calender, is quite different from those of my
two friends. It was fate that deprived them of the sight of their
right eyes, but mine was lost by my own folly.
My name is Agib, and I am the son of a king called Cassib, who reigned
over a large kingdom, which had for its capital one of the finest
seaport towns in the world.
When I succeeded to my father's throne my first care was to visit the
provinces on the mainland, and then to sail to the numerous islands
which lay off the shore, in order to gain the hearts of my subjects.
These voyages gave me such a taste for sailing that I soon determined
to explore more distant seas, and commanded a fleet of large ships to
be got ready without delay. When they were properly fitted out I
embarked on my expedition.
For forty days wind and weather were all in our favour, but the next
night a terrific storm arose, which blew us hither and thither for ten
days, till the pilot confessed that he had quite lost his bearings.
Accordingly a sailor was sent up to the masthead to try to catch a
sight of land, and reported that nothing was to be seen but the sea and
sky, except a huge mass of blackness that lay astern.
On hearing this the pilot grew white, and, beating his breast, he
cried, "Oh, sir, we are lost, lost!" till the ship's crew trembled at
they knew not what. When he had recovered himself a little, and was
able to explain the cause of his terror, he replied, in answer to my
question, that we had drifted far out of our course, and that the
following day about noon we should come near that mass of darkness,
which, said he, is nothing but the famous Black Mountain. This
mountain is composed of adamant, which attracts to itself all the iron
and nails in your ship; and as we are helplessly drawn nearer, the
force of attraction will become so great that the iron and nails will
fall out of the ships and cling to the mountain, and the ships will
sink to the bottom with all that are in them. This it is that causes
the side of the mountain towards the sea to appear of such a dense
blackness.
As may be supposed--continued the pilot--the mountain sides are very
rugged, but on the summit stands a brass dome supported on pillars, and
bearing on top the figure of a brass horse, with a rider on his back.
This rider wears a breastplate of lead, on which strange signs and
figures are engraved, and it is said that as long as this statue
remains on the dome, vessels will never cease to perish at the foot of
the mountain.
So saying, the pilot began to weep afresh, and the crew, fearing their
last hour had come, made their wills, each one in favour of his fellow.
At noon next day, as the pilot had foretold, we were so near to the
Black Mountain that we saw all the nails and iron fly out of the ships
and dash themselves against the mountain with a horrible noise. A
moment after the vessels fell asunder and sank, the crews with them. I
alone managed to grasp a floating plank, and was driven ashore by the
wind, without even a scratch. What was my joy on finding myself at the
bottom of some steps which led straight up the mountain, for there was
not another inch to the right or the left where a man could set his
foot. And, indeed, even the steps themselves were so narrow and so
steep that, if the lightest breeze had arisen, I should certainly have
been blown into the sea.
When I reached the top I found the brass dome and the statue exactly as
the pilot had described, but was too wearied with all I had gone
through to do more than glance at them, and, flinging myself under the
dome, was asleep in an instant. In my dreams an old man appeared to me
and said, "Hearken, Agib! As soon as thou art awake dig up the ground
underfoot, and thou shalt find a bow of brass and three arrows of lead.
Shoot the arrows at the statue, and the rider shall tumble into the
sea, but the horse will fall down by thy side, and thou shalt bury him
in the place from which thou tookest the bow and arrows. This being
done the sea will rise and cover the mountain, and on it thou wilt
perceive the figure of a metal man seated in a boat, having an oar in
each hand. Step on board and let him conduct thee; but if thou
wouldest behold thy kingdom again, see that thou takest not the name of
Allah into thy mouth."
Having uttered these words the vision left me, and I woke, much
comforted. I sprang up and drew the bow and arrows out of the ground,
and with the third shot the horseman fell with a great crash into the
sea, which instantly began to rise, so rapidly, that I had hardly time
to bury the horse before the boat approached me. I stepped silently in
and sat down, and the metal man pushed off, and rowed without stopping
for nine days, after which land appeared on the horizon. I was so
overcome with joy at this sight that I forgot all the old man had told
me, and cried out, "Allah be praised! Allah be praised!"
The words were scarcely out of my mouth when the boat and man sank from
beneath me, and left me floating on the surface. All that day and the
next night I swam and floated alternately, making as well as I could
for the land which was nearest to me. At last my strength began to
fail, and I gave myself up for lost, when the wind suddenly rose, and a
huge wave cast me on a flat shore. Then, placing myself in safety, I
hastily spread my clothes out to dry in the sun, and flung myself on
the warm ground to rest.
Next morning I dressed myself and began to look about me. There seemed
to be no one but myself on the island, which was covered with fruit
trees and watered with streams, but seemed a long distance from the
mainland which I hoped to reach. Before, however, I had time to feel
cast down, I saw a ship making directly for the island, and not knowing
whether it would contain friends or foes, I hid myself in the thick
branches of a tree.
The sailors ran the ship into a creek, where ten slaves landed,
carrying spades and pickaxes. In the middle of the island they
stopped, and after digging some time, lifted up what seemed to be a
trapdoor. They then returned to the vessel two or three times for
furniture and provisions, and finally were accompanied by an old man,
leading a handsome boy of fourteen or fifteen years of age. They all
disappeared down the trapdoor, and after remaining below for a few
minutes came up again, but without the boy, and let down the trapdoor,
covering it with earth as before. This done, they entered the ship and
set sail.
As soon as they were out of sight, I came down from my tree, and went
to the place where the boy had been buried. I dug up the earth till I
reached a large stone with a ring in the centre. This, when removed,
disclosed a flight of stone steps which led to a large room richly
furnished and lighted by tapers. On a pile of cushions, covered with
tapestry, sat the boy. He looked up, startled and frightened at the
sight of a stranger in such a place, and to soothe his fears, I at once
spoke: "Be not alarmed, sir, whoever you may be. I am a king, and the
son of a king, and will do you no hurt. On the contrary, perhaps I
have been sent here to deliver you out of this tomb, where you have
been buried alive."
Hearing my words, the young man recovered himself, and when I had
ended, he said, "The reasons, Prince, that have caused me to be buried
in this place are so strange that they cannot but surprise you. My
father is a rich merchant, owning much land and many ships, and has
great dealings in precious stones, but he never ceased mourning that he
had no child to inherit his wealth.
"At length one day he dreamed that the following year a son would be
born to him, and when this actually happened, he consulted all the wise
men in the kingdom as to the future of the infant. One and all they
said the same thing. I was to live happily till I was fifteen, when a
terrible danger awaited me, which I should hardly escape. If, however,
I should succeed in doing so, I should live to a great old age. And,
they added, when the statue of the brass horse on the top of the
mountain of adamant is thrown into the sea by Agib, the son of Cassib,
then beware, for fifty days later your son shall fall by his hand!
"This prophecy struck the heart of my father with such woe, that he
never got over it, but that did not prevent him from attending
carefully to my education till I attained, a short time ago, my
fifteenth birthday. It was only yesterday that the news reached him
that ten days previously the statue of brass had been thrown into the
sea, and he at once set about hiding me in this underground chamber,
which was built for the purpose, promising to fetch me out when the
forty days have passed. For myself, I have no fears, as Prince Agib is
not likely to come here to look for me."
I listened to his story with an inward laugh as to the absurdity of my
ever wishing to cause the death of this harmless boy, whom I hastened
to assure of my friendship and even of my protection; begging him, in
return, to convey me in his father's ship to my own country. I need
hardly say that I took special care not to inform him that I was the
Agib whom he dreaded.
The day passed in conversation on various subjects, and I found him a
youth of ready wit and of some learning. I took on myself the duties
of a servant, held the basin and water for him when he washed, prepared
the dinner and set it on the table. He soon grew to love me, and for
thirty-nine days we spent as pleasant an existence as could be expected
underground.
The morning of the fortieth dawned, and the young man when he woke gave
thanks in an outburst of joy that the danger was passed. "My father
may be here at any moment," said he, "so make me, I pray you, a bath of
hot water, that I may bathe, and change my clothes, and be ready to
receive him."
So I fetched the water as he asked, and washed and rubbed him, after
which he lay down again and slept a little. When he opened his eyes
for the second time, he begged me to bring him a melon and some sugar,
that he might eat and refresh himself.
I soon chose a fine melon out of those which remained, but could find
no knife to cut it with. "Look in the cornice over my head," said he,
"and I think you will see one." It was so high above me, that I had
some difficulty in reaching it, and catching my foot in the covering of
the bed, I slipped, and fell right upon the young man, the knife going
straight into his heart.
At this awful sight I shrieked aloud in my grief and pain. I threw
myself on the ground and rent my clothes and tore my hair with sorrow.
Then, fearing to be punished as his murderer by the unhappy father, I
raised the great stone which blocked the staircase, and quitting the
underground chamber, made everything fast as before.
Scarcely had I finished when, looking out to sea, I saw the vessel
heading for the island, and, feeling that it would be useless for me to
protest my innocence, I again concealed myself among the branches of a
tree that grew near by.
The old man and his slaves pushed off in a boat directly the ship
touched land, and walked quickly towards the entrance to the
underground chamber; but when they were near enough to see that the
earth had been disturbed, they paused and changed colour. In silence
they all went down and called to the youth by name; then for a moment I
heard no more. Suddenly a fearful scream rent the air, and the next
instant the slaves came up the steps, carrying with them the body of
the old man, who had fainted from sorrow! Laying him down at the foot
of the tree in which I had taken shelter, they did their best to
recover him, but it took a long while. When at last he revived, they
left him to dig a grave, and then laying the young man's body in it,
they threw in the earth.
This ended, the slaves brought up all the furniture that remained
below, and put it on the vessel, and breaking some boughs to weave a
litter, they laid the old man on it, and carried him to the ship, which
spread its sails and stood out to sea.
So once more I was quite alone, and for a whole month I walked daily
over the island, seeking for some chance of escape. At length one day
it struck me that my prison had grown much larger, and that the
mainland seemed to be nearer. My heart beat at this thought, which was
almost too good to be true. I watched a little longer: there was no
doubt about it, and soon there was only a tiny stream for me to cross.
Even when I was safe on the other side I had a long distance to go on
the mud and sand before I reached dry ground, and very tired I was,
when far in front of me I caught sight of a castle of red copper,
which, at first sight, I took to be a fire. I made all the haste I
could, and after some miles of hard walking stood before it, and gazed
at it in astonishment, for it seemed to me the most wonderful building
I had ever beheld. While I was still staring at it, there came towards
me a tall old man, accompanied by ten young men, all handsome, and all
blind of the right eye.
Now in its way, the spectacle of ten men walking together, all blind of
the right eye, is as uncommon as that of a copper castle, and I was
turning over in my mind what could be the meaning of this strange fact,
when they greeted me warmly, and inquired what had brought me there. I
replied that my story was somewhat long, but that if they would take
the trouble to sit down, I should be happy to tell it them. When I had
finished, the young men begged that I would go with them to the castle,
and I joyfully accepted their offer. We passed through what seemed to
me an endless number of rooms, and came at length into a large hall,
furnished with ten small blue sofas for the ten young men, which served
as beds as well as chairs, and with another sofa in the middle for the
old man. As none of the sofas could hold more than one person, they
bade me place myself on the carpet, and to ask no questions about
anything I should see.
After a little while the old man rose and brought in supper, which I
ate heartily, for I was very hungry. Then one of the young men begged
me to repeat my story, which had struck them all with astonishment, and
when I had ended, the old man was bidden to "do his duty," as it was
late, and they wished to go to bed. At these words he rose, and went
to a closet, from which he brought out ten basins, all covered with
blue stuff. He set one before each of the young men, together with a
lighted taper.
When the covers were taken off the basins, I saw they were filled with
ashes, coal-dust, and lamp-black. The young men mixed these all
together, and smeared the whole over their heads and faces. They then
wept and beat their breasts, crying, "This is the fruit of idleness,
and of our wicked lives."
This ceremony lasted nearly the whole night, and when it stopped they
washed themselves carefully, and put on fresh clothes, and lay down to
sleep.
All this while I had refrained from questions, though my curiosity
almost seemed to burn a hole in me, but the following day, when we went
out to walk, I said to them, "Gentlemen, I must disobey your wishes,
for I can keep silence no more. You do not appear to lack wit, yet you
do such actions as none but madmen could be capable of. Whatever
befalls me I cannot forbear asking, `Why you daub your faces with
black, and how it is you are all blind of one eye?'" But they only
answered that such questions were none of my business, and that I
should do well to hold my peace.
During that day we spoke of other things, but when night came, and the
same ceremony was repeated, I implored them most earnestly to let me
know the meaning of it all.
"It is for your own sake," replied one of the young men, "that we have
not granted your request, and to preserve you from our unfortunate
fate. If, however, you wish to share our destiny we will delay no
longer."
I answered that whatever might be the consequence I wished to have my
curiosity satisfied, and that I would take the result on my own head.
He then assured me that, even when I had lost my eye, I should be
unable to remain with them, as their number was complete, and could not
be added to. But to this I replied that, though I should be grieved to
part company with such honest gentlemen, I would not be turned from my
resolution on that account.
On hearing my determination my ten hosts then took a sheep and killed
it, and handed me a knife, which they said I should by-and-by find
useful. "We must sew you into this sheep-skin," said they, "and then
leave you. A fowl of monstrous size, called a roc, will appear in the
air, taking you to be a sheep. He will snatch you up and carry you
into the sky, but be not alarmed, for he will bring you safely down and
lay you on the top of a mountain. When you are on the ground cut the
skin with the knife and throw it off. As soon as the roc sees you he
will fly away from fear, but you must walk on till you come to a castle
covered with plates of gold, studded with jewels. Enter boldly at the
gate, which always stands open, but do not ask us to tell you what we
saw or what befel us there, for that you will learn for yourself. This
only we may say, that it cost us each our right eye, and has imposed
upon us our nightly penance."
After the young gentlemen had been at the trouble of sewing the
sheep-skin on me they left me, and retired to the hall. In a few
minutes the roc appeared, and bore me off to the top of the mountain in
his huge claws as lightly as if I had been a feather, for this great
white bird is so strong that he has been known to carry even an
elephant to his nest in the hills.
The moment my feet touched the ground I took out my knife and cut the
threads that bound me, and the sight of me in my proper clothes so
alarmed the roc that he spread his wings and flew away. Then I set out
to seek the castle.
I found it after wandering about for half a day, and never could I have
imagined anything so glorious. The gate led into a square court, into
which opened a hundred doors, ninety-nine of them being of rare woods
and one of gold. Through each of these doors I caught glimpses of
splendid gardens or of rich storehouses.
Entering one of the doors which was standing open I found myself in a
vast hall where forty young ladies, magnificently dressed, and of
perfect beauty, were reclining. As soon as they saw me they rose and
uttered words of welcome, and even forced me to take possession of a
seat that was higher than their own, though my proper place was at
their feet. Not content with this, one brought me splendid garments,
while another filled a basin with scented water and poured it over my
hands, and the rest busied themselves with preparing refreshments.
After I had eaten and drunk of the most delicate food and rarest wines,
the ladies crowded round me and begged me to tell them all my
adventures.
By the time I had finished night had fallen, and the ladies lighted up
the castle with such a prodigious quantity of tapers that even day
could hardly have been brighter. We then sat down to a supper of dried
fruits and sweetmeats, after which some sang and others danced. I was
so well amused that I did not notice how the time was passing, but at
length one of the ladies approached and informed me it was midnight,
and that, as I must be tired, she would conduct me to the room that had
been prepared for me. Then, bidding me good-night, I was left to sleep.
I spent the next thirty-nine days in much the same way as the first,
but at the close of that time the ladies appeared (as was their custom)
in my room one morning to inquire how I had slept, and instead of
looking cheerful and smiling they were in floods of tears. "Prince,"
said they, "we must leave you, and never was it so hard to part from
any of our friends. Most likely we shall never see you again, but if
you have sufficient self-command perhaps we may yet look forward to a
meeting."
"Ladies," I replied, "what is the meaning of these strange words--I
pray you to tell me?"
"Know then," answered one of them, "that we are all princesses--each a
king's daughter. We live in this castle together, in the way that you
have seen, but at the end of every year secret duties call us away for
the space of forty days. The time has now come; but before we depart,
we will leave you our keys, so that you may not lack entertainment
during our absence. But one thing we would ask of you. The Golden
Door, alone, forbear to open, as you value your own peace, and the
happiness of your life. That door once unlocked, we must bid you
farewell for ever."
Weeping, I assured them of my prudence, and after embracing me
tenderly, they went their ways.
Every day I opened two or three fresh doors, each of which contained
behind it so many curious things that I had no chance of feeling dull,
much as I regretted the absence of the ladies. Sometimes it was an
orchard, whose fruit far exceeded in bigness any that grew in my
father's garden. Sometimes it was a court planted with roses,
jessamine, dafeodils, hyacinths and anemones, and a thousand other
flowers of which I did not know the names. Or again, it would be an
aviary, fitted with all kinds of singing birds, or a treasury heaped up
with precious stones; but whatever I might see, all was perfect of its
own sort.
Thirty-nine days passed away more rapidly than I could have conceived
possible, and the following morning the princesses were to return to
the castle. But alas! I had explored every corner, save only the room
that was shut in by the Golden Door, and I had no longer anything to
amuse myself with. I stood before the forbidden place for some time,
gazing at its beauty; then a happy inspiration struck me, that because
I unlocked the door it was not necessary that I should enter the
chamber. It would be enough for me to stand outside and view whatever
hidden wonders might be therein.
Thus arguing against my own conscience, I turned the key, when a smell
rushed out that, pleasant though it was, overcame me completely, and I
fell fainting across the threshold. Instead of being warned by this
accident, directly I came to myself I went for a few moments into the
air to shake of the effects of the perfume, and then entered boldly. I
found myself in a large, vaulted room, lighted by tapers, scented with
aloes and ambergris, standing in golden candle-sticks, whilst gold and
silver lamps hung from the ceiling.
Though objects of rare workmanship lay heaped around me, I paid them
scant attention, so much was I struck by a great black horse which
stood in one corner, the handsomest and best-shaped animal I had ever
seen. His saddle and bridle were of massive gold, curiously wrought;
one side of his trough was filled with clean barley and sesame, and the
other with rose water. I led the animal into the open air, and then
jumped on his back, shaking the reins as I did so, but as he never
stirred, I touched him lightly with a switch I had picked up in his
stable. No sooner did he feel the stroke, than he spread his wings
(which I had not perceived before), and flew up with me straight into
the sky. When he had reached a prodigious height, he next darted back
to earth, and alighted on the terrace belonging to a castle, shaking me
violently out of the saddle as he did so, and giving me such a blow
with his tail, that he knocked out my right eye.
Half-stunned as I was with all that had happened to me, I rose to my
feet, thinking as I did so of what had befallen the ten young men, and
watching the horse which was soaring into the clouds. I left the
terrace and wandered on till I came to a hall, which I knew to have
been the one from which the roc had taken me, by the ten blue sofas
against the wall.
The ten young men were not present when I first entered, but came in
soon after, accompanied by the old man. They greeted me kindly, and
bewailed my misfortune, though, indeed, they had expected nothing less.
"All that has happened to you," they said, "we also have undergone, and
we should be enjoying the same happiness still, had we not opened the
Golden Door while the princesses were absent. You have been no wiser
than we, and have suffered the same punishment. We would gladly
receive you among us, to perform such penance as we do, but we have
already told you that this is impossible. Depart, therefore, from
hence and go to the Court of Bagdad, where you shall meet with him that
can decide your destiny." They told me the way I was to travel, and I
left them.
On the road I caused my beard and eyebrows to be shaved, and put on a
Calender's habit. I have had a long journey, but arrived this evening
in the city, where I met my brother Calenders at the gate, being
strangers like myself. We wondered much at one another, to see we were
all blind of the same eye, but we had no leisure to discourse at length
of our common calamities. We had only so much time as to come hither
to implore those favours which you have been generously pleased to
grant us.
He finished, and it was Zobeida's turn to speak: "Go wherever you
please," she said, addressing all three. "I pardon you all, but you
must depart immediately out of this house."
The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor
In the times of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid there lived in Bagdad a
poor porter named Hindbad, who on a very hot day was sent to carry a
heavy load from one end of the city to the other. Before he had
accomplished half the distance he was so tired that, finding himself in
a quiet street where the pavement was sprinkled with rose water, and a
cool breeze was blowing, he set his burden upon the ground, and sat
down to rest in the shade of a grand house. Very soon he decided that
he could not have chosen a pleasanter place; a delicious perfume of
aloes wood and pastilles came from the open windows and mingled with
the scent of the rose water which steamed up from the hot pavement.
Within the palace he heard some music, as of many instruments cunningly
played, and the melodious warble of nightingales and other birds, and
by this, and the appetising smell of many dainty dishes of which he
presently became aware, he judged that feasting and merry making were
going on. He wondered who lived in this magnificent house which he had
never seen before, the street in which it stood being one which he
seldom had occasion to pass. To satisfy his curiosity he went up to
some splendidly dressed servants who stood at the door, and asked one
of them the name of the master of the mansion.
"What," replied he, "do you live in Bagdad, and not know that here
lives the noble Sindbad the Sailor, that famous traveller who sailed
over every sea upon which the sun shines?"
The porter, who had often heard people speak of the immense wealth of
Sindbad, could not help feeling envious of one whose lot seemed to be
as happy as his own was miserable. Casting his eyes up to the sky he
exclaimed aloud,
"Consider, Mighty Creator of all things, the differences between
Sindbad's life and mine. Every day I suffer a thousand hardships and
misfortunes, and have hard work to get even enough bad barley bread to
keep myself and my family alive, while the lucky Sindbad spends money
right and left and lives upon the fat of the land! What has he done
that you should give him this pleasant life--what have I done to
deserve so hard a fate?"
So saying he stamped upon the ground like one beside himself with
misery and despair. Just at this moment a servant came out of the
palace, and taking him by the arm said, "Come with me, the noble
Sindbad, my master, wishes to speak to you."
Hindbad was not a little surprised at this summons, and feared that his
unguarded words might have drawn upon him the displeasure of Sindbad,
so he tried to excuse himself upon the pretext that he could not leave
the burden which had been entrusted to him in the street. However the
lackey promised him that it should be taken care of, and urged him to
obey the call so pressingly that at last the porter was obliged to
yield.
He followed the servant into a vast room, where a great company was
seated round a table covered with all sorts of delicacies. In the
place of honour sat a tall, grave man whose long white beard gave him a
venerable air. Behind his chair stood a crowd of attendants eager to
minister to his wants. This was the famous Sindbad himself. The
porter, more than ever alarmed at the sight of so much magnificence,
tremblingly saluted the noble company. Sindbad, making a sign to him
to approach, caused him to be seated at his right hand, and himself
heaped choice morsels upon his plate, and poured out for him a draught
of excellent wine, and presently, when the banquet drew to a close,
spoke to him familiarly, asking his name and occupation.
"My lord," replied the porter, "I am called Hindbad."
"I am glad to see you here," continued Sindbad. "And I will answer for
the rest of the company that they are equally pleased, but I wish you
to tell me what it was that you said just now in the street." For
Sindbad, passing by the open window before the feast began, had heard
his complaint and therefore had sent for him.
At this question Hindbad was covered with confusion, and hanging down
his head, replied, "My lord, I confess that, overcome by weariness and
ill-humour, I uttered indiscreet words, which I pray you to pardon me."
"Oh!" replied Sindbad, "do not imagine that I am so unjust as to blame
you. On the contrary, I understand your situation and can pity you.
Only you appear to be mistaken about me, and I wish to set you right.
You doubtless imagine that I have acquired all the wealth and luxury
that you see me enjoy without difficulty or danger, but this is far
indeed from being the case. I have only reached this happy state after
having for years suffered every possible kind of toil and danger.
"Yes, my noble friends," he continued, addressing the company, "I
assure you that my adventures have been strange enough to deter even
the most avaricious men from seeking wealth by traversing the seas.
Since you have, perhaps, heard but confused accounts of my seven
voyages, and the dangers and wonders that I have met with by sea and
land, I will now give you a full and true account of them, which I
think you will be well pleased to hear."
As Sindbad was relating his adventures chiefly on account of the
porter, he ordered, before beginning his tale, that the burden which
had been left in the street should be carried by some of his own
servants to the place for which Hindbad had set out at first, while he
remained to listen to the story.
First Voyage
I had inherited considerable wealth from my parents, and being young
and foolish I at first squandered it recklessly upon every kind of
pleasure, but presently, finding that riches speedily take to
themselves wings if managed as badly as I was managing mine, and
remembering also that to be old and poor is misery indeed, I began to
bethink me of how I could make the best of what still remained to me.
I sold all my household goods by public auction, and joined a company
of merchants who traded by sea, embarking with them at Balsora in a
ship which we had fitted out between us.
We set sail and took our course towards the East Indies by the Persian
Gulf, having the coast of Persia upon our left hand and upon our right
the shores of Arabia Felix. I was at first much troubled by the uneasy
motion of the vessel, but speedily recovered my health, and since that
hour have been no more plagued by sea-sickness.
From time to time we landed at various islands, where we sold or
exchanged our merchandise, and one day, when the wind dropped suddenly,
we found ourselves becalmed close to a small island like a green
meadow, which only rose slightly above the surface of the water. Our
sails were furled, and the captain gave permission to all who wished to
land for a while and amuse themselves. I was among the number, but
when after strolling about for some time we lighted a fire and sat down
to enjoy the repast which we had brought with us, we were startled by a
sudden and violent trembling of the island, while at the same moment
those left upon the ship set up an outcry bidding us come on board for
our lives, since what we had taken for an island was nothing but the
back of a sleeping whale. Those who were nearest to the boat threw
themselves into it, others sprang into the sea, but before I could save
myself the whale plunged suddenly into the depths of the ocean, leaving
me clinging to a piece of the wood which we had brought to make our
fire. Meanwhile a breeze had sprung up, and in the confusion that
ensued on board our vessel in hoisting the sails and taking up those
who were in the boat and clinging to its sides, no one missed me and I
was left at the mercy of the waves. All that day I floated up and
down, now beaten this way, now that, and when night fell I despaired
for my life; but, weary and spent as I was, I clung to my frail
support, and great was my joy when the morning light showed me that I
had drifted against an island.
The cliffs were high and steep, but luckily for me some tree-roots
protruded in places, and by their aid I climbed up at last, and
stretched myself upon the turf at the top, where I lay, more dead than
alive, till the sun was high in the heavens. By that time I was very
hungry, but after some searching I came upon some eatable herbs, and a
spring of clear water, and much refreshed I set out to explore the
island. Presently I reached a great plain where a grazing horse was
tethered, and as I stood looking at it I heard voices talking
apparently underground, and in a moment a man appeared who asked me how
I came upon the island. I told him my adventures, and heard in return
that he was one of the grooms of Mihrage, the king of the island, and
that each year they came to feed their master's horses in this plain.
He took me to a cave where his companions were assembled, and when I
had eaten of the food they set before me, they bade me think myself
fortunate to have come upon them when I did, since they were going back
to their master on the morrow, and without their aid I could certainly
never have found my way to the inhabited part of the island.
Early the next morning we accordingly set out, and when we reached the
capital I was graciously received by the king, to whom I related my
adventures, upon which he ordered that I should be well cared for and
provided with such things as I needed. Being a merchant I sought out
men of my own profession, and particularly those who came from foreign
countries, as I hoped in this way to hear news from Bagdad, and find
out some means of returning thither, for the capital was situated upon
the sea-shore, and visited by vessels from all parts of the world. In
the meantime I heard many curious things, and answered many questions
concerning my own country, for I talked willingly with all who came to
me. Also to while away the time of waiting I explored a little island
named Cassel, which belonged to King Mihrage, and which was supposed to
be inhabited by a spirit named Deggial. Indeed, the sailors assured me
that often at night the playing of timbals could be heard upon it.
However, I saw nothing strange upon my voyage, saving some fish that
were full two hundred cubits long, but were fortunately more in dread
of us than even we were of them, and fled from us if we did but strike
upon a board to frighten them. Other fishes there were only a cubit
long which had heads like owls.
One day after my return, as I went down to the quay, I saw a ship which
had just cast anchor, and was discharging her cargo, while the
merchants to whom it belonged were busily directing the removal of it
to their warehouses. Drawing nearer I presently noticed that my own
name was marked upon some of the packages, and after having carefully
examined them, I felt sure that they were indeed those which I had put
on board our ship at Balsora. I then recognised the captain of the
vessel, but as I was certain that he believed me to be dead, I went up
to him and asked who owned the packages that I was looking at.
"There was on board my ship," he replied, "a merchant of Bagdad named
Sindbad. One day he and several of my other passengers landed upon
what we supposed to be an island, but which was really an enormous
whale floating asleep upon the waves. No sooner did it feel upon its
back the heat of the fire which had been kindled, than it plunged into
the depths of the sea. Several of the people who were upon it perished
in the waters, and among others this unlucky Sindbad. This merchandise
is his, but I have resolved to dispose of it for the benefit of his
family if I should ever chance to meet with them."
"Captain," said I, "I am that Sindbad whom you believe to be dead, and
these are my possessions!"
When the captain heard these words he cried out in amazement,
"Lackaday! and what is the world coming to? In these days there is not
an honest man to be met with. Did I not with my own eyes see Sindbad
drown, and now you have the audacity to tell me that you are he! I
should have taken you to be a just man, and yet for the sake of
obtaining that which does not belong to you, you are ready to invent
this horrible falsehood."
"Have patience, and do me the favour to hear my story," said I.
"Speak then," replied the captain, "I'm all attention."
So I told him of my escape and of my fortunate meeting with the king's
grooms, and how kindly I had been received at the palace. Very soon I
began to see that I had made some impression upon him, and after the
arrival of some of the other merchants, who showed great joy at once
more seeing me alive, he declared that he also recognised me.
Throwing himself upon my neck he exclaimed, "Heaven be praised that you
have escaped from so great a danger. As to your goods, I pray you take
them, and dispose of them as you please." I thanked him, and praised
his honesty, begging him to accept several bales of merchandise in
token of my gratitude, but he would take nothing. Of the choicest of
my goods I prepared a present for King Mihrage, who was at first
amazed, having known that I had lost my all. However, when I had
explained to him how my bales had been miraculously restored to me, he
graciously accepted my gifts, and in return gave me many valuable
things. I then took leave of him, and exchanging my merchandise for
sandal and aloes wood, camphor, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger, I
embarked upon the same vessel and traded so successfully upon our
homeward voyage that I arrived in Balsora with about one hundred
thousand sequins. My family received me with as much joy as I felt
upon seeing them once more. I bought land and slaves, and built a
great house in which I resolved to live happily, and in the enjoyment
of all the pleasures of life to forget my past sufferings.
Here Sindbad paused, and commanded the musicians to play again, while
the feasting continued until evening. When the time came for the
porter to depart, Sindbad gave him a purse containing one hundred
sequins, saying, "Take this, Hindbad, and go home, but to-morrow come
again and you shall hear more of my adventures."
The porter retired quite overcome by so much generosity, and you may
imagine that he was well received at home, where his wife and children
thanked their lucky stars that he had found such a benefactor.
The next day Hindbad, dressed in his best, returned to the voyager's
house, and was received with open arms. As soon as all the guests had
arrived the banquet began as before, and when they had feasted long and
merrily, Sindbad addressed them thus:
"My friends, I beg that you will give me your attention while I relate
the adventures of my second voyage, which you will find even more
astonishing than the first."
Second Voyage
I had resolved, as you know, on my return from my first voyage, to
spend the rest of my days quietly in Bagdad, but very soon I grew tired
of such an idle life and longed once more to find myself upon the sea.
I procured, therefore, such goods as were suitable for the places I
intended to visit, and embarked for the second time in a good ship with
other merchants whom I knew to be honourable men. We went from island
to island, often making excellent bargains, until one day we landed at
a spot which, though covered with fruit trees and abounding in springs
of excellent water, appeared to possess neither houses nor people.
While my companions wandered here and there gathering flowers and fruit
I sat down in a shady place, and, having heartily enjoyed the
provisions and the wine I had brought with me, I fell asleep, lulled by
the murmur of a clear brook which flowed close by.
How long I slept I know not, but when I opened my eyes and started to
my feet I perceived with horror that I was alone and that the ship was
gone. I rushed to and fro like one distracted, uttering cries of
despair, and when from the shore I saw the vessel under full sail just
disappearing upon the horizon, I wished bitterly enough that I had been
content to stay at home in safety. But since wishes could do me no
good, I presently took courage and looked about me for a means of
escape. When I had climbed a tall tree I first of all directed my
anxious glances towards the sea; but, finding nothing hopeful there, I
turned landward, and my curiosity was excited by a huge dazzling white
object, so far off that I could not make out what it might be.
Descending from the tree I hastily collected what remained of my
provisions and set off as fast as I could go towards it. As I drew
near it seemed to me to be a white ball of immense size and height, and
when I could touch it, I found it marvellously smooth and soft. As it
was impossible to climb it--for it presented no foot-hold--I walked
round about it seeking some opening, but there was none. I counted,
however, that it was at least fifty paces round. By this time the sun
was near setting, but quite suddenly it fell dark, something like a
huge black cloud came swiftly over me, and I saw with amazement that it
was a bird of extraordinary size which was hovering near. Then I
remembered that I had often heard the sailors speak of a wonderful bird
called a roc, and it occurred to me that the white object which had so
puzzled me must be its egg.
Sure enough the bird settled slowly down upon it, covering it with its
wings to keep it warm, and I cowered close beside the egg in such a
position that one of the bird's feet, which was as large as the trunk
of a tree, was just in front of me. Taking off my turban I bound
myself securely to it with the linen in the hope that the roc, when it
took flight next morning, would bear me away with it from the desolate
island. And this was precisely what did happen. As soon as the dawn
appeared the bird rose into the air carrying me up and up till I could
no longer see the earth, and then suddenly it descended so swiftly that
I almost lost consciousness. When I became aware that the roc had
settled and that I was once again upon solid ground, I hastily unbound
my turban from its foot and freed myself, and that not a moment too
soon; for the bird, pouncing upon a huge snake, killed it with a few
blows from its powerful beak, and seizing it up rose into the air once
more and soon disappeared from my view. When I had looked about me I
began to doubt if I had gained anything by quitting the desolate island.
The valley in which I found myself was deep and narrow, and surrounded
by mountains which towered into the clouds, and were so steep and rocky
that there was no way of climbing up their sides. As I wandered about,
seeking anxiously for some means of escaping from this trap, I observed
that the ground was strewed with diamonds, some of them of an
astonishing size. This sight gave me great pleasure, but my delight
was speedily damped when I saw also numbers of horrible snakes so long
and so large that the smallest of them could have swallowed an elephant
with ease. Fortunately for me they seemed to hide in caverns of the
rocks by day, and only came out by night, probably because of their
enemy the roc.
All day long I wandered up and down the valley, and when it grew dusk I
crept into a little cave, and having blocked up the entrance to it with
a stone, I ate part of my little store of food and lay down to sleep,
but all through the night the serpents crawled to and fro, hissing
horribly, so that I could scarcely close my eyes for terror. I was
thankful when the morning light appeared, and when I judged by the
silence that the serpents had retreated to their dens I came
tremblingly out of my cave and wandered up and down the valley once
more, kicking the diamonds contemptuously out of my path, for I felt
that they were indeed vain things to a man in my situation. At last,
overcome with weariness, I sat down upon a rock, but I had hardly
closed my eyes when I was startled by something which fell to the
ground with a thud close beside me.
It was a huge piece of fresh meat, and as I stared at it several more
pieces rolled over the cliffs in different places. I had always
thought that the stories the sailors told of the famous valley of
diamonds, and of the cunning way which some merchants had devised for
getting at the precious stones, were mere travellers' tales invented to
give pleasure to the hearers, but now I perceived that they were surely
true. These merchants came to the valley at the time when the eagles,
which keep their eyries in the rocks, had hatched their young. The
merchants then threw great lumps of meat into the valley. These,
falling with so much force upon the diamonds, were sure to take up some
of the precious stones with them, when the eagles pounced upon the meat
and carried it off to their nests to feed their hungry broods. Then
the merchants, scaring away the parent birds with shouts and outcries,
would secure their treasures. Until this moment I had looked upon the
valley as my grave, for I had seen no possibility of getting out of it
alive, but now I took courage and began to devise a means of escape. I
began by picking up all the largest diamonds I could find and storing
them carefully in the leathern wallet which had held my provisions;
this I tied securely to my belt. I then chose the piece of meat which
seemed most suited to my purpose, and with the aid of my turban bound
it firmly to my back; this done I laid down upon my face and awaited
the coming of the eagles. I soon heard the flapping of their mighty
wings above me, and had the satisfaction of feeling one of them seize
upon my piece of meat, and me with it, and rise slowly towards his
nest, into which he presently dropped me. Luckily for me the merchants
were on the watch, and setting up their usual outcries they rushed to
the nest scaring away the eagle. Their amazement was great when they
discovered me, and also their disappointment, and with one accord they
fell to abusing me for having robbed them of their usual profit.
Addressing myself to the one who seemed most aggrieved, I said: "I am
sure, if you knew all that I have suffered, you would show more
kindness towards me, and as for diamonds, I have enough here of the
very best for you and me and all your company." So saying I showed
them to him. The others all crowded round me, wondering at my
adventures and admiring the device by which I had escaped from the
valley, and when they had led me to their camp and examined my
diamonds, they assured me that in all the years that they had carried
on their trade they had seen no stones to be compared with them for
size and beauty.
I found that each merchant chose a particular nest, and took his chance
of what he might find in it. So I begged the one who owned the nest to
which I had been carried to take as much as he would of my treasure,
but he contented himself with one stone, and that by no means the
largest, assuring me that with such a gem his fortune was made, and he
need toil no more. I stayed with the merchants several days, and then
as they were journeying homewards I gladly accompanied them. Our way
lay across high mountains infested with frightful serpents, but we had
the good luck to escape them and came at last to the seashore. Thence
we sailed to the isle of Rohat where the camphor trees grow to such a
size that a hundred men could shelter under one of them with ease. The
sap flows from an incision made high up in the tree into a vessel hung
there to receive it, and soon hardens into the substance called
camphor, but the tree itself withers up and dies when it has been so
treated.
In this same island we saw the rhinoceros, an animal which is smaller
than the elephant and larger than the buffalo. It has one horn about a
cubit long which is solid, but has a furrow from the base to the tip.
Upon it is traced in white lines the figure of a man. The rhinoceros
fights with the elephant, and transfixing him with his horn carries him
off upon his head, but becoming blinded with the blood of his enemy, he
falls helpless to the ground, and then comes the roc, and clutches them
both up in his talons and takes them to feed his young. This doubtless
astonishes you, but if you do not believe my tale go to Rohat and see
for yourself. For fear of wearying you I pass over in silence many
other wonderful things which we saw in this island. Before we left I
exchanged one of my diamonds for much goodly merchandise by which I
profited greatly on our homeward way. At last we reached Balsora,
whence I hastened to Bagdad, where my first action was to bestow large
sums of money upon the poor, after which I settled down to enjoy
tranquilly the riches I had gained with so much toil and pain.
Having thus related the adventures of his second voyage, Sindbad again
bestowed a hundred sequins upon Hindbad, inviting him to come again on
the following day and hear how he fared upon his third voyage. The
other guests also departed to their homes, but all returned at the same
hour next day, including the porter, whose former life of hard work and
poverty had already begun to seem to him like a bad dream. Again after
the feast was over did Sindbad claim the attention of his guests and
began the account of his third voyage.
Third Voyage
After a very short time the pleasant easy life I led made me quite
forget the perils of my two voyages. Moreover, as I was still in the
prime of life, it pleased me better to be up and doing. So once more
providing myself with the rarest and choicest merchandise of Bagdad, I
conveyed it to Balsora, and set sail with other merchants of my
acquaintance for distant lands. We had touched at many ports and made
much profit, when one day upon the open sea we were caught by a
terrible wind which blew us completely out of our reckoning, and
lasting for several days finally drove us into harbour on a strange
island.
"I would rather have come to anchor anywhere than here," quoth our
captain. "This island and all adjoining it are inhabited by hairy
savages, who are certain to attack us, and whatever these dwarfs may do
we dare not resist, since they swarm like locusts, and if one of them
is killed the rest will fall upon us, and speedily make an end of us."
These words caused great consternation among all the ship's company,
and only too soon we were to find out that the captain spoke truly.
There appeared a vast multitude of hideous savages, not more than two
feet high and covered with reddish fur. Throwing themselves into the
waves they surrounded our vessel. Chattering meanwhile in a language
we could not understand, and clutching at ropes and gangways, they
swarmed up the ship's side with such speed and agility that they almost
seemed to fly.
You may imagine the rage and terror that seized us as we watched them,
neither daring to hinder them nor able to speak a word to deter them
from their purpose, whatever it might be. Of this we were not left
long in doubt. Hoisting the sails, and cutting the cable of the
anchor, they sailed our vessel to an island which lay a little further
off, where they drove us ashore; then taking possession of her, they
made off to the place from which they had come, leaving us helpless
upon a shore avoided with horror by all mariners for a reason which you
will soon learn.
Turning away from the sea we wandered miserably inland, finding as we
went various herbs and fruits which we ate, feeling that we might as
well live as long as possible though we had no hope of escape.
Presently we saw in the far distance what seemed to us to be a splendid
palace, towards which we turned our weary steps, but when we reached it
we saw that it was a castle, lofty, and strongly built. Pushing back
the heavy ebony doors we entered the courtyard, but upon the threshold
of the great hall beyond it we paused, frozen with horror, at the sight
which greeted us. On one side lay a huge pile of bones--human bones,
and on the other numberless spits for roasting! Overcome with despair
we sank trembling to the ground, and lay there without speech or
motion. The sun was setting when a loud noise aroused us, the door of
the hall was violently burst open and a horrible giant entered. He was
as tall as a palm tree, and perfectly black, and had one eye, which
flamed like a burning coal in the middle of his forehead. His teeth
were long and sharp and grinned horribly, while his lower lip hung down
upon his chest, and he had ears like elephant's ears, which covered his
shoulders, and nails like the claws of some fierce bird.
At this terrible sight our senses left us and we lay like dead men.
When at last we came to ourselves the giant sat examining us
attentively with his fearful eye. Presently when he had looked at us
enough he came towards us, and stretching out his hand took me by the
back of the neck, turning me this way and that, but feeling that I was
mere skin and bone he set me down again and went on to the next, whom
he treated in the same fashion; at last he came to the captain, and
finding him the fattest of us all, he took him up in one hand and stuck
him upon a spit and proceeded to kindle a huge fire at which he
presently roasted him. After the giant had supped he lay down to
sleep, snoring like the loudest thunder, while we lay shivering with
horror the whole night through, and when day broke he awoke and went
out, leaving us in the castle.
When we believed him to be really gone we started up bemoaning our
horrible fate, until the hall echoed with our despairing cries. Though
we were many and our enemy was alone it did not occur to us to kill
him, and indeed we should have found that a hard task, even if we had
thought of it, and no plan could we devise to deliver ourselves. So at
last, submitting to our sad fate, we spent the day in wandering up and
down the island eating such fruits as we could find, and when night
came we returned to the castle, having sought in vain for any other
place of shelter. At sunset the giant returned, supped upon one of our
unhappy comrades, slept and snored till dawn, and then left us as
before. Our condition seemed to us so frightful that several of my
companions thought it would be better to leap from the cliffs and
perish in the waves at once, rather than await so miserable an end; but
I had a plan of escape which I now unfolded to them, and which they at
once agreed to attempt.
"Listen, my brothers," I added. "You know that plenty of driftwood
lies along the shore. Let us make several rafts, and carry them to a
suitable place. If our plot succeeds, we can wait patiently for the
chance of some passing ship which would rescue us from this fatal
island. If it fails, we must quickly take to our rafts; frail as they
are, we have more chance of saving our lives with them than we have if
we remain here."
All agreed with me, and we spent the day in building rafts, each
capable of carrying three persons. At nightfall we returned to the
castle, and very soon in came the giant, and one more of our number was
sacrificed. But the time of our vengeance was at hand! As soon as he
had finished his horrible repast he lay down to sleep as before, and
when we heard him begin to snore I, and nine of the boldest of my
comrades, rose softly, and took each a spit, which we made red-hot in
the fire, and then at a given signal we plunged it with one accord into
the giant's eye, completely blinding him. Uttering a terrible cry, he
sprang to his feet clutching in all directions to try to seize one of
us, but we had all fled different ways as soon as the deed was done,
and thrown ourselves flat upon the ground in corners where he was not
likely to touch us with his feet.
After a vain search he fumbled about till he found the door, and fled
out of it howling frightfully. As for us, when he was gone we made
haste to leave the fatal castle, and, stationing ourselves beside our
rafts, we waited to see what would happen. Our idea was that if, when
the sun rose, we saw nothing of the giant, and no longer heard his
howls, which still came faintly through the darkness, growing more and
more distant, we should conclude that he was dead, and that we might
safely stay upon the island and need not risk our lives upon the frail
rafts. But alas! morning light showed us our enemy approaching us,
supported on either hand by two giants nearly as large and fearful as
himself, while a crowd of others followed close upon their heels.
Hesitating no longer we clambered upon our rafts and rowed with all our
might out to sea. The giants, seeing their prey escaping them, seized
up huge pieces of rock, and wading into the water hurled them after us
with such good aim that all the rafts except the one I was upon were
swamped, and their luckless crews drowned, without our being able to do
anything to help them. Indeed I and my two companions had all we could
do to keep our own raft beyond the reach of the giants, but by dint of
hard rowing we at last gained the open sea. Here we were at the mercy
of the winds and waves, which tossed us to and fro all that day and
night, but the next morning we found ourselves near an island, upon
which we gladly landed.
There we found delicious fruits, and having satisfied our hunger we
presently lay down to rest upon the shore. Suddenly we were aroused by
a loud rustling noise, and starting up, saw that it was caused by an
immense snake which was gliding towards us over the sand. So swiftly
it came that it had seized one of my comrades before he had time to
fly, and in spite of his cries and struggles speedily crushed the life
out of him in its mighty coils and proceeded to swallow him. By this
time my other companion and I were running for our lives to some place
where we might hope to be safe from this new horror, and seeing a tall
tree we climbed up into it, having first provided ourselves with a
store of fruit off the surrounding bushes. When night came I fell
asleep, but only to be awakened once more by the terrible snake, which
after hissing horribly round the tree at last reared itself up against
it, and finding my sleeping comrade who was perched just below me, it
swallowed him also, and crawled away leaving me half dead with terror.
When the sun rose I crept down from the tree with hardly a hope of
escaping the dreadful fate which had over-taken my comrades; but life
is sweet, and I determined to do all I could to save myself. All day
long I toiled with frantic haste and collected quantities of dry
brushwood, reeds and thorns, which I bound with faggots, and making a
circle of them under my tree I piled them firmly one upon another until
I had a kind of tent in which I crouched like a mouse in a hole when
she sees the cat coming. You may imagine what a fearful night I
passed, for the snake returned eager to devour me, and glided round and
round my frail shelter seeking an entrance. Every moment I feared that
it would succeed in pushing aside some of the faggots, but happily for
me they held together, and when it grew light my enemy retired, baffled
and hungry, to his den. As for me I was more dead than alive! Shaking
with fright and half suffocated by the poisonous breath of the monster,
I came out of my tent and crawled down to the sea, feeling that it
would be better to plunge from the cliffs and end my life at once than
pass such another night of horror. But to my joy and relief I saw a
ship sailing by, and by shouting wildly and waving my turban I managed
to attract the attention of her crew.
A boat was sent to rescue me, and very soon I found myself on board
surrounded by a wondering crowd of sailors and merchants eager to know
by what chance I found myself in that desolate island. After I had
told my story they regaled me with the choicest food the ship afforded,
and the captain, seeing that I was in rags, generously bestowed upon me
one of his own coats. After sailing about for some time and touching
at many ports we came at last to the island of Salahat, where sandal
wood grows in great abundance. Here we anchored, and as I stood
watching the merchants disembarking their goods and preparing to sell
or exchange them, the captain came up to me and said,
"I have here, brother, some merchandise belonging to a passenger of
mine who is dead. Will you do me the favour to trade with it, and when
I meet with his heirs I shall be able to give them the money, though it
will be only just that you shall have a portion for your trouble."
I consented gladly, for I did not like standing by idle. Whereupon he
pointed the bales out to me, and sent for th
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