One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  When the King’s soldiers saw what had befallen, they renounced the worship of the idol and drawing their swords, slew the King; after which they fell on one another, and the sword went round amongst them three days, till there abode alive but two men, one of whom overcame the other and killed him. Then the boys attacked the survivor and slew him and fell to fighting amongst themselves, till they were all killed; and the women and girls fled to the hamlets and villages; wherefore the city became desert and none dwelt therein but the owl.

  Meanwhile, the Marid Zelzal flew with Gherib towards his own country, the Islands of Camphor and the Castle of Crystal and the land of the Enchanted Calf, so called because its King, Muzelzel, had a pied calf which he clad in housings of gold brocade and worshipped as a god. One day, the King and his people went in to the calf and found him trembling; so the King said, ‘O my god, what hath troubled thee?’ Whereupon the Satan in the calf’s belly cried out and said, ‘O Muzelzel, thy son hath deserted to the faith of Abraham the Friend, at the hands of Gherib, King of Irak.’ When the King heard this, he was confounded and going forth, sat down upon his throne. Then he summoned his grandees and told them what be had heard from the idol, whereat they marvelled and said, ‘What shall we do, O King?’ Quoth he, ‘When my son comes and ye see me embrance him, do ye lay hold of him.’ And they said, ‘We hear and obey.’

  After two days came Zelzal and Gherib, with the King’s idol of Kerej, but no sooner had they entered the palace gate than the Jinn seized on them and carried them before Muzelzel, who looked at his son with angry eyes and said to him, ‘O dog of a genie, hast thou left thy faith and that of thy fathers and grandfathers?’ Quoth Zelzal, ‘I have embraced the true faith, and thou, do thou likewise and thou shalt be saved from the wrath of the Almighty King, Creator of Night and Day.’ Therewith his father waxed wroth and said, ‘O whoreson, dost thou affront me with these words?’ Then he bade clap him in prison and turning to Gherib, said to him, ‘O wretch of a mortal, how hast thou abused my son’s wit and seduced him from his faith?’ Quoth Gherib, ‘Indeed, I have brought him out of error into the way of righteousness, out of Hell into Paradise and out of idolatry to the true faith.’ Whereupon the King cried out to a Marid called Siyyar, saying, ‘Take this dog and cast him into the Valley of Fire, that he may perish.’

  Now this valley was situate in the desert quarter of the world and was so named by reason of the excess of its heat and the flaming of its fire, which was so fierce that none who fell therein could live an hour, but was destroyed; and it was compassed about by high and slippery mountains, wherein was no opening. So Siyyar took up Gherib and flew with him towards the Valley of Fire, till he came within an hour’s journey thereof, when, being aweary, he alighted in a valley full of trees and streams and fruits, and setting down Gherib, chained as he was, fell asleep for weariness. When Gherib saw that he slept and heard him snore, be strove with his bonds till he burst them; then, taking up a heavy stone, he cast it down on the Marid’s head and crushed his bones, so that he died forthright. Then he fared on into the valley and found himself in a great island in mid-ocean, full of all fruits, that lips and tongue could desire. So he abode alone on the island, drinking of its waters and eating of its fruits and of fish that he caught, and days and years passed over him, till he had sojourned there seven years.

  One day, as he sat, there came down on him from the air two Marids, each carrying a man; and they said to him, ‘Who art thou, O fellow, and of which of the tribes art thou?’ Now they took him for a genie, because his hair was grown long; and he replied, saying, ‘I am no genie,’ and told them all that had befallen him; whereupon they grieved for him and said, ‘Abide here till we carry these two lambs to our king, that he may make the morning meal of the one and sup on the other, and after we will come back and carry thee to thine own country.’ He thanked them and said, ‘Where are the lambs?’ Quoth they, ‘These two mortals are the lambs.’ And Gherib said, ‘I crave the protection of the God of Abraham the Friend, the Lord of all creatures, who hath power over everything!’ Then the Marids flew away and Gherib abode awaiting them two days, when one of them returned, bringing with him a suit of clothes, in which he clad him. Then he took him up and flew with him out of sight of earth, till Gherib heard the angels glorifying God in heaven, and a flaming arrow issued from amongst them and made for the Marid, who fled from it towards the earth. The arrow pursued him, till he came within a spear’s cast of the earth, when Gherib leapt from his back, and the fiery shaft overtook the Marid, who became a heap of ashes.

  As for Gherib, he fell into the sea and sank two fathoms deep, after which he came to the surface and swam for two days and two nights, till his strength failed him and he despaired of life. But, on the third day, he caught sight of a steep and mountainous island; so he made for it and landing, walked on inland, where he rested a day and a night, feeding on the fruits of the earth. Then he climbed to the mountain-top and descending the opposite slope, fared on two days till he came in sight of a wailed and fortified city, abounding in trees and streams. So he made for it, but, when he reached the gate, the warders seized on him and carried him to their queen, whose name was Janshah. Now she was five hundred years old, and every man who entered the city, they brought to her and she lay with him; then, when he had done his work, she put him to death, and so had she slain many men. When she saw Gherib, he pleased her and she said to him, ‘What is thy name and faith and whence comest thou?’ Quoth he, ‘My name is Gherib, King of Irak, and I am a Muslim.’ ‘Leave this faith,’ said she, ‘and enter mine and I will marry thee and make thee king.’ But he looked at her with angry eyes and said, ‘Thy faith perish with thee!’ Quoth she, ‘Dost thou blaspheme my idol, the which is of red cornelian, set with pearls and jewels?’ And she cried out to her men, saying, ‘Imprison him in the house of the idol; peradventure it will soften his heart.’ So they shut him up in the temple and locking the doors upon him, went their way. As soon as they were gone, Gherib went up to the idol, which was of red cornelian, with collars of pearls and precious stones about its neck, and lifting it up, dashed it on the ground and broke it in pieces; after which he lay down and slept till daybreak.

  Next morning, the Queen sat down on her bed of estate and said to her men, ‘Bring me the prisoner.’ So they opened the temple doors and entering, found the idol broken in pieces, whereupon they buffeted their faces, till the blood ran from the corners of their eyes. Then they made at Gherib, to seize him; but he smote one of them with his fist and killed him, and so did he with another and another, till he had slain five-and-twenty of them and the rest fled to Queen Janshah, crying out. Quoth she, ‘What is the matter?’ And they said, ‘The prisoner hath broken thine idol and slain thy men,’ and told her all that had passed. When she heard this, she cast her crown to the ground and said, ‘There is no worth left in idols!’ Then she mounted with a thousand fighting-men and rode to the temple, where she found Gherib had gotten him a sword and come forth and was slaying men and over-throwing warriors. When she saw his prowess, her heart was drowned in the love of him and she said in herself, ‘I have no need of the idol and care for nought but this Gherib, that he may lie in my bosom the rest of my life.’ Then she bade her men hold aloof from Gherib, and going up to him, muttered certain magical words, whereupon his arm became benumbed and the sword dropped from his grasp. So they seized him and bound him, as he stood confounded and stupefied.

  Then the Queen returned to her palace and seating herself on her throne, bade her people withdraw and leave Gherib with her. When they were alone, she said to him, ‘O dog of the Arabs, wilt thou break my idol and slay my men?’ ‘O accursed woman,’ answered he, ‘had he been a god, he had defended himself!’ Quoth she, ‘Lie with me and I will forgive thee that which thou hast done.’ But he replied, saying, ‘I will do nought of this.’ And she said, ‘By the virtue of my faith, I will punish thee grievously!’ So she took water and conjuring over it, sprinkled it upon him and he became an ape. And she us
ed to feed and keep him in a closet, appointing one to care for him; and in this plight he abode two years. Then she called him to her one day and said to him, ‘Wilt thou hearken to me?’ And he signed to her with his head, as who should say, ‘Yes.’ So she rejoiced and freed him from the enchantment. Then she brought him food and he ate and toyed with her and kissed her, so that she trusted in him. When it was night, she lay down and said to him, ‘Come, do thy business.’ ‘It is well,’ answered he and mounting on her breast, seized her by the neck and broke it, nor did he arise from her till life had left her. Then, seeing an open cabinet, he went in and found there a sword of watered steel and a buckler of Chinese iron; so he armed himself cap-a-pie and waited till the day.

  As soon as it was morning, he went forth and stood at the gate of the palace. When the Amirs came and would have gone in to do their service to the Queen, they found Gherib standing at the gate, clad in complete steel; and he said to them, ‘O folk, leave the service of idols and worship the All-wise King, Creator of Night and Day, who giveth life to dry bones, for He made all things and hath dominion over all.’ When they heard this, they ran at him, but he fell on them like a ravening lion and slew of them much people; but, when the night came, they overcame him by dint of numbers and would have taken him, when behold, there descended upon the infidels a thousand Marids, under the command of Zelzal, who plied them with the keen sabre and made them drink the cup of perdition, whilst God hurried their souls to the fire, till but few were left of the people of Janshah and the rest cried out for quarter and believed in the Requiting King, whom no one thing diverteth from another, the Destroyer of tyrants and Exterminator of the Chosroës, Lord of this world and the next.

  Then Zelzal saluted Gherib and gave him joy of his safety; and Gherib said to him, ‘How knewest thou of my plight?’ ‘O my lord,’ answered Zelzal, ‘my father kept me in prison two years, after which he released me, and I abode with him another year, till I was restored to favour with him, when I slew him and his subjects submitted to me. I ruled them for a year’s space, till, one night, I lay down to sleep, having thee in my mind, and saw thee, in a dream, fighting against Janshah’s people; wherefore I took these thousand Marids and came to thee.’ And Gherib marvelled at this happy chance. Then he took Janshah’s treasures and those of the slain and appointed a ruler over the city, after which the Marids took up Gherib and the treasure and he lay the same night in the palace of Crystal. He abode Zelzal’s guest six months, at the end of which time he desired to depart; so Zelzal gave him rich presents and despatched three thousand Marids, who brought the spoils of the city of Kerej and added them to those of Janshah. Then Zelzal loaded forty thousand Marids with the treasure and himself taking up Gherib, flew with his host towards the city of Isbanir, where they arrived at midnight.

  Gherib looked and seeing the city invested on all sides by a vast army, as it were the swollen sea, said to Zelzal, ‘O my brother, how cometh the city thus beleaguered and what is this army?’ Then he alighted on the roof of his palace and cried out, saying, ‘Ho, Morning Star! Ho, Mehdiyeh!’ Whereupon they started up from sleep in amazement and said, ‘Who calleth us at this hour?’’ Quoth he, ‘It is I, your lord, Gherib of the wondrous deeds.’ When the princesses heard their lord’s voice, they rejoiced and so did the eunuchs and women. Then Gherib went down to them and they threw themselves upon him and raised cries of joy, that all the palace rang again and the captains of the army awoke and said, ‘What is to do?’ So they made for the palace and said to the eunuchs, ‘Hath one of the King’s women given birth to a child?’ ‘No,’ answered they; ‘but rejoice, for King Gherib hath returned to you.’ So they rejoiced, and Gherib came forth to his comrades, who threw themselves upon him and kissed his hands and feet, returning thanks to God the Most High. Then he sat down on his throne, with his officers about him, and questioned them of the beleaguering army. ‘O King,’ answered they, ‘they sat down before the city three days ago, and we know not what they want; for we have had with them neither battle nor speech.’

  Now the name of the commander of the besieging army was Murad Shah and he had with him a hundred thousand horse and three thousand foot, besides two hundred tribesmen of the Jinn; and the manner of his coming was on this wise. When the two men, whom Sabour had charged to drown his daughter Fekhr Taj, let her go, bidding her flee for her life, she went forth distracted, knowing not whither to go and saying, ‘Where is thine eye, O Gherib, that thou mayst see my case?’ and wandered on from place to place and country to country, till she came to a valley abounding in trees and streams, in whose midst stood a lofty and strong-builded castle, as it were one of the pavilions of Paradise. So she betook herself thither and entering the castle, found it hung and carpeted with stuffs of silk, and therein were a hundred beautiful damsels and great plenty of gold and silver vessels. When the damsels saw her, they came up to her and saluted her, deeming her of the damsels of the Jinn, and asked her of her case. Quoth she, ‘I am the King’s daughter of the Persians,’ and told them all that had befallen her; which when they heard, they wept over her and condoled with her, saying, ‘Take comfort and be of good cheer, for here shalt thou have meat and drink and raiment, and we all are thy hand-maids.’ She called down blessings on them and they brought her food, of which she ate till she was satisfied. Then said she to them, ‘Who is the owner of this palace and lord over you?’ Quoth they, ‘King Selsal, son of Dal, is our master; he passes a night here once in every month and departs in the morning to rule over the tribes of the Jinn.’

  So Fekhr Taj took up her abode with them and after five days she gave birth to a male child, as he were the moon. They cut the cord of his navel and anointing his eyes with kohl, named him Murad Shah, and he grew up in his mother’s lap. After awhile came Selsal, riding on a paper-white elephant, as he were a tower plastered with gypsum, and attended by the troops of the Jinn. He entered the palace, where the hundred damsels met him and kissed the earth before him, and amongst them Fekhr Taj. When he saw her, he looked at her and said to the others, ‘Who is yonder damsel?’ And they answered, saying, ‘She is the daughter of Sabour, King of the Persians and Turcomans and Medes.’ Quoth he, ‘Who brought her hither?’ And they repeated to him her story; whereat he was moved to pity for her and said to her, ‘Grieve not, but take patience till thy son be grown a man, when I will go to the land of the Persians and strike thy father’s head from his shoulders and seat thy son on the throne in his stead.’ So she rose and kissed his hands and blessed him.

  Then she abode in the castle and her son grew up and was reared with the children of the King. They used to ride forth together a-hunting, and he became skilled in the chase of the wild beasts and of the ravening lions and ate of their flesh, till his heart became harder than the rock. When he reached the age of fifteen, his spirit waxed big in him and he said to Fekhr Taj, ‘O my mother, who is my father?’ ‘O my son,’ answered she, ‘Gherib, King of Irak, is thy father and I am the King’s daughter of the Persians,’ and she told him her story. Quoth he, ‘Did my grandfather indeed give orders to slay thee and my father Gherib ? And she answered, ‘Yes.’ Whereupon, ‘By the claim thou hast on me for that thou rearedst me,’ cried he, ‘I will assuredly go to thy father’s city and cut off his head and bring it to thee!’ And she rejoiced in his speech.

  Then he used to go a-riding with two hundred Marids till he grew to man’s estate, when he fell to making raids and excursions in quest of plunder, till, one day, he attacked the city of Shiraz and took it and cut off the King’s head, as he sat on his throne, and slew many of his troop; whereupon the rest, to the number of ten thousand horse, cried out for quarter and kissed his stirrups. He led them to Balkh, where he slew the King of the city and put his men to the rout and made himself master of the riches of the place. Thence he passed to Nourain, at the head of an army of thirty thousand horse, and the King of the city came out to him, with presents and tribute, and did him homage. Then he went on to Samarcand of the Persians and took the cit
y, and after that to Akhlat and took that town also; nor was there any city he came to but he took it. On this wise he became at the head of a great army, and all the booty he made he divided among his soldiers, who loved him for his valour and munificence. At last he came to Isbanir el Medain and sat down before it, saying, ‘Let us wait till the rest of my army come up, when I will seize on my grandfather and solace my mother’s heart by striking off his head in her presence.’ So he sent for her, and by reason of this, there was no battle for three days, at the end of which time Gherib and Zelzal arrived with the forty thousand Marids, laden with treasure. Presently came Fekhr Taj, and her son Murad Shah embraced her, saying, ‘Abide in thy tent till I bring thy father to thee.’ And she sought succour for him of the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of the heavens and the earths.

  Next morning, as soon as it was day, Murad Shah mounted and rode forth, with the two hundred Marids on his right hand and the kings of men on his left, whilst the drums beat a point of war. When Gherib heard this, he also took horse and calling his people to battle, rode out, with the Jinn on his right hand and the men on his left. Then came forth Murad Shah, armed cap-a-pie, and spurred his charger right and left, saying, ‘O folk, let none come forth to me but your King. If he conquer me, he shall be lord of both armies, and if I conquer him, I will slay him, as I have slain others.’ When Gherib heard his speech, he said, ‘Avaunt, O dog of the Arabs!’ And they drove at each other and thrust with spears, till they broke, then hewed at each other with swords, till the blades were notched; nor did they cease to advance and retreat and wheel and feint, till the day was half spent and their horses fell down under them, when they dismounted and gripped each other. Then Murad Shah lifted Gherib up and strove to dash him to the ground; but Gherib seized him by the ears and pulled them with his might, till it seemed to him as if the heavens were falling on the earth and he cried out, with his heart in his mouth, saying, ‘I yield myself to thy mercy, O champion of the age!’ So Gherib bound him, and the Marids his comrades would have charged and rescued him, but Gherib fell on them with a thousand Marids and was about to smite them down, when they cried out for quarter and threw down their arms.