One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  I cry (and mine’s a frame that pines alwŕy), * A mind which fires

  of passion e’er waylay;

  And eyeballs never tasting sweets of sleep; * Yet Fortune spare

  its cause I ever pray!

  While from world-perfidy and parting I * Like Bishram with

  Hind,382 that well-loved may; —

  Yea, grown a bye-word ‘mid the folk but aye * Spend life

  unwinning wish or night or day.

  “Ah say, wots she my love when her I spied * At the high lattice

  shedding sunlike ray?”

  Her glances, keener than the brand when bared * Cleave soul of

  man nor ever ‘scapes her prey:

  I looked on her in lattice pierced aloft * When bare her cheat of

  veil that slipped away;

  And shot me thence a shaft my liver pierced * When thrall to care

  and dire despair I lay

  Knowst thou, O Fawn o’ the palace, how for thee * I fared from

  farness o’er the lands astray?

  Then read my writ, dear friends, and show some ruth * To wight

  who wones black-faced, distraught, sans stay!

  And when he ended inditing, he folded up the letter. Now the merchant’s wife aforesaid, who was the nurse of the king’s daughter, was watching him from a window, unknown of him, and when she saw him writing and reciting, she knew that some rare tale attached to him; so she went in to him and said, “Peace be with thee, O afflicted wight, who acquaintest not leach with thy plight! Verily, thou exposest thy life to grievous blight. I conjure thee by the virtue of Him who hath afflicted thee and with the constraint of love-liking hath stricken thee, that thou acquaint me with thine affair and disclose to me the truth of thy secret; for that indeed I have heard from thee verses which trouble the mind and melt the body.” Accordingly he acquainted her with his case and enjoined her to secrecy, whereof she consented, saying, “What shall be the recompense of whoso goeth with thy letter and bringeth thee its reply?” He bowed his head for shame before her and was silent; and she said to him, “Raise thy head and give me thy writ”: so he gave her the letter and she hent it and carrying it to the Princess, said to her, “Take this epistle and give me its answer.” Now the dearest of all things to Mariyah was the recitation of poesy and verses and linked rhymes and the twanging of lute-strings, and she was versed in all tongues; wherefore she took the writ and opening it, read that which was therein and understood its purport. Then she threw it to the ground and cried, “O nurse, I have no answer to make to this letter.” Quoth the nurse, “Indeed, this is weakness in thee and a reproach to thee, for that the people of the world have heard of thee and commend thee for keenness of wit and understanding; so do thou return him an answer, such as shall trick his heart and tire his soul.” Quoth she, “O nurse, who may be the man who presumeth upon me with this correspondence? Haply ’tis the stranger youth who gave my father the rubies.” The woman said, “It is himself,” and Mariyah said, “I will answer his letter in such fashion that thou shalt not bring me other than it.” Cried the nurse, “So be it.”383 Thereupon the Princess called for ink-case and paper and wrote these couplets: —

  Thou art bold in the copy thou sentest! May be * ‘Twill increase

  the dule foreign wight must dree!

  Thou hast spied me with glance that bequeaths thee woe * Ah! far

  is thy hope, a mere foreigner’s plea!

  Who art thou, poor freke, that wouldst win my love * Wi’ thy

  verse? What seeks thine insanity?

  An thou hope for my favours and greed therefor; * Where find thee

  a leach for such foolish gree?

  Then rhyme-linking leave and fool-like be not * Hanged to Cross

  at the doorway of ignomy!

  Deem not that to thee I incline, O youth! * ‘Mid the Sons of the

  Path384 is no place for me.

  Thou art homeless waif in the wide wide world; * So return thee

  home where they keen for thee:385

  Leave verse-spouting, O thou who a-wold dost wone, * Or minstrel

  shall name thee in lay and glee:

  How many a friend who would meet his love * Is baulked when the

  goal is right clear to see!

  So begone and ne’er grieve for what canst not win * Albe time be

  near, yet thy grasp ‘twill flee.

  Now such is my say and the tale I’d tell; * So master my meaning

  and — fare thee well!

  When Mariyah had made an end of her verses, she folded the letter and delivered it to the nurse, who hent it and went with it to Al-Abbas. When she gave it to him, he took it and breaking it open, read it and comprehended its contents; and when he reached the end of it, he swooned away. After awhile, he came to himself and cried, “Praise be to Allah who hath caused her return a reply to my writ! Canst thou carry her another missive, and with Allah Almighty be thy requital?” Said she, “And what shall letters profit thee, seeing that such is her reply;” but he said, “Peradventure, she may yet be softened.” Then he took ink-case and paper and wrote these couplets: —

  Reached me the writ and what therein didst write, * Whence grew

  my pain and bane and blight:

  I read the marvel-lines made wax my love * And wore my body out

  till slightest slight.386

  Would Heaven ye wot the whole I bear for love * Of you, with

  vitals clean for you undight!

  And all I do t’ outdrive you from my thought * ‘Vails naught and

  ‘gainst th’ obsession loses might:

  Couldst for thy lover feel ’twould ease his soul; * E’en thy dear

  Phantom would his sprite delight!

  Then on my weakness lay not coyness-load * Nor in such breach of

  troth be traitor-wight:

  And, weet ye well, for this your land I fared * Hoping to ‘joy

  the union-boon forthright:

  How many a stony wold for this I spanned; * How oft I waked when

  men kept watch o’night!

  To fare fro’ another land for sight of you * Love bade, while

  length of way forbade my sprite:

  So by His name387 who molt my frame, have ruth, * And quench

  the flames thy love in me did light:

  Thou fillest, arrayed with glory’s robes and rays, * Heaven’s

  stars with joy and Luna with despight.

  Then who dare chide or blame me for my love * Of one that can all

  Beauty’s boons unite?

  When Al-Abbas had made an end of his verses, he folded the letter and delivering it to the nurse, charged her keep the secret. So she took it and carrying it to Mariyah, gave it to her. The Princess broke it open and read it and apprehended its purport; then cried she, “By Allah, O nurse, my heart is chagrined with exceeding chagrin, never knew I a sorer, because of this correspondence and of these verses.” And the nurse made answer to her, “O my lady, thou art in thy dwelling and thy palace and thy heart is void of care; so return to him a reply and reck not.” Accordingly, the Princess called for ink-case and paper and wrote these couplets: —

  Ho thou who wouldst vaunt thee of cark and care; * How many

  love-molten, tryst-craving be there?

  An hast wandered the wold in the murks of night * Bound afar and

  anear on the tracks to fare,

  And to eyne hast forbidden the sweets of sleep, * Borne by Devils

  and Marids to dangerous lair;

  And beggest my boons, O in tribe-land388 homed * And to urge

  thy wish and desire wouldst dare;

  Now, woo Patience fair, an thou bear in mind * What The Ruthful

  promised to patient prayer!389

  How many a king for my sake hath vied, * Craving love and in

  marriage with me to pair.

  Al-Nabhan sent, when a-wooing me, * Camels baled with musk and

  Nadd scenting air.

  They brough
t camphor in boxes and like thereof * Of pearls and

  rubies that countless were;

  Brought pregnant lasses and negro-lads, * Blood steeds and arms

  and gear rich and rare;

  Brought us raiment of silk and of sendal sheen, * And came

  courting us but no bride he bare:

  Nor could win his wish, for I ‘bode content * To part with far

  parting and love forswear;

  So for me greed not, O thou stranger wight * Lest thou come to

  ruin and dire despair!

  When she had made an end of her verses, she folded the letter and delivered it to the nurse, who took it and carried it to Al-Abbas. He broke it open and read it and comprehended its contents; then took ink-case and paper and wrote these improvised couplets: —

  Thou hast told me the tale of the Kings, and of them * Each was

  rending lion, a furious foe:

  And thou stolest the wits of me, all of them * And shotst me with

  shaft of thy magic bow:

  Thou hast boasted of slaves and of steeds and wealth; * And of

  beauteous lasses ne’er man did know;

  How presents in mighty store didst spurn, * And disdainedst

  lovers both high and low:

  Then I followed their tracks in desire for thee, * With naught

  save my scymitar keen of blow;

  Nor slaves nor camels that run have I; * Nor slave-girls the

  litters enveil, ah, no!

  But grant me union and soon shalt sight * My trenchant blade with

  the foeman’s woe;

  Shalt see the horsemen engird Baghdad * Like clouds that wall the

  whole world below,

  Obeying behests which to them I deal * And hearing the words to

  the foes I throw.

  An of negro chattels ten thousand head * Wouldst have, or Kings

  who be proud and prow

  Or chargers led for thee day by day * And virgin girls high of

  bosom, lo!

  Al-Yaman land my command doth bear * And my biting blade to my

  foes I show.

  I have left this all for the sake of thee, * Left Aziz and my

  kinsmen for ever-mo’e;

  And made Al-Irák making way to thee * Under nightly murks over

  rocks arow;

  When the couriers brought me account of thee * Thy beauty,

  perfection, and sunny glow,

  Then I sent thee verses whose very sound * Burns the heart of

  shame with a fiery throe;

  Yet the world with falsehood hath falsčd me, * Though Fortune was

  never so false as thou,

  Who dubbest me stranger and homeless one * A witless fool and a

  slave-girl’s son!

  Then he folded the letter and committed it to the nurse and gave her five hundred dinars, saying, “Accept this from me, for by Allah thou hast indeed wearied thyself between us.” She replied, “By Allah, O my lord, my aim is to bring about forgathering between you, though I lose that which my right hand possesseth.” And he said, “May the Lord of All-might requite thee with good!” Then she carried the letter to Mariyah and said to her, “Take this letter; haply it may be the end of the correspondence.” So she took it and breaking it open, read it, and when she had made an end of it, she turned to the nurse and said to her, “This one foisteth lies upon me and asserteth unto me that he hath cities and horsemen and footmen at his command and submitting to his allegiance; and he wisheth of me that which he shall not win; for thou knowest, O nurse, that kings’ sons have sought me in marriage, with presents and rarities; but I have paid no heed unto aught of this; how, then, shall I accept of this fellow, who is the ignoramus of his time and possesseth naught save two caskets of rubies, which he gave to my sire, and indeed he hath taken up his abode in the house of Al-Ghitrif and abideth without silver or gold? Wherefore, Allah upon thee, O nurse, return to him and cut off his hope of me.” Accordingly the nurse rejoined Al-Abbas, without letter or answer; and when she came in to him, he looked at her and saw that she was troubled, and he noted the marks of anger on her face; so he said to her, “What is this plight?” Quoth she, “I cannot set forth to thee that which Mariyah said; for indeed she charged me return to thee without writ or reply.” Quoth he, “O nurse of kings, I would have thee carry her this letter and return not to her without it.” Then he took ink-case and paper and wrote these couplets: —

  My secret now to men is known though hidden well and true * By

  me: enough is that I have of love and love of you:

  I left familiars, friends, and kin to weep the loss of me * With

  floods of tears which like the tide aye flowed and flowed

  anew:

  Then, left my home myself I bore to Baghdad-town one day, * When

  parting drave me there his pride and cruelty to rue:

  I have indeed drained all the bowl whose draught

  repression390 was * Handed by friend who bitter

  gourd391 therein for drinking threw.

  And, oft as strove I to enjoin the ways of troth and faith, * So

  often on refusal’s path he left my soul to sue.

  Indeed my body molten is with care I’m doomčd dree; * And yet I

  hoped relenting and to win some grace, my due.

  But wrong and rigour waxed on me and changed to worse my case; *

  And love hath left me weeping-eyed for woes that aye pursue.

  How long must I keep watch for you throughout the nightly gloom?

  * How many a path of pining pace and garb of grief endue?

  And you, what while you joy your sleep, your restful pleasant

  sleep, * Reck naught of sorrow and of shame that to your

  friend accrue:

  For wakefulness I watched the stars before the peep o’ day, *

  Praying that union with my dear in bliss my soul imbrue;

  Indeed the throes of long desire laid waste my frame and I * Rise

  every morn in weaker plight with hopes e’er fewer few:

  “Be not” (I say) “so hard of heart!” for did you only deign * In

  phantom guise to visit me ‘twere joy enough to view.

  But when ye saw my writ ye grudged to me the smallest boon * And

  cast adown the flag of faith though well my troth ye knew;

  Nor aught of answer you vouchsafe, albe you wot full well * The

  words therein address the heart and pierce the spirit

  through.

  You deemed yourself all too secure for changes of the days * And

  of the far and near alike you ever careless grew.

  Hadst thou (dear maid) been doomed like me to woes, forsure hadst

  felt * The lowe of love and Laza-hell which parting doth

  enmew;

  Yet soon shalt suffer torments such as those from thee I bear *

  And storm of palpitation-pangs in vitals thine shall brew:

  Yea, thou shalt taste the bitter smack of charges false and foul,

  * And public make the privacy best hid from meddling crew;

  And he thou lovest shall approve him hard of heart and soul * And

  heedless of the shifts of Time thy very life undo.

  Then hear the fond Salam I send and wish thee every day * While

  swayeth spray and sparkleth star all good thy life ensue!

  When Al-Abbas had made an end of his verses, he folded the scroll and gave it to the nurse, who took it and carried it to Mariyah. When she came into the Princess’s presence, she saluted her; but Mariyah returned not her salutation and she said, “O my lady, how hard is thy heart that thou grudgest to return the salam! Accept this letter, because ’tis the last that shall come to thee from him.” Quoth Mariyah, “Take my warning and never again enter my palace, or ‘twill be the cause of thy destruction; for I am certified that thou purposest my disgrace. So get thee gone from me.” And she bade beat the nurse who went forth fleeing from h
er presence, changed of colour and ‘wildered of wits, and gave not over going till she came to the house of Al-Abbas. When the Prince saw her in this plight, he became like a sleeper awakened and cried to her, “What hath befallen thee? Acquaint me with thy case.” She replied, “Allah upon thee, nevermore send me to Mariyah, and do thou protect me, so the Lord protect thee from the fires of Gehenna!” Then she related to him that which had betided her with Mariyah which when Al-Abbas heard, there took him the pride and high spirit of the generous and this was grievous to him. The love of Mariyah fled forth of his heart and he said to the nurse, “How much hadst thou of Mariyah every month?” Quoth she, “Ten dinars” and quoth he, “Be not concerned.” Then he put hand to pouch and bringing out two hundred ducats, gave them to her and said,”Take this wage for a whole year and turn not again to serve anyone of the folk. When the twelvemonth shall have passed away, I will give thee a two years’ wage, for that thou hast wearied thyself with us and on account of the cutting off the tie which bound thee to Mariyah.” Also he gifted her with a complete suit of clothes and raising his head to her, said, “When thou toldest me that which Mariyah had done with thee, Allah uprooted the love of her from out my heart, and never again will she occur to my thought; so extolled be He who turneth hearts and eyes! ’Twas she who was the cause of my coming out from Al-Yaman, and now the time is past for which I engaged with my folk and I fear lest my father levy his forces and ride forth in quest of me, for that he hath no child other than myself nor can he brook to be parted from me; and in like way ’tis with my mother.” When the nurse heard his words, she asked him, “O my lord, and which of the kings is thy sire?” He answered, saying, “My father is Al-Aziz, lord of Al-Yaman, and Nubia and the Islands392 of the Banu Kahtán, and the Two Sanctuaries393 (Allah of All-might have them in His keeping!), and whenever he taketh horse, there ride with him an hundred and twenty and four thousand horsemen, each and every smiters with the sword, besides attendants and servants and followers, all of whom give ear to my word and obey my bidding.” Asked the nurse, “Why, then, O my lord, didst thou conceal the secret of thy rank and lineage and passedst thyself off for a foreigner and a wayfarer? Alas for our disgrace before thee by reason of our shortcoming in rendering thee thy due! What shall be our excuse with thee, and thou of the sons of the kings?” But he rejoined, “By Allah, thou hast not fallen short! Indeed, ’tis incumbent on me to requite thee, what while I live, though from thee I be far distant.” Then he called his man Amir and said to him, “Saddle the steeds.” When the nurse heard his words and indeed she saw that Amir brought him the horses and they were resolved upon departure, the tears ran down upon her cheeks and she said to him, “By Allah, thy separation is saddening to me, O coolth of the eye!” Then quoth she, “Where is the goal of thine intent, so we may know thy news and solace ourselves with thy report?” Quoth he, “I go hence to visit ‘Akíl, the son of my paternal uncle, for that he hath his sojourn in the camp of Kundah bin Hishám, and these twenty years have I not seen him nor hath he seen me; so I purpose to repair to him and discover his news and return. Then will I go hence to Al-Yaman, Inshallah!” So saying, he took leave of the nurse and her husband and set out, intending for ‘Akil, the son of his father’s brother. Now there was between Baghdad and ‘Akíl’s abiding-place forty days’ journey; so Al-Abbas settled himself on the back of his steed and his servant Amir mounted also and they fared forth on their way. Presently, Al-Abbas turned right and left and recited these couplets,