by Muhsin Mahdi
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.
THE TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVENTH NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad said:
I heard, O happy King, that the people said to Nur al-Din, “Let whatever happens happen.” The attendants rode with Nur al-Din until they came below the palace walls. Then they made him kneel on the execution mat, and the executioner bandaged his eyes and, drawing his sword, asked him twice whether he had a last wish. Then he knelt before him and, removing the bandage from his eyes, said to him, “I am only a servant who does what he is told; I have no choice, and you will die as soon as the king gives the order.” Nur al-Din looked to the right and left and, realizing that none could help him or save him and feeling very thirsty, recited the following verses:
My life is spent and death is drawing near;
Will no one help me and God’s reward gain?
Will no one pity me in my distress
And with a cup of water ease my pain?
Yet if I die thirsty, then I will die
Like Ali’s holy son7 and martyrdom attain.
The people wept and the executioner rose and brought him a cup of water, but the vizier jumped up, knocked the cup from his hand, and broke it, screaming, “Strike off his head.” The people cried out, “This is not lawful,” when suddenly there arose a great cloud of dust that filled the air. The vizier repeated, “Strike off his head at once,” but the king said, “Let us wait and see what is the matter.”
That cloud of dust was raised by Ja’far and his retinue, and the reason of his coming was as follows …
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.
THE TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHTH NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad replied, “Very well,” and said:
I heard, O happy King, that one night, as the caliph passed by one of the chambers in the palace, he heard someone reciting the following verses:
Love’s torment has wracked me, body and soul,
Ever since cruel fate drove us far apart.
God has allowed all lovers to unite,
But has condemned my unrequited heart.
The caliph cried out, “Who is in the chamber?” and a woman replied, “O my lord, I am Anis al-Jalis, whose lord you sent to Basra to replace the Lord Muhammad ibn-Sulaiman as king.” When the caliph heard this, he summoned Ja’far and said to him, “I have forgotten Nur al-Din Ali ibn-Khaqan and forgotten to send him the order of investiture and the deed of bestowal, and I fear that his enemy may have succeeded in killing him. Ride posthaste to Basra, and if you find him dead, hang the vizier, but if you find him alive, bring him with the king and the vizier to me, as you will find them, and do not tarry beyond the time necessary for the journey.” Ja’far prepared himself at once and set out for Basra with his retinue.
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.
THE TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINTH NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad replied, “Very well,” and said:
I heard, O happy King, that Ja’far set out at once and journeyed until he reached Basra at the very moment when, as I have described, the executioner stood with his drawn sword and was about to strike off Nur al-Din’s head. Ja’far went up to the king, saluted him, and inquired what was the matter with Nur al-Din, and the king explained the situation. Then Ja’far bade Nur al-Din be brought before him, and they brought him with the execution mat and sword. Then he bade them untie him, and they did so, then bade them bind the vizier and tie a rope around his neck, and they did so. Then he took all three and journeyed until he reached the City of Peace and, going to the caliph, presented Nur al-Din to him and told him the story.
The caliph said to Nur al-Din, “Nur al-Din ibn-Khaqan, take this sword and strike off the head of your enemy with your own hand.” Nur al-Din rose and, taking the sword, went up to the vizier, who said to him, “I did according to my nature; do according to yours.” Nur al-Din threw the sword from his hand and said to the caliph, “O my lord, the poet says:
I tricked him to forgive me for my breach,
For noble minds are deceived by fair speech.”
The caliph said, “Masrur, strike off his head yourself.” Masrur went to the vizier and with one stroke severed his head from his body. Then the caliph turned to Nur al-Din ibn-Khaqan and said, “Ask for a boon from me.” Nur al-Din replied, “I have no need of the kingship of Basra; all I desire is the honor of your companionship.” The caliph reunited Nur al-Din with Anis al-Jalis, bestowed favors on him, and granted him his wish, making him one of his boon companions. Then Nur al-Din and Anis al-Jalis lived the happiest and most delightful of lives until they were overtaken by the breaker of ties and destroyer of delights. May God help us on that day!
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister Shahrazad, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if I stay alive! It will be even stranger and more amazing.”
THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTIETH NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad said:
4. See n. 2, p. 47.
5. A famous musician and virtuoso of the lute who used to entertain Harun al-Rashid.
6. Small copper coins; in Iraq worth one-thousandth of a dinar.
7. Al-Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad. He and his brother al-Hasan and their family were surrounded by the enemy near Kerbala in Iraq, deprived of water for days, then massacred.
[The Story of Jullanar of the Sea]
I HEARD, O happy King, that there was once in Persia a great and mighty king whose capital was Khurasan. He ruled over so many provinces and cities and so many people that all the kings of Persia and all their armies paid him homage. He was a sensible, discerning, and pious man who judged fairly between the strong and the weak and treated the offenders with mercy, so that everyone near and far loved him and wished him long life, victory, and success. He had one hundred concubines of all races, each housed in her own apartment, but in all his life he had never been blessed with a son. He used to offer sacrifices, give alms, and do all kinds of favors and good deeds, praying to God to bless him with a son to bring him joy and inherit the kingdom after him. He used to say to himself, “I am afraid that I will die without a son and the kingdom will pass into the hands of strangers.”
The slave-merchants knew that he enjoyed having many women and concubines, so that whenever they came by any slave-girl, they brought her to him, and if he liked her, he would buy her at the highest price, making the merchant rich. Then he would bestow on him a robe of honor as well as other favors, give him written orders that none should levy any duty or tax on him, and hold him in high esteem. Consequently, the slave-merchants came to him from various provinces and countries to present him with fine mistresses and concubines. But in spite of all these efforts, he remained depressed and anxious for a long time.
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.
THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIRST NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad said:
I heard, O happy King, that in spite of all these efforts, the king remained depressed and anxious for a long time because he was getting old, without having been blessed with a son to inherit the kingdom after him.
One day, as he sat on the throne, with his vizier by his side, with the princes, lords of the realm, and notables sitting before him, and with the Mamluks and servants standing in attendance, a servant came in and said, “O King of the age, there is a merchant at the door, with a girl worthy of our lord the king. He wishes to present her to you, and if she pleases you, he will offer her to you. He says that there is none like her in beauty or charm.” The king replied, “Bring him to me.” The servant rose and returned with the merchant led by a chamberlain who presented him to the king. The merchant kissed the ground and bowed before the king, who engaged him in conversation
and spoke amiably with him until he put him at ease, allaying the awe he felt in the presence of the king. Indeed, it is the mark of kings, sovereigns, and other leaders that when a messenger or a merchant stands before them on some business, they converse with him amiably to allay the awe he feels in their presence.
At last the king turned to the merchant and asked …
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.
THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SECOND NIGHT
It is related, O happy King, that the king at last turned to the merchant and asked, “Where is the girl whom you consider to be worthy of me?” The merchant replied, “She is beautiful and elegant beyond description, and she is standing at the door with the servants, awaiting your pleasure. With your leave, I will bring her at once.” The king gave him leave, and when she came in, the king looked and saw a tall girl, as slender as a spear, wrapped in a silk cloak embroidered with gold. The king rose from his throne and, entering a private chamber, bade the merchant bring in the girl. The merchant brought her before the king, and when he unveiled her, the king looked on her and saw that she was brighter than a banner and more slender than a reed, for she put even the rising moon to shame, with hair hanging down to her anklets in seven tresses like horses’ tails or the veil of the night, and with dark eyes, smooth cheeks, heavy hips, and slender waist. When the king saw her, he was dazzled by her beauty and grace, for she was like her of whom the poet said:
When they unveiled her, I doted at once,
As she stood there with calm and dignity,
Neither too little nor too much, faultlessly formed,
Wrapped tightly in her cloak, in total parity,
Slender her figure and perfect her height,
Her lovely body to perfection bred.
Her hair trailed to the anklets and revealed
The glory and the envy of her head.
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister, “What a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if I stay alive!”
THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THIRD NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad said:
It is related, O happy King, that when the king looked at the girl, he was dazzled by her beauty, captivated by her charm, and overwhelmed by love for her. He turned to the merchant and asked, “Shaikh, what is the price of this girl?” The merchant replied, “O King, I bought her from another merchant for two thousand dinars, and to this date I have traveled for three years and spent one thousand dinars on her to bring her to you, but your slave does not want any money for her; she is a gift to our lord the king.” When the king heard this, he bestowed on him a robe of honor and ordered him ten thousand dinars and one of his choice horses. The merchant kissed the ground before him and departed.
Then the king committed the girl to the care of the nurses and attendants, saying to them, “Prepare her and leave her alone in one of my choice private apartments.” They replied, “We hear and obey.” Then they took care of her and brought her whatever she needed of servants, clothes, and food and drink. Then they took her to the bath and washed her, and when she came out, looking even more charming and beautiful, they dressed her in fine clothes and adorned her with jewelry worthy of her beauty and brought her to an apartment overlooking the sea. For at that time the king resided on the seashore, on an island called the White Island. When in the evening the king went in to her, he saw her standing at the window, looking at the sea, but although she noticed his presence, she neither paid attention to him nor showed him veneration, but continued to look at the sea, without even turning her head toward him. When the king saw this, he surmised that she came from ignorant people who had not taught her manners. But when he looked at her and saw her in her fine clothes and jewelry, which lent her greater beauty and charm and made her look like the twinkling stars or the shining sun, he said to himself, “Glory be to God who created you ‘from a humble drop … in a safe haven.’” Then he went up to her, as she stood at the window, and embraced her. Then he sat down on the couch and, seating her on his knees, kissed her and marveled at her beauty and grace. Then he bade the maids bring food, and they set the food before him, in plates of gold and silver, worthy of a king and placed in the middle of the table almond pastry in a platter of white crystal. Then the king ate and fed her with his hand, but, while she ate, she kept her head bowed down, without paying any attention to him or looking at him.
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence.
THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FOURTH NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad said:
It is related, O happy King, that the king kept feeding her with his hand, while she kept her head bowed down, without paying any attention to him, looking at him, or speaking to him. He began to talk to her and asked her name, but she kept her head bowed down, without replying, speaking, or uttering a word or a single syllable until the maids removed the table and the king and the girl washed their hands. When the king saw that she did not speak or answer his questions, he said to himself, “Glory be to the Almighty God! How beautiful is this girl but how ignorant! Or else she is dumb, but none save the Exalted and Glorious God is perfect. Were she able to speak, she would be perfect.” He felt very sorry for her, and when he inquired of the attendants about her silence, they replied, “O King, by God, she has never said a word to us or uttered a single syllable, but has remained silent, as you see.”
Then he summoned his concubines, favorites, and other women and bade them entertain her with all kinds of music and songs. But when they played and sang, the king enjoyed it very much, while she, neither speaking nor smiling, kept her head bowed, looked at them silently, and sulked until she made the king depressed. He dismissed the women and remained alone with her. Then he took off his clothes, lay down in bed, and made her lie beside him. When he looked at her body and saw that it was as fair as pure silver, he was enthralled and felt a great love for her, and when he took her virginity, he discovered that she had been a virgin and he rejoiced and said to himself, “By God, it is amazing that a girl of such beauty and grace, who has been bought and sold as a slave, has remained a virgin. This is a mystery.”
Thereafter, he devoted himself totally to her, as she began to assume and occupy a great place in his heart, and he forsook and neglected his favorites, concubines, and all other women and considered her his blessing and his lot in life. He lived with her an entire year as if it were one day, yet she never spoke to him or uttered a single word, and this was very hard on him.
One day he turned to her …
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister Shahrazad, “O sister, what a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if the king spares me and lets me live! It will be even stranger.”
THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad said:
I heard, O happy King, that at the end of the year, during which the king had grown infatuated and madly in love with the girl, he turned to her one day and said, “O my heart’s desire, by God, my whole kingdom is not worth a grain of sand to me when I see you unable to reply or speak to me, for you are dearer to me than my eyes. I have forsaken my concubines, my favorites, and all my other women and made you my lot in life, and I have been patient with you and have been praying to the Almighty God to soften your heart with pity and make you speak one word to me, if you are able to speak. If you are dumb, let me know, in order that I may give up hope. I pray God to bless me with a son from you to bring me joy and inherit the kingdom after me, for I am lonely and forlorn, without relatives or anyone else to help me with the affairs of the kingdom, especially now that I am old and too weak to manage by myself and take care of my people. My lady, if you are able to speak, for God’s sake, answer me, for my only
wish is to hear one word from you before I die.” When the girl heard the king’s words, she bowed her head in thought, and, looking up, smiled in his face and said, “O gallant King and valiant lion, may God exalt you and humble your enemies, and may He give you long life and grant you every wish. The Almighty God has accepted your pleadings and entreaties and has answered your prayers. O King, I am bearing your child and the time of my delivery is near, although I do not know whether the child is a boy or a girl. Had it not been for the child, I would not have answered you or spoken to you.” When the king heard her words, he was extremely happy and he embraced her and kissed her face, saying, “O my lady, O my darling, God has granted me two blessings and relieved me of two sorrows, the first, to hear you my entire kingdom, the second, to hear you say that you are bearing my child,”
Then he left her and sat on his throne and in a fit of happiness bade his vizier distribute a hundred thousand dinars in alms to the widows, the orphans, and the homeless, and to all the poor and needy, and the vizier did as he bade. Then the king returned to the girl and said, “O my lady and my heart’s delight, how was it that you spent a whole year, lying with me in the same bed day and night, without speaking to me until today? How could you bear it and what was the cause?” She replied, “O King, I am an exile and a captive in a foreign land, with a broken heart aching for my people, a woman all alone without father or brother.”
But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she lapsed into silence. Then Dinarzad said to her sister, “O sister, what a strange and entertaining story!” Shahrazad replied, “What is this compared with what I shall tell you tomorrow night if I stay alive!”
THE TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIXTH NIGHT
The following night Shahrazad said:
I heard, O happy King, that when the king heard her words, he replied, “As for your saying that you are a brokenhearted woman in a foreign land, where is the reason for it, since my entire kingdom is in your hands and I am your slave? But, as for your saying that you have a mother and a father and a brother, where are they and what is your name?”