HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS (continued 3)

“There is a fable suitable to this: The lynxes go along with the lion, but they go not close to him. One day they asked one of them, ‘Thou goest along with the lion; why goest thou not near to him?’ He replied, ‘Firstly, the lion hunts beasts and I eat his leavings; secondly, when an enemy comes against me I go to him and take refuge; as these two things are good for me I go along with him. And the reason of my going not near is this, that his glory is that of a render, one day it might be that he should rend me like the leopard; therefore go I not near him.’ Wise is he who acts before kings like the lynx; for nearness to the sultan is a burning fire. Even as the lynx is content with and eats the lion’s leavings, must the wise man be content with the king’s leavings; else, if he stretch forth his hand to the morsel that is in the king’s mouth—the plight of him who stretches forth his hand is notorious. If an enemy appear, it is needful to take refuge with the king; so one must ever be between dread and entreaty, and must measure his words. A word is like an arrow that has left the bow, when once it leaves the mouth it returns not again. Mayhap my king has not heard the story of Sultan Mahmūd[43] and Hasan of Maymand.”[44] The king said, “Tell on, let us hear.” Quoth the lady:

Mahmūd and Hasan

“A word was the cause of Sultan Mahmūd dismissing his vezir Hasan of Maymand, and confiscating all his property and banishing him. So what could Hasan of Maymand do but yield consent to misfortune and bear calamity with patience? One day, during his exile, while he was passing along a street, a group of children were playing, one was prince and one was vezir. The prince got angry and wished to banish the vezir and confiscate his property. The child who was vezir said, ‘Art thou just or art thou a tyrant?’ The prince answered, ‘I am just,’ Then said the vezir, ‘Thou art just; well, when I came to thee I was young, and I have spent my life in thy service and gained my property; now thou confiscatest my property and takest away my office, I now ask back from thee my life that I have spent in thy service; if thou be just, it is right that thou give me my life.’ The prince was silent and made that child vezir again.

“Hasan of Maymand liked the child’s words, and straightway he went and composed a petition and sent it to Sultan Mahmūd. When the petition arrived they took it and gave it to the king. The king read it, and when he perceived its import, he straightway ordained that he was pardoned and reinstated in his office. So he was dismissed by one word and reinstated by one word.

“O king, I deemed this story suitable in that a master of speech comes not readily to hand; and a master of speech is one who knows the speech that ought to be spoken. For speech is of two kinds; one kind is truth, another kind is folly. A wise man distinguishes between the speech of a sage and the speech of a fool. A sage speaks with understanding, but a fool speaks with trickery. The man who distinguishes not between these is like a beast, for a beast knows only when it is hungry and when it is full. Now this thy degenerate son has made for thy life and thy throne; this is beseeming, that thou give him neither grace nor time. Thou must kill him to-morrow, else he will slay thee.” When the king heard this story from the lady he said, “To-morrow will I finish his affair.”

When it was morning and the sun shed light (aydin) and, like the words of the king and the dervish, the glow (ishiq) appeared, and the world was illuminated with radiance, the happy-fortuned king passed and sat upon his throne, and he caused the executioner to bring the youth and commanded, “Smite off his head.” The eighteenth vezir came forward and said, “O king of the world, two things are indeed incumbent upon kings; the first is to have pity on the folk, and the second is to have mercy in the time of wrath. Long will be the life of the king who is thus, and God most high will protect him from all calamities. It is even as said our lord the Holy Apostle of God, ‘Be merciful to those upon the earth that the dwellers in heaven may have mercy upon you.’ And the friends of a king who is generous are many, and he triumphs over his enemies, and is of the host of the prophets and the saints. And there is a story of Sultan Mahmūd suitable to this; if the king grant leave, I will relate it.” The king said, “Relate, let us hear.” Quoth the vezir:

Story of Sultan Mahmūd

“One day while Sultan Mahmūd, the son of Sebuktekīn, was hunting, he got separated from his soldiers, and he saw someone going along in a trackless place. He pushed on and came up to that man and saluted him and said, ‘O man, whence art thou and what is thy origin?’ The man replied, ‘From the kingdom; and my origin my mother knows.’ Then the sultan saw that he was wrapped up in black clothes and mounted on a black ass; and the king asked, ‘Whither goest thou now?’ That man replied, ‘I go to Sultan Mahmūd,’ The king said, ‘What is thy desire of the sultan?’ The man answered, ‘I want 10,000 aspres of him; I have a debt, perchance he may give it me and I shall be freed from my debt.’ The sultan said, ‘If he give it not, how wilt thou act?’ The man replied, ‘If he will not give 10,000, let him give 1,000.’ Again the sultan said, ‘If he will not give even 1,000, what wilt thou do?’ The man replied, ‘If he will not give a thousand aspres, let him give a hundred aspres.’ The sultan said, ‘If he will not give even that, what wilt thou do?’ Then the fellow replied, ‘If he will not give even a hundred aspres, I shall say, Bu qara eshegimin durt ayaghi ‘avretinin ferjine![45] and shall turn and go.’ The king wondered at this man’s self and words.

“After a little he met his soldiers and went to his palace and sat upon his throne and thus commanded the grand chamberlain, ‘A man clad in black and mounted on a black ass will come, give him leave to enter.’ The next day, early in the morning, that man came, and the grand chamberlain took him and brought him into the king’s presence. When he saw the king he knew that it was he whom he had seen yesterday, and straightway he prayed for the king and asked 10,000 aspres. The king said, ‘May God give it thee.’ The man said, ‘Give 1,000 aspres.’ Again the king answered, ‘May God give it thee.’ The man said, ‘Let it be a hundred aspres.’ Again the king answered, ‘May God give it thee.’ Then the man said, ‘Be thou well; the black ass is tied at the door.’ Thereupon a courtier[46] said, ‘The king has bestowed nothing on thee; let the black ass be.’ The man said, ‘If he has not, then it means, eshegimin durt ayaghi ‘avretinin ferjine! And I shall be off.’ But his boldness pleased the king who said, ‘This poor man’s desire is but to be delivered from distress and find rest, as he got no boon from us he mounts his ass and goes.’ And this remained as a proverb, ‘The black ass is tied at the door.’ However, he bestowed on him somewhat.

“And this story resembles it: A certain khoja was going from Hindustan to Bagdad, and while on the road he thus thought, ‘When I enter the city of Bagdad what goods should I buy?’ Anyhow he entered Bagdad, and there was there a naked abdal[47] who had plucked out his beard and put it in a piece of paper. He came up to the khoja and said, ‘I have heard, O khoja, that thou hast come to buy goods; I have something, buy it.’ And he gave the paper into the khoja’s hand. The khoja took it and opened it and saw in it the hairs of the beard, and he said, ‘What shall I do with this?’ The abdal said, ‘Take it, and give the money.’ The khoja answered, ‘I shall not give money for this.’ The abdal said, ‘Why wilt thou not give money? that is indeed a beard; is it not worth a hundred aspres?’ The khoja replied, ‘It is not.’ The abdal said, ‘Let it be ten aspres; is it not worth that?’ The khoja answered, ‘It is not.’ The abdal said, ‘Let it be five aspres; is it not worth that?’ The khoja said, ‘It is not.’ Then said the abdal, ‘A beard is not worth five aspres; why then dost thou carry one? shave it off and let it go.’ The khoja was pleased with this jest of the abdal and gave him a hundred aspres.

“Now, O king, I have told these stories for that the king may know that it is needful for kings to raise the fallen and bestow favors on the poor.” And he kissed the ground and made intercession for the prince. When the king heard these stories from the vezir he sent the prince to the prison and went himself to the chase.

When it was evening the king returned from the chase and came to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and they sat down. After the repast the lady asked for news about the youth. The king said, “To-day likewise such an one of my vezirs made intercession for him and I sent him to the prison.” The lady said, “O king, think not thou this youth would maintain thy place after thee and observe the ordinances of kings. To exercise sovereignty is a hard work. I know that he is no true man; he watches his opportunity, and one day he will slay thee and shed blood, and then they will kill him too. Moreover, family and descent are needful for one; he who is not of family cannot exercise sovereignty. And one’s nature must be good. There are men of family and descent who are yet themselves of evil nature; for there is not honey in every bee nor a pearl in every oyster. Then this youth’s nature is evil; he has not the qualities of a king; his work would ever be wickedness and he would do wrong to those who do good. It is like the story of a certain merchant’s son; mayhap my king has not heard it.” The king said, “Tell on, let us hear.” Quoth the lady:

Story of the Merchant’s Son

“There was of old time a cobbler in the city of Orfa. One day he saw a dervish passing, the seams of whose shoes had given way. The cobbler said, ‘Dervish, come, sit down till I sew up the seams of thy shoes and patch the holes.’ The dervish answered, ‘If thou hast a remedy, apply it to the hole in my heart.’ The cobbler gave him his right hand and he came and sat down; and the cobbler gave him food to eat and sewed up the holes in his shoes and said, ‘O dervish, I too wish to journey; what counsel dost thou give me?’ The dervish answered, ‘I have three counsels; see thou keep them: my first is this, set not out on the journey till thou hast found a good fellow-traveller; for the Apostle of God hath said, “The companion, then the road.” My second is this, light not in a waterless place. My third is this, enter great cities when the sun is rising.’ Then he went his way. After some days the cobbler found some suitable fellow-travellers and set out. While they were on the road, one day in the afternoon a city appeared before them. The cobbler youth asked, ‘What city is this city?’ The companions answered, ‘It is the city of Aleppo.’ The youth said, ‘To-day it is near evening; I shall not enter the city to-day.’

“Howsoever the companions urged him, it was no use; so at length they left him and went on. The youth went and lighted on the bank of a stream and remained there that night. Now there were tombs near the youth; and when it was midnight he saw two men coming from the city carrying something which they laid in the graveyard, and then they went away. Then the youth went up to that grave, and, striking a light with a flint and steel, lit a candle; he saw that they had laid there a new coffin, and that from the four sides of that coffin streams of blood were running. The cobbler youth opened the lid of the coffin and looked to see what he might see; there was a body bathed in blood, the garments were of massive gold embroidery and on the finger was a ring in which a stone glittered. The youth coveted the ring and took hold of it that he might pull it off, whereupon the body raised its head and said, ‘O youth, fearest thou not God that thou wouldst take my ring?’ Then the youth saw that it was a girl like the moon of fourteen nights, a torment of the age, like a lovely rose; and he said, ‘What is this plight?’ The girl said, ‘Now is not the time for questions; if thou be able, relieve me; and afterward I will help thine affairs.’

“Straightway the youth pulled off his outer robe and tore it in pieces and bound up the girl’s wounds and laid her in a place. When it was morning he took her on his back and brought her into the city and placed her in a cell in a certain place; and to all who asked of her he said, ‘She is my sister; passion came upon me and I brought this plight upon this poor creature, and she innocent.’ The youth tended the girl’s wounds and in the course of a month or two she became well. One day she went to the bath, and when she returned she asked the youth for inkhorn, reed, and paper. The youth brought them and placed them before her. The girl wrote a letter and gave it into the youth’s hands; and therein was written thus: ‘Thou who art Khoja Dibāb, the superintendent of the bazaar, give the bearer of this letter a hundred sequins and send him to me; and disclose nothing to my father of my health or my death; if thou do, thou shalt reflect well upon the issue.’ She sealed it and said, ‘Go, give this letter to a khoja who sits in such and such a place in the bazaar, and take whatever he gives thee and bring it.’

“The youth took that letter and went to the bazaar and asked, and they showed him to him, and he gave the letter into his hand. When the khoja opened the letter and read it, he kissed it and raised it to his head, and straightway drew forth a purse of gold and gave it to the youth. The youth brought it and laid it before the girl. The girl said, ‘Go, take a house, and buy with what is over clothes for thee and me.’ The youth went and took a house and bought sumptuous clothes and brought them to the girl. And they arose and went to that house which they had taken. Again she wrote a letter which she gave to the youth who took it to the khoja, who this time gave him two purses which he took to the girl. She said to him, ‘Go, my youth, and buy some provisions and furniture for the house.’ And the youth went and bought them. Then the girl got another purse of sequins, and she said to the youth, ‘Go, buy thyself horses and arms and male slaves and female slaves.’ And the youth went and bought them, and he brought them and gave them to the girl, and he said, ‘Now tell me what are these matters.’ The girl answered, ‘Now is not the time, by and bye.’

“Gradually the girl built palaces there and increased the number of her male slaves and female slaves, and whenever she gave the youth a letter he went and got two or three purses of gold from that khoja. One day the girl gave the youth a purse of gold and said, ‘In the bazaar is a youth they call Ghazanfer Agha; now go and find him, and ask of him some precious stuff, and he will show it thee, and whatever price he ask for it, give him the double thereof, and take and bring it.’ So the youth went and found him, and sat a while and talked with him; and whatever the price of it was he gave the double, and took it; and Ghazanfer Agha marvelled at this. The youth returned and gave it to the girl, and again he asked of these matters, but the girl said that this too was not the time. And she took out a purse of jewels and gave it to the youth and said, ‘Take these jewels and go to Ghazanfer Agha and ask him to put a value on them, and take them out and lay them before him, and see what he will say to thee; and when putting the jewels back into the purse present him with three of them.’ So she sent him off. The youth said, ‘I shall go; but when I come back tell me the things that have befallen thee.’ He went and did as the girl had said.

“When Ghazanfer Agha saw these gifts he said to the youth, ‘O youth, thou hast made us ashamed; pray be troubled to come once to our house and honor us that we may show our affection.’ The youth replied, ‘What though it be so; to-morrow I shall go.’ And he bade him farewell and he came and told the girl, and the girl said, ‘Go to-morrow; but when thou enterest his house look not to this side nor that side, but look straight before thee.’ And thus did she warn him. When it was morning the youth arose; and Ghazanfer Agha looked and saw the youth coming and he said, ‘Welcome!’ and took him and led him to his house. And the youth looked at nothing, but passed on and sat down; and Ghazanfer Agha treated and entertained that youth with all manner of delicious foods, and then sent him away. And the youth came and told the girl, and she said, ‘Go again to-morrow and talk with him, and when thou risest, do thou too invite him; and be not jealous.’

“And the youth reflected and said in his heart. ‘This Ghazanfer Agha must be the friend of this girl; anyhow we shall see; whatever God does he does well.’ In the morning he went and invited him, and then came to the girl and gave her word and said, ‘Tell me and let me hear of the matters of that night.’ The girl answered, ‘Now is not the time; go and get these things which are needful.’ The youth went and got them and brought them and gave her them and said, ‘Lo, I have brought them; tell me.’ The girl said, ‘Now is the guest coming, it cannot be; by and bye I will tell thee.’ When Ghazanfer Agha came the youth gave the girl word and she said, ‘Go and meet him, and lead him and bring him here.’ The youth said in his heart, ‘This is not without reason; but wait, we shall see.’ And he led him respectfully, and he entered and sat down with the girl. After that, came foods and they ate and drank and made merry till the evening. Then the girl sent word and the youth came in, and she said, ‘Take care, be it not that thou lettest Ghazanfer Agha leave this evening.’ And the youth said, ‘What is this of thee that thou dost not dismiss him?’ The girl answered, ‘I will tell thee afterward.’ The youth said in his heart, ‘I shall slay the two of you this night.’ And he went out. When it was night Ghazanfer Agha asked leave to go away, but the youth would not let him, and Ghazanfer Agha saw that it was not to be, so he remained; and they brought out a clean coverlet and mattress and made a bed for him. And Ghazanfer Agha lay down, and the youth lay down, but he slept not that he might watch the girl.

“When it was midnight the girl arose and the youth saw her, but he made no sound, and the girl went up close to Ghazanfer Agha. The youth, unable to endure it any longer, rose from his place and said fiercely to the girl, ‘What seekest thou there?’ The girl saw that the youth spake angrily and she took him by the hand and drew him to a place apart and said, ‘I am about to slay this Ghazanfer Agha.’ The youth said, ‘What is the reason of it?’ The girl replied, ‘The reason of it is this: I am the daughter of the king of this land, and this youth was a butcher’s apprentice. One day, when going to the bath, I met this youth selling meat upon the road; as soon as I saw him I fell in love with him, and the bird, my heart, was taken, so that I was without rest and could not remain quiet. I saw there was no help for it, so I got him by force of money, and sometimes I went to his house, and sometimes I had him brought in disguise to my palace. One night I went in disguise to his house, and I saw him sitting conversing with a gipsy, and I got angry and I cursed the two of them. This youth was wont to use the dagger, and he gave me many wounds, and thought me dead and put me in a coffin and sent me with two men who laid me in that tomb thou sawest. Praise be to God! my time was not yet; thou didst come to me like Khizr: now, do thou kill him.’

“The youth said, ‘I shall kill him. Wilt thou marry me according to the ordinance of God?’ She answered, ‘I will not marry thee; but the vezir has a daughter fairer than I, her will I get for thee.’ Then the youth smote him and killed him. The girl said, ‘In the morning go to my father and give him good news; and go to-night and bring here all the possessions of this youth.’ The youth said, ‘To-morrow thy father will bring them.’ When it was morning the youth went and gave the good news to the king. And the king sent slave-girls who brought the girl to the palace. And her mother was glad when she saw her safe and sound.[48] And they confiscated the property of Ghazanfer Agha and bestowed it on that youth.

“But what would the youth do with the wealth? his desire was the girl. The king’s vezirs said, ‘My king, it were right if thou give the girl to the youth.’ The king answered, ‘It is my desire too; for when my daughter disappeared and we sought but could not find her, I made a promise, saying, that to him who brought good news of my daughter I should give her; but the girl does not wish it.’ The vezirs said, ‘My king, our daughters are thine; make this youth thy client; whichever girl thou pleasest, give her to him.’ The king said, ‘I shall make a proposal;’ and he went and spake with her mother. And the girl’s mother went to her and with difficulty persuaded her; and then sent word to the king. That hour they performed the marriage ceremony, and the king made the youth a vezir; and they lived for a long time in joyance and delight.

“O king, I have told this story for that thou mayst know that thy son will not accept counsel, but purposes for thy life. Because that cobbler youth accepted the words of the saints he attained to fortune; and that butcher’s apprentice, for that he was a fool, wounded his benefactress, the king’s daughter; and if the girl had not killed him, he would have made her disgraced before the world. Do thou then, O king, take profit by the tale; beware, spare not this foolish youth, but kill him; else thou shalt be repentant.” When the king heard this story from the lady he said, “To-morrow will I kill him.”

When it was morning and the sun had appeared, like as appeared the kindness shown by the king’s daughter to the butcher’s apprentice, and the world was illumined with light, the king passed and sat upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be brought and commanded the executioner, “Smite off his head.” The nineteenth vezir came forward and said, “O king, beware, hurry not in this matter, look to the thought of the hereafter and the way of the Law. The Apostle (peace on him!) saith, ‘God most high maketh wise in the Truth him to whom he wisheth to do good.’ According to this sacred tradition, what is befitting the king is this, that he transgress not the bounds of God. The truth is this, that in this matter the prince is sinless. O king, when can one obtain a son? Slay not thy prince, or grief for thy son will be full hard, and in the end thou shalt be unable to endure it. There is a story suitable to this; if the king grant leave I will relate it.” The king said, “Relate it, let us hear.” Quoth the vezir:

Hasan of Basra

“Hasan of Basra[49] (the mercy of God on him!) was in his first estate a seller of jewels. One day he rose up to trade, and came before a king and transacted business, and then he transacted business with the vezir. The vezir said, ‘To-day we go to a pageant at a certain place; wilt thou come with us?’ Hasan answered, ‘Yea, I shall go.’ When the vezir and the king had mounted their steeds, they brought a horse for Hasan likewise, and they all went out of the gate and came to a plain. Hasan saw that in the middle of that plain was a white pavilion, the dome of which reared its head into the air. Then they went up close to that pavilion and all of them alighted. From another side came a procession of people; Hasan of Basra saw that it was a party of doctors and holy men who were carrying their lecterns and copies of the sacred volume. They came and entered that pavilion and recited the Koran with sweet voice; then they came and walked three times round that dome, and then stood at the door and said, ‘O prince, what can we? were there release to thy sweet soul by reading of the Koran, we would, all of us, cease not therefrom day or night; but it is the decree of that almighty King; there is no avail for his command save acquiescence and patience.’

“And they went away. After them came white-bearded elders and devotees reciting chants, and they walked three times round that dome, and then stood at the door and said, ‘O prince, what can we? were there release to thy sweet soul by chant and prayer, we would, all of us, devote ourselves to chant and prayer; but what profit? it is the decree of that almighty King; there is no avail therefor save resignation.’ And they went away. After them came many moon-faced damsels, in the hand of each of whom was a golden dish filled full of all manner of jewels, and they walked three times round that dome, and then stood at the door and said, ‘O prince, what can we? were there release to thy sweet soul by the giving of riches, we would give all these jewels, and we ourselves would become slaves; but what avail? it is the decree of that almighty King, and he hath no need of such things; there is no help for his decree save patience.’

“And they went away. After them came an innumerable army which surrounded that dome, rank on rank, and they said, ‘O prince, were there release to thy sweet soul by battle, night and day would we, all of us, do battle in thy cause; but what avail? it is the decree of that almighty King; there is no help therefor but patience and resignation.’ And they went away. After them came the king the father of that prince, and the vezirs and the nobles, and they walked three times round that dome, and then stood at the door, and the king said, ‘O light of my eyes, darling of my heart, were there release to thy sweet soul to be found by science, I had found it by means of the learned; or were it by gifts and bounties, I had assembled all my army and made war and attained it; but what avail? decree is God’s. He is in want of naught; there is no help save patience and acquiescence in his judgment.’

“And he wept full bitterly, and all the nobles and vezirs wept likewise. When Hasan of Basra saw these things he asked the vezir, ‘What plight is this plight?’ The vezir said, ‘O Hasan, our king had a son: he was in beauty a second Joseph; and in writing, reading, chivalry, and all accomplishments he had no rival; and as he was the king’s only child he loved him very much. One day death spared him not, and he passed to the abiding home. After the wailing and dismay, as there was no help save patience under the heavenly decree, they brought him and buried him in this dome. And once every year they come and thus visit the tomb.’ When Hasan of Basra heard these words from the vezir and saw these things with his eyes, wealth and riches went forth from his eye and heart; and he abandoned the whole of them and turned dervish and donned the khirqa;[50] and now, when his name is mentioned, they add, ‘The mercy of God on him!’

“Now, O king, I have told this story for that the king may know that grief for children is full bitter. As yet thou hast not felt it, and may God most high not show it thee thus through him. O king, slay not the prince, else afterward thou shalt be repentant and shalt sigh and groan until thou die.” And he made intercession for the prince for that day. When the king heard this story from the vezir compassion came into his heart, and he sent the youth to the prison and went himself to the chase.

When it was evening the king returned from the chase and came to the palace, and again the lady rose to greet him, and she sat with the king. After the repast the lady asked for news of the youth. The king said, “To-day likewise such an one of my vezirs made intercession for him, and I have sent him again to the prison.” The lady said, “O king, why dost thou leave my counsel and act according to thine own understanding? Hast not thou heard these words they have said concerning the heedless: ‘Whoso is presumptuous through reason is abased.’ And the sages have said that eight things bring disgrace upon a man: the first is going to dine at a place without invitation, the second is interfering between another and his wife, the third is giving ear to everyone’s words, the fourth is slighting the king, the fifth is setting one’s self above a great man, the sixth is speaking to those who listen not to one’s words, the seventh is begging a favor of an avaricious and indifferent person, and the eighth is going to the enemies’ gate.

“Now, O king, those vezirs interfere between thee and me. Beware, act not according to their words. They have said that he who acts according to a stranger’s word will divorce his wife. Their words are many; and they are forty vezirs, and each one of them for this long time is planning wiles. Mayhap my king has not heard the story of the old gardener and his son.” The king said, “Tell on, let us hear.” Quoth the lady:

The Gardener and His Son

“In the by-gone time an old gardener had mounted his son upon an ass and was proceeding to the garden, himself on foot. They met some men who said, ‘See this old pederast, how he has mounted the boy upon the ass; and is himself running alongside.’ Whenever the old man heard this he made the boy alight and mounted himself. Again they met some other folk, these likewise said, ‘Look at this heartless old man, he rides the ass himself and makes the poor child go on foot.’ Whenever the old man heard this he took his son up in front of him. Then some people saw them and said, ‘See this old pederast, how he has taken the boy up in front of him.’ The old man heard this, and he put his son up behind him. Again certain folks saw them and said, ‘See this old catamite, how he has taken the boy up behind him.’ The old man knew not what to do, so he put his son down and alighted himself and drove the ass before them. The garden was near, and both of them were on foot, and they reached the garden before meeting with any others.

“Now, O king, I have told this story that thou mayst know that no one in the world can escape the tongue of the folk. Each one says a different thing. It is even as when a boil came out on the foot of a certain king who showed it to someone and said, ‘Come, look at this boil; is it ripe or unripe?’ He looked and said, ‘It is ripe.’ Then he showed it to another person, and he said, ‘It is unripe.’ Then the king said, ‘We cannot get sure information concerning even one foot.’ Do thou too, O king, go by no one’s word, lose not the opportunity; no good will come to thee from this youth.” When the king heard this story from the lady he said, “To-morrow will I kill him.”

When it was morning the king came and sat upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be brought and ordered the executioner, “Smite off his head.” The twentieth vezir came forward and said, “O king of the world, I will speak a good word to thee: all these vezirs who have spoken these many words are well-wishers to thee. The holy Apostle of God hath said, ‘Whoso hath believed in God and the last day; when he witnesseth to aught, let him speak with good or let him be silent,’ Now, what is best for thee in this thy affair is this, as all thy vezirs say, ‘Slay not the prince,’ I too say, have patience, else the end of this will be care and sorrow. Mayhap the king has not heard the story of a certain king.” The king said, “Tell on, let us hear.” Quoth the vezir:

The Dervish’s Advice

“Of old time there was a great king. One day, when returning from the chase, he saw a dervish sitting by the way, crying, ‘I have a piece of advice; to him who will give me 1,000 sequins I will tell it.’ When the king heard these words of the dervish he drew in his horse’s head and halted, and he said to the dervish, ‘What is thy counsel?’ The dervish replied, ‘Bring the sequins and give me them that I may tell my counsel.’ The king ordered that they count 1,000 sequins into the dervish’s lap. The dervish said, ‘O king, my advice to thee is this, whenever thou art about to do a deed, consider the end of that deed, and then act.’ The nobles who were present laughed together at these words and said, ‘Anyone knows that.’ But the king rewarded that poor man. He was greatly pleased with the words of the dervish and commanded that they wrote them on the palace gate and other places.

“Now that king had an enemy, a great king; and this hostile king was ever watching his opportunity; but he could find no way save this, he said in himself, ‘Let me go and promise the king’s barber some worldly good and give him a poisoned lancet; some day when the king is sick he can bleed him with that lancet.’ So he disguised himself, and went and gave the barber a poisoned lancet and 10,000 sequins. And the barber was covetous and undertook to bleed the king with that lancet what time it should be needful. One day the king was sick, and he sent word to the barber to come and bleed him. Thereupon the barber took that poisoned lancet with him and went. The attendants prepared the basin, and the barber saw written on the rim of the basin, ‘Whenever thou art about to perform a deed, think on the end thereof.’

“When the barber saw this he said in himself, ‘I am now about to bleed the king with this lancet and doubtless he will perish, then they will not leave me alive, but will inevitably kill me; after I am dead what use will these sequins be to me?’ And he took up that lancet and put it in its place and drew out another lancet that he might bleed the king. When he took his arm a second time, the king said, ‘Why didst thou not bleed me with the first lancet?’ The barber answered, ‘O king, there was some dust on its point.’ Then the king said, ‘I saw it, it is not the treasury lancet; there is some secret here, quick, tell it, else I will slay thee.’ When the barber saw this importunity, he related the story from beginning to end and how he had seen the writing on the basin and changed his intention. The king put a robe of honor on the barber and let him keep the sequins which his enemy had given him. And the king said, ‘The dervish’s counsel is worth not 1,000 sequins but 100,000 sequins.’

“Now, O king, I have told this story for that the king may know that it is as when the dervish said, ‘Whatsoever deed thou doest, consider the end thereof, then act.’ If thou slay the prince, at last thou shalt be repentant. The rest the king knows.” And he made intercession for the prince. When the king heard these words from the vezir he sent the prince to the prison and himself mounted for the chase.

When it was evening the king returned from the chase and came to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and they sat down. After the repast the lady again asked for news of the youth. The king said, “To-day such an one of my vezirs made intercession for him and I sent him to the prison.” The lady said, “O king, it is related of the Caliph Ma’mūn[51] that he said, ‘Four things are hurtful to kings; the first is the nobles being negligent, the second is the ministers being envious, the third is the mean being bold, and the fourth is the vezirs being treacherous.’ And the Moorish sages say, ‘In nobles there is no friendship, in liars there is no fidelity, in the envious there is no peace, in the indifferent there is no generosity, and in the evil-natured there is no greatness.’ O king, these thy vezirs are, like thy traitor son, liars and evil-natured. Thou believest the words of these. The story of thee and this youth altogether resembles the story of those Turkman children.” The king said, “Tell that story, let us hear it.” Quoth the lady:

The Turkman Children

“Certain Turkmans from an encampment went one day into a city. When they were returning from the city to the encampment they were an hungered, and when they were come near they ate some bread and onions at a spring-head. The juice of the onions went into the Turkmans’ eyes, and the tears came forth from their eyes. Now the children of the Turkmans had gone out to meet them, and they saw that the tears were streaming from their fathers’ eyes and they thought that some one of them had died in the city. So without asking and without knowing, they ran back and came to the encampment and said to their mothers, ‘One of ours is dead in the city, our fathers are coming weeping,’ All the women and children of that encampment came forth to meet them, weeping together. The Turkmans who were coming from the city thought that one of theirs had died in the encampment; so were they without knowledge one of the other, and they raised a weeping and crying together such that it cannot be described.

“At length the elders of the camp stood up in the midst and said, ‘May all ye remain whole; the command is God’s, there is none other help than patience.’ And they questioned them. The Turkmans who were coming from the city asked, ‘Who is dead in the encampment?’ The others said, ‘No one is dead in the encampment; who has died in the city?’ Those coming from the city answered, ‘No one has died in the city.’ They said, ‘Then for whom are we wailing and lamenting?’ At length they perceived that all this tumult arose from their thus trusting the words of children.

“Now, O king, I have told this story for that the king may know that confusion like to that is brought about by youths. What I know is this, if thou slay not the youth he will slay thee.” When the king heard these words from the lady he said, “To-morrow will I kill him.”

When it was morning the king came and sat upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be brought and ordered the executioner, “Smite off his head.” The twenty-first vezir came forward and said, “O king of the world, yesterday, when reading in a book, I saw that they had written that there was a great king in the land of Hindustan, and in his time there was a work on wisdom, and they laded three camels with it and brought it to him. One day the king said to the sages, ‘Abridge this book for me, that I may study it.’ Then all the sages of Hind came together and collected the necessary words from that work and made a book. When the king read it he was pleased. And the words that they wrote were these: ‘O king, be not presumptuous, being deceived by the world; for the world showeth itself like a fair woman and fondleth men in its bosom; and when they are asleep and heedless, of a sudden it woundeth and slayeth them. Knowing of a surety that it is thus, have care if it offer itself to thee, that thou keep thyself from it, so that thou be prosperous. And expend what thou gainest of wealth in the way of God most high, and guard against iniquity, and show forth thy name through generosity, and abandon avarice.

“‘O king, the light of the world is darkness, and its newness is oldness, and its being is non-being. O king, strive that thou save thyself from it; and incline not to the amassing of unlawful wealth, for it will pass from thy hand and be a woe to thee. Strive to collect wealth lawfully, and expend it on good works, and show thyself just among the folk to the utmost of thy power, that all the people of the world may love thee, and that thou be secured against the punishment of God most high. And guard thy faith for the hereafter. And love not women and tell not them thy secrets. O king, be not deceived by womankind; for in body are they weak, but in guile are they strong.’ Now, O king, these counsels are exceeding good counsels, and it behooves the king to keep them; and their saying is true that women are weak in body but strong in guile. Mayhap the king has not heard what befell a certain king with a woman.” The king said, “Relate it, let us hear.” Quoth the vezir:

A Queen’s Deceit

“There was in the palace of the world a great king, and he had a beautiful wife, such that many a soul dangled in the tresses on her cheek. That lady had a secret affair with a youth, and she used to hide the youth in a chest in the palace. One day that youth said to the lady, ‘If the king were aware of this our work, he would slay the two of us.’ The lady said, ‘Leave that thought, I can do so that I shall hide thee in the chest and say to the king, “Lo, my lover is lying in this chest;” and then, when the king is about to kill thee, I shall make him repentant by one word.’ While the youth and the lady were saying these words, the king came, and the lady straightway put the youth into the chest and locked it. The king said, ‘Why lockest thou that chest thus hastily? What is in the chest?’ The lady answered, ‘By God, it is my lover; I saw thee coming and I put him into the chest and locked it.’ Then was the king wroth, and he bared his sword and thought to slay him who was in the chest, when the lady said, ‘O king, art thou mad, where is gone thine understanding? Am I mad that I should advance a strange man to thy couch and then say to thee, “Lo, he is in the chest?” In truth, I wondered if thou were sincere in thy trust of me, and I tried thee, and now I know that thou thinkest evil concerning me.’ And she ceased and sat in a corner.

“Then did the king repent him of what he had done; and he begged and besought of his wife, saying, ‘Forgive me,’ And he gave her many things, and craved pardon for his fault. When the king had gone out from the harem into the palace the lady took that youth forth of the chest and said, ‘Didst thou see what a trick I played the king?’ And they gave themselves up to mirth and merriment.

“Now, O king, I have told this story for that the king may know that guile and trickery such as this abound in women. O king, beware, slay not the prince on the woman’s word, else afterward thou shalt be repentant, and too late repentance profits not.” And he made intercession for the prince for that day. When the king heard this story from the vezir he sent the prince to the prison and himself mounted for the chase.

When it was evening the king returned from the chase and came to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and they sat down. After the repast the lady again began to speak about the youth. The king said, “To-day too such an one of my vezirs made intercession for him and I sent him to the prison.” The lady said, “O king, this youth is ignoble. It is even as when God most high told Noah (peace on him!) of the impurity of his son: said God most high, ‘He is not of thy family; verily, it is a work that is not right.’[52] Then it is known that if a person follow not the way of his father, and be not endowed with the nature of his father, he cannot be called a lawful son. Therefore, when the wise see a fault in others they hinder and cover it, and if they see that fault in themselves they strive to banish it far from them. There is no help for the ignoble that he should follow the path of the noble. Mayhap the king has not heard the story of a certain abdal and a king.” The king said, “Tell on, let us hear.” Quoth the lady:

The Abdal and the King

“There was of old time a great king, and there was by him an abdal. One day the king mounted for the chase, and the abdal said, ‘O king, I am able for soldiering and hunting; give me too horse and gear and bird, that I may go forth with thee to ride about and hunt.’ So the king gave the abdal a horse and gear, and gave him a falcon on his wrist, and took him along with him to the chase, and they went off. While they were riding, the king saw a bird go into a bush, and he said to the abdal, ‘Go, cast the falcon at the bird.’ And the king stood to look on. The abdal went up close to the bush with the falcon, and a man stirred the bush, and the bird came out and flew off. The king said to the abdal, ‘The bird is away, throw off the falcon.’ And the abdal threw off the falcon from his wrist without slipping the leash, and he swung it round and round his head. The king shouted, ‘Out on thee! throw off the falcon!’ The abdal said, ‘O king, I have thrown it off, what am I to do?’ But he left not to swing the falcon round his head. The king shouted, ‘Out on thee! let the falcon go!’ And the abdal let go the leash; but the falcon’s eyes were darkened from its having been turned round, and it could not fly, and fell to the ground. And the king was angry and ill-pleased. Then the abdal said, ‘O king, wherefore art thou angry? thou saidest, “Throw off the falcon,” and I threw it off; then thou saidest, “Let it go,” and I let it go; this falcon knows not how to fly: what fault is mine?’ These words of the abdal were pleasant to the king and he fainted from laughing; and he perceived how no good comes from anything ignoble.[53]

“Now, O king, I have told this story for that the king may know that no good comes from the ignoble man who follows not the path of his father and mother. Beware, O king, be not negligent in the affair of this youth, or in the end some hurt will befall thee from him; the rest thou knowest.” When the king heard this story from the lady he said, “On the morrow will I kill the youth.”

When it was morning the king came and sat upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be brought and commanded the executioner, “Smite off his head.”

Thus did the king, day after day, order the execution of his innocent son, being temporarily diverted from committing this crime by the stories and wise advice of the forty vezirs, only to be urged again at night to commit the crime by the false accusations of his baffled and revengeful wife.

The story of the fortieth vezir demonstrated how the crafty wife of a tailor played him false and then deceived him with a lying and plausible version of what had happened. After relating this story the fortieth vezir said:

“Now, O king, I have told this story for that the king may know that tricks like to these and all manner of craftiness abound in women. Beware, slay not the prince on the woman’s word, or afterward thou shalt be repentant.” And he kissed the ground, and made intercession for the prince for that day. And the king granted it, and sent the youth to the prison, and went himself to the chase.

When it was evening the king returned from the chase and came to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and they sat down. After the repast the lady asked for news of the youth. The king said, “To-day, too, such an one of my vezirs made intercession for him and I sent him to the prison.” The lady said, “O king, be it known that not one of those vezirs is thy friend; God knows what pact they have with the youth. Mayhap the king has not heard what befel between the Sultan of Egypt and his vezirs.” The king said, “Tell on, let us hear.” Quoth the lady:

The Sultan and His Traitorous Son

“There was of old time in the city of Cairo a great sultan, and he had a youthful son. And that youth made a pact with the vezirs, saying, ‘If ye make me sultan, I will give you leave to do whatever ye may please.’ When they had agreed to this, he sowed enmity between the king and the vezirs and nobles; and each of them rose in revolt in a different quarter, and they took the youth for their chief, and waged war and did battle with the king. The king could not overcome them, and at length they made the youth king. They began to feast with the new king every day, and to accomplish their desires. And the king’s father saw that the purpose of the vezirs and the youth was evil, and he called a confidant, and one night they fled in disguise and entered a cave; and for seven days and seven nights the king went not forth from that cave. The new king heard of his father having fled, and he and the vezirs began to seek him and to send out criers, who proclaimed, ‘Whoso seizes my father and brings him to me, him will I honor.’ And the old king and his courtier went forth from the cave and came to a village, and were guests of an old woman in that village; and that old woman sowed seed. And she bestirred herself to entertain them, and brought them a mat, and they sat down. The king was hungry, and he pulled out a sequin and gave it to the old woman, and said, ‘Mother, go, fetch us food that we may eat.’ The woman said, ‘What will ye do with a sequin’s worth of food?’ The king replied, ‘No harm, fetch it.’ And the woman went and brought all manner of delicacies and set them before the king. And they sat down and ate. After the repast they began to talk with the woman; and the woman said, ‘What youths be ye?’ The king said, ‘We are of the servants of the fugitive king; we are seeking our master.’ The woman said, ‘I fear that ye too are followers of that unworthy youth, and would seize the king and take him.’ The king asked, ‘Does that unworthy youth seek his father?’ The woman replied, ‘Does he seek him? What means that? Those traitor vezirs and nobles every day cause criers to proclaim, “To him who seizes and brings that fugitive sultan we will give the lordship of whatever place he may wish; but of him who conceals him, or in whose house he is found, are the head and family gone.”’

“When the king heard these words from the woman his soul was troubled, and he said to her, ‘And are the nobles also submissive to the youth?’ The woman answered, ‘He has deposed many nobles, and appointed other nobles; these new nobles are all of them submissive to him.’ The king said, ‘Is there any of those old nobles whom thou knowest?’ The woman replied, ‘There is a vezir who was deposed by the fugitive sultan; I go about his house on business—I know him.’ As soon as the king heard this he turned and said to his confidant, ‘What sayest thou, shall I tell this woman that I am the sultan?’ The confidant replied, ‘Command is the king’s.’ The sultan turned and said to the woman, ‘O mother, I have a secret; if I tell it thee, canst thou keep it?’ The woman said, ‘I will give my head, but I will not give your secret,’ The king made the woman swear, and then said, ‘O mother, dost thou know me who I am?’ She answered, ‘Nay,’ Then the king said, ‘Lo, I am the fugitive sultan; be it not that this word escape thy mouth,’ When the woman heard this the blood went from her face, and she fell at the king’s feet. The king said, ‘Hast thou son or daughter?’ She replied, ‘I have a son,’ The king said, ‘If God most high seat me on my throne, I will give thy son whatever lordship he please,’ The woman bowed down and fell at the king’s feet. Then the king said to her, ‘Go now to the house of that vezir, and call him to a private place and salute him from me, and say, “The king is now seated in my house and wants thee, be it not that thou flinchest and comest not.”’

“When it was evening the woman went to the vezir’s house, and took the vezir to a private place, and gave him the king’s greeting, and told him all and how that he was sitting in her house. The vezir was glad, and he said, ‘Do thou now be off, I too will come now;’ and he sent her away. The woman came and told these things to the king. After a little he saw the vezir in the dress of an Arab, and he came and fell at the king’s feet and mourned and wept. The king said, ‘O vezir, I wronged thee and took thy wealth and deposed thee; ah! the past is past, the gone is gone. Befriend me as much as in thee lies, and if God most high raise me to my throne, I know the honor I will do thee.’ The vezir said, ‘O king, if thou tookest my wealth, it was thine own wealth; if thou didst depose me, I was thy slave and had done wrong; thou didst well. Now this is the way, that thou follow my words and lay aside kingship till our plan be accomplished; if afterward thou art wroth with me, then command; now let us work.’ The king said, ‘Do what thou wilt; now is not the time for words.’ The vezir said, ‘O king, arise and take my lamp in thine hand, and go on through the desert before thee till thou comest to my house; if anyone see thee he will think thee my man and recognize thee not.’ The king took the vezir’s lamp in his hand, and they went on and passed through the bazaars of Cairo, and came to the vezir’s house; and the vezir prepared a private room for the king.

“The king remained there some days, and the vezir secretly sent word to all the great nobles who had been deposed, and assembled them. And one night he brought them to the king and reconciled them, and said, ‘On the morrow be ye ready and show zeal each one of you for his estate.’ That night they gathered together all the disbanded soldiers who were there; and when it was morning they beat the kettledrums on every side, and ere those traitor nobles and vezirs had arisen they put many of them to the sword; and they seized the king’s son and all the rest of his vezirs, and brought them before the king. And the king executed the whole of them, slaying each of them with a different torment. Thenceforth he sat upon his throne with tranquillity of heart, and enjoyed happiness and delight.

“Now, O king, I have told this story for that the king may know that vezirs are not to be altogether trusted; and be thou ready, for these vezirs purpose evil against the king, and the like of this story shall befall thee. I have watched for my king and told him. And I know of a surety that they have made a pact if left till the morrow to seat the youth upon the throne, and to seize thee and to give thee into the youth’s hands. God knows what will happen to ill-fortuned me. Woe is me!” And she wept full bitterly. When the king heard this story from the lady, and beheld this plight, he believed the lady’s words, and held them to be true; and fear for his life fell upon the king. He said: “O lady, weep not; on the morrow will I seize the whole of the vezirs, and, after I have put the youth to death, I will give to each of them, one by one, his due.” When the lady heard these words from the king she was glad, and said, “O king, when thou hast slain the whole of them, appoint nobles vezirs in their stead, and then lean thy back against the wall of retirement, and give thyself up to mirth and merriment: till thou hast done thus thou shalt not be at ease.” And the king consented to this proposal, and they passed that night till the morning conversing.

Conclusion

When it was morning the king was wrathful, and he came and sat upon his throne, and he said, “Where is the youth? let him come.” They brought him, and the king said, “Ask ye him if he confesses to the charge of his mother.” Thereupon the grand vezir said, “Let him come before you and be asked, and it will be well; bring him, let us ask him.” The king commanded that they brought him, and he said, “Youth, speak; how hast thou done by thy mother?” The youth was silent. The king turned and said, “Be not silent, there is leave to thee, speak.” The youth was silent. Again the grand vezir said, “Perchance his governor might make him tell.”

Straightway the king commanded that they should bring his governor; and they sought him but found him not, and came and told the king. The king said, “This day it is needful to make manifest my justice; let the executioner come.” He came; and the king commanded, saying, “Take the youth and all those vezirs; and kill them.” And they took the whole of them from the presence of the king; and they made clean the judgment-square and sprinkled it with sand. And they made the vezirs sit down by tens, and they brought the youth too. Then the executioner set the prince upon his knees and bound his eyes, and he drew his sword from its scabbard and bared it, and said, “Is there leave, O king? In thy glory is my arm strong and my sword keen. The cut-off head grows not again, and too late repentance profits not.” And he went twice round the divan and asked leave of the king; and the king commanded him, saying, “Smite off his head.” The executioner went round the divan once more, and as he was again asking leave of the king, the bearer of glad tidings came, crying, “The prince’s governor comes!” The king said, “Quick, seize and bring him.”

Forthwith the slaves brought the governor, not letting his feet touch the ground. When the king saw the governor he was wroth, and said, “Kill him!” The governor said, “O king, wherefore art thou angry? If it be thy desire to make the youth speak, bring him and let him speak.” Quoth the king, “Is it thou who saidest to the youth, ‘Speak not’?” The governor answered, “Yea.” The king said, “Why?” The governor said, “O king of the world, I saw the prince’s ruling star in the astrolabe that for forty days it was in evil aspect, such evil aspect that if he uttered the least word he should perish, but that if he spake not he should escape. I taught him a Name, and charged him straitly that he should not speak the least word. Now is the time accomplished, and I am come; command that they bring him, and I shall give him leave to speak.” The king commanded that they brought the youth, and the governor said, “My prince, be my life a ransom for thy father and for thee! Praise be to God! the evil aspect of thy star is accomplished; loose thy nightingale tongue and speak; what is this plight?”

Straightway the youth said, “In the name of God!” And he related what befell him with the lady from its beginning to its end; and then he fell upon the ground and began to weep. And the king put his finger to his mouth and wondered. And the members of the divan marvelled at this deed of the woman, and they said, “The prince’s words are with reason and truth, and such like trickery comes from womankind.”

Then the king asked the slave-girls, and they bare witness that they had been behind the wall and had heard the thing, and that the prince spake truly. And the king saw that the right was the prince’s, and he repented him of what he had done. And he besought pardon, and kissed the prince’s two eyes, and pressed him to his heart and wept full bitterly. And straightway he commanded that they bring the vezirs; and the king made many excuses to them, and clad each of them in sumptuous robes, and bestowed boundless gifts and favors upon them, and begged forgiveness of all of them. And the vezirs said, “My king, whatsoever cruelty and injustice thou hast done us, be it all forgiven thee; our fear was lest thou should slay the prince, acting on the woman’s word; for our vezirship is by the health and safety of our king and our prince; and their existence is a mercy to the world; after they were perished the perishing of the whole of us were a thing assured.” And they all kissed the ground together, and asked for retribution on the woman.

And the king commanded that they bring a wild ass; and they took the lady to the square of judgment and set her upon that ass, and bound her fast to his tail and legs, and took her forth to the desert. And they smote the ass with a whip, and the ass began to gallop and the woman fell from his back to the ground; and the wild ass looked, and when he saw the woman behind him he shied and ran off. And the woman was torn into pieces small even as her ear, and left upon the shrubs and stones. Thus that which she had purposed against the prince befel herself. The sires say, “Wish good that good may come to thee: if thou dig a pit for another, dig it deep; for it is like thou shalt fall therein thyself; then thou needest not trouble trying to get out.” And from that time has the saying been among the folk, “May I see thee on the ass!” After that the king summoned all the vezirs and the nobles and the commonalty, and he made a great feast with all manner of minstrels and music, and for forty days and forty nights they feasted and made merry gratefully. And then they lived for many years, and did justice and dealt with equity.

FOOTNOTES: