I :! - ' '
GEFT OF
c
THE
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE HISTORY
OF
THE FORTY
OR
THE STORY OF THE FORTY
MORNS AND EVES
WRITTEN IN TURKISH
BY SHEYKH-ZADA
DONE INTO ENGLISH
BY E. j. w. jGiBB M.R.A.S.
Membre de la Societe Asiatique de Paris, Author of " Ottoman Poems,'
Translator of "The Story of Jewad," &c.
LONDON
GEORGE REDWAY
MDCCCLXXXVI
TO
W. A. CLOUSTON ESQ.
AT WHOSE SUGGESTION THIS TRANSLATION WAS MADE
I DEDICATE THESE
PAGES.
PREFACE.
[HE following translation of the
celebrated Turkish Romance
generally known as the History
of the Forty Vezirs, has been
made from a printed but undated text procured
a few years ago in Constantinople. The MS.
version, of which this copy, which I shall call
the Const. Text, is an impression, has been
dedicated to a Sultan Mustafa ; but there is
nothing to indicate which of the four Ottoman
monarchs who bore that name is intended.
The fact of him being styled simply Sultan
Mustafa would lead us to imagine that the first
Emperor so called must be meant ; as in the
viii PREFACE.
case of any of the others, some such addition as
his father's name or one of the words, Second,
Third or Fourth, would be absolutely necessary to
distinguish him from his predecessor or predeces-
sors of the same name. Sultan Mustafa I reigned
from 1617 to 1618, and again from 1622 to
1623. It will thus be seen that this edition of
the text is, even at the earliest, by no means an
old one. That from which extracts were pub-
lished by Belletete about the beginning of the
present century, is clearly much older, and
appears to represent a very early, if not the
original, Turkish version of the work.* The
style in which it is written is very antiquated,
obsolete words and archaic expressions meeting
us at every turn. It is dedicated to Sultan
Murad, the son of Muhammed, the son of
Bayezld, i. e. Murad II (the father of Muham-
med II, the conqueror of Constantinople), whose
reign extended from 1421 to 1451.
* Contes Turcs en langue turque, extraits du Roman intitul^
Les Quarante Vizirs, par feu M. Belletete, Paris, 1812. The
extracts consist of the Dedication or Preface, the prefatory Story
of Sultan Mahmud, the Introduction, forty out of the eighty
subordinate Stories, and the Conclusion.
PREFACE. ix
Of the Ottoman author or compiler, who
calls himself simply Sheykh-zada (=Sheykh-
born, i.e. Child of the Sheykh), nothing appears
to be known. He states in his Dedication that
the work is a translation from the Arabic ; but
it is not very clear from his words, as published
by Belletete, whether the title which he there
mentions is that of the Arab original or of the
Turkish translation : probably it is intended for
both. He says, " Now, by reason of this,
Sheykh-zada hath written out (lit. made a fair
copy of) this book, named Hikayetu-Erbaftna-
Sabakin we Mesa (=The Story of the Forty
Morns and Eves), for the Sultan of the age."*
The popular Turkish title of the work, Qirq
Vezir Tarlkhi (=he History of the Forty
Vezirs), which alone is given as the name of the
Romance in the Const. Text, nowhere occurs
in the Paris edition.f According to Dr. Behr-
* Bu sebebden Sheykh-zada Sultan-i ' asr ichun bu Hikayetu-
Erba'ina Sabahin we Mesa adlu kitab beyaza geturdi. For
1 asr=2ige, Belletete has J//jr=Egypt, which makes nonsense.
t It appears, however, on the title-page, the work of the
French editor, travestied thus : Qirq Vezirin ve Qirq Khatunin
Hikayetlert=T}\Q Stories of the Forty Vezirs and of the Forty
Ladies.
x PREFACE.
nauer, who five-and-thirty years ago published
an excellent German version from a MS. pre-
served in the Royal Library at Dresden,* a
certain Ahmed the Egyptian made an inde-
pendent but abridged Turkish translation of
the Romance, a MS. of which is to be seen in
the Municipal Library of Leipzig.
By the courtesy of Dr. Rost I have been
favoured with the loan of a manuscript of
the Forty Vezirs belonging to the Library
of the India Office (No. 3,211). Unhappily,
this copy, which begins with the prefatory
Story of Sultan Mahmud,t contains no
D edication whatever, and, consequently, affords
no information as to the origin and title of
the book, the name of the author or that of
his patron. The copyist has, moreover, omitted
to mention the year in which he transcribed the
work ; so that it is impossible to ascertain the
date of the volume. Its style is pretty much
* Die Vierzig Veziere oder Weisen Meister, ein altmorgen-
landischer Sittenroman aus dem Ttirkischen iibertragen von
Dr. Walter Fr. Adolf Behrnauer, Leipzig, 1851.
t This prefatory Story of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, which
forms no part of the Romance of the Forty Vezirs, properly so-
called, seems nevertheless to occur in every edition.
PREFACE. xi
the same as that of the Const. Text ; but it
deals somewhat less in detail than the latter.
Belletete's volume is fuller than either ; but it
is extremely carelessly printed, teeming with
typographical errors, doubly vexatious in an
edition of an archaic text.*
While there is little difference, save in minor
details, such as the names of towns, the profes-
sions of the characters, and so forth, between
the several versions of those among the sub-
ordinate stories that are common to two or
more of these texts (including Behrnauer's
Translation, which may be taken as correctly
representing the Dresden MS.), there is a vast
difference in the selection of such stories given
* While these pages were passing through the press I ex-
amined two MSS. of the Forty Vezirs preserved in the British
Museum (Add. 7882 and Or. 20). Both are dedicated to
Murad II, but in the first-mentioned the name of Ahmed-i
MisrI=Ahmed the Egyptian is substituted for that of Sheykh-
zada. While it shows no variations of any moment, this MS.,
far from being an abridgment, is fuller in point of detail than
any other text of the work that has come under my notice.
Neither MS. yields any story that is not to be found in the
present volume. It is possible that Sheykh-zada and Ahmed-i
MisrI may be one and the same person, whose full name would
then be Sheykh-zada Ahmed-i MisrI Ahmed Sheykh-son of
Egypt (or Cairo).
xii PREFACE.
in each. Indeed, the Forty Vezirs may be
called, as the Thousand and One Nights has
been, " rather a vehicle for stories, partly fixed
and partly arbitrary, than a collection fairly
deserving from its constant identity with itself
the name of a distinct work." Thus the total
number of subordinate stories in a complete
text ought to be eighty (one for each of the
Vezirs, and a corresponding, or rather counter-
acting, one each night for the Lady), but of
those that I have seen, the Const. Text alone
has this number ; Belletete's edition, being but
a selection, has only the half; while the India
Office MS. omits four, and the Dresden MS.
two, for no very palpable reason.* These four
texts yield a total of one hundred and ten dis-
tinct stories, of which I have translated all save
three (whereof more anon), placing in an Appen-
dix such as do not occur in the Const. Text,
which, as already stated, serves as the ground-
work of my Translation. I have, however,
given Belletete's Dedication, as representing
* Details are shown in the Comparative Table in Appen-
dix C.
PREFACE. xiii
that of the original work, instead of the one in
which occurs the name of Sultan Mustafa, and
in which, I should add, nothing is said as to the
work being a translation from the Arabic, and
no mention is made of Sheykh-zada or any
other writer. As the order, even of those
stories that are common to all the texts, varies
greatly in each, such titles as the First Vezir's
Story, the Lady's Second Story, &c., are in-
sufficient to particularize the several tales. I
have therefore, in the Table of Contents,
labelled each story with a number, and so
obtained a clear and simple means of reference.
By this plan I have been enabled to show at a
glance in the Comparative Table in Appendix C,
not only the stories that are found in the several
texts, but the order in which they occur in each.
An incomplete translation of the History of
the Forty Vezirs made by Petis de la Croix, a
French orientalist who died in 1713, was found
among that author's papers and published in
1722, under the title of UHistoire de la Sultane
de P^rse et des Visirs. This fragment, which
first brought our Romance under the notice of
xiv PREFACE.
European scholars, omitting the Dedication and
the prefatory Story of Sultan Mahmud, begins
with the Introduction, and contains nineteen of
the subordinate stories. All the nineteen occur
in the Const. Text ; but so great are the varia-
tions that appear in many of them in De la
Croix that I have thought it advisable to discuss
them elsewhere.* As far as translation goes,
this French version represents the Turkish
original (such as I have seen it) about as faith-
fully as Galland's celebrated production does
the Arabic Thousand and One Nights. Turned
into English, and published in 1809, it forms the
" Turkish Tales " to which Dunlop refers in his
History of Fiction, and which, up till now, has
remained the sole representative of the History
of the Forty Vezirs in our language. It is rather
unfortunate that De la Croix has not translated
the Dedication of his text ; but, as he says that
the Romance is the work of Ch6c Zade (i. e.
Sheykh-zada), preceptorf to Amurath II (i. e.
* In Appendix B.
t There seems to be no authority for the statement that
Sheykh-zada held the office of preceptor to Murad II.
PREFACE. xv
Murad II), and that the book is entitled Arbain
Nasa (i. e. [Hikayetu] Erba'Ina [Sabahin we]
Mesa), it does not appear to have differed
essentially from that printed by Belletete and
now translated.
Of Dr. Behrnauer's Translation I have
already spoken, and need only add that it is a
most scholarly piece of work, and, so far as it
goes, leaves nothing to be desired ; but being
simply a German version of the Dresden MS.
it contains only seventy-eight of the hundred
and ten stories which I have collected from
various texts and printed in the present volume.
The frame of the History of the Forty Vezirs
the story of the King who, misled by the
false accusations of his baffled and revengeful
wife, orders the execution of his innocent son, a
crime from committing which he is diverted by
the wise advice of his chief councillor, only to be
urged to it again at night by the Queen, to be
restrained again by the words of his second
councillor, to be incited to it once more by the
Queen, and so on, tossed to and fro, till each of
his councillors has in turn done his duty and the
PREFACE.
guilt of the wicked Queen is at last made clear
this has been shown by Mr. W. A. Clouston,
t in the Introduction to his Book of Sindibad, to
have been among the best known and most
popular of romances during many ages and in
many widely separated lands. Judging from
the present state of our knowledge, it would
appear that this story arose in early times in
India, whence in the sixth century it passed to
Persia, thence to be spread over all the West.
Thus we have Syriac Sindban, Greek Syntipas,
Hebrew Sandabar, Neo-Persian Sindibad,
French Dolopathos, English Seven Wise
Masters, and a host of others. But in all these
the number of vezirs, sages, masters, or what-
ever local usage has caused the advisers of the
king to be termed, is limited to seven. In the
Turkish version alone, so far as we know, are
there forty councillors ; for, if any copies of the
Arabic original, from which the Ottoman writers
profess to have made their translations are still
extant, these copies have hitherto eluded the
search of European scholars.*
* Those readers who are desirous of going into the question
PREFACE. xvii
Of the hundred and ten subordinate stories I
have collected, some possess considerable merit,
others again have little or none, while many of
both classes are inappropriate enough to the
occasion on which they are supposed to be
related ; several, indeed, being in one text put
into the mouth of a Vezir, which are, in another,
attributed to the Lady. Probably not one
among them is original; many are quite familiar
to us in other dresses, and the student of fiction
will be able to point out several variants of the
greater number. Considering my task as simply
that of a collector and translator, I have made
no attempt to trace these stories, through
the many lands where they have become local-
ized, back to the fountain-head in India, or
wherever else it may be. To do this work as it
ought to be done would demand a far more
intimate and extensive acquaintance with popu-
lar fiction than I can pretend to, and may safely
of the origin of this cycle of romance are referred to Mr. Clous-
ton's Book of Sipdibad(i884), where they will find the subject
fully discussed ; also to the same scholar's forthcoming work on
"Popular Tales and Fictions : their Migrations and Transforma-
tions," in which the most recent information will be embodied.
xviii PREFACE.
be left in the hands of those eminent scholars
who are now making a special study of the
origin and spread of " old world tales." I may,
however, be permitted to mention a few variants
that have occured to me during the course of
my work : [3]* finds a parallel in the Thousand
and One Nights, and in the Book of Sindibad ;
[7] in the Talmud ; [8] in Poggio ; [16] in the
Baytal Pachisi ; [i8<] in Rabelais; [22] in the
Contes Devots ; part of [25] in the Voyages of
Sindbad the Sailor ; [28] in Straparola ; [34] in
the Fabliau des Trois Larrons by Jehan de
Boves, and in Straparola; [3 5#J in the Thousand
and One Nights; [37] in Galland's Story of
Prince Codadad (for Khuda-dad=God-given :
Theodore, Nathanael, &c.) ; [38] in Poggio
and -#Lsop ; [39] in the Gesta Romanorum; [44]
in the Kath&-Sarit-Sagara,the Book of Sindibad,
the Cento Novelle Antiche, the Contes Devots,
and the Gesta Romanorum ; part of [45] in
Cinthio, and the Ballad of the Heir of Linne;
part of [46] in the Story of the Second Calender
* The figures in brackets indicate the stories as numbered in
the Table of Contents.
PREFACE. xix
in the Thousand and One Nights, and in the
Mabinogion; [53] in Machiavelli's Story of Bel-
phegor, in Straparola, and Brevio ; [57] in the
Decameron, and the Bahar-i Danish ; [58] in
the Gesta Romanorum, and the Vies des Peres ;
[60] in the Story of Vikram, King of Ujjayn ;
[74] in the Bakhtyar-Nama ; [77] in Straparola ;
[87] in the Book of Sindibad ; [93] in ^Esop
and the Anvar-i Suhayli ; [94] . in the Hito-
padesha, and the Anvar-i Suhayli; [108] in
the Gulistan ; and so on.
Some of these tales are still current in
Turkey; thus [180], that of the three youths
who misunderstood the enigmatic counsels of
their father, is given, very slightly modified, as
a popular story in the Memoirs of Mr. Barker,
who was for many years British Consul at
Aleppo. But there is nothing peculiarly
Turkish in any of them ; indeed, many of the ^
incidents narrated would have been impossible
in the Turkish society of any period.
The Romance of the Forty Vezirs is, like all the
other members of the same family, Eastern and
Western, Hindu, Muhammedan and Christian,
xx PREFACE.
a fierce satire on the fair sex. Stories that told
against women were very popular everywhere
during the Middle Ages, though, perhaps, they
enjoyed a yet greater share of public favour in
Europe than in Asia. We all recollect how
Jankyn, clerk of Oxenford and fifth husband to
the immortal Wyf of Bath, used to gloat over
his book of tales of the wickedness of wives.
The most striking characteristic of the old
French Fabliaux is the bitterness and ribaldry
with which they scoff at female weaknesses.
The reader must not then imagine that he finds
portrayed in this collection of tales the Eastern
as opposed to the Western estimate of woman.*
What he does find is the medieval as opposed
to the modern estimate of her ; and he will find
the same, only painted in far stronger colours, if
he turns to the European popular story-books
of the period.
Being productions of a more outspoken age,
many of the following tales are, as was to be
* The modern Eastern, or at least Turkish, estimate of
woman may be found in the works of such writers as Kemal,
Ekrem, and 'Abd-ul-Haqq Hamid.
PREFACE. xxi
expected, of a character that is contrary to the
taste of the present time. I have, however,
omitted nothing in this book ; but in the case
of a few isolated passages and of three entire
stories, the nature of which is such as to pre-
clude the possibility of their publication in these
days, I have been content to print the original
transliterated into the Roman alphabet, but un-
translated. The three stories in question are very
similar in character in many of the Fabliaux, and
I have little doubt that variants of them exist in
one or more of the many collections of these
tales. All such matters, it should be added,
are as offensive to the modern Ottoman as to
the modern English reader.
It only remains for me to say that I have
made the Translation as literal as possible,
adopting a simple style as being best suited
to represent the quaint old-fashioned character
of the original, which, notwithstanding what
the writer says in the Dedication (the only
high-flown piece in the whole book), is much
less encumbered with literary conceits and
verbal adornments than are most works due
xxii PREFACE.
to the pens of Ottoman authors of the olden
time.
April 1886. E. J. W. G.
Since writing the above, I have purchased from
Mr. Quaritch two MSS. of the Forty Vezirs.
The first of these, which was transcribed in
A.H. 1010 (A.D. 1601), offers no new stories;
but the second, which is undated, yields two.
These have been translated and printed at the
end of Appendix A, thus raising the total num-
ber of tales in this volume to one hundred and
twelve. Unhappily, some leaves are lost from
the beginning of both MSS., the first remaining
page of the one commencing with the prefatory
Story of Sultan Mahmud ; that of the other,
with the Lady's Second Story. Of the hundred
and twelve subordinate tales now collected,
thirty-eight are common to all the five fairly
complete texts I have seen (the Const. Text,
the India Office MS., Behrnauer's translation of
the Dresden MS., and the two Quaritch MSS.);
two are peculiar to the Const. Text, four to the
India Office MS., four to the Dresden MS., and
two to the Quaritch MS. No. II.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(Figures within Brackets, thus [i], are introduced for the Purpose of
numbering the several Stories for Reference.)
PAGE
DEDICATION TO SULTAN MURAD II . . i
THE STORY OF SULTAN MAHMUD . . .5
EPITOME . . . . . 7
INTRODUCTION . . . . . .8
THE FIRST VEZiR's STORY [i]. Sheykh Shihab-ud-Dm
makes the King of Egypt, who refuses to believe in the
Ascension of Muhammed, experience the adventures of
seven years in a single moment. The king in revenge
causes the sheykh to be put to death while in a state of
ceremonial impurity . . . . .16
THE LADY'S FIRST STORY [2]. There are two kings, of
whom one brings up his son rigorously but well, while
the other indulges his in every whim ; the latter kills his
father and plays the tyrant towards his people, who call
in the first king's son and aid him to obtain possession
of their country and conquer their tyrannical sovereign,
who is put to death . . . . .27
xxiv TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
' THE SECOND VEZIR'S STORY [3]. A khoja has a parrot
which tells him that during his absence his wife enter-
tains her lover. On being reprimanded by her husband,
the lady plays a trick by means of which the parrot loses
credit with the khoja . . . . -33
THE LADY'S SECOND STORY [4]. A sickly prince is cured
by a physician who, having learned from the queen that
the boy's real father is a Turkman, causes him to be
fed with food proper to that people . . -37
THE THIRD VEZIR'S STORY [5]. (a) An aged king, feeling
he is about to die and unable to decide to which of his
three sons to leave the throne, causes each to rule for
three days in succession, whereupon the youngest is
chosen by the people, (b) The old king causes his own
obsequies to be performed before his death . . 41
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY [6]. A powerful king, who
makes war upon a weak neighbour, is five times defeated
and at length slain by the latter, who follows the counsels
of a wise vezir . . . . . -55
THE FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY [7]. (a) Moses slays Og the
son of Anak, king of the ' Adis. (b) Afterwards he in-
vades the country of Balaam the son of Beor, who, pre-
vailed upon by his wife, curses Moses so that he wanders
forty years in the wilderness ; wherefore, at the prayer of
Moses, Balaam dies an infidel . . . .64
THE LADY'S FOURTH STORY [8]. A certain king, who is
desirous of seeing Khizr, gives a poor man much wealth
on condition that he shows him the prophet within three
years ; at the end of which time, the poor man, having
failed in his engagement, is brought before the king, ac-
companied by Khizr in disguise, who tells the king the
origin of his vezirs from the several punishments they
suggest for the poor man . . . . .69
THE FIFTH VEZIR'S STORY [9]. A certain vezir, who
receives frequent visits from Khizr, retires from his
office, whereon Khizr ceases to visit him. On Khizr once
again appearing, he asks the reason of this, and is told
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xxv
PAGE
by the prophet that only so long as he attends to his duty
is there any connection between them . . -73
THE LADY'S FIFTH STORY [10]. A Moorish magician,
being enamoured of a boy, teaches him certain charms
whereby he may have access to a buried treasure after
learning which the boy seeks to kill the Moor and remain
sole master of the treasure . . . 76
THE SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY [u]. A tailor and his wife
make an agreement that whichever survives the other
shall not marry again, but continue to mourn as long as
life lasts. The woman dies, and the tailor is discovered
by Jesus weeping over her tomb. Jesus restores her to
life, and, while the tailor is gone to fetch her clothes, she
goes away with the prince of the country, who happens
to pass by. When the tailor finds her, she denies him
and persuades the prince to put him to death, whereupon
Jesus appears and, telling the truth, causes the woman
to die again and the tailor to be released . . .82
THE LADY'S SIXTH STORY [12]. The son of a robber is
adopted by a king ; when he grows up, he falls in love
with the king's daughter, runs off with her, kills the king
and turns robber . . . . . -87
THE SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY [13]. A king, who is de-
sirous of having soldiers without pay, is shown by a
learned vezir how it is impossible to procure such . 92
THE LADY'S SEVENTH STORY [14]. Solomon sends the
sfmurgh to bring the sparrow to his court ; but the latter,
being beside his mate, vaunts and brags and refuses to
obey the prophet and his messenger . . -97
THE EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY [15]. A certain vezir per-
ceives by a sign that his good fortune has reached its
highest point, and, consequently, prepares for adversity ;
a year afterwards he learns by another sign that his evil
fortune has reached its lowest point, and, consequently,
prepares for prosperity . . . . .100
THE LADY'S EIGHTH STORY [16]. A king, dying, tells
his three sons where he has hidden a vase of jewels.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
On his death they fail to find it, and, knowing that one
of themselves must have taken it, go before the cadi that
he may judge between them. He finds out the thief by
telling a story of a girl, whose bridegroom having allowed
her to keep an appointment with her lover, is nobly
treated by her lover and by a robber whom she meets . 105
THE NINTH VEZIR'S STORY [17]. A slave-girl spills some
food over the Khalif Harun-er-Reshld when he is in a
wrathful mood. As he is about to kill her, she turns
away his anger and incites him to generous deeds by an
apposite quotation from the Koran . . . 1 1 1
THE LADY'S NINTH STORY [18]. (<i) A dying king gives
enigmatic counsels to his three sons, which they, not
understanding aright, misapply. () A dervish shows
them their error by telling them a story of a monk and a
dervish who conversed before a king by making signs
with their hands, and who, while they thought they
understood each other, did not really do so . .114
THE TENTH VEZIR'S STORY [19]. An Egyptian prince
finds at Mekka the purse of a khoja, who, when his pro-
perty is freely restored to him, prays that the prince may
become master of his wife and all his possessions, which
eventually happens . . . . . .122
THE LADY'S TENTH STORY [20]. A merchant, dying,
leaves an allowance to each of his sons, which they
squander, and so are reduced to beggary ; whereupon
the merchants, fearing their bad example, persuade the
king to put them to death ; they save themselves by show-
ing the king that their father commended them to money
rather than to God . . . . . -130
THE ELEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY [21]. A king, while
drunk, orders his favourite, the son of his vezir, to be put
to death ; the boy is, however, saved by his father, and
on the king repenting is restored to him . . . 133
- THE LADY'S ELEVENTH STORY [22]. Barslsa, a devotee,
tempted by Satan, violates and murders a king's daughter
who is sent to him that his prayers may cure her of an
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
illness. When he is being hanged, Satan persuades him
to worship him, and then mocks him and leaves him . 138
THE TWELFTH VEZIR'S STORY [23]. By feigning to
understand the language of birds, Ayaz induces Sultan
Mahmud to restore all the ruined places in his em-
pire . .144
THE LADY'S TWELFTH STORY [24]. A weaver pretends
to a king that he can weave a turban such that only those
born in wedlock can see. The king orders him to do
so, and for a time he manages to deceive the king and
his vezirs ....... 148
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [25]. A prince, whose
ruling star is afflicted during thirty years, wanders for
that period in strange countries suffering many hardships
and dangers ; at length, at the end of that term, he be-
comes a king and is reunited to his sons whom he had
lost . . . . . . . . isr
THE LADY'S THIRTEENTH STORY [26]. A king, who is
childless, having requested a dervish to pray for him, and
sent a ram to the convent, by and bye gets a son ; on a
second occasion he sends a horse and gets another son,
and on a third he sends a mule and gets a third son.
The first son turns out brave, the second sagacious, and
the third stubborn . . . . . .163
THE FOURTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [27]. The angels in
Heaven speak slightingly of the children of Adam, where-
upon God endows with human passions Harut and
Marut, two of their number chosen by themselves, and
sends them down to earth to be tempted. They commit
all manner of evil, and are punished by being hanged
head downward in a well at Babylon till the Resurrection-
Day . . . . . . . .167
-THE LADY'S FOURTEENTH STORY [28], Certain opium-
eaters enter a tomb to eat, but forget to shut the gate.
They begin to quarrel as to who shall get up and close it,
and agree that he who speaks first shall do so. Dogs
come in and eat up their food and bite one of them, who
xxviii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
cries out, and is thereupon told by the others to shut the
gate, though there is now no use in doing so . .171
THE FIFTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [29]. A king whose son
dies of an unknown malady, has him cut open and dis-
covers a bone on the top of his heart ; this he gets made
into a knife-handle which he leaves one day in a water-
melon where it melts. Having thus found out what would
have cured his son, he dies of grief for not having known
it earlier . . . . . . . 1 73
THE LADY'S FIFTEENTH STORY [30]. Luqman the sage,
being called to cure a sick king, says his recovery can
only be effected by the slaughter of the prince. He pre-
tends to kill him before the king, who recovers through
his delight at finding his son is not really slain . . 17$
THE SIXTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [31]. A dervish, who
diverts a king with verses and stories, receives a hint to
go away, but by a witty answer induces the king to let
him remain . . . . . . . 179
THE LADY'S SIXTEENTH STORY [32]. Hasan of May-
mand, having been dismissed from the vezirate by Sultan
Mahmiid, overhears some children playing, and from a
speech made by one of these prepares a petition which
is the cause of his being reinstated in office . .188
THE SEVENTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [33]. During a famine
in Mekka, a woman, who has a store of wheat, offers to
give some to a youth if he will commit adultery with her.
He, having resolved to mutilate himself, feigns to consent,
when he finds a way of escape and has ten camel-loads
of wheat miraculously bestowed on him . . .191
THE LADY'S SEVENTEENTH STORY [34]. A young sharper
buys a sequin's worth of sweetmeats from a confectioner
and then steals the sequin, whereupon the confectioner
manages by a trick to recover the coin from the sharper,
who gets it again by another trick ; the confectioner
recovers it a second time, and is once more wheedled out
of it by the sharper. . . 194
THE EIGHTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [35]. (a) A man clad in
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PAGE
black and riding on a black ass comes to Sultan Mah-
miid's court and asks for some money, on being refused
which, he insults the king who, pleased at his boldness,
bestows a gift on him . . . . .198
(ti). A khoja, who refuses to buy his beard from an
abdal, is finally induced to give the latter a hundred
aspres by a jest that he makes .... 200
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY [36]. A young cobbler,
going from Orfa to Aleppo, rescues a girl, who by and bye
employs him to kill her faithless lover, who had attempted
to slay her. She turns out to be the king's daughter and
is eventually married to the cobbler . . . 203
THE NINETEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [37]. Hasan of Basra
attends the mourning ceremony on the anniversary of
the death of a king's son, and is so affected thereby that
he abandons the world and turns dervish . . ' .213
THE LADY'S NINETEENTH STORY [38]. An old gardener,
having mounted his son upon an ass, is going to his
garden, when he is met by certain persons who jeer at
him ; he then makes the boy get down and mounts him-
self, when certain others jeer at him ; next he makes the
boy get up before, and then behind, him, always with
the same result ; at length, both go on foot and thus
reach the garden . . . . . .218
THE TWENTIETH VEZIR'S STORY [39]. A king buys from
a dervish a word of counsel, which is in the end the
means of saving his life ..... 220
THE LADY'S TWENTIETH STORY [40]. A whole encamp-
ment is plunged into mourning by believing the word of
children ....... 224
THE TWENTY-FIRST VEZIR'S STORY [41]. A king's wife
shuts up her lover in a chest and then tells her husband
what she has done. When he is about to open the chest,
she deceives him by a false speech, and makes him crave
her pardon for having doubted her fidelity . . 227
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FIRST STORY [42]. An abdal rides
out hawking with a king, but, being ignorant of the sport,
xxx TABLE OF CONTENTS.
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makes a stupid mistake which angers the king, who is,
however, appeased by a jest that the abdal makes . 230
THE TWENTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY [43]. A king who
is about to hang an abdal who loves his son, sees himself
in a vision consigned to Hell, after which he is more
lenient in his dealings ..... 233
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SECOND STORY [44]. A certain noble
who is envious of the king's favourite courtier, plays the
latter a trick which causes the king to give him a note
ordering his death. The envious man meets the cour-
tier, and, thinking the note to be an order for a gift,
asks and gets it from him, and so is put to death in his
stead .... . 239
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY [45]. A merchant
tells his son that should he ever come to want he is to
hang himself from a certain ring in the ceiling. After
his father's death, the youth, having wasted all his sub-
stance, does as he was told, when the ceiling gives
way and he discovers much gold hidden there. He re-
forms ; and, after a time, he buys from a snake-charmer
a serpent which proves to be the princess of the jinn, for
whose ransom he obtains a magic mirror which enables
him to carry off the daughter of the king of his country.
The king gets possession, through witches, of the youth,
the mirror and the princess. The youth is freed from
the king's prison by the mice who are in fear of his cat,
and recovers the princess and mirror ; but again loses
them to the witches, by whom he is himself killed . 244
THE LADY'S TWENTY-THIRD STORY [46]. A youth, ap-
prentice to a geomancer, displeases his master, who
seeks to punish him. They both assume form after
form, till at length the youth gets the victor}' and kills
his master ....... 253
THE TWENTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY [47]. A sharper
and a thief are, unknown to one another, husband to the
same woman. They discover their position and ask the
woman which of them she will choose to keep ; she says
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PAGE
she will choose him who performs the cleverest trick.
They each perform a sharping trick, and that of the
thief being judged the better, he gets the woman . 257
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FOURTH STORY [48]. A king, by
way of jest, gives his favourite courtier in winter an order
on his treasurer for six loads of snow ; the courtier keeps
the order till summer, and then, as the officer cannot
give him so much snow at that season, gets its pecuniary
value from him instead ..... 266
THE TWENTY-FIFTH VEZIR'S STORY [49]. Khalid ibn-
Walid by his wise words converts a monk and a whole
tribe of Christians to Islam .... 269
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FIFTH STORY [50]. A man of
Khorasan who is a braggart is put to shame before a
party of strangers by his son .... 276
THE TWENTY-SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY [51]. A poor man
in Cairo, having given all his substance to the master by
whom his son was taught the Koran, is reduced to want,
when he is warned in a dream that his portion is in
Damascus. Upon repairing thither, he gets a loaf ; and
then, in consequence of another dream, returns to Cairo,
where it is revealed to him to dig in the ground under
his house. He does so, and finds a jar full of sequins ;
these he takes to the king who, causing the inscription to
be read, finds that they are a divine gift to the poor man
in reward of his virtue, to whom he thereupon restores
them ....... 278
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SIXTH STORY [52], A youth who
is being entertained by a young lady, hears her father
coming, and, while endeavouring to escape into a cellar,
falls down a flight of steps and is killed . . . 285
- THE TWENTY-SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY [53] A young
woodman has a scolding wife who falls into a pit where
an * ifrlt lives. The next day, when the woodman goes
to rescue her, he pulls out the * ifrlt instead, who to
reward him for delivering him from such a scold, pro-
mises to possess the king's daughter and not to leave her
xxxii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
till the woodman conjure him. He does so, and the
king, grateful for his daughter's cure, marries her to the
woodman. The ' ifrit, who is in love with a neighbouring
king's daughter, annoys her much, whereupon her father
sends for the woodman to cure her, who frightens away
the 'ifrit by saying that his first wife is coming . . 288
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SEVENTH STORY [54]. The fleas
send a deputation to Solomon, who is dissuaded from
granting their request by a scant-bearded man ; for which
reason the fleas have ever since borne an especial grudge
against such as are scant-bearded .... 295
THE TWENTY-EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY [55]. A thief who
enters the cell of a devotee to steal, is so changed by
passing a night with the holy man that he is immediately
made one of the Forty ..... 298
THE LADY'S TWENTY-EIGHTH STORY [56]. Avicenna
agrees to free Aleppo from mice provided the king does
not laugh at what he sees. By means of a charm he
makes the mice march in procession out of the city, but
when they are partially out, the king, unable to resist,
laughs at the sight, whereupon the charm is broken . .300
THE TWENTY-NINTH VEZIR'S STORY [57]. A woman,
having agreed with her leman to play a trick on her
husband, goes out next day with the latter, to whom she
gives a sweetmeat which she says makes those who eat
it see double. They both eat it, whereupon she climbs a
tree and cries down to her husband that he has a woman
with him ; the husband climbs next, and seeing his wife
with her leman, attributes it to the sweetmeat . . 303
THE LADY'S TWENTY-NINTH STORY [58]. In order to
reprove his presumption, Moses is sent to learn wisdom
of Khizr. While they are journeying together, the latter
injures a boat belonging to innocent men, slays an
unoffending child, and builds up a bowing wall in a
village the inhabitants whereof were inhospitable ; he
tells Moses the reasons for these actions and then dis-
misses him ....... 306
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PAGE
THE THIRTIETH VEZIR'S STORY [59]. A quarrel about
the price of a goat leads to a bloody war between two
Arab tribes . . . . . . .311
THE LADY'S THIRTIETH STORY [60]. A king who has
learned a charm whereby he can enter other bodies,
teaches the same to his vezir, who takes advantage of his
knowledge to enter the body of the king. The latter, in
the form of a parrot, after settling a dispute between a
merchant and a harlot, is sold to the queen, and by and
bye recovers his own body'and kills the vezir . . 313
THE THIRTY-FIRST VEZIR'S STORY [61]. A blind man
discovers by inference a box of jewels that the Khalif
Reshid had lost . . . . . .319
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FIRST STORY [62]. There are in
Cesarea two cadis, enemies to one another. Certain
persons slander one of them to the king, who banishes
him, whereupon his rival solicits and obtains his pardon. 321
THE THIRTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY [63]. The Sultan
of Egypt, thinking his wife alone is discontented while
she lacks for nothing, asks his vezirs and nobles con-
cerning their wives, and finds that they are all in the
same way ....... 3 2 3
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SECOND STORY [64]. Fuzayl, being
told by his son that one heart cannot contain two loves,
tears from his heart the love for his son . . 325
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY [65]. A youth, going
to a certain city to see a beautiful woman of whom he
has heard, sees certain strange sights on the road, which
are parabolically interpreted to him by an elder whom he
meets at the city gate. On his still asking for the woman,
the elder smites him, whereupon he opens his eyes in
Hell 327
THE LADY'S THIRTY-THIRD STORY [66]. A boy, who
complains of getting too little food, frowardly kicks over
the pot when a large quantity is brought to him, and is
consequently cursed by his parents 33
THE THIRTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY [67]. A Persian
xx.xiv TABLE OF CONTENTS.
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merchant whose wife attempts to kill him, is saved by a
dog. To punish her, he makes her always eat out of the
same dish with the dog . . . . 33 1
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FOURTH STORY [68]. A king pre-
sents a famous falcon to a noble who greatly admired it,
and in return the noble places his sons and warriors at
the king's disposal ... . . 333
THE THIRTY-FIFTH VEZIR'S STORY [69]. A certain man,
by jumping when his wife tells him, has his ankle put out
of joint ; and by jumping again, when she tells him not,
is healed . . . . . . .337
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FIFTH STORY [70]. A king's son
refuses to learn his lesson because he has taken a fancy
to try how many lamps he can break at one stroke ; on
his whim being gratified, he studies again as before . 338
THE THIRTY-SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY [71]. A dervish who
hides himself in a robber's cave, releases a captive whom
the robbers bring in. The captive, after killing all the
robbers, is near falling a victim to the resentment of their
leader's mistress, but is saved by his own people, who
put the woman to death ..... 340
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SIXTH STORY [72], Sultan 'Ala-ud-
Dln, while going alone through the madhouse, is pre-
vailed upon by one of the madmen to set him free and
give him a knife. He is then compelled by the madman
to clean out a filthy place with his own hands on pain of
death, and at length is delivered by the appearance of
the keeper . . 345
THE THIRTY-SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY [73]. Satan con-
trives that Adam and Eve eat his son in the form of a
kid, so that the latter may tempt them from within while
he himself does so from without . . . 348
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SEVENTH STORY [74]. Two vezirs,
who are envious of a third, contrive by bribing the pages
to make the king put him to death. By and bye the king,
overhearing the pages quarrelling about the bribe, learns
the truth . . . . . . .351
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PAGE
THE THIRTY-EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY [75]. A merchant
of Cairo boils down the offspring of his slave-girl to make
poison ; she, in revenge, puts some of the poison into his
food, so that he dies (untranslated) . . -353
THE LADY'S THIRTY-EIGHTH STORY [76]. While Noah
is building the ark, the unbelievers fill it with filth ; to
punish them, God sends on them an itch which can only
be cured by being rubbed with that filth, which they
consequently remove. One of Noah's sons, refusing to
enter the ark, is drowned . . . . 355
THE THIRTY-NINTH VEZIR'S STORY [77]. A certain
shepherd is by reason of his truthfulness made master of
the horse. The vezirs, being envious, desire to make
him lie before the king ; so the grand vezir's daughter
goes and persuades him to kill the king's favourite horse
and advises him say it turned ill and died. When she is
gone he takes counsel of his cap, and resolves to tell the
truth, which he does and gains yet higher favour with the
king 358
THE LADY'S THIRTY-NINTH STORY [78]. An elder
declares his ass to be wiser than the king's vezirs, in
that he always avoids the hole wherein he once stumbled,
while they are ever desirous of office, though it has occa-
sioned the death of many of their fellows . . 363
THE FORTIETH VEZIR'S STORY [79]. A tailor's wife
plays him false, and deceives him with a lying story
(untranslated) ...... 366
THE LADY'S FORTIETH STORY [80], A Sultan of Egypt
whose son revolts and drives him from the throne,
recovers his kingdom through the aid of a vezir whom he
had formerly deposed ..... 368
CONCLUSION . . . . . . ,374
APPENDIX A STORIES OCCURRING IN OTHER TEXTS
THAN THAT FROM WHICH THE TRANSLATION HAS
BEEN MADE.
xxxvi TABLE OF CONTENTS.
FROM BELLETETE'S VOLUME OF EXTRACTS.
THE NINTH VEZIR'S STORY [81]. A Turkman while
ploughing discovers a treasure ; in doubt as to whether
to tell his wife, he tries her, and finds she cannot keep a
secret. A smith, to whom he gives some of the gold to
make into a ploughshare, tries to cheat him, and the king,
instead of restoring it all to him, keeps the greater part,
so that finally the Turkman dies of vexation . . 379
THE TENTH VEZIR'S STORY [82]. One Friday a man,
whose garden needs watering, and whose turn it is to
grind at the mill, determines to attend mosque rather
than look after his worldly business. He is rewarded by
finding on his return that his garden has been sufficiently
watered by a neighbour next door watering his, and that
his grain has been ground by another man in mistake for
his own . . . . . . . 381
THE ELEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY [83]. A king's daughter
falls in love with one of the palace attendants, and has
no peace until she has passed a night with him . .381
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY [84]. A foolish boy,
who is sent to a minstrel to be taught music, does not know
that there are occasions on which he should not chant . 383
FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS.
THE LADY'S FIRST STORY [85]. A king has a foolish
son, whom he gives to a master to be instructed. On
the completion of his education he is brought before his
father, but returning a foolish answer to a question, is
sent back to his teacher ..... 384
THE SECOND VEZIR'S STORY [86]. Samson, being
betrayed by his wife to the misbelievers, is by them
mutilated ; but on being made whole again by Gabriel,
he takes his revenge by destroying the palace of the
infidel king ...... 384
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY [87]. A witch, whose son is
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PAGE
swept away by a river, leaps into the stream seeking to
save him, the result being that both are drowned . 386
THE SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY [88]. A certain woman
plays a trick upon a merchant, by borrowing money from
him on the security of a worthless gown, which he believes
to be one of value. On his complaining to the governor,
the latter suggests to him a trick whereby his money is
recovered, and the woman found and punished . . 386
THE LADY'S SEVENTH STORY [89]. A carpenter's appren-
tice, who vaunts that he is more skilful than his master,
is, on being brought to the test, baffled and put to shame 889
THE NINTH VEZIR'S STORY [90]. Kay-Qubad has a
prudish wife, who, having fallen in love with a slave-boy,
is found by her husband in a compromising position, and
put to shame ...... 390
THK LADY'S NINTH STORY [91]. A rogue stops the
pilgrims from making the ablution at the Zemzem well by
means of a lying story . . . . . 391
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [92]. Abraham, being
about to offer up Ishmael as a sacrifice, is prevented
from doing so by the knife refusing to cut his son's
throat. . . . . . .391
THE LADY'S FIFTEENTH STORY [93]. A devotee, who is
supplied by a friend with a daily allowance of oil and
honey, preserves the greater portion thereof in a jar.
When the jar has become full he determines to sell it in
the bazaar, and buy with the price a few sheep, which
will multiply, and be the means of his growing rich. But
in the bazaar he accidentally breaks the jar, and all the
contents are lost ...... 393
THE SIXTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [94]. The wife of a
carpenter, while entertaining her lover, becomes aware
of the arrival of her husband, and contrives that the
latter overhears a speech she makes to her gallant, which
drives resentment from his mind . . . 394
THE LADY'S SIXTEENTH STORY [95]. A certain man, on
the death of his wife, sends his four sons to make arrange-
xxxviii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
ments for the burial. They forget their messages, and
begin to play, and so keep the funeral party waiting,
whereupon their father curses them in his displeasure,
and they are changed into various animals . . 395
THE NINETEENTH VEZIR'S STORY [96], Cain, on being
refused his twin sister in marriage, slays his brother Abel,
to whom she was given. .... 395
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY [97]. David, being
in love with the wife of Uriah, contrives that the latter is
slain in battle, whereupon he is reproved by two angels
from the Lord ...... 396
THE LADY'S TWENTY- NINTH STORY [98]. A certain
youth is taken into the service of a king on account of
his manly bearing ; but on the day of battle he proves a
coward, notwithstanding his brave appearance . . 396
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FIRST STORY [99]. A khoja and a
Frank play at chess together, and the former is on the
point of giving up the game, and so losing all his posses-
sions, when his slave-girl indicates to him that he has
still a chance. He then sees what he should do, and
defeats the Frank, who loses all his money . . 397
THE THIRTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY [100]. A gardener,
who catches a thief in his garden, refrains from beating
him at his entreaty, and, having himself shortly afterwards
fallen into a den of robbers, is saved from death by the
same thief . . . . . . .398
THE THIRTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY [101]. A certain
sheep-owner always kills the lamb of one of his ewes
which lambs early, which so grieves her that she throws
herself from a rock, and is killed .... 399
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FOURTH STORY [102]. A Persian
khoja plays a trick upon a Baghdad khoja and his son
(untranslated) . ... 399
THE THIRTY-SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY [103]. A youth who
possesses a book on the wiles of women is being enter-
tained by a lady, when her husband arrives. The woman
hides her lover in the closet, and by a clever trick gets
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xxxix
PAGE
rid of her husband ; she then brings out the youth, and
tells him to add this story to his book . . .401
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SEVENTH STORY [104]. The son of
a vezir murders one of his father's slave-girls who will not
comply with his wishes ..... 403
FROM BEHRNAUER'S GERMAN TRANSLATION.
THE LADY'S SECOND STORY [105]. A king, who inquires
of his councillors as to what will profit him in the world
to come, is advised by them to seize every opportunity of
doing good ....... 403
THE LADY'S FIFTEENTH STORY (PART 2) [106]. An opium-
eater is aggrieved at a jest made by his three companions,
and leaves them ...... 404
THE LADY'S SEVENTEENTH STORY [107]. A water-ousel,
determining to defend her little ones against a snake, is
herself killed, without saving them . . . 404
THE THIRTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY [108]. A sick
king, who purchases a boy from his parents in order to
kill him, and thereby effect his own cure, is induced by a
speech of the boy to spare him, whereon he is restored to
health ....... 405
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SECOND STORY [109]. A charitable
woman is divorced by her niggard husband for giving food
to a beggar. She marries again ; her first husband is
reduced to beggary, and her second turns out to be the
mendicant she had formerly relieved . . 406
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY [no]. . A sagacious
merchant, who devises a stratagem which brings him
under the favourable notice of the king, is made grand
vezir, and eventually succeeds to the throne . . 407
FROM THE QUARITCH MS. No. II.
THE THIRTIETH VEZIR'S STORY [in]. A sheykh, seek-
ing among his disciples for a companion for a journey,
rejects those who offer to serve him, and accepts one wrr
promises to correct him ..... 409
xl TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY [112]. The disciples
of Sheykh Ahmed Yesev have a custom of tempting
strangers, and punishing such as yield, which they are
finally forbidden by their master in a vision . .410
APPENDIX B. VARIATIONS OCCURRING IN THE TRANS-
LATION BY PETIS DE LA CROIX. . . .411
APPENDIX C COMPARATIVE TABLE SHOWING THE
STORIES FOUND IN THE DIFFERENT TEXTS AND THE
ORDER IN WHICH THEY OCCUR. . . .418
THE
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
RAISES and lauds unbounded
are due to that Creator (glori-
fied be His glory ! exalted be
His power !) at the contem-
plation of whose greatness the
eye of the understanding and the vision of the
soul are mazed, and at the foot of the hill of the
perfectness of whose sempiternity the farthest
limit of the thoughts and the bourne of the
perception of all creatures are dazed. And
thanksgiving to that gracious One, to the com-
passing of the favour of whose graciousness the
girdle of speech were strait : To the truth of
the ray of whose beauty one may not win by
that lantern, the lamp in the glass of the sight
of the intellect ; and the voice of the herald of
B
2- JfSSTOXY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
whose grandeur may not be heard in the portico
of 'the' "ear, b'f yet on the tower of imagination :
The ocean of whose knowledge compasseth all
things known, of essential and of attributive, of
special and of general, seeing that "With Him
are the keys of the unseen : none knoweth them
save He :"* And reverence is due to 'Him,
seeing that " Then exalted be God, the King,
the Truth ; there is no god but He :"t And the
trust of all the faithful, and the confessors, and
the trusters, and the strivers is this hope, seeing
that " Say, By the grace of God and by His
mercy :"J Save His pure self none is worthy
the attribute of Oneness, the praise of Unity,
seeing that " And your God is One God:"
And all perfectness of felicity's wonders is of
constancy in service at His threshold, seeing
that " Then flee to God :"|| And in the spirits
of all those passed away the light of His aid is
manifest, seeing that " So take firm hold of
the rope of God altogether:"^" And the praise
of all praisers is from the beginning of His work,
seeing that " Verily, your Lord is God who
created the heavens and the earth,"** even to
the end of His words, seeing that " Dwelling
* Koran, vi. 59. t Ib. xxiii. 117. Ib. x. 59. Ib. ii. 158.
j| Ib. li. 50. " IF Ib. iii. 98. ** Ib. vii. 52, and x. 3.
I
D ED 1C A TION. 3
therein for aye, so long as dure the heavens
and the earth."* And be greetings limitless and
salutations boundless shed on yon pure tomb,
yon odorous sepulchre, to wit, that of Mu-
hammed Mustafa (the peace of God on him,
and the blessing !), and be they shed upon his
Friends and Household!
To proceed : Now (through) the decree of
Divine Providence and the haps of empery
(there reigneth) the magnificent Sultan, the most
great Monarch, the Sovereign of the earth, the
Shadow of God over the believers, the Glorifier
of the world and the Faith, the Aidance of
Islam and the Muslims, the Proof, the Com-
mander of the Faithful, the Sultan, the son of
the Sultan, MURAD, the son of Muhammed the
son of Bayezld, the Khan God aid his friends
and crush his foes ! God lengthen his life !
He's the Quarry of all justice, as the Mine of Grace him view :
The Shadow of the Lord, the Proof, Commander of the True.
For these ensigns of his glory are flashed to
all regions of the earth and all corners of the
world. Now, this is incumbent, that they of
religion and full assurance do by righteous
prayers and abounding lauds aid the majesty of
his empire, and that, according to the strength
* Koran, xi. 109, no.
B 2
4 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
of their power and the measure of their ability,
they offer gifts at the threshold of glory. Those
gifts may be of the manner of the offerings of
the world, or of the matter of knowledge.
Now, it is not so worthy that majesty if those
gifts be of the gear of the world ; by two proofs :
the first is this, that a call hath been given to
his majesty from the manifestation of the case
and the divulgement of might and power, seeing
that" What God hath given me is better
than what He hath given you."* The second
proof is this, that the world is little, seeing that
" Say, The enjoyment of the world is little." t
Now, it is not according to reason to bring a
little thing to the King's majesty. So by these
conclusive proofs it is become known that the
gifts worthy that majesty were books on the
matter of wisdom. Now, by reason of this,
SHEYKH-ZADA hath written this book named
Hikayetu-Erba'lna-Sabahin wa Mesa, " THE
STORY OF THE FORTY MORNS AND EVES." In
the Arabian tongue it was a story bare of
elegance and of the ornaments of speech. Now,
we have bedecked it in every becoming place
with verses of the Koran, and Traditions, { and
* Koran, xxvii. 36. t Ib. iv. 79.
$ Hadls-i Sherlf, the traditional sayings of the Prophet
Muhammed.
STOK Y OF SUL TAN MAHMUD. 5
with couplets and stanzas, with flowery expres-
sions and heart-expanding graces, and have
made it, bride-like, a fair, heart-resting sight for
the eyes of the beholders of the outer and the
inner, to the end that the King, bidding it be
read, may hear on what wise were the stones
of those by-gone monarchs, and know how that
this tyrant Sphere hath crushed certain amongst
them under foot.
To proceed : One day when that just king,
Sultan Mahmud the son of Sebuktekin,* was
conversing with his vezirs, some of those
ministers, radiant of understanding, made men-
tion of kings who had come into the world
and departed, and died and passed away. And
that Sultan, praiseworthy of disposition and
auspicious of action, asked what were the names
of those kings. And a vezir replied, " It is so
long a time since those kings passed to the
Palace of the Hereafter, that the name of not
one in a thousand is known ; it is only said, ' at
such and such a time there was a king.' "
Then said the Sultan, " Do ye contrive me a
plan that my name shall be remembered in the
* Mahmud the son of Sebuktekln, the famous conqueror of
India, ruled at Ghaznl from A.M. 388 to 421 ; A.D. 998 to 1030.
6 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
palace of the earth, and my fame be celebrated
till the Resurrection Day." The vezirs said,
" Though you should set about the building of
a great palace, in the course of ages it would
fall in ruins, and your name should not dure ;
neither would it be mentioned in other lands,
and so your fame should not be celebrated."
And they all said different things, but nothing
was deemed suitable. Now Sultan Mahmud
had a favourite attendant named Ayaz who was
exceeding resourceful, and at length he said,
" Let a book be written in the name of my king,
that it may remain until the Resurrection Day,
and pass from land to land, and be read ; and
by means of that book will the noble name of
my king be remembered even till the end of
time, and mentioned with blessings." The
vezirs too deemed this suggestion befitting and
this plan beseeming, and approved it. Sultan
Mahmud had there an all-accomplished, learned
and intelligent master, by name Firdausi of
Tus. Him did the Sultan command, and he
caused him to write in his name the book of
the Shah-Nama, which consists of sixty thousand
couplets ; and for every couplet he granted him
a sequin. For that reason shall the name of
Sultan Mahmud dure till the Resurrection Day
and be mentioned with blessings.
EPITOME.
It is related that the wife of a great king
unjustly accused his son, by another mother, of
an act of treachery against his father ; and that
that king was wroth, and for forty mornings
caused his son to be led forth to be slain ; and
that that king had forty vezirs, all of whom
were peerless in the sea of understanding, and
in thoughtfulness and sagacity, and full ' of
plans and devices ; and that when the king
each morning caused his son to be led forth for
execution, these vezirs gave the king counsel,
and each morning a vezir, telling a story,
calmed the king's heart and turned away his
wrath, and saved the prince from his hand ;
and again, that each night that crafty lady, let-
ting not the king rest, ever incited him to the
slaughter of the prince, and with enticing and be-
guiling words, repeated each night a story to the
king, and made his understanding forsake him ;
and that through the words of that crafty lady,
every morning for forty days he caused his son
to be led into his presence to be slain ; and that
the vezirs by each telling a story delivered him.
After forty days the innocence of the prince was
manifested and the falsehood and calumny of the
crafty lady disclosed ; and she received her due,
8 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
and the prince was greatly loved and esteemed
before his father when the truth of his affair
was known. The adventures of the king, and
the lady and the prince, and his governor and
the forty vezirs, and what befell between them,
will be related ; and the stories told by the vezirs
in the forty days, and by the lady in the forty
nights will be set forth and narrated. " With
God is grace : how excellent a Friend is He ! "
They tell in history books, that there was in
Persia a great king, whose name was Khanqln,
and in the grasp of whose possession were the
Seven Climes, As he was gracious and able
and sagacious, kingliness and the bases of em-
pire were present in him. God Most High had
given him a fair son, by whose beauty the
people of the world were bewildered. Whoso-
ever looked upon his loveliness would say, " Is
it magic, this ?"* and he who beheld his tall
figure would exclaim, "This is no mortal !"t
Fair was his beauty and charming was his self,
and desired of lovers. Moreover, his were
accomplishments and perfections ; he had no
rival in the reading of science, or in penmanship,
* Koran, Hi. 15. t Ib. xii. 31.
INTRODUCTION. 9
or in archery, or in horsemanship ; and his fair
character was talked of and celebrated among
high and low. The king, too, whenever he
saw him. experienced a hundred thousand
pleasures, and looked upon him as the source
of his life. The mother of this youth was of
the lovely ones of China.* One day she fell ill,
and at length, no remedy availing, she was
received into Mercy. Thereupon, after some
time had passed, his father married the daughter
of a great king and brought her to his palace.
After a while this lady fell in love with the
prince. For a long time she hid her love in
her heart, and, saying in herself, "He is my
step-son, what help for it ! " she disclosed it not.
But when, day after day, she looked upon his
beauty, she was no longer able to bear with
patience the fire of love, and, bringing into the
field the wallet of craft, she was busy night and
day with stratagems. Now the king had given
the prince to a governor to be taught the
sciences of astronomy and astrology, and the
boy was night and day occupied acquiring them.
One day the governor looked at the youth's
horoscope, and perceived there was a space of
* Not necessarily a Chinese woman, simply a beauty ; China
and Chinese Tartary being regarded as pre-eminent for the
beauty of their women.
io HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
forty days in most sinister aspect. Did he say
a word about this, he would be pointing out a
great calamity ; so he was exceeding grieved,
and his heart was contracted. But he said to
the prince, " I have this day looked at thy
horoscope and seen a most sinister aspect ; such
is it, my life,* that thou must obey the command
and decree of God Most High, and observe my
injunction, else thou shalt die." The prince
heard these words of his governor and his colour
changed, and he said to his teacher, " Order
what thou wilt: command is thine." Quoth the
teacher, " O son, the way of averting this
calamity is thus stated in the book : for the
space of forty days thou shalt not speak one
word though a naked sword be above thy
head." Then he bade the prince bear in mind
certain of the Holy Names and blessed litanies,
and sent him to his father. The governor
thereupon hid in a vault and concealed himself. f
When the prince came to his father, the latter
said to him, " My son, what hast thou read and
written this day ? " but the prince gave no
answer to his father. Again quoth the king,
" O my life, what does thy master ?" again he
* A term of endearment.
t Probably he was afraid lest the king should put him to death
for giving such bad news.
INTR OD UC TION. 1 1
gave no answer. Again his father said, " O
life of my life, what has befallen thee ? Why
dost thou not speak ?" Again he gave no
answer. Then said the king to his son's
guardian, " The boy is sad 'to day, take him
to his mother, may-be that his heart will ex-
pand." Then the guardian took the youth to the
lady and said, " Lady, this youth is sad, he has
not uttered one syllable to his father this day,
therefore has he sent him to thee, that per-
adventure he may speak beside his mother."
The lady was glad and said, " Clear the house,
go, be off; that I may learn somewhat of the
prince, and banish his sadness and grief."
When she was alone with the youth the lady
threw her arm round his neck, and said, " O my
life, ah my lord, what has befallen thee that thy
heart is thus sad, and that thou art disconsolate
and mournful ? Whatever thy father possesses
is in my hand ; if thou wilt make thy heart one
with mine, and act according to my words, I
will turn away thy sadness." To her too the
prince gave no answer. Again said the lady,
" Thou art a grown-up youth, I too am a young
lady ; thy father is a decrepit old man, with
neither thought nor discernment, night and day
he knows not one art ; if thou wilt assure me,
and swear to me, and accept me as thy legal
12 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
wife, I will make shift to kill thy father and
make thee king in his stead. First, I swear by
God, and for God, and in God, that I speak
these words from the bottom of my heart and
from my very soul, and that I will not falsify
these words ; do thou likewise assure me, and
swear to me that I may act accordingly." The
prince answered not a word. Quoth the lady,
" O dearer than my life, should thou ask how I
will kill thy father ; lo, in the treasury are many
kinds of poisons, of one of which if a person
eat, he turns ill and after three months dies.
The people will not know the cause of his
death, and will not suspect that he has eaten
poison. They will say he but took ill, and will
doubtless make thee king. Should thou say I
am thy step-mother and wonder how thou art
to marry me, the way is this : send me off to
my own country, and while yet on the road,
send someone after me who shall come in the
guise of a robber and pounce upon us by night
and seize me ; so it will be said that robbers
have seized me. Then buy me as a slave-girl
from that man. and make me thy wife ; so none
will know." But the prince answered her not at
all, and spake not. Then the lady grew
desperate at his not speaking, and her patience
was exhausted, and she said, "O my soul, O my
INTR OD UCTION. 1 3
gliding angel, why wilt thou not speak to me ?"
And she put her arm round his neck and drew
him to her and made to kiss him. And the
prince was wroth, and he smote the lady's
mouth with the back of his hand, so that her
mouth filled with blood. When she saw this
conduct the fire of anger blazed up in the hearth
of her breast, and the sparks from the fumes of
her pride gained her heart, and she cried, " Out
on thee ! fool ! boy ! I sought to raise thee to
the throne and make thee king, and thou didst
strike me thus ; now will I speak to thy father
that he shall hew thee in pieces, small even as
thine ear." And she dishevelled her hair and
smeared the four sides of her robe with the
blood of her mouth and sat down, sad and
tearful, feeble and wailing. Then the youth
went to his private apartments. After a time
the king came to the harem, thinking to inquire
of the lady concerning the affair of the prince,
and he saw her seated besmeared with red
blood. And the king marvelled at this sight,
and said to the lady, "What is this matter?
explain to me/' She said, " O king, that
degenerate son of thine ! God forbid that he be
son of thine !" " What is the matter ?" said the
king. The lady replied, " I saw that degenerate
youth that he was sad, and I cleared the palace
H HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
that I might banish his sadness, and I said to
him. ' My son, why art thou sad ? ' Then he
stretched forth his hand and made to do me
wrong, but I prevented him. Then he said to
me, ' Why dost thou flee me ? if thou wilt be my
mistress and make thy heart one with mine, and
assure me thereof, it is my intention to kill my
father and make thee my wife ; and the riches,
and the country, and the throne, and the king-
dom will be ours ? ' But I consented not, and
he desired to kill me that I might not make
known this matter to the king. And I cried
out for the saving of my life, and he left me in
this plight and went away. Now, O king,
know of a surety that he purposes evil against
thee, and see to the saving of thine own life,
else crown and throne will go from thy hands ;
so ere he kill thee do thou kill him that thou
be secure from his wickedness." When the
king heard these words from the lady he was
wroth, and that night sleep came not to his eyes.
In the early morning he went forth and sat
upon his throne, and caused the prince to
be brought before him, that he might order
the executioner to smite off his head. The
courtiers who were beside him got the execu-
tioner to delay, and at once sent word to the
vezirs. As soon as they knew what was
INTR OD UC TION. 1 5
happening, the whole Forty Vezirs came with all
speed to the presence of the king, and said, " O
king, how has the prince this day thus merited
the anger of the king ?" The king related to the
vezirs the events that had taken place, where-
upon the Grand Vezir said, " Slay not thy son,
trusting on the woman's word ; do not a deed
beyond the ordinance of God and the law of the
Messenger :* and there is no permission in the
law for one to act on a woman's word. If there
were witnesses that the prince had done this
thing to the lady, then were command the
king's ; but spill not blood unjustly, that after-
ward thou suffer not regret and remorse. They
have said that whatsoever oppression there be
in a country it is incumbent on him who is
king to banish it ; where then were room for
kings to do deeds beyond the law and spill
blood unjustly ? If they be negligent in the
matter of banishing oppression, God Most High
will visit and afflict them with four sorts of
troubles : firstly, He will make their life short ;
secondly, He will let the enemy prevail against
them ; thirdly, He will give the enemy aid and
victory ; and fourthly, on the Resurrection Day
He will be wroth with them and consign them
* The Prophet Muhammed.
1 6 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
to the torment of Hell. He then is wise who
will not for a five-day's life lose the Hereafter,
and is not heedless. And, moreover, the Holy
Messenger (peace on him !) when going to per-
form the ablution would first of all perform it
with sand ; the Companions asked, ' O Apostle
of God, is it lawful to perform the sand-ablution
when there is water ? ' The most noble Be-
loved of God replied, * I fear lest death let me
not reach the water.' Now, O king, be not
presumptuous through worldly fortune and king-
ship, and consent not to a deed contrary to the
law, and ruin not thy Hereafter, trusting in the
woman's word. For by reason of the craft of
woman has many a head been cut off; and the
Blessed Messenger hath said, ' Whatsoever mis-
fortunes befall my people will befall them
through women.' Peradventure my king has
not heard the story of the murdered Sheykh
Shihab-ud-Din ; if it be thy high command I
shall relate it." The king said, " Relate the
story that I may hear it and learn its incidents."
Quoth the vezir,
THE FIRST VEZIR'S STORY.
" One day the doctors of the law were as-
sembled in the council of the king of Egypt and
were talking over the details of the Ascension.
THE FIRST VEZIR'S STORY. 17
They said, ' The Most Noble Apostle made the
Ascension and God Most High showed him the
Seven Heavens, the Eight Paradises, and the
Seven Hells, and spake with him ninety thou-
sand words; and when he returned to his place
he found his bed still warm, and the water had
not wholly run out of an ewer which had been
upset beside him, so he straightway raised the
ewer from the ground/* The king of Egypt
marvelled thereat and said, * These words which
ye speak are remote from reason ; the depth of
each of the Seven Heavens is a five-hundred
years' journey, and the distance between each is
a five-hundred years' journey, yet ye say that he
traversed the Heavens and the Eight Paradises,
and the Seven Hells, and conversed to the ex-
tent of ninety thousand words and came back
again and found his bed warm and his ewer not
empty that is remote from reason.' Although
they insisted with him that God Most High was
almighty, it was in vain. When the assembly
broke up, news of this reached Sheykh Shihab-
* Concerning the Mi'raj, or Ascension, of Muhammed, his
vision in which he saw himself transported to Heaven, the com-
mentators tell many wonderful stories, of which the above is an
example. All that the Koran says, is : " Celebrated be the Glory
of Him who transported His servant by night from the Sacred
Temple to the Remote Temple, whose precinct We have blessed,
that We might show him of Our signs." xvii. i.
1 8 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
ud-Din. So he arose and came to the palace
and shook hands with the king and sat down.
The king entreated the sheykh with great con-
sideration and respect, and said, * O sheykh, there
was no need for your coming here ; if you had
but given us a hint we should have gone to visit
you: what need thus to weary your feet and
endure fatigue?' The sheykh replied, 'O king,
I have come this day to have somewhat of par-
ticular conversation with you/ Then quoth
the king, ' Welcome, and fair welcome ! ' Now
there were in the pavilion where the king was
sitting four windows which gave upon the desert.
The sheykh said, ' O king, let them shut the
windows for a little.' So the king ordered
them to be shut ; and after they had conversed
for about an hour, the sheykh said, ' Order that
they open one of them.' When they had opened
one the king looked out and saw that the plain
was all full of armed soldiers, so that though the
stars in the sky might be reckoned, these could
not be numbered. They came on, their horses
pressing each against the other, and when the
king saw thus great an army on such wise, his
senses fled from him, and he cried out, ' What
manner of host is this? quick, go see!' The
sheykh said, ' My king, fear not, sit quiet in thy
place, it is nothing.' Then the king ordered them
THE FIRST VEZIFS STORY. 19
to shut that window ; then they opened it again
and the king looked and saw nothing. One of the
windows likewise gave upon the city ; the sheykh
told them to open it, and the king looked and saw
that a fire was raging in the City of Cairo, and
the flames were rising into the air. The king
cried out, saying, ' What fire is this ?' The
sheykh replied, ' Have patience ; for this there is
good reason.' Another window gave upon the
river, it also they opened ; and the king saw that
the River Nile had overflowed and was ap-
proaching, so that he feared exceedingly for the
fury of the water. ' Help, O sheykh! ' he cried,
so the sheykh ordered them to shut that window.
The other window looked fair upon the plain ; it
also they opened, and the king saw that all that
plain from end to end was become a garden,
wherein were running streams, and fruits, and all
manner of flowers, and parrots and turtle-doves
and nightingales warbling a place like Paradise.
When the king saw this he said, * O sheykh, let
them not shut this window for a time, that we
may enjoy it ;' and he looked on marvelling for
about an hour. The sheykh let open again the
shut windows, and nothing was visible. Then
he bade bring a tub and fill it with water ; and
the king told them to obey, so they brought it.
The sheykh said, * O king, hold about thee a
c 2
20 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
towel, and plunge once into this water, then come
out and sit down, and I will show thee a wonder.'
Then the king held about him a towel and went
into the tub and plunged in it, and when he
put out his head he saw himself on the skirt
of a trackless mountain by the sea-shore. Then
was the king bewildered, and he cried, " Dost
thou see ? the sheykh, he has by magic cast me
into the desert and seized my throne!' Thus
thinking, he looked about and saw some persons
cutting wood on the mountain. He went up to
them and saluted them, and they returned the
salute and asked, 'What man art thou ?' The
king said, * I am a merchant ; the ship in which
I was sank in the sea, I laid hold of a plank and
was saved, and am come here/ Then had they
compassion on him, and each of them gave him
some old garment, and they clothed him. The
king said to them, ' Who are ye and whence are
ye ? ' They replied, ' Behind this mountain is a
city, we belong to it.' Then the king went with
them to that city, and while he was wandering
through the bazaar he happened on the shop of
an aged farrier. The farrier said to him, * O
youth, whence art thou come ?' And the king
again declared that he was a merchant whose ship
had sunk, and that he had managed to save him-
self ; and he asked for advice. The old man said,
THE FIRST VEZIFS STORY. 21
'As thou art a stranger, go sit at the door of the
bath, and ask of every woman that comes out if
she have a husband, and according to the
custom of this city, whatsoever woman says to
thee that she has no husband shall be thy wife.'
So the poor king went and sat at the door of
the bath and asked the ladies that came out ;
but they each answered, ' I have a husband/ and
went away. Of a sudden a lady attended by
several servants came out, and when he said to
her, ' Hast thou a husband?' she replied, 'No,'
and passed on. Afterward one of that lady's
servants returned and took the king and brought
him to her. She said, ' By the command of God
I am become thy wife ; ' and the king was thank-
ful for that event. He lived seven years with
that lady and had two sons and a daughter. At
length all her means were used up and they had
nothing left to eat, and the lady said to him, ' O
man, go earn something that we and our children
may live.' Then the king was sad, and he went
to the farrier and told him how things stood with
him, and the farrier asked him if he knew any
trade. The king replied that he knew none, so
the farrier put a few pence into his hand and
said, ' Go buy a rope and sit among the porters,
and he whose load thou earnest will give thee two
or three pence, and so thou shalt live.' The king
22 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
did as the farrier told him, and, having no other
resource, was for some days a porter and carried
loads. When he took up the loads the rope
would cut his shoulders, and he would think on
the estate he had enjoyed and weep. One day,
while strolling along, he came upon the sea-
shore. Now ablution had become necessary for
the king, so he went into the water and plunged
in it, and when he put his head out he beheld
himself in his own palace, and the sheykh was
sitting looking at him.* He said, ' O sheykh,
dost thou fear not God, and art thou not
ashamed before the Messenger ? ' The sheykh
replied, ' O king, wherefore art thou angry ? thou
didst draw thy head for a moment under the water
and didst straightway put it out again ; dost not
believe ? see thy servants standing there, ask
them.' When he asked his servants they replied
as the sheykh had said. The king was amazed
and said, ' For seven years have I wandered
afar from my throne what know ye ? ' And he
determined to slay the sheykh. The sheykh
* This trick of making one imagine that he has in a few
seconds experienced adventures that seem to have lasted over
a long period appears to have been a favourite one with the
dervishes. Several instances of it occur in the tales of 'All 'Aziz
that I have published under the title of "The Story of Jewad."
It may have been effected by means of some intoxicating pre-
paration like hashish.
THE FIRST VEZIR'S STORY. 23
perceived this determination and said, ' O king,
what is there in this ? lo, I too will go in.' So
he held the towel about him and plunged into
the water that was in the tub. The king signed
to the executioner to strike off the sheykh's head
without mercy as soon as he should put it out.
But when the sheykh put his head under the
water he found himself in the land of Syria ; and
he wrote a letter to the king, saying, ' O king,
thou and I are slaves and creatures : thou drew-
est thy head under the water for a moment and
ere thou didst put it out again, the space of
seven years and all those troubles appeared to
thee. Thou wonderest that God Most High
should have shewn His Apostle the eighteen
thousand worlds, and that the Apostle on his
return should have found his bed warm, and that
the water should not have run out of the ewer ;
and thou deniest the Ascension of that Apostle ;
therefore have I done to thee this deed, that thou
doubt not nor question the might of God Most
High.' When the king read this letter his faith
was strengthened; but he forgot not the sufferings
he had endured through the sheykh, so he wrote
a letter to the governor of Syria asking him to
seize the sheykh and cut off his head and send
it to him. The letter reached the governor of
Syria, and as the sheykh lived in a cave without
24 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
the city, he sent men thither to seize and be-
head him. When they drew near the cave a
boundless host with weapons and horses ap-
peared to them, so that they were unable to go
in to the sheykh. They informed the king of
this circumstance. So the king consulted with
his vezirs, and the vezirs said, ' The plan is this:
that we feign friendship with the sheykh, and
send him some boys and slave-girls, and with
them a crafty woman whom we shall instruct to
ask the sheykh, when she is alone with him,
what time he is impotent in prayer ; that time
she will find some means to kill him.' So the
king wrote a friendly letter to the sheykh and,
manifesting great affection, sent him with show
of much regard youths and girls like houris,*
and with them a crafty and wily woman. By the
divine decree the sheykh was off his guard, and
he passed some nights with the girls and was
pleased with them. Once when that crafty
sorceress was talking with the sheykh, she asked,
' Is there a time when thou art impotent in
these prayers ? ' The sheykh replied, ' Speak not
such words ; ' but woman is a devil, and she per-
sisted, so the sheykh said, * When in a state of
* This word is properly hurl, and should be pronounced hooree,
not howri, the ou having its French sound, as our form houri
was introduced through that language.
THE FIRST VEZIR'S STORY. 25
ceremonial impurity I am impotent/ Straight-
way the woman sent word to the governor of
Syria, saying, ' On such and such a night the
sheykh will approach the girls, do thou send men
to seize him.' On that night the sheykh ap-
proached the girls, and when he left them he
went, according to his wont, to perform the ablu-
tion. But that night the crafty woman had
thrown the water that was in the jugs into the
desert, so that they were all empty, and when the
sheykh sought to wash he could find no water.
The woman said, ' I shall fetch water,' and went
out, when she told the men who were waiting,
and they entered straightway. When the sheykh
saw them he knew what had happened, and said,
4 Resignation to destiny ;' and taking in his
hands two candles that were burning in the can-
dlestick, he began to turn round. The men who
had come struck him with their swords and
martyred him."*
" Now, O king, know what sort of persons
have perished through the wiles of women.
Beware, slay not thy son in obedience to the
woman's word, or afterward thou shalt be sorry."
The king heard these words of the vezir, and
his advice seemed good to him, and he caused
* See Appendix B, Note I.
26 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
the prince to be brought and said to him, " How
was thy affair with the lady ? " But the prince
gave no answer, and sought for his governor,
but he was not to be found. Quoth the vezir,
"O king, defer this matter till the morrow, perad-
venture the truth of it may be made manifest."
So the king sent the prince to the prison, and
went himself to the chase.
When it was evening he came to the palace
and entered the harem, and the lady came up to
him and asked, "How died thy son?" The
king replied, " To-day have I deferred it and
sent him to the prison." Quoth the lady, " O
king, do not thus defer, spare him not till the
morrow, for from crookedness straightness
comes not. The sages have said that a man's
darling enemies are two the one riches, the
other children. O king, is not that degenerate
son of thine an enemy, who stretched forth his
hand to his step-mother and went about to slay
thee ? I tended him as a bird tends her young
ones, and now that he has become a man he
has dealt thus treacherously by thee and me.
Well have they said :
For many a day did I with care a puppy rear and tend,
Which, when he grew a dog, did turn and fierce my feet did rend.
Now, O king, this youth is like a vicious dog,
he has bitten both thee and me ; judge then how
THE LADY'S FIRST STORY. 27
he will deal by others. The story of this youth
will be even as that of the king's son who was
unequalled in evil practices ; mayhap my king
has not heard it." The king said, " Tell me
that story, let me hear it." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S FIRST STORY.
" Thus relate they: There was in the palace of
the world a great king, and he had one son, a
leveling of the earth. Him he had given to a
master, and he was busy acquiring knowledge
and good conduct. For the same purpose the
king had appointed the youth a governor perfect
in good conduct ; and he had thus ordered the
master and the governor, ' If the boy do an un-
gracious act, beat him without mercy ; if ye beat
him not, ye will regret it/ So the teacher used
to beat him for a slight fault, and the king would
send him to prison and let him remain for a day
and a night hungry and thirsty. When the
king was asked, ' Why dost thou thus?' he
would answer, ' He too will be king after me
and have to beat many men and put them in
prison ; let him now taste what is each pain so
that when he rules he will know the plight of
the wretched and have compassion and mercy
toward the poor, and his reign will be on justice.
For that the lover who has not endured pain
28 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
knows not the value of delight, for that the
sufferer knows the sufferer's plight, let him now
endure pain, so that, having acquired instruc-
tion and humility and good conduct and know-
ledge, he may be profitable both to himself and
to us and be favoured by God with grace and
mercy and by the people with blessing.' Now
this king had feud with another great king who
likewise had a son who read with a teacher.
But that king ever warned his teacher and
governor thus, ' Be it not that anyone strike my
son or say a word to vex his heart, else will I
give him his reward.' And as he much im-
pressed this on them, no one dared say a word
to the boy. Although his vezirs used to say,
' Do not act thus with regard to the youth,' the
king paid no heed at all. Now the youth ac-
quired as many evil habits as were in the world,
and when he grew older he began to seize the
nobles' sons and daughters, and whosoever said
a word to him he killed. The people were in
despair and they complained to the king, and
the king would scold him and say, ' Now leave
off this ;' but it was no avail. At length one
night the youth struck his father with a dagger
where he lay and slew him ; and on the morrow
he ascended the throne and was king. And
through his cruelty he spilt much blood unjustly,
THE LADY'S FIRST STORY. 29
and day and night he left not to do evil. When
he was drunk there was no rescue from his hand
for the wives and sons of the nobles ; and he
would take a bow and arrows and pierce the
breasts of the nobles who sat and stood around
him, though they were guiltless, and make the
arrow stand out behind their backs. Then he
would say to those who sat by, * Have not I
done well?' He would seize him who said,
' Nay/ and strip him naked and bind his two
hands behind his back and lash him to a post,
then taking a long awl in his hand, he would
pierce the face and throat and breast and belly
of that noble, and with such tortures kill him.
And his custom was ever to kill men unjustly.
On market-days he would mount his horse and
go toward the market, and while the throng of
people were marketing he would shoot at them
with arrows from an open space, and ere they
could all flee away and disperse he would have
slain many men. The nobles and the poor were
in despair through him, and they would hurl
thousands of curses at his father, ' Why did he
not teach this youth good conduct when he was
little, and punish him by way of correction that
now he too might know the plight of the
afflicted!' At length the nobles and the sub-
jects and the poor consulted together, and they
30 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
secretly wrote this letter to the king who had
taught his son good conduct and knowledge :
' Protection and protection ! delay not, O king,
but send thy son with some troops against this
tyrant king. When he arrives we will turn
from this tyrant and go unto thy son and obey
him and assist him, and we will seize this tyrant
and make him over to thy son, and this country
shall be thy son's ; for we hear of the justice and
equity of thy son. O king, for the love of God
Most High, aid us.' When the letter arrived
and the king had read and understood it, he
straightway sent his son with some troops to
the country of that tyrant king. When the army
came, the people of the country turned away
from that tyrant and made over their lands to
the newly come king's son, and they seized the
tyrant and brought him before the prince. The
prince commanded them to bind his two hands
behind his back, and gave him to a man whose
father he had killed, spying, ' Even as he killed
thy father, so do thou kill him.' Then that
youth took an awl and stabbed the tyrant once
or twice so that he cried, * For the love of God
grant me respite for a moment, I have some-
what to say to you.' So they granted him
respite, and he said, 'O God! O God ! what have I
done on earth ! had I known that the bitterness
THE LADY'S FIRST STORY. 31
of death was such, I had struck none even with a
rod. A thousand times cursed be my father that
he taught me not good conduct when little, and
punished me not, beating me and scolding me,
that I too might have known what was the
bitterness of death, then had not I hurt any, and
through my good conduct would he be alive and
I not a prey to this torment ; nor should I have
killed those many Muslims with such torments.'
And when he made entreaty, ' Kill me not with
this torment,' the executioner came and smote
off his head from his body. And the prince be-
came king of that country by reason of good
conduct and through the blessings of his educa-
tion by his father and mother and master ; and
he acted with such justice and equity that they
called that kingdom the Kingdom of the Ser-
vant of the Protector. And that unhappy one,
in that he learned not good conduct, first slew
his father and then perished himself."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
this youth too has adopted the way of that tyrant.
Dost not thou see that though thou speakest to
him, he respects not thy word and gives no
answer ? In that he has not been beaten by his
master has he now learned profitless knowledge ;
lo, he has rebelled against thee and turned traitor
and gone about to slay thee, and stretched forth
32 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
his hand to me ; can there be a greater crime
than that ? Lo, I have aided thee to thy life and
given thee word ; if thy life be needful for thee,
kill the youth and be free from anxiety, else
know of a surety that neither thyself nor thy
kingdom will remain, all will be destroyed."
When the king heard these enticing and beguil-
ing words of the lady fear for his life took pos-
session of him, and he said, " On the morrow will
I smite off his head." And they went to bed.
When it was morning and the world was bright,
the king sat upon his throne and ordered the
executioner that he brought the youth, and then
he said, "Kill!" whereupon the Second Vezir
came forward and said, " O king, follow not,
without deliberation, the words of the evil. God
Most High knoweth that whoso stirreth up the
sea of trouble and setteth fire to the provender
and stores is unjust ; for they have said that it is
incumbent on kings that they act not on anyone's
word, neither fall before his spells, nor believe
calumny, so that they be not afterward regret-
ful nor suffer remorse, even as they say in this
couplet :
A weakling, when he should decide, doth aye let pass his chance ;
So that when gone, it turneth round against him from behind.
And as God Most High hath spoken in this verse,
'Say, Shall those who know be deemed equal
THE SECOND VEZIFS STORY. 33
with those who know not ? '* Now, O king, look
thou to these deeds ; for in the latter times shall
those who lie to one's face abound, even as saith
the Apostle (peace on him !), ' Verily, before the
Hour are mighty liars, be ye ware of them.' O
king, it beseems thee to be not heedless, for
many are the lies and tricks of women, so that
if one of them but look at her great toe, she
will hatch every day two-and-seventy different
plots and tricks. And the stories of the craft
and cunning of women are many, if the king
command, I will display one mote from the sun-
beam and one drop from the ocean." The king
said, " Tell on, let us hear." The vezir said,
THE SECOND VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was in Hindustan a khoja f who had
a beautiful wife. That woman had (God fore-
fend the listeners !) a youthful lover. One day
the khoja bought a parrot which knew well
how to speak ; and whenever it would speak, the
khoja's heart reaped a hundred thousand joys
and delights. One day the khoja went to a
certain place and came not that night to his
* Koran, xxxix. 12.
t A khoja is a master of a household, also a teacher ; in the
former acceptation it is somewhat equivalent to the old English
" goodman."
D
34 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
house. Forthwith the woman brought the
youth to the house, and that night passed they
in fun and frolic, and, joining soul to soul and
heart to heart, both reaped their desires. The
parrot watched this their secret from the cage,
and when it was morning the youth went
away and the khoja returned. As soon as it
saw the khoja, the parrot said, ' O khoja, this
night till morning the lady was with a youth,
eating, and drinking, and kissing, and clipping ;
lo, the youth is gone.' When the khoja heard
these words he said to his wife, ' Out on thee,
wife! who is that youth ?' The woman replied,
* What manner of speech is this ? dost thou
believe the word of a bird and act thereon ?'
And she fell to chattering and babbling, and
convinced the khoja, and gave the lie to the
parrot. One day the khoja again went to a
certain place, and the woman, according to her
wont, got the youth whom she told what the
parrot had said to the khoja. The youth said,
4 Henceforward there can be no more frolic with
thee, this parrot is a hindrance to us, and will
make us disgraced before the world.' Quoth
the woman, * My lord, be not dismayed, see
what a trick I will play the parrot.' And she
ordered the slave-girls and they brought a
sieve, an earthenware jar, some water, and a
THE SECOND VEZIFS STORY. 35
piece of bullock hide. They put the hide over
the parrot's cage, and one of the girls struck on
it with a stick every now and again, while
another sprinkled water through the seive upon
the parrot, and a third put a looking-glass into the
jar which ever and anon she opened and closed
before the cage. So again the woman and the
youth made merry till the morning. When it
was morning the youth went away and the
khoja came ; and as soon as the parrot saw
him, it said, ' Khoja, this night the lady and the
youth ate and drank and made merry till the
morning ; but much did the rain rain and the
thunder roar and the lightning flash.' Then
quoth the lady, ' Dost thou see the parrot's lies ?
did the rain rain, or the thunder roar, or the
lightning flash this night ?' ' Nay,' said the
khoja. ' And thou believedst the lie spoken by
the bird,' quoth the woman. And the poor
khoja's trust was destroyed by this trick ; and
as often as he went away the woman invited
that youth and made merry with him. And the
parrot ever said so, but the khoja would not
believe, and the woman would make mock of
the parrot's words, and split the khoja's head
by saying, ' And thou didst libel me on this
thing's word ! ' '
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
D 2
36 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
that thou mayst know that craft and trickery
such as this abound in women. Beware, slay
not thy son, trusting to the woman's word ; and
act not till thy son recover his speech and make
known his affair, and until it be evident where
is the truth, or it will hurt the present and the
Hereafter of the king. And the hurt of his
present will be this, the source of his life, his
only son, will be lost to him ; and the hurt of
his Hereafter will be this, that having spilt blood
unjustly, he will have done great sin, and will
inevitably enter Hell. O king, this were better,
that we have patience until the governor be
found ; belike he may know of the not speaking
of the prince, and of his every affair." The
king found the vezir's words good ; and sent
the prince to the prison, and went himself to
the chase.
When it was evening he returned from the
chase and went to the lady, who rose to greet
him, and they sat down. After the repast the
lady said, " Hast thou this day finished the
affair of that thy degenerate son ?" The king
replied, " To-day likewise they let me not alone,
so I have sent him back to the prison." Quoth
the lady, " O king, comply not with the words
of the vezirs, and be not negligent. ' Refuge
is in God Most High!' Now that youth has
THE LADY'S SECOND STORY. 37
made for the throne ; if it pass into his hands,
he will sow the seed of tyranny and oppression."
Quoth the king, " To-day my vezir requested
yM^^at could I do ?" The lady said, " God
forbid that he be true son of thine ; the story of
this youth resembles that of a certain king,
which mayhap my king has not heard." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
lady,
THE LADY'S SECOND STORY.
" Thus relate they : There was a great king
who had a sickly son, whom all the physicians
of that country had tried to cure, but in vain.
At length the physicians were reduced to
despair, when from another country came a
skilful leech, and the king summoned him, and
they took him to the boy. The physician felt
the boy's pulse and looked at the colour of his
face and said, * If it please God Most High, I
will make this boy whole ; but I would that
you take me to his mother, I have a question
to ask of her, and would converse with her
privately ; for the affairs of a child should be
asked of his father and mother, but his mother
knows yet better than his father.' Then the
king commanded that they left the physician
alone with his wife. The physician said, ' O
38 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
lady, I have a word to ask of thee, but speak
the truth if thou wish that the boy become
well, and if thou speak not the truth the blood
of the boy will be on thy head, for he will not
recover ; and this word shall remain between
thee and me.' And he protested with many
oaths and swore that it would be so, and said,
' O lady, my word to thee is this, and speak the
truth, whose is the boy ?' Said the lady, ' O
physician, what word is this thou speakest ?
who could enter the king's harem ?' Then
swore the physician by God and the Apostle,
saying, ' Speak the truth of it, be not guilty of
the boy's blood ; this word shall remain between
me and thee.' And the physician swore and
protested, and the lady refused, till the physi-
cian rose from his seat and was about to go,
when the lady caught hold of his skirt and said,
' Sit down ; thou hast sworn much to me ; what
use to hide from the people a thing known unto
God ? " And God Most High is the Hearer, the
Observant." O master, the truth of it is this, the
king has nor son nor daughter ; neither by me
nor by the other ladies has he any child at all
to take the throne after him. I saw that some
stranger would seize the throne after the king,
and I made merry with a youth, and this boy is
the issue.' Quoth the physician, ' What sort of
THE LADY'S SECOND STORY. 39
youth is that youth? ' The lady said, ' He is
of the Turkmans.' Then the physician went
to the king and said, ' With the aid of God
I will make thy son whole, for I have asked
his mother, and know whence is his sickness.
Now, O king, order that they cook some por-
ridge * in the kitchen, and make ready a little
curds and whey* and some brewis.'* So the king
ordered and they prepared the whole of them.
And the physician made the boy eat* them
before the king, and all the leeches and physi-
cians that were present looked one at the other
and said, * We have laboured thus long a time
with all manner of drugs, and have been unable
to restore this boy to health, see this fool who
would cure him with such odd stuffs.' When
the boy had filled himself with these foods he
came to himself a little. For three days the
physician gave him these dishes, and he became
all whole. And the king bestowed much wealth
upon the physician."
" Now, O king, God forbid that this be true
son of thine ; if thou slay him not and he
escape, he will bring about much evil ; yea, for
that he is evil he will slay thee." The king
* Tarkhana, yoghurt, ///*/, favourite dishes of the wandering
Turkman tribes ; so, perhaps, their natural food. The trans-
lations are, of course, only approximate.
40 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
heard these beguiling words of the lady, and
his heart was troubled, and he said, " To-day
is past, to-morrow will I kill him." And they
went to bed and slept.
Early in the morning the king sat upon his
throne and caused the youth to be brought
before him, and ordered the executioner thus,
" Kill !" Whereupon the Third Vezir came for-
ward and said, <( O king, destroy not the prince
off-hand on the word of the woman ; for the
Holy Apostle hath said, ' Precipitation is from
the Devil and deliberation is from the Merciful.'
And wise is he who thinks a thousand times
over everything he does ; even as one, when a
thorn has run into his foot, takes his foot upon
his knee and moistens it many times with his
mouth, and picks out the thorn with the point
of a needle after many a difficulty and bearing
much pain, for till it be taken out he has no
rest. And the prince is the darling of the
king's heart, and the light of his eyes, and the
source of his life ; and he is the support and
asylum of the people of the world ; and this is
incumbent upon us in this matter, that we en-
deavour to set it right. For they have said
that if anyone see wrongness in any act of a
king and warn not the king, he must be rec-
koned of the crew of rebels and traitors.
THE THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 41
O servant of the prince, to work ! up then and strive thou hard !
That thou may be near unto him and in his favour high.
Thou know'st his nature, and thou shouldest counsel him aright,
Else, by the Lord ! a traitor thou, and from the Truth dost fly.
And wise is he who looks at the beginning
and end of an affair, like as that king took
counsel with his sons and his vezirs and the
elders of the country, and was prospered alike
in the world and the Hereafter. And that story
is a fair story ; if the king grant leave I will re-
late it." The king said, " Tell on." Quoth the
vezir,
THE THIRD VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was of old time in the palace of the
world a great king, such that the world was
under his rule. He had lived enjoying sove-
reignty for a hundred and twenty years in the
palace of the world, and was grown old and
knew that in the near future he would be given
to drink of the potion of death. And the king
had three moon-faced* sons and likewise three
able and skilful vezirs. One day quoth the
king to his vezirs, ' The end of this my life
draws nigh ; the natural life of man is a hundred
and twenty years, after that not an old man
remains. Now I have reached that state and
* i.e., beautiful.
42 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
the affair is thus, I wish to appoint one of my
sons to my place, and, leaning my back against
the wall of abdication, take rest. Which of
my sons do ye deem worthy of the throne ?'
The vezirs said, ' O king, long be thy life ; a
person's good and bad are not known till he
have been proved ; for two things are the touch-
stone of a man ; the first is wine, the second,
office ; in these two things is a person's manful-
ness apparent and manifest. This were best,
for nine days let these thy three sons enjoy the
throne and sovereignty, and with this touchstone
let the king prove them ; whatever be the cha-
racter of each of them, it will appear ; for the
rest, let the king order accordingly.' When the
king heard these words from the vezirs they
seemed right good to his heart, and he com-
manded that each son should sit for three days
on the throne and exercise sovereignty, and de-
clared that he would allow whatever they should
annul or appoint, and whatever they should grant
from the treasury, and whatever justice or op-
pression they might show, and that no one
should say aught. Then the eldest son of the
king sat upon the throne and directed the
government, and he practised justice and equity
on such wise as cannot be described. He loved
the doctors and turned from the foolish, and
THE THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 43
gave the high offices to the learned, and with-
drew from listening to things forbidden and
what was vain, and strove much in well-doing.
Then the king, to prove the judgment of his
son, sent him three persons from prison, one
was a murderer, and one a thief, and one an
adulterer ; and with them he sent the complain-
ants. When they came before the prince the
complainants stated their case and the witnesses
bore witness that these three persons were in-
deed guilty, and that these words were no
calumny against them, but true. When the
prince knew how the case was, he said, ' On a
man's coming into the world he is the blood of
his father's and mother's hearts ; and, after bear-
ing these many troubles and afflictions, a man in
forty years becomes mature ; so it is not well to
slay him in a minute, as God Most High will
in the Hereafter surely punish him in Hell.' And
he made them vow that henceforward they would
do no such deeds, and set all three at liberty.
And for the whole three days he ruled with
justice. On the fourth day the turn came to
the middle son, and he likewise sat upon the
throne and directed the government. He
abased the learned and promoted the foolish ;
and adopted as habit wine and music, and as pro-
fession avarice and meanness. Brief, he was the
44 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
opposite of his elder brother. According to the
custom, they sent to him too three criminals.
When the prince heard how the case was he said,
' Men like these are the thorns of the country ;'
and he ordered that the three of them perished.
When he too had ruled for three days, the turn
came to the youngest prince, and he likewise sat
upon the throne and directed the government.
He gave to the doctors the posts suitable to the
doctors, and to the learned the high offices, and to
the strong and impetuous young heroes, military
fiefs, and to the champions, feudal domains ; and
he registered their pay. He honoured each of
them according to his position, and abased the un-
mannerly. Brief, he put each one in his proper
place, like a string of pearls ; and he left not his
gate unlocked lest the foe should triumph over
him. The king again sent three culprits from
the prison that he might try his judgment.
When they were present the servants informed
him, and he said, ' Bring them one by one/
Then when the witnesses had borne witness that
the man had indeed committed murder, the
prince said, ' Murder is of two kinds, the one
intentional, the other accidental ; and the in-
tentional is also of two kinds, the first when
a person strikes another with an iron instrument
and kills him, him it is needful to put to death
THE THIRD VEZIRS STORY. 45
in retaliation ; and they have written in the Book
of Dues that if one person strike another with
a stick and kill him, or if he throw him into a
fire, then the fine for blood and the expiation
alike become necessary. And the other too is
accidental, when the expiation is incumbent, and
he is culpable, but the fine for blood does not be-
come necessary. And that is accidental when a
person shoots an arrow at a deer, and it glances
and hits a man and kills him ; as God Most High
hath said, "Then whoso killeth a believer by mis-
chance, then (the expiation is) the freeing of a
believer from bondage but if he find
not (the means of doing so), then a fast for two
consecutive months."*' Then the prince asked
and learned that he had murdered intentionally ;
so they executed him. After that they brought
the thief; and the prince said, * If anyone, sane
and of age, steal ten minted dirhems of silver, his
hand must be cut off, as also if he steal one dinar
of gold, even as saith the Apostle (peace on him!),
"No cutting save for a dinar or ten dirhems."
When one thus commits theft his right hand
must be cut off at the wrist ; if he commit theft
again, his left hand must be cut off; if he commit
it a third time, his right foot must be cut off; and
* Koran, iv. 94.
46 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
if he commit it yet again, he must be put in
prison till he repent.' Then the prince caused
the man to receive the due of his crime. After
that they brought him who had committed
adultery, his case also they exposed, and they
gave him the due of his sin conformably to the
law. The nine days were completed, and the
king assembled his vezirs and said, ' Lo, ye have
seen the rule of my three sons, which of them is
worthy the throne ? ' Quoth the first vezir, ' O
king, thy eldest son is worthy.' Quoth the
second vezir, 'Thy middle son is worthy/ Quoth
the third vezir, ' Thy youngest son is worthy.'
When the king heard these words of the vezirs
his doubts were not removed ; and he said, ' O
vezirs, the words of the three of ye are contrary
each to other.' And forthwith he commanded
the people of the country that on the morrow
they should all come out to the plain. The next
day the whole of the folk were assembled on the
plain ; then the king rose on his feet and said,
' O people, do not to-morrow on the Resurrec-
tion Day seize hold of my collar and say, " Thou
hast oppressed us," and so wrest from me my
meritorious acts and render me confounded and
ashamed. Now be ye kind and look not at my
kingship and know that before God Most High
there is none meaner or more abject than my-
THE THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 47
self/ And he wept full bitterly. And the rich
and poor assembled there wept all of them to-
gether. Then turning again, the king said, ' O
friends, lo, my time is at hand ; do ye absolve me
for the Hereafter. I have three sons, whichever
of them ye wish, him will I seat upon the throne.
If he be just, ye will enjoy rest and bless me,
and I shall be at rest in the place where I lie ;
but if he be cruel, ye will not have rest neither
shall I have rest.' The people said, * May the
king's life endure full many a year ! may God
Most High be well pleased with our king ! We
are well pleased with our king ; whatever we
may have against our king, let him be absolved.
We are pleased with whichever son he see
worthy the throne ; but since the king has given
the choice into our hands, let him seat his
youngest son upon the throne. He is wise as
well as learned and skilled in the affairs of the
world ; if the king see fit, the wise is worthy the
seat of honour, as this has come down in the
traditions, "A wise youth taketh precedence of a
foolish elder." For the rest, the king knows.'
Then the king went to the palace and ordered
that they adorned the throne, and the grandees
of the state came, and all were present. Then
he took his youngest son by the hand and made
to seat him on the throne, when his brothers
48 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
came forward and said, ' O father, all the folk
say that he is accomplished and wise and that
he knows well the law and the government ; now
we have some questions to ask of him, which if
he answer, we also will contentedly resign to him
the throne and stand in his presence with folded
hands;* but if not, the crown and throne indeed
become him not/ The king said to his youngest
son, 'What sayest thou ?' He replied, ' What-
soever their questions be, let them ask them.'
They said, 'What is meant by Sultan?' He
answered, ' By Sultan is meant one who has
certificate and warrant, that we obey the com-
mand and ordinance of God Most High : the
Sultan is the shadow of God on the earth/ And
they asked, ' To whom is it worthy to be king by
birth ?' He answered, ' First the king's lineage
must be manifest, then his descent must be per-
fect, then he must observe the habits of the just
monarchs.' They said, 'Who is just ?' He an-
swered, ' The just is he who transgresses not the
law.' They said, 'Who is unjust ?' He replied,
' He who rather than obey the law, brings in
innovations of his own, so that it may be easy to
amass wealth with oppression/ They said, 'What
manner of persons should kings appoint vezirs ? '
* As servants do.
THE THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 49
He answered, ' They should appoint those per-
sons in whom are two characteristics, the first
of which is that they be endowed with prudence
and resource, and the second that they be wise
and accomplished ; for learning in a man is a
second understanding/ They said, 'How many
sorts of people are needful to kings ?' He
answered, ' Four kinds of people ; the first,
skilful vezirs ; the second, valiant warriors ; the
third, an accomplished scribe who is perfect in
Arabic and Persian and the science of writing ;
and the fourth, a clever physician who is most
able in the science of philosophy.' They said,
' How many different things ought always to be
in the thoughts of a king ?' He answered,
1 Four different things ; the first, to do justice to
the people ; the second, to use aright the money
that is in the treasury ; the third, to distribute
offices properly ; and the fourth, to be not neg-
ligent concerning enemies.' They said, ' How
many different traits should the king adopt as
his wont ?' He answered, ' Four ; the first is a
smiling face ; the second, a sweet speech ; the
third, generosity ; and the fourth, mercy to the
poor.' They said, ' How many kinds of cour-
tiers are needful to the king?' He answered,
' Four classes are requisite ; first, the wise ;
second, the learned ; third, the valiant cham-
E
50 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
pions ; and fourth, musicians : from the wise
he will learn the law, from the learned he
will acquire the sciences, from the valiant
champions he will acquire chivalry, and by
the musicians will his heart be expanded'
They said, ' Of which class should the king con-
sider himself one ?' He answered, * Let him
consider himself of the great sheykhs who have
reached God, for it will cause him to be just/
Then he turned to his brothers and said, ' O my
brothers, ye have put these many questions to
me and I have answered the whole of them
to the best of my power : I too have a question.'
So they said to him, 'Ask on.' Quoth he,
' What do the kings of the world resemble, and
what do their agents resemble, and what do the
people resemble, and what do the king's enemies
resemble, and what do the sheykhs resemble ? '
Then they both bent their heads and pondered.
After a time the prince again said, ' This is
no time for pondering ; lo, there the question ;
lo, there the throne.' Quoth they, ' We are un-
equal to this question.' Then the king took his
youngest son by the hand and seated him on
the throne and said, ' O son, may God ever aid
thee and may thy foes be overthrown !' Then
all the nobles of the State and the people came
and said, 'May the throne be blessed!' And
THE THIRD VEZIRS STORY. 51
they made him king over them. Then the king
said, ' O son, do thou answer the question thou
puttest to thy brethren, that we may hear/
Quoth the prince, ' O my father, this world re-
sembles a pasture, and these people resemble
the sheep that wander in that pasture, and the
king resembles their shepherd, and the owner
of the sheep is God Most High, and the nobles
resemble that shepherd's dogs, and the enemy
resembles the wolf, and the sheykhs and the
wise resemble the guardians appointed by God
Most High over the shepherd, who forbid the
shepherd by the order of God Most High
whenever he would do evil to the sheep. O
father, in very truth I am a feeble shepherd, I
see the sheep, and I perceive that even while
we say, " Let not them come and hurt the sheep/'
we become ourselves partners with the wolf.
Should the Owner of the sheep ask us about ,
His lambs, woe, woe to us !' And he wept full
bitterly. The princes acknowledged the sove-
reignty of their younger brother. Then the
king took up a handful of dust and put it on his
eye and said, ' O eye, how long a time is it I
have been king, and how great wealth have I
amassed and brought before thee by this much
oppression and justice, and thou wast never
satisfied ! And with how many beauties have I
E 2
52 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
made merry and enjoyed the best of what they
had till thou hast lost all pleasure in taking it !
And how many delicacies have I eaten and how
many sherbets have I drunk, and thou art not
content! Why then didst thou not look to
these affairs and see not ? True is it what they
say, " Nought fills the eye save a handful of
dust." Woe, woe, to us ! ' And he wept. And
all the nobles assembled there were moved to
pity and they wept together. Then the king
arose and went to his oratory and gave himself
up to devotion. After some time the king laid
his head upon the pillow of death and felt that
his life had touched its end, and he said, ' Do
now before my eyes that which ye should do
when I am dead, that I may see it.' Then they
laid the king upon his throne in the palace.
And they scattered sifted dust below the castle
and cut up strips of damask and strewed them
with dust. And all the slave-girls put on black
and dishevelled their hair and scattered dust
upon their heads and began to weep together,
crying, 'Alas! woe! alas!' so that hearts were
rent. Then came the vezirs who likewise fell
to weeping together and exclaiming, ' Shall a
king so just as this be found ?' After that they
ordered that they brought a coffin with great
reverence ; then the three princes, when they saw
THE THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 53
the coffin, wept blood in place of tears and cried,
1 This is the horse our father rideth now !' And
they adorned it with jewels and placed upon it
a jewel -set crown and held over it the royal
parasol. Then four great lords came and took
hold of the frame of the coffin and bare it away.
And before the coffin went the sheykhs singing
chants and hymns. And the devotees held
copies of the Sacred Volume before them ;
and great nobles and nobles' sons marched in
front. Before them were a hundred sweet-
voiced dirge-singers who wept and cried, ' Ah !
woe ! alas ! ' And from one side they scattered
gold and silver and jewels on the coffin ; and
there were some ten thousand horsemen with
golden saddles and broken stirrups and snapped
bows. And behind these was an array of slave-
girls, all clad in black, whose wails and cries
rose to the heavens. When the king saw those
things he sighed and ordered that they took him
down from the throne ; and he turned and said,
' While yet alive I have seen my death.' And
he took a handful of earth and threw it on his
head and said, ' Earth, though this long sove-
reignty has been mine, I have done no righteous
deed which will endure.' And again, * O vezirs,
I would that ye endow for me.' Thereupon the
vezirs wrote what amounted to ten thousand
54 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
aspres a day ; and they founded free kitchens and
colleges, and they settled the revenues of certain
towns and villages on the free kitchens. When
the business of the endowments was finished, they
brought the sections of the Koran, and to each
section-reader they gave five sequins ; and to
each of the devotees and dervishes they gave
five hundred sequins.* Then they brought the
food, and all the plates were of gold or silver ;
and to all before whom they placed a dish they
said, ' Thine be food and plate.' When the
banquet too was finished they freed all the male
and female slaves ; and three days later the king
departed for the Abiding Home."f
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may, like that sovereign, enquire, and
act conformably to the words of the vezirs and
the people, and in compliance with the com-
mand of the law, that he be not a prey in the
world tp remorse and in the Hereafter to tor-
ment." And he kissed the ground and made
intercession for the prince. When the king
heard of these wondrous events from the vezir,
he perceived how the world had no stability and
* In the time of Murad II. an aspre was worth about 2^d. stg.
Turkish sequins were not struck till the time of his successor,
Muhammed II., when they were equivalent to about 125. 6d.
Foreign gold coins, especially Venetian, were used previously.
t See Appendix B, Note II.
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY. 55
he sighed and sent the youth to the prison and
went himself to the chase.
When it was evening he returned and came
to the palace, and went in to the lady who rose
to greet him, and they sat down. After the
repast the lady began to speak about the youth
and asked concerning him. Quoth the king, "I
have again sent him to the prison." The lady
said, "This matter which has happened is no light
matter, but thou art negligent and wouldst act
upon everyone's word ; and they have said that
the negligent person is not exempt from one of
three conditions ; either he is a fool, or he is
ignorant, or fortune has turned its face from
him. O king, the negligent does no perfect
deed ; be not negligent, for to be negligent in
this affair is madness. O king, this thy story
resembles that of another king, upon whom five
times fell the enemy by reason of his negligence ;
but mayhap my king has not heard that story."
The king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth
the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY.
" There was of old time a king, and he had
an enemy greater than himself. One day that
hostile king assembled a mighty host and came
against that weak king. The latter, having no
56 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
other resource, assembled all his army and went
forth to meet him. Although he much besought
that strong king and said, ' War is not a good
thing, come, consent not to this calamity, make
not thyself guilty of the blood of so many
Muslims;' and mentioned how the Holy Apostle
hath said, * If two Muslims fight against each
other with swords or other implements of war,
and one kill the other, both the killer and the
killed shall enter Hell ;' and made many and
many an excuse, it was in vain. When the king
saw that all his entreaty was of no avail with the
enemy, he perceived that it was necessary to find
some plan to avert this evil. Now the king had
three skilful vezirs, these he summoned to give
counsel. He said, *O my vezirs, what is your
advice in this matter ?' The chief vezir came
forward and said, * My king, in the present cir-
cumstances the military might of our enemy is
great ; most assuredly are we unable to oppose
him. Now the best way were this, that we put
off the battle and return to our country ; he will
certainly come after us, but we will enter into a
strong castle and rest there till that time when
fortune will surely turn toward us likewise;
thus are the affairs of the world, now gladness,
now woe.' He likewise asked the second vezir,
' What is thy advice, let us see ? ' So he said,
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY. 57
' O my king, all that the first vezir has said is
wise ; but it is never allowable to show weak-
ness before the enemy, for inasmuch as thou
displayest weakness will he become strong ; so
if now thou shun battle and flee, thou wilt be
giving him opportunity. Wise is he who, al-
though the enemy appear overwhelming, fears
not death and gives the foe no answer but the
sword/ Then said the king to the third vezir,
' What is thine advice in this matter ?' The
vezir answered, ' O king, manliness is of ten
parts, nine of which are stratagem and one of
which is strength ; and by stratagem is the
affair of enemies ever finished, for they have
said that the affair which one stratagem finishes
a hundred thousand soldiers cannot finish. If
the king will be guided by this humble one,
to-night of a sudden we will attack the enemy
and fall upon his camp, and, if it please God
Most High, we will cut off the heads of many
of them/ The king approved this stratagem
of the vezir, so when it was midnight and the
enemy was negligent they fell upon his camp
from every side, and slaughtered the foes till
morning, and their king fled to his own country.
So was this weak king victorious, and he re-
turned to his own land. But that fugitive king
went to his country and assembled an army,
58 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZ1RS.
and again marched against this king. Then
the weak king, having no other resource, went
forth to meet him, and they pitched opposite
each other. The weak king said to his vezirs,
' What is your advice this time, let us see ?'
Then quoth the third vezir, ' O king, we shall
again finish our affair by stratagem/ ''Said the
king, ' What stratagem shall we use ? they will
be very watchful this night.' The vezir replied,
' Stratagem is not one ; let them keep watch
till morning, we shall this time employ another
stratagem.' Quoth the king, ' Speak on, let us
see.' The vezir said, ' We will hide in ambush
two thousand strong impetuous youths ; and as
soon as it is morning we will go out against the
enemy and fight a little, then we will appear to
flee, and they shall follow after thinking to fall
upon us ; and when the foremost of the host
reaches us we will turn and fight with them and
cut them down. Thereupon our soldiers who are
in ambush will rush into the field and take the
hostile army in the centre ; and, if it please God
Most High, we will strike hard with our swords
and seize their leaders, and take their flags, and
tear in pieces their ensigns ; and in this way
will we overcome the foe.' The king liked this
plan of the vezir, and by this stratagem they
sabred the foe and were again victorious. And
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY. 59
the king returned smiling to his country. The
other strong king in the greatness of his wrath
cried out, ' What means this that thus weak a
king routs my army and puts me to flight on
this wise ! God Most High gives victory to
whom He will !' Then he assembled an army
of which he, himself, knew not the number, and
went against that poor weak king. They gave
the king word, and he, having no other resource,
went forth again, and they pitched opposite each
other. Again the weak king questioned his
vezirs. Then the third vezir said, ' O my king,
our affair is finished by stratagem.' Quoth the
king, * What stratagem shall we employ ?' The
vezir said, 'O king, let us send an adroit heads-
man, who will go and by some stratagem kill
him ; and when the head goes the foot is not
steady.' The king approved the vezir's words,
and sent a headsman with a dagger, who went
and somehow made shift to smite that strong
king that he well nigh slew him, and then took
flight. But while he was fleeing they caught
him and hewed him in pieces. When they
saw their king that he had reached the bounds
of death, they said, ' There is no fighting in
such plight ;' and they fled, bearing their king.
They came to their country and appointed a
physician, and after some days the wound got
60 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
better. And that king again assembled a host
and came against the poor weak king. The
latter, having no other resource, went forth to
meet him and again sought counsel of his
vezirs. The third vezir said, ' O my king, our
affair is finished by stratagem.' The king
asked, * What stratagem wilt thou employ this
time ?' The vezir said, * This time let us send
an ambassador and offer some money and
some slave-girls and say, " We submit to thee."
And we will give poison to one of the slave-
girls we send, and tell her to give it to the king
to eat when she finds an opportunity ; and in
this way will we gain the victory over him/
The king deemed the vezir's words good, and by
that stratagem they poisoned that king. And
this king mounted and attacked his army,
and, as when the head goes the foot is not
steady, it was beaten. They took their king,
and, after a thousand stratagems, conveyed him
to a castle and tended him, and at length he
recovered. Again he assembled an army, and
again they went against that weak king. So
the latter, having no other resource, again went
forth to meet him. He summoned his vezirs
and asked advice. Again the third vezir said,
' O king, our affair is finished by stratagem.'
Quoth the king, * Give advice.' The vezir said,
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY. 61
1 O king, this time he comes with great caution,
and has posted men on the roads and at the
stations who seize on every one who passes.
If the king deem good, we will write a letter
and address it to his vezirs and great nobles,
and it shall be on this wise : " After greeting :
Be it not concealed that your letter has come
and all that you say is understood. Long life
and health to you ! We indeed hoped it from
you. Now let me see you. Display manliness
and valour. Seize him on the road and bring
him to me, and that country shall be yours ;
such and such a place to so and so, and such
and such a district to so and so." Then we
will seal it, and split a staff and put it therein,
and give it to a man and send him to them.
They will find the staff and take it to the king,
who will undoubtedly read it, and look upon
those vezirs and nobles as traitors, and mur-
murings will arise among them and they will
split into parties. And by this stratagem we
will again find relief.' The king did so. And
in that way they brought the letter to that king,
and as soon as he had read it, fear for his life
fell upon him. Then he turned back and went
to his country and seized those vezirs and
nobles and slew them. At length all the nobles
turned from him and wrote a letter and sent it
62 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
to this king, and it was thus : ' For the love of
God come against this tyrant, and we will aid
thee.' When the king had read the letter he
assembled an army and went to that country,
and on the battle-day all the nobles came and
submitted to him, and they seized the other king
and surrendered him. So he took that country
through stratagem ; and because that strong king
was negligent he lost his country and his head,
for they slew him."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
my king may know and not be negligent, and
lose not life and kingdom through the stratagem
of that unworthy youth." When the king heard
this story from the lady he was wroth, and said,
" To-morrow will I slay him." And they went
to bed.
When it was morning and the sun showed
his face from behind the castle of Qaf,* and
illumined the world with light, the king came
and sat upon his throne, and commanded the
executioner that he brought the youth and he
gave the word, " Smite off his head." Then
the Fourth Vezir came forward and said, " O my
king, it is not seemly in kings to hasten in all
* Qaf is the name of a fabled mountain-chain, formerly sup-
posed to encircle the world ; "the castle " is simply a metaphor
for the mountain-peaks.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 63
things with precipitancy ; above all the spilling
of blood unjustly is deemed by the wise most
blameworthy and hateful. They have declared
that the trials of a king are four : one is haste ;
another, trusting to wrong ; another, considering
not the end of matters ; and another, negligence.
Haste is that which disappoints those who seek
good and profit for themselves ; wrong is that
which brings about wars and uses armies un-
justly and does evil things ; considering not the
end of matters is that which employs hurry
instead of deliberation ; and negligence is that
which inclines to music, and lust, and taking
counsel of women. And they have said, * Let
one take counsel of a woman and do the
opposite of what she says ; ' even as spake the
Holy Apostle (peace on him !) 'Consult them and
do clear contrary/ * In compliance with this
Tradition the king must not obey the woman's
word ; and through the words of women have
many men suffered remorse and fallen under
the wrath of God. And the story of Balaam,
the son of Beor,f is a strange story; if the king
grant leave, I will relate it." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
* This famous speech is usually attributed to 'Omar, the
second Khalif.
t Bal'am-bin-Ba'ur.
64 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" One day Moses (peace on him !) went
against a tribe, and they were of the people of
'Ad, and they called their chief Og the son of
Anak.* One day Moses (peace on him !) by
command of God summoned these to the Faith,
and resolved to fight and war with them if they
were not obedient. So Moses (peace on him !)
assembled four hundred and four-score thousand
men and proceeded against the 'Adls. When
they were come near the 'Adis, he sent twelve
men as ambassadors to that tribe. Now Og
had gone out to look about and he saw the
twelve men coming, so he put the whole of them
into his sack and slung it over his shoulder and
turned back and went away. He brought them
to his tribe the 'Adls and said, ' See the host of
the Messenger Moses which is come seeking to
make war with us ;' and he held the mouth of
the sack downward and the twelve men rolled
out. And that tribe saw them that they were
small of stature, for their own stature was twice
that of these. And they all made mock of
them and laughed at them ; but they killed
them not, but sent them back. They returned
* 'Uj-bin-'Unuq. He is said, in the Talmud, to have been a
monstrous giant. The 'Adls, we are told, were from 60 to
100 cubits high. Compare Numbers, xin, 33.
THE FOURTH VEZIFS STORY. 65
and told these things to Saint Moses, and fear
fell upon all the host. Then Saint Moses
(peace on him !) took his rod in his hand and
went against that tribe of ' Ad. Og the son of
Anak saw that Moses (peace on him !) was him-
self coming, and straightway he went and pulled
up a rock like a mountain and put it on his head,
and went that he might cast it upon the host of
Moses (peace on him!). But God Most High
commanded an angel that he went in the like-
ness of a bird and smote that rock with his
beak and clave it, and thereupon it passed like a
circle of cursers down before the face of Og.
And straightway Saint Moses came up, and his
stature grew to forty cubits, and his rod to forty
cubits, and he leaped up forty cubits, and smote
Og on the heel with his rod ; and God Most
High slew Og. Then Saint Moses (peace on
him !) returned to his people and gave them
tidings of Og being slain ; and they were all
glad. Then Saint Moses passed thence and
made for the country of Sheykh Balaam the
son of Beor. When he was come nigh, they
brought word to the sheykh that Saint Moses was
coming against him with many warriors. Where-
upon the sheykh's disciples said, ' O sheykh,
if that host come into our land, it will lay waste
all our land ; thou must find some help for this/
F
66 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Then were they silent. The sheykh said, 'What
should we do ?' They answered, * Curse him.'
The sheykh said, 'He is a Messenger ; I cannot
curse him/ And howsoever much they urged
the sheykh, it was in vain. Now the sheykh
had a cunning brawling wife ; her they besought,
saying, ' Speak to the sheykh, and we will give
thee much money.' The woman answered, ' I
will manage it.' When the sheykh came to his
house he desired to take counsel of his wife ;
she said, 'Curse him.' The sheykh replied, ' He
is a Messenger; how can I curse him?' The
woman persisted so that the sheykh was con-
strained to lift up his hands and curse him.
His curse was heard ; and Saint Moses, who was
fourteen leagues distant, remained for forty
years in the wilderness ; even as God Most
High saith in His Word, ' For forty years shall
they wander about in the earth.'* Then Saint
Moses knew that there was some reason for
this, and he prayed and humbled himself before
God Most High, and said, ' My God, send him
who is the cause of our thus wandering, from
the world to the Hereafter without the Faith.'
His prayer was accepted at the Court of God,
and that sheykh went from the world to the Here -
* Koran, v. 29.
THE FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY. 67
after without the Faith by reason of a woman ;
even as God Most High hath said, 'And his like-
ness was as the likeness of a dog.' " *
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that these many men have been cast forth from
the Court of God for following the words of
women. Then is it incumbent on the king that
he judgeaccordingiy,so that he become not a prey
to remorse ; for too late repentance profits not.
Beware and beware, slay not the prince on the
woman's word." And he kissed the ground
and made intercession for the prince for that
day. When the king heard this story from the
vezir, he sent the prince to the prison and went
himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king came to the
palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and they
sat down. After the repast the lady again
began to speak about the youth, and the king
said, " This day too my vezirs would not let me
be, so I have sent him to the prison." Quoth
the lady, " I know all the plot of those
vezirs, day by day each of them plans some '
trick or wile ; they purpose to discredit me with
thee, so they say that women are lacking in
understanding, and that by reason thereof they
* Koran, vii. 175. See Appendix B, Note III.
F 2
68 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
are plotters and liars. These words of theirs
are false, do not assail the truth ; for these see
me, that my trust in my king is strong. Yet I
am aware of their case and their hurtful deeds ;
and for that I would defend my king from their
craft and malice, are they enemies to me. An
thou desire, my king, I shall say no more; and
they may do whatsoever they will. But all
these are of single tongue and single aim, and I
fear they will bring some calamity upon thee
and some evil upon me ; and afterward thou
shalt repent, but it will avail not. My king,
thou hast assembled some men of low birth and
made them vezirs and confided all thy affairs to
them, and thou thinkest them honest ; Heaven
forefend they should be honest when some of them
are the sons of cooks, and some of bakers, and
some of butchers ; it is even as when Khizr* (peace
on him !) showed another king the origin of his
vezirs, but mayhap my king has not heard that
story." The king said, " Tell on, let us hear."
Quoth the lady,
* A mysterious being, of the number of the Prophets, who
appears to and aids Muslims in distress ; he is frequently men-
tioned in Muhammedan fiction, where he plays a part similar to
that of Elijah in the Talmud.
THE LADY'S FOURTH STORY. 69
LADY'S FOURTH STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a king
who was very desirous of seeing Khizr (peace
on him !) ; and he would ever say, ' If there be
anyone who will show me Khizr, I will give
him whatsoever he may wish.' Now there was
at that time a man poor of estate ; and from the
greatness of his poverty he said in himself, ' Let
me go and bespeak the king that if he provide
for me during three years I will show him Khizr;
by three years either I shall be dead or the king
will be dead, or he will forgive me my fault, or
I shall on somewise win to escape : and in this
way shall I make merry for a time.' So he
went to the king and spake those words to him.
The king said, ' An thou show him not then, I
will kill thee ;' and that poor man consented.
Then the king let give him much wealth and
money, and the poor man took that wealth and
money and went to his house. Three years he
spent in merriment and delight, and he rested
at ease till the term was accomplished. At the
end of the time he fled and hid himself in a
trackless place, and he began to quake for fear.
Of a sudden he saw a personage with white
raiment and shining face who saluted him.
The poor man returned the salutation, and the
70 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
radiant being asked, ' Why art thou thus sad ?'
but he gave no answer. Again the radiant
being asked him and sware to him, saying, ' Do
indeed tell to me thy plight that I may find thee
some remedy.' So that hapless one narrated
his story from its beginning to its end ; and the
radiant being said, * Come, I will go with thee to
the king and I will answer for thee ;' so they
arose. Now the king wanted that hapless one ;
and, while they were going, some of the king's
officers who were seeking met them, and they
straightway seized the poor man and brought
him to the king. Quoth the king, 'Lo, the three
years are accomplished ; come now show me
Khizr.' That poor man said, ' My king, grace
and bounty are the work of kings ; forgive my
sin.' Quoth the king, ' I made a pact ; till I have
killed thee I shall not have fulfilled it !' And
he looked to his chief vezir and said, ' How
should this be done ?' Quoth the vezir, ' This
man should be hewn in many pieces, and these
hung up on butcher's hooks, that others may see
and lie not before the king.' Said that radiant
being, ' True spake the vezir ; all things return
to their origin.' Then the king looked to the
second vezir and said, ' What sayest thou ?'
He replied, ' This man should be boiled in a
cauldron.' Said that radiant being, ' True spake
THE LADY'S FOURTH STORY. 71
the vezir ; all things return to their origin.'
The king looked to the third vezir and said,
* What sayest thou ?' The vezir replied, ' This
man should be hewn in small pieces and baked
in an oven.' Again said that elder, ' True spake
the vezir ; all things return to their origin.'
Then quoth the king to the fourth vezir, ' Let us
see, what sayest thou ?' The vezir replied, ' O
king, the wealth thou gavest this poor creature
was for the love of Khizr (peace on him !).
He, thinking to find him, accepted it ; now that
he has not found him he seeks pardon ; this were
befitting, that thou set free this poor creature for
the love of Khizr.' Said that elder, 'True spake
the vezir ; all things return to their origin.'
Then the king said to the elder, * O elder, all
my vezirs have said different things, contrary
the one to the other, and thou hast said con-
cerning each of them, "True spake the vezir ; all
things return to their origin." What is the
reason thereof ?' That elder replied, ' O king,
thy first vezir is a butcher's son, therefore did
he draw to his origin ; thy second vezir is a
cook's son, he likewise proposed a punishment
as became his origin ; thy third vezir is a
baker's son, he likewise proposed a punishment
as became his origin ; but thy fourth vezir is of
gentle birth, compassion therefore becomes his
72 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
origin ; so he had compassion on that hapless
one and sought to do good and counseled libera-
tion. O king, all things draw to their origin.'*
And he gave the king much counsel and at last
said, 'Lo, I am Khizr!' and vanished. Then
the king went forth from his palace, but could
see no sign or trace of that radiant elder ; and
he said, * I much longed to see Khizr (peace on
him !) ; praise be to God, I have attained there-
to, and he has told me the origin of my vezirs.'
And he commanded that they gave that poor
man much wealth."f
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
thou mayst know that thy vezirs are of low
origin, and that fidelity will not proceed from
them. In this matter too their words tally
with their origin ; lose not the opportunity,
for to spare an enemy is great folly." The
king heard this story from the lady, and said,
" To-morrow will I roll up the scroll of his life."
And they went to bed.
When it was morning and the world, like to him
who had won to Khizr, was illumined with light,
the king sat upon his throne and commanded
* Compare Boethius thus translated by Chaucer : All thynges
seken ayen to hir propre course, and all thynges rejoysen on hir
retourninge agayne to hir nature.
t See Appendix B, Note IV.
THE FIFTH VEZIR' S STORY. 73
the executioner that he brought the youth, and
he gave the word, " Smite off his head." There-
upon the Fifth Vezir came forward and said, u O
king of the world, slay not the prince thus
hastily, and cast not to the winds the counsels
of these many vezirs ; for as they take pearls from
the sea and string them, so do these string their
words ; they are speakers such that Mercury in
the sky could not match their suggestions. O
king, the reason of that which thy vezirs have
said to thee is this, that the Apostle (peace on
him !} hath said that whoso seeth his king do
an act contrary to the law, and hindereth him
not therefrom, hath departed from the Canon.
Now, O king, deem not the words of thy vezirs
mistaken ; it is even as they have said, ' Let him
who would see Khizr in the flesh, look upon a
wise, accomplished and learned vezir.' And
again, ' If one seek to do a righteous deed, let
him arrange the affair of some poor creature
with a king.' Mayhap the king has not heard
the story of Khizr and a vezir." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE FIFTH VEZIR' s STORY.
" There was, of old time, a king who had an
experienced vezir ; and Khizr (peace on him !)
would ever come to that vezir. One day the
74 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
vezir looked upon the affairs of the world, how
they abode not with anyone ; and he with-
drew from the vezirship, and chose the corner
of retirement, and gave himself up to worship.
A long time passed, and Khizr (peace on him !)
never once came to him. The vezir marvelled
and said, * Why does not Khizr (peace on him !)
come to me ? Now ought he to come every
day.' Then he said, * There must indeed be
some reason for this.' Thereupon he saw that
Khizr had appeared, and he said, ' O Khizr,
while I was vezir thou didst ever come to me,
is it for that I have withdrawn from the world
that thou comest not now ?' Khizr (peace on
him !) replied, ' O vezir, outwardly thou didst
perform the duties of vezir, inwardly I did ;
therefore was there a bond between us ;
now thou hast withdrawn therefrom, and that
bond is gone from between us, so I come not
to thee.' When the vezir heard these words
. from Khizr, he went and asked back the vezir-
ship, and he received it, and Khizr (peace on
him !) came to him as before and ceased not."
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may hearken to the vezirs' words and
follow them, and pass his life in happiness.
Beware, O king, be not over hasty in this affair,
that afterward thou suffer not remorse." When
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 75
the king heard this story from the vezir, he
sent the prince to the prison and went himself
to the chase, and that day he took much game.
In the evening he came to the palace, and
the lady rose to greet him, and they sat down.
After the repast the lady asked about the
youth ; the king said, " This day again such an
one of my vezirs made intercession for him, and
I sent him to the prison.'' Quoth the lady, " O
rny king, how good were it, could he be re-
formed by such conduct ; but this youth is
incapable of reform ; for he resembles that
snake which first stings his mother as she bears
him and kills her, and then stings his father
and kills him. God Most High will take ven-
geance on him ; and his eyes will be blinded as
though he had looked upon an emerald.* If a
drop of an April shower fall upon a snake it
becomes poison, but if it fall into an oyster it
becomes a pearl ; f and if the Koran, great of
glory, fall upon a believer's heart, it is faith and
knowledge. And it is notorious that whoever
nurses a snake falls at last a prey to its poison.
A certain man formed a friendship with a snake
and used every day to bring it a portion of
* The emerald was supposed to have the effect of blinding
snakes when they looked upon it.
t There is an Eastern myth to that effect.
76 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
food. He went to the snake's hole and laid it
there, and the snake would put its head out
of its hole and eat that food, and when it was
satisfied it would frolic about, and that man
would play with it. One day he came and saw
that the snake was out of its place and quite
stiff from cold ; * O poor thing,' he said, and
took and put it in his bosom. When the snake
got warm it at once raised its head and stang
that unhappy man, and killed him, and fled and
entered its hole. And thus have they said,
that if one foster a swine, that brute will not
leave off till in the end it hurt him. It is even
as the story of that sherbet-seller and the
Moor." Said the king, " Tell on, let us hear."
Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S FIFTH STORY.
" There was of old time in a great city a
sherbet-seller, and he had a son, a leveling of
the age, who was so fair that he seemed a
second Joseph ;* and he used to sell sherbet
in the shop. The folk would come to gaze
upon this youth's beauty, and they would give
a sequin for each cup of sherbet, and drain it ;
and whenever they drank a cup they would say
* Joseph is the type of youthful beauty.
THE LADY'S FIFTH STORY. 77
it was the water of life. Now one day a
swarthy Moor came to that country ; and as
soon as he saw the youth, the hapless Moor's
power of speech left him, and he could not stir
one step from where he stood, but leaned
against the opposite wall bewildered. After a
time he recovered his understanding, and, rising
and falling like one drunk, he came up as best
he could to the youth, and gave a sequin and
drank a cup of sherbet, and went away. For a
time he came every day and drank cups of sherbet
at a sequin each, and looked on the beauty of the
youth. One day the youth told this thing to
his father, and his father perceived that the
Moor was ravished with the boy, and said, ' O
my son, bring that Moor to the house to-
morrow, and let us see what manner of man he
is.' The next day when the Moor came to the
youth, he invited him to his house, and took
him and went to his father. After they had
eaten, the father of the boy asked of the Moor's
case and dwelling. The Moor saw what his
intention was, and answered, ' I have no dwell-
ing, I am a stranger/ The boy's father said,
' Thou art a stranger ; we will give thee a
dwelling, stay with us.' The Moor was glad
and counted it a boon to his soul ; even as they
have said, ' The loved one's ward is Paradise.'
78 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
So they showed the Moor a dwelling. He
abode for some days, and gradually his love
for the boy increased ; and one day he showed
him a precious stone, and said, ' An thou let me
take one kiss of thee, I will give thee this
stone.' With a thousand graces the boy con-
sented, and the Moor gave him the stone and
kissed him, and said, ' My life, my master, I
love thee from heart and soul, flee me not ; I
know a talisman which will open before thee ;
if thou wilt come with me I will open it, and
give thee so much gold that thou shalt never
again know poverty.' The youth told this
thing to his father, and his father gave him
leave ; so the Moor took him, and they went
without the city ; and he brought him to a ruin.
Now there was a well there, full to the mouth
with water ; and the Moor wrote on a piece of
paper and laid it on the well, and thereupon all
the water vanished from the well. The Moor
and the boy descended to the bottom of the well,
and saw a locked door. The Moor wrote a
charm and fastened it on the lock, and it
opened forthwith. They went in and saw a
negro holding in one hand a great stone to
throw upon anyone who entered. The Moor
repeated a charm and blew upon the negro,
and the negro laid the stone that was in his
THE LADY'S FIFTH STORY. 79
hand upon the ground, and let them pass.
They went on and saw a dome of crystal, and
at the door of the domed building were two
dragons, who stood facing one the other with
open mouths like caverns. When they came
near, these flew at them, but the Moor repeated
a charm and blew on them, and they vanished.
Then the door of the domed building opened
and they went in, and they saw that in one
corner thereof was gold, in another corner
silver, in another corner all manner of jewels,
and in another corner was raised a throne upon
black earth, and on that throne was a coffin,
and in that coffin lay a renowned man dead.
Upon his breast was a gold tablet, and on that
tablet was written : ' I was a king, and I ruled
the whole earth, and whithersoever I went in
this world I conquered. I had many many
champions and great wealth and treasure. Some
little of the wealth I owned I gathered here.
Me too Death spared not ; but made me even
as though I had not come into the world. Now,
O thou who seest me in this plight, take warn-
ing by me, and remember my soul in prayer,
and be not presumptuous through the wealth of
this world for a few days' life/ And that was all.
Then the Moor and the youth took as much
as they desired of the gold and silver and pre-
8o HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
cious stones and black earth, which was the
Philosopher's Stone, and went out. The Moor
repeated a charm and blew upon the well, and
it was again all full of water ; and he went back
with the boy to their house, and they gave
themselves up to mirth and merriment. Day
and night they ceased not therefrom an instant.
One day the boy asked the Moor to teach him
the charms he had repeated in the talisman.
The Moor consented, and instructed him for
many days and taught him. One day, of a
sudden, the boy said to his father, ' O father, I
have learned the whole of the charms for the
talisman, so we have no longer any need of the
Moor ; let us poison him/ But his father con-
sented not, and said, ' Let us turn him away ;
let him go elsewhither/ Quoth the youth,
' The turning away of him would not do ; he is
a great master, he might do us an injury, so let
us poison him ere he play us some trick ; and I
will take as much gold and silver as is needful
^ from that buried treasure/ The Moor heard
him and knew that fairness purposed foulness,
and he straightway disappeared from there/'*
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that no good has ever hap-
* See Appendix B, Note V.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 81
t/^
pened to anyone from youths. Yea, O king,
be not negligent, kill the youth, else the affair
will end in evil." When the king heard this
story from the lady he was wroth and said,
" On the morrow will I slay him." And they
went to bed.
When it was morning the king sat upon his
throne and caused the youth to be brought, and
commanded the executioner, " Smite off his
head." The Sixth Vezir came forward and said,
" O king of the world, beware, act not on any-
one's word till the crime be proved against the
prince ; for the Resurrection is at hand, and
lying and cunning and craft abound. The wise
man is he who turns off sin and evil that he
may not afterward begin to bite upon the
finger with regret and remorse and be repentant,
and who takes the woful by the hand and gives
happiness to the unhappy, and who repulses
not him who comes to his door, but sees his
needs and provides for him, and who never lets
himself be deceived by a woman's word ; for
these laugh in one's face. Mayhap my king
has not heard the story of the tailor youth and
the woman." The king said, " Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the vezir,
82 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" Thus relate they : In the time of Saint
Jesus (peace on him !) there was a tailor youth
who had a fair wife, and they greatly loved one
another. One day they made a pact that if the
woman died first, her husband should take no
other wife, but throw his arms round her tomb-
stone, and weep till morning ; and if the youth
died first, the woman should do likewise. By
the decree of God the woman died. After the
tailor had wept and lamented he buried her,
and fulfilled his pact, and threw his arms round
his wife's tombstone and wept. And he con-
stantly kept watch over the grave. One day
Jesus (peace on him !) when passing by that
place, saw a youth weeping and embracing a
tombstone, and he went up to him and asked
why he wept. The youth related all. Then
Jesus (peace on him !) prayed, and the woman
became alive, and came forth from the grave in
her shroud. And Jesus (peace on him !) pro-
ceeded on his way. The youth said, ' One
cannot go thus in a shroud ; wait thou here a
moment till I go and fetch clothes from the
house ; then thou shalt put on these clothes, and
\ve will go together.' And he went quickly to
the house, leaving the woman there. Suddenly
THE SIXTH VEZIFS STORY. 83
the son of the king of that country passed that
spot, and saw a fair woman sitting wrapped in
a shroud. As soon as the prince saw that
women he fell in love with her from heart and
soul, and he said to her, 'Who art thou ?' She
answered, ' I am a stranger ; a robber has
stripped me.' Thereupon the prince ordered
his servants to take the woman to the palace,
and clothe her in clean garments. When the
youth returned with the clothes he found not
the woman there, and he cried and asked of the
passers-by. No one had seen her. The poor
man, asking and asking, met the prince's ser-
vants. These asked the tailor why he wept.
He replied, ' For a time my wife was dead ;
but now, praise be to God, she is become alive
through the prayer of the Messenger Jesus ; I
went to fetch her clothes, but she has disap-
peared : therefore do I weep/ They answered,
' The prince sent that lady to the palace this
day.' Thereupon the tailor went before the
prince and complained, saying, ' The woman
thou hast taken is my wife.' The prince asked
the lady, she denied and said, ' This is the
robber who stripped me of my clothes and
made off; praise be to God, if thou kill him
now, thou shalt gain great reward.' The prince
commanded that they bound both the tailor's
G 2
84 PI IS TORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS,
hands behind his back. Although the poor
tailor cried aloud, it was no avail ; they put a
rope round his neck and led him to the gallows.
Then they perceived Saint Jesus on the road,
and they waited. When he came near he asked
of their case, and they told him. Then he bade
them stop and went himself to the prince ; they
called the woman, and he said, ' This woman is
the wife of yonder youth ; I prayed and she
became alive.' When the woman saw the
Messenger she was unable to deny, but spake
the truth. Jesus (peace on him!) prayed again,
and that woman died ; and the youth was
rescued from the abyss wherein to he had fallen,
and he repented of his having wept so long a
time."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that thou mayst know that the inclinations of
women are ever to works of evil, craft, and
wickedness." And he kissed the ground and
made intercession for the prince's life. When
the king heard this story from the vezir he sent
the prince to the prison, and went himself to
the chase.
In the evening he returned from the chase
and came to the palace, and the lady rose to
greet him, and they sat down. After the repast
the lady fell to speaking about the youth. The
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 85
king said, " To-day such an one of my vezirs
made intercession for him, so I have again sent
him to the prison." Quoth the lady, " O king,
thou dost not believe my words ; but at length,
in the near future, some hurt will befall thee
from the youth ; for this night I saw a vision,
which it is, as it were, a duty on me to tell my
kinof, and incumbent on thee to hear." Said
O'
the king, " Tell on, let us hear." The lady
said, " This night thou wast holding in thy hand
a golden ball, and that ball was adorned and
set round with rubies and jewels, and its bril-
liancy lit up the world ; and thou wast playing,
throwing up the ball and catching it in thy
hand. And this youth was sitting by thy side
watching, and ever and anon he asked for the
ball, but thou gavest him it not. Of a sudden,
while thou wast heedless, he snatched the ball,
and for that thou hadst not given it him when
he had asked was he angry, and he struck the
ball upon a stone, so that it was shattered in
pieces. And I was grieved, and I went and
picked up the fragments of the ball, and gave
them into thy hand, and thou didst look upon
those fragments and didst marvel, and with that
I awoke." Quoth the king, " What may the
interpretation of this vision be ? " The lady
said, " I interpreted this dream : that ball is thy
86 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
kingdom ; and this youth's snatching it from thy
hand is this, that this youth came to me and
said, ' I wish to kill my father and sit upon the
throne, and I desire to make thee my wife ;
and all the men of the kingdom have turned to
me, and now the kingdom is wholly mine, do
thou likewise submit to me ?' Had I submitted
to him, ere now he had killed thee and accom-
plished his affair. Ah ! the fortune and auspi-
ciousness of my king averted it. And his
striking the ball upon the stone is this, that if
he had become king after thee, he would have
utterly ruined the kingdom. And my going and
picking up the fragments and giving them to
the king is this, that for that I obeyed not the
youth, but came and told the king, he seized
him, and the kingdom remained in his hand.
But had not I done so, know of a surety that
ere now the kingdom would have passed from
thy hand ; yea, thy life, too, would have gone.
That is the interpretation of the dream. O
king, the story of this degenerate youth re-
sembles that of a certain king's son ; mayhap
my king has not heard it." The king said, "Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
7 HE LADY'S SIXTH STORY. 87
THE LADY'S SIXTH STORY.
" In the palace of the world there was a king
in whose country was a robber, such that none
could escape from his hands. And in that
king's country was a great khoja. That khoja
and his wife were travelling with some money,
when of a sudden, while they were on the road
they met that robber. He forthwith stripped
them and made them naked and took them
captives. He put their clothes in the cave
which he had chosen for his dwelling, and
bound both the khoja's hands behind his back
and laid him in a corner ; and then he gave
himself up to mirth and merriment with the
woman. A time passed thus, and the woman
conceived by the robber. After seven or eight
months the robber released the khoja and his
wife. So these went forth from the cave, and
saying, ' There is nor strength nor power save in
God, the High, the Mighty,' they set their faces
in a certain direction, and fared on till one day
they entered a city. And they took a dwelling
in that city and settled there. When the
woman's time was come she gave birth to a
boy ; but as they knew that the boy was the
robber's, they would not accept him, and they
laid him at the door of the mosque. The king
88 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
of that country happened to pass by and asked
concerning him, and the people who were
present answered that his parents had no means
of bringing- him up and so had left him there.
Now the king had no son, and he took pity on
this child and adopted him and made him his
son, and said, ' If God give him life and he die
not, he shall sit on the throne after me and
be king.' So they took the boy and brought
him to the palace, and appointed him a nurse,
and made him clothes of all manner of stuffs.
Day by day he grew, and when he had
reached his seventh year he was a moon-
faced boy, such that he who looked upon
his countenance desired to look thereon again.
And the king appointed a teacher and a
governor for the boy, and he learned science
and good-conduct. When he had reached his
twelfth year he had acquired sciences and
accomplishments. After that, they instructed
him in horsemanship ; that too he acquired in a
few days. And every day he would go into
the square and take a ball and play ; and all the
world marvelled at his beauty and dexterity,
and the king felt delight as often as he looked
upon him. Now the king had also a daughter
peerless in beauty. In the course of a few
years this girl grew up and reached the age of
THE LADY'S SIXTH STORY. 89
puberty, and the boy fell in love with her. He
would brood over this, saying, * Alas ! would she
were not my sister, that I might marry her.'
Now the boy was a valiant youth, such that the
king's emirs and vezirs applauded his valour ;
and he overcame the king's enemies who were
round about, and made them subject to his
father ; and no one could stand before his
sword. The king had betrothed his daughter
to another king's son, and when the time was
come they wished to take the girl from the king.
And the king commanded that they should make
ready ; and thereupon the youth, to make clear
what was in his heart, asked a legist this ques-
tion, ' If a person have a garden and the fruit of
that garden ripen, should that person eat it or
another ?' The legist replied, * It were better
that person should eat it than another.' Now
the prince had a learned companion, and that
companion knew the prince's desire ; for science
is of three kinds : one the science of the Faith,
another the science of physiognomy, and another
the science of the body ; but unless there be the
science of physiognomy, other science avails not.
Straightway that companion said, ' O prince, if
there be in that garden you ask of, a fruit for-
bidden by God Most High, it were better
that the owner eat it not ; but if God Most
90 HISTORY OF THE PORTY VEZIRS.
High have not forbidden it, then is it lawful for
that person to eat it.' Quoth the prince, 'Thou
knowest not as much as a legist ; yon man is a
legist ; I look to his decision/ And he arose
and went to his sister's palace, and that hour he
took his sister and went forth the city, and made
for another city. Then the slave-girls with great
crying informed the king, and thereupon the
king's senses forsook him, and he commanded,
'Let the soldiers forthwith mount their horses and
pursue the youth and seize him.' Straightway the
soldiers mounted and went after the youth ; and
the king said, 'From the low born fidelity comes
not;' and he repented him of his having taken him
to son. The king and the soldiers appeared
behind the youth, and the latter sprang into a
hiding-place. And while the king and the
soldiers were passing he slew the king from
that hiding-place ; and when the soldiers saw
that the king was slain they each one fled in a
different direction, and were scattered in con-
fusion. And the youth took the girl and went
to a city and took a house therein, and made her
his wife ; and he adopted the whole of what
had been his father's business, and turned
robber."
" Now, O king, I have told this story, for
that thou mayst know that the desire of this
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 91
degenerate youth is to kill his father as that
low born one slew his, and even as that youth
took his sister does this one wish to take his
mother ; the rest the king knows." When the
king heard this strange thing from the lady, he
said, " On the morrow will I slay him." And
they went to bed.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and commanded the executioner, "Smite
off his head." Whereupom the Seventh Vezir
came forward and said, " O king of the world,
first look to the end of every business thou
undertakest and then act accordingly ; for on
the day of battle it is needful first to think of
the way of retreat and then to set to, so that
when it is ' or fate or state/ one may save
his life. They have said, ' On the day of
strife be not far from the nobles : in the chase
and the palace go not near them ;' and ' He is
profitable in the councils of a king, who in the
day of security looks to the matters of war and
the provision of weapons, and stints not money
to the troops that these on the day of battle
may be lavish with their lives in the king's
cause/ It is incumbent on the king that he
kill those who flee when they see the enemy
(and after that the foes) ; for they resemble those
92 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
who give up a stronghold to the adversary. And
they have said that a good scribe and a man
who knows the science of the sword are very
needful for a king ; for with the pen is wealth
collected, and with the sword are countries taken.
Mayhap the king has not heard the story of a
certain king and a vezir." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a king
and he had two vezirs, one of whom was wise
and learned and one of whom was foolish and
ignorant. On the king's taking counsel of them
concerning the management of the affairs of the
state, the ignorant vezir said, * O king, expend
not money, give not money to the soldiers and
warriors, or if thou give, give little ; and let him
who will stay, stay ; and let him who will not
stay, go. When thou hast money on the battle-
day, many will be soldiers to thee : where the
honey is, there surely come the flies.' His words
seemed good to the king, who one day said to
the learned vezir, ' Get me a few men who will
be content with little pay.' On the vezir's re-
plying, ' Men without pay are not to be had,'
the king said, ' I shall have money when any-
thing befalls, and shall find many men.' Quoth
THE SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 93
the vezir, ' So be it, I shall find men for the king
who will take no pay and stir not day or night
from his gate.' The king was glad and said,
* Get them, let us see.' The vezir went and
found a painter and brought him, and he painted
a large room in the palace so that the four walls
of that room were covered with pictured figures of
men, and he decked all the figures with arms and
implements of war, he depicted a mounted and
armed host standing rank on rank. When it
was completed the vezir called the king, and
the king arose and went with him to that wall
of pictures, and he showed the king the whole
of them. The king looked and said, 'What
are these pictures ? why hast thou ranged these
here rank on rank?' The vezir replied, 'O
king, thou desiredst of me men without pay ;
lo, these youths want no pay ; so they will serve
the king.' The king said, * There is no life in
these ; how can they serve ?' The vezir an- /
swered, * O king, if lifeless pictures will not
serve, no more will payless soldiers serve. Fief
and pay are as the life of the soldier ; when
thou givest not a man his fief or pay, it is as
though thou tookest away his life ; judge if a
lifeless man could serve.' Again, ' O king, if a
paid army be not needful for thee, these will
suffice ; but living men require to eat and drink.
94 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
If they get no pay they will not sacrifice their
lives in the cause of the king or face the enemy ;
but they will hate the king and turn from him
and evil will befall the king ; but if the king be
bountiful they will obey. Thus a noble had a
young steward who used to serve him. One
day the noble asked the youth his name. He
replied, " God on thee, my name is Wittol."
Said the noble, " Can anyone be so called ?"
The youth answered, " Anyhow it is my nick-
name, never mind." So they used to call that
youth Wittol so long as he was at that noble's
gate. One day he went from that noble's gate
to another's. One day that noble in whose ser-
vice he had been happened to meet him, when
he cried out, " Ho Wittol, how art thou ?" The
youth replied, " O noble, say not so again, or thou
shalt see." The noble said, "My life, thou didst
tell me Wittol was thy name ; why art thou now
angered ?" The youth answered, " Then did I
serve thee, and thou bestowedest on me worlds
of bounties, so though thou calledst me Wittol,
it offended me not ; but now I never get a
favour from this man that he should call me so."
Quoth the noble, " He who called thee so just
now was I, not he ; yet thou wast angered with
me." The youth replied, " God forbid I should
be angered with thee ; but if to-morrow the
THE SEVENTH VEZIR' S STORY. 95
other were to hear that word from thee, he too
would wish to use it ; now was I angered lest
he should call me so." : Then that vezir laid a
dish of honey before the king ; as it was night
no flies came to it. And the vezir said, ' They
say that where there is honey, thither will the flies
surely flock ; lo, here is honey, where are the
flies ?' Quoth the king, ' It is night, therefore
they come not/ * The vezir said, ' My king, it
is necessary to give soldiers money at the proper
time ; for bringing out money on the battle-day
is like bringing out honey at night/ When the
king heard these words from the vezir he was
ashamed ; but he greatly applauded the vezir,
and thenceforth did whatsoever he advised."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
thou mayst know that attendants and servants
are needful for kings, and that masters of device
and resource are requisite. Kings should take
counsel of their vezirs in such matters that no
defect may mar their fortune in the world or
the Hereafter. Now the prince is thy support
and asylum, and all the folk, high and low, ask
why he is fettered with the bonds of woe and a
prisoner of the dungeon. And slaying the
prince were like slaying the vezirs and all the
world. Who would sit on the throne after thee
that should know our circumstances ? All the
96 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
grandees of the empire and lords of the state
and noble seyyids would be cast down, and
scattered to the winds and ruined. This woman
is a woman lacking in religion and understand-
ing ; to give ear to and thus countenance those
who are so lacking is not worthy our king."
And he kissed the ground and begged for
the prince. So the king sent him to the prison.
Having returned from the chase, the king
went to the palace, and the lady rose to greet
him, and they passed on and sat down. After
the repast the lady again asked for news of the
youth. The king answered, " To-day too I
have sent him to the prison." The lady said,
" Thou art a wise and just king ; we will talk
together this night and see whether or no by
principle, by the Law, and by custom, thou dost
sin in, thus vexing my heart. O king, there are
many rights between husband and wife. First,
the husband's right over the wife is this, that
if he have a hurt in the bottom of his tooth, she
must lick that hurt and cleanse his tooth ;*
another is, if his heart desire solacement of love,
she must, even though kneading dough with
tucked-up sleeves, submit to him, ere she wash
her hands. But the wife's right over the hus-
* i.e. tend him in every illness, whatever it may be, to the
best of her power.
THE LADY'S SEVENTH STORY. 97
band is ; first, that he leave her not naked or
hungry or bid her work out of doors, and that
he vex not her heart and she innocent, and that
he deny her not money. For women's words
and skirts are short, and they are slaves and
helpless before men, therefore should the latter
cherish them and heed not though they be some-
times froward, but caress them. And they have
said that it is better to give a woman a handful
of words than a skirtful of money. Mayhap
the king has not heard the story of the sparrow
and his mate." The king said, " Relate it, let
us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S SEVENTH STORY.
" There was in the blessed service of Saint
Solomon (peace on him!) a little sparrow whose
many tricks and gambols were ever pleasing to
Saint Solomon. One day Saint Solomon saw
not the sparrow by him, and he commanded the
simurgh* bird to go fetch the sparrow wherever
he might find him. For a long time the sparrow
had not gone to his mate, and his mate had up-
braided him, saying, ' For this long time thou
* A fabulous bird of great size. Solomon, it should be said,
according to the Talmudic and Koranic legends, was acquainted
with the language of beasts and birds, with whom he used often
to converse.
H
98 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
hast left me and been with Solomon ; dost thou
love him more than me, or dost thou fear him ?
tell me.' The sparrow answered, * By God, I
would not give thee for the world : I am come
but once to earth and shall not come again ; I go
to Solomon for diversion, I have no dread of
him.' While he was talking with many such
vaunts and boasts, the simurgh arrived in haste
and heard the sparrow bragging and said
harshly, ' Up, let us off; Saint Solomon wants
thee.' Then the sparrow, being beside his mate,
plucked up courage and replied, * Off, begone, I
will not go.' The simurgh said, * I will indeed
take thee.' The sparrow answered, ' Off with
thee, get thee hence, or I will seize thee and rend
thee in twain.' Quoth the simurgh, ' Until I
take thee with me I will not budge from here.'
Yet the sparrow heeded not, and the simurgh
waited awhile, but the sparrow would not go.
Again said the simurgh to the sparrow, ' O my
life, give me an answer.' Quoth the sparrow, ' I
tell thee begone from here ; if thou speak again,
my heart will bid me do somewhat else ; but no,
I will not slay thee. Off, begone, or I will do thee
some hurt, and then go to Solomon's palace and
smite it with my foot, and overturn it from its
foundations and pull it down about his head ;
now then, away fool, off, begone the road thou
THE LADY'S SEVENTH STORY. 99
earnest. Thou chatterest here and sayest not,
" This is the sparrow's harem ; he is ill.'" And
he gave the simurgh a kick such that the latter
knew not where it touched him, but he flew
thence and reported the sparrow's words to Saint
Solomon. Solomon said, ' When the sparrow
spake these words where was he ?' 'His mate
was there,' answered the simurgh. Then quoth
Solomon (peace on him!), ' There is no harm in
one thus boasting and bragging in his own
house before his wife. Though every stone of this
my palace was raised by the toil of these many
demons, still wonder not at his saying when
beside his wife that he could shatter it with
one foot.' And this was pleasing to Solomon
(peace on him!), and when the sparrow came he
made him of his boon-companions."*
" O king, I have told this story for that thou
mayst know that one should thus love his wife
and vex not her little heart, so that his wife may
have nought against him. And God Most High
has given thee understanding; weigh my words
in the balance of understanding, and try them on
the touchstone of the heart ; if they stand not the
test, I shall speak no more. I tell thee that this
youth has stretched forth his hand to me and
* See Appendix B, Note VI.
H 2
loo HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIR S.
has been treacherous, and has moreover pur-
posed against thy life ; can there be greater
crimes than these ? O king, beware, be not neg-
ligent in this matter; for there is fear and danger
for thy life and kingdom." When the king heard
these beguiling words of the lady he said, " On
the morrow will I make an end of his affair."
And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king sat upon his
throne and commanded the executioner that he
brought the youth, and he said, " Smite off his
head." Whereupon the Eighth Vezir came for-
ward and said, " O king of the world, slay not
the prince on the woman's word. One should
be forgiving; above all, as no man is exempt
from sin ; for they have said that humanity is
composed of forgetfulness. A man falls some-
times through the intrigues of an enemy and
sometimes through the maleficence of the cruel
Sphere ; or else he attains prosperity and falls
into adversity. Mayhap the king has not heard
the story of a certain vezir." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" Of old time there was a king, and he had an
experienced and learned vezir. One day the
latter went to the bath, and while he was sitting
THE EIGHTH VEZIR S STQKV. T oi
beside the basin, his ring fell from his finger into
the water ; and it sank not 'm tKe water, but
floated on the surface. Whenever the vezir saw y
this he sent men to his house and treasury, say-
ing, ' Go quickly, and hide in a certain place
whatsoever I have in the treasury of gold and
silver or rubies and jewels ; for now is the king
about to seize me.' Then they went and acted
according to his order. And as the vezir was
coming out from the bath, men from the king
arrived and seized him ; and they put him in
prison and took possession of whatever he had
in his house and treasury. One day, after the
vezir had been imprisoned for a certain time, his
heart longed for a conserve of pomegranate pips, v
and he ordered the gaoler, saying, ' Make me
ready a conserve and bring it, for my heart doth
greatly desire it/ Now the king had forbidden
that dish, and the gaoler was afraid and made it
not. And the vezir's desire increased and he
begged it of all who came to him, but no one
made it and brought it through fear of the king.
Brief, the vezir lay for a year in prison and
longed for that dish, but no one found means
to bring him it. One day the gaoler made
shift to cook that dish and bring it to the vezir.
As soon as the vezir saw it he was glad ; and
they put it before him, but ere he had stretched
las' A JS6[t1)fp*0& THE FORTY VEZIRS.
/plityhj^:hanxi:tO;it,'.tWo mice, that were struggling
* with* ea'c'h'ofhef ''above, fell into the dish, and the
food became unclean. Thereupon the vezir said,
4 It is good ;' and he arose and commanded his
servants, saying, * Go, furnish the mansion, put
that wealth you hid back into its proper place ;
my king is about to take me from prison and
make me vezir.' Then his retainers went and
did as he had commanded. Hereupon came a
man from the king who took the vezir from the
prison and brought him before the king. Then
said the king to comfort the vezir's heart, ' I put
thee in prison seemingly to afflict thee ; but
really that thou mightest know, from experienc-
ing imprisonment, speedily to intercede for the
men whom I cast into gaol.' Quoth the vezir,
' Nearness to a sultan is a burning fire : whatso-
ever conduct be observed toward me by the king
is pleasant teaching.' The king was pleased and
commanded that they brought a robe of honour,
and he put it on him and made him again vezir.
Then when the vezir was come to his mansion
his retainers and others asked him, saying,
' Whence knewest thou of the king's being about
to imprison thee and seize thy wealth, and
whence knewest thou of his being about to take
thee out and make thee vezir ?' The vezir re-
plied, * While in the bath my ring fell into the
THE EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY. 103
water and sank not, so I knew that my fortune
had reached its perfection, and that what follows
every perfection is declension, therefore did I so
command ; and for a whole year, while I was in
prison, I longed for a dish of pomegranate pips,
at length I got it, and mice polluted it so that I
could not eat it, so I knew that my misfortune
was complete and that my former estate was
returned. And I was glad.'"
"Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may likewise know that every perfec-
tion has its declension. Until now the prince
and the vezirs were safe and esteemed before
the king. Now he knows not in what malefic
sign our stars may be imprisoned. A woman
has rendered us despicable before the king and
has bound him about with craft and wiles, so
that these many learned and sagacious vezirs are
impotent against her incitements; even as it
is clear that when a fool throws a stone down
a well a wise man is powerless to get it up again.
O king, haste not in this affair; too late repentance
profits not; for the prince is like a young bird
that can neither fly nor flee, grant him a few
days' respite, haply this difficulty may be solved;
and there is a reason for his not speaking. He
is ever as a prisoner in thy hand ; afterward, if
thou will, kill him; if thou will, free him." And
104 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
he kissed the ground and begged for the prince.
When the king heard this story from the vezir
the fire that was in his heart was increased ten-
fold and the tears poured from his eyes ; and
he sent the prince to the prison and mounted
for the chase with his own cares.
When the king returned he entered the
palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and
they sat down. After the repast the lady
asked for news of the youth. The king said,
" To-day too such an one of my vezirs made in-
tercession for him, and I sent him to the prison."
Quoth the lady, " O king, I have given thee
this much counsel, and it has produced no effect
upon thee. It is as though a physician treated
a sick man, and the treatment was without
result, and that physician was powerless and
attempted no other treatment, but left off ; for if
he treated that sick man again, he would kill
him: Now, I too am powerless to speak to
thee. I should say, ' I will speak no more nor
waste my breath in vain ;' still my heart pities
thee, for the king's realm and life will be
destroyed. My head, too, will fall ; for that I am
in the same peril with the king do I speak. It
is even as once when they cut off a person's
hand and he uttered no sound ; afterward he
saw someone whose hand had been cut off, and
THE LADY'S EIGHTH STORY. 105
he wailed aloud and wept. Those who were
present wondered and asked, saying, * O man,
when thy hand was cut off thou didst not
weep ; why weepest thou now ?' That person
answered, * By God, then, when they cut off my
hand, I saw that there was not among you one
who had met the like, and I said in myself that
if I wept each of you would speak ill of me, for
ye knew not the pain of it ; now that I have
found a companion in my plight do I weep, for
he knows the anguish I have suffered/ Now,
O king, thy head and my head are like to fall ;
if the king know not my plight, who should
know it ? Mayhap my king has not heard the
story of the three princes and the cadi." The king
said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S EIGHTH STORY.
"In the palace of the world there was a king
and he had three sons. One day this king laid
his head on the pillow of death and called those
sons to his side, and spake privately with them.
He said, * In such and such a corner of the
palace I have hidden a vase full of pearls and
jewels and diverse gems ; when I am dead do
ye wash me well and bury me, then go and
take that vase from its place and divide its
contents.' The king lay for three days, and
io6 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
on the fourth day he drained the wine of death
and set forth for the Abiding Home. When
the princes had buried their father according to
his injunctions, they came together and went
and beheld that in the place of those jewels the
winds blew. Now the princes began to dispute,
and they said, * Our father told this to us three
in private, this trick has been played by one of
us/ And the three of them went to the cadi,
and told their complaint. The cadi listened
and then said to them, * Come, I will tell you a
story, and after that I will settle your dispute.
Once, in a certain city, a youth and a girl loved
each other, and that girl was betrothed to
another youth. When the lover was alone
with that girl he said, " O my life, now thou
comest to me and I am happy with thee ; to-
morrow when thou art the bride of thy be-
trothed, how will be my plight ?" The girl
said, "My master, do not grieve; that night when
I am bride, until I have come to thee and seen
thee, I will not give the bridegroom his desire."
And they made a pact to that end. Brief,
when the bridal night arrived, the girl and the
youth went apart ; and when all the people
were dispersed and the place was clear of
others, the girl told the bridegroom of the pact
between her and the stricken lover, and be-
THE LADY'S EIGHTH STORY. 107
sought leave to fulfil it. Whenever the bride-
groom heard these words from the bride he
said, " Go, fulii thy plight and come again in
safety." So the bride went forth, but while on
the road she met a robber. The robber looked
at her attentively, and saw that she was a
beautiful girl like the moon of fourteen nights ,
never in his life had he seen such a girl, and
upon her was endless gold, and she was
covered with diverse jewels such as cannot be
described. Thereupon the bridle of choice )(
slipped from the robber's hands ; and as the
hungry wolf springs upon the sheep, so did the
robber spring upon that girl. Straightway the
girl began to sigh, and the robber felt pity and
questioned her. So the bride related to the
robber her story from its beginning to its end,
whereupon the robber exclaimed, " That is no
common generosity ! nor shall I do any hurt or
evil thing to her." Then said he to the girl,
" Come, I will take thee to thy lover." And
he took her and led to her lover's door and
said, " Now go in and be with thy lover."
Then the girl knocked at the door, and that
youth, who lay sighing, heard the knocking and
went with haste and said, " Who is that ?"
The girl answered, " Open the door ; lo, I have
kept my plight, nor have I broken it, I am
io8 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
come to thee." The youth opened the door
and came to the girl and said, " O my life, my
mistress, welcome, and fair welco^me ! how hast
thou done it ?" She replied, " The folk assem-
bled and gave me to the bridegroom, then all
dispersed and each went his way. And I ex-
plained my case to the bridegroom and he gave
me leave. While on the road I met a robber,
and that robber wished to stretch forth his
hand to me, but I wept and told him of my
plight with thee, and he had pity and brought
me to the door and left me, and has gone
away." When the youth heard these things
from the girl he said, " Since the bridegroom is
thus generous, and has given thee leave to
fulfil thy plight with me, and sent thee to me,
there were no generosity in me did I stretch
forth my hand to thee and deal treacherously ;
from this day be thou my sister ; go, return to thy
husband." And he sent her off. When the
girl went out she saw that robber standing by
the door ; and he walked in front of her, and
conducted her to the bridegroom's door. And
the girl went in, and the robber departed to his
own affairs. While the bridegroom was mar-
velling the bride entered, and the bridegroom
leaped up and took the bride's hands in his,
and they sat upon the bed. And the bride-
THE LADY'S EIGHTH STORY. 109
groom turned and asked her news of the bride ;
and she told all her adventures from their
beginning to their end. And the bridegroom
was pleased,* and they both attained their de-
sire. God grant to all of us our desire.
Amen.' Then quoth the cadi, 'O my sons,
which of those showed manliness and gene-
rosity in this matter ?' The eldest youth said,
' The bridegroom, who, while she was his
lawful bride, and when he had spent thus much
upon her, and was about to gain his desire, gave
the girl leave. What excellent generosity did
he display !' The middle youth said, * The
generosity was that lover's, who, while there
was so much love between them, had patience
when they were alone in the night and she so
fair of form and in such splendid dress, and
sent her back. What excellent generosity : can
there be greater than this !' Then asked he of the
youngest boy, 'O you, what say you ?' Quoth he,
' O ye, what say ye ? when one hunting in the
night met thus fair a beauty, a torment of the
world, a fresh rose ; above all, laden with these
many jewels, and yet coveted her not but took
her to her place. What excellent patience, what
excellent generosity !' When the cadi heard
* Or, as the text has it, Guwegi baqdi qizin bakiriyeti
bozilmamish.
i io HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
these words of the youngest boy he said, * O
prince, the jewels are with thee ; for the lover
praised the lover ; and the trustful, the trustful ;
and the robber, the robber.' The prince was
unable to deny it, and he took the jewels from
his breast and laid them before the cadi."*
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that thou mayst know that in that I am true I
would aid my king ; and that the vezirs, in that
they are traitors, would aid the traitor prince.
And they are forty men, each one of them a
wonder of the world, while as for me, I am but
one and a woman, lacking in understanding : the
rest the king knows." When the king heard
these enticing and beguiling words of the lady
he said, " Grieve not, to-morrow will I kill
him/' And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king sat upon his
throne and thus commanded the executioner,
" Smite off the head of that traitor youth."
Whereupon the Ninth Vezir came forward and
said, " O king of the world, beware, slay not thy
son on the woman's word, and be not heedless
of the import of this verse which God Most
High hath spoken in His Word: 'And the
stiflers of wrath, and the pardoners of men ;
* See Appendix B, Note VII.
THE NINTH VEZIRS STORY. in
and God loveth the beneficent : '* that is they
are His peculiar servants. And the Holy
Apostle (peace on him !) hath said, ' Whoso
bridleth his anger, he having power to avenge,
God will call him on the Resurrection-Day
over the heads of the creatures that He may
give him to choose from the houris which he
pleaseth : ' that is he shall surely enter Paradise.
Let one pardon him who has wronged him and
forgive his servants their misdeeds, that God
Most High may pardon him and be beneficent
to him ; even as saith the Apostle (peace on
him !) ' The proclaimer shall proclaim on the
Resurrection- Day : Where are they whose
reward is (incumbent) upon God : none shall
rise save him who hath forgiven.' Mayhap the
king has not heard the story of Harun-er-
Reshidf and the slave-girl." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE NINTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" Once the Khalif Harun-er-Reshid sat upon
his throne of estate ; and the people of the city
of Baghdad were late in coming to salute him.
Therefore was the Khalif exceeding wroth,
* Koran, iii. 128.
t The celebrated Khalif of Baghdad, and hero of so many of
the stories in the Thousand and One Nights.
112 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
and he thus commanded the chamberlains,
* Whoso comes now do ye turn off and cast into
prison.' And they seized and cast into prison
all of the grandees of the city who came. For
three days the Khalif went not out, neither
spake with anyone; but sat full of fury : who
could have dared to address a word to him ?
While in this state he desired to eat, and he
ordered one of the slave-girls to bring food.
She brought it before him, but while laying
down the dish, she was careless and spilt some
part of it over the Khalif. Forthwith the
Khalif rose in wrath and was about to hew the
girl in pieces, when she said, ' O Khalif, God
Most High saith in His Glorious Word, " And
the stiflers of wrath." ' * Straightway the
Khalif s wrath was calmed. Again saith the
slave -girl, " ' And the pardoners of men." ' *
Quoth the Khalif, 1 1 have forgiven the crimes
of all the criminals who may be in prison.'
Again said the slave-girl, ' " And God loveth
the beneficent."' * Quoth the Khalif, ' God
be witness that I have with my own wealth
freed thee and as many un freed male and
female slaves as I have, and that this day I
have for the love of God given the half of all
* Koran, iii. 128.
THE NINTH VEZIRS STORY. 113
my wealth to the poor in alms.' After that
he let bring into his presence all the prisoners
who were in the gaol and begged absolution
of them ; and as he had attained to the import
of that noble verse, he put on each of them a
robe of honour, and devoted himself to justice
and equity. And now whoso mentions him
doth add, * The mercy of God on him !' "*
" O king, I have told this story for that I
have seen this day that thy wrath was great,
I would that thou pardon the prince and grant
him his life and so do a meritorious deed ; and
in this matter, beyond doubt and beyond un-
certainty, thou shalt become deserving of the
mercy and Paradise of God Most High." And
he kissed the ground and begged for the
prince. When the king heard this story from
the vezir he sent the youth to the prison and
mounted for the chase.
That day he found no game and returned
in wrath to the palace. Again the lady rose
to greet him and they sat down. After the
repast the lady began to speak of the youth.
The king said, " Look, my mistress, now all
is over, and my prince is still upon thy
* D'Herbelot relates the same story in his Bibliotheque
Orientale, but substitutes Hasan son of 'All, the Prophet's son-
in-law, for Harun-er-Reshid.
114 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
tongue ; to-day too one of my vezirs begged for
him and I sent him to the prison." The lady
saw that the king was vexed and said, " My
king, be kind, be not vexed with me ; for I
know that soon no good will befall thee from
that youth, for he is very covetous of wealth
and kingship, and the covetous is ever balked.
I saw him without understanding and without
discretion ; he knows neither his words nor
himself; he is even as the sons of that king
who took the metaphorical words of their father
as literal, and at length lost what wealth was in
their hands. Mayhap my king has not heard
that story." The king said, " Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S NINTH STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a
great king, and he had three sons. One day
that king laid his head upon the pillow of
death and called his sons before him and said,
' O my sons, my life has reached its end ; I have
counsel to give you, which when I am dead do
ye observe.' His sons replied, ' On our heads
be it ; speak, father/ To his eldest son he
said, * Build thou a house in every city/ And
to his middle son, ' Marry thou a virgin every
night.' And to his youngest son, ' Whenever
THE LADY'S NINTH STORY. 115
thou eatest, eat honey and butter.' The king
lived not long after giving these injunctions,
but died. The eldest son fell to building a
house in every city ; the middle son married a
virgin every night, and on the morrow gave
her her dower and sent her to her father's
house ; and the youngest son, whenever he ate,
mixed honey and butter and ate it. A long
time passed on this wise ; we may say that
though the middle and the youngest sons spent
money, they at least had pleasure for it ; but
that bewildered and senseless eldest son spent
this much money, and if the buildings he raised
were fit for habitation, still they pointed to
folly. One day a wise man asked them, ' Why
do ye thus ?' The princes answered, 'By God,
our father thus enjoined us.' The wise man
said, * Your father's injunctions were not thus,
but ye have not understood his riddles. And
there is a tale suitable to this your plight, I
will tell it you ; afterward I will teach you
your father's riddles.' The princes said,
4 Pray do so.' Quoth the wise man, 'Once
there was a king who always exacted tribute
from the infidels. One day those infidels
assembled their monks and said, "Let us find
some trick which the king will be unable to
understand, that thereby we may escape from
I 2
ii6 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
this tribute : now do ye each think of some
plan." Thereupon they dispersed and went
away. After a time a monk came to the
infidel who was their chief and said, " I shall
go to them and put to them a question, and
if they can answer it we will give them
tribute." So the unbelieving king gave that
monk a little money and sent him. One day
he entered the realms of Islam, and the event
was reported to the king, who said, " Our
learned men of the Faith will surely answer
an infidel without the Faith ; let him come."
They brought him into the presence of the
king ; and the king straightway assembled
his doctors and pious men and grandees.
Then the king said, " O monk, now what is
thy question ; speak, let us see ? " The monk
first opened the five fingers of his hand and
held the palm opposite the folk, then he let
the five fingers droop downward, and said,
" What means that ? know ye ? " And all the
doctors were silent and began to ponder, and
they reflected, saying, " What riddles can these
riddles be ? There is no such thing in the
Commentaries or the Traditions." Now there
was there a learned wanderer, and forthwith
he came forward and asked leave of the king
that he might answer. The king gladly gave
THE LADY'S NINTH STORY. 117
leave ; then that wanderer came forward and
said to the monk, " What is thy question ?
what need for the doctors ? poor I can
answer." Then the monk came forward and
opened his hand and held it so before the
deryish ; straightway the dervish closed his fist
and held it opposite the monk. Then the monk
let his five fingers droop downward ; the dervish
opened his fist and held his five fingers upward.
When the monk saw these signs of the dervish,
he said, " That is the answer," and gave up
the money he had brought. But the king
knew not what these riddles meant, and he
took the dervish apart and asked him. The
dervish replied, " When he opened his fingers
and held his hand so to me, it meant, 'now I
strike thee so on the face ;' so I showed him
my fist, which meant, ' I strike thy throat with
my fist ;' he turned and let his fingers droop
downward, which meant, ' thou dost so, then I
strike lower and seize thy throat with my
hand ;' and my raising my fingers upward meant,
' if thou seekest to seize my throat, I too shall
grasp thy throat from underneath ;' so we
fought with one another by signs." Then the
king called the monk and said, " Thou madest
signs with the dervish, but what meant those
signs ?" The monk replied, " I held my five
u8 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
fingers opposite him, that meant, ' the five times
ye do worship, is it right ?' The dervish pre-
sented his fist, which meant, * it is right.' Then
I held my fingers downward, which meant,
1 why does the rain come down from heaven ? '
The dervish held his fingers upward, which
meant, * the rain falls down from heaven that
the grass may spring up from the earth.' Now
such are the answers to those questions in our
books." Then he returned to his country.
And the king knew that the dervish had
not understood the monk's riddles ; but the
king was well pleased for that he had done
what was suitable ; and he bestowed on the
dervish a portion of the money which the
monk had left. O princes, ye have not under-
stood your father's riddles and ye have wasted
your wealth in vain.' The princes said, ' What
meant our father's riddles ?' He replied,
4 Firstly, when he said, " Build thou a house
in every city," he meant, " gain thou a friend in
every city, so that when thou goest to a city the
house of the friend thou hast gained may be
thine." Secondly, when he said, " Embrace
thou a virgin whenever thou embracest," he
meant, " be moderate in thy pleasures that thou
mayst enjoy them the more." Thirdly, when
he said, " Whenever thou eatest, eat honey and
THE LADY'S NINTH STORY. 119
butter," he meant, " never when thou eatest, eat
to repletion ; but eat so that if it be but dry
bread thou eatest, it will be to thee as honey
and butter." When the princes heard the
words of the wise dervish they knew that their
father's signs to them were so, and not that
which they had done ; and they left off doing
those things."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that with youths is no discretion, but in them
ignorance and heedlessness abound. Though
thou through understanding have compassion
on him, yet will he have none on thee ; it will
be even as when one day Saint Bayezld of
Bestam* saw a mangy dog, and through pity
took it and laid it in a place and tended it
many days till it became well, whereon it bit
his foot. Bayezld said, ' O dog, this is the
return for the kindness I did thee that thou
bitest me.' God Most High gave speech to
that dog, and it said, * O Bayezld, is not the
proverb well known, " A man acts as a man ; a |
dog, as a dog " ? ' Methinks, O king, that in
that youth must be an evil vein : for if kindness
be to kindness, never so long as he lived could
* Bayezld of Bestam was a famous saint who, according to
Ibn-Khallikan, died in 261 or 264 (A.D. 875 or 878).
120 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
that unworthy one have cast on me an envious
glance ; above all, never could he have sought
to slay my king, his father, the source of his
being. I, where am I ? Take warning."
And she incited the king with very many evil
words, so that he was afraid and said, " Grieve
not, to-morrow will I slay him." And they
went to bed, and that night was grievous to the
king.
Scarce was it morning and had the sun
shown forth the riddle of the whiteness of
dawn, like as that dervish showed to the king's
sons the riddles of their father, and illumined
the world with light, ere the king sat upon
his throne and caused the youth to be brought
and ordered the executioner, " Smite off his
head." Then the Tenth Vezir came forward
and said, " O king of the world, every king
desires that whithersoever he go he may
triumph and conquer ; and that the earth be
subject to his hand ; and that whoso comes to
his gate hoping, may find that which he seeks ;
and that the heart of none be vexed. When
in the country of a king despairing hearts are
many, that host of despairing hearts gathers
_ together and utterly destroys another gay host.
Thus it becomes the greatness and glory of
kings, that when they see a beast under a
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 121
heavy load they have compassion on that beast ;
even as it was when an ass came, dragging itself
along, to the chain of the justice of Nushirvan 4
the Just* Straightway the king caused it to
be brought into his presence, and he saw it to
be a lean and worn black ass, whose back
was broken, with bearing loads. When the
king saw that animal in such plight his heart
bled, and he laid his hand on the beast's face
and wept full bitterly and said, ' See ye how
this poor creature has been oppressed in my
kingdom ?' And he called for a physician
and said to him, * Go, tend the wounds of this
beast, and give it abundance to eat, and wrap
round it a good horse-cloth that it be at ease.'
Now, it is incumbent on kings that they
have compassion on the unhappy and the weak,
and pity them, and believe not plotters and
liars, nor trust their evil wicked words ; and
such folk are very many. Mayhap my king
has not heard the story of the king's son of
Egypt and the crafty woman." The king
said, " Relate it, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
* One of the most famous kings of pre-Islamitic Persia, he
reigned from A.D. 531 to 579.
122 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE TENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
'* In the city of Cairo there was a king and he
had two sons. One day he reflected on the doings
of the cruel Sphere and saw how the world was
without constancy and remained not to king nor
yet to beggar, but trod all under foot. At length
he bethought him how it would not endure for
himself either ; and hetook his younger son and
made him apprentice to a master tailor, and said,
1 After all, a trade is needful for a man ; and they
have said that the least knowledge of a trade is
better than a hundred thousand sequins/ So in
a short while the prince became a tailor such
that there was not in the city of Cairo one who
could ply his scissors and needle. One day
the king passed to the Abiding Home, and his
elder son became king. His brother the tailor,
fearing for his head, fled and went to the Ka'ba.*
While making the circumambulation,f his foot
struck against something hard, he looked and
saw a girdle and took it up and bound it round
his loins, and continued the circumambulation.
After a while he saw a khoja who had a stone
in either hand and who was beating his breast
* The Cubical (House), i.e., the Sacred Temple at Mekka.
t One of the ceremonies performed by the pilgrims at Mekka.
THE TENTH VEZIFS STORY. 123
with these stones and crying, ' Ah woe ! alas ! I
had hidden in that girdle all the wealth I have
gained from my youth ; whatever Muslim has
found it, let him give it me for the love of God
and the honour of the Ka'ba, and the half of it
shall be lawful for him as his mother's milk/
When the prince saw and heard him he knew
that that girdle was his, and he said in his heart,
* What has this much wealth and the kingdom
of my father done for me ? and what should
this do for me ? I shall not let this poor man
weep ; I shall give it him/ And he went round
and came before the khoja and said, * O khoja, I
have found that girdle of thine ; lo, it is round
my loins/ The khoja clung fast to the prince,
and the prince said, ' What reward wilt thou give
me? lo, the girdle is round my loins/ Then the
khoja took the prince and brought him to his
own tent ; and the prince loosed the girdle from
his loins and laid it before the khoja, and the
khoja took it and clasped it to his heart. Then
he brake the seal and poured out what was in it ;
and the prince saw it to be full of precious stones.
Tfre khoja divided these stones into three heaps
and said, ' O youth, wilt thou take one heap
with my good-will, or two without it ? ' The
prince replied, * Give me one heap with thy
good-will/ Then the khoja divided one of
I2 4 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
those heaps into two and said, * Which of them
wilt thou take with my good-will ? ' Again
the prince made choice of a heap. At length
the khoja said, ' Youth, wouldest thou have
these remaining jewels, or wouldest thou that we
go and that I pray for thee under the Golden
Spout?'* The prince answered, 'Wealth perishes,
but prayers endure ; do thou bless me, I have
relinquished all these riches.' And they went,
and he held up his hands and said to the prince,
' Say thou, "Amen." So the youth raised up
his hands and the khoja began to pray. He
repeated many prayers in himself, and the prince
said, 'Amen/ The khoja drew his hands down
his face and said, * O youth, I have prayed much
for thee ; now go, and may thy end be good.'
The prince went away ; but after a little he
thought in himself, 'If I go now to Cairo my
brother will kill me, let me go along with this
khoja to Baghdad/ So he went back to the
khoja and said, ' O khoja, I would go with thee
to Baghdad ; take me that I may serve thee on
the road/ So the khoja took him ; and the
prince was in the khoja's service, and they entered
Baghdad and lighted at the khoja's dwelling.
* For a description of it see Capt. Burton's Pilgrimage,
vol. in, p. 164.
THE TENTH VEZIFS STORY. 125
For some days the prince abode there, then he
said to the khoja, * I may not stay here thus
idling ; I have a trade, I am a master tailor, if
thou hast any tailor friend, pray take me to him
that he may give me some work to do/ Now
the khoja had a tailor friend, and he straightway
took the prince and brought him to the shop of
that tailor and commended him to him, and the
tailor consented. Then the prince sat down and
his master cut out cloth for a robe and gave it
him ; now the prince had checkmated the Cairo
tailors, where then were those of Baghdad ?
The prince sewed that robe and returned it,
and the master took it and looked at it and saw
that it was a beautiful robe, made so that in all
his life he had not seen the like of it, and he
said, 'A thousand times well-done, youth/ This
news spread among the masters, and they all
came to that shop and saw it and admired ; and
this prince became very famous in that country.
The work in that master's shop was now
increased tenfold, and customers in like mea-
sure. One day that khoja had a quarrel with
his wife, and in the greatness of his heat the
words of the triple divorce passed his lips.
Then he repented and would have got back
his wife, and his wife also was willing. They
sought a legal decision, but the mufti said, * It
126 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
may not be without an intermediary.' * The
khoja bethought him whom he could get for
intermediary when the prince came into his
mind, and he said in himself, * That stranger
youth is he ; I shall make him intermediary.'
So he married the woman to the prince. When
it was evening he took him and put him into a
dark house with the lady ; but the lady made
shift to light a candle, and as soon as she saw
the prince she fell in love with him with all her
heart. And the prince, as soon as he saw her,
fell in love with her with all his heart. Then
these two moons came together, and, after
making merry, the lady showed the prince
sumptuous stuffs, and countless gold, and
precious stones, such as the tale and number of
them cannot be written, and she said, ' O my
life, all this wealth is mine, it is my inheritance
from my mother and my father, and all the
wealth too that that khoja has is mine ; if
thou will not dismiss me to-morrow, but accept
me as thy legal wife, all this wealth is thine.'
The prince consented to this proposal, and the
woman said, ' O youth, when the khoja comes
to-morrow he will say, " Come, let us go to the
cadi ; " say thou, " Why should we go to the
* Such as is required by the Muhammedan law in case of a
triple divorce-
THE TENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 127
cadi ?" If he say, " Divorce the woman," do
thou reply, " By God, it were shame in us to
take a wife and then divorce her." And he
will be unable to find any answer thereto/ The
prince was glad and accepted the lady's advice.
When it was morning the khoja came and
knocked at the door, and the prince went forth
and kissed the khoja's hand. The khoja
said, ' Come, let us go to the cadi ; ' the prince
answered, ' Why should we go to the cadi ? '
Quoth the khoja, 'Divorce the woman/ The
prince replied, ' By God, it were mighty shame
in us to divorce the woman ; I will not divorce
her.' The khoja exclaimed, 'Ah youth, what
word is that ? I trusted thee, thinking thee an
upright youth, why speakest thou thus ? ' The
prince answered, ' Is not this which I have
said the commandment of God and the word
of the Apostle ? ' The khoja looked and saw
that there was no help ; he wished to go to the
cadi, but the folk said to him, ' Khoja, now that
woman is his, she is pleased with him and he
is pleased with her, they cannot be divorced by
force/ The khoja was filled with grief and
said, ' He shall not be questioned concerning
what He doth ; ' * and he ceased from trying.
* Koran, xxi. 23.
128 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
He fell ill from his rage and became bedridden ;
then he called the prince and said to him, * Hast
thou any knowledge of what I prayed for thee
under the Golden Spout ? ' The prince replied,
'I know nought of it/ The khoja said, 'Although
I would have prayed otherwise, this came upon
my tongue : " My God, apportion to this youth
my wealth, my sustenance, and my wife." O
youth, would I had not taken from thee yon
girdle ! O youth, my wife was my existence,
now that too is become thine. Now let these
sitting here be witnesses that when I am dead
all that I possess belongs to thee." Three
days afterward he died ; he perished through
grief for that scheming woman ; and the prince
became possessor of his wealth." *
" O king, I have told this story for that thou
mayst know that fidelity comes not from women,
and that their love is not to be trusted. When
they cannot help it, they are obedient to their
husbands, and, fearing the rod of the law, they
wrap their feet in their skirts and sit quiet, other-
wise they would ruin the world with craft
and trickery. Now, O king, act not on the
woman's word." From seven places he per-
formed the salutation due to kings, and begged
* See Appendix B, Note VIII.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 129
for the prince's life. The king heard this story
from the vezir, and that day, too, he sent his
son to the prison, and went himself to the chase.
When it was evening, the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast, the lady brought about an oppor-
tunity, and began upon the youth. The king
said, "To-day such an one of my vezirs made
intercession for him, and I have sent him to the
prison." Quoth the lady, " These vezirs are
all of them traitors to thee, and they are schemers
and plotters. Each of them says words con-
cerning me which if he heard, no true man would
bear ; a man's wife is equal with his life. All
the people marvel at thee, and say thou hast no
sense of honour. But these vezirs have be-
witched thee. Thy lies, too, are many ; every
night thou sayest, ' I will kill this youth ; ' then
thou killest him not, and falsifiest thy words.
O king, through truth is one acceptable both to
God and man. O king, no good will come from
a youth like this ; it were better such a son did
not remain after thee than that he did remain.
Mayhap my king has not heard the story of a
certain merchant." The king said, " Tell on ;
let us hear." Quoth the lady,
K
130 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE LADY'S TENTH STORY.
" There was of old time a great merchant, and
he had two sons. One day the merchant laid
his head on the pillow of death, and he called
his sons before him, and brought together some
wise persons, and said, ' Muslims, if it please
God Most High, these boys will live for many
years ; reckon at the rate of a hundred years
from to-day, and allow to each of them a daily
grant of a thousand aspres, and whatever the
sum may amount to, that sum will I give them,
that after me they may stand in need of no one
till they die, but pass their lives in ease in this
transient world/ Then they reckoned up, and
he gave them much money ; and a few days
afterward he passed to the Abiding Home. The
sons buried their father, and then began to waste
that money. Their father's friends gave them
much advice, but they would not accept it. One
of them would enter the shop of a confectioner
and buy up all the sweetmeats that were therein,
and load porters with them, and take them to
the square of the city, and cry out, ' This is
spoil ! ' and the folk would scramble for them,
and he would laugh. And his business was
ever thus. The other youth would buy wine
and meat, and enter a ship with some flattering
THE LADY'S TENTH STORY. 131
buffoons, and eat and drink and make merry ;
and when he was drunk he would mix up gold
and silver coins before him, and throw them by
handfuls into the sea, and their flashing into the
water pleased him, and he would laugh. And
his business likewise was ever thus. By reason
of these follies, the wealth of both of them came
to an end in little time, in such wise that they
were penniless, so that they sat by the way and
begged. At length the merchants, their father's
friends, came together, and went to the king
and said, * The sons of such and such a mer-
chant are fallen a prey to a plight like this ; if
they be not disgraced now, to-morrow will our
sons also act like them. Do thou now put them
to death, for the love of God, that they may be
an example, and that others may not act as they.'
Then the king commanded that they brought
them both into his presence, and the king said
to them, ' O unhappy ones, what plight is this
plight in which ye are ? Where is the heads-
man ? ' And he ordered them to be killed.
They said, * O king, be not wroth at our having
fallen into this plight, and kill us not ; our father
is the cause of our being thus, for he com-
mended us not to God Most High, but com-
mended us to money ; and the end of the child
who is commended to money is thus.' Their
K 2
132 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
words seemed good to the king, and he said,
' By God, had ye not answered thus, I had cleft
ye in twain/ And then he bestowed on each
of them a village."
" Now, O king, I have related this story for
that among youths there is nor shame nor
honour, neither is there zeal for friend or foe.
Beware and beware, be not negligent, ere the
youth kill thee do thou kill him, else thou shalt
perish." When the king heard this story from
the lady he said, " On the morrow will I kill
him." And they went to bed.
When it was morning, and the darkness of
night, like the wealth of that merchant, was
scattered, the king sat upon his throne and
commanded the executioner, saying, " Smite off
the youth's head." Then the Eleventh Vezir
came forward and said, " O king of the world,
hurry not in this affair, and whatsoever thou
doest, do according to the command of God
and the word of the Apostle ; and the Holy
Apostle hath said that when the Resurrection
is near, knowledge will vanish and ignorance
will increase and the spilling of blood will be
oft. O king, leave not the Law, and spill not
blood unjustly on thine own account, and pity the
innocent ; for they have said that whoso taketh
a fallen one by the hand to raise him shall be
THE ELEVENTH VEZIR S STORY. 133
happy ; but whoso, having the power, raiseth
him not shall himself burn in the fire of regret.
Mayhap the king has not heard the story of a
certain king and a vezir's son." The king
said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE ELEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" Of old time there was a king, and that
king had a sage vezir. God Most High had
given that vezir a son ; and the people of the
world were bewildered at the beauty of that
boy. And the king loved him so that he
could not endure to be a moment without
seeing him, and he never parted from him. So
his parents yearned for the boy, but what avail ?
they had needs have patience through fear of the
king. One day, the king while drunk entered
the palace and saw this boy playing with
another page, and thereupon was he wroth
and he commanded the executioner, ' Smite off
the head of this degenerate boy.' And they
dragged the boy out. Thereupon word was
sent to the vezir, and he came straightway,
and crying, * My life ! my son ! ' went up to the
headsman and said, ' O headsman, now is the
king drunk and senseless and he knows not
the words he says ; if thou kill the boy to-
night, to-morrow the king will not spare thee ;
134 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
but will kill thee likewise/ The headsman
said, ' How should we do ? he said to me,
" Quick, smite off his head and bring it."
The vezir answered, ' Go to the prison and
smite off the head of some man meriting death,
and bring it ; at this time the king has not his
senses and will believe it/ And he gave the
headsman much gold. The headsman took the
sequins and was glad, and went forthwith to
the prison and smote off the head of a robber
and brought it to the king. The king was
pleased and gave the headsman a robe of
honour. And the vezir took the boy and
brought him to his own house and hid him
there. When it was morning and the king's
senses returned, he asked for the boy, and they
said, ' This night thou didst command the
executioner that he smote off the boy's head/
As soon as the king heard this he fell senseless
and his understanding forsook him. After a
while his understanding returned and he sat
beating his knees and he fell a- weeping. Then
the vezir, feigning not to know, came before the
king and said, ' O king, what plight is this ? '
Quoth the king, ' O vezir, where is that source
of my life ? where is that spring of my soul ?'
The vezir said, * O king, whom meanest thou ? '
The king replied, ' Thy son, who was the joy
THE ELEVENTH VEZIR S STORY. 135
of my heart.' And he cried and wept beyond
control, and the vezir rent his collar and wailed
and lamented. For two months the one
business of the king was sighing and crying ;
during the nights he would not sleep till dawn
for weeping, and he would say, ' My God, shall
I never behold his face ? mayhap I shall behold
it at the Resurrection. To me henceforth life
is not beseeming.' Mad words like these
would he utter. And he ceased from eating
and drinking, and retired from the throne and
sought a private house and wept ever, and it
wanted little but he died. When the vezir
saw this, he one day decked out the boy like a
flower and took him and went to the private
place where the king dwelt. He left the boy
at the door and went in himself and saw that
the king had bowed his head in adoration and
was praying to God and weeping and thus
saying, ' My God, henceforth is life unlawful
for me, do Thou in Thy mercy take my soul ; '
and he was lamenting, recalling the darling
fashions of the boy. The vezir heard this wail
of the king and said, 'O king, how thou
weepest ! thou hast forsaken manhood and art
become a by-word in the world.' The king
replied, * Henceforth advice profits me not ; lo,
begone.' Quoth the vezir, 'O king, if God
136 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Most High took pity on thee and brought the
boy to life, wouldst thou forgive his fault ? and
what wouldst thou give to him who brought
thee news thereof ? * The king said, * O would
that it could be so! all the wealth that I have
in my treasury would I give to him who brought
me news thereof, and my kingdom would I
give to the boy ; and I should be content to
look from time to time on the boy's face.'
Then the vezir beckoned to the boy and he came
in, and went and kissed the king's hand. As
soon as the king saw the boy his senses
forsook him, and the vezir sprinkled rose-water
on the king's face and withdrew. When the
king's senses returned he saw the boy beside
him and he thought that his soul had gone and
returned. When it was morning the vezir came
before the king, and the king said, ' As thou
hast brought the boy to me whole, go, all
that is in my treasury is thine.' The vezir
answered, ' O king of the world, rather is the
wealth which is in my treasury thine ; we are
both of us the meanest of the king's slaves.
May God (glorified and exalted be He!) grant
fortune to our king and long life ! We too
shall live in thy felicity.' The king was
glad at the words of the vezir, and bestowed
many towns and villages on the son of the
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 137
vezir, and offered up many sacrifices, and gave
away much alms."
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may take profit and not do a deed with-
out reflection, that he be not afterward re-
pentant, like that king, and suffer not bitter
regret and remorse. That king suffered so
great regret and remorse for a vezir's son, yet
this one is the darling of thine own heart. The
rest the king knows. Beware, O king, slay
not the prince on the woman's word." And he
kissed the ground and made intercession for
the prince for that day. So the king sent the
youth to the prison and went himself to the
chase.
When it was evening the king returned
from the chase and came to the palace, and the
lady rose to greet him, and they sat down.
After the repast the lady commenced to speak
about the youth. The king said, " To-day too
such an one of my vezirs made intercession for
him and I sent him to the prison." The lady
said, " O king, three things are the signs of
folly ; the first is to put off to-day's business
till to-morrow, the second is to speak words
foolishly, and the third is to act upon senseless
words. O king, whatsoever thy vezirs say,
that thou believest straightway and actest upon.
138 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Satan is of a surety entered into these thy
vezirs and into thy boy ; in whose heart soever he
plants the love of office or of wealth, him in the
end does he leave without the Faith. Mayhap
the king has not heard the story of the devotee
Barslsa." The king said, " Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S ELEVENTH STORY.
" Of old time there was a devotee called
Barslsa who had worshipped in his cell for a
hundred years, standing up in prayer during the
night and fasting during the day, and not an
hour did he cease from devotion. The people
of the age believed in him, so that for one word
of his they would give their lives, and some of
them were his disciples and some were his
friends. Whatever sick person he breathed on
and prayed over was restored to health. He
was one whose prayers were answered, and his
miracles were evident. A daughter of the king
of that Clime was sick and the physicians were
powerless to cure her. At length the king said,
' Go, take her to Barslsa, the devotee, that he
may pray over her, haply she may be cured.'
So the eunuchs took the girl and brought her to
Barslsa. Barslsa saw the girl that she was a
lady of wondrous beauty, and his heart inclined
THE LADY'S ELEVENTH STORY. 139
unto her. That same hour Satan tempted him,
and the flesh overcame him. Satan said, ' O
sheykh, when shall an opportunity such as
this, and a beauty such as this be in thy power
again ?' The sheykh said in his heart, ' How
shall I make shift to accomplish my desire ?'
Quoth Satan, ' Thou must say to the eunuchs
who came with the girl, " Let the girl remain
here this night ; do ye go ; and when it is near
morning I shall pray over her that she may find
health, then come ye and take her and go your
ways." They will not question thy words, but
leave the girl and go ; and from night till morn
thou canst make merry with her. When it is
near morning, pray over her that she may find
health ; and they will come and take the girl ;
and the girl will go, and she will not say, " The
sheykh did so by me ; " and even if she do,
none will believe her. And the pleasure thou
hast had will be thine.' So the sheykh, reflect-
ing not on the end thereof, how that his face
would be black in the world and the Hereafter,
said to the eunuchs, ' Leave the girl here this
night, and go your ways.' The eunuchs told the
king, and the king said, ' What evit would come
from the sheykh ? let her stay.' As soon as it
was night, Satan came and said, 'O sheykh,
how- sittest thou still ? into whose hand comes
I 4 o HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
a beauty like this ? up, make merry with her.'
The poor sheykh's veins began to throb and he
could not drive from his heart the whisperings
of Satan, and the cruel flesh overcame him. So
he arose and took to him the girl, and kissed
her and embraced her.* No sooner was the
passion of the sheykh fulfilled than he repented
him of what he had done. Thereupon Satan
appeared before him and said, ' O sheykh, when
the king sees his daughter in this plight his
killing thee is certain.' Said the sheykh, ' What
can I do ? ' Satan answered, ' Kill the girl, and
bury her in a secret place ; and if they come in
the morning and ask for the girl, say thou, " I
prayed over her, and she became well and is
gone." And they will believe thy words and go
and search in vain, and, finding her not, will
leave off; and thou shalt escape.' The sheykh
gave way to the tempting of Satan, and slew
the girl and buried her in a corner of his cell.
When it was morning the eunuchs came from the
king and asked for the girl. The sheykh said,
* Early in the morning I prayed over her and
she found health, and went out and is not re-
turned.' The eunuchs searched every corner of
the city, but found her not. Then Satan, taking
* 'Aqibet qizin muhr-i bekaretin bozdi, adds the original.
THE LADY'S ELEVENTH STORY. 141
the form of an old man, came and said to the
eunuchs, ' What seek ye ? ' The eunuchs re-
plied, * We want the girl.' Satan related to
them all the evils, one by one, which the sheykh
had done to the girl and said, ' If ye believe
not, go, see, she is buried in such and such a
corner of the cell.' They went quickly and dug
up that place as Satan had told them, and took
out the girl. And they seized the sheykh and
took him with the girl before the king. When
the king saw his daughter in this plight he
sighed and wept. And he brought together
the doctors and sheykhs of that Clime and told
them the foul deeds of the sheykh, and they all
marvelled and gave leave for his execution.
The king said, ' Hang ye him.' When they
raised the sheykh on the gallows, Satan came
before him and said, ' O sheykh, if I save thee
from this evil, wilt thou call me God and adore
me ? ' The sheykh said, ' I will.' Then quoth
Satan, ' Adore me now with thine eyes and eye-
brows.' And the sheykh adored Satan with the
corner of his eye ; but it availed not, and they
hanged him. And Satan said, ' There is one who
has turned thee from the Path and in the end
has made thy life to go ; and thou hast abandoned
the Faith, and art not delivered.' And he spat
in his face and vanished. Now, such a sheykh,
I 4 2 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
whose prayers had been answered, was in the end,
by Satan the accursed, turned from the Path and
left in this wise."
" O king, I have told this story that thou
mayst know that, Satan seeing how he led astray
a devotee like that, is surely able to deceive
thy son and thy vezirs. And they have said
that Satan has three different snares, each
subtler than the other : when a believer seeks
to found charitable buildings, he comes and says,
' Why dost thou waste thy substance ? when old
age comes upon thee, how will be thy case ? '
or, ' After thee thy sons will be orphans, will
not they need the means of livelihood ? ' If the
believer pass that snare, then Satan comes and
says, ' If thou wilt build such things, build but
little;' or, 'If thou wilt make free-kitchen or
bridge, make a little one and endow it scantly.'
If he pass that too and turn away, Satan says,
1 If thou wilt build such, speak to the folk that
they may know that it is thou who hast done
it.' So that it may be hypocrisy, and the good
may be rendered of none effect. Now, O king,
the works of these are ever evil ; Satan has
turned these altogether to himself. Beware,
have great heed of them ; for they have aimed
at thy life and wealth." When the king heard
these beguiling words of the lady he said, " On
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 143
the morrow will I slay him." And they went
to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne and caused them to bring the
prince and ordered the executioner, " Smite off
his head." Whereupon the Twelfth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king, the counsel of the
Kings of the East is, ' Tell not secrets to women
and confide not thy business to them.' And
beware of avarice, for the avaricious shall not
enter Paradise. The Holy Apostle hath said,
' The avaricious man shall not enter Paradise,
even though he be a devotee.' Love not the
avaricious. And women are lacking in honesty;
it is not worthy of kings to give their free-
will into a woman's hands and reject the
counsel of these many vezirs. O king, the
hostility of the learned and wise is better than
the friendship of foolish persons. The time
may be when much evil may arise from the
true words of the foolish, and much good
may arise from the untrue words of the wise.
The learned have said that that falsehood
which betters one's affair is before that truth
which ruins his affair. And the Holy Apostle
hath said, ' That person who says what is
untrue and so makes peace between two
persons, does better than if he spake the truth.'
144 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
There is a story suitable to this." The king
said, " Relate, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
TWELFTH VEZIR'S STORY.
"Sultan Mahmud* had a favourite vezir
called Ayaz. One day a dervish came to Ayaz
and said, ' For the love of God get somewhat
for me from the king.' Ayaz answered, ' To-
morrow the king will go to the chase, do thou
come before the king and pray and say, " O
king, I know the language of birds." If the
king ask me, I shall answer and get somewhat
for thee from the king/ So on the morrow the
dervish did so. Ayaz was by the king's side
and he said, ' O king, give me this dervish that
I may learn the language of birds.' The king
answered, * Take him, let him bide with thee/
Ayaz said, ' O king, give this dervish some little
thing that may be an allowance to him till thy
slave learn the language of birds.' So the
king gave the dervish a daily allowance of a
gold sequin. For a time the dervish abode
with Ayaz ; and after that, Ayaz went before
the king and said, ' O king, I have learned the
language of birds from the dervish.' And he
caused them to give the dervish much wealth ;
* Sultan Mahmud of GhaznI.
THE TWELFTH VEZIRS STORY. 145
and the dervish went away. One day Sultan
Mahmud went to the chase with Ayaz. While
on the road the king saw that there were two
trees growing, one on either side of the way,
and upon each an owl was perched, and these
were screaming across to each other. The king
said, ' O Ayaz, thou sayest that thou knowest
the language of birds ; what are these birds
saying ? Listen and tell me.' Ayaz listened
for a little while and then said, ( O king, this bird
has a son and this other has a daughter, and this
one wants the other's daughter for his son, and
the other wants five hundred ruined villages
and towns as dower for his daughter, and this
one answers, " What is five hundred villages !
since Sultan Mahmud is king over this Clime, if
thou wish a thousand I shall give thee them."
Sultan Mahmud heard this answer from Ayaz
and said, ' Am I such a tyrant that in my time
towns and villages are ruined ? ' And he
straightway ordered that they restored all the
ruined towns and villages in his country. So
by reason of that untruth he set about acting
with justice ; and now, whenever his name is re-
called, they say, ' The mercy of God on him !'"
" O king, I have related this story for that
the king may know that because Sultan Mahmud
believed his vezir's words and acted accordingly,
L
146 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
beside gaining great reward in Heaven, he will
be remembered till the Resurrection. So what
beseems the king is this, that in every instance
he act according to his vezir's words. If any
hurt befall the king, be the condition that he
smite off the heads of the whole of us forty
vezirs." And all the vezirs said, " We agree to
this." And they kissed the ground and made
intercession for the prince. When the king
heard this story from the vezir he sent the
prince to the prison and himself mounted for
the chase.
When it was evening the king returned to
the palace from the chase, and the lady rose to
greet him, and they sat down. After the repast,
the lady began to speak about the youth. The
king said, " This day too, such an one of my
vezirs made intercession for him and I sent
him to the prison." The lady said, " Dost thou
see how thou believest me not ? Lo, now all
of them are allied, they wish to release this
youth from thy hand and set him free, that
afterward when they find an opportunity they
may finish their affair. O king, this night I had
a dream ; without doubt or uncertainty God
Most High hath made manifest to me the
treachery of these, it is even as the Holy Apostle
hath said, ' The dream is the inspiration of the
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 147
believer.' O king, this night I saw in my dream
that thou wast seated on thy throne, when a
poisonous dragon appeared before thee ; I
counted and it had forty heads, each of which
was poison-smeared, and behind it crept an
untold innumerable host of snakes. And they
came on till that dragon took the king and
his throne in its mouth, but it could not swallow
them and so put them out again. Three times it
tried thus, and at length, unable to avail, it
gathered into one place all the venom that was in
its forty heads, when, while it was making to
shower that over the king, I cried out from
opposite, * O king, the dragon is about to shower
venom over thee.' And I cried so that I awoke
through fear." Then was the king afraid, and
he said, " What may the interpretation of this
dream be ? " The lady answered, " O king, the
interpretation of this dream is clear ; that dragon
is this youth, and those forty heads are thy
vezirs, each one of whom is full of poison, and
that host of snakes is the rabble who follow
them ; that dragon which three times sought to
swallow thee is again this youth who purposed
evil against thee, and his succeeding not is his
being feeble, and his making to shower over
thee the poison that was in those his forty heads
is the forty vezirs' being one, and his wishing
L 2
148 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
to slay thee by their aid ; and my crying out is
my saying" every day, ' O king, have great care.'
That is the interpretation of this my vision. O
king, be thou ware of these, take my counsel ;
every day thou sayest, * I will kill him ;' yet
thou killest him not. My story with thee re-
sembles the story of a certain king and a
weaver." The king said, " Relate it, let us
hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWELFTH STORY.
" Of old time there was a great king. One
day a man came before him and said, ' My
king, I shall weave a turban such that one
born in wedlock will see it, while the bastard
will see it not.' The king marvelled and ordered
that that weaver should weave that turban ; and
the weaver received an allowance from the king
and tarried a long while. One day he folded
up this side and that side of a paper and brought
it and laid it before the king and said, ' O king,
I have woven that turban.' So the king opened
the paper and saw that there was nothing ; and
all the vezirs and nobles who stood there looked
on the paper and saw nothing. Then the king
said in his heart, * Dost thou see ? I am then
a bastard ;' and he was sad. And he thought,
' Now, the remedy is this, that I say it is a goodly
THE LADY'S TWELFTH STORY. 149
turban and admire it, else will I be put to shame
before the folk.' And he said ' Blessed be God!
O master, it is a goodly turban, I like it much.'
Then that weaver youth said, 'O king, let them
bring a cap that I may wind the turban for the
king.' They brought a cap, and the weaver
youth laid that paper before him and moved his
hands as though he wound the turban, and he
put it on the king's head. All the nobles who
were standing there said, * Blessed be it ! O
king, how fair, how beautiful a turban ! ' and they
applauded it much. Then the king rose and
went with two vezirs into a private room and
said, ' O vezirs, I am then a bastard ; I see not
the turban.' Quoth the vezirs, ' O king, we too
see it not.' At length they knew of a surety that
the turban had no existence, and that that weaver
had thus played a trick for the sake of money."
" O king,- thou too sayest, ' On the morrow
will I kill him ; I will do this and I will do
that;' and yet there is nothing. O king, I had
that dream this night, there is no doubt that
it is as I have interpreted. O king, if the
king's life and throne go, who knows what they
will do to hapless me ?" And she began to
weep. When the king saw the lady thus
weeping his heart was pained and he said, " On
the morrow I will indeed refuse the words of
150 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
whichsoever of my vezirs makes intercession
for him, and I will indeed kill the youth ; for,
according to the dream thou hast had, this is
no light affair." And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and commanded the executioner,
" Smite off his head." Whereupon the Thir-
teenth Vezir came forward and sought to make
o
intercession, but the king was wroth and said,
" Be silent, speak not." Thereupon the vezir
drew a paper from his breast and said, " For
God's sake read this paper, then thou wilt
know." Then the king looked at the paper
and saw that there was written thereon, * O
king, yesterday I looked at the astrolabe ; for
forty days is the prince's ruling star in very evil
aspect, such that the prince may even lose his
head/ Then all the forty vezirs came forward
at once and said, " O king, for the love of God
and the honour of Muhammed Mustafa, for the
forty days have patience and slay not the
prince ; thereafter it is certain that this affair
will be made clear, and when its origin is known
must each one receive his due." Then said the
vezir, " There is a story suitable to this ; if the
king grant leave I will tell it." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIFS STORY. 151
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a
great king and he ruled over the Seven Climes.
But he had neither son nor daughter, and he
was ever offering sacrifices in the way of God.
One day God Most High accepted his sacrifice
and bestowed on him from His bounty a fair
son who was in his time a second Joseph. So
the king was glad, and that day he held a high
feast, and at that feast he gave robes of honour
and money to many men. After that he
assembled the astrologers and made them cast
the prince's horoscope ; and the astrologers
looked the one at the other and were bewild-
ered and confounded. Then the king said,
4 What see ye that ye stand looking the one at
the other ?' The astrologers replied, ' O king
of the world, we have cast the .prince's horo-
scope ; and in the astrolabe and the Jamesb-
Nama they thus rule, that from his thirtieth
year to his sixtieth the prince's ruling star is
afflicted so that he shall wander in strange lands,
with tribulation and pain for his companions :
" None .... knoweth the unseen save God." '*
After the king had heard these things from the
astrologers, at times his heart would be sad and
* Koran, xxvii. 66
1 52 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
at times he would plunge into the ocean of
deliberation. Saying, ' God knows the end of
the boy/ he began to train up the prince.
When the latter entered his seventh year he
appointed him a teacher, and he passed some
years in acquiring reading and writing. When
he was become a young man his father got for
him a king's daughter ; and after a time the
prince had two sons. These children, too, in a
little time acquired knowledge ; and from time
to time they would go out a-pleasuring with
their father. One day the prince's heart de-
sired a sea-voyage, and he commanded that
they prepared a ship, and with his children and
forty slaves and attendants he entered the ship.
For many days they sailed the sea full pleas-
antly. But there was there a Prankish corsair
filled with infidels, and they encountered
the prince's ship and straightway flung their
grappling-irons, and took captive the prince
and his two sons and forty servants, and went
off. They took 'the prince and the forty men
and sold them to the cannibal negroes ; but the
two boys they sold not, but kept by them.
The negroes fed up the prince and the men
with delicate and delicious foods, and every day
they took one of them to their king's kitchen
and cut his throat, and cooked him at the fire
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIFS STORY. 153
and ate him. When they had eaten the forty men,
the prince's turn came, him too they took and
brought to the kitchen that they might cut his
throat. The prince perceived that plight, and
he entreated God in his heart to give him
strength, and he burst the fetters that were
round his wrists and, striking about with the
chains that were in his hands, he slipped through
them and rushed out. While he was running
on, a vast forest appeared before him, he entered
it, and although the negroes searched for him they
could not find him. Then he came out thence
and fared on many stages till one day he came
to a great city. The people crying, ' He is an
enemy/ rushed upon him. And the prince
exclaimed, ' O Lord ! what tribulation is this ! '
and fought with them. Word was brought to
their king, and he came and saw that the prince
was fighting like a dragon. When the king
saw the prince's valour he admired it, and said
to his soldiers who were there, ' Let no one
attack the stranger.' Then the soldiers dis-
persed, and the king took the prince and went
to the palace. He prepared a suit of clothes,
and sent him to the bath, and caused his head
to be shaven and made him put on those clothes,
and brought him back to the palace. The king
said, ' Come, remain by me, I have a daughter,
154 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
I will give her thee.' The prince consented ;
so they gave him the king's daughter ; and he
remained there two years and his lot was right
pleasant. One day the prince's wife died ; now
this was their custom, they had a great deep
pit, and if a man died they put his wife with
him alive into that pit, and if a woman died
they did the same with her husband ; and they
let down along with them a loaf of bread and a
pitcher of water, and covered over the pit with
a great stone. So they brought the prince and
his wife with a loaf of bread and a pitcher of
water to that pit, and, saying, ' It is our custom/
lowered both of them into the pit and placed
that great stone over them. When the prince
saw himself in such case he was bewildered and
said, * My God ! what plight is this ! ' and he
prayed to God. And he searched the inside of
the pit carefully and saw a fair girl seated there,
and he asked her, * What manner of girl art
thou ?' She replied, * I am a young bride ; they
have put me into this pit with my husband.'
And the prince examined the pit, and saw
it to be all full of the bodies of men, some
of which were decayed and some of which
were writhing in the agonies of death ; and
dread overcame the prince. Of a sudden,
while he was seated, a rustling sound came from
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 155
one part of the pit ; the prince knew that it was
some beast, and he arose and went with the girl
straight to that place, and he found the passage
through which that beast had come in. They
went for a time through that passage, and at
length came out on the skirt of a mountain on
the bank of a great river. And they were glad
thereat, and thanked God much. And there
they found a boat, and they gathered fruit from
that mountain and filled the boat, and they both
entered the boat and went along with the cur-
rent of the river. That river grew wider day
by day ; but it passed underneath a great
mountain. When they came near to the tunnel
under that mountain they could not govern the
boat, and the water took the boat and bore it
under the mountain. When the prince saw
this he exclaimed, * My God ! O Lord ! what
tribulation is this too ! how shall we escape
from this !' Helpless they sat in the boat ; now
the water dashed the boat against the rocks,
now it made it fly down precipices, and now
the mountain became low and pushed the boat
under the water ; and they, never ceasing,
emptied the water out of the boat. They knew
not at all whither the boat was going, neither
did they know whether it was night or day.
For a long time they were a prey to that an-
156 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
guish ; and scarce a spark of life remained in
their bodies when, at length, after a hundred
thousand perils, their boat came out from under
the mountain on to the surface of the earth.
They were glad, and they drew their boat to
the shore and got out of it, and took fruits from
the trees that were there, and ate them. While
standing there they saw a great white vaulted
building, the dome whereof was of crystal. The
prince and the girl went up to it, and they saw
that it was a great castle, and that the domed
building was within the castle, and on the door
of the castle was written, 'O thou who wouldst
open this door, O thou who desirest to over-
come this talisman, bring a five-footed animal
and kill it before here, that the bolts of this
talisman may be opened thereby/ The prince
marvelled and said, ' Is there in the world a five-
footed animal ? ' and he wondered. And they
sat by the gate of the castle and lice tormented
them, and they began to louse themselves. The
prince killed a louse, and straightway the bolts
of the castle fell, and they knew that the said
five-footed animal was the louse. Then they
both entered by a door, and they saw a garden,
such that of every tree which is in the world
there was therein ; and ripe fruits were hanging
there and running streams were flowing. And
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 157
the prince felt a longing for those fruits and he
went to pluck one of them that he might eat it,
when he saw that those trees were of gold and
their fruits of silver and jewels, and that precious
stones were lying at the foot of the trees, scat-
tered like pebbles in a brook. They passed
through and came to that dome, it was fashioned
of crystal, they entered by a silver door and saw
that within that dome was another dome all of
pure gold. It too they entered and saw yet ano-
ther dome, all the walls and the top of which
were of ruby, built after the fashion of Paradise.
They entered it and saw a throne upon which
was a coffin made of jewels, and at the head of
the coffin was a tablet whereon was written :
' O son of Adam, who comest hither and seest
me, know thou that I was a king, and that all the
world was in my hands, and my wealth was be-
yond bounds or computation. Men and demons
and fairies and jinn were my warriors; and I
lived in the world for a thousand years, and I
never said, " I shall die;" and I made not any
preparation against death. One day, of a sudden,
I fell sick, and I knew of a surety that I was
about to die, and I commanded that this dome
was built in three days, and I made it a sepulchre
for myself. And by my head are two fountains ;
drink, and pray for me.' And the prince saw
158 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
those two fountains and drank ; and from one of
them flowed sugared sherbet and from the other
milk. And they drank of both of them and re-
mained a long while by that grave, and they
nourished themselves on the milk and drank of
the sherbet. At length they found some vases,
and they took of the milk and the sherbet and
the jewels and the gold, and filled their boat with
them, and again set forth on their voyage. After
they had gone for a time the wind drove their
boat upon an island, and they went forth from the
boat to look for fruit on the mountain that they
might eat. Of a sudden a body of men came
and seized them ; and the prince saw these that
they had no heads, their mouths were in their
breasts and their eyes in their shoulders, and
their speech, when they spake together, was as
the chirping of birds. And they took the two
and brought them to their king ; and they re-
mained there prisoners a long time. At length
one day they found an opportunity and escaped,
and again they entered their boat and sailed for
a long time upon the sea. Brief, the prince
wandered for thirty years upon the seas, some-
times happening among nine-headed men, and
sometimes among bird-headed, and sometimes
falling among elephant-headed folk, and some-
times among ox-headed, and then escaping ;
THE THIRTEENTH VEZItfS STORY. 159
and each of them inflicted different torments on
the prince. Still God Most High opened a way
and he escaped. And he saw these strange and
wondrous creatures, and he marvelled. At length,
through the grace of God (glorified and exalted
be He !), the wind drove the prince's ship before
a city, and he saw that the inhabitants of that
country were all men, and he came out. When
these saw the prince they cried, 'He is a spy,'
and seized him and bound his arms behind his
back, and tied a rope round his neck, and took
him alongside a horse, and said, ' Our lord has
put down: when ships come from the sea and
touch at our country, seize their spies and take
them to our king.' And the prince exclaimed,
' What tribulation is this too ! how to go along-
side a horse ! ' And while he was praying in
his heart they reached the city. And they took
the prince in this plight to their king. When the
king saw the prince he asked, ' What manner of
man art thou ?' The prince said, ' Many mar-
vellous things have befallen me;' and he re-
lated his adventures from their beginning to their
end. When the king heard his story he loosed
the prince's bands and took him to his side and
clad him in sumptuous robes of honour. The
prince asked for the jewels that were in his ship.
The king bade bring them and said, ' O prince, I
160 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
know thy kingdom, and I heard that the Franks
had taken thee ; and I know thy father too.
Come, go not away, stay ; I have a daughter, I
will give her thee, and we shall live pleasantly
together.' The prince replied, * O king, when I
was born of my mother, my father caused my
horoscope to be cast, and the astrologers thus
ruled, that my life was afflicted for thirty years ;
mayhap if I took the king's daughter, some evil
might befall the king's daughter by reason of my
affliction ; I may not consent.' Then the king
brought the astrologers and made them cast the
prince's horoscope. The astrologers gave good
news, saying, * Glad tidings be to thee, those
thirty afflicted years are passed, now his ruling
star has entered the sign of good fortune.' The
prince was exceeding glad and joyful. There-
upon the king commanded that they made ready
a festival, and he gave his daughter to the prince,
and he greatly honoured and reverenced him.
After some time the king died, and the prince
became king in his stead. One day when he was
seated on his throne they said, ' O king, a Frank
has come with much merchandise ; if the king
grant leave, he will bring his merchandise.' The
king replied, ' There is leave, let him bring it.'
And the Frank brought his merchandise before
the king. The king saw his two sons at the
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIRS STORY. 161
Frank's side, then the blood of love boiled, and
the affection of paternity yearned for them ; and
he asked that Frank, 'Are these youths thine ? '
The Frank answered, ' They are my slaves/
The king said, T will buy them/ And he took
the youths to a place apart and said, ' Where did
this Frank get you ? ' Then they related their
adventures from their beginning to their end ;
and the king knew of a certainty that they were
his own sons, and he pressed them to his heart
and kissed each of them on the eyes, and said,
' I am your father/ Then the king arose ; and
they killed the Frank with a thousand tor-
ments."*
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may know that haps such as this often
befall princes. Their happy fortune passes
into the sign of inauspiciousness, and they be-
come a prey to a thousand tribulations and dis-
tresses, so that even gold turns into black earth
in their hands, and all their friends become
enemies to them. Afterward the malefic aspect
gives place to prosperity and auspiciousness,
then everyone is their friend. O king, this
youth's ruling star is likewise afflicted for a few
days. Beware, O king, until the days of the
* See Appendix B, Note IX.
M
1 62 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
malefic aspect be fulfilled, slay not the youth,
else afterward thou wilt be repentant, and too
late repentance profits not. The rest the king
knows." When the king heard this story from
the vezir he asked for the youth's governor, but
he could not be found. So again he sent the
youth to the prison and went himself to the
chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady again began to speak about
the youth. The king said, " To-day also such
an one of my vezirs made intercession for him
and I sent him to the prison." And he related
to the lady that story which the vezir had told.
Then said the lady, " O king, the reason of
these vezirs stirring up trouble is that they wish
to sow enmity between thee and me. Beware,
O king, go not by the words of these, but follow
well my words, that thy present state and thy
Hereafter may be happy. When God Most
High decrees good between husband and wife
He gives mildness and accord. And, moreover,
O king, be it good news to thee, a week ago
did I conceive by thee ; till now I have not told
thee, but now I have told thee and do thou
believe it true." And the king believed it.
THE LADYS THIRTEENTH STORY. 163
Then she continued, " O king, lo, these vezirs
say that this youth's star has fallen into a
malefic aspect. His star became afflicted what
time he made for thy life and thy kingdom and
for me. God Most High aided us and afflicted
his star and brought down his head." And the
lady was glad and said, " Thy true son is he
that is in my womb ; that youth is without doubt
base-born. Mayhap the king has not heard the
story of him who had no sons." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTEENTH STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a great
king, and he had neither son nor daughter.
And there was in his country a sheykh whose
prayers were answered. One day the king,
while conversing with the sheykh, said, ' O
sheykh, God Most High has given me no son ;
do thou strive in prayer that God Most High
give me a son.' The sheykh replied, ' Send an
offering to the convent that the dervishes may
eat, and we shall pray for thee ; God Most
High is a gracious King, He will give thee a
son/ Now the king had a golden-ankleted fat
ram that was valiant in fight ; and he sent that
ram to the sheykh's convent with some loads of
M 2
164 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
rice and honey and oil. That night the der-
vishes ate and were pleased ; and the sheykh
sent of that meat in an earthen bowl to the
king, saying, ' Let him desire a son and eat of
the dervishes' portion.' Then the dervishes
danced, after which they prayed and besought
of God a son for the king. By the divine de-
cree the king's wife conceived that night, and in a
short time she brought forth a moon-faced boy.
The king was delighted, and called the people
of the country to the feast; and he took the prince
and laid him on the sheykh's skirt, and he be-
stowed many gifts on the sheykh's convent.
One day, some time after that, when the king
was conversing with the sheykh, he said, ' O
sheykh, what if thou were to pray and beseech
of God another son for me ?' The sheykh
replied, ' The favours of God are many ; to pray
is ours, to give is His ; send then an offering
to the dervishes.' Now the king had a favour-
ite plump horse, that sent he forthwith to the
convent. The devotees cut its throat and
roasted it, and again sent an earthen bowl of it
to the king. They ate the rest themselves, and
prayed and besought of God a son for the king.
By the divine decree the lady again conceived,
and in a short time she brought forth a moon-
faced boy. And the king was delighted and
THE LADY'S THIRTEENTH STORY. 165
sent many gifts to the dervishes. Some time
afterward the king requested the sheykh to
beg of God yet another son. The sheykh
said, ' To pray is ours, to give is God's ; send
again an offering to the devotees.' Now the
king had a good mule, that sent he to the con-
vent. The devotees sold that mule and took
its price and therewith prepared a confection.
And they sent a bowl of that too to the king.
After the dance they prayed and besought of
God a son for the king. Again the king's wife
conceived and gave birth to a moon-faced boy.
And the king was glad and sent many gifts to
the dervishes. When the king's sons grew up,
the eldest turned out very valiant ; the second
proved swift of foot and accomplished and pos-
sessed of understanding and sagacity ; but the
youngest was ill-omened and ill-natured, and
oppressed men, and wounded and wasted the
hearts of many poor creatures with the sword
of his tongue. And the king was sore grieved
because of him. One day while conversing with
the sheykh he complained of his youngest son
and said, * O sheykh, would that we had not
besought of God that youngest boy/ The
sheykh replied, ' O king, why art thou grieved ?
thou art thyself the cause of that youth being
thus.' The king asked, ' How am I the cause?'
1 66 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
The sheykh answered, ' First thou gavest in
the cause of God a ram among beasts, and God
Most High hath given thee a ram among men*;
then thou gavest in the cause of God a courser
of the plain of earth among beasts, and God
Most High hath given thee a courser of the
plain of glory and fortune and understanding
and accomplishments among men ; and after
that thou gavest in the cause of God an ill-
omened and base-born brute among beasts,
and God hath given thee such an one among
men. O king, he who sows barley reaps not
wheat.' In the end the king got no rest until he
had killed the youth."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that from this ill-omened,
base-born one no good will come. They have
said that the base-born are of two classes ;
the one the fruit of adultery, the other the fruit
of an unlawful morsel. This thy son is with-
out doubt of one of these two sets ; lo, thy true-
born offspring is about to come into existence."
When the king heard these beguiling words of
the lady he said, " On the morrow will I kill
the youth, be not sad." And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
* The ram is a type of courage.
THE FOURTEENTH VEZIR S STORY. 167
upon his throne and ordered the executioner
that he brought the youth, and he said, " Smite
off his head." The Fourteenth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world, it is
not seemly to kill the prince in compliance with
the woman's word, for the angels that are in
Heaven are not safe against woman's wiles ;
such is the story of Harut and Marut ; mayhap
my king has not heard it." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE FOURTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have related that what time God
Most High said to the angels, ' I will place a
vicegerent upon earth,' the angels said, * Thou
wilt make a vicegerent, and they will do evil on
the earth and shed blood ; we celebrate Thy
praise.' The glorious answer proceeded from
God Most High, ' Ye know not what I know/
Then God Most High brought Adam from the
world of non-existence into the world of being ;
and Adam's children multiplied and did evil
and shed blood. And the angels said, ' O our
Lord, Thou hast created Adam ; and his children
commit adultery and do evil and shed blood/
God Most High replied, ' O my angels, had I
given to you the passions I have given to them,
ye too would have done all manner evil and
1 68 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
wrought works of wickedness.' They said,
* We celebrate the praise of God ; far be it that
we should do evil like the sons of Adam.'
Then said God Most High, * Which among
you is the most devout and austere, that I may
give him passions such as I have given the
sons of Adam and send him down to earth, that
ye may see what he will do and what he will
not do?' Then the angels chose Harut and
Marut; and God Most High gave them pas-
sions like the passions of men and sent them
down to earth. When these came down from
Heaven to earth they went to a house and
became guests. In that house there was a
woman, a leveling of the age ; and they both
of them were ravished with that woman as soon
as ever they saw her. The woman also inclined
to them and showed love toward them, so that
they stayed with the woman that night and
sought to make merry with her. The woman
said, * If ye wish, I am content ; bring wine that
we may sit and drink and make merry to-
gether.' They asked, ' What is wine ?' The
woman rose from her place and went and
brought wine to them, and they sat and drank.
And when they were drunk their passions over-
came them and they sought to stretch forth the
hand to the woman. She said, ' I have a
THE FOURTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 169
husband ; if he come and see you here, he will
leave whole nor you nor me/ They asked,
1 What is a husband ? what do they call a
husband ?' The woman replied, ' He is coming
now, as soon as he comes do ye smite him and
kill him that I may be subject to you.' They
both agreed thereto ; and when that woman's
husband came to the house they smote him
and slew him. God Most High said to the
angels, ' Have ye seen your devout ones, how
they have committed adultery and shed blood
and drunk wine and done evil ?' The angels
were ashamed and bowed their heads and said,
' Our Lord, Thou knowest, and we know not as
Thou knowest.' And God Most High turned
that woman's form into a star and placed it in
the sky; and what they now call the star Venus
is -that woman. Then God Most High offered
Harut and Marut the choice between the tor-
ment of the world and the torment of the Here-
after. They said, ' O God, not the torment of
the Hereafter, torment us in the world ; for the
world is transient and its torment ends, but the
torment of the Hereafter is enduring and ends
not.' Then God Most High commanded so
that, after they had performed the evening wor-
ship, they hanged those two angels in the well
at Babylon with their heads downward ; and
170 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
they must suffer that torment till the Resurrec-
tion Day by reason of a woman."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that the angels are not safe
from the craft and trickery of women ; where
then were the prince ? Then is it incumbent on
the king that he beware of following the
woman's word and that he grant the prince his
this day's life." The king heard this story
from the vezir and he sent the youth to the
prison and went himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king came to the
palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and they
passed on and sat down. After the repast the
lady commenced to speak about the youth.
The king said, " To-day too such an one of my
vezirs made intercession for him and I sent him
to the prison." The lady said, " O king, to-day
I caused the astrologers to be brought and
made them cast the horoscope of that which is
in my womb, to see whether it be male or
female ; and they answered, 'It is male, and
will be exceeding fortunate, just and glorious/
Now, O king, this is thy fortunate son ; leave
that unworthy one, there will no good come to
thee from him. Beware, O king, be not negli-
gent in this affair, that thy story resemble not
the story of those opium-eaters." The king
THE LADY'S FOURTEENTH STORY. 171
said, " Tell that story, let us hear it." Quoth
the lady,
THE LADY'S FOURTEENTH STORY.
" Certain opium-eaters, while walking abroad,
found a sequin ; they said, ' Let us go to a cook
and buy food and eat.' So they went and
entered a cook-shop and said, ' Master, give
us a sequin's worth of food.' The cook pre-
pared all manner of foods and loaded a porter
with them ; and the opium-eaters took him
without the city where there was a tomb,*
whereinto they entered and sat down, and the
porter laid down the food and went away. The
opium-eaters fell to eating of the food, when, of
a sudden, one of them said, * The gate is open,
stay, do one of you shut the gate, else other
opium-eaters will come and trouble us ; even
though they be friends they will do the deeds
of foes.' One of them replied, ' Go thou and
shut the gate,' and they fell a-quarrelling. At
length one said, ( Come, let us agree that who-
soever of us first speak or laugh shall rise and
make fast the gate.' They all agreed to this
proposal, and left the food and sat quite still.
* A tomb enclosed by four walls.
172 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Suddenly a bitch and fifteen dogs came in ; not
one of the opium-eaters stirred or spake, for if
one spake he must needs rise and shut the
gate ; so they spake not. The dogs made an
end of the food and ate it all up. Just then
another dog leaped in from without, but no
food remained. Now one of the opium-eaters
had partaken of everything, and some of the
food remained about his mouth and on his
beard. That new-come dog licked up the
morsels of food that were on the opium-eater's
breast, and while he was licking up those about
his mouth he took his lip for a piece of meat
and bit it. The opium-eater stirred not, for he
said in himself, 'They will bid me shut the gate ;'
but to ease his soul he muttered, ' Ough ! ' in-
wardly cursing the dog. When the other opium-
eaters heard, him make that noise they said,
* Rise, fasten the gate.' He replied, ' 'After loss,
attention ; ' now that the food is gone and my
lip is wounded, what profit in shutting the
gate ? Through negligence and folly ye have
let this great good slip from your hands.' And
crying, ' Woe ! alas ! ' they went each in a dif-
ferent direction."
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may not be repentant at the last moment."
When the king heard this story from the lady
THE FIFTEENTH VEZIRS STORY. 173
he said, " To-morrow will I kill him." And
they went to bed.
When it was morning the king went forth
and sat upon his throne, and he caused the
youth to be brought and commanded the exe-
cutioner, " Kill." When the Fifteenth Vezir
came forward and said,
THE FIFTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a
famous king and God Most High had given
him a son. After some time the son became
afflicted with a heartburn, and he would ever
complain of his heart. The king brought
together all the physicians that were to be got,
and they treated the boy's ailment ; but it was
in vain, the physicians were powerless. As
often as the boy said, ' Father, my heart/ the
king would say, * Son, my heart aches more
than thy heart ;' and the king was afflicted at
his pain. At length the boy died. After the
dismay, the king came up by the boy and said,
' Cut him open that I may see what pain was in
his heart.' When they had cut open the boy
the king saw that a bone had grown on the top
of his heart. The king ordered that they took
out that bone and then buried the boy ; and the
king caused that bone to be made into the
174 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
handle of a knife. One day they placed a
water-melon before the king ; the king cut the
melon with that knife and ate some of it, and he
stuck the knife into the remains of the melon
and left it. Then the king caused the chess
things to be brought and he began to play ;
afterward he went to take up the knife when he
saw that the part of the handle which had pene-
trated into the melon was melted and had
vanished. As soon as the king saw this he
exclaimed, ' Dost thou see ? the cure for my
son's sickness was water-melon ; and I knew it
not.' And his heart was grieved thereat, and
he began to weep, and said, * Son, it has gone
from thy heart and come into my heart ; would
that thou hadst not come to earth ! ' Arid at
length that king died of anguish of soul."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
thou mayst beware and slay not thy child on
the woman's word, lest thou too die of anguish
of soul." And he kissed the ground and made
intercession for the prince. When the king
heard this story from the vezir he sent the
youth to the prison and went himself to the
chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they passed on and sat
THE LADY'S FIFTEENTH STORY. 175
down. After the repast the lady began to speak
about the youth. The king said, " This day
also such an one of my vezirs made intercession
for him and I sent him to the prison." The lady
said, " O king, this youth is a dragon, until he
be killed thou shalt not be safe from his malice ;
it is even as it was with a certain king who
until he had killed his son could not escape from
his pain ; mayhap the king has not heard that
story. 5 ' Then the king said, " Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S FIFTEENTH STORY.
" They have related that a great king was
wroth with Luqman,* and commanded that they
lowered him into a pit and closed up the
mouth of the pit with a great stone. By
Luqman the sage was a pill, of the bigness
of a walnut, which he had made by his science.
He ever smelled it, and his hunger was satisfied
and his thirst was quenched ; and for a long
time he remained in that pit. The king who
imprisoned him died, and his son became king
in his stead. And sickness seized upon this
king ; and the physicians treated him, but he
grew no better, and his trouble increased upon
* A legendary sage. He here pretends to kill the boy, that
the king may recover through joy on finding his son alive.
1 76 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
him. They were helpless and said, ' O king,
had Luqman been alive he could have cured
thy pain.' Then said the king, * What manner
of man was Luqman ? ' They replied, ' Thy
father was wroth with him and put him into
the pit ; by now his bones are rotten. But
Luqman was a man such that God Most High
hath mentioned him in the noble Koran; such a
sage has never come to earth.' The king said,
' If it be so, open the pit, belike he has in
some way saved himself.' They went and
opened that pit and went down and saw him
sitting there, and they came and told the king.
The king said, ' Quick, go bring him.' They
went to pull him out of the pit, when Luqman
said, ' If the king wish me, wrap me in cotton
and draw me out ; and bring to me a virgin
every night.' They did so, and after forty
days he arose and came before the king, and
he saw the king lying without strength. After
praising and lauding him, he asked of the king's
trouble and felt his pulse, and said, ' O king,
thou hast a hard sickness.' Then he asked,
" Has the king a son ? ' They replied, ' He
has.' Luqman said, * O king, until the throat
of thy son be cut and his blood rubbed on thy
body, this thy pain will not leave thee.' The
king answered, ' O Luqman, thou art thyself a
THE LADY'S FIFTEENTH STORY. 177
great man ; I will consent to my own death,
but I will not consent to my son's.' Quoth
Luqman, ' O king, I have told thee the cure ;
the rest thou knowest.' And he arose and
went away. After some days the king's trouble
increased, and he called Luqman to his side
and said, ' O Luqman, is there no other remedy?'
Luqman answered, ' O king, there is no cure
save the cutting of thy son's throat.' The
king's soul came up to his throat through that
trouble. Quoth Luqman, * O king, when thou
art well, sons will not be lacking thee.' Then
said the king, * Now get the boy and cut his
throat in a distant place that mine eyes see it
not.' Luqman said, ' There is no good if it be
done in another place, it is needful that it be
done before thine eyes.' Then they gave the
boy into Luqman's hands. And Luqman bound
the boy's hands and feet, and cunningly tied a
bladder filled with blood round the boy's throat,
and laid him down before the king. Then he
took a diamond knife in his hand and said, ' O
king, now look, see how I cut the prince's
throat.' When the king's two eyes were fixed
on the boy, he struck against the boy's throat
with the knife and the blood gushed out. When
the king saw the blood on the boy's throat he
sighed ; and when Luqman saw him he thanked
N
178 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
God. And straightway he raised the boy from
the ground and kissed his two eyes ; and
Luqman said, ' O king, I could find no other
way to turn off thy sickness than this trick.'
Then the king greatly applauded Luqman and
bestowed upon him much wealth."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
until the king have killed his son, he too will have
no security from trouble." When the kingheard this
story from the lady he was wroth and said, " To-
morrow will I kill him." And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite off
his head/' The Sixteenth Vezir came forward
and said, " O king of the world, it is not
beseeming thy glory that thou castest to the
waters the words of the vezirs ; for men are
either good or bad concerning the king, whatso-
ever they say, the king is informed thereof,
and the king is given word of evil or hurt about
to be, and all that goes on without is known to
the king, that he may make preparation accor-
dingly. It is even as in the Tradition, ' Speak
to men according to their understanding.' May-
hap my king has not heard the story of the
dervish and the king." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE SIXTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 179
THE SIXTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was in a palace of the world a king
and his name was Aydin (light). One day a
dervish came before him and spake pleasantly
with fair discretion ; and whatsoever they asked,
he answered the whole of it, and his every word
seemed good to the king. The king said, ' O
dervish, go not away, let us spend this evening
together.' The dervish blessed him and said,
' On head and eye.' Now it was then very cold.
So the king took the dervish, and they went to
the palace and sat down. The king ordered
that they laid wood upon the fire-place and set
light to it, whereupon the dervish repeated these
verses
1 Take in winter fire from garden-land ;
Take the goblet from the drunken band ;
Should there no leveling for cup-bearer be,
Take from orange-breasted damsel's hand.'
As these verses seemed right good to the
king, he wrote them in his album ; and he said to
the dervish, 'Tell some merry story/ Quoth
the dervish, ' O king, once there was a king, and
by him there was a devotee. One day they said
to the king, " Yon devotee is a Rafizl.*" The
king, to try him, one day asked that devotee, " O
* An adherent of the Shl'a sect, which acknowledges 'All, but
rejects Abu-Bekr, 'Othman and 'Omar as lawful Khalifs.
N 2
i8o HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
devotee, lovest thou Saint Abu Bekr the
True?" The devotee replied, " Nay." He
said, " Lovest thou Saint 'Omar ? " He answered,
"Nay." "Then lovest thou Saint 'Othman ?"
He answered, " Nay, nay." " Then lovest thou
Saint 'All the Approved ? " He answered
" Nay." Thereupon the king's difficulties from
being one became two, and he thought and said
in himself, "If this devotee were a Rafizi, he
would love Saint 'All, though he loved not the
other Noble Companions our Lords ; if he were
a SunnI, he would love all of the Four Chosen
Friends our Lords." And he turned and said
to the devotee, " Thou lovest none of the
Glorious Companions, whom then lovest thou ? "
The devotee replied, " There is at the gate of
the bazaar a leveling of the age ; lo, that is
whom I love." The king was pleased with this
jest of the devotee and gave him many gifts/
And that dervish told stories such as this to
the king, and he amused the king with many
jests. That night they ate and drank, and
when their converse was finished, drowsiness
came upon the king, and he would have lain
down, but the devotee was at ease and would
not rise and go. The slaves thought to say to
the devotee, ' Arise and go,' but they feared the
king and were silent. The king too wished
THE SIXTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 181
that the devotee might perceive by his discre-
tion that he should arise ; but where was that
discretion ? The king looked, but it was not.
Then he called to his servants, ' Strike the
fagot that the glow (ishiq) may go out.' The
servants understood not and remained still.
Thereupon the devotee said, ' Why wait ye ?
Strike the log that the light (aydin) may spring
up/ Now the king's name was Aydin (light)
and the devotee's name was Ishiq (glow).* The
king said, ' I sent thee off with a fagot, that is
struck thee with a fagot, but thou didst strike me
with a log.' The devotee said, ' My king, thou
didst not strike me with a fagot, neither did I
strike my king with a log ; so do thou rest on
the one side of the hearth and I shall rest on
the other.' And the king was pleased with
these words of the devotee ; and they lay down
and rested."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
thou mayst know that a certain freedom is usual
with the accomplished. Now there are no
learned men equal to these forty vezirs of my
king, each one of whom utters these many good
sayings and fair words ; and indeed the good or
bad of these has many a time been tried. And
* So the point of this story turns upon an untranslatable pun.
1 82 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
what is incumbent upon my king is this, that he
listen not to the words of these inattentively
nor cast them to the winds." The king said,
" This demand leaves me in bewilderment.
Our Lord the Apostle of God hath said con-
cerning women, that they are enemies to you,
but that one of them is needful to each of you.
And God Most High hath said in His Glorious
Word, ' Your wealth and your children are but
a trial.'* Now I ask these affairs of this youth
and he answers not at all ; and so long as he will
not speak, will my difficulty remain unsolved.
Thus it seems to me that this youth has done
this wantonness, and therefore cannot speak."
When the vezir saw this much consideration on
the part of the king he said, " My king, in
every thing the mysterious workings of God
Most High are many ; let not my king regard
the not speaking of the youth. One day will
he speak indeed ; yea, there is also in that noble
verse concerning children, ' And God : with
Him is great reward.'"* And he kissed the
ground and made intercession for the prince.
And the king sent the youth to the prison and
went himself to the chase. That day, when they
were hunting, a deer rose, and the hounds pur-
* Koran, viii. 128, and Ixiv. 15.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 183
sued it, and all the attendants pushed their
horses after that deer, and the king too pushed
on. Each one went in a different direction, and
the king was left alone. When it was evening
there was with him no attendant nor anyone ;
the king looked and there was none, and he
said, " There is in this some divine working."
And straightway he disguised himself and
pushed on and came to a village and was guest
in a shepherd's house.
On the morrow he rose betimes, and while he
was watching the sheep and lambs, he looked and
saw a lamb that had lost its mother. Seeking
about, it went up to a sheep, and that sheep
butted at the lamb, and the lamb fell. It rose
again and went to another sheep ; and that
sheep likewise butted at the lamb. The king
asked this from the shepherd, " Why do these
sheep butt at that lamb ?" The shepherd said,
" To-day this lamb's mother died ; these, being not
its mother, receive it not." Then the king sighed
in his soul and said in his heart, "May God Most
High leave not a servant of His an orphan."
Let us to our story : The attendants re-
turned to the city, and each one turned his
horse's head straight to the palace. They
arrived at the castle, and one of them called out
and learned the circumstance (of the king's
1 84 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
absence) from the watchmen ; so they went to
look for news of the king. On the other hand
the watchmen informed the grand vezir of the
matter ; and straightway the grand vezir com-
manded that all of those watchmen were secured
in prison,* and he himself walked about the city
till morning. He sent a vezir to the king's
attendants, saying, " Go tell the attendants that
they publish not this affair, and do thou go with
the whole of them to seek the king." On her
part, the lady looked and the time passed and
the king came not, and she caused the grand
vezir to be questioned ; the vezir sent word to
her, " This night there is a great council ; our
king will not go in." The vezir questioned the
king's attendants ; and while they were going
to the place where they had left the king, the
king himself set out from the village where he
was and came to the place where the attendants
had dispersed. The attendants saw the king,
and brought word to the vezir ; so the vezir
pushed on his horse and came up to the king.
The king said in his heart, " These will have
enthroned the prince and sent this vezir to me ;
now is he coming to give me the sherbet ; O
how the lady's words were true !" The vezir
* To prevent their spreading the report of the king's dis-
appearance.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 185
saw from the king's countenance that he was
thinking thus, and he came up quickly to him,
and kissed the ground before the king, and said,
" My king, what plight is this plight ? Is it
beseeming to remain without at such a time ?
Above all, as the prince has been these many
days imprisoned, everyone says that the king's
senses have well nigh left him." Thereupon
the king said, " Have ye taken the prince from
prison ?" The vezir replied, " Nay, my king ;
the grand vezir secured in prison the watchmen
who had learned of my king's remaining out in
the evening from the attendants who came to
the gate ; and he sent me and the attendants to
seek my king." The king's mind was some-
what comforted, but his heart would not believe.
Then the vezir perceived that the king's heart
was not at ease and he said to the king, " My
king, thy grand vezir sent me hither in the
evening ; to learn the events of to-day are my
eyes now on the road." And he kissed the ground
and was silent. The king said, " If we went
on now it were too quick ; but let an attendant
go and inform the vezir of the affair." They
sent on an attendant ; and that day, when it was
evening, the king came to the palace and found
everything in its proper place, and his heart
was again at rest concerning his vezir.
1 86 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
After the repast he entered the harem. The
lady had rubbed a dye upon her eyes and made
them red, and she rose to greet the king as if
weeping ; and the king passed on and sat in
his place. When coffee and sherbets had
been drunk she asked of the haps of the
night, and the king related the events to her.
She said, " O king, the thing thou hast done
might be in two ways ; the one, of purpose, to
distinguish between friend and foe ; the other,
by chance. In this instance thou hast passed
the evening outside by chance, and thy heart is
at ease for that thy vezirs have done no un-
seemly deed. But, my king, beware, trust not
these vezirs ; for they would make the youth
king. Praise be to God ! thou art well, but
they still watch their opportunity ; and this
youth has no dread of thee, thou hast brought
him up full insolent ; that is not good. And
they have said that if a person treat thee as a
brother, do thou treat him as a master and
deem him great. Kings are like fire ; if thou
be a lion, thou must be on thy guard against
the fire, even as lions are on their guard against
fire. There is a fable suitable to this : The
lynxes go along with the lion, but they go not
close to him. One day they asked one of them,
' Thou goest along with the lion ; why goest
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 187
thou not near to him ?' He replied, ' Firstly,
the lion hunts beasts and I eat his leavings ;
secondly, when an enemy comes against me I
go to him and take refuge ; as these two things
are good for me I go along with him. And
the reason of my going not near is this, that his
glory is that of a render, one day it might be
that he should rend me like the leopard ; there-
fore go I not near him/ Wise is he who acts
before kings like the lynx ; for nearness to the
sultan is a burning fire. Even as the lynx is
content with and eats the lion's leavings, must
the wise man be content with the king's leav-
ings ; else, if he stretch forth his hand to the
morsel that is in the king's mouth the plight
of him who stretches forth his hand is notorious.
If an enemy appear, it is needful to take refuge
with the king ; so one must ever be between
dread and entreaty, and must measure his
words. A word is like an arrow that has left
the bow, when once it leaves the mouth it
returns not again. Mayhap my king has not
heard the story of Sultan Mahmud* and
Hasan of Maymand.f" The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
* Sultan Mahmud, the son of Sebuktekm, of Ghazm.
t Hasan of Maymand was a minister, not of Sultan Mahmud,
but of that monarch's father. Hasan's son, Ahmed, was Mah-
mud's vezir.
1 88 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE LADY'S SIXTEENTH STORY.
" A word was the cause of Sultan Mahmud
dismissing his vezir Hasan of Maymand, and
confiscating all his property and banishing him.
So what could Hasan of Maymand do but yield
consent to misfortune and bear calamity with
patience ? One day, during his exile, while he
was passing along a street, a group of children
were playing, one was prince and one was vezir.
The prince got angry and wished to banish the
vezir and confiscate his property. The child
who was vezir said, ' Art thou just or art thou
a tyrant ?' The prince answered, ' I am just/
Then said the vezir, * Thou art just ; well, when
I came to thee I was young, and I have spent
my life in thy service and gained my property ;
now thou confiscatest my property and takest
away my office, I now ask back from thee my
life that I have spent in thy service ; if thou be
just, it is right that thou give me my life.' The
prince was silent and made that child vezir
again. Hasan of Maymand liked the child's
words, and straightway he went and composed
a petition and sent it to Sultan Mahmud.
When the petition arrived they took it and
gave it to the king. The king read it, and
when he perceived its import, he straightway
THE LADY'S SIXTEENTH STORY. 189
ordained that he was pardoned and reinstated
in his office. So he was dismissed by one word
and reinstated by one word."
11 O king, I deemed this story suitable in that
a master of speech comes not readily to hand ;
and a master of speech is one who knows
the speech that ought to be spoken. For
speech is of two kinds ; one kind is truth,
another kind is folly. A wise man distinguishes
between the speech of a sage and the speech of
a fool. A sage speaks with understanding, but a
fool speaks with trickery. The man who distin-
guishes not between these is like a beast, for a
beast knows only when it is hungry and when it
is full. Now this thy degenerate son has made
for thy life and thy throne; this is beseeming, that
thou give him neither grace nor time. Thou must
kill him to-morrow, else he will slay thee."
When the king heard this story from the lady
he said, " To-morrow will I finish his affair."
And they rose and went to bed.
When it was morning and the sun shed
light (aydin) and, like the words of the king and
the dervish, the glow (ishiq) appeared, and the
world was illuminated with radiance, the happy-
fortuned king passed and sat upon his throne,
and he caused the executioner to bring the
youth and commanded, " Smite off his head."
190 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
The Seventeenth Vezir came forward and said,
" O king of the world, haste not in slaying the
prince ; both sides of the question are not yet
known, 'kill him not until the accused and the
accuser come together. At present he is innocent
and much cruelty has been done him ; and this
calamity has befallen those who are in thy
service. If thou forgive, all the troubles brought
upon him will be forgotten : and the Holy
Apostle hath said, 'Verily, God will not re-
quire of my people that whereto their passions
have urged them, if they have not spoken it
or done it.' If thou slay the prince, on the
Resurrection Day God Most High will ask of
thee if thou killedst thy son in accordance with
the Law; how wilt thou answer Him, if the sin
be the woman's ? For they have said that the
lust of man is as one and that of woman as nine ;
for Gabriel (peace on him !) brought to our
father Saint Adam (peace on him !) ten apples
and said, ' Adam, these apples are lust ; beware,
let not Eve eat them, eat the whole of them
thyself.' Adam (peace on him !) ate one of
them, then as some wondrous sight appeared in
the alleys of Paradise, he gave the nine of them
in charge to Eve and warned her, saying, ' Take
heed, eat them not/ and went off. When Eve
was alone, Satan came and tempted her, and
THE SEVENTEENTH VEZIFS STORY. 191
Eve ate those nine apples. Therefore is the
lust of man one and the lust of woman nine.
There is a story on the greatness of woman's
lust, if the king grant leave I will relate it."
The king said, " Relate it, let us hear." Quoth
the vezir,
THE SEVENTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" One year there was a famine in Mekka the
Revered. And there was there a woman, and
she had much wheat which she sold. A youth
came and asked wheat from her. The
woman admired that youth and was ravished
with him, and she said to him, ' The wheat is
finished.' What could the youth do ? His
strength and power were gone through hunger,
and he began to beseech the woman. Then the
woman with a thousand airs and graces said to
the youth, ' I will present thee with a load of
the wheat I am about to eat myself, if thou will
come and make merry with me.' The youth
said, ' We take refuge in God. God forbid that
I should commit that sin in this most holy spot,
or in any other place/ The woman answered,
' Come, make merry with me, else shall I now call
out, " This youth has come and broken into my
house and seeks to do me wrong," and so put
thee to shame before the world.' The youth was
192 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
bewildered and said in himself, ' See what an
evil has befallen me ! if I do this, to-morrow on
the Day of Retribution how shall I answer God
Most High ? And if I do it not, she will put
me to shame before the world.' He pondered
a while and then determined to go into a
chamber of that house and there geld himself;
and he went into that house with that purpose.
He looked and saw that the wall of that
chamber was cracked and that there was a
way of escape. So the youth went out that
way, and he saw ten camels standing, all laden
with loads of wheat, and they had no master.
The youth knew them to be the gift of God
Most High, and he took them and led them
to his house. And the woman was longing for
the youth, so she went into the chamber but
could find neither sign nor trace of him ; and
night and day was she oppressed with sorrow.
If anyone fear God Most High, God Most
High will not leave him in straits, but will give
him untold good."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
thou mayst know that overpowering passion
such as that abounds in women. Refuge in
God ! may the wiles of woman hurt not the
prince too. Now, in this affair it is incumbent
on the king that he hurry not, but enquire dili-
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 193
gently." And he made intercession with the
king for the prince for that day. When the
king heard this story from the vezir he sent the
youth to the prison and mounted for the chase.
The grand vezir sought to prevent him, but he
was unable. And that day he found his way
with difficulty in the evening.
He came to the palace, and the lady rose to
greet him, and they sat down. After the repast
the lady began to talk ; now day and night the
lady's thoughts were taken up with the youth, so
she asked about him. The king answered,
" To-day also such an one of my vezirs made
intercession for him and I sent him to the
prison." The lady said, " O king, Hippocrates
the sage hath said, ' Be eager in the search for
thy faults because of thine enemy.' And Plato
the sage hath said, ' Let whoso desireth that
his friends be glad and his foes confounded
endeavour to abandon his faults/ Thus a man
went to a friend of his and said, ' Such and such
a man speaks ill of me/ The friend replied,
* Go thou and shame that man by good deeds.'
He said, ' He spake ill of thee likewise.' The
other answered, ' Let be, vex me not ; he
doth blot out my .sin,' and he left him. Now,
thus do the vezirs bring forward my sins before
the king ; but, praise be to God ! I am free from
o
194 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
all sin. Then, if thy life be needful for thee,
leave not the youth alive, for he is a sharper.
His story resembles the story of a certain
sharper ; mayhap my king has not heard it."
The king said, " Relate it, let us hear." Quoth
the lady,
THE LADY'S SEVENTEENTH STORY.
" Of old time there were in the city of
Baghdad forty sharpers, and one among them a
youth. One night, when these were talking
together, their chief pulled out a sequin and laid
it on the ground in the middle of them and said,
1 Which of you can go and buy a sequin's worth
of sweetmeats and bring back both sweetmeats
and sequin ? ' None answered. Then the
youth rose and took the sequin and went with
some young men to a confectioner's shop,
bought the sweetemats, gave the sequin, and
sent the sweetmeats away with those young
men. The youth stole the sequin from the
place where the confectioner had put it, and
went out into the street. The confectioner saw
that the sequin was gone and knew that the
youth had stolen it, so he took two jugs in his
hand and went and arrived before the youth at
the door of the house where his fellows dwelt.
He stood there, and the youth came across ;
THE LADY'S SEVENTEENTH STORY. 195
then the confectioner said, * Youth, hast thou
stolen the sequin ? ' The youth, thinking him
to be of his fellows, replied, ' I have stolen
it/ The other said, * Come, give it me and do
thou fill these jugs.' The youth gave him the
sequin, took the jugs, and went to the river ;
and the confectioner took the sequin and made
for his own house. When the youth had filled
the jugs he returned, and the sharpers, as soon
as they saw him, said, ' Where is the sequin ? '
The youth perceived that it was the confec-
tioner who had been at the door, and he
straightway ran off, and ere the confectioner
had reached his house he arrived there, and
disguising himself as a woman, stood behind the
door. W T hen the confectioner came, the youth
said, * Why standest thou there ? the ass has
broken loose and gone out into the street ; go,
catch it and bring it.' The confectioner thought
the speaker was his wife and saying, * Take this
sequin,' gave it him. The youth took the sequin
and went off. The confectioner went and saw
no ass and he returned and said to his wife, ' I
have not found it.' His wife asked, ' What hast
thou not found ? ' The confectioner answered,
1 The ass.' His wife said, ' Fellow, art thou
mad ? who asked thee about the ass ? or dost
thou make mock of me ? ' The confectioner
o 2
196 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
replied, * My life, why should I make mock of
thee ? it seems to me it is thou who art mad.'
His wife said, ' How am I mad?' The con-
fectioner said, ' Give me that sequin I gave
thee.' His wife answered, * I have no know-
ledge of the sequin/ Then the confectioner
perceived that it was the work of the sharper,
so he took a pitcher in his hand, and ran and
came to the sharper's door. The youth had not
yet returned. He saw the youth coming and he
went forward and said to him, * Well, youth,
hast thou contrived to get the sequin this time?'
The youth said, ' I have got it.' Then the con-
fectioner said, ' Come, let me see it.' The
youth gave it him, and the confectioner said,
' Take this pitcher and get a little water in it
and bring it.' The youth took the pitcher, got
water in it, and returned. He saw that there
was no one, and perceived that it had been the
confectioner again. He went quickly and
entered the confectioner's house, and saw that
the confectioner and his wife were lying
sleeping. He stripped himself and slipped in
between them, and, after waiting a little, said to
the confectioner, ' Come, husband, where didst
thou put the sequin ? I shall hide it that the
sharper will not get it if he come again.' The
confectioner said, ' It is under the pillow.'
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 197
Thereupon the youth took it from under the
pillow, and, before the sharpers had lain down,
he returned and placed the sequin on the
ground in the middle of them, and related to
them the events that had happened. They all
applauded him and said, ' Bravo, such sharping
is in none of us.' '
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that cunning like to this
abounds in youths. Beware, be not deceived
by the youth's gentleness, or afterward thou
shalt be repentant, and too late repentance
profits not." When the king heard these en-
ticing and beguiling w r ords of the lady he said,
" On the morrow will I kill him, be not sad."
And they went to bed.
When it was morning and the sun had
appeared, like as the ten camels laden with
wheat appeared to that youth in Mekka for his
fearing God Most High, and the world was
illumined with radiance, the king came and
sat upon his throne, and he caused the youth
to be brought and commanded the execu-
tioner, " Smite off his head." The Eighteenth
Vezir came forward and said, " O king of the
world, two things are indeed incumbent upon
kings ; the first is to have pity on the folk, and
the second is to have mercy in the time of wrath.
198 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Long will' be the life of the king who is thus,
and God Most High will protect him from all
calamities. It is even as said Our Lord the
Holy Apostle of God, ' Be merciful to those
upon the earth that the Dwellers in Heaven
may have mercy upon you.' And the friends
of a king who is generous are many, and he
triumphs over his enemies, and is of the host
of the Prophets and the Saints. And there is
a story of Sultan Mahmud suitable to this ; if
the king grant leave, I will relate it." The
king said, " Relate, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
THE EIGHTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" One day while Sultan Mahmud the son of
Sebuktekln was hunting, he got separated from
his soldiers, and he saw some one going along
in a trackless place. He pushed on and came
up to that man and saluted him and said, ' O
man, whence art thou and what is thy origin ?
The man replied, ' From the kingdom ; and my
origin my mother knows.' Then the Sultan
saw that he was wrapped up in black clothes and
mounted on a black ass ; and the king asked,
' Whither goest thou now ? ' That man replied,
1 I go to Sultan Mahmud.' The king said,
' What is thy desire of the Sultan ? ' The man
THE EIGHTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 199
answered, ' I want ten thousand aspres of him ;
I have a debt, perchance he may give it me
and I shall be freed from my debt.' The
Sultan said, ' If he give it not, how wilt thou
act ? ' The man replied, ' If he will not give
ten thousand, let him give one thousand/
Again the Sultan said, ' If he will not give even
one thousand, what wilt thou do ? ' The man
replied, ' If he will not give a thousand aspres, let
him give a hundred aspres/ The Sultan said,
' If he will not give even that, what wilt thou
do ?' Then the fellow replied, ' If he will not
give even a hundred aspres, I shall say, Bu qara
eskegimin durt ayaghi 'avretinin ferjine !* and
shall turn and go.' The king wondered at this
man's self and words. After a little he met his
soldiers and went to his palace and sat upon his
throne and thus commanded the grand cham-
berlain, ' A man clad in black and mounted on
a black ass will come, give him leave to enter.'
The next day, early in the morning, that man
came, and the grand chamberlain took him and
brought him into the king's presence. When
he saw the king he knew that it was he whom
he had seen yesterday, and straightway he
prayed for the king and asked ten thousand
* I have thought it best to leave the uncivil remark of the
owner of the black ass in the inimitable simplicity of the original.
200 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
aspres. The king said, ' May God give it
thee/ The man said, ' Give one thousand
aspres.' Again the king answered, ' May God
give it thee/ The man said, * Let it be a
hundred aspres.' Again the king answered,
'May God give it thee.' Then the man said,
' Be thou well ; the black ass is tied at the
door/ Thereupon a courtier* said, ' The king
has bestowed nothing on thee ; let the black
ass be/ The man said, ' If he has not, then
it means, eshegimin durt ayaghi 'avretinin
ferjine ! And I shall be off/ But his boldness
pleased the king who said, * This poor man's
desire is but to be delivered from distress and
find rest, as he got no boon from us he mounts
his ass and goes/ And this remained as a
proverb, ' The black ass is tied at the door.'
However, he bestowed on him somewhat."
" And this story resembles it : A certain
khoja was going from Hindustan to Baghdad,
and while on the road he thus thought, * When
I enter the city of Baghdad what goods should
1 buy ? ' Anyhow he entered Baghdad, and
there was there a naked abdalf who had
* In Belletete this courtier is said to be FirdausI of Tus, and
he is made to tell Mahmud the following story of the khoja and
the abdal, for which the Sultan rewards him with 'a purse of
gold.
t A kind of religious mendicant.
THE EIGHTEENTH VEZIFS STORY. 201
plucked out his beard and put it in a piece of
paper. He came up to the khoja and said, ' I
have heard, O khoja, that thou hast come to
buy goods ; I have something, buy it.' And
he gave the paper into the khoja's hand. The
khoja took it and opened it and saw in it the hairs
of the beard, and he said, 'What shall I do with
this ? ' The abdal said, ' Take it, and give the
money/ The khoja answered, * I shall not give
money for this.' The abdal said, 'Why wilt
thou not give money ? that is indeed a beard ;
is it not worth a hundred aspres ? ' The khoja
replied, ' It is not.' The abdal said, ' Let it be
ten aspres ; is it not worth that ? ' The khoja
answered, * It is not.' The abdal said, 4 Let it
be five aspres ; is it not worth that ? ' The
khoja said, ' It is not.' Then said the abdal, 'A
beard is not worth five aspres ; why then dost
thou carry one ? shave it off and let it go/
The khoja was pleased with this jest of the
abdal and gave him a hundred aspres."
" Now, O king, I have told these stories for
that the king may know that it is needful for
kings to raise the fallen and bestow favours on
the poor." And he kissed the ground and made
intercession for the prince. When the king heard
these stories from the vezir he sent the prince
to the prison and went himself to the chase.
202 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady asked for news about the
youth. The king said, " To-day likewise such
an one of my vezirs made intercession for him
and I sent him to the prison/' The lady said,
" O king, think not thou this youth would
maintain thy place after thee and observe the
ordinances of kings. To exercise sovereignty
is a hard work. I know that he is no true
man ; he watches his opportunity, and one
day he will slay thee and shed blood, and then
they will kill him too. Moreover, family and
descent are needful for one ; he who is not of
family cannot exercise sovereignty. And one's
nature must be good. There are men of family
and descent who are yet themselves of evil nature;
for there is not honey in every bee nor a pearl in
every oyster. Then this youth's nature is evil ;
he has not the qualities of a king ; his work
would ever be wickedness and he would do
wrong to those who do good. It is like the
story of a certain merchant's son ; mayhap my
king has not heard it." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY. 203
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY.
" There was of old time a cobbler in the city
of Orfa. One day he saw a dervish passing,
the seams of whose shoes had given way. The
cobbler said, ' Dervish, come, sit down till I sew
up the seams of thy shoes and patch the holes/
The dervish answered, * If thou hast a remedy,
apply it to the hole in my heart.' The cobbler
gave him his right hand and he came and sat
down ; and the cobbler gave him food to eat
and sewed up the holes in his shoes and said,
' O dervish, I too wish to journey ; what
counsel dost thou give me ? ' The dervish
answered, ' I have three counsels ; see thou
keep them : my first is this, set not out on
the journey till thou have found a good fellow-
traveller ; for the Apostle of God hath said,
" The companion, then the road." My second
is this, light not in a waterless place. My
third is this, enter great cities when the sun
is rising.' Then he went his way. After some
days the cobbler found some suitable fellow-
travellers and set out. While they were on the
road, one day in the afternoon a city appeared
before them. The cobbler youth asked, ' What
city is this city ? ' The companions answered,
' It is the city of Aleppo.' The youth said,
204 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
1 To-day it is near evening ; I shall not enter
the city to-day.' Howsoever the companions
urged him, it was no use ; so at length they left
him and went on. The youth went and lighted
on the bank of a stream and remained there
that night. Now there were tombs near the
youth ; and when it was midnight he saw two
men coming from the city carrying something
which they laid in the graveyard, and then they
went away. Then the youth went up to that
grave, and, striking a light with a flint and
steel, lit a candle ; he saw that they had laid
there a new coffin, and that from the four sides
of that coffin streams of blood were running.
The cobbler youth opened the lid of the coffin
and looked to see what he might see ; there
was a body bathed in blood, the garments were
of massive gold embroidery and on the finger
was a ring in which a stone glittered. The
youth coveted the ring and took hold of it that he
might pull it off, whereupon the body raised its
head and said, * O youth, fearest thou not God
that thou wouldst take my ring ? ' Then the
youth saw that it was a girl like the moon of
fourteen nights, a torment of the age, like a
lovely rose ; and he said, ' What is this plight ? '
The girl said, ^ Now is not the time for ques-
tions ; if thou be able, relieve me ; and after-
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY. 205
ward I will help thine affairs/ Straightway the
youth pulled off his outer robe and tore it in
pieces and bound up the girl's wounds and laid
her in a place. When it was morning he took
her on his back and brought her into the city
and placed her in a cell in a certain place; and to
all who asked of her he said, ' She is my sister ;
passion came upon me and I brought this plight
upon this poor creature, and she innocent/
The youth tended the girl's wounds and in the
course of a month or two she became well.
One day she went to the bath, and when she
returned she asked the youth for inkhorn, reed,
and paper. The youth brought them and
placed them before her. The girl wrote a
letter and gave it into the youth's hands ;
and therein was written thus : ' Thou who art
Khoja Dibab, the superintendent of the bazaar,
give the bearer of this letter a hundred sequins
and send him to me ; and disclose nothing to
my father of my health or my death ; if thou
do, thou shalt reflect well upon the issue/ She
sealed it and said, ' Go, give this letter to a khoja
who sits in such and such a place in the bazaar,
and take whatever he gives thee and bring it/
The youth took that letter and went to the bazaar
and asked, and they showed him to him, and
he gave the letter into his hand. When the
206 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
khoja opened the letter and read it, he kissed
it and raised it to his head, and straightway
drew forth a purse of gold and gave it to the
youth. The youth brought it and laid it before
the girl. The girl said, ' Go, take a house, and
buy with what is over clothes for thee and* me/
The youth went and took a house and bought
sumptuous clothes and brought them to the
girl. And they arose and went to that house
which they had taken. Again she wrote a
letter which she gave to the youth who took it
to the khoja, who this time gave him two
purses which he took to the girl. She said to
him, ' Go, my youth, and buy some provisions
and furniture for the house.' And the youth
went and bought them. Then the girl got
another purse of sequins, and she said to the
youth, ' Go, buy thyself horses and arms and
male slaves and female slaves/ And the youth
went and bought them, and he brought them
and gave them to the girl, and he said, ' Now
tell me what are these matters/ The girl
answered, ' Now is not the time, by and bye/
Gradually the girl built palaces there and in-
creased the number of her male slaves and
female slaves, and whenever she gave the youth
a letter he went and got two or three purses of
gold from that khoja. One day the girl gave
STORY. 207
the youth a purse of gold and said, * In the
bazaar is a youth they call Ghazanfer Agha ;
now go and find him, and ask of him some
precious stuff, and he will show it thee, and
whatever price he ask for it, give him the double
thereof, and take and bring it.' So the youth
went and found him, and sat a while and talked
with him ; and whatever the price of it was he
gave the double, and took it ; and Ghazanfer
Agha marvelled at this. The youth returned and
gave it to the girl, and again he asked of these
matters, but the girl said that this too was not
the time. And she took out a purse of jewels
and gave it to the youth and said, ' Take these
jewels and go to Ghazanfer Agha and ask him
to put a value on them, and take them out and
lay them before him, and see what he will say
to thee ; and when putting the jewels back into
the purse present him with three of them/ So
she sent him off. The youth said, * I shall go ;
but when I come back tell me the things that
have befallen thee.' He went and did as the
girl had said. When Ghazanfer Agha saw
these gifts he said to the youth, ' O youth, thou
hast made us ashamed ; pray be troubled to
come once to our house and honour us that we
may show our affection/ The youth replied,
' What though it be so ; to-morrow I shall go.
208 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
And he bade him farewell and he came and
told the girl, and the girl said, ' Go to-morrow ;
but when thou enterest his house look not to
this side nor that side, but look straight before
thee/ And thus did she warn him. When it
was morning the youth arose ; and Ghazanfer
Agha looked and saw the youth coming and he
said, ' Welcome !' and took him and led him to
his house. And the youth looked at nothing,
but passed on and sat down ; and Ghazanfer
Agha treated and entertained that youth with
all manner of delicious foods, and then sent him
away. And the youth came and told the girl,
and she said, ' Go again to-morrow and talk
with him, and when thou risest, do thou too invite
him ; and be not jealous/ And the youth re-
flected and said in his heart, ' This Ghazanfer
Agha must be the friend of this girl ; anyhow
we shall see ; whatever God does He does well/
In the morning he went and invited him, and
then came to the girl and gave her word and
said, ' Tell me and let me hear of the matters of
that night/ The girl answered, * Now is not
the time ; go and get these things which are
needful/ The youth went and got them and
brought them and gave her them and said, ' Lo,
I have brought them ; tell me/ The girl said,
' Now is the guest coming, it cannot be ; by and
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY. 209
bye I will tell thee.' When Ghazanfer Agha
came the youth gave the girl word and she said,
' Go and meet him, and lead him and bring him
here.' The youth said in his heart, ' This is
not without reason ; but wait, we shall see/
And he led him respectfully, and he entered and
sat down with the girl. After that, came foods
and they ate and drank and made merry till the
evening. Then the girl sent word and the
youth came in, and she said, * Take care, be it
not that thou lettest Ghazanfer Agha leave this
evening.' And the youth said, ' What is this of
thee that thou dost not dismiss him ?' The girl
answered, ' I will tell thee afterward.' The
youth said in his heart, ' I shall slay the two of
you this night.' And he went out. When it
was night Ghazanfer Agha asked leave to go
away, but the youth would not let him, and
Ghazanfer Agha saw that it was not to be, so
he remained ; and they brought out a clean
coverlet and mattress and made a bed for him.
And Ghazanfer Agha Jay down, and the youth
lay down with the girl, but he slept not that he
might watch the girl. When it was midnight
the girl arose and the youth saw her, but he
made no sound, and the girl went up close to
Ghazanfer Agha. The youth, unable to en-
dure it any longer, rose from his place and
p
210 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
said fiercely to the girl, ' What seekest thou
there ? ' The girl saw that the youth spake
angrily and she took him by the hand and drew
him to a place apart and said, ' I am about to
slay this Ghazanfer Agha.' The youth said,
' What is the reason of it ? ' The girl replied,
4 The reason of it is this : I am the daughter of
the king of this land, and this youth was a
butcher's apprentice. One day, when going to
the bath, I met this youth selling meat upon
the road ; as soon as I saw him I fell in love
with him, and the bird, my heart, was taken, so
that I was without rest and could not remain
quiet. I saw there was no help for it, so I got
him by force of money, and sometimes I went
to his house, and sometimes I had him brought
in disguise to my palace. One night I went in
disguise to his house, and I saw him sitting con-
versing with a gipsy harlot, and I got angry
and I cursed the two of them. This youth was
wont to use the dagger, and he gave me many
wounds, and thought me dead .and put me in a
coffin and sent me with two men who laid me
in that tomb thou sawest. Praise be to God !
my time was not yet ; thou didst come to me
like Khizr : now, do thou kill him.' The youth
said, * I shall kill him. Wilt thou marry me
according to the Ordinance of God ? ' She
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY. 211
answered, ' I will not marry thee ; but the vezir
has a daughter fairer than I, her will I get for
thee.' Then the youth smote him and killed
him. The girl said, ' In the morning go to my
father and give him good news ; and go to-night
and bring here all the possessions of this youth.'
The youth said, ' To-morrow thy father will
bring them.' When it was morning the youth
went and gave the good news to the king. And
the king sent slave-girls who brought the girl
to the palace. And her mother was glad when
she saw her safe and sound.* And they con-
fiscated the property of Ghazanfer Agha and
bestowed it on that youth. But what would
the youth do with the wealth ? his desire was
the girl. The king's vezirs said, * My king, it
were right if thou give the girl to the youth.'
The king answered, ' It is my desire too ; for
when my daughter disappeared and we sought
but could not find her, I made a promise, saying,
that to him who brought good news of my
daughter I should give her ; but the girl does
not wish it.' The vezirs said, ' My king, our
daughters are thine ; make this youth thy client;
whichever girl thou pleasest, give her to him/
* The original is somewhat more explicit here : Validesi
qizin muhrini teftish eyledi, chun imihrini muhrlu buldi, qizin
iki guzinden updi.
P 2
212 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
The king said, ' I shall make a proposal ;' and
he went and spake with her mother. And the
girl's mother went to her and with difficulty
persuaded her ; and then sent word to the king.
That hour they performed the marriage cere-
mony, and the king made the youth a vezir ;
and they lived for a long time in joyance and
delight."
" O king, I have told this story for that thou
mayst know that thy son will not accept counsel,
but purposes for thy life. Because that cobbler
youth accepted the words of the saints he
attained to fortune ; and that butcher's appren-
tice, for that he was a fool, wounded his bene-
factress, the king's daughter; and if the girl had
not killed him, he would have made her disgraced
before the world. Do thou then, O king, take
profit by the tale ; beware, spare not this foolish
youth, but kill him ; else thou shalt be repentant."
When the king heard this story from the lady
he said, " To-morrow will I kill him." And they
went to bed.
When it was morning and the sun had appeared,
like as appeared the kindness shown by the
king's daughter to the butcher's apprentice, and
the world was illumined with light, the king
passed and sat upon his throne, and he caused
the youth to be brought and commanded the
THE NINETEENTH VEZIR' S STORY. 213
executioner, " Smite off his head." The Nine-
teenth Vezir came forward and said, " O king,
beware, hurry not in this matter, look to the
thought of the Hereafter and the way of the
Law. The Apostle (peace on him !) saith,
' God Most High maketh wise in the Truth him
to whom He wisheth to do good.' According to
this Sacred Tradition, what is befitting the king
is this, that he transgress not the bounds of God.
The truth is this, that in this matter the prince
is sinless. O king, when can one obtain a son ?
Slay not thy prince, or grief for thy son will be
full hard, and in the end thou shalt be unable
to endure it. There is a story suitable to this ;
if the king grant leave I will relate it." The
king said, " Relate it, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
THE NINETEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" Hasan of Basra* (the mercy of God on
him !) was in his first estate a seller of jewels.
One day he rose up to trade, and came before a
king and transacted business, and then he trans-
acted business with the vezir. The vezir said,
' To-day we go to a pageant at a certain
* Hasan of Basra was a very pious and learned man. He
died in no (A.D. 728).
214 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
place ; wilt thou come with us ? ' Hasan
answered, ' Yea, I shall go/ When the vezir
and the king had mounted their steeds, they
brought a horse for Hasan likewise, and they
all went out of the gate and came to a plain.
Hasan saw that in the middle of that plain was
a" white pavilion, the dome of which reared its
head into the air. Then they went up close to
that pavilion and all of them alighted. From
another side came a procession of people ;
Hasan of Basra saw that it was a party of
doctors and holy men who were carrying their
lecterns and copies of the Sacred Volume.
They came and entered that pavilion and recited
the Koran with sweet voice ; then they came
and walked three times round that dome, and
then stood at the door and said, ' O prince,
what can we ? were there release to thy sweet
soul by reading of the Koran, we would, all of
us, cease not therefrom day or night ; but it is
the decree of that Almighty King ; there is no
avail for His command save acquiescence and
patience/ And they went away. After them
came white-bearded elders and devotees reciting
chants, and they walked three times round that
dome, and then stood at the door and said, ' O
prince, what can we ? were there release to thy
sweet soul by chant and prayer, we would, all
THE NINETEENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 215
of us, devote ourselves to chant and prayer ; but
what profit ? it is the decree of that Almighty
King ; there is no avail therefor save resigna-
tion.' And they went away. After them came
many moon-faced damsels, in the hand of each
of whom was a golden dish filled full of all
manner of jewels, and they walked three times
round that dome, and then stood at the door and
said, ' O prince, what can we ? were there
release to thy sweet soul by the giving of
riches, we would give all these jewels, and
we ourselves would become slaves ; but what
avail ? it is the decree of that Almighty
King, and He hath no need of such things ;
there is no help for His decree save patience.'
And they went away. After them came an
innumerable army which surrounded that dome,
rank on rank, and they said, ' O prince, were
there release to thy sweet soul by battle, night
and day would we, all of us, do battle in thy cause;
but what avail ? it is the decree of that Almighty
King ; there is no help therefor but patience and
resignation.' And they went away. After them
came the king the father of that prince, and the
vezirsand the nobles, and they walked three times
round that dome, and then stood at the door, and
the king said, * O light of my eyes, darling of
my heart, were there release to thy sweet soul
216 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
to be found by science, I had found it by means
of the learned ; or were it by gifts and bounties,
I had assembled all my army and made war and
attained it ; but what avail ? decree is God's. He
is in want of nought ; there is no help save
patience and acquiescence in His judgment.'
And he wept full bitterly, and all the nobles and
vezirs wept likewise. When Hasan of Basra saw
these things he asked the vezir, ' What plight is
this plight ? ' The vezir said, ' O Hasan, our
king had a son : he was in beauty a second
Joseph ; and in writing, reading, chivalry, and
all accomplishments he had no rival ; and as he
was the king's only child he loved him very
much. One day Death spared him not, and he
passed to the Abiding Home. After the wailing
and dismay, as there was no help save patience
under the heavenly decree, they brought him
and buried him in this dome. And once every
year they come and thus visit the tomb.' When
Hasan of Basra heard these words from the
vezir and saw these things with his eyes, wealth
and riches went forth from his eye and heart ;
and he abandoned the whole of them and turned
dervish and donned the khirqa * ; and now,
when his name is mentioned, they add, ' The
mercy of God on him ! '
* The dervish's cloak.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 217
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that grief for children is
full bitter. As yet thou hast not felt it, and may
God Most High not show it thee thus through
him. O king, slay not the prince, else after-
ward thou shalt be repentant and shalt sigh
and groan until thou die." And he made inter-
cession for the prince for that day. When the
king heard this story from the vezir compassion
came into his heart, and he sent the youth to the
prison and went himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and again the
lady rose to greet him, and she sat with the
king. After the repast the lady asked for news
of the youth. The king said, " To-day like-
wise such an one of my vezirs made intercession
for him, and I have sent him again to the
prison." The lady said, " O king, why dost thou
leave my counsel and act according to thine
own understanding? Hast not thou heard these
words they have said concerning the heedless :
' Whoso is presumptuous through reason is
abased.' And the sages have said that eight
things bring disgrace upon a man : the first is
going to dine at a place without invitation,
the second is interfering between another and
his wife, the third is giving ear to every one's
218 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
words, the fourth is slighting the king, the fifth
is setting one's self above a great man, the sixth
is speaking to those who listen not to one's
words, the seventh is begging a favour of an
avaricious and indifferent person, and the eighth
is going to the enemies' gate. Now, O king,
those vezirs interfere between thee and me.
Beware, act not according to their words. They
have said that he who acts according to a
stranger's word will divorce his wife. Their
words are many ; and they are forty vezirs, and
each one of them for this long time is plan-
ning wiles. Mayhap my king has not heard the
story of the old gardener and his son." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
lady,
THE LADY'S NINETEENTH STORY.
"In the by-gone time an old gardener had
mounted his son upon an ass and was proceeding
to the garden, himself on foot. They met some
men who said, ' See this old pederast, how he
has mounted the boy upon the ass ; and is him-
self running alongside.' Whenever the old man
heard this he made the boy alight and mounted
himself. Again they met some other folk, these
likewise said, ' Look at this heartless old man,
he rides the ass himself and makes the poor
THE LADY'S NINETEENTH STORY, 219
child go on foot.' Whenever the old man heard
this he took his son up in front of him. Then
some people saw them and said, ' See this old
pederast, how he has taken the boy up in front of
him.' The old man heard this, and he put his
son up behind him. Again certain folks saw
them and said, ' See this old catamite, how he
has taken the boy up behind him.' The old man
knew not what to do, so he put his son down
and alighted himself and drove the ass before
them. The garden was near, and both of them
were on foot, and they reached the garden
before meeting with any others."
" Now, O king, I have told this story that thou
mayst know that no one in the world can escape
the tongue of the folk. Each one says a
different thing. It is even as when a boil came
out on the foot of a certain king who showed it
to someone and said, ' Come, look at this boil ;
is it ripe or unripe ? ' He looked and said, ' It is
ripe.' Then he showed it to another person,
and he said, ' It is unripe.' Then the king said,
' We cannot get sure information concerning
even one foot.' Do thou too, O king, go by no
one's word, lose not the opportunity ; no good
will come to thee from this youth." When the
king heard this story from the lady he said, " To-
morrow will I kill him." Arid they went to bed.
220 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite off
his head." TheTwentiethVezircameforwardand
said, " O king of the world, I will speak a good
word to thee : all these vezirs who have spoken
these many words are well-wishers to thee. The
Holy Apostle of God hath said, ' Whoso hath
believed in God and the Last Day ; when he
witnesseth to aught, let him speak with good
or let him be silent/ Now, what is best for thee
in this thy affair is this, as all thy vezirs say,
' Slay not the prince/ I too say, have patience,
else the end of this will be care and sorrow.
Mayhap the king has not heard the story of a
certain king." The king said, " Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE TWENTIETH VEZIR'S STORY.
" Of old time there was a great king. One
day, when returning from the chase, he saw a
dervish sitting by the way, crying, ' I have a
piece of advice ; to him who will give me a
thousand sequins I will tell it/ When the king
heard these words of the dervish he drew in his
horse's head and halted, and he said to the
dervish, ' What is thy counsel ? ' The dervish
replied, ' Bring the sequins and give me them
THE TWENTIETH VEZIFS STORY. 221
that I may tell my counsel.' The king ordered
that they counted a thousand sequins into the
dervish's lap. The dervish said, ' O king, my
advice to thee is this, whenever thou art about
to do a deed, consider the end of that deed, and
then act.' The nobles who were present
laughed together at these words and said, ' Any-
one knows that/ But the king rewarded that
poor man. He was greatly pleased with the
words of the dervish and commanded that they
wrote them on the palace gate and other places.
Now that king had an enemy, a great king ; and
this hostile king was ever watching his oppor-
tunity ; but he could find no way save this, he
said in himself, ' Let me go and promise the
king's barber some worldly good and give him a
poisoned lancet ; some day when the king is sick
he can bleed him with that lancet/ So he
disguised himself, and went and gave the
barber a poisoned lancet and ten thousand
sequins. And the barber was covetous and
undertook to bleed the king with that lancet
what time it should be needful. One day the
king was sick, and he sent word to the barber to
come and bleed him. Thereupon the barber
took that poisoned lancet with him and went.
The attendants prepared the basin, and the
barber saw written on the rim of the basin,
222 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
' Whenever thou art about to perform a deed,
think on the end thereof.' When the barber saw
this he said in himself, ' I am now about to bleed
the king with this lancet and doubtless he will
perish, then they will not leave me alive, but
will inevitably kill me ; after I am dead what use
will these sequins be to me?' And he took up
that lancet and put it in its place and drew out
another lancet that he might bleed the king.
When he took his arm a second time, the king
said, ' Why didst thou not bleed me with the
first lancet ? ' The barber answered, ' O king,
there was some dust on its point.' Then the
king said, ' I saw it, it is not the treasury lancet ;
there is some secret here, quick, tell it, else I
will slay thee.' When the barber saw this
importunity, he related the story from beginning
to end and how he had seen the writing on the
basin and changed his intention. The king put
a robe of honour on the barber and let him keep
the sequins which his enemy had given him.
And the king said, ' The dervish's counsel is
worth not one thousand sequins but a hundred
thousand sequins.' '
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that it is as when the dervish
said, ' Whatsoever deed thou doest, consider the
end thereof, then act.' If thou slay the prince,
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 223
at last thou shalt be repentant. The rest the
king knows." And he made intercession for
the prince. When the king heard these words
from the vezir he sent the prince to the prison
and himself mounted for the chase.
When it was evening the kin^ returned from
o o
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady again asked for news of the
youth. The king said, " To-day such an one
of my vezirs made intercession for him and I
sent him to the prison." The lady said, " O
king, it is related of the Khalif Ma'mun* that
he said, ' Four things are hurtful to kings ; the
first is the nobles being negligent, the second is
the ministers being envious, the third is the
mean being bold, and the fourth is the vezirs
being treacherous.' And the Moorish sages
say, ' In nobles there is no friendship, in liars
there is no fidelity, in the envious there is no
peace, in the indifferent there is no generosity,
and in the evil-natured there is no greatness/
O king, these thy vezirs are, like thy traitor
son, liars and evil-natured. Thou believest the
words of these. The story of thee and this
youth altogether resembles the story of those
* El-Ma'mun, the son of Harun-er-Rashld, was proclaimed
khalif in 198 (A.D. 813) ; he died in 218 (A.D. 833).
224 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Turkman children." The king said, " Tell
that story, let us hear it." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTIETH STORY.
" Certain Turkmans from an encampment
went one day into a city. When they were
returning from the city to the encampment they
were an hungered, and when they were come
near they ate some bread and onions at a
spring-head. The juice of the onions went
into the Turkmans' eyes, and the tears came
forth from their eyes. Now the children of the
Turkmans had gone out to meet them, and they
saw that the tears were streaming from their
fathers' eyes and they thought that some one of
them had died in the city. So without asking
and without knowing, they ran back and came
to the encampment and said to their mothers,
' One of ours is dead in the city, our fathers are
coming weeping.' All the women and children
of that encampment came forth to meet them,
weeping together. The Turkmans who were
coming from the city thought that one of theirs
had died in the encampment ; so were they with-
out knowledge one of the other, and they raised
a weeping and crying together such that it can-
not be described. At length the elders of the
camp stood up in the midst and said, 'May all
THE LADY'S TWENTIETH STORY. 225
ye remain whole ; the command is God's, there
is none other help than patience.' And they
questioned them. The Turkmans who were
coming from the city asked, ' Who is dead in
the encampment ?' The others said, * No one
is dead in the encampment ; who has died in
the city ? ' Those coming from the city an-
swered, ' No one has died in the city.' They
said, ' Then for whom are we wailing and
lamenting ? ' At length they perceived that all
this tumult arose from their thus trusting the
words of children."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that confusion like to
that is brought about by youths. What I know
is this, if thou slay not the youth he will slay
thee." When the king heard these words from
the lady he said, " To-morrow will I kill him."
And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, <k Smite off
his head." The Twenty- First Vezir came for-
ward and said, " O king of the world, yesterday,
when reading in a book, I saw that they had
written that there was a great king in the land
of Hindustan, and in his time there was a work
on wisdom, and they laded three camels with
Q
226 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
it and brought it to him. One day the king-
said to the sages, ' Abridge this book for me,
that I may study it.' Then all the sages of
Hind came together and collected the necessary
words from that work and made a book. When
the king read it he was pleased. And the
words that they wrote were these : ' O king, be
not presumptuous, being deceived by the world;
for the world showeth itself like a fair woman and
fondleth men in its bosom ; and when they are
asleep and heedless, of a sudden it woundeth
and slayeth them. Knowing of a surety that
it is thus, have care if it offer itself to thee,
that thou keep thyself from it, so that thou be
prosperous. And expend what thou gainest of
wealth in the way of God Most High, and
guard against iniquity, and show forth thy name
through generosity, and abandon avarice. O
king, the light of the world is darkness, and its
newness is oldness, and its being is non-being.
O king, strive that thou save thyself from it ;
and incline not to the amassing of unlawful
wealth, for it will pass from thy hand and be a
woe to thee. Strive to collect wealth law-
fully, and expend it on good works, and show
thyself just among the folk to the utmost of thy
power, that all the people of the world may
love thee, and that thou be secured against the
THE TWENTY-FIRST VEZIR'S STORY. 227
punishment of God Most High. And guard
thy Faith for the Hereafter. And love not
women and tell not them thy secrets. O king,
be not deceived by womankind ; for in body are
they weak, but in guile are they strong.' Now,
O king, these counsels are exceeding good
counsels, and it behoves the king to keep them;
and their saying is true that women are weak
in body but strong in guile. Mayhap the king
has not heard what befell a certain king with a
woman." The king said, " Relate it, let us
hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE TWENTY-FIRST VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a
great king, and he had a beautiful wife, such
that many a soul dangled in the tresses on her
cheek. That lady had a secret affair with a
youth, and she used to hide the youth in a
chest in the palace. One day that youth said
to the lady, ' If the king were aware of this our
work, he would slay the two of us/ The lady
said, ' Leave that thought, I can do so that I
shall hide thee in the chest and say to the king,
" Lo, my lover is lying in this chest ;" and then,
when the king is about to kill thee, I shall
make him repentant by one word.' While the
youth and the lady were saying these words,
Q 2
228 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
the king came, and the lady straightway put
the youth into the chest and locked it. The
king said, ' Why lockest thou that chest thus
hastily? What is in the chest?' The lady
answered, ' By God, it is my lover ; I saw thee
coming and I put him into the chest and locked
it.' Then was the king wroth, and he bared
his sword and thought to slay him who was in
the chest, when the lady said, ' O king, art thou
mad, where is gone thine understanding ? Am
I mad that I should advance a strange man to
thy couch and then say to thee, " Lo, he is in
the chest ? " In truth, I wondered if thou were
sincere in thy trust of me, and I tried thee, and
now I know that thou thinkest evil concerning
me/ And she ceased and sat in a corner. Then
did the king repent him of what he had done ;
and he begged and besought of his wife, saying,
4 Forgive me.' And he gave her many things,
and craved pardon for his fault. When the
king had gone out from the harem into the
palace the lady took that youth forth of the
chest and said, ' Didst thou see what a trick I
played the king ? ' And they gave themselves
up to mirth and merriment."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that guile and trickery
such as this abound in women. O king, be-
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 229
ware, slay not the prince on the woman's word,
else afterward thou shalt be repentant, and
too late repentance profits not." And he made
intercession for the prince for that day. When
the king heard this story from the vezir he
sent the prince to the prison and himself
mounted for the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady again began to speak about
the youth. The king said, "To-day too such an
one of my vezirs made intercession for him and
I sent him to the prison." The lady said, " O
king, this youth is ignoble. It is even as when
God Most High told N.oah (peace on him!) of
the impurity of his son : said God Most High,
* He is not of thy family ; verily, it is a work
that is not right.' * Then it is known that if a
person follow not the way of his father, and be
not endowed with the nature of his father,
he cannot be called a lawful son. There-
fore, when the wise see a fault in others they
hinder and cover it, and if they see that fault in
themselves they strive to banish it far from
them. There is no help for the ignoble that he
* Koran, xi. 48.
230 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
should follow the path of the noble. Mayhap
the king has not heard the story of a certain
abdal and a king." The king said, " Tell on,
let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FIRST STORY.
" There was of old time a great king, and
there was by him an abdal. One day the king
mounted for the chase, and the abdal said, ' O
king, I am able for soldiering and hunting ;
give me too horse and gear and bird, that I
may go forth with thee to ride about and hunt.'
So the king gave the abdal a horse and gear,
and gave him a falcon on his wrist, and took
him along with him to the chase, and they went
off. While they were riding, the king saw a
bird go into a bush, and he said to the abdal,
6 Go, cast the falcon at the bird/ And the king
stood to look on. The abdal went up close to
the bush with the falcon, and a man stirred the
bush, and the bird came out and flew off. The
king said to the abdal, * The bird is away,
throw off the falcon/ And the abdal threw off
the falcon from his wrist without slipping the
leash, and he swung it round and round his
head. The king shouted, ' Out on thee !
throw off the falcon ! ' The abdal said, ' O
king, I have thrown it off, what am I to do ? '
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FIRST STORY. 231
But he left not to swing- the falcon round his
o
head. The king shouted, * Out on thee ! let
the falcon go ! ' And the abdal let go the leash ;
but the falcon's eyes were darkened from its
having been turned round, and it could not fly,
and fell to the ground. And the king was
angry and ill-pleased. Then the abdal said, ' O
king, wherefore art thou angry ? thou saidest,
" Throw off the falcon," and I threw it off;
then thou saidest, " Let it go," and I let it go ;
this falcon knows not how to fly : what fault is
mine ? ' These words of the abdal were plea-
sant to the king and he fainted from laughing ;
and he perceived how no good comes from any-
thing ignoble." *
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that no good comes
from the ignoble man who follows not the path
of his father and mother. Beware, O king, be
not negligent in the affair of this youth, or in
the end some hurt will befall thee from him ;
the rest thou knowest." When the king heard
this story from the lady he said, " On the mor-
row will I kill the youth." And they went to bed.
* The point of this story is lost in the translation. To let fly
a falcon at game, is, in Turkish, to swing a falcon ; the king says
to the abdal, " Swing the falcon," meaning, let it fly at the bird ;
but the abdal understands him literally, and swings the falcon
round his head.
232 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and commanded the executioner,
" Smite off his head." The Twenty-Second
Vezir came forward and said, " O king of the
world, the Holy Apostle of God (God Most
High bless and save him !) hath said, ' Verily,
God is with the prince so long as he acteth
justly ; but when he oppresseth, He maketh
him over to his lust, then He letteth loose upon
him Satan.' And the Apostle (peace on him !)
hath likewise said, ' O ye : and tyranny, verily,
it ruineth your hearts.' Now, O king, in com-
pliance with these Traditions guard thee well
against tyranny. A man does many deeds
which he knows not to be tyranny till on the
Resurrection- Day they appear before him like
mountains, and he shall repent, crying, * Woe 1
Alas ! ' Perchance in this world heedlessness
may have bound up his eyes so that he has not
seen it ; even as they have said in this couplet :
At length, when the dust clears away, them shalt see
If horse 'tis, or ass, that is ridden by thee.
Now, O king, there is a fable for this, the
story of a king who would not believe until he
saw the Gathering and the Resurrection in a
vision." The king said, " Tell that story, let
me hear it." Quoth the vezir,
THE TWENTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY. 233
THE TWENTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was of old time a great king, and he
had a fair son, such that those who looked on
his face were bewildered and confounded, and
many persons were known to have love of him.
By reason thereof the prince went about with a
veil ; and whensoever he went to walk sergeants
would scatter the folk who were within eye-
shot, and in that way they shed the guiltless
blood of many lovers and cast them like moths
into the flame. And the king's headsman
would march alongside the prince, and whoso
looked at the prince and sighed or looked long
at his face, him they killed* without mercy.
Now there was an abdal who loved the prince
from his heart, and every time the prince went
out to walk the abdal would run before him.
They cried to the abdal, ' Stop ! go not ! * and
they would ever strike him and say, ' We will
kill thee.' But the abdal heeded not ; and they
slew him not, saying, ' He is a dervish/ One
day in the week the prince went out into the
square and played ball on horseback ; and he
rode so swiftly that the beholders were amazed.
And the folk stood rank on rank at the distance
of a bowshot from the square and looked at the
234 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
prince playing with ball and mall, and wondered
at his fleetness and beauty. That abdal
entered the square and rolled like a ball in
front of the prince's horse, and they cursed him
and beat him, but he would not go away. They
told the king of this matter, and the king
said, ' Hang ye him.' Now the king's vezir
was present there, and he said, * Thou hast spilt
this much blood unjustly ; to-morrow, on the
Resurrection-Day, when God Most High is
Judge and asks thee of these sins, what answer
wilt thou give ? ' Quoth the king, * O vezir,
who knows ? who has gone thither and seen
with his eyes and come back ? It is but a
word that they say and then cease.' And he
denied the Resurrection. And he laid his head
upon his pillow and slept, and forthwith he saw
in his dream that the Resurrection was come,
and the Bridge of Es-Sirat* was raised, and the
gates of Paradise were opened, and the fires of
Hell were burning and were become red-hot,
and mankind was in troops, some of which they
led to Paradise and some to Hell. And they
of Paradise were in Paradise with the houris
* Es-Sirat = * The Path.' The allegorical Bridge by which
admittance is gained to Heaven is so called ; the Path, of course,
being the True Faith and the righteous life that it demands ;
but here taken as a literal bridge.
THE TWENTY-SECOND VEZIFS STORY. 235
and the youths in the midst of gardens, and in
their hands was pure wine, and on the banks of
streams ripened all manner of fruits, and whatso-
ever fruit a man desired, a branch thereof came
and bent before him, and he took it, and a fruit
grew at the place where he was about to eat, and
the damsels and youths of Paradise left not to
give them of the wines of Paradise ; and the
king saw them of Paradise rejoicing in this
fashion. And the demons laid hold of them of
Hell and threw them into boiling pitch and
tormented them so that it cannot be described,
and their wailing and lamenting rose to the
Empyrean. Their hearts were on fire, and
when they besought a draught of water, in
place of water they gave them of the zaqqum,*
which when they swallowed, all their entrails and
the flesh of their faces were torn in pieces; and
the king saw them tormented in this fashion, and
would have fled from himself by reason of his
fear. Then they brought the king too into the
presence of God Most High and they weighed
his good deeds and his sins, and his good deeds
showed little and his sins much ; and they sent
him to Hell. While the king was going to
* Ez-zaqqum is the name of a foreign tree with a very bitter
fruit, and is metaphorically used in the Koran to denote the
food of the wicked in Hell.
236 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Hell, a voice cried behind him, ' If in the world
thou had had compassion on those that loved
Us, would We now have had mercy upon thee/
When they took the king to Hell a demon
came before him and laid hold of the king and
said, ' Art not thou he who denied Heaven
and Hell, and would not believe ? ' And he
plunged him into a cauldron of pitch, so that the
king thought they flayed him, and with the
pain thereof he awoke. The vezir was by him,
and the king told him one by one all these signs
which he had seen, and said, ' Quick, go fetch
that abdal.' And he sent the prince too after
him. Now when the executioners brought the
hapless abdal to the gallows he said, * For the
love of God give me a moment's grace that I
may make the ablution and perform the two-
bow prayer ; then whatsoever ye will do, do.'
So they gave him grace, and he made a fair
ablution and performed the two-bow prayer,
and he rubbed his face upon the ground and
said, ' My God, Thou art the Knower of the
Unseen ; I am without sin in this matter ;
needful was it either not to have given the
king's son this much fair beauty, or not to have
given me this love. Now Thou hast given to
the prince fair beauty and to me love ; and lo,
they are about to slay me for that I love the
THE TWENTY- SECOND VEZIRS STORY. 237
beauty Thou hast created. O my God, free-
will placed not the love of the prince in me ;
at least show me once again his fair beauty,
then take my soul.' And the abdal rubbed his
face in the dust and prayed at the Court of
God (glorified and exalted be He !) While he
was in this plight the vezir and the prince
arrived, and when the vezir saw the dervish in
such case he pitied him and said to the prince,
' Go, raise the captive of the love of thee from
the earth, and take his head upon thy knee,
and with thy handkerchief wipe the tears from
his eyes and the dust from his face.' Then the
prince dismounted from his horse and took the
abdal's head upon his knee, and, saying, ' Weep
not, abdal,' he wiped with his handkerchief the
tears from his eyes and the dust from his face.
When the abdal looked on the face of him who
was wiping away his tears and saw that he was
the prince, he sighed once and groaned and gave
up his soul to God. Then the vezir and the
prince marvelled at this thing, and they told
the king. And when the king heard their words,
exceeding great pity came upon him, and he
attended the funeral of the abdal and buried him
by the side of his own tomb, and he wrote this
upon the stone : ' This is a martyr of love : he
died for love of us, so he is of us.' Thereafter
238 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
the king said nothing to the lovers of his son the
prince ; and the prince began to deal kindly with
those who were captives of the love of him."
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may know that there will be a going
before God Most High with neck bound like a
prisoner, and may reflect and guard against
tyranny ; and that he may know that whoso
does good deeds shall enjoy eternal delight in
Paradise, and that whoso does evil deeds shall
go to Hell ; and that he may act accordingly.
For the life of this world is but as an hour ;
dispossess not thyself of eternal delight for the
sake of an hour. It is even as saith the
Apostle (peace on him !), ' The world is an
hour; pass it in worship/ ' And he kissed the
ground and made intercession for the prince.
When the king heard this story from the vezir
he sent the prince to the prison and went him-
self to the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and she sat with the king.
After the repast the lady asked for news of the
youth. The king said, " To-day too such an
one of my vezirs made intercession for him and
I sent him to the prison." The lady said,
" Well have they said that Fortune must be
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SECOND STORY. 239
blamed, but the fault must not be blamed. It is
even as they have said :
1 We ever blame our fortune, yet the blame with us doth lie ;
It is not from our fortune the blame that comes us nigh.'
Now, O king, the signs of good are not in
thy vezirs ; their works are ever evil and
treachery, and they are men of pride and
avarice and envy. And the treachery they
work against thee doth not suffice them, by me
too they deal treacherously, and they envy me ;
for they see that if the king were to follow my
words and slay the youth, I should be honoured
before the king, and that by reason of my
truthfulness the king would ever take counsel
of me, and that they would remain unhonoured ;
therefore do they envy me. O king, God
Most High doth bring things right. Mayhap
the king has not heard the story of the courtier
of a certain king." The king said, " Tell on,
let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SECOND STORY.
" There was of old time a great king, and
there was one by him who ever said, ' O king,
whatsoever thou doest, thou doest for thyself;
be it good or be it evil.' And the king loved
him much, and he ever grew in esteem before
the king. Now one day one of the envious
2 4 o HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
went before the king and said, ' O king, thou
thus much honourest and favourest such an one,
but he is an ingrate toward the king ; he says
(God forefend the listeners !) that the king has
the disease of leprosy. If the king believe me
not, let him call him to-morrow, and when he
comes near the king's breath, let him see how
he avoids the king.' When it was morning
that envious man cooked a Tartar pie seasoned
with garlic ; and he went and found that man
and took him to his house and set before him
that Tartar pie seasoned with garlic, and sundry
other foods all seasoned with garlic. They ate
together and afterward went to the king's
divan. The envious man said to the courtier,
' If the king speak to thee a word in private,
take care that thou let him not perceive the
smell of the garlic ; for the king likes it not.
And if he call thee to his side, hold thy sleeve
to thy mouth that the smell come not forth
from thy mouth.' Then they went and stood
in the divan, and the king beckoned to the
courtier, and called him to him, and said, ' Come,
I have somewhat to whisper in thine ear.'
When the courtier came near the king, he held
his sleeve to his mouth and stood a little way
off that the smell might not reach the king.
The king said in his heart, ' What they said
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SECOND STORY. 241
about this man is then true/ As for the
courtier, he said in his heart, * God grant the
smell of the garlic may not reach the king.'
So they were both of them without knowledge
one of the other. Thereupon the king wrote an
order and gave it into the hand of that courtier
and said, ' Take this note and carry it to the
chief magistrate, and keep whatever gift he
bestows on thee/ So the courtier took the
note and went out ; when he met that envious
man. The envious man asked, 'Whither goest
thou ? ' The courtier answered, ' The king
gave me a note and said, " Go take it to the
chief magistrate and keep whatever gift he
bestows on thee/' Quoth that envious man,
1 Thou wilt always merit the king's favours ;
but he never asks for us ; do thou at least give
me this note ; and shall not it be that we will
recompense thee ? ' So the courtier reflected
and said in himself, ' This man gave us a
dinner, doubtless he looks for something from
us.' And he presented that envious man with
the note and said, ' Take this note and go to
the chief magistrate and to thy luck.' The
envious man took the note and went to the
chief magistrate, and the latter took the note
and read it. And the king had written, ' Seize
him who gives this note into thy hand, and
R
242 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
spare him not, but flay him alive and stuff his
skin with grass and set it up on my road, that
when I pass now I may see it there.' Straight-
way the chief magistrate commanded his
servants, ' Seize this wretch and slay him.'
Then the envious man saw how the matter was
and he began to cry out, * The king did not
give this note to me, he gave it to another man;
I am come by mistake.' But it was no avail ;
the servants flayed him alive and stuffed his
skin with grass and set it up on the king's road.
An hour afterward the king disguised himself
and went out, and as he was walking he came
there, and he saw that it was not the skin of
the courtier as he had commanded, but that of
the man who had defamed the courtier to him.
Thereupon he wondered and passed on, and he
ordered them to bring the courtier ; and they
straightway found him and brought him. The
king said, ' I called thee to my side this day
and desired to say somewhat in thine ear, and
thou didst hold thy sleeve to thy mouth and
didst stand a little way off; what was the
reason ?' The courtier answered, ' Such and
such a noble had made a feast for me and
given me to eat food seasoned with garlic ; and
I covered my mouth with my sleeve and stood
a little way off lest the smell might annoy thee.'
THE LADYS TWENTY-SECOND STORY. 243
Then was he silent. The king said, * What
didst thou with that note I gave thee ? ' The
courtier replied, ' O king, when I took that
note and went out I met that man, and he
questioned me, and I said that it was a letter
with a gift for an answer from my king to the
chief magistrate. And that man begged it of
me much, and I was ashamed by reason of the
garlic feast, and gave it him ; if thou believe
not, let him be brought, and ask him/ When
the king heard these words from the courtier he
said, ' Whatsoever a person does he does for
himself ; true then is their saying, " The
wicked has found his due." Go thou and be at
ease.'
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that they thus envy
every hapless one, but I take refuge in God
Most High. Lo, thou shalt see how God
Most High will tread them under foot. Ah,
beware, O king, be not heedless of the youth ;
for they have said that the heedless head
looks well at the can tie." * When the king
heard this tale from the lady he said, " To-
morrow will I slay him." And they went to bed,
When it was morning the king came and sat
* i.e. When it is cut off and fastened by the enemy to his
saddle.
R 2
244 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
upon his throne, and he caused the executioner
to bring the youth and commanded him,
" Smite off his head." The Twenty-Third
Vezir came forward and said, " O king of the
world, the Holy Apostle (peace on him !) hath
said, ' One hour of doing justice is better than
the worship of seventy years, and one hour of
acting cruelly undoeth the worship of seventy
years.' O king, despise not the Law, that on
the Resurrection-Day thou mayst be of the
host of the just kings. And countenance not
women, for in them guile and craft abound.
Mayhap the king has not heard the story of
that khoja and his son." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was of old time a great merchant,
and he had a son. One day he took his son
and went to a house and said, ' O son, I have a
charge to thee.' The youth said, 'On head and
eye ! ' * The khoja continued, ' O son, after I
am dead, if thou waste not the wealth I leave,
so long as thou livest thou shalt enjoy happiness
and delight with heart at ease ; but if thou
waste it, see that thou go not and beg of any-
* i.e. I am ready to obey.
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 245
one, but get a rope and hang thyself from this
wooden ring.' The youth swore to obey.
After a time the merchant was received into
Mercy. And the youth in a short time wasted
the wealth with flatterers, and he stood in
need of a red florin. First of all, the flatterers
turned from him, and whenever they saw him
they said, ' Fool ! ' and reviled him. At last
the youth grew weary of life, and one day, while
he was sitting idle, his father's charge came into
his mind. Thereupon he went and got a rope
and came and entered that house, and he
fastened one end of the rope to the wooden
ring his father had spoken of, and tied the
other end round his neck, and he had put a
stool under his feet, and he threw himself from
that stool. When he did this, the ring gave
way and a piece of the boarding came down and
the youth fell to the ground. Now that place
had been filled full of gold and jewels, and these
poured down. Then the youth knew that his
father's charge to hang himself was because of
this wealth. So he gathered together his
senses and repented of what he had done, and
he again devoted himself to commerce. One
day he meant to go out into the plain, and he
went forth from the city, and while he was
going along he met with a snake-charmer, who
246 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZ1RS.
had gathered a number of snakes, and was
playing. Now among these was a white snake,
very gentle and sad ; and he bought that
snake, and got from the man the charm that the
snake might do him no hurt. And he took it
to his house, and he would ever divert himself
with it. One day that snake shook itself and
became a fair girl ; and when the youth saw
this he wondered and asked of the girl, ' What
is this plight ? ' The girl answered, ' I am
the king's daughter of the jinn ; in the early
spring, while I was wandering about in the
meadows, that snake-charmer met me and pro-
nounced a spell over me and blew upon me,
and I had no power to move or resume my
original form. Now is that snake-charmer
dead, and his magic is impotent ; and I have
resumed my own form. Come, take me to my
city and sell me to my father and mother. If
they say to thee, " What price shall we give
thee ? " ask for the Chinese mirror. They will
offer thee something else ; but say thou to
them, "If ye will give me that mirror, there is
your daughter, take her ; if not, lo, I shall go
away." And they will of necessity give thee
that mirror and take me from thee/ The youth
said, ' What is the virtue of that mirror ? ' The
girl answered, ' Its virtue is this, that if thou
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIRS STORY. 247
take that mirror in thy hand and say, " O
mirror, by the Names of God that are upon
thee, take me to such and such a place ;" and
shut thine eyes, thou wilt find thyself in that
place when thou openest them.' Then the girl
said to the youth, ' Shut thine eyes ;' and after
a time she said, ' Open thine eyes ;' and he
opened them and saw himself upon a mountain.
In the plain below that mountain he saw a
mighty city, the pinnacles of the towers and
battlements whereof were even with the clouds;
and when the youth saw the city he marvelled.
Then the youth and the girl went to that city,
and he sent the girl to her mother. When
the girl's mother saw her she began to weep
and asked of her circumstances ; and the girl
related the whole of them one by one. Then
the mother wished to take the girl and go to
their house, but the girl said, ' I promised the
youth, saying, " Take me to my mother, and
she will buy me from thee for a price ;" if I
now go with thee, the youth will be displeased/
The girl's mother asked the youth, ' O youth,
what wishest thou for this girl ? ' The youth
answered^ ' I wish the Chinese mirror.' The
woman went and said to the girl's father, ' A
youth has brought our daughter ; but he wishes
the mirror as her price.' Thereupon the father
248 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIKS.
took the mirror and came, and he gave it to
the youth and took the girl. The youth said,
' O mirror, by the Names of God that are upon
thee, take me to my own house.' And he
shut his eyes ; and when he opened them again
he found himself in his own house. Now the
king of that land had a fair daughter, and this
youth had fallen in love with her without
having seen her, having heard of her beauty.
One night he took down the mirror and gave
the oath and said, ' Take me before the king's
daughter;' and he closed his eyes. He opened
them again and found himself before the girl.
They saluted each other, and the girl said,
* My father will find out, and he will spare nor
thee nor me.' The youth answered, * Shut
thine eyes, I will send thee away.' Quoth the
girl, * Do thou too come with me.' Thereupon
they both shut their eyes, and he gave the oath
to the mirror, and they found themselves upon
the bed in the girl's room. The girl said,
' Who art thou ? ' The. youth told her that
he was a merchant's son. After some time the
girl said, 'Let us go to thy house.' There-
upon they gave the oath to the mirror and shut
their eyes and they found themselves in the
youth's house ; and they made merry in that
house. When it was morning the girl's father
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 249
was told that she had disappeared, and for a
time, sighing and lamenting, he searched all
about and around, but found her not. After a
time, he found some crafty witches, and related
the affair to them and sent them in every direc-
tion ; and each one of them devoted herself to
search and quest in a different quarter. Now
one of the witches came to the city where the
girl was, and while she was going through all
the houses and examining them, of a sudden
she looked from a window and saw the girl, and
she knew her to be the king's daughter. When
it was night she entered that house through her
magic power ; now the youth had hung up the
Chinese mirror on the wall, she saw it and
knew its virtue through her magic power, and
she took it and went to the girl's side and gave
the oath to the Chinese mirror and said, 'Quick,
take me and this girl to the king's palace.' As
to the youth, he was asleep. The sorceress
shut her eyes and opened them again and found
herself and the girl in the palace ; and she gave
the girl and the mirror to the king. The king
placed the mirror in his treasury and sent the
girl to the harem, and he sent those witches as
spies to seize the youth. We go to the youth :
When it was morning he arose from sleep and
found not the girl by his side, and the mirror
250 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
too was not in its place, and he said in himself,
' This trick cannot be the girl's ; for she herself
desired me ; it must be that a witch has come
from her father and done these deeds/ Having
no other resource, sighing and wailing, he set out
for the city. One day he entered the city, and
one of the witches, while prowling about spying,
met him. Thereupon she ran to the king and
informed him. And the king sent men who
found the youth and seized him, and brought
him into the presence of the king. The king
said, ' Out on thee, degenerate youth, what
work is this work thou hast done ? I am a
king, and thou doest so by me ; I will slay thee
with a torment such that thou shalt be an
example.' Now the king had a deep pit, and
he used to put those with whom he was very
wroth into that deep pit, so that at length they
perished therein. Then he commanded that
they should imprison him in that pit, and give
him no bread, that he might perish of hunger
therein. Now the youth had a little cat and a
little dog ; and these had come with him.
And when the men were gone the little dog
scraped and scraped till he made a hole, and
the little cat went down through that hole and
came before the youth. Now the inside of
that pit was all full of mice, so that they ate up
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIRS STORY. 251
the men who fell therein. As soon as they
saw the youth they rushed upon him, and the
little cat saw this thing, and it straightway slew
some of them. The mice saw that the cat
gave them no mercy, but killed them, and they
could not resist and took to flight ; and not a
mouse did dare so much as show its head out
of its hole. Then the mice informed their
nobles of these things, and the nobles said,
' Go and ask, and give that man whatever he
wants that he may take away that brute from
over us/ The mice came and said so to the
youth ; and by command of the youth they dug
a tunnel, large enough for a man to pass
through, up to the king's palace. Then they
told the youth, and he arose and went to the
palace and found the girl and asked for the
mirror. The girl told him it was in the trea-
sury; then he ordered the mice that they opened
a tunnel to the treasury also ; and the youth went
in and took the mirror and came back to the
girl, and they went to his country. Early on
the morrow the slave-girls looked and saw not
the girl, and they told their lady ; and the lady
sent word to the king. The king forthwith
called the witches and said, 'In the evening the
youth again stole the mirror and my daughter
and is fled ; go, and where ye find him this
252 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
time, there slay him, and bring me my daugh-
ter and the mirror.' The witches hastened and
found the youth and slew him ; and they took
the girl and the mirror and brought them and
made them over to the king. So that in the
end that youth lost his life through women."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that sorcery and witchcraft
like to this abound in women. Beware, go not
by the woman's word, slay not the prince who
is fair even as the moon, that afterward thou
suffer not regret and remorse." And he kissed
the ground and made intercession for the prince.
When the king heard this story from the vezir
he sent the prince to the prison and himself
mounted for the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady again began to speak about
the youth. The king said, " To-day too such
an one of my vezirs made intercession for him,
and I sent him to the prison." The lady said,
" O king, dost thou know that this youth will
slay thee, for he has learned craft from his
master, and with craft and magic he will bind
thy mouth and tongue, and ever watch his oppor-
tunity ; and thy affair will be like the story of
THE LADY'S TWENTY-THIRD STORY. 253
the geomancer and his apprentice ; mayhap my
king has not heard it." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY-THIRD STORY.
"It is related that there was a woman in the
city of Cairo, and that woman had a worthless
son, who, no matter to what trade she put him,
did no good. One day the woman said to the
youth, ' My son, what trade shall I give thee ? '
The youth replied, ' Take me along with thee,
let us go ; and whatever trade I like, to that do
thou give me/ And that woman and her son
went to the bazaar, and while they were walking
about they saw a geomancer, and the youth ob-
served that geomancer and liked him. There-
upon the woman made him over to him, and the
geomancer took the youth and began to show
him the principles of geomancy. After some
days the master said to the youth, ' To-morrow
I will become a ram ; sell me, but take heed and
give not my rope.' The youth said, ' Very good.'
The master became a ram, and the youth took
him and led him to the bazaar and sold him for
a thousand aspres ; but he gave not the rope,
but took it away with him, and returned. When
it was evening his master appeared. After some
days the master said, ' Now, youth, to-morrow
254 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
I will become a horse ; take and sell me, but
take heed and give not my headstall.' And he
became a horse, and the youth took him and
sold him but gave not the headstall ; and he
took the money and went to his own house.
When it was evening his master came to his
house and saw the youth was not there, and he
said, ( He will come in the morning/ and went
to bed. On the other hand, the youth went to
his mother and said, * O mother, to-morrow I
will become a dove ; sell me, but take heed and
give not my key/ And he became a dove with-
out peer ; and the woman put the dove up to
auction, and the bidders began to raise their
bids at the rate of five piastres. But this dove
which spake in the language of the people of
that city acquired such fame as cannot be de-
scribed. Now as every one was speaking of
the qualities of this dove, his master heard and
came, and as soon as he saw him he knew him
to be the youth, and he said, ' Out on thee, mis-
begotten wretch, thou doest a deed like this and
I whole, now see what I will do to thee.' And
he went and bought him from the woman. The
woman said, ' I will not give the key. 5 Quoth
the master, ' Take fifty piastres more, and go
and buy another key such as thou pleasest.'
And he gave her the whole sum ; and the woman
THE LADY'S TWENTY-THIRD STORY. 255
was greedy and took it, and drew the key from
her girdle and threw it on the ground. As soon
as the key fell, it became a pigeon and began to
fly, and the master became a hawk and pursued
the pigeon. While these were flying along, the
king was seated in the plain taking his pleasure ;
and the youth looked and saw no escape, and
he became a red rose and fell in front of the
king. And the king wondered and said, 'What
means a rose out of season ? ' and he took it in
his hand. Then the master became a minstrel,
and he came to the king's party with a mandolin
in his hand and sang a stave with a sweet voice.
And the king marvelled and said to the minstrel,
' What desirest thou from me ? ' The minstrel
answered, ' What I desire from thee is the rose
that is in thy hand.' The king said, ' The rose
came to me from God ; ask something else.'
The minstrel was silent ; then he sang another
stave, and again the king said, ' What desirest
thou from me ? ' Again the minstrel asked the
rose ; and this time the king stretched out his
hand to give it him, whereupon the rose fell to
the ground and became millet. Then the
minstrel became a cock, and began to pick up
the millet. One grain of the millet was hidden
under the king's knee ; and that grain became a
man and seized the cock and tore off its head.
256 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
And the king" and the nobles wondered, and
they asked the youth of these matters, and he
explained them to them."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
thou mayst know that even as that youth slew
his master, so will this degenerate youth slay
thee. And after thee he will never show me a
good day ; sooth, without thee the world were
unlawful for me, thou art my care ; be thou but
well, then let me be thy sacrifice." When the
king heard this story from the lady he said,
" On the morrow will I slay him." And they
went to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite off
his head." Whereupon the Twenty-Fourth Vezir
came forward and said, "O king of the world,
obey not the lust of the flesh and incline not to
women and slay not thy darling, but have mercy.
Let not dust alight on your glorious heart
through the words I have spoken ; Our Lord
the Holy Apostle hath said, * Speak the truth
even though it be bitter.' O king, the stories
of the guile and craft of women are many ;
mayhap my king has not heard the story of
Delia the Crafty." The king said, " Relate, let
us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE TWENTY-FOURTH VEZIRS STORY. 257
THE TWENTY- FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was of old time, in the city of Cairo,
a cunning woman called Delia the Crafty.*
And that woman had two husbands, each of
whom thought the woman was his. And for a
long time the woman had been wife to both of
them ; but neither of these two men was aware of
the circumstance of the other. And one of them
was by profession a sharper, and the other was
a thief; and they were both pupils of the woman.
One day the thief took some stuff he had stolen
to the bazaar and there sold it. The man to
whom he had given it met the rightful owner
of the stuff, who cried, ' Praise be to God ! the
clue has appeared, the rest of my stuff is with
thee ; quick, tell me/ The man replied, ' Know
the words thou utterest and then speak, I bought
this stuff with money ; while thou, by thus
speaking, wouldst have this stuff from me/
The thief saw these and hastened to his house
and said to his wife, 'Wife, my thieving has
been found out ; give me some bread that I
may go to another place till this disturbance has
quieted down.' The woman brought a pie and
* Perhaps a reminiscence of Delilah the Crafty in the Thou-
sand and One Nights : see the Villon Society's Translation,
vol. vi. p. 234.
S
258 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
a sheep tail, and cut the pie in halves and the
tail in halves,* and gave a half of each to the
thief. The thief took them and started. After
a time the sharper came suddenly in and said,
' Wife, to-day my sharping has been found out ;
give me some bread, for I may not be seen
here for a few days, but must go to another
place.' So the woman gave the sharper the
remaining halves of the thief's pie and tail ; and
he took them and started. Now the thief, who
had gone first, reached a pleasant spring and a
pleasant shade, and he sat down by that pleasant
fountain-head and took out the pie and the tail
and thought to eat them. Thereupon the
sharper too suddenly appeared ; and he like-
wise seated himself by the edge of the spring
and took out his pie and tail to eat them. The
thief said, ' Brother, come, let us eat together.'
So the sharper came, and he looked at his own
pie and he looked at the thief's pie, and he saw
that they resembled one another ; and they
laid them together, and they were one pie.
And they laid the two pieces of tail together
likewise, and they saw it to be one tail. And
the sharper wondered and said, ' Brother, be
there no shame in asking ; whence comest thou ?'
* Some of the Asiatic sheep have enormous tails.
THE TWENTY-FOURTH VEZIFS STORY. 259
The robber answered, ' I come from Cairo.'
Quoth the sharper, * Where is your house ? '
The thief replied, ' In Cairo; my house is the
house of Delia the Crafty, and that woman is
my wife/ The sharper said, ' That house is
my house and that woman is my wife, and I
dwell there these many years ; why liest thou
now ? ' The thief said, ' Out on thee, man, art
thou mad or art thou jesting ? she is my wedded
wife these many years.' And the quarrel in-
creased between them. Then said the sharper,
' There is no use of quarrelling here ; come, let
us go to the woman and ask her which of us it
is ; then will it be known and clear.' So they
both arose and went to the woman. As soon
as the woman saw them she knew what had
happened ; and she showed each of them a
place, and sat down opposite them. The
sharper said, ' Out on thee. woman, whose wife
art thou ? ' The woman answered, ' By God,
till now was I the wife of both of you ; but
henceforth he of you whose feats are the greater
shall be my husband. I have taught many feats
to each of you ; and to whichever of you per-
forms the greater feat will I be true wife.' And
they both agreed to this proposal. The sharper
said, ' To-day will I go a-sharping ; afterward
do thou perform thy feat.' Then the sharper
S 2
260 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
and the thief arose and went to the bazaar.
The sharper saw that a Frank put a thousand
sequins into a purse, put the purse into his
bosom, and went to the bazaar. Forthwith the
sharper followed the Frank, and in the miclst
of the bazaar he went close up to him and
cunningly stole his money from his breast.
Then he went to a hidden place, and took out
nine of the sequins, and drew from his finger a
silver ring on which his name was written and
put it into the purse, and came and put it back
into the Frank's breast. And the thief saw all
these deeds. Then the sharper went round and
came before the Frank and laid hold of him and
struck him several times and cried, * Out on
thee, accursed, why didst thou take my purse
with my gold ? ' The Frank cried, ' Off to
thine own business, begone, leave me, who art
thou ? I do not even know thee/ The sharper
said, ' It is not needful for thee to know me ;
come, let us go to the tribunal.' The Frank
consented and they went together ; and the
sharper made his complaint, and the cadi asked
the Frank, ' How many are thy sequins ? ' The
Frank replied, ' There are a thousand sequins/
Then he asked the sharper, ' How many were
thy sequins ?' He answered, * There are nine
hundred and ninety-one sequins, and my silver
THE TWENTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY. 261
ring with my name engraved thereon is likewise
in the purse.' The cadi took the purse and
counted, and there were exactly nine hundred
and ninety-one sequins in it, and the ring too
was in it. Then they smote the Frank some
blows and gave the sequins to the sharper.
And the sharper took them and went with the
thief to the woman, and the woman said, ' Lo,
the sharper has performed a feat the like of
which no one has heard till this moment.'
When it was night the thief took a lasso and
went with the sharper to the king's palace.
The thief threw the lasso and scaled the wall
by means of it, and then pulled up the sharper.
Then they got down and went to the treasury
and the thief pulled out many different keys,
and he opened the door and entered the treasury
and said to the sharper, ' Load thyself with
as much gold as thou canst carry.' So the
sharper loaded himself and they came out.
Then they went to the goose-house, and the
thief caught a goose and cut its throat and lit a
fire and thrust it on a spit and he said to the
sharper, ' Turn it.' And he himself made
straight for the king's bed-chamber. The
sharper said, ' What doest thou ? ' The thkf
replied, ' I am going to lay before the king thy
feat and mine, and we shall see which of our
262 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
feats is the greater, and whether the woman
becomes me or becomes thee.' The sharper
said, ' Come, for the love of God let us go ; I
give up the woman, let her be thine.' The
thief replied, ' Thou sayest so now, but to-
morrow thou wilt repent ; but when the King
has given judgment then thou wilt assent.'
And he went and hid himself behind the door,
and he saw a slave rubbing the king's feet and
chewing a piece of mastic in his mouth and now
he slept and now he woke. Very gently the
thief hid himself below the bed, and he pushed
the end of a horse's hair into the boy's mouth,
and the youth chewed the hair along with the
mastic. When he was yawning and his mouth
was open, the thief pulled the hair and filched
the mastic from his mouth. The boy opened
his eyes and looked for the mastic on this side
and that side, but found it not. When a little
time had passed the boy fell asleep and the
thief held a strong drug to his nose, and the
boy was altogether bereft of his senses. Then
the thief took him and hung him up by the
girdle from the ceiling, like a lamp, and he
began himself to rub the king's feet. And the
sharper saw these things from the door. The
king stirred and the thief said very gently,
* My king, if thou desire, I will relate a story/
THE TWENTY-FOURTH VEZIRS STORY. 263
The king said, ' Tell on, let us hear.' The
thief began and recounted all that had happened
between himself and the sharper; and every now
and then he said to the sharper, who sat outside
and was roasting the goose, ' Turn away, the
goose is burning.' And he recounted how he
had entered his treasury with the sharper, and
how the sharper sat without roasting the goose,
and how he had himself by a trick filched the
mastic from the boy's mouth ; brief, he detailed
all that had happened, whatever it was. And as
he was speaking the sharper was trembling and
making signs to say, * Come, let us go ; ' but
the thief said to him, * Turn away, the goose is
burning.' Then he looked to the king and
said, ' O king, is the feat of the sharper greater,
or is that of the robber greater ; and which of
them is the woman becoming ? ' The king
said, ' The feat of the thief is the greater, and
the woman is his.' Then the thief rubbed the
king's feet a little more, and when the king
was asleep he rose very gently and came to the
sharper and said, ' Didst thou hear how the
king said, " The woman is the thief's ? " The
sharper answered, * I heard.' Then said the
thief, ' Whose is the woman ? ' The sharper
replied, ' She is thine.' The thief said, ' Thou
liest ; I shall go and ask the king again.' The
264 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
sharper said, ' By God, let it be ; come, let us go ;
if thou wish, not the woman only, but I myself
will be thy slave.' Then they arose and brought
the wealth to the woman and recounted to her
these things. The woman applauded them and
chose the thief for her husband. Now, * turn
away, the gouse is burning,' has remained
famous in the language. When it was morning
the king arose from sleep and called the boy,
but there was no one ; he waited a while and
saw that no one came, and he was wroth and
rose from the bed and his eye fell upon the boy
hanging from the ceiling. He took him down
and saw that his senses were gone, and he called
the attendants and they restored the boy to his
senses. He questioned the boy, but he knew
nothing ; then he said in himself, ' That then
was the robber who told me the story and
rubbed my feet.' And he went and sat upon
his throne, and he said, 'Summon the vezirs
and emirs that they come.' Thereupon were
they summoned and straightway they assembled,
and the king related to them the events of the
night. And they all wondered, and they turned
and said to the king, ' This thief must be found.'
Straightway the king commanded and they
caused the criers to proclaim in the city, ' Let
him who has done this deed come before me,
THE TWENTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY. 265
and, by the truth of God, there shall be to him nor
hurt nor harm from me ; and the wealth which
he has taken from my treasury shall be lawful
for him, and I will give him as much again.'
The thief gave ear and saw that the king had
sworn, and he trusted him and came forward ;
and the criers took the thief and came into the
king's presence. And they told the king, and
the king questioned the thief, and the thief
said, * O king, whether thou kill or whether
thou pardon ; I have done this deed.' The
king said, ' What is the cause of thy doing
thus ? ' And the thief related the cause from
its beginning to its end. The king applauded
the thief and granted him the wealth he had
taken, and also appointed him an allowance and
ordained that the woman should be his. As
the thief had thus attained the royal favour and
bounty he vowed repentance from heart and
soul, and married that woman, and was for a
long time a servant in the king's service."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that wiles such as this
abound in women ; beware, slay not thy child
on the woman's word, else thou shalt be re-
pentant, and too late repentance profits not."
And he made intercession for the prince for
that day. When the king heard this story
266 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
from the vezir he sent the youth to the prison
and went himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady again asked for news of the
youth. The king said, " To-day also such an
one of my vezirs made intercession for him
and I sent him to the prison." The lady said,
" Thus do the vezirs divert thee ; and thou too
takest the seeming for the real, and delayest ;
while they watch their opportunity. Take
heed, be not negligent, these are many, thou art
but one, and I am a woman who speaks the
truth of it. Now there is a story suitable to
this ; if there be permission from my king I will
tell it." The king said, " Tell on, what is it ? "
Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FOURTH STORY.
" My king, thus relate they : Once upon a
time there was a king, and that king had a
courtier. One day the king, by way of jest,
gave him a note and ordered him thus, ' Give
this note to the chief magistrate and take what-
ever he gives thee.' Now, as it was winter
then, the weather was very cold. So the
courtier took the note and went out, and he
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FOURTH STORY. 267
gave it to someone and made him open and
read it. There was written in it, ' Thou shalt
give the courtier six loads of snow.' The
courtier hid the note and delivered it not, and
he returned and came into the king's presence.
The king asked the courtier, ' Hast thou taken
the charge I ordered to the chief magistrate ? '
The courtier replied, * I take it in the days of
the king's fortune ; ' and passed on to other
subjects. The courtier waited till the days of
summer came, when he took the note and gave
it to the chief magistrate. He read it and
there was written, ' Thou shalt give the
courtier six loads of snow.' The chief magis-
trate said, ' Whence can I give this much snow
in such a season ? ' The courtier said, ' The
king has thus commanded ; though the snow
cannot be found, its price can be found.' The
chief magistrate consented, and he counted out
and made over to him the whole of the price of
it. Then he laid it before the king, and the
king applauded the courtier, and it seemed
right good to him, and he bestowed many gifts
on the courtier."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that thou mayst know that as that courtier
waited for his opportunity, so does this de-
generate youth wait for his. Be not negligent,
268 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
slay him, else his slaying thee is certain." And
she was silent. And the king said, " To-
morrow will I slay him." And they went to
bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Twenty-Fifth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world,
now are the prince's hands bound and is his
heart wounded, and yet he guiltless, under thy
authority. So it beseems thee not to abandon
generosity and moderation and to withdraw from
the fear of God and destroy the prince. It is
even as when one day they asked the Holy
Apostle, ' What is the root of the Faith, and
what is its head, and what is its life, and what
is its heart, and what is its seed, and what is its
leaf, and what is its place, and what is its
fruit ? ' The Apostle (peace on him !) replied,
* The root of the Faith is the grace of God,
and its head is the Word of the Profession, and
its life is the Koran, and its heart is sincerity,
and its place is the believer's heart, and its
seed is knowledge, and its leaf is piety, and its
branch is the fear of God, and its core is
modesty and generosity, and its fruit is thanking
God; even as He saith in His Glorious Word,
THE TWENTY-FIFTH VEZIR'S STORY. 269
" If ye render thanks, surely indeed will I give
you increase." ' * O king, be thankful for the
glory and empire which God Most High has
given thee, and act with moderation and
generosity ; for moderation and generosity are
half the Faith, and they are the bark of the
tree of the Faith, so that yon monk through
his acting with generosity and moderation
was decked with the robe of honour of the
Faith, and his end was well in Either World ;
mayhap my king has not heard it." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
THE TWENTY-FIFTH VEZIR'S STORY.
"It has come down in the records that when
the Apostle (peace on him !) was returning from
the Holy War against the Greeks, while he was
proceeding on the way with the Noble Com-
panions, they lighted at a certain place. Khalid
ibn-Walid t had gone off on some business, and
when he returned the Apostle (peace on him !)
had removed thence with his host and gone
away. So Khalid ibn-Walid came and found
not the host. Thereabout the road lost itself;
* Koran, xiv. 7.
t The famous general of Muhammed, who was surnamed, by
reason of his valour, the Sword of God.
270 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
so he ascended a high hill, and he saw behind
that hill many people assembled, and in their
midst they had raised a pulpit. So Khalid came
down and went up to them, and asked them,
saying, * What people are ye, and of what tribe
are ye, and what number of warriors are ye, and
what is your meaning in being gathered here
together ? ' They replied, ' We are of such and
such a tribe, and our multitude is now seventy
thousand persons, and our purpose in being
gathered here is, that there is a monk of ours in
a cave in this hill, and he preaches to us and
exhorts us once in the year, and we go away
sufficiently exhorted by his exhortation till the
next year ; to-day is the year complete, and he
will surely come forth now and preach to us.'
Khalid said in his heart, ' This were right, that
I go not until I have seen this monk.' And he
got down from his beast. After a time a man
came forth in black garments, and all that people
humbled themselves, and he ascended the pulpit
and sat down. Then he said, ' O people, I will
not preach to you this day.' They said, ' Where-
fore?' He answered, 'For this, that there is
among you a man of the People of Muhammed.'
They all looked one at the other. No one re-
cognized Khalid, for he had on clothes like their
clothes, and he knew their language. The monk
THE TWENTY-FIFTH VEZIRS STORY. 271
said, ' Do ye remain in your places ; I will find
him.' And they all sat down. And the monk
said, ' O man, we know not where thou art
seated, but God Most High knoweth ; for the
sake of that Faith thou holdest and if thou love
Muhammed, wheresoever thou art, stand upon
thy feet that I may see thee.' Khalid thought,
' If I rise now, these will tear me in pieces.' The
monk repeated his words. Then Khalid said
in himself, 'If I had a thousand lives, they
should all be a sacrifice in the way of the Faith
and the cause of Muhammed (peace on him !) '
And he stood upon his feet in the place where
he was. The multitude saw him and knew he
was of the People of Muhammed, and they
rushed upon him to kill him. The monk cried
out, ' Sit still in your places ; it were not gene-
rosity or moderation to kill one man surrounded
by seventy thousand.' And as soon as he had
spoken this, the people sat still in their places.
The monk said, ' Come near.' And Khalid
went to the foot of the pulpit. The monk said,
' Art thou of the great of the Companions of the
Messenger, or art thou of the least ? ' Khalid
answered, * I am not merely of these great ones,
there is none higher than I ; and I am not
merely of these least ones, there is none lower
than I.' The monk said, 'What knowest thou
272 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
of learning?' Khalid replied, 'I know that
which will suffice me/ The monk said, ' If I
ask thee a thing wilt thou answer ? ' Khalid
said, ' If I know what thou askest I will answer.'
The monk said, ' And if thou knowest not ? '
Khalid replied, * If I know not, there were no
shame/ Quoth the monk, ' I have heard that
your Muhammed says that of whatever God
Most High has created in Paradise, He has
created the like in the world. I believe not
this. There is a tree in Paradise which they
call the Tuba, its roots are above in the air, and
there is not a place in Paradise where its
branches are not. What is its like in the
world ?' Khalid replied, ' Its like in the world
is the sun, which is itself in the sky, yet when
it is midway in the heaven there remains not a
house or hill, but in all places are its rays/ The
monk said, ' Fair answer hast thou given/
Again the monk asked, 'Your Muhammed says
that there are four rivers in Paradise, one of
wine, one of honey, one of milk, and one of
water ; and that all of these come forth from
one channel and flow on and yet are not mixed.
What is the like of that in the world ? ' Khalid
said, ' Dost thou not see ? God Most High has
created four different waters in the bodies of the
children of Adam in the space of a span, and
THE TWENTY-FIFTH VEZIFS STORY. 273
they come forth yet mix not one with the other ;
one is the water of the ear which is bitter, and
one is the water of the eye which is salt, and one
is the water of the nose which smells, and one is
the water that runs from the mouth, and it is
sweet.' The monk said, ' Well hast thou done !
fair answer hast thou given ! ' Again the monk
asked, ' Your Muhammed says there is a throne
in Paradise, the height of which is a five hundred
years' journey ; and whenever a saint would
mount upon it, that throne bows down and that
man mounts, and then it rises again. What is
its like in the world ? ' Khalid replied, * Its like
in the world is the camel ; dost thou not see
that while the camel is thus great, when a child
takes hold of its headstall and pulls its head
down and gets upon its neck, as the camel raises
up its head again, he mounts upon its back ? '
The monk said, 'Good answer hast thou given/*
And he made to ask him another question, when
Khalid said, ' Act with moderation ; thou hast
asked me these questions ; I too have a question
to ask of thee.' The monk said, * Ask what
* The original has in addition the following question and
answer : Rahib cyder, 'Muhammediniz, " Jennetde ekl u shurb
var^tebewul u taghawuut yoq dir:" derimish^ Dunyade anin
misli ne dirf deal. Khalid eytdi, * Ana rahmindaki chojuq
dir; ana rahminda janlu ekl u shurb ider, tebevvul u taghawut
itmez ; eger itse, anasi helak olur : ' dedi. Rahib ^ ' Guzel jewab
verdin:' dedi.
274 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
thou wilt.' Khalid said, ' What is the Key of
Paradise ? tell me.' The monk replied, 'To be-
lieve in Jesus (peace on him !) ' Khalid said,
1 By the God of Jesus, speak the truth of it.'
When he had thus sworn, the monk turned and
said to the people, ' O people, what time we
sware to this man he feared us, therefore was
his oath not binding on him. Now has he like-
wise sworn to us, and he wishes from us the
truth, yet we have no fear of him. Now it were
beseeming generosity to give this man a true
answer ; I would that ye follow me now/ They
cried, ' We all are followers of thee.' Then the
monk said, ' O people, one true word is better
than a thousand lies ; I have seen and read in
our books that the Key of Paradise is, " There is
no god save God : Muhammed is the Apostle
of God ; " that is, whoso pronounces in the world
the Word of the Profession will enter Paradise.'
And he turned and said, ' O people, be ye wit-
nesses that I have believed in the Faith of
Muhammed.' And he said, ' I testify that there
is no god save God, and I testify that Muham-
med is His Servant and His Apostle.' When
the people heard this they all entered the Truth,
and went with Khalid to the presence of the
Apostle ; and they enjoyed great happiness,
serving the Apostle of God."
HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS. 275
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that if there be not
generosity in a man, it is an indication of the
imperfectness of his Faith. What were be-
seeming the king's generosity is this, that he slay
not the prince, who as yet has not eaten of the
fruit of the orchard of life, and whose eyes have
not yet rested on the pleasure-ground of the
world." And he made intercession with the
king for the prince for that day. When the
king heard this story from the vezir he sent the
prince to the prison and himself mounted for
the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After the
repast the lady again asked for news of the
youth. The king said, " To-day too such an
one of my vezirs made intercession for him and
I let him off." The lady said, " O king, many
people will indeed be brought to shame through
this youth ; it is even as the story of that man
of Khorasan ; mayhap my king has not heard
it." The king said, " Tell on, let us hear."
Quoth the lady,
T 2
276 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FIFTH STORY.
" Once upon a time there was a man of
Khorasan who was poor, and who, when con-
versing with his neighbours, used to boast and
brag and say, ' I did this thing and I did that
thing to them of Khorasan/ So the neighbours
saw that he was a boastful braggart, and they
would make him talk and divert themselves.
Early one day this man of Khorasan rose from
his place, took a piece of bread, rubbed some
grease on it, and ate it ; and that grease made
greasy his moustachios. He arose and came
up to the khojas of the neighbours, wiping his
moustachios and cleaning his teeth with a tooth-
pick, and sat down. The khojas said to him,
i To-day thou hast had some new kind of
savoury dish.' The man of Khorasan replied,
' To-day they prepared no sweetmeats but such
and such a thing, and no meat save some frit-
ters ; I ate them ; lo, these are all the savoury
dishes I have had.' And he began to brag, and
said, * To-day my soul is weary, I shall go and
mount the gray horse, and go out of the city
and make the horse gallop a bit, that my spirits
may recover.' Just then his son came in at the
door, and said to his father, ' To-day the cat
has eaten the grease in that spoon wherewith
THE LADY'S TWENTY-FIFTH STORY. 277
thou greasest thy moustachios every day/ The
man of Khorasan said, * Go, take some more
from the jar.' The boy said, * I know of no
grease in our house save that in the spoon ;
where is even a jug, let alone a jar?' The
man of Khorasan said, ' Hast thou watered the
gray horse ? ' The boy answered, ' I have
come to this age and have never seen even an ass
in our house ; where is the horse ? ' And he left.
And the man of Khorasan arose in confusion
from that party and went away ; and the khojas
began to smile behind him. And when the
man of Khorasan got to his house he reviled
his son and scolded him."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that my king may know that there is no polite-
ness or modesty in youths, and may learn that in
some way or other they bring about disgrace,
and that he may bear in mind this story.
There is no remedy save the killing of this
youth, or one day he will indeed bring thee to
shame and will slay thee. Ah ! I speak to my
king as I know and understand ; the rest my
king knows." When the king heard this
story from the lady he said, " To-morrow will
I slay him." And they arose and went to
bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
278 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
upon his throne, and he caused them to bring
the youth and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Twenty-Sixth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world, the
word of this woman is not better than the word
of these vezirs. If the king put aside the word
of these many vezirs, men of understanding,
and go by the word of the woman, my fear is
that he will be of the rebels against God Most
High. O king, if thou respect not these vezirs,
at least respect their learning, that God Most
High shut thee not out from respect in the
world and in the Hereafter. Mayhap the king
has not heard the story of Nu'man." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
THE TWENTY-SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was of old time in the city of Cairo
a man called Nu'man, and he had a son. One
day when this boy's time to learn to read was
fully come he took him to a school and gave
to a teacher. This Nu'man was exceeding
poor, so that he followed the calling of a water-
seller, and in this way he supported his wife and
child. When the teacher had made the boy
read through the Koran, he told the boy to
fetch him his present. So the boy came and
THE TWENTY-SIXTH VEZIRS STORY. 279
told his father. His father said, * O son, the
Koran is the Word of God Most High, we
have nothing worthy of it ; there is our camel
with which I follow my trade of water-seller,
take it at least and give it to thy teacher.' The
boy took the camel and brought it to his
teacher. But that day his father could gain no
money, and that night his wife and his son and
himself remained hungry. Now his wife was a
great scold, and when she saw this thing she
said, * Out on thee, husband, art thou mad ?
Where are thy senses gone ? Thou hadst a
camel, and by means of it we made shift to live,
and now thou hast taken and given it in a
present ; would that that boy had not been
born, or that thou hadst not sent him to read ;
what is he and what his reading ? ' And she
made so much noise and clamour that it cannot
be described. Nu'man saw this thing, and he
bowed down his head, and from the greatness of
his distress he fell asleep. In his dream a
radiant elder, white-bearded and clad in white
raiment, came and said, ' O Nu'man, thy portion
is in Damascus ; go, take it.' Just then
Nu'man awoke and he saw no one, and he
arose and said, ' Is the vision Divine or is it
Satanic ? ' While saying this, he again fell
asleep, and again he sa|v it. Brief, the elder
280 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
appeared three times to him that night in his
dream and said, * Indeed is thy provision in
Damascus ; delay not, go to Damascus and take
it.' When it was morning Nu'man spake to
his wife of the vision ; his wife said, ' Thou
gavest away our camel and didst leave us
hungry, and now thou canst not abide our
complaints and wishest to run off; I fear thou
wilt leave thy child and me here and go off.'
Nu'man said, ' My life, I will not run off.'
Quoth the woman, * I will not bide, I will not
bide ; where thou goest I too will go with thee.'
Nu'man sware that he would not run off, and
the woman was persuaded and let him go. So
Nu'man went forth ; and one day he entered
Damascus, and he went in through the gate of
the Amawi Mosque. That day someone had
baked bread in an oven and was taking it to
his house ; when he saw Nu'man opposite him
and knew him to be a stranger, he gave him a
loaf. Nu'man took it and ate it, and lay down
through fatigue and fell asleep. That elder
again came to him in his vision and said, ' O
Nu'man, thou hast received thy provision ;
delay not, go back to thy house/ Nu'man
awoke and was amazed and said, ' Then our
bearing this much trouble and weariness was
for a loaf.' And he ^returned. One day he
THE TWENTY-SIXTH VEZIKS STORY. 281
entered his house, and the woman looked and
saw there was nothing in his hand ; and
Nu'man told her. When the woman learned
that Nu'man had brought nothing, she turned
and said, ' Out on thee, husband, thou art
become mad, thou art a worthless man ; had
thy senses been in thy head, thou hadst not
given away our camel, the source of our
support, and left us thus friendless and hungry
and thirsty ; not a day but thou doest some
mad thing.' And she complained much. And
Nu'man's heart was broken by the weariness of
the road and the complaining of the woman,
and he fell asleep. Again in his vision that
elder came and said, ' O Nu'man, delay not,
arise, dig close by thee, thy provision is there,
take it.' But Nu'man heeded not. Three
times the elder appeared to him in his dream
and said, ' Thy provision is indeed close by
thee ; arise, take it.' So Nu'man, unable to
resist, arose and took a pick-axe and shovel
and began to dig where his head had lain.
The woman made mock of Nu'man and said,
6 Out on thee, man ; the half of the treasure
revealed to thee is mine/ Nu'man replied,
' So be it ; but I am weary, come thou and dig
a bit that I may take breath a little.' The
woman said, ' Thou art not weary now ; when
282 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
thou art weary I will help.' Nu'man went on ;
and when he had dug as deep as half the
height of a man, a marble slab appeared. The
woman saw the marble and, saying in herself,
' This is not empty/ she asked the pick-axe
from Nu'man. Nu'man said, ' Have patience a
little longer/ The woman said, * Thou art
weary/ Nu'man replied, ' Now am I rested.'
Quoth the woman, * I am sorry for thee, thou
dost not know kindness.' While thus talking
they saw that one side of that marble was
pierced and that there was a hole. Thereupon
grew Nu'man eager, and he pulled the marble
from its place, and below it was a well and a
ladder. He caught hold of the ladder and
went down and saw a royal vase filled full with
red gold, and he called out to the woman,
* Come here/ Thereupon the woman descended
likewise and saw the vase of gold, and she
threw her arms round Nu'man's neck and said,
* O my noble little husband ! Blessed be God,
for thy luck and thy fortune.' Nu'man took up
some of these sequins, and the woman said,
'What wilt thou do?' Nu'man replied, 'I
shall take these to our king and tell him that
there is a vase full of them, and that an elder
came to me in my dream and told me, and I
shall say, " Take them all ; and, if thou wilt,
THE TWENTY-SIXTH VEZIFS STORY. 283
bestow on me a few of them that I and my wife
may eat and drink, and in our comfort may
bless and praise thee." ' Quoth the woman,
( My life, husband, speak not to our king now,
so that all of them may remain ours and we
shall have ease of heart.' Nu'man listened not,
but took them and laid them before the king.
The king said, ' What is this ? ' Nu'man
answered, ' O king, I found them in thy
ground.' And he told of the elder's coming
in his dream and of there being a vase full of
them, and said, ' O king, send a slave of thine,
and he will return ; and I shall accept the
king's alms, whatever it may be.' The king
said to a scribe, ' Come, read this, let us see
from whose time it has remained.' When the
scribe took the sequin into his hand he saw
that there was written on the one side of it,
' This is an alms from before God to Nu'man/
Then the scribe turned over the other side and
saw that it was thus written on that side, ' By
reason of his respect toward the Koran.'
When the scribe had read the inscriptions to
the king, the king said, * What is thy name ? '
He replied, ' My name is Nu'man.' The king
caused all these sequins to be read, and the
writing on the whole of them was the same.
The king said, ' Go ye an4 bring some from
284 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
the bottom of the vase.' And they went and
brought some from the bottom of the vase,
and they read them, and they all bore the
inscription of the first. And the king wondered
and said, ' Go, poor man, God Most High has
given it thee, on my part too be it lawful for thee ;
come, take these sequins also.' So Nu'man
took them and went to his house, and he took
out the sequins that were in the vase ; and
he enjoyed delight in the world until he died,
and in the Hereafter he attained a lofty station.
And all this felicity was for his respect to the
glorious Koran."
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may know that God Most High respects
him who respects learning and the learned. So
it is incumbent on the king that he respect the
learning of the prince for he is of the learned
and the learning of these vezirs, that he may
gain the respect of God Most High in the world
and in the Hereafter." And he made interces-
sion for the prince for that day. When the
king heard this story from the vezir he sent the
prince to the prison and went himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady asked for news of the youth.
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SIXTH STORY. 285
The king said, " To-day too such an one of my
vezirs made intercession for him and I sent him
to the prison." The lady said, " O king, my
words have no effect on thee ; and hast thou
not heard that when the Holy Apostle (peace
on him !) would draw forth his head from the
ocean of the mysteries of God, and come from
flight in the world of the Godhead to the world
of humanity, he would call to Saint 'Ayisha,
saying, ' O Humayra ! '* that is to say, ' Speak
to me, O 'Ayisha ;' and would find such plea-
sure in the sight of her and in her words ? He
who was the Seal of the Prophets thus respected
his wife and yearned to hear her voice ; and
thou art of his People, O king, yet these my
words go in at thy one ear and come out at
thy other. The affair of this youth resembles
the story of the son and daughter of those two
merchants ; mayhap my king has not heard it."
The king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth
the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SIXTH STORY.
" In Damascus the Noble there was a great
merchant, and he had a son, a second Joseph.
* Humayra means Rosina, little rosy-cheeks. Muhammed
used so to address his youthful wife, 'Ayisha ; his tenderness in
doing so is often alluded to by Muslim writers, e.g. Dr. Red-
house's Mesnevi) p. 144.
286 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZ1RS.
One day, while the boy was passing through a
certain quarter, he of a sudden passed before
the door of another great merchant, and he
looked up to the windows and saw a girl who
brought to mind the moon of fourteen nights, a
distracter of the world, a second Zuleykha ; and
she was looking down from above upon the
merchant's son. When their eyes met each
other, they both of them fell in love one with
the other, from heart and soul. Thereupon the
girl threw down an apple from above, and the
merchant's son caught it in his hands and let it
not touch the ground. Now the girl's mother
was gone to the bath, and as the girl was alone
in the house she had got wearied, and the fancy
to be like a bride had come into her mind, and
she had put on whatever she possessed of costly
dresses and jewels ; and as they met each other
when she was thus covered with gold and orna-
ments, they loved each the other forthwith.
Saying in herself, ' When will such an oppor-
tunity occur ? ' the girl came down and opened
the door and took the boy in and quickly shut
the door behind him, and snatched some kisses,
and then they went upstairs. On both sides
the fires of love flamed forth and they gave
themselves up to enjoyment. Of a sudden the
girl's father arrived and knocked at the door.
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SIXTH STORY. 287
Then the boy's senses came into his head and
he said, 'Mercy, my lamb, what shall I do now?'
The girl said, ' There is a cellar in the garden ;
go and hide in that cellar for the present.' So
the boy went off. Now one descended into
that cellar by a flight of forty steps ; and in that
the boy was senseless and without discretion,
he was going down hurriedly, when his foot
slipped, and he fell down the forty steps and
was killed."
Now, O king, this thy son is likewise without
sense ; and from him without sense comes no
good either to himself or to others, his works
are ever evil. Beware, be not negligent, kill this
youth, else he will slay thee." When the king
heard this story from the lady he said, "On the
morrow will I kill him." And they went to
bed.
When it was morning the king sat upon his
throne, and he caused the youth to be brought
and ordered the executioner, " Smite off his
head." The Twenty-Seventh Vezir came for-
ward and said, " O king of the world, it is in-
cumbent on kings to be not ashamed to ask of
things they know not; for he who is forward in
gaining knowledge will enter Paradise. A wise
man is he who asks another even of what he
knows, so that they may make him know what
288 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
he knows not. And a foolish man is he who
knows not and finds not one who does know
and is ashamed to ask. O king, thou believest
not in us ; in thy city are many wise men and
learned, ask them, and if this deed be not sin,
we will speak no more. Otherwise, beware of
going by the woman's word and slaying thy
son. All fly, being weak, from the wiles and
wickedness of women. Mayhap my king has
not heard the story of that woodman/' The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
There was of old time in a city a young
woodman, and he had a wild scolding wife.
This woman always took from the woodman
whatever he earned, so that there never re-
mained an aspre in his hand. Sometimes at
night his food was salt and he would say, ' The
food thou hast cooked to-night is salt.' Then
the next night she would put no salt in the
food, and cook it without salt ; and if he said,
* This has no salt,' she put in much salt, so that
he could not eat. One day the woodman con-
cealed a little money from his wife that he
might buy a rope ; and when it was night the
woman found the money in the woodman's
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH VEZIRS STORY. 289
breast and said, ' Thou hast a secret doxy other
than me ; thou art taking money to give her/
The youth sware, but the woman would not
believe. The woodman said, ' O my life, I kept
it to buy a rope.' The woman answered, ' May
they hang thee with that rope.' The woodman
said, 'Why dost thou thus curse me?' She
replied, ' The curse I have uttered against thee is
but little.' Brief, they had a great quarrel, and the
woodman beat the woman. That night passed
somehow, and when it was morning the wood-
man arose and took one of the beasts, and was
setting out for the mountain, when he said to
the woman, ' Have care that thou take not the
other beast to come after me.' Thereupon the
woman ran and mounted the other beast and
went to the mountain behind her husband and
said, ' When thou art without me who knows
what thou doest ? ' The woodman saw that the
woman was coming but he said nothing and
went to the mountain, and the woman went with
him. The woodman began to cut wood ; and
when the woman was roaming about the moun-
tain she came to the mouth of a pit. The
woodman saw that the woman was looking at
the mouth of the pit and he cried out, ' Take care,
come back from the pit mouth.' But the woman
went nearer it. Again the woodman cried out,,
u
290 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
' I tell thee to come back, and thou goest nearer ;
come away back/ The woman said, ' I shall
go yet nearer/ And she took a step forward
and put down her foot. Now the stone beneath
her was not fast, and she slipped and fell into
the pit. As the woodman could do nothing he
paid no heed, but laded the beasts and went to
his house. That night passed and on the mor-
row he again took the beasts and went to the
mountain. Saying, ' Let me go and see this
woman,' he went to the pit mouth and looked,
but the woman was not visible. His heart was
pained and he let down the rope and cried, * O
wife, seize this rope that I may pull thee up.'
He felt the rope heavy and, taking courage,
pulled, and he saw an 'ifrlt* had caught hold of
the rope. The woodman was afraid, but the
'ifrlt said, 'Fear not, may God Most High be
pleased with thee ; thou hast rescued me from
a torment from which I could not have come of
myself till the Resurrection.' The woodman
said, * In what manner of torment wast thou ?'
The 'ifrit replied, ' For a long time this pit has
been my dwelling ; yesterday a scolding ill-
starred woman fell upon me, she got upon my
head and held me fast by the ears and left
* A kind of demon.
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 291
me not till now. But now thou didst come and let
down the rope and cry, "Seize the rope ;"and she
let me go, but caught not the rope. Praise be to
God ! I have escaped and am saved. Now I
would reward thee for the kindness thou hast done
me/ And he pulled forth three leaves and gave
them to the youth and said/ Now I will go and
possess the daughter of the king of this land and,
whatsoever remedy they apply, I will not leave
her till thou come, and put one of these leaves
in water and rub that water on the girl's face ;
then will I go, and the king will confer many
favours on thee.' So the youth took these leaves
from the 'ifrit's hand and, paying no heed to the
woman, went to his house. Our story goes to the
'ifrit : The 'ifrit went straight thence to the palace
of the king, and possessed his daughter. They
sent word to the king, saying, ' The girl has lost
her senses, and is lying sighing and wailing, cry-
ing, "O my head !" The king came and saw that
his daughter was seized with a pain in her head
and was sighing and crying, and he forthwith ap-
pointed a physician ; but the physician did no
good. He appointed another physician, he too
did no good. Brief, there were some ten phy-
sicians, bt^lhey did no good. When the girl saw
her father she cried, ' Mercy, father, my head !'
The father said, * My child, when thou criest, say-
u 2
292 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
ing, " My head !" my head and my heart suffer
more than thine ; but what can I do ? I will get an
astrologer for thee/ And he began to summon
those skilled in astrology, and many such came
and busied themselves with various treatments
and occult cures. Our story goes to the young
woodman : The 'ifrit had given the youth those
leaves and instructed him as to what should
happen, but the youth did not believe him and
paid no heed. One day a man came from the
king's city and brought an imperial order, and
it was thus : ' My daughter is ill ; I have ap-
pointed these many physicians and these many
astrologers, but without avail. To whatever
skilful master comes and cures her, if he be a
Muslim, I will give my daughter, if she but
recover ; and if he be an infidel, I will give a
world of gifts/ And it was signed. There-
upon the woodman came and said, ' I will go
and, with the permission of God, will treat her
that she recover/ So they straightway gave
over the young woodman to the man who had
come ; and they set out at once. One day they
entered the king's domains ; and they gave the
king word and he ordered, saying, ' Let him
come quickly/ So they took him before him,
and the king ordered that they brought the girl,
and the young woodman acted according to the
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH VEZIFS STORY. 293
'ifrit's instructions, and the girl recovered. So
the king gave him his daughter and made him
his son-in-law. Now this king had a friend,
another king ; and that 'ifrit loved his daughter,
and he ever annoyed the girl. When that king
heard that this other king's daughter had got
well, he sent a man and begged for the king's
son-in-law that he might cure his daughter. So
the king sent him, and he went before the girl
and saw that the demon was there. When the
demon saw the youth he said, ' See, I did thee
a kindness ; I love this girl ; art thou come to take
her too from my hand ? Lo, I will go and take
that girl from thy hand.' And he was exceed-
ing angry. The youth was bewildered through
fear of him and said, ' I am not come here for the
girl ; but that woman in the pit was my wife, I
left her in the pit that I might escape from her,
but she has now got out and, go where I will,
she will not leave me. I have fled from her and
am come hither to thee ; she too is coming in
now.' As soon as the demon heard him say the
words, ' She too is coming in now,' he said, ' Mercy,
has she come here too ? This place is no longer *^
lawful for me.' And he left the king's daughter and
went away ; and the king's daughter recovered."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that even a demon is
294 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
powerless against the iniquity and evil deeds of
women, and flies away ; where then were the
prince ? For these many days have the king
and the prince, and high and low, been powerless
in the hands of a woman ; one must judge by
this what a woman can do." And he made
intercession with the king for the prince for that
day. When the king heard this story from the
vezir he sent the prince to the prison and went
himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady again asked for news of the
youth. The king said, " To-day such an one of
my vezirs made intercession for him, and he led
me astray, little remained but I blasphemed ; and
for that I am ashamed among the vezirs, my
countenance fell to the ground ; till I had let
off the youth this day I escaped not from their
hands." The lady said, " O king, this youth
knows much ; all the vezirs are his faithful
friends. Take care, some hurt will befall thee
from the youth. Mayhap the king has not
heard the story of those fleas and the scant-
beard." The king said, " Tell on, let us hear."
Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SEVENTH STORY. 295
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SEVENTH STORY.
" One day the fleas came together and said,
' The sons of Adam catch us and rub us between
their fingers and kill us ; why do they thus
torture us by rub rubbing, and kill us ? Let us
go to Saint Solomon the Messenger and com-
plain, and say, " Let them kill us as they do
lice." So they agreed to this and chose some
from among them to send before Solomon as
complainants ; and they warned these much,
saying, * If there be a scant-bearded man in the
presence of Solomon (peace on him !), take care
and make not the complaint ; for scant-beards
know much and would make him give judgment
contrary to our complaint.' So these fleas set
out and came into the presence of Saint Solomon^
and passed their eyes over the companions who
were standing there. There was there a person
with the appearance of a youth, and they,
thinking him a youth, said in themselves,
' There is no scant-beard in this assembly.'
Then they said to Saint Solomon, ' O Prophet
of God, when the sons of Adam catch lice they
do not rub them between their fingers, but kill
them forthwith ; why when they catch us do
they first rub us between their fingers and then
kill us ? Henceforth, even as they kill lice, so
296 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
let them kill us.' Then Saint Solomon looked
to those who were present in the assembly,
whereupon that youth arose from his place and
said, ' O Prophet of God, when we find lice they
do not move but remain stock-still, therefore do
we kill them between our nails without rubbing ;
but when we find fleas they jump from here to
there and from there to here, so that even one
of them is caught with difficulty; for that they
annoy us twice, do we inflict on them an addi-
tional torment/ Then quoth Saint Solomon to
the fleas, 'What say ye?' The fleas replied,
4 We too will remain stock-still like lice ; only
let them kill us also without rubbing.' Saint
Solomon said to the youth, ' Lo, these are about
to remain stock-still like lice/ Quoth the
youth, ' Very good ; let them give a surety/
Said Saint Solomon to the fleas, ' Give a surety/
The fleas answered, ' Our glory is to jump ; we
shall become surety to no man/ Saint Solomon
said, ' Since ye will not give a surety, even as
they killed you heretofore, so let them kill you
still/ Then the fleas went out, and they asked,
' Is that a youth ?' They answered the fleas,
' That is not a youth, but a scant-beard/ So
they came and told their party of these things ;
and they all agreed that until the Resurrection
they should go about and wander in search of
THE LADY'S TWENTY-SEVENTH STORY. 297
scant-beards, and, where they found them, press
upon them and eat them and drink their blood
and kill them. And from that time have they
continued to seek out scant-bearded men and
eat them ; and the cause of this hatred was that
scant-beard with the appearance of a youth."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that this youth too is in
form a youth but in nature a scant-beard ; so be
prepared lest thou fall into a maze like the
fleas." When the king heard this story from
the lady he said, " On the morrow will I see to
his affair." And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Twenty-Eighth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world, go not
by the woman's word, for the Holy Apostle
hath thus said, ' Whoso loveth one with a perfect
love shall rise along with him to-morrow on the
Resurrection-Day.' This is beseeming the king,
that he love the learned and these many vezirs ;
for from the learned and the accomplished vezirs
comes no evil. Mayhap my king has not heard
the story of the devotee and the thief." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
298 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE TWENTY-EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They relate that there was in the city of
Baghdad a devotee, and this devotee had a cell
where he was always occupied in worship. One
day someone, when passing by there, called out
the devotee and gave him some money. The
devotee accepted it ; and he took that money
and went to the bazaar and bought a little honey
and gave away the rest of the money to the
poor. Now a thief watched him and said in
his heart, ' There must be much money with
this devotee.' And he followed behind the
devotee, and the devotee entered his cell. The
thief too slipped in and hid himself in a corner.
When it was evening the devotee lit his lamp
and occupied himself with worship ; and the
thief watched in his place, saying, ' The devotee
will go to sleep.' But as to the devotee, his
intention was not to fall asleep, and the thief
became repentant of his ever having come, and
said, ' I see this devotee is the favourite of God
Most High ; if this time I escape from him, I
shall repent and thieve no more.' After a time
someone came and knocked at the door, and
the devotee rose and went to the door, and the
thief stood ready to slip out and run off when
the door was opened. But the devotee opened
THE TWENTY-EIGHTH VEZIRS STORY. 299
the door so little that a man could scarce
squeeze through, and he asked that person.
That person said, * The Forty* have sent me ;
they salute thee. This night one of us has
gone to the mercy of God Most High, and they
would seat thee in his place.' The devotee
said, * Let them excuse me ; there is a man
here in my stead, take him and let them accept
him.' Thereupon he laid hold of the thief and
made him over to that person and said, * Lo,
take him in my stead.' And forthwith the thief
repented and sought pardon. So through his
passing one night in the cell of that devotee he
became of the Forty."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that the advantage of
staying and abiding with the righteous, and
likewise with the learned, is great. Since these
many learned men say that the prince is guilt-
less, spare thou the prince's life for this day."
When the king heard this story from the vezir
he sent the prince to the prison and went himself
to the chase.
That day, too, when it was evening, he came
to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him,
* That is the Rijal-i Ghayb, " The Unseen Ones," a set of
forty mysterious and devout beings who wander over the earth
ready to impart spiritual aid to those who seek it.
300 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
and they sat down. After the repast the lady
again began to speak about the youth. The
king said, " To-day too such an one of my
vezirs made intercession for him and I have
again sent him to the prison." The lady said,
" O king, that youth made free with me ; I tell
it thee and thou shuttest thine eyes to it and
listenest not; what means this ? Had I been
an evil woman, ere now were thy body lying in
the earth. Since I have been thus true to thee,
this beseems thee, that thou see to my right.
Thou favourest this youth now and sendest
him to the prison, but in the end shalt thou
repent even as repented that king who would
not accept the counsel of Avicenna."* The
king said, " Relate that story, let us hear."
Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY- EIGHTH STORY.
" In the city of Aleppo there was a king.
As mice abounded in that city the people com-
plained of them every day. One day, while
the king was conversing with Avicenna, they
touched upon the mice. The king said, ' O
Avicenna, everyone complains of these mice ;
* This famous philosopher was born in Bukhara in 373 (A.D.
983), and died at Hamadan in 427 (A.D. 1036).
THE LAD Y'S TWENTY-EIGHTH STOR Y. 301
would that we could find some remedy for them
that everyone might be at ease.' Avicenna
answered, ' I will do that to them that not a
single one of them remain in this city ; but with
this condition, that thou stand at the city gate,
and beware, whatever wonder thou see, that
thou laugh not.' The king consented and was
glad. Straightway he ordered that they pre-
pared his horse, and he mounted and went to
the gate. Avicenna, on his part, stood in a
street and repeated a charm and called the
mice. One of the mice came, and he caught it
and killed it and put it in a coffin and made
four mice bear that coffin, while he repeated
the charm and began to strike his hands one
against the other ; and these four mice began to
march slowly along. And all the mice that
were in the city attended that funeral, so that
the streets were filled full of them. They came
to the gate where the king was standing, some
of them before the coffin and some of them
behind. And while the king was looking on,
he saw these mice with the coffin on their
shoulders, and, unable to resist, he laughed.
Thereupon, as soon as he laughed, as many of
the mice as were without the gate did all die,
but as many as were within the gate did all
disperse and run off inside. Avicenna said,
302 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
1 O king, if thou had kept my counsel and not
laughed, not a single mouse would have remained
in this city, but they would all of them have
gone out and died ; and everyone would have
been at ease/ And the king repented of his
having laughed ; but what could he do ? Too
late repentance profits not."
" Now, O king, thou art about to forgive
what this degenerate youth has done to us ; but
he will not forgive thee, but will surely hurt
thee and me and many poor creatures." When
the king heard these beguiling words of the
lady he said, " To-morrow will I see to him."
And they arose and went to bed.
When it was morning the king arose and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Twenty-Ninth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world, one of
the kings of Hind, when he laid his head on
the pillow of death, said to his son, ' O darling
of my heart, I will give thee a letter of charges ;
act according to its injunctions/ And he drew
forth a packet of written papers and gave it to
his son and said, ' O my son, I have proved
these much, and have passed my earthly life
with comfort, and I hope from God Most High
that my Hereafter may be happy also. If the
THE TWENTY-NINTH VEZIFS STORY. 303
world and the Hereafter be needful for thee
likewise, act according to these counsels.' So
the youth took and read them, and there was
written : * Do good to him who doth good to
thee ; do good to him too who doth evil to
thee ; supply the need of him who asketh a
need of thee ; love the folk as much as in
thee lieth ; take heed that thou cast no one's
fault in his face ; speak not the word which will
grieve ; if thy neighbour be sick, ask after him ;
think of others what thou thinkest of thyself;
be not treacherous ; let thy love be alway with
the good ; never interrupt a person and speak
to others ; talk not with him who loveth thee
not ; when with a great man speak not before
he doth ; ever guard thee against hypocrites
and evil women, and trust them not.' If thou
do the contrary to these, thy story will resemble
the story of that miserable wretch. But may-
hap my king has not heard that story." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
THE TWENTY-NINTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a
grocer, and he had a wife, a beauty of the age ;
and that woman had a leman. One day this
woman's leman said, * If thy husband found us
304 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
out, he would not leave either of us sound.'
The woman said, ' I am able to manage that I
shall make merry with thee before my husband's
eyes.' The youth said, ' Such a thing cannot
be/ The woman replied, ' In such and such a
place there is a great tree, to-morrow I will go
a-pleasuring with my husband to the foot of
that tree ; do thou hide thyself in a secret place
near that tree, and when I make a sign to thee,
come.' As her leman went off, her husband
came. The woman said, * Fellow, my soul
would go a-pleasuring with thee to-morrow
to such and such a tree.' The fellow replied,
* So be it.' When it was morning the woman
and her husband went to that tree. The
woman said, * They say that he who eats this
sweetmeat sees single things as though they
were double.' And she ate some and gave her
husband some to eat. Half-an-hour afterward
the woman climbed up the tree and turned and
looked down and began, ' May thou be blind !
may thou get the like from God ! fellow, what
deed is this deed thou doest ? Is there anyone
who has ever done this deed ? Thou makest
merry with a strange woman under the eyes of
thy wife ; quick, divorce me.' And she cried
out. Her husband said, * Out on thee, woman,
hast thou turned mad ? there is no one by me.'
THE TWENTY-NINTH VEZIFS STORY. 305
Quoth the woman, ' Be silent, unblushing,
shameless fellow ; lo, the woman is with thee,
and thou deniest.' Her husband said, * Come
down/ She replied, ' I will not come down so
long as that woman is with thee/ Her husband
began to swear protesting, and the woman came
down and said to him, * Where is that harlot ?
quick, show her me, else thou shalt know/
Again the fellow sware, and the woman said,
' Can it then be the work of the sweetmeat ? '
The fellow said, ' May be/ Quoth the woman,
' Do thou too go up and look down on me, and
let us see/ Her husband clutched the tree and,
while he was climbing, the woman signed to her
leman. The fellow looked down and saw the
woman making merry with a youth. This time
the fellow cried out, ' Away with thee, out on
thee, shameless youth/ The woman said, ' Thou
liest/ But the fellow could not endure it and
began to come down, and the youth ran off."
" Now, O king, know that such tricks abound
in women ; rule by a woman's word is not
lawful." And he kissed the ground and made
intercession for the prince. When the king
heard this story from the vezir he sent the
youth to the prison and went himself to the
chase.
That day, too, he found the evening draw in
x
306 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
and he returned from the chase and came to
the palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and
they sat down. After the repast the lady began
to speak about the youth. The king said,
" To-day too such an one of my vezirs made
intercession for him and I sent him to the
prison." The lady said, " O king, thou delayest
much the affair of this unworthy youth ; what
is thy desire in this much compassionating him ?
What I know is that this youth is of the set of
that youth whom Khizr (peace on him !) killed ;
but mayhap my king has not heard." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
lady,
THE LADY'S TWENTY-NINTH STORY.
" One day when Saint Moses (peace on him !)
was exhorting and preaching to his people, they
said to him, * Who among all this assembly of
beings is the wisest ? ' Saint Moses answered,
* I am the wisest.' For that he said not, ' God
Most High is the wisest,' a voice cried to him,
' O Moses, at the Confluence of the Two Seas
is a servant of Mine who is wiser than thou ;
go, see him.' Thus God Most High reproved
him. Then Saint Moses prayed, saying, c My
God, how shall I find that Thy servant ? ' God
Most High said, ' Take a fish, and wherever it
t
THE LADY'S TWENTY-NINTH STORY. 307
becomes alive and goes into the water, there
find him.' So Saints Moses and Joshua the son
of Nun took a fish and set out ; and at the
Confluence of the Two Seas they found a stone ;
and they made that stone their pillow, and lay
clown. And the fish became alive and went
into the sea. When they awoke, Joshua saw
that the fish had become alive and gone into the
water ; but it came not into his mind to tell
Saint Moses. So they arose from thence and
went on that day and that night. Then Saint
Moses grew weary, and he sat down in a place
and said to Joshua the son of Nun, ' Bring the
mid-day meal and let us eat.' Joshua said, 'At
that place where we lay, the fish became alive
and went into the water ; and Satan caused me
to forget to tell thee.' And Moses (peace on
him !) marvelled, and they arose from thence and
returned and came to that stone, and they saw
a man sitting there. Saint Moses wenf forward
and saluted that man, and Khizr (peace on
him !) returned the salutation, and turned and
said to Moses (peace on him !), 'Who art thou ? '
Moses (peace on him !) replied, ' I am Moses,
and I am come that I may learn wisdom of
thee.' Khizr (peace on him!) said, 'Thou wilt
be unable to have patience with my dealings.'
Moses (peace on him !) answered, ' If it please
X 2
308 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
God, I shall have patience/ Khizr (peace on
him !) said, ' If thou wilt be my companion, ask
nothing of me.' Moses (peace on him !) said,
1 1 shall not.' Then they both arose and set out,
and they came to the sea-shore and entered a
ship. While on the way, Khizr (peace on him !)
tore up a plank of that ship ; and Moses (peace
on him !) said, ' O Khizr, these took nothing
from us and carried us in their ship, now thou
makest a hole in their ship ; wishest thou to
sink it ? ' Khizr (peace on him !) said, ' O
Moses, did I not say to thee that thou couldst
not have patience ? ' Moses (peace on him !)
replied, ' O Khizr, hold me excused ; I will not
speak again.' While they were thus talking, a
little sparrow came and took up some water
from the sea in his beak, and Khizr (peace on
him !) said, * O Moses, thy knowledge and my
knowledge are not as much in the sight of God
Most High as the water this sparrow has taken
from the sea in his beak.' Then they came
forth from the ship and went to a village ; and
they saw some children playing. And Khizr
(peace on him !) went and smote one of them
and slew him. Moses (peace on him !) said, ' O
Khizr, wherefore didst thou slay that child un-
justly?' Khizr (peace on him!) replied, 'O
Moses, did I not say to thee that thou couldst
THE LADY'S TWENTY-NINTH STORY. 309
not have patience ? ' Moses (peace on him !)
said, ' Hold me excused ; it passed from my
mind ; if I ask again, bear me no longer com-
pany.' They passed and came to another
village ; and in that village they would give
them no food. While they were going along
they saw in a street a bowing wall which was
like to fall down. Khizr (peace on him !) took
and built up that wall. And Moses (peace
on him !) said, ' O Khizr, in this village they
would give us neither lodging nor bread ; yet
thou hast built up their wall without hire.'
Khizr (peace on him !) said, * Now is our part-
ing with thee ; but I will explain these questions
to thee. The owners of that ship to which I
did damage are poor friendless men ; and there
is a king who is seizing upon all ships, but
because a plank of that one is broken he will
not seize upon it, so its owners will be able to
support themselves.* The two parents of the
boy whom I slew are believers ; had the boy
grown up, he would have become a rebel against
God Most High, so I slew him that his evil
might not touch his father and his mother and
many others, and that he might not die in
unbelief. And beneath this wall which I have
* They could easily repair the slight damage.
3io HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
built up is a buried treasure, its owners are two
orphans ; had it fallen down now, that treasure
would have been lost to them ; but when these
orphans are grown up, the wall will fall down,
and while they are building it they will find that
treasure ; therefore did I build it up.' And
Khizr (peace on him !) went in one direction,
and Moses (peace on him !) went in another."*
" Now, O king, even as Khizr (peace on
him !) slew that youth that he might not rebel
and his evil touch his father and his mother and
many poor creatures, so do thou kill this tyrant
youth, else thou shalt be repentant." When the
king heard these beguiling words of the lady
he said, " To morrow will I slay him." And
they went to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Thirtieth Vezir came for-
ward and said, " O king of the world, beware
and beware, hurry not in this work, for hurry is
the work of Satan. Our Lord the Apostle of
God hath said that even as the blood courseth
in a man's veins, so courseth Satan. This is
* All this stoiy is an amplification of a passage in the
eighteenth chapter of the Koran.
THE THIRTIETH VEZIR'S STORY. 311
incumbent on my king, that he hasten not in
this affair, for women are devils ; and they have
said that many heads were cut off in the two
tribes by reason of a woman ; but mayhap my
king has not heard it." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE THIRTIETH VEZIR'S STORY.
" It is thus related : An Arab of the tribe of
the Bern-' Aqil took a goat to a city with the pur-
pose of selling it. An Arab of the tribe of the
Benl-Nefir wished to buy that goat. The owner
of the goat wanted eight baghdadis as the price,
the purchaser offered six. The owner of the
goat sware he would divorce his wife if he gave
it for an aspre less than eight baghdadis, and
the purchaser sware he would divorce his if
he gave an aspre more than six. Then the
two of them began to quarrel. The Arab who
wished to buy took up a stone and threw it at
the owner of the goat ; it hit his head which
broke like a rotten gourd. His kinsfolk heard
this and they came and smote that other man,
and killed the killer. As a man of each tribe
had been slain, they fell one upon the other.
Every one came on his horse with his arms to
the field, and they began to fight with each
other, so that hills of slain arose and blood
312 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
flowed in streams. At length the tribe of the
Beni-'Aqil was victorious, and put to flight the
tribe of the Beni-Nefir. That tribe went to
the prince of the Abyssinians and asked help.
So the prince of Abyssinia gave them two
hundred horsemen ; and the Neflr prince again
fell upon the 'Aqil prince, and they began to
fight one with another. At length the fortune
of the 'Aqil prince was changed into disaster,
and the Beni-Nefir army returned with victory
and triumph."
" Now, O king, be it known to thee that for
that an Arab mentioned the divorcing of his
wife heads went off and the wealth and lives of
many were lost ; and the two lands were ruined
because of women. And this day I, thy slave,
make intercession for the prince." And he
kissed the ground. And the king sent the
prince to the prison and himself mounted for
the chase.
When it was evening he returned and came
to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him,
and they sat down. After the repast the lady
again asked of the youth. The king said, " To-
day too such an one of my vezirs made inter-
cession for him, and I sent him to the prison."
The lady said, " O king, deem not those vezirs
friends to thee ; they watch their opportunity.
THE LADY'S THIRTIETH STORY. 313
Thy story is like the story of that king and the
vezir." The king said, " Relate that story, let
us hear it." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTIETH STORY.
" In the palace of the world there was a king.
One day a dervish came before that king and
said, ' O king, I know a charm on repeating
which I can enter into whatever body I please.'
The king forthwith ordered that they brought a
goose, and he turned and said to the dervish,
' Canst thou enter the body of this goose ? '
The dervish repeated the charm and entered
the body of that goose, and the dervish's body
remained lifeless. When the king saw that
thing he wondered. Then the dervish repeated
that charm, and he again entered his own frame.
And the king learned that charm from the
dervish. One day the king went to the chase
with the vezir ; they had taken a deer, when the
king who was by the vezir's side repeated that
charm and entered the body of the deer, and he
frisked about for a time ; and his own frame
remained lifeless. The king again repeated the
charm and re-entered his frame. The vezir
saw these things and marvelled, and he asked
the king, saying, ' Where learnedst thou this ? '
The king replied, ' I learned it from a dervish.'
314 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
The vezir begged and entreated the king, saying,
' Teach me that charm.' As the king was in
the most generous humour he taught the vezir
that charm ; and when the vezir had learned
that charm from the king he began to watch his
opportunity. One day the king and the vezir
went out in disguise, and while they were walk-
ing about they saw a dead parrot lying at the
foot of a tree. Quoth the vezir, * O king, canst
thou enter the body of this parrot ? ' The king
forthwith recited that charm and entered the
body of the parrot, and he flew off and perched
upon a tree. Then the vezir forthwith repeated
that charm and entered the king's body, and he
taught that charm to a slave of his and made
him go into his body. And the king remained
in the parrot's body on that tree, and as soon
as he saw the vezir thus, he repented of his
having taught him the charm ; but what avail,
what could he do ? Now the king had a great
garden, and he flew off and went to that garden,
and sad and sorrowful perched on the branch of
a tree and sat pondering. Our story goes to
the vezir. When the vezir entered the king's
body he pushed on and went into the harem ;
and when he went up to the queen he desired
to make merry with her. The lady looked, this
was the king, but he had not a trace of the airs
THE LADY'S THIRTIETH STORY. 315
or love-tricks or manners of the king ; and she
wondered and feigned to be sick ; and she would
not let the king near her couch.* So the vezir
waited, saying in himself, * I shall have patience
for to-day and to-night ; she will get well, then
shall I make merry.' When the night was
turned to morning the lady saw that there was
not in him a trace of the king's nature, and she
said in herself, ' By God, this is not the king.'
And she feigned to be yet more sick and began
to watch how it would end. Our story goes to
the king. The king said, ' There is no profit in
brooding sadly here ;' and he said with eloquent
speech to the gardener, ' O gardener, take me
and carry me to the bazaar and sell me, and
may my price be lawful for thee, only give me
not for less than a thousand sequins/ The
gardener put the parrot in a cage and took it to
the city, and every one saw that it was a saga-
cious parrot ; and they all wondered at the
eloquence of the parrot. Now there was in that
city a woman who received a thousand sequins
from every person who passed a night with her.
One night that woman saw in a dream that she
was making merry till the morning with a mer-
* In Belletete's text the lady, while wondering at the alteration
in the king's manner, complies at once with the vezir's wishes.
3i6 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
chant. When it was morning she awoke, and
she arose and went to that merchant and said,
' O merchant, this night I made merry with thee
in my dream till morning ; a night's intercourse
with me is a thousand sequins ; now fetch and
give me the thousand sequins.' Quoth the
merchant, ' Why should I give them ? ' The
woman said, ' For that I made merry with thee.'
The merchant said, * Thou didst not/ And the
woman began a great quarrel and summoned
the merchant to the tribunal. So they arose,
and while they were going to the tribunal they
met the parrot. The parrot gave ear and heard
their quarrel and said, ' Come here, let us see,
what is your quarrel ? ' So they came up to the
parrot, and many people were present there, and
they recounted all the events one by one. The
parrot listened and turned to the merchant and
said, * Go, bring a thousand sequins and a mirror.'
The merchant went and brought a thousand
sequins in a purse and a mirror. The parrot
placed the purse with the sequins opposite the
mirror so that the reflection of the purse was
seen in the mirror. All those who were present
looked on. The parrot said to that woman,
' What wantest thou of the merchant ? ' She
replied, ' I want my due, a thousand sequins.'
The parrot said, * Come, take the thousand
THE LADY'S THIRTIETH STORY. 317
sequins that are in the mirror.' The woman
said, ' How ? There are no sequins in the
mirror.' The parrot said, ' These are they in
the rouleau.' The woman replied, ' That rouleau
is the reflection of the rouleau outside.' The
parrot said, ' The due of thy making merry with
the merchant in thy dream is as that which is
seen in the mirror ; if thou are content with thy
due, take it ; if not, thou hast no further due.'
All those who were present applauded this
judgment of the parrot ; and the lady was
ashamed and went away. Then said they who
were present to the merchant, ' Buy thou this
parrot for ten sequins of full weight.' And the
merchant asked the gardener, and the gardener
wished a thousand sequins. So this story
reached the king's chief lady, and she said, * Can
a parrot like this be found ? ' And she sent the
thousand sequins and bought the parrot and
hung up the cage before the palace. In the
evening the vezir entered the harem, and he
came up to the chief lady and said, ' Till now I
have been without thee, for thou wast sick ; but
art thou not yet well ? ' The lady answered, ' I
am not going to get better ; off, begone.' So
the vezir went and made merry with the other
girls ; but the chief lady would not let him near
her. As for the parrot, he sighed and wailed.
3i8 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
One day the vezir said to the chief lady, ' I
know a charm which when I repeat I can enter
whatever body I please.' The chief lady said,
( Enter the body of one of the slave-girls that
are here.' The vezir answered, ' It cannot be a
living one, it must be a lifeless form/ The lady
said, * There is a slaughtered goose in the
kitchen ; let them bring that, and enter it that I
may see.' So she called out and they brought
it. The vezir repeated that charm and entered
the body of the goose and walked about crying,
1 Quack ! quack ! ' And the king's body re-
mained empty. Forthwith the parrot repeated
that charm and entered the king's body, and
straightway he seized the goose by the neck
and dashed it against the wall and killed it.
And the lady marvelled and saw that it was the
king himself, and she asked him of these things.
And the king explained to her the whole of
them."
u Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that there is no trusting
in vezirs ; they have not found an opportunity
and so seem weak. Be thou ready, what time
they look for the youth it is in their hands to
slay thee. O king, kill this youth that this evil
touch not thee and me, else the very opposite is
certain." When the king heard this story from
THE THIRTY-FIRST VEZIR'S STORY. 319
the lady dread fell upon his heart and he said,
" O lady, what am I ? Neither does my heart
approve the acts of these ; on the morrow I will
kill the youth." And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Thirty-First Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world, go not
by the woman's word ; it is a calumny against
the prince. Mayhap the king has not heard
the story of the blind man and the khalif."
The king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth
the vezir,
THE THIRTY-FIRST VEZIR'S STORY.
" In the time of the Khalif Reshid there was
a blind man, and if anyone lost anything he
would find it. One day a box belonging to the
khalif was lost, and it was filled full inside with
rubies and turkises. They told the khalif of
this blind man ; and he said, * Bring him.' So
they brought him. The khalif said, ' A thing
of ours is lost, find it then ; and say what is the
thing that is lost.' The blind man pondered a
little, then he felt about him with his hands, and
a date-stone came into his hand. He said, ' O
king, what is lost is then a box ; and so there
320 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
are a few pearls and a few turkises and a few
rubies in it.' The khalif said, ' Who has taken
it?' The blind man answered, 'It is the
groom/ The khalif asked, ' Where has he put
it ?' The blind man said, ' He has laid it in
the well.' Now there was a well in the khalif's
palace ; and they made a man go down the
well, and he brought up the box from the well.
The khalif wondered at the blind man's thus
knowing, and he said, * O sheykh, how marvel-
lously hast thou known of this lost thing ! '
The blind man said, * I knew it by inference ;
when thou saidest to me that a thing was lost,
I felt about me and found a date-stone, and I
knew therefrom that a box would be of that
form ; the flowers of the date resemble pearls,
I knew therefrom that there were pearls in the
box ; its leaves resemble turkises,* these too
were there ; and its fruit is sometimes yellow
and sometimes red, but it is mostly red, rubies
were there. And when thou askedst me who
was the thief, a horse neighed below, and I knew
that he was the groom. And when thou askedst
me where he had put it, someone cried out, " He
has brought the water from the well," and from
* Blue and green being regarded as variations of one
colour.
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FIRST STORY. 321
that I knew that he had laid it in the well.'
The khalif greatly applauded and admired the
sagacity of the blind man."
" Now, O king, these many vezirs of thine
speak not their words idly. Slay not the prince, or
at last the fire thereof shall not leave thy heart,
and night and day thou shalt burn in the fire of
sighs." And he kissed the ground and made
intercession for the prince. When the king
heard this story from the vezir he sent the youth
to the prison and himself mounted for the chase.
When it was evening he returned from the
chase and came to the palace, and the lady rose
to greet him, and they sat down. After the
repast the lady again began to speak about the
youth. The king said, " To-day too such an
one of my vezirs made intercession for him, and
I again sent him to the prison." The lady
.said, " O king, this youth has trodden under
foot the honour of many, and has given thy
dignity and worth to the tongue of reproach
Mayhap my king has not heard the story of
that cadi." The king said, i{ Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FIRST STORY.
"In the city of Cesarea were two cadis ; and
they loved not one another, but were ever at
Y
322 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
enmity. One clay certain people said to the
king of that country, * Cadi Such-an-one is a
lover of thy son ; day and night he watches his
opportunity and says, " Would that I could see
him alone." ' The king was wroth, and ordered
that they banished that cadi. Straightway they
told the other cadi, ' To-day of a sudden the
king grew wroth with that cadi, thine adversary,
and deposed and banished him.' Forthwith
this cadi mounted his horse and went before
the king, he performed the ceremonies of salu-
tation and asked permission of the king and
said, ' My king, give me leave that I may go
from this city.' The king said, ' Why wouldst
thou go ? What has happened to thee ? ' The
cadi replied, ' I have heard that they said to the
king that Cadi Such-an-one is a lover of the
prince and watches his opportunity; and that
slanderers caused my king to be wroth and made
him depose and banish him. Now I am a lover
of the king and I am also a lover of the prince ;
to-morrow slanderers will come and say this
and that concerning me, and cause my king to
be wroth, and he will depose and banish me
too. So now, ere thou art wroth with me, I
would go/ The king said, ' With what would
thy heart now be pleased ? ' Straightway the
cadi kissed the ground and said, ' It would be
THE THIRTY-SECOND VEZIRS STORY. 323
very pleased did thou pardon that cadi and
appoint him again to his place/ So the king
pardoned the cadi and appointed him again to
his place."
" Now, O king, know that a wise foe is better
than a foolish friend. This youth is a foolish
youth, and by reason of that is my honour thus
gone. I may not look on the blessed beauty
of my king because of my shame. Each one
of the vezirs says some different thing. God
Most High knows that I am my king's friend ;
I would not that a calamity should come down
on thee. Knowing this much, I have spoken
these words without selfish aim. Slay the
youth, else afterward he will slay thee without
mercy." When the king heard these beguiling
words of the lady he said, " To-morrow will I
see to him." And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought, and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Thirty-Second Vezir came
forward and said,
THE THIRTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY.
" One day while the Sultan of Egypt was
sitting with his vezirs and nobles in the place
of the divan, his fancy led him to talk of woman-
Y 2
324 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
kind. He asked one of his nobles, ' How art
thou with thy wife ? ' The noble answered, ' O
king", of whatsoever gifts and bounties I receive
from my king every year, I spend the half on
my wife, yet, when all is done, she complains,
saying, " What hast thou spent on me these
many years ? " Then he asked his vezir, * And
ye ; how are ye ? ' The vezir said, ' Whatso-
ever wealth I gain under your royal shadow, it
all passes through her hands ; she keeps what
she wishes and gives away what she wishes not ;
yet, when all is done, she complains, saying,
" What good have I seen from thee ? " Then
he asked all his vezirs, and each one of them
complained in some manner of his wife. The
king said, ' I used to think my wife alone in
this matter, but they seem then all the same ;
my lady is in lack of nothing, yet, when all is
done, she complains, saying, " What have I ? "
" Now, O king, know that no one is satisfied
with a woman ; do not thou then slay the youth
on the woman's word. Make not a woman ruler
over thee, destroy not thine own comfort, act
not that thou shalt continue in wailing and
lamentation." And he made intercession for
the prince. When this story was heard from
the vezir the king sent the youth to the prison
and went himself to the chase.
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SECOND STORY. 325
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase, and the lady rose to greet him, and
they sat down. After the repast the lady began
to speak about the youth. The king said, " To-
day such an one of my vezirs made intercession
for him, and I sent him to the prison." The
lady said, "O king of the world, tear from thy
heart the love of the youth that the love of
God Most High may come therein, and that
kingship may be secured to thee in the world
and the Hereafter. Mayhap the king has not
heard the story of Fuzayl." * ^ The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SECOND STORY.
" One day Fuzayl (the mercy of God on him !)
took his son upon his knee, and while he was
fondling him, the boy looked in his father's face
and said, ' Father, lovest thou me ? ' Fuzayl
answered, ' My son, I love thee.' Then the boy
said, ' Lovest thou God ? ' Fuzayl answered,
* Son, I love Him.' The boy said, ' Father, can
two loves be contained in one heart ? ' When
Fuzayl heard these words from the boy he knew
that they were not merely the boy's words, but
* Fuzayl was a pious Muslim who received his education from
the Imam Ja'fer-i Sadiq ; he died at Mekka in 187 (A.D. 803).
326 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
an inspiration from before God. Straightway
he put his son from his knee on to the ground,
and he tore from his heart his love for his son,
and filled it with the love of God Most High.
And now, whenever his name is mentioned, they
say, ' The mercy of God on him ! '
" Now, O king, until thou too likewise tear
from thy heart love for the youth, thou canst not
love God Most High. If thou wish to be king
in the world and the Hereafter, kill this un-
worthy youth." When the king heard this tale
from the lady he said, " To-morrow will I kill
him." And they went to bed.
When it was morning the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite off
his head." The Thirty-Third Vezir came for-
ward and said, " O king of the world, the cruelty
toward the prince has been great ; if it be as
punishment to the prince, it will suffice. Beware,
go not by the woman's word, slay not the prince,
or in the end thou shalt be repentant. And
through the wiles of women have many of the
people of Paradise become deserving of Hell.
If the king grant leave I will relate a story
suitable to this." The king said, " Tell on, let
us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 327
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY.
"In the olden time there was a youth, and they
told him that in a certain city was a wondrous
fair woman who had no like in beauty in any
place. The youth fell in love with her without
having seen her, and he set out for the city
where the woman was. While he was journey-
ing on the road, he saw some folk sowing wheat ;
and after an hour that seed ripened and was
cut, whereupon they burned it with fire. And
the youth wondered at them. He went on
further and saw a man grasping a stone and
trying to lift it, but he could not lift it ; then he
put another stone on the top of that stone, and
he was able to lift them a little ; then he put yet
another stone on that, and this time, when he had
laid the three stones together, he lifted them up
and bare them off. And he wondered at this
too. He went on further and saw some people
mounted on a sheep, and there was one mounted
above them, and there were some others who
sought to mount but could not. And the youth
marvelled at these also. And he passed on and
came to the city where that woman was ; and
he saw an elder seated at the gate of that city.
The youth saluted him, and he returned the
salutation and asked, saying, 'Wherefore art
328 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
thou come here ? ' The youth replied, ' They
say that in this city is a beautiful woman ; I am
come to see her/ The elder said, 'What hast
thou seen of wonders on the road thou earnest ? '
He replied, ' I have seen many wonders, things
greatly to be marvelled at/ The elder said,
1 Tell them that I may hear/ So the youth re-
lated all that he had seen. He asked, ' Knowest
thou what those were ? ' The youth said, ' Nay/
The elder said, ' They who sowed the seed and,
when it had reached perfection, burned it, are
those persons who perform a good deed and
then go and act with hypocrisy and say to the
passers-by, " Now have I done a good deed ;"
and so burn it with their tongues and make it
nought. And that man who could not carry the
stone and put two other stones on it and then
carried them, is he who commits a sin ; at first
it feels very heavy ; he does it again, then it feels
lighter than the first time ; he does it yet again,
and this time he gets used to it and it feels not
heavy at all, whereupon he takes it and bears it
wheresoever he will. And those people mounted
on the sheep, and the man over them, and those
others who sought to mount but were unable :
that sheep is the world, and those mounted on
that sheep are the rich men, and he mounted
over them is their prince, and those who were
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY. 329
unable to mount are the poor.' When the youth
heard these words from the elder he applauded
them much and said, ' O elder, since thou hast
thus known these, thou must know of that
woman; tell me wherever she be/ The elder
said, ' Thou hast got all these my counsels and
seen these many examples yet thou hast not
awakened from heedlessness and hast asked for
an unlawful woman.' And he smote him a blow
on the face, and straightway the youth's senses
left him. After a time he opened his eyes and
he found himself in Hell."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for that
the king may know that there are many youths
whose faces will be black before God Most
High by reason of women. O king, beware,
slay not the prince on the woman's word, or
afterward thou shalt suffer remorse." And he
made intercession for the prince for that day.
And the king yielded to him and sent the
prince to the prison and went himself to the
chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady began to speak about the
youth. The king said, " To-day too such an
one of my vezirs made intercession for him and
330 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
I sent him to the prison." The lady said, " O
king, in some among youths devilry and evil-
nature abound, and there is a story suitable to
this ; mayhap my king has not heard it." The
king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the
lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-THIRD STORY.
" Once upon a time a certain man had a
naughty son who would ever cry for the least
thing, and whenever they cooked food and gave
it him he would cry and say, ' Ye have given
me too little ; I am not filled.' They cooked a
large pot of food and filled a great dish with it
and gave it to the boy. Whereupon the boy
kicked it with his foot and spilt it, and went and
sat down. His mother said, ' Out on thee, that
shouldst eat poison ; when I give thee sufficient
quantity thou sayest it is too little, and if I give
thee much thou sayest it is too much ; why hast
thou now spilt all this food ? ' Thereupon the
boy lay down on the ground and rolled and
began to cry. At length his father and mother
were helpless with him, and cursed him, saying,
' Son, may God take thy life ! '
" Now, O king, since thou wilt not slay this
youth, may God take his life and may all the
world escape from his wickedness." When the
THE THIRTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY. 331
king heard this story from the lady he saicl,
" To-morrow will I see to him." And they
went to bed.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought, and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Thirty-Fourth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world, kings
are shepherds on the earth, the rest are the
sheep ; slay not now thy son on the woman's
word, or to-morrow, on the Resurrection-Day,
when the Owner of the sheep will ask of thee
the plight of the lambs, thou wilt find it hard to
answer. And it is well known that the treachery
and wickedness of women are great. Mayhap
the king has not heard the story of the Persian
and his wife." The king said, " Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE THIRTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY.
"In the land of Persia there was a merchant,
and that merchant's wealth was exceeding great.
One night a guest came to the merchant's house
and lodged there. The merchant brought some
food and they sat down. The guest saw in a
corner a dog and a fair woman eating out of
one dish ; and he wondered exceedingly and
332 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
asked the merchant. The merchant said,
* Their plight is not spoken of.' But the guest
entreated and begged him to tell. Then the
merchant said, ' This woman is my slave -girl
whom I bought with my money. I made her
my wife and loved her as my life, so that all I
had was in her hands. I had a black slave.
Now these struck up a friendship ; and as to
me, I knew not of it. One day they agreed to
slay me. One day the woman said to me,
" Come, I would go with thee to a certain place ;
there is a matter, we will see to it." And she
took me and brought me to a quiet place where
they had pitched a tent. Now that slave was
therein ; and he came out suddenly, and they
bore me down that they might kill me. I had
always fed this dog, and he followed me and was
come along with me, and when he saw me in
this plight he ran and seized that slave from
behind and pulled him and drew him off me.
I too found strength and opportunity, and I
made to seize the woman, but she fled off. I
killed the slave, but, as my love was with the
woman, I could not bring myself to kill her.
For that this dog was the cause of my safety do
I thus honour him ; and to disgrace and abase
the woman do I thus keep the two of them
together and feed them.' "
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FOURTH STORY. 333
" Now, O king, the learned have said that
there is no trusting in three things ; the first is
a woman, the second is a horse, and the third is
a sword. Beware, O king, slay not the prince
on the woman's word, else afterward thou wilt
be repentant. And grant to me, your slave,
the prince's life for to-day." When the king
heard this story from the vezir he sent the
youth to the prison and went himself to the
chase.
When it was evening he returned and came
to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him,
and they sat down. After the repast the lady
began to speak about the youth. The king
said, " To-day such an one of my vezirs made
intercession for him and I sent him to the
prison." The lady said, " I am from heart and
soul my king's sincere friend. What is beseem-
ing the king is this, that he impute not my
words to selfish interest, but accomplish them ;
and there is a story suitable to this, if there be
permission I will relate it." The king said,
" Relate, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FOURTH STORY.
" There was in the palace of the world a
king, and that king had a falcon, which, when-
ever he launched it at a quarry, used to take
334 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
two animals at once. There was a noble of
that country, and his name was Emir Sarim.
He heard of this accomplishment of that falcon,
and he arose to see it, and came to that city and
went before the king. And the king honoured
that noble in the highest degree. After some
days that noble brought about a fitting oppor-
tunity, and told how they praised the falcon and
how he longed to see it. The king ordered
that on the morrow they went forth to the
chase ; and he launched the falcon several times,
and on each occasion it took two animals at
once ; and Emir Sarim wondered exceedingly.
Then quoth the king to that noble, ' Is the falcon
deserving of the praise ? ' Emir Sarim replied,
1 Yea, and of greater.' The king said, ' Take
this falcon, I have given it to thee, let it be
thine.' So Emir Sarim rejoiced and accepted
it. And he bowed down his head and pondered,
and after a while he raised his head and said,
* O king, I cannot find anything worthy to give
my king in return for this falcon ; but I have
twelve sons and a thousand valiant and famous
warriors, let them all be my king's.' And in
this way did the worth of the falcon increase ;
for at first it used to catch two birds, but now
it caught twelve youths and a thousand valiant
warriors. And these words came pleasant to
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FOURTH STORY. 335
the king, and he bestowed much wealth on
Emir Sarim."
" Now, O king, what is befitting kings is this,
that they accomplish the words of those that
wish them well ; and I love my king from heart
and soul. It is needful then to see to that
unworthy youth." When the king heard this
story from the lady, he said, " Do not thou be
troubled, to-morrow I will slay him." And they
went to bed.
When it was morning the king went forth
and sat upon his throne, and he said, u Where
is the youth and where the executioner ? "
When they had brought the youth and the
executioner, the Thirty-Fifth Vezir came for-
ward and said, " O king, mercy, by thy head
and by God, thou hast sinned. I would read
and expound the Koran before the king ; if the
king give me not leave, he will sin ; and if he
listen not to my reading and follow not its
meaning, it will be error itself." Then the king
said, " I ask pardon of God ; we hear and obey."
Quoth the vezir, " God Most High saith in His
ancient Word, 'Say: If ye love God, then
follow me : God will love you and forgive you
your sins ; for God is Forgiving, Merciful.'* O
* Koran, iii. 29.
336 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
king, the reason of the revelation of this verse
was this, the hypocrites came and said to the
Apostle, ' O Apostle of God, we love thee, thou
art the true Apostle of God.' And when they
went forth they said, ' God forbid ! again God
forbid ! he is a mighty liar and a sorcerer and a
soothsayer and a madman/ And God Most
High thus addressed His Beloved, 'O Beloved,
say to them : If ye really love God follow me ;
and God Most High will love you too and
forgive your sins ; for God Most High is For-
giving, Merciful.' O king, that man who is a
believer and an Unitarian must love God Most
High and follow His Apostle ; and to follow
him is to observe whatever he said or did.
Now the Apostle saith concerning women,
1 They are lacking in understanding and
religion;' so it beseems not the king to act
contrary to the Apostle's word and go by the
word of the woman. And the Apostle also
saith, ' Consult them and do the contrary.' O
king, the wise man is he who in compliance with
this Sacred Tradition never trusts the love and
friendship of women or acts according to their
words. And there is a story suitable to this ;
if the king grant leave I will relate it." The
king said, " Relate, let us hear." Quoth the
vezir,
THE THIRTY-FIFTH VEZIRS STORY. 337
THE THIRTY-FIFTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" Once upon a time a man went on to the roof
of his house and repaired it, and when he was
about to come down he called to his wife, 'Ho!
wife, how shall I come down ?' The woman
answered, ' The roof is free, what would hap-
pen ? thou art a young man, jump down.' The
youth jumped down, and his ankle was put out
of joint, and for a whole year he was bedridden,
and his ankle came not back to its place. The
next year the youth again went on to the roof
and repaired it ; then he turned and called to his
wife, ' Ho ! wife, how shall I come down ?' The
woman said, ' Jump not, thine ankle has not yet
come to its place ; come down gently.' The
youth said, ' The other time, for that I followed
thy words and not those of the Apostle, was my
ankle put out of joint and it has not yet come to
its place ; now shall I follow the words of the
Apostle and do the contrary to what thou sayest.'
And he jumped down, and straightway his ankle
came to its place."
And he kissed the ground and made interces-
sion for the prince. When the king heard this
story from the vezir he sent the youth to the
prison and went himself to the chase.
When it was evening he returned and came to
z
338 HISTORY OF 7W FORTY VKZIRS.
the palace, and the lady rose to greet him, and
they sat down. After the repast the lady began
to speak about the youth. The king said, " To-
day too such an one of my vezirs made interces-
sion for him and I sent him to the prison." The
lady said, "O king, why didst thou not kill the
youth to-day? When youths take a thing into
their heads their hearts are never at rest until they
accomplish it. Mayhap my king has not heard
the story of a certain king's son." The king
said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY- FIFTH STORY.
"In the palace of the world there was a king,
and he had a son, who read the Koran and les-
sons in a school and whose intelligence pleased
his master. One day the boy could not do his
lesson; the teacher did not give him another
lesson, but said, ' Go, study thy lesson/ It was
the same on the second day and the third day.
When the master saw this he told his father,
and his father said, ' O son, why wilt not thou
study thy lesson?' The boy replied, ' One day
I passed through the bazaar and saw hung up in
a shop very many lamps, row upon row ; and
this came into my heart : if they were to give me
a stick into my hand and I were to strike once
at those lamps with all my might, I wonder how
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FIFTH STORY. 339
many I should break. Since that time I have
not learned my lesson, for my mind has been
always at the breaking of the lamps.' The king
gave him a stick and sent him and a teacher and
a servant to the shop, and ordered that they
should pay for as many lamps as were destroyed.
So they went off and came to that shop and said
to the prince, ' Now, strike, letus see/ And the
prince struck a blow with the stick at those
lamps with all his might and he destroyed many
lamps, and those present cried, * The blessing
of God on the prince ; he has broken these many
lamps!'* Then they satisfied the shopkeeper.
As the prince's longing was gone and his whim
gratified, he again began to read and study his
lessons as heretofore."
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may know that a youth must needs accom-
plish that whereon he resolves. And there is
an evil resolve in the heart of this youth, he
has determined on the king's throne and life.
O king, beware, be not negligent, or this youth
will slay thee in the end, know thou that for
certain." When the king heard this story from
the lady he said, " To-morrow will I kill him."
And they went to bed.
* He is so clever to break such a number at one stroke.
Z 2
340 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite off
his head." The Thirty-Sixth Vezir came for-
ward and said, " O king of the world, slay not
the prince according to the woman's word ; for
the craft and mischief of women are great, and
it is needful ever to guard against their mischief.
Mayhap my king has not heard the story of a
certain merchant youth." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE THIRTY-SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY.
4 ' Of old time there was a dervish who, while he
was wandering about, slept a night at a certain vil-
lage. In the morning the villagers said to the der-
vish, ' O dervish, there are robbers on the road
which leads from the right side of the village ; take
heed and go not by that road, but go by the left/
When the morn was high the dervish went that
road where the robbers were ; he said, ' I am a
dervish ; what of mine can they take ? ' When it
was near afternoon he came to a certain place
and saw a palace, and he opened the gate and
went inside, and he saw that there was no one
there, and he waited till the evening. There
was no one coming or going on any side, so he
went and lay down. When it was midnight a
THE THIRTY-SIXTH VEZIRS STORY. 341
noise arose and the dervish was afraid. There
was some horse dung in a corner, and he buried
himself in that, so that he was all covered,
save that his two eyes could see. The door
opened and the dervish saw forty mounted men,
and one by them whose hands were bound and
round whose neck they had fastened a rope and
whom they were thus dragging. They said,
' Has then anyone come this day ? ' And they
went through the palace but saw no one. They
tied that bound youth to a pillar, and lit a fire, and
cooked food and took it and ate and drank ;
and when they were drunk they lay down and
slept. The dervish arose from the place where
he was and asked of the youth whose hands
were bound concerning these things. The youth
replied, ' Dervish, this is no time for questions ;
deliver me from this/ So the dervish delivered
that youth. Thereupon the youth went and
took a dagger in his hand and slew all of those
thieves. Then he took a candle and put it into
a lantern and gave it into the dervish's hand
and said, * Take this lantern, but cover it with
thy cloak that it may not give light without.' So
the dervish took it and hid it and they went
forth thence and came to a ruined city, and they
went to the fire-room of a bath and entered it
through a certain place. There was there a
342 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
beautiful room, and the youth said to the dervish,
' Bring out the lantern that our eyes may see.'
The dervish displayed the lantern and they saw
a girl sleeping with a youth, and the other
youth smote him who was lying with the girl
and slew him. The girl awoke from sleep and
said to that youth, ' Now thou hast slain him ;
what answer wilt thou give his comrades to-mor-
row ?' The youth answered, ' Be at ease, I have
slain them too.' Then the youth took the der-
vish and they entered the treasury of those rob-
bers, and the dervish saw that on one side of
that treasury lay heaped-up gold and on one side
white silver. The youth said, ' Dervish, go, get
two of those robbers' horses and lade them with
this money, and take it off and go.' The dervish
said, ' Youth, what deed is this deed thou hast
done ?' The youth answered, ' There is a farm
of mine at four leagues' distance from this place ;
and these were forty-one robbers, and every year
they came upon me, seeking to seize me ; but
with the leave of God Most High I used to
scatter the whole of them. While they were
prowling about yesterday I, having gone apart
from my own men, had come to a meadow,
when sleep overcame me and I lay down, and
while my men were waiting, these discovered
me and seized me while asleep and bound me
THE THIRTY-SIXTH VEZIR'S STORY. 343
and took me and brought me to that palace.
Now, praise be to God ! thou art the means ;
thou didst deliver me ; and I slew the whole of
them and am delivered from their evil.' And he
gave the dervish much wealth and said, ' Take
this wealth and these horses, be all of them
thine ; and go to a thousand such places. Now
do my men seek me, go and tell them that they
come and find me here.' So the dervish mounted
and set off. As the youth had been without
sleep during the night he said to the girl, * Make
ready food,' and he lay down to sleep. The
girl said in her heart, ' Wretch, mayst thou be
hanged by thy neck ! Thou hast slain my hus-
band and all these his comrades ; I fear nought
from thee.' And she put a drug into the food.
The youth awoke from sleep and found the food
ready, and he ate it and he passed from himself
and became senseless. The girl took and
dragged him and threw him into a pit and
covered up the mouth of it. The dervish went
and found that youth's men and told them, and
these men thanked him. And they said to the
dervish, ' Come, let us go, show us our master.'
The dervish turned back and took these men
and went, and they saw the girl seated but the
youth was not there. These asked the woman,
'Where is our master?' The woman replied,
344 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
* He mounted in the morning and went forth to
hunt and has not returned.' They waited a while
and saw that their master came not, and they
again asked the woman. She again replied, * I
know not, he has not come back.' Then they
seized the woman and bound her firmly and
tortured her ; and she said, * I imprisoned him/
and showed them the pit. They drew the
youth out of the pit and said, ' Why didst thou
put him into the pit ? ' The woman answered,
* I have a youthful lernan ; w r hen my first lord
went out to rob, that youth would come and be
with me, if he were my lord all were well with
me ; I saw only this man as a hindrance and I
sought to slay him, for I wished to take my
young leman and this wealth and go to another
place and give myself up to pleasure.' All who
were standing there cursed that woman and then
they committed her soul to Hell. So because
there was not truth in her did she fall a prey to
this retribution."
" Now, O king, I have related this story for
that the king may know that there is no gene-
rosity or piety in women. They are lust-
worshippers and traitors ; and in a thousand of
them there is not one true. O king, beware,
slay not the prince on the woman's word, or
afterward thou shalt be repentant ; and too late
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SIXTH STORY. 345
repentance profits not, and the cut-off head
grows not again." And he made intercession
for the prince for that day. When the king
heard this story from the vezir he sent the
youth to the prison and went himself to the
chase.
When it was evening he returned and came
to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him,
and they sat down. After the repast the lady
asked about the youth. The king said, " To-
day too such an one of my vezirs made inter-
cession for him, and I sent him to the prison."
The lady said, " O king, be not negligent, there
is no trusting youths ; one day will it be that
he will slay thee, and secure the throne.
Mayhap my king has not heard the story of
Sultan ' Ala-ud-Dm." * The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SIXTH STORY.
" There was in Qonya a king whose name
was 'Ala-ud-Dln. One day he went alone to
the madhouse to learn the state of the madmen
who were there. While he was going round, a
youth from among them saw the king, and said,
* 'Ala-ud-Dln Key-Qubad the Seljuql, Sultan of Rum, died
in 636 (A.D. 1238-9).
346 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VF/JRS.
1 Welcome, O king of the world ; I came a
stranger to this city, my father and my mother
are in such and such a town. To-day it is twenty-
three days that I am here ; each one of the
comers and the goers says something. What can
I do ? The keeper of the madhouse coveted me,
and has imprisoned me here, and will not give
me leave to go to my father and mother. For
the love of God and the Apostle, deliver me
from this ! ' When the youth spake these
sensible words to the king, the latter said, 'See,
such deeds occur in my day, and they oppress
the poor.' And he wept, and freed the youth.
When the youth was freed, he looked, and saw
a knife by the king's side, and he said to the
king, 4 My king, I am a master cutler, show me
that knife, let me examine it ; I shall make thee
a knife as an offering.' So the king drew the
knife from its sheath, and gave it to the youth.
When the youth got the knife, he stood at the
door of the madhouse, and cried, ' Out on thee,
wretch, is it right thou shouldst imprison a set
of poor creatures here, saying they are mad ?
And every day comes another wretch who
beats the whole of them ? Now, quick, throw
out this filth with thine own hands, or I will
rip thee open.' The king's senses well nigh
left him, and he straightway began to throw
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SIXTH STORY. 347
that filth out of the window. While he was
throwing it out, the keeper of the madhouse
came in ; and as soon as the youth saw him, he
threw the knife from his hand, and ran and
came up to the king, and said, ' O king, for
God's sake leave me not, the man who always
beats us has come ; lo, this is he.' When the
keeper saw the king he was confounded, and
asked of the circumstances ; and the king told
him all that had happened. The keeper quickly
bound the youth, and brought water for the
king, who washed his hands and face, and went
out, and vowed never again to go alone to the
madhouse, or follow the words of a madman."
" Now, O king, this youth too is mad, it is
needful to guard against him ; be it not that
any hurt reach thee from him." When the
king heard these insinuating words from the
lady, he said, " To-morrow will I slay him."
And they went to bed.
When it was morning, the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought, and ordered the executioner, " Kill ! "
The Thirty-Seventh Vezir came forward and
said, " O king of the world, hurry not in this
matter. Satan mixes himself up with men ;
now he has entered into thy heart, and tempted
thee. Mayhap my king has not heard the
348 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
story of Eve and Satan." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE THIRTY-SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" From that time when Satan was cursed
and driven from Paradise by reason of Adam
(peace on him !) he pursued him with hatred,
and sought to take vengeance. He had a son
named Khannas ; * and he made him assume
the form of a kid, and took him before our
mother Eve, and said, ' Let this kid remain by
thee ; I shall come now and fetch it.' Eve
said, ' By reason of thee have we come forth
from Paradise ; art thou come now again ? '
Satan replied, * If they drove you from Para-
dise, they have driven me thence too ; one
must pass from the past.' And he left the kid,
and went off. Saint Adam came and saw the
kid, and he said, ' Whose kid is this ? ' Eve
answered, ' Satan has left it, and gone off ; he
said, " I will come now and fetch it." Saint
Adam (peace on him!) was wroth, and he killed
the kid, and threw it into the desert, and went
away. Satan came and said, ' Where is the
kid ? ' Eve said, ' Adam came and killed the
kid, and threw it into the desert.' Satan cried
* The word khannas means " tempting to backslide."
77/7: THIRTY-SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY. 349
out, 'Khannas!' The kid said, ' Here I am,
father.' And it became alive, and went up to
him. Again Satan left it, and went off; for
though Eve entreated him, saying, * Take it,
and go,' he would not take it. Saint Adam
came and saw the kid, and asked about it, and
Eve told him what had happened. Adam said,
' Why didst thou keep that accursed one's kid?'
And he was angry with Eve ; and he cut the
kid into many pieces, and threw each piece in a
different direction, and went away. Again
Satan came and asked, and Eve told him
what had happened. Again Satan cried, ' O
Khannas ! ' And it answered, ' Here I am,
father.' And it became alive, and went up to
him. Again Satan left it, and went off; and
though Eve said many times, ' Leave it 'not,'
it was no avail, for Satan vanished. Again
Adam came and saw the kid, and this time he
smote Eve : and people have beaten their wives (
since that time. Adam seized the kid, and cut
its throat, and cooked it, and he and Eve ate it;
then he went away. Again Satan came and
asked, ' Where is the kid ? ' Eve said, ' This
time was Adam wroth, and he cut its throat,
and cooked it, and we both of us ate it.' Satan
again cried, ' O Khannas ! ' This time it
answered from Eve's belly, ' Here I am, father.'
350 HISTORY OI- THE f-ORTY VEZIRS.
Satan said, ' My son, thou hast found thy best
place ; let us tempt the sons of Adam, thou
from within, and I from without, till the Resur-
rection, and urge them to many sins, and make
them deserving of Hell.' '
" Now, O king, be it known to thee that even
as the blood runs in the body and veins of man,
so runs Satan tempting him. Till thorough
enquiry have been made, slay not the youth, else
afterward thou shalt burn in the fire of re-
morse." When the king heard this story from
the vezir he sent the prince to the prison and
went himself to the chase.
When it was evening he returned and came
to the palace, and the lady rose to greet him,
and they sat down. After the repast the lady
asked about the youth. The king said, " To-
day too such an one of my vezirs made inter-
cession for him and I sent him to the prison."
The lady said, " O king, trust not the words of
the vezirs ; if thou do so, many a poor one will
be abased and degraded through their ven-
geance. Mayhap my king has not heard the
story of a certain king." The king said, " Tell
on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SEVENTH STORY. 351
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SEVENTH STORY.
" In the palace of the world there was a king,
and that king had three vezirs ; but there was
rivalry between these. Two of them day and
night incited the king against the third, saying,
4 He is a traitor.' But the king believed them
not. At length they promised the pages much
gold and instructed them thus : ' When the king
has lain down, ere he has yet fallen asleep, do
ye feign to think him asleep and, while talking
with each other, say at a fitting time, " I have
heard from such an one that yon vezir says this
and that concerning the king, and that he hates
him ; many people say that vezir is an enemy to
our king." So they did thus ; and when the
king heard them he said in his heart, ' What
those vezirs said is then true ; lo, the very pages
have heard somewhat ; it must indeed have
some foundation ; till now I believed not the
vezirs, but it is then true.' And the king
executed that hapless vezir. The vezirs were
glad and they gave the pages the gold they had
promised. So these took it and went to a
private place and, while they were dividing it,
one of them said, ' I spake the first ; I want
more.' The other said, ' If I had not said he
was an enemy to our king, the king would not
352 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
have killed him ; I shall take more.' And while
they were quarrelling with one another, the
king passed by there and he listened attentively
to their words, and when he learned of the
matters he said, ' Dost thou see ? they have by
a trick made us kill that hapless vezir.' And he
was repentant."
" Now, O king, these thy vezirs are leagued
likewise ; we shall see what that unworthy
youth has promised them. Now if thou slay
him" not to-morrow, he will slay thee " When
the king heard this story from the lady he said,
" To-morrow will I kill him." And they went
to bed.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Thirty-Eighth Vezir came
forward and said, " O king of the world, be it
not that a grief come to the heart of my king
through our counsel ; for the Holy Apostle of
God hath said, ' If one see any of you do aught
reprovable, assuredly let him hinder him ; if it
be possible by the tongue, but if that be power-
less, let him hinder him with the heart.' Now,
to act according to this Tradition is incumbent
upon all of us ; so let us counsel the king and
hinder as much as in us lies the wickedness of
THE THIRTY- EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY. 353
Satan. Beware, slay not the prince on the word
of the woman, for in such guile and craft
abound. Mayhap my king has not heard the,
story of a certain merchant and his slave-girl."
The king said, " Tell on, let us hear." Quoth
the vezir,
THE THIRTY-EIGHTH VEZIR'S STORY.*
" Shuyle riwayet iderler ki: Misr shehrinde
bir bazirgan var idi. Bir gun bir jariye satun
alub khanesine geturdi. Khanesinde bir may-
muni var idi ; get^trub, jariyeye chekdi. Jariye
eyder, * Bazirgan, bu ne hal dir ?' Bazirgan
eyder, ' Buna bir gez ram ol, sent azad ideyim?
Jariye dakhi na-char muqayyed olmadi ; hamile
qaldi. Vaqti geldikde, bir oghlan doghurdi,
jemi' a^zasi adam shekllu, ilia maymun gibi bir
qoyrughi var idi. Bazirgan ve jariye bu oghlanin
terbiyesine meshghul oldilar. Oghlan besh alti
ayliq oldi. Bir gun bazirgan bir biyuk qazghan
suddoldirub, altina muhkem atesh yaqub ; qayna-
diqda. ol oghlani tutub qazghanin ichine braqdi.
Jariye feryade bashladi ; bazirgan cyder, ' Sus,
feryad itmc ; var, malimdan azad ol ':' deyub,
chiqardi. Jariyeye bir miqdar alttm dakhi verdi.
* For reasons stated in the Preface this story is left
untranslated.
A A
354 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
Dunub, qazghani uyle qaynatdi ki kick kemugi
dakhi qalmadi. Jariye bu tarafdan gunlinden
.bazirgana waftr kin eyleyub, ' Jigerim nasl
yaqdin zse, ben dakhi seni yaqarim : ' deyub,
fursat guzetmege bashladi. Bazirgan qazghani
indirub, bir biri uzrine yedi tas qoyub, qazghanin
uzrine gelen kefi alub, yedi tasdan suzub, yedinji
tasda olan kefi alub, bir shishe ichine qoyub,
braqdi. Jariyeye, ' Yemek hazir eyle : ' deyub,
tashra chiqdi. Jariye dakhi y erne k pis hirub, bir
qab ichine ol zehirden qarishdirub, hazir eyledi.
Bazirgangeldi, ununegeturub, siniyi qoyub, kendi
bir bujagha chekihib, oturdi. Bazirgan ol
ta'amdan bir qashiq alub aghzina qoydighi gibi,
zehir oldighin bihib, jariyeye elindeki qashighi
firlatdi. Qashiqdan bir nokhud qader zehirli
ta'am jariyenin eline doqimib, doqindighi yer
siyah eyledi. Bazirgan bu tarafda sim siyah
ohib, shishdi, tuhtm gibi oldi ve helak oldi. Jariye
dakhi 'ilaj idnb iyu oldi ; baqi qalan zehir i
saqlayub, talib olanlara bey' eyledi"
" Now, O king, such guile and craft abound
in women ; it is needful ever to guard against
their fraud." And he made intercession for the
prince. When the king heard this story from
the vezir he sent the youth to the prison and
went himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king returned and
THE LADY'S THIRTY-EIGHTH STORY. 355
came to the palace, and the lady rose to greet
him, and they sat down. After the repast the
lady began to speak about the youth. The
king said, " To-day too such an one of my
vezirs made intercession for him, and I sent
him to the prison." The lady said, " O king of
the world, take care, go by no one's word ; for
this youth is a depraved youth. Mayhap my
king has not heard the story of the Messenger
Noah's son." The king said, " Tell on, let us
hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-EIGHTH STORY.
"The great commentators thus comment on
the glorious Koran of God Most High. They
relate that when God Most High addressed
Saint Noah, he went to his people and ever
called his people to the Faith, saying, ' I am
the Apostle of God Most High; own me for
Apostle and serve God and abandon iniquity,
else God Most High will visit you with bitter
torment and send the Flood/ But they accepted
him not and listened not to his words. Then
Saint Noah complained to God Most High.
And God Most High said, ' O Noah, fit thou
out a ship, and put the people of thy house into
that ship ; for I will surely send the Flood.'
And Gabriel (peace on him !) came and taught
A A 2
356 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
him, and they built the ship, and it was finished.
Noah (peace on him !) sought to take his family
into the ship, when the unbelievers came and
filled the ship with filth, and God Most High
sent upon them an itch, and they could not
become whole. At length one of these un-
believers went to the ship and the filth touched
a part of him, and it was made whole of the itch.
And he took and rubbed it on all his limbs, and
that ailment left him. He forthwith told the
rest of the unbelievers, and they all came and
cleansed the ship of the filth ; and, according to
one account seven times, and according to an-
other seventy times, did they wash themselves
with it ; and they rubbed the water of it on their
boils and they were made whole. Then Saint
Noah put his family into the ship, and he put in
of every animal a pair. And Saint Noah had
three sons ; one was Ham and one was Shem
and one was Japheth ; and two of them entered
the ship and one of them entered not, but turned
to the unbelievers. And that son asked Saint
Noah; and he learned how the Flood was to be,
and he went and built a dome of glass, and took
there a sufficient quantity of bread and water,
and entered and sat down. Forty days was
the Flood ; and the water stood forty cubits
above the highest mountain. At length it
THE LADY'S THIRTY-EIGHTH STORY. 357
abated ; but that rebel youth was drowned in
the glass building."*
" O king, when the son of a Messenger was
thus, how should be the plight of others ? And
thy son is such a rebel ; overthrow him, or at
last thou shalt be repentant." When the king
heard this story from the lady he said, " To-
morrow will I slay the youth." And they went
to bed.
When it was morning the king went and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Thirty-Ninth Vezir came
foward and said, " O king of the world, it is
incumbent to act with deliberation and con-
sultation in this matter ; for God Most High
hath enjoined consultation in His glorious
Koran. If the king will hearken to the words
of these his slaves, my word is this, slay not the
prince on the woman's word that afterward thou
be not repentant. And there is a story suitable
to this, if my king grant leave I will relate it."
The king said, " Relate, let us hear." Quoth
the vezir,
* The part of this story about Noah's son is an amplification
of a passage in the eleventh chapter of the Koran.
358 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
THE THIRTY-NINTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" There was of old time a great king, and he
had a shepherd who was exceeding leal and
upright and truthful of speech, so that his quali-
ties were ever spoken of before the king. And
by reason thereof the king at length took that
shepherd to his side and clad him in a robe of
honour and made him master of the horse. The
other vezirs envied him, and they tried him
many times, but found not in him aught save
truthfulness. Now one night when the grand
vezir was speaking of this thing in his harem,
his daughter said, ' If I get that shepherd to tell
a lie before the king, what will ye say ? ' Quoth
the vezir, ' There is leave for thee ; see and
make him lie somehow.' Now the girl was
exceeding crafty and cunning, and she was also
exceeding fair. And she arose and dressed
herself and girt herself so that she was covered
with pearls and jewels, and she rubbed surma
and antimony on her eyelids and eyelashes,
so that she became like the moon of fourteen
nights. And whoso saw her was bewildered,
and had an infidel seen her he would have
turned Muslim. And she went forth and came
to the room of the master of the horse and
knocked at the door. The master of the horse
THE THIRTY-NINTH VEZ1RS STORY. 359
said, * Who art thou ? ' The girl answered,
* Come, open the door, out on thee, cruel ! '
And the master of the horse opened the door
and looked, and when he saw the girl his senses
well nigh forsook him, and he knew not what
he did, and he forthwith embraced the girl and
took her in. So the girl began with all manner
of airs and graces, and the hapless shepherd
sought to make merry with her. The girl said,
* My soul longs for horse's flesh.' The master
of the horse said, ' Can such thing be ? I will
give thee fattened horse to eat.' Quoth the girl,
* My desire is to try thee ; let me see, lovest
thou me ?' The master of the horse answered,
4 When I saw thee my senses left me, I am mad
for love of thee ; if thou wish I will give thee
my life.' The girl said, * What know I ? I
believe it not.' Quoth the master of the horse,
' By God, I love thee.' The girl asked, ' Dost
thou now love me ? ' The master of the horse
replied, ' I love thee.' The girl said, ' For my
sake cut the throat of that bay horse.' The
master of the horse answered, ' That horse is
the king's most favourite horse ; what answer
shall I give afterward ? ' The girl arose and
clung to the neck of the master of the horse
and said, ' My life, my master, do what I ask
thee, kill him now ; if the king question
360 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
thou canst say he turned sick and died.' The
free-will of the master of the horse passed from
his hand, and he went and slew the horse, and
came back and made merry with the girl. And
he said, ' Stay here/ The girl answered, * To-
morrow will my father seek me.' He asked,
'Who is thy father?' The girl said, ' He is
the grand vezir/ The master of the horse said,
1 O what shall we do ? ' The girl replied, ' Be
thou but well, I will come to thee every night/
So the master of the horse agreed, and the girl
went away. When it was morning the master
of the horse was distraught, on the one hand
by love for the girl, and on the pther by fear of
the king, and he said in himself, ' This secret
must be divulged to no one, still is it needful to
take counsel thereon ; let me take counsel of
my cap/ And he pulled his cap from his head
and set it on the ground, and made believe it
was the king, and went out. Then he turned
and came in politely, and even as he would
salute the king, so saluted he his cap, and he
remained standing on his feet. He said, as
from the king, ' O master of the horse, saddle
that bay horse, to-day I go to the chase/ He
turned and said, as from himself, ' In the evening
the bay horse turned sick and ate not his feed,
but left not to lie down and rise up, and about
THE THIRTY-NINTH VEZIR'S STORY. 361
midnight he became restive and died.' Then
he turned again, and said, as from the king,
* What sayest thou ? Only yesterday that horse
was sound ; is he dead to-day already ? Let
them look if there be any knife-wound.' And
they went and saw that the horse's throat had
been cut, and came and told. As it was clear
he would be put to shame, this way pleased not
the master of the horse. He said, ' This time
let me speak the truth, and see how it would
be.' And he went out and came in again, and
said, as from the king, ' Master of the horse,
go saddle the bay horse, to-day I would go
forth to the chase.' Then he turned and said,
as from himself, 'O king, this night when I was
in my room, a fair girl like the moon of fourteen
nights came and clung to my neck, and said to
me, " Kill that bay horse for my sake, and I
will submit to thee." And I had never seen one
thus lovely in my life, and my choice and free-
will passed from my hands, and I went and
killed the bay horse.' Then he said, as from
the king, ' What girl was that girl ? Does any
one so ungratefully by his benefactor for a girl ? '
He turned and said, as from himself, 'She clung
to my neck, and caressed me with many pretty
airs, and my power left me ; but it came into
my mind, and I asked her with pain whose
362 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
daughter she was, and she said she was the
daughter of the grand vezir. If she had asked
my life then, I would have given it ; where then
was the bay horse ? ' And he sprang from the
ground, and said, ' Here my head, here the
sword ! ' And he thought that it was clear there
were here either death or protection, and it
pleased him! And he went forth and came to
the king, and that day he asked about the
horses ; and he told the king the truth of it.
And it came pleasant to the king, and he said,
' Out on thee ; had it been I, I too had given
not only the bay horse, but my life.' And he
was exceeding pleased at his having spoken the
truth, and he put on him a robe of honour,
and got for him the vezir's daughter. So by
reason of his speaking true and straightforward
his face was white and his work was right before
the king, and he became son-in-law to the vezir,
and at length was he vezir himself. Now the
well known proverb has remained, in case when
there is none of whom to take counsel : ' Place
before thee the cap that is on thy head, and
take counsel of it/ '
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may know that counsel is incumbent.
Accepting the words of the wise points the way
to eternal felicity. To go by the words of the
THE LADY'S THIRTY-NINTH STORY. 363
woman would be to be like that grand vezir, a
plotter." And he kissed the ground, and made
intercession for the prince for that day. When
the king heard this story from the vezir, he sent
the youth to the prison, and went himself to
the chase.
When it was evening the king returned, and
came to the palace, and the lady rose to greet
him, and they sat down. After the repast,
the lady began to speak about the youth.
The king said, " To-day such an one of my
vezirs made intercession for him, and I sent
him to the prison." The lady said, " O king, I
see thee very fickle ; now thou turnest to the
vezirs ; thou abidest not by one speech ; thou
art ever changing. Such is great shame to
kings. One must go steadfastly by the words
of one person ; they have said, ' Be at war or
be at peace/ So, O king, do not thou be always
changing. There is not one worthy among
these vezirs. Mayhap my king has not heard
the story of a certain king." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S THIRTY-NINTH STORY.
" There was of old time a king, and there
was in his city a wise elder, and that elder had
an ass, and he would ever say, ' My ass is wiser
364 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
than the king's vezirs.' One day these words
reached the king's ears, and he caused that
elder to be brought, and said, ' Why utterest
thou thus meaningless a speech, O unworthy
elder ? ' And he was angry. The elder said,
' O king, I have greatly tried the meaning of
this speech ; if the king give leave I will speak
it/ The king said, 'Speak on.' The elder
said, ' O king, one day I was crossing a bridge
with my ass, when suddenly the ass's foot went
into a hole, and he fell, and with a thousand
difficulties I delivered him. Ever since, when
he comes to that bridge, he goes not near that
hole, but passes it at a distance. O king, though
thou ever seizest thy vezirs, and takest their
wealth, and dismissest them, and killest some of
them, still they never draw their feet from the
hole of thy fury and displeasure, and are over-
thrown. So thou seest they fear not at all, and
those who come after them fall into that hole,
and are bound in the prison of the king's anger.
My ass learned by once falling, and never again
has gone near that hole ; but thy vezirs will not
take warning by one another, and they throw
themselves into the hole of danger. In such
circumstances, is my ass wiser than thy vezirs,
or is he not ? ' When the king and the nobles
heard these words of the elder they all deemed
THE LADY'S THIRTY NINTH STORY. 365
them true, and they gave him a robe of honour,
and sent him back to his house."
" O king, I have told this story for that the
king may know that it does not follow of neces-
sity that vezirs are wise ; it is a favour of God
Most High who giveth it ; otherwise, how should
they be wise ? Beware, O king, go not by the
words of the vezirs ; let not the opportunity
slip from thy hand." When the king heard these
enticing and beguiling words of the lady, he
said, " Surely on the morrow will I kill him."
And they went to bed.
When it was morning, the king came and sat
upon his throne, and he caused the youth to be
brought, and ordered the executioner, " Smite
off his head." The Fortieth Vezir came forward
and said, " O king of the world, they have said
that by four things are works accomplished :
the first is, associating with the able ; the second
is, guarding against enemies ; the third is,
taking counsel of the wise ; and the fourth is,
getting help from friends. Now it is incumbent
on the king that he take counsel of the wise,
and gain the friendship of them. O king, we
have heard or seen no evil thing from the
prince's mouth or deeds; while the wiles and lies
of women are notorious, and they are lust-
worshippers. Mayhap my king has not heard
366 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
the story of that tailor's wife." The king said,
" Tell on, let us hear." Quoth the vezir,
THE FORTIETH VEZIR'S STORY.*
" Zeman-i sabiqda bir terzinin bir mahbuba
'avreti var idi. Bir gun l avret jariyesin pamuq
atdirmaq ichun hallaja gunderdi. Jariye hallaj
dukkanine vardi, qaftani pamuq atdirmagha
verdi. Hallaj atariken jariyeye zekerin gusterdi.
Jariye utanub beru yanindan ute yanina gechdi.
Bu dolaninja, hallaj dakhi zekerin ol yana
gechurdi ; jariye ol yaninda dakhi uyle gurdi.
Gelub, qadinina eytdi, ' Ol vardighim hallajin
iki zekeri var : ' dedi. Khatnn eytdi, ' Var, ol
hallaja suyle, " Seni qadinim ister, geje gelsun"
deyu, suyle : ' dedi. Jariye gelub, ol khaberi
hallaja suyledi. Hallaj dakhi, geje olinja, ol
ma' hud olan mahalla gelub, hazir oldi. 'Avret
tashra chiqdi, hallaj He bulishub, eytdi, 'Ben
qojamla yatarken, gel, benimle bulish : ' dedi.
Chun geje yarusi oldi, hallaj varub, 'avreti
uyandirdi. ' Avret qolay yatdi ; hallaj ise mesh-
ghul oldi. 'Avret gurdi ki kenduye dakhil olan
zeker bir dir, ' Hay, janim hallaj, ikisi He eyle : '
dedi. Aheste aheste suylerken, eri uyandi ;
' " Ikisi He" dedigin ne dir?' deyub, 'avretin
* See footnote to the Thirty-Eighth Vezir's Story, p. 353 ante.
THE FORTIETH VEZIR>S STORY. 367
ferjine el eyledi. Hallajin zekeri eline geldi ;
hallaj geru chekindi, zekeri herifin elinden sirildi,
chiqdi. Heman hallaj qachdi. Herif eytdi,
l Bre l avret ! ol " Ikisi He" dedigin ne idi?'
dedi. 'Avret eytdi, ' Ey qoja, duskimde gurdim
sen bir denize dushmishsin, bir elinle yuzersin,
" Meded ! boghuldim !" deyu, chaghirirsin ; ben
kenarden, " Ikisi He yuz ! " deyu chaghirdim ;
sen dakhi iki elinle yuzmege bashladin / dedi.
A ndan qojasi eytdi, ' 'A vret, ben dakhi kendumi
deryada oldighim shundan bildim ki, elime bir
yash baliq geldi, sonra sirilub, chiqdi, qachdi ;
sen gerchek suylersin :' deyub, 'avretina evvel-
kinden ziyade muhabbet eyledi"
'* Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that tricks like to these
and all manner of craftiness abound in women.
Beware, slay not the prince on the woman's
word, or afterward thou shalt be repentant."
And he kissed the ground, and made inter-
cession for the prince for that day. And the
king granted it, and sent the youth to the
prison, and went himself to the chase.
When it was evening the king returned from
the chase and came to the palace, and the lady
rose to greet him, and they sat down. After
the repast the lady asked for news of the
youth. The king said, " To-day too such an one
368 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
of my vezirs made intercession for him and I
sent him to the prison." The lady said, " O
king, be it known that not one of those vezirs
is thy friend ; God knows what pact they have
with the youth. Mayhap the king has not heard
what befel between the Sultan of Egypt and his
vezirs." The king said, " Tell on, let us hear."
Quoth the lady,
THE LADY'S FORTIETH STORY.
" There was of old time in the city of Cairo
a great Sultan, and he had a youthful son.
And that youth made a pact with the vezirs,
saying, * If ye make me Sultan, I will give you
leave to do whatever ye may please.' When
they had agreed to this, he sowed enmity
between the king and the vezirs and nobles ;
and each of them rose in revolt in a different
quarter, and they took the youth for their
chief, and waged war and did battle with the
king. The king could not overcome them,
and at length they made the youth king.
They began to feast with the new king every
day, and to accomplish their desires. And the
king's father saw that the purpose of the
vezirs and the youth was evil, and he calle^
a confidant, and one night they fled in disguise
and entered a cave ; and for seven days and
THE LAD YS FOR TIE TH S TOR V. 369
seven nights the king went not forth from that
cave. The new king heard of his father
having fled, and he and the vezirs began to
seek him and to send out criers, who pro-
claimed, ' Whoso seizes my father and brings
him to me, him will I honour.' And the old
king and his courtier went forth from the cave
and came to a village, and were guests of
an old woman in that village ; and that old
woman sowed seed. And she bestirred herself
to entertain them, and brought them a mat, and
they sat down. The king was hungry, and he
pulled out a sequin and gave it to the old
woman, and said, * Mother, go, fetch us food
that we may eat/ The woman said, * What will
ye do with a sequin's worth of food ? ' The
king replied, ' No harm, fetch it.' And the
woman went and brought all manner of delicacies
and set them before the king. And they sat
down and ate. After the repast they began to
talk with the woman ; and the woman said,
1 What youths be ye ? ' The king said, ' We
are of the servants of the fugitive king ; we are
seeking our master.' The woman said, * I fear
that ye too are followers of that unworthy
youth, and would seize the king and take him/
The king asked, * Does that unworthy youth
seek his father ? ' The woman replied, ' Does
B B
370 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
he seek him ? what means that ? Those traitor
vezirs and nobles every day cause criers to
proclaim, " To him who seizes and brings that
fugitive Sultan we will give the lordship of
whatever place he may wish ; but of him who
conceals him, or in whose house he is found, are
the head and family gone." When the king
heard these words from the woman his soul was
troubled, and he said to her, 'And are the nobles
also submissive to the youth ? ' The woman
answered, ' He has deposed many nobles, and
appointed other nobles ; these new nobles are
all of them submissive to him.' The king said,
' Is there any of those old nobles whom thou
knowest ? ' The woman replied, ' There is a
vezir who was deposed by the fugitive Sultan ;
I go about his house on business I know him.'
As soon as the king heard this he turned and
said to his confidant, ' What sayest thou, shall I
tell this woman that I am the Sultan ? ' The
confidant replied, * Command is the king's.' The
Sultan turned and said to the woman, ' O
mother, I have a secret ; if I tell it tbee, canst
thou keep it ? ' The woman said, ' I will give
my head, but I will not give your secret.' The
king made the woman swear, and then said, l O
mother, dost thou know me who I am ? ' She
answered, ' Nay.' Then the king said, * Lo, I
THE LADY'S FORTIETH STORY. 371
am the fugitive Sultan ; be it not that this word
escape thy mouth.' When the woman heard
this the blood went from her face, and she fell
at the king's feet. The king said, ' Hast thou
son or daughter ? ' She replied, ' I have a son.'
The king said, ' If God Most High seat me on
my throne, I will give thy son whatever lord-
ship he please.' The woman bowed down and
fell at the king's feet. Then the king said to
her, ' Go now to the house of that vezir, and
call him to a private place and salute him from
me, and say, ' ' The king is now seated in my
house and wants thee, be it not that thou
flinchest and comest not." When it was evening
the woman went to the vezir's house, and took
the vezir to a private place, and gave him the
king's greeting, and told him all and how that
he was sitting in her house. The vezir was
glad, and he said, ' Do thou now be off, I too
will come now ; ' and he sent her away. The
woman came and told these things to the king.
After a little he saw the vezir in the dress of
an Arab, and he came and fell at the king's
feet and mourned and wept. The king said,
* O vezir, I wronged thee and took thy wealth
and deposed thee ; ah ! the past is past, the
gone is gone. Befriend me as much as in thee
lies, and if God Most High raise me to my
B B 2
372 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZ1RS.
throne, I know the honour I will do thee/
The vezir said, * O king, if thou tookest my
wealth, it was thine own wealth ; if thou didst
depose me, I was thy slave and had done
wrong ; thou didst well. Now this is the way,
that thou follow my words and lay aside king-
ship till our plan be accomplished ; if afterward
thou art wroth with me, then command ; now
let us work.' The king said, * Do what thou
wilt ; now is not the time for words/ The
vezir said, * O king, arise and take my lamp in
thine hand, and go on through the desert before
thee till thou comest to my house ; if any one
see thee he will think thee my man and recog-
nise thee not.' The king took the vezir's lamp
in his hand, and they went on and passed
through the bazaars of Cairo, and came to the
vezir's house ; and the vezir prepared a private
room for the king. The king remained there
some days, and the vezir secretly sent word to
all the great nobles who had been deposed, and
assembled them. And one night he brought,
them to the king and reconciled them, and said,
' On the morrow be ye ready and show zeal
each one of you for his estate.' That night they
gathered together all the disbanded soldiers who
were there ; and when it was morning they beat
the kettledrums on every side, and ere those
THE LADY'S FORTIETH STORY. 373
traitor nobles and vezirs had arisen they put
many of them to the sword ; and they seized
the king's son and all the rest of his vezirs, and
brought them before the king. And the king
executed the whole of them, slaying each of
them with a different torment. , Thenceforth
he sat upon his throne with tranquillity of
heart, and enjoyed happiness and delight."
" Now, O king, I have told this story for
that the king may know that vezirs are not to
be altogether trusted ; and be thou ready, for
these vezirs purpose evil against the king, and
the like of this story shall befall thee. I have
watched for my king and told him. And I know
of a surety that they have made a pact if left
till the morrow to seat the youth upon the
throne, and to seize thee and to give thee into
the youth's hands. God knows what will happen
to ill-fortuned me. Woe is me!" And she wept
full bitterly. When the king heard this story
from the lady, and beheld this plight, he believed
the lady's words, and held them to be true ; and
fear for his life fell upon the king. He said, "O
lady, weep not ; on the morrow will I seize the
whole of the vezirs, and, after I have put the
youth to death, I will give to each of them, one
by one, his due." When the lady heard these
words from the king she was glad, and said, " O
374 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
king, when thoti hast slain the whole of them,
appoint nobles vezirs in their stead, and then lean
thy back against the wall of retirement, and give
thyself up to mirth and merriment : till thou hast
done thus thou shalt not be at ease." And
the king consented to this proposal, and they
passed that night till the morning conversing.
When it was morning the king was wrathful
and he came and sat upon his throne, and he said,
"Where is the youth ? let him come." They
brought him, and the king said, " Ask ye him
if he confesses to the charge of his mother."
Thereupon the grand vezir said, " Let him come
before you and be asked, and it will be well ;
bring him, let us ask him." The king com-
manded that they brought him, and he said,
" Youth, speak ; how hast thou done by thy
mother ? " The youth was silent. The king
turned and said, " Be not silent, there is leave
to thee, speak." The youth was silent. Again
the grand vezir said, " Perchance his governor
might make him tell." Straightway the king
commanded that they should bring his governor;
and they sought him but found him not, and
came and told the king. The king said, " This
day it is needful to make manifest my justice ;
let the executioner come." He came ; and the
CONCLUSION. 375
king commanded, saying, " Take the youth and
all those vezirs ; and kill them." And they took
the whole of them from the presence of the
king ; and they made clean the judgment-square
and sprinkled it with sand. And they made
the vezirs sit down by tens, and they brought
the youth too. Then the executioner set the
prince upon his knees and bound his eyes, and
he drew his sword from its scabbard and bared
it, and said, " Is there leave, O king ? In thy
glory is my arm strong and my sword keen.
The cut-off head grows not again, and too late
repentance profits not." And he went twice
round the divan and asked leave of the king ;
and the king commanded him, saying, " Smite
off his head." The executioner went round the
divan once more, and as he was again asking
leave of the king, the bearer of glad tidings
came, crying, "The prince's governor comes!"
The king said, " Quick, seize and bring him."
Forthwith the slaves brought the governor, not
letting his feet touch the ground. When the
king saw the governor he was wroth, and said,
" Kill him !" The governor said, " O king,
wherefore art thou angry ? If it be thy desire
to make the youth speak, bring him and let him
speak." Quoth the king, "Is it thou who saidest
to the youth, 'Speak not'?" The governor
376 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
answered, "Yea." The king said, "Why?"
The governor said, " O king of the world, I
saw the prince's ruling star in the astrolabe that
for forty days it was in evil aspect, such evil
aspect that if he uttered the least word he
should perish, but that if he spake not he should
escape. I taught him a Name, and charged him
straitly that he should not speak the least word.
Now is the time accomplished, and I am come ;
command that they bring him, and I shall give
him leave to speak." The king commanded
that they brought the youth, and the governor
said, " My prince, be my life a ransom for thy
father and for thee ! Praise be to God ! the
evil aspect of thy star is accomplished ; loose
thy nightingale tongue and speak ; what is this
plight ? " Straightway the youth said, " In the
name of God ! " And he related what befel him
with the lady from its beginning to its end ; and
then he fell upon the ground and began to
weep. And the king put his finger to his
mouth and wondered. And the members of
the divan marvelled at this deed of the woman,
and they said, " The prince's words are with
reason and truth, and such like trickery comes
from womankind." Then the king asked the
slave-girls, and they bare witness that they had
been behind the wall and had heard the thing,
CONCLUSION. 377
and that the prince spake truly. And the king
saw that the right was the prince's, and he
repented him of what he had done. And he
besought pardon, and kissed the prince's two
eyes, and pressed him to his heart and wept full
bitterly. And straightway he commanded that
they brought the vezirs ; and the king made
many excuses to them, and clad each of them
in sumptuous robes, and bestowed boundless
gifts and favours upon them, and begged
forgiveness of all of them. And the vezirs said,
" My king, whatsoever ' cruelty and injustice
thou hast done us, be it all forgiven thee ; our
fear was lest thou should slay the prince, acting
on the woman's word ; for our vezirship is by
the health and safety of our king and our prince ;
and their existence is a mercy to the world ;
after they were perished the perishing of the
whole of us were a thing assured." And they
all kissed the ground together, and asked for
retribution on the woman. And the king com-
manded that they brought a wild ass ; and they
took the lady to the square of judgment and ,
set her upon that ass, and bound her fast to
his tail and legs, and took her forth to the
desert. And they smote the ass with a whip,
and the ass began to gallop and the woman fell *
from his back to the ground ; and the wild ass
378 HISTORY OF THE FORTY VEZIRS.
looked, and when he saw the woman behind him
he shied and ran off. And the woman was torn
into pieces small even as her ear, and left upon
the shrubs and stones. Thus that which she
had purposed against the prince befel herself.
The sires say, " Wish good that good may come
to thee : if thou dig a pit for another, dig it
deep ; for it is like thou shalt fall therein thyself ;
then thou needest not trouble trying to get out."
And from that time has the saying been
among the folk, " May I see thee on the ass !"
After that the king summoned all the vezirs and
the nobles and the commonalty, and he made a
great feast with all manner of minstrels and
music, and for forty days and forty nights they
feasted and made merry gratefully. And then
they lived for many years, and did justice and
dealt with equity.
May God Most High associate all of us with
the good and true, and keep us safe from the
guile of crafty women. Amen.
As his object in writing these example-fraught
stories, and presenting and offering them to the
view of the public, is to draw down benedic-
tions on himself, it is prayed and entreated that
the author be remembered with a blessing.
THE END.
APPENDIX A.
Stories occurring in other Texts than that from which
the foregoing Translation has been made.
FROM BELLETETE'S VOLUME OF EXTRACTS.
THE NINTH VEZIR'S STORY.
HEY have told that while a certain Turkman was
ploughing, his ploughshare of a sudden caught in
something, so that though the oxen pulled, they were
unable to drag it up. So the Turkman turned up
the earth with the point of his goad, and saw that
the ploughshare had caught in a ring. He loosed his oxen, and
fetched from the house a hoe and shovel, and dug, and saw that
that ring was fastened with lead to a marble slab. Then put-
ting forth his strength, he raised the slab, and saw that under-
neath a flight of seven steps led down. So he went down these
steps, and saw forty royal jars standing in a row, the lid of each
of which was of gold. On the lids of some were ruby sheep
with their lambs, on those of others swine with their pigs, and
on those of others peafowl with their chicks. On each one was
something, and in the mouth of everything was a jewel, like a
lamp at night. So the Turkman went and opened the lid of
each one, and he saw them all to be filled full of Diocletian
380 APPENDIX A.
florins ; * and he searched those forty jars from top to bottom
and he saw that they stood bound round with chains of gold.
When the Turkman saw all this, he was amazed and bewildered.
Then he came out and put the slab back into its place, and
arranged the earth so that it was not noticeable. Then he stood
and thought, ' How shall I spend all this, and to whom shall I
tell this secret ? If I tell it to my wife, will she be able to keep
it?' Then he said, ' Ah ! I shall first try her, and see.' He
went to the house, and said, ' Ha, wife, something has hap-
pened to me to-day ! I shall tell thee, but see thou tell it to
no one.' His wife said, ' May it be good ; I shall tell no one.'
Quoth the Turkman, ' While I was ploughing in the field, I was
ware of something, and I looked down and a crow rose up and
flew away ; I know not what it may portend.' His wife said,
1 May it be good ! ' That day passed, and the next day the
ploughman heard the folk saying that ten crows had flown out
of such and such an one ; and on the day following he heard that
it was a hundred crows ; and he knew that there was no telling
his secret to his wife. And he said, ' If I tell her of the treasure,
one will become a hundred on the stranger's tongue ; and the
treasure and my head will both go from me.' So he told it not
to his wife, but said in himself, { Some craft is needful here.' So
he went and took three tiles of gold from the treasure and
carried them to the smith, and said, ' Fashion me a ploughshare
of this iron and give it me.' When the smith saw it he was
glad, and the Turkman went away. After some days he came
back and asked for the iron ; the smith gave him a ploughshare
fashioned of black iron. The Turkman said, ' My iron was
yellow, while this is black ;' and they quarrelled, till at length
they haled both of them before the king. They laid before the
Turkman iron, copper, silver and gold, and said, ' Which of
these was it like ? ' The Turkman pointed out the gold and
said, ' My iron was like this.' Then the king upbraided the smith,
and they put him to the torture, so that at length he was com-
* Any ancient gold coin was called Daqyanos altitni = Diocletian
sequin, or, as here, Daqyanos filuri.
STOAIES FROM BELLETETKS EXTRACTS, 381
pelled to give the gold to the king. The king gave one tile to
the Turkman. Therefore the Turkman for a long time kept
the treasure hidden from his household, till at length, through
fear of his wife, he was unable to enjoy any rest, and he died ;
and the treasure still remains in its place."
THE TENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have told that there was once an aged gardener who
was also an ass-driver. One Friday he found it was necessary
to water his garden, on that day too he had grain in the mill
and it was his turn to grind it, and on that day too the turn for
the Friday-worship* came round ; so that that man was bewil-
dered and confounded, and he knew not which of these things
he ought to do. At length, having remembered that the Apostle,
whenever he was in doubt about a matter, used to do that of
it which bare most on the Hereafter, he left the other things and
went to the mosque. When he arose from worship and came
to his house, he saw that his ass was standing ready harnessed.
He went to his garden, and he saw that some one else had been
watering his own garden, and that the water had trickled through
and watered his garden. He went to the mill, and saw his flour
ground. He asked, ' Who ground this flour ? ' The miller said,
' A man, thinking it was his own grain, ground it, then he saw
that it was thine, then he ground his own ; take thou thy flour and
go. 3 Then that man knew of a surety that whoso strives in the
way of God will not be shut out from the world or the Hereafter."
THE ELEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have told that in the palace of the world was a great
king who had a daughter rare of beauty, such that the fame of
her beauty had gone forth to all lands. One day that girl of a
sudden fell in love with a youth from among the king's servants,
so that she was night and day without rest for the love of him.
Love for the youth grew ever more and more masterful in the
girl, so that she left off to eat and drink and sleep, and her
* It is scarcely necessary to remind the reader that Friday is the
Muhammedan Sabbath.
382 APPENDIX A.
tulip-hued face was turned to saffron, and her occupation was
ever sighing and wailing. Every day her nurse said, * Daughter,
art thou not well ? What ails thee ? For thine occupation is
ever sighing ; what secret hast thou ? Hide it not from me ;
belike I could find a remedy.' But the girl answered nothing.
One day, unable to bear the fire of love, she said, ' O nurse, why
should we hide it from thee ? I love such and such a servant
of my father ; if thou canst not bring me to union with him, I
shall die.' So that night the nurse put on trousers like the
night watchman, and with this disguise entered the sleeping-
chamber of the youth ; and she gave him an intoxicating drug,
and took him and brought him to the girl. So the girl got
ready all things needful for a carouse, and spread beds of silk
and satin, and put down embroidered cushions, and then laid
the youth on them. And she fetched strong vinegar and dropped
it on his face. The youth sneezed and sat up, and looked and
saw seated by his side a beauty whose like he had never seen
in the world. And he saw the palace, the beds and the cushions,
such as he had never seen in his life. Quoth the youth, ' Seest
thou, I have died and they have borne me away and laid me in
Paradise.' Then the girl put her arm round the youth's neck
and said, ' O my life, master, for this long time have I been
without rest for the love of thee.' When the youth heard these
words from the girl, he said, * O life of my life, what place is
this, and thou, whose soul art thou ? ' The girl said, ' Eat the
fruit and ask not of the tree.' So the youth loved the girl with
a thousand hearts and souls, and he put his arms round her neck
and they began to kiss and clip one another. Then the nurse
went out and watched the door.* The girl fetched wine of the
hue of the Judas-tree, and put a cup into the youth's hand, and
the youth quaffed it to the girl's love, then he filled it and handed
it to her. First he snatched a kiss from the girl, then she from
him. Then the girl quaffed the cup to the youth's love. After
they had sat playing thus for a while, they both stripped naked,
* Before going out she gives her young mistress the prudent advice,
' Muhrin saqla?
S TORIES FR OM BELLE TE TES EXTRA C TS. 383
like pearls, and went into the bed, and the girl took the youth
to her bosom, and the youth took the girl in his arms, and thus
were they lip to lip and breast to breast, as though the two of
them were but one soul. Now the girl would suck, like the
parrot, the sugared sherbet of the youth's lips, and now the
youth would drink, like Khizr, the water of life from the girl's.
All that night till dawn the girl cooled her .liver, burnt by her
longing for the youth, with the water of union.* When morning
was near they slept a little, and straightway the nurse came in and
gave the youth the drug, and carried him back again to his own
place. When the youth awoke he found himself in his own
place, and he knew not whether what he had seen were a dream.
And the king's daughter in a little while regained her health."
THE LADY'S EIGHTEENTH STORY.
" They have told that in bygone times there was a king, and
he had a skilful minstrel. One day a certain person gave to the
latter a little boy that he might teach him the science of music.
The boy abode a long time by him, and, though the master
instructed him, he succeeded not in learning; and the master
could make nothing of him. He arranged a scale and said,
' Whatsoever thou sayest to me, say in this scale.' So whatsoever
the boy said, he used to say in that scale; and the master likewise
answered him in that scale. Now one day a spark of fire fell on
the master's turban. The boy saw it and chanted, ' O master,
I see something, shall I say it or no ?' and he went over the
whole scale. Then the master chanted, * O boy, what dost thou
see, speak ? ' and he too went over all that the boy had gone
over. Then the turn came to the boy, and he chanted, ' O
master, a spark has fallen on thy turban and it is burning.' The
master straightway tore off his turban and cast it on the ground,
and saw that it was burning. He blew out the fire on this side
and that, and took it in his hand, and said to the boy, ' What
time for chanting is this ! everything is good in its own place;'
and he admonished him."
* As with the Elizabethan poets, the liver was supposed to be the
seat of passion.
384 APPENDIX A.
FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS.
THE LADY'S FIRST STORY.
" They have told that there was in the palace of the world a
great king, and that king had a son who was feeble of under-
standing. Now the king found a cunning master who was learned
in all the sciences, and he caused him to be brought before him,
and, telling him of his son's case, asked of him a remedy for the
evil. The sage said, * O king, this is an easy matter ; in a little
time will I make him a master of discretion.' The king was
glad, and bestowed gifts and favours on the sage, and made over
to him his son. Now the sage taught him for a season, and in-
structed him in knowledge ; and he made the boy familiar with
every science. And the boy grew learned and accomplished,
so that all the world marvelled at his words. One day his
master took him, and brought him before the king, and said,
' O king of the world, lo, I have made thy son to excel in every
science.' And the king his father was glad and said, ' O my
son, were I to hold a certain thing hidden in my hand, couldst
thou guess what it was ? ' He replied, ' Yea, I could.' Then
the king secretly took his ring from his ringer, and held it in his
hand, and said, ' What is it that I have in my hand ? ' The boy
thought for a little while, then said, * O father, that thing in its
first estate was in the hills.' The king said in his heart, ' Aye,
he knows ; the mines are in the hills.' The boy continued, ' It
is a round flat thing. It must be a mill-stone.' Then was the
king ashamed before the nobles and the lords, and he said, ' O
son, could a mill-stone be hidden in any man's hand ? ' And
saying to the master, ' Take him away and teach him,' he sent
him off."
THE SECOND VEZIR'S STORY.
" One day the Apostle (peace on him !) was seated in the
mosque, expounding the chapter, 'Verily, We have sent it down,'*
when he came to the story of the Messenger Samson. Quoth
* Koran, xcvii. i. Samson is never mentioned in the Koran.
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 385
the Apostle (peace on him !), * They say that Samson was a
Messenger who warred for a thousand months in the cause of
God Most High. He had his dwelling in a high hill ; and in
the daytime he would come down from the hill and war, and
when it was evening he would return to the hill and sleep
beside his wife. The misbelievers were powerless against
Samson ; and they agreed among themselves, saying, " Let us
give money to his wife, that she may bind him and deliver him
to us." So they took a dish filled with gold, and went to his
wife, and said, " Bind thy husband with this rope, and deliver
him to us, and this dish with the gold therein shall be thine."
When the woman saw so much money, she coveted it, and said,
" So be it ; " and she took the rope. Samson came back from
fighting ; and he was weary, and he lay down and slept. And
the woman came and bound fast his hands with that rope ; and
she said in herself, " This man is a Messenger, belike he may
break this rope : " and, wishing to try if it were so, she wakened
Samson. He, seeing that his hands were bound, said, " Who
bound my hands ?" His wife answered, " I bound them ; but
what matter ? thou art a Messenger, pull and break the rope."
So Samson put forth his strength, and strained and strained,
and the rope brake ; and he lay down again and slept. And
the woman went and said to the misbelievers, " He has broken
the rope." So they gave her chains, and again she bound him
and wakened him to try him. Samson saw that his hands were
bound again, and he said, " Who has bound me ? " She replied,
" I bound thee to try thee." Samson again put forth his strength,
and the chains were broken in pieces. And Jthe woman was
amazed, and said, " O Prophet of God, with what must one bind
thee ? " Samson answered, " Nought but thy hair can avail."
Now the woman had two tresses of hair ; these she cut off and
bound round his hands, and then wakened him again. Samson
saw that his hands were bound, and he said, " Who has bound
me again ? " The woman answered, " She who has ever bound
thee has bound thee ; pull, strain." Then she let these mis-
believers, who were lying hidden, know ; and they came forth
and seized Samson and bare him to their city. And they
CC
386 APPENDIX A.
cut off his two hands and his two feet, and left him in a certain
place, and went away. And Samson (peace on him !) said,
" My God, give me again my hands and my feet, that I may war
in Thy cause." Then Gabriel (peace on him !) came and touched
him with his wing, and Samson was made whole again. The
palace of their king was supported by a single column ; and
that palace was filled full of misbelievers. And Samson went
and pulled down that column, and the palace fell to the ground,
and as many misbelievers as were therein were killed. And
Samson began again to war, and he ceased not from warring
until that he was martyred.' Then did the Companions of the
Prophet (peace on him !) envy the Messenger Samson his war-
ring for a thousand months ; so God (glorified and exalted be
He !) sent down this verse, 'The Night of Power is better than
a thousand months ; ' * that is to say, that the. merit of doing
worship all the Night of Power until the dawn is greater than
that of warring for a thousand months."
THE LADY'S THIRD STORY.
" They have told that there was once a witch, and she had a
little boy. One day, while the witch was working witchery, her
little boy was playing beside her in a river. The water caught
the boy and swept him into a hole. When the witch saw her
boy in this plight, she threw herself after him into the river.
The stream swept her likewise into that hole ; so that they both
perished." f
THE SEVENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have told that there was in the city of Cairo a crafty
woman. One day she made a broidered gown into a bundle and
* Koran, xcvii. 3. The ' Night of Power ' is the most excellent night
in all the year ; on it the divine decrees for the ensuing twelvemonth
are issued to the executive angels ; but unfortunately there is some
doubt as to when it really falls ; it is, however, generally believed to be
one of the nights towards the close of Ramazan.
f This somewhat feeble tale, which is designed to show how a too
fond parent may lose his life through the frowardness of his son, is one
of the very few stories belonging to the Sindibad cycle that occur in the
Forty Vezirs. See Mr. Clouston's Book of Sindibad, pp. 37 and 144.
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 387
gave it into the hands of one of her slave-girls, whom she made
follow her to the bazaar, where she got into the shop of a mer-
chant, and there seated herself. The merchant said, * My lady,
what is thy need ? ' Then the lady took the gown and laid it
before the merchant, and when the merchant had opened the
bundle and seen the gown, she said, ' Let this gown remain with
thee in pledge, and do thou give me such and such a sum, and
when our matters are arranged I shall bring back the money and
get away the gown.' The merchant turned not from the words
of the woman, neither could he withstand her fashions, so he
straightway gave her such and such a sum, and, taking the
gown, laid it by. The woman took the money and went away,
but after a little she came back and said, ' Give me the gown
and take the money, that there be no trouble to thee.' So the
merchant gave her the bundle with the gown, and took the
money and laid it by him. The woman took the gown and went
to a place apart ; there she took that gown out of the bundle
and put in its place another gown not worth an aspre. Then she
tied up her bundle and went again before the merchant and said,
1 O merchant, we have troubled thee much ; the money has
again become needful ; pray, give it ; here is the gown.' And
she laid the bundle before the merchant, who took it without
opening or looking at it, and gave the woman the money. And
the woman took the money and went to her house, and she
made merry, feasting. On his part the merchant saw that
one month passed, that two months passed, and yet the lady
came not ; and disquiet increased within him, and he spake of
this matter to one of his friends. That man said, ' Fetch the
gown and let me see it.' When they opened the bundle they
saw that the gown was not worth an aspre, and the merchant
perceived that the woman was a trickstress. And he arose and
went before 'the governor and told all that had befallen him.
The governor said, ' That woman has played a trick on thee ;
but this is the city of Cairo, and here tricks are many. Now I
too will teach thee a trick ; and if she be not found by this trick,
then is there no help.' ' Grace, my lord,' quoth the merchant,
clasping the knees of the governor. The latter said, * Go to-
C C 2
388 APPENDIX A.
night and carry to thy house whatever thou hast in thy shop,
and tear up some of the boards about thy shop ; and early on
the morrow go to thy shop, and begin to cry and lament, saying,
" Last night have they broken into my shop and taken away
whatever was therein ; that vexed me not, but there was in
my shop a costly gown belonging to a lady, that too have they
taken, and now if the lady come and bring the money and ask
her gown, how shall I answer her ? " ' So the merchant went and
did this. And it was noised abroad in the city of Cairo that they
had that night broken into the shop of such and such a merchant
and stolen all his goods, but that he was not grieved because of
his own property, but because of a costly gown he had in pledge
that belonged to a lady, which also they had taken and gone off.
* God give them their due ! ' said the folk. That lady heard
this news, and she was glad, and she took the sum she had
received from the merchant, and said to her handmaids, ' Get
ready, let us go to the merchant, and give him the money, and ask
back the gown. If he say, "The gown has been stolen, I will give
its value," we shall say the gown was worth ten times a hundred
thousand aspres ; and we shall get at least four or five hundred
thousand aspres.' So they went straight to that merchant, and
she saluted him, and beckoned to her slave-girls, and one of
them produced the money and laid it before the merchant. The
lady said, * O merchant, see, I have brought the money ; give
me my gown.' The merchant answered, ' I have let the gown
be stolen ; what am I to do ? ' Quoth the woman, ' I know
nought of that ; I want the gown.' Then the merchants and
neighbours came about them and said, ' O lady, the gown has
been lost ; name its value : take a portion of it and remit a
portion of it.' The lady answered, 'O merchants, ye saw not
the gown ; I bought that gown, and I gave for it not less than
ten times a hundred thousand aspres ; think on that, and judge ;
let him give the gown, or let him give its price.' When the
merchants had besought her, the lady said, 'One hundred
thousand of them, two hundred thousand of them, yea, five
hundred thousand of them have I forgiven him for your sakes ;
let him give the rest.' Then they arose and went before the
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 389
governor of the city ; and the merchant said, ' My lord, this
woman came and left a gown with me in pledge, and got such
and such a sum, and went away. For some months she came
not. Now have they plundered my shop, and the gown has
been lost with my own possessions. No lie can be spoken in
thy noble presence. Order and command are thine.' Then
the woman began to cry out, ' I want my gown or its worth in
money. 5 The governor said, ' O lady, look at this poor wretch ;
this is a case for ruth.' And he made a sign to the merchant,
who went out and fetched the gown, and came back, saying,
* Good news, my lord ; I have found the gown ; ' and he laid
it before the governor. The latter opened the bundle, and
seeing that the gown was worth nothing, exclaimed, * Out on
thee, whore of the age, thou settest the city of Cairo in an
uproar ! ' And he straightway commanded that they stripped
the woman, and tied a stone about her neck ; and he sent her
to turn fish in the river Nile."
THE LADY'S SEVENTH STORY.
" They have told that there was in the palace of the world a
king, and he had by him a master carpenter, who was such a
master that there was not his equal in the world. He had an
unworthy apprentice, who one day went before the king and
said, ' I am greater than my master ; it were beseeming the
king that he honour me as he honours him.' Then the king
called the master and the apprentice together into his presence
to prove them. The master said, ' O king, I have a plan ; let
each of us take a piece of wood and go into a dark place ; and
the skill of whichever of us cut the wood will then be known.'
They agreed thereto. So the master took an adze and a piece
of wood, and went into that dark place. And he struck, and he
struck again, and he struck yet again, and then he came out,
and all the folk saw (what he had done) and applauded and
commended him. Then the apprentice struck, but at his second
stroke he cut all his fingers ; and so was he put to shame before
the king and the people."
390 APPENDIX A.
THE NINTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have told that Kay-Qubad* had a devout and pious
wife, who was so modest that she could not endure the mention
of men, but ever spake of their uncleanness. The king was
an-angered by her words, and he sought to make trial of her.
Now the king had a fair young slave-boy who was exceeding
ready at service. One day the king gave this boy to his wife.
Now he had said to the boy, ' If, when alone with this lady, thou
canst lead her astray by sweet and witty speeches, I will give
thee whatsoever thou mayst desire.' So the boy served for some
days before the lady, till one day he said some witty thing.
The woman said nothing. Some days afterward the boy again
made a jest. When the lady smiled at these words of the boy,
he knew that love had entered into her heart. One day he
pressed the lady's hand and laid his own upon her arm. The
woman said, ' Out on thee, boy, dost thou really love me ? '
The boy answered, ' Dost thou doubt it ? I await thy bidding
with heart and soul.' The lady said, ' Be it not that thou tell
this secret to anyone ; if thou lovest me, I love thee a thousand
times more.' Whenever the boy heard these words of the lady,
he let go her arm and embraced her neck and began to kiss
her ; and the lady likewise began to kiss him. Then they
parted, and the boy ran and told these secrets to the king. The
king said, * It is not true ; I believe it not.' The boy answered,
* I will show thee this thing before thine own eyes.' The king
asked, ' If it be so, what is thy plan ? ' The boy replied, ' I
shall now hide thee in the closet, and thou shalt see with thine
eyes and believe.' So he hid the king in the closet. And the
lady came again and embraced the boy, and while they were
kissing and clipping, the king came forth from the closet, and
said, * Out on thee, modest whore ! ' And the woman was put
to shame."
* The first sovereign of the KayanI (Achoemenian) dynasty, the
second line of pre-Muhammedan Persian kings. The Dejoces of Greek
writers is thought to represent this prince.
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 391
THE LADY'S NINTH STORY.
" They have told that a rogue went to the Ka'ba,* and as he
was going about among the pilgrims, he said in himself, ' How
may I show off my roguery in this place ? ' Just then he came
before the Zemzem well,t and he saw that some of the pilgrims
were drinking of it, and some were making the ablution at it.
As soon as the rogue saw this, he tucked up his skirt and ran
forward, crying, ' Ho, men, a camel polluted this well to-night ;
the ablution cannot be made at this well.' J So the pilgrims
drew back their hands from the well ; and the rogue said
in himself, ' I have accomplished my affair ; ' and he went
away."
THE THIRTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" It has come down in the Commentaries that when God
Most High said, (as it is written in His Ancient Word,) ' Ye
cannot attain to righteousnsss until ye give away of what ye
love ; ' the Messenger Abraham heard this saying, and sacri-
ficed to God veiy many camels and sheep. But God Most
High said, ' Give what thou lovest.' And Abraham answered,
' My God, what I love is my son Ishmael.' And he desired to
sacrifice him to God Most High ; || and he went before his
mother and said, ' O lady, to-day they have bidden me to a
wedding-feast ; stain IshmaeFs hands and feet and hair with
hinna,1F that I may take him with me to-morrow when I go.' So
that night his mother stained his hands and feet and hair with
hinna, and on the morrow she decked him out like a flower, and
gave him over to his father. And the Messenger Ishmael
* The Sacred Temple at Mekka, see p. 122.
f The sacred well in the Temple at Mekka, said to be that which
appeared to Hagar. For a description of it, see Sir R. F. Burton's
Pilgrimage, vol. fii.
J Pure water being, of course, required.
Koran, tii. 86.
|| That Ishmael, and not Isaac, was Abraham's intended victim, is
the general Muslim belief ; but the point is disputed.
As is done on state occasions in the East.
392 APPENDIX A.
(peace on him !) ran before his father, playing as they went
along ; and the tears flowed like a stream from the eyes of
Abraham (peace on him !) ; and his heart was torn in pieces.
Unable to bear it, he said, ' O son, walk behind me.' So Ishmael
(peace on him !) walked behind ; and Satan (a curse on him !)
came before him and said, 'O Ishmael, whither goest thou?'
Ishmael answered, ' I go with my father to a wedding.' Satan
said, * What a wedding ! thy father is taking thee to cut thy
throat.' Ishmael replied, 'Begone, O accursed, what have I
done to my father that he should slay me ? ' And he took a stone
in his hand and cast it at Satan, and Satan fled. But he went
about and came by another way and said, ' O Ishmael, thou art
a little boy, and I have pity for thee ; know of a surety that thy
father is taking thee to slay thee.' And again Ishmael took a
stone and cast it at Satan, saying, ' Begone, O accursed ; ' and
Satan fled. But he came again by yet another way and said,
' By God, thy father is taking thee to slay thee.' Ishmael ( peace
on him !) answered, ' O accursed, what have I done to my father ?
why should he cut my throat ? ' Satan replied, ' God Most High
desired thee of thy father in sacrifice.' Ishmael answered,
' Since I am worthy to be a sacrifice to God, ought not I to be
content ? ' And he smote Satan with a stone, and struck out
one of his eyes. When they reached the place, Abraham (peace
on him !) said, * O son, knowest thou wherefore I have brought
thee hither?' Ishmael (peace on him!) answered, 'I know,
father ; I have a charge to thee, which do thou fulfil, and then
accomplish what thou pleasest. O father, bind fast my two
hands, lest in the bitterness of death my hands should clutch at
thee, and thou, unable to proceed, should not draw down the
knife, and so we should both be guilty. And bind my two eyes,
lest when my eyes meet thy eyes thou strike not fair with the
knife.' So Abraham observed these charges ; and he took the
knife in his hand, and the tears were running from his eyes, and
he said, * My God, I gave my wealth and my flocks to Thee,
and they were not accepted ; lo, I have brought Ishmael, the
darling of my heart, to sacrifice him to Thee ; do Thou accept
him.' Then saying, ' In the name of God,' he pressed the knife
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 393
against IshmaePs throat. Saying, * God is greatest/ he sought
to draw it down, but the knife would not cut Ishmael's throat.
He marvelled at this, and pressed it down again, and again it
would not cut. Saying, ' Knife, wilt not thou cut?' he tried it
on his hand, and saw it to be like a diamond. Again he pressed
it down, but it cut not. Then was Abraham (peace on him !)
wroth. There was there a marble rock ; he struck the knife
against that, and the knife sank into that rock, as it had been
puff-paste. When the Messenger Abraham saw this, he mar-
velled and said, ' O blessed knife, thou canst not cut that tender
throat of Ishmael ; how cuttest thou this hard rock?' God
Most High gave a heart to that knife, and it said, ' O Abraham,
wherefore dost thou rage ? God Most High said to me, " Be it
not that thou cut a single hair of Ishmael, else shall I never
deliver thee from hell." ' Then God Most High said, ' O Abra-
ham, thou hast verified the vision ; ' * and He gave him a ram
from Heaven, and set Ishmael the Messenger free."t
THE LADY'S FtFTEENTH STORY.
"They relate that there was a devotee in the province of
Fars,J and that this devotee had a friend who loved him exceed-
ingly. And that man was by trade a grocer, and sold oil and
honey ; and every day he gave the devotee a sufficient quantity
of oil and honey. The devotee ate a little of it and put the rest
into a jar, and kept that jar in a corner of his house. One day
the jar became full, and the devotee said in himself, ' Now shall
I take this oil and honey and sell it ; and I shall buy five head
of sheep with the money ; and these sheep with their lambs will
in time become a flock ; and I shall grow very rich, and wear
new clothes, and marry a virgin ; and I shall have a son by her,
and I shall teach him all things polite.' Then he took his
staff in his hand, and put the jar on his head, and went to the
bazaar; but as he was leaning his staff against the wall he
* Koran, xxxvii. 105. t See Koran, xxxvii. 97-111.
J A province in the south of Persia.
The word edeb means alike polite manners and polite learning.
394 APPENDIX A.
forgot the jar, and it struck against the wall, so that it was
broken, and all that oil and honey ran down his beard."
THE SIXTEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They relate that there was a carpenter, and he had a beau-
tiful wife ; and that woman was a harlot. And the carpenter
misdoubted of his wife, and from time to time he would watch
her, but he could never learn anything for certain. One day
her husband the carpenter said to her, ' I go to such and such a
place ; to-night I shall remain there ; do thou keep well the
house.' And he mounted his horse and went away. And the
woman was glad, and she sent word to her lover, and that night
the two of them met together and made merry, and then went
to bed. When it was midnight the carpenter returned to his
house, and he went in and saw his wife in this case. Then he
went softly and hid himself under the bedstead, that he might
hear how they should converse together. But the woman knew
that her husband was come, and she said to the youth in a low
voice, * My husband is come and is lying under the bedstead ;
it has now become needful to find some shift, otherwise he will
slay the two of us. Now do thou ask me aloud whether I love
my husband or thyself the better.' So the youth asked her.
And the woman said, ' Leave these words ; they are not worthy of
thee.' The youth repeated them through his fear. The woman
answered, ' Women do these deeds through the stress of lust ;
but when their lust is passed, they regard as strangers those per-
sons with whom they may have made merry. If not, then may
that woman see no good who loves not her husband a thousand-
fold better than herself, and would not sacrifice her life for
him ! ' When the carpenter heard this answer, his esteem for
his wife increased, and the wretch said in himself, ' I have been
disquieted through my own evil thoughts, imagining she did not
love me.' At length the youth arose from his place and went
away, and the carpenter came softly and laid himself there, and
the woman looked on the ground, as it were for shame. And
the carpenter said, ' I should now have hewn that youth in
pieces, but I knew that thy love for me was steadfast, and I had
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 395
ruth on thee, for I knew thee worthy of me ; so pray for me, for
I have been grievously troubled concerning thee.' Thus did the
woman accomplish all her affairs."
THE LADY'S SIXTEENTH STORY.
" It is related that a certain man had four sons. One day
the mother of these died. And the funeral assembly came
together. And they sent one son for the shroud, and one for
the bier, and one for the grave-digger, and one to point out the
grave. And the folk sat awaiting them. But each of the boys
who had been sent began to play where he had gone, and each
forgot his father's message. After the people had waited a long
time they became weary, and began to look in the face of that
man. Then the father of these boys raised up his hand, and
cursed them, saying, * May God Most High never bring you
again from that business whereunto ye went ! ' And for that
they honoured not their father, but played, God Most High
changed their forms, and turned him who had gone for the
shroud into a spider, and him who had gone to point out the
grave into a blind mole, and him who had gone for the bier into
a woodpecker, and him who had gone for the grave-digger
into a gnat. And all this for honouring not their father, but
playing."
THE NINETEENTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" It is related that when our mother Eve bare Cain and Abel,
she bare a daughter along with each. God Most High com-
manded the Messenger Adam, saying, ' For the sake of their
offspring, give to Cain the girl born with Abel, and give to Abel
the girl born with Cain.' The Messenger Adam did so. Now
the girl born with Cain was exceeding fair ; and Cain said, ' O
father, let the girl born with him be his, and let the girl born
with me be mine.' Adam answered, ' God Most High com-
manded otherwise.' But Cain loved that girl exceedingly ; so
he went and slew Abel. Thus because of a woman was blood
first shed upon the ground." *
* This traditional story does not occur in the Koran.
396 APPENDIX A.
THE TWENTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have told that there was in the time of the Messenger
David a noble named Uriah. And that noble had a beautiful
wife. And the Messenger David loved that woman ; but he
feared her husband. One day the Messenger David sent that
noble to a perilous fight ; and by the divine decree Uriah was
there martyred. The Messenger David sought to take that
woman, though he had already ninety-nine wives. And God
Most High sent to him two angels in the likeness of men. And
these angels came before the Messenger David, and one of them
said, ' O Prophet of God, this is my brother, and he has ninety-
nine sheep, and I have but one sheep, and he seeks to take that
one sheep from me by force.' The Messenger David answered,
' Assuredly he does thee wrong in coveting thy one sheep while
he has these many.' Then he said to the elder brother, 'Where-
fore seekest thou to take his one sheep, coveting it ? now will I
give thee thy due.' Then that angel said to him, ' O thou,
though thou hast ninety-nine wives, yet didst thou send Uriah
into the front of the battle and cause him to be martyred, and
now thou seekest to take his wife.' Then straightway the Mes-
senger David knew these to be angels, and he was ashamed, for
he knew that though he had ninety-nine wives he yet sought to
take the wife of Uriah. And he bowed his face to the ground
and wept, so that by reason of his tears the grass grew in the
place where he lay. And he lamented. And he raised not his
head, but wept, until God commanded him to raise his head."*
THE LADY'S TWENTY-NINTH STORY.
" They have told that there was a king, who one day went
out to ride, and while he was going along, he saw a youth
whose stature was that of a man and whose favour was right
goodly. He said in his heart, ' Where shall I find a youth like
this ? He is indeed a man to fight the foe. I shall give him
horse and harness, and appoint him a wage ; maybe sometime
* See Koran, xxxviii. 20-24.
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 397
he will be profitable to us.' So he gave him horse and harness,
and appointed him a wage ; and he was ever by the king, and
whithersoever the king went he went with him. It chanced that
an enemy arose ; so the king called up his army and went
against him, and they had a great battle. But the youth abode
still on his horse by the king's side. The king said to him,
' Charge thou likewise, and go into the battle.' The youth
answered, ' O king, in my one hand I hold the bridle, in my
other I hold my gear ; with what hand could I fight the foe ? '
These words seemed right pleasant to the king ; and he saw
that manhood comes not with beard and whiskers."
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FIRST STORY.
" They relate that in the city of Tabriz was a khoja, and he
had exceeding great riches and many possessions ; and he was
a mighty player at the chess. One day a Frank came, and he
likewise had much wealth, and he likewise played at the chess.
The Frank said to the khoja, ' Let us play for gold.' The khoja
consented, and they played for gold, and that day the Frank
won many sequins. On the morrow the khoja won many
sequins. And thus, now the khoja, and now the Frank, would
win great victories one of the other. At length the Frank,
having many times won the game of the khoja, got all his
wealth. Now the khoja had a slave-girl named Dil-aram, who
wrote a fair hand and knew well the chess. The Frank said to
the khoja, * O khoja, lo, I have overcome thee, and all of thy
wealth have I won at thy hands ; come, let us play yet another
game ; lo, I have in my pocket five thousand sequins, do thou
stake thy slave-girl Dil-aram ;* and let us see which is the
winner.' The khoja agreed to this and they set out the chess
things ; and they began to play, moving the pawns one against
the other. Now Dil-aram came and watched their game from
the window. This time the Frank drove the khoja into a
corner and shut up all the ways, so that no place was left where
* The MS. has "do thou stake five thousand sequins;" but the
above, from Behrnauer, is doubtless the true reading.
398 APPENDIX A.
he might move, for had he moved never so little he would have
been checkmated ; and he was confounded and bewildered.
Dil-aram saw the combination from the window and how that
by sacrificing two pieces her master could checkmate the Frank.
But the khoja saw it not, and sought to give up the game. And
Dil-aram saw this from over against them, and straightway she
turned her face from the window and cried, ' Stay and check-
mate. 3 And the khoja pondered, and he saw the combination
and checkmated the Frank. Thereafter was the khoja suc-
cessful at the play, and he won all that the Frank had, so that
the Frank fled back empty-handed to Frankland."
THE THIRTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY.
" They relate that a certain man in the city of Cairo had
charge over a garden. One day he caught a thief in the garden,
and sought to beat him. The thief said to him, ' Come, beat
me not ; one day I shall be profitable to thee ; for the great
have said, " Cast a good deed on the sea, and one day it shall
be profitable to thee." ' * So the gardener beat him not, but let
him go. One day the gardener went into the city, and as he
was walking about, a woman came and said to him, ' Come
along.' So the gardener followed her. And the woman went
on till she entered a house, when she said to the gardener,
' Come in.' And the woman turned and locked the door, and
they passed through three or four doors, and again she turned
and locked these doors. When they had gone through yet
another door, the gardener beheld some ten or fifteen young
robbers seated eating and drinking. Their chief said to one of
them, ' Go, kill the fellow.' So he arose from his place and
drew his sword that he might kill him, when he looked and saw
that he was the youth who had seized him in the garden, but
had not beaten him. And he was an-angered with that woman,
and said, ' I have but one friend in the world ; wherefore hast
thou brought him ? ' Then he turned and said to the gardener,
* cf. Cast thy bread upon the waters ; for thou shall find it after
many days. Ecclesiastes, ii. I.
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 399
' Hadst thou beaten me with thy stick, I had now smitten thee
with my sword.' And he set the gardener free, and sent him
away."
THE THIRTY-FOURTH VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have told that there was once a sheep-owner who had
many sheep. Among these was one very gentle ewe which
lambed before any of the others. Every year the owner of the
sheep took her lamb as a gift to the ruler ; and as he was
greedy of money, he ever took from that ewe her lambkin
before its time. So one year she lambed, and the fellow took
from her her lamb as before. And the ewe saw that her lamb
was going, and she bleated and followed after it. They beat
her back, but could not drive her from her little one ; so the
owner of the sheep seized her and bound her, and cut the lamb's
throat, and then let the ewe loose. The poor ewe ran away,
and went and cast herself from a high rock, and was dashed in
pieces. And they went and cut her open, and they saw that
her liver * was all pierced with holes ; that for every lamb there
was a hole in her vitals."
THE LADY'S THIRTY-FOURTH STORY.!
" Naql iderler ki bir khoja var idi. Ghayet He mahbub bir
oghli var idi, shuyle guzel idi ki guren kishi hayran olurdi.
Bu khoja oghlini ghayet saqlardi; bir yere chiqarmazdi, "ve
doninin baghini muhrlerdi. Qachan bir minarede ezan oqumish-
lar, ' Nichun buyle chaghirirlar ?' deyu, soraridi. Khoja dakhi
dedi ki, i Bir adam ulmish, ani defn iderler] deridi. Oghlan
dakhi bu suze inanurdi. Bu oghlanin husni l Ajemde siiylenurdi;
ve ^Ajemden bir khoja bu oghlanin 'ashqina mal ve eshyasi ile
Baghdada gelub, bu oghlanin babasi ile dost olub, da'ima
oghlanin yttsine baqub, nerede durdughin tefettush iderdi. Chun
* The liver was regarded by old writers as the seat of the passions,
see p. 383.
t For reasons stated in the Preface this story is left untranslated.
400 APPENDIX A.
khoja bildi kim ol khass khazinede oghlan saqlu durur, ay da bir
kerre yuzin gurmek mushkil dir. Bir gun khoja oghlanin
babasina eytdi, l Ben filan yere gidejek oldum; benim bir
sandughim var dir, neqadar qimetlu nesnem var ise, jumle
ol sanduq ichine qoyub, sana gundereyim; sen dakhi alub,
ani oghlunun oldughi khazinede saqlaj dedikde, khoja dakhi,
' Bash uzrine] deyub, ichine ke?idi girejegi qader bir sanduq
yapdirdi. Andan ichine sherab kebab bezm alati tamam
dukdi. Andan khidmetkarina eytdi, ' Var, bir hammal getur,
bu sandughi Jilan khojanin qonaghina getur ; " Efendim gun-
derdi, sizde emanet dursun" deyub, buraghub, gel; yine ertesi,
" Efendim sandughi ister," deyub, al, gel] dedi. Pes khidmetkar
hammala gitdi ; khoja kendini sanduq ichine pinhan eyledi ;
oghlan sandughi hammala yukledub, khojanin khanesine geturub,
buraghub, gitdi. Chun geje oldu, khoja sanduqda?i tashra
chiqdi, gurdi ki oghlanin bashi ujinde sheirfedan He mum
yanar, bir mah-peyker jame-i kh,ab ichinde yatub ; khoja buni
gurinje, hayran olub, ' Fe-tabareka ''llahu ahsenu V khaliqin ' *
dedi. Pes khoja sherab kebab mejlisi hazir eyledi ; aheste varub,
oghlani uyandirdi. Oghlan yerinden durub, suhbete araste
idub, eytdi, ' Bunda neye geldin ? ' deyu, sordi. Khoja fi V hal
qadehi doldirub, oghlana sondi, ''Buni sana kim oldughim
bildireyim] deytib, oghlana yalvarub, unine altun dukdi. Oghlan
dakhi qadehi alub, ichdi. Chun uch durt qadeh oghlana ichirdi,
oghlanin ruyi lale-reng olub, mest olub, khoja He suhbete bash-
ladi. Ol geje khoja sabaha degin beraber 'ishret idub, her ne
muradi var ise, hasil eyledi. Chun sabah oldi, khoja yine san-
dugha girdi; khidmetkar gelub, sandughi hammala yukledub,
khanesine geturdi. Oghlanin babasi ertesi otururken yine mtf-
ezzin ezan verdi. Fi V hal oghlan eytdi, ' Behey baba, yuf-
1 allenen oghlan ulur, anin ichun bu harifburaya chiqar baghirir ;
bu geje beni yuf"allediler, nichun ben ulmedim f ' dedikde, babasi
oghlanin aghizina ivurub l uyle suz suyleme, ' ayb dir] dedi.
Andan sandughin nichun geldigin bildi"
* Koran, xxiii. 14.
STORIES FROM THE INDIA OFFICE MS. 401
THE THIRTY-SIXTH VEZIR'S SECOND STORY.
'They have told that one day a smooth-faced youth was
going along a road with a book in his hand. A woman was
looking from a window, and her heart was taken with that
youth, and she said to him, * What is that in thy hand?' The
youth answered, ' This book is called The Wiles of Women?
The beauty replied, ' I never heard the name thou sayest ; but,
my lord, might not it be that thou tarry a little while, that we
may converse together ? Our house is empty, and all is ready
for a carouse.' Now the youth was a mighty wencher, so he
inclined to her and said, * I obey thy bidding.' So the lady
sent a slave-girl who opened the door ; and the youth entered
and went upstairs and beheld a room furnished with all things
needful for a carouse. And the lady came forward to greet him,
and she took him to her side, and they sat down. Then the
beauty said to the youth, ' Welcome, and fair welcome ! ' and she
played all manner of love-tricks. And she took a goblet of rosy
wine in her hand and presented it to the youth, and he took it
and drank it, and they began to make merry. After a time
some one knocked at the door ; one of the slave-girls ran to
open it, and straightway she came back, crying, ' Alas ! the
master has come.' The lady said, * What shall we do ! If he
come, welcome to him, let him come.' Then turning to the
youth, she said, ' My life, my husband, the master of the house,
has come ; do thou go into this closet, and rest there for a little
time ; he will sit here for a short space and then go away/
The youth consented, and entered the closet and lay down, and
his senses forsook him for fear. Then the husband came in
and he saw all things needful for a carouse spread out, and
many dainties on the table, and he addressed to his wife
mocking words like these, ' Lady, what mean these preparations
that thou hast spread here without fear ? For whom are these ?
Or is there some stranger here ? for if so, I will go away and
leave you to enjoy yourselves.' The lady answered, * My
honoured lord, the truth of the affair is this : I, thy handmaid,
was seated at the window, looking out, when a youth passed
D D
402 APPENDIX A.
with a book in his hand, which he was reading as he went along.
And I put my head out of the window and asked him, saying,
" My lord, what is that in thy hand ? " The youth answered,
" This is called The Wiles of Women" And my heart inclined
to him, and I sent one to bring him in. And he consented, and
raised us from the dust,* and honoured our house by his
entrance. And I, thy handmaid, was bold, and I set out the
things needful for a carouse. And I welcomed him and took
him to my side, and he drank a goblet or two of wine at my
hand, and gladdened my heart. And when we had begun to
make merry thou earnest with all honour ; but the youth was
abashed as soon as he beheld thee, and, unable to abide because
of his shame, he went into this closet, where he is now lying.'
The youth heard these words from within and he gave up hope
of his life. And the husband heard these words of the woman,
and he knew not what to do unto her, and cried in wrath, ' Out
on thee, accursed, what words are these thou thus speakest
without fear? Dost thou commit this lewdness in my house?'
And he arose and went up to the lady to beat her. And straight-
way the woman took the key of the closet from her pocket and
gave it into her husband's hand, and said, ' Yad-est? \ Now the
night before they had eaten a fowl, and they had taken *. yad-est
over the merry-thought. So the husband straightway laid down
the key, and said, ' Out on thee, cruel, with how strange a trick
hast thou deceived me ! ' And he was ashamed and went away ;
and she cried out after him, ' I know not the half of what I
shall do to thee.' I Then she opened the closet and saw the
youth lying senseless, and she sprinkled rose-water on his face
* i.e. honoured us by accepting our invitation.
f In the Turkish yad-est, a kind of game which has much in common
with our Philopena, the merry-thought of a fowl takes the place of the
two-kerneled almond ; neither player must accept anything from the
other without immediately saying yad-est (=it is remembered) ; should
he forget to do so, the other, on repeating these words, becomes
entitled to some sort of forfeit. Here the husband, who has taken a
yad-est with his wife, is led by the latter to imagine that she has made
those preparations and invented that story in order to take him by sur-
prise, and so win the forfeit.
J i.e. I am going to think upon some heavy forfeit to make thee pay.
STORIES FROM BEHRNAUER'S TRANSLATION. 403
and brought him to himself. And the youth opened his eyes,
and said, * Out on thee, cruel, how strange a work hast thou
wrought ; thou hast well-nigh taken my head.' The lady
answered, ' What ails thee ? There is nothing ; come, let us
make merry.' The youth replied, ' Mercy, if thou lovest God,
be gracious ; this much suffices ; give me leave to go away.'
The woman saw that the youth could not abide for fear, so she
said, * O youth, when thou art gone, pray write this story on
the margins of that book thou callest The Wiles of Women." 1 "*
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SEVENTH STORY.
" Thus relate they : A certain vezir had an unworthy son,
whose parents were powerless to restrain his wickedness. And
this vezir had a fair slave-girl whom he loved exceedingly.
And the boy likewise was in love with that slave-girl, and he
would ever give her money and clothes ; but she would in no
wise obey him ; and he saw that she would not yield to him.
One day he watched and found an opportunity, and urged the
slave-girl. He saw that she would not obey him, so he straight-
way drew a knife and slew her. And his father got word, but he
could not bring himself to kill the boy. And the slave-girl went
from the world guiltless."
FROM BEHRNAUER'S GERMAN TRANSLATIONS
THE LADY'S SECOND STORY.
" There was of old time a king who gathered the learned
about him. He said to them, 'What manner of work must I
do in this world that I may find it for myself in the World to
come ? ' The learned answered, ' From a place whence nought
can be taken, take nought ; and in a place where nought can be
* This tale bears some resemblance to the Twenty-First Vezir's
Story, p. 227.
f Not having seen any of the following stories (except the second) in
Turkish, I have had to content myself with translating from Behrnauer's
German.
D D 2
404 APPENDIX A.
given, give nought ; and let not the favourable opportunity
escape thee ; that is, do a good and righteous work when it is
in thy power and the opportunity therefor is in thy hands.
Life keeps troth with no man.' The king said, ' Who can do
that ? ' The learned answered, ' That man can, who strives after
the grace of God, and shuns anger.' "
THE LADY'S FIFTEENTH STORY (PART II.)*
" O king, thy plight is likewise even as that which I shall
relate to thee of those four opium-eaters.
" At the foot of a mountain, by the side of a great river, these
seated themselves and began to eat. Of a sudden one of them
conceived a quaint fancy, and said, ' What if this flowing stream
were oil!' Another said, 'What if this hill were rice !' A third
said, ' What if the two of them were cooked ! Then should we
eat them ! ' When the fourth heard these words, he said, ' Ye
have begun to eat without saying to me, " Stretch forth." f Is
that good-fellowship ? ' And he left the food and arose, and
was aggrieved, and went away. When the other opium-eaters
heard this speech, they said, 'A curse on opium-eating !' And
they were sorrowful."
THE LADY'S SEVENTEENTH STORY.
" It is related that one day there were young fledgelings in
the nest of a little water-ousel. She always rejoiced exceedingly
when she looked upon them ; for she had for a long while
patiently borne pain and want, waiting and watching over her
eggs, thinking on these, like a woman in childbed. One day
while she was twittering with her little ones and playing herself
with them, a dragon set his jaws against her nest. When the
little ones saw him they were troubled and clung fast to their
parents. These parents would have flown away, but they could
not abandon their nest. They went against the snake, that he
* This story is given by Belletete as well ; in translating I have
followed sometimes him, sometimes Behrnauer.
f That is : Stretch forth thy hand to the food and help thyself.
STORIES FROM BEHRNAUER'S TRANSLATION. 405
might not devour their little ones. But the snake first devoured
them, and afterwards their nestlings."
THE THIRTY-SECOND VEZIR'S STORY.
" It is related that there was of old time a king from whose
foot there issued a wasting sweat, such that no remedy could be
found therefor. The physicians came together and agreed that
the body of an Indian boy must be split open and the king's foot
thrust therein ; ' Such,' they declared, * is the only remedy for this
evil. 3 They sought long, but no such boy could be found ; until
at length they went to an Indian wedded pair who dwelt in the
city, and they discovered the sought-for boy with them. The
king caused the parents to come before him, and offered them
gold, and said, ' Sell me your boy.' They answered, ' O king,
what can we do ? We need it sore to-day, for we have nought ;
well, we shall take the gold and leave the boy to thee ; God
will surely give us another boy.' Therewith they made over the
boy to the king, took the gold, and went away. The boy was
brought before the king that his body might be split open. Then
began the boy to laugh. They asked him, * Why in all the
world laughest thou who shouldest weep ? ' He answered,
* Why should not I now laugh ? When a boy falls into need
or danger, he flies to his father ; if that avails not, he flies
to his mother ; if that avails not, he flies to the magistrate ;
if that too avails not, he flies to the great and mighty autho-
rities and kings. Now, indeed, my parents sell me to the
king, and he is about to kill me for the healing of his pain,
so that thereby he may be delivered in this present life ;
but what will he say in that other World in his justification
before the Majesty of the Most High? Now, have I found
no tenderness in my mother, nor any affection in my father,
nor yet any justice or equity in the king ; whom then shall
I implore ? I fly for refuge to that God who is an almighty
Avenger : for all the injustice wrought against me, He will
surely take me in charge, and cause to be bestowed on me my
full right ! ' When the king heard this, fear fell upon him, so
that love for the boy was kindled in his soul, and he set him
406 APPENDIX A.
free. Through strong emotion he shed warm tears, whereof
the physicians took and rubbed upon the sore on his foot. And
straightway God Most High vouchsafed to him recovery, and
he was made whole again."
THE LADY'S THIRTY-SECOND STORY.
" It is related that there was of old time a rich merchant who
was very niggard. He had an exceeding good wife who was
truly devoted to him, and w r as, at the same time, very generous.
Though he would always command her, saying, ' Give no one
anything from my. house, and do no one aught of good,' she
paid no heed thereto, and ever gave a mite to the poor. One day
the merchant swore that he would repudiate her, saying, ' If
thou bestow any alms from my house, I will divorce thee from
me for ever.' Once there befell a great famine. A beggar came
to the door ; the woman brought out three little butter-cakes
and gave them to the beggar, who took the cakes and went
away. The merchant saw him when he was leaving the house,
and went after him, and asked, * Ho beggar, whence hast thou
these three cakes ? ' The beggar answered, ' They gave me
them at that house there,' and he pointed to the merchant's
house. The merchant opened the door, rushed angrily in, and
struck his wife so that he broke her arm. As the divorce was
now accomplished, they parted from one another. The woman
went forth from the city and journeyed to another place. There
she abode for a long time as a widow,* then she married again.
As a punishment for his niggardise, her first husband, the nig-
gard merchant, lost all his money and his substance, and became
very poor. Ashamed by reason of his disgrace, he journeyed
forth from the city, and came begging to the door of his first
wife, and begged, saying, 'An alms ; may God repay it you.'
The woman asked her husband, ' Shall I give him some bread ? '
The man answered, ' No, he is a stranger beggar ; we shall
make him come in that he may eat with us.' Forthwith they
made him come in, and he seated himself by the edge of the
* So the German has it : als Wittwe.
STORIES FROM BEHRNAUERS TRANSLATION. 407
table. The woman looked at him, drew back her hand, and ate
not. The man asked, ' What ails thee ?' The woman answered,
' The beggar who is seated here was erewhile my husband.'
The man asked, * How was the case between you?' The
woman answered, ' He was then a merchant and had much
money and substance ; but he was niggard, and swore that he
would surely divorce me if ever I bestowed aught from our
house in alms. Now one day I gave three little butter-cakes to
a beggar, who took them and went away. Soon afterwards came
this man in wrath into the house, and he struck me and broke
my arm, and drove me forth from the house. I came into this
city. It was my lot to marry thee.' The man said, ' O wife,
thy story is wonderful ; but my story is yet more wonderful
than thine.' The woman asked, 'How so?' Her husband
answered, ' That beggar who then came to thy door, and to
whom thou gavest the three little butter-cakes, was I ; at that
time I was poor and needy, but yet generous. It was my wont
to share what I had gathered with the poor and the orphans.
Thou art not suited to him, but to me ; therefore has God freed
thee from him and given thee to me. He so ordered it, that I
should stand in need of thy help ; and so I then went a beggar
to thy door. When a man's wife is good and truly devoted to
her husband, she avails to the preserving of his abiding happi-
ness, if he but follow her words.' "
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY.
"It is related that there was of old time a great merchant who
was very sagacious and clear-sighted, and who had journeyed
through the world as a trader and had looked at it needfully.
At length he determined to fix his dwelling in the place which
should please him best. So he went one day into a city, the
people, customs, water and air whereof were agreeable to him,
in order to take up his abode therein. He thought in himself,
' How shall I set about it, that there be in this city no greater
or more learned man than myself, so that the folk here may
obey me ? ' Thereupon he sent a public crier through the city,
408 APPENDIX A.
whom he bade proclaim as follows : * Let every poor and needy
one who is without substance go to such and such a merchant
and get for himself money.' When the folk heard this, they
went, and the merchant dealt out money among them, and he
wrote bonds for them, thus : ' When the king of this city dies,
give me back my money.' Thereon was the fame of this spread
abroad, and it reached the king's ears. He learned that a
merchant was come who had distributed money among the folk
and set the king's decease as the time for repayment. When
the king heard this, it pleased him not, and he was wroth and
caused that merchant to be straightway dragged before him.
When they had brought him, the king asked him, ' Why hast
thou set my death as the time for the repayment of thy money? '
The merchant answered, ' Long be the king's reign ! For that
I love thee have I so done.' The king asked, ' How so ? ' The
merchant answered, ' My lord and king, God Most High has
created the soul of man greedy ; its inborn nature is niggardise
and covetousness ; fain would it ever take, but never give.
Therefore did I say, " Give me back my money when the king
dies." So now will the folk pray God, saying, " O Lord,
lengthen our king's life ! Long may he live ! " And God Most
High will hear and grant this pious wish of every one of them,
and the king's life will be long, and I shall have offered up my
substance in a work well pleasing unto God. 3 When the king
heard this, he let give the merchant a sheep, and said, ' Go,
fodder this sheep ; give him richest fodder and water, and deny
him nought. Forty days long let him gorge and guzzle in full
delight. From day to day will the flesh of the sheep melt away
and be lost in fat, yet for all that will he devour his fodder and
gulp his water.' Having said these words, he appointed forty
men to watch the merchant ; of whom twenty were to keep
watch by day, and twenty by night, lest the merchant should
beat or cudgel that sheep, or should leave him hungry or thirsty.
The merchant took the sheep, led him to his house, placed him
there in an underground chamber, and bound him fast by one
foot with a rope to a strong pole. And he brought thither a
wolf which he had bought, and bound him up in another corner of
STORIES FROM THE QUARITCH MS. NO. II. 409
the cellar ; and they were separated by but a thin partition.
When he had given the sheep fodder to gorge and water to
guzzle for the whole tale of days, he took away the partition.
As soon as the wolf beheld the sheep, he rushed toward him,
seeking to devour him. The poor sheep dashed himself hither
and thither for fear of the wolf ; gorging and guzzling profited
him not, and daily his flesh shrank, until at length, when forty
days were past, he was grown all lean and could no more stir
from his place. They now took the sheep to the king, and he
asked those men whom he had appointed as watch, ' What has
the merchant done to the sheep ? ' They told the story of the
sheep and the wolf. Then the king perceived the sagacity of
the merchant, and he put on him a robe of honour, and made
him his grand vezir. He performed the duties of this office
with great integrity and justice, and after the death of the king
he ascended the throne, and all the princes and feudatories
swore fealty to him."
FROM THE QUARITCH MS. NO. II.
THE THIRTIETH VEZIR'S STORY.
" In the ranks of the sheykhs there was a sheykh who had
about him a company of disciples clad in rags. One day,
while seated in his convent talking with his disciples, the
sheykh said, ' I purpose to go on a two or three days' journey,
and I seek a dervish who will come and serve me and bear me
company. 3 A dervish arose and said, ' O sheykh, if thou will
accept me, I shall gird up my loins. 3 Quoth the sheykh, * After
what fashion wouldst thou serve me by the way ? 3 He answered,
' I should carry thine ewer and thy prayer-mat, and bear thee
company. 3 Quoth the sheykh, 'Sit down, I need no companion
like to thee. 3 Then the dervish sat down in his place. Again
quoth the sheykh, 'Ho dervishes, I desire one to come and bear
me company. 3 So another dervish arose and said, ' O sheykh, I
shall bear thee company. 3 Quoth the sheykh, * After what fashion
wouldst thou bear me company? 3 He answered, 'I should carry
thy staff, and when thou lightest I should spread thy rug. 3 Quoth
410 APPENDIX A.
the sheykh, ' Sit down, neither canst thou bear me company.'
Again the sheykh said, ' O cherishers of the aged, I seek one to
bear me company on this journey.' Then an abdal took his
crook in his hand and came forward and said, ' O sheykh, I
shall bear thee company.' Quoth the sheykh, 'After what
fashion wouldst thou bear me company ? ' He answered, ' O
sheykh, when I see thee stray from the path, I shall with this
hook draw thee back into the way.' Quoth the sheykh, ' I have
indeed found my companion ; this is indeed the companion that
I sought. Gird up thy loins and let us go.' "
THE THIRTY-THIRD VEZIR'S STORY.
" They have told that in Tartary the chiliarch Sheykh Ahmed
(the mercy of God on him !) had ninety thousand times ten
thousand families.* Among his disciples this was, it is said, a
custom : If a dervish traveller became the guest of one of them,
they would entreat him kindly, and when night was come,
would send to his side a maid or matron with her bed and
pillow. If that dervish heeded her not, they would hold him
for a saint (and retain him) ; but if he played any love-trick
with her, they would give him a piece of clothing and send him
off. To whatever convent he might go, they would do thus to
that dervish ; for that Sheykh Ahmed Yesevi had said to them,
' Every dervish who eateth not of that your morsel, know ye
that he is I, know ye my words ; and that dervish who eateth
thereof, he is no dervish.' Thus had he said. Therefore did
they so, until that dervish came to their chief convent, and they
would there see the clothes that he had on. When morning
was come, after worship, they would take him and would
publicly deliver him to God.t Until one night the sheykh
appeared to them in a dream, and forbade them this practice,
and said, ' Feast him not with a spoon, neither put out his eye
with the handle thereof.' "
* i.e. convents of dervishes of his order.
f This probably means that they would strangle him.
VARIATIONS IN DE LA CROIX' S TRANSLATION. 411
APPENDIX B.
VARIATIONS OCCURRING IN THE TRANSLATION
BY PETIS DE LA CROIX.
[The edition of the text from which Petis de la Croix made
his incomplete translation of this Romance appears to have
differed considerably from any of those that have come under
my notice. For while there is but little difference between the
versions of a single story found in the Constantinople Text, the
India Office MS., Belletete, or Behrnauer, the same story
often appears in De la Croix with many important variations
and amplifications, and, occasionally, with lengthy additions.
Consequently, the variations mentioned in the following notes
are to be understood as being peculiar to the Translation of
De la Croix, none of the other versions bearing the least
trace of them. Although I have thought it advisable to
indicate all the important points wherein the stories as
rendered by the old French orientalist differ from the same
tales as given elsewhere, it would not perhaps be very safe to
lay any great stress on these variations, with Galland's Mille et
Une Nuits before us, as an example of the manner in which the
translators of those days thought themselves at liberty to deal
with the texts they took in hand. I may say that the king to
whom the stories are told is by De la Croix named Hafikin ;*
by Belletete, Shah Hafiqm ; by the Constantinople Text and
the India Office MS., Shah Khanqln. These forms are all
meaningless, and Behrnauer is doubtless correct in writing the
name Shah-i-Khafiqayn=King of the Two Horizons, i.e. East
and West, i.e. the whole world. The wicked step-mother and the
silent prince, who are nameless in all the other versions, are
called by De la Croix, Canzada (for Khan-zada= Khan-born, i.e.
Child of the Khan) and Nourgehan (for Nur-i-Jihan=Light o'
the World), respectively.]
* In the English translation of De la Croix's work, this appears as
Hasikin, the printer having mistaken the f for a long s.
412 APPENDIX B.
NOTE I. (The First Vezir's Story [i].) The conclusion of this
story is very different in Petis de la Croix ; according to his
version, when the men come in to kill the sheykh they are
seized with terror at beholding him whirling round with the
lighted candles in his hands, and, fancying he is about to work
some fatal spell, rush out. The sheykh thereon bolts the door,
gets some water, performs the ablution, and so regains his
powers. He immediately takes the form of the woman and
makes her assume his, then summoning back the men, he gets
them to arrest the woman whom they imagine to be the sheykh
himself. They are then carried before the governor who, under
the same mistake, causes the woman to be beheaded, whereon
the sheykh again performs the double transformation, and,
having upbraided the governor for his servility and cruelty,
disappears.
NOTE II. (The Third Vezir's Story [5].) In De la Croix's
version, this story, which figures there as that of the Fourth
Vezir, ends with [5 a] the recognition of the youngest prince as
king in his father's stead ; [5 b~\ all that portion dealing with the
old king having his own obsequies performed before his death
being tacked on to the beginning of what is in the Const. Text
the Lady's Eighth Story [16] (see Note VII.)
NOTE III. (The Fourth Vezir's Story [7].) This story which is
the Lady's Seventh in De la Croix, ends there with [7 a] the
victory of Moses over Og ; [7 b~] the portion about Balaam
being omitted.
NOTE IV. (The Lady's Fourth Story [8].) An incident, omitted
in the other versions, is given by De la Croix at the be-
ginning of this story. The poor man (here called a Sufi, i.e.
a mystic philosopher or devotee,) goes to the palace of the
king (here said to be Harun-er-Reshid) and demands a present
of a thousand sequins. Being called into the royal presence
and asked what he means by making such a demand, he says
that he is a very poor man, destitute of the means of life, and
that last night he complained to God of His injustice in heaping
all manner of good things on the king who was no better than
his neighbours, while such as he were denied the barest
VARIATIONS IN DE LA CROIX' S TRANSLATION. 413
necessities. A voice from heaven, he adds, rebuked him for
decrying the king and told him to go and put the royal
generosity to the proof, when he would find the sovereign as
superior to other men in liberality as he was in fortune.
Harun, pleased with his wit, gives him the thousand sequins ;
and it is after all this money is spent that he promises to show
Khizr to the king for three years' keep.
NOTE V. (The Lady's Fifth Story [10].) In De la Croix, the
youth does not wish to play the magician false, but is con-
strained by his mother-in-law to enter into a plot which she
and her husband have formed for his murder. Before carrying
out their design, they all three descend into the hoard and load
themselves with treasures ; but as they turn to come back, the
youth remembers that though he has learned the charms for
gaining entrance into the vault, he has not acquired those
necessary for getting out again, whereon the negro and the
dragons rush forward and tear the three would-be murderers in
pieces.
NOTE VI. (The Lady's Seventh Story [14].) The version of
this story given by De la Croix differs widely from that in the
present translation. The following is an epitome of the
former : Solomon has at his court a bird whose beautiful
gridelin feathers and many accomplishments have quite won
his heart. One day this bird leaves the court and goes to the
wood where his mate resides. As soon as the latter sees him,
she begins to upbraid him for his devotion to the court and
long-continued absence, and in her rage she dashes at her own
eggs and destroys all except one, which the male bird manages
to protect till her fury is appeased. In due time a little bird is
born who is even more beautiful than his father, having a
yellow head, a blue neck, a white body, violet wings, and a red
tail. Meanwhile Solomon grows anxious for Gridelin's return,
and sends two red birds of the same sort to fetch him. After
a while these birds find him and try to induce him to accompany
them by a feigned tale to the effect that Solomon, annoyed at
his absence, has begun to use the birds unkindly and drive
them from court, so that the condition of his fellows can only
4 i4 APPENDIX B.
be bettered by his return. Gridelin replies that freedom is
better than service at a court, and advises them to remain away
from the prophet. The messengers, seeing their fiction has no
effect, confess that Solomon has sent them, whereon Gridelin is
much grieved as the king has shown him many favours ; but he
cannot return, having promised his mate to remain with her.
He resolves to send his son Violet to make his apology, who,
returning with the red birds, is well received ; but as he has
not Gridelin's wit, Solomon is not satisfied and threatens him
with perpetual imprisonment unless he brings his father back.
He agrees to do so, and goes off and tells his father that
Solomon is very angry and is sending his fowlers to take him,
at the same time he offers to lead him to a place of safety.
Gridelin goes with his son who takes him straight to where
Solomon's people are lying in wait to secure him. " Hence, O
king," quoth the lady, "thou mayst learn the treachery of
sons."
NOTE VII. (The Lady's Eighth Story [16].) As already stated
(Note II.) [5 b~\ the account of the aged king having his own
obsequies performed while he is yet alive, which in the other
versions forms the latter portion of the Third Vezir's Story [5],
is in De la Croix prefixed to [16] the tale of the Three Princes
and the Stolen Jewels, it being there said to be the father of
those youths who conceives and carries out that strange fancy.
NOTE VIII. (The Tenth Vezir's Story [19].) De la Croix's
version of this story gives a great deal of additional matter.
Some time after he has fallen heir to the khoja's belongings, the
prince is amazed on returning home one evening to find his
house empty and all his wife's treasures gone. The cadi,
suspecting him of having murdered his wife, throws him into
prison, whence he is not delivered until he has given up all his
remaining possessions. Thus finding himself once more
destitute, he returns to the service of the tailor in whose em-
ployment he had formerly been. One day he meets in the
street a man whom he recognises as a tailor he had known in
Cairo. This man falls at his feet and salutes him as King of
Egypt, telling him that his brother is dead, that the people
VARIATIONS IN DE LA CROIX'S TRANSLATION. 415
desire him as their sovereign, and that he himself has come
forth to seek him. The prince accompanies the man back to
Cairo, where he is made king ; his first desire is to appoint the
tailor grand vezir, but this honour the latter prudently declines,
asking to be made court tailor instead. One day the cadi
comes to the king and says that he has got three murderers,
one of whom declares that he is innocent and yet deserves to
die. The king orders this man to be brought, and as soon as
he sees him, knows him to be one of the slaves who had served
him in Baghdad. On being asked by the king what he means
by saying that he is innocent and yet deserves to die, the
prisoner answers that he had a good master in Baghdad whose
wife fell in love with him, and induced him to elope with her
one day when her husband was out and when she had sent all
the other slaves away on different errands. While they were
journeying towards Basra, they alighted near a castle, the lord
of which, who was nephew to the King of Basra, happening to
pass by, was smitten by the lady's charms, and carried her off,
giving his attendants orders to beat away the slave should he
prove importunate. So the latter came to Cairo where he saw
a murder committed, and the two assassins running towards
him just as the watch came up, all three were taken together.
"And so," he adds, "though I am innocent of the murder, I
deserve to die for my treachery towards my master." The
king, however, pardons him because of his repentance. One
evening, some little time after, when the king is going in
disguise through the streets, he hears the shrieks of a woman
issuing from one of the houses. He and his attendants force
their way in and find a woman lying naked on the floor with
two slaves whipping her and a young man looking on. The
king at once recognises in her the khoja's wife whom he
had married, but feigning not to know her, asks the young
man why he is treating the woman so cruelly. He, having
been told who the speaker is, says that he is the King of
Basra's nephew, and that the woman is his wife whom he found
in- the desert attended by a slave, when she told him she was
flying from an aged man whom her father had forced her to
416 APPENDIX B.
marry, and besought him to slay the attendant slave. He, how-
ever, merely drove the latter away, and then married the lady
whom he treated with all kindness ; but he had just learned
that she had proposed to one of his slaves to kill him and then
marry her. The slave, however, being faithful, had informed
him, and he was determined to punish her by thus whipping
her every night. But the king says that this punishment is not
sufficient and orders her to be thrown into the Nile.
NOTE IX. (The Thirteenth Vezir's Story [25].) There are
considerable differences in this story as given by De la Croix,
the most noteworthy of which is the much more prominent part
assigned to the lady whom the prince meets in the sepulchral
pit. She is called Dil-aram, the Princess of Georgia, and tells
her story to the prince who is styled the Prince of Carizme
(for Kharezm) while they are sitting outside the enchanted
palace, to the effect that she was betrothed to a foreign king,
but while voyaging to his dominions, suffered shipwreck upon
the shores of the people who bury the living survivor with the
dead consort (here called the Samsard* and said to be a
race of dog-headed men), where she had to marry a husband
on whose death she had shared the usual fate of widows and
widowers. On making their way into the palace, instead of
finding a coffin and inscription, they discover an aged man
seated on a sofa with a crown of emeralds on his head. This
old man, who receives them kindly, tells them that he was the
Emperor of China, that he is a great philosopher and magician,
and, having discovered the philosopher's stone, which is the
elixir of life, he caused the jinn to build him this palace where
he intends to live for ever. They reside with him for a time,
and the princess has two sons by the prince ; but at length she
grows tired of the monotonous life and desires to depart. The
prince consents ; and when they tell the old emperor that they
* Perhaps for Sumatra : describing the islands near Java, Sir John
Maundeville says, " Aftre this Yle, men gon be See to another Yle,
that is clept Calonak : and it is a fair Lond and a plentifous of Codes.
.... And zif a man, that is maryed, dye in that Contree, men bnryen
his Wyf with him alle quyk."
VARIATIONS IN DE LA CROIX'S TRANSLATION. 417
are about to leave, but will return again, the latter, knowing
that they will not keep their promise, is so grieved that he
employs his. magic power to bring about his own death. No
sooner is he dead than the palace vanishes ; and the prince and
princess embark with their sons in the boat in which they had
come ; but they are captured by pirates who, putting the prince
ashore on an island, sail away with his wife and children. The
prince here finds himself among a headless people whose
mouths are in their breasts and whose eyes are in their
shoulders ; these, being at war with a neighbouring race who
have birds' heads, make the prince commander of their armies.
He gains a complete victory over the bird-headed men, who are
all either slain or captured and eaten by their headless enemies.
As a reward, the headless king compels the prince to marry his
daughter ; but on the nuptial night a jinn, who is enamoured of
the bride, carries both her and her husband off, and leaves the
latter on a neighbouring island. He there finds an old man
who turns out to be one of the astrologers who had cast his
horoscope, and who tells him that his father is dead and is
succeeded by a new king whose ill-feeling towards the wise men
has caused the latter to leave his dominions. He himself had
settled in that island, attracted by the fame of the just and good
government of its queen. He takes the prince to introduce him
to this sovereign whom he finds to be his wife Dil-aram, the
piratical vessel which she was on board having been wrecked
in a storm, though she herself and her two sons had managed
to reach the shore of an island. The king, an old man of
ninety, had been much pleased with her, formally married her,
and at his death bequeathed to her his kingdom. Thus the
prince is at last happily reunited with his wife and children, the
thirty years during which his star was afflicted being now past.
E E
4 i8
APPENDIX C.
APPENDIX C.
COMPARATIVE TABLE SHOWING THE STORIES FOUND IN
THE DIFFERENT TEXTS AND THE ORDER IN
WHICH THEY OCCUR.
[The Figures indicate the Stories as numbered in the Table of Contents.
Where no Figure is given, no Story occurs in the Text]
1
1.
b
3
.c 1 "" 1
2 d
x 1 "*
% o
a
STORIES.
\ O
1
i*
~v <"'3
1
f
i
H
k
^
55
First Vezir ...
I
3
,
i
Lacuna
I I
Lady's First
2
85
2
2
do.
2
2
Second Vezir
3
86
3
3
do.
3
77
Lady's Second -
4
4
105
4
Q
12
Third Vezir -
$a,t>
i
5M
s<*,t
5M
5 a, b ii
Lady's Third
6
87
6
6
6 8 14
Fourth Vezir
-ja,b
27
7 a ->b
7, b
7,*j 9
5^
Lady's Fourth -
8
30
8
8
8 12 i8rt,0
Fifth Vezir -
9
4i
9
9
9 13
19
Lady's Fifth
10
i8a
10
10
10 16
23
Sixth Vezir -
ii
77
ii
ii
ii
17
22
Lady's Sixth
12
58
12
12
12
i8tf,
8
Seventh Vezir
13
88
13
13
13
19
21
Lady's Seventh -
14
89
14
14
14
77
T a
Eighth Vezir
15
7 a, b
15
15
15
23
10
Lady's Eighth -
16
10
16
16
16
24
5^,16
Ninth Vezir-
17
90
17
17
17
Si
25
Lady's Ninth
i8,
91
18 a,b
i8a,
180,
26
26
Tenth Vezir-
19
19
88
88
88
82
39*
Lady's Tenth
20
So
77
77
77
28.106
Eleventh Vezir -
21
83
19
19
19
83
Lady's Eleventh -
22
20
20
20
36
Twelfth Vezir
23
21
21
21
i
31
* Petis de la Croix's Translation breaks off at the end of the Tenth Vezir's Story.
APPENDIX C.
419
t|
|
A* :' S
OJ
c3
STOKIES.
H
y
3
a
o *o
J* I 5 *
|
S'g
a
1
&g
cti
3
0,0
Lady's Twelfth -
24
22
22
22
2.20
38
Thirteenth Vezir -
25
92
23
23
35^
Lady's Thirteenth
26
4 6
24
24
40
Fourteenth Vezir-
27
59
25
25
41
Lady's Fourteenth
28
29
26
26
42
Fifteenth Vezir -
29
23
79
79
23
47
Lady's Fifteenth -
30
93
28.106
28.106
93
44
Sixteenth Vezir -
3 1
94
49
49
94
53
Lady's Sixteenth -
32
95
56
56
95
70
Seventeenth Vezir
33
81
81
31
57
Lady's Seventeenth -
34
62
107
107
62
78
Eighteenth Vezir-
35 M
33
82
82
33
61
Lady's Eighteenth
36
34
46
46 34
84
Nineteenth Vezir-
37
96
83
83 96
65
Lady's Nineteenth
38
76
29
29
76
60
Twentieth Vezir -
39
73
3 1
31
73
63
Lady's Twentieth
40
36
32
32
36
80*
Twenty-first Vezir
4i
37
33
33
37
Lady's Twenty-first
42
38
34
34
38
Twenty-second Vezir -
43
39
35 *,*
35 M
39
Lady's Twenty-second-
44
40
36
36
40
Twenty-third Vezir
45 97
37
27
97
Lady's Twenty-third -
46 72
38
30
72
Twenty-fourth Vezir -
47 79
39
92 79
Lady's Twenty-fourth -
48
28
40
95
28
Twenty-fifth Vezir
49
49
4i
37
49
Lady's Twenty-fifth -
50
42
42
38
42
Twenty-sixth Vezir
51
55
43
39
55
Lady's Twenty-sixth -
52
56
44
40
56
Twenty-seventh Vezir -
53
81
45
41 81
* Belletete's selection of Stories ends with what he makes the Lady's Twentieth ;
ie adds, however, the Conclusion of the Romance.
420
APPENDIX C.
STORIES.
1
j
|d
m
g~
.
8
1
. I
s
a
1
&%
s
M
^
Lady's Twenty-seventh
54
70
70
42
107
Twenty-eighth Vezir -
55
47
47
43
75
Lady's Twenty-eighth -
56
78
78
44
44
Twenty-ninth Vezir
57
51
51
45
45
Lady's Twenty-ninth -
58
98
98
70
70
Thirtieth Vezir
59
53
53
47
in
Lady's Thirtieth -
60
48
84
78
48
Thirty-first Vezir -
61
57
57
51
47
Lady's Thirty-first
62
99
99
98
68
Thirty-second Vezir -
63
100
1 08
53
100
Lady's Thirty-second -
64
66
109
84
66
Thirty-third Vezir
65
I 10
57
112
Lady's Thirty-third -
66
99
99
Thirty-fourth Vezir
67
101
Lady's Thirty-fourth -
68
102
54
54
54
Thirty-fifth Vezir-
69
101
101
101
Lady's Thirty-fifth
70
102
102
102
Thirty-sixth Vezir
57,103
61
61
61
Lady's Thirty-sixth
72
64
64
64
64
Thirty-seventh Vezir -
73
65
65
65
65
Lady's Thirty-seventh -
74
104
104
104
104
Thirty-eighth Vezir
75
7i
71
7i
71
Lady's Thirty-eighth -
76
60
60
60
60
Thirty-ninth Vezir
77
67
67
67
67
Lady's Thirty-ninth -
78
74
74
74
74
Fortieth Vezir -
79
63
63
63
63
Lady's Fortieth -
80
80
80
80
80
In the Quaritch MS. No. I, between the Lady's Twenty-fourth Story and th<
Twenty-fifth Vezir's, are inserted the following eight stories, attributed to " a certah
one from among the Vezirs " and the lady alternately: 73, 76, 58, 89, 90, 50, 59, 62.
Similarly, in the Quaritch MS. No. II, between the Lady's Twelfth Story and tl
Fifteenth Vezir's, appear the undermentioned eighteen tales, likewise attributed to
undefined Vezir and the lady alternately: 21, 22, 82, 46, 83, 29, 35 a, b, 32, 41, 42,]
43, 78,51,98, 53,84, 57,24-
Dry den Press: J. Davy & Sons, 137, Long Acre, London.
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Alchemy and Astrology, Theosophy and Philosophy,
Extracted and translated from his rare and extensive works and
from some unpublished Manuscripts,
BY
FRANZ HARTMANN, M.D.,
AUTHOR OF ' ' MAGIC," ETC.
" Paracelsus was a high priest among mystics and alchemists, he left behind
him one hundred and six treatises upon medical and occult subjects, which
are likely to be read by the curious as long as mysticism remains a necessary
study for whoever would trace the developments of civilization.
" From some considerable acquaintance with the writings of Paracelsus, we
can say that Dr. Hartmann has made his excerpts from them with a good
deal of skill. Students, indeed, should be grateful for this book, despite its
setting of Theosophical nonsense ; since to read one of Bombast's Latin or
German treatises is a very stiff exercise indeed, unless you are well versed in
his very recondite terminology.
"Dr. Hartmann has compiled a very full and accurate glossary of occult
terms, which will be of great use to future readers of Paracelsus ; and for so
much he is to be thanked.
"Dr. Hartmann quotes some of his recipes for transmuting metals and
producing the ' electrum magicum.' But Paracelsus is the most transcendental
of European mystics, and it is not always easy to know when he is writing
allegorically and when practically. Dr. Hartmann says he has tried these
prescriptions and found them all right ; but he warns the uninitiated against
running the risk of blowing themselves up in the endeavour to follow the
master's instructions.
" Paracelsus held firmly to the belief of some of the hermetic writers of
the Middle Ages, that it is perfectly pessible to create human beings by
alchemical means ; and he even gives directions (in his treatise ' De Natura
Rerum ') for the production of homunculi.
' On the whole, however, Dr. Hartmann has produced a very amusing book
and a book which will have some permanent value to the student of the
occult." St. James' 8 Gazette.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
Monthly, One Shilling.
Walford's Antiquarian Magazine
AND
Bibliographical Re-view.
EDITED BY
G. W. REDWAY, F.B.Hist.S.
%* Volumes I. to A'., Now Beady, price 7s. 6d. each.
The following are the Contents of the Four Numbers published this year.
ARTICLES : Domesday Book Frostiana Some Kentish Proverbs The Litera-
ture of Almanacks " Madcap Harry " and Sir John Popham Tom Coryate
and his Crudities Notes on John Wilkes and Boswell's Life of Johnson-
Rarities in the Locker-Lampson Collection A Day with the late Mr. Edward
Solly The Defence of England in the 16th Century The Ordinary from Mr.
Thomas Jenyns' Booke of Armes A Forgotten Cromwellian Tomb Visitation
of the Monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII. The Rosicrucians The
Seiliere Library A Lost Work Sir Bevis of Hampton More Kentish Pro-
verbs Cromwell and the Saddle Letter of Charles I. Recent Discoveries at
Rome Folk-Lore of British Birds An Old Political Broadside. Notes for
Coin Collectors Higham Priory Byways of Periodical Literature How to
Trace a Pedigree The Curiosities of Ale The Books and Bookmen of Read-
ing The Language of the Law Words, Idioms, etc., of the Vulgar Notes on
Old Chelsea The Romans in Cumbria.
COLLECTANEA. Early Italian Prints Tercentenary of the Potato Chaucer
Discovery Sir John Soane's Museum Copyright in Government Publications
Pausanias The Loan of Manuscripts Paper Making in 1588 Portraits of
Charles Dickens Hopton Castle A very Ancient Watch The Value of
Antiquarian Study Curious Forestry Privilege A " Factory "Thimbles
Old and New Mrs. Glasse's Cookery Book A Bucks Estate Chalfont St.
Giles Greek Coins Shakespearian Literature Geography in the Sixteenth
Century Welsh Place Names Japanese Art Duelling in 1760 Shelleyana
English Archers Oriental Porcelain South Italian Folk-lore Serpent-lore
Modern Witches The Domesday Plough A Bishop of the Olden Time-
Historical Treasures in the Upsala Cathedral The Witches Ladder Old
Prayer- Book A Relic of James II. Pontefract and Ripon Old Shoes Love
ChaVms County Families A Roman Fire Brigade Parish Registers
Border Raiding Peasant Proprietors Queen Mary's Tree The Turks and
Persians as Book-lovers Epitaph of John Ruskin's Parents Quakers
"Yankee" and the "Stars and Stripes" Gipsies The Royal Academy
ChigweU Church, Essex Printers' Errors A Village Club An Historical
Fishery A Survival A Cock Match Early Publishing- Pancakes at West-
minster School The Ai-chbishop's Palace at Croydon The Art of the Saracens
in Egypt The Early Custody of Domesday Book.
CORRESPONDENCE. The late Bishop Hannington's Ancestry A Reader of
Curious Books Throwing the Dart in Cork Harbour The De la Poles The
Family of John Hampden The " Olla Podrida " and T. Monro Life of
Bertram Montflchet Magdalen College, Oxford Book Bound in a Murderer's
Skin A Foi-gotten Society Latin Verses by Dr. Johnson " Merchet " and
the " Jus Primse Noctis " Hanna, Hanet, and Wallace Another Book Bound
in a Murderer's Skin -Iiumorous Portrait of Charles Dickens Beating Boys
at Parish Boundaries Destruction of National Antiquities.
REVIEWS OBITUARY MEMOIRS MEETINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES NEWS AND
NOTES.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
t&F THE ATHENAEUM says : " Admirers of Thackeray may
be grateful for a reprint of ' Sultan Stork.' "
In large 8vo., uniform with the New " Standard" Edition
of Thackeray's Works. Price 10s. 6d.
Sultan Stork,
AND OTHER STORIES AND SKETCHES.
BY
WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY (1829-44).
Now first collected, to which is added the Bibliography of
THACKERAY, revised and considerably enlarged.
"The remains of Thackeray are now in the hands of the resurrectionists.
Writers in the Athencvum have been gloating over them, and Mr. George
Red way, a London publisher of peculiar and quaint literature, has issued a
handsome volume of Thackerayau fragments." GUisgoio Herald.
" Thackeray collectors, however, have only to be told that none of the pieces
now printed appear in the two volumes recently issued by Messrs. Smith,
Elder, and Co., in order to make them desire their possession. They will also
welcome the revision of the Bibliography, since it now presents a complete
list, arranged in chronological order, of Thackeray's published writings in
prose and verse, and also of his sketches and drawings." Daily Chronicle.
'"Sultan Stork' which purports to be told by Scheherazade on the
thousand and second of the 'Arabian Nights,' is undoubtedly the work of
Mr. Thackeray, and is quite pretty and funny enough to have found a place
in his collected miscellanies. ' Dickens in France ' is as good in its way as
Mr. Thackeray's analysis of Alexander Dumas' ' Kean' in the 'Paris Sketch-
Book.' .... There are other slight sketches in this volume which are
evidently by Mr. Thackeray, and several of his obiter dicta in them are worth
preserving. .... We do not assume to fix Mr. Thackeray's rank or to
appraise his merits as an art critic. We only know that, in our opinion, few
of his minor writings are so pleasant to read as his shrewd and genial com-
ments on modern painters and paintings.'' Saturday Review.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
Just published, 32 pages, wrapper. Price Is.
The New Illumination
BY
EDWARD MAITLAND,
AUTHOR OP "THE PILGRIM AND THE SHRINE."
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
In post ito. Illustrated with Engravings on Wood. Most chastely
bound in white vellum. Price 10s. 6d.
ASTROLOGY THEOLOGIZED.
The Spiritual Hermeneutics of
Astrology and Holy Writ.
BEING
A Treatise upon the Influence of the Stars on Man, and on the
Art of Ruling them by the Law of Grace.
REPRINTED PROM THE ORIGINAL OF 1649.
With a Prefatory Essay on Bible Hermeneutics.
BY
ANNA KINGSFORD, M.D., Paris.
" It is well for Dr. Anna Kingsford that she was not born into the sidereal
world four hundred years ago. Had that been her sorry fate, she would
assuredly have been burned at the stake for her preface to ' Astrology Theo-
logized.' It is a very long preface more than half the length of the treatise
it introduces ; it contains some of the finest flowers of Theosophical philosophy,
and of course makes very short work of Christianity."^. James's Gazette.
" Mrs. Kingsford, amid many things which we do not understand, and some
few which we think we comprehend afar off, gives a more detailed analysis of
ghosts than we remember to have met with in any of the ancient hermetic
writers." St. James's Gazette.
" The only pleasing features of the book are the reproductions of a number
of beautiful symbolical figures with which it is illustrated. That on p. 28,
representing Christ surrounded by an elliptical glory and carried up to heaven
by angels, is taken from an illuminated manuscript of the fourteenth century
in the Bibliotheque Royale ; and the figure of the Virgin in an aureole, on p. 94,
is from a tenth-century illuminated manuscript in the same library. Some
of the figures here reprodued are among the finest things in Christian
iconography."^. James's Gazette.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
In demy 8vo., cloth. Price 10s. 6d.
The Mysteries of Magic ;
A DIGEST OF
The Writings of Eliphas Levi.
WITH BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL ESSAY
BY
ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE.
Eliphas Levi, who died in 1865, and whose real name was Alphonse Louis
Constant, ranks, beyond controversy, as the prince of the French adepts.
His writings contain a revelation of the Grand Secret and a lucid interpreta-
tion of the theory of the Astral Light, which is the great Magical Agent. His
philosophy of miracles is of lasting value and interest, and absolutely indis-
pensable to all students of occultism. It establishes a harmony between
religion and science based on a rational explanation of all prodigies. Eliphas
Levi revealed for the first time to the modern world the arcanum of will-
power in the operations of transcendental magic, and he was also the
originator of a new departure in Kabbalistic Exegesis. In the present digest,
the information on the various branches of esoteric science, which is scattered
over six large volumes of the French originals, has been diligently collated,
and the translation carefully made.
" A very curious book." Time.
"To the rapidly-extending catalogue of remarkable books published by
Mr. George Redway, of London, an important addition has been made by the
issue of a digest of the writings of Eliphas Levi. Many people, we dare say,
will consider the volume to be ' full of nonsense,' but it is really a very
curious and improving work, going over a vast space of ground, and present-
ing a great deal of matter that is worth thinking over. The author has earned
a title to be heard. As a contribution to what is called ' occult science,' the
present book will, of course, find a welcome from many readers, among those
especially whose passion it is to grope for the unseen, and to these the varied
contents will give delight. The matter contained in Mr. Waite's volume is
wonderfully varied, and much of it worth reading, even by those who do not
believe in magic of any kind, black or white." Glasgow Herald.
<; Mr. Waite has rendered an important service to English students of occult
science by the preparation of his digest of the works of Eliphas Levi. One
would rather have welcomed so profoundly philosophical a volume under some
simpler name less calculated to alienate the sympathies of a cultivated world
at large. True magic the science of the Magi is in reality nothing less than
spiritual knowledge, and the name is strictly appropriate, of course, in its
loftiest significance, to the grand philosophy of the ancient ' Wisdom-Keligion'
which Eliphas Levi partly unveils. We have merely objected, in passing, to
the title of Mr. Waite's book, in so far as it may to some extent lessen its
acceptability to a generation not yet generally ripe to understand it, but
from the midst of which it may still be possible, by the presentation of occult
truth in a certain way.to attract more advanced minds into the path of spiritual
inquiry. No determined student of Natxire's higher mysteries, setting out
from the standpoint of modern European culture, can afford to remain
ignorant of Eliphas Levi's works. But to study them in the original is a
wearisome task, if for no other reason, on account of their aggregate length.
The present single volume is a digest of half a dozen books enumerated by the
MR. RED WAYS PUBLICATIONS.
THE MYSTERIES OF MAGIC continued.
present author in a ' biographical and critical essay ' with which he prefaces
his undertaking. These are the Doyme vt Rltuel de In Haute Magic, the His to ire
de la, Magie, the Clefdes Grands Mysteres, the Sorcier de Meudon, the Philosophic
Occn/tc, and the Science des Esprits. To attack the whole series which,
indeed, it might be difficult to obtain now in a complete form would be a
bold undertaking, but Mr. Waite has endeavoured to give his readers the
essence of the whole six books in a relatively compact compass." Mr. A. P.
SINNETT, in Light,
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
In small 8vo., cloth. Price 5s.
Mountaineering Below the Snow-
Line ;
Or, The Solitary Pedestrian in Snowdonia and Elsewhere.
BY
M. PATEBSON.
WITH ETCHINGS BY MACKANESS.
Vanity Fair says : " Mr. Paterson writes charmingly of a charming subject,
He is a cultured and an athletic man, and tells of the climbs he has done in
nervous, descriptive English. He confesses to some partiality for getting
along alone, but he is evidently not a churl, and he opens the store of his
experiences under the snow-line in Wales, Cumberland, Scotland, and Norway
with a skill which will make his wanderings acceptable to a much larger
number of people than can ever climb mountains themselves."
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
Small tto., Illustrated, doth. Price 5s.
Famous Frosts and Frost Fairs in
Great Britain,
Chronicled from the Earliest to the Present Time.
BY
WILLIAM ANDREWS, F.R.Hist.S.
Only 400 copies printed.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
10 MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
" The interest of this compilation is naturally not to be compared to that
aroused by the ever-fresh 'Thousand and One Nights ;' but it has had high
reputation among particular admirers, and the gentleman to whom we are
indebted for this English version apparently the most complete in any lan-
guage of Western Europe merits the thanks of the reading public for the
work performed." Athena- Km.
About 500 pages, crown 8vo., cloth. Price 10s. Qd.
The History of the Forty Vezirs ;
OR,
The Story of the Forty Morns and Eves.
Written in Turkish by SHEYKH-ZADA, and now done into English
by E. J. W. GIBB, M.RA.S.
" A delightful addition to the wealth of Oriental stories available to English
readers is ' The History of the Forty Vezirs ' (Redway), done into English by
Mr. E. J. W. Gibb, from the Turkish of Sheykh-Zada. The collection com-
prises 112 stories. To the forty told by the Lady and those of the forty Vezirs,
Mr. Gibb has added four from BelletGte, twenty from a MS. in the India
Office, six from Dr. Behrnauer's translation, and two from a MS. recently
purchased by Mr. Quaritch. The results of collation are admirally summarised
in a comparative table that analyses the contents of the various texts. In the
preface Mr. Gibb deals with the bibliography of the French and German ver-
sions, and indicates some of the more interesting parallels suggested by those
old stories in the ' Gesta Romanorum,' the ' Decameron,' the ' Thousand and
One Nights,' the ' Mabinogion,' and other treasures of old-world fable. In
short, Mr. Gibb has considerately done everything to help the reader to an
intelligent appreciation of this charming book." Saturday Review.
" In my opinion the version is definite and final. The style is light and
pleasant, with the absolutely necessary flavour of quaintness ; and the notes,
though short and few, are sufficient and satisfactory. Mr. Gibb does not write
only ad clerum ; and thus he has been obliged to ' leave in the obscurity of an
Eastern language ' three whole tales (pp. 353, 366, and 399), No. 2 being ex-
ceedingly witty and fescennine. He has the good sense, when he supplants n
broad joke by a banal English phrase, to subjoin in a note the original Turkish
(pp. 109, 140, 199, 215, and 382). Yet some of the -novelle. are highly spiced
enough : see the amorous princess in the Eleventh Wazir's story (pp. 381-3) ;
and the truly Turkish and unspeakable version of modest .ZEsop's ' Country-
man and his Son.' Of the less Milesian I would especially commend the
story of the Venus-star and the magical angels, Harut and Marut (p. 1C7) : thu
explanation of the proverb, 'Take counsel of the cap that is on thy head '
(p. 362), and the Thirty-seventh Wazir's tale, showing why ' men have beaten
their wives since the days of Saint Adam ' (p. 349). Sir RICHARD F. BURTON,
in The Academy.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 11
In large crown Svo., handsomely printed in borders with original
headpieces, on a special make of toned paper, and bound in bext
cloth, the cover designed by MATTHEW BELL. Price 10s. Qd.
Sea Song and River Rhyme
From Chaucer to Tennyson.
SELECTED AND EDITED BY
ESTELLE DAVENPORT ADAMS.
With a New Poem by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE.
Illustrated with Twelve Original Etchings.
" Mr. Swinburne's new patriotic song, ' A Word for the Navy,' is as fiery in
its denunciation of those he believes to be antagonistic to the welfare of the
country as was his lyric with which he startled the readers of the Times one
morning. ' ' A thenesum.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
In post 8vo., with numerous plates coloured and plain, cloth.
Price 7s. Qd.
Geometrical Psychology ;
OR,
The Science of Representation.
Being the Theories and Diagrams of B. W. BETTS
EXPLAINED BY
LOUISA S. COOK.
" His attempt (B. W. Betts') seems to have taken a similar direction to
that of George Boole in logic, with the difference that, whereas Boole's expres-
sion of the Laws of Thought is algebraic, Betts expresses mind-growth geome-
trically ; that is to say, his growth-formula} are expressed in numerical series,
of which each can be pictured to the eye in a corresponding curve. When the
series are thus represented, they are found to resemble the forms of leaves and
flowers." Extract from " Symbolic Methods of Study," by Mary Boole.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
12 MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
A few copies only remain of the following important work, by the
author of " The Rosier ucians."
Phallicism :
Its connection with the Rosicrucians and the Gnostics, and its
Foundation in Buddhism.
BY
HARGRAVE JENNINGS,
AUTHOR OP "THE ROSICRUCIANS."
Demy 8vo., cloth.
" This book is written ad clerum, and appeals to the scholar only, and not to
the multitude. It is a masterly and exhaustive account of that worship of the
creative powers of nature which, under various names, has prevailed among all
the nations of antiquity and of mediaeval times, alike in Egypt and India, in
Italy and Gaul, among the Israelites of old, and among the primitive
inhabitants of Great Britain and Ireland .... a most valuable auxiliary to
all who care to pursue such a subject of inquiry, a subject for which Mr.
Jennings is the better fitted on account of his long and intimate acquaintance
with the Rosicrucians, their tenets, and their practices." A nti<iuarian Magazine
and Bibliographer.
" Unpleasant as this subject is, we are quite prepared to agree that in its
scientific aspect, as a form of human worship, it has considerable importance
. . . Mr. Jennings deals almost entirely with the subjective part of his
inquiry, and he has evidently made a considerable amount of research into the
literature of early religions He has produced something which is, at
all events, worth the attention of the student of comparative psychology."
Antisjuary.
" This book. . . is profoundly learned, and gives evidence on each page of
deep thought, intense powers of research, clear and unmistakable reasoning,
and thorough mastership of the subject. The appendix also contains much
very curious matter which will interest those who desire to study the subject
under all its different aspects and bearings." Reliquary.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 13
In demy 8m, cloth. Price 10s. Qd.
Incidents in the Life
OF
Madame Blavatsky,
Compiled from Information supplied by her Relatives and Friends,
AND EDITED BY
A. P. SINNETT.
With a Portrait reproduced from an Original Painting by HERMANN
SGHMIECHEN.
" Mr. Sinnett's memoir is fluently written, and is free from unsympathetic
scepticism. Theosophists will find both edification and interest in the book ;
and the general student of science will profit more or less by having his atten-
tion called to, etc " Pall Mall Gazette.
" Mr. Sinnett, however, offers on all the disputed points explanations which
will be perfectly satisfactory to those who do not agree with the committee of
the Psychical Society." Pall Mall Gazette.
' ' For any credulous friend who revels in such stories I can recommend
' Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky.' I READ EVERY LINE OF THE
BOOK WITH MUCH INTEREST." Truth.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
" An admirable study of a primitive belief and custom. One of the utmost
importance in considering the growth of civilization."
Large post 8vo., cloth, uncut. Price 7s. Qd.
The Blood Covenant :
A Primitive Rite and its Bearings on Scripture.
BY
H. CLAY TBUMBULL, D.D.
"A profound interest will be aroused by the keenness and clearness of
vision, no less than by the wealth of learning, by means of which he follows
a line of research, tracing through this one rite the cannibalism of savages to
a religious impulse not essentially different in its symbolical aspect from one
of the most vital principles of Christianity. In the details of the work will
be found much to attract the attention of the curious. Its fundamental and
essential value, however, is for the student of religious ; and all such will be
grateful to Dr. Trumbull for this solid, instructive, and enlightening work."
Scotsman, March 14th.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
14 MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
HINTS TO COLLECTORS
OP ORIGINAL EDITIONS OF
THE WORKS OF
William Makepeace Thackeray,
BY
CHARLES PLUMPTRE JOHNSON.
Printed on hand-made paper and bound in vellum.
Crown 8vo. , 6s.
" .... A guide to those who are great admirers of Thackeray, and are col-
lecting first editions of his works. The dainty little volume, bound in parch-
ment and printed on hand-made paper, is very concise and convenient in form ;
on each page is an exact copy of the title-page of the work mentioned thereon,
a collation of pages and illustrations, useful hints on the differences in editions,
with other matters indispensable to collectors Altogether it
represents a large amount of labour and experience." The Spectator.
" . . . . Mr. Johnson has evidently done his work with so much loving care
that we feel entire confidence in his statements. The prices that he has
affixed in every case form a valuable feature of the volume, which has been
produced in a manner worthy of its subject-matter." The Academy.
' ' The list of works which Mr. Johnson supplies is likely to be of high interest
to Thackeray collectors. His preliminary remarks go beyond this not very
narrow circle, and have a value for all collectors of modern works." Note
and Queries.
" .... It is choicely printed at the Chiswick Press ; and the author, Mr.
Charles Plumptre Johnson, treats the subject with evident knowledge and
enthusiasm. . . . It is not a Thackeray Bibliography, but a careful and
minute description of the first issues, with full collations and statement of
the probable cost. . . . Mr. Johnson addresses collectors, but is in addition
a sincere admirer of the greatest satirist of the century." Book Lore.
GEORGE RED WAY, YORK STREET, CO VENT GARDEN.
MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 15
HINTS TO COLLECTORS
OP ORIGINAL EDITIONS OP
THE WORKS OP
Charles Dickens
BY
CHARLES PLUMPTRE JOHNSON.
Printed on hand-made, paper, and bound in vellum.
Crown 8vo., 6s.
" Enthusiastic admirers of Dickens are greatly beholden to Mr. C. P. John-
son for his useful and interesting ' Hints to Collectors of Original Editions of
the Works of Charles Dickens ' (Redway). The book is a companion to the
similar guide to collectors of Thackeray's first editions, is compiled with the
like care, and produced with the like finish and taste." The Saturday Review.
" This is a sister volume to the ' Hints to Collectors of First Editions of
Thackeray,' which we noticed a month or two ago. The works of Dickens,
with a few notable ' Dickensiana,' make up fifty-eight numbers .... and
Mr. Johnson has further augmented the present volume with a list of thirty-
six plays founded on Dickens's works, and another list of twenty-three
published portraits of Dickens. As we are unable to detect any slips in his
work, we must content ourselves with thanking him for the correctness of
his annotations. It is unnecessary to repeat our praise of the elegant format
of these books " The Academy.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
In crown 8vo., cloth. Price 5s.
The History of Tithes.
BY
H. W. CLARKE.
" We have no hesitation in saying that he has produced the best book of
moderate size yet published for the purpose of enabling an ordinary reader to
thoroughly understand the origin and history of this ancient impost
The author gives a great deal of interesting information concerning the
planting and growth of Christianity in these islands, the origin of parishes,
and the founding and endowment of parish churches Mr. Clarke
declares himself in his book to be a member of the Church of England. He
thus writes in no spirit of hostility to her. But he rightly uses very plain
language in giving his opinion on the wilful distortion of facts by Church
writers aiming to defend their Church No one who wishes thoroughly
to understand the history of tithes should be without this book. It will well
repay perusal as a book of ecclesiastical history apart from its special object.
Literary World, March 25th.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
16 MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
Handsomely printed and tastefully bound, 436 pages,
large crown 8vo. , cloth extra, Is. 6d.
Essays in the Study of Folk-Songs.
BY
THE COUNTESS EVELYN MARTINENGO-CESARESCO.
'A pleasant volume on a pleasant topic. . . . The Countess, with her
sincere enthusiasm for what is simple, passionate, and sensuous in folk-song,
and with her lucid and unaffected style, well understands the mode in which
the educated collector should approach the shy singers or story-tellers of
Europe. . . . Her introduction is perhaps, to the scientific student of popular
culture, the best part of her book. . . . Next to her introduction, perhaps
her article on ' Death in Folk- Poetry ' is the most serviceable essay in the
volume. . . . ' Folk Lullabies ' is perhaps the most pleasant of the remaining
essays in the admirable volume, a volume remarkable for knowledge, sym-
pathy, and good taste." Extracts from a page notice in the Saturday Review,
April 24, 1886.
" This is a very delightful book, full of information and thoughtful sugges-
tions. It deals principally with the Folk-songs of Southern peoples, Venetian,
Sicilian, Armenian, Provence, and Greek Songs of Calabria, but there are
several essays devoted to the general characteristics of Folk-Poetry, such as
the influence of Nature, the Inspiration of Death, the idea of fate, the nume-
rous songs connected with the rites of May, Folk-Lullabies, and Folk-Dirges.
There is also an interesting essay on what is called the White Paternoster, and
Children's Rhyming Prayers. This is one of the most valuable, and certainly
one of the most interesting, books which have been written on a subject which
has of late years been exciting an ever-increasing attention, and which in
volves many important problems connected with the early history of the
human race." Standard.
" ' Folk-Songs,' traditional popular ballads, are as tempting to me as King
Charles's head to Mr. Dick. But interesting as the topic of the origin and
diffusion and literary merit of these poems may be poems much the same in
all European countries they are rather caviare to the general. The Countess
Martinengo-Cesaresco is, or should be, a well-known authority among special
students of this.branch of literature, to whom I heartily commend her 'Essays
in the Study of Folk-Songs.' The Countess is, perhaps, most familiar with
Southern volksleider, as of Greece, Italy, and Sicily. Her book is a treasure-
house of Folk-lore of various kinds, and the matter is handled with much
poetic appreciation and a good deal of learning." Daily News.
"A kind of popular introduction to the study of Folk-lore." St. James's
Gazette.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 17
In crown 8vo., in French grey wrapper. Price Qs.
A few copies on Large Paper. Price 10s. Qd.
The Bibliography of Swinburne ;
A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST, ARRANGED IN CHRONOLOGICAL
ORDER, OF THE PUBLISHED WRITINGS
IN VERSE AND PROSE
OF
ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE
(1857-1884).
This Bibliography commences with the brief-lived College Magazine, to
which Mr. SWINBURNE was one of the chief contributors when an under-
graduate at Oxford in 1857-8. Besides a careful enumeration and description
of the first editions of all his separately published volumes and pamphlets in
verse and prose, the original appearance is duly noted of every poem, prose
article, or letter, contributed to any journal or magazine (e.g., Once a Week,
The Spectator, The Comhill Magazine, The Morning Star, The Fortnightly Review,
The Examiner, The Dark Blue, The Academy, The Athenaeum, The Taller,
Belgravia, The Gentleman's Magazine, La Republique des Lettres, Le Rappel, The
Glasgoio University Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, etc., etc.), whether collected
or uncollected. Among other entries will be found a remarkable novel,
published in instalments, and never issued in a separate form, and several
productions in verse not generally known to be from Mr. SWINBURNE'S pen.
The whole forms a copious, and it is believed approximately complete, record
of a remarkable and brilliant literary career, extending already over a quarter
of a century.
* * ONLY 250 COPIES PRINTED.
GEORGE RED WAY, YORK STREET. COVENT GARDEN.
18
ME. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
Post free, price 3d.
The Literature of Occultism and
Archaeology.
Being a Catalogue of Books ON SALE relating to
Ancient Worships.
Magic and Magicians.
Astrology.
Mysteries.
Alchemy.
Mithraic Worship.
Animal Magnetism.
Mesmerism.
Anthropology.
Mythology.
Arabic.
Metaphysics.
Assassins.
Mysticism.
Antiquities.
Neo-platonism.
Ancient History.
Orientalia.
Behmen and the Mystics.
Obelisks.
Buddhism.
Oracles.
Clairvoyance.
Occult Sciences.
Cabeiri.
Philology.
China.
Persian.
Coins.
Parsees.
Druids.
Philosophy.
Dreams and Visions.
Physiognomy.
Divination.
Palmistry and Handwriting.
Divining Rod.
Phrenology.
Demonology.
Psychoneurology.
Ethnology.
Psychometry.
Egypt.
Prophets.
Fascination.
Rosicrucians.
Flagellants.
Round Towers.
Freemasonry.
Rabbinical.
Folk -Lore.
Spiritualism.
Gnostics.
Skeptics, Jesuits, Christians and
Gems.
Quakers.
Ghosts.
Sibylls.
Hindus.
Symbolism.
Hieroglyphics and Secret Writ-
Serpent Worship.
ing.
Secret Societies.
Herbals.
Somnambulism.
Hermetic.
Travels.
India and the Hindus.
Tombs.
Kabbala.
Theosophical.
Koran.
Theology and Criticism.
Miracles.
Witchcraft.
Mirabilaries.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN
19
In crown 8vo. , cloth. Price 7s. &d.
Theosophy, Religion, and Occult
Science.
BY
HENRY S. OLCOTT,
PRESIDENT OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.
WITH GLOSSARY OF INDIAN TERMS AND INDEX,
"This book, to which we can only allot an amount of space quite incom-
mensurate with its intrinsic interest, is one that will appeal to the prepared
student rather than to the general reader. To anyone who has previously made
the acquaintance of such books as Mr. Sinnett's ' Occult World,' and ' Esoteric
Buddhism," or has in other ways familiarised himself with the doctrines of
the so-called Theosophical Society or Brotherhood, these lectures of Colonel
Olcott's will be rich in interest and suggestiveness. The American officer is
a person of undoubted social position and unblemished personal reputation,
and his main object is not to secure belief in the reality of any ' phenomena,'
not to win a barren reputation for himself as a thaumaturgist or wonder-
worker, but to win acceptance for one of the oldest philosophies of nature
and human life a philosophy to which of late years the thinkers of the
West have been turning with noteworthy curiosity and interest. Of course,
should the genuineness of the phenomena in question be satisfactorily estab-
lished, there would undoubtedly be proof that the Eastern sages to whom
Colonel Olcott bears witness do possess a knowledge of the laws of the
physical universe far wider and more intimate than that which has been
laboriously acquired by the inductive science of the West ; but the theosophy
expounded in this volume is at once a theology, a metaphysic, and a socio-
logy, in which mere marvels, as such, occupy a quite subordinate and unim-
portant position. We cannot now discuss its claims, and we will not pro
nounce any opinion upon them ; we will only say that Colonel Olcott's
volume deserves and will repay the study of all readers for whom the bye-
ways of speculation have an irresistible charm." Manchester Examiner.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN,
20 MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
Now ready, at all Booksellers', and at Smith's Railway Bookstalls.
Popular Edition, price Is. Qd.
Burma :
As it Was, As it Is, and As it Will be.
BY
J. G. SCOTT ("Shway Yoe ").
Crown 8vo., cloth.
' ' Before going to help to govern them, Mr. Scott has once more written on
the Burmese . . . Mr. Scott claims to have covered the whole ground, to
show Burma as it was, is, and will be ; and as there is nobody competent to
criticise him except himself, we shall not presume to say how far he has suc-
ceeded. What, however, may be asserted with absolute confidence is, that he
has written a bright, readable, and useful book." Saturday Review, March 27.
" Very lively and readable "Pall Mall Gazette.
" The author knows what he writes about." St. Stephen's Review.
"There is a good deal of curious reading in the book." Literary World.
"The book is amusing and instructing, and Mr. George Redway, the
publisher, will have done the public and himself a service. "Court Journal.
" The print is clear, and the binding in excellent taste." Bookseller.
" Evidently full of genuine information." Society.
" A handy guide to Burma, as readable as it is accurate." Globe
"Mr. Scott should have called this volume 'A book for Members of Parlia-
ment.' " London and China Telegraph.
"The sketch of Burmese cosmogony and mythology is very interesting."
Nature.
" A competent historian. He sketches Burma and the Burmans with minute
fidelity." Da ily Chronicle.
" Probably no Englishman knows Burma better than Mr. J. G. Scott."
Contemporary Review.
An excellent description both of land and people." Contemporary Review.
" Most interesting."- St. James's Gazette.
" Shway Yoe is a graphic writer ... no one can supply this information
better than Mr. Scott." Asiatic Quarterly Review.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 21
A few large-paper copies, with India proof portrait, in imperial Svo.,
parchment paper covers. Price 7s. &d.
An Essay on the Genius of George
Cruikshank.
BY
"THETA" (WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY).
With all the Original Woodcut Illustrations, a New Portrait of
CRUIKSHANK, etched by PAILTHORPE, and a Prefatory Note on
THACKERAY AS AN ART CRITIC, by W. E. CHURCH.
" Thackeray's essay 'On the Genius of George Cruikshank,' reprinted from
the Westminster Review, is a piece of work well calculated to drive a critic of
these days to despair. How inimitable is its touch ! At once familiar and
elegant, serious and humorous, enthusiastically appreciative, and yet just
and clear-sighted ; but, above all, what the French call personnel. It is not
the impersonnel reviewer who is going through his paces ... it is Thackeray
talking to us as few can talk talking with apparent carelessness, even
ramblingly, but never losing the thread of his discourse or saying a word too
much, nor ever missing a point which may help to elucidate his subject or
enhance the charm of his essay. . . . Mr. W. E. Church's prefatory note on
' Thackeray as an Art Critic ' is interesting and carefully compiled." West-
minster Review, Jan. 15th.
"As the original copy of the Westminster is now excessively rare, this
reissue will, no doubt, be welcomed by collectors." Birmingha'in, Daily Mail.
"The new portrait of Cruikshank by F. W. Pailthorpe is a clear, firm
etching." The Artist.
44
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Phiz ' (Hablot Knight Browne) :
A Memoir ; including a Selection from his Correspondence and
Notes on his Principal Works. By FRED. G. KITTON.
With a Portrait and numerous Illustrations.
BST A few copies only remain.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
22 MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
In preparation.
NEW TRANSLATION OF "THE HEPTAMERON."
The Heptameron ;
OR,
Tales and Novels of Margaret, Queen of Navarre,
Now first done completely into English prose and verse, from the
original French, by ARTHUR MACHEN.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
One vol., crown 8m, 400 pages, doth. Price 6s.
A Regular Pickle :
How He Sowed his Wild Oats.
BY
HENRY W. NESFIELD,
Author of "A Chequered Career."
" Mr. Nesfield's name as an author is established on such a pleasantly sound
foundation that it is a recognised fact that, in taking up a book written by
him, the reader is in for a delightful half -hour, during which his risible and
humorous faculties will be pleasantly stimulated. The history of young
Archibald Highton Tregauntly, whose fortunes we follow from the cradle to
when experience is just beginning to teach him a few wholesome lessons, is as
smart and brisk as it is possible to be." Whitehall Review.
" It will be matter for regret if the brisk and lively style of Mr. Nesfield,
who at times reminds us of Lever, should blind people to the downright
wickedness of such a perverted career as is here described." Daily Chronicle.
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MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
544 pages, crown 8vo., green cloth boards, price Is. 6d. (Only 500
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Dickensiana.
A Bibliography of the Literature relating to CHAKLES DICKENS
and his Writings.
Compiled by FRED. G. KITTON, author of " ' Phiz ' (Hablot K.
Browne), a Memoir," and "John Leech, Artist and Humourist."
With a Portrait of "Boz," from a Drawing by SAMUEL LAURENCE.
" This book is honestly what it pretends to be, and nothing more. It is a
comprehensive catalogue of all the writings of Mr. Charles Dickens, and of a
good quantity of books written about him. It also contains copious extracts
from reviews of his works and from sermons on his character. The criticisms
are so various, and some of them are so much at variance with others, that
the reader of them can complain of nothing less than a lack of material on
which to form his judgment, if he has not formed it already, on the claim of
Mr. Dickens to occupy a front place in the rank of English classics. Asser-
tions, if not arguments, are multiplied on either side." Saturday Review.
"Mr. Fred. G. Kitton .... has done his work with remarkable thorough-
ness, and consequently with real success. It is a subject on which I may
fairly claim to speak, and I may say that all I know, and a great deal I did
not know, about Dickens is to be found in Mr. Kitton's work."" Atlas," in
the World.
" DICKENSIANA."
" If with your Dickens-lore you'd make
Considerable headway,
The way to be well-read's to take
This book brought out by REDWAY.
'Tis clear, exhaustive, and compact,
Both well arranged and written ;
A mine of anecdote and fact,
Compiled by F. G. KITTON." Punch.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
In the press.
MR. SWINBURNE'S NEW POEM.
A Word for the Navy,
BY
ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE.
Edition limited to 250 copies, each numbered.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
24 MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
Transactions of the London
Lodge of the Theosophical
Society :
Nos. 1 and 2. Out of print.
No. 3. On the Higher Aspect of Theosophic Studies. By
MOHINI M. CHATTERJI.
No. 4. A Synopsis of Baron Du Prel's " Philosophic der Mystik."
By BERTRAM KEIGHTLEY.
No. 5. A Paper on Reincarnation. By Miss ARUNDALE. And
other Proceedings.
No. 6. The Theosophical Movement. By A. P. SINNETT.
No. 7. The Higher Self. By A. P. SINNETT.
No. 8. The Theosophical Society and its Work. By MOHINI
M. CHATTERJI.
No. 9. A Paper on Krishna. By MOHINI M. CHATTERJI.
No. 10. On Mesmerism. By A. P. SINNETT.
No. 11. Theosophy in the Works of Richard Wagner. By W.
ASHTON ELLIS.
Nos. 3 to 11, and each succeeding number as issued, may be had,
price One Shilling.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
In large crown 8vo. Price 3s. 6d.
Sithron, the Star Stricken.
Translated (Ala bereket Allah) from an ancient Arabic Manuscript.
BY
SALEM BEN TJZAIR, of Bassora.
"This very remarkable book, ' Sithron,' ... is a bold, pungent, audacious
satire upon the ancient religious belief of the Jews. ... No one can read the
book without homage to the force, the tenderness, and the never-failing skill
of its writer." St. James's Gazette.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 25
In demy Svo., choicely printed. Cloth or Japanese parchment.
Price 7s. Gd.
Primitive Symbolism
As Illustrated in Phallic Worship ; or, The Reproductive
Principle,
BY
The late HODDER M. WESTROPP.
With an Introduction by MAJOR-GENERAL FORLONG, Author of
"Rivers of Life."
"This work is a multum in parvo of the growth and spread of Phallicism, as
we commonly call the worship of nature or fertilizing powers. I felt, when
solicited to enlarge and illustrate it on the sudden death of the lamented
author, that it would be desecration to touch so complete a compendium by
one of the most competent and soundest thinkers who have written on this
world-wide faith. None knew better or saw more clearly than Mr. Westropp
that in this oldest symbolism and worship lay the foundations of all the
goodly systems we call Religions." J. G. R. FORLONG.
" A well-selected repertory of facts illustrating this subject, which should
be read by all who are interested in the study of the growth of religions."
Westminster Review.
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Printed on Whatman's hand-made paper, at the Chiswick Press.
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Immodesty in Art.
An Expostulation and Suggestion in a Letter to Sir Frederick
Leighton.
BY
FREDERICK GEORGE LEE, LL.D., F.S.A.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET. COVENT GARDEN.
26 MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
Fii *m'dl Svo., han Isomdy printed on antique paper, and tastefully
bound. Price 2s. 6d.
Pope Joan
(THE FEMALE POPE).
A Historical Study. Translated from the Greek of Emmanuel
Rhoidis, with Preface by
CHARLES HASTINGS COLLETTE.
"When Dr. Dollinger wrote to the effect that 'the subject of Pope Joan
has not yet lost interest,' he said no more than the truth. The probability is
that the topic will always have its attractions for the lovers of the curiosities
of history. Mr. Baring-Gould has declared that ' the whole story of Pope
Joan is fabulous, and rests on not a single historical foundation ;' but others
are Tiot so firmly convinced in the matter, and at all times there are those
who are anxious to investigate singular traditions Rhoidis discusses
the topic with much learning and ingenuity, and Mr. Collette's introduction
is full of information." Globe.
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Notes and Queries.
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NOW READY.
In crown 8uo., about 350 pages, with Illustrations, and Historico-
symbolical binding. Price Is. 6d.
History of the Rosicrucians.
FOUNDED ON THEIR OWN MANIFESTOES,
AND ON FACTS AND DOCUMENTS COLLECTED FROM THE WRITINGS OF
INITIATED MEMBERS.
BY
ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE,
AUTHOR OF
" The Mysteries of Magic : a Digest of the Writings of Eliphas Levi."
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 27
Demy ISmo., 200 pages, cloth, uncut. Price 2s.
Welle risms
" Pickwick " and " Master Humphrey s Clock"
Selected by CHARLES F. RIDEAL.
EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION, BT
CHARLES KENT,
Author of " The Humour and Pathos of Charles Dickens."
"Some write well, but he writes Weller." Epigram on Dickens.
" Some of, the best sayings of the immortal Sam and his sportive parent are
collected here. The book may be taken up for a few minutes with the cer-
tainty of affording amusement, and it can be carried away in the pocket."
Literary World.
" It was a very good idea .... the extracts are very humorous . . . .here
nothing is missed." Glasgow Herald.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
64 pp., Svo., tvrapper. Price 1,9. Qd.
THE
" Occult World Phenomena,"
AND
The Society for Psychical Research.
BY
A. P. SINNETT,
AUTHOR OP "THE OCCULT WORLD," "ESOTERIC BUDDHISM," ETC.
With a Protest by MADAME BLAVATSKY.
" An interesting addition to the fast-expanding literature of Theosophy."
Literary World.
" All who are interested in Theosophy should read it." Glasgow Herald.
" Mr. Sinnett scores some points against his adversary, and his pamphlet is to
be followed by some memoirs of Madame Blavatsky, which may contain further
refutations. Madame Blavatsky herself appends to the pamphlet a brief and
indignant denial of the grave charges which have been made against her."
Graphic.
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28 MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
In crown Svo,, 2 vols., cloth. Price 6s.
The Valley of Sorek.
BY
GERTRUDE M. GEORGE.
With a Critical Introduction by RICHARD HERNE SHEPHERD.
" There is in the book a high and pure moral and a distinct conception of
character. . . . The dramatis personce .... are in reality strongly in-
dividual, and surprise one with their inconsistencies just as real human
beings do. . . . There is something powerful in the way in which the reader
is made to feel both the reality and the untrustworthiness of his (the hero's)
religious fervour, and the character of the atheist, Graham, is not less strongly
and definitely conceived. ... It is a work that shows imagination and
moral insight, and we shall look with much anticipation for another from
the same hand." Contemporary Review.
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Price Is.
Low Down,
Wayside Thoughts in Ballad and other Verse.
BY
TWO TRAMPS.
" This is a collection of short pieces, most of which can fairly be considered
poetry no slight merit, as verses run just now. Some of the pieces are singu-
larly pathetic and mournful ; others, though in serious guise, are permeated
by quaint humour ; and all of them are of considerable merit. From the
variety and excellence of the contents of this bundle of poetical effusions, it
is likely to attract a great number of readers, and many passages in it are
particularly suitable for recitation." Army and Navy Gazette, Aug. 14, 1886.
" But ' Low Down,' as it is called, has the distinction of being multi-
coloured, each sheet of eight pages consisting of paper of a special hue. To
turn over the leaves is, in fact, to enjoy a sort of kaleidoscopic effect, a glimpse
of a literary rainbow. Moreover, to complete the peculiarity of the thing, the
various poems are printed, apparently at haphazard, in large or small type, as
the case may be. There are those, perhaps, who would take such jokes too
seriously, and bring them solemnly to the bar of taste, there to be as solemnly
condemned. But that is scarcely the right spirit in which to regard them.
There is room in life for the quaint and curious as well as for the neat and
elegant." The Olobe.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 29
Monthly, "2s.; Yearly Subscription, 20s.
The Theosophist :
A Magazine of Oriental Philosophy, Art, Literature and Occultism.
CONDUCTED BY
H. P. BLAVATSKY.
Vols. I. to VIII. Now Ready.
' ' Theosophy has suddenly risen to importance. . . . The movement im-
plied by the term Theosophy is one that cannot be adequately explained in
a few words . . . those interested in the movement, which is not to be
confounded with spiritualism, will find means of gratifying their curiosity
by procuring the back numbers of The Theosophist and a very remarkable
book called 'Isis Unveiled,' by Madame Blavatsky." Literary World.
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LITERARY & HISTORICAL EDITION OF POE'S RAVEN.
Crown Svo. , parchment , gilt top, uncut, price 6s.
The Raven.
BY
EDGAR ALLAN POE.
With Historical and Literary Commentary.
By JOHN H. INGRAM.
"This is an interesting monograph on Poe's famous poem. First comes
the poet's own account of the genesis of the poem, with a criticism, in
which Mr. Ingram declines, very properly, we think, to accept the history
as entirely genuine. Much curious information is collected in this essay.
Then follows the poem itself, with the various readings, and then its after-
history ; and after these ' Isadore,' by Albert Pike, a composition which
undoubtedly suggested the idea of ' The Raven ' to its author. Several trans-
lations are given, two in French, one in prose, the other in rhymed verse ;
besides extracts from others, two in German and one in Latin. But perhaps
the most interesting chapter in the book is that on the ' Fabrications.' "The
Spectator.
" There is no more reliable authority on the subject of Edgar Allan Poe
than Mr. John H. Ingram . . . the volume is well printed and tastefully
bound in spotless vellum, and will prove to be a work of the greatest interest
to all students of English and American literature. "The Publisher's Circular.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
30 MR. REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
In crown Svo., parchment. Price 3s. 6d.
The Anatomy of Tobacco;
Or, Smoking Methodised, Divided, and Considered after a New
Fashion.
BY
LEOLINUS SILURIENSIS.
" A very clever and amusing parody of the metaphysical treatises once in
fashion. Every smoker will be pleased with this volume." Notes and Queries.
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pen. . . . contains some very clever burlesques of classical modes of writing,
and a delicious parody of scholastic logic." Literary World.
" A delightful mock essay on the exoteric philosophy of the pipe and the
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GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
[!N THE PRESS.]
Posthumous Humanity:
A STUDY OF PHANTOMS.
BY
ADOLPHE D'ASSIEB,
MEMBER OF THE BORDEAUX ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
TRANSLATED AND ANNOTATED BT
HENRY S. OLCOTT,
PRESIDENT OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY.
Only authorized translation.
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MR. RED WAY'S PUBLICATIONS. 31
EBEIEZER JOIES'S POEMS.
In post 8vo., cloth, old style. Price 5s.
Studies of Sensation and Event.
Poems by EBENKZER JONES.
Edited, Prefaced, and Annotated by RICHARD HERNE SHEPHERD.
With Memorial Notices of the Author by SUMNER JONES
and W. J. LINTON.
A new Edition. With Photographic Portrait of the Poet.
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lected genius in our modern school of poetry. His poems are full of vivid
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The Scope and Charm of Anti-
quarian Study.
BY
JOHN BATTY, F.B.Hist.S.,
MEMBER OF THE YORKSHIRE ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND TOPOGRAPICAL
ASSOCIATION.
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researches." Notes and Queries.
"The author has laid it before the public in a most inviting, intelligent,
and intelligible form, and offers every incentive to the study in every depart-
ment, including Ancient Records, Manorial Court-Rolls, Heraldry, Painted
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to each of which the attention of the student is directed. The pamphlet is
printed on a beautiful modern antique paper, appropriate to the subject of
the work." Brighton Exo.mlner.
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time,' has clearly and concisely summed up, in the space of a few pages, all
the various objects which may legitimately be considered to come within the
scope of antiquarian study." Academy.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
32 MR REDWAY'S PUBLICATIONS.
An Edition de luxe, in demy I8mo. Price Is.
Confessions of an English Hachish
Eater.
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weird, unhealthy imaginations." Whitehall Re-view.
" Imagination or some other faculty plays marvellous freaks in this little
book." '-Lloyd's Weekly.
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his dreams, and .... carefully explains how hachish may be made from
the resin of the common hemp plant. "--Daily Chronicle.
"To be added to the literature of what is, after all, a very undesirable
subject. Weak minds may generate a morbid curiosity if stimulated in this
direction." Bradford Observer.
" The stories told by our author have a decidedly Oriental flavour, and we
would not be surprised if some foolish individuals did endeavour to procure
some of the drug, with a view to experience the sensation described by the
writer of this clever brochure." Edinburgh Courant.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
NEWLY-DISCOYERED POEM BY CHABLES LAMB,,
Beauty and the Beast ;
OR,
A Rough Outside with a Gentle Heart.
By CHARLES LAMB. Now first reprinted from the Original
Edition of 1811, with Preface and Notes
BY
RICHARD HERNE SHEPHERD.
Only 100 Copies printed.
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The Kabala Denudata
(Translated into English),
CONTAINING THE FOLLOWING BOOKS OF THE ZOHAB :
1 . The Book of Concealed Mystery.
2. The Greater Holy Assembly.
3. The Lesser Holy Assembly.
Collated with the original Hebrew and the Latin text of Knorr
de Rosenroth's " Kabala Denudata,"
BY
S. LIDDELL M. MATHERS.
GEORGE REDWAY, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
INDEX.
Ambulance Sermons ..
Astrology llieologized
Anatomy of Tobacco ..
A ntinuarian Study ..
Astrologer's Guide
Archceoloqy and Occultism . .
Adams, F. W. L
Adams, Mrs. Davenport . .
Andrews, W
Arundale, Miss
PAGE
.. 30
.. 7
.. 30
.. 31
.. 34
.. 18
.. 30
.. 11
.. 9
.. 24
Linton.W. J. . 31
Lilly 34
Leolinus Siiuriensis 30
Low Down 28
Literature of Occultism and Arch-
(eoloc/y . . . . 18
Leicester . .... 30
Lee, F. G 25
Love Affair, Ihe 38
Martinengo-Cesaresco, Countess.. 10
Maitland, E 6,37
Mathers 39
Baughan, Rosa
Blavatsky, H. P
33, 35
13, 27
20
Machen, A 22
Mountaineering below the Snoivline 9
Mysteries of Magic S
fesfield, H. W 22
ew Illumination
ature and Law 3
Occult World Phenomena .. ..27
Olcott, H.S 19, :'.(>
Occultism and Archeology .. . . 18
"Phiz" 21
Physiognomy 35
Primitive Symbolism 25
Palmistry 33
Panton J E 2(J
Batty, John
Boger, Mrs. E
Bonatus
Browne. HablSt K
Betts B W
.. 31
.. 38
.. 34
.. 21
. 11
Beauty and the Beast 32
Blood Covenant 13
Cosmo de' Medici 34
Curate's Wife, The 26
Confessions of an English Hachish
Eater .. ..32
rruikshank, George
Church, W. E
.. 21
.. 21
.. 34
Cook, Miss Louisa S
Collette, C. H
Chatter.ji, Mohini M
Clarke, H. W
.. 11
20, 39
.. 24
.. 15
Poe .. -'it
Paterson M 9
. 15
Path. The .. 37
Phallicism 12
Posthumous Humanity .. .. "'>
Raven, Th,e 29
Kedway, G W 5
Dickensiana
Dreams of the Derby ..
Drummond
Eliphas Levi's Writings
Ellis, W. A
.. 23
.. 38
.. 3
.. 8
.. 24
Regular Pickle, A . . . . 22
Rideal, C. F 27
Rosicrucians, History of .. . . 26
Salem Ben Uzair 24
Sultan Stork
Sheykh-Zada l
Forlong, Major-General J. G. R.
Forty yezirs
Folk-Songs
Fifine
.. 25
.. 10
.. 16
.. S
g
Geometrical Psychology
George, G. M.
.. 11
.. 28
Swinburne, A. C 11,17,23
Sinnett, A. P 13,27,36
Spiritual Hermencuti'-s .. .. 7
Sea Song and River llhyme .. 11
Shepherd, R.H 28,31,331
Swinburne, Bibliography of ..IT
Sithron . 24
Gibb.E.J. W
Hints to Collectors
Heptamcron .. .. ..
Hope, Lieut. -Colonel W. . .
Horne R H
.. 10
14, 15
.. 22
.. 38
34
Scott, J. G 20
Studies of Sensation and Event .. 31
Serjeant, W. C. Eldon .. .. M
Story, A. T
Theosophy, Religion, and Occult
Science .19
Tobacco Talk :f>
Theosophist, The 2
Two Tramps . . 28
Hartmann, F
Hermes
History of Tithes
Immodesty in Art
Ingram, John H
Inr-Ments in the Life of H.
Blavatsky
Johnson, C. P
Jones, Ebenezer
Jones, Sumner
Judge, W. Q
Jennings, Hargrave
Keightlev B
.. 4
.. 39
.. 15
,. 25
P. w
.. 13
14, 15
.. 31
.. 31
.. 37
.. 12
24
Transactions L. L. T. S. .. . 24
Thackeray 6,14,21
Trumbull . 13
United 36
Valley of Sorek 28
Kitton, F. G 21
Kabala Denudata
Kent, Charles . .
Kingsford, Mrs. Anna, M.D.
Lamb
, 23, 33
.. 39
.. 27
7,37
.. 32
Virgin of the World 37
Walford's Antiquarian .. .. (
Westropp, H. M. . 2&
Wellerism* 27
\Vaite, A. E 18 26
Word for the Nacu 23
L%* .: .: .: ..
.. 33
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