 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT 1. In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Compassionate 2. Praise be to Allah, the Beneficent King, the Creator of the Universe, Lord of the Three Worlds who set up the firmament without pillars in its stead, and who stretched out the earth even as a bed, and grace and prayer blessings be upon our Lord Muhammad, Lord of Apostolic men, and upon his family and companion-train, prayer and blessings enduring and grace, which unto the day of doom shall remain. Amen. O Thou of the Three Worlds, Sovereign, and Afterwards. Verily the works and words of those gone before us have become instances and examples to men of our modern day, that folk may view what admonishing chances befell other folk, and may therefrom take warning, and that they may peruse the annals of antique peoples and all that hath betided them, and be thereby ruled and restrained. Praise therefore be to him who hath made the histories of the past an admonition unto the present. Now of such instances are the tales called a thousand nights and a night, together with their far-famed legends and wonders. Therein it is related, but Allah is all-knowing of his hidden things, and all-ruling and all-honoured, and all-giving and all-gracious and all-merciful. That in tide of yore, and in time long gone before, there was a king of the kings of the Banu Sasan in the islands of India and China, a lord of armies and guards and servants and dependents. He left only two sons, one in the prime of manhood, and the other yet a youth, while both were knights and braves, albeit the elder was a doughtier horseman than the younger. So he succeeded to the empire when he ruled the land and lorded it over his lieges with justice so exemplary that he was beloved by all the peoples of his capital and of his kingdom. His name was King Sharia, and he made his younger brother Shah Zaman, height King of Samarkand, in barbarian land. These two ceased not to abide in their several realms, and the law was ever carried out in their dominions, and each ruled his own kingdom, with equity and fair dealing to his subjects, in extreme solace and enjoyment, and this condition continually endured for a score of years. But at the end of the twentieth twelve-month, the elder king yearned for a sight of his younger brother, and felt that he must look upon him once more. So he took counsel with his Wazir about visiting him, but the minister, finding the project unadvisable, recommended that a letter be written and a present be sent under his charge to the younger brother, with an invitation to visit the elder. Having accepted this advice, the king forthwith bade prepare handsome gifts, such as horses with saddles of gem-encrusted gold, mamalooks, or white slaves, beautiful handmaids, high-breasted virgins, and splendid stuffs and costly. He then wrote a letter to Shah Zaman, expressing his warm love and great wish to see him, ending with these words. We therefore hope of the favour and affection of the beloved brother, that he will condescend to bestow himself and turn his face us woods. Furthermore, we have sent our Wazir to make all ordinance for the march, and our one and only desire is to see thee ere we die. But if thou delay or disappoint us, we shall not survive the blow. We are with peace be upon thee. Then king Sharia, having sealed the messif and given it to the Wazir with the offerings aforementioned, commanded him to shorten his skirts and strain his strength, and make all expedition in going and returning. Harkening and obedience! Quoth the minister, who fell to making ready without stay, and packed up his loads and prepared all his requisites without delay. This occupied him three days, and on the dawn of the fourth he took leave of his king and marched right away, over desert and hillway, stony waste and pleasant lee, without halting by day or by night. But whenever he entered a realm whose ruler was subject to his suzerain, where he was greeted with magnificent gifts of gold and silver, and all manner of presents, fair and rare, he would tarry there three days, the term of the guest right, and when he left on the fourth he would be honorably escorted for a whole day's march. As soon as the Wazir drew near Shahzaman's court in Samarkand, he dispatched to report his arrival, one of his high officials, who presented himself before the king, and kissing ground between his hands, delivered his message. Hereupon the king commanded sundry of his grandees and lords of his realm to fear forth and meet his brother's Wazir at the distance of a full day's journey, which they did, greeting him respectfully and wishing him all prosperity, and forming an escort and a procession. When he entered the city he proceeded straightway to the palace, where he presented himself in the royal presence, and after kissing ground and praying for the king's health and happiness, and for victory over all his enemies, he informed him that his brother was yearning to see him, and prayed for the pleasure of a visit. He then delivered the letter, which Shahzaman took from his hand and read. It contained sundry hints and delusions, which required thought, but when the king had fully comprehended its import, he said, I hear and I obey the commands of the beloved brother, adding to the Wazir, but we will not march till after the third day's hospitality. He appointed for the minister fitting quarters of the palace, and pitching tents for the troops, rationed them with whatever they might require of meat and drink and other necessaries. On the fourth day he made ready for wayfare, and got together some to his presence befitting his elder brother's majesty, and establishing his chief Wazir viceroy of the lands during his absence. Then he caused his tents and camels and mules to be brought forth and encamped, with their bales and loads, attendants and guards, within sight of the city, in readiness to set out next morning for his brother's capital. But when the night was half spent, he bethought him that he had forgotten, in his palace, somewhat which he should have brought with him, and so he returned privily and ended his apartments, where he found the queen, his wife, asleep on his own carpet bed, embracing with both arms a black cook of loathsome aspect, and fowl with kitchen grease and grime. When he saw this, the world waxed black before his sight, and he said, if such case happened while I am yet within sight of the city, what will be the doings of this damned whore during my long absence at my brother's court? So he drew his scimitar and, cutting the two in four pieces with a single blow, left them on the carpet, and returned presently to his camp, without letting anyone know of what had happened. Then he gave orders for immediate departure, and set out at once, and began his travel. But he could not help thinking over his wife's treason, and he kept ever, saying to himself, how could she do this deed by me? How could she work her own death? Till excessive grief seized him, his colour changed to yellow, his body waxed weak, and he was threatened with a dangerous malady, such and one as bringeth men to die. So the wazir shortened his stages and tarried long at the watering-stations, and did his best to solace the king. Now, when Shah Zaman drew near the capital of his brother, he dispatched faunt couriers and messengers of glad tidings to announce his arrival, and Shah Riyadh came forth to meet him with his wazirs and emirs and lords and grandees of his realm, and saluted him and joyed with exceeding joy, and caused the city to be decorated in his honour. When, however, the brothers met, the elder could not but see the change of complexion in the younger, and questioned him of his case where to, he replied, it is caused by the travails of wayfair, and my case needs care, for I have suffered from the change of water and air, but Allah be praised for reuniting me with a brother so dear and so rare. On this wise he dissembled, and kept his secret, adding, O king of the time and caliph of the tide, only toil and moil have tinged my face yellow with bile, and hath made my eyes sink deep in my head. Then the two entered the capital in all honour, and the elder brother lodged the younger in a palace overhanging the pleasure-garden, and after a time, seeing his condition still unchanged, he attributed it to his separation from his country and kingdom. So he let him wend his own ways, and asked no questions of him, till one day, when he again said, O my brother, I see thou art grown weaker of body, and yellower of colour. O my brother, replied Shah Zaman, I have an internal wound. Still he would not tell him what he had witnessed in his wife. Thereupon Sharia summoned doctors and surgeons, and made them treat his brother according to the rules of art, which they did for a whole month, but their sherbots and potions not availed, for he would dwell upon the deed of his wife and despondency, instead of diminishing, prevailed, and leech-craft treatment utterly failed. One day his elder brother said to him, I am going forth to hunt and course, and to take my pleasure and pastime, maybe this would lighten thy heart. Shah Zaman, however, refused, saying, O my brother, my soul yearneth for nought of this sort, and I entreat thy favour to suffer me to tarry quietly in this place, being wholly taken up with my malady. So King Shah Zaman passed his night in the palace, and next morning, when his brother had faired forth, he removed from his room and sat him down at one of the lattice windows, overlooking the pleasure grounds, and there he abode thinking with saddest thoughts over his wife's betrayal, and burning sighs issued from his tortured breast. And as he continued in this case, lo, a poston of the palace, which was carefully kept private, swung open, and out of it came twenty slave-girls surrounding his brother's wife, who was wondrous fair, a model of beauty and comeliness, and symmetry, and perfect loveliness, and who paced with the grace of a gazelle which panteth for the cooling stream. Thereupon Shah Zaman drew back from the window, but he kept the bevy in sight, spying them from a place whence he could not be aspired. They walked under the very lattice, and advanced a little way into the garden, till they came to a jetting fountain, a middlemost, a great basin of water, then they stripped off their clothes, and behold, ten of them were women concubines of the king, and the other ten were white slaves. Then they all peered off, each with each, but the queen, who was left alone, presently cried out in a loud voice, Bring her to me, O my Lord Said, and then sprang with a drop leap from one of the trees, a big, slobbering black-a-mole with rolling eyes which showed the whites a truly hideous sight. He walked boldly up to her, and threw his arms round her neck, while she embraced him as warmly. Then he bussed her, and winding his legs round hers, as a button-loop clasps a button, he threw her and enjoyed her. Unlikewise did the other slaves with the girls, till all had satisfied their passions, and they ceased not from kissing and clipping, coupling and carousing, till they began to wane. When the mamalooks rose from the damsel's bosoms, and the black-a-mole slave dismounted from the queen's breast, the men resumed their disguises, and all except the negro who swarmed up the tree, entered the palace, and closed the post and door as before. Now, when Charles Arman saw this conduct of his sister-in-law, he said in himself, by Allah! My calamity is lighter than this. My brother is a greater king among the kings than I am. Yet this infamy goeth on in his very palace, and his wife is in love with that filthiest of filthy slaves. But this only showeth that they all do it, and that there is no woman but who cuckledeth her husband. Then the curse of Allah upon one and all, and upon the fools who lean against them for support of who place the reins of conduct in their hands. So he put away his melancholy and despondency, regret and repine, and allayed his sorrow by constantly repeating those words, adding, It is my conviction that no man in this world is safe from their malice. When supper time came they brought him the trays, and he ate with voracious appetite, for he had long refrained from meat, feeling unable to touch any dish, however dainty. Then he returned grateful thanks to Almighty Allah, praising him and blessing him, and he spent a most restful night, it having been long since he had savoured the sweet food of sleep. Next day he broke his fast heartily, and began to recover health and strength, and pleasantly regained excellent condition. His brother came back from the chase ten days after, when he rode out to meet him, and they saluted each other, and when King Sharia looked at King Shah's arm and he saw how the hue of health had returned to him, how his face had waxed ruddy, and how he ate with an appetite after his late scanty diet. He wondered much, and said, Oh my brother, I was so anxious that thou wouldst join me in hunting and chasing, and wouldst take thy pleasure and past time in my dominion. He thanked him, and excused himself. Then the two took horse and rode into the city, and when they were seated at their ease in the palace, the food trays were set before them, and they ate their sufficiency. After the meats were removed, and they had washed their hands, King Sharia turned to his brother, and said, My mind is overcome with wonderment and thy condition. I was desirous to carry thee with me to the chase, but I saw the changed in hue, pale, and wand to view, and in sore trouble of mind too. But now, allan de lila, glory be to God, I see thy natural colour hath returned to thy face, and that thou art again in the best of case. It was my belief that thy sickness came of severance from thy family and friends, an absence from capital and country, so I refrained from troubling thee with further questions. But now I beseech thee to expound to me the cause of thy complaint, and thy change of colour, and to explain the reason of thy recovery, and the return to the ruddy hue of health which I am won't to view. So speak out and hide naught. When Shah Zaman heard this, he bowed groundwards awhile his head, then raised it, and said, I will tell thee what caused my complaint, and my loss of colour, but excuse my acquainting thee with the cause of its return to me, and the reason of my complete recovery. Indeed, I pray thee not to press me for a reply. Said Sharia, who was much surprised by these words, let me hear first what produced thy pallor and thy poor condition. No then, O my brother, rejoin Shah Zaman, that when thou sentest thy wazir with the invitation to place myself between thy hands, I made ready and marched out of my city, but presently I minded me having left behind me in the palace, a string of jewels intended as a gift to thee. I returned for it alone, and found my wife on my carpet-bed, and in the arms of a hideous black cook, so I slew the twain, and came to thee. Yet my thoughts brooded over this business, and I lost my bloom, and became weak, but excuse me if I still refuse to tell thee what was the reason of my complexion returning. Sharia shook his head, marveling with extreme marvel, and with the fire of wroth flaming up from his heart he cried, Indeed, the malice of woman is mighty! Then he took refuge from them with Allah, and said, In very sooth thou, my brother, thou hast escaped many an evil by putting thy wife to death, and right excusable were thy wrath and grief for such mishap which never yet befell crowned king like thee. By Allah had the case been mine I would not have been satisfied without slaying a thousand women, and that way madness lies. But now praise be to Allah who hath tempered to thee thy tribulation, and need must thou acquaint me with that which so suddenly restored to the complexion and health, and explain to me what causeth this concealment. O king of the age again I pray thee excused my so doing. Nay, but thou must, I fear my brother, lest the recital cause thee more anger and sorrow than afflicted me. That were but a better reason, quoth Sharia, for telling me the whole history, and I conjure thee by Allah not to keep back ought from me. Thereupon Shazam and told him all he had seen, from commencement to conclusion, ending with these words, When I beheld thy calamity, and the treason of thy wife o' my brother, and I respected that thou art in years my senior, and in sovereignty my superior, mine own sorrow was belittled by the comparison, and my mind recovered tone and temper. So throwing off melancholy and despondency I was able to eat and drink and sleep, and thus I speedily regained health and strength, such is the truth and the whole truth. When King Sharia heard this he waxed Roth with exceeding Roth, and Rage was like to strangle him, but presently he recovered himself and said, O my brother, I would not give thee the lie in this matter, but I cannot credit it, till I see it with my own eyes. And thou wouldst look upon thy calamity, quoth Shazam, and rise at once and make ready again for hunting and coursing, and then hide thyself with me, so shalt thou witness it, and thine eyes shall verify it. True, quoth the King, whereupon he let make proclamation of his intent to travel, and the troops and tents feared forth without the city, camping with insight, and Sharia sallied out with them, and took seat amid most his host, bidding the slaves admit no man to him. When night came on he summoned his wazir, and said to him, Sits thou in my stead, and let none what of my absence till the term of three days. Then the brothers disguised themselves and returned by night with all secrecy to the palace, where they passed the dark hours, and at dawn they seated themselves at the lattice, overlooking the pleasure-grounds, when presently the Queen and her handmaids came out as before, and passing under the windows made for the fountain. Here they stripped, ten of them being men to ten women, and the King's wife cried out, Where art thou, Said? Sharia's Blackamore dropped from the tree straight away, and rushing into her arms without stay or delay, cried out, I am sad, al dinsaud! The lady laughed heartily, and all fell to satisfying their lusts, and remained so occupied for a couple of hours, when the white slaves rose up from the handmaiden's breasts, and the Blackamore dismounted from the Queen's bosom. Then they went into the basin, and after performing the goosal, or complete ablution, donned their vices, and retired, as they had done before. When King Sharia saw this infamy of his wife and concubines, he became as one distraught, and he cried out, Only an utter solitude can man be safe from the doings of this vile world, by Allah! Life is nought, but one great wrong! Presently he added, Do not thwart me, O my brother, in what I propose, and the other answered, I will not. So he said, Let us up as we are, and depart forthright hence, for we have no concern with kingship, and let us overwonder Allah's earth, worshipping the Almighty, till we find someone to whom the like calamity hath happened, and if we find none, then will death be more welcome to us than life. So the two brothers eschewed from a second private poston of the palace, and they never stinted wayfaring by day and by night, until they reached the tree, a middle of a meadow, hard by a spring of sweet water, on the shore of the Salt Sea. Both drank of it, and sat down to take their rest, and when an hour of the day had gone by, low they heard a mighty roar and uproar in the middle of the main, as though the heavens were falling upon the earth, and the sea break with waves before them, and from it towered a black pillar which grew and grew till it rose skywards, and began making for that meadow. Seeing it, they waxed fearful exceedingly, and climbed to the top of the tree, which was lofty, whence they gazed to see what might be the matter, and behold it was a ginny, huge of height, and burly of breast and bulk, broad of brow and black of blee, bearing on his head a coffer of crystal. He strode to land, wading through the deep, and, coming to the tree whereupon were the two kings, seated himself beneath it. He then set down the coffer on his bottom, and from out of it drew a casket, with seven padlocks of steel, which he unlocked with seven keys of steel he took from beneath his thigh, and out of it a young lady was seen to come, white-skinned and of winsomest mien, of stature fine and thin, and bright as the moon of the fourteenth night she had been, or of the sun raining lively sheen. Even so the poet Utaya hath excellently said, She rose like the mourn as she shone through the night, and she gilded the grove with her gracious sight. From her radiance the sun taketh increase when she unveileth and shameeth the moon shine bright. Bow down all beings between her hands as she showeth charms with her veil undight, and she floodeth cities with torrent tears when she flasheth her look of levy light. The ginny seated her under the tree by his side, and looking at her said, O choicest love of this heart of mine, O dame of noblest line, whom I snatched away on thy bright night that none may prevent me taking thy maiden head, or tumble thee before I did, and whom none save myself hath loved or hath enjoyed. O my sweetheart, I would thief sleep a little while. He then laid his head upon the lady's thighs, and stretching out his legs, which extended down to the sea, slept and snored and sparked like the roll of thunder. Presently she raised her head toward the treetop, and saw the two kings perched near the summit. Then she softly lifted off her lap the ginny's paint, which she was tired of supporting, and placed it upon the ground. Then standing upright under the tree, signed to the kings, Come ye down ye to, and fear naught from this ifrit. They were in a terrible fright when they found that she had seen them, and answered her in the same manner, Alla upon thee, and by thy modesty, O lady, excuse us from coming down. But she rejoined by saying, Alla upon you both, that you come down forthright, and if you come not, I will rouse upon you my husband, this ifrit, and he shall do you to die by the illest of deaths. And she continued making signals to them. So being afraid, they came down to her, and she rose before them, and said, Stroke me a strong stroke, without stale delay, otherwise will I arouse and set upon you this ifrit, who shall slay you straight away. Then they said to her, O our lady, we conjure thee by Alla, let us off this work, for we are fugitives from such, and in extreme dread and terror of this I husband, how then can we do it in such a way as thou desires? Leave this talk, it needs must be so, quoth she. And she swore them by him who raised the skies on high, without prop or pillar, that if they worked not to her will, she would cause them to be slain and cast into the sea, whereupon, out of fear, King Sharia said to King Shazamen, O my brother, do thou what she bideth thee do? But he replied, I will not do it, till thou do it before I do. And they began disputing about futtering her. Then quoth she to the twain, how is it I see you disputing and demurring? If you do not come forward like men, and do the deed of kind ye too, I will arouse upon you the ifrit. At this, by reason of their sore dread of the ginny, both did by her what she bade them do. And when they had dismounted from her, she said, Well done! She then took from her pocket a purse, and drew out a knotted string, whereon were strung five hundred and seventy seal rings, and asked, Know ye what be these? They answered her, saying, We know not. Then quoth she, These be the signets of five hundred and seventy men, who have all thuttered me upon the horns of this foul, this foolish, this filthy ifrit. So give me also your two seal rings, ye pair brothers. When they had drawn their two rings from their hands and given them to her, she said to them, Of a truth, this ifrit bore me off on my bride-night, and put me into a casket, and set the casket in a coffer, and to the coffer he affixed seven strong padlocks of steel, and deposited me on the deep bottom of the sea, that raves, dashing and clashing with waves, and guarded me so that I might remain chaste and honest, quoth her. None save himself might have connection with me. But I have lain under as many of my kind as I please, and this wretched ginny whatith not, that destiny may not be averted, nor hindered by ought, and that what so women willeth, the same sheful filth, however man and nilleth, even so set one of them, Rely not on women, trust not to their hearts, whose joys and whose sorrows are hung to their parts. Lying love they will swear thee, whence guile ne'er departs. Take Yusuf for sample, wear slates and wear smarts, Iblis ousted Adam, see ye not through their arts. And another says, Stint thy blame, man, till drive thee to a passion without bounds, my fault is not so heavy as fault in it hast found. If true lover I become, then to me their cometh not save what happened unto many in the bygone astound. For wonderful is he, and right worthy of our praise, who from wiles of female wits kept him safe and kept him sound. Hearing these words they marvelled with exceeding marvel, and she went from them to the ifrit, and taking up his head on her thighs before, said to them softly, Now wend your ways, and bear yourselves beyond the bounds of his malice. So they feared forth, saying, either to other, Allah, Allah, and there be no majesty, and there be no might save in Allah the glorious the great. And with him we seek refuge from women's malice and slight, for of a truth it hath no mate in might. Consider, O my brother, the ways of this marvellous lady, with an ifrit who is so much more powerful than we are. Now since their hath happened to him, a greater mishap than that which befell us, and which should bear us abundant consolation, so return me to our countries and capitals, and let us decide never to intermarry with women kind, and presently we will show them what will be our action. Thereupon they rode back to the tents of King Sharia, which they reached on the morning of the third day, and having mustered the wazirs and emirs, the chamberlains, and high officials, he gave a robe of honour to his viceroy, and issued orders for an immediate return to the city. There he sat him upon his throne, and sending for the chief minister, the father of the two dams, also, inshallah, will presently be mentioned. He said, I command thee to take my wife and smite her to death, for she hath broken her plight and her faith. So he carried her to the place of execution, and did her die. Then King Sharia took brand in hand, and repairing to the Suraleo, slew all the concubines and their Mamalooks. He also swear himself via binding oath, that whatever wife he married he would abate her maiden head at night, and slay her next morning to make sure of his honour. For, said he, there never was nor is there one chaste woman upon face of earth. Then Shah Zaman prayed for permission to fair homewards, and he went forth equipped and disgorted, and travelled till he reached his own country. Meanwhile, Sharia commanded his wazir to bring him the bride of the night, that he might go into her. So he produced the most beautiful girl, the daughter of one of the Emias, and the king went in unto her at Eventide, and when morning dawn he bade his minister strike off her head, and the wazir did accordingly for fear of the Sultan. On this wise he continued for the space of three years, marrying a maiden every night, and killing her the next morning, till folk raised an outcry against him, and cursed him, praying Allah utterly to destroy him and his rule, and women made an uproar, and mothers wept, and parents fled with their daughters, till they remained not in the city a young person fit for carnal copulation. Presently the king ordered his chief wazir, the same who was charged with the executions, to bring him a virgin, as was his won't, and the minister went forth and searched, and found none, so he returned home in sorrow and anxiety, fearing for his life from the king. Now he had two daughters, Sharazad and Dunyazad, height, of whom the elder had perused the books, annals and legends of preceding kings, and the stories, examples, and instances of bygone men and things. Indeed it was said that she had collected a thousand books of histories relating to antique races and departed rulers. She had perused the works of the poets, and knew them by heart. She had studied philosophy and the sciences, arts, and accomplishments, and she was pleasant and polite, wise and witty, well read, and well bred. Now on that day she said to her father, Why do I see thee thus changed, and laden with carc and care? Concerning this matter, quoth one of the poets, Tell whoso hath sorrow grief never shall last, Even as joy hath no morrow, so woe shall go past. When the wazir heard from his daughter these words, he related to her, from first to last, all that had happened between him and the king. Thereupon said she, By Allah, O my father, how long shall this slaughter of women endure? Shall I tell thee what is in my mind, in order to save both sides from destruction? Say, oh, no, my daughter, quoth he. And quoth she, I wish there wouldst give me in marriage to this king Sharia. Either I shall live, or I shall be a ransom for the virgin daughters of Muslims, and the cause of their deliverance from his hands and thine. Allah upon thee, cried he in wrath exceeding, that lacked no feeding. O scanty of wit! Expose not thy life to such peril! How dares thou address me, in words so wide from wisdom and unfar from foolishness? Know that one who lacketh experience in worldly matters readily falleth into misfortune. And whoso considereth not the end, keepeth not the world to friend. And the vulgar say, I was lying at mine ease. Nought but my officiousness brought me unease. Needs must thou, she broke in, make me a doer of this good deed, and let him kill me, and he will. I shall only die a ransom for others. O my daughter! asked he. And how shall that prophet thee, when thou shall have thrown away thy life? And she answered, O my father, it must be, come of it, what will? The Wazir was again moved to fury, and blamed and reproached her, ending with, in very deed, I fear less the same before thee, which befell the bull and the ass with the husband man. And what? asked she. We fell there, my father, whereupon the Wazir began the tale of the bull and the ass. LibriVox.org No, O my daughter, that there was once imagined, who owned much money and many men, and who was rich in cattle and camels. He had also wife and family, and he dwelt in the country, being experienced in husbandry, and devoted to agriculture. Now Allah, most high, had endowed him with understanding the tongues of beasts and birds of every kind, but under pain of death, if he divulged the gift to any. So he kept it secret, for very fear. He had in his cowhouse, a bull and an ass, each tethered to his own stall, one hard by the other. As the merchant was sitting near hand one day, with his servants and his children playing about him, he heard the bull say to the ass, Hail and health to thee, O father of walking! For that thou enjoyest rest and good ministering, all under thee is clean swept and fresh sprinkled, men wait upon thee and feed thee, and thy provont is sifted barley, and thy drink pure spring water, while I, unhappy creature, am led forth in the middle of the night, when they set on my neck the plow, and a something called yoke, and I tired, cleaving the earth from dawn of day till set of sun. I am forced to do more than I can, and to bear all manner of ill treatment, from night to night, after which they take me back with my sides torn, my neck flayed, my legs aching at my eyelids soared with tears. Then they shut me up in the buyer, and throw me beans and crushed straw, mixed with dirt and chaff, and a line dung and filth, and foul stinks through the life-long night. But thou art ever in a place sweet and sprinkled and cleansed, and thou art always lying at ease, save when it happens, and seldom enough, that the master hath some business, when he mounts thee and rides thee to town, and returns with thee forthright. So it happens that I am toiling and dispel, toiling and distress, while thou takeest thine ease and thy rest, thou sleepest while I am sleepless, I hunger still, while thou eatest thy fill, and I win contempt, while thou winnest good will. When the bull ceased speaking, the ass turned towards him and said, O broader brow! O thou lost one! He lied not when he dubbed the bull-head, for thou, O father of a bull, hast neither forethought nor contrivance. Thou art the simplest of simpletons, and thine knowest naught of good advisers. Hast thou not heard the saying of the wise? For others these hardships and labours I bear, and theirs is the pleasure, and mine is the care, as the bleacher who blacketh his brow in the sun, to whiten the raiment which other men wear. But thou, O fool, art full of zeal in that toilest and moillest before the master, and thou terraced and wearest and slays thyself for the comfort of another. Hast thou never heard the saw that says, None to guide and from the way go wide? Thou wendest forth at the call to dawn prayer, and thou returnest not until sundown, and through the life-long day thou endurest all manner hardships. To wit, beating, and belaboring, and bad language. Now how come to me, sir bull? When they tie thee to thy stinking manger, thou pourst the ground with thy forehand, and rushest out with thy hind hoofs, and pushest with thy horns and bellowest aloud, so they deem thee contented. And when they throw thee thy fodder, thou fallest on it with greed, and hastenest, to line thine fair fat paunch. But if thou accept my advice, it will be better for thee, and thou wilt lead an easier life even than mine. When thou ghost a field, and they lay the thing called yoke on thy neck, lie down, and rise not again, though happily they swinge thee. And if thou rise, lie down a second time, and when they bring thee home and offer thee thy beans, fall backwards, and only sniff at thy meat, and withdraw thee and taste it not, and be satisfied with thy crushed straw and shaft, and on this wise feign thou art sick, and cease not doing thus for a day or two days, or even three days, so shall thou have rest from toil and moil. When the bull heard these words, he knew they asked to be his friend, and thanked him, saying, Right is thy reed, and they prayed that all blessings might requite him, and cried, O father wakener, thou hast made up for my failings. Now the merchant, O my daughter, understood all that passed between them. Next day the driver took the bull, and settling the plow on his neck made him work as want, but the bull began to shirk his plowing, according to the advice of the ass, and the plowman drugged him till he broke the yoke, and made off, but the man caught him up, and leathered him till he dispaired of his life. Not the less, however, would he do nothing, but stand still, and drop down till the evening. Then the herd led him home and stabled him in his stall, but he drew back from his manger, and neither stamped nor rammed, nor butted, nor bellowed, as he was wanted to do. Whereout the man wandered. He brought him the beans and husks, but he sniffed at them, and left them, and lay down as far from them as he could, and passed the whole night fasting. The peasant came next morning, and seeing the manger full of beans, the crushed straw untasted, and the ox lying on his back in sorriest plight, with legs outstretched and swollen belly, he was concerned for him, and said to himself, By Allah! he hath assuredly sickened, and this is the cause why he would not plow yesterday. Then he went to the merchant and reported, O my master! the bull is ailing! He refused his fodder last night. Nay more! he hath not tasted a scrap of it this morning. Now the merchant farmer understood what all this meant, because he had overheard the talk between the bull and the ass. So quos he? Check that rascal donkey, and set the yoke on his neck, and bind him to the plow, and make him do bull's work. Thereupon the plowman took the ass, and worked him through the life-long day at the bull's task, and when he failed for weakness, he made him eat stick till his ribs were sore, and his sides were sunken, and his neck was hayed by the yoke. And when he came home in the evening, he could hardly drag his limbs along—either forehand or hind legs. But as for the bull, he had passed the day lying at full length, and had eaten his fodder with an excellent appetite, and he ceased not calling down blessings on the ass for his good advice, unknowing what had come to him on his account. So when night set in, and the ass returned to the bite, the bull rose up before him in honour, and said, May good tidings gladden thy heart, O father wakener! Through thee I have rested all this day, and I have eaten my meat in peace and quiet. But the ass did not reply for wraths, and heart-burning, and fatigue, and the beating he had gotten, and he repented with the most grievous of repentance, and quoth he to himself. This cometh of my folly in giving good counsel, as the sore says, I was in joy and gladness, nor to save my officiousness brought me this sadness. But I will bear in mind my innate worth and the nobility of my nature, for what says the poet? Shall the beautiful hue of the basil fail, though the beetles foot over the basil crawl? And though spider and fly be its denizens, shall disgrace attach to the royal hall? The carory I can shall have the currency, but the pearls clear drop, shall its value fall? And now I must take thought and put a trick upon him, and return him to his place, else I die. Then he went a weary to his manger, while the bull thanked him and blessed him. And even so, O my daughter, said the wazir, thou wilt die for lack of wits. Therefore sit thee still and say not, and expose not thy life to such stress, for by Allah I offer thee the best advice, which cometh of my affection, and kindly solicitude for thee. O my father, she answered, needs must I go up to the king and be married to him? Quasi, do not this deed, and quasi, of a truth I will, were at he rejoined, if thou be not silent and bide still, I will do with thee even what the merchant did with his wife. And what did he? asked she. No then, answered the wazir, that after the return of the ass, the merchant came out on the terrace roof with his wife and family, for it was a moonlit night, and the moon at its full. Now the terrace overlooked the cow-house, and presently, as he sat there with his children playing about him, the trader heard the ass say to the bull, tell me, O father, broader brow, what thou purposest to do tomorrow? The bull answered, what but continue to follow thy counsel, O liberun? Indeed it was as good as good could be, and it hath given me rest and repose, nor will I now depart from it one little, so when they bring me my meat I will refuse it, and blow out my belly and counterfeit crank. The ass shook his head, and said, beware of so doing, O father of a bull. The bull asked, why? And the ass answered, know that I am about to give thee the best of counsel, for verily, I heard our owners say to the herd, if the bull rise not from his place to do his work this morning, and if he retire from his fodder this day, make him over to the butcher, that he may slaughter him, and give his flesh to the poor, and fashion a bit of leather from his hide. Now I fear for thee an account of this, so take my advice, error calamity before thee, and when they bring thee thy fodder, eat it, and rise up, and bellow, and pour the ground, or our master will assuredly slay thee, and peace be with thee. Thereupon the bull arose, and loud, loud, and sank the ass, and said, to-morrow I will readily go forth with them, and he at once ate up all his meat, and even licked the manger. All this took place, and the owner was listening to their talk. Next morning the trader and his wife went to the bull's crib, and sat down, and the driver came and led forth the bull, who, seeing his owner, whisked his tail in break wind, and frisked about so lustily, that the merchant laughed a loud laugh, and kept laughing till he fell on his back. His wife asked him, were it laughest thou with such loud laughter as this? And he answered her, a laugh that is secret something which I have heard and seen, but cannot say lest I die my death. She returned, perforce, thou must discover it to me, and disclose the cause of thy laughing, even if thy come to thy death. But he rejoined, I cannot reveal what beasts and birds say in their lingo for fear I die. Then quoth she, by Allah thou liest, this is a mere pretext, thou laughest at none save me, and now thou wouldest hide somewhat from me. But by the Lord of the heavens, and thou disclose not the cause, I will no longer cohabit with thee, I will leave thee at once. And she sat down and cried. Whereupon quoth the merchant, woe betide thee, what means thy weeping? Bear Allah and leave these words and query me no more questions. Needs must thou tell me the cause of that laugh? Said she, and he replied, Thou wottest that when I prayed Allah to thou to save me understanding of the tongues of beasts and birds, I made a vow never to disclose the secret to any under pain of dying on the spot. No matter cried she. Tell me what secret passed between the bull and the ass, and die this very hour, and thou be so minded? And she ceased not to impotune him till he was worn out and clean distraught. So at last he said, Some on thy father and thy mother and our kith and kin and sundry of our neighbours, which she did. And he sent for the kazi and his assessors, intending to make his will and reveal to her his secret, and die the death, for he loved her with love exceeding, because she was his cousin, the daughter of his father's brother, and the mother of his children, and he had lived with her a life of 120 years. Then, having assembled all the family and the folk of his neighbourhood, he said to them, By me there hangeth a strange story, and is such that if I discover the secret to any, I am a dead man. Therefore quoth every one of those present to the woman, Allah upon thee, leave this sinful obstinacy, and recognise the right of this matter, lest happily thy husband and thy father of thy children die. But she rejoined, I will not turn from it till he tell me, even though he may come by his death. So they ceased to urge her, and the trader rose from amongst them, and repaired to an outhouse to perform wuzur ablution, and he purposed thereafter to return and to tell them his secret and to die. Now, daughter Sharazad, that merchant had in his outhouses some fifty hens under one cock, and whilst making ready to farewell his folk, he heard one of his many farm dogs thus address in his own tongue the cock, who was flapping his wings and crowing lustily, and jumping from one hens back to another, and treading all in turn, saying, O chante clear, how mean is thy wit and how shameless is thy conduct! Be he disappointed who brought thee up? Are thou not ashamed of thy doings on such a day as this? And what, asked the rooster, hath occurred this day? When the dog answered, dost thou not know that our master is this day making ready for his death? His wife has resolved that he shall disclose the secret taught to him by Allah, and the moment he so doeth he shall surely die. We dogs are all the morning, but thou clappest thy wings and clarionist thy loudest and treadest hen after hen. Is this an hour for pastime and pleasuring? Are thou not ashamed of thyself? Then by Allah, quasth the cock, is our master a lack wit, and a man scanty of sense. If he cannot manage matters with a single wife, his life is not worth prolonging. Now I have some fifty dame-partlets, and I please this and provoke that and starve one and stuff another. And through my governance, they are all well under my control. This our master pretendeth to wit and wisdom, and he hath but one wife, and yet knoweth not how to manage her. Ask the dog, what then, O cock, should the master do to win clear of his straight? He should arise forthright, answered the cock, and take some twigs from Yon Mulberry tree, and give her a regular back-basting and rib-roasting, till she cry, I repent, O my lord, I will never ask thee a question as long as I live. Then let him beat her once more and soundly, and when he shall have done this, he shall sleep free from care and enjoy life. But this master of ours owns neither sense nor judgment. Now, daughter Charizard, continued the voizier, I will do to thee as did that husband to that wife. Said Charizard, and what did he do? He replied, When the merchant heard the wise words spoken by his cock to his dog, he arose in haste and sought his wife's chamber, after cutting for her some Mulberry twigs, and hiding them there, and then he called to her, come into the closet, that I may tell thee the secret, while no one seeeth me, and then die. She entered with him, and he locked the door, and came down with her, with so sound a beating of back and shoulders, ribs, arms and legs, saying the while, will thou ever be asking questions about what concerneth thee not? That she was well nice senseless. Presently she cried out, I am of the repentant, by Allah I will ask thee no more questions, and indeed I repent sincerely and wholesomely. Then she kissed his hand and feet, and he led her out of the room, submissive, as a wife should be. Her parents and all the company rejoiced, and sadness and mourning were changed into joy and gladness. Thus the merchant learned family discipline from his cock, and he and his wife lived together the happiest of lives until death. And thou also, my daughter, continue the wazir, unless thou turn from this matter I will do by thee what that trader did to his wife. But she answered him with much decision. I will never desist, oh my father, nor shall this tale change my purpose. Leave such talk and tattle, I will not listen to thy words, and if thou deny me, I will marry myself to him despite the nose of thee. And first I will go up to the king myself, and alone, and I will say to him, I prayed my father to wive me with thee, but he refused being resolved to disappoint his lord, grudging the like of me to the like of thee. Her father asked, must this needs be? And she answered, even so. Hereupon the wazir being weary of lamenting and contending, persuading and dissuading her, all to no purpose, went up to king Sharia, and after blessing him and kissing the ground before him, told him all about his dispute with his daughter from first to last, and how he designed to bring her to him that night. The king wandered with exceeding wonder, for he had made a special exception of the wazir's daughter, and said to him, O most faithful of cancelers, how is this? Thou watches that I have sworn by the razor of the heavens, that after I have gone into her this night, I shall say to thee on the morrow's morning, take her and slay her, and if thou slay her not, I will slay thee in her stead without fail. I'll a-guide thee to glory and lengthen thy life, O king of the age. Answered the wazir, it is she that hath so determined. All this I have told her and more, but she will not harken to me, and she persisters in passing this coming night with the king's majesty. So Sharia rejoiced greatly, and said, Tiswell, go get her ready, and this night bring her to me. The wazir returned to his daughter, and reported to her the command, saying, Allah make not thy father desolate by thy loss. But Sharazad rejoiced with exceeding joy, and got ready all she required, and said to her younger sister, Danyazad, note well what directions I entrust to thee. When I have gone into the king, I will send for thee, and when thou comest to me, and seeest, that he hath had his carnal will of me, do thou say to me, O my sister, and thou not be sleepy, relate to me some new story, delectable and delightsome, the better to speed our waking hours, and I will tell thee a tale which shall be our deliverance, if so Allah please, and which shall turn the king from his blood-thirsty custom. Danyazad answered, with love and gladness. So when it was night, their father the wazir carried Sharazad to the king, who was gladdened at the sight, and asked, Has thou brought me my need? and he answered, I have. But when the king took her to his bed, and fell to toying with her, and wished to go into her, she wept, which made him ask, What ales thee? She replied, O king of the age, I have a younger sister, and thief would I take leave of her this night, before I see the dawn. So he sent it once for Danyazad, and she came and kissed the ground between his hands, when he permitted her to take her seat near the foot of the couch. Then the king arose and did away with his bride's maiden head, and the three fell asleep. But when it was midnight, Sharazad awoke, and signalled to her sister Danyazad, who sat up and said, Alla, upon thee, O my sister, recite to us some new story, delightsome and delectable, wherewith a while away the waking hours of our latter night. With joy in goodly gree, answered Sharazad, If this pious and auspicious king permit me. Tell on, quoth the king, who chanced to be sleepless and restless, and therefore was pleased with the prospect of hearing her story. So Sharazad rejoiced, and thus on the first night of the thousand nights and a night, she began with the tale of the trader and the ginny. It is related, O auspicious king, that there was a merchant of the merchants who had much wealth, and business in various cities. Now on a day he mounted horse and went forth to recover moneys in certain towns, and the heat sore oppressed him. So he sat beneath the tree, and, putting his hand into his saddle-bags, took thence some broken bread and dried dates, and began to break his fast. When he had ended, eating the dates, he threw away the stones with force and low, and ifrit appeared. Huge a stature, and brandishing a drawn sword, wherewith he approached the merchant and said, Stand up that I may slay thee, even as thou slewest my son. Asked the merchant, How have I slain thy son? And he answered, When thou ateest dates, and threwest away the stones, they struck my son full in the breast as he was walking by, so that he died forthwith. Quas'd the merchant, Verity from Allah we proceeded, and unto Allah we are returning. There is no majesty, and there is no might save in Allah the glorious, the great. If I slew thy son, I slew him by chance medley. I pray thee now pardon me. Rejoin the jinnie. There is no help, but I must slay thee. Then he seized him and dragged him along, and casting him to the earth, raised the sword to strike him, whereupon the merchant wept, and said, I commit my case to Allah, and began repeating these couplets. Containeth time a twine of days, this of blessing that of bane, and holdeth life a twine of halves, this of pleasure that of pain. Sees not when blows the hurricane, sweeping stark and striking strong, none save the forest giant, fields the suffering of the strain. How many trees earth nourishes, of the dry and of the green, yet none of those which bear the fruits for cast of stone complain, sees not how corpses rise and float on the surface of the tide, while pearls of price lie hidden in the deepest of the main. In heaven are unnumbered the many of the stars, yet never a star but sun and moon by eclipse is Otein. Well, judges thou the days that saw thy fairing sound and well, and counteth not the pangs and pain, whereof fate is never faint. The nights have kept thee safe, and the safety brought thee pride, but bliss and blessings of the night are genderers of bane. When the merchant ceased repeating these verses, the jinnie said to him, Cut thy words short by Allah, needs must I slay thee, but the merchants make him thus. Know, O thou ifrit, that I have debts due to me, and much wealth and children and wife and many pledges in hand, so permit me to go home and discharge to every claim and his claim, and I will come back to thee at the head of the new year. Allah be my testimony in shorty, that I will return to thee, and then thou mayest do with me as thou wilt, and Allah is witness to what I say. The jinnie took sure promise of him and let him go, so he returned to his own city and transacted his business, and rendered to all men their dues, and after informing his wife and children of what had betided him, he appointed a guardian and dwelt with them for a full year. Then he arose and made the wuzhu ablution to purify himself before death, and took his shroud under his arm and bade farewell to his people, his neighbours, and all his kiss and kin, and went forth, despite his own nose. Then there began weeping and wailing and beating their breasts over him, but he travelled until he arrived at the same garden, and the day of his arrival was the head of the new year. As he sat weeping over what had befallen him, behold, a shake, a very ancient man, drew near, leading a chained gazelle, and he saluted the merchant and wishing him long life said, What is the cause of thy sitting in this place, and thou alone, and this be a resort of evil spirits? The merchant related to him what had come to pass with the effrit, and the old man, the owner of the gazelle, wandered and said, By Allah, O brother, thy face is none other than exceeding face, and thy story, right strange, were at graven with gravers, on the eye-corners, it were a warner to whoso would be warned. Then, seating himself near the merchant, he said, By Allah, O my brother, I will not leave thee, until I see what may come to pass with thee in this effrit. And presently, as he sat, and the two-word talk, the merchant began to feel fear and terror, and exceeding grief, and sorrow beyond relief, and ever-growing care, and extreme despair. And the owner of the gazelle was hard by his side, when behold, a second shake approached them, and with him were two dogs, both of greyhound breed, and both black. The second old man, after saluting them with the salam, also asked them of their tidings, and said, What causes you to sit in this place, a dwelling of the jann? So they told him the tale from beginning to end, and their stay there had not lasted long, before there came up a third shake, and with him a she-mule of bright baycoat, and he saluted them, and asked them why they were seated in that place. So they told him the story from first to last, and of no avail, o my master, is a twice-toed tale. There he sat down with them, and lo! a dust-cloud advanced, and a mighty-send devil appeared amid most of the waste. Presently the cloud opened, and behold, within it was that ginny, hending in hand a drawn sword, while his eyes were shooting fire-sparks of rage. He came up to them, and, hailing away the merchant from among them, cried to them, Arise that I may slay thee, as thou sluiced my son, the life-stuff of my liver. The merchant wailed and wept, and the three old men began sighing, and crying, and weeping, and wailing with their companion. Presently the first old man, the owner of the gazelle, came out from among them, and kissed the hand of the ifrit, and kissed the hand of the ifrit, and said, O ginny, thou crown of the kings of the jann, write to tell thee the story of me and this gazelle, and thou shalt consider it wondrous. Wouldst thou give me a third part of this merchant's blood? Then quos the ginny. Even so, o shake, if thou tell me this tale, and I hold it a marvellous, then I will give thee a third of his blood. Thereupon the old man began to tell the first shague's story. No, o ginny, that this gazelle is the daughter of my paternal uncle, my own flesh and blood, and I married her when she was a young maid, and I lived with her well nigh thirty years, yet was I not blessed with issue by her. So I took me a concubine, who brought to me the boon of a male child, fair as the full moon, with eyes of lovely shine and eyebrows which formed one line, and limbs of perfect design. Little by little he grew in stature and waxed tall, and when he was allowed fifteen years old it became needful I should journey to certain cities, and I travelled with great store of goods. But the daughter of my uncle, this gazelle, had learned grammari and agromency and clarkly craft from her childhood, so she bewitched that son of mine to a calf, and my handmaid, his mother, to a heifer, and made them over to the herdsman's care. Now when I returned after a long time from my journey, and asked for my son and his mother, she answered me, saying, Thy slave girl is dead, and thy son hath fled, and I know not whether he is sped. So I remained for a whole year with grieving heart and streaming eyes until the time came for the great festival of Allah. Then sent I to my herdsman, bidding him choose for me fat heifer, and he brought me one which was the damsel my handmaid, whom this gazelle had ensorcelled. I tucked up my sleeves and skirt, and taking a knife, proceeded to cut her throat, but she loud allowed, and wept bitter tears. Thereout I marvelled and pity seized me, and I held my hand, saying to the herd, bring me other than this. Then cried my cousin, slay her, for I have not a fatter nor a fairer. Once more I went forward to sacrifice her, but she again loud allowed upon which and Ruth I refrained, and commanded the herdsman to slay her and flay her. He killed her and skinned her, but found in her neither fat nor flesh, only hide and bone, and I repented when penitence availed me naught. I gave her to the herdsman, and said to him, fetch me a fat calf, so he brought my son ensorcelled. When the calf saw me, he broke his tether and ran to me, and formed upon me and wailed in shed tears, so that I took pity on him, and said to the herdsman, bring me a heifer, and let this calf go. Thereupon my cousin, this gazelle, called aloud at me, saying, Needs must thou kill this calf, this is a holy day, and a blessed. Whereon Nortus slain save what be perfect pure, and we have not amongst our calves any fatter or fairer than this. Quasi, look thou upon the condition of the heifer which I slaughtered at thy bidding, and how we turn from her in disappointment, and she profited us on no wise. And I repent with an exceeding repentance of having killed her, so this time I will not obey thy bidding for the sacrifice of this calf. Quasi, by all of the most great, the compassionate, the compassionate, there is no help for it. Thou must kill him on this holy day, and if thou kill him not, to me thou art no man, and I, to thee, am no wife. Now when I heard those hard words, not knowing her object, I went up to the calf, knife and hand, and Charizard perceived the dawn of day, and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister to her, how fair is thy tale, and how grateful, and how sweet and how tasteful. And Charizard answered her, what is this to that I could tell thee on the coming night, right to live, and the king would spare me. Then said the king to himself, by Allah I will not slay her, until I shall have heard the rest of her tale. So they slept the rest of that night in mutual embrace till day fully break. Then the king went forth to his audience-hall, and the Wazir went up with his daughter's shroud under his arm. The king eschewed his orders and promoted this and deposed that until the end of the day, and he told the Wazir no wit of what had happened. But the minister wandered thereat with exceeding wonder, and when the court broke up King Sharia entered his palace. When it was the second night, said Daniel Zad to her sister Charizard, O my sister, finish for us that story of the merchant and the jinnie. And she answered, with joy and goodly gree, if the king permitted me. Then quoth the king, tell thy tale, and Charizard began in these words. It hath reached me, O auspicious king and heaven-directed ruler, that when the merchant purposed the sacrifice of the calf, but saw it weeping, his heart relented, and he said to the herdsman, Keep the calf among my cattle. All this the old shake told the jinnie who marveled much at these strange words. Then the owner of the gazelle continued, O Lord of the kings of the jinn, this much took place, and my uncle's daughter, this gazelle, looked on and saw it, and said, But show me this calf, for surely it is a fat one. But I bade the herdsman take it away, and he took it, and turned his face homewards. On the next day, as I was sitting in my own house, lo the herdsman came and, standing before me, said, O my master, I will tell thee a thing which shall gladden thy soul, and shall gain me the gift of good tidings. I answered, even so. Then said he, O merchant, I have a daughter, and she learned magic in her childhood from an old woman who lived with us. Yesterday, when thou gaveest me the calf, I went into the house to her, and she looked upon it and veiled her face, then she wept and laughed alternately, and at last she said, O my father, hath mine honour become so cheap to thee that thou bringest into me strange men? I asked her, Where be these strange men, and why was thou laughing and crying? And she answered, Of a truth, this calf, which is with thee, is the son of our master, the merchant, but he is ensorcelled by his step-dame who bewitched both him and his mother, such as the course of my laughing. Now the reason of his weeping is his mother, for that his father slew her unawares. Then I marvelled at this with exceeding marvel, and hardly made sure that day had dawned before I came to tell thee. When I heard, O Ginny, my herdsman's words, I went out with him, and I was drunken without wine, from the excessive joy and gladness which came upon me, until I reached his house. There his daughter welcomed me, and kissed my hand, and forthwith the calf came and fawned upon me as before. Quas I to the herdsman's daughter, is this true that thou sayest of this calf? Quas she, ye, O my master, he is thy son, the very core of thy heart. I rejoiced and said to her, O maiden, if thou wilt release him, thine shall be whatever cattle and property of mine are under thy father's hand. She smiled and answered, O my master, I have no greed for the goods, nor will I take them, save on two conditions. The first, that thou marry me to thy son, and the second, that I may bewitch her who bewitched him, and imprison her, otherwise I cannot be safe from her malice and malpractices. Now when I heard, O Ginny, these, the words of the herdsman's daughter, I replied, Beside what thou askest, all the cattle and the household staff, in thy father's charge, are thine, and as for the daughter of my uncle, her blood is lawful to thee. When I had spoken, she took a cup and filled it with water, then she recited a spell over it and sprinkled it upon the calf, saying, If Almighty Allah created thee a calf, remain so shaped and change not, but if thou be enchanted, return to thy willom form by command of Allah most highest. And lo, he trembled and became a man. Then I fell on his neck and said, Allah upon thee, tell me all that the daughter of my uncle did by thee and by thy mother. And when he told me what had come to pass between them, I said, O my son, Allah favoured thee with one to restore thee, and thy right hath returned to thee. Then, O Ginny, I married the herdsman's daughter to him, and she transformed my wife into this gazelle, saying, Her shape is as calmly and by no means loathsome. After this she abode with us night and day, day and night, till the Almighty took her to himself. When she deceased, my son fared forth to the cities of Hind, even to the city of this man, who hath done to thee what has been done. And I also took this gazelle, my cousin, and wandered with her from town to town, seeking tidings of my son, till destiny drove me to this place, where I saw the merchant sitting in tears. Such is my tale. Quas the Ginny, this story is indeed strange, and therefore I grant thee the third part of his blood. Thereupon the second old man, who owned the two greyhounds, came up and said, O Ginny, if I recount to thee what befell me from my brothers, these two hounds, and thou see that it is a tale even more wondrous and marvellous than what thou hast heard, will thou grant me also the third of this man's blood? Reply the Ginny, thou hast my word for it, if thine adventures be more marvellous and wondrous. Thereupon he thus began the Second Shakespeare's story, end of Section 2 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night. Recorded by Gazine in January 2008. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Section 3. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit Librivox.org. Volume 1 of the Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. Section 3. No, O Lord of the Kings of the Jan, that these two dogs are my brothers, and I am the third. Now, when our father died and left us a capital of three thousand gold pieces, I opened a shop with my share, and bought and sold therein, and in light-guys did my two brothers, each setting up a shop. But I had been in business no long while, before the elder sold his stock for a thousand dinars, and after buying outfit and merchandise, went his ways to foreign parts. He was absent one whole year with the caravan, but one day as I sat in my shop, behold, a beggar stood before me, asking alms, and I said to him, Allah, open thee another door, whereupon he answered, weeping the while, am I so changed that thou knowest me not? Then I looked at him narrowly, and lo, it was my brother, so I rose to him and welcomed him. Then I seated him in my shop, and put questions concerning his case. Ask me not, answered he, my wealth is a waste, and my state hath waxed unstated. So I took him to the Hamam bath, and clad him in a suit of my own, and gave him lodging in my house. Moreover, after looking over the accounts of my stock in trade, and the profits of my business, I found that industry had gained me one thousand dinars, when my principal, the head of my wealth, amounted to two thousand. So I shared the whole with him, saying, assume that thou hast made no journey abroad, but hast remained at home, and be not cast down by thine ill luck. He took the share in great glee, and opened for himself a shop, and matters went on quietly for a few nights and days. But presently my second brother, Yon other dog, also setting his heart upon travel, sold off what goods and stock in trade he had, and, albeit we tried to stay him, he would not be stayed. He laid in an outfit for the journey, and fared forth with certain wayfarers. After an absence of a whole year he came back to me, even as my elder brother had come back. And when I said to him, Oh, my brother, did I not dissuade thee from travel? He shed tears and cried, Oh, my brother, this be destiny's decree. Here I am a mere beggar, penniless, and without a shirt to my back. So I led him to the bath, O' Ginny, and clothing him in new clothes of my own wear. I went with him to my shop, and served him with meat and drink. Furthermore, I said to him, Oh, my brother, I am want to cast up my shop accounts at the head of every year, and what so I shall find of surplusage is between me and thee. So I proceeded, O' Ifrit, to strike a balance, and finding two thousand dinars of profit, I returned praises to the Creator, be he extolled and exalted, and made over one half to my brother, keeping the other to myself. Thereupon he busied himself with opening a shop, and on this wise we abode many days. After a time my brothers began pressing me to travel with them, but I refused, saying, What gained ye by travel voyage that I should gain thereby? As I would not give ear to them, we went back each to his own shop, where we bought and sold as before. They kept urging me to travel for a whole twelve-month, but I refused to do so till full six years were past and gone, when I consented with these words, O' my brothers, here am I, your companion of travel, now let me see what moneys you have by you. I found, however, that they had not adoyed, having squandered their substance in high diet and drinking, and carnal delights. Yet I spoke not a word of reproach, so far from it I looked over my shop accounts once more, and sold what goods and stock in trade were mine, and finding myself the owner of six thousand ducats, I gladly proceeded to divide that sum in halves, saying to my brothers, These three thousand gold pieces offer me and for you to trade with all. Adding, Let us bury the other moiety underground, that it may be of service in case any harm befall us, in which case each shall take a thousand, wherewith to open shops. Both replied, Right is thy wrecking, and I gave to each one his thousand gold pieces, keeping the same sum for myself, to it a thousand dinars. We then got ready suitable goods, and had a ship, and having embarked our merchandise, proceeded on our voyage, day following day, a full month, after which we arrived at a city, where we sold our venture, and for every piece of gold we gained ten. And as we turned again to our voyage, we found on the shore of the sea, a maiden clad in worn and ragged gear, and she kissed my hand, and said, O master, is there kindness in thee and charity, I can make thee a fitting return for them. I answered, Even so, truly in me are benevolence and good works, even though thou render me no return. Then she said, Take me to wife, O my master, and carry me to thy city, for I have given myself to thee. So do me a kindness, and I am of those who be meet for good works and charity. I will make thee a fitting return for these, and be thou not shamed by my condition. When I heard her words, my heart yearned towards her, in such sort as willed it all, be he extolled and exalted, and took her and clothed her, and made ready for her a fair resting place in the vessel, and honourably entreated her. So we voyaged on, and my heart became attached to her with exceeding attachment, and I was separated from her neither night nor day, and I paid more regard to her than to my brothers. Then they were estranged from me, and waxed jealous of my wealth and the quantity of merchandise I had, and their eyes were opened covetously upon all my property. So they took counsel to murder me, and seize my wealth, saying, Let us slay our brother, and all his moneys will be ours. And Satan made this deed seem fair in their sight, so when they found me in privacy, and I was sleeping by my wife's side, they took us both up and cast us into the sea. My wife awoke, startled from her sleep, and forthright, becoming an effrita, she bore me up and carried me to an island, and disappeared for a short time. But she returned in the morning, and said, Here am I, thy faithful slave, who hath made thee due recompense, for I bore thee up in the waters, and saved thee from death by command of the Almighty. Know that I am a jinnia, and as I saw thee, my heart loved thee by will of the Lord, for I am a believer in Allah, and in his apostle, whom heaven bless and preserve. Thereupon I came to thee conditioned as thou sowest me, and thou didst marry me, and see now I have saved thee from sinking. But I am angered against thy brothers, and assuredly I must slay them. When I heard her story, I was surprised, and thanking her for all she had done, I said, But as to slaying my brothers, this must not be. Then I told her the tale of what had come to pass with them from the beginning of our lives to the end. And on hearing it, quoth she, this night will I fly as a bird over them, and will sink their ship and slay them. Quoth I, Allah upon thee, do not thus, for the proverb saith, O thou who doest good to him that doth evil, leave the evil doer to his evil deeds. Moreover, they are still my brothers. But she rejoined, By Allah there is no help for it, but I slay them. I humbled myself before her for their pardon, whereupon she bore me up and flew away with me, till at last she set me down on the terrace roof of my own house. I opened the doors and took up what I had hidden in the ground, and after I had saluted the folk, I opened my shop and bought me merchandise. Now, when night came on, I went home, and there I saw these two hounds tied up. And when they sighted me, they arose and whined and fawned upon me, but ere I knew what happened, my wife said, These two dogs be thy brothers. I answered, And who hath done this thing by them? And she rejoined. I sent a message to my sister, and she entreated them on this wise, nor shall these two be released from their present shape till ten years shall have passed. And now I have arrived at this place on my way to my wife's sister, that she may deliver them from this condition, after they are having endured it for half a score of years. As I was wending onwards, I saw this young man who acquainted me with what had befallen him, and I determined not to fare hence until I should see what might occur between thee and him, such is my tale. Then said the jinnie, Surely this is a strange story, and therefore I give thee the third portion of his blood and his crime. Thereupon quoth the third shake, the master of the mere mule, to the jinnie, I can tell thee a tale more wondrous than these two, so thou grant me the remainder of his blood and his offence. And the jinnie answered, So be it. Then the old man began. The third shake's story. No, old sultan and head of the jinn, that this mule was my wife. Now it so happened that I went forth and was absent one whole year, and when I returned from my journey I came to her by night, and saw a black slave lying with her on the carpet bed, and they were talking, and dallying, and laughing, and kissing, and playing the close buttock game. When she saw me she rose and came hurriedly at me with a gugglet of water, and muttering spells over it, she besprinkled me and said, Come forth from this thy shape into the shape of a dog. And I became, on the instant, a dog. She drove me out of the house, and I ran through the doorway, nor ceased running, until I came to a butcher's stall, where I stopped and began to eat what bones were there. When the stall owner saw me, he took me and led me into his house, but as soon as his daughter had sight of me she veiled her face from me, crying out, Dost thou bring men to me, and dost thou come in with them to me? Her father asked, Where is the man? And she answered, This dog is a man, whom his wife hath ensorcelled, and I am able to release him. When her father heard her words, he said, Alla, upon thee, O my daughter, release him. So she took a gugglet of water, and asked her uttering words over it, sprinkled upon me a few drops, saying, Come forth from that form into thy former form. And I returned to my natural shape. Then I kissed her hand and said, I wish thou wouldest transform my wife, even as she transformed me. Thereupon she gave me some water, saying, As soon as thou see her asleep, sprinkle this liquid upon her, and speak what words thou heardest me utter. So shall she become whatsoever thou desirest. I went to my wife, and found her fast asleep, and while sprinkling the water upon her, I said, Come forth from that form into the form of a mere mule. So she became, on the instant, a she mule. And she it is, whom thou seeest with thine eyes, O Sultan and Head of the kings of the Jan. Then the jinnie turned towards her and said, Is this sooth? And she nodded her head and replied by signs. Indeed, tis the truth, for such is my tale, and this is what hath befallen me. Now, when the old man had ceased speaking, the jinnie shook with pleasure and gave him the third of the merchant's blood. And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day, and ceased saying her permitted say. Then Quoth Dunyazad, O my sister, how pleasant is thy tale, and how tasteful, how sweet, and how grateful. She replied, And what is this, compared with that, I could tell thee, the night to come, if I live, and the king spare me. Then thought the king, By Allah I will not slay her, until I hear the rest of her tale, for truly it is wondrous. So they rested that night in mutual embrace until the dawn. After this the king went forth to his hall of estate, and the wazir and the troops came in, and the court was crowded. And the king gave orders and judged, and appointed and deposed, bidding and forbidding, during the rest of the day. Then the divan broke up, and king Shahriar entered his palace. When it was the third night, and the king had had his will of the wazir's daughter, Dunyazad, her sister, said to her, Finish for us that tale of thine. And she replied, With joy and goodly gree. It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that when the third old man told a tale to the jinnie, more wondrous than the two preceding, the jinnie marvelled with exceeding marvel, and shaking with delight cried, Lo, I have given thee the remainder of the merchant's punishment, and for thy sake have I released him. Thereupon the merchant embraced the old man and thanked them, and these shakes wished him joy on being saved, and fared forth each one for his own city. Yet this tale is not more wondrous than the fisherman's story. Ask the king, What is the fisherman's story? And she answered by relating the tale of the fisherman and the jinnie. It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that there was a fisherman, well stricken in years, who had a wife and three children, and with all was of poor condition. Now it was his custom to cast his net every day four times, and no more. On a day he went forth about noontide to the seashore, where he laid down his basket, and tucking up his shirt and plunging into the water, made a cast with his net, and waited till it settled to the bottom. Then he gathered the cords together, and hailed away at it, but found it weighty, and however much he drew it landwards, he could not pull it up, so he carried the ends ashore, and drove a stake into the ground, and made the net fast to it. Then he stripped and dived into the water all about the net, and left not off working hard, until he had brought it up. He rejoiced there at, and donning his clothes, went to the net, where he found in it a dead jackass, which had torn the meshes. Now, when he saw it, he exclaimed in his grief, there is no majesty, and there is no might, save in Allah the glorious, the great. Then quoth he, this is a strange manner of daily bread, and he began reciting in extemporary verse, O toiler through the glooms of night, in peril and in pain, thy toiling stint for daily bread comes not by might and main. Ceased thou not the fisher, seeker float upon the sea, his bread, while glimmer stars of night, as set in tangled skein. Anon he plungeeth in, despite the buffet of the waves, the wild to sight the bellying net, his eager glances strain. Till, joying at the night's success, a fish he bringeth home, whose gullet by the hook of fate was caught, and cut in twain. When buys that fish of him a man, who spent the hours of night, reckless of cold and wet and gloom, in ease and comfort feign. Lord to the Lord, who gives to this, to that, denies his wishes, and dooms one, toil and catch the prey, and other eat the fishes. Then quoth he, up unto it, I am sure of his beneficence, inshallah. So he continued. When thou art seized of evil fate, assume the noble soul's long suffering, till thy best, complain not to the creature, this be planked, from one most Ruthful to the Ruthlessest. The fisherman, when he had looked at the dead ass, got it free of the toils, and wrung out, and spread his net. Then he plunged into the sea, saying, in Allah's name, and made a cast, and pulled at it, but it grew heavy, and settled down more firmly than the first time. Now he thought that there were fish in it, and he made it fast, and doffing his clothes, went into the water, and dived, and hailed, until he drew it up upon dry land. Then found he in it a large earthen pitcher, which was full of sand and mud. And seeing this, he was greatly troubled, and began repeating these verses. Forbear, O troubles of the world, and pardon, and yinil forbear, I went to seek my daily bread, I find that breadless I must fare. For neither handcraft brings me ought, nor fate elots to me a share, how many fools the pliads reach, while darkness welms the wise and where. So he prayed pardon of Allah, and throwing away the jar, wrung his net, and cleansed it, and returned to the sea the third time, to cast his net, and waited till it had sunk. Then he pulled at it, and found therein pot-shirts, and broken glass, whereupon he began to speak these verses. He is to thee that daily bread thou canst nor loose nor bind, nor pen nor red to veil thee ought thy daily bread to find. For joy and daily bread are what fate dayneth to allow, this soil is sad and sterile ground, while that makes glad the hind. The shafts of time and life bear down full many a man of worth, while bearing up to high degree whites of ignoble mind. So come thou death, for verily life is not worth a straw, when lo the falcon falls with all, the mallard wings the wind. No wonder, tis thou seest how the great of soul and mind, a poor and many a loser carl, to height of luck designed. This bird shall overfly the world, from east to furthest west, and that shall win her every wish, though near she leave the nest. Then, raising his eyes heavenwards, he said, O my God, verily thou wattest that I cast not my net each day save four times. The third is done, and as yet thou hast vouched, saved me nothing. So this time, O my God, dayn give me my daily bread. Then, having called on Allah's name, he again through his net, and waited its sinking and settling, whereupon he hailed at it, but could not draw it in, for that it was entangled at the bottom. He cried out in his vexation, there is no majesty and there is no might, save in Allah. And he began reciting, Fie on this wretched world, and so it be, I must be whelmed by grief and misery. Though glad some be-man's lot when dawns the morn, he drains the cup of woe ere eve he see. Yet was I one of whom the world when asked, Whose lot is happiest, oft would say, tis he. Thereupon he stripped, and diving down to the net, busied himself with it till it came to land. Then he opened the mashes, and found therein a cucumber-shaped jar of yellow copper, evidently full of something, whose mouth was made fast with a leaden cap, stamped with the seal-ring of our Lord, Sulayman, son of David, Allah accept the twain. Seeing this the fisherman rejoiced and said, If I sell it in the brass bazaar, tis worth ten golden dinars. He shook it, and finding it heavy continued, Would to heaven I knew what is herein, But I must and will open it, and look to its contents, And store it in my bag, and sell it in the brass market. And taking out a knife, he worked at the lead, till he had loosened it from the jar. Then he laid the cup on the ground, and shook the vase, to pour out whatever might be inside. He found nothing in it, where at he marvelled with an exceeding marvel. But presently there came forth from the jar a smoke which spired heavenwards into ether, where at he again marvelled with mighty marvel, and which trailed along earth's surface till presently, having reached its full height, the thick vapour condensed, and became an effete huge of bulk, whose crest touched the clouds, while his feet were on the ground. His head was as a dome, his hands like pitchforks, his legs long as masts, and his mouth big as a cave. His teeth were like large stones, his nostrils ewers, his eyes two lamps, and his look was fierce and lowering. Now when the fisherman saw the effete, his side muscles quivered, his teeth chattered, his spittle dried up, and he became blind about what to do. Upon this the effete looked at him, and cried, There is no God but thee God, and Sulayman is the prophet of God. Presently adding, O Apostle of Allah, slay me not, never again will I gain say the in word, nor sin against thee indeed. Quoth the fisherman, O maried, didst thou say, Sulayman, the Apostle of Allah? And Sulayman is dead some thousand and eight hundred years ago, and we are now in the last days of the world. What is thy story, and what is thy account of thyself, and what is the cause of thy entering into this kukorbit? When the evil spirit heard the words of the fisherman, Quoth he, There is no God but thee God, be of good cheer, O fisherman. Quoth the fisherman, why bidst thou me to be of good cheer? And he replied, Because of thy having to die an ill death in this very hour. Said the fisherman, Thou deservedest for thy good tidings, the withdrawal of heaven's protection, O thou distant one. Wherefore shouldest thou kill me? And what thing have I done to deserve death? I, who freed thee from the jar, and saved thee from the depths of the sea, and brought thee up on the dry land? Replied the effreet. Ask me only what mode of death thou wilt die, and by what manner of slaughter shall I slay thee? Rejoined the fisherman, What is my crime, and wherefore such retribution? Quoth the effreet. Hear my story, O fisherman. And he answered, Say on, and be brief in thy saying, For a very sooth my life-breath is in my nostrils. Thereupon quoth the jinnie, Know that I am one among the heretical jan, And I sinned against Sulayman, David's son. On the twain be peace. I, together with the famous Sakhar al-Jinnie, Whereupon the Prophet sent his minister, Asav, son of Bahia, to seize me, And this wazir brought me against my will, And led me in bonds to him, I being downcast, despite my nose. And he placed me standing before him like a suppliant. When Sulayman saw me, he took refuge with Allah, And bade me embrace the true faith, And obey his behests. But I refused. So, sending for this kukorbit, He shut me up therein, And stopped it over with lead, Whereon he impressed the most high name, And gave his orders to the jan, Who carried me off, And cast me into the midmost of the ocean. There I abode, and hundred years, During which I said in my heart, Whoso shall release me, Him will I enrich, for ever and ever. But the full century went by, And when no one set me free, I entered upon the second five score, Saying, Whoso shall release me, For him I will open the hordes of the earth. Still no one set me free, And thus four hundred years passed away. Then Quoth I, Whoso shall release me, For him will I fulfil three wishes. Yet no one set me free. Thereupon I waxed Roth, With exceeding Roth, And said to myself, Whoso shall release me from this time forth, Him will I slay, And I will give him choice of what death he will die. And now, as thou hast released me, I give thee full choice of deaths. The fisherman, hearing the words of the Ephraite, Said, O Allah, the wonder of it, That I have not come to free thee, Save in these days, Adding, Spare my life, so Allah spare thine, And slay me not, lest Allah set one to slay thee. Replied the consumatious one, There is no help for it, Die thou must, So ask me by way of boon What manner of death thou wilt die. Albeit thus certified, The fisherman again addressed the Ephraite, Saying, Forgive me this my death, As a generous reward for having freed thee. And the Ephraite, Surely I would not slay thee, Save on account of that same release. O chief of the Ephraites, Said the fisherman, I do thee good, and thou requitest me with evil, In very sooth. The old saw lyeth not, when it saith, We wrought them wheel, they met our wheel with ill, Such by my life is every bad man's labour. To him who benefits unworthy whites, Shall hap what hapt to Ummi Amir's neighbour. Now, when the Ephraite heard these words, He answered, No more of this talk, Needs must I kill thee. Upon this, the fisherman said to himself, This is a jinnie, And I am a man to whom Allah hath given A possibly cunning wit, So I will now cast about, To compass his destruction by my contrivance, And by my intelligence, Even as he took counsel only of his malice And his froadness. He began by asking the Ephraite, Hast thou indeed resolved to kill me? And receiving for all answer, even so, He cried, Now in the most great name, Graven on the seal ring of Sulayman, The son of David, Peace be with the holy twain, And I questioned thee on a certain matter, Wilt thou give me a true answer? The Ephraite replied, Yea, but hearing mention of the most great name, His wits were troubled, And he said with trembling, Ask and be brief. Quoth the fisherman, How did thou fit into this bottle, Which would not hold thy hand? No, nor even thy foot, And how came it to be large enough To contain the whole of thee? replied the Ephraite. What, does not believe that I was all there? And the fisherman rejoined, Nay, I will never believe it, Until I see thee inside with my own eyes. And Shahrzad perceived the dawn of the day, And ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the fourth night, Her sister said to her, Please finish us this tale, And thou be not sleepy. So she resumed. It hath reached me, O auspicious king, But when the fisherman said to the Ephraite, I will never and no wise believe thee, Until I see thee inside it with my own eyes. The evil spirit on the instant shook, And became a vapour which condensed, And entered the jar little and little, Till all was well inside, When, lo, the fisherman in hot haste Took the leaden cat with the seal, And stopped there with the mouth of the jar, And called out to the Ephraite, saying, Ask me by way of boon what death thou wilt die. By Allah, I will throw thee into the sea before us, And here will I build me a lodge, And whoso cometh hither, I will warn him against fishing, And will say, In these waters abideth an Ephraite, Who giveth as a last favour, A choice of deaths and fashion of slaughter, To the man who saveth him. Now, when the Ephraite heard this from the fisherman, And saw himself in limbo, He was minded to escape, But this was prevented by Solomon's seal, So he knew that the fisherman had cousined, And outwitted him, And he waxed lowly and submissive, And began humbly to say, I did but jest with thee. But the other answered, Thou liest, a vilest of the Ephraites, And meanest and filthiest. And he set off with the bottle for the seaside, The Ephraite calling out, Nay, nay, and he calling out, Aye, aye. Thereupon the evil spirit softened his voice, And smoothed his speech, And abased himself, saying, What wouldest thou do with me, O fisherman? I will throw thee back into the sea, he answered, Where thou hast been housed and homed For a thousand and eight hundred years, And now I will leave thee therein till judgment day. Did I not say to thee, Spare me, and Allah shall spare thee, And slay me not, lest Allah slay thee? Yet thou spurnedest my supplication, And hadst no intention, Saved to deal ungraciously by me, And Allah hath now thrown thee into my hands, And I am cunninger than thou. Quoth thee, Ephraite, Open for me, and I may bring thee wheel. Quoth the fisherman, Thou liest, thou accursed, My case with thee is that of the wazir of King Yunan, With the sage Duban. And who was the wazir of King Yunan, And who was the sage Duban? And what was the story about them, Quoth the Ephraite, Whereupon the fisherman began to tell? The tale of the wazir and the sage Duban. No, O thou Ephraite, That in days of yore, And in ages long gone before, A king called Yunan, Reigned over the city of Fars, Of the land of Ruhm. He was a powerful ruler, And a wealthy, Who had armies and guards and allies Of all the nations of men, But his body was afflicted with a leprosy, Which leeches and men of science failed to heal. He drank potions, And he swallowed powders, And he used ungwants, But nor did him good, And none among the host of physicians Avail to procure him a cure. At last there came to his city A mighty healer of men, And one well stricken in years, The sage Duban height. This man was a reader of books, Greek, Persian, Roman, Arabian and Syrian, And he was skilled in astronomy, And in leechcraft, The theoric as well as the practic. He was experienced in all that healeth And that hurteth the body, Conversant with the virtues of every plant, Grass and herb, And their benefit and bane, And he understood philosophy, And had compassed the whole range of medical science And other branches of the knowledge tree. Now this physician passed but few days in the city, ere he heard of the king's malady, And all his bodily sufferings, Through the leprosy with which Allah had smitten him, And how all the doctors and wise men Had failed to heal him. Upon this he sat up through the night in deep thought, And when broke the dawn and appeared the morn, And light was again born, And the sun greeted the good whose beauties the world adorn. He donned his handsomest dress, And going in to king Yunan, He kissed the ground before him. Then he prayed for the endurance of his honour and prosperity In fairish language, And made himself known, saying, Oh king, tidings have reached me, Of what befell thee, Through that which is in thy person, And how the host of physicians have proved themselves Unavailing to abate it, And lo, I can cure thee, O king, And yet will I not make thee drink of draught Or anoint thee with ointment. Now when king Yunan heard his words, He said in huge surprise, How wilt thou do this by Allah? If thou make me whole, I will enrich thee even to thy son's son, And I will give thee sumptuous gifts, And what so thou wishest shall be thine, And thou shalt be to me a cup companion and a friend. The king then robed him with a dress of honour, And entreated him graciously, And asked him, Canst thou indeed cure me of this complaint Without drag and unguent? And he answered, Yes, I will heal thee without the pains And penalties of medicine. The king marvelled with exceeding marvel And said, O physician, When shall this be whereof thou speakest? And in how many days shall it take place? Hast thee, O my son? He replied, I hear and I obey, The cure shall begin tomorrow. So saying he went forth from the presence And hired himself a house in the city For the better storage of his books and scrolls, His medicines and his aromatic roots. Then he set to work at choosing the fittest drugs and symbols, And he fashioned a bat hollow within And furnished with a handle without, For which he made a ball, The two being prepared with consummate art. On the next day when both were ready for use And wanted nothing more, He went up to the king, And kissing the ground between his hands, Bat him ride forth on the parade ground, There to play at pal and mal. He was accompanied by his suite, Emias and Chamberlains, Wazirs and lords of the realm, And ere he was seated, The sage Dubarn came up to him, And handing him the bat said, Take this mal and grip it as I do, so. And now push for the plane, And leaning well over thy horse, Drive the ball with all thy might, Until thy palm be moist and thy body perspire, Then the medicine will penetrate through thy palm, And will permeate thy person. When thou hast done with playing, And thou feelest the effects of the medicine, Return to thy palace, And make the ruzzle ablation in the Hamam bath, And lay thee down to sleep. So shalt thou become whole, And now peace be with thee. Thereupon King Yunan took the bat from the sage, And grasped it firmly. Then, mounting steed, He drove the ball before him, And galloped after it till he reached it, When he struck it with all his might, His palm gripping the bat handle the while, And he ceased not maling the ball, Till his hand waxed moist, And his skin perspiring, Embied the medicine from the wood. Then the sage Dubar knew that the drugs had penetrated his person, And bat him returned to the palace, And enter the Hamam without stay or delay. So King Yunan forthright returned, And ordered them to clear for him the bath. They did so, the carpet spreaders making all haste, And the slaves all hurry, And got ready a change of raiment for the king. He entered the bath, And made the total ablution long and thoroughly. Then donned his clothes within the Hamam, And rode there from to his palace, Where he lay down and slept. End of Section 3 of The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night