 Section 1, Volume 2 of The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 2, Section 1. Noor Adin Ali and the Damsel Anis Al-Jalis. Quoth Shahrazad. It hath reached me, O auspicious king of intelligence penetrating, that there was, amongst the kings of Basura, a king who loved the poor and needy, and cherished his leges, and gave of his wealth to all who believed in Muhammad, whom Allah bless and assain. And he was even, as one of the poets described him, a king who, when hosts of the foe invade, receives them with lance-lunge and sabre-sway, writes his name on bosoms in thin red lines, and scatters the horsemen in wild dismay. His name was King Muhammad bin Sulayman Azayni, and he had two Wazirs, one called Al-Mu'in, son of Sa'wi, and the other Al-Fazl, son of Khakan. Now Al-Fazl was the most generous of the people of his age, upright of life, so that all hearts united in loving him, and the wise flocked to him for counsel, whilst the subjects used to pray for his long life because he was a compendium of the best qualities, encouraging the good and leaf, and preventing evil and mischief. But the Wazir-Mu'in bin Sa'wi, on the contrary, hated folk, and loved not the good, and was a mere compound of ill, even as was said of him. Hold to nobles, sons of nobles, tis ever nature's test, that nobles born of nobles shall excel in noble deed, and shun the mean of soul, meanly bred, for tis the law, mean deeds come of men who are mean of blood and breed. And as much as the people loved, and fondly loved, Al-Fazl bin Khakan, so they hated and thoroughly hated the mean and miserly Mu'in bin Sa'wi. It befell one day by the decree of the decreeor, that King Muhammad bin Sulayman Azayni, being seated on his throne with his officers of state about him, summoned his Wazir-Al-Fazl, and said to him, I wish to have a slave-girl of passing beauty perfect in loveliness, exquisite in symmetry, and endowed with all praiseworthy gifts. Said the courtiers, such a girl is not to be bought for less than ten thousand gold pieces, whereupon the Sultan called out to his treasurer and said, Carry ten thousand dinars to the house of Al-Fazl bin Khakan. The treasurer did the King's bidding, and the minister went away, after receiving the royal charge to repair to the slave-bazaar every day, and entrust to brokers the matter aforesaid. Moreover the King issued orders that girls worth above a thousand gold pieces should not be bought or sold without being first displayed to the Wazir. Accordingly no broker purchased a slave-girl, ere she had been paraded before the minister. But none pleased him, till one day a dealer came to the house and found him taking horse and intending for the palace. So he caught hold of his stirrup, saying, O thou who give us to royal state, sweet saver, thar to Wazir shall never fail of favour. Dead bounty thou hast raised to life for men, near fail of Allah's grace such high endeavour. Then quoth he, O my lord, that surpassing object for whom the gracious mandate was issued is at last found. And quoth the Wazir, here with her to me. So he went away, and returned after a little, bringing a damsel in richest raiment-robed, a maid spear-straight of stature, and five feet tall, budding of bosom, with eyes large and black as by coal traced, and dewy lips sweeter than syrup or the sherbet one sips, a virginette smooth-cheeked and shapely-faced, whose slender waist with massive hips was engraced, a form more pleasing than branch-lit, waving upon the topmost trees, and a voice softer and gentler than the morning breeze, even as sayeth one of those who have described her. Strange is the charm which dites her brows, like Luna's disc that shine, O sweeter taste than sweetest rob or raisins of the vine. A throne the imperian keeps for her in high and glorious state, for wit and wisdom, one like form, and graceful bending-line. She in the heaven of her face, the sevenfold stars, displays that guard her cheeks as satellites against the spy's design. If man should cast a furtive glance or steal far look at her, his heart is burnt by devil-bolts shot by those piercing-ine. When the wazir saw her, she made him marvel with excess of admiration, so he turned perfectly pleased to the broker and asked, What is the price of this girl? Where to, he answered, Her market value stands at ten thousand dinars, but her owner swears that this sum will not cover the cost of the chickens she hath eaten, the wine she hath drunken, and the dresses of honour bestowed upon her instructor. For she hath learnt calligraphy and syntax and etymology, the commentaries of the Quran, the principles of law and religion, the cannons of medicine, and the calendar and the art of playing on musical instruments. Said the wazir, Bring me her master. So the broker brought him at once, and behold, he was a person of whom there was left only what the days had left, for he was as a vulture bald and scald, and a wall trembling to its fall. Time had buffeted him with sore smart, yet was he not willing this world to depart, even as said the poet, Time hath shattered all my frame. Oh, how time hath shattered me! Time with lordly might contain, manly strength and bigger free! Time was in my youth that none sped their way more fleet and fast. Time is, and my strength is gone. Youth is sped, and speed is past. The wazir asked him, Aren't thou content to sell this slave girl to the Sultan for ten thousand dinars? And the persian answered, By Allah! If I offer her to the king for naught, it were but my devoir. So the minister bad-bring the monies, and saw them wade out to the persian, who stood up before him and said, By the leave of our lord the wazir, I have somewhat to say. And the wazir replied, Out with all thou hast. It is my opinion, continued the slave dealer, that thou shouldst not carry the maid to the king this day, for she is newly off a journey. The change of air hath affected her, and the toils of trouble hath fretted her. But keep her quiet in thy palace some ten days, that she may recover her looks and become again as she was. Then send her to the Hamam, and clothe her in the richest of clothes, and go up with her to the Sultan. This will be more to thy profit. The wazir pondered the persians' words, and approved of their wisdom, so he carried her to his palace, where he appointed her private rooms, allowed her every day whatever she wanted of meat and drink, and so forth. And on this wise she abode awhile. Now the wazir al-Fazl had a son like the full moon when she ne'est died, with face radiant in light, cheeks ruddy bright, and a mole like a dot of ambergris on a downy site. As said of him the poet, and said full right, A moon which blights you, if you dare behold a branch which folds you in its waving fold, locks of the zange and golden glint of hair, sweet gate and form a spear to have and hold, a hard of heart with softest, slenderest waist, that evil to this wheel, why not remold? Were thy forms softness placed in thy heart, ne'er would thy lover find thee harsh and cold. O thou accuser, be my love's excuser, nor chide if love-pangs deal me woes untold. I bear no blames, it is all my here and Ine, so leave thy blaming, let me yearn and pine. Now the handsome youth knew not the affair of the damsel, and his father had enjoined her closely, saying, No, o my daughter, that I have bought thee as a bedfellow, for our king, Mohammed bin Sulayman Azayni, and I have a son who is a Satan for girls, and leaves no maid in the neighbourhood without taking her maiden head, so be on thy guard against him, and beware of letting him see thy face, or hear thy voice. Harkening and obedience said the girl, and he left her and fared forth. Some days after this it happened, by decree of destiny, that the damsel repaired to the baths in the house, where some of the slave-women bathed her. After which she arrayed herself in sumptuous raiment, and her beauty and loveliness were thereby redoubled. Then she went in to the wazir's wife and kissed her hand, and the dame said to her, Naiman, may it benefit thee, o Anisa Jalees, are not our baths handsome? O my mistress, she replied, I lack naught there, save thy gracious presence. Thereupon the lady said to her slave-women, come with us to the Hamam, for it is some days since we went there. They answered, To hear is to obey, and Rose and all accompanied her. Now she had set two little slave-girls to keep the door of the private chamber, wherein was Anisa Jalees, and had said to them, Suffer none to go into the damsel. Presently, as the beautiful maiden sat resting in her rooms, suddenly came in the wazir's son, whose name was Nur ad-Din Ali, and asked after his mother and her women, to which the two little slave-girls replied, They are in the Hamam. But the damsel, Anisa Jalees, had heard from within Nur ad-Din Ali's voice, and had said to herself, O would heaven I saw, what like is this youth against whom the wazir warned me, saying that he hath not left a virgin in the neighbourhood without taking her virginity? I do long to have sight of him. So she sprang to her feet, with the freshness of the bath on her, and stepping to the door, looked at Nur ad-Din Ali, and saw a youth like the moon in its full, and the sight bequeathed her a thousand sighs. The young man also glanced at her, and the look made him heir to a thousand thoughts of care, and each fell into love's ready snare. Then he stepped up to the two little slave-girls, and cried aloud at them, whereupon both fled before him, and stood afar off to see what he would do. And behold, he walked to the door of the damsel's chamber, and opening it went in, and asked her, Art thou she my father bought for me? And she answered, Yes! Thereupon the youth, who was warm with wine, came up to her, and embraced her. Then he took her legs, and passed them round his waist, and she wound her arms about his neck, and met him with kisses and murmurs of pleasure and amorous toyings. Next he sucked her tongue, and she sucked his, and lastly he loosed the strings of her petticoat trousers, and abated her maiden-head. When the two little slave-girls saw their young master get in unto the damsel, Anisa Jaliz, they cried out and shrieked. So as soon as the youth had had his wicked will of her, he rose and fled forth, fearing the consequences of his ill-doing. When the Wazir's wife heard the slave-girls' cries, she sprang up and came out of the baths, with the perspiration pouring from her face, saying, What is this unseemly clamour in the house? Then she came up to the two little slave-girls, and asked them, saying, Why, upon you, what is the matter? And both answered, Verily, our Lord Nur-Ad-Din came in and beat us, so he fled. Then he went up to Anisa Jaliz and threw his arms round her, and we know not what he did after that, but when we cried out to thee, he ran away. Upon this the lady went to Anisa Jaliz and said to her, What tidings? Oh, my lady, she answered, as I was sitting here, Lo, a handsome young man came in and said to me, Art thou she my father bought for me? And I answered, Yes, thought by Allah or mistress mine, I believed that his words were true, and he instantly came in and embraced me. Did he nought else with thee but this? Quoth the lady, and quoth she. Indeed he did, but he did it only three times. He did not leave thee without dishonoring thee, cried the Wazir's wife, and fell to weeping and buffeting her face. She and the girl and all the handmaidens, fearing lest Nur-Ad-Din's father should kill him. Whilst they were thus, in came the Wazir and asked what was the matter, and his wife said to him, Swear that what so I tell thee thou wilt attend to it? I will, answered he. So she related to him what his son had done, whereat he was much concerned and rent his raiment and smote his face to his nose-blood and plucked out his beard by the handful. Do not kill thyself, said his wife. I will give thee ten thousand dinars, her price of my own money. But he raised his head and cried, Out upon thee, I have no need of her purchased money. My fear is lest life as well as money go. O my lord, and how is that? What is thou not that yonder standeth our enemy, al-Mu'in bin-Sawi, who, as soon as he shall hear of this matter, will go up to the Sultan? And Shah-Razad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased saying her permitted say, end of Section 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 2. Section 2, Volume 2 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 2, Section 2. When it was the thirty-fifth night, she continued, It hath reached me, o auspicious king, that the wazir said to his wife, Thou not that yonder standeth our enemy, al-Mu'in bin-Sawi, who, as soon as he hears of this matter, will go up to the Sultan and say to him, Thay wazir, who thou wilt have it, loveeth thee, took from thee ten thousand ducats and bought therewith a slave girl whose like none ever beheld. But when he saw her, she pleased him, and he said to his son, Take her, thou art worthier of her than the Sultan. For he took her and did away with her virginity, and she is now in his house. The king will say, Thou liest, to which he will reply, With thy leave I will fall upon him unawares and bring her to thee. The king will give him warranty for this, and he will come down upon the house and will take the girl and present her to the Sultan, who will question her, and she will not be able to deny the past. Then my enemy will say, O my lord thou wattest, that I give thee the best of counsel, but I have not found favour in thine eyes. Thereupon the Sultan will make an example of me, and I shall be a gazing stock to all the people, and my life will be lost. Quoth his wife, let none know of this thing which hath happened privily, and commit thy case to Allah and trust in him to save thee from such strait, for he who knoweth the future shall provide for the future. With this she brought the wazir a cup of wine, and his heart was quieted, and he ceased to feel wrath and fear. Thus far concerning him, but as regards his son, Nur-Ad-Din Ali, fearing the consequence of his misdeed, he abode his day long in the flower garden, and came back only at night to his mother's apartment where he slept, and rising before dawn returned to the gardens. He ceased not to do thus for two whole months, without showing his face to his parent, till at last his mother said to his father, O my lord, shall we lose our boy as well as the girl? If matters continue long in this way, he will flee from us. And what to do? asked he, and she answered, Do thou watch this night, and when he cometh, seize on him and frighten him. I will rescue him from thee, and do thou make peace with him, and give him the damsel to wife, for she loveth him as he loveth her. And I will pay thee her price. So the minister stayed up that night, and when his son came he seized him, and throwing him down, knelt on his breast, and showed as though he would cut his throat. But his mother ran to the youth's sucker, and asked her husband, What wouldest thou do with him? He answered her, I will split his weasened, said the son to the father. Is my death then so light a matter to thee? And his father's eyes welled with tears, for natural affection moved him, and he rejoined, O my son, how light was to thee the loss of my good and my life! Quoth Nouradine, hear, O my father, what the poet hath said, Forgive me, thee would sin die, but the wise, Nair to the sinner, shall deny his grace. Thy foe may pardon shore, when lithe he, in lowest, and thou holdest highest place. Thereupon the wazir rose from off his son's breast, saying, I forgive thee, for his heart yearned to him, and the youth kissed the hand of his sire, who said, O my son, were I sure that thou wouldest deal justly by Anissa Jellies, I would give her to thee. O my father, what justice am I to do to her? I enjoin thee, O my son, not to take another wife or concubine to share with her, nor sell her. O my father, I swear to thee that verily I will not do her injustice in either way. Having sworn to that effect, Nouradine went into the damsel and abode with her a whole year, whilst the law almighty caused the king to forget the matter of the maiden, though the affair came to his ears, dared not divulge it by reason of the high favour in which his rival stood with the sultan. At the end of the year Al-Fazl went one day to the public baths, and as he came out, whilst he was still sweating, the air struck him, and he caught a cold which turned to a fever, then he took to his bed. His malady gained ground, and restlessness was longsome upon him, and weakness bound him like a chain. So he called out, hither with my son, and when Nouradine Ali came, he said to him, O my son, know that man's lot and means are distributed and decreed, and the end of days by all must be dreed, and that every soul drain the cup of death is nature's need. Then he repeated these lines, I die my death, but he alone is great who doth not, and well I want, soon shall I die, for death was made my lot, a king there's not that dies and holds his kingdom in his hand, for sovereignty the kingdom is of him who doth not. Then he continued, O my son, I have no charge to leave thee, save that thou fear Allah, and look to the issues of thine acts and bear in mind my injunctions, and nint anis sajalis. O my father, said Nouradine, who is like unto thee, indeed thou art famed for well-doing, and preachers offer prayers for thee in their pulpit. O my son, I hope that Allah Almighty may grant me acceptance. Then he pronounced the two testimonies or professions of the faith and was recorded amongst the blessed. The palace was filled with crying and lamentation and the news of his death reached the king and the city people wet, even those at their prayers and women at household cares and the school children shed tears for bin Khakan. Then his son Nouradine Ali arose and made ready his funeral, and the Amirs and Vazirs and high offices of state and city notables were present, amongst them the Vazir al-Mu'in bin Sawi, and as the beer went forth from the house, someone in the crowd of mourners began to chant these lines. On the fifth day I quitted all my friends forever more and they laid me out and washed me on a slab without my door. They stripped me of the clothes I was ever want to wear and they clothed me in the clothes which till then I never wore. On four men's necks they bore me and carried me from home to chapel and prayed for him on neck they bore. They prayed for me a prayer that no prostration knows. They prayed for me who praised me and were my friends of yore. And they laid me in a house with a ceiling vaulted o'er and time shall be no more ere it oped to me its door. When they had shoveled in the dust over him and the crowd had dispersed Nouradine returned home and he lamented with sobs and tears and the tongue of the case repeated these couplets. On the fifth day it even tied they went away from me. Fair welled them as fairing they made fair well my lot. But my spirit as they went with them went and so I cried, our return ye but replied they alas return is not to a framework clear and lawn that lacketh blood and life. A framework of remaineth naught but bones that rattle and rot mine eyes are blind and cannot see quenched by the flowing tear, mine eyes are dull and lost to sense they have no power to hear. He abode a long time sorrowing for his father till one day as he was sitting at home there came a knocking at the door so he rose in haste an opening let in a man one of his father's and who had been the Wazir's boon companion. The visitor kissed Nur-A-Din's hand and said to him, oh my lord he who hath left the like of thee is not dead and this way went also the chief of the ancients and the moderns. Oh my lord Ali be comforted and leave sorrowing. There upon Nur-A-Din rose and going to the guest saloon transported dither all he needed. Then he assembled his companions and took his hand made again and collecting round him ten of the sons of the merchants began to eat and drink wine giving entertainment after entertainment and lavishing his presents and his favours. One day his steward came to him and said, oh my lord Nur-A-Din hast thou not heard the saying whoso spendeth and reckoneth not to poverty when dith and wrecketh not. And he repeated what the poet wrote I looked to my money and keep it with care for right well I wot is my buckler and brand. Did I lavish my dear hums on hostileest foes? I should truck my good luck by my ill luck to panned. So I'll eat it and drink it and joy in my wealth and no spending my pennies on others I'll stand. I will keep my purse close against whoever he be and a niggered ingrain a true friend near I found far better deny him than come to say lend and fivefold the loan shall return to thy hand. And he turns face aside and he sidles away while I stand like a dog disappointed, unmanned all the sorry lot his who hath yellow boys none though his genius and virtues shine bright as the sun. Oh my master continued the steward this lavish outlay and these magnificent gifts waste away wealth. When Noura Dinali heard these words he looked at his servant and cried, of all thou hast spoken I will not heed one single word for I have heard the saying of the poet Husayith and my palm be full of wealth and my wealth I ne'er bestow a palsy take my hand and my foot near rise again show me niggered who by niggered eyes ere rose to high degree or the generous gifts generally hath slain. And he pursued, no oh steward it is my desire that so long as thou hast money enough for my breakfast thou trouble me not with taking thought about my supper. Thereupon the steward asked must it be so and he answered it must so the honest man went his way and Noura Dinali devoted himself to extravagance and if any of his cup-companions chanced to say this is a pretty thing he would reply, it is a gift to thee or if another said oh my lord such a house is handsome he would answer take it it is thine. After this reckless fashion he continued to live for a whole year giving his friends a banquet in the morning and a banquet in the evening and a banquet at midnight till one day as the company was sitting together the damsel Anisa Jelise repeated these lines thou demidst well of time when days went well and fear this not what ills might deal the fate thy nights so fair and restful cousin thee for peaceful nights bring woes of heavy weight when she had ended her verse behold somebody knocked at the door so Noura Dinali rose to open it and one of his boon-companions followed him without being perceived at the door he found his steward and asked him what is the matter and he answered oh my lord what I dreaded for thee hath come to pass how so know that there remains not a dirham's worth less or more in my hands here are my daftars and account books showing both income and outlay and the registers of thine original property when Noura Dinali heard these words he bowed his head and said there is no majesty and there is no might save in Allah when the man who had followed him privily to spy on him heard the steward's words he returned to his friends and warned them saying look ye well to what ye do Noura Dinali's penniless and as the young host came back to his guests vexation showed itself in his face thereupon one of the intimates rose and looking at the entertainer said to him oh my lord maybe they will give me leave to retire why so early retirement this day asked he and the other answered him my wife is in childbirth and I may not be absent from her indeed I must return and see how she does so he gave him leave whereupon another rose and said oh my lord Noura Dinali I wish now to go to my brothers for he circumcised his son today in short each and every asked permission to retire on some pretense or other till all the ten were gone leaving Noura Dinali then he called his slave girl and said to her oh Anis al-Jaliss hast thou seen what case is mine and he related to her what the steward had told him then quoth she oh my lord for many nights I had it in my mind to speak with thee of this matter but I heard thee repeating when the world heaps favours on thee pass on thy favours to friends ear her hand she stay largesse never let her when feign she comes nor niggered eyes kept her from turning away when I heard these verses I held my peace and cared not to exchange a word with thee oh Anis al-Jaliss said Noura Dinali thou knowest that I have not wasted my wealth save on my friends especially these ten who have now left me a pauper and I think they will not abandon and desert me without relief by Allah replied she will not profit thee with auto-aid said he I will rise at once and go to them and knock at their doors and it may be I shall get from them somewhat wherewith I may trade and leave pastime and pleasuring so he rose without stay or delay and repaired to a street wherein all his ten friends lived he went up to the nearest door and knocked whereupon a handmaid came out and asked him who art thou? and he answered tell thy master that Noura Dinali standeth at the door and saith to him thy slave kisseth thy hand and awaiteth thy bounty the girl went in and told her master who cried at her go back and say my master is not at home so she returned to Noura Dinali and said to him oh my lord my master is out thereupon he turned away and said to himself if this one be a horse-un-naive and deny himself another may not prove himself such naive and horse-un then he went up to the next door and sent in a like message to the house-master who denied himself as the first had done whereupon he began repeating he is gone who went to his gate thou ghost fed thy famished maw with his boiled and roast when he had ended his verse he said by Allah there is no help but that I make trial of them all perchance there be one amongst them who will stand me in the stead of all the rest so he went the round of the ten but not one of them would open his door to him or show himself or even break a bit of bread before him whereupon he recited like a tree is he who in wealth doth wown and while fruits he the folk to his fruit shall run but when bared the tree to bear they leave it to suffer from dust and sun perdition to all of this age I find ten rogues for every righteous one then he returned to his slave-girl and his grief had grown more grievous and she said to him oh my lord did I not tell thee none would profit thee with ought of aid and he replied by Allah not one of them would show me his face or know me oh my lord sell some of the movables and household stuff such as pots and pans little by little and expend the proceeds until Allah Almighty shall provide so he sold all of that was in the house till nothing remained when he turned to Anisa Jalees and asked her what shall we do now and she answered oh my lord it is my advice that thou rise forthwith and take me down to the bazaar and sell me thou knowest that thy father bought me for ten thousand dinars happily Allah may open thee away to get the same price and if it be his will to bring us once more together we shall meet again oh Anisa Jalees cried he by Allah it is no light matter for me to be parted from thee for a single hour by Allah oh my lord she replied nor is it easy to me either but need hath its own law as the poet said need drives a man into devious roads and pathways doubtful of trend and scope no man to a rope will entrust his weight safe for cause that calleth for case of rope thereupon he rose to his feet and took her whilst the tears rolled down his cheek like rain and he recited with the tongue of the case these lines stay grant one parting look before we part nerving my heart this severance to sustain but and this parting deal thee pain and bane leave me to die of love and spare thee pain then he went down with her to the bazaar and delivered her to the broker and said to him oh Haj Hassan I pray thee note the value of her thou hast to cry for sale oh my lord nur ad deen the fundamentals are remembered adding is not this the Anisa Jalees whom thy father bought of me for ten thousand dinars yes said nur ad deen thereupon the broker went round to the merchants but found that all had not yet assembled so he waited till the rest had arrived and the market was crowded with slave girls of all nations Turks Franks and Circassians Abyssinians Nubians Takruris Tartars Georgians and others when he came forward and standing cried aloud oh merchants oh men of money every round thing is not a walnut and every long thing a banana is not all reds are not meat nor all whites fat nor is every brown thing a date oh merchants I have here this union pearl that hath no price at what sum shall I cry cry her at four thousand five hundred dinars quoth one of the traders the broker opened the door of sale at the sum named and as he was yet calling low the Wazir and Muin bin Sawi passed through the bazaar and seeing nur ad deen Ali waiting at one side said to himself why is Khakan son standing about here at this gallows bird or remaining were by slave girls then he looked round and seeing the broker courting out in the market with all the merchants around him said to himself I am sure that he is penniless and hath brought hith of the damsel Anisa Jalees for sale oh how cooling and grateful is this to my heart then he called the cryer who came up and kissed the ground before him and he said to him I want this slave girl whom the broker did not cross him so he answered oh my lord Bismillah in Allah's name so be it and led forward the damsel and showed her to him she pleased him much where at he asked oh Hassan what is bidden for this girl and he answered four thousand five hundred dinars to open the door of sale quoth an Muin four thousand five hundred is my bead and the merchants heard this they held back and dared not bid another dirham watching what they did of the Wazir's tyranny, violence and treachery so Al Muin looked at the broker and said to him why stand still go and offer four thousand dinars for me and the five hundred shall be for thyself thereupon the broker went to Nur-Ad-Din and said oh my lord thy slave is going for nothing and how so asked he answered we had opened the biddings for her at four thousand five hundred dinars when that tyrant Al Muin bin Saoui passed through the bazaar and as he saw the damsel she pleased him so he cried to me call me the buyer at four thousand dinars and thou shalt have five hundred for thyself I doubt not but that he knoweth that the damsel is thine and if he would pay thee down her price at once it will well but I know he is in justice in violence he will give thee a written order upon some of his agents and will send after thee to say to them pay him nothing so as often as thou shalt go in quest of the coin they will say we'll pay thee presently and they will put thee off day after day and thou art proud of spirit till at last when they are wearied with thine impotunity they will say show us the check then as soon as they have got hold they will tear it up and thou will lose the girl's price when Noura deen heard this he looked at the broker and asked him how shall this matter be managed and he answered I will give thee a council which if thou follow it shall bring thee complete satisfaction and what is that quoth Noura deen quoth the broker come now to me anon when I am standing in the middle of the market and taking the girl from my hand and saying to her thou baggage I've kept my vow and brought thee down to the slave market because I swore an oath that I would carry thee from home to the bazaar and make brokers cry thee for sale if thou do this perhaps the device will impose upon the wazir and the people and they will believe that thou broughtest her not to the bazaar but for the quittance of thine oath he replied such were the best way the broker left him and returning into the midst of the market took the damsel by the hand and signed to the wazir and said oh my lord here is her owner with this up came Noura deen Ali and snatching the girl from the broker's hand cuffed her soundly and said to her shame on thee thou baggage I have brought thee to the bazaar for quittance of mine oath now get thee home and thwart me no more as is thy want sure I need thy price that I should sell thee the furniture of my house would fetch thy value many times over when Al Muin saw this he said to Noura deen out on thee hast thou anything left for selling or buying and he would have laid violent hands upon him but the merchants interposed for they all loved Noura deen and the young man said to them here am I in your hands and ye all know his tyranny the wazir but for you I had slain him then all signed with significant eyes to Noura deen as much as to say take thy reek of him not one of us will come between thee and him thereupon Noura deen who was stout of heart as he was stalwart of limb went up to the wazir and dragging him over the pommel of his saddle threw him to the ground now there was in that place a puddling pit for brick clay into the midst of which he fell and Noura deen kept pummeling and fisty cuffing him and one of the blows fell full on his teeth and his beard was dyed with his blood also there were with the minister ten armed slaves who seeing their master entreated after this fashion laid hand on sword hilt and would have bared blades and fallen on Noura deen to cut him down but the merchants and bystanders said to them this is a wazir and that is the son of a wazir happily they will make friends sometime or other in which case you will forfeit the favour of both or perchance a blow may befall your lord and you will all die the vilest of deaths so it were better for you not to interfere accordingly they held aloof and when Noura deen had made an end of thrashing the wazir he took his hand made and fared homewards and Muin also went his ways at once with his raiment dyed of three colours black with mud red with blood and ash coloured with bricklay when he saw himself in this state he bound a bit of matting round his neck and taking in hand two bundles of coarse half a grass went up to the palace and standing under the sultan's windows cried aloud oh king of the age I am a wronged man I am foully wronged so they brought him before the king who looked at him and behold the chief minister whereupon he said oh wazir who did this deed by thee and Muin wept and sobbed and repeated these lines shall the world oppress me when thou art int in the lion's presence shall wolves devour shall the dry all drink of thy tanks and I under rain cloud thirst for the cooling shower oh my lord cried he the like will befall everyone who loveth and serveth thee well be quick with thee quoth the sultan and tell me how this came to pass and who did this deed by one whose honour is part of my honour quoth the wazir no oh my lord that I went out this day to the slave market to buy me a cookmaid when I saw there a damsel never in my life long saw I a fairer and I designed to buy her for our lord the sultan so I asked the broker of her and of her owner and he answered she belongeth to Ali son of al-Fazl bin Khakan some time ago our lord the sultan gave his father ten thousand dinars wherewith to buy him a handsome slave girl and he bought this maiden who pleased him so he grudged her to our lord the sultan and gave her to his own son when the father died the son sold all he had of houses and gardens and household gear and squandered the price till he was penniless then he brought the girl to the market that he might sell her and he handed her over to the broker to cry and the merchants bid higher and higher on her until the price reached four thousand dinars whereupon quoth I to myself I will buy this damsel for our lord the sultan whose money was paid for her so I said to Nur ad-Din o' my son, sell her to me for four thousand dinars when he heard my words he looked at me and cried o' ill-lomened oldster I will sell her to a Jew or to a Nazarene but I will not sell her to thee I do not buy her for myself said I, I buy her for our lord and benefact her the sultan hearing my words he was filled with rage and dragging me off my horse he beat me unmercifully with his fists buffeted me with his palms till he left me as thou seest and all this hath befallen me only because I thought to buy this damsel for thee then the wazir threw himself on the ground and lay there weeping and shivering when the sultan saw his condition and heard his story the vein of rage started out between his eyes and he turned to his bodyguard who stood before him with his glaives smite us with the sword and said to them go down forthright to the house built by the son of Khakan and sack it and raise it and bring to me his son Nur-Ad-Din with the damsel and drag them both on their faces with their arms pinioned behind them they replied to hear is to obey and arming themselves they set out for the house of Nur-Ad-Din Ali the chamberlain Alama-Din-Sanjahite who had a foretime bin Mamaluk to al-Fazl but he had risen in the world and the sultan had advanced him to be one of his chamberlains when he heard the king's command and saw the enemies make them ready to slay his old master's son it was grievous to him so he went out from before the sultan and mounting his beast rode to Nur-Ad-Din's house Nur-Ad-Din came out and knowing him would have saluted him but he said oh my master this is no time for greeting or treating listen to what the poet said fly fly with thy life if by ill overtaken let thy house speak thy death by its builder forsaken for a land else than this land thou mayst reach my brother but thy life thou near find in this world another oh Alama-Din what cheer and he answered rise quickly and fly for thy life thou and the damsel for Alama-Din hath set a snare for you both and if you fall into his hands he will slay you the sultan hath dispatched 40 sorrows against you and I counsel you to flee air harm can hurt you then sanyar put his hand to his purse and finding there 40 gold pieces took them out and gave them to Nur-Ad-Din her journey with them had I more I would give them to thee but this is not the time to take exception there upon Nur-Ad-Din went into the damsel and told her what had happened at which she wrung her hands then they fared forth at once from the city and Alar spread over them his veil of protection so that they reached the riverbank where they found a vessel ready for sea her skipper was standing amid ships and crying for the way of provisioning or taking leave of his people or whoso hath forgotten any needful thing let him do it at once and return for we are about to sail and all of them saying there is naught left to be done by us captain he cried to his crew hello there cast off the cable and pull up the mooring pole Qwath-Nur-Ad-Din with a bound O captain and Qwath-E to the house of peace Baghdad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say and of section 2 of the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 2 section 3 volume 2 of the book of a thousand nights and a night translated by Richard Burton this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for further information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 2 section 3 when it was the 36th night she said it hath reached me o auspicious king that when the skipper answered to the house of peace Baghdad Nur-Ad-Din Ali and the damsel went on board and they launched the craft and shook out the sails and the ship sped forth as though she were a bird on wing even as said one of them and said right well watch some tall ship she'll joy the sight of thee the breeze outstripping in her haste to flee as when a bird with widely spreading wings leaveeth the sky to settle on the sea so the vessel sailed on her fastest and the wind to her was fairest thus far concerning them but as regards the Mamluks they went to Nur-Ad-Din's mansion and breaking open the doors entered and searched the whole place but could find no trace of him and the damsel so they demolished the house and returning to the Sultan reported their proceedings whereupon quoth he make search for them both wherever they may be answered, hearing is obeying the Wazir al-Mu'in had also gone home after the Sultan had bestowed upon him a robe of honour and had set his heart at rest by saying none shall take blood-reak for thee save I and he had blessed the king and prayed for his long life and prosperity then the Sultan bad proclaim about the city it is the will of our lord the Sultan that who so happeneth on Nur-Ad-Din Ali son of al-Faz bin Khakan and bringeth him to the Sultan shall receive a robe of honour and one thousand gold pieces and he who hideeth him or knoweth his abiding place and informeth not deserveth whatsoever pains and penalties shall befall him so all began to search for Nur-Ad-Din Ali but they could find neither trace of him meanwhile he and his handmaid sailed on with the wind right aft till they arrived in safety at Baghdad and the captain said to them this is Baghdad and it is the city where security is to be had winter with his frosts hath turned away and prime hath come his roses to display and the flowers are aglowig and the trees are blowig and the streams are flowig so Nur-Ad-Din landed his handmaid giving the captain five dinars walked on a little way till the decrees of destiny brought them among the gardens and they came to a place swept and sprinkled with benches along the walls and hanging jars filled with water overhead was a trellis of reed work and canes shading the whole length of the avenue and at the upper end was a garden gate but this was locked with Nur-Ad-Din to the damsel right pleasantest this place and she replied oh my lord sit with me a while on this bench and let us take our ease so they mounted and sat them on the bench after which they washed their faces and hands and the breeze blew cool on them and they fell asleep and glory be to him who never sleepeth now this garden was named the Garden of Gladness Nur-Ad-Din stood at Belvedere hight the palace of pleasure and the pavilion of pictures the whole belonging to the caliph Harul Narashid who was wont when his breast was straightened with care to frequent garden and palace and there to sit the palace had eighty lattice windows and four score lamps hanging round a great candelabrum of gold furnished with wax candles and when the caliph used to enter he would order the handmaids to throw open the lattices and light up the rooms and he would be the shakbin Ibrahim the cup companion and the slave girls to sing till his breast was broadened and his ailments were allayed now the keeper of the garden, Shaikh Ibrahim was a very old man and he had found from time to time when he went out on any business people pleasuring about the garden gate with their boner robes at which he was angered with exceeding anger but he took patience till one day when the caliph came to his garden and he complained of this to Harul Narashid who said whomsoever thou surprized about the door of the garden deal with him as thou wilt now on this day the gardener chanced to be abroad on some occasion and returning found these two sleeping at the gate covered with a single mantilla whereupon said he by Allah good these twain know not that the caliph hath given me leave to slay anyone I may catch at the door but I will give this couple a shrewd whipping that none may come near the gate in future so he cut a green palm front and went up to them and raising his arm till the white of his armpit appeared was about to strike them for Ibrahim wilt thou beat them unknowing their case happily there are strangers of the sons of the road and the decrees of destiny have thrown them here I will uncover their faces and look at them so he lifted up the mantilla from their heads and said they are a handsome couple it were not fitting that I should beat them then he covered their faces again and going to Nur ad-Din's feet began to rub and shampoo them whereupon the youth opened his eyes and seeing an old man of grave and reverent aspect rubbing his feet he was ashamed and drawing them in sat up then he took sheikh Ibrahim's hand and kissed it quoth the old man oh my son wilt thou and quoth he oh my lord we two are strangers and the tears started from his eyes oh my son said sheikh Ibrahim know that the prophet whom I la bless and preserve hath enjoyed honour to the stranger and added wilt thou not arise on my son and pass into the garden and solace thyself by looking at it and gladden my heart oh my lord said Nur ad-Din to whom doth this garden belong and the other replied oh my son I have inherited it from my folk now his object in saying this was to set them at their ease and induce them to enter the garden so Nur ad-Din thanked him and rose he and the damsel and followed him into the garden and lo it was a garden and what a garden the gate was arched like a great hall and over walls and roof ramped vines with grapes of many colours the red like rubies and the black like ebony's and beyond it lay a bower of trellised boughs growing fruit single and composite and small birds on branches sang with melodious recite and the thousand noted nightingale shrilled with her varied shrite the turtle with her cooing filled the sight the blackbird whistled like human white and the ring dove moaned like a drinker in grievous plight the trees grew in perfection all edible growths and fruited all mannerfruits which in pairs were bipartite with the camphor apricot the almond apricot and the apricot chorassani height the plum like the face of beauty smooth and bright the cherry that makes teeth shine clear by her slight and the fig of three colours green, purple and white there also blossomed the violet as it were sulphur on fire by night the orange with buds like pink coral and margarite the rose whose redness makes the loveliest cheeks blush with despite and myrtle and ghillie-flower and lavender with the blood red anemone from noorman height the leaves were all gemmed with tears the clouds had died the camomile smiled showing teeth that bite and narcissus with his negro eyes fixed on rose his sight the citrons shone with fruits in bold and the lemons like balls of gold earth was carpeted with flowers tinctured infinite for spring was calm brightening the place with joy and delight and the streams ran ringing to the birds gazed singing while the rustling breeze up springing atempered the air to temperance exquisite shaykh ibrahim carried them into the pavilion and they gazed on its beauty and on the lamps aforementioned in the lattice windows and Nur-Ad-Din remembering his entertainment of time passed cried by Allah this is a pleasant place it hath quenched in me anguish which burnt as a fire of gaza wood then they sat down and shaykh ibrahim set food before them and they ate till they were satisfied and washed their hands after which Nur-Ad-Din went up to one of the lattice windows and calling to his handmaid fell to gazing on the trees laden with all manner fruits presently he turned to the gardener and said to him oh shaykh ibrahim hast thou no drink here for folk are want to drink after eating the shaykh brought him sweet water cool and pleasant but he said this is not the kind of drink I wanted for chance thou wishest for wine indeed I do oh shaykh I seek refuge from it with Allah it is thirteen years since I did this thing for the prophet cursed its drinker presser, seller and carrier hear two words of me say on if yon cursed ass which standeth there be cursed will ought of his curse alight upon thee by no means then take this dinar and these two dearhums and mount yonder ass and halting afar from the wine shop call the first man thou seest by in liquor and say to him take these two dearhums for thyself and with this dinar buy me some wine and set it on the ass so shalt thou be neither the presser nor the buyer nor the carrier and no part of the curse will fall upon thee at this shaykh ibrahim said by Allah my son I never saw one wileer of wit than thou art nor heard ought sweeter than thy speech so he did as he was bidden by Nur ad-Din who thanked him and said we too are now dependent on thee and it is only meat that thou comply with our wishes so bring us here what we require oh my son, replied he this is my battery before thee and it was the storeroom of the thunder of the faithful so go in and take what so thou wilt for there is over and above what thou wantest Nur ad-Din then entered the pantry and found therein vessels of gold and silver and crystal set with all kinds of gems and was amazed and delighted with what he saw then he took out what he needed and set it on and poured the wine into flagons and glass ewers whilst shaykh ibrahim brought them fruit and flowers and aromatic herbs then the old man withdrew and sat down at a distance from them whilst they drank and made merry till the wine got the better of them so that their cheeks reddened and their eyes wantoned like the gazelles and their locks became dishevelled and their brightness became yet more beautiful then said shaykh ibrahim to himself what elith me to sit apart from them why should I not sit with them when shall I ever find myself in company with the like of these two that favour two moons so he stepped forward and sat down on the edge of the dice and Nur ad-Din said to him oh my lord, my life on thee come nearer to us he came and sat by them when Nur ad-Din filled a cup and looked towards the shaykh and said to him drink that thou mayest try the taste of it I take refuge from it for thirteen years I have not done a thing of the kind Nur ad-Din feigned to forget he was there and drinking off the cup threw himself on the ground as if the drink had overcome him whereupon a niece sajali glanced at him and said oh shaykh ibrahim see how this husband of mine treated me and he answered oh my lady, what elith him this is how he always served with me he drank it for a while then falleth asleep and leaveeth me alone with none to bear me company over my cup nor any to whom I may sing when the bowl goeth round quoth the shaykh and his mean unstiffened for that his soul inclined towards her by Allah this is not well then she crowned a cup and looking towards him said by my life thou must take and drink it and not refuse to heal my sick heart so he put forth his hand and took it and drank it off and she filled a second and set it on the chandelier and said oh master mine there is still this one left for thee by Allah I cannot drink it well I've already drunk is enough for me but she rejoined by Allah there is no help for it so he took the cup and drank and she filled him a third which he took and was about to drink when behold her hadeen rolled round and sat upright and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased saying her permitted say and of section three of the book of a thousand nights and a night volume two section four volume two of the book of a thousand nights and a night translated by Richard Burton this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for further information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the book of a thousand nights and a night volume two section four when it was the thirty seventh night she said it hath reached me a auspicious king that Nur ad-Din sat upright and said oh Shaikh Ibrahim what is this did I not abjure thee a while ago and thou refused saying what I it is thirteen years ago since I have done such a thing by Allah quoth the Shaikh and indeed he was abashed no sin of mine this she forced me to do it Nur ad-Din laughed and they sat down again to wine and wasail but the damsel went to her master and said in a whisper oh my lord drink and do not press him that I may show thee some sport with him then she began to fill her master's cup and he hers and so they did time after time till at last Shaikh Ibrahim looked at them and said what fashion of good fellowship is this Allah cursed the glutton who keepeth the cup to himself why dost thou not give me to drink oh my brother what manners are these blessed one at this the two laughed until they fell on their backs then they drank and gave him to drink and ceased not their carousel till a third part of the night was passed then said the damsel oh Shaikh Ibrahim with thy leave I will get up and light one of these candles do so he replied but light no more than one so she sprang to her feet and beginning with one candle lighted all the eighty and sat down again presently Nur ad-Din said oh Shaikh Ibrahim in what favor am I with thee may I not light one of these lamps light one replied he and bother me no more in thy turn so he rose and lighted one lamp after another till he had lighted the whole eight and the palace seemed to dance with brilliancy and indeed intoxication had overcome him ye too are bolder than I am then he rose to his feet and opened all the lattices and sat down again and they fell to carousing and reciting verses till the place rang with their noisy mirth now Allah the decreeer who decreeth all things and who for every effect appointed the cause had so disposed that the caliph was at that moment in the light of the moon at one of the windows of his palace overlooking the Tigris he saw the blaze of the lamps and wax candles reflected in the river and lifting his eyes perceived that it came from the garden palace which was all a blaze with brilliancy so he cried here to me with Jafar the barmaqi and the last word was hardly spoken air the wazir was present before the commander of the faithful he said to him oh dog of a minister hast thou taken from me this city of Baghdad without saying ought to me what words are these words asked Jafar and the caliph answered if Baghdad city were not taken from me the palace of pictures would not be illuminated with lamps and candles nor would its windows be thrown open woe to thee who durst do a deed like this except the caliphate had been taken from me Jafar and indeed his side muscles trembled as he spoke who told thee that the palace of pictures was illuminated and the windows thrown open come hither and see replied the caliph then Jafar came close to the caliph and looking towards the garden saw the palace blazing with illumination that raided through the gloom of the night thinking that this might have been permitted by the keeper for some reason of his own he wished to make an excuse for him so quoth he O commander of the faithful Sheikh Ibrahim said to me last week O my lord Jafar I much wish to circumcise my sons during the life of the commander of the faithful and thy life I asked what dost thou want and he answered get me leave from the caliph to hold the festival in the garden palace so said I to him go circumcise them and I will see the caliph and tell him there upon he went away and I forgot to let thee know O Jafar said to caliph thou hast committed two offenses against me first in that thou didst no report to me secondly thou didst not give him what he sought for he came and told thee this only as excuse to ask for some small matter of money to help him with the outlay and thou gave his Tim nothing nor toldest me O commander of the faithful said Jafar I forgot now by the rites of my forefathers and the tombs of my forebears quoth the caliph I will not pass the rest of this night save in company with him for truly he is a pious man who frequenteth the elders of the faith and the fakirs and other religious mendicants and entertaineth them doubtless they are not assembled together and it may be that the prayer is done and in the next besides my presence may profit and at any rate be pleasing to Shaikh Ibrahim O commander of the faithful quoth Jafar the greater part of the night is passed and at this time they will be breaking up quoth the caliph it matters not I needs must go to them so Jafar held his peace being bewildered and knowing not what to do and taking with him Jafar and Masurur the eunuch's order the three disguised themselves in merchants gear and leaving the city palace kept threading the streets till they reached the garden the caliph went up to the gate and finding it wide open was surprised and said see O Jafar how Shaikh Ibrahim hath left the gate open at this hour contrary to his custom they went in and walked on till they came under the pavilion when the caliph said O Jafar I wish to look in upon them unawares before I show myself that I may see what they are about and get sight of the elders for hitherto I have heard no sound from them not even a fakir calling upon the name of Allah then he looked about and seeing a tall walnut tree said to Jafar I will climb this tree for its branches are near the lattices and so look in upon them there upon he mounted the tree and ceased not climbing from branch to branch till he reached a bow which was right opposite one of the windows and here he took a seat and looked inside the palace he saw a damsel and a youth as they were two moons glory be to him who created and fashioned them and by them Shaikh Ibrahim seated cup in hand and saying O princess of fair ones drinking without music is nothing worth indeed I have heard a poet say round with bit and little the bowl and cup take either that moon in his sheen hath crowned nor drink without music for oft I've seen the horse drink best to the whistle sound when the caliph saw this the vein of wrath started up between his eyes and he came down and said to the wazir O Jafar never beheld I yet men of piety in such case so do thou mount this tree and look upon them lest the blessings of the blessed be lost to thee Jafar hearing the words of the commander of the faithful and being confounded by them climbed to the treetop and looking in saw Nur ad-Deen and the damsel and Shaikh Ibrahim holding in his hand a brimming bowl at this site he made sure of death and descending stood before the commander of the faithful who said to him O Jafar praise be to Allah who hath made of us those that observe external ordinances of holy law and hath averted from us the sin of disguising ourselves after the manner of hypocrites but Jafar could not speak a word for excess of confusion so the caliph looked at him and said I wonder how they came hither and who admitted them into my pavilion but ought like the beauty of this youth and this damsel my eyes saw thou sayest sooth O our lord the sultan replied Jafar and he hoped to propitiate the caliph Harun Arashid then quoth the caliph O Jafar let us both mount the branch opposite the window that we may amuse ourselves with looking at them so the two climbed the tree and peering in heard Shaikh Ibrahim say O my lady I have cast away all gravity mine but is not sweet save with the soft sounds of the loot strings it combine by Allah replied Anisa Jalis O Shaikh Ibrahim and we had but some instrument of music our joints were complete hearing this he rose to his feet and the caliph said to Jafar I wonder what he is about to do and Jafar answered I know not the Shaikh disappeared and presently reappeared bringing a loot and the caliph took note of it and knew it for that of Abu Ishaq the cup companion by Allah said the caliph if this damsel sing ill I will crucify all of you but if she sing well I will forgive them and only jib it thee O Allah cause her to sing vitally quoth Jafar asked the caliph why so and he answered if thou crucify us all together we shall keep one another company the caliph laughed at his speech presently the damsel took the loot and after looking at it and tuning it she played a measure which made all hearts yearn to her then she sang these lines O ye that can aid me a wretched lover whom longing burns nor can rest restore me though all you have done I have well deserved I take refuge with you exult not awe me true I am weak and low and vile but I'll bear your will and what so you bore me my death at your hands what brings it of glory I fear but your sin which of life for law me quoth the caliph by Allah good O Jafar never in my life have I heard a voice so enchanting as this then happily the caliph's death hath passed away said Jafar and he replied yes tis gone thereupon they descended from the tree and the caliph said to Jafar I wish to go in and sit with them and hear the damsel sing before me O commander of the faithful replied Jafar if thou go into them they will be terribly troubled and Shaikh Ibrahim will assuredly die of fright but the caliph answered O Jafar thou must teach me some device wherewith to delude them and whereby I can foregather with them without their knowing me so they walked towards the tigress pondering the matter and presently came upon a fisherman who stood fishing under the pavilion windows now sometime before this the caliph being in the pavilion had called to Shaikh Ibrahim and asked him what noise is this I hear under the windows and he had answered his voices of fisherfolk catching fish so quoth the caliph go down and forbid them this place and he forbade them accordingly however that night a fisherman named Karim happening to pass by and seeing the garden gate open said to himself this is a time of negligence and I will take advantage of it to do a bit of fishing so he took his net and cast it but he had hardly done so the caliph came up single handed and standing hard by knew him and called aloud to him oh Karim the fisherman hearing himself named turned round and seeing the caliph trembled and his side muscles quivered as he cried by Allah o commander of the faithful I did it not in mockery of the mandate but poverty and a large family drove me to what thou seest quoth the caliph make a cast in my name at this the fisherman was glad and going to the bank through his net then waiting till it had spread out at full stretch and settled down hauled it up and found in it various kinds of fish the caliph was pleased and said oh Karim doff thy habit so he put off a gabadine of course woollen stuff patched in a hundred places whereon the lice were rampant and a turban which had never been for three years but to which he had sown every rag he came upon the caliph also pulled off his person two vests of alexandrian and buttlebec silk a loose in a robe and a long sleeved outer coat and said to the fisherman take them and put them on while he assumed the foul gabadine and filthy turbaned and drew a corner of the headcloth as a mouth veiled before his face then said he to the fisherman get thee about thy business and the man kissed the caliph's feet and thanked him and improvised the following couplets thou hast granted more favours than ever I craved thou hast satisfied needs which my heart enslaved I will thank thee and thank while as life shall last and my bones will praise thee engrave engraved hardly had the fisherman ended his verse when the lice began to crawl over the caliph's skin and he fell to catching them on his neck with his right and left and throwing them from him while he cried oh fisherman woe to thee what be this abundance of lice on thy gabadine oh my lord replied he they may annoy thee just at first but before a week is passed thou will not feel them nor think of them the caliph laughed and said to him out on thee shall I leave this gabadine of thine so long on my body quoth the fisherman I would say a word to thee but I am ashamed in the presence of the caliph and quoth he say what thou hast to say it passed through my thought oh commander of the faithful said the fisherman that since thou wishes to learn fishing so thou mayest have in hand an honest trade whereby to gain thy livelihood this my gabadine besitteth thee right well the commander of the faithful laughed at this speech and the fisherman went his way then the caliph took up the basket of fish and strewing a little green grass over it carried it to Jaafar and stood before him Jaafar thinking him to be Karim the fisherman feared for him and said oh Karim what brought thee hither flee for thy life for the caliph is in the garden tonight and if he see thee thy neck is gone at this the caliph laughed and Jaafar recognised him and asked can it be thou our lord the sultan and he answered yes oh Jaafar thou art my wazir and I and thou came hither together yet thou knowest me not so how should Shahi Brahim know me and he drunk stay here till I come back to thee to here is to obey said Jaafar then the caliph went up to the door of the pavilion and knocked a gentle knock whereupon said Nur-A-Din oh Shahi Brahim someone taps at the door who goes there cried the Shah and the caliph replied it is I oh Shahi Brahim who art thou quoth he and quoth the other I am Karim the fisherman I hear thou hast a feast so I have brought thee some fish and of a truth tis good fish when Nur-A-Din heard the mention of fish he was glad he and the damsel and they both said to the Shah oh our lord open the door and let him bring us his fish so Shahi Brahim opened and the caliph came in and he and fisherman guys and began by saluting them said Shahi Brahim welcome to the blackard the robber the dicer let us see thy fish so the caliph showed them his catch and behold the fishes were still alive and jumping whereupon the damsel exclaimed by Allah oh my lord these are indeed fine fish would they were fried and Shahi Brahim rejoined by Allah oh my lady thou art right then said he to the caliph oh fisherman why did thou not bring us the fish ready fried up now and cook them and bring them back to us and the damsel said to the caliph I will fry the dish and bring it said they look sharp thereupon he went and ran till he came up to Jafar when he called to him hello Jafar and he replied here I am oh commander of the faithful is all well they want the fish fried said the caliph and Jafar answered oh commander of the faithful give it to me and I will fry it for them by the tombs of my forebears if none shall fry it but I with my own hand so he went to the gardener's hut where he searched and found all that he required even to salt and saffron and wild marjoram and else besides then he turned to the brazier and setting on the frying pan fried a right good fry when it was done he laid it on a banana leaf and gathering from the garden wind fallen fruits, limes and lemons carried the fish to the pavilion and set the dish before them so the youth and the damsel and Shaikh Ibrahim came forward and ate after which they washed their hands and Nur-A-Din said to the caliph by Allah oh fisherman thou hast done us a right good deed this night then he put hand in pouch and taking out three of the dinars which Sanja had given him said oh fisherman excuse me by Allah had I known thee before that lately befallen me I had done away with the bitterness of poverty from thy heart but take thou this as the best I can do for thee then he threw the gold pieces to the caliph who took them and kissed them and put them in pouch now his sole object in doing all this was to hear the damsel sing so he said to Nur-A-Din thou hast rewarded me most liberally but I beg of thy boundless bounty that thou let this damsel sing an air that I may hear her so Nur-A-Din said oh Anisa Jalice and she answered yes and he continued by my life sing a something for the sake of this fisherman who wished so much to hear thee thereupon she took the loot and struck the strings after she had screwed them tight and tuned them and sang these improvised verses the fawn of a maid hent her loot in hand and her music made us write metalsome for her song gave hearing to Ears stone death while brava brava exclaimed the dumb then she played again and played so ravishingly that she charmed their wits and burst out improvising and singing these couplets you have honoured us visiting this hour land and your splendour illumined the glooms that blend and due that for you I perfumed my place with rose water musk and the camp for scent hereupon the caliph was agitated and in motion so overpowered him that he could not command himself for excess of pleasure and he exclaimed by Allah good by Allah good by Allah good asked Nur-A-Din oh fisherman doth this damsel please thee and the caliph answered aye by Allah whereupon said Nur-A-Din she is a gift to thee a gift of the generous who repented him not of his giving and who will never revoke his gift then he sprang to his feet and taking a loose robe threw it over the fisherman and bade him receive the damsel and begun but she looked at him and said oh my lord are thou faring forth so at least stay till I bid thee goodbye and make known my case and she began versifying in these verses when love and longing and regret are mine must not this body show of ills a sign my love say not thou soon shalt be consoled when state speaks state none shall allay my pine if living man could swim upon his tears I first should float on waters of these iron oh thou who in my heart infuse eds thy love as water mingles in the cup with wine this was the fear I feared this parting blow oh thou who's love my heart cornair shall tine oh bin khakan my thought my hope my will oh thou who's love this breast make holy thine against thy lord the king thou sinced for me and winced exile in lands peregrine Allah now make my lord repent my loss to cream a men thou gaveest me one right dine when she had ended her verses Nur ad-Din answered her with these lines she bade me farewell on our parting day and she wept in the fire of our bane and pains what wilt thou do when for thee I'm gone against whom life remains when the caliph heard her saying in her verse to Karim the cream of men thou gaveest me his inclination for her redoubled and it seemed a hard matter and a grievous depart them so quoth he to the youth oh my lord truly the damsel said in her verses that thou didst transgress against her master and him who owned her so tell me against whom and who is it hath a claim on thee by Allah O fisherman replied Nur ad-Din there befell me and this damsel a wondrous tale and a marvellous matter and to a graven with needle gravers on the eye corners it would be a warner to whoso would be warned cried the caliph wilt thou not tell me thy story and acquaint me with thy case happily it may bring thee relief for Allah's aid is ever near hand O fisherman said Nur ad-Din wilt thou hear our history in verse or in prose prose is a wordy thing but verses rejoin the caliph are pearls on a string then Nur ad-Din bowed his head and made these couplets O my friend rest of rest no repose I command and my grief is redoubled in this far land as I had a father who was but he died and to death paid the day o' dand when he went from me every matter went wrong to my heart was nigh broken my nature unmanned he bought me a handmaid a sweeting who shamed a wand of the willow by Zephyr befanned I lavished upon her mine heritage and spent like a nobleman peasant and grand then to sell her compelled my sorrow increased I never saw but I moat not gain stand now as soon as the crier had called her their bid a wicked old fellow a fiery brand so I raged with a rage that I could not restrain and snatched her from out of his highlings hand when the angry commudgen made ready for blows and the fire of a fight kindled he and his band I smote him in fury with right and with left and his hide till well satisfied I hurried and tanned then in fear I fled forth and lay hid in my house to escape from the snares which my foemen had spanned so the king of the country proclaimed my arrest when access to me a good chamberlain fanned and warned me to flee from the city afar disappear disappoint what my enemies planned then we fled from our home neath the wing of the night and sought us a refuge of my riches I have nothing on thee to bestow oh fissure except the fair gift thou hast scanned the love of my soul and when I from her part know for sure that I give thee the blood of my heart when he had ended his verse the caliph said to him oh my lord noradine explain to me thy case more fully so he told him the whole story from beginning to end and the caliph said to him with a dust thou now intend alas world is wide replied he quoth the caliph I will write thee a letter to carry to the sultan Muhammad bin Sulayman Azayni which when he readeth he will not hurt nor harm thee in ought and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased saying her permitted say and of section four of a thousand nights and a night volume two section five volume two of the book of a thousand nights and a night translated by Richard Burton this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for further information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the book of a thousand nights translated by Richard Burton volume two section five when it was the 38th night she continued it hath reached me O auspicious king that when the caliph said to Nur ad-Din Ali I will write thee a letter to carry to the sultan Muhammad bin Sulayman Azayni which when he readeth he will not hurt nor harm thee in ought Nur ad-Din asked what is there in the world a fisherman who writeeth to kings such a thing can never be and the caliph answered thou sayest sooth but I will tell thee the reason know that I and he learnt in the same school under one school master and that I was his monitor since that time fortune befriended him and he has become a sultan while Allah hath abased me and made me a fisherman yet I never sent to him to ask ought but he doeth my desire nay, though I should ask of him a thousand favours every day he would comply when Nur ad-Din heard this he said good, write that I may see so the caliph took ink case and read pen and wrote as follows in the name of Allah the compassionate but after this letter is written by Haroon Arashid son of al-Mahdi to his highness Muhammad bin Sulayman Azayni whom I have encompassed about with my favour and made my viceroy in certain of my dominions the bearer of these presents is Nur ad-Din Ali son of Fazl bin Khakan the wazir as soon as they come to thy hand divest thyself forthright of the kingly dignity and invest him therewith so oppose not my commandment and peace be with thee he gave the letter to Nur ad-Din who took it and kissed it then put it in his turban and set out at once on his journey so far concerning him but as regards the caliph Sheikh Ibrahim stared to him and he still in fish agar and said oh vilest of fishermen thou hast brought us a couple of fish worth a score of half dirhams and hast gotten three dinars for them and think is thou to take the damsel to boot when the caliph heard this he cried out at him and signed to Masroor who discovered himself and rushed in upon him now Jathar had sent one of the gardener lads to the doorkeeper of the palace to fetch a suit of royal raiment for the prince of the faithful so the man went and returning with the suit kissed the ground before the caliph then he threw off the clothes he had on and donned kingly apparel Sheikh Ibrahim was still sitting upon his chair and the caliph tarried to behold what would come next but seeing the fisherman become the caliph Sheikh Ibrahim was utterly confounded and he could do nothing but bite his finger ends and say would I knew whether am I asleep or am I awake at last the caliph looked at him and cried oh Sheikh Ibrahim what state is this in which I see thee thereupon he recovered from his drunkenness and throwing himself upon the ground repeated these verses pardon the sinful ways I did pursue Ruth from his lord to every slave is due confession pays the fine that sin demands where then is that which grace and mercy see you the caliph forgave him and bad carry the damsel to the city palace where he set apart for her an apartment and appointed slaves to serve her saying to her know that we have sent thy lord to be sultan in basura and almighty Allah willing we will dispatch him the dress of investiture and thee with it meanwhile Nur ad-Din Ali ceased not travelling till he reached basura where he repaired to the sultan's palace and he shouted a long shout the sultan heard him and sent for him and when he came into his presence he kissed the ground between his hands and producing the letter presented it to him seeing the superscription in the writing of the commander of the faithful the sultan rose to his feet and kissed it three times and after reading it said I hear and I obey Allah almighty and the commander of the faithful he summoned the four qazis and the emirs and was about to divest himself of the rule royal wherein behold in came al-mu'in bin-sawi the sultan gave him the caliph's letter and he read it then tore it to pieces and putting it into his mouth chewed it and spat it out woe to thee quoth the sultan and indeed he was so angered what induced thee to do this deed now by thy life oh our lord the sultan replied mu'in this man hath never foregathered with the caliph nor with his wazir but he is a gallows bird a limb of satan a naïve who having come upon a written paper in the caliph's hand some idle scroll hath made it serve his own end the caliph would surely not send him to take the sultanate from thee without the imperial autograph the diploma of investiture and he certainly would have dispatched with him a chamberlain or a minister but he hath come alone and he never came from the caliph no never never never what is to be done asked the sultan and the minister answered leave him to me and I will take him and keep him away from thee and send him in charge of a chamberlain to Baghdad city then if what he says be sooth I will pass back autograph and investiture and if not I will take my dew out of this debtor when the sultan heard the minister's words he said hence with thee and him too al mu'in took trust of him from the king and carrying him to his own house cried out to his pages who laid him flat and beat him till he fainted then he let put upon his feet heavy shackles and carried him to the jail one kutite who came and kissed the ground before him quoth the wazir oh kutite, I wish thee to take this fellow and throw him into one of the underground cells in the prison and torture him night and day to hear is to obey replied the jailer and taking Noura deen into the prison locked the door upon him then he gave orders to sweep a bench behind the door and spreading on it a sitting rug and a leather cloth seated Noura deen thereon and loosed his shackles and entreated him kindly the wazir sent every day in joining the jailer to beat him but he abstained from this and so continued to do for forty days on the forty first day there came a present from the caliph which when the sultan saw it pleased him and he consulted his ministers on the matter when one of them said this present was for the new sultan cried Alan Muin we should have done well had we put him to death at his first coming and the sultan cried by Allah, thou hast reminded me of him, go down to the prison and fetch him and I will strike off his head to hear is to obey replied Alan Muin then he stood up and said I will make proclamation in the city whoso would solace himself by the heading of Noura deen bin al-Fazl bin Khakan let him repair to the palace so follower and followed great and small will flock to the spectacle and I shall heal my heart and harm my foe do as thou wilt said the sultan the wazir went off and he was glad and gay and ordered the chief of police to make the aforementioned proclamation when the people heard the cryer all sorrowed and wept even the little ones at school and the traders in their shops and some strove to get places for seeing the sight, whilst others went to the prison with the object of escorting him thence presently the wazir came with the ten mamalux to the jail and Khutait the jailer asked him whom seekest thou, oh our lord the wazir where too he answered bring me out that gallows bird and the jailer said he is in the sorriest of plights for the much beating I have given him then he went into the prison and found Nur-Ad-Din repeating these verses who shall support me in calamities when fail all cures and greater cares arise exile hath worn my heart my vitals torn the world to foes hath turned my firm allies oh folk will not one friend well o'er my woes and cry to hear my cries death and its agonies seem light to me since life has lost all joys and jollities oh lord of Mustapha that science see soul intercessor guide all where all wise I pray thee free me and my fault forgo and from me drive mine evil and my woe the jailer stripped off his clean clothes and dressing him in two filthy vests carried him to the wazir Nur-Ad-Din looked at him and saw it was his foe sought to compass his death so he wept and said art thou then so secure against the world hast thou not heard the saying of the poet kizras and caesars in a bygone day stored wealth where is it and ah where are they oh wazir he continued know that Allah be he extolled and exalted will do what so he will oh Ali replied he think is thou to frighten me with such talk I mean this very day to smite thy neck despite the noses of the basura folk and I care not let the days do as they please nor will I turn me to thy council but rather to what the poet saith leave thou the days to breed their ban and bait and make thee strong to bear the weight of fate and also how excellently saith another who so shall see the death day of his foe one day surviving wins his bestest wish then he ordered his attendants to mount Nur-Ad-Din upon the bear back of a mule and they said to the youth for truly it was irksome to them to him and cut him down though our lives go for it but Nur-Ad-Din said to them do not so have ye not heard the saying of the poet needs must I bear the term by fate decreed and when that day be dead needs must I die if lions dragged me to their forest lair saith should I live till draw my death day nigh then they proceeded to proclaim before Nur-Ad-Din this is the least of the retribution for him who imposes upon kings with forgeries and they ceased not parading him around about Basura till they made him stand beneath the palace windows and set him upon the leather of blood and the sorda came up to him and said oh my lord I am but a slave commanded in this matter and thou have any desire tell it me that I may fulfil it now there remaineth of thy life only so much as may be till the sultan shall put his face out of the lattice thereupon Nur-Ad-Din looked to the right and to the left and before him and behind him and began improvising the sorda and the blood-skin waiting me I sight and cry a lack mine evil fate ah my calamity howest I see no loving friend I of sense or soul what no one here I cry to all will none reply to me the time is past that formed my life my death-term droith nigh will no man win the grace of God showing me clemency and look with pity on my state and clear my dark despair in with a draft of water dealt to cool death's agony the people fell to weeping over him the craftsman rose and brought him a draft of water but the wazir sprang up from his place and smote the guglet with his hand and broke it then he cried out at the executioner and bat him strike off Nur-Ad-Din's head so he bound the eyes of the doomed man and folk clamoured at the wazir and loud wailings were heard and much questioning of man and man at this moment behold once dust-cloud filling sky and walled and when the sultan who was sitting in the palace described this he said to his suite go and see what yon cloud bringeth replied An-Mu'in not till we have smitten this fellow's neck but the sultan said wait ye till we see what this meaneth now the dust-cloud was the dust of Ja'afar the barnaside wazir to the caliph and his host and the cause of his coming was as follows the caliph passed thirty days without calling to mind the matter of Nur-Ad-Din Ali and none reminded him of it till one night as he passed by the chamber of An-Nisa Jalis he heard her weeping and singing with a soft, sweet voice these lines of the poet in thought I see they form when far this far or nearest near and on my tongue there dwells a name which man shall near unhear then her weeping redoubled when low the caliph opened the door and entering the chamber found An-Nisa Jalis in tears when she saw him she fell to the ground and kissing his feet three times repeated these lines O fertile root and noble growth of trunk ripe fruitful branch of never-solid race I mind thee of what pack thy bounty made far beat from thee thou shouldst forget my case quoth the caliph who art thou? and she replied I am she whom Ali bin Khakan gave thee in gift and I wish the fulfilment of thy promise to send me to him with a robe of honour for I have now been thirty days without tasting the food of sleep thereupon the caliph sent for Ja'afar and said to him Ja'afar is thirty days since we have had news of Nur-A-Din bin Khakan and I cannot suppose that the Sultan hath slain him but by the life of my head and by the sepulchres of my forefathers if ought of foul play hath befallen him I will surely make an end of him who was the cause of it though he be the dearest of all men to myself so I desire that thou set out for Basura within this hour the tidings of my cousin King Mohammed bin Sulayman as Zaini and how he had dealt with Nur-A-Din Ali bin Khakan adding if thou tarry longer on the road then shall suffice for the journey I will strike off thy head furthermore do thou tell the son of my uncle the whole story of Nur-A-Din and how I sent him with my written orders and if thou find oh my cousin that the king hath done otherwise and as I commanded bring him and the Wazir al-Mu'in bin Sawee to us in whatsoever guise thou shalt find them hearing and obedience replied Jafar and making ready on the instant he set out for Basura where the news of his coming had foregone him and had reached to the ears of King Mohammed when Jafar arrived and saw the crushing and crowding of all this gathering so they told him what was doing in the matter of Nur-A-Din whereupon he hastened to go to the Sultan and saluting him acquainted him with the cause why he came and the caliphs resolved in case of any foul play having befallen the youth to put to death who so should have brought it about then he took into custody the king and the Wazir and laid them in ward and giving order for the release of the Sultan Ali enthroned him as Sultan in the stead of Mohammed bin Sulayman after this Jafar abode three days in Basura the usual guest time and on the morning of the fourth day Nur-A-Din Ali turned to him and said I long for the sight of the commander of the faithful then said Jafar to Mohammed bin Sulayman make ready to travel for we will say the dawn prayer and he replied to hear is to obey then they prayed and they took horse and set out all of them carrying with them the Wazir who began to repent of what he had done Nur-A-Din rode by Jafar's side and they stinted not faring on till they arrived at Baghdad the house of peace and going into the caliph told him that he had found Nur-A-Din nigh upon death there upon the caliph said to the youth take this sword and smite with it the neck of thine enemy so he took the sword from his hand and stepped up to Al-Mu'in who looked at him and said I did according to my mother's milk do thou according to thine upon this Nur-A-Din cast the sword from his hand and said to the caliph O commander of the faithful he hath beguiled me with his words and he repeated this couplet by craft and slight I snared him when he came a few fair words I trap the noble game leave him then cried the caliph and turning to Masroor said rise thou and smite his neck so Masroor drew his sword and struck off his head then quoth the caliph to Nur-A-Din Ali ask a boon of me O my lord answered he I have no need of the kingship of Basura my sole desire is to be honoured by serving thee and by seeing thy countenance with love and gladness said the caliph then he sent for the damsel Anisa Jalice and bestowed plentiful favours upon them both and gave them one of his palaces in Baghdad and assigned stipends and allowances and made Nur-A-Din Ali Bin Fazl Bin Khakan one of his cup companions and he abode with the commander of the faithful enjoying the pleasantest of lives till death overtook him yet continued Shah-Razad it's not his story in any wise more wondrous than the history of the merchant and his children the king asked and what was that Shah-Razad began to relate the tale of the distraught the thrall of love it hath reached me O auspicious king that in times of yore and in years and ages long gone before there lived in Damascus a merchant among the merchants a wealthy man who had a son like the moon on the night of his fullness and with all sweet of speech who was named bin Ayyub so named the distraught the thrall of love he had also a daughter own sister to Rhanim who was called Fitna a damsel unique in beauty and loveliness their father died and left them with abundant wealth and Shah-Razad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say and of section 5 thousand nights and a night volume 2