One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Then she took Seif el Mulouk on her shoulders and said to him, ‘Shut thine eyes.’ He did so and she flew up with him into the sky; and after awhile she said to him, ‘O king’s son, open thine eyes.’ He opened them and found himself in a garden, which was none other than the garden of Irem; and she showed him the pavilion and bade him enter; whereupon he pronounced the name of God and entering, saw the old queen sitting on the couch, attended by her waiting-women. So he drew near her with courtesy and reverence and taking the sandals, did as Bediya had enjoined him. Quoth the old woman, ‘Who art thou and whence comest thou and who brought thee hither? Wherefore dost thou take the sandals and kiss them and when didst thou ask a favour of me and I did not grant it thee?’

  With this in came Merjaneh and saluting her reverently, repeated to her what Bediya el Jemal had told her; which when the old queen heard, she cried out at her and was wroth with her and said, ‘How shall there be accord between mankind and the Jinn?’ But Seif answered her, saying, ‘Indeed, I will conform to thy will and be thy servant and die in thy love and will keep faith with thee and regard none but thee: so shalt thou see my truth and lack of falsehood and the excellence of my honourable dealing with thee, if it be the will of God the Most High!’ The old woman bowed her head and pondered awhile; after which she raised her head and said to him, ‘O fair youth, wilt thou indeed keep faith and troth?’ ‘Yes,’ answered he; ‘by Him who raised the heavens and spread out the earth upon the water, I will indeed keep faith!’

  Quoth she, ‘God willing, I will accomplish thee thy desire: but now go thou into the garden and take thy pleasure therein and eat of its fruits, that have neither like nor equal in the world, whilst I send for my son Shehyal and talk with him of the matter. Nothing but good shall come of it, so God please, for he will not cross me nor depart from my commandment and I will marry thee with his daughter Bediya el Jemal. So be of good heart, O Seif el Mulouk, for she shall assuredly be thy wife.’ The prince thanked her and kissing her hands and feet, went forth from her into the garden; whilst she turned to Merjaneh and said to her, ‘Go and find my son Shehyal and bring him to me, wherever he is.’ So Merjaneh went out in quest of King Shehyal and found him and brought him to his mother.

  Meanwhile, as Seif el Mulouk walked in the garden, five Jinn of the people of the Blue King espied him and said to each other, ‘Whence cometh yonder fellow and who brought him hither? Belike it is he who slew the Blue King’s son: but we will go about with him and question him and find out who he is.’ So they came softly up to him, as he sat in a corner of the garden, and sitting down by him, said to him, ‘O fair youth, thou didst rarely in killing the son of the Blue King and delivering Dauleh Khatoun from him; for he was a perfidious dog and had played the traitor with her, and had not God appointed thee to her, she had never won free. But how didst thou slay him?’ Seif looked at them and deeming them of the folk of the garden, answered, ‘I slew him by means of this ring on my finger.’ Therewith they were assured that it was he who had slain him; so they seized on him, two of them holding his hands, whilst other two held his feet and the fifth his mouth, lest he should cry out and King Shehyal’s people should hear him and rescue him.

  Then they lifted him up and flying away with him, stayed not in their flight till they set him down before their king and said to him, ‘O king of the age, we bring thee the murderer of thy son.’ ‘Where is he?’ asked the king: and they replied, ‘This is he.’ So the Blue King said to Seif, ‘How slewest thou my son, the darling of my heart and the light of my eyes, and why didst thou slay him without right, for all he had done thee no injury?’ Quoth the prince, ‘I slew him, because of his wrong-doing and frowardness, in that he used to seize kings’ daughters and sever them from their families and carry them to the Castle of Japhet son of Noah and transgress against them. I slew him by means of this ring on my finger, and God hurried his soul to the fire and ill is the abiding-place [to which he went].’

  Therewithal the king was certified that this was indeed he who slew his son; so he called his viziers and said to them, ‘Without doubt, this is the murderer of my son: so how do you counsel me to deal with him? Shall I slay him after the foulest fashion or torture him with the most grievous torments or how?’ Quoth the chief vizier, ‘Cut off his limbs, one a day.’ And another said, ‘Beat him grievously every day [till he die].’ And a third, ‘Cut him in half.’ A fourth, ‘Cut off all his fingers and burn him with fire.’ And a fifth, ‘Crucify him.’ And so on, each speaking according to his judgment.

  Now there was with the Blue King an old amir, versed in affairs and experienced in the circumstance of the times, and he said, ‘O king of the age, I have somewhat to say to thee, and it is for thee to judge whether thou wilt hearken to me or not.’ Now he was the king’s privy counsellor and the chief officer of his empire, and he was wont to give ear to his word and act by his counsel and gainsay him not in aught. So he rose and kissing the ground before the king, said to him, ‘O king of the age, if I counsel thee in this matter, wilt thou follow my counsel and grant me indemnity?’ ‘Set forth thine opinion,’ answered the king, ‘and thou shalt have indemnity.’ Then said he, ‘O king of the age, if thou wilt accept my advice and hearken to my word, to slay this young man now is inexpedient, for that he is thy prisoner and in thy power, and whenas thou wilt, thou mayst lay thy hand on him and do with him as thou wilt. Have patience, then, O king of the age, for he hath entered the garden of Irem and is become the [affianced] husband of Bediya el Jemal, daughter of King Shehyal, and one of them. Thy people seized him there and brought him hither and he did not hide his case from them or from thee. So, if thou kill him, King Shehyal will seek to avenge him of thee and wage war on thee for his daughter’s sake, and thou canst not avail to cope with him nor make head against his power.’ So the king hearkened to his counsel and commanded to imprison Seif el Mulouk.

  Meanwhile, Bediya’s grandmother, her son Shehyal being come to her, despatched Merjaneh in quest of Seif el Mulouk; but she found him not and returning to her mistress, said, ‘I found him not in the garden.’ So the old queen sent for the gardeners and questioned them of the prince. Quoth they, ‘We saw him sitting under a tree, and five of the Blue King’s people alighted by him and spoke with him awhile, after which they took him up and stopping his mouth, flew away with him.’ When the old queen heard this, it was no light matter to her and she was exceeding wroth: so she rose to her feet and said to her son, King Shehyal, ‘Art thou a king and shall the Blue King’s people come to our garden and carry off our guests unhindered, and thou alive?’ And she proceeded to provoke him, saying, ‘It behoves not that any transgress against us in thy lifetime.’ ‘O my mother,’ answered he, ‘this man slew the Blue King’s son, who was a genie, and God threw him into his hand. He is a genie and I am a genie: how then shall I go to him and make war on him for the sake of a mortal?’ But she answered, saying, ‘Go to him and demand our guest of him, and if he be still alive and the Blue King deliver him to thee, take him and return; but if he have slain him, take the king alive and all his household and family and bring them to me, that I may slaughter them with my own hand and lay waste his dominions. Except thou do what I bid thee, I will not hold thee quit of my milk and my bringing up of thee shall be counted unlawful.’

  So Shehyal rose and assembling his troops, set out, in deference to his mother, desiring to content her and her friends, and in accordance with that which had been fore-ordained from all eternity; nor did they leave journeying till they came to the country of the Blue King, who met them with his army and gave them battle. The Blue King’s host was put to the rout and he and all his sons, great and small, and grandees and officers taken and bound and brought before King Shehyal, who said to the captive monarch, ‘O Azrec, where is my guest, the mortal Seif el Mulouk?’ ‘O Shehyal,’ answered the Blue King, ‘thou art a genie and I am a genie, and is it on account of a mortal, who slew my son, the darling of my heart and the delight of my soul, that thou hast done all this
and spilt the blood of so many thousand Jinn?’

  ‘Leave this talk,’ rejoined Shehyal; ‘knowest thou not that a single mortal is better, in God’s sight, than a thousand Jinn? If he be alive, bring him to me, and I will set thee free and all whom I have taken of thy sons and people; but if thou have slain him, I will slaughter thee and thy sons.’ ‘O king,’ said Azrec, ‘is this fellow of more account with thee than my son?’ Quoth Shehyal, ‘Thy son was an evildoer, who carried off kings’ daughters and shut them up in the Castle of Japhet son of Noah and evil entreated them.’ Then said the Blue King, ‘He is with me; but make thou peace between us.’ So he delivered the prince to Shehyal, who made peace between him and the Blue King, and the latter gave him a writ of absolution for the death of his son. Then Shehyal conferred robes of honour on them and entertained the Blue King and his troops hospitably for three days, after which he took the prince and carried him back to the old queen, who rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy, and Shehyal marvelled at the beauty of Seif el Mulouk and his grace and perfection.

  Then Seif related to him his story from beginning to end and Shehyal said, ‘O my mother, since it is thy pleasure that this should be, I hearken and obey all that it pleaseth thee to command; wherefore do thou carry him to Serendib and there celebrate his wedding and marry him to her in all state, for he is a goodly youth and hath endured horrors for her sake.’ So she and her maidens set out with Seif el Mulouk for Serendib and foregathered with Dauleh Khatoun and Bediya el Jemal in the Queen of Hind’s garden. The old queen acquainted the two princesses with all that had passed between Seif el Mulouk and the Blue King; after which King Taj el Mulouk assembled the grandees of his realm and drew up the contract of marriage between Seif el Mulouk and Bediya el Jemal; and he conferred splendid robes of honour and gave banquets to the people.

  Then Seif el Mulouk rose, and kissing the earth before the king, said to him, ‘Pardon, O king! I would fain ask somewhat of thee, but fear lest thou refuse it to me and disappoint my expectation.’ ‘By Allah,’ answered Taj el Mulouk, ‘though thou soughtest my soul of me, I would not refuse it to thee, after all the kindness thou hast done me!’ Quoth Seif, ‘I wish thee to marry the princess Dauleh Khatoun to my brother Saïd, and we will both be thy servants.’ ‘I hear and obey,’ answered Taj el Mulouk, and assembling his grandees a second time, let draw up the contract of marriage between his daughter and Saïd; after which they scattered gold and silver [among the people] and the king bade decorate the city. So they held high festival and Seif and Saïd went in to their brides on the same night.

  As for Seif el Mulouk, he abode forty days with Bediya el Jemal, at the end of which time she said to him, ‘O king’s son, is there any regret for aught left in thy heart?’ ‘God forbid!’ answered he. ‘I have accomplished my quest and there abideth no regret in my heart: but I would fain visit my father and mother in Egypt and see if they continue well or not.’ So Bediya commanded a company of her people to convey them to Egypt, and they carried them to Cairo, where Seif and Saïd foregathered with their parents and abode with them a week; after which they took leave of them and returned to Serendib; and after this, whenever they longed for their people, they used to go to them and return. Then Seif el Mulouk and Bediya el Jemal abode in all delight and solace of life, as did Saïd and Dauleh Khatoun, till there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and Sunderer of Companies. So glory be to the Living One who dieth not, who createth all creatures and decreeth to them death and who is the First, without beginning, and the Last, without end! This is all that hath come down to us of the story of Seif el Mulouk and Bediya el Jemal.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  HASSAN OF BASSORA AND THE KING’S DAUGHTER OF THE JINN.

  There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and times, a rich merchant, who dwelt in the land of Bassora. [In due time] God the all-hearing and knowing decreed that he should be admitted to the mercy of the Most High; so he died, leaving a widow and a son, by name Hassan, a youth of surpassing beauty and grace, to inherit his wealth. They laid him out and buried him, after which Hassan betook himself to the company of folk [of lewd life], women and boys, consorting with them in gardens and making them [banquets of] meat and wine for months together and occupying himself not with traffic, like as his father had done, for that he exulted in [the assured possession of] abundant wealth.

  After he had led this life for some time and had wasted all his ready money, he sold all his father’s lands and houses and [spent their price in riotous living, till] there remained in his hand nothing, neither little nor much, nor was one of his friends left who knew him. He abode thus, anhungred, he and his mother, three days, and on the fourth day, as he went along, unknowing whither, there met him a man of his father’s friends, who questioned him of his case. So he told him what had befallen him and the other said, ‘O my son, I have a brother, a goldsmith; if thou wilt, thou shalt be with him and learn his craft and become skilled therein.’ Hassan consented and accompanied him to his brother, to whom he commended him, saying, ‘This is my son; do thou teach him for my sake.’ So Hassan abode with the goldsmith and busied himself with the craft; and God prospered him, [so that he became proficient therein] and [in due course] opened a shop for himself.

  One day, as he sat in his shop in the bazaar, there came up to him a Persian, with a great white beard and a white turban on his head, having the appearance of a merchant, who looked at his handiwork and examined it knowingly. It pleased him and he shook his head, saying, ‘By Allah, thou art a cunning goldsmith!’ And he continued to look at his wares, whilst Hassan read in an old book he had in his hand and the folk were taken up with his beauty and grace and symmetry, till the hour of afternoon prayer, when the shop became clear of people and the Persian accosted the young man, saying, ‘O my son, thou art a goodly youth! What book is that? Thou hast no father and I have no son, and I know an art, than which there is no goodlier in the world. Many have sought of me instruction therein, but I consented not to teach it to any of them; yet will I gladly teach it to thee, for the love of thee hath gotten hold upon my heart and I will make thee my son and set up a barrier between thee and poverty, so shalt thou be quit of this handicraft [and toil] with hammer and charcoal and fire.’

  ‘O my lord,’ said Hassan, ‘and when wilt thou teach me this?’ ‘To-morrow,’ answered the Persian, ‘if it please God the Most High, I will come to thee and make thee fine gold of copper in thy presence.’ Whereupon Hassan rejoiced and sat talking with the Persian till nightfall, when he took leave of him and going in to his mother, saluted her and ate with her; but he was dazed, without thought or reason, by reason of the hold that the stranger’s words had gotten upon his heart. So she questioned him and he told her what had passed between himself and the Persian, which when she heard, her heart fluttered and she strained him to her breast, saying, ‘O my son, beware of hearkening to the talk of the folk, and especially of the Persians, and obey them not in aught; for they are sharpers and tricksters, who profess the art of alchemy and swindle people and take their good and devour it in vain.’ ‘O my mother,’ answered Hassan, ‘we are poor folk and have nothing he may covet, that he should put a cheat on us. Indeed, this Persian is an old man of worth and the signs of virtue are manifest on him; God hath inclined his heart to me and he hath adopted me to son.’ She was silent for chagrin, and he passed the night with a heart full of what the Persian had said to him, nor did sleep visit him, for the excess of his joy therein.

  On the morrow, he rose and taking the keys, opened the shop, nor was it long before the Persian made his appearance. Hassan rose to him and would have kissed his hands; but he forbade him from this and said to him, ‘O Hassan, set on the melting-pot and mount the bellows.’ So he did as the stranger bade him and lighted the charcoal. Then said the other, ‘O my son, hast thou any copper?’ And he answered, ‘I have a broken dish.’ So he caused him cut it into small pieces with the shears and cast it into the crucible and blo
w up the fire with the bellows, till the copper became liquid, when he took from his turban a folded paper and opening it, sprinkled thereout into the pot about half a drachm of somewhat like eye-powder. Then he bade Hassan blow the bellows, and he did so, till the contents of the crucible became a lump of gold.

  When he saw this, he was at his wits’ end for joy and taking the ingot [forth of the melting-pot], handled it and tried it with the file and found it pure gold of the finest quality: whereupon his reason fled and he was dazed with excess of delight and bent over the Persian’s hand to kiss it. But he forbade him, saying, ‘Carry the ingot to the market and sell it and take the price in haste and speak not.’ So Hassan went down into the market and gave the ingot to the broker, who took it and rubbed it [with the touchstone] and found it pure gold. So they opened the biddings at ten thousand dirhems and the merchants bid against one another for it up to fifteen thousand dirhems, at which price he sold it and taking the money, went home and told his mother what had passed, saying, ‘O my mother, I have learnt this art.’ But she laughed at him, saying, ‘There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme!’ And she was silent for vexation.