The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights: Volume 1

by Penguin; Robert Irwin; Malcolm Lyons; Ursula Lyons

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that when he approached her, she said what she had been told to say to him, and after he had sworn the oath of divorce, she allowed him to have her and he spent the night with her. In the morning, after he had performed the ablution and the dawn prayer, he went to the prison and said: ‘Ahmad Qamaqim, you thief, do you repent of your way of life?’ ‘I offer my repentance to God,’ Ahmad replied, ‘and in penitence I ask His pardon with heart and tongue.’ The emir then released him and brought him, still in chains, to the diwan. After approaching the caliph, he kissed the ground before him, and, when the caliph asked what he wanted, he brought Ahmad up to him in his chains. ‘Are you still alive, Qamaqim?’ asked the caliph. ‘The life of the unfortunate goes slowly, Commander of the Faithful,’ the man replied. ‘Why have you brought him here?’ the caliph asked the emir. ‘He has a poor, lonely mother,’ the emir replied, ‘who has no one but him. She has approached me, your servant, asking me to intercede with you to release him from his chains and give him back his old post as chief of the watch, as he repents of his evil ways.’ ‘Have you done this?’ the caliph asked him, and when Ahmad said that he had offered repentance to God, the caliph ordered a smith to be fetched. The chains were struck off on the slab used for washing corpses; Ahmad was reappointed as chief of the watch and told by the caliph to behave well and uprightly. He kissed the caliph’s hands and left dressed in his robe of office, with a proclamation being made of his appointment.

  After he had held his post for some time, his mother went to the wali’s wife, who said to her: ‘Praise be to God, Who has brought your son safe and sound out of prison. Why don’t you tell him to produce some scheme for bringing the slave girl, Yasmin, to my son Habzalam Bazaza?’ ‘I’ll speak to him,’ the old woman replied and she then left the wali’s wife and went to her son, whom she found drunk. ‘My son,’ she told him, ‘it was only thanks to the wali’s wife that you got out of prison. She wants you to find some way to kill ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat and to fetch Yasmin, the slave girl, for her son Habzalam Bazaza.’ ‘This is the easiest possible thing,’ said Ahmad, ‘and I shall certainly find some way of doing it tonight.’

  It happened to be the first night of the new month and the Commander of the Faithful was in the habit of spending it with the Lady Zubaida in order to free a slave girl or a mamluk or something of the kind. It was also his custom to take off his royal robe, together with his rosary, his dagger and his royal signet ring, all of which he would leave on his throne in his audience chamber. He also had a gold lamp to which three jewels were attached by a gold chain and by which he set great store. He left the robe, the lamp and the rest of his things in the charge of the eunuchs and then entered the Lady Zubaida’s apartments. Ahmad Qamaqim, the master thief, waited until midnight, when, at the rising of Canopus, everyone was asleep, shrouded in the Creator’s covering night. It was then that, with a sword in his right hand and a grapnel in his left, he came to the caliph’s audience chamber. He got ready a rope ladder and threw his grapnel over the chamber. It caught there and, using his ladder, he climbed on to the roof, where he lifted the trapdoor and let himself down. Finding the eunuchs asleep, he drugged them and then took the caliph’s robe along with the rosary, the dagger, his kerchief, the signet ring and the jewelled lamp. From the place from which he had climbed up he went down to the house of ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat.

  It happened that that night ‘Ala’ al-Din was busy celebrating his marriage with Yasmin, and after he had lain with her, she conceived. Ahmad climbed down into his room, from the lower part of which he removed a marble slab. Beneath this he dug a hole and into the hole he put some of the caliph’s belongings, keeping the rest himself. He put the slab back in its place, fixing it with plaster, and left by the way that he had come, saying to himself: ‘I can now put the lamp down in front of me and sit and get drunk by its light.’ He then went off to his own house.

  Next morning the caliph went to his audience chamber, where he found his eunuchs drugged. He roused them but when he put his hand down he could not find his robe or his ring, his rosary, his dagger, his kerchief or his lamp. He was furiously angry and, after putting on his red robe of rage, he took his seat in the diwan. The vizier came forward, kissed the ground before him and said: ‘May God protect the Commander of the Faithful from evil.’ ‘Evil has overflowed, vizier,’ said the caliph and, when the vizier asked what had happened, he told him the whole story.

  At that point the wali arrived, with Ahmad Qamaqim in his train, to find the caliph in a rage. The caliph looked at him and asked him how things were in Baghdad. ‘Peaceful and secure,’ he replied. ‘You’re lying,’ said the caliph, and when the wali asked him why he had said that, the caliph told him what had happened and added: ‘I require you to produce all that was stolen.’ The wali replied: ‘It is vinegar that produces vinegar worms, and it is there that they are found. No stranger could ever get into this place.’ ‘If you fail to produce these things, I shall kill you,’ said the caliph. ‘Before you kill me, kill Ahmad Qamaqim,’ said the wali, ‘as it is the chief of the watch who should know robbers and traitors.’ Ahmad Qamaqim then interceded with the caliph for the wali and said: ‘I guarantee to bring you the thief and I shall continue to track him until I find out who he is. But give me two qadis and two notaries, for the man who did this has no fear of you or of the wali or of anyone else.’ ‘You can have what you want,’ said the caliph, ‘but start your search in my palace, and then in those of the vizier and of the hexarch.’ ‘That’s right, Commander of the Faithful. It may be that whoever did this was brought up in the royal palace or in the palace of one of your intimates.’ ‘By my head,’ swore the caliph, ‘I shall kill whoever is proved to have done this, even if it is my own son.’ So Ahmad Qamaqim got what he wanted, together with written authorization to break into houses and search them.

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the two hundred and sixty-fifth night, SHE CONTINUED:

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that Ahmad Qamaqim got what he wanted, together with written authorization to break into houses and search them. He went off carrying in his hand a rod made up in equal parts of bronze, copper, iron and steel. He searched the caliph’s palace and that of Ja‘far, the vizier; he went round the houses of the chamberlains and the deputies, and then he came by the house of ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat. When ‘Ala’ al-Din heard the noise in front of his house he got up and went down, leaving his wife Yasmin. On opening the door he found the wali with a disorderly mob, and when he asked what had happened, the wali, Khalid, told him the whole story. ‘Come in and search my house,’ he said. ‘Forgive me, sir,’ said Khalid. ‘You are a trustworthy man and God forbid that such a one should turn traitor.’ ‘Ala’ al-Din insisted that his house be searched and so Khalid went in with the qadis and the notaries. Ahmad Qamaqim then went to the lower part of the room and came to the marble slab under which he had buried the goods. He then struck it so violently with his rod that it broke and there, beneath it, was something that gleamed. ‘In God’s Name,’ he said. ‘God’s will is done and, thanks to the blessing of our coming, we have discovered a treasure. I shall go down and investigate what is there.’ The qadi and the notaries inspected the place and after finding everything there, they drew up a document to say that the goods had been found in the house of ‘Ala’ al-Din, and affixed their seals to it. They ordered ‘Ala’ al-Din to be arrested; they took his turban from his head and drew up an inventory of all his wealth and goods.

  Ahmad Qamaqim, the master thief, then seized the slave girl Yasmin, who was carrying ‘Ala’ al-Din’s child, and gave her to his mother, telling her to hand her over to the wali’s wife, Khatun. His mother took the girl and brought her to Khatun. When Habzalam Bazaza saw her, he was restored to health and, getting up immediately, he approached her with delight, but she drew a dagger from her belt and said: ‘Get away from me or else I shall kill you and
then kill myself.’ ‘You whore,’ said his mother, Khatun, ‘let my son have his way with you.’ ‘Bitch,’ she replied, ‘what school of law permits a woman to marry two husbands and what can bring dogs into the dens of lions?’ Habzalam Bazaza’s passion increased; he fell ill with lovesickness and, giving up food, he took to his bed. ‘Whore,’ said Khatun, ‘how is it that you make me grieve for my son? I am going to have to punish you, while as for ‘Ala’ al-Din, he will certainly be hanged.’ ‘Then I shall die of love for him,’ replied Yasmin.

  Khatun got up and, after stripping Yasmin of her jewels and her silken clothes, she made her wear drawers of coarse cloth and a hair shirt, after which she took her to the kitchen and made her act as a serving girl. ‘This is your reward,’ she told her. ‘You will split wood, peel onions and light the fire under the cooking pots.’ ‘I am willing to put up with any punishment,’ said Yasmin, ‘and to perform any service, but I am not willing to see your son.’ God filled the hearts of the maids with sympathy for her and they started to do her kitchen tasks for her.

  So much, then, for Yasmin, but as for ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat, he was taken to the diwan, along with the caliph’s possessions. The caliph was sitting on his throne when ‘Ala’ al-Din was brought in with them, and when the caliph asked where they had been found he was told: ‘In the middle of the house of ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat.’ The caliph, filled with rage, took his treasures and, on failing to see the lamp among them, he asked ‘Ala’ al-Din where it was. ‘I didn’t steal; I know nothing; I haven’t seen the lamp and I have no knowledge of it.’ ‘Traitor!’ exclaimed the caliph. ‘How is it that I took you as a companion, but you shunned me and, while I trusted you, you betrayed me?’ The caliph then ordered ‘Ala’ al-Din to be hanged, and the wali left with a herald, who proclaimed: ‘This is the punishment, and the least of the punishments, of those who betray the caliphs who follow the true faith.’ Crowds collected around the gallows.

  So much, then, for ‘Ala’ al-Din, but as for Ahmad al-Danaf, his adoptive father, he was in a garden with his followers and while they were sitting there, pleasantly enjoying themselves, one of the water carriers from the caliph’s court came in. He kissed Ahmad’s hand and, addressing him as ‘captain’, said: ‘You are happily sitting here with the water flowing beneath your feet, knowing nothing of what has happened.’ ‘What is the news?’ asked Ahmad. ‘Your son, ‘Ala’ al-Din, whom you adopted according to God’s covenant, has been brought to the gallows,’ said the man. Ahmad asked Hasan Shuman whether he had any scheme to propose and he said: ‘ ‘Ala’ al-Din is innocent in this affair and some enemy has played a trick on him.’ ‘What do you advise me to do?’ asked Ahmad. ‘God willing, we shall save him,’ said Hasan.

  Hasan then went to the prison and said to the gaoler: ‘Give me someone who deserves to die.’ The man provided him with someone who closely resembled ‘Ala’ al-Din. His head was covered and he was taken out between Ahmad al-Danaf and ‘Ali al-Zaibaq, the Egyptian. ‘Ala’ al-Din had been brought to the gallows when Ahmad al-Danaf came up and put his foot on that of the hangman. ‘Give me room to do my job,’ said the man. ‘Damn you,’ said Ahmad. ‘Take this fellow and hang him instead of ‘Ala’ al-Din, who has been wrongly condemned. We are ransoming Isma‘il with the ram.’* The hangman took the substitute and hanged him in place of ‘Ala’ al-Din, who was taken by Ahmad al-Danaf and ‘Ali al-Zaibaq to Ahmad’s house.

  When he was brought in, he said: ‘Master, may God reward you well,’ and Ahmad then asked him: ‘What did you do?’

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the two hundred and sixty-sixth night, SHE CONTINUED:

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that Ahmad asked him: ‘What did you do? May God have mercy on the man who said: “Even if you are a traitor, do not betray one who has trusted you.” The caliph gave you a position at his court and called you faithful and trusty, so how could you act like this towards him and take his things?’ ‘Master,’ replied ‘Ala’ al-Din, ‘I swear by the greatest Name of God that this wasn’t my doing. I am not at fault here and I don’t know who did it.’ ‘Clearly an enemy of yours must have done it, but the doer of any deed will be paid back for it. As for you, you can’t stay in Baghdad, my son, for kings don’t pass matters over and those they pursue must for long face hardships.’ ‘Where should I go, master?’ asked ‘Ala’ al-Din, and Ahmad replied: ‘I shall take you to Alexandria, a blessed place, whose threshold is green and where life is easy.’ ‘To hear is to obey,’ said ‘Ala’ al-Din.

  Ahmad al-Danaf told Hasan Shuman: ‘If the caliph asks about me, take care to say that I have gone off on a tour of the lands.’ He then took ‘Ala’ al-Din and brought him out of Baghdad and the two of them walked on until they reached the vineyards and orchards. Here they found two Jews, employed by the caliph as tax collectors, mounted on a pair of mules. ‘Give me the protection money,’ Ahmad demanded, and when they asked why, he told them that this valley was in his charge. Each of them gave him a hundred dinars and after that he killed them and took their mules, riding on one himself with ‘Ala’ al-Din on the other. They travelled to the city of Ayas, where they stabled the mules in a khan and spent the night there. The next morning, ‘Ala’ al-Din sold his mule and entrusted Ahmad al-Danaf ’s to the gatekeeper, after which the two of them embarked on a ship in the port of Ayas and sailed to Alexandria.

  When they had disembarked, they walked into the market and here they came across an auctioneer who was advertising the sale of a shop, together with living quarters, for a price of nine hundred and fifty dinars. ‘Ala’ al-Din offered a thousand, a price accepted by the vendor as the shop was treasury property, and he then took the keys and opened up both the shop itself and the living quarters. He found them furnished with rugs and cushions, and stored there he discovered sails, spars, ropes and chests, together with bags filled with beads, shells, stirrups, axes, maces, knives, scissors and other such things, as the previous owner had been a second-hand dealer. ‘Ala’ al-Din sat there in the shop and Ahmad al-Danaf said to him: ‘My son, the shop, the room and their contents are yours, so stay here, buy and sell and don’t repine, for Almighty God has given His blessing to trade.’ Ahmad al-Danaf stayed with ‘Ala’ al-Din for three days and on the fourth he took his leave, saying: ‘Stay here until I come back from my journey with news that the caliph has pardoned you, and I have found out who played this trick on you.’

  Ahmad then set out and, on arriving at Ayas, he took the mule from the khan and went on to Baghdad. Here he met Hasan Shuman and his followers, and when he asked Hasan whether the caliph had enquired about him, Hasan told him: ‘No, he didn’t think of you.’ So he remained in the caliph’s service, sniffing out news. One day he found the caliph asking the vizier Ja‘far about ‘Ala’ al-Din. Ja‘far replied: ‘You had him hanged by way of punishment for what he did to you, and this fate was his reward.’ ‘Vizier,’ said the caliph, ‘I want to go down and look at him hanging there.’ ‘As you wish, Commander of the Faithful,’ said Ja‘far, and so the two of them went down to the gallows. The caliph looked up and saw that the corpse was not that of ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat, the trusty and faithful. When he pointed this out, the vizier asked: ‘How can you tell that it is not him?’ ‘ ‘Ala’ al-Din was a small man,’ said the caliph, ‘and this one is tall.’ ‘A hanged man is stretched,’ Ja‘far pointed out, but the caliph said: ‘ ‘Ala’ al-Din was fair while this man’s face is black.’ ‘Don’t you know, Commander of the Faithful,’ said Ja‘far, ‘that corpses turn black?’ On the caliph’s orders the corpse was then taken down from the gallows and when this had been done, they found written on his heels the names of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. The caliph pointed out to Ja‘far that ‘Ala’ al-Din had been a Sunni while this man must have been a rafidi.* ‘Praise be to God, Who knows all secrets,’ said Ja‘far. ‘As for us, we don’t know whether this is ‘Ala’ al-Din or someone else.’ On the caliph’s order
s the body was buried, and ‘Ala’ al-Din was then completely forgotten.

  So much for him, but as for Habzalam Bazaza, the wali’s son, his infatuation continued until he died and was buried. Yasmin, for her part, reached the term of her pregnancy, went into labour and gave birth to a baby boy like a full moon. ‘What are you going to call him?’ asked the maids. ‘Were his father still alive,’ she said, ‘he would have named him, but I shall call him Aslan.’ She suckled him for the next two years and then weaned him, after which he began to crawl and to walk. One day when, as it happened, his mother was busy with her duties in the kitchen, he walked off, and seeing the stairs leading to the sitting room, he climbed up them. The emir Khalid, the wali, was sitting there. He took the child, sat him on his lap and gave praise to God for having created and fashioned him. Then, looking at his face, he saw that he was very like ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat.

  The boy’s mother, Yasmin, looked for him and, failing to find him, went up to the sitting room, where she saw the emir Khalid sitting there with the boy playing on his lap, God having filled his heart with love for him. The boy turned, and seeing his mother, would have thrown himself on her, but the emir held him back in his arms and said to her: ‘Come here, girl.’ When she came, he said: ‘Whose child is this?’ ‘He is my son and the fruit of my heart,’ she answered. ‘And who is his father?’ he asked. ‘His father was ‘Ala’ al-Din Abu’l-Shamat,’ she said, ‘and now he has become your son.’ ‘ ‘Ala’ al-Din was a traitor,’ said Khalid. ‘God preserve him from the charge of treason,’ she said. ‘ “The Trusty” could never be a traitor,’ Khalid told her: ‘When the child grows up and asks you who his father was, tell him: “You are the son of the emir Khalid, the wali, the chief of police.” ’ ‘To hear is to obey,’ she replied.