One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  Then, when he saw and was certified that Alaeddin had come forth from under the earth and had happened upon the good of the Lamp, he said in himself, “Needs must I go about to kill him.” So he smote the sand once more and examining its figures, saw that Alaeddin had gotten him exceeding wealth and had married the Sultan’s daughter; whereat he was all afire for rage and envy and arising then and there, equipped himself for travel and set out for the land of China. When he came to the city of the sultanate, wherein was Alaeddin, he entered and alighting at one of the khans, heard the folk talking of nought but the magnificence of Alaeddin’s palace; then, after he was rested from his journey, he changed his clothes and went down to go round about in the thoroughfares of the city. He passed no folk but they were descanting upon the palace and its magnificence and talking of Alaeddin’s grace and comeliness and his bounty and munificence and the goodliness of his manners and disposition; so he went up to one of those who were extolling Alaeddin on this wise and said to him, “Prithee, fair youth, who is this whom you describe and praise?” “O man,” replied the other, “meseemeth thou art a stranger and comest from afar; but, granting thou art from a far country, hast thou not heard of the Amir Alaeddin, whose repute, methought, filled the earth, and of his palace, a wonder of the world, whereof both far and near have heard? How is it thou hast heard nought of this nor of the name of Alaeddin, whom Our Lord increase in glory and prosper?” Quoth the Maugrabin, “Marry, it is the utmost of my wish to look upon the palace; so, an thou wouldst do me a kindness, direct me thither, for that I am a stranger.” “Hearkening and obedience,” replied the other and going before him, guided him to Alaeddin’s palace.

  The Maugrabin fell to examining it and knew that this all of it was the work of the Lamp; so he said, “Alack! Alack! Needs must I dig a pit for this accursed one, this tailor’s son, who could not come by a night’s supper; but, an destiny enable me, I will send his mother back to spin at her wheel, like as she did erst, and as for him, it shall cost him his life.” Then he returned to the khan in a woeful state of chagrin and colour and despite, for envy of Alaeddin, and taking his geomantic instruments, smote his [tablet of] sand, so he might learn where the lamp was, and found that it was in the palace and not with Alaeddin; whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said, “Now it will be an easy matter for me to bereave this accursed of his life and I have a way to come at the lamp.” Accordingly he went to a coppersmith and said to him, “Make me so many lamps and take of me their worth in full; but I will have thee despatch them quickly.” “Hearkening and obedience,” replied the smith and falling to work on them, speedily despatched them for him. When they were finished, the Maugrabin paid him their price, even that which he sought, and taking the lamps, carried them to the khan, where he laid them in a basket and fell to going round about in the markets and thoroughfares of the city and crying out, “Ho! who will barter an old lamp for a new lamp?” When the folk heard him crying this, they laughed at him and said, “Certes, this man is mad, since he goeth about, bartering new lamps for old.” Moreover, people followed him and the street-boys caught him up from place to place and laughed at him. However, he fended not himself neither took heed of this, but ceased not to go round about the city till he came under Alaeddin’s palace, where he fell to crying his loudest, whilst the children called after him, “Madman! Madman!”

  Now as fate willed it, the Lady Bedrulbudour was in the kiosk and hearing one crying out and the boys calling after him and understanding not what was toward, bade one of the slave-girls “Go see what is this man who crieth out and what he crieth.” So the girl went and looking, saw one crying out, “Ho, who will barter an old lamp for a new lamp?” with the boys after him, laughing at him; so she returned and told her mistress, saying, “O my lady, this man crieth, ‘Ho! who will barter an old lamp for a new lamp?’ and the boys are following him and laughing at him;” and the Lady Bedrulbudour laughed also at this marvel. Now Alaeddin had forgotten the lamp in his pavilion, without locking it up in his treasury [as was his wont], and one of the girls had seen it; so she said to the princess, “O my lady, methinketh I have seen an old lamp in my lord Alaeddin’s pavilion; let us barter it with this man for a new one, so we may see an his speech be true or leasing.” And the princess said to her, “fetch the lamp whereof thou speakest.” Now the Lady Bedrulbudour had no knowledge of the lamp and its properties, neither knew she that this it was which had brought Alaeddin her husband to that great estate, and it was the utmost of her desire to prove and see the wit of this man who bartered new for old, nor was any one aware of the Maugrabin enchanter’s craft and trickery. So the slave-girl went up into Alaeddin’s pavilion and returned with the lamp to the Lady Bedrulbudour, who bade the Aga of the eunuchs go down and exchange it for a new one; so he took it and going down, gave it to the Maugrabin and took of him a new lamp, with which he returned to the princess, who examined it and finding it new and real, fell to laughing at the Maugrabin’s [lack of] wit. Meanwhile, when the enchanter had gotten the lamp and knew it for that of the Treasure, he thrust it forthwith into his sleeve and leaving the rest of the lamps to the folk who were in act to barter of him, set off running, till he came without the city, and walked about the waste places, awaiting the coming of the night. Then, when he saw himself alone in the open country, he brought out the lamp from his sleeve and rubbed it; whereupon the Marid immediately appeared to him and said, “Here am I; thy slave [is] before thee. Seek of me what thou wilt.” Quoth the Maugrabin, “My will is that thou take up Alaeddin’s palace from its place, with its inhabitants and all that is therein and myself also, and set it down in my country of Africa. Thou knowest my town and I will have this palace be thereby among the gardens.” “Hearkening and obedience,” replied the Marid. “Shut [thine] eye and open [thine] eye, and thou wilt find thyself in thine own country with the palace.” And immediately this befell in the twinkling of an eye and the Maugrabin was transported, with Alaeddin’s palace and all that was therein, to the land of Africa.

  So much for the enchanter, and now let us return to the Sultan and Alaeddin. The Sultan, of his love and affection for his daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour, was wont, every day, when he awoke from his sleep, to open the window and look at her therefrom; so he arose on the morrow, according to his wont, and opened his chamber-window, so he might see his daughter; but when he put out his head and looked for Alaeddin’s palace, he beheld nothing but a place swept [and level], like as it was aforetime, and saw neither palace nor inhabitants; whereat amazement clad him and his wit was bewildered and he fell to rubbing his eyes, so haply they were bleared or dimmed. Then he proceeded to look closely till at last he was certified that there was neither trace nor sign left of the palace and knew not what was come of it; whereupon he redoubled in perplexity and smote hand upon hand and his tears ran down upon his beard, for that he knew not what had befallen his daughter. So he sent forthright to fetch the Vizier, who came in to him and seeing him in that woeful state, said to him, “Pardon, O King of the Age (God keep thee from harm!) why art thou woeful?” Quoth the Sultan, “Meseemeth thou knowest not of my affair.” And the Vizier said to him, “By Allah, O my lord, I have no knowledge of aught whatsoever.” “Then,” rejoined the Sultan, “thou hast not looked towards Alaeddin’s palace.” “Nay, O my lord,” replied the Vizier, “it is yet shut.” And the Sultan said to him, “Since thou hast no news of aught, rise and look at it from the window and see where it is, this palace of Alaeddin’s, whereof thou sayest that it is yet shut.” The Vizier arose and looked from the window towards Alaeddin’s palace, but could see nothing, neither palace nor aught else; so his wit was bewildered and he was amazed and returned to the Sultan, who said to him, “Now knowest thou the cause of my distress and seest Alaeddin his palace, whereof thou saddest that it was shut.” “O King of the Age,” rejoined the Vizier, “I told Thy Grace aforetime that this palace and these affairs were all of them [the work of] enchantment.”

  At this the Sultan was f
ired with wrath and said to him, “Where is Alaeddin?” And he answered, “He is at the chase.” Whereupon the Sultan bade sundry of his eunuchs and officers go straightway fetch him bound and shackled. So they went till they came to Alaeddin and said to him, “O our lord Alaeddin, blame us not, for that the Sultan hath bidden us carry thee to him, bound and shackled; wherefore we beseech thee of excusement, for that we are under a royal commandment and may not gainsay it.” When Alaeddin heard their speech, wonderment took him and his tongue was tied, for that he knew not the cause; then he turned to the eunuchs and officers and said, “Prithee, sirs, have you no knowledge of the cause of this commandment of the Sultan? I know myself guiltless, forasmuch as I have done no sin against the Sultan nor against his realm.” And they said to him, “O our lord, we have no manner of knowledge thereof.” So Alaeddin lighted down from his stallion and said to them, “Do with me that which the Sultan biddeth you, for that his commandment is upon the head and eyes.” Accordingly the officers shackled him and pinioning him, haled him along in irons and entered the city with him.

  The folk, seeing Alaeddin pinioned and shackled with iron, knew that the Sultan was minded to cut off his head, and forasmuch as he was extraordinarily beloved of them, they all gathered together and taking up arms, came forth their houses and followed the troops, so they might see what was to do. When the officers came with Alaeddin to the palace, they entered and told the Sultan, who immediately bade the headsman go and cut off his head. But the commons, hearing of this his commandment, shut the gates of the palace and sent to say to the Sultan, “This very moment we will overthrow the palace upon thee and all who are therein, an the least harm happen to Alaeddin.” So the Vizier went and told the Sultan and said to him, “O King of the Age, all will be over with us forthright; wherefore thou wert best pardon Alaeddin, lest some calamity befall us, for that the commons love him more than us.” Now the headsman had spread the carpet of blood and seating Alaeddin thereon, had bound his eyes and gone round him three times, awaiting the King’s final commandment. The Sultan looked at his subjects and seeing them swarming upon him and climbing up to the palace, that they might overthrow it, commanded the headsman to hold his hand from Alaeddin and bade the crier go forth among the people and proclaim that he pardoned Alaeddin and took him [again] into favour.

  When Alaeddin found himself released and saw the Sultan sitting, he went up to him and said to him, “O my lord, since Thy Grace hath bountifully vouchsafed me my life, favour me [yet farther] and tell me the manner of my offence.” “O traitor,” replied the Sultan, “till [but] now I knew not thine offence;” then, turning to the Vizier, he said to him, “Take him, that he may see from the windows where his palace is.” Accordingly the Vizier took him and Alaeddin looked from the windows in the direction of his palace and finding the place swept and clear, like as it was before he built the palace thereon, neither seeing any trace of the latter, he was amazed and bewildered, unknowing what had happened. When he returned, the King said to him, “What hast thou seen? Where is thy palace and where is my daughter, my heart’s darling and mine only one, than whom I have none other?” And Alaeddin answered him, saying, “O King of the Age, I have no knowledge thereof, neither know I what hath befallen.” And the Sultan said to him, “Know, O Alaeddin, that I have pardoned thee, so thou mayst go and look into this affair and make me search for my daughter; and do not thou present thyself but with her; nay, an thou bring her not back to me, as my head liveth, I will cut off thine.” “Hearkening and obedience, O King of the Age,” replied Alaeddin. “Grant me but forty days’ grace, and an I bring her not after that time, cut off my head and do what thou wilt.” Quoth the Sultan to him, “I grant thee, according to thy request, the space of forty days; but think not to flee from my hand, for that I will fetch thee back, though thou wert above the clouds, not to say upon the face of the earth.” “O my lord the Sultan,” rejoined Alaeddin, “as I said to Thy Grace, an I bring her not to thee in this space of time, I will present myself before thee, that thou mayst cut off my head.”

  Now the commons and the folk, one and all, when they saw Alaeddin, rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy and were glad for his deliverance; but the ignominy which had befallen him and shame and the exultation of the envious had bowed down his head; so he went forth and fell to going round about the city, perplexed anent his case and unknowing how all this had happened. He abode in the city two days in the woefullest of case, knowing not how he should do to find his palace and the Lady Bedrulbudour, his bride, what while certain of the folk used to come to him privily with meat and drink. Then he went forth, wandering in the deserts and knowing not whitherward he should aim, and ceased not going till he came to a river; whereupon, his hope being cut off for stress of chagrin that possessed him, he thought to cast himself into the stream; but, for that he was a pious Muslim, professing the unity of God, he feared God in himself and stood on the bank; of the stream to perform the ablution. So he took of the water in his hands and proceeded to rub between his fingers; and in doing this, his rubbing chanced upon the ring, whereupon a Marid appeared to him and said to him, “Here am I; thy slave is before thee. Seek what thou wilt.”

  When Alaeddin saw the Marid, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said to him, “O slave, I will have thee bring me my palace, with my bride, the Lady Bedrulbudour, and all that is therein.” “O my lord,” replied the Marid, “it irketh me sore that what thou seekest of me is a thing unto which I cannot avail, for that it pertaineth unto the slaves of the Lamp and I may not adventure upon it.” “Then,” said Alaeddin, “since this is not possible unto thee, take me and set me down beside my palace, in what land soever it is.” “Hearkening and obedience, O my lord,” replied the Marid and taking him up, set him down, in the twinkling of an eye, beside his palace in the land of Africa and before his wife’s pavilion. By this time, the night was come; so he looked at his palace and his cares and sorrows were dispelled from him and he trusted in God, after he had forsworn hope, that he should see his bride once again. Then he fell to thinking upon the hidden mercies of God (glorified be His might!) and how He had vouchsafed him the ring and how his hope had been cut off, except God had provided him with the slave of the Ring. So he rejoiced and all chagrin ceased from him; then, for that he had been four days without sleeping, of the stress of his chagrin and his trouble and his grief and the excess of his melancholy, he went to the side of the palace and lay down under a tree; for that, as I have said, the palace was among the gardens of Africa without the city. He lay that night under the tree in all ease; but he whose head is in the headsman’s hand sleepeth not anights. However, fatigue and lack of sleep for four days past caused slumber get the mastery over him; so he slept till break of morn, when he awoke at the chirp of the sparrows. He arose and going to a stream there which flowed into the city, washed his hands and face; then, making the ablution, he prayed the morning-prayer and after returned and sat under the windows of the Lady Bedrulbudour’s pavilion.

  Now the princess, of the excess of her grief for her separation from her husband and the Sultan her father and of her sore distress at that which had betided her with the accursed Maugrabin enchanter, used every day to arise, at the first peep of dawn, and sit weeping; nay, she slept not anights and forswore meat and drink. Her handmaid used to go in to her at the time of the Salutation, so she might dress her, and that morning, by the decree of destiny, the damsel opened the window at that time, thinking to solace her mistress with the sight of the trees and streams. So she looked out and seeing her lord Alaeddin sitting under the windows of the pavilion, said to the princess, “O my lady, my lady, here is my lord Alaeddin sitting under the pavilion!” Whereupon the Lady Bedrulbudour arose in haste and looking from the window, saw Alaeddin, and he raised his head and saw her; so she saluted him and he her and they were both like to fly for joy. Then said she to him, “Arise and come in to me by the privy door, for that the accursed one is not now here;” and she bade her handmaid go down and open t
he door. So the damsel went down and opened to Alaeddin, who arose and entered thereby. His wife, the Lady Bedrulbudour, met him at the door and they embraced and kissed each other with all joyance, till they fell a-weeping of the excess of their gladness.

  Then they sat down and Alaeddin said to her, “O Lady Bedrulbudour, there is somewhat whereof I would ask thee, before all things. I used to lay an old copper lamp in such a place in my pavilion...” When the princess heard this, she sighed and answered him, saying, “O my beloved, it was that which was the cause of our falling into this calamity.” Quoth he, “How came this about?” So she acquainted him with the whole matter from first to last, telling him how they had bartered the old lamp for a new one; “and next morning,” added she, “we found ourselves in this country and he who had cozened me and changed the lamp told me that he had wroughten these tricks upon us of the might of his magic, by means of the lamp and that he is a Maugrabin from Africa and that we are now in his native land.” When she had made an end of her story, Alaeddin said to her, “Tell me, what does this accursed one purpose with thee; what saith he to thee and of what doth he bespeak thee and what is his will of thee?” “Every day,” answered the princess, “he cometh to me once and no more and seeketh to draw me to his love, willing me take him in thy stead and forget and renounce thee; nay, he told me that my father the Sultan had cut off thy head. Moreover, he useth to say to me of thee that thou art the son of poor folk and that he was the cause of thine enrichment and seeketh to cajole me with talk, but never hath he seen of me aught but tears and weeping or heard from me one soft word.” Quoth Alaeddin, “Tell me where he layeth the lamp, an thou knowest.” And she said, “He still carrieth it [about him] nor will part with it a moment; nay, when he acquainted me with that whereof I have told thee, he brought out the lamp from his sleeve and showed it to me”