 Section 10, Volume 3 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 3, Section 10. When it was the one hundred and forty-second night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that when the old woman came to Khan Makhan and said, Of a truth, the daughter of thine uncle saluteeth thee, and she will visit thee this night about midnight. He rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment of his cousin's promise. But before the hour of night she came to him, wracked in a veil of black silk, and she went into him and aroused him from sleep, saying, How canst thou pretend to love me when thou art sleeping heart-free and in complete content? So he awoke and said, By Allah, O desire of my heart, I slept not but in the hope that thine image might visit my dreams. Then she chid him with soft words, and began versifying in these couplets. Had stubborn leaf in love's loyalty, near had his suffered sleep to seal those eye. O thou who claimest lover loyalty, treading the lover's path of pain and pine, By Allah my cousin never yet did eyes of lover sleep such sleep in dine. Now when he heard his cousin's words he was abashed before her and rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to each other of the anguish of separation, and they ceased not thus till dawn broke, and day dispersed itself over the horizon, when she rose, preparing to depart. Upon this can McCann wept and sighed, and began improvising these couplets. O thou who dainest come at soreest sink, whose lips those teeth like necklace pearls enshrine, I kissed him thousand times, and clipped his waist, and spent the night with cheek to cheek close line. Till to depart as twain came dawning day, like sword-edge drawn from sheath in radiant line. And when he ended his poetry, Kuzia Fakan took leave of him and returned to her palace. Now certain of her damsels became aware of her secret, and one of these slave girls disclosed it to King Sasan, who went into Kuzia Fakan, and drawing his sabre upon her would have slain her. But her mother, Nujata Zaman, entered and said to him, By Allah, do her no harm, for if thou hurt her the report will be noised among the folk, and thou shalt become a reproach amongst the kings of the age. Know thou that Khan McCann is no son of adultery, but a man of honour and nobility, who would not do ought that could shame him, and she was reared with him. So be not tasty, for verily the report is spread abroad among all the palace people, and all the folk of Baghdad, how the Wazir Dandan hath levied armies from all countries, and is on his way hither to make Khan McCann king. Quoth Sasan, By Allah, needs must I cast him into such calamity that neither earth shall support him, nor sky shall shadow him. I did but speak him fair, and show him favour because of my leges and my lords, lest they incline to him, but right soon shalt thou see what shall be tied. Then he left her, and went out to order the affairs of the realm. Such then was the case with King Sasan, but as regards Khan McCann, on the next day he came in to his mother, and said, O my mother, I am resolved to ride forth a raiding and a looting, and I will cut the road of caravans, and lift horses and flocks, negros and white slaves, and as soon as I have collected great store, and my case is bettered galore, I will demand my cousin Cousyafakan in marriage of my uncle Sasan. Replied she, O my son, of a truth the goods of men are not ready to hand like a scape camel, for on this side of them are sword-strokes and lance-lungings, and men that eat the wild beast and lay countries waste, and chase lynxes and hunt lions. Quoth he, heaven forfend that I turn back from my resolve, till I have won to my will. Then he dispatched the old woman to Cousyafakan to tell her that he was about to set out in quest of a marriage settlement befitting her, saying to the beldarm thou needs must pray her to send me an answer. I hear and I obey, replied the old woman, and going forth, presently returned with Cousyafakan's reply, which was, she will come to thee at midnight. So he abode awake till one half of the night was passed, when restlessness got hold of him, and before he was aware she came into him, saying, my life be thy ransom from wakefulness. And he sprang up to receive her, exclaiming, O desire of my heart, my life be thy redemption from all ills and evils. Then he acquainted her with his intent, and she wept. But he said, weep not, O daughter of my uncle, for I beseech him who decreed our separation to vouchsafe us reunion and fair understanding. Then Khan Makhan, having fixed a day for departure, went into his mother, and took leave of her, after which came he down from his palace, and threw the bald-rick of his sword over his shoulder, and donned, turbaned, and face-veil, and mounting his horse, Al-Katul, and looking like the moon at its full, he threaded the streets of Baghdad till he reached the city gate. And behold, here he found Sabah bin Ramah, coming out of town, and his comrade, seeing him, ran to his stirrup and saluted him. He returned his salutation, and Sabah asked him, O my brother, how cameest thou by this good steed and this sword and clothes, whilst I, up to present time, have got nothing but my sword and target? Answered Khan Makhan, the hunter returnedeth not but with quarry after the measure of his intention. A little after thy departure fortune came to me, so now say, wilt thou go with me and work thine intent in my company and journey with me in this desert? replied Sabah, by the lord of the Qataba, from this time forth I will call thee naught but my lord. Then he ran on before the horse, with his sword hanging from his neck and his budget between his shoulder blades, and Khan Makhan rode a little behind him and they plunged into the desert for a space of four days, eating of the gazelles and drinking water of the springs. On the fifth day they drew near a high hill at whose foot was a spring encampment and a deep running stream, and the knolls and hollows were filled with camels and cattle and sheep and horses, and little children played about the pens and folds. When Khan Makhan saw this he rejoiced at the sight and his breast was filled with delight, so he addressed himself to fight that he might take the camels and the cattle, and said to Sabah, come, fall with us upon this loot whose owners have left it unguarded here and do we battle for it with near and far, so happily may fall to our lot of good some share. replied Sabah, O my Lord, verily they to whom these herds belong, be many in number, and among them are doughty horsemen and fighting footmen, and if we venture lives in this daring dew we shall fall into danger great and neither of us will return safe from this bait. But we shall both be cut off by fate and leave our cousins desolate. Then Khan Makhan laughed and knew that he was a coward, so he left him and rode down the rise in tent on Rapine with loud cries and chanting these couplets. O a valiant race are the sons of Noomar, braves whose blades shred heads of the foeman clan, a tribe who, when tried in the tussle of war, taketh prowess stand in the battle van, in their tents, safe-close, gubbaloons his eye, nor his poverty's ugly features scan, and eye for their adents, Sue of him, who is king of kings and made soul of man. Then he rushed upon the she-camels like a he-camel in rut and drove all before him sheep and cattle horses and dromedaries. Therewith the slaves ran at him with their blades so bright and their lances so long, and at their head rode a Turkish horseman who was indeed a stout champion, dowty in fray and in battle-chance and skilled to wield the nut-brown lance and the blade with bright glance. He drove at Khan Makhan saying, Woe to thee, newest thou to whom these herds belong, thou hadst not done this deed. Know that they are the goods of the band Grecian, the champions of the ocean and the troop Circassian, and this troop containeth none but valiant whites, numbering and hundred knights who have cast off the allegiance of every sultan. But there hath been stolen from them a noble stallion, and they have vowed not to return hence without him. Now when Khan Makhan heard these words, he cried out, saying, O villain, this I bestride is the steed whereof ye speak and after which ye seek, and ye would do battle with me for his sake. So come out against me, all of you at once, and do you dowrest for the nonce. Then he shouted between the ears of Al-Katul, who ran at them like a rule, whereupon Khan Makhan let drive at the Turk and ran him through the body and threw him from his horse and let out his life, after which he turned upon a second and a third and a fourth and also of life bereft them. When the slaves saw this, they were afraid of him, and he cried out and said to them, O sons of whores, drive out the cattle and the stud, or I will die my spear in your blood. So they untethered the beasts and began to drive them out, and Sabah came down to Khan Makhan with loud voicing and hugely rejoicing. When low there arose a cloud of dust and grew till it walled the view, and there appeared under of it riders and hundred, lions and hungered. Upon this Sabah took flight and fled to the hill's topmost height, leaving the assailable sight and enjoyed sight of the fight, saying, I am no warrior, but in sport and jest I delight. Then the hundred cavaliers made towards Khan Makhan and surrounded him on all sides, and one of them accosted him, saying, With a goest thou with this loot. Quoth he, I have made it my prize, and am carrying it away, and I forbid you from it. Or come on to the combat, for no ye that he who is before you is a terrible lion, and an honourable champion, and a sword that cuteth wherever it turneth. When the horseman heard these words he looked at Khan Makhan and saw that he was a knight like a main clad lion in might, whilst his face was as the full moon rising on its fourteenth night and velour shone from between his eyes. Now that horseman was the captain of the hundred horse, and his name was Qardash, and when he saw in Khan Makhan the perfection of cavalaris with surpassing gifts of comeliness, his beauty reminded him of a beautiful mistress of his whose name was Fatin. Now she was one of the fairest of women in face, for Allah had given her charms and noble qualities of all kind, such as tongue, phallus to explain, and which ravish the hearts of men. Moreover the cavaliers of the tribe feared her prowess and all the champions of that land stood in awe of her high spirit, and she had sworn that she would not marry nor let any possess her except he should conquer her in combat. Qardash being one of her suitors, and she said to her father none shall approach me, save he be able to deal me overthrow in the field instead of war thrust and blow. Now when this news reached Qardash he scorned to fight with a girl fearing reproach, and one of his intimates said to him thou art complete in all conditions of beauty and goodliness, so if thou contend with her even though she be stronger than thou thou must needs overcome her for when she seeth thy beauty and grace she will be discomforted before thee and yield thee the victory, for verily women have a need of men even as thou heedest full plain. Nevertheless Qardash refused and would not contend with her and he ceased not to abstain from her thus till he met from Khan Makhan that which hath been set down. Now he took the prince for his beloved Fatin and was afraid, albeit indeed she loved him for what she had heard of his beauty and valour. So he went up to him and said woe to thee, O Fatin, thou comest here to show me thy prowess but now a light from thy steed that I may talk with thee for I have lifted these cattle and have foiled my friends and well-aid many a brave and man of nightly race and beauty of form and face which are without peer. So marry me now that king's daughters may serve thee and thou shalt become queen of these countries. When Khan Makhan heard these words the fires of Roth flamed up in him and he cried out woe to thee, O Persian dog, leave Fatin and thy trust and mistrust and come to cut and thrust for eff'd soon thou should lie in the dust. And so saying he began to wheel about him and assail him and feel the way to prevail. But when Qardash observed him closely he knew him for a doubty night and a stalwart in fight and the error of his thought became manifest to him when as he saw the green down on his cheeks dispre'd like myrtles springing from the heart of a rose bright red and he feared his onslaught and quoth he to those with him woe to you let one of you charge down upon him and show him the keen sword and the quivering spear for know that when many do battle with one man it is a foul shame even though he be a campilly white and an invincible knight. Upon this there ran at Khan Makhan a horseman like a lion in fight mounted on a black horse with hooves snow-white and a star on his forehead and a styrum astounding wit and sight as he were Abjar which was Antar's destroyer even as saith of him the poet the coarser charged on battling foe mixing heaven on high with the earth down low as thou the morning had blazed his brow and he rends her vitals as quid broke woe he rushed upon Khan Makhan and they wheeled about a while giving blows and taking blows such as confound the sprite and dim the sight but Khan Makhan was the first to smite the foe a swashing blow that rove through turban and iron skullcap and reached his head and he fell from his steed with the fall of a camel when he rolleth over then a second came out to him and offered battle and in like guys a third a fourth and a fifth was all as he had done with the first there upon the rest at once rushed upon him for indeed they were roused by rage and wild with wrath but it was not long before he had pierced them all with the point of his spear when Khadash saw these feats of arms he feared death for he knew that the youth was stoutest of heart and concluded that he was unique among knights and braves and he said to Khan Makhan I waive my claim to thy blood and I pardon thee the blood of my comrades so take what thou wilt of the cattle and wend thy ways for thy firmness in fight moveth my roof and life is better for thee than death replied Khan Makhan thou lackest knot of the generosity of the noble but leave this talk and run for thy life and wreck not of blame nor think to get back the booty of the great path for thine own safety there upon Khadash waxed exceeding wrath and rage moved him to the cause of his death so he said to Khan Makhan woe to thee and thou knew who I be thou wouldst not wield these words in the open field I am the lion to bash known as Khadash he who spoileth great kings and way laeth all travelings and seeseth the merchants preciousest things and the steed under thee is that I am seeking and I call upon thee to tell me how thou cameest by him and hast him in thy keeping replied Khan Makhan know thou that this steed was being carried to my uncle King Sasan under the escort of an ancient dame high in rank attended by ten slaves when thou fellest upon her and tookest the horse from her and I have a debt of blood for the sake of this old woman for the sake of my grandfather King Omar bin Al-Nukman my uncle King Sharkhan woe to thee Khadash who is thy father oh thou that hast no lawful mother Khadash said that I am Khan Makhan son of Omar bin Al-Nukman but when Khadash heard this address he said be denied nor yet the union in thee of nightly virtue and seamly head and he added fair in peace for thy father showed us favour rejoined Khan Makhan by Allah I will not deign to honour thee oh wretch I disdain so far as to overcome thee in battle plain upon this the Badawi waxed Roth and they drove at each other shouting aloud whilst their horses pricked their ears and raised their tails and they ceased not clashing together with such a crash that it seemed to each as if the firmament were split in sunder and they continued to strive like two rams which but smiting and exchanging with their spears thrust and cut presently Khadash foined at Khan Makhan but he evaded it and so pierced him through the breast that the spearhead issued from his back then he collected the horses and the plunder and he cried out to the slaves saying up and be driving as hard as you may hearing this down came Sabah and a costing Khan Makhan said to him right well hast thou died to night of the age verily I prayed a laugh for thee and the Lord heard my prayer then he cut off Khadash's head and Khan Makhan laughed and said woe to thee or Sabah I thought thee a ride a feign of fight, quoth the butter we forget not thy slave in the division of the spoil so happily therewith I may marry my cousin Najma answered Khan Makhan thou shalt assuredly share in it but now keep watch over the booty and the slaves then he set out for his home and he ceased not journeying night and day till he drew near to the city and all the troops heard of Khan Makhan and saw what was his of loot and cattle and the horse thief's head on the point of Sabah spear also for he was a noted highwayman the merchants knew Khadash's head and rejoiced saying Allah hath rid man kind of him and they marveled at his being slain and blessed his slayer thereupon all the people of Baghdad came to Khan Makhan seeking to know what adventures had befallen him and he told them what had passed whereupon all men were taken with awe of him and the knights and champions feared him then he drove his spoil under the palace walls and planting the spear hill on whose point was Khadash's head over against the royal gate gave Lages to the people of Baghdad distributing horses and camels so that all loved him and their hearts inclined to him presently he took Sabah and lodged him in a spacious dwelling and gave him a share of the loot after which he went into his mother and told her all that had befallen him in his last journey meanwhile the news of him reached the king who rose from his levee and shutting himself up with his chief officers said to them no ye that I desire to reveal to you my secret and acquaint you with the hidden facts of my case and further know that Karmakan will be the cause of our being uprooted from this kingdom our birthplace for he hath slain Khadash albeit he had with him the tribes of the Kurds and the Turks and our affair with him will end in our destruction seeing that the most part of our troops are his kinsmen and ye wheat what the wazir all I have shown him of favours and after being faithful he hath turned traitor indeed it hath reached me that he hath levied an army in the provinces and hath planned to make Karmakan Sultan for that the sultanate was his fathers and his grandfathers and assuredly he will slay me without mercy now when the lords of the realm heard from him these words they replied oh king verily this man is unequal to this and did we not know him to have been reared by thee not one of us would approve of him and know thou that we are at thy commandment if thou desire his death we will do him die and if thou wilt remove him we will remove him now when king Sasan heard this he said verily to slay him were wise but needs must ye swear an oath to it so all swear to slay Karmakan without giving him a chance to the end that when the wazir dandan should come and hear of his death his force might be weakened and he fail of his design when they had made this compact and covenant with Trim the king honoured them with the highest honors and presently retired to his own apartments but the officers deserted him and the troops refused their service and would neither mount nor dismount they should aspire what might befall for they saw that most of the army was with the wazir dandan presently the news of these things came to Kuziafakan and caused her much concern so that she sent for the old woman who was want to carry messages between her and her cousin and when she came bade her go to him and warn him of the plot where to he replied bear my salutation to the daughter of my uncle to her verily the earth is of Allah to whom belong might and majesty and he giveth it as heritage to whomsoever of his servants he willed how excellent is the saying of the sayer Allah holds kingship whoso seeks without him victory shall be cast out with soul condemned to hell of low degree had I or any other man a finger breadth of land all were changed and man a twain of partner gods would see then the old woman returned to Kuziafakan and told her his reply and acquainted her that he abode in the city meanwhile king Sasan awaited his faring forth from Baghdad that he might send after him some who would slay him till it befell one morning that Khan Makhan went out to course and chase accompanied by Sabah who would not leave him night or day he caught ten gazelles and among them one that had tender black eyes and turned right and left so he let her go and Sabah said to him why did Star free this gazelle Khan Makhan laughed and set the others free also saying it is only humane to release gazelles that have young and this one turned not from side to side save to look for her thorns so I let her go and released the others in her honour quoth Sabah do thou release me that I may go to my people at this Khan Makhan laughed and smote him with the spear-butt on the breast and he fell to the ground squirming like a snake whilst they were thus doing behold they saw a dust cloud spying high and heard the tramp of horses and presently there appeared under it a plump of knights and braves now the cause of their coming was this some of his followers had acquainted King Sasan with Khan Makhan's going out to the chase so he sent for an emir of the Dalemites called Jamit and twenty of his horsemen and gave them money and bade them slay Khan Makhan so when they drew near the prince they charged upon him and he met them in mid-charge and killed them all to the last man and behold King Sasan took horse and riding out to meet his people found them all slain where at he wandered and turned back when Loh the people of the city laid hands upon him and bound him straightly as for Khan Makhan after that adventure he left the place behind him and rode onward with Sabah the Badawi and while he went Loh he saw a youth sitting at the door of a house on his road the youth returned his greeting and going into the house brought out two platters one full of soured milk and the other of bruis swimming in clarified butter and he set the platter before Khan Makhan saying, favour us by eating of our vitl but he refused and quothed the young man to him what alithio man that they will not eat quothed Khan Makhan I have a vow upon me the youth asked what is the cause of thy vow and Khan Makhan answered no that King Sasan seized my kingdom like a tyrant and an enemy although it was my fathers and my grandfathers before me yet he became master of it by force after my fathers death and took no count of me by reason of my tender years so I have bound myself by a vow to eat no man's vitl till I have eased my heart of my foe rejoined the youth rejoice for Allah has fulfilled thy vow know that he hath been prisoned in a certain place and me thinks he will soon die asked Khan Makhan in what house is he confined under Yon Hai Dome answered the other the prince looked and saw the folk entering and buffeting Sasan who was suffering the agonies of the dying so he arose and went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein after which he returned to his place and sitting down to the proffered vitl ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his wallet then he took seat in his own place and ceased not sitting till it was dark night and the youth whose guest he was slept when he rose and repaired to the pavilion wherein Sasan was confined now about it were dogs guarding it and one of them sprang at him so he took out of his budget a bit of meat and threw it to him he ceased not casting flesh to the dogs till he came to the pavilion and making his way to where King Sasan was laid his hand upon his head whereupon he said in a loud voice who art thou he replied I am Khan Makhan whom thou stravest to kill but Allah made the fall into thine evil device did it not suffice thee to take my kingdom and the kingdom of my father but thou must purpose to slay me and Sasan swore a false oath that he had not plotted his death and that the brute was untrue so Khan Makhan forgave him and said to him follow me I cannot walk a single step for weakness if the case be thus we will get us two horses and ride forth I and thou and seek thee open so he did as he said and he took horse with Sasan and rode till daybreak when they prayed the dawn prayer and fared on and ceased not faring till they came to a garden where they sat down and talked then Khan Makhan rose to Sasan and said is all left to set thy heart against me no by Allah replied Sasan and he agreed to return to Baghdad and Sabah the Badawi said I will go before you to give folk the fair tidings of your coming then he rode on in advance acquainting women and men with the good news so all the people came out to meet Khan Makhan with tubrits and pipes and Khuzya Fakan also came out like the full moon shining in all her splendour of light through the thick darkness of the night so Khan Makhan met her and soul yearned to soul and body longed for body there was no talk among the people of the time but of Khan Makhan for the knights bore witness of him that he was the most valiant of the folk of the age and said it is not right that other than Khan Makhan should be our Sultan but the throne of his grandfather shall revert to him as it began meanwhile Sasan went into his wife Nuzhat Azaman who said to him I hear that the folk talk of nothing but Khan Makhan and attribute to him such qualities as tongue never can he replied hearing of a man is not like seeing a man I have seen him but have noted in him none of the attributes of perfection not all that is heard is said but folk ape one another in extolling and cherishing him and Allah make it his praises to run on the lips of men so that they are inclined to him the hearts of the people of Baghdad and of the Wazir Dandan that perfidious and treacherous man who hath levied troops from all the lands and take it to himself the right of naming a king of the country and who chooses that it shall be under the hand of an orphan ruler whose worth is nought asked Nuzhat Azaman what then is it that thou purposest to do and the king answered I mean to kill him that the Wazir may be bolted of his intent and returned to his allegiance seeing nothing for it but my service quoth she in good soothe perfidy with strangers is a foul thing and how much more with kith and kin the righteous deed to do would be to marry him to thy daughter Fakan and give heed to what was said of old time and fate some person establish or thy head and thou being worthier her choice up braid yet do him honour due to his estate he'll bring thee wheel though far or near thou vaid nor speak thy thought of him else shalt thou be of those who self-degrade from honour's grade many harems are lovelier than the bride but time and fortune lent the bride their aid when Sasan heard these her words and comprehended what her verse intended he rose from her in anger and said were it not that thy death would bring on me dishonour and disgrace I would take off thy head with my blade and make an end of thy breath quoth she why art thou wroth with me I did but jest with thee after him and bust his head and hand saying wright is thy foresight and I and thou will cast about for some means to kill him forthright when he heard this he was glad and said make haste and contrive some deceit to relieve me of my grieving for in my sooth the door of device is straightened upon me replied she at once I will devise for thee to do away his life and she answered by means of our female slave the so-called Bakun now this Bakun was past mistress in all kinds of navery and was one of the most pestilent of old women in whose religion to abstain from wickedness was not lawful she had brought up Guziafakan and Kanmakan who had her in so great affection that he used to sleep at her feet so when King Sasan named her he said wright is this wrecking and sent for the old woman told her what had passed and bad her cast about to kill Kanmakan promising her all good replied she thy bidding shall be obeyed but I would have thee oh my lord give me a dagger which hath been tempered in water of death that I may dispatch him the speedilyer for thee quoth Sasan and gave her a hanger that would devance man's destiny now this slave woman had heard stories and verses and had learnt by rote great store of strange sayings and anecdotes so she took the dagger and went out of the room considering how she could compass his doom then she repaired to Kanmakan who was sitting and awaiting news of Trist with the daughter of his uncle Guziafakan that his thought was taken up with her and the fires of love for her raged in his heart and while he was thus behold the slave woman Bakun went into him and said union time is at hand and the days of disunion are over and gone now when he heard this he asked how is it with Guziafakan and Bakun answered no that her time is wholly taken up with love of thee and doffing his outer clothes put them on her and promised her all good then said she no that I mean to pass this night with thee that I may tell thee what talk I have heard and console thee with stories of many passion distorts whom love hath made sick naikwathi rather tell me a tale that will gladden my heart and gar my cares depart with joy and good will answered she by his side and that Ponyard under her dress and began to say no thou that the pleasantest thing my ears ever heard was the tale of the hashish eater a certain man loved fair women and spent his substance on them till he became so poor that nothing remained to him the world was straightened upon him and he used to go about the market streets begging his daily bread once upon a time as he went along behold a bit of iron nail pierced his finger and drew blood so he sat down and wiping away the blood bound up his finger then he arose crying out and fared forwards till he came to a hamam and entering took off his clothes and when he looked about him he found it clean and empty so he sat him down by the fountain basin and ceased not pouring water on his head till he was tired and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say and of section ten of the book of a thousand nights and a night volume three section eleven volume three 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 three section eleven when it was the one hundred and forty third night she said it hath reached me a waspicious king that the man sat down by the fountain basin and ceased not pouring water on his head till he was tired then he went out to the room in which was the cistern of cold water and seeing no one there he found a quiet corner and taking out a piece of hashish swallowed it presently the fumes mounted to his brain and he rolled over onto the marble floor then the hashish made him fancy that a great lord was shampooing him and that two slaves stood at his head one bearing a bowl one bearing a gear and all the requisites of the hamam when he saw this he said in himself me see mith these here be mistaken in me or else they are of the company of us hashish eaters then he stretched out his legs and he imagined that the bath man said to him oh my master the time of thy going up to the palace draweth near and it is today thy turn of service at this he laughed oh hashish then he sat and said nothing whilst the bath man arose and took him by the hand and goered his middle with a waist cloth of black silk after which the two slaves followed him with the bowls and gear and they ceased not escorting him till they brought him into a cabinet wherein they set incense and perfumes of earning he found the place full of various kinds of fruits and sweet scented flowers he advised him a watermelon and seated him on a stool of ebony whilst the bath man stood to wash him and the slaves poured water on him after which they rubbed him down well and said oh our lord sir wazir health to thee forever then they went out and shut the door on him and in the vanity of fantasy he arose and removed the waist cloth from his middle and laughed till he well knife fainted and laughed over laughing for some time and at last quoth he to himself what I lift them to address me as if I were a minister and stale me master and sir happily they are now blundering but after an hour they will know me and say this fellow is a beggar and take their fill of cuffing me on the neck presently feeling hot he opened the door where upon it seemed to him that a little white slave carrying a parcel then the slave opened it and brought out three kerchiefs of silk one of which he threw over his head a second over his shoulders and a third he tied round his waist moreover the eunuch gave him a pair of bath clogs and he put them on after which in came white slaves and eunuchs and supported him and he laughing the while to the outer hall which he found hung and spread such as beceemeth none but kings and the pages hastened up to him and seated him on the divan then they fell to needing him till sleep overcame him and he dreamt that he had a girl in his arms so he kissed her and set her between his thighs then sitting to her as a man sitteth to a woman he took yard in hand and drew her towards him and weighed down upon her when low he heard one saying to him awake thou ne'er do well the noon hour is come and thou art still asleep he opened his eyes and found himself lying on the merge of the cold water tank amongst a crowd of people all laughing at him for his prickle was at point and the napkin had slipped from his middle so he knew that all this was but a confusion of dreams and an illusion of hashish and he was vexed and said to him who had aroused him would thou hadst waited till I had put it in then said the folk art thou not ashamed oh hashish eater to be sleeping start naked with stiff standing tool and they cuffed him till his neck was red now he was starving yet for sooth had he savoured the flavour of pleasure in his dream when Kanmakan heard the bond woman's tale he laughed till he fell backward and said to Bakun oh my nurse this is indeed a rare story and delectable I never heard the like of this anecdote say me asked more yes replied she and she ceased not to tell him merry adventures and laughable absurdities till sleep overcame him then she sat by his head till the most part of the night was passed when she said to herself it is time to profit by the occasion so she sprang to her feet and unsheathed the hanger and rushing up to Kanmakan was about to cut his throat when behold his mother came in upon the twain as soon as Bakun saw her she rose in respect and advanced to meet her and fear got hold of her and she fell a trembling as if she had the aegyo when his mother looked at her she marveled to see her thus and aroused her son who awoke and found her sitting at his head now the cause of her coming of her Kan overheard the conversation and the concert to kill Kanmakan and she said to his mother oh wife of my uncle go to thy son ere that wicked whore Bakun murder him and she told her what had passed from first to last so she fared forth at once and she thought of naught and stayed not for aught till she went into her son at the very moment when Bakun when he awoke he said to his mother oh my mother indeed thou comest at a good time for nurse Bakun has been with me this night then he turned to Bakun and asked her by my life no is thou any story better than those thou has told me she answered and where is what I have told thee compared with what I will tell thee but however better it be it must be told at another time then she rose to depart hardly believing in her escape albeit he said go in peace for she perceived by her cunning that his mother knew what had occurred so she went her way whereupon his mother said to him oh my son blessed be this night for that almighty Allah has delivered thee from this accursed woman and how so inquired he and she told him the story waiting to end quoth he oh my mother of a truth the live man findeth no slayer and though slain he shall not die but now it were wiser that we depart from amongst these enemies and let Allah work what he will so when day dawned he left the city and joined the wazir dandan and after his departure certain things befell between King Sasan and Nuzhat Azaman they were also to quit the city and join herself to them and presently they were met by all the high officers of King Sasan who inclined to their party then they sat in council together devising what they should do and at last all agreed upon Orazia into the land of Rum there to take their revenge for the death of King Omar bin Anupman and his son Sharkhan so they set out with this intent and after sundry adventures which it were tedious to tell as will appear from what follows they fell into the hands of Rumzan king of the Greeks next morning King Rumzan caused Khan Makan and the wazir dandan and their company to be brought before him and when they came he seated them at his side and bad spread the tables of food so they ate and drank and took heart of grace after having made sure of death when they were summoned to the king's presence and they had said to one another he hath not sent for us but to slay us and when they were comforted the king said in truth I have had a dream which I related to the monks and they said none can expound it to thee save the wazir dandan quoth the minister will it was thou didst see in thy dream O king of the age quoth the king I dreamt that I was in a pit which seemed a black well where multitudes were tormenting me and I would have risen but when springing up I fell on my feet and could not get out of that same pit then I turned and saw therein a girdle of gold and I stretched out my hand to take it but when I raised it from the ground I saw it was two girdles so I girded my middle with them both and behold the girdles became one girdle and this o wazir is my dream and what I saw when my sleep was deepest said dandan O our lord the sultan know that this thy dream denoted thou hast a brother or a brother's son or an uncle's son or other near kinsmen of thy flesh and blood whom thou knowest not with all he is of the noblest of you all now when the king heard these words he looked at karmakan saman and the wazir dandan and the rest of the captives and said to himself if I smite these people's necks their troops will lose heart for the destruction of their chiefs and I shall be able to return speedily to my realm lest the kingship pass out of my hands so having determined upon this he called to the sorda and bade him strike off karmakan's head upon the spot and forthright when lo up came rumzan's nurse and said to him O auspicious king what purposest thou quoth he I purposed slaughtering these prisoners who are in my power and after that I will throw their heads upon their men then will I fall upon them I and all my army in one body and kill all we can kill and rout the rest so will this be the decisive action of the war and I shall return speedily to my kingdom ere, ought of accident befall among my subjects when the nurse heard these words she came up to him and said in the Frankish tongue how can't thou prevail upon thyself to slay thine own brother's son and thy sister and thy sister's daughter when he heard this language he was wroth with exceeding wroth and said to her O accursed woman my mother was murdered and that my father died by poison didst thou not give me a jewel and say to me of a truth this jewel was thy father's why didst thou not tell me the truth replied she all that I told thee is true but my case and thy case are wonderful and my history and thy history are marvellous my name is Marjana and thy mother's name was Abriza and she was gifted with such beauty and loveliness and valour that proverbs were made of her and her prowess was renowned among men of war and thy father was King Omar bin At-Nutman Lord of Baghdad and Khorasan without doubt or double dealings or denial he sent his son Sharkan on Arrazia in company with this very Wazir Dandan and they did all that men can but Sharkan, thy brother who had preceded the force separated himself from the troops and fell in with thy mother Queen Abriza in her palace and we happened to have sought a place apart in order to wrestle she and I and her other damsels he came upon us by chance while we were in such case and wrestled with thy mother who overcame him by the power of her splendid beauty and by her prowess then she entertained him five days in her palace till the news of this came to her father by the old woman Shahwahi so named Zata Dawahi whereupon she embraced Al-Islam at the hands of Sharkan and he took her and carried her by stealth to Baghdad and with her myself and Raihanab and twenty other damsels all of us having like her followed the true faith when we came into the presence of thy father the king Omar Binat Nuqman and he saw thy mother Queen Abriza he fell in love with her and going in under her one night had connection with her and she conceived by him and became with child of thee now thy mother had three jewels which she presented to thy father and he gave one of them to his daughter Nujat Azaman another to thy brother Zau Al-Makhan and the third to thy brother Sharkan this last thy mother took from Sharkan and kept it for thee but as the time of her delivery drew near she yearned after her own people and disclosed to me her secret so I went to a black slave called Al-Ghazban and privily telling him our case bribed him to go with us accordingly the Negro took us and fled the city with us thy mother being near her time but as we approached a desert place on the borders of our own country the pangs of labour came upon thy mother then the slave proved himself a lustful villain and approaching her sought of her a shameful thing whereupon she cried out at him with a loud cry and was sore of frighted at him in the excess of her fright she gave birth to thee at once and at that moment there arose in the direction of our country she towered and flew till it walled the view thereupon the slave feared for his life so he smote Queen Abriza with his sword and slew her in his fury then mounting his horse he went his way soon after his going the dust lifted and discovered thy grandfather King Ardub, lord of Grecia land who seeing thy mother and his daughter lying slain on the plain was sorely troubled with a distress that redoubled and questioned me of the manner of her death and the cause of her secretly quitting her father's realm so I told him all that had passed first and last and this is the cause of the feud between the people of the land of the Greeks and the people of the city of Baghdad then we bore off thy murdered mother and buried her and I took thee and reared thee which was with Queen Abriza but when being grown up thou cameest to man's estate I dared not acquaint thee with the truth of the matter lest such information stir up a war of blood revenge between you moreover, thy grandfather had enjoined me to secrecy and I could not gain say the commandment of thy mother's father Ardub, king of the Greeks this then is the cause of my concealment and the reason why I forbore to inform thee that thy father was king Omar bin At-Nutman but when thou cameest to the throne I told thee what thou knowest and I durst not reveal to thee the rest till this moment oh king of the age so now I have discovered to thee my secret and my proof and I have acquainted thee with all I know and thou wreckest best what is in thy mind now all the captives all the captives had heard the slavewoman Marjana nurse to king Rumzan speaking as she spoke when Nuzhat Az-Zaman without stay or delay cried out saying this king Rumzan is my brother by my father king Omar bin At-Nutman and his mother was queen Abriza daughter of king Ardub, lord of the Greeks and I know this slavewoman Marjana right well with this trouble and perplexity got hold upon Rumzan and he caused Nuzhat Az-Zaman to be brought up to him forthright when he looked upon her blood yearned to blood and he questioned her of his history she told him the tale and her story tallied with that of Marjana his nurse whereupon the king was assured that he was indeed and without a doubt of the people of Iraq and that king Omar bin At-Nutman with his father so without losing time he caused his sister to be unpinioned and Nuzhat Az-Zaman came up to him and kissed his hands whilst her eyes ran over with tears the king wept also to see her weeping and brotherly love possessed him and his heart yearned to his brother's son Sultan Khan Makhan so he sprang to his feet and taking the sword from the sword's hands whereupon the captives made sure of death he caused them to be set close to him and he cut their bonds with the blades and said to his nurse Marjana explain the matter to this company even as thou hast explained it to me replied she oh king know that this sheikh is the Wazir Dundan and he is the best of witnesses to my story seeing that he knoweth the facts of the case then she turned to the captives and repeated the whole story to them on the spot and forthright and in presence of the kings of the Greeks and the kings of the Franks whereupon queen Nuzhat Az-Zaman and the Wazir Dundan and all who were prisoners with them confirmed her words when Marjana the bondwoman had finished chancing to look at Sultan Khan Makhan the third jewel fellow to the two which were with Queen Abriza and recognising it she cried so loud a cry that the palace re-echoed it and said to the king oh my son know that now my certainty is still more assured for this jewel that is about the neck of Yonder captive is the fellow to that I hung to thy neck and these being the two this captive is indeed thy brother's son Khan Makhan then the slave woman Marjana turned to Khan Makhan and said to him let me see that jewel oh king of the age so he took it from his neck and handed it to her then she asked Nuzhat Az-Zaman of the third jewel and she gave it to her and when the two were in her hand she delivered them to King Rumzan and the truth and proof were made manifest to him that he was indeed Sultan Khan Makhan's uncle and that his father was King Omar Bin An-Nutman so he arose at once and on the spot and going up to the Wazir Dandan through his arms around his neck then he embraced King Khan Makhan and the twain cried a loud cry for excess of joy the glad news was blazed abroad without delay and they beat the tabrits and symbols whilst the shawm sounded and the people held high festival the armies of Iraq and Syria heard the clamour of rejoicing among the Greeks so they mounted to the last man and King Zibl Khan also took horse saying to himself would I knew what can be the cause of this clamour and rejoicing in the army of the Franks and the Greeks then the army of Iraq died itself for fight and advanced into the plain and place of cut and foin presently King Rumzan turned him round and saw the army deployed and in preparing for battle employed so he asked the cause thereof and was told the state of the case thereupon he bade his niece and brother's daughter Kuzya Fakan return at once and forthright to the troops of Syria and Iraq and acquaint them with the plight and how it was come to light that King Rumzan was uncle to Sultan Khan Makan she set out putting away from her sorrows and troubles and coming to King Zibl Khan saluted him and told him all that had passed of the good accord and how King Rumzan had proved to be her uncle and uncle of Khan Makan and when she went into him she found him tearful eyed in fear for the captive emirs and princes and they heard what had passed from first to last the muslim's sadness was abated and they joyed with the more gladness then King Zibl Khan and all his officers and his retinue took horse and followed princess Kuzya Fakan till they reached the pavilion of King Rumzan and when entering they found him sitting with his nephew Sultan Khan Makan now he had taken council with the Wazir Dandan concerning King Zibl Khan and had agreed to commit to his charge the city of Damascus of Sham and leave him king over it as he before had been while they themselves entered Iraq accordingly they confirmed him in the vice royalty of Damascus of Syria and bad him set out at once for his government so he fared forth with his troops and they rode with him away to bid him farewell then they returned to their own places whereupon the two armies foregathered and gave orders for the march upon Iraq but the kings said one to other our hearts will never be at rest nor our wrath cease to rage till we have taken our reek of the old woman Shawahi surnamed Zata Dawahi and wiped away our shame and blot upon our honour thereupon King Rumzan and his nephew set out surrounded by their nobles and grandees and indeed Khan Makhan rejoiced in his uncle King Rumzan and called down blessings on nurse Marjana who had made them known to each other they fared on and ceased not faring till they drew near their home Baghdad and when the chief Chamberlain Sasan heard of their approach he got to meet them and kissed the hand of King Rumzan who bestowed on him a dress of honour then the king of Rum sat down on the throne and seated by his side his nephew Sultan Khan Makhan who said to him oh my uncle this kingdom be fitted none but thee replied Rumzan Allah be my refuge and the lord forbid that I should supplant thee in thy kingdom Wazir Dondon counseled them to share the throne between the two ruling each one day in turn and with this they were well satisfied and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say end of section 11 of the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 3 section 12 volume 3 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 3 section 12 when it was the 24th and 44th night she said it hath reached me oh auspicious king that the two kings agreed each to rule one day in turn then made they feasts and offered sacrifices of clean beasts and held high festival and they abode thus a while while Sultan Khan Makan spent his nights with his cousin Kuziafakan and after that period as the two kings were rejoicing in their condition and in the happy ending of their troubles behold they saw a cloud of dust arise and tower till it walled the world from their eyes and out of it came a merchant shrieking and crying aloud for succour and saying oh kings of the age how cometh it that I wound safely in the land of the infidels and I am plundered in your realm though it be the biding place of justice and peace then King Rumzan went up to him and questioned him of his case and he replied I am a merchant and like other merchants I have been long absent from my native land travelling in far countries for some 20 years and I have a patent of exemption from the city of Damascus which the viceroy King Sharkhan who hath found mercy wrote me for the cause that I had made him gift of a slave girl now as I was drawing near my home having with me and 100 loads of rarities of hind when I brought them near Baghdad which be the seat of your sovereignty and the place of your peace and your justice out there came upon me wild Arabs and Kurds in band gathered together from every land when they slew my many and they robbed my money and this is what they have done me then the trader wept with the presence of King Rumzan saying that he was an old man and infirm and he bemoaned himself till the king felt for him and had compassion on him and likewise did King Khan Makhan and they swore that they would sally forth upon the thieves so they set out a mid and 100 horse each reckoned worth thousands of men and the merchant went before them to guide them in the right way fairing on all that day and the live long night till dawn break when they came to a valley abounding in rills and shady with trees here they found the foray disbursed about the valley having divided that merchant's bales among them but there was yet some of the goods left so the 100 horsemen fell upon them and surrounded them on all sides and King Rumzan shouted his war cry and thus also did his nephew King Khan Makhan and ere long they made prize of them all to the number of near 300 horsemen banded together of the refuse of rascality they took what they could find of the merchant's goods and binding them tightly brought them to Baghdad where King Rumzan and his nephew King Khan Makhan sat down together on one throne and passing the prisoners in review before them questioned them of their case and their chiefs they said we have no chiefs but these three men and it was they who gathered us together from all corners and countries the kings said to them point out to us your headman and when this was done they bad lay hands on the leaders and set their comrades free after taking from them all the goods in their possession and restoring them to the merchant who examined his stuffs and monies and found that a fourth of his stock was missing the kings engaged to make good the whole of his loss whereupon the trader pulled out two letters one in the handwriting of Sharkhan and the other in that of Nuzhat Azaman for this was the very merchant who had bought Nuzhat Azaman of the Badawi when she was a virgin and had forwarded her to her brother Sharkhan and that happened between them hereupon king Khan Makan examined the letters and recognized the handwriting of his uncle Sharkhan and having heard the history of his aunt Nuzhat Azaman he went into her with the second letter written by her to the merchant who had lost through her his monies Khan Makan also told her what had befallen the trader from first to last she knew her own handwriting and recognizing the merchant dispatched to him guest gifts and commended him to her brother and nephew who ordered him largesse of money and black slaves and pages to wait on him besides which Nuzhat Azaman sent him and hundred thousand dirhams in cash and fifty loads of merchandise and presented to him other rich presents then she sent for him and when he came she went up to him and saluted him and told him that she was the daughter of king Omar Bin Anupman and that her brother was king Rumzan and that king Khan Makan was her nephew thereupon the merchant rejoiced with great joy and congratulated her on her safety and on her reunion with her brother and kissed her hands thanking her for her bounty and said to her by Allah a good deed is not lost upon thee then she withdrew to her own apartment and the trader sojourned with them three days after which he took leave of them and set out on his return march to the land of Syria thereupon the two kings sent for the three robber chiefs who were of the high women and questioned them of their case when one of them came forward and said no ye that I am a badawi who am want to lie in wait by the way to snatch small children and virgin girls and sell them to merchants and this I did for many a year until these latter days when Satan incited me to join yon two gallows birds in gathering together all the riff-raff of the Arabs and other peoples that we might plunder merchandise and waylay merchants said the kings tell us the rarest of the adventures that have befallen thee in kidnapping children and maidens replied he the kings of the age the strangest thing that happened to me was that one day two and twenty years ago I snatched a girl who belonged to the holy city she was gifted with beauty and comeliness despite that she was but a servant and was clad in thread-bear clothes with a piece of camlet cloth on her head so I entrapped her by guile as she came out of the caravanserai and at that very hour I was mounting her on a camel made off with her thinking to carry her to my own people in the desert and there set her to pasture the camels and gather their droppings in the valley but she wept with so sore weeping that after coming down upon her with blows I took her and carried her to Damascus city where a merchant saw her with me and being astounded at her beauty and marveling at her accomplishments wished to buy her of me and kept on bidding me more and more for her till at last I sold her to him for an hundred thousand dirhams after selling her I heard her display prodigious eloquence and it reached me that the merchant clothed her in handsome gear and presented her to the viceroy of Damascus who gave him three times the price which he had paid to me and this price by my life was but little for such a damsel this, O kings of the age is the strangest thing that ever befell me when the two kings heard her story they wondered their at but when Nujat Az-Zaman heard what the Badawi related the light became darkness before her face and she cried out and said to her brother Rumzan sure and sans doubt this is the very Badawi who kidnapped me in the holy city Jerusalem then she told them all that she had endured from him in her strangerhood of hardship, blows, hunger humiliation, contempt adding and now it is lawful for me to slay him so saying she seized the sword and made at him to smite him and behold he cried out and said O kings of the age suffer her not to slay me till I have told you the rare adventures that have betided me and her nephew Khan Makan said to her oh my aunt let him tell us his tale and after that do with him as thou wilt so she held her hand and the king said to him now let us hear thy history Kwathi, oh kings of the age if I tell you a rare tale will ye pardon me yes answered they then the Badawi robber chief began the tale of Hamad the Badawi and he said no ye that a short while ago I was sore awake for one night and thought the mourn would never dawn so as soon as it was break of day I rose without stay or delay and slinging over my shoulder my sword mounted horse and set my lance in rest then I rode out to sport and hunt and as I went along a company of men accosted me and asked me whether I was bound I told them and they said we will keep the company so we all fared on together and whilst we were faring low and behold up started an ostrich and we gave her chase but she escaped our pursuit and spreading wings ceased not to fly before us and we following by sight till she lost us in a desert wherein there was neither grass nor water nor heard we ought therein save hiss of snake and wail of gin and howl of roll and when we reached that place the ostrich disappeared nor could we tell whether she had flown up into the sky or into the ground had gone down then we turned our horses heads and thought to return but found that to retrace our steps at that time of burning heat would be tiresome and dangerous for the sultry air was grievous to us so that we thirsted with sore thirst and the weeds stood still we made sure of death but while we were in this case we suddenly aspired from afar a spacious mead where gazelles were frisking therein was a tent pitched and by the tent side a horse tethered and a spear was planted with head glittering in the sun upon this our hearts revived after we had despaired and we turned our horses heads towards that tent which irrigated it and all my comrades fared for it and I at their head and we ceased not faring till we reached the mead then we alighted at the spring and watered our beasts but I was seized with a fever of foolish curiosity and went up to the door of that tent wherein I saw a young man without hair on his cheeks who fellowed the new moon and on his right hand as she were a willow wand no sooner did I set my eyes on her than love got hold of my heart and I saluted the youth who returned my greeting then said I oh my brother tell me who thou art and what are these this damsel sitting by thy side there upon the youth bent his head groundwards a while then raised it and replied tell me first who thou art and what are these horsemen with thee answered I I am Hamad son of Al-Fazali the renowned knight who is reckoned among the Arabs as 500 horse we went forth from our place this morning to sport and chase and were overcome by thirst so I came to the door of this tent thinking happily to get of thee a draught of water when he heard these my words he turned to the fair maiden and said bring this man water where he's ready so she arose trailing her skirts whilst the golden bangles tinkled on her ankles and her feet stumbled in her long locks and she disappeared for a little while presently she returned bearing in her right hand a silver vessel full of cold water and in her left hand a bowl brimming with milk and dates together with some flesh of wild cattle but I could take of her nor drink for the excess of my passion and I applied to her these two couplets saying it was as though the sable die upon her palms were raven perching on a swathe of freshest snow thou seest sun and moon conjoined in her face while sun fear dimmed and moon fright pallid show after I had eaten and drunk I said to the youth no thou, O chief of the Arabs that I have told thee in all truth who and what I am and now I would feign have thee do the like by me and tell me the truth of thy case replied the young man as for this damsel she is my sister quoth I, it is my desire that thou give me her to wife of thy free will else I will slay thee and take her by force then he raised his eyes to me and answered thou sayest sooth in a vouching thyself a renowned night and famed in fight and verily thou art the lion of the desert but if ye all attack me treacherously and slay me in your wrath and take my sister by force it will be a stain upon your honour and you be as ye aver cavaliers who are counted among the champions the shock of foray and fray give me a little time to don my armour and sling on my sword and set lance in rest and mount warsteed then will we go forth into the field of fight I and you and if I conquer you I will kill you to the last man but if you overcome me and slay me this damsel my sister is yours hearing such words I replied this is only just suppose it not then I turned back my horse's head for my love for the damsel waxed hotter and hotter and returned to my companions to whom I set forth her beauty and loveliness as also the comeliness of the young man who was with her together with his valour and strength of soul and how he had avouched himself a match for a thousand horse moreover I described to my company the tent and all the riches and rarities therein and said to them no ye that this youth would not have cut himself off from society and have taken up his abode alone in this place were he not a man of great prowess so I proposed that whoso slayeth the young shall take his sister and they said this contenteth us then my company armed themselves and mounting rode to the tent where we found that the young man had donned his gear and backed his steed but his sister ran up to him avail being drenched with tears and took hold of his stirrup and cried out saying alas and woe worth the day in her fear for her brother and recited these couplets to Allah will I make my moan of Travile and of Woe maybe illa of Arsh will smite their faces with a fright then would they slay thee brother mine with purpose fell and fell all be no cause of vengeance was nor fault for went the fight yet for a rider art thou known to those who back the steed and twitch the east and west of knights thou art the prowess knight thy sister's honour thou shalt guard though little might be hers for that her brother alas might then let not enemy possess my soul nor thrall my frame and work on me their will and treat thy sister with despite I'll near abide by Allah's truth in any land or home where thou art not though dite it be with joience and delight for love and yearning after thee myself I feign will slay and in the gloomy dark some tomb spread bed upon the clay but when her brother heard her verse he wet with sore weeping and turned his horse's head towards his sister and made this answer to her poetry stand by and see the daring do which I today will show when meet we and I deal them blows that rend and cleave and split in though rush out to seek about the lion of the war the stoutest hearted brave of all and eek the best in wit to him I'll deal without delay a Sa'alabiyan blow and die my cane spears joint in blood by wound of foe bespit if all I beat not off from thee or sister may this frame be slain and cast my corpse to birds for so it would be fit yes for thy dearest sake I'll strike my blows with might and main when we're gone shall this event in many a book be writ and when he had ended his verse he said oh my sister give ear to what I shall enjoin on thee where to she replied harkening and obedience quoth thee if I fall let none possess thy person and thereupon she baffeted her face and said Allah forbid oh my brother that I should see thee laid low and yield myself to the foe with this the youth put out his hand to her and withdrew her veil from her face whereupon it shone forth as the sun shined it out from the white clouds then he kissed her between the eyes and bade her farewell after which she turned to us and said hola nights come ye as guests or cravey cuts and thrusts if ye come to us as your hosts rejoice she in the guest right and if ye covet the shining moon come ye out against me night by night into this plain and place of fight thereupon rushed out to him a doughty rider and the young man said to him tell me thy name and thy father's name for I am under an oath not to slay any whose name tallies with mine and whose father's name is that of my father and if this be the case with thee give thee up the maid quoth the horseman my name is Bilal and the young man answered him saying thou liest when speaking of benefits while thou comest to front with thine evilest will and of prowess that prow to my words give ear I am he who makes champions in battlefield reel with keen blade like the horn of the cuspid moon so where thrust thee the duress heel then they charged down each at each and the youth thrust his adversary in the breast so that the lance head issued from his back with tints another came out and the youth cried oh thou hound who art rotten with foulness in grain what high mead is there easy for warrior to gain it is none save the lion of strain purest pure and carest for life in the battle plain nor was it long before the youth left him drowned in his blood and cried out who will come forth to me so a third horseman rushed out upon the youth and began saying to thee come I forth with my heart aflame and summon my friends and my comrades by name when thou sluist the chief of the Arabs this day this day thou remainest a pledge of my claim now when the youth heard this he answered him in these words thou liest oh foulest of satans that are and with easings columnius thou comest to war this day thou shalt fall by a death dealing point where the lance is lunge and the scimitar's jar then he so foined him in the breast that the spear point issued from his back and he cried out saying oh will none come out so a fourth fared forwards and the youth asked him his name and he answered my name is Hilal the new moon and the youth began repeating thou hast failed who would sink me in ruin sea thou who camest in malice with perfidy I whose verses has heard from the mouth of me will ravish thy soul thou unknown to thee then they draved each other and delivered two cuts but the youth's stroke devounced that of the rider his adversary and slew him and thus he went on to kill all who salad out against him now when I saw my comrade slain I said to myself if I go down to fight with him I shall not be able to prevail against him and if I flee I shall become a byword of shame among the Arabs but the youth gave me no time to think for he ran at me and dragged me and hurled me to the ground I fainted at the fall and he raised his sword designing to cut off my head but I clung to his skirts and he lifted me in his hand as though I were a sparrow when the maiden saw this she rejoiced in her brother's prowess and coming up to him kissed him between the eyes then he delivered me to her saying take him and look to him and treat him hospitably for he has come under our rule so she took hold of the collar of my hobok and led me away by it as one would lead a dog then she did off her brother's coat of mail and clad him in a robe and set for him a stool of ivory on which he sat down and she said to him Allah, whiten thy honour and prevent from thee the shifts of fortune and he answered her with these couplets my sister said and now I stood in fight when sun rays lit my nightly hood Allah, sanely for a brave of braves to whom in veil bow lions how so would quoth I go ask the champions of my case when feared the lords of war my warrior mood my name is famed for fortune and for force and soared my spirit to such altitude oh thou Hamad rest up stirred shall show thee speedy death like viper brood now when I heard his verse I was perplexed as to my case and considering my condition and how I was become a captive I was lowered in my own esteem then I looked at the damsel his sister and seeing her beauty I said to myself to she who caused all this trouble and I fell a marvelling at her loveliness she as streamed from my eyes and I recited these couplets dear friend I leave thy loud reproach and blame such blame but irks me yet may not alarm I'm clean distraught for one whom saw I not without her winning me by winsome charm yes stream her brother crossed me in her love a brave stout hearted and right long of arm then the maiden set food before her brother and he bad me eat with him where at I rejoiced and felt assured that I should not be slain and when he had ended eating she brought him a flagon of pure wine and he applied him to it till the fumes of the drink mounted to his head and his face flushed red then he turned to me and said woe to thee O Hamad dost thou know me or not replied I O Hamad I am Abbad bin Tamim bin Sattlaba and indeed Allah giveth thee thy liberty and leadeth thee to a happy bride and spareth thee confusion then he drank to my long life and gave me a cup of wine and I drank it off and presently he filled me a second and a third and a fourth and I drained them all while he made merry with me and swore me never to betray him so I swear to him one thousand five hundred oaths that I would never deal perfidiously with him at any time but that I would be a friend and a helper to him thereupon he bad his sister bring me ten suits of silk so she brought them and laid them on my person and this dress I have on my body is one of them moreover he made bring one of the best of his shee dromedaries carrying stuffs and provont he bad her also bring a sorrel horse and when they were brought he gave the whole of them to me I abode with them three days eating and drinking and what he gave me of gifts is with me to this present at the end of the three days he said to me oh Hamad oh my brother I would sleep a while and take my rest and verily I trust my life to thee but if thou see horsemen making hither fear not for know of the banal sa laba seeking to wage war on me then he laid his sword under his head pillow and slept and when he was drowned in slumber Iblis tempted me to slay him so I rose in haste and drawing the sword from under his head dealt him a blow that made his head fall from his body but his sister knew what I had done and rushing out from within the tent threw herself on his corpse ending her raiment and repeating these couplets to kith and kin bear thou sad tidings of our plight from doom though wise decreed shall none of men take flight lo art thou laid oh brother strewn upon the stones with face that mirrors moon when shining brightest bright good sooth it is a day accursed thy slaughter day shivering thy spear that won slay in many a fight now thou be slain no rider shall delight in steed nor man child shall the breeding woman bring to light this morn hamad up rose and foully murdered thee forcing his oath and troth with foulest perjury when she had ended her verse she said to me oh thou of accursed forefathers wherefore didst thou play my brother slay him when he purposed returning thee to thy native land with provisions and it was his intent also to marry thee to me at the first of the month then she drew a sword she had with her and planting the hilt in the earth with the point set to her breast she bent over it and threw herself thereon till the blade issued from her back and she fell to the ground dead I mourned for her and wept and repented when repentance failed me nought then I rose in haste and went to the tent and taking whatever was light of load and weighty of worth went my way but in my haste and horror I took no heed of my dead comrades nor did I bury the maiden and the youth and this my tale is still more wondrous than the story of the serving girl I kidnaped from the holy city Jerusalem but when Nujat Az-Zaman heard these words from the Badawi it was changed in her eyes to night and Shahrzad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say and of section 12 of the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 3