by abc
"it is necessary that you should know that the grand-vizir,
lately dead, was celebrated for his beautiful handwriting,
and the Sultan is anxious to find a similar talent in his successor.
Hitherto the search has been a failure, but his Highness has not yet
given up hope."
One after another the merchants set down a few lines upon the roll,
and when they had all finished, I came forward, and snatched
the paper from the man who held it. At first they all thought I
was going to throw it into the sea, but they were quieted when they
saw I held it with great care, and great was their surprise when I
made signs that I too wished to write something.
"Let him do it if he wants to," said the captain. "If he only makes
a mess of the paper, you may be sure I will punish him for it.
But if, as I hope, he really can write, for he is the cleverest
monkey I ever saw, I will adopt him as my son. The one I lost had
not nearly so much sense!"
No more was said, and I took the pen and wrote the six sorts
of writing in use among the Arabs, and each sort contained
an original verse or couplet, in praise of the Sultan. And not
only did my handwriting completely eclipse that of the merchants,
but it is hardly too much to say that none so beautiful had ever
before been seen in that country. When I had ended the officials
took the roll and returned to the Sultan.
As soon as the monarch saw my writing he did not so much as look
at the samples of the merchants, but desired his officials to take
the finest and most richly caparisoned horse in his stables,
together with the most magnificent dress they could procure,
and to put it on the person who had written those lines, and bring
him to court.
The officials began to laugh when they heard the Sultan's command,
but as soon as they could speak they said, "Deign, your highness,
to excuse our mirth, but those lines were not written by a man
but by a monkey."
"A monkey!" exclaimed the Sultan.
"Yes, sire," answered the officials. "They were written by a monkey
in our presence."
"Then bring me the monkey," he replied, "as fast as you can."
The Sultan's officials returned to the ship and showed the royal
order to the captain.
"He is the master," said the good man, and desired that I should
be sent for.
Then they put on me the gorgeous robe and rowed me to land, where I
was placed on the horse and led to the palace. Here the Sultan
was awaiting me in great state surrounded by his court.
All the way along the streets I had been the object of curiosity
to a vast crowd, which had filled every doorway and every window,
and it was amidst their shouts and cheers that I was ushered into
the presence of the Sultan.
I approached the throne on which he was seated and made him three
low bows, then prostrated myself at his feet to the surprise of everyone,
who could not understand how it was possible that a monkey should
be able to distinguish a Sultan from other people, and to pay him
the respect due to his rank. However, excepting the usual speech,
I omitted none of the common forms attending a royal audience.
When it was over the Sultan dismissed all the court, keeping with him
only the chief of the eunuchs and a little slave. He then passed
into another room and ordered food to be brought, making signs
to me to sit at table with him and eat. I rose from my seat,
kissed the ground, and took my place at the table, eating, as you
may suppose, with care and in moderation.
Before the dishes were removed I made signs that writing materials,
which stood in one corner of the room, should be laid in front of me.
I then took a peach and wrote on it some verses in praise of the Sultan,
who was speechless with astonishment; but when I did the same
thing on a glass from which I had drunk he murmured to himself,
"Why, a man who could do as much would be cleverer than any other man,
and this is only a monkey!"
Supper being over chessmen were brought, and the Sultan signed to me
to know if I would play with him. I kissed the ground and laid my hand
on my head to show that I was ready to show myself worthy of the honour.
He beat me the first game, but I won the second and third, and seeing
that this did not quite please I dashed off a verse by way of consolation.
The Sultan was so enchanted with all the talents of which I had given
proof that he wished me to exhibit some of them to other people.
So turning to the chief of the eunuchs he said, "Go and beg my daughter,
Queen of Beauty, to come here. I will show her something she has
never seen before."
The chief of the eunuchs bowed and left the room, ushering in a few
moments later the princess, Queen of Beauty. Her face was uncovered,
but the moment she set foot in the room she threw her veil over
her head. "Sire," she said to her father, "what can you be thinking
of to summon me like this into the presence of a man?"
"I do not understand you," replied the Sultan. "There is nobody
here but the eunuch, who is your own servant, the little slave,
and myself, yet you cover yourself with your veil and reproach me
for having sent for you, as if I had committed a crime."
"Sire," answered the princess, "I am right and you are wrong.
This monkey is really no monkey at all, but a young prince who has
been turned into a monkey by the wicked spells of a genius, son of
the daughter of Eblis."
As will be imagined, these words took the Sultan by surprise, and he
looked at me to see how I should take the statement of the princess.
As I was unable to speak, I placed my hand on my head to show that it
was true.
"But how do you know this, my daughter?" asked he.
"Sire," replied Queen of Beauty, "the old lady who took care of me
in my childhood was an accomplished magician, and she taught me
seventy rules of her art, by means of which I could, in the twinkling
of an eye, transplant your capital into the middle of the ocean.
Her art likewise teaches me to recognise at first sight all persons
who are enchanted, and tells me by whom the spell was wrought."
"My daughter," said the Sultan, "I really had no idea you were
so clever."
"Sire," replied the princess, "there are many out-of-the-way things
it is as well to know, but one should never boast of them."
"Well," asked the Sultan, "can you tell me what must be done
to disenchant the young prince?"
"Certainly; and I can do it."
"Then restore him to his former shape," cried the Sultan.
"You could give me no greater pleasure, for I wish to make him
my grand-vizir, and to give him to you for your husband."
"As your Highness pleases," replied the princess.
Queen of Beauty rose and went to her chamber, from which she
fetched a knife with some Hebrew words engraven on the blade.
She then desired the Sultan, the chief of the eunuchs, the little
slave, and myself to descend into a secret court of the palace,
and placed us beneath a gallery which ran all round, she herself
standing in the centre of the court. Here she traced a large
circle and in it wrote several words in Arab characters.
When the circle and the writing were finished she stood in the middle
of it and repeated some verses from the Koran. Slowly the air
grew dark, and we felt as if the earth was about to crumble away,
and our fright was by no means diminished at seeing the genius,
son of the daughter of Eblis, suddenly appear under the form of a
colossal lion.
"Dog," cried the princess when she first caught sight of him,
"you think to strike terror into me by daring to present yourself
before me in this hideous shape."
"And you," retorted the lion, "have not feared to break our treaty
that engaged solemnly we should never interfere with each other."
"Accursed genius!" exclaimed the princess, "it is you by whom
that treaty was first broken."
"I will teach you how to give me so much trouble," said the lion,
and opening his huge mouth he advanced to swallow her. But the
princess expected something of the sort and was on her guard.
She bounded on one side, and seizing one of the hairs of his mane
repeated two or three words over it. In an instant it became a sword,
and with a sharp blow she cut the lion's body into two pieces.
These pieces vanished no one knew where, and only the lion's
head remained, which was at once changed into a scorpion.
Quick as thought the princess assumed the form of a serpent
and gave battle to the scorpion, who, finding he was getting
the worst of it, turned himself into an eagle and took flight.
But in a moment the serpent had become an eagle more powerful still,
who soared up in the air and after him, and then we lost sight of
them both.
We all remained where we were quaking with anxiety, when the ground
opened in front of us and a black and white cat leapt out, its hair
standing on end, and miauing frightfully. At its heels was a wolf,
who had almost seized it, when the cat changed itself into a worm,
and, piercing the skin of a pomegranate which had tumbled from a tree,
hid itself in the fruit. The pomegranate swelled till it grew as
large as a pumpkin, and raised itself on to the roof of the gallery,
from which it fell into the court and was broken into bits.
While this was taking place the wolf, who had transformed himself
into a cock, began to swallow the seed of the pomegranate as fast
as he could. When all were gone he flew towards us, flapping his
wings as if to ask if we saw any more, when suddenly his eye fell
on one which lay on the bank of the little canal that flowed
through the court; he hastened towards it, but before he could touch
it the seed rolled into the canal and became a fish. The cock
flung himself in after the fish and took the shape of a pike,
and for two hours they chased each other up and down under the water,
uttering horrible cries, but we could see nothing. At length they
rose from the water in their proper forms, but darting such flames
of fire from their mouths that we dreaded lest the palace should
catch fire. Soon, however, we had much greater cause for alarm,
as the genius, having shaken off the princess, flew towards us.
Our fate would have been sealed if the princess, seeing our danger,
had not attracted the attention of the genius to herself. As it was,
the Sultan's beard was singed and his face scorched, the chief
of the eunuchs was burned to a cinder, while a spark deprived me
of the sight of one eye. Both I and the Sultan had given up all
hope of a rescue, when there was a shout of "Victory, victory!"
from the princess, and the genius lay at her feet a great heap
of ashes.
Exhausted though she was, the princess at once ordered the little slave,
who alone was uninjured, to bring her a cup of water, which she
took in her hand. First repeating some magic words over it,
she dashed it into my face saying, "If you are only a monkey
by enchantment, resume the form of the man you were before."
In an instant I stood before her the same man I had formerly been,
though having lost the sight of one eye.
I was about to fall on my knees and thank the princess but she did
not give me time. Turning to the Sultan, her father, she said,
"Sire, I have gained the battle, but it has cost me dear. The fire
has penetrated to my heart, and I have only a few moments to live.
This would not have happened if I had only noticed the last
pomegranate seed and eaten it like the rest. It was the last
struggle of the genius, and up to that time I was quite safe.
But having let this chance slip I was forced to resort to fire,
and in spite of all his experience I showed the genius that I
knew more than he did. He is dead and in ashes, but my own
death is approaching fast." "My daughter," cried the Sultan,
"how sad is my condition! I am only surprised I am alive at all!
The eunuch is consumed by the flames, and the prince whom you have
delivered has lost the sight of one eye." He could say no more,
for sobs choked his voice, and we all wept together.
Suddenly the princess shrieked, "I burn, I burn!" and death came
to free her from her torments.
I have no words, madam, to tell you of my feelings at this
terrible sight. I would rather have remained a monkey all my
life than let my benefactress perish in this shocking manner.
As for the Sultan, he was quite inconsolable, and his subjects,
who had dearly loved the princess, shared his grief. For seven
days the whole nation mourned, and then the ashes of the princess
were buried with great pomp, and a superb tomb was raised over her.
As soon as the Sultan recovered from the severe illness which
had seized him after the death of the princess he sent for me
and plainly, though politely, informed me that my presence would
always remind him of his loss, and he begged that I would instantly
quit his kingdom, and on pain of death never return to it. I was,
of course, bound to obey, and not knowing what was to become of me
I shaved my beard and eyebrows and put on the dress of a calender.
After wandering aimlessly through several countries, I resolved to come
to Bagdad and request an audience of the Commander of the Faithful.
And that, madam, is my story.
The other Calender then told his story.
Story of the Third Calendar, Son of a King
My story, said the Third Calender, is quite different from those
of my two friends. It was fate that deprived them of the sight
of their right eyes, but mine was lost by my own folly.
My name is Agib, and I am the son of a king called Cassib,
who reigned over a large kingdom, which had for its capital
one of the finest seaport towns in the world.
When I succeeded to my father's throne my first care was to visit
the provinces on the mainland, and then to sail to the numerous
islands which lay off the shore, in order to gain the hearts
of my subjects. These voyages
gave me such a taste for sailing
that I soon determined to explore more distant seas, and commanded
a fleet of large ships to be got ready without delay. When they
were properly fitted out I embarked on my expedition.
For forty days wind and weather were all in our favour, but the
next night a terrific storm arose, which blew us hither and thither
for ten days, till the pilot confessed that he had quite lost
his bearings. Accordingly a sailor was sent up to the masthead to try
to catch a sight of land, and reported that nothing was to be seen
but the sea and sky, except a huge mass of blackness that lay astern.
On hearing this the pilot grew white, and, beating his breast,
he cried, "Oh, sir, we are lost, lost!" till the ship's crew trembled
at they knew not what. When he had recovered himself a little,
and was able to explain the cause of his terror, he replied,
in answer to my question, that we had drifted far out of our course,
and that the following day about noon we should come near that mass
of darkness, which, said he, is nothing but the famous Black Mountain.
This mountain is composed of adamant, which attracts to itself
all the iron and nails in your ship; and as we are helplessly
drawn nearer, the force of attraction will become so great that the
iron and nails will fall out of the ships and cling to the mountain,
and the ships will sink to the bottom with all that are in them.
This it is that causes the side of the mountain towards the sea to
appear of such a dense blackness.
As may be supposed--continued the pilot--the mountain sides
are very rugged, but on the summit stands a brass dome supported
on pillars, and bearing on top the figure of a brass horse,