But on the fourth day, the plank drifted to a shore, where he sighted a white city built on a peninsula that jutted out into the sea. It was a magnificent city with high towers and lofty walls against which the waves beat. When Badar Basim saw this, he rejoiced, for he was almost dead of hunger and thirst. So he stood up and wanted to wade to the beach, but a herd of wild horses and mules came charging at him and prevented him from marching on the sand. So he swam around to the back of the city, where he waded to shore. After entering the place, he could not find a single soul and was astounded. “I wish I knew who ruled over this city,” he said to himself. “And where did all those horses and mules come from that prevented me from landing?” He began walking and was pondering the situation when he came upon an old grocer. So he saluted him, and the grocer returned his salaam and asked him, “Where have you come from, my handsome youth, and what has brought you to this city?”
Badar told him his story, and the old man was amazed by it and said, “Did you see anything along the way?”
“To tell the truth,” Badar replied, “I was astounded to find the city empty.”
“My son,” said the sheikh, “come into my shop or else you will perish from hunger.”
So Badar went into his shop and sat down, whereupon the old man brought him some food and said, “Glory be to Allah Almighty, who has preserved you from that she-devil!”
King Badar Basim was tremendously frightened by the grocer’s words, but he ate his fill and washed his hands. Then he glanced at his host and said to him, “My lord, what is the meaning of your words? Truly, you’ve made me afraid of this city and its people.”
“You must know, my son,” replied the grocer, “that this is the City of the Magicians, and its queen is like a she-satan, a sorceress and a mighty enchantress. Oh, she is extremely crafty and treacherous! All those horses and mules you encountered were once sons of Adam, just like you and me. They were also strangers, for whoever enters this city, especially young men like yourself, this miscreant witch takes him and houses him for forty days. After that time is up, she enchants him, and he becomes a mule or a horse like those animals you saw on the seashore.”
And Scheherazade noticed that dawn was approaching and stopped telling her story. When the next night arrived, however, she received the king’s permission to continue her tale and said,
After the grocer paused for a moment, he continued his story by saying to Badar, “When you intended to land, they were worried that you would be transformed like themselves. So they tried to warn you by signs not to land, fearing that she would do the same thing to you that she’s done to them. She took control of this city by sorcery, and her name is Queen Lab, which in Arabic means Almanac of the Sun.”
When Badar Basim heard the old man’s story, he was extremely frightened and trembled like a reed in the wind and said to himself, “No sooner am I freed from one enchantment than destiny sets another snare for me!” And he began reflecting about his predicament and everything that had happened to him. When the old man looked at him and realized how terrified he was, he said, “My son, come and sit at the threshold of the shop and look at the people and how they dress and act. Don’t be afraid, for the queen and the entire city love me and will not annoy or trouble me.”
So King Badar Basim went to the threshold and looked at the people who passed by the shop. When the people caught sight of him, they approached the grocer and said to him, “Is this young man your prisoner? Did you just capture him?”
“He is my brother’s son,” the old man replied. “I heard that his father had died, and so I sent for him so that I might comfort him.”
“Truly, he is a handsome young man,” they said, “but aren’t you afraid that Queen Lab will turn on you and use some treacherous means to take him away from you? For she loves handsome young men.”
“The queen will not go against my orders,” the sheikh said, “for she loves me, and when she finds out that he is my brother’s son, she will not molest him or trouble me on his account.”
Then King Badar Basim stayed with the grocer for some months, and the old man became extremely fond of him. One day, as the grocer sat outside his shop, as was his custom, a thousand eunuchs with drawn swords and clad in various kinds of raiment with jeweled belts approached him on Arabian steeds. They saluted the grocer as they passed his shop, and soon they were followed by a thousand damsels like moons clad in silk and satin clothes lined with gold and embroidered with jewels of all kinds, and spears were slung over their shoulders. In their midst rode Queen Lab in all her majesty mounted on a marvelous mare with a golden saddle lined with jewels and jacinths. As the damsels rode by the shop, they, too, saluted the grocer, but Queen Lab came right up to him, because she had caught sight of King Badar Basim sitting in the shop as if he were a full moon. She was amazed by his handsome and lovely features and fell passionately in love with him. Her desire for him was so great that she dismounted and took a seat next to Badar and said to the old man, “Where does this handsome young man come from?”
“He’s my brother’s son,” the sheikh replied, “and he’s just arrived here.”
“Let him stay with me tonight so that I may talk with him,” she said.
“Only if you promise not to enchant him,” he responded.
“But of course,” she said.
“Swear it to me,” he insisted.
So she swore to him that she would not do him any harm or enchant him. Then she commanded that a fine horse with a gold bridle and harness be brought over, and she gave the old man a thousand dinars and said, “These are for your daily expenses.”
Then she led Badar Basim away on the horse, while all the people felt sorry for him and said, “By Allah, this handsome young man does not deserve to be bewitched by that wretched sorceress!”
Now King Badar Basim heard all they said, but he kept silent and left his fate in the hands of Allah Almighty.
And Scheherazade noticed that dawn was approaching and stopped telling her story. When the next night arrived, however, she received the king’s permission to continue her tale and said,
When they arrived at the palace gate, the emirs, eunuchs, and noblemen dismounted, and the queen ordered her chamberlains to dismiss her officers and grandees, who kissed the ground and went away. Meanwhile she entered the palace with Badar Basim and her eunuchs and women. Never before in his life had he seen a place like that. The palace was built of gold, and in its midst was a large pond surrounded by a vast garden that had all kinds of birds warbling in sweet and melodious voices. Everywhere he looked he saw magnificent things and cried out, “Glory to God for providing such a marvelous estate!” The queen sat down at a latticed window overlooking the garden on an ivory couch next to a bed, and King Badar Basim seated himself by her side. She kissed him and pressed him to her breast, and soon thereafter she ordered her women to bring a tray of food. So they brought a gold tray lined with pearls and jewels, and on the tray were all kinds of viands.
Both the queen and Badar ate until they were satisfied, and then they washed their hands. Once again the waiting women came, and this time it was with gold and silver flagons and all kinds of flowers and dishes of dried fruit. Next the queen summoned the singing women, ten maidens as beautiful as the moon, and they all began playing different instruments. Queen Lab poured a cup to the brim, and after drinking off the top, she filled another and passed it to King Badar Basim, who took it and drank, and they kept drinking until they were satisfied. Then she ordered the damsels to sing, and they sang various kinds of songs until it seemed to Badar that the palace was dancing with joy. He was filled with ecstasy and felt so relieved that he forgot his outcast state and said to himself, “Truly, this queen is young and beautiful, and I’ll never leave her, for her kingdom is vaster than my kingdom, and she is more beautiful than Princess Jauharah.” So he resumed drinking until the evening, and they both became drunk, while the singers kept making music. Then Queen Lab, who was quite intoxicated, rose
from her seat and lay down on a bed. After dismissing her women, she called to Badar Basim to come and sleep by her side. So he lay down beside her and enjoyed her till the morning.
And Scheherazade noticed that dawn was approaching and stopped telling her story. When the next night arrived, however, she received the king’s permission to continue her tale and said,
When the queen awoke, she went to the Hammam bath in the palace with King Badar, and they bathed together and were purified. After that she clad him in the finest raiment and called for wine. After drinking the wine, the queen took Badar by the hand, and they sat down to eat and then washed their hands. Then the damsels fetched the fruit, flower, and confections, and they kept eating and drinking until the evening while the singing girls sang various songs. They continued this routine for forty days, at the end of which time the queen asked him, “Oh Badar Basim, tell me whether it is more pleasant to be at my place or at your uncle’s shop.”
“By Allah,” he replied, “this is much more pleasant, for my uncle is but a poor man, who sells pots of herbs.”
She laughed at his words, and the two of them lay together and enjoyed one another until the morning. Then Badar awoke from his sleep and did not find Queen Lab by his side. “If only I knew where she went!” he said to himself. And indeed he was troubled by her absence and puzzled by her disappearance, for she stayed away a long time and did not return. So he got dressed and went looking for her, and when he did not find her, he said to himself, “Perhaps she went to the garden.” Thereupon he went into the garden and came to a stream, where he saw a white female bird, and on the bank of the stream was a tree full of birds of different colors, and Badar stood and watched the birds without them noticing him.
All of a sudden a black bird flew down upon the white female bird and began billing her in pigeon fashion. Then he leapt on her and trod her three consecutive times, after which the bird changed and became a woman, and Badar saw that it was Queen Lab! All at once it became clear to him that the black bird was a man, who had been transformed through magic. Moreover, it was clear that she was enamored of him and had transformed herself into a bird so that he could enjoy her. Consequently, Badar was overcome with jealousy and was angry with the queen because of the black bird.
Then he returned to his place and lay down on the couch, and after an hour or so she came back to him and began kissing and playing with him. However, since he was furious with her, he did not say a word to her. Nevertheless, she knew what he was feeling and was certain that he had witnessed what had happened to her when she had been a white bird, but she decided not to talk about it. After he had fulfilled her needs, he said to her, “Queen, I would like your permission to go to my uncle’s shop, for I miss him and haven’t seen him for forty days.”
She replied, “You may go, but don’t stay away very long from me, for I cannot stand to be parted from you more than an hour.”
“As you wish,” he said, and after mounting his steed, he rode to the shop of the grocer, who welcomed him with an embrace and asked him, “How are things going with the queen?”
“I was very happy until this past night,” he replied, and he told him what had happened in the garden with the black bird.
Now, when the old man heard his story, he said, “Beware of her, for the birds on the trees were all young men and strangers whom she loved and turned into birds through magic. That black bird you saw was one of her mamelukes, whom she loved with great passion, until he cast his eyes upon one of her women. Consequently, she changed him into a black bird.”
And Scheherazade noticed that dawn was approaching and stopped telling her tale. When the next night arrived, however, she received the king’s permission to continue her tale and said,
Then the grocer added, “Whenever she lusts after him, she transforms herself into a bird so that he may enjoy her, for she still loves him with passion. Now that she has realized that you’ve discovered her relationship with the black bird, she will plot something evil against you, for she does not love you as much as she loves the mameluke. But no harm will come to you so long as I protect you. Therefore, you have nothing to fear, for I am a Moslem by the name of Abdallah, and there is no one who knows as much magic as I do in this day and age. However, I don’t make use of my magical skills unless I am forced to do so. Many a time I have undermined the sorcery of that wicked queen and saved people from her, and I’m not worried about her, because she cannot harm me. In fact, she’s even afraid of me, as are all the people of the city, who are magicians like her and serve the fire, but not the Omnipotent Sire. So I want you to come to me tomorrow and tell me all that she does, for tonight she will begin to look for a way to destroy you, and if you tell me all that you see tonight, I’ll be able to tell you what mischief she’s planning so that you’ll be able to save yourself.”
Then Badar said farewell to the sheikh and returned to the queen, who was awaiting him. When she saw him, she rose and welcomed him. Then she ordered the meal, and after they had had enough and washed their hands, they drank some wine until half the night was spent drinking and he was drunk and lost his head. When she saw him like this, she said, “By Allah and whatever you worship, if I ask you a question, will you answer me correctly and truthfully?”
And since he was drunk, he answered, “Yes, my lady.”
“My lord and light of my eyes,” she said, “when you awoke last night and did not find me, you kept looking for me until you saw me in the garden in the form of a white bird, and you also saw the black bird leap on me and tread me. Now I’ll tell you the truth about this. That black bird was one of my mamelukes, whom I loved with a great passion. But one day he cast his eyes upon one of my slave girls, causing me to become jealous, and so I transformed him through a magic spell into a black bird and slew her. But now I cannot live without him for a single hour. So whenever I lust after him I change myself into a bird and go to him so that he can leap on top of me and enjoy me as you witnessed. Aren’t you therefore furious with me because of this, even though I love you more than ever and have devoted myself to you?”
Being drunk, he answered, “You are right about my anger, for I am jealous of your love for the black bird.”
After hearing this, she embraced him and kissed him and displayed a great deal of love for him. Then she lay down to sleep, and he was next to her. Soon, about midnight, she rose from the couch, and Badar Basim was awake, but he pretended he was asleep and watched stealthily to see what she would do. Indeed, she began taking something red out of a red bag, and she planted it in the middle of the chamber. Then it became like a running stream, and she took a handful of barley, strewed it on the ground, and watered it with water from the stream. All at once it became wheat, which she gathered and ground into flour. Finally, she set it aside, returned to bed, and lay down next to Badar.
The next morning he arose, washed his face, and asked her permission to visit the sheikh. She consented, and he went to Abdallah and told him what had happened. The old man laughed and said, “By Allah, this evil witch is plotting some mischief against you. But you have no need to be afraid of her!” Then he gave him a pound of parched corn and said to him, “Take this with you, and when she sees you with it, she’ll ask what it is and what you intend to do with it. You’re to answer, ‘It’s always good to have an abundant supply of good things.’ Then eat it, and she’ll bring out her own parched grain and say to you, ‘Eat some of this sawik.’ You are to pretend to eat some of it, but eat the parched corn instead. Be certain that you don’t eat so much as a grain of hers, for if you do, her spells will have power over you, and she will enchant you and transform you into a bird or animal. If you don’t eat her grains, her magic will be powerless, and nothing will happen to you. Once she realizes this, she will be exceedingly ashamed of herself and say to you, ‘I really didn’t want to enchant you. I was only jesting.’ She’ll make a great display of love and affection, but this will all be hypocritical. Nevertheless, you are also to make a great d
isplay of love and say to her, ‘My lady and light of my eyes, eat some of this parched barley and see how delicious it is.’ And if she eats some, even a grain, take some water in your hand and throw it in her face and say, ‘Change your human form!’ and give her whatever form you want. Then leave her and come to me, and I’ll tell you what to do.”
So Badar Basim took leave of him, and after returning to the palace, he went into see the queen, who said, “Welcome, and may you be in a good mood.” And she rose and kissed him. “You’ve been away a long time, my lord.”
“I’ve been with my uncle,” he replied, “and he gave me some of this sawik to eat.”
“We have better than that,” she said. Then she placed his parched sawik in one plate and hers in another and said to him, “Eat this. It’s better than yours.”
So he pretended to eat it, and when she thought he had eaten it, she took some water in her hand, sprinkled him with it, and said, “Change your form, you miserable scoundrel, and become a stinking mule with one eye!”
But he did not change, and when she realized this, she went up to him, kissed him on the forehead, and said, “Oh my beloved, I was only jesting with you. Don’t be angry with me because of it.”
“Oh my lady,” he said, “I’m not angry with you. No, I’m convinced that you love me, but why don’t you eat some of my parched barley.”
So she ate a mouthful of Abdallah’s sawik, and no sooner had it settled in her stomach than she had convulsions, and King Badar Basim took some water in his hand, threw it at her, and said, “Change your form, and become a dapple mule!”
No sooner had he spoken than she found herself changed into a mule, whereupon tears rolled down her cheeks, and she began to rub her muzzle against his feet. Then he wanted to bridle her, but she would not take the bit. So he left her, and after returning to the grocer, he told him what had happened. Abdallah brought out a bridle for him and told him to rein her with it. So he went back to the palace, and when she saw him, she came up to him, and he set the bit in her mouth, mounted her, and rode forth to the sheikh. When the old man saw her, he rose and said to her, “May Almighty Allah punish you for your sins, you wicked woman!” Then he said to Badar, “My son, there’s no sense in your remaining in this city any longer. So ride her and travel wherever you want. But beware that you do not give the bridle to anyone else.”
Arabian Nights Page 28