Yea, he is more to me than he who wears the crown, Merwan his governor and all who wealth possess.
Then said she, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, I will not forsake him by reason of the shifts of fortune or the perfidies of Fate, for there is between us old companionship, that may not be forgotten, and love beyond proof; and indeed it is but just that I should have patience with him in his stress, even as I shared fair fortune with him in better days.’ The Khalif marvelled at her wit and love and constancy and ordering her ten thousand dirhems, delivered her to the Arab, who took his wife and went away.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
THE LOVERS OF BASSORA.
The Khalif Haroun er Reshid was sleepless one night; so he sent for El Asmai and Hussein el Khelia and said to them, ‘Tell me a story and do thou begin, O Hussein.’ It is well, O Commander of the Faithful,’ answered Hussein. ‘Some years ago, I went down to Bassora, to present to Mohammed ben Suleiman er Rebiy an ode I had composed in his honour; and he accepted it and bade me abide [at his court]. One day, I went out to El Mirbed, by way of El Muhalliyeh, and being oppressed by the great heat, went up to a great door, to ask for drink, when I was aware of a damsel, as she were a swaying willow-wand, with languishing eyes, eyebrows arched and finely pencilled and smooth and polished cheeks. She was clad in a shift the colour of a pomegranate-flower, and a vest of Senaa work; but the whiteness of her body overcame the redness of her shift, through which glittered two breasts like twin pomegranates and a belly, as it were a roll of fine Egyptian linen, with creases like scrolls of pure white paper, filled with musk. Round her neck she wore a [chain and] amulet of red gold, that fell down between her breasts, and on the table of her forehead were browlocks like jet. Her eyebrows joined one another and her eyes were like lakes; she had an aquiline nose and thereunder teeth like pearls. In fine, pleasantness prevailed in every part of her; but she seemed dejected and distracted and came and went in the vestibule, walking upon the hearts of her lovers, whilst her legs made mute the voices of their ankle-rings; and indeed she was as saith the poet:
Each member of her charms so sweet and good Hath given rise to its similitude.
I was smitten with awe of her, O Commander of the Faithful, and drew near to salute her, and behold, the house and vestibule and street were fragrant with music.
So I saluted her and she returned my greeting with a dejected voice and a grieving heart, consumed with the ardour of passion. Then said I to her, “O my lady, I am an old man and a stranger, and sore opprest of thirst. Wilt thou order me a draught of water, and God will requite thee?” “Away, O old man!” answered she. “I am distracted from [all thoughts of] meat and drink.” “ By what ailment, O my lady?” asked I. Quoth she, “I love one who dealeth not justly by me and desire one who will none of me. Wherefore I am afflicted with the wakefulness of those who watch the stars.” “O my lady,” said I, “is there on the face of the earth one to whom thou hast mind and who hath no mind to thee?” “ Yes,” answered she; “and this by reason of the perfection of beauty and amorous grace with which he is endowed.” “And why standest thou in this porch? “asked I. “ This is his road,” answered she, “and the hour of his passing by.” “O my lady,” said I, “have ye ever foregathered and had such commerce as might cause this passion?” At this she heaved a deep sigh; the tears rained down upon her cheeks, as they were dew falling upon roses, and she recited these verses?
Even as two cassia boughs entwined above a mead we were; We drank the fragrance of delights in all life has of fair.
But this branch rent itself away from that, and now thou seest One lo” and yearning unto that which was its mate whilere.
Quoth I, “And what betideth thee of thy love for this youth?” She answered, “I see the sun upon the walls of his people and I think that it is he; or haply I catch sight of him unexpectedly and am confounded and the blood and the life flee from my body and I abide without reason for weeks.” “Excuse me,” said I; “for I also have suffered for love-longing, that which is upon thee of distraction of soul and wasting of body and loss of strength; and I see in thee pallor and emaciation, such as testify of the fever-fits of passion. But how shouldst thou be unsmitten of passion, and thou a sojourner in the land of Bassora?” “ By Allah,” said she, “before I became enamoured of this youth, I was endowed with the uttermost of amorous grace and was resplendent with beauty and perfection and ravished all the princes of Bassora, till he fell in love with me!” “And who parted you?” asked I. “The vicissitudes of fortune,” answered she; “but the manner of our separation was a strange one; and it was on this wise.
One New Year’s day I had invited the damsels of Bassora and amongst them a girl belonging to Siran, who had bought her out of Oman for fourscore thousand dirhems. She was madly in love with me and when she entered, she threw herself upon me and well-nigh tore me in pieces with bites and pinches. Then we withdrew apart, to drink wine at our ease, till our meat was ready and our delight was complete, and she toyed with me and I with her, and now I was upon her and now she upon me. Presently, the fumes of the wine moved her to strike her hand on the ribbon of my trousers, whereby it became loosed, unknown of either of us, and my trousers fell down in our play. At this moment, he came in, unobserved, and seeing me thus, was wroth and made off, as doth the Arab filly, when she hears the tinkle of her bridle. This, O elder, was three years ago, and since that time I have never ceased to excuse myself to him and entreat him with soft words and implore his indulgence, but he will neither cast a look at me nor write me a word nor speak to me by a messenger nor hear aught from me.” Quoth I, “Is he an Arab or a foreigner?” And she, “Out on thee! He is of the princes of Bassora.” “Is he old or young?” asked I. She looked at me laughingly and said, “Thou art certainly a fool! He is like the moon at its full, smooth-cheeked and beardless, nor is there any defect in him except his aversion to me.” “What is his name?” asked I, and she, “What wilt thou do with him?” “I will do my endeavour to come at him,” answered I, “that I may bring about reunion between you.” Quoth she, “I will tell thee, on condition that thou carry him a letter.” And I said, “I have no objection to that.” Then said she, “His name is Zemreh ben el Mughaireh, hight Aboussekhaa, and his palace is at El Mirbed.”
Therewith she called to those within for inkhorn and paper and tucking up her sleeves, showed two wrists like bracelets of silver. She headed her letter with “In the name of God etc.;” then wrote as follows, “O my lord, the forbearance of an invocation at the head of this my letter proclaimeth my insufficiency, and know that if my prayer had been answered, thou wouldst not have left me; for how often have I prayed that thou shouldest not leave me, and yet thou didst leave me! Were it not that distress with me transcends the bounds of restraint, that which thy servant hath forced herself to do in writing this letter were succourable to her, for all her despair of thee, of her knowledge of thee that thou wilt forbear to answer. Do thou fulfil her desire, O my lord, of a sight of thee from the porch, as thou passest in the street, wherewith thou wilt revive the dead soul in her. Or better still, do thou write her a letter with thine own hand (which God endow with all excellence!) and appoint it in requital of the privities that were between us in the nights of time past, whereof thou knowest. O my lord, was I not to thee a lover wasted with passion? If thou answer my prayer, I will give thee thanks and to God praise; and so peace be on thee!”
Then she gave me the letter and I went away. Next morning I repaired to the Viceroy’s door, where I found an assembly of the notables of Bassora, and amongst them a youth who adorned the place and surpassed in grace and majesty all who were there; and indeed the Amir Mohammed set him above himself. I asked who he was and behold, it was Zemreh himself: so I said to myself, “Verily, there hath betided yonder unhappy one that which hath betided her!” Then I betook myself to El Mirbed and waited at the door of his house, till he came riding up in state, when I accosted him and invoking lavish ble
ssings on him, gave him the letter. When he read it, he said to me, “O old man, we have taken another in her stead. Wilt thou see the substitute?” And I answered, “Yes.” Whereupon he called out a woman’s name, and there came forth a damsel who put to shame the sun and moon, swelling-breasted, walking the gait of one who hastens without fear, to whom he gave the letter, saying, “Do thou answer it.” When she read it, she turned pale and said to me, “O old man, ask pardon of God for this that thou hast brought.” So I went out, dragging my feet, and returned to her. When she saw me, she said, “What is behind thee?” I answered, “Evil and despair.” And she said, “Have thou no concern of him. Where are God and Providence?” Then she ordered me five hundred dinars and I took them and went away.
Some days after I passed by the place and saw there horsemen and footmen. So I went in and lo, these were the companions of Zemreh, who were begging her to return to him; but she said, “No, by Allah, I will not look him in the face!” And she prostrated herself in gratitude to God and exultation over Zemreh. Then I drew near her, and she pulled out to me a letter, wherein was written, after the invocation of the Deity, the following: “O my lady, but for my forbearance towards thee, [may God prolong thy life!] I would relate somewhat of what betided from thee and set out my excuse, in that thou transgressedst against me, whenas thou wast manifestly a sinner against thyself and me in breach of vows and lack of faith and preference of another to me; for, by Allah, on whom we call for help against that which was of thy free-will, thou didst transgress against the love of me; and so peace be on thee!” Then she showed me the presents and things of price he had sent her, which were of the value of thirty thousand diners. I saw her again after this, and Zemreh had married her.’
Quoth Er Reshid, ‘Had not Zemreh been beforehand with us, I had certainly had to do with her myself’
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
ISAAC OF MOSUL AND HIS MISTRESS AND THE DEVIL
[Quoth Isaac ben Ibrahim el Mausili], I was in my house one night in the winter-time, when the clouds spread themselves [over the sky] and the rains poured down in torrents, as from the mouths of water-skins, and the folk forbore to come and go about the ways by reason of that which was therein of rain and mire. Now I was heavy at heart for that none of my brethren came to me nor could I go to them, for the mud and mire: so I said to my servant, ‘Bring me wherewithal I may divert myself.’ So he brought me meat and drink, but I had no heart to eat, without some one to bear me company, and I ceased not to look out of window and watch the ways till nightfall, when I bethought myself of a damsel belonging to one of the sons of El Mehdi, of whom I was enamoured and who was skilled in singing and playing upon instruments of music, and said to myself, ‘Were she here with us tonight, my joy would be complete and my night would be abridged of the melancholy and restlessness that are upon me.’
At this moment one knocked at the door, saying, ‘Shall a beloved enter, who standeth at the door?’ Quoth I, ‘Meseems the plant of my desire hath fruited.’ So I went to the door and found my mistress, with a long green skirt wrapped about her and a kerchief of brocade on her head, to fend her from the rain. She was covered with mud to her knees and all that was upon her was drenched with water from the gutters; in short, she was in a rare pickle. So I said to her, ‘O my lady, what brings thee hither through all this mud?’ Quoth she, ‘Thy messenger came to me and set forth to me that which was with thee of love and longing, so that I could not choose but yield and hasten to thee.’ I marvelled at this, but was ashamed to tell her that I had sent no messenger; so I said, ‘Praised be God that He hath brought us together, after all I have suffered for the pangs of patience! Verily, hadst thou delayed an hour longer, I must have run to thee, because of my much love and longing for thee.’
Then I called to my boy for water, that I might better her plight, and he brought a kettle full of hot water. I bade them pour it over her feet, whilst I set to work to wash them myself; after which I made her doff what she had on and calling for one of my richest dresses, clad her therein. Then I would have called for food, but she refused and I said to her, ‘Art thou for wine?’ ‘Yes,’ answered she. So I fetched cups and she said to me, ‘Who shall sing?’ ‘I, O my lady, answered I. But she said, ‘I care not for that.’ ‘One of my damsels?’ suggested I. ‘I have no mind to that either” said she. ‘Then,’ quoth I, ‘do thou sing thyself;’ ‘Not I,’ replied she. ‘Who then shall sing for thee ?’ asked I. Quoth she, ‘Go out and seek some one to sing for me.’ So I went out, in obedience to her, though I despaired of finding any one at such a time, and fared on till I came to the main street, where I saw a blind man striking the earth with his staff and saying, ‘May God not requite with good those with whom I was! When I sang, they hearkened not, and when I was silent, they despised me.’ So I said to him, ‘Art thou a singer?’ ‘Yes,’ answered he. Quoth I, ‘Wilt thou finish thy night with us and cheer us with thy company?’ ‘If it be thy will,’ replied he, ‘take my hand.’
So I took his hand and leading him to my house, said to the damsel, ‘O my mistress, I have brought a blind singer, with whom we may take our pleasure and he will not see us.’ ‘Bring him to me,’ said she. So I brought him in and invited him to eat. He ate a little and washed his hands, after which I brought him wine and he drank three cupsful. Then he said to me, ‘Who art thou?’ And I answered, ‘I am Isaac ben Ibrahim el Mausili.’ Quoth he, ‘I have heard of thee and now I rejoice in thy company.’ And I said, ‘O my lord, I am glad in thy gladness.’ ‘O Isaac,’ said he, ‘sing to me.’ So I took the lute, by way of jest, and said, ‘I hear and obey.’ When I had made an end of my song, he said to me, ‘O Isaac, verily thou comest nigh to be a singer!’ His words belittled me in mine own eyes and I threw the lute from my hand; whereupon he said, ‘Hast thou not with thee some one who is skilled in singing?’ ‘I have a damsel with me,’ answered I; and he said, ‘Bid her sing.’ Quoth I, ‘Wilt thou sing, when thou hast had enough of her singing?’ ‘Yes,’ answered he. So she sang and he said, ‘Nay, thou hast achieved nought.’ Whereupon she threw the lute from her hand in anger and said, ‘We have done our best: if thou have aught, favour us with it.’ Quoth he, ‘Bring me a lute which no hand has touched.’ So I bade the servant bring him a new lute and he tuned it and preluding in a mode I knew not, sang the following verses:
Across the middle dusk of night a maid fares swift and straight, Who knows the visitation-tides, to where her love doth wait.
’Twas but her greeting startled us and eke her voice that said, “ Shall a beloved enter in who standeth at the gate?”
When she heard this, she looked at me askance and said, ‘Could not thy breast hold the secret that was between us an hour, but thou must discover it to this man?’ But I swore to her [that I had not told him] and excused myself to her and fell to kissing her hands and tickling her breasts and biting her cheeks, till she laughed and turning to the blind man, said to him, ‘Sing, O my lord!’ So he took the lute and sang as follows:
How often have I visited the fair and side by side, With soft caressing hands have stroked the fingers henna-dyed!
How often have I handled eke the breasts’ pomegranates ripe And the plump apples of the cheeks with bites and kisses plied!
So I said to her, ‘O my lady, who can have told him what we were about.’ ‘True,’ answered she, and we removed to a distance from him. Presently quoth he, ‘I have a need to make water.’ And I said, ‘O boy, take the candle and go before him.’ Then he went out and tarried a long while. So we went in search of him, but could not find him; and behold, the doors were locked and the keys in the closet, and we knew not whether he had flown up to heaven or sunk into the earth. Wherefore I knew that he was Iblis and that he had done me a pander’s office and returned, recalling to myself the words of Abou Nuwas in the following verses:
I marvel at Iblis no less for his pride Than the lewdness and meanness that mark his intent.
To Adam himself he re
fused to prostrate, Yet his lineage to serve as a pimp is content.John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
THE LOVERS OF MEDINA.
[Quoth Ibrahim Abou Ishac], I was once in my house, when one knocked at the door; so my servant went out and returned, saying, ‘A comely youth is at the door, seeking admission.’ I bade admit him and there came in to me a young man, on whom were traces of sickness, and he said, ‘I have long wished to meet thee, for I have an occasion to thee.’ ‘What is it?’ asked I. Whereupon he pulled out three hundred diners and laying them before me, said, ‘I beseech thee to accept these and compose me an air to two lines of verse I have made.’ ‘Repeat them to me,’ said I. And he recited the following lines:
By Allah, O mine eyes that sinned against my heart of yore, Quench with your tears the fire of woe that burneth ever sore.
Fate is of those that chide at me for her, my heart’s abode, Whom, though in grave-clothes I be lapped, I never shall see more
So I set the verses to a plaintive air and sang it to him; whereupon he swooned away and I thought that he was dead. However, after awhile, he came to himself and said to me, ‘Repeat the air.’ But I conjured him by Allah to excuse me, saying, ‘I fear lest thou die.’ ‘Would it might be so!’ replied he and ceased not to importune me, till I had pity on him and repeated it; whereupon he cried out grievously and fell into a worse [swoon] than before and I doubted not but that he was dead; but, after I had sprinkled rose-water on him awhile, he revived and sat up. I praised God for his recovery and laying the dinars before him, said to him, ‘Take thy money and depart from me.’ Quoth he, ‘I have no need of the money and thou shalt have the like of it, if thou wilt repeat the air.’ My heart rejoiced in the money and I said, ‘I will repeat it, but on three conditions: the first, that thou abide with me and eat of my victual, till thou regain strength; the second, that thou drink wine enough to cheer thy heart; and the third, that thou tell me thy story.’
One Thousand and One Nights Page 362