One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Meanwhile, Khelifeh went home to look after the damsel and found the people of the quarter assembled together, saying, ‘Verily, Khelifeh is to-day altogether undone! Where can he have gotten this damsel?’ Quoth one of them, ‘He is a mad pimp: belike he found her by the way, drunk, and carried her to his own house, and his absence shows that he knows his crime.’ As they were talking, up came Khelifeh, and they said to him, ‘What a plight is thine, O unhappy wretch! Knowest thou not what is come to thee?’ ‘No, by Allah!’ answered he. And they said, ‘But now there came slaves and took away thy slave-girl, whom thou stolest, and sought for thee, but found thee not.’ ‘And how came they to take my slave-girl?’ asked Khelifeh. And one said, ‘Had he fallen in their way, they had slain him.’ But he paid no heed to them and returned, running, to the shop of Ibn el Kirnas, whom he met riding, and said to him, ‘By Allah, it was a scurvy trick of thee to amuse me and send thy servants meanwhile to take my slave-girl!’ ‘O madman,’ replied the jeweller, ‘hold thy peace and come with me.’

  So he took him and carried him into a handsome house, where he found the damsel seated on a couch of gold, with ten slave-girls like moons round her. Ibn el Kirnas kissed the ground before her and she said, ‘What hast thou done with my new master, who bought me with all he had?’ ‘O my lady,’ answered he, ‘I gave him a thousand dinars,’ and related to her Khelifeh’s history from first to last, at which she laughed and said, ‘Blame him not; for he is but a common man. These other thousand dinars are a present from me to him and God willing, he shall get of the Khalif what shall enrich him.’

  As they were talking, there came an eunuch from the Khalif, in quest of Cout el Culoub, for, when he knew that she was in Ibn el Kirnas’s house, he could not restrain his impatience, but sent forthwith to fetch her. So she repaired to the palace, taking Khelifeh with her, and going in to the presence, kissed the ground before the Khalif, who rose to her, saluting and welcoming her, and asked her how she had fared with him who had bought her. ‘He is a man named Khelifeh the fisherman,’ answered she, ‘and standeth presently at the door. He tells me that he hath an account to settle with the Commander of the Faithful, by reason of a partnership between him and the Khalif in fishing.’ ‘Is he at the door?’ asked Er Reshid; and she answered, ‘Yes.’

  So the Khalif sent for him and he kissed the ground before him and wished him continuance of glory and prosperity. The Khalif marvelled at him and laughed at him and said to him, ‘O fisherman, wast thou in very earnest my partner yesterday?’ Khelifeh took his meaning and summoning courage, replied, ‘By Him who bestowed upon thee the succession to thine uncle’s son, I know her not in anywise and have had no commerce with her save by way of looking and talking!’ Then he told him all that had befallen him, since he last saw him, whereat the Khalif laughed and his breast dilated and he said to Khelifeh, ‘Ask of us what thou wilt, O thou that bringest folk their own!’ But he was silent; so the Khalif ordered him fifty thousand dinars and a sumptuous dress of honour from the royal wardrobe and a mule, and gave him black slaves to wait on him, so that he became as he were one of the kings of the time.

  The Khalif was rejoiced at the recovery of his favourite and knew that this was of the doing of his wife Zubeideh, wherefore he was sore enraged against her and held aloof from her a great while, visiting her not neither relenting to her. When she was certified of this, she was sore concerned for his anger and her face paled, that was wont to be rosy, till, when her patience was exhausted, she sent a letter to her cousin, the Commander of the Faithful, making her excuses to him and confessing her offences, and ending with these verses:

  I long once more thy sometime love and favour to regain, That therewithal I may assuage my sorrow and my pain.

  Pity the transport of my love and passion, O my lords! So I have suffered at your hands enough of dole and bane.

  My patience all, beloved mine, for your estrangement’s spentL You’ve troubled all my life serene with rigour and disdain.

  ’Tis life to me, if you fulfil the vows you swore to me, And very death if you to me fulfilment will not deign.

  Grant that I’ve sinned, be bountiful; forgive me, for, by God, How sweet the loved one is, when he forgives and takes again!

  When the Khalif read her letter and saw that she acknowledged her offence and sent to make her excuses to him therefor, he said, ‘Verily, God pardoneth all offences; for He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.’ And he returned her an answer, containing [assurance of] satisfaction and pardon and forgiveness for what was past, whereat she rejoiced greatly.

  As for Khelifeh, the Khalif assigned him a monthly allowance of fifty dinars, by way of recompense, and took him into his especial favour. Then he kissed the earth before the Commander of the Faithful and went forth with stately gait. When he came to the door, the eunuch Sendel saw him and knowing him, said to him, ‘O fisherman, how camest thou by all this?’ So he told him all that had befallen him, first and last, whereat Sendel rejoiced, in that he had been the cause of his enrichment, and said to him, ‘Wilt thou not give me largesse of this wealth that is become thine?’ So Khelifeh put his hand to his pouch and taking out a purse containing a thousand dinars, gave it to the eunuch, who said, ‘Keep thy money and God bless thee in it!’ and marvelled at his generosity and at the liberality of his soul, for all his [late] poverty.

  Then he mounted his mule and rode, with the slaves’ Hands on her crupper, till he came to his lodging, whilst the folk stared at him and marvelled at that which had betided him of advancement. When he alighted, they accosted him and enquired the cause of his change of fortune, and he told them all that had happened to him, from first to last. Then he bought a fine house and laid out much money thereon, till it was perfect in all respects. And he took up his abode therein and was wont to recite the following verses thereon:

  Behold a house that’s like the Dwelling of Delight! Its aspect heals the sick and banishes despite.

  Its sojourn for the great and wise appointed is, And fortune fair therein abideth day and night.

  As soon as he was settled in his house, he sought in marriage a handsome girl, daughter of one of the chief men of the city, and went in to her and led a life of all delight and happiness and prosperity. So, when he found himself in this fortunate condition, he offered up thanks to God [blessed and gloried be He!] for the abounding wealth He had bestowed on him and for His continual favours, praising his Lord with the praise of the grateful and chanting the words of the poet:

  To Thee the praise, O Thou whose grace doth no remission know, Whose bounties all-embracing are and all things overflow!

  To Thee be praise from me! Accept my homage, for indeed, I’m mindfull of Thy bounties all and all to Thee I owe.

  Thou hast indeed with benefits and favours and largesse o’erwhelmed me; so I turn to Thee, my gratitude to show.

  Out of the ocean of Thy grace and goodness all men drink And Thou doth succour them in time of trouble and of woe.

  O Thou that pardoneth my sins, Thou, O my Lord, on us Heap’st favours, crowning aye with new those that did them forego,

  Still for the sake of him who came, in mercy to mankind, A prophet, noble, true of speech and clean and pure as snow;

  God’s blessing and His peace, so long as men his tomb do seek, On him and on his helpers be and lineage, high and low!

  And eke on his companions all, th’ illustrious, the wise, The noble, whilst within the brake the bird doth singing go!

  He continued to pay frequent visits to the Khalif, with whom he found acceptance and who ceased not to overwhelm him with favours and bounty: and he abode in the enjoyment of the utmost honour and happiness and prospects and of all the delights and comforts of life, till there came to him the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies; and extolled be the perfection of Him to whom belong glory and permanence, the Living, the Eternal, who shall never die!

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  Appendix.

&
nbsp; Note

  The Breslau version of the story of Khelifeh differs so widely from the foregoing, in which I have, as usual, followed Sir William Macnaghten’s Edition of the Arabic Text, that I have thought it well to translate it en bloc by way of supplement, instead of contenting myself, as in cases where the Breslau Edition presents but occasional variations from my standard text, with amending and correcting the latter by its light.

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  KHELIF THE FISHERMAN OF BAGHDAD.

  There was once, of old days and in bygone ages and times, in the city of Baghdad, a fisherman, by name Khelif, a man of many words and little luck. One day, as he sat in his lodging, he bethought himself and said, ‘There is no power and no virtue save in God the Most High, the Supreme! I wonder what is my offence in the sight of my Lord and [the cause of] the blackness of my fortune and my little luck among the fishermen, albeit I dare say there is not in the city of Baghdad a fisherman like myself.’ Now he lodged in a ruined place called a khan, to wit, an inn, without a door, and when he went forth to fish, he would shoulder the net, without basket or knife, and the folk would look at him and say to him, ‘O Khelif, why dost thou not take with thee a basket, to hold the fish thou catches?’ Quoth he, ‘ Even as it went forth empty, so would it come back, for I never Take aught.’

  One night he arose, in the darkness before dawn, and taking his net on his shoulder, raised his eyes to heaven and said, ‘O my God, O Thou who subjectedst the sea to Moses son of Amran, provide Thou me, for Thou art the best of providers!’ Then he [went down to the Tigris and] spreading his net, cast it into the river and waited till it had settled down, when he pulled it in and drawing it ashore, found in it a dead dog. So he freed the net from the carcase and threw it away, saying, ‘O morning of ill luck! What a sorry handsel is this dead dog, after I had rejoiced in its weight!’ Then he mended the rents in the net, saying, ‘Needs must there be fish in plenty, after this carrion, attracted by the smell,’ and made a second cast.

  After awhile, he drew up and found in the net a dead camel, that had caught in the meshes and rent them right and left. When he saw his net in this plight, he wept and said, ‘There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! I wonder what is my offence and [the reason of] the blackness of my fortune and the scantiness of my luck, of all folk, so that I catch neither carplet nor barbel, that I may broil in the sand and eat, for all I dare say there is not a fisherman like me in the city of Baghdad.’

  Then he pronounced the name of God and casting his net a third time, drew it ashore and found in it a scurvy, one-eyed, mangy, lame ape, with a rod of ivory in his hand. When he saw this, he said, ‘This is indeed a blessed handsel! What art thou, O ape?’ ‘Dost thou not know me?’ answered the ape, and Khelif said, ‘No, by Allah, I have no knowledge of thee!’ Quoth the ape, ‘I am thine ape;’ and Khelif said, ‘ What use is there in thee, O my ape?’ ‘ Every day,’ replied the ape, ‘I give thee good-morrow, so God the Most High may not vouchsafe thee provision.’

  Quoth Khelif, thou failest not [of this], O one-eye of ill-omen! May God not bless thee! Needs must I put out thy sound eye and break thy sound leg, so thou mayst become a blind cripple and I be quit of thee. But what is the use of that rod thou hast in thy hand?’ ‘O Khelif,’ answered the ape, ‘I scare the fish therewith, so they may not enter thy net.’ ‘Is it so?’ rejoined Khelif. ‘Then this very day will I appoint to thee a grievous punishment and devise thee all manner torments and strip thy flesh from thy bones and be at rest from thee, sorry bargain that thou art!’

  So saying, he unwound from his middle a piece of rope and binding him to a tree by his side, said to him, ‘ Harkye, O dog of an ape! I mean to cast the net again and if aught come up therein, well and good but, if it come up empty, I will make an end of thee, by dint of beating, and be quit of thee.’ So he cast the net and drawing it ashore, found in it another ape and said, ‘Glory be to God! I was wont to pull nought but fish out of this Tigris, but now it yields nothing but apes.’

  Then he looked at the second ape and saw him round-faced and fair of fashion, with pendants of gold in his ears and a blue waistcloth about his middle, and he was like unto a lighted flambeau. So he said to him, ‘What art thou, thou also, O ape?’ And he answered, saying, ‘O Khelif, I am the ape of Aboussaadat the Jew, the Khalif’s money- changer. Every day, I give him good-morrow, and he makes a profit of ten diners.’ ‘By Allah,’ cried the fisherman, ‘thou art a fine ape, not like this unlucky wretch of mine!’

  So saying, he took a stick and came down upon the one-eyed ape’s flanks, till he broke his ribs and he jumped up and down. And the other ape answered him, saying, ‘O Khelif, what will it profit thee to beat him, though thou belabour him till he die?’ Quoth Khelif, ‘ How shall I do? Shall I let him go, that he may scare me the fish with his hang-dog favour and give me good-morrow and good-even every day, so God may not provide me? Nay, I will kill him and be quit of him and thou shalt give me good-morrow [in his stead]; so shall I gain ten diners a day.’

  ‘I will tell thee a better way than that,’ answered the second ape, ‘and if thou hearken to me, thou shalt be at rest and I will become thine ape in his stead.’ ‘And what cost thou counsel me?’ asked the fisherman; and the ape said, ‘Cast thy net and thou shalt bring up a noble fish, never saw any its like, and I will tell thee how thou shalt do with it.’ ‘Harkye, thou also!’ replied Khelif. ‘If I throw my net and there come up therein a third ape, I will cut the three of you into six pieces.’ And the second ape answered, ‘So be it, O Khelif. I agree to this condition.’

  Then Khelif took the net and cast it and drew it up, when behold in it a fine young carp, with a round head, as it were a milking-pail, which when he saw, his reason fled for joy and he said, ‘Glory be to God! What is this noble creature? Were yonder apes in the river, I had not brought up this fish. ‘Quoth the second ape, ‘Harkye, Khelif! If thou give ear to my rede, it will bring thee good fortune.’ ‘May God curse him who would gainsay thee henceforth!’ replied the fisherman, and the ape said, ‘O Khelif, take some grass and lay the fish thereon in the basket and cover it with more grass and take somewhat of basil from the greengrocer’s and set it in the fish’s mouth. Cover it with a napkin and get thee to the bazaar of Baghdad. Whoever bespeaks thee of selling it, sell it not [but fare on] till thou come to the market of the jewellers and money-changers.

  Count five shops on the right-hand side and the sixth shop is that of Aboussaadat the Jew, the Khalif’s money-changer. When thou standest before him, he will say to thee, “What seekest thou?” And do thou answer, “I am a fisherman. I cast my net in thy name and took this noble carp, which I have brought thee as a present.” If he give thee aught of money, take it not, be it little or much, for it will put to nought that which thou wouldst do, but say to him, “ I want of thee but one word, that thou say to me, ‘ I sell thee my ape for thine ape and my luck for thy luck.”’ If he say this, give him the fish and I shall become thine ape and this mangy, one-eyed cripple will be his ape.’

  ‘Good, O ape,’ replied Khelif, [and shouldering his basket, made for Baghdad], nor did he cease going and observing that which the ape had said to him, till he came to the Jew’s shop and saw him seated, with slaves and servants about him, commanding and forbidding and giving and taking. So he said to him, ‘O Sultan of the Jews, I am a fisherman and went forth to-day to the Tigris and cast my net in thy name, saying, “ This is for the luck of Aboussaadat ;” and there came up to me this carp, which I have brought thee by way of present.’

  So saying, he lifted the grass and discovered the fish to the Jew, who marvelled at its fashion and said, ‘Extolled be the perfection of the Most Excellent Creator!’ Then he gave the fisherman a diner, but he refused it and he gave him two. This also he refused and the Jew went on adding to his offer, till he made it ten diners; but he still refused and Aboussaadat said to him, ‘By Allah, thou art covetous, O Muslim! Tell me what t
hou wouldst have.’ Quoth Khelif, ‘ I want of thee but a single word.’

  When the Jew heard this, he changed colour and said, ‘Wouldst thou have me forsake my faith? Go thy ways.’ But Khelif said to him, ‘By Allah, O Jew, it is nought to me if thou become a Muslim or a Christian!’ ‘Then what wouldst thou have me say?’ asked the Jew, and the fisherman answered, ‘Say, “I sell thee my ape for thy ape and my luck for thy luck.”’ The Jew laughed, deeming him little of wit, and said by way of jest, ‘I sell thee my ape for thy ape and my luck for thy luck. Bear witness against him, [O merchants!] By Allah, O unhappy wretch, thou art debarred [from making any further claim on me]!’

  So Khelif turned back, blaming himself and saying, ‘There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! Alas, that I had taken the gold!’ and fared on till he came to the Tigris, but found not the two apes, whereupon he wept and buffeted his face and strewed dust on his head, saying, ‘But that the second ape deluded me and put a cheat on me, the one-eyed ape had not made his escape.’ And he gave not over weeping and crying out, till heat and hunger grew sore on him, when he took the net, saying, ‘ Come, let us make a cast, trusting in the blessing of God; belike I may catch a barbel or a carplet, that I may broil and eat.’

  So he cast the net [and waiting] till it had settled down, drew it ashore, and found it full of fish, whereat he rejoiced and busied himself with killing the fish and casting them on the earth. Presently, up came a woman seeking fish and crying out and saying, ‘ There is no fish in the town.’ She caught sight of Khelif and said to him, ‘Wilt thou sell this fish, master?’ ‘I am going to turn it into clothes,’ answered Khelif; ‘it is all for sale, even to my beard. Take what thou wilt. ‘So she gave him a diner and he filled her a basket.