One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Then they entered the pavilion, where they found Janshah sitting on the throne; so Shemseh saluted him and sitting down near him, said to him, ‘O fair of face, thou hast undone thyself and me; but tell us thy history, that we may know how it is with thee.’ At these words, he wept till he wet his clothes with his tears; and when she saw that he was distracted for love of her, she rose and taking him by the hand, made him sit by her side and wiped away his tears with her sleeve. Then said she to him, ‘O fair of face, leave this weeping and tell us thy story.’ So he related to her all that had befallen him, whereupon she sighed and said, ‘O my lord, since thou lovest me so dear, give me my clothes, that I may fly to my people and tell them what has passed between thee and me, and after I will come back to thee and carry thee to thine own country.’ When he heard this, he wept and replied, ‘Is it lawful to thee before God to slay me wrongfully?’ ‘O my lord,’ said she, ‘and how shall I do that?’ ‘If I give thee thy clothes,’ rejoined he, ‘thou wilt fly away from me, and I shall die forthright.’

  At this she and her sisters laughed and she said to him, ‘Take comfort and be of good cheer, for I must needs marry thee.’ So saying, she bent down to him and embraced him and kissed him between the eyes and on his cheeks. They clipped each other awhile, after which they drew apart and sat down on the throne. Then the eldest princess went out into the garden and gathering fruits and flowers, brought them into the pavilion, and they ate and drank and sported and made merry. Now Janshah was accomplished in beauty and grace and slender and elegant of shape, and the princess Shemseh said to him, ‘By Allah, O my beloved, I love thee with an exceeding love and will never leave thee!’ When he heard her words, his heart dilated and he laughed for joy; and they abode thus awhile in mirth and gladness.

  Whilst they were laughing and taking their pleasure in the pavilion, Sheikh Nesr returned from the assembly of the birds and came in to them; whereupon they all rose to him and saluted him and kissed his hands. He gave them welcome and bade them be seated. So they sat down and he said to Shemseh, ‘Verily, this youth loves thee with an exceeding love; so, God on thee, deal kindly with him, for he is of the great ones of mankind and of the sons of the kings, and his father rules over the land of Kabul and is possessed of a mighty empire.’ ‘I hear and obey,’ answered she and kissing the Sheikh’s hands, stood before him [in token of respect and obedience]. ‘If thou speak truly,’ said he, ‘swear to me by Allah that thou wilt never betray him, what while thou abidest in the chains of life.’ So she swore a great oath that she would never betray Janshah, but would assuredly marry him, and added, ‘I will never forsake him.’ The Sheikh believed in her oath and said to Janshah, ‘Thanks be to God, who hath made you at one!’ At this the prince rejoiced with an exceeding great joy, and he and Shemseh abode three months with Sheikh Nesr, feasting and making merry.

  At the end of that time, the princess said to Janshah, ‘I wish to go with thee to thy native land, that we may marry and abide there.’ ‘I hear and obey,’ answered he and took counsel with Sheikh Nesr, who bade him go and commended the princess to his care. Then said she, ‘O Sheikh Nesr, bid him give me my feather-vest.’ So the Sheikh bade Janshah give it to her, and he did so; where upon she donned it and said to the prince, ‘Mount my back and keep fast hold of my feathers, lest thou fall off; and do thou shut thine eyes and stop thine ears, so thou mayst not hear the roar of the revolving sphere, as we pass through the air.’ He did as she bade him and Sheikih Nesr described to her the land of Kabul, that she might not miss her way, and bade them farewell, commending the prince to her care. She took leave of her sisters and bade them return to her people and tell them what had befallen her with Janshah; then, rising into the air, she flew off, like the wafts of the wind or the dazzling lightning, and stayed not her course from the forenoon till the hour of afternoon prayer, when she espied afar off a valley abounding in trees and streams and alighted there to rest. Janshah dismounted and kissing her between the eyes, sat with her awhile on the bank of a river there; then they rose and explored the valley, taking their pleasure therein and eating of the fruits of the trees, till nightfall, when they lay down under a tree and slept till the morning.

  As soon as it was day, the princess arose and taking Janshah on her back, flew on with him till mid-day, when she perceived, by the appearance of the landmarks that Sheikh Nesr had described to her, that they were nearing the city of Kabul and alighted in a wide and blooming champaign, wherein were gazelles feeding and springs welling and rivers flowing and trees laden with ripe fruits. So Janshah dismounted and kissed her between the eyes; and she said to him, ‘O my beloved and solace of mine eyes, knowst thou how many days’ journey we have come [since yesterday]?’ ‘No,’ answered he, and she said. ‘We have come thirty months’ journey.’ Quoth he, ‘Praised be God for safety!’ Then they sat down side by side and ate and drank and toyed and laughed.

  Presently, there came up to them two of the King’s servants, of those who had been of the prince’s company in the chase, and one of them was he whom he had left by the horses, when he embarked in the fishing-boat. As soon as they saw Janshah, they knew him and saluted him; then said they, ‘With thy leave, we will go to thy father and bear him the glad tidings of thy coming.’ ‘Go,’ replied the prince, ‘and fetch us tents, for we will abide here seven days to rest ourselves, till he make ready and come forth to meet us, that we may enter in due state.’ So the officers hastened back to King Teigmous and said to him, ‘Good news, O King of the age!’ ‘What is it?’ asked he. ‘Is my son Janshah come back?’ ‘Yes,’ answered they; ‘he has returned from his absence and is now near at hand in the Kerani meadow.’

  When the King heard this, he rejoiced greatly and fell down in a swoon for excess of joy; then, coming to himself, he bade his Vizier give each of the men a splendid dress of honour and a sum of money and said to them, ‘Take this, in reward for your good tidings, whether ye lie or speak sooth.’ ‘Indeed, we lie not,’ replied the slaves, ‘for but now we sat with him and saluted him and kissed his hands, and he bade us go and fetch him tents for that he would abide in the meadow seven days, till such time as the Viziers and Amirs and grandees should come out to meet him.’ Quoth the King, ‘How is it with my son?’ And they answered, ‘He hath with him a houri, as he had brought her out of Paradise.’ At this, the King bade beat the drums and sound the trumpets for gladness and despatched messengers to announce the good news to Janshah’s mother and to the wives of the Amirs and notables. So the criers spread themselves about the city and acquainted the people with the glad tidings of the prince’s coming.

  Then the King made ready and setting out, with his officers and troops, for the meadow, came upon Janshah and Shemseh sitting there. When the prince saw them, he rose and went to meet them; and the troops knew him and dismounted, to salute him and kiss his hands; after which they escorted him to his father, who, at sight of his son, threw himself from his horse’s back and clipped him in his arms and wept sore. Then they took horse again and rode till they came to the banks of a river, when the troops alighted and pitched the tents and pavilions and standards, to the sound of trumpets and cymbals and drums and flutes. Moreover, the King caused set up a pavilion of red silk for the princess Shemseh, who put off her feather raiment and entering the pavilion, sat down there.

  Presently, the King and his son came in to her, and when she saw Teigmous, she rose and kissed the earth before him. The King sat down and seating Janshah on his right hand and Shemseh on his left, bade her welcome and said to his son, ‘Tell me all that hath befallen thee in thine absence.’ So Janshah related to him all his adventures, whereat he marvelled greatly and turning to the princess, said, ‘Praised be God for that He hath put it into thy heart to reunite me with my son! Verily this is of [His] exceeding bounty! And now I would have thee ask of me what thou wilt, that I may do it in thine honour.’ Quoth she, ‘I ask of thee that thou build me a palace in the midst of a garden, with water running under it.’ And the King answ
ered, ‘I hear and obey.’

  As they sat talking, up came Janshah’s mother, attended by all the wives of the Viziers and Amirs and notables of the city. When the prince caught sight of her, he rose and leaving the tent, went to meet her and they embraced a long while, whilst the queen wept for excess of joy and repeated the following verses:

  Joy hath o’ercome me so, that, for the very stress Of that which gladdens me, to weeping I am fain.

  Tears are become, as ‘twere, your nature, O my eyes, So that ye weep as well for gladness as for pain.

  Then the King departed to his pavilion and Janshah carried his mother to his own tent, where they sat talking and complaining, one to the other, of all they had suffered for separation, till there came up some of Shemseh’s attendants, to announce the coming of the princess. When the queen heard this, she rose and going to meet Shemseh, saluted her and seated her by her side. They sat awhile and presently the queen and her attendants returned with Shemseh to the latter’s tent and sat there.

  Meanwhile King Teigmous gave great largesse to his troops and subjects and rejoiced in his son with an exceeding joy, and they abode there ten days, feasting and making merry. At the end of this time, the King commanded to depart, and they all mounted and returned in state to the city, which was decorated after the goodliest fashion, for the folk had adorned the houses with precious stuffs and jewellery and spread costly brocades under the horses’ feet. The drums beat for glad tidings and the notables of the kingdom rejoiced and brought rich gifts, and the lookers on were filled with amazement. Moreover, they fed the poor and needy and held high festival for the space of ten days; and the lady Shemseh rejoiced with an exceeding joy, whenas she saw this.

  Then King Teigmous summoned architects and builders and men of art and bade them build a magnificent palace in such a garden. So they straightway proceeded to do his bidding, and when Janshah knew of this, he bade the workmen fetch a block of white marble and hollow it out in the likeness of a chest; which being done, he took the feather-vest of the princess Shemseh and laid it therein; then, closing the opening with melted lead, he commanded them to bury the marble chest in the foundations and build over it the arches on which the palace was to rest. They did as he bade them, nor was it long before the palace was finished on the goodliest wise. Then they furnished it and it was a magnificent palace, standing in the midst of the garden, with streams running from under it. As soon as it was ready, the King caused Janshah’s wedding to be celebrated with the greatest magnificence and they brought the bride to the castle in state and went their ways.

  When Shemseh entered, she smelt the scent of the feather-vest and knew where it was and had a mind to take it. However, she waited till midnight, when Janshah was drowned in sleep; then rose and going straight to the place where the marble coffer was buried, dug till she came upon it and took it up. She did away the leaden stopper and taking out the feather-vest, put it on. Then she flew up into the air and perching on the summit of the palace, cried out to those who were therein, saying, ‘Fetch me Janshah, that I may bid him farewell.’ So they told him and he came out and seeing her on the roof of the palace, clad in her feather raiment, said to her, ‘Why hast thou done this thing?’ ‘O my beloved and solace of mine eyes and fruit of my heart,’ replied she, ‘by Allah, I love thee passing dear and I rejoice with an exceeding joy in that I have brought thee to thy friends and country and seen thy father and mother. And now, if thou love me as I love thee, come to me at the Castle of Jewels.’

  So saying, she flew away and Janshah fell down in a swoon, being well-nigh dead for despair. His people carried the news to King Teigmous, who mounted at once and riding to the palace, found his son lying on the ground, senseless, whereat he wept and sprinkled rose-water on his face. When the prince came to himself and found his father at his head, he wept passing sore, and the King asked what had befallen him. So he told him what had happened, and the King said, ‘O my son, be not concerned, for I will assemble all the merchants and pilgrims in the land and enquire at them of the Castle of Jewels. If we can find out where it is, we will journey thither and demand the Princess Shemseh of her people, and I hope in God the Most High, that He will give her back to thee.’

  Then he went out and calling his four Viziers, bade them assemble all the merchants and travellers in the town and question them of the Castle of Jewels, adding, ‘Whoso knows it and can direct us thither, I will give him fifty thousand dinars.’ The Viziers accordingly went forth and did as the King bade them, but none could give them news of the Castle of Jewels; so they returned and told the King, who bade bring beautiful slave-girls and concubines and singers and players upon instruments of music, whose like are not found but with kings, and lent them to Janshah, so haply they might divert him from the love of the lady Shemseh. Moreover, he despatched couriers and spies to all the [neighbouring] lands and islands and climes, to enquire for the Castle of Jewels, and they made quest for it two months long, but none could give them news of it. So they returned and told the King, whereupon he wept sore and going in to his son, found him sitting in the midst of the concubines and singers and players on harp and psaltery and so forth, none of whom could avail to console him for the lady Shemseh. ‘O my son,’ said Teigmous, ‘I can find none who knows the Castle of Jewels; but I will bring thee a fairer than she.’ When Janshah heard this, his eyes ran over with tears and he recited the following verses;

  Patience bath fled, but passion abideth and desire, And all my body’s wasted with love and longing dire.

  When will the days unite me with Sheinseh? Lo, my bones Are all consumed and rotted for separation’s fire.

  Now there was a King of Hind, by name Kefid, who reigned over a thousand cities, in each of which were as many citadels; he had four Viziers and under him were kings and princes and Amirs. Moreover, he had great plenty of troops and warriors and champions and under his hand were a thousand chieftains, each ruling over a thousand tribes, that could muster each four thousand cavaliers; and indeed he was a king of great might and prowess and his armies filled the whole earth. Between him and King Teigmous there was a fierce feud, for that the latter had made war upon him and ravaged his kingdom and slain his men and carried off his treasures. So, when it came to King Kefid’s knowledge that King Teigmous was occupied with the love of his son and with concern and care for his sake, so that he neglected the affairs of the state and his troops were grown few and weak, he summoned his viziers and officers and said to them, ‘Ye all know that King Teigmous invaded our dominions and plundered our goods and slew my father and brothers, nor indeed is there one of you, but he hath ravaged his lands and carried off his goods and made prize of his women and slain some kinsman of his. Now to-day I have heard that he is taken up with the love of his son Janshah and that his troops are grown few and weak; and this is the time to take our wreak on him. So don ye your harness of battle forthright and make ready for war without delay, and we will go to him and fall upon him and slay him and his son and possess ourselves of his kingdom.’ They all answered with one voice, saying, ‘We hear and obey,’ and proceeded at once to equip themselves and levy troops.

  The preparations occupied three months, at the end of which time the King set out at the head of his army, with drums beating and trumpets sounding and banners flying, and fared on till they reached the frontiers of the land of Kabul and entered the dominions of King Teigmous, where they began to ravage the country and do havoc among the folk, slaying the old and taking the young prisoners.

  When the news reached King Teigmous, he was exceeding wroth and assembling his grandees and officers of state, said to them, ‘Know that Kefid hath come to our country with troops and champions and warriors, whose number none knoweth save God the Most High, and is minded to do battle against us; what deem ye?’ ‘O King of the age,’ replied they, ‘let us go out to him and give him battle and drive him forth of our country.’ So he commanded them to prepare for battle and brought forth to them hauberks and cuirasses and helme
ts and swords and all manner warlike gear, such as slay warriors and do to death the champions of mankind. So the troops and warriors and champions flocked to the standards and King Teigmous marched out at the head of his army, with drums and cymbals beating and flutes and clarions sounding and banners flying, to meet the army of Hind.

  When he drew near the foe, he called a halt and encamping with his host in the Valley of Zehran, hard by the frontier, despatched to King Kefid the following letter:’Know that what thou hast done is of the fashion of the lewd rabble and wert thou indeed a king, the son of a king, thou hadst not thus invaded my kingdom and slain my subjects and done unright upon them. Knowest thou not that all this is the fashion of a tyrant? Verily, had I known that thou wouldst dare to invade my dominions, I had come to thee and prevented thee therefrom this long while since. Yet, even now, if thou wilt retire and leave mischief between us and thee, well and good; but if not, come out to me in the listed field and measure thyself with me in fair fight.’ This letter he committed to an officer of his army and sent with him spies to spy him out news.