One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  When it was the Fifty-fourth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Fireman exclaimed, “O Allah, I beseech Thee of Thy knowledge of hidden things, that Thou make this young man’s life the work of my hands!” And he ceased not to nurse him for three days, giving him to drink of sherbet of sugar and willow flower water and rose water; and doing him all manner of service and kindness, till health began to return to his body and Zau al-Makan opened his eyes. Presently came in the Fireman and, seeing him sitting up and showing signs of amendment, said to him, “What is now thy state, O my son?” “Praise be to Allah,” replied Zau al-Makan, “I am well and like to recover, if such be the will of Allah Almighty at this time.” The Stoker praised the Lord of All for this and, wending fast to the market, bought ten chickens, which he carried to his wife and said, “Kill two of these for him every day, one at dawn of day and the other at fall of day.” So she rose up and killed a fowl and brought it to him boiled, and fed him with the flesh and made him drink its broth. When he had done eating, she fetched hot water and he washed his hands and lay back upon the pillow, whereupon she covered him up with the coverlet, and he slept till the time of the mid afternoon prayer. Then she arose and killed another fowl and boiled it; after which she cut it up and, bringing it to Zau al-Makan, said, “Eat, O my son!” While he was eating; behold, her husband entered and seeing her feeding him, sat down at his head and said to him, “How is it with thee now, O my son?” “Thanks be to Allah for recovery!” he replied: “may the Almighty requite thee thy kindness to me.” At this the Fireman rejoiced and going out, bought sherbet of violets and rose water and made him drink it. Now the Stoker used to work at the Hammam all day for a wage of five dirhams, whereof he spent every day, for Zau al-Makan, one dirham upon sugar and sherbet of rose water and willow flower water,236 and another dirham for fowls; and he ceased not to entreat him thus kindly during a whole month, till the traces of illness ceased from him and he was once more sound and whole. Thereupon the Fireman and his wife rejoiced and asked him, “O my son, wilt thou go with me to the bath?”; whereto he answered, “Yes!” So the Stoker went to the bazar and fetched a donkey boy, and he mounted Zau al-Makan on the ass and supported him in the saddle till they came to the bath. Then he made him sit down and seated the donkey boy in the furnace-room and went forth to the market and bought Iote leaves and lupin-flour,237 with which he returned to the bath and said to Zau al-Makan, “O my master, in Allah’s name, walk in and I will wash thy body.” So they entered the inner room of the bath, and the Fireman took to rubbing Zau al-Makan’s legs and began to wash his body with the leaves and meal, when there came to them a bathman, whom the bath keeper had sent to Zau al-Makan; and he, seeing the Stoker washing and rubbing him, said, “This is doing injury to the keeper’s rights.” Replied the Fireman, “The master overwhelmeth us with his favours!” Then the bathman proceeded to shave Zau al-Makan’s head, after which he and the Stoker washed themselves and returned to the house, where he clad Zau al-Makan in a shirt of fine stuff and a robe of his own; and gave him a handsome turband and girdle and a light kerchief which he wound about his neck. Meanwhile the Fireman’s wife had killed and cooked two chickens; so, as soon as Zau al-Makan entered and seated himself on the carpet, the husband arose and, dissolving sugar in willow flower water, made him drink of it. Then he brought the food tray and, cutting up the chickens, fed him with the flesh and gave him the broth to drink till he was satisfied; when he washed his hands and praised Allah for recovery, and said to the Fireman, “Thou art he whom the Almighty vouchsafed to me and made the cause of my cure!” “Leave this talk,” replied the other, “and tell us the cause of thy coming to this city and whence thou art. Thy face showeth signs of gentle breeding.” “Tell me first how thou camest to fall in with me,” said Zau al-Makan; “and after I will tell thee my story.” Rejoined the Fireman, “As for that, I found thee lying on the rubbish heap by the door of the fire house, as I went to my work near the morning, and knew not who had thrown thee there. So I carried thee home with me; and this is all my tale.” Quoth Zau al-Makan, “Glory to Him who quickeneth the bones, though they be rotten! Indeed, O my brother, thou hast not done good save to one worthy of it, and thou shalt presently gather its fruitage.” And he added, “But where am I now?” “Thou art in the city of Jerusalem,” replied the Stoker; where upon Zau al-Makan called to mind his strangerhood and remembered his separation from his sister and wept. Then he discovered his secret to the Fireman and told him his story and began repeating,

  “In love they bore me further than my force would go, * And for

  them made me suffer resurrection throe:

  Oh, have compassion, cruel! on this soul of mine * Which, since

  ye fared, is pitied by each envious foe;

  Nor grudge the tender mercy of one passing glance * My case to

  lighten, easing this excess of woe:

  Quoth I ‘Heart, bear this loss in patience!’ Patience cried *

  ‘Take heed! no patience in such plight I’m wont to show.’”

  Then he redoubled his weeping, and the Fireman said to him, “Weep not, but rather praise Allah for safety and recovery.” Asked Zau al-Makan, “How far is it hence to Damascus?” Answered the other, “Six days’ journey.” Then quoth Zau al-Makan, “Wilt thou send me thither?” “O my lord,” quoth the Stoker, “how can I allow thee to go alone, and thou a youth and a stranger to boot? If thou would journey to Damascus, I am one who will go with thee; and if my wife will listen to and obey me and accompany me, I will take up my abode there; for it is no light matter to part with thee.” Then said he to his wife, “Wilt thou travel with me to Damascus of Syria or wilt thou abide here, whilst I lead this my lord thither and return to thee? For he is bent upon going to Damascus of Syria and, by Allah, it is hard to me to part with him, and I fear for him from highway men.” Replied she, “I will go with you both;” and he rejoined, “Praised be Allah for accord, and we have said the last word!” Then he rose and selling all his own goods and his wife’s gear, — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say,

  When it was the Fifty-fifth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Fire man and his wife agreed with Zau al-Makan to travel with him Damascus wards. Then the Stoker sold his goods and his wife’s gear and bought a camel and hired an ass for Zau al-Makan; and they set out, and ceased not wayfaring for six days till they reached Damascus. And they arrived there towards eventide; when the Fireman went forth and, as was his wont, bought some meat and drink. They had dwelt but five days in Damascus, when his wife sickened and, after a short illness, was translated to the mercy of Almighty Allah. Her death was a heavy matter to Zau al-Makan, for he was grown used to her as she had tended him assiduously; and the Fireman grieved for her with excessive grief. Presently the Prince turned to the Stoker and finding him mourning, said to him, “Grieve not, for at this gate we must all go in.” Replied he, “Allah make weal thy lot, O my son! Surely He will compensate us with His favours and cause our mourning to cease. What sayst thou, O my son, about our walking abroad to view Damascus and cheer thy spirits?” Replied Zau al-Makan, “Thy will is mine.” So the Fireman arose and placed his hand in that of Zau al- Makan and the two walked on till they came to the stables of the Viceroy of Damascus, where they found camels laden with chests and carpets and brocaded stuffs, and horses ready saddled and Bactrian dromedaries, while Mamelukes and negro slaves and folk in a hubbub were running to and fro. Quoth Zau al-Makan, “I wonder to whom belong all these chattels and camels and stuffs!” So he asked one of the eunuchs, “Whither this dispatching?’’ and he answered, “These are presents sent by the Emir of Damascus to King Omar bin al-Nu’uman, with the tribute of Syria.” Now when Zau al-Makan heard his father’s name his eyes brimmed over with tears, and he began repeating,