Now there was a ruined building hard by and he climbed up on to a high wall and gave not over clambering hither and thither, of the excess of his carefulness, till his feet betrayed him and he slipped [and fell] to the bottom and died, whilst his companions arose in the morning in health [and weal]. Now, if he had overmastered his corrupt judgment and submitted himself to fate and fortune fore-ordained, it had been safer and better [for him]; but he made light of the folk and belittled their wit and was not content to take example by them; for his soul whispered him that he was a man of understanding and he imagined that, if he abode with them, he would perish; so his folly cast him into perdition. Nor,” added the vizier, “is this more extraordinary than the story of the man who was lavish of his house and his victual to one whom he knew not”
When the king heard this, he said, “I will not isolate myself from the folk and slay my vizier.” And he bade him depart to his dwelling.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
The Fifteenth Night of the Month.
When the evening evened, the king let fetch the vizier and required of him the [promised] story. So he said, “Know, O king, that
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF THE MAN WHO WAS LAVISH OF HIS HOUSE AND HIS VICTUAL TO ONE WHOM HE KNEW NOT.
There was once an Arab of [high] rank and [goodly] presence, a man of exalted generosity and magnanimity, and he had brethren, with whom he consorted and caroused, and they were wont to assemble by turns in each other’s houses. When it came to his turn, he made ready in his house all manner goodly and pleasant meats and dainty drinks and exceeding lovely flowers and excellent fruits, and made provision of all kinds of instruments of music and store of rare apothegms and marvellous stories and goodly instances and histories and witty anedotes and verses and what not else, for there was none among those with whom he was used to company but enjoyed this on every goodly wise, and in the entertainment he had provided was all whereof each had need. Then he sallied forth and went round about the city, in quest of his friends, so he might assemble them; but found none of them in his house.
Now in that town was a man of good breeding and large generosity, a merchant of condition, young of years and bright of face, who had come to that town from his own country with great store of merchandise and wealth galore. He took up his abode therein and the place was pleasant to him and he was lavish in expenditure, so that he came to the end of all his good and there remained with him nothing save that which was upon him of raiment. So he left the lodging wherein he had abidden in the days of his affluence, after he had wasted that which was therein of furniture, and fell to harbouring in the houses of the townsfolk from night to night.
One day, as he went wandering about the streets, he espied a woman of the utmost beauty and grace, and what he saw of her charms amazed him and there betided him what made him forget his present plight. She accosted him and jested with him and he besought her of foregathering and companionship. She consented to this and said to him, ‘Let us go to thy lodging.’ With this he repented and was perplexed concerning his affair and grieved for that which must escape him of her company by reason of the straitness of his hand, for that he had no jot of spending money. But he was ashamed to say, ‘No,’ after he had made suit to her; so he went on before her, bethinking him how he should rid himself of her and casting about for an excuse which he might put off on her, and gave not over going from street to street, till he entered one that had no issue and saw, at the farther end, a door, whereon was a padlock.
So he said to her, ‘Do thou excuse me, for my servant hath locked the door, and who shall open to us?’ Quoth she, ‘O my lord, the padlock is worth [but] half a score dirhems.’ So saying, she tucked up [her sleeves] from fore-arms as they were crystal and taking a stone, smote upon the padlock and broke it. Then she opened the door and said to him, ‘Enter, O my lord.’ So he entered, committing his affair to God, (to whom belong might and majesty,) and she entered after him and locked the door from within. They found themselves in a pleasant house, comprising all weal and gladness; and the young man went on, till he came to the sitting-chamber, and behold, it was furnished with the finest of furniture [and arrayed on the goodliest wise for the reception of guests,] as hath before been set out, [for that it was the house of the man aforesaid].
He [seated himself on the divan and] leant upon a cushion, whilst she put out her hand to her veil and did it off. Then she put off her heavy outer clothes and discovered her charms, whereupon he embraced her and kissed her and swived her; after which they washed and returned to their place and he said to her, ‘Know that I have little knowledge [of what goes on] in my house, for that I trust to my servant; so arise thou and see what the boy hath made ready in the kitchen.’ Accordingly, she arose and going down into the kitchen, saw cooking pots over the fire, wherein were all manner of dainty meats, and manchet-bread and fresh almond-and-honey cakes. So she set bread on a dish and ladled out [what she would] from the pots and brought it to him.
They ate and drank and sported and made merry awhile of the day; and as they were thus engaged, up came the master of the house, with his friends, whom he had brought with him, that they might carouse together, as of wont. He saw the door opened and knocked lightly, saying to his friends, ‘Have patience with me, for some of my family are come to visit me; wherefore excuse belongeth [first] to God the Most High, and then to you.’ So they took leave of him and went their ways, whilst he gave another light knock at the door. When the young man heard this, he changed colour and the woman said to him, ‘Methinks thy servant hath returned.’ ‘Yes,’ answered he; and she arose and opening the door to the master of the house, said to him, ‘Where hast thou been? Indeed, thy master is wroth with thee.’ ‘O my lady,’ answered he, ‘I have but been about his occasions.’
Then he girt his middle with a handkerchief and entering, saluted the young merchant, who said to him, ‘Where hast thou been?’ Quoth he, ‘I have done thine errands;’ and the youth said, ‘Go and eat and come hither and drink.’ So he went away, as he bade him, and ate. Then he washed and returning to the saloon, sat down on the carpet and fell to talking with them; whereupon the young merchant’s heart was comforted and his breast dilated and he addressed himself to joyance. They abode in the most delightsome life and the most abounding pleasance till a third part of the night was past, when the master of the house arose and spreading them a bed, invited them to lie down. So they lay down and the youth abode on wake, pondering their affair, till daybreak, when the woman awoke and said to her companion, ‘I wish to go.’ So he bade her farewell and she departed; whereupon the master of the house followed her with a purse of money and gave it to her, saying, ‘Blame not my master,’ and made his excuse to her for the young merchant.
Then he returned to the youth and said to him, ‘Arise and come to the bath.’ And he fell to shampooing his hands and feet, whilst the youth called down blessings on him and said, ‘O my lord, who art thou? Methinks there is not in the world the like of thee, no, nor a pleasanter than thy composition.’ Then each of them acquainted the other with his case and condition and they went to the bath; after which the master of the house conjured the young merchant to return with him and summoned his friends. So they ate and drank and he related to them the story, wherefore they praised the master of the house and glorified him; and their friendship was complete, what while the young merchant abode in the town, till God vouchsafed him a commodity of travel, whereupon they took leave of him and he departed; and this is the end of his story. Nor,” added the vizier, “O king of the age, is this more marvellous than the story of the rich man who lost his wealth and his wit.”
When the king heard the vizier’s story, it pleased him and he bade him go to his house.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
The Sixteenth Night of the Month.
When the evening evened, the king sat in his sitting- chamber and
sending for his vizier, bade him relate the story of the wealthy man who lost his wealth and his wit. So he said, “Know, O king, that
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF THE IDIOT AND THE SHARPER.
There was once a man of fortune, who lost his wealth, and chagrin and melancholy got the mastery of him, so that he became an idiot and lost his wit. There abode with him of his wealth about a score of dinars and he used to beg alms of the folk, and that which they gave him he would gather together and lay to the dinars that were left him. Now there was in that town a vagabond, who made his living by sharping, and he knew that the idiot had somewhat of money; so he fell to spying upon him and gave not over watching him till he saw him put in an earthen pot that which he had with him of money and enter a deserted ruin, where he sat down, [as if] to make water, and dug a hole, in which he laid the pot and covering it up, strewed earth upon the place. Then he went away and the sharper came and taking what was in the pot, covered it up again, as it was.
Presently, the idiot returned, with somewhat to add to his hoard, but found it not; so he bethought him who had followed him and remembered that he had found the sharper aforesaid assiduous in sitting with him and questioning him. So he went in quest of him, assured that he had taken the pot, and gave not over looking for him till he espied him sitting; whereupon he ran to him and the sharper saw him. [Then the idiot stood within earshot] and muttered to himself and said, ‘In the pot are threescore dinars and I have with me other score in such a place and to-day I will unite the whole in the pot.’ When the sharper heard him say this to himself, muttering and mumbling after his fashion, he repented him of having taken the dinars and said, ‘He will presently return to the pot and find it empty; wherefore that for which I am on the look-out will escape me; and meseemeth I were best restore the dinars [to their place], so he may see them and leave all that is with him in the pot, and I can take the whole.’
Now he feared [to return to the pot then and there], lest the idiot should follow him to the place and find nothing and so his plan be marred. So he said to him, ‘O Ajlan, I would have thee come to my lodging and eat bread with me.” So the idiot went with him to his lodging and he seated him there and going to the market, sold somewhat of his clothes and pawned somewhat from his house and bought dainty food. Then he betook himself to the ruin and replacing the money in the pot, buried it again; after which he returned to his lodging and gave the idiot to eat and drink, and they went out together. The sharper went away and hid himself, lest the idiot should see him, whilst the latter repaired to his hiding- place and took the pot
Presently, the sharper came to the ruin, rejoicing in that which he deemed he should get, and dug in the place, but found nothing and knew that the idiot had tricked him. So he buffeted his face, for chagrin, and fell to following the other whithersoever he went, so he might get what was with him, but availed not unto this, for that the idiot knew what was in his mind and was certified that he spied upon him, [with intent to rob him]; so he kept watch over himself. Now, if the sharper had considered [the consequences of] haste and that which is begotten of loss therefrom, he had not done thus. Nor,” continued the vizier, “is this story, O king of the age, rarer or more extraordinary or more diverting than the story of Khelbes and his wife and the learned man and that which befell between them.”
When the king heard this story, he renounced his purpose of putting the vizier to death and his soul prompted him to continue him on life. So he bade him go away to his house.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
The Seventeenth Night of the Month.
When the evening evened, the king summoned the vizier, and when he presented himself, he required of him the [promised] story. So he said, “Hearkening and obedience. Know, O august king, that
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF KHELBES AND HIS WIFE AND THE LEARNED MAN.
There was once a man hight Khelbes, who was a lewd fellow, a calamity, notorious for this fashion, and he had a fair wife, renowned for beauty and loveliness. A man of his townsfolk fell in love with her and she also loved him. Now Khelbes was a crafty fellow and full of tricks, and there was in his neighbourhood a learned man, to whom the folk used to resort every day and he told them stories and admonished them [with moral instances]; and Khelbes was wont to be present in his assembly, for the sake of making a show before the folk.
Now this learned man had a wife renowned for beauty and loveliness and quickness of wit and understanding and the lover cast about for a device whereby he might win to Khelbes’s wife; so he came to him and told him, as a secret, what he had seen of the learned man’s wife and confided to him that he was enamoured of her and besought him of help in this. Khelbes told him that she was distinguished to the utterest for chastity and continence and that she exposed herself not to suspicion; but the other said, ‘I cannot renounce her, [firstly,] because the woman inclineth to me and coveteth my wealth, and secondly, because of the greatness of my love for her; and nothing is wanting but thy help.’ Quoth Khelbes, ‘I will do thy will;’ and the other said, ‘Thou shalt have of me two dirhems a day, on condition that thou sit with the learned man and that, when he riseth from the assembly, thou speak a word notifying the breaking up of the session.’ So they agreed upon this and Khelbes entered and sat in the assembly, whilst the lover was assured in his heart that the secret was safe with him, wherefore he rejoiced and was content to pay the two dirhems.
Then Khelbes used to attend the learned man’s assembly, whilst the other would go in to his wife and abide with her, on such wise as he thought good, till the learned man arose from his session; and when Khelbes saw that he purposed rising, he would speak a word for the lover to hear, whereupon he went forth from Khelbes’s wife, and the latter knew not that calamity was in his own house. At last the learned man, seeing Khelbes do on this wise every day, began to misdoubt of him, more by token of that which he knew of his character, and suspicion grew upon him; so, one day, he advanced the time of his rising before the wonted hour and hastening up to Khelbes, laid hold of him and said to him, ‘By Allah, an thou speak a single syllable, I will do thee a mischief!’ Then he went in to his wife, with Khelbes in his grasp, and behold, she was sitting, as of her wont, nor was there about her aught of suspicious or unseemly.
The learned man bethought him awhile of this, then made for Khelbes’s house, which adjoined his own, still holding the latter; and when they entered, they found the young man lying on the bed with Khelbes’s wife; whereupon quoth he to him, ‘O accursed one, the calamity is with thee and in thine own house!’ So Khelbes put away his wife and went forth, fleeing, and returned not to his own land. This, then,” continued the vizier, “is the consequence of lewdness, for whoso purposeth in himself craft and perfidy, they get possession of him, and had Khelbes conceived of himself that which he conceived of the folk of dishonour and calamity, there had betided him nothing of this. Nor is this story, rare and extraordinary though it be, more extraordinary or rarer than that of the pious woman whose husband’s brother accused her of lewdness.”
When the king heard this, wonderment gat hold of him and his admiration for the vizier redoubled; so he bade him go to his house and return to him [on the morrow], according to his wont. Accordingly, the vizier withdrew to his lodging, where he passed the night and the ensuing day.
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
VOLUME XI. Tales from the Arabic II
John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents
STORY OF THE PIOUS WOMAN ACCUSED OF LEWDNESS.
There was once a man of Nishapour, who had a wife of the utmost loveliness and piety, and he was minded to set out on the pilgrimage. So he commended his wife to the care of his brother and besought him to aid her in her affairs and further her to her desires till he should return, so they both abode alive and well. Then he took ship and departed and
his absence was prolonged. Meanwhile, the brother went in to his brother’s wife, at all times and seasons, and questioned her of her circumstances and went about her occasions; and when his visits to her were prolonged and he heard her speech and looked upon her face, the love of her gat hold upon his heart and he became distraught with passion for her and his soul prompted him [to evil]. So he besought her to lie with him, but she refused and chid him for his foul deed, and he found him no way unto presumption; wherefore he importuned her with soft speech and gentleness.
Now she was righteous in all her dealings and swerved not from one word; so, when he saw that she consented not unto him, he misdoubted that she would tell his brother, when he returned from his journey, and said to her, ‘An thou consent not to this whereof I require thee, I will cause thee fall into suspicion and thou wilt perish.’ Quoth she, ‘Be God (extolled be His perfection and exalted be He!) [judge] betwixt me and thee, and know that, shouldst thou tear me limb from limb, I would not consent to that whereto thou biddest me.’ His folly persuaded him that she would tell her husband; so, of his exceeding despite, he betook himself to a company of people in the mosque and told them that he had witnessed a man commit adultery with his brother’s wife. They believed his saying and took act of his accusation and assembled to stone her. Then they dug her a pit without the city and seating her therein, stoned her, till they deemed her dead, when they left her.
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