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 K
 
 THE TRANSMIGRATIONS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MANDARIN FUM-HOAM
 
 NOTE. Six hundred and eighty copies only of this Edition have 
 been printed, seventy -five of which are on Arnold's unbleached hand-made 
 paper, royal octavo, and five of ivhich are on Japanese vellum, royal octavo.
 
 THE 
 
 TRANSMIGRATIONS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MANDARIN FUM-HOAM 
 
 (CHINESE TALES) 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 LEONARD C. SMITHERS 
 
 LONDON 
 
 H. S. NICHOLS AND CO 
 3 SOHO SQUARE W 
 
 MDCCCXCIIII
 
 Printed and Published by 
 
 H. S. NICHOLS AND CO., 
 3, SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W.
 
 PREFACE 
 
 THE success which the edition of " The 
 Thousand and One Quarters of an Hour (Tar- 
 tarian Tales) " issued last year by the present 
 publishers met with, has induced them to print 
 in similar style its companion work, " The Trans- 
 migrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam (Chinese 
 Tales)," written by the same author, Thomas Simon 
 Gueulette, of whom a brief biographical sketch was 
 given in the prefatory note to the Quarters of an 
 Hour. 
 
 Commenting on these collections of stories, 
 Mr. W. A. Clouston, a well-known " storiologist," 
 remarks : " Much of the groundwork of these clever 
 imitations of the Arabian Nights has been, directly 
 or indirectly, derived from Eastern sources ; for 
 instance, in the so-called Tartar tales, the adven- 
 tures of the Young Calender find parallels, (i) in 
 the well-known Bidpai tale of the Brahman, the 
 Sharpers and the Goat (Kalila and Dimna, Pan- 
 chatantra, Hitopadesa, &c.) and (2) in the world- 
 wide story of the Farmer who outwitted the Six
 
 vi Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 Men (Indian Antiquary, vol. 3) of which there are 
 many versions current in Europe, such as the Norse 
 tale of Big Peter and Little Peter, the Danish tale 
 of Great Claus and Little Claus ; the German tale 
 (Grimm) of the Little Farmer ; the Irish tale of 
 Little Fairly (Samuel Lover's collection of Irish 
 Fairy Legends and Stories) ; four Gaelic versions 
 in Campbell's Popular Tales of the West Highlands ; 
 a Kaba'il version in Riviere's French collection 
 (Contes populaires Kabylies) ; Uncle Capriano in 
 Crane's recently published Italian Popular Tales ; 
 and a Latin mediaeval version (written probably in 
 the nth century) in which the hero is called 
 ' Unibos,' because he had only one cow."
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 INTRODUCTION . . ... ... . i 
 
 HISTORY OF MALIK AL-SALIM, KING OF 
 
 GEORGIA . . . . . " '. . . 3 
 
 A. HISTORY OF SULTAN TONGLUCK - . . . 6 
 
 HISTORY OF MALIK AL-SALIM (continued) . . 8 
 
 HISTORY OF MANDARIN FUM-HOAM ... 23 
 
 a. HISTORY OF THE HINDU MOUNTEBANK AND HIS 
 
 DOG 26 
 
 b. STORY OF MASSUMAH . . ' . . . 35 
 
 c. ADVENTURES OF THE IMAN ABZINDARUD . . 39 
 
 d. HISTORY OF THE BEAUTIFUL AL-RAYULF . . 47 
 
 e. HISTORY OF JIZDAD . . . 50 
 /. STORY OF HUSCHANK AND GULBAZI ... ^4 
 
 fa. HISTORY OF DUGMI, QUEEN OF PERSIA 65 
 
 STORY OF HUSCHANK AND GULBAZI (continued) . 69 
 
 g. HISTORY OF THE BEAUTIFUL HENGU ... 71 
 
 h. ADVENTURES OF THE APE MORUG 81 
 
 ha. ADVENTURES OF THE SULTANA ALISHANK 85 
 
 ADVENTURES OF THE APE MORUG AND OF THE 
 
 SULTANA ALISHANK (continued) . . . 101 
 
 t. STORY OF MAGMU, MIDWIFE OF ASTRAKHAN . 107
 
 viii Transmigrations of the Mandarin Funi-Hoam 
 
 PAGE 
 j. ADVENTURES OF MOGIRADDIN, KING OF AGRA, AND 
 
 OF RUZ-BAHARI, PRINCESS OF PEGU 112 
 
 ia. & ja. HISTORY OF THE WAZIR HUSSAN 
 
 IBN SAN .... 133 
 
 ADVENTURES OF MOGIRADDIN, AND OF THE PHY- 
 SICIAN BANU-RAZID (continued) , . . 139 
 
 k. ADVENTURES OF KOLAO, THE WILD MAN . . 143 
 
 /. ADVENTURES OF DARDOK : TOLD BY HER SLAVE 
 
 ILUL . . ..... . . 149 
 
 la. HISTORY OF KORKUD AND HIS FOUR SONS 156 
 
 ADVENTURES OF DARDOK (continued) . . . 174 
 
 m. ADVENTURES OF ALA-BADIN 175 
 
 n. ADVENTURES OF THE DARWAYSH ASSIRKAN . . 183 
 
 na. STORY OF ABD AL-MOAL . . . . 185 
 
 ADVENTURES OF THE DARWAYSH ASSIRKAN (con- 
 tinued) ~ . . . . . . . 205 
 
 o. STORY OF PRINCE KADIR-BILAH . . . . 216 
 
 HISTORY OF MALIK AL-SALIM, OF TONGLUCK, AND OF 
 
 GULCHINRAZ GUNDOGDI (continued) . .231 
 
 B. STORY OF AL-ROHAMAT, AND THE CONCLUSION OF 
 THE HISTORY OF MALIK AL-SALIM, KING 
 OF GEORGIA, OF SULTAN TONGLUCK, AND 
 OF GULCHINRAZ GUNDOGDI . . . 236
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 HOLONJAH, the nephew of Tahi-Kia, who was prime 
 wazir to Tongluck, King of Gannan, was sent by his uncle 
 into Circassia, to buy up the most beautiful damsels he 
 could meet with in that country, designing them for a 
 present to the Sultan of China ; and the young man dis- 
 charged his commission with so much exactness that 
 never was there a seraglio stored with such variety of 
 beauties as was the vessel wherein he embarked these 
 Circassian women from Bassorah. 
 
 In travelling through part of Persia, Holonjah fell 
 into the company of two darwayshes, and contracted 
 an intimate friendship with them. The one was about 
 sixty years old, and had such an air of majesty in his 
 looks as shewed the greatness of his quality and condition 
 before he embraced that kind of life; the other, who 
 passed for his nephew, was not above sixteen, but had 
 features so just and regular that nothing could be com- 
 pared to him, except one of those pages who, according 
 to Mohammed's doctrine, present the poncire to good 
 and virtuous Mohammedans after their death. These 
 darwayshes quitted their convent, as they pretended,
 
 2 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 with a design to travel over all "the East; and when 
 Holonjah proposed to carry them into China, they readily 
 accepted his offer, and the ship was under full sail, just 
 off the Gulf of Cambay, when it happened to be attacked 
 by two corsairs of Adel. Their vessels were a great deal 
 superior in strength to that wherein Holonjah was ; but 
 he and his whole crew did such wonders, and behaved 
 with so much bravery, that the corsairs, having lost 
 a great number of their best soldiers, were forced to 
 sheer off. 
 
 The two darwayshes bore likewise their part in 
 the engagement, and the elder more especially shewed 
 such courage and magnanimity that Holonjah in a great 
 measure imputed the victory to him. He thought him- 
 self very happy in having so brave a man on board, and 
 was making his compliments to him to that purpose, 
 when, perceiving his nephew all on a sudden turn pale, 
 and the blood appear on his clothes, he was so startled 
 at the sight that he ran to him and tore his vest hastily 
 open with a design to help him ; but was not a little sur- 
 prised to find that this young person was a lady of most 
 incomparable beauty. As good luck would have it, the 
 wound was but slight, and had gone no farther than the 
 flesh, a little below her breast ; but the old darwaysh, 
 perceiving that he could no longer conceal a secret which 
 he had never disclosed to any creature before, addressed 
 himself to Holonjah in this manner. I take you, sir, to 
 be too much a gentleman to make any bad use of this 
 discovery ; and since an accident has let you into the sex 
 of this young darwaysh, I shall take the freedom to relate 
 to you what our condition is, and who we are, being well 
 satisfied that a mind possessed with your generous senti-
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 3 
 
 ments will take pleasure in relieving a prince who, from 
 the height of all worldly grandeur, is plunged, as you see, 
 into the abyss of nothing. 
 
 HISTORY OF MALIK AL-SALIM, 
 KING OF GEORGIA 
 
 I AM the King of Georgia ; my name is Malik al- 
 Salim, and my ordinary residence was at a castle in 
 the province of Guriyal, that borders upon the Black 
 Sea. By all the sultanas I kept in my seraglio I never 
 had but two children, a boy and a girl, both born of 
 the same mother. But my joy for her fruitfulness was 
 soon abated by the loss of young Al-Rohamat (that 
 was my son's name), who, together with his nurse, was 
 stolen away by pirates when he was about two years 
 old. I gave orders, but it was to no purpose, for my 
 people to pursue them ; they never could come up with 
 them ; and a violent tempest, which soon after arose and 
 sunk most of the vessels that I sent out, gave me cause 
 to think that he likewise was swallowed up in the waves. 
 After I had sufficiently bewailed the loss of my son, I 
 was resolved to retire with my daughter into the city 
 of Tiflis, which is the capital of my kingdom. 
 
 This princess, whom you now see in the habit of 
 a darwaysh, was named Gulchinraz Gundogdi (i.e., 
 morning), because at her birth she gave us great hopes 
 of becoming in time a perfect beauty. I was then 
 grown into years myself ; and therefore, leaving the 
 
 i 2
 
 4 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 government of my kingdom in the hands of my wazirs, 
 and spending most of my days with my daughter, I saw 
 with infinite pleasure by the time she was arrived at 
 fifteen that there was not a woman comparable to her. 
 In short, I began to think seriously of choosing a son-in- 
 law to succeed in my kingdom, when, by a sudden and 
 unexpected turn of fate, the Sultan of Bitlis invaded my 
 territories with a numerous army. That prince, who 
 was commonly called Dilsinghin (i.e., stony-hearted), 
 had no cause to be angry with me ; but as the fame 
 of my daughter's perfections was spread over all the 
 East, and himself was too conscious that the information 
 I had of his cruelty and vile character would hinder me 
 from ever consenting that she should have him, he took 
 methods to compel me to it, and entered into a resolution 
 to seize upon my throne and to take away Gulchinraz 
 from me ; and by the force and violence of war he in 
 a great measure executed his design. 
 
 It was no small grief to me to see Dilsinghin lay 
 all in fire and sword before him ; the few troops I was 
 able to raise, after a peace of ten years' continuance, were 
 not sufficient to make any head against him. He carried 
 every place sword in hand, and threatened at last to put 
 me to death in the most cruel manner, unless I would 
 deliver up Gulchinraz to him. I must needs own, sir, 
 that the despair wherein I beheld my daughter aug- 
 mented my grief ; and therefore, thinking it not advisable 
 to stay at Tiflis with an army unable to make resistance 
 until this outrageous king should come upon me, I took 
 with me what gold and jewels I could carry, and putting 
 myself and Gulchinraz in the habits you see, left my 
 palace and dominions in the night ; and travelling
 
 History of Malik Al-Salim, King of Georgia 5 
 
 through part of Persia in your company came at last 
 to the Gulf of Bassorah, where we embarked in your 
 vessel. Since then we are resolved to go with you as 
 far as China. You yourself, sir, may very well judge 
 whether we have any hopes of returning to Georgia, 
 and whether our misfortunes might not have sunk us 
 had we not set bounds to the violence of our grief when 
 at first we became wanderers and fugitives upon the 
 earth. 
 
 4t 4 4c >;< sje 
 
 Holonjah was astonished to hear the misfortunes 
 of the Sultan of Georgia ; and having asked pardon of 
 the princess for his indiscretion, he offered them all the 
 assistance that was in his power, and promised them 
 both never to reveal the secret. And to assuage your 
 grief, added he, suffer me to remind you, sir, that the 
 greatest evils live always in the neighbourhood of the 
 greatest blessings, as our august sultan not above four 
 years ago experienced ; who from the most unfortunate 
 condition was advanced to the throne of China, as if 
 the one had been a footstep to the other. And if a 
 history so singular will be any alleviation of your sorrow 
 to hear, I will do myself the pleasure to relate it. By 
 all means, replied Gulchinraz ; you cannot oblige us 
 more. Well then, continued Holonjah, I am ready 
 to do it.
 
 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 HISTORY OF SULTAN TONGLUCK 
 
 UPON the death of the Sultan Yum-Vu, King of 
 Gannan, who left no son behind him, a certain bonze, 
 insinuating to the people that he was the nearest relation 
 to the deceased king, came and demanded the crown, 
 which (notwithstanding the opposition that it met with 
 in council, and the wise remonstrances which several 
 mandarins made to it, that a man who from his youth 
 upwards had abandoned the care of all worldly concerns 
 was very improper to govern a kingdom, and a head 
 that had been accustomed to dust and ashes unable to 
 bear the weight of a crown with decency) he obtained, 
 and was, with the general acclamation of the people, 
 chosen King of Gannan. But as soon as he had taken 
 possession of his throne, the Governor of the Isle of 
 Kiumchin made preparations to contest it with him. He 
 certainly was the nearer relation to Yum-Vu, and proved 
 it very plainly ; but the new king, being now accustomed 
 to the splendour of a throne, was so far from relinquish- 
 ing it that he issued out his proclamations with such 
 diligence, that having seized his rival about twenty miles 
 from Tonquin, as he was advancing with a small army 
 to maintain his right, he was resolved to keep him 
 prisoner, according to the manner of the Chinese in 
 cases of the like nature. 
 
 When any rebel is apprehended, the king goes to 
 meet him and orders a basin and golden ewer to be 
 presented him, which he is obliged to carry on his head, 
 walking on foot to the place of his imprisonment. This 
 prison is a cave dug under the throne where the king
 
 History of Sultan Tongluck 7 
 
 sits ; they open it every day to give the prisoners victuals, 
 and without ever troubling themselves whether they are 
 dead or alive, do it for six months, and then wall it up 
 for good and all. Our king, according to this custom, 
 was going one day to meet his rival, with a purpose to 
 treat him in this manner, when, falling into hunting, and 
 continuing his sport till noon, the heat of the day made 
 him flee to a shade to rest himself a little ; he accordingly 
 lay down upon the grass in the middle of a small wood 
 to take a nap, and, to secure his face against the insects, 
 covered it with a red silk handkerchief. His principal 
 officers out of respect withdrew some twenty or thirty 
 paces ; and the king was in a sound sleep, when he was 
 suddenly awakened by a very odd accident, for a bird 
 of prey that had its nest in the tree under which the 
 king slept, taking the red handkerchief for a piece of raw 
 flesh, made a stoop at it with such violence that with its 
 beak and talons, which were extremely sharp and strong, 
 it struck out both his eyes. The officers, hearing the 
 sultan cry out, ran to him in a great fright ; but this 
 accident, which should have raised compassion in their 
 breasts, had a quite contrary effect upon them ; for, 
 thinking him now no longer fit to reign over them by 
 reason of the loss of his eyes, they immediately resolved 
 to give the crown to him who was made prisoner, since 
 he was of the royal line ; and therefore, taking the basin 
 and golden ewer, they set it upon this poor prince's head, 
 and so carried him to Tongluck (for that was his rival's 
 name) whom they made choice of for their king. 
 
 This new monarch, struck with the sudden change 
 of his fortune, and the great danger he had so lately 
 escaped, made wise reflections, and such as well became
 
 8 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 the occasion. Heavens ! said he, that ever in so short a 
 time I should be in such different circumstances. But 
 one of our poets has rightly observed, " Who for another 
 makes a pit, digs for himself a grave." Unhappy bonze ! 
 continued he, your fortune grieves me exceedingly. But 
 be in no concern for your life ; you shall not be put into 
 that frightful dungeon you had prepared for me ; your 
 sorrows I will alleviate as much as possible, and leave it 
 to your choice, either to stay in my court, or retire into 
 what place of my dominions you please, with a pension 
 of a hundred thousand pieces of gold, which I will pay 
 you yearly. Ah, generous Tongluck ! cried the bonze, 
 throwing himself at the new sultan's feet : you shew by 
 this how much better you deserve the throne than I. 
 Seduced by the splendour of a crown, which I deprived 
 you of, I intended to have put you to a most cruel and 
 unjust death ; whereas you give me a life I have not 
 deserved ; and not only so, but heap your benefits upon 
 me likewise. Ah, sir ! these are sentiments becoming a 
 worthy monarch ! Tongluck that moment embracing 
 the bonze assured him of his perfect friendship, and so, 
 ascending a throne which was his right, both upon the 
 account of his birth and this singular instance of his 
 moderation, he hath reigned about four years to the 
 perfect satisfaction of all China. 
 
 How happy is this prince ! cried Malik al-Salim ; 
 and how wonderful is his clemency ! Nay, he is his 
 people's darling, replied Holonjah ; and if there is any- 
 thing that can afflict us, it is his insensibility of love, and 
 the apprehensions we are under of not having his pos- 
 terity to reign over our children ; for, of all the sultanas
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 9 
 
 that he has yet received into his seraglio, none has been 
 able to touch his heart. For this reason it was that my 
 uncle, who is his prime wazir, sent me into Circassia ; 
 but what merit soever there may be in the rare beauties 
 I have brought with me into China, I fear I shall have 
 no better success than others who have been employed 
 in the like commission before me. This prediction proved 
 true ; for, notwithstanding all the arts that Holonjah 
 could use to brighten the beauties of nature, and to set 
 off the women he brought with him to Tonquin to the 
 best advantage, Tongluck looked upon them with such 
 an indifference as gave the other a vast uneasiness. 
 
 Malik al-Salim and the Princess of Georgia had 
 accepted apartments in Holonjah's house in Tonquin, 
 who took all the methods imaginable to divert the 
 melancholy that had seized them, but himself could 
 find no remedy for his own. And as he was one day 
 expressing his concern to the king and Gulchinraz, 
 on his having succeeded no better than others, in very 
 moving terms, the princess addressed him in these 
 words. You need not wonder in the least at the 
 sultan your master's coldness ; were I in his place, I 
 should do the self-same thing, for his indifference, as 
 I take it, proceeds from a heart truly noble, and not 
 attached to the pleasures of sense. There is not one 
 of these young women whom you present to him but 
 thinks his favours an honour to her, and makes more 
 account of the monarch than she does of Tongluck. 
 Divest him of his grandeur for a moment, and it is 
 ten to one but they will despise his person, and he 
 by that means find out the bottom of their hearts, 
 and that it is their ambition only which makes them
 
 io Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 desirous to partake of his bed ; but find him out a 
 person who overlooks the throne which captivates 
 others, that rejects the addresses of a monarch, and 
 considers him only as a private person, and then you 
 will raise in him all those emotions and tender passions 
 which he is not yet acquainted with. Nothing can be 
 juster, madam, than these reflections, replied Holonjah, 
 but where shall we find this rare person ? You have 
 her before your eyes, continued Gulchinraz ; the throne 
 on which I was brought up accustomed me to such 
 respect and submission as the women you buy at 
 Circassia know nothing of ; and if I have but beauty 
 enough to engage your sultan's eye, be his merit ever 
 so great, I will let him know the difference between a 
 princess and a slave, and how far the notions of the 
 one surpass the other. There is a kind of reserve and 
 a greatness of spirit in our sex that make us esteemed ; 
 but the ease and forwardness of almost all the Eastern 
 women draw upon them the contempt they deserve. I 
 may seem perhaps a little too discerning for my age, 
 but the queen, my mother, whose royal blood raised her 
 above the rest of her sex, took care in my tender 
 age to inculcate these lessons into my memory so 
 that they will for ever be engraven there. 
 
 Malik al-Salim heard this speech of his daughter 
 with admiration. Of all the sultanas I had in my 
 seraglio, said he, none ever found the secret of approach- 
 ing my heart but the charming Abadan-Scirux, the 
 mother of Al-Rohamat and Gulchinraz; her reserved- 
 ness, her modesty, everything enchanted me in that 
 adorable princess, and my life has been a burden to me 
 since the moment I lost her for ever. No more of these
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 1 1 
 
 melancholy reflections, sir, replied Holonjah ; I very well 
 understand the solidity of your daughter's argument ; 
 but the way to put it in execution, that's the difficulty. 
 Few princesses here are so beautiful as those of Georgia, 
 and as it is no easy matter to gain admittance into their 
 apartments, our monarchs choose, rather than marry a 
 woman whose merit may not possibly come up to the 
 idea they have of her beauty, to entertain themselves 
 with slaves, where they meet with an entire submission, 
 and from the principle of self-esteem are induced to 
 believe that they perfectly love them. After some more 
 discourse of the like nature, Holonjah retired into his 
 own apartment ; where, if anything could comfort him 
 under his want of success, it was that two merchants of 
 slaves had presented the Sultan of China with a great 
 number of very beautiful damsels with whom he was no 
 more moved than at the sight of the Circassian women, 
 who had cost Holonjah so much care and pains. 
 
 The King of Georgia and the princess had been 
 about a month at Holonjah's house, where he endea- 
 voured to entertain them with all possible respect and 
 assiduity, when one day he requested the favour of 
 introducing a brother of his, who had returned from 
 a long voyage and had brought considerable riches 
 with him. Malik al-Salim had too much obligation 
 to Holonjah to deny him any favour ; and notwith- 
 standing the aversion Gulchinraz had to be seen in the 
 proper habit of her sex (which since her arrival in China 
 she had put on again), she consented to receive him. 
 After the first civilities usual among persons of their 
 distinction were over, they sat down at table, and Uzum- 
 quay (for that was Holonjah's brother's name) seemed
 
 12 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 to have so much wit and vivacity in conversation as 
 drew upon him the princess's eye more than once ; but 
 if Gulchinraz beheld him with some attention, he for 
 his part was so taken with the charms of her face and 
 the delicacy of her wit that he was that very moment 
 going to make a declaration of his passion ; but that the 
 presence of Malik al-Salim (who had now quitted the 
 habit of a darwaysh, and was known to be the young 
 lady's father), as well as a certain greatness of mind 
 that regulated all his actions, restrained him for that 
 time until a more favourable opportunity should 
 happen, and his respect and observance should inform 
 her of what his heart felt for her. He never failed, 
 however, to be at his brother's house at meal-time, 
 and discovered every moment new graces in the object 
 of his wishes. Oh ! how happy are we, dear brother, 
 said he one day in a transport he could not refrain, that 
 the Sultan of China knows nothing of the treasure we 
 have in this house ! His frozen heart would soon be 
 melted with the rays of the eyes of your charming guest, 
 and I should die with grief. But I forget myself, con- 
 tinued he; you will pardon, most beautiful Gulchinraz, 
 this involuntary transport, and not be offended at a 
 declaration I am constrained to make. My respect, 
 however, shall at all times set bounds to my passion, 
 be it ever so strong and violent. The princess imme- 
 diately blushed. She had for some time a struggle 
 within herself, between the secret inclination she felt 
 for Uzum-quay, and that greatness of spirit which 
 was the rule of all her actions. But hastily rising 
 up : Uzum-quay, said she, with her eyes sparkling 
 with anger, you know not who I am, and there-
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 13 
 
 fore I think it proper to let you know the distance 
 that is between us ! The King of Georgia, who is here 
 before your eyes, is my father ; judge, therefore, whether 
 our conditions be equal : examine yourself, in short, and 
 fail not in the respect which is due to me for the future, 
 unless you are desirous that I should quit your brother's 
 house. You the Princess of Georgia ! cried out Uzum- 
 quay instantly. Heavens ! what do I hear, and what 
 must I be ! Oh, beauteous Gulchinraz, that I were this 
 moment the Sultan Tongluck, to offer you a heart worthy 
 of your acceptance ! That would not make you more 
 amiable in my eyes, answered the princess, with great 
 modesty. The lustre of a throne blinds not me ; and the 
 monarch of China, with all his power and greatness, 
 could have no more right over my heart than another 
 person, unless I felt a secret sympathy for him, without 
 which my father has promised me never to dispose of 
 my hand. Nay, I will own something more to you, to 
 ease the sorrow I see painted in your eyes, and I will 
 own it without a blush. From the first day I saw you, 
 I conceived an esteem for you ; I wished you had been 
 born a prince, and that you had sufficient power to 
 restore my father to his kingdom of Georgia, which the 
 traitor Dilsinghin, King of Bitlis, has robbed him of by 
 surprise. I should then have preferred you before all the 
 monarchs in the world ; and my father who loves you 
 too would have confirmed my choice with his consent. 
 But this is superfluous talk ; I was born to a throne, nor 
 will I dispose of my heart without one. 
 
 Uzum-quay threw himself down that moment at 
 Gulchinraz's feet. I am sensible, madam, said he, of 
 the rashness of my love, and I will do what I can to
 
 14 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 subdue it, nor will I ever more mention a passion to you 
 which I finds offends you ; and saying these words he 
 withdrew full of confusion. Holonjah asked a thousand 
 pardons of Malik al-Salim and the princess for his 
 brother's indiscretion. For above eight days together 
 the afflicted lover durst not appear in Gulchinraz's 
 presence ; and when upon express order he ventured 
 to come, there appeared so many tokens of fear and 
 sorrow in his looks that the king pitied him, and 
 ordered his daughter to comfort him with some indica- 
 tions of her forgiveness. Re-assume, Uzum-quay, said 
 she, your former gaiety. I forget the offence you have 
 committed, and therefore beg you will let us live in the 
 same familiarity as before it was disturbed by your 
 profession of a passion which I never can or ought to 
 accept. Uzum-quay obeyed the princess's commands ; 
 he returned to his former manner of living, and with 
 infinite satisfaction perceived that she was no longer 
 offended with him. 
 
 He had already lived five months every day in the 
 princess's company, when, going one night into his 
 own apartment : You are avenged, sir, said he to 
 Malik al-Salim, for Dilsinghin is dead, and your faithful 
 subjects expect your return with the utmost impatience. 
 Here is a letter that your wazirs have sent you ; and, 
 to convince you farther, behold the head of the King of 
 Bitlis, which I here give you in this basket. It is 
 impossible to express the surprise that Malik al-Salim 
 and Gulchinraz were in at this sight. The head of their 
 enemy, which was still bloody, and the letter signed by 
 all the wazirs of Georgia, made them not question the 
 truth of what they saw. But by what enchantment,
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 15 
 
 said they, could you perform things that seem im- 
 possible ? Nothing, replied he, with looks full of 
 modesty, but my passionate desire to be serviceable to 
 the most beautiful princess in the world. You may now 
 return with the king your father when you please, 
 madam, into Georgia, and I will conduct you thither in 
 less than four hours. In less than four hours, answered 
 the princess. Ah, sir ! how desirous soever I may be of 
 returning to Tiflis, I am not for that kind of voyage; 
 it seems a little too supernatural and dangerous. My 
 father and I had better go the common road than hazard 
 our lives in that. There is no danger at all in it, con- 
 tinued Uzum-quay ; and when I have told you in what 
 manner you came to be avenged of your adversary, you 
 will not be afraid of the conveyance wherein I offer to 
 conduct you to Tiflis. But supper is ready. My 
 brother, to testify his joy for your re-establishment, is 
 desirous to regale you this night ; and I after supper 
 will recount to you the manner in which so many 
 wonders were wrought. 
 
 Malik al-Salim and the princess went into the 
 apartment where they were to sup. There was exquisite 
 meat of every kind ; but above all, a fine young pig with 
 a pudding in the belly of it. The whole entertainment, 
 indeed, was served up with great elegance, and being 
 all sat down at table there was perfect joy in everyone's 
 countenance. How great is the obligation I have to 
 you ! was the King of Georgia every now and then 
 exclaiming. No, my dear Uzum-quay, I can never 
 sufficiently acknowledge it, and my daughter Gulchinraz 
 is the only thing wherewith I can repay it. You are not 
 born a prince, indeed, but does birth depend upon our-
 
 1 6 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 selves ? True nobility lies in virtue and glorious actions, 
 and not in a train of ancestors, whose deeds are too often 
 our disgrace ; what a joy will it be to me, if my daughter 
 will accept you for a husband ! Ah ! if she must needs 
 have a crown, I will relinquish mine, and think myself 
 happy to be your first subject. Uzum-quay, seeing that 
 Gulchinraz did not oppose the king's intentions, threw 
 himself at her feet. Confirm, said he, adorable princess, 
 confirm your father's desire, but let it not cost him his 
 throne. I had rather renounce the possession of my 
 queen than deprive him of his rights. The princess 
 raised her lover up, not knowing well how to act. She 
 suffered him to hang about her knees and kiss her hand, 
 and Malik al-Salim embraced them both in the most 
 affectionate manner, when all on a sudden they heard 
 a noise in the ante-chamber. The doors were forced 
 open, and immediately entered thirty black slaves, with 
 their sabres drawn ; and at the head of them a young 
 man about thirty years old, but beautiful beyond imagi- 
 nation. Perfidious Holonjah ! cried he ; is it so you deal 
 with your master ? To me you have presented a set of 
 slaves, the very refuse of Circassia, and kept for yourself 
 a beauty, whose charms are superior even to those of the 
 houri. But I will soon shew you the consequence of 
 such treacherous behaviour. 
 
 These words, spoken in great wrath, and the con- 
 fusion which Holonjah and Uzum-quay appeared to be 
 in, made Gulchinraz suppose that he who spoke in such 
 an absolute tone must needs be Tongluck. King of 
 China, said she, with a fierce undaunted air, persons of 
 my rank and quality are not wont to be presented to 
 such as you, like slaves, but are sued to by way of
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 17 
 
 ambassadors. I am the Princess of Georgia, and this 
 is my father, the Sultan Malik al-Salim. A base usurper 
 banished us from our kingdom ; and Fortune, who from 
 that time was all along our cruel enemy, seems now to 
 have declared herself in our favour. The lovely Uzum- 
 quay has made a reparation for all her mistakes by 
 reinstating us in 'a throne which Dilsinghin, King of 
 Bitlis, had unjustly invaded. You are not ignorant in 
 what manner a prince like you should behave to those 
 who are his equals. Treat us, then, with the dignity that 
 becomes our character, and Holonjah for not informing 
 you we resided at his house. I forbade him, because I 
 was unwilling that your sight of me should increase the 
 aversion you had for our sex. Ah, madam ! replied the 
 Sultan of China, how unjust are you to your eyes ! Are 
 you ignorant of their power, and think you that they are 
 incapable to touch my heart ? Yes, adorable princess, 
 you were the only person who could dissipate the cold- 
 ness that surrounded it ; you were born for no other 
 purpose but to work miracles. But you change colour, 
 I perceive, and my love makes you uneasy. Uzum-quay, 
 the lovely Uzum-quay (for so you called him) whom I 
 saw at your feet, has found out the way to please you. 
 Sir, says Malik al-Salim, immediately interrupting him, 
 I am concerned to see your love ; but our obligations to 
 Uzum-quay are so exceeding great there is no way of 
 paying him but by giving him my daughter in marriage. 
 Oh, Heaven ! cried Tongluck ; does the charming 
 Gulchinraz prefer a private person to the monarch of 
 China ? Yes, sir, replied the princess with an air of 
 constancy ; I loved Uzum-quay without his knowing it, 
 and even before he restored us to our throne ; since that 
 
 2
 
 1 8 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 time he has put the head of our enemy under our feet, 
 and this service has gained him the empire of my heart, 
 which my father's consent has confirmed. From that 
 moment I looked upon him as my husband ; nor are all 
 the powers upon earth able to make me change my 
 resolution. However, sir, continued the princess, in a 
 little softer tone, I know myself but poorly qualified to 
 dissolve the coldness of your temper. There are others 
 enough to fill the place that I am not at all ambitious of; 
 for, in short, your hour is come ; and if it be true, that 
 you could love me, as your majesty is pleased to assure 
 me, it will not be long before you will contract yourself 
 to some beautiful sultana, who will answer your passion 
 more favourably than I can do. 
 
 What says the happy Uzum-quay, continued the 
 Sultan of China, to such noble and endearing sentiments 
 as these ? I say, replied the tender lover, throwing 
 himself at the princess's feet, that my happiness exceeds 
 my hope, and I have at last found what I have been 
 looking for a disinterested heart, and one who, in loving 
 me, loves my person only. But it is time, adorable 
 Gulchinraz, that I discover to you who I am ; and you 
 will pardon this innocent artifice, which I only made 
 use of to gain assurance of your heart. You see in 
 Uzum-quay, then, the true King of China ; whereof the 
 other, who acted his part so well, is no more than a 
 phantom. I know now the bottom of your heart ; I 
 owe not your love to my quality. It was love alone 
 that gained your declaration of a passion, where the 
 monarch would have no preference. I have the consent 
 of the king your father ; you are avenged of Dilsinghin 
 by the help of one of my mandarins, before whom Nature
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 19 
 
 herself is naked ; and being master of the elements he 
 commands the jinnis who inhabit there with such absolute 
 authority that they even tremble at his voice. What 
 have I, then, more to desire, after such a declaration as 
 you have made in my favour ? Come, my dear princess, 
 come and ascend a throne, where you will become the 
 happiness of the King of Gannan and the admiration of 
 all China. 
 
 Malik al-Salim and Gulchinraz were so surprised 
 at this strange discovery that they stood immovable as 
 statues ; but Tongluck having ordered the pretended 
 king with his attendants to retire, and Holonjah con- 
 firming the truth of what had passed by throwing him- 
 . self at the princess's feet to ask pardon for having made 
 use of this artifice, she raised him up, and giving her 
 hand to kiss: Do I then find, said she, in the person 
 of Uzum-quay, the sultan who reigns here ? Is this 
 an illusion ? and are these transactions anything but a 
 dream ? No, madam, nothing is more true, than that 
 it depends upon you alone to make the King of China 
 happy. Holonjah raised my curiosity speaking of a 
 beautiful stranger he had at his house, and whose heart, 
 as he told me, was as insensible as mine. I have seen 
 you several times under different disguises ; but at last 
 I thought proper to personate Holonjah's brother, more 
 particularly to know those sentiments which have raised 
 my esteem of you. You could not yourself but perceive 
 the love I conceived for you at first view, and how great 
 my astonishment was when I understood that you were 
 the Princess of Georgia, a secret which Holonjah had 
 concealed from me till then, with a design to have you 
 revenged on the traitor Dilsinghin. Upon this occasion 
 
 2 2
 
 2O Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 I had recourse to the famous Fum-Hoam, the mandarin 
 of the law, whom I was mentioning to you. He 
 carried me to Tiflis in less than three hours ; by 
 this means I got into the usurper's chamber. I 
 awoke him with my sabre in my hand, and chal- 
 lenged him to fight me; but the poor poltroon betook 
 himself to nothing but abject prayers. I thought 
 it not worth while to trifle with the wretch any longer, 
 and therefore I took away his life ; and Fum-Hoam 
 having assembled your chief wazirs, I shewed them 
 your enemy's head (at the sight of which there were 
 a thousand acclamations of joy) and upbraided them 
 with their weakness in owning a traitor for their 
 sovereign. I then ordered his favourites to be seized, 
 and all who would not acknowledge their lawful king ; 
 and being, in short, become absolute master of the city 
 of Tiflis I appointed two of the principal wazirs to 
 govern your dominions until your father's return ; and 
 having received from them the letter I delivered into 
 his hands, I and Fum-Hoam came back again as quick 
 as lightning, and in as short a time as we went brought 
 your enemy's head to Tonquin. Thus you see, madam, 
 what my love has made me enterprise for your sake ; 
 and shall not this love be recompensed with the present 
 of your heart ? Or can you delay giving yourself up 
 to the tender instances of a prince who adores you ? 
 
 Every circumstance of this account which the 
 Sultan of China gave increased the astonishment of 
 Malik al-Salim and Gulchinraz. Sir, replied she, with 
 a blush, I love you ; and having made that declaration so 
 lately, it is no time now to dissemble ; but still my 
 religion is above my love ; you are an idolator, I am a
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, King of Georgia 21 
 
 true believer. You adore several monsters, whose very 
 figure is enough to terrify one, and make one renounce 
 their worship ; I know but one God, whose ambassador 
 and great prophet is Mohammed. You believe in the 
 passage of the soul from one body to another, which is 
 a principal point with your Doctor Shakabut ; and I hold 
 it to be absurd and ridiculous. This, sir, is my opinion ; 
 and I leave you to judge whether we can be joined 
 together in eternal bonds without your swearing to me in 
 the most solemn manner that you will allow me the free 
 exercise of my religion in Tonquin. Oh, madam, cried 
 Tongluck, may my head be a mark for my bitterest 
 enemies to shoot at, if ever I pretend to molest you in 
 your religion ! but I hope you will not always be so fixed 
 in your resolution, but that the famous Fum-Hoam may 
 in time convince you of your error. He assures me that 
 the Chinese and the Georgians are both to be subject to 
 the same Divinity ; but if he does not succeed in what he 
 has promised me, I swear by the same oath that I will 
 not only be a proselyte to your religion, and own 
 Mohammed to be the true messenger sent from God, but 
 will destroy likewise all the pagodas in my empire, and 
 tread under foot the statues which at present we adore. 
 Upon this assurance, replied Gulchinraz, I am yours, sir, 
 and here is my hand. Whereupon Tongluck, trans- 
 ported with joy, took his bride by the hand, and led her 
 to his palace through a line of soldiers, who held every 
 one a flambeau of odoriferous wax in his hand. Fum- 
 Hoam and the other mandarins soon dispatched the 
 marriage ceremonies ; and this charming couple having 
 first conducted Malik al-Salim into a noble apartment 
 retired afterwards to their own.
 
 22 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 After some days spent in those pleasures which 
 usually attend a marriage that is founded upon love, 
 the queen bethought herself of the mandarin. You 
 promised, sir, said she to the sultan, to bring Fum- 
 Hoam into my company ; but I hear you say no more 
 of him. He shall attend your orders, my beautiful 
 queen, answered Tongluck ; let somebody go for him. 
 The mandarin came in about a quarter of an hour ; 
 and after he had paid his due observance to the two 
 sultans and the queen, he was ordered to sit down 
 upon a velvet cushion. The learned and illustrious 
 Fum-Hoam, said Gulchinraz to him, to whom I have 
 so great an obligation, and who has restored my father 
 to his throne in a manner so extraordinary, could not 
 well arrive at such a degree of wisdom and capacity 
 without some singular adventures which I would be 
 very desirous, I can assure you, to know from your 
 own mouth. It will be no hard matter, madam, replied 
 the mandarin, to gratify you in that ; only I must 
 premise to your majesty that I very much doubt 
 whether you will credit what I shall have the honour 
 to relate to you. I am not ignorant of the prejudice 
 you have against the principles of our religion, and 
 how you look upon as fables the very fundamental 
 truths of it. But since your majesty is willing to know 
 the principal events wherein I bore a part, it will be 
 requisite to inform you that the soul is like a chameleon, 
 which, according to the different bodies it passes through, 
 takes different impressions, and is subject to all the 
 passions of the body it inhabits. This is a point, 
 madam, which you must have the goodness to admit 
 (whatever you may have to allege against it) in order
 
 History of Mandarin Fum-Hoam 23 
 
 to hear my relation of some surprising histories, and 
 such as will afterwards convince you of the truth of 
 what I here advance. I have appeared in all parts 
 of the world in very different forms ; have consequently 
 been of all religions and all sects ; and, by a peculiar 
 power, have preserved to this very day the remembrance 
 of all the chief facts whereof I was an eye-witness or 
 agent myself. That certainly must be very curious, 
 replied Gulchinraz, with a smile ; let me desire you to 
 begin, then, for I promise to hear you with the utmost 
 pleasure, and not to give you any interruption with the 
 reflections I may make. What difficulties I have to 
 propose I will reserve to the last, till you have finished 
 your account and are come to the state of a mandarin, 
 under the figure wherein I now behold you ; but as the 
 narration will in all appearance be of a long con- 
 tinuance, I will every evening set apart the time 
 between our walking and supper, which I designed for 
 the music and concert. The princess then signifying by 
 her silence that she expected Fum-Hoam to speak, 
 the grave mandarin began his story thus : 
 
 HISTORY OF MANDARIN FUM-HOAM 
 
 I CANNOT, madam, call to mind the first adventures 
 of my life, without some horror ; since the very moment 
 I left the celestial sphere to come down upon the earth, 
 I animated an unhappy infant who became afterwards a 
 monster of cruelty. It was in Persia where I was born, 
 under the name of Piurash. My father, who was but a
 
 24 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 poor shepherd, left me a very small estate ; but I 
 managed my intrigues so as to get into the confidence of 
 Siamak, one of your Pischdadan kings, and obtained the 
 first honours and dignities of the kingdom. The horrible 
 luxury wherein I lived might have made me, one would 
 think, look upon honours with some contempt ; but the 
 thirst of dominion was so predominant in my soul that 
 I made a scruple of nothing to attain it. As I was 
 Siamak's chief favourite, I had every moment free access 
 to him ; but being weary of living sneakingly under him, 
 I cruelly murdered him, and easily seized upon his 
 throne ; after which I committed so many crimes that 
 the world looked upon me as an abominable tyrant. 
 There was no violence, no injustice that I stuck at ; no 
 new punishment that I did not invent to destroy those 
 who pretended to oppose my will ; but Heaven, who was 
 weary, no doubt, to see me commit so many crimes, 
 was willing to humble me with a cruel distemper. The 
 extreme disorder wherein I had passed my youthful days 
 occasioned a putrefaction in my bowels ; insomuch, that 
 I became, even while alive, the food of the vilest 
 creatures without any hopes of getting rid of them. My 
 body became, in short, one great ulcer ; and, dying as I 
 did, in long and terrible torments, I left behind me in 
 Persia a fearful example of the Divine justice. But 
 observe, madam, continued Fum-Hoam, a surprising 
 metamorphosis for its singularity ! My soul was no 
 sooner departed out of the body of this cruel King of 
 Persia, but it was immediately enclosed in that of a flea. 
 Though this change was a great humiliation to me, yet 
 for some time at least I had the satisfaction not to see 
 myself deprived of human blood, which I was so greedy
 
 History of Mandarin Fum-Hoam 25 
 
 of before ; and had several opportunities in this little 
 body of exercising some singular strokes of my vengeance. 
 When I was Piurash I had a seraglio filled with the 
 most beautiful women in the East, and kept by slaves, 
 who at the least turn of my eye trembled for fear. No 
 sooner was I dead than one of my wives, whom I loved 
 best, and who made sincere returns, as I thought, to my 
 endearments, gave an uncontrolled loose to her passion ; 
 she fell distractedly in love with a young Persian who 
 worked in my gardens, and who, to gain the easier admit- 
 tance, counterfeited a fool ; she introduced him into her 
 chamber, and gave him the place I was accustomed to 
 have. 
 
 You will hardly forbear laughing, madam, when 
 I tell you how I swelled in my little body with rage, to 
 hear my favourite sultana's railleries, the imprecations 
 wherewith she loaded my memory, and the transports 
 wherewith she received the caresses of her lover. I threw 
 myself that instant with fury upon the beautifullest body 
 in all Persia, bit her in a thousand places, and made 
 her all over blood ; till at last, being mad, and blinded 
 with my growing rage, I threw myself designedly into 
 my perfidious sultana's fingers, and there received my 
 death. Ah ! ah ! a very pleasant and jocular adventure ! 
 cried Gulchinraz, laughing ; but what became of the 
 soul of the illustrious Fum-Hoam afterwards ? You are 
 very pleasant, madam, I perceive, replied the mandarin, 
 the conclusion of this story I knew would cure your 
 seriousness ; but though you look upon it as a mere 
 fiction it is nevertheless very true.
 
 26 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 STORY OF THE HINDU MOUNTEBANK 
 AND HIS DOG 
 
 WHEN I left the body of that insect, continued 
 Fum-Hoam, I passed into a little dog belonging to a 
 mountebank, whose name was Kalim, and who was at 
 that time at Arrakan. I had an instinct equal to the 
 wit of men, was extremely beautiful, and surprisingly 
 quick at learning anything, so that every one was for 
 buying, me ; but the mountebank set me at so high a 
 price that no one would come up to it. My pretty 
 little tricks, however, were the whole talk of the town 
 of Arrakan, and raised the curiosity of a certain very 
 rich and jolly widow, who sent for my master ; but 
 when he came into her house, so blinded was he with 
 the sprightliness and vivacity of her eyes, that he 
 changed his mind concerning me. Dariyah, for that 
 was the widow's name, was at first delighted with my 
 little size ; and after she had seen all my exercises 
 was still more taken with me. What will you take 
 for this little creature ? said she to Kalim. Madam, 
 replied he, I mean not to sell him, but to present him 
 to you ; but it is upon a condition which I fear you will 
 not accept of. I can no longer bear the sight of so 
 much beauty without being sensibly affected with it. 
 I love you, madam ; and though I here pass for a 
 mountebank, I am of an illustrious birth and parentage ; 
 answer, then, my love, with an equal return of yours, 
 and suffer me to be happy in the enjoyment of you ; 
 for that is the price I set upon my dog.
 
 Story of the Hindu Mountebank and his Dog. 27 
 
 Dariyah was so surprised at this proposal that she 
 fell into a violent passion. Be you who you will, said 
 she, be gone out of my presence, or I will call my slaves 
 to chastise you ! I would not advise you, madam, to 
 do so, answered my master ; I fear not your threats, 
 and can soon defeat their malice. These words enraged 
 the beautiful widow to such a degree that she called for 
 her slaves and ordered them to treat him roughly ; but 
 my master had no sooner blown a little powder that he 
 took out of a box among them, than, instead of falling 
 upon him, they let fly at each other with so much fury 
 that they fell down on the floor like so many dead men. 
 Whereupon Kalim, addressing himself to Dariyah : You 
 see, madam, said he, one part of my secrets ; I will 
 leave you in your present surprise. You will reflect 
 upon the honourable passion I have for you ; in four 
 days time I will come with my dog again to your gate, 
 and then I hope you will give me a more favourable 
 reception than you have done to-day. 
 
 The Mandarin Fum-Hoam was going on with his 
 story, when word was brought the queen that supper 
 was upon the table. I am sorry for it, said she, for I 
 sadly want to know how the fair widow received him. 
 Your majesty shall know that to-morrow, answered the 
 mandarin ; for I will not fail to be at your closet -door 
 at the hour appointed. I beg you will, added she, for 
 you cannot do me a greater pleasure. And so she 
 rose up to go to sup with the sultan her husband, and 
 the King of Georgia, and Fum-Hoam retired to his 
 own house.
 
 28 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF THE 
 HINDU MOUNTEBANK AND HIS DOG 
 
 THE Queen of China went next day into the walks, 
 where she found the mandarin waiting for her ; she 
 therefore brought him with her into her closet, and 
 when every one had taken his proper place he re- 
 assumed his discourse thus : 
 
 My master, as soon as he retired, left the widow 
 in great consternation. His youth, good mien, and 
 handsome address were frequently in her thoughts ; my 
 little tricks and activities were perpetually before her ; 
 and it was not without much impatience on her side 
 that the fourth day came. We were introduced by 
 her own orders into the bed-chamber ; and my master, 
 having first put me into her arms, threw himself at her 
 feet. My fair Dariyah, said he, forget, I beseech you, the 
 insult I put upon you when I was last here. I was con- 
 strained to do it to avoid the effects of your anger ; but, 
 if to declare that I love you be an offence, I must own 
 that I am a thousand times more culpable now than I 
 was before. The heart, however, that I offer you, 
 madam, is not unworthy of your acceptance. I am son 
 to one of the King of Golconda's wazirs ; my father, who 
 has no other child but me, was for marrying me against 
 my inclination ; to avoid an engagement I had such an 
 aversion to, I ran away (for his menaces made me leave 
 Golconda) with a purse full of gold that I took from him. 
 In two years time I travelled through the Indies and a 
 great part of Persia. I joined myself in company with
 
 Story of the Hindu Mountebank and his Dog 29 
 
 one of the ablest mountebanks in the East, got into his 
 confidence, and was admitted to all his secrets ; and 
 we were returning together upon our way to Golconda 
 (where I understood my father was dead), when I had 
 the misfortune to lose him at Bantan by an accident 
 occasioned by fire, which all his knowledge could not 
 preserve him from. He went to sup in the country at 
 a great lord's house, where there chanced to be hard 
 drinking. The company sat great part of the night at 
 table ; and as the wine had heated their brains they fell 
 all asleep in the dining-room. The slaves followed the 
 example of their master; one was so drunk that he set 
 fire to a kind of office not far distant from them, so that 
 they were all suffocated before any help could come. 
 I was much concerned for the loss of my master, but 
 took possession of all his drugs and of a certain book 
 wherein all his secrets were contained. I then came to 
 Arrakan with a design to make no long stay ; the little 
 feats of my dog raised your curiosity ; you sent for me 
 to your house, and from that moment I have entirely lost 
 my liberty. Be then my wife, my beautiful Dariyah ; delay 
 no longer the happiness of one who loves you to excess, 
 and go with me to Golconda, where you shall partake 
 of the immense riches the wazir, my father, left me at 
 his death. 
 
 My master spoke these words, continued Fum-Hoam, 
 with such a passionate accent, that Dariyah suffered herself 
 to be persuaded ; she gave him her promise, and received 
 his, and it was not long after that I saw them congratu- 
 lating each other upon the happiness of their mutual 
 enjoyment. Aft3r they had adjusted measures to see one 
 another frequently, Kalim retired, and left me with his
 
 30 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 new spouse, whom I loved beyond what anyone can 
 imagine ; for never was there anything more amiable 
 than she. Love danced incessantly in her eyes, which 
 seemed more bright and shining than two stars ; an 
 enchanting grace appeared in all her actions ; her smiles, 
 her ordinary words, her least motions, her sighs, her 
 complaints nay, her very frowns and contempts, had a 
 certain charm in them that went directly to the heart ; 
 and therefore you may judge, madam, whether Kalim 
 had not reason to think himself happy in the possession 
 of so charming a wife. But as jealousy has always its 
 eyes open, it was not long before a young Indian lord, 
 who was greatly in love with my new mistress, took 
 notice of the frequent visits that Kalim made her ; he 
 spoke to her of it in a manner insolent enough ; and 
 as she used him not very civilly for it, the young 
 enraged lover spread reports everywhere exceedingly 
 prejudicial to her reputation, which, coming soon to 
 her ears, filled her with grief and disconsolation. She 
 had her reasons for concealing her marriage ; she had 
 scarce been two months a widow, and to declare it as 
 yet would be discovering her infamy and giving the 
 world a handle to reproach her with incontinence. 
 Kalim proposed to her to go with him to Golconda, 
 but he could not prevail. She was loath to give such 
 a blow to her reputation, and therefore she entreated 
 him to absent himself from Arrakan for a few days to 
 let these injurious reports blow over, which cruel order 
 he obeyed with great reluctance, pretending to her to 
 go into Persia. 
 
 All this while Dariyah, overwhelmed with the bitter- 
 ness of grief, was devising in her mind some expedient
 
 Story of the Hindu Mountebank and his Dog 31 
 
 to reconcile the interest of her love and her reputation 
 together. She was extremely pensive for the absence 
 of Kalim ; when, bethinking herself that I knew her mind 
 perfectly, and very frequently made her slaves under- 
 stand it, she redoubled her tears, and kissing me very 
 tenderly : Ah ! would to God, said she, that thou couldest 
 this moment bring my husband thither, as thou makest 
 my slaves come, upon any little sign ! how much should 
 I be obliged to thee ! Dariyah, madam, had scarcely 
 ended these words when, jumping from her lap, I went 
 hastily down the stairs, and, as good luck would have it, 
 getting out of the sink-hole, I met Kalim in the street, 
 disguised like an old woman ; but so perfectly changed 
 in his whole figure and make, that without my smelling, 
 which was very exquisite, I could not have known him. 
 I leaped into his arms; expressing a thousand little 
 endearments; and the tender husband, making use of 
 this pretence to get into the house, knocked at the door, 
 and was carried in to Dariyah, as an honest poor woman 
 in the neighbourhood, who had just brought again her 
 dog, whom she had just found in the street. It was no 
 hard matter for Dariyah to know Kalim in this disguise, 
 especially when, as she was squeezing his hand, she saw 
 some tears trickle down from his eyes. She ordered her 
 slaves therefore to withdraw ; and after a whole hour 
 spent in his arms, without ever once opening her mouth, 
 her heart was so full of joy and sorrow both, she gave it 
 out in the family that she could not better recompense 
 this good old woman for the service she had done her 
 than in keeping her to have an eye over her slaves. So 
 that Kalim continued with Dariyah, and enjoyed, with 
 great ease and quiet, the pleasure of being beloved by
 
 32 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 one of the finest women in Hind, when his good 
 fortune was all on a sudden ruined by a very odd sort of 
 accident. 
 
 Kalim and his dear wife were so intoxicated with 
 their happiness that they were perpetually together. 
 So sudden a transition from grief to joy occasioned a 
 great disorder in- my mistress ; she was seized with 
 a fever, and for four or five days that Kalim spent at 
 her bedside no one took care of me or remembered to 
 give me any water. I lay usually with a young slave, 
 who waited on Dariyah, and for whom I had a great 
 kindness ; but she not understanding by the barking 
 and moan that I made what a violent thirst I had, 
 instead of giving me something to drink, fed me with 
 perfumed conserves, which I loved mightily ; but they 
 only helped to inflame the violent heat that burned up 
 my entrails, and which proceeded at last to such excess 
 that I found myself forced by an unknown power to 
 bite the young girl's thigh. Whether it was her 
 modesty that made her conceal the wound, or that 
 she thought it not so great as it was, but she told 
 nobody of it, until the venom I had infused had entered 
 so deep that by the time Dariyah came to recover of her 
 fever her slave began to shew too manifest symptoms 
 of the effects of her madness. They found out the cause 
 of her malady by the dread I had of water, and were 
 more confirmed in the thing when they saw that, with 
 eyes sparkling with fury, I fell upon all the slaves in the 
 house, and pursued them without barking, but with open 
 mouth all over foam. 
 
 My mistress was greatly concerned to see me reduced 
 to this sad state, and was sensible of a double loss, in that
 
 Story of the Hindu Mountebank and his Dog 33 
 
 she was obliged likewise to have the girl smothered. For 
 besides the love she had for me, I was a kind of sentinel 
 at her chamber-door while she was shut in with her hus- 
 band; my barking let her know when her slaves were 
 coming up ; nor was it possible for her to be surprised 
 while I kept such strict watch for her security. Judge 
 you, then, madam, what a violent shock and mortifica- 
 tion it must be for her to prevail with herself to give 
 orders for me to be taken and cast into the river. Her 
 orders, however, were executed very punctually. They 
 seized me, they tied a stone about my neck, and carried 
 me to the river Martaban. Dariyah fell into tears at the 
 remembrance of my pretty little actions, and Kalim 
 endeavoured by the most tender caresses to assuage 
 her grief; when her deceased husband's two brothers 
 entered her apartment, at a time she was ill prepared 
 for such a visit. The condition wherein they found her 
 with Kalim, could no longer permit them to be deceived 
 with his appearing in the habit of an old woman. They 
 had reason to suspect that their sister had given herself 
 up to lasciviousness ; and being sufficiently convinced of 
 the outrage she had done to their brother's memory, 
 they fell upon her and Kalim, whom she held in her 
 arms, and stabbed them in twenty places. 
 
 While this bloody and cruel scene was acting, I 
 was struggling in the river ; but having happily bit the 
 string asunder, which was tied to the stone that made 
 me sink, I rose above the water again, which was so 
 very cold, that it extinguished the madness in me; so 
 that I found myself cured of the raging heat that had 
 devoured me, and, taking myself to my heels, ran as 
 fast as I could back again to my Dariyah's house. But 
 
 3
 
 34 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 how was I surprised, when at my first entrance I saw 
 nothing but blood and horror everywhere ! The 
 murderers of Kalim and my dear mistress were still in 
 the house. I fell upon them, I bit them as high as I 
 could reach ; and, had my strength been equal to my 
 rage, I should have quite devoured them. They were 
 informed, however, that I was mad, and had therefore 
 recourse to the common medicines to cure themselves ; 
 but whether our gods were determined to punish them 
 for their brutal cruelty, or that some remains of madness 
 were still lurking in me, it so happened that in a short 
 time they died raving mad, after having almost devoured 
 each other. As for me, madam, being overwhelmed 
 with despair, which I testified by such dismal bowlings 
 as drew tears from the eyes of every bystander, I threw 
 myself upon the bodies of this unhappy couple, whose 
 death I was the innocent cause of; (for had I been in 
 my usual situation, I should have prevented their 
 surprise). I licked their wounds, and refusing all kind 
 of nourishment, died in a short time with grief at their 
 feet, and was burned together with them on the same 
 pile. 
 
 Ah ! lovely little dog, cried the Queen of Gannan, 
 how sorely do I lament thy fate, and that of this un- 
 happy couple ! But wise Fum-Hoam, said she, you 
 were without doubt, happier in the body you next 
 inhabited ? Not very much, madam, answered the 
 mandarin.
 
 Story of Masswnah 35 
 
 STORY OF MASSUMAH 
 
 WITHOUT ever yet going out of Hind, I entered 
 into a young maid of Bisnaghar, and was born of parents, 
 famous for the nobility of their ancestors, as well as the 
 immensity of their riches. My name was Massumah, 
 and my father, who had no more children than me, 
 made it his whole care to find me out a deserving 
 husband when I came to be seventeen years old. I 
 was not in the least handsome ; on the contrary, I was 
 a little deformed ; yet, for all that, one of the finest lords 
 in all Bisnaghar, and as brave as ever were the Indian 
 heroes of old, made his addresses to marry me. I had 
 wit in abundance, and that made some amends for the 
 defects of my person. We loved one another with a 
 boundless flame which enjoyment did not extinguish. 
 But we^had scarce been married six months when 
 there broke out a fierce war between the Kings of 
 Bisnaghar and Narsing. Mansur (for that was my 
 husband's name) went to the assistance of his prince ; 
 and, having the command of a principal part of the 
 army, like a thunder-bolt of war, cut down everything 
 that opposed his valour, and made victory entirely 
 incline to our side ; when, suffering himself to be carried 
 away by too inconsiderate an ardour, he penetrated the 
 enemy's army, and forced his way into the very midst 
 of them. Everyone fled at the weight of his blows ; but 
 as he was not followed and supported by his own 
 men, the enemy, being ashamed to see themselves so 
 slaughtered by a single hero, rallied again, and sur- 
 
 32
 
 36 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 rounded him. It was to no purpose for them to shew 
 deference to his bravery, or call to him to take quarter. 
 Mansur answered their civility only with the strokes 
 of his sabre ; and, throwing himself like a lion among 
 them, defended his life to the last gasp, till, pierced 
 through and through with a thousand stabs, he died 
 upon heaps of his slaughtered enemies, and made even 
 those by whom he fell envy the fate of a death so heroic. 
 If my husband's death had happened at the be- 
 ginning of the battle things had worn quite a different 
 face ; but fortune had already declared for the King of 
 Bisnaghar, though it was at a dear rate enough, since he 
 lost in my husband the support of his crown. After the 
 victory our soldiers found the dead body with fury still 
 painted in his eyes, and in this condition they brought 
 him home. Ah, madam ! my grief upon this occasion 
 was so exquisite that I could neither utter the least 
 complaint nor shed a single tear. My eyes were 
 covered with a thick mourning veil, and I feil into a 
 fit which continued so long that it was not without much 
 difficulty I was at length recovered to a life which I 
 detested. To rend my clothes, to scratch my face and 
 breast, and tear my hair, were the least signs of my 
 pungent sorrow ; and still more to increase it, I had my 
 husband's body embalmed with the most costly perfumes, 
 laid him on a bed of state, and both day and night gave 
 him incessant tokens of my sincere love, by watering 
 his corpse with my tears. I had led this melancholy 
 life for about eight days, when a certain good widow, 
 whose room looked into my house, came running to my 
 father's one morning, quite out of breath. Sir, said she, 
 your daughter has hitherto passed for a pattern of
 
 Story of Massumah 37 
 
 conjugal virtue; but come now and see her forfeit in 
 one moment that character which we all thought she 
 had justly acquired. She is actually now in the arms 
 of a new lover, who is solacing her for the loss of the 
 brave and illustrious Mansur. 
 
 My father, continued Fum-Hoam, was exceedingly 
 startled at this news, so different from what my sentiments 
 had all along appeared to be. At the woman's solicita- 
 tion, he took his poniard, and coming along with her as 
 far as my chamber door, was not a little surprised to 
 find no other object of my love, than the body of my 
 dear departed husband. It was that sweet mouth, which 
 death had now deprived of all its lively colour, that I 
 was kissing a thousand times, when this woman, with- 
 out knowing the true motive of my tenderness, and 
 trusting to an obscure view, ran to inform my father of 
 the dishonour she imagined I was bringing upon my 
 family. The old gentleman would, no doubt, have nearly 
 destroyed her, had she not fled away and escaped his 
 anger. He then related to me the occasion of his visit ; 
 and, taking pity on the sad condition I was in, thought 
 the best way to remedy my grief would be to remove 
 the object of it. For which reason, in pursuance of the 
 king's order, he had a stately funeral pile erected before 
 my house ; and, notwithstanding my earnest entreaties 
 to the contrary, was making preparation, according to 
 the custom of the country, to reduce my husband's body 
 to ashes. But seeing myself about to be deprived of the 
 dear object of my love, whom death had so cruelly taken 
 from me, I roared like a lion bereaved of its whelps ; 
 and as the fire was lighting, I went up to the terrace 
 of my house, and throwing myself boldly through the
 
 38 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 flames had the comfort to die embracing my dear 
 
 Mansur. 
 
 * * * * * * 
 
 I had no sooner left the body of this virtuous Hindu, 
 than I passed successively into several others ; wherein 
 there happened nothing remarkable. I was a bee, a 
 cricket, and a mouse. Oh ! how many secret matters, 
 replied Gulchinraz, must you have seen under the last 
 mentioned form ! It would be an endless work, madam, 
 continued the mandarin, to pretend to recount to you 
 all the knavish tricks I have seen and heard under that 
 shape. How many virgins have I seen, who had the 
 reputation of being such, give themselves up to sad 
 disorders ! How many widows married again in private, 
 or living in incontinence ! How many old men sunk 
 into children by the extravagance of their conduct ! 
 How many rich men reduced to extreme misery by 
 their debaucheries ! How many beggars made insolent 
 by wealth ! What a number of hypocrites could I have 
 unmasked had I had then the use of speech ! How 
 many kadis have I seen selling justice ! And how 
 many bonzes, darwayshes, and kalandars, have I known 
 to be mere profligates under the outward shew of morti- 
 fication and piety ! For, in short, madam, there was 
 neither chamber nor closet, court of justice nor council- 
 room, nor any other apartment so closely shut, that I 
 could not easily get into it ; and nothing, you know, 
 escapes the eye of him who sees all things, and has 
 no obstruction to hinder his sight. But, after having 
 lived seven years in the skin of this little beast, and 
 gone through great part of Persia and the Indies, I 
 died at last, as most part of my species do, being 
 caught and strangled by a cat.
 
 Adventures of the I man Abzindarud 39 
 
 ADVENTURES OF THE IMAN ABZINDARUD 
 
 IN an instant I found myself at Ormuz, in the 
 body of a certain young man, named Abzindarud, 
 who, by profound reading of the Koran, came to be 
 made an Iman. Notwithstanding this promotion, which 
 should have made me more circumspect in my conduct, 
 I was still a libertine, till the great Prophet thought fit to 
 restore me to the right way by a punishment that has 
 something very singular in it. There was a widow in 
 the neighbourhood, very beautiful, and a little suspected 
 of gallantry ; she was choked with a bone, which she 
 swallowed in eating too greedily ; and, as her house 
 depended upon my mosque, I was called to perform the 
 abdest, and feeling an emotion in myself at the sight of 
 so much beauty, I could not forbear crying out, though 
 I was very indiscreet in so doing : Ah ! great Prophet, 
 how happy should I have thought myself to have tasted 
 with this fair widow the pleasures which are reserved 
 for true believers with the houri ! No sooner, madam, 
 had I said these words, which but ill became my 
 character and function, than my hand, which was then 
 upon her face, moved involuntarily, so that my finger, 
 I know not how, slipped into her mouth, and her teeth 
 closed upon it, and bit me so violently, that I could not 
 forbear squalling grievously. My astonishment was as 
 great as my pain ; for, notwithstanding all my endeavours, 
 I could not get away my hand. It was to no purpose to 
 ask pardon of the Prophet for my insolence ; my prayers 
 were not heard ; and therefore, to avoid scandal, I e'en
 
 4O Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 took the resolution to cut off my finger, which I accord- 
 ingly did, and returned home all bloody, pretending I 
 had met with this unlucky accident, of which I was a 
 long time ill, by some awkwardness of my own. So odd 
 a punishment made me reflect deeply, and apply myself 
 so diligently to the offices of my function, that I was 
 soon looked upon as a man much beloved by the Prophet ; 
 and I was so entirely addicted to prayer, that whenever 
 any person came into my mosque they always found me 
 either reading the Koran or in some profound meditation. 
 So much virtue and piety raised the envy of the 
 other Imans, and they set a young woman to tempt me 
 to defile myself with her; but I bravely withstood the 
 temptation, and sent away the impudent baggage with 
 threats. But she, being exasperated at this manner of 
 treating her, was resolved to be revenged of me. To 
 this purpose she abandoned herself to one of these Imans ; 
 and no sooner did she find herself with child, but, carry- 
 ing her impudence to the highest pitch, she had the 
 hardiness to accuse me of having committed violence 
 upon her, even in the mosque where I officiated. So 
 gross a profanation as this enraged all the people against 
 me : my brother Imans had no pity for me ; on the con- 
 trary, they, by their credit, got me thrown into a dark 
 and dismal dungeon, where I suffered most cruelly, until 
 the time that this unhappy woman was in labour. The 
 Kadi carried me that moment to her bed-side, taking the 
 occasion to question her, when her pains were sharpest 
 upon her ; but she making the same declaration again, 
 I should certainly have been executed had I not had 
 recourse to the same Prophet who punished me so 
 severely in the case of the widow. Mighty Mohammed !
 
 Adventures of the I man Abzindarud 41 
 
 said I, taking the child in my arms, which this slanderous 
 woman had just brought into the world ; thou who art 
 the true father of believers, the source of light and truth, 
 suffer not the impostor to triumph over my innocence ; 
 but untie the tongue of this infant, that he may himself 
 declare who his true father is ! 
 
 No sooner had I ended the prayer, which I spoke 
 with much fervency, and accompanied with my tears, but 
 would you believe it, madam ? this new-born infant 
 began to speak very distinctly. He named the Iman 
 who was his father, declared me wholly innocent of the 
 profanation whereof I was accused, and added that 
 it was at the solicitation of the same Iman, who was 
 then present, and of two other of his brethren, that his 
 mother had undertook to ruin me, and to take away 
 my reputation with my life. After so extraordinary a 
 declaration, I was soon avenged of my enemies. The 
 calumniatress and the three Imans, overcome by the 
 force of truth, confessed their crime, and were carried 
 out of the town and burned alive. I had my mosque 
 restored to me again, and from that time was always 
 looked upon at Ormuz with the greatest respect imagin- 
 able. In gratitude to the child who had declared my 
 innocence to the world, I took care of his education, 
 and provided him with a good nurse. In process of time 
 he came to succeed in my employ; for before he was 
 weaned from the breast he gave some signs of his 
 sanctity, and on two memorable occasions shewed mani- 
 fest proofs of the choice that Mohammed had made of 
 him to be the support of his religion. 
 
 One day, as the nurse was holding him in her 
 arms, she chanced to see a very handsome Persian
 
 42 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 nobleman, well dressed and well mounted, pass by. 
 Would to God, cried she aloud, that my child may 
 be like that fine lord ! Whereupon the child left the 
 breast, and looking steadfastly upon the nobleman, pro- 
 nounced these words very distinctly : Good Lord ! forbid 
 that I may be ever like that man, whose conscience 
 is a sink of iniquity ! The nurse was strangely sur- 
 prised at this answer, when a man who was whipped 
 passed by the door. God forbid, said she again, that 
 ever my child come to this fate ! But the child, turning 
 to her, expressed a different sentiment of the matter. 
 You must learn, said he to her, never to judge by appear- 
 ances. That fine nobleman, whom you saw pass by, 
 is in reality guilty of the crime for which this man is 
 punished. His innocence makes him easy under his 
 sufferings, and in the midst of these outrages he is 
 continually saying to himself : I am content ; God 
 is sufficient for me, and it is He who will keep an 
 account of what I endure ! So that this man, by his 
 patience and resignation to the will of God, has attained 
 to a very eminent degree of merit, whereunto I wish 
 with all my heart that I may ever arrive. 
 
 As every good Mohammedan is obliged once in his 
 life to go to Al-Madinah and Meccah, and I had not yet 
 taken that pilgrimage, I obtained leave of the King of 
 Ormuz, and left the care of my mosque and of this 
 young child in the hands of my muezzin. After a vast 
 deal of fatigue, I arrived at the tomb of the Holy Prophet. 
 I returned him my thanks for his visible protection of 
 me ; and, when I had offered the usual sacrifice upon 
 the Mountain of Arafat, I took the road which leads to 
 Ormuz ; but it was so late before I got thither, that the
 
 Adventures of the I man Abzindamd 43 
 
 gates were shut, so that I was forced to stay all night in 
 the suburbs; and being in some perplexity about my 
 lodging, I asked a little shelter of a man whom I saw 
 standing at the gate of an elegant house. The man very 
 readily asked me to come in, and carried me into a fine 
 hall where supper was served up, and a woman about 
 forty years old, of a very courteous behaviour, sat at our 
 table. We passed the evening very merrily. At last I 
 was conducted into a chamber and left to myself. I 
 shut my door, went to bed, and had been in a very sound 
 sleep some hours, when on a sudden I was awakened by 
 a frightful apparition which took hold of my arm. 
 
 My hair stood on end with fear, when, by the clear 
 moonlight, I could see distinctly a man stark naked, 
 stabbed in thirty places, and the blood gushing out from 
 every part of him. Fear nothing, said he, wise Abzin- 
 darud ; I am in no condition to do you any harm ; on the 
 contrary, I stand in need of your assistance to be re- 
 venged : only hear me with attention. I was not long 
 since the master of this house, and was making prepara- 
 tions to go to Ispahan, when my wife, who supped with 
 you last night, took the advantage of this opportunity 
 to assassinate me by the help of my brother, who had 
 criminal commerce with her. After they had both 
 stabbed me in this very chamber, they threw me into 
 a well in one of the little gardens belonging to the house, 
 and afterwards filled it up. A crime of this nature ought 
 not to go unpunished. Go, therefore, to the Kadi as soon 
 as you are out of the house, inform him of what I tell 
 you, "that he may punish the authors of my death, and let 
 my body have such a burial as every Mohammedan who 
 has exactly followed the law of Mohammed deserves.
 
 44 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 You may imagine, madam, how I passed the re- 
 mainder of the night after the apparition was gone. 
 As soon as it was peep of day I got out of the house as 
 fast as I could, without ever taking leave of my host ; 
 and going to the Kadi's house I related to him all that 
 had happened to me. It was well he was acquainted 
 with the chief incidents of my life before, or otherwise he 
 would have hardly believed my account ; but as it was, 
 he took instantly some of his asses with him to the 
 house, and ordering the well that was filled up to be 
 cleared, he had no sooner discovered the certain proofs 
 of the murder than the woman and the accomplice con- 
 fessed the crime, and accordingly were executed for it. 
 The corpse was decently buried ; and, as I assisted at 
 that doleful ceremony, I spared not my prayers for the 
 repose of his soul. Afterwards I returned to my own 
 house ; and had scarce got to sleep the same night, when 
 the apparition appeared to me again, but in a quite dif- 
 ferent manner from what it did at first. I am pleased 
 with what you have done, said he to me ; your charitable 
 zeal has procured me a burial ; I thank you, and am 
 willing to gratify you for your trouble. Ask, therefore, 
 whatever you desire most, and I have a promise from the 
 great Prophet that it shall be granted. 
 
 After I had mused for some time, having no concern 
 with the world, I neither desired honours nor high places. 
 All that I desire, said I to the apparition, is to have 
 warning of the hour of my death eight days before it 
 comes, that like a good Mohammedan I may without 
 horror bear the sight of the Supreme Judge of both 
 our good and evil actions, when I shall be ready to go 
 and give an account thereof. I agree to your request,
 
 Adventures of the I man Abzind-arud 45 
 
 answered the apparition, and will come myself to give 
 you information of it ; do you continue always to follow 
 the law of the great Prophet, to say the five prayers 
 appointed in the Koran, to observe the ablution so much 
 recommended by Mohammed, and you shall see the 
 terrible day approach without fear. When I awoke I 
 reported this second apparition to four or five of my 
 friends ; but they only laughed at me, and would give 
 no credit to it. As for myself, being fully persuaded 
 that it was not the effect of a heated imagination, I 
 applied myself wholly to the practice of good actions, 
 and to bringing up the child with care, whose education 
 I had taken upon me. 
 
 Twenty years were now past, in all which time this 
 young man went on in the way of perfection. I made 
 him my muezzin, and had sufficient reason to be satisfied 
 with his gratitude. One day, five or six of my friends 
 came to see me, and I made them stay to dinner. That 
 day we passed very agreeably ; and a great storm hap- 
 pening a little before night, I entreated them to take a 
 supper and a bed with me. We had almost done supper 
 when I heard one knock at my gate. I ran with a light 
 to see who it was that should want me at such an un- 
 seasonable hour, but how great was my surprise to 
 find it was the man who had appeared to me twice 
 before ! Virtuous man, said he, I keep my word with 
 you, and am come to inform you that within eight days 
 you shall no longer be reckoned among the number of 
 the living. As soon as I heard this terrible sentence 
 I felt a great trembling all over me, and returned into 
 the room so terrified that my friends were alarmed at 
 it ; but when I came to tell them the cause, though
 
 46 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 there were two in the company to whom about twenty 
 years before I had related my adventures, they all 
 treated it lightly, and observed that the fastings of 
 Ramadan, and the extraordinary austerities I had im- 
 posed upon myself, had seized upon my brain. It was 
 in vain to remind them of the dead person's history, his 
 murder, and his apparitions ; they persisted still in the 
 same infidelity ; but being myself persuaded of the truth 
 of the prediction, I fell into a deep melancholy ; not that 
 I had any regret to part with life, but a dread and appre- 
 hension of being not sufficiently pure to appear before 
 the Sovereign Creator of all things. I began then to 
 repent of my wish, but having prepared very seriously 
 for that passage, the nearer I approached to the 
 appointed day the more I found my soul easy and 
 undisturbed. My pupil was dissolved in tears ; but 
 seeing me much better than was usual with me, he 
 endeavoured to persuade himself that the time of our 
 separation was not yet so near. 
 
 The fatal day arrived at last, when these same 
 friends of mine came all to my house ; they found me 
 busy in reading the Divine book, which the angel 
 of the Lord dictated to the sovereign Prophet, and 
 could not refrain from weeping. The day passed without 
 any accident ; the night came, I was still alive, and began 
 myself to believe that the apparition had deceived me, 
 when, having occasion to cross my court-yard, several 
 balusters that made a kind of gallery on the top of the 
 house tumbled down and fell upon my head. At the 
 noise of this disaster my friends ran to me, and finding 
 me all bloody and expiring, were too severely convinced 
 of the prediction which the spectre had foretold.
 
 Story of the Beautiful Al-Rayulf 47 
 
 These are incidents somewhat singular, said the 
 Queen of China, and they please me the more because 
 they seem not to agree so well with your system of trans- 
 migration ; but I will not stand with you for so small a 
 matter. Proceed, Sage Fum-Hoam, and recount what 
 became of you next. The mandarin blushed a little at 
 this gentle reproof, and then went on thus : 
 
 STORY OF THE BEAUTIFUL AL-RAYULF 
 
 I PASSED over the seas, madam, to Visapur, and 
 came into the family of a rich Hindu merchant, whose 
 daughter I animated. For eight years after I was born, 
 my mother had no other child but myself, and my father, 
 being desirous to revenge himself of fortune for refusing 
 him a son, endeavoured to procure me all those perfec- 
 tions which not only distinguish a woman from the rest 
 of her sex, but even make an accomplished man. As I 
 possessed every disposition necessary to learn the 
 most abstracted sciences, and was active, beautiful, 
 and well shaped, I had all kinds of masters who were 
 proper to improve both my mind and body : and suc- 
 ceeded so perfectly well in every exercise, that in a short 
 time I was become the subject of all conversations in 
 Visapur. 
 
 No sooner was I sixteen, and arrived at an age 
 wherein the graces had lavished all their charms upon 
 my person, than there was not a young Hindu of quality 
 who did not use his best endeavours to obtain me for
 
 48 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 his spouse ; but, by what cruel caprice I cannot tell, 
 my father despised all their addresses, and was resolved 
 to give me to a wazir, who was extremely old. Accord- 
 ingly, I married him, though fitter to be my great 
 grandfather than my husband, and thereby put an end 
 to the hopes of all my suitors. The sciences, which I 
 was mistress of to a great degree, had given me frequent 
 occasions to read many matters of gallantry ; but as my 
 passions did not yet begin to work, the reading of them 
 occasioned no emotion in me. But love, who was 
 offended at my simplicity, raised a revolt in all my 
 senses, and by continual reflections made me com- 
 prehend the reason of the tears of so many lovers for 
 their mistresses, and that the height of happiness con- 
 sisted in loving and being beloved again. Thus guided 
 by nature, love, and conversation with my female friends, 
 who knew the detestation I had for the old wazir, I was 
 extremely smitten without ever knowing the object I 
 desired to possess. My husband had a sister, who was 
 a widow lady, and much about his age ; she had an 
 infinite deal of wit ; and as she had for above twenty 
 years a sort of academy at her house of the most learned 
 persons in Visapur, she earnestly entreated her brother 
 to make me one at their assembly. He consented, and no 
 sooner was I introduced than I was loaded with com- 
 mendations for some works I read to them ; but the 
 praises that touched me most came from a young Hindu 
 lord, whose name was Da'ud. Our eyes met each other 
 so frequently, and with such eager glances, that we 
 were soon made sensible of all the emotions of a violent 
 passion. Da'ud, under borrowed names, charmed the 
 ears of all the academics with his fine verses and his
 
 Story of the Beautiful Al-Rayulf 49 
 
 tender and passionate songs ; and he could easily per- 
 ceive that those which I composed grew by degrees 
 tenderer and tenderer. Hearing me frequently speak 
 mysteriously, and what he himself knew only how to 
 expound, he took courage at last to write to me, and 
 to declare the love he felt for me in his letter. I received 
 a vast pleasure in reading it, and it was not long un- 
 answered ; after which we wrote to each other very 
 regularly. We had continued this epistolary commerce 
 to my great satisfaction something more than a month, 
 when, by the negligence of our porter, the note I had 
 written to Da'ud fell unluckily into the hands of my 
 old husband ; and he, supposing me guilty in the most 
 essential point, produced it to my father. Ah ! madam, 
 continued Fum-Hoam, what cruelty and hard hearted- 
 ness did I meet with in these two old men ! Their first 
 design was to stab me in a thousand places; but being 
 both desirous to preserve their reputation, which they 
 thought I had mortally wounded, they devised an ex- 
 pedient of a very singular nature. Directly over the 
 place where I was accustomed to dress my head there 
 stood a marble bust, representing one of our ancient 
 kings ; it was placed upon a cornice and fastened by 
 an iron pin, which went through the wall into a room 
 which was never used. They so ordered this pin that 
 by pulling out the key which went through the hole 
 of it, the bust might fall upon me ; and then watching 
 me through a hole they had made in the wall, they 
 observed when I went to dress my head, and let the 
 bust fall so suddenly that it crushed me to pieces before 
 ever I saw it coming, and thus punished me for a crime 
 which I never committed.
 
 50 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 I greatly pity that unhappy Hindu, said Gulchinraz, 
 and think fathers very blameable who dishonour them- 
 selves by unsuitable matches. That is very tiue, 
 madam, continued Fum-Hoam ; it was the source of 
 my misfortune, to which the sciences, wherein my father 
 had me instructed, contributed not a little ; and I am, 
 from my own experience, fully satisfied that the care 
 to govern her family should be the only employ of a 
 virtuous wife ; and that it is next to a miracle if pride 
 or some other more dangerous passion make not a 
 woman neglect her duty when she once comes to apply 
 herself to the study of learning, and affects to surpass 
 the rest of her sex. 
 
 HISTORY OF JIZDAD 
 
 WHEN I left the body of this unhappy victim to 
 avarice and interest, I found myself in an instant trans- 
 ported into a village not far from lolkos, which nature 
 had enriched with all its gifts. The air was wholesome 
 and pure, the water as clear as crystal, which, falling 
 from the top of Mount Petras, divided itself into a 
 thousand rivulets, exceedingly cool, and watered the 
 plains, which were very beautiful. The fields were 
 stored with cattle of all kinds, and the earth enclosed 
 in its bosom mines of gold and silver, which the covetous- 
 ness of mankind had not as yet dug up. A rich shepherd 
 of this village, who dwelt in the most pleasant part of it, 
 where he had built him a very commodious house, was
 
 History of Jizdad 51 
 
 my father. He called me Jizdad, and Fortune, who was 
 lavish of her favours, made me appear in those parts 
 under the form of one of the greatest beauties that had 
 ever been seen in Greece. 
 
 As I was one time, in imitation of my companions, 
 who spent whole days by the clear fountains or in the 
 dark forest in pursuit of the fallow-deer, scouring 
 through our woods, and had out-ran my greyhound, a 
 very frightful figure of a shepherd met me. My fear 
 gave wings to my feet, and I ran as fast as I could, but 
 the monster of a man pursuing me very nimbly, I found 
 it would be but vain to trust my fate to my heels, and 
 therefore turned about, and let fly a dart at him ; but, as 
 I had no sure hand, I missed my aim, and the brute came 
 up to me that moment, with an attempt, no doubt, to 
 revenge my contempt of him at the expense of my 
 honour, when a lovely graceful youth ran to my cries, 
 and cut his head asunder with one stroke of his sabre. I 
 was so exceedingly terrified when my deliverer came up 
 to me that I had scarce strength to thank him, much less 
 had I power to resist his desires ; and though he did not 
 attack me with such brutality as the insolent Jellow he 
 had just then killed, yet he was no less daring in his 
 enterprise, and attained the same end, though in a 
 different way. I had no sooner recovered my spirits 
 than I was struck with the most pungent sorrow, and 
 loaded him with a thousand reproaches for the horrid 
 deed he had done. My tears and repeated cries gave him 
 no time to excuse the extravagancies of his passion ; he 
 was apprehensive they would bring company to the place, 
 and therefore mounted his horse, and rode away as quick 
 as lightning. It was to no purpose to tear my hair or 
 
 42
 
 52 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 disfigure my face ; my despair was no relief to my sorrow 
 which every day increased more and more, when I came 
 to perceive that I carried in my womb the certain marks 
 of my misfortune. 
 
 It was the custom at lolkos to have every year a 
 feast, in order to engage the young shepherdesses there- 
 abouts to avoid the surprises of love ; and the feast began 
 usually with purification, which was done by bathing in 
 a little river that rose out of the mountain. All the pre- 
 tences that I could make would not excuse me from being 
 at this feast ; I was obliged to do as the rest of my com- 
 panions did, and so we all went to the river-side, where 
 we undressed ourselves under a tent set up for that pur- 
 pose. I had a veil which hung over my body, but not 
 thinking that sufficient to conceal my weakness, and 
 imagining to hide it better, I plunged myself hastily into 
 the water up to my neck ; but as soon, madam, as I came 
 to feel the coldness of it, the miserable fruit of my 
 betrayer's indiscretion so leapt within me, that I swooned 
 away in my companions' arms ; and as I had in my looks 
 all the symptons of a dying person, they concluded to 
 carry me home to my mother. Nobody had hitherto 
 perceived my fault ; the simplicity of these girls made 
 them not suspect the condition I was in ; but the moment 
 my mother cast her eyes upon me : Wretched creature, 
 said she, crying out very imprudently, would to God 
 thou hadst died the moment thou wast born ! Ah ! 
 see you not here the occasion of her faintings ? With 
 this my companions opened their eyes, and were but too 
 much convinced of my fault ; then, stealing out one by 
 one, they went and reported the news of my misfortune 
 everywhere. My death was decreed by the laws of
 
 History of Jizdad 53 
 
 lolkos. A disgrace of this kind cannot be washed out 
 but by one's blood, especially when he who is the 
 author of it does not appear to marry the person he 
 has dishonoured. So that as soon as I came to myself 
 I could read my sentence in the looks of every spectator 
 about me. 
 
 The uneasiness of the state I was in, the shame that 
 would redound upon my family, and the fear of punish- 
 ment, all together made me miscarry ; and hereupon I 
 was soon conveyed to the place of execution, where, as 
 a victim to the brutal passions of men, I was to suffer 
 certain death ; and, what was a great addition to my 
 father's grief, he, by the custom established at lolkos, 
 was obliged to cut short the course of that unhappy life 
 which himself had given me under the aspect of malevo- 
 lent stars. I invoked Heaven with all earnestness ; I 
 besought the gods to make known my innocence and 
 the involuntariness of my crime ; I called to witness the 
 trees under which I unhappily chanced to be conversant 
 with that rash man ; but the gods seemed deaf to my 
 prayers, and I was reaching out my neck to the knife, 
 which my father held in his trembling hand, when Prince 
 Kuluf, son to the late King of lolkos, and who himself 
 about a month before had ascended the throne, stayed my 
 father's hand. Hold, shepherd, said he ; suspend thy 
 resentment and obey no longer a law that is too rigorous, 
 and which "I abolish this moment. This beautiful young 
 woman is not culpable ; and Heaven, who will not suffer 
 the innocent to be oppressed, sent me hither to save her 
 life. As I was myself the person that robbed her of 
 her honour under those very trees, it is but just that 
 I should repair my fault by making her my wife. Con-
 
 54 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 sider her, therefore, henceforward, as your queen, and 
 do justice to the virtues of the beautiful Jizdad. 
 
 You may imagine, madam, what effects these words 
 of the king had upon the minds of all the shepherds 
 and shepherdesses. In a moment the forest rung with 
 a thousand shouts of joy, and the names of Kuluf and 
 Jizdad were repeated without intermission. The king 
 called his guards, who stood at some distance from the 
 place designed for my punishment, and, embracing me 
 before them all, took me, together with my father and 
 mother, into his chariot, and carried us to his palace, 
 where I was married to him with all the solemnities due 
 to his rank. But I must own to you, madam, that the 
 splendour of the throne to which I was advanced, did 
 not affect me near so much as did my justification. I 
 was not at all elated to see myself raised above my 
 companions. I always remembered the meanness of my 
 birth, and taking great delight in succouring the dis- 
 tressed, I let not a day pass without doing some remark- 
 able kindness to my people. This made my husband 
 love me very tenderly, and my subjects in a manner 
 adore me ; insomuch that it was not without abundance 
 of tears that at seven years' end I died, and left no 
 posterity behind me. 
 
 STORY OF HUSCHANK AND GULBAZI 
 
 As soon as I had quitted the body of Jizdad, I 
 entered into that of a young child, whom a dyer in the 
 suburbs of Shirah, while he was washing his stuffs in
 
 Story of Huschank and Gulbazi 55 
 
 the River of Baudamir, found in an ebony trunk which 
 the current of the water threw up just by him. The 
 man, as soon as he had broken open the lock, was sur- 
 prised to find a boy dressed in rich linen, and adorned 
 with jewels, which made him believe that he must 
 needs be born of some illustrious parents. I held out 
 my little hands as if I implored his succour, and begged 
 my life, and he was so sensibly touched with my situa- 
 tion that he carried me home, and gave me to his wife, 
 who divided her milk between a daughter she had then 
 at her breast and me. When I was grown up to a 
 youth's estate, I found I had no inclination to my re- 
 puted father's trade, and therefore employed all my time 
 in hunting, and at night, when I returned from my sport, 
 I used always to bring home more game than would feed 
 the whole family. My foster-sister's name was Gulbazi, 
 and the dyer called me Huschank. Though I had a 
 very great respect for Gulbazi, as supposing her to be 
 my sister, yet I perceived so much beauty in her that 
 I could not look upon her without some strange emo- 
 tions. One night, as I was presenting her with a young 
 stag, I fell at her feet, and embraced her very tenderly. 
 Huschank, said she to me, Heaven is my witness, with 
 what purity I love you, and how much I am concerned 
 for your life. You cost me many a tear every day ; nor 
 can I see you encounter wild beasts without horror, for 
 I have this daily dread upon my spirits that at one 
 time or other you will be brought home bathed in your 
 own blood. In the name of all tenderness, my dear 
 brother, leave off this violent exercise and let us have a 
 little more of your company at home ! Ah ! my charm- 
 ing Gulbazi, cried I, do not persuade me to follow a mean
 
 5 6 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 employment, and to which I have an utter aversion ! 
 I will never be a dyer ; my bow and arrows will main- 
 tain me ; and I had a thousand times left my father's 
 house ere this, and gone into the queen's army, but that 
 there is some secret charm in this place which detains 
 me. You are my sister, most adorable Gulbazi, and I 
 cannot without offence pass the bounds of the most strict 
 friendship and affection ; but what would I give that the 
 passion I feel for you were legitimate ! Yes, I swear to 
 you by Mohammed, that were I in possession of the 
 whole universe, I would set the crown thereof upon your 
 head, even though your condition were more humble 
 than it is ! Alas ! my dear brother, answered Gulbazi, 
 with a flood of tears, how exactly do your sentiments 
 correspond with my own ! Ten thousand times have 
 I wished that we had not been joined together by the 
 bands of consanguinity ; and, notwithstanding all these 
 invincible obstacles, I still find my love increasing for 
 you every moment ; I blame myself often for the caresses 
 I give you ; they alarm my shame and modesty ; and I 
 dread more than death the least shadow of a crime. 
 Why then do you detain me here ? said I to her, with 
 more than ordinary transport. Why should we thus 
 constantly expose our feeble virtue to temptations ? 
 Adieu, Gulbazi ! I must avoid for ever your dangerous 
 charms, and this is the last kiss you will receive from 
 your dear Huschank ! 
 
 This resolution, madam, continued Fum-Hoam, how 
 many tears soever it might cost us, I had the courage 
 to execute. Next morning at break of day I went and 
 offered my service to one of the Queen of Persia's 
 wazirs ; and being unwilling to own myself a dyer's
 
 Story of Huschank and Gulbazi 57 
 
 son, I told him I knew not my father's name ; but 
 that, if I might judge by the nobleness of my spirit 
 I flattered myself I could do such renowned actions as 
 would make the queen herself not ashamed to own me 
 for her son. This little vivacity of mine made him 
 smile ; he gave me, however, an immediate employ, 
 and, being willing to know whether my courage was 
 equal to my pretensions, recommended me to his father- 
 in-law, the prime wazir, who ordered me to serve him in 
 the capacity of aide-de-camp. Their general was then just 
 going to fight a great battle. I charged always at his 
 elbow and under the eye of my protector. I saved both 
 their lives that day, and performed such prodigious acts 
 of courage that the enemy looked upon me as the tutelar 
 god of Persia, and durst not abide my blows. Thus all 
 the campaign through I carried victory along with me, 
 and the wazir, astonished at my courage, did me the 
 honour to declare publicly that the success of that day 
 and the following ones was wholly owing to me. The 
 enemy, in short, were entirely defeated ; we made them 
 tributary to the queen, and I was sent to Ispahan to lay 
 at her feet the marks of their submission and obedience. 
 Dugmi (for that was the queen's name) had been 
 left a widow by Kudaddan, King of Persia (by whom 
 she had only two daughters), much about six months, 
 when I came before her. The wazirs had often pressed 
 her to give them a sovereign. I was very handsome, 
 and my name was become so famous, that she took 
 great notice of me. If my parentage was obscure, my 
 great exploits had so advanced it that I was looked 
 upon as one descended from those first heroes, who, as 
 they tell us, governed Persia in the most obscure ages
 
 58 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 of antiquity; and the more I endeavoured to conceal 
 my origin the more was the mystery supposed to be 
 merely an artifice to prove the affection of Dugmi's 
 heart. In short, the princess herself was so blinded with 
 the notions of my birth, that from that very moment 
 I thought I could discern that I was not indifferent 
 to her. 
 
 The Queen of Persia was something more than five- 
 and-thirty, but I never saw so fine a woman in my life. 
 She was so exceedingly well made, that one could not 
 behold her without admiration; her hair, which was 
 blacker than ebony, was finely contrasted by the fairest 
 and most lively complexion ; a delicate proportion and 
 exact regularity appeared in every feature of her face ; 
 and the whole was a collection of charms sufficient to 
 captivate the most indifferent heart, and above the power 
 of eloquence to describe. The fire of her eyes was suffi- 
 cient to raise a flame in the most serene breast; her 
 mouth, which she only opened to load me with praise, 
 displayed a set of the finest and most regular teeth in 
 the world ; her hand, which she gave me to kiss, seemed 
 to be made only for sceptres and crowns ; and a noble 
 boldness and air of majesty raised and supported all 
 these perfections. The truth is, I was so astonished at 
 the sight of them, that, forgetting in that instant my 
 dear Gulbazi, I entirely lost the use of my reason. 
 What became of me, madam, I cannot tell ; but as soon 
 as I recovered myself out of the deliquium, I perceived 
 I was in the arms of one of the queen's old slaves, 
 who gave me to understand that my mistress had tied 
 on my arm her own picture set with diamonds of extra- 
 ordinary value ; and after some inconceivable transports
 
 Story of Huschank and Gulbazi 59 
 
 of joy I retired to the prime wazir's house, as he had 
 ordered me. In five days' time he himself came to 
 town, and as I was relating to him in what manner 
 the queen received me, he was so surprised with the 
 magnificence of her present, that embracing me very 
 tenderly : My lord Huschank, said he, Fortune, 
 I see, begins to look upon you with a favourable eye. I 
 will make her acknowledge your merit ; and before a 
 month be over your head, doubt not but to place you 
 upon the throne of Persia. What ! me, my lord ! said I, 
 surprised ; by what means can you think of effecting it ? 
 By marrying you to Queen Dugmi, replied he. Such 
 a hero as you alone deserves to be our sovereign, and 
 since the choice depends solely upon her, I will die if I 
 bring it not to pass ! 
 
 The wazir, not doubtful of my gratitude, and -think- 
 ing that this advancement would be a means to bind me 
 eternally to him, did his utmost endeavours to keep his 
 word. He went to wait on the queen, and having 
 extolled my services to her he perceived, by her blush- 
 ing upon every occasion of mentioning my name, the 
 strong impression I made on her heart. He took the 
 advantage of this favourable situation, and persuading 
 her to believe that a person of my exalted valour could 
 not but be sprung from some illustrious family, he con- 
 jured her, in the name of all Persia, to make me her 
 husband ; and putting the other wazirs and soldiers, who 
 were witnesses of my glorious actions, upon the same 
 request, he reduced her to this at last, that she only 
 required some time to consider before she resolved upon 
 a matter of such importance ; and so, without seeming to 
 gratify the strong inclination she had conceived for me,
 
 60 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 she consented in a few days afterwards to place me on 
 the Persian throne. 
 
 I own to you, madam, that I was not a little intoxi- 
 cated with love and ambition. Dugmi was the most 
 charming princess in the world. She seemed not to 
 be above twenty, and I thought myself the happiest 
 man living to see with what goodness she received 
 my love. One night, as I was embracing her knees in 
 profound respect, I thought she seemed a little uneasy 
 in her mind. What troubles my queen ? said I to her, 
 trembling ; does she repent of the promise she has given 
 to her wazirs ? No, Huschank, said she to me, my 
 sentiments must always be subservient to the interest 
 of my duty ; and the desire of all Persia is a sovereign 
 law to me. A sovereign law, madam ! cried I, with 
 some emotion. Can you believe that I will ever be in- 
 debted to your subjects, and not to your own inclination, 
 for the inestimable happiness of possessing you ? Ah ! 
 too adorable Dugmi, how sovereign soever the laws of 
 state may be, a real affection makes them submit to 
 those of love. He will owe all to the object of his 
 passion, and looks upon politics as an obstacle that 
 generally crosses the happiness of true lovers. As I 
 was saying these words I marked the queen's counte- 
 nance, and saw a visible alteration in it. Her troubled 
 looks, which seemed to search for mine, were afraid at 
 the same time to meet them and had she not recalled 
 her usual dignity, her beautiful eyes, which seemed then 
 more languishing than ever, had perhaps given me some 
 intimations of the most private sentiments of her heart. 
 Huschank, said she to me, your passion is violent, nor 
 am I calm and composed enough to answer you upon
 
 Story of Huschank and Gulbazi 61 
 
 that head. Let me get a little rest, I beseech you, which 
 your company and the sense of your merit have bereaved 
 me of since the time I first beheld you. I was throwing 
 myself again at her feet ; but she lifted me up, and giving 
 me her hand to kiss, obliged me to retire. However, I 
 gave her a look at parting that discovered the disorder 
 of my soul. At length, madam, the evening preceding 
 our marriage arrived, and as I lay me down to take 
 a little rest a fearful dream disturbed all the pleasure 
 of my sleep. My dear Gulbazi, I thought, appeared 
 to me all in tears. What are you going to do, Hus- 
 chank ? said she to me. Have you so soon forgotten all 
 the tenderness I had for you ? Rash young man, the 
 splendour of a throne dazzles you ! But tremble to 
 set your foot thereon, for in so doing you will commit 
 a most hideous crime unless I am partaker with you. 
 I waked on a sudden in a most terrible fright. What 
 signifies this extravagant dream ? said I to myself ; it 
 is not worth minding. I cannot marry Gulbazi without 
 offering a violence to nature. But how much soever 
 I resolved against it, I could not get over my terror. 
 It grew more and more upon me, until they came to 
 dress me in all my splendid attire, and the greatest lords 
 of Persia conducted me into the mosque belonging to the 
 palace, where I was married to the charming Dugmi. 
 
 How much reason soever the queen and I had to be 
 satisfied with each other, it is certain we were both in 
 very great disorder, notwithstanding all we could do to 
 suppress it. I perceived it first in my consort, but 
 imputed it only to her regret at having married a person 
 she knew nothing of, and scrupled not to mention the 
 great uneasiness that my suspicions gave me. No, no,
 
 62 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 my dear Huschank, said she to me, your suspicions are 
 injurious to my love. I can now own to you without a 
 blush to what degree it is I love you ; but a dream which 
 I had last night gives me some pain. The King Bahaman, 
 my father, appeared to me ; he forbade me to marry you, 
 and foretold innumerable mischiefs to befall me if I did 
 not obey him. As I have no great reason to be so well 
 pleased with my father, as to respect his memory, I have 
 made no scruple, even contrary to his express orders, to 
 give you my hand. This is all the matter that troubles 
 me. Ah ! my dear queen, said I to her again, much 
 such another dream has had a like effect upon me, but 
 I have regarded it no more than you. Our heated 
 imaginations occasion these phantoms, but our love will 
 soon break through the impediment they would put to 
 our mutual satisfaction. In short, we passed the rest of 
 the day with ease and tranquility enough. The night 
 came ; my spouse was undressed, and her slaves put 
 her to bed. And I too, after I had taken my leave of 
 the wazirs, whom I loaded with presents (especially 
 the two to whom I was indebted for my throne) went 
 to lie by her side. There was nothing now, one would 
 have thought, to oppose my desires, but only Dugmi's 
 bashfulness, which I conjured her to banish for ever, 
 when happening to espy, by the help of the wax-lights in 
 the room, as the bosom of my shirt was open, the perfect 
 mark of a tulip on my stomach Oh, Heavens ! said she, 
 shrieking violently, this is the interpretation of my dream ! 
 and then, pushing me from her with all her might, she 
 threw herself out of bed, and ran to a closet where an old 
 slave lay, who had brought her up, and hastily shut 
 the door.
 
 Story of Huschank and Gulbazi 63 
 
 You may imagine, madam, continued the mandarin, 
 in what surprise and astonishment I was left. I put on 
 my gown and ran to the door, but they refused me admit- 
 tance ; so tha^t after much entreaty I broke it open, and 
 found the queen fallen into a swoon in the old slave's 
 arms, whose name was Sunghir. What is the reason, 
 said I to her, of all this uneasiness ? Why does the 
 queen, who has had all along hitherto so much kindness 
 for me, fly from me with horror ? Unfold this secret, I 
 conjure you. Sunghir made no reply, but opening my 
 gown, and shewing me the tulip Ah ! said she, the queen 
 has sufficient reason ; that fatal mark has reduced her to 
 this condition. Dugmi that moment opened her eyes, 
 and turning them languishingly upon me Ah ! dear 
 Huschank, said she, praised be the great Prophet, that 
 I did not defile my bed with incest ; you are my son ! 
 Your son, madam ! replied I, with the utmost astonish- 
 ment, that is impossible ; and since I must inform you of 
 my birth, which I was willing to conceal because of its 
 meanness, I am the son of a dyer in the suburbs of 
 Shiraz, surnamed Topal, because he is a cripple. I 
 could not bring myself to like so mechanic a life ; my 
 courage gained me some glory in your armies, and my 
 queen had the goodness to requite me with her hand and 
 her heart for some gallant actions of mine which had 
 the good fortune to please her. Huschank, replied the 
 queen, with a languishing voice, Heaven grant that what 
 you tell me be true, and that Topal may be able to rid 
 my mind of the secret horror of this marriage, which 
 nature inspired but my love surmounted ! Let us, then, 
 live like brother and sister till this mystery be unriddled, 
 and to-morrow set forward for Shiraz.
 
 64 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 I could not but comply with the queen's request. 
 The next day we departed, and arrived at the palace 
 of Shiraz, where we sent to find out Topal. But how 
 great was the poor man's surprise when he was brought 
 into a closet, where only were Dugmi, her slave, and 
 myself, and told by what means I became King of 
 Persia ! He fell prostrate at our feet ; but the queen, 
 raising him up Topal, said she, it but ill becomes you 
 to use such a posture to me ; rather praise Heaven for 
 having blessed you with a son whose shining valour 
 has merited a throne, and live in future with us in 
 such plenty and honours as are reserved for the father 
 of the illustrious Huschank. Ah, madam ! replied Topal 
 trembling, Huschank is not my son. Who then is my 
 father ? said I, turning as pale as death. I cannot tell, 
 my good lord, answered the old man. It is now about 
 nineteen years since I found you in an ebony trunk, 
 which floated on the River Baudamir, and stuck in the 
 stuffs which I was then washing. The richness of the 
 linen and the jewels wherewith you were adorned made 
 me believe that you were of an illustrious family, and 
 that some malignant star had destined you to lose your 
 life before you could know the use of it. I took you 
 out of the trunk ; my wife brought you up, together 
 with my daughter Gulbazi, and you left me, sir, the 
 moment I came to understand the aversion you had 
 to my profession, and was about to inform you of the 
 mystery of your birth. I was so surprised at this dis- 
 course of Topal that I never observed the queen, as 
 she fell back upon her sofa all drowned in tears. I 
 fell instantly at her feet. Let me but know at least, 
 said I, to what adventure I owe my life, and why I
 
 History of Dugmi, Queen of Persia 65 
 
 came to be thrown into the River Baudamir. Ah ! my 
 son, cried Dugmi, how can I tell you a thing that I 
 cannot think on without horror, or in what terms shall 
 I do it ? But as this horrid secret is known to none 
 but faithful Sunghir and myself, and you have all the 
 interest that can be to conceal it, I shall run no hazard 
 in relating it to you, how unwilling soever I am to do it. 
 
 HISTORY OF DUGMI, QUEEN OF PERSIA 
 
 BAHAMAN, my father, King of Persia, resided for 
 some part of the year at Shiraz. He had no other 
 children but me, and would to God I had died the 
 moment I was born ! The sultana, my mother, died 
 when I was scarce twelve years old ; and to my mis- 
 fortune, I was but too beautiful. My father, who was 
 generally well beloved by his subjects, laid the death of 
 my mother sore to heart. His wazirs in vain represented 
 to him the unreasonableness of his immoderate grief; 
 he regarded them not, but shut himself up in his seraglio, 
 and would see nobody for above three months. I shared 
 in his sorrow, as much as my age would permit ; and 
 he, won by my endearments which I did not then 
 understand the consequence of, could not look upon 
 me without conceiving a criminal passion. I had not 
 discretion enough at that age to distinguish his senti- 
 ments ; I acted from nature only, and the tenderness he 
 perceived I had for him served only to kindle that 
 
 5
 
 66 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 horrible fire that burnt in his veins when I drew near ; 
 however, my fourteenth year of age, which improved my 
 reason, made me more reserved towards him. This 
 grieved him exceedingly, and made him complain to me ; 
 but I knew not how to answer his complaints, and only 
 endeavoured to avoid them as much as I could ; when, 
 all on a sudden, I found myself seized with an illness 
 unknown to me before. I lost my appetite, I had 
 continual vomitings, and felt strange emotions within 
 me. This made me very uneasy ; and the ignorance of 
 our physicians had nearly proved fatal to me, when my 
 father fell dangerously ill, and all the care that could be 
 taken of him was not enough to drive the angel of death 
 from his bed, whose approach he dreaded exceedingly ; 
 however, when he found he had not many moments to 
 live, and was going to give an account of his deeds 
 before the awful tribunal of God, he ordered everybody, 
 except Sunghir and myself, to leave the room ; and 
 calling to me : Come hither, said he, my daughter, 
 receive my last farewell, and grant me your pardon for 
 the fault which the execrable passion I had for you 
 made me commit. You were much too wise and too 
 virtuous willingly to comply with it ; but I took the 
 advantage of a deep sleep, which every night I cast you 
 and Sunghir into, and by that means gave myself up to 
 the most detestable crime of abusing your innocence. 
 This, my dear Dugmi, is the cause of your illness. 
 You may imagine, sir, continued the Queen of Persia, 
 my condition at the hearing of this. Rage and despair 
 made me thunder out a thousand imprecations against 
 Bahaman. He heard them with humiliation. I have 
 deserved all this and more, said he ; but still let it be
 
 History of Dugmi, Queen of Persia 67 
 
 concealed ; all Persia is hitherto ignorant of my crime 
 and your shame. I give you this in charge, Sunghir, 
 added he, speaking to the woman, that you take Dugmi 
 hence ; her just fury may perhaps discover a secret that 
 ought to be buried in everlasting oblivion. I am now 
 going to leave some orders about the affairs of my 
 kingdom. Sunghir pulled me out of Bahaman's chamber; 
 he immediately made the wazirs come in, and having 
 proclaimed me Queen of Persia made an order that 
 whomsoever I should choose, him should they acknow- 
 ledge for their king. As my father had always governed 
 his subjects with great lenity, and was not a little be- 
 loved by them, his orders were punctually executed ; 
 for no sooner was he dead than they forced me from 
 one of the lower apartments of the palace, where I was 
 giving myself up to despair, a.nd placed me upon the 
 throne. To the same apartment I retired again, under 
 pretence of lamenting the loss of a monarch whom I then 
 detested, and whose memory I still detest, where I con- 
 tinued six months without ever appearing in public, but 
 always bewailing the infamy my cruel fate had brought 
 upon me. When my hour was come, I was delivered 
 of a child, who came into the world with the plain mark 
 of a tulip upon his breast. It was Sunghir who received 
 the fruit of my father's detestable love, which I could not 
 myself look upon without horror. My bowels recoiled at 
 the sight of it ; and, in the first transport of my fury I 
 ordered Sunghir to throw it in the River Baudamir, which 
 runs at the foot of the palace. She went out immediately, 
 and returned in a quarter of an hour, assuring me that 
 she had executed my orders. Ah, sir ! how exceedingly 
 powerful is nature ! my blood chilled at the shocking 
 
 52
 
 68 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 recital ; I repented of my cruelty, and bewailed the un- 
 happy infant with tears of blood. After I had spent a 
 considerable time in sorrow, and was now perfectly 
 recovered, I appeared in public again ; and, notwith- 
 standing the melancholy which hung always about me, 
 my people thought me so fine a woman, that they were 
 perpetually urging me to give them a monarch, whose 
 posterity might govern Persia. In vain I married, about 
 three years after the death of Bahaman, the Prince 
 Kudaddan, who joined Circassia to my kingdoms. 
 That monarch had only daughters by me, and I sincerely 
 lamented his death, which happened some eight months 
 ago, by a fall from his horse ; for he was both a gallant 
 and a virtuous prince. He loved me with extreme 
 tenderness, and it was not without extreme reluctance 
 that I came so soon into your arms. I was forced to 
 love you by the voice of nature ; that same nature 
 opposed the inclination I had to admit you to my bed. 
 Bahaman's ghost cautioned me to decline our marriage ; 
 I rejected his counsel, as the effect of his mad jealousy ; 
 but, thanks be to Heaven ! the mark upon your bosom 
 has delivered me from the commission of a second crime 
 no less horrible than the first. The linen, the jewels, 
 and the ebony trunk, wherein Sunghir assured me after- 
 wards that she exposed you upon the Baudamir, the 
 plain and natural declaration of Topal, and my heart, 
 which is a more certain proof than all, assure me that 
 you are my son. Receive, then, my dear Huschank, 
 these embraces, pure and separate from all criminal 
 passion ; and as there is no necessity for the people to 
 know secrets of such importance as this, choose you 
 out a wife in all Persia, and marry her in private. I
 
 Story of Huschank and Gulbazi 69 
 
 will adopt your children, and make them pass for mine. 
 This, my dear Huschank, will now be the summit of 
 my joy and felicity. 
 
 CONTINUATION AND CONCLUSION OF THE 
 STORY OF HUSCHANK AND GULBAZI 
 
 AH, madam ! said I, very readily, the woman is 
 already found ; it shall be the lovely Gulbazi, daughter 
 to Topal. We have now loved one another these six 
 years with all imaginable purity ; I esteemed her as my 
 sister, and fearing lest our passion should become 
 criminal left the good man's house, whom I imagined 
 my father. Grief and despair made me engage in your 
 army. I sought for death, and had doubtless found it, 
 had not Heaven, which favoured me so visibly, suffered 
 me to destroy your enemies like a thunderbolt without 
 receiving the least wound myself. Let me entreat you 
 to consent, therefore, madam, that I may have this 
 adorable creature, who, next to yourself, may justly be 
 called the model of all perfections. I consent with all 
 my heart, answered Dugmi ; order Topal to go for 
 Gulbazi, for I have an impatient desire to see and 
 embrace her. I executed, madam, continued Fum- 
 Hoam, the Queen of Persia's orders. Gulbazi appeared 
 in an hour's time, with all the modesty peculiar to her 
 age, and was received by the queen with every endear- 
 ment imaginable. That princess made me notice a 
 thousand beauties in her which I had not perceived
 
 jo Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 before ; and telling her she had discovered that I was 
 the late king's nephew, and had on that account some 
 scruple to live with me as husband and wife, desired 
 that we might instantly marry, and expected no other 
 acknowledgment but that we and Topal should keep 
 the secret inviolable. 
 
 It is not to be expressed, madam, with what satis- 
 faction Gulbazi and I received the queen's orders, which 
 we immediately executed. In short, I was married to 
 this lovely young creature ; and the queen took to herself 
 five sons I had by Gulbazi, and they consequently passed 
 for her own children. In the midst of all this happiness 
 and apparent reason for contentment, Dugmi would 
 every now and then give herself up to melancholy ; 
 and I have sometimes seen, as she looked at me, the 
 tears drop involuntarily from her eyes. I used every 
 effort, by inventing always some new pleasure or other, 
 to dissipate the sad ideas which the remembrance of the 
 king, her father, brought to her mind ; but all would not 
 do. She sunk into a sad dejection of soul that preyed 
 upon her continually. At length she fell sick, and the 
 whole art of physic could not save her life. She died in 
 mine and Gulbazi's arms, having desired me, in presence 
 of all the wazirs, to marry that charming woman, who 
 had passed for her favourite. 
 
 I was extremely troubled for the death of my 
 mother ; according to her orders, however, I raised 
 Gulbazi to the throne, and had afterwards three 
 daughters by her. At length, when we had lived 
 together in perfect union to a good old age, honoured 
 and respected both by our children and subjects, we 
 quitted the cares which attend a crown. We left the
 
 History of the Beautiful Hengu 71 
 
 sovereignty to our eldest son, and, having settled a 
 considerable portion upon the other four and their 
 sisters, reserved to ourselves only Circassia, whither 
 we retired ; and had the consolation to see all our 
 children live in peace and unity ; till, by the will of the 
 great Prophet, Gulbazi and I, both in one day, quitted a 
 life which would have been burdensome to the survivor. 
 
 This history, I confess, said the Queen of Gannan, 
 has given me a great deal of pleasure, and the circum- 
 stances of it are very affecting ; but what became of 
 you afterwards ? 
 
 HISTORY OF THE BEAUTIFUL HENGU 
 
 I WENT, continued the mandarin, into the body of a 
 young woman of Kananor, whose name was Hengu. 
 My father, who died before I was born, sold fiquaa ; 
 and my mother, who continued the business after his 
 decease, brought me up with as much care as her 
 circumstances would permit. I lived always retired in 
 a little neat apartment, with an old slave named Gabra, 
 where I spent my days in such works as are proper for 
 our sex ; and enjoyed this secret tranquility, without 
 any passion to disturb me, when an unlucky accident 
 happened in our house which disconcerted all my 
 felicity. 
 
 Some Hindu gentlemen happened one day to quarrel 
 in our shop ; and though we did all we could to prevent 
 any mischief, yet one of the company received a stab
 
 72 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 with a poniard, and was dangerously wounded. We 
 sent immediately for a surgeon to dress him ; but the 
 gentleman falling into a swoon, it was not thought 
 advisable to carry him to his own house, and therefore 
 my mother lent him a bed. The wound was deep ; but 
 not being mortal the young Hindu was soon out of 
 danger. He returned my mother many thanks for the 
 care she had taken of him ; and before he left the house 
 took the opportunity, when there were many people in 
 the shop and my mother very busy, to come into my 
 chamber, leaning upon his slave's arm, without my being 
 apprised of the visit. I was surprised, indeed, at the 
 sight of him ; but my beauty made such an impression 
 upon his spirits that he had like to have died away. My 
 dear friend, said he to his slave, you have not deceived me ; 
 this certainly is the most charming creature upon earth, 
 and how happy should I think myself if she could love 
 me with the same ardour with which I adore her. 
 
 I confess, madam, I was in the utmost confusion, for 
 never did I see a handsomer man in my life than Kotza- 
 Rashid (that was the gentleman's name), and I found my 
 vanity so well pleased with his praises and respectful 
 carriage that I was perfectly enchanted. After some 
 time, however, I said to him. Sir, I know too well the 
 distance between you and me ever to think of becom- 
 ing your wife, and I have too much virtue to be your 
 mistress ; I beg you, therefore, to cease your railleries, 
 which are no handsome return for the care we have taken 
 of your life. Ah ! madam, replied Kotza-Rashid, I speak 
 seriously ; I never saw any thing so perfect as you ; and 
 J call all our gods to witness, and to punish me with the 
 most cruel death, if I place not my whole happiness in
 
 History of the Beautiful Hengu 73 
 
 the love of my adorable Hengu ! Gabra, who had all 
 this while spoken nothing, believing that she saw 
 sincerity painted in the eyes of my lover, said, Sir, my 
 young mistress is not to be deluded by words ; for, 
 though she is inferior to you in point of birth, her beauty, 
 if she were once known to our sultan, might place her 
 upon the throne of Kananor. Ah ! I know that but too 
 well, cried Kotza-Rashid ; nor do I pretend to her heart 
 but by the most honourable means. What shall I say, 
 madam, continued Fum-Hoam, Gabra was won by the 
 presents of my lover ; he feigned a relapse, to gain an 
 opportunity of seeing me more conveniently ; and for a 
 whole month he spent in my company all the time that 
 my mother was in her shop ; he was always tender and 
 submissive ; and I in my turn loved him with an equal 
 passion. In short, after we had in the presence of Gabra 
 entered into engagements which I thought solemn and 
 sincere, I gave myself up to my love without reserve. 
 My mother ' knew nothing of our intrigue ; she would 
 never have consented to this private marriage, and there- 
 fore Gabra advised me not to mention a word of it to her. 
 It was high time, however, for the secret to be out ; my 
 husband had left his lodging for some time, not thinking 
 it decent to stay any longer, and I was on the point of 
 becoming a parent. What to do upon this conjuncture 
 I did not well know ; but my going away, which was 
 proposed, seemed to me the best expedient. One very 
 dark night, therefore, I left our house, accompanied by 
 Gabra. My husband waited for us at the outward gate, 
 and carried us to a stately palace which he had about a 
 league from Kananor, and it was there I first began to 
 enjoy his dear company with freedom ; but that pleasure
 
 74 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 was soon interrupted by a piece of news which touched 
 me very sensibly. My mother was so affected by my 
 running away that she fell dangerously sick upon it ; she 
 was seized with a very violent fever and died in a few 
 days, uttering curses and imprecations upon me which 
 too soon had their effect. I fell into a sad dejection of 
 mind upon my mother's death, which I was sensible I 
 had occasioned, and would a thousand times have stabbed 
 myself had it not been for the care that Gabra and 
 Kotza-Rashid took of me. Their assiduity dried up my 
 tears ; and for two years, which I passed in such delights 
 as tender and mutual lovers taste, I thought no more of 
 the matter. 
 
 Kotza-Rashid was one of the most charming and 
 entertaining men living ; he was perpetually at my knees, 
 and protesting to me that his love should last as long as 
 his life; when on a sudden I thought I perceived some 
 coldness in him, and endeavouring to find out the cause 
 of it to no purpose, gave myself up entirely to grief, and 
 never after had a moment's rest. My sleep when I laid 
 me down at any time was most strangely disturbed. I 
 thought I saw ten thousand extravagant phantoms that 
 are not in nature, and every one more fantastical than 
 another ; and my frightful dreams always ended in my 
 mother's threatening me that I should soon be punished 
 for my want of tenderness to her. 
 
 Kotza-Rashid, who now began to neglect me much, 
 and for fifteen days together could stay in Kananor with- 
 out any consideration of my affliction, seemed one day a 
 little sensible of my misfortune ; and after a few slight 
 endearments proposed that we should go and take the 
 air some distance from his castle. As I had no other
 
 History of the Beautiful Hengu 75 
 
 will than his, I made ready to obey him ; and after I 
 had dressed myself a little, to repair the injury which 
 grief and want of rest had done to my beauty, Gabra 
 and I went into a palanquin, and Kotza-Rashid rode on 
 horseback. In this manner we went about two good 
 leagues till we came to a little country house that 
 belonged to him. It was the most pleasant situation 
 thaTever I saw. An old Hindu who had the care of it 
 opened us the gate ; the gardens were exceedingly neat, 
 and a fountain of clear delicious water seemed to invite 
 us to sit down by the side of its basin, where we were 
 served with the most excellent fruit. I observed a very 
 great uneasiness in Kotza-Rashid's looks ; he ate nothing, 
 and turned his eyes from me. What is the matter with 
 my dear spouse? said I to him, tenderly; wherein have I 
 had the misfortune to displease you ? A flood of tears 
 that ran down my cheeks with these words completed 
 the confusion of my soul. I died away in Gabra's arms, 
 and when I came to myself was in the greatest conster- 
 nation imaginable to see that Kotza-Rashid was gone, 
 and to find a green velvet purse that was very heavy 
 lying at my feet. 
 
 Gabra presently took up the purse and opened it ; 
 it was full of gold, and there was in it a letter directed 
 to me. But imagine, madam, what a condition I was 
 in when I came to read in it words much to this 
 purpose : 
 
 " Some particular reasons oblige me to marry. In 
 eight days I am to have the Governor of Kananor's 
 daughter, and to-morrow must bring her to my palace : 
 so that you, Hengu, must yield her up the place that 
 belongs to her. To make you some amends for the loss
 
 76 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 of my heart, I leave you absolute mistress of this house 
 and of all that belongs to it ; I make you a present of 
 them, together with five thousand rupees of gold. 
 Endeavour to live easy with Gabra, and be silent in 
 this affair if you would not displease 
 
 " KOTZA-RASHID." 
 
 I shall not pretend, madam, said the mandarin, to 
 relate to you the rage I was in after I had recovered from 
 the first surprise that my reading this letter had occasioned. 
 None but a person who has been provoked to the last 
 degree can be sensible of my condition. My resentment, 
 indeed, was so keen that I wondered with myself why 
 I did not instantly expire ; and my heart, left naked to 
 the assault of jealousy and fury, meditated the blackest 
 designs. Unhappy Hengu ! said I to myself, since it is a 
 violence done to thy sex to deny thee the use of arms 
 and the pleasure of washing off thy affront with blood, 
 find out another way to avenge thyself on the ungrateful 
 villain who forsakes thee ; let him and thy hated rival 
 both die by the subtlest poison. But how can I execute, 
 continued I, this ridiculous project? Are not all avenues 
 shut against me, and how can I think to succeed therein ? 
 No ; rather die than survive thy husband's infidelity ! 
 And with these words, I seized on my poinard, and was 
 going to rid myself of all my torments, when Gabra 
 wrested it from me, and promised that, without running 
 any risk, she would undertake both to destroy my rival 
 and recover my dear Kotza-Rashid's heart ; but that to 
 succeed therein great dissimulation would be necessary. 
 This promise stopped the source of my tears and I pre- 
 pared myself to hear with attention, when the old Hindu 
 who had the care of the place came, he and his daughters
 
 History of the Beautiful Hengu 77 
 
 together, and fell down at my feet. Madam, said he to 
 me, I come to do homage to my new mistress ; here is a 
 writing wherein Kotza-Rashid invests you with all the 
 goods he has in this place. We were his slaves, we are 
 now become yours ; and we hope to find in you as much 
 goodness as we did in Kotza-Rashid, who was one of the 
 best masters in the world. I received the good man's 
 homage and his daughters' with courtesy ; and finding 
 that I wanted rest retired into an apartment, very plain 
 but charmingly neat, which had a prospect into the 
 delicious fields that belonged to the house. 
 
 Here I found all my clothes and ornaments, which 
 my perfidious husband had caused privately to be 
 brought there ; and the sight of them renewed my 
 sorrows. Is it then for ever, my dear spouse, said I, 
 that I have lost you ? You have basely deceived me ; 
 and abusing my simplicity and your oaths, you have 
 abandoned me to put yourself in the arms of another. 
 Oh ! I never will survive this hard fate. As sure as you 
 are alive, said Gabra to me again, depend on me, my 
 dear Hengu, and you shall soon be revenged. This fresh 
 promise of Gabra appeased my sorrow a little ; she told 
 me her design, and I listened to her with impatience. 
 Kotza-Rashid loves you too well, said she, to abandon 
 you for ever. It will not be long before he conies hither 
 again, and will inform himself from your slaves in what 
 manner you live ; pretend, therefore, to be very easy ; 
 shew as much as you can such a freedom of spirit as 
 argues an unconcern for him, and depend upon it my 
 contrivance will not want for success. 
 
 I followed Gabra's advice very exactly. Before the 
 old man and his daughter I put a restraint upon myself
 
 78 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 nay, I affected a good deal of gaiety, and spoke often 
 against the engagement of our affections and as the 
 foible of our sex. All which, being carried to Kotza- 
 Rashid, he began to imagine that he might now come 
 and see me without any fear of reproaches. In short, 
 one day, when I least of all expected him, and as I was 
 walking in the garden, I saw him come up to me. I am 
 very well pleased with you, Hengu, said he to me ; you 
 have taken the right method ; passion and resentment 
 would have banished you for ever from my heart. Live 
 quiet and peaceable in this place, and permit me some- 
 times to come and interrupt your solitude. I answered 
 him suitably to his desires, and according to the 
 instructions which Gabra had given me ; and as our 
 conversation could scarce end without some occasion 
 or other to speak of his wife, I asked him whether she 
 had beauty enough to give her the hope of fixing his 
 heart for ever ; whereupon he drew me such a picture 
 of her as almost killed me with vexation. I could 
 indeed hardly contain myself ; but I knew how to enter 
 into his sentiments so dexterously that he did not 
 perceive my disorder, and continued his detail of every 
 single perfection, both of body and mind ; he extolled 
 her above all the beauties that had ever been in life. 
 I stopped him. For though I yielded to her, I said, in 
 all things else, yet as for hair, I knew no woman who 
 had the vanity to think she had finer than I. He 
 laughed at me for this ; the dispute grew hot ; and, 
 since I was not allowed to come to his house, I desired 
 him to bring me a lock of the fine hair, of which he so 
 greatly boasted, that we might compare it with mine. 
 He promised me he would ; and after he had spent the
 
 History of the Beautiful Hengu 79 
 
 rest of the day with me he returned home. Gabra was 
 hugely pleased with the use I made of her instructions ; 
 and, as soon as she heard what promise my faithless 
 husband had made me, out she runs in all haste to look 
 for poisonous herbs, stones, and roots unknown to any 
 but herself; and by powerful charms, wherein she was 
 versed from her childhood, prepares for the death and 
 destruction of my rival. 
 
 The moment which I desired with so much im- 
 patience came at last. Kotza-Rashid, about fifteen 
 days after his first visit, came to pay me another. See 
 here, said he, the first thing he spoke to me, whether I 
 am prepossessed in favour of my wife ; look on this lock 
 of hair, and be convinced that its blackness and lustre 
 far exceed your own. I went near the window, as if to 
 see it with a better light ; and, pretending to look at it 
 very earnestly, stole a little of it, which I slid into my 
 bosom, and returned him the rest, after I had allowed, in 
 compliance, and the better to blind him, that mine was 
 not comparable to my rival's ; hereupon he laughed very 
 heartily, and seemed pleased with my sincerity. He was 
 all the day in a charming humour, and did not leave me 
 till very late. 
 
 No sooner had I parted from Kotza-Rashid, but, 
 being full of resentment, I made ready to take vengeance 
 on my rival with all the punctuality necessary in such 
 horrid rites. The night had spread its thick shade over 
 the earth, when Gabra and I, with our hair loose, and 
 our bodies half naked, stood in the open field, and called 
 the most mischievous jinnis to our aid. At our horrible 
 incantations we saw the stars instantly lose their light, 
 or, by fearful streaks of fire, shew the change of their
 
 8o Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 situation. The moon crept into a thick cloud, and left 
 us in such darkness that the lighted torches we held in 
 our hands could hardly dissipate it. It seemed sometimes 
 bloody and sometimes glaring with fire and flames ; and 
 round about we distinctly saw fall a shower of burn- 
 ing sparks instead of wholesome and refreshing dews. 
 I began to tremble excessively at the sight of so many 
 prodigies, when Gabra, beating the air three times with 
 her powerful wand, and pronouncing the most barbarous 
 words with horrible contortions, shook the hair which 
 I had taken from Kotza-Rashid upon the flaming torch, 
 and conjured the infernal deities, that, as that hair 
 burned and consumed, the person whose it was might 
 be consumed and destroyed. 
 
 I began to please myself with the full vengeance I 
 was to have, and fancied I already saw my rival on fire, 
 when on a sudden I found myself seized with a violent 
 heat which burned my entrails. My blood curdled, my 
 heart shrivelled up, my limbs consumed away, and, to 
 Gabra's great astonishment, I fell to the ground and 
 groaned hideously. Ah ! perfidious Kotza-Rashid! cried 
 I, with a dying tone, you knew too well what I intended 
 to do with your wife's hair ; you have certainly brought 
 me my own which I once gave you, when I had the 
 happiness to please you ; and in seeking my rival's 
 destruction I have met my own. I had scarcely time 
 to pronounce these words, when my soul, disappointed of 
 its revenge, went out of my miserable body, with cries 
 sufficiently dreadful to terrify the stoutest heart ; and 
 Gabra, who would not live after me, stabbed herself 
 immediately with a dagger.
 
 Adventures of the Ape Morug 81 
 
 But let us waive, madam, continued Fum-Hoam, all 
 reflections upon a death so melancholy, and which I 
 deserved so well. When I had left the body of this 
 unhappy young woman, I was for a long while, without 
 interruption, in different conditions of life, wherein there 
 was nothing remarkable. For what pleasure would it 
 be to your Majesty to hear a recital of the dangers I 
 underwent in the form of a serpent ; the sad and uneasy 
 life I led when I was an owl and a bat; the amorous 
 complaints I made under the figure of a tender nightin- 
 gale ; or the malicious tricks I studied when I was an 
 ape ? Your tricks, when an ape, replied the Queen, 
 interrupting him, I have a great desire to know ; and 
 you will do me no small pleasure if you will relate them. 
 Since your Majesty desires it, said the Mandarin, I 
 will not be wanting to your satisfaction. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF THE APE MORUG 
 
 I WAS born in a forest of Hind, and some time 
 after was taken with bird-lime, which I was fool enough 
 to rub my eyes with ; being willing to imitate a hunts- 
 man, whom I saw washing himself in a basin of water. 
 I was sold to a young Chinese who called me Morug ; 
 and who, making me fast very severely when I would 
 not obey his commands, brought me to be so nimble and 
 active, that I passed for a prodigy. He bought me a 
 little horse, which I managed with as much dexterity 
 as the best riding-master ; and while he was in his 
 gallop, I used to skip and jump upon him so nimbly 
 
 6
 
 82 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fwn-Hoam 
 
 that I surprised everybody. In short, through all the 
 cities of Hind where we passed, I was looked upon with 
 admiration ; and my master, who had made a con- 
 siderable profit of me there, was resolved to return to 
 Kambalu, where I got him as much money as in Hind. 
 The children brought me great store of all kinds of 
 fruit ; and, because I played with them without hurting 
 them, they were very fond of me, and caressed me much. 
 Every day I brought home my purse, which was tied 
 about my waist, full of silver, which I was sure either 
 to win or pilfer from this young fry, who had no better 
 sport than to divert themselves with me. 
 
 It so fell out that a certain good woman of 
 Kambalu, whose house joined to the back part of that 
 where my master lodged, chanced to die ; and, as I 
 happened to see the people carrying her out of her 
 apartment, from the top of the house where I was 
 sitting, it came into my head to try if I could imitate 
 the moans I heard her make. I slipped nimbly into the 
 chamber, put on the dead woman's shift and head 
 clothes, and covering myself in the bed waited till the 
 people's return from the burial to play a farce which 
 nearly cost me my life. As soon as the woman's 
 relations were come into the chamber, and were going 
 to begin their lamentations again, I stretched my head 
 out of the bed, and made most hideous grimaces. The 
 good people were so terrified at this, that, taking me 
 for the devil, they scoured put of the room, and each 
 person was only solicitous to save himself. Presently, 
 the whole house was in an uproar, and the community 
 of bonzes was sent to in all haste to acquaint them 
 with the strangeness of this adventure. The eldest of
 
 the priests assembled his brethren; and, everyone arming 
 himself with a torch, they came two and two into the 
 dead person's chamber. All this while I lay snug in 
 the bed ; and seeing this jolly train as they came in, 
 could perceive that fear was painted in their looks, 
 which gave me the more courage. No sooner had a 
 dozen of them entered the room, than I sprang out of the 
 bed, and jumping upon the shoulders of their chief bit 
 his nose and ears to that degree that I made him cry out 
 bitterly ; insomuch that his comrades tumbled one over 
 another, and left him to my fury. I then shut the door, 
 and beat him at my ease ; and, after l^had torn his gown 
 to tatters, and thrown the old woman's clothes in his 
 face, I whipt out at the window, recovered the top of the 
 house, and so got safe into my master's lodging. 
 
 The poor bonze, after his first fright was over, knew, 
 no doubt, who it was he had to deal with ; but being very 
 feeble he took my blows patiently ; and yet as a man of 
 quick invention, who could make an advantage of every- 
 thing, no sooner did he see me out of the chamber than 
 he opened the door and called to the othe* bonzes, and 
 reproached them with their cowardice. He told them he 
 had been encountering one of the most powerful devils 
 he ever knew, who, after an obstinate defence (of which 
 he had several marks to shew), was compelled to yield 
 him the victory. After this he caused the window 
 where I got in to be walled up, and so returned home 
 loaded with presents ; and everybody afterwards looked 
 upon him as a holy man. But he was not yet satisfied ; 
 I might still appear upon the top of the house, and thus 
 discover the pious fraud ; and therefore, getting intelli- 
 gence where my master lived, he came as soon as it was 
 
 62
 
 84 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 light to pay him a visit, and, telling him the whole 
 adventure, desired of him, in all kindness, to change his 
 lodging. There is not, indeed, any material difference 
 between a kind of quack (which my master was) and 
 such a bonze as this ; so that they soon agreed, and we 
 went to live at a distant part of the town, which pre- 
 vented the truth of this comical adventure from ever 
 being known at Kambalu. 
 
 To be short, the wonders I performed were the 
 whole talk of the town ; my fame was carried even into 
 the sultan's seraglio; and Alishank, his favourite sultana, 
 whom he had just advanced to the throne, having a desire 
 to see me, that monarch, who could deny her nothing, 
 ordered my master to make me go through all my 
 exercises before her. She was so taken with my activity 
 and address that she could not forbear expressing her 
 desire to have me herself ; so that my master Yvam (for 
 that was his name) was obliged to present me to her, 
 and be content with a very considerable gratification 
 from the King of China. 
 
 I was so accustomed to live with Yvam that I 
 would not obey the sultana. I grew melancholy ; and 
 the sultan, to please Alishank, sent for my master, and 
 committed him to the care of one of his chief eunuchs, 
 whom he commanded to attend my master into the 
 seraglio, as often as the sultana desired to see him, and 
 to leave him upon no account whatever. I no sooner 
 got sight of my master again than I revived my former 
 gaiety. He was very young and handsome, so that 
 Alishank could not look upon him without conceiving 
 desires injurious to the sultan's honour. Her eyes were 
 soon the interpreters of her heart. Yvam understood her
 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 85 
 
 meaning, and the eunuch, who was to be present at their 
 interviews, being gained by the strength of money, the 
 two lovers were left at their liberty. One day, when 
 the sultan was gone a-hunting, and was not to return 
 again for four days, I chanced to be by as the sultana 
 was caressing my master, and heard him ask her who 
 her parents were, and how long she had been in the 
 seraglio. I have only been here a year, said she ; but 
 this year, how long has it been ! I hate the sultan as 
 much as I love you, my dear Yvam ; and the more I see 
 you, the more I find my hate increases ; but since you 
 are desirous to know who I am, I will relate to you some 
 of the principal events of my life, and how it was that I 
 came to this honour which I so little esteem, and which 
 other sultanas seek with so much eagerness. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF THE SULTANA ALISHANK 
 
 MY mother, whose name was Dogandar, was the 
 only daughter of a rich jeweller of Ceylon, but a very 
 severe man. There was in the neighbourhood a young 
 Hindu named Ganim, who, having seen her frequently 
 at the window, grew passionately in love with her ; and 
 he being a very beautiful man himself, it was not long 
 before he was beloved again. My mother, however, 
 knowing he was not rich enough to gain her father's 
 consent to marry her, resolved to run away with him, 
 and retire into some island in the Indian Sea. After
 
 86 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 they had taken proper measures for the execution of 
 this design, my mother took with her all the gold and 
 precious stones she could get, and embarked with her 
 lover in a vessel that was bound for Timor. They were 
 cast by the violence of a storm upon the coast of Sumatra ; 
 and my mother, who was then big with me, and almost 
 dead with the tossing of the vessel, no sooner had set her 
 foot on shore than, unwilling to venture her life at sea 
 again, she proposed to Ganim to stay in that island ; and 
 the better to conceal herself from her father's pursuit, she 
 let the vessel she had hired proceed on its voyage to 
 Timor, and retiring to a good widow's house, who lived 
 at Achim, gave her to understand that she and Ganim 
 were two comedians who had been shipwrecked on that 
 coast and saved in the ship's boat. The woman believed 
 what she said ; and as my mother spent a good deal of 
 money, which made the poor woman a little more easy 
 in life, she was very diligent in attending upon her. 
 
 After some months' stay at Achim, my mother was 
 delivered of me ; and nature had expended her store in 
 my production, for I was her masterpiece of beauty. 
 My parents' chief concern was the care of my education. 
 They had been seven years in this city, and, perceiving 
 they had not brought wealth enough with them to live 
 at the rate they had hitherto done, after they had parted 
 with most of their jewels, were thinking of returning to 
 Ceylon, when one night the good woman with whom 
 they lived came home full of joy. I have good news to 
 tell you, said she ; there is a company of comedians 
 just now arrived, who may very probably belong to 
 you, because they have been shipwrecked in several 
 places before their landing in the Island of Sumatra, and 

 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 87 
 
 have these eight or ten years been travelling all over 
 Hind. Dogandar and Ganim could not forbear smiling 
 at the woman's notion. That may very well be, answered 
 my mother, but I will see them act before I make myself 
 known to them, and if I find they belong to our com- 
 pany I will make their joy the more by the surprise of 
 coming upon them when they least of all expect me. 
 The old woman was satisfied with these reasons. She 
 undertook to secure us places, and we went the first 
 time they acted, which was some few days after this 
 discourse. 
 
 The company was made up of very good actors, and 
 Dogandar, seeing her substance grow less and less every 
 day, fell suddenly into a very odd resolution. My dear 
 husband, said she to Ganim, an expedient has just now 
 come into my head that will secure us against want and 
 misery ; let us turn comedians. My father that moment 
 cried out with joy,, embracing my mother very tenderly, 
 That thought, my dear, I have long entertained, but 
 durst not propose it to you. But why so nice ? said she. 
 Nobody knows us here, and as we have all along lived 
 in obscurity, who can tell but that our condition is truly 
 the same with what we are now going to embrace ? nor 
 will our old landlady fail to make the world believe that 
 this has formerly been the profession of our life. But do 
 you think you have a talent for it ? I own, answered 
 Ganim, that this has always been my reigning passion ; 
 and that, if I had been permitted to follow my own in- 
 clination, and my love for you had not detained me in 
 my youthful days, I should, doubtless, have joined myself 
 to the first company that passed through Ceylon. I 
 never carried my desires so far, continued Dogandar ;
 
 88 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 but I have frequently wished that young women of my 
 condition had been permitted to tread the stage. I am 
 willing to believe I could distinguish myself as well 
 by an easy and natural manner of acting as by the 
 practice of the most austere virtue, for virtue is by no 
 means inconsistent with that course of life ; and if those 
 who have hitherto embraced it had but endeavoured to 
 be unblameable in their morals, they would not have 
 rendered disgraceful a profession which on other accounts 
 deserves not to be condemned, since its only tendency 
 is to correct the vices of mankind by setting before their 
 eyes a true and natural picture of the faults and extrava- 
 gancies they daily commit. You reason justly, my dear 
 Dogandar, replied Ganim ; let us turn comedians. 
 
 This resolution, continued the Sultana Alishank, 
 was most punctually followed. Next day my father 
 and mother went and offered themselves to the company, 
 and having each chosen the part wherein they thought 
 they should best succeed, they spoke with so much 
 eloquence and observed such propriety of action that 
 the whole audience returned home charmed with the 
 play and with their two new actors. My mother was 
 somewhat more than three-and-twenty ; but never was 
 there a creature more beautiful. All the young noblemen 
 of Achim, thinking to have as favourable access to her as 
 to the generality of actresses, were incessantly visiting 
 her. She received them with great civility, but soon 
 gave them their answer by informing them that her 
 talents were wholly confined to the theatre. This, how- 
 ever, they could hardly credit ; and therefore, to tempt 
 her further, were continually sending her the richest 
 presents ; but she refused them all, and at length estab-
 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 89 
 
 lished her reputation so well at Achim that everybody 
 looked upon her with admiration. 
 
 The company having remained three years in this 
 city resolved to go through all the rest of the Island of 
 Sumatra. My father and mother, who by this time had 
 got a considerable deal of money, began to doubt with 
 themselves whether they should go along with them or 
 not ; but overcome with the earnest entreaties of the 
 rest, and accustomed to a kind of adoration that exceed- 
 ingly gratified their vanity, they resolved not to leave 
 them. They accordingly established themselves in several 
 places, one after another, with very great success ; and, 
 coming to fix for some time at Palimban, my mother 
 resolved to give me a short part to perform. I was then 
 about thirteen, and very well shaped for my age. My 
 mother's instructions did not a little help me ; and I 
 received such applause at my first appearing on the stage 
 that they feared it would have turned my brain. As I 
 grew in age I increased in beauty, and applied myself so 
 diligently to my new profession that in a very short time 
 I became as great an actress as my mother. Thus every- 
 thing was gay about us ; we lived at ease, were esteemed 
 by everybody, and had abundant reason to be content 
 with our little fortune, when our happiness was all quashed 
 at once by a very cruel accident. 
 
 In a new tragedy, called Innocence Oppressed, Ganim 
 acted the part of a man persecuted by a favourite of 
 the King of Hind, who was in love with his wife. My 
 mother, who acted the wife, was so far from yielding, 
 on account of the favourite's persecution, that she treated 
 him with the utmost disdain. Ganim is falsely accused 
 of crimes that merit death ; and in one of the last scenes
 
 go Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 his enemy brings him a cup of poison and a poniard. 
 My father, before he chooses which of the deaths he 
 will die, outbraves his rival in a speech full of constancy 
 and boldness, recommends to his wife -to avenge him if 
 possible, and, having taken a tender farewell of her, 
 strikes the poniard into the middle of his breast. Just 
 as he is going to expire, his innocence is found out, and 
 the King of Hind, enraged against his favourite, comes 
 to inform my mother, the widow, that she has got her 
 revenge, for that he himself has just then cut off the head 
 of her persecutor. 
 
 This play got the company a vast deal of money, 
 and my mother acted her part therein so very naturally 
 that she always drew tears from the audience; but that 
 which was but a fiction, was, very unluckily for her, 
 turned into a reality. The actor, who represented the 
 favourite, was in good earnest in love with my mother; 
 and, being well convinced of her virtue, he thought with 
 himself that, as long as Ganim was alive, he could have 
 no hope of possessing her ; he, therefore, to get rid of a 
 man whom he reckoned the only obstacle to his happi- 
 ness, invented one of the blackest plots that ever was 
 contrived, for, sharpening to a point the dagger where- 
 with my father was to stab himself when he came to 
 the conclusion of his part, he struck it with such force 
 that it plunged into his body quite up to the hilt. What 
 a surprise was he in to see his blood gush out upon my 
 mother's face, who was then embracing him! But 
 soon knowing the villainy of the other actor's soul, he 
 seized him by the throat, and gave him several blows 
 with the same weapon which laid him flat upon the 
 stage ; and that moment himself expiring, had only time
 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 91 
 
 to put the poniard into my mother's hand, signifying 
 thereby plainly enough the part which he meant her to 
 perform. Her rage made her almost distracted ; she 
 ran to the assassin that moment, and taking advan- 
 tage of his fall and wounds, threw herself upon him 
 and stabbed him in a thousand places, thus reveng- 
 ing my father's death, who had just expired in my 
 arms. Never was there a scene in reality bloodier 
 than this ; and it would certainly have been still more 
 so had not I seized the dagger as my mother was 
 turning it to her breast, and immediately wrested it out 
 of her hand. She then threw herself upon my father's 
 body, heaving such sighs as would have softened the 
 most obdurate heart ; nor was there, indeed, any of 
 the spectators who did not shed tears in abundance at 
 so sad and affecting a spectacle. 
 
 What more shall I say, my dear Yvam ? continued 
 the sultana. Ever after that fatal day my mother 
 detested her profession; and having spent a consider- 
 able time in bewailing her loss of Ganim, she resolved 
 to return again to Ceylon ; and if her father would not 
 pardon her elopement, there to put an end to her life. 
 Accordingly, we went on board the first vessel which set 
 sail for that island, and had a very favourable wind, when 
 we discovered two pirate ships making full at us. As 
 everyone chooses to lose his life rather than his liberty, 
 we made ready to engage them with great courage. The 
 fight was bloody ; but, notwithstanding all the resistance 
 we could make, which indeed was more than credible, the 
 pirates in a short time became our masters, and mas- 
 sacred everyone who opposed their fury. It was not 
 enough for me to be deprived of my liberty. Mine was
 
 92 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 the hard fate to lose my mother likewise, in the heat 
 of the action, for being wounded in the breast with an 
 arrow she died in my arms, who was unable to give her 
 any relief. What became of me in that moment, my dear 
 Yvam, I cannot tell ; I fell into a swoon, and when I 
 came to myself found I was in the pirates' vessel, and 
 that they had thrown my mother's body into the sea. 
 This redoubled my sighs and tears ; many reproachful 
 things I said against these barbarians, but they under- 
 stood me not, and made the best of their way for the 
 coast of Egypt. 
 
 As beauty has a power to overcome the most savage 
 and cruel nations, these pirates beheld me with admira- 
 tion ; the majesty that appeared in my whole person, and 
 the innumerable graces which adorned me, made such an 
 impression on their hearts, that they could not turn their 
 eyes from looking upon me, insomuch that they even 
 forgot sometimes to take care of the vessel. Though the 
 grief I was in had made a considerable alteration in me, 
 yet I could see nothing in all their actions but sur- 
 prise, and was several times for taking advantage of the 
 astonishment they were in to throw myself into the sea ; 
 but they, perceiving my design, carried me down into a 
 cabin, where there could be no danger of my doing myself 
 any mischief. They then came down one by one to take a 
 view of me ; and as if they aimed at the possession of my 
 person, and everyone thought he had a right to pretend 
 to it, they first began to dispute the matter over seriously; 
 but a quarrel arising, they fell to abusing each other. 
 From words they proceeded to blows, and in a short 
 time there was to be seen on our deck one of the most 
 bloody fights that can possibly be imagined. The pirates
 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 93 
 
 of the other ship, surprised at this cruel division, were 
 coming on board us to make peace ; but instead of 
 ending the quarrel they fomented it, and disputing the 
 honour of my conquest they fell upon each other with 
 such rage and fury that in less than three hours' 
 time they were almost all dead of their wounds. So 
 that I was left alone in one vessel, whilst the other, 
 which was almost empty, was bearing away before 
 the wind. 
 
 Since the death of my mother I had been very 
 indifferent to everything I saw, and better pleased to 
 be left to the discretion of the sea and all its monsters 
 than to these pirates, and had waited my death with 
 a deal of unconcern, when I found myself very inclinable 
 to fall asleep. I laid me down, therefore, regardless what 
 fate might determine for me, and fell into a dream which 
 had something uncommon in it. I fancied I was upon 
 the deck of the little vessel I was in, and saw a magnifi- 
 cent chariot rising out of the sea, all shining with mother- 
 of-pearl, and drawn by four sea monsters much like our 
 horses. In the middle of the chariot there sat a man 
 half naked, of a venerable aspect. A large beard fell 
 down to his stomach, and in his right hand he held a 
 spear, which was everywhere beset with precious stones. 
 He was surrounded by a great number of men and women, 
 of a very beautiful form as low as their waist, but whose 
 bodies terminated in the tail of a fish ; and though in 
 the water, they danced very sprightly and passionately 
 to the sound of some instruments whose harmony was 
 delightful. I was wonderfully pleased with my dream, 
 and could not forbear admiring this extraordinary sight, 
 when the man lifted up his eyes to heaven, and reading
 
 94 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 there, doubtless, the misfortunes which threatened my 
 life, shed some tears, and looked upon me with extreme 
 pity. How do I bewail thee, unhappy Alishank ! said 
 he ; but thou canst not avoid thy destiny. And at these 
 words, striking the sea with his spear, he made a wide 
 gulf, where himself and his whole retinue were buried 
 in a moment. The winds then began to blow terribly ; 
 the sea, which before was calm, grew boisterous ; moun- 
 tains of water carried the vessel as high as heaven, and 
 in an instant threw it down into those abysses which 
 in all probability were to be my grave. The thunder, 
 with its most hideous roaring, and the violent tossings 
 of the ship awoke me at that instant, and I soon per- 
 ceived that the end of my dream was too certainly 
 coming to pass. 
 
 During this terrible storm, which lasted two days 
 and two nights, and all the while drove my vessel into 
 open sea, the water came in on every side and threw me at 
 last upon a rock, where that love of life, with which nature 
 never fails to inspire us when in danger, made me forget 
 my insensibility and seize on a plank of the ship, which 
 was now broken into a thousand pieces ; and suffering 
 myself to drive where fortune should please to direct me, 
 I was at length cast on shore at the foot of a mountain 
 inhabited by savages. Some of their women happened 
 luckily to be on the coast when I came on shore ; they 
 made me throw up the water I had swallowed, and per- 
 ceiving some signs of life, carried me into one of their 
 cottages, where they took great care to chafe and warm 
 me. My eyes, though covered with the shadow of death, 
 still resembled the brightness of half-rough or ill-polished 
 diamonds, which have not so good a lustre as others ;
 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 95 
 
 and my lips, which before outvied the coral, were then of 
 a violet colour ; but notwithstanding this cloud disfigured 
 my beauty, these barbarians were so taken with it that 
 they spared no pains to preserve my life. When I had 
 recovered the use of my senses, how great was my 
 sorrow to find myself in the arms of such frightful 
 figures of women as scarce could be called human ! 
 Their language more resembled the howling of wild 
 beasts than anything else ; and as I could not under- 
 stand what they said, I answered them only in sighs 
 which discovered my affliction. Indeed the evils I had 
 suffered had almost deprived me of the use of speech. 
 
 For the first eight days, wherein these women as 
 well as their husbands used all kind offices to recover 
 me from the cruel fatigue I had undergone, I could 
 perceive that my honour was safe among them, and 
 was the more convinced of it by the several sorts of 
 adoration which they paid to me as a divinity. My 
 sorrow at length began to wear off, cheerfulness made 
 me appear a thousand times more beautiful, my charms 
 recovered their former lustre; and arming myself with 
 constancy against the assaults of fortune, I was resolved 
 to bear with courage whatever calamities I had still to 
 undergo. I therefore began to accustom myself to this 
 extraordinary kind of life, and in fewer than four months 
 understood enough of these islanders' language to com- 
 prehend their meaning. I came then to be informed 
 that their custom was in light little barks to scour along 
 the seas, and to sell all the slaves they could find, and 
 that their first intention was to have used me in the 
 same manner; but upon the sight of so many charms 
 and graces in my face, they looked upon me as their
 
 96 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fwn-Hoam 
 
 tutelar goddess, and were so far from selling me that 
 they would treat me as their queen while I continued 
 among them, and would expose themselves to any danger 
 for the preservation of my life and honour. 
 
 I was not a little pleased to know the kind inten- 
 tions of these savages. I desired them to persist in their 
 favourable impressions of me, and promised to requite 
 them with all the gratitude in my power. From that 
 moment I endeavoured to civilize them as much as I 
 could, and to teach them my language. I instructed 
 them in our Hindu customs, and shewed them how to 
 dress their provisions according to our fashion ; all which 
 made these good people look upon me with admiration. 
 When I found myself in the humour I would sometimes 
 act by myself whole comedies before them, with which 
 they were highly delighted. By these means I not only 
 amused myself, but was continually increasing their affec- 
 tion for me. In this manner I lived with them for a year, 
 until on a certain day, which they kept as a festival, their 
 enemies made a descent upon the island and took me 
 away from them. I seem yet to behold the distraction 
 of those poor savages : they raised the most terrible 
 outcries, pursued their enemies with inconceivable fury, 
 and sacrificed to their rage everything which opposed 
 their valour. But all their efforts were in vain. I was 
 put into a bark, and carried to an island not far distant 
 from thence. But as soon as I was well got on shore, 
 my little fleet of islanders came after me and landed. 
 Never was there a battle fought with so much intrepidity 
 as this. They made a terrible slaughter among my 
 ravishers ; and after they had set their habitations on 
 fire, they carried me triumphantly to a bark, which they
 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 97 
 
 placed in the middle of their fleet, and rending the air 
 with acclamations of joy made the best of their way 
 to their own island. I cannot, my dear Yvam, continued 
 the sultana, represent to you the great satisfaction it gave 
 me to see the tender assiduities of these poor savages ; 
 and I was returning them my thanks in the most affec- 
 tionate terms, when a terrible storm arose, which dis- 
 persed all our fleet, and drove the vessel I was in to 
 sea, notwithstanding I had ten or twelve savages on 
 board, who used all their skill and dexterity to make 
 the land. 
 
 The more the storm increased the further we were 
 driven from the island ; and it lasted so long, and blew 
 so hard that in fewer than four days we were near five 
 hundred leagues from home. At length we were thrown 
 upon a rock not far distant from land, and there went 
 ashore ; but we were all so weak with hunger and 
 fatigue, we could hardly support ourselves. My 
 islanders found some turtles, and ate them raw ; but I 
 was, for my own part, so afflicted with this fresh mis- 
 fortune that my thoughts ran upon nothing but dying. 
 The poor savages were greatly concerned to see me in 
 such dejection ; they did all they could to comfort me, 
 with the hopes of recovering their island again ; and one 
 of them brought me a large piece of honeycomb, which 
 he had found in a cleft of a rock, and entreated me to eat 
 it. This nourishment recovered the strength I had lost ; 
 and being resolved to advance with them into the country, 
 we drew our bark ashore, covered it among the weeds, 
 and traversed several parts of the country without being 
 able to discover whether it was inhabited. We came at 
 last to a high point of ground, from whence we could 
 
 7
 
 98 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 discern some huts ; and then, returning the way we had 
 come, we ran our bark out to sea again, and coasted 
 along the shore, till we came over against them ; but 
 just as we were going to land we were surprised by three 
 brigantines that lay hid behind a rock, and were then 
 putting out to sea. My savages at first were for pre- 
 paring to defend themselves, but I begged them not to 
 venture their lives in such an unequal fight, which they 
 complied with ; and so we went undismayed on board 
 one of the brigantines. But how great was my grief to 
 see these poor creatures immediately loaded with chains ! 
 My cries were sufficient to make the most inhuman heart 
 relent : but I had got among a parcel of barbarians, who 
 were more cruel than wild beasts. I understood nothing 
 of their language ; they disregarded my tears, and, as my 
 islanders could not help shewing by their furious looks 
 some resentment of their breach of faith, the perfidious 
 villains massacred them before my eyes, giving me to 
 understand they would treat me in the same manner, 
 unless I dried up my tears. I would gladly have thrown 
 myself into the sea ; but to prevent this they chained 
 me down, and after a month's sailing, wherein they 
 threatened my honour unless I would consent to receive 
 nourishment, they sold me to a slave merchant, who 
 brought me over into China. I must own to you, my 
 dear Yvam, continued the sultana, that of all my mis- 
 fortunes nothing ever touched me so feelingly as the loss 
 of my islanders. I fell into a great dejection of spirit, 
 which alarmed the merchant ; and as my melancholy 
 made great alteration in my beauty he thought the only 
 way to cure it was to let me know he designed me for 
 the King of China's seraglio ; that honour, however, did
 
 Adventures of the Sultana Alishank 99 
 
 not flatter my vanity, and I came to Kambalu just as a 
 victim is brought to the altar. 
 
 It is the custom, as you cannot but know, on a 
 certain day appointed for that purpose, to have all the 
 young women who are to be presented to that monarch 
 appear in a large outer room of the palace ; but that 
 there may be no art in the case, they are all dressed alike 
 at the expense of the prime wazir. The Sultan of China, 
 who you know is very old and much more homely, had 
 several times gone along the room disguised like a 
 woman to take a near view and examination of us ; after 
 which, putting on his robes, all beset with the most 
 refulgent precious stones, he seated himself upon his 
 throne, and making us pass in review before him, gave 
 a sign to the wazir, when any one had the honour to 
 please him, to put us within the rails of his throne. We 
 were above a hundred and fifty in all, but the sultan only 
 took three for himself, whereof I had the misfortune to be 
 one. As to the others, he bought about sixty of them, 
 which he presented among his chief officers, and the rest 
 he ordered to be sent away. 
 
 The extreme melancholy which appeared in my 
 looks gave the sultan much uneasiness. Dear Alishank, 
 said he to me, squeezing me very gently, the division of 
 such a heart as mine, I perceive, does not please you, and 
 the other two sultanas I have chosen alarm you. Well, 
 then, to shew you how much I love you, I will give them 
 away to my prime wazir. Ah! sir, said I, throwing 
 myself at his feet, this sacrifice is such a proof of your 
 love as I shall always endeavour to merit by a strict 
 performance of the duty I owe to so powerful a monarch, 
 whom I will continue to respect as long as I live. It is 
 
 72
 
 ioo Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 not respect, says the sultan to me, taking me up in his 
 arms, but it is love that I require of you. You do not 
 answer me, adorable light of my life ! Are not you 
 mistress of your own heart ? Ah ! I would die with grief 
 sooner than put any force upon your inclinations ! I 
 must confess I was sensibly touched with such tender 
 and submissive language. I have no affection for anyone, 
 said I, and I wish still to continue in the same indifference. 
 Ah ! my dear Alishank, replied the amorous monarch, 
 that assurance has restored my life. What shall I say, 
 Yvam ? continued the sultana ; after a great many re- 
 spectful denials I at last consented to gratify the king's 
 ardent desires. As soon as he had received this agreeable 
 intelligence, I was put into the hands of seven old slaves 
 of the seraglio, who are appointed to attend on his 
 favourites. They first conducted me to a bath, and 
 afterwards to the King of China's apartment, who waited 
 for me with the greatest impatience, and as soon as I 
 entered the chamber he ran to me, and, dismissing the 
 slaves, helped to undress me himself, and entreated me to 
 come to bed. I felt a chilling horror thrill through my 
 whole frame, and the night habiliments, wherein the 
 sultan lay, made him seem still more ugly in my eyes ; I 
 was, however, obliged to obey, and he the next day pro- 
 claimed me Queen of China. So much goodness, one 
 would imagine, must have endeared him to me ; but still 
 I cannot endure his embraces, though I am not in a 
 condition to refuse them. I find, however, that my 
 aversion to him every day increases, and am very sensible 
 it proceeds in a great measure from the love which I 
 have for my dear Yvam. Why is he not the Sultan of 
 China ? or why may not I live with him out of the
 
 Adventures of Mo nig and of Alishank 101 
 
 seraglio, and be eased of all this grandeur which is but 
 a burden to me ? 
 
 This, madam, continued Fum-Hoam, is what I 
 heard the beautiful Alishank relate, when I was in the 
 form of an ape. I shall now proceed to inform your 
 Majesty of the sultana's further adventures. 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE ADVENTURES OF 
 THE APE MORUG, AND OF THE SULTANA 
 ALISHANK 
 
 LOVE ever makes happy lovers blind, of which 
 Alishank and Yvam were but too sad an instance. That 
 beautiful person forgot all her melancholy in the arms of 
 my master ; but she forgot at the same time the laws of 
 honour and her duty. Adored, as she was, by one of the 
 most powerful monarchs upon earth, she could want 
 nothing that tended to her satisfaction ; but she made an 
 ill use of it. The immense riches she had at her disposal, 
 the excessive honours perpetually paid her, and the 
 tender love of her husband, could not all make her enter 
 into herself ; she had nothing in her thoughts but her 
 dear Yvam, and how to devote those nights to him 
 which she did not pass with the sultan. 
 
 My master's chamber was at the entrance of the 
 seraglio ; and to come at it, there were two large galleries 
 where a number of women and very wakeful eunuchs lay; 
 but the madness of Alishank's passion had such dominion 
 over her, that she prevailed with the eunuch, who was to 
 guard her lover, to put an infusion of prepared laudanum
 
 102 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 into a sort of sherbet which they used to give the women 
 and eunuchs every night, and taking advantage of 
 their sleep, she went to Yvam. This passed on for some 
 time ; but, as ill luck would have it, hitting her foot one 
 night against a parcel of arms which stood against the 
 chief eunuch's door, her fall made such a noise that it 
 awoke him. He jumped out of bed, and seizing Alishank 
 who was wrapped in a great cloak, held a dagger to her 
 throat, and so carried her into his own apartment ; but 
 was in the highest surprise, when, by the light of his 
 lamp, he perceived it was the Queen of China. Gabao, 
 said she, my going out of the seraglio at this time of 
 night may give you room to suspect some irregularity in 
 my conduct, which is no way blameable; for curiosity 
 was my only fault. I request it may be a secret, how- 
 ever, and you may depend upon it, you shall have no 
 cause to repent this piece of service. Gabao had time 
 enough to recover his surprise ; and, seeing the queen in 
 a disguise so inconsistent with her honour, and wherein 
 she discovered so many charms, he could not forbear 
 conceiving desires, which (how inconsistent soever they 
 were) entirely dissipated the terror she was in. The 
 eunuch's rash and indiscreet discourse, some actions 
 in him a little too free, and to which she herself perhaps 
 gave occasion, made her instantly take the expedient to 
 get from him. Having repulsed him with the greatest 
 disdain, she seemed violently enraged at his insolence, 
 and treated him, in short, with such a haughty air that 
 he durst no longer hold her in his profane arms ; and she, 
 taking the opportunity of this mark of respect to dis- 
 entangle herself, slipped away nimbly, and recovered her 
 chamber before he perceived she was gone.
 
 Adventures of Morug and of Alishank 103 
 
 It is scarcely to be conceived how exceedingly 
 uneasy this accident made Alishank, and how it raised 
 her indignation to think of having been exposed to the 
 insolent embraces of this eunuch, which she was resolved 
 to revenge by one of the boldest strokes imaginable. The 
 Sultan of China never failed to dine with her, and Gabao 
 used always to be present. As the conversation naturally 
 turned upon the blind obedience his subjects paid him, 
 she told the king she would be well pleased to try the 
 experiment with one of his eunuchs, upon a slight 
 occasion ; but that she desired the eunuch, whoever he 
 was, should be entirely at her disposal. You may easily 
 satisfy yourself on that point, my dear queen, answered 
 the good king ; choose you any, even from Gabao to the 
 lowest slave I have ; I make you a present of him, and 
 from this moment you have an absolute power over his 
 life and death. Since your Majesty has so much good- 
 ness, replied Alishank, with an air full of joy, Gabao 
 himself is the person I make choice of; and the matter 
 of obedience I require of him is this, that from the present 
 moment he begins to be voluntarily mute ; insomuch, that 
 on any account whatever, even though your august 
 Majesty should ask him a question or order him to speak, 
 he presume not to answer, either by word of mouth or by 
 any sign whatever until I give him permission ; and that 
 if he obey not this order with the most exact submission, 
 he may assure himself I will have him thrown into the 
 canal in the garden, with a stone about his neck. 
 
 An order of so singular a nature made the sultan 
 laugh heartily ; he confirmed to the queen the present he 
 had made her of the chief of his eunuchs, and began to 
 divert himself by asking him a thousand questions about
 
 104 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 the duties of his office, but could not draw from him so 
 much as a single answer. At every question the king 
 asked, the queen cast a furious look upon Gabao, who 
 was sorely vexed at her resolution, but for his heart he 
 knew not what to do. If he opened his mouth to 
 explain to the sultan the last night's adventure, his 
 death was sure ; if he held his tongue and said nothing 
 of it, he saw he must fall into the power of an inexorable 
 mistress, who wanted but an opportunity to destroy one 
 who was witness of the irregularity of her conduct, and 
 could inform her husband of it ; he made choice, how- 
 ever, of the latter resolution, in hopes of mollifying the 
 sultana's heart by his submission ; but in this he was 
 mistaken. 
 
 As soon as Alishank retired from the sultan's 
 presence, she found all her hatred against Gabao 
 awaken in her breast ; while he lay prostrate upon the 
 ground, not daring to lift up his eyes towards her, with 
 his blood chilled in his veins through fear. Rise up, 
 said she, and follow me. He readily obeyed her, and 
 was two days together exposed to all the questions of 
 the sultana's slaves, without speaking a word. On the 
 third day Alishank went into the garden, and stayed 
 there till almost night, seemingly very easy, and 
 delighted with everything, when, on a sudden, she 
 desired to bathe herself in the canal. The water was 
 low ; and as soon as a tent was erected by the side of 
 the canal for the purpose, she called Gabao in. Come, 
 undress me, said she. The poor man trembled exceed- 
 ingly, not knowing where this ceremony would end. 
 He, however, obeyed her commands, till at length, 
 transported at the sight of so many charms as the
 
 Adventures of Morug and of Alishank 105 
 
 sultana maliciously disclosed, he forgot the severe order 
 he had received, and in a kind of ecstacy, which he 
 could not restrain, cried out, Good God ! how beautiful 
 she is. Seize him, said Alishank, immediately ; tie a 
 stone about his neck, and cast him into the canal. 
 The people were not very ready to execute her orders, 
 believing her only in jest ; when, putting herself into a 
 violent passion, I will be obeyed ! said she. At which 
 words the eunuchs fell upon Gabao, tied his hands 
 behind his back, and a stone about his neck ; but still 
 supposing the affair would end in some slight punish- 
 ment, when she commanded them peremptorily to throw 
 the poor man into the canal. Though her orders were 
 executed with some reluctance, yet Gabao was never- 
 theless drowned in a few moments and the queen saw 
 him die with a satisfaction so great, that it rendered 
 her an object of detestation even to her slaves. 
 
 As soon as Gabao was dead, Alishank sent the 
 sultan word of the disobedience and punishment of his 
 slave. He was much surprised and concerned at it, 
 but shewed no signs of displeasure to his wife ; on the 
 contrary, he had the goodness to approve of the chastise- 
 ment she had inflicted on the chief of his eunuchs. 
 But though the king seemed satisfied with this cruel 
 action of the queen, yet other people were not so; for 
 Gabao was well beloved in the seraglio, and used his 
 power with much lenity ; so that the great severity of 
 his successor served to render his memory still more 
 regretted. They endeavoured, therefore, to find out the 
 reason of the queen's* taking this vengeance, as she was 
 always before reckoned a sweet-tempered lady ; and a cer- 
 tain female slave, who was some relation to Gabao, having
 
 io6 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 observed how remarkably sound herself and companions 
 slept every night, began to think with herself that it 
 must of necessity be the effect of some drug or other 
 being mixed with the sherbet. For several days, there- 
 fore, she abstained from drinking any, and by that means 
 soon became acquainted with the queen's treason ; and 
 following her as far as Yvam's door, without making the 
 least noise, was presently assured of Alishank's infidelity. 
 Accordingly, she acquainted the sultan with the discovery 
 she had made, who could at first scarcely believe a thing 
 so incredible ; but being at length convinced of his dis- 
 honour by his own eyes, he ordered Yvam to be burnt 
 alive, and Alishank's head to be cut off. 
 
 While they were throwing Alishank's body into the 
 flames which consumed my poor master, I made my 
 escape over the walls of the seraglio, got into the woods, 
 and there continued for seven or eight months, in the 
 deepest regret for my late delicious life, until I met with 
 a company of comedians, and leaping on the waggon that 
 carried their baggage I was very well received by them. 
 The truth is, I drew a great number of people to them 
 by my nimble and active tricks ; nay, sometimes I acted a 
 dumb part, and made such grimaces as they taught 
 me, a little before the play began ; and it was one of 
 these unlucky parts which cost me my life. One day, 
 as I was in a soldier's dress, to act a sort of bully, and 
 standing at the play-house door, a company of Hindus 
 began to quarrel with each other, and in a moment's 
 time twelve or fifteen sabres were drawn. I could not 
 endure to be an idle spectator in 'this scene, but longed 
 to be in the midst of them ; taking, therefore, my sabre 
 in my hand, I laid about me as others did. It was not
 
 Story of Magmti, Midwife of Astrakhan 107 
 
 in my power greatly to hurt those I encountered, because 
 my sabre was of wood ; however, one of these brutes, 
 being violently enraged at a blow I had given him on 
 the face, made no distinction whether I was a man or an 
 ape, but with a single back-stroke of his sabre took off 
 my head. My death occasioned much grief among all the 
 comedians, for I brought them in a great deal of money. 
 
 Ah ! what a pity was that ! cried the Q^ieen of 
 Gannan ; deuce take that hot-headed fellow for his pains ! 
 The adventures, however, of the ape, and the Sultana 
 Alishank, have been very entertaining ; nor should I 
 grudge to hear a further account of the unlucky pranks 
 of that animal. They were innumerable, madam, 
 answered the mandarin Fum-Hoam ; but such frivolous 
 stories would only weary your Majesty's patience ; for 
 which reason, I have omitted a thousand little tricks, 
 such as I, since the time I was an ape, have imitated, 
 and which have nothing remarkable in them ; with your 
 permission, then, I will pass on to some new adventures. 
 With all my heart, answered Gulchinraz ; I take 
 great pleasure in hearing you relate them. 
 
 STORY OF MAGMU, MIDWIFE OF 
 ASTRAKHAN 
 
 As soon as I left the body of the ape. Morug, I 
 found myself in a moment transported into Tartary, and 
 animated the body of a midwife's daughter at Astrakhan, 
 who had not many scruples about her own conduct, and
 
 io8 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 knew how to enjoy the first years of my youth, much to 
 her own humour and advantage ; for which purpose she 
 instructed me perfectly in the art of pleasing. They 
 called me Magmu ; and though I was naturally hand- 
 some enough, yet I had such art in setting off my 
 beauty, that when I undertook to make a conquest it 
 was impossible to escape me. Not a word proceeded 
 out of my mouth that was not studied, neither did I 
 open n^r shut my lips but with design. To know 
 perfectly well how to counterfeit a violent passion, to 
 sigh apropos, to make an attractive gesture, to trifle 
 agreeably, and to collect the various graces of dumb 
 eloquence into one single smile, were all arts in which 
 I excelled. In short, I had such ambition to surpass 
 all other young women of my age that I was whole 
 hours before the glass, to examine what clothes gave 
 the greatest lustre to my beauty, what coloured stuffs 
 best became me, which was the most graceful way of 
 tying up my hair, and how a curl might hang loose upon 
 my neck to the greatest advantage ; how to open, shut, 
 or move my lips with an air, to shew my teeth without 
 affectation, to appear with a full or side face, as best 
 suited the occasion, and to adjust my veil with a good 
 grace ; in short, madam, it seemed as if some invisible 
 being gave life to my gestures and actions, and all the 
 constituent parts appeared to have received a peculiar 
 polish from the hand of that able master ; and I changed 
 myself into so many different forms that I sometimes 
 looked upon myself with admiration ; and if I may so 
 say, even adored my own hand, which knew so well 
 how to infuse the soul of every beauty into a body of 
 itself sufficiently defective. These were the snares I
 
 Story of Magmu, Midwife of Astrakhan 109 
 
 spread with so much address, and wherein I caught and 
 retained my admirers. You would be almost astonished, 
 madam, for instance, to see a lover I had just smiled on 
 tenderly, go out of his senses, and seem as much en- 
 chanted as if he had got into some great magician's 
 circle. I changed one into a lion by my disdain ; 
 another into a dog by his ready obedience to my least 
 motion ; another into a hare by his timidity and dread 
 of displeasing me, or the fear of being roughly handled 
 by his rivals ; and almost all, into such unclean beasts 
 as only take pleasure in mire and dirt. 
 
 If the love of a beautiful, virtuous, young lady 
 elevates the hearts of her adorers, making heroes of 
 them, and striking, as it were, the sparks of bravery 
 and generosity out of them ; the passion which men 
 entertain for a coquette, such as I was, being widely 
 distant from the path of honour, not only destroys the 
 seeds of virtue but carries prevailing vices to the 
 greatest height. My house was the general rendezvous 
 of all the vicious youths in Astrakhan. Gaming and 
 assemblies every night, under the protection of a Kadi, 
 furnished them with all sorts of diversions ; and I was 
 the only subject of the discourses, the amorous looks 
 and wanton thoughts of all those who frequented it. 
 This monstrous course of life continued as long as I was 
 young ; but when my hair began to turn white, and 
 wrinkles appeared on my face, all my lovers, one after 
 another, quickly disappeared ; and with them fled the 
 plenty that used to reign in my house. I now found by 
 experience that at a certain age one may have new 
 passions but want new adorers. Far from having pre- 
 served in my youth a stock sufficient to maintain me
 
 no Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 in ease when advanced in years, I had been always too 
 profuse, and must have lived in the utmost poverty, if I 
 had not in my latter years applied myself to the pro- 
 fession of midwifery, which my mother had taught me 
 in my youth. 
 
 It would fill several volumes to describe all the 
 adventures wherein I had a part, and how many young 
 women, widows, and unknown persons, applied them- 
 selves to me ; but I shall pass by these incidents, and 
 relate to you only that which put an end to my life. 
 One very dark night, while I was fast asleep in my 
 bed, two men came and knocked loudly at my door, 
 and calling me by my name ordered me in the name 
 of the Governor of Astrakhan, to come quickly to help 
 one of his wives, who was then in labour. As my 
 profession obliged me to go out at all hours of the 
 night, I came down in great haste to go along with 
 the men ; no sooner had they turned the corner of 
 our street than they threatened to stab me if I attempted 
 to cry out, and, covering my eyes with a handkerchief, 
 they made me walk in this manner a full hour, and at 
 length brought me into a neat apartment, where they 
 unbound my eyes, and put me into the hands of a young 
 man about twenty, whose face was covered with a double 
 veil. 
 
 I seemed to be in no small concern, when the man 
 assured me I had nothing to apprehend. Be not afraid, 
 said he ; only make ready to deliver a woman in the 
 chamber to which I shall conduct you. This room had 
 but one lamp in it, which gave a very faint light, and by 
 its glimmering infused a secret horror, which was still 
 more augmented by the complaints and bitter cries which
 
 Story of Magmu, Midivife of Astrakhan in 
 
 came from beneath a canopy of green cloth. I drew near 
 towards it, and there saw a young person whose eyes, 
 though drowned in tears, seemed full of vivacity ; and 
 the moment. I told her who I was she redoubled her 
 tears, and embracing me very tenderly, conjured me to 
 prevail with her inhuman brother to save at least the 
 miserable fruit of her frailty. With these words her 
 affliction was so great that she fainted away ; and some 
 few moments after, by the help of a very strong pain, I 
 assisted her to bring into the world a most beautiful boy. 
 But no sooner was the little infant born than the young 
 woman's barbarous brother, looking steadfastly upon 
 him, found all his rage return into his heart, and taking 
 the child in one hand and presenting the mother a poinard 
 with the other, ordered her to plunge it instantly into the 
 little innocent's breast. I yet, madam, tremble with 
 horror at the recital of so much cruelty ! The unhappy 
 woman, not able to bear this horrid proposition, died away 
 a second time ; when the inhuman monster, putting the 
 poinard into her hand, directed it to the infant's throat, 
 and so took away his life ; then taking the dead body of 
 a young man, about twenty years old, all bloody, out of a 
 chest, he set it directly over against his sister. As soon 
 as this sad victim of enraged fury had recovered her 
 spirits, and seen in what condition the dead body and 
 her son were, she screamed out. Barbarous villain ! said 
 she, finish thy crime upon me ; for after thou hast deprived 
 me of what is most dear to me in the world, without con- 
 sidering it is thy master's blood thou hast spilt, can'st 
 thou be so cruel as to let me live ? Ah ! I will deprive 
 thee of that pleasure ! and since thou hast made me 
 against my will the murderer of my son, I know how
 
 H2 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 to revenge the crime upon myself ; not doubting but 
 that Heaven will punish thee for thy inhumanity ! And 
 with these words she plunged the poinard into her heart, 
 and vomited up her indignant soul in streams of blood. 
 I shrieked violently at this last catastrophe ; but the 
 cruel villain, not willing to have any witness of his horrid 
 crimes, struck off my head with one blow of his sabre. 
 
 How do I pity the fate of this unhappy person ! 
 said the Queen of China ; what baseness is there in the 
 whole conduct of this barbarous brother ! and how con- 
 cerned am I, that you cannot relate me the particulars 
 of her misfortune, whose body it was that was set before 
 her, and the true motive of this monster's fury ! Above 
 thirty years after this adventure, replied the mandarin, 
 I was informed of the whole transaction, and will relate 
 to you the particulars in its proper time; but to follow, 
 madam, the order of things, you must know, that after 
 I ceased to animate the midwife, I went into the Mogul's 
 country, and entered into the body of the Sultan of 
 Agra's only son. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF MOGIRADDIN, KING OF 
 AGRA, AND OF RUZ-BAHARI, PRINCESS 
 OF PEGU 
 
 MY father, Moaggim, Sultan of Agra, had no other 
 child than me ; he called me Mogiraddin, and when I was 
 eighteen years of age I had the misfortune to lose him. 
 I succeeded him, however, on the throne, and after a
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 113 
 
 short time spent in mourning and the care of my king- 
 dom, had some thoughts of choosing me a wife. I had 
 heard vast commendations of the exceeding great beauty 
 of Ruz-Bahari, the only daughter of the Sultan of Pegu, 
 who at fifteen had eclipsed all the princesses of the 
 East ; but being resolved to judge for myself, I left the 
 administration of my kingdom to three of my wazirs, 
 and after passing over the Mogul's country and the 
 Gulf of Bengal, I arrived in the city of Pegu accom- 
 panied only by three persons, amongst whom my 
 governor was one. The princess frequently appeared 
 in public, and when at any time she lifted up her veil 
 everyone was enchanted with the charms which over- 
 spread her face ; she played at the mall the day I arrived 
 in the city, and I must own to you, madam, that from 
 the first moment I beheld her my liberty was lost ; nay, 
 I became in a manner distracted, and when I came into 
 the good woman's house, which my governor had hired 
 for me, I threw myself upon a sofa, and passed the rest 
 of the day and all the succeeding night in very great 
 disorder. When I had duly considered the matter, I 
 perceived this manner of life could never advance my 
 interest with the princess ; and therefore determined to 
 resume my usual temper, and ate that day with a good 
 appetite. 
 
 The old woman with whom I lodged was of a very 
 gay temper, and I took much pleasure in talking with her. 
 One day, as our discourse turned upon Ruz-Bahari, I 
 was given to understand, to my great concern, that the 
 princess was as whimsical as beautiful, and that the king, 
 her father, severely repented an oath he had made, to 
 let her dispose of herself in marriage, because more than 
 
 8
 
 114 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 twenty princes had paid their addresses to her, every 
 one seeming handsomer than the rest ; and yet, upon 
 some slight reason or other, she had refused them all. 
 The least trifle served for a pretence, and was with 
 her a material blemish. One was too gay, another too 
 melancholy ; one had a jealous look, another was in love 
 with himself ; such a prince had too small eyes, such a 
 one too large ones ; this man had either too flat or too 
 high a nose, and the next either too much or too little 
 wit ; in short, madam, whether it was merely her caprice, 
 a peculiar aversion to marriage, or a natural love of 
 liberty, so it was that she had never yet met with a man 
 who entirely hit her taste. As soon as I heard what dis- 
 position she was of, I was resolved to take a method 
 quite different from that which had been pursued by all 
 those princes who had failed in their endeavours to gain 
 her affection. They had uniformly treated her with the 
 most servile adoration, and were of course despised ; for 
 my part I proposed to affect the utmost indifference for 
 the whole sex, but more especially for the princess. I 
 went, therefore, to make my compliments to the King of 
 Pegu, and gave him to understand that I was the Sultan 
 of Agra. He pressed me to lodge in a palace adjoining 
 to his own, which was separated only by a parterre of 
 very choice flowers. I saw him several times successively, 
 without making the least mention of Ruz-Bahari ; and 
 being surprised at my little curiosity in not appearing 
 desirous to see the princess, he rallied me on the occasion 
 with a considerable deal of wit. Sir, said I, I am not 
 come hither, as other princes do, to admire the charming 
 Ruz-Bahari ; it was merely the pleasure of travelling 
 which occasioned me to leave my kingdom. Thanks to
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 115 
 
 our great Prophet ! the most celebrated beauties I have 
 seen could never make any impression on my heart. 
 Besides, I understand the princess has refused the ad- 
 dresses of the most accomplished princes of the East, 
 finding some fault or other with every one of them ; since 
 therefore I, who pretend to no beauty, and by hunting 
 and travelling have been far from improving my com- 
 plexion, even though I were not indifferent to the sex, 
 cannot compare with the meanest of those whom she has 
 rejected. I must even make the insensibility with which 
 I am blessed, my preservation against the like disgrace. 
 We shall soon see whether you are able to keep your 
 word, said the King of Pegu to me, smiling ; to-morrow 
 I invite you to dine with Ruz-Bahari, and am extremely 
 apprehensive you will not find your resolution capable of 
 resisting my daughter's charms. 
 
 The less eagerness I discovered to see the princess, 
 the more the king pressed me to accept of his invitation ; 
 and, though I had in reality the most eager desire to be- 
 hold her, yet I raised many difficulties ; nor did I at last 
 consent till it seemed necessary, consistent with good 
 manners, not longer to refuse. On the day following, 
 however, I failed not to be at court by dinner-time. I 
 chose to be dressed very plain, and, though I was enrap- 
 tured with the princess's charms, I was yet so far master 
 of my actions as not to discover the least admiration of 
 her. Ruz-Bahari, who had been informed of my dis- 
 course the night before, spared nothing to improve her 
 natural beauty. She had added every ornament that 
 could increase the lustre of her charms, and was so con- 
 cerned to see the little notice I took of her (not so much 
 as saying one polite thing to flatter her vanity), that she 
 
 82
 
 u6 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 was ready to die with vexation. It was a great pleasure 
 to me to see the effect of my precaution ; and as I had 
 a strict watch over myself, I preserved such gaiety and 
 freedom of spirit through the whole entertainment that 
 the princess was not able to sit it out, but presently 
 withdrew, pretending a slight indisposition. I, too, rose 
 from the table, apparently as unconcerned as when I 
 came in, but in reality the most in love of any man 
 living. This conduct I pursued for a whole month ; that 
 is, I all along affected the most perfect insensibility, and 
 by this means brought the princess so effectually to 
 change her manners, that she gave me to understand, 
 notwithstanding all my indifference to her, I was the 
 only prince who had ever yet occasioned her a sigh. It 
 was with much apparent reluctance I was brought to 
 comply, but at length I consented to marry her with 
 her father's permission, which she readily obtained. 
 
 Great preparations were made for celebrating the 
 nuptials with all the magnificence befitting our con- 
 dition, and the day drew near ; when, one evening, as 
 I was mentioning to the princess the great obligations I 
 found myself under to her for preferring me before the 
 finest princes of the East I cannot well tell, sir, said 
 she, by what fatality this came to pass. I had vowed 
 never to be in love, and slighted the offers of all the 
 monarchs upon earth; their passion was only a fatigue 
 to me, but your insensibility gave me an uneasiness 
 which I did all in my power to dissipate, not having any 
 intention of engaging myself to you ; but in the present 
 situation of our affairs I shall not blush to own that, had 
 you continued your indifference much longer, I should 
 have fallen into despair. Ah, beautiful princess! said I,
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin arid of Ruz-Bahari 117 
 
 I never was a moment without loving you ; your first 
 looks reached my heart, and I only affected an insensi- 
 bility to your whole sex in order to inflame you. I 
 redoubled my indifference in proportion as I saw your 
 love increase, and by this innocent artifice have arrived 
 at the height of my felicity, since in two days I shall 
 possess the adorable Ruz-Bahari. 
 
 This declaration, which was a little too ingenuous, 
 made the princess blush. She was secretly chagrined at 
 having been so imposed on, and fell into a sudden gloom 
 which it was not in my power to dissipate the whole 
 day. On the morrow I found her somewhat easier, and 
 flattered myself she had forgiven the artifice I had made 
 use of; but I soon discovered my mistake, and how 
 dangerous a thing it is to be too sincere with women. 
 We were sitting at dinner with the King of Pegu, and \ 
 was going to eat the wing of a pheasant, when a bee 
 chanced to sting me on the cheek, which gave me such 
 exquisite pain for a moment that the wing fell out of my 
 hand upon the princess's robe. She instantly took occa- 
 sion to quarrel with me, seemed highly offended at the 
 accident, pretended I did it on purpose to affront her, and 
 without regarding my excuses rose hastily from the table, 
 and declared to her father she would never be my wife. 
 
 You may imagine, madam, my surprise, and the 
 King of Pegu's anger. It was in vain for him to make 
 use of his authority ; she regarded it not, and gave him 
 to understand that she would stab herself to the heart 
 rather than give me her hand. After I had in vain 
 endeavoured for five or six days, by every possible 
 method of submission, to appease her anger, I fell into 
 the utmost despair, and was for making some attempts
 
 n8 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 upon my life, and punishing one folly by another, when 
 my governor staying my arm Sir, said he, I will revenge 
 you of this capricious princess, and in a short time make 
 her repent severely the treating you with so much cruelty. 
 Let me have but this one night to consult a jinni, who 
 never fails me, and I will engage for the success of this 
 matter. 
 
 Everything which flattered my passion abated my 
 grief. I hearkened, therefore, to my governor, but had 
 not much rest that night. In the morning he explained 
 to me the reason of Ruz-Bahari's unaccountable resent- 
 ment. The motive, said he to me, which occasions the 
 princess to treat her lovers in so haughty a manner is 
 this : she keeps in her possession a little piece of gold, 
 which a skilful fairy once gave to her mother, and while 
 that continues in her custody all the efforts of her lovers 
 will be in vain ; nor indeed can anyone become her 
 husband without incurring the greatest misfortunes, 
 unless she presents him with this piece of gold, or he 
 gets it from her by some stratagem. It is constantly 
 tied to her girdle with a gold chain, and she does not put 
 it off the whole night long. The jinni who has promised 
 me his protection has engaged to procure it me in a 
 short time, but the better to deceive the princess it will 
 be proper to take leave of the king and quit the city ; in 
 the meanwhile, depend upon me for the execution of the 
 project. I followed my governor's advice implicitly ; and 
 shall now, madam, relate to you the method which the 
 jinni pursued to revenge me. 
 
 Ruz-Bahari was accustomed every evening to walk 
 in the gardens belonging to the palace, and sitting one 
 afternoon by the side of a basin, ruminating a little by
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 119 
 
 herself, she saw when she came to rise, a lizard running 
 upon her. Having an extreme aversion to this sort 
 of reptiles, she screamed out terribly, and tearing her 
 robe in pieces did her utmost to get rid of it, but all 
 to no purpose. It got between her golden girdle and 
 her stays, and there twisted itself in such a manner 
 that the priricess could think of no other expedient to 
 get quit of the creature but loosening her girdle and 
 throwing it with the piece of gold, into the basin near 
 which she was sitting. When the princess was some- 
 what recovered from her fright, she looked in the water 
 for her piece of gold ; but it was to no purpose, for 
 the gold and the lizard had both disappeared. Never 
 was any person more grieved with an accident than 
 the princess with this. She had the basin emptied to 
 the very last drop, and the pipes, which carried the 
 water either in or out of it broken into pieces ; but all 
 their searches proved ineffectual, and her concern for 
 the loss of the piece of gold became so violent that 
 she retired to her apartment, and would receive no 
 consolation. 
 
 My governor did not deceive me. The jinni who 
 had taken the shape of a lizard brought him the piece 
 of gold, which he put into my hands. I then washed 
 my face with a certain water he gave me, which entirely 
 changed my features, and presenting myself, as he advised 
 me, to the king, who wanted a groom, in order to serve 
 him in that capacity, was received into the stables. 
 For eight or nine days and nights I performed the 
 offices of my new vocation, during all which time the 
 princess continued weeping, without once closing her 
 eyes. The King of Pegu was greatly afflicted at his
 
 i2o Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 daughter's situation. He proclaimed by sound of 
 trumpet that he would give a hundred thousand pieces 
 of gold to anyone who would bring the piece that was 
 lost. The next day I presented myself before the 
 king, as I was instructed, and shewed both him and 
 the princess the chain which belonged to the piece, 
 and promised in ten days to procure the" piece itself, 
 provided I might for so many nights be permitted 
 to lie in the glass-closet at the end of one of the galleries 
 of the palace, which was the only recompense I would 
 desire. I was looked upon as a vain, silly fellow, but 
 my proposal was nevertheless accepted, and the princess 
 was so charmed with the hope of again recovering the 
 piece that her joy nearly proved as fatal as her grief 
 had threatened. The night came. I was conducted 
 into the glass-closet, where they fastened me in ; nor 
 could I well tell what I had to do there, when the 
 jinni appeared to me in the shape of a young child. 
 I have just now, said he to me, cast the princess and 
 all her slaves into a deep sleep ; promise me that you 
 will marry her and I will conduct you into her apartment. 
 I swear to you, said I, by the gutter of gold, and by 
 the black stone, which are at Meccah, that I will not 
 only make her my spouse, but will likewise promise never 
 to have any other wife as long as I live. This is suffi- 
 cient, said the jinni. As for the last article of your 
 oath, that I will excuse you. He then pushed back 
 one of the glasses, which was a kind of private door 
 into Ruz-Bahari's apartment, where he made me first 
 go into the bath which had been prepared for the 
 princess, and then led me to her bed. As soon as it 
 was day the jinni awoke me, and carried me back
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 121 
 
 to the closet, whence in about an hour the king's 
 people came and let me out. For nine nights together 
 I went on at this rate, at the expiration of which time 
 the jinni transported me and my three officers into the 
 city of Agra, without suffering me to perform my promise; 
 but, on the contrary, desired me to preserve the piece of 
 gold. I was not a little surprised to find myself in my 
 own palace at a time when I least of all expected it, 
 and could not forbear upbraiding the jinni. Be not 
 uneasy about your mistress, said he, she has not yet 
 been sufficiently punished for her caprice ; you shall 
 see her again at a convenient time. 
 
 While I waited with impatience the result of these 
 promises, Ruz-Bahari was plunged in the deepest sorrow 
 and despair to find the groom was gone without return- 
 ing her the piece of gold ; but how greatly was her 
 anguish increased, when at the end of two months she 
 found herself with child, without being able to account 
 in what manner it could possibly happen ! As she was in 
 the glass-closet one day, musing and considering with 
 herself, she accidently pushed slightly against one of the 
 sashes, which immediately flew open, and discovered 
 the communication between that place and her apartment. 
 How great was her confusion upon the sight of this ! 
 Heavens! cried she to herself; has a sorry groom been 
 able to obtain what I have denied to the Sultan of Agra ? 
 Ah, Mogiraddin ! you are sufficiently revenged on my 
 capricious humour, did you but know my present shame 
 and dishonour ! At these words the princess melted into 
 tears ; and being for some time buried in thought, she at 
 length resolved to leave the palace. For this purpose 
 she took with her a purse full of gold ; and putting ofi
 
 122 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 the habit of a slave went out at one of the garden gates, 
 and walked the whole day without taking any refresh- 
 ment. About the close of the evening she arrived at the 
 entrance of a village, near a fountain, at which an old 
 woman was washing her linen, and desired to have a 
 lodging in her house that night ; and to encourage her 
 the more, presented her with a piece of gold. The good 
 old woman conducted her to her cottage, treated her 
 with the utmost tenderness and assiduity, and having 
 given her a good homely supper, obliged her to make 
 use of her own bed, while she herself slept on the straw. 
 Ruz-Bahari was so fatigued with her journey that 
 she grew exceedingly drowsy, and when she went to 
 bed immediately fell asleep, and waked not till the 
 next morning, when she was disturbed very early with 
 the singing of birds. But how great was her surprise 
 when she opened her eyelids to find that, instead of 
 being in the old woman's house, she was lying on a 
 bed of green turf, in a very agreeable country, and 
 clothed in a peasant's habit, but without her purse. 
 What this extraordinary change meant she was at a 
 loss to imagine, and the more she considered, the more 
 her surprise and grief increased. But how mortifying 
 was her condition when she understood from a young 
 man, a tailor, who was passing that way, that she 
 was in the Mogul's country, and just at the gates of 
 Agra ! This news, though it seemed incredible, made 
 her ready to die with grief ; she could not comprehend 
 how it was possible to pass over such a vast tract of 
 land in a single night, and was so deeply affected with 
 the thought that she died away in the young man's 
 arms, whose name was Sabur. But notwithstanding all
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 123 
 
 her melancholy, she was still exceeding beautiful, so that 
 the affliction she was in raised compassion in the tailor's 
 heart. Charming stranger ! said he to her, as soon as 
 she had come to herself, your spirits seem to be cruelly 
 agitated ; come to my house, which is at the entrance of 
 the suburbs of Agra, where you shall be treated with 
 kindness, and my mother and I will endeavour by every 
 assistance in our power to dispel the black cloud of 
 melancholy which sits upon your countenance. 
 
 Ruz-Bahari found herself in a condition too deplor- 
 able to refuse the tailor's offer. She followed him to a 
 little plain house, but extremely neat, where his mother 
 received her with all possible civility. If the sorrowful 
 princess had not been with child, she might have thought 
 herself happy in this quiet retreat ; but this was a mis- 
 fortune she knew not how to conceal, and Sabur having 
 proposed to marry her, she listened to his offer, more to 
 save her honour than from any inclination for him, and 
 accordingly became his wife in eight days. From that 
 time she began to appear a little more gay, especially in 
 her husband's company ; but when she was alone, and 
 began to consider with herself that, after refusing to marry 
 the Sultan of Agra, she had suffered the embraces of a 
 filthy groom, and was now thrown into the arms of a poor 
 tailor, she felt herself most severely humbled, and became 
 very disconsolate. She had, however, all the reason in 
 the world to be content, had she not been born a princess, 
 ' for her husband was a young man of the foremost rank 
 in his profession, and had a very good reputation in Agra. 
 He constantly shewed an excessive love for her ; let her 
 want for nothing she could desire ; and, except the time 
 he went to work at his master's, would not be a moment
 
 124 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 out of her company. This behaviour, so uncommon in a 
 person of his condition, gained upon the princess's heart 
 to such a degree that she soon lost the remembrance of 
 her former quality, and came in time to love her husband 
 with the greatest degree of tenderness. 
 
 It was a little more than six months since Ruz- 
 Bahari, who now called herself Lama, had been married 
 to the tailor ; she lived very retired, and seemed to be 
 with child much from that time. When talking with her 
 husband one night, he reproached her with her want of 
 curiosity in not having ever expressed the least desire to 
 see the Sultan of Agra. Ruz-Bahari blushed at the re- 
 proof. What avails it, said she, to see this monarch ? 
 An honest wife should have no eyes but for her husband. 
 I agree with you, replied the tailor ; but as you were 
 not born for Mogiraddin, you may safely see him without 
 exciting my jealousy. To-day he goes a hunting, and 
 will pass by your window ; and I am desirous you 
 should observe how well he sits a horse. I will not 
 do it, replied she ; for I hate the sultan, though I do not 
 know for why. You hate him ! answered the tailor, 
 why what has he ever done to you ? Nothing ! said 
 the princess, rather briskly ; but I have dreamed he 
 was the cause of all my misfortunes, and I am one, you 
 must know, who has great faith in dreams. A good 
 reason indeed, said he. Well, Lama, my absolute will 
 and pleasure is that you stand at the window when he 
 passes by ; or rather, I beg you to give me this small 
 token of your obedience ; I shall myself be one of the 
 retinue, and will notice whether you obey my orders. 
 Ruz-Bahari at first only answered her husband with 
 tears, which he affected not to perceive. You shall be
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 125 
 
 obeyed, said she ; and, since you require it, I will see 
 the king pass by. 
 
 The tailor went out, and about an hour after, the 
 Princess of Pegu, hearing a great noise in the street, 
 went to the window just as I was passing by the door. 
 Surprised to see so beautiful a female in such a place, 
 I looked very earnestly at her and enquired who she was, 
 which threw her into the utmost confusion. She retired 
 from the window, full of vexation, and I proceeded on my 
 way. As soon as the first violence of her passion was 
 over, she could not forbear shedding a torrent of tears. 
 O Heavens ! cried she to herself, had it not been for my 
 unpardonable caprice I had now been the wife of that 
 powerful monarch. Good God ! what a difference ! O 
 Mogiraddin, Mogiraddin ! I am justly punished for my 
 contempt of thee ! These words made her tears flow 
 afresh, and she continued weeping and lamenting till her 
 husband came from hunting. Well, Lama, said he to 
 her, did you see the sultan ? You would have it so, 
 replied she, and I was obliged to obey your orders. Did 
 you not think he was richly dressed ? continued he. Yes, 
 surely, answered she. Ah ! but this is nothing, said he 
 again ; he is shortly to be married, and I intend to take 
 you to court. There are splendid preparations making 
 for that joyful day, and my master and I are to fit on his 
 his wedding clothes, while my master's wife and you dress 
 the princess he has chosen, and who is to be here in a 
 few days ; the robes are now actually making for her. 
 Though the princess trembled at this proposition and 
 made many objections, there was no help for it ; she 
 found herself constrained to obey. Nay, the tailor did 
 more; he had the robes of the intended queen brought
 
 126 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoiwi 
 
 several times to his house, and assuring his wife she was 
 much of the same size with herself, put them always 
 upon her to see if anything wanted amendment. How 
 grieved soever Ruz-Bahari might be to see herself 
 dressed in such magnificent robes, and so very unsuitable 
 to her station, she could nevertheless scarce refrain from 
 laughter when she saw how they shaped the queen's 
 clothes upon her. This princess, if she be like what I 
 am at present, is of a pretty jolly size, said she to her 
 husband. She is very lusty, said Sabur to her again ; 
 the king loves to have them so. 
 
 At length the evening preceding the day whereon 
 the sultan's marriage was to be celebrated arrived, and 
 Sabur forgot not at break of day to awaken his wife, 
 whom, notwithstanding all her reluctance, he carried 
 with him to court. He was received by an officer of 
 his acquaintance, who conducted them into the apart- 
 ments, and was every moment extolling the happiness of 
 the princess who was to be married to the sultan, 
 assuring them he was one of the best princes in the 
 world. All this was as so many daggers to the breast of 
 Ruz-Bahari, nor could she bear to see such magnificence 
 without many a bitter sigh. She was now in the 
 chamber where the new queen was to sleep, when some 
 messengers brought word the king was approaching, and 
 within a few paces of the door. The poor princess, not 
 being able to hear this without the most violent emotion, 
 fell upon a sofa. O Heavens ! said she, speaking to her 
 husband, what an imprudent thing it was of you to bring 
 a woman in my condition to such a place as this ! I find 
 I shall this moment bring into the world the child with 
 which I am pregnant ; yesterday I had a fall, but did not
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 127 
 
 think it would have produced so grievous a consequence. 
 The tailor seemed to be in great confusion. Ah ! my 
 dear friend, said he to the officer who attended, what will 
 become of us ? Why, said the man, you must e'en put 
 a good face on it ; set your wife upon this cushion, and I 
 will go out of the chamber the way which I know the 
 king comes, and will so hamper the lock that it cannot 
 be opened. I will then tell his Majesty the apartment is 
 not yet set in order, and afterwards run as fast as possible 
 for my wife, to help to convey yours home, or give her 
 all necessary assistance ; and I hope we shall extricate 
 ourselves from this difficulty without the sultan's per- 
 ceiving it. Everything was done as the officer promised. 
 I went not into the apartment, continued Fum-Hoam ; 
 the woman who was to assist Ruz-Bahari came in a 
 few minutes after, and, without having time to be 
 removed, she was delivered in the royal chamber of a 
 most beautiful boy. The tailor was in transports of joy, 
 hardly to be expressed. Faith, my dear Lama, said he, 
 since you are delivered in the queen's apartment, the 
 damage will not be much increased if we put you in her 
 bed too. The man is surely distracted, answered Ruz- 
 Bahari, to think of such an absurdity. Say what you 
 will, answered the tailor, the bed is made, and in it you 
 shall lie ! The princess, notwithstanding all she could 
 say to the contrary, was accordingly carried to the queen's 
 bed.; and though she had a strange perturbation and dis- 
 order upon her spirits for an hour or two, yet it was not 
 long before she fell into a sound sleep, which held her till 
 pretty late the next morning. 
 
 Ruz-Bahari no sooner saw the light than she imme- 
 diately opened her curtains, and was strangely surprised
 
 128 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 to find twelve female slaves standing round her bed in 
 the most profound silence, frequently bowing their bodies 
 very low, in token that they attended her commands. I 
 fancy, said she presently, the women are mad, or perhaps 
 my senses are not yet recovered from the vapours of 
 sleep. You are not asleep, madam, said the eldest of 
 these women ; the Sultan of Agra, your husband, and 
 to whom you gave a successor yesterday, waits till your 
 apartment be open that he may be permitted to wait on 
 you. Shall I inform him you may now be seen ? Ruz- 
 Bahari was so confounded at a request apparently so 
 extravagant that she made no reply : her silence was 
 therefore interpreted favourably. The old woman ran to 
 the door and I made my entrance, all shining with 
 precious stones, and sat down on a sofa by the Princess 
 of Pegu's bedside. My queen ! said I, embracing her, 
 it is high time now to put an end to your astonishment, 
 and to restore you to your true husband ; since the 
 groom of Pegu, the tailor in the suburbs of Agra, and 
 the Sultan Mogiraddin are one and the same person ; 
 though a certain jinni, who is my protector, had so 
 disguised them that it was impossible for you to discern 
 the imposture. I have a thousand times entreated him 
 to put a period to your pain, and have represented to 
 him, but in vain, that your punishment was too great 
 for the uneasiness you gave me the evening before our 
 intended marriage. Pride and stateliness of temper,.said 
 he to me, do well enough become a princess ; but then 
 it should be a noble pride, directed by wisdom and not 
 by caprice ; nor shall the queen, your spouse, be restored 
 to you till self-conviction has made her fully sensible of 
 the faults she committed in rejecting the homage of so
 
 Adventures of Mogiraddin and of Ruz-Bahari 129 
 
 many princes, and refusing to marry you on so trifling 
 an occasion. All that I can do for you is to convey her 
 into your arms without her knowing herself to be there ; 
 and I enjoin you to compel her to come to your palace at 
 the time when she shall be ready to be delivered. I was 
 obliged to obey the sovereign orders of the jinni, who in 
 one night transported you to the gates of Agra. I 
 assumed, therefore, by virtue of a certain water, with 
 which I rub my face when I have occasion, the figure 
 of that young tailor whom you married. But now Ruz- 
 Bahari is to take her own name and quit that of Lama, 
 as I have relinquished that of Sabur to be henceforth 
 the Sultan Mogiraddin only. You know the rest, your 
 punishment is now at an end, and I conjure you, my fair 
 queen, to forget that I was the instrument of it ! 
 
 Ruz-Bahari was so amazed at the account I gave 
 her, continued the mandarin, that she could not return 
 my caresses, but looked on me with eyes bathed in tears, 
 which joy and sorrow equally occasioned ; and as soon 
 as she had recovered her speech My dear lord, said she, 
 what afflictions have I suffered since your departure 
 from Pegu ! what shame have I felt, to think myself 
 dishonoured by a groom ! what cruel necessity was I 
 under to marry a tailor, to secure my honour, and to 
 rescue me from the miseries of want ! and what un- 
 easiness did not yourself occasion me, whilst you were 
 under that shape, by obliging me to see you pass before 
 my window, to try on the queen's clothes, and to come 
 to this palace, where I had so terrible an apprehension 
 of meeting you ! Ah, sir ! I could not pardon you the 
 many uneasy hours you have cost me, and which the 
 jinni has enabled me to sustain, but that you assure me 
 
 9
 
 130 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 it was not in your power to make them expire when you 
 pleased ! Forget all your trouble, thou dearest essence 
 of my life ! said I, interrupting her ; and think of nothing 
 but the happiness which we are in future to enjoy with 
 undisturbed tranquility. Ruz-Bahari, madam, continued 
 Fum-Hoam, received my excuses with great tenderness ; 
 we lived together in perfect union for almost twenty 
 years ; till, as I was one day hunting, I was drowned 
 in attempting to ford a river, into which my horse 
 threw me. 
 
 The history you have told me, said Gulchinraz, is 
 full of marvellous incidents ; and I do not a little pity 
 the fate of the unhappy Princess of Pegu, till the moment 
 in which Mogiraddin assured her that he himself was the 
 tailor. To speak freely, I think your jinni was a little 
 too severe, and should not have punished the poor lady's 
 caprice with quite so much rigour. But after you had 
 lost your life in the water, what became of you then ? 
 
 ADVENTURES OF THE PHYSICIAN BANU- 
 RAZID 
 
 I ENTERED into the body of a young man, who was 
 born at Astrakhan, the son of an Arabian physician, 
 then in the king's service. My father performed such 
 wonderful cures that they almost esteemed him as a 
 divinity ; and as I had a great fancy for the profession, 
 he took care to instruct me in it. When I came to be 
 about fifteen years of age, Banu-Razid, said he to me
 
 Adventures of the Physician Banu-Razid 131 
 
 very often, there is no acquiring a thorough knowledge 
 of the sciences without the watchfulness of a crow, 
 the greediness of a swine, the patience of a dog, and 
 the fawnings of a cat. If you know these precepts 
 perfectly, you will, one day or other, become a great 
 man ; but if you do not, you will be always grovelling 
 and mean, nor ever distinguish yourself in any kind 
 of life whatever. 
 
 Enamoured with these maxims, I applied myself 
 entirely to my studies, and in fewer than ten years made 
 so great proficiency, that after my father's death I was 
 appointed one of the King of Astrakhan's physicians. 
 I was hardly eight-and-twenty years old when I acquitted 
 myself in that employ with infinite success, and had got 
 so far into the sultan's good opinion that I became his 
 favourite. That monarch, indeed, so greatly esteemed 
 me, that he could not live without my company, and 
 therefore allowed me the peculiar privilege of going 
 into the inner apartments of the seraglio at any hour 
 of the day. The chief reason why he permitted me to 
 enter a place which was prohibited to every man besides, 
 was his knowledge of my strong aversion to the sex, and 
 how I detested the horrid effects of love. I had, indeed, 
 read so much of the disasters that usually attend this 
 strange passion, that I guarded myself against it, and 
 had taken a firm resolution never to let my heart be 
 surprised. When the sultan used to rally me upon my 
 insensibility that way, Sir, said I to him, I do not hate 
 women, but I fear them. They may disturb the quiet 
 of my life, and it is for this reason I look upon them with 
 such indifference. God grant that I may persevere in 
 the design I have taken of preserving my liberty ! This, 
 
 92
 
 132 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 madam, in a great measure, is the subject of the conver- 
 sation I often had with the sultan ; and one day, as we 
 were talking together much to the same purpose, word 
 was brought him that his prime wazir, Hussan ibn San, 
 had fallen into a kind of madness, which several times 
 had seized him very violently ; and, having a tender 
 esteem for the wazir, he ordered me to hasten to his 
 assistance. The information which was brought the sultan 
 was but too true ; I found Hussan ibn San so very 
 delirious, that I was obliged to have him tied down. 
 His madness increased every moment, and it was seven 
 or eight hours, after I had let him blood in the foot, 
 before he began to recover his senses. Banu-Razid, 
 said he to me, you see me just going to appear before 
 the tribunal of Almighty God ; I feel already the cold and 
 freezing wind of death, which blows continually at the 
 side of my bed, and all the art of physic is not able to 
 save my life. Sir, said I, your distemper is not so 
 incurable as you imagine ; only endeavour to overcome 
 this melancholy humour, which gets the better of you. 
 Is there anyone in all Astrakhan who has more reason 
 to be happy than you ? Ah, my dear friend ! said he, 
 squeezing my hand ; how deceitful are appearances ! 
 There is, it is true, no person who ought, in all human 
 appearance, to be better satisfied with his fortune than 
 myself. I have more riches than a man need desire ; 
 my seraglio is full of the fairest Circassian women ; and 
 my daughter, the only one I have, is a beauty not inferior 
 to any of the houri. This is the bright outside of my 
 family ; but a worm, which has been gnawing me above 
 these thirty years, brings perpetually to my remembrance 
 a chain of crimes that make me even abhor myself.
 
 History of the Wazir Hussan ibn San 133 
 
 Since that fatal day I have never once tasted true 
 repose, but have been constantly tormented with the 
 cruel motions of the Suiderez. I see before my eyes the 
 frightful ghosts of a sister and her son. whom I have 
 most barbarously murdered. Their blood, and the blood 
 of one of our sultans, rise up every moment against me. 
 I tremble when I think that within a few hours they 
 will be upbraiding me with my inhumanity before the 
 tribunal of God. Ah, my dear Banu-Razid ! what 
 answer shall I make to the Sovereign Judge of all our 
 actions ? Can I think (how great soever my contrition 
 may be for my having committed the horrid crimes 
 which yet lie heavy upon me) He will not listen to the 
 just complaints of these unhappy victims of my fury ? 
 But these things are so many enigmas to you, which it 
 is necessary that I should explain. 
 
 HISTORY OF THE WAZIR HUSSAN IBN SAN 
 
 MY father, as you cannot but remember, my dear 
 Banu-Razid, said the wazir, was the favourite of 
 Fakr al-Din, father to the Sultan Muza-Kazim, our 
 present king; but perhaps you do not know that 
 Fakr al-Din had two sons, Muza-Kazim the younger, and 
 Alaku the elder, of whom we have not heard anything 
 for more than thirty years past. The former loved me 
 extremely ; he raised me to the post which I have 
 enjoyed ever since he came to the throne, and still 
 continues his affection. The latter, jealous of the friend- 
 ship his brother had for me, beheld with pain the little 
 respect I paid him, notwithstanding he was the elder.
 
 134 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 We are not masters either of our sympathies or anti- 
 pathies ; and whatever efforts I made to conquer this 
 aversion I could never gain so much upon myself as to 
 make my court to Alaku. What likewise increased my 
 hatred to the prince was his falling in love with a young 
 widow, by which he became my rival, and was treated 
 more favourably than myself. 
 
 I carried my resentment a little too high, continued 
 the wazir, not considering the distance which was 
 between a prince and me ; and Alaku having com- 
 plained to Fakr al-Din, I had orders to remove threescore 
 leagues from Astrakhan, and not to appear at court for 
 six months. This punishment filled me with rage ; I 
 was incapable of hearkening either to reason or to the 
 remonstrances of my father ; I would not so much as 
 make the least excuse to the prince, who required only 
 my submission ; and my father took my imprudent 
 conduct so much to heart that he fell sick, and with 
 a lingering fever at length gave up his soul to the 
 angel of death. 
 
 The Prince Muza-Kazim in this sad conjuncture 
 obtained leave of the sultan and his brother for my 
 return to Astrakhan. I took possession of all my 
 father's effects ; and as he had left me a sister of 
 exquisite beauty, I ardently wished that Muza-Kazim 
 might fall in love with her and make her his wife. To 
 bring this about I feigned myself sick ; he had the 
 goodness to visit me ; and as I was informed of his 
 intention I ordered the amiable Pahrizad (for that was 
 my sister's name) to be at my bedside and without her 
 veil when the prince should come into my chamber. I 
 did not expect, my dear friend, that Alaku would accom-
 
 History of the Wazir Hussan ibn San 135 
 
 pany his brother. The prince, to convince me he had 
 forgotten my insolent behaviour, was desirous to give me 
 this mark of his goodness. What aversion soever I had 
 for him, I must do justice to truth by acknowledging he 
 was a person of uncommon merit. He was not very tall, 
 but the best-shaped person in Astrakhan ; and his face 
 was so regularly beautiful it was difficult to look upon 
 him without admiring him. I was astonished at this 
 visit ; and if I had been but forewarned of the honour 
 he intended me, should have taken particular care not 
 to let him see Pahrizad ; but the fault was committed, 
 and I was under the necessity of putting a face upon 
 it, though at the bottom of my soul I was exceedingly 
 chagrined. My sister's beauty had an effect the direct 
 contrary of my intentions. Muza-Kazim beheld her with 
 indifference, and Alaku with such transport as pierced 
 me to the heart. My grief, too, was the more sensible, 
 as I thought I could perceive in Pahrizad's eyes that 
 the prince's passion caused in her as much vanity as 
 pleasure. I knew, however, how to disguise myself, and 
 feigned not to see what had passed between these two 
 lovers. 
 
 Accordingly, I redoubled my diligence in taking 
 strict care of my sister, and entrusted the inspection 
 of her conduct to an old slave, whom I thought in- 
 corruptible ; but what will not gold and presents bring 
 about ! Alaku, under the pretence of passing whole 
 weeks in hunting, kept himself concealed in my sister's 
 apartment ; he had promised to marry her at his 
 accession to the throne, and Pahrizad, sensible of the 
 sincerity of so amiable a prince, could not refuse satis- 
 fying his impatient desires. What shall I say, my dear
 
 136 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 Banu-Razid ? I was absolutely ignorant of this secret 
 conversation ; but that black fury with which I was 
 perpetually agitated, and which every moment excited 
 my resentment against Alaku, gave rise to a dream which 
 was the occasion of all my misfortunes. I thought that 
 in travelling through a forest I heard a terrible cry, and 
 fancied it was the sound of my sister's voice. I ran to 
 her, and found her in the paws of a ravenous lion, and 
 Prince Alaku, sabre in hand, hastening to her assistance. 
 This dream so disturbed me that I awoke in great agita- 
 tion, and went to Pahrizad's apartment without knowing 
 why. But, oh, what a surprise was I in when I saw her 
 fast asleep in the prince's arms ! I could not govern the 
 violent emotions of my soul ; but filled with rage stabbed 
 the prince in a thousand places with my poinard. I re- 
 warded my slave in the same manner, and then awaking 
 my sister, shewed her the dreadful effects of my vengeance. 
 She fell into frightful shrieks at this spectacle, and as I 
 was afraid she would awake my slaves, I crammed a 
 handkerchief into her mouth ; and having locked her 
 up in one great chest, and Alaku and the old woman in 
 another, I ordered them to be conveyed in the night-time 
 by four slaves to a little house of mine at the gates of 
 Astrakhan, without their knowing what they carried. 
 I directed them afterwards to return to the city, and 
 opening Pahrizad's chest, I was about to send her to 
 keep her lover company, when, throwing herself at my 
 feet : Barbarian, said she to me, before thou takest away 
 my life, suffer me at least to bring into the world the 
 wretched infant I bear in my womb ; he may be, perhaps, 
 one day thy master, unless the effects of thy cruelty ob- 
 struct his passage. Let me, therefore, have the comfort
 
 History of the Wazir Hussan ibn San 137 
 
 of leaving after my decease an heir to my misfortunes. 
 I need not recommend to you the concealing his birth ; 
 if thou hast pity enough to let him live, thy own interest 
 will make thee grant me this. I could not help being 
 overcome by her tears ; her delivery was hastened by 
 the violence of her grief; and, as I found she stood in 
 need of some assistance, I ordered two slaves, who always 
 lived in that house, instantly to fetch a midwife, without 
 letting her know whither she was coming. My orders 
 were obeyed ; the midwife came in an hour's time, and 
 my sister, with her help, was delivered of a fine boy, 
 being seven months gone, or somewhat more. 
 
 My first intention was to have placed the child with 
 the midwife, and to have given her a purse of gold, which 
 might be sufficient for his education, but unfortunately, 
 casting my eyes upon him, I saw some features so much 
 resembling those of Alaku, that I found all my hate, 
 which was not quite extinguished, revive afresh, and 
 woxild have prevailed on his mother to have stabbed 
 him. So great was her horror at this proposal that she 
 swooned away, upon which, O unparalleled barbarity ! 
 I put the poniard myself into her hand, and directed 
 it to the throat of her little son. When she came to 
 herself she no sooner perceived the involuntary crime 
 I had made her commit than she instantly took away 
 her own life with the same weapon. The midwife, thus 
 astonished, would have shrieked out, but I made her 
 head fly from her shoulders with my sabre, and by the 
 assistance of my two slaves buried all their bodies in 
 the garden belonging to this house. Afterwards, that 
 there should be no witness of so many crimes, I killed 
 my two slaves, and interred them near the others.
 
 138 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 The next morning I returned to Astrakhan, and 
 caused it to be rumoured abroad that my sister had been 
 stolen away. The absence of Prince Alaku occasioned it 
 to be concluded that it was he who had dishonoured me. 
 I complained to the sultan ; he was dreadfully enraged, 
 and became the more incensed when Muza-Kazim 
 assured him that his brother was passionately in love 
 with Pahrizad. Several years had elapsed without 
 hearing any news of these unfortunate lovers, who were 
 believed to be wandering about the world ; and Fakr 
 al-Din having paid the common tribute to nature, Muza- 
 Kazim ascended the throne, to which I had paved the 
 way for him by the murder of his brother. This prince, 
 who had always given me extraordinary testimonies of 
 his goodness, made me immediately his prime wazir. I 
 have been possessed of this place, my dear friend, above 
 twenty years ; but I am far from being happy in it. I 
 am incessantly tormented with remorse for my crimes, 
 and have endeavoured, by all kinds of good works, to 
 appease the anger of our great Prophet. I have founded 
 two caravansaries, hospitals for the pilgrims of Meccah. 
 I have built three mosques, where forty poor people are 
 daily fed ; I have caused prayers to be said in my behalf 
 by the Imans of the kingdom ; but nothing can drive away 
 this black melancholy which devours me ; all my vows 
 are rejected ! At last, thus sorely burdened with so 
 many horrors with which the secret part of my life is 
 blackened, I begged it as a favour of the Prophet that he 
 would take me out of the world. This is the only prayer 
 he seems to have given any attention to ; he has sent me 
 a most violent fever, madness precedes the fits, and I am 
 sensible I have but a few moments to live. You will
 
 Adventures of the Physician Banu-Razid 139 
 
 find in this casket of sandal wood which I desire you 
 will put into the sultan's hands all my jewels, with my 
 will. I have added to it a particular account of my horrid 
 crimes. I ask him a thousand pardons ; he will curse 
 my memory. Ah ! I too much deserve it. I regard 
 myself as a monster not fit to see the light ; but, how- 
 ever, oblige me thus far, my dear Banu-Razid, not to 
 carry the casket to Muza-Kazim till after I am dead. 
 I left the wazir, continued the mandarin, after having 
 taken charge of the casket ; but scarce had I set my 
 foot out of the chamber when, falling into new fits of 
 madness, he was attacked with such violent convulsions 
 that in spite of my assistance he was suffocated in a 
 few moments. 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE ADVENTURES OF 
 THE PHYSICIAN BANU-RAZID 
 
 NEVER was surprise equal to that of the sultan upon 
 reading the wazir's memorial which I presented him. He 
 wept exceedingly, and bewailed the unfortunate Alaku ; 
 and having summoned his privy council to communicate 
 to them the news I had brought him, it was consulted 
 whether that memorial should be made public, and pos- 
 session taken of all the effects the wazir had bequeathed 
 to Muza-Kazim, for the care of an only daughter he had 
 left behind him, whose name was Simache. As I was 
 charged with this commission, I caused all the rich 
 furniture of the wazir to be brought into the seraglio, and
 
 140 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 conducted his daughter thither. She was scarce sixteen ; 
 but, madam, what charms were in her face, and how did 
 her tears affect me ! I then attributed that to compassion 
 which I soon found was the effect of a more violent affec- 
 tion, not imagining this beautiful young creature had 
 made so strong an impression on my heart. Afterwards 
 I presented her to the sultan Muza-Kazim ; and I did 
 not well understand my true sentiments till I perceived 
 with what surprise he looked at her, and heard him 
 exclaim that he had never beheld anything in nature so 
 perfect as Simache. I then discovered my unhappiness, 
 and felt in my heart such struggles of jealousy as made 
 me detest the sultan. In vain did I resist, and use all 
 endeavours to subdue the growing passion, which I per- 
 ceived would be fatal to me. Love triumphed ; and in 
 spite of all my resolutions I yielded ; nor could I see 
 Simache enter the seraglio without thinking I should 
 become the victim of my grief. 
 
 Muza-Kazim was very handsome, but of an im- 
 petuous temper ; he did not delay a moment to make 
 known to Simache all the violence of his passion. 
 Ambition, and, perhaps, love, dried her tears in a few 
 days, and I soon found that she was going to give 
 herself up to the sultan's pleasure. I received this 
 information with extraordinary transports of rage, and 
 exhausted myself in reproaches the most extravagant 
 and outrageous against Muza-Kazim, as if he had stolen 
 away my mistress. I treated Simache as if she had 
 engaged herself to me, and had afterwards proved per- 
 fidious and ungrateful. In short, madam, I so lost my 
 reason, that they were obliged to keep me confined. 
 Muza-Kazim, surprised at so extraordinary a distemper,
 
 Adventures of the Physician Banu-Razid 141 
 
 caused me to be brought before him that he might 
 be himself a witness of the condition I was in. Simache 
 was with him when I entered his closet ; her presence 
 recalled to my distracted mind a thousand extravagant 
 ideas ; I cast myself at her feet. I declared my passion, 
 and very probably did it in terms so singular and 
 pathetic that they reached the very soul of the fair 
 Simache. She comprehended in a moment the violence 
 of my passion, and discovered that it was herself who 
 had reduced me to that deplorable condition, and com- 
 paring it, no doubt, with that of the sultan, who shewed 
 to her nothing but an absolute power, to which she was 
 on the point of submitting, gave herself up to such a pro- 
 found melancholy as astonished Muza-Kazim. What 
 endeavours soever he made use of to console her, he 
 could never effect it. This beautiful creature was in a 
 little time in the same condition as myself; she talked 
 of nothing but the tender Banu-Razid, and, in a word, 
 become equally distracted. 
 
 This extraordinary situation, which the sultan could 
 not but notice, mortified him exceedingly. He was ten- 
 derly fond of the beautiful Simache ; but he was, at the 
 same time, exceedingly nice and delicate in affairs of 
 love ; and her condition would not permit him to make 
 her a favourite sultana, though he had been less delicate 
 than he was. For several days he caused all the ordi- 
 nary remedies to be applied, and perceived that the whole 
 art of physic was ineffectual to restore her ; he therefore 
 determined to apply a remedy which his physicians 
 would never have prescribed, and which, indeed, was 
 wholly of his own invention. Accordingly, he sent for 
 a kadi, and ordered us both to be brought into his pre-
 
 142 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 sence. Banu-Razid, said he to me, I am resolved to 
 make a great conquest of myself. I adore the charming 
 Simache, but as I am persuaded that you were born for 
 each other, I give her to you. Live happily together ! 
 Upon this the kadi made the contract, and we signed it 
 without well knowing what we did. The sultan then 
 made us go home to my house, where we were served 
 with a most magnificent entertainment, at which he did 
 me the honour to be present, till the whole company 
 retired, and left me in full possession of the adorable 
 Simache. 
 
 Our spirits, madam, were too much disordered for 
 me to explain by what means they returned to their 
 former situation, to which, it is highly probable, the 
 felicity I experienced with my fair bride did not a little 
 contribute. This only I know that in proportion as my 
 reason returned, my charming spouse likewise recovered, 
 and that the sultan found himself infinitely pleased in 
 having furnished so simple and natural a remedy as that 
 which so effectually restored us. These great benefits, 
 however, did not suffice the great heart of Muza-Kazim ; 
 he restored her all her father's estate, and made me prime 
 wazir. I lived with my wife in perfect union, and had a 
 great number of children ; and it was not before I was 
 extremely old that I left a much decayed body, and 
 passed into a new world unknown to all mankind before. 
 
 I own to you, said Gulchinraz, that I think the con- 
 clusion of your history is very pleasant, particularly your 
 cure, and has very well made amends for the relation of 
 the unfortunate Pahrizad, whose catastrophe was so 
 tragical. All the physic in the world put together could
 
 Adventures of Kolao, the Wild Man 143 
 
 never have formed a remedy like Muza-Kazim's, and I 
 believe one may cure in the beginning all kinds of folly 
 and madness by remedies proportioned to the causes 
 which produced them. But continue, I beseech you, 
 your adventures, and tell me what you were in that 
 obscure part of the world you mentioned. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF KOLAO, THE WILD MAN 
 
 I ANIMATED a young savage, named Kolao, who lived 
 in the island Misamichis, so called from a certain river, 
 to which some of my ancestors gave that name ; but I 
 cannot tell you, madam, in what part of the world it is 
 situated. I have scarce an idea of the religion we pro- 
 fessed ; I only know we adored the sun at his rising, and 
 that every morning, turning our faces to the east, we 
 saluted him three times, crying as loud as we were able, 
 Ho ! Ho ! Ho ! after which, making profound reverences, 
 we prayed him to preserve our wives and children, to 
 give us strength to conquer all our enemies, and to grant 
 us fishing and hunting in abundance. 
 
 You may easily imagine, madam, continued Fum- 
 Hoam, how the first years of a life so plain and simple 
 passed away. I was taught to use the bow, and when I 
 had attained eighteen years I chose me a wife. I loved 
 her tenderly, and had by her six girls and a boy. My 
 daughters were no sooner of age than they married ; and 
 my son, whose bravery was respected throughout the 
 whole island, was also going to be married when a
 
 144 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 violent distemper carried him off in four days. This loss 
 went so near my heart that, having committed several 
 extravagancies, I was going to plunge an arrow into my 
 breast, when one of my companions arrested my arm. 
 Why will you die, said he to me, Kolao, since there is 
 still a remedy for your misfortunes ? Only hear me with 
 attention. I have often heard my father say that one of 
 the most considerable ancients of our nation was one day 
 so dangerously ill that he lost the use of all his senses, 
 and fell into such violent convulsions that for a long time 
 he was imagined to be dead. He came, however, to 
 himself again, and being asked by the people who were 
 in the hut with him where he had been all the while he 
 lay so senseless, he told them he had just come from the 
 Country of Souls ; that by an extraordinary favour, 
 never indulged to any person but himself, the sovereign 
 of the kingdom, whose name was Pat-Kut-Parut, had 
 permitted him to return to his own island to bring back 
 an account of a country which till then had never been 
 discovered ; that the country, moreover, was not above a 
 hundred leagues distant from them ; that the ready way 
 to it lay by the north side of the island ; and that, after 
 wading and swimming through a lake of about forty 
 leagues' breadth, which was full of seaweed, one might 
 arrive at the kingdom of Pat-Kut-Parut ; and that by 
 carrying a proper present to the monarch, he might have 
 leave not only to converse with the souls of his old 
 friends but even to bring away such as he pleased, 
 provided their bodies were not yet corrupted. 
 
 This, said my comrade, is the account which our 
 ancient related to those who were about him in the hut, 
 and he would have been more particular in it, and told
 
 Adventures of Kolao, the Wild Man 145 
 
 them the conversation he had had with the souls of his 
 friends, had not our most cruel enemy, Death, closed his 
 eyes that very moment. The tyrant was, doubtless, 
 jealous of Pat-Kut-Parut's favour to him, and feared 
 that at one time or other he would undertake to rescue 
 some of his relations, and therefore snatched him from 
 among us so suddenly. Your son is but just dead. Do 
 you think you have courage enough to undertake so 
 difficult a journey as that to the Country%f Souls ? I 
 will bear you company, and we will either bring back 
 your son's soul or die in the attempt. 
 
 I accepted this proposition very gladly ; we were 
 joined by three more of our comrades, and having made 
 a great feast for all our friends, we took our bows and 
 arrows, bracelets of coral, and some tobacco, to make a 
 present of to Pat-Kut-Parut, and began our journey by 
 break of day. We took our route by the north side of the 
 island, and came in a few days to the lake which our 
 ancient had mentioned, where we cut ourselves poles to 
 sound the ford, and so went into the water, and waded at 
 a great rate but with vast difficulty. When night came 
 we struck our poles into the bottom of the water, and 
 tied some cotton -filleting to the tops of them, in the 
 nature of hammocks, and there slept till sunrise. After 
 two days' travel in this manner, we at length got over 
 the lake, landed in the country we so much wished for, 
 and at our arrival were very agreeably surprised with an 
 infinite number of spirits of bows, arrows, and clubs, 
 which flew about before our eyes like so many little 
 clouds ; and by a certain unknown language gave us to 
 understand that they had formerly been in the service 
 of our fathers and companions. But not long after, we 
 
 10
 
 146 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 were almost terrified to death ; for as we drew near a hut 
 much like these in our island, except that it was prodi- 
 giously lofty, we perceived a man, or rather a giant, 
 armed with a bow and a terrible club, who, looking upon 
 us with eyes sparkling with rage, spoke to us in these 
 words : Whoever you are, prepare yourselves to die for 
 daring to pass this river, and come into the sacred 
 realms of the dead ! I am Pat-Kut-Parut, the keeper, 
 and master, and governor of all the souls ! 
 
 The giant had already brandished his club to destroy 
 us, when, throwing myself at his feet, I conjured him 
 both with tears and words to excuse the rashness of an 
 enterprise which justly merited his wrath. Empty your 
 whole quiver of arrows upon us, said I, or crush us with 
 one blow of your mighty club ; our breasts and our heads 
 are bare to you, and you are the sovereign arbiter of our 
 life or death ; but if you have any sense of compassion in 
 you, pardon our boldness on the account of an unhappy 
 father who ha-s only offended you out of too great tender- 
 ness for an only son he has lately lost ; and vouchsafe to 
 accept of the presents we bring you from the country of the 
 living, and receive us among the number of your friends. 
 These humble and submissive words touched the heart 
 of Pat-Kut-Parut ; he seemed sensible of my grief, 
 received my presents, bade me take courage, and to com- 
 plete his favour and my consolation, assured me that 
 before my departure he would give me my son's soul 
 again. In the mean time, he was pleased to regale me 
 and my companions with an excellent liquor he had in 
 his hut, and we drank it with the greater pleasure, 
 because in a moment it restored us to the full possession 
 of that strength we had lost in so laborious a journey.
 
 Adventures of Kolao, the Wild Man 147 
 
 While we were thus rejoicing and refreshing our- 
 selves with him, the soul of my son came. I knew the 
 voice, and was ready to die with joy ; but while I was 
 requesting the giant to give it me to carry back to his 
 body, it grew in an instant as big as an apple. He then 
 took it into his hands, and thrusting it into a little leather 
 bag, which he tied with a packthread, he hung it about 
 my neck and gave us audience of leave, with a strict 
 injunction as soon as we arrived in our island to lay my 
 son's body along in quite a new hut, and to open the 
 little bag at his mouth and so let in his soul ; but to take 
 particular care that the bag was not opened till then, lest 
 it should slip out and return to his kingdom again, which 
 it did not leave, as he told us, without some reluctancy. 
 
 After I had received the bag, with all the transports 
 of excessive joy, we were, by the order of Pat-Kut- 
 Parut, shewn the dark and dismal place where the souls 
 of the wicked are confined. It was covered over with 
 nothing but branches of dried box, irregularly placed ; 
 whereas the huts of the virtuous were beautifully adorned 
 with an infinite number of evergreens both within and 
 without, through which the sun continually came to visit 
 them and to refresh the branches of box and cedar 
 whereon they repose themselves. Around their huts we 
 saw the spirits of the bows, arrows, and clubs, wherewith 
 they diverted themselves in the same manner as when 
 they were in the land of the living. After we had con- 
 sidered these things with admiration, we drank each of us 
 two cups more of the same liquor he had given us before, 
 and so set forward on our journey. We entered the lake, 
 fixed our poles, slung our hammocks, and slept very 
 soundly ; but whether it was the pleasure of the great 
 
 10 2
 
 148 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 Pat-Kut-Parut to have it so, or some natural effect of 
 the liquor we drank, so it was, that when we awoke we 
 all found ourselves in our own island and within a 
 hundred yards of my hut. 
 
 It is no difficult matter to conceive the joy of our 
 comrades to see us get back, and to hear the strange 
 accounts we gave of our journey and return. They could 
 not believe that I had really got my son's soul in the bag 
 which hung about my neck, , and were very impatient to 
 see it enter into his body again, in order to convince them 
 of the truth of what we related. For this purpose we 
 immediately built a new hut, and carried my son's corpse 
 into it, which his mother and three other women had kept 
 fresh by driving away the flies with large feather-flaps ; 
 and I was preparing to execute the orders Pat-Kut- 
 Parut had given me, when an unexpected accident 
 plunged me into the most cruel grief. 
 
 While I was employed in making the new hut, I left 
 my wife the bag wherein my son's soul was enclosed. 
 She had been present at the relation of the history of our 
 journey, but the prohibition not to open the bag raised 
 her curiosity ; and though I had given her a strict and 
 repeated charge not to meddle with it, yet she would be 
 untying the packthread ; when out flew the soul of my 
 son to the country from whence we had brought it with 
 so much difficulty, and I found the bag empty. It is 
 impossible to express, continued the mandarin, the rage 
 aud fury I was in. In the first transport of my passion 
 I gave my wife such a terrible blow on the head with my 
 club that I scattered her brains in the air ; then taking 
 my knife, the point and blade of which were of flint, out 
 of a kind of sheath, I plunged it into my own heart, and
 
 Adventures of Dardok ; Told by her Slave Ilul 149 
 
 fell down dead on my son's body, leaving my comrades 
 in great tribulation at so sad a catastrophe, which had 
 deprived them of the pleasure of knowing with more 
 certainty the news from the kingdom of souls, and the 
 state and condition of those of their own kindred. 
 
 In good truth, these poor unhappy creatures, said 
 the Queen of China, had a great loss, for that young man 
 would doubtless have told them many a pleasant story. 
 But when you left that body, what afterwards became 
 of you ? I passed into a slave, replied the mandarin, 
 named Ilul, who was sold to the daughter of the great 
 Mogul's first physician, who dwelt at Agra. In this 
 condition there were no particular events that personally 
 concerned me, my life was simple and uniform ; but 
 those wherein my young mistress had a part, and such 
 as I heard while I was in her service, may possibly 
 amuse your majesty for some moments. You will do 
 me, then, replied Gulchinraz, a singular pleasure in 
 relating them. If so, madam, continued the mandarin, 
 I will endeavour to satisfy your curiosity. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF DARDOK; TOLD BY 
 HER SLAVE ILUL 
 
 MY young mistress's name was Dardok ; the fine 
 and sprightly air of her face pleased infinitely, and at 
 fifteen she so far excelled all the young ladies of her age, 
 both in the graces of her person and vivacity of her wit, 
 that she became the admiration of all who beheld her.
 
 150 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 Takfur, first physician to Prince Filu, Sultan of Hind, 
 had made several voyages to Agra, and had contracted a 
 firm friendship with my mistress's father ; and persuading 
 himself that he could not but be happy with a person 
 of so much fine sense and beauty, he desired her in 
 marriage, claimed her for his wife, and carried he to 
 Masulipatam, where the sultan his master had his usual 
 residence. Thus, tenderly beloved by his new wife, and 
 highly respected by the sultan, who shewed him every 
 mark of royal favour and confidence, he wanted nothing 
 to complete his happiness, when a certain fakir named 
 Barzalu, who, through all degrees of fortune had raised 
 himself to be prime wazir, grew jealous of the kindness 
 the sultan had for him. The fakir in every step he had 
 taken for his advancement to that high station had always 
 distinguished himself by some new artifice, and there- 
 fore you may well imagine, madam, that it could not be 
 long before he would contrive some plan for the removal 
 of my master (for I went with Dardok to Hind). But to 
 let your majesty into the wazir's character it will be 
 necessary to trace him from his first original. 
 
 Barzalu was born in the territories of Kabul, of 
 a very mean extraction, and brought up as a cook ; but 
 being weary of an employ so unsuitable to his genius, 
 he quitted it and turned fakir. After he had the whole 
 day long wandered about the streets of Kabul, he used 
 toretire at night to a little hut he had made himself in 
 the suburbs, not far from a mosque. As Barzalu one 
 day came into the place where Prince Masdowan resided, 
 who was then upon his travels in the Mogul's country, 
 the prince had compassion on his poverty, and threw 
 him some pieces of gold, ordering his slaves to keep
 
 A dventures of Dardok ; Told by her Slave Ilul 151 
 
 him to dinner. The fakir, who had always a good 
 appetite, went into the kitchen, where he found enough 
 to satisfy his hunger, and then, bethinking himself of 
 his former trade, began to assist the prince's officers 
 in dressing the dinner. 
 
 Masdowan, who loved good eating, and soon per- 
 ceived that the ragouts, and especially an excellent 
 dish of partridge with coleworts, were not after the 
 manner of his own cook's dressing, had him called up, 
 and understanding that the fakir had dressed part of 
 his dinner, he proposed to take him into his service. 
 Barzalu, who was already weary of the profession of a 
 fakir, accepted the prince's offer, and as he wanted no 
 wit he soon insinuated himself into his good graces, 
 was made privy to his pleasures, and sometimes even 
 admitted to sit at his table. Sir, said he one day, I do 
 not confine my talents to the kitchen only ; I am capable 
 of something greater. This, if you please, is " A 
 Treatise of Politics," written by me, which I would beg 
 your highness to read, and then favour me with your 
 opinion of it. The prince had the complaisance to read 
 the fakir's manuscript. He found all his maxims very 
 excellent, but oftentimes dangerous ; and making every 
 day further trials of his capacity, as soon as he arrived 
 at Masulipatam he introduced him to the Sultan of 
 Hind, whose near relation he was, and recommended 
 him as a man of very great merit. The sultan was 
 mightily pleased with him, found he possessed a superior 
 genius, raised him by degrees to be prime wazir, and at 
 length blindly committed to him the administration of 
 the whole kingdom. 
 
 The more humble and abject Barzalu was before he
 
 152 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 was raised to this post, the more fierce and arrogant 
 he became when he beheld himself sole favourite to the 
 Sultan of Hind. He soon forgot his birth and first 
 benefactor, who to be revenged failed not on every 
 occasion to remind him of the story of the coleworts 
 and partridges. These reproaches mortified the insolent 
 wazir not a little ; but he dissembled his resentment, and 
 carried it so very submissively that to see him in the 
 prince's house one would have really thought him still 
 in his former condition of a fakir. Masdowan himself 
 was deceived by him, and forgetting the maxims which 
 Barzalu had laid down, was imprudent enough to trust 
 himself without reserve in the power of this perfidious 
 villain. They frequently joined together in their de- 
 bauches, and one day, after an entertainment which 
 had lasted ten or twelve hours, Masdowan was seized 
 with a violent fit of the colic, which, being treated by the 
 physicians as if it had been an indigestion, carried him 
 off in two hours, notwithstanding all their endeavours 
 to relieve him. Barzalu appeared in public extremely 
 afflicted for the death of this prince, but from this time 
 became more powerful with his sultan than ever, and 
 got such an entire possession of that .monarch that 
 without his assistance and introduction there was no 
 approaching the sultan. 
 
 In this disposition of affairs, you may easily con- 
 ceive, madam, continued Fum-Hoam, with what eye 
 he looked upon the late favours conferred on Takfur. 
 He was, indeed, resolved by all manner of means to 
 ruin him, and was restrained only by the passion he 
 had conceived for Dardok, whom he had often seen 
 making her court to the sultana. He knew not well,
 
 Adventures of Dardok ; Told by her Slave I ltd 153 
 
 at first, how to begin a declaration of his love. He 
 was satisfied she was virtuous, and very much dreaded 
 her wit, lest she should turn his professions into ridicule. 
 He had therefore several private conversations with 
 her, affected to impart to her what passed in the diwan, 
 and frequently consulted her about matters of state. He 
 perceived that she listened to him with pleasure on these 
 occasions, but that alone -did not answer his intended 
 purpose. At length, therefore, he gave her to under- 
 stand that being absolute master of the sultan's will 
 he had nothing more to desire in the world but the 
 possession of her heart ; that he was in a condition to 
 expect the favours of the most beautiful women in 
 Masulipatam, but was insensible to all their endear- 
 ments, and that no person in all Hind could have the 
 honour of captivating him except herself. My mistress, 
 who always put on her grave airs to Barzalu, could not 
 avoid laughing aloud at the conclusion of this discourse, 
 and this piece of levity highly affronted that vain minister. 
 You are not, then, in the humour, beautiful Dardok, said 
 he, to receive the proposals of one who means to adore 
 you, even in the high station wherein you see me. No, 
 truly, sir, said she with louder laughter than before ; no 
 one but my husband has a right to my heart, it is all 
 his own ; and I know no person, how high soever his 
 condition may be, who shall attempt my virtue with 
 impunity. I will that moment be revenged of him ! 
 And what will you do to him ? replied the wazir, with 
 some warmth. Not only receive him very scornfully, 
 answered the other, with great seriousness, but imme- 
 diately publish his infamy throughout all Masulipatam, 
 and even demand justice of the sultan himself for the
 
 154 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 insult ; and that virtuous monarch is too much an enemy 
 to seduction and adultery to suffer the author of such an 
 outrageous attempt to go unpunished. 
 
 The blood flushed in Barzalu's face at these words ; 
 he bit his lips almost through to prevent his spleen from 
 rising, and that grand politician, defeated by the brisk air 
 and lofty repulse of my young mistress, pretending it 
 was time to be at the diwan, burst from her presence, 
 mad with rage at a conversation from which he had 
 expected such very different success. For some months, 
 however, he dissembled the concern this affront gave 
 him ; but the sultan happening to be one day a little 
 disordered with some physic which Takfur had prescribed 
 him, this vile minister had the baseness to insinuate that 
 his enemies might have corrupted the physician, and 
 that a post whereon his master's life depended ought not 
 to be entrusted to a stranger (for Takfur, madam, was 
 born in the Mogul's country), and then proceeded in his 
 discourse with so much malignity that Filu, who put a 
 blind confidence in him, ordered his physician to depart 
 out of Masulipatam in four-and-twenty hours, and entirely 
 to quit his dominions within a month. 
 
 The blow of a thunder-bolt would have less surprised 
 Takfur than so positive an order ; he was with Dardok 
 when a wazir of his acquaintance came to inform him of 
 his disgrace, and he was at first overwhelmed with grief. 
 What have I done, cried he, to be treated with so much 
 rigour ? It was but yesterday the sultan gave me a 
 thousand tokens of his goodness, and under the shadow 
 of his favour I have lived honoured and respected in 
 Masulipatam. Peace and plenty reigned in my house ; 
 but now he withdraws his munificent hand from under-
 
 Adventures of Dardok ; Told by her Slave Ilul 155 
 
 neath me, and leaves me like a slender reed, which the 
 least blast of wind can easily blow to the ground. 
 
 Dardok, who was present at these complaints, as 
 soon as the sultan's messenger was gone, embraced her 
 husband very tenderly. Light of my life ! said she to 
 him, why do you afflict yourself for so slight a matter ? 
 Know ye not the favour of princes is as inconstant as the 
 sea, and that courtiers have the same power over them 
 that boisterous winds have upon that perfidious element ? 
 nor are the best built vessels secure from storms. Believe 
 me, my dear Takfur, instead of being concerned at your 
 disgrace, you ought rather to praise and magnify the 
 great Prophet, who hath inspired your secret enemy to 
 be content with our banishment ; for I well know the 
 hand from whence the empoisoned arrow is lanced that 
 now pierces your heart. The base Barzalu takes this 
 method to revenge himself for the fruitless attempt he 
 made upon your honour. But it will not be long before 
 this outrage will draw upon him the indignation of the 
 Sultan of Hind. That monarch will in time open his 
 eyes, and punish the miserable fakir, who is the cause 
 of our present woe. Takfur listened to the consolation of 
 Dardok, and their minds were restored to their former 
 tranquillity. Let us then be gone, soul of my life ! said 
 he ; you are to me instead of everything, and we have 
 wealth enough in Agra to compensate for the loss of 
 these honours and preferments, of which we are unjustly 
 deprived. The sultan will one day be made sensible of my 
 innocence, and perhaps be concerned for having treated 
 me with so much severity. 
 
 After they had thus ended their complaints, Takfur 
 and Dardok went into their palanquin, attended by their
 
 156 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 slaves, whereof I was one. We had some difficulty in 
 passing over the high mountains which lie between 
 Masulipatam and Golconda, but we afterwards came 
 into a beautiful vale in the kingdom of Orixa, where 
 we beheld above a thousand tents, placed in lines like 
 so many streets. One might easily perceive a vast 
 bustle in this little camp, and joy was painted upon the 
 countenance of every common soldier. As we came to 
 a large pavilion of blue velvet fringed with gold, which 
 was surrounded by fifty guards clothed in blue satin 
 embroidered with gold, we alighted out of our palanquin 
 to take a nearer view of this gay sight, when the person 
 who seemed to have the command of the guards came 
 up to us, and desired Dardok and her husband to come 
 into a most elegant tent ; where, having presented them 
 with all sorts of refreshments, he addressed himself to 
 my mistress in terms to this effect : 
 
 HISTORY OF KORKUD AND HIS FOUR SONS 
 
 You seem astonished, madam, at the magnificence 
 you behold in this country, and therefore you are to 
 know that the beautiful Muwarrakh, Princess of Orixa, 
 and only daughter to the Sultan Mohadin, is lately 
 married to one of my sons, whose name is Amru ; and it 
 is to celebrate that illustrious day, designed as a splendid 
 festival, that these soldiers and people are assembled 
 together. As for myself, my name is Korkud; and by 
 the grace of the Holy Prophet fortune at length is grown 
 weary of persecuting me, and has lately declared in my
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 157 
 
 favour, since I have the honour of entering into an 
 alliance with the sultan, my master. Before this happy 
 day there was not an inhabitant in the whole kingdom 
 so unfortunate as myself. If I had shares in several 
 ships they all perished at sea ; if I ventured to game, I 
 was sure to lose my money ; if I bought any merchandise, 
 the goods decayed upon my hands for want of sale, and 
 I was obliged to throw them away ; if I fell in love, my 
 rivals, though inferior in merit, were either preferred 
 before me, or I was jilted by my mistresses ; in short, it 
 was enough for me to undertake anything to make it un- 
 successful. Under what unlucky planet was I born, 
 said I to myself, thus to be always exposed to the cruel 
 shafts of fortune ? or is it written upon the table of light 
 that I shall never succeed in any project I undertake ? 
 
 Quite dejected with these melancholy reflections, I fell 
 asleep on the sofa and had a very remarkable dream. I 
 thought there appeared to me a little old man dressed 
 wholly in white. Korkud, said he to me, I have a mind 
 to put an end to your misery ; take this basket ; go 
 to the Mountain of Gerahem ; stay one night in Eve's 
 Cave, and there you will find a remedy for all your 
 misfortunes. I awoke full of this dream, and was 
 astonished to find that there was in reality a basket of 
 a moderate size close by my side. I obeyed the little 
 old man in white, embarked on the Indian Ocean, and 
 having passed the Straits of Bab al-Mandeb, entered the 
 Red Sea, and arrived at Meccah. I thence went to the 
 Cave of Gerahem, where I obtained permission to lie all 
 night ; but as I was going to fall asleep the little old 
 man appeared a second time. You complain of your 
 misery, said he to me, but behold, Korkud, where the
 
 158 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 wife of the Sultan Adam dwelt, after she had disobeyed 
 God ; is not your house more pleasant and more com- 
 modious than this cave of hers ? and yet you are not 
 contented. It is the nature of man to be dissatisfied 
 with his condition ; if it be possible, however, I will 
 alleviate your sorrows ; follow me. I obeyed the old 
 man ; he carried me to a corner of the cave ; and, pulling 
 out of his pocket a book, wherein he read some cabalistic 
 prayers, I that moment saw a door open, and just at the 
 entrance perceived a black marble staircase adorned with 
 a baluster of gold. A young infant, with a torch of 
 aloes wood in his hand, lighted us, while we went down 
 above three hundred steps. We then came into a large 
 room all shining with rubies, and there found upon a 
 table of one entire piece of emerald, a little statue of 
 a woman holding a ring in her hand, which she seemed 
 to present to me. Take that ring, Korkud, said the old 
 man ; it is composed of six different metals, and was 
 made under such favourable constellations that every- 
 thing succeeds well with him who is the possessor of it. 
 While you have it on your finger, misfortunes shall fly 
 from your house, and nobody shall be able to hurt you. 
 But it is on this one condition that all this good fortune 
 is annexed to it, that when you have chosen you a wife 
 you have no knowledge of any other woman as long as 
 she lives, unless you are willing that moment to lose your 
 ring. So that your good fortune now depends upon 
 yourself ; only take heed of this particular ; and see that 
 you plunge not yourself again, by your own fault, into 
 the miseries from which you are now rescued. 
 
 I thanked the old man very heartily, took the ring, 
 and put it on my finger, as he bade me ; and after I had
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 159 
 
 filled my basket with pieces of gold, which he took out of 
 a large vessel of agate, and my pockets with several very 
 beautiful diamonds, I was carried in an instant to Orixa, 
 and set down at the door of my house. The day was far 
 spent ; I knocked hard at the door, and an old slave, 
 whom I had left in the house, came and opened it to me. 
 I went into a lower room, and while she was getting me 
 something to eat emptied my basket, which was very 
 heavy, and carefully locked up my new gotten treasures. 
 The next day I got myself a suit of very good clothes, 
 sold my diamonds, began to merchandise again, and in 
 less than three years gained so considerably that I hardly 
 knew the end of my riches. The young ladies who had 
 despised me in my mean circumstances were now inde- 
 fatigable in trying every allurement, but in my turn I 
 slighted them all ; and having made choice of one about 
 fifteen years old, whose name was Zobayad, a mirror of 
 beauty and a pattern of goodness, I made her my wife. 
 
 In all my acquaintance with other women, I never 
 experienced half the charms that I found in my new wife. 
 The enjoyment of my beautiful Zobayad did but augment 
 my love, and I passed nineteen years with her in such 
 perfect satisfaction that the condition so much insisted 
 on by the little old man gave me no kind of uneasiness. 
 I had four very beautiful sons by her, and saw them 
 brought up in my house like so many young cedars that 
 carry their heads to the clouds. The eldest was called 
 Mammun ; the second, Amru ; the third, Karaguz, be- 
 cause he had large black eyes ; and the fourth, Gadi, 
 because he was very nimble. So happy an issue in- 
 creased my fondness for my wife ; and never did any 
 of those illustrious lovers celebrated so much in Persian
 
 160 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 romances for their fidelity and constancy (such as Maj- 
 num and Layla, Khosru and Shirin, Gamil and Shamba) 
 love with such ardour, as Zobayad and I felt for each 
 other. Nothing, in short, was so much talked of through 
 the whole kingdom as our perfect union ; and I could 
 have sworn it would have lasted for ever, when my ill 
 stars led me one day by the gates of the public baths of 
 Orixa. 
 
 One evening, as I was passing by the baths, without 
 any idea of what was to befall me, I was stopped by an 
 old woman, who had formerly been my nurse, because 
 my mother was too frail a woman to suckle me herself. 
 Korkud no longer knows his beloved Mohiyar, said she to 
 me ; he walks by without taking the least notice of me. 
 Ah, my dear Mohiyar! said I, embracing her, how glad 
 am I to meet you ! I did not see you at first. But why 
 do you not come to my house, for you must know I 
 have been this long while prodigiously rich ? I am per- 
 suaded, my dear child, said she, that you have still the 
 same love for me ; but I am now settled in a way which 
 I would on no account quit. It is I who have the care 
 of all the women, both young and old, who come hither 
 to bathe, and since you know what a cheerful disposition 
 I possess, you cannot but think I am now in my proper 
 sphere. In short you do not imagine half the fooleries 
 which are committed in this house, for here it is that 
 the most reserved of the sex put off for some hours that 
 austere modesty they seem so attached to at home, and 
 enjoy themselves for most part of the time at their 
 husbands' expense, and then amuse them with some 
 fine story when they come home. No, nothing can be 
 pleasanter than these conversations !
 
 Histoyy of Korkud and his Four Sons 161 
 
 This discourse of Mohiyar raised my curiosity ; I 
 expressed an earnest desire to be a witness of these 
 curious particulars ; and notwithstanding the danger of 
 a discovery prevailed with the good woman so far that 
 she promised to carry me into the bath if I would but 
 disguise myself like a Jewess, and bring a box full of 
 toys, and such curiosities as women usually buy. I did 
 as she bade me, and the next day in this disguise was 
 admitted into the place where the women bathe. I found 
 everything Mohiyar had told me to be true, and was never 
 in my life so highly delighted ; but my curiosity cost 
 me exceeding dear, the cursed old woman thought it not 
 enough to give me this diversion, but must needs be pro- 
 curing me another, which was the source of all my mis- 
 fortunes. Amina, said she (for that was the name I took 
 upon me), pray come and help me to attend this young 
 woman, who is just come out of the bath. There was no 
 refusing her request, so that I went into a little room, 
 where she shewed me one of the most charming creatures 
 that ever eyes beheld. I swear, madam, continued 
 Korkud, by the camel which carries the book of glory to 
 Meccah, that the daughters of the paradise of Eden cannot 
 be more beautiful than the adorable Barud ! She was 
 scarce sixteen years old, and the sight of so many charms 
 intoxicated my senses in such a manner that for some 
 time I forgot my Zobayad, and thought no more of the 
 wholesome advice which the old man in the cave of 
 Gerahem had impressed upon me. 
 
 As soon as I quitted the bath I learned from 
 Mohiyar the condition of this young woman ; that she 
 was a native of Kashmir, and belonged to a merchant 
 who dealt in slaves. I therefore ran immediately to his 
 
 ii
 
 1 62 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fnm-Hoam 
 
 house, and giving him his own price for Barud immedi- 
 ately conveyed her to a small house without the gates of 
 Orixa, where my wife never came and where I gratified 
 my violent passion for this divine woman. But no sooner, 
 madam, had I transgressed the old man's injunction than 
 the ring fell off my finger and broke, and the pieces 
 vanished ; so that with all my searching I could not find 
 the least bit of it. 
 
 This unlucky accident gave me some little uneasiness 
 at first, but being then intent on my pleasures I took no 
 further notice of it, and spent five entire months with 
 Barud, drowned in pleasures, without once perceiving the 
 effects of the old man's threats. Nay, I even smiled in 
 secret at the strong faith I once had in his prediction ; 
 when my wife fell dangerously ill, and, as I was ex- 
 pressing all the grief imaginable for her, spoke to me in 
 these words : You no longer love me, my dear husband ! 
 I have for some time perceived your indifference, and in 
 vain endeavoured to discover by what means I have had 
 the misfortune to displease you Heaven is my witness 
 there has not a minute passed wherein you have not been 
 equally dear to me ; and it is this tenderness ill requited 
 that now causes my death. Azrail is at my bolster ; I 
 now hear him call. Adieu, my dearest love ! I wish that 
 Barud may be happier than me, and less sensible of your 
 infidelity. You see I am not unacquainted with your 
 new amour, but I never mentioned it lest it should inter- 
 rupt your happiness. You have it certainly in your 
 power to make as many partners in your love as you 
 please, I have nothing to say against the established 
 customs of the East, but my heart is too much in love to 
 bear such a partnership, and it is my delicacy in this
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 163 
 
 respect which now costs me my life. These, madam, 
 were the last sensible words that Zobayad spoke ; she 
 grew soon after very delirious, and sinking urider the 
 violence of her woes expired in my arms. 
 
 I had not, till this misfortune, made any serious 
 reflection on my manner of living with Barud. How 
 weak a creature is man ! cried I, melting into tears. 
 
 Heavens ! that ever my infidelity should cause the 
 death of my dear Zobayad ! a woman of such uncommon 
 merit, worthy to be immortal. Unhappy man! this is the 
 beginning of the afflictions that fortune is preparing for 
 you, and which you draw down upon yourself by your own 
 ill conduct. To be brief, madam, I did so many extrava- 
 gant things I was obliged to be tied down for four days. 
 But how great was the increase of my sorrow when, 
 upon the recovery of my senses, I was informed that the 
 ungrateful Barud during my wife's sickness had got 
 another lover, and carried off a casket of jewels of very 
 considerable value. This news nearly cost me my life; 
 
 1 became quite distracted, and had it not been for my 
 friends, who never quitted me, should have stabbed 
 myself a thousand times. From this period, madam, 
 I found myself hourly sinking by a reverse of that 
 fortune which before had been so propitious to me. My 
 debtors became bankrupts, my vessels were shipwrecked, 
 my stores and dwelling-house took fire, and in less than 
 a year, of all the riches I had obtained with so much ease 
 I had nothing left but the little house where I had kept 
 Barud and my four children, the eldest of whom was not 
 more than fourteen. 
 
 My sorrow had made so strong an impression upon 
 me that I was perpetually weeping ; when one day my 
 
 II 2
 
 164 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 children employed their eldest brother to speak to me in 
 these words : We are, sir, said he, a very great expense 
 to you, Who have scarce enough to maintain yourself ; let 
 us go, then, and seek our fortunes ; we will return in a 
 year's time from this very day, and hope to make you the 
 partaker of our acquisitions. I could not tell how to 
 deny them what they requested, and embracing them, 
 with tears in my eyes: Go, my dear children, said I, since 
 you think there is a necessity for our parting. But what- 
 ever fortune betides you, fail not to have the fear of God 
 continually before your eyes ; let nothing alter your 
 faith, and omit no opportunity of relieving the distressed. 
 A good turn is never lost. 
 
 My sons, madam, departed, and every day during 
 their absence I entreated the Holy Prophet to favour 
 their undertakings, and not impute my iniquities to them. 
 At length the time of their return drew near, and I was 
 sadly tormented between hope and fear. Ah ! said I 
 several times, I shall not be so happy as to see my 
 children again. They doubtless have perished through 
 want, and I have been the cause of all their sufferings. 
 O that I had followed the counsel of the old man in the 
 Cave of Gerahem ! While I was thus tormenting myself, 
 the day appointed for my sons' return came ; and as soon 
 as the morning began to appear I went into the street, 
 sat me down on a stone bench at my gate, and ran to 
 meet every soul I saw coming towards my house in 
 hopes it was some of my sons. I waited all day to no 
 purpose until the time of evening prayer. I then went 
 into my house again, quite oppressed with grief, and was 
 giving myself up to despair when I heard somebody 
 knock at my door. I ran with all haste, and fancy to
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 165 
 
 yourself, madam, how great was my joy when I beheld 
 my four sons, perfectly well dressed and in good health. 
 
 The sight of my children renewed my faith, which 
 was pretty nigh exhausted by the grief which their 
 absence had occasioned ; I hung for above an hour about 
 their necks, without power to speak a word, and several 
 times fainted away. At length when I asked them if 
 they had reason to be satisfied with their journey, Mam- 
 mun was the first who spoke, and he answered me thus : 
 For six months together, sir, I rambled about, without 
 much caring which way I went ; when one day, on the 
 bank of a river, I perceived a soldier pursuing a serpent, 
 which seemed to implore my assistance. It was to no 
 purpose that I opposed the man's intentions ; he cut it in 
 four pieces with his sabre, and threw one of them into 
 the river. But remembering your last words, that a 
 good turn is never lost, Let me see, said I to myself, 
 whether in this instance it will have its reward. So 
 laying the three pieces of the serpent close to each other, 
 I saw with great pleasure how they joined together. I 
 then immediately undressed and plunged into the river, 
 where, after many times diving, I found the tail of the 
 animal, and joined it to the rest of its body. The ser- 
 pent soon after this threw itself into the river, and in a 
 moment's time I saw a beautiful woman rise out of the 
 water. Mammun, said she to me, I owe my life to you, 
 for without your assistance I should have been exposed 
 to death ; I will therefore acknowledge the service, and 
 demonstrate to you that a good turn is never lost. Just 
 as you saw me when I was a serpent join again without 
 the least sign of any division in my body, so may you, by 
 merely pronouncing my name, join everything in nature
 
 1 66 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 that is broken or divided. I am called the fairy Jiyalut, 
 and whenever you want my assistance you shall always 
 find me ready to serve you. And in truth, sir, ever since 
 that time, I have had daily experience of Jiyalut's good- 
 ness ; all my desires are fulfilled, so long as they are 
 but reasonable; and to convince you of this, here is a 
 purse that every week supplies me with an hundred 
 pieces of gold. 
 
 Mammun had no sooner finished his story than Amru 
 spoke in his turn. He told me that in crossing a forest 
 he found a white bitch ready to die, with an arrow shot 
 in her gullet : that he pulled out the arrow, and bound 
 up the wound with a piece of the linen of his turband, 
 and then carried her with much difficulty into a thicket, 
 where he laid her upon a bed of leaves, and lay down 
 by her himself all night ; but when he awoke was not a 
 little surprised to find by his side an old fairy of a 
 majestic countenance, and who, in gratitude for his com- 
 passion for her, had given to him the nimbleness of a 
 deer and the gift of divination besides. So that with 
 these talents wherever he came he had got whatever 
 he pleased, and had turned his money into diamonds. 
 With these words, he pulled out of his bosom a little 
 leather bag, and shewed us a parcel of jewels worth 
 above twenty thousand pieces of gold. 
 
 I was transported with joy at this strange relation, 
 when Karaguz informed us that one night as he was 
 going to lie in an old ruinous house in an open field he 
 was surprised and affrighted with very doleful cries, and 
 that as soon as it was day he perceived they came from 
 an owl which had been caught in a snare ; that having 
 compassion on the creature he set it at liberty ; but no
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 167 
 
 sooner was the owl let loose than it called him by his 
 name and bade him go down into a vault ; that he did as 
 he was ordered, and there found a trap, which he took 
 away ; that the owl and he afterwards went down into a 
 grot, covered all over with gold, in the midst of which 
 there stood a basin full of rose-water, into which the 
 bird threw itself, and immediately there rose up a 
 venerable old man, who called himself Morg ; that this 
 old man, by pronouncing certain cabalistical words, in- 
 fused into his eyes such a brightness in the night time 
 as would disperse all darkness for half a league round 
 him, wherever he was ; and that, over and above this, he 
 had given him power to discover all hidden treasures, so 
 that he was capable of enriching the most powerful 
 monarchs upon earth. 
 
 Gadi heard his brothers with great admiration. I 
 am not so powerful, said he, as you are ; but as you 
 will probably not let me want for anything, I content 
 myself with only one talent which I have acquired in 
 my journey. As I was returning home, much dissatisfied 
 with my fortune, and without meeting with any remark- 
 able adventure, I went one day into a poor peasant's 
 house to beg a little water, which he not only gave me, 
 but bade me go into his garden and eat some excellent 
 figs. I did as he told me, and was taking my leave of 
 him, when observing in the kitchen a trap-stand, wherein 
 there was a vast great rat, I asked him what he intended 
 to do with it ? I was just going to burn it alive, said he, 
 when you came in ; this devilish creature has for these 
 eight days made such havoc among my figs that this 
 is the least punishment I can inflict on it. Let me beg 
 of you, my good friend, said I, to give me this rat.
 
 1 68 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 Why, what will you do with it ? said he. I will spare 
 its life, answered I, for a good turn is never lost ; and 
 will take care to carry it so far off that it shall never 
 do you any more damage. I will not deny you so small 
 a matter, said he ; take the rat and the rat-trap too, but 
 release it not until you have got far enough from this 
 place. I did as the peasant desired me, carried the rat- 
 trap a day and a half, and then set the rat at liberty, 
 and went on my journey. The night came upon me in 
 the fields, and I was going to lie down at the root of a 
 tree, when I perceived a light in a great house not above 
 a hundred yards from me. I went and knocked at the 
 door, which was presently opened, and I was conducted 
 into a spacious hall, where supper was brought in. A 
 young man, remarkably beautiful, then drew near, and 
 addressed me thus : Gadi, said he to me, a good turn is 
 never lost. I am the sage Zulzul, whose life you saved 
 under the figure of a rat, when the country fellow would 
 have taken it from me. Here are two daggers which 
 I present you with, by the help of which there is neither 
 tree so high, nor tower so steep, but what you may 
 easily climb ; I give you, moreover, the power of being 
 invulnerable for any two hours of the day you shall 
 choose. 
 
 I could hardly believe, madam, these strange 
 stories that my children told me ; only the purse and the 
 diamonds were a plain demonstration that they had met 
 with some extraordinary adventures. I took, therefore, 
 three pieces of gold in order to make them a great 
 entertainment ; and after we had spent good part of the 
 night at table, and the conversation came to turn upon 
 their several talents, I seemed to be a little doubtful of
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 169 
 
 what they had told me unless I were convinced by my 
 own eyes. To prove, sir, said Amru, that I have 
 advanced nothing but what is true, I prophesy that a 
 magpie, which has built its nest upon the great tree at 
 the bottom of our garden, has this morning laid an egg, 
 which she does now actually sit upon. Well, then, said 
 Gadi, if my brother Karaguz will but lend me the light, 
 which he tells us proceeds from his eyes, I will this 
 moment climb the tree, and bring you down the magpie's 
 
 egg- 
 
 I took them at their words; we went into the garden, 
 which Karaguz enlightened very wonderfully, and Gadi, 
 by the help of his two daggers, climbed up the tree like 
 a rat, to the very top of it, which was above a hundred 
 feet high. He took the egg, and was bringing it down, 
 when, unluckily treading upon a branch that was rotten, 
 he fell to the ground with such violence that I thought 
 he was dead. I gave a terrible shriek at his fall, and 
 swooned away ; but as he was invulnerable he imme- 
 diately jumped upon his feet, and shewed me he had 
 got no harm, which rejoiced me exceedingly. As for the 
 egg, it was broken into more than twenty pieces ; but as 
 soon as Mammun pronounced the name of Jiyalut, the 
 pieces of egg came together again. It was filled and 
 joined without the least appearance of a crack ; and 
 Gadi, putting it into the nest again, at the end of the 
 appointed time it was hatched. I must own, madam, I 
 was not a little rejoiced at the sight of so many miracles ; 
 plenty was restored to my house again, and I no longer 
 felt the misfortunes which had hitherto persecuted me. 
 In this manner my sons and I lived for above a year 
 together in all tranquillity, when there happened a most 
 surprising accident at the Court of Orixa.
 
 170 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 Our sultan, Mohadin, was one day a-hunting with 
 his beautiful daughter Muwarrakh, and it was as fine 
 weather as could be wished, when all on a sudden the 
 air was darkened, and a frightful hurricane arose. The 
 lightning dazzled all the huntsmen, and the thunder 
 roared with such fury that the princess was sadly 
 terrified ; and alighting from her horse, in hopes of being 
 safer near the sultan, went to throw herself into her 
 father's arms (for the violence of the storm had dispersed 
 all her attendants), -when she perceived, with the utmost 
 horror and surprise, that she was in the arms of a little 
 old man, almost naked and as hairy as a bear, who 
 carried her through the air, in spite of her cries and her 
 father's menaces, who in the same moment found 
 himself bound fast to a tree with his hands tied behind 
 him. The huntsmen, whom the storm had dispersed, 
 returned at the voice of their sovereign ; they found him 
 in great tribulation, untied him, and carried him home 
 in a condition sufficiently distressful to raise compassion 
 in the most obdurate heart. 
 
 The Sultan Mohadin gave himself up to black 
 despair, when his grand wazir advised him to make 
 proclamation through the kingdom of Orixa and in 
 Hind of the loss of his daughter, and to promise her in 
 marriage to anyone who could rescue her out of the 
 hands of a horrible magician, who had carried her away ; 
 and, in case the princess could not fulfil this promise, 
 that he would give him half his kingdom. As soon as 
 my son Amru heard of this news, continued Korkud, he 
 was not a little rejoiced. Father, said he, I know where 
 the princess is ; and if my brothers will but assist me 
 I will restore her to her father again. Gadi, Mammun,
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 171 
 
 and Karaguz all promised never to forsake him. Being 
 introduced to the sultan, Amru told him that Muwarrakh 
 was in the power of a magician called Marzuk ; that 
 for a whole year he could make no attempt upon her 
 honour ; but that she was to submit to his infamous 
 desires if she was not taken out of his hands before the 
 expiration of that time. He then assured the king that 
 he knew where the princess his daughter was confined, 
 and that he would bring her back in less than six months. 
 
 Mohadin, transported with joy at these tidings, 
 embraced Amru and his brothers, and furnished them 
 with everything they required. After they had travelled 
 a hundred and fifty leagues, they came to the Gulf of 
 Kambay, where they embarked in a vessel the sultan had 
 ordered to be prepared for them. The pilot, observing 
 Amru's directions, coasted along the Gulf of Indus ; 
 and, sailing by Ormuz, entered the Sea of Bassorah, and 
 came to an anchor behind some frightful rocks that 
 surrounded a little island called the Blue Island. It 
 was not far from this island that the magician Marzuk 
 had by the force of his art built a tower of steel two 
 hundred feet high, which had neither door nor window 
 in it, except in the dungeon, which stood towards the 
 sea. There it was that he had shut up Muwarrakh ; 
 and this fair princess spent her days and nights in 
 perpetual weeping, when my son's vessel drew towards 
 the shore. 
 
 They had a consultation for some time ; and being 
 informed by Amru that Marzuk had not power to be 
 in the tower at night, they -resolved upon that time for 
 the execution of their design. Accordingly, they came 
 to the prison where Muwarrakh lay, in the dead of the
 
 172 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 night ; and while it was very dark, without making any 
 noise, Karaguz let Gadi have as much light as was 
 necessary for him to climb up to the top of the tower, 
 and he, by the help of his two daggers, having got to 
 the dungeon, without any noise, surprised a dragon, 
 which Amru had told him was asleep, set to guard the 
 princess, and gave him such a terrible blow on the head 
 with his sabre that he laid him flat on the ground. 
 But as soon as the dragon was dead, it looked as if the 
 destruction of the whole world depended upon its life. 
 The heavens were all on fire, the flashes of lightning 
 seemed as if they would set the universe in a flame, and 
 a furious clap of thunder split the ship, wherein were my 
 sons, into a thousand pieces, but without hurting any 
 who were in it. It was now that Mammun's secret stood 
 them in great stead ; for he only pronounced the name 
 of the fairy Jiyalut, and all the pieces of the ship came 
 and joined themselves together again without the least 
 fracture to be seen. The mariners found themselves at 
 their respective posts, and my children, with infinite 
 pleasure, saw the thunder and lightning end in a very 
 still night. Gadi took this opportunity to go into the 
 dungeon where the princess was enclosed, informed her 
 in a few words of the execution of his designs, and, 
 having drawn a rope and pulley from the ship by a cord, 
 the end of which he carried in his hand to the top of the 
 tower, let her down therewith in a rush basket into the 
 ship, where she was received with exceeding great joy. 
 But while others were paying the princess the honours 
 that were due to her, Gadi was ransacking the apart- 
 ments of the tower ; and having found a little plate of 
 gold, whereon were several unknown characters engraved,
 
 History of Korkud and his Four Sons 173 
 
 fixed up in the dungeon, supposing it to be the talisman 
 by virtue of which the tower was built, he came down in 
 all haste into the ship ; but being told by Amru that the 
 life of the infamous Marzuk depended upon that plate of 
 gold, he ascended the tower again, and having taken 
 down the talisman waited for the break of day and 
 until the ship was got behind the rocks, where it might 
 come to an anchor. The morning had scarce begun to 
 appear when the magician went into the dungeon ; but 
 my son, who had hid himself outside the door, had no 
 sooner pushed it to, broke the talisman, and thrown it 
 into the sea, than the whole steel tower and the magician 
 in it sunk down at once ; and Gadi, when he saw it was 
 level with the water, threw himself in, and swam till he 
 was taken up by the ship, which immediately set sail for 
 Kambay, and from thence returned with the princess to 
 Orixa without any manner of danger. 
 
 You cannot conceive, madam, how joyful the sultan 
 Mohadin was to see the beloved Muwarrakh again. 
 Amru, who is a very handsome man, had informed the 
 princess of the offer her father had made, and as she 
 seemed not averse to marry one she had so many obliga- 
 tions to, our illustrious sultan has just performed his 
 promise to my son, and it is in this place that his subjects 
 are met to celebrate their joy by a thousand feats of 
 gallantry for his daughter's return and marriage. Judge 
 you, then, whether I have not abundant reason to be 
 highly pleased with my good fortune. Amru is designed 
 for the throne ; the sultan has given me the post of the 
 prime wazir, who died about eight days ago, and my 
 three sons have the chief employments in the Govern- 
 ment.
 
 174 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 Korkud had but just ended the adventures of his 
 sons when we hear the shrill sounds of trumpets 
 declaring the arrival of the Sultan Mohadin and the 
 new married couple ; all the soldiers put themselves 
 under arms, whilst they passed through the camp, 
 amidst the loud acclamations of the people of Orixa, 
 who were come together to view this sight. Nothing 
 was heard but expressions of gladness on every side, and 
 the air rung with the names of the Sultan, of Amru, 
 and of Muwarrakh, on whom the people bestowed a 
 thousand benedictions. The bride and bridegroom were 
 conducted to a pavilion of blue velvet, where the sultan 
 himself placed them on a throne of massy gold, there 
 they received the compliments of the chief nobility and 
 officers of state, and afterwards passed into another 
 contiguous tent where they were served with a very 
 sumptuous entertainment. Korkud had recommended 
 us to an officer of the sultan, to take care of us, and we 
 were situated in a very commodious place to see the 
 ceremony. As soon as the entertainment was over, 
 the sultan's subjects began to shew their address and 
 activity in a thousand different races both on foot 
 and horseback ; and at last this remarkable day ended 
 in a play, which pleased the sultan and the princess 
 wonderfully, as it represented to the life the adventures 
 of the beautiful Muwarrakh with the magican Marzuk, 
 and the manner of her deliverance by Korkud's sons. 
 
 After we had spent great part of the night in all 
 these diversions, Takfur and Dardok retired to the tent 
 which Korkud had ordered to be prepared for them. We 
 stayed eight days to see all the magnificence of Amru 
 and Muwarrakh's nuptials, and then proceeded on our
 
 Adventures of Ala-Badin 175 
 
 way to Agra, where we arrived after a long and tedious 
 journey. Not far from this city Takfur had a very 
 stately house, where he usually resided. And at this 
 happy place he enjoyed such tranquillity of mind, in 
 the sprightly conversation of his beloved Dardok, as 
 he had never known at Masulipatam. I, too, found 
 my servitude so very easy with them that I was scarce 
 sensible of it. The truth is I was not willing to leave 
 them till my death, which happened to me about five 
 or six years after we came into the Mogul's country. 
 
 I must own, illustrious Fum-Hoam, said Gulchinraz, 
 these adventures are very entertaining, nor am I in the 
 least fatigued with hearing them. If not, replied the man- 
 darin, I will go on, and relate to your majesty what 
 became of me afterwards. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF ALA-BADIN 
 
 AFTER I left the body of the slave I passed into 
 that of one of the honestest men in Armenia. I was 
 born at Erzerum, and son to a kadi of that city. My 
 name was Ala-Badin. I had no great dependence on 
 my father's high station, and therefore made it my 
 endeavour by bravery and great exploits to advance 
 my fortune, and was so successful therein that I became 
 a favourite to the Sultan Uram, who then reigned in 
 Armenia. But before I had the honour to be known 
 to that monarch I used to spend some idle hours in 
 hearing my father try causes. 
 
 One day there came an old woman who sold figs, hold-
 
 176 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-PIoam 
 
 ing a young man fast by the hand, all trembling. He 
 seemed not above sixteen, but was extremely beautiful. 
 Sir, said she to my father, I demand justice of you against 
 this impudent young rascal ; and judge if I have not suffi- 
 cient reason. This morning he came to me to know how 
 much money I would take for as many figs as he could eat. 
 I began to make my computation: perhaps, said I to my- 
 self, he may be able to eat a hundred or a hundred and 
 fifty at most. Well, my pretty youth, said I, you shall 
 give me a silver sultanin. We struck the bargain, 
 and he began, and swallowed in a trice fifty before my 
 eyes. I trembled to see him ; but what was more sur- 
 prising, about two hours after, he came again and ate up a 
 hundred of the finest I had. This made me almost mad ; 
 but thinking it would be his last time I was sitting 
 quietly in my shop, when he came the third time, and 
 gobbled up all I had in my pannier, ordering me to get 
 him more, for that he would be there again in half an 
 hour. I was so amazed that I could make him no 
 answer, and had hardly recovered my surprise when 
 behold my gentleman comes again, and insists positively 
 that I shall supply him with more figs. 
 
 The kadi could hardly forbear laughing at the old 
 woman's story. Why would you, said he to the young 
 man, cheat this good woman ? Is it not enough that you 
 have emptied the whole pannier without desiring her to 
 find you more? There is no justice in this procedure. 
 The young man made no answer, but stood mute, like a 
 criminal going to punishment, on which my father 
 assumed a more lofty tone. I see, said he, by your not 
 making any reply, that you are one of those vagabonds 
 who go sharping about and disturb the public peace.
 
 Adventures of Ala-Badin 177 
 
 To teach you to live honestly for the future I order you 
 to have fifty bastinadoes upon the soles of your feet. 
 Ah, sir ! cried the young man, hearing him pronounce 
 this sentence, I am not what you take me for ; suspend, 
 I beseech you, the execution of your orders, and permit 
 me the favour to speak with you in private, and I am 
 persuaded you will revoke this severe sentence. 
 
 My father, who only intended to frighten the youth, 
 carried him into his closet, and took me along with him ; 
 but we were in the utmost surprise to find in man's 
 clothes one of the most beautiful young ladies in all 
 Erzerum, and whose father was a wazir. Sir, said she 
 to the kadi, I am rightly served for my curiosity ; I have 
 two brothers, who are twins, exactly like one another, 
 and though we were not all born at a birth, people tell 
 me I have all their features. Now one of these, for a 
 little pastime, and to teaze this old woman, made a bar- 
 gain, as she has told you, and contriving to relieve each 
 other in eating the figs, they thus alternately emptied her 
 basket. I too had a mind to see the farce, and therefore 
 desired one of my brothers to lend me his clothes, which 
 he did ; and I, coming to the fig- woman's shop, who took 
 me for him, teazed her so long and carried the jest so 
 far that at length she raised a mob, and has brought me 
 to you, sir, to have satisfaction for the cheat she imagines 
 I have put upon her. I hope, therefore, sir, you will not 
 make me suffer the punishment you have imposed, but 
 must entreat you to let me go home as soon as possible, 
 lest my absence should be known in the family. Fair 
 young lady, said my father to her, I will not be so severe 
 upon you, but let not your curiosity again put you on 
 
 such rash adventures, which you may not always so 
 
 12
 
 178 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 easily get rid of as at present. Do you not know it was 
 this cursed curiosity which ruined our mother Eve ? 
 Go home, and for fear of any accident my son shall 
 attend you. 
 
 You cannot imagine, madam, continued the man- 
 darin, what a joyful matter this adventure was to me. 
 The lady was so beautiful, so charming a creature, 
 that she captivated me in a moment ; but as her 
 situation in life was far superior to mine, I thought 
 it improper for the present to discover my love to her 
 any otherwise than by my looks and respectful carriage. 
 In process of time the beautiful Zalig (for that was her 
 name) was not indifferent to my passion, but used some- 
 times to heave such sighs as convinced me of the 
 sensibility of her heart. This gave me courage to declare 
 my passion, and I had the pleasure to find she did not 
 disapprove of my love, but gave me leave to *employ 
 all my interest in obtaining her father's consent, who 
 was then gone with a friend a small journey of about 
 thirty or forty leagues. But how great was my grief 
 to find at his return that he had disposed of his 
 daughter to his friend's son ! Zalig, notwithstanding 
 the aversion she had to the person who was to be her 
 husband, was obliged to obey, and my loss of her made 
 me so uneasy that I was resolved to leave Erzerum. 
 The Sultan of Armenia happened then to be at war 
 with a very powerful neighbouring prince. I went, 
 therefore, and asked an employment of him, which he 
 had the goodness to give me, and in a short time my 
 superior officers reported so many advantageous things 
 in my favour that in two years he raised me to the 
 dignity of a wazir, and I had every reason to be con-
 
 Adventures of Ala-Badin 179 
 
 tented with my fortune. But all this while I had not 
 forgotten Zalig, and was perpetually sighing to think 
 she was in another man's arms. Having imparted my 
 grief to a brave young Armenian in the army, who 
 was one of my aide-de-camps, Sir, said he, since Zalig 
 cannot be yours, you must endeavour to forget her. 
 I have a sister at Erzerum, not above seventeen years 
 old, who is a perfect beauty, and if you will do me the 
 honour to be my relation, there is no doubt but my 
 father will be very glad to consent. The young man 
 told me so many advantageous things of his sister that 
 he raised my curiosity, and as soon as the campaign 
 was over, which ended to our sultan's honour, I returned 
 to Erzerum, and went directly with my aide-de-camp to 
 his father's house, but was informed, to my great 
 sorrow, that about eight days before he had married 
 his daughter to an infirm old man, but so very amorous 
 that he had always three lawful wives and several con- 
 cubines in his house. 
 
 I was so discouraged at being thus disappointed 
 of two of the most beautiful women in Armenia that 
 I resolved never to marry. Zinabi (for so was my 
 aide-de-camp's sister called) understood with true concern 
 the occasion of my journey. She doubtless would have 
 thought herself much happier with me than with her 
 aged husband, and as by her brother's means she had 
 frequent opportunities of seeing me, she felt arising in 
 her heart that sweet sympathy which grows up into 
 love from the first sight. Her husband, who was very 
 much in years, she foresaw could not live long. The 
 excesses wherein the old dotard plunged himself every 
 day soon made good her expectations, and the moment 
 
 12 2
 
 180 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 she was a widow her brother hastened to tell me the 
 news. Notwithstanding the resolutions I had made never 
 to engage myself in marriage, I could not refuse to pay 
 Zinabi one visit ; and I found her then so very beautiful 
 that all my protestations vanished. I would have married 
 her that very moment for fear of being disappointed by 
 some happy rival, but the custom of widowhood, which 
 is limited to four months and ten days, made me wait 
 with no small impatience till that term was expired. 
 But this was not the only obstacle to my marriage. 
 Zinabi set before me some other difficulties which had 
 almost discouraged me. My spouse, said she to me, left 
 three young widows of us, who have no inclination to 
 part ; and, as you are both rich and handsome, you must 
 marry us all three. One of them I love, because she 
 comforted me in the sorrows of matrimony ; and the 
 other I hate, because she sometimes exasperated my old 
 husband against me. I should be glad, therefore, to have 
 the pleasure of living with her I love, and of revenging 
 myself on her I hate, who will have no objection to con- 
 tinue with me, because I have hitherto concealed my 
 aversion. 
 
 The proposition of three wives at once almost turned 
 my brain. Protest what I would to Zinabi, that she was 
 the most beautiful woman in the world in my eyes, and 
 that had I ten wives I would sacrifice them all to her, it 
 availed nothing; she grew obstinate in her resolution. 
 I will confound, said she, the haughtiness of my rival. 
 One day she had the assurance to tell me every man 
 living would leave me for her ; and I am very con- 
 temptible indeed if you do not think me deserving a 
 thousand tokens of your love, even in her presence, pur-
 
 Adventures of Ala-Badin 181 
 
 posely to upbraid her. Her charms prevailed with me 
 to comply with her desire, and I prepared myself to play 
 the cruel part with this unknown widow, whom I did not 
 desire to see any more than the other, before I came to 
 marry them. The day came at last, and I was never 
 more surprised in my life than to find that the object of 
 Zinabi's hatred was the charming Zalig, who, being left 
 a widow by her former husband, had been married again 
 to Zinabi's old one. This incident was matter both of 
 great pleasure and delight to me ; our former love was 
 renewed with more eagerness than ever, and my first 
 thoughts were how to avoid the designs of my aide-de- 
 camp's vindictive sister. I took care, however, not to 
 let Zalig know the snare her companion had laid for her, 
 and praised our great Prophet both for defeating her 
 malicious intentions and making her the instrument of 
 putting into my hands so much good fortune at one time, 
 for the third widow was likewise a very beautiful woman. 
 I proposed at first to have lodged them in three 
 different apartments in my seraglio, for since I was 
 become wazir and favourite I lived in great state, but 
 the unjust Zinabi would not let me remove Zalig out 
 of her sight, that she might have the pleasure of being 
 an eye-witness of the slights I was to put upon her. I 
 was, however, too sensible of my former love and too 
 fond of my own ease to let Zalig perceive the least cold- 
 ness towards her, nor had she any cause to complain 
 on that account. My whole study and dexterity were, 
 indeed, pretty well employed to make my wives live 
 peaceably together ; and I was one day almost at a 
 loss to accommodate a small difference which happened 
 between them. Zalig was always very curious in her
 
 1 82 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fwn-Hoam 
 
 dress ; it was her passion to be fine, and accordingly 
 she had made herself a suit of brocade so very rich and 
 splendid that all Erzerum could not produce the like. 
 This I easily foresaw would give the jealous Zinabi no 
 small uneasiness ; she always affected to be distinguished 
 from her two companions ; would bear no equality, but 
 in everything expected the preference, and therefore, when 
 she saw her rival dressed so splendidly, it vexed her 
 to the heart, and she gave me some severe reproaches 
 on the subject. It was in vain to tell her that Zalig's 
 mother had sent her the clothes for a present ; I was 
 therefore obliged to have recourse to another expedient. 
 Accordingly, I took Zalig aside and spoke to her in this 
 manner : You cannot conceive the joy I feel to see the 
 uneasiness your clothes have given Zinabi ; I am dis- 
 pleased with her haughty behaviour, and if you pursue 
 my advice there are ways enough to mortify her pride. 
 If by a malicious generosity you wish to triumph still 
 more over her, make her a present of those clothes she 
 so much envies you, and see whether she has the mean- 
 ness to wear your cast-offs. In the mean time, for your 
 own honour and her disgrace, persuade yourself they 
 are old things, which you have no farther occasion for, 
 and therefore give them to her as a proof of the 
 contemptuous light in which you behold her. 
 
 Zalig was quite delighted to hear me thus flatter her 
 vanity, and offered the clothes with pleasure. After I 
 had thus secured her, I went to Zinabi. I cannot bear, 
 my dear sultana, said I, that so splendid a dress should 
 increase the pride and haughtiness of your rival. It 
 shews, however, that she has nothing very agreeable in 
 herself, but borrows the little beauty she appears to
 
 Adventures of the Darwaysh Assirkan 183 
 
 have merely from the richness of her dress; and as I 
 am resolved her fine clothes shall in future be yours, 
 when she comes to see the admirable effect they have 
 upon you she will be ready to die with vexation. Zinabi 
 was pleased with this discourse, and believed I acted 
 agreeably to the protestations I made of despising Zalig 
 for the love of her. Another, perhaps, in her place 
 would have been nicer about the matter ; but in short, 
 though Zalig sent the clothes that very evening as the 
 despicable refuse of her wardrobe, Zinabi received them 
 with an air of the greatest triumph. 
 
 I should tire your patience, madam, continued the 
 mandarin, were I to relate the schemes I was obliged 
 to make use of, in order to preserve any tolerable peace 
 and civility between these fierce rivals. I found out the 
 secret, however, of making them live quietly together, 
 and continued this conduct between them till about seven 
 or eight years after, when I was killed at the head of the 
 King of Armenia's army. It required no small skill and 
 address, said the Queen of China, to maintain so long a 
 union between two rivals in the same house. I did it, 
 however, replied Fum-Hoam, and was as much lamented 
 by my three wives as if each of them had lost a particular 
 husband. 
 
 ADVENTURES OF THE DARWAYSH ASSIRKAN 
 
 AFTER I had left the wazir's, I entered into the body 
 of a young man whose name was Assirkan. Having 
 spent my early years in a licentious course of life, I threw 
 myself at last into a convent of darwayshes at Kandahar.
 
 184 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 I had a hard time enough while I was a novice, but soon 
 took care to make myself ample amends when I arrived 
 to the dignity of the order. I applied myself incessantly 
 to study, and attained a knowledge that distinguished me 
 from the rest of my companions, and raised me to the 
 honour of being superior of the convent ; insomuch that 
 nothing was done therein without my orders, which were 
 looked upon with as much respect as if they had been the 
 decrees of Heaven. 
 
 One day, as I was walking before the gate of the 
 convent, there came a young man of a very good appear- 
 ance, who addressed himself to me thus : Holy darwaysh, 
 said he, with a very agreeable air, how happy and con- 
 tented you appear ! And so I am, replied I ; being free 
 from those cares which attend the men of this world. 
 Here we live in a state of tranquillity, undisturbed by 
 tumultuous passions. We never go to court, have no 
 lawsuits in our house, no women come near our convents, 
 and we content ourselves with a little. What is there, 
 then, that can possibly annoy our quiet ? for these, if I 
 mistake not, are the rocks whereon the generality of 
 mankind suffer shipwreck. Ah ! how happy are you ! 
 said the young man, with a sigh. And are all darwyashes 
 so ? I believe they are, replied I ; at least I have not 
 perceived, for these fifteen years which I have had the 
 honour to preside over them, that anyone has repented 
 his embracing this holy condition of life. Ah ! that I 
 had been one of them ! cried the stranger ; my life had 
 not then been dashed with all that bitterness which has 
 so frequently interrupted my repose. It is not yet too 
 late, replied I ; come and bury all your sorrows in this 
 house ; they dare not abide under the habit of our order.
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 185 
 
 Alas ! said he, with tears in his eyes, a man should have 
 his heart free to engage therein, whereas mine has been 
 pierced with many a cruel dart for the space of thirty 
 years in which I have been wandering about the world. 
 How! thirty years ! said I, smiling; you seem not to 
 exceed five-and-twenty at most. My looks deceive you, 
 then, answered the stranger ; how young soever I appear, 
 I can assure you I have lived above an age. But you 
 will, perhaps, cease to be surprised when I inform you 
 further who I am. Ah ! replied I, do not then keep me 
 long in suspense ; you raise my curiosity to such a degree 
 that I would give the world to have it gratified. If you 
 will please to go with me to the convent, we can be 
 more at ease in my chamber, and I swear by the Holy 
 Prophet that I will keep every secret inviolate -with 
 which you may be pleased to entrust me. The stranger 
 then looked steadfastly upon me. Whatever danger, 
 said he, may accrue to me by imparting to you the 
 adventures of my life, yet I will venture, holy darwaysh, 
 on the confidence of your oath, to satisfy your curiosity. 
 He then went with me into the convent, and from thence 
 into my chamber, where, seating himself on a cane sofa, 
 he began, as near as I can remember, in these words : 
 
 STORY OF ABD AL-MOAL 
 
 IT is something more than an age since I was born 
 a subject of the King of Ormuz, and was an officer of his 
 body-guard, when there came to his court a philosopher 
 who had not only the secret of transmuting metals into 
 gold, but had likewise an elixir which contained in it a
 
 1 86 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 universal medicine, and had the same power and pro- 
 perty with the water of the Fountain of Elias. This 
 philosopher's name was as much a mystery as his elixir ; 
 he called himself an inhabitant of the whole earth, 
 travelled everywhere without an interpreter, and was as 
 learned as the great Sultan Sulayman in the knowledge 
 of nature. With such talents as these this great man 
 had little occasion to make his court to kings ; he was, 
 indeed, superior to them ; and led by his destiny to 
 Ormuz, he so rilled the town with his fame and won- 
 derful cures that the sultan sent for him. Upon this he 
 .went to court, and having had the honour of being with 
 the king for two hours, he so pleased him with the 
 charms of his conversation and the marvellous things 
 he did in his presence that he presented him with a 
 diamond of inestimable value. 
 
 As courts are usually the residence of envy, the 
 prime wazir could not behold his master's liberality to 
 this philosopher without jealousy. Sir, said he, when he 
 had an opportunity of speaking to him in private, do not 
 confide too much in this -mysterious man ; there is not so 
 much of capacity as imposture, I am inclined to believe, 
 in what he does. Such men as he are commonly great 
 cheats, and the more your majesty confides in him the 
 more you expose yourself to dangers of the most alarm- 
 ing consequence ; for who can assure you, sir, that this 
 pretended philosopher is not an emissary from some of 
 your enemies, and waits only an opportunity to poison or 
 stab you ? Ah, sir ! let not a person of whom you know 
 so little dare to approach your majesty, for what would 
 become of your wives and children if by any such horrid 
 attempt (the very idea of which makes me tremble) we
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 187 
 
 should have the misfortune to lose you ? The King of 
 Ormuz was moved with the discourse of this perfidious 
 wazir, aided by the deceitful tears which he perceived 
 running down his cheeks. You are in the right, said he; 
 make, therefore, some enquiry into this man's proceedings, 
 and if you find in them any shadow of suspicion, let him 
 that moment be sent to the tower where prisoners of 
 state are confined. 
 
 This was just what the wazir wanted ; and in a 
 few days he made the philosopher's conduct appear so 
 very odious that I received an order from the king's own 
 mouth to go and seize him. I executed his commands 
 very punctually ; but never was man more enraged than 
 my prisoner when I told him whither I was to carry 
 him. He imagined the king had caused him to be shut 
 up on purpose to make him work at the grand secret ; 
 and was not surprised when the wazir came, and 
 threatened him with the most severe punishments unless 
 he would communicate to him the art of making gold. 
 But his most cruel threats and torments did not shake the 
 philosopher, who continued intrepid amidst such tortures 
 as I could not bear to look upon without trembling. As 
 I was appointed to be his guard, continued Abd al-Moal, 
 I endeavoured by every consolation in my power to alle- 
 viate his sufferings, and for the most part did but badly 
 execute the cruel wazir's orders, who had enjoined me 
 not to let him have a moment's rest. Abd al-Moal, said 
 the philosopher to me one day, I see that you com- 
 passionate my condition ; my body is indeed but one 
 wound, and my limbs are all disjointed. Perhaps it may 
 be by the king's order that I am treated with this 
 cruelty ; but, ah ! my dear friend, I rather impute my mis-
 
 1 88 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 fortunes to the wazir's insatiable avarice. It is in vain, 
 however, for him to apply violence and torments, and 
 I would rather cut my tongue out of my mouth than 
 discover the least secret to that monster. Sir, said I, 
 to him immediately, though it is as much as my life is 
 worth to speak to you in the manner I am now going to 
 do, yet I am too sensible of your sufferings not to relieve 
 them if I could ; tell me only what I can do, and I am 
 ready to execute it. Abd al-Moal, said the philosopher, 
 set me at liberty ; it is in your power, and you may rest 
 assured that I shall not prove ungrateful. But how will 
 you get away ? replied I ; you are not able to stand upon 
 your legs. No matter for that, replied he ; I will find 
 means to follow you. 
 
 In short, after we had concerted measures together, 
 I made use of this expedient to set the philosopher at 
 liberty. I had a slave much about his size who was 
 fallen very dangerously ill, and when he came to die, 
 mangled his body till it appeared like the philosopher's. 
 I then made the guards drunk, and taking advantage of 
 their situation carried in the night my slave's body into 
 the prison ; then, dressing it in the philosopher's clothes, 
 took him on my shoulders and carried him to my own 
 house without anyone perceiving the exchange I had 
 made. As the guards had been in general intoxicated, I 
 was presumed to have made one among them, and it 
 was pretty late next morning before we went into the 
 dungeon. When we entered I feigned to believe he was 
 asleep, and gave him a severe kick with my foot as if to 
 awake him ; but seemed not a little surprised to find him 
 dead. Immediately I sent to inform the wazir, who came 
 that moment to the prison ; and after he had beheld the
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 189 
 
 body miserably disfigured and all over wounds, which he 
 took for the philosopher's, he was not a little mortified to 
 find that he had lost by his cruelty the possibility of ever 
 knowing the prisoner's secrets ; but as there was now no 
 remedy he treated it as lightly as he could, and hastened 
 to the king with an account of his death, giving him to 
 understand that he had split his skull against the prison 
 walls in order to avoid the punishment of his crimes. 
 
 While the wazir was regretting the loss of the philo- 
 sopher I concealed him in a secret apartment in my 
 house, where he ceased not to thank me for having saved 
 his life. At the end of eight or ten days, when he had a 
 little recovered his strength, Abd al-Moal, said he to me, 
 embracing me very tenderly, what I would never have 
 granted to the wazir in the most cruel tortures, I am 
 willing to give you in return for your kindness. In a 
 short time you shall be among the number of the adepts; 
 but take warning by the fault I have committed in 
 shewing myself too openly at the Court of Ormuz. And 
 as neither of us will be long safe in this place, buy a 
 camel on which you may carry me in a covered cradle, 
 such as women have when they travel ; I will put on 
 their dress, and you may pretend that we are both going 
 together on a pilgrimage to Meccah. 
 
 I did as the philosopher desired me. At the end of 
 eight days all things were ready, and after I had obtained 
 the king's leave to go and visit the tomb of the Holy 
 Prophet, it was not long before we departed. We had 
 scarce got out of the kingdom of Ormuz before the philo- 
 sopher began to teach me his secret. He ordered me to 
 bring him all the drugs he wanted for the preparation of 
 what was his grand masterpiece ; and after he had
 
 i go Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 wrought several days in my presence on the real matter, 
 which so few people understand, he convinced me at last 
 that in the mercury of the philosophers are enclosed all 
 the four elements, though itself be no element ; that it is 
 a spirit, but invested nevertheless with a body ; that it 
 is a male, and yet does the office of a female ; that it is 
 an infant, and yet has the arms of a man ; that it is the 
 most subtle poison, and yet cures the most stubborn 
 leprosy ; that it is life, and yet kills everything ; that it 
 is a king, though another possesses its kingdom ; shuns 
 fire, though fire be drawn from it ; is water, but water 
 that wets not ; and in short, is air, but nevertheless 
 lives upon water. 
 
 This, continued Abd al-Moal, was what the philo- 
 sopher so plainly demonstrated, that in a few hours I 
 comprehended the whole secret^of the grand work, and did 
 such miraculous things as I myself could hardly credit. 
 The transmutation of metals was the least of my 
 wonderful performances ; the universal medicine and the 
 elixir of life (that is, the water of youth), whose com- 
 position he taught me, was of a much greater value. To 
 be short, my good darwaysh, I never left this great man 
 so long as he lived. For though the elixir of health had 
 restored him to the bloom and vigour of a young man, 
 yet he was so crippled in all his limbs by the cruel 
 tortures which the wazir had inflicted upon him that he 
 was soon weary of the uncomfortable life he led ; and 
 taking no more of the salutary balsam, in about ten or 
 twelve years he ceased to live because he was determined 
 not to live any longer, and left me overwhelmed in the 
 utmost sorrow. 
 
 Notwithstanding the natural manner and the air of
 
 Story of Aid al-Moal 191 
 
 truth and sincerity with which Abd al-Moal recounted 
 to me this part of his adventures, continued the Mandarin 
 Fum-Hoam, I had some difficulty in believing him. 
 Although it be not impossible, said I, that by the help of 
 your elixir you may have lived a whole age, yet I own 
 I should like to see the experiment tried. It is easy to 
 do that, answered Abd al-Moal, if you have any creature 
 in the convent worn out with old age. We have, con- 
 tinued I, an ass which can hardly stand upon its legs, 
 and which for these two years we have kept without 
 labour, merely from a principle of charity, because it has 
 belonged to the house more than twenty years, if you will 
 please to make this wonderful experiment upon it. With 
 all my heart, replied he. Whereupon we went down into 
 the stable, where he made the ass swallow ten or twelve 
 drops of his elixir in a glass of water. I locked the door 
 close, took the key with me, and we returned to my 
 chamber, where, after a light collation, I desired Abd al- 
 Moal to continue the relation of his adventures, which he 
 did in the following manner ; 
 
 After I had lost my dear philosopher I spent a great 
 number of days in sorrow, and then proposed to travel, 
 having first made myself a sufficient quantity of gold 
 to defray my expenses. I went through several countries 
 till at length I came to Damascus, where I found the 
 people in the utmost consternation. The sultan was just 
 dead, without issue, of a malignant fever ; and his spouse, 
 the queen, to whom the throne belonged, was at the 
 point of death by the same distemper. The physicians 
 had applied all their remedies in vain, and the angel of 
 death was making his advances to seize upon her soul 
 when I desired permission to see her majesty. It was
 
 1 92 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 the general opinion that there were no further hopes of 
 her life ; and therefore they made no scruple to introduce 
 me into her apartment. Having obtained leave to give 
 her some drops of my elixir, it had so quick an effect that 
 the queen, who was before surrounded with the horrors 
 of death, saw in a moment the mist which had hung over 
 her disperse ; her looks, which were wild before, became 
 composed ; she began to know her women and physi- 
 cians; and having been informed that I was the person 
 to whom she was indebted for her life, she gave me her 
 hand to kiss a favour never heard of before, and which 
 gave some room to think she would not stop there with 
 her acknowledgments. In an hour after I gave her a 
 second dose of my remedy, and it was with extreme joy 
 I soon found that it quite expelled the malignity of the 
 fever ; her pulse came to be regular again, and in four 
 days she was restored to perfect health. 
 
 I was looked upon ;with admiration in the city of 
 Damascus ; and the queen having engaged me with the 
 most endearing kindnesses to tell her who I was and 
 the nature of my remedy, I could not refuse to satisfy 
 her curiosity, though I had always before my eyes the 
 adventure of the philosopher. But very fortunately for 
 me, the thing happened quite otherwise, for as soon as 
 she was informed of my wondrous talents she resolved 
 not to lose the opportunity of making her kingdom one 
 of the most flourishing in all Syria. She was young 
 and perfectly beautiful, and therefore doubted not but 
 she could secure my affection at her pleasure ; and in 
 truth I was so overcome with her goodness, and her 
 charms had made such an impression on my soul, that 
 it was not long before she perceived my situation. To
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 193 
 
 be short with you, then, my good darwaysh, she made 
 me King of Damascus ; and notwithstanding the male- 
 volence of some of the grandees of her kingdom, I knew 
 how to maintain myself on the throne, and to gain the 
 love of my subjects. As I was master of all the treasures 
 in the world (for gold grew under my hands, and I could 
 make as much of it as I pleased every day without fear 
 of any law to punish me), I presently eased my people 
 of their taxes, heaped presents upon the nobility, en- 
 riched the poor, adorned the city with edifices and stately 
 mosques, and became as formidable to the enemies of 
 the state as I was beloved by my own people, who had 
 never experienced so much happiness as under my 
 reign. 
 
 I lived with the queen in a state of the most perfect 
 felicity, without either of us growing older, by means of 
 my elixir, and saw all the subjects of my kingdom con- 
 tinue young, without any apprehension from old age or 
 from sickness. The queen was extremely beautiful, and 
 for above fourscore years I loved her, without having 
 been once guilty of infidelity to her bed ; when losing 
 my way one day, as I was hunting some leagues from 
 Damascus, I found myself alone at the foot of the 
 Mountain Libanus, and almost choked with thirst. I 
 perceived not far off a neat little house, whither 
 I hastened, and alighting from my horse tied it to the 
 gate, which I pushed open, and saw the master of the 
 house, with his wife and three children, sitting under the 
 shadow of a large tree in the courtyard. The two sons 
 were about twenty years old, and the daughter near 
 fifteen. As soon as they saw me the mother and 
 daughter ran and hid themselves in the private apart-
 
 194 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 merits of the house, and while I was asking for a little 
 fresh water to quench my violent thirst, one of the 
 young men looking steadfastly on me fell with his 
 face to the ground, and kissing it with much reverence. 
 God is great ! cried he ; we are now under the shadow of 
 the king of kings. Let us humble ourselves before the 
 Sultan of Damascus, who honours us with his presence ! 
 At the name of sultan, the father, who was a man of 
 quick parts, immediately conceived great hopes for the 
 advancement of his fortune. The sultan here ! cried he ; 
 thanks be, then, to our Prophet ! We shall soon know 
 whether it be in reality our illustrious monarch, since he 
 will not, I am persuaded, refuse my daughter his pardon. 
 What crime, then, has your daughter committed ? 
 said I, in some astonishment. She has been audacious 
 enough, replied her father, to love the august sultan, 
 whom God preserve ! and yet she has now power to fly 
 from his presence. Some few days since, she beheld in 
 these plains the supporter of the world, and the heart of 
 this young aspiring creature had boldness enough to raise 
 itself to the majesty of the king of kings. 
 
 I had in my disposition a great deal of clemency for 
 crimes of this nature, continued Abd al-Moal, and could 
 not therefore forbear smiling. I ordered him, however, 
 to call his wife and daughter ; and as they approached 
 was dazzled with the charms of the beautiful Dulzagar 
 (for that was the name of this young peasant). Happy 
 slaves ! cried the father, now is your poor cottage become 
 the magnificent pavilion of the king of nations. Here is 
 he who is as high as heaven, and this poor cottage now 
 equals the proudest and most stately palace. Let 
 Dulzagar shew the most private apartments of the house
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 195 
 
 to the support of monarchs. The mother and daughter 
 stood trembling, and, out of veneration and modesty 
 hung down their heads. The charming Dulzagar, in 
 particular, seemed to be filled with the great ideas her 
 father had given her, and was in the utmost confusion at 
 finding herself in my presence. It appeared as if she was 
 asking herself, What is become of that austere virtue of 
 the Eastern damsels, who, always secluded from the 
 commerce of men, cannot forbear trembling when anyone 
 approaches them ? She stood immoveable, without once 
 thinking to withdraw her fair hand from mine ; and, my 
 thirst still continuing, I went with her into the cherry 
 orchard, and there refreshed myself very agreeably with 
 the fruit which offered, while the rest of the family 
 remained in the court. 
 
 The branches of the trees hung down so exceeding 
 low that we wanted nobody to help us to gather the 
 fruit. In this delicious place I satisfied the old man's 
 intentions, and if I quenched my thirst by eating the 
 cherries, I kindled, on the other hand, so strong a flame 
 in my heart for the fair Dulzagar that I had not power 
 to leave her, though I had already spent more than two 
 hours in her company alone. In the mean time, night 
 came on, and hearing the noise of some of the huntsmen, 
 who were in quest of me, I called two of my most 
 favourite eunuchs and gave them charge of this 
 charming creature. I then presented her mother with 
 a large purse of gold, which I usually carried in my 
 saddle-bow, and wrote an order to my grand treasurer 
 to tell out for her father a hundred thousand pieces of 
 gold, which I put into his hands. 
 
 The old man, transported with joy, threw himself 
 
 132
 
 196 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 that moment at my feet. This day, said he, is doubtless 
 our jubilee ; since my king, whom Heaven preserve in 
 health, and make victorious over his enemies ! the in- 
 vincible Sultan of Damascus, undoubtedly leaves me a 
 grandson, who will one day become the felicity of the 
 nation of the Prophet ; may the Lord of the Koran 
 confirm and give a blessing to my hopes ! I embraced 
 him with a smile, and having charged him, as well as 
 the rest of the family, to keep this adventure secret, I 
 ordered the two eunuchs who had the sole custody of 
 Dulzagar to change her lodgings every day that the 
 queen might not discover my new amour. Sometimes 
 this beautiful creature was by my order kept in a 
 peasant's cottage ; at other times in a grove, whose 
 shade defended us from the heat of the sun ; but most 
 commonly, in some cave or other, at the bottom of 
 Mount Libanus ; and this intrigue was carried on for 
 above three months without the queen's having the 
 least suspicion. I knew the delicate sensibility of her 
 heart, which had never been accustomed to any division 
 of my love, and that a discovery of this kind would kill her 
 with grief, the rather as we had never had any children, 
 My going so frequently a-hunting gave her, however, 
 some uneasy apprehensions, which made her place spies 
 in the country ; by which means she obtained the know- 
 ledge of my secrets, and wounded herself with a most 
 tormenting jealousy. I saw in her countenance all the 
 anguish of her heart, without seeming to perceive it ; 
 and as I was going one day to caress her, in order to 
 dissipate the gloomy thoughts which continued to prey 
 upon her mind, she pushed me from her with some 
 disdain. You mistake yourself, sir, said she ; you
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 197 
 
 certainly imagine yourself with your new mistress. She 
 has now the entire possession of your thoughts ; and 
 that you may know I am not unacquainted with your 
 amours, to-morrow you will meet her in the suburbs of 
 Damascus. Perhaps there are few women in my 
 situation who would not have kept this to themselves, 
 that they might have surprised you together ; but, as 
 such a discovery would pain me too much, I chose 
 rather to acquaint the king with my own lips that 
 I am not ignorant of the measures he pursues for the 
 destruction of my peace, thereby hoping to prevail on 
 his prudence to forsake them in time, and spare me by 
 that means the anguish which I must experience from a 
 fuller conviction of his infidelity. Then, lifting up her 
 eyes to heaven, O Holy Prophet, continued she, great 
 ambassador of God, preserve my honoured sultan from 
 the malice of men ! Perhaps it is not his own inclination 
 which leads him to violate the faith he once gave me, for 
 he is of the number of the just ; but some base slave 
 has wrought upon his heart and excited his resentment 
 against me. If then there be any such traitor, O make 
 thou their bed in hell, and let the fire thereof be their 
 covering ! 
 
 I was sensibly affected with these remonstrances, 
 continued Abd al-Moal ; and had it been in my power 
 to relinquish Dulzagar, and make the queen easy, I. 
 certainly should then have done it ; but this amour had 
 got too much dominion over my soul. I did, however, 
 all I could to soothe her, and changing the place of 
 meeting, ordered Azuf, one of the eunuchs who attended 
 my mistress, to bring her the third day after this con- 
 versation to a very hollow cave in the forest of
 
 198 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 cedars. I had myself arrived at the place appointed, 
 and impatiently waited for Dulzagar, when the queen, 
 changing her resolution of going elsewhere, and perhaps 
 instructed by her spies, came with a design to surprise 
 me. She was followed by her eunuchs, and made towards 
 the place which I had appointed for the rendezvous of the 
 huntsmen and dogs ; but when she was got about half- 
 way, the sky grew prodigious dark, and the thunder and 
 lightning raised such a tempest as had not been seen for 
 a long time. This obliged the eunuchs to carry the litter 
 just under the broad trees that grew at the entrance of 
 the cave, where I was waiting for Dulzagar, and where, 
 being fatigued with hunting, I had fallen asleep upon a 
 kind of seat that nature had formed in the rock, and 
 which one of my eunuchs who attended me had covered 
 with leaves. 
 
 When the queen was informed by some of her 
 eunuchs sent out for that purpose, that I could not be 
 found, her grief was redoubled. Where can the sultan 
 be ? said she to her women. Alas ! if the bare pleasure 
 of hunting is enough to make him despise the badness of 
 the weather, the rapture he promises himself with my 
 rival will make him, no doubt, venture his life, without 
 once considering how dear that life is to me. But alas ! 
 while I am thus idly complaining, he is perhaps rioting 
 in the arms of his beloved mistress. The day, however, 
 will probably arrive when I shall there surprise him ; 
 that happy day, alas ! which seems at present so remote, 
 when, oh when will it arrive ! 
 
 While the queen was thus lamenting, the faithful 
 Azuf, both to save Dulzagar from the storm, and to relieve 
 my impatience, brought her behind him on horseback,
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 199 
 
 and made the best of his way to the cave ; but his horse 
 chancing to be unshod, it stumbled and fell lame, when 
 he perceived a company of the queen's eunuchs about 
 five hundred paces from the cave before he could reach 
 it. In these sad circumstances nothing could be more 
 unlucky than to be found in such a place as this with 
 a strange young woman so beautiful as Dulzagar. He 
 therefore advised her to conceal herself beneath a thicket 
 of bushes, and giving her a lesson in case she should 
 fall into the queen's hands, he made off from the place, 
 when my mistress was unfortunately discovered by the 
 eunuchs, who carried her immediately to the queen. The 
 queen, who was surprised at Dulzagar's extraordinary 
 beauty and at the extreme neatness of her dress, and who 
 was not a little uneasy to find her in such a suspicious 
 place, began to have a thousand jealous thoughts, and 
 haughtily asked her who she was, and what she did there 
 alone ? Alas, madam ! said she, pretending not to know 
 her, I was going to Damascus to implore the queen's 
 protection against certain Guebres, who shelter them- 
 selves in these mountains, and among whom I was 
 brought up, though I am by extraction a Mohammedan. 
 They carried me away when I was about six years old, 
 into a little village about three leagues off, and I could 
 never yet find my parents, having forgotten their names ; 
 but, shocked at their religion, I have now made my 
 escape from these idolaters, to return to the law of our 
 Holy Prophet, well knowing there is but one God. Save 
 me, therefore, madam, from these worshippers of fire, 
 who will doubtless sacrifice me to their idol if I should 
 have the misfortune to fall into their hands. Grant me, 
 therefore, your protection and favour with the queen,
 
 2oo Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 that I may be again reckoned among the number of those 
 who seek for the true light. A secret voice has reached 
 my heart ; it tells me, that the sultana is the supporter of 
 religion, that she will deliver me from the persecution 
 of my ravishers, and restore a pure and innocent soul to 
 the lost ways of Heaven ! 
 
 The queen, though she piqued herself on her piety, 
 and was thus artfully attacked on her weak side, did 
 not yet banish all her suspicion. She was grieved 
 that the interest of religion thwarted and controlled her 
 jealousy, and had determined nothing either for or 
 against Dulzagar, when Azuf, who had at a distance " 
 beheld the queen's eunuchs carrying off that amiable 
 person, and for my interest or my mistress's safety was 
 resolved to run all hazards, came up, and called to 
 them either to retire or to put themselves in a posture 
 of reverence, for that the invincible Sultan of Damascus 
 was coming. The queen at these words, fearing to 
 let me see this new proselyte, ordered one of her most 
 faithful slaves to take her up behind him, and to carry 
 her to the old seraglio of Damascus, while she advanced 
 to meet me. 
 
 This order Dulzagar had reason to dread was upon 
 the point of being executed, when as they were pass- 
 ing by the cave where she knew I was, she let herself 
 slide from the horse, and pretending to have hurt her 
 leg, cried out with so much vehemence, and in a voice 
 so pitiable, that I ordered the eunuch who attended 
 me immediately to run out. But how great was his 
 astonishment on seeing the beautiful Dulzagar in the 
 hands of one of the queen's slaves, and accompanied 
 by Azuf ! Without the least hesitation, however, he
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 201 
 
 drew his sabre, and threatened to take off the slave's 
 head if he made the least opposition, telling him that 
 I was in the cave, that what he did was by my direction, 
 and that the least resistance would cost him his life. 
 The queen's eunuch obeyed, and after they had brought 
 me my dear mistress, they both retired with the horse 
 in their hand to a corner of the cave, and left me to 
 my liberty. Ravished with the enjoyment of my ador- 
 able Dulzagar, I gave myself no concern about any 
 other person, and was reflecting how I should exert 
 my authority over the queen in case she attempted 
 to disturb my pleasures ; but alas ! how short were 
 their duration ! 
 
 Abd al-Moal, continued the mandarin, could not 
 restrain his tears ; but after a short pause he went on 
 again with his adventures in this manner. The queen 
 was not a little pleased with her good fortune in having 
 the fair Dulzagar in her power ; but while Azuf conducted 
 her away from the cave, under pretence of meeting me, 
 another violent storm bursting just over her head, she 
 was obliged to return to the shelter of those trees she had 
 just before quitted ; and as the thunder was very dread- 
 ful, she was going to step into the cave, when one of 
 her women, pulling her by the robe, represented the 
 danger she might expose herself to in a place that might 
 be a retreat for wild beasts, and advised her at least 
 to send some of her slaves to visit the cave before she 
 ventured in. You are in the right, said the queen; 
 but without giving themselves that trouble, they need 
 only discharge their arrows in every part of the cave. 
 This order was no sooner given than executed ; above 
 sixty slaves all let fly at once on every side, and I
 
 202 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 was in the utmost surprise to find myself wounded 
 with three arrows, and to hear Dulzagar crying out, 
 embracing me, Ah ! my dear prince, I am murdered ! 
 
 The cries of this beautiful dying person and myself, 
 continued Abd al-Moal, made the queen order her people 
 to retire ; and her slave and mine, who were both like- 
 wise wounded, calling out to tell them that the Sultan of 
 Damascus was in the cave, a dead coldness seized her, 
 and she fell down in a swoon while she was ordering some- 
 body to run immediately to my succour. They found 
 me, alas ! holy darwaysh, all weltering in my blood ; but 
 would to Heaven, that Dulzagar's wounds had been 
 no more dangerous than my own ! That adorable 
 creature had received one arrow, among many others, 
 that pierced her heart ; and the condition wherein I saw 
 her almost distracted me. Wounded as I was, I drew 
 my sabre, and made a horrible slaughter among those 
 unhappy slaves who were no otherwise culpable than 
 by executing the queen's commands ; and in the first 
 transports of my passion was about to cut off her head 
 and afterwards to stab myself. But I had not strength 
 to execute this cruel design ; instead of which I fell down 
 with weakness, and my eunuchs put me in the queen's 
 litter, and carried me back to Damascus. My surgeons 
 drew the arrows out of my body, and the wounds were 
 not mortal. I permitted them, however, to dress them 
 just as they thought fit, not thinking it worth while to 
 make use of any of my infallible remedies, so much had 
 my life become a burden to me. 
 
 The queen durst not appear in my sight for some 
 time, but when she had allowed my grief as much 
 time as she thought was proper, at the end of fifteen
 
 Story of Abd al-Moal 203 
 
 days she came to my bedside. I could not bear her 
 looks without trembling. Ah, madam ! said I, this is 
 what your destructive jealousy has exposed me to ; 
 but I wish to God I had shared the same fate as Dul- 
 zagar ! I should then have thought myself much happier 
 than at present. You have raised me to a throne, indeed, 
 but I have put your kingdom in such a flourishing con- 
 dition as acquits me in a great measure of the obligation 
 I have to you upon that account. You had it not, I 
 suppose, in your intention to destroy your rival, but she 
 is not the less dead ; nor can I impute the loss of her to 
 anything but your jealousy. It is true, sir, replied the 
 queen, melting into tears, I deserve these just reproaches; 
 but being accustomed for so many years to possess your 
 heart alone, I could not bring myself to share it with 
 another. But why did you not exert your authority ? 
 why did you not plainly tell me your intentions ? I 
 should then have sighed in private but submitted to your 
 will, and Dulzagar might have still been alive. Forget, 
 my lord, that I am the cause of her death, being innocent, 
 and pardon an involuntary crime, which I would willingly 
 expiate with my own blood if I could thereby restore the 
 person who was so extremely dear to you. Look no 
 longer on me with those angry eyes, which embitter 
 all the pleasure of my life ! I made the queen no 
 answer, continued Abd al-Moal, but by the tears I 
 shed in memory of my mistress, for whom I erected a 
 most stately monument. Poor relief of my lasting 
 sorrow, and what will never be able to diminish it ! 
 From that time I have been the prey of the blackest 
 melancholy, and can find pleasure in nothing. The 
 queen, too, was so grieved to see my indifference to
 
 204 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 her, that without suffering her life to be prolonged, 
 she sank under her affliction. 
 
 After all these losses, my life in the possession of a 
 throne became a burden to me. I envied a thousand 
 times the condition of every private person, and after I 
 had taken a firm resolution, I assembled the grandees of 
 Damascus, abdicated the throne in their presence, and 
 desired them to choose for themselves a monarch 
 worthier of them. But they would not readily consent. 
 You, said they, bursting into tears, are our common 
 father ; why will you forsake us ? I would not, however, 
 suffer myself to be shaken by their prayers and tears, 
 though I was sensibly affected with them. At length 
 I agreed to nominate a viceroy for six years, who should 
 then become their lawful monarch if in the mean time 
 they heard nothing of me. It is now, alas ! above seven- 
 and-twenty years since I left them, during which time I 
 have been wandering about the world without any fixed 
 place of residence ; and though I have learned, by a kind 
 of philosophy which enables me to bear all the bitter 
 afflictions of life, to despise the grandeur of a throne, 
 yet I have nevertheless but too much weakness at the 
 bottom of my heart. And thus, holy darwaysh, I think 
 I have reason to say that your quiet life is preferable to 
 that which I have hitherto led ; and that I find I have 
 not virtue enough to embrace it, since above thirty years 
 have not been able to wear off the loss of my dear 
 Dulzagar, whom I shall always lament to the hour of 
 my death.
 
 Adventures of the Darwaysh Assirkan 205 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE ADVENTURES OF 
 THE DARWAYSH ASSIRKAN 
 
 SCARCELY had Abd al-Moal finished the history of 
 his adventures, continued the Mandarin Fum-Hoam, 
 when we heard my ass bray in such a manner as gave 
 me reason to believe the elixir had performed its 
 operation. We went, therefore, instantly into the stable, 
 and I was in the most astonishing surprise to see the 
 creature so much changed that I could not have known 
 him again. For whereas his skin was before as bare as 
 a drum-head, it was now covered with hair as fine as 
 silk ; and his eyes, which but some hours before seemed 
 almost extinct, had now a surprising vivacity. In short, 
 there was no room to doubt but that the ass was in 
 reality made young again. Well, then, said Abd al- 
 Moal to me, is this enough to satisfy your incredulity ? 
 Ah, sir ! replied I, I am sufficiently convinced of the 
 efficacy of your secret ; nor was there any need for this 
 trial to confirm my faith, the bare recital of your adven- 
 tures, which are as affecting as they are singular, was 
 sufficient. That is too complaisant, replied Abd al- 
 Moal ; but I knew from your looks that you were a 
 person whose secrecy might be relied on ; and indeed 
 you are the only one except the Queen of Damascus in 
 whom I have had this confidence, the example of the 
 philosopher having taught me not to put myself incon- 
 siderately in the power of men ; but that you may be 
 still better assured of the facts I have related to you, 
 take this paper, wherein is a powder to make gold, and 
 these two phials ; this phial restores health to sick
 
 206 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 persons who are deemed incurable, and the other may 
 properly be called the elixir of immortality, since by a 
 prudent management of it you may live more than an 
 age, provided you be not surprised by any of those 
 unforeseen accidents against which there is no remedy. 
 After Abd al-Moal had made me these valuable 
 presents, notwithstanding all the persuasion I could use, 
 I could keep him no longer ; and therefore, having 
 conducted him to the gate of the convent, I saw him 
 mix among a crowd of people which was pretty common 
 before our house, and so lost sight of him for ever. 
 
 The paper and two bottles that Abd al-Moal left 
 me made me think myself richer than the King of 
 Kandahar. To make an experiment of his elixir of 
 immortality I took a few drops of it on going to bed ; and 
 rising at break of day next morning, found myself as 
 young as a person of twenty, though I was near fifty 
 years old. But if I was pleased with this change, I was, 
 on the other hand, under some apprehensions that my 
 youthful appearance might be noticed and disapproved of 
 by our darwayshes, who would thereupon deprive me of my 
 superiority in the convent, and make known the circum- 
 stance to the king himself. Perhaps I shall have the 
 same fate as Abd al-Moal's master, said I, and therefore 
 let me depart from hence. As soon as I had taken this 
 resolution, I put up some pieces of the convent's plate, 
 and going into the stable, mounted my ass, who was in 
 full vigour, and with the keys which were every night 
 brought up to my chamber, I got out of the convent, and 
 travelled almost all day, very little concerned about what 
 they would think of my departure. I put up at the first 
 inn I came to, and there bought provisions for myself
 
 Adventures of the Darwaysh Assirkan 207 
 
 and for my ass. I passed the night very quietly, and 
 the next day, having quitted the habit of a darwaysh, 
 pursued my journey without apprehension. 
 
 It is to no purpose, madam, continued the mandarin, 
 to enter upon a detail of my journey ; I will only relate 
 to you the principal passages thereof. One day among 
 others, then, as I came to a pleasure-house belonging to 
 the King of Zamorin, and was going to take up my 
 lodging in one of the outer galleries, the king returned 
 from hunting, and seeing with what tranquillity I was 
 settling my abode for that night in a place which was 
 not designed for public reception, was somewhat sur- 
 prised, and ordered me to be brought before him. How 
 comes it that you have so little discernment, said he to 
 me, as not to distinguish such a palace as mine from a 
 common inn ? Sir, replied I, will your majesty vouchsafe 
 to permit that I ask you one question ? Who lodged 
 first in this house after it was finished ? Some of my 
 ancestors, answered the king. After them, who in- 
 habited it ? It was my father. And after your father, 
 said I, who was the possessor of it ? Myself, replied 
 the king; and after my decease I hope it will descend 
 to my posterity. Ah, sir ! cried I, a house that changes 
 so often its inhabitants is certainly an inn, and no palace ! 
 And it is for this reason that the Persians have no term 
 to shew the difference ; intimating thereby that men are 
 travellers upon earth, and that they all arrive, some 
 sooner and some later, at the same common end, which 
 is death. 
 
 The king, with whom I had this discourse, was 
 satisfied with the truth of it. You are in the right, said 
 he to me ; and it is with very great justice that one of
 
 2o8 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 our poets has elegantly compared all kinds of men to the 
 pieces wherewith we play at chess ; some act the kings, 
 the queens, the knights, the fools, and simple pawns. 
 There is a vast difference between them while they are 
 in motion, but when once the game is over and the 
 chessboard shut, they are all thrown promiscuously 
 together into the same box without any sort of 
 distinction. Death does the very same thing ; kings, 
 emperors, merchants, slaves, warriors, men of the robe 
 and of the revenue, all then become equal ; and there is 
 nothing but our good works and charity towards our 
 neighbours that will give us the superiority. Let us, 
 therefore, always be doing commendable actions ; for 
 they bring with them an inward satisfaction which the 
 wicked never enjoy. The king at these words returned 
 into his palace, and ordering me to stay where I was, 
 sent me likewise a plentiful repast and clothes con- 
 venient to cover me during the night. Next morning 
 I went to thank him for his kindness, and departed. 
 After several days' journey upon my ass, I came one 
 night to Nagapatam, where I went to lodge with a good 
 old woman. I took care of my ass, and put him in the 
 stable ; and as there were still some hours before night, I 
 proposed to take a turn about the city. However, my 
 roving thoughts carried me into the suburbs, and thence 
 I wandered so far that night came upon me while I was 
 yet in the country. There was no doubt but that the 
 city gates were shut ; I therefore endeavoured to find 
 some place where I might retreat with security, and 
 after searching for some time came at length to the 
 bottom of a hill where I found a kind of cave, and by 
 the light of the moon perceived at the entrance of it a
 
 Adventures of the Darwaysh Assirkan 209 
 
 sort of niche into which I got, and was settling myself 
 to pass the night quietly therein when I saw a young 
 damsel of exquisite beauty entering the place seemingly 
 with the utmost dread. Behind her came an old woman, 
 bending under the weight of years, who took her by the 
 hand and encouraged her to advance farther. 
 
 As soon as the old woman, who had in her hand a 
 kind of dark lantern, had got about to the middle of the 
 cave, she took out of her bosom a little horn, which she 
 blew ; and immediately there spread towards the mouth 
 of the cave such a smoke, or rather such a thick cloud, 
 as quite intercepted all human sight ; nay, as even 
 hindered the light of the moon, which then shone very 
 brightly, from entering therein. At this instant a horrid 
 dread seized all my senses, and the young woman who 
 accompanied her was so terrified that she could scarcely 
 keep her feet. What are you afraid of ? said the old 
 woman ; since I have been overcome by your persuasions 
 to endeavour to grant that to you which I have refused 
 to so many others, ought you to be thus terrified ? Be 
 as courageous now, since this is only done to obtain 
 what you desire, as you were before to request it of me. 
 In a short time, that ungrateful man who now despises 
 you shall be in this place, and you shall soon see him 
 at your feet, begging you to grant him but one favourable 
 look to ease his aching heart. After these agreeable 
 promises the young woman seemed in some measure 
 to recover her spirits. But, good mother, said she, 
 can nobody know what passes here? Do not you 
 see, said the old woman, the bar I have put upon 
 the door ? The earth shall sooner open before us, 
 and shew us the bottom of its abyss than any person 
 
 H
 
 2io Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 enter here against my will. After this she bound her 
 temples with vervain and rue ; and stooping down to 
 the ground, wrote thereon certain characters with the 
 point of a dagger ; then she bound the young woman's 
 thumb with a red thread, and pricked it with the point 
 of a needle till it bled ; and at last, pronouncing aloud 
 certain imprecations which made me tremble, summoned 
 her infernal correspondent before her. 
 
 I expected no other, continued the mandarin, than 
 to see some frightful spirit appear, and my fear redoubled 
 with every fresh conjuration the old woman made, when 
 I beheld coming out of the earth a monster much like a 
 bear, who at first fell to licking his mistress's feet with 
 great submission, and then rearing himself on his hinder 
 paws, muttered some ill-articulated words in her ear, 
 and so vanished suddenly away in smoke as did also the 
 vapour which filled the cave's mouth. Ah ! I am be- 
 trayed ! cries the old woman ; there is somebody hid in 
 this place, but it shall not be long before he shall bear 
 the punishment of his curiosity ! Then coming straight 
 towards me she touched me with a hazel wand which 
 she had in her hand, and I was that moment transformed 
 into an ape. But how much was I astonished at this 
 extraordinary change ! I threw myself at her feet, and 
 embraced them with respect, shewing by my gestures 
 that my fault was involuntary ; but when I found nothing 
 would avail me, I fell into such a violent fury that, 
 without considering what she might further add to my 
 punishment, I flew in her face, tore out both her eyes, 
 and then made my escape into the country. 
 
 In the first transports of my grief I fell into the 
 utmost despair, and was a thousand times going to beat
 
 Adventures of the Danvaysh Assirkan 211 
 
 out my brains against a stone ; but at length, putting 
 my hopes in our Holy Prophet, I made to a tree which 
 stood nearest the city, and hid myself under its branches 
 till break of day. As soon as the morning began to 
 appear I clambered over the walls of Nagapatam, and 
 without being noticed by anyone came to the old 
 woman's house, where I had left my ass and a pair of 
 little bags, containing the valuable presents which 
 Abd al-Moal had given me. I then found means from 
 the top of the house to get into the chamber which 
 was designed for me, and throwing myself on the bed, 
 waited till the people had got up. Some hours after, 
 the woman who was to have lodged me came into the 
 chamber, and was not a little surprised to see a fine ape 
 sleeping very quietly. She made much of me, and I 
 returning her kindness in the best manner I could, took 
 up my bags before her and carried them to a little press, 
 where I locked them up ; and giving her the key, inti- 
 mated by my gestures that she was to take great care 
 of it. Her surprise every moment increased ; and as I 
 afterwards carried her to the stable to let her know that 
 I recommended the care of my ass to her likewise, she 
 began to be afraid, and imagined that I was some wizard ; 
 but observing the tears gush from my eyes she doubted 
 whether I might not be her guest who was some way 
 transformed by witchcraft, and thereupon testified all 
 possible concern for the lamentable condition in which 
 she beheld me. 
 
 This good woman had but one daughter, who was a 
 widow about thirty-five years old, and dwelt in a house 
 next adjoining. Her husband had left her with many 
 young children ; and among the rest she had a daughter 
 
 14 2
 
 212 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 of uncommon beauty, hardly fifteen, to whom my land- 
 lady carried me and gave me as a present, hoping by 
 this means to dissipate the extreme melancholy I was in. 
 But during the first days of my metamorphosis I was so 
 little sensible of the care that good woman took of me 
 that I scarce made any return to the fondnesses which 
 the amiable Gahun (for that was the name of her grand- 
 daughter) shewed me. Besides I was uneasy about my 
 bags ; and therefore in a few days went back again to 
 the old woman's house, and gave her to understand that 
 she would do me singular pleasure in returning them, and 
 that she might sell my ass if she pleased. My bags I took 
 with me to my new habitation, and, having locked them up 
 in a garret where no one came, was resolved to bear my 
 misfortune with patience, and to wait till Providence 
 should think fit to deliver me out of my wretched state. 
 I have already told you, madam, continued the mandarin, 
 that Gahun was a perfect beauty. As she was every 
 moment giving me a thousand innocent caresses, it would 
 have been difficult for me not to have conceived an 
 extreme tenderness for her. In this manner I passed 
 away a whole year ; nor did I perceive the violence of 
 my love until I was on the point of losing this beautiful 
 creature for ever by a most dangerous fit of sickness. 
 I was so sensibly afflicted to see her become a prey to 
 such acute pain that I dissolved into tears at her bedside, 
 and was perpetually feeling her pulse as if I had been an 
 able physician. But perceiving that in spite of all the 
 remedies they gave her she still grew worse and worse, 
 I bethought myself at last of my elixir, whereupon I 
 ran up into the garret, and soon returning to my amiable 
 mistress took a cup full of water, poured some drops of
 
 Adventures of the Darwaysh Assirkan 213 
 
 the elixir therein, and presented it to her, who made no 
 scruple to receive it at my hands. Gahun soon felt the 
 effects of this wonderful remedy which reduced the 
 humours to a just equilibrium, and diffused through her 
 whole mass of blood such a balsamic unction that at 
 the end of three days she found herself perfectly re- 
 covered, and looked more beautiful and healthy than 
 before her illness. Never was greater surprise than 
 what the mother and grandmother of my charming mis- 
 tress experienced ; she, too, every moment gave me 
 fresh proofs of her acknowledgments, though sometimes 
 she could not but wonder with herself how she came to 
 feel such a tender esteem for an ape without being able 
 to understand the cause and original of ft. 
 
 One day, however, as she was looking very stead- 
 fastly at my nails, she observed that they were covered 
 with a thin skin, which was unusual in creatures of my 
 species, whereupon she acquainted her mother with this 
 discovery, and (my old hostess having never disclosed the 
 suspicions she had of my metamorphosis) her mother told 
 it, next market day, together with the wonderful cure I 
 had done upon her daughter, to an old negro-woman, who 
 expressed upon this occasion an earnest desire to see me. 
 She had no sooner examined me thoroughly, but she 
 confirmed Gahun and her mother in their idea of my 
 being a man, who she supposed had felt the displeasure 
 of some great magician, and she promised to restore me^ 
 to my former shape. The day after to-morrow, said she, 
 is the new moon ; be sure, then, that you provide against 
 that time a large tub full of black goat's milk, and leave 
 the rest to me. I will answer for our success in this affair. 
 I thanked her in the best manner I could, continued the
 
 214 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 mandarin, and made signs that I would requite her pains ; 
 and Gahun and I both waited with the utmost impa- 
 tience for the appearance of the new moon. The negro- 
 woman's orders were punctually executed ; the tub and 
 black goat's milk were ready at the appointed hour ; 
 and after the woman had put into the bath such herbs and 
 powders as we knew not, and plunged me thrice over 
 head in it, pronouncing over me certain barbarous words, 
 I that moment resumed my former appearance. Gahun's 
 modesty would not permit her to be present at this opera- 
 tion, but she was in the mean time making ready her 
 father's clothes for me. When I came out of the bath 
 I threw myself at the negro-woman's feet, desiring her 
 to return in three days, and promised her a reward 
 answerable to the service she had done me. 
 
 Gahun came in as soon as decency would permit ; 
 and what joy did I see sparkle in her eyes when she 
 perceived that I seemed not above twenty, and tolerably 
 handsome too ! Beautiful Gahun, said I to her, in the 
 presence of her mother and grandmother, will you now 
 refuse the offer of a heart that adores you ? You who 
 have had some esteem for me while I was under the 
 form of an ape, will you not confirm it now I am in a 
 condition to answer you ? I restored you to life by 
 a wonderful liquor which few people possess, and have 
 riches enough to content the most ambitious minds ; but 
 ..I should be still much concerned to owe your heart to 
 gratitude or interest, I would only be indebted to love 
 for that valuable possession. Sir, said Gahun's mother, 
 embracing me, have compassion on my daughter's modesty ; 
 the declaration you desire would cost a young person too 
 much. The generous blush which at present overspreads 
 her face is a sufficient indication of the love she feels for
 
 Adventures of the Darwaysh Assirkan 215 
 
 you, and her silence is the best proof that she accepts 
 your proposals of marriage ; but not longer to delay two 
 lovers whose union is so dear I will myself run to the 
 kadi's house and bid him get ready the contract ; and 
 within an hour at furthest will be here with an iman, 
 who shall join your hands. 
 
 I could not well tell how to express my joy and 
 gratitude to the mother of my dear Gahun ; she left us, 
 and at the appointed time returned with the kadi. We 
 signed the contract, and soon after the iman came and 
 performed his office ; so that after a great repast they 
 left me alone with my new spouse, in whose arms I 
 met with more pleasures than ever I had known while 
 a darwaysh. The next morning 1 purchased thirty 
 pounds' weight of lead which I immediately changed 
 into gold. I made a present of an ingot of gold that 
 weighed three pounds to the negro-woman who restored 
 me to my true shape ; the rest I sold to the Jews, and 
 put my beloved Gahun in a condition to vie with the 
 richest women in Nagapatam, where I lived with her many 
 happy days without anything to disturb our serenity. 
 We had a numerous family, which I intended to have 
 established by the means of my elixir ; but it was written 
 in the book of fate that we should both die on one day ; 
 for there happened at Nagapatam a terrible earthquake 
 when we least of all expected it, which buried us both in 
 the ruins of a magnificent mosque which joined to our 
 house. 
 
 :;: * * * * * 
 
 These, certainly, said the Queen of China, are very 
 odd and whimsical adventures ; they have, however, given 
 me extreme satisfaction. But what became of you after- 
 wards ?
 
 216 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 STORY OF PRINCE KADIR-BILAH 
 
 I WENT, madam, answered Fum-Hoam, into the 
 body of a young child, in the kingdom of Delhi; and 
 though I was born in the cottage of a poor labourer, 
 yet I was nevertheless descended from illustrious blood, 
 for my father, who was reduced to this deplorable con- 
 dition, was the son of the deceased King of Tigris. But 
 to make this history intelligible to you we must trace it 
 a little higher. 
 
 My grandfather, who was called the Sultan Alfumi 
 Garbachi, died suddenly about sixty years old, without 
 naming his successor as usual. My father, who was 
 called Abadaraman, was the eldest of forty-six sons and 
 twelve daughters whom he had by different women, and 
 was also the best beloved ; but as he was abroad in the 
 wars against our enemies when the king died, four of his 
 brothers confederated together. They seized on the 
 throne, filled the kingdom with blood and slaughter, 
 massacred all the rest of their brothers, and after many 
 battles with my father reduced him to the necessity of 
 avoiding by flight a similar fate. My father had only 
 with him the wife he had most affection for, and with 
 her he retired into the kingdom of Delhi, where, as he 
 was resolved to live a private and retired life, he bought 
 a small piece of ground which, by the help of slaves 
 whom he likewise purchased, might serve to maintain 
 his family. I was in this place born to that prince, who 
 named me Kadir-Bilah, and by the time I was ten years 
 old I began to take prodigious delight in hunting, and 
 this violent exercise rendered my body so strong and so
 
 Story of Prince Kadir-Bilah 217 
 
 well inured to fatigue that at eighteen years of age I 
 was able to encounter lions, bears, tigers, or any other 
 wild beasts. 
 
 One night as I sat dozing by the fireside I heard 
 my father and mother, who imagined me asleep, dis- 
 coursing of their misfortunes. It was then I first under- 
 stood, with no small surprise, that my blood was answer- 
 able to the greatness of my spirit, and that my uncles' 
 cruelty had made my father leave his country. This 
 was sufficient to make me determine to take my way 
 towards the kingdom of Tigris. I departed, therefore, 
 without saying anything to my father, and after I had 
 passed the sea, and undergone a thousand perils in my 
 journey, I arrived at last at the Court of the King of 
 Dafila, who, as I understood, was at war with Abgaru, 
 the only surviving uncle of the four, and who then reigned, 
 having poisoned the other three that he might have no 
 competitors. 
 
 On a certain day when there was to be an engage- 
 ment, I entered myself a volunteer in the Sultan of 
 Dafila's troops, and performed such gallant actions 
 that the king distinguished me among those brave 
 men who had contributed to gain him the victory, and 
 soon after gave me the command of a body of troops. 
 I formed them all by my example, to be so many heroes, 
 and became the terror of my enemies for the whole three 
 years during which the war continued, and wherever 
 I fought was sure to draw victory after me. Nay, I did 
 more, for I killed Prince Abgaru with my own hand ; 
 and having thus put an end to the war,, which had 
 lasted a long while between him and the Sultan of 
 Dafila, I thought it then a proper time to declare myself.
 
 2i8 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 In short, I had no sooner caused the chief lords of 
 Tigris to be assembled and notified to them that I was 
 the son of Prince Abadaraman, than they immediately 
 proclaimed me king. Not at all exalted with this -title, 
 however, which was no more than my due, I went 
 immediately to wait on the Sultan of Dafila, and having 
 acquainted him with my origin he not only approved my 
 ascending the throne of my ancestors, but offered me 
 likewise his only daughter in marriage ; and as I had 
 heard great encomiums both of the beauty and merit 
 of that princess I gladly accepted his offer, and married 
 her at the head of the camp with a magnificence pro- 
 portioned to our condition. Having thus established 
 myself in the empire, I deputed two of my principal 
 officers of state to my father with a letter, wherein I 
 informed him of all my adventures, the news of which 
 was the more agreeable to him as my absence had 
 caused him much grief of heart, and had given him reason 
 to believe that I had been devoured by wild beasts. 
 Upon his return to his kingdom I obliged him to 
 assume the throne notwithstanding his resistance, and 
 became myself his first subject. 
 
 While the Sultan Abadaraman, my father, who was 
 the model of an accomplished monarch, expended all 
 his time and pains in the government of his kingdom, 
 I went with my spouse through the principal cities 
 of Abyssinia to restore that justice which had been 
 banished by Abgaru and his three brothers; and one 
 day as I was in a castle not many leagues from Tigris, 
 I went into a closet wherein were some books, and 
 having opened one I found it to contain a very remark- 
 able passage. I read in this book that near Ispahan
 
 Story of Prince Kadir-Bilah 219 
 
 there was a building (according to the tradition of the 
 country), called the Tower of the Forty Virgins, because 
 it is haunted with spirits resembling young girls, and is 
 therefore uninhabited. I could not forbear smiling at 
 so ridiculous a fancy, but reading further in the same 
 book I found that for above a hundred and fifty years 
 several gallant Persians who went to stay all night in the 
 place were never after heard of. And the origin of this 
 tradition, whether true or false, was thus related, viz : 
 
 About two hundred years ago the people of Ispahan 
 were sadly tormented with a prodigious quantity of rats, 
 insomuch that they had not a grain of corn but what 
 was damaged by them. And when several people were 
 endeavouring to find out an expedient to deliver them- 
 selves from this scourge, there appeared all on a sudden 
 a little dwarf not above two feet high and frightfully 
 deformed, who on the payment of a large sum of money, 
 which he contracted for, undertook to drive away all 
 these vermin in an hour's time. 1 No sooner had Jiyuf 
 (for so the dwarf was called) made the agreement than 
 he took out of his budget a tabor and pipe, and by 
 whistling and drumming about the streets of Ispahan 
 there was not a rat or mouse in the town which did 
 not come out of its hole and follow him as far as the 
 River Zandarou, where they all went into the water 
 and were drowned. 
 
 As Jiyuf disappeared with the rats they imagined 
 they should hear no more of him, but the next day he 
 came again to demand the money he had agreed for. 
 They paid him indeed the sum, but the people were 
 so base and covetous as to give him several pieces 
 
 i Cf. the " Pied Piper of Hamelin."
 
 22o Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 deficient in weight. This he soon discovered, and 
 upbraiding them with ingratitude threatened to be 
 revenged on them if they did not perform their bargain. 
 They, however, treated his threats with disdain ; but 
 next morning the whole city was in a 'terrible con- 
 sternation to find on a sudden an old black woman, 
 above fifty feet high, standing in the market-place, with 
 a whip in her hand. Ungrateful people of Ispahan, said 
 she, know that I am the Jinniyah Mirjihan Banu ! You 
 have falsified your word to my son, and I have come 
 to punish you ; and to convince you of my power 
 observe, therefore, what I am about to do. No sooner 
 had the jinniyah cracked her whip than the thunder began 
 to roar enough to terrify the most undaunted, the air 
 grew black, and a thick darkness overspread the city 
 for six hours, at the end of which time, and when 
 scarce anyone was recovered from his fright, Mirjihan 
 Banu appeared in the same place again. People of 
 Ispahan, said she, with a most terrible voice, if you 
 wish to appease my wrath bring me hither forty of 
 your most beautiful daughters under fifteen, otherwise 
 they shall die this night. 
 
 Though the prodigies which this jinniyah and her son 
 had performed were enough to have taught these un- 
 grateful people more wisdom, yet they made no haste 
 to obey her ; but on the next morning how great was 
 the grief of the principal men of the city to find their 
 daughters strangled ! Nothing was heard among them 
 but sighs and bitter groans. Mirjihan Banu, however, 
 not in the least moved to pity them, for four days succes- 
 sively made the same demand, and four times punished 
 them for their disobedience. At length on the fifth day
 
 Stoyy of Prime Kadir-Bilah 221 
 
 they were resolved to resist her will no longer, but 
 brought out all the young women in Ispahan that were 
 under fifteen, and when she had chosen out forty of 
 them, these unhappy victims of their fathers' perfidy, 
 at the sound of a large leather-trumpet which she began 
 to blow, were obliged to follow the jinniyah as far as this 
 tower, which no one had ever perceived before, and 
 which was apparently raised that moment by magic art. 
 Thither they all went in with her, and were never seen 
 any more ; only every night there was a frightful noise 
 heard in the tower. 
 
 Though this history seemed somewhat singular to 
 me at that time, yet I paid no further attention to it, 
 and several years passed without my once thinking about 
 the book. But when the Princess of Dafila, my wife, 
 by an unavoidable fatality died in child-bed without 
 leaving me any issue, I was so full of grief on the 
 occasion that for six weeks together I shut myself up 
 in the palace without seeing any person whatsoever. 
 After which time, in some measure to dissipate my 
 sorrow, I retired into the castle where I read the " History 
 of the Tower of the Forty Virgins " ; and calling for the 
 book, found the circumstances of this strange story 
 attested by so many contemporary authors of undoubted 
 authority that I began to be a little less incredulous of 
 the facts contained in it. I read it over again, therefore, 
 with attention, and having found at the end of the book 
 a prophecy, which people assured me was legible not 
 above twenty years before, on a plate of gold fastened 
 to the bottom of the tower, and which had a good deal 
 of reference to me, I was resolved to make a journey 
 into Persia, and go in search of this adventure at the
 
 222 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 risk of my life, as many a brave Persian had done before 
 me. The words, madam, continued the mandarin, that 
 were written upon the golden plate, were these : 
 
 "The sun, under whose shade and influence all 
 nature moves, is but a faint ray of the brightness of 
 the girdle of the master of this place. If Kordat keeps 
 in the bowels of the earth forty virgins more beautiful 
 than the houri, Isfandir shall preserve their chastity 
 until a prince descended from the blood of Malilak 
 arrives, and to whom the words which one of our 
 poets puts in the mouth of a discontented father cannot 
 be applied : 
 
 " ' My tender heart's upon my son, 
 But my son's heart is on a stone.' 
 
 Prince, whoever thou art, who hast the great Sulayman 
 for the head of thy family, enter this tower without fear, 
 where thou wilt find a charming object who shall replace 
 in thy heart the princess whom thou lamentest. He that 
 would fish for pearls should throw himself into the sea." 
 
 The prophecy surprised me the more because it 
 seemed addressed to me alone, for I was descended from 
 the Sultan Sulayman and the Queen of Sheba ; I had 
 lately placed my father on the throne, and was sadly 
 afflicted for the loss of the Princess of Dafila. All which 
 reasons confirmed my resolution of going to try the 
 adventure of the Tower of the Forty Virgins. Accord- 
 ingly I acquainted the king my father with it, and 
 notwithstanding his remonstrances to the contrary, set 
 forward on my journey, and arrived in Persia without 
 the least accident befalling me. 
 
 When I had rested myself some days at Ispahan
 
 Story of Prince Kadir-Bilah 223 
 
 after the fatigue of my journey, I left my officers in a 
 house which I had engaged for my use, and went 
 alone to the bottom of the tower, where I read on the 
 golden plate the same words as I had found in the book. 
 Without the least hesitation I went directly into a porch 
 which had no light but from one skylight, and where 
 I could see a little door that seemed to lead into some 
 subterraneous place, whose darkness startled me not 
 a little. And just as I was about to enter, casting my 
 eye upon the porch wall, I perceived in a niche a sword 
 and buckler, to which was hung a roll of parchment, 
 whereon were these words : " The place where thou 
 art going to descend is so dreadful that it would frighten 
 a lion into a lioness, but this sword and buckler of 
 Jiyan-ibn-Jiyan, which hath passed through the hands 
 of thy ancestors, will enable thee to do exploits equally 
 marvellous with theirs, who have gained themselves 
 fame over the whole earth. Go down, therefore, with- 
 out fear into these dark and gloomy recesses, putting 
 thy whole confidence in him, who only with these words, 
 ' there is no other God but God,' overthrew Lat and 
 Holizi." 
 
 This was encouragement enough for me to pursue 
 my design. I therefore took down the sword and en- 
 chanted buckler, which, as soon as I had put upon my 
 arm, and was entering upon the stairs that were to 
 lead me to the deliverance of the forty virgins, I found 
 gave a bright and shining light sufficient to dispel 
 all the darkness of the place. After I had gone down 
 a thousand steps I came into a large marble hall, the 
 roof and sides of which were all beset with diamonds of 
 a prodigious size. The chief door of this hall opened
 
 224 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 into a delicious garden ; but the only way into it was 
 over a foot-bridge, where a monstrous giant held two 
 crocodiles in a leash to hinder any one from passing ; so 
 that I saw it was time for me to prepare myself for the 
 combat. I advanced, therefore, with all imaginable in- 
 trepidity, but had I not received on my buckler a blow 
 which the giant made at me with his club, I must have 
 certainly been crushed into a thousand pieces. Having 
 happily, however, evaded it, I gave him such a terrible 
 back-blow with my enchanted sword that I cut off both his 
 legs ; and his body, in falling into the water that ran under 
 the bridge, dragged one of the crocodiles along with it. All 
 that I had then to do was to encounter the other, which 
 I attacked with great courage ; but as its skin was 
 harder thanlmy diamond, I was obliged to make several 
 powerful strokes at it before I could send it after its 
 companion. 
 
 As soon as I saw the passage clear, I went 
 immediately into the garden, and walked along a par- 
 terre adorned with white marble statues fixed upon 
 pedestals, I took notice of only one pedestal without one. 
 After I had ranged over the garden almost twelve hours, 
 fighting and conquering new monsters, and destroying all 
 enchantments that I met with, I came at last to a little 
 mosque into which I entered, and was struck with the 
 most profound veneration at the sight of a Persian, who 
 was reading aloud in the Koran, and after he had shut 
 the book, cried out O great Prophet, friend of God ! 
 the commendation of thy glory is perfect in the verse 
 Toulax, and of thy great goodness in the chapters Faha 
 and Jasim. 
 
 Prince, dearly beloved by Mohammed, said the
 
 Story of Prince Kadir-Bilah 225 
 
 venerable person, turning towards me, praise the Sover- 
 eign Creator of the world, because it is He alone who 
 has opened to thee a way unknown to all mankind 
 besides. You see in me Mohammed- Mahdi, the twelfth 
 and last iman of the great Prophet, though my enemies 
 falsely report me to be dead ; because in the battle which 
 I fought with the Caliph of Babylon for the support of 
 the true religion, God was pleased to take me from the 
 midst of it and to translate me to this enchanted place, 
 where I am to continue until the time appointed for my 
 return upon earth, not only to restore the race of imans 
 to the imperial throne, but likewise to kill Dijal, who by 
 his impostures would destroy the wise precepts of the 
 book which God by an angel dictated to his ambassador. 
 Is it possible, cried I, in a transport of joy, that I 
 should live to behold the ornament of the servants of 
 God that great iman, who, to the end of the world, 
 is to illustrate those truths which his cruel enemies in 
 vain endeavour to obscure ? Yes, without doubt, 
 answered the iman, it is I who am reserved for these 
 wonders ; and after several ages expect the great day 
 in which God is to be glorified by my means. But when 
 will that day arrive, said I to the inman ; that day of con- 
 solation to true Mohammedans, and of confusion to their 
 enemies ? I am going to shew you, answered he, how 
 far distant we are from it. Then taking me by the hand 
 he carried me to the top of a quadrangular tower, from 
 whence he shewed me a city which he told me was twelve 
 thousand parazanges 1 in circumference, in which were 
 twelve thousand gates, over which were as many 
 
 i A parazange contains four thousand geometrical feet. 
 
 15
 
 226 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 granaries full of mustard seed for the sustenance of one 
 single bird, which was to eat no more than one grain a 
 day. 
 
 The world will not end, my dear child, said he, until 
 this seed be entirely consumed ; but when that day will 
 be, no one knoweth but God. And how do you call that 
 fine city ? said I. It is called Jihawhar-Abad, replied 
 he, and very justly, because it has immense treasures 
 in it. All Persian historians sing its praise ; but few 
 people have the honour to see it, even at a distance, as 
 you do, and none ever entered into it without passing the 
 Pul-Sirrah 1 and giving an account of their good actions. 
 It is to this stately city, continued Mohammed-Mahdi, 
 that true Mohammedans after their death go and choose 
 for themselves the women who are for ever to continue 
 virgins, which Mohammed promised them, and carry 
 them thence into the Garden of Eden. When a person 
 is once convinced of this truth, can he give himself up 
 to the world ? Consider what the world is, O man ! and 
 you will find it to be nothing but a phantom and a 
 dream ; and since it is only able to yield you sorrow and 
 affliction, why are you so earnest after goods that perish 
 and so very negligent of what are immortal ? How 
 deplorable is your condition when you forsake the voice 
 of justice and the laws of our Holy Prophet ! Make not 
 yourself, said he, tents upon earth that can only be fixed 
 for awhile ; and encumber not yourself, to no purpose, 
 with baggage that must always be packed up and ready 
 for a march. 
 
 I was extremely ravished, continued the mandarin, 
 
 i Pul-Sirrah signifies the half-way bridge.
 
 Story of Prince Kadir-Bilah 227 
 
 to hear this sublime discourse of the iman, when we 
 heard the most delightful music at the bottom of the 
 tower. Prepare yourself, said he, for the last combat 
 you are to engage in. This is the Jinniyah Mirjihan-Banu, 
 the old woman who, to pleasure her son, brought into 
 the gardens belonging to this place forty of the chief 
 lords' daughters of Ispahan, and there turned them into 
 stone. Oh, Heavens ! cried I, are the figures which I 
 took to be marble as I passed by them, the beautiful 
 virgins of Ispahan ? Yes, said Mohammed-Mahdi, and 
 those which represent the men are so many gallant per- 
 sons who have attempted to rescue them out of the 
 tower. But why is there one pedestal, cried I, which 
 has no statue upon it ? That is designed for you, said 
 he, if you suffer yourself (as other heroes have done 
 before you) to be seduced by the artful impostures of 
 the jinniyah ; for then both you and those you attempt to 
 deliver shall continue in this state of insensibility until 
 the end of the world. Nor must you think that you can 
 attain your end without Jiyan-ibn-Jiyan's puissant buckler, 
 which will shew you the enchantress such as she really 
 is ; that is to say, ugly, and in the same figure wherein 
 she appeared at Ispahan ; whereas your fascinated senses 
 will represent her as the model of all perfection. Be sure 
 you fall upon her, then, with your sword and buckler, 
 pursue her to the bottomless pit, and when she and Jiyuf 
 and all her retinue retreat thither, cover the top of it 
 with the wonderful buckler the Prophet has sent you, 
 and leave it there as a trophy of your victory, which all 
 the elementary powers will never be able to remove with- 
 out the permission of Him who with one breath created 
 the world, and can with the same dissolve it into nothing.
 
 228 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 I did very readily what the iman ordered me, con- 
 tinued the mandarin ; I went down to the bottom of the 
 tower, where I beheld one of the most beautiful persons I 
 had ever seen. But when I was a little more than ten 
 paces from her, and held up my buckler against her, both 
 she and all her company seemed so exceedingly hideous 
 that I made no hesitation but fell immediately upon her, 
 sword in hand. When she perceived that her wiles and 
 stratagems were of no avail, she cried out most lament- 
 ably and betook herself to flight. I pursued her close, 
 drove her across the parterre, where the white statues 
 stood, and when she had endeavoured to escape me, 
 but in vain, she and all her jinnis were forced to throw 
 themselves into a kind of pit, and I covered the top of it 
 with my buckler. 
 
 Immediately hereupon proceeded from the bottom of 
 the pit horrible groans, and the violent tossings of the 
 evil jinnis so shook the earth that I could not stand upon 
 my feet, but fell down, holding still my sword in my hand, 
 and after a short swoon found myself in the open field 
 not far from Ispahan, surrounded with forty young 
 damsels more beautiful than the moon when at full, and 
 nine-and-thirty fine gentlemen who fell at my feet to 
 thank me for the liberty I had procured them. Sir, said 
 one of these brave Persians to me, some one of these 
 beautiful young ladies is designed for your spouse ; when 
 you shall have cast your eye upon her whom you are 
 pleased to honour with your favours, we will entreat the 
 others to choose whom they like best among us, and will 
 each be content with his lot. I knew perfectly well it 
 was the intention of the Prophet that I should comfort 
 myself for the loss of the Princess Dafila, and therefore,
 
 Story of Prince Kadir-Bilah 229 
 
 after I had surveyed all these fair persons with attention, 
 I gave my hand to one among them whose sweet looks 
 and shining beauty were not inferior to those of our first 
 mother, the wife of the Sultan Adam. 
 
 After all the rest had chosen them husbands, we 
 were preparing to make our entrance into Ispahan when 
 a vast crowd of people who came out of the gates in- 
 formed us that the Sultan of Persia and all his court 
 were coming to admire an event so extraordinary that 
 had happened not far from the gate of his palace. The 
 violence of the earthquake and the fall of some part of the 
 Tower of the Forty Virgins had made too great a noise 
 in the neighbourhood not to have been carried to his ears. 
 I therefore put myself at the head of my little company, 
 and went to meet a monarch whose personal merit was 
 renowned over all the East. After I had paid him the 
 civilities that were due, while my Persians and their new 
 wives lay prostrate at his feet, I acquainted him who I 
 was and in what manner I had accomplished so extra- 
 ordinary an adventure. The prince heard my story with 
 admiration, hugged and caressed me very tenderly, and 
 desired that I and all my retinue would lodge in his 
 palace. 
 
 There was nothing after this but feasting and sport- 
 ing for above a month together ; in which time the king 
 conferred great wealth and benefits upon the thirty-nine 
 Persians whom I had restored to their liberty. As to 
 myself, I was sensible that my absence would make my 
 father very uneasy, and therefore made preparation to 
 return into his kingdom. Wherefore, after I had received 
 all the civilities which it was proper for me to accept 
 from the King of Persia, I took my leave, and having a
 
 230 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 very prosperous journey soon arrived in the kingdom of 
 Tigris. Abadaraman, highly satisfied to see me return 
 after so long an absence, and the more so because I 
 brought with me a spouse fit to be the queen of the whole 
 earth, conjured me to leave him no more. I fulfilled his 
 request ; and at his death succeeded to the throne, and 
 governed the people with so much equity that I make no 
 doubt they lamented my loss when I came to pay the 
 common tribute to nature in extreme old age ; and con- 
 tinued to my children the same love which they had shewn 
 to me in my lifetime. 
 
 * # ;!< # * * 
 
 These events, said the Queen of China, are very 
 curious ; the moral they include pleases me much, nor 
 can you do me a greater favour than to continue them. 
 With all my heart, madam, answered the mandarin ; but 
 they begin now to draw to a conclusion ; for after I had 
 left the body of Kadir-Bilah I entered that of a young 
 infant, who was born at Gannan in the house of a 
 mandarin of letters, learned in the law, and was called 
 Fum-Hoam, the name which I now actually bear. My 
 father, who was a man well skilled in all sciences, spared 
 no pains for my promotion, and in a short time so far 
 improved me in the study of our law and religion that 
 at twenty years old, or something more, the sultan who 
 reigned before our august monarch (whom Allah pre- 
 serve !) made me a mandarin of the first order ; and by a 
 particular privilege I administered justice at Gannan, the 
 place of my nativity. 
 
 I applied myself very diligently to the most sublime 
 sciences, and had the good fortune to contract an ac- 
 quaintance with a philosopher of profound erudition, who
 
 History of Tongluck and Gulchinraz Gundogdi 231 
 
 communicated to me the power he had over jinnis ; and 
 it was by their help that I restored the Sultan Malik 
 al-Salim to the throne of Georgia. I will always remem- 
 ber that service, answered Gulchinraz, and must conjure 
 you to continue to my father your protection, which is so 
 necessary for his return to Tiflis ; and do not fail coming 
 to-morrow at this time, because I am desirous to reason 
 with you about the different adventures of your life, which 
 instead of persuading me that your religion is better than 
 mine have only confirmed me still stronger in the beliei 
 of the laws of Mohammed. We shall see that to-morrow, 
 answered the mandarin, smiling. I hope, however, that 
 the Sultan of Georgia, the King of China, your majesty, 
 and myself, will agree about that point. I doubt it very 
 much, replied the queen. But I am pretty certain of it, 
 answered the mandarin with a smile. 
 
 CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF MALIK 
 AL-SALIM, OF TONGLUCK, AND OF GUL- 
 CHINRAZ GUNDOGDI 
 
 THE two monarchs and Gulchinraz had a great deal 
 of discourse about the different adventures of Fum-Hoam, 
 and after supper each retired to his own apartment, where 
 they passed the night very quietly. As soon as the morn- 
 ing appeared, Malik al-Salim went into the Sultan of 
 China's chamber, which was parted from his only by a 
 rich closet, where the shutters and curtains were not yet 
 open. Are you asleep, sir? said he. No, answered Tong- 
 luck. Gulchinraz, whose head is filled with Fum-Hoam's
 
 232 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 stories, has awakened me to tell me a pleasant dream. 
 She told me that she dreamed we three were last night 
 carried into Georgia, and that your wazirs accompanied 
 by the mandarin were waiting with impatience until it 
 was time for them to come and testify their joy for your 
 happy return. That is very strange, replied the Sultan 
 of Georgia. I have had exactly the same dream which 
 made me awake so suddenly, and what is very astonish- 
 ing I protest I find a change in the palace ; my chamber 
 as I was getting up appeared to be the very same as 
 that in which I used to sleep at Tiflis ; the closet that 
 parts us seemed in the dark of a different figure than 
 usual, and I think much fault may be found with the 
 situation of things even in this room. It is an easy 
 matter to convince you of your error, cried Tongluck, 
 laughing and running to the window. But how great 
 was his surprise to find himself in a place he knew 
 nothing of! and how great the joy of Malik al-Salim 
 and his daughter, on finding themselves in their palace 
 at Tiflis ! Scarcely could they believe their own eyes. 
 Gulchinraz got up with the utmost expedition, and 
 going with her father and husband into an ante-chamber 
 that led into the guard-room, heard a confused noise. 
 As she opened the door Fum-Hoam appeared at the head 
 of the wazirs of Georgia, who threw themselves at their 
 sultan's feet, and expressed more by their tears than they 
 could in words. Malik al-Salim was moved with ten- 
 derness and compassion ; he embraced each of them 
 separately, and ordered them to distribute a hundred 
 thousand pieces of gold among the people. The return 
 of this good king spread in a few hours an exceeding 
 great gladness over all Tiflis ; nothing was heard but
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, of Tongluck, and of Gulchinraz 233 
 
 acclamations of joy, and the people who were doubtful 
 of their happiness begged the sultan to shew himself in 
 public. He was too well pleased with their zeal to deny 
 them that small token of his love ; he appeared for above 
 an hour upon a terrace that looked into the square, and 
 shewed them at the same time the Princess Gulchinraz 
 and the deserving husband which Heaven had provided 
 for her. 
 
 After the first transports of joy were over, and the 
 two monarchs were at liberty, they embraced the man- 
 darin a thousand times. Is all this that we see real ? 
 said Malik al-Salim to him. Is it possible that we can 
 be at Tiflis ? Is it not rather an illusion and the result 
 of a dream which my daughter and I both had last 
 night ? No, sir, replied Fum-Hoam ; you are really in 
 Georgia. The jinnis who are under my direction have 
 executed their orders punctually. They carried us into 
 this country in fewer than three hours ; and you are not, 
 I hope, fatigued with the expedition. No, indeed, said 
 Gulchinraz, I never slept better in my life, and had such 
 pleasant dreams that I was not desirous to awake. You 
 have not told the king, your husband, all, then, added 
 the mandarin. That is true, continued the queen, with a 
 blush ; but since you can enter into the bottom of my 
 thoughts I will tell him. I fancied, sir, said she to the 
 Sultan of China, that I was with child and delivered of 
 a most beautiful prince. As soon as he was born, your 
 majesty was for having him carried to the pagoda-royal, 
 to return thanks to the gods for giving you a successor. 
 I was sadly concerned to see that you refused, even 
 though I requested it with tears, to have him brought 
 up in the religion of our Holy Prophet, when, somehow
 
 234 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 or other, the Mandarin Fum-Hoam was in my chamber. 
 Mighty monarch, said he to you, our gods are nothing 
 but monsters, to which the fear and credulity of the 
 Chinese have built temples. There is but one God in 
 the universe ; He is the first mover of all things, and His 
 great Prophet is Mohammed. Whereupon you looked 
 upon the mandarin in the strangest confusion, and said 
 What ! is it you who talk at this rate to me ? You, who 
 have always been the support of the religion of your 
 fathers ; you, whom our gods account one of their chief 
 sacrificers ; you, in short, who have promised to engage 
 my wife to live with me in the same faith. I once made 
 you that promise, answered Fum-Hoam ; but I must 
 now discover to you my real sentiments, and cast off the 
 mask which conceals a true friend of the great Prophet. 
 
 After that, by a train of extravagant imaginations 
 such as sleep usually produces, this illustrious philosopher 
 seemed in a moment stripped of his old skin ; the wrinkles 
 which were indented on his face and made it so venerable 
 were all smoothed, and instead of him I thought I beheld 
 a young man much about two-and-twenty years old, 
 dressed in a Persian habit. I embraced him with much 
 tenderness, nor could I tell why, only my father and you, 
 sir, did the same. It is time to depart to Tiflis, said he 
 to us, and then giving us his girdle to take hold of, we 
 flew through the air with incredible swiftness and arrived 
 at this palace. 
 
 This, sir, was my dream, and Fum-Hoam must give 
 us the explication of it. That, madam, I will gladly 
 do, said the mandarin, and I hope that you will all be 
 soon satisfied ; but I must first of all ask pardon for 
 the imposture I have made. I never really was, nor
 
 History of Malik al-Salim, of Tongluck, atid of Gulchinvaz 235 
 
 am I at present, the Mandarin Fum-Hoam ; he is 
 actually at Gannan, and I only assumed his shape as 
 often as I had occasion for it. Not Fum-Hoam ! cried 
 .the King of China ; who are you, then ? I am a Persian, 
 sir; I was born at Tiflis, and in this palace, even in this 
 very chamber first saw the light. In this chamber! 
 replied Malik al-Salim ; ah ! how is that possible ? It is 
 easy to conceive, sir, since I am Prince Al-Rohamat, your 
 son, who at two years old was taken away by corsairs ; 
 but to convince you of this I will presently appear to 
 you in my own natural form. Upon this, some part of 
 Gulchinraz's dream being accomplished, the old man 
 disappeared, and in his place came a person like him 
 she had seen in her dream ; and now they beheld a 
 beautiful young Persian, who had in his face all the 
 lines and features of the King of Georgia. 
 
 This surprising adventure put the two kings and 
 Gulchinraz into an inexpressible astonishment. What ! 
 cried out Malik al-Salim, embracing the young Persian, 
 do I see again my dear Al-Rohamat, that beloved son, 
 whose loss cost me so many tears ? Is it he who has 
 restored me to my throne ? Is it he whose life has been 
 such a chain of wonders ? Ah, it is Al-Rohamat ! I am 
 convinced by the emotions of nature, my heart tells me 
 it is he, and his extreme likeness to my daughter is a 
 certain confirmation of the voice of nature. He was 
 taken from me on the coast of Guriyal ; I made every 
 possible enquiry after him, but in vain ; I could hear no 
 tidings of him, and alas! believed he was buried in the 
 sea; but now I have met with him again, invested with 
 more power than all the kings upon earth put together. 
 What consolation is this to my old age ! what extravagance
 
 236 Transmigrations of the Mcmdarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 of joy ! The good father then renewed his embraces ; 
 Tongluck and his spouse almost smothered him with 
 their caresses, which, after he had returned with a great 
 deal of tenderness, I will now, said he, acquaint you 
 with my adventures without any manner of disguise. 
 
 STORY OF AL-ROHAMAT, AND THE CON- 
 CLUSION OF THE HISTORY OF MALIK 
 AL-SALIM, KING OF GEORGIA, OF SULTAN 
 TONGLUCK, AND OF GULCHINRAZ GUN- 
 DOGDI 
 
 1 WAS brought up in a castle by the seaside not far 
 from Guriyal, where the sultan, my father, at that time 
 resided, when a fancy took my nurse one day that she 
 would go out a walking, and as the weather was fine 
 she had strayed half a league from home, without ever 
 minding where she was ; in her return, however, she 
 was intercepted by six corsairs. Her cries made the 
 slaves who followed us come up, but as none of them 
 was armed they soon ran away, and the corsairs carried 
 me and Sa'adi (for that was my nurse's name) into a small 
 boat, that soon ran us aboard a vessel, which immediately 
 put to sea. The wind, which was favourable at first, 
 presently changed, and there arose so furious a tempest 
 that we thought a thousand times we should have been 
 lost. However, after we had borne the violence of the 
 sea, and been tossed about for some time, the storm at 
 last ceased, and we arrived at Kafa, the place where the 
 corsairs who took me away usually live. They sold me,
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, of Tongluck, and of Gulchinraz 237 
 
 as they did the others they had taken, and I fell to a 
 rich jeweller named Naddhan, who designed me for a 
 companion to his only son, much about my age. As the 
 richness of my clothes gave him reason to believe I was 
 a person of no mean condition, which my nurse con- 
 firmed, without discovering what blood I was descended 
 from, he took all imaginable care of me, and the little 
 Alazizi, his son, was not treated with more tenderness 
 than myself. Sa'adi was in the utmost grief at not 
 having an opportunity to acquaint the sultan, my father, 
 where I was, and thereupon she fell into so deep a 
 melancholy that at the end of six months she died, and 
 left me alone, abandoned and ignorant of my parentage. 
 
 Alazizi and myself began soon to have the use of 
 our reason, and the young man was so charmingly good- 
 humoured that I loved him with the utmost tenderness, 
 which he was not backward in returning. This friend- 
 ship increased with our years, and we were become 
 inseparable ; when Alazizi unfortunately conceived a 
 passion for a jeweller's daughter of Kafa, named Zahir, 
 who, to his great sorrow, he soon understood was 
 promised to a kadi's son, for whom she had an invincible 
 aversion. Okilan, the kadi's son, was not only very 
 ugly and insolent, but a mere brute in his temper; and 
 so confident of the agreement he had made with her 
 father that he gave himself no trouble to gain the young 
 lady's consent. Alazizi was informed of Zahir's senti- 
 ments, and, having found means to bribe one of her 
 slaves, was introduced into the house, and declared his 
 passion to her in such affectionate terms that she was 
 charmed with his merit, and even entreated him to 
 rescue her from Okilan's tyranny, and prevail with her
 
 238 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 father to break off the match. Alazizi made me the 
 confidant of his love, and we imparted it to his father 
 Naddhan. The honest jeweller, who loved his son very 
 tenderly, went immediately to confer with the father 
 of Zahir. 
 
 My dear friend, said he, I understand that you 
 design your daughter for the kadi's son ; but have you 
 thoroughly considered the matter ? for, to say nothing 
 of the young man's ill qualities, reflect a little on the 
 engagement into which you are about to enter. The 
 kadi will despise you ; his son, who is a mere debauchee, 
 will soon be weary of Zahir, and return her on your 
 hands again, to your great disconsolation. Now I have 
 an expedient to avoid all these inconveniences ; you 
 know Alazizi, nor is it proper for me to remind you of 
 his merit ; he adores your daughter ; I have no other 
 child but him. I have above fifty thousand pieces of 
 gold, and as much or more in jewels ; my house is my 
 own ; and few people have a greater number of valuable 
 slaves than myself; all these I offer you, if you will 
 break off your engagement with the kadi. Consider, 
 therefore, of my proposal. 
 
 Zahir's father was a little startled at this proposition, 
 but as he could not promise himself near the advantage 
 in matching his daughter to Okilan, he readily accepted 
 Naddhan's offer; desiring, however, that the engagement 
 might be secret until he should find an opportunity to 
 get quit of the kadi's son, which was no very difficult 
 matter to accomplish, for he scarcely ever opened his 
 mouth without uttering some rudeness or other nay, 
 that very night he made use of several, which Zahir, in 
 pursuance of her father's order, sharply resented ; so
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, of Tongluck, and of Gulchinraz 239 
 
 that the quarrel grew high, and the jeweller coming in, 
 took his daughter's part with some warmth, and desired 
 Okilan to go home about his business. The young brute 
 who valued himself on his quality, took this affront in 
 very great disdain, and went out in a violent rage. 
 
 The jeweller went immediately to Naddhan, and 
 after they had agreed together they determined to have 
 Alazizi and Zahir married the day following. When 
 Okilan understood this he was in a great fury, and 
 vowed to revenge himself; and it was not long before 
 he put his design in execution. As Alazizi and myself 
 were one evening coming from his mistress's house, we 
 were attacked by the kadi's son at the head of eight 
 ruffians. We had happily time to put ourselves on our 
 defence, and had killed three of them before we received 
 the least wound ; but as my young master was no very 
 expert swordsman, he received from Okilan a blow with 
 his sabre which cleft his head asunder. I was now left 
 alone against the six assassins, and, growing mad and 
 furious at the sight of Alazizi's death, resolved to perish 
 or revenge his fall. I forced my way through the villains 
 who kept me from Okilan, and at length stabbed him to 
 the heart with a dagger which I held in my left hand, 
 while I defended my life with my sabre in the right. 
 After this I fought only to secure my retreat ; for I was 
 wounded in five or six places, and it was with much 
 difficulty that I reached Naddhan's house. His grief 
 for the murder of his son was inexpressible ; and the 
 surgeon whom he instantly sent for was about to dress 
 my wounds, when about forty officers, with the kadi at 
 the head of them, broke open the door, and tore me from 
 the arms of that unhappy father. They then beat me
 
 240 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 most unmercifully, and carried me to a frightful dungeon, 
 where they threatened me with the most infamous 
 punishment. It was to no purpose for me to protest 
 my innocence or remonstrate against the kadi, who 
 ought not to be both judge and party. I had certainly 
 been condemned to the most cruel death, if Naddhan, 
 notwithstanding the weight of his affliction, had not 
 instantly applied to the Governor of Kafa, and related 
 to him, with floods of tears, the murder of his son and 
 the revenge I had taken of the murderer. But all the 
 natural eloquence which sorrow dictates availed nothing. 
 It was not in the power of words to move the heart of 
 that governor. His greedy eyes were fixed on a very 
 fine diamond which the jeweller had on his finger, and 
 Naddhan, perceiving the object which engrossed all his 
 attention, offered to give it him, provided he would save 
 my life. I accept of your present, said he, for the love 
 I bear you ; for you know I have always esteemed you, 
 though it is not in my power to determine this affair. 
 Your best way will be to present your petition to me, 
 wherein you appeal to the Sultan of Azak. I will then 
 order your slave to be removed into some of the prisons 
 of this castle, but I cannot dispense with his being in a 
 dungeon. I will be responsible, however, for his life, 
 till your return from Azak, whither I would advise you 
 immediately to hasten if you would defeat the kadi's 
 violence : this, my dear friend, is all I can do for you. 
 
 Naddhan did as the governor advised him. I was 
 removed by virtue of his petition ; he went over to Azak, 
 and at length obtained, but not without warm solicita- 
 tions and a present of two thousand pieces of gold to 
 the prime wazir, my liberty and the kadi's recall. After
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, o/Tongluck, and of Gulchinraz 241 
 
 about four months' absence, during all which time I was 
 languishing in prison, Naddhan returned from Kafa 
 with a new kadi, who had the sultan's orders executed 
 relating to me. I was therefore released out of prison ; 
 but oh ! in what a sad condition did my master find me ! 
 So little care had been taken of my wounds that some 
 of the wounded sinews were quite shrunk, my face was 
 bent down to the ground, and the dampness of the 
 dungeon had given me the rheumatism all over my body. 
 
 In this deplorable condition I was carried to my 
 master's house, who could not forbear weeping at the 
 sight of me. The ablest physicians with all their 
 medicines were unable to restore me ; and thus I con- 
 tinued until my master's death, which happened about 
 three years after, when he bequeathed me his whole 
 estate. The first thing I did was to give freedom to 
 the slaves who had served along with me, and to 
 purchase others ; and as my life, considering the 
 lamentable condition I was in, was very irksome to me 
 I passed my time in reading good books ; and meeting 
 with one among the rest, which treated of the great 
 Sulayman's excellence by means of a ring that enabled 
 him to do everything, I read with great eagerness the 
 principles of that noble science, which, by a way un- 
 known to the vulgar, conveys to us the knowledge of 
 the most sublime truths. 
 
 I was grievously vexed that I could not readily 
 enter into the sense of this science, which seemed to be 
 concealed under a too mysterious cover. I saw with 
 admiration, that by pronouncing certain words after a 
 peculiar manner one might move the heavens and the 
 earth as easily as one's lips ; that at the pronounciation 
 
 16
 
 242 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 of these words, the jinnis, both good and evil, stood 
 aghast, and enquired of one another why the world was 
 in such disorder ; that other words made them come 
 round the person who pronounced them, just like soldiers 
 about their general ; and that, by the force and combina- 
 tion of particular letters, all the powers of the air and 
 earth might be bound up in the same manner as they 
 were once subjected to the will of that sage, who was 
 such a favourite with Heaven as to attain this profound 
 knowledge. 
 
 The more I perused this book the more I lost 
 myself in deep meditations ; and one day, as I was 
 musing on these things, and pronouncing all manner of 
 ways the different words which the Sultan Sulayman 
 made use of to command the jinnis, I was not a little 
 surprised to see before me, on a sudden, a young man, 
 who seemed not more than fifteen, and of a more than 
 mortal beauty. A part of thy vows is heard, said he ; 
 I am one of the jinnis of the air, whom thou hast invoked 
 in terms of which thou dost not as yet thoroughly com- 
 prehend the force ; but as thou possessest the qualities 
 requisite to be initiated into mysteries which are above 
 the comprehension of the vulgar, see that thou go how 
 great soever the expense may be into the province of 
 Kistag, to a little village called Sargultzar, because of 
 the great plenty of roses which grow there. Thou wilt 
 there find a famous physician named Koda-Bandi, whom 
 thou must address in the words which make all tljp 
 wicked intelligences tremble in their profound caverns, 
 " Allah-Illah Iha, Akhbar - Allah ni (for this is the 
 
 i God is great, God is great.
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, of Tonghtck, and of Gulchinraz 243 
 
 manner of salutation among the sages), and tell him 
 that Aralim desires him to fill thy brain with the dew 
 of a rose that is white and as clear as crystal. And 
 no sooner had Aralim uttered these few words than he 
 immediately disappeared. 
 
 You cannot imagine, my dear sister, continued 
 Al-Rohamat, turning to the Queen of China, what 
 satisfaction I felt at the apparition of this jinni. I lost 
 not one of his words, but wrote them down for fear of 
 forgetting them ; and so preparing for my departure, 
 caused a palanquin to be made, and bought me two 
 camels to carry me to Sargultzar, where I arrived after 
 a very tedious journey. My first care was to inform 
 myself where Koda-Bandi lived ; and they told me, not 
 far from a fountain that wrought every day the most 
 extraordinary cures. In short, I was informed that 
 people from all parts of the world came thither for their 
 health ; that the paralytic recovered the use of their 
 limbs, and those of a bad digestion stomachic heat 
 enough to concoct their food ; that old people seemed 
 there to grow young again, and women to add new 
 charms to their beauty and comeliness ; in a word, there 
 was no malady so old and obstinate but it might be 
 washed away in this fountain, and that Koda-Bandi, 
 who had the direction of the waters, ordered them to 
 be taken different ways according to the age and con- 
 stitution of the patient. 
 
 As soon as I had rested myself a little, I was carried 
 to this famous physician's house. I saluted him as the 
 jinni commanded me, and no sooner had he heard these 
 divine words, than repeating them with a marvellous 
 transport, Praise and magnify God, said he, young man, 
 
 1 6 2 

 
 244 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 for vouchsafing to make choice of you to be instructed 
 in so sublime a science as that of which the great 
 Sulayman was master ; and to deliver you from the 
 misery which man is ordinarily subject to, by giving 
 you the command over all intelligences. For, indeed, 
 what is man ? And how does he enter upon this scene 
 of life ? May not one properly enough say that he is a 
 poor mariner whom the sea has cast ashore after it 
 has made him the sport of its waves and fury ? Nature, 
 when she looses him from the bands of his mother's 
 womb, only exposes him upon the earth destitute of 
 those succours which she usually affords to other 
 creatures. He cannot sustain himself; he is born naked, 
 and fills the place of his nativity with his cries, which 
 indeed are the most just and natural of all his actions, 
 for how can he too much bewail that almost unavoidable 
 train of infelicity which seldom fails to attend him ! 
 
 This is the condition of a common man, but the 
 true philosopher and the sage is of quite a different 
 nature. His knowledge raises him as much above the 
 ordinary level of mankind as the heavens are above 
 the earth. He suffers not his passions to govern him; 
 he is greater than all kings and princes; he commands 
 the elements ; all nature is subject to him ; the jinnis 
 obey him ; and nothing but what is unjust is too difficult 
 for him to accomplish ; this is what you are about to 
 become. Your patience under your afflictions, your con- 
 tinual application to the study of virtue, and your constant 
 inclination to do that which is good, have obtained you 
 that favour which is granted but to few. Take, then, 
 especial care that the many benefits which the goodness 
 of Heaven bestows make you not proud, and be sure
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, of Tongluck, and of Gulchinraz 245 
 
 to conceal all the knowledge I am going to communicate, 
 under a plain and modest appearance, and such as may 
 not draw upon you the envy of the wicked : this is the 
 method which I take to be perfectly happy. There are 
 few sick people who come here that do not return in 
 good health ; but think you it is the water which they 
 drink, or bathe in, that has this operation upon them ? 
 No, no, my dear friend ; I have a sovereign remedy 
 of a very different kind for all their maladies, and to 
 convince you of this, smell only the elixir enclosed in 
 this small phial. I opened it, continued Al-Rohamat, 
 and put it to my nose ; but no sooner had I smelt the 
 vapour that issued from it than I felt a strange disorder 
 in every part of my body ; and instead of being crooked, 
 as I was before, I raised myself as upright as it was 
 possible to be. 
 
 This, said Koda-Bandi, is what I could easily do 
 to all who come to Sargultzar, but then these miracles 
 would soon draw upon me the envy of the physicians. 
 I choose, therefore, to heal my patients gradually, and 
 to make them believe they owe their respective cures to 
 the waters of this fountain. Nay, I must even desire 
 you not to seem as if you were healed till some few days 
 are past, during which time I will thoroughly instruct 
 you in our mysteries. Assume, therefore, the posture you 
 just now used, and call your slaves, and desire them to go 
 to the place where you first alighted, and there wait till 
 they are sent for. I did as Koda-Bandi desired me ; and 
 in five days' time, wherein I pretended to be drinking 
 the waters of Sargultzar, that famous philosopher dis- 
 closed to me all the secrets of nature, so that I became 
 as able a proficient as himself in a science which may be
 
 246 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 justly esteemed divine. At the expiration of that time 
 I left Koda-Bandi, and my slaves were astonished to 
 see me as straight and upright as if I had never been 
 otherwise, and at my return to Kafa everyone looked 
 upon my cure as a miracle. 
 
 As soon as I got home, I ordered the Jinni Aralim 
 to attend me, and according to Koda-Bandi's instructions 
 consulted him about my birth. He surprised me very 
 agreeably by informing me that I was the son of Malik 
 al-Salim, and that my name was Al-Rohamat. He 
 informed me likewise of the manner in which I was 
 stolen away by the pirates, and of the death of my 
 nurse. It was with the most inconceivable grief I 
 learned that the Sultan of Georgia was banished from 
 his kingdom by the usurper Dilsinghin, and after having 
 for a considerable time wandered about the East, was 
 at length obliged to seek for protection under one of 
 the King of China's subjects. 
 
 On receiving this information I immediately passed 
 over into the dominions of Tongluck, where I saw Malik 
 al-Salim and Gulchinraz, without being in the least known 
 by them. I then took upon me the form of Fum-Hoam, 
 whom I conveyed to my house in Kafa, where I caused 
 him to remain in a deep sleep while I personated his 
 appearance. With the rest, sir, you are perfectly 
 acquainted. It was by my means Tongluck was in- 
 formed that Holonjah had in his house a lady of Georgia, 
 who excelled the very houri in beauty ; that this monarch 
 resolved to see her under an assumed name ; that he fell 
 in love with her; that he cut off the traitor Dilsinghin's 
 head ; and, in short, that he was joined to my dear sister 
 by bands which will continue sacred and inviolable as
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, of Tonghick, and of Gulchinraz 247 
 
 long as they both shall live. Only, sir, continued 
 Al-Rohamat, addressing his discourse to the Sultan of 
 China, if I have pretended to be a zealous follower 
 of the religion of your ancestors, it has been to engage 
 you by an irrevocable oath to live with the queen your 
 spouse in the religion she professes ; and a little reflec- 
 tion, I hope, will determine you. For, in truth, is there 
 anything more contrary to good sense than the trans- 
 migration of the soul from one body to another ? To 
 accommodate myself in some measure to the extravagant 
 accounts of your mandarins of the law, I have told you 
 some histories much to the taste of what they are every 
 moment relating, and some of which have really happened 
 in the world, but not to me, who never was any other 
 than what I am now, except when I thought proper to 
 make myself appear to your eyes under another figure 
 by virtue of some cabalistic words with which I am 
 acquainted. How can they, according to their own 
 principles, remember in one body what was transacted 
 in another ? But suppose they could, upon the sup- 
 position of the soul's passing from body to body, how 
 miserable must it needs be to be always subject to 
 the prevailing inclinations of the form it inhabits? For 
 in short, all wild beasts have a sad and cruel tincture 
 of their own species ; fraud and malice are hereditary to 
 the fox and monkey ; flight and timidity belong to does 
 and harts ; and it is greatly, indeed, vilifying the soul to 
 imagine it has not sufficient power to alter the habitude 
 of any body in which it resides. 
 
 According to the accounts propagated by some of 
 your mandarins, men are often irrational, while the most 
 savage and ferocious animals are frequently endowed
 
 248 ' Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 with the most exalted understandings. Ah, my dear 
 lord ! you have surely too much good sense to be a dupe 
 of such ridiculous fables ; but seduced by the prejudices of 
 education, have never once reasoned about the religion 
 of your forefathers. Is it possible that you can persuade 
 yourself, as the vulgar believe, that the immortal nature 
 of our souls is subject to a body which is only the 
 nourishment of worms ; and that among an innumerable 
 multitude of souls there should be so fierce an emulation 
 who should first enter into the body that is lately formed, 
 and not rather agree among themselves that the first 
 comer be the first received into the body which wants it ? 
 According to this way of reasoning death will be 
 nothing more than a frightful name. All its methods of 
 approach will be indifferent to us, and it will be the same 
 thing whether we do good or evil actions, which is a 
 position abhorrent to nature. You will tell me, perhaps, 
 according to the system of your mandarins and of Hindu 
 Brahmins, that in proportion to their merit or demerit 
 souls pass into baser or nobler bodies; but what sort 
 of bodies do your doctors and the Brahmins account 
 superior to the rest ? A cow, they say, is a superior 
 animal, because this creature has something divine in 
 it. The soul which resides in that creature hopes 
 shortly to be purified of all the sins wherewith it was 
 polluted in the world by being presented to their gods. 
 And what are these gods themselves but monsters or 
 imaginary beings, invented by the knavery of your 
 first sacrificers, and supported by the licentiousness 
 and independence of those who have succeeded to 
 their places ? A cow, one of the clumsiest animals 
 next to a hog, which you make your finest dishes
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, of Tongluck, and of Gulchinraz 249 
 
 of, and which we hold in abomination ! And do you 
 really believe such idle stories ? No, sir, no ; I am per- 
 suaded to the contrary, and that my sister has already 
 shewn you the difference between so ridiculous a religion 
 and that of Mohammed, whose great truths, as they are 
 contained in the Koran, deserve admiration. This 
 venerable work, extracted out of the great book of the 
 Divine decrees, was set aside at the creation of the world, 
 to be deposited in one of the seven heavens under the 
 firmament, and was thence brought, verse by verse, to 
 our sovereign Prophet, by an angel of the first hierarchy, 
 in the space of three-and-twenty years, according to the 
 exigencies of mankind. So that none but persons of the 
 purest hearts dare touch this book, which was sent him 
 from the King of all ages Allah, who, with the 
 breath of His mouth, made the heavens and earth, and 
 every living creature ! And of this truth, both wise men 
 and angels are fully persuaded viz., that there is no 
 other God but He, and that Mohammed is His 
 ambassador. 
 
 This precious book contains the history of all that is 
 past, infallible predictions of what is to come, and just 
 and righteous laws for the time present. It enjoins us to 
 do good actions, not to fail repeating five prayers every 
 day, and to make the legal ablutions regularly. What 
 can be more beautiful than this verse in the chapter of 
 Araf ? " Be ready to forgive," says he; " do good to all 
 men, and have no contest with the ignorant." What 
 can be more eloquent than what is couched in the 
 chapter Houd, \vhere, to assuage the deluge, God 
 is brought in, saying these sublime words ? " Earth, 
 drink up thy waters ; and heaven, draw up those which
 
 250 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 thou hast poured out ! whereupon the water immediately 
 retired, the rainbow rested upon the mountain, and these 
 words were heard " Woe to the wicked ! " 
 
 This, sir, is the religion which we profess, these are 
 the laws which it imposes ; it consists not, like yours, in 
 the adoration of monsters and of rebel angels; we worship 
 God only, whose power is infinite, and who, as our 
 Prophet teaches us, needs but a few grains of dust to 
 overthrow His adversaries and to punish the wicked in a 
 terrible manner. For was it not He who to chastise the 
 pride of Kaykahus sent a gnat to penetrate his very 
 brain, and to give him such exquisite torments that he 
 was obliged to be destroyed ? Was it not He who made 
 the body of Farrayum float upon the sea with his iron 
 breast-plate on ; to let His people see how He had delivered 
 them from so formidable an enemy, with whose death 
 they were unacquainted ? Was it not in favour of 
 Mohammed, and to preserve him from the fury of the 
 Gorayshites, that while he was reposing himself in a cave 
 on the Mountain Thur an acacia tree grew in one night 
 at the mouth of the grotto, wherein a pair of wild pigeons 
 built their nest and the rest of the entrance was covered 
 over by a spider's web, which made his pursuers believe 
 that no person had lately entered there ? Does he not 
 tell you further, in the chapter of Elephants, that God 
 sent against His enemies flying squadrons, who pelted 
 them with stones that were marked with every man's 
 name, and scattered them like corn in the field which the 
 birds ate up ? Do not pretend, then, sir, to compare your 
 religion with ours. You have promised Gulchinraz, that 
 if I prevail not with her to embrace the worship of your 
 gods you would trample under foot the idols you have
 
 Story of Al-Rohamat, of Tongluck, and of Gulchinraz 251 
 
 now the weakness to adore. That time is happily come, 
 and I have an incredible satisfaction to perceive that 
 my discourse has made some impression upon you. Yes, 
 sir, you are already a Mohammedan in your heart, and by 
 your example your whole people will embrace the religion 
 of Mohammed, and not eat of the fruit of the tree Zakon, 
 which grows only in hell. You and your posterity shall 
 in that great day, which shall make the stoutest tremble, 
 hold the book containing an account of your actions in 
 your right hand, be placed in a new -planted apple 
 orchard, refresh yourselves with the fruit of the tree of 
 Muza, and our Prophet's virgins of Paradise will all 
 strive who shall please you the most. Yes, my dear 
 Al-Rohamat, said the Sultan of China, this instant I 
 am a Mohammedan, nor can I too soon perform the 
 exercises of that religion. I shall therefore have an 
 infinite obligation to you if you will acquaint my subjects 
 with my resolution. I will engage for my success in this 
 affair, answered Al-Rohamat, and for the blessings which 
 our Prophet will bestow upon the precious infant which 
 Gulchinraz now bears in her womb. He shall in his 
 generation be as illustrious in the cabalistic sciences as 
 the most renowned philosophers, and to the end of your 
 days be a consolation to you both. 
 
 Tongluk kept his word with Al-Rohamat. He 
 abjured his errors, and became a good Mohammedan ; 
 and by the marvellous assistance of Al-Rohamat, re- 
 turned with Gulchinraz into China, where, under the 
 figure of Fum-Hoam, Al-Rohamat destroyed the various 
 idols, and established the religion of Mohammed ; and 
 the queen was soon after delivered of a son, who fulfilled 
 all his uncle's predictions and became his worthy sue-
 
 252 Transmigrations of the Mandarin Fum-Hoam 
 
 cessor. As for Al-Rohamat, after his father's decease 
 he reigned in Georgia with so much wisdom that his 
 memory is to this day held in equal respect with that 
 of the first heroes of Persia ; and performed things in 
 general so far above the ordinary course of nature as 
 will for ever be thought incredible by all those who are 
 not instructed in the profound mysteries of the Cabala. 
 
 END OF THE TRANSMIGRATIONS OF THE MANDARIN 
 FUM-HOAM 
 
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