IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I Si^lllM 125 U' 131 1^1 Iflls^ 11^ 2.0 m 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" - ► "c-l c?3 s. parel ; and as soon as he had done, he came to him again, and they sat down together upon a sofa or alcove. The courtiers kept at a distance, out of respect, and those two princes entertained one another suitably to their friendship, their nearness of blood, and the long separation that had passed betwixt them. The time of supper being come, they ate together, after which they renewed their conversation, which continued till Schahriar, perceiving that it was very late, left his brother to rest. The unfortunate Schahzenan went to bed; and though the conversation of his brother had suspended his grief for some time, it returned upon him with more violence ; so that, instead of taking his necessary rest, he tormented himself with cruel reflections. All the circumstances of his wife's disloyalty presented themselves afresh to his imagina- tion, in so lively a manner, that he was like one beside himself. In a word, not being able to sleep, he got up, and giving hims"' over to afflicting thoughts, they made s. an impression upon his countenance, t the sultan coidd not but take notice of i and said thus to himself : — "What can 1 the matter with the king of Tartary, tha he is so melancholy ? Has he any cause to complain of his reception ? No, surely ; I have received him as a brother whom I love, BO that I can charge myself with no omission in that respect. Perhaps it grieyes him to be at such a distance from his do- minions, or from the queen his wife. Alas ! if that be the matter, I must forthwith give •1^ THE ARADTAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. him the presents I ilesi^ncd fur him, that he may return to Samarcantlo wlicn Ins ])lea8C'8." Accordingly, next day Schahriar sent him part of tlisHo presents, ))L-ing the greatest rarities and the ricliest things that the Indies couhl afford. At the same time ho endeavtured to divert his brother every day, by nev objects of pleasure, and the finest treats which, instead of giving the king of Tarts j-y any ease, did only increase his sonow. O'le day, Schahriar, having ai)poiuted a gre.*t hunting match, about two days' jour- ney from his ca)>ital, in a place that alioimded with deer, Hchah/cnan ])rayed him to excuse liim, for his health would not allow him to bear him company. The sultan, unwilling to i)ut any constraint upon him, left him at his liberty, and went a hunting with his nobles The king of Tartary, lieing thus left alone, shut himself up in his apartment, and sat down at a window that looked into the garden. That delicious place, and the sweet harmony of an inlinite number of birds, which chose it for a place of retreat, must certainly have diverted him, had he been cajjable of taking jile.isure in any- thing ; but being perpetually tormented with the fatal remembrance of his queen's infamous conduct, his eyes were not so often fixed upon the garden, as lifted up to heaven to bewail his misfortiuies. Whilst he was thus swallowed up with grief, an object presented itself to his view which quickly turned all liis thoughts another way. A secret gate of the sultan's palace opened all of a siulden, climbed up his tree, and got over the garden wall the same way as he come in. All this having passed in the king of Tar- tary's sight, occasioned him to make a multi- tude of reflections. " How little reason had I," says he, " to think that no one was so un- fortunate as myself. It is certainly the un- avoidable fate of all husbands, since the sul- tan, my brother, who is sovereign of so many dominions, and the greatest prince of the earth, could not escajie it. The case being so, what a fool am I to kill myself with grief ! I am resolved that the remembrance of a misfortune so common shall never more disturb my quiet." From that moment he foreborc afllicting himself. Being unwilling to sup till he saw the whole scene that was acted under his window, he called then for his supper, ate with a better appetite than he had done at any time since his coming from Samarcande, and listened with some degree of pleasure to the agreeable concert of vocal and iiistru* mental music that was appointed to enter- tain him while at table. He contiiuied after this in very good humour ; and when he knew that the sultan w.os retailing, he went to meet him, and ])nid liiiu his compliments with great gaiety. Schahriar at firat took no notice of tliia alteration, but politely expostulated with him why ho woidd not bear him company at hunting the stag ; and without giving him time to reply, entertained him with a great number of deer and other game they had killed, and what pleasure he had had in the sport. Schahzenan heard him with atten- tion, gave answers to everything, and being free from that melancholy which formerly overclouded his wit, he said a thousand agreeable and jileasant things to the sultan. Schahriar, who expected to have found him in the same state as he left him, was overjoyed to see him so cheerful, and spoke to him thus : ' ' Dear brother, I return thanks to Heaven for the happy change it has made in you during my absence ; T am extremely rejoiced at it; but I have a recpiest to make to you, and conjure you not to deny me." " I can refuse you nothing," replies the king of Tartary ; ' ' you may command Schahzenan as you ple.ase : speak, I am impatient till I ;r.f,w v.liat you desire of me." "Ever since j')U cViiie to my court," replied Schahriar " I found you swallowed up by a dcepmel.in- choly, ond I in vain attempted to remove it by all soi-ts of diversion.. I imagined it might be occasioned by reason of your dis- tance from your dominions, or that love might have a great share in it ; and that the queen of Samarcande, who, no doubt, is an accomplished beauty, might be the cause of it. I do not know if I be mistaken; but I ■' i' THE ARAIilAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. I muat own that it was for this very reason I ■woiiUl not importiino you iii)on the subject, for fear of making you unuasy. But with- out my having contrilmtuil anytliing towanla it, I find now, upon my ruturn, tliat you aru in the Ijcst lunnour that can be, and thot yV\ They hod not sat long, bt'fon< they heard a frightful noise from the sni. TheHe wordH did io much iiitimidatn tho prinuoa tliat they be^nn to come dnwn with all ]>oH8iblo precaution, loHt they Hhoidd awake tlie genie. When they came down, the lady took thum by the hand, and K"''"K a little further with them under the trceH, made a very urgent [iro]iing Npreail, the courtiers came betimes in thu morning before his pavilion, to wait on him. He ordered them to enter, received them witn a more pleasant air than formerly, ami gave each of them a presi nt : after which he told them he would go no farther, ordered them to take horse, and returned speedily to his jialace. As soon as he arrived, he ran to the sidtaness's apartment, commnmled her to be liound before him, and delivered her tu his grand vizier, with an order to strangle her, which was accordingly executed by that minister without incjuiring into her crime. The enraged prince did not stop here, but cut otrthe heads of all the sultaness's ladies with his own hand. After this rigorous punishment, being persuaded that no woman was chaste, he res(dved, in order to prevent the disloyalty of such as he should after- wards marry, to wed (me every night, and have her strangled next morning. Having ini]ioHed this cruel law upon himself, he swore tliat he would observe it immediately after the departure of the king of Tartary, who sjieedily took leave of him, and being laden with magnificent ])rcsents, set forward on his journey. .Schah/.t.'nau being gone, Schahriar ordered his grand vizier to bring him tiie daughter of fine of his generals. Thu vizier oiieyid ; the sultan lay with her, and putting her next morning into his hands again, in order to be Strangled, connnanded him to get him another next night. Whatever reluctance the vi/ier had to jmt such orders in execu- tion, as he owed blind obedience to the atdtan his master, he was forced to submit. He brought him, then, the daughter of a subaltern, wlimn he also cut off next day. After her he brought a citizen's daughter ; and, in a word, there was every day a maid married, and a wife murdered. The rumour of this unparalleled barbarity occasioned a general consternation in the city, where there was nothing but crying and lamentation. Here, a father in teiirs, and inconsolable for the loss of his daughter ; and there, tender mothers, dreading lest their daughters should have the same fate, making the air to resound beforehand with their gi'oans : so that, instead of the com- mendations and blessings which the sidtan had hitherto received from his subjects, their mouths were now filled with imi)reca- tions against: him. The grand vizier, who, as has been already said, was the executioner of this horrid in- justice against his will, had two daughters, — the eldest called Scheherazade, and the youngest Dinarzade. The latter was a lady of very great merit ; but the elder had \ ' THE ASS, THE OX, AND THE LABOURER. coura}{0, «it, aiul iKiiftration intinitcly abovt! hor rvx. .She ruiul iniicli, and liiid Miich a |ir(MliKii)iiii iiU'inory, tl\iit hIic> iifvt'i' forgot miythiux nIiu liiul ri'alit!tl lieriti'lf to ]ihiliiHi)|iliy, pliyHiu, hiatory, uml tin- IiIhtoI artn ; uiul lor viTMf rxcet'duil tlif Ih'mI |Mn't« of her tiiiif. Iti'HitliiB tliiii, bIic wiiH IV |K.-rtcct liuuuty, ami nil lu!r tine (lUalilicutioiiH wrru crowned by Holid virtiiu. Tliu vizitT ]iaiuionat('ly lovrd a datiKhtur HO worthy of hiM teiidt>r atli'ctioii ; and ouu day, ad they were diMcoui-Hin^' to^vthur, iilie sayii to him, '• Father, [ have one favour to bug of you, and nioHt hiinilily )iray yon to ^Tant it niu." ' I will not refimu it," an- HwurH hu, " prrividi'd it be juHt and reanon- able." "For the juHtiee of it," Haya Hhe, "theru can be no ({UeHtion, and you may judf,'e of it by the motive which oblij^ea me to demand it ot you, 1 wIhIi to Htu]i the courne of that barbarity which the Hultan exurcisuH u|ion the fumilicH of tliiH city. I would diij])el those unjuHt fe;irened to the ass, which wiM well, and coulil not keep hiuitielf HO," "What misfortune befell the ass?" replieH Schehtruzade. "1 will tell you," says the vizi«.r, "if you will hear me." FAIILE OF THE ASS, THK OX, AND TlIK LAHOl'llKK. .\ very rich luerclmnt had iH-veral country houses, where he had abundance of cattle of all sorts. He wi'iit with his w ife and foiuilv to oiuvof those cHtates, in order to ui iirove it himself. Wv had tlu' gift of understioii the liiiijiuages of beasts, but with tlrs t dition, that hi- hIiouUI interpret it to n >- body iiss that it is to be feared he will scarcely have resolution enough to resist his wife's obstinacy ; for he loves her, and is affected with the tears that she continually sheds, and perhaps it may cost him his life : we are all alarmed at it ; and you only in- sidt our melancholy, and have the imprud- ence to divert yourself with your hens." The cock answered the dog's reproof thus : " What, has our master so little sense ? He has but one wife, and canuot govern her ! and though I have fifty, I make them all do what I please. Let him make use of his rea- son ; he will speedily find a way to rid him- self of his trouble." "How?" says the dog; "what woidd you have him do ? " " Let him go into the room where his wife is," says the cock, "lock the door, and take a good stick and thrash her well ; and, I will answer for it, that will bring her to her right wits, and make her forbear to ask him any more what he ought not to tell her." The merchant had no sooner heard what the cock said, but ho took up a good stick, went to his wife, whom he found still crying, and, shutting the door, belaboured her so soundly, that she cried out, " It is enough, husband, it is enough ; let me alone, and I will never ask the question more." Upon this, perceiving that she repented of her impertinent curio- sity, he forbore drubbing her ; and opening the door, her friends came ii, were glad to find her cured of her obstinacy, and compli- mented her husband upon this happy expe- dient to bring his wife to reason. " Daughter," adds the grand vizier, " you doserve to be treated as the merchant treated his wife." "Father," replied Scheherazade, "I beg jou would not take it ill that I persist in my opinion. I am nothing moved by the story of that woman. I can tell you abundance of others, to persuade you that you ought not to oppose my design. Besides, pardon me for declaring to you that your opposing me would be ir. vain : for if your paternal aiTections shoidd hinder you from granting my request, I would go and ofiFer myself to Bk> !■ I ■ ili** lO THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. the sultan." In short, the father, being over- come by the resolution of his daughter, yielded to her importunity ; and though he ■was very much grieved that he could not divert her from such a fatal resolution, he went that minute to acquaint the sultan that next night he would bring him Sche- herazade. The sultan was much surprised at tho sacrifice which the grand vizier made to him. "How coidd you resolve upon it," says he, "to bring me your own daughter?" " Sir," an- swers the vizier, "it is her own offer. The sad destiny that attends it could not frighten her; she jirefersthe honour of being your ma- jesty's wife one night to her life. " " But do not mistake yourself, Yizier,"says the sultan : "to-morrow, when I ])ut Scheherazade into your hands, I expect you will take aAvay her life ; and if you faU, I swear that yourself shall die." " Sir," rejoins the vizier, " my heart, without doubt, will be full of grief to execute your commands ; but it is to no pur- pose for nature to murmur : though I be her father, I will answer for the fidelity of my hand to obey your order." Schahriar ac- cepted his minister's offer, and told him he might bring his daughter when he i)leased. The grand vizier went with the news to Scheherazade, who received it with as mtich joy as if it had been the most agreeable thing in the world. She thanked her father for having obliged her in so sensible a man- ner; and, ]ierceiving that he was over- whelmed with grief, she told him, in order to his consolation, that she hnjied he would never repent his having married her to the sultan, but that, on the contrary, he slioidd have reason to rejoice in it all his days. All her business was to \mt herself in a condition to appear before the sultan ; but, before she went, she took her sister Dinar- zade apart, and says to her, " My dear sister, I have need of your helj) in a matter of very great importance, and must pray you not to deny it me. My father is going to carry mc to the sultan to lie his wife ; do not let this friglitcn you, but hear me with patience. As soon as I come to the sidtan, I will jiray him to allow you to lie in the bride-chamber, that I may enjoy your company this one night more. If I obtain that favour, as I hope to do, remember to awake nie to-mor- row an hour before day, and to address me in these or some such words : ' My sister, if you be not asleep, I pray you that, till day- break, which will be very speedily, you will tell me one of the fine stories of which you have read so many.' Immediately I will tell you one ; and I hope, by this means, to de- liver the city from the consternation they are imder at present." Dinarzade answered that she woiUd obey with pleasure what she required of her. The time of going to bed being come, the grand vizier conducted Scheherazade to the palace, and retired, after having introduced her to the sultan's apartment. As soon as the sidtan waa left alone with her, he ordered her to uncover her face, and found it so beautifid, that he was perfectly charmed with her ; and perceiving her to be in tears, asked her the reason. " Sir," answered Scheherazade. " I have a sister who loves me tenderly, as 1 do her ; and I could wish that she might be allowed to be all night in this chamber, that I might see her, and bid her once more adieu. Will you be ])leased to allow me the comfort of giving her this last testimony of my friendship ? " Schahriar having consented to it, Dinarzade was sent for, who came with all possible diligence. The sultan went to bed with Scheherazade tipon an alcove raised very high, according to the custom of the monarchs of the East ; and Dinarzade lay in a bed that was pre- pared for her, near the foot of the alcove. An hour before day, Dinarzade, being awake, failed not to do as her sister ordered her. ' ' My dear sister, "cries she, " if you be not aslee2>, I pray, until day-break, wliich will be in a very little time, that you will tell me one of those pleasant stories you have read : alas i this may, perhaps, be the last time that ever I shall have that satis- faction." Schehoraz:\de, instead of answering her sister, addressed herself to the sultan thus : " Sir, will your majesty be pleased to allow me to give my sister this satisfaction?" "With all my heart," answers the sultan. Then Scheherazade bade her sister listen, and afterwards, addressing herself to Schahrioi', began thus : — The First Night. THE MERCHANT ANI> THE cIeNIE. SiE, there was formerly a merchant, who had a great estate in lands, goods, and money. He had abundance of deputies, factors, and slaves. He was obliged from time to time to take journeys, and talk with his correspondents: and one day, being under a necessity of going a long journey about an affair of importance, he took horse, and put a portmanteau behind him, with some biscuits and dates, because he had a great desert to jiass over, where he could have no manner of provisions. He arrived, without any accident, at the end of his journey ; and having despatched his affairs, took horse again, in order to return home. The fourth day of his journey he was so much incommoded by the heat of the sim, and the reflection of that heat from the earth, that he turned out of the road, to refresh himself imder some trees that he saw in the country. There he found, at :7 THE MERCHANT AND THE GENIE. II the foot of a great walnut-tree, a fountain of very clear running water ; and, alighting, tied hia horse to a branch of a tree, and, sitting down by the fountain, took some biscuits and dates out of his jtortmanteau ; and as he ate his dates, threw the shells about on both sides of him. When he had done eating, being a good Mussulman, he washed his hands, his face, and his feet, and said his prayers. He had not made an end, but was still on his knees, when he saw a genie appear, all white with age; and of a monstrous bidk ; who, a mercy: is it not just to kiU him that has killed an- other ?" " I agree to it," says the merchant ; " but certainly I never killed your son : and if I have, it was imknown to me, and I did it innocently ; therefore I beg you to pardon me, and to suffer me to live." "No, no," says the genie, persisting in his resolution ; " I must kill thee, since thouha.st killed my son." And then, taking the merchant by the arm, threw him with his face upon the ground, and lifted up his scimitar to cut off hLs head. '!l\>^ merchant, all in tears, protested he was inuonent. bewailed his wife and chil- dren, and spoke to the genie in the most mov- ing expressions that could be uttered. The genie, with his scimitar still lifted up, had so much patience as to hear the wretch make an end of his lamentations, but woidd not re- lent. "All this whining," says the monster, " is to no purpose ; though you should shed tears of blood, that shall not hinder me from killing thee, as thou hast killed \s\y sou." ' ' Why," rei)lied the merchant, ' ' can nothing prevail with you ? Will you absolutely take away the life of a poor innocent?" "Yes," replied the genie, "I am resolved upon it." As she had spoken these words, '^et- ceiving it was day, and knowing that the sultan rose betimes in the morning to say his prayers and hold his council, Schehera- zade held her peace. Lord ! sister, s.iys Di- narzade, what a wonderful story is tliis : — The remainder of it, says Scheherazade, is more surjirising ; and you will be of my mind, if the sultau will let me live this day, and permit me to tell it you the next night ! Scliahriar, who had listened to Scheherazade with pleasure, says to him- self, 1 will stiiy till to-mor- row, for I can at any time jiut her to death, when she has made an end of her story. So, having resolved not to take away Scheherazade's life that day, he rose, and went to his prayers, and then called his council. All this while the grand vizier was terribly uneasy. Instead of sleeping, he sjieut the night in sighs and groans, bewailing the loss of hia daughter, of whom he be- lieved that he himself shoidd be the e.xecutioner. And as, in this melancholy pro8j»ect, he was afraid of seeing the sultan, he was agreeably sur- prised when he sawthe prince enter the councU - chamber without giving him the fatal orders he exi)ected. The sultan, according to his custom, spent the day in regulating his affairs ; and when night came, he Avent to bed with Schehera- zmle. Next morning, before day, Dinarzade failed not to address hei-self to her sister thus : My dear sister, if you be not asleej), I pray you, till diiybreak, which must be in a very little time, to go on with the story you began last night. The sultan, without staying till Scheherazade anked him leave, bade her make an end of the story of the genie and the merchant, for he longed to hear the issue of it. Upon which Scheherazade spoke and continued the story as follows : — rtr-a% u: 12 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. Tlio Second Night. WnEX tlio merchant saw that the genie was going to cut off his liead, he cried out aloud, and said to him, "For heaven's sake, hold your hand ! AUow me one word : be so gootl as to grant me some respite ; allow me but time to bid my wife and children adieu, and to divide my estate among them by will, that they may not go to law with one Another after my death ; and when I have done so, I will come back to the same place, and submit to whatever you shall please to order concerning me." "But, "says the genie, "if I grant you the time you demand, I doubt you will never return. " ' ' If you will believe my oath, " answers the merchant, ' ' I swear by all that is sacred that I will come and meet you here without fail. " " What time do you demand then ? " replies the genie. " I ask a year, " says the merchant ; " I cannot have less to order my affairs, and to prepare myself to die without regret. But I promise you, that this day twelvemonth I will return under those trees, to put myself into your hands." " Do you take heaven to be witness to this promise ? " says the genie. ' ' I do, " answers the merchant, "and repeat it, and you may rely upon my oath." Upon this, the genie left him near the fountain, and disappeared. The mercliant, being recovered from his fright, mounted his horse, and set forward on his journey ; and as he was glad, on the one hand, that he had escaped so great a danger, so he was mortally sorry, on the other, when he thought on his fatal oath. When he came home, his wife and children received him with all the demonstrations of jierfect joy ; but he, instead of making them suitable returns, fell to weeping bitterly ; from whence they readily conjectured that something extraordin.ary had bjefallen him. His wife asked the reason of his excessive grief and tears. "We are all overjoyed," says she, " at your return, but you frighten lis to see you in this condition ; pray tell us the <;ause of your sorrow." "Alas!" replies the husband, "the cause of it is, that I have but a year to live ;" and then he told what had passed between him and the genie, and that he had given him his oath to return at the ■end of the year, to receive death from his hands. When they had heard this sad news, they aU began to lament heartily. His wife made a jtitiful outcry, beat her face, and tore her hair. The children, all in tears, made the house resound with their groans: and the father, not being able to overcome nature, mingled his tears with theirs ; so that, in a word, it was the most alTecting speotaclc that any man could behold. Next morning the merchant applied him- self to put his afifaira in order, and, first of all, to pay his debts. He made presents to his friends ; gave gi-eat alms to the poor ; set his slaves of both sexes at liberty ; divided his estate among his children ; appointed guardians for such of them as were not come of age ; and, restoring to his wife all that was due to her by contract of marriage, he gave her, over and above, all that he could do by law. At last the year expired, and go he must. He put his burial clothes in his portmanteau ; but never was there such grief seen as when he came to bid his wife and children adieu. They could not think of parting, but re- solved to go and die with him ; but finding that he must be forced to part with those dear objects, he spoke to them thus : " My dear wife and children," says he, "I obey the order of Heaven in quitting you ; follow my examjJe, submit courageously to this necessity, and consider that it is the destiny of man to die." Having said these words, he went out of the hearing of the cries of his famUy ; and taking his journey, arrived at the place where he promised to meet the genie on the day appointed. He alighted, and setting himself down by the fountain, waited the coming of the genie with all the sorrow imaginable. Whilst he languished in this cruel expectation,' a good old man, leading a hind, appeared, and drew near him. They saluted one another; after which the old man says to him, " Brother, may I ask you why you are come into this desert -place, where there is nothing but evil spirits, and by consequence you cannot be safe ? To look upon these fine trees, in- deed, one woidd think the place inhabited ; but it is a true wilderness, where it is not safe to stay long." The merchant satisfied his curiosity, and told him the adventure which obliged him to be there. The old man listened to him with astonishment, ami when he had done, cried out, "This is the most surjirising thing in the world ; and you are bound with the most inviolable oath ; however, I will be witness of your interview with the genie. ' ' And sitting down by the merchant, they talked together. — But I see day, says Scheherazade, and must leave off ; yet the best of the story is to come. The sultan, resolving to hear the end of it, suffered her to live that day also. The Third Night. Next morning, Dinarzade made the same request to her sister as formerly : My dear sister, says she, if you be not asleep, tell me one of those pleasant stories that you have read. But the sultan, willing to un* derstand what followed between the mer- THE FIRST OLD MAN AND THE HIND. 13 • 1^ chant and the genie, bid her go on with that, which she did, as follows : — Sir, while the merchant, and the old man who led the hind were talking, they saw another old man coming to them, fol- lowed by two black dogs. After they had saluted one another, he asked them what they did in that place. The old man with the hind told him the adventure of the mer- chant and genie, with all that had passed between them, particularly the merchant's oath. He added, that it was the day agreed on, and that he was resolved to stay and sec the issue. The second old man, thinking it also worth his curiosity, resolved to do the like ; he likewise sat down by them ; and they had scarce begun to talk together but there came a third old man, who, addressing him- self to the two former, asked why the mer- chant that sat with them looked so melan- choly. They told him the reason of it, Avhich appeared so extraordinary to him, that he also resulved to be witness to the result ; and for that end sat down with them. In a little time, they perceived in the field a thick vapour, like a cloud of dust raised by a whirlwind, advancing towards them, which vanished all of a sudden, and then the genie appeared ; who, without sa- luting them, came up to the merchant with a, drawn scimitar, and taking him by the arm, says, "Get thee up, that I may kill thee, as thou didst my son." The merchant and the three old men being frightened, began to lament, and to till the air with their cries.- — Here .Scheherazade, perceiving day, left off her story, which did so much whet the sultan's curiosity, that he was absolutely resolved to hear the end of it, and put off the sultaness's execution till the next day. Nobody can express the grand vizier's joy when he perceived that the sultan did not order him to kill Scheherazatle : hi? family, the court, and all the people in general, were astonished at it. The Fourth Night. ' Towards the end of the follo^ving night, Dinarzade failed not to awaken the sidtaness. My dear sister, says she, if you be not asleep, pray tell me one of your fine stories. Tlien Scheherazade, with the sidtan's per- mission, spoke as follows : — Sir, when the old man who led the hind saw the genie lay hold of the merchant, and about to kill him without mercy, he threw himself at the feet of the monster, and, kiss- ing them, says to him, "Prince of genies, I most humbly request you to suspend your anger, and do me the favour to hear me. I will tell you the history of my life, and of the hind you see ; and if you think it more wonderful and surjirising than the adven- ture of the merchant you are going to kill, I hope you wiU pardon the poor unfortunate man the third of his crime." The genie took some time to consult upon it, but answered at last, "Well, then, I agree to it." THE III.STORV OF THE FIRST OLD .MAN AND THE UIND. I shall begin, then, says the old man; listen to me, I pray you, with attention. This hind you see is my cousin ; n.iy, what is more, my wife ; she was only twelve years of age when I married her, so that I may justly say, she ought as much to regard me as her father as her kinsman and husband. We lived together twenty years, without any children; yet her barrenness did not hinder my having a great deal of complais- ance and friendshii) for her. The desire of having children only made me buy a slave, by whom I had a son, who was extremely promising. My wife being jealous, conceived a hatred for both mother and child, but con- cealed it so well, that I did not know it till it was too late. Meantime my son grew up, and was ten years old, when I was obliged to undertake a journey. Before I went, I recommended to my wife, of whom I had no mistrust, the slave and her son, and prayed her to take care of them during my absence, which was for a whole year. She made use of that time to satisfy her hivtred ; she applied her- self to magic, .and when she knew enough of that diabolical art to execute her horrible contrivance, the wretch carried my son to a desolate place, where, by her enchantments, she changed my son into a calf, and gave him to my farmer to fatten, pretending she had bought him. Her fury did not stop at this abominable action, but she likewise changed the slave into a cow, and gave her also to my farmer. At my return, I asked for the mother and child. "Your slave," says she, "is dead; and as for yoiu: son, I know not what has become of him. I have not seen him these two months." I was troubled .at the death of the slave, but my son having only disap- peared, as she told me, I was in hopes he would return in a little time. However, eight months passed, and 1 heard nothing of him. When the festival of the great Bairam happened, to celebrate the same I sent to my farmer for one of the fattest cows to s.acrifice, and he sent me one accordingly. The cow which he brought me was my slave, the unfortunate mother of my son. I tied her, but as I was going to sacrifice her, she bellowed pitifully, and T could perceive streams of tears run from her eyes. This iKrdil-aiL^'ii^Sl^ ■MM --— MtT» fWMimM *nmi H THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. seemed to ine very extraordinary; and find- ing myself, in spite of all I could do, in- spired with pity, I coidd not find in my heart to give her a blow, but ordered my farmer to get me another. My wife, who was present, was enraged at my compassion, and, opposing herself to an order which disappointed her malice, she cries out, "What are you doing, husband? Sacrilice that cow : your farmer has not a finer, nor one fitter for that use." Out of complaisance to my wife T came again to the cow, and combating my compassion, which suspended the (jjicrifice, was going to give her the fatal blow, when the victim, redoub- ling her tears and bellowing, disar ned me a second time. Then I put the mallet into the farmer's hands, and bid him take and sacrifice her himself, for her tears and bel- lowing pierced my heart. The farmer, less compassionate than I, •sacrificed her; and when he flayed her, found her \a be notliing but bones, though to us she seemed very fat. "Take her to yourself," says I to the farmer, "I quit her to you ; give her in alms, or which way you will ; and if you liave a very fat calf, bring it me in her stead." I did not inform myself what he did with the cow ; but, soon after he took her away, he came with a very fat calf. Though I knew not the calf was my son, yet I could not forbear being moved at the sight of him. On his part, as soon as he saw me, he made so great an effort to come to me, that he broke his cord, threw himself at my feet, with his head against the ground, as if he m'\ant to excite mj"- compas- sion, conjuring me not to be so cruel as to take his life ; and did as much as was pos- sible for him to do to signify that he was my son. I was more surprised and affected with this action than with the tears of the cow ; I felt a tender pity, which made me inte- rest myself for him, or, rather, nature did its duty. " Go, " says I to the farmer, ' ' carry home that calf, take great care of him, and bring me another in his place immediately." As soon as my wife heard me say so, she immediately cried out, " What do you do, husband? Take my advice, sacrifice no other calf but that." "Wife," says I, "I will not sacrifice him ; I will spare him, and pray do not you oppose it." The wicked woman had no regard to my desire; she liated my son too much to consent that I shoiUd save him. I tied the poor creature, and taking up the fatal knife Hero Scheherazade stopped, because she perceived daylight. Then Dinarzade said, Sister, I am en- chanted with this story, which so agreeably calls for my attention. — If the sultan will suffer me to live to-day, answers Sche- herazade» what 1 Lave to tell to-morrow will divert you abundantly more. Schah- riar, curious to know what would become of the old man's son thf i led the hind, told the sidtaness he woidd be very glad to hear the end of that story next night. The Fifth Night. WiiEK day began to draw near, Dinarzade put her sister's orders in execution very exactly, who, being awaked, prayed the sultan to allow her to give Dinarzade that satisfaction ; which the prince, who took so much pleasure in the story himself, willingly agreed to. Sir, then says Scheherazade, the first old man who led the hind, continuing his story to the genie, to the other two old men, and the merchant, proceeded thus : -I took the knife, says he, and was going to strike it into my son's throat ; when turning his eyes, bathed with tears, in a languishing manner towards mo, he affected me so that I had no strength to sacrifice him, but let the knife fall, and told my wife positively that I would have another calf to sacrifice, and not that. She used ."Ul endeavours to make me change my resolution ; but I continued firm, and pacified her a little, by promising that I woidd sacrifice him against the Bairam next year. Next morning my farmer desired to speak with me alone, and told me, "I come," says he, "to tell you a piece of news, for which I hope j'ou will return me thanks. I have a daughter that has some skill in magic. Yesterday, as I carried back the calf which you would not sacrifice, I perceived she laughed when she saw him, aud in a mo- ment after fell a-weeping. I asked her why she acted two such contrary parts at one and the same time. 'Father,' replies she, 'the calf you bring back is our landlord's son : I laughed for joy to see him still alive, and T wept at the remembrance of the sacri- fice that was made the other day of his mother, who was changed int<3 a cow. These two metamorphoses wore made by the en- chantments of our master's wife, who hated both the mother and son.' This is what my daughter told me," said the farmer, "and I come to acquaint you with it." At these words, the old niaa adds, I leave you to think, my lord r;cnie, how much I was surprised: I went immediately to my fanner, to speak with his daughter myself. As soon as I came, I went forthwith to the stall where my son was : he could not an- swer my embraces, but received them in such a manner as fully satisfied me he was my son. The farmer's daughter came. "My good maid," says I, "can you restore my son to •M| .^ V 1 THE SECOND OLD MAN AND THE TWO BLACK DOGS. 15 his former shape?" "Yes," says iha, "I can." "Ah!" says I, "if you can, I will make you miatresa of all my fortune." dhe replied to me, smiling, "You are our master, and I know very well what I owe to you ; but I cannot restore your sou to liis for- mer shape but ou two conditions : the first is, that you give him me for my husband; and the second is, that you allow me to punish the person who changed him into a calf." "For the first," says I, "I agree to it with all my heart ; nay, 1 prowiise you more — a considerable estate for yourself, inde- l)endent of what I design for my son : in a word, you shall see how I will reward the great service I expect from you. As to what relates to my wife, I also agree to it ; a person who has been capable of commit- ting such a criminal action deserved very well to be punished; I leave her to you, only I must pray you not to take her life." "lam just going, then," aii- swers she, "to treat her as she has treated your son." "I agree to it," says I, "pro- vided you^iestore my son to me before- hand." Then the damsel took a vessel full of water, pronounced over it words that I did not understand, and, addressing herself to the calf, "0 calf," says she, "if thou wast created by the almighty and sovereign Mivater of the world such as you appear at this time, continue iu that form ; but if thou be a man, and art changed into a calf by enchantment, return to thy natural shape, by the ijerniission of the sovereign Creator." As she spoke these words, she threw water upon him, and iu an instant he recovered his £rst shape. "My son, my dear son," cried I, immedi- ately embracing him, with such a transport of joy that 1 knew not what I was doing : "it is Heaven that has sent us tliis young maid, to take off the horrible charm by which you were enchanted, and to avenge the injury done to you and your mother. I doubt not but, in acknowledgment, you wiU take your deliverer to wife, as I have promised." He consented to it with joy : but, before they married, she changed my wife into a hind ; and this is she whom you see here. I de- sired she should have this shape, rather than another less agreeable, that we might see her in the family without horror. Since that time, my son ia become a widower, and gone to travel : aud, it being several years since I heard of him, I am come abroad to inquire after him ; and not being willing to trust aoiybody witli my wife till I shoidd come home, I thought tit to carry her everywhere with mo. This is the history of myself and this hind ; is it not one of the most wonderful and surpris- ing that can be ? "I agree to it," says the genie, " and upon that account I forgive the merchant the third of his crime." When the first old man, sir, (continued the sultancss,) had finished his story, the second, who led the two black dogs, ad- dressed himself to the genie, and says to him : "I am going to tell you what happened to me and these two black dogs you see by me, and I am certain you will say that my story is yet more surprising than that which you have just now heard ; but when I have told it you, I hope you will be i)leased to pardon the merchant the second third of his crime." "Yes," rejJied the genie, "provided your story sui'pass that of the hind." Then the second old man began in this manner But as Schehera- zade pronounced these words, she saw it was? day, and left off speak- Lig. O heaven ! sister, says Dinarzade, these adventures are very singular. — Sister, re- plies the sultaness, they are not compar- able to those which I have to tell you next night, if the sultan, my lord and master, be so gooil as to let me live. Schahriar answered nothing to that; but rose up, said his prayers, and went to council, without giving any order against the life of the charmin<( Scheherazade. The Sixth Night. The sixth night being come, the sultan and his lady wont to bed. Dinarzade awaked at the usual hour, and, caUing to the sultan- ess, says. Dear sister, if you be not asleep, I pray you, until it be day, to satisfy my curiosity : I am impatient to hear the story of the old man and the two black dogs. The sultan consented to it with pleasure, being no less desirous to know the story than Dinarzade; and Scheherazade continued it as follows :— THE STORY OF THE SECOND OLD MAN AND THE TWO BLACK DOCS. Great iirincc of gcnies, says the old man, you must know that we are three brothers, I and the two black dogs you see. Our father, when he died, left each of us one thousand sequins. With that sum we all '•'»'Mpr"''W--»^T5nKi-JMMl»^l i6 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. entered into the same way of living, and became merchanta. A little time aftei- we had opened shop, my eldest brother, one of these two dogs, resolved to travel and trade in foreign ccuntrics. With this view, ho sold his estate, and bought goods proper for the trailo ho intended. He went away, and was absent a whole year ; at the end of which, a poor man, wlio I thought had come to ask alms, presented himself before me in my shop. I said to him, "God help you." " Gotl help you also," answered he: "is it possible you do not know me ? " Upon this I looked at him nar- rowly, and knew him. "Ah, brother," cried I, embracing him, " how could I know you in this condition?" I made him come into my house, and asked him concerning his health and the success of his travels. "Do not ask me that question," says he : "when you see me, you see all: it would only renew my grief to tell you all the particulars of the misfortunes that have befallen me, and re- duced me to this condition, since I left you." I immediately shut up my shop, and, car- rying him to a bath, gave him the best clothes I had by me ; and, examining my books, and finding that I had doubled my stock, that is to say, that I was worth two thousand sequins, I gave hia one-half : "With that," says I, "brother, you may make up your loss." He joyfully accepted the prolier, recovered himself, and we lived together as before. Some time after, my second brother, who is the other of these two dogs, would also sell his estate. I and his other brother did aU we could to tlivert him from it, but without effect. He sold it, and with the money bought such goods as were suitable to the trade he designed. He joined a cara- van, and took a journey. He returned, at the end of the year, in the same condition as my other brother ; and I, having gained another thousand sequins, gave him them, with which he furnished his shop, and con- tinued to follow his trade. Some time after, one of my brothers came to me to propose a tratling voyage with them. I immediately rejected their proposal. "You have travelled, " says I, ' ' and what have you gained by it ? Who m assure me that I shall be more success} ' than you have b,een?" They represented to me in vain all Tihat they thought fit to prevail upon me to engage in that design with them, for I con- stantly refused ; but they importuned me so much, that, after having resisted their soli- citation live whole years, they overcame me at last. But, when we were to make pre- parations for our voyage, and to buy goods necessary to the undertaking, I found they had spent all, and that they had not one farthing left of the thousand sequins I had given each of them. I did not, however, upbraid them in the least. On the contrary, my stock being six thousand sequins, I shared the half of it with thera, telling them, " My brothers, we must venture these three thousand sequins, and hide the rest in some sure place ; that, in case our voyage be no more successful than yours was formerly, we may have wherewith to assist us, and to follow our ancient way of living." I gave each of them a thousand sequins, and, keep- ing as much for myself, I buried the other three thousand in a corner of my house. We bought our goods, and, after having em- barked them on board of a vessel, which we freighted betwixt us three, we put to sea with a favourable wind. After a month's sail But I see day, says Scheherazade ; I must stop here. Sister, says Diuarzade, this story pro- mises a great deal ; I fancy the rest of it must be very extraordinary. You are not mistaken, says the siUtancss ; and, if the sultan will allow me to tell it you, I am persuaded it will very much divert you. Schahriar got up, as ho did the day before, without explaining his mind, but gave no order to the grand vizier to kill his daughter. The Seventh Night. When the seventh night drew near a close, Dinarzade awaked the sultaness, and prayed her to continue the story of the second old man. I will, answers Scheherazade, i)ro- vided the sultan, my lord and master, does not oppose it. — Not at all, says Schah- riar ; 1 am so far from opposing it, that I desire you earnestly to go on with it. To resume the thread of the story, says Schoherazade, you must know that the old man who led the two dogs continued his story to the genie, the other two old men, and the merchant, thus : — In short, says he, after two months' sail, we arrived happily at port, where we landed, and had a very great vent for our goods. I, especially, sold mine so well, that I gained ten to one, and we bought commodities of that country to transport and sell in our own. When we were ready to embark, in order to return, I met upon the bank of the sea a lady, handsome enough, but poorly clad. She came up to me presently, kissed my hand, prayed me with the greatest earnest- ness imaginable to marry her, and take her along with me. I made some difficulty to agree tC' it ; but she said so many things to persuac.e me that I ought to make no ob- jection to her poverty, and that I should have all the reason in the world to be satis- fied with her conduct, that I yielded. I ordered proper apparel to be m"^e for her ; If iia. THE SECOND OLD MAN AND THE TWO BLACK DOCS. 17 and after having married her, according to form, I took her on board, and wo set sail. During the navigation, I found the wife I had taken had so many good qualities, that I loved her every day more and more. In the meantime, my two brothers, who had not managed their affairs so well as I did mine, envied my proBi>erity ; and their fury carried them so far a,^ to conspire against my life ; so that, one night, when my wife and I were asleex>, they threw us both into the sea. My wife was a fairy, and, by consequence, genie, you know well she could not be drowned ; but for me, it is certain I hod been lost without her hclii. I hod scarce fallen into the water when she took me ui>, and carried me to an island. When it was day, the fairy said to me, " You see, hus- band, that by saving your life I have not re- warded you ill for your kindness to me. You must know that 1 am a fairy, and that being upon the bank of the sea when you were going to embark, I found I had a strong inclination for you : I had a mind to try your goodness, and presented myself before you in that disguise wherein you saw me. Y'ou have dealt very generously with me, and I am very glad to have found sm opportunity of testifying my acknowledg- ment to you. But I am incensed against your brothers, and nothing will satisfy me but their lives." I listened to this discourse of the fairy with admiration ; I thanked her as well as I could for the great kindness she had done me: but "Madam," says I, "as for my brothers, I beg you to pardon them ; what- ever cause they have given me, I am not cruel enough to desire their death." I told her the piuticulars of what I had done for them, which increased her indignation so that she cried out, "I must immediately pursue those imgrateful traitors, and take speedy vengeance on them : I will drown their vessel, and throw them into the bot- tom of the sea." "No, my good lady," replied I, "for Heaven's sake, do not so; moderate your anger ; consider that they are my brothers, and that we must do good for evil." I pacified the fairy by these words ; and, as soon as I had spoken them, she trans- ported me in a moment from the island where we were to the roof of my own house, which was terraced, and disai)peared in a moment. I went down, opened the doors, and dug up the three thousand sequins I had hid. I went afterwards to the place where my shop was, which I also opened, and was complimented by the merchants, my neighbours, upon my return. When I went to my house, I perceived two black dogs, which came to me in a very submissive maimer: I knew not what it meant, but was much astonished at it. But the fairy, who appeared immediately, pays to me, "Husband, bo not 8uq)ri8cd to see these two black dogs by you : they are your two brothers." I was troubled at these words, and asked her by what power they were so transformed. " It was I who did it," says she; "at least I gave commission to one of my sisters to do it, who at the same time sunk their ship. You have lost the goods you had on board, but I will make it up to you another way. As to your two brothers, I have condemned them to remain five years in that shape ; their pertidiuusness too well deserves such a penance." And, in short, after having told me where I might hear of her, she disapjieared. Now, the live years being out, I am tra- velling in quest of her ; and as I passed this way, I met this merchant and the good old man that led the hind, and sat down by them. This is my history, O i)rince of gcnies! do not you think it very extra- ordinary? "I own it," says the genie; "and upon that account, I remit the mer- chant the second third of the crime which he committed against me." As soon as the second old man had finished his story, the third began, and made the like request of the genie with the two first ; that is to say, to pardon the merchant the other third of his crime, provided the story he had to tell him exceeded the two he had already heard for singular events. The genie made him the same ])romi8e as he had done the other two. "Hearken, then," says the old man, to him But day appears, says Scheherazade ; I must stop here. I cannot enough admire, sister, says Dinarzade, the adventures you have told me. — I know abundance more, says the sultaness, that are still more wonderful. Schahriar, willing to know if the story of the third old man would be as agreeable as that of the second, put off the execution of Scheherazade till the next day. The Eighth Night. As soon as Dinarzade perceived it was time to call the sultaness, she says. Sister*, I have been awake a long time, and had a great mind to awaken you, I am so impatient to hear the story of the third old man. The sultan answered, I can hardly think that the third story will surpass the two former ones. Sir, replies the sultaness, the third old man told his story to the genie : I can- not tell it to you, because it has not come to my knowledge ; but I know that it did so much exceed the two former stories in the variety of wonderful adventures, that i8 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. the genio was aatnniHhc>(l at it, and no sooner heanl the end of it, but \w said to the tliird old man, "I remit the other third part of tlie merchaut'H crime upon the account of your story. He ia very much obliged to all three of you for having delivered him out of thiM danger by your stories, without which ho had not now been in the world." And, having spoke thus, he disajipeared, to the great contentment of the com]>any. The merchant failed not to give his three deliverers the thanks he owed them. They rejoiced to see him out of danj^er; after which they bade him adieu, and each of them went on his way. The merchant re- turned to bis wife and children, and passed the rest of his days with them in peace. But, sir, rnlded Scheherazade, how ple.is- ant soever these stories may be that I have told your majesty hitherto, they do not come near that of the hsherman. Diiiar- zade, perceiving that the aultauesH deiiuirred, says to her, Sister, since there ia still some time remaining, pray tell us the story of the fisherman, if the sultan is willing. Schah- riar agreed to it ; and Scheherazade, re- suming her disec'irse, pursued it in this manner : — THE f?rOKT OF THE FISHERMAN. Sir, there was a very ancient fisherman, so poor that he could scarce earn enough to maintain himself, his wife, and three chil- dren. He went every day to liah betimes in a morning ; and imi)oscd it as a law upon himself not to cast lus nets above four times a day. He went one morning by moon- light, and coming to the seaside, imdrcssed liimself, and cast in his nets. As he drew them towards the shore, he found them very heavy, and thought he had a good draught of fish, at which he rejoiced within himself; but in a moment after, perceiving that, in- stead of fish, there was nothing in his nets but the carcass of an ass, he was much vexed. — Scheherazade stoi)ped here, because she saw it was day. Sister, says Dinarzade, I must confess that the beginning of the story charms me, and I foresee that the resiUt of it will be very agreeable. — There is nothing more surprising than the story of this fisher- man, replied the sultauess : and you will be convinced of it next night, if the sultan will be so gracious as to let mc live. Schahriar, being curious to hear the success of such an extraordinary fishing, would not order Scheherazade to be put to death that ♦lay. ♦ The Ninth Night. My dear sister, cries Dinarzade next morn- ing at the -usnal hour, if you be not asleei), I pray you go on with the story of the fisherman ; I am ready to die till I hear it.— I am willing to give you that satis- faction, says the Hultuness ; hut, at the same time, she demanded leave of the sul- tan, and having obtained it, began the story again as follows : — Sir, when the fisherman, vexed to h 've made such a sorry draught, had mended i is nets, which the earc-WH of the ass had broken in several places, he threw them in a second time; and when he drew them, found a great deal of resistance, which made him think he had taken abundance of fish ; but he found nothing excejit a basket full of gravel and slime, which grieved him extremely. "0 Fortune ! " cries he, with a lamentable tone, "be not angry with me, nor persecute a wretch who prays thee to spare him. I came hither from my house to seek for my livelihooear, he did not forget to say his prayers, like a good Mussulman, and afterwards added this peti- tion : " Lord, thou knowest that I cast my nets only four times a day ; I have already drawn them three times, without the least reward for my labour: I am only to cast them once more ; I pray thee to render the sea favourable to me, as thou didst to Moses." The fisherman having finished this prayer, cast his nets the fourth time ; and when he thought it was time, he drew them as for- merly, with great difficidty; but instead of fish, found nothing in them but a vessel of yellow copper, which by its weight seemed to be full of something; and he observed that it was shut up and sealed with lead, ha\'ing the impression of a seal upon it. This rejoiced him. " I will sell it," says he, " to the founder, and with the money arising from the produce, buy a measure of com." He examined the vessel on all sides, and shook it, to see if what was within made any noise, but heard nothing. This circum- stance, with the impression of the seal upon the leaden cover, made him think there was something precious in it. To try this, he I MfBii i THE a TORY or THE FISHERMAN. 19 took a knifi', ami oiieuctl it Mith very little lalxiiir. llu jirtst'iitly turiii'd tlio mouth tlowiiward, but iiothiiiy cuiiio out; Mliich •urjiriMcJ liim txtrtuitly. lie set it before hiiii, ami while he looked ui)ou it atten- tively, there came out a very thick miioke, which oblijjed him to retire tw<« or threo pauea from it. The smoke ascended to the clouds, and extendi u^ itself along the sea and ujiou the shore, formed a great mist, whieli we may well imagme did mightily astonish the titih- erman. When the smoke was all out of the vessel, it reunited itself, and became a solid bohe8 the sultaness, there are more wonderful things yet to come, if my lord the sultan will allow me to tell them to you. Schahriar had too great a desire to hear out the story of the fisherman to deprive him- self of that ]ilea8ure, and therefore put oil' the sultancss's death another day. The Tenth Night. DiNABZADE called her sister next night, •when she thought it waa time, and prayed her to continue the story of the fisherman ; and the sidtan being also impatient to know what concern the genie had with Solomon, Scheherazade continued her story thus : — Sir, the fisherman, when he heard these words of the genie, recovered his courage, and said to him, "Proud spirit, what is it that you say ? It is above eighteen Imn- dred year.s since the jirophet Solomon died, and We arc now at the end of time. Tell me your history, and how you came to be shut up in this vessel." The genie, turning to the fisherman, with a fierce look, H.iys, " You must speak to me with more civility ; tln)U art very bold to c.iU me a proud spirit." "Very well," re- plies the iishermaii, "shall I speak to you with more civility, and call you the owl of good luck?" "I say," answers the genie, "speak to me more civilly before I kill thee." "Ah ! " repUes the lisherman, "why would you kill me ? Did not I just now set you at liberty, and liave you already for- gotten it?" "Yes, I remember it," says the genie, "but that shall not hinder me from kiUing thee : I have only one favour to grant thee." "And what is that?" says the fisherman. "It is," answers the genie, "to give thee thy choice, in what manner thou wouhlst have me take thy life." "But wherein have I offended you ? " replies the fisherman. " Is that your reward for the good services I have done you? " " I cannot treat you otherwise," says the genie; "and that you may be convinced of it, hearken to my story : — " I am one of those rebellious spirits that opposed the will of- Heaven : all the other genies owned Solomon, the great prophet, and submitted to him. Saear and I were the only genies that would never be guilty of a mean thing : and, to avenge himself, that great monarch sent Asaph, the son of Barak - hia, his chief minister, to apprehend me. That was accordingly done. Asaph seized my iierson, and brought me by force 'before his master's throne. "Solomon, the son of David, commanded me to quit my way of living, to acknowledge 20 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. bis power, nnd to Biibniit inym-lf to liiii com- mand ; I hravuly refuHud to olniy, and told liim 1 Would rathur uxpoNu myself to hU ruMcntmcnt than swuar fualty and Hiibmit to him as he roiiuired. To pnuixh nu>, ho shut mu lip in this copper veHsel ; and to makn sure of mu that I should not break prison, ho himself stamped upon this loaden oover his seal, with the f.n'uat name of Clod engraved u])on it. Then he gave the vessel to one of tho gcnies who submitted to him, with orders to tiirow mo into the soa, which was cxoonisd, to my sorrow. "During the tirst hundred years' impriion- mcnt, I swore that if any one woulil deliver me before tho hundred years expired, 1 would make him rich, even afttr his death ; but that century ran (uit, uud nobody did mo that good otlice. During:; tho second I mado an onth tiiat I would open all tho treasures of the earth to any one tliiit shoidd set mu at liberty ; but with no bettor success. In tho third, [ iiromised to muko my deliverer a potent monarch, to be always near him in spirit, and to grant him every day three requests, of what nature soever they miuht bo ; but this century ran out as well as tho two forniL-r, and I continued in prison. At last, being angry, or rather mad, to find my- self a prisoner so long, I swore, that if after- wards any ono should deliver me, 1 would kill him without mercy, ami grant him no other favour but to choose what kind of death he would die ; and therefore, since you have delivered mo to-day, I give you that choice." This discourse aflUcted tho poor fisherman extremely: "1 am very unfortunate," cries he, "to come hither to do such a piece of good service to one that is so ungrateful. I beg you to consider your injustice, and re- voke such an unreasonable oath; pardon me, and Heaven will pardon you ; if you grant me my life. Heaven will protect you from all attempts against yours." "No, thy death is resolved on," says the genie, "only choose how you will die." The fisherman, perceiving the genie to bo resolute, was ex- tremely grieved, not so much for himself, as for his three children; and bewailed the misery they must be reduced to by his death. He endeavoured still to apjicase the genie, and says, "Alas! be pleased to take pity on me, in consideration of the good service I have done you." "I have told thee already," replies the genie, "it is for that very reason I must kill thee." " Tl»at is very strange," s.iys the fisherman ; "are you resolved to reward good with evil? The pro- verb says, ' That he who does good to one who deserves it not is always ill rewarded.' I must confess I thought it was false ; for in efifect there can be nothing more contrary to reason, or the laws of society. Never- theless, I find now by cruel experience that it is but too true." "Do not loto time," re]iliei the genie ; " all thy reasoning shall not divert me from my puritotio ; make haste and toll mo which way you choose to die." Necessity is tho mother of invention. Tho fisherman bethought himsfif of a stratagem. "^het Solomon, tho son of David, to answer me truly tho question I am going to ask you." The gonio finding himself obliged to a positive answer by this adjuration, trembled ; and re]>lied to tho fisherman, "Ask what thou wilt, but make haste."— Day appearing, Sclieherazade hehl her peace. Sister, says Uinarzade, it must be oAvncd that tho more you speak tho more you surprise and satisfy. I hr»j)e our lord the sidtnn will not order you to be jiut to death till he iicars out the tinu story of the fisherman. — Tho sultan is absolute, re- jdies Scheherazade, wo must submit to his will in everything. But Schahriar being as willing as Dinarzado to hear an end of tho stoiy, did again put off the execution of tho sultancss. The Eleventh Night. SciiAiiHTAn, and the princess his spouse, passed this night in the same manner as they had done tho fonner ; and before break of day, Dinnrzailo awaked them with these words, addressed tu the sultancss: I pray you, sister, to resume the story of the fisher- man. — With all my heart, said Sche- herazade, I am willing to satisfy you, with the sultan's permission. The genio, continued she, having pro- mised to speak the truth, the fisherman says to him, — "I would know if you were actu- ally in this vessel : dare you swear it by the name of the great God?" " Yes," re])lied the genie, " I do swear by that great name that I was, and it is a certain truth." " In good fnith," answered the fisherman, " I cannot believe you ; the vessel is not capable of holding one of your feet, and how should it bo possible that your whole body could lie in it? " " I swear to thee, notwithstanding," replied tho genie, " that I was there just as you see me here. Is it possible that thou dost not believe me after this great oath that I have taken ? " " Truly, not I," said the fisherman ; " nor will I believe you, un- less you shew it me." Upon which the body of the genie was dissolved, and changed itself into smoke, ex- tending itself as formerly upon the sea and shore ; and then at last being gathered to- TIIK GRFXIAN KING AND THE PHYSICIAN DOVDAN. 21 f^ctluT, it lH>){an to rc-cnti>r the vex«ul, wbiuh it continiifd tu do mucvuivcly by a kIow aiul c<|ual motiun after n Riuuoth and vxoct way, till nothing wa« left uiit ; and iinmc- diatuly a vuicu camu forth, whicli Haid tu tliu tJMhurman, " Wull, now, inurediiloUH fel- low, I am all in tho vcHui'l, do uot you bo- liovo me now V 1'ho tishernian, inMtcad of answering tlio Kcnie, took thu uover of lead, and having Hjieedily 8hut tho vessel, " Genie," cries he, "now it is your turn to beg my favour, and to choose '.vhich way I shall put you to death ; but uot so, it ia l>etter tliat I should thn>w you into the sea, whence I took you : oiul then I will build a hoUHO upon the bank, wliero I will dwell, tu give notice tu all fishermen who come to tiirow in their netii to beware of such a wicked genie as thuu art, who hast made an oath to kill bitu that shall set thee at liberty." Tlie genie, enraged at these oxprc 'ons, did oil ho could to get out of the '' ;bsrl again ; but it was not possible for lu .1 tu du it ; fur the impression of Solomon's seal prevented him. So perceiving that tho liHhcrman hod got the advantage of him, he thuught lit to disaemlile his anger. "Fisherman," said he, iu a ideasant tone, " take heed you do not du what you say, for what I spoke to you before was only by way of jest, and you ai'c to take it no other- wise." "O genie!" iciilies the fisherman, "thou who wast bu*' a moment ago the greatest of all genie, and now art the least of them, thy crafty discourse will signify nothing to thee, but to the sea thou sholt return. If tliou host stayed there already so lung as thuu hast told me, thou mayst very well stay there till the day of judgment. I begged of thee, in God's name, not tu take away my life, and thou didst reject my prayers ; I am obliged to treat thee in the same manner." The genio omitted nothing that could pre- vail upon the fisherman. " Open the vessel," says he, " give me my liberty, I pray thee, and I promise to satisfy thee to thy own contend" "Thou art a mere traitor," re- plies the iishennan; "I shoidd deserve to lose my life if 1 were such a fool as to trust thee ; thou wilt not fail to treat me in the same manner as a certain Grecian king treated the physician Doubon. It is a story I have a mind to tell thee, therefore listen to it." THE STORY OF THE GRECIAN KIUO AND TIIE PHYSICLVN UOUBAN. There was in the country of Zouman, in Persia, a king, whose subjects were origin- ally Greeks. This king was all over leprous, and hia physicians in vain endeavoured his cure : and when they were at their wits' end wliat tu ]irGacribe to him, a very able phy* •ician, called Doubon, arrived at hia court. Tliia physician had learneil his auienue in Greek, I'eniian, Turkish, Arabian, Latin, Syriac, and Hebrew buoka ; and besides that, hu was an expert philosopher, and fully un- derstood the guod and bod (jualities of all aorta of plants and drugs. Aa soon as ho was infoimed of the king's diatemiier, and un- derstu(Kl that his physicians hatl given l:im over, hu clad himself in the best habits ho could procure, and found means to present liimaelf to the king. "Sir," saya he, "I know that all your majesty's physicians have not been able to cure you of the leprosy ; but if you will du mo tlie honour to accept my service, I will engage myself to cure yuu without potions or external ai>pIicationa." The king listened tu wliat hu said, and an- swered, "If you bo able to i)crform what you do promise, I will enrich you and your posterity : and besides the presents 1 shall maku you, you shall bo my chief favourite. Do you oasuro me, then, tliat you will euro me of my leprosy, without making me take any jjotion, or ajiplying any external medi- cine?" "Yea, sir," replies the physician ; " I jiromise myself success, through God's assistance, and to-morrow I will make trial of it." Tho physician returned to his quartora,, and matisfaction. Sir, continues she, addressing herself to Schahriar, what the Grecian king said about king Sinbad raised the vizier's curiosity, who says to him, " Sir, I pray your majesty to pardon me if I have the boldness to ask what the vizier of king Sinbad said to his master to divert him from cutting off the prince his son." The Grecian king had the complaisance to satisfy him. ' ' That vizier, " says he, " after having represented to king Sinbad that he ought to beware lest, on the accusation of a mother-in-law, he should commit an action which he might after- wards repent of, told him this story : " — THE STORY OF THE HUSBAOT) AND THE PAEKOT. A certain man had a beautiful wife, whom he loved so dearly, that he could scarce allow her to be out of his sight. One day, oeing obliged to go abroad about urgent affairs, he came to a place where all sorts of birds were sold, and there bought a parrot, which not only spoke very well, but could also give an account oi ever3rthing that was done before it. He brought it in a cage to his house, desired his wife to put it in his chamber, and to take oare of it during a journey he was obliged to undertake ; and then went out. At his return, he took care to ask the parrot concerning what had passed iu his absence, and the bird told him things that gave him occasion to upbraid his wife. She thought some of her slaves had betrayed her, but all of them swore they had been faithful to her ; and they all agreed vi^at it liM^ iJ 24 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. mudt have been the parrot that had told tales. Upon this, the wife bethought herself of a 'way how she might remove her husband's jealousy, and at the same time revenge her- self on the parrot, which she effected thus : her husband being gone another journey, she commanded a sl^ve in the night-time to turn a handmill under the parrot's cage; she ordered another to throw water, in form of rain, over the cage ; and a third to take a looking-glass, and turn it to the right and to the left before the parrot by candle-light. The slaves spent great part of the night in doing what their mistress commanded them, and acquitted themselves very dexterously. Next night the husband returned, and examined the parrot again about what had passed during his absence. The bird an- swered, " Good master, the lightning, thunder, and rain did so much disturb me all night that I cannot tell how much I suffered by it." The husband, who knew that there had been neither thunder, light- ning, nor rain that night, fancied that the parrot, not having told him the truth in this, might also have lied to him in the other; upon which he took it out of the cage, and threw it with so much force to the ground that he killed it. Yet after- wards he understood by his neighbours that the poor parrot had not lied to him, when it gave him an accoimt of his wife's base conduct, which made him repent he had killed it. — Scheherazade stopped here, be- cause she saw it was day. All that you tell us, sister, says Dinar- zade, is so cm'ious, that nothing can be more agreeable. — I shall be willing to divert you, answers Scheherazade, if the sultan my master will allow me time to do it. Schahriar, who took as much pleasure to hear the sultaness as Dinarzade, rose and went about his affairs without ordering the vizier to cut her off. The Fifteenth Night. Dinarzade was punctual this night, as she had been the former, to awaken her sister, and begged of her, as usual, to teU her a story. I am going to do it, sister, says Scheherazade ; but the sultan interrupted her, for fear she should begin a new story, and bid her finish the discourse between the Grecian king and his vizier about his phy- sician Douban. — Sir, says Scheherazade, I will obey you ; and went on with the stoiy as follows : — When the Grecian king, (says the fisher- man to the genie,) had Huished the story of the parrot ; " and you, vizier," adds he, "because of the hatred you bear to the physician Donban, who never did you any hurt, would have me cut him off; but I will take care cf that, for fear I should repent it, as the husband did the killing of his parrot." The mischievous vizier was too much con- cerned to effect the ruin of the physician Douban tostop here. " Sir," says he, "the death of the parrot was but a trifle, and, I beUeve, his master did not mourn for him long : but why should your fear of wronging an innocent man hinder you putting this physician to death ? Is it not enough to authorise yon to take away his life that he is accused of a design against your life \ When the business in question is to secure the life of a king, bare suspicion ought to pass for certainty ; and it is better to sacri- fice the innocent than to spare the guilty, li'jt, sir, this is not an uncertainty; the physician Douban has certainly a mind to assassinate you. It is not envy which makes me his enemy ; it is only my zeal, and the concern I have for preserving your majesty's life, that makes me give you my advice in a matter of this importance. If it be false, I deserve to be punished in the same manner as a vizier was formerly punished." " What had the vizier done," says the Grecian king, "to deserve punish- ment?" "I will inform your majesty of that," says the viziei', "if you will be pleased to hear me," TUB STORY OF THE VIZIER THAT WAS PUNISHED. There was a king, (says the vizier,) who had a son that loved hunting. He allowed him to divert himself that way very often ; but gave orders to his grand vizier to attend him constantly, and never to lose sight of him. One hunting-day, the huntsman having roused a deer, the prince, who thought the vizier followed him, pursued the game so far, and with so much earnestness, that he was left quite alone. He stopped, and finding he had lost his way, endeavoured to return the same way he came, to find out the vizier, who had not been careful enough to follow him, and so wandered farther. Whilst he rode up and down, without keeping any road, he met by the way-side a handsome lady, who wept bitterly. He stopped his horse, asked who she was, how she came to be alone in that place, and what she wanted. " I am," says she, "daughter to an Indian king. As I was taking the air on horseback in the coimtiy, I grew sleepy, fell from my horse, who is run away, and I know not what is become of him." The young prince, taking compassion on her, asked her to get u^) behind him, wliich sha willingly accepted. THE GRECIAN KING AND THE PHYSICIAN DOUBAN. 25 As they passed by the ruins of a house, the lady signified a desire to alight on the occasion. The prince stopped, and suffered her to alight ; then he alighted himself, and went near the ruins with his horse in his hand. But you may judge how much he was surprised when he heard the lady within say these words : "Be glad, my children, I bring you a handsome young man, and very fat;" and other voices, which answered immediately, "Mamma, where is he, that we may eat him presently, for we are very hungry ?" The piince heard enough to convince him of his danger, and then he perceived that the lady, who called herself daughter to an Indian king, was an ogress, wife to one of those savage demons called ogres, who live in remote places, and make use of a thou- sand wiles to surprise and devour passen- gers ; so that the prince, being frightened, moimted his horse as soon as he could. The pretended princess appeared that very moment, and perceiving that she had missed her prey, she cries, " Fear nothing, prince : who are you? whom do you seek?" "I have lost my way," replies he, "and am seeking it." " If you have lost your way," says ohe, " recommend yourself to God, He will deliver you out of your perplexity." Then the prince lifted up his eyes towards heaven. — But, sir, says Scheherazade, I am obliged to break off, for day appears. I long, says Dinarzade, to know what became of that young prince : I tremble for him. — I will deliver you from your un- easiness to-morrow, answers the sidtaness, if the sidtan will allow me to live till then. Schahriar, willing to hear an end of this ad- venture, prolonged Scheherazade's life for another day. The Sixteenth Night. DiXARZADE had such a desire to hear out the story of the young prince, that she awaked that night sooner than ordinary, and said. Sister, pray go on with the story you began yesterday : I am much concerned for the young prince, and ready to die for fear that he was eaten up by the ogress and her children. Schahriar having signified that he had the same fear, the sultaness re- plies. Well, sir, I wiU satisfy you imme- diately. After the counterfeit Indian princess had bid the yoimg prince recommend himself to God, he could not believe she spoke sincerely, but thought she was sure of him ; and there- fore, lifting up his eyes to heaven, said, "Almighty Lord, cast Tliine eyes upon me, and deliver me from this enemy." After this prayer, the ogress entered the ruins again, and the prince rode o£f with all pos- sible haste. He happily found his way again, and arrived safe and sound at his father's court, to whom he gave a particidar account of the danger he had been in through the vizier's neglect : upon which the king, being incensed against the minister, ordered him to be immediately strangled. " Sir," continued the Grecian king's vizier, " to return to the physician Douban, if you do not take care, the confidence you put in him will be fatal to you : I am very well assured that he ia a spy sent by your ene- mies to attempt your majesty's life. He has cured you, you wiU say ; but, alas ! who can assure you of that ? He has, perhaps, cured you only in appearance, and not radically ; who knows but the medicine he has given you may, in time, have pernicious effects ? " The Grecian king, who had naturally very ^ little sense, was not able to discover the wicked design of his vizier, nor had he firm- ness enough to persist in his first opinion. This discourse staggered him. " Vizier," says he, "thou art in the right ; he may be come on purpose to take away my life, which he may easily do by the very smell of some of his drugs. We must consider what is fit for us to do in this case. When the vizier found thp king in such a temper as he wished, " Sir," said he, "the surest and speediest method you can take to secure your life is to send immediately for the physician Douban, and order his head to be cut off as soon as he comes. " "In truth, ' ' says the king, " I believe that is the way we must take to prevent his design." When he had spoken thus, he called for one of hia officers, and ordered him to go for the phy- sicicin ; who, knowing nothing of the king's design, came to the paLace in haste. " Know ye," says the king, when he saw him, "why I sent for you?" "No, sir," answers he ; "I wait tUl your majesty be pleased to inform me." "^ sent for you," replied the king, " to rid myself of you by taking your life." No man can express the surprise of the physician when he heard the sentence of death pronounced against him. " Sir," said he, " why would your majesty take my life? What crime have I committed '!" "I am in- formed by good hands," rejJies the king, "that you come to my court oidy to attempt my life ; but to prevent you, I will be sure of yours." "Give the blow," says he to the executioner, who was present, " and deliver me from a perfidious wretch, who came hither on purpose to assassinate me." When the physician heard this cruel order, he readily judged that the honours and pre- sents he had received from tlie king had pro- cured him enemies, and that the weak prince was imposed on. He repented that he had cured him of his leprosy ; but it was now m mmm mmsmmmmsmmm nBMWMSi 26 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. too late. "Is it thus," replied the physicifHi, "that you reward me for curing you ?" The king -would not- hearken to him, but a second time ordered the executioner to strike the fatal blow. The physician tlien hod recourse to his prayers. "Alas! sir," cries he, "pro- long my days, and God will prolong yours ; do not put me to death, lost God treat you in the same manner. " The iisherman broke off his discourse here, to apply it to the genie. "Well, genie," says he, "you see what passed then betwixt the Grecian king and his physician Douban is acted just now betwixt us." The Grecian king, continues he, in- stead of having regard to the i)rayer8 of the physician, who begged him for God's sake to spare him, cruelly replied to him, "No, no ; I must of necessity cut yoii off, other- wise you may take my life away with as much art as you cured me." The physician melted into tears, and bewailing himself for being so ill rewarded by the king, prepared for death. The executioner bound up his eyes, tied his hands, and was going to draw his scimitar. Then the courtiers, who were present, be- ing moved with compassion, begged the king to pardon him, assuring his majesty that he was not guilty of the crime laid to his charge, and that they would answer for his inno- cence ; but the king was inflexible, and an- swered them so as tliey dared not to say any more of the matter. The physician, being on his knees, his eyes tied up, and ready to receive the fatal blow, addressed himself once more to the king. " Sir," says he, "since your majesty will not revoke the sentence of death, I beg at least that you would give me leave to return to my house, to give order about my burial, to bid fare'. jU to my family, to give alms, and to bequeath my books to those who are capable of making good use of them. I have one particularly 1 woidd present to your majesty : it is a very precious book, and worthy to be laid up very carefully in your treasury." "Well," replies the king, " why is that book so precious as you talk of ?" " Sir," says the physician, " because it contains an infinite number of curious things ; of which the chief is, that when you have cut off my head, if your majesty will give yourself the trouble to open the book at the sixth leaf, and read the third line of the left page, my head will answer all the questions you ask it." The king, being curious to see such a wonderful thing, deferred his death till next day, and sent him home under a strong guard. The phy.iician, during that time, put his affairs in order : and the report being spread that an unheard-of i)rodigy was to happen after his death, the viziers, emirs, officers of the guard, and, in a word, the whole court, repaired next day to the hall of audience, that they might be witnesses of it. The physician Douban was soon brought in, and advanced to the foot of the throne with a great book in his hand : there he called for a basin, upon which he laid the „over that the book was wrapped in, and presented the book to the king. "Sir," says he, " take that book, if you ])lease, and as soon as my head is cut off, order that it be put into the basin upon the cover of the book ; as soon as it is ])ut there, the Jjlood will stop : then open the book, and my head will answer your questions. But, sir," says he, "permit me once more to implore your majesty's clemency ; for God's sake grant my request ; I protest to you th.it I am inno- cent." "Your prayers," answers the king, " are in vain ; and, were it for nothing but to hear your head speak after your death, it is my will you should die." As he said this, he took the book out of the physician's hand, and ordered the executioner to do his duty. The head was so dexterously cut off, that it fell into the basin, and was no sooner laid upon the cover of the book, but the blood stopped ; then, to the great surprise of the king and all the si^ectators, it opened its eyes, and said, " Sir, will your majesty be pleased to open the bookl" The king opened it, and finding that one leaf was as it were glued to another, that he might turn it with the more ease, he put his finger to his mouth, and wet it with spittle. He did so till he came to the sixth leaf, and finding no writing on the place where he was bid to ^^eakii THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIE. 27 look for it, "Physician," says he to the head, "there ia nothing written." "Ttirn over some more leaves," replies the head. The king continued to tiu-n over, p\itting always his finger to his mouth, until the poison, with which each leaf vaa imbued, coming to have its effect, the prince finding himself all of a sudden taken with an extra- ordinary fit, his eyesight failed, and he fell down at the foot of the throne, in violent convulsions. — At these words, Scheherazade, perceiving day, gave the sultan notice of it, and forbore speaking. Ah, dear sister, says Dinarzade, how grieved am I that you have not time to finish the story ! I shoidd be inconsolable if you '< 3 your life to-day, — Sister, repliea ' .ultaness, that must be as the sidtan pL..^os ; but I hope he will be so good as to suspend my death till to-morrow. And, accordingly, Schahriar, far from ordering her death that day, expected the next night with much impatience ; so earnest was he to hear out the story of the Grecian king, and the sequel of the fisherman and the genie. to lid ing to The Seventeenth Night. Though Dinarzade was very curious to hear the rest of the story of the Grecian king, she did not awake that night so soon as usual, so that it was almost day before she called upon the sidtaness ; and then she said : I pray you, sister, to continue the won- derful story of the Grecian king ; but mako haste, I beseech you, for it will speedily be day. Scheherazade resumed the story where she left off the day before. Sir, says she to the sultan, when the physician Douljan, or rather his head, saw that the poison had taken effect, and that the king had but a few moments to live; "Tyrant," it cried, "now you see how princes are treated who, abusing their authority, cut off innocent men: God punishes soon or late their injus- tice and cruelty." Scarce had the head spoke these words, when the king fell down dead, and the head itself lost what life it had. Sir, continues Scheherazade, such was the end of the Grecian king and the jihy- sician Douban. I must return now to the story of the fisherman and the genie ; but it is not worth while to begin it now, for it is day. The sultan, who always observed his hours regularly, could stay no longer, but got up ; and wishing to hear the sequel of the story of the genie and the fisherman, he bid the snltaneas prepare to tell it him next night. The Eighteenth Night. DiyARZASG made amends this night for the last night's neglect ; she awaked a long time before day, and calling upon Scheherazade, Sister, says she, if you be not asleep, pray give us the rest of the story of the fisherman and the genie; you know the sul- tan desires to hear it as well as I. I shall soon satisfy his curiosity and yours, answers the sultaness ; and then, ad- dressing herself to Schahriar, Sir, continued she, as soon as the fisherman had con- cluded the history of the Greek king and his physician Douban, he made the appli- cation to the genie, whom he still kept shut up in the vessel. ' ' If the Grecian king, " says he, " would have suffered the physician to live, God would also have suffered him to hve; but he rejected his most humble pray- ers, and it is the same with thee, genie ! Could I have prevailed with thee to grant me the favour I demanded, I should now have had j>ity upon thee ; but since, not- withstanding the extreme obligation thou wast under to me for having set thee at liberty, thou didst persist in thy design to kill mc, I am obliged, in my turn, to be as hard-hearted to thee." " My good friend, fisherman," replies the genie, " I conjure thee once more not to be guilty of such cruelty : consider, that it is not good to avenge one's self ; and that, on the other hand, it is commendable to do good for evil; do not treat me as Tmama treated Ateca formerly." " And what did Imama to Ateca?" replies the fisherman. " Ho ! " says the genie, " if you have a mind to know it, open the vessel : do you think that I can be in a humour to tell stories in so strait a prison ? 1 will teU you as many as you please when you let me out." " No," says the fisherman, " I will nut let thee out; it is in vain to talk of it ; I am just going to throw you into the bottom of the sea." " Hear mo one word more," cries the genie; "I promise to do thee no hurt; nay, far from that, I will shew thee a way how thou mayest become exceeding rich." The hope of delivering himself from po- verty prevailed with the fisherman. " I could listen to thee," says he, " were there any credit to be given to thy word ; swear to me ])y the great n.ime of God that you will faithfully perform what you promise, and I will open the vessel. I do not believe you will dare to break such an oath." The genie swore to him, and the fisherman immediately took off the covering of the vessel. At that very instant the smoke came out, and the genie having resumed his form as before, the first thing he did was to kick the vessel into the sea. This action frightened the fisherman. " Genie," says T 28 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. he, "what is the meaning of that? Will not you ke^p the oath you just now made? And must I say to you, as the physician Douban sail to the Grecian king, Suffer me to live, and God will prolong your days." The genie laughed at the fisherman's fear, and answerec', "No, fisherman, be not afraid ; I only did it xo divert myself, and to see if thou wouldst be alarmed at it ; but to per- suade thee that I am in earnest, take thy nets and follow me." As he spoke these words, he walked before the fisherman, who, having taken up his nets, followed him, but with some distrust. They passed by the town, and came to the top of a mountain, from whence they descended into a vast plain, which brought them to a great jwud that lay betwixt four hills. When they came to the side of the pond, the genie says to the fisherman, " Cast in thy nets, and catch fish. " The fisherman did not doubt to catch some, because he saw a great number in the pond ; but he was extremely surprised when he found they were of four colours — that is to say, white, red, blue, and yellow. He threw in his nets, and brought out one of each colour. Having never seen the Uke, he could not but admire them ; and, judging that he might get a considerable sum for them, he was very joyful. " Carry those fish," says the genie to him, "and present them to thy sultan : he will give you more money for them than ever you had in your Ufe. You may come every day to fish in this pond ; and I give thee warning not to throw in thy nets above onoe a day, other- wise you will repent it. Take heed, and re- member my advice ; if you follow it exactly, you will find your account in it. " Having spoke thus, he struck his foot upon the ground, which opened, and shut again, after it hod swallowed up the genie. The fisherman, being resolved to follow the genie's advice exactly, forbore casting in his nets a second time ; and returned to the town very well satisfied with his fish, and making a thousand reflections upon his ad- venture. He went straight to tjie sultan's palace to present him his fish. — But, sir, says Scheherazade, I perceive day, and must stop here. Dear sister, says Dinarzade, how surpris- ing are the last events yon have told us ! I can hardly believe that anything you have to say can bf more surprising. — Sister, rei)lies the sultaness, if *' . 'Hr.ii my mas- ter will let me live > i persuaded you wi!' I ■ * history of the fisii. • than the beginning '. .;. more diverting. tSohahi;.^, TOW, I am ([Uel of the •re wonderful , i jmjiaiT.bly l)Oin;< CUil'MlS to know if the remainder oi the ^tor;/ oi the fisherman would be such as the sultouesa said, put off the execution of the cruel law once more. The Nineteenth Night. Towards morning, Dinarzade called the sultaness, and said. Dear sister, my pen- dulimi tells me it will be day speedily, there- fore pray con- tinue the history of the fisherman ; T am extremely impatient to know what the issue of it was. Scheherezade,. having demanded leave of Schah> riar, resumed her discourse as fol- lows : — Sir, I leave it to your majesty to think how much the sultan was sur- prised when he saw the four fishes which the fisherman presented him. He took them up one after another, and viewed them with attention ; and after having admired them a long time, "Take those fishes," says he to his first vizier, " and carry them to the handsome cook-maid that the emperor of the Greeks has sent me. I cannot imagine but they must be as good as they are fine." The vizier carried them himself to the cook, and, delivering them into her hands, " Look ye," says he, " there are four fishes newly brought to the sultan ; he orders you to dress them." And having said so, he re- turned to the siUtan his master, who ordered him to give the fisherman four himdred pieces of gold of the coin of that country, which he did accordingly. The fisherman, who had never seen so much cash in his lifetime, could scarce be- lieve his own good fortune, but thought it must be a dream, untU he foimd it to be real, v.'hen he provided necessaries for hi» family with it. But, sir, says Scheherazade, having told you what happened to the fisherman, I must acquaint you next with what befell the sultan's cook-maid, whom we shall find in great perplexity. As soon as she had gutted the fishes, she put them upon the fire in a frying-pan, with oil ; and when she thought them fried enough on one side, she turned them upon the other ; but, oh, monstrous pro- digy ! scarce were they turned, when the wall of the kitchen opened, and in came a young laii» gown, he shewed the sultan thai< i>c was a man only from the head to the girdle, and that the other half of his body was black marble. — Here Scheherazade broke oft', and told the sultan that day appeared. Schahriar was so much charmed with the story, and became so much in love with Scheherazade, that he resolved to let her live a month. He rose, however, as usual, without acquainting her with his resolution. The Twenty-Second Night. DiNAEZABE was 80 impatient to hear out tho story, that she called her sister next morn- ing sooner than usual, and said to her, Sister, pray continue the wonderful story you began, but could not make an end of, yesterday morning. — I agree to it, replies the sultaness ; hearken then. You may easily imagine, continued she, that the sultan was strangely surprised when he saw the deplorable condition of the young man. "That which you shew me," says he, "while it fills me with horror, ex- cites my curiosity, so that I am impatient to hear your history, which, no doubt, is very extraordinary, and I am })ersuaded that the pond and the fishes make some part of it ; •^mmr 'mmm^ 32 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. therefore I conjure you to tell it mn. Yon will find some comfort in it, Rince it i.i cer- tain that unfortunate people will find some sort of ease in telling tlieir misfortunes." "I will not refuse you this satisf notion," re- plies the young man, " though I cannot do it without renewing my grief. But I give you notice beforehand to prepare your ears, your mind, and even your eyes, for things which suqiass all that the most extraordi- nary imagination can conceive." THE HISTOEY OP THE VOUNO KINO OP THE BLACK ISLES. You must know, my lord, (continued he,) that my father, who was called Mahmoud, was king of this country. This is the king- dom of the Black Isles, which takes its name from the four little neighbouring mountains; for those mountains were formerly isles : the capital, where the king my father had his residence, was where that pond you now sec is. The sequel of my history will inform you of all those changes. The king my father died when he was seventy years of age : I had no sooner suc- ceeded him, but I married, and the lady I chose to share the royal dignity with me was my cousin. I had all the reason ima- ginable to be satisfied in her love to me ; and, for my i)nrt, I had so much tenderness for her, that nothing was comparable to the good understanding lietwixt us, which lasted five years, at the end of which time I per- ceived the queen, my cousin, had no more delight in me. One day, wkile she was at the bath, I found myself inclined to sleep after dinner, and lay down upon a sofa. Two of her ladies, who were then in my chamber, came and sat down, one at my heatl, and the other at my feet, with fans in their hands to mo- derate the heat, and to hinder the flies from troubling me in my sleep. They thought I was fast, and spoke very low ; but I only r^hut my eyes, and heard every word they said. One of them says to the other, " Is not the (^ueen much in the wrong, not to love such an amiable prince as this?" "Cer- tainly," replies the other ; "for my part, I do not understand it ; and I know not why she goes out every night, and leaves him alone ! Is it possible that he doe.s not per- ceive it?" "Alas!" says the first, "how would you have him perceive it ? She mixes every evening in his drink the juice of a certain herb, which makes him sleep so sound all night, that slie has time to go where she pleases ; and as day begins to appear, she comes and lies down by him again, and wakes him by the smeU of some- thing she puts under his nose." You may guess, my lord, how much I was surprised at this conversation, and with what sentiments it inspired me ; yet, what- ever emotion it excited in mo, I had comro md enough over myself to dissemble, and feig led to awoke without having heard one word of it The queen returned from the bath, we suppe; by a drink rIii' gave him, and carried t<> him her- Hclf every day after he came to the I'ulaue of Tears. Yi^t, with all her enchantments, she could not cure the wretch ; lie was not only uii- ahle to walk and to help himself, hut had also lost the use of his Hpceeli, and gave no sign of life, but by his looks. Though the queen had no other consolation but to Ree him, and to say to him all that her foolish passion could ins]>ire, yet every day she made him two lonj^ visits. [ was very well informed of all this, but i)retended to know nothing of it. One day I went o\it of curiosity to the Palace of Tears, to see how the j)rinee3s employed her.self; and going to a ]>laco where she could not see mo, I heard lier speak thus to her gallant : " T am atllicted to the highest degree to see you in this con- dition ; I am as Bcuaiblc as yourself of the tormenting pain you endure; but, dear soul, I always speak tc you, and you do not answer me. How .ong will you be silent ! Speak only one word. Alas ! the sweetest moments ol my life are those I spend here in partaking of your grief. I cannot live at a distance from you, and would ))refer the pleasure of always seeing you to the empire of the universe." At these words, which were several times interrupted by her sighs and sobs, 1 lost all patience ; and discovering myself, came up to her and said, "Madam, you have mourned enough, it is time to give over this sorrow, which dishonours lis both ; you have too much forgotten what you owe to me and to yourself." " 8ir," said she, " if you have any kindness or complaisance left for me, I be- seech you to put no restraint upon me ; allow me to give myself up to mortal grief, which it is impossible for time to lessen. " When I saw that my discourse, instead of bringing her to her duty, served only to increase her rage, I gave over and retired. She continued eveiy day to visit her gallant, and for two whole years gave herself up to excessive grief. I went a second time to the Palace of Tears, while she was thero. I liid myself again, and heard her speak thus to her gal- lant : "It is now three years since you spoke one word to me ; you return no answer to the expressions of love I give you by my discourse and groans. Is it from insensi- bility or contempt? O tomb! hast thou abated that excessive love he had for me ? Hast thou shut those eyes that shewed me so much love, and worn all my joy ? No, no, I beliuv)! nothing of it. Tell mc rather, by what mik-aidu thou Itecamcat the dcpoai- tory of the rarest treasure that over was in the worhl." I must confess, my lord, I waa enraged at those words ; for, in short, thia gallant so much doted upon, this adored mortal, was not such a one as you would imagine him to have been. He was a black Indian, a native of that country. I aay, I waa so enraged at that discourse, that 1 diacovered myself all of a sudden, and addreaaing the tomb in my turn : "0 tomb! ''cried I, "why dost not thou swallow up that monster in nature, or rather, why dost not thou swallow U]) the gallant anil his mistress?" I had scarce finished these words, when the rjueen, who sat by the black, rose up like a fury. "Cruel man!" said she, "thou art the cause of my grief ; do not you think that I know it ? I have dissembled it but too long ; it is thy barbarous hand which hath brought the object of my love into this lamentable condition ; and you are so hard- hearted as to come and insult a despairing lover." ''Yes," said I, in a rage, "it was I who cha.stised that monster, according to his desert ; I ought to have treated thee in the same manner ; I repent now that I did not do it ; tho«i hast abused my goodness too long." As I spoke these words, I drew out my scimitar, and lifted up my hand to imnish her ; but she, steadfastly beholding mc, .said with a jeering smile, "Moderate tliy anger." At the same time hhe jiro- nounced words I did not understand ; and afterwards added, "By virtue of my en- chantments, I command thee immediately to become half marble and half man." Im- mediately, my lord, I became such as you sec mc already, a dead man among the living, and a living man r.mong the dead. — Hero Scheherazade, perceiving day, broke oil" her story. Upon which Dinarzadc says. Dear sister, I am extremely obUged to the sidtau : H is to his goodness I owe the extr.iovdiai iy pleasure I have in your stories. — My lis- tcr, replies the sultaness, if th( s-utan will be so good as to suffer mo \.-> li i^e till to-morrow, I shall tell you a thing that will afford as much satisfaction as anything you liave yet heard. Though Schal? uir had not resolved to defer the death of Scheherazjide a month longer, he could not have ordered her to be put to death that day. TliG Twenty-Piftli NigM. Towards the end of the night, Dinarzade cried. Sister, if I do not trespass too much upon your complaisance, I would pray you see--; THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES. 35 jiro- and .11 1 y ■is- uian etill wiU you not zade ered to tininh the hiiitory of thr kin^ of thv BUck iMliindH. .Sola>h(>r»»ido having »WBkey an- other enchantment 8he dcatroyed my capital, which was very flourishing and full of people ; she alxiliahed the hoiiseB, the |iul)lic placet) and marketH, and reduced it to the pond and desert Held, wliicli you may have seen. The fishes of four colours in the ]iond are the four sorts of j)eople, of diH'erent U'ligions, who inhabited the place. The white are the Mussulmans ; the red, the IVrsians, who worshipiH-'d the fire ; the blue, the ChristianN ; and the yellow, the Jews. The four little hills woru the four islands that gave name to this kingdom. I learned all this from the magician, who, to add to riiy aflliction, toltl me with her own mouth those ctlbcts of her rage. But this is not all : her revenge voa not satished with the destruction of my do- minions, and the metamorphosis of my ])cr- son : she comes every day, and gives me over my naked shoulders a hundred blows with an ox-i)izzle, which makes me all over blood : .-vnd when she has done, covers me with a coarse stuff of goat's hair, and throws over it this robe of brocade that you see, not to do me honour, but to mock me. After this part of the discourse, the young king could not withhold his tears; and the sultan's heart was so pierced with the relation that he could not speak one word to comfort him. A little time after, the young king, lifting up his eyes to heaven, cried out, "Mighty Creator of all things, I submit myself to Thy judgments, and to the decrees of Thy providence : I endure my cala- mities with patience, since it is Thy will it should be so; Init I hope Thy infinite good- ness will reward me for it." The sidtan being much moved by the recital of so strange a story, and animated to avenge this xmfortunate jjrince, says to him, "Tell me whither this perfidious magi- cian retires, and where may be her unworthy gallant, who is buried before his death." " My lord," replies the prince, " her gallant, as T have already told you, is in the Palace of Tears, in a handsome tomb iii form of a dome, and that palace joins to this castle on the side of the gate. As to the magician, I camiot precisely tell whither she retires, but every day at simrising she goes to see her gallant, after having executed her bloody vengeance upon me, as I have told you ; and you see I am not in a condition to defend myself against so great a cruelty. She car- ries him the drink with which she has hitherto prevented his dying, and always complainn uf hii never Biieaking to her since ho waa wounded. " Unfortunate prince," says the sultan, " you can never enough bo lamented I No- Ixnly can bo more sensibly touched with your condition than I am; never did such on extraordinary misfortune liefall any man, and those who write your history will have the advn'it, ge to relate something that sur- ])as8eH all l.lrat has ever yet been written. There wants but the vengeance which is dtio to you, and I will omit nothing that can ))e done to j)rocure it." While the sidtan discoursed upon the subject with the young ])rincu, he told him who ho wa!<, and for what end he entered the castle, and thought on a way to avenge him, which he communicated to him. They agreed ui)on the measures they were to take for effecting their design, but deferred the execution of it till the next day. In the meantime, the night being far spent, the sultan took some rest; but the poor young prince passed the night without sleep as us\ial, having never slept since lie was en- chanted ; but conceived some hopes of being speedily delivered from his misery. Next moriing the sultan got up Iieforc day, and, in < rder to execute his design, he hid in a comer his upper garment, which would have encumbered him, and went to the Palace of Tears. He found it enlight- ened with an infinite number of tlamlieaux of white wax, and a delicious scent issued from several boxes of tine gold of admirable workmanship, all ranged iu excellent order. As soon as he saw the bed where the black lay, he drew his scimitar, killed the wretch without resistance, dragged his corpse into the court of the castle, and threw it into a well. After this he went and lay down in the black's bed, took his scimitar with him imder the counterpane, and waited there to execute his design. The magician arrived in a Uttle time. She first went into the chamber where her hus- band, the king of the B'*'"!: Idluuud, wfts, stripped him, and lieat him with the ox- pizzle in the most barbarous manner. The poor prince filled the palace with his lamen- tations to no purpose, and conjured her in the most alfectiug manner to take pity oi' him ; but the cruel woman would not give over tUl she had given him a hundred blows. " You had no compassion on ny lover," said she, " and you are to expect none from me." — Scheherazade, perceiving day, stopped, and could go 110 further. O heavens! says Dinarzade, sister, this was a barbarous enchantress indeed 1 But must we stop here ? Will you not tell us whether she received the chastisement she deserved? — My dear sister, says the Bultaness, I desire nothing more than to acquaint you with it to-morrow; but you I ii 36 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. know that depends en tlie si'ltan'a pleasure. After what Schahriar had heard, he was far from any design to put Scheherazade to death ; on the contrary, he said to himself, I will not take away her life xintil she I. as finished the surprising story, though it "Suuid last for two mouths. It shall always be in my power to keep the oath I have made. The Twenty-Sixth Night. As soon as Dinarzade thought it time to call the sultancss, she said to her, How much should I be obliged to you, dear sister, if you would tell us what passed in the Pa- lace of Tears ! Schahriar having signified that he was as curious to know it as Dinar- zade, the sultaness resumed the story of the young enchanted prince as follows :— Sir, after the enchantress had given the king her husband a hundred blows with the (ix-pizzle, she put on again his covering of goat's hair, and his brocade gown over all. She went afterwards to the Palace of Tears, and as she entered the same, she renewed her tears and lamentations ; then approach- ing the bed where she thought her gallant •was, "What cruelty," cries she, "was it to disturb the satisfaction of so tender and passionate a lover as I am ! O thou who reproachest me that I am too inhuman when I make thee feel the ellects of my resent- ment ! — cruel prince! — does not thy bar- barity surpass my vengeance ? Ah, traitor ! in attempting the life of the object which I adore, hast thou not robbed me of mine? Alas," says she, addressing herself to the sidtan, while she thought she sjjoke to the black, "my sun, my life, will you always be silent? Are you resolved to let me die, ■without giving me the comfort of telling me that you love me? My soul, speak one word to me, at least, I conjure you." The sultan, making as if he had been awoke out of a deep sleep, and counterfeiting the language of the blacks, answered the queen with a grave tone, " There is no strength or power but in God alone, who is almighty." At these words the enchantress, who did not expect them, gave a great shout to signify her excessive joy. "My dear lord," cries she, " do not I deceive myself ? Is it certain that I hear you, and that you speak to me ? " " Unhappy wretch !" said the sultan, " art thou worthy that I should answer thy dis- coxirse ? " " Alas ! " re])liea the queen, ' ' why- do you reproach me thus ?" "The cries," re- plied he, "the groans and tears of thy hus- band, whom thou treatest every day with so much indignity pnd barbarity, hinder me from sleeping niglit and day. I should have been cured long ago, and have recovered the use of my speech, hadst thou disenchanted him. That is the cause of my silence, which you complain of." " Very well," says the enchantress; "to pacify you, I am ready to do what you will command me : would you have me restore him as he was?" "Yes," replies the sultan; " make haste to set him at liberty, that I be no more disturbed with his cries." The enchantress went immediately out of the Palace of Tears : she took a cup of water, and pronounced words over it, which caused it to boil, as if it had been on tho fire. She went afterwards to the hall, to the young king her husband, and threw the water upon him, saying, " If the Creator of all things did form thee so as thou art at present, or if He be angry with thee, do not change : but if thou art in that condition merely by virtue of my enchantments, re- sume thy natural shape, and become what thou wast before." She had scarce spoken these words, when the prince, finding him- self restored to his former condition, rose np freely, with all imaginable joy, and returned thanks to God. The enchantress then said to him, " Get thee gone from this castle, and never return here on pain of death ! " The young king, yielding to necessity, went away from the enchantress, without replying a word, and retired to a remote place, v/here ht patiently Jiwaited the success of the de- sign which the sultan had so happily begun. Meanwhile the enchantress returned to the Palace of Tears ; and, supposing that she still spoke to the black, says, " Dear lover, I have done what you ordered ; let nothing noT»- hinder you from givmg me that satis- faction of v/hich I have been deprived so long." The sultan continued to counterfeit the language of the blacks. " That which you liave just now done," said he, " is not suffi- cient to my cure. You have only eased me of part of my disease ; you must cut it iip by the roots." " My lovely black," rejjlies she, " ,vhat do you mean by the roots ?" " Unfortunate woman," replies the sultan, " do not j'ou understand that I mean the town, and its inhabitants, aid the four islands, which thou hast destroyed by thy enchantments. The fishes every night at midnight raise their heads out of the pond, and cry for vengeance against thee and me. Tliis is the true cause of the delay of my cure. Go speedily, restore things as they were, and at thy return I will give thee my hand, and thou shalt help me to rise." The enchantress, filled with hopes from these words, cried out in a transport of joy, "My heart ! my sovl ! you shall soon be restored to your heiJth, for I will imme- diately do what you command me." Ac- cordingly she went that moment; and when she came to the brink of the pond, she took a little water in her hand, and 'iiiiiiliiii es from oi joy, oon be inmie- " Ac- t; and pond, id, and THE YOUNG KING OF THE BLACK ISLES. 37 sprinkling it- Here Scheherazade saw day, and stopped. Diuarzode says to the sidtaness. Sister, I am much rejoiced to hear that the young king of the four Black Islands was disen- chanted, and I already consider the town and the inhibitants as restored to their former statf, ; but I long to know what will becom'i of the enchantress. Have a little pati'jnce, replies the sultaness ; you shall have the satisfaction you desire to- morrow, if the sultan my lord will con- sent to it. Schahriar, having resolved on this already, as was said before, rose up, and went about his business. The Twenty-Seventh Night. At the usual hour, Dinarzade called upon the sultaness thus : — Dear sister, pray tell us what was the fate of the magician queen, as you promised us. Upon which Schehera- zade went on thus : — The enchantress had no sooner sprinkled the water, and pronoimced some words over the fishes and the pond, but the city was immediately restored. The fiahes became men, women, and children, Mohammedans, Christians, Persians, or Jews, freemen or slaves, as they were before ; every one having recovered their natural form. The houses and shops were imme- diately filled with their inhabitants, who found all things as they were before the en- chantment. The sultan's numerous retinue, who foimd themselves encamped in the largest square, were astonished to see them- selves in an instant in the middle of a large, handsome, weU-peopled city. To return to the enchantress. As soon as she had effected this wonderfid change, she returned with all diligence to the Palace of Tears, that she might reap the fruits of it. "My dear lord," cried slie, as she entered, " I come to rejoice with you for the return of your health. I have done all that you required of me : then pray rise, and give me your hand." " (Jome near," said the sidtan, still counterfeiting the language of the blacks. She did so, "You are not near enough," replied he ; " come nearer." She t affectionate rrrbraces; after which the young pvir ,; w ■ lo' ally taken up in making p'epa 'uionb .01 aM journey, which were fii ished in three weeks' time, to the great rr^^rct ' ■" r'.j court and subjects, who agreed to -ecei' e at his hands one of his nearest kind.-ed for tHeir king. At last the sultai auc the young prince began their journey with a hundretl camels laden with inestiaiai le riches from the trea- sury of the yomig king, followed by fifty handsome gentlemen on horseback, perfectly well mounted and dressed. They had a very hapi)y journey ; and -when the sidtan, who had sent couriers to give advice of iiL* delay, and of the adventure which had occa- j sioned it, oame near his capital, he prin- cipal officers he had left there "iime to receive him, and to assure him that h.s Iqng absence had occasioned no aU'.iitioa in nis empire. The inhabitants c*me ovt also in great crowds, receiving him -,v.''h 38 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. K A 1 |! acclamations, and made public rejoicings for several days. Next day after his arriyal, the sultan gave all his courtiers a very ample account of the events which, contrary to his expec- tation, had detained him so long. Ho acquainted them with his having adopted the king of the four Black Islands, who was willing to leave a great kingdom to accom- pany and live with him ; auc'l, in short, in reward of their loyalty, he made each of them presents according to their rank. As for th j fisherman, as he was the first cause of the deliverance of thi3 young prince, the sultan gave him a plentiful fortune, which made him and his family happy the rest of their days. Here Scheherazade made an end of the story of the Fisherman and 'the Genie. Di- narzade signified that she had taken a great deal of pleasure in it ; and Schahriar having said the same thing, the sulianess told them that she knew another w!luch was much finer, and if the sultan would give her leave, she would tell it them next morning, for day began to appear. Schahriar, bethink- ing himself that he had granted the sultaness a month's reprieve, and beuig curious more- over to know if this new story would be as agreeable as she promised, got up, with a desire to hear it next night. The Twenty-Eighth Night. DiNABZADE, according to custom, did not forget to call the suit sess when it was time. Madam, said si' e, I know not what "•'4i'iii|''!5iri[i"" is the matter with me, but I know very well that one of the stories which you tell so agreeably would be a great relief against that melancholy which eats me up. Scheherazade, without answering her, began immediately, and told the sultan the follow- ing story : — THE STORY OF THE THREE CALENDERS,* SONS OF KINGS, AND O' THE FIVE LADIES OF BAGDAD. Sir, said she, in the reign of Caliph Ha- roun Alraschid, there was at Bagdad, the place of his residence, a porter, who, not- withstanding his mean and laborious busi- ness, was a fellow of wit and good humour. One morning, as he was at the place where he usually plied, with a great basket, wait- ing for employment, a handsome young lady, covered with a great muslin veil, accosted him, and said, with a pleasant air, "Hark ye, porter, take your basket, and follow me." The porter, charmed with those few words, pronounced in so agreeable a manner, took his basket immediately, set it on his head, and followed the lady, saying, "O happy day ! day of good luck ! " The lady stopped presently before a gate that was shut, and knocked: a Christian, with a venerable long white beard, opened the gate, and she put money into his hand, without speaking one word : but the Chris- tian, who knew what she wanted, went in, and in a little time after brought a large jug of excellent wine. "Take this jug," said the lady to the porter, "and put it in your basket." This being done, she commanded him to follow her ; and as she went on, the porter said stiU, "O happy day! this is a day of agreeable surprise and joy!" The lady stopped at a fruit-shop, where she bought several sorts of apples, apricots. * A sort of Mobammudan moi.ks. •diSU THE THREE CALENDERS AND FIVE LADIES. 39 loots, peaches, quinces, lemons, citrons, oranges, myrtles, sweet basil, lilies, jessamine, and some other sorts of iiowers and fragrant plants; — she bade the porter put all into his basket, and follow her. As she went by a butcher's stall, she made him weigh her twenty-tive pounds of his best meat, which she ordered the porter to put also into his basket ; at another shop she took capers, tarragou, cucumbei-s, sassafras, and other herbs, to be preserved in vinegar; at an- other shop she bought pistachios, nuts, fil- berts, almonds, '■■' inRJs of pine apples, and such other fruitt> . and at another she bought all sorts of confectionary. When the porter had put all these things into his basket, and perceived that it grew fidl, "My good lady," said he, "yo\i ought to have given me no- tice that you had so much provision to carrj', and then I would have got a horse, or rather a camel, to have carried them ; for if you buy ever so little more, I shall not be able to carry it." '''■ •} lady .laughed at the fel- low's pleac- '•'■''' .lAiour, and ordered him still to follow ' ir, Then she went to a druggist, where she furnished herself v it!i all manner of sweet- scented waters, cloves, musk, pepper, gin- ger, and a great piece of ambergris, and several other Indian spices. This quite filled the porter's basket, and she ordered him to follow her. They witlked till they came to a magnificent house, whose front was adorned with fine columns, and which had a gate of ivory. There they stopped, and the lady knocked softly. — Here Schehe- razade, perceiving day, broke off. I must own, sister, says Dinarzade, the beginning of this story has a great deal of curiosity; I fancy the sultun ■viU not deprive himself of the pleasure .u (lesr- ing the rest of it. And, indetd, r'o" ,!■* ., was so far from ordering the su.'f'.aeii t' .us put to death, that he longed v \ itier'Iy lor Dixt night, to know what jr. ati u >. ; tine aouse. The Twenty-Ninth Night. Dinarzade being awake before day, atl- dressed the sultaness thus: Si?i,er, it you be awake, I would pray you to continue the history you began yesterday , and 8chf,he- razade went on with it thus : — While the young lady and the porter stayed for the oi)ening of the gate, the porter had a thousand thoughts : \st wond'. red that such a tine lady should cone ab'>i«j. ^-. buy provisions: he concluded ..uo uouid Lot be a slave, her :;■> was too noble; and there- fore he Vuoitght she mr.st needs be a woman of f;'"..*lity. Just iis h j was about to a'jk her !i ime questions u^ran that iieau, auotlfer lady came to open the gate, and appeared to him so beautifiU, that he was perfectly surprised, or rather so much struck with her charms, that he had like to have Int his basket fall, for he had never seen any beauty that equalled her. The lady who brought the porter with her, j>ereeiviiig his disorder, and what occa- sioned it, diverted herself with it, and took so much pleasure to examine his looks, that she forgot the gate was opened. U[K)n this, the beautiful lady said to her, "Pray, sister, come in; what do you stay for? Do you not see this poor man so heavily laden, that he is scarcely able to stand under it? " When she enteretl with the porter, the lady who opened the gate shut it, and all three, after having gone through a very fine porch, came into a spacious court encom- passed with an open gallery, which had a communication with several apartments on a floor, and extraordinarily magnificent. There was at the farther end of the court a sofa richly adorned, with a throne of amber in the middle of it, supported by four col- umns of ebony, enriched with diamonds and pearls of an extraordinary size, and covered with red satin embroidered with Indian gold of ailmirable workmanship. In the middle of the court there was a great fountain, faced with white marble, and fidl of clear water, which fell into it abundantly out of the mouth of a lion of brass. The porter, though heavy laden, could not but admire the magnificence of this house, and the excellent order that every- thing was placed in ; but that which par- ticiUarly captivated his attention was a thirtl Wly, who seemed to be a greater beauty than the second, and was seated upon the throne just now mentioned. She came down from it, as soon as she saw the two former ladies, and advanced towards tliem : he judged bj' the respect which the others shewed her that she was the chief, in which he was not mistaken. This lady was called Zobeide, she who opened the yate was called Safie, and Amine was the name of her who went out to buy the pro* visions. Zobeide said to the two ladies, when she came to them, " Sisters, do not you see that this honest man is reatly to sink xmder his burden ? Why do not you ease him of it ? " Then Amine and Safie took the basket, the one before and the other behind, and Zo- beide also lent her hantl, and all three to- gether set it on the ground ; then emjjtied it ; and when they had done, the beautiful Amine took out money, and paid the porter liberally. — Daylight appeari ng, Scheherazade was obliged to keep silence ; but Schahriar, having a great desire to hear the rest of the story, ordered the sultaness to go on with it next night. 1;'^ ■'\ 40 THE ARABUN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. ^ The Thirtietli Night. Next morning JJinarzade, being awaked by her impatience to hear the rest of the story, said to the sultaness, For the sake of heaven, sistei", if you be not asleep, give us an account of what the ladies did with the provisions brought by Amine. — You shall quickly hear it, said Scheherazade, if you listen to my story, which she resiuned as follows : — The porter, very well satisfied with the money he had received, was to Jiave taken up his basket, and be gone ; but he could not tell how to think on it. Do what he could, he foimd himself stopped by the pleasure of seeing three such beauties, who appeared to him equally charming ; for Araine, having now laid aside her veU, was as handsome as either of them. What sur- prised him most was, that he saw no man about the house, yet most of the provisions he brought in, as the dry fruits, and the several sorts of cakes and confections, were fit chiefly for those who could drink And make merry. Zobeide thought at first that the porter «taid only to take breath ; but perceiving that he staid too long, " What do you wait for ? " said she : " are you not well «nough paid ? " And turning to Amine, said, "Sister, give him something more, that he may depart satisfied." " Madam," replied the porter, "it is not that which keeps me, I am over and above paid ; I am sensible that I am unmannerly to stay longer than I ought, but I hope you will be so good as to pardon me if I tell you that 1 am astouished to see that there is no man with three ladies of such extraordinary beauty ; and you know that a company of women without men is as melancholy a thing as a company of men without wome;^." To this he added several other pleasant tilings, to prove what he said, and did not forget the Bagdad proverb, " That the table is not completely furnished except there be four in company : " and so concluded that since they were but three they wanted a fourth. The ladies fell a-laughing at the porter's discourse ; after which, Zobeide said to him very gravely, "Friend, you are a little too bold ; and though you do not deserve that T shoidd enter into particulars with you, yet I am willing to tell you that we are three sisters, who do our business so secretly that nobody knows anything of it. We have too great reason to be cautious of i c- quaintiug indiscreet persons with it ; and a good author that we have read, says, • Keep your secret, and do not reveal it to any- body. He that reveals it is no longer master of it. If your own breast cannot keep your secret, how do you think that another person will keep it ?' " " My ladies," replied the porter, "by your very air, I judged at first that you were persons of extraordinary merit, and I con- ceive that I am not mistaken ; though for- tv.ne has not given me wealth enough to raise me above my mean profession, yet I have not failed to cidtivate my mind as much as I could, by reading books of science and history : and allow me, if you X>lease, to tell you, that I have also read in another author a maxim which I have al- ways happily practised : ' We do not con- ceal our secrets,' says he, ' but from such persons as are known to all the world to want discretion, and woidd abuse the con- fidence we put in them ; but we make no scruple to discover them to prudent persons, because we knc 'hey can keep them.' A secret with me x. ' sure as if it were in a closet whose kev *■ and the door sealed up." Zobeide perceiving , ii tlie porter did not want sense, but concviving he had a mind to share in their treat, she replied to him, smiling, " You know that we are about to have a treat, and you know also that we have been at a considerable expense, and it is not just that you shoidd have a share of it, without contributing towards it. " The beautifid Safie seconded her sister, and said to the jiorter, "Friend, have you never heard that which is commonly said, ' Tf you bring anything with you, you shall be welcome ; but if you bring nothing, you must get you gone with nothing ?' " The porter, notwithstanding his rhetoric, must, in all probability, have retired in con- fusion, if Amine had not taken his part, and said to Zobeide and Safie, " My dearest sisters, I conjure you to let nim stay with us; I need not teU you thrt lie will divert us — you see well enough that he is capable of that : I must needs tell you that unless he had been very wilUng, as well as nimble, and hardy enough to follow me, I could not have done so much business in so little time ; besides, should I repeat to you all the oblig- ing expressions he used to me by the way, you would not be surprised at my protect- ing him." At thes? words of Amine, the porter was so much transported with joy that he fell on his knees, kissed the ground at the feet of that charming person, and raising him- self uj), said, "Most beautiful lady, you began my good fortune to-day, and now you complete it by this generous action ; I can- not enough testify my acknowledgment for it. As to what remains, my ladies," said he, addressing himself to all three sisters, "since you dome so great honour, do not think that I will abuse it, or look upon my- self as a person that deserves it. No, I «?» (* ■MMRMwaa THE THREE CALENDERS AND FIVE LADIES. 41 f^% shall always look upon myself as one of your most humble slaves." 'WTien he had spoken these wokIs, he would have returned the money he had received, but the grave Zo- beide ordered him to keep it. "That which we have once given," said she, "to reward those who have served us we never take again." — Here day began to dawn, which put Scheherazade to silence. Dinarzade, who listened with a great deal of attention, was much troubled at it, but had this comfort, however, that the sultan, who was as curious as she to know what passed betwixt the three beautifid ladies and the porter, ordered the sidtaness to go on with the rest of the story next night, and rose up to go about his business. The Thirty-First Night. The next morning Dinarzade did not fail to awaken the sultaness at the ordinary time, and said. Dear sister, if you are not asleep, I woidd pray you (until break of day, which is near at hand) to go on with that agreeable story you began. Upon which, Scheherazade addressed the sultan thus : Sir, with your leave, I am willing to satisfy my sister's curiosity ; and at the same time went on with the story of the Three Calenders. Zobeide would not take back the money from the porter, but said, " My friend, in consehting that you stay with us, I must forewarn you that it is not only on con- dition that you keej) secret what we have required you; but also that you observe exactly the rules of good manners and civility." Tn the meantime, the charming Amine put off the apparel she went abroad with, put on her night-gown, that she might be more easy, and covered the table, which ahe furnished with several sorts of meat, and upon a sideboard she set bottles of wine and cups of gold. Soon after the ladies took their places, and made the porter sit down by them, who Avas overjoyed to see himself at a table with three such admirable beau- ties. After they had eaten a little. Amine, who sat next the sideboard, took up a bottle and a cup, filled out wine and drank first herself, according to the custom of the Arabians ; then she filled the cup to her sisters, who drank in course as they sat ; and at last she filled it the fourth time to the pirter, who, as he received it, kissed A mine's hand ; and before he drank, sung a song to this purpose : — That as the wind brijigs along with it the sweet scents of the perfumed places through which it passes, so the wine he was going to drink, coming from her fair hands, received a more exquisite taste than what it had «f its own nature. This song pleased the ladies so much, that each of them sung another in their turn. In short, they were very merry all dinner- time, which lasted a long while, and nothing was wanting that coiild make it agreeable. The day being almost spent, Safie spoke in the name of the three ladies, and said to the porter, " Arise, and be gone ; it is time for you to depart." But the porter, not willing to leave so good company, cried: "Alas! ladies, whither do you command me to go in the condition I am in? I am quite be- side myself by what I have seen since I came hither ; and having also drunk above my usual quantity, I shall never find the way home : allow me this ni^ht to repose in any place where you plt^e, for no less time is necessary for me to recover myself ; but go when I will, I shall leave the best part of myself behind me." Amine pleaded the second time for the porter, Sivying, " Sisters, he is in the right ; I am pleased with the request, he having already diverted us so well ; and, if you will take my advice, or if you love me as much as I think you do, let us keep him, to pass away the remaining part of the night." "Sister, "answered Zobeide, "we can refuse you nothing ;" and then turning to the por- ter, said, "We are willing once more to grant your request, but upon this new con- dition, that whatever we do in your presence relating to ourselves or anything else, take heed you do not once open your mouth to ask the reason of it; for if you ask ques- tions about that which does not belong to you, you may chance to know that which will be no way pleasing to you; beware, therefore, and do not be too curious to dive into the motives of our actions." " Madam," repUed the porter, " I promise to observe this condition with such exact- ness, that you shall have no cause to reproach me With breaking it, and far less to punish my indiscretion : my tongue shall be immov- able on this occasion, and my eye like a looking-glass, which retains nothing of the object that is set before it." " And to shew you," said Zobeide, with a serious counte- nance, " that what we demand of you is not a new thing among us, rise up, and read what is written over our gate on the in- side." The porter went thither, and read these words, written in large characters of gold : "He who speaks of things that do not con- cern him shall hear of things that wiU not please him." Eeturning again to the three sisters, " Ladies," said he, " I give you my oath that you shall never hear me speak anything wliich does not concern me, or wherein you may have any concern." This agreement being made. Amine brought in supper, and after the room was set round with tapers, that were mixed r !•- 42 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. with aloes and ambergris, which gave a most agreeable scent, as well as a delicate light, she sat down at table with her sisters and the porter. They began again to eat and drink, sing, and repeat verses. The ladies took pleasure to fuddle the porter, under pretext of causing him to drink their healths, and abundance of witty sentences passed on both sides. In short, as they were all in the besfc humour in the world, they heard a knocking at the gate. — Schehera- zade was obliged to stop here, because she observed daylight appearing. The sultan, not doubting the sequel of this history deserved to be heard, put it o£f till the day following, and so arose. The Thirty-Second Night. The next night being almost at an end, Dinarzade called to the sultaness : For heaven's sake, sister, if you are awake, let me pray you to continue the story of the three fair ladies : I am very impatient till I know who it was that knocked at their gate. — You shall hear it immediately, said she ; I am sure that what I am now going to relate is worthy of my lord the sultan's attention : — When the ladies, said she, heard the knocking, they all three got up to open the gate ; but Satie, to whom this oiSce parti- cularly belonged, was the nimblest; which her other two sisters perceiving, sat down till she came back, to acquaint them who it could be that had any business with them so late. Safie re- turning, said, " Sisters, we have here a very fine op- portunity to pass a good part of the night with much satisfac- tion, and if you be of the same mind with me, we shall not let it shp. There are three ca- lenders at our gate, at least they appear to be such by their habit ; but that which you will most admire is, they are all three blind of the rigLt eye, and have their heads, beards, and eyebrows shaved, and, as they say, are but just come to Bagdad, where they never were before ; and it being night, and not know- ing where to find any lodging, they hap- pened by chance to knock at this gate, and pray us, for the love of heaven, to have compassion on them, and receive them into the house : they care not what place we put them in, provided they may be under shelter ; they woidd be satisfied with a sta- ble : they are yoimg and handsome enough, and seem also to be men of good sense ; but I cannot without laughing think of their pleasant and uniform figure." Herei Satie fell a-laughing so heartily, that it put the two sisters and the porter into the same mood. "My dear sisters," said she, "are you content that they come in ? it is impos- sible but with such persons as T have already described them to be we shall finish the day better than we began it'; they will afford us diversion enough, and put us to no charge, because they desire shelter only for this night, and resolve to leave us as soon as day appears." Zobeide and Ai: ine made some difficulty to grant Safie's request, for reasons they well knew • bi't she having so great a desire to obtain this fa c, th' ji. Jd not refuse her. "Go, theu," jiiid Z"bcide, "and bring them in ; but do not forget to acquaint them that they must not speak of anything which does nob concern them, and cause them to read what is written over the gate." Safie ran out with a great defd of joy, and in a little time after returned with the three calenders in her company. At their entrance they made a profound bow to the ladies, who rose up to receive them, told them most obligingly that they were very welcome, that they were glad to have met Mith an opportunity to oblige them, and to contribute towards relievmg them from the fatigue of their journey, and at last invited them to sit down with them. The magnificence of the place, and the civility they received in it, made the calen- ders conceive a great idea of these hand- some ladies ; but, before they sat down, having by chance cast their eyes upon the porter, whom they saw clatl almost like one of those other calenders with whom they are in controvei-sy about several points of disci- pline, because they never shave their beards nor eyebrows, one of them said, " Look here, I believe we have got one of our revolted Arabian brethren." The porter being half asleep, and having his head warm with wine, was affronted at these words, and with a fierce look, with- out stirring from his place, answered, " Sit you down, and do not meddle with what does not concern you. Have you not read the inscription over the gate 1 Do not pre- THE THREE CALENDERS AND FIVE LADIES. 43 tend to make people live after your faahiou, but follow ours." " iloneat man," said the calender, "do not put yourself in a passion ; we should be very sorry to give you the least occasion ; on the contrary, we are ready to receive your commands." Upon which, to put an end to the dispute, the ladies interposed, and paci- fied them. When the calenders sat down at table, the ladies served them with meat ; and Safie, being most pleased with them, did not let them want for drink. Scheherazade 8top2>ed her discourse, be- cause she saw day appear, and the sultan got up to follow his affairs, and promised to hear the rest of the story next day ; for he had a great desire to know why those three calenders were blind, and all three of the same eye. \ The Thirty-Third Night. An hour before day, Dinarzade being awake, said to the sultaness. Dear sister, pray let me know what passed between the ladies and the calenders. — ^With aU my heart, replied Scheherazade, and continued her story in the manner following : — After the calenders hod eaten and drank liberally, they signified to the ladies that they had a great desire to entertain them with a concert of music, if they had any in- struments in the house, and would cause them to be brought : they willingly accepted the proffer, and fair S«Uie going to fetch them, returned again in a moment, and pre- sented them with a flute of her own country fashion, another of the Fersiau sort, and a tabor. Each man took the instrument he liked, and aU three together began to play a tune. The ladies, who knew the words of a merry song that suited the air, joined the concert with their voices ; but the words of the song made them now and then stop, and fall into excessive laughter. In the height of this diversion, and when the company were in tlie midst of their jol- lity, somebody knocked at the gate. Safie left off singing, and went to see who it was. — But, sir, said Scheherazade to the sul- tan, it is fit your majestj' should know why this knocking happened so late at the ladies' house. Now the reason was this : The Caliph Haroun Alraschid was accustomed to wajk abroad in disguise very often by night, that he might see with liis own eyp« if every- thing was quiet in the city, and that no dis- orders were committed in it. This night the caliph went out pretty early on hia rambles, accompanied by Gia- fai", his grand vizier, and Mesrour, the chief of the eunuchs of his palace, all disguised in merchants' habits ; and passing through the street where the three ladies dwelt, he heard the sound of the music and great fits of laughter ; uj)on which he commanded the vizier to knock, because he would go in, to know the reason of that jollity. The vizier told him in vain that it was some women merry-making; that without question their heiids were warm with wine, and that it would not be proper he should expose him- self to be affronted by them : besides, it was not yet an unlawful hour, and therefore he ought not to disturb them in their mirth. " No matter," said the caliph, " I command you to knock." So it was the grand vizier Giafar that knocked at the ladies' gate by the caliph's order, because he himself woiUd not be known. Safie opened the gate, and the vizier perceiving, by the bght that she held in her hand, that she was on incomparable beauty, he acted his part very well, and with a very low bow and respectful beha- viour, told her, " Madam, we are three mer- chants of Mossoul, who arrived about ten days ago with rich merchandise, which we have in a warehouse at a khan, or inn, where we have also our lodging. We happened this day to be with a merchant of the city, who invited us to a treat at his house, where we had a splendid entertainment : and the wine having put us in humour, he sent for a company of dancers. Night being come on, and the music and dancers making a great noise, the watch cam by in the meantime, caused the gate to be ojjened, and some of the company to be taken up ; but we had the good fortune to escape by getting over a wall. Now," said the vizier, "being strangers, and somewli.at overcome with wine, we are afraid of meeting another, and perhaps the same watch, before we get home to our khan, which lies a good way from hence. Besides, when we come there, the gates will be shut, and not opened till morn- ing : wherefore, mailam, hearing, as we passed by this way, the sound of music, we supposed you were not yet going to rest, and made bold to knock at your gate, to beg the favour of lodging ourselves in the house till morning ; and if you think us worthy of your good comi>any, tve will endeavour to contribute to your diversion to the best of our power, to make some amends for the interruption we have given you ; if not, we only beg the favour of staying tliis night under your porch." Whilst Giafar held this discourse, fair Safie had time to observe the vizier and his two companions, who were said to be merchants like himself, and told them that she was not mistress of the house ; but if they would have a minute's patience, she would return with an answer. Safie acquainted her sisters with the mat- ter, who considered for some time what to conclude upon ; but being naturally of a good disposition, and having granted the misxr^ r- 44 THE ARAB/AN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. same favour to the three calenders, they at last conBeotcd to let them in. — Scheherazade intending to continue her story, saw day- light api>ear, which made her break ofF; but the quality of these new actors which the sultauess had brought upon the stage ex- cited the curiosity of Schahriar, who, looking for some singular event, exx^ectcd the next night with imjiaticnce. The Thirty-Fourth Night. DiNARZADE, being as curious as the sultan to know what the arrival of the caliph at the house of those three ladies might jiro- eak first, but they excused themselves ; and at last they agreed that the porter should be the man : and as they were con- sulting how to won' this fatal question, Zobeidc returned from her sister Amine, who was recovered of her fit, tlrew near them, and, having overheard them speak- ing pretty loud, and with some passion, said, " Gentlemen, what is the subject of your discourse ? what are you disputing about ?" The porter answered immediately, " Ma- dam, these gentlemen pray you to let them understand wherefore you wept over your two bitches after you whipped them so severely, and how that lady's bosom, who lately fainted away, comes to be so full of scars. This is what I am ordered to ask in their name." At these words, Zobeide looked with a stem countenance ; and, turning towards the calijih and the rest of the company, " Is this true, gentlemen," said she, " that you have given him orders to ask me this question?" All of them, except the vizier Giafar, who spoke not a word, answered j'cs. On which she told them, in a tone that sufficiently expressed her resentment, " Before we granted you the favour of being received into our house, and to pre- vent all occasion of trouble from you, be- cause we are alone, we did it upon condition that you should not speak of anything that did not concern you, lest you might come to hear that which would not please you ; and yet, after having received and entertained you as weU as we possibly could, you make no scruple to break your promise. It is true tliat our easy temi)er has occasioned this, but that shall not excuse you, for your proceedings are very unhandsome." As she spoke these words, she gave three hard knocks with her foot, and clapping her hands as often together, cried, " Come quick." Upon this, a door ilew open, and seven strong, sturdy black slaves, with scimitars in their hands, rushed in ; e>ery one seized a man, tlirew him on the ground, and dragged him into the middle of the room, in order to cut oflf his head. We may easily conceive what a fright the caliph was in ; he then repented, but too late, that he had not taken his vizier's ad- vice. In the meantime, this unhappy j^iince, Giafar, Mesrour, the porter, and the /# jm *iA, THE THREE CALENDERS AND FIVE LADIES. 47 calenders, were iijOTn the point of losing their lives by their indiscreet curiosity. But before they would strike the fatal blow one of the slovcs said to Zobeidu and her sisters, " High, mighty, and adorable mis- tresses, do you command us to cut their throats ?" " .SUy," says Zt>beide, " I must examine them lirsit." The frightened i>orter 1^ interrupted her thus : "In the name of heaven, do not make me die for another man's crime ! T am innocent — they are to blame. Aloa!" said he, crying, "how ])Iea8antly did we pass our time ! Those blind calenders are the cause of this misfor- tune ; there is no town in the world but suffers wherever these inauspicious fellows come. Madam, I beg you not to destroy the innocent with the guilty, and consider that it is more glorious to pardon such a wretch as I .-vm, who have no way to help myself, than to sacrifice me to your resent- ment." Zobeide, notwithstanding her anger, coidd not but laugh witliin herself at the porter's lamentation ; but, without answering him, she spoke a second time to the rest : " An- swer me," said she, " and tell me who you are, otherwise you shall not live one moment longer. I cannot believe you to be honest men, nor persons of authority or distinction in your own countries ; for if you were, you woidd have been modest and more respect- ful to us." The caliph, who was naturally impatient, was infinitely more impatient than the rest to find his life depend upon the command of a lady justly incensed ; but he began to con- ceive some hopes when he saw she would know who they were ; for he imagined she would not take away his life when once she came to be informed who he was : there- fore he spoke with a low voice to the vizier, who was near him, to declare speedily who he was ; but the vizier, being more prudent, resolved to save his master's honour, and not let the world know the affront he had brought upon himself by his own weakness ; and therefore answered, "We hivve what we deserve." But if he would have spoke in obedience to the caliph, Zobeide did not give him time ; for, having turned to the calenders, and seeing them all three blind with one eye, she asked if they were brothers. One of them answered, " No, madam, no otherwise than as we are calen- ders ; that is to say, as we observe the same rules." "Were you bom blind of the right eye ? " replied she. " No, madam," answered he; "I lost my eye in such a surprising adventure, that it would be in- structive to everybody were it in writing. After that misfortune, I shaved my beard and eyebrows, and took the habit of a calender, which I now wear." Zobeide asked the other two calenders the same question, and had the same an- swer; but he who spoke last added, "Ma- dam, tc shew you that we are no common fellows, and that you may have some consi- deration for us, be pleased to know that we are all three sons of kings ; and though we never met together till this evening, yet we have had time enough to make that known to one another; and I assure you that the kings from whom we derive our being made some noise in the world." ^•■^'r' ■MMhi "fW! 4« THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. At this diHcourHc, Zobeido ft88\inj{L'il Iht anRor, and said to tlif BlavcM, "Givu tlifni thuir liberty a wliilo, Imt stay litTc. TIioho wild ti'll ua their history, and tho occasion of their coining, do them no hurt, let them j;o whero they please ; but do not sjiaro those who refuso to give us that satisfae- tion." — Hero Sehehera/ade stopped ; and her silence, as well as daylight, K'vinK tho Bultan to know that it was time for him to rise, he f;ot ui), and resolved to lioar tho rest of the story next night ; for he was im- patient to know who these three oue-cy'd caleudera were. The Thirty-Seventh Night. DlXAKZADE, who also took a {,'reat deal of pleasure to hear tlio sultaness's stories, said to her, about the close of tho following night, Dear sister, if you be not asleep, I conjure you to go on with tho agreeable story of the three calenders. Scheherazade asked leave of the sultan, and having obtained it, Sir, said she, the three calenders, the caliph, the grand vizier Giafar, the eunuch Mosrour, and tho porter were all in the niidrince following ftftor, carrying a little pitcher with water, a hatchet, and a little Img with ]iliu*ter. The hatchet served him to break down the > ^)ty sepulchre in the middle of the tomb; lie took away the stoni'H one after another, and laid them in a corner. When all thiH was taken away, he digged up the ground, where I saw a trap-door under tho sepulchre, which he lifte, and provisions of several sorts standing on one side of it ; but we were very much surprised to see nobody. Before us there appeared a high sofa, which we mounted by several steps, and over this there apjjeared a very large bed, with the curtains drawn close. The king went up, and opening the ciu-tains, perceived the prince his son and the lady in bed together, but burnt and changed to a coal, as if they had been thrown into a great fire, and taken out again before they were consumed. But what surprised me most of all was, that though this spectacle filled me with horror, the king my uncle, instead of testi- fying his sorrow to see the prince his son in such a frightfid condition, spit on his face, and said to him with adisdainfiU air, "This is the punishment of this world, but that of the other wUl last to eternity; " and not con- tent with this, he pulled off his sandal, and gave his son a great blow on the cheek with it. But, sir, said Scheherazade, it is day. I am sorry your majesty's time will not allow you to he.ir me farther. This story appearing very strange to the sultan, he got up, resolved to hear the rest of it next night. The Thirty-Nintli Night. DiNARZADE being awake sooner than ordi- nary, called her sister Scheherazade. My good Bidtaness, said she, I pray you make an end of your story of the first calender, for I am ready to die with impatience till I know the issue of it. — Well, then, said Scheherazade, you remember how tha first > 1 i THE FIRST CALENDER. 51 calender continued his story to Zobeide : — I cannot enough express, madam, said he, how much I was astonished when I saw the king my uncle abuse the prince his son thus after he was dead. "Sir," said I, "what- ever grief this dismal sight is capable of im- pressing upon me, I am forced to suspend it, on purpose to ask your majesty what crime the prince my cousin may have committed, that his corpse should deserve this sort of treatment ?" " Nephew," replied the king, ' ' I must tell you that my son (who is un- worthy of that name) loved his sister from his infancy, as she ditl him ; I did not hinder their growing love, because I did not per- ceive tlie pernicious consequence of it. This tenderness increased as they grew in years to such a hei^^ht, that I dreaded the end of it. At last I applied such reinedies as were in my power. I not only ga\e my son a severe reprimand in private, laying before him the hon'i))le nature of the pas- sion he entertained, and the eternal disgrace he woidd bring upon my family, if he per- sisted iu such criminal courses, but I also represented the same to my daughter; and I shut her up so close that she could have no conversation with her brother. But that unfortunate creature had swallowed so much of the poison, that all the obstacles which by my prudence I could lay in the way served only to inflame her love. ' ' My son being persuaded of his sister's constancy, on pretence of budding and when I came forth, instead of my own clothes, I found another very costly suit, which I did not esteem so much for its rich- ness, as because it made me look worthy to be in her company. We sat down on a sofa covered with rich tapestry, with cushions to lean upon of the rarest Indian brocade ; and some time after she coshered a table with several dishes of delicate meats. We ate together, and passed the remaining part of the day with much satisfaction ; and at night she received me to her bed. The next day, as she contrived every means to please me, she brought in at dinner a bottle of old wine, the most excel- lent that ever was tasted ; and out of com- plaisance she drank some part of it with nie. When my head grew hot with the agreeable liquor, " Fair princess," said I, "you have been too long thus buried alive : follow me, and enjoy the real day, from which yoii have been deprived so many years, and aban- don this false light that you have here." "Prince," rejUied she, with a smile, "leave this discourse; if you out of ten days will grant me nine, and resign the last to the genie, the fairest day that ever was would be nothing in my esteem." " Princess," said I, "it is the fear of the genie that makes you speak thus ; for my part, I value him BO little, that I will break in pieces his talisman, with the conjuration that is writ- ten about it. Let him come ; I will expect him ; and how brave or redoubtable soPVcr he be, I will make him feel the weight of my arm. I swear solemnly that I will extirpate all the genies in the world, and him first." The princess, who knew the consequence, con- jured me not to touch the talisman ; " for that would be a means," said she, " to ruin both you and me : I know what belongs to genies better than you." The fumes of the wine did not suffer me to hearken to her rea- sons ; but I gave the talisman a kick with my foot, and broke it in several pieces. At these words Scheherazade perceiving day, grew silent, and the sultan got up, not doubting but the breaking of the talisman had some remarkable event, and therefore resolved to hear that story to the end. The Forty-Fourth Night. DiNABZADE being awaked somewhat before day, said to the sultaness, Sister, if you are not asleep, I pray you acquaint us with what happened in the subterranean palace after the prince had broken the talisman. — I am. just going to relate it, said Scheherazade. Upon which, resuming her narrative, she con- tinued her discourse thus, in the person of the second calender : — The talisman was no sooner bi-oken but the i>alace began to shake, and was ready to fall, with a hideous noise like thunder, ac- companied with flashes of lightning, and a great darkness. This terrible noise in a moment dispelled the fumes of my wine, and made me sensible, but too late, of the folly I had committed. "Princess," cried I, "what means all this?" She answered in a fright, and without any concern for her own mis- fortune, "Alas! you are undone if you do not escape presently." I followed her advice, and my fears were so great that I forgot my hatchet and cords. I was scarcely got to the stairs by which I came down, when the enchanted palace opened at once, and made a passage for the genie. He asked the princess, in great anger, " What has happened to you, and why did you call mo?" " A qualm .at my stomach," said the princess, "made me fetch this bottle which you see here, out of which I drank twice or thrice, and by mischance made a ffvlse step, and fell upon the talisman, which is broken; and that is all." At this answer the furious genie told her, "You are a false woman, and a liar; how came that axe and those cords there?" " I never saw them till this moment," said the princess. " Your coming in such an im- petuous manner has, it may be, forced them up in some place, as you came along, and so brought them hither without your knowing it." 56 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. The genie made no other answer but what was accompanied with reproaches and blows, of which I heard the noiae. I could not en- dure to hear the pitiful cries and shouts of the princess, so cruelly abuseiL I had al- ready laid oif the suit she made mc i^ut on, and taken my own, which I had laid on the stairs the day before, when I came out of the bagnio. I made haste up stairs, more distracted with sorrow and. compassion, as I had been the cause of so great a misfortune ; and by sacrificing the fairest princess on earth to the barbarity of a merciless genie, I was become the most criminal and ungrate- ful of mankind. " It is true," said I, " she has been a prisoner these twenty-five years ; but, liberty excepted, she wanted nothing that could make her hajipy. My folly has put an end to her happiness, and brought upon her the cruelty of an unmerciful devil." I let down the trap-door, covered it again with earth, and returned to the city with a burden of wood, which I bound up without knowing what I did, so great was my trouble and sorrow. My landlord, the tailor, was very much rejoiced to see me. "Your absence," said he, "has disquieted me very much, by rea- son you had intrusted me with the secret of your birth, and I knew not what to think ; I was afraid somebody had discovered you : God be thanked for your return. " I thanked him for his zeal and affection, but not a word durst I say of what had passed, nor the rea- son why I came back without my hatchet and cords. I retired to my chamber, where 1 re- proached myself a thousand times for my excessive imprudence. "Nothing," said I, " could have paralleled the princess's good fortune and mine, had I forborne to break the talisman. While I was thus giving myself over to melancholy thoughts, the tailor came in. "An old man," said he, "whom I do not know, brir^3 me here your hatchet and cords, which he found in his way, as he tells me, and understood by your comrades that go along with you to the woods that you lodge here : come out and speak to him, for he will deliver them to none but yourself." At this discourse I changed colour, and fell a trembling. Wliile the tailor was asking me the reason, my chamber door oiiened at once, and the old man, having no patience to stay, appeared before us with my hatchet and cords. This man was the genie, the ravisher of the fair princess of the isle of Ebene, who had thus disguised himself after he had treated her with the iitmost barbarity. " I am a genie," said he, " son of the daughter of Eblis, prince of genies : is not this your hatchet V" said he, speaking to me; "and arc not these your cords ? " Here Scheherazade saw day, and left off. The sultan found the story of the second calender too curious not to desire that he might hear it out ; and therefore got np with an intention to hear the rest next mornins;. The Forty-Fifth Night. The day following, Dinarzade called upon the sultaness : My dear sister, pray tell us how the genie treated the prince. — I wish to satisfy your curiosity, replied Schehera- zade, and then resumed her story of the second calender thus : — The calender continuing his discourse to Zobeide, Madam, said he, after tlie genie had put the question to me, he gave me no time to answer, nor was it in my power, so much had his terrible aspect disordered me. He grasped me by the middle, dragged me out of the chamber, and mounted into the air, carried me up to the skies with such swiftness, that I perceived 1 was got so high without being able to take notice of the way, he carried me in so few moments. He descended again in like manner to the earth, which on a sudden he caused to open with a stroke of his foot, and so sunk down at once, where I found myself in the enchant- ed palace, before the fair ])rincess of the isle of Ebene. But, alas ! -what a spectacle was there ! I saw what pierced me to the heart. This poor princess was quite naked, welter- ing in her blood, and laid upon the groimd, more like one dead than alive, with her checks bathed in tears. "Perfidious wretch," said the genie to her, ])ointing at me, "is not this your gallant ? " She cast her languishing eyes upon me, and answered mournfully, "1 do not know him ; I never saw him till this moment." "What ! " said the genie, " he is the cause of thy being in the condition thou art justly in ; and yet darest thou say shou dost not know him ? " "If I do not know him," said the princess, " would you have me make a lie on pui-pose to ruin him V " " Oh, then, " said the genie, pull- ing out a scimitar, and presenting it to the princess, " if you never saw him before, take the scimitar and cut oif his head." " Alas ! " replied the princess, "how is it possible that I shoidd execute what you would force me to do? My strength is so far spent that I cannot lift up my arm : and if I could, how shoidd I have the heart to take away the life of an innocent man, and one whom I do not know ?" "This refusal," said the genie to the princess, "sufficiently informs me of your crime." Upon which, turning to me, "And thou," said he, "dost thou not know her?" I should have been tho most ungrateful wretch, and the most perfidious of all man- kind, if I had not shewn myself as faithful I \\ the do ito our ?" sful THE ENVIOUS MAN, AND HIM THAT HE ENVIED. 57 to the priuccas as she waa to me, who hod been the cause of her misfortunes ; there- fore, I answered the genie, " How should I know her, when I never saw her till now?" "If it be so," said he, " take the scimitar and cut off her head : on this condition I will set thee at liberty, for then I shall be con- vinced that thoti didst never see her till this very moment, as thou sayest. " "With all my heart," replied I, and took the scimitar in my hand. But, sir, said Scheherazade, it is day, and I ought not to abuse your majesty's pa- tience. — These are wonderfid events, said the sultan to himself. We shall know to- morrow if the prince was so cruel as to pay obedience to the genie's command. The Forty-Sixth Night. When the night was near at an end, Dinar- zade said to the sidtancss. Sister, if you be not asleep, I would pray you to continue the story which you could not finish yester- day. — I will, says Scheherazade, and with- out loss of time you shall understand that the second calender went on thus : — Do not think, madam, that I drew near to the fair princess of the isle of Ebene to be tlip executioner of the genie's barbarity. i ■,'' i it only to demonstrate by my beha- viour, as much as possible, that as she had shewn her resolution to sacrifice her life for my sake, I would not refuse to sacrifice mine for hers. The princess, notwithstand- ing her pain and suffering, understood my meaning, which she signified by an obliging look, and made me xmderstand her will- ingness to die for me, and that she was satisfied to see how willing I was alao to die for her. Upon this, I stepped back, and threw the scimitar on the ground. " I shall forever," said T to the genie, " be hateful to all mankind, shoidd I bo so base as to mur- der, I do not only say a person whom I do not know, but a lady like this, who is ready to give up the ghost : do with me what you please, since I am in your power ; I cannot obey your barbarous commands." "I see," said the genie, "that you both out- brave me, and insult my jealousy ; but both o£ you shall know, by the treatment I give you, what I am capable of doing." At these words the monster took up the scimitar, and cut off one of her hands, which left her only 80 much of life as to give me a token with the other that she bid me adieu for ever ; for the blood she had lost before, and that which gushed ut then, did not permit her to live above one or two moments after this barbarous cnielty, the sight of which threw me into a fit. When I was come to myself again, I expostidated with the genie why he made me languish in expectation of death. " Strike," cried I, " for I an ready to receive the mortal blow, and expect it as the greatest favour you can shew me," But instead of agreeing to that, "Look ye," said he, "how genies treat their wives whom they suspect of unfaithfulness : she has re- ceived thee here; and were I certain that she had put any further affront upon me, I would put thee to death this minute ; but I wiU content myself to transform thee into a dog, ape, lion, or bird ; take thy choice of any of these, — I will leave it to thyself." These words gave me some hopes to mol- lify him. "0 genie," said I, " moderate your passion, and since you will not take away my life, give it me generously : I shall always remember your clemency, if you pardon me, as one of the beat men in the world pardoned one of his neighbours that bore him a mortal hatred." The genie asked me what had passed between those two neighbours, and said he woidd have patience till he heard the story, which I told him thus; and I believe, madam, you will not ' ke it ill if I also relate it to you : — . THE STOKY OF THE EJTVIOUS MAN, AND OF HIM THAT HE ENVIED. In a considerable town, two persons dwelt next door to one another : one of them con- ceived such a violent hatred against the other, that he who was hated resolved t» remove his dwelling farther off, being per- suaded that their being neighbours was the only cause of his animosity ; for though he had done Lim several i)ieces of service, he found, nevertheless, that his hatred was nothing diminished; therefore he sold his house, with what goods he had left, and retired to the capital city of that kingdom, which was not far distant. He bought a little spot of ground, which lay about half a league from the city ; he had a house con- venient enough, with a fine garden, and a pretty spacious court, wherein there was a deep well, which was not in use. The honest man having made this pur- chase, put on a dervise's or monk's habit, to lead a retired life, and caused several cells to be made in the house, where in a short time he established a numerous society of dervisea. He soon came to be publicly known by his virtue, through which he ac- quired the esteem of many people, as well of the commonalty as of the chief of the city: in short, he was extremely honoured and cherished by every one. People came from afar to recommend themselves to his prayers; and all who came to live with him published what blessings they received through his means. The great reputation of this honest man 58 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. having spread to the town from whence he camoj it touched the envious mim so much to the quick, that he left liis house and affairs with a resohition to go and ruin liim. With this intent he went to the new convent of dervises, of whicii his former neighbour was the heml, 'yho niceived him with all imaginable tokens of friendship. The en- vious man told him ihat he was come on jmrpose to communicate a business of im- portance to him, which he could not do but in private. "And that nobody may hear us, let lis," said he, " take a walk in your court ; and seeing night begins to draw on, command your dervises to retire to their cells." The head of the dervises did as he re(|uired. When the envious man saw that he was alone with this good man, he began to tell his errand, walking side by side in the court, till he saw his opportunity ; and getting the good man near the brink of the well, ho gave him a thrust, and inished him into it, with- out anybody being witness to so wicked an action. Having done thus, he marched off immediately, got out at the gate of the con- vent without being known to any one, and went home to his own house, well satisfied with his journey, being fully j)ersuaded that the object of his hatred was no more in this world ; but he found himself highly mistaken. Scheherazade could go no farther, because day began to appear. The sultan conceived great indignation against the envious man, and said to himself, I heartily wish that no hurt may have come to this honest man. I hope to hear to-morrow that Heaven did not forsake him on this occasion. The Forty-Seventh Night. If you be not asleep, sister, said Dinar- zade, next morning, I conjure you to tell ua if the honest dervise came safe and sound out of the well. — Yes, replied Schehera- zade, and the second calender pursued his story thus: — This old well, said he, was inhabited by fairies and genies, which hap- pened luckily for the relief of the head of the convent; for they received and sup- ported him, and carried him to the bottom, so that he got no hurt. He perceived well enough that there was something extraordi- nary in his fall, which must otherwise have cost him his life; whereas he neither saw nor felt anything. But he soon heard a voice, which said, " Do you know what honest man this is, to whom we have done this piece of service ? " Another voice answered, "No." To which the first replied, "Then I will tell you. This man, out of charity, the greatest that ever was known, left the town he lived in, and has established himself in this place, in hopes to cure one of his neigh- bours of the envy he had conceived against him : he had acquired such a general esteem that the envious man, not able to endure it, came hither on purpose to ruin him, which he hail performed, had it not been for the assistance which we have given this honest man, whose reputation is so great, that the sultan, who keeps his residence in the neigh- bouring city, was to pay him a visit to- morrow, to recommend the princess his daughter to his prayers. " Another voice asked, "What need had the princess of the dervise's prayers ?" To which the first answered, " You do not know, it seems, that she is possessed by genie Mai- moun, the son of Dimdim, who is fallen in love with her. But I know well how this good head of the dervises may cure her ; the thing is very easy, and I will tell it yon. \ SaSI I I THE ENVIOUS MAN, AND HIM THAT HE ENVIED. 59 He has a black cat in hia convent, with a white spot at the end of her tail, about the bigness of a small piece of Arabian money; let him only pull neven hairs nut of the white spot, bum them, and smoke the prii.- cess's head with the fume, who will not only be presently cured, but be so safely delivered from Maimoun, tho son of Dimdim, that he will never dare to come near her a second time." The liead of the derx'ises remembered every word of the discourse between the fairies and the jjenies, who were very silent all the nij^ht after. The next morning by break of day, when he could discern one thing from another, the well being broken down in several places, he saw a hole, by which he crept out with case. The other dervises, who had been seeking for him, were rejoiced to see liim : he gave them a brief account of the wickeibiess of that man to whom he liad given so kind a reception the day before, and retired into his cell. It was not long till the black cat, of whom the fairies and the gcnies had made mention in their discourses the night before, came to fa^vn upoii her master, as she was accustomed to do ; ho took her uj), and indled out seven hairs of the white spot that was npon her tail, and laid them aside for his use when occasion should serve. The sun was not high, when the sultan, who would leave no means imtried that he thought could restore the princess to perfect health, arrived at the gate of the convent. He commanded his guards to halt, whilst he with his principal officers went in. The dervises received him with profound respect. The sxdtan called their head aside, and said, " Good sheich, it may be you know already the cause of my coming hither." " Yes, sir," replied he very gravely ; " if I do not mistake, it is the disease of the princess which procures me this unmerited honour." "That is the very thing," replieardon; but it was impossible for mo to move his eompas- sion. '• All that I can do for thee," said he, " is, that I will not take thy life : do not Hatter thyself that I will send thee safe and sound bock ; I must let thee feel what I am able to do by my enchantments." So saying, he laid violent hands on me, and carried mc across the vault of the subterranean palace, which ojjcned to give him passage ; he flew lip with mo so high, that the earth seemed to be only a little white cloud ; from thence ho came down again like lightning, and alighted ujjon the ridge of a mountain. There he took up a handful of earth, and pronounced, or rather muttered, 8f)me words which I did not understand, and threw it upon me. " Quit the shape of a man," said he to me, " and take on thee that of an ope." Ho vanished immediately, and left me alone, transformed into an ape, overwhelmed M-ith sorrow in a strnnge country, not knowing whether I was near or far from my father's dominions. I went down from the top of the moun- tain, and came into a plain country, which took me a month's time to travel through, and then I came to the sea-side. It hap- pened to be then a great calm, and I espied a vessel about half a league from the shore. UnwiUing to lose this good opportunity, I broke off a large branch from a tree, which I carried with me to the sea-side, and set myself astride u])on it, with a stick in each hand, to serve me for oars. I launched out in this posture, and ad- vanced near the ship. When I was nigh enough to bo known, the seamen and pas- sengers that were upon the deck thought it an extraordinary sight, and all of them looked upon mo with great astonishment. In the meantime I got aboard, and laying hold of a rope, I jumped upon the deck, but having lost my speech, I found myself in great perplexity ; and indeed the risk I ran then was nothing less than when I was at the mercy of the genie. The merchants, being both superstitious and scrupidous, believed I should occasion some mischief to their voyage if they re- ceived me ; therefore, said one, " I will knock him down with a L.-.-idspike ; " says another, ' ' I wUl shoot an arrow through his guts ;" says a third, " Let us throw him into the sea." 8ome of them woidd not have failed to execute their design, if I had not got to that side where the captain was ; when I threw myself at his feet, and took him by the coat in a begging posture. This action, together with the tears which he saw gush from my eyes, moved his compas- sion, so that he took me under Lis protec- tion, threatening to be revenged on him that would do mo the least hurt ; and ho himself made very much of mo, while I, on my part, though I had no power to 8]>euk, shewed oil possible signs of gratitude by my gestures. The wind that succeeded the calm was gentle and favourable, and did not change f(jr fifty days, but brought us safe to tlie port of a fine city, well peopled, and of great trade, the capital of a powerful state, where wo came to an anchor. Our vessel was speedily surrounded with on infinite number of boats full of ijcojile, who came to congratidato their friends upon their safe arrival, or to inquire for those they had left behind them in the country from whence they came, or out of curiosity to ice a ship that came from a far country. Amongst the rest some officers came on board, desiring to speak with the merchants in the name of the sultan. The merchants a|)i)caring, one of the officers told them, " The siUton, our master, hath commanded us to accpiaint you that he is glad of your safe arrival, and prays you to take the trouble, every one of you, to write some lines upon this roll of paper : and that his design by this may be understood, you must know that we had a prime vizier who, be- sides a great capacity to manage affairs, un- derstood writing to the highest perfection. This minister is lately dead, at which the sultan is very much troubled ; and since he can never behold his writing without admi- ration, he has made a solemn vow not to give the place to any man but to him who can write as well as he did. Many people hove presented their writings, but to this day nobody in all this empire has been judged worthy to sujjply the vizier's place." Those merchants that believed they could write well enough to pretend to this high dignity wrote one after another what they thought tit. After they had done I atl- vanced, and took the roll out of the gentle- man's hand ; but all the jieople, especially the merchants, cried out, "He will tear it, or throw it into the sea ; " till they saw how properly I held the roll, and made a sign that I would write in my turn : then they were of another opinion, and their fear turned into admiration. However, since they hod never seen an ape that could write, nor could be persuaded that I was more ingenious than other apes, they offered to snatch the roll out of my hand ; but the captain took my part once more. " Let him alone," said he; " sufi'er him to write. If he only scribbles the paper, I promise you that I will punish him upon the spot ; if, on the coutrory, he writes well, as I hope he will, because I never saw an ape so clever and ingenious, and so quick of apprehension, I do declare that I will own him as my son. THE SECOS'D CALENDER. Cl sign I they fear ■since pould was [fered the iliim If you If, on le he llever ill I hwl one that had not half tho wit that ho haw." PercL'iviiij,' that nobody opposed my design, I took the pen, and wrote six sorts of hands used amonir tho Arabians, and each specimen contained an extemporary distich or (piatrain in praise of tho sultan. My writing did not only excel that of the mer- chants, but, I venture to way, they had not before seen any such fair writing in that country. When I had done, the ollicers took tho roll, and carried it to the sultan. Thus far was 8cheherazade coino in her story when daylight appeared. Sir, said she to Schahriar, if I had time to continue, I would give your majesty an account of things far more surprising than what I have already told. The sultan, who had re- flolved to hear the end of tho story, got up without saying a word. The Forty-Ninth Night. TiiK next morning, Dinarzade, being awake before day, called the sultaness, and said, .Sister, if you be not asleep, pray let ua hear tho rest of the adventures that befell tho ape. I believe my lord the sultan is no less curious to know it than myself. — You shall both bo soon satisfied, answered Sche- herazade. Tho second calender continued his story thus : — The sultan took little notice of any of the other writings, but considered mine, which was so much to his liking, that he said to the officers, " Take the finest horse in my stable, with the richest harness, and a robe of the most sumptuous brocade to put upon that person who wrote the six hands, and bring him hither to me." At this command the officers could not forbear laughing : the sultan grew angry at their boldness, and was ready to punish them ; till they told him, " Sir, we humbly beg your majesty's pardon : these hands were not written by a man, but by an ape." "What do you say?" said tho sultan ; " those admirable charac- ters, are they not written by the hands of a man?" "No, sir, "replied the officers; "wo do assure your majesty that it was an ape who wrote them in our presence." The sultan was too much surprised at this ac- count not to desire a sight of me; and therefore said, " Do what I command you, and bring me speedily that wonderful ape." The officers returned to the vessel, and shewed the captain their order, who an. Bwered, " The sidtan's command must be obeyed." Whereupon they clothed me with that rich brocade robe, and carried me ashore, where they set me on horseback, whilst the sidtan waited for me at his palace, with a great number of courtiers, whom ho gathered together to do mo tho more honour. Tho cavalcade being begun, the harbour, the streets, tho public places, windows, ter- races, palaces, and houses woro tilled with an infinite number of people of all sorts, who tlockcd from all parts of tho city to seo me ; for tho rumour was spread in a mo- ment that the sultan had chos(>n an ape to be his grand vizier ; and after having served for a spectacle to the people, who could not forbear to express their 8uri)ri8e by re- doubling their shouts and cries, I arrived at the ]>alace of tho sultan. I found tho i)rince on his throne, in the midst of tho grandees : I niado my bow three times, very low, and at last kneeled and kissed the ground before him, and after- wards sat down on my seat in tho posture of an ape. The whole assembly admired me, and could not comprehend how it was possible that an ape should understand so well to pay the sultan his due respect ; and he himself was more astonished than any. In short, the usual ceremony of the audience would have been complete, could I have added speech to my behaviour; but apes do never speak, and the advantage I had of having been a man did not allow me that privilege. The sultan dismissed his courtiers, and none remained by him but the chief of tho eunuchs, a little young slave, and myself. He went fnjm his chamber of audience into his own apartment, where he ordered dinner to be brought. As he sat at table, bo gave me a sign to come near and eat with them : to shew my obedience, I kissed the ground, stood up, sat down at table, and ate with discretion and moderation. Before the table was uncovered, I espied a writing-desk, which I made a sign should be brought me. Having got it, I wrote upon a large peach some verses after my way, which testified my acknowledgment to the sultan; who, having read them after my presenting him the peach, it increased his astonishment. When the table was unco- vered, they brought him a particular liquor, of which he caused them to give me a glass, I drank, and wrote upon it some new verses, which explained the state I was reduced to, after many sufferings. The sultan read them likewise, and said, " A man that was capable of doing so much would be above the greatest of men." The sultan caused them to bring in a chess-board, and asked me, by a sign, if I understood that game, and would play with him. I kissed the ground, and lajring my hand upon my head, signified that I was ready to rec.'ive that honour. He won the first game, but I won the second and third •, and perceiving he was somewhat displeased at it, I made a quatrain, to pacify him; in i ! 62 THE ARAniAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAIS'MENTS. which 1 tiilil htm t)iat twn |i(iti'iit iiniiiux hiiil hecii tiglittu>; fiiriiiUHly nil dity, but thikt they miulo up a poiuK^ towanlH the (■vi'tiini,', nnd luiflsc'd tliu reiimining ]>iirt of tliu night very {luncuably toj^ethcr tijiou the lield of Imttle. So many i;ircuriiHtanc('s apiicariug to thu Htdtaii far lieyoml whatever any ono liad cither Been or known of tlie eluverneHH or sensu of apes, he determined not to hu thu only witness of those jtrodi^icH himself, but havin;^adau>;hter, called the Lady of Heauty, on whom the chief of the eunuchs, then ])re- sent, waited, "(!o," said the sultan to him, " and bid your lady come hither: 1 am de- sirous she sbotdd share my jiieaMiire." Theeimucli went, and iniinediatily brought tho priucesH, who had lier face uncovered; but she was no sooner come into the room than she i)ut on her veil, and said to tlie sultan, " !Sir, your majesty must needs have forgotten yourself : J am very much sur- prised that your majesty lias sent for mu to appear among men." "How, daughter!" said tlie sultan, "you do not know what you say : here is nobody l)ut the little slave, the eunuch your governor, and myself, who have the liberty to see your face ; and yet you lower your veil, and Idanie me for having sent for you hither !" " .Sir," said the i)rin- cess, "your majesty shall soon understand that I am not in the wrong. That ajie you see before you, though he has the sha[)e of an ape, is a young prince, son of a great king ; he has been metamor]>hosed into an ape by enchantment. A genie, tho son of the daughter of Eblis, has maliciously done him this wrong, after having cruelly taken awaj' • '>e life of the princess of the isle of Ebene, daughter to the king of Epitimanis." The sultan, astonished at this discourse, turned towards me, and spoke no more by signs, but in ])lain words asked me if it was true what his daughter said. Seeing I could not speak, I p\it my hand to my head to sig- nify that what the princess spoke was t.iie. Upon this, the sultan said again to his. daughter, "How do you know that this ])riuce has been transformed by enchant- ments into au ape?" "Sir," replied the Lady of Beauty, ' ' your maj csty may rem em - ber that when I wits past my infancy, I had an old lady waited upon me ; she was a most expert magician, and taught me seventy rules of magic, by virtue of which I can transport your capital city into the midst of the sea in the twinkling of an eye, or beyond Mount Caucasus. By this science I know all en- chanted persona at first sight : I know who they are, and by whom they have been en- chanted ; therefore do not be surprised if I should forthwith relieve this prince, in spite of the enchantment, from that which hinders him to appear in your sight what he natu- rally is." "Daughter," said the sultan, "I did pot believe you to liave undenitooke, e8i)ied day, and broke otf her story of the 8econrril>h! tliroat, ami ran at Iht to duvour hor; liut (the, hcint,' on licr i;iiiir(l, li'a|K'd hackwunl, ^ot timi' to ]iull out oni- of her hairx, an!erin- cess all in tlames. Thi'y throw Hashes of (ire out of their niniitlis at each other, till they came tt> close cjiiarters; then the two lires increased, with a thick burning smoke, which mounted so high, that we had reason to fear it would set the ])alace on lire, liut we very soon had a niori^ j)res8ing occasion of fvar, for the genie having got loose fmm the ])riiicess, canio to tho gallery where we stood, and blew llamcs of lire up(ui us. We had all perished if the princess, running to our assistance, had not by her cries forced him to retire, and defend himself against her; yet, notwithstanding all her exertions, she could not hinder tho sultan's bearil frtmi being liurnt, and his face Hj)oiled, the chief of the eunuchs from being stilled, and burnt on the spot, and a sjiark from entering my right eye, and making it blind. Tho sultan and I expected nothing but death, when we hearil a cry of "Victory, victory!" and on a sudden the i)rinces8 appeared in hor natural shape, but tho genie was reduced to a heaj* of ashes. Tho princess c.ame near to us, that she might not lose time, called for a cu]iful of water, which the young slave, who bad re- ceived no damage, brought her. She took it, and after pronouncing some words over it, threw it ujion me, saying. If tlioii ivrt be- come an ape by enchantment, change thy shape, and take that of a man, which thou hadst before. These words were hardly ut- tered, till I became a man as I was before, one eye only excepted. I was preparing myself to give thanks to the j)rinces8, but she prevented me by ad- dressing herself to her father thus: — "Sir, I have gained the victory over the genie, as your majesty may see; but it is a victory that coats nie dear ; I have but a few minutes to live, and you will not have the satisfac- tion to make the match you intended; the fire has pierced me during the terrible coni- bat, and I find it consumes me by degrees. This woidd not have happened, had I jjer- ceived the last of the pomegranate seeds, and swallowed it, as I did the other when I was changed into a cock : the genie had tied thither aa to his last entrenchment, and upon that the success of the combat depended, 64 ^HE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. •which would have been successful, and with- out danger to me. This slip obliged me to have recourse to fire, and to fight with those mighty arms as I did between heaven and earth, in your presence ; for, in spite of all his redoubtable art and experience, I made the genie know that I understood more than he : I have conquered and reduced him to ashes, but I cannot escape death, which is approaching." Here Scheherazade broke off the story of the second calender, and said to the sultan, S.'r, daylight ai>pears, which forbids me to say any more; but if your majesty thinks fit to let me live till to-morrow, you shall hear the end of this story. Schahriar con- sented, and got up according to custom to take care of the affairs of his empire. The Fifty-Second Night. DiNAEZADE awaking some time before day, called upon the sultaness, and said. My dear sister, if you be not asleep, I would pray you to finish the story of the second calender. Scheherazade resumed her dis- courae, and went on as follows : - - The caleuder always directing his speech to Zobeidc, told her, Madam, the sultan suffered the princess, the J ady of Beauty, to go on with the recital of her combat, and when she had done, he spok to her in a tone that sufficiently testified his grief. "My dauglitcr," said he, ' ' you see in what condition your father is; alas ! I wonder that I am yet alive ! Your governor, the cnnuch, is dead, anil the prince whom you have delivered from his enchantment lias lost one of his eyes." He coidd speak no more, for his tears, sighs, and sobs made him sj)oochless ; his daughter and 1 Avere exceedingly sensible of his sorrow, and wept with him. In the meantime, while we were vying with each other in grief, the princess cried, "I burn! I burn!" She found that the fire which consumed her had at last seized upon her whole body, whioli made her still cry, "I burn," until deatli had made an end of her intolerable pains. The effect of that fire was so extraordinary, that in a few moments she was whoUy reduced to ashes, as was the genie. I cannot tell you, madam, how much I was grieved at so dismal a spectacle ; I had rather all my life have continued an ape or a dog, than to have seen my benefactress thus miserably perish. The sultan being afflicted beyond all that can be imagined, cried out piteously, and beat himself on his head and stomach, until being quite over- come with grief, he fainted away, which made me fear for his life. In the meantime the eunuchs and officers came running at the sultan's cries, and with very much ado brought him to himself again. There was no need for that prince and me to give them a long narrative of this adventure, in order to convince them of their great loss. The two heaps of ashes, into which the princess and the genie had been reduced, were sufficient demonstration. The sidtap was hard'y able to stand, but was forced to be supported by them till he could get to his apartment. When the noise of the tragical event had spread itself tliro-agh the palace and the city, aU the peoi)le bewailed the misfortune of the princess, the Lady of Beauty, and were much affected by the sultan's affliction. Every one was in deep mourning for seven days, and many ceremonies were perforii:<>d. The ashes of the genie were thrown into the air, but those of the princess were gathered into a precious ur-'j, to be kept, and the urn was set in a str,cely tomb, which was built for that purpose on the same place where the ashes had lain. The grief which the sultan conceived foi the loss of his daughter threw him into a fit oi sickness, which confined him to his cham- ber for a whole month. He had not fully recovered strengtii when he sent for me. " Prince," said he, "hearken to the orders that I now give you ; it will cost you your life if you do not put them into execution." I as- sured him of exact ol)edience. Upon which, he went on tlms : "I have constantly hved in l)erfect felicity, and was never crossed ))y any accident : but by your arrival all the lijippi- noss I possessed is vanished ; my daughter is dead, her governor is no more, and it is through a miracle that I am yet alive. You arc the cause of all those misfortunes, for which it is impossible that I should be com- forted ; therefore depart from hence in peace, without farther delay, for I myself must perish if you stay any longer : I am persuaded that your presence brings mischief along with it. This is all I have to say to you. Depart, and take care of ever appearing again in my dominions ; no consideration whatsoever shall hinder me from making you repent of it." I was going to speak, but he stopped my mouth by words full of anger; and so I was obliged to remove from his palace, re- jected, banished, an outcast from the world; and not knowing what would become of me, before I left the city I went into a bagnio, where I caused my beard and eyebrows to be shaved, and put on a calender's habit. I began my journey, not so much deploring my own miseries as the death of the two fair princesses, of which I had been the occasion. I jiassed through many countries without making myself known ; at last I resolved to come to Bagdad, in hopes to get myself in- troduced to the commander of the faithful, to move his compassion by giving him an jithter it is You les, for com- iig my ro fair :asiou. ithout ved to elf in- ithful, ioi ail THE THIRD CALENDER. 65 account of my strange adventures. I came hither this evening, and the first man I met was this calender, our brother, who spoke before me. You know the remaining part, madam, and the cause of my having the honour to be here. When the second calender made an end of his story, Zobeide, to whom he liad addressed his speech, told him, It is well; you may go which way you please; I give you leave: but instead of departing, he also petitioned the lady to shew him the same favour she had vouchsafed to the first calender, and went and sat down by him. — But, sir, said Scheherazade, as she sjjoke these words, it is day, and I must not proceed; I dare, how- ever, assure you, that how agreeable soever this story of the second calciuler may seem to you, that of the third will be no less worthy of your hearing, if your majesty be pleased to havo patience. The sultan being desirous to know whether it would appear so wonderfiU as the last, got out of bed with a resolution to prolong Scheherazade's life f.arther, though the delay he had granted was determined several days before. The Fifty-Third Night. About the latter end of the following night, Dinarzade addressed herself to the siUtaness thus : — Dear sister, I pray, until day apjicar, which will be very soon, be pleased to relate some of the fine stories you have read. — I woiUd willingly, said Schahriar, hear the story of the third calender. — Sir, replied Scheherazade, you shall be obeyed. The third calender, perceiving it was his turn to speak, addressed his speech as the rest had done, to Zobeide, and began in this nian- the history of the third calender, a king's son. My story, most honourable lady, very much differs from what you have heard al- ready. The two princes that spoke before me have each lost an eye by the pure effects of their destiny, but mine 1 lost through iny own fault, and by hastening to seek my own misfiiitune, as you shall hear by the 8e(iuel of the story. My name is Agib, and I am the son of a king, who was called Cassib. After his death I took possession of his dominions, aiul re- sided in the same city where he lived before. The city is situated on the sea-coast, has one of the finest and safest harbours in the world, an arsenal capable of fitting out for sea one himdred and fifty men-of-war, that are always ready, and fifty merchantmen and light frigates, and pleasure-boats be- sides. My kingdom is composed of several fine provinces upon the mainland, besides a number of spacious islands, every one of which lies almost in sight of my capital city. The first thing I did was to visit the pro- vinces. I afterwards caused my whole fleet to be fitted out and manned, and went to my islands to gain the hearts of my subjects by my presence, and to confirm them in their loyalty ; and some time after I re- turned, I went thither again. These voy- ages giving me some taste for nfurigation, I took so much pleasure in it that I resolved to make some discoveries beyond my islands; to which end, I caused only ten ships to be fitted out, embarked on board them, and set sail. Our voyage was very successful for forty days together; but on the forty-first night the wind became contrary, and withal so boisterous, that we were near being lost in the storm. About break of day, the wind grew calm, the clouds dispersed, and the sun having brought back fair weather, we came close to an island, where we remained two days, to take in fresh i)rovisions ; after which we jiut olT again to sea. After ten days' sail, we were ii? hopes of seeing land ; for the tempests we had gone through had so much abated my curiosity that I gave orders to steer back to my own coast ; but I per- ceived, at tlie same time, that my pilot knew not where we were. Upon the tenth day, a seaman being sent to look out for lard from the main-mast head, gave notice that on starboard and larboard he could see nothing but the sky aiul the sea, which bounded the horizon ; but just before us, u2)on the stern, ho saw a great blackness. The pilot changed colour at this relation ; and, throwing liis turban on the deck with one hand, and beating his breast with the other, cried, "0 sir! we are .all lost! not one of us will escape ! and, with all my skill it is not in my power to prevent it." Having spoken thus, he fell to crying like a man who foresaw unavoidable ruin : his de- spair put the whole ship'i, crow in fear. I asked him what reason lie had thus to de- spair ? Ho told nie the te' ipest which he had outlived had brought us so far out oi f)ur course, that to-morrow about noon \vc .should come near to that black place, which is nothing else but the black uumntain, that is, a mine of adania.it which at this very minute draws all your fieet towards it, by virtue of the iron and the nails that are in your ships ; and when we come to-morrow at a certain distance, the strength of the adamant will have such a force, that all the nails will be drawn out of the sides and bot- toms of the ships, and fasten to the moun- tain ; so that j'our vessel will fall to pieces, and sink to the bottom : and as the adamant S 1 66 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. has a virtue to draw all iron to it, whereby its attraction becomes stronger, this moun- tain on the side of the sea is covered over with nails, drawn out of an infinite number of vessels that have perished by it ; and this preserves and augments its virtue at the same time. "This mountain," continued the pilot, "is very rugged : on the top of it there is a dome of line brass, supported by pillars of the same ; and upon the top of that dome there stands a horse of the same metal, with a rider on his back, who has a plate of lead fixed to his breast, upon which some talis- manic characters are engraven. So, the tra- dition is, that this statue is the chief cause that so many ships and men have been lost and sunk in this place, and that it will ever continue to be fatal to all those who have the misfortune to come near to it, until it shall be thrown down." The pilot, having ended his discourse, began to weep afresh, and all the rest of the ship's company did the like. I had no other thought but that my daj'S were there to have an end. In the meantime, every one began to provide for his own safety, and to that end took all imaginable precautions ; and, being imcertain of the event, they aU made one another their heirs, by virtue of a will, for the benefit of those that shoidd happen to be saved. The next morning we perceived the black mountam very plain, and the idea we had conceived of it made it appear more fright- ful than it was. About noon we were come so near, that we found what the pilot had foretold to be true ; for we saw all the nails and iron about the ships liy towards the mountain, where they fixed, by the violence of the attraction, with a horrible noise : the ships split asunder, and sunk into the sea, which was so deep about the place, that we could not sound it. All my people were drowned; but God had mercy on me, and permitted me to save myself by means of a plank, which the wind drove ashore just at the foot of the mountain. I did not receive the least hurt ; and my good fortune brought me to a landing-place, where there were steps that went up to the top of the moun- tain. Scheherazade would have gone on with her story, but day appearing, she was obliged to keep silence. The sultan was convinced by this beginning that the sultaness had not deceived him ; and therefore we are not to Wonder that he did not order her to die that day. The Fifty-Fourth Night. Foe Heaven's sake, cried Dinarzade, next morning, if you be not asleep, sister, go on with the story of the third calender. — My dear sister, said Scheherazade, the prince renewed his discourse thus : — At the sight of these steps, said he, for there was not a bit of ground, either on the right or left, whereon a man could set his foot, I gave thanks to God, and recom- mended myself to His holy protection, as I began to mount the steps, which were so narrow, rugged, and hard to get up, that had the wind blowu ever so little, it would have thrown me down into the sea. But at last I got up to the top, without any acci- dent. I came into the dome, and, kneeling on the ground, gave God thanks for His mercies to me. I passed the night under the dome ; and in my sleep an ohl, grave man appeared to me, and said : " Hearken, Agib : as soon as thou art awake, dig xip the ground under thy feet ; thou shalt find a bow of brass, and three arrows of lead, that are made un- der certain constellations, to deliver man- kind from the many calamities that threaten them. Shoot the three arrows at the statue, and the rider shall fall into the sea, but the horse will fall down by thy side, which thou must bury in the same place from whence thou tookest the bow and arrows. This being done, the sea will swell f.oA rise up to the foot of the dome that stands upon the top of the mountain : when it jomes up so high, thou shalt see a boat, with one man holding an oar in each hand. This man is also of metal, but diiFerent from that thcai hast thrown down; step on board to him, without mentioning the name of God, and let him conduct thee. He will in ten days' time bring thee into another sea, where thou shalt find an ojiportunity to get home to thy country safe and sound, provided, as I have told thee, thou dost not mention the name of God during the whole voyage." This was the substance of the old man's discourse. When 1 awoke I was very much comforted by the vision, and did not fail to observe everything that he had commanded me. I took the bow and arrows out of the ground, shot at the horseman, and, with the third arrow, I overthrew him : he fell into the sea, and the horse fell by my side, which 1 buried ui the j>lace whence I took the bow and arrows. In the meantime the sea swelled, and rose up by degrees : when it came as high as the foot of the dome that stood upon the top of the mountain, 1 saw afar off a boat rowing towards me, and I returned God thanks that everything suc- ceeded according to my dream. At last the boat made land, and I saw the man was made of metal, as I had dreamt. I "tepped aboard, and took great heed not to pronounce the name of God, neither spoke I one word. I sat down, and the man of metal began to row off from the mountain. ^^^ lea it at I c- le t. ;o :e THE THIRD CALENDER. by He rowed without ceasing till the ninth day, when I saw aome islands, which gave me hopes that I should escape iUl the danger that I feared. The excess of my joy made me for- get what I was forbidden to do : " Blessed be God !" said I ; " God be praised ! " I had no sooner spoken these words but the boat sunk with the man of metal ; and, leaving me upon the surface, I swam the. re- maining part of the day towards that land which appeared nearest to me. A very dark night succeeded : and not knowing where I was, I swam at a venture. My strength at last began to fail, and I despaired of being able to save myself, when the wind began to blow hard, and a wave as big as a moun- tain threw me on a flat, Avhere it left me, and drew back. I made haste to get ashore, fearing another wave might wash me back again. The first thing I did was to strip, and wring the water out of my clothes, and then lay them down on the dry sand, wliich was still pretty warm by the heat of the day. [ Next morning the stm dried my clothes early ; I put them on, and went forward to see where I was. I had not walk(!d very far till I found I was got upon a little de- sert island, though very pleasant, w^here there grew several sorts of trees and wild fruits; but I perceived it was very far from the continent, which much diminished the joy I conceived for having cscipcd the dan- ger of the seas. I notwithstanding recom- mended myself to God, and j)rayed Him to dispose of me according to His good will and pleasure. At the same time I saw a vessel coming from the mainland, before the wind, directly to the island. I doubted not but they were coming to anchor there ; .and being imcertain what sort of people '.xxOy miglit be, whether friends or foes, I thought it not safe for me to bo seen. I got up into a very thick tree, from whence I might safely view them. The vessel came into a little creek, where ten slaves landed, carrying a spade and other instniments tit for digging up the ground. They went to- wards the middle of the island, where I saw them stop, and dig the ground a long while ; after which I thought 1 saw them lift up a trap-door. They returned again to the ves- sel, and unladed several sorts of provisions and furniture, which they carried to that place where they had broken ground, and so went downward ; which made me suppose it was a subterraneous dwelling. I saw them once more go to the ship, and return soon after with an old man, who led a very handsome yoimg lad in his hand, of about fourteen or fifteen years of age. They all went down at the trap-door ; and, being come up again, having let down the trap- door, and covered it over with earth, they returned to the creek where the ship lay; but I saw not the young man in their com- pany. This made me bidieve that he staid behind in that place under ground, at which I could not but be extremely astonished. The old man and the slaves went aboard again, and the vessel being got imder sail, steered its course towards the mainland. When I perceived they were at such distance that they could not see me, I came down from the tree, and went directly to the place where I had seen the ground broken. I moved the earth by degrees, till I found a stone that was two or three feet square. I lifted it up, and saw that it covered the head of the stairs, which were also of stone. 1 went down, and came into a large room, where there was laid a foot-carpet, and a couch, covered with tapestry and cushions of rich stuff, upon which the young man sat, with a fan in his hand. I saw all thin by the light of two tapers, together with the fruits and flower-pots he had standing about him. The young lad was startled at the sight of me ; but to rid him of his fear I said to him as I came in, " Whoever you be, -tammttm wmmmmmmmm mm 68 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. sir, do not fear anything : a king, and the son of a king, as I am, is not capable of doing you any prejudice ; on the contrary, it is probable that your good destiny has brought me hither to deliver you out of this tomb, where it seems they have buried you alive, for reasons unknown to me. But that which makes me wonder, and what I cannot conceive, (for you must know that I have been witness to all that hath passed since your coming into this island,) is, that you suffered yourself to be buried in this place without any resistance." Scheherazade broke off here ; and the sul- tan arose, very impatient to know why this young lad was thus abandoned in a desert island, as to which he promised himself satis- faction next night. The Fifty-Fifth Night. DiNAEZADE, perceiving it was time to call ■upon the sultaness, said. Sister, if you be not asleep, pray resume the story of the third calender. Scheherazade gave her no occasion to repeat her request, and went on in this manner : — The young man, continued the third ca- lender, recovered himself at these words, and i)rayed me, with a smiling countenance, to sit down by him ; which, when I had done, he said, " Prince, I am to acquaint you with a matter so extraordinary in itself, that it cannot but surprise you. " My father is a merchant jeweller, who, through his ingenuity in his calling, has ac- quired a great estate. He has many slaves, and also deputies, whom he employs to go as supercargoes to sea with his own ships, on purpose to maintain the correspondence he has at several courts, which he furnishes with sucii j)recious stones as they want. " He had been married a long while, and without issue, when he understood by a dream that he should have a son, though his life would be but short ; at which he was very much concerned when he awoke. Some days after, my mother acquainted him that she was with child ; jvnd what she supposed to be the time of her conception agreed exactly with the day of his dream. She was brought to bed of me at the end of nine months, which occasioned great joy in the family. " My father, who had observed the very moment of my birth, consulted astrologers about my nativity, who told him, ' Your son shall live very happily till the age of fifteen, when lie will be in danger of losing his life, and hardly be able to escape it ; but if his good destiny preserve him beyond that time, he will live to grow very old. It will be (said they) when the statue of brass, that stands upon the top of the mountain of ada- mant, shall be thrown down into the sea by Prince Agib, son of King Cassib ; and, as the stars jirognosticate, your son shall be killed fifty days aftervr-ards by that prince.' " As the event of this part of the predic- tion about the statue agrees exactly with my father's dream, it aillicted him so much that he was struck to the very heart with it. Tn the meantime he took all imaginable care of my education until this jiresent year, which is the fifteenth of my age ; and he had no- tice given him yesterday that the statue of brass had been thrown into the sea about ten days ago by that same prince I told you of. This news has cost him so many tears, and has alarmed him so much, that he looks not like himself, " Upon these predictions of the astrologers, he has sought by all means possible to fal- sify my horoscojje, and to preserve my life. It is not long since he took the precaution to build me this subterranean habitation to hide me in, till the expiration of the fifty days after the throwing down of the statue ; ajid therefore, since it was ten days ago that this had happened, he came hastily hither to hide me, and promised at the end of forty days to come i.gain, and fetch me out. As for my own part, I am in good hopes, and cannot believe that Prince Agib will come to seek for me in a place imder ground, in the midst of a desert island. This, my lord, is %vhat I have to say to you." While the jeweller's son was telling me this story, I laughed in myself at those as- trologers who had foretold that I should take away his life ; for I thought myself so far from being likely to verify what they said, that he had scarce done speaking when I told him, with great joy, " l)ear sir, put your confidence in the goodness of God, and fear nothing : you may consider it as a debt you was to pay, but that you are acquitted of it from this very hour. I am glad that, after my shipwreck, I came so fortunately hitlier to defend you against all those that would attempt your death. I will not leave yon tUl the forty days are expired, of which the foolish astrologers have malaco like that under ground. The fortieth daj^ appeared ; and in the morning, when the young man awoke, he said to me, with a transport of joy that he coidd not restrain, "Prince, tliis is the for- tieth day, and I am not dead, thanks to God and your good company. My father will not fail to be here anon, to give you a testi- mony of his gratitude for it, and shall fur- nish you with all that is necessary for your return to your kingdom : but in the mean- time," said he, " I beg you to get ready some water very warm, to wash my whole body in that jiortable bagnio, that I may clean my- self and change my clothes, to receive my father more cheerfully." I set the water on the fire, and when it was liot, put it into the movable bagnio : the youtli went in, and I myself washed and rubbed him. At last he came out, and laid himself down in liis bed that I liad prepared, and covered him with his bed-clothes. After he had slept awhile he awoke, and said, " Dear prince, pray do me the favour to fetch me a melon and some sugar, that I may eat some, and refresh me." Out of several melons that remained, I took the best and laid it on a plate; and because I could not iind a knife to cut it with, I asked the ;'oung man if he knew where there was one. " There is one," said he, "upon this cornice over my head." I accordingly saw it there, and made so much haste to reach it, that while I had it in my liand, my foot being entangled in the cover- ing, I fell most unliaj)pily upon the young man, and the knife ran into his heart iu a minute. At this spectacle I cried out most hideous- ly : I beat my head, my face, and breast ; I tore my clothes ; I threw myself on the ground with unspeakable sorrow and grief. "Alas!" Icried, "therewereonlysomehours wanting to have put him out of that danger from which he sought s.anctuary here ; and when I myself thought the danger past, then T became his murderer, and verified the pre- diction. But, O Lord ! " said I, lifting up my face and hands to heaven, "1 entreat thy par- don, and if I be guilty of his death, let me not live any longer." Scheherazade jierceiving day, was obliged to break off this doleful story. The sultan of the Indies was moved with it, and felt very uneasy to think what would become of the calender after this ; and resolved that Sche- Jicrazade should not die that day, because she was the only person that coidd resolve him. The Fifty-Sixth Night. DiNAEZAUE awaked the sultaness next morn- ing as usual. If you be not asleep, sister, said she, pray tell us what passed after the 70 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. death of the young man. She weut on aa follows : — Madam, continued the third calender, ad- dressing himself to Zobeide, after this misfor- tune I would have embraced death without any reluctance, had it presented itself to me. But what we wish to ourselves, whether good or bad, will not always ha])j)en. Never- theless, considering with myself that all my tears and sorrows would not bring the young man to life again, and the forty days being expired, I might be surprised by his father, I qiutted the subterranean dwelling, laid down the great stone upon the entry of it, and covered it with earth. I had scarce done, when casting ray eyes upon the sea towards the mainland, I ])ur- ceived the vessel coming to fetch home the young man. I began then to consider what I had best do : T said to myself, " If I am seen by the old man, he will certaiidy lay hold of me, and perhaps cause me to be massacred by his slaves, when he has seen that his son is kUled : all that I can allege to justify my- self will not persuade him oi my innocence. It is better for me then to withilraw, since it is in my i)ower, than to expose myself to his resentment." There happened to be near that subter- ranean habitation a large tree with thick leaves, which I thought fit to hide me in. I got up to it, and was no sooner tixed in a place where I could not be seen, than I saw the vessel come to the same place where she lay the first time. This old man and his slaves landed imme- diately, and advanced towards tlie subter- ranean dwelling, witli a countenance that shewed some hope ; but when they saw the earth had been newly removed, they changed colour, particiUarly the old man. They lift- ed up the stone and went down ; they called the young man by his name, but he not answering, their fears increased ; they went down to seek him, and at length found him lying upon the bed, with the knife in his heart, for I had not power to take it out. At this sight they cried out lamentably, which increased my sorrow : the old man fell down in a swoon. The slaves, to give him air, brought him up in their arms, and laid him at the foot of the tree where T was ; but notwithstanding all the pains they took to recover him, the unfortunate father con- tinued a long while in that condition, and matle them oftener than once despair of his life ; but at last he came to himself. Then bhe slaves brought up his son's corpse, dressed in his best apparel, and when tliey had made a grave they jjut him into it. Tlie old man, supported by two slaves, and his face covered with tears, threw the first earth upon him ; after which the slaves filled up the grave. This being done, all the furniture was brought up from under ground, and, with the remaining provisions, put on board the vesseL The old man, overcome with sor- row, and not being able to stand, was laid upon a sprt of litter and carried to the ship, which stood out to sea, and in a 'ihort time was out of sight. — The daylight which began to enter the sultan's apartment obliged Scheherazade to stop here : Schahriar arose at the usual hour, and for the same reason as before he prolonged the sultanesa'a life, and left her with Dinarzade. The Fifty-Seventh Night, The next morning, before day, Dinarzade addressed herself to the nultanesa in these words : My dear sister, if you be not asleep, be pleased to continue the adventures of the third calender. — You must know then, sister, said Scheherazaile, that the prince went oa with the relation of liis story to Zobeide and the company as follows : — After the old man and his slaves were gone with the vessel, I was left alone upon the island. I lay that night in the subterranean dwelling, which they had shut up ; and vh^n. the day came, I walked round the ibiand, and stopped in such places as I thought most proper to repose iu. I led this wearisome life for a whole mouth ; after which I j)erceived the sea to be mightily fallen, the island to be much larger, and the mainland seemed to be draw- ing near me. In fact, the water grew so low, that there was but a small stream between me and the mainland. I crossed it, and the water did not come above the middle of my leg. I walked so long upon the slime and sand that I was very weary : at last I got upoa firm ground, and when at a good dis- tance from the sea, I saw a good Avay before me somewhat like a great fire, which gave me some comfort ; for I said to myself, " I shall find somebody or other, it not being possible that this fire should kindle of itself ; " but when I came nearer hand, I found my error, and saw that what I had taken for a fire was a castle of red cojjper, which the beams of the sun made to look, at a distance, as if it had been iu fiames. I stoi)ped near the castle, and sat down to admire its admirable structure, and to rest a while : I had not taken such a full view of this magnificent building as it deserved, when I saw ten handsome young men coming along, as if they had been taking a walk; but what most surprised me was, that they were all blind nf the right eye : they accom- panied an old man, who vi'as very tall, and of a venerable aspect. I could not but M'onder at the sight of so many half -blind men all together, and every -mammitmsi 3com- and of so 3very THE THIRD CALENDER. 71 one blind of the same eye : aa I waa think- ing in my mind by what adventure all these men could come together, they came wj) to me, and seemed very glad to see me. After the first compliments, they inquired what had brought me thither ? I told tliem my story would be somewhat tedious, 1)ut if they woidd take the trouble to sit down, I would satisfy their request. They did so, and I related to them all that liad happened imto me since I left my kingdom, which filled them with astonishment. After I had ended my discourse, the young gentlemen prayed me to go with them into the castle. I accejited tlie prolfer, and we passed through a great many halls, ante- chambers, bed-chaniliera, and closets, very well furnished, and came at last into a spa- cious hall, where there were ten small blue sofas set round, separate from one another, upon which they sat by day, and slept by night. In the middle of this circle stood an eleventh sofa, not so high ;is the rest, but of the same colour, upon which the old man before mentioned sat down, and the young gentlemen made use of the other ten : but as each sofa could only contain one man, one of the young men said to me, "Comrade, sit down upon that carpet in the middle of the room, and do not inquire into anything that concerns us, nor the reason why we are all blind of the right eye ; be content with what you see, and let not your curiosity go any farther." The old man having sat a little whUe, rose up and went out ; but he returned in a minute or two, brought in supper to those ten gentlemen, distributed to each man his portion by himself, and likewise brcught me mine, which I ate by myself, as the rest did ; and when su])per was almost ended, he pre- sented to each of us a cup of wine. They thought my story so extraordinary that they made me repeat it after supper, and it furnished conversation for a good part of the night. One of the gentlemen observ- ing that it was late, said to the old man, "You see it is time to go to bed, and yon do not bring us that with which we may acquit ourselves of our duty.'' At these words the old man arose, and went into a closet, from whence he brought out upon his head ten bivsins one after another, all covered with blue stiifl' : he set one before every gentleman, together with a ligat. They uncovered their basins, in which there were Jishes, coal-dust, and lamjj-black ; they mixed all together, and rubbed and be- daubed their faces with it in such a manner that they looked very frightful. After having thus blackened themselves, they fell a weep- ing and lamenting, beating their heads and breasts, and cried continually, " This is the fruit of our idleness and debauches. " They continued thus aJmost the whole night, and when they left off, the old maa brought them water, with wliich they washed their faces and hands ; they changed all their clothes, which were spoiled, and put on others ; so that they did not look in the least as if they had been doing so strange an action. You may judge, madam, how uneasy I was all the while : I wished a thousand times to break the silence which those young gentlemen had imposed U2)on me, and ask (juestions ; nor was it possible for me to sleep that night. After Ave got up next day, we went out to walk, when I told tliem, "Gentlemen, I de- clare to you that I must renounce that law which you prescribed to me last night, for I cannot observe it. You are men of sense, and do not want wit ; you have convinced me of this ; jet I have seen you do such ac- tions aa none but madmen could be capable of. Whatever misfortune befalls me, I can- not forl)i.'ar asking why you bedaubed your faces with black ? — how it comes that each of you have but one eye ? Some singular circumstance must certainly be the cause of it; therefore I conjure you to satisfy my curiosity." To tlicse jiressing instances they answered only, that it was no business of mine to ask such questions, and that I shoidd do well to hold my peace. We passed that day in conversation upon indifferent subjects; and when night was come, and every man had supped, the old man brought in his blue basins, and the young gentlemen bedaubed their faces, wept and beat themselves, crying, " This is the fruit of our idleness and debauches," as be- fore, and continued the same actions the following night. At last, not being able to resist my curiosity, I earnestly jirayed them to satisfy me, or shew me how to return to my own kingdom ; for it was impossible for me to keep them company any longer, and to see every night such an odd spectacle, without being permitted to know the reason. One of the gentlemen answered in behalf of the rest, " l)o not wonder at our conduct in regard to yoiu'self, and that hitherto we have not granted your request : it is out of mere kindness to save you the pain of being reduced to the same condition with us. If you have a mind to try our unfortunate destiny, you need but speak, and we will give you the satisfaction you desire." I told them I was resolved on it, let what woidd be the consequence. "Once more," said the same gentleman, " we advise you to restrain your curiosity ; it will cost you the loss of your right eye." " No matter," said I; "I declare to you, that if such a misfor- tune befall me, I will not impute it to you, but to myself." He farther represented to me, that when I had lost an eye, I must not hope to stay Rfl ^2 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. with them, if I were so minded, becaiiso their number was so complete, and no addi- tion could be I" ode to it. I told them that it would be " ^.tat satisfaction to me never to part from such honest gentlemen; but if there were necessity for it, I was ready to submit ; and let it cost wliat it would, I begged them to grant my request. The ten gentlemen perceiving that I was 80 fixed in my resolution, took a sheep and killed it, and after they had taken otF tho skin, i)resentcd me with a knife, telling me it would bo iiGuful to u a a certain occa- sion, which they should .^il me of presently. " We must sew you into this skin," said they, "and then leave you; upon which a fowl of monstrous size, called a roc, will appear in the air, and taking you to be a sheep, will come down upon you, and carry you up to the very sky; but let not that frighten you ; he will come down with you again, and lay you on the top of a mountain. When you lind yourself upon the ground, cut the skin with the knife, and throw it off. As soon as the roc sees you, he will fly away for fear, and leave you at liberty; do not stay, but walk on till you come to a prodi- gious large castle, covered with ])lates of gold, large emeralds, and other precious stones : go up to the gate, which always stands open, and walk in : we have been in the castle as long as we have been here ; we will tell you nothing of what we saw, or what befell us there : you will learn it your- self ; all that we can inform you is, that it liath cost each of us our right eye, and the penance which you have been witness to, is what we are obliged to do, because we have been there. The history of each of us in particular is so fidl of extraordinary adven- tures, that a large volume would not contain them. But we must explain ourselves no farther." Here Scheherazade broke off the discourse, and said to the sultan of the Indies : Sir, my sister called upon me this morning sooner than ordinary ; I fear I have wearied your majesty's patience. But now day appears in very good time, and commands my silence. Schahriar's curiosity still prevailed upon him to dispense with his cruel oath. Tlie Fifty-Eighth Night. DiXARZADE did not call so early this night as she did the last, yet she called upon the Eidtauess before day : If you be not asleep, sis+,er, pray continue the story of the third ca.euder. 8cheherazalea«nriH, had 8o much diverted nie diirinj; the whole year, that I neither had time nor the leant desire to sec the wondeifid tliin;<8 contained ill this enchauti'il palace. I did not ho much as take notice of a thouHand ran^ ohjeeta that were every day in my sinht; for I w.'is so occ\i|)ied witli the charming beauty of those ladies, and took so much jileaHure in seeing them wholly enijiloyed to olilige me, that their dep.uture aillieted me very Hcn- sibly; and though their ab-t imagine anything that could surpass it, but that which our religion promises us after death ; the sym- metry, the neatn(!ss, tin; admirable order of the trees, the abundance and diversity of a thousand sorts of unknown fruits, their fresh- ness and beauty, ravislied my sight. I ought not to forget, madam, to ac(iuaint you that this delicious orchard was watered after a very particular manner ; there were channels so artilicially and proportionably dug, that they carried water in abundance to the roots of such trees as wanted it for making them produce their leaves and flowers. Others carried it to those that had their fruit budded ; some carried it in lesser (piantities to those whose fruits were swell- ing ; and others carried oidy so much as was just requisite to water those which hatl their fruit come to perfection, and (mly wanted to be ripened. They far exceeded the ordi- nary fruits of our gardens in bigness. Lastly, those channels that watered the trees whose fruit was ripe, had no more moisture than just what would i)reservo them from wither- ing. I could never be we.arj' of looking at and admiring so sweet a phvce ; and I should never have left it, had I not conceived a great idea of the other things which I ha. while not one soul ap|)eared, either here or in the gardens where I had been ; and yet I could not perceive a weed, or any superflu- ous thing there. The sun went down, and 1 retired, charmed with the cliirping notes of the multitude of birds, who then began to perch ujioii such jilaces as suited them to repose on during the night. I went to my chamber, resolving to open all the rest of the doors the days following, excepting that of gold. 1 failed not to ojien the fourth door next joi(;in>{. All tlmt lia« lia|i[)i'iu'il to you wo liav»' also iiiuU'r- jjono ; \VL' tantcd all Horts of ploaHiiri'S (liiriii); n year HucceHsivi'ly ; ami \vc liad coiititiiu'il to enjoy the sainu hHi>|>ini'SH Htill liail wo not ojic'iiLil the goKlon door when tho iiriiicosHrs were ahseiit. You havo hi'oii no wisor than UH, and havo had likewiHu the saniu piiniah- mcnt. Wo would yladly recoive you among us, to perform hucIi penances as wo do, though wo know not how lonj; it may oon- tinuu ; but wo havo already declared tho reasons that hinder us; therefore depart from hence, and go to tho court of lla,i;dad, where you shall meet with him that can de- cide your destiny." They told mo tho way I was to travel, and I left them. On the road I caused my beard and eye- brows to bo shaven, and a.s8>nned a calen- der's habit. I havo had a lonj^ journey, but at last I arrived this evcnin<^ in this city, where 1 met these my brother calen- ders at the gate, being strani,'ers as well as myself. We wondered much atone another, to see we were all three Idiiid of the same eye ; but wo had not leisiu-o to disicourao long of our conmiou calaiuitius. Wo had only so much time as to come hither, to implore those favours which you have been generously pleased to grant us. The third calender having finished this relation of his adventures, Zubeide aildresseil her speech to him and his fellow-calenders thus : — "Go wherever you think fit; you are all three at liberty." IJut ono of them an- swered, " Madam, we beg you to pardon our curiosity, and permit us to hear those gen- tlemen's stories who have not yet si)oke." Then the latly turned to that sid^ where tho calipli, the vizier Giafar, and Mesrour stood, whom she knew not; but said to them, " It is now your turn to tell mo your adventures, therefore speak." The ;^rand vizier Giafar, who had always been tho sjiokcsman, answered Zobeido thus : "Madam, in order to obey you, we need only to repeat what we have said already, before we entered your house. We are mer- chants of Moussol, that came to i5a:,'ilad to sell our merchandise, that lies in the khan where we lodge. We dined to-day with several other persons of our profession, at a merchant's house of this city ; who, after he had treated us with choice dainties and excellent wines, sent for men and women dancers and musicians. The great noise wo made brought in the watch, who arrested some of the company, and wo had the good fortune to escape ; but it being already late, and the door of our khan shut nj), we knew not whither to retire. It was our hap, as we • assed along this street, to hear mirth at your house, which made us determine to knock at your gate. This is all the account that wu can give you, in r)bedienco to your uoniniands." Zobeido, having lie-ud this discourse, Noenied to hesitate upon what she should say; which tho calenders perceiving, prayed her to grant tho samo favour to the threo MoUKsol merehantK m she had done to them. " Well, then," said she, " I give my consent, for you shall all bo eipiall^ ol)liged to me: I pardon you all, provided y. u depart iinino- di.itelyout of this house, and (/o whither you please." Zobeido having given this command in a tone that signilied she would bo obeyed, tho caliph, tho vizier, Mesrour, tho three calen- ders, and tho porter, departed, without say- ing one word ; for tho presence of the seven slaves with their weaiioiis kept them in awe. When they ■were out of tho house and tho door shut, tho caliph said to tho calenders, without making himself known, " You gen- tlemen strangers, that are newly come to town, which way do you design to go, since it is not yet Ty of Zobeide, that she did not fail to call tin. sultaness before day. If you be not aslee >, sister, pray let us know what Zobeide sr.w more in this strange palace. JSchchera.^ade answered, The lady c.»tience. The suit, „^ *''''i'''^«^ «" your -fttohcar^rtaSe^^yi-^-'S-xt lul story, "''uuuer oi this wonder TORY OF ZOBEIDE. — — — _ «I my iather did T<'\m Th!iT ^ ~^ court, the inhabitants ',''?,* l'"»ee, his whole other subjects, vere ^^ *;' '^''>''.-^»'l ''' Ws i're, and of A^u^Iou, the w -'"'f^'l'l'l'^''-^ "^ «^anWl.reb.W;^--;^'".ofthe an Idolatrous father a.^?;,™ •■^?'^ ^""' ^f S"od fortune in m^y t^t 'T' ' '""' «'« "ess who was a crood At '"'^'-^ '"^ «over- Koran by heart "an 1 '^^' f«"'"^an ; I j^'i^jtho ■^tionofltS:;;^ru^'^*^^^^^ would she oftentimes sav 'fi ''''"" I'"°«e,' "'o Ood; take hc'l th;t*''"■^"'•»to^e knowledge and adore anv',,^"" ''," ""* ac- me to read Arabic an tV" /^'"'taught n^e to preach upon'C th Ko""'' '^'f ^^^'^ as I was capable of ,,,,!). ,'■''"• '^« soon PJ7edto,Li£'t^-f-^it,sheex. W(-k, and infused pietv t f „ """'•^'''^"'^'^t known to my father V;^ '," "^^ ™'nd, un- 'happened to^ L , ^t ''nT^r'^ '-''^''- ^^e Pe*ctlyinstruct d meralltlT '^"^ ^''^ «ary to convince me o? t ' Ar * 7^' "^'='-'«- «'on. After her death V'"^'"''^" '•'-^«- constancy in the belief T .l'"«'«ted with £--.od..^[i;i^-^-rabl.or ago2;it:;i£°3-arsandsome months «"clden so distinc Iv th ° wf ^'''"•'' '''" "f a that nobody Sd n ^^t "''° ^^^'^'e city, words were'^these -J'r, ^I'f '"« '*• The the worship of iXardonn ,™*,'' "'^''andon worship the only Go fe 7^ «f «i'e, and . " This voice H^as Wl i '°"''' "'"'"'^y-' fivcly, but nol.ody wa, *''''^'^'y^''»r««"cces. J'-'^t day of the yZr at fo?^ m"^,' «« ^^^e •"orning, all the Lmbtn , '^°'^^ '" ^^^e cl^anged in an instant nt?."' ^''""•''' ^ere "1 tJie same cond t on an. n :"""' ^^"'"•^ «"« Pened to I,e then , Tl ^r'*'""" *^''y ^ap- Ii!,,! +!,„ __ "'"-"in. iho kinrr ,r,„ f..ii ■• The Sixty-Fifth Night. S^°m^-::^S!i,1r-1'^--de, pray you to '';e.,ume tl * T ^"^' ^ ^'-""1^ and aequazrt us wha , "?,"^ ^"^"-'"Je, and the youn^nK-^/tJa'!^"^' '^^tween he; the palace you gave 1 «' ^""'J"' •'"'^^ "' ^f---I will immSX ^tfsfv : ''"^^■'•.'P"°" ■sultaness. Zobeide went ^ •^.""' «'''"l the thus :- '''"'' ^ent on with her story "Madam," said the vo .nr, J'ave given mo to ZxIrlwS '"'''"'/'yon knowledge of the true God ^.V" ^'""^'^ <* y"« just now addresser! f' S- *''" ^''^-'^ye'- acquaint you St - ?''"• ' will I o Vti;:;;-l-,Ti.kin^„,4^- Phosed into a blaci s/nn ,'''''' "letamt.r- j» this palace • a ^ tbe ' '"" ''' '^ *" l^*^ «een iad the like desthly ^""■"' "^^^ "^^"ther. "feiStt:?;i:S«-*fnotsu«.r I I.a.e continued^ o'-s^r"'/; "•'? ^'"'''^ ferv.-ncy than before /am ^" '","^ '"°^« 'a'ly, that he has sent. ^","''''«'' ^^ar eomfort, for whid/ /"^rSer ir"' '"^ ^^ thanks; for I niust own i't « ''' 'f '"*« hfo IS very uneasy " *^"*' solitary ^3^"n::;:;::;^'S?Eri^^^^^^"^^'^>^t^« "^'rince," said /.<,,*■'■ ^'"" extremely. Providence hath brouS^''^"; ''""'^^ ''"t to present you wi [, af !"*" y'""' P"rt, ;;-i..gfr^ntS^S;:;^;X^'^3^with -ade^y^nhat'iy- ^^ -aS S^ 'la.l, wiro r ,;;^'"j^;»«7eestee„, at l[4' estate; and I SVe 1 / •^'•"•^''^^'^Wo sanctuarythere unbifT ^'*: l" l"'"'"'^" you of the fiithfid'wh^^^^^j'S'^ty commander __JJ™^Jsvioe.regent to our 82 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. prophet, whom you acknowledge, shew you the honour that is due to your merit. This renowned prince lives at Bagdad, and as soon as he is informed of your arrival in his capital, you will find that it is not in vain to implore his assistance. It is impossible you can stay any longer in a city where all the objects you see must renew your grief : my vessel is at your service, whore you may absolutely command as you shall think lit." He accepted the offer, and we discoursed the remaining part of the night about our em- barkment. As soon as it was day we left the palace, and came aboard my ship, where we found my sisters, the cap- tain, and the slaves, all very much troubled for my absence. Af- ter I had i)resented my sisters to thi.i prince, I told them what had hindered my return to the ves- sel the day before, how I had met witli the young prince, liis story, and the cause of the desolation of so line a city. The seamen were taken up several days in xmlading the merchandise 1 brought along with me, and embarking, instead of that, all the precious things in the palace, as jewels, gold, and money. We left the f urnitiure and goods, which consisted of an intinite quan- tity of plate, &c., because our vessel could not carry it, for it would have re(£uired several vessels more to carry all the riches to Bagdad that we might have chosen to take with us. After we had laden the vessel with what we thought (it, we took such provisions and water aboai-d as were necessary for our voy- age (for we had stiU a great deal of those provisions left that we had taken in at Bal- sora : ) at last we set sail with a wind as fa- vourable as we could wish. Here Scheherazade saw day, and stopped her discourse : the sidtan arose without speaking a word ; but he projiosed to him- self to hear the end of Zobeide's story, and the wonderful dehverauce of this young prince. The Sixty-Sixth Night. When the ensiung night was almost past, Dinarzade, impatient to know the success of Zobeide's voyage, called the sultaneps : My dear sister, day begins to break ; for God's ?ake continue the story of yesternight, and tell us whi:t!(er thi' prince and Zobeide ar- rived safe at Bagdad. — I will, said fcichehe- razade. Zobeide, addressing herself to the caliph, went on thus s — Sir, said she, the young prince, my sisters. and myself, enjoyed ourselves for some time very agreeably : but, alas ! this good under- standing did not last long, for my sisters grew jealous of the friendship between the prince and me, and maliciously asked me one day, what we shoidd do with him when we came to Bagdad. I perceived immediately that they put this question to me on purpose to discover my inclinations ; therefore, re- solving to put it otF with a jest, I answered them, "I will take him for my husband ;" and upon that, turning to the prince, "Sir, I humbly bog of you to give your consent; for as soon as we come to Bagdad, I design to offer you my per- son to be your slave, to do you all the ser- vice that is in my power, and to resign myself wholly to your commands." The prince answer- ed, ' ' I know not, ma- dam, whether you be in jest or no ; but for ujy own part, I seriously declare before these ladie.s, your sisters, that from this mo- ment I heartily accept your offer, not with any intention to have you as a slave, but as my lady and mistress ; nor wiU I pretend to have any power over your actions." At these words my sisters changed colour, and I coidd perceive afterwards that they did not love me as formerly. We were come into the Persian gidf, and not far from Balsora, where I lioped, con- sidering the fairwnd, we miglit have arrived the day following ; but in the night, when I was asleej), my sisters watched their time, and threw me overboard. They did the same to the prince, who was drowned. I swam some minutes on the water ; but by good fortune, or rither miracle, I felt ground. I went towards a black place, that, by what I could discern in the dark, seemed to be laud, and actually was a flat on the coast ; which, when day came, I found to be a desert is- land, lying about twenty miles from Balsora, I soon dried my clothes m the sun ; an ;1 as I walked along, I found several sorts of fruit, and likewise fresh water, which gave me some hopes of preservin<' my life. I laid myself down in a shade, and soon after I saw a winged serpent, very large and long, commg towards me, wriggling to the right and to the left, and lianging out his tongue, which made me think he had somo hurt, I arose, and saw a larger serpent fol- lowing him, holding liim by tho tail, and endeavouring to devour him. I had com- passion on him, and instead of ilying away, \ ?« THE STORY OF AMINE. 83 f, and , cou- rrived dien I time, 5 same swam ' good 1 d. I bat I land. hicb. irt is- Isora. n:l as fruit. \ ^ 3 me \ i \ soon t 3 and ) the t his somJ li. tfol- 11 and B corn- K way, n ^ 1 ■ a I had the boldness and courage to take up a stone that by chance lay by me, ano. throw it with all my strength at the great serpent, whom I hit on the head and killed him. The other, finding himself at liberty, took to his wings and Hew away. I looked a long while after him in the air, as an extraordi- nary thing ; but he How out of sight, and 1 lay down again in another place in the shade, and fell asleep. When I awaked, judge how I was sur- prised to soo by mo a Ijlaok woman, of a lively and agreeable eomjiloxion, who hold tied to- gether in her hand two Ijitohes of the same colour. I sat up and asked her who she was. " 1 am, "said she, " the serpent whom you delivered not lung since from ray mortal enemy. I knew n(jt how to acknowledge the great kindness you did me, but by doing what I have done. I knew the treachery of your sisters, and to avenge j-ou on them, as soon as I was sot at liberty l>y your generous assistance, I called several t)f my coriipauiona together, fairies like myself. We have car- ried into your storehouses at Bagdad all your lading that was in your vessel, and afterwards sunk it. " These two 1)lack bitches are your sisters, whom I have transformed into this shape. But this punLshment is not sufficient; for I will have you treat them in such a manner as I shall direct. " At these words the fairy took me fast under one of her anns, and the two bitches in the other, and carried me to my house in Bagdad, where I found in my storehouses all the riches which were laden on board my vessel. Before she loft me, she delivered mo the two bitches, and told me, " If you will not be cliangcd into a bitch as they are, I ordain you, in the name of him that governs the sea, to give each of your sisters every night a hundred lashes with a rod, for the punishment of the crime they have commit- ted against your jjorson, and the young prince whom they drowned. " I was forced to promise that I woidd obey her order. Since that time I have whi])ped them every night, though v/ith regret, whereof your majesty hiis Ijeen a witness. I give evidence by my teai's with how much sorrow and re- luctance 1 must i>orform this cruel duty; and in this your majesty may see I am more to bo pitied than blamed. If there be any- thing else, with rtlatiou to myself, that you desire to bo informed of, my sister Amine will give you the full discovery of it, by the relation of her story. After the caliph had heard Zobeide with a great deal of astonishment, he desired liis grand vizier to pray fair Amine to acquaint him wherefore her breast was marked with so man;/ scare. But, sir, said Sclieherazade, it is day, and I dare nob detain your majesty a»y longer. Schahriar being persuaded that the story which Sohohorazade was to relate would ex- jilain the former, said to himself, I nnist have the jileasure of hearing this story out : upon which he arose, and resolved that Sche- herazade should live one day longer. The Sixty-Seventh Night. DiNARZADE longed to hear the story of Amine, and therefore waked the sultaness a long while before day, saying, Dear sister, pray let us know wliy fair Amine had her breast so covered with scars. — 1 cdusont to it, said the sultaness ; and that no time may Ije lost, you may know that Amine address- ed herself to the ealipli, and began her story after this manner : — THE .STORY OF AMINE. Commander of the faithful, said she, to avoid repeating what your majesty has al- ready heard by my sister's .stur" 1 .jhall only .idd, that after my mother had taken a house for herself to live in during her widowhood, she gave me in marriage, with the jiortion my father left me, to a gentleman that had one of the best estates in the city. I had scarce l)een a year married when 1 became a widow, and was left in possession of all my husband's estate, which iinKjunted to ninety thousand sequins. The inti rest of this money was sufficient to maintain me very honourably. In the meantime, when my first six months' mourning was over, I caused to bo made me ten suits of clothes, very rich, so that each suit came to .1 thou- sand sequins ; and when the year was past, I began to wear them. One day, as I was busy .ilono about my domestic atTairs, I was told that a lady de- sired to speak to me. I ordered her to be bro\ight in. She was a person .advanced in years : she saluted me by kissing the ground, and told me, kneeling, " Dear lady, excuse the freedom I take to trouble you; the con- fidence I have in your cliarity mal;es me thus bold. I must .acquaint your ladyship that I have an orphan daughter, vho is to be married this day : she and I ar(! both strangers, and have no acquaintance in this town; which much perjiloxes me, for we wish the numerous family with wliom we are going to ally oursolve.i to think we are not altogether strangers, and without credit ; therefore, most liciutiful lar next night was near at an end, Dinar- zade awaked and called to the sidtaness. If you jilease, sister, pray continue the story of Amine. — Scheherazade answered, The lady resumed it thus . — The old woman who was with me, being extremely troubled at this accident, endeav- oured to comfort me. "My dear mistress," said she, "I beg your pardon, for I am the cause of this misfortune, having brought you to this merchant, because he is my country- man; but I never thought ho would be guilty of such a villanous action. But do not grieve : let us make haste to go home ; I will give you a medicine that shall perfectly cure you in three days' time, so that the least mark shall not be seen." The lit had made me so weak that I was scarce able to walk : but at last I got home, where I had a second lit, as I went into the chamber. •Meanwhile, the old woman applied her re- medy, so that I came to myself, and went to bed. My husband came to mc at night, and seeing my head bound iip, asked me the reason. I tohl him I had the headache, and hoped ho would iii(|uire no further; but he took a candle, and saw my cheek was hurt. "How comes this wound?" said he. And though I was not very guilty, yet I could not think of owniug the thing; besides, to make such a confession to a husband, I thought, was somewhat indecent; therefore I told him, " That as I was gouig to seek for that stuir you gave me leave to buy, a porter carrying a load of wood came so close by me, as 1 went through a narrow street, that one of the sticks gave me a rul) on the cheek ; but it is not mucu hurt." This put my husband in such a passion, that he vowed he shoidd not j,o unpunislicd ; "for I will to- morrow give orders to the lieutenant of the police to seize upon all those brutes of por- ters, and cause them to be hanged." Being afraid to occasion the death of so many inno- cent persons, 1 told him, "Sir, I should bo sorry that so great a piece of injustice should be committed. I'ray do not do it; for I should deem myself unpardonable if 1 were the cause of so much mischief." "Then tell me sincerely," said ho, "how came you by tliis wound';" I answered, "That it came through the inadvertency of a broom-seller upon an ass, who, coming behind me, and looking another way, his ass gave me such a push that I fell down, and Inirt my cheek upon some glass." " Is it so ?" said my hus- band; "then to-morrow morning, before sun- rising, the grand vizier G iafar shall have an account of this insolence, and he shall cause all the broom-sellers to be put to death." " For the love of God, sir," said I, " let mo beg of you to pardon them, for they are not guilty." "How, madam," said he, "what is it I nmst believe ! Speak, for I am abso- lutely resolved to know the truth from your own mouth." "Sir," said I, " I was taken with a giddiness in my head, and fell down, and that is the whole matter." At these last words my husband lost all liatienco. "Oh," said he, "1 have given ear to your lies too long;" with that, clap- ping his hands, in came three slaves. "Pull I'cr out of bed," said he, "and lay her in the midiUe of the lloor." The slaves obeyed his orders, one holding me by the head, and another by the feet : he commanded a third to fetch him a scimitar ; and when he had brought it, "Strike," said he; cut her in two in the middle, and then throw her into the Tigris to feed the fishes. This is the punishment I give to those to whom I have given my heart, if they falsify their pro- mise. When he saw tliat the slave made no haste to obey his orders, " Why do you not strike ?" said he. " Who is it that holds you? What are you waiting for?" " Madam, then," said the slave, " j'ou are near the last moment of your life; consider if yovi have anything to dispose of before you die." I begged leave to speak one word, which was granted me. I lifted up my head, and looking wistfully to my husband, "Alas! "said I, "to what condition am I reduced ! Must I then die in the prime of my youth ? " I could say no more, for my tears and sighs prevented me. My husband was not at all moved, but, on the contrary, went on to reproach me, so that to have made answer wouM have been in vain. I had recourse to entreaties and prayers, but he had no regard to them, and commanded the slaves to proceed to execution. The old woman who had been his nurse came in just at that moment, fell down upon her knees, and endeavoured tf/appease lii" vvrath. "Mv son," said she, ' ' since I have 'jcen your nursf, mmM I HI 86 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. and brought you up, let mo bog tlio favour of you to grant mc lier life ; consider that ho who kills shall bo killed, and that you will stain your reputation, and lose tho esteem of mankind. What will the world say of such a bloody rage?" Slio spoke these words in such an affecting manner, accompanied with tears, that she prevailed upon him at last. " Well, then," said ho to his nurse, " for your sake I will spare her life ; but she shall carry some marks along with her to make licr remember the crime." With that one f,'f the slaves, by his order, gave nic so many blows as hard as he could strike, with a little oano, upon my sides and breast, that ho fetched both skin and Hesh away, so that I lay stt.seless. After that he cau.-ed the same slaves, tho executioners of his fury, to carry me into a house, where the old woman took care of mo. I kept my bed four months : at last I recovereil : the scars you saw yesterday, against my will, have i?mained ever since. As soon as I was able to walk, and go abroad, I resolved to go to the house Avhich was my own by my lirst husl)and, but I could not lind the place. My second hus- band, in the heat of his wrath, was not content to have razed it to tho ground, but catised all the street where it stood to bo pulled down. I believe such a violent pro- ceeding was never hoard of before ; but against whom should I make my complaint? The author had taken such care that ho was not to 1)0 found, neither could I know him sigain if I saw him; and sui)poso I had known him, is it not easily seen that tho treatment I met \\ ith proceeded from abso- lute power ? How, then, dared I make any complaint ? Being desolate, and unprovided of every- thing, I had recourse to my dear sister Zo- beide, who gave your majesty just now an iKCOunt of her adventures : to her I made known my misfortune ; she received me with her accustomed goodness, and advised me to bear it with patience. " This is the way of the world," said she, " which either robs us of our means, our friends, or our lovers, and oftentimes of all at once." And, at the same time, to confirm what she had said, she gave me an account of the loss of the young prince, occasioned by the jealousy of her two sisters ; she told me also by what accident they were transformed into bitches ; and, in the last place, after a thousand v >sti- nionials of her love tow.arils me, she shewed me my youngest sister, who had likewise taken sanctuary with her after the death of he;- mother. Thus we gave God thanks, who had 'brou::;ht us together again, resolving to live a single life, and never to separate any more, for we have enjoyed this peaceable way of living a great many years ; and as it was my business to mind the affairs of the house, I always took pleasure to go myself and buy in what we wanted. 1 haiipeued to go abroad yesterday, ami the things I bought I caused to be brought home by a porter, who proved to be a sensible and jocose fellow, and we kei)t liim with us for a little diver- sion. Three calenders happened to come to our door as it began to grow dark, and prayed us to give them shelter till the next morning. We gave them entrance, but upon certain conditions, which they agreed to; and after we liad made them sit down at the table by us, they gave lis a concert of music after their fashion, and at the same time we heard knocking at our gate. These were the three merchants of Moussol, men of a very good mien, who begged the same favour which the calenders had obtained before. We consented to it upon the same conditions, but neither of them kept their promise j and THE STORY OF AMIXE. 87 thour;h vt' had ]Kiwer ns w'l as justice (in our side to ])iiiiisli tliom. yet wo con- tfutud ourselves with demiuidinj; from them the history of their lives, and cousecjuently cuulijied our revenge to disuiiiisin^ them after they had done, and depriving them of the lodgini; tliey ref|uestcd. Tile calii>h Jlaronn Alrasehid was very well satisiied witli these stnin'^e stories, and declared imblicly his astonishment at what he had heard. But, sir, said Scheherazade, day bettins to break ; so that I have not time to ac(juaint your majesty what the cali|ih did to put an end to the enchantment of the t»\'o black bitches. Schahriar, supposing that the sul- tancss would iinish the sto'.y of the five ladieu and the three calenders the next night, rose up, and suil'ercd her to live till next moruiug. The Sixty-Ninth Night. Foe the love of heaven, sister, says Pinar- zade, before it was day, if yfiu are not asleep, tell us how the two Ijlack bitches were brought to their former sha[>e, and what became of the three calenders. — I will satisfy your curiosity, said .Scheherazapearcd before the ealii>h, in the shape of a lady very richly dressed. '• Commander of the faithful," said she to the jirinee, "you see 1 am ready to come and receive your Ci)nnnands. The lac ly who gave me this call by your order, did mo n par- ticular piece of service : to make my gi'ati- tude ajipear, 1 revenged her of her sisters' inhunwmity, by changing them into bitches ; but if your majesty commands it, I will re- store them to their former shape." "Handsome fairy," said the caliph, "you cannot do me a greater ]ileasure ; vouchsafe them that favour, and after that I will find some means to comfort them for the hard penance. But besides, I have another boon to ask in favour of that lady, who has had such cruel usage from an unknown husiiand ; and as you undoubtedly know a great many things, we have reason to believe that you cannot be ignorant of this. ()l)lige me with the name of this liarbarous fellow, whoeoidd not be contented to exercise his barbarous cruelty ujion her person, but has also most unjustly takeu from her all her substance. I only wonder how such an unjust and in- human action could be performed in spite of my authority and not come to my ears." " To oblige your majesty," answered the fairy, " I will restore the two bitches to their former state, and 1 will so cure the lady of her scars, that it shall never ajipear she was so beaten ; and at last I will tell you who it was that did it." The caliph sent for the two bitches from Zobeide's house ; and when they came, a glass of water was brought to the fairy by her desire ; she pronounced over it some words, which nobody understood ; then throwing some part of it upon Amine, and the rest upon the bitches, the latter became two ladies of surprising beauty, and the scars that were upon Amine vanished away. After which the fairy said to the caliph, "Com- mander of the faithful, I must now discover to you the unknown husband you inquire after ; lie is very near related to yourself, for it is prince Amin, your eldest son, who falling passionately in love with this lady, by the fame ho had heard of her beauty, by an intrigue got her brought to his house, where he married her. As to the strokes he caused to be given her, he is in some measure ex- cusable ; for the lady, his spouse, had been a littlo too easy, and the excuses she had made were capable of making him believe she was more faulty than really she was. This is all I can say to satisfy your curio- sity ; " and at these words she saluted the caliph, and vanished. The prince being filled with admiration, and having much satisfaction in the changes that had happened through his means, did "•■*, jJtHi .' i >mti,atBtii k im .1* ,.„—..; :z^r*?'M* u 88 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. .'-'ich tilings ai will pi'i'iK'timto liia memory to nil nj^oH. First, ho Hunt for hit 8(m Amin, ivnd told him that ho was iiil'ormcy- iiit'iit. "iSiyiiiir," iinswcrcil l;c, "my iinini' is lliiidhail." " [ am vitj' glail to hco yi>ii," replied Siiidl)ad, "and I daro Hay the Hatnc for all tho coniiiany; l>ut 1 would Ih; ^dad to licar from your own mouth what it wax j'ou said awhilo aj;o in the street." ForSindliad liad heard it hiniaelf through the window, lieforc lid sat down at table, and that occa- sioned his calling' for him. Hindbad, being surprised ftt tho f^uestion, linn,!.; ilown IiIh head, and replied, " Sijrnor, I confess that my weariness ]mt me out of humour, and oecawioiu'il lue to speak some indisereet words, whieh I be;,' you to jiar- doii." " Oh ! do not think I am so unjust," replied Sindbad, " to resent siudi a tliini; ai« that; I eonsider yi'ur eoudition, aud instead of npbraidin!^ you with your complaints, I commiserate you : but 1 lyust rectify youp mistake concernin;.; myself, ^'on think, nn doubt, fliat I have ae(|uired without labon? aud trouble the ca'SO aud couveuiuney which ^m. I now enjoy : but do not mistake ; I did not attain to this hapjiy condition without en- durinj^ more trouble of body and mind, for several years, than can well be imagined. Yes, gentlemen," added he, speaking to the whole company, "I can assure you my trou- bles were so extraordinary, that they were capable of discouraging the most covetous man from undertaking such voyages as I did to accpiirc riches. I'erhajis you have never heard a distinct account of niy wonder- ful adventures, and the dangers I met with in my seven voyages; and since I have this opportunity, I am willing to give you a faithful account of them, not doubting but it will be acceptable." And because Sindbad was to tell this story particularly upon the porter's account, he ordered bis burden to be carried to the place appointed, and began thus : — THE STORY OF SINDBAD THE SAILOR: HIS FIRST VOYAGE. My father left me a considerable estate, the best part of which I spent in debauchery during my youth ; but I perceived my error, and reflected that riches were perishable, and quickly consumed by such ill managers as myself, I farther considered, that by my irregular way of living I wretchedly misspent iny time, which is the most valuable thing in tho worlil. I remembered the saying of the great Solomon, wliich I hail frequently hoard from my father. That death is more toli.'ralilc than poverty. Struck with these reflections, I collected the remains of my furniture, and sold all my patrimony by public auction to the highest bidder. Then I entered into a contract witli some mer- chants, who traded by sea : I took the ad- vice of such as I thought most capable to give it me; and resolving to imiirove what money I had, I went to JJalsora,* and em- barked with several merchants on board a ship which we jointly litted out. We set sail, and steered our course to- wards the East Indies, thnnigh the Persian (lulf, which is formed by the coasts of Ara- bia Felix on the riglit, and by those of Persia on the left, and, according to common opi- nion, is seventy leagues at the broadest place. The Eastern sea, as well as that of the Indies, is very spacious : it is bounded on one side by tho coasts of Abyssinia, aud is 4500 leagues in length to the isles of * A port in the Persian gulf. # *> IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) k A {/ /. % i/.J % 1.0 !^ ^ iia lllll^ 1.8 I.I 1.25 1.4 1 1.6 .4 6" ^ V] ^ Photographic Sciences Corporation ,\ iV ^ :\ ^^ <> %^ \ o^ ►^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 ^' .^. :^.. % . go THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. \l I Vakvak.* At first I waa troubled with the 8ea-8ickneR8, Init speedily recovered my health, and was not afterwards troubled with that disease. In our voya;,'e we touched at several is- lands, ■m^Bf we sold at exchanged our goods. One day, whilst under sail, we were be- calmed near a little island, even almost with the surface of the water, which resembled a green meadow. The captain ordered his sails to be furled, and permitted such per- sons as had a mind to land u^wn the island, amongst whom I was one. But wliile we were diverting ourselves with eating and drinking, and recovering ourselves from the fatigiie of the sea, the island on a sudden trcmltlcd, and sliook lis terribly. Here Scheheraeade stopped, because day appeared, but resumed her discourse next morning as follows : — The Seventy-First Night. SiK, Sindbatl pursued his itory thus : — They perceived the trembling of the island on board the ship, and called us to re-embark speedily, or we should all be lost ; for what we took for an island was only the book of a whale. Tlie nimblest got into the sloop, others betook themselves to swimming ; but for my part, I was still upon the back of the whale whei» le dived into the sea, .and had time only to catch hold of a piece of wood that we had broiijiht out of the ship to make a fire. Meanwhile, the captain, having re- ceived those on Ijoard who were in the sloop, and taken up some of tl.ose tliat swam, re- solved to improve the favourable gale that was just risen, anil hoisting his sails, ]mr- sued his voj-ajrc, so tluit it was impossible to recover the ship. Tluis was I exposed to the mercy of the waves, and 8tru;.'<.'led for my life all the rest of the day and the fullmving night. Next nioniing J found my strength gone, and de- spaired of sa%-ing my life, when happily a wave tlirew me asainst an island, t The bank was high and rugged, so that I could scarcely have got up, had it not been for some roots of trees, whicli fortune seemed to have preserved in this place for my safety. Being got ui>, 1 lay down upon tlie ground half dead, until the sun appeared ; then, though I was very feelde, both by rea- son of my hard labour and want uf food, I • TlicsR i»lanil«. according to the Arahians, nro I)PTon(l China, anfl are so called from n tree which heiirs a fruit of that name. They are. without douht, the isles of Japan ; which are not, however, fur from Abyssinia. f )Ir IIol?. p. Ti. say.i that thia Is probably one of the three Islands near Ceylon, called IIIhih de C'avaloB, fWm the wild hnr»os, 'to which the Dutch annually eend mares to improre th" breed. — Wolfs Account of ' Ceylon, but, p. 256, be alters hii opinion. crept along to see some herljs fit to eat, snd had not only the good lack to find some, but likewise a spring of excellent water, which contributed much to recover me. After this I advanced farther into the island, and came at last into a tine plain, where I perceived a horse feeding at a gnat dis- tance. I went towards him, between hojie and fear, not knowing whether I was going to lose my life or save it. When I came near, I perceived it to be a very fine mare, tied to a stake. Whilst I looked upon her, I heard tlio voice of a man from under ground, who immediately appeared to me, and asked who I was. I gave him an account of my adventure ; after which, taking me by the hand, he led me into a cave, where there were several other j)eople, no less amazed to see rac than I was to see them. I eat some victuaLs which they oflTered me, and then, having asked them what they did in such a desert place, they answered that they were .j^woms belonging to king Mihrage, sovereign of the island; and that every year, at the same season, they brought thither the king's mares, and fastened them as I saw that mare, until they were covereeen one day later, I must have perished, Itecause the inhabited part of the i.sland was at a groat distance, and it wouhl have been im- l)ossible for me to have got thither without a guide. Whilst they entertained me thus, the horse came out of the sea, aa they had told nie, covered the mare, and afterwards would have devoured her ; but upon a great noi»e made by the grooms he left her, and went back to the sea. Next morning they returned with their mares to the capital of tlie island, took me with them, and presented me to king Mih- rage. J He asked me who I was, and by what adventure I came into his dominions. And, after I hod satisfied him, he told me he was mxicli concerned for my misfortune, and at the same time ordered t) it I should want nothing, which his officers were so generous and careful as to see exactly fulfilled. Being a merchant, T ""requented men of my own profession, and particularly in<|aired for those who were strangers, if perhaps I might hear any news from Bagdad, or find an opportunity to return thither, for king X We meet with KIni; Mehrajre in the sceonnts of India and China by two lilohammedan tniTeilen in the nintli century, and the ialond of Zapo^ and the Friendly Islands answer to Borneo. — Hou. SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 91 Mihrago's capital is situated on the bank of the sea, and has a fine harbour, where ships arrive daily from the different quarters of the world. I frequenteon this supposed island, Avliich w.os only a monstrous whale that lay asleep upon the surface of the water : but as soon as he felt the heat of the fire they had kiniUed upon his back to dress some victuals, he began to move, aiul dived under water : most of the persons who were upon him * The same in one or the islands of Eolai. Perhaps the roaring of tin- wnvt-s among the rocks. — Hole. Lllte the cave in Britain, mcntionet] by Clemens Alex- andrinus, Trhere the wind produced a sounil as of cjrmbals, t Degial, with the Mohammedans, is the same as Anti- christ with us. According to tiiem lie is to appear about the end of the world, and will conquer all the earth except Mecca, itledina, Tarsus, and Jerusalem, which are to be preserved by angels which he shall set round them. X The sea-serpents on the Malabar coast. — Hole. i Martini mentions llshes with birds' faces in the Cktua leas.— HobB. '|>eri8hed, and among them uafortonate iSind- bad. Those bales belonged to him, and I am resolved to trade with them until I meet with some of his family, to whom I may return the profit. " Ca})tain," said I, " I am that Sindbad whom you thought to bo dead, and those bales are mine." — Here Scheherazade stopt till next morning, and went on as follows : — The Seventy-Second Night. Sindbad, pursuing the story, said to the company, when the captain heard me speak thus, "O heaven!" said he, "whom can we ever tnist now-a-days? There is no faith left among men. I saw Sindbad perisli with my own eyes, and the passengers on board saw it as well as I ; ami yet you tell me you are that Sindbad. What impudence is this ! To look on you one would take you to be a man of probity ; and yet you tell a horrible falsehood in order to ]io3sess yourself of what does not belong to you." " Have patience, captain, " replied I ; ' 'do me the favour to hear what I have to say." " Very well," said he, "speak ; I am ready to hear you." Then I told him liow I escaped, and by what adven- ture I met with the grooms of king Mihrage, who brought mo to his court. He began to abate of his confidence upon my discoui-se, and was soon persuaded that I was no cheat ; for there came i>eople from his ship who knew me, paid me great compliments, and expressed much joy to see me alive. At last he knew me himself, and, emhracing me, "Heaven be praised," said he, "for your hajjpy escape ; I cannot enough ex- l)res3 my joy for it. There are your guuds ; take and do with them what you will." I thanked him, acknowledged his pro))ity, and, in requital, oiiVred him part of my goods as a present, which he gene- rously refused. I took out what was most valuable in my bales, and presented it to king ^lih- rage, who, knowing my mis- fortune, asked me how I came by such rarities? I acquainted him with the whole story*. He was mightily pleased at my good luck, accepted my present, and gave me one much more consider- able in return. Upon this I took leave of him, and went aboard the same ship, after I had exchanged my goods for the commodi- ties of that country. I carried with me wood of aloes, sandal, camphor, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, and ginger. We passed by 'mmm wsm- ■^ 92 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. ■everal islands, and at last arrived at Bal- Bora, from whence I came to this city, with the value of 100,000 sequins.* My family and I received one another with all the transi>orts of sincere friendship. I bought slaves of both sexes, fine lands, and built me a great house; and thus I settled myself, resolving to forget the miseries I hod sutl'ered, and to enjoy the pleasures of life. Sindbad stoijped here, and ordered the mu- sicians to go on with their concerts, which his story had intorruptod. The company continued to eat and drink till the evening, when it was time to retire ; when Sindbad sent for a purse of one hundred sequins, and giving it to the porter, said, "Take this, Hindbad; return to your home, and come back to-morrow to hear some more of my adventures." The porter went home, aston- ished at the honour done him, and the pre- sent made him. The relation of it was very agreeable to his wife and children, who did not fail to return thanks to (Jod for what providence had sent him by the hand of Sindbad. Hindbad put on his best clothes next day, and returned to the bountiful traveller, who received him with a pleasant air, and ca- ressed him heartily. When all the guests were come, dinner was set upon the table, and continued a long time. When it was ended, Sindbml, addressing himself to the company, said, "Gentlemen, be i^leoscd to give mo audience, and listen to the adven> tures of my second voyage ; they deserve your attention better than the first." Upon which every one held his peace, and Sindbad went on thus : — • THE SECOND VOYAGE OF SISDBAD THE BAItOR. I designed, after my first voyage, to spend the rest of my days at Bagdad, as I had the honour to tell you yesterday ; but it was not long ere I grew weary of a quiet life. My inclination to trade revived. I bought goods proper for the commerce I intended, and put to sea n second time, with merchants of kno^vn probity. We embarked on board a good shi]i, and, after recommending our- selves to Goil, set sail. We traded from island to island, and exchanged commodities with great prolit. One day we landed on an island covered with several sorts of fruit- trees, but so unpeopled that we could neither see man nor beast \\\wn. it. We went to take a little fresh air in the meadows, and along the streams that watered them. Whilst some diverted themselves with ga- theruig flowers, and others with gathering fruits, I took my wine and provisions, and sat down by a stream betwixt two great trees, which formed a curious shape. I made a very good meal, and afterwards fell asleep. I cannot tell how long I slept, but when I awaked the ship was gone. — Here Scheherazade broke off, because day ap- peared, but next night continued the story thxu: — The Seventy-Third Night. I WAS very much surprised, said Sindbad, to find the ship gone. I got up, and looked • The Turkish sequin is about nine shilliDgs sterling. aboTit everywhere, and could not see one of the merchants who landed with me. At last I perceived the ship under sail, but at such a distance that I lost sight of her in a very little time. I leave you to guess at my melancholy reflections in this sad condition ; I was ready to die with grief. I cried out sadly, beat my head and breast, and threw myself down upon the ground, where I lay some time in A SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 93 a terrible agony, one afflicting thought being succeeded by another still more afflicting. I upbraided myself a hundred times for not being content with the produce of my first voyage, that might well have served me all my life. But all this was in vain, and my repentance out of season. At last I resigned myself to the will of God ; and not knowing what to do, I climbed up to the top of a great tree, from whence I looked about on all sides to see if there was anything that could give me hoi)e3. When I looked towards the sea I could see nothing but sky and water ; but looking to- ' wards the land I saw something white, and coming down from the tree I took up wliat provision I had left, and went towards it, the distance being so great that I could not distinguish what it was. When I came nearer, I thought it to be a white bowl, of a prodigious height and bigness ; and when I came up to it I touched it, and found it to bo very smooth. I went round to see if it was open on any side, l)ut saw it was not, and that there was no climb- ing up to the top of it, it was so smooth. It was at least fifty paces round. By this time the sun was ready to set, and all of a sudden the sky became as dark as if it had been covered with a thick cloud. I was much astonished at this sudden dark- ness, but much more Avhen I found it occa- sioned by a bird of a monstrous size, that came flying toward me. I remembered a fowl, called roc, that I had often heard mariners speak of, and conceived that the great bowl, which I so much admired, must needs be its egg. In short, the bird alight- ed, and sat over the egg to hatch it. As I perceived her coming, I crept close to the egg, so that I had before me one of the legs of the bird, which was as big as the trunk of a tree. I tied myself strongly to it with the cloth that w^ent round my turban, in hopes that when the roc* flew oway next morning, she would carry me with her out of this desert island. And after having passed the night in this condition, the bird actually flew away next morning, as soon as it was day, and carried me so high that I could not see the earth ; she afterwards de- scended all of a budden, with so much ra- pidity that T lost my senses ; but when the roc was settled, and I found myself upon the ground, I speedily untied the knot, and hod scarce done so when the bird, having taken up a serpent of a monstrous length in her bill, flew away.f ♦ Marco Paolo, In his Travels, and Father Martini, In his History of China, speak of this bird called "Ruch," and say it will take up an elephant and a rhinoceros. See also Vigafetta, in Ramusio's Collec- tion of Voyages, 1369. The combat between eagles and elephants is to be foond in Pliny, Solinus, and Diodonu Sloulus UOLI. t Of serpents devoured bj WflM, IM UaiOO FmIo, iMreafter cited.— Hou. The place where it left me was a very deep valley, encompassed on all sides with mountains, so high that they seemud to reach above the clouds, and so full of steep rocks that there was no possibility of getting out of the valley. This was a new per- plexity ; so that when I compared this place with the desert island from which the roc brought me, I found that I had gained no- thing by the change. As I walked tlirongh this valley I per- ceived it was strewed with diamonds, some of which were of a surprising bigness. I took a great deal of pleasure to look upon them ; but speedily I saw at a distance such objects as very much diminished my satis- faction, and which I could not look upon without teiTor ; this was a great number of serjients, so 1)ig and so long, that the least of them was capable of swallowing an ele- phant. They retired in the daytime to tlieir dens, where they hid themselves from the roc, their cnwiiy, and did not come out but in the night-time. I spent the day in walking about the val- ley, resting myself at times in such places as I thought most commodious. When night came on I went into a cave, where I thought I might be in safety. I stopped the mouth of it, which was low and straight, with a great stone, to preserve me from the ser- pents, but not so exactly titted as to hinder light from coming in. I supped on part of my provisions ; but the serpents, which be- gan to appear, hissing about in the mean- time, put me into such extreme fear that yc:i may easily imagine I did not sleep. When day appeared the serpents retired, and I came out of the cave trembling. I can justly say that T walked a long time upon diamonds without feeling an inclina- tion to touch any of them. At last I sat down, and, notwithstanding my uneasiness, not having shut my eyes during the night, I fell asleep, after having eaten a Uttle more of my provision ; but I had scarce shut my eyes when something, that fell by me with great noise, awaked me. This was a great piece of fresh meat ; and at the same time I saw several others fall down from the rocks in dift'erent places. I always looked upon it to be a fable when I heard maruicrs and others discourse of the valley of diamonds, and of the strata- gems made use of by merchants, to get jewels from thence ; but then I found it to bo true. For in reality those merchants come to the neighbourhood of this valley when the eagles have young ones, and throwing great joints of meat into the valley, the diamonds, upon whose points they fall, stick to them ; the eagles, which arc stronger in this country than anywhere else, pounce with great force upon those pieces of meat, and carry them to their nests upon the top 94 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. of the rocka, to feed their young -with ; at nests, frighten the eagles by their noise, and which time the merchants, running to their | take away the diamonds that stick to the meat.* And this stratagem they make use of to get the diamonds out of the valley, which is surrounded with such preci^iices that nobody can enter it. I believed till then that it was not pos- sible for me to get out of this abyss, which I looked upon as my grave ; but then I changed my mind, for the fallhig in of those ineces of meat put me in hopes of a way of saving my life. — Here day began to appear, which obliged Scheherazade to break off; but she went on with it next night as fol- lows :— The Seventy-Fourth Night. Sir, said she to the sultan, Sindbad con- tinued the story of the adventure of his second voyage thus : — I began to gather together the largest dia- monds that I could see, and put them into the leathern bag in which I used to carry my provisions. I afterwards took the largest piece of meat I coidd find, tied it close round me with the cloth of my turban, and then laid myself upon the ground with my face down- ward, the bag of diamonds being tied fast to my girdle, that it could not possibly drop off. I had scarce laid me down before the eagles came ; each of them seized a piece of meat, and one of the strongest having taken me up, mth a piece of meat on my back, carried me to his nest on the top of the mountain. The merchants fell straightway to shouting, to frighten the eagles ; and when they had obliged them to quit their prey, one of them came to the nest where I was. He Was very much afraid when he saw me ; but, recovering himself, instead of inquiring how I came thither, he began to quarrel with me, ond asked why I stole his goods. "You will treat me," replied I, "with more civility when you know me bet- ter. Do not trouble yourself, I have dia- monds enough for you and myself too, more * Epiplmniua, in a trentise on the twelve stones ia the Jewish hipli jiricst's l>reast-plate, tells a like story of the jacinths in the deserts of gcythia. Marco Paolo places it bevoud Malabar, iu a situation which would suit Oolconda. See also Benjamin of Tadela, who tra- TeUe make use of them. In the meantime wo will exe- cute the design to deliver oursclvca from the giant; and if it succeed, we may stay here with patience till some ship pass by that may carry us out of this fatal island ; but if it happen to miscarry, we will speedily get to our floats, and put to sea. I confess that by exposing ourselves to the fury of the waves, we run a risk of losing our Uvea ; but if wo do, is it not better to bo buried in the sea than in the entraib of this monster, who has already devoui-eii two of us?" My lulvice was relished, and wo made floats cap- able of carrying three persons each. We returned to the palace towards the t.treni'-.g, and the giant arrived a little while after. We were forced to conclude on see- ing another of our comrades roasted. But at last we revenged ourselves on the brutish giant thus : after he had made an end of his cursed supper, he lay down on his bauk and fell asleep. As soon as we heard him snore,* according to his custom, nine of the boldest among us, and myself, took each of us a spit, and putting the jioints of them into the fire till they were burning hot, we thrust them into hia eye all at once, and blinded him. The pain occasioned him to make a frightful e-y, and to get up and stretch out hi3 hands, in order to sacrifice some of us to bis rage ; but we ran to such ]>]aces as he could not find us ; and after having sought for us in vain, he groped for the gate, and went out, howling dreadfully. — Schehera- zade stopped here, but uext night resumed her story thus : — The Seventy-Sixth Night, We went oi.fc of the palace after the giant, continued Sindbad, and came to the shore, ■where we had left our floats, and put them immediately into the sea. We waited till day, in order to get upon tliem, in ease the giant came towaids us v/ith any guide of his own species ; but we hoped, if he did not apiiear by sun-rising, and give over liis howl- ing, which we still heard, that he would die ; and if that happened to be the case, we resolved to stay in that island, and not to risk our lives upon the iloats : but day had scarce appeared, when we perceived our cruel enemy, accompanied with two others almost of the same size, leading him, and a great number more coming before him with a very quick pace. When we saw this, we made no delay, but got immediately upon our floats, and rowed oflf from the shore. The giants, who * It would seem Uie Arabian antbor has taken this «toi7 bom Homer's " Odjgsey," perceived this, t(>ok up great stones, and running to the shore, entered the water up to the middle, and threw so exactly, that they sunk all the floats but that I was upon ; and all my companions, except the two with me, were drowned. Wo rowed with all our might and got out of the reach of the giants ; but when wo got out to sea, we were ex- posed to the mercy of the waves and winds, and tossed about, sometimes on one side, ami sometimes on another, and spent that night and the following day imder a cruel uncer- tainty as to our fate ; but next morning we had the good luck to be thrown ui>on an island, where wo landed with much joy. We found excellent fruit tliere, that gave us great relief, so that we pretty well reco- vered our strength. In the evening we fell asleep on the bank of the sea, but were awaked by the noise of a seri>ent as long as a jialm-tree, whose scales mailo a rustling as he crept along, lie swallowed up one of my comrades, not- withstanding his loud cries and the efforts he made to rid himself of the serpent; which, shaking liini several times against the groiuid, crushed him ; and we could hear him gnaw and tear the poor wretch's bones when we had fled a great distance from him. Next day wo saw the serpent again, to our great terror; when I cried out, "G Heaven, to what dangers are we exposed! We re- joicei'. yesterday at our having escaped from the cruelty of a giant and the rage of the waves, and now are we fallen into another danger altogether as terrible." As we walked about we saw a large tall tree, upon which we designed to pass the following night for our security ; and hav- ing satisfied our hunger, we mounted it ac- cordingly. A little while after the seriieut came hissing to the root of the tree, raised itself up against the tnmk of it, and meet- ing with my comrade, who sat lower than I, swallowed him at once, and went off. I stayed upon the tree till it was day, and then came down, more like a dead man than one alive, expecting the same fate with my two companions. This filled me with hor- ror, so that I was going to throw myself intd the sea ; but nature prompting us to a de- sire to live as long Ks we can, I withstood this temptation to despair, and submitted myself to the will of God, who dis2)08es of our lives at his pleasure. In the meantime I gathered together a great quantity of small wood, brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into fag- gots, made a great circle with them round the tree, and also tied some of them to the branches over my head. Having done thus, when the evening came I shut myself up within this circle, with this melancholy j)iece of satisfaction, that I had neglected nothing which could preser^'e me from the cruel 98 THE ARABIAN N/GHTS" ENTERTAINMENTS. clcstiny with which I wai threatened. The Bcrpcnt failed not to couio at tlte usnal hour, and went round the tree, seeking for an op- portunity to devour mo, but wan i)revented by the rampart I )md made; so that ho lay till day, like a cat watching in vain for a mouse that has retired to a ]ilaco of safety. When day np])eared he retired ; but I dared not tn leave my fort t\ntil the sun arose. I was fatigued with the toil he had put uie to, and suirered so much by his ]M)i8on- ous breath, tliat, death seeming more eligible to me than the horror of such a condition, I came down from the tree, and, not thinking on the resignation I had made to the will of Gknl the preceding day, T ran towards the sea, with a design to throw myself into it headlong. — Here Scheherazade stopped be- cause day a]>peared, and next night conti- nued her story thus :— The Seventy-Seventh Night. SiNDB.VD i)ursued the account of his third voyage thus : — God, said he, took com- passion on my desperate state ; for just as I was going to throw myself into the sea, I perceived a. ship at a considerable distance. I called 08 loud as I could, and taking the liuen from my turban, displayed it, that they might observe me. This had the de- sired effect ; all the crew perceived me, and the captain sent his boat for me. As soon as I came aboard, the merchants and sea- men flocked about mo to know how I came to that desert island; and after I had told them of all that befell me, the oldest of them said to me, they had several times heard of the giants that dwelt in that island, that they were cannibals, and cat men raw as well as roasted ; and as to the serpents, they added that there were abundance in the isle, that hid themselves by day, and came abroad by night. After having testified their joy at my escaping so many dangers, they brought me the best of what they had to eat ; and the captain, seeing that I was all in rags, was so generous as to give me one of his own suits. We were at sea for some time, touched at several islands, and at last landed on that of Salabat,* where there grows San- ders, a wood of great use in physic. We entered the port, and came to an anchor. The merchants began to unload their goods, in order to sell or exchange them. In the meantime the captain came to me, and said, "Brother, I have here a parcel of goods that belonged to a merchant who sailed some time on board this ship ; and he being dead, I design to dispose of them for the benefit of * Possibly Timor, which Linschoten celebrates fbr its woods and wildernesses of Sanders. Purchas' Pilgriios, il. p. 1T81.— Uou. his heirs, when I know them." The bales he 8|»oko of lay on the deck, and, shewing them to mo, he said, "There are the goods; I hope you will take care to sell them, and yon shitU have factorage." I thanked him that ho gave me an opportunity to employ niysi^lf, because I hated to be idle. The olerk of the ship took an account of all the tales, with the names of the mer- chants to whom they belonged ; and when he asked the cajitain in whose name he should enter those he gave him the charge of, "Enter them," said the cajitain, "in the name of Sindbad the sailor." I could not hear myself named without some emotion ; anil Ijokiug steadfastly on the captain, I knew him to be the person who, in my second voyage, had left me in the island where I fell asleep by a brook, and set sail without me, or sending to see for mo: but I could not remember him at first, he was so much altered since I saw him. And as fur him, who believed me to be dead, I could not wonder at his not knowing me. "But, captain," said I, "was the mer- chant's name, to whom those bales belonged, Sindbad?" "Yes," replied he, "that was his name ; he came from Bagdad, and embarked on board my ship at Balsora. One day, when we landed at an island to take in water and other refreshments, I know not by what mistake, I set sail without observing that he did not re-embark with us ; neither I nor the merchants jierceived it till four houiy after. We had the wind in our stern, and so fresh a gale, that it was not then possible for us to tack about for him. " " You believed him then to be dead ? " said T. " Certainly," answered ho. "No, captain," said I; "look upon me, and you may know that I am Sindbad, whom you left on that desert island. I fell asleep by a brook, and when I awaked, I found all the company gone." At these words the captain looked steadfastly upon me. — Here Scheherazade perceiving day, broke off her story, and next day resumed it thus : — The Seventy-E^hth Night. The captain, continued Sindbad, having con- sidered me attentively, knew me at last, embraced me, and said, "God be praised that fortune has supplied my defect. There are your goods, which I always took care to preserve, and to make the best of them at every port where I touched. I restore them to you, with the profit I have mode of them." I took them from him, and at the same time acknowledged how much I owed to him. From the isle of Salabat we went to an- other, where I furnished mjrself with cicves, cinnamon, and other spices. As we sailed « * SIN DBA D THE SAILOR. 99 from t)iat island wo saw a t'>rtoiio that was twenty culiita in length and breadth.* Wo obsorvodalso a iish which lonked like a cow, and gavo inilk.t and its skin is so licrd that tliuy UHually inako bucklers of it. I uaw another which had the shape and colour of a camel. J In short, nftt-r a long voyage, I arrived at Balsora, and front thence returned to tliis city of Bagdad, with so much riches that I know not what I had. 1 gave a great deal to tho ]ioor, and bought another great estate in addition to what I had already. Thus kSindbod finished the history of his third voyage, gave another hundred sorjuins to Hindbod, and invited him to dinner again uexc day, to hear the story of his fourth voyage. Hindbod and the company retired ; and next day, when they returned, Sindbad after dinner coutiuucd the story of his ad- ventures. THE FOURTH VOVAOE OF SIN'DUAD THE SAILUlt. Tlie plea.suru, said he, and the divcrtise- ments 1 took after my third voyage, had not charms enoujjh to divert me from another. I was again i>rcvailed u]iou by my passion for trattic, and curiosity to see new things. I therefore settled my atTairs, and having provided a stock of goods lit for the places where I designed to trade, I set out on my journey. I took tho way of Persia, of Avhich I travelled over several provinces, and then arrived at a i)ort, where I embarked. We set sail, and having touched at several ports of the main land, and some of tho eastern islands, we put out to sea, and were over- taken by such a sudden gust of wind as obliged the captain to furl his sails, and to take all other necessary precautions to pre- vent the danger that threatened lis : but all was in vain; our endeavours had no effect: the soils were torn in a thousand pieces, and the ship was stranded ; so that o great many of the merchonts and seamen were drowned, and the corgo lost. Scheherazade perceiving day, held her peace; but resumed her story next night, as follows :— The Seventy-Ninth Night. I HAD the good fortune, continued Sind- bad, with several of the merchants and mariners, to get a plonk, and we were car- ried by the current to an island which lay before us : there we found fruit and spring * Xlllan, Hist. An. xrl. 16, describes tortoises fif- teen cubits long, the shells big enovgh to cover a house ; and MandeTille saya three men mi^t hide under them, in the island of Calonab, not tax from Java.— Hout. t The hippopotamni. } The mtnatre. water, wliich prc8er>'ed our live*. Wo stayed all night near tho place where the sea cast us aslioro, without consulting what we should do, our misfortune haective habitations.* I, and five of my comrades, were carried to one place; they mode us sit down imme- diately, and gave us a certain herb, which they mode signs to ns to eat. Aly com- rades, not taking notice that the blacks eat none themselves, consulted only the satisfy- ing of their own hunger, and fell to eating with greediness ; but I, suspecting some trick, would not so much as taste it, which happened well for me; for iu a little time after I perceived my companions had lost their senses, and that when they s^Mike to me they knew not what they said. The l)lacks fed ns afterwards with rice, prejiared with oil of cocoa-nuts ; and my comrades, who hod lost their reason, eat of it greedily. I eat of it also, but very spar- ingly. The blacks gave ns that herb at tirst on purpose to deprive us of our senses, + that we might not bo aware of the sod destiny prepared for ns; and they gave ua rice on pur^rasc to fatten us ; for, being can- nibals, their design w.ts to eat us as soon as wo grew fat. They did accordingly eat my comrades, who were not sensible of their condition ; but my senses being entire, you may easUy guess, gentlemen, that instead of growing fat, as the rest did, I grew leaner every day. The fear of death under which I laboured, turned all my food into poison. I fell into a languishing distemper, which proved my safety ; for the blacks, having killed and eat up my companions, seeing mo to be withered, lean, and sick, deferred my death till another time. Meanwhile I had a grcot deal of liberty, so that there was scarce any notice taken of what I did ; and this gave me an opportu- nity one day to get at a distance from the houses, and to make my escape. An old man who saw me, and suspected my design, called to me as loud as he coiUd to return ; but instead of obeying him I redoubled my pace, and quickly got out of sight. At that time there was none but the old man about * In the sea of Andaman, or Bay of Bengal, the Mo- hammedan travellers, in the ninth century, mentirn negro cannilmls. Ptolemy places them in the same bay in the Nicohnr island. — Holb. t The lotus of Homer's "Odyssey," the intoxicating " seed" of Sumatra, mentioned by Davis, 1597 ; and the herb "dutroa" of Linschoten, or "dutro" of Lobo: "dutry" and "bunib" or •■btng" of Prjrer.— Hou. 100 THE AJiAlilAN NIGHTS' ENTERTA/NMEXTS. the lioiiicii, tlio rctt Ixiiiff abroad, and not to conic homo till ni^ht, whieli wm pretty uiiiol with them : thrrffuro, ln-inK miru that they coiihl not roini< tinu> rn>>ii^h to piirnuu WW, I wi'nt on till ni;{lit, M'hi-n [ Htojipi'd to n-Bt a littlt', niid to vat Bonio of tliu iirovi- iiioni I had taken i-aro of ; hut 1 B])c'odily act forward a^'ain, and travdlctl Bcven dayti, avnidini; thoMu ])Iacvs whiuli ai-vnicd to ho inhahitt'd, nnd lived for the nioHt part iiiion cocoa-nutB, which served mo hoth for meat and drink. On the eighth day I caniu near thcBca, and saw all of a stidilen white puoiilu like myself, gathering pepper,* of whiuh there wax ^reat ]ilenty in that place. 'J'liis I took to he a )^o(h1 omen, and went to them withotit ony scruple. — Scheherazade hroku «>tf here, and went un with the story ucxt night, OH follows: — The Eightieth Night. Tub pcojilo who j;athercd pep])er, conti- nued Sindhad, came to meet mo oh soon 08 they Haw mc, and asked mo, in Araliie, who I was, and whence 1 cnnie. I was over- joyed to hear them speak in my own lau- gua^^e, and satv^tied their curiosity hy giving them an account of my Khipwreck, and how I fell into tht! hands of the lihicks. " Those blacks," rejtlied they, "eat men; and hy what miracle did you escape their cruelty?" I told them the same story I i;ow tell you, at which they were wonderfully 8uri)rised. I stayed with them till they had feathered their cjuantity of i)ei>per, and th«n sailed with them to the island from whence they came. They jiresented mc to their king, who was a good prince. He had the pa- tience to hear the relation of my mlventureH, which suri>ri8ed him ; and he aftenvarda gave me clothes, and commanded care to be taken of mc. The island was very well peopled, plenti- ful in every thing, and the capital was a place of great trade. This agreeable retreat was very comfortable to mv after my mis- fortune ; and the kindness of this generous prince towards mo completed my satisfac- tion. In a word, there was not a person mofe in favour with him than myself ; and, hy consequence, every man in court and city sought to oblige me ; so that in a very Uttlc time I was looked upon rather as a native than a stranger. I observed one thing which to mc ap- peared very extraordinary. All the people, the king himself not excepted, rode their horses without bridle or stirrups. This made me one day take the liberty to ask the king how that came to pass. His majesty * Santia island* and Sumatra produce plenty of pepper and cocoa-nute.— IIole. auHWcred, that I talked to him of thinga which nolunly knew tho iibo of in hla do- minions. I w<'nt immediately to a workman, and gave liim a model for making the stock of a saddle. When that was done, I covered it myself with velvet and leather, and embroi- dered it with gohl. I afterwards went to a locksmith, who mado me a bridle according to the pattern 1 shewed him, and then he mado mc also soum stirruiix. AVhen I had all things completed, 1 iireacnted them to the king, and ])ut them upon one of his luirscs. Jiia majcHty mounted immediately, and was so pleased with them that ho tes- tilled his satisfaction by large presents to me. I could not avoid nmking several others for his ministers and principal olHcers of his hoUHehold, who all of them mado mo pre- sents that enriched mo in a little time. I also mado for tho jieojile of best quality in tho city, which gained me great reputation and regard. As 1 mado my court very constantly to the king, he said to mo one day, " Sindhad, I love thee ; and all my subjects who know thco treat tlicc according to my example. I have one thing to demand of thee, which tliou must grant." "Sir," answered I, "there is nothing but what I will do, as a mark of my obedience to your majesty, whoso power over mo is absolute." "1 have a mindthmi shouldst marry," replied he, " that so thou mayst stay in my dominion, and think no more of thy own country." I dared not resist the ])rincc's will ; and so ho gave mo one of the ladies of his court, a noble, beau- tiful, chaste, and ricli lady. Tho ceremonies of marriage being over, I went and dwelt with tho lady, and for boiv.o time wo lived together in perfect harmony. I was not, however, very well satislicd with my condi- tion, and therefore designed to make my escape on the first occasion, and to return to Bagdad ; which my i)rcsent settlement, how advantageous soever, could not make mo forget. While I was thinking on this, the wife of one of my neighbours, with whom I had contractotl a veiy strict friendship, fell sick, and died. I went to see and comfort him in his atlliction ; and finding him swallowed up with sorrow, I said to him as soon as I saw him, "God preserve you and grant you a long life." "Alas!" replied he, "how do you think I should obtain that favour you wibh me ? I have not above anhour to live." "Pray," said I, "do not entertain such a me- lancholy thought; I hope it will not be so, but that I shall enjoy your company for many years." "I wish you," said he, "a long life ; but for me my days are at an end, for I must be buried this day with my wife.* Thia • ManderUle nentlons the bnrTlng tbe wiv£i allTe RBI wife II bad sick, in jcl up saw [ou a Iw do you ive." line- 80, nany J long Iforl iThia I '. SINDBAD THE SAILOR. lol IN a law which rvi'd it iiiviolnlily, Tliu living liUNlianil in iiiU'rri'd witii tiio (load wifu, and tho living wife witli tho drnd hiisliiind. Niithini{ can savo niu; uvury uiio niiiHt Hiihniit to this law." While h« was t'nti'rtiiininj{ mo with an account of tliin harhuniiiH cuHtimi, tho very lioariui; of wliich frij^litrl inu criully, hin kindred, friendn, and ni'i,uid)iiiirH caniu in a liody to MNgiHt at th(> fiimralH. They juit on tliu corpse the wuniau's riclu'tit apparel, as if it had hriMi her wedding day, and dronsud lior with all ht-r jcwi-U ; tiu'ti tlu-y put hor into an open cotlin, and lifting it up, he^'an their march to the jdace of burial. Tho liu.nny, and tollowed tlic eorpHe. Thiy went up ton hiL{h mountain, and when they cnnie thither, took up a ureat Htono, which covered tho month of a very deep pit, and lot down tho corpse with all its apparel and jewels. Then tht> hushand, omIiraeinK his kindred and friends, sutl'ercd himselt' to ho put into an> other open coflin without resistance, with a pot of water, and seven little loaves, and was let down in the same manner as they let down his wife. The mountain was pretty long, and reached to the sea. Tho cere- mony being over, they covered the hole again with the stone, and returned. It la needless, gentlemen, for mo to tell you that I was the only melancholy specta- tor 6f this funeral, whereas the rest were scarcely moved at it, the practice was so customary to them. I could not forbear 8]icakiug my thoughts of this matter to tho king. "Sir," said I, "I cannot but wonder atthestrange custom in this country, of bury- ing the living with the dead. I have been a great traveller, and seen many countries, but never heard of so cruel a law." "What do you mean, Sindbad?" said the king: "it is a common law. I shall be interred with the queen, my wife, if she die first." "But, sir," said I, "may I presume to ask your majesty if strangers bo obliged to ol'j.^rve this law?" "Without doubt," replied the king, (smiling at the occasion of my question, ) ' ' they are not exempted, if they be married in this island." I went home very melancholy at this an- w!th the dead husband. In the Island of Calnnack ; and Jerome, the husband with the wives in Scythia.— Hole. Rwer; for tho fear of my wife's dyioc; first, and that I should be interred alive with her, occasioin;d me very mortifying rellectious. But there wius no remedy : I must have pa- tience, and submit to the will of (Jod. I trembled, however, at every little indispo- sition of my wife : but alas ! iu a little time my feara came upon mc all at once, for she fell sick, and diud iu a few days. Scheherazade stupt hero for that time, and resumed the thread of her story next uight, thus :— The Eighty-First Night. You may judge of my sorrow, continued Sindbad ; to be interred alive, seemed to me as deplorable an end as to bo de\oured by cannibals. But I must 8u))mit; the king and all his court would honour the funeral with their presence, and the most considerable people of the city did the like. 'When all was ready for the ceremony, the corpso. was put into a coiiin, with all her jewels and magi'iificent apjiarel. The cavalcade began; and as second actor in this dolefid tragedy, I went next the corpse, with my eyes fidl of tears, bev ailing my deplorable fate. Before I came to the mountain, I made an essay on 'i ! 102 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. the minds of the spectaton. I addressed myself to the ku"; in the first place, and then to all those who were round me, and bowing before them to the earth, to kiss the border of their garments, I prayed them to have compassion upon me. "Consider," said I, " that I am a stranger, and ought not to be subject to this rigorous law, and that I have another wife and children in my own coun- try,"* It was no purpose for me to speak thus. !No sold was moved at it; on the con- trary, they made haste to let down my wife's corpse into the pit, and put me down the next moment in an open coffin, with a ves- sel full of water, and seven loaves. In short, the fatal ceremony being performed, they covered up the mouth of tiie pit, notwith- standing the excess of my grief, and my lamentable cries. As I came near the bottom, I discovered, by help of the little light that came from above, the nature of this subterraneous place. It was a vast long cave, and might be about fifty fathom deep. I immediately smelt an insufferable stench, proceeding from the mul- titude of dead corpses which I saw on the right and left ; nay, I fancied that I heard some of them sigh out their last. However, when I got down, I immediately left my cofiSn, and getting at a distance from the corpses, held my nose, and lay down upon the ground, where I stayed a long time bathed in tears. Then, reflecting on my sad lot, "It is true," said I, "that God disposes all things according to the decrees of his providence ; but, poor Siudbad, art not thou thyself the cause of thy being brought to die so strange a death? Would to God thou hadst perished in some of those tempests which thou hast escaped! Then thy death had not been so lingering and terrible in all its circumstances. But thou hast drawn all this upon thyself by thy accursed avarice. Ah ! unfortunate wretch, shouldst thou not rather have stayed at home, and quietly enjoyed the fruits of thy labour?" Such were the vain complaints with which I made the cave to echo, beating my head and stomach out of rage and despair, and abandoning myself to the most afflicting thoughts. Nevertheless I must tell you, that instead of calling death to my assistance in that miserable condition. I felt still an incli- nation to live, and to do all I could to pro- long my days. I went groping about, with my nose stopped, for the bread and water that was in my coiiin, and I took some of it. Though the darkness of the cave was so great that I could not distinguish day and night, yet I always found my coffin again, and the cave seemed to be more spacious and fuUer of corpses than it appeared to me at first. I lived for some days upon my bread and water, * He was a Mohammedan, ami the; allow polygamy. which being all spent, at last I prepared for death. — At these words Scheherazade left off, but resumed the story next night thus : — The EigMy-Second Night. As I was thinking of death, continued Sind- bad, I heard the stone lifted up from tht; mouth of the cave, and immediately th« cori>se of a man was let down. When men are reduced to necessity, it is natural for them to come to extreme resolutions. While th(jy let down the woman, I approached the place where her coffin was to be put, and as soon as I perceived they were covering again the mouth of the cave, I gave the xmfortu- nate wretch two or three great blows over the head with a large bone that I found ; which stunned, or, to say the truth, killed her. I committed this inhuman action merely for sake of the bread and water that was in her coffin, and thus I had provisions for some days more. When that w.is spent, they let down another dead woman, and a live man. I killed the man in the same miinner, and, as good luck would have it for me, there Avas then a sort of mortality in the town, so that by this means I did not want for provisions. One day, as I had despatched another wo- man, I heard something walking, and blow- ing or panting as it walked. T advanced to- wards that side from whence I heard the noise, and upon my approach the thing puffed and blew harder, as if it had been rimning away from me. I followed the noise, and the thing seen-^d to stop sometimes, but always fled and blew as I approached. I followed it so long, and so far, till at last I perceived a light, resembling a star ; I went on towards that light, and sometimes lost sight of it, but always found it again, and at last discovered that it came through a hole in the rock, large enough for a man to get out at. Upon this I stopped some time to rest myself, being much fatigued with pursuing this discovery so fast : afterwards coming up to the hole, I went out at it, and found my- self upon the bank of the sea. I leave you to guess the excess of my joy : it was such, that I could scarce persuade myself of its being real. But when I was recovered from my sur- prise, and convinced of the truth of the mat- ter, I found the thing which I had followed, and heard puff and blow, to be a creature which came out of the sea, and was accus- tomed to enter at that hole to feed upon the dead carcases.* I examined the mountain, and perceived it to be situated betwixt the sea and the * See the escape of Ariatomenes, in his l!f« by Bawe.— Hole. ^ aga'L'™ ii>.i.:.wora.^- SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 103 town, but v/ithottt any passage or way to communicate with the latter, the rocks on the side of the sea were so rugged and steep. I fell down upon the shore to thank God for this mercy, and afterwards entered the cave again to fetch bread and water, which I did by daylight, with a better appetite than I had done since my interment in the dark hole. I returned thither again, and groped about among the liiera for all the diamonds, rubies, pearls, gold bracelets, and rich stuffs I could find ; these I brought to the shore, and tying them up neatly into bales, with the cords that let down the coffins, I laid them together upon the bank, waiting tUl some ship passed by, without fear of rain, for it was not then the season. After two or three days, I perceived a ship that had bat just come out of the harbour, and passed near the place where I was. I made a sign with the linen of my turban, and called to them as loud as I coulcL They heard me, and sent a boat to bring me on board, when the mariners asked by what misfortune I came thither. I told them that I had suffered shipwreck two days ago, and made shift to get ashore with the goods they saw. It was happy for me that those people did not consider the place where I was, nor inquire into the probability of what I told them; but, without auy more ado, took ms on board with my goods. When I came to the ship, the captain was so well pleased to have saved me, and so much taken up with his own affairs, that ne also took the story of my pretended shijiwreck upon trust, and generously refused some jewels which I offered him. We passed by several islands, and among others that called the isle of Bells, about ten days' sail fromSerendib,* with a regidar wind, and six from that of Kela, where we landed. This island produces lead mines, Indian canes.f and excellent camphor. The king of the isle of Kela is very rich and potent ; and the isle of Bells, which is about two days' journey in extent, is also subject to him. The inhabitants are so bar- barous that they still eat human flesh. After tve had finished our commerce in that island, v,-e put to sea again, and touched at several Cither ports ; at last I arrived happily at Bag- dad with infinite riches, of which it is need- less to trouble you with the detail. Out of thankfulness to God for his mercies, 1 gave great alms for the support of several mosques, and for the subsistence of the poor, and em- ployed myself wholly in enjoying my kindred and friends, and making merry with tJiem. * Serendib is Ceylon, and Kela is Cala, or Calabar, where the Arabians touched in their way to China ; BO tluU it must have been somewhere about the f oiut of Malabar.— Rknaudot. t Sugar canes, or bamboo trees. Here Sindbad finished the relation of his fourth voyage, which was more surprising to the company than all the three former. He gave a new present of a hundred sequins to Hindbad, whom he prayed to return with the rest next day at the same hour, to dine with him, and hear the story of his fifth voyage. Hindbad and the rest of his guests took leave of him, and retired. Next morn- ing when they all met, they sat down at table, and when dinner was over, Hindbad began the relation of his fifth voyage as follows : — THE FirrH VOYAGE OP SINDBAD THE BAILOR. The pleasures I enjoyed had again charms enough to make me forget all the troubles and calamities I h ') the river, and brought it hither, where we fastened it, as you see, until you should awake. Pray tell us your history, for it must be cxtraord'nary ; how did you venture yourself into this river, and whence did you come?" I begged of them first to give ine something to eat, and then I would satisfy their curiosity. They gave mo several sorts of food ; and when I had satisfied my hunger, I gave them a true account of all that h.ad befallen me, which they listened to with admiration. As soon as 1 had finished my discourse,' they told me, by the person who spoke Arabic, and interj^eted to them what I said, that it was one of the most surpris- ing stories they ever heard, and that I must go along with them, and tell it their king myself ; the story is too extraordinary to be told by any other than the person to whom it happened. I told them I was ready to do whatever they pleased. They immediately sent for a horse, which was brought in a little time; and having made me get upon him, some of them walked before mo to show mo the way, and the rest took my float and cargo, and fol- lowed me. Here Scheherazade was obliged to stop because day appeared; but towards the close of the next night resumed the thread of her story thus : — The Eighty-Seventh Night. We marched thus altogether, till we came to the city of Serendib,* for it was in that island I landed. The blacks presented me to their king ; I approached his throne, and saluted him as I used to do the kings of the Indies; that is to say, I prostrated myself at his feet, and kissed the earth. The prince ordered me to rise up, received me with an obliging air, and made me come up, and sit down near him. He first asked me my name, and I answered, "They call me Sind- bad the sailor, because of the many voyages I had undertaken, and I am a citizen of Bagdad." "But," replied he, "how came you into my dominions, and from whence came you last?" I concealed nothing from the king. I told him all that I have now told you; and his majesty was so surprised and charmed with it, that he commanded my adventui'e to be written in letters of gold, and laid up in the archives of his kingdom. At last my float was brought in, and the bales opened in his presence : he admired the quantity of wood of aloea and onfbergrir.. but, above all, the rabies and emeralds, fiT he had none in his treasury that came near them. Observing that he looked on my jewels • Ceylon. with pleasure, and viewed the most remark- able among them one after another, I. fell pros- trate at his feet, and took the liberty to sAy to him, "Sir, not only my person is at your majesty's service, bat the cargo of the float, and I would beg of you to dispose of it as your own." He answered me with a smile, " Sindbad, I will take care not to covet any- thing of yours, nor take any thing from you that God has given you : far from lessening your wealth, I design to augment it, and will not let you go out of my dominions without marks of my liberality." All the answer I returned was prayers for the pros- perity of that prince, and commendations of his generosity and bounty. He charged one of his officers to take care of me, and or- dered people to ser\'e me at his own charge. The officer was very faithful in the execu- tion of his orders, and caused all the goods to be carried to the lodgings provided for me. I went every day at a set hour to make my court to the king, and spent the rest of my time in seeing the city, and what was most worthy of notice. The isle of Serendib is situated just imder the eqmnoctial line;* so that the days and nights there arc always of twelve hours each, and the island is eighty t parasangs in length and as many in breadth. The capital city stands in the end of a fine valley, formed by a mountain in the lui'ldlo of the island, which is the highest in the world. X I* '8 seen three days sail off at sea. There are rubies and several sorts of mine- rals in it, and aU the rocks are for the most part emery, a metalline stone made use of to cut and smooth other precious stones. There grow all sorts of rare plants and trees, especially cedars and cocoa-trees. There is also a pearl fishery in the mouth of its river, and in some of its valleys there are found diamonds. I made, by way of devotion, a pilgrimage to the jilace where Adam was confined after his banishment from Paradise, and had the curiosity to go to the top of it. When I came back to the city, I prayed the king to allow me to return to my coun- try, which he granted me in the most ob- liging and most honourable manner. He would needs force a rich present upon me ; and when I went to take my leave of him, he gave me one much more considerable, and at the same time charged me with a letter for the commander of the faithful, our sovereign, saying to me, I pray you give this present * QeoRTaphers plnce it on this side the line, in the first climate. Diodorus Sicujus and Ptolemy place 16 in the same island as Sindbad, though not the true one. t The eastern geographers made a parosang longer than a French league. X Knox and Wolf confirm this account of the situa- tion of the capital of Oeylon, and the productions of its mountains. Pico d'Adam is tlie high mountain here described. IF i IlO TflE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. from me, and tbis letter, to Caliph Haroun Alraschid, and assure him of my friendship. I took the present and letter in a very re- spectful manner, and promised his majesty punctually to execute the commission with which he was pleased to honour me. Before I embarked, this princo sent for the captain and the merchant who were to go with me, and ordered them to treat mo with all pos« sible respect. The lett r from the king of Serendib was written on the skin of a certain animal of great value, because of its being so scarce, and of a yelloMrish colour.* The characters of this letter were of azure, and the contents as follows : — "The king of the Indies, before whom march a hundred elephants, who lives in a palace that shines with a hun- dred thousand rubies, and who has in his treasury twenty thousand crov.iis enriched with diamonds, to Caliph Haroun Alraschid : ' Though the present we send you be in- considerable, receive it however as a brother and a friend, in consideration of the hearty friendship which we bear for you, and of which we are willing to give you proof. We desire the same part in your frieudship, considering that we believe it to be our merit, being of the same dignity with your- self. We conjure you this in quality of a brother. — Adieu." The present consisted, first, of one single ruby-f- made into a cup about half a foot high, an inch thick, and filled with round pearls of half a dram each; second, the skin of a serpent, whose scales were as large * Tellow Telli m, or the skin of the hog deer from Princes Island n tlic straits of Sunda. The elephants, rabies, Ac, are illustrated by Mr Hole. t Ceylon is Iinown to prbdoce large mbies, and the Indian Ocean t bounds in pearls of extraordinuy sixe. — Hole. as an ordinary piece of gold, and had the virtue to preserve from sickness those who lay upon it;* third, fifty thousand drams of the best wood of aloes, with thirty grains of camphor as big as pistachios ; and, fourth, a she slave of ravishing beauty, whose apparel was all covered over with jewels. The ship set sail, and after a very long and successful navigation, we landed at Bal- sora ; from thence I went to Bagdad, where the first thing I did was to acquit myself of my commission. — Scheherazade stopt because day appeared, and next night proceeded thus: — The Eighty-Eighth Night. I TOOK the king of Serendib's letter, conti- nued Sindbad, and went to present myself at the gate of the commander of the faithful, followed by the beautiful slave, and such of my own family as carried the presents. I gave an account of the reason of my com- ing, and was immediately conducted to the throne of the caliph. I made my reverence by prostration, and after a short speech, gave him the letter and present. When he had read what the king of Serendib wrote to him, he asked me if that prince was really * There is a snake in Bengal whose skin if esteemed a cure for external pains, by applying it to the part affected. — Holb. SINDBAD THE SAILOR. Ill l^ ■o rich and potent as ho had said in his let- ter ? I prostrated myself a second time, and rising again, ♦' Commander of the faithful," said I, " I can assure your majesty he doth not exceed the truth on that head ; I am wit- ness of it. There is nothing more capable of raising a man's admiration than the mag- nificence of his palace. Whe^ the prince Appeals in public, he has a throne fixed on the back of an elephant, and marches be- twixt two ranks of his ministers, favourites, and other people of his court ; before him, upon the some elephant, an officer carries a {Tolden lance in his hand; and behind the throne there is another, who stands upright, with a coluum of gold, on the top of which there is an emerald half a foot long, and on inch thick ; before him march a guard of a thousand men clad in cloth of gold and silk, and mounted on elephants richly capa- risoned. " While the king is on his march, the ofHcer who is before him on the same elephant, cries from time to time, with a loud voice, ' Behold the great monarch, the potent and redoubtable Kultau of the Indies, whose palace is covered with a himdred thousand rulues, and who possesses twenty thousand crowns of diamonds. Behold the crowned monarch greater than the great Solima* and the great Mihrage.'t After he has pro- nounced those words, the officer behind the throne cries in his turn, 'This monarch, so great and so powerful, must die, most die, must die." And the officer before replies. Praise be to him who lives for ever.' "Farther, the king of Screndib is ho jiut that there are no j udges in his dominions. His people have no need of them. They understand and observe justice exactly of themselves." The caliph was much pleased witli my discourse. "The wisdom of that king," said ho, "appears in his letter; and after what you tell me, I must confess that his wLsdum is worthy of his people, and his people deserve so wise a prince." Having spoken thus, he dismissed me, and sent me home with a rich present. Sindbad left ofT speaking, and his com- pany retired, Hindbad having first received a hundred sequins ; and next day they re- turned to heai- the relation of his seventh and last voyage, as follows : — THE 8EVKMTH AND LAST VOYAQE OI SINDBAD THE SAILOR. Beino returned from my sixth voyage, I absolutely laid aside all thoughts of travel- ling any farther ; for, beside that my years now required rest, I was resolved no more to expose myself to such risk as I had run ; so that I thought of nothing but to pass the rest of my days in (piiet. t>iie day as I was treating a parcel of my friends, one of my servants come and told me, that an officer of the caliph's asked for me. I rose from the table, and went to him. "The ca- liph," said he, "has sent me to tell you, that he must speak with you." I followed the officer to the palace, where, being presented to the caliph, I saluted him by prostrating myself at his feet " Sindbad," said he to • Solomon. i An ancient king of a great island of the same name In the Indies, and ver^ mach famed among the Ara- bians for his power and wisdom. me, " I stand in need of yon; you most do me the service to carry my answer and pre- stnt to the king of Serendib. It is but just I should return his civility." This command of the caliph to me was like a clap of thunder. * ' Commander of the Ii 112 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. faithful," replicil I, " I am ready to do what- ever your majesty Hhall think tit to command me; but I beuecch ynu most humbly to con- sider what I have undergone, I have also mode a vow iicvcr to go out of Bagdad. Hence I took occasion to give him a largo and particular account of all my adventures, which he bod tho ])atiencc to hear out. As soon OS I had tiuiahed, " I confess,'' said he, " that the things you tell me are very ex- traordinary ; yet you must, for my sake, un- dertake this voyage which I propose to you. you have notliing to do but to go to the isle of Serendib, and deliver tho commission which I give you. After that you are at liberty to return. But you must go ; for you know it would bo indecent, and not suitable to my dignity, to be indebted to the king of that island." Perceiving that the caliph insisted upon it, I submitted, and told him that I was willing to obey. He was very well pleased at it, and ordered me a thousand seijuins for the charge of my journey. I prepared for my departure in a few day*, and as soon as the caliph's letter and pre- sent were delivered to me, I went to Balsoro, where I embarked, and had a very happy voyage. I arrived ot the isle of Serendib, where I acquainted tho king's ministers with my commission, and i)rayed them to get mo speedy audience. Tliey did so, and I was conducted to tho palace in an honourable manner, wluiro I saluted the king by prog- tr.ition, according to custom. That prince knew me immediately, and testified very great joy to see mo. " Sindbad," said he, *' you are welcoino. I swear to you I have many times thought of you since you went hence ; I blesa the day n\}0\\ which wo see one another once more." I mailo my com- pliment to him, and after having thanked him for his kinduess to me, I delivered the caliph's letter and present, which he received with all imaginable satisfaction. The caliph's present was a complete set of cloth of gold, valued at one thousand sequins ; fifty robes of rich stuff, a hundred other of white cloth, the finest of Cairo, Suez, Cusa,* and Alexandria ;t a royal crimson bed, and a second of another fashion ; a ves- sel of agate, broader than deep, an inch thick, and hsilf a foot wide, the bottom of which represented in bas-relief a man with one knee on the ground, who held a bow and an arrow, ready to let fly at a lion. He sent him also a rich table, which, according to tradition, belonged to the great Solomon. The caliph's letter was as follows : — * A port on the Red Sea. t A town of Arabia, ••Greeting in the name of the sovereign guide of the right way, to the potent and happy sidtan, from Abdallah Haroun Alraschid, whom God hath set in the place of honour, after his ancestors of happy memory ; "We received your letter with joy, and send you this from the council of our port ; the garden of superior wits. We hope, when you look upon it, you will find our good intention, and be pleased with it. — Adieu." The king of Serendib was highly pleased that the caliph answered his friendship. A little timetr after this audience, I solicited leave to depart, and had much difficulty to obtain it. I obtained it however at laaty and the king, when be dismissed me, made _ I) SINDBAD THE SAILOR. 113 me A very considerable present. I cnibarkcil immediately to return to Bagdad, Imt had not the Rood fortune to arrive there as I hoped. God ordered it <»therwise. Three or four days after my departure, wo were attacked by corsairs, who easdy seized upon our ship, because it was no vessel of force. Some of the crew offered resistance, which cost them their lives. Rut for mo and the rest, who were not so impru- dent, the corsairs saved us, on purx)08u to make slaves of us. Day beginning to appear, Scheherazade was obliged to kec]) silence, but next uight resumed the story thus : — The Eighty-Ninth Night. Sib, said she to the sultan of the Indies, >Sindbad, continuing his story, told the com- pahy, — " AVe were all stripjjed, and instead of oiir own clothes, they gave us sorry ra;;;H, and carried us into a remote island, where they sold us. I fell into the hands of a rich merchant, who, as soon aa ho bought nic, carried mo to his house, treated me well, and clad mo handsomely for a slave. Some days after, not knowing who I was, he asked me if I imderstood any trade? I answered, that T was no mechanic, but a merchant, and that the corsairs, who sold me, robbed me of all I had. " But tell me," replied he, " can you shoot with a bow ?" I answered, that the bow was one of my exercises in my youth, and I had not yet forgot it. Then he gave me a bow and arrows, and taking me behind hiin upon an elephant, carried me to a vast fo- rest some leagues from tlie town. We went a great way into the forest, and when he thought tit to stop, ho bid me alight ; then showing mo a great tree, " Climb up that tree," said he, " and shoot at the elephants as you see them pass by, for there is a pro- digious number of them in this forest, and if any of them fall, come and give me notice of it." Having spoken thus, he left me victuals, and returned to the town, and I continued upon the tree all night. I saw no elephant •during that time, but next morning, as soon as the sun was up, I saw a great number, I shot several arrows among them, and at last one of the elephants fell ; the rest retired immediately, and left me at liberty to go and acqiiaint my patron with my booty. When I had told him the news, he gave me a good meal, commended my dexterity, and caressed me highly. We went afterwards together to the forest, where we dug a hole for the elephant ; my patron designing to return when it was rotten, and to take its teeth, &c., to trade with. I continued this game for two months, and killed an elephant every day, getting sometimes upon one tree, and sometimes u]Hin another. One morning, as I looked for the elephants, I perceived, with an ex- treme amazement, that, instead of passing by mo across the forest as usual, they stop- ped, and came to me with a horrible noise, in B\ioh a number tliat the earth was covered with them, and shook under them. They encompassed the tree where [ was, witli their tnmks extended, and their eyes all fixed upon me. At this frightful siiectacle T continued immovable, and was so much frightened, that my bow and arrows fell out of my hand. My fears were not in vain ; for after the elephants had stared upnu me some time, one of the largest of them put his trunk round the foot of the tree, and pulled so strong that ho jjlucked it u]), and threw it on the ground j I fell with the tree, and the elephant taking me up with his trunk, laid me on his back, where I sat more like one dead than alive, with my quiver on my shoul- der. He put himself at the head of the rest, who followed him in troops, and carried me to a jdaco where ho laid me down on the ground, and retired with all his companions. Conceive, if you can, the condition I was in : I thought myself to be in a dream. At last, after having lain some time, and seeing the elephants gone, I got up, and found I was upon a long and broad hill, covered all over with the bones and teeth of elephants. I confess to you, that this object furnished me with abundance of reflections. I admired the instinct of those animals. I doubted not but that was their burying-placo, and that they carried me thither on purjiose to tell me that 1 should forbear to persecute them, since I did it only for their teeth. I did not stay on the hill, Imt turned towards the city, and, after having travelled a day and a night, I came to my patron. I met no ele- phant in my way, which made me think they had retired farther into the forest, to leave me at liberty to come back to the hill without any obstacle. As soon as my patron saw me, "Ah, poor Sindbad," said he, "I was in great trouble to know what had become of you. I have been at the forest, where I found a tree newly pulled up, and a bow and arrows on the ground j and after having sought for you in vain, I despaired of ever seeing you more. Pray tell me what befell you, and by what good hap thou art still alive." I satisfied his curiosity, and going both of us next morn- ing to the hill, he found to his great joy that what I had told him was true. We loaded the elephant upon which we came with as many teeth as he could carry ; and when we were returned, "Brother," said my patron, " for I will treat you no more as my slave, after having made such a discovery as vtill enrich me, God bless you with all happiness * I I 114 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. and protperity. I Ueclaru beforo him that I givo you your liberty. I oonccolud frum you what I am now K<>i>H( to tt'Il you. '• Tho elephants of our forest have every year killed ua a f^reat many Mlaves, whom we lent tu Buek ivory. For all the uauti<>ni< wo oould give them, those crafty nniinals killed them one time or other. tj a Hign that h« lovea you, and haa use for your Hervice in thu world. You have procured me in- credible ^aiiL We could not have ivory formerly, but by uxiHising the lives of our ■laves, and now our whole city is enrichetl by your means. Do not think I pre- tend to have rewarded you by >;iving you your liberty ; I will also give you consider- able riches. I coiUd engage all oiu: city to contribute to- wards making your fortune, but I will have the glory of doing it myself." To this obliging discourse Ij replied, " Patron, (tod pre- servo you. Your giving me my liberty is enough to dis- charge what you owe me, and I deaire no other reward for the service 1 had the good fortune to do to you and your city but leave to return to my own country." " Very well," said he, "the mon- soon* will in a little time bring ships for ivory. I will send you home then, and give you wherewith to bear your charges." Ithankedhim again for my liberty, and his good intentions towards me. T stayed with him, expecting the monsoon; and during that time, we made so many journeys to the hill, that we tilled all our warehouses with ivory. The other merchants, who traded in it, did the same thing, for it could not be lon^r concealed from them. At these words Scheherazade, perceiving day, broke off, but resumed the story next night The Ninetieth Night. Sir, said she to the sultan of the Indies, Sind- bad went on with his seventh voyage thus: — * A regular wind that blows six months from the east aud as many from the wnt. The ahipa arrived at last, aud my patron himaelf having made choice of the ship wherein I won to embark, he loaded half of it with ivory on my account, he laid in ])ro- visions in abundance for my passage, and iH'sides obliged me to accept a present of thtt curiosities of the country, of great value. After I hatl returned him a thousand thanks for all his favours, I went aboard. We set soil; and as the adventure which procured me this liberty was very ex- trnortlinary, I had it continu- ally in my thoughts. We Htoppod at some islands to take in fresh provisions. Our vesHel being come to a port on the mainland in the Indies, we touched there, and not being willing to venture by sea to Bal^ora, I lauded my i)roportion of tho ivory, resolving to proceed on my journey by land. I mode vast sums of ray ivory, 1 bought Beveral rarities, wluch I intended for presents, and when my e(juipago was got ready, I set out in compauy of a large caravan of mer- chants. I was a long time on tho way, and suffered very much, but endured all with patience, when I considered that I had nothing to fear from tho seas, from pirates, from Ber])ent8, nor from the other perils I had imdergone. All these fatigues ended at lotit, and I camo safe to B.agdod. I went immediate- ly to -wait upon the caliph, aud gave him an account of my embassy. That prince told me he had been uneasy, by reason I was so long in returning, but that he always hoped God would preserve me. When I told lum of the adventure of the elephants, he seemed to be much sur- prised at it, and would never have given any credit to it had he not known my sin- cerity. He reckoned this story and the other relations I had given him to be so curious, that he ordered one of his secretaries to write them in charac- ters of gold, and lay them up in his trea- sury. I retired very well satisfied with the honours I received and the presents which he gave me; and after that I gave myself up wholly to my family, kindred, and friends. Sindbad here finished the relation of his seventh and last voyage, and then, address- ing himself to Hindbad, "Well, friend," L THE THREE APPLES, "5 ■«i(l ho, "dill you nvor licnr i>{ any i«'r»<>ii that »iifr«r«MB*AteMAk'4*a«« THE LADY THAT WAS MURDERED. 117 out of uled. ish the innocent for the guilty." "Sir," said the young man to the vizier, " I do pro- test that I am he who committed this vile act, and nobody else had any hand in it." "My son," said the old man, " it is despair that brought you hither, and you would antici- pate your destiny. I have lived a long time in the world, and it is time for me to be gone ; let me, therefore, sacrifice my life for youra." "Sir," said he again to the vizier, " I tell you once more I am the murderer ; let me die without any more ado." The controversy between the old man and the young one obliged the grand vizier Gia- far to carry them both before the caliph, which the judge criminal consented to, be- ing very glad to serve the vizier. When he came before the prince, he kissed the ground seven times, and spake after this manner : " Commander of the faithful, I have brought here before your majesty this old man and this young man, who both confess them- selves to be the sole murderers of the lady." Then the caliph asked the criminals which of them it wiis that so cruelly murdered the lady, and threw her into the Ti'jris. The young man assured him it was ho, but the old man maintained the contrary. " Go," said the caliph to the grand vizier, "and cause them both to be hanged." "But, sir," said the vizier, "if only one of them be guilty, it would be unjust to take the lives of both." At these words the young man spoke again, — "I sv.'ear by the great God who has raised the heavens so high, that 1 am the man who killed the lady, cut her in quar- ters, and threw her into the Tigris about four days ago. I renounce my part of happiness amongst the just at the day of judgment, if what T say be not true ; therefore I am he that ought to suffer." The caliph being sur- prised at this oath, believed him, especially since the old man made no answer to this. Whereu])on, turning to the young man, " Thou wretch,'' said he, " what was it chat made thee commit that detestable crime, and what is it that moves thee to oflfer thyself voluntarily to die." " CVmimander of the faithful," said he, "if all that has passed between tbat lady and me were set down in writing, it would be a history that might be very useful for other men." "I command thee, then, to relate it," said the caliph. Tlie young man ol yed, and began. His history was thus : — Scheherazade would have gone on, but she was obliged to defer it to the night fol- lowing. The Ninety-Second Night. ScHAHETAR prevented the sui'.anes,', and de- sired to know what w" *he youug maa's speech to Haroun Alraschid. Sir, said Sche- herazatle, the words he spoke were these : — TUE STORV OF THE LADY THAT WAS MUR" DEKED, AND OF TUE YOUNCi MAN HER HUSBAND. Commander of the faithful, your majesty may be pleased to know that this murdered lady was my wife, the daughter of this old man you see here, who is my own uncle by the father's side. She was not above twelve years old when he gave her to me, and it is now eleven years ago. I have three children by her, all boys, yet alive ; and I must do her that justice to say, that she never gave me the least occasion for offence. She was chaste, of good behaviour, and made it her whole business to please me ; and, for my part, I loved her entirely, and rather pre- vented her in granting anything she desired, than opposed it. About two months ago she fell sick ; T took aU imaginable care of her, and spared nothing that could procure her a speedy re- covery. After a month she began to grow better, and had a mind to go to the bath. Before she went out of the house, "Cousin," said she, (for so she used to call me out of familiarity,) "I long for some apples; — if you would get me any, you woidd plciise me extremely. I have longed for them a great while ; and I must own it is come to that height, that if I be not satisfied very soon, I fear some misfortune wiU befall me." "With all my heart," said I ; "I will do all that is in my power to make you easy." I went immediately roun'i. all the markets and shops in the town to seek for apples, but 1 could not get one, though I offered to jjay a sequin a-piece. I returned home very much dissatisfied at my disappointment ; and for my wife, when she returned from the bagnio, and saw no apples, she became so very uneasy, that she could not sleep all night. I got up betimes in the morning, and went through all the gardens, but had no better success than the di'y before ; only I hai)pened to meet an old gardener, who told me that all my pains would signify no- thing, for I could not exftect to find apples any where but in your majesty's garden at Balsora. As I loved my wife passionately, /)?« and »lave, the grand vizier cried out with surprise, intermixed with jo_> ; and putting his hand into the child's lK>3om, pulled le but in that which I shall speedily go to. You must therefore from henceforth begin to fit yourself for this change, as I have done ; you must prepare for it without murmur- ing, and so as to have no trouble of con- science for not acting the part of a real honest man. As for j'lmr religion, you are sufficiently instructed in it by what you have learned from your tutors and your own study ; and as to what belongs to an honest man, I shall give you some instructions, which I hope you will make good use of. As it is a necessary thing to know one's self, and that you cannot come to that knowledge without you first understaiul who I am, I shall now tell it you. "I am," said he, "a native of Egypt; my father, your grandfather, was first minister to the sultan of that kingdom. I myself had the honour to be vizier to that same sultan, and so has my brother, your uncle, who I suppose is yet alive; his name is Schem- seddin Mohammed. I was obliged to leave him, and come into this counti-y, where I have raised myself to the high dignity I now enjoy. But you will understand aU these matters more fully by a manuscript that I shall give you." At the same time Noureddin Ali pulled out his pocket-book, which he had written with his own hand, and carried always about him, and giving it to Bedreddiu Hassan, "Take it," said he, "and read it at your leisure ; you will find, among other things, the day of my marriage, and that of your birth ; these are such circumstances as per- haps you may hereafter have occasion to know, therefore you must keep it very care- fiUly." Bedreddin Hassan being most ofllicted to see his father in that condition, and sensibly touched with this discourse, could not but weep when he received the pocket-book, and promised at the same time never to part with it. That very moment Noureddin Ali fainted, 80 that it was thought ho would have ex- pired ; but Tie came to himself again, and uttered these words : — " My son," said he, "the first instrtiction I give you is, not to make yourself familiar with all sorts of people. The way to live happy is to keep yom* mind to yourself, and not to tell your thoughts easily. " Secon(lly, Not to do violence to any- body whatever ; for in that case you will draw everybody's hatred ui)on you. You ought to consider the world as a creditor, to whom ycni owe moderation, compassion, and forbearance. " Thirdly, Not to say a wonl when you are reproached ; for, as the proverb says. He that keeps silence is out of danger. And in this case particularly you ought to practise it. You also know what one of our poets says upon this subject, That silence is the ornament and safeguard of life ; That our speech ought not to be like a storm of rain that spoils all. Never did any man yet re- pent of having spoke too little, whereas mjiny have been sorry that they spoke so much. " Fourthly, To drink no wine, for that is the source of all vices. "Fifthly, To be frugal in your way of living : if you do not scpiander your estate away, it will maintain you in time of neces- sity. I do not mean you should be either too liberal or too niggardly ; for though you have never so little, if you husband it well, and lay it out on projicr occasions, you shall have many friends ; but if, on the contrary, you have great riches, and make but a bad use of them, all the world >vill forsake you, and leave you to yourself." In short, Noureddin Ali continued till the last moment of his breath to give good ad- vice to his son ; and when he was dead, he was magnificently interred. Scheherazade stopt her discourse here, because she saw day, and deferred the resi- due of her story till next night. The Ninety-Sixth Night. The sultaness of the Indies being awaked by her sister Dinarzade at the usual hour, wmm^mmm 124 T//E ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. bIic addressed herself to Schahriar. Sir, said she, the caliph was very well satisfied to hear the grand vizier Giafar relate his story, which he continued thus : — Noureddiu Ali was Luried with all the honours due to his quality. Beo day, and was intending, according to his custom, to range about tho wo-i'.d at night, espying this young man in > .ireddin All's tomb, ho entered, and finding Bee! cddin lying on hia back, was surprised o'' 'ia beauty. Daylight appeared, ann prevented Sche- herazade'a going 01. with her story, but next night at the iisual hour she continued it thus : — The Ninety-Eighth Night. Whex the genie had attentively considered Bedreddin Hassan, ho said to himself, "To judge of this creature by hia good mien, ho would seem to be an angel of the terrestrial paradiae, whom God has sent to put the world ill a flame with his beauty." At last, after he had satisfied himself with hjoking upon him, he took a flight into the air, where, meeting by chance with a fairy, they saluted one another ; after which he said to her, " Pray descend with me into the ceme- tery where I stay, and I will shew you a prodigious beauty, which is worthy your admiration as well as mine. " The fairy con- sented, and both descended in an instant : they came into the tomb. " Look ye," said tho genie to the fairy, ahe^ring her Bedreddin Hassan, " did you ever see a young man of a bettor sha[>e, and more beautiful than this ? " The fairy, having attentively observed Bedre(Uliu, returned to the genie. "I must confess," said she, " that ho ia a very hand- some man; but I just now came from seeing an object at Cairo mure admirable than this, and it you will hear mo, I will tell you a strange story concerniMg her." " You will very much oblige me in so doing," answered tho genio. " You must know then," said the fairy, (for I will tell it you at length,) " that tho sultan of Egypt has a vizier called Schemseddin Mohammed, who has a daugh- ter of about twenty yeara of ago, tho most beautiful and comi)lete person that ever was known. The sidtau having heard of this young lady's beauty, sent tho other day for her father, and told him, ' I understand yon have a daughter to marry; I have a mind to marry her: will not you consent to it?' The vi/ier, who did not expect this proposal, was troubled at it; and instead of accepting it joyfully, which another in his place wouhl certainly have done, ho answered tho sultan, ' May it please your majesty, I am not worthy of tho honour you confer upon mo, and I most humbly beseech you to pardon me if I do not agree to your request. You know I had a brother called Noureddiu Ali, who had tho honour, aa well aa myself, to bo one of your viziers : we had some dill'erenco together, which was the cause of hia leaving me on a sudden, and since that time I have had no account of him till within these four days that I heard he died at Balsora, being grand vizier to tho sultan of that kingdom. " ' He has left a son behind him, and there having been an agreement between ua to match our children together if ever wo had any, I am persuaded he intended that match when he died; and being desirous to fulfil the promise on my part, I conjure your ma- jesty to grant me leave. You have in your court many other lords who have daughters as well aa I, on whom you may please to bestow that honour.' "The sultan of Egypt waa incensed against Schemseddin Mohammed to the highest de- gree." Here Scheherazade stopped, because day ajjpeared, and next night resumed her story, still personating the vizier Giafar speaking to Harouu Alraschid the caliph. The Ninety-Ninth Night. "The sultan of Egypt, provoked at this bold denial of Schemseddin Mohammed, said to him, in passion which he could not restrain, ' Is this the way you requite my proposal to stoop so low as to desire your alliance ? I know how to revenge your daring to prefer 1l 126 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. aiiothur to mc, and I iwonrtliat your iIaiikIi- tor Bhail bo mitrritMl to thu inoutco'it''miitililo nml U){ly of all my Hlavci.' And, liav- ing 8|iokori thuHu . _ ~ . jv_ r^_ r word«, he angrily l)id tho vizier l)e- gone, who went home tu hia ImuHO fiUl of confusion, and extrounliuorily sad. "This very day the HuIt.tU Hent for one of hia grooms who is hunijt- backed, big-bellied, crookdegged, and as ugly as a hobgoblin ; and after having coniuianded tSeheniHeddin Mo- hnniuK'd to coiiHcut to marry his daughter to this ghastly slavi', he eauHeer8Uiwk'd that the girl's beauty exceeds that of this yoiuig man." "I will not dispute it with you," answered the fairy, " for I must I jiifesa he deserves to be mar- ried to that charming creature which they design for hump-back. And I think it were a deed worthy of us to obstruct the fciilt/vn of Egypt's injustice, and tu ])ut this yfuui;; gcntlem.in in the room of the slave."' " You are in the right,'' .answered the gev'; ; • I am extremelj' obliged to you for so t/i' jd a thought ; let ua deceive him. I consent to your revenge upon the sultan of Egypt ; let us comfort a distressed father, and make his daughter .-vs hf.ppy as she thinks herself raiaer.able : I will do my utmost endeavour to m.ike this ]>rojcct succeed, and I am per- suaded you will not be backward. I will be at the pains to carry him to Cairo before he awake, and afterwards leave it to your care te carry him elsewhere, when we have accomplished our design." The fairy and the genie having thus con- certed what they had to do, the genie lifted up Bedreddin Hassan genljy, and vith an inpfini'i'ivftble swiftnesH carried him thnuigh tho air, and set him down at tho dour of a publiu-house next to tho bath, whence ' himip-back was to . — otnno with the train of Niaves that wait- eel for him. IJeilred- iliu llassan awaked that very moment, anit your hand iu your purse, be sure to take out a whole h.iiulful, .uid do not ap.irc them. Observe to do everything exactly as I have told you with great presence of mind; be not afraid of any person or thing, and leave the rest to a su])orior jiower, who will order matters as he tliinks tit. Young Bedreddin, being well instructed in .^11 that he was to do, ar did they rest here, but uttered imprecations against the sultan, who, .abusing his abso- lute power, would unite ugliness and beauty together. They did also upbraid the bride- groom, so as they put him quite out of coun- tenance, to the great satisfaction of the spec- tators, whose shouts for some time put a stop to the concert of music in the hall. At last the musicians began again, and the women who had dressed the bride came all about her. But Scheherazade ])erceiving day, broke off till next night, when she continued her story. Note. — The hundred and first and the hundred and second night, in the original, contain only a description of seven robes and seven different dresses which the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed's daughter changed at the sound of the instruments ; and this description having nothing pleasant in it, and besides being intermixed with verses, which in the Arabian tongue are very fine, but would lose their beauty by a translation, it was tlnught needless to translate those two nights. The Hundred and Third Night. Sir, said Scheherazade to the sultan of the Indies, I hope your majesty has not forgot that it is the grand vizier Giafar who speaks to the Ciiliph Haroun Alraschid. Each time, continued he, that the new bride changed her habit, she rose uji from her seat, followed by her bride-woman, and passed by hump-back without giving him one look, and went tow irds Bedreddin Has- san, before whom she presented herself in her new attire. On this occasion Bedreddin, according to the instructions given him by the genie, failed not to put his hands in his purse, and pulled out handfuls of sequins. which ho distributed among the women that followed the bride. Nor did ho forget the players and dancers, but also threw money to them. It was pleasant to see how they pushed one another to gather it up. They shewed themselves very thankful, and made him signs that the young bride should be for him, and not for the h'.imp-back fellow. The M'omen that attended her told her the same thing, and did not value whether the groom heard them or not, for they put a thousand tricks upon him, which very much jjleased the spectators. When the ceremony of changing habits was passed, the music ceased and went away, but mafle a sign to Bedreddin Hassan to stay beliind. The ladies did the same, and went all home, but those that belonged to the house. The bride went into a closet, whither her woman followed to undress her, and none remained in the hall but the hump-back groom, Bedreddin Hassan, and some of the domestics. Hump-back, who was furiously mad at Bedreddin, suspecting him to be his rival, gave him a cross look, and said, " And thou, what dost thou wait for ? Why art thou not gone as well as the rest ? Begone ! " Bed- reddin, having no pretence to stay, withdrew, not knowing what to do with himself. But he was not got out of the porch when the genie and the fairy met and stopped him. "Whither are yon going?" said the fairy; "stay, for hump-back is not in the hall; he is gone out about some business ; you have nothing to do but return, and introduce your- self into the bride's chamber. As soon as you are alone with her, tell her boldly that you are her husband, that the sultan's in- tention was only to make sport with the groom; and to make this pretended bride- groom some amends, you had caused to be prei)ared for him, in the stable, a good dish of cream. And then tell her all the fine things you can think on to persuade her; for being so handsome as you are, little per- suasion will do ; she will think herself happy in being deceived so agreeably. In the mean- time we will take care that the hump-back shall not return; and let nothing hinder yon from passing the night with your bride, for she is yours, and none of his." While the fairy thus encouraged Bed- reddin, and instructed him how he should behave himself, hump-back was really gone out of the room ; for the genie went to him in the shape of a great cat mev lug at a most fearful rate. The fellow called to the cat, — he clapped his hands to make her flee ; but instead of that, the cat stood upon her hinder feet, staring with her eyes like fire, looking fiercely at him, mewing louder than she did at first, and growing bigger till she was as large as an ass. At this sight hump-back would have cried out fo.' help, but his fear NOUREDDIN ALT AND BEDREDDIN HASSAN. 129 111- th the Ibride- be dish. fine her; te per- lappy Lean- -back feryou Je, for Bed- liould gone him 1 most Jat, — but linder pking did las as (back 1 fear was 80 great that he stood gaping, and could not utter one word ; and that he might liave no time to recover, the genie changed him- self immediately into a large buffalo, and in this shape called to him, with a voice that redoubled his fear, " Thou hump-backed villain ! " At these words the affrighted groom cast himself upon the ground, and covering his face with his gown, that he might not see this dreadful beast, " Sove- reign prince of buffaloes," said he, "what is it you want of me ?" "Woe be to thee," replied the genie, "hast thou the boldness to venture to marry my mistrfjss?" "0 my lord," said hump-back, " i pray you to pardon me; it I am guilty, it is through ignorance. I did not know that this lady had a buffalo to her sweetheart : command me in anything you please, — I give you my oath that I am ready to obey you." "By death," replied the genie, "if thou goost out from hence, or sjieakest a word till the sun rises, I will crush thy head to pieces ; but then I give thee leave to go from '.lence : I warn thee to make despatch, and not to look back ; but if thou hast the imprudence to return, it shall cost thee thy life." When the genie had done speaking, he transformed himself into the shape of a man, took hump- back by the legs, and after ha">ing set him against the wdU with his head downwards, "If thou stir," said he, "before the sun rise, as I have told thee already, I will take thee by the ueels again, and dash thy head in a thousand pieces against the wall." To return to Bedreddiii Hassan, who, be- ing prompted by the genie and the presence of the fairy, got into the hall again, from whence he slipt into the bride-chamber, where he sat down, expecting the success of his adventure. After a wliUe the bride arrived, conducted by an oid matron, who came no further t'l^i f door, exhorting the bridegroom Id •',&(?' that am the happy mortal for ■whom ii s reserved. The sultan had a mind to ; lal t himself merry by p' ting this trick upon the vizier your father, but he chose me to be your real husband. You might have ob- served how the ladies, the musicians, the dancers, your women, and all the servants of your family, were pleased with this con...ay. We have sent that hump-backed fellow to Lis stable again, where he is just now eating a dish of cream ; and you may rest assured that he wUl never appear any more before your eyes." At this discourse the vizier's daughter (who was more like one dead than alive when she came into the bride-chamber) put on a gay air, which made her so handsome, that Bedreddin was i)erfectly charmed with her. "I did not expect," said she, "to meet with so pleasing a surprise ; and I had con- demned myself to live imhappy all my days. But my good fortune is so much the greater, that I possess J ii you a man that is worthy of my tenderest affection." Having spoken thus, she undressed her- self and stept into bed. Bedreddin Hassan, overj yed to see himself possessor of so many charms, made haste to follow her, and laid his clothes upon a chair, with the bag thfit he got from the Jew ; which, notwithstand- ing all the money he had pulled out, was still fidl. He likewise laid off his turban, and put on a nightcap that had been ordained for hump-back, and so went to bed in his shirt and drawers.* His drawers were of blue satin; tied with a lace of gold. Day beginning to dawn, obliged Schehe- razade to stop ; but next night, being called upon at the ordinary hour, she resumed her story, and went on after this manner : — The Hundred and Fourth Night. WniiisT the two lovers were aslcejt, said the grand yizier Giafar, the genie, who ha.'l of iic itory. I 130 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. Hassftn softly on the ground, and leaving him close by the gatp, departed with the genie. The gate of the city being opened, and a great many people assembled to get out, they were mightily surpinsed to see Bedred- din Hassan Ij'ing in his shirt and drawers upon the ground. One said, " He has been hard put to it to get away from his mistress, that hu could not get time to put on his clothes." "Look ye," said another, "how people expose themselves : sure enough he has spent most part of the night in drinking with his friends, till he has got drunk ; and then, perhaps, baWug occasion to go out, in- stead of returning, is come this length, and not having his senses about him, was over- taken with sleep." Others were of another opinion ; but nobody could guess what had been the occasion of his coming thither. A small pufF of wind happening to blow at the same time, uncovered his breast, that was whiter than snow. Every one being struck with admiration at the fineness of his complexion, they s])oke so loud that it awaked the young man. His suqirise was as great as theirs, when he found himself at the gate of a city where he had never been before, and encompassed by a crowd of people gazing at him. " Gen- tlemen," said he, "for God's sake tell me where I am, and what you would have of me ? " One of the crowd spoke to him, s!>y- ing, " Yojuig man, the gates of the city were just now opened, and as we came out we found you lying here in this condition, and stood still to look on you. Have you lain here all night ? and do not you know that you are at one of the gates of Damascus ? " "At one of tlie gates of Damascus!" an- swered Bedveddiu; "sure you mock me. When I lay down to sleep last night I was at Cairo." When he said these words, some of the people, moved with compassion for him, said, " It is pity that such a handsome young man should have lost his senses ! " and BO went away. " My son," said an old gentleman to him, " you know not what you say. How is it possible that you, being this morning at Damascus, cciUd be last night at Cairo ? " "It is true for all that," said Bedruddin ; "for I swear to you, that I was all day yesterday at Balsora." Ho had no aoonei' said thegs words, but all the people fell into a tit of laughter, and cried out, "He's a fool, he 's a madman." There were some, however, that pitied him because of his youth ; and one among the company .said to him, " My son, you must certainly be crazed; you ilo not consider what you say. Is it possible thai a man could yesterday be at Balsora, the same night at Cairo, and next morning at Damascus ? >Sure you arc asleep still : come rouse up your spirits." "What I say," answered Bedreddin Hassan, " is so true, that last night I was married in the city of Cairo." All those that laughed be- fore could not forbear laughing again, when he said so. "Call yourself to mind," said the same person that spoke before; "you have sure enough dreamt all this, and that fancy still possesses your brain." " I am sensible of what I say," answered the young man. " Pray can you tell me how it was possible for me to go in a dream to Cairo, where I am very certain I was in person, and where my bride was seven times brought before me, each time dressed in a different habit : and where I saw an ugly hump-backed fellow, to whom they intended to give her ? Besides, I want to know what is become of my gown, my turban, and the bag of sequins I had at Cairo." Though he assured them that all these things were matter of fact, yet they coiUd not forbear to laugh at him ; which put him into such confusion, that he knew not v '"a/ to think of aU those adventures. Daylight, which began to api)e&.. i>i Schahriar's apartment, imposed silence on .Scheherazade ; but next night she resumed her story. The Hundred and Pifth Night. Stb, said she after Bedreddin Hassan had confidently affirmed all that he said to be true, he rose up to go into the town, and every one that followed him called out, " A madman, a fool." Upon this some looked out at their windows, some came to their doors, and others joined with those that were about him, calling out as they did, " A madman ; " ))ut not knowing for what. In this perplexity of mind the yoang gentle- man happened to come before t, pastrycook's shop, and went into it to avoio the rabble. This pastrycook had formetly been cap- tain to a troop of Arabian rcbber;, who plundered the caravans ; and though he was become a citizen of Damascus, where he )>e- haved himself to every one's content, yet he was dreaded by all those that knew him ; wherefore, as soon as he came out to the rabble that followed Bedreddin, they dis- persed. The pastrycook, seeing them all gone, asked him what he was, and who brought him thither? Bedreddin Hassan told him all. not concealing his birth, nor thfi death of his father, the grand vizier. He after- wards gave him an account why he left Balsora ; how, after he had fallen asleer the night following upon his father's toiub, ho found himself when he awaked >'« Cairo, where ho had married a lady ; .uid at hut, in what amazement he was, \ ~.r. iie iouud It NOUREDDIN AU AND BEDREDDIN HASSAN. 131 himself at Damascus, without being able to X)enetrate into all those wonderful adven- tures. " Your history is one of the most surpris- ing," said the pastrycook ; "but if you will follow my advice, you shall let no man know those matters you have revealed to me, but patiently expect till Heaven think fit to put an end to your misfortunes ; you shall be free to stay with me till then ; and since I have no children, I will own you for my son, if you consent to it ; and after you are so adopted, you may freely walk up and down the city, without being exposed any more to the insidts of the rabble." Though this adoption was below the sou of a grand vizier, Bedreddin was glad to ac- cept of the pastrycook's proposals, judging it the best thing he could do, considering his then circumstances. The cook clothed him, called for witnesses, and went before a notary, where he acknowledged him for his son. After this Bedreddin stayed with him by the name of Hassan, and learned the pastry trade. Whilst this passed at Damascus, Schem- seddin Mohammed's daughter awaked, and finding Bedreddin gone out of bed, sup- posed he had risen softly for fear of disturb- ing her, but he would soon return. As she was in expectation of him, her father, the vizier, (who was mightUy vexed at the alTront put upon him by the sultan,) came and knocked at her chamber door with a resolution to bewail her sad destiny. He called her by her name, and she knowing him by his voice, immediately got up, and openetl the door. She kissed his hand, and received him with so much satisfaction in her countenance as sur]t)rised the vizier, (who expected to find her drowned in tears, and as much grieved as himself.) "Unhappy ■wretch ! " said he in a passion, "dr> you ap- pear before me thus ? After the hideous sacrifice you have just consummated, can you see me with so much satisfaction?" Scheherazade left off when she came this length, because day appeared, and next night resumed her discourse to the sultan of the Indies. >1 The Hundred and Sixth Night. Sin, the grand vizier Giafar went on with the relation of Bedreddin Hassan's story thus : — The new bride seeing her father angry at her pleasant countenance, said to him, " For God's sake, sir, do not reproach me wrong- fully ; it is not the hump back feUow, whom I abhor more than death ; it is not that monster I have married ; everybody laughed him to scorn, and put him so out of counten- ance, that he was forced to run away and hide himself, to make room for a charming yoiuig gentleman, who is my real husband." "What fable do you tell me?" said Schcm- seddiu Mohammed, roughly. " What ! did not crotik-back lie with you to-night?" "No, sir," said she; "it was that young gentleman I told you ofi", who has large eyes and black eyebrows." At these words, the vizier lost all patience, and fell into a to"rible passion. "Ah! wicked woman," said ho, "you wiU make me distracted!" "It is you, father," said she, " that put me out of my senses by your incredulity." "So it is not true," replied the vizier, "that hump- back " " Let us talk no more of hump- back," said she ; "a curse upon humji-back ! must I always have him cast in my dish ? Father," said she, "I tell you once more, that I did not bed with him, but with my dear spouse, who, I believe, is not very far oflF, Schemseddin Mohammed went out to seek him ; but instead of seeing him, was mightily surprised to find hump-back with his head on the ground and his heels uppermost, as the genie had set him against the waU. "What is the meaning of this?" said he; ' ' who pla.ced you thus ? ' ' Crook-back, know- ing it to be the vizier, answered, "Alas! alas ! it is you then that would marry me to the mistress of a buffalo, the sweetheart of an ugly genie : I won't be your fool ; you shan't put a trick upon me, " Scheherazade stopped here, and next night resumed her story thus : — The Hundred and Seventh Night. Sir, Schemseddin Mohammed, when he heard himip-back speak thus, thought he was raving, and bid him move, and stand upon his legs. " I wiU take care how I do that," said hump-back, "unless the sun be risen. Know, sir, that when I came hither last night, on a sudden, a black cat appeared to me, and in an instant grew as big as a buffalo, I have not forgot what he said to me, therefore you may go about your busi- ness, and leave me here." The vizier, instead of going away, took him by the heels, and made him get up. Then hump-back ran off as fast as he could, without looking behind him ; and coming to the palace, presented himself to the suiltan, who laughed heartily when he told him the story how the genie had served him. Schemseddin Mohammed returned to his daughter's chamber more astonished than before. "Well then, my abused daughter," said he, " can you give me no further light into this matter ? " " Sir, " said she, ' ' I can give you no other accoimt than what I have done already. Here are my husband's clothes, which he left upon the chair ; perhaps you -T- zrmmt ■^" 132 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. may find somewhat there that may solve your doubt." Then she shewed him Bedred- din's turban, which he took and examined narrowly on all sides. I should take this to be a vizier's turban, if it were not made after the Moussol* fashion. But perceiving somewhat to be sewed between the stufif and the lining, he called for scissorn, and having unri2>t it, found the paper which Noureddin Ali gave Bedreddin his son aa he was dying, and which he had put into his turban for more security. Schemseddin Mohammed having opened the paper, knew his brother Noureddin's hand, and found this superscription, "For my son, Bedreddin Hassan." Before he could make any reflections upon it, his daughter delivered 'i'"i the bag that lay under his clothes, whi he likewise opened, and found it full of se; "- ^)r, a.-s I told you before, notwithstaui iie liberality of Bedreddin, it was stiJI : i. full by the genie and fairy. He read ^^ . following words upon a note in the bag : — "A thousand sequins belonging to Isaac the Jew." And these lines underneath, which the Jew wrote before he parted from Bedreddin Hassan: — •' Delivered to Bedreddin Hassan, for the cargo of the first of those ships that formerly belonged to Noureddin Ali his father, of worthy memory, sold unto me upon its arriv- al in this place. " He had scarce read these words, when he gave a shout, and fainted away. Scheherazade gave over here, and next night began again thus : — The Hundred and Eighth Night. Sir, the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed being recovered from his fit by the help of his daughter, and the woman she called to her assistance; "Daughter," said he, "do not frighten yourself at this accident ; the reason of it is such as you can scarcely believe. Yoiu* bridegroom is your cousin, the son of Noureddin Ali. The thousand sequins in the bag puts me in mind of a quarrel I had with my dear brother ; it is without doubt the dowery he gives you. God be praised for all things, and jiarticularly for this miraculous adventure, which demon- strates his almighty power." Then looking again upon his brother's writing, he kissed it several times, shedding abundance of teiirs. He looked over the book from one end to the other, where he found the date of his brother's arrival at Balsora, of his marriage, and of the birth of Bedreddin Hassan ; and when he compared the same with the day of his own marriage, and the birth of his * The town of Mougsol is In Meaopotamia, built ovep •gainst old Nineveh. daughter at Cairo, ho admired how every> thing did agree so exactly. The happy discovery put him into such a transport of joy, that he took up the book, with the ticket of the bag, and shewed it to the sultan, who pardoned what was past, and wa£> so much pleased with the relation of this adventure, that he caused it, with all its circumstances, to be put in writing for the use of posterity. Meanwhile the vizier Schemseddin Mo- hammed coidd not comprehend the reason why his nephew did not appear ; he expected him every moment, and was impatient to have him in his arms. After he had ex- pected him seven days in vain, he searched for him through all Cairo, but could hear no news of him, which perplexed him very much. " TI is is the strangest adventure," said he, " that ever man met with." And not know- ing what alteration might happen, he thought fit to draw up in writing with his own hand, after what manner the wedding had been solemnised ; how the hall and his daughter's bed-chamber were furnished, and other cir- cumstances. He likewieA made the turban, the bag, and the rest of Beoicd din's things, into a bundle, and locked them up. The sidtaness stopped here, and next night pursued her discourse thus : — The Hundred and Ninth Night. Sir, after some days were past, thv vizier's daughter perceived herself with child, and was brought to bed of a son after nine months. A nurse was provided for the child, besidea other women and slaves to wait upon him ; and his grandfather called him Agil).* When young Agib had attained the age of seven, the vizier, instead of teaching him to read at home, put him to school with a mas- ter who was in great esteem ; and two slaves were ordered to wait upon him. Agib used to play with his schoolfellows, and as they were all inferior to him in quality, they shewed him great respect, according to the example of their master, who many times would pass by faults in him that he would not pass by in the rest. This complaisance spoiled Agib, so that he became proud and insolent, would have his playfellows bear all from him, and would bear nothing from them, but be master everywhere ; and if any one took the liberty to thwart him, he would call them a thousand names, and many times beat them. In short, all the scholars were weary of his company, and complained of him to their master. He answered that they must have patience. But when he saw that Agib still grew more and more insolent, and occasioned -* This word in Arabic signifies "wonderful." L. V ^«^ss-f fefla;,v_is:: NOUREDDIN ALT AND BEDREDDIN HASSAN. 133 him a great deal of trouble, "Children," said ho to his scholars, " I find Agib is a little insolent gentleman ; I will shew you a way how to mortify him, so aa he shall never tor- ment you any more : nay, I believe it will make him leave the school. When he comes again to-morrow, and that you have a mind to play together, set yourselves round him, and do one of you call out. Come, let us play, but upon condition that they who desire to play shall teU his own name and the names ■of his father and mother ; and they who re- fuse it shall be esteemed bastards, and not suffered to play in our company." Next day, when they were gathered to- gether, they failed not to follow their master's instructions ; they placed themselves round Agib, and one of them called out, "Let us be- gin a play, but on condition that he v.'ho cannot tell his own name, and that of his father and mother, shall not play at all." They all cried out, and so did Agib, "Weconscnttoit." Then he that spoke first asked every one the question, and all fidfilled the condition except Agib, who answered, "My name is Agib ; my mo- ther is called the lady of beauty, and my father Schemseddin Mohammed, vizierto the sultan." At these words all the children cried out, " Agib, what did you say ? That is not the name of your father, but your grandfather."' "A curse en you," said he in a passion; " what I dare you say that the vizier Schem- seddin Mohammed is not my father ? " " No, no," cried they, with great laughter, ''he is but your grand- father, and you shall ,\((4^'^5-/<3 not play with us. Nay, we will take care how we come into your com- pany." Having spo- ken thus, they all left him, scoffing him, and laughing among themselves, which mortified Agib so much that he wept. This schoolmaster, who was near, and heard all that passed, came just at the nick of time, and speaking to Agib, said he, "Agib, do not you know that the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed is none of your father, but your grandfather, and the father of your mother, the lady of beauty ? We know not the name of your father no more than you do. We only know that the sultan was going to marry your mother to one of his grooms, a hump-back fellow ; but a genie lay with her. This is hard upon you, and ought to teach you to treat your schoolfellows with less haughtiness than you have done hitherto." Here Scheherazade stopped, but next night resumed her discourse thus : — The Hundred and Tenth Night. Sib, little Agib being nettled at this, ran hastily out of the school, and went home crying. He came straight to his mother's chamber, who being alarmed to see him thus grieved, asked him the reason. He could not answer for tears, his grief was so great ; and it was but now and then he could speak plain enough to repeat what had been said to him, and occasioned his sorrow. When he came to himself, " Mother," said he, " for the love of God be pleased to tell me who is my father." " My son," said she, "Schemseddin Mo 'immed, that everyday makes so much of you, is your father." " You do not tell me truth," said he ; "he is your father, and none of mine. But whose son am I?" At this question, the lady of beauty calling to mind her wedding- night, which had been succeeded by a long widow- hood, began to shed tears, repining bitterly at the loss of so lovely a husband as Bed- reddin. Whilst the lady of beauty and Agib were both weeping, in comes the vizier, who de- manded the reason of their sorrow. The lady told him the shame Agib had under- gone at school, which did so much affect the vizier, that he joined his tears with theirs, and judging from this, that the misfortime which had happened to his daughter was the common discourse of the town, he was quite out of pa- tience. Being thus afflict- ed, he went to the sidtan's palace and falling prostrate at his feet, most hum- bly prayed him to give him leave to make a journey into the provinces of the Levant, and parti- cularly to Balsora, in search of his nephew Bedreddin Hassan. For he could not bear any longer that the people of the city should believe a genie had got his daughter with child. The sultan was much concerned at the vizi-Br's affliction, approved his resolution, and gave him leave to go. He caused a passport also to be written for him, praying, in the most obliging terms that could be, jdl kings and princes, in whose dominions the said Bedreddin might sojourn, to grant that the vizier might bring him along with him. Schemseddin Mohammed, not knowing how to express his thankfulness to the sul- tan for this favour, thought it his duty to fall 134 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. down before him a second time, and the floods of tears lie shed gave him sufiicient testimony of his gratitude. At last, having wished the sultan all manner of prosperity, he took his leave and went home to his house, where he disposed everything for his journey ; and the jveparations for it were carried on with so much diligence, that in four days after he left the city, accomjianied with his daughter the lady of beauty, and his grandson Agib. Scheherazade, perceiving day, stopped : and the sultan of the Indies got u}>, ex- tremely well pleased with the sultaness's dis- course, and resolved to hear it to the end. Scheherazade satisfied his curiosity the night following, thus :— The Hundred and Eleventh Night. Sir, the grand vi;Jer Oiafar continuing his discourse to the <; ,ih Haroiin Alraschid, proceeded thus : — Schemseddin Mohammed set out for Da- I mascus witli hij daughter the beautiful lady, and Agib his g; ff: am^Bnmm*!!- NOUREDDIN ALT AND BEDREDDIN HASSAN. 135 Btead of being black as you are ?" This set the eunuch a-laughing, and then he asked Bedreddin what that secret was. "I will tell you," replied Bedreddiu, and so he re- peated some verses in praise of black eunuchs, implying that it was by their ministry that the honour of princes and of all great men was secured. The eunuch was so charmed with these verses that, without farther hesitation, he suli'ered Agib to go into the shop, and went in with him him- self. Bedreddin Hassan was overjoyed in hav- ing obtained mi hat he had so jjassionately desired, and falling again to the work he had thus discontinued, "I was making," said he, " cream- tarts ; and you must, with sub- mission, eat of them. I am persuaded you will find them very good ; for my own mother, who makes them incomparably well, taught me to make them, and the j)eople send to buy them of me from all quarters of the town." This said, he +ook a cream-tart out of the oven, and after strewing upon it some pomegranate kernels and sugar, set it before Agib, who found it very delicious. Another was served xjp to the eunuch, and he gave the same judgment. While they were both eating, Bedreddin Hassan minded Agib very attentively ; and after looking upon him u^^ain and again, it came into his mind that for anything he knew, he might have such a son by his charming wife, from whom he had been so soon and so cruelly sepa.ated ; and tlui very thought drew tears from his eyes. He was thinking to have put some question to little Agib about his journey to Damascus ; but the child had no time to gratify his curiosity, for the eunuch pressing him to return to his grandfather's tents, took him away as soon as he had done eating. Bedreddiu Hassan, not contented with looking after him, shut lip his shop immediately, and went after him. When Scheherazade came to this period, she perceived day, and discontinued her story. Then Schahriur rose, resolving to hear the story out, and to suffer the sulta- ness to live till she had made an end of it. The Hundred and Thirteenth Night. Next morning, before daybreak, Diuarzade awaked her sister, who went on as follows : — Bedreddin Hassan, continued the vizier Giafar, ran after Agib and the eunuch, and overtook them before they were got to the gate of the city. The eunuch, perceiving he followed them, was extremely surprised. "You impertinent fellow, you," said he, with an angry tone, "what do you \vant?" "My dejff friend," replied Bedreddin, "do not you trouble yourself. I have a little business out of town, that is just come into my head, and I must needs go and look after it." This answer, however, did not at all satisfy the eunuch, who, turning to Agib, said, ' ' This is all owing to you ; I foresaw I should repent of my complaisance ; you would needs go into tlie man's shop — it was not wisely done in me to give you leave." " Perhaps," replied Agib, " he has real busi- ness out of town, and the road is free to everybody." While this passed, they kept walking together, without looking behind them, till they came near the vizier's ttrnta, ujjon which they turned about to see if Bed- reddin followed them. Agib, perceiving he was witliin two paces of him, reddened and whitmied alternately, according to the dif- ferent emotions that afl'ected hira. He was afraid the grand vizier his grandfather should come to know he had been in the pastry- shop, and had .. atcn there. In this dread, he took up .*<' pretty large stone that lay at his foot, and ti; vowing it at Bedreddin Hassau, hit him in tiie forehead, which gave him such a wound, that his face was covered with blood. Then he took to his heels, and ran under the eunuch's tent. The eunuch gave Bedreddin to imderstaud he had no reason to complain of a mischance that he had merited and brought upon himself. Bedreddin turned towards the city, stanch- ing the blood of this wound with his apron, which he had not put ofif. " I was a fool," said he within himself, "for leaving my house, to take so much pains about this brat ; for doubtless he would never have used me after this manner, if he had not thought I had some ill design against him." When he got home, he had his wound dressed, and softened the sense of his mischance by the reflection that there was an infinite number of people upon the earth that were yet more unfortunate than he. Day peeping in, obliged the sultoness to silence; oud Schahriar got up, pitying Bed^ reddiu, and impatient to know the sequel of the story. The Hundred and Fourteenth Night. Towards the close of the ensuing night, Scheherazade, addressing herself to the sul- tan of the Indie." pursued her story as fol- lows : — iSir, the grand vizier Giafar continuing the story of Bedreddin Hassivn, Bedreddin, said he, kept on the pastry trade at Damascus, and his uncle Schemseddin Mohammed went from thence three days after his arrival. He went by way of Emaus, Hanah, and Halep ; then crossed the Euphrates, and, after pass- ing through Mardin, Moussol, Singier, jjiar- beker, and several other towns, arrived at i i iiij »t phi — i*ii'-w^«^^ NOUREDDIN ALI AND DEDREDDIN HASSAN. 139 in the whole world, that knowi how to make oream-tarts aa well as your wm?" "I owu," replied she, "there may be pastrycook! that can make as good tartH wi he ; but forasmucii aa I make them after a peculiar manner, and nobody but my hou ia let into the aecret, it must absolutely be he that made this. C'ume, my brother," added she in a transport, " let ua call up mirth and joy ; we have at last found what we have been so lonj^ looking for." "Madam," said the vizier in answer, " I entreat you to moderate your impatience, for we shall quickly know the bottom of it. All we have to do is to bring the pastrycook hither ; and then you and my daughter will readily distinguish wliether it is Bedreddin or not. But you must both be hid, so as to have a view of Bedreddin, while ho cannot see you ; for I would not have our interview and mutual discovery laid at Damascus. My design ia to delay the discovery till we return to Cairo, wliere I i)romise to regale you with very agreeable diversion." This said, he left the ladica in their tent, and retired to his owu ; where he called for fifty of his men, and said to them : " Take each of you a stick in your hand, and fol- low Hchaban, who will conduct you to a pastrycook's in this city. When you arrive there, break and dash in pieces all you find in the shop : if he asks you why you commit that disorder, only ask him again if it was not he that made the cream-tart that was brought from his hou.ie. If ho says he is the man, s jize his person, fetter him, and bring him along with you ; but take care yuii du not beat him, nor do him tlie least harm, (Jo and lose no time." The vi/.ier's orders were immediately exe- cuted. The detachment, conducted by the black eunuch, went ivith expedition to Bed- reddiu's house, and broke in pieces the plates, kettles, copperpans, tables, and all the other movables and nntensils they met with, and drowned the aherbet-shop with cream and comlita. Bedreddin, astonished at the sight, aaid with a pitiful tone, " I'ray, good people, why do you serve me so? What is the mat- ter? What have I done?" "Was it not you," said they, "that sold this eunuch the cream-tart ? " " Yes," replied he, " I am the man : and who aaya anything against it? I defy any one to make a better." Instead of giving him an answer, they continued to break all round them, and the oven itaelf was not spared. In the meantime the ueighbouu took the alarm, and, sur])rised to see fifty armed men commit audi a disorder, asked the reason of such violence ; and Bedreddin said once more to the actors of it, " Pray tell me what crime I am guilty of, to have deserved this usage ? " "Was it not you," replied they "that made the cream -tart you sold to the eu- nuch ? " — "Yea, yes, it was I," replied he ; I maintain it is a g(jod one. I do not deserve such usage as you give me." However, without listening to him, they seized his ]^>er- son, and, snatching the cloth off his turban, tied hia hands with it behind his back, and, after dragging him by force out of his shop, marched oil. The mob gathering and taking compassion on Bedreddin, took his i>art, and offered op- position to Schemseddin's men ; but that very minute up came some officers from the go- vernor of the city, who dispersed the people, and favoured the carrying ofif of Bedreddin ; forSchemseddin Mohammed had in the mean- time gone to the governor's house to acquaint him with what order he had given, and to demand the interposition of force to favour the execution ; and the governor, who com- manderouglit before him. " My lord," said Bedreddin, with tears in his eyes, "pray do mo the favour to let me know wherein I liavo displeased you." " Why, you wretch you," said the vizier, " was it not you that maile the cream-tart you sent me ? " "I own I am the man," replied Bedreddin ; " but pray what crime is that?" " I will punish you acconlin-j to your deserts," said Sehem- aeddin ; it shall cost you your life, for send- ing me such a sorry tart." "Good God! " cried Bedreddin, "what news is this ! Is it a capital crime to m.iko a bad cream-tart ? " "Yes," said the vizier, "and you are to expect no other usage from me." While this interview lasted, the ladies, who were hid, minded Bedreddin narrowly, and readily knew him, notwithstanding ho had been so long absent. They were so transported with joy, that they swooned away ; and, when they recovered, would fain have ran up and fallen upon Bedreddin's neck ; but tho promise they had made to the vizier of not discovering themselves, restrained the tender emotions of love and of nature. Sehemseddin Mohammed, having resolved to set out that very night, ordered the tents to be struck, and tlie necessary preparations to bo made for his journey. And as for Bedreddin, he ordered him to bo clapped into a chest or box, well locked, and laid on a camel. When everything was got ready, the vizier and his retinue began their march, and travelled the rest of that night, and all the next dity, without stopping. In the evening they baited, and Bedreddin was taken out of Ilia cage, in onlerto be served with the neces- sary refreshments, but still carefully kept at a distance from his mother and his wife ; and during the whole expedition, which lasted twenty days, was served in the same manner. When they arrived at Cairo, they encamped in the neighbourhood of that place. Schem- seddin called for Bedreddin, gave orders, in his presence, to a carpenter to get some wood with all expedition, and make a stake. " Heyday !" said Bedreddin, " what do you mean to do with a stake ? " •' Why, to nail ^ you t<) it, " replied .Schemseildin, ' ' then to have you carried through all tho quarters of tho town, that tho people may have tho spectacle of a worthless pastrycook, who makes cream- tarts without pepper." This said, Bedreddin cried out so comieally, that Schomseddin had enough to do to keep his countenance. " Good God ! " cried he, " must I suffer a death, as cruel as it is ignominious, for not putting ])eppcr in a cream-tart ?" At this jieriod, Soheherazadi "1, ttpon tho approach of day ; and ..riar rose, laughing at Bedreddin's fright, and cu- rious to know the sequel of tho story, which the sultancss i)ur8ued next night before day, as follows :— The Hundred and Twentieth Night. Sir, tho caliph Haroun Alraschid, not- withstanding his gravity, could not forbear laughing when the vizier Giafar told him that iSchemseddin Mohammed threatened to put to death Bedreddin, for not putting jiepper into the cream -tart he had sold to Schaban. " How !" said Bedreddin, "must I be riHed, and have all tho goods in my house broken to pieces — must I be imprisoned in n chest, and at last nailed to a stal'" and all for not putting pepper in a cren rt ? Got.d God 1 who ever heard of such % ! Are these the actions of Mussu' A persons that make a profession of probity and justice, and practise all manner of good works?" With these words he shed tears, and then, renewing his complaint ; "No," continued he, " never was man used so unjustly, nor so severely. Is it possible they should be capable of taking a man's life for not putting pepper in a cream-tart? Cursed bo all cream-tarts, as well as the hour in which I was bom ! Would to God I had died that minute ! " Disconsolate Bedreddin did not cease his lamentations ; and when tho stake was brought, and tho nails to fasten him to it, ho cried out bitterly at the horrid sight. " Heaven !" said he, " can you suffsr me to die an ignominious and painfid death ? And all this, for what crime ? not for robbery or murder, or renouncing my religion, but for not putting pepper in a cream-tart." Night being then pretty far advanced, the vizier Schomseddin Mohammed ordered Bed- reddin to be clapped up again in his cage, saying to him, " Stay there till to-morrow ; the day shall not be spent before T give orders for your death." Then the chest or cage was carried away and laid upon the camel that had brought it from Damascus ; at the same time all the other camels were loaded again ; and the vizier mounting his horse, ordered the camel that carried his nephew to march before him, and so entered the city ^:^z:s^mm^ *^ni^mmm-^:y NOUREDDIN ALI AND BEDREDDIN HASSAN. 141 \ with all hia Biiitc. After paiuiin|i( through Bcvural Rtrcctx, where iKiboily appuarcil, every one lii'inj? in bed, ho urrivod at IiIh house, where he ordered the uiient to lie taken down, but nut opened till further orders. While his retinue were unlading the other camclH, he took Kedrediliu'a mother and hiit daughter OHido, and addresged himself to the latter, "(lod be praised," said ho, "my child, for this happy occasion of meeting your cousin and your husband. You re- member, to be sure, what order your cham- ber was in on your wedding-night ; go and put ' , . fining in the very same order they were then in ; and in the meantime, if your memory do not serve you, I can sujiply it by a written account, which I caused to bo taken up on that occasion ; as for what else is to be done, I will take care of that," The beautiful lady went joyfully about her father's orders ; and ho at the same time began to i)ut the things in the hall in the same order they wore in when Hedreddin Hassan was there with the sultan of Egypt's hunchbacked groom. As ho went over his manuscript, his domestics placed every mov- able accordingly. The throno was not f"r- got, nor the lighted wax candles. AVhen everything was put to rights in tlio hall, the vizier went into his daughter's chamber, and put in their due place Bodrcddin's clothes, with the purse of sequins. This done, ho said to the beautiful latly, "Undress your- self, my child, and go to bed. As noon as Bedreddin enters your room, complain of his being from you so long, and tell him, that when you awaked you were astonished you did not find him by you. Press him to come to bed again ; and to-morrow morning you will divert your mother-in-law and me, in telling us what passes between you and him this night." This said, ho went from his daughter's apartment, and left her to undress herself and go to bod. Scheherazade would have gone on with her story, but approaching day obliged her to discontinue it. I The Hundred and Twenty-First Night. Towards the close of the next night, the sidtan of the Indies, who was very impatient to know where the story of Bedreddin should end, awaked Scheherazade himself, and bade her go on with it : which she did in the fol- lowing terms : — Schemscddin Mohammed, said the vizier Giafar to the caliph, ordered all his domestics to depart the hall, except- ing two or three, whom he ordered to stay there. These he commanded to go and take Bedreddin out of the chest, to strip him to his shirt and drawers, to conduct him in that condition to th.t hall, to Icnyvi lilm there all alone, and to shut *he door upon him, liedreddin Tlosgnn, thou;^li overwhelmed with grief, had boon asU'ep all tiu> whiU; ; insomueh that the vizier's duniostici'i had taken him out of the chest, and stripped liini, before he awaked, and earried him sn suddenly into the hall, that they did nob give him time to bethink himself where ho was. When ho found himself all alone in the hall, ho looked round him, and the ob- jects of his sight ree.alling to the memory tho circumstances of his marriage, ho per- ceived, with astonishment, that it was tho same hall where he liad seen tho sultan's, groom of tho stables. II in surprise was still tho greater, when ajjproacliing softly to tho door of a chamber which ho found (i[ieji, hu spied within his own clothes, in the same place where he remembered to luive left them on his wedding-night. " My (Jod !" said ho, rubbing his eyes, "am I asleep or awake ?" Tho beautiful lady, who in the meantime was diverting herself with his astonishment, opened the curtains of her bed all on a sud- den, and bendinj; her head forward, "My dear lord," said she, with a soft, tender air, "what do you do at tho door? I'rytheo come to bed again ! You have been out of bed a long time. I was strangely surprised when I awaked, in not finding you by me." Bedreddin Hassan's countenance changed, when ho perceived that the lady who sjioko to him was that charming perRou that ho hatl lain with before : so ho entered the room, but calling up the thoughts of all that had passed for a ten years' interval, and not being able to persuade himself that it all could have happened in the compass of one night, he went to the place where his clothes lay, and the purse of sequins ; and after examining them very carefiUly, " By tho living God," cried he, "these are things that I can by no means comprehend ! " Tha lady, who was pleased to see his confusion, said, onco more, " My lord, come to bed again ; what do you stand at ? " Then he stepped towards the bed, and said to her» " I'ray, madam, tell me, is it long since I left you?" " The question," answered she, " surprises me. Did not you rise from me but now ? Sure your thoughts are very busy." "Madam," replied Bedreddin, "I do assure you my thoughts are not very composed. I remember, indeed, to have been with you, but I remember at the same time that I have lived since ten years at Da- mascus, Now, if I was actually in bed with you this night, I cannot have been with yoxi so long. These two things are inconsistent. Pray tell me what I am to think ; whether my marriage with you is an illusion, or whether my absence from you is only a dream?" "Yes, my lord," cried she, i 142 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. "doubtless you were light-headed when you thought you were at Damascus. " Upon this Bedreddin laughed out heartily, and said, " What a comical fancy is this ! I as- sure you, madam, this dream of mine wUl be very pleasant to you. Do but imagine, if you please, that I was at the gate of Da- mascus in my shirt and drawers, as I am here now ; that I entered the town with a halloo of a mob that followed and insulted me ; that I fled to a pastrycook's, who adopted me, taught me his trade, and left me all he had when he died : that after his death I kept a shop. In fine, madam, T had an infinity of other adventures, too tedious to recount : and all I can say, is, that it was well that I awaked, for they were going to nail me to a stake." "0 Lord! and for what," cried the lady, feigning asto- nishment, "would they have used you so cruelly? Sure you must have committed some enormous crime?" "Not in the least," replied. Bedreddin ; "it was for no- tliing in the world but a mero trifle : the most ridiculous thing you can think of. ^Vll the crime I was charged with was sell- ing a cream-tart that had no pepper in it." "As for that matter," said the beautiful lady, laughing heartily, " I must say they did you great injustice." "Ah! madam," replied he, "that was not all. For this cursed creara-tart was everything in my shop broke to pieces, myself bound and fet- tered, and flung into a chest, where I lay so close, that methinks I am there still. In fine, a carpenter was sent for, and he was ordered to get ready a stake for me : but thanks be to God, all those things are no more than a dream." At tins period the approach of day obliged Scheherazade to stop. Schahriar could not forbear laughing at Bedreddin, for taking a real thing for a dream. "I must own," said he, "this is a pleasant story, and I am persuaded that to-morrow Schemseddin Mo- hammed and his sister-in-law will be ex- tremely pleased with it." "Sir," replied the sultaness, " that I shall have the honour to acquaint you with to-morrow, if you suf- fer me to live so long." Upon thcat the sultan rose without saying one word : but he had no mind to cut her head off till he had heard the story out. The Hundred and Twenty-Second Night. ScnEHEBAZADE, waking before day, went on as follows : — Sir, Bedreddin was not easy all nigl.t : he waked from time to time, and put the question to himself, whether he dreamed or was aw.ake : he distnistcd his felicity ; and, to be sure whether it was true or not, opened the curtains, and looked round the room. " I am not mistaken, sure, " said he; "this is the same chamber where I entered instead of the hunchbacked groom of the stables, and I am now in bed with the fair lady that was designed for him." Day- light, which then appeared, had not yet dis- pelled his uneasiness, when the vizier Schem- seddin Mohammed, hia uncle, knocked at the door, and at the same time went in to bid him good-morrow. Bedreddin Hassan was extremely sur- prised to see, all on a sudden, a man that he knew so well, and that now appeared with a quite different air from that with which he pronounced the terrible sentence of death against him. "Ah!" cried Bed- reddin, "it was you that condemned me so unjustly, to a kind of death, the thoughts of which make me shudder, and all for a cream-tart without pepper. " The vizier fell a-laughing, and to put him out of suspense, told him how, by the ministry of a genius, (for Hunchback's relation made him suspect the adventure,) he had been at his house, and had married his daughter instead of the sidtan's groom of the stables ; then he ac- quainted him that he had discovered him to be his nephew, by a book written by the hand of Noureddin Ali ; and pursuant to that discovery had gone from Cairo to Bal- sora in quest of him. " My dear nephew," added he, embracing him with every expres- sion of tenderness, " I ask your pardon for all I have made you undergo since I dis- covered*yoi\. I had a mind to bring you to my house before I told you your happiness ; which ought now to be so much the dearer to yon, as it has cost you so much perplexity and affliction. To atone for all your afflic- tions, comfort yourself with the joy of being in the company of those who ought to be dearest to you. While you are dressing yourself, I will go and acquaint your mother, who is beyond measure impatient to see yon ; and will likewise bring to you your son, whom you saw at Damascus, and for whom you shewed so much affection, without knowing him. No words are of sufiicient energy to ex- press the joy of Bedreddin when he saw his mother and his son. These three embraced, and shewed all the transports that love and tenderTiosa could inspire. The mother spoke to Bedreddin in the most moving terms ; she mentioned the grief she had felt for his long absence, and the tears she had shed. Little Agib, instead, of flying his father's embraces, as at Damascus, received them with all the marks of pleasure. And Bed- reddin Hassan, divided between two objects so worthy of his love, thought he could not give sufficient marks of his affection. While this passed at Schemseddin Mo- hammed's, the vizier was gone to the palace, to give the sultan an account of the happy ■^4 THE LITTLE HUNCHBACK. M3 Buccess of his voyage ; and the sultan was 80 charmed with tlie recital of the story, that he ordered it to be taken down in writ- ing, and carefully preserved among the archives of the kingdom. After Schem- seddin's return to his house having prepared a noble feast, he sat dov. >;o table with liis family, and all the household passed the day in solemnity and mu-th. The vizier Giafar having thus made av. end of the story of Bedreddin Hassan, told the caliph Haroun Alraschid that this was what he had to relate to his majesty. The caliph found the story so surprising, that without further hesitation he granted his slave Rihan's pardon ; and, to condole the young man for the grief of having unhappily depiived himself of a woman whom he loved 80 tenderly, married him to one of his slaves, bestowed liberal gifts upon him, and main- tained him till he died. Hut, Sir, added Scheherazade, observing the day began to appear, though the story I have now told you be very agreeable I have one still that is much more so. If your majesty pleases to hear it the next night, I am certain you will be of the same mind, Sehah- riar rose without giving any answer, and was per])lexcd what to do. The good sul- tauess, said he within himself, tells very long stories, and when once she begins one, there is no refusing to hear it out. I cannot tell whe- ther I shall put her to death to-day or not. I certainly will not ; I will do nothing rashly. The story she pro- mises is, perhaps, more divert- ing than all she has told yet : I wUl not deprive myself of the pleasure of hearing it ; Avlien once she has told it, then ahe shaU die. The Hundred and Twenty-Third Night. DiNAEZADE did not fail to awake the sultaness of the Indies before day ; and the sultaness, after asking leave of the sultan, began the story she had promised to the following purpose : — THE STORY OF THE MTTLE urNCnBACK. There was in former times at Casgar, upon the utmost skirts of Tartary, a tailor that had a pretty wife whom he doted on, and was reciprocally loved by her. One day, 08 he sat at work, a little hunchback came and sat down at the shop-door, and fell to singing, and playing upon a tabor. The tailor took pleasure to hear him, and resolved to take him into his house to please his wife. "This little fellow," said he to his wife, "will divert us both this evening." He invited him in, and the other readily accepted of the invitation ; so the tailor shut up his shop, and carried him home. As soon as they came in, the tailor's wife, having before laid the cloth, it being supper time, set before them a good dish of fish ; — but as the little man was eating, he unluckily swallowed a large bone, of which he died in a few minutes, notwithstanding all that the tailor and his wife could do to prevent it. Both were heartily frightened at the accident, knowing it happened in their house ; and there was reason to fear that if the magistrates happened to hear of it, they would be punished as murderers. How- ever, the husband found an expedient to get rid of the coq)se : he reflected there was a .Jewish doctor that lived just by, and having J )resently contrived a scheme, his wife and he took the corpse, the r.L- by the feet, and the other by the head, and carried it to the physi- cian's house. They knocked at the door, from which a steep pair of stairs led to his chamber. The servant maid came down, without any light, and opening the door, asked what they want- ed. "Go up asain," said the tailor, " if you please, and tell your master wc have brought him a man who is very ill, and wants his ad- ■ vice. Here," said he, put- ting a piece of money into ht • liand, "give him that beforehand, to convince him that we do not mean to impose on him." While the son'ant Wiis gone up to acquaint her master with the welcome news, the tailor and his wife niml)ly conveyed the Imnchbacked corpse to the head of the stairs, and. leaving it there, liurried away. In the meantime the maid told the doctor, that a man and a woman waited for him at the door, desiring he would come down •and hink at a sick man whom they had brought with them; and clapping into his hand the money she had received, the doctor was transported with joy : being paid beforehand, he thought it was a good patient, and should not be neglected. " Light, light ! " cried he to the maid ; "fol- low me nimbly." So saying, without stay- ing for the light, he gets to the stair-head in such haste, that, stumbling against the I 144 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. corpse, he gaye him a kick that made him tumble down to the stair-foot; he had al- most fallen himself along with him, "A light! a light!" cried he to the maid; "quick, qtiick!" At last the maid came with a light, and he went down stairs with her; but when he saw that what he had kicked down was a dead man, he was so frightened that he invoked Moses, Aaron, Joshua, Esdras, and all the other prophets of the law. " Unhappy man that I am ! " said he, " why did I attempt to come down without a light! I have killed the poor fellow that was brought to me to be cured ; questionless I am the cause of his death, and unless Esdras's ass* comes to assist me, I am ruined. Mercy on me ! they will be here out of hand, and drag me out of my house for a murderer." Notwithstanding the perplexity and jeo- pardy he was in, he had the precaution to shut his door, for fear any one passing by in the street should observe the mischance of which he reckoned himself to be the author. Then he took the corpse into his wife's chamber, who was ready to swoon at the sight. " Alas ! " cried she, " we are utterly ruined and undone, unless we fall upon some expedient to get the corpse out of our house {his night. Beyond all question, if we har- bour it till morning our lives must pay for it. What a sad mischance is this ! What did you do to kill this man?" "That is not the question," replied the Jew; "our business now is to find out a remedy for such a shocking accident." But, sir, said Scheherazade, I do not consider, it is day. So she stopped, and next night jjursued her story as follows : — The Hundred and Twenty-Fourth Night, The doctor and his wife consulted toge- ther how to get I'id of his dead corpse that night. The doctor racked his brain in vain; he could not think of any stratagem to get clear ; but his wife, who was more fertile in invention, said, " I have a thought just come into my heatl : let us carry the corpse to the leads of our house, and tumble him down the chimney into the house of the Mussul- man, our next neighboiu-. Tliis Mussulman was one of the sultan's purvej'ors for furnishing oil, butter, and all sorts of fat articles, and had a magazine in his house, where the rats and mice mnde prodigious havoc. The Jewish doctor approving the proposed exj)edient, his wife and he took the little hunchback up to the roof of the house ; * litre tlic Arabian author plays upon the Jews: this ass is that which, as the Moliummedana believe, Esdraii rode upon when he came ftom the Babylonian captivity to Jerosalem. and, clapping rcpes under his ami-pits, let him down the chimney into the purveyor's chamber so softly and dexterously, that he stood upright against the wall, as if he had been alive. When they foimd he had reacucit the bottom, they pulled up the ropes, and left the corpse in that posture. They were scarce got down into their chamber, when the purveyor went into his, being just come from a wedding-feast, with a lantern in his hand. He was greatly surprised when, by the light of his lantern, he descried a man standing upright in his chimney ; b.it being naturally a stout man, and apprehending it was a thief, he took up a good stick, and making straight up to the hunchback, " Ah," said he, "I thought it was tbe rats and mice that cat my butter and tal' and it is you come down the chimney to j me ! But I think you will not come here again upon this errand." This said, he falls upon the man, and gives him many strokes with his stick. The corpse feU down flat on the ground, and the purveyor redoubled his blows ; but, observing the body not to move, he stood to consider a little, and then, per- ceiving it was a deaback, and how he conveyed his cori)se to the place where the Christian merchant found him. You were about, added he, to put to death an inno- cent pei-son ; for how can he be guilty of the death of a man who was dead before he came at him ? It is enough for me to have killed a Mussulman, without loading my conscience with the death of a Christian, who is not guilty. Scheherazade perceiving the peep of day, stopt here ; and the next night resumed her story as follows : — The Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Night. SiK, said she, the sultan of Casgar's pur- veyor having publicly charged himself with the death of the little hmichbackcd man, the officer could not avoid doing justice to the merchant. Let the Christian go, said he to the executioner, and hang this man in his room, since it appears by his own con- fession that he is guilty. Thereupon the hangman released the merchant, and clapped the rope round the purveyor's neck ; but just when he was going to pull him up, he heard the voice of the Jewish doctor, ear- nestly intreating him to suspend the execu- tion, and make room for him to come to the foot of the gallows. When he appeared before the judge, "My lord," said he, "this Mussidman you aie going to hang is not guilty; aU the guilt lies at my door. Last night, a man and a woman, unknovm to me, came to my door with a sick man they had brought along ; my maid went and opened it without a light, and received from them a piece of money, with a commission to come and desire me, in their name, to step do>vn, and look at the sick person. While she was delivering her message to mc, they conveyed the sick per- son to the stair-head, and disappeared. I went down, without staying till my servant had lighted a candle, and in the dark hap- pened to stumble upon the sick person, and kick him down stairs. At length I saw he was dead, and that it was the crooked Mussulman, whose death you are now about to avenge. So my wife and I took the corpse, and, after conveying it up to the roof of our house, shoved it to the roof of the purveyor, our next neighbour, whom K 146 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. you were going to put to death unjustly, and let it down the chimney into his chamber. The purveyor, finding it in his house, took the little man for a thief ; and after beating him, concluded he had killed him ; but that it was not so, you will be convinced by this my deposition; so that I am the only author of the murder ; — and though it was committed undesignedly, I have resolved to expiate my crime, that I may not have to charge myself with the death of two Mussul- men, and hinder you from executing the sultan's purveyor, whose innocence I have now revealed. So pray dismiss him, and put me in his place, for I alone am the cause of the death of the little man. The sultaness descrying day, discontinued her story till the next night ; then she pro- ceeded in the following manner : — The Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Night. Sir, said she, the chief justice being per- suaded that the Jewish doctor was the mur- derer, gave orders to the executioner to seize him, and release the purveyor. Accord- ingly the doctor was just going to be hung up, when the tailor a]jpeared, crying to the executioner to hold his hand, and make room for him, that he might come and make his confession to the chief judge. Koom being made, "My lord," said he, " you have narrowly escaped taking away the lives of three innocent persons ; but if you will have the patience to hear me, I will discover to you the real murderer of the crookbacked man. If his death is to be expiated by ano- ther, that must be mine. Yesterday, to- wards the evening, as I was at work in my shop, and was disposed to be meiry, the little himchback came to my door half- drunk, and sat down before it. He sung a little, and so I invited him to pass the even- ing at my house. He accepted of the invi- tation, and went in with me. We sat down to supper, and I gave him a plate of fish ; but in eating, a bone stuck in his throat; and though my wife and I did our utmost to relieve him, he died in a few minutes. His death afflicted us extremely; and for fear of being charged with it, we carried the corpse to the Jewish doctor's house, and knocked at the door. The maid coming down and opening the door, I desired her to go up again forthwith, and ask her master to come down and give his advice to a sick person that we had brought along with us ; and withal, to encourage him, I charged her to give him a piece of money, which I had put into her hand. When she was gone up again, I carried the hunchback up stairs, and laid him upon the uppermost step, and then my wife and I made the best of our way home. The doctor coming down, mad.e the corpse fall down stairs, and thereupon he took himself to be the author of his death. This being the case," continued he, "release the doctor, and let me die in his room." The chief justice, and all the spectators, could not sutBciently admire the strange events that ensued upon the death of the little crooked man. " Let the Jewish doc- tor go," said the judge, " and hang up the tailor, since he confesses the crime. It is certain this history is very uncommon, and deserves to be recorded in letters of gold." The executioner having dismissed the doctor made everything ready to tie up the tailor. — But, sir, said the sultaness, I see day ap- pears, and so I adjourn the story till to- morrow. The sultan agreed to her proposal, and so rose and went about his business. The Hundred and Twenty-Eighth Night. The sultaness, waked by her sister, re- sumed her story as follows : While the exe- cutioner, sir, was making ready to hang up the taUor, the sultan of Casgar, wanting the company of his crooked jester, asked where he was ; and one of his officers told him, "The Hunchback, sir, whom you inquire after, got drimk last night, and, contrarj'^ to his custom, sUpped out of the palace, and went strolling about the city, and this morn- ing was found dead. A man was brought before the chief justice, and charged with the murder of him ; but when he was going to be hanged, up came a man, and after him another, who took the charge upon them- selves, and cleared one another. This lasted some time, and the judge is now examining a third man, who gives himself out for the real author of the murder. Upon this iuteUigence the sultan of Cas- gar sent an oificer to the place of execution. "Go," said he, "in all haste, and tell the judge to bring the accused persons before me immediately ; and withal, bring the corpse of poor Humpback, that I may sec him once more. " Accordingly the officer went, and happened to arrive at the place of exe- cution at the very time that the executioner was going to tie up the tailor. He cried aloud to the executioner to suspend the exe- cution. The hangman knowing the officer, did not dare to proceed, but untied the tailor ; and then the officer acquainted the judge with the sultan's pleasure. The judge obeyed, and went straight to the palace, ac- companied by the tailor, the Jewish doctor, and the Christian merchant ; and made four of his men carry the hunchbacked corpse along with him. When they appeared before the sultan, the judge threw himself at the prince's feet ; and after recovering himself, gave him a MWS«MB9«m»j THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT. H7 faithful relation of what he knew of the story of the humpbacked man. The Btory appeared so extraordinary to the sultan, that he ordered his own historian to write it down with all it^ circumstances . Then addressing himself to the audience, "Did you ever hear," said he, " such a surprising event as this, that has happened upon the account of my little crooked buffoon ? " Then the Chris- tian merchant, after fulling down, and touch- ing the earth with his forehead, spoke as follows : — " Most puissant monarch," said he, "I know a story yet more astonishing than that you have now spoken of ; if your majesty will give me leave, I will tell it you. The circumstances are such, that nobody can hear them without emotion." " Well," said the sultan, "I give you leave;" and so the merchant went on as follows : — THE STOKY TOLD BY THE CIIUISTIAN MERCUANT. Sir, before I commence the recital of the story you have permitted me to relate, I beg leave to acquaint you, that I have not the honour to be born in any part of your ma- jesty's empire. I am a stranger, bom at Cairo, in Egypt, a Copt by nation, and by religion a Christian. My father was a broker, and got a good estate, which he left me at his death. I followed his example, and took up the same employment. And one day at Cairo, as I was standing in the public inn for the corn-merchants, there comes up to me a young handsome man, well dressed, and mounted upon on ass. He saluted me, and pulling out an iiandkerchief, in which he had a sample of sesame or Tur- key corn, asked me what a bushel of such sesame woiUd fetch. Scheherazade perceiving day, stopped here ; but the next night went on in the following manner : — The Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Night. Sir, continued the Christian merchant to the sultan of Casgar, I examined the corn that the young man shewed me, and told him it was worth a hundred drachma of silver per bushel. "Pray," said he, "look out for some merchant to take it at that price, and come to me at the Victory gate, where you wiU see a khan at a distance from the houses." So saying, he left me the sample, and I shewed it to several merchants, who told me, that they would take as much as I could spare, at a himdred and ten di'achms per bushel, so that I made an account to get ten drachms per bushel for my share. Full of the expectation of this profit, I went to the Victory gate, where I found the yoimg merchant expecting me, and he carried me into his granary, which was full of sesame. He had a hundred and fifty bushels of it, which I measured out, and having carried them off upon asses, sold them for five thou- sand drachms of silver. " Out of this sum," said the yoimg man, "there is five hiuidred drachms coming to you, at the rate of ten drachms x>cr bushel. This I give you ; and as for the rest which is to come to me, do you take it out of the merchant's hand, and keep it till I call or send for it, for I have no occasion for it at present." I mode an- swer, it should be ready for him whenever he pleased to call for it ; and so, kissing his hand, took leave of him, with a grateful sense of his generosity, A month passed before he came near me ; then he asked for his four thousand five himdred drachms of silver. I told him they mm \ u 148 THE ARAB/AN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. were ready, and should be told down to Lim immediately. He was then mounted on his ass, and I desired him to alij;ht, and do me the honour to eat a mouthful with me before he received his money. "No," said he, "I cannot alight at present ; I have urgent business that obliges me to be at a place just by here ; but I will return this way, and then take the money, which I desire you would have in readiness," This said, ho disap- peared, and T still expected his return, but it was a fidl month before he came again, I thought to myself, " The young man has great confidence in me, leaving so great a sum in my hands without knowing me ; any other man would have been afraid I should have run away with it." To be short, he came again at the end of the third month, and was still mounted on his ass ; but finer dressed than before, Scheherazade, perceiving daylight, went no further for this night ; but the next en- suing night she proceeded as follows : — The Hundred and Thirtieth Night. As soon as I saw the young man, con- tinued the Christian merchant to the sultan of Casgar, I entreated him to alight, and asked him if he would not take his money ? " There is no huny," said he, with a pleasant easy air, " I know it is in good hands ; I will come and take it when my other money is all gone : Adieu," continued he, " I will come again towards the latter end of the week," With that he struck the ass, and was soon out of sight. "Well," thought I to myself, "he says he will see me towards the latter end of the week, but it is likely I may not see him a great while : I will go and make the most of his money, and shall get a good profit by it." And as it happened, I was not out in my conjecture ; for it was a fuU year before I saw my young merchant again. Then he appeared indeed, with richer apparel than before, but seemed to have pomething on his mind. I asked him to d 3 me the honour to walk into my house, " For this time," re- ified he, " I will go in : but upon this con- dition, that you shall i)ut yourself to no ex- triiordinary charge upon my account," "I will do just romote drinking ; and timed our cups to the sound of musical instruments, joined to the voices of the slaves. The lady of the house sung herself, and by her songs raised my passion to the height. In short I passed the night in full enjoyment of all manner of pleasure. Next morning I slijjt under the bolster of the bed the i)urse with the fifty pieces of gold I had brought with me, and took leave of the lady, who asked me when I would see her again. " Madam," said I, " I give you my promise to return this night. " She seemed to be transported with my answer, and con- ducted me to the door, conjured me at part- ing to be mindful of my promise. The same man that had carried me thi- ther, waited for me with his ass, which I mounted, and went directly to the khan, ordering the man to come to me again in the afternoon at a certain hour ; to secure which, I would not pay him till that time came. 7 - 152 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENS. As soon as I arrived at my lodging, my first core was to order my jjcuplc to buy a good lamb, and soveral Horts of cakes, whick I Bent by a porter as a iireaent to the lady. \mw^W^'!W^fL> When that was done I attended to my seri- ous business till the owner of the ass came. Then I went along with him to the lady's house, and was received by her with as much joy as before, and entertained with equal magnificence.- Next morning T took leave, and left her another purse with fifty pieces of gold, and returned to my khan. But Scheherazade perceiving day, gave notice of it to the sid- tan, who thereupon rose without saying one word. Next night she went on with her story as follows : — The Hundred and Thirty-Seventh Night. Sir, the yoxmg man of Bagdad, continued the Christian merchant to the sultan of Cas- gar, went on to this purpose : — I continued, said he, to visit the lady every day, and to leave her every time a purse with fifty jjieces of gold, till the merchants, whom I employed to sell my goods, and whom I visited regu- larly twice a week, owed me nothing ; and, in short, I came at last to be moneyless, and hopeless of having any more. In this desperate condition T walked out of my lodging, not knowing what course to take, and by chance went towards the castle, where there was a great crowd of people to see a show given by the sultan of Egypt. As soon as I came up to them, I wedged in among the crowd, and by chance happened to stand by a horseman well mounted, and handsomely clothed, who had upon the pom- mel of his saddle a bag, half open, with a string of green silk hanging out of -it. I clapped my hand to the bag, concluding the silk twist might be the string of a purse within the bag : in the meantime a porter, with a load of wood upon his back, passed by the other side of the horse, so near that the gentleman on horseback was forced to turn his head towards him, to avoid being hurt, or having his clothes torn by the wood. In that moment did the devil tempt me ; I took the string in one hand, and with the other laid open the mouth of the bag, and jiulled out the purse so dexterously, that no- body perceived it. The purse was heavy, and I did not doubt but there was gold or silver in it. As soon as the porter had passed, the horseman, who probably had some suspicion of what I had done while his head was turned, presently put his hand to his bag, and finding his purse was gone, gave me such a blow, that he knocked me down. This violence shocked all who saw it ; some took hold of the horse's bridle, to stop the gentleman, and asked him what reason he had to strike me, or how he came to treat a Mussulman after that rate. "Do not you trouble yourselves, " said he, briskly ; "I had reason for what I did : this fellow is a thief." At these words I started up, and from my api)earance every one took my part, and cried out he was a liar, for that it was incre- dible a young man such as I should be guilty of so base an action : but while they were holding his horse by the bridle to favour my escape, unfortunately passed by the judge ;. who, seeing such a crowd about the gentle- man on horseback and me, came up and asked what the matter was. Everybody .^nxStm^m- r-'WWw'is^WKrw- THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT. 155 present relleoted on the gentleman for treat- ing me so unjustly i»iiou the pretence of robbery. The judge did not give car to all thot was said ; but asked the cavalier if ho suspected anybody else beside nio ? The cavalier told him he did not, and gave his reasons why he believed his suspieions not to be groundless. Ujwn this the judge ordered his followers to seize me, und search nie, •which they pre- sently did, and liiuling the purse upon nic, exposed it to the view of all the peoi)le. Tho disgrace was so great, I eo\ild not bear it, but I swooned away. In the meantime the judge called for the purse. But I see, said Scheherazade, it is day; if your majesty will let mo live till to- morrow, you shall hear the sequel of the story. Then Schahriar got up, (lesigning to gratify his cwiosity by hearing the rest next night. The Hundred and Thirty-Eighth Night. Towards the close of the next night, the Bultaness atldressed Schahriar thus : — Sir, the young man of Bagdad pursued his story : When the judge, said he, had got the purse in his hand, ho asked the horseman if it was his, and how much money was in it. The cavalier knew it to be his own, and assured the judge he had put twenty sequins into it. Upon which the judge called me before him : "Come, young man," said he, *• confess the truth ; was it you that took the gentleman's purse from him ? Do not wait for the torture to extort confession." Then with downcast eyes, thinking within myself, that if I denied the fact, they find- ing the purse about me, would convict me of a lie ; to avoid a double punishment, I looked up and confessed it was I. I had no sooner made the confession than the judge called people to witness it, and ordered my hand to be cut off. This sentence was put in execution immediately upon the spot, to the great regret of all the spectators ; nay, I observed, by the cavalier's coimtenance, that he was moved with pity as much as the rest. The judge would likewise have ordered my foot to be cut off, but I begged the cavalier to intercede for my pardon ; wWch he did, and obtained it. When the judge was gone, the cavalier came up to me, and holding out the purse, "I see plainly," said he, "that necessity put you upon an action so disgraceful and unworthy of such a handsome young man as you are. Here, take that fatal purse; I freely give it you, and am heartily sorrow for the misfortune you have undergone." This said, he went away ; and I being very weak by loss of blood, some of the good people of the neighbourhoofl hml the charity to carry me into a house, and give mo a glass of wine ; they likewise drcssi'd my arm, and wrapped uii the ili>nu'mbLn'i'd hand in a cloth, which 1 carried away with mo fastened to my girdle. If I had returned to the khan of Mesrour in this melancholy conditinu, I should not have found there such relief as I wanted ; and to offer to go to the young lady was running a gri^at hazard, it being likely sho woidil not look upon me after she heard of my disgrace. I resolved, however, to put it to the trial ; and to tire out the crowd that followed me, I turned down several by- streets, and at last arrived at the lady'ft house very weak, and so much fatigued, that I presently threw myself down upon a sof.a, keeping my right arm under my gar- ment, for I took great care to conceal my misfortune. \\\ the meantime the lady, hearing of my arriv.ll, and that 1 w.os not well, came to me in all haste ; and seeing mo jiale and de- jected, " My dear, soul," said she, " what i» the matter with you ? " " Madam, " s.aid I, dissembling, "I have got a violent pain in my heatl." The lady seemed to bo much concerned, and asked me to sit down, for I had got up to receive her. "Tell me," said she, " how your illness came : the List time I had the pleasure to see you, you were very well. There must be something else that you conceal from mc ; let me know what it is." I stood silent, and instead of an answer, tears trickled down my cheeks. "I cannot conceive," said she, "what it io that afflicts you. Have 1 unthinkingly given you any occasion of uneasiness ? Or do you come on purpose to tell me you no longer love me ? " " It is not that, madam," said I, fetching a deep sigh ; " your unjust suspicion is an addition to my misfortune." I could not think of discovering to her the true cause. When night came, supper was brought, and she pressed me to eat ; but considering I could only feed myself with my left hand, I begged to be excused, upon the plea of having n(j appetite. " Your apiietite will return," said she, " if you would but discover what you so obstinately hide from me. Your inajipetency, without doubt, is only owing to your irresolution." " Alas^ madam," said I, "I find I must resolve at last." I had no sooner spoke these words, than she filled me a full of wine, and offering it to me, "Drink that," said she; "it will give you courage. ' I reached out my left hand, .and took the cup. Here the appearance of day discontinued Scheherazade's story, but the next night she- pursued the sequel thus: — n 5 III i! !l 1.1 Tho Hundred and Thirty-Ninth Night. When I had got tlic cup in my hand, said tho young man, 1 rrdouldwl my tears and Hig}ui. "Why do you sigh and weep ho hittt-rly ? " said the huly ; " and why do you take tho cup with your left liantl, rather tlion your right?" "Ah! madam," Maid I, " excuse me, I hcscocli you ; I have a swell- ing in my right hand." "Let mo sec that swelhng," said she ; " I will o]ieu it." I desired to ho excused, alleging it was not ripe enough for opening, ancl drank off tho cup, which was very large. The fumes of the wine, joined to my weakness and weariness, set me a8lee]>, and I slept very soundly till next morning. In the meantime the lady, curious to know what ailed my right hand, hfted U]) my garment that covered it, and saw to her great astonishment tli.at it was cut off, and that I had hrought it along with me wrapt up in a cloth. .She jirexently apprehended what was my reason for declining a discovery, notwithstanding all her jjressing solicitation, and p.'vssed the night in the greatest un- easiness upon my «lisgrace, which she con- cluded hail heen occasioned only by the love I hore to her. When 1 awaked I discerned by her coun- tenance that she was extremely grieved. However, that she might not increase my uneasiness, she said not a word. She called for jelly-broth of fowl, whch she had order- ed to be prepared, and made me eat and drink to recruit my strength. After that, I offered to take leave of her, but she de- clared I should not go out of her doors. "Though you tell me nothing of the matter," said she, "I am persuaded lam the cause of the misfortune that has be- fallen you. The grief that I feel upon that score will quickly make an end of me : but before I die, T must execute a design for your benefit." She had no sooner said the word, than she called for a judge and •witnesses, and ordered a writing to be drawn lip, putting me in possession of her whole property. After this was done, and every- body dismissed, she opened a large trunk, where lay all the purses I had given her from the commencement of our amour. "There they are, all entire," said she; "1 have not touched one of them : here is the key ; take it, for all is yours." After I had returned her thanks for her generosity and goodness: " What I have done for you," said she, "is nothing; I shall not be satis- fied unless I die, to show how much I love you." I conjured her, by all the powers, of love, to give up such a fatal resolution But all my remonstranced were ineffectual ; she was so afflicted to see me have but one hand, that she sickened, and died after five or six weeks' illness. After mourning for licr death as long M Was decent, I took ]ioHNC8sion of all her estate, a particular account of which she gave niu before siie died ; and the com you sold for mn was jiart of it. The appearance of day interrupting Soho- hera/adt', she discontinued her story till next uiglit ; then she went on as follows : — The Hundred and Fortieth Night. The Christian merchant concluded his story of the young man of Bagdad to this purpose : — " What I have now told," said he, " will plead my excuse for eating with my left hand. 1 am highly obliged to you for the trouble you have given yourself on my account. I can never sufficiently recnmponso your fide- lity. Since, thanks to (>od, I have still a comi)etent estate, notwithstanding I have spent a great deal, I beg you to accept of tile sum now in your hand, as a present from me. (.Ivor and above this, I have a i)ropogal to make to you ; since by reason of this fatal accident, I am obliged to depart from Cairo, I am resolved never to see it more. If you choose to accompany me, wo will trade together as equal i)artners, and divide the profit." I thanked the young man, said the Christian merchant, for the present he had made me, and as to the proposal of travell- ing with him, I willingly embraced it, assur- ing him that his interest should always be as dear to me as my own. We fixed a day for our departure, and accordingly entered upon our travels. We passed through Syria and Mesopotamia, travelled all over Persia, and after stopping at several cities, came at last, sir, to your ca])ital. Some time after our arrival in this l)lace, the young man having formed a design of returning to Persia, and settling there, we balanced our accounts, and parted very good friends. He went from hence, and I, sir, contimu- '-zvs in your majesty's si-tvine. This is the »• iry I had to tc" \.iu not your majesty find it; ti o sxirpruing than that of the cpii' .^ ? The sultan of L against the Christie very bold," said he, little worth my heart pare it to that of my jestc Can you flatter yourself so far as to hulieve that the trifling adventures of a young debauchee can make such an impression upon me aa those of my jester? I will hang you all foiu:, to revenge his death." Hearing this, the purveyor feU down frightened at the sultan's feet. " Sir," said he, " I humbly beseech your majesty to ulto a passion iiant. " You a; tell mo .1 story so md t' , a to com- ' \ THE SULTAN OF CASGAfTS PURVEYOR. 155 HiiHpcnil your jiwt wroth, and hear my story ; nml if it np]iearH to your inajoUy to he pret- tier than that of your jeBtor, to panlon u» all four. Tho Hultaii having uninteil tiiii* ro(|UU8t, the imrvcyor begun thus : — THE STOKY TOLD nV TIIK HIJLTAN OF CASOAH'h riUVEVOB. Sir, a porson of quality invitod me yester- day tohig dnunhter'g wedding. 1 wont to Ilia houHo in tliH evenini;{ at the hour appointed, and found there a Iftr),'o company of doctors miniHtera of j\isticc, and otherB of the liest quality in the city. After the ceremony was over, wi; had a splendid feast ; and amon^ other thinj;s set upon tho taMe, there was a course with j^arliu sauce, which indued was very delicious, and coveted by everybody ; wo observed, however, that one of the v"e-:ade was proceeding, when day- light apjieared and silenced her : but to- wards the close of the ensuing night, she pur- sued her story in the following manner : The Hundred and Fifty-Second Night. My uncles had no answer to give my fa- ther, continued the young man of Moussol, and assented to all he had said of the Nild of Cairo, and of the whole kingdom of Egypt : my imagination was so full of it, that I had not a wink of sleei) that night. Soon after, my uncles declared how much they were struck with my father's discourse. They made a ]iroposal to him, that they should travel all together into Egypt. He accepted of the proposal ; and being rich merchants, they resolved to carry with them such goods as would sell there. I found that they were making preparations for their dejiarture ; and thereupon went to my father, and begged of him, with tears in my eyes, that he ■Hould sufl'er me to go along with him, and allow me some stock of goods to trade with on my own account. "You are too young," said my father, " to travel into ^^gyP* > the fatigue is too great for you ; and I I \ 164 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. besides, I am sure you will come off a loser in your traffic." These words, however, did not cure the eager desire I hatl to travel. I made use of my uncle's interest with my father, who at last granted me leave to go as far as Damascus, where they were to leave me, till they travelled through Egypt. "The city of Damascus," said my father, "may likewise glory in its beauties, and my son must be content with leave to go so far." Though my curif)8ity to see Egypt was very prossing, I considered he was my father, and submitted to his will. I set out from Moussol with him and my uncles. We travelled through Mesopotamia, passed the Euphrates, and arrived at Aleppo, where we stayed some days. From thence wo went to Damascus, the first sight of which agreeably surprised me. We lodged all together in one khan ; and I had the view of a city that was large, populous, full of handsome people, and well fortified. Wo employed some days in walking up and down the delicious gardens that surrounded it; and we all agreed, that Damascus was justly said to be seated in a paradise. At last my uncles thought of pursuing their journey ; but took care, Iwifore they went, to sell my goods so advantageously for me, that I got five hundred per cent. This sale fetched me so considerable a sum, that I was trans- ported to see myself possessed of it. My father and my imcles left me in Damascus, and pursued their journey. After their departure, I used great caution not to lay out my money idly. But at the same time I took a statelj' house, all of marble, adorned with paintings of gold, silver foli- age, and a garden with fine water-works. I furnished it, not so richly, indeed, as the magnificence of the place deserved, but at least handsomely enough for a young man of my rank. It had formerly belonged to one of the jirincij>al lords of the city, whose name was Modoun Aldalraham; but then was the property of a rich jewel merchant, to whom 1 paid for it only two sherifs * a month. I had a number of domestics, and lived honourably ; sometimes I gave enter- tainments to such people as I had made an acquaintance with, and sometimes I went and was treated by them. Thus did I spend my time at Damascus, waiting for my father's return ; no passion disturbed ray repose, and my only employment was con- versing with people of credit. One day, as I sat taking the cool air at my gate, a very handsome well-dressed lady came to me, and asked if I did not sell stuffs ? She no sooner spoke the words than she went into my house. Here Scheherazade stojiped, perceiving * A sherif is thfi same with a sequin. Tliis word occurs in our ancient authors. day ; but the next night went on oa fol- lows :— The Hundred and Fifty-Third Night. When I saw, said the young man of Mous- sol, that the lady was gone into the house, I rose, and having shut the gate, conducted her into a hall, and prayed her to sit down. "Madam," said I, "I have had stuffs that arc fit to be shewn to you, but I have them not now ; for which I am very sorry. She took off the veil that covered her face, and discovered a beautiful person, which atfocted me with such emotions as I had never felt before. "I havo no occasion for stuffs," said she ; " I only ccmo to see you, and pass the evening with you, if you please ; all I ask of you is a light collation." Transported with such good luck, I ordered the servants to bring us several sorts of fruits, and some bottles of wine. They served us with despatch ; and we ate, drank, and made merry till midnight. In short, I had not before passed a night so agreeably as this. Next morning, I would have put ten sherifs in the lady's hands, but she drew back instantly. " I am not come to see you," said she, "with an interested design ; you affront me : far from receiving money of you, I desire you to take money of me, or else I will see you no more." In speaking this, she put her hand into her purse, took out ten sherifs, and forced me to take them, saying, " You may expect me three days hence after sunset." Then she took leave of mo, and I felt that when she went she carried my heart along with her. She did not fail to return at the appointed hour three di.ys after : and I did not fail to receive her w.th all tlie joy of a person who waited impatiently for her arrival. The evening and the night we spent wine, she spoke thus : ' ' My dear heart, what do you think of me? Am I not handsome and agreeable?" "Madam," said I, "I think this an unnecessary question : all the expressions of love which I shew you ought to persuade you that I love you ; I am charmed to see you and possess you. You arc my queen, my sultaness ; in you lies all the felicity of my life." "Ah!" replied she, "I am sure you would speak otherwise if you saw a certain lady of my acquaintance, that is younger and handsomer than me. She is of such a pleasant lively temper, that she would make the most melancholy people merry : I must bring her hither ; I [ THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN. 105 cpoke of you *o her, and from the account I have given of you, she is dying with desire to see you. She entreated mo to procure her that plcaHurc, but I did not dare to humour her without speaking to you beforehand. "Madam," said 1, "do wliat you please; but whatever you may say of your friend, I defy all her charms to tear my heart from you, to whom it is so inviolably attached that nothing can disengage it." " Bo not too positive," said she ; " I now tell you, I am about to put your heart to a strange trial." We stayed together all night, and next morning at parting, instead of ten sherifs, she gave me fifteen, which I was forced to accept. " Remember," said she, "that in two days' time, you are to have a new guest ; pray take care to give her a good reception : we will come at the iisual hour, after sunset." I took care to have my hall in great order, and a handsome collation i)re- pared against they came. Here Scheherazade, obscrvirg it was day, stopped ; but the next night she went on as follows : — The Hundred and Fifty-Fourth Night. Sir, the young man of Moussol, recounting the history of his adventures to the Jewish physician, continu- ed thus : I waited, said he for the two ladies with impa- tience, and at last they arrived at the beginning of the night. They both unveiled them- selves, and as I had been surprised with the beauty of the first, I had reason to be much more so when I saw her friend. She had re- gular features, a complete person, and such sparkling eyes, that I could hardly bear their si)lendour. I thank- ed her for the hon- our she did me, and entreated her to ex- cuse mo if I did not give her the reception Bhe deserved. "No compliments," said she ; "it should be my part to make them to you, for allowing my friend to bring me hither. But since you are pleased to suffer it, let us lay aside all ceremony, and think only of amusing ourselves." I had given orders, as soon as the ladies arrived, to have the collation served up, and wo soon sat down to Bupjicr. I sat opposite to the strange lady, and she never ceased looking upon me with a smile, I could not resist her conquering eyes, and she possessed herself so powerfully of my heart, that I could ofl'er no opposition. But while she inspired me with a ilame, she caught the llamo herself ; and so far from shewing any constraint in her carriage, she held to me very lively language. The other lady, who observed us, did nothing at first but laugh at us. "I told you," said she, addressing herself to me, "you would find my friend full of charms ; and I perceive you have already violated the oath you made me of being faithful to me." "Madam," said I, laughing as well as she, "you would have reason to comj)lain of me if I were wanting in civility to a lady whom you brought hither, and who is a favourite with you ; both of you might then upbraid me, for not knowing how to do the honours of my house." We continued to drink ; but as the wine warmed us, the strange lady and I ogled one another with so little reserve, that her friend grew jealous, and quickly gave us a dismal jjroof of her jealousy. She rose from the table and went out, saying she would be with us presently again ; but a few momenta after, the lady that stayed with me changed countenance, fell in- to violent convid- sions, and, in short, expired in my arms, while I was calling for assistance to re- lieve her. I went out immediately, and asked for the other lady ; and my people told me, she had opened the street door and was gone. Then I sus- ]ie(;tud, what was but too true, that she had been the cause of her friend's death. She had the dexterity and the malice to i)ut some very strong poison into the hist glass, which slie gave her with her own hand. I was afflicted to the last degree with the accident. What shall I do ? thought I, What will become of me ? I considered there was no time to lose, and it being then moonlight, I made my servants quietly take up one of the great pieces of marble with which the court of my house was paved. Under that I made them presently dig a i66 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. il hole, and there inter the corpse of tbe young lady. After replacing tlie atone, [ put on a travelling suit, and took what money I had j and having locked up every- thing, ailixud my own seal on the door of my house. This done, I went to see the jewel merchant, my landlord ; paid him what rent I owed, with a year's rent in advance ; and, giving him the key, jirayed him to koejt it for me. "A very urgent affair," said I, " obliges me to be absent for some time ; I am under the necessity of going to find out my uncles at Cairo." I took my leave of him, immediately mounted my horse, and set oil' with my attendants. Day appearing, Scheherazade discontiuing and cleaning out my hall where I had \ised to eat with the ladies, one of my servants found a gold chain necklace, with ten very large and very perfect pearls ])laced upon it at certain distances. Ho brought it to me, and I knew it to be the same I had seen upon the lady's neck that was poisoned, and conuhuU'd it had broken off and fallen, when I did not perceive it. I could not look upon it without shedding tears, when I called to mind the lovely creature I had seen die in such a shocking manner. 1 wrapt it up, and put it in my bosom. I passed some days to recover from the fatigues of my voyage ; after which, I liegon to visit my former actjuaintancc. I aban- doned myself to all manner of pleasure, aud insensibly squandered away all my money. Being thus reduced, instead of selling my furniture, I resolved to jjart with my neck- lace ; but I had so little skill in pearls, that I took my measures very ill, as you shall hear. I went to the bezestcin, where I called a crier aside, and shewing lum the necklace, told him I had a mind to sell it, and desired him to shew it to the principal jewellers. The crier was 8urj)rised to see such a trinket. "What a pretty thing it is!" cried he, staring upon it a long whUe with admira- tion ; "never did our merchants see any- thing so rich. I am sure Ishall oblige them highly in shewing it to them ; and you need not doubt they will set a high price upon it, in emulation of each other." He carried me to a shop, which proved to be my land- lord's. "Stay here," said the crier; "I will return presently, and bring you an answer." While he w.as running about to shew the necklace with much caution, I sat with the jeweller, who was glad to see me, and we conversetl on different subjects. The crier returned, and calling me aside, instead of telling me the necklace was valued at two thousand sherifs, he assured me nobody would give me more than fifty. " The reason is," added he, "the pearls are false : consider, see if you will part with it at that price." I took him at his word ; and, wanting money, "Go," said I, "I take your word, and that of those who know better than myself ; deliver it to them, and bring me the money immediately." The crier had been ordered to offer me fifty sherifs by one of the richest jewellers in town, who had only made that offer to sound me, and try if I was well acquainted with the value of the goods I exposed to THE JEWISH PHYSICIAN. 167 •ale. IIo liad no sooucr rucuived my aiiHwer, than he corriud tho crier to tho jiulji^, and tthuwiii^ him tho ncckloeo, ".Sir," 8aid he, " here in a nucklucu that woti stuleii from me, ami the thief, under the eharuuter of a merchant, hiu< liud tliu impudence to offer it for sule, and is at this minute in the bezeatein. He \a willing to tiiko lifty sheriff for a neckliur that in worth two thouHiuid, which is a plain ari^ument that it is stolon." The jud|;o sent immediately to seize me; and when I came before him, he asked mo if tho necklace he hod in his hand was not the same that I had exposed to Hale in the bezestein, T told him it was. "Is it true," said he, "that you ore willing to deliver it for lifty slierifs '; " 1 answered I was. "Well," said ho, iii a scoffing way to me, "give him tho bastinado; he will quickly tell us, with all his lino merchant's clothes, that ho is only a downright thief ; let him be beat till ho confesses." The violence of the blows ma«le mo tell a lie : I confessed, though it was not true, ihat I hail stolen tho necklace; and presently tho judge ordered my liani my iiujust treatment. It is true, I uuule a confession iis if I had stolen it ; but this I did contrary to my conscience, through the force of torture, and for another reason, that I am ready to tell you, if you will bo so good as to hear me." "I kuow enough of it already," replied the governor, "to tlo you one part of tho justice that is due to you. Take from hence," contiuued he, " take tho false accuser ; let him under- go the same p\inishnient he caused to be inllicted on this young man, whose innocence is known to me." Tho governor's orders Mere immediately put in execution ; the jeweller was iiunished as he deserved. Then the governor, having ordered all tho company to withdraw, said to me, " My son, tell me without fear how this necklace fed into your hands — conceal nothing from me." Then I told him i)lainly all that had passed, and declared I had chosen rather to i)ass for a thief than to re- veal that tragical adventure. " Good God ! " said the governor, "thy judgments are in- compreheusible, and we ought to submit to them without murmiuing. I receive, with an entire submission, tho stroke thou hast been pleased to inllict upon me." Then, directing his discourse to me, "My son," said he, "having now heard the cause of your disgrace, for which 1 am very much concerned, 1 will give you an account of the disgrace that befell me. Know, then, that I au! the father of these two young ladies you ^^•ero speaking of but now. Scl.eherazade, perceiving the appearance of day, stopt here, but went on next night iu the ioUowiug maimer ; — i68 THE ARAIUAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. The Hundred and Fifty-Seventh Night. •Sir, mid ahc, the diRcourso that the gover- nor of DamnxcuB adilrt'HSL'd to tho yoiini; inau of MouHHol was thin : " My sun," Mixid thu govcnior, "yoii are to knur[)oHo to iu(piiru for liiM there, passing throii'.;!' Hhis city, found me out, and oanio last night and de- livered mo a letter from them. They inform me of my fatlier's death, and invito mo to eonic and take posseMsiou of his estate at Moussol ; but as the alliivnce aiul friendship of tho governor have fixed mo with him, and will not Butfer nu^ to leave him, I have sent back tho express, with a power which will secure to me my i)roperty. After what you havi! heard, I \w\m you will pardon my incivility iluring tlie course of my illness, ill giving you my left instc.iil of my right hand. This, said tlio Jewish physician, this is tho story T heard fniiii the young ni.au of Aloussol. 1 continued at iJaniaseus as long as tho governor lived : after his death, being in the (lower of my age, I had tho curiosity to travel. Accordingly I went through I'ersia to the Indies, and came at iast to set- tle in this your capital, where I practise physic with reputation. 'J'he sultan of Oasgar was well pleased with this last story. 1 must say, said he to the .Jew, the story you have told me is very singular ; but I declare freely, that of the little hump-back is yet more extraordinary, and much more comical ; so you are not to expect that I wiU give you your life any more than the rest. I will hang you all four. " i'ray, sir, stay a minute," said the tailor, advancing forwards, and prostrating himself at the sultan's feet; " siuce your majesty loves pleasant sti>ries, I havo one to tell you that will not displease you." " Well, I will hear thee too," said tho sultan ; " but do not flatter thyself that I will sutler thee to live, unless thou tellest me some ad- venture that is yet more diverting than that of tho hump-backed man." Upon this the tailor, as if ho had been sure of his scheme, spoke boldly to the following i)urpose : — THE STOllY TOLD BY THE TATLOU. A CITIZEN of this city did me the honour, two days ago, to invito mo to a treat which he was to give to his friends yesterday morning. Accordingly I went early, and found there about twenty jjcrsons. The master of the house was gone out upon some business, but in a very little time ho came home, and brought with him a young man, a stranger, very well dressed, and very handsome, but lame. When he came in, wo all rose up, aiul, out of respect to the master of the hou^e, invited the young man to sit down with us upon the if THE TAILOR. 169 * aofa. Ho was goinj^ to do bo, but all nn a «iuldon, Hpyiii^ a harbor in (iiir coin|iaiiy, lie flow backwards, and niailu towards tlio door. Tlio inasUr of tho hougf, Hiiqirisi'd at Iiih bn- baviour, Rtoppt'd him. " Wbcro aro you goiiijj?" Bailentiful fortune ho had left mo ; which 1 did not sipiiiiider away foolishly, but applied it to such uses that everybody ro- specteil me. I had not been yet disturbed with nny ])assion : I was so far from l)eing seiisiiile of love, that I acknowledge, jierhaps to my shanu', that I cautiously •ivoided tho conver- sation of women. One day, walking in tho streets, I saw a gre.it company of ladies be- fore mo ; and tliat I might not meet them, I turned down a narrow lane just by, and sat down upon a bench ))y a door. 1 sat over against a window where there stood a pot with very ]>retty llowers; and I had my eyes lixed upon it, when on a sudden tho window oj)enod, and a young lady ap]peared, whose beauty struck me. Immediately she cast her eyes upon me ; ancl in watering tho flower-pot with a hand whiter than alabas- ter, looked upon me with a smile that in- spired mo with as much love for her, as I had formerly aversion f(jr all women. After having watered her flow- ers, aiul darted upon mo a glance full of charmB that pierced my heart, she shut the window again, and left me in in- conceivable ])erplexity ; from which 1 should not have recovered, if a noise in the street had not brought me to myself. I lifted up my head, and turning, saw the first cadi of tho city, mctunted on a mule, and attenrled by five or six servants : he alighted at the door of the house whore the young lady had opened the win- dow, and went in; from whence I concluded he was the young lady's father. T went home in a difTerent state of mind, tossed with a passion the more violent, as 1 had never felt its assaults before : I went to bed in a violent fever, at which all the I/O THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. m 'i i ii family was much concerned. 3Iy rehvtioiis, w 10 had a great affection for uie, were so a'.armed with the sudden dis' idur, that they importuned uiu to tell the cause ; which 1 took care luit to discover. My silence created an uneasiness that tlie physicians could not dispel, because they knewuothiny of my distemper, niid by their medicines they rather iuilamed than checked it. My relations bet^an to despair of my life, when an old la<]y of our acquaintance, hear- int; I was ill, came to see me. She con- sidered me with great attention, and after having examined me, penetrated, I know not how, into tlie real cause of my illness. She took my relations aside, and desired all my people v/oidd retire out of the room, and leave her alone with me. When the room was clear, she sat down on the side of my bed. "My son," said she, "you have obstinately concealed the cause of your illness ; but you have no occasion to reveal it to me. I have experi- ence enough to penetrate into a secret ; you will not deny it, when I tell you it is love that makes ; du sick. I can lind a way to cure you, if you will but let me know who that ha]>py ladj' is that could move a heart so insensible as your's ; for you have the character of a woman-hater, and I was n(jt the last that perceived that such wis your disposition ; but what I foresaw has .ome to pass, and I am now glad of the opportunity to em)iloy my talents in relieving your pain." Sir, said Scheherazade, I perceive it is day : Schahriar rose j)resently, full of imjia- tience to know the sequel of a story which he had heard the beginning of. The Hundred and Fifty-Ninth Night. Sir, aaid Scheherazade, the lame young man pursued his story thus : The old latly, said he, having talked to me thus, paused, ex- pecting my answer ; but though what she ha<.1 said had made a strong imiiression upon me, I durst not lay open to lier the bottom of my heart : I only turned to her, and fetched a deep sigh, without saying any- thing. " Is it bashfulness," saidshe, "that keeps you from speaking ? or is it want of contidenee in me ? Do you doubt the eflect of my promise ''. I could mention to you a number of young men of your i";quaint- ance th."'. have been in the same condi- tion wiui you, and have received relief from me." The good lady told me so many more cir- cumstances, that I broke silence, declared to her my comi>laint, pointed out to her the jilace where 1 had seen the object which occasioned it, and unravellei.l all the circum- stances of my adventure. " If you succeed," said I, "and procure me the happiness of seeing tliat charming beauty, and reveahng to her the passion with which I burn for her, you may depend upon it I will be grate- ful." "My son," said the old woman, "I know the lady you sjieak of ; she is, as you rightly judge, the daughti r of the first cadi of this city. I am not surprised that you are in love with her : sho is the handsomest aiul most lovely lady in Bagdad ; but what I most hesitate about is, that she is very l)roud, and of difhculb access. You know how strict our judges are in enjoining the punctual observance of the severe laws that coulkie women in such a strict constraint ; and they are yet more strict in the observa- tion of them in their own families : the cadi you saw is more r'gid in that point than all the other magistrates together. Thoy are always preaching to their daughters what a heinous crime it is to shew themselves to men ; and the girls themselves are so pre- possessed with the notion, that they make no other use of their own eyes but to con- duct them along the street, when necessity obliges them to go abroad. I do not say absolutely that the first cadi's daughter is of that humour ; but that does not hinder my fearing to meet with as gi'eat obstacles on her side as on her father's. Would to God yt)u had loved any other ! then I should not have bad so many ditficulties to sur- mount. Howe\er, I shall employ all my wits to compass the matter ; but it requires time. In the meantime take courage, and trust in me." The old woman took leave of me ; and as I weighed within myself all the obstacles she had been talking of, the fear ,yf her not succeeding in her midertaking intlaraed my disorder. Next day she came again, and I read in her cou.'itenance that she had no favourable news to impart. She spoke thus: "My son, I was not mistaken; I have somewhat else to conquer besides the vigilance of a father : you love an insensible object, who takes pleasu.-e in making every one biu'n with love who suffer themselves to be charmed by her ; but she will not deign tliem the least comfort. She heard me with pleasure, when I spoke of nothing but the torment she made you undergo ; but I no sooner opened my mouth to engage her to allow you to see her, and converse with her, but casting ,at me a terrible look, ' You are very bold,' said she, ' to make such a j)ro- posal to me ; I charge you never to see me again with such language.' " " Do not let t]iis cast you down," con- tinued she ; "I am not easily disheartened ; and if your patience does but hold out, I am hopeful I shall comi)a8s my end." To shorten my story, said t'le young man, this good go-between made several fruit- less attacks in my behali! on the proud I 5;l THE TAILOR. 171 enemy of my rest. The vexation 1 suffered inflamed my distemper to that degree, that my physicians gave nie over. I was con- sidered as a dead man, when the ohl woman came to recall me to life. That nobody might hear what was said, she whispered in my ear, — " llemcmber the present you owe for the good news I bring you." These words produced a marvellous effect ; I raised myself uj) in the bed, and with transport made answer, " You shall not go without a present ; but what is the news yon bring me?" "Dear sir," said she, "you shall not die; I shall speedily have the j)leasiu'e to see you in perfect health, and very well satisfied with me. Yesterday, being Monday, I went to see Vrayer-time, and he must be gone before my father returns.' "It is now Tuesday," continued the old lady; "you have from this time to Friday to recover your .strength, and make the necessary dispositions for the interview." While the good ol-' lady was speaking, I felt my illness decrease ; or rather, by the time she had done, I found myself perfectly well. "Here, take this," said I, reaching out to her my purse, which was full ; " it is to you alone that I owe my cure. I reckon this money better empltiyed than all that I gave to the physicians, who have only tor- mented me during the whole course of lay illness." When the old lady was g< me, T f o\nid T had strength enough to get up ; and my relations lindiug me so well, complimented me upon it, and went home. Friday morning the old woman came, just when I was dressing myself, and chees- ing out the hnest clothes in my wardrobe, "L do not asic you," said she, " how you do : what you are about is intimation enough of your health : but will not you bathe before you go to the lirst cadi's house?" "That will take u|i too much time," said I ; "I will content myself with sending for a barl)er to shave my head and beard." Immediately I. ordered one of my slaves to call a liarber that ciuud do his business cleverly and exjieditiously. The slave brought me this wretch you see here ; who came, and after saluting me, " iSir," said he, "you look as ii you were not well." I told him 1 was just recovered 'I 1 1 >■ :\ i i . THE ARABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS. from a fit of sickness. "I wish," said he, "God may deUver yo« from all mischance ; may his grace always go along with you." " 1 hope," said I, " ':e will grant your wish, for which I. .im very much ohliged to you." " Since you are recovering of a tit of sick- Tiess,"' said he, "I pray God preserve yo\ir health ; hut now pr.ay let mc know what I am to do ; I have hrought my razors and my lancets ; do you desire to jje shaved or to ho hied?" I replied, "I am just re- covered of a fit of sickness, I told you, and so you may readily judge I only want to he shaved. Come, make haste, do not lose time in prattling ; for I am in li.aste, and precisely at noon I am to he at a place." Here the approach of day interrupted Scheherazade ; but next night she pursued her story thus ; — The Hundred and Sixty-First NigM. The barber, continued the lame young man, .spent much time in opening his case, and preparing his razors : instead of jiutting water into the basin, he took a very hand- some astrolabe out of his case, and went very gravely out of my room to tha middle of the yard, to take the height of the sun : then he returned witli the same grave jiace, and entering iuy room, " Sir," said he, "you will be pleased to know this day is Friday, the ISth of the moon Safar, in the year G5.3 * from the retreat of our great pro])het from Mecca to Medina, and in the year 7320 1 of the cpocha of the great Iskender with two horns : and that the conjunction of Mars and !Mercury signilies you cannot choose a better time than this very day and hour for being shaved. But o:i tho other hand the same conjunction is a bad presage to you. I learn from thence, that this day you run a great risk, not indeed of losing your life, b\it ot an inconvenience which will attend you v hile you live You are obliged to me for tho advice I now give \'ou, to take care to a^ oid it ; I should be s>,;..y if it befell you." You may guess, gentlemen, how vexed I was at having fallen into the hands of such a prattling, imj)ertinent bai'bei ; what an unseasonable adventure it was for a lover preparing for an interview ! I waa quite • Tills year O.'i." is one of ttie IIcpir.T, tlie common epocliii of the Miihamniciliins, iinil iinswers to the year 12o5 from (he iiati\ity of Clirist ; from whence we may conjecture that these computations were made in Arabia about tliat time. ■f As for the year 7320, tho author is mistaken in tlmt coniiiutatioii. The year 00:1 of tlie IIe).'ini, ami the I'JSa of Christ. coinci