THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES PT 17/5" ARABIAN TALES. The Adventures of S^neitflapia t and tbt Princefs Ilfetilfcne. UNDER the reign of Haroun-Alrafchid, a young man, of the moft regular features, cf the moft beautiful and agreeable counte- nance, and of the moft majeftic and elegant mein, came to fettle in Bagdad, Here he pur- chafed a coniiderable inn, empty by the death of an eminent citizen ; he embelliflied the gar- dens, gave a new appearance to the rooms, and, in fhort, he converted this fmall palace into fuch a fplendid cook's fhop as had never been feen in Bagdad, or perhaps in any other city of Alia. Here every thing was ferved xip in filver- plate and china, by flaves dreffed with uncom- mon tafte and neatnefs. The paftry, and every other difh, was feafoned with a delicacy which even the cooks of the caliph were unable to ri- val. This moft eminent cook's name was Si- mouftapha. VOL. II. A His '2 ARABIAN TALES, His fine figure, his engaging and polite manner, and the fplendid entertainments which he gave, foon" invited to his houfe the firft rate people of Bagdad , and, as his ragouts never failed to iharpen the blunteil appetite, he became the favourite cook of the place. His houfe and gardens were continually crowded with thofe who prefer luxury to the moft rational enjoy- ments. The caliph's courtiers were conftsntly prai- fing in his prefence the cook's exquiiite enter- tainments ; but, either the prince could fpare no time for the trifles of the kitchen, or the defire of fatisfying himfelf of the fkill of Si- rnouftapha muft come to him in a way corre- Iponding with his own whim and caprice. The Haves, particularly the females, of Ha- foun's palace, took a turn every on learned that it . was got at Simouftapha's ibop, the cook of whom he had heard fo much. The ARABIAN TALES. The fukanefs propofed to Haroun that next morning they fliould have a full fervke fronj tliis excellent cook's {hop, and that Me&eur ihould be inftantly dilpatched -with, the neceite- ry commands, This is but little of what the enthuliafin of the old gcvernefs about Simouftapha excited in the palace. Every thing confpired to increafo it : His eafy manner, his fine figure, the real excellence of lus ragouts, and the preppiTeffion of the whole palace in his favour, although he had fcarcely been a year at Bagdad. Haroun eat with a Tery uncommon relifh at the table of his favourite fultanefs, and fho\ved that he was particularly pieafed with the repaft. Next morning he ordered his own table to be fupplied from the fame ihop j his women partook of the dainties. In fhort, it came to this, that nobody in the pa- lace thought himfelf well dined imlefs there were one or two of Simouftapha's difhes on the table. Namouna rejoiced in feeing her idol's repu- tation increafe. The caliph had already fent to his daughter's table feveral of the moil exqui- fite difhes ; but they did not flatter her palate fo much as the governefs expected. The con- tinual mention that was made of Simouftapha's A name 6 ARABIAN TALES. name diftra&ed her; but the gluttonous w- man was not here for nothing. " See,'* fays the good governefs, " how .this charms the eye; fmell this cake." She now defcribes the kitchen of Simouftapha : It is as beautiful as if it were hung round with mir- rors. The pavement is of polifhed marble; every thing is incomparably brilliant. In the middle of feven beautiful young men, drefFed as for a wedding, and employed about the fur- naces, Simonftapha watches over the buflnefs. Being confklerably higher than any of the workmen, he appears like the moon among the ftars. He finiihes off every difh himfelf, and thus conveys to it a ftcret charm." But, whilft the cvld governefs was thus launching out into the praifes-of the cook, (he did not per- ceive what impreffion fhe was making upon the young princefs ; for thefe encomiums kindled a flame no lefs lively than dangerous, Ilfetilfone, who wifhed to conceal both from Iierfelf and others her fondnefs for a cook, ia endeavouring to combat the riling paflion, lo- Tes her fleep, her appetite, her tranquillity, and falls into fuch a melancholy, as made her affec- tionate father dread the eonfequence.. The poor governefs bewailed the fituation of her charming miftrefs. Her fighs made her fufpeft the caufe of hear uneaiinefs. In ihort, m ARABIAN TALES. *} an order winch Ihe received, though but of little confequence, confirmed her fufpicions. For two days the princefs had eaten nothing : I fee," faid Namouna, that I will be obli- ged to procure for you, as well as for myft If, a difli from the hand of my friend Simoufta- pha." The beautiful princefs fmiled without fcyirrg any thing j and the obliging old governefs ran to her favourite cook's fhop. " Serve me well," faid (he to him, " my amiable young man ; I have a daughter whofe life is dearer to me than my o\vn , difplay your fkill in preparing a difh to revive her appetite. For thefe two days Ihe has eaten nothing, and I fear the confe- quence. If you make a ragout to pleafc her, you fhall have a hundred fequins for your trouble." Simouftapha looked the old lady broad in the face, and knew perfectly that fhe had no daughter ; befldes, that the hundred fequins which fhe offered were fufficknt to afiure him of the fact if he had not known it already. " Is fhe then indifpofed ?" replied he, with an air of anxiety. " More than indifpofed," anfwered Namouna ; " you fee my diftrefs for her : but whatever comes from you is fb good, that, if {he once tafte it, I hope fhe will get bet- ter." ttr wd "b This ARABIAN TALBS. This is the firft time," replied Simoufta- p'ha, "that I have been afraid of not fucceed- ;ng." He fet inftantly to work, and fuifered nobody to touch it but hknfelf : Li a moment the old woman was ready to fet out *for the palace ; but fhe firft wanted to iatisfy his de- mands. The cook would take nothing. " If it pleafe her," faid lie, I am well paid j if not, I fliould have nothing.". Wamouna reached the palace, prefented the ragout ; Ilfetilfone tafted it, found it delicious, and eat the whole of it. The eyes of the go? vernefs fparkled with joy upon feeing the fuo cefs of her ftratagemj and fhe now extolled the complaifance, the eagernefs, and the ad- drefs of Sknouftapha. He believed, faid fhe, that it was for my daughter ; hi an inftant he fet to work. I would have given him a hundred fequins, but he would take nothing ; he was happy that he had it in his power to oblige me. In what fort of a body, faid Ilfetilibne, does this dignity and nobility of a prince lodge ? It lodges, replied Namouna, hi a body which Solomon himfelf would be proud of, were he to appear again upon earth; and he would find it difficult to acquit himfelf fo well as Simou- ftapha. When ARABIAN TALCS. J$ Wlien the repaft was over, this beautiful princefs abandoned herfelf anew to her phren- zy. " What," faid Namouna to her, " are you to behave fo, after you have eaten with fuch pleafure ! Inftead of diiiracYmg you, I thought that I fhould have put you in a fitua- tlon to receive the caliph, both with greater pleafure to yourfelf and more comfort to him." " I cannot do otherwise, my dear Namou- na," faid the princefs, " in fpite of me my heart is wounded." Without doubt, replied the governefs, there is a fecret within your breaft which preys upon your vitals, and yet you would conceal it from me, who love you more than my own life. As my fecret, anfwered Ilfclilfone, is nothing to my honour, it ought to die with myfelf. If I cannot keep it, am I to expect that another can ? My beautiful princefs, replied the governefs, you are about to haften your deftiny. My foul is a well into which your fecret may dsfcend without ever being feen again, and I may fall upon fome means to afford you comfort. " Oh, Namouna," interrupted Ilfetilfone, w pray to God to cure m, he muft interpofe fome miracle in my behalf." Well we will pray together, and obtain this miracle. He has already performed many in thefe 1O ARABIAN TALES. thefe places. By miraculous interposition he delivened the Jews, his chofen people, from th* hands o Pharaoh : But, in the prefent cafe, he will not have to dry up the fea, Inftead of that great man Mofes, there is only need of a fe- condary instrument, and here am I ready to ferve you; confide in me; don't diftruft her who loves you more than her own life, and who is ready to facrifice it to your intereft. I have years and experience; I can adminifter ufeful counfel, and devife methods which your own inexperience could never fuggeft. In a word, intruft me with the fubjeft of that me- lancholy which, you indulge at the rilk of your life. Ho ! my good Namouna, replied the prin- cefs, ihame ought to fliut my mouth ; but my confidence in you makes me open it. You know as well as I the true caufe of my misfortune ; and I would have blamed you more than any perfon elfe for having contribu- ted to it, did I not fee that it is the effect of an inevitable fatality. I am paffionately in love : every thing has tended to inflame my paflion, and to derange rny brain. - You, N.^nouna, the women of the palace, my father the caliph, every one teems to me to be him. In {hort, he hath appeared to me in two dreams. Now name, if you dare, the ARABIAN TALES. I ! the object of my affection : tell who is the only- man with whom the daughter of the com- mander of the faithful, of the king of the kings of the earth would live, and without whom Kfe itfclf would be infupportable. Excufe, if poiTible, this incredible extravagance, and par- don yourfelf for having raifed it by your con- tinual accounts and encomiums. " Have you feen him in your dreams ?" faid the ferious old governefs with a grave counte- nance : " You may aiTure yourfelf that if it was really he, he was as beautiful as the angel who poured out the fherbet to the great prophet when he was tranflated to the feventh heaven. Do you recollect his features ? "No, that is impoffibie," faidllfetilfone; "I was confounded, tranfported, at the fight of fuch an enchanting object. He threw himfelf at my feet, and fwore that he would adore no other crea- ture but me ; but in two dreams I have con- ftantly feen the fame object;. I would recollect him if I faw him again ; but it is as impoffible for me to paint him, as to forget him. " Thus, Namouna," added the prmcefs, with an air of confiifion, ** while my father denies the princes of the eaft, one after another, the pretended honour of my hand, the object of the love and ambition of fo many kings,, I would V Z ARABIAN TALES. would think myfclf happy in being bound for life to ." "To Simouftapha," replied the old woman : *' don't biufh to name him; his name is a pa- negyric. All the crowns upon earth fhould be put upon his head. There are a hundred kings in the world., but there fliould be none but Si- mouftapha." " Take care," /aid lifetilfone, " you will ruin me." I ruin you, my dear princefs, I love you more than my own foul. Let the angel of death fhut my eyes as foon as they h;>ve \vit- nelTed your felicity. We muft vifit Sirnonfb- pha together; and if you find that i,t v.- -.3 he who appeared to you in your two drearrd ve- ftore the red to your lips. To-mor: )\v you lhall fee him whom you love; then you fiiall know if it be he whom the enchanting dream has prefented to you ; and, as 1 am always ready to ferve you, matters fhall be mana- ged fo, as not to have the fmalleft appear- ance .of being thought of before-hand. life- tilibnc, ARABIAN TALES. 1 3 tllfbne, a little comforted, upon hearing this went to bed. Early next morning the old governefs flew to the (hop of Simouftapha. I am come," faid fhe to him, 4RABIAN TALES. " Let us fwear," faid the princefs, " to lire always for each other in fpite of fortune, and always to guard againft whatever may be the leaft obftacle to our union." " Here, at your knees, Iiwearto the above v by the name of the great prophet,"' cried Sr- mouftapha^ The beautiful princefs raifed him up ; the tendereft kifles fealed their oaths, and eauied their tears flow and difappear every now and then. Namouna, too infenfible of the value of thefe tears, wanted to ftop them.. " What !" fnid fhe, " are you going to pafs the time in weeping, inflead of rejoicing ? How I hate languifhing lovers. Drink, eat, and banifh forrow. 5 * At the fame time fhe ferved them with different forts of food, and made them drink the one after the other from the fame cup. " Have you no mufical inftruments ?" faid fhe to Simouila- pha. *" Send for them r nobody fees us ; and, when you fhall have done with weeping, I will, teach you how to amufe yourfelves." The mute, upon a lignal from his mafter, ran and brought different mufical inftruments. Namouna took up one of them, and began with a fprightly tone ; but Ilfetilfone, with a ten- der and feducing voice, fell a repeating fome charming verfes, which rendered the harmo- aious founds of the iaftrumonts, which fhe grace- fully ARABIAN TALES. 3 t fully played upon, ftill more affecting. Simoufla- pha anfwered her immediately, and discovered as much genius and judgment in the composition of the words, as {kill in the mufic. He fhone chiefly in the tender and affecting expreffions. For the inftant Namouna was content ; they too feemed to be amufed \ but fhe put a flop to their pleafures, by warning them to part, that they might give no fufpicion to the eunuchs, and the females who compofed their retinue. It was not without remorfe, that thefe two hap- py lovers yielded to the circumflance. They fealed their adieus with tender embraces and new tears. " By Mahomet !" faid the impa- patient Namouna, " have done, and let us part quickly." The lovers parted. The princefswas'dextrous enough to conceal the features of her counte- nance, that they might not difcover the paf- iions by which fhe was about to be agi- tated. Upon this fhe joined her flaves, in order to return to the palace, fupported by the hope of foon feeing her dear Siraouftapha again. The caliph was waiting with impatience for his daughter. As foon as the principal eunuch had announced her, he ran to her with the ut- moft affection to afk her how fhe was after the bath,, and her walk, fltetilfone 34 ARABIAN TALESv Ilfetllfone exprefied herfelf pleafed \viih the variety of objects which, fhe had feen in the {hops. The c^iph, finding her eyes more ani- mated than ufual, and her complexion more vivid than that of the governefs, congratulated him- felf upon having had it in his power to amufe lier in the ftreets of Bagdad. The princefs Zo- bieda, on feeing her daughter, was equally hap- py in finding that melancholy removed, which might have been attended with dangerous con- fequences. At length, it was agreed upon, that Ilfetil- fone, after refling two days, fhould return to Bagdad in fearch of new amufements for her health. And the criers were ordered to an- nounce the intention of the caliph. Ah ! what long two days ! faid the princefs. Can you conceive my fituation, my dear Namou- na, during this cruel abfence ? and how I {hall be able to live at fuch a diftance from Simou- ftapha ? " If thefe two days were added to mine," faid Namouna, " they would roll on quicker than your's." Ah ! how would you fill them up ? I would fleep the beft half,, and fpend the reft in eating, drinking, and enjoying myfelf, and in .dreaming on the pleafure of foon feeing my beau- .tiful Simouftapha again; befides, I fhould not give myfelf fo much pain about feeing my lover, ARABIAN TALES. 33 if we were to weep all the time like infants, or to pay one another asferious compliments as thofe that are ufed on the instalment of a mufti. I have not always been old ; I have been in love, tho'it was never known; but I managed matters other- wife. It is generally believed that we who are chearful never think, becaufe we laugh much, and often laugh at what others think. But, had I been engaged in an adventure like your's,! ihould have acted a capital part. You, Namouna, are not the daughter of a caliph. The glory of my father, his rank, and his fenfibility, combat my feelings ; and my lover, who, in my eyes, is worthy of the lot of a king, is furely nothing el fe. No more of that, faid Namotma fmart- ly, he is nothing but a cook ; it is all he wants to be ; but, furely, there is nothing more ami- able on earth. There is happinefs in every con- dition i I defpife greatnefs, when attended with uneafinefs ; and I could be happier with the beautiful cook, than with all the kings of the eaft- You are too deep in love, Namouna, replied Ilfetilfone. One of us, faid the old go- vernefs, muft make the other merry, otherwife this palace would become a fcene of forrow. Take' care of yourfelf, and don't walk a living mummy hi Bagdad. The chearfulnefs of the govcrnefs diverted the princefs, and quieted her impatience. Si- mouftapha, 34 ARABIAN TALES. mouftapha, on the other hand, amufed himftlf in preparing fomething new, in order the more agreeably to furprife his miftrefs. The fervices on gold and precious vafes were to fucceed thofe of filver and china ; the houfe was filled with perfumes; every thing in it announced e- legance and neatnefs ; all the flaves were in mo- tion ; and flill more would have been done, fhould it not have excited too great a curiofity. At laft the two days were finifhed ; the hour arrived. Ilfetilfone proceeded from the bath, in all her charms ; and added to their luftre that of the moft fplendid and moft exqni- te drefs. Thus adorned, fhe defcended into the flreets of Bagdad, attended by all her* flaves. ' As fhe approached the fhop of her lover, {he went into all that fhe met with. Her retinue, difperfed among the different warehoufes, were eager to view and to examine every thing , and, when fhe imagined that their attention was fuf- fkiently engaged, fhe immediately, along with Namouna, entered Simouftapha's houfe, where nobody was left but the mute. Early in the morning, the cook had warned his people, that it would be prudent for them, before the caliph's daughter fhould traverle the ftreets of Bagdad, to go and dine on the other ,de of the Jalla and the Ilphaza, and take with them ARABIAN TALES. 3^ them whatever fhould be necefiary. This or- cler, accompanied with a few pieces of gold, was very agreeable to them. Ilfetilfone palled from .the {hop into the gar- den ; the mute made a fign; and, in a moment, the two lovers were in each others arms. Whilft fruits and different forts of provifions are ferved up, her curiofity determines her to examine the different beauties of the garden, and the order of the houfe, to which tafte and elegance appeared to have contributed more than riches. But, when the princefs was in the inner part of it, every thing ihe faw occafioned a new furprile; every thing there difplayed the moft uncommon luxury. " You are about, my princefs," faid Simou- ftapha to her, " to enter a room which nobody hath feen before, and where I never fet my foot. It was defigned but for one perfon, and I durft never flatter myfelf that {he would ever embellifh it with her prefence. Thefe words excited in Ilfetilfone an extra- ordinary emotion. She was quite furprifed to find fo much riches in a cook's houfe. She now went to {ee an apartment ftill more fuperb, prepared for only one perfon ; and every thing told her that fhe was the one. The door of the apartment opened ; the par- lour which immediately appeared, was more richly g ARABIAN TALES. richly ornamented than any in Bagdad, and was fit for the reception of the greatefl fovereign. They now pafs into another magnificent room embellifhed with fofas and cushions of brocado. The princefs could not help expreffing the great- eft aftoniilmient. Namouna opened her eyes. Every thing {he fees is the object of her furprife, and the caufe of her filence. She durft touch nothing ; but ilood fpeechlefs amid fo much riches. " For whom," faicl tlie princefs, " is this a- partment deligned ?" (t For no other," replied the amorous youth, " but the moft beautiful and charming of princcfTes.'* " AhJ" exclaim- ed flie, K Heaven and Mahomet grant that fhe may enjoy it t" In faying that, fhe fell into a fwoon ; but, being carried upon cufhions, flie foon recovered. " Who has placed me here ?" faid fhe j it is myfelf. " It is he," replied Na- mouna j u every thing here lias been designed for you ; command like a fultanefs." " Will you then ftay here with me, Simouftapha ?" re- plied the princefs. " He who has devoted his whole life to you cannot rob you of one mo- ment of it." What finely turned compliments ! faid Na- mouna, ftepping haftily out of the room : The eunuch and I go to lay ^he cloth. Our lovers were aJgne j paffion tranfported them.. ARABIAN TALES. diem ; but duty, conftrained them ; the moft delicate fpeeches were mingled with the ten- dereft carefTes, and promifes of mutual affec- tion. The defire of binding the knot of their eternal felicity ; the idea of difficulties which ieemed to exclude all hope ; tears extorted by fear, and fweetened by hope fuch was the picture they exhibited. " My dear Simoufbpha !" fakl the tender Hfetilfone, you appear to pofleis many trea- fures ; and you feem fitted to enjoy them in the nobleft manner ; who then has obliged you to defcend to the condition you now hold ?* " Oh ! my princefs, I have been reduced to it by an irrefiftible power. I have devoted my life to him : I have fworn in your prefence the moft fcrupulous and blind ob-dience , let us not now think upon the paft; let us coniider the future. I cannot live but in the hope of poll feffing you." And I, my dear Siaiouftapha, in the aflurance of feeing you ; but, fladi we accomplifh it ? " That does not belong to you, mr dear princels," replied Simouftapha. Afiured of your heart, it is my part to preferve its peace with the pofieflion of it; and f will triumph over ever/ oppofit : on ; and death alone {hall difunite u?." VOL. II. T) kt 38 ARABIAN TALES. At the fame inftant the key was heard turn- ing ; it was Namouna , fhe entered rejoicing. " Let us go, my dears,'* iaid fhe, " dinner is on the table ; the hours pafs quickly, we fhould employ thofe few well that remain." In faying that (he cafe a glance upon the two lowers ; Sirnouftapha, feated by his miftrefs, was kifling her hand, and bathing it in his tears. Won't you come, faid fhe, from fpending your time in crying ? You are incorrigible, I fee it well. Come, good Celadon ! You have drowned your reafon in tears, you will find k gain in the entertainment which is prepared for you. The lovers went under the canopy : expref- iion of fentiment was painted in their eyes, and their lips were the interpreters of it ; their looks were mingled with careiles ; anticipating c.ires j delicate attentions 5 all bore the cha- racter of the tendered love, and the ftrongeft paliion. " Very well !" faid Namouna ; , the only flaves who recollect Jemal : They \vill carefs you much, and receive you kindly. You will find too upon the table a ftate of what you have to do in order to furnilh the large room. You will find the key of the cupboard, where I put the contents, which I give you the charge of- My four little flaves ihall perform your orders ; but, in order to ful- fil mine, will you be able to provide me with females proper for the fervice of the princefs ? " Do you want a hundred ?" replied the genii, " cf the moft beautiful v/ho furround the throne ARABIAN TALES 4 throne of Setelpedour'ginatille ? Your orders {hall be their laws." " I am aOiamed of his goodnefs," faid Si- mouftapha; " fix are -fufficient." You fhall have them, faid the genius. The new Jemal is recognifed by the (laves of the houfe : The four youngeft load him with carefTes : They are of opinion that this favou- rite domefnc fhould be reftored to his former privileges, and that he mould forthwith be in- trufted with the orders of his mafter. He in- formed them, that Simouftapha would foon occupy the great room ; and that he, and his four little ilaves, were about to make every preparation for that purpoie. Next morning Simouftapha got up before fun-die ; fet to work : Ail the dimes he was to furnifh for this feftival were to be prepared with his own hand. He is the more difficult to pleafe with refpect to the tafte, in order to gain die good graces of the perfon whom he was to flatter. Notwithftanding this, the hours roll on ; the day-ftar is about to end its courfe. Simoufta- pha entered the bath. In a little, he lets off the graces of his perfon, by the luftre of * fplendid drefs. Art and nature confpired to embellifh this mafter-piece of their work ; de- VOL. II. E fire 50 ARABIAN TALES. fire and love animate their Looks : Every thing contributes to the happinefs of his moft affec- tionate miitrefs. -Already had the evening lhades fallen upon Bagdad, when Simouftapha caufed his room be illuminated, and a magnificent entertainment be ferved up, which prepofiefled both the ilght and fmell in its favour. The four flaves re- tired to execute the orders of Jemal : he him- felf appeared to follow them ; but the genius, having other things to do, flew to the palace of Haroun. Ilfetilfone flept ill, as fhe had heard no- thing of Simouftapha. Namouna had loft her temper, and begun to fcold : The flaves and eunuchs had propofed to themfelves a joy- ful night ; but all on a fudden they became quite languid ; the word dies away upon their lips ; their feet ftagger, and become unable to fupport them j the eafy-chairs crafli .with, the weight of their bodies : The eunuchs upon watch feel the fame drowfineis ; and the in- chantment of the fairy diffufes a foporiferous charm throughout the whole palace. When all were aileep^ the fervant of Setel- pedour, according to the orders of Simoufta,- pha, lifted the princefs, and carried her, with- out the leaft noife, into the room that had been prepared for her. ' * The ARABIAN TALES. $1 The glimmering of the lamps, upon which an extraordinary wind blew violently, announ- ced the arrival of the genius ; the princefs is pla- ced upon the nuptial bed ; and Jemal appear- ing, faid to Simouftapha, " Mailer, are your orders executed ? Do you want nothing more with your Have ?" " Where are the females who are to ferve the princefs ?" " Every thing is rea- dy, anfwered the genius ; and, if your highnefs will condefcend to pafs into the neighbouring room, they will foon appear." Simouilapha im- mediately complied. In an inftant, a ball of fire darts forth its fhining rays ; the eye is dazzled with it ; in a little the luftre diminifh- cs, and leaves in its room fix young people, e- quaily diftingui/hed by their beauty and drefs. In their hands they carried a muficivl in- fbrument. Hardly could they diflinguifh thefe ravifliing objects, till the whole viiion bowed down before Simouftapha. He ordered Jemal to employ thefe new flaves in making the neceflary preparations j entered into the room where the princefs was fleeping, and ihut the door upon her. He approached the object of his whole de- fire: Oh, how worthy fhe -appeared of the facrifices he had made to obtain her f The prince was fo inflamed with love, that he wifhed to awake the object of it ; but E 2 the $2 ARABIAN TALES. the tranquillity and happinefs which ap- peared in her face hindered him from inter- rupting her fweet repofe. Alas ! faid Simou- ftapha, I fhall never perhaps have it in my power to make her fo happy as fhe may be in this dream ; yet he could not refift the impulfe of the moment ; he rifked a kifs upon her rofy lips : the magic of love deftroyed the charm of the genius, and Ilfetilfone opened her beautiful eyes. " Ha ! what a tranfporting dream," cried fhe. " It is not a dream," faid the ajmorous Simoufcipha, " you are at the houfe of him who fhall be your hufband in a little." " My hufband !" replied Ilfetilfone, furpri- fed at the enchantment, " by what extraordi- nary favour ?" " Be not furprifed, Qu^een of my foul ! A decree of heaven hath defigned us for one another. A power which you are ignorant of, and of which I know but little, hath this day re-united us, and it fhall be for life. But, be- fore you enter into thefe folemn vows, learn tbe fate of Simouflapha, and view the heir of the great Hilmar, fovereign of the Indies." At thefe words Simouftapha took off his tur- ban, and fhowed a ribband fet with pearls and precious ftones, furpafTed by a diamond whofe luftre dazzled the eyes : And upon the dia- mond ARABIAN TALE?. 55 aiond were engraven thefe words, Given ly tl:e caliph Harntn-Alrafcbid to his dear S;r,ioiiftapba 9 fin of his bratber Hilmar, great king of the Indies, What a difcovery for the -affectionate lifetil- fbne ! If her paffion could be increafed^ he would become proud of her choice. Glory and ambition confummated a happinefs, which feem- ed at firft to depend only upon love. Simouftapha, on the other Jiand, enjoyed the pleafure of having it in his power to re- move an' error which his difguife feemed to confirm. fiyon But why," faid flic then, x did you fub mit to your prefcnt profeffion ?" To tell you plainly, it was love, faid the prince. Now, added he, k only remains to take the celeftial beings to witnefs our union, wait* ing, however, till our parents confirm it by their confent. May you, Mahomet, may the Conftellations, and may the Star of the Seven Seas, (putting his arms acrofs her breaft), be the guardians of our oaths ! May your divine influence depart from us, if we ever break the facred engagements we have this day come un- der ! On a fudden the heavens anfwered the invocation by the voice of thunder ; an invi- fible arm diiFufed obfcurity ; the ftars withdrew^ their luflre, and our lovers were alone. 3 Silence 54 ARABIAN TALJES. Silence and obfcurity had reigned for a con- iiderable while, when at length Ilfetilfone, cu- rious to know flill more of the ftory of her lo- ver, afked him, \vhat motives had induced him to conceal his illuftrious birth? For, as their parents were allied, both by friendship and po- litical interefl, thefe circumftances taken toge- ther, might have contributed to fuch an advan- tageous alliance. There is not, faid Simouftapha, fo great a difparity of rank between us as you imagine : Perhaps the caliph, among all the fovereign princes to whom he hath refufed your hand, has not numbered one with whom an alliance would have been as fuitable, in every refpecl, as with our family, and as well prepared by the bonds of an ancient and fteady friendfhip. Our family was born in the errors of idola- try; but thanks to the zealous attentions of Haroun, the viceroy of God, and the right arm of his great prophet upon earth, we have, been brought to the knowledge of the truth, by ftudying and undemanding the divine Al- coran. This iage commander of the faithful hath always watched over us like an indulgent fa- ther. My father and my mother were al- ways mentioning his kind attentions to us, and their attachment- to him. He has . a ARABIAN TALES. J xnoft beautiful princefs, {aid they ; ah ! if he would grant us for our daughter-in-law the charming Ilfctilfone ; but other monarchs have fought her in vain. He loves her too .dearly, and he will never confent to her forming any connection that will take her from him. Thefe converfations made an impreffion up- on my foul ; my whole thoughts centered upon you : My father had brought to court i a Perfian philofopher named Benalab, who was to have the charge of my education, and to inftil into my heart the principles of virtue. At the fame time, he was to adorn my mind with that uncommon knowledge with which he was endowed. Now and then Benalab was abfent, in qnefl of difcoveries relating to thofe important fludies in which he was engaged. He ufed to go in fcarch of plants upon the mountains of Arme- nia. My parents always celebrated your charms and talents ; and expreiled their regret at the impofllbility which they forefaw in forming fo proper an alliance. In the meantime, they thought of feeking another for me. I retired to my apartment mightily perplexed ; but fcarce- ly had I gone to bed, when, in the middle of a profound fleep, you appeared to me in a dream ; and you had the very fame appearance then as the firft time I faw you j I awoke,- but a 55 ARABIAN TALES* a ftrange voice pronounced your name dik tinctjy. " Judge, my dear Ilfetilfone, from the fitua- tion in which I was placed, the impreffion that your image made upon me. Not daring to con- fefs my puffion, I gave myfelf entirely up to it. It foon wafted me ; medicine was adminiftered to me in vain ; and I was about to fall a vic- tim -to my difeafe. . " Benalab having returned from Armenia, examined me, and, after having coniidered the nature of my complaint, approached me. " Dear prince," whiipered he in my ear, " I know your diforder perfectly ; Ilfetilibne is the caufe of it." At thefe words, a fudden blufh covered my checks. " Be of good chear," faid my tutor to me, " your difeafe is not defperate ; take cou- rage j you are made for one another. Allow me to direct you j I mall put you upon a method c feeing her, and obtaining her hand." " Hope having re-animated my vigour, I a- fumed, as i-were, a nevr life. Benalab pro- pofed a fea voyage, as necellary for ray recove- ry, and caufed equip a veffel, of which he himfelf was to be pilot. In order to comfort my parents on this occafion, Benalab ihowing them a rofe-bulh, almoft entirely dried up, took a ihovel j collected fand and earth ; mixed them j put ARABIAN TALES. $j put them to the root of the bufh, and poured upon the earth fome drops of a certain elixir which he had in his pocket. " This plant will fpring up," faid he to them: The more it {hall be loaded with leaves and flowers, the more ought ye to believe in the recovery of your fon. The angel of death would ftrike him here. Elfe- tvhere he fliall live. Confide in Benalab." " The rofe-bufh recovered its verdure. Be- nalab having become my governour, might take from my father's treafures whatever he judged neceflary for me j to this he joined his parti- cular treafure, fome parts of which you have al- ready admired. We embarked ; landed on the coafts of the caliph your father, and came to refide for fome time at Baflbra. <( Benalab, the moment we landed, fent all our Indian flaves back with the veflel which had brought us over. We fettled at Bafibra, and deliberated how I might live at Bagdad without being known, and what profeffion I fliould follow, in order that I might fee you and become acquainted with you, concealing my rank and condition. That of a cook ap- peared the moft proper to Benalab. By pur- chailng very expert cooks at Ba flora, he was fure, by means of his elixirs, of giving fuch a relifli to whatever we prepared, as that w might pro- mife $8 ARABIAN TALKS. mife ourfelves a fale, and a preference corre- fponding to our willies." Let us now do juftice to the fchemes of the wife Benalab. A cook foon made greater noife in Bagdad and at court than any ofher perfon- age, how illuftrious foever. I faw our reputa- tion increafe every day ; and, after having work- ed for the principal people of the ftate, I flatter- ed myfelf that I fhoulcl be employed by Haroun and you, when I had the misfortune to lofe my wife governour. Hope would have fled with him, had not Namouna, who thought that I did not know her, come herfelf, and been the happy mean of bringing us together. During this whole converfation of Simoufta- pha, Ilfetilfone, fcarcely able to breathe, had not power to interrupt him. " At laft," faid fhe, our " union is nothing but the work of love, and the decree of the holy prophet ! Ah ! how Aveet it is to be fubject to the laws of the fame deftiny ! But, explain to me how, fince I fell afleep in my fa- ther's palace, I find myfelf here in your arms ? How lively foever the fenfations are which I fee], I confider them only as the effect of a vi- flon. This appears to me fo extraordinary. Then Simouftapha explained to the princefs the ufe he made of the box of Benalab, and expatiated upon-" the aid which he expected from it afterwards. Night ARABIAN TALES. ) Night had finifhed the half of her career, when, upon a lignal agreeft to between the In- dian prince and the genius, the latter lighted all the lamps in the twinkling of an eye. At the fame time, the door which led to the parlour opened, and a concert, formed by the union of the inoft agreeable voices, was heard. What new prodigy is this ! faid the princefs j it is your flaves celebrating my happinefs, faid Simouflapha. Could my flaves be here? Could they know any thing ? Thofe who are here are not known to you, and could not betray you. Ilfetilfone rofe, and found under her hand a fplendid drefs. Simouflapha condu&ed her into the parlour, where a iumptuous collation was pre- pared. The fix flaves proftrated themfelves before the princefs, and were eager to ferve her. She had loft her appetite iince her laft walk in Bagdad ; but, as every thing was prepared by the hands of her lover, {he was not averfe to honour the feaft Mufic and dancing embellifhed this fef- tivalj and the ilaves exerted themielves in charm- ing the liefure moments of this happy pair. The princefs had need of repofe. Simouftapha conducted her back into the apartment fhe had kft. The door {hut, and the lamps were extin- guifhed anew. They 60 ARABIAN TALKS, They were both flill afleep, when the genius^ warned of the return of the morning by the crowing of the cock, lifted up the princefs, and transported her to the palace of the caliph. After he reftored her to her former condi- tion, he removed the charm which held every body afleep j each of them fhifted a little, and ended their flumbers in a more convenient pof- ture. Already had the fun fmiflied a part of his courfe ; and Ilfetilfone was ftill in her flumbers. Thrice had the old governefs drawn the cur- tains* I dare not interrupt her repofe, faid fhe, with a low vo'ce ; fleep, my beautiful angel ! At length, the two ftars which regulated the life of the Indian princes fhone forth with all their luftre. Namouna approached them; " How- beautiful you are, my charming princcfs! have you flept on a bed of rofes, tliat you awake more beautiful than Aurora r" " It is becaufe I have had an agreeable dream." " Have you feen Simouftapha ?" " Yes, Namouna, I have feen him, and much to my joy." <{ Was he as grave as ufual ?" " Not at all." " So much the better for you, iny princefs ; Will you dine then with a good appetke to-day ? I am going to procure a dull from Simouflapha." The ARABIAN TALES. 6l The old lady ram to the cook. " I am not fo happy," faid fhe to herfelf, " as to have fuch a dream ; 'tis a fine thing to be young ! Quick, quick," fuid fhe, when {lie arrived, " your princefs has flept the whole night , flie h^s thought on you j Ihe has recovered her ap- petite ; give me fomething for li^r." Simouftapha faw that Namouna knew no- thing of what had happened. " Take thefe dilhes, good Namouna ; tell your charming miftrefs that fhe has no need to eat much this morning, me will fap the better f^r it at night." . l.'iie old lady wiftied to enter into conv-^rfa- tion with him ; but Simoufcapha politely excu- ied hlmfe.lf, and difmiflad her. jNl'-itters were in this fituution, when a cloud tranflated Jemal into the azure plain, where he was to give an account of what had been done .the night before. As foon as Setelpedour'g'.natille iw him, fpeak, Kauflak ! faid flie to him, haft thou (executed my orders in favour of the dear pupil of my beloved Benalab ? Great queen ! replied Kauflack, I have done what I could., " Do you remember," anfv/ered the fairy, ". why you were fliut up in the box, the fright- ful figure with which you were inverted, and VOL. II. F where- $2 ARABIAN TALES. wherefore you were fo juftly chaftifed ? A& faithfully henceforward, and fpeak the truth. .Are the young princes married ? What think you of their union ?" " The marriage is over. Nothing equals the virtues and the beauty of this happy couple i and it would be impoffibie to find their match in the whole empire of Ginniftan : You fee how I admire them. " If Ilfetilfone eclipfes all the ftars of heaven in brightnefs, Simouftapha may be Compared to the fun ; but what particularly diftinguhhes hem, are the qualities of their heart and un- derftanding, which they unite in a moft emi- nent degree." u Thou knoweft him well, Kauflack," re- plied the queen, " admire him, that thou mayeft at length learn to love him. I recommend that couple to thee, ferve them faithfully. 1 want to fee them this night ; thou muft bring them to me as foon as they {hall be afleep ; and, af- ter I {hall have proved thy conduct, I will per- mit thee to appear for the future under tha form and name of Jemal, which thou haft re- ceived from the pupil of Benalab." The genius went away fatisfied. Setelpedour- Tvas confounded : Ah ! what, faid Ihe, are in- nocence and love unknown in my dominions ? atid are they only to be found upon the earth ? I ARABIAN TALES. 6$ I could not believe it ! How I defire to fee this mortal, fo beautiful, fo virtuous, and fo fenfible ! How happy is Ilfetilfone in having captivated a foul like his !" Thus fpoke the queen of the genii : She had till now kept her liberty -, the very thought of a mortal endangered it. She was going, how- ever, to run the rillc, when Jefnal was to have executed the laft orders he had received. Ilfetilfone had learned from Namouna. that flie was to have an interview with her lover that night. Night approached, more defired than the beautiful day ; the charming princefs fought repofe, in order to enjoy a hope which flie had no fear of being difappointed of. Soon the foporiferous vapour fpread around her. She perceived its fymptoms, and defired its effect 4 the palace is thrown into a deep fieep afrelh. Jemal had appeared, and had already carried off the princefs to her fpouie, where every thing was ready for her reception. The difhes were prepared, the concert was begun, the apartment was moft magnificently embellHhed. But what can luxury and their efforts add to the pleafures that fpring from mutual love ? If they were to die of love, with- out hope of ever being united, they might live at prefent without fo much ado. F 2 - The f>4 -ARABIAN TALES, The hour of repofe came. Simouftapha ten- derly invited the princefs to give herfelf up to him ; and the young flaves put every thing in Order for that purpofe. A great many believed that all the nights of the pair, whom love alone united, were to be alike. What followed, however, proved the contrary. Hardly were Simouflapha and the princefs upon their cufhions, when the genius threw fhem into a profound fleep, and tranfported them into the palace of the queen of the ge- nii. Setelpedour waited for them with impatience, and made them both fit down upon the moft magnificent fophas. Her firft attention WES paid to Ilfetilfone ; for fhe wifhed to fee if her beauty came fully up to the encomiums fhe had heard lavifhed upon it-, fhe found, however, 1 that every thing exceeded the praifes of Jcmal. But, when fhe came to examine SimOtT- ilapha, five was' perfuaded that nothing up- on earth was either to be compared to hirny or worthy of him. By believing that fhe had' only given herfelf up to the fentiment of ad- miration, and by concealing the emotions by which fhe was agitated, that the genii of her court might not dlfcover the violence of her pafficn, fhe allowed herfelf to be carried too far. ARABIAN TALES. 6$ for. '" Oh ! moft beautiful of mortals !" ex- claimed me, " how happy I efteem myfelf in having exerted my power for you I" She no\r took two kifles of Ilfetilfone, that Ihe might have an apology for imprinting the moft tender upon the lips of Simouftapha. The queen of the genii experienced what happens to her equals, when they approach too near the dangerous ball of this earth. Setelpe- dour fell a prey to the ravages of her own ele- ment ; but the effect had not yet difiipated every idea of beneficence conceived in favour of a rival, the confummating of whofe happinefs fhe was foon about to repent. She put a very fplendid lace about her neck, and a ring upon her finger, whofe diamond fparkled like the carbuncle ; and, what enhanced the value of this jewel, the names of the happy pair were engraved in the infide of the ring. Forthwith (he twines a chain of diamonds in the trefles of the prince, and puts upon his finger a ring ftill more beautiful than the one fhe had given to the princefs. She now caufed two drefles be brought for each, embroidered with rubies, fapphires, and emeralds, diftribu- ted with fuch art, that they "imitated the variety of flowers. When {he had thus diftinguifhed herfelf by her magnificence and kindnefs, fhe is eager to F 3 obtain <56 ARABIAN TALBS obtain her compenfation from the lips of the beautiful Simouftapha. Having thus gratified her curiofity, and part of her defires, ihe rc- caUed the genius. " Jemal," faiJ ihe to it, exert yourfelf, and tranfport the fpoufes upon this fopha to the apartment from which you took them. You muft take care that the one which they have occupied be placed fomewhere elfe \ you muft put thefe two drefles before them, and obferve them till they awake, that you may afterwards give an account of what pafTes," The genius obeys : The fpoufes are at Bag- dad, in the apartment of the prince of the In- dies : The brightnefs of the lamps is redoubled ; the influence of the magic ileep is broken off. Simouftapha and Ilfetilfone open their eyes; both are dazzled with the luftre of their drefs ; they are ftruck with the magnificence of every thing around them. fiimeuftapha takes the box ; the genius waits his orders : " Jcmal, fpeak, I command you \ Whence is this abundance of riches ? 1 ' From the hand that hath favoured your u- 7iion, replied the genius. To-morrow, added the prince, you muft carry her the tokens of our gratitude. If two hearts, entirely devoted to the will of the queen, can add to her happinefs, you muft prefent the homage of ours to her., Jemal ARABIAN TALES, (jj Jemal difappeared. Our lovers got immedi- ately rid of the trcafures which confined them. Eafe is necellary to happy love. Simouftapha faw nothing in this attention of the queen of the genii, but a difpofition to prevail upon the caiiph to approve of their union. At length both, very agreeably engaged, came to forget their riches ; and the remainder of the night rolled on in a happinefs which knew no care. The laft hour was come, when Ilfetilfone fig- nified to her lover the happinefs that (he would feel in feeing him drefied in the robes of his bene- factrefs. " I will obey, trealure of my life ! an- fwered the prince , my whole care is to pleafo- you ; but, let nothing here conceal from my eyes the charms whofc power transports and raviihcs me." Simouftapha is adorned withhisfuperbdrels. Ilfetilfone is highly pleafed with it. " Mine," faid fhe, is ufelefs to me at prefent ; for, were I to difplay this pomp in my father's palace, i fhould excite a curioiity which it would be im- poffible for me to gratify." As fhe had fmifhed thefe words, the fore-run- ners of fleep feized upon her. Simouftapha felt the fame fenfations ; they have only time to throw themfelves upon a fopha, without put- ting off their drefTes. The princefs was already afkep, and the genius conducted her into the palace of the caliph. Jenul 68 ARABIAN TALES. Jemal immediately flew to Setelpedour, and gave her an account of the manner in which her prefents had been received, and of the grate- ful acknowledgements of Simouftapha. He faid even more, than the queen wifhed to hear. Setelpedour was no more herfelf j from the moment fhe was captivated with Simouftapha, flie fell a victim to paffions, whofe violence fhe had never known before. Jealoufybegan to wring her heart ; fhe is aftonifhed at her fituation. She, who till now had been engaged in governing the paffions of others ; fhe who had never felt the ftroke of them, and who had been always infenfible to the charms of the genii of the em- pire of Ginniftan ; a I condefcend," faid fhe, CT to love a man ! But Simouftapha is the pu- pil of Benalab ; he is himfelf the model of vir- tue, and wifdom: What one of my equals could have thought it below her to win the affections of the great Solomon ? Our queen went to vifit him from the moft remote regions of the north *." Whilft Setelpedour fpoke thus, the genius waited her orders. " Return to your mafter," faid fhe; " and, vifibleorinviflble, be always at his command. If you perceive inhimtheleaftdefireof becoming * It was a receired opinion, that the queen of Sheba. who came to court the favour of Solomon, was % female and quec* of the celeftial rifioas. ARABIA* TALES 6(> becoming acquainted with me, and of doing me homage, encourage it, and bring him to me im- mediately. My frontiers are guarded by beings more difgufting than you were formerly. But I am juft going to order thefe frightful foldiers to be removed, and the ftations to be filled up, ib as nothing may appear terrifying. The genius having bowed to its fovereign, returned to the apartment of Simouftapha, and found him upon the fopha, where the effects of the magic fleep had detained him. It awakes him, p.nd makes its appearance. It brings him a mefiage, in order to induce him to make choice of a more peaceful fituation. The prince opened his eyes , Ilfetilfone had disappeared j -he fa\v nothing afOUnd him but the magnificent prefents with \vhich he was load- ed j and, without which, he would have believed the whole to have been but a fine dream. Upon feeing thefe, however, he is animated with a gratitude which calls to his remembrance the grcateft benefits. He burns with impatience to go and do refpeclful homage ; to the exalted being, whofe goodnefs and power he admires* He touches the box, and the genius waits his orders. " Jcmal," faid he to it, if my requeft is not impertinent, I conimand thee to conduct me io 7 ARABIAN TALES. the feet of my benefactrefs, the queen of the genii." " I will obey, anfwered the genius, " the mafter of the enchanted box, and the favourite of the brilliant Star of the Seven l^eas which divide the earth." Simouftapha, after the bath, adorned himfelf with the riches he had got from the generous fairy, and gave himfelf up to be conducted by the genius. Ginniftan is a very remote empire ; it fur- rounds us, however, on every fide. It confifts of ipaces, which cannot be compared with the fmall one that we inhabit. In a few minutes, the Indian prince is over them, and is placed at the entrance to the dwelling of Setelpedour. The queen appeared to him ; and, although he was ftruck with her beauty, he did not lofe fight of decorum, but wifhed to have kneeled upon the earth. She, however, raid- ed him haftily, took him by the hand, and con- ducted him to 'her palace, having firit made him walk through the gardens, where wonders of every fort furprifed and inchanted him. Simouftapha, affected at the fight of fo many enjoyments' united, felt a fenfation highly plead- ing to Setelpedour. " Man !" fays fhe within herfelf, " ah ! moft admirable of mortals ! may the ARABIAN TALES. 7 1 the beauties thou meeteft with here make thee forget all thole which thou lefteft upon the earth ! At length, almoft without fpeaking, the queen and her new gueft came to the baibn, orna- mented with three hundred and nxty-fix figures of animals, all differing from one another. Each of them was the emblem of one of the days of the year. Jafper and porphyry were the ma- terials made ufe of in conftructing them j and they always fpouted out liquors the moft agree- able to drink. The table for dinner was furnifhed in this place, under a canopy of rofes and jeffamines. Sophas, Covered with green turf, prefented com- modious feats. The violet and lilly ferved for carpets. Amid fach a profufion of beauties, how fumptuous mufl be the repaft ! Invifible beings brought and removed the courfes. Nothing was fecn but the beautiful hands of Setelpedour, which were as ready to anticipate the tafte of her guefts, as her eyes to perceive. The Indian prince appeared difconcerted j but a more animated pi<5bure is prefented to his view. An amphitheatre, which was oppofite to him, is peopled in the twinkling of an eye. Six hundred genii of each fex, feated upon green turf, began a concert worthy of the queen 72 ARABIAN TALES. queen of the fairies, and fitted to charm mor- tals. Simoufcapha is ilruck with admiration. You fee, faid Setelpedour to him, the plea- fures we enjoy here. If you find any charms in this place, ah ! my dear Simouflapha, the heart which offers them fhall always ftudy to vary them. Saying that, the queen left the table, and fet out for her palace. Every thing there was of a variegated 'gold and azure colour. She made Simouflapha fit down on a fopha, and the queen of the genii having placed hericlf bcfide him, fpoke to this purpofe. " De^r prince, I have no occafion to be*re- fcrvsd : I love you } I have your happmefs at heart, and mine is interwoven v.-ith it. You were the favourite and pupil of the wife Be- nalab j he drew my eyes on your deftiny. From your earlieft infancy, I have, without appear- ing, been the inftrument of your happinefs. To me you owed Ilfctilfoiie ; I was delighted at your union with her, and I feel no jealoufy on account of it ; but, fince I came to know you more particularly, I have conceived the tender- ell a Section for you. Your virtues, and the charms of your perfbn, have made the queen of the genii the humble flave of love." Oh ! adorable queen, faid Simouflapha, I have not the vanity to pretend to fo glorious a conqueft. AH ASIAN TALBS. 73 conqueft. Permit me to adore you, and ilrve you my whole life. To you I owe the happinefs of being united to the daughter of the caliph ; but, were the love that I have con- ceived for her, under your aufpices, to permit me to offer you my heart, I am a MuiTulman by the grace of God, and the holy prophet, and the beneficent care of the virtuous commander of the faithful. My happinefs muft therefore confift in obeying the law. You exaggerate, my dear Simouftapha, re- plied the queen, both my pretenfions towards you, and the rigour of the law. I don't wifh to .banifh Ilfetilfone from your thoughts ; love her always ; {he fhali be the object of my kind- nefs, as well as of your love. Mahomet has permitted more than one wife. <( I did not examine," faid Simouftapha, " the <:ondu& of the prophet j but, when Ilfetilfone was given entirely to me, we came under fa- cred and inviolable obligations." " They will be no lefs fo," replied the queen ; " Ilfetilfone can neither be your enemy nor mine. Befides, in permitting me to "love you, how can fhe charge me with ingratitude ? In a word, dear prince, you have my heart, and can you re- fufe me part of your's, if it is not already wounded ? Coniider that, powerful as I am, I ftall never exert my power but to turn it out VOL.IL G to 74 ARABIAN TALES. to your, intereft, and that flic who implores you is the fovereign miftrefs of your deftiny." Oh! my queen," faid Simouftapha, " figure to yourfelf the diitrefs of your Have, who finds it equally impoffible to confent to qr refufe your requeft." Enough of that ! dear prince, replied Setel- pedour ; your own fafety fhould now occupy your thoughts. I have furnifhed the proper means, for which you may afterwards find ufe. But I muft tell you, that the box of Benalab expofes you to great dangers. It belonged for- merly to Mamouk, an Egyptian magician, who made an ill ufe of it, by giving liimfelf up to criiries. My juftice hath therefore deprived him of it. I abandoned this wretch to the rigour of his deftiny. I chaftifed Kauffack, at prefent Jemal your flave, who by his low flattery ruined a corrupted mafter. I fuppofe, however, that this flave of my laws will never forget himfelf in your fervicq. Mamouk is ftill alive, and has initiated in his art a fon no lefs dangerous than himfelf. All Ginniftan curfes him ; but the wicked always find fome favour ; Mamouk is ftill powerful, and is continually endeavour- ing to recover the box which was given to Be- nalab. Take care then, that neither an Egyp- tian, ARABIAN TALES. 75 tian, nor any thing from Egypt, enter your houfe. Simouftapha could not find words to exprefs his gratitude. He began, however, to weary; it was time for him to go home and receive his fpoufe. He endeavoured to reprefent to the queen the neceflity of his departure, by regret- ing the joys he fhould be forced to forego. My goodnefs, replied Setelpedour, follows my inclination, and cofts me nothing. The riches which are here will lofe their value when you are gone. Would you render them pre- cious to me ? come together with Ilfetilfone and enjoy them ; and, from that moment, every thing here fhall be truly dear in my fight: Come, and command in thefe places, and I ihall be obeyed by all the genii who furround me. Ah! Madam, replied Simouftapha, don't, though you love me, make me forget my duty : I mult remember that I am the fon of the king of the Indies, dearly beloved by my parents, and accountable to their fubjects for the pre- fumptlve heir to the crown. Adieu ! my dear Simouftapha, faid the queen, embracing him ; adieu ! prince, model of fove- reigns ! light of the world ! and genius of every virtue ! G 2 The ARABIAN TALES'. The genius conduced Simouftapha to hh houfe ; and, though his heart melted with grati- tude towards Setelpedour, his affections ftill con- centered upon Ilfetilfone. He is bufy preparing for her reception. The moft exquifite fruits are upon the table ; the pots are filled with new perfumes: The princefs arrived in a magnificent drefs which fhe had got in a prefent from Setel- pedour : "Simouftapha had kept his. The mufic plays; the repaft begins j and, amid thefe enjoy- ments, they think of nothing but happinefs. In the mean while Simouftapha relates the voyage he had made to the palace of the fairy, defcribes the beauties he had feen there, and the kindnefs with which he had been loaded. He omits no circumftance ; but his relation oc- cafions neither fufpicion nor jealoufy. While the princefs faw every heart incline towards her lover, fhe confidered it as a tri- bute which all celeftial beings owed. When Simouftapha fpoke of the precautions which he had engaged to take againft Mamouk the E- gyptian, the ancient pofTefTor of the box, fhe wifhed that the prince would fend back to the queen fo dangerous a prefent : But, without its affirtance, he muft have renounced the pleafure of feeing her, and perhaps it might have been impoffible to have induced the caliph to ratify their union. Alt ARABIAN TALES. 77 All terrors gave way to fuch powerful mo- tives. " At leaft," faid flic, " take care to defend yourfelf from the approach of thefe per- fidious ftnmgers. Shut both ycmr gates and window?, even againft the winds which may blow from Egypt." Whilit fhe was thus endeavouring to confirm their repofe, a cloud gathered in Girmiftan which was foon to difturb it. As foon as the genius, the ilave of the box* had tranfported the princefs from the palace to the houfe of Simouftapha, and from thence to that of the caliph, and when the Indian prince had no farther orders to give him, he returns to his miftrefs, and gives her an account of all he had feen. The genius gives a faithful account of the whole matter. " Never was a conjugal union fo affecting! Never were two hearts fo well fitted for mutual love ! Never did two beings unite virtue and beauty in fuch an eminent de- gree ! Never Stop, wretch !" faid the queen, " already are thy paffions inflamed ! Doft thou remem- ber what thou didft when thou waft Kauflack, in the fervice of the curfed Egyptian ? My fin- ger engraved thy crime on thy guilty forehead. I will treat tlice worfe to-day, if thou prevari- cated : I will diftort die features of thy face ; I G 3 will 7 8 ARABIAN TALES. will lengthen thy ears, and change thy hands into feet." " Oh ! my fovereign," faid the genius, " your anger gives me more pain than your threatening terrifies me. I found that the beauty and virtue of Ilfetilfone commanded the greateft refpeft: Ah! how ihe deferves the love of Simouftapha !" " He is too fond of her," replied Setelpe- dour j and that has made him forget both his duty and intereft. The only fon of the king of the Indies lets not his father know his adventures: And, were it not the rofe-bufh which was renewed by Benalab, and of which I conftantly renew the verdure, his parents would be plunged in iorrow. Jenaal, thy young matter muft get rid of this dangerous charm; place thyfelf, without being feen, be- twixt them, and diffufe an infectious odour round Ilfetilfone, and " Great queen, I will obey," faid the genius, departing." Stop wretch !" faid Setelpedour to it. Thou art too ready." Stop !" faid fhe to it, having recollected herfelf a moment ; be more ready to do good than ill, if thou doft not wifh to become, ;i monfter again.' 1 order thce now to take care that nothing bad happen the new-mar- lied couple.." Jemt-.I ARABIAN TALES, 79 Jemal retired ; he could not underfb.nd what his fovereign meant, and he believed that fhe wanted to try him. Setelpedour fell a victim, to the violence of her paffion. She imagined that fhe would get the better of it by facrifices, and that ftie might be authorifed to go on with this fcheme ; fhe inflantly called Afmoncha, her firft vizir, and having made him fit down at her fide, fhe fpoke to him thus : " yizir, no object having ever made an im- preffion on my heart, till now I have been in- dependent. But I am fo no more. A mortal, fuperior to all others, is become mafter of my heart ; it is Simouftapha, the fon of the great king of the Indians. " I know that the pride of the genii, my vafTals, difdain man, becaufe they generally make a joke of him. They have forgot that they all bowed the knee before the great Maho- met, who conquered my father, the powerful and immortal Kokopilefobe *, who was ftrip- ped of his glory. " Our fphere is limited : Of all created be- ings, man alone can extend his. The virtues of Simouftapha will raife him to the greateft eminence, and I wifh to be partner of his hopes. If you have, as I believe, my profpe- rity * Kckepikfobe, one of the Arabian names of Lucifer. 8o ARABIAN TALES. rity and honour in view, I expecl an advice from you worthy of your prudence and affec- tion." Whilft {he was fpeaking, Afmonchar, with downcaft eyes, appeared to be in a deep dream. At length, however, he broke filence : " Great queen ! faid he to her, your meafures are al- ways directed by your wifdom, and can only fpring from a noble ambition : Here, at the fame t'me, I fee two difficulties. " You have generoufly effected the match of the Indian prince and the daughter of the ca- liph j you have rendered it ftrorig and indiffo- luble againft yourfelf, by the rings that you have made them put on. Your fatisfadlion muft depend on their agreement. We have laws digefted by our fages, of which they them- felves keep the records , they will decide, much better than I can, how far they can favour your views. It will alfo be more agreeable to enter into the connection which you propofe, with the approbation of all your fubjects, than with the advice of your minifter alone, who is entirely devoted to your pleafure. I am therefore of opinion, that it majj be proper to fignify your intention to ycur divan, whom I fhall affemble by your order." Setelpedour, full of her fcheme, and of the means ARABIAN TALES. $1 means of forwarding it, did not fee into the dellgns of Afmonchar. The vizir, full of hypocrify, had no fooner received orders to call the alterably, than he went to Bahlifboull *, the oldeft and moft wick- ed fpirit in Ginniftan. Rage gave force and fpeed to his wings. He detefted Bahlifboull ; but he wiihed, above all things, to oppofe to his fovereign a being who could divert her from a purpofe which was more odious to him than to any other ; for he was really the ge- nius who was the greateft enemy to the human race. Befides, he could never hear the name of Mahomet, without flying into a violent paffion; and their queen wifhed to marry a mufiulman. He knew that, by a famous treaty which was made between Kokopilefobe and Mahomet, that the prophet had referved all the progeny -which fprung from marriages between the inhabitants of the earth, and thofe of Ginniftan. Old Bahlifboull faw his grand-fon approach him in a fort of aftoniihment. He informs him of the defign of the queen. And indeed they had, for a long time, plotted her deftru/tion. " I fee," faid he to Afmonchar, " that you are afraid of lofing your own intereft with her ; the queen is not the only female who hath made an unequal match. She is the daughter of * Bahliiboull, the fame with Beelzebub, ARABIAN TALES. of the great Kokopjlefobc ; and, in fpite of us, fhe may claim great freedom. But, with re- fpeft to the laws, you know me to be the depofi- tory of them ; and, fznce I figned the treaty which was entered into with Mahomet, you need neither think to elude nor infringe it. Affcm- ble the divan j that is your duty." Afmouchar returned. Bahlifboull, full of wickednefs and ambition, now thinks of de- throning the queen, of ruining the grand vi- zir, his own fon, and of raifmg himfelf upon the ruins of the whole. The divan aflembles : Setelpedour comes and takes her place ; all the genii bow before her ; and, when fhe gives the fignal, each rifes and takes his feat. They are ignorant of the motive of fo folemn an aflcm- bly. Afmonchar is ordered to lay the matter before them. The vizir looks round him, and perceives a place empty. It is that which his great father Bahlifboull fhould have filled. He then hefi- tates to break filence ; for he is afraid that the queen's propofal carry by the majority of voices; for a great part of thofe v/ho were to vote were of her fex, and, of confequence, hoftile to every law that might tend to bridle their liberty, and reftrain their weak- nefs. The reft confifts of fpirits who Would be proud that they had it in their power to ferve ARABIAN TALES. 8^ ferve the queen. Thus, this minlfter faw him- felf on the eve of being fuijmitted to the laws of a man, and a muHulman. He curfed Ma- homet in the bottom of his foul, and felt all his ftrength forfake him at once. SetelpeJour ur- ged him to fpeak. He was beginning to ftam- mer, when, on a fudden, .old Bahlifbouil arrived, borne by his minifters, who conducted him to the foot of the throne. " Pardon, oh my fovereign !" faidthis dan- gerous politician, " my delay. Time hath im- paired my vigour ; age hath deflroyed my wings : I was grievoufly wounded by Michael in our firft great combat ; and, in a body like mine, entirely weakened by age, "the wounds are always frefh." Setelpedour received the excufe of the old genius, and ordered him to take his place. Af- monchar, encouraged by the prefcncc of his grandfather, begins, and lays before them the fubject upon which the queen wifhed to confult the divan. The prefence of Bahlifboull was a law to them ; they knew his inveterate hatred againft the human race : They dreaded his wiles, his power, and cruelty. If there was a regulation in the empire difficult or obfcure, they knew it to be from. him. ARABIAN TALE*. Setelpeclour addrefTed herfelf to the dangerous fcge : You, Bahlifboull, who have Teen the three * reigns ; tell me if there has not been examples of a connexion like that which I wifh to form to-day r" " Great queen ! I could quote laws which would convince you all. I could even give my- felf as an example ; I have exifted fmce the time of the fublime genius, your grandfather ; and, when we were thrown headlong from hea- ven, I fought his battles. Pie confidered me as the oldeft of his children. Need I recal to the remembrance of our Hluftrious chief the times of our ancient glory, and the dreadful blow that precipitated us, when we thought ourfelves fure of enjoying it ? " Tranquil and fovereign in our inacceffible nbodes, they wimed us to bow the knee to Ma- homet. This daring innovator, whom we have feen fneak and reign by turns, feemed to be predeftinated to the fceptre of the world j but, in becoming his difciples, we loft our empire. This affront appeared to us intolerable, and to fubrait mean. We gave over refpecting as a beneficent being oue who degraded us "by an unjuft * Tit three nign. This alludes to the rci , before he was thrown dawn to the earth; to the reign of the fame fpirit, until Mahomet is faid to have difcowraecd idolatry ; and to the aftual reign of Setclpedour. ARABIAN TALES. 85 imjuftlawj and, animated by juft refentment, we took arms. " Great Kokopilefobe and I maintained an equal combat for ibme time againft Michael and Gibrcin. But, at length, our enemies, led on by Mahomet, fell upon us with fury. We were conquered, robbed, driven from our pofieilions; and it was with much ado we faved thefe gild- cd wings, without which we would have been dafliect to pieces in our fall. " Invited to reign every where, we preferred this earth, and formed an alliance with the children of men, to people it in concert with them. Mahomet peiiecuted our new race, and deftroyed it by a deluge. Inexhauftible in our refources, we faw an immenfe crowd of people fiourifh anew ; thefe we fubjected to our laws. The earth was co- vered with our altars j fixe found it difficult o rear a fufficient number of victims for the facrifkes which were offered to us; and even human blood was not fpared. " Provoked at our fuccefa, Mahomet became man. And, in order to put a flop to our ca- reer, he declared a war againft us, more cruel than the former. He fanfacked every tiling, demolimed our temples, overturned our images, annihilated our gods and our trophies. In fhort, we were put to the necefiity of engaging him. VoL.II_ H "We 86 ARABIAN TALES. " We were ftill unfortunate. At laft, however, we obtained a truce. Stripped of his honours, the formidable Kokopilefobe retreated into the moft remote regions of the fouth. The throne which you occupy remained fubjeet to his pow- er ; but, by an article of the treaty that I was forced to fubfcribe, and of which I depofit a copy at the feet of your hrghnefs, it was agreed, that all children of a genius fhoukl embrace the worfhip of the prophet, and live under his dominion. - " It is your part, therefore, great queen! to determine whether your defcendents, called to independence and glory, muft be reduced to a ftate of difgraceful flavery, defpifing the mife- ries of the martyr of our faith, even the mighty Kokopilefobe." Genius ! anfwered the queen, I was ignorant of the terms of the treaty you fpeak of ; but you have concealed from me the infringements that have been made upon it more than once. With refpecl: to the inconvenience that may re- fult from what I have been thinking of, my prudence fhall protect my pofterity; and tell me, you who are acquainted with the tenor of our charters, if there be any cafe more facred than that which you have taken notice of ? " Sage fovereign !" replied the genius, dif- " penfe with my producing it to you. It would be ARABIAN TALES $J be an obftacle in your way. Ignorance of the law may ierve for an excufe to the per- fon who violates it." " I muft interrupt you,'' , laid Setelpedour ; " ignorance is a difgrace to one of the genii. I wiln the laws to .tie-known, for it is my duty to execute them ; and I com- mand you to produce it." " A genius can give his hand to none but a " virgin," faid Bahliiboull ; " and a married " perfon cannot become your hufband, unlei:"; " you forfeit all your privileges and your pow- er." Upon this declaration, the queen curfed within herielf both the law and its interpreter, and eafily 'penetrated into the malicious ftrata- gem of Bahlifboull, and of the vizir Afmon- char. Artifice fucceeding her fury, ilie began thus : " You have, fage genius ! pronounced a fen- tence which would blaft all my hopes forever, did I not know how far your profound wii- dom and experience, which are coeval with the world itfelf, exalts you above all fpirits ; and, as you have fo often efcaped the chains with which you have been threatened, there is none of our laws which you cannot elude. I hope, there- fore, that your zeal and attachment towards me will induce you to employ your fagacity in this matter. Cannot we, who are legislators, fet afide H 2 this 88 ARABIAN TALES. this law ? Or can we find no method of tranfc grefling it, without appearing to violate it ? Be allured that the motive which hath made me affemblc this divan would make me do any thing to gratify my deiires !" Bahlifboull triumphed in his own mind at the queen's diftrefs, and her paffion for Simon- itapha. He fuppofed her to be as much blind- ed by love, as he himfelf was by wickednefs and ambition; and he hoped, that, by his perfidious meafures, he would make her lofe both the em- pire of Ginniftan, and the affection of her people. " Queen !" replied this dangerous hypocrite, t( the confidence which you have honoured me with ought to cnfure your glory and fuccefs. No engagements can bind thofe who, like you, have the right of making them. Thefc laws which you complain of were compofed by Ko- kopilefobe, during his reign here, and in con fequence of circumftances which rendered them neceifary. But, if he were now fovereign of Ginniftan, he would conduct himfelf in a very different manner; and, notwithftandirig your power has been derived from him, the order which ought to reign here depends <5nly on your wifdom and pleafure. You have not yet attained the fummit of that eminence for which you were deftined." " You ARABIAN TALES. 89 You are the Star of the Seven Seas which furround the earth, and you would have al- ready, had it not been for the ambition of your predeceffor, been the Beneficent Morning Star. The Deftinies had, no doubt, marked out the defeat of the great Kokopilefobe ; but his undertaking was hoftile to the empire of the genii. With refpea to his perfonal cou- rage, you ought to curfe the fatal excefs to which he was carried, when he acknowledged the wifdom of the laws of Mahomet. But you, who are fovereign miftrefs of your defires, fhould pafs a law that might confirm you in the enjoyment of them." The propofal of Bahlifboull aftoniflied the fpirits who did not comprehend its motive. And Setelpedour pretended to put the greateft con- fidence in the counfels of the old genius. You prove more and more, faid ihe to him, how much a mind, inftructed by adverfity, is fuperior to that which knows nought but profperi- ty ! Yes, you have convinced me. I have no fcruple in curling whatever occafioned the mif- fortune of my predecefibr , and I am too much attached to the human race, not to acknowledge Mahomet to be fuperior to any common being; but I demand of you a copy of the oath I muft take. II 3 You 9 ARABIAN TALES. " You muft repeat, with a firm and diftinft voice," anfwered the genius, impatient to ao complifh his purpofe, Curfed be thou, Koko- < pilefobe! thyfelf! thy ambition! and thy fchemes!' " You muft, forthwith, renounce your religion, in order to embrace that of Ma- homet, by repeating this profeffion of faith : " Achad, en, la, ilia, cala, bella, Mohamad, Rafoud, Alia." When the queen appears ready to pronounce it, Bahlifboull cafts an expreffive look upon the vizir Afmonchar. This fignal is immediately interpreted by the divan, who with impatience "wait the event. Setelpedour at length takes the oath. " You have informed me of matters," faid fhe to the old genius, and fpoken words which I never heard before. You muft there- fore write, with your own hand, a copy of the oath that I am to take." " My hand trem- bles too much," faid Bahlifboull." You may take time," replied the queen ; and, after I fhall have figned it, I wifh that you and the vizir would carry it to Mahomet." I can nei- ther write nor walk," anfwered the genius. " I muft then repeat, as well as I can, what I recollect of it ; adding, at the fame time, the fentiments of my heart." She now rifes and /peak? thus : Be ARABIAN TALUS. 9.1 Be thou curfed for ever, infamous Bahlif- boull! who, by thy abominable flatteries, didft poifon the heart of my grandfather, and didft caufe him rebel againft every fort of authority. Curfe upon thee ! principal of cliicorJ, who continually haft the love of order upon thy lips, but corruption in thy heart ! Curfe upon thyfelf and all thy race for ever ! thou infernal fource of thofe evils which defolate the univerfe ! Curfe upon thee and thy grandfon Afmonchar ! who, in pretending to {hew me the good road, have digged for me a frightful pit ! May ye in- ftantly be ftript of your wings ! May ye be. thrown headlong to the earth I Go ! wallow among mud and dirt ! This is my fentence," Upon hearing this, which they did not ex- pea, the murmuring fpirits recognifed their queen. Her firmnefs commands the attention f the moft wicked. Their fovereign {bines forth in the ancient glory which they had for- feited. Her orders are inflantly executed , ftie difmifles the genii, and the divan breaks up. Although Setelpedour reprefents to herfelf the dangers to which her love had expofed her, yet {he ftill feels its darts. If thou had'ft been witnefs, my dear Simouftapha," faid fhe to herfelf, of all that I have braved for thee What wouldft thou not facrifke on my account? But pj ARABIAN TALES. But what do I fay ! I admire $hat rigid virtue which prompts thee to a refufal at which my felf-love cannot take offence. Thou would'ft have loved me had' ft thou feen me firft ; and if, by complying with the wifhes of my dear Be- nalab, in promoting a fcheme in which he knew to intereft me, I had not prefented in a vilion the amiable llfetilfone, thou would'ft this day have been my flave, and I would have been cer- tain of a fidelity which nothing could move. I neither wifh to diftrefs thy happinefs, nor that of thy fpoufe; but thou muft love me ; thou muft be the fame to me as to her; we muft no longer be tied down to the laws of matrimony ; love and gratitude fhall prefcribe to us other duties.' Thus the grand-daughter of the guilty, but -brave Kokopilefobe, impofed upon herfelf. She poflefled the elevated genius of her grand- father, but was ignorant that human blood flowed in her veins. She had nothing in per- fection but courage and beauty. Her heart, however, was pure : She had become fubjeft to a law which Bahlifboull had vaguely explained to her ; and time was to make her feel the ef- fefts of it. Eager to fee Simouftapha again, flic had not patience to wait for him in her palace ; for this would have been denying herfelf a pleafurc which fhe could immediately procure, by tranf- porting ARABIAN TALES. QJ porting herfeif to Bagdad. She therefore calls the flave of the box. " This night," find flie, " you muft carry II- fetilfone to her hufband's apartment, and yon mufl let me know as foon as {he is there. I wifh by my prefence to increafe their happi- nefs." Jemal executes the orders of the fairy with his ufual precaution; Setelpedour foon karns that the princefs is with her lover ; fhe inftantly fcts out for Bagdad, preceded by Je- mal, who went to announce to the happy couple the arrival -of the queen of the fairies. They would have appeared more embarraf- fed, had not the queen, when fhe arrived, infpi- red them with confidence, by reiterated marks of affection. She embraced them both, and feated herfclf at table between them. , " I run no rifk," faid fhe, in coming to (up with a mortal, the pupil of my much loved Benalab. I have contributed, my dear princefr, to procure you the bell of hufbands. Permit me at leaft. to partake of your felicity. By ma- king you perceive the value of fo rare a benefit, I will continue to protect you both by my coun- fels and power. Be not alarmed, therefore, Si- mouftapha, at the excefs of my affection for you; it is innocent, and fhall never occafion you ei- ther diftrefs or remorfe, if you but return my love : 94 ARABIAN TALES love : Will you pardon him for it, my dear Ilfe- tilfone ?" faid flie, embracing him. " If my lover," replied the young and inge- nuous princefs, " did not love you, I fhould have reafon to doubt his affection for myfelf. I have given him my heart ; he has therefore two to offer you for the goodnefs with which you load us. Your virtues and charms have made too lively an impreffion upon me to refift them." " You tranfcend what I expected," replied the queen, " charming princefs ! I feel a fatis- fadtion which nothing can augment but the fame acknowledgment that I expect from Si- mouftapha." " Great queen ! I can only exprefs the fenti- ments with which I am animated, by devoting myfelf to your pleafure." Setelpedour, content with thefe aiTurances of their affection, teftified her gratitude during the whole of the repaft. They now gave them- felves wholly up to the prefent pleafures, mu- fic, dancing, perfumes, liquors; nothing was fpared. But, what is feldom the cafe, they fpoke fenfibly when all was over. " Dear prince," faid the queen, " upon the confent of the caliph, which 1 fhall foon ob- tain, your felicity appears to be complete. Howr- ever, without the greateft precaution on your part, ARABIAN TALES. p part, and the greateft care on mine, it may be blafted in a moment. The enchanted box which Benalab fent you is coveted by Mamouk, the curfed magician who formerly poflefled it. It is impoffible for you always to carry this trea- fure -, but you got a ring from me which you muft never part with, for it will warn you of the dangers to which you will be expofed, and at the fame time it will come to your afliftance. That of the princefs will not fhew its properties unlefs you be threatened with death, or where its aid cannot be difpenfed with. Remember always to fhut your gate and windows againft every thing that may come from Egypt." Af- ter this, fhe leaves the pair at liberty, embraces them, and difappears. The night pafles as the preceding -, the days fucceed without any thing remarkable. Jemal, attentive to his duty, is ever ready to fulfil the orders with which he is intruded. The prin- cefs is every day tranfported to her lover ; and every morning fhe is with the caliph. Every third day Simouftapha is carried up to Ginnlf- tan, to do homage to the Star of the Seven Seas : But, while his heart appeared to be ela- ted with fuch an agreeable enjoyment, that of the Egyptian Mamouk breathed nothing but vengeance againft the porTefTor of the wonder- ful box, which he is ambitious to recover. The 5' ARABIAN TALES. The hateful magician faw the ftar of Bena- lab grow dim ; he followed it ; it appeared HO more , it was a prelage of death. This wretch, who dreaded the power of the Perfian philofo- pher, might now with impunity recover a trea- fure of which the queen of the genii robbed him. He muft firft, however, find out into what hands the box has fallen. He avails himfelf of the firft equinox, the only time favourable to the works of thofe who aft in concert with fpirits. With his wand he makes a fquare, which he afterwards divides by two triangles j he calculates thefe different fpa- ces, which, by furnifhing him with the num- ber nine, afford him as many rooms to ftudy in, and to follow out the chain of events which Jie feeks. He penetrates with a bright wax- candle into each of thefe dark rooms. This baneful light fhowed him all the adventures of the fage Perfian and the Indian prince, from the moment they embarked 4:111 they arrived in Bagdad. He faw Benalab die, and recognifed the magic box in the hands of Simouftapha. Naraes, Mamouk's fon, as great a mifcreant as his father, affifts. Both examine the mark of the box ; it appeared to be armed with fteel points, and a circle of fire was formed around it. The necromancers were not in the leaft afraid j the value of the trealure they were in queft. 1RABIAN TALC'S 97 queft of blinded them. The father digged a ditch in'his garden at the bottom of an hillock ; from this a fountain immediately fprings forth, which he points out to his fon, and fays, " Behold the faithful image of the events which await me : As long as this fpring fhall be clear, thou fhalt be at eafe on my account. If thou fee it grow muddy, fend me aid. If it be tinged with blood, I am dead. Thou muft then endeavour to revenge my death ; thou muft try to recover our precious treafure, by attempting to find out the fnares that may have been laid for me, and take care to guard againfl thofe which fhall be prepared for thyfelf." Mamouk at this inftant leaves his fon ; nnd, in order to conceal his fteps, he transforms himfelf into a cat. Already he had defcend- ed from Upper Egypt towards Arabia : The ftar which {hone on Bagdad directs him thither. When Aurora had announced the return of the fun upon that part of the globe, he flopped amid delicious gardens, continually fcrtilifed by the Ilfara and the Aggiala, which from differ- ent directions wafh the town of Bagdad. Here he chofe an afylum among the trees, whofe thick foliage was beft for concealing the fneaking ap- pearance he had* aiTumed. He knew that he could not procure admittance into the houfe of VOL. II. I Simou* 9 8 ARABIAN TALES. Simouftapha, which was guarded by the genius of the box, under any form whatever. Wait- ing, however, till the fun had darted forth his rays, he meditates by what means he might {educe a perfon to ferve his purpofe. At that inftant he chanced to fee a man whom he pro- pofed to found. A poor gardener, named Abaire, cultivated the garden where the magician had (lopped. Bent under the weight of his work, fatigue and heat forced from him fome fighs. Ma- mouk thought that a man, who was thus in mifery, would grafp at any offer to alleviate his fufferings and poverty. The gardener fubfifted upon fome bits of bread and of fruit which he picked up. With thefe he filled a little bafket for his wife and children j and, when night came, he returned to town with his fcan- ty flock of provifion. Surely," faid Ma- mouk, " if this poor wretch has any place at all to lodge in, I will prevail upon him to mare it with me , and I fliall be very aukward if I don't make him the inftrument of my fchemes." At thefe words, , having reaflumed his natural form, he hailed to make up to him. Good evening, Abaire ! faid he, accofting him ; it is not without trouble that you have procured the fruits you carry to your family. Ha ! who are you, my good Sir, faid the gar. dener, ARABIAN TALftS. f> flener, furprifed to hear himfelf named, who fpeak to a poor man b'ke me ? " I am a man," replied Mamouk, " who know you as well as you do yourfelf ; I could name every tree in your garden, and thofe too which you take moft care of. I love the poor ; and, when I am on a journey, I always lodge with them, perfuaded that I fhall want for nothing ; for I caufe every thing be brought to me ; and I find nothing too good for myfelf, provided I can promife myfelf the happinefs of fharing if with them." Alas !" faid Abaire, " it would be too much happinefs to flatter myfelf with receiving fuch a gueft as you j but we have no bed for you." " Here are ten pieces of gold," replied the magician, " with which you may purchafewhat K necefTary. I can conceive no greater enjoy- ment than that of doing good to the good when in need. There is a fecret in being hap- py, which I am not afraid of loling. Luxury and opulence harden the heart of the rich ; and, whilft the poor man eats his bread with the fweat of his brow, what a number of people in Bagdad whet their appetite with the choice and delicious ragouts of Simouftapha ? Do you know Simouftapha ?" Know him, Sir ! Is there one poor man in Bagdad who does not know this generous and I 2 com- ICO ARABIAN TALES. compaffionate man ? We don't live far from him j I go often, by my matter's orders, and fell him the moft beautiful fruits of our garden, and he always gives me fomething to myfelf." During this converfation they arrived at the town ; and Abaire conducts his> gueft to his mean dwelling. " Woman," faid he, as he went in, " I bring thee this good gentleman, and you need not alk with what \ve are to en- tertain him ; here my hand is full of gold, and I am going to buy a fopha." Mamouk entered a room, whofe whole fur- niture confifted of but two wooden chairs and a table ; the wife and children were almoft na- ked ; mifery was painted all around him ; and, if he would have any thing proper, he muft in- creafe his prefents. " Abaire," faid he to him, " I love to do good ; here are ten pieces more of gold, to get whatever is wanting. Confult your own decen- cy and my intereft for the future." The poor gardener thought that he waa dreaming when he law fo much riches: Having thanked Providence and the great prophet, he goes out to make his bargains, The good woman began to give an appear- ance of cleannefs to her houfe. " Let me do It," faid Mamouk ; " this trouble is on my ac- count, and I wifli to affift you. In the mean time, ARABIAN TALES. 1C I time, go and buy clothes for yourfelf, your hufband, and children ; there are twenty fe- quins for that purpofe ; they will not offend the eye by their luftre ; and you muft take care to tell nobody that you got them from your gueft. If it be difcovered, I muft immediately depart from your houfe : What good I can do lofes all its value in my eyes whenever I find that it is known. When your hufband {hall return, we will think about provifions." The wife of Abaire went out, and promifed to herfelf, for die firft time, to keep a fecret in which fhe was fo deeply interefted. As po- verty had too often put her to the blufh, fhe finds it difficult to conceal this blefllng. Both foon return; the gardener is not a little furprifed to find his houfe in a better condition, and his family fo well clothed. The author of this happy change fits down to table with them, and appears to enjoy, with every poffible degree of fatisfaction, the fruits of his beneficence. But, in fact, he enjoyed only the fuccefs of the ftratagem, by which he blinded thefe unfufpetc- ing creatures, whilft they viewed him in the light of a beneficent being. The hour of repofe was come. Abaire and his wife went to tafte its fweets ; whilft the .E- gyptian was deviling the means of {hatching off die treafure which the Indian prince poiiciled. I 3 He 102 ARABIAN TALES. He knew, for he had.feen it in the ninth room, drawn according to the rules of his art, that the prince enjoyed the favours of love every night in the arms of his beautiful fpoufe. What a favourable time for furprifing him ! did not the genius of the box watch over the happy pair ; did not the vigilance of the queen of the genii guard them alike from natural and mira- culous attacks. The magician, impatient to begin his work, could reft no longer in the houfe, but tranf- formed himfelf into a cat, and ran round the houfe of Simouftapha. The avenues are guard- ed againft him ; and, under whatever form he prefents himfelf, inevkable death awaits him. Seized with terror, he returned to feek for quiet at the houfe of Abaire. The fole care of Mamouk is to win the con- fidence of the gardener to fuch a degree, that he may render him completely the inftrument of his iniidious defigns. He therefore reailu- med his human figure. Next morning he accompanied Abaire to the garden, and converfed with him about his art ; he inftru&ed him in what he did not know ; he partook of his frugal fare, and quenched his thirft from tke fame fpring. " You have a great many beautiful fruits," faid he ; " but, if this garden were your own, I would make fuch grow ARABIAN TALES. 103 grow hi it as were never feen even at the ca- liph's table." Alas !" faid the gardener, " I have only tw.o trees, an apple and a pear-tree, which came from the Indies. I planted them on a frnall fpot near my own houfe ; but the foil did not appear to agree with them, for their fruit ne- ver ripened." " Be cautious and prudent," replied Ma- xriouk, " don't Ipeak a word, and I fhall make your fortune ; we fhall work together. Provi- ded your wife and children remain ignorant of the matter, your two trees {hall produce as good fruit as if they had remained in their na- tive foil, and had enjoyed the moft favourable climate. But, as the leaft whifper may ruin every thing, we muf*t obferve the flricl:eft fi- lence with refpect to what we are going to do together. In a few days you fhall gather from your pear-tree fruit whofe beauty fhall aftonifli you." Abaire and Mamouk returned to the houfe, where a good repaft waited them. Thanks to the generous precautions of the magician, who likewife added to it whatever could tend to gain the hearts of his hofls ! Next morning the Egyptian anticipated the dawn, and went to feek for the two trees which the gardener had mentioned. He 104 ARABIAN TALES. He had only to open a door, which ufher- ed him in to a fpot of ground about twenty feet fquare. There the two plants languifhed, being deprived of the heat of the fun : The pear-tree, however, bore one blofTorn. When Abaire rofe, he perceived the door open, faw the magician, and approached him. " You fee how the mofs hath confumed my poor trees." u I rofe," faid Mamouk, " in order to take it off them ; but you fee that the fecond bark is green and in excellent condition; {hut the door; let us finifli our work here whilft every body is afieep ; I will fhow you a fine thing in a little. As this, however, is to make your fortune, you muft firft aflure me of your obedience ; bind yourfelf to me by a folemn oath ; fwear by the Koran, and upon my fabre, that you will be faithful in every trial, by repeating thefe words : " Every thing that Mamouk will do " fhall be for the good of Abaire, and Abaire " will obey every command of Mamouk." The good gardener did not helitate to enter into an engagement which appeared to be all in his own favour. Mamouk makes him bring a peg, three knots of cord, and two fpacss. - The tools are brought : " Take this cord," faid Mamouk to him, " tie One end of it to the tree, and the other tcr the peg; draw a circle ARABIAN TALES. 105 circle, at the diftance of three feet from the tree, as exactly as you can, then loofe the cord from the tree, and we will begin to dig within the circle, until we ihall have reftored and gi- ven nouriihment to the roots. If we would fucceed, we mutt work with method ; and I tell you that this is an operation of geometry." In a moment, the {mail fpace which fur- rounds the tree is cultivated. " Was there a bloilbm on your tree ?" faid Mamouk. " Yes, you are perfectly right," anfwered the credu- lous gardener. " Nothing more lucky for us !" replied the magician ; " approach it, fpeak to it, flatter it ! Every object in nature enjoys life and fenfe, although this does not always ap- pear : Say to it, " My good little bloflbm, thou " muft produce me a pear larger than any that <( grow in the Indies ; I wifh it to be fuch that u a man might conceal himfelf in it." Abaire fmiled innocently when he pronoun- ced thefe words. To effect this, faid he to Ma- mouk, it ought to be like the dome of a mina- ret. We need not trouble ourfelves about the likenefs, faid the magician, we need only a pear to anfwer our purpofe. When the operation was finished, our work- men lhut the door, of which Mamouk kept the key, and they both fet out for the garden, vhere Abaire was to be employed during the day; 10(5" ARABIAN TALKS. day ; the Egyptian takes part of the work^ and accommodates himfelf to him in every re- fpecl. Had a third perfon heard them, he would have thought them fimpletons. The pear-tree appeared to be entirely forget : Honeft Abaire believed it to be only a childifh whim, and that by his complaifance he had gratified the humour of one whofe prefence and kindnefs relieved his family. Eight days pafs without Mamouk fhowing the leaft curiofity to fee the effect of what he had done. At length, on the ninth day, when Abaire was about to go to his bufinefs, as ufual, the Eyptian feeming quite ready to go along with him, faid to him, " Have you no defire to fee what is become of our fruit ?" " I have, if you think proper," faid A- taire ; " but I am afraid that we fliall have loft our time in digging at the root of a tree which has been three times curfed. I treated it in quite a different manner formerly ; but it ne- ver throve a whit the better for it. It is true, I did not know to flatter it ; however, let us go in and fee." One may naturally conjecture, that the good gardener, accuftomed to his ordinary work, and to regular productions, had no thought of find- ing fuch a phenomenon upon a branch where he had left nothing but a parched and Ian- giufliing ARABIAN "fALES. 1C; guiming bloflbm. What then muft have been his aftonifhment, when he faw, hanging in the fame place, a pear of fiich a prodigious fize, that it was four times larger than any one of the fame kind that had been ever feen. I could never have believed it, faid he in his furprife j to whom (hall I fell this pear ? If I carry it to the palace, the officers of the caliph will give any thing for it, and will be proud to get it : If I fhow it to Simouftapha, he will fpare no price. " You are in the right," faidMamoukj " he will pay you better than any body elfe ; and be-* fides, he will conuder himfelf as much indebted to you. Take courage, my dear Abaire, your tree (hall forthwith flourifh like the rofe-bufh in May, and none but Simouftapha can pay you for thefe fruits. Go, put your pear upon a plate, and cover it with a linen cloth ; you muft feize the moment when Simouftapha fhall be before his fhop, and you muft pafs before him as ufual. He will be curious to fee your fruits ; draw his attention to this pear till he clefire and covet it, and you are certain of an exor- bitant price ; but I told you that I wifhed to en- ter into the pear ; I wifh to do it ftill." *' Ah! certainly I don't oppofe it," faid A- baire fmiling ; " make yourfelf fo little that you can find room in it ; you will hare the ap- pearance of a very fine kernel." " Do you wifh me t-U ARABIAN TALES. me then to become a kernel in It ?" " Yes, if it is poffible." " Order me to be it." " Well ! I order you to be it."" Pull out the ftalk then, in order to open the door to me." Abaire being in good humour, wiihed to car- ry on the joke, and made a fmall movement, as in order to pull away the ftalk of the fruit ; it ftuck to his hand, and gave him great pain. f{ This is a fmall misfortune," faid Mamouk ; '* for without this, I fhould have flopped at the door. Put the ftalk into its place again ; go, feek your plate, endeavour to make up to your man ; the fruit will appear no lefs curious to him ; it ' has loft nothing of either its fize or tafte. Next week we will^get better ones to eat.'* The gardener having gone to feek the plate, returned, but did notfind Mamouk. He imagined that he had gone to fee the pear-tree, and hav- ing no need of him to help him in felling his fruit, he fets out without the leaft uneafinefs for the houfe of Simouftapha. Mamouk abufed the fimplicity of Abaire com- pletely. This impoftor, ftript of the half of his power, reduced to a paffive condition by a fu- perior power, has been forced to transform the ignorant gardener into a magician, without his fufpecting it. He affociated him with himfelf,and made him artfully command whatever it was his ovrn ARABIAN TALES. I9 own intereft to execute. Such are the dangers of ignorance ! Scarce had Abaire turned his back, in order to go and feek the plate, when the Egyptian, faithful to the command which he made be given to himfeif, diminifhes the iize of his body, and enters into the pear, that he may there aflume the form of a kernel. Were they to cut the pear without cutting the ftone, and efyecially, if they were to be charmed with the delicious tafte of the fruit, the wretch Mamouk would recover his lofs, and complete his vengeance. Hitherto every thing tended to favour the views of the cabalift : Simouftapha is at the gate when Abaire pafles, and makes him fhow his fruit. The gardener faid that he was going to prefent it to the caliph himfeif, and that he would get two hundred fequins for it. Give it to me, faid Simouftapha, you (hall not have to go far, here are two hundred fequins, and fifty more for the honour you do me in giving me the preference. Abaire, elated with his good fortune, left both the plate and cloth, to embrace him to whom he was indebted for fo much money: He returns home with eagernefs, but does not find Mamouk. He fuppofes him to be in the gar- den without the city ; he runs to it, but does not find him there ; he feeks him every where, VOL. II. K and IIO ARABIAN TALES. and demands him from the neighbouring rivers and echoes in vain. During this fruitlefs fearch Siinouftapha impa- tiently waited the hour when he Ihould enjoy the charms of the charming .Ilfetilfone, and offer her the moft beautiful fruit fhe * had ever feen upon the earth. Night was come; the genius had done its du- ty ; the happy pair are drefTed in the prefents of their charming protedtrefs j the clothes, the i ings, the necklace, the diamond chain, inter- woven with the hair. In fhort, nothing is for- got. The mute eunuch prefents the beautiful fruit which the Indian prized fo much ; Ilfetilfone admires it, and finds that it has a moft exqui- fite flavour. They hear a little noife as they cut the pear ; a kernel efcapes from it, and leaps upon the ground. The fatal bit had already touched the lips of the two lovers ; Simouftapha cries aloud ; the ring having pricked him, occafions a violent pain. Ilfetilfone lets fall the bit which fhe held ; the prince makes an effort to pull off" her fmger the jewel which hurts her ; and this calls the genius, the flave of the ring. It was of an ugly frightful fhape j the prin- cefs fainted when fhe faw it, What art thou ? What ARABIAN TALES. What do'ft thou want with me? faid Simoufta- pha to it. I am the flaw of the ring which my miftrefs gave thee, anfwered the phantom.; I warn thee that thou art in the greateft dan- ger 5 thy enemy is in the houfe ; that fruit is poifoned } I fly to the aid of the box ; when it fliall be out of danger I will return. Simouftapha and his flaves affifted the prin- cefs. Jemal, during this time, fliut up in the magic box, defended himfelf, as well as h could, againft the attacks of his former mafter, whofe power he dreaded. Mamouk applied aa inchanted ring to the lock of the cheft in which the box was fhut up ; the lock opened, and, at the fame inftant, the genius who guarded j fubftituted another in its place. This conflict was renewed fix times ; and Jemal was at hut about to yield, when the genius of the box ar- rived. Infamous wretch ! faid he to Mamouk, thou (halt die by no hand but mine. At the fame time, he exhales up all the air in the room^and lifts his arm to ftrike the Egyptian, who falls to the ground like one fuffocated. Ke is immedi- ately caft into chains; robbed of his magic ring, his wand, his book of inchantments, and thrown upon the floor, ftript of his power, and half dead. K 2 After t!2 ARABIAN TALES, After this victory, the genius of the ring came to inform Simoufhapha of the dangers to which he had been expofed by the flratagem of Mamouk. " Come," faid he, " view your e- nemy, and difpofe of him, not according to the goodnefs of your heart, but according to the badnefs of his." Simouftapha followed the genius into the room, but Mamouk was gone. Curfed magi- cian ! inexhauftible in refources } faid the ge- nius, what force hath enabled thee to efcape ? But thou waft bound and could'ft not get off, He advifes Simouftapha, therefore, to take the box, to call Jemal, and to caufe them feek in concert the wretch who wifhed to efcape. The two genii found him in the garden, where he was b^gun to rid himfelf of his irons. But,, upon feeing his adverfaries, he plunges into the canal : Immediately two banks are formed, which fhut him up. Upon this he jerks into the air, like a drop of water ; but he is conftrained to fall back into a bafon which they had made for him : He is now forced to evaporate into flame ; but a thick vapour, which rifes on every fide, thwarts this fcheme. From this mixture of elements, the canal ap- pears filled with quick burning lime, which they were afraid to approach : The genius of the ring, throws into'ii two pieces of the pear ; in an inftant ARABIAN TALES. 113 inftant theydiiTolve; then the genius, addrefling Siraouftapha, fays to him, Prince! pronounce fentence upon this wretch j we are ready to execute it : fay to him, " Infamous magician ! I (hut you up in your works, and with your works, that you may be punifhed by your works." Simouflapha pronounced the fentence. The magician on a fudden became a fhapelefs mafs of marble, of the figure of a cat, refembling thofe frightful flatues which were feen among the idolatrous before the coming of the prophet* The genius carried out of the garden this horrid image. Simouflapha returned to his fpoufe, who, al- though recovered from her firft fright, yet was not without alarm on his account. Upon feeing him, fhe recovered her fpirits. They enter to- gether into the clofet where the box was pla- ced i Simouftapha touches it, and Jemal ap- pears. Sir, fays the genius, what do you want with your flave ? I want you to relate to me all tho particulars of the event which has juft now hap- pened. It places itfelf aft ride upon the box, and obeys the orders of Simouflapha : It defcribes the machinations, the journey, and the arrival of $fomouk the magician at Bagdad ; it alfo K 3 relates JJ4 ARABIAN TALES. relates how he deceived the gardener ; how lie lodged at his houfe , his transformations ; the inchantment of the pear-tree ; the manner in which he introduced himfelf to Simouftapha, who carried to itfelf the fruit in the kernel of which the traitor had concealed himfelf , how he came out of it when the pear was cut. It defcribes its own conflict in the box, where it : .nceflantly oppofed a frefh touch to that which the magic ring of the Egyptian deftroyed. From this box, in which it was intrenched^ in order to defend it, it had feen the genius of the ring come to its affiftance. It relates how the conjurer had been thrown down, bound, ftript of his magic , and how that the very inftant the genius of the ring went out of the clofet, fpirits, fent from tl>e lower Egypt to aid Mamouk, by Jiis fon Naraes, had come to carry him fud- denly off, and had put him in a condition to, jnake the laft conflict, in which he had at length yielded. Thefe explanations having confumed part of the night, the two conforts had fcarce time to congratulate themfelves on their good luck in having efcaped fo many ftratagems, fuch dan- gerous attacks, and fuch well concerted fchemes, Ilfetilfone is obliged to trail herfelf to the care of the faithful Jemal, and to return to the ca- liph's palace in her ufual carriage. Simouftapha ARABIAN TALESi II $ Simouftapha endeavoured to nd in the bath that quiet which fuch perturbation had caufed him lofe. He afterwards made ready to fet out for Ginniftan. He had rccourfe to the box, invoked the genius of it, fet out, and arrived in the prefence of the queen of the ge- nii, to whom his dangers had rendered him dearer. She comes into his prefence, and teftifies to him, by the tendereft carefies, the warm part {he had taken on account of his misfortune. She fpares the young prince the relation of an adventure, of which {he knew the minuteft particular ; but {he avails herfelf of this circum- llance, in order to induce him to watch with care the ring and the box. She puts him on his guurd againft the attacks of the fon of Ma- mouk, as dangerous as his father. " In vain," faid {he to him, " {hall I have my eyes always upon you, and furround you by the powers which are fubject to me, if you don't endea- vour to fecure yourfelf againft the fnares of men. My affiftance difplays itfelf only by fupernatu- tural means; take care of yourfelf j put your- felf in a condition that you may turn your vir- tues and wifdom to your advantage, after the example of your mafter Benalab." Let us here fmilh the falutary counfels of the queen, and the warm gratitude of Simouftapha. Il6 ARABIAN TALES. He took leave of the queen , the genius con- ducted him back to Bagdad, where political movements pave the way for more interefting events. The caliph, having learned that the city of Da- mufcus was befieged by two hundred thoufand infidels, caufed an order be iffued to ,all MufTul- mans to take arms, and follow him, to give re- lief to this important place. Upon this Simouftapha feels a fentiment na- tural to great fouls : He is inflamed with zeal and courage for the true faith. The love of glo- ry, and the defire appearing worthy of his rnif- trefs, makes him pant after the laurels, and trace the footfteps of the commander of the faithful. He therefore calls Jemal. " You have juft now heard," faid he to the genius, " the proclamation of the caliph. I wifh to fccond his views : Make them bring me a horfe immediately, and armour fuitable to my rank and birth." The genius cleaves the air, and informs Se- telpedour of the intention of the young prince ; the queen applauds his purpofe, and wifhes to put the hero in a condition of attaining the greatnefs for which he is deftined. She alfo orders for lum one of the moft beautiful horfes that C*A be found in any of the three Arabias. The ARABIAN TALES. II? The emrfiaries make their choice at Sardie > an uninhabited diftricl, three days journey from Damafcus, where the beft horfes are to be met with : They find one to which no other could be compared. He was of the breed of Gelpha > which had mounted the great prophet, when, after having erected his victorious ftandard on the towers of Medina, he over-ran Pale- ftine and the two Syrias, and foon made all Alia bend under the ftrokes of his glorious fcymitar, and the wife laws of the divine Ko- ran. The nativity of the horfe deftined for Simou- ftapha, caft, at the very moment of his birth, by the wifeft aftrologers, prefaged that he was to ferve under the greateft prince in the world, and eftablilh the happinefs and duration of two powerful empires. The difpofkions of tl\is animal completely juftilied the decrees of his deftiny : Tractable, active, fpirited, capable of any fatigue, he was never the flave of his appetites ; he endured thirft and hunger without the leaft alteration on his vigorous conftitutionj he could live without fleep, and feed on air. He added to thefe ex- cellent qualities thofe of the readied obedience, the moft acute underfianding, and a firm at- tachment to his mafter : How many men were inferior to him ? Setel- Il ARABIAN TALES. Setelpedour wiflied to fee the horfe deftined for her favourite ; the fteed neighed for joy that he was going to make his appearance before the queen of the genii, and contribute to the glory of the hero whom {he protected : He was in- troduced to Ginniftan ; he excited the admira- tion of Setelpedour : A harnefs worthy of his beauty, but without any extraordinary {how, is immediately provided for him j he is loaded with the complete armour of the prince. The cuirafs, and the other neceflary pieces, are made of fteel-plates of Damafcus ; the fcymitar is of a temper which nothing can refift : All his arms are qf a fable hue. Simouftopha was waiting with impatience upon the terrace of his houfe for the return of Jemal, when he brought into the court the haughty fteed. At the fight of fo beautiful a prefent, the young prince feels himfelf penetrated with gra- titude, and filled with new ardour ; he burns to fignalife his courage ; but love ftill throws fome obftacles in his way. When the genius, favoured by the {hades ef night, had carried Ilfetilfone from the palace of the caliph, and united the two conforts j when the beautiful princefs was informed of the de- figns of her lover, {he loft the ufe of her fenfes ; fhe recovered only to abandon herfelf to more cruel defpair, and fhe night was {pent in tears. Although ARABIAN TALES. Tip Although the caliph had departed, Simouffo- pha, facrificing his glory to the tender concerns of love, left his fleed to champ the bit with im- patience ; he makes the air re-echo with his neighing ; Jemal can hardly reftrain him ; he wifhes for the faddle and bridle ; and his foot feems to ftrike the hours which ought to have warned Simouftapha of his departure. More than a day elapfed before Simouftapha could tear himfelf from the arms of Ilfetilfonc, tvhofe alarms he dreaded. Setelpedour faw his diftrefs, blufhed for his weaknefs ; but, anxious for his glory, runs up to him. " You fail in your duty," faid {he to him ; " you forfeit your glory and the fafety of the ftate in which you live ; you languifh under a fhameful weaknefs; depart inftantly; if you he- fitate a moment, I give you entirely up. My flave is ready to conduct you to Damafcus ; I fhall take care of your fpoufe; receive my blefs- ing." Upon hearing this, Simouftapha recognifes his weaknefs, and blufhes on account of it ; he falls at the knees of the fairy, and implores her pardon and protection. He mounts his fteed, which, quick as lighten- ing, tranfports him to Damafcus ; and he is con- ducted by the genii the flaves of the fairy. Ha- virig reached an eminence, he gets a .view of the 12O ARABIAN TALE'S. the city. The infidels were aflaulting it ; the army of the 'caliph had come to clofe quarters with the enemy, and were labouring under a manifeft difadvantage : The two wings were broken, and had given Way. The ftandard of Mahomet pointed out the place where Haroun Alrafchid fought. He was in the middle of his army ; the infidels prefled Tiisbattaliojis; and, having almoft reached himfelf, this illuftrious foVereign was ready to fall a vic- tim to their fury. Swifter than lightening, Simouftapha is in the midft of the carnage ; every ftroke of his fey- miter carries death along with it ; every ftep of his, horfe tramples die infidels. In a moment he delivers his fovereign from the dangers that threatened him: His thundering voice ftrikes terror into the enemy, but reanimates the drooping fpirits of the Muffiilmans. They are all rallied under the ftandard of the facred pro- phet, which Simouftapha had feized ; he waves it in the middle of the battalion which he had juft formed. At thisTignal, the fouls of the warriors are infpired with frefh confidence; the combat is renewed with more vigour; but death Ihifts its ground ; it feizes upon that of the in- fidels, and fpreads havock around. The ar- dour of his fteed carries him through all the ranks in an inftant. He takes the command into ARABIAN TALES. 1 Zl into his own hand ; every one obeyed : The commanders and the foldiers took him to be an angel from heaven fent to their relief; he made part purfue the runaways, whilft he, with the reft of the army, advanced under the walls of Damafcus,. The ladders which had been prepared for the ailault are deftroyed, the aflailants are tumbled headlong from the walls, and the gates of the city are .thrown open to its deliverer. Simouflapha marches in triumph at the head of the conquerors; the crowd, as he pafles, fall down to embrace his knees ; and the pre- ferver of Damafcus receives the homage of a. people in whole behalf he had difplayed fo much valour. They advance towards the prin- cipal mofque, to thank Heaven and Mahomet for fuch a fignal deliverance. Haroun does not lofe fight of the object of his gratitude : Simou- ftapha, having pulled down his vifier, kept him- fclf however near the caliph. When they ar- rived at the gate of the mofque, he alights, and approaches in a moft fuppliant manner to do homage to his fovereign, by affifting him to difmount. Haroun politely accepts the affiftance of the young warrior ; but he is diftrefled to fee a wound on the hand which is prefented to him, and which is covered with blood. VOL. II. L Valiant 122 ARABIAN TALES. Valiant hero, faid he to him, you are wound- ed ? Great commander of the faithful, an- fwered the Indian prince, the wound is by no means dangerous, for I feel no inconvenience from it. Noble warrior, the heat of the action, and your intrepid courage, have made you for- get it ; but we fhall not enter the mofque with- out dreffing your wound. Your goodnefs af- fects me much, exclaimed Simouftapha ; the duties in which you are going to be engaged ought to precede thofe which concern only the meaneft, but moil devoted of your fubjects. The caliph was charmed with this token of fubmiffion : Brave Muflulman, faid he, ta- king a handkerchief, upon which his name was written in letters of gold, from his girdle, con- defcend at leaft to keep your hand from the air, by wrapping it up in this handkerchief, till we may have it in our power to give you other relief. Simouftapha obeyed. They entered the mofque, which immediately re-echoed with the fongs and thankfgivings of all the people. After this the caliph goes to the palace that had been deflgned for him during his ftay at Damaicus : Several officers, who had had the courage to keep aloof during the combat, be- came now jealous of their places, that they might accompany him in his triumph. Si- mouftapha, ARABIAN TALES. 125 mouftapha, regardlefs of fuch frivolous prefer- ments, leaves them without being noticed, mounts his hdrfe, and difappears on a fud- den. He had facrificed to glory whatever was pro- per -, it is time now to alleviate the diftrefs of his miftrefs : His intelligent fteed appeared to partake of his impatience ; he fcarcely touches the road as he fcours over it ; and Simouftapha foon reviiits the much longed for watch-towers of Bagdad. During his abfenee, the beneficent queen of the genii would not fuffer Ilfetilfone to a- bandon herfelf to diftrefs. The firft night, therefore, that the prince departed, fhe or- dered . the genius to convey to her the ca- liph's daughter. What muft have been her ar ftoniihment when ihe awoke, to find lierfclf ia the arms of the queen, inftead of thofe of Si- mouftapha ? Don't be difconcerted, faid Setelpedour to her, embracing her tenderly, your hufband muft attend to his duty under the colours of the caliph. Your happinefs depends, moro than you imagine, upon the fervice which he has it in his power to do him ; it is not a fruit- lefs glory which he nfpires at. I fhall \vatch, oVer his fafety as well as I can 5 and I would fight by his fide were I allowed ; but I am L 2 fubjeft 124 ARABIAN TALE?. fubjecl: to a different law. It is diftreffing for me that the merit of Simouftapha hath infpired me with love ; and that my partiality towards him hath made the malevolent fpirits of my empire rebel. I have already punifhed them j and I am determined to put them all tq defiance, as we have ftill more dangers to encounter. Be of good chear, amiable princefs, affift me in procuring happinefs to him whom. we love more than life itfelf, by not multiplying the caufes of his difquiet ! Reproach him not for a feparation, which his glory and your common mtereft rendered neceflary. You fhall fee him again in a fhort time ; truft yourfelf to the vrifdom and the care of the queen of the genii. Ilfetilfone was comforted, and immediately carried back to the palace of her father. Whiltt the commander of the faithful is re- pairing in proceffion to the palace deftined for him at Damafcus, he looks around to difcover the hero to whom he owes his fafety, that of his army, the relief of Damafcus, and complete Victory : He does not perceive him : He orders him to be fought for every where : Inquiries are fruitltfs. He makes his heralds at arms proclaim it both within and without the city, but without fuccefs. The warrior had difcp- peared with his fteed ; he had not raifed the ARABIAN TALES. I2 viiler of his helmet, therefore every thing re- mains unknown with regard to him. The people perfift in believing that heaven had fent an angel to their relief j but the blood which Haroun had feen flowing was that of a human being ; the handkerchief which he bad given him was ftained with it. The commander of the faithful, in diftrefs, becaufe it was not in his power to teftify his gratitude to his benefactor, and informed that the Infidels who had efcaped the llaughter were embarked, provides for the future fecurity of Damafcus, and returns to Bagdad at the head of twelve thoufand knights, after having dit- banded his army. Already had Simouftapha enjoyed the plea- fure of revifiting his affectionate fpoufe, and of thanking their amiable protedtreis. Spending the days with the one, and the nights with the other, he was as happy as a mortal could be. * He informed his dear Ilfetilfone of every par- ticular of his military atchievcments ; and they were ftill more interefting to this amiable prin- cds, in proportion as they had contributed to the glory of the caliph. She took the hand- kerchief in which the hand of her lover was wrapped, and bedewed every now and then with her tears the characters which exhibited to her the name of her father, and the ftains L 3 of 120 ARABIAN TALKS. " of the blood that had been flied in his defence. " I will keep this handkerchief," faid fhe; " ft will always call to my remembrance that mo- ment \vhcn the object of my tendernefs was laved by that of my love." In the mean while the caliph arrives, amid fhe acclamations of the inhabitants of Bagdad ; triumphal arches are raifed to his renown ; he finds an adequate compenfation for his labours, / in the affection of his fubjects, and the tender- nefs of his family. Zobeida and her daughter demonftrate their tranfports of joy by the moft lively careffes ; but the caliph, wearied wkh fo 'many honours, thinks of nothing but the ftran- ger warrior, who had denied him the pleafure of rewarding him. " He received from me no- thing but a handkerchief to cover his wound," faid the monarch ; " it is the only favour he would accept ; but I have promiied ten thou- iimd fequins to that perfon who fhall infor, me of his name, his condition, and wher he lives : I {hall reward him who faved the 'ftandard of the holy prophet ftom the hands of the Infidels, who delivered my people, and to whom I owe my life and my crown. It is in vain that he denies himfelf the honours that are due to him ; I will celebrate a feftival in his honour, which fliall bring all Damaf- cus to Bagdad to witnefs his extraordinary v<> lour-v ARABIAN TAILED 127 lour. I cannot reprefent the features of 1m face accurately, as lie never lifted the viiier of his helmet ; but I will reprefent his armour, of which I have a. diftincl: idea, and his freed full of fire. Sure there will not be a MulTulman in my empire who will not be eager to witnefs the celebration of the feftival, in honour of the hero of the fable arms ; and he fhall not be long unknown to thofe who fliall be prefent at the warlike foleuinity." ff f, j Ilfetilfone was delighted with the encomiums lavifhed upon her lover, and the enthuiiaiin of the caliph. How cften had fhe almoft been tempted to fay, " I know him, the hero of the fable arms, the conqueror of the Infidels, and alfo my conqueror." The orders of Haroun are executed : The fef- tivals held for the relief of Damafcus continued thirty days ; the two lad of thefe are fet apart for a military rcprefentation of the exploits of the knight of the fable arms. Thefe feftivaLs accompliflied the views of the caliph by means quite unconnected \vkh thofe which this mo- narch had thought of. The laft day of the feftival, when Zobeida was upon the balcony with her daughter, a coup dejo- leil ftruck the young princefs , fhe uttered a loud fhriek, and fell upon the bofom of her mo- ther. While fiie was affording" relief to her daughter, 128 ARABIAN TALES. daughter, {lie perceived fymptoms which could not be mfttaken ; her bofom difcovered the ef- fects of a conjugal union: Alarmed with this fur- priilng difcovery, fhe runs inftantly to the ca- liph, to inform him of ib important a fecret : It was not by conjectures that fhe formed her con- cluflon; complete certainty convinced her of it: They go together into the apartment of Ilfetil- fone, to draw from her a confeffion which con- cerned their glory and their repofe. " For feveral months," fays the princefs, " I have been carried off every night without per- ceiving itj I am tranfported through the air, and conveyed into a chamber magnificently furnifh- ed, and find myfelf in the arms of a man who is unknown to me ; but who, I confefs, has in- fpired me with the mofl tender paffion." From this recital of his daughter, the caliph eafily judged that fome miraculous inchantment had feduced her, and thought it unreafonable to reproach her for a fault, which, from its na- ture, feemed to be excufeable. Madam, fays he to Zobeida, it appears that a genius is enamoured of our daughter ; our op- pofition would only irritate it ; we muft recom- mend her, as well as ourfelves, to the protec- tion of the holy prophet. Saying this, he em- braces his daughter, as ufual, and leaves her to that repofe which fhe flood fo much in need of. Zobeida ARABIAN TALES. I2 Zobeida imitates the wife conduct of her huf- band. Ilfetilfone flatters herfelf that fhe will be able to inform her lover the following night, that he mr.y take care to bring the handkerchief, and make known in the palace the knight of the fa- ble arms : He muft arrive there with his fpi- rited fteed, and all his accoutrements of war. The caliph aflembles his privy council, the members of which were Giafar and Mefrour. Giafar receives the information with aftoniih- ment : Mefrour is lefs furprifed ; he had, for a long time, perceived that it was Smpoffible to awake the guard which was Rationed at the a- partment of the princefs. What method mall we fall upon, fays the c?.- liph, to find out and furprlfe the inchanter of my daughter ? every night me is lifted up in the air. I have a little device in my head, fays Mefrour, which we may vnuke ufe of immediately. I have a phofphoric fubftance which I received from an a- ftrologer; it is compofed of an oil extracted from an animal called a Baiilifk : Whenever it is in the open air and in motion it ilames without burning. I am going to pour fome drops of it upon the coverlet of the princefs; it will dry inftantly, and retain no fmell. As foon as they are in the c- pen air, they will emit fparkling ftars, which will 130 ARABIAN TALES will ferve to conduft the perfons who are to follow her into the houfe of the feducer. The caliph approves the fcheme : Mefrour goes to put it in execution ; and Giafar warns the judge of the police, who was to follow the meteor wherever it went, and get the houfe inftantly furrounded. Five hundred men are immediately appointed to run after the new conftellation which was to appear that night ; but the fecret remains between the caliph and his counfellors. Night came ; the genius not having caft its eyes upon the earth, was ignorant of what was doing there, and obeyed, as ufual, the or- ders of Simouftapha, and went to carry off the princefs. Scarce had it got above the palace, when the phofphoric fubftance flione with all its luftre ; the guards from every quarter purfue it ; the genius had good eyes, but it did not fee every thing. It carried its charming load into the a- partinent of the Indian prince, illuminated with a hundred wax candles. The light of the phof- phoric fubftance difappeared entirely j and the guards, rufhing in an inftant from every part of the town, furround the houfe of Simouftapha. The young prince heard the noife, rubbed his ring, examined the box; the two genii appear- ed. They were ordered to obferve what paf- fed } ARABIAN TALES. fjl fed ; and, above all, to defend the houfe againft the danger with which it was threatened. In a moment they converted both the doors and windows into a folid wall. The judge of the police caufed awake the neighbours, to afk them where the door of Si- mouftapha's houfe was. The good people rub- bed their eyes, but could not find it j they light- ed feveral flambeaux, but all to no purpofe. The judge became quite impatient. Giafar and Mefrour arrived ; and, ever fmce the latter had difcovered the fecret of the Bafilifk oil, he ima- gined his invention to be adequate to any thing. As he finds no door, therefore, he caufes mount the terrace with ladders j the houfe is furrounded in an inftant ; and there is nothing wanted but batteriug-rams, hooks, and teftu- does, to make a complete fiege. Forty ladders are made, each feveral feet higher than the houfe ; every one ftrives to get the flart of a- nother, allured by the hope of plunder ; but, the more hafte the befiegers make, the worfe they fucceed ; the ladders fink into the earth, in proportion as they mount the fteps, till they difappear altogether. " Ceafe then to kick about," exclaimed the judge of the police ; " are you afraid ? Mount then." Let us exert our whole ftrength upon it, faid fome of them ; and indeed they were over- 132 ARABIAN TALES. overwhelmed with fatigue, without being able to get an inch from the ground. The judge, his patience being worn out, alights from his horfe, and urges the affailants with great keen- nefs : " Mount, therefore, quicker." " By Mahomet mount it yourfelf," {aid they to the judge, " for the ladders are bewitched !" The judge having loft his patience, mounts the ladder in his robe. He willies to take two fteps at once, that he may mount quicker j but, as the ladder finks in proportion as he attempts to mount, he lofes his balance, and is entangled with his robe. A general laugh followed this unexpe&ed fill. Notwkhftanding this, the night was fpent in redoubling the ufelefs efforts of this ridiculous affault ; in which, although they carne never a whit nearer their purpofe, they flattered themfelves that every moment their labours would be crowned with fuccefs. Every thing was in an uproar in the ftreets of Bag- dad j and, as the people were not let into the fecret of the matter, they imagined that the feftival of the knight with the fable arms ftill continued, and that the fiege of Damafcus was reprefented by the burlefque fcalade which was going on at the houfe of Simouftapha. Haroun expefted the victim every moment, and had refolved to iacrifice him, without giving him ARABIAN TALES. 133 him time to fpeak. One may eafily imagine \vhat was his impatience ; the rumour and the noife brought to his ears reports always more ridiculous and exaggerated ; his uneaflnefs e- qualled the dcftre of vengeance which he had formed, On the contrary, the inner part of Simou- ftopha's houfe was fo quiet that you could have heard the motion of a fly. As foon as the genii perceived the ftratagem of Mefrour to difcover the route of the princefs, they took the necefTary precautions to flicker the houfe againft the firft fiirprife, and immediately con- veyed llfetilfone into the palace of the caliph in the midft of a fog, which intercepted the effect of the phofphorus. The cloud of vapour refted upon the palace ; the aflailants become ftupicl; and the caliph himfelf is deprived of his ufual activity. The, Indian prince confults the genius of the box, and of the ring, upon the means of protec- tion for next day; and quietly gives himfelf up to fweet repofe, under the immediate protection of the Star of the Seven Seas. The day at laft appears : Simouftapha repairs to the terrace of his houfe to enjoy the mor- ning fun ; he defcries Giafar and Mefrour in the crowd; he calls them, and addrefles the lat- ter. VOL. II. M Sublime IJ4 ARABIAN TALES. . " Sublime miniftcr !" fays he, " why do yoxs furround the houfc of a MufTulman, devoted to the will of the commander of the faith- ful ? I charge you to tell him, that if he wiflies to have pofTeflion of my perfon, he muft raife this fiege ; I will then deliver myfelf into his hands." Mefrour repairs to the palace, and advifes the caliph to accept a condition which would put the inchanter in his power^ Orders are iflued to the judge of the police, who retires immediately with all his people ; and the fca- ling ladders, thrown down, are left at the bot- tom of the wall. When all the pafiages are free, Simouftapha goes out by one of the doors, which broke open immediately, and proceeds, without betraying the leaft {ymptom of fear, towards the palace of the caliph. Haroun is furprifed at the audacity of the magician ; he does not wifli to fee him, but orders him to be beheaded in the middle of the firft court of the palace, in prefence of all the people who fhould be aflembled there.; The inner guard feizes the Indian prince, who prefents his hands to the irons with which he was to be loaded ; the executioner lays hold of him, and takes off his turban, in order to bind the ARABIAN TALES. 13$ the fatal veil; upon his eyes ; the handkerchief of the caliph, is under the turban.' Giafar and Mefrour inf candy recollect it the people who had feen the model at the mock feftival exclaimed, " See the handker- chief of the knight of the fable arms !" A cir- cumftance ftill more angular folicits the atten- tion of the grand vizir ; Simouitapha had upon his head a fillet fet with precious ftones, and a magnificent diamond which he had got from the caliph. Giafar pronounced with a loud voice the words which were engraved upon the fillet, " Given by the caliph Haroun Alrafchid " to his nephew Simouftapha, fon of the great " king of the Indies." A confufed nolle was heard from every quar- ter : " It is the fon of the king of the Indies/* they exclaimed ; " it is the prince Simoufta- pha !" In the mean time, Mefrour had carried the handkerchief to the caliph : " Who has de- livered to you that handkerchief?" fays the fq- vereign eagerly. " It was on the head of the man whom you have condemned." " Are my orders executed ?" " No, Sire , I come to re- ceive them." " Fly, run, Mefrour; preferve the life of the generous warrior who faved mine. Inftantly conduct him to me." M 2 Giafar JJ6 ARABIAN TALES. Giafar had anticipated his orders ; the fur- prife and the cries of the people had induced turn to bring Simo'ufbpha into the prefence of the caliph : The prince arrived at the foot of the throne j and the firft object which ftruck the commander of the faithful was the dia- mond which had formerly been fent to the great king of the Indies. " What !". faid he to Simoufbpha, " are you the fon of my brother the king of the Indies ?" " You fee it to be the cafe, mod glorious caliph !" " And are you the warrior to whom I owe my honour and my life." K Behbld the wound I received before Damafcus, and which was the occaiios of your beftowing upon me fuch tokens of friendship." " And are you al- ib the admirer of my daughter Ilfetilfone ?" " You fee her Have and your's." " May a thoufand thanks be rendered to the great prophet !" exclaimed the caliph, " Is it you then, Simouftapha, whom I have cherifh- ed from your infancy, and to whom I have de- ftined the hand of my daughter ? You could have had no rival but the knight of the fable arms, and you are that fame knight, whofe fervices I never thought that I could have fuf- ftciently rewarded with the hand of Ilfetilfone, and the richeft crown of the eaift ! I hold in my arms the object of my gratitude, and that of ARABIAN TALES. JJ7 of my love : Ah ! why conceal yourfelf from me under the appearance of a cook ? " Moffc illuftrious commander of the faithful," replied Simoufbpha, " the divine charms of II- fetilfone early made a lively impreflion on my foul : Scarcely was me animated with the fir ft breath of life, when I felt myfelf inflamed with love 5 the defire of porTeffing her bore ab- folute fway in my heart. A fage Perflan, of whom I was the pupil, pointed out to me the road to happinefs; and propofed that I mould go to Bagdad, and there breathe the only air which would agree with my health, which declined every day. As my father put the moft com- plete confidence in him, he eafily obtained his confent, by concealing from him the true mo- live of an abfence upon which my repofe and felicity depended. Thanks to his contrivance, the fon of a great king of the Indies fixed himfelf in a fituation to which he owed the pleafure of feeing and being feen by her whom . he adored. " Death foon deprived me of that wife gover- nour, but it could not rob me of the fecrets with which he intruded me : Young, the dupe of my paflion, inexperienced, I fell a victim to love. If this oiFend you, and wound the too fen- fible heart of a father, my head is at your feet, punifh it alone j but I implore your paternal M 3 affection 3-38 ARABIAN TALES'. affection for the innocent princefs, whofe whole fault confifts in her love for Sunouftapha." The caliph, moved with fuch an affecting acknowledgment, tenderly lifts up the young prince, and having embraced him afreih, "Come, my dear fon! faid he to him, let us diffipate the grief you have occasioned ; let your pre- fence difpcl the clouds which have raifed im- proper fufpicions in the heart of the moft af- fectionate of mothers." Zobeida was alone with her daughter, an* was demanding from her an explanation of the conduct of the old governefs, at the very moment when the Indian prince entered to dif- jfufe joy and delight. Simouftapha, with the royal fillet on his head, and difplaying the brilliant taflel with which it is ornamented, was introduced Jo the wife of the caliph and her daughter . Receive from the hands of the great pro- phet and mine," faid then- fovereign, " you, a fon-in-law, and you, a hufband. This is Simou- ftapha, the fon of the great king of the Indies, the moft ancient, the moft powerful, and the inoft faithful of my allies." Then addreffing himfelf to his attendants. : " Get the cadi and the mufti inftantly : Open the mofques : Let all my people celebrate this joyful feftival : Let the poor receive my alms : Let all Bag- dad participate of the joy of the fovereign ; and let ARABIAN TALES. I ) let it diffufe itfelf into the moft remote quarters of my empire. Behold my deliverer ! my foil m-law, and the protestor of the itandard -of re- ligion ! The duty of gratitude is above every law." Illetilfone and her hufband are lodged in the anoft beautiful apartment of the palace ; he par- takes of die labours and the amufcments of the caliph ; fits at his right hand in the divan j and nothing is done without his advice. An un-- limited confidence eftablifties between them a perfect intimacy. The caliph did not foil to inform himfelf of all the extraordinary means ufed by his fon-in- law for the fuccefs of his wi/hes. Simouftapha owns his fupernatural protection ; he tells him, of the queen of the genii, of the powers that were inck>fed ia the box and in the ring ; but ke conceals the complaifance o^Namouna, and the part {lie had acted in the irftrigue. It is eafy to perceive the reafons for this con- duct. Haroun, already familiarifed to marvellous adventures, eafily believed Simouftapha. He did not blame him for availing himfelf of ma- gic, the ftudy of which he had encouraged in his court. He found fault with him, however, for having neglected to inform the king of the Indies of the fortune of his only fon. " His inquie- 140 ARAB-IAN TALES. tucle," anfwered the prince, " muft be very much alleviated by looking upon the rofe- bufii -which my tutor Benalab left in the gar- den of the palace : It gives a daily account of my adventures, fortunate or not ; and, fince I have had the good fortune to be loaded with the favours of the greateft fovereign upon earth, the bufh muft this clay {how him that I have attained the fummit of profperity. Simouftapha thought very juftly in this re- ipeft. The kiug and queen of the Indies con- templated the rofe-bufh every day ; it only caft off the flowers with which it was loaded, to give way to more beautiful ones ; and thus they con- foled themfelves during the abfence of their fon, convinced that nothing bad had befallen him. Tliis day they were very agreeably fur- prifed , they faw a blofibm of a rofe, already blown, expand ^ftill more frefh and brilliant. This phenomenon appeared to them quite ex- traordinary, but it wonld have been neceffary for them to have been at Bagdad, in order to find out the meaning of it. Ilfetilfone had juft given birth to a young prince ; Simouftapha, Haroun, and Zobeid were full of joy ; all the faithful Muflulmans celebrate with feftivals this happy event. The caliph named the child Haroun-Ben-Airafchid. The- ARABIAN TALES. 14 f The queen of the genii preiided at his birth, and endowed him with her art. In the mean while, the commander of the faithful and his fon-in-law implored what was more eilential for him in the great mofque at Bagdad. Every thing prefaged to the family of the ca- liph an uninterrupted courfe of profperity j but a cloud gathered againft it in Egypt. Naraes, die fon of Mamouk the magician, attentive to die fountain which was to regulate h's proceed- ings, perceived its water troubled : He fent two fpirits to the affiftanee of his father ; but the water is foon tinged with blood; he faw that his power had been ineffectual, that Mamouk was dead > he, therefore, breathes nothing but vengeance. The laft chamber, by his magic wand, had pointed to him all the adventures of Mamouk at the houfe of Simouftapha : He fur- nifhes himfelf with every thing that he imagines can contribute to his fuccefs, and fets out for Bagdad. It is no longer into the houfe of a private perfon that he muft introduce him- ielf ; it i$ -into the palace ef the caliph. Na- raes, it is true, has a great advantage over his father : He is powerful and active, he has no need to have rccourfe to fo many wiles, in order to aflbciate another with him, for the firft who comes can anfwer his purpoie. Narae?, ?42 ARABIAN TALLS. Naraes, after much fatigue, and many by- roads, arrives, iike his father, at the Ilfara and; the Aggiala. Here a poor fifher-man, who has taken nothing with his net during the whole day, is bemoaning his bad luck : How {hall he be able to maintain his family ? The magician, who had already difcovered the caufe of his grief, accofts him, and puts a piece of gold into his hand : " Confole yourfelf, good man," faid he to him, " I fympathife with you, in feeing you labour without fuccefs ; but you don't know the proper bait : Quit your net y take a line, and, at the diftance of a few paces from hence, you will find, under a rock, a fiih of a iingular fpecies : I am going to collect a little earth, of which I will make a ball, and bedew it with a ftrange fort of water. With tliis charm you muft let your line fall from the top of the rock, and, by having a little patience, you will catch a beautiful fifh. This uncom- mon fifh appears now and then in thefe rivers -, and this is the feafon of it.: It is called Sul- tan Hibraiitij from the name- of the patriarch who preferred its fpecies. After you fhali have taken it, you muft not carry it to the ca- liph ; this fovereign contents himfelf, upon the whole, with too frugal fare ; but take my ad- vice, and fell it to the prince Simouftapha, who will give you what you alk for it : I have not time V ARABIAN TALES. 14* time to flop at prefent to witnefs your fuccefs ; I muft return to my warehoufe. I am the firft dealer in china, as you enter at the right hand by the great gate of the Kan j come to me to- morrow morning, I will give you one or two bottles full of my water, and we fhall perhaps fpend the day in fifhing : He now gives him another piece of gold : " Here, this will com- penfate for the time that I may have made you lofe ; or it will ferve for an earneft in what I fhall employ you to-morrow." He now leaves the fifherman, who had already ftruck the rock, and who patiently waits for what Naraes had promifed. Simouftapha and Ilfetilfone never dreamed that a dangerous ftratagem was going on againft them at the river. They had, with the con- tent of the caJiph, been paying a vifit to the amiable fovereign of the genii, who had loaded them with kindnefs. Ilfetilfone had obferved in the palace of the queen of the fairies a bird diftinguiihed for its brilliant and variegated plumage : It had been created in order to inha- bit the terreftrial paradife ; but, having refufed homage to Solomon, that it might pay it to Kokopilefobe, it was banifhed to Ginniftan : Familiar, confident, full of charms, this beau- tiful bird remembered .the paft, guefTed at the prefent, and forefaw the future. It fpoke little; but ^44 ARABIAN TAU&S. but what it faid was very well underftood by thofe who had been accuftomed to hear it. The beautiful princefs of the Indies became very fond of this bird ; Setelpedour eagerly embraced the opportunity of obliging her dar- ling princefs anew, by praying her to accept it. " I give you," faid "the queen to her, <{ a very Lnterefting little creature ; it appears to me to be very much inclined to attach itfelf to you, and it will give you excellent advices ; take care to liften to them, and overlook none of them ; Beiides, although it be at your houfe, and in your amiable hands, it will not believe that it is in exile ; for it has, I know not how, got into its little head that it will not be able to get back to its native country but by travelling upon the earth. See, there is its cage ; it does not fliut. It is impoflible to confine it , it goes and -comes as it pleafes ; but, before you take it a- vray, it muft leave me foinething here. " Come, little bird, give me two of thy feathers." Upon this, the little creature prefents its tail, and tvro feathers remain, without her pulling them, in the hands of the queen. The two conforts having thanked the fairy, let out -with the bird and its cage for the palace of the caliph: They enter into their own, where the eunucK Hachim, the principal cook, had purchafed an excellent fifh ftill alive; it is called, ARABIAN TALES. 1.4 s called, faid he, Sultan Hibraim, becaufe the patriarch regaled Mahomet with it at Medina. The excellent cook gave but a very indiflinct account of its genealogy, for, probably, he re- ceived no better from the fifherman j but he had given fixty fequins for the filh. Every body was curious to fee this creature , it was allowed to bathe in a large filver bs- fon, in the water of the river from whence it was taken, The water in which it was feem- ed to be filled with topaz, rubies, and eme- ralds : Its head appeared to be covered with a helmet of gold, the creft of which was fet with pearls : The {hell of the half of its body, being a great deal larger than that towards its tail, tinged with purple, and embroidered with gold, exhibited a fuperb covering ; its fins, which were of the colour of coral, were blended with fpots of an azure hue. " O what a beautiful fifh ! How exqui- fite !" exclaimed Simouftapha and Ilfetilfone by turns. Fy, fy, fy, fy ! cried the bird in its own lan- guage, and with a tone impatient to pierce their ears. " This beautiful bird has q. difgufting cry," faid the princefs ; " it gives mq a head-ach. But fee here is a beautiful fifh ! look at its eye, it has fomething tender." VOL. II. N " Bad, 146 ARABIAN TALES. " Bad, bad, bad, bad ! cried the bird, in a tone ftill more piercing." " My dear Simouffopha," faid the princefs, " if this bird has luch a piercing note, I fhall not be able to keep it : I like this fifh a great deal better." *' Worfe, worfe, worfe, worfe!" cried the bird, increafing every time the eagernefs of the notes which proceeded from its little gullet. Oh ! the foolifli bird, notwithstanding its beautiful plumage, faid Ilfetillbne. We have a refervoir for our baths, I will keep my charm- ing fifh there : I will feed it with my own hand. Do they call thee fultan ? thou lhalt be my fultan. " No, no, no, no!" cried the bird, quite provoked; and, flying at the fame time out of its cage, it darts into the bafon, at the rilk of drowning itfelf, and deflroys the eyes of the fifh. It attacks its head, and tears off the pearls of the creft difplayed upon the helmet : The fifh refills ; Ilfetilfone wifhes to defend it ; but the bird efcapcs from her, and pecks the filli in all the moft tender parts of its body : The princeis catches it at lafl, and, for fear of let- ting it efcape agi\in, fhe fqueezes it fo clofe in her hands as to fuffocatc it. Simouftapha, who fees this fcene, knftws not what to think of the bird and the fiih ; the lat- ter, ARABIAN TALES. 147 ter, although expiring, ftill refifted, and the ba- lon was filled with its blood : They no longer perceived the fim ; the prince, terrified with this prodigy, calls the genius of the ring, which ap- pears immediately. Inform me, fays Simouftapha, from whence is this quantity of blood that this fifh has loft, and fUll lofes ? " This bird," anfwered. the genius, " has delivered you from a man who came here in order to aflaflinate you : He is the Egyptian Naraes, the fon of Mamouk, the la ft of your enemies. He transformed himfelf into a fifh, and fuftered himfelf to be taken by the poor Jfifherman who brought him to you." " Carry him in this fame bafon," faid the prince, u to the queen of the genii, that the may do with him what fhe pleafcs." The Have inftantly disappears, in order to execute the or- ders of his mafter. Simouftapha had not had time to caft his eyes upon his wife j he perceives her forrowful, and eager to recover the bird which fhe had deprived of life j fhe attempts to warm it in her bofom, and her eyes are bathed with tears. " What is the matter with you ?" afked the prince. " I have been very unfortunate !" faid fhe to hiip ; I have killed thus charming, this ex- N 2 ccllent *4'3 ARABIAN TALES. eellent bird, which devoted its life to preferve mine. Befldes, the queen of the genii parted with it, to give it up to an unreafonable fan- taftic being, to a murdering hand ! I {hall never have the confidence to appear be- fore my bcnefaclrefs again : How I pity you, my dear Simouftapha ! the queen, your box, your ring, and your wifdom, might have de- fended you from your enemies ; but who ihall be able to fcreen you from the dangers which may refult from my caprice ?" . " Your wife reflections," anfwered the prince, more affccled by the forrow of his wife than by the dangers to which he h~d been expofed, " Why lay the whole blame upon yourfelf ? Ought not I to blame myfelf for not having given you proper counfel ? In the fituation in which we ftand, expofed to dangerous furprlfes, fliould I have given ear to the ridiculous hiftory which the eunuch gave us of that fifh ? I who, inllrufted by my experience, have been deceived by the beauty of a fruit which I had brought into my houfe, why mould I negleft to have recourfe to my box, inftead of admiring, like you, the beautiful Ihell of a difguifed monfter ! Mode- rate your forrow, my dear Ilfetilfone, that I may appear excufable in my own eyes : It is my duty to go and throw myfelf ?.t the feet of the queen ARABIAN TALES. 149 queen of the genii, to obtain pardon for my culpable neglecl." " You fhall not go far," faid Setelpedour, prefenting herfelf fuddenly to the two conforts, " you reproach yourfelves fo fincerely for your faults that it were cruelty to make you feel them any more ; embrace me, and let us be wifer for the future." But this beautiful bird ! faid the princefs for- rowfully. I have taken care of it, faid the queen ; here are two feathers which I have re- ferved, in cafe its courage fhould expofe it too much to danger : We have a remedy for fairy- birds. Setelpedour at the fame time takes the animal, and returns it its two feathers : The bird is inftantly upon its legs ; it fpreads its wings, fhakes them, exults for joy, flutters up and down the apartment, and refts alternately on the moulders of the fairy, the finger of Si- mouftapha, and the bofom of the princefs, chirping in its own language the pleafures of its re-animation : It returns into the cage,, where it begins to eat, and forthwith emits the moft melodious notes. Ilfetilfone by degrees refumed her gaiety : " My good friends," fays the queen, " we will fup, and fpend part of the night together : I cannot be long abfent from Ginniftan ; and I wih to employ, to the beft advantage, all the N 3 time *5<> ARABIAN TALES. time which I can fnare from it : Simouftapha will caufe us be ferved by Jemal and his little mute ; let us leave pomp to thofe who know not the value of liberty. Belides, I muft not be feen by every body ; my fubjects already complain that I am too fond of the .earth ; and we have affairs to converfe about which require lilence and fecrecy." ' Setelpedour feated herfelf between the con- forts, whom {he loaded with friendly carefies : She relates to them the vengeance fhe had inflict- ed upon the magician Naraes ; for {he had chain- ed him with Dafouk, that deteftable genius, the aftbciate and the accomplice of all the crimes of the Egyptian : They had been tumbled into the lake of brimftone, where the father of Naraes had ended his days. " Your dangers are lefien- ed," added the queen j " but you are not yet fecure againft them all ; in proportion as I de- liver you from your enemies, my partiality for you conftantly raifes up new ones. " Hitherto I have had nothing but the na-' tural innate malice of my fubjects to dread : Now it is neceffary to prevent their ftratagems they affect to defpife my orders ; I watch them, and a bright ray muft immediately dart through their dark defigns. At prefent I explain myfelf no farther; I muft provide for my own fecu- rity above all things, and difcover the dangers which ARABIAN TALES. !! which threaten me : It is now of the greateft importance, my dear Simouftapha, to be affu- red of your affection." " My heart is your's," exclaimed the prince with emotion, fcarcely mafter of l\ls joy. " I will never baniih the dear Ilfetilfone," re- plied Setelpedour. " I will remain with you," faid Ilfetilfone, " in order to enable you to complete your conqueft ; efpoufe Simouftapha j preferve the throne on which you are feated, and I mall be at the fummit of my wifties." " "What fay you to it, prince ?" fays the queen. " I belong to Ilfetilfone, who may dif- pofe of me as fhe pleafes," added Simouftapha. " Charming couple !" exclaimed Setelpe- dour ; " the one had convinced me that man may be paffionately loved, the other reconciles me to every female. You make me feel the power of merit upon virtuous hearts ! Adieu," fays ihe, riling from table ; " be feeling, noble, and generous : To you I am indebted for the jnoft exquifite joys ; no imprudence of mine fhall ever diftrefs you!"> Setelpedour leaves them, carrying with her the plighted faith of the conforts, who, on that account, are no lefs dear to each other. We will omit an account of the fenfations which the three lovers felt at parting, their dai- ly 152 ARABIAN TALES. ly viflts, the moments which Setelpeclour could fleal from the concerns of her court. The months roll on without any remarkable event, and without 'any particular emotion, ei- ther of pafllon or of intereft. Simouftapha be- held, with pleafure, his charming family increafe around him, which was augmented with a daughter. He was clofely engaged in the af- fairs of the ftate, the load of which fell, in a great meafure, upon him ; and, when he did not go to Ginniftan, he exercifed himfelf in the amufe- ments of thechace." Having forgot the dangers which he had fur- mounted, he overlooked the ftratagems to which he was expofed. He was perhaps too vain in not conftantly confiding in the aid which he might have expected from his ring or hisbox. Armed with his fcymitar, and mount- ed upon his beautiful fteed, he rejoiced in truft- ing his fortune and the ftrength of his arm to the difplay of his courage. He had read in the inftru&ions of Benalab a maxim which ten- ded to infpire him with felf-confidence. " When man's own powers are fufficient, he ought to have no recourfe to fupernatural aid." The fage Ihould have added, " when furpernatural aid fhall have added frefh vigour to your faculties, never let fall your arms." But Benalad had not fore- feen ARABIAN TALES. I $3 le'en every thing ; Benakb could not -write eve- ry thing. One day, at thechace, Simouftapha met with a flag ; he attacks it, but it flies off with ama- zing fpecd. The horfe, however, which car- ried the prince, foon gets within reach of it j a javelin is launched, and it is wounded upon the fhoultkr. The javelin, though it pierces it through, is fixed in fuch a tuat:on as not in the Icafl to retard the animal, which now doubles its i]>eed. The courfer too v.-hich purfucd it does not lofe an inch of ground. One would fay that one flam of lightening was preceded by a- nother. The prince lofts breath , but the ar- dour with which he is animated augments his vigour, and he is inftar.tly out cf reach of his people. At laft, at the dole of the day, the ftag ftops, and on a fudden di&ppears ; a violent guft of wind throws the prince from his horfe, and clofe befide him he finds a frightful beaft. The ears of this monfter fell upon its breaft; its terri- ble mouth extended from ear to ear ; its lips were enormoufly thick ; and its flat noftrils exhaled an infectious vapour. In the middle of a large forehead, it had an eye which fupplied the place of the departing day ; for it diffused a pale light like that emitted from the fulphureous combui- tibles of a \nilcano. Upon '154 ARABIAN TALES. Upon feeing this ghaftly fpectre, Simoufta- pha firft recommended his foul to God, in- voking him by Mahomet, and then faced it with intrepidity. The fpectre appeared to be afto- m'fhed with his fortitude, but was no lefs con- fident of victory over a man who was alone, and almoft difarmed. Defpicable Muffulman ! faid the fpectre to him, Have of a Have ! thou muft juft now fuf- fer the puniihment which hath been already de- nounced againft Benalab thy mafter ; thou muft receive the chaftifement which is due to thy pride for ever prefuming to command the genii, whom thou art unworthy to obey ; thou muft here anfwer for thy infolence, thy injuftlce, the tyranny of thy deceitful queen Setelpedour, againft my mafter, the great Bahlifboull. Full ! die his victim, and his flavc ! At thefe words, the hateful monfter raifes its enor- mous club, the knobs of which are pointed with diamonds, and prepares to difpatch Simoufta- pha : The valiant prince avoids the blow, and with his fcymitar cleaves the fpectre from the crown of the head to the waift. In an inftant, the ears of Simouftapha are ftur;- ned with hideous fhrieks and howlirigs, which the horrible darknefs with which he was furround- ed rendered ftill more frightful. But the con- queror of the fpectre is not to be terrified : His. fteed ARABIAN TALES. ! -J fteed approached it, and demonftratcd by his neighings, and the kindneis he Ihows to his mafter, how he exulted in the victory. The howlings ceafe, the illulion is diffipated ; but, unfortunately, the Indian prince falls a prey to real dangers. Simouftapha, furrounded with the fhades of night, and unable to obferve any of the places which he had hurried over on his fwift fteed, is perfectly ignorant where he is. He finds it im- poffible for him to judge at what diftance he is from Bagdad. Worn out with fatigue, he lies down upon the grafs : He waits for the arifing of Aurora, that next morning he may direct his courfe towards Bagdad, and lets his fleed range in queft of food around him. The prince now perceives hiy imprudence in venturing out alone without his box and his ring. The power, however, which rendered him conqueror of the monfter, and which had enabled him to cleave the ipectre in two, re- animates him. He deeps under the protection of that power which deftroyed the infernal monfters, by the intervention of the meaneft atom. Simouftapha was very far from believing that he was at fo great a diftance from the princefs^ that it would take him years to reach her by the ordinary route. A powerful charm had tranf- 156 .ARABIAN TALES. tranfported him to the fummit of Mount Cau- cafus. The fpeftre, which had been enjoined by Bahlifboull to deftroy the Indian prince, having transformed itfelf into a ftag, Jiurried him a- long in the purfuit. It allowed itfelf to be ftruck with the javelin which was launched at it, and inftantly enchanted the hand which threw it j thus the confort of the beautiful Ilfetilfone, bound by the charm, was carried along with the fame rapidity as the fpectre itfelf. Whilft Simouftapha was in the arms of fweet fleep, the fpirits, who had witnefied the com- bat in which their matter had fallen, having become weak on account of his defeat, winged their way to the defarts of Upper Egypt, whi- ther their chief had retired. Such a diforderly :ind inftant return, throws Bahlifboull into great confirmation ; but, upon hearing the particulars of the combat, when he finds that Raftras was cleft by the Indian prince, he flies into the moft violent rage. He meditates on every fcheme of vengeance that might tend to efface the in- fult offered to. his power. Since their enchant- ments have no effect, the hero muft be befet with ordinary dangers, by rendering his route ?lmoft impracticable. He muft be exhauft- cd by fatigue and hunger to fuch a degree, that defpair may fucceed thefe two calamities : He muft 3TRABIAN TALE3. 75 7 mult fall a prey to ferocious animals, when the want of ftrength fhall abandon him defencelefs to their fury ! But Seteloedour muft be ignorant both of the time and place of fo great cruelty. This very inftant the old genius aflembles the fpirits which had been baniihed info the country which he inhabits, and whom he re- collected theVery moment they arrived. De- part, fays he to them, and furround the Indian, prince, whom you will find, as you defcend Mount Caucafus, with a thick fog which fhall hinder him from reaching any part of Ginni- tan. The genii chearfully obeyed the orders of the maleficent prince ; and, wiulft tf ley go to fteal Simoufbpha from the genii who pro- .iR:-;d/ !> ^h*^ et:e 'p s ^ our fees all the cavalry of Bagdad dilpci.'ia L. ~cl t*JMds t and fcampering through the cities, the towns, the hamlets, and the forefts, in order to demand him of every objecl: in nature, The caliph is quite impatient to find his fon-in-law, who is dearer to him than the child whom he moft tenderly loves. He fpreads a report in the apartment of the fe- males, that Simouftapha was obliged to depart fuddenly"/ to execute a fecret commiffion for him of the laft importance. Zobeida and her daughter might be hoodwinked, hut Setelpe- dour was not to be impofed upon. VOL. II, O The 158 ARABIAN TALES. The queen of the genii inftantly difpatches, into the open country, the mofl active and in- telligent fpirits {he had, and thofe whom fhe believed to be mofl devoted to her intereft, In order to preferve a favourite whofe ruin they iecretly defired. They fkim o?er the whole earth, but bring back no notice that can alle- viate the diflrefs of the queen : They faw the fog perfectly well which defcended from Mount Caucafus, but none of them took the trouble to examine it. Setelpedour is inconfolable. There was at the court of the genii an old gnome named Bakbak : She was a great favour- ite, for fhe had nothing malevolent in her temper j her fault was, that fhe wifhed to know every thing, to fpeak co^^-^K upon every fubjcA. ^ & / ' ftml "been for a long time expelled the divan, becaufe every one there was to fpeak in one's turn. She had a very young little nephew named Jazzelj whom (he treated as if he had been her own fon. This gnome had taken part neither for nor : againft Setelpedour, in order that fhe might judge candidly of her conduct on every occa-r fion. She heard of the deputation, which had been fent into every quarter of the globe, to trace out the Indian prince. Go," ran ARABIAN TALT5S. 1^9 " Go," faid {he to Jazzel, " thou haft need to pick up information ; thou haft wings quite new, which will not fail thee foon -, fly from one fide to another, perch upon eminence?;, and thus thou {halt have an extenfive profpeft. Glance upon the earth, and bring me the news ; liften to the inhabitants as thou pafleft ; they fpeak a great deal at random, but a genius ought to be able to comprehend part of every thing. Thou {halt afterwards come and give me an ac- count of whatever thou {halt have feen and heard ; and if I {hall be pleafed with thee, I will teach thee the fecret of pleafing her whom thou loveft beft. In the mean time, I will put a fort of oil upon thy wings, which fhall jnake thee flie four times fwifter than the reft. Jazzel fets out after the genii, glad to try his new plumage. He foars above the reft, and fees them feparate from one another -in or- der to execute their commiffion : None of them approaches the earth for food ; if they alight, it is for the fake of repofe. If they come near its inhabitants, it is to play fome trick upon them j but they endeavour to pick up no infor- mation. Jazzel chanced to take the fame route with thofe who were to infpec~t Mount Caucafus ; he perceives the fog ; he wifhes to fee through it ; but it is too thick for his eyes, which are O i not ARABIAN TALES, not as yet very piercing. The emiiTaries of" Setelpedour Ikim along far above it, without examining it. At length, having defcrieci people at the foot of the mountain, he ftops to hear what they would lay. Behold, faid they, a very thick and infec- tious fog ! How is it poffible for it to have rifea from the fands, where there is not a drop _of water ? It is a very extraordinary phenome- non 5 there is furely fomething very malignant within it , it forebodes fome calamity ! Jazzel picks up this obfervation as he paffes, and continues his route j to this he adds other trifling particulars, collected here and there, in order that he may be able to give an account of them to his old aunt j for the fecret fhe had promifed .to difclofe to him flicks in his heart, As foon as he fees the emifTaries of the queen return, he flies back to Bakbak, and gives her a more faithful account of his expedition than they do of their's to Setelpedour. The gnome weighs every circumflance. " Do you fee," fays fhe, " how the affairs of our queen are conducted fince flic has got in love ? Is this fq great a fault ? I think that I could par- don it myfelf. But, no, no, no. A man ! fy, a man ! Well ! there are both good and bad ! But, Jazzel, do you not tell me that thefe pea- fents were fpeakrng of the phenomenon during the ARABIAN TALES. I6l V the thick mift, and that there was Something malignant in it ? I will talk to our queen a- bout it i" and immediately the old gnome trots off to relate to Setelpedour the difcoveries which the young genius had made in his journey. The queen heard her with patience j and, as foon as ihe had difcovered, from the raving of the old Bakbak, the negligence of her emifla- ries, fhe naturally prefumes that there is fome- thing fufpicious in the fog. She therefore in- ftantly arms herfelf with her whole power, and has recourfe to every expedient. Although a great part of her fubjects have betrayed her, yet, in fpite of both them and the elements, fhe fhows herfelf to be the grand-daughter f Kokopilefobe. The caliph, on the other hand, alarmed hy the fruitlefs refearches which he had caufed be made, and ftill unable to fuggeft his fears to Zobeida and his daughter, availed himfelf of the grand feftival of the Haraphat *. Here, with more than ufual folemnity, he offers the facrifices, by which the faithful Muflulmans endeavour to procure the favours of heaven, and the fignal protection of the great prophet. O 3 Haroun Har*pbt. A mountain of Arabia, upon which thofe who make a pilgrimage to Mecca commonly offer facrifices. Here they {laughter the viftims, and thro\v tJiem dowa headlong. 16*2 ARABIAN TALES. Haroun, furrounded with the mufti, and the principal priefts, facrifices, with, his own hand, two yellow heifers fifteen months old, and two fheep of the largeft kind. And he accompanies thefe teftimonies of devotion with the moft fer- Vent prayers for the prefervation.. and the re- turn of Simouftapha. The people re-echo them by their vows. WhiLft fadnefs reigns in the palace, Zobeida conceals her grief from her daughter. The princefs finds herfelf alone, and deftitute of confolation ; the queen of the genii comes no more ; every object around her wears a dole* ful afpedl: ; tears flow from every eye -, Namou- na fobs : Ilfetilfone can fupport it no longer ; fhe throws herfelf upon a fopha, and pours forth the moft doleful lamentations. " Peace, peace, peace !" cries the beautiful bird. f Peace ?" fays Ihe, Alas ! there is no more peace for me : Simouftapha is dead !" " No, no, no !" cried the bird. " How f charming bird, not dead? Lives he ftill? Shall I fee him again ?" r " Yes, yes, yes !" " When will that happy moment arrive!" "Soon, foon, foon !" *' How much you comfort me ! Weep no more then, jny good Namouna, we fhall fee Simou- ilapha again." She then takes her pretty bird and carefles it : Thou laveft my life, dear bird ! ft* ARABIAN TALES. 163 fays (he to it, and I did every thing to take a- way thine, can I ever forgive myfelf !" it is worthy of remark, that, in all the di- ftrefs of the princefs, no fufpicion of jealoufy was ever mixed with it: She had not feen the queen of the genii fince the departure of her hufband, and ihe did not imagine her car pable of carrying him off. Zobeida was not- fo eafy in this refpecl ; but fhe would not dif- eover it. As to the .caliph, his own reli- gion, and that of his fon-m-law, removed his fears. The Star of the Seven Seas foon reached the fummit of Mount Caucafus ; fhe perceives the fog, 'the work of the malignant BahlifbouH. The winds, which fhe raifed fuddenly, diffipated thefe vapours : And Ihe at laft fees the idol of her foul, pale, exhaufted, dejected, and in a fi- tuation fitted to melt the moft obdurate heart. For ten day, Simouftapha, amid friglftful defarts, could only direct his courfe by the ftars ; he knew not what part of the globe he was traverfing : He raked up the roots with his fabre, or climbed the trees for wild and un- known fruits, to abate the cravings of hunger. He travelled the whole day, increafing, by his own impatience, that of his noble courfer : He fell in with an immenfe defart ; another of boundlefs extent prefents itfelf to his view ; he pafies 10*4 ARABIAN TALES pafTes the night upon the cold earth, and is fubjec"ted, during the day, to the fatigues and the influence of a fcorching inhofpitable cli- mate. The Indian prince, worn out with fo many Jiardfhips, flopped by the fide of a fpring to quench his burning thirft : When about to floop towards the ftream, a lion, fpringing fuddenly from the neighbouring foreft, darts upon the hero's fteed. Simouftapha immedi- ately draws his fcymitar, divides, at one blow, the fcull of the lion, and brings him to the ground : The horfe bounded for joy ; but fne prince, exhaufted by this laft effort, falls mo- tibnlefs on the grafs : It was in this fituation he was perceived by the queen of the genii. At the fight of the dangers to which the Indian prince had been expofed . by the black inchant- ments of Bahlifboull, Setelpedour, animated by vengeance and love, wifhed to gratify at once the paffions with which fhe was overpower- ed : Love, however, prevails : She hurries to- wards the earth, and, with the moft lively ca- refles, reftores to the light him whom the fliades of death appeared to furround. She reanimates the object of her affection, by the demonftrations of her tendernefs alone, and makes ufe of no other magic except that of love. 'She foon perceives his eyes fparkle with ARABIAN TALES. T6-S a luftre, which, (he preferred to all the rays of light that the objects around her continually re- iiected j and, that ihe may inereafe his happi- nefs, {he endeavours to animate them more Si- mouitapha, having recovered his fpeech and in-, tellectual faculties, finds himfelf in the arms of! her whom he had invoked to no purpofe fome moments before, becaufe he had neglected the means of his own fafety. His panting heart forbids him to put upon her lips the feal of his. gratitude. " I underftand what you mean," faid the queen ; " but think of nothing of that fort, till you recover your health and vigour." She now riles : The firft fhrub fhe meets with fur- nifhes her with a twig, with which ihe draws a circle round Simouftapha. She finds befide her. the plants which were necefJary for the inchant- ment which {he .was about to prepare j and the words which fhe pronounces infpires it with the , eflential virtues. In an inftant the Indian prince, experiences a happy change. In a moment he recovers all his vigour j he rifes, and with rapture kifies the beneficent hands to which he owed fuch timely aid. All the fentiments of his heart flrive for vent at once ; and, though they burft forth without the leaft order, they fecm to be no lefs dear to her who is the object of his af-, fection. At the fame tune, however, hedifcovers the l66 ARABIAN TALES. the moft cxquiflte inquietude upon account of Ilfetilfone. Confole yourfelf, my clear Simouftapha ! fays Setelpedour to him} my thoughts have centered Wholly upon you, lince you were in danger. By being at too great a diftance, however, from my palace, a confpiracy has been formed, which has turned out too much to the advantage of your enemies. Befldes, your confort, be- ing almoft always with her mother, I contented myfelf in having left with her an intelligent creature, which will not fail to confole her. It is my little bird: Its advices are not tirefomej for it fpeaks but one word, but that can be in- fallibly depended upon. Now, iince you arc reftored, we will take our route towards the palace. You muft have need of food after the long abftinence you have had, and I will forth- with conduct you to your amiable confort. Upon this, the queen ordered her car to ap- proach the earth : Three clouds, variegated with all the colours of the rainbow, defcend and pre- ient two feats, much more commodious than the beft fophas one can imagine. Setelpedour arid the prince take their feats ; the latter began to feel uneafy on account of his courfer , but the queen had anticipated his defire. For he per- ceives his fteed cleave the atmofphere with his gilded ARABIAN TALES. 1#7 gilded wings, clofe befide the fine feat on which the loving couple fet out for Ginniftan. / As they fkim along, Simouftapha wifhes to relate his adventures. Setelpedour interrupts him. " Let us here consign to oblivion the fnares which have been laid for you : I know all the dark defigns of my enemies; I am not; ignorant of their malice, and of the torments which they have occafioned to you : But we are now, my dear Simouftapha, furrounded with the beauties of nature. Here I could wifh t o remain with you, were it not giving a fatal blow to two hearts, the happinefs of which interefts me as much as that of my own. Speak to me about love, and let us forget both the perfidious meafures which they have enter- ed into againft us, and the vengeance which we ought to inflicl: upon them." " Ah! who would not forget them," fays the prince, tranfported with love, " in prefencc of the moft beautiful object under heaven, who is fatisfied with being loved ; and who, although fhe deferves to have altars erefted to her, only ftrives to oblige others, and furnifhes all the facrifkes herfelf !" The clouds flopped before the gates of the palace : Simouftapha is there ferved with con- denfed perfumes, under the moft alluring forms, and the moft agreeable colours ; his ftomach is braced l6S ARABIAN TALES. braced without being loaded ; and he reftores his ufual appetite, Let us depart," fays Setelpedour $ " Let us go and fup with our dear.Ilfetilfone 5 let us car- ry to her fome of thefe ragouts ; I {hall be very happy to let her perceive the flavour of them ; 1 have nothing that I would not fhare with her; I would even divide my power with her, did I value it more." " Let us go," fays Simouftapha ; " but, wiH you fir ft inform me why you depreciate the pow- er which affords us fo much enjoyment." " Let us mount our chariot," fays the queen-, ]6 ARABIAN TALES. pofed that they are abforbed in the enjoyments of the magnificent garden ; it will be though^, that they are fed with ambrofia, and are drink- ing luxurious draughts of neclar. Setelpedour is engaged in making prepara- tions for their reception ; but fhe has reafon to fear that Bahlifboull may ditturb the happy moments which fhe wifhes them to enjoy. This monfter had been tumbled into the remoteft defarts of Upper Egypt, but fhe was unable to ftrip him of all his power : He was born a prince, and enjoyed every where, however un- worthy of it, the privileges of his illuftrious ori- gin- Upper Egypt is peopled with malignant fpi- rits, the difgrace of Ginniftan, detefted in hea- ven and on earth , they joyfully united under the orders of a genius created to command them. Their firft expedition, in confequence of thefe orders, towards Mount Caucafus, had not been fuccefsful ; but they would not have been difcouraged by an entire defeat j rage fup- ports them, and makes them blind to every danger. Created for action, their very nature forces them to enterprife. Setelpedour, informed of the new refources of her enemy, endeavours to lay a mare for him, into which he may fall of his own accord. She doubly increafes the barrennefs of the place, already ARABIAN TALES 177 already curfed, which Bahlifboull had chofen for his residence j he is forced to leave it : From hence he pailes into a defart ftill more barren, and no where finds repofe. At laft he difcovers a little green turf, in the fhade of a pillar of granite, which flickered it from the fcorching rays of the fun ; he ap- proaches, and feats himfelf upon it. Six feet from the ground, upon the bafe of the monu- ment, he fees a hieroglyphic, and haftily reads, " Pillar, execute the orders of queen Setelpe- " dour." He had fcarcely pronounced theie words, when a chain of iron furrounds his body, and faftens it to the pillar. The defart immediately re-echoes with his bellowing ; the monfters which inhabit it are alarmed, and conftrained to abandon their holes. The genii, his attend- ants, filled with terror, forfake him ; he re- mains alone in this frightful habitation j to his impotent rage, fucceeds a calm ftupidity. He calls his eyes at laft upon his chains, and upon the fatal infcription, by the effect of which he was loaded with them : He had not run over all the hieroglyphic characters, when the infor- mation he had received completes ' his defpair : It contains this terrible fentence : " Thou canft " only be delivered by the power of a genius " more wicked than thyfelf !" When the world 178 ARABIAN TALES. world arofe into form from chaos ; when the fountains of the great deep were opened, did another come forth from it ? Can another Ko- kopilefobe be found, who is neither the grand- father nor the protector of the Star of the Seven Seas ? When Setelpedour had fecured her quiet, fhe wiflied, in the mean time, to reward the old gnome for the fervice fhe had done her : She calls her : Tell me, Bakbak, what I can do for you ?" " O queen," fays the old wo- man, " you can do a great deal, and what you have done may be attended with much danger : Nobody doubts that it was I who fpoke to you ; for it is well known that, although I fpeak freely, I am difcreet at bottom, and fay no- thing, at leaft very little. There is, however, a fmall favour you could do me, and which would have no bad confequences : For want of teeth I fpeak indiftinctly, fo that 1 have not the fatisfaction of underftanding myfelf ; pro- cure for me thirty-two teeth !" " Every body would know of the prefent," anfwered the queen, " and you would draw upon yourfelf all the enemies you dread : I cannot in prudence do more, than fix four very firmly to your under jaw." " Put in then," fays the old woman, " thefe four teeth, they will 'not be againft you." Let ARABIAN TALES. 179 Let us leave the old Bakbak, -to fupply by her enchantments the ordinary refources of the toilette, and let us attend to the preparations for the journey which Simouftapha was to make with his fpoufe. The treafures of the caliph are laid open to the prince ; the collection of all the riches of the monarchs of the earth could not equal them j however, he fees nothing comparable to what he had feen at Ginniftan. He finds a fcymitar, the hilt of which is ornamented with diamonds, fo excellent and fo well fet, that they feem to form one entire piece ; he is lefs ftruck with its brilliancy than with its fize ; this wea- pon might ferve a warrior much above the or- dinary ftature j he is defirous to try if he can ufe it j he draws it from the fcabbard, brandifh- es it for a moment, and appears furrounded with lightening, fb fparkling is the fteel of the blade : He endeavours to examine the mark, and difcovers hieroglyphic figns which he does not underfland j he immediately calls the ge- nius of the box to give him the explanation of them : Jemal appears. Obferve thefe figns, fays the prince to him. Our queen alone, fays he, can explain them to us, they are figns of power ; but we know the fcymitar ; it fell from the formidable hands of Kokopilefobe, in the great combat which l8o ARABIAN TALES. which he loft againft Mahomet j the latter has Cnce left it to his fucceflbr. The prince of the Indies takes the fcymitar, and prefents it to the caliph, as the only gift worthy to be offered to the queen of the genii. In the mean time, the efcort, which was to ac- company the conforts to the palace of Caffar-il- Harais, announced, by the noife of warlike inftru- ments, his arrival at that of the caliph : It was compofed of two thoufand men on horfeback, chofen from among the moft diftinguilhed of the youth in the armies of Haroun ; fix hundred knights armed at all points, with a lance in their hand, and their arm loaded with a large fhield, followed, attending the carriage of the princefs, which was drawn by fix of the moft beautiful elephants in the Indies ; twelve camels were loaded with the baggage, and the eunuchs do- fed the rear. Simouftapha, mounted upon his beautiful Courfer, kept near the carriage ; he was cover- ed with arms, the plates of which, raifed with threads of gold, were encrufted with diamonds : The horfe, held by two grooms, neighed with joy, toffing its proud mane. Ilfetilfone admired the gracefulnefs of her fpoufe, gently ftroaked the courfer, elated with the burden he carried This ARABIAN TALES. l3f Tlus fplendid retinue took the road to the palace ; the highways had been levelled; and there was no obilacle to retard their march : The de- pendencies of the calile were immenfe, and af- forded convenient lodgings for all their train : None but Simouftapha and the princefs were allowed to enter the garden. The beauty which they found there filled them with rapture; but there was a curiofity flill more interefting to the princefs : It was a tree, the fatal fruit of which deftroyed the human race. A fer- pent furrounds the trunk, from which it can never depart j thick darknefs covers its eyes : A bird of an azure hue, with its head and legs of the colour of gold, flutters conftantly around the tree, perching upon all the branch- es fucceffively; it iings none, but exprefies its thoughts in the moft correct Arabic. When the bird had perceived the two con- forts, it ftr etched out its bill as a iign of joy, and gave them the ordinary falutation : " All hail to the race of man ; there is one God on- ly, and Mahomet is his prophet !" Ilfetilfone was charmed with the prettinefs of its accent, and the purity of its language ; Ihe is eager to interrogate it. Charming bird, fays {he to it, are you hap- py to fee us here ? You are children of the prophet j you have entered by the good gate ; VOL. H. (^ you J2 ARABIAN TALES. you muft go out by that which leads to hea- ven. But we are going to Ginniftan. It is a journey which man makes every day upon earth. Do you difapprove of mine ? No ; be- caufe you will bring back my wife, and our uni- ted endeavours may be able to recover our fon whom you have left in the palace. What! are you the father of the charming bird which I have, and which is fo good ? It muft become more fo. Why does not he fpeak as well as yourfelf?- Becaufe he has not had time to learn, and becaufe he turned his back upon the light, refuflng homage to the chofen pro- phet of God. And your wife ? My wife is at Ginniftan ; fhe was inquiiitive, and is now fuf- fering for her folly : We go there fboner than we incline, and cannot return when we are willing. Then fhe is with Setelpedour ? You are right. Do you love Setelpedour ? I love every thing which comes pure from the hands of the Almighty : I fhall iee Setelpedour when Ihe ceafes to be a fairy. Is it in her power to ceaie to be one ? She has only to wifli it. Do I ac"l wrong in going to her ? You are obeying the decree of heaven without knowing it. I am delighted with you, my pretty bird j allow me to bring your child to you. He is a foiry, I would kill him; lean only fee him at a particular time, -and along with ARABIAN TALES, I 8j with his mother. Suffer me to eat of the -fruit of this tree ?-* That is a womanifh defire ; it was thus that your firft mother drew down up- on herfelf and upon you the wrath of heaven ; betides, there is the appearance of fruit only , you would eat nothing -, and the ierpent which you fee would bite your heel ; fo that you would fall into real evil, without receiving any enjoyment. That then is the tree of know- ledge ? It is a fymbol of it. Where is the tree of life ? In the garden of the great pro- phet. My pretty bird, fince you know all things, tell me why the fea was made, and the time of its formation ? The Creator alone knows all things ; the fea was created on the day when Kokopilefobe revolted and was pu- nimed ; the rebels were employed in digging its channel. My lovely bird, may I eat of the other fruits which are here ? Go into the pa- vilion at the end of that walk ; an entertain- ment is there prepared for you : It is the place where Mahomet retired to fay his prayers, and perform his ablutions. From the whole of this converfation, Simou- ftapha perceived with regret, that the amiable Setelpedour, as queen of the fairies, could not be agreeable to the great prophet. ' The love of religion ftrugglecl in his heart, with that which he felt or this queen. 2 The 184 1RABIAN TALES. The two conforts entered into the pavilion of Mahomet, where they found all kinds of fruit, which united beauty with the moft ex- ijuifite flavour : When they had finiihed their repaft, Simouftapha, leaving Ilfetilfone in con- verfation with the bird, returns to the palace, to give notice to the chief of the eunuchs, that he is to retire for fix days into the pavilion in the garden with his fpoufe, during which time they fhould ftand in need of nothing : A mo- tive proceeding from devotion is always laud- able ; and the flave was far from fufpecting that they had any other. Simouftapha again joined his fpoufe near the tree ; he wifhed to confult the bird about his journey. He demands of it, whether he fliall em- ploy the genius of the box, or that of the ring ? " What is itfelf uncertain," anfwers the wife bird, " can exercife here no kind of pow- er -, and its greateft advantage would confift in your being a fiave to it ; but you have no oc* cafion for fuccours of that nature. Take one of my feathers, it alone will carry you to Se- telpedour ; give it to my mate j it will remind her of me, and procure for her the means of returning hither. She muft conceal it careful- ly in her tail : Every thing that comes from me will afford you a ihde wherever you go. What ARABIAN TALS. 1^5 What I give you appears a weak inftrument ; but there is nothing ufelefs in the hands of the Creator." The divine bird fpreads his beautiful tail ; a feather falls from it, which is transformed in an inftant into a commodious and fplendid chariot, in which the two conforts place them- ielves, and are conveyed to the fteps of Setelpe- dour's throne. She comes down with all fpeed to embrace them, and difmilTes her divan, with which ihe had every reafon to be difcontented; The genii retire, cafting defpiteful looks at the conforts ; the queen perceives it, and reftrains in the mean time the anger which rilled her breaft. I would feat you on my throne, fays fhe to Simouftapha and his fpoule, were I not afraid that you would be as little at your eafe upon it as myfelf ; my fubjects are meditating a revolt ; my attachment to you vexes them ; they afcribe to this all the decifions which proceed from my fovereign will : If I hinder them from turning uplide down, by their outrages, the earth, over which they claim the command ; if my pru- dence prevents tern pelts' and wars , it is my love for Simouftapha which hinders them from exe- cuting their fchemes. I have caufed Bahlhboull to be chained in the midft of a udart, and ais fpirit als here in op'ioiltion to my authority. Thefe difficulties will not prevent you from b-r>- j$5 ARABIAN TALES. ing equally dear to me : I am going to rid my- felf of all the bonds which attach me to my fub- jects ; I will break them in pieces ; they have been fullied, and they ought to unite us no more. I long for the time which fhall join me clofely to you ; my heart has already learnt to fhake off every other chain j but you muft affift me in humbling my proud heart. Come, and re- vive, by your tender and unaffected careffes, a foul fatigued by the diforders which furround it, and the conflicts which it experiences. I know- that you come from Caffer-il-Harais. The inchantments of this place are no compen- fction for the innocent amufements which you have forfaken : The companion of the bird which you faw entertains me perpetually with the aftonifhing wonders of the garden of Caffer- 31-Harais. From thence, fays fhe to. me, iflued the flame of truth, which enlightens the world. It burns there ftill, under the moft diverfified emblems. O that I could depart with you this moment, and retire, to that undii- turbed afylum 1 When I talk of happpinefs be- fore my bird, the word Cafler-il-Harais is al- ways in its mouth : But it tells me that the gar- den can be opened to no female Muflulman, unlels ihe is related to the vicar of God upon earth : It is not then enough that Simouftapha give me his hand j if the generous Ilfetilfone does ARABIAN TALES. 187 does not alfo efpoufe me, knowledge, happinefs, and repofe, are removed from me for ever. Could I refufe to adopt you for my lifter ! fays the princefs : Your doubts rend my heart; you have won it ; it belongs as much to you as to Simouftapha. How happy am I, in having the half of myfelf to beftow upon you, that I may feel how much the whole is indebted to your goodnefs ! " My dear friends !" replies Setelpedour^ (< every thing is going forward in our favour ; but all is not over : I am ftill upon the throne. I have neither broken the wand which ferves me for a fceptre, nor the talifman which I hold of my grandfather : It is here that I muft re- fign my authority : It is here that I muft tram- ple my crown under foot : Whatever meafures I (hall refolve upon, my act, deprived of all the eclat which I muft give it, would overwhelm me with confufion ; I mould be expofed to the danger of fupplying the place of Bahlifboull up- on the pillar, to which I have chained him, in the lower Thebais, and I mould abandon my- felf to the vengeance of all my fubje&s. " But, when I fhall have accomplifhed this great deflgn, who will carry me from this dan- gerous abode, and convey me to Cafier-il-Ha- rais ?" %fr li i L.'- ** That - 1 88 ARABIAN TALES; " That fhall be my care," faid the princefs, holding in her hand the beautiful feather : This is the chariot which conveyed us hither :- This feather was intrufted to me by the mate of the bird, which muft be about you, and which I have not yet feen." , " It is indeed with me," fays the queen : " It is no lefs intelligent than the one you faw at Caf- fer-il-Harais, whofe companion it fhall always remain : I know not the reafon of their fepara- tion. Their ion, which I gave you, repaired to me after his difobedience j lamufe myfelf with his pratting, which, though laconic, is c6n- ftantly true : If he had been ignorant, he would not have refembled his family; but, although his knowledge extends to the paft, the prefent, and the future, he knows nothing more than a word of every thing. His mother is come here, no doubt, to jfind him and inftrucl: him ; for ihe is continually talking to him. I obferved their converfation, which I did not underltand : They always ended with this anfwer, which ilg- nified that he did not comprehend her : Nothing, nothing^ nothing! Hence it appears, that rebelling againft wifdom may harden the underftand- ing. The mother, at laft, loft all patience : I made you a prefent of her fon, for he was necef- fary to your defigns : She was noways vexed at his abfeuce. Since I felt the charm which at- taches ARABIAN TALES. l-8<3l taches me to you, I have wifhed for inftrudtion, and have requefted leflbns from my divine bird.'* " When you lhall have a forehead lefs fpark- " ling," faid it to me j " and when I ihall " have my beautiful tail, we will fpeak of the " fciences." " Hence I concluded that my crown over- awed her, and forced her to be filent ; and, as to her tail, I had perceived that whenever Ihe took wing, it did not end in a point like that of other birds ; I found it deficient in graceful nefs. The feather which you bring may be the one which is wanting ; let us go and prefent it to her, and endeavour to make her fpeak." It may well be fuppofed, that, notwithftand- ing this long converfation, the queen had fur- nifhed her guefts with all neceflary refrefhments ; there had been intervals ; and all thefe things had been difcufled in the hall of the divan, at table, and in the gardens, which had no more charms for Setelpedour : At laft, the faint fhades that precede the night announced its ap- proach. This is the moment which my bird prefers, fays the queen ; elfewhere it avoids the dark- nefs ; here the day is troublefome to it j but I begin to comprehend its motives. The cage of the bird is brought in, and Ilfetilfone advances. My IpO ARABIAN TALES. My pretty charmer, fays fheto it, your hufband hath given me this moft beautiful feather, that J might reftore it to you. All hail to the daugh- ter of the prophet ! fays the bird : All hail to the defcenclant of the ambaflador of God ! All hail to the heirefs cf the virtues of his repre- fentative on earth ! The birds of heaven are bound to ferve her, and my hufband has done nothing but his duty. As a crown to a queen, fo is his beautiful feather to me. Having faid this, the bird takes hold of it in its bill, and fixes it in its tail, which immediately appeared longer and more fparkling. Why are you not with your hufband ? fays the princefs. Every one to his own affairs. Will ours be foon accomplifhed ? Here are three of you. Will you anfwer the queen to-day, if fhe defires to be inftructed ? The half of your work only is done. Whence comes our aid for the other half ? From a- bove and below. Will you inform me, my wife bird, about what I fhall afk of you ? I ewe you the truth which I know. Your huf- band informed me when the fea was made, now at what time were the ftars formed ? At the fame period, to replace in heaven the num- ber of the rebels who had been driven from thence. What is that brilliant ftar which we fee furrounded by ten fmaller ones ? The largeft ARABIAN TALES. Ipl largeft is Mahomet, the others are ten diftin- guifhed prophets. Setelpedour, far from being offended at the anfwers of the bird, fmiled with great compla- cency. Simouftapha remarked this, and made bold to ofter the prefent he had brought, the fcymitar of Kokopilefobe. u My dear prince," fays the queen to him, <( when J was miftrefs of my heart, and my hopes refted on myfelf, I would have given an empire to be poffeifed of the formidable wea- pon which you offer ; but now it is only in your hands that it can afford me fecurity ; and it becomes of the higheft value to me, as it infures your fafety. Part not with it till times lefs troublefome than thofe with which we are threatened. O, my charming Ilfetilfone! when fhall we three know no other enchant- ments except thofe of love ?" The lovers fpent three days in the moft a- greeable overflowings of joy ; but thefe plea- fant moments were difturbed by fears, the foundation of which was not imaginary. Setelpedour, all powerful, becaufe fhe reign- ed over the legions of Kokopilefobe, reigned, however, only in his name : Her conduct was contrary to the conventional laws eftablifhed, and fan&ioned by cuftom, in Ginniftan: No perfon could command there, till he was en- tirely 1^2 ARABIAN TALES. tirely fubjeled to Kokopilefobe or Balilifboull : She had, by her own authority, raifed to the command the MiuTulman Benalab, who never had bowed under any yoke except that of God and his prophet : She reigned with fuch glory, in other refpects ; flie {hone fo confpicuoufly by her other great qualities j that the genii, in their enthufiafm, by giving her the title of Star of the Seven Seas, compared her to the re- fplendent ftar of Mahomet j they faid in their pride, " Kokopilefobe is the King of kings, and Setelpedour is his deputy." But the wife Benalab had ufed his power with difcretion : She had not become enamour- ed of him ; fhe did not admit him to all her entertainments, to all the fecrets of the court and ftate ; fhe did not make him her matter ; but, in the mean time, facrificing all for Simou- ftapha, fhe had done what was ftill more ex- traordinary. She received a woman, whom fhe was not fatisfied with treating as her equal, but whom fhe compelled on all occafions to fit on her right hand. And, that mortal beings might triumph with impunity, fhe had banifhed Bah- lifboull and Afmonchar, and had loaded with chains the moft powerful of the genii, Koko- pilefobe alone excepted. Thefe news had pe- netrated the deep caverns into which the proud fovereign ARABIAN TALES. 193 fovereign of the genii had been tumbled j every thing was ripe for a revolution, Setelpedour was too watchful not to forefee and prevent it : She embraces the young couple, who were feized with terror at her project : Depart," fays fhe to them ; " return to Caf- fer-il-Harais j I will very foon join you for e- ver ; but let Simouftapha be ready at the firft fignal to fly to my affiftance; make ufe of the feather of the bird for your journey ; and hence- forth renounce all fuccours which depend on the power of Kokopilefobe. Simouftapha and his fpoufe return to the garden of CafTer-il-Harais, and wait with im- patience the iflue of thefe great events. They reftored the feather to the bird : " My wife has done her duty," fays it to them ; *< my feather is -always at your fervice ; hold yourfelf in readinefs, Simouftapha j you fhall have occasion for it prefently." The queen of the genii had too much pru- dence not to luy the florin before it fwelled to an exceffive height. Already the old Bakbak and her nephew Jazzel, benumbed with terror on account of feme indireft threats imprudent- ly uttered againft them, had fled to her for prote&ion : Setelpedour fees that fhe has not a moment to lofe. VOL. II. R The -1-94 ARABIAN TILES The day after the conforts left her, flie con- voked a general council, and difpatched Jazzel upon another feather of the bird, with this bil- let for Simouftapha : " Dear princej fet out inftantly in the fame " carriage which I have fent you ; bring the " Koran and the fabre of your grandfather : ec You may conjecture my fcheme ; and my ** conduct "will fully explain it to you. Our " dear Ilfetilfone may wait for us ne&r the tree which fhe mentioned to me ; the wife bird " will not allow her to be overcome by ground- " lefs fears." Simouftapha had too noble a mind to heli- tate a moment : He takes the divine book ; he arms himfelf with the formidable fcymitar ; and, if the fairy-feather had not conveyed him Ib rapidly, he would have been able to arrive at Ginniftan on the wings of love. The divan is afiembled : Setelpedour af- cends the throne : The reftlefs genii eagerly obferve her countenance, and are aftonifhed at her firmnefs : She fpeaks in thefe terms : " I know that my conduft is blamed, and that plots are formed againft me : It has been in my power openly to inflift very fevere pu- nifliments ; but I difdain all black fecrecy. If It appears humiliating to my fubjects to obey my will, it is no lefs fo to me to be fubje&ed to ARABIAN TALES. to laws, the wifdom of which I cannot per- ceive j and I had rather live the flave of truth, than reign by faliehood over corrupted fub- jecls." Simouftapha then appeared, to the great aftonilhment of the affembly : She calls him, and places him by her fide. " Come and afliil me," fays fhe to him with a firmer tone, to hold the laft council at which I wifh ever to prefide ; and you,- rebels ! at- tend : I mean not to reproach you with riling againft me ; you have only followed the incli- nations of your hearts , but, in order that I may forget your rebellions, abjure with me the power we hold of Kokopilefobe ; let us re- nounce the crimes of my grandfather, and thofe which he made us commit upon the fa- tality of the lot which hurried us into them ^ and fwear, as I do, upon the divine Koran, that you will be the flaves of God, and of his great prophet Mahomet !" If the cloud which contains the thunder had burft in the midft of the divan, it would have produced lefs fenfible effects than the unex- pected difcourfe of Setelpedour : Terror fuf- pends their fpeech; flaming fulphur ifTues from every quarter j and this infected odour filled the hall. On a fudden a frightful noife is heard ; It is occafioned by the arrival of Bahlifboull, R 2 who 1 ARABIAN tvho had been delivered from his chains by Ko- kopilefobe himfclf. This formidable genius, covered with burn- ing armour, of frightful feature, and hideous sfpecl:, entered precipitately, and attempted to ftrike down Setelpedour with his lance of fire j Simouftapha draws his fcymkar, and parries the fatal blow. The light which darted from the brilliant weapon of the Indian prince blinds in a moment his adverfary, and his ac- complices ; and they all appear thunderflruck. Horrid darknefs inftantly overfpreads Ginnif- tan : The fun had never enlightened that de- teftable country j the light which had hitherto fupplied it was the effect of a continual en- chantment, the charm of which was in the crown which Setelpedour had juft trampled un- der her feet. Simouftapha and Setelpedour, with wary ileps, traverfe the darknefs : They arrive at the apartment of the bird of paradife, whofe fpark- ling head enlightened all around : Every time he moved it, or fhook his wings, it emitted a new luftre. " Let us begone, my dear mifbrefs," iys the pretty bird, (f all my feathers arc at your fer- vice ; but take along with you the old Bakbak and her nephew ; they are both benumbed with fear : J know not who told them to take re- fuse ARABIAN TALES. Ip7 fuge under my cage ; but they have been well adviied." Bakbak and Jazzel had fallen into a fwoon : They are tied on the fore part of the chariot, formed of the feathers of the bird ; and our lovers, delivered from every danger, fet out for CafTer-il-Harais. The fairy-feather which had tranfported Si- mouftapha goes ofF to inform Ilfetilfone : It accofts this young princefs in the fhape of a white pigeon ; perches on her fhoulder, and fays to her : " Madam, Simouftapha and Setelpedour are juft arrived ; but you cannot receive the queen in the garden ; (he is not yet permitted to enter it ; come and wait upon her in the great faloon of the palace." The princefs flies thither j the bird follows : The three lovers embrace each other, their tranfports are boundlefs j. and the profpedt of an union, which- no obftacle fliall be able to thwart, appears to raife them to the fummit of happinefs. Another fcenc of gratitude pafles upon a ft and on which Simouftapha had laid the Ko- ran : The two birds had both left their cage; and,, having endeavoured to get before each other, refted on the edges of the facred book. When they had refpeclfully fainted it with their bill and their wings, they mutually ca- ; R reflect *9# ARABIAN TALES. retted one another in the moft affe&ionate manner. On a fudden, the little bird which Setelpe- dour had given to the caliph's daughter, and which remained conftantly in the caftle, be- caufe it could not be admitted into the garden, runs up, and, without daring to reft on the Koran, waits till its parents invite it to ap- proach. They affift it in mounting ; they ca- refs it ; and the little animal cries out in its own language, as yet unfortunately too limi- ted, True ! True ! Only true /"" For the firft time it was heard to utter two words fucceffively.. The curfe pronounced up- on it was taken off: Inftrufted by its parents, and become faithful like themfelves, it was going to enjoy all the privileges of the birds of paradife. This little interefting fcene agreea- bly arrefted the attention of the lovers ; but it was now time to converfe about their perfonal concerns. Setelpedour relates to Hfetilfone the ftory of her abdication, and the valour of the hero who had defended her againft the threats of the hi- deous Bahlilboull : The recollection of this fcene gives new animation to her countenance j and jfhe appears irradiated with glory. Ilfetilfone wiflies to periuade her new com- panion to partake with her in the pleafures of the ARABIAN TALES* iptj, the garden of the palace. " My dear princefe," replies Setelpedour, " neither you nor Simou- fhpha can of yourfelves open the gates of that delightful abode ; even the wife of Simoufta- pha cannot enter it, till the vicar of God upon, earth, the great caliph Haroun-Alrafchid, by adopting her for his daughter, {hall allow her to be admitted to all its privileges. I owe to Simouftapha ths happinefs of being a MufTul- man ; to you it belongs to direct the means by which {he, who was queen among idols, majr attain that perfect converfion which {hall ren- der her for ever the flave of God, and the a- poftle of the deftroyer of idols. I will medi- tate on the holy book from which I have hi- therto turned away my eyes ; the angelic voice of the birds of paradife fliall be my interpreters. Go, and revint parents whofe happinefs de- pends upon you ; children, who- ftretch out their arms to embrace you ; and who from you alfo muft derive their happinefs : Speak of me to the caliph ; tell hin> that Setelpedour langui/hes, as a vine detached from the elm, till {lie become the fpoufe of Simouftapha } that the prince of the Indies can only efpoufe her who is publicly declared the daughter of the commander of the faithful ; but in vain will fhe be adorned with this title, fbe will always be 203 ARABIAN TALES. be inferior in virtue and in charms to the ami- able Ilfetilfone. " Great queen," anfvvered the princefs, " I throw myfelf at your feet." " I am no longer queen," fays Setelpedour, raifing, her; " my throne from henceforth is in your heart, and in that of Simouftapha." Thefe declarations were fealed by the n-oft tender carefles among the tliree lovers ; and if they appeared to abate, the youngeft of the birds cried. Encore I En cor el Encore ! At laft Simouftapha and Ilfetiifone fet out for Bagdad with the fame retinue as before : They return to the palace, where they are anxious to entertain Haroun and Zobeida with the relation of the wonders they had feen, and the emotions they had felt. The generous princefs perfuades her father to adopt Setelpedour for his daughter, in order that fhe may become the fpoufe of Simoufta- pha : To Zobeida her daughter's conduct ap- pears highly inconfiderate ; fhe appears volun- tarily to folicit a rival : " Ah ! Madam," fays Ilfetilfone to her, " the woman who loves Si- mouftapha as I do, can never be my rival, fhe can only affift me in promoting his happinefs." The caliph, better inftrudted than Zobeida, fully comprehends the reafons of his daughter j he had, besides, the higheft efteem for the character ARABIAN TALES. 201 character of Setelpedour ; and every thing de- termines him to undertake a journey to Caffer- il-Harais, whenever the affairs of ftate {hall permit. In the mean time, Setelpedour begins a re- form which was neceffary to enable her to em- brace the law of the divine prophet : She en- deavours to get herfelf inftructed in new prin- ciples, of which {he was ignorant : She curbs her proud imperious mind, already become ge- nerous and beneficent : She is in queft of a vir- tue more fimple and more pure, which rejects every interested motive, which banilhes felf- love, the bane of fociety ; that virtue is chari- rity : It extends to every object, and difplays itfelf by every fort of means ; it often happens tKat we have no occaflon to open our hand to give a great deal. Setelpedour had withdrawn Bakbak and her nephew Jazzel from the wrath of the genii ; but what will become of them, ftrangers upon the earth, baniihed from Ginniitan, and thurft out of heaven ? She undertakes to put them under the fame protection to which {he had committed herfelf : The old woman obferves the queen conftantly employed in reading : " Is it the Koran that you read, madam ? Yes, Bakbak, and I wifli you were able to read it al- fo : Have you any defire to know the truth it contains* 2O2 ARABIAN TALES. contains, and, together with your nephew, to obey them ? No perfon loves the truth more than I do ; I got myfelf a bad character by fearching for it every where, and telling it morning and night : I never fuffered my verity to be called in queftion. It is true, that, in what they call truth, a great deal maybe faid on both fides ; but you have only to tell both fides of the matter ; and, in that cafe, every thing is faid. Can you read, Bakbak ? Yes, madam, provided the writing be not too fmall." She at the fame time cafts her eyes on the firft page. You muft know, that at Ginniftan they de- parted very much from the original language : They fpoke a fort of broken Arabic, and you may imagine that the dialect of the old woman was not very pure. Setelpedour condefcended to make her fpell all the letters of the firft line : * There is one God only, and Mahomet is his " prophet." When Bakbak had repeated thefe words a fufficient number of times, " Ah ! that is pretty," cried fhe, they fhall hear me fpeak j I will make a noife, I anfwer for it. Below, in the anti- chamber, there are two knaves, the genii of the box and of the ring, lazy drones, who are al- ways fitting with their arms acrofs, and have never laid a finger on a book : Ah ! I will dif- courfe ARABIAN TALES. 20J' eourfe to them about it. Let us fee ; we will laugh together. There is one Oh ! that's finely faid. There is one God, that's well enough ! I will not leave them the whole day, till I have made them read with me." Setelpedour fmiled at the odd zeal of the gnome, who immedi- ately goes down to the antichamber. " Come hither ! come hither, mifcreants ! who love the demons only, becaufe you are two of them ! Here's a book, which has been ra- ven me by our fo great, fo good, fo fweet, and, at the fame time, fo formidable queen, that all the genii were aftonifhed at her, and overwhel- med with darknefs in broad day : See how it is written ! The pen was taken from the wing of an angel ! you could never have furnifhed the like, ye bats that ye are ! and that ink is made with a liquor from the eye of the raven which went firft out of Noah's ark ; but all that is no- thing; you muft read like me, word for word, what is written : There is only There is cue God y ivbo is one God only and Mahomet is only a pro- phet. What have ye to fay that, ye wretches ? You never did any good aftion, and you will continue in your old tricks ; ret you muft con- fider what is to happen at laft ; for, as the book fays ; " There is but one God y and cue Ma- homet, 'who are prophets." Jemal 204 ARABIAN TALES. Jemal, overwhelmed with his fad fituation, and his want of employment, which was the confe- quence of the abdication of his fovereign, far from giving a direct anfwer, fays to the old wo- man, You are much broke, Bakbak, iince you came here, and you did very ill to forget your falfe teeth. " I broke !" anfwered fhc, " what does that wry-faced fpindle-fhanks mean ? It ill befits thee to fpeak of falfe teeth ; every thing is falfe about thee, even thy face. Take care, for if I give thee one good curfe, thou fhalt again be changed into Ranfrack, and continue thy evil ways ; but confider that thou oughteft one day to leave them off, becaufe, " if God is a " God, Mahomet is his prophet." Bakbak carries back the book. Well ! 'fays Setelpedour, have you wrought a converfion ? Oh ! Madam, anfwers the old woman, one cannot make thefe rogues hear reafon : In vain did I repeat, " that there is " but one prophet, and one Mahomet, who is God." Hold, Bakbak, you make the Ko- ran rave : "There is one God only, and Ma- " hornet is his prophet." This converfation was interrupted by an in- terefting viilt : It was the charming Simoufta- pha mounted on his couffer. He had left Bagdad in the morning, and nobody could follow AKACIAN TALES. C? follow him; he finds Setelpedour with her book and her birds : She learns with a fatii- fa<5lion, to which the bluih on her cheek bears witnefs, that the caliph clefigns to acknowledge her as his daughter, Ilfetilfone as her fifter, and both as the fpoufe of the bearer of fuch a- greeable intelligence j in fhort, that Haroun would immediately come in perfon to confe- crate an alliance which occafioned fo much joy. They interrogate the birds, to know if any thing would crofs this marriage : The bird of Setelpedour anfwers, that every thing in Gin- niftan favoured it j the bird of the tree faid, that this fuccefs would make amends for its be- ing fo long deprived of its matej and their child (which now fpoke with great facility) de- clared, that a marriage which procured happi- ncfs to it muft be fortunate : The lovers made them repeat a thoufand times thefe prefages. It was at length neceflary for Simouftapha to leave the caftle of CafTer-il-Harais ; duty and love recal him to Bagdad, where he pafies an- other month before the completion of the wifh- es of Setelpedour. The defired event at laft takes place : The caliph, his fpoufe, and their daughter, fet out for the caftle, in the midft of four thoufand knights, and twenty thoufand troopers, prece- ded by military inftruments, and all the pomp VOL. H. S neceffary 2o6 ARABIAN TALES. neceiTary for the defign which was the object of their journey. The firft morning they fet out, Simouftapha feparated himfelf from the cavalcade, to inform Setelpedour of the vifit fhe was about to receive. This beautiful queen meets the carriages in the firft court of the caftle, and is obliged to receive the homage which {he. is unable to prevent. Her beauty uftomlhes the caliph, alarms Zobeida, captivates Ilfetilfone and Simoufbpha, and is admired by the whole court of the commander of the faith- ful. We fhall not dwell upon the ceremonial of their magnificent reception -, the expences were defrayed from the treafures of the caliph; and the fruits of the garden furnifhed all the deli- cacies. Neither fhall we infift on the ceremo- nies of the mufti, and the delays of the law- yers : Nor even defcribe the pleafures of a marriage, which for the firft time united three hearts to one another. We fhall omit all re- flections on the mutual happinefs of the caliph's family, of the Indian prince, and at the caftle of CafTer-il-Harais ; for we have been fo hur- ried on by the immenfe fpaces which it was ne-"* ceiTary to traverfe, by the variety and the mul- titude of events, that we have loft fight of time, which ought to regulate all our details. Let us purfue objects on 'which it leaves fo fen- fible / ARABIAN TALES 207 Chle marks, that it is impoffible for us to mil- take its courfe. The beard of Haroun-Alrafchid was become infinitely more venerable j the fame fire ani- mates his looks -, but deep wrinkles furrow his auguft brow. He liad for ten years difcontL- nued his nightly circuits in Bagdad, which was attended with fo great advantages in detecting the conduct of his minifters, and watching over the happinefs of the MufTulmans. But, while he perceives the angel of death advancing with too rapid ftrides * towards him, he fees himfelf live anew in his moil amiable offspring. His grand fon Haroun-Ben-Alrafchid joins to the age of ten years all the perfections which have attracted our admiration in the prince of the Indies and his fpoufe. Other descendants no lefs interesting comfort his old age. He fees himfelf revive by the fortunate birth of the fon of his adopted daughter, a little Simouftapha as beautiful as his father. But happinefs is not the lot of every father ; that of the Indian prince, far from partaking in the enjoyments of the caliph, thought him- felf unfortunate ; and his fpoufe fhared in his grief. Twelve years had almoft elapfcd fince they had feen a beloved fon, who was their only hope. Happily for them, however, the rofe-bulh, S 2 which 208 ARABIAN TALES. which was left them by Benalab, had not de- cayed. It fiourifhed more and more, and grew every day more beautiful. They had comforted themfelves with contemplating this Jhrub, the pledge of their ion's profperity, and were every moment in anxious expectation of feeing him again. Simouftapha, in order to conceal his firft projects, the fuccefs of which was extremely doubtful, endeavoured to keep them ignorant of his firft adventures, from which he was un- willing to be diverted. When thefe had fuc- ceeded to his wifhes, he delayed to inform them till next day ; but, afhamed of a delay which appeared to him incapable of excufe, he continued in this reprehensible filence. How dangerous is it to delay till to-morrow ! Mean while an era arrived, when the filence of Simouftapha became extremely afflicting to his family. The moment that Setelpedour fub- mitted to the law of the great prophet* and en- tirely abjured that of Kokopilefobe, all the en- chantments which {he had performed, and which had been performed in her name, were deftroyed : The beautiful rofe-bufh of the In- dian king withered ; mourning and defolation reigned in the palace j arid death was, about to follow, A ARABIAN TALES. 2 Op A bird, a meflknger from the benevolent fpirits, palled over Cafler-il-Harais in its paf- fage from India, and reported thefe things to the birds of paradife. That of the tree of the garden faid to his mate, " Go, fearch into the apartment which is occupied by the princefles, and get for me a very fmall vial, which you mult fill with river-water from the bafon in the garden ; and then^tie it to my neck with a fmall ribband. I am going to India, and our fon muft accompany me j and if any one fhould afk where we are, you muft lay, that I have taken my fon up to the tree for the purpofe of 5n- ftructing him." The good little female did as fhe was ordered. The birds flew away with great . rapidity : And the parents of Simoufhphs, when they arofe, found the rofe-bulh revived, and much more beautiful than ever. A new ftalk fhot up, which appeared to grow out of the firft ; and the two branches united again ; fo that it was impoffible to determine which of them af- forded nourifhment to the beautiful flowers with which they were loaded. The hopes of the king and queen of the Indies immediately revived at this prodigy; they .lent for the aftrqlogers, and required of them an explanation of the phenomenon of the fuddt-n death and reanimation of the rofe-bufh. The S 3 learned 2IO ARABIAN TALfrS. learned confidently affirmed, that the prince's life had been in the greateft danger, but that it had been happily protected all the rofes *.vith which the buih was loaded were the vir- tues he had acquired, and the fciences by which he was adorned ; for one virtue begets another ; and thefe happy acquifitions were all connected. Such was the interpretation of the double ftalk ; it was impoflible to know to which of all his excellent qualities the happy fruits which they produced were to be afcribed. All thefe explanations, as clear as they ap- peared to be juft, agreed perfectly with the firft obfervation which had been made at the birth of the great prince Simouftapha, who was, one day to become the accomplished pattern of the fovereigns of the earth. Hovr confolatory was this myfterious emblem of the rofe-bufh ! But, ah !' how much did the reality exceed thia figurative reprefentation \ The Indian king and his ipoufe, weariedf ivith fending meflengers into the four quarters of the world in fearch of their fon, without fuccefsy determined at length to go in queft of him themfelves ; and being now convinced that he exifted in fome part of the inhabited world, determined to undertake a voyage. Should any one be difpofed to cenfure the very extraordinary filence of Simouftapha to- wards ARABIAN TALES. 211 wards a family that ought to have been dear to him, and to complain of the obftinate deftiny which thwarted every attempt to difcover him ; it may be remarked, that, if the Indian prince had difcovered himfelf fooner, he would have been recalled into his father's kingdom at the time of his marriage with Ilfetilfone , that Se- telpedour, worthy of a better fate, would have continued the queen of the frightful Ginniftan ; and that we are here led to admire that fove- reign wifdom, which, by means of the blind conduct of mortals, accomplices its important purpofes. Profperity and happineis continued to reign at Bagdad and Cafler-il-Harais : And the wife Zobeida, thinking her daughter much happier fince {he fhared with Setelpedour the heart of Simouftapha, at length agreed, that, from a man's union with two wives, a very great ad- vantage might refult to all the three, provided one of the women had the gift of enchant- ment. A rumour of war foon feparated this charm- ing party. They wrote from Baflbra, that a numerous fleet threatened the coaft with an in- vafion ; and the caliph, prefuming that the in- fidels were coming to revenge their defeat be- fore Damafcus, ordered levies to be made throughout the whole empire. Two hundred thoufand 212 ARABIAN TALES. thoufand men muft march to the relief of Ba fora, and the cities which may be attacked ; of which army Simouftapha was to have the conv mand. The troops aflembled, began their march, and foon arrived at Baflbra ; fortifications were creeled on every place where the enemy could attempt a defcent ; the courfe of the fleet was watched ; and the winds feemed to favour its approach to the land, and it might come to an anchor in the road of Baflbra. The fize of the vefTels of which it was compofed gave it a for- midable appearance ; yet it had not committed any act of hoftility ; the fifhermen who were employed at a little diftance from it had not been difturbed ; and it was very clear, that it had not been fitted out by the infidels : At length it fet up the Indian flag. At this fignal, the heart of Simouftapha was greatly moved : A boat left the largeft of the fhips, and rowed towards land. Simoufta- pha went on board one of his own, with the young Haroun, his fon, and fet off to meet the Indian boat. When they were within hearing, an Indian officer who was on board aiked per- miffion to land at Baflbra ; he told that the mo- narch of the Indies was on board one of the veflels, feeking every where for his fon Simouftapha, and that, as he purfued his fearch, he wiihed to pay homage 1RADIAN TALE?. 21 J homage to his friend and ally the caliph Ha- roun Alrafchid ; he told alfo that the fpoufe of the Indian king had embarked along with him. Simouftapha endeavoured to reftrain his tears of joy. " Return to the vcflel," faid he to the officer ; " I will go on board your boat and accompany you." At the fame time, he order- ed his fon inftantly to get ready the caliph's boat, and caufe it to be joined by all that were in the harbour j he then went into the Indian boat, and was carried to the ihip from which it had come. At this moment the Indian king was obfer- ving from the deck what pafled in this inter- view betwixt the two boats. He had feen ar mariner, in fplendid armour, enter the boat which returned, and ordered people to be pla- ced on the ladders to affift him coming on board, and he himfelf waited for him on the deck. Simouftapha immediately threw himfelf at his father's feet, without being difcovered by him, and bathed them with his tears. The mo- narch, aftonifhed at that remarkable ho- mage, in a ftrange country, raifed the man who had thus proftrated himfelf. A flood of tears concealed from him features which were deeply engraved on his memory and his heart j but the voice of nature was heard i and his fenfes being, ZI4 ARABIAN TALES. being weakened by the furprife, he reeled againfl the maft of the vefTel, exclaiming, It is my fon!" This declaration, arid the accident which had happened, quickly brought the queen, who mingled her tears and embraces in the arms of her fon and her hufband j and they all three enjoyed the fweeteft fenfation of nature. Thefe delightful feejings were kindled anew by the fight of the tender fhoor, who foon after ar- rived. The young and charming Haroun, in complete armour, at the age of eleven, and u- niting grace with innocence, was led on board by the moft considerable knights in the Maho- metan army, and found himfelf in the arms of parents whom Simouftapha had fo often men- tioned. The joy of this happy family will ad- mit of no defcription. The Indian king land- ed at Baffbra j the caliph was freed from un- eafinefs refpecting the fleet ; and the hope of" feeing his ancient friend fhed a gleam of joy over his declining days. Thefe important news reached CafTer-il-Harais, and happinefs was corrh- municated from the heart of the princefles to that of their children ; even the birds appear- ed to partake of it ; every thing fhared in the general joy. The caliph's army was difbanded, and that which accompanied the Indian king remained at Baf- foraj ARABIAN TALES. 2I fora. He himfelf marched to Bagdad, conduc- ted by Simouftapha, who, attended by four thoufand knights, and the caliph, came out to meet them with the moft magnificent retinue ; and thefe affectionate friends were again united. Bagdad had afTumed a new appearance, and the Indian monarch entered it under a long fuccef^ fion of triumphal arches. The caliph had di- played all his power to give a fuitable recep- tion to his friend and ally. The moft fplendid ceremonies were confecrated by the moft folemn acts of religion, and were crowned by public re- joicings. There yet remained to the king and queen of the Indies a very interefting journey. It was that to CafTer-il-Harais, where the two princefles, Simouftapha's wives, and their charming fami- ly refided. The caliph immediately ordered preparations for this journey, which were in no refpedt in- ferior to thofe which Bagdad juft beheld. The princefles had been informed of their intention j and the banner of the caliph and of the Indian king were even feen ftreaming in the air. Mef- fengers had gone before the advanced guard : They at length arrived ; and, in the tranfports of mutual affeftion, thefe two families felt the moft agreeable emotions of Nature : The queen of the Indies thtn recognifed all the flow* $l6 ARABIAN TALES. ers of the firft rofe-bufh, could never be fatisfied with looking at them, and affectionately pref- fing them to her bofom. After a magnificent repaft, they entered the enchanted garden, where a feaft, as raviihing as it was unexpected, awaited them. By order of the three birds of paradife, all the reft were afiembled, and formed a melodious con- cert ; and, if they alighted for a moment on the grafs, they prefented to the eye a plot of an ani- mated flower. At this harmonious -found, the antelopes, and other little animals, appeared to frifk in meafured time, and form a rural dance. Tiie filver fifties' left the fandy bottom of the bafons in which they lay, and, with their varied fcales, reflected the bright rays of the fun : The water appeared a liquid rainbow, whofe different hues delighted the eye ; and, if our lovers wandered in thefe delightful groves, it was only to {hare their tranfports, by talking of them. But it was now time for the Indian king to impart to his fubje&s the happinefs of his fuc- cefsful voyage. Simouftapha and his two fpouies muft go along with him j and, to compenfate their lofs, the caliph detained the young Ha- roun-Ben-Alrafchid, whom he married to an only daughter of one of the fons whom the commander of the faithful had loft, and who, from. ARABIAN TALES. 21? from that time, became the prefumptive fuccek for to his crown. Simouftapha, Ilfetllfone, and Setelpedour, em- barked with their family for India, and in tears took leave of the young Harorai. He attended his relations to the fhore of the fea, and, after embracing them, " Raife an army," fald he to his father ; I will afk one from the caliph, and, with thefe united, we will vanquifh and bring back to ourfelves all the infidels ; I will have the pleafure of feeing you again, and will bring along with me my little Yalide ; we witt behold and embrace one another ; I will ca- refs my mother and my fitters, and we will all be happy." The fleet had already left the fea of BaiTora, and was in full fail for the Indian fhores, where they arrived, after a profperous voyage, and completed the happinefs of the people. Setel- pedour found there a happinefs and peace, td which all the crowns of Ginniftan were not worthy to be compared ; and Simouftapha re* ceived, at length, the reward of thofe virtues which the Perfian philofopher had planted in his heart. SCHEHERAZADE having finifhed the hiftory of Simouftapha, ftopped for a moment. < Is this the whole hiftory ?" It has interefted me very VOL. II. T much. ii8 ARABIAN TALES. much, particularly on account of the birds. I am extremely forry that they did not all three fet out for India. They would have contribu-v ted, in a confiderable degree, to preferve the peace of the family. Could I enjoy my wifli, I would be vaftly pleafed to have one of thefe birds. You have (for I forgot nothing) told me of a fifherman, who wifhed to throw nets of iilk into the water , but I would willingly hunt thefe birds with nets of the feed of pearls. " This fancy would prove extremely dange- rous, Oh ! my magnanimous fultan," replied Scheherazade ; " the birds of paradife are not ta- ken in fnares like thefe ; you might catch tkpfe. of Ginniftan, which would appear to you e- qually beautiful, but which within, as well as without, are perfidious and falfe. As day is not yet near, I could relate to your highnels a very tragical, and pretty fhort ftory, that would make you diflruft any connection with thefe wonder- ful birds : It is that of Alibengiad, fultan of Hi- rak." " I will hear it with pleafure," replied the fultan. And Scheherazade thus began : ARABIAN TALES. The Hlftory ofJMengiait, Sultan of H'trak, and of i r >/ J f Tt JT the falfn Birds, of Paradife. j j | _ ALIBENGIAD, fultan of Hirak, and one of the defendants of All, was at war with the calipii Moavie. He thought to lay a fnare for the ca- liph, by drawing him into a narrow pafs, be- twixt fome heights, of which he had made him- felf mafter. Moavie made his army march flowly, and fo as to make the enemy believe- that he was under no fufpicion of the ftratagem they had employed againft him. But Aliben- giad was Toon defeated, his army cut in pieces, and he himfelf taken prifoner, and fhut up in a fort upon the Aggiala, a few leagues diftant from Cafler-il-Harais. This prifoner, a man of a ferocious difpoil- tion, had, during his reign, rendered many un- happy, and was now unable to bear his own misfortunes. He palfed cbntinually, from an' unmanly dejeftion, to tranfports which border- ed on madnefs. His whole fociety was an eunuch, of fifteen years of age, who was fhut up with him ; and 3ie pafled his time in prattling with this young man, no lefs flmple than ignorant. He expref^ fed to him his aftonifhment, that a man like T 2 Moavie, 220 AEABIAN TALES. Moavie, who fpent his time in devotion, could fuddenly adopt fuch meafures, in every conflict, as difconcerted his enemies, and know before- hand their defigns, without appearing to have examined them. " Our caliph," faid the eunuch, " has no need of fo many fpies, nor of fo much atten- tion. Whenever he is told that an enemy ap- proaches, he mounts his camel, taking with him a fupply of provifions ; his bird of paradifo goes before, and points out die weak parts of the enemy, their fhratagerns, and their re- fources." What bird is that ?" faid Alibengiad.* *' Have you never heard," replied the eunuch, *.' of the birds which are in the gardens of Oaf- fer-il- Harais, not far from this? Mahomet brought a breed of them to this caftle; they ne never go out but in the fervice of a prophet. They are often talked of at the palace ; for the women have feen them. Thefe birds are fa- credj they are perfectly acquainted with the Koran, and fpeak very distinctly. They are faid to do every thing. I have heard more than a hundred ftories told of them, fo that I Ijave fometimes dreamed of them. But I ne- ver fay/ any of them, except in a dream. They are extremely beautiful. As they move through, the air, one would think it was a parcel of filk flying, fo fine and light is their plumage. " Our ARABIAN TALES 221 " Our grand caliph hath certainly one of them, which ferves and con verfes with him; but it is he only who fees and hears it j by which means he finds out every thing that hap- pens in the palace. We have a negro among us, who gave out that he had one of them, which could find any thing that was loft. But his bird did not prevent him from drown- ing himfelf in the Ilfara." The fultan's head, already fomewhat deran- ged, became ftill more fo at the relation of thefe wonders, and many others, with which the eunuch constantly entertained him. " If I could," faid he to himfelf, " get a bird like Moavie's, it would facilitate my efcape from this place ; I would regain my provinces by its aid ; I would raife an army, and engage the ca- liph ; the balance of power would be maintain- ed by forces natural and miraculous ; and we Ihould then fee which of us two- fhould be the conqueror. It is not far from this to Cafler- il-Harais ; if my voice could reach that place I might determine one of the inhabitants of the garden to come to my relief." " Come! come I come to me!" cried the fultan in his enthufiafiru u Conic y celeftial and powerful birds! The throne ef Hirak, and the mojl fplendid empire I may be able o fubdue r jhall be yotir cage .'" T 3 222 ARABIAN TALES. Alibengiad was fo full of this idea, that he forgot his prayers both evening and morning. Though an infidel, he had hitherto been very pun&ual in that duty ; but now he addrefied his vows only to the wonderful birds ; they a- lone occupied his thoughts. " I have feen one o them to-night," faid the eunuch to him one day ; " I thought it fpoke to me in my dream." " Ah ! how hap- py art thou !" replied the fultan , " I would give half my blood to fee them, though but in a dream." During the night, this idea kept the fultan awake ; which was not furely the way to have the dream he defired : But fuddenly, at mid- night, he heard a knocking at his window. It was an hundred and twenty feet from the ground on the outfide. He looked j the win- dow appeared to him enlightened as if it had been day. He examined with care all around, and faw a beautiful bird perched on the gra- ting which was on the outfide. Alibengiad was tranfported with joy and a- ftonifhment at this fight, and invited the bird to come in. I cannot," replied the wonder- ful creature, but fo diftinclly, that he thought it was at his ear ; " if, however, you are anxious " to have me, we may agree upon terms." Having fpoken thefe few words, the beautiful bird ARABIAN TALS. 32J bird difappeared, and Alibengiad believed him- felf on the point of becoming the happieft of men. The eunuch was afleep, and had feei* no- thing. The fultan communicated to him his good fortune ; and the following night they were both on the watch \ but they had only the pleafure of pafljng a fleeplefs night. Several days elapfed in expectation, impa* tie nee, and want of deep : At laft, the bird appeared at midnight. " Of my own accord," fa id it to the fultan, " and attracted by. the prayers which I heard from the bottom of a garden in Cafier-il-Harais, I came to you. Now I have obtained permiilion to fpeak with you ; do you wifh that we mould enter into terms ?' : -~-" With all my heart," replied Alibengiad.-r- " Arife then,, and let me in." The fultan arofe : " Place yourfelf in the middle of the chamber," faid the bird to him, " and repeat, along with me, vord for word, what I am going to fay. " Chamber ! open ; " I command you by Mahomet. Bird ! Come " to me : I command you by the God of the earth." Alibengiad, <}uite beiide himfelf, prorjoim- ced thefe very words, and the bird alighted on his Ihoulder. Its fpiendour caft a vivid light through the rwnv;)nd the .lerriiied cuauch fell 224 ARABIAN TALE?. fell proftrate on the ground. " What do you want of me, and of the mailer to whom I be- long," faid the bird r " To get out from this place," replied the fultan, " to return to Hi- rak, to reafcend my throne, and to avenge myfelf- on Moavie." " All that fhall be done in time ; but we muft begin with our efcape from this place. Order, by Mahomet, the iron grating which prevents our paifage to fall down." Ali- bengiad obeyed without hefitation. " Com- mand me, in the name of the great God of the earth, to make you a chariot which may carry you to Hirak before the clofe of day." Alibengiad, full of joy and hope, as he had al- ready feen the grating of his cafement difap- pear, gave this new order with pleafure. " I leave you the cap of your turban," faid the bird, " but give me the muflin of it. This will be the materials of a chariot which will carry you and the eunuch." The fultan eagerly complied with this requeft. " Now," faid the bird, " I am going to fet to work." And taking hold of one 'end -of the muflin with its bill, it carries the whole piece out at the window. A moment after, Aliben- giad perceived over againft this window a very handlbme chariot, in which the bird was yoked, with light ribbands of crimfon and gold-colour- ed filk. He went boldly to the window, and ftooped ARABIAN TALES. 22 J ftooped down to go out, and get into the chariot. " One moment,'* faid the bird, putting a foot upon the chariot, " you will repeat the confeffion of faith which I fhall dic- tate to you." " Undoubtedly," replied the ful- tan, very eager to depart. " If you flail in one word, you {hall bathe for the laft time in the river Aggiala : Mount now, and, before be- ing feated, pronounce diftinclly the following words : " In the name of the great Kokopile- " fobe, the alone god of the world, I wifh to " get out from this place, and to go to Hirak." " What do you fay next, bird ?" faid Aliben- giad. " There is but one God, and Mahomet " is his prophet." Scarcely had he finifhed thefe words, when the chariot was dillblved, and returned to its original muflin. The bird flew away, and the body of Alibengiad, borne by this light ftuff, was, by its own weight, dragged towards the earth. It fell among the rocks, which are ba- thed by the winding ftreams of the river ; but was not dafhoi to pieces : Some of the won- derful virtues full remained in the muflin. A- libengiad however was fo ftunned by the fall that he entirely loft the little reafon that remained to Iiim, and became quite filly. Some fifliennen took him up, and carried him to Moavie. I 226 ARABIAN TALL*. The caliph, informed of the adventure by the young eunuch, who had not fet his foot upon the chariot when it vanifhed, thought he difcerned, in ths punuliment inflicted on the ful- tan of Hirak, the will of God and the inten- tion of Mahomet. He granted liberty of body to him, whom a decree from on high had de- prived of that of the mind. The eunuch kd him through Bagdad as a curiofity, and fcraped together a little money, by fhowiag-him to ftrangers in the kans, as the fultan of the bird. Alibengiad, entirely deprived of his fenfes, made no reply, but laughed at the different queftions which were put to him. ARE you done," faid the fultan to Schehe- razade ; " your ftory is important, and much more fo, by your having addrefled yourfelf to me hi more places than one. Do you think that tny head isfomewhat deranged, becaufe I love birds ?" Invincible fultan !" replied fhe, I wifhed only to fortify you." " Come, come ! that is enough ; but be aflured that I expect no one will ridicule my tafte, and be more difcreet in the choice of your ftories." u A propos" added the luhan, tf I believe I recollect ano- ther of them ; it is about two birds likewife, that were fern to the king of Egypt." " Your mnjefty," faid Scheherazade, " means to fpeak of 1RABIAN TALE?. 22J of a fact belonging to a very remote era, long before the Koran enlightened the world. I will relate it, as foon as your highnefs fhall have ordered me." " Speak then, I am all at- tention," faid the fultan j " but remember !" The amiable fultanefs underftood him at once, made a flight bow, and thus proceeded. :lonU3 Kyiory of Sifdaribf and his tiuo Vizirs. A AT the time which I have juft now mention- ed to you, Sire, Sinkarib reigned in Nineveh and Thor, over the empire of Affyria. This prince was called to the throne at a very early age, and had many natural virtues ; but a taftc for pleafure made him negleft his affairs, which were fo great a burden to him, that the mini- fher who relieved him of it might promife him- felf an abfolute authority over him. Fortu- nately for this young monarch, he had the wifdom to retain, in the ftation of his firft mi- nifter, the fame vizir who, with equal fplendour and wifdom, had governed Afiyria during the reign of his father. Hicar was his name. This man was the bcft informed of his time in all the known fciences. His wifdom, his firmnels, the refources of hip mind, and the high repu- tation 128 ARABIAN TALES. tation he enjoyed, conftituted the happinefs of the people, and the fafety of the realm. Hicar was poflefled of immenfe wealth ; and his palace refembled an entire city. The defire of having heirs, more than a mifplaced vanity, had induced him to marry fixty wives fuccef- fively. He had built fixty Makfura *, and al- lotted one to each of his wives as her own pe- culiar habitation } but no fruit of thefe mar- riages had yet appeared ; and unfortunately he was more afflicted with this circumftance than became a man of fo great wifdom. Though Zefagnie, his firft wife, had ftill maintained the empire fhe had acquired over his heart, yet fhe exhorted him to refignation in vain. " A child," would fhe lay to him, " is not always a blefling from heaven. You know I had a fitter, whom grief for a child brought in forrow to the grave. Submit, my dear Hicar, to a decree, which, under the ap- pearance of loading you with affliction, is per- haps in reality faving you from many forrows." Hicar paid great deference to his fpoufe : She was Sinkarib's aunt, and had never boafted of her birth. Her conduct had been moft amiable and prudent, and gave her a claim both upon his affection and his efteem. Afhamed of the Itep A fmall detached palace, inhabited by a fmgle -voman, unknown to her rivals. ARABIAN TALES. Sip ftcp he was about to take, he concealed from her his having fent for aftrologers, to confult them refpe&ing the means he ihould employ in order to have a fon The aftrologers, flattered with the confi- dence of a peribn.of his rank, returned an an- fwer immmediateiy, and advifed liim to offer a facrifice to Bilelfanam *, from whom he inuft obtain the Welling he delired. Hicar was a native of the country of Haram, and had brought from thence the knowledge of the true God ; impelled, however, by an irrefift- iblc decree, he went to the high-prieft of Bilel- fanam, ordered a lacntice, and confulted the -oracle : JJ.ut the oracle was iilent, .and the high- prieft, feized with terror, perfuaded the vizir to withdraw. Scarcely was he without the temple, (carce- ly had he looked around on the wonders of nature, when remorfe troubled his confcience, and he < aw,,. the offence he had committed, againft the autlior of this afteniihing work^ iji placing his confidence in a weak idol, and of- .fering before it adoration and facrifice: Im- .prefled with .thefe .fentiments, he raifcd his eyes to heaven. VoL.JL U "Oh! BHelfaium is the oracle of Bel, the god of the Affyrians. 23* ARABIAN TALES " Oh ! fovereign Creator," exclaimed he, Bilelfanam is filent, becaufe he was formed to be fo ; and will grant me nothing, becaufe he has- nothing to beftow j but thou, who art poffeiTed of almighty power, who haft hitherto with-held what I have fo often afked, hear and anfwer this requeft, the laft I fhall ever dare to addrefs to you Grant me a fon ! After this invocation, the vizir, with down- caft eyes, and his hands thrown acrofs his breaft, was endeavouring to recollect himfelf, when fuddenly he heard a celeftial voice : " Hi- car," faid it, " leave off importuning heaven thou fhalt not have a chilu j but thou mayeft adopt Nadan thy fifter's fon, and make him thy heir." Hicar returned home ; and, without men- tioning to Zefagnie the facrifices he had of- fered to the idol, communicated to her the command which he thought he had received from heaven. The virtuous fVv>ufe yielded a chearful obedience to God and her hufband ; and from that moment they adopted Nadan as their fon, and united their cares and af- fection upon him, who feemed deftined to them from on high. Nature had lavifhed all her ftores on Nadan ; he appeared diligent and ftudious ; he feemed to repay the kindnefs of Hicar and Zefagnie, and ARABIAN TALES. 23 1 and promifed even to furpafs their moft fan- guine hopes : He had a lively and penetrating genius -, but all his talents and virtues were af- iumed ; and fuch was his artifice, that whatever he affected to be appeared perfectly natural. With this dangerous defect of character, he joined a deep refer ve ; he was always cautious, and never off his guard. I ihould wifh to imd our child guilty of a fault," would Zefognie fay, " were it only to fee in what manner he would extricate him- felfj for I really * think him by far too per- feft." Nadan was now in his twenty-fifth year, a- clorned with much knowledge, and deeply (kill- ed in the affairs of government and politics, in- which his uncle took great pleafure to in- ftruct him. Though fecretly devoured by am- bition, he never betrayed the fmalleft fpark of it ; and moderated all his paffions fo well, that it was never fufpefted any of them coul^ gain an afcendant over him. Hicar, deceived by thefe promising appear- ances, 'and wifhing to fpend the remainder of his days in repofe and peace, determined to aik the king's permiffion to retire, and the appoint- ment of his nephew Nadan to fuccesd him. " Sire," faid he to him, " it will foon be forty-feven years fince I have had the honour U 2 Of 232 A 1C A BI AH TALES. of devoting myfelf to th6 fervice of* your illuf- trious father and your majefty. Old age is un- avoidably accompanied with frailty ; and 1 have no longer that activity which is neceffary for the proper difcharge of the office I ftill hold. For feveral years paft, having forefeen that the time would come when my ftrength would be unable to fecond the efforts of my zeal, I a- dopted one of my fitter's fons. I gave him fuch nn education as would enable him to ferve" you with propriety. Happy natural talents have fe- conded all my views ; and I flatter myfelf that I have formed a more able minifter than myfelf. Senfible of the favours with which your maje- fty has honoured me, 1 will be always grateful for them ; and, while I beg your permiffioii to retire, you may ftill depend, Sire, upon my at- tachment for life. Yet I hope, with a grand vizir fuch as Nad an, you will ftand in no need of my counfel ; and that the abilities of which he is poflefled will fully fupply the place of my experience." Sinkarib afked to fee the perfori whom Iticar praifed fo much. No man was ever pbflefled of a 1 more winning appearance than Nad an : He replied to fuch queftioris as the king thought proper to put to him with a feeming modefty, and, at the fame time, with a foundnefs of judgment, ARABIAN TALES. 233 judgment, which difcovered a maturity of know- ledge that delighted the monarch. " You this day," faid he to Hicar, " com- plete the obligations I am already under to you, by the favour you have done me. I will crown your work, by calling Nadan to the office you wifli to refign, and from which, with regret, I fee you retire. But I ftill wifh you to be the firft prince in my dominions, and to retain all the honours of the high ftation you abandon. You fhall al- ways have free accefs to my perfon , and my ear fhall be always open to the wifdom of your ad- vice. In the mean time, the ting ordered Hicar to be drefled in the fineft robes, and a gold neck- lace to be given him, on which his name was engraved, and which was ornamented with the richeft diamonds j and appointed a feftival to be celebrated for eight days throughout all his dominions, in honour of his ancient vizir, and of the inftalment of his fuccefibr. The inkhorn * and the feal were immediate- ly delivered to Nadan ; he received orders from the king for the management of bufinefs, and returned to the palace of Hicar. U 3 My * An ink-horn of a certain kind, is a ttark of dig- nity, which is wore artte girdle. 234 ARABIAN TALES. " My dear Nadan," faid his uncle, " you will no longer have time to hear your mother's advices or mine ; but forget not, I befeech you, thofe we have already given : It is by following them, that you have obtained the favour I have now procured for you. But I muft inform you, that, in proportion to your elevation, you are expofed to danger j and I requeft that you will ftill liften to a few advices, which till now would have been premature, but which at prefent are of the" utmoft importance. w You are about to be inverted with great power : Employ it all for him who beftoWed it on you. Remember that he is jealous of it. *' Let refpeft prevent you from being fami- liar with your fovereign, and referved with your inferiors. You have now no equal, and you can have no friend. " Be not the dupe of the court by Which you will be furrounded. The tree that is load- fed with fruit attracts the birds. They all flock to rejoice and wanton on its branches : But, as foon as it is ftrippen, it is forfaken, becomes Ihe fport of the winds, and is entered with the tfuft. " Flattery will ftrew your way with 8owers : Incenfe will fmoke around you; the fandal, the aloes, and the amber will burn : Learn to put % juft value on fuch homage. The ARABIAN TALES. 235 M The man who fhall praife you to your face is not the moft dangerous : But be afraid of him who can infpire you with pride without appearing to admire you. " Your fituation will draw around you the followers of fortune : Leave her her votaries ; one day they will be forced to defert her. " Stand by yourfelf in the middle of a crowd i obferve it well, but do not follow it. " After your bufmefs, retire into folitude ; there you will find the moft proper companion, reflection. " You will be poiTeffed of abundance j but allow not yourfelf to ufc it to excefs, for this fpoils the tafte. " A man is half dead who crainot live with- out fuperfiuities. Pleafure, of every kind, dif- iipates and weakens the faculties of the mind. " Intemperance reduces men to a level with the brutes-, he firft becomes effeminate, and then abfolutely filly. " Be always eafy of accefs, but never be fa- miliar , for it is neceflary that your prefencc fliouid command refpecl:. " Shut the mouths of the talkative ; they would fpeak till the fun had gone down, with- out faying any thing worthy of being heard ; they arc the foes of time. >aac w Nver 236 ARABIAN TALES. " Never aflume a haughty air ; this is the mark of ignorance. " Liften with patience: Encourage the ti- mid : Be not afraid of bold anfwers: If any one oppofe you face to face, recollect yourfelf com- pletely, that you may be able coolly to di- itinguim whether he is firm or obftinate. " Expect no good from fuch as are corrupt- ed. When the river flows back to its fource, when the water of the ocean ceafes to be fait, when the crow becomes white, then have you fomething to hope from the wicked. . " Be merciful. Man is often overcome by circumftances, and his own difpofitions. " While you treat the guilty with rigour, foften even the expreffion of your looks j you are the organ of the law, not an executioner. " Give the poor a welcome reception : But banim from you the beggar, efpecially if he is drefied in fine cloaths ; the wealth of the king- dom would not fatisfy his covetoufnefs. " Shun avarice ; it always miftakes its own intereft. Avoid prodigality ; it fows with a full hand, and reaps nothing but vexation. u When the torrent is fpent, the traveller pafles dry-footed, and defpifes it. Even the earth which it hath refrefhed thanks it not for the water which it fpread. Never ARABIAN TAT.IS. 23 7* if Never difcover great eagernefs but for the public good ; you yourfelf, and all the world, will profit by it in this cafe. " When you meditate an enterprife, keep your lips fhut. When you intend to put it in execution, cover your flxoes with a double coat of wool. " The fecret which is divulged, burns the tongue. The rumour which goes before, or accompanies any project, is fure to difconcert it. " Spare the lives of men j they are your brethren. " Shew yourfelf inodeft at firft, you will af- terwards fhine with greater fplendour. 11 Of all trees, the almond is the firft which bloflbms, and the laft which bears fruit. Imi- tate the tree which produces its fruk before its foliage *. " Forefee difficulties. The fkiff which is launched into the fea may brave the firft bil- low, but is fwallowed up by thoie that fuc- ceed." Hicar, after having given thefe wife counfels to the young minifter, prefuming that he would be * There grows in Arabia a certain kind of tree, on which fruit is gathered, long before it puts forth its leaves. 538 ARABIAN TALES be careful to follow them, and to tread 'in lus fteps, prefented him to Zefagnie : They both embraced him, and loaded him with their prayers, and their Welling. The palace-gates were thrown open ; and he received the ufual compliments in the honourable office to which Sinkarib had raifed him. The firft fplendour of his new Situation could not dazzle Nadan. This character, where vice had efcaped the difcernment of his uncle, was too deep to difcover itfelf fo fuddenly. By the manner in which he received them, he fhowed himfelf worthy of the honours which were paid him ; and went to the palace of Sinkarib to take his feat in the divan, furrounded by a court as fplendid as it was numerous ; appearing, even in the eyes of Hicar, deferving of the high ftation to which he had been deftined by this refpec- able old man. Sinkarib, funk in effeminacy, flood in need of an active and enlightened minifter, and found him in Nadan. The young vizir foon appeared fuperior to the one who had retired : He a- greed to fhare his amufements ; and did not ap- ]>ear an enemy to the pleafures which were within the palace. The monarch and his vizir foon became infeparable, and public bufinefs was at a ftond. This ARABIAN TALES. 239 This produced complaints and murmurs which tlifturbed the tranquilky of Hicar, and obli- ged him to fignify his fears to his nephew. Na- dan liftened to him with refpect, but with great coldnefs ; he promifed to make a complete re- formation, but did not keep his word in one in- ftance. New diforders fucceeded : The old vizir re- newed hrs remonftrances, and became extreme- ly importunate. He communicated his unea- linefs to the king himfelf, but found him al- ready prejudiced. Nadan had palliated the mif- chief in his view, and had begun to give a dif- advantageous reprefentation of his uncle. " Old age," faid he to the king, " renders Hicar fufpicious and timid : Athough he does not now infpect affairs clofely, yet he would ftill con- duct them. Become feeble and languid, he can no longer retain his authority ; yet he every day regrets its lofs^ His humour vexes me ; and, were I to believe him, I fhould never be able to carry on any bufinefs to your majefty's advan- tage." When Hicar appeared before Sinkarib, he foon perceived the effect of the prejudice againft him with which the king had been infpired. The vizir met with a cold reception from the king; and, when he wifhed to fpeak of bufinefs, the monarch advifed him to concern himfelf a- bout 24O ARABIAN- TALS. bout nothing but his own health. I am per- fectly acquainted with what you mean to fay, ad- ded he, and can allure you that the complaints you have heard from difcontented minds are abfolutely without foundation. Nadan, your nephew, hath completely fulfilled my orders,, and his own duty. Accept, however, -of my thanks for thefe new proofs of your zeal, and, above all, endeavour to preferve your health, which now begins to become very delicate. Hicar returned home, confounded and mor- tified. He threw himfelf, in tears, into the arms of his fpoufe. " My dear Zefagnie," faid he, " this Nadan, whom we thought given us by the hand of God, to be our confolation, and the protector of Ailyria, hath deprived me of the king's confidence : Every thing will be loft, and I /hall be the caufe of it !" " Let us be comforted," replied Zefagnie. '* Milled, like you, by fpeciou/ appearances, I myfelf contributed to deceive you refpecting him; but we cannot pretend, that the divine goodnefs had any part in this : The voice, which feemed to come from above, did not defcend from heaven ; but it was permitted by God to deceive you, as you were coming out of the temple of Bilelfanam, whether you had repaired to force from the decrees of the eternal a po- terhy which you had been refufed. Long have I ARABIAN TALES. 24! I reflected on this unhappy circumftance ; had it been the will of the Almighty to grant yoa an heir, this would have been equally eafy to him as to ftrike your ears with an empty found. As you have been puniflhed by a piece of de- ceit for this act of idolatry, altogether unpar- donable in a man fo well informed ; toad you were conftrained to adopt Nadan- Heaven grt he may flop here 1 The ma(k of hypocrify, which has fo long deceived us, may ftill conceal the moft deteftable plots." Thefe reflections of Zefagnie were wife and profound ; but Hicar, to whom his nephew was ftill dear, did not imagine that he would go fo far as to verify the well founded prefages of his fpoafe. Nadan, already feeling remorfe for his ingra- titude, ftill endeavoured to haften the ruin of his benefactor, whofe looks and remonftrances he dreaded, whofe fortune he was wafting, and whofe reputation was a burden to him. He founded the delign of drawing up an a* nonymous libel againft himfelf ; but in fach a manner that the ftyle of his uncle might be re- cognifed in its general drain. He filled it with falfe and bold imputations j every thing in it had a fpecious appearance, and feemed to havt been di&ated by zeal. The work was put into VOL. II, ' X $ikib' 4 2 " ARABIAN TALES. Sinkarib's hands, and he communicated it to Nadan. The artful miniiler deftroy.ed in a moment the effect which his own impofture was caku^ lated to produce. At the fame time that he ad- mitted the fufpicion that Hicar alone was the author of it, he appeared melted into tears, and befought the king to pardon the weaknefs and age of his uncle ; advifing him, however, to take prper meafures to remove him to a. diftance, as it was plain that he was not now what he had once been, and was become the fport and tool of a cabal. " You allow him," added he, " a numerous guard : This appendage of greatnefs gives him an air of weight in the ftate, which encourages the difcontented to flock around him, and to tor- ment him by their groundlefs panics and viflo- nary fchemes : They perfuade him to exert all his credit to regain his place j and he will never ceafe to trouble us till he fhall have loft all hope of your favour." " I could defy," replied Sinkarib, " the cenfure of the people, to whom I am not ac- countable for the reafons of my conduct, and I would enter into your view.s, were I not pre- vented by very powerful confederations ; I would be afraid of mortifying Zefagnie, whom, as my father's fifter, I am bound to refpect j and, were it ARABIAN TALES. 24J it only on her account, I could not diminiih the honours I have granted to her hufband. Nadan was too much a courtier not to ap- prove the reafons of prudence alleged by the king j but, being determined to profecute his deilgn, he found himfelf under the neceffity of employing the moft dangerous artifices. The court of Aflyria was- treating with that of Periia about the exchange of two places in the frontiers ; and every thing was agreed upon : But Nadan alone had received this information. The meflenger, however, muft foon arrive and communicate it to the king. Hicar received a letter, fuppofed to have come from Perfia, from a man whole attachment to him was well known. He informed him that the fovereign of that country was not fincere 'n? the negociation ; and that, as foon as the troops fhould be introduced, and eftablifhecl in the place which the AfTyrians were to give up, he intended to introduce others, by unknown fub- terraneous paffages, into the fortrefs where thole of Sinkarib fliould be lodged, and put them to the fword : The execution of this pretended- project feemed to be put off until hoftages ihould be mutually given and received. Nothing was omitted in this detail, fabricated by Nadan himfelf, which could render this in* X 2 formation. 244 ARABIAN TALES. formation plaufible. Hicar was filled with in- dignant rage on hearing of fuch atrocity. Nadnn refilled in the king's palace, from which he was but very rarely abfent ; he re- ceived a preffing invitation from his uncle to come immediately to fpeak to him ; and he haftened thither with an air of the greateft eagernefs. " What has happened, uncle ?" faid he to him ; <( from the manner in which your orders were delivered, I was afraid I fliould be too late to hear your laft groan ! But I now feel myfelf eafier, fince I have the happinefs to fee you flill enjoy fuch good health. On what fo preffing bufinefs have you fent for me ?" ** On your own," replied Hicar, " on that of Sinkarib and of all Ailyria. Look at that writing." Nadan being determined to provoke the old man ftill more by his behaviour than by his words, read the letter with a cold and difdainful air, and when he had fmifhed, fpoke to him thus : " You ought now, my dear uncle, to afpire at nothing but repofe ; but it is much difturbed by your correfpondence. I can anfwer for the wifdom of the meafures I have taken with his majefty, and the fidelity of our agents. Deny all accefs to the difcontented and turbulent who befiege you : The king, who 5s alarmed on your account, ARABIAN TALES. 245 account, ' will take your filence well } and die affairs of the ftate would go on much better if you would once completely reiign them to our management. After this infulting fpeech, N.i- dan bowed, and rcturned to the king's palace* The virtuous Hicar, afilicted with what he had juft heard, went to pour his forrow and his tears into the bofom of Zefagnie. The prin- cefs, endeavouring to calm his grief, difco- vered that his diftreis was owing to the ingratitude and to the alienation of Nadan, This rafh man, difdaining the wiiclom of a fa r lutary advice, was about to expofe Aflyria to war, to the lofs of numbers of its fubjefts, and an humih'ating flavery." " Go to my nephew Sincharib", did Zefag- nie, " carry the letter to him which you have received from Perfia : Blinded as he is refpecl- ing the merit of Nadan, his own interefts will open his eyes j you muil not fuffer every thing to go to wreck, for want of fo ealy a ftep." " I will do it," laid Hicar, " notwithftajid- ing the inward repugnance I feel." At the lame time, he went to the King's palace, and de- manded a private audience. o ..^oir. " I will grant you it," replied Sinkarib, in prefence of Nadan, who hath already acquaint- ed me with the fubject of your uneaimefs. You allow yourfelf to be tormented by falfe advices 5. X 3 " for- 246 ARABIAN TALES. fortunately they do not alarm me in the fame manner. A meffage from my ambaflador iit Ferfia is this moment arrived, and brings me the moft agreeable intelligence. The fubterraneous paflage fpoken of to you is a mere dream ; and the fuppofed treachery of the king my brother a criminal invention, for which your eorrefpond- ent would infallibly have been punifhed, did not his death, which' -has been juft announced by a rnefleriger, render it-trnpoffible. I wifh this may be the lot of all thofe who endeavour ;t> render you uneafy refpecting the prefent go- vernment, which all Afiyria, except yourfelf, approve of. Return to your palace ; live there in tranquility : It is all I ought to expect or re- quire of you. Thus, without regard to his age and paft ier- Tices, was Hicar difinifled with neglect. Here- turned to his virtuous fpoufe, and gave her an account of the cold reception with which he had met. The ftar of Nadar is fatal indeed to you, faid {he j it corrupts your benefactors and your friends, and even poifons my advices. Unfor- tunately it rules over Affyria, which appears to me expofed to the greateft danger. But if, by the defire of heaven, this country is doomed to fall under its prefent adminiftration, why fhould we alarm ourfelves with it? deftiny, fine e the grandees ARABIAN TALES 247 grandees of the ftate take no meafures to prevent it ? Let us be reiigned, and leave others, ei- ther to fhut their eyes againft the dangers which threaten the ftate, or to adopt fuch meafures as may prevent them. Sinkarib orders you tofeek repofe; and, in my opinion, this command is the eafieft of all to be obeyed, efpecially at your advanced age. You love the fciences -, attend to them, and forget at length that there are fuch beings as vizirs and kings. Hicar prepared himfelf to follow the advice of Zefagnie ; and, that he might occasion no more uneafinefs to Sinkarib, nor jealoufy to Nadan, he fliut his door againft all fuch as might be fufpe&ed of fpeaking to him upon public bufinefs, and re- ftricted his intercourfe to the learned of diffe- rent countries, with whom he had always main- tained a correfpondence. The cheerfulnefs and equality of his temper rendered his family hap- py. He lived in comfort and tranquility ; and was beginning even to forget his nephew ; when Nadan, to whom the exiftence of this illuftri- ous man was an infupportable burden, concei- ved the danger of freeing himfelf from it by the jnoft criminal intrigue. After Hicar had retired from the palace, Sinkarib felt himfelf uneafy at the manner in which he had treated him, efpecially when he recollected the importantferviceshe had rendered the 248 ARABIAN TALES. the ftate. The fight of this refpeaable old man ftruggled in his heart againft the infinuations of Nadan : But a look from the minifter eafily tri- umphed over the natural difpofitions of his- mafter, whom it was as eafy to govern as it was to gain his confidence : Neverthelefs, the king of Nineveh was diffatisfied with himfelf. Remorfe prefled upon him for feveral days j till at length, his fituation becoming painful, he thus .ipoke to Nadan : " We fent away your uncle very ill pleafed. How has he taken the reception I gave him ? What is he doing now ?" " With fufficient haughtinefs," replied Na- dan, " and a great deal of ill humour, he hath fhut himfelf up, and allows no perfon to come near him. But, although he is inacceffible to the inhabitants of Nineveh, he hath not given up all intercourfe with ftrangers. Couriers arrive e- day from Periia and Egypt." And what can be their intentions ? replied Sinkarib, with uneafinefs. As he is again feized with a ftrong defire of conducting public affairs, I cannot conjecture what methods it may lead him to employ in or- der to gain its end: It is a rage in the old man, which to me appears altogether inconceivable ; but it would be very eafy for your majefty to clear up this fubject. I will giveyou notice of the depar- ture of one of his principal mefTengers j you will caufe him be flopped, and the nature of the dif- patches ARABIAN TALES. 249 patches will explain the import of the meflage. I approve of your project in part ; but it would be better that the courier fhould appear to have been robbed, that we may not feem unreafonably fufpicious. It is wifely thought of in your majefty -, it is pofllble that the letters of a man of his age may contain nothing but idle dreams ; and, in that cafe, by having flopped them, you would ihow yourfelf fufpicious without any caufe. Na7 " planation of the difficulties, which you are to " propofe. The architects, who muft build " your palace, are here ; but it is ncceflary that " they collect workmen, who may be able to u execute their orders ; and this requires a de- " lay of three months. I am fenfible of the " importance this delay will occafion you. " All that you have to do is to find people " to fupply them with materials : In all other re- " fpects I accept your terms, and am ready both " to give and to receive hoftages, unlefs my " word fhall be fufficient, as J rely with entire " confidence in your's." Sinkarib was greatly aftonifhed at the con- tents of this letter. " I know well," faid he to Hicar, " that you can anfwer all Pharoah's que- ftions. But, fuppofmg you to be the architect of this palace in the air, Where could you find, in three months, workmen to labour under your orders, unlefs the genii of the air fliould build it ?" " My wife," replied Hicar, " has underta- ken the conftruction of this whimfical edifice : She intends to render it impoffible Tor Pharoah to fulfil the conditions to which he is bound by the letter yon are about to fend him. Zefag- nie looks upon this aerial palace as an infant's play-thing, which muft be deftroyed by the ar- tiilce of a woman : It belongs to her to contrive Z 2 it: 268 ARABIAN TALES. it : She will give me fome directions for its execution. Return to your palace, Sire ; di- patch the Egyptian ambafladors. I will {hut myfelf up in my folitude, where, under the name of Abicam, a Chaldean aftrologer, and protected by Zefagnie, I intend to live unknown to all the world, and occupied with your affair?. If any embaraflrnent fliould occur in them, you can eafily make me acquainted with it. But I have one advice to give you. He who plotted my death is as much your enemy as mine. Be upon your guard : You need not be afraid of any blame on this account, nnce the pretenfions of the Egyptian king fur- nifh you the moft plaufible pretext. Double your guard, and take mine, which you left from refpecl to the princefs your aunt. The chief who commands them is beyond the reach of corrup- tion j and all his officers are of his own choice. Honour him with your confidence ; and this will be one barrier more between you and every enemy. Hicar feemed to have forefeen the defigns of Nadan. This ungrateful minifter, perceiving that the king's going fo frequently to Zefagnie muft neceflarily complete his ruin, had formed the defign of bribing Sinkarib's guards, of fend- ing his head to the Egyptian king, and of be- coming ARABIAN TALES. 269 toming his fucceflbr on the AfTyrian throne, as a tributary of Pharoah. Sinkarib fhowed him the letter he meant to addrefs to the king of Egypt. Nadan, although its contents aftonilhed him, looked upon it on- ly as a contrivance to gain time. " Your ma- jefty," faid he to the king, " knows very well that you cannot fulfil the conditions it impofes, and probably you avail yourfelf of this delay to make preparations for war ? Yes, replied Sin- karib ; and I will employ every poflible method to enable me to profecute my deflgn, at the head of fifty thoufand chariots ; but we muft wait the departure of the Egyptian mefiengers, that we may not create hi them any fufpicion. In the mean time, notwithstanding their pre- ience, and without being in the leaft fuipected, I can withdraw the guard from Zefagnie, in or- der to inure them to exercile, and to prepare them for accompanying me to the war. Nadan thought he had now found out the motive which led the king fo frequently to the widow of Hicar, ami became lefs fufpicious of this circumttance : Without th s, the increafe. of his guard, and the inclination which appeared in Sinkarib to take the management of his bu- flnefs into his own hands, would have added greatly to his fears. He applauded the wife meaiures of life fovereign, and prouiifed to ne- Z 3 gleft 270 ARABIAN TALES. gleet nothing which might be neceflary to put the forces of the empire on a refpeclable foot- ing. The meflengers of Pharoah departed from Nineveh with difpatches from Sinkarib, and convinced, by public report, that none among the learned of his court had been b,old enough to undertake the explanation of the myfteries which the Egyptian monarch meant to propofe. Zefagnie difmifled from the folitude of Hicar all the flaves to whom he was known, except the gardener, in whom he had entire confidence : Their places were fupplied, as well as'thofe of the other domeftics, by people to whom their mafter was totally unknown. Hicar, already in- formed of it, appeared to the gardener under the name of Abicam, a Chaldean aftrologer, who was to be allowed the ufe of the philoib- phical apparatus which had belonged to Hicar ; and was wholly engaged with Zefagnie's pro- ject for connftructing the aerial palace. Hicar's huntfmen were, by orders of his fpoufe, to over-run the defarts, in which the monftrous birds, called rocs *, were accuftomed to breed- They were to bring away two of them * The Ret. A bird of an enormous fize, which is found iu the defarts of Africa ; it can carry a weight of two hundred pounds. Many are of opinion that it Is fabulous.. ARABIAN TALES. 27 1 them very young, with their firft down upon them, and conduct them to the gardener of the folitary maniion. Hicar, under the name of Abicam, was to have two young flaves, eleven years old, who muft be rendered fo familiar with the birds, that the inftinct of the two fpecies might feem to be blended together. The birds were found, and delivered to the care of the young children, who left them nei- ther night nor day. They fed and flept toge- ther. There was foon a very clofe familiarity eftablimed betwixt the four companions : and as the rocs as yet found great difficulty in railing themfelves into the air, they followed the chil- dren every where, in the fame manner as they would have followed their dam. The chil- dren got up upon the back of thefe birds, which took great pleafure in carrying them. They fixed upon them fmall convenient faddles, on which the heroes, as they were tied to them, fat very gracefully, and without running any hazard of falling. The birds took the firft flight in the gardens ; they were kept by a long ribband fixed to their feet, which Hicar held in his hand. By degrees the children became able for them, and held the ribband which ferved them for reins. Obedient ^:o the voice of their little companions, the birds waved aloft, 272 ARABIAN TALES or alighted at their pleafure. This docility in- creafed with their ftrength j and there now re- mained nothing but to inrtrudt the young chil- dren in what they were to fay and do, on their arrival in Egypt : and, as they were both en- dowed with an excellent understanding, this part of the plan was the eaiieft -to be exe- cuted. Zefagnie came from time to time to enjoy the fuccefs of her undertaking, and accuftomed both the children and the rocs to obey her or- ders. Every time Sinkarib came to vifit her, Ihe comforted him refpe&ing his uneafinefs and his fears ; concealing from him, however, the means flie was employing to relieve them. The prince, roufed from the flumber in which his vigilance and activity had been buried, ever fince he afcended the throne, thought at length of giving new vigour to the languifhing fprings of his empire. He found very great refources in Nadan, who, being now awakened, difplayed the treafures of knowledge with which Hicar had ftored his mind. This minuter be- held the rigorous term of three months faft ap- proaching, without any preparation for war be- ing undertaken, or any perfon nominated as the chief of the embafTy j and therefore he iiattered himfelf that he would reach the moment when his ambitious projects might burft into full view. The ARABIAN TALES. 273 The defencelefs frontiers were cxpofed to the inroads of an enemy, and the number of his fabjecfb were diminifhing every day ; for the Af- fyrians was pa-fling over into Egypt, in order to withdraw themielves from the ilavery with which they were threatened. When the eighth month had elapfed fince Sinkarib's letter had been difpatched to Pharoah, Hicar, under the name of Abicam, demanded permiilion to begin his journey. He was to be efcorted by the Arabs of the moft remote defart. It was 4 not till then that Nadan learned that a Chaldean philofopher, protected by Ze- fagnie, had undertaken to fatisry the Egyptian king in every point. His furprife was greatly in- creafed when he heard that Zefognie herfelf wifhed to accompany this fage, whofe ability {he had warranted. He understood nothing of this extraordinary undertaking j but, if it was unfuccefsful, Nadan fliowed her all the dangers to which ihe would be expofed. Every thing was now in readinefs for the em- bafty, and all the retinue were aflembled at Hi- car's folitude. Sinkarib ftole from the troublt- fome crowd, to enjoy the fweets of a private in- terview with his embafTador. Maintain your tranquility, Sire, faid the pru- dent ,minifter ; together with'the fafety of your realm, I promife you the return of the fubjecls who 274 ARABIAN TALES. who have emigrated from your frontiers, the four years tribute, and the reimburfement of all your extraordinary expences. I leave you with Nadan, whom you muft frill employ. He poflefTes abilit'es, and will be necelTary to you ; but do not lofe fight of him even for a moment. At my return I will inform you why I think him dangerous. You are lefs connected with one another by your pleafures fince you have filled up your time with public bufinefs, and ..you may eafily conceal from him your fufpicions. The envoy of Sinkarib began his march. His whole equipage confided of four elephants. He himfelf and his fpoufe, with two eunuchs, were on one tower : The two 'rocs, and their young guides, had each of them one, with a flave to ferve them. Four women and two eunuchs loaded the back of the fourth elephant ; and an hundred Haves on horfeback armed with a fabre and a fpear, efcorted this little party. A illken net covered the tower in which the birds were {hut up, that they might be conceal- ed from the infpection of the curious. The object of this deftination was to be kept a pro- found fecret from all ; and the eunuchs walked night and day around thefe myfterious cages, and kept the indifcreet at a diftance, and to prevent all converfation with their conductors, who themfelves were convinced that the ele- phants ARABIAN TALES. 27$ phants carried extraordinary prefents to Pha- roah. The whole caravan arrived at MaiTer * with- out having met with any difficulty. Hicar pitched his camp in a commodious place in the environs of the city, and, in quality of envoy from king Sinkarib, demanded an audience. of Pharoah. The Egyptian monarch, encouraged by the advice of the priefts of Ofiris, whofe temple {lands in the middle of the great lake Merov f, was well aflured that he had propofed quc- flions, to refolve which was above the capacity of mortals : He was on his guard againft the il- lufions of magic ; and was certain that, by his embarraffing propositions, he would diiconcert the abilities, however great they might be, of the pretended fage who had been fent to him. He fent notice to the ambafiador that he was ready to receive him; and, that he might com- mand the greater refpecl, was furrounded with all the magnificence of his court. Hicar, in a very extraordinary drefs, un- known even a at the court of Sinkarib, appear- ed before the monarch. The firmnefs of his Mafler, or Mefraim. Grand Cairo, built by Mef- raim the fon of Cham. t Merov. The lake Merov, mentioned in Strabo's Hiftory of Ancient Egypt, and that of Diodorus Siculus. 2)6 ARABIAN TALF.S his ftep, and his majeftic air, already command- ed the refpeft of the whole aflembly : H ; ad- vanced to the foot of the throne, and proftra- ted himfelf ; and, when this firft homage was paid, he thus fpake : " Sire ! You have fent a challenge to my matter, which he joyfully accepts, as the com- bat does not expofe either the repofe or the life of your two nations. You wifh only to difpute concerning fciencc and wifdom ; and I corne from him, admiring your greatnefs, to make known to you his, and fecure him your efteem for ever. If, by the favour of heaven, I am fuccefsful in this undertaking, (permit me, fublime monarch ! to recal your conditions to your memory), we have your facred word, that you will for four years pay a tribute on all the productions of Egypt. If I am found incapable of anfwering the queftions agreed upon," my life (hall atone for my audacity ; and the king of AfTyria, whofe refpect for fcience knows no bounds, ftiall fubjeft his crown to you, and en- gage to pay annually into your treafures what- ever ranfom you fhall be pleafed to demand." The dignified and modeft air of the Aflyrian ambafiador, the arrangement, the preciiion, and the force of his fpeech, aftonifhed Pha- raoh ; and he reproached himfelf for his rafh- nefs. Could a fovereign, funk in effeminacy, entirely ARABIAN TALE?, entirely under the dominion of his paflions, who fuffered his fubjecls to groan under the yoke of tyranny, could he be iurrouncL fuch men as this, who had explained himfelf with fo much courage and wifdom ? Would they devote themfelves for the fafety of a prince, every moment of whofe life was mark- ed by weaknefles and errors ? In the fituation in which the AiTyrian ambailadcr then was, what could the old Hicar have faid better, al- though he had been ftill alive ? Thefe reflections prevented Pharaoh from returning an immediate anfwer to the fpeech ambalfador ; but at length he broke fi- lence. " Envoy of Sinkarib, what is your name ?'.' " My name is Abicam, the liumbleft of my Sovereign's flaves. I am one of thofe worm* who hare hitherto creeped undiltinguifhed a- bout the throne. At the court of my mafter, trufl and honours are conferred on people more expert than I am." " Surely," replied Pha- raoh, whofe furprife was ftill increafed, " if I have before me the meaneft of the fervants of the AiTyrian king, his dominions muft be peopled with divinities ! But, iince you are fo inferior, why was you wade choice of, in pre- ference to fo many illuftrious men, fince Sin- Jcarib pretends fo much efteem for me ? Voj,. II. A a Sire ! 27<$ ARABIAN TALES. Sire f replied the ambaflador, the bee, pla- ced in the fcale of exiftence betwixt birds and infers, is the leaft of all the winged animals. Yet, fee the wonderful work it compofes ! It is admitted with diftiwdtion to the tables of the moft illuftrious fovereigns ; and, in the eye of Sinkarib, the fmall and the great are of equal eftimation. He judges them from the pinna- cle of greatnefs to which the Deftinies have railed him. This Hhfwer delighted the Egyp- tian king, who, although dazzled with his own magnificence, yet beheld with enthuliafm the merit and knowledge which feemed to rife a- bove all ordinary bounds. He difmifled Hicar, offering him for a habitation the moft beauti- ful palace in Mafler ; but the hufband of Ze- fagnie chofe rather to return to his compa- nion, where every thing neceffary for him was fent by the orders of Pharoah. Scarcely had Hicar retired under his tent, when a minifter from the king came to acquaint him, that in three days he muft return to the pa- lace prepared to anfwer the queflions that Ihould be put to him. The vizir, completely ikilled in the art of courts, received the Egyptian minifter in a manner of which this laft had formed no idea, and fent him back, convinced that the ARABIAN TALES. 279 the man with whom he had juft converfed wa^ above the condition of mortals. The three days were elapfed j..and Hicar re- paired to the palace of the king. He was wait- ed for at the gates, to be conducted with great ceremony into Pharoah's prefence, who was feateJ on his throne, clothed in a purple robe, embroidered with gold, and richly adorned with jewels ; with a moft fplendid and magnificent court around him, confifting of all the gran* dees of the kingdom. The Afiyrian minifler having faluted him refpectfully, waited with downcaft eyes, and his hamls folded upon his brcaft, till lome one (houid fpeak to him. " Abicam," faid the king to him, " every thing in the univerfe is enigmatical, and every obje<5t of contemplation conceals an important truth. Caft your eyes on me, and around my throne, and tell me what I referable in the mid ft of my court ?" Sire," replied Hicar, here I am no lefs ftruck, than I would be if the Nile, which cd^ vers the divinities of my country, were to fall, and difclofe to my view Bilelfanam, furrpundetl with all his power. The king of Egypt, pleafed with this anfwer,. ordered the ambaflador to be clothed in one of the moft beautiful robes in the palace, and de- A a 2 ferred 280 ARABIAN TALES. ferred the remainder of the queftions till next, day, at the fame hour. The king received him then drefied in white, and his courtiers wore fuits of different colours, which were by no means fo fplendid. u What do you fee here ?" afked Pharoah. t( I fee, Sire, the fertile plains of Egypt un- cultivated, dried up, without the fmallefl vege- tation, Avaiting for thofe treafures, which are ibon to defcend from the fummits of the moun- tains of Ethiopia : This is the refemblance of the court with which you are furrounded. " Your vaft turban rcprefents the reviving fnows, on which the heavens appear to reft. " Your eyes, and your mouth, are the bene- ficent fdurces, which are to fcatter far and wide the nourilhing falts. " Your hands, Jike the mouths of the Del- ta, will diftribute your fuperfluous wealth ; and every thing that breathes will be tranfported in- to a new being." Scarcely had he finiihed this reply, when an emotion of univerfal admiration appeared in the countenance of all. Pharoah, after ordering a dfefs ftill more fumptuous than the former to be given to the ambaffador of Sinkarib, appoint- ed the following day for a third audience. Hicar, on his return, found the fovereign fo dazzling with the number and brilliancy cf his jewels, ARABIAN TALES. 28 i jewels, that he could not look ftedfaftly at him ; his vizirs alfo were covered with them. The effeft of fo much light forced the ambaflador to caft down his eyes j and Pharoah, availing him- felfof this confullon, faid to him, "Sage of Af- fyria, what fenfation do you feel ?" " I awoke late," replied the ambaflador ; " and my eyes having fcarcely got out of the darknefs, in which they were wrapped up du- ring my repofe, are not yet familiar with the rays of the fun, whofe perfect image 1 now be- hold in your majefly. But, by putting my hand before my eyes, I am able to contemplate and diftinguifli, together with the ornaments of the Zodiac, the feven planets which borrow their light from the ftar which illuminates the uni- verfe." Pharoah was betrayed into an exclamation of applaufe. But it was yet too foon to confeft himfclf overcome. Even when the ambaflador fhould have given a full explanation of every queftion which might be propofed, the aerial pa- lace would ftill remain to be built ; and he would have it in bis power to impofe laws, inftead of receiving them. In the mean time, in order to put the wlC- tlom of Hkar to a new trial; he fpoke to him thus : " You have made me three anfwers luc- with which I muft confefs myielf A a 3 pleafed ; 282 ARABIAN TALE-S. pleafed ; now, after having pointed out fo well the allufion of the fplendour which furrounds me, to what would you compare your own king Sinkarib ?" " Sire," replied Hicar, " I never raifed my thoughts fo high. This attempt, totally new, furpaffes all my efforts. It is almoft knpoflible for me to fix at once on all his refemblances , for, under each of them, I could exhibit him in the moft fplendid point of view. The friend of peace, he is like the wind of the fouth, which, moving without interruption, fcarcely ruffles the furface of the ocean. If the wind of the north fhould difpute his claim to glory, then, confcious of his ftrength, he hurls forth the ftorm. Lightening flaihes in the bofom of lightening j the thunder burfts in awful peals j the waves of the fea fhake the folid rocks, and difclofe the foundations of the earth." Thefe words of Hicar were terrible as the tempeft they defer ibed : The king of Egypt and all his court were difmayed; and Sin- karib was elevated, in his mind, high as the vaults of the palace of Mafler. - A profound illence teftified at once the abilities of the ora- tor, and the confternation of the audience. Though borne away by his enthufiaiin, and notwithstanding the formidable greatnefs in. which he had reprefented his fovereign, Hi- car ARABIAN TALE?. 283 car had given offence to none. The mefien- ger of peace, it was his duty to make war be dreaded ; and he was furmfhed with an un- forefeen opportunity of infpiring the Egyptian court with refpect for the forces of his maf- ter. The pride of Pharaoh wns fhocked when any one even hinted at his having a rival upon earth ; but the prefence alone of the Affyrian ambaiTa- dor fhewed him this was poffible. " Men are not to be reckoned as we reckon animals," fakl he to hhnfelf j " one camel is worth no more than another ; but the man who is before me is worth a whole army ! The clifcourfe he has pow held, would in any other man have been the higheft pitch of auda- city, but in him it is the fublnniry of cou- rage. After thefe reflections, he ordered the mag- nificence of the robes, with which he intended to honour Abicam, to be ftill increafedj and then thus addrefled him : " You will return to-morrow, Abicam; I have ftill one queftion to propofe, to which- you muft give me a fatisfying anfwer. ike demands I have made upon Sinkarib fhall not be in vain ; nor ihall the fervour of your zeal deceive me, refpecting the forces which he can bring againft me. If you come off victorious in 284 ARABIAN TALES. in every point, I fhall look upon your triumph as a favour from heaven, which I ought to re- fpect. But, if I have the advantage in any ar- ticle whatever, nothing fhall prevent me from profecuting my rights." " I alfo will demand mine," replied Hicar, * when they fliatl have been clearly eftablifh- ed ;" and he was about to take his leave of the king for the fourth time, when the arrival of a meflenger from AfTyria, with difpatches for the king of Egypt, was announced to the pre- tended Abicam. Hicar demanded permiffion to bring forward the courier ; he received the letter, and, after putting it upon his heart and his head, delivered it to the fovereign to whom it was addrefled. Pharaoh opened it ; and thefe were its contents. " SINKARIB, King of Ajfyria) to PHARAOH, King of Egypt" When reafbn and good faith prefide, every difference may be fettled. " As my fervant Abicam is with you, he " will, no doubt, fatisfy you in whatever you " may deiire of him ; and I fuppofe you will " be no lefs pleafed with him than with me, " who defire nothing, but peace and your friend- ARABIAN TALES 2?5 w friendfliip on which I depend as fully, as " if you had already promiied them. I am " very defirous, brother, to be on the fame " terms \vith all my neighbours ; but I have " fome who are more ambitious than wife. AH " are not endowed with an enlightened under- " {landing. I have laboured to render the for- " ces of my empire fo refpectable, that I may " be able to make them repent the leaft in- " fringement of the treaties into which we " have entered. But I ftand in need of nine " hundred katars *, to complete the payment " of fixty thoufand chariots of war which I " have equipped ; and I befeech you to ad- " vance them : Your delivering this fum into " the hands of my ambalTador fhall be confi- " dered as a mark of your confidence, which " will entitle you ftill more to my efteem." Pharaoh was led from furprife to admiration by the wifdom and firmnefs of Hicar's replies ; and the letter of Sinkarib ftill increafed his a- ftoniJhment ; as it was a proof, that this mo- narch was perfectly at eafe fefpe&ing every thing that might be required of his ambafla- tlor ; and that he confidered himfelf before- hand as victorious in the propofed challenge. Befides, * A gold coin which anfwers to three hundred livres French monev. 286 ARABIAN TALES. Befides, .it fuggefted to liis mind a very formi- dable power, in fpeaking of Sinkarib's having- augmented his military force, by the addition- of fixty thoufand chariots of war. This was not the ftyle in which Nad an had fpoken of them to the deputies of Pharaoh j the AlTyrian- king feemed to have intended to conftruct only, forty thoufand chariots, and even this he did not believe that prince could .have accomplish.-, ed. But, inftead of this, Sinkarib's letter made mention of fixty thoufand ; and he requefted nine hundred katars to fupply this enormous' expence, which he talked of as a trifle. In any other fituation, Pharaoh would have con- fidered this lofty ftyle as a political trick ; but the conlideration alone of the minifter by whom it was prefented determined him to give credit to' the letter. " Abicam," faid he to him, " before com- plying with Sinkarib's requeft, I muft infift upon the conftruction of the palace I have de-, manded, and which you have engaged to build.. Fulfil your obligation, and I fhall be directed in my anfwer by its execution. Your majefty will be pleafed to point out the place you have made choice of for its fitua- tion, replied Hicar. Although this little won-, der muft not reft upon the earth, yet it muft have certain points of correfpondence, which it ARABIAN TALES. 287 is neceflary to determine. You muft give in a plan to the architect who is in my train, and who has orders to conform himfelf to your i- deas. You muft likewife order materials to be collected on a fpot of ground within the reach of labourers, who muft put them into the hands of my workmen. I only want, faid the king, a pavilion of one hundred fquare feet, with a, dome of a propor- tioned elevation, furrounded with a terrace of twenty feet in circumference, defended by a railing three feet and a half higher. I wilh a ladder to hang from it, which fliall almoft reach the ground, fo as that one may conveni- ently put their foot upon it as they alight from a camel. This pavilion, of which the outilde muft be adorned according to the tafte of your en- gineer, muft be an hundred and fifty feet from the ground, and fronting the quarter where you have pitched your camp. In four days you fliall have as many materials as would build four fuch edifices, and workmen ready to de- liver them into the hands of yours ; 'but con- fider well my ftipulations. " I fhould have the honour of recalling them to you", Sire," replied Hicar, " if what is com- mitted to writing could poflibly he forgot. In four days your majefty fliall be a witnefs of the complete execution of your wifhes. The 88 ARABIAN TALES. The precision and coolneis of Hicar's anfwers completely confounded Pharoah : He was now convinced that he had to do with a powerful magician : As foon as the Aflyrian ambuflador was withdrawn, he fent for the college of the priefls of Oliris and Anubis, in order to confult them j and they came at his command. He laid before them the embarafiment into which he thought to have thrown Sinkarib, and that into which he hhnfelf had been thrown fince his propoiltions had been accepted. " This king," faid he to him, " has fent me a learned aftrologer, who guefies all my thoughts. Far from being obfcure, as thefe people commonly are, he enlightens my own ideas, and prefents them to me much more accurately than they had occurred to myfelf. You who are an adept in all the fciences, can you tell me who this man is ? Of what kind is his knowledge ? And on what refources he depends for building, before my own eyes, a pavilion in the air, the dimen- fions of which he has jufl now required, with the fame confidence that one would require thofe of the moil flmple palace which was to be conftrucl'ed on the ground ? " Sire !" replied the oldeft of the priefls," " ever fince this Abicam has been at your court, we have endeavoured, by every mean we jcould think of, to difcover the nature of his N TALES. tonftellation. We have applied tlie rule to all thofe \rliich compote the zodiac, without having met with fhe ftar which dire^s him ; and we begin to fufpecr. that it muft be fituated in a heaven above that to which we have directed our labours and obfervations. He is come from among the powerful magicians of Chaldea ; and; it is poflible that he is one of them. But, fkill- ed as he is in his art, it will be impofiible for liim to form any real thing by natural means, or give probability to an illulion, if three only of our number oppofe the u(e and gradual unfolding of the means he employs. On the day he intends to build, we will be- take ourfelves to the place marked out ; and we have little doubt, but that his workmen, if he really has any, will be unable to fupport the fire of our piercing looks, and the effect of our magi- cal charms. The king, taking courage at this difcourfe, ordered every thing requiiite for the conftruc- tion of the pavilion to be ready on the appoint- ed fpot : Four thoufand Ethiopians, fix hun- dred chariots, an hundred elephants, and the moll expert workmen in Egypt, were employed in collecting the necefTary materials, Hicar and Zefagnie obferved thefe great pre- parations without the leail uneafinefs ; the 2p ARABIAN TALUS. means they were to employ were To iimplc, that they could not doubt of their fuccefs. In the mean Ume, the term prefcribed had efcaped ; and a herald had already intimated to Hicar, that the king of Egypt waited for him at the palace, whither he immediately repaired. " Well, now !" fage Abicam," faid Pharoah, w your wifhes are fulfilled. Every article ne- ceflary for building a whole palace is at the ap- pointed place. Are Sinkarib's workmen ready to begin ? They have only waited for the fignal of your majefty's pleafure, replied Hicar ; and if, in an hour hence, your majefty is difpofed to go to the place marked out, your deiires fhall all be fatisfied. Meanwhile I return to my camp to haften the work. What new fubjeft of admiration for the E- gyptian monarch ! Abicam was a man wh never feemed to diftruft his refources. The king gave orders for an hundred chariots to be inftantly yoked, that he might afford his court an opportunity of enjoying this very angular fpec- tacle. The college of the priefts were added to this train ; which was ftill farther increased by an immenfe crowd of people from Mailer. Hicar and Zefagnie waited to receive Pha- roah under arms ; and the whole party were armed by order of -the- ambaflador. . He had put ARABIAN TALES* $91 p\it himfelf at their head, and appeared as for- midable under the banners of Mars as under the fhield of Minerva. The four elephants, covered with towers a domed with waving flags, were placed in the van. The two rocs and their guides were each in their tower, and only waited the fignals they wore to obey. As loon as Hicar could diftin- guim the chariot of Pharaoh, he made Zefag- nieafcend his tower, ordered the mufic to bo- gin, and fet oft himfelf at full gallop to meet the lovereign. Seeing a horfeman advancing fo gracefully, and with fuch a martial appearance, the Egyptian king never once thought that it was the AiTyrian ambafl'ador. Hicar alighted from his horfe, and was foon recognifcd by the. king, to whom he paid his refpecls. t - " What ! is it you, Abicam !" faid he to him \ " ho\r-can ycu thus remove from yourielf the burden of years, and difplay before me as much gracefulnels and vigour, as you have al- ready il.tr,vn me wifdom." * Sire !"- replied. Hicar, " your majeity extols too highly the weak abilities which you are kind enough to remark in Abicam ; they are tne effect of that noble emulation with which the -king my ma- fter infpires his miniiters. But, let us not de- lay to fulfil the engagements agreed rpoa B b 2 with Sp2 ARABIAN T AL'iLS. with your majefty ; my workmen are all ready, and eager to gratify your impatience ; and they only wait your majefty's order to give you new proofs both of their zeal and dexterity. " Let them begin," laid Pharaoh. " Hicaf then turned towards the elephants, and made a fignal with his hand, upon which the net which covered the two towers difappeared. A woman then appeared, and afcended into the air. She was drefled after the Aflyrian manner, in a purple-coloured robe, all befpangled with gold j a veil of gauze fluttered in the wind from the top of a tiara enriched with dia- rnonds, which, ftruggling with the rays of the fun, fcemed to rival their fplendour. Every ob- jeft around her, in which fhe caft her lively vnd piercing eyes, immediately felt iticlf com- pletely fubjefted to her will ; and the expreffion of her features difcovered at once the dignity and grace of her fex. Thrice fke {truck the v.ir with her rod, and, in a diftinct and firm voice, pronounced the following words. Humble flaves of the powerful king Sin- *' karib ! obey the orders of the great king " Pharaoh !" ' At that inftant a great noife was heard ; and the rocs leaving their towers, carried above the clouds their young conductors, two of the molt Beautiful objects it was poffible to behold. More fplendid JrRABIAN TALES, 23 Iplendid and lefs perfidious than the fon of Ve- nus, they appeared, notwithstanding the rapi- dity with which they were carried, to enjoy themfelves very much on the back of their aerial fteeds, directing their motion towards heaven, fr.om whence they feemed to have been originally defended. Garlands of flowers, whofe vivid colours were totally eclipfed by that of their complexion, were the only reftraint they had impofed upon, iheir beautiful hair ; and their trefles floated in the wind, which at one time fcattered them> and at another raifed them up, and appeared to give them the power of wings. Their garments of coloured gauze, yielding to the laws of motion, reprefented around them a variegated and luminous circle,, like the fcarf of Iris. They had in their hand a golden trowel, which they handled with an eafy careleiThefs ; an in- genious fmile which animated their countenance was an evidence that they were not afraid to truft themfelves to the element through which they were to pafs. Pharaoh, and all the multitude; ftood mute through furprife ; but they, .as well as ihc train cf Ilicar, who were ft rangers to thefe jayfteries,foon lent up a fhout o r adia.ration. The officers of the Egyptian guard approached thole of Hicar^ B b 3 and. 204 ARABIAN BALES'. and thus inquired of them, " What prodigy is this which we have beheld ?" We are per- fectly ignorant of it, replied the AiTyrians. Pharaoh was in extacy ; but the aftonifhment of the priefts was beyond all bounds. The monarch having at length, recovered the ufe of his fenfes, afked them what they thought of this miracle ? " Sire !" faid they, this is a difplay of ma- gic fuperior to every human effort, and far be- yond our knowledge." The king then addreiled Hicar : " Abicam," faid he to him, by what name do you call the forcerefs, or the goddeis, xvhom we have juft feen ? Whither are the genii gone whom fhe commands." " \jyiofl powerful monarch !" replied Hicar, tf there is neither goddefs, nor forcerefs, nor genius here 5 you have feen only a woman and two children j but they are fubjecls of the illuftrious Sinkarib." u Shall we fee them return ?"- They have your pavilion to build, and the woman you faw is the architect ; look up to the heavens ; yotfr workmen are defcencling. As foon as Hicar perceived that the birds were within reach of his voice, he called out to them, u Slaves of Sin-, kajib, do your duty]" At that initant the woman again appeared j. and, with a ftroke of her roc', brought the chil- dren over her head. " Workmen," faid fhe to ARABIAN TALES. 295 to them, " your foundations are dug, go and de- mand the materials necefTary to begin your work ; there are my dimenilons." And at the fame time ihe threw them a bunch of ribbands, which the children laid hold of, and then di- rected their flight to the place where the work- men were waiting for them with all the arti- cles they had prepared. Pharaoh went to the fame place; and the priefts, followed by the aftrologers, were eager to mingle among the workmen. n The rocs hovered for fome time over the la- bourers, and then defcended fo far as to enable their young guides to be heard with their clear and melodious voices. " Subjects of Pharaoh," faid they, " give us ftones, lime, and fand, that we may build the pavilion for your matter." The flaves of the Egyptian king, and the la- bourers, ftood gaping in aftonifhment. Great king ! exclaimed the lady from the top of the tower, thefe are effeminate Egyptians, whom your majefty employs in your fervice. Exert here your power, and that Ipring which gives energy to fuch hearts as have been debafed Ijy flavery : Order the baftinado to be applied to the foles of their feet. Pharaoh alfo was loft in aftonifhment. Zcfagnie then addrcfled her own workmen. Subjects of Sinkarib I Your majefty you to ,pleafe Pharaoh, in every things It 296 ARABIAN TAlF.3 It is indeed impoffible for you to touch the earth, but you may come extremely near it ; put yourfelf within the reach of thofe who can- not ailift you j" and, at the fame time, making a lignal with her rod, which they were accuf- tomed to obey, they began to defcend by a cir- cular flight. The Ethiopians fell flat with their faces on the ground ; and fuch, as from mere ftupklity remained ftanding, were violently over- turned by the feet of the rocs.. The priefts of Ofiris, forming themfelves in*- to a circle, with their high prieft in the center, ftood firm in their places. They had aflembled in a circular order, in order to execute the de- fign they had formed, of difpelling'by their looks the inchantment they expected to fee. But, in order to have kept up even the appearance of oppofing rod to rod, it would have been necef- fary for their chief to have preferved his fa- culties. But, the moment he faw the children begin to defcend, he was loft in aflonifhment, and the enfign of his power, dropped from his hand. All his train were in horror, when a ftroke of the truly powerful rod directed the florm towards them : At the prompt obedienca* and noife of the birds, you might have feen them fall upon one another, wrap tkemfelves up in the folds of their garments in order to efcape fo many dangers, and. in a fhort time this col- lege ARABIAN YALES. 297 legc of learned men were nothing but a lifelefs heap. The plain, which before was covered with an innumerable crowd of people, appeared a deftrt full of defolation. Pharaoh, whofe foul was haughty, but full of vigour, was the only one whom aftonifhment did not complete* ly overcome ; and thus he addreffed Hicar, who had remained always at his fide. " Abicam !" faid he, I am dazzled with chimeras, and confounded with appearance*. Surrounded by my magi, I liave depended too much on their power. Since the death of Hi- car the Chaldean, I had prefmned that there was not a man in AfTyria who could enter the lifts with me. You have corrected my mlftake, land forced from me that cftee'm of which I have hitherto given you but trifling marks. Sovereign of an induftrious people, I thought myfelf more powerful than Sinkarib ; but he has oppofed to me a woman only, and all my people, are by her reduced to mere machines. I fincerely wifli to become the friend and ally of your king ; and I 'befeech you to be our mediator. Come tb^' morrow, to my palace, and all our conditions frail be fulfilled. Notwithstanding this fpeech, it may eafily be prefumed that the king of Egypt was inwardly mortified thus to confefs his defeat ; but he was a politician, and refolved to hide thereat motive 98' ARABIAN TALESi, motive of his refolution : By the moft noble be- haviour, he endeavoured to conceal the dangers with which he was threatened by the refentment of Sinkarib. The rocs and their guides had disappeared j and, as foon as the lady who directed thefe won- ders had feen their effect, ihe immediately re- entered her tower, which was again covered with the myfterious veil. The plain, which had formerly looked like a defart, was peopled anew, und Pharaoh, followed by his court, had return- eel to his palace. liicar had alighted from his horfe, and ordered his guard to lay down their arms, and retire to their tents. The rocs, and their guides, who had been concealed in a neigh- bouring foreft, had returned to their towers, and covered themfelves with the net. And Hicar and Zefagnie, now disarmed, were congra- tulating one another on the fortunate fuccefs of their ingenious ftratagem, and fettling the plan of their future conduct. " I will vigoroufly demand," {aid Hicar, " e- very article of the figned conditions, and to- morrow every thing will be agreed upon. The imagination of the Egyptian king is very much affected ; his people are equally aftoniihed ; and I will avail myfelf of this difpoiition in both to advance the intereft of Sinkarib. The treafiuy be filkd which Na,dan has exhaufted ; the forces ARABIAN TALES. aJJfJi forces of the kingdom mud be re-eftabllfhed ; and the frontiers muft be put in a ft ate of de- fence. Should Pharaoh ever leani that he has been impofed upon by a ftratagc-m, it would be impoffible for us to retaft his rage. As foon, therefore, as we {ball have returned to iny folitude, I will make a trufty huntfmvm conduit tlie rocs into the middle of the defarts ; he will feparate the children from them during the night ; and, having fet them upon a camel, bring them back to me. Sinkarib would be unable to refill the curiofity of feeing the fame manoeuvres difplayed before him, which have juft now afto-* niihed Egypt j and it is necefTary to keep up the belief of a miracle in the mind of the king, and even of the Aflyrians. It will infpire our peo- ple with confidence, and prevent them from throwing themfelves into the chains of their ene- mies abroad, in feeking to fhun them at home. Not, added the fage Hkar, that I would wiih to deceive the king of Egypt on every point ; but he fhall learn from me :?o circumftance which it is of importance to conceal from him. In duty to my own character, and to that of an ambailador, I muft inform him in time who Abicam was ; and for this purpofe I will em- ploy no other artifice than that I have already made ufe of, iu causing a falfe carrier to deliver me a letter from Sinkarib, which in reality I, brought .$0* ARABIAN TALES, brought fealed from Nineveh, to be ufed .is do cailon fhould require. After thefe wife arrange- ments, this happy pair grew calm, and waited without unealiuefs the events of to-morrow. Every tiling was i\ow ready in the city of MafTer, and in the palace of the king, for giv- ing the ambaflador the moil ^magnificent recep- tion. He was no longer treated as the envoy of a prince, who was before hand conftdered as a vafial of Pharaoh , a deputation of the gran- dees of the court went out to meet him at the gates of the city ; and, when he approached the throne, the fovereign, after receiving his hom- age, defcended to embrace him. " Dear Abicam !" fakl he to him, " diftinguim- cd and valuable man ! From your prefence, your words, and your actions, I have learned what King Sinkarib is. I command thoufands of Haves, but he governs them. Affyria would have had much to boaft of had it only produced Hi- car and you ! Certainly you were a difciple of this fage ? You have been well acquainted with him ? Sire ! replied Abicam, I will in "time difcover to you the connection I may have had with with a man for whom you have prc- ferved fo much efteem. (If I have failed in my- refpect for Sinkarib, replied Pharoah, it has been owing to the murder of that iiluftrious man. . Ever fince that event, I have looked up- on X TALES; gat $n the king of Aflyria as a tyrant, of whom the world ought to be freed.) " And, if Hicar were frill alive," faid Abicam, " he would en- deavour to vindicate his fovereign from the de- teftaWe calumnies which have been thrown out pon this monarch on his account. Pardon me, Sire ! if for a moment I differ from you in opinion : The reputation and interests of that vizir were as dear to me as to any other per- fon, and my attachment to him can end only with my Kfe ; yet I know (and you fhall one day know it likewife), that he was not, in every infrance, irreproachable. Sixteen years before his death, Sire, he him- fslf, in the moft obliging manner, whetted the fword with which he was to be ftruclc, and gave it to Sinkarib, whofe hands were to ufe it. I am not permitted to fay more : The interpreter to you of my matter's will, I muft not at prefent aft the part of his confident. But, to return to Hicar, I cannot heip blaming him : He afpired too foon after repofe and retirement. Man is- born for labour ; and the trr.nquility he purftfeV is a fhadow. When public affairs are in the hands of a wife man, he ought not to abandow them to an imprudent minifter. I begin," faid Pharoah, to be convmctd that Hicar may have had his failings, fince your wifdom has pointed them out. And befides, Cc J 302 ARABIAN TALES. I conflder you as fo much above him, that yom would not feek for faults in his character, if in reality there were none. You will even be convinced, Sire, that I am in no refpedt fuperior to Hicar. I have unhap- pily as many faults to reproach myfelf with as I ever difcovered in him. " But," faid Pha- roah, " before we fpeak of the conditions, (which I already look upon as fixed), Will you not in- form me as to the nature of that object whom we beheld under the appearance of a woman, and whom you have announced as tke architect of Sinkarib ?- I will tell you, Sire , but it muft be kept a fecret from the chief of your mini- flers. She was fifter to the deceafed king ; and confequently fhe is aunt to the prefent king of Affyria. She made a voluntary offer of co- ming to fulfil your defigns, on condition that fne fhould remain unknown. I cannot, faid the kjng, give her a greater proof of my admiration, than by yielding to her wifhes : But I have a painful effort to overcome, in with-holding from her that homage which is due to her birth, her merit, and, above all, to the uncommon power with which fhe is invefted. She is entitled, Sire, to the moft diftinguifhed attention ; but her power does not deferve to be fo much ex- tolled by your majefty, fince every woman of Affyria poffeffes merit, Let ARABIAN TALES. 303 Let us fign our treaty, Abicam : It muft be done by you and me. I afpire to the friendmip of Sinkarib, and vrilh to fee him in Nineveh, and admire his glory. Orders are already given to pay to yon the tenth of the revenues of Egypt for four years. To this I have added the nine hundred katars which your ibvcreign afked from me to complete the conftrudtion of his chariots of war. Tell him that I will afcend them together with him to attack liis enemies : I (hall order the re- turn of all his fubjec"ts who have taken refuge in Egypt : And here is a letter which you will de- liver him from me. %0 jmtjl tasteiq ^Ht nt WHS & sdt yrfmr.sfolhoi ~ w PHARAOH, king &f Egypt, to SINCARIB, king of 4/yria" ."Wii lsM.i f t<>nnr> v-~- f^^Oi;^ JJ Vi. ; .'rt - f : -.( ..,; v ;| Glory to the powers from whom proceed the favours which are ftied upon the earth ! Glory to him who is crowned with them *. 13d e iflfCJ rrf 01 sub *i rbidw K^nrnctrl >wtJ ir.^ " I wifhed," brother, " to contend with you >*>*<' in wifdom, and ipyfelf impofed the terms j " but I have failc:i in the ftruggle ; and pay " moft willingly, i M conlideration of the e^cel- ' lent things I have heard and feen. You * demand of me nine hundred katars to de- C c 2 fray ,304 ARABIAN TALES. " fray your extraordinary expences ; and I ana " extremely happy in having it in my power to < oblige you. The only requital I afk for this is, " that you will exchange with me an offenfive and defenfive treaty of alliance, which, fealed with my great feal, will be delivered to you by " your enlightened ambaffador." - Abicam, loaded with prefents and with ho- nour, and Zefagnie, enriched with a diamond itar, relumed the road to Nineveh, carrying with them the terms of the Egyptian king. Two grandees of his court, at the head of a detach- ment of cavalry, efcorted the embafTy to the frontiers of Aflyria. Hicar was fomewhat uneafy at this honour -, he did not wilh to feefo many eyes fixed upon the cages -which contained the birds. In ftrict po- licy he fliould have put them to death, and bu- ried them in his tent ; but he was incapable of doing, harm to animals which had rendered him fuch elTential fervice. He contented him- felf with placing around them a conftant and watchful guard ; and, whether he was obliged to flop during the day, or to pitch his camp in order to reft during the night, he did this in fuch a manner, as that it was impoffible to difcover his innocent flratagem. In the mean time, he had difpatched a warrior to Sinkarib, with a ktter, in the name of Abicam, which informed him- ARABIAN TALfeS. 305 \lihn of his fuccefs at large, and acquainted him with the return of his fubjefts under his government, and the arrival of the nine hun- -dred katars, in addition to the ranfoms which he brought. Nadan read this letter, and was confounded at it. " Who is this Abicam," faj4 he, " who is patronifed by Zefagnie, and who, in fo fhort a time, has performed fo great wonders? Sinkarib, even when his glory was at the high- eft pitch, would have thought himfelf very happy in coming off upon 'equal terms with the king of Egypt , and yet this laft has become his tributary, at the very time when he had only to fhow himfelf in order to invade him ! Nadan was aftonifhed at all this ; and, as he beheld, in this ftranger, a man too dangerous for him, he was already contriving in what manner he might get rid of him : While, on the other hand, Sinkarib was returning thanks to heaven for having preferved his old vizir, to extricate him from the difficulties into which he had fallen by his own negligence. Public report loudly proclaimed the miracks which had been performed at Mafler. Is the man whom you have employed a magician, faid Nadan to Sinkarib ? " No," replied the king ; " but he is a moft wonderful man." While this event engaged the attention of the court C c 3 and JC.6 ARABIAN and the city, Zefagnie had returned to her pa- lace ; and the pretended Abicam had intimated to the king that he would repofe himfelf for two days in his folitude, before he came to give an account of his embafiy. Sinkarib flew to the palace of his aunt, and learned the happy fuccefe of an invention, of which they had not communicated to him even the idea. He congratulated himfelf on his good fortune; but, exactly as the fage Hicar had forefeen, he wifhed to fee thefe birds and chil- dren, by whofe means the pride of Pharoah had been humbled. That is impoffible, faid Zefag- nie ; Hicar, in engaging them for your fervice, promiied them their liberty, and they are already in the enjoyment of it. Deftroy not the illu- tion by which Pharoah is deceived ; and, that you may fucceed better hi this, allow it to re- main in the minds of your people. I am ex- tremely happy hi having feen you before my hufband had made his appearance again at the palace : As foon as he muft refume his offices, he cannot be announced there under any other aame than his own ; and you muft not permit the ungrateful Nadan to remain either as his colleague or inferior. This wretch was the au- thor of all thofe dark intrigues which difho- noured my hufband in your efteem : So long as 2 was neceffary, you hare iupported him near van j TALES, 307 YOU ; but, as God has at length reflored your ancient vizir, you ought not to fave this dan- gerous rnmilter, who conlpired his ruin, and would foon complete your own. His head ought to fall upon the fcaffold ; but I requeft the favour of your leaving it to the difpofal of Hicar. The unworthy Nadan is his nephew, and muft be punifhed by that hand, the bene- ficence of which he has forgotten. li .L^ Sinkarib yielded to the wifhes of Zefagnie, and immediately returned to his palace, Avhere Na- dan expected him with uneafinefs. The king liimftlf was not altogether free from it j and, as ibon as he perceived Nadan, he addrdled the cliief of Hicar's guard, who had been a fervant in the innermoft apartments. " Caufe the cri- minal to be bound r" faid he, pointing to the vi- zir, " and let him be immediately conducted to the palace of the grand vizir Hicar, his uncle. 'Deliver him up to the orders of Zefagnie, and refume yourfelf, at the head of your band, the fiune offices in her palace with which you was formerly entrufted." Nadan was inftantly arrefted, and fhut up in the- very prifon where his uncle had been con- cealed, in order to fcreen himfcJf from his fury. After this, Sinkarib aflembled his council, and communicated to them his good fortune in kaving found his former vizir Jiicar ; he re- counted 308 ARABIAN TALES. counted the fervices he had rendered him in Egypt, and predicted the tranquility of Afly- ria under the adminiftration of fo enlightened a minifter as he had this day recalled to his office. Hicar entered the city, amidft the acclama- tions of the people, who conducted him hi tri- umph to the foot of the throne, where the art- ful courtiers gave him a moft diftinguifhed re- ception. The minifter then delivered the letter which he carried to Sinkarib ; and prevailed up- on the monarch to ilgn the treaty of alliance, and to return it with a favourable anfwer to Pharaoh. Hicar had no difficulty in perfuading him to this j and a meflenger was inftantly fent into Egypt with thefe diipatches, which the king accompanied with the following letter. " To the Powerful King PHARAOH, Sovereign Lord of the fertile Egypt." " Sire ! Hicar hath been recalled to life, " that, under the name of Abicam, he might " admire the knowledge and virtues which are e ' the ornament of your auguft perfon. If he " did rot make himfelf known to your maje- ** fty, you muft afcribe this referve only to the w meafures which obliged him to fupport the chajacler ARABIAN TALES. 309 < chara&er under which he appeared at your " court. Your majefty will now be able to M comprehend what Abicam laid to the diipa- rngement of Hicar." When this vizir had openly, and, to the f*. tisfacYion of all, relumed the reins of govern- ment, he returned to his palace, where he had heard that Nadan was confined in chains. He refolved, though with regret, to fpeak to this criminal : He could not, and indeed ought not, on any account, to grant him his pardon ; yet he did not wifh'for his death. He made the cave, which was lighted by a lamp, be opened ; and there he beheld his perfidious nephew ftretched upon the ftravr. " Well! Nadan," faid he to him, do you recollect what you have been, what you have done, and what you now are ? Can you think upon yoarfelf ?" " Not without blufhing," re- plied Nadan. " The tiger," continued Hicar, " ftained with blood and flaughter, pafllng near a fountain, faw its own image, which lili- ed it with horror. While you lived in your guilt, you did not IHlen to remorfe ; to-day fed its bitternefs !" " Alas ! I do feel and know it." No, you do not feel it. Did it equal your crime?, it would devour yotiA-" Pardon 310 ARABIAN TALES. me, my uncle ; confider that the iame blood flows in the veins of us both." " Once, when the Ganges overflowed its banks, it depofited Tome of its waters in a hol- low betwixt two mountyns. They became cor- rupted, and fpread infection all around, till they were curfed by the inhabitants -of the neighbouring places. How ! faid they, dares any one curie the waters of the falutary river, without which man would foon perifh for thirft ! Peftilential waters ! replied a genius, .the Ganges do not acknowledge thofe waters from which nothing but deadly exhalations a- rife ! You, Nadan, call me no more your .uncle, nor yourfelf my nephew." " Well, Hicar! you are generous and noble, treat me* like a man." " It would not be to recognife humanity in you, but to avenge it of your enormities. Once an wolf was taken a- mong the lambs, which a prieft of Ofiris was tending : Spare me, faicl it to the keeper of the flock ; behold my mouth and my paws, it is clear that I am innocent. The crime is in thy heart, replied the keeper. But, although you fhould fuppofe fo, replied the wolf, you are a minifter of peace j you never ufe the knife but in facrifke, and I am too vile to be offered up j my blood would ftain your robe and your hands. It is only the blood of the juft ARABIAN TALES. 3! I juft that ftains, faid the prieft, as he plunged the knife in its throat ; die wretch ! I facrifice. thee to the tranquility of the flocks which are in the world." " You intend then to behave to me as a. judge,'* faid Nadan. Wretch ! when thou fpeakeft of juftice, thou makeft me tremble. Is it poffible for me to do juftice to thee ? Re- call to mind my kindnefs and thy treachery ; my affection, and thy cruelty ! The law, con- fcious of its weaknefs, has denounced no pu- nifhment againft ingratitude. Heaven has re- ferved this for itfelf." " Well," faid Nadan, " banifh me into the moft dreadful defart." " Even there you would be purfued by the furies ; nor will they abandon you even after death. This is the punilhment which you deferve ; and I am not fo cruel as to deliver you up to it. All that I wiih, is, that remorfe may iharpen againft you. its keeneit arrows ; that thy guilty heart may be pierced with them ; and that you may be- come at leaft fenfible to grief! Delivered at length to repentance, you would repair ^at leaft in part) the atrocity of your conduct by your tears." " Alas ! you behold me flied them." " Yes, traitor, thou doft weep ! but it is to fee my life refcued from thy ftroke ; and to behold thyfelf in chains, and uoable to avenge. thyfelf. 3 12 ARABIAN TALES. tbyfelf. "We muft inflict fuch punifliments as (hall chaftife, not thy crimes, but thy pride." When he had faid this, Hicar departed, bewailing a nephew whom he had no hopes of bringing to repentance. Some days after he went again to fee him ; but he found him dcnd in his prifon : In this manner was the world delivered from the fatal exiftence of this un- grateful man. He had hanged himfelf by his hair, on a nail which was fixed in the walk of the dungeon. Hicar and Zefagnie confoled one another : And, in the attachment of Sinkarib, they found a full recompenfe for all the grief into which Nadan had plunged them. The monarch, in- ftructed by the dangers to which he had been cxpofed under a perfidious and wicked minifler, now devoted himfelf wholly to bufinefs, and gained the affection of his people, and the ad- miration of the neighbouring powers. SCHAHRIAR appeared to be delighted with the hiftory of Sinkarib and his two vizirs, which was thus concluded i He was pleafed with the punifhment of the ungrateful Nadan, and the manner in which Hkar had fupported the cha- ra&er of Abicam at the court of Pharaoh. The flight ARABIAN TALES. ^TJ flight of the rocs, and the addrefs of the young children, had contributed greatly to his amufe- ment. Dinarzade had taken a peculiar intereft in Zefagnie. You have defcribed, iifter, faid fhe to Scheherazade, a woman for whom I have conceived fuch an efteem, that I have never thought of Diking her age ; and, even had you told me that fhe was advanced in years, I cer- tainly would have forgot it, amid the fplendour of fo many charms, and the dignity of her man- ners. But, as this hiftory has been long, and as we ought to beware of fatiguing the attention of the fultan our fovereign, I ihould wifh, fitter, that you would relate the ftory of a certain Schebandad of Surat, which I remember for- merly to have heard with very great pleafure. I would gladly undertake it, faid the beau- tiful fultanefs, did not the day which begins to appear advife us to follow fome better employ- ment. At leaft, fifter, replied Dinarzade, you will engage to relate it to-morrow. 1 fhall, at the command of our invincible fultan. The next day the fultanefs, being reminded of her promife, with the approbation of the fultan, thus began. Voi, II. D d Tfc, 314 ARABIAN TALES. The Hiftory of the Family of the Schebandad of Surat. A. SCHEBANDAD of Surat *, by his marriage, had had four fons, for whom he procured wives, and whom he fettled advantageoufly in the world. But it fo happened, that, at the end of twenty years, only one child remained to each. The three elder brothers had each a fon, and the younger a daughter. Vafume was the name of this young daugh- ter. Both nature and education had confpirecl to render her accomplifhed. Nothing was talk- ed of at Surat, but the charms of her figure, her talents, and her wit. Her three coufms loved her to diftraclion. Their whole ambi- tion was to gain her hand. This rivalfhip might be attended with dangerous confequen- ces j and the Schebandad, who forefaw this, fuTembled his family, and (poke thus to his children : My children, fays he to them, Vafume can only be the wife of one hufband. Her father and I believe you all equally worthy of her hand. But, as the happinefs of your amiable <-oufm is at ftake, I have thought proper to leave * A 5chiJ>andad t a chief of commerce. AJL1B1AN TALES. 3*5 leave her at liberty to make choice of one of you -, and the one of the three whom flic {hall prefer may depend upon our approbation and confcnt. Thcfe three brothers could not oppofe this reafonable propofal ; and the Schebandad was commiffioned to communicate it to his grarid- daughter. Vafume was much embarrafied ; " Father," laid {he, I love my three coufins with an equal affeftion, and would be extreme- ly forry to difobllge any of them. However, fince you require me to make a choice, and as it is alrnoft a matter of Indifference to me which of them I obtain, I have thought of a method of determining the point. My coufins arc en- dowed with excellent abilities ; and I will take that one of the three for my hufband who {hall relate the moft agreeable ftory : For, if h[s merit be equal in other refpec'ts, I believe the man of the beft underftanding is the beft cal- culated to promote., the happinels of his wife.*' I fhall go and inform them of your propofal, replied the Schebandad ; and, as they will not have had time to prepare themfelves, you will be the better able to judge of -the' resources of their imagination. I know their talents ; be- fides, the reward they have in view will give them courage to attempt every thing; and, be- D d 2 fore %l6 ARABIAN TALE-3. fore the tranfports of expectation, every diffi- culty will vaniih. The Schebandad having acquainted the young men, foon returned to Vafume, fol- lowed by her father and the three lovers. The whole company took their feats, and the con- teR was ready to begin. The oldeft had alrea- dy begun his flory, when he was interrupted by the beautiful Indian. " My amiable cou* lins," laid fhe, " firfl of all, you muft permit me to bring hither one extremely capable of directing my judgment. Dara I faid fhe, ad- dreffing herfelf to a flave, go and acquaint my good Nane, that I expedl her here. It is my nurfe, continued fhe. It is to the pretty fto- ries fhe formerly told me, that I owe a great part of my inftruftion ; and none of you will be able to prejudice or corrupt this judge, for fhe is blind. Thus her decifion muft be in fa- vour of real merit." Come forward, good nurfe, faid fhe to Nane as fhe entered } caufe them to condu& you to me, and prepare yourfelf to liften with attention. My father is here with a goodly company, who are going to tell you ftories ; be feated on my fopha. Upon this Nane, groping her way, fat down at Vafume's fide, whom fhe recognifed by her voice ; and he who propofed to fpeak r* n i i i n nru thus began his ftpry, ARABIA'S TALES. 3 ! 7 The Lovtt of the Stars; or the Story of Cabil- D ALHUC, a potter in Bagdad, had been pret- ty fuccefsful in his bufinefs : Seventeen years after his marriage, his wife, whom forrow had rendered infirm, died, leaving him a fon o fixteen years of age. From that time, the potter frequented houfe of Narilha, a widow, much younger than ' himfelf. This woman was by profeffion a fel- ler of cofmetics, which preferred the frefhnefs of the complexion and (kin, and appeared to perpetuate youth. Her artificial compositions had procured her admittance into the inner- mofl apartments of the caliph's palace, and o the principal harams in the capital. But her fan* was not of long duration -, after the fplen- dour of a fleeting charm, fome of her cuftoin- ers obferved their attractions vanifh too foon : Time imprinted his wrinkles on their artificial countenances 5 and our widow, finding her ere, dit diminifh, determined to appropriate the 1 tie fortune of her friend the potter, by becom- ing his wife. Dalhuc was already too much captivated to refufe this propofal ? and, thus in virtue off Dd i raer pS 1RABUN TALE?. mcr claim?, and of the contrail which was fign-, ed in prefence of the Cadi, the feller of cofme- lics was eftablifhed as the abfolute miftrefs of his houfe. Nariiha had a .fon of the fame age with that of Dalhuc; he was one of themoft dull and ftupid children in Bagdad ; but he was not the lefs, on that account, the beloved idol' of his mo- ther. This foolifh and rude creature, whofe name was Badur, emboldened by the partiality of Dalhuc for his mother, fixed a quarrel on his ftep-father's fon, who, forgetting his natu- ral gentlenefs, revenged his injurious treatment by beating him foundly : The enraged mother banifhed her hufband's child from the houfe ;' and this unfortunate wretch, almoft naked, was obliged to take refuge in the houfe of one of his mother's brothers. Nariiha, delivered from this troublefomc fpy, and flattering herfelf that fhe could bring the little knowledge of bufmefs which was left her to fome good account, ex- erted it in purchasing a garden without the city, and fet up a fruit-fhop, of which the caliph af- terwards became a cuftomer, by the intereft of the purveyor of the palace. The poor Dalhuc, driven from his father's houfe, had arrived, in the moft difconfolate con- dition, at the houfe of his uncle Caflanak,who was ei>e of the moft honeft and induftrious men in Bagdad ;. ARABIAN TALES 3*9 Bagdad; hut his family was too large for his be- ing himielf of all the fervice to his nephew that he could have wilhed. Enraged at the outrage Dalhuc had fuffered, he determined to requeii one of his friends, a geomancer, to affift him, and perfuaded him to efpoufe his quarrel very warm- ly. What vengeance would you wifh to take on your nephew's ftep-mother ?" alked the learned man. I wifli to humble this arrogant woman, re- plied Caflanak, to tear from her the money of which ihe has deprived Dalhuc, and to lay it out in eilablnliing my nephew. This young man had been promifed to the only daughter of a wealthy barber. He was really attached to her, and believed the flame was mutual. But Narilha has produced a change in his father's in- tentions, and tliis young lady is at prefent de- figned for Badur. I fhould wiih, faid Caffa- nak, to (how her to her hufband in her true character. I {hail anfwer for the complete fuccefs of your wifties, replied the geomancer, provided you will take upon you the execution of the plan I am to lay down. Go immediately, and, in the neighbourhood of the palace, hire a fhop, the moft commodious you can find for the dilplay of fruit , and, when the bargain fliall be made, return i,- 320 ARABIAN TALESV return hither, and you fhall find your bu finds prepared. CaiTanak, delighted with the opportunity of avenging himfelf on Narilha, yielded the mod ready obedience ; he hired a fhop, gave an ear- neft, and returned. " You have been very expe- ditious," faid the geomancer ; " nor have I been quite idle; and I now put it in your power to fuc- ceed in ail your defigns. Here, in the firft place, is an Armenian robe, and a fharp pointed cap ; take alfo this paper ; it contains a full detail of in- ftructions refpecting the operations you muft car- ry forwards to-morrow morning. Study well the words which you muft pronounce aloud ; and, whatever miracle you may need, command it confidently. I have armed you well, and will aid your intentions to the very utmoft of my power. To-morrow, as foon as you fhall have kft your houfe, let your nephew repair to the fhop which you have hired ; but let him take care not to appear furprifed at what he fhall fee there, left he fhould attract the attention of the curious, whom he muft carefully fhun. Caflanak returned home, fhut himfelf up in his clofet, and, in the filence of retirement, ftu- died the part he was to aft. He impatiently waited the return of morning; and, as foon as it appeared, he equipped himfelf in the magical -robe, and {harp pointed cap ; and, after having fent ARABIAN TALES. 32! lent Dalhuk to his ftation, went himfelf to Na- rilha's houfe. He entered her fhop, and found die fruits difphyed in it with great Ikill. Upon his remarking, with fbme degree of furprife, that they were extremely beautiful, " Tafte them," faid the fruit-woman j. " they are in- rctty to the eye, but they are much better to the talk." Caflanak was eafily perfuaded, and in reality found that fhe was right. I was' laying my account, madam, with being o~ bliged to travel to Damas in fearch of fruit ; if we can manage it fo, as that I can be accom- modated here, I fhall certainly fpare myfelf the fatigue of the journey. Not that I mean to re- commend my fruit, Sir, replied Narilha, but in reality the caliph's gardens produce nothing half fo favoury ; indeed all that you fee is part- ly deftined for his table, and thofe of his houfe; but, to oblige fuch a man as you, I will take a- way fome part of them. Madam, I am flattered with your politenefs, and am certain you will have no caufe to repent of the kindnefs you" have fhown me. But, in reality thefe fruits are fit for angels : Give me two of thefe pomegra- nates, and tell me the price of them. Narilha was very much furpifed, that, after being fb la- vifh in her praifes, he wanted only pomegra- nates, and determined to revenge herfelf upon him, by afking an exorbitant price for thettu $2* ARABIAN TALK*. The Armenian paid it immediately, and added, " If your fruit is relifhed, I hope to conclude a more important bargain with you." Saying this, he placed hirnfelf in the middle of the fliop, and throwing the pomegranates with all his force int& the air, they immediately difappeared ; which drew an exclamation of furprife from Narilha and her fon. The pretended Armenian then drew from his pocket a fmall filver tube, in which he feemed to articulate a few words in a rery low tone. A moment after, he applied te his car a horn of the fame metal, pretending to liften to fomething that was faid to him ; then fhutting up his inftruments, and affuming an air of fatisfaftfon, " Madam," faid he, " a trial of your fruit has been made, and it has been found delicious , I have received orders to car- ry off immediately all that remains. The la- bour will not be tedious, for people have been fent to affift me : There is my purfe 5 take as much money as you think proper for the pay- ment of your fruit." The fight of the gold a- wakened the covetoufnels and avarice of >Naril- ha ; {he could have taken the whole pnrfe very . willingly, but limited herfelf to thirty fequins, for the payment of what was really worth five OF fix. The Armenian was fo far from being difiatiA ed with this, that he did not even pay any attention ARABIAN TALES. 3*3 attention to it ; but immediately took poiTeffion of his fruit, and threw a melon with the right, and an apple with the left, till, in a fhort time$ all the fruit in the {hop was in motion, and, flying off as if it had had wings, entirely difap- peared. Badur and Narilha looked very ear- neftly at this ftrange removal of their fruit. " How, jwhither, and by whom have you dii- patched all this fruit !" faid flie to the Arme- nian. " Madam," replied he, " I am the chief caterer for the ftars, in which it is conftandy either loo hot, or too cold, too moift, or too dry, fo that nothing comes to perfect maturity. I defcended upon the earth, with a view to get proviflons for them, and will frankly confels, that, in confequenceofthe great fame of the fruits atDamas,! was on my way to that city, when I ac- cidentally pafled before your fliop: The appear- ance of your fruits attracted my attention ; their flavour increafed my furprife ; and their tafte completed my delight. I fent two of them for a trial, and immediately received an order to bring away the whole. If to-morrow, and the day following, you are as well provided, you will be able to fell every thing in your fhop, and you will become the fruit-woman of the ikies." Narilha rubbed her eyes, uncertain whether file was awake or in a dream, upon hearing fuch agreeable 324 ARABIAN TALES. -agreeable information. The foolifh Badur, with his mouth half open, ftared by turns at his mo- ther, at the Armenian, and at the ceiling. " There's a very pretty young man, madam," faid the mifchievous provider ; he muft be your brother : He bears a great refemblance to you." " No, Sir, he is my fon," replied the fruit- woman. "What ! at your age, have you fo big a fon as that ? that is incredible. You nmft think of getting him married."" I am think- ing of it, Sir : He is already engaged to the daughter of a rich barber, one of our friends." " ^ barber ! a barber ! and a rich barber ! There are many wonders in heaven, but this exceeds them all ; were he not fo filent, the mi- racle would be complete. Do you know, ma- dam, that the mere fale of your fruit for one year might entitle you to aflc the daughter of a vizir for your fon ? yet this fhould be only your laft refource. We have daughters above to marry, who would look upon a connection with you as a real bleffing." " How, Sir ! Do they marry above ?" Do they marry ! Do you think then that heaven was peopled without marriage ? Every thing which you fee fparkle there has a father and mother. How could new ftars be difcovered every day, unlefs there were fome born? Whence hath the milky way its name, but becaufe it is the ha- bitation ATU31AN 'TALES. bitation of nurfes. Let me alone, madam," I Lave profpefts for your fon. I wifh to marry him to the youngeft, moft frefh, and moft bril- liant of our beauties." Ah ! who is fhe ? w " She is the Star of the Morning. She is af- furedly brilliant : She is alfo frefh, for fhe ne- ver travels but in the night ; but, as to her be- ing young, Sir, that is impoffible, for I have known her ever fince I have been in the world, and the very firft time I obferved her fhe was fully round."" She whom you knew, madam, went off fome years ago j but you women of the earth fuffer the ftars to fly off without ever aikmg whether they go ; it is alfo true that there are fo many of them that one does not give themfelves any trouble about fuch as are wanting. But, feriouflyfpeaking, would you wifhyourfon to become the hulband of themoft beautiful of the ftars."" Ah! Sir, if that could poffiblybebrought about, I fhould be delighted with it. Would he likewife fhine in the firmament ?" I {hall an- fxver for his not being a dark body there ; but regularly every day his miftrefs comes near the earth, and, if the affair pleafes you, we will fee if it is poffible to fettle it. Shut the door of your ihop, and caufe a pail full of water to be brought into the middle of the ftore-houfe." The directions of the Armenian were follow- ^ 2 (5 ARABIAN TALESi ed, and the pail brought to the place appoint- ed. " Come near, young man," faid he to Badur, " look at yourfelf in this water, you will find yourfelf very pretty in it. Endeavour to aflume a pleafed air, that your countenance siay be rendered more agreeable. Good ! This is perfedly charming. You may now with- draw." As foon as Badur had quitted his po- Tition, the Armenian took up the pail, and threw its contents into the air, without one drop falling back into the room. " What are you doing, Sir?" faid Narilha, uneafy at firft at an e- vent which threatened to deluge her ftore-houfe, and then extremely furprifed at feeing the whole water in the pail entirely difappear. " I am fending," faid he, your fon's piaure to the moft beautiful of the ftars. Let us fit down, we fhall learn in a moment what effect it has upon her." During this interval, the Armenian introdu- ced fome indifferent converfation ; then all at once he arofej placed himfelf in the middle of the room, applied his tube to his mouth, and his horn to his ear, and, afluming a contented air, " Your fon, madam, is infinitely agreeable ! He is deftined to a very high fortune ; but he muft yield to my fancy, as I know the tafte of our ladies. Badur has a ruddy and animated com- plexion, ARABIAN TALES. 327 plexion, the beauty of which he muft not dif- guife under that tufted beard, which reaches almoft to his eye-brows ; and the lively andpierc- inglooks of his eyes would be much more charming Avere they not concealed by his long eye-brows. Thefe muft be cut away, and the lize of his beard diminifhed. I^et him be fhaven to the bottom of the under lip; and, with this precaution, I pro mile him infallible fuccefs in his amours. To- morrow morning, however, I fhall be more cer- tain than I am at prefent ; in the mean time, I wifh your fon to difplay a little gallantry with his miftrefs : He muft, therefore, be provided with a nofe-gay, compofed of the moft beauti- ful flowers ; and you, madam, take care to have your fhop as well ftored to-morrow as it was to- day; here are pledges for the fale which I promife you. The only thing 1 exacl of you is fecrecy con- cerning the trade we are in future to carry on to- gether; forthcfmalleft'indifcretion might mar your fortune. The ftars have already too much inter- courfe withmen, who call upon their interference in all their petty concerns. This is extremely dil- agreeable to the heavenly bodies. You fee, Madam, that I fpeak frankly to ypu. Farewell ; fome bufmefs calls me hence ; to-morrow I fhall be here very early." Upon this Cafianakmade a bow, and withdrew. Ee 2 I -3.28 ARAB-IAN TALES. I fhould think myfelf in a dream, faid Na- rilha to her fon, did I not hold in my hand thele thirty fbquins, which appear to me to be of fufficient weight, and to be good gold.- " Mother," faid 13adur> " why muft I go im- mediately to have myfelf fhaved ? Why fo fuddenly ! The ftars, I believe, do not fee any thing during the day j and it will be much bet- ter that you be fre(h fhaved to-morrow morn- ing.- But, in truth, added Narrilha, I am not recovered from our adventure ; and it muft be acknowledged this Armenian muft be a very honeft man ; for, with the fame addrefs with which he carried off our fruits, he might have difpenfed with paying for them fo cheerfully, and at fo high a price. As for you, friend, inftead of going to have yourfelf {haven, you ought to go in fearch of fome bafkets of good fruit, in order to deck our fhop, that the ca- Uph's provider may not go away from us emp- ty-handed ; for great profits never ought to snake us defpife fmall ones." Juft as fhe was faying this, the caterer entered. " How now !" faid he, " I wanted all your fruit to-day, and I fee none!" " Have pa- tience a moment, Sir, our aiTes are not yet ar- rived j Badur is gone to meet them ; and, if you, Sir, have not time to ftay, you may re- turn to the palace, whither all that you need ihall ARABIAN TALKS. 3;2 (hail be fent. The provider replied, that he did not wifh the goods to be fent to him ; that he wifhed to choofe diem himfelf ; and could by no means depend upon the flow return of her afies. When he had faid this, he turned his back and departed. Narilha, piqued with the fharpnefs of this fpeech, thought her vani- ty too much humbled j and it appeared to her very extraordinary, and very improper, that the fruit-woman of the ftars fhould be treated with fo little ceremony. " You fee," faid Ihe, how the flaves of great people forget them- felves : Ah ! when we fhall have made our fortune, I will convince thefe creatures of their infignificance." Other providers made their appearance: * What !" faid they, one after another, " one finds nothing now in your flvop? When people give up trade, they generally give intimation of it." " No, replied ihe, I have nothing here ; and fuch rude fellows as you never will find any thing in my ihop. You feem as if you fpoke to perfons whom you fupported by your charity." " AfTuredly," faid they as they went out, " you are not in the way of making a for- tune." As the fruit which had been carried off from Narilha's (hop had arranged itfelf in that of Dalhuc's fon, the providers found in it wherewith E e i to 33 ARABIAN TALES. to recompence their unfuccefsful application at the fruit-woman's houfe. Cafianak, after ha- ving laid afide his Armenian habit, had come to preiide over his nephew's firft attempt in trade ; in fhort, every thing in his {hop was carried off at any price ; the multitude of pur- chafers had decided the value of the goods. Every body was furprifed how Dalhuc could fo iuddenly furnifti a Ihop with fuch an excel- lent affbrtment of fruit. " I am indebted for this favour," faid he, " to my uncle's kind- nefs." " And this, doubtlefs," replied one of the providers, " is what hath made your ftep- tnother mad j nothing is to be found with her but infolence and pride : Keep your trade al- ways oti as good a footing, and we will deal with none but you." While Dalhuc carried on his bufinefs with considerable fuccefs, his ftepmother fhut up her I'equins very carefully in a corner unknown to all the world ; fixe hoped in time to accumulate a treafure which would render her indepen- dent of her neighbours. " Take great care," faid Ihe to Badur, " that you don't mention tct my hufband the handfome bargain we have concluded, and thole which we have in pro-. jpecV. He is a man who cannot keep a fecret ; he is too much addicted to floth and drunken- $efs , he would indulge himfelf anew in his vices i ARABIAN TALES. 33! vices ; and, by gaining much, we fhould be- come poorer than ever. Befides, he has a cu- rious prying turn ; and, if we were to fpeak to him of the man who is to return to-morrow, he would remain at home in order to wait for him, and all would be difcovered : We need him to gather fruits, if we wifh to fell them ; fo that he muft be advifed to fet out fomewhat earlier than ufual. As for you, you would do well to go to the fuburbs, and lay out this fe- quin which I give you in purchafing two loads more of fruit -, for I feel a happy prefage that announces a coniiderable fale for to-morrow ; befides, you need a nofegay. Badur departed, in obedience to his mother. Caflanak had been to wait upon his friend the geomancer, to give him an account of the ope- ration of the day ; and they concerted together the plan of next day's proceedings. As foon as day appeared, Badur, furniftied with an enormous nofegay, ran to the houfe of die barber, who was to have been his father- in-law, in order to have his beard and his eye- brows cut after the fafliion of the ftars. He fell into the hands of the apprentices, who,, af- ter hearing the very extraordinary manner in which the fimple Badur wifhed to be ihaved, afked him the reafon of it : " What does it fig-* nify to you!" faid he to them, do as I bid you j I 332 ARABIAN TALES, I muft obey my mother, who willies me to be- come the mirror of the ftars !" The young people could not fupprefs their laughter j and their noife attracted the paflengers, who were all eager to become acquainted with the mirror of the ftars. When the fon of Narilhu was fa- tisfied with the manner in which they had cut liis beard and eye-brows, he took up his large nofegay, and was preparing to depart. " Ah ! whither are you carrying that bunch of flow- ers ?" {aid the young people ; " Did not yoir bring it for our matter's daughter ? Should not you leave it here ?" " No ; I am carrying it to my mother." " Has your mother changed her trade ? Is fhe become a feller of flowers ? " It is a prefent we intend to make." " And to whom, pray ? This is not the feaft of the Ha- raphat, or you have as much there as would cover the heifers, which, on that occasion, are offered up in facrifice." " Fine flowers for cows truly !'* faid the impatient Badur ; my mother knows better how to beftow her pre- fents." Saying .this, he made his efcape from the fhop. A few moments after, the barber returned home, and they related to him the fingular appearance which Badur had made : " There is," fays he, < a bad report fpread refpefting his mother. For my own part, I think thefe people ARABIAN TALES. 333 people are bewitched ; my daughter is not fuit- ed to him ; I will go and give him up his prc- miie, and withdraw mine." Badur, believing himfelf as fine as the ftar he wifhed to conquer, returned to his mother's fhop, where he found her, freed from her huf- band, proud of the beauty of her fruit, and ad- miring the beautiful order in which fhe had ar- ranged them. Nothing was wanting but a pur- chafer ; and the Armenian appeared. " Let us make hafte, madam," faid he to her, " I have fome bufinefs ; for how much will you fell all that I fee ?" Good fruit is fcarce," replied Narilha, " and thefe are moft admi- rably chofen ; there is not a tingle bad one a- mong them. There are a fourth more than there was yeftcrd-ay, and, confequently, you muft give me forty fequins for them." " That is aj large fum," replied CafTanak ; " but I muft fulfil the engagements I came under ; and to-morrow you will certainly be more reafon- able : In the mean time there are your forty fe- quins." As foon as the money was told, the pur chafer, as he had done the day before, took one of each fort of fruit, threw it into the air, and it di- appeared. Invifible hands were waiting the fig- nal to feize all that was in the fhop, and in a moment it was left empty ; even the leaves, with which ARABIAN TALES. 334 which fhe decked the fruit, were conveyed t Dalhuc's fhop. This miracle being performed 5 the Armenian directed his attention to the fool- ifh Badur, who, decked out in a new drefs, freed from three fourths of his eye-brows, and with nothing but a fmall tuft of beard upon the point of his chin, was watching the looks of his new patron. " This is very well, friend !" faid CafTanak to him ; " you are dreiTed to a mira- cle ; you are furnimed with a nofegay I hope ? I have not failed to fupply myfelf with that, replied Badur, fhowing it to him There arc a great deal too many flowers there ! You muft pick out the moft beautiful, the frefheft, and the moft odoriferous. What you have juft no\T taken away is quite fufficient for us ; tie them together, and give them to me." The Arme- nian took the nofegay, threw it into the air, and it appeared to follow the fame road as the fruit had done. Ah ! continued he, did you knovr the language of the ftars, I could, by means of my tube and horn, procure you a charming converfation : But the pronunciation of this lan- guage is extremely difficult, on account of its having no vowels, and you will one day have an excellent mafter, who will teach you it much, more eafily than I can do. Till this mall happen, however, and that you may carry on your court- fhip, you muft, if you pleafe, fend to your mif-i trefs' ARABIAN 335 trefs 3i more exaft and agreeable picture of yourfelf than was taken yefterday. It was overfhadowed by a thick beard, and two bufhy eye-brows. To-day the beauty of your features ' is unclouded ; caufe another pail full of water to be brought." Badur obeyed this order without a moment's hefitation ; and, as foon as the pail was in the middle of the ftore-houfe, he ftooped down as near the water as he pofiibly could, in order that the features of his countenance might make a more lively imprefiion; but two invifible hands, laying hold of his beard, drew down his head to the bottom of the water. His whole body would have been dragged in, had not his hands, which were firmly fupported on the brim of the pail, refitted the effort. The mother fet up a ter- rible fliriek, and Badur ftarted up ; the Armenian laughed with all his might. " Delightful toy- ing !" exclaimed he, " you know not the art of our ladies ! Your fon was drawn to the bottom of the pail that they might match a kifs from him : Does not his countenance, madam, appear covered with pearls ? Do not his lips feem perfumed with amber ? Come, child, faid he to Badur, ftoop down again towards the place where you can meet with nothing but Carefles ; prefent a fmiling countenance, and a- morous looks. As one would wifli at prefent to 336 ARABIAN TALES. to preferve your likenefs, one muft take care t do nothing which might difturb its expreffion." Yes, my fon, added Narilha, pafiing her hand before his countenance, this gentleman is in the right; they have beftowed carefles on you which you have not perceived ; and have left upon your lips the perfume of the rofe, and of the violet : Come, friend, you muft yield to this pleafantry of thefe ce'eftial ladies, and appear defirous to pleafe them ; go, and admire your- felf in the water, and laugh moft heartily, that you may Ihow you are pleafed. The weak fool, in obedience to his mother, placed himfelf on his knees before the pail, prefented his face to the mirror in which it was to be reprefentcd, and, laughing, in exact imitation of the cry of a goat Very well ! excellently ! exclaimed CafTa- nak; go on j you fee they want no longer to draw you to the water. Laugh ftill much louder. Independent of all the particular graces you difplay, you give a moft favourable idea of the cheerfulnefs of your temper. Badur, by new burfts of laughter, quite undid all he had fet up before ; the nbife was heard in the ftreet, and attracted the Caliph's provider, who knock- ed very fmartly at the door. Narilha opened it, and the provider entered, while her ion raifed himfelf very brilkly. " What, madam," faid he, " do you not fell fruit now ? Have you ARABIAN TALt*. J-j? e a ftable of your houfe ? There is the Ava- ttring pail already in the middle. I have heard, however, that you have got home a great deal of fruit j Could I have fome of it ? You do not rife early enough in the morning, replied Narilha,with forne tartnefs ; one who gives a better price hath got before you ; and my houfe can only have the appearance of a {table when you are in it. Thefe are very infolent fpeeches ! replied the provider ; Are you ignorant that I belong to the Caliph ? Are you ignorant that my fhop is an open market, that I am bound to ferre the public, and that he who comes too late has himfelf to blame ?-- - Farewel, madam fruit-feller ! They were in the right in calling you a fool j never fhall I enter your fhop again. Farewel mailer provider ! If you keep your word, they will have been in the right to call you wife. I am going, madam fruit-feller j they fhall hear of you in the pa- lace. Go, mafler provider, I will take care they fhall here of you alfo. The provider went out in a rage. Narilha was in a paffion likewife j and the Armenian endeavoured to calm her. " Forget this info- lent fellow, madam ; I promife you you ihall no more need to tranfaft bufinefs with him ; let us finifh what we have begun j perfuade your fon to prefent his figure once more to the pail, VOL. II. Fj/jcn m - . and 338 ARABIAN TALES. and he will do well to make lefs notfe, that he may not attract other troublefome people. Ba- " replied the Cadi ; her head is abfolutely deranged : In this point of view, I (hall confider what fhe has juft faid to fcreea her from the rigour of the laws j" and he was beginning to dictate the fentence " Ah ! at the inflance of a filly fellow, do you tjius treat the fruit-feller general of the ftars P ex- claimed ARABIAN TALE.'. jfa claimed Narilha, her eyes inflamed with anger: " Ah! would the celeftial provider were here, or even my fon ? With the protection of the powerful ftar of the morning, which he married this laft night, I Ihould convince of their infig- ni fie a nee all thofe who have dared this day to treat me with difrefpecT:.'' You hear, her, Srr, repeated Dalhuc. Alas ! I do hear her, replied the Cadi , do whatever you have refolved upon-; you are but too well atsthorifed , and he dila- ted the fentence. " Nifrilha ! prvtefted i>y the " provider of thejlnrs /" faid Dalhuc, " mother* 11 in-Iaw to the morning far, Be gone, I di- " *oorce tbee, once, twice, tkrice" During this time, the bill of divorcement was preparing: Dalhuc figned it, and gave it to the divorced lady, after caufing a duplicate -of it to be written out. This was a very prudent precaution, for (lie tore the paper into a thoufand pieces. Now," faid ihe, Where is my dowry ? I muft have it. You have two hundred fequinr. to find for me, otherwife I iniitt upon having t1>- garden, watered with the fweat of my brow, ad- judged to me."" Now," faid Dalhuc, give me an account of my fruit, which, for thefe three days, you have fold to a flranger". There it is, faid flae, throwing fix fequins and fome fmall coins in his face, Cafiunak then fpoke. You have not given an eighth part of the money VOL. H. H h vovi 362 ARABIAN TALES. you received. I myfelf furnifhed the money, and it amounts to an hundred and forty fe- quins : The Armenian of Bagdad, to whom I lent them, hath given me his robe and cap in fecurity; and here they are. At this declaration Narilha became fpeechlefs ; but the arrival of Bftdur completed her confuflon. He came, dif- figured by torrents of blood running down, and concealing more than half his face, his throat fwelled, and fuch a fuppreffion of the voice, that it was with difficulty he could be heard ; while he curfed the ftars with all his heart. c Ah !" faid he, "If ever I am in love with them again, may I receive three times as many ftrokes of the rod, as they have applied to me this night." What has happened you, friend ? ulked the Cadi. If any perfon has beat you, I am ready to do you juftice. Sir, !" faid Badur, " punifh the ftars with the baftinado. There is one of them who fhould have been my wife ; I fent her a nofegay, and my picture in a pail of water, and fhe made me go to the Euphrates, where it was extremely cold. I loft my footing more than twenty times, marching after her, and was obliged to fvvim half a league ; and, when I thought fhe was going to land together with me, I had fcarcely fet my foot upon the fand, when I received fome blows with a rod from behind. I turned round, but faw nobody: The ARABIAN TM.E9. 3^3 The ftrokes were repeated : I tunied round again, but to no purpofe. The perfons who in* flicled the ftrokes were always directly at my back; I therefore fled, and was purfued by them, ftriking me alt the way to the door of the garden. Ah ! I love the gold which comes down from them very well ; but, he may court their favours who will ; I have been in a fever the whole night." The pride of Narilha was completely morti- fied by this relation : She perceived that {lie had been played upon, and now faw herfelf com- pletely detected. The Cadi had ordered feven- ty fequins to be told down upon the table, and fhe found that was all fhe was to be allowed to- take back for her dowry. " At leaft," faid fhe, * I fhall be permitted to carry off my effecls ?" Yes, replied the Cadi ; one of my officers will accompany you, together with Dalhuc and CafTanak. When Narilha perceived that it was impoffible for her to carry away her kittle concealment, fhe thought of depriving Dalhnc of it j and collected all her efFefts, without once looking towards the place where her gold was concealed. " Sir," faid fhe, after this, to the cadi, <{ when I was Dalhuc's wife, it was my duty to obey him ; but, now that I am divor- ced, I am reinftated in my rights. He had for- bid me to mention his having found a treafure H h 2 in 364 ARABIAN TALES. in an old iron-pot, which is frill to be found in the place where it had been buried. This depo- fit belongs to the commander of the faithful, and my religious principles do not allow me to difiemble the theft which was intended : Be fa good as follow me, Sir, and you may caufe it be carried oft?' " The caliph already knows of this treafure^ replied the cadi, and thinks it right that Dalhuc mould take pofieffion of it, as what was in reality ftolen from him." Narilha was rendered entirely frantic by this reply : In this fituation, fhc might become extremely danger- ous j and, as. fhe was preparing to go out, " Where are you going ?" faid the cadi ; " you have need of medicines, and {hall be conducted with your fon to a place where every thing that .is neceiTary will be adminiftered to you." Upon ibis, the retinue of the cadi dragged her out of i ; he houfe, together with her fon j and Dalhue was left alone with Caflanak, on whom he be- ftowfd new expreffions of his gratitude. ft This," faid Cabil-Hafen, as he here ended his ftory, is all that I have learned of the hiftory of this family." THE beautiful Vaflime had never ceafed to linile during the whole, of this recital ; the good Nand ARABIAN TALES. 365 Nane had, at different times, burft out into vio- lent fits of laughter ; the Schebandad and Ve- fume's father had appeared pleafed j and the ri- vals of him who related the tale had given figns of uneafinefs ; all waited, in fllence, the approba- tion of Vafum6, when the Schebandad thus ad- dreiTed her: " My dear daughter!" faid he, " this ftory appeared to amufe you. " Yes, father," every body feemed to be pleafed with it, and especially my nurfe laughed heartily.*- Much lefs would have made me laugh, replied Nanc. I have liftened attentively, I have re- tfained a great many circumftances, and am in good hopes that this ftory will increafe my little collection : But I doubt I fhall not be able to deliver it from my memory in as agree- able a manner as it has entered it." -Nay, my dear Nane, on the contrary, I am perfuaded fhat you will do it great juftice in the telling ; but another is preparing for us, which wjll perhaps make you forget it. It muft poflefs a great many excellencies then, faid Nanc : Let us liften, for I am impatient to hear it begun. The nurfe was filent ; and the fecond of the three coufins, availing himfelf of the attention which was paid to him, began his ftory. ^3vaa bed ^rru/JeV bilhaw, 3HT I H ^ * . ARABIAN TALE?. The Protvefs and Death of Captain Tranchemont, and of his brave Companions. Dobil Hafen's Story. CAPTAIN TRANCHEMONT, after having ramb- led over a great many countries, and a great part of the world, found himfelf in Egypt, ii* the confines of the mountainous part of that kingdom : his exceffive voracity could fcarcely be gratified; and the horror with which he infpir- ed every body, removed from him every tiling neceflary for the fupply of his wants. As he was one day traverfing a defart, he was accidentally led into the cave of a derviie : " Holy man !" faid he to him, " you fee before you a warrior, who is dying for want of food,, have not you fome hundreds of nuts to break i" " The rats have excellent teeth, replied the dervife, without riling from his feat, and con- tinuing to meditate on his book ; they have eat all the nuts which I received from the charity of the faithful, and have left me nothing but the ihells. The only proviiion I have remaining is that bifcuit of the Nile which you fee before my door :" And, at the fame time, pointed to a ftone fix feet long, and about three feet high. " Do you eat that ? replied Tranchemont : Zooks ! you are not delicate in your taft ! el know this paftry, the pyramids of Egypt are built of ARABIAN TALES. 36? it, and I can eat at your expence. This morfel would be of hard digeftion to any other fto- machs than ours j fuffer me to cut a flice of it." At the fame time he drew his fabre, and with one ftroke cut off a flice as thick as three leaves of the palm-tree joined together. He then broke it into fmall morfels, chewed it -betwixt his teeth, and fwallowed it. " What a fabre ! What arms ! What teeth ! faid the reclufe ta himfelf ; my furniture is pretty folid j yet dais man could unfurnifh my cave at four meals ; I inuft make a friend of him ! Sir ! faid he, I ad- mire at once the ftrength and dexterity of your arm ; and find you poflefs a very extraordinary talent. I am delirous to become acquainted with you, and hope you will not judge me un- worthy of that honour : Adventurers are, in general, fufpe&ed ; but, with refpeft to a man like you, I ought to have neither fecrets nor artifice ; enter with me into the innermoft ap- partment of my cave, there I have in referve fome cheefes of goats milk, and fome cakes, which I will find a real pleafure in fharing with you ; come, wt will eat at our leifure, smd converfe with freedom." " Mod willingly," replied Tranchemont, I' love people of your way of life. I have known more than one of them, who had not fpent all their lives in muttering upon books , and, witH cup 368 ARABIAN TALES cup iti hand, I will willingly do penance with you for my paft faults." I have neither cups nor goblets," faid the dervife ; " I ufe nothing but a pitcher" " And I would rather excufe the pitcher than want the wine." (f Wine! exclaimed the reclufe ; wine from a dervife ! You make the hair of my beard fland on end ! Confider that I have retired to this place to lead the life of a penitent : I drink nothing but pure water mixed with a little honey, and of this I compofe a very agreeable drink." The captain fhook his head; but he muft accommodate himfelf to his lituation. He af- fifted his landlord in placing the cheefes and cakes, piled upon one another, on a table made of a large ftone. There were provifions fuffi- cient for eight perfons ; yet the two guefts found no fuperfluity. They were feated on fo- phas of the fame materials Avith the table, having each at his fide an enormous pitcher full of wa- ter -and honey -, and the repaft began. After the dervife had eaten the firft cheefe, without even taking off the cruft, " Brother," faid he, " let us drink :" he then lifted up his pitcher, and drank it off at ^ene draught : " Here is your health," faid he to Tranchemont, who looked at him with aftonifhment. " Doubt- lefs," replied the captain before he drank, " you muft have been empty down to the toes to have ARABIAN TALES. 369 have been able to drain that pitcher without taking time to breathe ; if you had, like me, a itoinach paved with ftones, there would run through your body a river in proper ftyle," " Alas, brother !" faid thederviie, "you fee me juftly punifhed. It is for having drank too much that I am reduced to this penitential life j at preient I quench my thirft, but never commit any excefs. You have aftonifhed me with cut- ting and fcranching my bifcuit , I will furprife you, in my turn, with the relation of my hi- tory. " My name 4 is Pretaboire (f). Had water not appeared to me very infipid when I lived in the world, I would have drained the rivers j and it would have been wrong to have given me the fea, for the favourinefs of the liquor would have affifted me in drinking it dry. One day, (I was then in Georgia,, at a man's houfe who had generoufly offered me an afyium), the vintage wasfinifhedjandhe hadfhutup the product of his. Unfortunately my bed was placed too near the depoilt. I was fuddenly awakened by a flavour fo agreeable, that I could not refift the tempta- tion of approaching the veflels from which it was exhaled ; I ventured to tafte this beverage, oL 4phf'rf" > and f Pretaboire, % name Cgnific^D* cf an inclination U> dr hiking. 37$ ARABIAN TALES. and its charm operated fo powerfully upon me, that, during the night, I emptied ten arobes (f ), which were the whole product of the vintage. But they feemed to me'to be no more than ten My landlord arrived in the mean time, and a- bufed me for a drunkard, and I, hurt by this reproach, put him to death Grieved after- wards at this fally of paffion, I affumed the ha- bit of a dervife, and refolved to drink nothing but honey and water. In confequence of this refolution, wandering from one retreat to ana- Other, feeking always the moft folitary, I have at laft fettled in this abode, where I fpend my leifure hours in gathering medicinal herbs, and ftudying the ftars." " My good faint!" replied TVanchemont, "fince from a drunkard you are become an aftrolo- ger, I muft inform you of my quarrel with the ftars. I wifh for fome little difptite with mine ; and would be very glad that you would put me within reafth of giving it, and one of its com- panions, fome blows with the flat fide of my . fabre, to correct them for their caprices refpect- ing me. " My name is Tranchemont ; and I was born in the capital of Circaffia. According to the report of an aftrttoger, who was one of my fa- ther's f Antes, a meafure which contains twenty-five pints. ARABIAN TALES. 37! ther's good friends, on the day of my birth, two ftars, loaded with good and bad influences, un- dertook a journey ; the leaft of the two being well provided, travelled foremoft. Three wo- men had been delivered that very day, each of a male-child ; they inhabited three of the prin- cipal buildings which form the corner of the ftreet that leads to the king's palace : " Let us haften thither," faid they, " and drop, in favour of thefe new-born infants, fome of the booty with which we are loaded." As they travelled along, the foremoft ftar grazed upon my mo- ther's houfe, at the very moment of my birth ; and this event flopped it for an inftant. " I can go no farther," faid it ; " my burden has become oppreffive to me, I muft drop it here;" and it was directly over me. I cannot tell you all that dropped from its hands at that mo- ment : It has proved a burden which I fome- times carry with great impatience, and by which others are often difturbed ; it has rendered me the ftrongeft, but the leaft hardy of all men ; I am doomed to have nothing, and to live con- tinually on plunder ; nothing can refift my fabre but the feeblenefs of man alone, fo that I never attack him but with my fifts ; and you may well judge that I do not want one. Thefe, my good dervife, were the favours which were (howered down on my cradle \ the ftar which followed *7i ARABIAN TALES. followed mine was obliged to drop the influ- ences which were deftined for me upon a neigh- bouring hotel." " And what did it let fall there, pray ?" A crown : Thus you fee, and without vanity I can fay, I was only a door from obtaining a throne ; the aftrologer faid to my father, that this happened through fatali- ty ; for my part, I fuppofe there was a good deal of caprice in it ; for my brilliant protect- rcis might eafily have carried her favours one door lower. By Mahomet ! Do you know that I am enraged at it, my good faint, and that I have already employed many methods in order to belie my nativity. " I have aftembled armies ; I have com- manded them well, and fought ftill better; but my foldiers proved mere cowards : There were always too many to eat, and nobody to fight. One day I entered a city, without per- cpiving that I was not followed by my men : I cut in pieces every one that oppo-fed my pafTage, and purfued and murdered all that attempted to fly. Where it was difficult to carry the fword, there I carried the flames, and I pilla- ged the whole city : My army thought me loft :, and, depending no more upon me, was feized with a dreadful panic, and took to flight. What happened then ? As I had laid wafte the country, had given quarter to none, and as my army S&ABI1N TALES. 37^ army was difperfed, tkofigh I was become a king by the vigour of my arm, and the cutting of ray fabre, yet in rtality I reigned over no- thing." How !" faid Pretaboire ; Had yoii exterminated even the women ?" " By Maho- met ! I love the women to diflraftion ; but when they faw me, they cried as if one had flead them ; they fled from me, and threw {tones at me from the top of the terraces ; they excited their hufbands, and let out their dogs upon me. I have had my fhield and buckler bent in ten places, and the calf of my leg car- ried oft* by a maftiff: I love women, but not \v_hen they are angry ; for then, old or young ugly or beautiful, I crufli as many of them to pieces as I can find ; I fpare nothing that re- iifts me." " Your blood is a little too hot, my general," refumed the dcrvile, " you ought, like me, to drink nothing but honey and wa- ter." By Mahomet !" exclaimed Tranche- mont, " your honey and water increafes, in- ftead of quenching my thirft. My malignant ftar would triumph if it bekeld me reduced to that : Let us talk of correcting it, if k is pof- fible. If I could afcend on high, I would teach it to be reafonable ; but cannot you, who are an aftrologer, by the help of your ma" chines, place me within reach of doing myfelf juftice?" .. -v . li There 374 ARABIAN TALES. There is another way of avenging yourfeli*, faid Pretaboire ; you may play your ftar nearly the fame trick that I played mine. Had it not determined that I Ihould be a vagabond and a rogue ? Had it not condemned me to drink like a hole in the fand ? You fee what I have done j I have retired from the world, I drink honey and water, but fparingly j and, in fpite of my ftar, I poflefs fome worth. But, as you are a foldier, you muft follow a different plan. In order to avoid the inconveniencies which ieem neceilarily connected with your actions, you muft endeavour to be a general without an army ; and to take pofleffion of a ftrong city, which hath neither gates, nor ditches, nor walls ; fo as, that the difficulty you will meet with, in furmounting thefe obftacles, may not infpire you with fo much rage as to, make you deftroy every thing. Stop a moment, my dear faint ! faid Tran- chemodt : Do you know that, - in complying with your propofal, I would be expofed to the tlanger of lofmg my life ? Are you a fool ? Or ^are you fo profound that it is impoffible to un- derftand you ? What is a general without an army? And where are ftrong places to be found, having neither ditches nor walls ? A general without an army ! replied Preta- i to-morrow at the lateft, Captain Tran- chemont ARABIAN TALES. 375 chemont will be fo, who, having neither fol- diers nor baggage, will be able to take the field!, in order to go and attack the city of Kallacahaba- laba, ten leagues diftant from hence, a place of great ftrength, though deftitute of every arti- ficial defence. And what will the army con- fift of, which is to rank under my ftandar Js ? Of eight generals, each of whom, in his own way, is able to {hake a kingdom ; and to give you an idea of them, I am the feebleft of them all. Yet it woiild have been in my pow- er, if I had undertaken the enterprife, to have become mafter of Damas. It is a well watered city: Well! in eight days there would not have been as much water left as would have quenched the thirft of a hen. My good der- vife, you are properly named Pretaboire ; and, now that I know your powers, I find you \ T ery moderate : You have a moft prodigious facul- ty ; you couli eafily ruin Egypt. Oh ! replied Pretaboire, in order to that, it would be ne- ceflary to go and drink the Nile at its fbtirce, and that is too long a journey. And tell me, replied Tranchemont, are your companions whom you fpoke of as extraordinary as you. I am extremely defirous to become acquainted with them. You fhall fee them to-morrow, faid the dervife ; they will lay their proofs be- fore you : They have need of counfel to direft I i 2 theic- 37^ ARABIAN TALES. iheir enterprifes, for they have all more ability than underftanding -, they want a chief to com- mand them with authority, and to give them an example j and they will find him in you. By Mahomet ! exclaimed the Captain, catt- ing his, eyes up to heaven, I am tempted to pardon my bitch of a ftar for bringing me hi- ther, fince it has led me to the command of my equals ! But, let us fpeak a little concern- ing your place of war ; Who has the command of it ? What could one do with him ? It is under the yoke of * ftrange tyrant, whofe name is Bigftaff: You muft baniih him. One tyrant fucceeds another, and thus your ftar will be proved falfe j for, except the name, you Vill reign as well as another, and perhaps bet- ter ; becaufe you know no law but your own will. Are you of any religion ? No indeed ; I was circumcifed however That is fufficient. My dear Pretaboire ! you are an accommoda-. ting'faint ; it is juft fuch as thefe that I love ; Jftut I fhould wifli to accuftom myfelf to your hone}' and water, that I might get drunk witl\ you. In the mean time, before I go to reft, I am anxious to have a more accurate idea of the city of Kallacahabalaba, for I form all my plans of attack in bed. " Kallacahabalaba, replied the dervife, is fitu itted on a high detached mountain, cut all round with TALES.- ^ tmli a pick-ax, to the height of fixty feet, in fuch a manner as that nothing but a fnail can afcend it. And how do the inhabitants come down ? They do not come down at all j they defcend in bafkets fixed to chains of iron. Thefe machines are fo fitted, as to let down to the ground an hundred bafkets at once, containing ten men-each, with- their arms and baggage ; this is done very quickly, and without the loaft euibarrafiment : .The people of the country, for twenty leagues round, are fo much afraid at this fhower of armed men, that they haften with great eagernefs, carrying their tribute to the foot of the mountain, and fill all the bafkets that are there. By my beard! faid the captaih^| fhall lofe a little of my renown if I don't di - turb this bufinefs But, what kind of a fellow is that Bigftaff you mentioned ? Is he a cham- pion of a certain ftrength ? Would he gallant- ly accept the propofal of meafuring fwords with roe ? His ffoture is fbmewhat gigantic } cov^er- - ed with iron from head to foot, he walks as - nimbly as if it were with feathers ; befides, Ke never plays but with his club, which is of gild- ed brafs, and weighs feventy-five pounds 5 'he - ufes it like a rod of aloes, and I believe he would not engage in (Ingle combat with any but fuch as could oppofe to him an arm of equal flxength. - Ah! repliedTranchemontjwhatt pleafureOiouicli 378 ARABIAN TALES. feel to be oppofed to him at an arm's diftance ! I would make my blade enter exactly at the bot- tom of his nofe, that, before he expired undef my ftrokes, I might have the pleafure of feeing him gnafh his teeth. But I am born to con- quer or die under the protection of my fabre, and I leave the ufe of the club to thofe whofe profeffion it is to fell cattle. Befldes, does this felloAv never come out alone ? Could one not .attack him witheut giving him time to take his advantage ? He never comes out, re- plied the dervife, except when he knows of a- ny one travelling in his dominions. Alas ! this coft two of our companions their life, BraC- defer * and Dentd'acier f, who had gone on an adventure of hunting upon his territority. They were invincible by any other; but, having made them be furrounded by his people, while Bra- defer, with the flroke of his, fift had knocked down a good many of them, and Dentd'acier had made others feel the aftonifhing ftrfcngth of his jaw* Bigftaffhimfelf came up, and" knock- ed them both down with his club. 'Sdeath ! I will revenge them, exclaimed captain Tranche- mont ; your recital makes my blood boil as if I had juft affafiinated my brother. Let us go to fleep, in order to moderate the impatience with which Iron-arm. t Steel-tooth 1 ARABIAN TALES, 37$ which I burn to be acquainted with all your people j for I know no other remedy. Pretaboire yielded to this invitation, and they both fa-etched themfelves on feme leaves, and flcins of beafts, which were at the bottom of the cell. They awaked with the firft rays of the morning, and had ifTued from their cave td take a walk, when the dervife perceived at a diftance three people coming towards them : Thefe are our people, faid he. What are their names ? Their names are defcriptive of their talents ; the name of the firft is Qujckfight *j he could perceive a needle on the ground at the diftance of forty leagues ; he is our fpy. The name of the fecond is Aimwellf; he could fix an arrow in the heart of an apple at the fame diftance. And Cut-the-air J, the laft, could go and pick it up in five minutes. But they lhall perform in your prefence, and you ihall judge of the advantage which may be de- rived from them. Mean while the three per- formers arrived. Rejoice, comrades. !" faid Pretaboire to themv " fortune hath reftored.us, jn this gallant knight, * Quickjiglit, in French, Percevue ; and in the Arabic, Guillarich. j- Aimwell, in French, Droitaubnt ; and in the Arabic, Nadhertavil. \ Cut-the-air, in French PendTair ; and in the Arabic/ Karaamek. 8<3 ARABIAN TAIiES knight, much more than fhe took from us in Brafdefer- and Dentd'acier. This is the formi- dable Captain Tranchemont, by whofe arm, fabre, and head, we iliall be enabled to revenge ourfelves on our cruel enemy, and to Kve in joy and peace on the eartlu But you know that we muft dine to-day ; are you come without, proviiions ? " No," replied Aimwell, " we will do tolerably well if you have cakes. Strong-back* was coming with us, carrying on his fhoulders a calf fix months old, and two tuns of wine under his arms, when the fancy ftruck him of entering a garden to gather a fallad; he walks at a good pace, and will foon be here if he meets with no accident." "When he had foid this, Strong-back arrived with a fallad hanging at his neck. They were three enormous cab- bages, which, being tied together by a cord, adorned his body on all fides. Notwithstanding his burden, his gait feemed as nimble as if he had been carrying only a bag of nuts. He laid his burden on the ground, and was prefented by Pretaboire to Tranchemont. There, my ge- neral," faid he, tapping Strong-back on the {houlder, " is our chariot of war. Sack towns, conquer armies, plunder-, the back which you fee will leave nothing behind ; it would not bend Strong-back, i French, BondoB; and in tiie Arabic-, SHarmicii. ARABIAN TALfS. 3&> bend under the weight of the treafures of So- lomon." " Hitherto," faid Tranchemont, *' thofe who fhould have carried away my plun- der would not have bent long under their weight. Whenever I have any booty, I fit down in a corner, and eat till nothing remains* To fee me devour whatever I have gotten, one would think I was perpetually purfued by robbers or incendiaries ; it is my bitch of a ftar that forces me to eat almoft continually, in order to render me in capable of fhowing favour to anything; but, thanks to you, my dear aftrologer, I muft hope that we are in the right. Hold, I fee there a little calf, which weighs good an hundred and eighty pounds ; and a little of my old ha- bit leads me to wifli that we fhould eat it juft now." " It was made for this purpofe," re- plied Pretaboire : " Hola ! ho !" faid he, cal- ling his people. " Strong-back, ikin that calf, and make a fpit : Quickfight ! Cut-the-air ! where is the cook ?" Quickfight looked round the country, and perceiving with the naked eye, what no mortal could have diftinguiihed with the beft telefcope, " Ah !" foid he, " I perceive him ; he is not far from this, but he is amufing himfelf with roafting quails ; as they fly over his head, he picks their feathers in the air, and eats them. (f Do you fee," faid Pretaboirej how this 382 ARABIAN TALES. rafcal is engaged on a review-clay ? lie roafts quails in the air, that, completely drefled, they may drop in (howers into his mouth ! And, where is that lazy knave Toujourfdort*, to "beat the drum, and oblige every one to come at the fignal ?" --- " I perceive him alfo," faid Quickflght j " he is afleep under the fhade of a broom; the earth feexns to fliake with his fnoring, and I cannot conceive how you do not hear him from this place." " You fee, friends," faid Pretaboire , " that we have great need of difcipline : And how extremely fortunate we are in having accordingly found a chief? Come, Cut-the-air, hew us the place where the quail-eater and the fnorer are j and let them come with all hafte." "You fhallfee," addedPretaboire," whatkind of men thefe two are. The cook Soufflefeuf {hall give you a fpecimen of what he can do. He could melt a mine of metals in the bowels of the earth. As for Toujourfdort, his talents are pretty moderate j but he has one which is ex- tremely ufeful to us. When we let him ouf to the combat, he fpreads terror all around. By ftriking his belly, he makes it emit a found like that of forty drums. He fets up fuch dreadful howlings as could make waUs tumble down. * Toujwrfdort, Sleep-ever, t &0fef<*, Blow-fire* ARABIAN TALES. 383 While he was explaining all this to Tranche- mont, Toujourfdort and Soufflefeu arrived. " Drummer," faid the dervife to the firft, " go and beat the fignal. Soufflefeu, go you and roaft the calf which Strong-back is putting on the fpit." Then turning towards Tranchemont : " My general," faid he to him, " it is your part now to ihow thefe people what you can do : There is the calf on the fpit, and the cab- bages cut into fhreds ; but we have neither any thing to collect the juice of the roaft, nor a plate in which to drefs the fallad 5 but, cut off dexteroufly a whole flice of the bifcuit which is before my door, and thereby procure the ne- ceflary vefiels for holding our fauce and our herbs." The captain eargerly feized this opportunity of difplaying his dexterity. He drew his fabre, k and, with the firft ftroke, cut off a flice half an inch thick, the whole length of the ftone. He then formed in it a place to receive the juice of the roaft ; and the flice which he had cut off ferved as a plate for the cabbages. The fpectators, who were no lels apt to be ftruck with admiration, than capable of exciting it, paid the juft tribute to the eafe and accuracy of the work. In the mean time, Tranchemont, in his turn, felt a great curiofity to fee a calf roafted in a place 384 ARABIAN TALES, place where he fcw no fire, nor coal, nor wood to make one. Strong-back a<5led as turn* fpif, and the fph itfelf refted on two large itones, placed in the middle of a very green plot of grafs. Come, Soufflefeu," (aid Pre- taboire, " do your duty : You are fenfible that there is no occafion to burn the roaft, we need only a gentle and penetrating fire ; manage the matter properly. Soufflefeu was a man of deeds, and not of words; and proportioned his hot breath fo nicely, that he feemed not fo much to roaft, as to gild the immenfe roaft which was turned round before him ; fo that the juice run clown upon the cabbages, which he fet a boiling by fome puffs of fire that he fent to them. The Captain appeared highly delighted with the talents of this cook, and {hewed himfelf eager to give farther proofs of his own. He obferved, that it was impoffible to have a table in the cell of the dervife, on account of a rock of granite, fix feet high, and of equal thicknefs, which occupied the whole xentre. " Stand back a little," faid he to the people who were around him, " I am going to ftrike off, from this little ftone, fomc chips which might ftart into your eyes ; we muft have a place to prepare our table." At the fame time, he ftruck the rock with his fabre, with fo much exactnefs, that every piece which he ARABIAN TALES. 3f he detached from it appeared a table of marble that needed only to be poliflied. " What a terrible arm ! what a valiant fword I" ex- claimed the witnefles of this exploit. " Bro- thers," faid Pretaboire to them, " it is this which muft ihew us the way to glory and to gain." They eagerly cleared the rubbith from the place, which was now freed from this huge ftone, as ugly as it was incommodious. The moft beautiful of the pieces being artfully join- ed together, formed benches around a table, which, vith five or fix frrokes of his fabre, >ad rendered perfectly fquare, and had hoi io we, I out below to make ..room for their legs. " Never did any companion of our labours," f*id Pretaboire, " perform fo neatly that work in which he excelled ! Toujourfdort clapped his belly in token of admiration ; and his gentle rubbings rnsde the cave re-echo with a dreadful found. Meanwhile the cover Tvas laid v Soufflefeu brought the roaft. Wine ! wine !" cried Pretaboire, bringing with him 3 bag of fifty pounds weight of cakes. Strong- back went to bring the tuns; but Tranche- mont, who dreaded the dervife's thirft, thought it his duty to. remind him of his vows : " i.> your penitence ended? ^voly man !"*-" No,* 1 replied Pretaboire, " I muft drink fome cups VOL. If. K k of 386 ARABIAN TALES. of honey and water ; but I referve a pitcher of wine to wafh my mouth." They fat down to table, and every one of them did great juftice to the feaft. , There was but little converfation j however, from time to time, one of the guefts related an exploit of kis own peculiar kind. It was always of the marvellous fort. Towards the middle of the repaft, Pretaboire, having fomewhat blunted the edge of his appetite, calt a look around him. ' Brethren," faid he, " our number is not complete; Grippenuage* and Groffitout are wanting; however, they had the fignal, for Toujourfdort beat the drum fo as to make it be heard at a diftance. As the dervife was making this reflection, the two characters made their appearance at the entrance of the cave. You deferve," faid he, " not to have fo much as a cruft to eat. I refpecl people of a- bilities only when they are regular in their duty, and to-morrow, if you fail in the fervice, you fhall anfwer for it to a more able general than I am : In the mean time, fit down and drink. After dinner, you fhall be informed of moft wonderful things. You are in the prefence of a very great mafter, the illuftrious Captain Tranchemont. We have made choice of him for our general, and we are to pafs in review before him as for me, I am exhibiting proofs * Grippenuagt, ARABIAN TALES- 3 8 ,7 proois of my abilities, as you {hall fee:" Say- ing this, he fwallovred his pitcher full of wine at one draught. The perfons who were juft come in, having nothing to reply, modeftly bowed down, and dinner was ended. Come, brothers," faid Pretaboire, when the repaft was finiihed, we mult pals in re- view, and begin, by making fure of fome dUhes for our fupper. Qnickught ! Aimwell ! Cut-the-air! attend! >.. ^ rt > Qnkkfight, I want an hundred pounds of venifon, in four pieces. Obferve the banks of ould then fee how I would fall upon the coat of mail by which all thefe rafcals are 'protected. This is a plan truly worthy of yourfelf, ge- neral, replied Pretaboire, but the tyrant is fe- cure from fuch an attempt I fvrear by your book, venerable dervife, that I fhali devifc fome plan from which he cannot fecure himfelf but let us go to fupper It is the beft refolu- tion we can at prefent take, faid the derviie, for the roaft would have been cold if Soufflefetf had not kept it warm. The little army were all feated round a well rurnifhed table, lighted by a lamp with three branches,'and converiing about their future plans. " Comrades !" faid Tranchemont, you may depend upon my utmoft exertions to merit your approbation ; but, as you have made me your commander, I warn you that our march fhall be regular and very expeditious I have only drunk one draught of water, and it has made me fkk To-morrow, by funrif?, I will go through the review, I will give my orders j and, the camp being ftruck during the review, I will immediately begin the march. Let us drink one draught of liquor and go to bed, thinking on the victory which awaits us rWere my ftor mach hollow like a well, I will fleep upon thefc flints, as if I were ftretched on a bed of rofes. Let us finiiU what remains, as we are to fct ; ru \iii&'-;aau ' 1521 &,. * >ut ^ 96 ARABIAN TALES. out to-morrow with a great project in our heads 1 We muft beg : n with ftarving the rats in this place, by leaving them not even a cruft to gnaw Let us conclude the banquet , let all the troop follow me, and go to tae camp. It is proper that we fhould fleep in the tent Come, " Quick-light, do you fee any thing by night ?"