Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the one hundred and twenty-eighth night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that the vizier Dandan told Dau’ al-Makan that THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO TAJ AL-MULUK:
I read what my cousin had written and the instructions she had given. She had told me to keep the picture of the gazelle and not to part with it, as it had consoled her when I was absent. The note went on: ‘I implore you in God’s Name that, if fate brings you together with the one who embroidered this gazelle, keep away from her. Don’t let her make an approach to you and don’t marry her. Even if you do not fall in with her and are not fated to meet her, and even if you can find no way of reaching her, do not make advances to any other woman. You must know that the embroiderer of the gazelle makes one every year and sends it off to the furthest lands to spread the fame of her beautiful workmanship, which no one else in the world can match. This one fell into the hands of your inamorata, the daughter of Delilah the wily, who used it to bemuse people, showing it to them and saying: “I have a sister who makes this.” That was a lie – may God put her to shame! This is my advice, which I only give you because I know that, when I am dead, the world will be a difficult place for you and because of that you may go abroad and travel in foreign lands. It may be that you will hear of the lady who made this and want to make her acquaintance. You will remember me when it will do you no good and you will not recognize my value until after my death. Know that the girl who embroidered the gazelle is a noble princess, the daughter of the king of the Islands of Camphor.’
When I had read this note and grasped its meaning, I wept and my mother wept because of my tears. I went on looking at it and weeping until night came. I stayed in this state for a year. It was after this that these merchants, my companions in this caravan, made their preparations to leave my city on a journey. My mother advised me to get ready to travel with them, saying that I might find consolation and a cure for my sorrow. ‘Relax,’ she said, ‘and abandon your grief. You may be away for one year or two or three before the caravan gets back, and it may be that you will find happiness and clear your mind of sorrow.’ She kept on coaxing me until I prepared my trade goods and left with them. Throughout the length of the journey my tears have never dried and at every halting place I unfold this piece of material and look at its gazelle, weeping over the memory of my cousin, as you can see. For she loved me with an excessive love and she died of the sorrow that I inflicted on her. I did her nothing but harm and she did me nothing but good.
When the merchants return from their expedition, I shall go back with them. I shall have been away for a whole year, but my sorrow has increased, and what renewed it was the fact that I passed by the Islands of Camphor and the Crystal Castle. There are seven of these islands and their ruler is a king named Shahriman, who has a daughter called Dunya. I was told that it is she who embroiders the gazelles and that the gazelle I had with me was one of hers. On hearing this, I felt a surge of longing and sank into a sea of hurtful thoughts. I wept for myself, as I was now like a woman; there was nothing I could do and I no longer had a male organ. From the day that I left the Camphor Islands I have been tearful and sorrowful at heart. I have continued in this state for a long time, wondering whether I shall be able to go back to my own land and die in my mother’s house, for I have had enough of this world.
The young man then wept, groaned and complained. Looking at the image of the gazelle, with the tears running down his cheeks, he recited these lines:
Many a man has said to me: ‘Relief must come,’
And I have answered angrily: ‘How many times?’
‘After some time,’ he said, and I replied: ‘How strange!
Who guarantees me life, O faulty arguer?’
He also recited:
God knows that, after leaving you, I wept
Until I had to borrow tears on credit.
A censurer once told me: ‘Patience – you will reach your goal.’
‘Censurer,’ I said, ‘from where will patience come?’
‘This is my story, O king,’ he went on. ‘Have you ever heard one that is more remarkable?’
Taj al-Muluk was full of wonder, and when he heard the young man’s story, fires were kindled in his heart at the mention of Princess Dunya and her beauty.
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the one hundred and twenty-ninth night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that the vizier Dandan told Dau’ al-Makan that Taj al-Muluk was full of wonder, and when he heard the young man’s story, fires were kindled in his heart at the mention of Princess Dunya and her beauty. THE VIZIER WENT ON:
Realizing that it was she who had embroidered the gazelles, the passion of his love increased. The prince said to the young man: ‘By God, nothing like this adventure of yours has happened to anyone before, but you have to live out your own fate. There is something that I want to ask you.’ ‘Aziz asked what this was and Taj al-Muluk said: ‘Tell me how you came to see the girl who embroidered this gazelle.’ ‘Master,’ replied ‘Aziz, ‘I approached her by a trick. When I had entered her city with the caravan, I used to go out and wander round the orchards, which were full of trees. The orchard guard was a very elderly man and when I asked him who owned the place, he told me that it belonged to the king’s daughter, Princess Dunya. “We are underneath her palace here,” he said, “and when she wants to take the air, she opens the postern door and walks in the orchard, enjoying the scent of the flowers.” I said: “As a favour, let me sit here until she comes past, so that perhaps I may catch a glimpse of her.” “There is no harm in that,” agreed the old man, at which I gave him some money, saying: “Buy some food for us.” He took the money gladly, opened the gate and went in, taking me with him. We kept on walking until we came to a pleasant spot where he told me to sit, saying that he would go off and come back with some fruit. He left me and went away, coming back some time later with a roasted lamb, whose meat we ate until we had had enough. I felt a longing in my heart to see the girl, and while we were sitting there, the gate suddenly opened. “Get up and hide,” the old man told me, and so I did. A black eunuch then put his head out of the wicket and asked the old man whether there was anyone with him. When he said no, the eunuch told him to lock the orchard gate, which he did. Then, through the postern appeared Princess Dunya, and when I caught sight of her I thought that the moon had risen, spreading its light from the horizon. I gazed at her for a time and was filled with longing, like a man thirsting for water.
‘After a while, she shut the postern and went off, at which I left the garden and went to my lodgings. I realized that I could not get to her, nor was I man enough for her, as I had become like a woman and had no male tool. She was a king’s daughter and I was a merchant, and how then could I get to one like her, or indeed to any other woman? When my companions got ready to leave, I collected my things and went with them. This was where they were making for, and when we got here, I met you. You asked me questions and I replied to you. This is the story of what happened to me and that is all.’
When Taj al-Muluk heard this, his whole mind and all his thoughts were taken up with love for Princess Dunya, and he was at a loss to know what to do. He got to his feet, mounted his horse and, taking ‘Aziz with him, he went back to his father’s city. Here he gave ‘Aziz a house of his own and supplied him with whatever he needed in the way of food, drink and clothing. He then left him and went to his palace, with tears running down his cheeks, as instead of his seeing and meeting the princess, he had to make do with what he had heard about her. He was in this state when his father came in to see him and found that his colour had changed and that he had become thin and tearful. Realizing that something had happened to preoccupy him, he said: ‘My son, tell me how you are and what has happened to make you change colour and become emaciated.’
At that, Taj
al-Muluk told him all that had happened, together with what he had heard from ‘Aziz, and the story of Princess Dunya, adding that he had fallen in love with her by hearsay without having seen her. ‘My son,’ said his father, ‘she is a king’s daughter; his country is far distant from us, so let this matter rest and go to your mother’s palace…’
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the one hundred and thirtieth night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that THE VIZIER DANDAN TOLD DAU’ AL-MAKAN:
Taj al-Muluk’s father said: ‘My son, she is a king’s daughter; his country is far distant from us, so let this matter rest and go to your mother’s palace where there are five hundred slave girls like moons. Take whichever of them you like, or otherwise we can set about trying to get for you the hand of a princess more beautiful than Dunya.’ ‘I shall never want anyone else, father,’ Taj al-Muluk replied. ‘She is the lady of the gazelle which I saw. I must have her, or else I shall wander off in the wastes and wildernesses and kill myself because of her.’ ‘Wait,’ said his father, ‘until I send word to her father, ask for her hand and get you what you want, as I did for myself in the case of your mother. It may be that God will bring you to your goal, but if her father refuses, I shall overturn his kingdom with an army whose rearguard will still be with me when the vanguard has reached him.’
He then summoned the young ‘Aziz and said: ‘My son, do you know the way?’ When ‘Aziz said that he did, the king said: ‘I want you to go with my vizier.’ ‘To hear is to obey, king of the age,’ replied ‘Aziz. The king then summoned his vizier and said: ‘Arrange things for me to help my son; go to the Camphor Islands and ask that he be given the hand of the princess.’ When the vizier had agreed, Taj al-Muluk went back to his quarters. His lovelorn state had grown worse and he found the delay too long. In the darkness of night, he wept, moaned and complained, reciting these lines:
The night is dark; my tears flow more and more;
Passion springs out of my heart’s raging fire.
Question the nights about me. They will tell
Whether I think of anything but care.
Thanks to my love, I shepherd the night stars,
While tears drop on my cheeks like hail.
I am alone; I have no one,
Like a lover without kin and with no child.
On finishing his poem, he fainted for a time and only recovered consciousness in the morning. One of his father’s servants entered and stood by his head, telling him to come to his father. He went with the man and when his father saw him, he found that his son’s colour had changed. Urging him to have patience, he promised that he would bring him together with his princess, and he then made preparations to send off ‘Aziz and the vizier, supplying them with gifts.
These two travelled day and night until, when they were close to the Camphor Islands, they halted by a river bank, from where the vizier sent a messenger to the king to tell him of their arrival. The messenger had hardly been gone an hour when the king’s chamberlains and his emirs came out to greet the visitors, and after meeting them at a parasang’s distance from the city, they escorted them into the king’s presence. They presented their gifts to the king and were entertained by him for three days. On the fourth day, the vizier entered the king’s presence, stood before him and told him of the errand on which he had come. The king was at a loss to know how to reply, as his daughter had no love for men and did not want to marry. For a time he bowed his head towards the ground and then, raising it again, he summoned one of the eunuchs and said: ‘Go to your mistress, Dunya; repeat to her what you have heard and tell her of the errand on which this vizier has come.’ The eunuch went off and was away for an hour, after which he came back to the king and said: ‘King of the age, when I went in and told Princess Dunya what I had heard, she fell into a violent rage and attacked me with a stick, wanting to break my head. I ran away from her, but she said: “If my father forces me to marry, then I shall kill my husband.” ’ Her father said to the vizier and ‘Aziz: ‘You have heard and understood. Tell this to your king. Give him my greetings but say that my daughter has no love for men and no desire for marriage.’
Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the one hundred and thirty-first night, SHE CONTINUED:
I have heard, O fortunate king, that King Shahriman told ‘Aziz and the vizier to give his greetings to the king and to tell him what they had heard, and that his daughter had no desire for marriage. The unsuccessful envoys then returned and, having completed their journey, they came to the king and told him what had happened. The king ordered his commanders to proclaim to the troops that they were to march out to war, but the vizier said: ‘Your majesty, don’t do this. It is not the fault of King Shahriman. When she learned of the proposal, his daughter sent him a message to say that if he forced her to marry, she would first kill her husband and then herself. The refusal came from her.’ When the king heard what the vizier had to say, he was afraid for Taj al-Muluk and said: ‘If I go to war against the father and capture the daughter, she will kill herself and it will do me no good at all.’
He told Taj al-Muluk about this, and when he learned what had happened, Taj al-Muluk said: ‘Father, I cannot bear to do without her. I shall go to her and try to reach her by some ruse, even if I die. There is no other course for me to follow.’ ‘How will you go to her?’ asked his father, and when Taj al-Muluk said that he would disguise himself as a merchant, the king said: ‘If you must do this, take the vizier and ‘Aziz with you.’ He then took out some money for him from his treasury and prepared trade goods to the value of a hundred thousand dinars.
Both the vizier and ‘Aziz agreed to go with Taj al-Muluk, and they went to ‘Aziz’s house and spent the night there. Taj al-Muluk, having lost his heart, could enjoy neither food nor sleep, assaulted, as he was, by cares and shaken by longing for his beloved. He implored the Creator to grant him a meeting with her, and with tears, moans and complaints, he recited these lines:
Do you think that after parting we shall meet again?
I complain to you of my love and say:
‘I remembered you, while night forgot;
You denied me sleep, while others were heedless.’
When he had finished his poem, he wept bitterly, while ‘Aziz, remembering his cousin, wept too. They continued to shed tears until morning came. Taj al-Muluk then got up and went to see his mother, wearing his travelling dress. She asked him how he was, and after he had repeated his story to her, she gave him fifty thousand dinars and said goodbye to him. As he left, she wished him a safe journey and a meeting with his beloved. He then went to see his father and asked leave to go. His father granted him this and gave him another fifty thousand dinars, ordering a tent to be pitched for him outside the city. This was done and he stayed there for two days before setting off.
He had become friendly with ‘Aziz and said to him: ‘Brother, I cannot bear to be parted from you.’ ‘I feel the same,’ said ‘Aziz, ‘and I would like to die at your feet, but, brother of my heart, I am concerned about my mother.’ Taj al-Muluk reassured him: ‘When we reach our goal, all will be well.’ They then set off. The vizier had told Taj al-Muluk to be patient and ‘Aziz would talk with him at night, reciting poetry for him and telling him histories and tales. They pressed on with their journey, travelling night and day for two full months. Taj al-Muluk found the journey long, and as the fires of his passion increased, he recited:
The way is long; cares and disquiet have increased;
The heart holds love, whose tortures worsen.
You who are my desire and the goal of my hopes, I have sworn an oath
By Him who created man from a clot of blood,
The sleepless passion I have borne, you who are my wish,
Is more than lofty mountains have to bear.
My lady Dunya, love has destroyed me,
Leaving me as a corpse deprived of life.
Did I not hope to gain union with you,
I would not leave on such a journey now.
When he had finished his recitation, he wept, as did ‘Aziz, whose heart was wounded. The vizier felt pity for their tears, saying: ‘Master, set your heart at rest and take comfort, for nothing but good will come of this.’ ‘This has been a long journey, vizier,’ said Taj al-Muluk, ‘so tell me how far we are from the city.’ ‘There is only a little way to go,’ the vizier replied, and they went on, crossing valleys, rugged ridges and desert wastes.
One night, when Taj al-Muluk was sleeping, he dreamt that his beloved was with him and that he was embracing her and clasping her to his breast. Waking in alarm with his wits astray, he recited:
My two companions, my heart is astray and my tears fall;
I am filled with passion; infatuation clings to me.
My tearful lament is that of a woman who has lost her child;
In the darkness of night I moan as moans the dove.
If the wind blows from your land,
I find a coolness spreading over the earth.
I send you my greetings when the east wind blows,
As long as ringdoves fly and pigeons moan.
When he had finished reciting these lines, the vizier came up to him and said: ‘Be glad; this is a good sign, so set your heart at rest and take comfort, for you are certain to reach your goal.’ ‘Aziz went up to him to urge him to have patience, entertaining him, talking to him and telling him stories. They continued to press on with their journey, travelling day and night for another two months. Then one day when the sun rose they saw in the distance something white. Taj al-Muluk asked ‘Aziz what it was and he replied: ‘Master, that is the White Castle and this is the city that you have been making for.’ Taj al-Muluk was glad, and he and the others went on until they came close to it.
The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights: Volume 1 Page 70