Volume 8 — HASAN OF BASSORAH.[5] (continued 3)

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Sixth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman said to Hasan, “Indeed thy wife is in the Seventh Island,^[126] the greatest amongst the Islands of Wak and betwixt 89us and it is a seven-months’ journey. From here we fare for the Land of Birds, whereon for the force of their flying and the flapping of their wings, we cannot hear one other speak. Over that country we journey night and day, eleven days, after which we come forth of it to another called the Land of Ferals where, for stress of roaring of lions and howling of wolves and laughing of hyænas and the crying of other beasts of prey we shall hear naught, and therein we travel twenty days’ journey. Then we issue therefrom and come to a third country, called the Land of the Jánn, where, for stress of the crying of the Jinn and the flaming of fires and the flight of sparks and smoke from their mouths and the noise of their groaning and their arrogance in blocking up the road before us, our ears will be deafened and our eyes blinded, so that we shall neither hear nor see, nor dare any look behind him, or he perisheth: but there horseman boweth head on saddle-bow and raiseth it not for three days. After this, we abut upon a mighty mountain and a running river contiguous with the Isles of Wak, which are seven in number and the extent whereof is a whole year’s journey for a well-girt horseman. And thou must know, O my son, that these troops are all virgin girls, and that the ruler over us is a woman of the Archipelago of Wak. On the bank of the river aforesaid is another mountain, called Mount Wak, and it is thus named by reason of a tree which beareth fruits like heads of the Sons of Adam.^[127] When the sun riseth on them, the heads cry out all, saying in their cries:—Wak! Wak! Glory be to the Creating King, Al-Khallák! And when we hear their crying, we know that the sun is risen. In like manner, at sundown, the heads set up the same cry, Wak! Wak! Glory to Al-Khallak! and so we know that the sun hath set. No man may abide with us or reach to us or tread our earth; and betwixt us and the abiding-place of the Queen who ruleth over us is a month’s journey from this shore, all the lieges 90whereof are under her hand, as are also the tribes of the Jinn, Marids and Satans, while of the warlocks none kenneth the number save He who created them. Wherefore, an thou be afraid, I will send with thee one who will convey thee to the coast and there bring one who will embark thee on board a ship that bear thee to thine own land. But an thou be content to tarry with us, I will not forbid thee and thou shalt be with me in mine eye,^[128] till thou win thy wish, Inshallah!” Quoth he, “O my lady, I will never quit thee till I foregather with my wife or lose my life!”; and quoth she, “This is a light matter; be of good heart, for soon shalt thou come to thy desire, Allah willing; and there is no help but that I let the Queen know of thee, that she may help thee to attain thine aim.” Hasan blessed her and kissed her head and hands, thanking her for her good deed and exceeding kindness and firm will. Then he set out with her, pondering the issue of his case and the horrors of his strangerhood; wherefore he fell a-weeping and a-wailing and recited these couplets:—

A Zephyr bloweth from the lover’s site; ✿ And thou canst view me in the saddest plight:

The Night of Union is as brilliant morn; ✿ And black the Severance-day as blackest night:

Farewelling friend is sorrow sorest sore ✿ Parting from lover’s merest undelight.

I will not blame her harshness save to her, ✿ And ’mid mankind nor friend nor fere I sight:

How can I be consoled for loss of you? ✿ Base censor’s blame shall not console my sprite!

O thou in charms unique, unique’s my love; ✿ O peerless thou, my heart hath peerless might!

Who maketh semblance that he loveth you ✿ And dreadeth blame is most blame-worthy wight.

Then the old woman bade beat the kettle-drums for departure and the army set out. Hasan fared with her, drowned in the sea of solicitude and reciting verses like those above, whilst she strave to comfort him and exhorted him to patience; but he awoke not from his tristesse and heeded not her exhortations. They journeyed thus till they came to the boundaries of the Land of Birds^[129] and 91when they entered it, it seemed to Hasan as if the world were turned topsy-turvy for the exceeding clamour. His head ached and his mind was dazed, his eyes were blinded and his ears deafened, and he feared with exceeding fear and made certain of death, saying to himself, “If this be the Land of Birds, how will be the Land of Beasts?” But, when the crone hight Shawahi saw him in this plight, she laughed at him, saying, “O my son, if this be thy case in the first island, how will it fare with thee, when thou comest to the others?” So he prayed to Allah and humbled himself before the Lord, beseeching Him to assist him against that wherewith He had afflicted him and bring him to his wishes; and they ceased not going till they passed out of the Land of Birds and, traversing the Land of Beasts, came to the Land of the Jann which when Hasan saw, he was sore affrighted and repented him of having entered it with them. But he sought aid of Allah the Most High and fared on with them, till they were quit of the Land of the Jann and came to the river and set down their loads at the foot of a vast mountain and a lofty, and pitched their tents by the stream-bank. Then they rested and ate and drank and slept in security, for they were come to their own country. On the morrow the old woman set Hasan a couch of alabaster, inlaid with pearls and jewels and nuggets of red gold, by the river-side, and he sat down thereon, having first bound his face with a chin-kerchief, that discovered naught of him but his eyes. Then she bade proclaim among the troops that they should all assemble before her tent and put off their clothes and go down into the stream and wash; and this she did that she might parade before him all the girls, so haply his wife should be amongst them and he know her. So the whole army mustered before her and putting off their clothes, went down into the stream, and Hasan seated on his couch watched them washing their white skins and frolicking and making merry, whilst they took no heed of his inspecting them, deeming him to be of the daughters of the Kings. When he beheld them stripped of their clothes, his chord stiffened for that looking at them mother-naked he saw what was between their thighs, and that of all kinds, soft and rounded, plump and cushioned; large-lipped, perfect, redundant and ample,^[130] and their faces were as moons and their hair 92as night upon day, for that they were of the daughters of the Kings. When they were clean, they came up out of the water, stark naked, as the moon on the night of fullness and the old woman questioned Hasan of them, company by company, if his wife were among them; but, as often as she asked him of a troop, he made answer, “She is not among these, O my lady.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Seventh Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman questioned Hasan of the girls, company after company, if haply his wife were among them; but as often as she asked him of a troop, he made answer, “She is not among these, O my lady!” Last of all, there came up a damsel, attended by ten slave-girls and thirty waiting-women, all of them high-bosomed maidens. They put off their clothes and went down into the river, where the damsel fell to riding the high horse over her women, throwing them down and ducking them. On this wise she continued for a full hour, after which all came up out of the water and sat down; and they brought her napkins^[131] of gold-purfled silk, with which she dried herself. Then they brought her clothes and jewels and ornaments of the handiwork of the Jinn, and she donned them and rose and walked with graceful pace among the troops, she and her maidens. When Hasan saw her, his heart was ready to fly from his breast and he said, “Verily this girl is the likest of all folk to the bird I saw in the basin atop of the palace of my sisters the Princesses, and she lorded it over her lieges even as doth this one.” The old woman asked, “O Hasan, is this thy wife?”; and he answered, “No, by thy life, O my lady; this is not my wife, nor ever in my life have I set eyes on her; neither among all the girls I have seen in these islands is there the like of my wife nor her match for symmetry and grace and beauty and loveliness!” Then said Shawaki, “Describe her to me and acquaint me with all her attributes, that I may have her in my mind; for I know every girl in the Islands of Wak, being 93commander of the army of maids and governor over them; wherefore, an thou describe her to me, I shall know her and will contrive for thee to take her.” Quoth he, “My wife hath the fairest face and a form all grace; smooth is she of cheeks and high of breasts with eyes of liquid light, calves and thighs plump to sight, teeth snowy white, with dulcet speech dight; in speech soft and bland as she were a willow-wand; her gifts are a moral and lips are red as coral; her eyes wear natural Kohl-dye and her lower labia^[132] in softness lie. On her right cheek is a mole and on her waist, under her navel, is a sign; her face shines as the rondure of the moon in sheen, her waist is slight, her hips a heavy weight, and the water of her mouth the sick doth heal, as it were Kausar or Salsabil.”^[133] Said the old woman, “Give me an increased account of her, Allah increase thee of passion for her!” Quoth he, “My wife hath a face the fairest fair and oval cheeks the rarest rare; neck long and spare and eyes that Kohl wear; her side face shows the Anemones of Nu’uman, her mouth is like a seal of cornelian and flashing teeth that lure and stand one in stead of cup and ewer. She is cast in the mould of pleasantness and between her thighs is the throne of the Caliphate, there is no such sanctuary among the Holy Places; as saith in its praise the poet:—

The name of what drave me distraught ✿ Hath letters renowned among men:

A four into five multiplied ✿ And a multiplied six into ten.”^[134]

94Then Hasan wept and chanted the following Mawwál^[135]:—

O heart, an lover false thee, shun the parting bane ✿ Nor to forgetfulness thy thoughts constrain:

Be patient; thou shalt bury all thy foes; ✿ Allah ne’er falseth man of patience fain.

And this also:—

An wouldst be life-long safe, vaunt not delight; ✿ Never despair, nor wone o’erjoyed in sprite!

Forbear, rejoice not, mourn not o’er thy plight ✿ And in ill day “Have not we oped?”—recite.^[136]

Thereupon the old woman bowed her head groundwards awhile, then, raising it, said, “Laud be to the Lord, the Mighty of Award! Indeed I am afflicted with thee, O Hasan! Would Heaven I had never known thee! This woman, whom thou describest to me as thy wife, I know by description and I know her to be none other than the eldest daughter of the Supreme King, she who ruleth over all the Islands of Wak. So open both eyes and consider thy case; and if thou be asleep, awake; for, if this woman be indeed thy wife, it is impossible for thee ever to obtain her, and though thou come to her, yet couldst thou not avail to her possession, since between thee and her the distance is as that between earth and Heaven. Wherefore, O my son, return presently and cast not thyself into destruction nor cast me with thee; for meseemeth thou hast no lot in her; so return whence thou camest lest our lives be lost.” And she feared for herself and for him. When Hasan heard her words, he wept till he fainted and she left not sprinkling water on his face, till he came to himself, when he continued to weep, so that he drenched his dress with tears, for the much cark and care and chagrin which 95betided him by reason of her words. And indeed he despaired of life and said to the old woman, “O my lady, and how shall I go back, after having come hither? Verily, I thought not thou wouldst forsake me nor fail of the winning of my wish, especially as thou art the Commander-in-chief of the army of the girls.” Answered Shawahi, “O my son, I doubted not but thy wife was a maid of the maids, and had I known she was the King’s daughter, I had not suffered thee to come hither nor had I shown the troops to thee, for all the love I bear thee. But now, O my son, thou hast seen all the girls naked; so tell me which of them pleaseth thee and I will give her to thee, in lieu of thy wife, and do thou put it that thy wife and children are dead and take her and return to thine own country in safety, ere thou fall into the King’s hand and I have no means of delivering thee. So, Allah upon thee, O my son, hearken unto me. Choose thyself one of these damsels, in the stead of yonder woman, and return presently to thy country in safety and cause me not quaff the cup of thine anguish! For, by Allah, thou hast cast thyself into affliction sore and peril galore, wherefrom none may avail to deliver thee evermore!” But Hasan hung down his head and wept with long weeping and recited these couplets:—

“Blame not!” said I to all who blamèd me; ✿ “Mine eyelids naught but tears were made to dree:”

The tears that brim these orbs have overflowed ✿ My cheeks, for lovers and love’s cruelty.

Leave me to love though waste this form of me! ✿ For I of Love adore the insanity:

And, Oh my dearling, passion grows on me ✿ For you—and you, why grudge me clemency?

You wronged me after swearing troth and plight, ✿ Falsed my companionship and turned to flee:

And cup of humbling for your rigours sore ✿ Ye made me drain what day departed ye:

Then melt, O heart, with longing for their sight ✿ And, O mine eyes, with crowns of tears be dight.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old woman said to Hasan, “By Allah, O my son, hearken to 96my words! Choose thee one of these girls in lieu of thy wife and presently return to thy country in safety,” he hung down his head and recited the couplets quoted above. Then he wept till he swooned away and Shawahi sprinkled water on his face till he revived, when she addressed him, “O my lord, I have no shift left; because if I carry thee to the city thy life is lost and mine also: for, when the Queen cometh to know of this, she will blame me for admitting thee into her lands and islands, whereto none of Adam’s sons hath access, and will slay me for bringing thee with me and for suffering mortal to look upon the virgins seen by thee in the sea, whom ne’er touched male, neither approached mate.” And Hasan sware that he had never looked on them with evil of eye. She resumed, “O my son, hearken to me and return to thy country and I will give thee wealth and treasures and things of price, such as shall suffice thee for all the women in the world. Moreover, I will give thee a girl of the best of them, so lend an ear to my words and return presently and imperil not thyself; indeed I counsel thee with good counsel.” But he wept and rubbed both cheeks against her feet, saying, “O my lady and mistress and coolth of mine eyes, how can I turn back now that I have made my way hither, without the sight of those I desire, and now that I have come near the beloved’s site, hoping for meeting forthright, so haply there may be a portion in reunion to my plight?” And he improvised these couplets:—

O Kings of beauty, grace to prisoner ta’en ✿ Of eyelids fit to rule the Chosroës’ reign:

Ye pass the wafts of musk in perfumed breath; ✿ Your cheeks the charms of blooming rose disdain.

The softest Zephyr breathes where pitch ye camp ✿ And thence far-scattered sweetness fills the plain:

Censor of me, leave blame and stint advice! ✿ Thou bringest wearying words and wisdom vain:

Why heat my passion with this flame and up- ✿ braid me when naught thou knowest of its bane?

Captured me eyes with passion maladifs, ✿ And overthrew me with Love’s might and main:

I scatter tears the while I scatter verse; ✿ You are my theme for rhyme and prosy strain.

Melted my vitals glow of rosy cheeks ✿ And in the Lazá-lowe my heart is lain:

Tell me, an I leave to discourse of you, ✿ What speech my breast shall broaden? Tell me deign!

Life-long I loved the lovelings fair, but ah, ✿ To grant my wish eke Allah must be fain!

97Hearing his verses the old woman was moved to ruth for him and Allah planted the seed of affection for him in her heart; so coming up to him she consoled him, saying, “Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear and put away trouble from thy thought, for, by Allah, I will venture my life with thee, till thou attain thine aim or death undo me!” With this, Hasan’s heart was comforted and his bosom broadened and he sat talking with the old woman till the end of the day, when all the girls dispersed, some entering their town-mansions and others nighting in the tents. Then the old woman carried him into the city and lodged him in a place apart, lest any should come to know of him and tell the Queen of him and she should slay him and slay her who had brought him thither. Moreover, she served him herself and strave to put him in fear of the awful majesty of the Supreme King, his wife’s father; whilst he wept before her and said, “O my lady, I choose death for myself and loathe this worldly life, if I foregather not with my wife and children: I have set my existence on the venture and will either attain my aim or die.” So the old woman fell to pondering the means of bringing him and his wife together and casting about how to do in the case of this unhappy one, who had thrown himself into destruction and would not be diverted from his purpose by fear or aught else; for, indeed he recked not of his life and the sayer of bywords saith, “Lover in nowise hearkeneth he to the speech of the man who is fancy-free.” Now the name of the Queen of the island wherein they were was Núr al-Hudà,^[137] eldest daughter of the Supreme King, and she had six virgin sisters, abiding with their father, whose capital and court were in the chief city of that region and who had made her ruler over all the lands and islands of Wak. So when the ancient dame saw Hasan on fire with yearning after his wife and children, she rose up and repaired to the palace and going in to Queen Nur al-Huda kissed ground before her; for she had a claim on her favour because she had reared the King’s daughters one and all and had authority over each and every of them and was high in honour and consideration with them and with the King. Nur al-Huda rose to her as she entered and embracing her, seated her by her side and asked her of her journey. She answered, “By Allah, O my lady ’twas a blessed journey and I have 98brought thee a gift which I will presently present to thee,” adding, “O my daughter, O Queen of the Age and the time, I have a favour to crave of thee and I fain would discover it to thee, that thou mayst help me to accomplish it, and but for my confidence that thou wilt not gainsay me therein, I would not expose it to thee.” Asked the Queen, “And what is thy need? Expound it to me, and I will accomplish it to thee, for I and my kingdom and troops are all at thy commandment and disposition.” Therewithal the old woman quivered as quivereth the reed on a day when the storm-wind is abroad and saying in herself, “O^[138] Protector, protect me from the Queen’s mischief^[139]!” fell down before her and acquainted her with Hasan’s case, saying, “O my lady, a man, who had hidden himself under my wooden settle on the sea-shore, sought my protection; so I took him under my safeguard and carried him with me among the army of girls armed and accoutred so that none might know him, and brought him into the city; and indeed I have striven to affright him with thy fierceness, giving him to know of thy power and prowess; but, as often as I threatened him, he weepeth and reciteth verses and sayeth:—Needs must I have my wife and children or die, and I will not return to my country without them. And indeed he hath adventured himself and come to the Islands of Wak, and never in all my days saw I mortal heartier of heart than he or doughtier of derring-do, save that love hath mastered him to the utmost of mastery.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Ninth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old woman related to Queen Nur al-Huda the adventure of Hasan, ending with, “Never I saw any one heartier of heart than he save that love hath mastered him to the utmost of mastery,” the Queen, after lending an attentive ear and comprehending the case, waxed wroth at her with exceeding wrath and bowed her head awhile groundwards; then, raising it, she looked at Shawahi 99and said to her, “O ill-omened beldam, art thou come to such a pass of lewdness that thou carriest males, men, with thee into the Islands of Wak and bringest them into me, unfearing of my mischief? Who hath foregone thee with this fashion, that thou shouldst do thus? By the head of the King, but for thy claim on me for fosterage and service, I would forthwith do both him and thee to die the foulest of deaths, that travellers might take warning by thee, O accursed, lest any other do the like of this outrageous deed thou hast done, which none durst hitherto! But go and bring him hither forthright, that I may see him; or I will strike off thy head, O accursed.” So the old woman went out from her, confounded unknowing whither she went and saying, “All this calamity hath Allah driven upon me from this Queen because of Hasan!” and going in to him, said, “Rise, speak with the Queen, O wight whose last hour is at hand!” So he rose and went with her, whilst his tongue ceased not to call upon Almighty Allah and say, “O my God, be gracious to me in Thy decrees and deliver me from this Thine affliction^[140]!” And Shawahi went with him charging him by the way how he should speak with the Queen. When he stood before Nur al-Huda, he found that she had donned the chin-veil^[141]; so he kissed ground before her and saluted her with the salam, improvising these two couplets:—

“God make thy glory last in joy of life: ✿ Allah confirm the boons he deigned bestow:

Thy grace and grandeur may our Lord increase ✿ And aye Th’ Almighty aid thee o’er thy foe!”

When he ended his verse Nur al-Huda bade the old woman ask him questions before her, that she might hear his answers: so she said to him, “The Queen returneth thy salam-greeting and saith to thee, What is thy name and that of thy country, and what are the names of thy wife and children, on whose account thou art come hither?” Quoth he, and indeed he had made firm his heart and destiny aided him, “O Queen of the age and tide and peerless jewel of the epoch and the time, my name is Hasan the fulfilled 100of sorrow, and my native city is Bassorah. I know not the name of my wife^[142] but my children’s names are Násir and Mansúr.” When the Queen heard his reply and his provenance, she bespoke him herself and said, “And whence took she her children?” He replied, “O Queen, she took them from the city of Baghdad and the palace of the Caliphate.” Quoth Nur al-Huda, “And did she say naught to thee at the time she flew away?;” and quoth he, “Yes; she said to my mother:—Whenas thy son cometh to thee and the nights of severance upon him longsome shall be and he craveth meeting and reunion to see, and whenas the breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully let him come in the Islands of Wak to me.” Whereupon Queen Nur al-Huda shook her head and said to him. “Had she not desired thee she had not said to thy mother this say, and had she not yearned for reunion with thee, never had she bidden thee to her stead nor acquainted thee with her abiding-place.” Rejoined Hasan, “O mistress of Kings and asylum of prince and pauper, whatso happened I have told thee and have concealed naught thereof, and I take refuge from evil with Allah and with thee; wherefore oppress me not, but have compassion on me and earn recompense and requital for me in the world to come, and aid me to regain my wife and children. Grant me my urgent need and cool mine eyes with my children and help me to the sight of them.” Then he wept and wailed and lamenting his lot recited these two couplets:—

Yea, I will laud thee while the ring-dove moans, ✿ Though fail my wish of due and lawful scope:

Ne’er was I whirled in bliss and joys gone by ✿ Wherein I found thee not both root and rope.^[143]

The Queen shook her head and bowed it in thought a long time; then, raising it, she said to Hasan (and indeed she was wroth), “I have ruth on thee and am resolved to show thee in review all the girls in the city and in the provinces of my island; and in case thou know thy wife, I will deliver her to thee; but, an thou know her not and know not her place, I will put thee to death and 101crucify thee over the old woman’s door.” Replied Hasan, “I accept this from thee, O Queen of the Age, and am content to submit to this thy condition. There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!” And he recited these couplets:—

You’ve roused my desire and remain at rest,— ✿ Waked my wounded lids while you slept with zest.

And ye made me a vow ye would not hang back ✿ But your guile when you chained me waxt manifest.

I loved you in childhood unknowing Love; ✿ Then slay me not who am sore opprest.

Fear ye not from Allah when slaying a friend ✿ Who gazeth on stars when folk sleep their best?

By Allah, my kinsmen, indite on my tomb ✿ “This man was the slave of Love’s harshest hest!”

Haps a noble youth, like me Love’s own thrall, ✿ When he sees my grave on my name shall call.

Then Queen Nur al-Huda commanded that not a girl should abide in the city but should come up to the palace and pass in review before Hasan and moreover she bade Shawahi go down in person and bring them up herself. Accordingly all the maidens in the city presented themselves before the Queen, who caused them to go in to Hasan, hundred after hundred, till there was no girl left in the place, but she had shown her to him; yet he saw not his wife amongst them. Then said she to him, “Seest thou her amongst these?”; and he replied, “By thy life, O Queen, she is not amongst them.” With this she was sore enraged against him and said to the old woman, “Go in and bring out all who are in the palace and show them to him.” So she displayed to him every one of the palace-girls, but he saw not his wife among them and said to the Queen, “By the life of thy head, O Queen, she is not among these.” Whereat the Queen was wroth and cried out at those around her, saying, “Take him and hale him along, face to earth, and cut off his head, least any adventure himself after him and intrude upon us in our country and spy out our estate by thus treading the soil of our islands.” So they threw him down on his face and dragged him along; then, covering his eyes with his skirt, stood at his head with bared brands awaiting royal permission. Thereupon Shawahi came forward and kissing the ground before the Queen, took the hem of her garment and laid it on her head, saying, “O Queen, by my claim for fosterage, be not 102hasty with him, more by token of thy knowledge that this poor wretch is a stranger, who hath adventured himself and suffered what none ever suffered before him, and Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty,) preserved him from death, for that his life was ordained to be long. He heard of thine equity and entered thy city and guarded site;^[144] wherefore, if thou put him to death, the report will dispread abroad of thee, by means of the travellers, that thou hatest strangers and slayest them. He is in any case at thy mercy and the slain of thy sword, if his wife be not found in thy dominions; and whensoever thou desireth his presence, I can bring him back to thee. Moreover, in very sooth I took him under my protection only of my trust in thy magnanimity through my claim on thee for fosterage, so that I engaged to him that thou wouldst bring him to his desire, for my knowledge of thy justice and quality of mercy. But for this, I had not brought him into thy kingdom; for I said to myself:—The Queen will take pleasure in looking upon him, and hearing him speak his verses and his sweet discourse and eloquent which is like unto pearls strung on string. Moreover, he hath entered our land and eaten of our meat; wherefore he hath a claim upon us.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Tenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen Nur al-Huda bade her pages seize Hasan and smite his neck, the old woman, Shawahi, began to reason with her and say, “Verily he hath entered our land and eaten of our meat, wherefore he hath a claim upon us, the more especially since I promised him to bring him in company with thee; and thou knowest that, parting is a grievous ill and severance hath power to kill, especially separation from children. Now he hath seen all our women, save only thyself; so do thou show him thy face?” The Queen smiled and said, “How can he be my husband and have had children by me, that I should show him my face?” Then she made them bring Hasan before her and when he stood in the presence, she 103unveiled her face, which when he saw, he cried out with a great cry and fell down fainting. The old woman ceased not to tend him, till he came to himself and as soon as he revived he recited these couplets:—

O breeze that blowest from the land Irak ✿ And from their corners whoso cry “Wak! Wak!”

Bear news of me to friends and say for me ✿ I’ve tasted passion-food of bitter smack.

O dearlings of my love, show grace and ruth ✿ My heart is melted for this severance-rack.

When he ended his verse he rose and looking on the Queen’s face, cried out with a great cry, for stress whereof the palace was like to fall upon all therein. Then he swooned away again and the old woman ceased not to tend him till he revived, when she asked him what ailed him and he answered, “In very sooth this Queen is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my wife.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the old woman asked Hasan what ailed him, he answered, “In very sooth this Queen is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my wife.” Quoth Nur al-Huda to the old woman, “Woe to thee, O nurse! This stranger is either Jinn-mad or out of his mind, for he stareth me in the face with wide eyes and saith I am his wife.” Quoth the old woman, “O Queen, indeed he is excusable; so blame him not, for the saying saith:—For the love-sick is no remedy and alike are the madman and he.” And Hasan wept with sore weeping and recited these two couplets:—

I sight their track and pine for longing love; ✿ And o’er their homesteads weep I and I yearn:

And I pray Heaven who willèd we should part, ✿ Will deign to grant us boon of safe return.

Then said Hasan to the Queen once more, “By Allah, thou art not my wife, but thou art the likest of all folk to her!” Hereupon Nur al-Huda laughed till she fell backwards and rolled round on her side.^[145] Then she said to him, “O my friend, take thy time 104and observe me attentively: answer me at thy leisure what I shall ask thee and put away from thee insanity and perplexity and inadvertency for relief is at hand.” Answered Hasan, “O mistress of Kings and asylum of all princes and paupers, when I looked upon thee, I was distracted, seeing thee to be either my wife or the likest of all folk to her; but now ask me whatso thou wilt.” Quoth she, “What is it in thy wife that resembleth me?”; and quoth he, “O my lady, all that is in thee of beauty and loveliness, elegance and amorous grace, such as the symmetry of thy shape and the sweetness of thy speech and the blushing of thy cheeks and the jutting of thy breasts and so forth, all resembleth her and thou art her very self in thy faculty of parlance and the fairness of thy favour and the brilliancy of thy brow.^[146]” When the Queen heard this, she smiled and gloried in her beauty and loveliness and her cheeks reddened and her eyes wantoned; then she turned to Shawahi Umm Dawahi and said to her, “O my mother, carry him back to the place where he tarried with thee and tend him thyself, till I examine into his affair; for, an he be indeed a man of manliness and mindful of friendship and love and affection, it behoveth we help him to win his wish, more by token that he hath sojourned in our country and eaten of our victual, not to speak of the hardships of travel he hath suffered and the travail and horrors he hath undergone. But, when thou hast brought him to thy house, commend him to the care of thy dependents and return to me in all haste; and Allah Almighty willing!^[147] all shall be well.” Thereupon Shawahi carried him back to her lodging and charged her handmaids and servants and suite wait upon him and bring him all he needed nor fail in what was his due. Then she returned to Queen Nur al-Huda, who bade her don her arms and set out, taking with her a thousand doughty horsemen. So she obeyed and donned her war-gear and having collected the thousand riders reported them ready to the Queen, who bade her march upon the city of the Supreme King, her father, there to alight at the abode of her youngest sister, Manár al-Saná,^[148] and say to her, “Clothe thy two sons in the coats of 105mail which their aunt hath made them and send them to her; for she longeth for them.” Moreover the Queen charged her keep Hasan’s affair secret and say to Manar al-Sana, after securing her children, “Thy sister inviteth thee to visit her.” “Then,” she continued, “bring the children to me in haste and let her follow at her leisure. Do thou come by a road other than her road and journey night and day and beware of discovering this matter to any. And I swear by all manner of oaths that, if my sister prove to be his wife and it appear that her children are his, I will not hinder him from taking her and them and departing with them to his own country.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Twelfth Night,

She resumed, “It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Queen said, I swear by Allah and by all manner of oaths that if she prove to be his wife, I will not hinder him from taking her but will aid him thereto and eke to departing with them to his mother-land.” And the old woman put faith in her words, knowing not what she purposed in her mind, for the wicked Jezebel had resolved that if she were not his wife she would slay him; but if the children resembled him, she would believe him. The Queen resumed, “O my mother, an my thought tell me true, my sister Manar al-Sana is his wife, but Allah alone is All-knowing! seeing that these traits of surpassing beauty and excelling grace, of which he spoke, are found in none except my sisters and especially in the youngest.” The old woman kissed her hand and returning to Hasan, told him what the Queen had said, whereat he was like to fly for joy and coming up to her, kissed her head. Quoth she, “O my son, kiss not my head, but kiss me on the mouth and be this kiss by way of sweetmeat for thy salvation.^[149] Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear and grudge not to kiss my mouth, for I and only I was the means of thy foregathering with her. So take comfort 106and hearten thy heart and broaden thy breast and gladden thy glance and console thy soul for, Allah willing, thy desire shall be accomplished at my hand.” So saying, she bade him farewell and departed, whilst he recited these two couplets:—

Witnesses unto love of thee I’ve four; ✿ And wants each case two witnesses; no more!

A heart aye fluttering, limbs that ever quake, ✿ A wasted frame and tongue that speech forswore.

And also these two:—

Two things there be, an blood-tears thereover ✿ Wept eyes till not one trace thou couldst discover,

Eyes ne’er could pay the tithe to them is due ✿ The prime of youth and severance from lover.

Then the old woman armed herself and, taking with her a thousand weaponed horsemen, set out and journeyed till she came to the island and the city where dwelt the Lady Manar al-Sana and between which and that of her sister Queen Nur al-Huda was three days’ journey. When Shawahi reached the city, she went in to the Princess and saluting her, gave her her sister’s salam and acquainted her with the Queen’s longing for her and her children and that she reproached her for not visiting her. Quoth Manar al-Sana, “Verily, I am beholden to my sister and have failed of my duty to her in not visiting her, but I will do so forthright.” Then she bade pitch her tents without the city and took with her for her sister a suitable present of rare things. Presently, the King her father looked out of a window of his palace, and seeing the tents pitched by the road, asked of them, and they answered him, “The Princess Manar al-Sana hath pitched her tents by the way-side, being minded to visit her sister Queen Nur al-Huda.” When the King heard this, he equipped troops to escort her to her sister and brought out to her from his treasuries meat and drink and monies and jewels and rarities which beggar description. Now the King had seven daughters, all sisters-german by one mother and father except the youngest: the eldest was called Núr al-Hudà, the second Najm al-Sabáh, the third Shams al-Zuhà, the fourth Shajarat al-Durr, the fifth Kút al-Kulúb, the sixth Sharaf al-Banát and the youngest Manar al-Sana, Hasan’s wife, who was 107their sister by the father’s side only.^[150] Anon the old woman again presented herself and kissed ground before the Princess, who said to her, “Hast thou any need, O my mother?” Quoth Shawahi, “Thy sister, Queen Nur al-Huda, biddeth thee clothe thy sons in the two habergeons which she fashioned for them and send them to her by me, and I will take them and forego thee with them and be the harbinger of glad tidings and the announcer of thy coming to her.” When the Princess heard these words, her colour changed and she bowed her head a long while, after which she shook it and looking up, said to the old woman, “O my mother, my vitals tremble and my heart fluttereth when thou namest my children; for, from the time of their birth none hath looked on their faces either Jinn or man, male or female, and I am jealous for them of the zephyr when it breatheth in the night.” Exclaimed the old woman, “What words are these, O my lady? Dost thou fear for them from thy sister?”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Thirteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman said to the Princess Manar al-Sana, “What words be these, O my lady? Dost thou fear for them from thy sister? Allah safeguard thy reason! Thou mayst not cross the Queen’s majesty in this matter, for she would be wroth with thee. However, O my lady, the children are young, and thou art excusable in fearing for them, for those that love well are wont to deem ill: but, O my daughter, thou knowest my tenderness and mine affection for thee and thy children, for indeed I reared thee before them. I will take them in my charge and make my cheek their pillow and open my heart and set them within, nor is it needful to charge me with care of them in the like of this case; so be of cheerful heart and tearless eye and send them to her, for, at the most, I shall but precede thee with them a day or at most two days.” And she ceased not to urge her, till she gave way, fearing 108her sister’s fury and unknowing what lurked for her in the dark future, and consented to send them with the old woman. So she called them and bathed them and equipped them and changed their apparel. Then she clad them in the two little coats of mail and delivered them to Shawahi, who took them and sped on with them like a bird, by another road than that by which their mother should travel, even as the Queen had charged her; nor did she cease to fare on with all diligence, being fearful for them, till she came in sight of Nur al-Huda’s city, when she crossed the river and entering the town, carried them in to their aunt. The Queen rejoiced at their sight and embraced them, and pressed them to her breast; after which she seated them, one upon the right thigh and the other upon the left; and turning round said to the old woman, “Fetch me Hasan forthright, for I have granted him my safeguard and have spared him from my sabre and he hath sought asylum in my house and taken up his abode in my courts, after having endured hardships and horrors and passed through all manner mortal risks, each terribler than other; yet hitherto is he not safe from drinking the cup of death and from cutting off his breath.”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Fourteenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen Nur al-Huda bade the old woman bring Hasan she said, “Verily he hath endured hardships and horrors and passed through all manner mortal risks each terribler than other; yet hitherto he is not safe from death and from the cutting off of his breath.” Replied Shawahi, “An I bring him to thee, wilt thou reunite him with these his children? Or, if they prove not his, wilt thou pardon him and restore him to his own country?” Hearing these her words the Queen waxed exceeding wroth and cried to her, “Fie upon thee, O ill-omened old woman! How long wilt thou false us in the matter of this strange man who hath dared to intrude himself upon us and hath lifted our veil and pried into our conditions? Say me: thinkest thou that he shall come to our land and look upon our faces and betray our honour, and after return in safety to his own country and expose our affairs to his people, wherefore our report will be bruited abroad among all the 109Kings of the quarters of the earth and the merchants will journey bearing tidings of us in all directions, saying:—A mortal entered the Isles of Wak and traversed the Land of the Jinn and the Lands of the Wild Beasts and the Islands of Birds and set foot in the country of the Warlocks and the Enchanters and returned in safety? This shall never be; no, never; and I swear by Him who made the Heavens and builded them; yea, by Him who dispread the earth and smoothed it, and who created all creatures and counted them, that, an they be not his children, I will assuredly slay him and strike his neck with mine own hand!” Then she cried out at the old woman, who fell down for fear; and set upon her the Chamberlain and twenty Mamelukes, saying, “Go with this crone and fetch me in haste the youth who is in her house.” So they dragged Shawaki along, yellow with fright and with side-muscles quivering, till they came to her house, where she went in to Hasan, who rose to her and kissed her hands and saluted her. She returned not his salam, but said to him, “Come; speak the Queen. Did I not say to thee:—Return presently to thine own country and I will give thee that to which no mortal may avail? And did I forbid thee from all this? But thou wouldst not obey me nor listen to my words; nay, thou rejectedst my counsel and chosest to bring destruction on me and on thyself. Up, then, and take that which thou hast chosen; for death is near hand. Arise: speak with yonder vile harlot^[151] and tyrant that she is!” So Hasan arose, broken-spirited, heavy-hearted, and full of fear, and crying, “O Preserver, preserve Thou me! O my God, be gracious to me in that which Thou hast decreed to me of Thine affliction and protect me, O Thou the most Merciful of the Mercifuls!” Then, despairing of his life, he followed the twenty Mamelukes, the Chamberlain and the crone to the Queen’s presence, where he found his two sons Nasir and Mansur sitting in her lap, whilst she played and made merry with them. As soon as his eyes fell on them, he knew them and crying a great cry fell down a-fainting for excess of joy at the sight of his children.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

110

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Fifteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan’s eyes fell upon his two sons, he knew them both and crying a great cry fell down a-fainting. They also knew him^[152] and natural affection moved them, so that they freed themselves from the Queen’s lap and fell upon Hasan, and Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty,) made them speak and say to him, “O our father!” Whereupon the old woman and all who were present wept for pity and tenderness over them and said, “Praised be Allah, who hath reunited you with your Sire!” Presently, Hasan came to himself and embracing his children, wept till again he swooned away, and when he revived, he recited these verses:—

By rights of you, this heart of mine could ne’er aby ✿ Severance from you albeit Union death imply!

Your phantom saith to me, “A-morrow we shall meet!” ✿ Shall I despite the foe the morrow-day espy?

By rights of you I swear, my lords, that since the day ✿ Of severance ne’er the sweets of lips enjoyèd I!

An Allah bade me perish for the love of you, ✿ Mid greatest martyrs for your love I lief will die.

Oft a gazelle doth make my heart her browsing stead ✿ The while her form of flesh like sleep eludes mine eye:

If in the lists of Law my bloodshed she deny, ✿ Prove it two witnesses those cheeks of ruddy dye.

When Nur al-Huda was assured that the little ones were indeed Hasan’s children and that her sister, the Princess Manar al-Sana, was his wife, of whom he was come in quest, she was wroth against her with wrath beyond measure.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Sixteenth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Nur al-Huda was certified that the little ones were Hasan’s 111children and that her sister Manar al-Sana was his wife of whom he had come in quest, she raged with exceeding rage, too great to be assuaged and screamed in Hasan’s face and reviled him and kicked him in the breast, so that he fell on his back in a swoon. Then she cried out at him, saying, “Arise! fly for thy life. But that I swore that no evil should betide thee from me, should thy tale prove true, I would slay thee with mine own hand forthright!” And she cried out at the old woman, who fell on her face for fear, and said to her, “By Allah, but that I am loath to break the oath that I swore, I would put both thee and him to death after the foulest fashion!”; presently adding, “Arise, go out from before me in safety and return to thine own country, for I swear by my fortune, if ever mine eye espy thee or if any bring thee in to me after this, I will smite off thy head and that of whoso bringeth thee!” Then she cried out to her officers, saying, “Put him out from before me!” So they thrust him out, and when he came to himself, he recited these couplets:—

You’re far, yet to my heart you’re nearest near; ✿ Absent yet present in my sprite you appear:

By Allah, ne’er to other I’ve inclined ✿ But tyranny of Time in patience bear!

Nights pass while still I love you and they end, ✿ And burns my breast with flames of fell Sa’ír^[153];

I was a youth who parting for an hour ✿ Bore not, then what of months that make a year?

Jealous am I of breeze-breath fanning thee; ✿ Yea jealous-mad of fair soft-sided fere!

Then he once more fell down in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he found himself without the palace whither they had dragged him on his face; so he rose, stumbling over his skirts 112and hardly crediting his escape from Nur al-Huda. Now this was grievous to Shawahi; but she dared not remonstrate with the Queen by reason of the violence of her wrath. And forthright Hasan went forth, distracted and knowing not whence to come or whither to go; the world, for all its wideness, was straitened upon him and he found none to speak a kind word with him and comfort him, nor any to whom he might resort for counsel or to apply for refuge; wherefore he made sure of death for that he could not journey to his own country and knew none to travel with him, neither wist he the way thither nor might he pass through the Wady of the Jann and the Land of Beasts and the Islands of Birds. So giving himself up for lost he bewept himself, till he fainted, and when he revived, he bethought him of his children and his wife and of that might befal her with her sister, repenting him of having come to those countries and of having hearkened to none, and recited these couplets:—

Suffer mine eye-babes weep lost of love and tears express: ✿ Rare is my solace and increases my distress:

The cup of Severance-chances to the dregs I’ve drained; ✿ Who is the man to bear love-loss with manliness?

Ye spread the Carpet of Disgrace^[154] betwixt us twain; ✿ Ah, when shalt be uprolled, O Carpet of Disgrace?

I watched the while you slept; and if you deemed that I ✿ Forgot your love I but forget forgetfulness:

Woe’s me! indeed my heart is pining for the love ✿ Of you, the only leaches who can cure my case:

See ye not what befel me from your fell disdain? ✿ Debased am I before the low and high no less.

I hid my love of you but longing laid it bare, ✿ And burns my heart wi’ fire of passion’s sorest stress:

Ah! deign have pity on my piteous case, for I ✿ Have kept our troth in secresy and patent place!

Would Heaven I wot shall Time e’er deign us twain rejoin! ✿ You are my heart’s desire, my sprite’s sole happiness:

My vitals bear the Severance-wound: would Heaven that you ✿ With tidings from your camp would deign my soul to bless!

Then he went on, till he came without the city, where he found the river, and walked along its bank, knowing not whither he went. Such was Hasan’s case; but as regards his wife Manar 113al-Sana, as she was about to carry out her purpose and to set out, on the second day after the departure of the old woman with her children, behold, there came in to her one of the chamberlains of the King her sire, and kissed ground between his hands,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Seventeenth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Manar al-Sana was about to set out upon the journey, behold, a chamberlain of the King, her sire, came in to her and kissing the ground before her, said, “O Princess, the Supreme King, thy father saluteth thee and biddeth thee to him.” So she rose and accompanied the chamberlain to learn what was required by her father, who seated her by his side on the couch, and said to her, “O my daughter, know that I have this night had a dream which maketh me fear for thee and that long sorrow will betide thee from this thy journey.” Quoth she, “How so, O my father, and what didst thou see in thy dream?” and quoth he, “I dreamt that I entered a hidden hoard, wherein was great store of monies, of jewels, of jacinths and of other riches; but ’twas as if naught pleased me of all this treasure and jewelry save seven bezels, which were the finest things there. I chose out one of the seven jewels, for it was the smallest, finest and most lustrous of them and its water pleased me; so I took it in my hand-palm and fared forth of the treasury. When I came without the door, I opened my hand, rejoicing, and turned over the jewel, when, behold, there swooped down on me out of the welkin a strange bird from a far land (for it was not of the birds of our country) and, snatching it from my hand, returned with it whence it came.^[155] Whereupon sorrow and concern and sore vexation overcame me and my exceeding chagrin so troubled me that I awoke, mourning and lamenting for the loss of the jewel. At once on awaking I summoned the interpreters and expounders of dreams and declared to them my dream,^[156] and they said to me:—Thou hast seven 114daughters, the youngest of whom thou wilt lose, and she will be taken from thee perforce, without thy will. Now thou, O my girl, art the youngest and dearest of my daughters and the most affectionate of them to me, and look’ye thou art about to journey to thy sister, and I know not what may befal thee from her; so go thou not; but return to thy palace.” But when the Princess heard her father’s words, her heart fluttered and she feared for her children and bent earthwards her head awhile: then she raised it and said to her sire, “O King, Queen Nur al-Huda hath made ready for me an entertainment and awaiteth my coming to her, hour by hour. These four years she hath not seen me and if I delay to visit her, she will be wroth with me. The utmost of my stay with her shall be a month and then I will return to thee. Besides, who is the mortal who can travel our land and make his way to the Islands of Wak? Who can gain access to the White Country and the Black Mountain and come to the Land of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal, and how shall he traverse the Island of Birds and the Wady of Wild Beasts and the Valley of the Jann and enter our Islands? If any stranger came hither, he would be drowned in the seas of destruction: so be of good cheer and eyes without a tear anent my journey; for none may avail to tread our earth.” And she ceased not to persuade him, till he deigned give her leave to depart.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Eighteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Princess ceased not to persuade him till he deigned give her leave to depart, and bade a thousand horse escort her to the river and abide there, till she entered her sister’s city and palace and returned to them, when they should take her and carry her back to him. Moreover, he charged her tarry with her sister but two days and return to him in haste; and she answered, “Hearing and obedience.” Then rising up she went forth and he with her and farewelled her. Now his words had sunken deep into her heart and she feared for her children; but it availeth not to fortify herself by any device against the onset of Destiny. So she set out and fared on diligently three days, till she came to the river and pitched her tents on its bank. Then she crossed the stream, 115with some of her counsellors, pages and suite and, going up to the city and the palace, went in to Queen Nur al-Huda, with whom she found her children who ran to her weeping and crying out, “O our father!” At this, the tears railed from her eyes and she wept; then she strained them to her bosom, saying, “What! Have you seen your sire at this time? Would the hour had never been, in which I left him! If I knew him to be in the house of the world, I would carry you to him.” Then she bemoaned herself and her husband and her children weeping and reciting these couplets:—

My friends, despite this distance and this cruelty, ✿ I pine for you, incline to you where’er you be.

My glance for ever turns towards your hearth and home ✿ And mourns my heart the bygone days you woned with me,

How many a night foregathered we withouten fear ✿ One loving, other faithful ever fain and free!

When her sister saw her fold her children to her bosom, saying, “’Tis I who have done thus with myself and my children and have ruined my own house!” she saluted her not, but said to her, “O whore, whence haddest thou these children? Say, hast thou married unbeknown to thy sire or hast thou committed fornication?^[157] An thou have played the piece, it behoveth thou be exemplarily punished; and if thou have married sans our knowledge, why didst thou abandon thy husband and separate thy sons from thy sire and bring them hither?”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

116

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Nineteenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that quoth Nur al-Huda, the Queen, to her sister Manar al-Sana, the Princess, “An thou have married sans our knowledge, why didst thou abandon thy husband and separate thy sons from their sire and bring them to our land? Thou hast hidden thy children from us. Thinkest thou we know not of this? Allah Almighty, He who is cognisant of the concealed, hath made known to us thy case and revealed thy condition and bared thy nakedness.” Then she bade her guards seize her and pinion her elbows and shackle her with shackles of iron. So they did as she commanded and she beat her with a grievous beating, so that her skin was torn, and hanged her up by the hair; after which she cast her in prison and wrote the King her father a writ acquainting him with her case and saying, “There hath appeared in our land a man, a mortal, by name Hasan, and our sister Manar al-Sana avoucheth that she is lawfully married to him and bare him two sons, whom she hath hidden from us and thee; nor did she discover aught of herself till there came to us this man and informed us that he wedded her and she tarried with him a long while; after which she took her children and departed, without his knowledge, bidding as she went his mother tell her son, whenas longing began to rack to come to her in the Islands of Wak. So we laid hands on the man and sent the old woman Shawahi to fetch her and her offspring, enjoining her to bring us the children in advance of her. And she did so, whilst Manar al-Sana equipped herself and set out to visit me. When the boys were brought to me and ere the mother came, I sent for Hasan the mortal who claimeth her to wife, and he on entering and at first sight knew them and they knew him; whereby was I certified that the children were indeed his children and that she was his wife and I learned that the man’s story was true and he was not to blame, but that the reproach and the infamy rested with my sister. Now I feared the rending of our honour-veil before the folk of our Isles; so, when this wanton, this traitress, came in to me, I was incensed against her and cast her into prison and bastinado’d her grievously and hanged her up by the hair. Behold, I have acquainted thee with her case and it is thine to command, and whatso thou orderest us that we will do. Thou knowest that in this affair is 117dishonour and disgrace to our name and to thine, and haply the islanders will hear of it, and we shall become amongst them a byword; wherefore it besitteth thou return us an answer with all speed.” Then she delivered the letter to a courier and he carried it to the King who, when he read it, was wroth with exceeding wrath with his daughter Manar al-Sana and wrote to Nur al-Huda, saying, “I commit her case to thee and give thee command over her life; so, if the matter be as thou sayest, kill her without consulting me.” When the Queen had received and read her father’s letter, she sent for Manar al-Sana and they set before her the prisoner drowned in her blood and pinioned with her hair, shackled with heavy iron shackles and clad in hair-cloth; and they made her stand in the presence abject and abashed. When she saw herself in this condition of passing humiliation and exceeding abjection, she called to mind her former high estate and wept with sore weeping and recited these two couplets^[1]:—

O Lord my foes are fain to slay me in despight ✿ Nor deem I anywise to find escape by flight:

I have recourse to Thee t’ annul what they have done; ✿ Thou art th’ asylum, Lord, of fearful suppliant wight.

Then wept she grievously, till she fell down in a swoon, and presently coming to herself, repeated these two couplets^[158]:—

Troubles familiar with my heart are grown and I with them, ✿ erst shunning; for the generous are sociable still.

Not one mere kind alone of woe doth lieger with me lie; ✿ Praised be God! There are with me thousands of kinds of ill.

And also these:—

Oft times Mischance shall straiten noble breast ✿ With grief, whence issue is for Him to shape:

But when the meshes straitest, tightest, seem ✿ They loose, though deemed I ne’er to find escape.

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

118

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Twentieth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Queen Nur al-Huda ordered into the presence her sister Princess Manar al-Sana, they set her between her hands and she, pinioned as she was recited the verses aforesaid. Then the Queen^[159] sent for a ladder of wood and made the eunuchs lay her on her back, with her arms spread out and bind her with cords thereto; after which she bared her head and wound her hair about the ladder-rungs and indeed all pity for her was rooted out from her heart. When Manar al-Sana saw herself in this state of abjection and humiliation, she cried out and wept; but none succoured her. Then said she to the Queen, “O my sister, how is thy heart hardened against me? Has thou no mercy on me nor pity on these little children?” But her words only hardened her sister’s heart and she insulted her, saying, “O Wanton! O harlot! Allah have no ruth on whoso sueth for thee! How should I have compassion on thee, O traitress?” Replied Manar al-Sana who lay stretched on the ladder, “I appeal from thee to the Lord of the Heavens, concerning that wherewith thou revilest me and whereof I am innocent! By Allah, I have done no whoredom, but am lawfully married to him, and my Lord knoweth an I speak sooth or not! Indeed, my heart is wroth with thee, by reason of thine excessive hardheartedness against me! How canst thou cast at me the charge of harlotry, without knowledge? But my Lord will deliver me from thee and if that whoredom whereof thou accusest me be true, may He presently punish me for it!” Quoth Nur al-Huda after a few moments of reflection “How durst thou bespeak me thus?” and rose and beat her till she fainted away^[160]; whereupon they sprinkled water on her face till she revived; and in truth her charms were wasted for excess of beating and the straitness of her bonds and 119the sore insults she had suffered. Then she recited these two couplets:—

If aught I’ve sinned in sinful way, ✿ Or done ill deed and gone astray,

The past repent I and I come ✿ To you and for your pardon pray!

When Nur al-Huda heard these lines, her wrath redoubled and she said to her, “Wilt speak before me in verse, O whore, and seek to excuse thyself for the mortal sins thou hast sinned? ’Twas my desire that thou shouldst return to thy husband, that I might witness thy wickedness and matchless brazen-facedness; for thou gloriest in thy lewdness and wantonness and mortal heinousness.” Then she called for a palm-stick and, whenas they brought the Jaríd, she arose and baring arms to elbows, beat her sister from head to foot; after which she called for a whip of plaited thongs, wherewith if one smote an elephant, he would start off at full speed, and came down therewith on her back and her stomach and every part of her body, till she fainted. When the old woman Shawahi saw this, she fled forth from the Queen’s presence, weeping and cursing her; but Nur al-Huda cried out to her eunuchs, saying, “Fetch her to me!” So they ran after her and seizing her, brought her back to the Queen, who bade throw her on the ground and making them lay hold of her, rose and took the whip, with which she beat her, till she swooned away, when she said to her waiting-women, “Drag this ill-omened beldam forth on her face and put her out.” And they did as she bade them. So far concerning them; but as regards Hasan, he walked on beside the river, in the direction of the desert, distracted, troubled, and despairing of life; and indeed he was dazed and knew not night from day for stress of affliction. He ceased not faring on thus, till he came to a tree whereto he saw a scroll hanging: so he took it and found written thereon these couplets:—

When in thy mother’s womb thou wast, ✿ I cast thy case the bestest best;

And turned her heart to thee, so she ✿ Fosterèd thee on fondest breast.

We will suffice thee in whate’er ✿ Shall cause thee trouble or unrest;

We’ll aid thee in thine enterprise ✿ So rise and bow to our behest.

When he had ended reading this scroll, he made sure of deliverance from trouble and of winning reunion with those he loved. Then he walked forward a few steps and found himself alone in a wild and perilous wold wherein there was none to 120company with him; upon which his heart sank within him for horror and loneliness and his side-muscles trembled, for that fearsome place, and he recited these couplets:—

O Zephyr of Morn, an thou pass where the dear ones dwell, ✿ Bear greeting of lover who ever in love-longing wones!

And tell them I’m pledged to yearning and pawned to pine ✿ And the might of my passion all passion of lovers unthrones.

Their sympathies haply shall breathe in a Breeze like thee ✿ And quicken forthright this framework of rotting bones.^[161]

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-first Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan read the scroll he was certified of deliverance from his trouble and made sure of winning reunion with those he loved. Then he walked forward a couple of steps and stopped finding himself alone in a wild and perilous wold wherein was none to company with him, so he wept sore and recited the verses before mentioned. Then he walked on a few steps farther beside the river, till he came upon two little boys of the sons of the sorcerers, before whom lay a rod of copper graven with talismans, and beside it a skull-cap^[162] of leather, made of three gores and wroughten in steel with names and characts. The cap and rod were upon the ground and the boys were disputing and beating each other, till the blood ran down between them; whilst each cried, “None shall take the wand but I.” So Hasan interposed and parted them, saying, “What is the cause of your contention?” and they replied, “O uncle, be thou judge of our case, for Allah the Most High hath surely sent thee to do justice between us.” Quoth Hasan, “Tell me your case, and I will judge between you;” and quoth one of them, “We twain are brothers-german and our sire 121was a mighty magician, who dwelt in a cave on yonder mountain. He died and left us this cap and rod; and my brother saith:—None shall have the rod but I, whilst I say the like; so be thou judge between us and deliver us each from other.” Hasan asked, “What is the difference between the rod and the cap and what is their value? The rod appears to be worth six coppers^[163] and the cap three;” whereto they answered, “Thou knowest not their properties.” “And what are their properties?” “Each of them hath a wonderful secret virtue, wherefore the rod is worth the revenue of all the Islands of Wak and their provinces and dependencies, and the cap the like!” “By Allah, O my sons, discover to me their secret virtues.” So they said, “O uncle, they are extraordinary; for our father wrought an hundred and thirty and five years at their contrivance, till he brought them to perfection and ingrafted them with secret attributes which might serve him extraordinary services and engraved them after the likeness of the revolving sphere, and by their aid he dissolved all spells; and when he had made an end of their fashion, Death, which all needs must suffer, overtook him. Now the hidden virtue of the cap is, that whoso setteth it on his head is concealed from all folk’s eyes, nor can any see him, whilst it remaineth on his head; and that of the rod is that whoso owneth it hath authority over seven tribes of the Jinn, who all serve the order and ordinance of the rod; and whenever he who possesseth it smiteth therewith on the ground, their Kings come to do him homage, and all the Jinn are at his service.” Now when Hasan heard these words, he bowed his head groundwards awhile, then said in himself, “By Allah, I shall conquer every foe by means of this rod and cap, Inshallah! and I am worthier of them both than these two boys. So I will go about forthright to get them from the twain by craft, that I may use them to free myself and my wife and children from yonder tyrannical Queen, and then we will depart from this dismal stead, whence there is no deliverance for mortal man nor flight. Doubtless, Allah caused me not to fall in with these two lads, but that I might get the rod and cap from them.” Then he raised his head and said to the two boys, “If ye would have me decide the case, I will make trial of you and see what each of you deserveth. He who overcometh his brother shall have the rod and he who 122faileth shall have the cap.” They replied, “O uncle, we depute thee to make trial of us and do thou decide between us as thou deems fit.” Hasan asked, “Will ye hearken to me and have regard to my words?”; and they answered, “Yes.” Then said he, “I will take a stone and throw it and he who out-runneth his brother thereto and picketh it up shall take the rod, and the other who is outraced shall take the cap.” And they said, “We accept and consent to this thy proposal.” Then Hasan took a stone and threw it with his might, so that it disappeared from sight. The two boys ran under and after it and when they were at a distance, he donned the cap and hending the rod in hand, removed from his place that he might prove the truth of that which the boys had said, with regard to their scant properties. The younger outran the elder and coming first to the stone, took it and returned with it to the place where they had left Hasan, but found no signs of him. So he called to his brother, saying, “Where is the man who was to be umpire between us?” Quoth the other, “I espy him not neither wot I whether he hath flown up to heaven above or sunk into earth beneath.” Then they sought for him, but saw him not, though all the while he was standing in his stead hard by them. So they abused each other, saying, “Rod and Cap are both gone; they are neither mine nor thine: and indeed our father warned us of this very thing; but we forgot whatso he said.” Then they retraced their steps and Hasan also entered the city, wearing the cap and bearing the rod; and none saw him. Now when he was thus certified of the truth of their speech, he rejoiced with exceeding joy and making the palace, went up into the lodging of Shawahi, who saw him not, because of the cap. Then he walked up to a shelf^[164] over her head upon which were vessels of glass and chinaware, and shook it with his hand, so that what was thereon fell to the ground. The old woman cried out and beat her face; then she rose and restored the fallen things, to their places,^[165] saying in herself, “By Allah, methinks Queen Nur al-Huda hath sent a Satan to torment me, and he hath tricked me 123this trick! I beg Allah Almighty deliver me from her and preserve me from her wrath, for, O Lord, if she deal thus abominably with her half-sister, beating and hanging her, dear as she is to her sire, how will she do with a stranger like myself, against whom she is incensed?”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-second Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the ancient Lady of Calamities cried, “When Queen Nur al-Huda doeth such misdeed to her sister, what will she do to a stranger like myself, against whom she is incensed?” Then said she, “I conjure thee, O devil, by the Most Compassionate, the Bountiful-great, the High of Estate, of Dominion Elate who man and Jinn did create, and by the writing upon the seal of Solomon David-son (on both be the Peace!) speak to me and answer me;” Quoth Hasan, “I am no devil; I am Hasan, the afflicted, the distraught.” Then he raised the cap from his head and appeared to the old woman, who knew him and taking him apart, said to him, “What is come to thy reason, that thou returnest hither? Go hide thee; for, if this wicked woman have tormented thy wife with such torments, and she her sister, what will she do, an she light on thee?” Then she told him all that had befallen his spouse and that wherein she was of travail and torment and tribulation, and straitly described all the pains she endured adding, “And indeed the Queen repenteth her of having let thee go and hath sent one after thee, promising him an hundred-weight of gold and my rank in her service; and she hath sworn that, if he bring thee back, she will do thee and thy wife and children dead.” And she shed tears and discovered to Hasan what the Queen had done with herself, whereat he wept and said, “O my lady, how shall I do to escape from this land and deliver myself and my wife and children from this tyrannical Queen and how devise to return with them in safety to my own country?” Replied the old woman, “Woe to thee! Save thyself.” Quoth he, “There is no help but I deliver her and my children from the Queen perforce and in her despite;” and quoth Shawahi, “How canst thou forcibly rescue them from her? Go and hide thyself, O my son, till Allah Almighty empower thee.” Then Hasan showed her the rod and the cap, whereat she rejoiced with joy exceeding and cried, “Glory be to Him who quickeneth the bones, 124though they be rotten! By Allah, O my son, thou and thy wife were but of lost folk; now, however, thou art saved, thou and thy wife and children! For I know the rod and I know its maker, who was my Shaykh in the science of Gramarye. He was a mighty magician and spent an hundred and thirty and five years working at this rod and cap, till he brought them to perfection, when Death the Inevitable overtook him. And I have heard him say to his two boys:—O my sons, these two things are not of your lot, for there will come a stranger from a far country, who will take them from you by force, and ye shall not know how he taketh them. Said they:—O our father, tell us how he will avail to take them. But he answered:—I wot not.” “And O my son,” added she, “how availedst thou to take them?” So he told her how he had taken them from the two boys, whereat she rejoiced and said, “O my son, since thou hast gotten the whereby to free thy wife and children, give ear to what I shall say to thee. For me there is no woning with this wicked woman, after the foul fashion in which she durst use me; so I am minded to depart from her to the caves of the Magicians and there abide with them until I die. But do thou, O my son, don the cap and bend the rod in hand and enter the place where thy wife and children are. Unbind her bonds and smite the earth with the rod saying:—Be ye present, O servants of these names! whereupon the servants of the rod will appear; and if there present himself one of the Chiefs of the Tribes, command him whatso thou shalt wish and will.” So he farewelled her and went forth donning the cap and hending the rod and entered the place where his wife was. He found her well-nigh lifeless bound to the ladder by her hair, tearful-eyed and woeful-hearted, in the sorriest of plights, knowing no way to deliver herself. Her children were playing under the ladder, whilst she looked at them and wept for them and herself, because of the barbarities and sore treatings and bitter penalties which had befallen her; and he heard her repeat these couplets^[166]:—

There remaineth not aught save a fluttering, breath and an eye whose owner is confounded.

And a desirous lover whose bowels are burned with fire notwithstanding which she is silent.

The exulting foe pitieth her at the sight of her. Alas for her whom the exulting foe pitieth!

125When Hasan saw her in this state of torment and misery and ignominy and infamy, he wept till he fainted; and when he recovered, he saw his children playing and their mother a-swoon for excess of pain; so he took the cap from his head and the children saw him and cried out, “O our father!” Then he covered his head again and the Princess came to herself, hearing their cry, but saw only her children weeping and shrieking, “O our father!” When she heard them name their sire and weep, her heart was broken and her vitals rent asunder and she said to them, “What maketh you in mind of your father at this time?” And she wept sore and cried out, from a bursten liver and an aching bosom, “Where are ye and where is your father?” Then she recalled the days of her union with Hasan and what had befallen her since her desertion of him and wept with sore weeping till her cheeks were seared and furrowed and her face was drowned in a briny flood. Her tears ran down and wetted the ground and she had not a hand loose to wipe them from her cheeks, whilst the flies fed their fill on her skin, and she found no helper but weeping and no solace but improvising verses. Then she repeated these couplets:—

I call to mind the parting-day that rent our loves in twain, When, as I turned away, the tears in very streams did rain.

The cameleer urged on his beasts with them, what while I found Nor strength nor fortitude, nor did my heart with me remain.

Yea, back I turned, unknowing of the road nor might shake off The trance of grief and longing love that numbed my heart and brain;

And worst of all betided me, on my return, was one Who came to me, in lowly guise, to glory in my pain.

Since the belovéd’s gone, O soul, forswear the sweet of life Nor covet its continuance, for, wanting him, ’twere vain.

List, O my friend, unto the tale of love, and God forbid That I should speak and that thy heart to hearken should not deign!

As ’twere El Asmaï himself, of passion I discourse Fancies rare and marvellous, linked in an endless chain.^[167]

——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

126

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-third Night,

She continued, When Hasan went in to his wife he saw his children and heard her repeating the verses afore mentioned.^[168] Then she turned right and left, seeking the cause of her children’s crying out, “O our father!” but saw no one and marvelled that her sons should name their sire at that time and call upon him. But when Hasan heard her verses, he wept till he swooned away and the tears railed down his cheeks like rain. Then he drew near the children and raised the cap from his head unseen of his wife, whereupon they saw him and they knew him and cried out, saying, “O our father!” Their mother fell a-weeping again, when she heard them name their sire’s name and said, “There is no avoiding the doom which Almighty Allah hath decreed!” adding, “O Strange! What garreth them think of their father at this time and call upon him, albeit it is not of their wont?” Then she wept and recited these couplets:—

The land of lamping moon is bare and drear; ✿ O eyne of me pour forth the brimming tear!

They marched: how shall I now be patient? ✿ That I nor heart nor patience own I swear!

O ye, who marched yet bide in heart of me, ✿ Will you, O lords of me, return to that we were?

What harm if they return and I enjoy ✿ Meeting, and they had ruth on tears of care?

Upon the parting-day they dimmed these eyne, ✿ For sad surprise, and lit the flames that flare.

Sore longed I for their stay, but Fortune stayed ✿ Longings and turned my hope to mere despair.

Return to us (O love!) by Allah, deign! ✿ Enow of tears have flowed for absence-bane.

Then Hasan could no longer contain himself, but took the cap from his head; whereupon his wife saw him and recognising him screamed a scream which startled all in the palace, and said to him, “How camest thou hither? From the sky hast thou dropped or through the earth hast thou come up?” And her eyes brimmed with tears and Hasan also wept. Quoth she, “O man, this be no 127time for tears or blame. Fate hath had its course and the sight was blinded and the Pen hath run with what was ordained of Allah when Time was begun: so, Allah upon thee, whencesoever thou comest, go hide, lest any espy thee and tell my sister and she do thee and me die!” Answered he, “O my lady and lady of all Queens, I have adventured myself and come hither, and either I will die or I will deliver thee from this strait and travel with thee and my children to my country, despite the nose of this thy wickedest sister.” But as she heard his words she smiled and for awhile fell to shaking her head and said, “Far, O my life, far is it from the power of any except Allah Almighty to deliver me from this my strait! Save thyself by flight and wend thy ways and cast not thyself into destruction; for she hath conquering hosts none may withstand. Given that thou tookest me and wentest forth, how canst thou make thy country and escape from these islands and the perils of these awesome places? Verily, thou hast seen on thy way hither, the wonders, the marvels, the dangers and the terrors of the road, such as none may escape, not even one of the rebel Jinns. Depart, therefore, forthright and add not cark to my cark and care to my care, neither do thou pretend to rescue me from this my plight; for who shall carry me to thy country through all these vales and thirsty wolds and fatal steads?” Rejoined Hasan, “By thy life, O light of mine eyes, I will not depart this place nor fare but with thee!” Quoth she, “O man! How canst thou avail unto this thing and what manner of man art thou? Thou knowest not what thou sayest! None can escape from these realms, even had he command over Jinns, Ifrits, magicians, chiefs of tribes and Marids. Save thyself and leave me; perchance Allah will bring about good after ill.” Answered Hasan, “O lady of fair ones, I came not save to deliver thee with this rod and with this cap.” And he told her what had befallen him with the two boys; but, whilst he was speaking, behold, up came the Queen and heard their speech. Now when he was ware of her, he donned the cap and was hidden from sight, and she entered and said to the Princess, “O wanton, who is he with whom thou wast talking?” Answered Manar al-Sanar, “Who is with me that should talk with me, except these children?” Then the Queen took the whip and beat her, whilst Hasan stood by and looked on, nor did she leave beating her till she fainted; whereupon she bade transport her to another place. So they 128loosed her and carried her to another chamber whilst Hasan followed unseen. There they cast her down, senseless, and stood gazing upon her, till she revived and recited these couplets:^[169]—

I have sorrowed on account of our disunion with a sorrow that made the tears to overflow from my eyelids;

And I vowed that if Fortune reunite us, I would never again mention our separation;

And I would say to the envious, Die ye with regret; By Allah I have now attained my desire!

Joy hath overwhelmed me to such a degree that by its excess it hath made me weep.

O eye, how hath weeping become thy habit? Thou weepest in joy as well as in sorrows.

When she ceased her verse the slave-girls went out from her and Hasan took off the cap; whereupon his wife said to him, “See, O man, all this befel me not save by reason of my having rebelled against thee and transgressed thy commandment and gone forth without thy leave.^[170] So, Allah upon thee blame me not for my sins and know that women never wot a man’s worth till they have lost him. Indeed, I have offended and done evil; but I crave pardon of Allah Almighty for whatso I did, and if He reunite us, I will never again gainsay thee in aught, no, never!”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

Now when it was the Eight Hundred and Twenty-fourth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Hasan’s wife besought pardon of him saying, “Blame me not for my sin; and indeed I crave mercy of Allah Almighty.” Quoth Hasan (and indeed his heart ached for her), “’Twas not thou that wast in fault; nay, the fault was mine and mine only, for I fared forth and left thee with one who knew not thy rank, neither thy worth nor thy degree. But know, O beloved of my heart and fruit of my vitals and light of mine eyes, that Allah (blessed be He!) hath ordained to me power of releasing thee; so, say me, wouldst 129thou have me carry thee to thy father’s home, there to accomplish what Allah decreeth unto thee, or wilt thou forthright depart with me to mine own country, now that relief is come to thee?” Quoth she, “Who can deliver me save the Lord of the Heavens? Go to thy mother-land and put away from thee false hope; for thou knowest not the perils of these parts which, an thou obey me not, soon shalt thou sight.” And she improvised these couplets:—