Nothing is left him but a fluttering spright, Ay, and an eye bereavéd of its light;
Nor in his members is a single joint But sickness there is constant day and night.
His tears flow ever and his heart burns aye; Yet for all this still silent is the wight.
His foes weep, pitying him; alas for those Who pity in th’ exultant foe excite!
By this I knew that the youth was a distracted lover, — for none knoweth passion save he who hath tasted the savour thereof, — and said to myself, “Shall I ask him?” But I bethought me and said, “How shall I intrude on him with questioning, and I in his abode?” So I restrained myself and ate my sufficiency of the meat. When we had made an end of eating, the young man arose and entering the tent, brought out an elegant basin and ewer and a silken napkin, fringed with broidery of red gold, and a casting-bottle full of rose-water, mingled with musk. I marvelled at his elegance and the daintiness of his fashion and said in myself, “Never knew I of elegance in the desert.” Then we washed our hands and talked awhile, after which he went into the tent and making a partition between himself and me with a piece of red brocade, said to me, “Enter, O chief of the Arabs, and take thy rest; for thou hast suffered toil and travel galore this night and in this thy journey.” So I entered and finding a bed of green brocade, pulled off my clothes and passed a night such as I had never passed in my life.
I lay, pondering the young man’s case, till it was dark night and all eyes slept, when I was aroused by the sound of a low voice, never heard I a softer or sweeter. I raised the curtain and saw, by the young man’s side, a damsel, never beheld I a fairer of face, and they were both weeping and complaining, one to the other, of the pangs of passion and desire and of the excess of their longing for each other’s sight. “By Allah,” quoth I, “I wonder who this can be! When I entered this tent, there was none therein but this young man. Doubtless this damsel is of the daughters of the Jinn and is enamoured of this youth; so they have secluded themselves with one another in this place.” Then I considered her attentively and behold, she was a mortal and an Arab girl, whose face, when she unveiled it, put to shame the shining sun, and the tent was illumined by the light of her countenance. When I was assured that she was his mistress, I bethought me of a lover’s jealousy; so I let fall the curtain and covering my face, fell asleep. As soon as it was day, I arose and donning my clothes, made the ablution and prayed such prayers as were due from me. Then I said to my host, “O brother of the Arabs, wilt thou add to thy favours by directing me into the right road?” “At thy leisure, O chief of the Arabs,” answered he. “The time of a guest’s stay is three days, and I am not one to let thee go before that time.”
So I abode with him three days, and on the fourth day, as we sat talking, I asked him of his name and lineage. Quoth he, “As for my lineage, I am of the Benou Udhreh; my name is such an one, son of such an one and my father’s brother is called such an one.” And behold, O Commander of the Faithful, he was the son of my father’s brother and of the noblest house of the Benou Udhreh. “O my cousin,” said I, “what moved thee to leave thy fair estate and that of thy fathers and thy slaves and handmaids and seclude thyself alone in this desert?” When he heard my words, his eyes filled with tears and he replied, saying, “Know, O my cousin, that I was passionately enamoured of the daughter of my father’s brother and distracted for love of her; so I sought her in marriage of her father, but he refused and married her to a man of the Benou Udhreh, who went in to her and carried her to his abiding-place this last year. When she became thus removed from me and I was prevented from looking on her, the pangs of passion and excess of love-longing and desire drove me to forsake my people and friends and fortune and take up my abode in this desert, where I have grown used to my solitude.” “Where are their dwellings?” asked I. And he said, “They are hard by, on the top of yonder hill; and every night, at the dead time when all eyes sleep, she steals secretly out of the camp, unseen of any, and I satisfy my desire of her converse and she of mine.” So I abide thus, comforting [or solacing] myself with her [company] a part of the night, till God accomplish that which is to be; either I shall compass my desire, in spite of the envious, or God will determine for me, and He is the best of those that determine.”
When I knew his case, O Commander of the Faithful, I was concerned for him and perplexed by reason of [my] jealousy [for his welfare]; so I said to him, “O my cousin, wilt thou that I counsel thee a plan, wherein, if it please God, thou shalt find a source of amendment and the way of advisement and success and whereby God shall do away from thee that thou dreadest?” “Say on, O my cousin,” answered he. Quoth I, “When it is night and the girl cometh, set her on my camel; for she is swift of going, and mount thou thy courser, whilst I mount one of these she-camels. So will we fare on with her all night and by the morrow, we shall have traversed deserts and plains, and thou wilt have attained thy desire and won the beloved of thy heart. God’s earth is wide, and by Allah, I will succour thee with heart and wealth and sword, as long as I live!” “O cousin,” answered he, “wait till I take counsel with her, for she is prudent and quick-witted and hath insight into affairs.”
When the night darkened and the hour of her coming arrived, and he awaiting her at the appointed season, she delayed beyond her usual time, and I saw him go forth the door of the tent and opening his mouth, inhale the wafts of air that came from her quarter, as if to snuff her odour, and he repeated the following verses:
Wind of the East, thou waftest a gentle air to me, From out the loved one’s country, the place where sojourns she.
O wind, thou bear’st a token from her I hold so dear: Canst thou not give me tidings when will her coming be?
Then he entered the tent and sat awhile, weeping; after which he said to me, “O my cousin, some mischance must have betided the daughter of my uncle, to hinder her from coming to me this night. But abide where thou art, till I bring thee news.” And he took his sword and buckler and was absent awhile of the night, after which he returned, carrying something, and called to me. So I hastened to him and he said, “O my cousin, knowst thou what hath happened?” “No, by Allah!” answered I. Quoth he, “Verily, I am smitten with mourning for my cousin this night; for she was coming to me, as of wont, when a lion met her in the way and rent her, and there remaineth of her but what thou seest.” So saying, he threw down what he had in his hand, and behold, it was the damsel’s turban and what was left of her bones. Then he wept sore and casting down his shield, took a bag and went forth again, saying, “Stir not hence, till I return to thee, if it please God the Most High.”
He was absent awhile and presently returned, bearing in his hand a lion’s head, which he threw on the ground and called for water. So I brought him water, with which he washed the lion’s mouth and fell to kissing it and weeping: and he mourned for her passing sore and recited the following verses:
O lion, that thyself indeed didst on perdition throw, Perished hast thou and for her loss hast filled my heart with woe.
Thou hast bereaved me of my love and eke the cold earth’s womb Hast made her dwelling till the day that calls up high and low.
To Fate, that with the loss of her afflicteth me, quoth I, “Now God forbid that one to take her place to me thou show!”
Then said he to me, “O cousin, I conjure thee by Allah and the rights of kindred and sympathy betwixt us, keep my charge. Thou wilt presently see me dead before thee, whereupon do thou wash me and shroud me and these that remain of my cousin’s bones in this mantle and bury us both in one grave and write thereon these verses:
Upon the earth a fire we lived of solace and delight; In land and house foregathered we full many a day and night.
But fortune and the shifts of time did rend our loves apart And now within its bosom strait the shroud doth us unite.
Then he wept sore and entering the tent, was absent awhile, after which he came forth, groaning and crying out. Then he gave one sob and departed this world. When I saw th
at he was indeed dead, it was grievous to me and so sore was my sorrow for him that I had well nigh followed him for excess of lamentation over him. Then I laid him out and did as he had enjoined me, shrouding the damsel’s remains with him in one garment and burying them in one grave. I abode by their grave three days, after which I departed and continued to pay frequent visits to the place for two years. This then is their story, O Commander of the Faithful.’
The Khalif was pleased with Jemil’s story and rewarded him with a dress of honour and a handsome present.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
THE BEDOUIN AND HIS WIFE.
The Khalif Muawiyeh was sitting one day in his palace at Damascus, in a room the windows whereof were open on all four sides, that the breeze might enter from all quarters. Now it was a day of excessive heat, with no air stirring, and in the middle of the day, when the heat was at its sultriest, the Khalif, chancing to look forth, saw a man coming along, scorched by the heat of the ground and limping, as he fared on barefoot. Muawiyeh considered him awhile and said to his courtiers, ‘Hath God [may He be blessed and glorified!] created any more wretched than he who needs must stir abroad at such an hour and in such weather as this?’ Quoth one of them, ‘Peradventure, he seeketh the Commander of the Faithful.’ ‘By Allah,’ exclaimed the Khalif, ‘if he seek me, I will assuredly give to him, and if he be wronged, I will succour him. Ho, boy I Stand at the door, and if yonder Arab seek to come in to me, forbid him not therefrom.’
So the page went out and presently the Arab came up to him and he said, ‘What dost thou want?’ ‘I want the Commander of the Faithful,’ answered the other, and the page said, ‘Enter.’ So he entered and saluted the Khalif, who said to him, ‘Who art thou?’ ‘I am a man of the Benou Temim,’ answered the Arab. ‘And what brings thee here at this season?’ asked Muawiyeh. Quoth the Arab, ‘I come to thee, complaining to thee and imploring thy protection.’ ‘Against whom?’ asked the Khalif ‘Against Merwan ben el Hekem, thy deputy,’ answered the man and recited the following verses:
Muawiyeh, pitiful, munificent and kind, Thou in whom righteousness and grace and wisdom are combined,
I come to thee for that my way on earth is strait on me: O help! nor cut thou off my hope, but justice let me find.
Vouchsafe thou me redress ‘gainst him, the tyrant who hath wrought Me such unright as death itself were lighter to my mind.
Unjustly hath he dealt by me and tyrant-wise bereft Me of my wife, of Suad, dear to me o’er all her kind.
Yea, he in truth hath gone about to slay me, ere my tale Of days be told or come the term to me of God assigned.
When Muawiyeh heard him recite these verses, with the fire flashing from his mouth, he said to him, ‘Thou art welcome, O brother of the Arabs! Tell me thy tale and expound to me thy case.’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ replied the Arab, ‘I had a wife, whom I loved passing dear and who was the solace of my eyes and the delight of my heart; and I had a herd of camels, with whose produce I made shift to maintain my condition; but there came upon us a year [of calamity], which killed off hoof and horn and bereft me of all I had. When what was in my hand failed me and I fell into evil case, I became abject and burdensome to those who had used to wish to visit me; which when my wife’s father knew, he took her from me and abjured me and drove me forth without pity.
So I repaired to thy deputy, Merwan ben el Hekem, and sought succour of him. He summoned my father-in-law and questioned him, and he denied any knowledge of me. “May God amend the Amir!” said I. “If it please him to send for the woman and question her of her father’s saying, the truth will appear.” So he sent for her; but no sooner had he set eyes on her than he fell passionately in love with her and becoming my rival, denied me succour and was wroth with me. Moreover, he sent me to prison, and I became as I had fallen from heaven and the wind had cast me down in a far country. Then said Merwan to my father-in-law, “Wilt thou give her to me to wife, at a [present] dowry of a thousand diners and [a contingent one of] ten thousand dirhems, and I will engage to quit her of yonder Arab?” Her father was seduced by the bribe and agreed to the bargain; whereupon Merwan sent for me and looking at me like an angry lion, said to me, “O Arab, put away Suad.” “I will not put her away,” answered I; but he set on me a company of his servants, who tortured me with all manner tortures, till I found no help for it but to do as he bade. So I divorced her and he sent me back to prison, where I abode till the days of her purification were accomplished, when he married her and set me free. So now I come to thee, hoping in thee, and imploring thy succour and throwing myself on thy protection.’ And he recited the following verses:
A fire is in the heart of me, That flameth still unquenchably.
My body’s sick and leaches all Are baffled by my malady.
Yea, and live coals, that cast forth sparks, For ever in mine entrails be:
Mine eyes rain tears without relent That down my cheeks in torrents flee
Nor have I hope of help except In God my Lord and eke in thee.
Then he was convulsed, and his teeth chattered and he fell down in a fit, writhing like a slain snake. When Muawiyeh heard his story, he said, ‘Verily, Merwan ben el Hekem hath transgressed against the laws of the Faith and hath done oppression and violated the harem of a true believer! O Arab, thou comest to me with a story, the like whereof I never heard!’ Then he called for inkhorn and paper and wrote to Merwan as follows: ‘It hath reached me that thou transgressest the laws of the Faith with regard to thy subjects. Now it behoves him who is a governor to keep his eyes from their lusts and restrain his soul from its delights.’ And after he wrote many words, which [quoth he who tells the tale] I omit, for brevity’s sake, and amongst them these verses:
Thou wast invested with a rule whereto thou art unapt: Ask pardon [out on thee!] of God for thine adulterous deed.
Lo, the unhappy man to us complaining came of thee; Of severance he made his moan and for redress did plead.
Hark ye, I’ve ta’en an oath to God, I’ll not be false unto, Nay, I will quit me of what’s due unto my faith and creed;
An if thou cross me in this thing I write to thee, I swear, Vultures and eagles presently upon thy flesh shall feed.
Divorce Suad and by Kumeit and Nesr ben Dhiban Unto my presence all equipped, despatch her with all speed.
Then he folded the letter and sealing it with his seal, delivered it to El Kumeit and Nesr ben Dhiban [whom it was his wont to employ on matters of weight, because of their trustiness] who took the letter and carried it to Medina, where they went in to Merwan and saluting him, delivered to him the letter and told him how the case stood. He read the letter and fell a-weeping; but it was not in his power to refuse obedience to the Khalif; so he went in to Suad and acquainting her with the case, divorced her in the presence of Kumeit and Nesr; after which he equipped her and delivered her to them, together with a letter to the Khalif, under his own hand and seal, to the following purport:
Prince of the Faithful, hasten not: with a good grace thy vow I will accomplish, nor constraint to force me dost thou need
Why styl’st thou me adulterer and traitor? If she pleased My fancy, ’twas in me no sin, as eke thou wilt concede;
For lo, there comes to thee a sun; amongst all folk that be, Mortals or Jinn, there’s none may match with her in very deed.
So the messengers returned with Suad to Damascus and delivered to Muawiyeh the letter, which when he had read, he said, ‘Verily, he hath obeyed handsomely, but he is extravagant in his praise of the woman.’ Then he called for her and found her such a beauty as he had never seen, for grace and elegance and symmetry; moreover, he talked with her and found her fluent of speech and happy in diction and expression. Quoth he, ‘Bring me the Arab.’ So they fetched the man, who came, sore disordered for the evil dealing of fortune, and Muawiyeh said to him, ‘O Arab, if thou wilt give her up to me, I will give thee in her stead three slave-girls, high-bosomed maids like moons, and a thous
and dinars with each. Moreover, I will assign thee on the treasury such an annual sum as shall content and enrich thee.’ When the Arab heard this, he gave a groan [and swooned away], so that Muawiyeh thought he was dead. When he revived, the Khalif said to him, ‘What ails thee?’ And the Arab answered, ‘With heavy heart and in sore need, I appeal to thee from the injustice of Merwan ben el Hekem; but to whom shall I appeal from thine injustice?’ And he recited the following verses:
God save the Khalif! Make me not, as one, I prithee, who For succour from the burning sands unto the fire doth sue.
Suad restore to one distraught, afflicted, morn and eve In memory who passeth still and anguish ever new.
Loose thou my bonds and give her back, nor grudge her unto me. Thou’lt find me no ungrateful one, if thus with me thou do.
Then said he, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, wert thou to give me all the riches of the Khalifate, yet would I not take them without Suad.’ And he recited this verse:
My heart to love other than Suad to me Denies, for my drink and my victual is she.
Quoth the Khalif, ‘Thou confessest to having divorced her and Merwan hath done the like; so now we will give her her choice. If she choose other than thee, we will marry her to him, and if she choose thee, we will restore her to thee.’ ‘Be it so,’ replied the Arab. So Muawiyeh said to her, ‘What sayst thou, O Suad? Which dost thou choose? The Commander of the Faithful, with his power and glory and dominion and palaces and treasures and all else thou seest at his command, or Merwan ben el Hekem, with his violence and tyranny, or this Arab, with his hunger and poverty?’ So she recited the following verses:
This man, for all he be in hunger and distress, Dearer to me than folk and neighbour is, nathelesse;
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