One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  “Pause ye and see his sorry state since when ye fain withdrew; *

  Haply, when wrought your cruelty, you’ll have the grace to

  rue:

  For an ye look on him, you’ll doubt of him by sickness-stress *

  As though, by Allah, he were one before ye never knew.

  He dies for nothing save for love of you, and he would be *

  Numbered amid the dead did not he moan and groan for you.

  And deem not pangs of severance sit all lightly on his soul; *

  ’Tis heavy load on lover-wight; ‘twere lighter an ye slew.”

  Then having ended his verse he rose and went round about the house, weeping and wailing, groaning and bemoaning himself, five days, during which he tasted nor meat nor drink. His mother came to him and conjured him, till he broke his fast, and besought him to leave weeping; but he hearkened not to her and continued to shed tears and lament, whilst she strove to comfort him and he heeded her not. Then he recited these couplets,102

  “Beareth for love a burden sore this soul of me, * Could break a

  mortal’s back however strong that be;

  I am distraught to see my case and languor grows * Making my day

  and night indifferent in degree:

  I own to having dreaded Death before this day: * This day I hold

  my death mine only remedy.”

  And Hasan ceased not to do thus till daybreak, when his eyes closed and he saw in a dream his wife grief-full and repentant for that which she had done. So he started up from sleep crying out and reciting these two couplets,

  “Their image bides with me, ne’er quits me, ne’er shall fly; *

  But holds within my heart most honourable stead;

  But for reunion-hope, I’d see me die forthright, * And but for

  phantom-form of thee my sleep had fled.”

  And as morning morrowed he redoubled his lamentations. He abode weeping-eyed and heavy-hearted, wakeful by night and eating little, for a whole month, at the end of which he bethought him to repair to his sisters and take counsel with them in the matter of his wife, so haply they might help him to regain her. Accordingly he summoned the dromedaries and loading fifty of them with rarities of Al-Irak, committed the house to his mother’s care and deposited all his goods in safe keeping, except some few he left at home. Then he mounted one of the beasts and set out on his journey single handed, intent upon obtaining aidance from the Princesses, and he stayed not till he reached the Palace of the Mountain of Clouds, when he went in to the damsels and gave them the presents in which they rejoiced. Then they wished him joy of his safety and said to him, “O our brother, what can ail thee to come again so soon, seeing thou wast with us but two months since?” Whereupon he wept and improvised these couplets,

  “My soul for loss of lover sped I sight; * Nor life enjoying

  neither life’s delight:

  My case is one whose cure is all unknown; * Can any cure the sick

  but doctor wight?

  O who hast reft my sleep-joys, leaving me * To ask the breeze

  that blew from that fair site, —

  Blew from my lover’s land (the land that owns * Those charms so

  sore a grief in soul excite),

  ‘O breeze, that visitest her land, perhaps * Breathing her scent,

  thou mayst revive my sprite!’”

  And when he ended his verse he gave a great cry and fell down in a fainting-fit. The Princesses sat round him, weeping over him, till he recovered and repeated these two couplets,

  “Haply and happily may Fortune bend her rein * Bringing my love,

  for Time’s a freke of jealous strain;103

  Fortune may prosper me, supply mine every want, * And bring a

  blessing where before were ban and bane.”

  Then he wept till he fainted again, and presently coming to himself recited the two following couplets,

  “My wish, mine illness, mine unease! by Allah, own * Art thou

  content? then I in love contented wone!

  Dost thou forsake me thus sans crime or sin * Meet me in ruth, I

  pray, and be our parting gone.”

  Then he wept till he swooned away once more and when he revived he repeated these couplets,

  “Sleep fled me, by my side wake ever shows * And hoard of

  tear-drops from these eyne aye flows;

  For love they weep with beads cornelian-like * And growth of

  distance greater dolence grows:

  Lit up my longing, O my love, in me * Flames burning ‘neath my

  ribs with fiery throes!

  Remembering thee a tear I never shed * But in it thunder roars

  and leven glows.”

  Then he wept till he fainted away a fourth time, and presently recovering, recited these couplets,

  “Ah! for lowe of love and longing suffer ye as suffer we? * Say,

  as pine we and as yearn we for you are pining ye?

  Allah do the death of Love, what a bitter draught is his! * Would

  I wot of Love what plans and what projects nurseth he!

  Your faces radiant-fair though afar from me they shine, * Are

  mirrored in our eyes whatsoever the distance be;

  My heart must ever dwell on the memories of your tribe; * And the

  turtle-dove reneweth all as oft as moaneth she:

  Ho thou dove, who passest night-tide in calling on thy fere, *

  Thou doublest my repine, bringing grief for company;

  And leavest thou mine eyelids with weeping unfulfilled * For the

  dearlings who departed, whom we never more may see:

  I melt for the thought of you at every time and hour, * And I

  long for you when Night showeth cheek of blackest blee.”

  Now when his sister heard these words and saw his condition and how he lay fainting on the floor, she screamed and beat her face and the other Princesses hearing her scream came out and learning his misfortune and the transport of love and longing and the passion and distraction that possessed him they questioned him of his case. He wept and told them what had befallen in his absence and how his wife had taken flight with her children, wherefore they grieved for him and asked him what she said at leave-taking. Answered he, “O my sisters, she said to my mother, ‘Tell thy son, whenas he cometh to thee and the nights of severance upon him longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see, and whenas the winds of love and longing shake him dolefully, let him fare in the Islands of Wak to me.” When they heard his words they signed one to other with their eyes and shook their heads, and each looked at her sister, whilst Hasan looked at them all. Then they bowed their heads groundwards and bethought themselves awhile; after which they raised their heads and said, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!”; presently adding, “Put forth thy hand to heaven and when thou reach thither, then shalt thou win to thy wife. — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

  When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night,

  She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Princesses said to Hasan, “Put forth thy hand to Heaven and when thou reach thither, then shalt thou win to wife and children,” thereat the tears ran down his cheeks like rain and wet his clothes, and he recited these couplets,

  “Pink cheeks and eyes enpupil’d black have dealt me sore

  despight; * And whenas wake overpowered sleep my patience

  fled in fright:

  The fair and sleek-limbed maidens hard of heart withal laid waste

  * My very bones till not a breath is left for man to sight:

  Houris, who fare with gait of grace as roes o’er sandy-mound: *

  Did Allah’s saints behold their charms they’d doat thereon

  forthright;

  Faring as fares the garden breeze that bloweth in the dawn. * For

  love of them a sore unrest and troubles rack my sprite:
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  I hung my hopes upon a maid, a loveling fair of them, * For whom

  my heart still burns with lowe in Lazá-hell they light; —

  A dearling soft of sides and haught and graceful in her gait, *

  Her grace is white as morning, but her hair is black as

  night:

  She stirreth me! But ah, how many heroes have her cheeks *

  Upstirred for love, and eke her eyes that mingle black and

  white.”

  Then he wept, whilst the Princesses wept for his weeping, and they were moved to compassion and jealousy for him. So they fell to comforting him and exhorting him to patience and offering up prayers for his reunion with his wife; whilst his sister said to him, “O my brother, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear and be patient; so shalt thou win thy will; for whoso hath patience and waiteth, that he seeketh attaineth. Patience holdeth the keys of relief and indeed the poet saith,

  ‘Let destiny with slackened rein its course appointed fare! And

  lie thou down to sleep by night, with heart devoid of care;

  For ‘twixt the closing of an eye and th’ opening thereof, God

  hath it in His power to change a case from foul to

  fair.”104

  So hearten thy heart and brace up thy resolve, for the son of ten years dieth not in the ninth.105 Weeping and grief and mourning gender sickness and disease; wherefore do thou abide with us till thou be rested, and I will devise some device for thy winning to thy wife and children, Inshallah — so it please Allah the Most High!” And he wept sore and recited these verses,

  “An I be healed of disease in frame, * I’m unhealed of illness in

  heart and sprite:

  There is no healing disease of love, * Save lover and loved one

  to re-unite.”

  Then he sat down beside her and she proceeded to talk with him and comfort him and question him of the cause and the manner of his wife’s departure. So he told her and she said, “By Allah, O my brother, I was minded to bid thee burn the feather-dress, but Satan made me forget it.” She ceased not to converse with him and caress him and company with him other ten days, whilst sleep visited him not and he delighted not in food; and when the case was longsome upon him and unrest waxed in him, he versified with these couplets,

  “A beloved familiar o’erreigns my heart * And Allah’s ruling

  reigns evermore:

  She hath all the Arabs’ united charms * This gazelle who feeds on

  my bosom’s core.

  Though my skill and patience for love of her fail, * I weep

  whilst I wot that ’tis vain to deplore.

  The dearling hath twice seven years, as though * She were moon of

  five nights and of five plus four.”106

  When the youngest Princess saw him thus distracted for love and longing-for passion and the fever-heat of desire, she went in to her sisterhood weeping-eyed and woeful-hearted, and shedding copious tears threw herself upon them, kissed their feet and besought them to devise some device for bringing Hasan to the Islands of Wak and effecting his reunion with his wife and wees. She ceased not to conjure them to further her brother in the accomplishment of his desire and to weep before them, till she made them weep and they said to her, “Hearten thy heart: we will do our best endeavour to bring about his reunion with his family, Inshallah!” And he abode with them a whole year, during which his eyes never could retain their tears. Now the sisterhood had an uncle, brother-german to their sire and his name was Abd al-Kaddús, or Slave of the Most Holy; and he loved the eldest with exceeding love and was wont to visit her once a year and do all she desired. They had told him of Hasan’s adventure with the Magian and how he had been able to slay him; whereat he rejoiced and gave the eldest Princess a pouch107 which contained certain perfumes, saying, “O daughter of my brother, an thou be in concern for aught, or if aught irk thee, or thou stand in any need, cast of these perfumes upon fire naming my name and I will be with thee forthright and will do thy desire.” This speech was spoken on the first of Moharram108 ; and the eldest Princess said to one of the sisterhood, “Lo, the year is wholly past and my uncle is not come. Rise, bring me the fire-sticks and the box of perfumes.” So the damsel arose rejoicing and, fetching what she sought, laid it before her sister, who opened the box and taking thence a little of the perfume, cast it into the fire, naming her unde’s name; nor was it burnt out ere appeared a dust-cloud at the farther end of the Wady; and presently lifting, it discovered a Shaykh riding on an elephant, which moved at a swift and easy pace, and trumpeted under the rider. As soon as he came within sight of the Princesses, he began making signs to them with his hands and feet; nor was it long ere he reached the castle and, alighting from the elephant, came in to them, whereupon they embraced him and kissed his hands and saluted him with the salam. Then he sat down, whilst the girls talked with him and questioned him of his absence. Quoth he, “I was sitting but now with my wife, your aunt, when I smelt the perfumes and hastened to you on this elephant. What wouldst thou, O daughter of my brother?” Quoth she, “O uncle, indeed we longed for thee, as the year is past and ’tis not thy wont to be absent from us more than a twelvemonth.” Answered he, “I was busy, but I purposed to come to you to-morrow.” Wherefore they thanked him and blessed him and sat talking with him. — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

  When it was the Eight Hundredth Night,

  She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the girls sat down to chat with their uncle the eldest said to him, “O my uncle, we told thee the tale of Hasan of Bassorah, whom Bahram the Magian brought and how he slew the wizard and how, after enduring all manner of hardships and horrors, he made prize of the Supreme King’s daughter and took her to wife and journeyed with her to his native land?” Replied he, “Yes, and what befel him after that?” Quoth the Princess, “She played him false after he was blest with two sons by her; for she took them in his absence and fled with them to her own country, saying to his mother: ‘Whenas thy son returneth to thee and asketh for me and upon him the nights of severance longsome shall be and he craveth reunion and meeting to see and whenas the breezes of love and longing shake him dolefully, let him come in the Islands of Wak to me.’” When Abd al-Kaddus heard this, he shook his head and bit his forefinger; then, bowing his brow groundwards he began to make marks on the earth with his finger-tips;109 after which he again shook his head and looked right and left and shook his head a third time, whilst Hasan watched him from a place where he was hidden from him. Then said the Princesses to their uncle, “Return us some answer, for our hearts are rent in sunder.” But he shook his head at them, saying, “O my daughters, verily hath this man wearied himself in vain and cast himself into grievous predicament and sore peril; for he may not gain access to the Islands of Wak.” With this the Princesses called Hasan, who came forth and, advancing to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus, kissed his hand and saluted him. The old man rejoiced in him and seated him by his side; whereupon quoth the damsels, “O uncle, acquaint our brother Hasan with that thou hast told us.” So he said to Hasan, “O my son, put away from thee this peine forte et dure; for thou canst never gain access to the Islands of Wak, though the Flying Jinn and the Wandering Stars were with thee; for that betwixt thee and these islands are seven Wadys and seven seas and seven mighty mountains. How then canst thou come at this stead and who shall bring thee thither? Wherefore, Allah upon thee, O my son, do thou reckon thy spouse and sons as dead and turn back forthright and weary not thy sprite! Indeed, I give thee good counsel, an thou wilt but accept it.” Hearing these words from the Shaykh, Hasan wept till he fainted, and the Princesses sat round him, weeping for his weeping, whilst the youngest sister rent her raiment and buffeted her face, till she swooned away. When Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus saw them in this transport of grief and trouble and mourning, he was moved to ruth for them and cried, “Be ye silent!” Then said he to Hasan, “O my son, hearten thy heart and rejoice in t
he winning of thy wish, an it be the will of Allah the Most High;” presently adding, “Rise, O my son, take courage and follow me.” So Hasan arose forthright and after he had taken leave of the Princesses followed him, rejoicing in the fulfilment of his wish. Then the Shaykh called the elephant and mounting, took Hasan up behind him and fared on three days with their nights, like the blinding leven, till he came to a vast blue mountain, whose stones were all of azure hue and amiddlemost of which was a cavern, with a door of Chinese iron. Here he took Hasan’s hand and let him down and alighting dismissed the elephant. Then he went up to the door and knocked, whereupon it opened and there came out to him a black slave, hairless, as he were an Ifrit, with brand in right hand and targe of steel in left. When he saw Abd al-Kaddus, he threw sword and buckler from his grip and coming up to the Shaykh kissed his hand. Thereupon the old man took Hasan by the hand and entered with him, whilst the slave shut the door behind them; when Hasan found himself in a vast cavern and a spacious, through which ran an arched corridor and they ceased not faring on therein a mile or so, till it abutted upon a great open space and thence they made for an angle of the mountain wherein were two huge doors cast of solid brass. The old man opened one of them and said to Hasan, “Sit at the door, whilst I go within and come back to thee in haste, and beware lest thou open it and enter.” Then he fared inside and, shutting the door after him, was absent during a full sidereal hour, after which he returned, leading a black stallion, thin of flank and short of nose, which was ready bridled and saddled, with velvet housings; and when it ran it flew, and when it flew, the very dust in vain would pursue; and brought it to Hasan, saying, “Mount!” So he mounted and Abd al-Kaddus opened the second door, beyond which appeared a vast desert. Then the twain passed through the door into that desert and the old man said to him, “O my son, take this scroll and wend thou whither this steed will carry thee. When thou seest him stop at the door of a cavern like this, alight and throw the reins over the saddle-bow and let him go. He will enter the cavern, which do thou not enter with him, but tarry at the door five days, without being weary of waiting. On the sixth day there will come forth to thee a black Shaykh, clad all in sable, with a long white beard, flowing down to his navel. As soon as thou seest him, kiss his hands and seize his skirt and lay it on thy head and weep before him, till he take pity on thee and he will ask thee what thou wouldst have. When he saith to thee, ‘What is thy want?’ give him this scroll which he will take without speaking and go in and leave thee. Wait at the door other five days, without wearying, and on the sixth day expect him; and if he come out to thee himself, know that thy wish will be won, but, if one of his pages come forth to thee, know that he who cometh forth to thee, purposeth to kill thee; and — the Peace!110 For know, O my son, that whoso self imperilleth doeth himself to death;” — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.