One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  My life is spent; but love lives yet, that nought may kill, And for my longing’s stress my breast is straitened still.

  My heart is all consumed for separation’s ill, Yet hopes that after all the days of union will

  Return and love-delight its ordered course fulfil.

  Be sparing of your blame to one enslaved of heart, Whose body’s worn with love and disappointment’s smart,

  Nor at his passion launch reproach’s poisoned dart, For none more wretched is than lovers torn apart.

  Yet is love’s bitter sweet of savour, will or nill.

  Quoth the vizier’s daughter to her, ‘What ails thee, O princess, to be sick at heart and melancholy?’ Whereupon Meryem recalled the greatness of the delights that were past and recited the following verses:

  will th’ estrangement of my love with fortitude abide, Whilst down my cheeks the pearls of tears in chains unending glide;

  So haply God shall succour me with solace; for indeed He doth all solace neath the ribs of difficulty hide.

  ‘O princess,’ said the vizier’s daughter, ‘let not thy breast be straitened, but come with me straightway to the lattice; for there is with us in the stable a comely young man, slender of shape and sweet of speech, and meseemeth he is a lover separated [from his beloved].’ ‘And by what sign knowest thou that he is a separated lover?’ asked Meryem. And she answered, ‘O queen, I know it by his reciting odes and verses all tides of the day and watches of the night.’ Quoth the princess in herself, ‘If what the vizier’s daughter says be true, these are the traits of the wretched, the afflicted Ali Noureddin. Can it indeed be he of whom she speaketh?’ At this thought love-longing and distraction redoubled on her and she rose at once and going with the maiden to the lattice, looked down upon the stables, where she saw her love and lord Noureddin and fixing her eyes on him, knew him but too well, albeit he was sick, of the greatness of his love for her and of the fire of passion and the anguish of separation and yearning and distraction. Emaciation was sore upon him and he was reciting and saying as follows:

  My heart a bondslave is; mine eyes rain tears for e’er: With them, is pouring forth, no rain-cloud can compare.

  My weeping’s manifest, my passion and lament, My wakefulness and woe and mourning for my fair.

  Alas, my raging heat, my transport and regret! Eight plagues beset my heart and have their lodging there.

  And five and five to boot thereafter follow on: Tarry and list, whilst I their names to thee declare.

  Memory, solicitude, sighing and languishment, Love-longing in excess and all-engrossing care,

  Affliction, strangerhood and passion and lament And griefs that never cease to stir me to despair.

  Patience and fortitude desert me for desire, Whose hosts, when patience fails, beset me everywhere.

  Yea, passion’s troubles wax for ever on my heart. O thou that ask’st what is the fire at heart I bear,

  What ails my tears a flame to kindle in my blood? The fires within my heart still burn and never spare.

  Drowned am I in the flood of my unceasing tears And in hell-fire I flame with love-longing fore’er.

  When the Princess Meryem heard the eloquence of his verses and the excellence of his sketch, she was assured that it was indeed her lord Noureddin; but she dissembled with the vizier’s daughter and said to her, ‘By the virtue of the Messiah and the True Faith I thought not thou knewest of my sadness!’ Then she withdrew from the window and returned to her own place, whilst the vizier’s daughter went about her occasions. The princess waited awhile, then returned to the window and sat there, gazing upon her beloved Noureddin and feasting her eyes on his beauty and grace. And indeed, she saw that he was like unto the moon at its full; but he was ever sighing and pouring forth tears, for that he recalled what was past. Then he recited the following verses:

  Union with my beloved for ever I await, But gain not; whilst life’s bitter for ever is my mate.

  My tears are like the ocean in their unending flow; But, when I meet my censors I force them still abate.

  Out upon him who cursed us with parting by his spells! Could I but win to meet him, I’d tear his tongue out straight.

  To blame the days availeth no whit, for that they’ve wrought: With bitterness unmingled they’ve blent my cup of fate.

  To whom shall I address me but you, to whom repair, Since in your courts, a hostage, I left my heart of late?

  Who’ll quit me of a despot, a tyrant in unright, Who waxes, when I plain me for justice as his gate?

  King o’er my soul I made him, his realm to keep; but me He ruined and his kingdom laid waste and desolate.

  My life I have expended for love of him, alas! Would God I were requited for that my spent estate!

  O fawn that in my bosom hast made thy nest, let that I’ve tasted of estrangement suffice thy wrath to sate.

  Thou’rt he whose face uniteth all charms, on whose account I’ve parted with my patience and am disconsolate.

  Within my heart I lodged him; woe on it fell, and I To that which I permitted submit without debate.

  My tears flow on for ever, like to a swollen sea: Knew I the road to solace, I would ensue it straight.

  I fear to die of sorrow, for he still ‘scapes from me, Oft as I think to reach him, ah me unfortunate!

  When Meryem heard her lover’s verses, they kindled a fire in her entrails and she recited the following, whilst her eyes ran over with tears:

  I longed for him I love; but when I saw him, for surprise I was amazed and had no power to move or tongue or eyes.

  Volumes of chiding and reproach I had prepared; but when We met, no syllable thereof unto my lips would rise.

  When Noureddin heard her voice, he knew it and wept sore, saying, ‘By Allah, this is assuredly the voice of the Princess Meryem! I wonder if my thought be true and if it be indeed she herself or another!’ And regrets redoubled upon him and he bemoaned himself and recited the following verses:

  When my blamer for love saw me meet with my dear In a place wide and open to eye and to ear

  And I said not at meeting a word of reproach Though reproach to the sad oft brings solace and cheer,

  ‘What manner of silence is this that prevents Thee from making due answer?’ he said with a sneer.

  ‘Misbeliever,’ quoth I, ‘that ignorest the case Of the people of passion, a word in thine ear;

  The sign of the lover whose love is sincere Is his silence when she whom he loveth draws near.’

  When he had made an end of these verses, the princess fetched inkhorn and paper and wrote the following letter. ‘In the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful! The peace of God be upon thee and His mercy and Blessings! Thy slave-girl Meryem salutes thee, who longeth sore for thee; and this is her message to thee. As soon as this letter falls into thy hands, do thou arise and apply thyself with all diligence to that she would have of thee, and beware with all wariness of transgressing her commandment and of sleeping. When the first watch of the night is past, (for that hour is of the most favourable of times,) saddle the two horses [that the vizier had of the king] and go forth with them to the Sultan’s Gate, [where do thou await me]. If any ask thee whither thou goest, answer, “I am going to exercise them,” and none will hinder thee; for the folk of this city trust to the locking of the gates.’

  Then she folded the letter in a silken handkerchief and threw it out of the window to Noureddin, who took it and reading it, knew it for the handwriting of the Indy Meryem. So he kissed the letter and laid it between his eyes; then, calling to mind that which had betided him with her of the sweets of love-delight, he recited the following verses, whilst the tears streamed from his eyes:

  A letter came to me from thee by favour of the night: At once It healed me and in me love-longing did excite.

  It minds me of the life I lived with thee in days of yore. Glory to Him who did us twain with separation smite!

  As soon as it was dark he busied himself with making ready the horses
and waited till the first watch of the night was past, when he saddled them with saddles of the goodliest, and leading them forth of the stable, locked the door after him and repaired with them to the city-gate, where he sat down to await the princess’s coming.

  Meanwhile, Meryem returned to her apartment, where she found the one-eyed vizier seated, leaning upon a cushion stuffed with ostrich-down; but he was ashamed to put out his hand to her or bespeak her. When she saw him, she appealed to God in her heart, saying, ‘O my God, bring him not to his will of me neither decree Thou to me defilement after purity!’ Then she went up to him and made a show of affection for him and sat down by his side and caressed him, saying, ‘O my lord, what is this aversion thou discovereth to me? Is it pride or coquetry on thy part? But the current byword saith, “If the salutation be little in demand, the sitters salute the standers.” So I, O my lord, thou come not to me neither accost me, I will go to thee and accost thee.’ ‘To thee belong favour and kindness, O queen of the earth in its length and breadth,’ answered he, ‘nor am I but one of thy slaves and the least of thy servants. Indeed, I was ashamed to intrude upon thine illustrious presence, O unique pearl, and my face is in the dust at thy feet.’ ‘Leave this talk,’ rejoined she, ‘and bring us to eat and drink.’

  So he called to his eunuchs and women to bring food, and they set before them a tray containing birds of all kinds that walk and fly and couple in the nests, such as grouse and quails and pigeons and lambs and fat geese and fricasseed fowls and other dishes of all sorts and colours. The princess put out her hand to the tray and began to eat and feed the vizier and kiss him on the mouth. They ate till they had enough and washed their hands, after which the servants removed the table of food and set on the table of wine. So the princess filled the cup and drank and gave the vizier to drink and served him with the utmost assiduity, so that he was transported for joy and his breast expanded and he was glad.

  When she saw that the wine had gotten the mastery of his senses, she brought out of her bosom a pastille of Moorish henbane, which she had provided against this oration, whereof if an elephant smelt the least whiff, he would sleep from year to year. She took him at unawares and crumbled the henbane into the cup, then, filling it up, handed it to the vizier, who could hardly credit his senses for joy. So he took it and kissing her hand, drank it off; but hardly had it reached his stomach when he fell prostrate on the earth. Then she rose and filling two great pairs of saddle-bags with what was light of carriage and great of price of jewels and jacinths and precious stones, together with somewhat of meat and drink, donned harness of war and armed herself for battle. Moreover, she took with her for Noureddin what should rejoice him of rich and royal apparel and splendid arms and armour, and shouldering the bags, (for indeed she was both strong and valiant), went forth of the palace to join her lover.

  Meanwhile the latter sat at the city-gate, with the horses’ halters in his hand, till God (to whom belong might and majesty) sent a sleep upon him and he slept, glory be to Him who sleepeth not! Now, in those days, the Kings of the Islands had spent much measure in bribing folk to steal the two horses or one of them; and there was a black slaver who had been reared in the islands and was skilled in horse-stealing; wherefore the kings of the Franks bribed him with wealth galore to steal one of the chargers and promised him, if he could avail to steal the two that they would give him a whole island and invest him with a splendid dress of honour. He had long gone about the city of France in disguise, but availed not to take the horses, whilst they were with the king; but, when he gave them to the vizier and the latter carried them to his own stable, the thief rejoiced with an exceeding joy and made sure of success, saying in himself, ‘By the virtue of the Messiah and the True Faith, I will certainly steal them!’

  Now he had gone out that very night, intending for the stable, to steal them, but, as he went along, he came upon Noureddin lying asleep, with the halters in his hands. So he went up to the horses and loosing the halters from their heads, was about to mount one of them and drive the other before him, when up came the Princess Meryem, carrying the two pairs of saddle-bags. She took the black for Noureddin and handed him one pair of bags, which he laid on one of the horses: after which she gave him the other pair and he laid it on the other horse, without word said. Then they mounted and rode out of the gate in silence. ‘O my lord Noureddin,’ quoth she, ‘what aileth thee to be silent?’ Whereupon the black turned to her and said angrily, ‘What sayst thou, O damsel?’ When she heard his outlandish speech, she knew that he was not Noureddin: so she looked at him and saw that he was a black slave, snub-nosed and wide-mouthed, with nostrils like ewers; whereupon the light in her eyes became darkness and she said to him, ‘Who art thou, O sheikh of the sons of Ham and what is thy name among men?’ ‘O daughter of the base,’ replied he, ‘my name is Mesoud, and I steal horses, when folk are asleep.’ She made him no answer, but drawing her sabre forthright, smote him on the nape and the blade came out, gleaming, from the tendons of his throat, whereupon he fell to the ground, weltering in his blood, and God hurried his soul to the fire and ill is the abiding- place [to which he went].

  Then she took the other horse by the bridle and retraced her steps in search of Noureddin, whom she found lying, asleep and snoring, in the place where she had appointed him to meet her, with the halters in his hand and knowing not his hands from his feet. So she dismounted and gave him a cuff, whereupon he awoke in affright and said to her, ‘O my lady, praised be God for thy safe coming!’ ‘Rise,’ answered she, ‘and mount this steed and speak not.’ So he rose and mounted one of the horses, whilst she bestrode the other, and they went forth the city and rode on awhile in silence. Then said she to him, ‘Did I not bid thee beware of sleeping? Verily, he prospers not who sleeps.’ ‘O my lady,’ answered he, ‘I slept not but because of the solacement of my heart by reason of thy promise. But what hath happened, O my lady?’ So she told him her adventure with the black, and he said, ‘Praised be God for safety!’

  Then they fared on at full speed, committing their affair to the Subtle, the All-wise and conversing as they went, till they came to the place where the black lay prostrate in the dusty as he were an Afrit, and Meryem said to Noureddin, ‘Dismount; strip him of his clothes and take his arms.’ ‘By Allah, O my lady,’ answered he, ‘I dare not dismount nor approach him.’ And indeed he marvelled at the black’s stature and at the valour and stout-heartedness of the princess and praised her for her deed. They fared on loftily all that night and halted not till the day broke and the sun shone out upon the hills and plains, when they came to a wide champaign, abounding in herbs and fruits of all kinds. Therein were gazelles frisking and birds singing lustily on the branches: its slopes for flowers were like serpents’ bellies and many and various were its channels of running water. And indeed it was as saith the poet and saith well and accomplisheth desire:

  As ‘twere a sun-scorched tract, a valley ruddy red, With twice the common tale of herbs and flowers o’erspread.

  We halted midst its groves, and it above us bent, As o’er a weanling child the nurses bend the head;

  And limpid water sweet, more pleasant than old wine To boon-companion is, to quench our thirst it shed.

  It still shut out the sun, from whatsoever side It smote us, but let in the breeze to cool our bed.

  Its pebbles fragrant were as maids with trinkets decked And seemed unto the touch like heaps of pearl a-thread.

  And as saith another:

  When its birds sing in the dawn o’er its limpid lake, El Welhan longs for its sight ere morning break;

  For as at were Paradise ’tis with its fragrant gales And its fruit and its streams that run through its shady brake.

  Here the two lovers alighted to rest and turning the horses loose to pasture in the valley, ate of its fruits and drank of its streams; after which they sat talking and recalling all that had befallen them and complaining one to the other of the anguish of separation and of that which they had suffered for estrange
ment and love-longing. As they were thus engaged, there arose in the distance a cloud of dust, which spread till it walled the world, and they heard the neighing of horses and clank of arms.

  Now the reason of this was, that the king had gone forth at daybreak, to give the vizier and his daughter good morrow, after the custom of kings with their daughter [on the morrow of their wedding-night,] taking with him silken stuffs [as a present] and scattering gold and silver among the eunuchs and tire-women, that they might scramble for it: but when he came to the new palace, he and one of his pages, he found the vizier prostrate on the carpet, knowing not his head from his feet, and searched the palace right and left for his daughter, but found her not; whereat he was sore troubled and concerned and his wit forsook him.

  Then he called for hot water and frankincense and virgin vinegar and mingling them together, blew the mixture into the vizier’s nostrils and shook him, whereupon he cast the henbane forth of his stomach, as it were a piece of cheese. He repeated the injection, whereupon the vizier came to himself and the king questioned him of his case and that of his daughter. ‘O mighty king,’ answered the vizier, ‘I have no knowledge of her save that she poured me out a cup of wine with her own hand; and from that moment to this I have no recollection of aught nor know I what is come of her.’ When the king heard this, the light in his eyes became darkness, and he drew his sword and smote the vizier on the head, that the steel came out gleaming from between his teeth. Then he called the grooms and stable-men and demanded the two horses of them; but they said, ‘O king, when we awoke in the morning, we found all the doors open and the two chargers missing; and our chief, the master of the horse, is also missing.’ Quoth the king, ‘By my faith and all wherein my belief is stablished, none but my daughter hath taken the horses, she and the Muslim captive that used to tend the church and who took her aforetime! Indeed I knew him right well and none delivered him from my hand save this one-eyed vizier; but now is he requited his deed.’