One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  The folk marvelled at his story and at the frightfulness of his favour, and the Amir Mousa said, ‘There is no god but God! Of a truth Solomon was gifted with a mighty dominion.’ Then said the Sheikh Abdussemed to the genie, ‘Harkye, I would fain ask thee of a thing, whereof do thou inform us.’ ‘Ask what thou wilt,’ answered Dahish and the Sheikh said, ‘Are there hereabouts any of the Afrits imprisoned in vessels of brass in the time of Solomon, on whom be peace?’ ‘Yes,’ replied the genie; ‘there be such in the sea of El Kerker, on the shores whereof dwell a people of the lineage of Noah, on whom be peace; for their country was not reached by the Deluge and they are cut off there from the [other] sons of Adam.’ ‘And which,’ asked Abdussemed, ‘is the way to the City of Brass and the place wherein are the vessels of Solomon, and what distance is there between us and it?’ Quoth the Afrit, ‘It is near at hand,’ and directed them in the way thither.

  So they left him and fared on till there appeared to them, afar off, a great blackness and therein two fires facing one another, and the Amir Mousa said to the Sheikh, ‘What is yonder vast blackness and its twin fires?’ ‘Rejoice, O Amir,’ answered the guide; ‘for this is the City of Brass, as it is described in the Book of Hidden Treasures. Its walls are of black stone and it hath two towers of Andalusian brass, which appear to the beholder in the distance as they were twin fires, and hence is it named the City of Brass.’

  Then they fared on without ceasing till they drew near the city and saw it as it were a piece of a mountain or a mass of iron cast in a mould. So they lighted down and sought for a gate, but saw none neither found any trace of opening in the walls, albeit there were five-and-twenty gates to the city, but none of them was visible from without. Then said the Amir, ‘O Sheikh, I see no sign of any gate to this city;’ and he answered, saying, ‘O Amir, thus is it described in my Book of Hidden Treasures; it hath five-and-twenty gates, but none thereof may be opened save from within the city.’ ‘And how,’ asked Mousa, ‘shall we do to enter the city and view its wonders!’ ‘May God assain the Amir!’ said Talib. ‘Let us rest here two or three days, and God willing, we will make shift to come into the city.’

  Then Mousa bade one of his men mount a camel and ride round about the city, so haply he should light upon a gate or breach by which they might enter. So he mounted and rode round the city two days and two nights, without drawing rein to rest, but found the wall thereof as it were one block, without breach or way of ingress; and on the third day, he came again in sight of his companions, amazed at what he had seen of the extent and loftiness of the place, and said, ‘O Amir, the easiest place of access is this where you are encamped.’ Then Mousa took Talib and Abdussemed and ascended a high hill that overlooked the town. When they reached the top, they turned and beheld beneath them a city, never saw eyes a greater or goodlier, full of lofty palaces and glittering domes and fair-builded mansions and running streams and orchards laden with fruit and flowered pleasaunces, a gated city and an inexpugnable; but it was silent and deserted, without sound or movement or sign of life, except the hooting of the owl in its market-places and the wheel of the birds over its gardens and the croak of ravens in its streets and thoroughfares, bewailing those that had been therein.

  The Amir stood awhile, sorrowing for the desolation of the city and saying, ‘Glory to Him whom nor ages nor times change, Him who created all things of His might!’ Presently, he chanced to look aside and caught sight of seven tablets of white marble afar off. So he drew near them and finding inscriptions graven thereon, called the Sheikh and bade him read these. Accordingly, he came forward and examining the inscriptions, found that they contained matter of admonition and warning and restraint to those of understanding. On the first tablet was inscribed, in the ancient Greek character, the following: ‘O son of Adam, how heedless art thou of that which is before thee! Verily, thy years and months and days have diverted thee therefrom. Knowest thou not that the cup of death is filled for thee and that ere long thou must drain it to the dregs? Look to thyself before thou enter thy grave. Where be they who held the dominion over the lands and abased God’s servants and led armies? By Allah, the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies and the Devastator of inhabited houses came down upon them and transported them from their spacious palaces to the narrow room of the grave.’

  And at the foot of the tablet were written the following verses:

  Where be the kings and where be they the earth who peopled? Where? That which they built thereon they left and to the grave did fare.

  There, after death had razed them out, corruption they became, Pledged to the tomb to answer that they did and wrought whilere.

  Where be the armies that they raised, the wealth they garnered up? Nothing they served to ward off death or bribe him to forbear.

  The Lord of the Ninth Heaven’s decree fell down on them in haste: Strongholds and treasures thereagainst all unavailing were.

  When the Amir heard this, he cried out and the tears ran down his cheeks and he exclaimed, ‘By Allah, it is surest and most fitting to abstain from the world!’ And he called for inkhorn and paper and wrote down what was graven on the tablet.

  Then he drew near the second tablet and found these words graven thereon: ‘O son of Adam, what hath seduced thee [from the service of] the Ancient of Days and made thee forget that thou must one day pay the debt of death? Knowest thou not, thou that takest thought unto the world and cleavest fast thereto, that it is a perishing dwelling, wherein there is abiding for none? Where be the kings who peopled Irak and possessed the four quarters of the world? Where be they who peopled Ispahan and the land of Khorassan? The voice of the summoner of death called them and they answered him, and the herald of destruction hailed them and they replied, saying, “Here are we.” Verily, that which they builded and fortified profited them not, neither did what they had gathered and provided [against a time of stress] avail for their defence.’

  And at the foot of the tablet were graven the following verses:

  Where be they these halls who builded and their galleries reared on high, Galleries whose stately fashion nought resembles neath the sky

  Armies levied they and warriors, in their fear of him delights Who undoth; but they availed not, when th’ appointed day drew nigh.

  Where be the Chosroës, sovereigns of the strengths that none might storm? As they’d never been, the countries have they left and fleeted by.

  The Amir wept and exclaimed, ‘By Allah, we are indeed created for a grave matter!’ Then he copied the above inscription and passed on to the third tablet, whereon was written what follows: ‘O son of Adam, thou busiest thee with the love of the world and neglectest the commandment of thy Lord. All the days of thy life pass by and thou art content to live thus. Make ready thy provision against the appointed day and prepare to answer the Lord of all creatures.’

  And at the foot were written these verses:

  Where’s he who peopled all the lands, both Hind and Sind, of yore? He who transgressed and sinned and played the tyrant heretofore?

  Ethiops and Abyssinians all unto his beck did bow, What while himself he magnified and arrogantly bore.

  Look not for news of that which is within his tomb, for thou One who can tidings give of this shalt meet with nevermore.

  The stroke of imminent death on him fell and from its assault Not all the halls he built could save nor all his hoarded store.

  At this Mousa wept sore, then, going on to the fourth tablet, he read the following inscription thereon: ‘O son of Adam, how long shall thy Lord bear with thee and thou every day sunken in the sea of thy delight? Hath it then been revealed unto thee that thou shalt not die? O son of Adam, let not the deceitful delights of thy days and nights and hours delude thee, but remember that death lieth in wait for thee, ready to spring on thy shoulders, nor doth a day pass but he riseth with thee in the morning and lieth down with thee by night. Beware, then, of his onset and make provision thereagainst. As it was with me, so is it with thee; tho
u wastest thy whole life and squanderest the delight of thy days. Hearken, therefore, to my rede and put thy trust in the Lord of Lords; for there is no stability in the world; it is but as a spider’s web.’

  And at the foot of the tablet were written the following verses:

  Where’s he who traced the house and builded it forthright And fortified its walls and reared it to the height?

  Where be the castles’ lords? They who abode therein Departed have the strengths they governed, every wight.

  All lie within the tombs, in pledge against the day Whereon the secret things shall all be brought to light.

  None but the Most High God endureth without cease, The ever Worship-worth, Lord of all power and might.

  When the Amir read this, he swooned away and [presently coming to himself] marvelled exceedingly and wrote it down. Then he drew near the fifth tablet and behold, thereon was graven what follows: ‘O son of Adam, what is it distracts thee from the obedience of thy Creator and the Author of thy being, Him who reared thee, whenas thou wast little, and fed thee, whenas thou grewest up? Thou art ungrateful for His bounty, albeit He watcheth over thee with His favours, letting down the curtain of His protection over thee. Needs must there be for thee a time more bitter than aloes and hotter than live coals. Provide thee, therefore, against it; for who shall sweeten its bitterness or quench its flaming fires? Bethink thee who forewent thee of peoples and heroes and take warning by them, ere thou perish.’

  And at the foot of the tablet were graven the following verses:

  Where be the kings of the kings of the earth? Indeed, they are sped, And here, with that which they gathered, they lie in the graveyard’s bed.

  Once, when they mounted, thou’dst see, in the train of their glory, troops That filled the lands, when they mounted, and over the countries spread.

  How many a monarch they humbled, how many an army destroyed! How much in their day they conquered, and how much blood did they shed!

  Upon them, in haste, the commandment o’ the Lord of the heavens came And after a life all untroubled, o’erthrown were they sudden and dead.

  The Amir marvelled at this and wrote it down; after which he passed on to the sixth tablet and found thereon the following inscription: ‘O son of Adam, think not that immunity will endure [for ever,] seeing that death is irrevocably decreed unto thy head. Where be thy fathers and thy brethren, where thy friends and dear ones? They have all gone to the dust of the tombs and presented themselves before the Glorious, the Forgiving One, as if they had never eaten nor drunken, and they are a pledge for that which they have earned. So look to thyself, ere thy tomb come upon thee.’

  And at the foot of the tablet were graven these verses:

  Where be the kings of the kings of the Franks and where Is he who, I trow, abode in Tenjeh whilere?

  Their works in a book are written, which to the One, The Almighty, one day shall witness against them bear.

  At this Mousa marvelled and wrote it down, saying, ‘There is no god but God! Indeed, how goodly were these folk!’ Then he went up to the seventh tablet and behold, thereon was written what follows: ‘Glory to Him who fore-ordaineth death to all He createth, the Living One, who dieth not! O son of Adam, let not thy days and their delights delude thee, neither thine hours and the sweet of their tides, and know that death cometh to thee and sitteth upon thy shoulders. Beware, then, of his assault and make ready for his onset. As it was with me, so is it with thee; thou wasteth the sweet of thy life and the delight of thine hours. Give ear, then, to my rede and put thy trust in the Lord of Lords and know that there is no stability in the world, but it is as it were a spider’s web and all that is therein shall cease and die. Where is he who laid the foundations of Amid and builded it and builded Farikin and exalted it? Where be the peoples of the strong places? Whenas they had inhabited them [awhile], they descended, after their might, into the tombs. They have been carried off [by death] and we shall be [in like manner] afflicted. None abideth save God the Most High, God the Forgiving One.’

  The Amir Mousa wept and copied all this, and indeed the world was belittled in his eyes. Then he descended the hill and rejoined his troops, with whom he passed the rest of the day, casting about for a means of access to the city. And he said to his Vizier [and] Talib ben Sehl and his chief officers, ‘How shall we do to enter this city and view its marvels? It may be we shall find therein wherewithal to propitiate the favour of the Commander of the Faithful.’ ‘God prolong the Amir’s fortune!’ replied Talib. ‘Let us make a ladder and mount the wall therewith, so haply we may come at the gate from within.’ Quoth the Amir, ‘This is what came to my thought also, and it is good counsel.’ And he called for carpenters and blacksmiths and bade them cut wood and make a ladder clamped and banded with iron. So they made a strong ladder and wrought at it a whole month. Then all the company laid hold of it and set it up against the wall, and it reached the top as truly as if it had been made for it aforetime. The Amir marvelled at the excellence of their work and said, ‘The blessing of God be upon you! It seemeth as though ye had taken the measure of the wall.’ Then said he to his men, ‘Which of you will mount the ladder and walk along the wall and cast about for a way of descending into the city, so to see how the case stands and let us know how we may open the gate?’ Quoth one of them, ‘I will go up, O Amir, and descend and open to you.’ And Mousa answered, saying, ‘Go and the blessing of God go with thee!’

  So he mounted the ladder; but, when he came to the top of the wall, he stood up and gazed fixedly down into the city, then clapped his hands and crying out, at the top of his voice, ‘By Allah, thou art fair!’ cast himself down into the place and was dashed to pieces. Quoth Mousa, ‘By Allah, the man is destroyed!’ But another came up to him and said, ‘O Amir, this was a madman and doubtless his madness got the better of him and undid him. I will go up and open the gate to you, if it be the will of God the Most High.’ ‘Go,’ replied Mousa, ‘and may God bless thee! But beware lest thou lose thy head, even as did he.’ Then the man mounted the ladder, but no sooner had he reached the top of the wall than he laughed aloud and saying, ‘Well done! Well done!’ cast himself down into the city and died forthright.

  When the Amir saw this, he said, ‘If this be the fashion of a reasonable man, what is that of the madman? If all our men do thus, we shall have none left and shall fail of our errand and that of the Commander of the Faithful. Let us depart hence, for we have no concern with this city.’ But another of the company said, ‘Peradventure another may be steadier than they.’ So a third mounted the wall and a fourth and a fifth and all cried out and cast themselves down, even as did the first; nor did they leave to do thus, till a dozen had perished.

  Then said the Sheikh Abdussemed, ‘This adventure is reserved for none other than myself, for the man of experience is not like the inexperienced.’ Quoth the Amir, ‘Indeed, I will not have thee go up, for thou art our guide and if thou perish, we shall all be cut off to the last man.’ But he answered, saying, ‘Peradventure, that which we seek may be accomplished at my hands, by the grace of God the Most High.’ So they all agreed to let him go up, and he arose and heartening himself, said, ‘In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful!’ and mounted the ladder, calling on the name of God and reciting the Verses of Safety. When he reached the top of the wall, he clapped his hands and gazed fixedly down into the city; whereupon the folk below cried out to him with one accord, saying, ‘O Sheikh Abdussemed, for God’s sake cast not thyself down!’ And they said, ‘Verily, we are God’s and to Him we return! If the Sheikh fall, we are all dead men.’

  Then he laughed long and loud and sat a great while, reciting the names of God and repeating the Verses of Safety; then he rose and cried out at the top of his voice saying, ‘O Amir, have no fear: no hurt shall betide you, for God (to whom belong might and majesty) hath averted from me the wiles and malice of Satan, by the blessing of the words, “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful!”’ ‘O Sheikh,’ quoth Mous
a, ‘what didst thou see?’ ‘When I came to the top of the wall,’ answered Abdussemed, ‘I saw ten maidens, as they were moons, calling and beckoning to me with their hands, as who should say, “Come hither to us;” and meseemed there was below me a lake of water. Therewith I thought to throw myself down, when behold, I espied my twelve companions lying dead, so I restrained myself and recited somewhat of the book of God the Most High, whereupon He dispelled from me the damsels’ wiles and sorceries and they disappeared. And doubtless this was an enchantment devised by the people of the city, to repel those who should seek to enter the place.’

  Then he walked on along the wall, till he came to the two towers of brass [from which the city took its name,] and saw therein two gates of gold, without locks or visible means of opening; whereat he marvelled and gazed about him awhile, till he espied, amiddleward one of the gates, a horseman of brass with hand outstretched, as if pointing, and thereon somewhat written. So he went up to it and read these words: ‘Turn the pin in my navel twelve times, and the gate will open.’ Accordingly, he examined the horseman’s body and finding in his navel a pin of gold, firm-set and curiously wrought, turned it twelve times, whereupon the horseman revolved like the blinding lightning and the gate swung open with a noise like thunder. He entered and found himself in a long passage, which brought him down some steps into a guardroom, furnished with goodly benches, whereon sat men dead, with richly wrought targets and keen swords and bended bows and arrows on the string hanging at their heads.

  Passing on, he came to the outer gate and finding it secured with curiously wrought locks and bars and bolts and other fastenings of wood and iron, said in himself, ‘Belike the keys are with yonder dead folk.’ So he turned back to the guardroom and seeing, amongst the dead soldiers, an old man seated upon a high bench, who seemed the chiefest of them, said in himself, ‘Who knows but they are with this old man? Doubtless he was the seneschal of the city, and these others were under his hand.’ So he went up to him and lifting his gown, saw the keys hanging to his girdle, whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and was like to fly for gladness. Then he took them and going up to the gate, undid the locks and drew back the bolts and bars, whereupon the great gate swung open with a noise like the pealing thunder. At this he cried out, saying, ‘God is most great!’ And the folk without answered him with the same words, rejoicing and thanking him for his deed.