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Sindbad the Sailor, & Other Stories from the Arabian Nights

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Title: Sindbad the Sailor, & Other Stories from the Arabian Nights

Author: Anonymous

Illustrator: Edmund Dulac


        
Release date: November 4, 2014 [eBook #47285]
                Most recently updated: October 24, 2024

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SINDBAD THE SAILOR, & OTHER STORIES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS ***

       *       *       *       *       *

[Illustration: Sindbad the Sailor entertains Sindbad the Landsman.
Page 7]




Sindbad the Sailor

& other Stories from

the Arabian Nights illustrated

by Edmund Dulac

Hodder & Stoughton




CONTENTS


    SINDBAD THE SAILOR                             7

    THE FIRST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR         8
    THE SECOND VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR       14
    THE THIRD VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR        21
    THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR       28
    THE FIFTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR        40
    THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR        48
    THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR      55


    ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP                61


    THE THREE CALENDERS                          153

    THE STORY OF THE FIRST CALENDER              157
    THE STORY OF THE SECOND CALENDER             165
    THE STORY OF THE THIRD CALENDER              185


    THE SLEEPER AWAKENED                         203




ILLUSTRATIONS


  SINDBAD THE SAILOR

  _Sindbad the Sailor entertains Sindbad the Landsman_   FRONTISPIECE

                                                                _Page_

  _The Episode of the Whale_                                       16

  _The Episode of the Rokh_                                        24

  _The Episode of the Snake_                                       40

  _The Episode of the Old Man of the Sea_                          48


  ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP

  _Aladdin finds the Magic Lamp_                                   64

  _Aladdin and the Efrite_                                         72

  _The Lady Bedr-el-Budur at her bath_                             80

  _The Lady Bedr-el-Budur_                                         88

  _The Sultan and his Vizier looking for Aladdin's magic Palace_  104

  _The Nuptial Dance of Aladdin and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur_       112

  _Aladdin finds the Princess in Africa_                          128

  _The Lady Bedr-el-Budur and the wicked Magician_                136


  THE STORY OF THE THREE CALENDERS

  _The Porter and the Ladies_                                     144

  _The Prince leads the Lady to the Tomb_                         152

  _The Prince meets a noble Lady in the Underground Palace_       160

  _The Princess burns the Efrite to death_                        168

  _The Prince is taken back to the Golden Palace by the Magic
        Black Horse_                                              176


  THE SLEEPER AWAKENED

  _The Bridge at Baghdad where Abu-l-Hasan awaits strangers_      184

  _Abu-l-Hasan entertains the strangers with dancing and music_   192

  _Abu-l-Hasan awakens in the bed of the Khalifeh_                200

  _Abu-l-Hasan orders that the Sheiks of the district should
        be taken to be impaled on the back of a mangy camel_      208

  _The Room of the fruits prepared for Abu-l-Hasan_               216




SINDBAD THE SAILOR


IN the time of Harun-er-Rashid there was, in Baghdad, a rich merchant
named Sindbad the Sailor, the source of whose wealth was a mystery.
It seemed to be inexhaustible. For long seasons he kept open house,
and his entertainments were the most magnificent of all save only
those of Er-Rashid himself. All that riches could buy seemed at his
disposal, and he lavished the good things of this life upon his guests.
Pages, slaves and attendants there were in great number; his garden
was spacious and beautiful, and his house was filled with every costly
luxury.

This Sindbad the Sailor has a story to tell--the story of his life--but
he never told it to any until, one day, there came to him one Sindbad
the Landsman, a man of poor and humble birth. This man pleased him
greatly with an apt recitation dealing with the widely different lots
dispensed by God to men, and, being pleased, he was struck with the
happy conceit that, now Sindbad the Sailor was at last confronted with
Sindbad the Landsman, it would be no bad thing were he to narrate the
story of his life so that all might know his strange adventures and
conjecture no longer as to the source of his fabulous wealth.

Accordingly Sindbad the Sailor held seven receptions on seven different
days, and, although on each occasion a multitude of guests was
assembled to listen, he failed not to address his words from first to
last to his simple listener, Sindbad the Landsman. Following is his
narration of the strange and wonderful adventures he experienced in his
seven voyages:--


THE FIRST VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

MY father was a merchant of high rank and rich possessions. He died
when I was but a child, leaving me all his wealth. When I reached
manhood's estate I used my inheritance with no thought for the morrow,
living in a sumptuous manner and consorting with the richest young men
of Baghdad. I continued this life for many years until, at last, when
reason prevailed with me to mend my plan, I found with dismay that I
had sunk to poverty. And then it was that I arose and sold what goods
remained to me for three thousand pieces of silver, and girded myself,
resolving to travel to other lands and rebuild my fortune by the wit of
my mind and the labour of my hands.

With a part of my hoard I bought merchandise for exchange in far
lands, and also such things as I should require in my travels. Thus
prepared I set sail with a company of merchants in a ship bound for the
city of El-Basrah. For many days and nights we sailed upon the sea,
visiting islands and passing thence to other islands; and everywhere we
bartered, and bought and sold. At length we came to an island unlike
the others. It seemed like a garden that had floated from off the sides
of Paradise and established itself in the sea. And here our ship cast
anchor and we landed. Then fires were lighted, and, while some cooked,
others washed in the cool stream, and yet others amused themselves
admiring the beauties of the place.

When all had eaten of the food prepared the shore became a gay scene of
sport and play, in which I engaged to the full. But, suddenly, a cry
from the master of the ship put an end to our gaiety. Standing at the
side of the vessel he called loudly, "Hear me, and may God preserve
you! Hasten back and leave everything; save yourselves from sudden
death, for this that ye think is an island is not such. It is a mighty
fish lying entranced in sleep on the surface of the sea since times of
old, and trees have grown upon it; but your fires and your frolicking
have awakened it, and lo! it moves; and, if it sink into the sea, ye
will assuredly be drowned. Hasten then, and save yourselves!"

At this we all, with one accord, left everything and fled for the ship,
hoping to escape with our lives. While we were making for safety the
island moved with a great turmoil and sank behind us in the sea, and
the waves leapt against each other above it. For a time I gave myself
up as lost, for I was drawn down fathoms deep; but, by God's grace, I
rose again to the surface, and to my hand was one of the large wooden
bowls which some of the passengers had taken on shore for the purpose
of washing. This I seized, and established myself in it, and thus
combated the leaping waves, steadying myself with my hands and feet. In
vain I called on the master of the ship. He heard me not. He had spread
his sails and pursued his way, thinking that none beside those who had
been taken up were left alive.

Astride my wooden bowl I gazed longingly at the ship until it was out
of sight. Then I prepared for death as the night was closing around me.
Perchance I swooned, for I remembered naught else until I found myself
stranded upon a mountainous island. There were trees overhanging, and
I grasped a drooping bough and drew myself up from the fretting wave.
My limbs were benumbed, and, on looking at my legs, I saw the marks
made by the nibbling teeth of fish, and marvelled at my salvation from
death.

Staggering forward, I flung myself high on the beach like one dead,
and so I remained until the dawn of the next day, when the sun, rising
upon me, woke me to a sense of such a condition as I had never known
before. Long--long it was before I could rise to a sitting posture,
and longer still before I could crawl on my hands and knees to a space
of grass that was shielded from the sun. Thence, in time, I staggered
till I came to a brook, of which I drank; and strength returned to me.
I found luscious fruits and ate of them, and drank again of the clear
waters of the brook. And so I continued many days roaming the island
and wondering at its beauties until I was strong again as before.

And it chanced, as I took my way to and fro in the island, revelling
in the sight of things that God had set there, that on a day when the
sea was sounding loudly on the shore I beheld something in the distance
which excited my curiosity. It seemed like a wild animal of gigantic
size, and, as I approached, I feared it was some fabulous beast of
the sea. But, as I drew still nearer, I was overcome with amazement
to see a beautiful mare standing high, with mane and tail floating on
the breeze. She was tethered to a stake on the shore, and, at sight of
me, she screamed loudly and stamped her fore-feet on the sand; but,
ere I turned to flee, I beheld a man come forth from a cave near by,
and he ran after me, calling on me to give an account of myself and my
presence in that place. Thereupon I laid my story before him, sparing
no detail, even to the wooden bowl by means of which and the grace of
God I had come thither.

Gladness seized him at my recital, and he took my hand. Saying, "Come
with me!" he led me into his cave and set food before me. I ate until
I was satisfied; and, being at my ease, I repeated my story more
minutely, and he wondered thereat. Then I said, "Thou hast the truth
of my adventures upon the sea; now I pray thee, O my master, tell me
who _thou_ art, that thou dwellest hidden in a cave while thy mare is
tethered on the shore." He was in no way displeased at my curiosity,
but answered me in plain words. "I am one of the grooms of the King
El-Mihraj," he said, "and the others are scattered about the island.
For, look you, friend, it is the time of the new moon, when the
sea-horse cometh up out of the sea; and it is our plan to bring our
best mares hither and tether them by the shore so that they may lure
the sea-horses into our hands."

While I was wondering at the manner of this cunning device a
magnificent sea-horse rose from the waves, shaking the foam from its
crest and neighing loudly. As it approached, my companion drew me into
the cave and placed himself at the opening with a long coil of thick
cord in his hand. Presently by means of this he leashed the sea-horse
with great dexterity, and fettered him, and subdued him. Then, with the
mare and the sea-horse, he led me to his companions, who, when they had
heard my story, were all of one mind that I should accompany them to
the city of the King. So they mounted me on one of the mares and I rode
with them to the King's palace.

As soon as we had arrived at the palace gates they went in to the King
and informed him of my strange adventures; whereupon he sent for me,
and they led me before him. He greeted me very courteously and bade
me tell him my story, which, when he had heard it, filled him with
amazement, so that he cried, "By Allah! my son, of a truth thou art
favoured by fate; for how else could'st thou escape so great a peril?
Praise God for thy deliverance!" And he made much of me and caused me
to be treated with honour; and he appointed me master of the harbour
and comptroller of the shipping.

My condition then was no longer that of a wayfarer. I rose day by day
to a higher and a higher place in the King's favour, and he took me
into his council in all affairs of State. For a long time I served
him well, and he ceased not to recompense me with a liberal hand. Yet
my thoughts turned ever to Baghdad, the Abode of Peace; but, when I
enquired of merchants and travellers and masters of ships, in which
direction it lay, and how one might come at it, they one and all shook
their heads at the name of a strange city of which they had never
heard. At last, weary of the wonders of that island and the sea around
it--wonders the which, if I had time to tell you, would cause you the
greatest amazement,--wearied, too, with my arduous duties, but most of
all with my prolonged absence from my own land, I stood one day on the
sea shore when a great ship drew near and a number of merchants landed
from it.

The sailors brought forth their merchandise, and, when I had made an
account of it, I enquired of the master of the ship if that were the
whole of his cargo. "All, O my master," he replied; "all save some
bales whose owner was drowned on our voyage hither; but even these,
being in my charge, I desire to sell on behalf of his family in
Baghdad." "Sayest thou so?" I cried. "Tell me, I pray thee, the name
of the owner of these goods." And he replied, "His name was Sindbad the
Sailor, and he was drowned on our way hither."

When I heard this I regarded him more closely and recognised him.
Then I cried out, "O my master, I am he; and they are my goods that
are in thy hold." But he neither recognised me nor believed my words;
whereupon I narrated to him the history of my supposed death; but he
shook his head and called upon Allah to witness that there was neither
faith nor conscience in any. "Look you!" he said. "Thou heardst me
say the owner was dead, and therefore thou desirest the goods for
thyself free of price. I tell thee we saw him sink into the sea with
many others." "O my master," I answered, "hear me and then judge of
my veracity." With this I narrated to him many trivial things which
happened before we reached the great-fish island, and which could never
be known to me had I not been on the ship. And then it was that he and
many of the merchants regarded me with fixed looks and recognised me.
"By Allah!" said they one and all, "we truly believed thee drowned, but
here we find thee alive." And they pressed upon me and congratulated
me, and the master of the ship gave me my goods, at sight of which I
was overjoyed; and they all rejoiced with me.

Mindful of the King I served, I at once opened my bales, and, selecting
the most costly articles, went in to him and laid them at his feet,
telling him how I had regained the goods of which they were a part. And
the King wondered greatly at my good fortune and graciously accepted my
gifts. He also showed me great favour and honour in that he bestowed
upon me gifts in return for mine.

Then, having sold my remaining goods at a profit, I bought largely of
the merchandise of the city, and, when the ship was about to sail, I
approached the King and thanked him for his great kindness to me, and
humbly begged his leave to depart to my own city and family. So he gave
me his blessing and a great wealth of merchandise and rare commodities,
and bade me farewell. And soon thereafter, having stowed all my goods
in the hold of the ship, I set sail with the others for Baghdad.

Our voyage was fortunate, and, with the aid of favourable winds, we
reached the city of El-Basrah in safety. Thence I repaired to Baghdad,
and my family and my friends gave me a joyous welcome. And when I had
sold my merchandise I set up a large establishment, sparing no cost.
And I bought land and houses, and gathered round me wealthy companions,
in whose society I soon forgot the dangers and terrors I had suffered
in other lands. Such is the story of my first voyage; and, to-morrow,
by God's grace, I will narrate to you the strange adventures of my
second voyage.


THE SECOND VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

AS I related yesterday, I was living here in Baghdad in the midst of
every delight, surrounded by companions after my own heart. But a time
came when the wandering spirit seized me again and I longed for the
sight, even for the perils, of other and unknown lands. This, and the
fact that I had decreased my substance by large expenditure, led me to
adventure a second journey, at once to relieve the monotony of life and
to replenish my exhausted store.

The step was quickly taken. Having collected suitable merchandise I
repaired to the river, and, without a word to anyone, embarked on a
new ship finely rigged and manned by a large crew. Together with a
goodly party of merchants I sailed away, and we passed over the deep
from island to island and from sea to sea, with fair winds filling the
sails. And at every place at which we cast anchor we bought and sold
and bartered. So we continued until we came to an uninhabited island of
great beauty. The trees hung with ripe fruits; birds of bright plumage
flew hither and thither over the shining foliage, and their songs were
heard in the topmost branches; rare flowers laid their scent upon the
breeze, and pure clear streams coursed everywhere. When we landed we
fell to extolling these master touches of the Creator's hand, for,
indeed, the place was, as it were, born of fragrant musk--so fresh
and beautiful and full of all delights not made by man. Selecting a
rare spot on the bank of a stream, I sat apart, meditating upon the
wonderful works of the Omnipotent One. There the soft zephyrs singing
in the trees, and the stream murmuring at my feet, lulled me to
slumber; and, when I awoke later, I looked forth upon the sea and lo,
the ship was far out on the wall of the ocean sloping to the sky. They
had forgotten me and I was left alone upon the island.

Despair fell upon me as I gazed around and realised that I was
desolate. And I said within myself, "What if I escaped from dangers
in the past when all seemed lost--it still remains that here at least
there is no escape." Then I blamed myself for leaving my comfortable
life in Baghdad to undertake this voyage; for here there was neither
strong food nor strong drink; nor rich apparel, nor gold, nor goods. As
I pondered to the point of madness on these things a restless spirit
came upon me, and I ran to and fro in the island, retracing my steps
and crossing them; but I found naught to lessen my despair.

[Illustration: The Episode of the Whale. Page 9]

At last I climbed to the top of a high tree, and, looking forth in
every direction, saw only sky and sea and trees and watercourses. As
I gazed, however, my eye reverted again and again to an object in a
distant part of the island. It was round and white, and of enormous
size. This aroused my curiosity and I resolved to find out what it was.
Having marked its position I descended from the tree and made my way
towards it. When I reached it I found to my astonishment that it was a
gigantic dome, white and shining. My first thought was to walk round it
to ascertain if there were some door or opening, but none could I find
in its whole circumference, which was about fifty paces.

While I was meditating on some means to gain an entrance to this
strange structure, behold, the sky darkened; and on looking towards the
sinking sun, I saw it was hidden by a great black cloud,--an unwonted
thing, as it was the summer season. While I continued to gaze the
object drew rapidly nearer, and now I could discern in it the shape of
a monstrous bird approaching swiftly through the air; and this it was
that blotted out the sun.

Marvelling greatly I recalled a story told by travellers about certain
islands where was found a bird of immense size called the rukh, which
fed its young on elephants. It was then I knew that the great white
dome I had discovered was one of this bird's eggs,--at which, not the
least of the Creator's works, I wondered greatly. Then, while I so
wondered, the giant bird alighted over the egg, and, crouching down,
spread its wings and brooded over it, and composed itself to sleep.

Here, thought I, was a chance of escaping from the island. Unfolding my
turban I twisted it into a rope, and bound one end of it tightly about
my waist; then I approached the great bird cautiously, and fastened the
other end securely to one of its feet; for thus, when it flew away, it
might perchance bear me through the air to some inhabited region.

The whole night long I lay awake thinking of my projected flight, but
it was not until morning that the bird awoke, and, with a loud cry,
rose from the egg, bearing me aloft. Higher and higher it soared, until
I thought it must reach the stars; then, gradually, in vast circles,
it descended, and finally came to earth on a high table-land. In great
fear lest the bird should discover my presence I made haste to loose
the turban from its foot, and, having done so, I crept away, trembling
in every limb. Then, as I watched the bird from a distance, I observed
it pick something from the ground and soar away with it clutched in
its talons; and I looked again and saw that it was an enormous serpent
twisting and writhing in the grasp of the bird as it flew swiftly
towards the sea. And at this strange thing I wondered greatly as I
folded my turban.

But what desert place had I come to by this daring misadventure? On
the one side of the table-land was a deep valley, and, on the other, a
steep mountain which no foot of man could climb. Had I only remained
in the island I should at least have had fruit to eat and water to
drink, but here was nothing but desolation, from which I had no hope of
escape. There was no course but to descend into the valley; and this I
did, little caring whither I went.

Now, I had not walked therein but a few furlongs when I observed that
the ground I trod was strewn with diamonds of large size, but--and
this gave me cause for wild alarm--coiled here and there amongst the
stones were gigantic serpents such as the one I had seen the bird bear
away in its talons. As soon as I was aware of these sleeping serpents,
which were of the same hue as the ground whereon they lay, I stept
warily lest I should awaken them and be devoured.

In this way was I proceeding down that valley, my flesh quaking and
my knees a-tremble, when suddenly the flayed carcase of a slaughtered
beast fell with a great noise before me. This aroused great wonder
in my mind and also called to my recollection a story I had heard
in my youth from a merchant traveller who had visited lands whence
none else had ever come to deny the truth of it--a story confirmed
by others who claimed a reputation for wide knowledge, and feared
to lose it. It was this--that in a far land, where diamonds are as
thickly strewn as the venomous serpents and other deadly perils which
render it difficult to come at them, the daring merchants who seek
these precious stones employ a cunning stratagem. They take a beast
and slaughter it on the heights above the valley, and, having skinned
it and lacerated the flesh, they throw it down. And, when it reaches
the bottom of the valley whereon the diamonds lie, the stones adhere
to the moist flesh. From the depths of the sky descends the watching
vulture of the giant kind, and this bird, seizing the carcase in its
talons, soars with it to the mountain tops; whereupon the merchants
spring out and frighten the bird away with loud cries, and then take
the stones adhering to the meat and bear them to their own country. I
had my whole life long regarded this story with a half-shut eye, but
now, beholding the slaughtered beast before me, and guessing full well
the meaning of its presence there, I said within myself, "By Allah! no
marvel is past belief, for here is the verification." I surveyed that
carcase and, having measured in a glance the distance to the mountains
whence it had descended, I gazed into the blue sky in whose depths
lurked the watching vulture. A plan of escape then came to me and I
hastened to put it into operation. First I gathered as many diamonds as
I could well dispose within my garments. Then, unfolding my turban, I
approached the slaughtered beast, and, lying on my back, drew it over
me and bound myself firmly to it.

I had not lain long in that position, with the heavy weight of the
beast upon me, when a monstrous vulture came out of the sky, and,
seizing upon the carcase with a loud scream, gripped it in its powerful
talons and rose up and away with it and me. And it rose higher and
higher, with a mighty flapping of its wings, until at last it alighted
on a broad ledge near the summit of the mountain--a place which,
judging by the bleached bones lying on every hand, was the favourite
feeding-place of these birds. This was clearly known to the merchant
who had cast the carcase down, for, no sooner had the vulture deposited
his burden and started to tear at the flesh, than he sprang out with
loud cries and scared it away.

Half smothered by the weight of the slaughtered beast I lost no time in
freeing myself, and soon I struggled to my feet and stood there with my
clothes stained and polluted with its blood. When the merchant saw me
his fear was great; but his disappointment was even greater when, his
fear mastered by the lust of gain, he turned the carcase over and found
no diamonds sticking to the flesh. Pitying him in his sad case--for he
was smiting hand on hand and calling out against fate--I advanced and
said, "Curse not fate, nor fear me, for I am of thy kind, and I hear
with me an abundance of these stones the loss of which thou lamentest;
and they are of the largest that a man can carry upborne by a vulture's
wings. Of these will I give unto thee; therefore forget thy fear and
bury thy disappointment."

On hearing this the merchant thanked me and prayed fervently for me
and my family; and he ceased not to pray for the prolongation of my
life until I had bestowed upon him the largest diamonds I could find
within my garments. While he was thanking me for this there came his
companions, each of whom had cast down a carcase; and, when they had
heard the story of my escape, they congratulated me and bade me come
with them, for they said, "By Allah! thou art greatly favoured by fate,
since none but thee hath been in that valley and escaped to tell the
tale."

After my perilous adventures, and my despairing sojourn in the valley
of serpents, I was filled with the utmost joy at finding my fellow
mortals around me; and, seeing this, they made me welcome among them,
and I partook of their food and wine. We passed the night in a safe
place, and, when morning came, we set forth over the mountain ranges
overlooking the valley of the serpents and at length descended to a
stretch of sea. This we crossed by means of the boats which they had
moored by the shore, and came thus to a low-lying island where grew
camphor trees in abundance, each of which might shield a hundred men
from the sun. Here, too, upon the plains roamed the wild rhinoceros,
of which wonderful tales are told by people who return from unknown
lands. This beast impales an elephant upon its horn with ease, and
wanders thus, with little hindrance to its pasturing, until the fat
of the elephant, melting in the heat of the sun, and flowing down into
its eyes, renders it blind; whereupon it seeks the seashore and lies
down until such time as the rukh may find it and carry both it and the
elephant away as a morsel for its young. But I speak of what I know
and, as I saw naught of this kind, I can but say that I know not.

I continued with my companions for some space, journeying from island
to island and exchanging the diamonds we had acquired for rich
merchandise. And, in passing through many countries unheard of in
this city, I separated from them and went my way, coming at length
to El-Basrah with a princely cargo of goods. Thence I journeyed to
Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, and rejoined my family. Wealth I had
in abundance, and I resorted to my former life of luxury, bestowing
gifts and alms, wearing rich apparel, and eating and drinking with my
companions. This is the story of my second voyage, and by the grace of
God (whose name be exalted!) I will narrate to-morrow the still more
remarkable adventures that befell me on my third voyage.


THE THIRD VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

HAVING rested for a space in Baghdad, where I lived surrounded by every
happiness and delight, I began again to experience that restless desire
for travel and commerce which had drawn me forth on my former voyages.
When the desire grew so great that I could no longer withstand it,
I set out with a large stock of merchandise and arrived at the city
of El-Basrah, where I took ship, together with a goodly company of
merchants, and others of high standing and repute.

For many days we sailed outwards, buying and selling among the
islands; until, one day, while we were in the midst of the ocean, a
storm descended upon us and blew the ship out of its course. The wind
continued from one quarter with great violence, and for a day and night
we were hurled before it. When morning came it abated, and the master
of the ship looked forth on every hand to ascertain where we were.
Suddenly he uttered a loud cry and plucked his beard. "God preserve
us!" he said. "The gale hath driven us to an evil fate. See! yonder is
the Mountain of Apes! None hath ever come near it and escaped."

We looked and beheld a high mountain on an island, and, while we
were gazing at it, and wondering where lay the danger at so great a
distance, behold, the sea around us was swarming with apes which had
swum out from the island. They were hideous black beasts, not of large
size, but of malignant aspect; and so great was their number that we
were powerless to stand against them. They climbed up the sides of the
ship and seized upon the ropes, which they severed with their sharp
teeth so that the sails were powerless and the vessel drifted with tide
and wind to the shore. There we were seized by the apes and set on
the land, after which they returned to the ship and bent fresh ropes
and set the sails and departed over the sea we knew not whither. But
we ceased to wonder at the manner of their going, for we were in a
desperate plight, since all sailors feared the Mountain of Apes and no
ship would ever approach the island to rescue us.

In our wanderings through the island, eating of its fruits and drinking
of its streams, we came at length to an open space in which stood a
house of gigantic size. The walls and the folding doors of ebony were
very lofty, and, when we walked into an immense apartment--for the
doors were open--we found everything within it of a corresponding size.
The cooking utensils were large enough to cook an ox whole, and, on the
couch at the upper end, a hundred men might sit with comfort. But no
occupant could we find, so we seated ourselves and rested for a while,
and then we slept.

It was about sunset when we were awakened suddenly by a loud noise and
a trembling of the earth; and lo, we beheld coming from the further
end of the apartment a gigantic being in the shape of a man. His skin
was black, and his eyes blazed like fire; two gleaming tusks protruded
from his great mouth, his enormous ears drooped to his shoulders,
and his nails were like the sharp claws of a beast of prey. We were
stricken with great fear at the approach of this frightful being so
that we could neither move nor cry out while he advanced to the couch
and disposed his huge limbs thereon. Then, on turning his head, he
caught sight of us and arose and came towards us. As I was nearest to
his hand he seized me, and, taking me from the ground, turned me over
and over in his palm, feeling my limbs to see if they were fat. But, by
the grace of God (whose name be exalted!) I was lean and wasted with
fatigue and affliction; so he set me down and seized another, whom he
turned over and felt in the same manner. He, too, was lean, and he let
him go; but he took one after another until he came to the master of
ship--a big man and fat. With him he was satisfied. Then, seeing what
he was about to do, we hid our eyes, and did not look again until the
ogre, having cooked and eaten our master, threw his bones upon a heap
of others on one side of the apartment. Afterwards he arose and laid
himself down upon the couch and slept, and his snoring was like the
roll of thunder.

[Illustration: The Episode of the Rokh. Page 17]

We crept forth from that house in terror, feeling that it were happier
to be killed by apes or drowned in the sea than to be roasted on live
coals--a terrible death for a man! We then considered means of hiding,
or escaping from the place. But there was no place to hide, and the
ship, our only way of escape, was gone. While we were lamenting, a
spell seemed to be cast over us, so that our very excess of fear drew
us back to the ogre's house, wherein we sat as before, and slept.

Again we were awakened by the thunder of the ogre's approach, and
again he came and selected one of our number. When, having eaten, he
slept upon the couch, we conversed together, thinking to find some way
of escape. One said, "By Allah! by Allah! let us kill him!" and he
proposed a plan. "Listen, O my brothers!" I said on hearing this; "if
we seek to kill him let us first prepare some rafts on which to escape,
for we may fail of our purpose; and on these rafts we can at worst be
drowned, which is better than being roasted." They answered me, "Thou
art right!" So we set to work and gathered stout pieces of wood and
carried them to the seashore, where we constructed rafts and stowed
food upon them in readiness for a hasty departure. Then we returned to
the giant's house to carry out our plan.

The sound of his snoring told us he still slept, so we took two
sharp-pointed iron spits and heated the points red-hot in the fire.
Then we approached him cautiously, and, at a given signal, thrust the
red-hot points one into each of his eyes, and bore upon the spits with
our combined weight. He arose with a mighty roar, and we fled right and
left; for, his sight being destroyed, we feared his blind rage. He
searched for us, but, not finding us, he groped for the door, and went
forth uttering loud cries which shook the earth.

In great haste, and lashed by mortal fear, we gained the seashore and
launched the rafts; but, scarcely had we gained the water, when we saw
the ogre approaching, led by a female more gigantic and more hideous
than himself. We swam out, pushing the rafts before us; but they hurled
great rocks after us, and many of our number were killed. Three alone,
including myself, escaped, and, after much stress and peril, reached
another island.

We had gained at length what seemed to us a place of safety, high and
dry above the wave and far from the ogre's domain; and there, when
night came on, we slept, but only to awaken to fresh terrors. Lo! in
the act of coiling round us was a serpent of enormous size, its folds
contracting and its head raised to strike. At sight of this, another
and myself were more nimble than our companion, for we sprang clear
of the serpent's embrace while he was seized in the huge jaws and
slowly swallowed with a horrible crackling of bones. And we mourned our
companion and went thenceforth in fear for ourselves. Dreading to sleep
again on the ground we climbed a high tree, and, binding ourselves
each in a safe position with our turbans, we slept fitfully. But alas!
God hath given to all serpents the wisdom of the Evil One. That night
the serpent mounted the tree, and, seizing my companion, proceeded to
swallow him, while I looked on in helpless fear. Then, in descending
the tree, it coiled its vast bulk round the trunk and I heard my
companion's bones crack within its paunch.

When morning had come I descended from the tree feeling that my
safest course was to drown myself in the waves, for where else could
I hide that the serpent could not find me? But life is sweet, and I
pondered long upon a cunning plan to protect myself. Then, repairing to
the seashore, I selected some pieces of wood from the raft, and took
them to a dry place. Towards evening, when I had eaten of the fruits
of the island and drunk of its streams, I bound a long piece of wood
crosswise upon the soles of my feet and another crosswise upon my head;
I secured a wide flat piece to my right side, another to my left side,
and another to the front of my body; and there, having thrust my arms
under the side pieces, I lay encased. And, as the evening wore on, the
serpent saw me, and drew near; but it could not swallow me because
of the pieces of wood. All through the night it tried to come at me,
attempting in all ways to effect its purpose; but in every way it
failed, while I lay like a dead man, gazing in speechless horror at the
terrible creature. And it ceased not in its efforts to engulf me till
morning broke, when it went its way consumed with rage and vexation.
Then I freed myself from the pieces of wood and arose, trembling in
every limb, but thanking God for my deliverance; for, look you, I was
sorely tried by what I had endured from that serpent.

Not many hours later I had the good fortune to espy a ship far out
upon the sea, and, as it was making as if to pass a headland of the
island somewhat closely, I ran with all speed and established myself
on the furthest point. There I waved my unfolded turban to attract the
notice of those on the vessel. At last they saw me, and came and took
me on board. They listened to my story with great astonishment, and
congratulated me on my escape. Then they gave me clean raiment, and
set food and drink before me, so that I was revived and comforted. And,
as we proceeded on our way I was emboldened to look back on all I had
suffered as nothing more than a terrible dream.

In the course of our journey we came to an island where the sandal
wood grows, and here I landed with the other merchants. But they had
goods to sell, while I, alas! had none. Then, strange to relate, the
same kind Providence that had befriended me on my first voyage was at
my service once more, and in the same guise. The master of the ship,
seeing me without merchandise, came to me, and, taking compassion upon
my poor condition, told me of some goods in the hold which belonged to
a man whom they had lost during the voyage. He offered me these goods
to sell upon the island so that, when an account had been rendered
to the owner's family in Baghdad, there would be a recompense for my
trouble and service. I thanked him gladly for this, and he ordered the
goods to be brought up and landed on the island. And lo! when I saw the
bales, I knew them, and showed how they were marked with the name of
Sindbad the Sailor. Then, seeing that they were perplexed, I shouted
in my excitement, "Do you not hear me? _I_ am Sindbad the Sailor, and
these are my goods!"

While some believed and others doubted I related my story from the
time I had awakened upon the island to find myself alone; and, when I
mentioned the valley of diamonds, a merchant came forward and confirmed
my words, for it was he whose slaughtered beast had helped me to
safety. "Hear me, ye doubters!" he said. "When I related this very
thing to you, you believed me not; but see--this is the man I spoke of,
and now you have it independently from his own mouth. Learn from this,
O my brothers, never while living, doubt a true tale because it is
marvellous." Then the master asked me what was the distinguishing mark
of my goods, and I replied that it was such and such a mark, and I also
called to his mind some conversation between him and me before the ship
left El-Basrah. He was then convinced that I was Sindbad the Sailor,
and he congratulated me and embraced me, saying that my story was most
extraordinary.

The remainder of this, my third voyage, was occupied in buying and
selling among the islands on the way to El-Basrah, whence, in good
time, laden with wealth and rich merchandise, I proceeded to Baghdad to
dwell in peace again, surrounded by my family and friends. Here, for
a season, charmed with every delight, I forgot the perils and horrors
I had endured. But the longing for travel and adventure found me out
again, impelling me to undertake a fourth voyage; and the events of
this--more marvellous than those of the preceding voyages, O Sindbad,
the Landsman--I will narrate to you to-morrow.


THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

LED by the desire to associate with other races, and to buy and sell
for gain,--for the soul is prone to evil,--I departed from Baghdad with
many precious bales, and set sail from El-Basrah in a large ship on
which a company of other merchants embarked in like fashion.

For many days we had a pleasant journey among the islands, and all
went well with us until, on reaching the wider sea beyond, a mighty
wind came up against us. The sea rose in great waves as the tempest
increased, and we were in dire peril. More and more violent grew the
gale, lashing the sea into fury. The sails were rent, the masts were
blown away, we sprang a leak, and slowly the vessel began to sink. We
gave ourselves up for lost, and, indeed, when the waves passed over us
and we sank, many perished. But, in the seething turmoil, it was my
good fortune to be cast against a broad plank, which I seized and held.
Others were struggling for life near by and I was able to draw some of
them to me. Sore buffetted as we were by wind and wave we mounted that
plank and sat astride of it. Thus, through a whole day and night, we
drifted before the gale, now descending into despairing hollows of the
sea, and now flung up on the mountain tops of billows. At dawn on the
following day the sea cast us like dead men upon an island, where, for
many hours, we lay exhausted. Albeit, strength began to return to us
again, and we arose feebly, and staggered forth into the island. Fruit
and herbs there were in abundance, and clear fresh water; so we ate and
drank and were revived.

That night we slept upon the shore, and in the morning we arose
strengthened and invigorated. When we had broken our fast we set
ourselves to explore the island, and had not gone far in this before we
came to a great building. As we stood at the door of this, wondering
who dwelt within, a party of naked men came out, and without a word,
seized us and led us in to a spacious apartment, where we found
ourselves standing before their King. He commanded us to be seated,
and they brought us food of a strange kind, such as we had never seen.
My companions ate largely of this but my stomach revolted at it and I
ate but little--a thing which preserved me from a terrible fate. For,
as my companions ate, they became mad with a ravenous hunger, and ate
more and more. Presently they were given cocoanut oil to drink, and,
when they had swallowed it, their eyes rolled in their heads, and they
continued to eat in a frenzy horrible to behold.

I was consumed with fear at these things and said within myself, "This
is a tribe of the Magi and their King is a ghoul!" As I observed them
attentively I remembered a story of these people: how they seize on
travellers and set this loathsome food before them to eat, and give
them the oil to drink, so that they swell out and eat more and more
until they are fattened to an enormous degree and their minds are
rendered like those of idiots; whereupon, in due time, they kill and
roast them and serve them up as food to their King. And all these
things I saw in the days that my companions were fattening, for there
were others who had been seized before us, and each day one of these
was killed and roasted and set before the King.

While I was wasting away with fear and hunger--and it was on this
account that they forgot me and left me to die in my own way--my
companions had come to be like dull, heavy, stupid beasts of the field,
so that they were placed in the care of a beastherd, who led them
forth every day to the pasturage. As for myself, as soon as I observed
that I was a failure in that I would not fatten, and that none took
heed of me nor marked my coming or my going, I arose in the night and
crept away among the trees surrounding the King's dwelling. Then, when
morning came, I went forth with a heart of fear, knowing not what fresh
terror I should encounter. In my wanderings back and forth I came about
midday to a stretch of green pasture, where I beheld with sorrow my
late companions grazing on all fours, and fattening like beasts for the
slaughter, while the beastherd sat upon a rock and piped on an oaten
reed. I breathed a silent farewell to them as to those I should never
see again, and turned sadly away.

My heart was cold within me, and my steps were faltering as I wandered
on, pausing here and there to gather edible herbs and roots, which, for
want of something better, served to sustain life in my body. Journeying
in this way I came at length to a grove of pepper trees, and there were
men at work in it, gathering the berries. Their aspect seemed to me to
be peaceable, so I exposed myself, and they approached me and pressed
upon me, asking my name and whence I had come, for my aspect excited
their curiosity. Then I unfolded to them the tale of the adventures,
the perils, and the horrors that had befallen me; and, when I had
related the sad case of my companions, they wondered greatly at my
escape. While they resumed their work, they made me welcome amongst
them, and set nutritious food before me, the like of which I had not
tasted for many days. I regaled myself on their bounty and rested, and
was content.

When they had finished their work at the setting of the sun they took
me with them to the seashore, and I accompanied them in their vessel
to an island, not far distant, where they brought me to their King.
And, there, before them and his court, at his command I narrated my
adventures since leaving Baghdad, at which his interest was kindled,
and he bade me sit with him and eat. And I did so gladly, for my body
was thin and meagre, and my vigour was sorely wanting. After that,
having shewn my gratitude to the King and offered praise to God for
His saving grace, I rose, and, with the King's permission, went forth
into his city. It was a well-conditioned, flourishing place, thronged
with buyers and sellers; and there was an abundance of food and rich
merchandise.

As day followed day and time drew on I had cause to rejoice at my
arrival in that city, for I found favour with the King, and he
magnified me over his people and his great men. Observing the ways of
the people, I saw that the horses that they rode were without saddles;
whereupon I went in to the King and spoke to him on the matter,
describing a saddle and the ease and comfort of it. At this the King
desired me to make him one, and placed at my disposal his cleverest
carpenter with many tools and instruments. And I sat with the carpenter
and instructed him how to proceed, so that the saddle, covered with
polished leather and stuffed with teased wool, was soon complete. I
attached stirrup-straps and girths, and showed the blacksmith how
to fashion the stirrups. Then, with the aid of costly fringes and
trappings, the work was complete. Full of satisfaction I sent for one
of the King's finest horses, saddled and bridled him, and led him
before His Majesty. He was greatly pleased at the sight of what I had
done, and, when he had mounted the horse and sat in the saddle, he was
overjoyed at the ease and pleasure of it, and bestowed upon me a large
reward.

When the King's chief officials and the grandees of his Court saw the
saddle which I had made, they each and all desired me to make others
like it. Then, with the carpenter and the blacksmith, I employed many
days in the construction of numerous saddles, and for these I received
much gold, and rose to an assured position in the land.

The high rank and honour which the King had bestowed upon me had but
half expressed his heart towards me. I was yet to learn that he had a
further favour in store. One day, while I was sitting at his right hand
discussing affairs of state, he said to me, "O my son, seeing thou hast
now become as one of us and we cannot part with thee, I desire that
thou give ear to a matter which I have planned and which will bind thee
more closely to us." And I answered him, "For thy great kindness to me,
O King, I am now and henceforth thy faithful servant. What dost thou
desire me to do?" And he looked at me intently and said, "I would marry
thee to a woman of high rank among us--one possessed of great beauty
and wealth--so that thou mayest continue to dwell with us in pleasure
and comfort and with a good heart. Thus shalt thou advantage greatly
and receive every good thing at my hands; wherefore, refuse me not, nor
oppose my wish."

I remained silent, for I was overwhelmed by his proposal and the stress
of bashfulness it brought to my face. Seeing this, he rallied me and
said, "Art thou dumb? Is not thy heart with us?" Then of a sudden I
replied, "O King! Thy words took away my breath. As thou commandest, so
I obey."

Pleased at my compliance the King immediately ordered his officials to
bring the lady and the witnesses, and forthwith I was married to her
with the King's blessing and the acclamation of all his Court. She was
of surpassing loveliness, and she brought me a dowry of abundant wealth
and possessions. And to this the King added a magnificent house with
servants and slaves, and assigned me a handsome salary. And I lived in
ease and comfort, our days being full of delights. Gone was all thought
of the perils and hardships I had endured, and gone was the fear of
adversities in store. But there is no strength nor power but in God,
and He orders the fates of men as He will. On an evil day a great fear
suddenly came to me by reason of a thing which I will make known to you.

A companion of mine suffered a bereavement in that his wife died;
whereupon I went to him, and mourned with him, saying, "Take heart,
O brother; God will fill her place to thee with one far better." But
he continued to weep, saying, "Alas! How can I marry another when
this very day I depart this life?" "Nay," said I, "that is not within
reason, for thou art in good health and not like to die." He then
raised his head and dried his tears, and said to me very slowly, "Hear
me, O my brother! Knowest thou not that, to-day, they will bury my
wife, and that they will bury me also in the same tomb with her? For
such is our custom. When husband or wife is buried the other must be
buried also, so that neither may continue to enjoy life alone."

"By Allah!" said I, smiting palm on palm, "this custom is wholly vile,
and it toucheth me closely." Then, as we continued to discuss this
matter, there came others who condoled with my companion, grieving not
only for the loss of his wife, but also that they should never see him
more. And, later in the day, came yet others bearing a bier; and on
this they laid the woman and carried her forth prepared for burial with
all her jewels and raiment and wealth. And the husband went with them.

Through sympathy with my companion, and to bid him a last farewell, I
followed this funeral procession till it halted in a distant spot on
the sea-shore. There a great stone was lifted and a vault exposed. Into
this they threw the body of the woman, and then, by means of a stout
cord, they lowered the husband gently till he rested by her side. A
pitcher of water and seven cakes were then let down to him, and, when
he had freed himself from the cord, they drew it up and closed the
sepulchre and went their ways.

"By Allah!" said I within myself as I smote myself on my breast, "this
manner of death is the worst of all!" And on my return I went in to the
King with grief and fear gnawing at my heart. "O King!" I said, "Tell
me why is this: that ye bury the living with the dead?" Said he, "O
my son, it is the custom of our country and has descended to us from
our ancestors: husband and wife are one, in death as in life." And I
answered him with a question that concerned me nearly. "O my lord," I
said, "and the stranger that sojourneth with thee: if his wife die, do
ye treat him in like manner?" "Yea," he replied, "in like manner, even
as thou hast seen." Then I departed from him in grief and mourning lest
I should perchance be bereft of my wife. In vain did I say to myself,
"Be comforted! Maybe thou wilt die before her--none knoweth." In vain
did I give myself up to my manifold occupations. The fear was not to be
dispelled.

And, within a short time, what I had feared came to pass. My wife
was stricken with a fever, and, when I had reason to hope she would
recover, she suddenly relapsed and died. My grief at this was
overwhelming, but, as if to add to it, there came many to condole with
me on her death and to mingle their tears with mine for that I should
soon be departing this life. The King himself came and commiserated
with me on my most unhappy fate. And he said, "There is no strength nor
power in any but God. Farewell, O my son!"

And they prepared my wife for burial, arraying her in her richest
garments and her finest jewels. But, when they carried her to the
burial place and cast her down into the pit, and all my companions
pressed upon me to bid me farewell, my gorge rose and I cried out upon
them that their custom was vile. Loudly I spoke my bitter mind on the
abominable nature of this thing; they would not listen, but took me
by force and lowered me into the pit, together with the seven cakes
and the pitcher of water. And when I had reached the floor of a vast
cavern they called down to me: "Untie the ropes that we may draw them
up!" I answered, "Draw me up with them!" "Nay, nay;" they replied, "we
do but follow our custom." "To the ravens with you and your custom!" I
retorted, for I had no stomach for this proceeding. Then, as I steadily
refused to loose the ropes, they at last threw them down upon me, and,
having closed the mouth of the pit, went their way.

Now was I in worse plight than I had ever been. On that cavern floor
there were the bodies and bleached bones of those that had died
a natural death cheek by jowl with those who had perished in the
fulfilment of this abominable custom. And I said to myself, "Better to
remain single and live, than to marry and be buried alive."

Nevertheless, knowing not night from day, I kept myself from death by
eating sparingly of the cakes and drinking some of the water, for I
was in no mood to die in so vile a manner after having come through
great perils by mountain and sea. At length, when I had eaten all the
cakes and drunk all the water, and hunger and thirst began to cry out
within me, I arose and wandered to and fro in the cavern, stumbling
and falling over dead bodies and biting the dust of bones that had
crumbled long since. By dint of much groping in the dark I at length
found the wall of the cavern, and, selecting therein a cavity free from
bones and corpses, I stretched myself and slept.

I was awakened later as if by hunger and thirst knocking at the door;
and, while I sat in gloom thinking of the plenty in Baghdad--fool that
I was to leave it!--I heard a sudden noise. Looking forth from my
cavity, I saw that the stone had been removed from the opening of the
cavern and a dead body was being lowered. It was the body of a man, and
after him was let down the living body of his wife. She was weeping
and wailing for him and for herself. Then the mouth of the cavern was
closed again and all was dark and silent save for the wailing of the
woman echoing through the cavern. "Alas!" she cried, "that I should die
this lingering death! Had I the means to end my life, then would I do
it. Would that there were one here to slay me!"

When I heard this I remembered that I had never been able to resist the
pleadings of a woman. So I arose, and, taking a stout leg-bone in my
hand, I slew her according to her desire. And I took her seven cakes
and the pitcher of water, which she would no longer need, and, retiring
to my cavity, I ate and drank. This thing occurred many times during my
sojourn in that cavern, for a number of married men and women chanced
to die. And, though they did not always cry out for me to slay them, I
knew their prayer before-hand and answered it speedily. Thus the cakes
and the water bequeathed to me stayed my spirit and I continued to live.

Time passed slowly, but yet it passed. I had no other means of
measuring it except to call an hour a day and a day a year. And I
was weary to death of it all when an unwonted thing occurred. I was
awakened suddenly from sleep by a noise at the far end of the cavern.
Then I heard footsteps as of some beast. I arose, and, arming myself
with a stout bone, advanced upon the intruder; but it heard me and fled
from me, and I could not come at it. Yet, as I followed its footsteps,
I saw its form darken a pin-spot of daylight at the end of a crevice
of the cavern. This gave me a glimmer of hope, for, where that beast
had passed, I myself might pass, and so gain the outer air. Over jagged
points of rock I clambered towards that opening, now losing sight
of it, and now gaining view of it again, until at last I reached it
and found that it was indeed a communication with the outer country.
With some difficulty I forced my way through it and climbed down by a
perilous pathway to the seashore.

I had escaped from the sepulchre of the living and the dead, and I
praised God for the sight of the sky and the sea; but, when I had
looked into my position and found behind me an impassable precipice,
before me the wide stretching sea, and above me the dome of heaven, I
sat down on the shore with my head on my knees and said within myself,
"There is no way out! I cannot scale the sheer cliff, neither can I
tread the fishes' pathways in the sea, nor walk in the tracks made by
birds in the air. There is no way out!"

Day followed day, and I strove to stay my hunger with what shell-fish I
could find; but the supply was meagre, and again and again I was forced
to return to the cavern to receive reward of cakes and water in return
for merciful death dealt by my hand. Far be it from me to rob the
dead, and none can say I did so. It was in the spirit of a last gift
generously bestowed by those about to die that chains of pure gold
were hung about my neck and rich jewels thrust upon me. These keepsakes
of many I retained, assured that later I should carry them with me to a
nameless grave in a desolate spot.

But God, in His infinite mercy, willed it otherwise, for one day,
sitting sadly on the shore as was my wont, I espied a vessel on the
sea. Hope surged high within my breast and I arose and stripped myself
of a white garment and mounted it on a staff and ran wildly to and fro,
waving it above me. And, when my signal was observed, the vessel stayed
its course and sent a boat ashore.

"Who art thou, and what doest thou here?" cried one from the boat as
it ran upon the beach. "Know ye not that this is a desolate coast, and
none has ever been seen upon it?" And I greeted them with joy, and
answered them, telling my strange experience in a few words. Then,
their wonder strong within them, they took me across to the ship and
led me before the master, who marvelled greatly at finding a man where
none had ever seen a human being before. He asked me many questions,
and when I answered him, giving him the whole history of my adventures
as heretofore set down, he was a man bewildered. Raising his eyes to
heaven he said, "By Allah! thy case is extraordinary!" And all around
wondered that a man could experience such things and live.

In return for his kindness in rescuing me from my terrible plight, I
tendered him some of the rarest jewels I had brought with me from the
cavern. But he refused me courteously, saying, "Nay, O my brother; if
we find one in like case with thee, we succour him and give him to eat
and drink; and, if he be naked, we clothe him. Then, at the first city
we reach, we set him on land with some valuable token of our goodwill;
for so it is with us of the sea that we are not unmindful of the
sufferings of others." And, when I heard this, I prayed for him and his
family, that he and they might live long in health and prosperity.

[Illustration: The Episode of the Snake. Page 25]

Our journey from that place, where I had suffered so much, took us from
island unto island towards the city of El-Basrah. As we proceeded, the
places where we cast anchor grew more and more familiar to me, and, as
of old, I bought and sold as merchants do. At length we arrived at the
city of El-Basrah, whence, having transacted business there for some
days, bartering and selling the jewels I had acquired, I journeyed
to Baghdad. There, in the bosom of my family, and surrounded by my
companions, I returned to my former habit of life. These, then, were
the experiences of my fourth voyage; and, O my brother, Sindbad the
Landsman! if thou wilt honour me by thy presence to-morrow, I will
relate to thee still stranger things that befel me in my fifth voyage.


THE FIFTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

LOOKING back from the position of safety and comfort to which I had
returned I came in time to make light of the perils I had encountered
and the sufferings I had endured. The advantages that had come to me
through these perils and sufferings now stood in the foreground of my
thoughts and I said within myself, "It is the life for a man; for how
otherwise can he come at the meaning of the great book of the world
than by treading its pages?" And, moreover I had conceived the wish to
become the owner of a ship, for thus the gain accruing from a voyage to
other lands would be so much greater.

Having considered the matter deeply, I arose from my life of luxury
and ease and departed with many bales of merchandise for the city of
El-Basrah. There in the river I found at length a splendid vessel,
which I purchased. I found a master and a crew, over whom I set my own
trusty servants; and, having secured a goodly company of merchants as
passengers, I embarked their bales and mine, and we set sail. We worked
our way outwards, calling at island after island, and doing the usual
business that merchants find in those places, until one day we came to
a large uninhabited island.

Here, while I was engaged in matters concerning the vessel, the
merchants landed and, as I afterwards learned, they found there the
great egg of a rukh, such as I had met with on a former voyage.
Mistaking it for a deserted structure, and, failing to find an
entrance, they had amused themselves by casting stones at it, so that
it broke; whereupon a young rukh came forth from the shell. And they
set upon this monstrous chicken in its helpless condition, and slew it,
and brought great slabs of its flesh back to the ship.

When I heard what they had done I was sore afraid and reproached them
for their rash action. "For, look you," I said, "there is not a doubt
the mother rukh will seek to revenge the loss of her young, and, seeing
our ship, will attribute the deed to us, and attack us and destroy us."
But they neither heeded my warning nor repented them of their rash
action.

The vengeance of the rukh was sudden and dire. Scarce had I spoken
when the sun was obscured from our sight, and, looking up, we beheld
the gigantic bird descending upon the island. When it saw that its egg
had been broken and its young one destroyed it flew above us, looking
down at the ship and shrieking in a voice that filled the sky. On this
it was joined by its mate, and the two circled round us, their hoarse
cries of rage falling like thunder on the sea. In great fear I bade the
master and the sailors hoist the sails and seek safety in flight.

Then, as soon as we began to draw off from the island, the rukhs left
us and flew inland, so that we thought we had made good our escape.
But soon they reappeared and came after us, each bearing in its talons
a huge mass of rock. One of them flew above us and dropped the rock,
so that we saw death descending upon us. But the great mass missed
the ship by a narrow space, and, falling close astern, raised such a
commotion of waves that the ship was flung up on a mountain of water
and then hurled down against the bottom of the sea before little by
little she came to rest on the level tide. Then the other rukh dropped
the rock from its talons, and fate ordained that it struck the ship
astern with a mighty crash. Amid cries of fear and despair we sank into
the sea, and all seemed lost.

How I survived the shock and turmoil of that sudden shipwreck I cannot
describe clearly, for I was like one stunned or wrenched from his mind
apart. How I sought to save myself is gone from me by reason of the
extreme peril. I can imagine only that I touched some wreckage and
clung to it, for, when my mind returned to me, I found myself on the
shore of an island sitting upon a plank, which, it seemed had borne me
hither. That I had fought against wind and wave I knew, for I was well
nigh exhausted. I could do nothing more than drag myself painfully to a
sheltered spot, where I rested and slept.

When I arose later in the day, I was refreshed; and, having found both
fruit and water, I ate and drank and my strength returned to me. I went
forth upon the island, and to and fro in it, but I found no other's
footprint on the shore, nor any sign of human habitation from coast to
coast. But that there _was_ a dweller there I was soon to learn, and to
my cost.

It was on the following day towards evening, when I was walking among
the trees, that I came upon an old man sitting on the bank of a stream.
He was a comely old man, with flowing silver locks and an ample white
beard. He was clothed, from the waist downward, with the leaves of
trees threaded together. As I regarded him for some moments I felt
that his whole aspect betokened a disposition of simplicity and mild
benevolence. Advancing upon the bank I spoke to him, but he shook his
head sadly and sighed; and I saw that his speech was gone. Then he made
signs with his hands as if to say, "Mount me upon thy neck and carry me
across the stream."

I felt kindly disposed towards this mild and gentle old man, and wished
to do him a service; so I mounted him upon my neck and took him across
the stream. "Now," I said, "Thou canst dismount when it pleaseth thee!"
But, instead of dismounting, he wound his legs still more closely round
my neck, and pressed his feet into my chest, so that I cried out with
pain and rage and attempted to throw him from my shoulders. But my
frantic efforts were in vain; he stuck like a leech, and I could not
dislodge him. Indeed, he clung so tight that he nearly throttled me,
and I fell to the ground exhausted. Then he belaboured me sorely with
his feet until I arose with him again, and, in this way, he compelled
me to obey him. When he would go in among the trees he made a sign with
his hand, and, if I obeyed not with alacrity, he beat me with his feet
unmercifully. By reason of his behaviour I was at last compelled to
cancel my first opinion of him and, though he cleaved to me night and
day, we were by no means friends. I was his captive and he ceased not
to remind me of it. If I dallied by the way, or stumbled, his hard feet
would rain blows upon me; and, at night, when he slept with his legs
wound tightly round my neck, he would often dream that I had disobeyed
him and would beat me violently with his feet and hands.

For many many days I was ridden hither and hither at the will of this
obstinate old fellow, who, though he could not torment me with speech,
was truculent enough in his manner. And I reproached myself for having
desired to do him a service, saying constantly in my mind, "By Allah!
never again while living will I do a service to any!"

At length one day the old man guided and belaboured me into a space
on the island where pumpkins grew in abundance. While he was eating
some of these I took others that were ripe, and, having cleaned out
the seeds and coarse matter through a small aperture, filled them
with the juice of grapes; then I filled up the apertures and laid the
pumpkins in the sun. Thus in a few days I procured pure wine, and,
every day thereafter, while the old man on my neck ate of the pumpkins,
I drank of the wine until I became intoxicated, and laughed and sang
and danced about with him among the trees. And when, with fist and
heel, he desired to know the cause of this, I showed him the wine that
I had made. Seeing that its effect upon me was so agreeable he sought
to achieve the same happy result by drinking largely of it himself,
so that he grew hilarious and broke a pumpkin over my head, rocking
and rolling in his seat with laughter. Then, as he continued to drink,
he gradually lost control of his limbs and lolled from side to side;
whereupon I grasped his feet and unwound them from my neck and threw
him on the ground. And so at last, to rid the earth of such a monster,
I slew him, and left him there for the vultures.

After this, happiness returned to me and I went about the island like
one relieved of a heavy burden, as indeed I had been. And day by day
I sat by the sea watching for a vessel. But I lived upon the island
many days before at last I saw a ship approach and cast anchor off the
shore. When the passengers had landed I ran towards them and welcomed
them, answering their many questions respecting my condition. They
listened to my story with great amazement. Then someone said, "This old
man of whom thou speakest is surely he whom they call the Old Man of
the Sea. He hath ridden many to death, and none hath escaped but thee.
Therefore, praise God for thy deliverance."

They took me to the ship and set food before me, and, after I had
eaten, they brought me some clean clothes and I clad myself decently.
As the ship set sail for El-Basrah my thoughts went before it to
Baghdad, The Abode of Peace; but I was destined to mischance, for a
strange thing befell me. We had journeyed but a few days when we came
to an island whereon was a city with lofty spires and splendid houses.
This was the City of Apes, of which I had heard that at night-time the
people, fearing the apes, put out in boats upon the sea, so to sleep in
safety.

I landed on this island with some companions, and, in our going about
the city, I missed them. While I was searching everywhere they must
have returned to the ship, thinking I had preceded them, for, when I
reached the shore later, the vessel had gone. I reproached myself for
this mishap, for I had already suffered once at the hands of the apes.
So I sat on the seashore bemoaning my fate.

While I was doing this, one of the people of the city came to me and
enquired as to my trouble, and I told him. "Then come with us in our
boat," he said, "for the night is falling, and if thou remain in the
city the apes will devour thee." So I went with them, and we pushed off
together with a multitude of other boats until we rested about a mile
from the shore; and there we remained and slept till the morning, when
everyone returned to the city and went about his occupation. And in
like manner as the inhabitants sleep upon the sea by night, and dwell
in the city by day, so the apes infest the city by night and sleep in
the forests by day. Woe betide any remaining in that city after the
sun goes down, for he will of a certainty be torn limb from limb and
devoured.

I earned my bread in that island in a strange manner, and was able to
set by a small store of gold. It was in this way. I observed many of
the people gathering pebbles on the shore and placing them in bags,
and, when they had collected a sufficient quantity, they went forth
into a valley filled with lofty trees. Here slept the apes among the
branches, for the trees were so high that none but an ape could climb
them. It was the way of the people then to pelt the apes with the
pebbles, whereupon they awoke screaming and chattering, and plucked the
fruit from the trees, and hurled it down at their tormentors. And I saw
that the fruit was the cocoanut. When a sufficient number of these
nuts had been secured the people gathered them up and returned to the
city, where they sold them. Very soon, I, too, was gathering pebbles
and pelting the apes in the trees, and in this way I amassed a great
store of cocoanuts. These I sold, and bought merchandise and traded and
prospered in the city.

In this way I continued for a long time, until at last I took to buying
cocoanuts from the people and storing them against the arrival of a
ship, when I hoped to sell them in bulk. At length a large vessel
anchored off the island, and I bargained with the merchants thereon.
They agreed with me upon a good price for my store. With the money thus
obtained I bought more of the merchandise of the place, and embarked
it on the ship; then, bidding farewell to my companions in the city, I
took my departure.

The ship was bound for El-Basrah, but on the voyage we lingered to
visit many islands that I had not seen before. Upon one we found an
abundance of cinnamon and pepper, and here I noted a peculiar thing.
On every bunch of pepper was a large leaf that hung down when the sun
shone, but, when it rained, this leaf twisted and erected itself above
the tendrils to shield them. And this is truth.

So we sailed onwards, past the islands of the aloes-wood, where the
people are depraved and know not the call to prayer, until we came
at length to the Island of Pearls. Here I gave some cocoanuts to the
divers, saying, "Dive for me for luck!" And they dived in the sea and
returned to the surface with pearls of great size, which they gave
to me, assuring me that my fortune was of the best. So that when we
reached El-Basrah I was rich with pearls and merchandise, some of which
I sold there, and some here in Baghdad.

[Illustration: The Episode of the Old Man of the Sea. Page 43]

Once more in the lap of luxury, and reposing in the bosom of my family,
I returned to my former life of revelry and ease, and soon forgot
the hardships I had endured. And this is the whole story of my fifth
voyage. Return to-morrow, O Sindbad the Landsman, and thou shalt hear
from me the adventures of my sixth voyage, for they are even yet more
wonderful.


THE SIXTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

ON a day when I was living happily in Baghdad, having forgotten the
perils and dangers of my former voyages, I was sitting at ease in
my garden when a party of merchants came to me, and their tales of
travel aroused within my bosom a great longing to engage again in the
hazardous delights of those things. I pondered long upon the matter,
and, though I had said within myself, "never will I set forth again,"
I found that my mind was made up in spite of me. Therefore I set about
collecting merchandise, and, having packed a goodly number of bales, I
departed for El-Basrah, where I took ship with a company of merchants
and others of high repute.

The outward voyage was pleasant and fortunate, and we did as others do,
buying and selling and amusing ourselves in different cities. But there
came a day of disaster, when the master of the ship suddenly discovered
that we had wandered from our course, and had lost our reckoning. He
plucked his beard and smote his breast, and cried out in despair that
we had sailed into an unknown sea, where dire perils awaited us. And
so it proved, for not long afterwards, while we were sailing in a calm
sea, a sudden wind burst upon us and, before the sails could be
loosed, the rudder was broken and the ship drifted and was driven at
last upon the sides of a high mountain rising up to heaven. She was
dashed to pieces by the violence of the waves, and, from that terrible
wreck, few survived. There were some others besides myself who clung to
the sides of the mountain, and, by tooth and nail, climbed to a place
of safety.

Little by little, when the tide receded, we made our way down among
the crags until we came to a strip of seashore, and from this point
we could see that the island was of large size, its interior being
sheltered from storms by the front of the mountain. But what took our
wonder was this: on the seashore was amassed the wealth of a thousand
wrecks. Scattered here, there, and everywhere, in foam and high dry,
were flotsam and jetsam of richest merchandise, much of it spoiled
by the sea, but much more cast high up and still of great value. All
along the shore were planks and fragments of many vessels that had been
wrecked on this inhospitable coast. And this was not all, for, when
we proceeded through the island, we found a spring of pure ambergris
overflowing into the sea; and by this the whales are attracted, but
when they have swallowed it and dived to the depths of the sea it turns
in their stomachs and they eject it, so that it rises to the surface
in solid lumps such as are found by sailors. But the ambergris that is
cast about the opening of the spring melts in the heat of the sun, and
its perfume is blown about the island, wafted sweet upon the breeze
like fragrant musk.

When we had explored the island and wondered at the many strange
things it contained, we searched among the wreckage on the shore and
found some few barrels of preserved meats, and on these we stayed
our hunger. With the provisions on the shore and the fruit we secured
on the island we were in no danger of starvation, but a kind of fever
seized upon our company and one after another sickened and died. This
was a time of stress and despair. Day after day the living buried the
dead until there was only one left, and that one was I. And I wept and
waited, and, as if death would not come uninvited, I arose and dug
myself a grave in readiness, for there was none left to bury me when
I died. It was on the seashore that I made my grave, so that, when I
should come to lie in it in my last moments, the wind should blow the
sand upon me and bury me. And in this state of mind I blamed myself for
setting out on this voyage in disregard of the lessons learned from
former perils.

But God in His mercy led my footsteps forth and I roamed in the island,
restless for the end. In my wanderings I came to a river gushing forth
out of the side of a mountain, and, after flowing for a space between
banks of verdure in a valley, entering again another mountain. Having
followed it to this point, I sat down upon a bank against the mountain
wall and pondered. And I said within myself, "This river flowing
through caverns within the mountain must have an opening somewhere,
perchance in a fertile country where people dwell." For a long time I
turned the chances of this within my mind and at last decided to build
a raft and commit myself upon it to the current; for at most it were
better to die that way than in my present desolation.

By means of ropes and wreckage from the seashore my raft was soon
constructed, and in its construction I omitted not to measure it
according to the width of the river. Then, full of a wild hope that I
might at length reach an inhabited region, I stowed upon it rich goods
from the shore, ambergris from the spring, and the rarest jewels I
could find in the beds of the watercourses. As I set myself upon the
raft and launched it, I said, "If I perish, I perish; but if I come to
the haunts of men, I come to them rich in precious things."

No sooner had I entered into the aperture of the mountain than I was
suddenly encased in darkness, and, having no choice which way I went,
flung myself flat on the raft lest my head should be shattered against
the roof of the tunnel. Like this I floated on, sometimes feeling
there was a wide space around me, and sometimes clinging to the raft
lest some narrowing of the passage should sweep me to destruction. And
all this time my terror was so acute that at last I swooned and lay
face downward on the raft, the plaything of fate and the sport of the
rushing current.

When I awoke I found myself in the open air. The sun was shining above
and the birds were singing in the trees around me. I was still lying
on the raft, which was tied to a stake on the shore of a beautiful
lake. As soon as I had raised myself and looked about me a number of
dark-skinned people gathered round and questioned me in an unknown
tongue; but I shook my head, understanding nothing of what they said.
At last one advanced from among them, and, addressing me in Arabic,
said, "Peace be with thee, brother!" Then I seized him joyfully by
the hand and greeted him, but I was weary and hungry and could give
no account of myself because of my utter exhaustion. Seeing my state
he called for food and wine, and they hastened to set them before me.
When I had eaten and drunk and my strength had returned to me I told
what I had come through, and the one who had addressed me in Arabic
interpreted it to the others. They were filled with wonder at my story
and insisted that I should accompany them to their King and acquaint
him with the history of my strange adventure.

So they took me, with the raft and all the riches I had laid upon it,
and led me before their King; and, from his state and magnificence,
I knew that I beheld the King of Sarandib, whose name and power and
learning are known through all the earth. He saluted me in the custom
of my own people, addressing me in Arabic which fell easily from his
tongue. This set me at my ease and I told him my story, to which he
listened with great attention. When I had finished, he raised his
hand and said, "By Allah! thou hast endured much, and thy case is
extraordinary. Thou art greatly favoured by fate: wherefore I join my
happiness with thine at thy deliverance and safety."

I was greatly moved at his words, and, begging his acceptance of a gift
at my hands, I took the rarest jewels from the raft, together with a
quantity of ambergris and aloes-wood, and laid them at his feet. He
graciously accepted my present and immediately established me in a
position of honour, bidding me dwell with him in his palace. I accepted
his hospitality and remained in his land in great happiness and honour,
associating with the grandees and the people of rank. And I said to
myself, "I care not if the rest of my days are passed in this kingdom
of splendour and magnificence."

It was indeed a land of wealth and abundance. And there the day is
equally divided with the night the whole year round; and, when the
sun rises, light bursts suddenly upon the earth, and, when it sets,
the darkness descends like a curtain that is loosed. There is a lofty
mountain whose glittering streams contain the richest jewels, with rare
minerals; and everywhere, on hill and valley, are wafted the fragrant
odours of spices. The delights of this realm held me enthralled for a
long time, so that I forgot my own country, wherein is the Abode of
Peace.

But, on a day when I ascended the high mountain and looked far out
across the sea, I seemed to hear the voice of my own land calling
to me. Then, with that far call still in my ears, I went in to the
King and asked him to let me go. At first he demurred, and tried to
induce me to remain with him and his people; but, when I pressed for
his permission, he relented and gave me a large sum of money for my
journey, and also many gifts.

When I was about to depart the King called me to him and handed me a
letter written on fine parchment. This he asked me to give into the
hands of the Khalifeh, Harun Er-Rashid. The substance of the letter
was this:--"The King of Sarandib sends greeting. Peace be on thee, O
Brother, from the King of Sarandib, who commands a thousand elephants,
and in whose palace are ten thousand jewels. By the bearer of this we
send thee a gift, for we have a deep affection for thee. The gift is
all too trifling, but we beseech thee to accept it graciously and reply
to us. Peace be upon thee!" The present with which I was entrusted was
a goblet of ruby, the inside of which was set with sparkling diamonds
and priceless pearls--truly a kingly gift.

Having bade farewell to the King and such of his people that I had
associated with I embarked in a large ship which was bound for
El-Basrah. In good time we reached that port and I journeyed up the
river to Baghdad.

My first thought was to deliver the letter and the gift into the hands
of the Khalifeh. So I lost no time in approaching him and fulfilling my
pledge to the King of Sarandib. He was greatly pleased with the letter,
and, when he saw the sparkling goblet of ruby and precious stones, he
was filled with delight.

"O Sindbad," he said, "this King must be exceedingly wealthy and
powerful; what sayest thou?" And I told him of the wonder and
magnificence of the land of Sarandib: how the King's seat of state is
on a splendid throne placed upon a gigantic elephant with his courtiers
and officials standing about him on a richly decorated platform; how
there are around His Majesty a thousand other elephants on which sit
the princes of the land; and, surrounding all, on every hand, ten
thousand horsemen clad in silk and gold; and how a crier goes before
the King exalting him to heaven, and another behind him proclaiming,
"Great is he, but he will die! Again, again and again I say it: he will
die!"

And as I continued to tell of these things the Khalifeh marvelled
greatly at the wisdom and power of this King. "Report hath spoken
truly," he said. "As thou hast witnessed to me, O Sindbad, the tales of
his might and dominion have exaggerated nothing."

He then thanked me for my faithful service and bestowed rich gifts upon
me, and bade me seek my own house in peace and content. There in the
bosom of my family, I lived at ease, having put behind me the perils of
travel and set fixedly before me the determination never to seek them
again. Yet, O Sindbad the Landsman, my determination was overruled
by the direct command of the Khalifeh; and, if thou wilt honour me by
thy presence again to-morrow, I will relate to thee the events of my
seventh and last voyage.


THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR

IN adhering to my vow never again to fare forth from my native land in
search of strange wonders at the risk of deadly peril, I was contented
and happy in my state. While I was sitting one day thinking on this and
saying within myself, "I am here in the Abode of Peace, and Allah be
praised! I shall never quit it for the haunts of trouble;" lo! there
came a messenger summoning me to the Khalifeh. I arose and followed
him, and presently I was before his majesty, saluting him and kissing
the ground. "Welcome, O Sindbad!" he said. "Know that I have a matter
of importance for thee to execute." "Sire," I answered, "I am thy
slave."

Then the Khalifeh unfolded to me his wish: which was that I should go
to the King of Sarandib bearing a letter and a gift. "By Allah!" I
cried when I heard this. "O my lord, be not displeased, but have I not
already taken a vow that I will not go forth again upon the sea lest I
suffer worse things than have already befallen me? The bare mention of
a voyage causes my knees to shake." And I repeated to him the terrible
sufferings and perils I had encountered in my travels; whereupon the
Khalifeh raised his hands and said no man had endured worse things.
"Nevertheless," he added, smiling upon me, "thou wilt go forth once
more, for my sake, and thou wilt bear my letter and gift to the King of
Sarandib."

It was not for me to disobey the command of the Prince of the Faithful,
and I bowed my head in submission. I took from his hands the account
of the items composing the gift, together with a letter and a sum of
money for my expenses; and, bidding him farewell, went forth, saying to
myself that fate was against me.

The Khalifeh's gift to the King of Sarandib was one of great
magnificence. First there was a splendid white horse, the equal of
which was not to be found in the length and breadth of Arabia. Its
saddle and trappings were adorned with gold and set with brilliant
jewels. Then, in addition to this, there were a priceless robe, fit for
the king of all the earth; a great quantity of rich stuffs from Egypt
and Greece, and a wonderful crystal goblet of such a kind that a man's
whole lifetime would be required to make it. And the Khalifeh's letter
ran as follows:--"Peace be on thee from the King Er-Rashid, highest
in any land but thine--under God (whose name be exalted!) We rejoiced
greatly at thy letter and we have sent thee some royal trifles, thy
gracious acceptance of which will give us joy and happiness. Peace be
with thee!"

With all these things I embarked upon a large vessel and set sail from
El-Basrah with a company of merchants. We journeyed for long days and
nights until at length we came to the island of Sarandib. There I went
in to the King in his palace, and he gave me a joyous welcome.

"By Allah!" he said, "we have often thought of thee, O Sindbad; and now
we rejoice to see thy face again." Then he bade me sit beside him, and
asked with courtesy the reason of my visit. I informed him and told him
of the Khalifeh's gift, handing him the letter. When he had read it
he was overjoyed, and when at length he saw the gift and the richness
of it, he marvelled greatly and conferred upon me all the honours
befitting the ambassador of the Prince of the Faithful.

After some days of pleasure and happiness in his land, I made known to
him my desire to depart speedily to my own country, but it was with
difficulty that I obtained his permission. At last he allowed me to go,
bearing friendly messages to the Khalifeh; and I set sail for my own
land, glad that I was now free to return to the life to which I had
vowed myself.

But, O Sindbad the Landsman! the chances of long voyages upon the sea
are such as thou know'st not of. We had not been many days on our
course when, as we were passing near an island, a fleet of boats put
off from the shore and surrounded us. They were manned by a host of
men clad in suits of mail. They looked more like demons than men and
were armed with swords and daggers. They drew in on us and attacked us,
slaying those who offered resistance, and taking the rest prisoners.
They towed the ship to the island and took all the merchandise in the
hold. Then they led us away to be sold as slaves.

It fell to my lot that I was purchased by a rich man of gentle mien.
He took me to his house, gave me food and drink, clothed me well and
treated me in a friendly fashion. Somewhat comforted I rested, giving
my hands to light tasks about his house. After some days he called me
to him and said, "Art thou skilled in any art or trade?" I answered him
that I was a merchant, and was skilled only in the art of buying and
selling. "Canst thou not use the bow?" he asked. Now, I was skilled in
archery, and I offered to give him proof in the matter. He then placed
a bow and arrow in my hands and I pierced a mark at fifty paces. "It is
well," he said; "thou art skilled."

The next day he sat me behind him on an elephant, and, at nightfall, we
journeyed to a place where there were some high trees. One of these he
bade me climb and sit there with arrow on bowstring till the elephants
came at dawn, when I was to shoot; and, if I was so fortunate as to
kill one, I was to run to him in all haste and inform him of it. He
then went away on his elephant, leaving me in the tree, full of terror.

When at last the sun rose, a great number of elephants came straying
about among the trees, and when one came beneath mine I sent my arrows
at him. Late in the morning a well-aimed shaft pierced the brain of a
monstrous beast, and, with loud roarings, he fell and died. At evening
time, when the other elephants had retired from the spot, I descended
from the tree and ran with all haste to my master, who rejoiced at my
news and sent his slaves to bring the beast in.

Day after day I continued at this sport, each day securing at least one
elephant. But a day came when trouble gathered round that tree in which
I sat. It appeared in the form of countless elephants of large size and
ferocious aspect. One who seemed to be king among them led the others
to my tree. After he had thundered round it many times until the whole
world trembled, he made a dash at it, and, winding his trunk round it,
tore it up by the roots and threw it down. When, half stunned, I found
my way out from among the broken branches, the great elephant came upon
me bellowing loudly, and, seizing me with his trunk, bore me aloft.
In this manner he led the whole herd of elephants in a wild stampede
that made the earth shake; and they ceased not in their career until
they came to a valley in which were a great number of elephants' bones
and teeth and tusks. On a heap of these the king-elephant set me down
very gently; and, after that, he and the others turned and walked away,
leaving me there.

I looked about in the valley and saw a wealth of gleaming white tusks
on every hand, and I said within myself, "The elephants liked not the
death of one of their number every day, and they have done this to show
how I may come by an abundance of tusks without further slaughter."

Then I found my way back over a great distance to the abode of my
master. He welcomed me as one returned from the dead, for, when he
had found the tree torn up by the roots, he had concluded that the
elephants had made an end of me. I told him what had befallen me and
described the position of the valley where the tusks lay. When he heard
this he was greatly excited and lost no time in mounting me behind him
on an elephant and setting forth to find the spot where so much wealth
was stored. We reached the valley without mishap and I showed my master
the ivory, at sight of which his joy knew no bounds. We then laded the
elephant with as much as he could carry and returned with it to the
house.

This adventure of mine placed me in a most favourable light in my
master's eyes; and, because I had been the means of revealing to him
a source of enormous wealth, he set me free and gave me permission to
return to my own country. He was even better than his word, for, not
many days later, he set me on board a vessel bound for El-Basrah and
presented me with a large sum of money for my passage and expenses,
together with many bales of merchandise. And my return journey was very
fortunate. The traffic I did at the different cities on the way brought
me great profit, and I bought many rare things suitable for gifts.

On my arrival at Baghdad I went in to the Khalifeh and told him
all that had befallen me; and he was so astonished thereat, and so
delighted at my return, that he commanded his scribes to write my story
in letters of gold. And he said to me, "O Sindbad, my son; thou hast
done well, and now thou shalt have the wish of thine heart and keep thy
vow; for, unless thou so desirest, thou shalt go forth no more upon the
sea."

       *       *       *       *       *

This, O Sindbad the Landsman, is the end of the story of my voyages;
and now, as I have conceived an affection for thee, thou shalt dwell
with me and be my boon companion; and we shall pass our lives together
in a state of the utmost joy and happiness, strengthened by God (whose
name be exalted!) the Great! the Omnipotent Creator of sea and land!




ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP


KNOW, O King, that, once upon a time, in a far city of Cathay, there
dwelt a poor tailor who had an only son named Aladdin. This boy was a
born ne'er-do-well, and persistently resisted all his father's efforts
to teach him a trade by means of which he would be able in future to
earn a livelihood. Aladdin would sooner play at knucklebones in the
gutter with others as careless as himself than he would set his mind to
honest business; and, as to obeying his parents in the smallest matter,
it was not in his nature. Such was this boy Aladdin, and yet--so
remarkable is the favour of fate--he was strangely predestined for
great things.

Stricken with grief because of the waywardness and idle conduct of his
son the father fell ill and died, and the mother found great difficulty
in supporting herself, to say nothing of the worthless Aladdin as well.
While she wore the flesh off her bones in the endeavour to obtain a
meagre subsistence Aladdin would amuse himself with his fellow urchins
of the street, only returning home to his meals. In this way he
continued until he was fourteen years of age, when his extraordinary
destiny took him by the hand, and led him, step by step, through
adventures so wonderful that words can scarce describe them.

One day he was playing in the gutter with his ragged companions, as
was his wont, when a Moorish Dervish came by, and, catching sight of
Aladdin's face, suddenly stopped and approached him. This Dervish was
a sorcerer who had discovered many hidden secrets by his black art; in
fact, he was on the track of one now; and, by the look on his face as
he scrutinised Aladdin's features, it seemed that the boy was closely
connected with his quest.

The Dervish beckoned to one of the urchins and asked him who Aladdin
was, who his father was, and indeed all about him. Having thus learned
the whole history of the boy and his family the Dervish gave his
informer some coins and sent him away to spend them. Then he approached
Aladdin and said to him, "Boy, I seem to recognise in thee a family
likeness. Art thou not the tailor's son?" Aladdin answered him that he
was, and added that his father was dead.

On hearing this the Dervish cried out with grief and embraced Aladdin,
weeping bitterly. The boy was surprised at this and enquired the cause
of such sorrow. "Alas!" replied the Dervish with tears running down his
cheeks, "my fate is an unhappy one. Boy, I have come from a distant
country to find my brother, to look upon his face again, and to cheer
and comfort him; and now thou tellest me he is dead." He took Aladdin's
face in his hands and gazed searchingly upon it as he continued: "Boy,
I recognise my brother's features in thine; and, now that he is dead, I
will find comfort in thee."

Aladdin looked up at him in wonder, for he had never been told that he
had an uncle; indeed, he was inclined to doubt the truth of the matter;
but, when the Dervish took ten pieces of gold from his purse and placed
them in his hand, all doubt was out of the question, and he rejoiced at
having found so rich an uncle. The Dervish then asked him concerning
his mother and begged him to show him the way to her house. And, when
Aladdin had shewed him, he gave the boy more gold and said, "Give this
to thy mother with my blessing, and say that her brother-in-law, who
has been absent forty years, has returned and will visit her to-morrow
to weep with her over the place where his brother is buried." With this
he departed, and Aladdin ran to his mother to tell her the news.

"Mother! Mother!" he cried excitedly, bursting in upon her, "my uncle
hath returned after forty years; he wept when I told him my father was
dead; he salutes thee and--" "My son," she broke in, "what are these
wild words? Thou hast no uncle, and the only one thou ever hadst died
many years before thou wast born." "Nay, nay;" returned Aladdin, "this
is my father's brother; he recognised my father's features in mine and
wept, and gave me this to bring to thee, with a message that he would
come to see thee to-morrow."

He handed her the gold, and, as the widow took it, her doubt was
lessened considerably. "I wonder," she cried. "Can it be that my
husband's brother did not die after all, or that he has risen from the
grave? In either case he is rich and generous."

On the morrow the Dervish sought Aladdin in the street where he had
seen him the day before, and found him there among his disreputable
friends. Taking him aside he kissed him and embraced him; then, placing
ten gold pieces in his hand, he said, "Hasten now to thy mother and
give her these gold pieces and say that her brother-in-law would come
to sup at her house this night."

So Aladdin left him and ran home to his mother with the gold pieces
and the message. Then the widow busied herself and prepared for the
coming of this new-found relative. She bought rich food, and borrowed
from the neighbours such dishes, utensils and napery as she required.
When the supper was ready, and the widow was about to send Aladdin to
hasten the guest, the Dervish entered, followed by a slave bearing
fruit and wine, which he set down, and then went his way. The Dervish,
weeping bitterly, saluted the widow and immediately fell to asking
questions about the departed, finally desiring to know which was his
empty seat. On being shown it he prostrated himself and cried, "Alas!
that I should return to find his place vacant. Oh! woe; there is no
power nor strength but in God!" And he ceased not to weep until he had
convinced the widow that his grief was genuine.

[Illustration: Aladdin finds the Magic Lamp. Page 71]

Then, when he was comforted and they all sat at supper together, the
Dervish told them how he had journeyed from a far land with one thought
only: to see his brother once again; and how, with a great joy, he had
chanced to find Aladdin, in whose face he had recognised his brother's
likeness--a joy so suddenly turned to sadness and grief on his learning
that his only brother was dead. At his words the widow fell to weeping,
whereupon the Dervish, to change the subject of talk, turned to Aladdin
and asked him if he knew any art or trade. At this Aladdin hung his
head, and, as he was too ashamed to answer, his mother dried her tears
and answered for him. "Alack!" she said, "he is nothing but an idler.
He spends his time as thou didst find him, playing with ragamuffins
in the street, and is never at home except at meal times. And I--I
am an old woman and ugly through toil and hardship, and grief at his
behaviour. O my brother-in-law! It is he who should provide for
me, not I for him."

"I am grieved to hear this of thee," said the Dervish, turning to
Aladdin; "for thou art no longer a child, but a man of ability and
kindness; and thou shouldst work to provide for thine aged mother so
that she may live in comfort. Now, tell thine uncle what trade thou
wouldst follow, and he will start thee in it so that in time thou mayst
be able to support thy mother and thyself. Come, my son!" But Aladdin
was still silent, and it was clear that he had no mind to work at any
trade. Seeing this the Dervish made a better offer. "Wouldst thou like
to be a merchant?" he asked. "If so I will give thee a shop with all
kinds of merchandise, and thou shalt buy and sell and get gain, and
rise to a position of importance."

Now Aladdin regarded a merchant as a well-dressed, well-fed being, who
did no work to speak of, but, from the profits on his wares, lived in a
state of perfect delight. So the suggestion pleased him, and he replied
with a smile that, above all things, he would like to be a merchant.
"It is well, O Son of my brother!" replied the Dervish. "Then,
to-morrow, I will take thee to the market and purchase a fine dress for
thee, so that thou wilt be well received amongst thy fellow merchants;
and, on the following day, I will stock a shop and set thee up in it;
for this is the least I can do to show the great affection I bear for
the memory of my late lamented brother."

At this Aladdin clapped his hands with glee, and his mother was
rejoiced. If at first she had been disposed to doubt the Dervish she
now accepted him unreservedly as her brother-in-law, saying within
herself, "Who but the boy's uncle would behave with such great
kindness towards him?" And she chid her boy for his own good, and
counselled him straitly to obey his uncle in all things. The Dervish
also gave Aladdin much sound advice on the conduct of trade, so that
the boy's head was bursting with buying and selling, and he could not
sleep that night for dreams of rich stuffs, and bales of merchandise.
At last, when the Dervish arose and took his departure, promising to
return for Aladdin on the morrow and take him to buy his merchant's
dress, the wizard felt that he had proved himself undoubtedly the best
of brothers-in-law, and the best of uncles.

True to his word the Dervish came on the morrow, and Aladdin, holding
him affectionately by the hand, went with him forth to the market.
There they entered a shop full of the finest materials, and the Dervish
asked to be shewn some dresses such as a wealthy merchant might wear.
The owner of the shop laid a great variety before him and the Dervish
said, "Now, my son, choose what dress you like." This delicate favour
of choice pleased Aladdin greatly, for it seemed that he had now at
last reached the age of discretion. He picked out one that he liked,
and the Dervish paid the price without any attempt at bargaining. Then
they went together to the Hammam, and, when they had bathed and rested,
Aladdin clothed himself in his new dress and came forth in great
delight, kissing his uncle's hand and thanking him again and again.

The Dervish then showed Aladdin the market and the traffic in goods,
saying that he must study all these things in order to be apt in his
profession. From the markets they passed on to the mosques and other
fine buildings in the city, and thence to an eating-place where the
finest food was served on silver dishes, and the sherbet was of the
rarest kind. Here they regaled themselves sumptuously, and rested.
And, whenever Aladdin thanked his uncle for his kindness, the Dervish
replied, "Nay, boy; am I not thine uncle? Would that I could do more by
my brother's son."

When the afternoon came they strolled in the beautiful gardens, and the
Dervish delighted Aladdin by showing him the pleasure grounds and the
magnificent palaces. And so they wandered on, hand in hand, until they
came to a garden full of every delight, where crystal streams flowed
between glorious banks of flowers, and fountains played and sparkled in
the sunlight. There they sat down by the side of the running water and
made merry, so that none observing them could doubt that they were kind
uncle and glad nephew.

After they had rested the Dervish suggested a walk, and he led Aladdin
through garden after garden until they came to the confines of the
city, beyond which stood a high hill. "Shall we return, O my uncle?"
said Aladdin, who was in no mood for climbing the hill. "There are no
more gardens outside the city." "Nay," replied the Dervish, "on the
hillside is the loveliest garden of all. Bear up, my son, and be a man;
we shall soon be there." And, as they went, he beguiled the boy with
anecdotes, so that Aladdin forgot both the length of the way and his
weariness.

At last they came to a place on the hillside where the Dervish paused
and looked about him, saying to himself, "This is the spot I have
journeyed so far to find." But to Aladdin he said, "Rest here awhile, O
my son, and, when thou art refreshed, gather some wood and we will make
a fire; then, if thou wish to see a most wonderful thing, I will shew
thee that which will take thy breath away."

At this Aladdin's curiosity was excited, and, with no thought of
resting, he began at once to gather wood. When he had collected a
sufficient quantity the Dervish lighted the fire, and, taking from his
wallet a little box, drew some fine powder from it and scattered it
over the fire, uttering an incantation. Immediately, amid rumblings of
thunder, the earth reeled and opened. At this Aladdin fled in terror,
but the Dervish, powerless to effect his purpose without the boy's aid,
flew after him in a rage, and smote him over the head, so that he fell
to the ground stunned.

When, presently, he regained his senses, he sat up and cried out,
"What have I done, O my uncle, that thou shouldst strike me?" "Nay, my
son," replied the Dervish, "I intended not to hurt thee. Come, now,
be a man, and obey my wishes if thou wouldst see the wonderful things
that I will shew thee." With such words as these he banished Aladdin's
fears and smoothed him over. Then he directed him to the opening in
the earth, where there was revealed a slab of marble with a brass ring
let into it. The Dervish stooped and began to draw figures upon the
ground, saying as he did so, "Obey me, Aladdin, in all that I say, for
so thou shalt become richer than all the kings of the earth. Know, O
my son, that beyond that slab of stone lies vast treasure which none
but thee can acquire and live. Therefore, advance, my son, and take
the brass ring in thy hand, and lift the slab from its place; for it
is predestined that thou art the only one on this earth that hath the
power to do this thing." And Aladdin, stirred to great wonder by the
words of the Dervish, would have done his bidding with alacrity, but,
on looking at the marble slab, he saw that it was far too heavy for
him.

"Never can I raise that alone, O my uncle," he said. "Wilt thou not
help me?" "Nay," answered the Dervish, "it will yield to no hand
but thine. Grasp the ring and repeat the names of as many of thine
ancestors as thou canst remember, beginning with thy father and mother;
for thine ancestors are my ancestors, O my son! By this the stone will
come away quite easily in thy hand as if it were a feather. Am I not
thine uncle, and have I not said it? And did I not cleave the hillside
with my incantations? Wherefore, pluck up courage, and forget not that
all the riches beyond that stone are for thee."

Thus encouraged Aladdin advanced to the stone, repeating the names of
all the ancestors he could remember; and, taking hold of the ring,
lifted the heavy slab from its place with perfect ease, and threw it
aside. Then within the aperture lay revealed a stairway of twelve steps
leading into a passage.

While Aladdin was gazing at this wonder the Dervish took a ring from
his finger and placed it upon the middle finger of the boy's right
hand, saying impressively as he did so, "Listen to me, O my son! fear
nothing in what I am about to bid thee do, for this ring will be thy
protection in all dangers and against all evils. If thou shouldst find
thyself in evil case thou hast only to--, but of that I will tell
thee presently. What is more important now is this. In order to come
at the treasure, O my son, steady thyself and listen attentively, and
see to it that thou fail not a word of these my instructions. Go down
the steps and traverse the passage to the end, where thou wilt find a
chamber divided into four parts, each containing four vessels of gold.
Touch not these on thy life, for if so much as the fringe of thy robe
cometh in contact with any of them, thou wilt immediately be turned
into stone. Linger not to gaze upon them, but pass right through to the
end, where thou wilt find a door. Open this, repeating again the names
of thine ancestors, when lo, thou wilt behold a beautiful garden before
thee. Take the pathway that is ready for thy feet and proceed forty
nine cubits until thou comest to an alcove, where is set a stairway of
forty nine steps. Look not to ascend that stairway: it is not for thee
nor me; but direct thine attention to a lamp hanging above the alcove.
Take it from its fastening, and pour out the oil therein; then put it
in thy breast securely, and retrace thy steps to me. Is it clear to
thee, my son?"

"O my uncle, it is quite clear," replied Aladdin, and he repeated the
instructions he had received. "Pull thy wits together then, my son,"
said the Dervish, well pleased; "and descend, for verily thou art a man
of mettle, and not a child. Yea, thou, and thou only, art the rightful
owner of all this great treasure. Come now!"

Filled with courage from the wizard's words, and enticed by the dazzle
of untold riches, Aladdin descended the twelve steps and passed through
the fourfold chamber with the utmost care lest he should touch any of
the golden jars therein with so much as the fringe of his garment.
When he came to the door at the far end he paused to repeat the names
of his ancestors, and opened it; then, lo, before him lay a beautiful
garden where the trees were laden with many coloured fruit, while sweet
voiced birds sang in the branches. He took the pathway that lay before
his feet, and, as he followed it, he looked up and noticed that the
trees bore, not fruit as he had supposed, but sparkling jewels flashing
with many colours. On boughs where rosy apples might have hung were
blood-red rubies half hidden in the leaves, and, where the purple
grape might have clustered, were branches of large sapphires. On some
trees white blossoms grew, and every blossom was a pearl, while what
seemed like drops of dew among the blossoms were purest diamonds. All
the leaves of the trees were of mother-of-emerald, and on their under
surface they held, like seeds, rows of the emerald itself. Virgin gold
peeled like bark from the trunks and branches, and, when bird chased
bird through the foliage, there fell such a rain of wealth on the dull
earth's lap as would have enriched a king far above his fellow kings.

But Aladdin, though dazzled by the glitter, thought these sparkling
things were but coloured glass; and it was for such that he plucked
them with boyish delight until his pockets were full. "These are lovely
things to play with," he said, and proceeded to fill his girdle also.

As he made his way along the garden path, plucking the bright jewels as
he went, he caught sight of the alcove at the far end, and, remembering
his uncle's instructions, hastened towards it. There was the stairway
of forty-nine steps, and there, hanging from a crystal beam, was the
Lamp. He paused, looking up at it. How should he reach it? His uncle
had said that the stairway was neither for Aladdin nor for himself, and
yet he saw at a glance that the only way of reaching the Lamp was by
mounting seven steps of the stairway. He hesitated, then, concluding
that the Lamp was the whole object of his quest, and that he must reach
it at all costs, he ventured. With some misgivings he mounted the seven
steps and, reaching out, took the Lamp from its fastening and descended
with it. Then, emptying out the oil, he placed it securely in his
bosom, saying "Now, as my uncle said to me, with this Lamp in my bosom
all is mine!"

[Illustration: Aladdin and the Efrite. Page 78]

As Aladdin was returning along the pathway among the trees, laden with
the precious jewels, fear assailed him lest his uncle would be angry at
his delay, for it was borne in upon him that no great delight can come
to a mortal without his having to suffer for it. Whereupon he hastened
his footsteps, and, passing through the fourfold chamber without
touching the golden jars--for the fear of that was still upon him,--he
arrived quickly at the foot of the stairway of twelve steps. Heavily
weighted as he was with the jewels and the Lamp he proceeded to mount
the stairs at a run. But the jewels grew heavier, and the Lamp weighed
upon his bosom, so that he was exhausted by the time he was halfway up.
Kneeling on the seventh step he looked up and saw the Dervish urging
him on with the greatest impatience.

"Bear with me, O my uncle," he said. "I am heavily weighted and am out
of breath. I will soon come to thee." Then he climbed three steps and
one step more, and sank exhausted before the last, which was far higher
than the others. The jewels and the Lamp oppressed him with heaviness
and he could not mount that last step. "O my uncle, give me thy hand
and help me up," he cried. But the wizard dare not touch him, for so
the spell of fate was worded and he must abide by it. "Nay," he called
down, "thou art man enough! It is the Lamp that hampers thee. Reach up
and place it on the ledge here; then thou canst mount easily thyself."

The Dervish held out his hand expectantly for the Lamp and his eyes
glittered. Aladdin saw the evil light in them, and, having some mother
wit, replied, "O my uncle, the Lamp is no weight at all; it is simply
that I am exhausted and this step is too high for me. Give me thy
hand and help me up." "Give me the Lamp!" cried the Dervish holding his
hand out for it, and beginning to rage. "Place it on the ledge before
thee, and then I will help thee up." "Nay," returned Aladdin, growing
obstinate, "if thou wilt not give me thy hand I will not give thee the
Lamp, for it is in my thoughts that thou wantest the Lamp more than
thou wantest me."

This enraged the Dervish to a point beyond control, and he said within
himself, "If I get not the Lamp then may it perish with him!" And,
taking a box from his wallet, he threw some powder on the embers of
the fire, muttering curses and incantations as he did so. Immediately
a flame shot up, and its many tongues went hither and thither, licking
the air. The earth shuddered and groaned with a hollow thunder; then
the marble slab closed of itself over the aperture, the hillside rushed
together above it, and all was as before, save that Aladdin was sealed
within that cavern without hope of escape.

Long and loud did Aladdin call to his supposed uncle to save him from a
living death; but there was no answer to his cries, and, at last, when
he was almost exhausted, he took counsel of himself and plainly saw the
truth of the matter. The Dervish was no uncle of his, but a cunning
wizard who had made a catspaw of him to secure treasure which, by the
laws of magic and destiny, he was powerless to come at in any other
way. The whole thing, from the very beginning, was a trick; and he saw
it clearly now that it was too late. The way out was sealed, and the
darkness pressed heavily upon him. Frantic with the desire to escape
from this dungeon he thought of the garden and the stairway in the
alcove; but, when he had groped his way to the end of the passage, he
found the door closed, and all his efforts failed to open it. The names
of his ancestors were of no avail against the magic of the Dervish. At
this he wept loudly, and continued to weep throughout the night, until
his rage and despair were spent. At last he sank down exhausted on
the lowest step of the stairway by which he had first descended, and,
feeling himself utterly abandoned by man, he raised his hands to God,
praying for deliverance from his calamity.

Now, while he was holding his hands in supplication, he felt the ring
upon his middle finger--the ring which the Dervish had placed there
saying, "In whatever difficulty thou mayst find thyself this ring
will be thy protection; thou hast only to--but of that I will tell
thee later." The Dervish had perhaps given him the ring to gain his
confidence, and had purposely omitted to reveal its secret. But now, in
answer to Aladdin's prayer, the power of the ring was revealed as if by
the merest chance; for, when he felt the ring, he looked at it; and,
seeing a light from the jewel therein, he breathed upon it and rubbed
it with his palm to increase its lustre. No sooner had he done this
when, lo, the Slave of the Ring appeared, and gathered shape before
him, first in a luminous haze, and then, gradually, in clearer and
clearer contour.

"Ask what thou wilt, and it shall be done," said the apparition; "for
know that I am the Slave of the Ring and the slave of him on whose
finger my master placed the ring."

Aladdin, seeing before him an Efrite after the order of those invoked
by the Lord Suleiman, was terrified, and his tongue clave to the roof
of his mouth, so that he could not speak. But the Efrite reassured him
with kindly speech. "Thou hast only to ask," he said, "and thy wish
will be fulfilled; for, since my master's ring is on thy hand, I am thy
servant."

At this Aladdin took heart, and, having considered his wish, resolved
to put the matter to the test. "O Slave of the Ring!" he said, "my wish
is that thou take me from this dungeon and place me in the light of day
where the sun shines and the breezes blow--if indeed it _is_ day, for
here have I been for many, many hours."

Scarcely had he spoken the words when there was a clap of thunder. The
cavern opened, and, by some mysterious power, he was conveyed through
the opening. Then, when he sat up and looked around him, he was in the
light of day upon the hillside, and everything was as it had been when
he and the Dervish had first reached the spot.

Aladdin marvelled greatly at this, and said within himself, "I wonder
if it was all a dream!" But, when he looked at the ring upon his finger
and felt the Lamp and the jewel-fruit he had gathered from the trees
in the garden, he knew it was not a dream. Besides, there was the spot
where the fire had been; and it was now but a heap of grey ashes on
the ground. Turning himself about, he saw the path by which they had
ascended, and the gardens stretching below. Nothing had changed. The
side of the hill which the Dervish by his magic had opened for his
entrance, and the Slave of the Ring had now closed up behind him, was
as it had been when he first saw it.

Seeing that he was safe and sound in the outer world, Aladdin fell on
his knees and gave thanks to the most High for his deliverance from a
terrible death. Then straightway he arose and took the path that led
down the hillside and through the gardens of the city in the direction
of his home. At length, with wearied body, but elated mind, he reached
the doorway of his dwelling, and, entering, found his mother weeping.

"Where hast thou been, my son?" she cried. "All night long I lay awake,
anxious for thee; and now it is again near nightfall, and thou comest
like one about to die. Where hast thou been, and where is thine uncle?"

But Aladdin could not answer her. What with utter weariness, and the
joy of gaining his home once more, he fell in a swoon at her feet.
Quickly she dashed water on his face and restored him. Then, when she
had made him eat, she enquired gently what had befallen him.

"O my mother," said Aladdin, "how much thou art to blame! Thou gavest
me over to a devil of a sorcerer who tried, by his evil arts, to
compass my ruin. I have a stout reckoning against thee for this; for,
look you; this vile and wicked one, whom thou toldst me was my uncle,
was naught but a liar and an impostor. Think, mother, of the richness
of his promises! What was he not going to do for me? His affection
for me was overwhelming, and he ceased not to pretend in that lying
hypocrisy until the cheat was exposed and I saw that his purpose
was to use me for his own ends, and then to destroy me. Mother, the
devils beneath the sea and the earth are not the equal of this vile
sorcerer." And thus, having vented his anger at the false conduct of
the Dervish, he proceeded to tell his mother, first about the lamp and
the jewel-fruit, then about all that had happened on the hillside, from
the opening of the earth by a magic spell, to the closing of it again,
and his subsequent escape through the Slave of the Ring. "And thus," he
concluded, "thus did this devil's own shew me in the end that he was
accursed and that he cared no jot for me, but only for the Lamp."

Then Aladdin took the Lamp and the precious stones from his bosom and
placed them before his mother, albeit neither knew why the Lamp had
been so coveted by the Dervish, or that the stones were more valuable
than any possessed by kings. And Aladdin, now weeping for joy at his
deliverance, and now cursing with rage at the vile hypocrisy of the
sorcerer, found sympathy in both cases in his mother, who wept and
cursed with him, crying out that the Omnipotent, who had graciously
saved his life, would most assuredly punish that wicked man for his
abominable actions.

Now, neither Aladdin nor his mother had rested for two days and two
nights, so that, exhausted at length with weeping and with heaping
maledictions on the Dervish, they slept; and, when they awoke, it was
about noon of the following day. Aladdin's first words on pulling his
wits together were to the effect that he was hungry. "Nay, O my son,"
replied his mother, "there is nothing to eat in the house, for thou
didst eat yesterday all that there was. But stay, I have some spinning
that is ready for the market. I will take and sell it and buy some
food."

She was busying herself about this when Aladdin suddenly called out
to her, "Mother! bring me the Lamp, and I will take and sell that;
it will fetch more than the spinning." Now, although Aladdin and his
mother knew that the Dervish had greatly coveted the Lamp, they both
imagined that he had some strange reason of his own for this; and, as
the Lamp was an article that would command a ready sale, the mother
quickly agreed to Aladdin's proposal and brought the Lamp to him in
answer to his call. On regarding it closely, however, she observed that
it was very dirty. Well knowing that it would fetch a better price if
it were clean and bright, she set to work to polish it with some fine
sand; when lo, as soon as she started to rub the Lamp, the air before
her danced and quivered and a chill gasp of wind smote her in the
face. Then, looking up, she saw, towering above her, a being monstrous
and terrible, with a fierce face in which gleamed fiery eyes beneath
frowning brows. She gazed at this apparition in fear and astonishment,
for she knew it was surely a powerful Efrite such as were under the
power of the Lord Suleiman. Then the being spoke: "Thou hast invoked
me; what is thy wish?" But she only gazed at him, dumb with terror.
Again the awful being spoke: "Thou hast summoned me, for I am the Slave
of the Lamp which is in thy hand. What is thy desire?" At this the poor
woman could no longer endure her fear, and, with a cry, she fell in a
swoon.

Aladdin had heard the Efrite's words and had hastened to his mother's
side. He had already seen the power of the Slave of the Ring, and he
guessed that now the Slave of the Lamp had appeared, and was ready to
do the bidding of the one who held the Lamp. So he quickly took it from
his mother's hand, and, standing before the Efrite, plucked up courage
and said, "I desire food, O Slave of the Lamp! the finest food that
ever was set before a king."

No sooner had he spoken than the Efrite vanished, but only to reappear
immediately, bearing a rich tray of solid silver, on which were twelve
golden dishes with fruits and meats of various kinds. There were also
flagons of wine and silver goblets. As Aladdin stared in amazement at
this magnificent repast the Efrite set the tray down before him and
vanished in a flash. Then Aladdin turned to his mother and dashed cold
water on her face, and held perfumes to her nostrils until she regained
consciousness and sat up. And when she beheld the sumptuous repast set
out upon the golden dishes she was greatly astonished, and imagined
that the Sultan had sent it from his palace. But Aladdin, who was very
hungry, fell to eating heartily; and, while persuading his mother to
eat, he would tell her nothing.

It was not until they had satisfied their hunger, and placed the
remainder aside for the morrow, that Aladdin informed her what had
happened. Then she questioned him, saying, "O my son, was not this the
same Efrite that appeared to thee when thou wast in the cavern?" "Nay,"
he answered. "That was the Slave of the Ring; this was the Slave of
the Lamp." "At all events," said she, "it was a terrible monster that
nearly caused my death through fear. Promise me, O my son, that thou
wilt have naught further to do with the Ring and the Lamp. Cast them
from thee, for the Holy Prophet hath told us to have no traffic with
devils."

"Nay, nay, O my mother," protested Aladdin; "it were wiser to keep
them, for did not the Slave of the Ring deliver me from death? and
has not the Slave of the Lamp brought us delicious food when we were
hungry?" "That may be so," replied his mother, "but hear my words, my
son; no good thing can come of these dealings with accursèd spirits,
and it were better for thee to have died in the cavern than to invoke
their aid." And thus she pleaded with him to cast away the Ring and the
Lamp, for she was sore afraid of the power of the Evil One. But Aladdin
would not undertake to do this, although, in respect for her wishes, he
agreed to conceal the objects so that she might never need to look upon
them. He also agreed to invoke neither of the Efrites again, unless it
were a case of dire necessity. And with this his mother had to rest
content.

[Illustration: The Lady Bedr-el-Budur at her bath. Page 84]

Mother and son continued to live on the food that remained, until, in a
few days, it was all gone. Then Aladdin took up one of the dishes from
the tray, and, not knowing that it was of pure gold, went out to sell
it and buy food with the proceeds. In the market he came to the shop of
a Jew--a man of exceeding vile methods of buying and selling; and he
showed the dish to him. This Jew, as soon as he saw the dish, knew it
for pure gold and glanced sharply at Aladdin to find whether he knew
its value. But Aladdin's face told him nothing; so he enquired, "What
price do you ask, O my master?" "Its value in the market," returned
Aladdin; and at this the Jew pondered, saying within himself, "If he
knoweth the value, and I offer him too little, he will give me a bad
name in the market; yet, if he knoweth not, I should be ruining myself
by offering him too large a price. Perchance he knoweth not." Then,
preferring that others might call him a rogue rather than that the
event might prove him a fool in his own eyes, he took a single gold
piece from his pocket and handed it to Aladdin. On this and its issue,
seeing quickly that Aladdin knew not the value of the thing--for he
took the gold piece and walked away--the Jew repented him bitterly of
his rash act, for he could have bought the dish for much less.

As for Aladdin, he hastened home and gave the gold piece to his mother,
begging her to buy food with it. She did so, and they ate, and were
comforted. And so, from day to day, they lived on the proceeds of one
dish after another, which the unregenerate Hebrew bought at cheaper
and cheaper prices, saying always that the metal was inferior and that
the demand for such goods was not what it used to be. And, when at
last the dishes were all sold, Aladdin summoned the Jew to the house
to inspect the goblets and also the tray, which was too heavy for him
to carry to the market. When the Jew saw how much silver there was
in the tray and the goblets he forgot himself and offered ten gold
pieces for them--at least a thirtieth part of their value. Aladdin
took the gold pieces, and the Jew departed with the tray. So food was
forthcoming for many more days; but at last the money was exhausted and
there was now nothing left to sell. At this Aladdin, who, in deference
to his mother's wishes, had concealed the Lamp and the Ring against a
necessitous occasion, brought forth the former and rubbed it, for so,
he concluded, was the Slave invoked. His conclusion was right, for no
sooner had he rubbed the Lamp than the Efrite suddenly appeared before
him, immense and of terrible aspect.

"What is thy wish, O my master?" said the Efrite; "for I am the Slave
of the Lamp and of him who holds it." "My wish," answered Aladdin, "is
that you bring me another tray of food similar to the one you brought
before." Immediately the Efrite vanished, and, in a moment, appeared
again, bearing a tray of food exactly similar to the one he had brought
before. He set this down before Aladdin and then disappeared.

"Mother! Mother!" cried Aladdin in delight. "Come here and see what we
have for supper." When she hastened to him and saw the delicate food,
and smelt the rich savours, she was pleased, although she knew that
Aladdin had summoned the Efrite and commanded him to bring the tray.
"Look at it, Mother!" cried Aladdin; "and thou wouldst have me cast
away the Lamp by means of which we have gotten this repast!" "O my
son," answered she, "if the Slave of the Lamp be a devil then he is a
good devil; but, for all that, I know I should swoon again at sight of
him."

And they ate and drank and were merry, the food lasting them some days.
Then, just as a tidy housewife clears away the platter after a meal,
so, when the food was all gone, Aladdin proceeded to dispose of the
dishes as before. Taking one of them he went forth to find the Jew,
but it chanced that on his way he passed the shop of a fair-dealing
man--that is to say, not a Jew--who had no vile methods of buying
and selling, but was just, and feared God. When this man saw Aladdin
passing he called to him, and told him that he had frequently seen him
selling things to the Jew, and warned him about it. "Thou knowest not
how the Jew will trick thee," he said, "for the goods of the faithful
are fair spoil to the Jews; and it was ever so, and ever will be. If,
therefore, thou hast aught to sell, I will give thee its full value, in
the name of the Prophet."

Then Aladdin shewed him the dish of gold and he took it, and weighed it
on the scales. "Did you sell any of this kind to the Jew?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Aladdin, "many--all of them exactly the same." "And
what price did he pay you?" "A gold piece for the first, and afterwards
less." The merchant looked grieved and spat on the ground. "My son,"
he said; "it is not meet that a servant of God should fall into the
hands of the Jew. Woe unto him, accursèd! He hath cheated thee sore,
for my balance tells me truly the weight of this dish, which is of pure
gold; and its value is seventy pieces of gold. Here is the price if
thou wouldst sell."

He counted out seventy gold pieces and handed them to Aladdin, who took
them and thanked the merchant heartily for his honest exposure of the
Jew's wickedness. And thereafter he brought the remaining dishes, and
at last the tray, to that merchant, and received from him their full
value; so that Aladdin and his mother were placed above want and in a
comfortable position for people of their station in life.

During this time Aladdin had changed his ways greatly. He no longer
consorted with the ragamuffins of the street but selected for his
friends men of standing and integrity. His daily practice was to
go to the market and converse with the merchants in a serious and
business-like manner in the endeavour to learn their methods and the
value of stuffs. And often he would watch the jewellers at their work,
and the goods they handled; and, through knowledge thus acquired, he
began to suspect that the jewel-fruit he had gathered in the garden of
the cavern was not glass, as he had imagined, but real gems. By this
and that, and by comparing and asking questions, he came at length to
the certainty that he actually possessed the richest jewels in all the
earth. The smallest among them was bigger and more sparkling by far
than the largest and finest he could see in any jeweller's shop.

One day, while his mind was engaged with this amazing thing, and while
he was as usual studying the ways of the merchants in the bazaar
and the varying quality of their goods, a thing happened which was
predestined to have far-reaching results on his life. He was in the
jewellers' market, taking note of things, when a herald came by, crying
to all people: "Take heed! By command of the Sultan, King of the Age
and Lord of the Earth, let all doors be closed, and let none come
forth from shop or dwelling on pain of instant death, for the Sultan's
daughter, Bedr-el-Budur cometh to the bath! Take heed!"

Now, on hearing this, a great longing arose in Aladdin's breast to look
upon the face of Bedr-el-Budur, the Sultan's daughter. "All people
extol her loveliness," he said to himself; "and I--even if I die for
it--I will look upon her face; for something--I know not what--impels
me to gaze on Bedr-el-Budur the beautiful."

So, with this will, he speedily found the way. Hastening to the Hammam
he secreted himself behind the door so that, unobserved himself, he
might see her when she came in. And he had not long to wait, for,
presently, the Sultan's daughter arrived; and, as she entered, she
lifted the veil from her face, so that Aladdin saw her features clearly.

What a wondrous beauty was there! The witchery of her eyes! The ivory
of her skin! The jet of her glossy tresses! These, and the swaying
of her graceful body as she walked, caused Aladdin's heart to turn
to water and then to spring wildly into flame. "What a creature is
this Princess!" he said within himself. "I knew not that God had ever
created such a soul of loveliness." Then, suddenly, an overwhelming
love for her took him by the heart, and gat hold of him utterly, so
that he knew naught else for the very stress of it.

Like one walking in a dream Aladdin went home and sat him down in
dejection of spirit. For a long time he answered not his mother's
questions as to what ailed him, but continued like one who had beheld
a vision so lovely that it had deprived him of his senses. At last,
however, he looked up, and said, "O my mother, know that until to-day I
had believed that all women were of thy fashion of face, but now I find
they are not; for to-day I saw the Sultan's daughter, and she is more
beautiful than all others on earth." And Aladdin told her how he had
hidden behind the door of the Hammam, so that, when Bedr-el-Budur had
entered and lifted her veil, he had seen her clearly; and how, on that,
a great love had leapt up in his heart and filled him to the exclusion
of all else. "And there is no rest for me," he concluded, "until I win
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, and make her my wife."

At these daring words Aladdin's mother regarded him sharply, with fear
on her face. "Art thou mad, my son?" she cried. "For, if such an insane
act is thine intention, then God save thee!" "Nay, O my mother," he
answered, "I am not mad. But, as I risked my life to see her, so will
I risk it again to win her; for, without her, life is of no account
to me. I will go to the Sultan and ask him to give me the lovely
Bedr-el-Budur for my lawful wife."

Seeing his determination his mother was sore afraid, and knew not what
to do. For a long time she reasoned with him anxiously, pointing out
what a scandal it would be for the son of a poor tailor to aspire to
the Sultan's daughter--the highest in the land, and one whom the Sultan
would scarce bestow upon a King who was his equal. Aladdin listened
very quietly, and then replied that his resolve was unshaken; and,
though he admitted the truth of all she had said, he would nevertheless
carry out his purpose, for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur was the only thing
in the world to him, and if he did not win her he would die. In vain
she suggested that there were many of his own class he might marry;
besides, to approach the Sultan on such a matter meant certain death;
unless, indeed, the Sultan thought to bind him on an ass, with his face
to the tail, and parade him through the city with the heralds shouting,
"Behold the reward of presumption and the payment of impertinence!"

These arguments, and more, his mother put before him; but Aladdin shook
his head at all of them, and remained firm in his determination. "And
further, O my mother," he said, "I wish now that thou go thyself to the
Sultan and put my request to him, for am I not thy child? And is it not
thy duty to perform this office for me?"

"O my son," she cried in despair, "wilt thou bring me into thy madness?
I, a poor woman of humble birth, to go in to the Sultan and demand the
princess for my son! Why, if I were to go even to one of our equals and
demand his daughter, I should immediately be asked what money and goods
we possessed; and, if I could not give a ready reply on that matter to
an equal, what reply, do you imagine, could I give the Sultan? Besides
all this, O my son, how shall I even gain access to the Sultan's
presence for this purpose without bearing a rich gift to offer him?
Out on thee, my son, for thy presumption! What hast thou done for thy
country, or what are thy vast possessions that the Sultan should reward
thee with his daughter?"

"Mother," answered Aladdin, "thy words have served me well, for they
have called to my recollection a thing which, through excess of love
for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, I had forgotten. Thou sayest that thou
canst not approach the Sultan without a rich gift. Then, O my mother,
if I place in thy hands an offering richer than any King in the world
can make to any other, wilt thou carry out my desire?"

Thinking his words were wild as the wind, and that he could produce
no such offering, his mother agreed; but, remembering the Slave of
the Lamp, and what had already been done in that way, she stipulated
with Aladdin that she would carry out his wish only on condition that
it required no further invoking of the Efrite. Aladdin assured her
on this and asked her to fetch him a china bowl. Wondering greatly
she arose, and brought the bowl to him. Then Aladdin emptied into it
all the sparkling jewels which he carried within his garments, and,
when they were heaped together in the bowl they shone with a dazzling
splendour. Liking well her amazement he explained to his mother how
he had learned in the market place that what he had at first thought
were mere glass were really the rarest of precious stones, the equal of
the least of which could not be found in the treasuries of Kings. On
hearing this, and at sight of the brilliant, flashing gems, his mother
was dumbfounded, for she saw that this was indeed a treasure beyond all
imagination, and worthy of the Sultan's acceptance. But, as she had
naught to say, Aladdin spoke for her, and held her to her promise.

"Thou seest, O my mother," he said, "that this is an offering excelling
all others. Now, therefore, according to thy promise, arise straightway
and go to the Sultan, bearing these wondrous jewels. I am greatly
mistaken if he accepteth not the gift." "But, O my son," answered she
in dismay, "what can I say to him? The gift is fabulous indeed, but
still more fabulous is the request thou desirest me to put to him. For,
if I say I want his daughter for my son, he may be so angered at my
impertinence that he will take the jewels and condemn me to death. And
then he may search for thee, my son; and, when he hath found thee, and
looked upon thy face, we shall assuredly die together."

[Illustration: The Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Page 113]

Aladdin made a gesture of impatience at his mother's view of the
matter. "On my head and eye," he said angrily, "though thou art my
mother thou art verily lacking in sense. I put it to you: What man
living, yea, even though he be the Sultan, would refuse to grant thy
request when thou comest to him with the price of more than half his
kingdom? Nay, my mother,--for such thou art,--thou art surely deficient
in wisdom." And he took up the bowl of glittering jewels and weighed
the chances of them in his hand.

But his mother, silenced as she was with his shrewd words, was
terrified at the prospect of her visit to the Sultan, and still went on
raising difficulties. "Haply, O my son, he will be pleased to see me,
because of the gift; but what if he say to me, 'Who is this, thy son,
who seeketh the hand of my daughter? What is his condition and state of
life?'" "How can he ask thee that," answered Aladdin, "when the jewels
in the bowl are crying out my state and my condition? Such a thing will
never happen, except in thy mind. Do thou now arise and go to him, for
I will no longer listen to these fanciful excuses." "Nay, nay, my son,"
she cried, seeing there was no withdrawing from her promise; "I will
go, but give me till the morning to strengthen and prepare myself."

So Aladdin curbed his impatience and agreed to wait until the following
day; but, since he realised that it was not impossible that the project
might fail, and that he might have to seek to the Slave of the Lamp
for advice and help in difficulty, he spoke to his mother on the
matter. "O my mother," he said, "it was the condition of thy promise
that I should not invoke the Slave of the Lamp in the furtherance of
this my desire; yet it must be understood between us that if thou make
a blunder--which thou needst not do--then, to extricate us from a dire
calamity, I am free to rub the Lamp and see what its Slave can do for
our salvation."

His mother assented to this, for she knew, if she failed with the
Sultan, all was lost; and, in such case, even the aid of a demon would
be acceptable. "Then," said Aladdin, "see thou to it that in thy gossip
to our neighbours no word of the Lamp escape thy lips, for, if this
wonderful possession of ours become known, it will speedily pass out
of our hands and its virtues with it. Therefore keep thy counsel, O
my mother, and babble not of our secret." "Fear nothing, my son," she
replied, "the Lamp is our peculiar possession, and no word shall pass
my lips concerning it." And they ceased not to talk of their project,
and the saving powers of the Lamp, far into the night.

When morning dawned Aladdin's mother arose and prepared herself for the
visit to the Palace, and, wrapping the bowl of jewels in a cloth, went
forth early. When she arrived at the Palace she found herself among
the first there assembled, and at once fell to watching the princes
and nobles and high officials as they came in. When the audience was
full the Sultan came in and seated himself on the royal divan. All
bowed down before him, and then stood waiting with folded arms for his
permission to be seated. And, when he gave permission, all sat down in
their due order of precedence. Then he listened to their petitions in
the same order, and gave his decisions, until the hour grew late, and
the audience was declared closed. The Sultan arose and went into the
Palace, and the princes, with the nobles and the people, went their
ways. Among them went Aladdin's mother, thinking to herself that this
would be a matter of many days.

She hastened home to Aladdin, who, when he saw her with the bowl of
jewels just as when she departed, cried, "What is this, O my mother?
Hath he refused the jewels, and thy head still on thy shoulders?" "Nay,
my son," she replied; "be patient! There were many before me and I had
no opportunity." And she told him how she had gained a place in the
audience, and how it was only a matter of waiting till her turn came to
place her petition before the Sultan; perchance to-morrow or the next
day.

Aladdin was overjoyed at this; and, though his exceeding love for
the Princess probed him sore, yet he resolved to possess his soul in
patience against the fulfilment of his desire. But what he momently
expected was hourly delayed, and, from that time forth, the daily
postponement of his request added fuel to the flame of love in his
heart; for, on the following morning, his mother set forth again for
the Palace and returned again in the evening but one day nearer to the
putting of her petition. And every day thereafter she stood in the
audience with the bowl of jewels under her arm and heard the petitions,
but dared not for very timidity address the Sultan. And in this way she
continued for a whole month, while Aladdin was nursing his impatient
soul and waiting on the issue.

Now the Sultan, being observant, had noticed the woman present herself
constantly at the levée; and, at length, one day, after the audience
had dispersed and the Sultan had retired with his Grand Vizier, he
said to him, "Hearken, O Vizier! for many days have I seen an old woman
at the levée, and on each occasion she has carried a bundle under her
arm. Knowest thou aught of her?" And the Vizier, who had little esteem
for women, replied, "Doubtless a woman like other women, O our Lord!
Maybe she cometh with a deadly grievance against her husband, whom she
desires to be beheaded; and, when thou grantest her desire, she will
plead for his life, supplicating thee with tears; for such was ever
their way." But the Sultan was curious about the woman and her silent
persistence, and was not satisfied to dismiss the matter so easily. So
he commanded the Vizier to see to it that, should the woman present
herself again, she be instantly brought before him.

And so it came about. Aladdin's mother, though weary with her many
attendances, still persevered in her quest, feeling that, for the sake
of her son, she would endure all delay so that the issue might come
at last. And it came according to the Sultan's command to the Grand
Vizier; for one day the Sultan saw her waiting in the audience chamber
and ordered the Vizier to bring her forward that he might consider her
affair.

Now, at last, she was face to face with the Sultan, making obeisance
to him and kissing the ground at his feet. "I have seen thee here, O
woman, for many days," said the Sultan; "and thou hast not approached
me. If thou hast a wish that I can grant, lay it before me." At this
she kissed the ground again, and prayed fervently for the prolongation
of his life. Then she said, "O King of all the Ages, I have a request;
but, peace be on thee, it is a strange one! Wherefore I claim thy
clemency before I state it."

These words whetted the Sultan's curiosity, and, as he was a man of
great gentleness, he spoke her softly in reply, and not only assured
her of his clemency but ordered all others present to withdraw, saving
only the Grand Vizier, so that he might hear her petition in secret.

"Now, woman," said the Sultan, turning to her, "make thy petition, and
the peace and protection of God be on thee." "Thy forgiveness, also, O
King," she said. "God forgive thee if there is aught to forgive," he
replied. And at this Aladdin's mother unfolded the tale of her son's
exceeding love for Bedr-el-Budur, the Sultan's daughter: how life had
become intolerable to him because of this, and how his only thought was
to win the Lady Bedr-el-Budur for his wife, or die--either of grief,
or by the Sultan's anger. Wherefore, his life being in the balance in
any case, she had come as a last resort to beg the Sultan to bestow his
daughter on her son. And she concluded by beseeching the Sultan not to
punish either her or her son for this unparalleled hardihood.

The Sultan looked at the Grand Vizier, whose face was of stone--for the
Lady Bedr-el-Budur had already been promised to his son: a matter well
understood between them. "What sayest thou?" said the Sultan, regarding
him with merriment in his eyes. But the Grand Vizier only cast a
contemptuous look at Aladdin's mother, and answered him: "O King of the
Age! Thou knowest how to deal with this petition." At this the Sultan
laughed outright, and, turning a kindly face to the humble suppliant,
observed her minutely. "What is that bundle thou hast under thine arm?"
he said at last, remembering that she had brought it with her on every
occasion.

Aladdin's mother, greatly relieved to see the Sultan laughing, unfolded
the wrappings of the bowl and handed it to him. As soon as he took it
in his hand, and saw the size and splendid sparkle of the jewels, the
Sultan laughed no longer, but gazed at them, speechless with wonder and
admiration. Then at length, he handed the bowl to the Grand Vizier,
saying, "Upon my oath, this is a marvellous thing! Tell me, O Vizier,
have I in my treasury a single jewel that will compare with even the
smallest of these?"

The Grand Vizier also was taken aback by their dazzling loveliness and
beauty. He would have lied, saying they were glass or crystal, but the
stones themselves flashed back the purposed lie in his teeth. All he
could reply was, "Never, O my lord the King, have I beheld the like of
these; nor is there one in thy treasury that could equal the beauty
of the smallest of them." And, saying this, the Vizier turned very
pale, for neither he nor his son could approach the Sultan with such a
gift. And it was as he had feared, and as Aladdin had prophesied: the
Sultan required to know nothing further than what was before him in the
bowl, for it was evident that the giver of these rare jewels must take
precedence of all others, since, if they were sold in the market, their
price would buy a dozen Grand Viziers and their sons, to say nothing of
princes and nobles with their palaces and all. Indeed, as the Vizier
readily saw, the worth of the precious stones might equal the worth
of the Sultan's kingdom, and this caused his knees to quake, for he
quickly concluded within his mind that there was more behind this thing
than what the eye beheld: perchance the old woman's story was but the
curtain that concealed a richer treasury than Cathay had ever heard of.

"O Vizier," said the Sultan in dry and chilling tones, "it seemeth that
in this land there are men greater than the greatest. What sayest thou?
The man who sends me this kingly gift cannot conceal his greatness and
worthiness behind the thin, loose yarn spun by his messenger here.
That he is worthy of my daughter is clearly proved, O Vizier; and I,
the Sultan, King of the Age, having power over all men, do withdraw my
former promise to thee to bestow her on thy son. Bedr-el-Budur, the one
beautiful jewel in the treasury of my heart, is my gift in return to
the man who has sent me these priceless jewels."

The Grand Vizier bit his lips and pondered awhile. Then he spoke.
"Peace be on thee, O King of all the Earth. But is not thy promise
worth most of all? Thou didst pledge me thy daughter for my son, and
with that pledge I went, thinking that the whole earth and all therein
were not its value. Wherefore, O King, I pray that thou wilt allow this
matter time. If thou wilt pledge this foster mother of a prince that
thou wilt comply with her request in three months time, then it seems
to me that, by so doing, thou wilt cement the good feeling and loosen
the griefs of all parties concerned. And in the meantime--yea, I have
good reason for saying it--there will come before thee, O King of the
Age, a gift compared to which this thou hast seen is but dross."

The Sultan weighed the Grand Vizier's words in his mind, and concluded
that it would be best for all concerned to accept the gift from
Aladdin's mother and to grant her son's wish, but at the same time to
felicitate the Grand Vizier by imposing a three months' stay of the
nuptials. Accordingly, he said to the woman, "Tell thy son that he
hath my royal assent, and that I will give him my daughter in marriage;
but, as every woman knows, these things cannot be hastened, for there
are garments and necessaries to be prepared; wherefore thy son (on whom
be peace) must abide in patience for, let us say, three months. At the
end of that time he may approach me for the fulfilment of my promise."

Satisfied with this, Aladdin's mother thanked and blessed the Sultan,
and, buoyed up with a burden of delight, almost flew back to her house.
There Aladdin was awaiting for her, and, when he saw her hastening, and
noticed that she had returned without the bowl of jewels, his heart
rose high to meet her. "Hath the Sultan considered thy request?" he
cried, as she came in panting. "Hath he accepted the jewels? Tell me
that only, and I know the rest without a movement of thy tongue."

And his mother, whose haste and condition had already answered all
his questions, answered them still further with "Yea, yea, yea!" Then
she related to him the details of the interview, laying stress upon
the fact that, although the Sultan had been moved at the sight of the
jewels to make immediate arrangements for the marriage, a private word
from the Grand Vizier had led him to delay the ceremony for three
months. "Take heed, my son!" she concluded. "The Grand Vizier hath a
motive for this counsel of delay. He is thine enemy. I saw it in his
face. Beware of him!"

Aladdin was greatly relieved by her news. He felt like one jerked out
of the grave; and, where the Sultan was favourable to his suit, he was
in no mood to fear a Grand Vizier. "Nay, nay," he said, "the jewels
have the eye of the Sultan more than the Grand Vizier hath his ear.
Fear nothing, O my mother! The Sultan's word is good, and I rest
content to wait; though I know not how such a long time as three months
can be got into the calendar."

Two of these long, weary months went by, and Aladdin nursed his soul
in patience. Then a thing happened which gave him seriously to think.
On a day in the first week of the third month his mother went forth
into the market place about sunset to buy oil, and she saw that all
the shops were closed, and the people were adorning their windows with
bright garlands as if for some festivity. She wondered greatly at this,
thinking the Sultan had either changed his birthday or that another
child had been born to him. Yet she had gleaned nothing of any great
event from the gossip of her neighbours. Having, after much difficulty,
found an oil shop open, she bought her oil, and questioned the man.
"Uncle," she said; "what is abroad in the city that the people close
their shops and place candles and garlands in their windows?" "Thou art
evidently a stranger," replied the man. "Nay, I am of this city," said
she. "Then must thou cleanse thine ears," he retorted. "Hast thou not
heard that the Grand Vizier's son is to take to himself this evening
the beautiful Bedr-el-Budur? Surely, woman, thou hast been sleeping all
day on thine ears, for the news went abroad early this morning. The
Vizier's son is at the Hamman, and these soldiers and officials you see
in the streets are waiting to escort him to the palace. And, look you,
you are fortunate to get oil to-day, for all those who purvey oil to
the Grand Vizier and his household have closed their shops as a mark of
respect."

On hearing this, Aladdin's mother was so distressed that her knees
shook, and she walked away without replying--even forgetting to pay
for the oil. But the man speedily called her back and reminded her
that, though the Grand Vizier had never given him an order, she had,
and the price of the oil was such and such. In confusion of face she
paid him and then hurried away, the oilman looking after her and
wondering what manner of woman was this. Had he known all, he might
have wondered more, or ceased to wonder.

Meanwhile, Aladdin's mother went home in a state of great
consternation. Though her feet hastened, her heart lagged behind
her, for she knew not how to tell her son the terrible news. She was
afraid that after his joy at the Sultan's promise, and his patient
waiting, this blow would send him from his mind. Then she contrived it
in her thoughts that it was best to provoke her son's anger against
the Sultan, rather than his grief at the loss of Bedr-el-Budur.
Accordingly, as soon as she entered the house and found him sitting
thinking, as was his wont of late, she said, "O my son, who can put
trust in a King? When I went to buy oil, I found that the Sultan had
proclaimed a holiday, and all the shops were closed except one. Tush!
There is no faith in Sultans!"

"How now, O my mother?" answered Aladdin. "Treason hath a loud voice.
With the Sultan and the Grand Vizier, _hush_! What ails thee? Thy hand
is a-tremble." And she answered him: "O my son, there is no faith nor
trust but in God. Said I not to thee that the Grand Vizier was thine
enemy? Out on him and the Sultan, for their word is but hot wind, and
there is no faith in the promise of a King." "I see by thy face and by
thy speech," said Aladdin, "that thou hast some bad news. What is it, O
my mother?"

Then his mother told how that the Sultan had violated his covenant, and
how the marriage of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur to the Grand Vizier's son
was to take place that very evening. For this she heaped abuse upon
the Grand Vizier, saying that it was only the worst of men that could
so lead the Sultan to break his promise. When she had told all, and
Aladdin understood how the matter lay, he arose, more in anger than
in grief, and cried out against the Grand Vizier and cursed all the
parties concerned in the affair. But presently he remembered that, when
all seemed lost, he still had the Lamp, and that was something in time
of trouble and difficulty. So he suddenly restrained his speech and
fell to thinking what manner of death the Vizier's son should die. His
mother, seeing him in better spirits, questioned him. "What now, O my
son?" she said. "Is thy bitterness of feeling gone? What gift wilt thou
send the wedded pair? Peradventure another bowl of jewels?" She spoke
mockingly for she wanted him to spend his wrath and save his reason.
"Nay, O my mother," replied Aladdin lightly; "they are not wedded yet;
and, on my head and eye, verily it is not every knot that holds."

With this he arose and retired to his own chamber, where he brought
out the Lamp. Then, having considered well the manner of his wish, he
rubbed it. Immediately the Efrite stepped out of the unseen and stood
before him, saying, "Thou hast invoked me: what is thy desire? I am
the Slave of the Lamp in thy hand and am here to do thy bidding." And
Aladdin answered: "Know, O Slave of the Lamp, that the Sultan promised
me his daughter for my wife, but he has broken his word, and this night
she is to be united with the Grand Vizier's son; wherefore I wish
that, as soon as the pair retire, thou take them up, with the couch
whereon they lie, and bring them hither to me." "I hear and obey," said
the Slave of the Lamp, and immediately vanished.

Aladdin waited expectantly for some time, for he guessed that the
moment would not be long delayed when the wedded pair would retire
from the ceremonies. And his guess was right, for when he had waited a
little longer, suddenly a cold blast of air swept through the chamber;
the wall opened and there appeared the Efrite bearing in his arms the
wedded pair upon the nuptial couch. They had been transported in the
twinkling of an eye, and, when the Efrite had set the couch down at
Aladdin's feet, they were both stupefied with astonishment at this
proceeding.

"Take that scurvy thief," said Aladdin to the Efrite, pointing to the
Vizier's son, "and bind him and lodge him in the wood-closet for the
night." And the Efrite did so. He took up the Vizier's son in one hand,
and, reaching with the other for cords, drew them from the invisible
and bound the miscreant securely. Then he placed him in the wood-closet
and blew an icy blast upon him to comfort him. Returning to Aladdin he
said, "It is done, O Master of the Lamp! Is there aught else thou dost
desire?" "Naught but this," replied Aladdin. "In the morning, when the
Sultan is proceeding towards their chamber to wish them long life and
happiness, convey them back thither in a state of sleep so that the
Sultan's knock at their door may wake them." "I will obey," said the
Efrite, and, in a moment, the air closed over him and he was gone.

And Aladdin smiled to himself to think that this thing had been done.
Then he turned to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, who was sitting weeping on
the couch. "O lovely one," said he, "weep not; for I would not hurt one
hair of thy head, nor sully thine honour in any way. Know that I love
thee too much to harm thee; but, since thy father the Sultan promised
me thee, and has violated his word, I am determined that none other
shall call thee his. Rest in peace, lovely lady; for neither am I thy
husband nor the thief of thy husband's honour. Wherefore, weep not, but
rest in peace."

So saying he took a sword that hung on the wall of his chamber, and,
having placed it by her side in token of security, he stretched himself
upon the couch so that they lay with the sword between them. Thus they
passed the night. The Sultan's daughter wept the long night through,
and Aladdin could not close his eyes for thinking of his unfortunate
rival's condition in the wood-closet. Towards morning Bedr-el-Budur,
utterly exhausted with weeping, fell asleep; and, as Aladdin gazed
upon her, he saw that indeed her loveliness was rare; and, the more
he gazed, the more he thought of the unhappy fate of the Vizier's
son. Never was a man so badly treated as to be bound fast on his
wedding night and laid in a wood-cellar in deadly fear of the dreadful
apparition that had placed him there.

In the morning, while Bedr-el-Budur still slept, the Slave of the Lamp
appeared according to Aladdin's command. "O my master," he said, "the
Sultan hath left his couch and is about to knock at the door of the
bridal chamber. I am here to perform thy bidding on the instant." "So
be it," answered Aladdin. "Convey them together on the couch back to
their place." And scarcely had he spoken when the Efrite vanished and
reappeared with the Vizier's son, whom he quickly unbound and laid
upon the couch beside the sleeping Bedr-el-Budur. Then, lifting the
couch with the two upon it, he vanished, and Aladdin knew that, before
the Sultan had knocked at the door of the bridal chamber, everything
would be as it had been. Everything? No, not everything; for the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur must awake as from a terrible nightmare; and, as for the
Vizier's son, would he sing a song to the Sultan about spending the
night in the wood-closet? Aladdin pondered over this and decided that
nothing less than a repetition of the affair would wring the truth from
either of them.

At this moment the Sultan knocked at the door of the bridal chamber
in the Palace, and the Vizier's son, still cold from the wood-closet,
arose and opened to him. The Sultan advanced to the couch, and kissed
his daughter, and asked her if she was happy and content. By way of
answer she glared at him in sullen silence, for she had not forgotten,
in dreams or in waking, what had happened to her. The Sultan, not
understanding what had befallen, and feeling annoyed, turned and left
the chamber to lay the matter before the Queen, to whose ear their
daughter's tongue might the more easily be loosed. So he came to the
Queen and told her how Bedr-el-Budur had received him, concluding his
recital with the remark, "Thus it is; there is trouble behind the door
of that bridal chamber."

But the Queen smiled at his serious fears and answered him: "O my
Lord the King, thou knowest little of the heart of a woman. When it
is happiest, a trifle makes it sad; and, when it would send tears of
laughter and joy to the eyes, it sometimes turns perverse against
itself for very gladness, and sends tears of pain instead. Wherefore,
be not angry with her, but let me go and see her. She will surely
confide in me."

So saying, she arose and robed herself, and went to the bridal
chamber. At first sight of her daughter's dejected attitude and pained
expression she imagined that some lovers' quarrel over a mere trifle
had occurred; but when she kissed her, wishing her good morning, and
Bedr-el-Budur answered no word to her salutation, she began to think
that some grave trouble rested on her daughter's mind. And it was not
until she had coaxed her, and used every argument known to a mother,
that she received an answer to her questions. "Be not angry with me,
O my mother," said Bedr-el-Budur at last, raising her sad, beautiful
eyes, "but know that a terrible thing has happened,--a thing which I
hardly dare tell thee lest thou think I have lost my reason. Scarcely
had we retired, O my mother, when there suddenly appeared a huge
black shape,--terrible, horrific in aspect; and this--I know not what
nor who--lifted the couch whereon we lay and conveyed us in a flash
to some dark and vile abode of the common people." And then to her
mother's astonished ears she unfolded the tale of all that had happened
during the night till, suddenly, in the morning, she awoke to find the
monstrous shape replacing them in the bridal chamber at the moment her
father the Sultan had knocked at the door. "And that, O my mother,"
she concluded, "is why I could not answer my father, for I was so
bewildered and stricken with unhappiness that I thought that I was mad;
though, now I have thought about the affair from beginning to end, I
know that I have my wits like any other."

"Truly, O my daughter," said the Queen with great concern, "if thou
were to tell this story to thy father he would say thou wert mad.
Wherefore, I counsel thee, child, tell it to him not; neither to him
nor to any other one." "Nay, O my mother," answered Bedr-el-Budur,
"dost thou doubt me? I have told thee the plain truth, and, if thou
doubt it, ask my husband if my tale be true or not." But the Queen
replied, "Sweep these fancies from thy mind, O my daughter; and arise
and robe thyself to attend the rejoicings which this day have been
prepared in the City in thine honour. For the whole people is in glad
array, and the drums will beat and music will delight the ears of all;
and the musicians will sing thy praises and all will wish thee long
life and happiness."

Leaving Bedr-el-Budur, then, with her tirewomen, the Queen sought
the Sultan, and begged him not to be angry with their daughter, for
she had been distressed with unhappy dreams. Then she sent for the
Vizier's son to come to her secretly, and, when he stood before her,
she related to him what Bedr-el-Budur had told her, and asked him if
it were true or if he knew aught of it. "Nay," he answered, for he had
thought the matter over and feared that the truth might rob him of his
bride; besides, his acquaintance with the wood-closet seemed to him
discreditable, and he felt little inclined to boast of it. "Nay, O my
lady the Queen," said he; "I know naught of these things beyond what
thou hast told me."

From this there was no doubt left in the Queen's mind that her daughter
had suffered from a nightmare so vivid that she had been unable easily
to cast it from her. Nevertheless, she felt assured that, as the day
wore on, with its gaieties and rejoicings, Bedr-el-Budur would be
enabled to rid herself of these troublous imaginings of the night, and
resume her former self.

[Illustration: The Sultan and his Vizier looking for Aladdin's magic
Palace. Page 122]

All that day the City was thrown into a state of the utmost festivity
which the Sultan and the Queen busied themselves to augment, for to
restore their daughter's happiness was their chief concern. The Grand
Vizier, who knew only that his daughter-in-law had been troubled by
evil dreams, laid this not to his conscience in that he had persuaded
the Sultan to break his pledge, but attempted rather to mend matters by
adopting every means in his power to increase the universal gaiety. The
drums beat, and music echoed through the City. Trumpeters went forth,
fanfaring the beauty of Bedr-el-Budur; heralds proclaimed her graces
in the streets and byways; singers extolled her charms; and the heavy
burden of taxation was lifted from the people's backs for one month, so
that they might stand up for a little and see what a great man was the
Grand Vizier in the Sultan's eyes, and what a charming person his son
must be to deserve the beautiful cause of these wonderful things. As
for the Vizier's son, he ceased not to pursue all manner of gaieties,
thinking thereby to convince himself that the wood-closet was naught
but an odious dream. But all this festivity and rejoicing failed to
dispel Bedr-el-Budur's gloom. Being of a sincere nature, she could not
pretend like the Vizier's son, nor could she love him the better for
stoutly denying what was plain truth to them both.

And, as the City went about its gladness without restraint, Aladdin
strolled forth from his mother's house and viewed it all from the
point of view of one who knows. When he surveyed the delighted rabble
rejoicing over the happiness of bride and bridegroom he laughed
within himself, saying, "Little they know!" But when he heard all men
envying the great honour and distinction of the Grand Vizier's
son, and praising him in that his excellent qualities had won the
heart of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, he feared that he might die for
laughing. "Verily, ye glad people," he said within himself, "ye would
envy him to distraction if ye only knew that he would far sooner
rest in a wood-closet than on the bridal couch. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ye doubt
me? Then come and peep into the wood-closet to-night, ye rabble! and
see for yourselves what a happy bridegroom he makes of himself, the
gallows-bird that he is!"

At eventime, when the wild rejoicing of the City had fatigued itself
against replenishment by wine, Aladdin retired to his chamber and
rubbed the Lamp. Immediately the Slave appeared and desired to know
his wish. "O Slave of the Lamp," said Aladdin, "do as thou didst last
night. See to it that thou convey the bridal pair hither again as
man and maid at the eleventh hour of their innocence." The Slave of
the Lamp vanished in a moment, and Aladdin sat for a long time; yet
he was content, for he knew that the wily Efrite was but waiting his
opportunity. At length the monster reappeared before him, bearing in
his arms the bridal couch with the pair upon it, weeping and wringing
their hands in excess of grief and terror. And, at Aladdin's word
the Slave took the Vizier's son as before and put him to bed in the
wood-closet, where he remained, bound fast in an icy chill. Then
having dismissed the Efrite with injunctions to convey the pair back
in the morning as he had done the day before, Aladdin placed the
sword between Bedr-el-Budur and himself and composed himself to rest,
regardless of her weeping and restlessness; for, he said to himself,
"I am sufficiently rewarded for all my trouble. The Vizier's son hath
retired to the wood-closet. He careth not for this world's joys--the
gallows-bird! And he leaves me his bride to protect in the hour of
need. Verily he is of a trusting nature." And Aladdin slept not nor
stirred the whole night through; and it was as if Bedr-el-Budur's
sobbing and tribulation were cut off from him by the sword that lay
between them. And when it was morning, and the Sultan was about to
knock at the door of the bridal chamber in the palace, the Slave of the
Lamp appeared and conveyed the bride and the bridegroom swiftly back to
their place.

On being set down in the bridal chamber, dazed and bewildered, they
had not returned to their proper senses when the knock came at the
door. The Sultan had come to wish his daughter good-morning, and to see
also if she would behave towards him as on the former occasion. The
bridegroom arose, shivering with cold,--for he had but a moment since
left the wood-closet,--and opened the door. He made way for the Sultan,
who entered, and, approaching the couch, saluted Bedr-el-Budur with a
kiss. But, when he asked her if she was not the happiest of women, she
made no reply, but met his gaze with an angry stare. It was easy to see
that she was perfectly miserable. But the Sultan did not look at it in
that light, he saw only what he took for sullen obstinacy, and, flying
into a passion, drew his sword, saying, "By Allah! tell me what ails
thee, or thy head will not remain upon thy body."

Then Bedr-el-Budur wept and supplicated him, and told him what had
befallen on the second night as on the first, so that as she revealed
it all his pity was aroused, and he sheathed his sword. "Thy words ring
true, O my daughter!" he said. "But fear not, and be comforted; for at
this moment I am minded to set a guard on this chamber so that no such
thing may happen a third time. For the present, peace be on thee!"

The Sultan repaired immediately to the Grand Vizier and told him all;
and asked him whether he had received the same version of this matter
from his son. But the Grand Vizier shook his head in the manner of one
who might be lying and might not. "Then," said the Sultan, "go at once
and question him, for it may be that my daughter hath seen visions and
dreamed dreams; albeit, I am unable to disbelieve the truth of her
story."

So the Grand Vizier went and enquired of his son, and presently
returned to the Sultan in great perplexity of face, for his son,
whatever he had admitted before, had now confessed to everything, even
to the wood-closet. And, moreover, he had begged and implored his
father to obtain his release from this most unhappy marriage, since it
was better to be without a bride and sleep in peace than to have one
and perish with cold in a wood-closet. Thus it was with the Vizier's
son.

"O King of the Age," said the Grand Vizier, who could not see his way
to conceal the truth, "my son telleth the same tale as thy daughter,
the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Wherefore I beseech thee that thou set a guard
this night, so that----" "Nay," broke in the Sultan angrily; "it is
an unhappy marriage and bodes no good. Thou didst persuade me that my
promise to that woman in respect of her son was not binding, but these
unhappy events and ill-omened affairs make me think thou wast mistaken.
Abide not another night, for worse may happen. Go forth, O Vizier,
and proclaim the marriage annulled. Bid the people cease to rejoice,
and command all to go their own ways and comport themselves as if the
marriage had not been."

At this the Grand Vizier bowed his head and went forth exceeding wroth,
and proclaimed the annulment of the marriage to all the people. Great
was the wonder at this on every hand, for, among them all, none knew
why, save one alone; and that one was Aladdin, the Master of the Lamp
and of the Slave of the Lamp. He alone knew, and it was almost with
regret that he decided the wood-closet need have no tenant that night.

Whether the Sultan had swiftly forgotten, or tardily remembered, his
pledge, Aladdin troubled not to enquire. He waited patiently until the
three months had expired, and then sent his mother to demand of the
Sultan the fulfilment of his promise.

So it transpired that, on the day of the expiration of the term, the
Sultan saw Aladdin's mother standing in the Hall of Audience. He was
not astonished at this, for the matter of his broken or twisted pledge
had somewhat disturbed his dreams. "Behold! there she stands!" he said
to the Grand Vizier. "Bring her before me immediately." The Vizier
arose, his face like autumn leaves withered in the wind, and did as he
was bidden.

"What is thy suit?" asked the Sultan of Aladdin's mother as soon as she
stood before him. Then, when she had kissed the ground and prayed for
the prolongation of his life, she answered: "O King of all the Earth,
the three months thou didst proscribe are at an end and I have come to
ask thee to redeem thy pledge in respect of thy daughter and my son
Aladdin."

The Sultan, who had not now the bowl of jewels before him to blind his
vision, regarded her intently, and saw that she was of humble state;
then, as he turned in perplexity to the Grand Vizier, he observed that
the expression on his face was the expression of one who ponders the
laying of a stratagem and the way it should be hatched. "What is thy
thought on this, O Vizier?" he said. "My word is my word, and I regret
that thou shouldst have explained it away; yet it seems to me that this
woman is not of the kind that could mother-in-law my daughter. Hast
thou a plan which is not a trick? If thou hast, whisper it in mine ear."

The Grand Vizier was pleased to hear the Sultan appealing to his ready
wit in this way, for he was consumed with chagrin at what had befallen
his son and desired only to non-suit this woman who had out-bid him
with the jewels. So he unfolded his plan--his stratagem--his trick,
privately to the Sultan's ear. "O King of the Age," he said, "thy
pledge holds good, as ever it did; yea, as good as marriage vows.
But verily, if this common woman's son desireth thy daughter for his
wife, there should be a settlement befitting such a suit. Wherefore
ask of him forty bowls of gold filled with jewels of the same blood
and tincture as the woman brought at first, with forty female slaves
to carry them, and a fitting retinue of forty. This thing, which is a
Sultan's right to ask, it seemeth to me he cannot contrive to execute,
and thus thou shalt be free of him."

"By Allah!" said the Sultan, "thou art of ready wit, O Vizier! Truly a
marriage settlement is needed." Then, turning to Aladdin's mother, he
said: "O woman! know that when one asketh the daughter of the Sultan
one must have standing, for so it is in royal circles; and, to prove
that standing, the suitor must show that he is able to provide for the
Sultan's daughter and keep her in that state to which she has been
accustomed. Wherefore he must bring to me forty golden bowls filled
with jewels such as thou didst bring, with forty beautiful female
slaves to carry them and forty black slaves as a retinue. Coming like
this, thy son may claim my daughter, for the Sultan's word is the
Sultan's word."

A sad woman then was Aladdin's mother. She returned to her son sick at
heart, saying with herself, "Forty bowls of jewels, with forty maids
and forty black slaves! How can my son do this? Better he had not
entered on this affair!" Then, with bitterness, she added, "The Sultan
asketh far too little: forty _five_ bowls with forty _five_ maids
and forty _five_ slaves and a palace to boot! Oh! what a thing it is
to live up to such a demand as I have made." Thinking like this she
found her son and spoke sorrowfully to him. "O my son," she exclaimed,
weeping, "said I not to thee that the Grand Vizier was thine enemy? The
Sultan remembered his pledge, but the Vizier--may his bones rot!--spake
in his ear, and the outcome is this: forty golden bowls of jewels,
forty female slaves to carry them, and forty slaves as an escort. With
this dowry, O my son, thou mayest approach the Sultan and claim his
daughter as thy bride."

Loudly Aladdin laughed to scorn. "O my mother," he said; "is this all
the Sultan requireth? The Grand Vizier--may his bones rot as thou
sayest!--hath proposed what he imagines an impossible thing; but it is
not at all impossible. Now, mother, set some food before me, and, when
I have eaten, I will tell thee."

And when his mother had brought him food, and he had eaten, he arose
and went into his chamber. There he brought out the Lamp, and, sitting
down, he rubbed it. Immediately the Slave appeared. "What is thy
wish, O my master?" "Lo, O Slave of the Lamp, know that the Sultan
hath promised me his daughter, but, repenting him of his promise, he
hath required of me what he thinketh a dowry impossible for anyone to
compass: forty golden bowls of rare and splendid jewels, carried by
forty maids, with an escort of forty slaves. Therefore I desire all
these things of thee." "I obey!" said the Efrite, and vanished.

In less than an hour he returned and led before Aladdin forty beautiful
maidens, each carrying a golden bowl of jewels on her head, and each
accompanied by a magnificent black slave. And when Aladdin's mother saw
this array she knew that it was done by the Lamp, and she blessed it
for her son's sake. Then said Aladdin, "O my mother, behold, the dowry
is ready according to the Sultan's requirement. It is for thee to take
it to him, to shew him what is in my power, and also that no time hath
been lost in complying with his request."

Then the maids, with the golden bowls of precious stones, arrayed
themselves in the street outside the house, and by each maid stood a
slave. Thus, led by Aladdin's mother, they proceeded to the Sultan's
Palace; and the people crowded in the streets to see this unwonted
sight, for the maids were richly dressed, and all, with the sun
shining on their raiment and flashing in the jewels they bore, made a
magnificent spectacle. Never had the people seen such jewels, never
such beauteous damsels, never such magnificent slaves. A cortège like
this was a wonder beyond the reach of kings. But Aladdin's mother
headed the procession unmindful of their shouts of acclamation, for she
well knew that she was going before the Sultan in a manner and with a
gift that would take his breath away.

[Illustration: The Nuptial Dance of Aladdin and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur.
Page 130]

When they reached the Palace gates the wonder of the people spread
to the soldiers and the guards, who, after a moment of speechless
admiration, found tongue to say to one another, "Does this earth
contain such splendid jewels? And are there such radiant maidens even
in the Fragrant Paradise?" And amazement gat hold of them, and their
hearts leapt in their breasts, so that not one amongst them could ever
think to become an anchorite, or hope to call one grandson. And so it
was with the commanding officers, the chamberlains, the officials of
the Palace and the grandees and nobles there assembled; they were all
cast into the depths of wonder, and the whole place effervesced and
simmered with an excitement it had never known before.

Thus, in due course, came Aladdin's mother before the Sultan, leading
the cortège into the Audience Hall. And so they stood before him, a
magnificent array, before whose dazzle and splendour the richness of
the place, the nobles and grandees with their costly robes, even the
Sultan himself and the throne whereon he sat, all seemed poor and
common by comparison. The maidens took the bowls of jewels from their
heads and set them on the ground. Then they made obeisance, they and
the slaves prostrating themselves before the Sultan; and, having done
this, they all arose and stood before him in humble reverence. And,
when the Sultan's gaze at last left the beauteous damsels and fell upon
the bowls of jewels at their feet, he was beside himself with wonder
and admiration; and he was the more amazed that surpassing wealth in
this form could be brought before him in the short space of one hour.
For some moments he was speechless; then, when he found words,
he commanded that the whole cortège should present itself, with the
jewels, to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur in her Palace. So, in due order and
with perfect grace of movement, the damsels took up their precious
burdens; and thus, escorted by the slaves, and led by Aladdin's mother,
they went in to the Sultan's daughter. While they were laying this
dowry before her, Aladdin's mother returned to the Sultan and spoke
with him. "O King of the Age," she said, "'tis but a mere trifle, and
scarcely worthy of the priceless rarity of thy fair daughter."

"What sayest thou?" said the Sultan, addressing the Grand Vizier. "He
who can control such wealth is surely worthy of my daughter." But the
wily Vizier, who had twice persuaded the Sultan, and had twice been
beaten, was minded to chance a third attempt, for he could not bear to
see the Lady Bedr-el-Budur pass to Aladdin without a struggle. "O my
Lord," he said, green with envy, "rich though these things be, thinkest
thou they are worth one single curl of thy daughter's head? Thou art
the King of Earth, and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur is thy daughter: this
gift is not worthy of her."

"Perchance that is why thy son feared to bring the like lest I should
be displeased," returned the Sultan sharply, for he saw that the Grand
Vizier was envious to excess. Then he added to Aladdin's mother: "Tell
thy son he need fear not but that I shall keep my promise; but bid him
come hither to me with all haste, so that I may look upon his face and
accept him as my son-in-law; for the marriage shall be this very night."

Aladdin's mother flushed red with joy--redder than she had ever known
as a girl. The Grand Vizier turned white with rage--whiter than his
false heart had ever been, even when a boy. After a dagger-thrust of
glances between them, Aladdin's mother made obeisance to the Sultan and
thanked him. Then, with contempt for the Grand Vizier written plainly
on her face, she withdrew, and returned home, walking on the air.

As soon as she was gone the Sultan dismissed the audience and repaired
to his daughter's palace, where he found Bedr-el-Budur examining the
jewels in a state of the utmost delight, and singing a song of their
wondrous beauty. Then, when the Sultan told her that they came from her
new bridegroom, she clapped her hands with joy and demanded to know
what he was like, and where was his splendid kingdom. "I know not,"
said the Sultan in answer, "but he cometh to me shortly, and then he
will reveal to me his state. Meanwhile, O my daughter, do thou regard
him in the sparkling light of these wondrous jewels, and know that,
while he regardeth them as not worth thy little finger, his love for
thee must be great."

Now Aladdin, when he saw his mother returning swift-footed and on wings
of joy, knew that good tidings came with her. But, before he could
speak, his mother burst in upon him and embraced him, crying, "O my
son! thy heart's wish is fulfilled. This very night thou art to wed
the Sultan's daughter, and so it is proclaimed before all the world."
Then did Aladdin rejoice that his expectations were fulfilled, and was
continuing to rejoice when his mother addressed him suddenly. "Nay,"
she said, "I have not told thee all. The Sultan bids thee go to him
immediately, for he desires to see his son-in-law. But how shalt thou
approach the Sultan in thy merchant's garments? However, I have done
all I can for thee, and it is now thine own affair."

So saying, she withdrew to rest a little, and Aladdin, having blessed
her, retired to his chamber and brought forth the Lamp. With a set
purpose in his mind, he rubbed it, and at once the Slave appeared.
"Thou knowest me: what is thy desire?" "I wish," answered Aladdin,
"that thou take me to a bath which hath no equal in all the kingdoms,
and provide me there with a change of raiment of resplendent glory,
richer than any the Sultan has ever worn."

No sooner had he spoken than the Efrite bore him away in his arms, and
deposited him in a bath the like of which no King could compass nor any
man describe. Everything was there which delighted the eye, and not the
least of the wonders of this splendid bath was a hall whose walls were
encrusted with jewels. Seeing there was no one in attendance, Aladdin
clapped his hands, and immediately came slaves to wait upon him. And
one with marvellous strength and dexterity of hand washed him and
manipulated his limbs until he was altogether refreshed. Then he sought
the jewelled hall and found there, in place of his merchant's garb, a
set of robes that exceeded all imagination. These he put on, and smiled
to himself as if he looked down on kings; for, indeed, the robes were
more than royal. And, when he had drunk the sherbets and the coffee
which the slaves brought him, he submitted to the completion of his
dress by delicate unguents and perfumes, and then went forth. At the
door of the bath, he was met by the Efrite in waiting, who took up and
bore him in a flash to his home.

"Hast thou still some further need?" asked the Slave of the Lamp,
about to vanish. "Yea," replied Aladdin. "Bring me here a Chief of
Memluks with forty-eight in his train--twenty-four to precede me and
twenty-four to follow after; and see that they have splendid horses
and equipments, so that not even the greatest in the world can say,
'This is inferior to mine.' For myself I want a stallion such as
cannot be equalled among the Arabs, and his housings must be for value
such as one could purchase only in dreams. And to each memluk give a
thousand gold pieces, and to the Chief Memluk ten thousand; for we go
to the Sultan's palace and would scatter largesse on the way. Wait!
Also twelve maidens of unequalled grace and loveliness in person to
attire and accompany my mother to the Sultan's presence. And look you!
whatever of grace and beauty is lacking in my person supply it to me on
my natural plan of being. See to it, O Slave of the Lamp!"

"It is already done," said the Slave of the Lamp; and, vanishing on the
instant, he reappeared at once at the doorway of the house, leading a
noble white stallion gorgeously equipped, while behind came the twelve
damsels and forty-nine memluks on magnificent chargers. The damsels
were bearing rich stuffs in their arms; so Aladdin, guessing that these
were the robes for his mother, led them in to her that she might be
arrayed in a manner befitting the mother-in-law of a Princess. Then he
sent the Chief Memluk post haste to the Palace to announce his speedy
arrival. The memluk rode like the wind, and soon returned at full
gallop, saying as he drew rein, "O my lord, the Sultan expecteth thee
every moment."

Then Aladdin, having seen that the maidens had properly arrayed his
mother, mounted his steed and set out for the Palace with memluks
before and behind him, and his mother following, supported by the
maidens. It was a brave cavalcade that proceeded through the streets,
and the people watched it in amazement. "Is not this the tailor's son?"
said one to another. "Yea, we all thought so," was the reply; "but it
seems we have never known the truth." For, when they saw Aladdin's
courtly grace, enhanced as it was by the Slave of the Lamp, and beheld
his memluks scattering gold, they said among themselves that he was the
son of a potent king of far lands, and had been placed in the tailor's
care; for see! his foster mother, magnificently robed, was following.
Little did they think--for Aladdin's mother had not gossiped--that all
this ravishing splendour was of the Lamp, which could work wonders
for whosoever possessed it. And the cavalcade filed onwards amid the
acclamations and blessings of the people, until the Palace was reached.
And all the way they ceased not to distribute largesse to the people.

Now, when the Sultan had received word that Aladdin was coming, he
informed his nobles and grandees of the meaning of this thing; so that,
when Aladdin arrived, there was a vast concourse of people, and all the
stateliest of the land were there awaiting his entry. And, as he rode
in at the gates, he was received not only by the greatest personages
of the Sultan's realm, but also by officials high and low, who did him
homage and extolled him. There was no office too small to be performed
for him--no word of welcome too great to greet him. As the sun rises in
glory upon a waiting world, so came Aladdin to the Palace. At the door
of the Hall of Audience he dismounted, while hands held his stirrup
that had never performed such an office before.

The Sultan was seated on his throne, and, immediately he saw Aladdin,
he arose and descended and took him to his breast, forbidding all
ceremony on so great an occasion. Then he led him up affectionately,
and placed him on his right hand. In all this Aladdin forgot not the
respect due to kings. Forbidden to be too humble, he was not too lofty
in his bearing. He spoke:

"O my Lord the Sultan! King of the Earth and Heaven's Dispenser of all
Good! Truly thou hast treated me graciously in bestowing upon me thy
daughter the Lady Bedr-el-Budur. Know, O King, that when I consider her
grace and loveliness, which cometh from thee, I feel unworthy, like
one of the meanest slaves. Yet, since thou hast so honoured me of thy
Felicity, I cannot bring to thy feet a slave's humility, for, by the
gift of this lovely lady, thy daughter, thou hast raised me above my
fellows beneath thy sheltering wing. Wherefore, while my tongue knoweth
no words to thank and extol thee for the magnitude of thy favour, it
can still pray fervently for the prolongation of thy life. O King of
the Age! be gracious and hear me yet further, for I have a request to
make. Wilt thou grant me a site whereon to build a palace, unworthy as
it may prove, for the comfort and happiness of thy daughter, the Lady
Bedr-el-Budur?"

Now, while Aladdin was thus speaking with courtly grace and diction,
the Sultan's attention was divided between his ears and eyes. While
listening to Aladdin's words he was noting his more than princely
raiment, his beauty and perfection of form, his magnificent retinue
of memluks, and the royal richness of everything that appertained to
him--all following his lordly wake without compulsion, as though it
were natural from long custom so to do. And he was bewildered, and
wondered greatly that this son of a thousand kings should have been
heralded by a woman of the people, saying, forsooth, she was his
mother. And, while he was wondering, Aladdin's mother approached,
apparelled in robes more costly than any in his own Queen's wardrobe,
and supported humbly and decorously by her twelve maidens of surpassing
loveliness. At this, while the Grand Vizier came nigh to death with
envy, the Sultan on a sudden turned to Aladdin and embraced and kissed
him, saying, "My son! My son! How hast thou hid from me so long?"

Then the Sultan conversed with Aladdin and was greatly charmed with his
courtliness and eloquence. Anon he ordered the musicians to play, and
together they listened to the music in the utmost content. Finally he
arose, and, taking Aladdin by the hand, led him forth into the Palace
banqueting hall, where a splendid supper was awaiting them with the
lords of the land standing ready in their proper order of degree. Yet
above them all sat Aladdin, for he was at the Sultan's right hand. And,
while they ate, the music played and a merry wit prevailed; and the
Sultan drew nearer to Aladdin in their talk, and saw, from his grace,
his manner of speech, and his complaisance, that indeed he must have
been brought up and nurtured among kings. Then, while they conversed,
the Sultan's heart went out with joy and satisfaction to Aladdin,
and the whole assemblage saw that it was not as it had been with the
Vizier's son.

The Grand Vizier himself would have retired early had it not been that
his presence was required for the marriage ceremony. As soon as the
banquet was over and the tables cleared away, the Sultan commanded the
Vizier to summon the Kadis and the witnesses, and thus the contract
between Aladdin and the Lady Bedr-el-Budur was duly executed. Then,
without a warning word, Aladdin arose to depart. "Wherefore, O
my son?" said the Sultan. "Thy wedding is duly contracted and the
festivities are about to begin."

"Yea, O my lord the King," replied Aladdin; "and none rejoiceth at that
more than I; but, if it please thee, it is my thought to build a palace
for the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; and if my love and longing for her be
anything, thou mayest rest assured that it will be completed so quickly
as to amaze thee." At this the Grand Vizier tugged the Sultan's sleeve,
but received no attention. "It is well," said the Sultan to Aladdin;
"choose what site seemeth best to thee and follow thine own heart in
the matter. See! this open space by my palace! What thinkest thou, my
son?" "O King," replied Aladdin, "I cannot thank thee enough, for it is
the summit of my felicity to be near thee."

Then Aladdin left the Palace in the same royal manner as he had
approached it, with his memluks preceding and following; and again
the people praised and blessed him as he passed. When he reached his
house he left all other affairs in the hands of his Chief Memluk with
certain instructions, and went into his chamber. There he took the
Lamp and rubbed it. The Slave appeared on the instant and desired to
know his pleasure. "O Slave," answered Aladdin, "I have a great task
for thee. I desire thee to build for me in all haste a palace on the
open space near the Sultan's Serai,--a palace of magnificent design
and construction, and filled with rare and costly things. And let it
be inc

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