One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

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  When I had made an end of this song, there was not one of them but rose to his feet and threw himself to the ground, for excess of delight. Then I cast the lute from my hand; but they said, “Allah on thee, let us hear another song, so God increase thee of His bounty!” “O folk,” replied I, “I will sing you another song and another and another and will tell you who I am. Know that I am Ishac ben Ibrahim el Mausili, and by Allah, I bear myself haughtily to the Khalif, when he seeks me. Ye have today made me hear [abuse from] an unmannerly fellow such as I loathe; and by Allah, I will not speak a word nor sit with you, till ye put yonder quarrelsome churl out from among you!” Quoth the latter’s companion to him, “This is what I feared and warned thee against.” So they took him by the hand and put him out; and I took the lute and sang over again the songs of my fashion that the damsel had sung. Then I whispered the host that she had taken my heart and that I had no patience to endure from her. Quoth he, “Thou shalt have her and all that pertains to her of clothes and jewels, on one condition.” “What is that?” asked I. “It is,” answered he, “that thou abide with me a month.” “It is well,” rejoined I; “I will do this.” So I abode with him a whole month, whilst none knew where I was and the Khalif sought me everywhere, but could come by no news of me; and at the end of this time, the merchant delivered to me the damsel, together with all that pertained to her of things of price and an eunuch to attend her.

  I brought her to my lodging, feeling as I were lord of the whole world, for stress of delight in her; then rode forthright to El Mamoun. When he saw me, he said, “Out on thee, O Isaac, where hast thou been all this while?” I acquainted him with the story and he said, “Bring me the man at once.” So I told him where he dwelt, and he sent and fetched him and questioned him of the case; whereupon he repeated the story and the Khalif said to him, “Thou art a man of a generous mind, and it is just that thou be upheld in thy generosity.” Then he ordered him a hundred thousand dirhems and said to me, “O Isaac, bring me the damsel.” So I brought her to him, and she sang and delighted him. He was greatly gladdened by her and ordered her fifty thousand dirhems, saying to me, “I appoint her of service every Thursday, when she must come and sing to me from behind the curtain.” So, by Allah, this ride of mine was a source of profit both to me and to others.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE THREE UNFORTUNATE LOVERS.

  (Quoth El Utbi), I was sitting one day with a company of men of culture, telling stories of the folk, when the talk turned upon anecdotes of lovers and each of us said his say thereon. Now there was in our company an old man, who remained silent, till we had all spoken and had no more to say, when he said, “Shall I tell you a thing, the like of which you never heard?” “Yes,” answered we; and he said, “Know, then, that I had a daughter, who loved a youth, but we knew it not. The youth in question loved a singing-girl, who, in her turn, was enamoured of my daughter. One day, I was present at an assembly, where were also the young man and the girl; when the latter sang the following verses:

  Tears are the token by which, for love, Abjection in lovers

  still is shown,

  And more by token in one who finds No friend, to whom he may

  make his moan.

  ‘By Allah, thou hast said well, O my lady!’ exclaimed the youth. ‘Doss thou bid me die?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the girl from behind the curtain, ‘if thou be in love.’ So he laid his head on a cushion and closed his eyes; and when the cup came round to him, we shook him and found that he was dead. Therewith we all flocked to him, and our joy was troubled and we grieved and broke up forthright. When I came home, my people taxed me with returning before the appointed time, and I told them what had befallen the youth, thinking to surprise them. My daughter heard my words and rising, went into another chamber, whither I followed her and found her lying, with her head on a cushion, as I had told of the young man. I shook her and behold, she was dead. So we laid her out and set forth next morning with her funeral, whilst the friends of the young man carried him out, likewise, to bury him. As we were on the way to the burial-place, we met a third funeral and enquiring whose it was, were told that it was that of the singing-girl, who, hearing of my daughter’s death, had done even as she and was dead. So we buried them all three on one day, and this is the rarest story that ever was heard of lovers.”

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE LOVERS OF THE BENOU TAI.

  Quoth a man of the Benou Temim (cited by Casim ben Adi), I went out one day in search of a stray beast and coming to the waters of the Benou Tai, saw two companies of people, near one another, and those of each company were disputing among themselves. So I watched them and observed, in one of the companies, a young man, wasted with sickness, as he were a worn-out water-skin. As I looked on him, he repeated the following verses:

  What ails the fair that she returneth not to me? Is’t

  grudgingness in her or inhumanity?

  I sickened, and my folk to visit me came all. Why ‘mongst the

  visitors wast thou then not to see?

  Hadst thou been sick, I would have hastened to thy side; Nor

  menaces nor threats had hindered me from thee.

  I miss thee midst the rest, and desolate am I: Thy loss, my

  heart’s abode, is grievous unto me.

  A damsel in the other company heard his words and hastened towards him. Her people followed her, but she repelled them with blows. Then the youth caught sight of her and ran towards her, whilst his people ran after him and laid hold of him. However, he struggled, till he freed himself from them, and she in like manner loosed herself; and they ran to each other and meeting between the two parties, embraced and fell down dead.

  Thereupon there came out an old man from one of the tents and stood over them, weeping sore and exclaiming, “Verily, we are God’s and to Him we return!” Then, “May God the Most High have mercy on you both!” said he. “By Allah, though you were not united in your lives, I will at least unite you after death.” And he bade lay them out. So they washed them and shrouded them in one shroud and buried them in one grave, after they had prayed over them; nor were there men nor women in the two parties but I saw weeping over them and buffeting their faces. Then I questioned the old man of them, and he said, “She was my daughter and he my brother’s son; and love brought them to this pass.” “May God amend thee!” exclaimed I. “But why didst thou not marry them to one another?” Quoth he, “I feared reproach and dishonour; and now I am fallen upon both.”

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE MAD LOVER.

  (Quoth Aboulabbas el Muberred), I set out one day with a company to El Berid on an occasion, and coming to the monastery of Heraclius, we alighted in its shade. Presently a man came out to us and said, “There are madmen in the monastery, and amongst them one who speaketh wisdom; if ye saw him, ye would marvel at his speech.” So we arose all and went into the monastery, where we saw a man seated on a leather mat in one of the cells, with bare head and eyes fixed upon the wall. We saluted him, and he returned our greeting, without looking at us; and one said to us, “Repeat some verses to him; for, when he hears verses, he speaks.” So I repeated the following verses:

  O best of all the race whom Eve gave birth unto, Except for

  thee the world were neither sweet nor bright:

  Thou’rt he, whose face if God unveil to any man, Eternity is

  his; his head shall ne’er grow white.

  When he heard this, he turned towards us and repeated these lines:

  God indeed knows that I am sore afflicted: I suffer so, I

  cannot tell the whole.

  I have two souls; one in this place is dwelling; Another

  country holds my second soul.

  Meseems the absent one is like the present And wearies under

  the same weight of dole.

  Quoth he, “Have I said well or i
ll?” “Thou hast said well and excellent well,” replied we. Then he put out his hand and took a stone, that was by him; whereupon we fled from him, thinking he would throw it at us; but he fell to beating his breast therewith violently and said to us, “Fear not, but draw near and hear somewhat from me and receive it from me.” So we came back, and he repeated the following verses:

  When they made their beasts of burden kneel as day drew nigh

  and nigher, Then they mounted and the camels bore away my

  heart’s desire, —

  When my eyes perceived my loved one through the crannied

  prison-wall, Then I cried, with streaming eyelids and a

  heart for love a-fire,

  “Turn thou leader of the camels, let me bid my love farewell!”

  For her absence and estrangement, life and hope in me

  expire.

  Still I kept my troth and failed not from her love; ah, would I

  knew What she did with that our troth-plight, if she kept

  her faith entire!

  Then he looked at me and said, “Dost thou know what she did?” “Yes,” answered I, “she is dead; may God the Most High have mercy on her!” At this his face changed and he sprang to his feet and cried out, “How knowest thou she is dead?” “Were she alive,” answered I, “she had not left thee thus.” “By Allah, thou art right,” said he, “and I care not to live after her.” Then his nerves quivered and he fell on his face; and we ran up to him and shook him and found him dead, the mercy of God be on him! At this we marvelled and mourned sore for him and laid him out and buried him. When I returned to Baghdad and went in to the Khalif El Mutawekkil, he saw the trace of tears on my face and said to me, “What is this?” So I told him what had passed, and it was grievous to him and he said, “What moved thee to deal thus with him? By Allah, if I thought thou didst this with intent, I would punish thee therefor!” And he mourned for him the rest of the day.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE APPLES OF PARADISE.

  (Quoth Abou Bekr Mohammed ibn el Ambari), I once left Ambar, on a journey to Ammouriyeh, in the land of the Greeks, , and alighted midway at the monastery of El Anwar, , in a village near Ammouriyeh, where there came out to me the prior of the monastery and superior of the monks, Abdulmesih by name, and brought me into the monastery. There I found forty monks, who entertained me that night with the most liberal hospitality, and I saw among them such abounding piety and diligence in devotion as I never beheld the like of in any others. On the morrow, I took leave of them and went on to Ammouriyeh, where I did my business and returned to Ambar [without again visiting the monastery].

  Next year it befell that I made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and as I was compassing the Holy House, behold, I saw Abdulmesih the monk also making the circuit of the Kaabeh, and with him five of his fellows, the monks. When I was certified that it was indeed he, I accosted him, saying, “Art thou not Abdulmesih er Rahib?” “Nay,” answered he; “I am Abdallah er Raghib.” Therewith I fell to kissing his hoary hairs and weeping; then, taking him by the hand, I led him aside into a corner of the sanctuary and said to him, “Tell me the manner of thy conversion to Islam.” “It was a wonder of wonders,” answered he; “and befell thus. Know that, not long after thy visit to us, a company of Muslim devotees came to the village, in which is our monastery, and sent a youth to buy them food. He saw, in the market, a Christian damsel selling bread, who was of the fairest of women, and became then and there so passionately enamoured of her, that his senses failed him and he fell on his face in a swoon. When he revived, he returned to his companions and told them what had happened, saying, ‘Go ye about your business; I may not go with you.’ They blamed him and exhorted him, but he paid no heed to them; so they left him and went on, whilst he entered the village and seated himself at the door of the woman’s shop. She asked him what he wanted, and he told her that he was in love with her, whereupon she turned from him; but he abode in his place three days, without tasting food, with his eyes fixed on her face.

  When she saw that he departed not from her, she went to her people and acquainted them with her case, and they set the boys of the village on him, who pelted him with stones and bruised his ribs and broke his head; but, for all this, he would not budge. Then the people of the village took counsel together to kill him; but one of them came to me and told me of his condition, and I went out to him and found him lying prostrate on the ground. So I wiped the blood from his face and carried him to the convent, where I dressed his wounds, and he abode with me fourteen days. But, as soon as he could walk, he left the convent and returned to the door of the woman’s shop, where he sat gazing on her as before. When she saw him, she came out to him and said, ‘By Allah, thou movest me to pity! If thou wilt enter my faith, I will marry thee.’ ‘God forbid,’ answered he, ‘that I should put off the faith of the Unity and enter that of Plurality!’ Quoth she, ‘Come in with me to my house and take thy will of me and go thy ways in peace.’ ‘Not so,’ answered he, ‘I will not barter the pious service of twelve years for the lust of a moment.’ ‘Then depart from me forthright,’ said she; and he rejoined, ‘My heart will not suffer me to do that;’ whereupon she turned her face from him. Presently the boys found him out and began to throw stones at him; and he fell on his face, saying, ‘Verily, God is my keeper, who sent down the Book and who protecteth the righteous!’ At this juncture, I sallied forth and driving away the boys, lifted his head from the ground and heard him say, ‘O my God, unite me with her in Paradise!’ Then I took him in my arms, to carry him to the monastery; but he died, before I could reach it, and I dug him a grave without the village and buried him there.

  In the middle of that night, the people of the village heard the damsel give a great cry, and she in her bed; so they flocked to her and questioned her of her case. Quoth she, ‘As I slept, the Muslim [who ye wot of] came in to me and taking me by the hand, carried me to the gate of Paradise; but the keeper denied me entrance, saying, “It is forbidden to unbelievers.” So I embraced Islam at his hands and entering with him, beheld therein palaces and trees, such as I cannot describe to you. Moreover, he brought me to a pavilion of jewels and said to me, “This is my pavilion and thine, nor will I enter it except with thee; but, after five nights, thou shalt be with me therein, if it be the will of God the Most High.” Then, putting his hand to a tree that grew at the door of the pavilion, he plucked therefrom two apples and gave them to me, saying, “Eat this and keep the other, that the monks may see it.” So I ate one of them and never tasted I aught sweeter than it. Then he took my hand and carried me back to my house; and when I awoke, I found the taste of the apple in my mouth and the other in my hand.’ So saying, she brought out the apple, and it shone in the darkness of the night, as it were a sparkling star. So they carried her to the monastery, where she repeated to us her vision and showed us the apple; never saw we its like among all the fruits of the world. Then I took a knife and cut the apple into as many pieces as we were folk in the company; and never knew we aught more delicious than its taste nor sweeter than its scent; but we said, ‘Haply this was a devil that appeared to her, to seduce her from her faith.’ Then her people took her and went away; but she abstained from eating and drinking till the fifth night, when she rose from her bed and going forth the village to the grave of the young Muslim, threw herself upon it and died.

  Her people knew not what was come of her; but, on the morrow, there came to the village two Muslim elders, clad in hair- cloth, and with them two women in like garb, and said, ‘O people of the village, with you is a woman of the friends of God, who died a Muslim, and we will take charge of her, instead of you.’ So the damsel’s family sought her and found her dead on the young Muslim’s grave; and they said, ‘This our sister died in our faith, and we will take charge of her.’ ‘Not so,’ rejoined the two old men; ‘she died a Muslim and we claim her.’ And the dispute waxed hot between them, till one of the Muslims said, ‘Be this the tes
t of her faith. Let the forty monks of the monastery come all and [essay to] lift her from the grave. If they succeed, then she died a Nazarene; if not, one of us shall come and lift her up, and if she yield to him, she died a Muslim.’ The villagers agreed to this and fetched the forty monks, who heartened each other and came to her, to lift her, but could not. Then we tied a great rope about her middle and tugged at it with our might; but the rope broke in sunder, and she stirred nor; and the villagers came and joined their endeavour to ours, but could not move her from her place. At last, when all our devices failed, we said to one of the two old Muslims, ‘Come thou and lift her.’ So he went up to the grave and covering her with his mantle, said, ‘In the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful, and of the Faith of the Apostle of God, on whom be peace and salvation!’ Then he lifted her and taking her in his bosom, betook himself with her to a cave hard by, where they laid her, and the two women came and washed her and shrouded her. Then the two elders bore her to the young Muslim’s grave and prayed over her and buried her by his side and went their way.

  Now we were witness of all this; and when we were alone with one another, we said, ‘Of a verity, the Truth is most worthy to be followed; and indeed it hath been publicly manifested to us, nor is it possible to have a clearer proof of the truth of Islam than that we have seen this day with our eyes.’ So I and all the monks embraced Islam and on like wise did the people of the village; and we sent to the people of Mesopotamia for a doctor of the law, to instruct us in the ordinances of Islam and the canons of the Faith. They sent us a pious man, who taught us the rites of devotion and the tenets of the faith and the service of God; and we are now in great good case. To God be the praise and the thanks!”

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents