One Thousand and One Nights

by Richard Burton

  “When a maid owns to ten her new breasts arise * And like diver’s

  pearl with fair neck she hies:

  The damsel of twenty defies compare * ’Tis she whose disport we

  desire and prize:

  She of thirty hath healing on cheeks of her; * She’s a pleasure,

  a plant whose sap never dries:

  If on her in the forties thou happily hap * She’s best of her

  sex, hail to him with her lies!

  She of fifty (pray Allah be copious to her!) * With wit, craft

  and wisdom her children supplies.

  The dame of sixty hath lost some force * Whose remnants are easy

  to ravenous eyes:

  At three score ten few shall seek her house * Age-threadbare made

  till afresh she rise:

  The fourscore dame hath a bunchy back * From mischievous eld whom

  perforce Love flies:

  And the crone of ninety hath palsied head * And lies wakeful o’

  nights and in watchful guise;

  And with ten years added would Heaven she bide * Shrouded in sea

  with a shark for guide!”

  Hereupon Al-Hajjaj laughed aloud and all who were with him in assembly; and presently he resumed, “O youth, tell me concerning the first man who spake in verse96 and that was our common sire, Adam (The Peace be upon him!), what time Kábíl97 slew Hábíl his brother when our forefather improvised these lines,

  ’Changed I see my country and all thereon; * Earth is now a

  blackavice, ugly grown:

  The hue and flavour of food is fled * And cheer is fainting from

  fair face flown.

  An thou, O Abel, be slain this day * Thy death I bemourn with

  heart torn and lone.

  Weep these eyes and ‘sooth they have right to weep * Their tears

  are as rills flowing hills adown.

  Kábil slew Hábil — did his brother dead; * Oh my woe for that

  lovely face, ochone!’”98

  Hereat Al-Hajjaj asked, “O young man, what drove our ancestor to poetry?” whereto answered the youth — And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

  The Five Hundred and Eighteenth Night,

  Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the youth replied, “He was driven to poetry by Iblis (whom Allah accurse!) when he spake in this verse,

  ‘Thou bewailest the land and all thereon * And scant was the

  breadth of Eden didst own,

  Where thou was girded by every good * O’ life and in rest ever

  wont to wone:

  But ne’er ceased my wiles and my guile until * The wind o’erthrew

  thee by folly blown.’”99

  Whereupon quoth Al-Hajjaj, “O young man, inform me concerning the first couplet of verse spoken by the Arab in praise of munificence;” and quoth the youth, “O Hajjaj, the first Arabic distich known to me was spoken by Hátim of Tayy, and ’twas as follows,

  ‘And the guest I greet ere from me he go * Before wife and weans in my weal and woe.’”

  Then cried Al-Hajjaj, “Thou hast said well and hast spoken fair, O young man; and thy due is incumbent upon us for that thou hast drowned us in the deeps of thy wisdom.” Presently the Lieutenant of Kufah turning towards one of his eunuchs said, “Bring me at this very moment a purse containing ten thousand dirhams100 upon a charger of red gold and a suit of the rarest of my raiment and a blood mare the noblest steed of my steeds with a saddle of gold and a haubergeon;101 and a lance of full length and a handmaid the handsomest of my slave-girls.” The attendant disappeared for a while, and presently brought all this between the hands of Al-Hajjaj, who said, “O young man, this damsel is the fairest of my chattels, and this be the purse on a charger of gold, and this mare is the purest in blood of my steeds together with her housings, so do thou take whatever thou desirest thereof, either the mare with all upon her or the purse of gold or the concubine,” presently saying to himself, “If the young man prefer the purse, ‘twill prove he loveth the world and I will slay him, also if he choose the girl, he lusteth after womankind, and I will do him die: but if he take the mare and her furniture, he will show himself the brave of braves, and he meriteth not destruction at my hands.” Then the youth came forward and took the mare and her appointments. Now the damsel was standing by the young Sayyid, and she winked at him with her eye as one saying, “Do thou choose me and leave all the rest;” whereupon he began to improvise the following couplets,

  “The jingling bridle at Bayard’s neck * Is dearer to me than what

  sign thou deign:

  I fear when I fall into straits and fare * Abroad, no comrade in

  thee to gain:

  I fear when lain on my couch and long * My sickness, thou prove

  thee nor fond nor fain:

  I fear me that time groweth scant my good * And my hand be strait

  thou shalt work me bane:

  A helpmate I want shall do what do I * And bear patient the

  pasture of barren plain.”102

  Presently the handmaid answered his verse with the following couplets,

  “Forfend me, Allah, from all thou say’st * Though my left with my

  right thou shalt hew in twain.

  A husband’s honour my works shall keep * And I’ll wone content

  with his smallest gain:

  Didst know me well and my nature weet * Thou hadst found me mate

  of the meekest strain.

  Nor all of women are like to sight * Nor all of men are of

  similar grain.

  The charge of a mate to the good belongs; * Let this oath by

  Allah belief obtain.”

  Hearing these words Al-Hajjaj exclaimed, “Woe to thee, O damsel, dost thou answer him in his verse? and do thou O young man, take the whole, and may Allah give thee no blessing therein.”103 Answered by the young Sayyid, “Here with them, O Hajjaj, inasmuch as thou hast given them to me, I will not oppose the order of Allah through thee, but another time there is no union between us twain, me and thee, as there hath been this day.” Now the city of Al-Hajjaj had two gates — the door of Destruction and the door of Salvation; and when the youth asked him, “O Hajjaj, shall I go forth from this or from that?” the Lieutenant of Kufah cried, “Issue by this outlet,” and showed him the Gate of Safety. Then the youth took all the presents and fared forth by the passage which had been shown to him, and went his ways and was seen no more. Hereupon the Grandees of the kingdom said to Al-Hajjaj, “O our lord, how hast thou given to him these gifts and he hath on nowise thanked thee, nor wished thee well104 for thy favours, and yet hast thou pointed out to him the Gate of Salvation?” Hereupon he replied, “Verily, the youth asked direction of me, and it becometh the director to be trustworthy and no traitor (Allah’s curse be upon him who betrayeth!), and this youth meriteth naught save mercy by reason of his learning.”105

  Richard Francis Burton’s translation: detailed table of contents

  NIGHT ADVENTURE OF HARUN AL-RASHID AND THE YOUTH MANJAB.106

  It is told in various relations of the folk (but Allah is All-knowing of His secret purpose and All-powerful and All-beneficent and All-merciful in whatso of bygone years transpired and amid peoples of old took place) that the Caliph Hárún al-Rashíd being straitened of breast one day summoned his Chief of the Eunuchs and said to him, “O Masrur!” Qu
oth he, “Adsum, O my lord;” and quoth the other, “This day my breast is straitened and I would have thee bring me somewhat to hearten my heart and consume my care.” Replied Masrur, “O my lord, do thou go forth to thy garden and look upon the trees and the blooms and the rills and listen to the warblings of the fowls.” Harun replied, “O Masrur, thou hast mentioned a matter which palleth on my palate107 nor may my breast be broadened by aught thou hast commended.” Rejoined the Eunuch, “Then do thou enter thy palace and having gathered thy handmaids before thee, let each and every say her say whilst all are robed in the choicest of raiment and ornaments; so shalt thou look upon them and thy spirits shall be cheered.” The Caliph retorted, “O Masrur, we want other than this;” whereupon quoth the slave, “O Prince of True Believers, send after the Wazirs and thy brotherhood of learned men and let them improvise for thee poetry and set before thee stories whereby shall thy care be solaced.” Quoth he, “O Masrur, naught of this shall profit me.” Hereat cried the Eunuch, “Then, O my lord, I see naught for thee save to take thy sabre and smite the neck of thy slave: haply and peradventure this may comfort thee and do away with thy disgust.”108 When the King Harun al-Rashid heard these words, he laughed aloud and said to him, “O Masrur, go forth to the gate where haply thou shalt find some one of my cup-companions.” Accordingly he went to the porte in haste and there came upon one of the courtiers which was Ali ibn Mansúr Al-Dimishkí and brought him in. The Commander of the Faithful seeing him bade him be seated and said, “O Ibn Mansur, I would have thee tell me a tale somewhat rare and strange; so perchance my breast may be broadened and my doleful dumps from me depart.” Said he, “O Prince of True Believers, dost thou desire that I relate to thee of the things which are past and gone or I recount a matter I espied with my own eyes?” Al-Rashid replied, “An thou have sighted somewhat worthy seeing relate it to us for hearing is not like beholding.” He rejoined, “O Emir al-Muuminín, whilst I tell thee this tale needs must thou lend me ear and mind;” and the Caliph109 retorted, “Out with thy story, for here am I hearkening to thee with ears and eyes wide awake, so that my soul may understand the whole of this say.” Hereupon Ibn Mansur related to him “The Loves of the Lovers of Bassorah.”110 Now when Al-Rashid heard the tale of Ibn Mansur there fell from him somewhat of his cark and care but he was not wholly comforted. He spent the night in this case and when it was morning he summoned the Wazir Ja’afar ibn Yahyá the Barmaki, and cried to him, “O Ja’afar!” He replied, “Here am I! Allah lengthen thy life, and make permanent thy prosperity.” The Caliph resumed, “Verily my breast is straitened and it hath passed through my thought that we fare forth, I and thou (and Eunuch Masrur shall make a third), and we will promenade the main streets of Baghdad and solace ourselves with seeing its several places and peradventure I may espy somewhat to hearten my heart and clear off my care and relieve me of what is with me of straitness of breast.” Ja’afar made answer, “O Commander of the Faithful, know that thou art Caliph and Regent and Cousin to the Apostle of Allah and haply some of the sons of the city may speak words that suit thee not and from that matter may result other matter with discomfort to thy heart and annoyance to thy mind, the offender unknowing the while that thou art walking the streets by night. Then thou wilt command his head to be cut off and what was meant for pleasure may end in displeasure and wrath and wrong-doing.” Al-Rashid replied, “I swear by the rights of my forbears and ancestors even if aught mishap to us from the meanest of folk as is wont to happen or he speak words which should not be spoken, that I will neither regard them nor reply thereto, neither will I punish the aggressor, nor shall aught linger in my heart against the addresser; but need must I pass through the Bazar this very night.” Hereupon quoth Ja’afar to the Caliph, “O Viceregent of Allah upon earth, do thou be steadfast of purpose and rely upon Allah!”111 Then they arose and arousing Masrur doffed what was upon them of outer dress and bag-trousers and habited themselves each one of them in garments differing from those of the city folks. Presently they sallied forth by the private postern and walked from place to place till they came to one of the highways of the capital and after threading its length they arrived at a narrow street whose like was never seen about all the horizons.112 This they found swept and sprinkled with the sweet northern breeze playing through it and at the head thereof rose a mansion towering from the dust and hanging from the necks of the clouds. Its whole length was of sixty cubits whereas its breadth was of twenty ells; its gate was of ebony inlaid with ivory and plated with plates of yellow brass while athwart the doorway hung a curtain of sendal and over it was a chandelier of gold fed with oil of ‘Irákí violets which brightened all that quarter with its light. The King Harun al-Rashid and the Wazir and the Eunuch stood marvelling at what they saw of these signs and at what they smelt of the scents breathing from the clarity113 of this palace as though they were the waftings of the perfumed gardens of Paradise and they cast curious glances at the abode so lofty and of base so goodly and of corners so sturdy, whose like was never builded in those days. Presently they noted that its entrance was poikilate with carvings manifold and arabesques of glittering gold and over it was a line writ in letters of lapis lazuli. So Al-Rashid took seat under the candelabrum with Ja’afar standing on his right and Masrur afoot to his left and he exclaimed, “O Wazir, this mansion is naught save in the utmost perfection of beauty and degree; and verily its lord must have expended upon it wealth galore and of gold a store; and, as its exterior is magnificent exceedingly, so would to Heaven I knew what be its interior.” Then the Caliph cast a glance at the upper lintel of the door whereupon he saw inscribed in letters of golden water which glittered in the rays of the chandelier,

  “WHOSO SPEAKETH OF WHAT CONCERNETH HIM NOT SHALL HEAR WHAT PLEASETH HIM NOT.”

  Hereupon quoth Al-Rashid, “O Ja’afar, the house-master never wrote yonder lines save for a reason and I desire to discover what may be his object, so let us forgather with him and ask him the cause of this legend being inscribed in this place.” Quoth Ja’afar, “O Prince of True Believers, yonder lines were never written save in fear of the curtain of concealment being withdrawn.” — And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day, and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

  The Six Hundred and Thirty-fourth Night,

  Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that Ja’afar the Barmecide said to the King, “Verily the master of this house never wrote yonder lines save in fear lest the curtain of concealment be withdrawn.” Hearing this the Caliph held his peace for a while and fell to pondering this matter then said he, “O Ja’afar, knock at the door and ask for us a gugglet of water;” and when the Wazir did his bidding one of the slaves called out from within the entrance, “Who is it rappeth at our gate?” Hereupon said Masrur to him, “O son of my uncle, open to us the door and give us a gugglet of water for that our lord thirsteth.” The chattel went in to his master, the young man, Manjáb hight, who owned the mansion, and said, “O my lord, verily there be at our door three persons who have rapped for us and who ask for a drink of water.” The master asked, “What manner of men may they be?” and the slave answered, “One of them sitteth under the chandelier and another of them standeth by his side and the third is a black slave between their hands; and all three show signs of staidness and dignity than which naught can be more.” “Go forth to them,” exclaimed the master, “and say to them, ‘My lord inviteth you to become of his guests.’” So the servile went
out and delivered the message, whereat they entered and found five lines of inscription in different parts of the hall with a candelabrum overhanging each and every and the whole five contained the sentence we have before mentioned; furthermore all the lights were hung up over the legend that the writing might be made manifest unto whoso would read it. Accordingly Harun al-Rashid entered and found a mansion of kingly degree114 and of marvellous ordinance in the utmost that could be of beauty and ornament and five black slaves and as many Eunuchs were standing in the saloon to offer their services. Seeing this the Caliph marvelled with extreme marvel at the house and the house-master who greeted them in friendly guise; after which he to whom the palace belonged sat down upon a divan and bade Al-Rashid sit over against him and signed to Ja’afar and Masrur to take their places in due degree,115 whilst the negroes and the eunuchs stood expecting their commands for suit and service. Presently was brought to them a huge waxen taper which lighted up the whole of the hall and the young house-master accosted the King and said to him, “Well come and welcome and fair welcome to our guests who to us are the most esteemed of folk and may Allah honour their places!” Hereupon he began to repeat the following couplets,116

  “If the house knew who visits it, it would indeed rejoice * And

  stoop to kiss the happy place whereon her feet have stood;

  And in the voice with which the case, though mute, yet speaks, *

  Exclaim, ‘Well come and many a welcome to the generous, and

  the good.’”

  Presently Manjab the master of the house bade bring for his guests meats and viands meet for the great, of all kinds and of every colour, so they obeyed his orders, and when they had eaten their sufficiency they were served with confections perfumed with rose-water wondrous fine. Hereupon quoth the youth to Al-Rashid and those with him, “Almighty Allah make it pleasant to you117 and blame us not and accept our excuses for what Allah hath made easy to us at such time of night, and there is no doubt but that this be a fortunate day when ye made act of presence before us.” They thanked him and Al-Rashid’s breast was broadened and his heart was heartened and there fell from him all that whilom irked him. Then the youth shifted them from that place to another room which was the women’s apartment; and here he seated them upon the highest Divan and bade serve to them a platter containing fruits of all descriptions and ordered his servants to bring roast meats and fried meats and when this was done they set before them the service of wine. Anon appeared four troops of singers with their instruments of music and each was composed of five handmaids, so the whole numbered a score and these when they appeared before the master kissed ground between his hands and sat down each one in her own degree. Then amongst them the cups went about and all sorrow was put to rout and the birds of joyance flapped their wings. This continued for an hour of time whilst the guests sat listening to the performers on the lute and other instruments and after there came forward five damsels other than the first twenty and formed a second and separate set and they showed their art of singing in wondrous mode even as was done by the first troop. Presently on like guise came set after set till the whole twenty had performed and as Al-Rashid heard their strains he shook with pleasure — And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was