The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights

by vol 02 (tr Malcolm C

  When he heard what the snake queen had to say, Karim was filled with astonishment but he said: ‘I conjure you in God’s Name, queen, to let me go and to order one of your servants to bring me to the surface of the earth. I swear to you that never as long as I live will I enter the baths.’ ‘This cannot be,’ she replied, ‘and I do not trust your oath.’ On hearing this, Karim burst into tears, and all the snakes wept for him and began to intercede for him with their queen, saying: ‘We want you to tell one of us to bring this man to the surface and he will swear to you that he will never in his life enter the baths.’ The queen, whose name was Yamlikha, heard what they said; she went up to Karim and asked him to swear an oath, which he did, after which she told one of her snakes to take him to the surface. The snake came and was about to go off with him, but just then Karim said to the queen: ‘I would like you to tell me the story of the young man with whom Buluqiya was sitting between the two tombs.’

  The snake queen said: ‘You must know that Buluqiya sat with the young man and told him his own story from start to finish in order that the young man in his turn might reply by telling of what had happened to him in his life and why he was sitting between the tombs.’

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

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that when Buluqiya had told his story, THE YOUNG MAN EXCLAIMED:

  Poor man, how little you have seen in your life! Know that I have seen King Solomon in his time, as well as innumerable other things. Know too, my brother, that my father was a king called Tighmus who ruled over the lands of Kabul and was lord of the Banu Shahlan, ten thousand paladins, each of whom controlled a hundred cities and a hundred walled fortresses. Under him were seven sultans, wealth was carried to him from lands that stretched from the east to the west and he was a just ruler, but although Almighty God had given him all this great empire, he had no son. It was the gift of a son that he wished from God during his lifetime so that after his death his son might succeed him to the throne. One day he summoned men of learning, astrologers, scientists and almanac experts and told them to examine his horoscope to see whether God would grant him this wish. The astrologers opened their books, calculated his horoscope and investigated its relationship to the position of the stars. Then they said: ‘Know, O king, that a son will be born to you and his mother must be the daughter of the king of Khurasan.’ Tighmus was overjoyed to hear this and rewarded the astrologers and the wise men with wealth beyond counting, after which they went away.

  The chief vizier of King Tighmus was a great paladin, a match for a thousand riders, whose name was ‘Ain Zar. Tighmus told him: ‘Vizier, I want you to prepare to travel to the lands of Khurasan to ask its king, Bahrawan, to grant me his daughter’s hand in marriage,’ and he went on to explain what the astrologers had told him. On hearing this, the vizier went instantly to make his preparations for the journey, and he then moved out of the city with his guards, his picked champions and the rest of his troops.

  So much for him, but as for Tighmus, he prepared one thousand, five hundred loads of silks, pearls and other gems, including sapphires, together with gold, silver and precious stones, as well as a vast quantity of wedding supplies. He had all this loaded on to camels and mules, which he handed over to the vizier. He also wrote a letter which ran as follows: ‘Greetings to King Bahrawan. Know that I collected the astrologers, wise men and almanac experts and they told me that I would have a son only through your daughter. I am now sending you ‘Ain Zar, my vizier, together with a large quantity of paraphernalia for the wedding. I have appointed him to act for me in this matter and empowered him to conclude the marriage contract. I want you to be kind enough to accommodate my wishes and settle this affair for my vizier with no neglect or delay. I shall gladly accept any favour you show me, but take care not to disobey me in this matter. You must know that God has granted me the kingdom of Kabul, making me ruler over the Banu Shahlan. This is a vast empire that He has given me; if I marry your daughter, you and I will be equal partners in it and every year I shall send you enough money to meet your needs. This, then, is what I want from you.’ Having sealed the letter, Tighmus gave it to his vizier, ‘Ain Zar, and ordered him to go to Khurasan.

  The vizier set off and when he was near King Bahrawan’s city, the king was told who was approaching. On hearing this, he told his emirs to prepare to meet ‘Ain Zar and he sent them off with food, drink and so on, together with fodder for the horses. When they reached ‘Ain Zar, they unloaded what they had brought and all the riders dismounted and greeted one another. For ten days they stayed there eating and drinking, and after that they mounted and set off for the city. King Bahrawan came out to meet the vizier and, after embracing him and greeting him, he took him to his citadel. The vizier presented him with all that he had brought by way of gifts, together with all the money, and he handed over Tighmus’s letter. Bahrawan took this and read it, and when he had grasped its contents he was delighted and welcomed the vizier, saying: ‘You will be glad to hear that I shall grant your request, and were King Tighmus to ask me for my life, I would give it to him.’

  The king then went immediately to his daughter, her mother and his relatives to tell them about that and to ask for their advice. ‘Do what you want,’ they said…

  Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then, when it was the five hundredth night, SHE CONTINUED:

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that King Bahrawan consulted his daughter, her mother and her relatives. ‘Do what you want,’ they said, and so the king returned to the vizier to tell him that he had succeeded in his errand. For the next two months the vizier stayed with him and after that he said: ‘I want you to give me what I have come for, so that I can go back to my own land.’ ‘To hear is to obey,’ said the king, and he gave orders that all the wedding preparations were to be made and, when this had been done, he ordered his viziers and all the leading emirs of his state to be brought before him. When every one of them had arrived, he summoned the monks and the priests, who came and drew up a marriage contract between the princess and King Tighmus. After that, he saw to the preparations for her journey and provided her with gifts of all sorts, together with precious stones, such as would beggar description, and on his orders the city streets were carpeted and adorned with splendid decorations.

  The vizier, ‘Ain Zar, then escorted the princess to his own land, and when news of this reached King Tighmus he gave orders for a wedding feast and for the city to be decked out. He lay with the princess, taking her maidenhead, and after a few days she conceived. When the months of her pregnancy were completed, she gave birth to a baby boy like the moon on the night it becomes full. The news of this beautiful child filled the king with delight, and he summoned the wise men, astrologers and almanac experts, telling them that he wanted them to investigate the child’s horoscope, checking it against the stars, and to tell him what fortune the boy would encounter in his life. They did this and discovered that, although the boy was destined to be fortunate in his early days, when he reached fifteen, he would fall into difficulties. It was only if he survived these that he would receive his fill of good fortune and become a greater king than his father, enjoying a successful and a pleasant life, while his enemies perished, but were he to die, what is past cannot be recalled.

  Tighmus was delighted to hear this. He named his son Janshah and handed him over to nurses to be suckled and reared. This was admirably done and when Janshah was five his father taught him to read, and he began to study the Gospel. In less than seven years he was taught the arts of war and how to cut and thrust; he started to ride out to hunt and he became a champion, perfect in all branches of horsemanship, delighting his father with the news of his prowess in all these matters.

  It so happened that one day Tighmus ordered his men out to hunt and he and his son Janshah rode with them. They went out to open cou
ntry and they busied themselves with the chase until the afternoon on the third day. At this point Janshah’s path was crossed by a strangely coloured gazelle which took flight in front of him. He galloped after it as he saw it fleeing, accompanied by a group of seven of his father’s mamluks, who followed behind him as fast as their swift horses would take them when they saw him galloping after his quarry. They came to the seashore and rushed at the gazelle, hoping to seize it, but it evaded them and threw itself into the sea.

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

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that when Janshah and the mamluks rushed at the gazelle and tried to seize it, it evaded them and threw itself into the sea. Out at sea was a fishing boat on to which the gazelle jumped, but Janshah and his mamluks dismounted, went on board and caught it. They were about to return to shore when Janshah, who was looking at a large island, told the mamluks that he wanted to visit it. ‘To hear is to obey,’ they said, and they then sailed out to the island, landed and started to look around. After that they returned to the boat, embarked and set off back to the mainland, taking the gazelle with them. They were still sailing when evening came and at that point a gale blew up, driving the boat off its course and out to the open sea. They fell asleep until morning and when they woke up, as they had no idea where to head, they could only continue to sail along.

  So much for them, but as for Janshah’s father, King Tighmus, after he had looked for his son and could not find him, he told his men to scatter in all directions and they searched all around for the prince. One party went to the shore, where they found the mamluk who had been left behind with the horses. They went up and asked him about his master and the other six mamluks, and when he had told them what had happened, they took him back to the king, together with the horses, and made their report. When he heard it, the king wept bitterly, threw the crown from his head and bit his fingers in regret. He then rose quickly and wrote letters to all the islands in the sea; he collected a fleet of a hundred ships and sent his men on board with orders to scour the seas in search of his son. He then went sorrowfully back to his city with those of his guards who were left, and when Janshah’s mother learned of the loss of her son, she struck her face and began to mourn for him.

  As for Janshah and the mamluks who were with him, they remained adrift on the sea, and although Tighmus’s scouts spent ten days looking for them, they were then forced to return to the king to tell him that they had failed. A storm wind now drove Janshah and his mamluks on to an island. They disembarked and walked on until in the middle of it they reached a spring of running water near which, while they were still at a distance, they could see a man sitting. After they had approached and greeted him, he returned their greeting and spoke to them in a tongue that sounded, to Janshah’s astonishment, like the whistling of birds. The man suddenly looked right and left, and, while they were staring at him in surprise, he split into two halves, each of which went off in its own direction. At that point, crowds of people too numerous to count came down from the mountain and, when they reached the spring, they too split in halves and went towards Janshah and his mamluks with the intention of eating them. When Janshah saw this, he and the mamluks ran off, but the strangers followed in pursuit, catching and eating three of them. Janshah and the three survivors got into the boat and pushed it out to sea.

  They sailed night and day with no idea where the boat was taking them, and the gazelle was killed to provide them with food. The winds then cast them ashore on another island on which they could see trees, streams, fruits and orchards. The fruits were of all kinds and the streams flowed beneath the trees, making the place into a kind of Paradise. The sight of this island delighted Janshah and he asked his mamluks: ‘Which of you will land here and investigate it for us?’ One of them volunteered to go and scout and then return to them, but Janshah refused his offer, saying: ‘All three of you must go and reconnoitre while I stay in the boat and wait for you to come back.’

  He landed them to carry out this task, and when they reached the shore…

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

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that when the mamluks reached the shore they went round the island from east to west without finding anyone. Then, when they penetrated into its centre, they saw in the distance a fortress of white marble with buildings of pure crystal, in the centre of which was an orchard with all kinds of fruits, both dry and fresh, such as would baffle description, together with scented plants of all sorts. There were fruit trees with birds singing on their branches, as well as a large lake. Beside this lake was a huge hall in which chairs were set out, and in the centre was placed a throne of red gold studded with all kinds of jewels and precious stones. When the mamluks saw the beauty of this fortress and its orchard they went all round it but could find no single soul. So they left and came back to tell Janshah what they had seen. When he heard their news he said: ‘I must look at this place.’ He disembarked and the mamluks accompanied him up to and into the fortress, whose splendour he admired, and they then walked around looking at the orchard and eating its fruits until evening. At that point they came to the chairs that had been set out, and Janshah took his seat on the throne placed in the middle, with the chairs to his right and his left. When he did so, however, he began to weep, thinking of how he had been cut off from the throne of his father, as well as of his separation from his country, his family and all his kinsfolk. The three mamluks joined in his tears, and while they were all in this state there came a sudden loud noise from the direction of the sea, and when they looked they saw apes like a horde of locusts. This was their fortress and their island, and when they caught sight of Janshah’s boat, they sank it by the shore and came up to him as he was seated in the fortress.

  ‘This was what the young man seated between the tombs told Buluqiya,’ said the snake queen to Karim, and when he asked her how Janshah had dealt with the apes, SHE WENT ON:

  When Janshah had gone to take his seat on the throne with the mamluks on either side of him and the apes had advanced towards them, he and his men were filled with alarm and terror. At that moment, however, a group of apes came up and, when they were near the throne on which he was sitting, they kissed the ground before him, placing their paws on their chests. They stood there in front of him for some time and then another group arrived, bringing with them two gazelles, which they slaughtered. They took the bodies to the fortress, where they skinned them, cut up their flesh, roasted it until it was thoroughly cooked, placed it on dishes of gold and silver and laid out tables. They made signs to Janshah and his companions to come and eat, and so he came down from the throne and he, the apes and his companions all ate their fill. The apes then removed the food and brought fruit, which they ate, giving thanks to Almighty God.

  Janshah then, using sign language, asked the leaders of the apes to tell him about themselves and the builder of the fortress. In the same language they replied: ‘Know that this place belonged to our master, Solomon, son of David, on both of whom be peace, who used to come here on pleasure once a year and then leave us.’

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

  I have heard, O fortunate king, that the apes told Janshah about the fortress, saying: ‘Know that this place belonged to our master, Solomon, son of David, on both of whom be peace, who used to come here on pleasure once a year and then leave us.’ They then told Janshah that he was now their king and they were his subjects, adding: ‘Eat and drink, as we shall do all that you order us.’ After this they rose, kissed the ground before him and left, each going off on his own way.

  Janshah slept on the throne until morning, with the mamluks sleeping round him on their chairs. They were th
en visited by four viziers, who were the leaders of the apes, together with their followers, until the place was full of them as they lined up in rows. The viziers, using sign language, told Janshah to rule them with justice, after which the apes called out to each other and went off, leaving a few standing in front of him to act as his servants. Some time later, other apes arrived bringing with them dogs as big as horses with chains around their necks. Janshah, who had been amazed to see how large these were, was told by the viziers to mount one of them and to go with them. When he and his mamluks had mounted, the ape army, like a locust flock, went with them, some riding and some walking, adding to his astonishment. They went on until they reached the seashore, where Janshah saw that his boat had been sunk. He asked the apes where it was and they told him: ‘Know, O king, that when you came to our island we knew that you were to be our ruler, but we were afraid that when we approached you, you might try to escape back to your boat and so we sank it.’ On hearing this, Janshah turned to the mamluks and said: ‘We have no means of getting away from these apes and so we shall have to endure what God has decreed for us.’