When it was the Two Hundred and Sixty-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Aslan went out from his mother and, betaking himself to Calamity Ahmad, kissed his hand. Quoth the captain, “What aileth thee, O Aslan?” and quoth he, “I know now for certain that my father was Ali al-Din Abu al-Shamat and I would have thee take my blood-revenge on his murderer.” He asked, “And who was thy father’s murderer?” whereto Aslan answered, “Ahmad Kamakim the arch-thief.” “Who told thee this?” enquired he, and Aslan rejoined, “I saw in his hand the jewelled lanthorn which was lost with the rest of the Caliph’s gear, and I said to him, ‘Give me this lanthorn!’ but he refused, saying, ‘Lives have been lost on account of this’; and told me it was he who had broken into the palace and stolen the articles and deposited them in my father’s house.” Then said Ahmad al-Danaf, “When thou seest the Emir Khбlid don his harness of war, say to him, ‘Equip me like thyself and take me with thee.’ Then do thou go forth and perform some feat of prowess before the Commander of the Faithful, and he will say to thee, ‘Ask a boon of me, O Aslan!’ And do thou make answer, ‘I ask of thee this boon, that thou take my blood-revenge on my father’s murderer.’ If he say, ‘Thy father is yet alive and is the Emir Khбlid, the Chief of the Police’; answer thou, ‘My father was Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, and the Emir Khбlid hath a claim upon me only as the foster-father who adopted me.’ Then tell him all that passed between thee and Ahmad Kamakim and say, ‘O Prince of True Believers, order him to be searched and I will bring the lanthorn forth from his bosom.’” Thereupon said Aslan to him, “I hear and obey;” and, returning to the Emir Khбlid, found him making ready to repair to the Caliph’s court and said to him, “I would fain have thee arm and harness me like thyself and take me with thee to the Divan.” So he equipped him and carried him thither. Then the Caliph sallied forth of Baghdad with his troops and they pitched tents and pavilions without the city; whereupon the host divided into two parties and forming ranks fell to playing Polo, one striking the ball with the mall, and another striking it back to him. Now there was among the troops a spy, who had been hired to slay the Caliph; so he took the ball and smiting it with the bat drove it straight at the Caliph’s face, when behold, Aslan fended it off and catching it drove it back at him who smote it, so that it struck him between the shoulders and he fell to the ground. The Caliph exclaimed, “Allah bless thee, O Aslan!” and they all dismounted and sat on chairs. Then the Caliph bade them bring the smiter of the ball before him and said, “Who tempted thee to do this thing and art thou friend or foe?” Quoth he, “I am thy foe and it was my purpose to kill thee.” Asked the Caliph “And wherefore? Art not a Moslem?” Replied the spy; “No’ I am a Rejecter.’’113 So the Caliph bade them put him to death and said to Aslan, “Ask a boon of me.” Quoth he, “I ask of thee this boon, that thou take my blood-revenge on my father’s murderer.” He said, “Thy father is alive and there he stands on his two feet.” “And who is he?” asked Aslan, and the Caliph answered, “He is the Emir Khбlid, Chief of Police.” Rejoined Aslan, “O Commander of the Faithful, he is no father of mine, save by right of fosterage; my father was none other than Ala al-Din Abu al Shamat.” “Then thy father was a traitor,” cried the Caliph. “Allah forbid, O Commander of the Faithful,” rejoined Aslan, “that the ‘Trusty’ should be a traitor! But how did he betray thee?” Quoth the Caliph, “He stole my habit and what was therewith.” Aslan retorted, “O Commander of the Faithful, Allah forfend that my father should be a traitor! But, O my lord, when thy habit was lost and found didst thou likewise recover the lanthorn which was stolen from thee?” Answered the Caliph, “We never got it back,” and Aslan said, “I saw it in the hands of Ahmad Kamakim and begged it of him; but he refused to give it me, saying, ‘Lives have been lost on account of this.’ Then he told me of the sickness of Habzalam Bazazah, son of the Emir Khбlid, by reason of his passion for the damsel Jessamine, and how he himself was released from bonds and that it was he who stole the habit and the lamp: so do thou, O Commander of the Faithful, take my blood-revenge for my father on him who murdered him.” At once the Caliph cried, “Seize ye Ahmad Kamakim!” and they seized him, whereupon he asked, “Where be the Captain, Ahmad al-Danaf?” And when he was summoned the Caliph bade him search Kamakim; so he put his hand into the thief’s bosom and pulled out the lanthorn. Said the Caliph, “Come hither, thou traitor: whence hadst thou this lanthorn?” and Kamakim replied, “I bought it, O Commander of the Faithful!” The Caliph rejoined, “Where didst thou buy it?” Then they beat him till he owned that he had stolen the lanthorn, the habit and the rest, and the Caliph said “What moved thee to do this thing O traitor, and ruin Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, the Trusty and Faithful?” Then he bade them lay hands on him and on the Chief of Police, but the Chief said, “O Commander of the Faithful, indeed I am unjustly treated thou badest me hang him, and I had no knowledge of this trick, for the plot was contrived between the old woman and Ahmad Kamakim and my wife. I crave thine intercession,114 O Aslan.” So Aslan interceded for him with the Caliph, who said, “What hath Allah done with this youngster’s mother?” Answered Khбlid, “She is with me,” and the Caliph continued, “I command that thou order thy wife to dress her in her own clothes and ornaments and restore her to her former degree, a lady of rank; and do thou remove the seals from Ala al-Din’s house and give his son possession of his estate.” “I hear and obey,” answered Khбlid; and, going forth, gave the order to his wife who clad Jessamine in her own apparel; whilst he himself removed the seals from Ala al-Din’s house and gave Aslan the keys. Then said the Caliph, “Ask a boon of me, O Aslan;” and he replied, “I beg of thee the boon to unite me with my father.” Whereat the Caliph wept and said, “Most like thy sire was he that was hanged and is dead; but by the life of my forefathers, whoso bringeth me the glad news that he is yet in the bondage of this life, I will give him all he seeketh!” Then came forward Ahmad al-Danaf and, kissing the ground between his hands, said, “Grant me indemnity, O Commander of the Faithful!” “Thou hast it,” answered the Caliph; and Calamity Ahmad said, “I give thee the good news that Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, the Trusty, the Faithful, is alive and well.” Quoth the Caliph “What is this thou sayest?” Quoth Al-Danaf, “As thy head liveth I say sooth; for I ransomed him with another, of those who deserved death; and carried him to Alexandria, where I opened for him a shop and set him up as a dealer in second hand goods.” Then said the Prince of True Believers, — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph ordered Calamity Ahmad, saying, “I charge thee fetch him to me;” and the other replied, “To hear is to obey;” whereupon the Caliph bade them give him ten thousand gold pieces and he fared forth for Alexandria. On this wise it happed with Aslan; but as regards his father, Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, he sold in course of time all that was in his shop excepting a few things and amongst them a long bag of leather. And happening to shake the bag there fell out a jewel which filled the palm of the hand, hanging to a chain of gold and having many facets but especially five, whereon were names and talismanic characters, as they were ant-tracks. So he rubbed each face; but none answered him115 and he said to himself, “Doubtless it is a piece of variegated onyx;” and then hung it up in the shop. And behold, a Consul116 passed along the street; and, raising his eyes, saw the jewel hanging up; so he seated himself over against the shop and said to Ala al-Din, “O my lord, is the jewel for sale?” He answered, “All I have is for sale.” Thereupon the Frank said, “Wilt thou sell me that same for eighty thousand dinars?” “Allah open!” replied Ala al-Din. The Frank asked, “Wilt thou sell it for an hundred thousand dinars?”, and he answered, “I sell it to thee for a hundred thousand dinars; pay me down the monies.” Quoth the Consul, “I cannot carry about such sum as its price, for there be robbers and sharpers in Alexandria; but come wi
th me to my ship and I will pay thee the price and give thee to boot a bale of Angora wool, a bale of satin, a bale of velvet and a bale of broadcloth.” So Ala al-Din rose and locked up his shop, after giving the jewel to the Frank, and committed the keys to his neighbour, saying, “Keep these keys in trust for me, whilst I go with this Consul to his ship and return with the price of my jewel. If I be long absent and there come to thee Ahmad al-Danaf, the Captain who stablished me in this shop, give him the keys and tell him where I am.” Then he went with the Consul to his ship and no sooner had he boarded it than the Prank set him a stool and, making him sit down, said to his men, “Bring the money.” So they brought it and he paid him the price of the jewel and gave him the four bales he had promised him and one over; after which he said to him, “O my lord, honour me by accepting a bite or a sup.” And Ala al-Din answered, “If thou have any water, give me to drink.” So the Frank called for sherbets and they brought drink drugged with Bhang, of which no sooner had Ala al-Din drunk, than he fell over on his back; whereupon they stowed away the chairs and shipped the shoving-poles and made sail. Now the wind blew fair for them till it drove them into blue water, and when they were beyond sight of land the Kaptбn117 bade bring Ala al-Din up out of the hold and made him smell the counter-drug of Bhang; whereupon he opened his eyes and said, “Where am I?” He replied, “Thou art bound and in my power and if thou hadst said, Allah open! to an hundred thousand dinars for the jewel, I would have bidden thee more.” “What art thou?” asked Ala al-Din, and the other answered, “I am a sea-captain and mean to carry thee to my sweetheart.” Now as they were talking, behold, a strip hove in sight carrying forty Moslem merchants; so the Frank captain attacked the vessel and made fast to it with grappling-irons; then he boarded it with his men and took it and plundered it; after which he sailed on with his prize, till he reached the city of Genoa. There the Kaptan, who was carrying off Ala al-Din, landed and repaired to a palace whose pastern gave upon the sea, and behold, there came down to him a damsel in a chin-veil who said, “Hast thou brought the jewel and the owner?” “I have brought them both,” answered he; and she said, “Then give me the jewel.” So he gave it to her; and, returning to the port, fired his cannon to announce his safe return; whereupon the King of the city, being notified of that Kaptan’s arrival, came down to receive him and asked him, “How hath been this voyage?” He answered, “A right prosperous one, and while voyaging I have made prize of a ship with one-and-forty Moslem merchants.” Said the King, “Land them at the port:” so he landed the merchants in irons and Ala al-Din among the rest; and the King and the Kaptan mounted and made the captives walk before them till they reached the audience-chamber, when the Franks seated themselves and caused the prisoners to pass in parade order, one by one before the King who said to the first, “O Moslem, whence comest thou?” He answered, “From Alexandria;” whereupon the King said, “O headsman, put him to death.” So the sworder smote him with the sword and cut off his head: and thus it fared with the second and the third, till forty were dead and there remained but Ala al-Din, who drank the cup of his comrades’ sighs and agony and said to himself, “Allah have mercy on thee, O Ala al-Din Thou art a dead man.” Then said the King to him, “And thou, what countryman art thou?” He answered, “I am of Alexandria,” and the King said, “O headsman, strike off his head.” So the sworder raised arm and sword, and was about to strike when behold, an old woman of venerable aspect presented herself before the King, who rose to do her honour, and said to him, “O King, did I not bid thee remember, when the Captain came back with captives, to keep one or two for the convent, to serve in the church?” The King replied, “O my mother, would thou hadst come a while earlier! But take this one that is left.” So she turned to Ala al-Din and said to him, “Say, wilt thou serve in the church, or shall I let the King slay thee?” Quoth he, “I will serve in the church.” So she took him and carried him forth of the court and went to the church, where he said to her, “What service must I do?” She replied, “Thou must rise with the dawn and take five mules and go with them to the forest and there cut dry fire-wood and saw it short and bring it to the convent-kitchen. Then must thou take up the carpets and sweep and wipe the stone and marble pavements and lay the carpets down again, as they were; after which thou must take two bushels and a half of wheat and bolt it and grind it and knead it and make it into cracknels118 for the convent; and thou must take also a bushel of lentils119 and sift and crush and cook them. Then must thou fetch water in barrels and fill the four fountains; after which thou must take three hundred and threescore and six wooden bowls and crumble the cracknels therein and pour of the lentil-pottage over each and carry every monk and patriarch his bowl.” Said Ala al-Din,120 “Take me back to the King and let him kill me, it were easier to me than this service.” Replied the old woman, “If thou do truly and rightly the service that is due from thee thou shalt escape death; but, if thou do it not, I will let the King kill thee.” And with these words Ala al-Din was left sitting heavy at heart. Now there were in the church ten blind cripples, and one of them said to him, “Bring me a pot.” So he brought it him and he cacked and eased himself therein and said, “Throw away the ordure.” He did so, and the blind man said, “The Messiah’s blessing be upon thee, O servant of the church!” Presently behold, the old woman came in and said to him, “Why hast thou not done thy service in the church?” Answered he, “How many hands have I, that I should suffice for all this work?” She rejoined, ‘Thou fool, I brought thee not hither except to work;” and she added, “Take, O my son, this rod (which was of copper capped with a cross) and go forth into the highway and, when thou meetest the governor of the city, say to him, ‘I summon thee to the service of the church, in the name of our Lord the Messiah.’ And he will not disobey thee. Then make him take the wheat, sift, grind, bolt, knead, and bake it into cracknels; and if any gainsay thee, beat him and fear none.” “To hear is to obey,” answered he and did as she said, and never ceased pressing great and small into his service; nor did he leave to do thus for the space of seventeen years. Now one day as he sat in church, lo! the old woman came to him and said, “Go forth of the convent.” He asked, “Whither shall I go?” and she answered, “Thou canst pass the night in a tavern or with one of thy comrades.” Quoth he, “Why dost thou send me forth of the church?” and quote she, “The Princess Husn Maryam, daughter of Yohannб,121 King of this city, purposeth to visit the church and it befitteth not that any abide in her way.” So he made a show of obeying her orders and rose up and pretended that he was leaving the church; but he said in his mind, “I wonder whether the Princess is like our women or fairer than they! At any rate I will not go till I have had a look at her.” So he hid himself in a closet with a window looking into the church and, as he watched, behold, in came the King’s daughter. He cast at her one glance of eyes that cost him a thousand sighs, for he found her like the full moon when it cometh swimming out of the clouds; and he saw with her a young lady, — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
One Thousand and One Nights Page 692