n / 6 /1yt)-A^ V o1E®2?> C^ CJ^fhlh/Z^'l r///e -d/r^^/rJ . LANE'S STANDARD EDITIONS. THE AEABIAN NIGHTS' ENTERTAINMENTS; OR, The Thousand and One Nights. ^tan$(atjjt( from \\t ^\\i\w\ ^rabif, WITH NOTES EXPLANATORY OF THE TEXT, EDWARD WILLIAM LANE, AUTHOR OF "MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE MODERN EGYPTIANS," ETC., ETC. |{nu5traktl O^E HUNDRED AM) FIFTY ENGEA VINOS, BY EMINENT ARTISTS. REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION, COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME. NEW YORK: GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, No. Lafayette Place. 18«6. 0^% 'OOPYEiani. JOHN HIGHLANDS, mFTOW PUBLISHER'S ANN0UNCE3IENT TO THE AMERICAN EDITION. HE often expressed desire on tliis side of the Atlantic for a popular and illustrated edition of the admirable translation of " The Arabian Nights," by that distin- i^^J^/k guished Arabic scholar Edward William Lane, has in- duced the publication of the present volume. For nearly two hundred years " The Arabian Nights' Entertain- ments " has been a standard in English literature, while its enduring popularity is attested by a translation into almost every modern lan- guage. To Antoine Galland, a Frenchman, dispatched by the illus- trious Colbert to the East in 1679 to collect curious manuscripts, the world is indebted for its knowledge of these marvellous creations of Eastern marvel and splendor. Many editions have been issued, but it has been reserved for the facile pen of Mr. Lane to clothe these stories in new interest and beauty, and to give them a depth and feeling which could only be attained by the author's long life spent among Oriental Nations, and by making a study of their daily lives and modes of thought. The editors have carefully follo"\ved the plan of Mr. Lane, except that they have incorporated many of his foot-notes in the text of the stories, as being clearer to the reader, and as adding much thereby to the interest of the narratives. The version from the Arabic has been so rendered by Mr. Lane that, while the engrossing interest of the stories has been vividly kept up, the passages that often offend taste and propriety in the older editions have been here gracefully modified, thus much better adapting the work to family and general reading. Attention is called to the beautiful text illustrations engraved on wood from the original Lane designs, ex})rcssly for this edition. CONTENTS. Introduction Page 13 CHAPTER I. Story of the Merchant and the Genii 20 Story of the First Sheikh and the Gazelle 21 Story of the Second Sheikh and the two Black Hoiinds 24 Story of the Third Sheikh and the Mule • 26 CHAPTER II. Story of the Fisherman 27 Story of the Grecian King and the Sage Douban 30 Story of the Husband and the Parrot 34 Story of the Envious Vizier and the Prince and the Ghoul 35 Continuation of the Story of the Grecian King and the Sage Douban 36 Continuation of the Story of the Fisherman 38 Story of the Young King of the Black Islands 42 CHAPTER III. Story of the Porter and the Ladies of Bagdad, and of the Three Royal Mendi- cants, &c 49 Story of the First Royal Mendicant 58 Story of the Second Royal Mendicant 61 Story of the Envier and the Envied 65 Continuation of the Story of the Second Royal Mendicant 67 Story of the Third Royal Mendicant ... 72 Continuation of the Story of the Ladies of Bagdad 80 Story of the First of the Three Ladies of Bagdad ... 80 Story of the Second of the Three Ladies of Bagdad 87 Conclusion of the Story of the Ladies of Bngdad 90 CHAPTER IV. Story of the Throe Apples, &c . . 91 Story of Nourcddin and his Son, and of Shemseddin and his Daughter 95 CHAPTER V. Story of the Humpback 120 Story told by the Christian Broker 123 Story tohi by the Sultan's Steward 133 Story told by the Jewish Physician ; 137 Story told by the Tailor 142 The Barber's Story of Himself 152 The Barber's Story of his First Brother 153 The Barber's Story of his Second Brother 155 The Barber's Story of his Third Brother 156 The Barber's Story of his Fourth Brother 159 The Barber's Story of his Fifth Brother 160 The Barber's Story of his Sixth Brother 165 Continuation of the Story told by the Tailor \qq Continuation of the Story of the Humpback i'jq CHAPTER VI. Story of Noureddin and Enis Eljelis i>j2 CHAPTER VII. Story of Ganem the Son of Ayoub, the Distracted Slave of Love ". 194 Story of the Slave Cafour . . . ' 196 Continuation of the Story of Ganen\ the Son of Ayoub, the Distracted Slave of Love 198 CHAPTER VIII. Story of Taj-elmolouk and the Lady Dunia, 210 Story of Aziz and Azizah 215 Continuation of the Story of Taj-elmolouk and the Lady Dunia 232 CHAPTER IX. Story of AH the Son of Becar, and Shemselnihar 253 CHAPTER X. Story of the Prince Camaralzaman and the Princess Badoura 276 Story of the Two Princes Amgiad and Assad 311 Story of Neameh and Noam 332 Conclusion of the Story of Amgiad and Assad, &e 343 CHAPTER XI. Story of Aladdin Abushamat 348 CHAPTER Xn. Story of Abon-IIassan the Wag, or the Sleeper Awakened 382 CHAPTER XIII. Story of Mahomed AH the Jeweller, or the False Caliph 393 CONTENTS. vii CHAPTER XIV. Story of Abou Mahomed the Lfizy 403 CHAPTER XV. Story of Ali Shir and Zumroud 412 CHAPTER XVI. Story of Ibn Mansour and the Lady Badoura, and Jubir the Son of Omir Sheibani 429 CHAPTER XVII. Story of the Magic Horse 433 CHAPTER XVIII. Story of Ansal-Wajoud and Rose-in-Bloom 454 CHAPTER XIX. Story of Ali of Cairo 463 CHAPTER XX. Story of Sindbad the Sailor and Sindbad the Porter 475 First Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor 476 Second Voyage 483 Third Voyage 433 Fourth Voyage 495 Fifth Voyage 503 Sixth Voyage 522. Seventh Voyage gjg Conclusion of the Story of Sindbad the Sailor and Sindbad the Porter con CHAPTER XXI. Story of the City of Brass 521 CHAPTER XXII. Story of Joudar 533 CHAPTER XXIII. Story of r.ulnare of the Sea 5G4 Story of Beder Basim and Giohara 571 CHAPTER XXIV Story of Seifelmolouk and Bedia Eljoinal 501 CHAPTER XXV. Story of Hassan of Balsora 624 van CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXVI. Story of Califa the Fisherman qqq CHAPTER XXVII. Story of Abousir and Aboukir jqq CHAPTER XXVIII. Story of Abdalla of the Land and Abdalla of the Sea 726 CHAPTER XXIX. Story of Ibrahim and Gemila : 739 CHAPTER XXX. Story of Marouf 751 Conclusion 781 LIST OF TEXT AND FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS, TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS. Shahzeman after having killed his Wife Page 14 The Ass at Plough 17 The Dog and the Cock 18 Shahriar unveiling Sheherazade 19 Transformation of the Concubine into a Cow 22 The Herdsman introducing his Daughter to the Sheikh 23 The Genie listening to the Tales of the Sheikhs 26 Douban in his Dress of Honour 30 Douban and the Executioner 37 The Fisherman showing the Fish to the Sultan 39 The Young King on his Bed,. attended by two Maids 42 The Sultan killing the Enchantress 46 The Porter and Ladies carousing 51 The Porter seized •. 57 The Second Prince as a Woodcutter 02 The Envied Sheikh and the Genii in the Well 66 The Second Prince transformed into an Ape 69 The First Lady recognising her Sisters , 31 Old Woman interceding for the Second Lady 39 Noureddin after the Bath ; 93 Noureddin and his Son 1 00 The Vizier Shemseddin recovering from a Swoon 1 10 Bedreddin waiting upon his Son and the Eunuch 115 Bedreddin's perplexity 1 13 The Humpback Dead 122 Money-Changer and Scrivener, Ac 125 Portrait of the Jew 13,S Young Man sitting on a Stone-bench I43 The Barber rending his Clothes •. 150 Portrait of the Barber 151 The Blind Men exploring the Apartment 157 The Second Misfortune of the Barber's Fifth Brother 163 The Barber extracting the bone from the throat of the Humpback 171 Noureddin embracing the Slave 174 Enis Eljelis playing on the Lute 18U Azizah weeping over the Design of the Gazelles . 224 Azizah Dead 225 Tnj-elraolouk receiving the Old Woman 238 The Lady Dunia untwisting the Old Woman's Hnir 241 Taj-elmolouk and the Lady Dunia 246 The Jeweller finding the Letter 263 Shctnselnihar's first visit to the Jeweller 265 X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Ladj' playing on the Kanoon 275 Camaralzaman standing before his Father 279 Camaralzaraan beating the Vizier 290 The Bird with the Talisman 303 Amgiad and Assad 312 Eunuch slain by Amgiad 313 Amgiad washing his Clothes 321 The Damsel beating Bahader 326 Noam reviving at the sight of Neameh's name 338 Child asleep 349 Zobeide lifting up the Prayer-carpet 358 The Caliph and his Companions disguised as Dervises 361 Ahmad Kamakim the Arch Thief 366 Abon-Hassan admiring his magnificent Dress 385 Nouzatalfaud telling her Story to the Lady Zobeide 389 The Lady Dunia examining the Necklace 397 Cadi performing the Marriage Contract 399 Zumroud embroidering 415 Zumroud weeping at the remembrance of Ali Shir 426 Ali Shir asleep on the Stone Seat 427 The Slave-girl kissing the Lady Badoura 431 Jubir fainting 435 The Eunuch throwing Dust on his Head 441 The Damsel feigning Madness 452 Ansal-Wajoud and the Lion 457 Cadi and attendant Ulama 473 The Roc 485 Sindbad the Sailor hailing the Vessel 493 Sindbad killing the Old Man of the Sea 508 Sindbad the Sailor 520 Horseman of Brass 525 Dahish overtaken by Dimiriat 528 Joudar threatening the Semblance of his Mother 547 The King's Daughter ^ 562 The Fowler with the Bird 579 The King's Wife disenchanting Beder Basim 580 Queen Labe performing the Incantation 587 Bedia Eljemal and Dowlet Katoun 616 Marjana carrying Seifelmolouk 620 Bahram the Magian 626 Menar Elsena in Prison 671 The Vessels of Glass and China-ware falling upon the Old Woman 675 Fish 691 Califa wrapped in his Net 695 Califa with Giafar and the Eunuch 700 Califa on the Chest 704 Abousir shaving a Passenger on the Galleon 712 Damsels plaiting the Queen's hair * 719 Abousir emptying the Net 723 Abdalla of the Land and his Children 727 Abdalla of the Land carrying a Basket of Fruit 731 Abdalla of the Land and Abdalla of the Sea 734 Gemila dancing / 746 Tail-piece 750 The Genie carrying off Marouf. 756 The Princess caressing Marouf 764 Man at the Plough 767 Aboulsadat appearing to Marouf 769 Ploughman bringing the Bowl of Lentils 770 Fatiraa el-Orra humbling herself before Marouf 770 Sheherazade and the Children before the King 782 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS. Sheherazadc — tho Teller of the Arabian Nights' Stories Steel-plate Frontispiece. The Cure of the Kin-; 31 Tho Young King of tho lilack Islands 47 The Lady whipping the Dog 53 Consulting the Astrologers 75 "Most welcome art thou, my sister ! " 85 A Journey through tho Air 103 The Trooper striking the Christian Broker 129 The Tailor and the Barber 147 " There," said he, " swallow that I " 167 Tho Order to plunder Noureddin's House 181 Alcolomb drugged for Burial 201 Tho Embassy to the Islands of Cani])hor 233 Festivities when Taj-clmolouk returned 251 Shah-Zaman summons his son Camaralzaman •. 277 The Bird snatching the Talisman 301 Amgiad and the Damsel feasting 323 Amgiad approaching the King ^■. 345 Asian meeting Ahmad Kamakim the Thief. 373 The Caliph gives the Lady Dunia to her Lover 401 Returning from the Chase 433 The Magic Horse 447 Sindbad the Porter saluting the Assembly 477 The Apes come to surround the Vessel 489 Killing the Young Roc 505 Sindbad's Adventure with the Elephants 517 The City of Brass 533 All were drowned but Joudar 555 King Bcder Basim meets the Sheikh 581 They rejoiced at her safety 611 The Persian compliments Hassan , 025 Entering the House 6 49 Fish for sale 691 Marouf flees from his Home 755 INTRODTJCTIOIS". N THE Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to God, the Beneficent King, the Creator o^' ihn Univirt^e, who hath raised the heavens without pillars, and spread out the earth' as a bed ; and blessing and peace be on th^' lord of apostle^',, our lord and our master Mahomet and his Family ; blessing tind peace, eli'dUriug and constant, unto the day of judgment. To proceed. — The lives of former generations area lesson to posterity; that a man may review the remarkable events which have happened to others, and be ad- monished ; and may consider the history of people of preceding ages, and of all that hath befallen them, and be restrained. Extolled be the perfection of Him who hath thus ordained the history of former generations to be a lesson to those which follow. Such are the Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, with their romantic stories and their fables. It is related (but God alone is all-knowing as well as all-wise, and all-mighty, and all-bountiful), that there was, in ancient times, a King of the countries of India and China, possessing numerous troops, and guards, and servants, and domestic depend- ants: and he had two sons : one of whom was a man of mature age ; and the other, a youth. Both of these princes were brave horsemen ; but especially the elder, who inherited the kingdom of his father, and governed his subjects with such justice that the inhabitants of his country and whole empire loved him. He was called King Shahriar: his younger brother was named Shahzeman, and was King of Samarcand. The administration of their governments was conducted with recti- tude, each of them ruling over his subjects with justice during a period of twenty years, with the utmost enjoyment and happiness. After this period the elder King felt a strong desire to see his brother, and ordered his Vizier to repair to him and bring him. Having taken the advice of the Vizier on this subject, he immediately gave orders to prepare handsome presents, such as horses adorned with gold and costly jewels, and memlooks and beautiful virgins, and expensive stuffs. He then wrote a letter to his brother, e-xpressive of his great desire to see him ; and having sealed it, and given it to the Vizier, together with the presents above-mentioned, he ordered the minister to strain his nerves, and tuck up his skirts, and use all expedition in re- turning. The Vizier answered, without delay, I hear and obey ; and forthwith pre- pared for the journey : he packed his baggage, removed the burdens, and made ready all his provisions within three days ; and on the fourth day he took leave of the King Shahriar, and went forth towards the deserts and wastes. Ho proceeded night and day; and each of the kings under the authority of King Shahriar by whose residence he passed came forth to meet him, with costly presents and gifts of gold and silver, and entertained him three days ; after which, on the fourth day, he 13 14 INTRODUCTION. accompanied him one day's journey, and took leave of him. Thus he continued on his way until he drew near to the city of Samarcand, when ho sent forward a mes- senger to inform King Shahzeman of his approach. The messenger entered the city, inquired the way to the palace, and introducing himself to the King kissed the ground before him, and acquainted him with the approach of his brother's Vizier; upon which Shahzeman ordered the chief officers of his court, and the great men of his kingdom, to go forth a day's journey to meet him; and they did so; and when they met him, they welcomed him, and walked by his stirrups until they re- turned to the city. The Vizier then presented himself before the King Shahzeman, greeted him with a prayer for the divine assistance in his favour, kissed the ground before him, and informed him of his brother's desire to see him : after which he handed to him the letter. The King took it, read it, and understood its contents ; and answered by expressing his readiness to obey the commands of his brother. But, said he (addressing the Vizier), I will not go until I have entertained thee three days. Accordingly, he lodged him in a palace befitting his rank, accommodated his troops in tents, and appointed them all things requisite in the way of food and drink ; and so they remained three days. On the fourth day he equipped himself for the journey, made veady his baggage, and collected together costly presents suitable to his brother's dignity. Thsqc; prfcpi'rntibo's,' being completed, he sent forth his tents, and camels, and mul^s, 'and siel-vants, and gjards ; appointed his Vizier to be governor of the coun- try during his absence ; and set out towards his brother's dominions. At midnight, however, he remembered that he had left in his palace an article which he should have brought with him ; and having returned to the palace to fetch it, he there beheld his wife sleeping in his bed, and attended by a male negro slave, who had fallen asleep by her side. On beholding this scene, the world became black before his eyes ; and he said within himself, If this is the case when I have not departed from the city, what will be the conduct of this vile A\oman while I am sojourning with my brother? lie then drew his sword, and slew them both in the bed : after which he immediately returned, gave orders for departure, and journeyed to his brother's capital. Shahriar, rejoicing at the tidings of his approach, went forth to meet him, saluted him, and welcomed him with the utmost delight. He then ordered that the city should be decorated on the occasion, and sat siiaiizeii ifier having killed his adui- down to entertain his brother with cheerful conversa- '"""'■ ^ "" tion ; but the mind of King Shahzeman was distracted by reflections upon the conduct of his wife; excessive grief took possession of him ; and his countenance became sallow, and his frame emaciated. His brother observed his altered condition, and, imagining that it was occasioned by his absence from his dominions, abstained from troubling him or asking respecting the cause, until after the lapse of some days, when at length he said to him, my brother, I per- ceive that thy body is emaciated, and thy countenance is become sallow. He an- swered, brother, I have an internal sore : and he informed him not of the con- duct of his wife which he had witnessed. Shahriar then said, I wish that thou wouldst go out with me on a hunting excursion : perhaps thy mind might be so diverted -.—but he declined ; and Shahriar went alone to the chase. Now there were some windows in the King's palace commanding a view of hia garden ; and while his brother was looking out from one of these, a door of the palace was opened, and there came forth from it twenty females and twenty male black slaves, and the King's wife, who was distinguished by extraordinary beauty INTRODUCTION. 15 and elegance, accompanied them to a fountain, whore they all disrohed themselves and sat down together. The King's wife then called out, Masoud ! and imme- diately a black slave came to her, and embraced her; she doing the like. So also did the other slaves and the vonien ; and all of them continued revelling together until the close of the day. When Shahzeman beheld this spectacle, he said within himself, By Allah! my affliction is lighter than this! His vexation and grief were alleviated, and he no longer abstained from suflBcient food and drink. "When his brother returned from his excursion, and they had saluted each other, and King Shahriar observed his brother, Shahzeman, that his colour had returned, that his face had recovered the flush of health, and that he ate with appetite, after bis late abstinence, he was surprised and said, my brother, when I saw thee last, thy countenance was sallow, and now thy colour has returned to thee : acquaint me with thy state. — As to the change of my natural complexion, answered Shahzeman, I will inform thee of its cause ; but excuse my explaining to thee the return of my colour. — First, said Shahriar, relate to me the cause of the change of thy proper complexion, and of thy weakness: let me hear it. — Know then, my brother, he answered, that when thou sentest thy Vizier to me to invite me to thy presence, I prepared myself for the journey, and when I had gone forth from the city I remem- bered that I had left behind me the jewel that I have given thee ; I therefore re- turned to my palace for it, and there I found my wife sleeping in my bed, and at- tended by a black male slave ; and I killed them both, and came to thee ; but my mind was occupied with reflections upon this afi"air, and this was the cause of the change of my complexion, and of my weakness: now, as to the return of my colour, excuse my informing thee of its cause. But when his brother heard these words, he said, I conjure thee by Allah that thou acquaint me with the cause of the return of thy colour : so he repeated to him all that he had seen. I would see this, said Shahriar, with my own eye. — Then, said Shahzeman, give out that thou art going again to the chase, and conceal thyself here with me, and thou shalt witness this conduct, and obtain ocular proof of it. Shahriar, upon this, immediately announced that it was his intention to make another excursion. The troops went out of the city with the tents, and the King followed them ; and after he had reposed awhile in the camp, he said to his servants, Let no one come in to me: and he disguised himself, and returned to his brother in the palace, and sat in one of the windows overlooking the garden ; and when he had been there a short time, the women and their mistress entered the garden with the black slaves, and did as his brother had described, continuing so until the hour of the afternoon prayer. When King Shahriar beheld this occurrence, reason fled from his head, and he said to his brother Shahzeman, Arise, and let us travel whither we please, and re- nounce the regal state, until we see whether such a calamity as this has befallen any other person like unto us ; and if not, our death will be preferable to our life. His brother agreed to his proposal, and they went out from a private door of the palace, and journeyed continually, days and nights, until they arrived at a tree in the midst of a meadow, by a spring of water, on the shore of the sea. They drank of this spring, and sat down to rest; and when the day had a little advanced, the sea became troubled before them, and there arose from it a black pillar, ascending towards the sky, and approaching the meadow. Struck with fear at the sight, they climbed up into the tree, which was lofty ; and thence they gazed to see what this might be : and behold it was a Genie, of gigantic stature, broad-fronted and bulky, bearing on his head a chest, lie landed and came to the tree into which the two Kings had climbed, and, having seated himself beneath it, opened the chest and cook out of it another box, wliich he also opened: and tiiere came forth from it a young woman, fair and l>oautiful, like the shining sun. When the Genie cast his eyes upon her, he said, lady of noble race, whom I carried off on thy weddinu- night, I have a desire to sleep a little ; and he placed his head upon her knee and 16 • INTRODUCTION. slept. The damsel then raised her head towards the tree, and saw there the two Kings ; upon \vhich she removed the head of the Genie from her knee, and having placed it on the ground, stood under the tree, and made signs to the two Kings as though she would say, Come down, and fear not this Afrite.' They answered her, We conjure thee by Allah that thou excuse us in this matter. But she said, I conjure you by the same that ye come down ; and if you do not, I will rouse this Afrite, and he shall put you to a cruel death. So, being afraid, they came down to her; and after they had remained with her as long as she required, she took from her pocket a purse, and drew out from this a string, upon which were ninety-eight seal rings ; and she said to them, Know ye what are these ? They answered. We know not. The owners of these rings, said she, have all of them had the same conversation with me which ye have, unknown to this foolish Afrite ; therefore, give me your two rings, ye brothers. So they gave her their two rings from their fin- gers ; and she then said to them, This Afrite carried me off on my wedding-night, and put me in the box, and placed the box in the chest, and affixed to the chest seven locks, and deposited me, thus imprisoned, in the bottom of the roaring sea, beneath the dashing waves ; not knowing that, when one of our sex desires to ac- complish any object, nothing can prevent her. In accordance with this, says one of the poets: — Never trust in women ; nor rely upon their vows ; For their pleasure and displeasure depend upon their passions. They offer a false affection ; for perfidy lurks within their clothing. By the tale of Joseph be admonished, and guard against their stratagems. Dost thou not consider that Eblis ejected Adam by means of woman? And another poet saj's: — Abstain from censure; for it will strengthen tne censured, and increase desire into violent passion. If I suffer such passion, my case is but the same as that of many a man before me : For greatly indeed to be wondered at is he who hath kept himself safe from woman's artifice. When the two Kings heard these words from her lips, they were struck with the utmost astonishment, and said one to the other, If this is an Afrite, and a greater calamity hath happened unto him than that which hath befallen us, this is a cir- cumstance that should console us ; and immediately they departed, and returned to the city. As soon as they had entered the palace, Shahriar caused his wife to be beheaded, and in like manner the women and black slaves ; and thenceforth he made it his regular custom, every time that he took a virgin to his bed, to kill her at the expi- ration of the night. Thus he continued to do during a period of three years ; and the people raised an outcry against him, and fled with their daughters, and there remained not a virgin in the city of a sufficient age for marriage. Such was the case when the King ordered the Vizier to bring him a virgin according to his custom ; and the Vizier went forth and searched, and found none ; and he went back to his house enraged and vexed, fearing what the King might do to him. Now the Vizier had two daughters ; the eldest of whom was named Sheherazade, and the younger Dinarzade. The former had read various books of histories, and the lives of preceding kings, and stories of past generations ; it is asserted that she had collected together a thousand books of histories, relating to preceding genera- tions and kings, and works of the poets ; and she said to her father on this occasion, Why do I see thee thus changed, and oppressed with solicitude and sorrows? It has been said by one of the poets : — Tell him who is oppressed with anxiety, that anxiety will not last : As happiness passeth away, so passeth away anxiety. ' Afrite : a powerful evil Gonie. INTRODUCTION. 17 When the Vizier heard these words from his daughter, he related to her all that had happened to him with regard to the King: upon which she said, By Allah, my father, give me in marriage to this King : either I shall die, and be a ransom for one of the daughters of the Mahometans, or I shall live, and be the cause of their deliverance from him. — I conjure thee, by Allah, exclaimed he, that thou expose not thyself to such a peril ; but she said, it must be so. Then, said he, I fear for thee that the same will befall thee that happened in the case of the ass and the bull and the husbandman. — And what, she asked, was that, my father? Know, my daughter, said the Vi/icr, that there was a certain merchant who possessed wealth and cattle, and had a wife and children ; and God, whose name be exalted, had also endowed him with the knowledge of the languages of beasts and birds. The abode of this merchant was in the country ; and he had, in his house, an ass and a bull. When the bull came to the place where the ass was tied, he found it swept and sprinkled ; in his manger were sifted barley and sifted cut straw, and the ass was lying at his ease; his master being accustomed only to ride him occasionally, when business required, and soon to return : and it happened, one day, that the merchant overheard the bull saying to the ass. May thy food benefit thee! I am oppressed with fiitigue, while thou art enjoying repose: thou eatest sifted barley, and men serve thee ; and it is only occasionally that thy master rides thee, and returns ; while I am continually employed in ploughing, and turn- ing the mill. The ass answered. When thou goest out to the field, and they place the yoke upon thy neck, lie down, and do not rise again, even if they beat thee ; or if thou rise, lie down a second time ; and when they take thee back, and place th« beans before thee, eat them not, as though thou wert sick : abstain from eating and drinking a day, or two days, or three ; and so shalt thou find rest from trouble and labour. Accordingly, when the driver came to the bull with his fodder, he ate scarcely any of it: and on the morrow, when the driver came again to take him to plough, he found him apparently quite infirm : so the merchant said, Take the ass, and make him draw the plough in his stead all the day. The man did so ; and when the ass returned at the close of the day, the bull thanked him for the favour .;■ ^m The Ass at Plough. he had conferred upon him by relieving him of his trouble on that day ; but the ass returned him no answer, for he repented most grievously. On the next day, the ploughman came again, and took the ass, and ploughed with him till evening ; and the ass returned with his neck flayed by the yoke, and reduced to an extreme state of weakness, and the bull looked upon him, and thanked and praised him. The asS exclaimed, I was living at ease, and nought but my meddling hath injured me ! Then said he to the bull. Know that T am one who would give thee good advice: I heard our master say. If the bull rise not from his place, take him to the butcher, that he may kill him, and make a nata' of his skin : I am therefore in fear for thee, and so I have given thee advice; and peace be on thee! When the bull heard these words of the ass, he thanked him, and said. To-morrow I will go with alacrity: — so he ate the whole of his fodder, and even licked the manger. — Their master, meanwhile, was listening to their conversation. On the following morning, the merchant and his wife went to the bull's crib, and ' A large piece of leather with a running string all around the edge, which, being drawn, conyerts it into a bag for carrying provisions ; when spread it serves for a table. 2 18 INTRODUCTION. sat down there ; and the driver came and took out the bull ; and when the bull saw his master, he shook his tail, and showed his alacrity by sounds and actions, bound- ing about in such a manner that the merchant laughed until he fell backwards. His wife, in surprise, asked him. At what dost thou laugh? He answered. At a thing that I have heard and seen ; but I cannot reveal it; for if I did I should die. She said, Thou must inform me of the cause of thy laughter, even if thou die. — I cannot reveal it, said he : the fear of death prevents me. — Thou laughedst only at me, she said ; and she ceased not to urge and importune him until he was quite overcome and distracted. So he called together his children, and sent for the Cadi' and witnesses, that he might make his will, and reveal the secret to her, and die: for he loved her excessively, since she was the daughter of his paternal uncle, and the mother of his children, and he had lived with her to the age of a hundred and twenty years. Having assembled her family and his neighbours, he related to them his story, and told them that as soon as he revealed his secret he must die; upon which every one present said to her. We conjure thee by Allah that thou give up this affair, and let not thy husband, and the father of thy children, die. But she said, I will not desist until he tell me, though he die for it. So they ceased to solicit her ; and the merchant left them, and went to the stable to perform the ablution, and then to return, and tell them the secret, and die. Now he had a cock, with fifty hens under him, and he had also a dog; and he heard the dog call to the cock and reproach him, saying. Art thou happy when our master is going to die? The cock asked. How so? — and the dog related to him the story ; upon which the cock exclaimed, By Allah ! our master has little sense : 1 have ^y??/ wives ; and I please this and provoke that; while he has but o?ie wife, and cannot manage this affair with her: why does he not take some twigs of the mulberry-tree, and enter her chamber, and beat her until she dies or repents? She would never, after that, ask him a question respecting anything. — When the merchant heard the words of the cock, as he addressed the dog, he recovered his The D