One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  When the king heard this, drowsiness overcame him and he slept and presently awaking, called for the candles. So they were lighted and he sat down on his couch and seating Shehrzad by him, smiled in her face. She kissed the earth before him and said, “O king of the age and lord of the time and the day, extolled be the perfection of [God] the Forgiving One, the Bountiful Giver, who hath sent me unto thee, of His favour and beneficence, so I have informed thee with longing after Paradise; for that this which thou wast used to do was never done of any of the kings before thee. As for women, God the Most High [in His Holy Book] maketh mention of them, [whenas He saith, ‘Verily, men who submit [themselves unto God] and women who submit] and true-believing men and true-believing women and obedient men and obedient women and soothfast men and soothfast women [and long-suffering men and long-suffering women and men who order themselves humbly and women who order themselves humbly and charitable men and charitable women and men who fast and women who fast] and men who guard their privities and women who guard their privities [and men who are constantly mindful of God and women who are constantly mindful, God hath prepared unto them forgiveness and a mighty recompense].

  As for that which hath befallen thee, verily, it hath befallen [many] kings before thee and their women have played them false, for all they were greater of puissance than thou, yea, and mightier of kingship and more abounding in troops. If I would, I could relate unto thee, O king, concerning the wiles of women, that whereof I could not make an end all my life long; and indeed, aforetime, in all these my nights that I have passed before thee, I have told thee [many stories and anecdotes] of the artifices of women and of their craft and perfidy; but indeed the things abound on me; wherefore, if it like thee, O king, I will relate unto thee [somewhat] of that which befell kings of old time of the perfidy of their women and of the calamities which overtook them by reason of these latter.” “How so?” asked the king. “Tell on.” “Hearkening and obedience,”answered Shehrzad.”It hath been told me, O king, that a man once related to a company and spoke as follows:

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE FAVOURITE AND HER LOVER.

  One day, a day of excessive heat, as I stood at the door of my house, I saw a fair woman approaching, and with her a slave-girl carrying a parcel. They gave not over going till they came up to me, when the woman stopped and said to me, ‘Hast thou a draught of water?’ ‘Yes,’ answered I. ‘Enter the vestibule, O my lady, so thou mayst drink.’ Accordingly, she entered and I went up into the house and fetched two mugs of earthenware, perfumed with musk and full of cold water. She took one of them and discovered her face, [that she might drink]; whereupon I saw that she was as the shining sun or the rising moon and said to her, ‘O my lady, wilt thou not come up into the house, so thou mayst rest thyself till the air grow cool and after go away to thine own place?’ Quoth she, ‘Is there none with thee?’ ‘Indeed,’ answered I, ‘I am a [stranger] and a bachelor and have none belonging to me, nor is there a living soul in the house.’ And she said, ‘An thou be a stranger, thou art he in quest of whom I was going about.’

  Then she went up into the house and put off her [walking] clothes and I found her as she were the full moon. I brought her what I had by me of meat and drink and said to her, ‘O my lady, excuse me: this is that which is ready.’ Quoth she, ‘This is abundant kindness and indeed it is what I sought’ And she ate and gave the slave-girl that which was left; after which I brought her a casting-bottle of rose-water, mingled with musk, and she washed her hands and abode with me till the season of afternoon-prayer, when she brought out of the parcel that she had with her a shirt and trousers and an upper garment and a kerchief wroughten with gold and gave them to me; saying, ‘Know that I am one of the favourites of the Khalif, and we are forty favourites, each one of whom hath a lover who cometh to her as often as she would have him; and none is without a lover save myself, wherefore I came forth to-day to find me a gallant and behold, I have found thee. Thou must know that the Khalif lieth each night with one of us, whilst the other nine-and-thirty favourites take their ease with the nine-and-thirty men, and I would have thee be with me on such a day, when do thou come up to the palace of the Khalif and wait for me in such a place, till a little eunuch come out to thee and say to thee a [certain] word, to wit, “Art thou Sendel?” And do thou answer, “Yes,” and go with him.’

  Then she took leave of me and I of her, after I had strained her to my bosom and embraced her and we had kissed awhile. So she went away and I abode expecting the appointed day, till it came, when I arose and went forth, intending for the trysting-place; but a friend of mine met me by the way [and would have me go home with him. So I accompanied him to his house] and when I came up [into his sitting-chamber] he locked the door on me and went forth to fetch what we might eat and drink. He was absent till mid-day, then till the hour of afternoon-prayer, whereat I was sore disquieted. Then he was absent till sundown, and I was like to die of chagrin and impatience; [and indeed he returned not] and I passed my night on wake, nigh upon death, for that the door was locked on me, and my soul was like to depart my body on account of the tryst.

  At daybreak, my friend returned and opening the door, came in, bringing with him meat-pottage and fritters and bees’ honey, and said to me, ‘By Allah, thou must needs excuse me, for that I was with a company and they locked the door on me and have but now let me go.’ But I returned him no answer. Then he set before me that which was with him and I ate a single mouthful and went out, running, so haply I might overtake that which had escaped me. When I came to the palace, I saw over against it eight-and-thirty gibbets set up, whereon were eight-and-thirty men crucified, and under them eight-and-thirty concubines as they were moons. So I enquired of the reason of the crucifixion of the men and concerning the women in question, and it was said unto me, ‘The men [whom thou seest] crucified the Khalif found with yonder damsels, who are his favourites.’ When I heard this, I prostrated myself in thanksgiving to God and said, ‘God requite thee with good, O my friend!’ For that, had he not invited me [and kept me perforce in his house] that night, I had been crucified with these men, wherefore praise be to God!

  Thus,” continued Shehrzad, “none is safe from the calamities of fortune and the vicissitudes of time, and [in proof of this], I will relate unto thee yet another story still rarer and more extraordinary than this. Know, O King, that one said to me, ‘A friend of mine, a merchant, told me the following story. Quoth he,

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  THE MERCHANT OF CAIRO AND THE FAVOURITE OF THE KHALIF EL MAMOUN EL HAKIM BI AMRILLAH.

  As I sat one day in my shop, there came up to me a fair woman, as she were the moon at its rising, and with her a slave-girl. Now I was a handsome man in my time; so the lady sat down on [the bench before] my shop and buying stuffs of me, paid down the price and went away. I questioned the girl of her and she said, “I know not her name.” Quoth I, “Where is her abode?” “In heaven,” answered the slave-girl; and I said, “She is presently on the earth; so when doth she ascend to heaven and where is the ladder by which she goeth up?” Quoth the girl, “She hath her lodging in a palace between two rivers, to wit, the palace of El Mamoun el Hakim bi Amrillah.” Then said I, “I am a dead man, without recourse; “but she replied, “Have patience, for needs must she return unto thee and buy stuffs of thee yet again.” “And how cometh it,” asked I, “that the Commander of the Faithful trusteth her to go out?” “He loveth her with an exceeding love,” answered she, “and is wrapped up in her and gainsayeth her not.”

  Then the girl went away, running, after her mistress, whereupon I left the shop and set out after them, so I might see her abiding-place. I followed after them all the way, till she disappeared from mine eyes, when I returned to my place, with a heart on fire. Some days after, she came to me again and bought stuffs of me. I refused to take the price and she said, “We have no need of thy goods.” Quoth I, “O my lady, accept t
hem from me as a gift;” but she said, “[Wait] till I try thee and make proof of thee.” Then she brought out of her pocket a purse and gave me therefrom a thousand dinars, saying, “Trade with this till I return to thee.” So I took the purse and she went away [and returned not to me] till six months had passed by. Meanwhile, I traded with the money and sold and bought and made other thousand dinars profit [on it].

  Presently, she came to me again and I said to her, “Here is thy money and I have gained [with it] other thousand dinars.” Quoth she, “Keep it by thee and take these other thousand dinars. As soon as I have departed from thee, go thou to Er Rauzeh and build there a goodly pavilion, and when the building thereof is accomplished, give me to know thereof.” So saying, she left me and went away. As soon as she was gone, I betook myself to Er Rauzeh and addressed myself to the building of the pavilion, and when it was finished, I furnished it with the goodliest of furniture and sent to the lady to tell her that I had made an end of its building; whereupon she sent back to me, saying, “Let him meet me to-morrow at daybreak at the Zuweyleh gate and bring with him a good ass.” So I got me an ass and betaking myself to the Zuweyleh gate, at the appointed time, found there a young man on horse- back, awaiting her, even as I awaited her.

  As we stood, behold, up came the lady, and with her a slave-girl. When she saw the young man, she said to him, “Art thou here?” And he answered, “Yes, O my lady.” Quoth she, “To-day I am bidden by this man. Wilt thou go with us?” And he replied, “Yes.” Then said she, “Thou hast brought me [hither] against my will and perforce. Wilt thou go with us in any event?” “Yes, yes,” answered he and we fared on, [all three,] till we came to Er Rauzeh and entered the pavilion. The lady diverted herself awhile with viewing its ordinance and furniture, after which she put off her [walking-]clothes and sat down [with the young man] in the goodliest and chiefest place. Then I went forth and brought them what they should eat at the first of the day; moreover, I went out also and fetched them what they should eat at the last of the day and brought them wine and dessert and fruits and flowers. On this wise I abode in their service, standing on my feet, and she said not unto me, “Sit,” nor “Take, eat” nor “Take, drink,” what while she and the young man sat toying and laughing, and he fell to kissing her and pinching her and hopping about upon the ground and laughing.

  They abode thus awhile and presently she said, “Up to now we have not become drunken; let me pour out.” So she took the cup and gave him to drink and plied him with liquor, till he became drunken, when she took him and carried him into a closet. Then she came out, with his head in her hand, what while I stood silent, fixing not mine eyes on hers neither questioning her of this; and she said to me, “What is this?” “I know not,” answered I; and she said, “Take it and cast it into the river.” I obeyed her commandment and she arose and stripping herself of her clothes, took a knife and cut the dead man’s body in pieces, which she laid in three baskets, and said to me, “Throw them into the river.”

  I did as she bade me and when I returned, she said to me, “Sit, so I may relate to thee yonder fellow’s case, lest thou be affrighted at that which hath befallen him. Thou must know that I am the Khalif’s favourite, nor is there any more in honour with him than I; and I am allowed six nights in each month, wherein I go down [into the city and take up my abode] with my [former] mistress, who reared me; and when I go down thus, I dispose of myself as I will. Now this young man was the son of neighbours of my mistress, when I was a virgin girl. One day, my mistress was [engaged] with the chief [officers] of the palace and I was alone in the house. When the night came on, I went up to the roof, so I might sleep there, and before I was aware, this youth came up from the street and falling upon me, knelt on my breast. He was armed with a poniard and I could not win free of him till he had done away my maidenhead by force; and this sufficed him not, but he must needs disgrace me with all the folk, for, as often as I came down from the palace, he would lie in wait for me by the way and swive me against my will and follow me whithersoever I went. This, then, is my story, and as for thee, thou pleasest me and thy patience pleaseth me and thy good faith and loyal service, and there abideth with me none dearer than thou.” Then I lay with her that night and there befell what befell between us till the morning, when she gave me wealth galore and fell to coming to the pavilion six days in every month.

  On this wise we abode a whole year, at the end of which time she was absent from me a month’s space, wherefore fire raged in my heart on her account. When it was the next month, behold, a little eunuch presented himself to me and said, “I am a messenger to thee from such an one,” [naming my mistress], “who giveth thee to know that the Commander of the Faithful hath sentenced her to be drowned, her and those who are with her, six-and-twenty slave-girls, on such a day at Deir et Tin, for that they have confessed against one another of lewdness, and she biddeth thee look how thou mayst do with her and how thou mayst contrive to deliver her, even if thou gather together all her money and spend it upon her, for that this is the time of manhood.” Quoth I, “I know not this woman; belike it is other than I [to whom this message is addressed]; so beware, O eunuch, lest thou cast me into stress.” Quoth he, “Behold, I have told thee [that which I had to say,”] and went away, leaving me in concern [on her account].

  [When the appointed day arrived], I arose and changing my clothes and favour, donned sailor’s apparel; then I took with me a purse full of gold and buying good [victual for the] morning-meal, accosted a boatman [at Deir et Tin] and sat down and ate with him; after which said I to him, “Wilt thou hire me thy boat?” Quoth he, “The Commander of the Faithful hath commanded me to be here;” and he told me the story of the concubines and how the Khalif purposed to drown them that day. When I heard this from him, I brought out to him half a score dinars and discovered to him my case, whereupon quoth he to me, “O my brother, get thee empty calabashes, and when thy mistress cometh, give me to know of her and I will contrive the trick.”

  I kissed his hand and thanked him, and as I was walking about, [waiting,] up came the guards and eunuchs with the women, who were weeping and crying out and taking leave of one another. The eunuchs cried out to us, whereupon we came with the boat, and they said to the boatman, “Who is this?” “This is my mate,” answered he, “[whom I have brought,] to help me, so one of us may keep the boat, whilst another doth your service.” Then they brought out to us the women, one by one, saying, “Throw them [in] by the Island;” and we answered, “It is well.” Now each of them was shackled and they had made a jar of sand fast about her neck. We did as the eunuchs bade us and ceased not to take the women, one after another, and cast them in, till they gave us my mistress and I winked to my comrade. So we took her and carried her out into mid-stream, where I gave her the empty calabashes and said to her, “Wait for me at the mouth of the canal.” Then we cast her in, after we had loosed the jar of sand from her neck and done off her fetters, and returned.

  Now there remained one after her; so we took her and drowned her and the eunuchs went away, whilst we dropped down the river with the boat till we came to the mouth of the canal, where I saw my mistress awaiting me. So we took her up into the boat and returned to our pavilion on Er Rauzeh. Then I rewarded the boatman and he took his boat and went away; whereupon quoth she to me, “Thou art indeed a friend in need.” And I abode with her some days; but the shock wrought upon her so that she sickened and fell to wasting away and redoubled in languishment and weakness till she died. I mourned for her with an exceeding mourning and buried her; after which I removed all that was in the pavilion to my own house [and abandoned the former].

  Now she had brought to the pavilion aforetime a little brass coffer and laid it in a place whereof I knew not; so, when the inspector of inheritances came, he searched the pavilion and found the coffer, with the key in the lock. So he opened it and finding it full of jewels and jacinths and earrings and seal-rings and precious stones, such as are not found save with kings and sultans, took it,
and me with it, and ceased not to put me to the question with beating and torment till I confessed to them the whole affair from beginning to end, whereupon they carried me to the Khalif and I told him all that had passed between me and her; and he said to me, “O man, depart from this city, for I acquit thee for thy valiance sake and because of thy [constancy in] keeping thy secret and thy daring in exposing thyself to death.” So I arose forthright and departed his city; and this is what befell me.’”

  John Payne’s translation: detailed table of contents

  SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.

  King Shehriyar marvelled at these things and Shehrzad said to him, “Thou marvelledst at that which befell thee on the part of women; yet hath there befallen the kings of the Chosroes before thee what was more grievous than that which befell thee, and indeed I have set forth unto thee that which betided khalifs and kings and others than they with their women, but the exposition is long and hearkening groweth tedious, and in this [that I have already told thee] is sufficiency for the man of understanding and admonishment for the wise.”