Over the years the professor brought him up in his father’s palace teaching him reading, writing, and ciphering along with theology and belles lettres. Indeed, he never left the house and grounds, since he was fully occupied there. Then, on a certain day, his father clad him in his best clothes, mounted him on one of the finest mules, and went with him to the sultan. When the sultan gazed at Badar al-Din Hasan, he marveled at how handsome he was and took a great liking to him. As for the people in the city, they were so struck by his handsome features when he first passed before them that they sat down on the road to wait for his return so that they might gaze again at his graceful and lovely features. The sultan treated the lad with special favor and said to his father, “Oh vizier, you must bring him to me every day.”
“As you wish,” replied Nur al-Din.
Then the vizier returned home with his son and continued to bring him to court until he reached the age of twenty. At that time his father became sick and, after sending for Badar al-Din Hasan, he said, “I want you to know, my son, that the world of the present is but a house of mortality, while that of the future is a house of eternity. Before I die, I want to bequeath certain tasks to you, and I want you to pay attention to what I say and take my words to heart.” Then he gave him last instructions about the best way to deal with his neighbors and his affairs. After all was said, he recalled his brother, his home, and his native land and wept over his separation from those he had first loved. As he wiped away his tears, he turned to his son and said to him, “Before I proceed to my last requests and commands, I want you to know that I have a brother, your uncle, who is called Shams al-Din, the vizier of Cairo. Many years ago I left him against his will. Now, take a sheet of paper and write down what I tell you.”
Badar al-Din took a sheet of paper and did as his father requested, and he wrote down the full account of what had happened to his father from the day of his dispute with his brother twenty years ago to the very present. At the end, Nur al-Din added, “And this is written at my dictation, and may Almighty Allah be with him when I am gone!” Then he signed the paper, folded it, sealed it, and said, “My son, guard this paper with utmost care, for it will enable you to establish your origin, rank, and lineage, and if anything adverse happens to you, set out for Cairo, ask for your uncle, and show him this paper. Then tell him that I died a stranger far from my own people and full of yearning to see him and them.”
So Badar al-Din Hasan took the document, and after wrapping it up in a piece of waxed cloth, he sewed it like a talisman between the inner and outer cloth of his skullcap and wound his light turban around it. And he began to weep about his father and his untimely separation from him, for he was but a young man. Then Nur al-Din lapsed into a swoon that prefigured his death. Soon, however, he recovered a little and said, “Oh Hasan, my son, listen now to my five last commands. The first is that you should not be overly intimate with anyone or too familiar, otherwise you will not be safe from his mischief. Security lies in seclusion of thought and a certain distance from the company of your compatriots. The second command is that you should not deal harshly with anyone, otherwise fortune might deal harshly with you. In this world fortune is with you one day and against you the next. All worldly goods are but a loan to be repaid. The third command is that you should learn to be silent in society, and let the faults of others make you aware of your own faults. Safety dwells in silence. The fourth command, my son, is that you should be aware of indulging in too much wine, for wine is the head of all obstinance and a fine solvent of human brains. So shun, and again I say, shun mixing strong liquor. The fifth command is that you should take good care of your wealth, and if you do so, it will take good care of you. Guard your money, and it will guard you. Do not waste your capital, otherwise you might be forced to go begging from the meanest of mankind. Save your dirhams, and consider them the best salve for the wounds of the world.”
Nur al-Din continued to advise his son in this way until his hour came, and sighing one last sob, he died. Then the voice of mourning rose high in his house, and the sultan and all the nobles grieved for him and buried him. However, his son did not stop lamenting his loss for two months, during which time he never mounted a horse, attended the divan, or presented himself before the sultan. At last the sultan became so furious with him that he replaced him as vizier with one of his chamblerlains and gave orders to seize and set seals on all Nur al-Din’s houses, goods, and domains. So the new vizier went forth with a mighty posse of chamberlains, courtiers, watchmen, and a host of idlers to carry out the sultan’s command and to seize Badar al-Din Hasan and bring him before the sultan, who would deal with him as he deemed fit.
Now, among the crowd of followers was a mameluke of the deceased vizier, and when he heard the sultan’s order, he rode his horse full-speed to the house of Badar al-Din Hasan, for he could not endure to see the degradation of his old master’s son. The mameluke found Badar al-Din Hasan sitting at the gate with his head hung down, mourning the loss of his father, as was his custom. So he dismounted, kissed his hand, and said, “My lord, hurry and get away before everything’s laid to waste!”
When Hasan heard this, he trembled and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“The sultan is angry at you,” the man said, “and he’s issued a warrant for your arrest. The evildoers are hard on my heels. So flee for your life!”
Upon hearing these words, Hasan’s heart was ignited, his rosy cheeks turned pale, and he asked the slave, “Is there any time for me to get some of my things from the house that I may need during my exile?”
But the slave replied, “My lord, get up at once and save yourself! Leave this house while there’s still time!”
So Badar al-Din covered his head with the skirt of his garment and went forth on foot until he stood outside the city where he heard the people saying, “The sultan’s sent his new vizier to the house of the old one to seal his property and to seize his son, Badar al-Din Hasan, and bring him to the palace, where he’s to be put to death.”
“Alas! Such a handsome and lovely man!” they cried.
When he heard this, he fled at hazard and did not stop running until destiny drove him to the cemetery where his father was buried. So he entered and walked among the graves until he reached his father’s sepulcher, where he sat down and let the skirt of his long robe fall from his head. While he was sitting by his father’s tomb, a Jew suddenly came toward him, and he seemed to be a shroff with a pair of saddlebags containing a great deal of gold. After the Jew stopped and kissed his hand, he said, “Where are you going, my lord? It’s late in the day. Indeed, you are lightly clad, and I read signs of trouble in your face.”
“I had been asleep this past hour,” answered Hasan, “when my father appeared to me and chided me for not having visited his tomb. So I awoke trembling and came straight here. Otherwise, the day would have gone by without my having visited him, and this would have been very grievous to me.”
“Oh my lord,” the Jew replied, “your father had many merchantmen at sea, and since some of them are now due to arrive, I would like to buy the cargo of the first ship that comes into port with this thousand dinars of gold.”
“You have my consent,” said Hasan, whereupon the Jew took out a bag full of gold and counted out a thousand sequins, which he gave to Hasan, the son of the vizier, and said, “Write a bill of sale for me and seal it.”
So Hasan took a pen and paper and wrote these words in duplicate: “The writer, Hasan Badar al-Din, son of Vizier Nur al-Din, has sold to Isaac the Jew all the cargo of the first of his father’s ships that comes into port for a thousand dinars, and he has received the payment for the goods in advance.” And after the Jew took one copy, he put it into his pouch and went away. But Hasan began weeping as he thought of the dignity and prosperity that had once been his. Soon night fell, and he leaned his head against his father’s grave and was overcome by sleep. He continued to slumber until the moon rose and his head slipped from the tomb so that he lay
on his back with his limbs outstretched and his face shining bright in the moonlight. Now the cemetery was haunted day and night by jinnees who were of the true believers, and soon a jinniyah came out and saw Hasan asleep. She marveled at how handsome he was and cried, “Glory to God! This youth can be none other than one of the Wuldan of Paradise.” Then she flew high into the air, as was her custom, and she met an ifrit, who was also flying about. After he greeted her, she asked him, “Where are you coming from?”
“From Cairo,” he replied.
“Do you want to come with me and gaze upon the beauty of a youth who is sleeping in that cemetery down there?” she inquired.
“Yes,” he responded.
And so they flew until they landed at the tomb, where she showed him Hasan and remarked, “Did you ever in your born days see something like this?”
The jinnee looked at him and exclaimed, “Praise be to Him that has no equal! But, my sister, shall I tell you what I’ve seen this day?”
“What’s that?” she replied.
“I have seen the counterpart of this youth in the land of Egypt,” he said. “She is the daughter of the Vizier Shams al-Din, and she’s a model of beauty and loveliness. When she reached the age of nineteen, the sultan of Egypt heard about her, and after sending for her father, he said to him, ‘Hear me, oh vizier, I’ve been told that you have a daughter, and I want to request her hand in marriage.’ The vizier replied, ‘My lord, please accept my excuses and have compassion with me, for you know that my brother, who was my partner, disappeared from us many years ago, and we don’t know where he is. He departed because of a quarrel we had while we were sitting together and talking of wives and children to come. Indeed, we had some sharp words with one another, and he went off extremely angry at me. But I swore that I would marry my daughter to no one but his son, and I took this oath on the day that my daughter was born nineteen years ago. Now, recently I’ve learned that my brother died at Bassorah, where he had married the daughter of the vizier, and she had given birth to a son. Consequently, I won’t and can’t marry my daughter to anyone but him in memory of my brother. I recorded the date of my marriage and the conception of my wife and the birth of my daughter, and from her horoscope I’ve found that her name is linked with that of her cousin. May I also remind my lord that he has the pick of numerous damsels in his kingdom.’ Upon hearing his vizier’s answer, the king became extremely furious and cried, ‘When the likes of me asks for a damsel in marriage from the likes of you, it must be considered an honor! Yet you reject me and put me off with insipid excuses! Now by my life I intend to marry her to the most vile of my men to spite you!’ In the palace was a horsegroom, a gobbo, with a hump on his breast and a hunch to his back, and the sultan sent for him and had him betrothed to the daughter of the vizier against his will. Then he arranged for a spectacular wedding procession for him. The hunchback is to sleep with his bride this very night. I have just now flown from Cairo, where I left the hunchback at the door of the Hammam bath among the sultan’s white slaves, who were waving lit torches about him. As for the minister’s daughter, she is sitting among her nurses and attendants, weeping and wailing, for they have forbidden her father to come near her. Never have I seen, my sister, a more hideous creature than this hunchback, while the young lady looks just like this young man. Indeed, she is even fairer than he.”
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 jinnee had told the jinniyah how the sultan had caused the wedding contract to be drawn up between the hunchbacked groom and the lovely young lady, who was heartbroken out of sorrow, and how she was the fairest of Allah’s creatures and even more beautiful than this youth, the jinniyah exclaimed, “You’re lying! There’s no one as handsome as this youth!”
But the ifrit insisted that he was telling the truth and added, “By Allah, this damsel is definitely fairer than this youth. Nevertheless, he’s the only one who deserves her, for they resemble each other like brother and sister or at least like cousins. In any case, she’s wasted on that hunchback!”
“Brother, I have an idea!” the jinniyah replied. “Let’s lift him up and carry him to Cairo so that we can compare him with the damsel and determine which of the two is the fairer.”
“Your idea is a good one,” he answered. “This way we’ll get right to the bottom of the matter, and I myself will carry him.” So he raised Hasan from the ground and flew with him like a bird soaring through the air while the jinniyah kept close by his side at equal speed. Finally, they landed with him in Cairo, set him down on a stone bench, and woke him. Gradually he realized that he was no longer at his father’s tomb in Bassorah, and after looking right and left he saw that he was in a strange place. Indeed, he would have cried out, but the ifrit gave him a cuff which persuaded him to keep quiet. Then he brought Hasan rich raiment with which he clothed him, and after giving him a lighted torch, he said, “I want you to know that I’ve brought you here with the intention of doing you a good turn for the love of Allah. So take this torch and mix with the people at the Hammam door. Then walk on with them without stopping until you reach the house of the wedding festivities. Then you’re to go boldly forward and enter the great salon. Don’t be afraid of anyone, but take a place at the right of the hunchback bridegroom. Whenever any of the nurses, maids, or singing girls come up to you, put your hand into your pocket, which you will find filled with gold. Take the gold out and throw it to them. You don’t have to worry about losing your money, for your pouch will remain full. Give liberally and fear nothing, but place your trust in Him who created you, for this is not your own strength but that of Almighty Allah.”
When Badar al-Din Hasan heard the ifrit’s words, he said to himself, “If only I knew what all this means, and what’s causing all this kindness!” Without further wondering, however, he began to mix with the people and moved on with the bridal procession until he came to the bath, where he found the hunchback already on horseback. Then he pushed his way into the crowd, and he was truthfully a handsome specimen of a man, dressed in the finest apparel with tarbush, turban, and a long-sleeved robe lined with gold. Whenever the singing girls stopped to receive money from people, he put his hand into his pocket, took out a handful of gold, and threw it on the tambourine until he filled it with gold pieces. The singers were amazed by his generosity, and the people were astounded by his handsome features, grace, and splendid dress. Now Hasan continued doing this until he reached the mansion of the vizier, who was his uncle. There the chamberlains drove the people back and forbade them to go any further. But the singing girls and maids said, “By Allah, we won’t enter unless this young man is allowed to enter with us, for he has given us a long life with his generosity, and we won’t display the bride unless he is present.”
Consequently, Hasan was allowed to enter the bridal hall with them, and they made him sit down, defying the evil glances of the hunchbacked groom. The wives of the nobles, viziers, chamberlains, and courtiers stood in a double line, each holding a large torch. All of them wore thin face veils, and the two rows extended from the bride’s throne to the head of the hall next to the chamber from where the bride was to come forth. When the ladies saw Badar al-Din Hasan and noticed his handsome features and lovely face that shone like the new moon, their hearts went out to him, and the singing girls said to all present, “That handsome man gave us nothing but gold coins. So don’t hesitate to serve him and comply with his requests, no matter what he asks.”
Then all the women crowded around Hasan with their torches, gazed at his handsome features, and admired his loveliness. One and all would gladly have lain on his bosom an hour if not a year. They were so excited that they let their veils fall from their faces and said, “Happy is she who belongs to this youth or to whom he belongs!” And they began cursing the crooked groom and the sultan, who was the cause of the hunchback’s marriage t
o the vizier’s beautiful daughter. As often as they blessed Badar al-Din Hasan, they damned the hunchback and said, “Truly, this youth and no one else deserves our bride. May Allah’s curse land on the head of the hideous hunchback and on the sultan who commanded the marriage!” Then the singing girls beat their tambourines and announced the bride’s appearance with joy.
The vizier’s daughter entered with her attendants, who had made her look her best, for they had put perfume and incense on her and adorned her hair. Moreover, they had dressed her in raiment and ornaments that suited the mighty Chosroë kings. The most notable part of her dress was a loose robe worn over her other garments: it was embroidered with golden figures of wild beasts, birds whose eyes and beaks were made of gems, and claws of red rubies and green beryl. Her neck was graced with a necklace of Yamani work worth thousands of gold pieces, and the settings for the gems were great round jewels the like of which has never been owned by an emperor or Tobba king. Indeed, the bride resembled the full moon when at its fullest on the fourteenth night, and as she walked through the hall, she was like one of the houris of heaven!
Now the ladies surrounded her like clustering stars, and she shone among them like the moon when it eats up the clouds. When the bride emerged with her graceful swaying, Badar al-Din Hasan was sitting in full gaze of the people, and her hunchbacked bridegroom stood up to meet and receive her. However, she turned away from the horrid creature and walked forward until she stood before her cousin Hasan, the son of her uncle. Thereupon, the people laughed, but when they saw her attracted toward Badar al-Din, they made a mighty clamor, and the singing women shouted their loudest. Then he put his hand into his pocket, and after pulling out a handful of gold, he cast it into their tambourines, causing the girls to rejoice and say, “If we had our wish, this bride would be yours.”
Arabian Nights Page 32